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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3




Vaishampayana continued, "Hearing these cruel words, Dhritarashtra, that
ruler of men, fell down, O monarch, on the earth, deprived of his senses.
As soon as the king fell down, Vidura also, of great fame, O monarch,
afflicted with sorrow on account of the king's distress, fell down on the
earth. Gandhari also, O best of kings, and all the Kuru ladies, suddenly
fell down on the ground, hearing those cruel words. That entire conclave
of royal persons remained lying on the ground, deprived of their senses
and raving deliriously, like figures painted on a large piece of canvas.
Then king Dhritarashtra, that lord of earth, afflicted with the calamity
represented by the death of his sons, slowly and with difficulty regained
his life-breaths. Having recovered his senses, the king, with trembling
limbs and sorrowful heart, turned his face on every side, and said these
words unto Kshattri (Vidura). 'O learned Kshattri, O thou of great
wisdom, thou, O bull of Bharata's race, art now my refuge. I am lordless
and destitute of all my sons.' Having said this, he once more fell down,
deprived of his senses. Beholding him fallen, all his kinsmen that were
present there sprinkled cold water over him and fanned him with fans.
Comforted after a long while, that lord of earth, afflicted with sorrow
on account of the death of his sons, remained silent, sighing heavily, O
monarch, like a snake put into a jar. Sanjaya also wept aloud, beholding
the king so afflicted. All the ladies too, with Gandhari of great
celebrity, did the same. After a long while, O best of men,
Dhritarashtra, having repeatedly swooned, addressed Vidura, saying, 'Let
all the ladies retire, as also Gandhari of great fame, and all these
friends. My mind hath become greatly unsettled.' Thus addressed, Vidura,
repeatedly trembling, slowly dismissed the ladies, O bull of Bharata's
race. All those ladies retired, O chief of the Bharatas, as also all
those friends, beholding the king deeply afflicted. Then Sanjaya
cheerlessly looked at the king, O scorcher of foes, who, having recovered
his senses, was weeping in great affliction. With joined hands, Vidura
then, in sweet words, comforted that ruler of men who was sighing
incessantly.'"



2

Vaishampayana said, "After the ladies had been dismissed, Dhritarashtra,
the son of Ambika, plunged into grief greater than that which had
afflicted him before, began, O monarch, to indulge in lamentations,
exhaling breaths that resembled smoke, and repeatedly waving his arms,
and reflecting a little, O monarch, he said these words.

"Dhritarashtra said, 'Alas, O Suta, the intelligence is fraught with
great grief that I hear from thee, that the Pandavas are all safe and
have suffered no loss in battle. Without doubt, my hard heart is made of
the essence of thunder, since it breaketh not upon hearing of the fall of
my sons. Thinking of their ages, O Sanjaya, and of their sports in
childhood, and learning today that all of them have perished, my heart
seems to break into pieces. Although in consequence of my blindness I
never saw their forms, still I cherished a great love for them in
consequence of the affection one feels for his children. Hearing that
they had passed out of childhood and entered the period of youth and then
of early manhood, I became exceedingly glad, O sinless one. Hearing today
that have been slain and divested of prosperity and energy, I fail to
obtain peace of mind, being overwhelmed with grief on account of the
distress that has overtaken them. Come, come, O king of kings
(Duryodhana) to me that am without a protector now! Deprived of thee, O
mighty-armed one, what will be my plight? Why, O sire, abandoning all the
assembled kings dost thou lie on the bare ground, deprived of life, like
an ordinary and wretched king? Having been, O monarch, the refuge of
kinsmen and friends, where dost thou go now, O hero, abandoning me that
am blind and old? Where now, O king, is that compassion of thine, that
love, and that respectfulness? Invincible as thou wert in battle, how,
alas, hast thou been slain by the Parthas? Who will now, after I will
have waked from sleep at the proper hour, repeatedly address me in such
endearing and respectful words as, "O father, O father," "O great king,"
"O Lord of the world" and affectionately clasping my neck with moistened
eyes, will seek my orders, saying, "Command me, O thou of Kuru's race."
Address me, O son, in that sweet language once more. O dear child, I
heard even these words from thy lips, "This wide earth is as much ours as
it is of Pritha's son. Bhagadatta and Kripa and Shalya and the two
princes of Avanti and Jayadratha and Bhurishrava and Sala and Somadatta
and Bahlika and Ashvatthama and the chief of the Bhojas and the mighty
prince of Magadha and Vrihadvala and the ruler of the Kasi and Shakuni
the son of Subala and many thousands of Mlecchas and Sakas and Yavanas,
and Sudakshina the ruler of the Kambojas and the king of the Trigartas
and the grandsire Bhishma and Bharadwaja's son and Gotama's son (Kripa)
and Srutayush and Ayutayush and Satayush of great energy, and Jalasandha
and Rishyasringa's son and the Rakshasa Alayudha, and the mighty-armed
Alambusa and the great car-warrior Subala--these and numerous other
kings, O best of monarchs, have taken up arms for my sake, prepared to
cast away their very lives in great battle, stationed on the field amidst
these, and surrounded by my brothers, I will fight against all the
Parthas and the Pancalas and the Cedis, O tiger among kings, and the sons
of Draupadi and Satyaki and Kunti-Bhoja and the rakshasa Ghatotkaca. Even
one amongst these, O king, excited with rage, is able to resist in battle
the Pandavas rushing towards him. What need I say then of all these
heroes, every one of whom has wrong to avenge on the Pandavas, when
united together? All these, O monarch, will fight with the followers of
the Pandavas and will slay them in battle. Karna alone, with myself, will
slay the Pandavas. All the heroic kings will then live under my sway. He,
who is their leader, the mighty Vasudeva, will not, he has told me, put
on mail for them, O king." Even in this way, O Suta, did Duryodhana often
use to speak to me. Hearing what he said, I believed that the Pandavas
would be slain in battle. When, however, my sons stationed in the midst
of those heroes and exerting themselves vigorously in battle have all
been slain, what can it be but destiny? When that lord of the world, the
valiant Bhishma, having encountered Shikhandi, met with his death like a
lion meeting with his at the hands of a jackal, what can it be but
destiny? When the Brahmana Drona, that master of all weapons offensive
and defensive, has been slain by the Pandavas in battle, what can it be
but destiny? When Bhurishrava has been slain in battle, as also Somadatta
and king Bahlika, what can it be but destiny? When Bhagadatta, skilled in
fight from the backs of elephants, has been slain, and when Jayadratha
hath been slain, what can it be but destiny? When Sudakshina has been
slain, and Jalasandha of Puru's race, as also Srutayush, and Ayutayush,
what can it be but destiny? When the mighty Pandya, that foremost of all
wielders of weapons, has been slain in battle by the Pandavas, what can
it be but destiny? When Vrihadvala has been slain and the mighty king of
the Magadhas, and the valiant Ugrayudha, that type of all bowmen; when
the two princes of Avanti (Vinda and Anuvinda) have been slain, and the
ruler also of the Trigartas, as also numerous Samsaptakas, what can it be
but destiny? When king Alambusa, and the Rakshasas Alayudha, and
Rishyasringa's son, have been slain, what can it be but destiny? When the
Narayanas have been slain, as also the Gopalas, those troops that were
invincible in battle, and many thousands of Mlecchas, what can it be but
destiny? When Shakuni, the son of Subala, and the mighty Uluka, called
the gamester's son, that hero at the head of his forces, have been slain,
what can it be but destiny? When innumerable high-souled heroes,
accomplished in all kinds of weapons offensive and defensive and endued
with prowess equal to that of Shakra himself, have been slain, O Suta,
when Kshatriyas hailing from diverse realms, O Sanjaya, have all been
slain in battle, what can it be but destiny? Endued with great might, my
sons and grandsons have been slain, as also my friends and brethren, what
can it be but destiny? Without doubt, man takes his birth, subject to
destiny. That man who is possessed of good fortune meets with good. I am
bereft of good fortune, and, therefore, am deprived of my children, O
Sanjaya. Old as I am, how shall I now submit to the sway of enemies? I do
not think anything other than exile into the woods to be good for me, O
lord. Deprived of relatives and kinsmen as I am, I will go into the
woods. Nothing other than an exile into the woods can be better for me
who am fallen into this plight and who am shorn of my wings, O Sanjaya.
When Duryodhana had been slain, when Shalya has been slain, when
Duhshasana and Vivingsati and the mighty Vikarna have been slain, how
shall I be able to bear the roars of that Bhimasena who hath alone slain
a hundred sons of mine in battle? He will frequently speak of the
slaughter of Duryodhana in my hearing. Burning with grief and sorrow, I
shall not be able to bear his cruel words.'"

Vaishampayana continued, "Even thus that king, burning with grief and
deprived of relatives and kinsmen, repeatedly swooned, overwhelmed with
sorrow on account of the death of his sons. Having wept for a long while,
Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, breathed heavy and hot sighs at the
thought of his defeat. Overwhelmed with sorrow, and burning with grief,
that bull of Bharata's race once more enquired of his charioteer Sanjaya,
the son of Gavalgana, the details of what had happened.

"Dhritarashtra said, 'After Bhishma and Drona had been slain, and the
Suta's son also overthrown, whom did my warriors make their
generalissimo? The Pandavas are slaying without any delay everyone whom
my warriors are making their generalissimo in battle. Bhishma was slain
at the van of battle by the diadem-decked Arjuna in the very sight of all
of you. Even thus was Drona slain in the sight of all of you. Even thus
was the Suta's son, that valiant Karna, slain by Arjuna in the sight of
all the kings. Long before, the high-souled Vidura had told me that
through the fault of Duryodhana the population of the Earth would be
exterminated. There are some fools that do not see things even though
they cast their eyes on them. Those words of Vidura have been even so
unto my foolish self. What Vidura of righteous soul, conversant with
attributes of everything, then said, hath turned out exactly, for the
words he uttered were nothing but the truth. Afflicted by fate, I did not
then act according to those words. The fruits of that evil course have
now manifested themselves. Describe them to me, O son of Gavalgana, once
more! Who became the head of our army after Karna's fall? Who was that
car-warrior who proceeded against Arjuna and Vasudeva? Who were they that
protected the right wheel of the ruler of the Madras in battle? Who
protected the left wheel of that hero when he went to battle? Who also
guarded his rear? How, when all of you were together, could the mighty
king of the Madras, as also my son, be slain, O Sanjaya, by the Pandavas?
Tell me the details of the great destruction of the Bharatas. Tell me how
my son Duryodhana fell in battle. Tell me how all the Pancalas with their
followers, and Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi and the five sons of
Draupadi, fell. Tell me how the (five) Pandavas and the two Satwatas
(Krishna and Satyaki), and Kripa and Kritavarma and Drona's son, have
escaped with life. I desire to hear everything about the manner in which
the battle occurred and the kind of battle it was. Thou art skilled, O
Sanjaya, in narration. Tell me everything.'"



3

"Sanjaya said, 'Hear, O king, with attention, how that great carnage of
the Kurus and the Pandavas occurred when they encountered each other.
After the Suta's son had been slain by the illustrious son of Pandu, and
after thy troops had been repeatedly rallied and had repeatedly fled
away, and after a terrible carnage had taken place, O foremost of men, of
human beings in battle subsequent to Karna's death, Partha began to utter
leonine roars. At that time a great fear entered the hearts of thy sons.
Indeed, after Karna's death, there was no warrior in thy army who could
set his heart upon rallying the troops or displaying his prowess. They
then looked like ship-wrecked merchants on the fathomless ocean without a
raft to save themselves. When their protector was slain by the
diadem-decked Arjuna, they were like persons on the wide sea desirous of
reaching some shore of safety. Indeed, O king, after the slaughter of the
Suta's son, thy troops, struck with panic and mangled with arrows, were
like unprotected men desirous of a protector or like a herd of deer
afflicted by a lion. Vanquished by Savyasaci, they retired in the evening
like bulls with broken horns or snakes shorn of their fangs. Their
foremost of heroes slain, themselves thrown into confusion and mangled
with keen arrows, thy sons, O king, upon the slaughter of the Suta's son,
fled away in fear. Deprived of weapons and coats of mail, all of them
lost their senses and knew not in which direction to fly. Casting their
eyes on all sides in fear, many of them began to slaughter one another.
Many fell down or became pale, thinking, "It is me whom Vibhatsu is
pursuing!" "It is me whom Vrikodara is pursuing!" Some riding on fleet
steeds, some on fleet cars, and some on fleet elephants, many great
car-warriors fled away from fear, abandoning the foot-soldiers. Cars were
broken by elephants, horsemen were crushed by great car-warriors, and
bands of foot-soldiers were smashed and slain by bodies of horses as
these fled away from the field. After the fall of the Suta's son, thy
troops became like stragglers from a caravan in a forest abounding with
robbers and beasts of prey. Some elephants whose riders had been slain,
and others whose trunks had been cut off, afflicted with fear, beheld the
whole world to be full of Partha. Beholding his troops flying away
afflicted with the fear of Bhimasena Duryodhana then, with cries of "Oh!"
and "Alas!" addressed his driver, saying, "If I take up my post at the
rear of the army, armed with my bow, Partha then will never be able to
transgress me. Urge the steeds, therefore, with speed. When I will put
forth my valour in battle, Dhananjaya the son of Kunti will not venture
to transgress me like the ocean never venturing to transgress its
continents. Today, slaying Arjuna with Govinda, and the proud Vrikodara,
and the rest of my foes, I will free myself from the debt I owe to
Karna." Hearing these words of the Kuru king, so becoming a hero and an
honourable man, his driver slowly urged those steeds adorned with
trappings of gold. At that time many brave warriors deprived of elephants
and steeds and cars, and 25,000 foot-soldiers, O sire, proceeded slowly
(for battle). Then Bhimasena, filled with wrath, and Dhrishtadyumna the
son of Prishata, encompassing those troops with the assistance of four
kinds of forces, destroyed them with shafts. All of them fought
vigorously with Bhima and Prishata's son. Many amongst them challenged
the two Pandava heroes, mentioning their names. Surrounded by them in
battle, Bhima became enraged with them. Quickly descending from his car,
he began to fight, armed with his mace. Relying on the might of his own
arms, Vrikodara the son of Kunti, who was on his car, observant of the
rules of fair fight, did not fight with those foes who were on the
ground. Armed then with that heavy mace of his that was made entirely of
iron and adorned with gold and equipped with a sling, and that resembled
the Destroyer himself as he becomes at the end of Yuga, Bhima slew them
all like Yama slaughtering creatures with his club. Those foot-soldiers,
excited with great rage, having lost their friends and kinsmen, were
prepared to throw away their lives, and rushed in that battle towards
Bhima like insects towards a blazing fire. Indeed, those warriors, filled
with rage and invincible in battle, approaching Bhimasena, suddenly
perished like living creatures at the glance of the Destroyer. Armed with
sword and mace, Bhima careered like a hawk and slaughtered those 25,000
warriors of thine. Having slain that brave division, the mighty Bhima, of
prowess incapable of being baffled, once more stood, with Dhrishtadyumna
before him. Meanwhile, Dhananjaya of great energy proceeded towards the
car-division (of the Kurus). The twin sons of Madri and the mighty
car-warrior Satyaki, all endued with great strength, cheerfully rushed
against Shakuni with great speed from desire of slaying him. Having slain
with keen shafts the numerous cavalry of Shakuni, those Pandava heroes
quickly rushed against Shakuni himself, whereupon a fierce battle was
fought there. Then Dhananjaya, O king, penetrated into the midst of the
car-division of the Kauravas, stretching his bow Gandiva celebrated over
the three worlds. Beholding that car having white steeds yoked unto it
and owning Krishna for its driver coming towards them, with Arjuna as the
warrior on it, thy troops fled away in fear. Deprived of cars and steeds
and pierced with shafts from every side, 25,000 foot-soldiers proceeded
towards Partha and surrounded him. Then that mighty car-warrior amongst
the Pancalas (Dhrishtadyumna) with Bhimasena at his head, speedily slew
that brave division and stood triumphant. The son of the Pancala king,
the celebrated Dhrishtadyumna, was a mighty bowman possessed of great
beauty and a crusher of large bands of foes. At sight of Dhrishtadyumna
unto whose car were yoked steeds white as pigeons and whose standard was
made of a lofty Kovidara, the troops fled away in fear. The celebrated
sons of Madri, with Satyaki among them, engaged in the pursuit of the
Gandhara king who was quick in the use of weapons, speedily appeared to
our view. Chekitana and the (five) sons of Draupadi, O sire, having slain
a large number of thy troops, blew their conchs. Beholding all the troops
flying away with their faces from the field, those (Pandava) heroes
pursued and smote them like bulls pursuing vanquished bulls. Then the
mighty Savyasaci, the son of Pandu, beholding a remnant of thy army still
keeping their ground, became filled with rage, O king. Suddenly, O
monarch, he shrouded that remnant of thy forces with arrows. The dust,
however, that was then raised enveloped the scene, in consequence of
which we could not see anything. Darkness also spread over the scene, and
the field of battle was covered with arrows. Thy troops, O monarch, then
fled away in fear on all sides. When his army was thus broken, the Kuru
king, O monarch, rushed against both friends and foes. Then Duryodhana
challenged all the Pandavas to battle, O chief of Bharata's race, like
the Asura Vali in days of yore challenging all the celestials. The
Pandavas then, uniting together and filled with rage, upbraiding him
repeatedly and shooting diverse weapons, rushed against the roaring
Duryodhana. The latter, however, fearlessly smote his foes with shafts.
The prowess that we then saw of thy son was exceedingly wonderful, since
all the Pandavas together were unable to transgress him. At this time
Duryodhana beheld, staying at a little distance from him, his troops,
exceedingly mangled with shafts, and prepared to fly away. Rallying them
then, O monarch, thy son, resolved on battle and desirous of gladdening
them, addressed those warriors, saying, "I do not see that spot on plain
or mountain whither, if you fly, the Pandavas will not slay you. What is
the use then in flight? The Pandava army hath now been reduced to a small
remnant. The two Krishnas have been exceedingly mangled. If all of us
make a stand here, we are certain to have victory. If, however, you fly
away, breaking your array, the Pandavas, pursuing your sinful selves,
will slay all of you. Death in battle, therefore, is for our good. Death
in the field of battle while engaged in fight according to Kshatriya
practices is pleasant. Such death produces no kind of grief. By
encountering such a death, a person enjoys eternal happiness in the other
world. Let all the Kshatriyas assembled here listen to me. It were better
that they should even submit to the power of the angry Bhimasena than
that they should abandon the duties practised by them from the days of
their ancestors. There is no act more sinful for a Kshatriya than flight
from battle. You Kauravas, there is not a better path to heaven than the
duty of battle. The warrior acquires in a day regions of bliss (in the
other world) that take many long years for others to acquire." Fulfilling
those words of the king, the great Kshatriya car-warriors once more
rushed against the Pandavas, unable to endure their defeat and firmly
resolved to put forth their prowess. Then commenced a battle once more,
that was exceedingly fierce, between thy troops and the enemy, and that
resembled the one between the gods and the Asuras. Thy son Duryodhana
then, O monarch, with all his troops, rushed against the Pandavas headed
by Yudhishthira.'"



4

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding the fallen boxes of cars, as also the cars of
high-souled warriors, and the elephants and foot-soldiers, O sire, slain
in battle, seeing the field of battle assume an aspect as awful as that
of the sporting ground of Rudra, observing the inglorious end obtained by
hundreds and thousands of kings, witnessing also the prowess of Partha
after the retreat of thy son with grief-stricken heart and when thy
troops, filled with anxiety and fallen into great distress, O Bharata,
were deliberating as to what they should next do, hearing also the loud
wails of the Kaurava warriors that were being crushed, and marking the
displayed and disordered tokens of great kings, the Kuru leader Kripa of
great energy, possessed of years and good conduct and filled with
compassion, and endued with eloquence, approached king Duryodhana, and
angrily said these words unto him, "O Duryodhana, listen, O Bharata, to
these words that I will say unto thee. Having heard them, O monarch, do
thou act according to them, O sinless one, if it pleases thee. There is
no path, O monarch, that is better than the duty of battle. Having
recourse to that path, Kshatriyas, O bull of the Kshatriya order, engage
in battle. He who lives in the observance of Kshatriya practices fights
with son, sire, brother, sister's son, and maternal uncle, and relatives,
and kinsmen. If he is slaughtered in battle, there is great merit in it.
Similarly, there is great sin in it if he flies from the field. It is for
this that the life of a person desirous of living by the adoption of
Kshatriya duties is exceedingly terrible. Unto thee, as regards this, I
will say a few beneficial words. After the fall of Bhishma and Drona and
the mighty car-warrior Karna, after the slaughter of Jayadratha and thy
brothers, O sinless one, and thy son Lakshmana, what is there now for us
to do? They upon whom we had rested all burdens of sovereignty we had
been enjoying, have all gone to regions of blessedness attainable by
persons conversant with Brahma, casting off their bodies. As regards
ourselves, deprived of those great car-warriors possessed of numerous
accomplishments, we shall have to pass our time in grief, having caused
numerous kings to perish. When all those heroes were alive, even then
Vibhatsu could not be vanquished. Having Krishna, for his eyes, that
mighty-armed hero is incapable of being defeated by the very gods. The
vast (Kaurava) host, approaching his Ape-bearing standard that is lofty
as an Indra's pole (set up in the season of spring) and that is effulgent
as Indra's bow, hath always trembled in fear. At the leonine roars of
Bhimasena and the blare of Panchajanya and the twang of Gandiva, our
heart will die away within us. Moving like flashes of lightning, and
blinding our eyes, Arjuna's Gandiva is seen to resemble a circle of fire.
Decked with pure gold, that formidable bow as it is shaken, looks
lightning's flash moving about on every side. Steeds white in hue and
possessed of great speed and endued with the splendour of the Moon or the
Kasa grass, and that run devouring the skies, are yoked unto his car.
Urged on by Krishna, like the masses of clouds driven by the wind, and
their limbs decked with gold, they bear Arjuna to battle. That foremost
of all persons conversant with arms, Arjuna, burned that great force of
thine like a swelling conflagration consuming dry grass in the forest in
the season of winter. Possessed of the splendour of Indra himself, while
penetrating into our ranks, we have seen Dhananjaya to look like an
elephant with four tusks. While agitating thy army and inspiring the
kings with fear, we have seen Dhananjaya to resemble an elephant
agitating a lake overgrown with lotuses. While terrifying all the
warriors with the twang of his bow, we have again seen the son of Pandu
to resemble a lion inspiring smaller animals with dread. Those two
foremost of bowmen in all the worlds, those two bulls among all persons
armed with the bow, the two Krishnas, clad in mail, are looking
exceedingly beautiful. Today is the seventeenth day of this awful battle,
O Bharata, of those that are being slaughtered in the midst of this
fight. The diverse divisions of thy army are broken and dispersed like
autumnal clouds dispersed by the wind. Savyasaci, O monarch, caused thy
army to tremble and reel like a tempest-tossed boat exposed on the bosom
of the ocean. Where was the Suta's son, where was Drona with all his
followers, where was I, where wert thou, where was Hridika's son, where
thy brother Duhshasana accompanied by his brothers (when Jayadratha was
slain)? Upon beholding Jayadratha and finding him within the range of his
arrows, Arjuna, putting forth his process upon all thy kinsmen and
brothers and allies and maternal uncles, and placing his feet upon their
heads, slew king Jayadratha in the very sight of all. What then is there
for us to do now? Who is there among thy troops now that would vanquish
the son of Pandu? That high-souled warrior possesses diverse kinds of
celestial weapons. The twang, again, of Gandiva robbeth us of our
energies. This army of thine that is now without a leader is like a night
without the Moon, or like a river that is dried up with all the trees on
its banks broken by elephants. The mighty-armed Arjuna of white steeds
will, at his pleasure, career amid this thy masterless host, like a
blazing conflagration amid a heap of grass. The impetuosity of those two,
Satyaki and Bhimasena, would split all the mountains or dry up all the
oceans. The words that Bhima spoke in the midst of the assembly have all
been nearly accomplished by him, O monarch. That which remains
unaccomplished will again be accomplished by him. While Karna was
battling before it, the army of the Pandavas, difficult to be defeated,
was vigorously protected by the wielder of Gandiva. You have done many
foul wrongs, without any cause, unto the righteous Pandavas. The fruits
of those acts have now come. For the sake of thy own objects thou hadst,
with great care, mustered together a large force. That vast force, as
also thyself, O bull of Bharata's race, have fallen into great danger.
Preserve thy own self now, for self is the refuge of everything. If the
refuge is broken, O sire, everything inhering thereto is scattered on
every side. He that is being weakened should seek peace by conciliation.
He that is growing should make war. This is the policy taught by
Brihaspati. We are now inferior to the sons of Pandu as regards the
strength of our army. Therefore, O lord, I think, peace with the Pandavas
is for our good. He that does not know what is for his good, or (knowing)
disregards what is for his good, is soon divested of his kingdom and
never obtains any good. If, by bowing unto king Yudhishthira sovereignty
may still remain to us, even that would be for our good, and not, O king,
to sustain through folly defeat (at the hands of the Pandavas).
Yudhishthira is compassionate. At the request of Vichitravirya's son and
of Govinda, he will allow you to continue as king. Whatever Hrishikesa
will say unto the victorious king Yudhishthira and Arjuna and Bhimasena,
all of them will, without doubt, obey. Krishna will not, I think, be able
to transgress the words of Dhritarashtra of Kuru's race, nor will the son
of Pandu be able to transgress those of Krishna. A cessation of
hostilities with the sons of Pritha is what I consider to be for thy
good. I do not say this unto thee from any mean motives nor for
protecting my life. I say, O king, that which I regard to be beneficial.
Thou wilt recollect these words when thou wilt be on the point of death
(if thou neglectest them now)." Advanced in years, Kripa the son of
Saradwat said these words weepingly. Breathing long and hot breaths, he
then gave way to sorrow and almost lost his senses.'"

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Various - "Lippincott's Magazine, August, 1885"

Maria Thompson Daviess - "Phyllis"

Joseph Noad - "Lecture On The Aborigines Of Newfoundland"

Mary Alice Walton - "Poems"

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Theatre review: Three Women, Jermyn Street, London
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We do not know the women's names, but their voices are quite distinct. All are pregnant. But while the first woman awaits the birth of her baby with a moon-like serenity, the other two are not so lucky. One, whose previous pregnancies have failed to go to term, is experiencing a heartbreaking late miscarriage; the other is a young student whose accidental pregnancy will end in her child being put up for adoption.

Sylvia Plath's only play was never intended for the stage, being broadcast instead on BBC radio in August 1962. Less than six months later, Plath killed herself, but not before the burst of astonishing creative energy that produced her extraordinary, terrifying Ariel poems.

Anyone who knows Plath's poetry will see the connection between Three Women and Plath's subsequent poems, particularly in the way she talks about the agony of childbirth, the rush of love for this tiny alien being, and both the wonder and wounded rawness of motherhood. It is a beautiful piece, full of startling imagery that draws you in through the sheer intensity of its femaleness, and because it so precisely articulates the emotions that are often thought but seldom voiced by women - certainly not in the early 1960s - about men, motherhood and our relationship to our bodies.

It's been 20 years since there has been an attempt at a professional stage version and - in a theatre world that happily accepts the poetic offerings of Sarah Kane and Debbie Tucker Green, or the staged possibilities of The Waves, one of Plath's own inspirations for the piece, I see no reason why it shouldn't be brought to life. Sadly, it doesn't breathe here, in a production by Robert Shaw that is clearly a labour of love, but which never finds a way to give the internal a physical reality. Plath's poetry, like most babies, is more robust than it appears - and won't break if treated with a little less reverence and considerably more grit.

Instead, what we are offered is tinkling piano music, mournful mood lighting, an innocuous pale setting, as well as three perfectly good but indisputably ladylike performances that capture none of the wounded redness of Plath's poetry, and do her the disservice of making her sound bleached and somewhat prissy. It's a pity. What might have been a wonder ends up a mere curiosity.

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