Canto
1
Chapter 14: The Disappearance of Lord Krishna
(1) Sûta said: "Arjuna went to the city of Dvârakâ to see his friends and Krishna, the One Glorified by the Vedic Hymns, in order to know what His further plans were. (2) After a few months, when Arjuna did not return from there, Yudhishthhira observed various fearful signs.(3) The time had taken an inauspicious turn: he observed seasonal irregularities and saw that the people in their human sins turned to anger, greed and falsehood in heartening their means of livelihood. (4) There was cheating in ordinary transactions, misunderstanding rose in the regard of well-wishers, fathers, mothers and brothers and also between man and wife there was quarrel. (5) The people gradually were acquiring godless habits as wantonness and such. The king facing these serious matters and bad omens, spoke with his younger brother about it.
(6) Yudhishthhira said [to Bhîma]: 'Arjuna went to see his friends and also wanted to know what Krishna's plans were. (7) It is now seven months ago that your younger brother left, o Bhîmasena, and I do not know exactly why that is the case. (8) Is it so, as Nârada instructed, that the Supreme Personality has decided it is time to leave this manifest world? (9) From Him we have our wealth, kingdom and wives - through Him the existence of the dynasty and the life of our subjects has become possible and by His mercy we could defeat our enemies and live for a better world. (10) Just look, o man with the strength of a tiger, at the position of the planets, how things are faring on earth and what is happening to the body and the mind; all these dreadful signs deluding our intelligence, indicate a great danger in the near future. (11) Again and again my thighs, eyes, arms and the left of my body are quivering and I have heart palpitations due to the fear I have. This is all indicative of undesirable happenings. (12) See, o Bhîma, how the jackal frantically cries at sunrise and how the dog barks at me without any fear. (13) O tiger among man, cows keep me to their left and asses and such are turning around me while my horses seem to weep. (14) The pigeon appears like a messenger of death and the shrieks of the owls and their rivals the crows make my heart tremble as if they wish the void of the cosmos. (15) O Bhîma, see how smoke circles in the sky and how the earth is throbbing along with the hills and mountains with loud thunderbolts out of the blue of a cloudless sky. (16) The wind blows sharply creating darkness with the dust and rain pours like blood from the clouds as an omnipresent disaster. (17) The sun is shining less - see how the stars in the sky seem to clash into one another and how the living beings are confused and agitated as if they are crying. (18) Rivers and their tributaries, lakes and the mind are all perturbed while with the help of butter the fire doesn't ignite - what is this extraordinary time? What is going to happen? (19) The calves don't suck the teats and the cows don't want to be milked looking afraid as if weeping, while the bulls don't take pleasure in the pasture ground. (20) The deities seem to be crying and perspiring as if they want to leave the temple and also the cities, villages, towns, gardens, mines and hermitages have lost their beauty, bereft of all happiness - what sort of calamities will befall us? (21) I think that all these great upsurges manifest out of the need for the marks of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality - the earth bereft of the extraordinary of the Supreme Person will be unfortunate without those auspicious signs.'
(22) O brahmin, while King Yudhishthhira, observing the bad omens, was thus thinking to himself, returned Arjuna from the kingdom of the Yadus. (23) While he bowed at the feet of the king was his dejection unprecedented with tears falling from the lotus eyes of his downward looking face. (24) Seeing the anxious heart and pale appearance of Arjuna, questioned the king, who remembered what Nârada had said, him in the midst of friends. (25) Yudhishthhira said: 'Are our relatives Madhu, Bhoja, Das'ârha, Ârha, Sâtvata, and Andhaka of the Yadus all happy passing their days in Dvârakâ? (26) Is my respectable [maternal] grandfather S'ûrasena in good health passing his last days and are my [maternal] uncle Vasudeva and his younger brothers all well? (27) Are my aunts - his wives - all seven sisters headed by Devakî in person, with their sons and daughters-in-law all happy? (28-29) Are King Ugrasena, whose son was the mischievous one [Kamsa], and his younger brother, Hridîka and his son Kritavarmâ and Akrûra, Jayanta, Gada, Sârana as well as S'atrujit and the rest all happy? Is also the Supreme Personality Balarâma, who is the protector of the devotees, all right? (30) Are the great warrior Pradyumna [a son of Krishna] and all others of the Vrishni family happy - and is the plenary expansion of Krishna Aniruddha [a grandson of Krishna] faring well? (31) And how are Sushena, Cârudeshna and Sâmba, the son of Jâmbavatî, and the other eminent sons of Krishna as also their very best sons doing? (32-33) Are likewise the constant companions of Krishna like S'rutadeva, Uddhava and others, Sunanda, Nanda and other leaders doing well, and are the other liberated souls as well in order who are the best of men? And are all who are bound in friendship under the protection of Balarâma and Krishna also remembering our well-being? (34) Does the Supreme Lord, who is the pleasure of the cows and the senses and always cares for the devoted and the brahmins [the ones versed in sacred knowledge], enjoy the pious assembly of His friends around Him in Dvârakâ? (35-36) For the protection and elevation of the good of all and all their worlds is there in their company, in the ocean of the Yadu dynasty, the Original, Supreme Enjoyer and Ananta [Balarâma]. In His own city are the members of the Yadu family, as they deserve it, under the protection of His arms, relishing the transcendental pleasure like the residents of heaven. (37) By most importantly managing the comforts at the feet, made the sixteen thousand companions of the fair sex who are headed by Sathyabhâmâ, the Lord subdue the denizens of heaven, so that they, as the wives of the Controller of the thunderbolt, could enjoy what is normally the privilege of the demigods. (38) The Yadus, enjoying the protection of His arms, always fearlessly enter the Sudharmâ assembly hall which, procured by force [from Indra], was worthy of the best of gods.
(39) My dear brother, are you all healthy? It appears to me that you have lost your luster. Is it because of missing the respect being neglected or, my brother, because you were away so long? (40) Have you lost your grip because you were addressed unfriendly or have been threatened, or couldn't you give in charity or keep to the hope of doing so? (41) Couldn't you, being approached for the protection of the learned ones, the children, the cows, the old aged, the diseased and the women, give shelter to any living being deserving your care? (42) Did you contact a reprehensible woman or have you improperly treated an acceptable woman maybe, or has your good self on the road been defeated after all by a superior power or by equals? (43) Have you disregarded old men or boys deserving to dine with you together or did you do something abominable which is hard to forgive? (44) Or is it that to the most dear one, my brother Arjuna, your heart's friend Lord Krishna, you feel a void missing Him all the time? I can think of no other reason why you should suffer such a mental distress'."
Third edition, loaded Jan. 29, 2008.
Source texts:The Disappearance of Lord Krishna
Sûta said: "Arjuna went to the city of Dvârakâ to see his friends and Krishna, the One Glorified by the Vedic Hymns, in order to know what His further plans were.S'rî Sûta Gosvâmî said: Arjuna went to Dvârakâ to see Lord S'rî Krishna and other friends and also to learn from the Lord of His next activities. (Vedabase)
After a few months, when Arjuna did not return from there, Yudhishthhira observed various fearful signs.
A few months passed, and Arjuna did not return. Mahârâja Yudhishthhira then began to observe some inauspicious omens, which were fearful in themselves. (Vedabase)
The time had taken an inauspicious turn: he observed seasonal irregularities and saw that the people in their human sins turned to anger, greed and falsehood in heartening their means of livelihood.
He saw that the direction of eternal time had changed, and this was very fearful. There were disruptions in the seasonal regularities. The people in general had become very greedy, angry and deceitful. And he saw that they were adopting foul means of livelihood. (Vedabase)
There was cheating in ordinary transactions, misunderstanding rose in the regard of well-wishers, fathers, mothers and brothers and also between man and wife there was quarrel.
All ordinary transactions and dealings became polluted with cheating, even between friends. And in familial affairs, there was always misunderstanding between fathers, mothers and sons, between well-wishers, and between brothers. Even between husband and wife there was always strain and quarrel. (Vedabase)
The people gradually were acquiring godless habits as wantonness and such. The king facing these serious matters and bad omens, spoke with his younger brother about it.
In course of time it came to pass that people in general became accustomed to greed, anger, pride, etc. Mahârâja Yudhishthhira, observing all these omens, spoke to his younger brother. (Vedabase)
Yudhishthhira said [to Bhîma]: 'Arjuna went to see his friends and also wanted to know what Krishna's plans were.
Mahârâja Yudhishthhira said to his younger brother Bhîmasena, I sent Arjuna to Dvârakâ to meet his friends and to learn from the Personality of Godhead Krishna of His program of work. (Vedabase)
It is now seven months ago that your younger brother left, o Bhîmasena, and I do not know exactly why that is the case.
Since he departed, seven months have passed, yet he has not returned. I do not know factually how things are going there. (Vedabase)
Is it so, as Nârada instructed, that the Supreme Personality has decided it is time to leave this manifest world?
Is He going to quit His earthly pastimes, as Devarshi Nârada indicated? Has that time already arrived? (Vedabase)
From Him we have our wealth, kingdom and wives - through Him the existence of the dynasty and the life of our subjects has become possible and by His mercy we could defeat our enemies and live for a better world.
From Him only, all our kingly opulence, good wives, lives, progeny, control over our subjects, victory over our enemies, and future accommodations in higher planets have become possible. All this is due to His causeless mercy upon us. (Vedabase)
Just look, o man with the strength of a tiger, at the position of the planets, how things are faring on earth and what is happening to the body and the mind; all these dreadful signs deluding our intelligence, indicate a great danger in the near future.
Just see, o man with a tiger's strength, how many miseries due to celestial influences, earthly reactions and bodily pains--all very dangerous in themselves--are foreboding danger in the near future by deluding our intelligence. (Vedabase)
Again and again my thighs, eyes, arms and the left of my body are quivering and I have heart palpitations due to the fear I have. This is all indicative of undesirable happenings.
The left side of my body, my thighs, arms and eyes are all quivering again and again. I am having heart palpitations due to fear. All this indicates undesirable happenings. (Vedabase)
See, o Bhîma, how the jackal frantically cries at sunrise and how the dog barks at me without any fear.
Just see, o Bhîma, how the she jackal cries at the rising sun and vomits fire, and how the dog barks at me fearlessly. (Vedabase)
O tiger among man, cows keep me to their left and asses and such are turning around me while my horses seem to weep.
O Bhîmasena, tiger amongst men, now useful animals like cows are passing me on my left side, and lower animals like the asses are circumambulating me. My horses appear to weep upon seeing me. (Vedabase)
The pigeon appears like a messenger of death and the shrieks of the owls and their rivals the crows make my heart tremble as if they wish the void of the cosmos.
Just see! This pigeon is like a messenger of death. The shrieks of the owls and their rival crows make my heart tremble. It appears that they want to make a void of the whole universe. (Vedabase)
O Bhîma, see how smoke circles in the sky and how the earth is throbbing along with the hills and mountains with loud thunderbolts out of the blue of a cloudless sky.
Just see how the smoke encircles the sky. It appears that the earth and mountains are throbbing. Just hear the cloudless thunder and see the bolts from the blue. (Vedabase)
The wind blows sharply creating darkness with the dust and rain pours like blood from the clouds as an omnipresent disaster.
The wind blows violently, blasting dust everywhere and creating darkness. Clouds are raining everywhere with bloody disasters. (Vedabase)
The sun is shining less - see how the stars in the sky seem to clash into one another and how the living beings are confused and agitated as if they are crying.
The rays of the sun are declining, and the stars appear to be fighting amongst themselves. Confused living entities appear to be ablaze and weeping. (Vedabase)
Rivers and their tributaries, lakes and the mind are all perturbed while with the help of butter the fire doesn't ignite - what is this extraordinary time? What is going to happen?
Rivers, tributaries, ponds, reservoirs and the mind are all perturbed. Butter no longer ignites fire. What is this extraordinary time? What is going to happen? (Vedabase)
The calves don't suck the teats and the cows don't want to be milked looking afraid as if weeping, while the bulls don't take pleasure in the pasture ground.
The calves do not suck the teats of the cows, nor do the cows give milk. They are standing, crying, tears in their eyes, and the bulls take no pleasure in the pasturing grounds. (Vedabase)
The deities seem to be crying and perspiring as if they want to leave the temple and also the cities, villages, towns, gardens, mines and hermitages have lost their beauty, bereft of all happiness - what sort of calamities will befall us?
The Deities seem to be crying in the temple, lamenting and perspiring. They seem about to leave. All the cities, villages, towns, gardens, mines and hermitages are now devoid of beauty and bereft of all happiness. I do not know what sort of calamities are now awaiting us. (Vedabase)
I think that all these great upsurges manifest out of the need for the marks of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality - the earth bereft of the extraordinary of the Supreme Person will be unfortunate without those auspicious signs.'
I think that all these earthly disturbances indicate some greater loss to the good fortune of the world. The world was fortunate to have been marked with the footprints of the lotus feet of the Lord. These signs indicate that this will no longer be. (Vedabase)
O brahmin, while King Yudhishthhira, observing the bad omens, was thus thinking to himself, returned Arjuna from the kingdom of the Yadus.
O brâhmana S'aunaka, while Mahârâja Yudhishthhira, observing the inauspicious signs on the earth at that time, was thus thinking to himself, Arjuna came back from the city of the Yadus [Dvârakâ]. (Vedabase)
While he bowed at the feet of the king was his dejection unprecedented with tears falling from the lotus eyes of his downward looking face.
When he bowed at his feet, the King saw that his dejection was unprecedented. His head was down, and tears glided from his lotus eyes. (Vedabase)
Seeing the anxious heart and pale appearance of Arjuna, questioned the king, who remembered what Nârada had said, him in the midst of friends.
Seeing Arjuna pale due to heartfelt anxieties, the King, remembering the indications of the sage Nârada, questioned him in the midst of friends. (Vedabase)
Yudhishthhira said: 'Are our relatives Madhu, Bhoja, Das'ârha, Ârha, Sâtvata, and Andhaka of the Yadus all happy passing their days in Dvârakâ?
Mahârâja Yudhishthhira said: My dear brother, please tell me whether our friends and relatives, such as Madhu, Bhoja, Das'ârha, Ârha, Sâtvata, Andhaka and the members of the Yadu family are all passing their days in happiness. (Vedabase)
Is my respectable [maternal] grandfather S'ûrasena in good health passing his last days and are my [maternal] uncle Vasudeva and his younger brothers all well?
Is my respectable grandfather S'ûrasena in a happy mood? And are my maternal uncle Vasudeva and his younger brothers all doing well? (Vedabase)
Are my aunts - his wives - all seven sisters headed by Devakî in person, with their sons and daughters-in-law all happy?
His seven wives, headed by Devakî, are all sisters. Are they and their sons and daughters-in-law all happy? (Vedabase)
Are King Ugrasena, whose son was the mischievous one [Kamsa], and his younger brother, Hridîka and his son Kritavarmâ and Akrûra, Jayanta, Gada, Sârana as well as S'atrujit and the rest all happy? Is also the Supreme Personality Balarâma, who is the protector of the devotees, all right?
Are Ugrasena, whose son was the mischievous Kamsa, and his younger brother still living? Are Hridîka and his son Kritavarmâ happy? Are Akrûra, Jayanta, Gada, Sârana and S'atrujit all happy? How is Balarâma, the Personality of Godhead and the protector of devotees? (Vedabase)
Are the great warrior Pradyumna [a son of Krishna] and all others of the Vrishni family happy - and is the plenary expansion of Krishna Aniruddha [a grandson of Krishna] faring well?
How is Pradyumna, the great general of the Vrishni family? Is He happy? And is Aniruddha, the plenary expansion of the Personality of Godhead, faring well? (Vedabase)
And how are Sushena, Cârudeshna and Sâmba, the son of Jâmbavatî, and the other eminent sons of Krishna as also their very best sons doing?
Are all the chieftain sons of Lord Krishna, such as Sushena, Cârudeshna, Sâmba the son of Jâmbavatî, and Rishabha, along with their sons, all doing well? (Vedabase)
Are likewise the constant companions of Krishna like S'rutadeva, Uddhava and others, Sunanda, Nanda and other leaders doing well, and are the other liberated souls as well in order who are the best of men? And are all who are bound in friendship under the protection of Balarâma and Krishna also remembering our well-being?
Also, S'rutadeva, Uddhava and others, Nanda, Sunanda and other leaders of liberated souls who are constant companions of the Lord are protected by Lord Balarâma and Krishna. Are they all doing well in their respective functions? Do they, who are all eternally bound in friendship with us, remember our welfare? (Vedabase)
Does the Supreme Lord, who is the pleasure of the cows and the senses and always cares for the devoted and the brahmins [the ones versed in sacred knowledge], enjoy the pious assembly of His friends around Him in Dvârakâ?
Is Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who gives pleasure to the cows, the senses and the brâhmanas, who is very affectionate towards His devotees, enjoying the pious assembly at Dvârakâ Purî surrounded by friends? (Vedabase)
For the protection and elevation of the good of all and all their worlds is there in their company, in the ocean of the Yadu dynasty, the Original, Supreme Enjoyer and Ananta [Balarâma]. In His own city are the members of the Yadu family, as they deserve it, under the protection of His arms, relishing the transcendental pleasure like the residents of heaven.
The original Personality of Godhead, the enjoyer, and Balarâma, the primeval Lord Ananta, are staying in the ocean of the Yadu dynasty for the welfare, protection and general progress of the entire universe. And the members of the Yadu dynasty, being protected by the arms of the Lord, are enjoying life like the residents of the spiritual sky. (Vedabase)
By most importantly managing the comforts at the feet, made the sixteen thousand companions of the fair sex who are headed by Sathyabhâmâ, the Lord subdue the denizens of heaven, so that they, as the wives of the Controller of the thunderbolt, could enjoy what is normally the privilege of the demigods.
Simply by administering comforts at the lotus feet of the Lord, which is the most important of all services, the queens at Dvârakâ, headed by Satyabhâmâ, induced the Lord to conquer the demigods. Thus the queens enjoy things which are prerogatives of the wives of the controller of thunderbolts. (Vedabase)
The Yadus, enjoying the protection of His arms, always fearlessly enter the Sudharmâ assembly hall which, procured by force [from Indra], was worthy of the best of gods.'
The great heroes of the Yadu dynasty, being protected by the arms of Lord S'rî Krishna, always remain fearless in every respect. And therefore their feet trample over the Sudharmâ assembly house, which the best demigods deserved but which was taken away from them. (Vedabase)
My dear brother, are you all healthy? It appears to me that you have lost your luster. Is it because of missing the respect being neglected or, my brother, because you were away so long?
My brother Arjuna, please tell me whether your health is all right. You appear to have lost your bodily luster. Is this due to others disrespecting and neglecting you because of your long stay at Dvârakâ? (Vedabase)
Have you lost your grip because you were addressed unfriendly or have been threatened, or couldn't you give in charity or keep to the hope of doing so?
Has someone addressed you with unfriendly words or threatened you? Could you not give charity to one who asked, or could you not keep your promise to someone? (Vedabase)
Couldn't you, being approached for the protection of the learned ones, the children, the cows, the old aged, the diseased and the women, give shelter to any living being deserving your care?
You are always the protector of the deserving living beings, such as brâhmanas, children and cows, woman and the diseased. Could you not give them protection when they approached you for shelter? (Vedabase)
Did you contact an reprehensible woman or have you improperly treated an acceptable woman maybe, or has your good self on the road been defeated after all by a superior power or by equals?
Have you contacted a woman of impeachable character, or have you not properly treated a deserving woman? Or have you been defeated on the way by someone who is inferior or equal to you? (Vedabase)
Have you disregarded old men or boys deserving to dine with you together or did you do something abominable which is hard to forgive?
Have you not taken care of old men and boys who deserve to dine with you? Have you left them and taken your meals alone? Have you committed some unpardonable mistake which is considered to be abominable? (Vedabase)
Or is it that to the most dear one, my brother Arjuna, your heart's friend Lord Krishna, you feel a void missing Him all the time? I can think of no other reason why you should suffer such a mental distress.
Or is it that you are feeling empty for all time because you might have lost your most intimate friend, Lord Krishna? O my brother Arjuna, I can think of no other reason for your becoming so dejected. (Vedabase)
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ISBN: o-91277-27-7
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