( The destruction of the Yadu dynasty! Mausala Parva- Mahabharata)!
King Janamejaya asked, ‘O noble Rishi! How was it that the Vrishnis, Andhakas, along with the great Bhojas met with destruction in the presence of Lord Krishna?’
Rishi Vaishampayana began the story of the Yadu Dynasty ——————
The Supreme Godhead Lord Krishna incarnated Himself to reduce the burden from the earth. He and his powerful brother Balarama had already killed many demons. Before His birth, he ordered the demigods to be born in the noble families of Yadus. But, somehow some of the members of the Yadu dynasty misunderstood His power equalising themselves with Him. They became arrogant because of their matchless prowess! Thus, they considered Lord Krishna an ordinary human being and put Him on their level.
Lord Krishna was crafty! He was the one who arranged the great battle of Kurukshetra, which was fought between Kauravas and Pandavas. This was one way He reduced the burden of the earth by killing eighteen akshauhinis, but His mission was not complete! The Supreme Lord Krishna knew that the mighty Yadu dynasty was invincible. They became unbeatable as they were protected by Him only. He thought, ‘This Yadu Dynasty under my protection has become invincible and even a greater burden to this earth. They have become arrogant living in opulence. I have to remove my family from this earth’.
His warfare strategy was so intricate that it was beyond the power of others to understand! After the Kurukshetra battle, Gandhari considered Krishna as the cause of her son’s death! She cursed Krishna that as her race was destroyed, in the same way, the whole Yadu dynasty would be destroyed by fratricide! Lord Krishna smiled and accepted her curse as a blessing in disguise! That is what he wanted. In addition to Gandhari’s curse, another curse of the great Rishis fell upon his race.
Once, all the great Rishis- Vishwamitra, Vashistha, Devala, Angira, Kanva, Bhrigu, Atri, and Durvasa along with Narada and others, performed devotional rituals that brought happiness in the world. They performed it in the home of Yadava chief, Vasudeva- father of Lord Krishna. After the ritual, Krishna with humility sent them to a holy place called Pindraka. The princes of the Yadu dynasty were playing there. Suddenly, they wished to play a prank with these great Rishis. Samba dressed up in a pregnant woman’s garb. Playfully approaching the great Rishis, the other princes grabbed hold of the sages’ feet and asked very politely, ‘O great sages! This woman is about to give birth to a child. She is feeling too shy to ask for herself. She is too desirous to have a son! So, O noble sages! Please tell us whether the child will be a boy or a girl?’
The princes enjoyed recreating jocks with them. Looking at their arrogance, the sages became very angry. Narada then cursed them, ‘O fools! She will give birth to an iron club that will destroy your entire dynasty.’ Strangely, Narada was never attached to any pain or pleasure of this material world neither he had any anger or love or affection for anyone except Lord Krishna. But, he cursed! This is what the wish of Lord Krishna! And Narada simply became an instrument to fulfill His wish!
Hearing the curse of the sages, the princes were terrified! They uncovered Samba’s belly, and lo! What have they seen? Indeed there was an iron club. Having realized their misdeed, they rushed to the royal Sabha Hall and described all that happened to King Ugrasena in the presence of all the Yadava Chiefs.
Having heard about the dreadful curse of the Brahmin sages, the citizens of Dvaraka were shocked. They were stupified to see the iron club! King Ugrasena thought for a while then without informing Lord Krishna, he ordered to crush that iron club into fragments and throw it into the river with the remaining iron lump. It was done exactly what he commanded. The fragments of iron were carried out by the waves to the seashore and accumulated there. Thenceforth, that grew into tall sharp canes. The iron lump was swallowed up by a fish and at last, a hunter got it from the fisherman who caught that fish! The hunter was named as Jara. Sharpening the iron lump, he put it on the tip of his arrow.
From the day of the curse onwards, all types of bad omens were noticed in Dvaraka. The Vrishnis, the Andhakas, and the Bhojas, all tried to avoid the calamities of falling on Dvaraka but their attempts were in vain! It seemed as if Kala had personified himself in a human form and wandered over the city from door to door. Looking at his terrible form, people were amazed! They shot the arrows to kill him. But who can kill Kala- the death himself? If Lord Krishna wished, he could change it, but he didn't do that. Krishna was distressed with the condition of his city and summoned an assembly of Yadus in the Sudharma court.
When all the Yadus gathered in the royal court, he addressed, ‘O scions of Yadu clan! Look at the inauspicious omens that have appeared in Dvaraka. We should not stay here for a moment. The women, children, and old men should leave this city and go to a safe place Sankhodhara. We should go to Prabhasa to purify ourselves with the sacred water and following the proper rituals, we shall worship the Brahmanas by offering them cows, gold, land, and other valuable things. This will counteract the evil omens!’
The elders of the Yadu Dynasty agreed to his proposal and went to Prabhasa. After finishing the auspicious rituals, they indulged in drinking alcohol. Intoxicated with wine, Satyaki began criticizing Kritavarma in harsh words in the midst of all. He said, ‘O son of Hridika! What type of Kshatriya are you who slay the men in sleep? The Yadavas will never forgive you for your sinful act.’
Having heard his criticism, Kritavarma infuriated and retorted, ‘O Satyaki! Which hero can slay a man who is in meditation like you killed Bhurishrava on the battlefield?’
The hot arguments went on and landed in a terrible fight among themselves. Out of anger Satyaki killed Kritavarma. Later, Satyaki was killed by Bhojas and Andhakas. When weapons had been exhausted, they used the stalks of canes that grew on the seashore. All of them lost their sense and confused Krishna and Balarama as their enemy. They rushed to kill them. Krishna and Balaram became furious, and using those cane stalks, they killed the rest of the Yadu Dynasty. When the slaughter was over, only two were left- Babhru and Daruka besides Krishna and Balarama! The mighty Yadu Dynasty was devastated. The curse of Gandhari and Narada came true! The friendship, brotherhood, love, affection, everything was consumed by Kala only!
The mission of Lord Krishna was over when both Lord Balarama and Krishna himself returned to their heavenly abode- Vaikuntha!!!
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