Book Title: Development of Hinduism
Author(s): M M Ninan
Publisher: M M Ninan

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Page 435
________________ 15. GITA What is the end of Krsna? The death of a hero, brought down in a duel of epic dimensions by an opponent of mighty prowess? Hardly, Leaving a Dvaraka filled with wailing widows and children, having seen his elder brother Balarama die, he lies down under a tree and dies of the injury caused by an arrow shot into his foot by a ere tribal hunter, a nisada, not even a warrior out on a hunt. http://www.boloji.com/hinduism/076c.htm Arjuna arrived at Dwaraka and addressed the chief officers, to prepare to leave Dwaraka within 7 days, as Dwaraka is going to sink in the ocean. Krishna's grandson Vajra was chosen as their king to be ruled at Indraprastha. Arjuna then proceeded to the place where the Vrishnis were slaughtered. Searching out the bodies then of Bala Rama and Vasudeva Krishna, Arjuna caused them to be burnt by persons skilled in that act. On the seventh day, Arjuna evacuated Dwaraka Island. After all the people had set out, the ocean flooded Dvaraka, which still teemed with wealth of every kind, with its waters. Whatever portion of the ground was passed over, ocean immediately flooded over with his waters. Beholding this wonderful sight, the inhabitants of Dvaraka walked faster and faster. (16,7) In Mahabharata, there is a specific account about the submerging of Dwaraka by the sea, which reads thus: "The sea, which had been beating against the shores, suddenly broke the boundary that was imposed on it by nature. The sea rushed into the city. It coursed through the streets of the beautiful city. The sea covered up everything in the city. Even as they were all looking, Arjuna saw the beautiful buildings becoming submerged one by one. Arjuna took a last look at the mansion of Krishna. It was soon covered by the sea. In a matter of a few moments it was all over. The sea had now become as placid as a lake. There was no trace of the beautiful city which had been the favourite haunt of all the Pandavas. Dwaraka was just a name; just a memory." Arjuna took the surviving Yadavas men and women to Hastinapur. A number of Ahiras, armed only with lathis, attacked his party. But Arjuna lost the power of his mighty arm and his unrivalled skill as an archer which killed his teachers and brothers in Kurushetra and could not defend Yadavas who were left in his care by Krishna. Ahiras carried off many of the men, women, and children as slaves. He reached Hastinapur only with a small remnant. 431

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