O monarch! Then the friends of Duryodhana, deeply
afflicted and made voiceless by their tears, set out
for the city, taking the ladies of the royal household
with them. The camp-guards quickly fled towards
the city, taking with them many white beds overlaid
with costly coverlets. Others, placing their
wives on cars drawn by mules, proceeded towards the
city. Those ladies, O monarch, who, while in their
houses could not be seen by the very sun, were now,
as they proceeded towards the city, exposed to the
gaze of the common people. Those women, O chief
of the Bharata’s race, who were very delicate,
now proceeded with speed towards the city, having
lost their near ones and kinsmen. The very cow-herds
and shepherds and common men, filled with panic and
afflicted with the fear of Bhimasena, fled towards
the city. Even these were filled with a great
fear of the Parthas. Looking at one another, all
of them fled towards the city. During the progress
of that general flight attended with such circumstances
of fear, Yuyutsu, deprived of his senses by grief,
thought upon what he should do in view of the emergency
that had come. “Duryodhana hath been vanquished
in battle by the Pandavas of terrible prowess!
He had eleven Akshauhinis of troops under him!
All his brothers have been slain! All the Kauravas,
headed by Bhishma and Drona, have perished! Through
the influence of Destiny, only I have been saved!
All those that were in the Kuru camp have fled!
Alas, they are flying on all sides, deprived of energy
and destitute of protectors! Such a sight had
never been seen before! Afflicted with sorrow,
with eyes anxious in fear, they are flying away on
all sides like a herd of deer, looking at one another!
Those amongst the counsellors of Duryodhana that are
yet alive have fled towards the city, taking with
them the ladies of the royal household! I think,
O lord, that the time hath come when I also should
enter the city with them, after taking the permission
of Yudhishthira and Vasudeva!” For this purpose
that mighty-armed prince presented himself before
both those heroes. King Yudhishthira, who is
always compassionate, became highly pleased with him.
The mighty-armed Pandava embraced that child of a
Vaisya mother and dismissed him affectionately.
Riding upon his own car, he urged his steeds to great
speed. He then supervised the removal of the ladies
of the royal household to the city. The sun was
setting. With those ladies, Yuyutsu entered the
city of Hastinapura, with tearful eyes and with voice
choked in grief. He then saw Vidura of great
wisdom, sitting with tearful eyes. He had come
away from Dhritarashtra, his heart having been afflicted
with great sorrow. Bowing down unto Vidura, he
stood before him. Devoted to truth, Vidura addressed
him, saying, “By good luck, O son, thou livest
amid this general destruction of the Kurus! Why,
however, hast thou come without king Duryodhana in
thy company? Tell me in detail the cause of this!”


