of the Bharatas.  It has once more appeared, it seems, for our destruction.  “The slayer of Keshi, Janardana, thinking upon the omens that Time showed, understood that the thirty-sixth year had come, and that what Gandhari, burning with grief on account of the death of her sons, and deprived of all her kinsmen, had said was about to transpire.  The present is exactly similar to that time when Yudhishthira noted at such awful omens when the two armies had been arrayed in order of battle.  Vasudeva, having said so, endeavoured to bring about those occurrences which would make Gandharis words true.  That chastiser of foes commanded the Vrishnis to make a pilgrimage to some sacred water.  The messengers forthwith proclaimed at the command of Keshava that the Vrishnis should make a journey to the sea-coast for bathing in the sacred waters of the ocean.”

3

Vaishampayana said:  “At that time the Vrishni ladies dreamed every night that a woman of black complexion and white teeth, entering their abodes, laughed aloud and ran through Dvaraka, snatching from them the auspicious threads in their wrists.  The men dreamt that terrible vultures, entering their houses and fire-chambers, gorged themselves on their bodies.  Their ornaments and umbrellas and standards and armour were seen to be taken away by terrible Rakshasas.  In the very sight of the Vrishnis, the discus of Krishna, given by Agni, made of iron and having its nave composed of hardest adamant, ascended into the firmament.  In the very sight of Daruka, the excellent car of Vasudeva, of solar effulgence, and properly equipped, was taken away by the horses yoked unto it.  Those foremost of steeds, numbering four, (Saivya, Sugriva, Meghapushpa and Valahaka), and endued with the speed of thought, fled away, dragging the car after them along the surface of the ocean.  The two great standards of Krishnas car and Valadevas car, that with the device of Garuda and that bearing the device of the palmyra, which were reverently worshipped by those two heroes, were taken away by Apsaras who, day and night, called upon the Vrishnis and the Andhakas to set out on a pilgrimage to some sacred water.  When these omens were seen and heard, those foremost of men, the mighty car-warriors of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, became desirous of setting out, with their whole families, on a pilgrimage to some sacred water.  They prepared diverse kinds of viands and edibles and diverse kinds of wines and meat.  The troops of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, blazing with beauty and endued with fierce energy, then set out from the city on cars and steeds and elephants.  The Yadavas, then, with their wives, proceeded to Prabhasa and took up their residence there, each in the (temporary) habitation that was assigned to him, and all having an abundance of provisions consisting of edibles and drink.