Mausala Parva — The Vrishnis and the Andhakas start on a pilgrimage and meet with their doom

Vaishampayana said At that time the Vrishni ladics dreamt every night a woman of black color and white teeth, entering their abodes, laughed aloud and ran through Dwraka, snatching from them the auspicious threads in their wrists.

The men dreamt that dreadful vultures, entering their houses and fire-chambers, gorged themselves on their bodies.

Their ornaments and umbrellas and standards and armour were seen to be taken away by dreadful Rakshasas.

Before the very eyes of the Vrishnis, the discus of Krishna, given by Agni, made of iron and having its nave composed of hardest adamant, ascended into the sky.

In the very sight of Daruka, the excellent car of Vasudeva, effulgent like the sun, and properly equipt was taken away by the horses yoked to it. Those foremost of horses, numbering four, and fleet like the mind, fled away, dragging the car after them along the surface of the ocean.

The two great standards of Krishna's car and Baladeva's car, having the emblems of Garuda and palmyra, which were reverently adored those two heroes, were taken away by Apsaras who, day and night, called upon the Vrishnis and the Andhakas to start on a pilgrimage to some sacred water.

When these omens were seen and heard, those foremost of men, viz., the powerful carwarriors of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, became desirous of setting out, with their whole families, on a pilgrimage to some sacred water.

They prepared various kinds of viands and edibles and various kinds of wines and meat.

The troops of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, blazing with beauty and gifted with fierce energy, then set out from the city on cars and horses and elephants.

The Yadavas then, with their wives, proceeded to Prabhasa and took up their residence there, each in the (temporary) habitation which was assigned to him and all having profuse provisions consisting of edibles and drink.

Hearing that they had taken up their abode on the sea-coast, Uddhava, the wisest of men, who was, besides, well-versed in Yoga, went there and to their leave (for departing).

Krishna, with joined with joined hands, saluted Uddhava, and seeing him bent on departing (from the world) and knowing that the destruction of the Vrishnis was night, did not feel any disposition to prevent him.

The powerful car-warriors among the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, whose hour hand come, then saw Uddhava proceed on his great journey, filling the entire sky with his effulgence.

The Vrishnis, mixing with wine the food that had been cooked for great Brahmanas, gave it away to monkeys an apes.

Those heroes of fierce energy then began to revel with drink, at Prabhasa. The entire field echoed with the blare of hundreds of trumpets and abounded with actors and dancers.

In the very sight of Krishna, Rama began to drink, with Kritavarman, Yuyudhana and Gada and Vabhru also did the same.

Then Yuyudhana, inebriated with wine, derisively laughing at and insulting Kritavarman in the midst of that assembly, said, 'What Kshatriya is there who, armed with weapons, will kill men locked in the embraces of sleep and, therefore, already dead? Hence, O son of Hridika, the Yadavas will never tolerate what you have done.'

When Yuyudhana had said these words, Pradyumna, that foremost of car-warriors, applauded them, expressing his disregard for the son of Hridika.

Greatly enraged at this, Kritavarman, cmphasising his disregard for Satyaki by pointing to him with his left hand, said these words:

Professing yourself to be a hero, how could you so cruelly kill the armless Bhurishravas who, on the field of battle, sat fasting.

Hearing these words of his, Keshava, that destroyer of hostile heroes, giving way to anger, cast an angry look at Kritavarman.

Then Satyaki informed the destroyer of Madhu as to how Kritavarman had behaved towards Satrajit for taking away from him the celebrated gem Syamantaka.

Hearing the narrative, Satyabhama, giving way to anger and tears, approached Keshava, and sitting on his lap, increased his anger (for Kritavarman).

Then rising up in anger, Satyaki said, 'I swear to your by Truth that I shall soon cause this one to follow the five sons of Draupadi, and of Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandin, they, viz., who were killed by this sinful wretch, while they were asleep, with the help of Drona's son, O you of slender wish, Kritavarman's period of life and fame has come to an end.'

Having said these words, Satyaki rushed at Kritavarman and cut off his head with a sword in the very sight of Keshava.

Yuyudhana, having performed this feat, began to strike down others there present. Hrishikesha ran to prevent him from doing further mischief.

At that time, however, O king, the Bhojas and Andhakas moved by the perverseness of the hour that had come upon them, all became as one man and surrounded the son of Shini.

Janardana of great energy, knowing the character of the hour stood unmoved without giving way to anger, seeing those heroes rushing in anger at Satyaki from every side.

Urged by fate and inebriated with drink, they began to strike Yuyudhana with the pots from which they had been eating.

When the son of Shini was being thus assaulted, Rukmini's son became greatly enraged. he rushed forward for rescuing Satyaki who was engaged with the Bhojas and the Andhaks.

Gifted with might of arms and w’alth of energy, those two heroes acted with great courage. But as the odds were overwhelming, both of them were killed before the very eyes of Krishna.

Seeing his own son, and the son of Shini too, killed, the delighter of the Yadus took up, in anger, a handful of the Eraka grass which grew there.

That handful of grass became a terrible bolt of iron gifted with the energy of the thunderbolt. With it Krishna destroyed all those who came before him.

Then the Andhakas and the Bhojas, the Shaineyas and the Vrishnis, urged by Time, struck one another in that dreadful right.

Indeed, O king, whoever amongst them took up in anger a few blades of the Eraka grass, these, in his hands, became soon converted into a thunder-bolt, O powerful one.

Every blade of grass there was seen to be converted into a terrible iron bolt. All this, know, O king, was due to the curse imprecated by Brahmanas.

He who hurled a blade of grass saw that it pierced through even such things as were utterly impenetrable. In fact, every blade was seen to become a dreadful bolt having the force of thunder.

Son killed father, and father killed son, O Bharata! Inebriated with wine, they rushed and fell upon one another.

The Kukuras and the Andhakas met with destruction like insects rushing at a burning fire. As they were thus being destroyed, no one among them thought of escaping by flight.

Knowing that the hour of destruction had come, the mighty-armed Keshava stood there, seeing everything. Indeed, the destroyer of Madhu stood, raising a bolt of Iron formed of a blade of grass.

Seeing that Shamba was killed, as also Charudeshna and Pradyumna and Aniruddha, Madhava became filled with anger.

Seeing Gada lying dead on the ground, his anger became enhanced. The holder Sharnaga and the discus and the mace then rooted the Vrishnis and the Andhakas.

Hear, O king, what that conqueror of hostile towns, viz., Vabhru of great energy, and Daruka, then said to Krishna.

O holy one, a very large number of men has been killed by you. Turn now to where Rama has gone! We wish to go there where he has gone.

O holy one, a very large number of men has been killed by you. Turn now to where Rama has gone! We wish to go there where he has gone.