Site menuChapter 1: The Curse Upon the Yadu Dynasty
(1)
S'rî S'uka said: 'After Lord Krishna
surrounded by the Yadus together with Râma realized the
elimination of the Daityas and reduced the burden of the earth, rose
very soon a conflict [between the Kauravas and the Pândavas]. (2) The Supreme Lord who relieved the earth of
her burden by killing all the kings that assembled on opposite sides to
fight, made the ones who time and again were driven mad by the
duplicitous gambling, the insults, the grabbing by the hair [of
Draupadî] and the other transgressions of their enemies, the
immediate cause [of the dynastic struggle, see also Yayâti and 10.49 & 10.68]. (3)
After the Yadus under the protection of His own arms had eliminated the
kings who with their royal armies had burdened the world, thought the
Unfathomable Lord to Himself: 'One may say that the burden of the earth
has been eliminated, but I don't think it's gone; with the Yadu dynasty
itself is the intolerable alas remaining [see also 4.16: 13]. (4) They who in every respect sought their
refuge in Me were never frustrated in the control they exercized, thus
have they no defeat to fear from any other side. Therefore I'll inspire
a quarrel within the Yadu-dynasty like fire in a bamboo-grove and will
I thus achieve [My purpose:] My abode of peace [see also 3.3:
14 and 8.8:
37].'
(5) Thus having decided o King, withdrew the Controller, the Almighty One whose every desire comes to pass, His family by means of a curse that was pronounced against them by the brahmins. (6-7) By His own form, the beauty of all the worlds, delivering the eyes of men, by His words delivering the minds of all who remembered them and by His feet delivering the [devotional] activities to them, demonstrated the Lord, who thus had been of attraction and had attained His position, that to His opinion the people who were ignorant, with the on earth spreading of His glories in the best of verses, very easily with [the listening to and chanting of] them would attain their destination [see also 7.5: 23-24].'
(8) The King said: 'How could it happen that this curse against the Vrishnis was pronounced by the brahmins? The Vrishnis who were fully absorbed in Krishna, were always charitable and respectful with the learned ones and served the elders. (9) What motivated them to such a serious curse and what was its nature, o purest of the twice-born? Please tell me how there, among those who shared the same soul [of Krishna], could be this discord.'
(10) The son of Vyâsa said: 'Carrying a body that was the amalgamation of all things beautiful, on earth performing the most auspicious activities and fully satisfied enjoying His life as He resided in His abode [of Dvârakâ], wanted He, who was so greatly sung, to destroy His dynasty. That was the only thing left to do. (11-12) After having performed favorable rituals to bestow piety, stayed the sages Vis'vâmitra, Asita, Kanva, Durvâsâ, Bhrigu, Angirâ, Kas'yapa, Vâmadeva, Atri, Vasishthha, along with Nârada and others, [some day] in the house of the lord of the Yadus [Vasudeva]. Thereafter went they to Pindâraka [a site of pilgrimage] to the occasion of which the Lord bid them farewell, He, the Soul of Time about whom chanting is so auspicious for the entire world because the impurities of Kali-yuga are taken away by it. (13-15) There were they by the young boys of the Yadu dynasty in a game approached in which Sâmba the son of Jâmbavatî [see also 10.68] had dressed up in woman's clothes. Taking hold of their feet asked they, feigning humility, impudently: 'This black-eyed pregnant woman would like to have a son, o learned ones. But she is too embarrassed to ask it herself. Therefore we ask you whether you, with your vision that is never clouded, can tell whether she'll give birth to a son or not?'
(5) Thus having decided o King, withdrew the Controller, the Almighty One whose every desire comes to pass, His family by means of a curse that was pronounced against them by the brahmins. (6-7) By His own form, the beauty of all the worlds, delivering the eyes of men, by His words delivering the minds of all who remembered them and by His feet delivering the [devotional] activities to them, demonstrated the Lord, who thus had been of attraction and had attained His position, that to His opinion the people who were ignorant, with the on earth spreading of His glories in the best of verses, very easily with [the listening to and chanting of] them would attain their destination [see also 7.5: 23-24].'
(8) The King said: 'How could it happen that this curse against the Vrishnis was pronounced by the brahmins? The Vrishnis who were fully absorbed in Krishna, were always charitable and respectful with the learned ones and served the elders. (9) What motivated them to such a serious curse and what was its nature, o purest of the twice-born? Please tell me how there, among those who shared the same soul [of Krishna], could be this discord.'
(10) The son of Vyâsa said: 'Carrying a body that was the amalgamation of all things beautiful, on earth performing the most auspicious activities and fully satisfied enjoying His life as He resided in His abode [of Dvârakâ], wanted He, who was so greatly sung, to destroy His dynasty. That was the only thing left to do. (11-12) After having performed favorable rituals to bestow piety, stayed the sages Vis'vâmitra, Asita, Kanva, Durvâsâ, Bhrigu, Angirâ, Kas'yapa, Vâmadeva, Atri, Vasishthha, along with Nârada and others, [some day] in the house of the lord of the Yadus [Vasudeva]. Thereafter went they to Pindâraka [a site of pilgrimage] to the occasion of which the Lord bid them farewell, He, the Soul of Time about whom chanting is so auspicious for the entire world because the impurities of Kali-yuga are taken away by it. (13-15) There were they by the young boys of the Yadu dynasty in a game approached in which Sâmba the son of Jâmbavatî [see also 10.68] had dressed up in woman's clothes. Taking hold of their feet asked they, feigning humility, impudently: 'This black-eyed pregnant woman would like to have a son, o learned ones. But she is too embarrassed to ask it herself. Therefore we ask you whether you, with your vision that is never clouded, can tell whether she'll give birth to a son or not?'
(17) They, most terrified to hear that, hastily uncovered the belly of Sâmba wherein they indeed found a club made of iron. (18) 'What have we done, what will the family say of us? What a bad luck!' Thus being overwhelmed speaking took they the club and went they home. (19) With the beauty of their faces faded, brought they the club to the king [Ugrasena] during a meeting of all the Yadus and told they what had happened. (20) When they saw the club and heard about the infallible curse of the learned, o King, were the inhabitants of Dvârakâ amazed and distraught with fear. (21) Having that club ground to bits threw Âhuka [Ugrasena], the Yadu king, the bits together with the remaining iron of the club into the water of the ocean. (22) The lump was swallowed by some fish. The bits were from that place by the waves carried away and washed ashore where they grew into sharp canes [called eraka]. (23) The fish in the ocean was together with others caught in a net by a fisherman. The piece of iron contained in the fish's stomach was fixed by a hunter [called Jarâ] on an arrow [as an arrowhead]. (24) The Supreme Lord very well knowing the meaning of all that happened, didn't want to undo what had passed though and accepted, exhibiting His form of Time, the curse of the brahmins.'
