16.009
The meeting of Vyāsa and Arjuna.
Vaiśampāyana said.
O king, as Arjuna entered the hermitage of the truth-speaking sage, he saw seated alone the sage, son of Satyavati. (16-9-1)
He, approaching him who was a knower of dharma and a holder of great vows, waited upon him. Then, informing him of his name as "I am Arjuna," he addressed him.
The sage, son of Satyavatī, said, "Welcome to you!" The great sage with a serene mind also said, "Please be seated." (16-9-3)
Vyāsa, having seen Pārtha with a dejected and disheartened mind, repeatedly sighing, spoke these words. (16-9-4)
Either you have suffered a blow for having no heroic descendants, or you are one by whom a brāhmaṇa has been killed. In battle, you have been defeated or, like one bereft of glory, you appear so. (16-9-5)
I do not recognize you; what is this, O foremost of the Bharatas? If I should hear about it, O Pārtha, you ought to tell me quickly. (16-9-6)
Arjuna said.
That Kṛṣṇa, who was intelligent, prosperous, and had great lotus-like eyes, together with Rāma, gave up his body and ascended to heaven. (16-9-7)
During the Mausala episode, the destruction of the Vṛṣṇi heroes, born from a Brahman's curse, arose at Prabhāsa, an event that was the slayer of heroes and caused horripilation. (16-9-8)
O Brahman, those great-souled heroes, proud as lions and of mighty strength—the Bhojas, Vṛṣṇis, and Andhakas—slaughtered one another in battle. (16-9-9)
Those powerful warriors, armed with maces, iron clubs, and lances—those with arms like iron clubs—have been struck down by mere grass stems; behold the turn of Time. (16-9-10)
Five hundred of them and a thousand strong-armed warriors were killed, all meeting their deaths as they confronted one another. (16-9-11)
Again and again I cannot bear the destruction of those with immeasurable energy, thinking of the Yadus and also of glorious Kṛṣṇa. (16-9-12)
Just as the drying of the ocean, the shaking of a mountain, the falling of the sky, and the coldness of fire are impossible, so too (is this). (16-9-13)
I do not believe in the destruction of the wielder of the Śārṅga bow; nor do I wish to remain in this world made bereft of Kṛṣṇa. (16-9-14)
O ascetic, hear from me something yet more difficult than this; my mind is constantly torn apart by that, as I keep thinking on it. (16-9-15)
O Brahman, while I was watching, thousands of the Vṛṣṇis' wives and mine were pursued in battle and taken away by the Ābhīras, the people of Pañcanada. (16-9-16)
Having taken up the bow there, I was unable to string it; my strength in the arms was not as it was formerly. (16-9-17)
O great sage, my various missiles have been destroyed, and my arrows have perished on all sides in a moment. (16-9-18)
He is the man of immeasurable self, holding conch, disc, and mace; four-armed, wearing a yellow garment, dark in color, and with lotus-like eyes. (16-9-19)
That one who goes in front of my chariot, blazing with great splendour, burning the enemy armies—I do not see him today. (16-9-20)
The enemy armies that were previously burned by brilliance by him, I later completely destroyed with arrows shot from the Gāṇḍīva. (16-9-21)
Not seeing him, O best one, I am despondent and feel as if I am bewildered; with a completely disheartened mind, I do not even find peace. (16-9-22)
Without Janārdana the hero, I am not able to live; just hearing that Viṣṇu has departed, for me too the directions have become faint. (16-9-23)
O best of men, you are worthy to instruct me for my welfare, as I am bereft, having lost my relatives and strength, and wandering helplessly. (16-9-24)
Vyāsa said.
O tiger among the Kurus, the great warriors of the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas were destroyed, burned by the curse of Brahman; you should not grieve for them. (16-9-25)
What must happen—such indeed is the destiny of the great-souled; this has been overlooked even by Kṛṣṇa, though he was able to avert it. (16-9-26)
Kṛṣṇa indeed could, if he wished, overpower and change the entire three worlds, with all their movable and immovable beings; how much more (could he) alter the curse of the wise. (16-9-27)
He who goes in front of the chariot, who is the wielder of the discus and mace, is Vāsudeva, the four-armed ancient sage, out of affection for you. (16-9-28)
After removing the earth's burden, the broad-eyed one liberated all the world and departed to his own supreme abode. (16-9-29)
O mighty-armed one, a great deed for the gods has been accomplished here by you, aided by Bhīma and by the two sons of Yama, O best of men. (16-9-30)
O best of the Kurus, I consider you as those who have accomplished their duty and attained completeness; your timely departure is, in my view, indeed the highest good. (16-9-31)
O Bhārata, strength, intellect, vigor, and resolve flourish during prosperous times but fail during adversity. (16-9-32)
O Dhanañjaya, all this, the seed of the world, is rooted in time. Indeed, time itself takes it away, and again, at its own will. (16-9-33)
That very person, after being strong, again becomes weak. That very person, after becoming lord here, is again commanded by others. (16-9-34)
The weapons, having fulfilled their purpose, have gone today as they came; they will again return to your hand when the time comes. (16-9-35)
O Bhārata, even for you, time is to pursue the principal course. I consider this to be indeed your supreme good, O best of Bharatas. (16-9-36)
After understanding this statement of Vyāsa, who possesses immeasurable energy, and after being permitted, Pārtha went to the city called Nāgasāhvaya. (16-9-37)
The hero entered the city, approached Yudhiṣṭhira, and reported exactly what had happened regarding the Vṛṣṇi and Andhaka peoples. (16-9-38)
