The
honorable king [Parîkchit] said: 'What did the
Supreme Lord and Protector of All Living Beings do in
Dvârakâ after Uddhava, the great devotee, had
left?
The
honorable king [Parîkchit] said: 'What did the
Supreme Lord and Protector of All Living Beings do in
Dvârakâ after Uddhava, the great devotee, had
left? (Vedabase)
Text
2
Please tell how
He, the Chief of the Yadus Dearest to the Eyes of All, gave up
His body when His family found destruction after being cursed
by the brahmins [see 11.1]?
Please
tell how He, the Chief of the Yadus Dearest to the Eyes of
All, gave up His body upon the destruction of His family
following the curse of the brahmins [see 11.1]?
(Vedabase)
Text
3
Attached to His
form the women couldn't turn their eyes away from it, and
having entered the ears of the sages the form, occupying their
minds, wouldn't leave them. How attractive weren't the words
that by the ambitious poets were used to express its beauty?
And what to say of those who, seeing it on the battlefield on
Arjuna's chariot, acquired a similar status?'
Attached
to it could the women not turn their eyes away; having
entered the ears of the sages would it, stuck in their
minds, not leave; and what to say of the special attraction
of the words that generated to the honor of the poets seeing
its beauty and of those who, seeing it on Arjuna's chariot
on the battlefield, attained an equal status?'
(Vedabase)
Text
4
The powerful
rishi [S'uka] said: 'Seeing the number of great
disturbances which had appeared in the sky, the earth and in
outer space, Krishna addressed the Yadus seated in the
Sudharmâ hall [see 10.50:
54] as
follows [see also 1.14].
The
fine rishi [S'uka] said: 'Seeing the number of great
disturbances which had appeared in the sky, the earth and in
outer space addressed Krishna the Yadus seated in the
Sudharmâ hall [see 10.50: 54] as follows
[see also 1.14]. (Vedabase)
Text
5
The Supreme
Lord said: 'O best of the Yadus, with these fearful, great and
inauspicious omens, that are like the flags of the king of
death, we shouldn't stay a moment longer here in
Dvârakâ.
The
Supreme Lord said: 'O best of the Yadus, with these fearful,
great and inauspicious omens, that are like the flags of the
king of death, shouldn't we stay a moment longer here in
Dvârakâ. (Vedabase)
Text
6
The women, the
children and the old-aged should go to S'ankhoddhâra
[halfway Dvârakâ and Prabhâsa] and we
will leave for Prabhâsa where the Sarasvatî flows
westward.
The
women, the children and the old-aged should go to
S'ankoddhâra [halfway Dvârakâ and
Prabhâsa]; we shall go from here to Prabhâsa
where the Sarasvatî flows westward.
(Vedabase)
Text
7
There we should
purify by bathing, fasting and fixing our minds, and then
worship the gods [the idols] with various offerings,
ablutions and âlepa [smearing with
sandalwood].
There
we should purify bathing, fast and fix our minds, and will
we worship the gods [the idols] with various
offerings, ablutions and âlepa [smearing with
sandalwood]. (Vedabase)
Text
8
When the
brahmins full of grace have performed the ceremonies for our
good fortune, we'll give them cows, land, gold, clothing,
elephants, horses, chariots and houses [see also
3.3:
26-28].
The
brahmins so full of grace having performed the ceremonies
for good fortune will we [honor] with cows, land,
gold, clothing, elephants, horses, chariots and houses
[see also 3.3: 26-28]. (Vedabase)
Text
9
This is the
course we have to follow in order to avert misfortune and bring
about good fortune, for to worship the best among the living
beings - the gods, the brahmins and the cows - brings about the
supreme [compare to 10.24:
25].'
This
is the course to follow indeed to avert the misfortune and
bring good fortune; to worship the best among the living
beings - the gods, the brahmins and the cows - brings about
the supreme [compare to 10.24: 25].
(Vedabase)
Text
10
After they all
thus had listened to the Enemy of Madhu, said the elderly Yadus
'So be it!', and crossed over by boat [to mainland] to
head for Prabhâsa in chariots.
All
of them thus listening to the Enemy of Madhu, said the
elderly Yadus 'so be it', and crossed they over by boat to
head for Prabhâsa in chariots.
(Vedabase)
Text
11
There, in
accordance with the instructions of the Lord of the Yadus, the
Supreme Personality, the Yadus performed all auspicious rituals
with transcendental devotion and everything else that would
strengthen them.
There,
to what the Supreme Personality, the Lord of the Yadus had
instructed, performed the Yadus with transcendental devotion
and all that would strengthen, all auspicious rituals.
(Vedabase)
Text
12
Then as
destined [see 11.1:
4] they
lost their intelligence drinking from a large supply of sweet
tasting maireya [honey-liquor] the ingredients
of which overpowered their minds [see also
6.1:
58-60].
Then
as destined [see 11.1: 4] falling from their
intelligence, drank they a large amount of the sweet tasting
maireya [honey-liquor] of which the ingredients
overpower the mind [see also 6.1: 58-60].
(Vedabase)
Text
13
Among the
heroes bewildered by Krishna's illusory potency arose a
terrible quarrel because they intoxicated of the excessive
drinking became arrogant.
With
the heroes bewildered by Krishna's illusory potency arose,
by the excessive drinking intoxicated, arrogant of mind a
terrible quarrel. (Vedabase)
Text
14
Infuriated they
took up their weapons - their bows, swords, bhalla-arrows
[arrows with a particular arrowhead] clubs, lances and
spears - and fought against each other on the
shore.
Totally
agitated with anger they took up their weapons - their bows,
swords, bhalla-arrows [arrows with a particular
arrowhead] clubs, lances and spears - and fought they on
the shore. (Vedabase)
Text
15
With flying
flags riding chariots, elephants and other carriers - asses,
camels, bulls, buffalos, mules and even humans - they most
enraged facing one another attacked with arrows, just like
elephants who in the forest attack each other with their
tusks.
With
flying flags riding chariots, elephants and other carriers -
asses, camels, bulls, buffalos, mules and even humans - came
they together most enraged attacking with arrows as if they
were elephants in the forest attacking with their tusks.
(Vedabase)
Text
16
With their
enmity aroused in the battle fought Pradyumna ferociously
against Sâmba, Akrûra against Bhoja, Aniruddha
against Sâtyaki, Subhadra against Sangrâmajit,
Sumitra against Suratha and the two Gadas [the brother and
a son of Krishna] against each other.
With
their enmity aroused in battle fought ferociously Pradyumna
against Sâmba, Akrûra against Bhoja, Aniruddha
against Sâtyaki, Subhadra against Sangrâmajit,
Sumitra against Suratha and the two Gadas [the brother
and a son of Krishna] against each other.
(Vedabase)
Text
17
Others
as well, like Nis'athha, Ulmuka and more lead by Sahasrajit,
S'atajit and Bhânu, confronted and killed each other,
totally being bewildered by Mukunda and blinded by their
intoxication.
Others
also, such as Nis'athha, Ulmuka and so on under the lead of
Sahasrajit, S'atajit and Bhânu, confronted and killed
each other, blinded as they were by intoxication and totally
confused by Mukunda. (Vedabase)
Text
18
Completely
letting go of their friendship the Kuntis, the Kukuras, the
Visarjanas, the Madhus and Arbudas,
Vrishnis and Andhakas, the Bhojas, the
Sâtvatas,
the Dâs'ârhas and the inhabitants of Mâthura
and S'ûrasena slaughtered each other.
Completely
letting go of their friendship slaughtered the Kuntis, the
Kukuras, the Visarjanas, the Madhus and Arbudas, Vrishnis
and Andhakas, the Bhojas, the Sâtvatas, the
Dâs'ârhas and the inhabitants of Mâthura
and S'ûrasena one another.
(Vedabase)
Text
19
Relatives
bewildered killed relatives and friends friends; sons fought
with their fathers and their brothers, nephews with uncles,
paternal uncles with maternal uncles and well-wishers with
well-wishers.
Bewildered
killed relatives relatives and friends friends; sons fought
with their fathers and their brothers, nephews with uncles,
paternal uncles with maternal uncles and well-wishers with
well-wishers. (Vedabase)
Text
20
Running out of
arrows and with their bows broken and missiles used, they took
cane stalks [eraka, see 11.1:
22] in
their fists.
Running
out of arrows and with their bows broken and missiles used
up, took they cane stalks [eraka, see 11.1: 22] in
their fists. (Vedabase)
Text
21
Those stalks
held in their fists turned into iron rods as strong as thunder
bolts as they attacked their enemies with them, and even though
Krishna tried to stop them, they attacked Him as
well.
Those
stalks held in their fists turned into iron rods as strong
as thunder bolts as they attacked their enemies with them,
and although Krishna tried to stop them, attacked they Him
as well. (Vedabase)
Text
22
Confounded with
their minds turned to killing, they mistook Balarâma for
an enemy o King and also raised their weapons against
Him.
Confused
with their minds set on killing, mistaking Balarâma
for an enemy, o King, raised they their weapons also against
Him. (Vedabase)
Text
23
The Two [of
Balarâma and Krishna] then also most furiously joined
the fight o son of the Kurus, and began to kill, using the
stalks in Their fists as clubs as They moved about in the
fight.
The
Two then also most furiously joined the fight, o son of the
Kurus, and started, cane in fist using them as clubs, to
kill moving about in the battle.
(Vedabase)
Text
24
In the grip of
the curse of the brahmins and with their minds clouded by
Krishna's mâyâ, the anger of their rivalry now
led to their destruction, just like a fire of bamboos does
with a forest.
Overcome
by the brahmins curse and with their minds clouded by
Krishna's mâyâ, led the fury of the competition
to their end like a fire of bamboos does in a forest.
(Vedabase)
Text
25
When all of His
own clans
had been destroyed
this way,
concluded
Krishna that as planned
[11.1:
1-4] what
had remained of the burden of the earth was
removed.
When
all of His own clans had been destroyed this way, concluded
Krishna, remaining, that as planned [11.1: 1-4] the
earth its burden was removed. (Vedabase)
Text
26
Balarâma
at the shore of the ocean resorted to meditation on the
Original Person and, merging Himself within Himself, gave up
the human world.
Râma
at the shore of the ocean resorting to meditation on the
Original Person, merging Himself within Himself, gave up the
human world. (Vedabase)
Text
27
Seeing that
Râma had left, the Supreme Lord, the son of Devakî,
finding a pippala
tree, silently sat down on the lap of the earth [see also
3.4].
Seeing
that Râma had left sat the Supreme lord, the son of
Devakî, finding a pippala tree, silently down on the
lap of the earth [see also 3.4].
(Vedabase)
Text
28-32
Exhibiting His
four-armed form He, like a fire without smoke, with His
brilliant effulgence dissipated the darkness in all directions.
With the S'rîvatsa mark and gray-blue color like the
clouds, He wore an all-auspicious pair of silken garments and
radiated like molten gold. His face like a blue lotus smiling
beautifully with His charming lotus eyes, was adorned with His
locks of hair and gleaming shark-shaped earrings. Splendid with
a belt, a sacred thread, a helmet and bracelets; arm-ornaments,
necklaces, ankle bells and royal symbols, there was the
Kaustubha gem. And so He sat there with His right foot reddish
like a lotus placed on His thigh, with the forms of His
personal weapons in His hands and with a garland of forest
flowers around His neck.
Exhibiting
His four-armed form dissipated, like a fire without smoke,
His brilliant effulgence the darkness in all directions.
With the s'rîvatsa mark and gray-blue color like the
clouds, radiated He like molten gold wearing an
all-auspicious pair of silken garments. His face like a blue
lotus smiling beautifully with the charming lotus eyes, was
adorned with His locks of hair and gleaming shark-shaped
earrings. Splendid with a belt, a sacred thread, a helmet
and bracelets; arm-ornaments, necklaces, ankle bells and
royal symbols, was there the kaustubha gem. Placing His
right foot reddish like a lotus on His thigh, sat He with
the forms of His personal weapons and His limbs encircled by
a garland of forest flowers. (Vedabase)
Text
33
His foot having
the form of a deer's face was [then] pierced by an
arrow of a hunter named Jarâ
who thought he saw a deer. The arrow was fashioned from a
fragment of the iron that had remained [from the by the
brahmins cursed and destroyed club, see 11.1:
23].
His
foot having the form of a deer's face was [then]
pierced by a hunter named Jarâ who thought he saw a
deer, [aiming] with his arrow that was made with a
fragment that had remained of the iron [from the by the
brahmins cursed and destroyed club, see 11.1: 23].
(Vedabase)
Text
34
When he saw the
four-armed personality he fell, afraid of having committed an
offense, with his head down at the feet of the Enemy of the
Asuras:
Seeing
that four-armed personality fell he, afraid of having
committed an offense, with his head down at the feet of the
Enemy of the Asuras: (Vedabase)
Text
35
'This was done
by a sinful person acting in ignorance; o Madhusûdana,
please forgive this sinner his deed, o Uttamas'loka,
o Sinless One.
'This
was done by a sinful person acting in ignorance; o
Madhusûdana, please forgive this sinner his deed, o
Uttamas'loka, o Sinless One. (Vedabase)
Text
36
O Master, what
I did against Him, Vishnu, to You, was wrong; o You, of whom
the constant remembrance destroys the darkness of ignorance of
all men, so they say.
O
Master, what I did toward Him, Vishnu, to You, was wrong; o
You, of whom the constant remembrance destroys the darkness
of ignorance of all man, so they say.
(Vedabase)
Text
37
Therefore,
please kill me right now o Lord of Vaikunthha, so that I,
nothing but a sinful deer hunter, may not again commit such an
offense against the True One [*].
Therefore,
please kill me right now o Lord of Vaikunthha, so that I, a
sinful deer hunter indeed, thus not again may commit such an
offense against the True One [*].
(Vedabase)
Text
38
What could we,
impure of birth, say about Him, about You [and the
destruction of the Yadus]? For Your mystic power is not
even understood by Viriñca,
Rudra and his other masters and sons of the vedic word, because
their vision of Your being is clouded by Your bewildering
potency!'
What
can we, impure of birth, say of Him, of You, with our direct
vision to this being covered by Your illusory potency, with
Your mystic power not [even] understood by
Viriñca, Rudra and his other masters and sons of the
vedic word?' (Vedabase)
Text
39
S'rî
Bhagavân said: 'Fear not o Jarâ, please get up, for
what you did was My desire; you've My permission to leave for
the spiritual realm, the abode for the ones who are of good
deeds.'
S'rî
Bhagavân said: 'Fear not o Jarâ, please get up,
for what you did was My desire; you've My permission to go
to the spiritual realm, the abode of the ones of good
deeds.'
(Vedabase)
Text
40
After thus
having been instructed by Krishna, the Fortunate One who
generated His own form, circumambulated he Him three times.
Then bowing down to Him he departed in a higher spirit [a
'vimâna',
also: a heavenly vehicle] to heaven.
Thus
instructed by Krishna, the Fortunate One embodied to His own
will, circumambulated he Him three times and went he, bowing
down to Him, with a higher spirit [a 'vimâna']
to heaven. (Vedabase)
Text
41
Dâruka
seeking out where Krishna had gone to, coming near Him scented
the air fragrant of tulasî and approached
Him.
Dâruka
seeking out where Krishna had gone to, came near Him
scenting the air fragrant of tulasî and approached
Him. (Vedabase)
Text
42
He found Him
there brilliant and effulgent, surrounded by His weapons and
resting at the base of the As'vathha.
With his heart overwhelmed by emotions he rushed down from the
chariot and fell with his eyes full of tears at His
feet.
With
Him there brilliant and effulgent, surrounded by His weapons
resting at the base of the As'vathha, fell he, rushing down
from the chariot with tear-filled eyes, with his heart
overwhelmed with affection down at His feet.
(Vedabase)
Text
43'
'O Master, not
seeing Your lotus feet my power of vision is lost and I fail to
know the directions, nor can I find peace; just the way one in
the night of a new moon lands in darkness.'
'O
Master, not seeing Your lotusfeet is my power of vision
destroyed and do I, just as in the night of a new moon
having landed in darkness, not know the directions nor can I
find peace.'
(Vedabase)
Text
44
As he was
speaking thus rose right before the eyes of the chariot driver
the chariot, along with the horses and the flag of Garuda
marking it, up into the sky, o King of kings.
As
he was speaking thus rose for true before the chariot driver
his eyes the chariot along with the horses and the flag of
Garuda that marked it, up into the sky, o King of
kings.
(Vedabase)
Text
45
And while
Vishnu's divine weapons were following, spoke
Janârdana
to the driver who stood perplexed about what was
happening:
With
Vishnu's divine weapons following it, spoke Janârdana
to the driver flabbergasted by that occurrence:
(Vedabase)
Text
46
'O driver, head
for Dvârakâ and inform our family members about the
mutual destruction of their close relatives, about My condition
and about the passing away of Sankarshana.
'O
driver, head for Dvârakâ and inform Our family
members of the mutual destruction of their close relatives,
My condition and the passing away of Sankarshana.
(Vedabase)
Text
47
You and your
relatives should not remain in Dvârakâ; now the
Yadu capital is abandoned by Me it will sink into the
ocean.
You
and your relatives should not remain in Dvârakâ;
now the Yadu capital is abandoned by Me will it sink into
the ocean. (Vedabase)
Text
48
Each of you
taking your own family as well as Our parents with you, should
together, protected by Arjuna, head for
Indraprastha.
Each
taking all his family as well as Our parents with him,
should you all, protected by Arjuna, go to Indraprastha.
(Vedabase)
Text
49
You however,
fixed in knowledge and indifferent about My
mâyâ will, remaining firm in My devotional
service, understand what I arranged and make your peace with
it.
You
however, fixed in knowledge and indifferent about My
mâyâ will, remaining firm in My devotional
service, with understanding for what I arranged, acquire the
tranquility of mind.'
(Vedabase)
Text
50
Thus being
addressed by Him he circumambulated Him offering his obeisances
again and again, and went, after placing His lotus feet on his
head, with a heavy heart to the city.
Thus
being addressed by Him circumambulated he Him offering his
obeisances again and again, and went he, placing His
lotusfeet on his head, with a heavy heart to the
city.'
(Vedabase)
*:
S'rîla Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî Thhâkura
wonders, since deer are by nature fearful and timid, how any
deer could possibly be on the scene of such a huge battle, and
how a hunter could calmly go about his business in the midst of
such carnage. Therefore, the withdrawal of the Yadu dynasty and
Lord Krishna's own disappearance from this earth were not
material historical events; they are instead a display of the
Lord's internal potency for the purpose of winding up His
manifest pastimes on earth [p.p. 11.30:
37].
Also the name of the hunter Jarâ, meaning old age, is
indicative of the metaphorical purport of this incident
[see also footnote 10.87:*].
In the Mahâbhârata-tâtparya-nirnaya,
S'rî Madhvâcârya-pâda wrote that the
Lord for His mission created a body of material energy into
which the arrow was shot. But the Lord's actual four-armed form
was never touched by the arrow of Jarâ, who is actually
an incarnation of the Lord's devotee Bhrigu Rishi. In a
previous age Bhrigu Muni had offensively placed his foot on the
chest of Lord Vishnu.