॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ त्रिंशोऽध्यायः - ३० ॥
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Discourse XXX
Holocaust of Yadu's Race (Preamble)
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राजोवाच ।
ततो महाभागवते उद्धवे निर्गते वनम् ।
द्वारवत्यां किमकरोद्भगवान् भूतभावनः ॥ १॥
ब्रह्मशापोपसंसृष्टे स्वकुले यादवर्षभः ।
प्रेयसीं सर्वनेत्राणां तनुं स कथमत्यजत् ॥ २॥
प्रत्याक्रष्टुं नयनमबला यत्र लग्नं न शेकुः
कर्णाविष्टं न सरति ततो यत्सतामात्मलग्नम् ।
यच्छ्रीर्वाचां जनयति रतिं किं नु मानं कवीनां
दृष्ट्वा जिष्णोर्युधि रथगतं यच्च तत्साम्यमीयुः ॥ ३॥
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The king (Parikṣit) submitted : Uddhava, a great devotee of the Lord, having proceeded to the woodland (of Badarikāśrama), what did the Lord, the father of (all) created beings, do next in Dwārakā ? (1)
His (own) race having been wiped out through the curse of Brahmanas, how did Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the foremost of the Yadus) cast off His body, the most beloved of the eyes of all, from which ladies could not withdraw their eyes (once) riveted on it; which, having (once) entered the ears of the virtuous and (then) clung to their mind (through the passage of the ears), never departs from it; whose splendour (when glorified by poets) gives a delightful character to their speech and what goes without saying, brings honour to them, and looking on which, (when) seated in the car of (the all-victorious) Arjuna, warriors (who fell in battle) attained similarity to it ! (2-3) (1-3)
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ऋषिरुवाच ।
दिवि भुव्यन्तरिक्षे च महोत्पातान् समुत्थितान् ।
दृष्ट्वाऽऽसीनान् सुधर्मायां कृष्णः प्राह यदूनिदम् ॥ ४॥
एते घोरा महोत्पाता द्वार्वत्यां यमकेतवः ।
मुहूर्तमपि न स्थेयमत्र नो यदुपुङ्गवाः ॥ ५॥
स्त्रियो बालाश्च वृद्धाश्च शङ्खोद्धारं व्रजन्त्वितः ।
वयं प्रभासं यास्यामो यत्र प्रत्यक्सरस्वती ॥ ६॥
तत्राभिषिच्य शुचय उपोष्य सुसमाहिताः ।
देवताः पूजयिष्यामः स्नपनालेपनार्हणैः ॥ ७॥
ब्राह्मणांस्तु महाभागान् कृतस्वस्त्ययना वयम् ।
गोभूहिरण्यवासोभिर्गजाश्वरथवेश्मभिः ॥ ८॥
विधिरेष ह्यरिष्टघ्नो मङ्गलायनमुत्तमम् ।
देवद्विजगवां पूजा भूतेषु परमो भवः ॥ ९॥
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The sage (Śrī Śuka) replied : Seeing evil portents of a grave nature manifest in the heavens and on earth as well as in the air, Śrī Kṛṣṇa spoke thus to the Yadus sitting (together) in (the assembly hall known by the name of) Sudharmā. (4)
"These grave portents of a terrible nature appearing in Dwārakā are indications of a holocaust. We should not (therefore) stay here even for an hour, O leaders of the Yadus ! (5)
Let the womenfolk, infants and aged men move from this place to (the sacred spot called) Sankhoddhāra, while we shall proceed to Prabhāsa, where the river Saraswati flows towards the west (and joins the sea). (6)
Having bathed in that river and (thus) purified, and remaining without food, we shall (all) worship the (images of) gods with a fully concentrated mind by bathing them, daubing them with sandal-paste and offering (other) articles of worship. (7)
Having been blessed (by the Brahmanas) through the recitation of benedictory Mantras (sacred texts) and offering of flowers etc., we shall also honour the highly blessed Brahmanas by gifting them cows, lands, gold and raiments as well as elephants, horses, chariots and dwellings. (8)
That is the surest way of dispersing evil and the best means of securing happiness. Worship of gods, the Brahmanas and cows brings supreme exaltation to men." (9) (4-9)
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इति सर्वे समाकर्ण्य यदुवृद्धा मधुद्विषः ।
तथेति नौभिरुत्तीर्य प्रभासं प्रययू रथैः ॥ १०॥
तस्मिन् भगवताऽऽदिष्टं यदुदेवेन यादवाः ।
चक्रुः परमया भक्त्या सर्वश्रेयोपबृंहितम् ॥ ११॥
ततस्तस्मिन् महापानं पपुर्मैरेयकं मधु ।
दिष्टविभ्रंशितधियो यद्द्रवैर्भ्रश्यते मतिः ॥ १२॥
महापानाभिमत्तानां वीराणां दृप्तचेतसाम् ।
कृष्णमायाविमूढानां सङ्घर्षः सुमहानभूत् ॥ १३॥
युयुधुः क्रोधसंरब्धा वेलायामाततायिनः ।
धनुर्भिरसिभिर्भल्लैर्गदाभिस्तोमरर्ष्टिभिः ॥ १४॥
पतत्पताकै रथकुञ्जरादिभिः
खरोष्ट्रगोभिर्महिषैर्नरैरपि ।
मिथः समेत्याश्वतरैः सुदुर्मदा
न्यहन् शरैर्दद्भिरिव द्विपा वने ॥ १५॥
प्रद्युम्नसाम्बौ युधि रूढमत्सरा-
वक्रूरभोजावनिरुद्धसात्यकी ।
सुभद्रसङ्ग्रामजितौ सुदारुणौ
गदौ सुमित्रासुरथौ समीयतुः ॥ १६॥
अन्ये च ये वै निशठोल्मुकादयः
सहस्रजिच्छतजिद्भानुमुख्याः ।
अन्योन्यमासाद्य मदान्धकारिता
जघ्नुर्मुकुन्देन विमोहिता भृशम् ॥ १७॥
दाशार्हवृष्ण्यन्धकभोजसात्वता
मध्वर्बुदा माथुरशूरसेनाः ।
विसर्जनाः कुकुराः कुन्तयश्च
मिथस्ततस्तेऽथ विसृज्य सौहृदम् ॥ १८॥
पुत्रा अयुध्यन् पितृभिर्भ्रातृभिश्च
स्वस्रीयदौहित्रपितृव्यमातुलैः ।
मित्राणि मित्रैः सुहृदः सुहृद्भि-
र्ज्ञातींस्त्वहन् ज्ञातय एव मूढाः ॥ १९॥
शरेषु हीयमानेषु भज्यमानेषु धन्वसु ।
शस्त्रेषु क्षीयमाणेषु मुष्टिभिर्जह्रुरेरकाः ॥ २०॥
ता वज्रकल्पा ह्यभवन् परिघा मुष्टिना भृताः ।
जघ्नुर्द्विषस्तैः कृष्णेन वार्यमाणास्तु तं च ते ॥ २१॥
प्रत्यनीकं मन्यमाना बलभद्रं च मोहिताः ।
हन्तुं कृतधियो राजन्नापन्ना आततायिनः ॥ २२॥
अथ तावपि सङ्क्रुद्धावुद्यम्य कुरुनन्दन ।
एरकामुष्टिपरिघौ चरन्तौ जघ्नतुर्युधि ॥ २३॥
ब्रह्मशापोपसृष्टानां कृष्णमायाऽऽवृतात्मनाम् ।
स्पर्धा क्रोधः क्षयं निन्ये वैणवोऽग्निर्यथा वनम् ॥ २४॥
एवं नष्टेषु सर्वेषु कुलेषु स्वेषु केशवः ।
अवतारितो भुवो भार इति मेनेऽवशेषितः ॥ २५॥
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Attentively hearing this speech of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the enemy of the demon Madhu) and saying "Amen!", the elderly among the Yadus all proceeded to Prabhāsa in chariots after crossing the sea by means of barks. (10)
There the scions of Yadu performed with supreme Devotion whatever was enjoined by the Lord alongwith all (other) means of ensuring prosperity. (11)
Then, their judgment having been vitiated by (an evil) destiny, they drank there a highly intoxicating and delicious drink known by the name of Maireyaka, by the filtrates of which the intellect is perverted. (12)
There ensued a very bitter clash between the heroes, who were (all) proud at heart and were hard drunk with the strong beverage and were (further) deluded by the enchanting potency of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (13)
Inflamed with anger and equipped with arms they contended (with one another) on the seashore by means of bows, swords, spears, maces, bludgeons and lances. (14)
Closing with one another in chariots and on elephants etc., as well as on (the back of) donkeys, camels, bulls, buffaloes and mules and men, bearing ensigns that fluttered in the breeze, the highly intoxicated warriors hit one another with arrows even as elephants in a forest would strike one another with their tusks. (15)
Pradyumna closed on the battle-field with Sāmba, Akrūra with Bhoja, Aniruddha with Satyaki, Subhadra with Saṅgrāmajit, Gada (Śrī Kṛṣṇa's brother) with Śrī Kṛṣṇa's son of the same name and Sumitra with Āśuratha. All the pairs looked very fierce, their rancour having grown very intense. (16)
Blinded by intoxication and utterly infatuated by (the enchanting potency of) Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Bestower of Liberation), others too, viz., Niśatha, Ulmuka and so on, the chief of whom were Sahasrajit, Śatajit and Bhānu, met and struck one another (at close quarters). (17)
Casting (all) affection to the winds, then, the Dāśārhas, Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, Bhojas and Sātvatas, the Madhus and the Arbudas, the Māthuras and the Śūrasenas, the Visarjanas, the Kukuras and the Kuntis—these contended with one another. (18)
Sons fought with their fathers and brothers with brothers; while maternal uncles, maternal grandfathers, nephews and sister's sons severally crossed their swords with their sister's sons, daughter's sons, uncles and maternal uncles. (Likewise) friends contended with friends, and relations with relations; while kinsmen killed kinsmen, deluded as they (all) were. (19)
When (the stocks of) arrows began to be exhausted, bows began to be broken (when used as cudgels) and (the stocks of) weapons began to be depleted, they tore up with their clenched hands blades of Erakā* grass. (20)
Held by the clenched hand they turned into (so many) clubs studded with iron, (which were) almost as hard as adamant. They (now) began to strike their enemies with them, and, being checked by Śrī Kṛṣṇa, they took Him as well as Balabhadra to be their adversary, deluded as they were. (Nay,) resolved to kill Them, the desperadoes came up (before Them), O king! (21-22)
Highly irritated, They too took up handfuls of Erakā grass, (presently) converted into clubs, O delight of the Kurus, and struck them (in return with those clubs) moving (from one place to another). (23)
The fury, engendered by rivalry, of those warriors, who were possessed (as it were) by the curse of the Brāhmanas and whose judgment had been obscured by the deluding potency of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, brought about their destruction (even) as fire (produced by the friction) of bamboos would consume a (whole) forest. (24)
All His own people as well as clans having thus perished, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Ruler even of Brahmā and Śiva) concluded that the remaining burden of the earth was (also) removed. (25) (10-25)
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रामः समुद्रवेलायां योगमास्थाय पौरुषम् ।
तत्याज लोकं मानुष्यं संयोज्यात्मानमात्मनि ॥ २६॥
रामनिर्याणमालोक्य भगवान् देवकीसुतः ।
निषसाद धरोपस्थे तूष्णीमासाद्य पिप्पलम् ॥ २७॥
बिभ्रच्चतुर्भुजं रूपं भ्राजिष्णु प्रभया स्वया ।
दिशो वितिमिराः कुर्वन् विधूम इव पावकः ॥ २८॥
श्रीवत्साङ्कं घनश्यामं तप्तहाटकवर्चसम् ।
कौशेयाम्बरयुग्मेन परिवीतं सुमङ्गलम् ॥ २९॥
सुन्दरस्मितवक्त्राब्जं नीलकुन्तलमण्डितम् ।
पुण्डरीकाभिरामाक्षं स्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलम् ॥ ३०॥
कटिसूत्रब्रह्मसूत्रकिरीटकटकाङ्गदैः ।
हारनूपुरमुद्राभिः कौस्तुभेन विराजितम् ॥ ३१॥
वनमालापरीताङ्गं मूर्तिमद्भिर्निजायुधैः ।
कृत्वोरौ दक्षिणे पादमासीनं पङ्कजारुणम् ॥ ३२॥
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Resorting at the seashore to Yoga in the form of concentration of mind on the Supreme Person, i.e., (in other words) identifying his self with the (Supreme) Spirit Balarāma cast off the human semblance. (26)
Perceiving the ascent of Balarāma (to His own realm Pātāla), Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Son of Devakī) went up to a peepul (the sacred fig tree) and sat down quietly on the ground (resting His back against its trunk). (27)
He revealed His resplendent four-armed form and, like a smokeless fire, dispelled by His own effulgence the gloom of (all) the quarters. (28)
It bore the mark of Śrīvatsa (a curl of white hair on the breast), was dark-brown (of hue) like a (rainy) cloud, was wrapped in a pair of silk pieces and (thereby) shone like burnished gold and was most auspicious (to look at). (29)
It had a lotus-like countenance with a lovely smile playing on it, was graced with dark hair, had a pair of delightful lotus-like eyes and was adorned with a shining pair of alligator-shaped ear-rings. (30)
It was decked with a girdle, the sacred thread, a diadem, a pair of bracelets and armlets as well as with a pearl necklace, a pair of anklets and rings and the Kaustubha gem. (31)
Its limbs were encircled by a garland of sylvan flowers; (nay,) It was waited upon by His own weapons (discus, mace and the Śārṅga bow etc.), in a living form and was seated placing the left-foot, (with its sole) ruddy as a lotus, on the right thigh. (32)
- It will be remembered that when the steel pestle generated by the curse of Brāhmanas had been crushed into powder and cast into the sea, the particles of the powder were borne by the waves to and deposited on the shore, where they grew into a grass named Erakā (vide verses 21 and 22 of Discourse I above)
(26-32)
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मुसलावशेषायःखण्डकृतेषुर्लुब्धको जरा ।
मृगास्याकारं तच्चरणं विव्याध मृगशङ्कया ॥ ३३॥
चतुर्भुजं तं पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा स कृतकिल्बिषः ।
भीतः पपात शिरसा पादयोरसुरद्विषः ॥ ३४॥
अजानता कृतमिदं पापेन मधुसूदन ।
क्षन्तुमर्हसि पापस्य उत्तमश्लोक मेऽनघ ॥ ३५॥
यस्यानुस्मरणं नॄणामज्ञानध्वान्तनाशनम् ।
वदन्ति तस्य ते विष्णो मयासाधु कृतं प्रभो ॥ ३६॥
तन्माऽऽशु जहि वैकुण्ठ पाप्मानं मृगलुब्धकम् ।
यथा पुनरहं त्वेवं न कुर्यां सदतिक्रमम् ॥ ३७॥
यस्यात्मयोगरचितं न विदुर्विरिञ्चो
रुद्रादयोऽस्य तनयाः पतयो गिरां ये ।
त्वन्मायया पिहितदृष्टय एतदञ्जः
किं तस्य ते वयमसद्गतयो गृणीमः ॥ ३८॥
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Jarā, a hunter, who had forged (the head of) his arrow out of the iron piece that had been left after pulverizing the (steel) pestle (generated by the execration of Brāhmaṇas), pierced (as it were) His (aforesaid) foot, that resembled in shape the mouth of a deer, suspecting Him to be an antelope. (33)
Discovering (his quarry to be an other than) a four-armed personage, the hunter, who was frightened on account of his having committed an offence (against the Lord), fell (prostrate) at the feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (a sworn enemy of the demons) touching them with his head. (34)
(He submitted:) "Be pleased, O Slayer of the demon Madhu, to forgive this transgression of mine, sinful as I am, O Sinless One, in that it has been perpetuated by this sinner unwittingly, O Lord of excellent renown! (35)
Offence has been done by me to You, O Lord Viṣṇu, whose remembrance, they say, is capable of dispersing the darkness of men's ignorance. (36)
Therefore, speedily kill me, a sinful hunter of (innocent) deer, O Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, lest I should commit offence against noble souls any more as I have done (this time). (37)
How can we of impious birth make any observation directly about this gesture (in the shape of the wholesale destruction of Yadu's race) of Gours as Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the work of whose handmaid (Māyā) even Brahmā (the creator), his sons, Rudra and others, and the seers of Veda whose vision has been obscured by Your Māyā, are unable to know. (38) (33-38)
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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
मा भैर्जरे त्वमुत्तिष्ठ काम एष कृतो हि मे ।
याहि त्वं मदनुज्ञातः स्वर्गं सुकृतिनां पदम् ॥ ३९॥
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The glorious Lord said: Don't you be afraid, O Jarā, get up; indeed this part (of making Me the target of your arrow) has been played by you as desired by Me. Ascend you as permitted by Me to heaven, the abode of the virtuous. (39) (39)
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इत्यादिष्टो भगवता कृष्णेनेच्छाशरीरिणा ।
त्रिः परिक्रम्य तं नत्वा विमानेन दिवं ययौ ॥ ४०॥
दारुकः कृष्णपदवीमन्विच्छन्नधिगम्य ताम् ।
वायुं तुलसिकामोदमाघ्रायाभिमुखं ययौ ॥ ४१॥
तं तत्र तिग्मद्युभिरायुधैर्वृतं
ह्यश्वत्थमूले कृतकेतनं पतिम् ।
स्नेहप्लुतात्मा निपपात पादयो
रथादवप्लुत्य सबाष्पलोचनः ॥ ४२॥
अपश्यतस्त्वच्चरणाम्बुजं प्रभो
दृष्टिः प्रणष्टा तमसि प्रविष्टा ।
दिशो न जाने न लभे च शान्तिं
यथा निशायामुडुपे प्रणष्टे ॥ ४३॥
इति ब्रुवति सूते वै रथो गरुडलाञ्छनः ।
खमुत्पपात राजेन्द्र साश्वध्वज उदीक्षतः ॥ ४४॥
तमन्वगच्छन् दिव्यानि विष्णुप्रहरणानि च ।
तेनातिविस्मितात्मानं सूतमाह जनार्दनः ॥ ४५॥
(# श्रीभगवानुवाच ।)
गच्छ द्वारवतीं सूत ज्ञातीनां निधनं मिथः ।
सङ्कर्षणस्य निर्याणं बन्धुभ्यो ब्रूहि मद्दशाम् ॥ ४६॥
द्वारकायां च न स्थेयं भवद्भिश्च स्वबन्धुभिः ।
मया त्यक्तां यदुपुरीं समुद्रः प्लावयिष्यति ॥ ४७॥
स्वं स्वं परिग्रहं सर्वे आदाय पितरौ च नः ।
अर्जुनेनाविताः सर्व इन्द्रप्रस्थं गमिष्यथ ॥ ४८॥
त्वं तु मद्धर्ममास्थाय ज्ञाननिष्ठ उपेक्षकः ।
मन्मायारचनामेतां विज्ञायोपशमं व्रज ॥ ४९॥
(# ऋषिरुवाच ।)
इत्युक्तस्तं परिक्रम्य नमस्कृत्य पुनः पुनः ।
तत्पादौ शीर्ष्ण्युपाधाय दुर्मनाः प्रययौ पुरीम् ॥ ५०॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां
संहितायामेकादशस्कन्धे त्रिंशोऽध्यायः ॥ ३०॥
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Commanded thus by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who takes a form at will, the hunter thrice walked round Him clockwise (so as to keep Him ever to his right and thus ensure His benignity) and, bowing to Him, ascended to heaven in an aerial car (brought by His attendants to take him). (40)
Hunting up and tracking out the whereabouts of Śrī Kṛṣṇa by inhaling the breeze charged with the fragrance of Tulasi, Dāruka (the Lord's own charioteer) sought His presence. (41)
Seeing his Master actually seated there at the base of an Aśwattha (the sacred fig tree) and surrounded by weapons (appearing in a living form) possessing a dazzling brilliance, the charioteer jumped down from (his box in) the chariot and fell prostrate at His feet, with eyes full of tears, his mind overwhelmed with affection. (42)
(He said,) "O Lord, my vision has completely gone and stands enveloped in darkness (opacity) ever since I have ceased to behold Your lotus-feet. (Even now) I fail to recognize the (four) quarters and find no peace (of mind) any more than a traveller on the moon having set at night." (43)
While the charioteer was speaking thus, the (Lord's) chariot, which was distinguished by the emblem of Garuda (on its banner), rose to the sky, horses, banner and all, O king of kings, while Dāruka stood looking up. (44)
The transcendent weapons of Lord Viṣṇu (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) too followed the chariot, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (who is solicited by all men) said to the charioteer, who felt much astonished at heart at the aforesaid occurrence:—(45)
"Proceed, O charioteer, to Dwārakā and communicate to My kinsfolk (there) the destruction of their relations at the hands of one another, (nay,) the departure (for His own divine realm) of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma) as well as My own predicament. (46)
(Tell them on My behalf:) "You should no longer stay at Dwārakā with your relations inasmuch as the sea will submerge the capital of the Yadus (now that it has been) forsaken by Me. (47)
Taking (with you) each your own family and possessions as well as Our parents (Devaki and Vasudeva) and guarded by Arjuna, you should all leave for Indraprastha without exception." (48)
As for yourself, follow the course of conduct (the path of Devotion) which is dear to Me, get established in the knowledge of your being one with Brahma, cultivate an attitude of nonchalance (towards the world) and, realizing this (visible) universe to be a creation of My Māyā (enchanting potency), acquire calmness (of mind)." (49)
Instructed thus (by the Lord), Dāruka went round the Lord (clockwise so as to keep Him always to his right), bowed to Him again and again and, placing His feet on his head (and then removing them) proceeded to Dwārakā, sad at heart. (50)
Thus ends the thirtieth discourse in Book Eleven of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhitā. (40-50)
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