Mausala Parva — -Concluded Arjuna sees Vyasa at his hermitage and bemoans his loss. Vyasa's counsels to Arjuna

As Arjuna entered the hermitage of the truthful Rishi, he saw the son of Satyavati seated in a solitary spot.

Approaching that Rishi of high vows and gifted with a knowledge of al duties, he said, 'I am Arjuna'-~and then awaited his pleasure.

Satyavati's son, endued with high penances, answered, saying, "Welcome!' Of tranquil soul the great ascetic further said, 'Take our seat.'

Seeing that the son of Pritha was greatly cheerless and breathing heavy sighs repeatedly and filled with despair, Vyasa, addressed him, saying——Have you been sprinkled with water from anybody's nails or hair or the end of anybody's cloth, or from the mouth of a jar? Did you know any woman before the cessation of her menses? Have you killed a Brahmana?

Have you been defeated in battle? You look like one shorn of prosperity! I do not know that you have been defeated by any one. Why then, O chief Bharata's race, this exceedingly dejected look! You should O of Pritha, tell me all, if, indeed, there be no harm in telling it.

Arjuna said He whose complexion was like that of a cloud, he whose eyes were like pair of large lotus petals, viz., Krishna has, with Rama, renounced his body and ascended to heaven.

At Prabhasa, through iron bolts caused by the curse denounced by Brahmanas, the destruction has taken place of the Vrishni heroes. That destruction has been awful and not even a single hero has escaped,

The heroes of the Bhoja, the Andhaka, and the Vrishni races, O Brahmana, who were all gifted with high-souls, great might, and leonine pride, have killed one another in battle. Possessed of arms which looked like maces of iron, and capable of bearing the strokes of heavy clubs and darts, alas they have all been killed with blades of Eraka grass. See the perverse course of Time. Five hundred thousand mighty-armed warriors have thus been killed. Encountering one another, they have met with destruction.

Thinking repeatedly of this destruction of the Yadava warriors of immeasurable energy and of the illustrious Krishna, I cannot get peace of mind.

The death of the holder of Sharnga is as incredible as the drying up of the ocean, the displacement of a mountain, the falling down of the heaven, or the cooling property of fie. Deprived of the company of the Vrishni heroes, I wish not to live in this world.

Another event has taken place that is more painful than this, O you having penances for wealth. Repeatedly thinking of it, my heart is breaking.

In my very sight, O Brahmana, thousands of Vrishni ladies were carried away by the Abhiras of the country of the five waters, who attacked us.

Taking up my bow, I found myself unequal to even string it. The power that had existed in my arms seemed to have disappeared on that occasion.

O great ascetic, my weapons of various kinds failed to appear. Soon, again, my arrows became exhausted.

That person of immeasurable soul, of four arms, holding the conch, the discus, and the mace, clad in yellow robes, dark of complexion, and possessing eyes resembling lotus-petals, is no longer seen by me! Alas, reft of Govinda, what have I to live for, dragging my life in sorrow?

He who used to stalk in advance of my car, that divine form gifted with great splendour and unfading power, consuming as he proceeded all hostile warriors, can no longer be seen by me.

No longer seeing him who by his energy first burnt all hostile troops whom I afterwards killed with arrows shot off Gandiva, I am filled with grief and my head swims, O best of men! Penetrated with cheerlessness and despair, I cannot get peace of mind.

I dare not live, reft of the heroic Janardana. As soon as I heard that Vishnu had left the earth, my eyes became dim and all things disappeared from my vision.

O best of men, you should tell me what is good for me now, for I am now a wanderer with an empty heart, despoiled of my kinsmen and of my prowess.

Vyasa said The powerful car-warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races have all been consumed by the Brahmanas' course. O chief of Kuru's race, you should not grieve for their destruction.

That which has taken place, had been ordained. It was the destiny of those great warriors. Krishna allowed it to take place although he was fully competent to befell it.

Govinda was able to after the very course of the universe with all its mobile and immobile creatures. What need then be said of the curse of even great Brahmanas?

for you He who used to proceed in front of your car, arined with discus and mace, through affection was the four-armed Vasudeva, that ancient Rishi.

That great one of expansive eyes, viz., Krishna, having lightened the burthen of the Earth and cast off his (human) body, has attained to his own high seat.

By you also, O foremost of men, with Bhima for your helpmate and the twins, O mighty-armed hero, has the great work of the gods been done.

O foremost one of Kuru's race, I regard you and your brothers as crowned with success, for you have accomplished the great purpose of your lives! The Time has come for your departure from the world. Even this, O powerful one, is what is beneficial for you now.

Even thus, understanding and prowess and foresight. O Bharata, arise when days of prosperity have gone. These very acquisitions disappear when the hour of adversity comes.

All this has Time for its root. Time is, indeed, the seed of the of the universe, O not FINISH MA Dhananjaya! It is Time, again, which withdraws everything at its pleasure.

One becomes powerful, and, again, losing that power, becomes weak. One becomes a master and rules others, and again, losing that position, becomes a servant for obeying the order of others.

Your weapons, having achieved success, have gone away to the place they came from. They will, again, come into your hands when the Time for their coming approaches.

The Time has come, O Bharata, for you all to attain to the highest end. This is what I consider to be highly beneficial for you all, O chief of Bharata's race.

Having heard these words of Vyasa of great energy, the son of Pritha, receiving his permission, returned to the city of Hastinapur.

Entering it, the hero approached Yudhishthira and informed him of all that had taken place about the Vrishnis. JSALA PARVA