गत्वा कुरुन् वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो ययुर्दारुकः केशवश्च बभ्रुश्च रामस्य पदं पतन्तः। अथापश्यन् राममनतवीर्ये वृक्षे स्थितं चिन्तयानं विविक्ते॥
Vaishampayana said, Then Daruka, Keshava and Vabhru left that place following Rama. They saw that hero of great energy sitting thoughtfully, reclining his back against at tree, in a solitary place.
ततः समासाद्य महानुभावं कृष्णस्तदा दारुकमन्वशासत्। सर्वमिमं महान्तं पार्थाय शंसस्व वधं यदूनाम्॥
Finding Rama of great soul, Krishna ordered Daruka, saying, 'Going to the Kurus, inform Partha of this great carnage of the Yadus.
ततोऽर्जुनः क्षिप्रमिहापयातु श्रुत्वा मृतान् यादवान् ब्रह्मशापात्। इत्येवमुक्तः स ययौ रथेन कुरुस्तदा दारुको नष्टचेताः॥
Let Arjuna come here speedily hearing of the destruction of the Yadavas though the Brahmanas' course.' Thus addressed Daruka, deprived of his senses by sorrow, proceeded on a car to the capital of the Kurus.
ततो गते दारुके केशवोऽथ दृष्ट्वान्तिके बभ्रुमुवाच वाक्यम्। स्त्रियो भवान् रक्षितुं यातु शीघ्र नैता हिंस्युर्दस्यवो वित्तलोभात्॥
After Daruka had departed, Keshava, seeing Vabhru waiting on him, told him these words 'Do you go speedily for protecting the ladies. Let not robbers do them any injury, tempted by the riches.
स प्रस्थितः केशवेनानुशिष्टो मदातुरो ज्ञातिवधार्दितश्च। तं विश्रान्तं संनिधौ केशवस्य दुरन्तमेकं सहसैव बभ्रम्॥ ब्रह्मानुशप्तमवधीन्महद् वै कूटे युक्तं मुसलं लुब्धकस्य।
Thus orderded by Keshava, Vabhru still helpless with wine but cheerless at the destruction of his kinsmen, wen away. He had rested for a while by the side of Keshava, but as soon as he had gone to a distance the ironbolt, attached to a mallet in the hands of a hunter, suddenly sprang of itself upon that solitary survivor of the Yadava family and killed him who also had been included in the curs of the Brahmans.
ततो दृष्ट्वा निहतं बभ्रुमाह कृष्णोऽग्रजं भ्रातरमुग्रतेजाः॥ इहैव त्वं मां प्रतीक्षस्व राम यावत् स्त्रियो ज्ञातिवशाः करोमि।
Seeing Vabhru killed, Keshava of great energy addressed his elder brother and said, 'Do you, O Rama, wait for me her till I put the ladies under the care of kinsmen.
ततः पुरीं द्वारवतीं प्रविश्य जनार्दनः पितरं प्राह वाक्यम्॥ स्त्रियो भवान् रक्षतु नः समग्रा धनञ्जयस्यागमनं प्रतीक्षन्।
Entering the city of Dvaravati, Janardana said these words to his father, 'Do you protect all the ladies of our house till Dhananjaya comes.
रामो वनान्ते प्रतिपालयन्मा मास्तेऽद्याहं तेन समागमिष्ये॥ दृष्टं मयेदं निधनं यदूनां राज्ञां च पूर्वं पुरुपुङ्गवानाम्।
At the skirts of the forest Rama is waiting for me. I shall meet him today. This great destruction of the Yadus has been seen by me even as I beheld before the carnage of those Kshatriyas who were the foremost ones of Kuru's race.
नाहं विना यदुभिर्यादवानां पुरीमिमामशकं द्रष्टुमद्य॥ तपश्चरिष्यामि निबोध तन्मे रामेण सार्धं वनमभ्युपेत्य।
It is impossible for me to see this city of the Yadavs without the Yadus beside me. Know that going to the forest I shall practice penances with Rama in my company.
इतीदमुक्त्वा शिरसा च पादौ संस्पृश्य कृष्णस्त्वरितो जगाम॥ ततो महान् निनदः प्रादुरासीत् सस्त्रीकुमारस्य पुरस्य तस्य।
Having said these words, Krishna touched the feet of his father with his head and quickly left him. Then a loud wail of sorrow arose from the ladies and children of his house,
अथाब्रवीत् केशवः संनिवर्त्य शब्दं श्रुत्वा योषितां क्रोशतीनाम्॥ पुरीमिमामेष्यति सव्यसाची स वो दुःखान्मोचयिता नराग्र्यः।
Hearing that loud sound of wailing uttered by the weeping ladies, Keshava returned and said to them, Arjuna will come here. That foremost of men will relieve you of your sorrow.
ततो गत्वा केशवस्तं ददर्श रामं वने स्थितमेकं विविक्ते॥ अथापश्यद् योगयुक्तस्य तस्य नागं मुखान्निश्चरन्तं महान्तम्।
Proceeding then to the forest, Keshava saw Rama sitting in a solitary place. He also saw that Rama had set himself to Yoga and that from out his mouth was issuing a powerful snake.
श्वेतं ययौ स ततः प्रेक्ष्यमाणो महार्णवो येन महानुभावः॥ सहस्रशीर्षः पर्वताभोगवा रक्ताननः स्वां तनुं तां विमुच्य।।
The color of that snake was white. Leaving the human body, that great Naga, of a thousand heads and having a form as large as that of a mountain, endued besides with red eyes, proceeded along the way leading to the ocean.
सम्यक् च तं सागरः प्रन्यगृह्णा नागा दिव्याः सरितश्चैव पुण्याः॥ कर्कोटको वासुकिस्तक्षकश्च पृथुश्रवा अरुणः कुञ्जरश्च। स्तथा नागो धृतराष्ट्रो महात्मा॥ नागश्रेष्ठो दुर्मुखश्चाम्बरीषः। स्वयं राजा वरुणश्चापि राजन्॥ प्रत्युद्गम्य स्वागतेनाभ्यनन्दं स्तेऽपूजयंश्चार्घ्यपाद्यक्रियाभिः।
Ocean himself, and many celestial snakes, and many sacred Rivers were there, for receiving him with honor. There Karkotaka, Vasuki, Takshaka, Prithushravas, and Varuna, Kunjara, Mishri, Shankha and Kumuda, and Pundarika, and the great Dhritarashtra, and Hrada and Kratha and Shitikantha of fierce energy, and chakramanda and Atishanda, and that foremost of Nagas called Durmukha, and Ambarisha, and king Varuna himself, O king. Advancing forward and offering him the Arghya and water to wash his feet, and with various other rites, they all adored the powerful Naga an saluted him by making the usual enquiries.
ततो गते भ्रातरि वासुदेवो जानन् सर्वा गतयो दिव्यदृष्टिः॥ वने शून्ये विचरंश्चिन्तयानो भूमौ चाथ संविवेशाग्र्यतेजाः।
After his brother had thus gone from the (human) world, Vasudeva of celestial vision, who was fully acquainted with the end of all things, wandered for sometime in that solitary forest thoughtfully. Gifted with great energy he then sat down on the naked earth.
सर्वं तेन प्राक्तदा वित्तमासीद् गान्धार्या यद् वाक्यमुक्तः स पूर्वम्॥ दुर्वाससा पायसोच्छिष्टलिप्ते यच्चाप्युक्तं तच सस्मार वाक्यम्।
He had thought before this of everything which had been foreshadowed by the words uttered by Gandhari in former days. He also recollected the words that Durvasas had spoken at the time his body was smeared by that Rishi with the residue of the Payasa he had eaten.
स चिन्तयन्नन्धकवृष्णिनाशं कुरुक्षयं चैव महानुभावः॥ मेने ततः संक्रमणस्य कालं ततश्चकारेन्द्रियसंनिरोधम्।
The high-souled one, thinking of the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, as also of the previous destruction of the Kurus, concluded that the hour (for his own departure from the world) had come. He then controlled his senses (in Yoga).
मात्रेयवाक्यप्रतिपालनाय॥ निमित्तमैच्छत् सकलार्थतत्त्ववित्।
Knowing the truth of every topic, Vasudeva, though he was the Supreme Deity, wished to die for removing all doubts and establishing a certainty of results, simply for upholding the three worlds and for making the words of Atri's son true.
स संनिरुद्धेन्द्रियवाङ्मनास्तु शिश्ये महायोगमुपेत्य कृष्णः॥ जराथ तं देशमुपाजगाम लुब्धस्तदानीं मृगलिप्सुरुग्रः।
Having controlled all his senses, speech, and mind Krishna laid himself down in high Yoga. A fierce hunter of the name of Jara then came there, for finding a deer.
स केशवं योगयुक्तं शयानं मृगासक्तो लुब्धकः सायकेन॥ जराविध्यत् पादतले त्वरावां स्तं चाभितस्तज्जिघृक्षुर्जगाम।
The hunter mistaking Keshava, who was stretched on the earth in high Yoga, for a deer, pierced at him at the heel with an arrow and quickly came to that spot for capturing his prey.
अथापश्यत् पुरुषं योगयुक्तं पीताम्बरं लुब्धकोऽनेकबाहुम्॥ मत्वाऽऽत्मानं त्वपराद्धं स तस्य पादौ जरा जगृहे शंकितात्मा।
Coming up, Jara saw a man dressed in yellow robes, rapt in Yoga, and gifted with many arms. considering himself an offender, and filled with fear, he touched the feet of Keshava.
आश्वासयंस्तं महात्मा तदानीं गच्छन्नूचं रोदसी व्याप्य लक्ष्म्या॥
The high-souled one comforted him and then ascended upwards, filling the entire sky with splendour.
दिवं प्राप्तं वासवोऽथाश्विनौ च रुद्रादित्या वसवश्चाथ विश्वे। प्रत्युद्ययुर्मुनयश्चापि सिद्धा गन्धर्वमुख्याश्च सहाप्सरोभिः॥
When he reached the celestial region, Vasava and the twin Ashvins and Rudra and the Adityas and and the Vasus and the Visuvedevas, and Munis and Siddhas and many foremost ones among the Gandharvas, with the Apsaras, advanced to receive him.
ततो राजन् भगवानुग्रतेजा नारायणः प्रभवश्चाव्ययश्च। योगाचार्यो रोदसी व्याप्य लक्ष्म्या स्थान प्राप स्वं महात्माप्रमेयम्॥
Then, O king, the illustrious Narayana of dreadful energy, the Creator and Destroyer of all, that preceptor of Yoga-filling Heaven with his splendour, reached his own inconceivable region.
ततो देवैर्ऋषिभिश्चापि कृष्णः समागतश्चारणैश्चैव राजन्। गन्धवौय्यैरप्सरोभिर्वराभिः सिद्धैः साध्यैश्चानतैः पूज्यमानः॥
Krishna then met the deities and (celestial) Rishis and Charanas, O king, and the foremost ones among the Gandharvas and many beautiful Apsaras and Siddhas and Saddhyas. All of them bending in humility, adored him.
तं वै देवाः प्रत्यनन्दन्त राजन् मुनिश्रेष्ठा ऋम्भिरानचुरीशम्। तं गन्धर्वाश्चापि तस्थुः स्तुवन्तः प्रीत्या चैनं पुरुहूतोऽभ्यनन्दत्॥
The celestials all saluted him, O monarch, and many foremost of ascetics and Rishi adored him as the Lord of all. The Gandharvas waited on him, singing his praises, and Indra also joyfully praised him.