revious slaughter of the Kurus, concluded that
the hour (for his own departure from the world) had come. He then
restrained his senses (in Yoga). Conversant with the truth of every
topic, Vasudeva, though he was the Supreme Deity, wished to die, for
dispelling all doubts and establishing a certainty of results (in the
matter of human existence), simply for upholding the three worlds and for
making the words of Atri's son true. Having restrained all his senses,
speech, and mind, Krishna laid himself down in high Yoga.

"'A fierce hunter of the name of Jara then came there, desirous of deer.
The hunter, mistaking Keshava, who was stretched on the earth in high
Yoga, for a deer, pierced him at the heel with a shaft and quickly came
to that spot for capturing his prey. Coming up, Jara beheld a man dressed
in yellow robes, rapt in Yoga and endued with many arms. Regarding
himself an offender, and filled with fear, he touched the feet of
Keshava. The high-souled one comforted him and then ascended upwards,
filling the entire welkin with splendour. When he reached Heaven, Vasava
and the twin Ashvinis and Rudra and the Adityas and the Vasus and the
Viswedevas, and Munis and Siddhas and many foremost ones among the
Gandharvas, with the Apsaras, advanced to receive him. Then, O king, the
illustrious Narayana of fierce energy, the Creator and Destroyer of all,
that preceptor of Yoga, filling Heaven with his splendour, reached his
own inconceivable region. 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, worshipped him. The deities all saluted him, O monarch, and
many foremost of Munis and Rishis worshipped him who was the Lord of all.
The Gandharvas waited on him, hymning his praises, and Indra also
joyfully praised him.'"

5

"Vaishampayana said: 'Meanwhile Daruka, going to the Kurus and seeing
those mighty car-warriors, the son of Pritha, informed them of how the
Vrishnis had slain one another with iron bolts. Hearing that the Vrishnis
along with the Bhojas and Andhakas and Kukuras had all been slain, the
Pandavas, burning with grief, became highly agitated. Then Arjuna, the
dear friend of Keshava, bidding them farewell, set out for seeing his
maternal uncle. He said that destruction would soon overtake everything.
Proceeding to the city of the Vrishnis with Daruka in hi