VISHNU PURAN BOOK. V. CHAP. XXXVII. XXXVIII.

 

VISHNU PURAN BOOK. V. CHAP. XXXVII.

 XXXVIII.

Destruction of the Yadavas. S'amba and others deceive and ridicule the Rishis. The former bears an iron pestle: it is broken, and thrown into the sea. The Yadavas go to Prabhasa by desire of Krishna: they quarrel and fight, and all perish. The great serpent S'esha issues from the mouth of Rama. Krishna is shot by a hunter, and again becomes one with universal spirit.

 

IN this manner did Krishna, assisted by Baladeva, destroy demons and iniquitous monarchs, for the good of the earth; and along with Phalguna [*1] also did he relieve earth of her load, by the death of innumerable hosts. Having thus lightened the burdens of the earth, and slain many unrighteous princes, he exterminated [*2], by the pretext of an imprecation denounced by Brahmans, his own Yadava race. Then quitting Dwaraka, and relinquishing his mortal being, the self-born reentered, with all his emanations, his own sphere of Vishnu.

 

MAITREYA.--Tell me how Janarddana effected the destruction of his own race under the plea of Brahmanical imprecation, and in what manner he relinquished his mortal body [*3].

 

PARAS'ARA.--At the holy place Pindaraka [*4], Viswamitra, Kanwa, and the great sage Narada, were observed by some boys of the Yadu tribe. Giddy with youth, and influenced by predestined results, they dressed and adorned Sumba, the son of Jambavati, as a damsel, and conducting her to the sages, they addressed them with the usual marks of reverence, and said, "What child will this female, the wife of Babhru, who is anxious to have a son, give birth to?" The sages, who were possessed of divine wisdom, were very angry to find themselves thus tricked by the boys, and said, "She will bring forth a club, that shall crush the whole of the Yadava race." The boys, thus spoken to by the sages, went and related all that had occurred to Ugrasena; and, as foretold, a club was produced from the belly of S'amba. Ugrasena had the club, which was of iron, ground to dust, and thrown into the sea; but the particles of dust there became rushes [*5]. There was one part of the iron club which was like the blade of a lance, and which the Andhakas could not break: this, when thrown into the sea, was swallowed by a fish; the fish was caught, the iron spike was extracted from its belly, and was taken by a hunter named Jara. The all-wise and glorious Madhusudana did not think fit to counteract what had been predetermined by fate.

 

Then there came to Kes'ava, when he was private and alone, a messenger from the gods, who addressed him with reverence, and said, "I am sent to you, O lord, by the deities, and do thou hear what Indra, together with the Vis'was, Maruts, Adityas, Sadhyas, and Rudras, respectfully represents. More than a hundred years have elapsed since thou, in favour to the gods, hast descended upon earth, for the purpose of relieving it of its load. The demons have been slain, and the burden of earth has been removed: now let the immortals once again behold their monarch in heaven. A period exceeding a century has passed: now, if it be thy pleasure, return to Swarga. This is the solicitation of the celestials. But should such not be thy will, then remain here as long as it may be desirable to thy dependants [*6]." To this Krishna replied, "All that thou hast said I am well aware of. The destruction of the Yadavas by me has commenced. The burdens of the earth are not removed until the Yadavas are extirpated. I will effect this also in my descent, and quickly; for it shall come to pass in seven nights. When I have restored the land of Dwaraka to the ocean, and annihilated the race of Yadu, I will proceed to the mansions of the immortals. Apprise the gods, that, having abandoned my human body, and accompanied by Sankarshana, I will then return to them. The tyrants that oppressed the earth, Jarasandha and the rest, have been killed; and a youth, even of the race of Yadu, is, no less than they, an incumbrance. When therefore I have taken away this great weight upon earth, I will return to protect the sphere of the celestials. Say this to them." The messenger of the gods, having received this reply, bowed, and took his heavenly course to the king of the gods.

 

The mighty Krishna now beheld signs and portents both in earth and heaven, prognosticating, day and night, the ruin of Dwaraka [*7]. Shewing these to the Yadavas, he said, "See; behold these fearful phenomena: let us hasten to Prabhasa, to avert these omens." When he had thus spoken to the eminent Yadava, the illustrious Uddhava saluted and said to him, "Tell me, O lord, what it is proper that I should do, for it seems to me that thou wilt destroy all this race: the signs that are manifest declare nothing less than the annihilation of the tribe." Then Krishna replied to him, "Do you go by a celestial route, which my favour shall provide you, to the holy place Badarikas'rama, in the Gandhamadana mountain, the shrine of Naranarayana; and on that spot, sanctified by them, thou, by meditating on me, shalt obtain perfection through my favour. When the race of Yadu shall have perished, I shall proceed to heaven; and the ocean shall inundate Dwaraka, when I have quitted it." Accordingly Uddhava, thus instructed by Kes'ava, saluted him with veneration, and departed to the shrine of Naranarayana [*8].

 

Then the Yadavas ascended their rapid cars, and drove to Prabhasa [*9], along with Krishna, Rama, and the rest of their chiefs [*10]. They bathed there, and, excited by Vasudeva, the Kukkuras and Andhakas indulged in liquor. As they drank, the destructive flame of dissension was kindled amongst them by mutual collision, and fed with the fuel of abuse. Infuriated by the divine influence, they fell upon one another with missile weapons, and when those were expended, they had recourse to the rushes growing nigh. The rushes in their hands became like thunderbolts, and they struck one another with them fatal blows. Pradyumna, S'amba, Kritavarman, Satyaki, Aniruddha, Prithu, Viprithu, Charuvarman, Charuka, Akrura, and many others, struck one another with the rushes, which had assumed the hardness of thunderbolts [*11]. Kes'ava interposed to prevent them, but they thought that he was taking part with each severally, and continued the conflict. Krishna then enraged took up a handful of rushes to destroy them, and the rushes became a club of iron, and with this he slew many of the murderous Yadavas; whilst others, fighting fiercely, put an end to one another. The chariot of the holder of the discus, named Jaitra, was quickly carried off by the swift steeds, and swept away by the sea, in the sight of Daruka the charioteer. The discus, the club, the bow, the quiver, the shell, and the sword of Kes'ava, having circumambulated their lord, flew along the path of the sun. In a short time there was not a single Yadava left alive, except the mighty Krishna and Daruka [*12]. Going towards Rama, who was sitting at the root of a tree, they beheld a large serpent coming out of his mouth. Having issued from his mouth, the mighty snake proceeded towards the ocean, hymned by saints and by other great serpents. Bringing an offering of respect, Ocean came to meet him; and then the majestic being, adored by attendant snakes, entered into the waters of the deep. Beholding the departure of the spirit of Balabhadra, Kes'ava said to Daruka, "All this is to be related by you to Vasudeva and Ugrasena. Go and inform them of the departure of Balabhadra, and the destruction of the Yadavas; also that I shall engage in religious meditation, and quit this body. Apprise Ahuka and all the inhabitants of Dwaraka [*13], that the sea will inundate the town: be ready therefore in expectation of the coming of Arjuna, and when he quits Dwaraka, no longer abide there, but go whithersoever that descendant of Kuru shall repair. Do you also go to the son of Kunti, and tell him, that it is my request that he will grant what protection he can to all my family. Then depart with Arjuna and all the people of Dwaravati, and let Vajra be installed sovereign over the tribe of Yadu."

 

Daruka, being thus instructed, prostrated himself again and again before Krishna, and walked round him repeatedly, and then departed as he had been desired; and having conducted Arjuna to Dwaravati, the intelligent servant of Krishna established Vajra as king. The divine Govinda then, having concentrated in himself that supreme spirit which is one with Vasudeva, was identified with all beings [*14]. Respecting the words of the Brahman, the imprecation of Durvasas [*15], the illustrious Krishna sat engaged in thought, resting his foot upon his knee. Then came there a hunter, named Jara [*16], whose arrow was tipped with a blade made of the piece of iron of the club, which had not been reduced to powder; and beholding from a distance the foot of Krishna, he mistook it for part of a deer, and shooting his arrow, lodged it in the sole [*17]. Approaching his mark, he saw the four-armed king, and, falling at his feet, repeatedly besought his forgiveness, exclaiming, "I have done this deed unwittingly, thinking I was aiming at a deer! Have pity upon me, who am consumed by my crime; for thou art able to consume me!" Bhagavat replied, "Fear not thou in the least. Go, hunter, through my favour, to heaven, the abode of the gods." As soon as he had thus spoken, a celestial car appeared, and the hunter, ascending it, forthwith proceeded to heaven. Then the illustrious Krishna, having united himself with his own pure, spiritual, inexhaustible, inconceivable, unborn, undecaying, imperishable, and universal spirit, which is one with Vasudeva, abandoned his mortal body and the condition of the threefold qualities [*18].

 

Footnotes

 

^606:1 A name of Arjuna, the great friend of Krishna, to whom the latter served as charioteer in the war between the Pandus and Kurus.

 

^606:2 With Balarama, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and the rest.

 

^606:3 The legend of the destruction of the Yadava race, and the death of Krishna, appears probably in its earliest extant form in the Maus'ala Parva of the Mahabharata. It forms the narrative portion of the eleventh book of the Bhagavata, having been previously briefly adverted to in the first and third books; and it is summarily told in the Uttara Khanda of the Padma P.

 

^606:4 The village of Pindaraka, still held in veneration, is situated in Guzerat, about twenty miles from the north-west extremity of the Peninsula. Hamilton, II. 664.

 

^607:5 The term is Eraka, which is explained in some medical lexicons, 'a kind of grass.' The commentator also calls it a kind of grass: and in the text of the Mahabharata the term subsequently used, and as synonymous with it, is Trina, 'grass.' The Mahabharata, when describing the affray which follows, mentions that the grass or rushes, on being plucked by Krishna and the Yadavas, turn to clubs. The text, and that of the Bhagavata, here say, that the powdered particles, floating on the sea, became rushes; or the latter may imply, that they fastened upon grass or weeds. The commentator, however, explains that the particles of iron being borne to land, they were so transformed. The Mahabharata says nothing of the piece which could not be pounded, and this seems to be an embellishment either of our text or the Bhagavata. The Mahabharata, however, adds another precaution, which the two others have left unnoticed. Ugrasena causes a proclamation to be made, that none of the inhabitants of Dwaraka shall thenceforth drink wine, on pain of being impaled alive: and the people for some time observe the prohibition.

 

^608:6 Nothing of this kind occurs in the Mahabharata: our text therefore offers an embellishment. The Bhagavata, again, improves upon the text; for, not content with a messenger, it makes Brahma with the Prajapatis, S'iva with the Bhutas, Indra with the other divinities, all come in person; indicating evidently a later date, as plainly as the addition of the text shews it to be subsequent to the date of the legend in the Mahabharata.

 

^608:7 The Mahabharata, which delights in describing portents and signs, does not fail to detail them here. A dreadful figure, death personified, haunts every house, coming and going no one knows how, and being invulnerable to the weapons by which he is assailed. Strong hurricanes blow; large rats multiply, and infest the roads and houses, and attack persons in their sleep; Sarikas, or starlings, utter inauspicious screams in their cages; storks imitate the hooting of owls, and goats the howling of jackals; cows bring forth foals, and camels mules; food, in the moment of being eaten, is filled with worms; fire burns with discoloured flames; and at sunset and sunrise the air is traversed by headless and hideous spirits. There is more to the same effect, which neither our text nor the Bhagavata has ventured to detail. The whole passage has been published in Maurice's Ancient History of Hindustan, II. 463; translated apparently [p. 609] by the late Sir Charles Wilkins. The names have been much disfigured either by the copyist or compositor.

 

^609:8 In the Mahabharata it is said merely that Uddhava, who was versed in Yoga, foreseeing the destruction of the Yadavas, went away; that is, according to the commentator, he practised penance, and went to heaven. The Bhagavata, taking the hint, makes much more of it than our text, and expands it into a long course of instruction given by Krishna to Uddhava, occupying 150 leaves.

 

^609:9 See <page 561>. n. . By sending the Yadavas to Prabhasa, the commentator asserts, Krishna prevented purposely the Yadavas from obtaining Mukti, 'final liberation,' which would have been the consequence of dying at Dwaraka. Death at Prabhasa conferred only Indra's heaven.

 

^609:10 The Mahabharata describes them as going forth with horses, elephants, and cars, and their women, and abundance of good cheer, and varieties of wine and meat.

 

^610:11 The Bhagavata, like the text, adverts only in this general manner to the conflict; but the Mahabharata gives the particulars. Yuyudhana reproaches Kritavarman with having aided Aswatthaman in his night attack on the Pandu camp, and killing warriors in their sleep. Pradyumna joins in the abuse. Kritavarman retorts. Krishna looks at him angrily. Satyaki repeats the story of the S'yamantaka gem, by which he accuses Kritavarman of being an accomplice in the murder of Satrajit (<page 428>). Satyabhama, the daughter of the latter, then mixes in the quarrel, and incites Krishna to avenge her; but Satyaki anticipates him, and murders Kritavarman. Saineya and the Bhojas attack Satyaki; the Andhakas defend him; and the affray becomes general. Krishna attempts to part the combatants, until Pradyumna is killed; and then taking up a handful of rushes, which become an iron club, he kills indiscriminately all that come in his way. The conflict continues until the greater part of the combatants have fallen, including all Krishna's sons, and he then in wrath sweeps off all the survivors, except Babhru and Daruka, with his discus.

 

^610:12 The Mahabharata, as observed at the end of the last note, adds Babhru, but it presently gets rid of him. Krishna sends him to take care of the old people, the women, and children, in Dwaraka, whilst Daruka goes to bring Arjuna to their aid: but as he goes along, overcome with grief for the loss of his kindred, and approaching separation from Krishna, he is killed by a club that is cast from a snare or trap set by a hunter. Krishna then goes to Dwaraka, and desires Vasudeva to await the coming of Arjuna; after which he returns to Rama, and sees the phenomenon described in the text; the serpent being S'esha, of whom Balarama was the incarnation. The Bhagavata does not mention this incident, [p. 611] merely observing that Rama, by the power of Yoga, returned into himself; that is, into Vishnu.

 

^611:13 The women, the elders, and the children, amongst whom, as we shall presently see, was Vajra, the son of Aniruddha, who was established as chief of the Yadavas at Indraprastha, and who therefore escaped the destruction which overwhelmed their kinsmen, the Vrishnis, Kukkuras, and Andhakas, of Dwaraka. This was a fortunate reservation for the tribes which in various parts of Hindustan, both on the Ganges and in the Dakhin, profess to derive their origin from the Yadavas.

 

^611:14 The process is explained by the commentator: 'By the force of Dhyana, or abstraction, Krishna satisfies himself that he is Brahma, or universal spirit; and is next convinced that he is therefore all things; by which his individuality ceases.'

 

^611:15 The story is told in the Mahabharata, Durvasas was on one occasion hospitably [p. 612] entertained by Krishna, but the latter omitted to wipe away the fragments of the meal which had fallen on the foot of the irascible sage, who thereupon foretold that Krishna should be killed as in the text.

 

^612:16 This is an allegorical personage, however, for Jara signifies 'infirmity,' 'old age,' 'decay.'

 

^612:17 The Bhagavata explains how this part of the foot became exposed. Krishna had assumed one of the postures in which abstraction is practised: he had laid his left leg across his right thigh, by which the sole of the foot was turned outwards.

 

^612:18 He became Nirguna, 'devoid of all qualities.'

 

 

CHAP. XXXVIII.

 

Arjuna comes to Dwaraka, and burns the dead, and takes away the surviving inhabitants. Commencement of the Kali age. Shepherds and thieves attack Arjuna, and carry off the women and wealth. Arjuna regrets the loss of his prowess to Vyasa; who consoles him, and tells him the story of Ashtavakra's cursing the Apsarasas. Arjuna and his brothers place Parikshit on the throne, and go to the forests. End of the fifth book.

 

ARJUNA having found the bodies of Krishna and of Rama, performed for them, and the rest of the slain, the obsequial rites. The eight queens of Krishna, who have been named, with Rukmini at their head, embraced the body of Hari, and entered the funeral fire [*1]. Revati also, embracing the corpse of Rama, entered the blazing pile, which was cool to her, happy in contact with her lord. Hearing these events, Ugrasena and Anakadundubhi, with Devaki and Rohini, committed themselves to the flames [*2]. The last ceremonies were performed for all these by Arjuna, who then made all the people leave the city, and took Vajra with him. The son of Kunti conducted the thousands of the wives of Krishna, with Vajra, and all the people, from Dwaraka, with tenderness and care, and travelled slowly away. The Sudharman palace and the Parijata tree, which had been brought to earth by Krishna, both proceeded to heaven; and on the same day that Hari departed from the earth the powerful dark-bodied Kali age descended [*3]. The ocean rose, and submerged the whole of Dwaraka, except alone the dwelling of the deity of the race of Yadu. The sea has not yet been able to wash that temple away, and there Kes'ava constantly abides, even in the present day. Whoever visits that holy shrine, the place where Krishna pursued his sports, is liberated from all his sins [*4]. The son of Pritha, Arjuna, halted the people he had brought from Dwaraka in the Panchanada country [*5], in a rich and fertile spot; but the desires of the robbers (of the neighbourhood) were excited, when they observed so many widowed females, also such great riches, in the possession of Arjuna alone. Inflamed by their cupidity, they assembled the villainous Abhiras [*6], and said to them, "Here is this Arjuna, immensely rich, and having numerous women, whose husbands have been slain, passing confidently amongst us; a disgrace to all brave men. His pride is raised by the death of Bhishma, Drona, Jayadratha, Karna, and others, whom he has slain: he does not know the prowess of simple villagers. Up, up; take your long thick staves: this stupid fellow despises us. Why should we not lift up our arms?" So saying, they rushed, armed with cudgels and clods of earth, upon the people, who were without their lord. Arjuna encountered them, and said to them in derision, "Retire, wretches, ignorant of what is right, unless ye are desirous of dying." But they disregarded his menaces, and seized his treasures and his women, the wives of Viswaksena. Thereupon Arjuna began to brace his heavenly bow Gandiva, irresistible in battle; but it was in vain; for, in spite of all his efforts to tighten it, it continued flaccid: neither could he call to recollection the incantations of the superhuman weapons. Losing all patience, he launched, as best he might, his shafts upon the enemy; but those shot from Gandiva merely scratched the skin. The arrows given him by Agni to carry certain destruction now were themselves destroyed, and were fatal to Arjuna in his contest with herdsmen. He endeavoured to recall the might of Krishna; animated by which, his numerous arrows had overthrown mighty kings; but he tried in vain, for now they were put aside by the peasants, or they flew at random, wide of their aim. His arrows being expended, he beat the banditti with the horn of his bow; but they only laughed at his blows: and the barbarians, in the sight of Arjuna, carried off all the women of the Vrishni and Andhaka tribes, and went their way [*7].

 

Then Jishnu was sorely distressed, and lamented bitterly, exclaiming, Alas! alas! I am deserted by my lord!" and he wept: and in that instant the bow and heavenly arms, his car and steeds, perished entirely, like a donation to an unlearned Brahman. "Resistless," said he, "are the decrees of fate, by whom feebleness has been inflicted upon me, deprived of my illustrious friend, and victory given to the base. These two arms are mine; mine, is this fist; this is my place; I am Arjuna: but without that righteous aid all these are pithless. The valour of Arjuna, the strength of Bhima, was all his work; and without him I am overcome by peasants: it cannot be from any other cause." So saying, Arjuna went to the city of Mathura, and there installed the Yadava prince, Vajra, as its king. There he beheld Vyasa, who was living in a wood, and he approached the sage, and saluted him respectfully. The Muni surveyed him for some time, as he lay prostrate at his feet, and said to him, "How is it that I see you thus shorn of your lustre? Have you been guilty of illicit intercourse with women, or of the death of a Brahman? or have you suffered some grievous disappointment? that you are so dejected. Have your prayers for progeny, or other good gifts, proved fruitless? Or have you indulged improper passions? that your lustre is so dim. Or are you one that devours the meal he has given to the Brahmans? Say, Arjuna, have you seized upon the substance of the poor? Has the wind of a winnowing basket lighted upon you? or has an evil eye gazed upon you, Arjuna? that you look thus miserable. Have you been touched by the water of a finger-nail? or has the water of a water-jar sprinkled you? or, what is most probably the case, have you been beaten by your inferiors in battle?"

 

Arjuna, having sighed deeply, related to Vyasa all the circumstances of his discomfiture, and continued; "Hari, who was our strength, our might, our heroism, our prowess, our prosperity, our brightness, has left us, and departed. Deprived of him, our friend, illustrious, and ever kindly speaking, we have become as feeble as if made of straw. Purushottama, who was the living vigour of my weapons, my arrows and my bow, is gone. As long as we looked upon him, fortune, fame, wealth, dignity never abandoned us: but Govinda is gone from amongst us. That Krishna has quitted earth, through whose power Bhishma, Drona, the king of Anga, Duryodhana, and the rest, were consumed. Not I alone, but Earth, has grown old, miserable, and lustreless, in the absence of the holder of the discus. Krishna, through devotion to whom Bhishma and other mighty men perished like moths in the flame of my valour, is gone; and I am now overcome by cowherds. The bow Gandiva, that was famed throughout the three worlds, has been foiled, since he has departed, by the sticks of peasants: the myriads of women over whom I was lord have been carried off from me by thieves, armed but with cudgels: the whole household of Krishna, O Krishna [*8], has been forcibly carried away by peasants, who with their staves have put my strength to shame. That I am shorn of my lustre I do not marvel: it is wonderful that I live. Surely, grandsire, I alone am so shameless as to survive the stain of indignity inflicted by the vile."

 

Vyasa replied to Arjuna, and said, "Think no more, my son, of your disgrace: it does not become you to grieve. Know that time subjects all beings to similar vicissitude. Time effects the production and dissolution of all creatures. All that exists is founded on time. Know this, Arjuna, and retain your fortitude. Rivers, seas, mountains, the whole earth, gods, men, animals, trees, insects, are all created, and all will be destroyed, by time. Knowing that all that is, is the effect of time, be tranquillized. These mighty works of Krishna, whatever they have been, have been performed to relieve earth of its burdens: for this he has come down. Earth, oppressed by her load, has had recourse to the assembly of the immortals; and Janarddana, who is one with time, has descended on that account. This object has been now accomplished: all the kings of the earth are slain; the race of Vrishni and Andhaka is destroyed: no more remained for him to accomplish. Therefore has the lord departed whither he pleased, his ends being all fulfilled. At the period of creation the god of gods creates; in that of duration he preserves; and at the end of all he is mighty to annihilate. Now all is done. Therefore, Arjuna, be not afflicted by thy defeat: the prowess of mortals is the gift of time. Bhishma, Karna, and other kings, have been slain by thee alone; this was the work of time: and why, therefore, should not thy discomfiture, by those less than thou art, occur? In like manner as through thy devotion to Vishnu these were overthrown by thee, so at last has thy defeat by miserable thieves been wrought by time. That divinity, assuming various bodies, preserves the world; and in the end the lord of creatures destroys it. In the birth of thy fortunes Janarddana was thy friend; in their decline, thy enemies have been favoured by Kes'ava. Who would have believed that thou shouldst slay all the descendants of Kuru, and kindred of Ganga? Who would have believed that peasants should triumph over thee? Be assured, son of Pritha, that it is but the sport of the universal Hari that the Kauravas have been destroyed by thee, and that thou hast been defeated by herdsmen. With respect to the women whom thou lamentest, and who have been carried off by the thieves, hear from me an ancient story, which will explain why this has happened.

 

"In former times a Brahman, named Ashtavakra [*9], was pursuing his religious penances, standing in water, and meditating on the eternal spirit, for many years. In consequence of the overthrow of the Asuras, there was a great festival on the summit of Meru: on their way to which, Rambha, Tilottama, and hundreds and thousands of beautiful nymphs, saw the ascetic Ashtavakra, and they praised and hymned him for his devotions. They bowed down before him, and eulogized him, as he was immersed up to his throat in water, his hair twisted in a braid. So they sang in honour of him whatever they thought would be most agreeable to that most eminent of Brahmans. Ashtavakra at last said to them, 'I am well pleased with you, illustrious damsels; whatever you wish for, ask of me, and I will give it you, however difficult it may be of attainment.' Then all those nymphs, Rambha, Tilottama, and others, recorded in the Vedas, replied, 'It is enough for us that thou art pleased; what need we aught else, venerable Brahman?' But some amongst them said, 'If, exalted sir, you are indeed pleased with us, then grant us a husband, the best of men, and sovereign of the Brahmans.' 'So be it,' replied Ashtavakra, and thereupon came up from the waters. When the nymphs beheld him coming out of the water, and saw that he was very ugly, and crooked in eight places, they could not restrain their merriment, but laughed aloud. The Muni was very angry, and cursed them, and said, 'Since you have been so impertinent as to laugh at my deformity, I denounce upon you this imprecation: through the grace I have shewn unto you, you shall obtain the first of males for your husband; but in consequence of my curse, you shall afterwards fall into the hands of thieves.' When the nymphs heard this uttered by the Muni, they endeavoured to appease him; and they so far succeeded, that he announced to them they should finally return to the sphere of the gods. It is in consequence, then, of the curse of the Muni Ashtavakra that these females, who were at first the wives of Kes'ava, have now fallen into the hands of the barbarians; and there is no occasion, Arjuna, for you to regret it in the least. All this destruction has been effected by the lord of all; and your end is also nigh at hand, since he has withdrawn from you strength, splendour, valour, and preeminence. Death is the doom of every one who is born: fall is the end of exaltation: union terminates in separation: and growth tends but to decay. Knowing all this, wise men are susceptible of neither grief nor joy; and those who learn their ways are even as they are (equally free from pleasure or pain). Do you therefore, most excellent prince, understand this truth, and, along with your brothers, relinquish every thing, and repair to the holy forest. Go now, and say from me to Yudhishthira, that he to-morrow, with his brethren, tread the path of heroes."

 

Thus instructed by Vyasa, Arjuna went and related to the other sons of Pritha all that be had seen, had experienced, and had heard. When he had communicated to them the message of Vyasa, the sons of Pandu placed Parikshit on the throne, and went to the forest.

 

I have thus narrated to you, Maitreya, in detail, the actions of Vasudeva, when he was born in the race of Yadu.

 

Footnotes

 

^613:1 The Mahabharata takes the wives of Krishna first to Indraprastha, and there Rukmini and four others burn; but Satyabhama and others become ascetics, going to perform Tapasya in the forest.

 

^613:2 It is merely said in the Mahabharata that Vasudeva expired; on which four of his wives burnt themselves.

 

^613:3 The Kali age commenced from the death of Krishna, according to the usual notions; but it is commonly supposed to commence a little later, or with the reign of Parikshit.

 

^613:4 The Bhagavata agrees with the text in [p. 614] excepting the temple of Dwaraka, and asserting that it still remains, in direct contradiction of the Mahabharata, which declares that the sea did not spare any part whatever. It is clear, therefore, that when the latter was compiled the temple was not standing, and that it was erected between the date of the compilation and that of the two Puranas. The present shrine, which is held in great repute, stands at the extremity of the peninsula of Guzerat. It is still an object of pilgrimage; it was so in the reign of Akbar (Ayin Akbari); and has been so, no doubt, from a remote period. The image formerly worshipped there was carried off 600 years ago, and this was most probably subsequent to the date of both the Puranas; for the idol was a form of Krishna, called Rana chor, a popular divinity, unknown in the Pauranik pantheon. Another image was substituted in place of that which was taken away. Notwithstanding the testimony of our text, and that of the Bhagavata, the originality of the temple is disputed, and a place thirty miles south from Purbandar is said to be the spot where Dwaraka was swallowed up by the ocean. Hamilton, from Macmurdo, &c. I. 662.

 

^614:5 'The country of the five rivers,' the Panjab: rather an out of the way route from Dwaraka to .

 

^614:6 Abhiras mean 'herds,' and they are afterwards called by Arjuna, Gopalas, 'herdsmen' The pastoral tribes of the west of India, and particularly those of Afghanistan, almost always combine the character of freebooter with that of shepherd.

 

^615:7 The principal wives of Krishna, however, according to the Mahabharata, escaped. The occurrence is described there much in the same way, but more briefly. It is not detailed in the Bhagavata.

 

^616:8 A name of Vyasa.

 

^617:9 The story of Ashtavakra is related in the Mahabharata. He was the son of Kahora, who neglecting his wife, was rebuked for it by his yet unborn son. The [p. 610] father angrily cursed him, that he should be born bent in every part; and he was accordingly brought forth crooked (vakra) in eight limbs (ashta). He became nevertheless a celebrated sage. See also Hindu Theatre, I. 293, note.

 

    

The Vishnu Purana, translated by Horace Hayman Wilson,