on of Gavalgana, by name
Sanjaya and by caste a Suta, cheerfully spoke unto Ajatasatru, 'How
lucky, O king, that I see you hale, attended by friends and little
inferior to the great Indra. The aged and wise king Dhritarashtra, the
son of Ambika, hath enquired about your welfare. I hope Bhimasena is
well, and that Dhananjaya, that foremost of the Pandavas, and these two
sons of Madri, are well. I hope princess Krishna also, the daughter of
Drupada, is well,--she who never swerves from the path of truth, that
lady of great energy, that wife of heroes. I hope she is well with her
sons,--she in whom are centred all your dearest joys and whose welfare
you constantly pray for.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O Sanjaya, the son of Gavalgana, hath thy journey
here been safe? We are pleased with thy sight. I ask thee in return how
thou art. I am, O learned man, in excellent health with my younger
brothers. O Suta, after a long while do I now receive news of the aged
king of the Kurus, that descendant of Bharata. Having seen thee, O
Sanjaya, I feel as if I have seen the king himself, so pleased I am! Is
our aged grandsire Bhishma, the descendant of Kuru, endued with great
energy and the highest wisdom and always devoted to the practices of his
own order, O sire, in health? I hope he still retains all his former
habits. I hope the high-souled king Dhritarashtra, the son of
Vichitravirya, is in health with his sons. I hope the great king Vahlika,
the son of Pratipa, endued with great learning, is also in health. I
hope, O sire, that Somadatta is in health, and Bhurisravas, and
Satyasandha, and Sala, and Drona with his son, and the Brahmana Kripa are
also well. I hope all those mighty bowmen are free from disease. O
Sanjaya, all those greatest and best of bowmen, endued with the highest
intelligence and versed in letters, and occupying the very top of those
who wield weapons, have attached themselves to the Kurus. I hope those
bowmen receive their honours due. I hope they are free from disease. How
happy are they in whose kingdom dwells the mighty and handsome bowman,
the well-behaved son of Drona! I hope Yuyutsu, the highly intelligent son
of Dhritarashtra by his Vaisya wife is in health. I hope, O sire, the
adviser Karna, whose counsels are followed by the dull-headed Suyodhana,
is in health. I hope, the aged ladies, the mothers of the Bharata race,
and the kitchen-maidens, the bond-maids, the daughters-in-law, the boys,
the sister's sons,