NITAAI-Veda.nyf > Compiled and Imp Scriptures > Shrimad Bhagavatam > Canto-11 > The disappearance of the Yadu dynasty |
The disappearance of
the Yadu dynasty.
After observing inauspicious omens in the
sky and on the earth, Lord Krishna spoke to the assembled Yadus in the Sudharma
assembly hall.
The Supreme Lord said, “Just see all
of the terrible omens that appear to be just like flags of death. Let us not
remain here any longer. First, let all of the women, children and old men go to
Shankhoddhara. Then, we shall go to Prabhasa-kshetra, where the River Sarasvati
flows. There, we can bathe, fast, fix our minds in meditation, and worship the
demigods. With the help of qualified brahmanas, we can perform religious
rituals for our good fortune, and we can also worship these brahmanas with
gifts of land, cows, gold, clothing and houses. This is surely the best means
to counteract the impending adversity and bring about good fortune.”
Upon hearing this, the Yadu elders
uttered, “so be it”. A few months had passed since the Yadu boys were cursed.
Those who are eternal associates of the Lord remained at Dvaraka, whereas the
demigods were instructed to leave. Anyone who dies at Dvaraka goes back home,
back to Godhead. Because the Lord desired that the demigods who had appeared in
the Yadu dynasty be reinstated in their position, it was arranged for them to
leave Dvaraka.
After crossing the ocean in boats, these
members of the Yadu dynasty proceeded on chariots to Prabhasa. At Prabhasa, the
Yadus first bathed, and then performed various religious ceremonies under Lord
Krishna’s direction, for the satisfaction of the forefathers, demigods, and
great sages.
At the completion of these rituals, the
Yadus gave charity to the brahmanas- cows, clothing, bedding, gold, blankets,
horses, elephants, girls and land. Then, they fed the brahmanas sumptuously
with food that had been offered to the Supreme Lord, and at last, they offered
them respectful obeisances. Finally, the Yadus ate with the brahmanas’
permission, and by the influence of Destiny, they indulged in drinking maireya,
a kind of wine made from rice, which made them completely intoxicated. Being
thus bewildered by Krishna’s illusory energy, the Yadus became arrogant and
then, at sunset, a terrible quarrel broke out among them.
Becoming enraged, the Yadus grabbed their
weapons and attacked one another. While riding on elephants and chariots, as
well as on donkeys, camels, bulls and even human beings- they fought fiercely.
Pradyumna fought with Samba, Akrura with Kuntibhoja, and Aniruddha with
Satyaki. Completely abandoning their natural friendship, the members of the
various Yadu clans- the Dasharhas, Vrishnis, Andhakas, Bhojas, Shurasenas and
Kuntis- slaughtered one another. Being thus bewildered, sons fought with
fathers, brothers with brothers, and grandsons with grandfathers.
Finally, when all of their weapons were
broken or used up, the Yadavas grabbed the tall stalks of cane that were
growing nearby. Indeed, as soon as
stalks came into the warriors’ hands, they transformed into iron rods. As the
fighting continued, Lord Krishna intervened and tried to stop the carnage, but
the Yadus attacked Him as well. In fact, they had become so bewildered, that
they even considered Lord Balarama to be their enemy. With weapons in hand, the
Yadus rushed at Balarama, intending to kill Him, and this enraged both Lord
Krishna and Balarama. Picking up iron stalks, They entered the fray, killing
all of those who opposed Them.
At last, when all the members of His Own
dynasty were destroyed, Lord Krishna considered that the burden of the earth
had at last been removed. Lord Balarama then sat down on the shore of the ocean
and fixed His mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus merging Himself
within Himself, He gave up His pastimes in this world.
After witnessing this, Lord Krishna went
to the banks of the River Sarasvati, and after sipping water, He sat down
quietly underneath a nearby pipppala tree. Krishna exhibited a four-armed form
of dark complexion and golden effulgence. A beautiful smile graced His
lotus-face, which was framed by locks of hair. His shark-shaped earrings
glittered, as did the Kaustubha jewel and other royal ornaments. The Lord’s
personal weapons were present in their embodied forms. As Krishna sat, He kept
His left foot, with its reddish sole, upon His right thigh.
A hunter named Jara happened to come to a
place nearby, where the Rivers Sarasvati and Hiranya together flow into the
sea. This place is now known as Bhrigu-tirtha. When the hunter, Jara, saw Lord
Krishna’s reddish foot from a distance, he mistook it to be the face of a deer.
Jara was carrying the arrow that he had previously made from the unground lump
of iron from Samba’s club. He shot that very arrow, and it pierced Lord
Krishna’s lotus foot. To bewilder the atheists, as well as to benefit his
devotee, Lord Krishna manifested a special form created by His illusory energy,
and it is into the lotus foot of this form that the arrow entered. This
illusory form was quite distinct form the eternal four-armed form of the Lord.
When Jara understood that it was Krishna
seated at that spot, and not a deer, he became terrified, because of his
offense. He went and fell down before the Lord, placing his head upon His lotus
feet.
Jara said, “O Madhusudana, I am most
sinful! I have done this horrible act out of ignorance, so please forgive me.”
“My dear Lord, please kill me at once
so that I may never again commit such an act of aggression against saintly
persons.”
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said,
“My dear Jara, get up. Don’t be afraid. What you have done is actually My
desire. Now, with My permission, you may ascend to the spiritual world.”
Being so instructed, the hunter
circumambulated Lord Krishna three times and bowed down to offer his
obeisances. Jara then departed in the airplane that had arrived, just to carry
him back to the spiritual sky.
The hunter, Jara, was actually Bhrigu
Muni, who in a former age had impudently placed his foot upon Lord Vishnu’s
chest. As a result of this offense, Bhrigu Muni had to accept a birth as a
degraded hunter. Still, the Lord was not happy to see how His devotee had
fallen into such a condition of life, and so, while concluding His pastimes, He
arranged for his deliverance.
Daruka had been searching for his master,
Lord Krishna, and when he came in the vicinity, he could smell the aroma of
tulasi flowers present in the breeze. Then, while following that scent, Daruka
came to where Lord Krishna was resting at the foot of the banyan tree. Upon
seeing the Lord, Daruka’s eyes filled with tears. He quickly got down from his
chariot, ran toward his master and fell at His lotus feet.
Daruka said, “Just as, on moonless
nights, people cannot find their way, so, having lost sight of Your lotus feet,
I have been wandering blindly in the darkness.”
While Daruka was speaking, Lord Krishna’s
chariot rose up into the sky, along with its horses and flag that was marked
with the emblem of Garuda. Then, all of the divine weapons of Lord Vishnu
followed the chariot, and Daruka was most astonished to see this.
Lord Janardana then said, “Daruka, go
to Dvaraka and inform Our family members how all of the Yadus have destroyed
one another. In addition, tell them of Balarama’s disappearance and My Own
present condition. You and your relatives should not remain in Dvaraka, because
now that I have abandoned it, the ocean will soon inundate the city. Take your
relatives, along with My parents, and, under Arjuna’s protection, go to
Indraprastha. Remain fixed in devotion to Me and know for certain that all of
these pastimes are a display of My illusory potency. With this understanding,
remain peaceful in mind and detached from material life.”
Being thus ordered, Daruka circumambulated
the Lord and offered his obeisances again and again. After placing Lord
Krishna’s lotus feet upon his head, he departed with a sad heart.