The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 16.2: dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ

16.2.1

janamejaya uvāca |
kathaṃ vinaṣṭā bhagavannandhakā vṛṣṇibhiḥ saha |
paśyato vāsudevasya bhojāścaiva mahārathāḥ || 1 ||

Janamejaya said: "Indeed, O holy one, how was it that the Andhakas along with Vrishnis, and those great car-warriors, the Bhojas, met with destruction in the very sight of Vasudeva?"

16.2.2

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
ṣaṭtriṃśe'tha tato varṣe vṛṣṇīnāmanayo mahān |
anyonyaṃ musalaiste tu nijaghnuḥ kālacoditāḥ || 2 ||

Vaishampayana continued: "When the thirty-sixth year was reached (after the great battle) a great calamity overtook the Vrishnis. Impelled by Time, they all met with destruction in consequence of the iron bolt."

16.2.3

janamejaya uvāca |
kenānuśaptāste vīrāḥ kṣayaṃ vṛṣṇyandhakā yayuḥ |
bhojāśca dvijavarya tvaṃ vistareṇa vadasva me || 3 ||

Janamejaya said: "Cursed by whom did those heroes, the Vrishnis, the Andhakas, and the Bhojas, met with destruction? O foremost regenerate persons, do thou tell me this in detail.

16.2.4

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
viśvāmitraṃ ca kaṇvaṃ ca nāradaṃ ca tapodhanam |
sāraṇapramukhā vīrā dadṛśurdvārakāgatān || 4 ||

Vaishampayana continued: "One day, the Vrishni heroes numbering Sarana amongst them, saw Vishvamitra and Kanwa and Narada arrived at Dwaraka. Afflicted by the rod of chastisement wielded by the deities, those heroes, causing Samva to be disguised like a woman, approached those ascetics and said, ‘This one is the wife of Vabhru of immeasurable energy who is desirous of having a son. Ye Rishis, do you know for certain what this one will bring forth?’

16.2.5

te vai sāmbaṃ puraskṛtya bhūṣayitvā striyaṃ yathā |
abruvannupasaṃgamya daivadaṇḍanipīḍitāḥ || 5 ||

16.2.6

iyaṃ strī putrakāmasya babhroramitatejasaḥ |
ṛṣayaḥ sādhu jānīta kimiyaṃ janayiṣyati || 6 ||

16.2.7

ityuktāste tadā rājanvipralambhapradharṣitāḥ |
pratyabruvaṃstānmunayo yattacchṛṇu narādhipa || 7 ||

"Hear now, O king, what those ascetics, attempted to be thus deceived, said: ‘This heir of Vasudeva, by name Samva, will bring forth a fierce iron bolt for the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas. Ye wicked and cruel ones, intoxicated with pride, through that iron bolt ye will become the exterminators of your race with the exception of Rama and Janarddana. The blessed hero armed with the plough will enter the ocean, casting off his body, while a hunter of the name of Jara will pierce the high-souled Krishna while lying on the ground.’

16.2.8

vṛṣṇyandhakavināśāya musalaṃ ghoramāyasam |
vāsudevasya dāyādaḥ sāmbo'yaṃ janayiṣyati || 8 ||

16.2.9

yena yūyaṃ sudurvṛttā nṛśaṃsā jātamanyavaḥ |
ucchettāraḥ kulaṃ kṛtsnamṛte rāmajanārdanau || 9 ||

16.2.10

samudraṃ yāsyati śrīmāṃstyaktvā dehaṃ halāyudhaḥ |
jarā kṛṣṇaṃ mahātmānaṃ śayānaṃ bhuvi bhetsyati || 10 ||

16.2.11

ityabruvanta te rājanpralabdhāstairdurātmabhiḥ |
munayaḥ krodharaktākṣāḥ samīkṣyātha parasparam || 11 ||

"Endeavoured to be deceived by those wicked ones, those ascetics, with eyes red in wrath, looked at each other and uttered those words. Having said so they then proceeded to see Keshava. The slayer of Madhu, informed of what had taken place, summoned all the Vrishnis and told them of it. Possessed of great intelligence and fully acquainted with what the end of his race would be, he simply said that that which was destined would surely happen. Hrishikesa having said so, entered his mansion. The Lord of the universe did not wish to ordain otherwise. When the next day came, Samva actually brought forth an iron bolt through which all the individuals in the race of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas became consumed into ashes. Indeed, for the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, Samva brought forth, through that curse, a fierce iron bolt that looked like a gigantic messenger of death. The fact was duly reported to the king. In great distress of mind, the king (Ugrasena) caused that iron bolt to be reduced into fine powder. Men were employed, O king, to cast that powder into the sea. At the command of Ahuka, of Janarddana, of Rama, and of the high-souled Vabhru, it was, again, proclaimed throughout the city that from that day, among all the Vrishnis and the Andhakas no one should manufacture wines and intoxicating spirits of any kind, and that whoever would secretly manufacture wines and spirits should be impaled alive with all his kinsmen. Through fear of the king, and knowing that it was the command of Rama also of unimpeachable deeds, all the citizens bound themselves by a rule and abstained from manufacturing wines and spirits."

16.2.12

tathoktvā munayaste tu tataḥ keśavamabhyayuḥ || 12 ||

16.2.13

athābravīttadā vṛṣṇīñśrutvaivaṃ madhusūdanaḥ |
antajño matimāṃstasya bhavitavyaṃ tatheti tān || 13 ||

16.2.14

evamuktvā hṛṣīkeśaḥ praviveśa punargṛhān |
kṛtāntamanyathā naicchatkartuṃ sa jagataḥ prabhuḥ || 14 ||

16.2.15

śvobhūte'tha tataḥ sāmbo musalaṃ tadasūta vai |
vṛṣṇyandhakavināśāya kiṃkarapratimaṃ mahat || 15 ||

16.2.16

prasūtaṃ śāpajaṃ ghoraṃ tacca rājñe nyavedayan |
viṣaṇṇarūpastadrājā sūkṣmaṃ cūrṇamakārayat || 16 ||

16.2.17

prākṣipansāgare tacca puruṣā rājaśāsanāt |
aghoṣayaṃśca nagare vacanādāhukasya ca || 17 ||

16.2.18

adya prabhṛti sarveṣu vṛṣṇyandhakagṛheṣviha |
surāsavo na kartavyaḥ sarvairnagaravāsibhiḥ || 18 ||

16.2.19

yaśca no'viditaṃ kuryātpeyaṃ kaścinnaraḥ kvacit |
jīvansa śūlamārohetsvayaṃ kṛtvā sabāndhavaḥ || 19 ||

16.2.20

tato rājabhayātsarve niyamaṃ cakrire tadā |
narāḥ śāsanamājñāya tasya rājño mahātmanaḥ || 20 ||