Chapter 4

Vaishampayana said: “Then Daruka and Keshava and Vabhru left that spot,following in the wake of Rama (for discovering his retreat). They beheldthat hero of infinite energy sitting thoughtfully, reclining his backagainst a tree, in a solitary spot of earth. Finding Rama of great soul,Krishna commanded Daruka, saying, Going to the Kurus, inform Partha ofthis great slaughter of the Yadus. Let Arjuna come here quickly, hearingof the destruction of the Yadavas through the Brahmanas curse.

“Thus addressed, Daruka, deprived of his senses by grief, proceeded on acar to the (capital of the) Kurus. After Daruka had gone away, Keshava,seeing Vabhru waiting on him, told him these words: Do thou go quicklyfor protecting the ladies. Let not robbers do them any injury, tempted bythe wealth (that is with them). Thus commanded by Keshava, Vabhru, stillhelpless with wine but cheerless at the slaughter of his kinsmen,departed. He had rested for a while by the side of Keshava, but as soonas he had proceeded to a distance, the iron-bolt, attaching itself to amallet in the hands of a hunter, suddenly sprang of itself upon thatsolitary survivor of the Yadava race and slew him, who also had beenincluded in the curse of the Brahmanas. Beholding Vabhru slain, Keshavaof great energy addressed his elder brother and said, Do thou, O Ramawait for me here till I place the ladies under the care of kinsmen.

“Entering the city of Dwaravati, Janardana said these words unto hisfather, Do thou protect all the ladies of our house, till Dhananjayacomes. At the skirts of the forest Rama is waiting for me. I shall meethim today. This great carnage of the Yadus has been beheld by me even asI beheld before the carnage of those Kshatriyas who were the foremostones of Kurus race. It is impossible for me to see this city of theYadavas without the Yadus beside me. Know that proceeding to the woods Ishall practise penances with Rama in my company. Having said these words,Krishna touched the feet of his father with his head, and quickly lefthis presence. Then a loud wail of sorrow arose from the ladies andchildren of his house. Hearing that loud sound of wailing uttered by theweeping ladies, Keshava retraced his foot-steps and said unto them,Arjuna will come here. That foremost of man will relieve you of yourgrief.

“Proceeding then to the forest, Keshava beheld Rama sitting in a solitaryspot thereof. He also saw that Rama had set himself to Yoga and that fromout his mouth was issuing a mighty snake. The colour of that snake waswhite. Leaving the human body (in which he had dwelt so long), thathigh-souled naga of a 1,000 heads and having a form as large as that of amountain, endued besides with red eyes, proceeded along that way whichled to the ocean. Ocean himself, and many celestial snakes, and manysacred Rivers were there, for receiving him with honour. There wereKarkotaka and Vasuki and Takshaka and Prithusravas and Varuna andKunjara, and Misri and Sankha and Kumuda and Pundarika, and thehigh-souled Dhritarashtra, and Hrada and Kratha and Sitikantha of fierceenergy, and Chakramanda and Atishanda, and that foremost of Nagas calledDurmukha, and Amvarisha, and king Varuna himself, O monarch. Advancingforward and offering him the Arghya and water to wash his feet, and withdiverse other rites, they all worshipped the mighty Naga and saluted himby making the usual enquiries.

“After his brother had thus departed from the (human) world, Vasudeva ofcelestial vision, who was fully acquainted with the end of all things,wandered for some time in that lonely forest thoughtfully. Endued withgreat energy he then sat down on the bare earth. He had thought beforethis of everything that had been fore-shadowed by the words uttered byGandhari in former days. He also recollected the words that Durvasas hadspoken at the time his body was smeared by that Rishi with the remnant ofthe Payasa he had eaten (while a guest at Krishnas house). Thehigh-souled one, thinking of the destruction of the Vrishnis and theAndhakas, as also of the previous slaughter of the Kurus, concluded thatthe hour (for his own departure from the world) had come. He thenrestrained his senses (in Yoga). Conversant with the truth of everytopic, Vasudeva, though he was the Supreme Deity, wished to die, fordispelling all doubts and establishing a certainty of results (in thematter of human existence), simply for upholding the three worlds and formaking the words of Atris son true. Having restrained all his senses,speech, and mind, Krishna laid himself down in high Yoga.

“A fierce hunter of the name of Jara then came there, desirous of deer.The hunter, mistaking Keshava, who was stretched on the earth in highYoga, for a deer, pierced him at the heel with a shaft and quickly cameto that spot for capturing his prey. Coming up, Jara beheld a man dressedin yellow robes, rapt in Yoga and endued with many arms. Regardinghimself an offender, and filled with fear, he touched the feet ofKeshava. The high-souled one comforted him and then ascended upwards,filling the entire welkin with splendour. When he reached Heaven, Vasavaand the twin Ashvinis and Rudra and the Adityas and the Vasus and theViswedevas, and Munis and Siddhas and many foremost ones among theGandharvas, with the Apsaras, advanced to receive him. Then, O king, theillustrious Narayana of fierce energy, the Creator and Destroyer of all,that preceptor of Yoga, filling Heaven with his splendour, reached hisown inconceivable region. Krishna then met the deities and (celestial)Rishis and Charanas, O king, and the foremost ones among the Gandharvasand many beautiful Apsaras and Siddhas and Saddhyas. All of them, bendingin humility, worshipped him. The deities all saluted him, O monarch, andmany foremost of Munis and Rishis worshipped him who was the Lord of all.The Gandharvas waited on him, hymning his praises, and Indra alsojoyfully praised him.”