o king Yudhishthira the just on the occasion of his foremost
of sacrifices, the rajasuya. When I secretly informed him of all this,
Dharma's son endeavoured his best for preserving peace with the Kauravas.
That, however, which is ordained by the gods proved too powerful (to be
frustrated by him). The fiat, O king of the Destroyer, is incapable of
being baffled anyhow by mobile and immobile creatures. Thou art devoted
to virtue and possessed of superior intelligence, O Bharata! Thou knowest
also that which is the way and that which is not the way of all
creatures. If king Yudhishthira learns that thou art burning with grief
and losing thy senses frequently, he will cast off his very life-breath.
He is always compassionate and possessed of wisdom. His kindness extends
even to all the inferior creatures. How is it possible, O king, that he
will not show compassion to thee, O monarch? At my command, and knowing
that what is ordained is inevitable, as also from kindness to the
Pandavas, continue to bear thy life, O Bharata! If thou livest thus, thy
fame will spread in the world. Thou shalt then be able to acquire a
knowledge of all duties and find many years for obtaining ascetic merit.
This grief for the death of thy sons that has arisen in thy heart, like a
blazing fire, should always be extinguished, O king, by the water of
wisdom!'"

Vaishampayana continued, "Hearing these words of Vyasa of immeasurable
energy and reflecting upon them for a little while, Dhritarashtra said, 'O
best of regenerate ones, I am exceedingly afflicted by a heavy load of
grief. My senses are repeatedly forsaking me and I am unable to bear up
my own self. Hearing, however, these words of thine about what had been
ordained by the gods, I shall not think of casting off my life-breath and
shall live and act without indulging in grief!' Hearing these words of
Dhritarashtra, O monarch, Satyavati's son, Vyasa, disappeared then and
there."

9

Janamejaya said, "After the holy Vyasa had departed, what, O regenerate
sage, did king Dhritarashtra, do? It behoveth thee to tell me this. What
also did the Kuru king, the high-souled son of Dharma, do? And how did
those three, Kripa and others, do? I have heard of the feats of
Ashvatthama and the mutual denouncement of curses. Tell me what happened
next and what Sanjaya next said (unto the old king)."

Vaishampayana said, "After Duryodhana had been slain and all the troops
slaughtered, Sanjaya, deprived