SECTION 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 his company, O
puissant king, that hero beheld that the city of Dwaraka looked like a
woman bereft of her husband. Those ladies who had, before this, the very
Lord of the universe for their protector, were now lordless. Seeing that
Partha had come for protecting them, they all set up a loud wail. 16,000
ladies had been wedded to Vasudeva. Indeed, as soon as they saw Arjuna
arrive, they uttered a loud cry of sorrow. As soon as the Kuru prince met
those beauteous ones deprived of the protection of Krishna and of their
sons as well, he was unable to look at them, his vision being obstructed
by tears. The Dwaraka river had the Vrishnis and the Andhakas for its
water, steeds for its fishes, cars for its rafts, the sound of musical
instruments and the rattle of cars for its waves, houses and mansions and
public squares for its lakes. Gems and precious stones were its abundant
moss. The walls of adamant were the garlands of flowers that floated on
it. The streets and roads were the strong currents running in eddies
along its surface. The great open squares were the still large lakes in
its course. Rama and Krishna were its two mighty alligators. That
agreeable river now seemed to Arjuna to be the fierce Vaitarani bound up
with Times net. Indeed, the son of Vasava, endued with great
intelligence, beheld the city to look even thus, reft as it was of the
Vrishni heroes. Shorn of beauty, and perfectly cheerless, it presented
the aspect of a lotus flower in the season of winter. Beholding the sight
that Dwaraka presented, and seeing the numerous wives of Krishna, Arjuna
wailed aloud with eyes bathed in tears and fell down on the earth. Then
Satya, the daughter of Satrajit, and Rukmini too, O king, fell down
beside Dhananjaya and uttered loud wails of grief. Raising him then they
caused him to be seated on a golden seat. The ladies sat around that
high-souled one, giving expression to their feelings. Praising Govinda
and talking with the ladies, the son of Pandu comforted them and then
proceeded to see his maternal uncle."
