The Mahabharata/Book 16: Mausala Parva/Section IV

Section IV.

Vaiçampāyana said,—"Then Dāruka, and Keçava and Vabhru left that spot, following in the wake of Rāma (for discovering his retreat). They beheld that hero of infinite energy sitting thoughtfully, reclining his back against a tree, in a solitary spot of earth.1 Finding Rāma of great soul, Krishna commanded Dāruka, saying,—'Going to the Kurus, inform Pārtha of this great slaughter of the Yadus.2 Let Arjuna come here quickly, hearing of the destruction of the Yādavas through the Brāhmanas' curse.' Thus addressed, Dāruka, deprived of his senses by grief, proceeded on a car to the (capital of the) Kurus.3 After Dāruka had gone away, Keçava, seeing Vabhru waiting on him, told him these words:—'Do thou go quickly for protecting the ladies. Let not robbers do them any injury, tempted by the wealth (that is with them).'4 Thus commanded by Keçava, Vabhru, still helpless with wine but cheerless at the slaughter of his kinsmen, departed. He had rested for a while by the side of Keçava, but as soon as he had proceeded to a distance, the iron-bolt, attaching itself to a mallet in the hands of a hunter, suddenly sprang of itself upon that solitary survivor of the Yādava race and slew him who also had been included in the curse of the Brāhmanas.^[1]5 Beholding Vabhru slain, Keçava of great energy addressed his elder brother and said,—'Do thou, O Rāma, wait for me here till I place the ladies under the care of kinsmen.'6 Entering the city of Dwārāvati, Janārddana said these words unto his father,—'Do thou protect all the ladies of our house, till Dhananjaya comes!7 At the skirts of the forest Rāma is waiting for me. I shall meet him today. This great carnage of the Yadus has been beheld by me even as I beheld before the carnage of those Kshatriyas who were the foremost ones of Kuru's race.8 It is impossible for me to see this city of the Yādavas without the Yadus beside me.^[2] Know that proceeding to the woods I shall practise penances with Rāma in my company.'9 Having said these words, Krishna touched the feet of his father with his head, and quickly left his presence. Then a loud wail of sorrow arose from the ladies and children of his house.10 Hearing that loud sound of wailing uttered by the weeping ladies, Keçava retraced his foot-steps and said unto them,—'Arjuna will come here. That foremost of men will relieve you of your grief!'11 Proceeding then to the forest, Keçava beheld Rāma sitting in a solitary spot thereof. He also saw that Rāma had set himself to Yoga and that from out his mouth was issuing a mighty snake.12 The colour of that snake was white. Leaving the human body (in which he had dwelt so long), that high-souled Nāga, of a thousand heads and having a form as large as that of a mountain, endued besides with red eyes, proceeded along that way which led to the ocean.13 Ocean himself, and many celestial snakes, and many sacred Rivers were there, for receiving him with honour. There were Karkotaka and Vāsuki and Takshaka and Prithuçravas and Varuna and Kunjara,14 and Miçri and Cankha and Kumuda and Pundarika, and the high-souled Dhritarāshtra, and Hrāda and Krātha and Citikantha of fierce energy, and Chakramanda and Atishanda,15 and that foremost of Nāgas called Durmukha, and Amvarisha, and king Varuna himself, O monarch. Advancing forward and offering him the Arghya and water to wash his feet, and with diverse other rites, they all worshipped the mighty Nāga and saluted him by making the usual enquiries.16 After his brother had thus departed from the (human) world, Vāsudeva of celestial vision, who was fully acquainted with the end of all things, wandered for sometime in that lonely forest thoughtfully. Endued with great energy he then sat down on the bare earth.17 He had thought before this of everything that had been foreshadowed by the words uttered by Gāndhāri in former days. He also recollected the words that Durvāsas had spoken at the time his body was smeared by that Rishi with the remnant of the Pāyasa he had eaten (while a guest at Krishna's house).18 The high-souled one, thinking of the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, as also of the previous slaughter of the Kurus, concluded that the hour (for his own departure from the world) had come. He then restrained his senses (in Yoga).19 Conversant with the truth of every topic, Vāsudeva, though he was the Supreme Deity, wished to die for dispelling all doubts and establishing a certainty of results (in the matter of human existence), simply for upholding the three worlds and for making the words of Atri's son true.^[3]20 Having restrained all his senses, speech, and mind, Krishna laid himself down in high Yoga. A fierce hunter of the name of Jarā then came there, desirous of deer.21 The hunter, mistaking Keçava, who was stratched on the earth in high Yoga, for a deer, pierced him at the heel with a shaft and quickly came to that spot for capturing his prey.22 Coming up, Jarā beheld a man dressed in yellow robes, rapt in Yoga, and endued with many arms. Regarding himself an offender, and filled with fear, he touched the feet of Keçava.23 The high-souled one comforted him and then ascended upwards, filling the entire welkin with splendour.24 When he reached Heaven, Vāsava and the twin Açwins and Rudra and the Adityas and the Vasus and the Viçwedevas, and Munis and Siddhas and many foremost ones among the Gandharvas, with the Apsaras, advanced to receive him.25 Then, O king, the illustrious Nārāyana of fierce energy, the Creator and Destroyer of all,—that preceptor of Yoga—filling Heaven with his splendour, reached his own inconceivable region.26 Krishna then met the deities and (celestial) Rishis and Chāranas, O king, and the foremost ones among the Gandharvas and many beautiful Apsarās and Siddhas and Sāddhyas. All of them, bending in humility, worshipped him.27 The deities all saluted him, O monarch, and many foremost of Munis and Rishis worshipped him who was the Lord of all. The Gandharvas waited on him, hymning his praises, and Indra also joyfully praised him."28

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1. The grammatical connection of this Verse, as explained by Nilakantha, is 'kute (lauha mudgare) yuktam (vaddham) mausalam Brahmānuçaptam Vabhrum (swayameva nipatya) avadhit.' The sense then is that the iron bolt, inspiring a mallet in the hands of a hunter, ran of itself at Vabhru who was under the curse and killed him.—T.
2. The sense is that I cannot bear to see this city of the Yadus divested as it is of those heroes.—T.
3. The allusion is to the impenetrability of every part of Krishna's body save his feet. Atri's son, Durvāsas, had made Krishna invulnerable except the soles of the feet. Krishna wished to die in such a manner as would make the Rishi's words true.—T.