rge. The robbers
assailed it at different points. Arjuna tried his best to protect it, but
could not succeed. In the very sight of all the warriors, many foremost of
ladies were dragged away, while others went away with the robbers of
their own accord. The puissant Arjuna, supported by the servants of the
Vrishnis, struck the robbers with shafts sped from Gandiva. Soon,
however, O king, his shafts were exhausted. In former days his shafts had
been inexhaustible. Now, however, they proved otherwise. Finding his
shafts exhausted, he became deeply afflicted with grief. The son of Indra
then began to strike the robbers with the horns of his bow. Those
Mlecchas, however, O Janamejaya, in the very sight of Partha, retreated,
taking away with them many foremost ladies of the Vrishnis and Andhakas.
The puissant Dhananjaya regarded it all as the work of destiny. Filled
with sorrow he breathed heavy sighs at the thought of the non-appearance
of his (celestial) weapons, the loss of the might of his arms, the
refusal of his bow to obey him, and the exhaustion of his shafts.
Regarding it all as the work of destiny, he became exceedingly cheerless.
He then ceased, O king, to make further efforts, saying, he had not the
power which he had before. The high-souled one, taking with him the
remnant of the Vrishni women, and the wealth that was still with them,
reached Kurukshetra. Thus bringing with him the remnant of the Vrishnis,
he established them at different places. He established the son of
Kritavarma at the city called Marttikavat, with the remnant of the women
of the Bhoja king. Escorting the remainder, with children and old men and
women, the son of Pandu established them, who were reft of heroes, in the
city of Indraprastha. The dear son of Yuyudhana, with a company of old
men and children and women, the righteous-souled Arjuna established on
the banks of the Sarasvati. The rule of Indraprastha was given to Vajra.
The widows of Akrura then desired to retire into the woods. Vajra asked
them repeatedly to desist, but they did not listen to him. Rukmini, the
princess of Gandhara, Saivya, Haimavati, and queen Jamvabati ascended the
funeral pyre. Satyabhama and other dear wives of Krishna entered the
woods, O king, resolved to set themselves to the practice of penances.
They began to live on fruits and roots and pass their time in the
contemplation of Hari. Going beyond the Himavat, they took up their abode
in a place called Kalpa. Th