Vaisampayana said, Hearing this intelligence, O monarch, Dhritarashtra the son of

Amvika, feeling the acme of grief, regarded Suyodhana to be already dead. Exceed
ingly agitated,
the king fell down on the Earth like an elephant deprived of its senses. When th
at foremost of the
monarchs, greatly agitated, fell down on the Earth, loud wails were uttered, O b
est of the
Bharatas, by the ladies (of the royal household). That noise was so loud that it
seemed to fill the
entire Earth. Immersed in a deep ocean of woe, the Bharata ladies, with hearts e
xceedingly
agitated and scorched by grief, wept aloud. Approaching the king, Gandhari, O bu
ll of Bharata s
race, and the other ladies of the household, all fell down on the earth, deprive
d of their senses.
Then Sanjaya, O king, began to comfort those ladies stricken with grief, bathed
in tears, and reft
of consciousness. Comforted (by Sanjaya), those ladies began to tremble repeated
ly like a
plantain grove shaken by the wind. Vidura also, sprinkling that descendant of Ku
ru with water,
began to comfort the puissant monarch who had knowledge only for his eye. Slowly
restored to
consciousness, and understanding that the ladies of the household were there, th
e king, O
monarch, remained perfectly silent for some time like one reft of reason. Having
reflected then
for some time, and repeatedly drawn long breaths, the king censured his own sons
and applauded
the Pandavas. Censuring also his own intelligence and that of Sakuni the son of
Suvala, the king,
having reflected for a long time, began to tremble repeatedly. Controlling his m
ind once more,
the king, with sufficient fortitude, questioned his charioteer Sanjaya the son o
f Gavalgana.