Pārtha with his arms and wept aloud, remembering his sons, brothers, grandsons, daughter's sons, and friends.4
"Vasudeva said,—'Without beholding those heroes, O Arjuna, who had subjugated all the kings of the Earth and the Daityas a hundred times, I am still alive! I see, that I am difficult to die!5 Those two heroes who were the dear disciples of Arjuna, and who were much regarded by him, alas, O Pārtha, through their fault, the Vrishnis have been destroyed!6 Those two who were regarded as Atirathas amongst the foremost of the Vrishnis, and referring to whom in course of conversation thou wert wont to indulge in pride,7 and who, O chief of Kuru's race, were ever dear to Krishna himself,—alas, those two, O Dhananjaya, have been the chief causes of the destruction of the Vrishnis!8 I do not censure the son of Cini or the son of Hridikā, O Arjuna! I do not censure Akruna or the son of Rukmini. No doubt, the curse (of the Rishis) is the sole cause!9 How is it that that lord of the universe, viz., the slayer of Madhu, who had put forth his prowess for achieving the destruction of Keçin and Kansa, and Chaidya swelling with pride, and Ekalavya the son of the ruler of the Nishādas, and the Kalingas and the Māgadhas, and the Gāndhāras and the king of Kāçi, and many rulers assembled together in the midst of the desert, many heroes belonging to the East and the South, and many kings of the mountainous regions,—alas, how could he remain indifferent to such a calamity as the curse denounced by the Rishis?10-12 Thyself, Nārada, and the Munis, knew him to be the eternal and sinless Govinda, the Deity of unfading glory!13 Alas, being puissant Vishnu himself, he witnessed, without interfering, the destruction of his kinsmen! My son must have himself allowed all this to happen.14 He was the Lord of the universe. He did not, however, wish to falsify the words of Gāndhāri and the Rishis, O scorcher of foes!15 In thy very sight, O hero, thy grandson, who had been slain by Açwatthāman, was revived through his energy.16 That friend, however, of yours did not want to protect his kinsmen. Beholding his sons and grandsons and brothers and friends lying dead, he said unto me these words, O chief of Bharata's race,—The
