lotus-petals, is no longer seen by me.  Alas, reft of Govinda, what have I to live for, dragging my life in sorrow?  He who used to stalk in advance of my car, that divine form endued with great splendour and unfading puissance, consuming as he proceeded all hostile warriors, can no longer be seen by me.  No longer beholding him who by his energy first burnt all hostile troops whom I afterwards despatched with shafts sped from Gandiva, I am filled with grief and my head swims, O best of men.  Penetrated with cheerlessness and despair, I fail to obtain peace of mind.  I dare not live, reft of the heroic Janardana.  As soon as I heard that Vishnu had left the Earth, my eyes became dim and all things disappeared from my vision.  O best of men, it behoveth thee to tell me what is good for me now, for I am now a wanderer with an empty heart, despoiled of my kinsmen and of my possession.

“Vyasa said, The mighty car-warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races have all been consumed by the Brahmanas curse.  O chief of Kurus race, it behoveth thee not to grieve for their destruction.  That which has happened had been ordained.  It was the destiny of those high-souled warriors.  Krishna suffered it to take place although he was fully competent to baffle it.  Govinda was able to alter the very course of the universe with all its mobile and immobile creatures.  What need then be said of the curse of even high-souled Brahmanas?  He who used to proceed in front of thy car, armed with discus and mace, through affection for thee, was the four-armed Vasudeva, that ancient rishi.  That high-souled one of expansive eyes, Krishna, having lightened the burthen of the Earth and cast off his (human) body, has attained to his own high seat.  By thee also, O foremost of men, with Bhima for thy helpmate and the twins, O mighty-armed hero, has the great work of the gods been accomplished.  O foremost one of Kurus race, I regard thee and thy brothers as crowned with success, for ye have accomplished the great purpose of your lives.  The time has come for your departure from the world.  Even this, O puissant one, is what is beneficial for you now.  Even thus, understanding and prowess and foresight, O Bharata, arise when days of prosperity have not outrun.  These very acquisitions disappear when the hour of adversity comes.  All this has Time for its root.  Time is, indeed, the seed of the universe, O Dhananjaya.  It is Time, again, that withdraws everything at its pleasure.  One becomes mighty, and, again, losing that might, becomes weak.  One becomes a master and rules others, and, again, losing that position, becomes a servant for obeying the behests of others.  Thy weapons, having achieved success, have gone away to the place they came from.  They will, again, come into thy hands when the Time for their coming approaches.  The time has come, O Bharata, for you all to attain to the highest goal.  Even this is what I regard to be highly beneficial for you all, O chief of Bharatas race.”