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one another, they became greatly distressed upon hearing that the Vrishnis had met with destruction through the Brahmanas
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rod of chastisement. The death of Vasudeva, like the drying up of the ocean, those heroes could not believe. In fact the
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destruction of the wielder of Saranga was incredible to them. Informed of the incident about the iron bolt, the Pandavas became
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filled with grief and sorrow. In fact, they sat down, utterly cheerless and penetrated with blank despair."
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Janamejaya said: "Indeed, O holy one, how was it that the Andhakas along with Vrishnis, and those great car-warriors, the
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Bhojas, met with destruction in the very sight of Vasudeva?"
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Vaishampayana continued: "When the thirty-sixth year was reached (after the great battle) a great calamity overtook the
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Vrishnis. Impelled by Time, they all met with destruction in consequence of the iron bolt."
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Janamejaya said: "Cursed by whom did those heroes, the Vrishnis, the Andhakas, and the Bhojas, met with destruction? O
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foremost regenerate persons, do thou tell me this in detail.
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Vaishampayana continued: "One day, the Vrishni heroes numbering Sarana amongst them, saw Vishvamitra and Kanwa and
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Narada arrived at Dwaraka. Afflicted by the rod of chastisement wielded by the deities, those heroes, causing Samva to be
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disguised like a woman, approached those ascetics and said, This one is the wife of Vabhru of immeasurable energy who is
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desirous of having a son. Ye Rishis, do you know for certain what this one will bring forth?
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"Hear now, O king, what those ascetics, attempted to be thus deceived, said: This heir of Vasudeva, by name Samva, will bring
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forth a fierce iron bolt for the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas. Ye wicked and cruel ones, intoxicated with pride,
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through that iron bolt ye will become the exterminators of your race with the exception of Rama and Janarddana. The blessed
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hero armed with the plough will enter the ocean, casting off his body, while a hunter of the name of Jara will pierce the high-
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souled Krishna while lying on the ground.
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"Endeavoured to be deceived by those wicked ones, those ascetics, with eyes red in wrath, looked at each other and uttered
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those words. Having said so they then proceeded to see Keshava. The slayer of Madhu, informed of what had taken place,
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summoned all the Vrishnis and told them of it. Possessed of great intelligence and fully acquainted with what the end of his
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race would be, he simply said that that which was destined would surely happen. Hrishikesa having said so, entered his
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mansion. The Lord of the universe did not wish to ordain otherwise. When the next day came, Samva actually brought forth an
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iron bolt through which all the individuals in the race of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas became consumed into ashes. Indeed,
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for the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, Samva brought forth, through that curse, a fierce iron bolt that looked like
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a gigantic messenger of death. The fact was duly reported to the king. In great distress of mind, the king (Ugrasena) caused that
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iron bolt to be reduced into fine powder. Men were employed, O king, to cast that powder into the sea. At the command of
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Ahuka, of Janarddana, of Rama, and of the high-souled Vabhru, it was, again, proclaimed throughout the city that from that
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day, among all the Vrishnis and the Andhakas no one should manufacture wines and intoxicating spirits of any kind, and that
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whoever would secretly manufacture wines and spirits should be impaled alive with all his kinsmen. Through fear of the king,
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and knowing that it was the command of Rama also of unimpeachable deeds, all the citizens bound themselves by a rule and
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abstained from manufacturing wines and spirits."
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Vaishampayana said: "While the Vrishnis and the Andhakas were thus endeavouring (to avoid the impending calamity), the
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embodied form of Time (death) every day wandered about their houses. He looked like a man of terrible and fierce aspect. Of
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bald head, he was black and of tawny complexion. Sometimes he was seen by the Vrishnis as he peered into their houses. The
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mighty bowmen among the Vrishnis shot hundreds and thousands of shafts at him, but none of these succeeded in piercing
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him, for he was none else than the Destroyer of all creatures. Day by day strong winds blew, and many were the evil omens
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that arose, awful and foreboding the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas. The streets swarmed with rats and mice.
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Earthen pots showed cracks or broke from no apparent cause. At night, the rats and mice ate away the hair and nails of
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slumbering men. Sarikas chirped, sitting within the houses of the Vrishnis. The noise made by those birds ceased not for even a
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short while by day or by night. The Sarashas were heard to imitate the hooting of the owl, and goats imitated the cries, O
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Bharata, of jackals. Many birds appeared, impelled by Death, that were pale of complexion but that had legs red of hue.
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Pigeons were seen to always disport in the houses of the Vrishnis. Asses were born of kine, and elephants of mules. Cats were
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born of bitches, and mouse of the mongoose. The Vrishnis, committing sinful acts, were not seen to feel any shame. They
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showed disregard for Brahmanas and the Pitris and the deities, They insulted and humiliated their preceptors and seniors. Only
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Rama and Janardana acted differently. Wives deceived their husbands, and husbands deceived their wives. Fires, when ignited,
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cast their flames towards the left. Sometimes they threw out flames whose splendour was blue and red. The Sun, whether when
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rising or setting over the city, seemed to be surrounded by headless trunks of human form. In cook rooms, upon food that was
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clean and well-boiled, were seen, when it was served out for eating, innumerable worms of diverse kinds. When Brahmanas,
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receiving gifts, blessed the day or the hour (fixed for this or that undertaking) or when high-souled men were engaged in silent
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recitations, the heavy tread was heard of innumerable men running about, but no one could be seen to whom the sound of such
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tread could be ascribed. The constellations were repeatedly seen to be struck by the planets. None amongst the Yadavas could,
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however, obtain a sight of the constellation of his birth. When the Panchajanya was blown in their houses, asses of dissonant
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and awful voice brayed aloud from every direction. "Beholding these signs that indicated the perverse course of Time, and
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seeing that the day of the new moon coincided with the thirteenth (and the fourteenth) lunation, Hrishikesa, summoning the
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Yadavas, said unto them these words: The fourteenth lunation has been made the fifteenth by Rahu once more. Such a day had
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happened at the time of the great battle of the Bharatas. It has once more appeared, it seems, for our destruction. "The slayer of
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Keshi, Janardana, thinking upon the omens that Time showed, understood that the thirty-sixth year had come, and that what
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Gandhari, burning with grief on account of the death of her sons, and deprived of all her kinsmen, had said was about to
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transpire. The present is exactly similar to that time when Yudhishthira noted at such awful omens when the two armies had
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been arrayed in order of battle. Vasudeva, having said so, endeavoured to bring about those occurrences which would make
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Gandharis words true. That chastiser of foes commanded the Vrishnis to make a pilgrimage to some sacred water. The
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messengers forthwith proclaimed at the command of Keshava that the Vrishnis should make a journey to the sea-coast for
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bathing in the sacred waters of the ocean."
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Vaishampayana said: "At that time the Vrishni ladies dreamed every night that a woman of black complexion and white teeth,
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entering their abodes, laughed aloud and ran through Dvaraka, snatching from them the auspicious threads in their wrists. The
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men dreamt that terrible vultures, entering their houses and fire-chambers, gorged themselves on their bodies. Their ornaments
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and umbrellas and standards and armour were seen to be taken away by terrible Rakshasas. In the very sight of the Vrishnis,
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the discus of Krishna, given by Agni, made of iron and having its nave composed of hardest adamant, ascended into the
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firmament. In the very sight of Daruka, the excellent car of Vasudeva, of solar effulgence, and properly equipped, was taken
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away by the horses yoked unto it. Those foremost of steeds, numbering four, (Saivya, Sugriva, Meghapushpa and Valahaka),
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and endued with the speed of thought, fled away, dragging the car after them along the surface of the ocean. The two great
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standards of Krishnas car and Valadevas car, that with the device of Garuda and that bearing the device of the palmyra, which
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were reverently worshipped by those two heroes, were taken away by Apsaras who, day and night, called upon the Vrishnis
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and the Andhakas to set out on a pilgrimage to some sacred water. When these omens were seen and heard, those foremost of
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men, the mighty car-warriors of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, became desirous of setting out, with their whole families, on a
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pilgrimage to some sacred water. They prepared diverse kinds of viands and edibles and diverse kinds of wines and meat. The
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troops of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, blazing with beauty and endued with fierce energy, then set out from the city on cars
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and steeds and elephants. The Yadavas, then, with their wives, proceeded to Prabhasa and took up their residence there, each in
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the (temporary) habitation that was assigned to him, and all having an abundance of provisions consisting of edibles and drink.
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"Hearing that they had taken up their abode on the sea-coast, Uddhava, the wisest of men, who was, besides, well-versed in
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Yoga, proceeded there and took his leave (for departing). Krishna, with joined hands, saluted Uddhava, and seeing him bent on
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departing (from the world) and knowing that the destructions of the Vrishnis was at hand, did not feel any disposition to
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prevent him. The mighty car-warriors among the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, whose hour had come, then saw Uddhava
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proceed on his great journey, filling the whole welkin with his splendour. The Vrishnis, mixing with wine the food that had
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been cooked for high-souled Brahmanas, gave it away unto monkeys and apes. Those heroes of fierce energy then began their
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high revels, of which drinking formed the chief feature, at Prabhasa. The entire field echoed with the blare of hundreds of
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trumpets and abounded with actors and dancers plying their vocations. In the very sight of Krishna, Rama began to drink, with
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Kritavarma, Yuyudhana and Gada; and Vabhru also did the same. Then Yuyudhana, inebriated with wine, derisively laughing
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at and insulting Kritavarma in the midst of that assembly, said, What Kshatriya is there who, armed with weapons, will slay
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