Chapter 30 - Extermination of the Race of Yādavas

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Note: This is merely a summary of the internecine feud among Yādavas. A blow-by-blow account of the fight is given in the Mausala Parva of the Mahābhārata. It appears more reliable as there we find the dead bodies of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa traced and duly cremated (Mahābhārata, Mausala 7.31), Kṛṣṇa did not go physically to the next world as the Bhāgavata Purāṇa wants us to believe in this chapter.]

The King (Parīkṣit) enquired:

1. When Uddhava, a great votary of the Lord, repaired to the forest (at Badarikāśrama), what did the glorious Lord, the creator of all beings, do at Dvārakā?

2-3. When his own race was threatened with annihilation by the curse of Brāhmaṇas, how did the Lord of Yādavas cast off his body which was beloved-most to the eyes of all. His personality, so charming that women, having but once looked at it, could not take away their eyes from it; which having once entered into the ears of the saintly persons gets (as if) inscribed in their heart and never leaves it (i.e. is never forgotten by them,): Whose glorious splendour when extolled by poets, brings special charms to their words and enhances respect for them; having seen that form occupying the (charioteer’s) seat in Arjuna’s chariot, the warriors who were slain in the (battle at Kurukṣetra) in his presence, attained a form similar to him.

The sage Śrī Śuka replied:

4. Noticing terrible portents appearing in the sky, on the earth and in the mid-air, Kṛṣṇa addressed the Yādavas who were seated in the assembly hall called ‘Sudharmā’, as follows:

5. “O foremost of Yādavas! These terrible portents of a serious nature like unto the flags of the god of Death (Yama) are appearing in Dvārakā. We should not tarry here even for a short while.

6. Let women, children and old people go from this place to Śaṅkhoddhāra^[1]. We shall go to the holy place Prabhāsa^[2] where the Sarasvatī^[3] flows to the west.

7. We shall take our bath there, observe a fast and serenely meditate. We shall also worship our deities with ablutions and application of sandal-paste and offering other articles of worship.

8. Having received the benediction (of Brāhmaṇas) by the recitation of sacred Mantras and performance of expiatory rites, we shall worship them with gifts of cows, land, gold, cloths, elephants, horses, chariots and houses.

9. For this is the surest procedure to avert evil and the best means of ensuring auspiciousness. Worship of gods, Brāhmaṇas and cows definitely brings prosperity to beings both here and hereafter.”

10. All the (council of) elder Yadus attentively listened to this advice of Kṛṣṇa, the slayer of demon Madhu. They agreed with his proposal, ferried across the sea in boats and drove to Prabhāsa in their chariots.

11. At Prabhāsa, as per instructions of the Lord, whom they regarded as their deity, the Yādavas performed with great faith and devotion, all the rites conducive to their prosperity.

12. At that very sacred place, as Fate would have in Yādavas lost their judgement and drank the highly intoxicating sweet beverage, a liquor called Maireyaka^[4] by the filtrates of which the reasoning faculty is completely lost.

13. There broke out a bitter conflict between the proud, and haughty warriors who were dead drunk with a strong liquor and were deluded by the Māyā of Kṛṣṇa.

14. Infuriated with rage^[5], those desperadoes fought each other with bows, swords, spears, maces, iron clubs, and lances on the sea-shore.

15. Confronting each other in their chariots, elephants etc. decked with banners flowing in the air, and riding on donkeys, camels, bulls, buffaloes, mules and human beings (slaves), the highly intoxicated Yādava warriors struck one another with arrows even as wild elephants dash against each other with their tusks.

16. With increasing intense hostility while fighting, there were duels between Pradyumna and Sāmba, Akrūra and Bhoja, Aniruddha and Sātyaki, Subhadra and Saṅgrāmajit, terrible (uncle and cousin) of the (same) name Gada (one being the brother and the other a son of Kṛṣṇa), Sumitra and Suratha as combatants.

17. While others like Niśatha, Ulmuka and others the chief of whom were Sahasrajit, Śatajit and Bhānu became blind with intoxication and deluded by (the Māyā of) Lord Kṛṣṇa, challenged each other and meeting at close quarters struck each other mercilessly.

18. Forgetting their mutual friendly relations, all the clans of Yādavas such as Dāśārhas, Vṛṣṇa, Andhakas, Bhojas, Sātvatas, Madhus, Arbudas, Māthura and Śūrasenas, the Visarjanas, the Kukuras and the Kuntis (out of them some were domiciled in countries like Arbuda, Mathura, and Śūrasena) fought with one another.

19. Sons fought with fathers, brothers with brothers, maternal uncles with their sister’s sons, nephews with uncles, friends with friends, well-wishers with well-wishers and clansmen with clansmen, as all of them were stupefied and deluded (by Hari’s Māyā).

20. (After a time) when the (stocks of) arrows was being exhausted and bows (which they used like sticks) got broken and their weaponry was finished, they (pulled out and) clenched into fists the Erakā grass (that grew abundantly on the shore) as weapons.

21. And lo! The Erakā grass when held by them in their fists, became adamant like hard iron-bars with which they struck their adversaries. When forbidden by Kṛṣṇa, they (turned against him and) attacked him.

22. O king! Being infatuated they looked upon (kṛṣṇa) and Balarāma as their enemies. Those desperadoes determined to kill them and attacked them, O king.

23. At this, they (Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma) on their part became enraged, O Parīkṣit (scion of the Kuru race). They uprooted a handful of Erakā grass which (automatically was transformed into iron bars wherewith they struck back and moved about in the battle, killing (Yādavas with their iron clubs).

24. The wrath intensified with jealousy of Yādavas who were bedevilled by Brahmanical curse and whose minds were completely perverted by Kṛṣṇa’s deluding potency which wrought their complete annihilation even as fire sparked off by friction of bamboos, reduces the whole forest to ashes.

25. When all clansmen belonging to his race were thus done to death, Lord Kṛṣṇa felt that all the remnant of the burden of the earth had been lightened.

26. Repairing to the sea-shore, Balarāma entered into Yogic meditation on the Supreme person and uniting his soul with the Supreme Soul, left this mortal world.^[6]

27-28. Noticing the passing away of Balarāma, the glorious Lord Kṛṣṇa, son of Devakī, quietly went to a Pippala tree and sat down on the ground (with his back resting against its Trunk) manifesting his (original) radiant four-armed personality dispelling the darkness of all the quarters with his brilliant lustre like a smokeless fire.

29. (His form) was bearing the Śrīvatsa mark, blue like a rainy cloud, brilliant like burnished gold, wearing a pair of silken garments and the most auspicious (in appearance).

30. His lotus-like countenance was graced with charming smile and was adorned with bluish locks of hair and eyes beautiful like lotus; it was beautified with dazzling alligator- shaped ear-rings.

31. It was adorned with a (brilliant) zone, sacred thread, a crown, bracelets, armlets, a necklace of pearls, (a pair of) anklets, rings and the Kaustubha jewel.

32. His person was encircled by a Vanamālā (a garland of special sylvan flowers). It was attended by his weapons in their personal forms. He was seated with his lotus-like reddish (left) foot on his right thigh.

33. A hunter called ‘Jarā’ who fixed on the point of his arrow the un-pulverized remnant of the iron pestle (“born” from Sāmba^[7]) pierced therewith his foot which appeared in shape like the mouth of a deer (wrongly presuming him to be a deer).

34. Seeing that it was a four-armed person (whom he hit), the horrified perpetrator of the (homicidal) sin prostrated himself at the feet of Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Asuras, touching his feet with his head.

35. ‘It is sheedy out of ignorance that this has been committed by me, O Madhusūdana. It behoves you, O faultless Lord of hallowing glory, to pardon me for this sin.

36. This sinful act against you has been committed by me, O Lord Viṣṇu, whose constant remembrance, the wise say is efficacious enough to destroy the ignorance of men.

37. Therefore, put an end to my life immediately, O Vaikuṇṭha (Viṣṇu) so that I should not commit such an offence against any other righteous person.

38. (If you agree that my shooting an arrow at you is not my fault but the effect of the Brahmanical curse, I submit) even god Brahmā, his sons, god-like Rudra and others, and the Vedic seers (the masters of the divine words) have failed to grasp the working of your Yoga Māyā. How can we of impious birth whose vision has been blind-folded by your Māyā can say anything about this sportive act (līlā) of yours? (Be gracious enough to kill me and absolve me of my sins).’

The Lord replied:

39. ‘Be not afraid, O Jarā, Get up. What you have done is exactly what was willed by me. (Cast off your body and) with my permission, do you go to heaven, the region of the righteous people.’

40. Thus commanded by the glorious Lord Kṛṣṇa who takes any form at his will^[8], the hunter circumambulated (by the right) Lord Kṛṣṇa, bowed to him and went to heaven in a celestial car.

41. Dāruka was tracing Kṛṣṇa by his foot-prints, came in search of him. He identified the spot by the scent of the Tulasī borne on the wind and he stood before him.

42. He saw his Lord there seated at the foot of the Aśvattha tree, attended upon by his sharp brilliant weapons in person. With his eyes bedimmed with tears and heart overflowing with loyalty and affection, he jumped down from (the charioteer’s seat in) the chariot and immediately fell at his feet.

43. (Dāruka said:) O Lord, just as one feels lost in darkness, at night, after the setting of the moon, ever since I did not see your lotus-feet, my vision was enveloped in darkness, and was completely lost. I do not see directions (how to behave as well). I have lost the peace of my mind.”

44. Even as the charioteer (Dāruka) was speaking thus, his chariot with its flag bearing the ensign of Garuḍa, soared up into heaven along with horses, while Dāruka merely looked on (agape).

45. Even the celestial weapons of Viṣṇu followed the chariot. Lord Kṛṣṇa then addressed his charioteer who was dazed at heart with utter astonishment (at the happening).

46. You go to Dvārakā, O charioteer, and report to the Yādava kinsmen thereof the internecine conflict and mutual slaughter of our clansmen, Balarāma’s passing away and my present condition.

47. Warn them that the sea will submerge the city of Yādavas (Dvārakā) abandoned by me. Hence you (i.e. both Dāruka and the remaining inhabitants of Dvārakā) alongwith their kinsmen should not stay at Dvārakā.

48. Taking with you the members of your families at well as our parents, all of you go to Indraprastha, under the escort of Arjuna, on the way.

49. Establishing yourself firmly in spiritual wisdom and remaining indifferent (to weal and woe) you follow the spiritual path proclaimed by me. Realizing that all this universe or Saṃsāra is nothing but the creation of Māyā (and hence unreal) you should attain spiritual peace of mind.

50. Thus commanded Dāruka went round Lord Kṛṣṇa (by the right-hand side) and bowing him down again and again and placing his feet on his head (i.e. touching them with his head), he went to the city (of Dvārakā) with a heavy heart.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The island of Bati (Beyt) at the north-western extremity of the gulf of Cutch. Viṣṇu is said to have killed Śaṅkhāsura and recovered the Vedas from him here. GDAMI, P. 177.

[2]:

Somanath or Devapaṭṭana near Verawal in Saurashtra.

[3]:

Now called Raunākṣī. On the bank of this river under an aspen tree, Kṛṣṇa passed away—GDAMI, P. 181.

[4]:

SKD III., P. 786 gives the following ingredients of this wine:

sīdhur ikṣurasaiḥ pakvair apakvair āsavo bhavet /
maireyaṃ dhātakī-puṣpaṃ guḍa-dhānānnasaṃhitam //

I could not trace this verse in Mādhava-nidāna if by ‘Mādhava’ that work is indicated in SKD. From its name it (the liquor) appears to be a stimulant.

[5]:

The Mahābhārata describes how Yuyudhāna’s criticism of Krtavarmā’s dastardly attack on the sleeping Pāṇḍava army, sparked off the struggle The whole report (Mahābhārata Mausal 3.1766) reads like an account by an eye-witness

[6]:

The Mahābhārata differs in details (vide Mahābhārata Mausala. 4).

(1) When Kṛṣṇa saw his sons killed, he used all his divine weapons and ñnished with the Yādavas.

(2) Babhru and his charioteer stopped him telling him “most of Yādavas arc killed, let us find out where Balarāma is”. (Mahābhārata Mausala 2.43-47).

(3) Bala-Rāma was found resting under a tree. Kṛṣṇa deputed Dāruka to Arjuna to take away women and children from Dvārakā.

(4) When Babhru whom he deputed to protect women and property at Dvārakā was killed in Kṛṣṇa’s presence by a hunter’s arrow.

(5) Kṛṣṇa told Balarāma to wait till he returned from Dvārakā making arrangements for the protection of women and children.

(6) Kṛṣṇa went to Dvārakā and requested his father Vasudeva to protect women (and children) till the arrival of Arjuna at Dvārakā.

(7) He reported what happened at Prabhāsa and informed him of his decision to spend the rest of his life (along with Balarāma) in performing penance.

(8) On his return, he found Balarāma giving up his life by a Yogic process.

(9) Wandering in a pensive mood, he decided to give up his body and he lay in Yogic Samādhi when he was pierced with a hunter’s arrow.

Was it the second attempt on Kṛṣṇa’s life when the first-mis-aimed arrow killed Babhru instead of Kṛṣṇa?

[7]:

Supra Bhāgavata Purāṇa XT. 1.17.

[8]:

Lord’s form, constituted of pure Sattva, disappeared. His apparent form was only an outward semblance of his real form—Bhāvāratha Dīpikā