he arrowy libations poured upon themselves. I
tell thee, O king, that there is no better way to heaven for a Kshatriya
than through battle. All of them were high-souled Kshatriyas, all of them
were heroes and ornaments of assemblies. They have attained to a high
state of blessedness. One should not grieve for them. Do thou comfort thy
own self. Do not grieve, O bull among men! It behoveth thee not to suffer
thyself to be overwhelmed with sorrow and abandon all action.'"

10

Vaishampayana said, "Hearing these words of Vidura, that bull of Bharata's
race (Dhritarashtra) ordered his car to be yoked. The king once more
said, 'Bring Gandhari hither without delay, and all the Bharata ladies.
Bring hither Kunti also, as well as all the other ladies with her.' Having
said these words unto Vidura, conversant with every duty, Dhritarashtra
of righteous soul, deprived of his senses by sorrow, ascended on his car.
Then Gandhari, afflicted with grief on account of the death of her sons,
accompanied by Kunti and the other ladies of the royal household, came at
the command of her lord to that spot where the latter was waiting for
her. Afflicted with grief, they came together to the king. As they met,
they accosted each other and uttered loud wails of woe. Then Vidura, who
had become more afflicted than those ladies, began to comfort them.
Placing those weeping fair ones on the cars that stood ready for them, he
set out (with them) from the city. At that time a loud wail of woe arose
from every Kuru house. The whole city, including the very children,
became exceedingly afflicted with grief. Those ladies that had not before
this been seen by the very gods were now helpless, as they were, for the
loss of their lords, seen by the common people. With their beautiful
tresses all dishevelled and their ornaments cast off, those ladies, each
attired in a single piece of raiment, proceeded most woefully. Indeed,
they issued from their houses resembling white mountains, like a dappled
herd of deer from their mountain caves after the fall of their leader.
These fair ladies, in successive bevies, O king, came out, filled with
sorrow, and ran hither and thither like a herd of fillies on a circus
yard. Seizing each other by the hand, they uttered loud wails after their
sons and brothers and sires. They seemed to exhibit the scene that takes
place on the occasion of the universal destruction at the end of the
Yuga. Weeping and crying and running