WHEN the battle was over, Hastinapura was a city of mourning; all the women and children were weeping and lamenting their

Slain, nearest and dearest. With many thousands of bereaved women accom- panying, Dhritarashtra went to the field of battle. At Kurukshetra, the scene of terrible destruction, the blind king thought of all that had passed, and wept aloud. But, of what avail was weeping?

"O king, words of consolation addressed to a bereaved person do not remove his grief. Thousands of rulers have given up their lives in battle for your sons. It is now time that you should arrange for proper funeral ceremonies for the dead," said Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra.

"It is not right to grieve for those who die in battle. When souls have left their bodies, there is nothing Eke relationship, nothing like brother or son or relative. Your sons have really no connection with you.