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Sri Suta Gosvami said: Arjuna went to Dvaraka to see Lord Sri Krsna and other friends and
also to learn from the Lord of His next activities. A few months passed, and Arjuna did not return.
Maharaja Yudhisthira then began to observe some inauspicious omens, which were fearful
in themselves. He saw that the direction of eternal time
had changed, and this was very fearful. There were disruptions in the seasonal regularities.
The people in general had become very greedy, angry and deceitful. And he saw that they
were adopting foul means of livelihood. All ordinary transactions and dealings became
polluted with cheating, even between friends. And in familial affairs, there was always
misunderstanding between fathers, mothers and sons, between well-wishers, and between
brothers. Even between husband and wife there was always strain and quarrel.
In course of time it came to pass that people in general became accustomed to greed, anger,
pride, etc. Maharaja Yudhisthira, observing all these omens, spoke to his younger brother.
Maharaja Yudhisthira said to his younger brother Bhimasena, I sent Arjuna to Dvaraka to meet
his friends and to learn from the Personality of Godhead Krsna of His program of work.
Since he departed, seven months have passed, yet he has not returned. I do not know factually
how things are going there. Is He going to quit His earthly pastimes,
as Devarsi Narada indicated? Has that time already arrived?
From Him only, all our kingly opulence, good wives, lives, progeny, control over our subjects,
victory over our enemies, and future accommodations in higher planets have become possible. All
this is due to His causeless mercy upon us. Just see, O man with a tiger's strength, how
many miseries due to celestial influences, earthly reactions and bodily pains-all very
dangerous in themselves-are foreboding danger in the near future by deluding our intelligence.
The left side of my body, my thighs, arms and eyes are all quivering again and again.
I am having heart palpitations due to fear. All this indicates undesirable happenings.
Just see, O Bhima, how the she jackal cries at the rising sun and vomits fire, and how
the dog barks at me fearlessly. O Bhimasena, tiger amongst men, now useful
animals like cows are passing me on my left side, and lower animals like the *** are
circumambulating me. My horses appear to weep upon seeing me.
Just see! This pigeon is like a messenger of death. The shrieks of the owls and their
rival crows make my heart tremble. It appears that they want to make a void of the whole
universe. Just see how the smoke encircles the sky.
It appears that the earth and mountains are throbbing. Just hear the cloudless thunder
and see the bolts from the blue. The wind blows violently, blasting dust everywhere
and creating darkness. Clouds are raining everywhere with bloody disasters.
The rays of the sun are declining, and the stars appear to be fighting amongst themselves.
Confused living entities appear to be ablaze and weeping.
Rivers, tributaries, ponds, reservoirs and the mind are all perturbed. Butter no longer
ignites fire. What is this extraordinary time? What is going to happen?
The calves do not suck the teats of the cows, nor do the cows give milk. They are standing,
crying, tears in their eyes, and the bulls take no pleasure in the pasturing grounds.
The Deities seem to be crying in the temple, lamenting and perspiring. They seem about
to leave. All the cities, villages, towns, gardens, mines and hermitages are now devoid
of beauty and bereft of all happiness. I do not know what sort of calamities are now awaiting
us. I think that all these earthly disturbances
indicate some greater loss to the good fortune of the world. The world was fortunate to have
been marked with the footprints of the lotus feet of the Lord. These signs indicate that
this will no longer be. O Brahmana Saunaka, while Maharaja Yudhisthira,
observing the inauspicious signs on the earth at that time, was thus thinking to himself,
Arjuna came back from the city of the Yadus [Dvaraka].
When he bowed at his feet, the King saw that his dejection was unprecedented. His head
was down, and tears glided from his lotus eyes.
Seeing Arjuna pale due to heartfelt anxieties, the King, remembering the indications of the
sage Narada, questioned him in the midst of friends.
Maharaja Yudhisthira said: My dear brother, please tell me whether our friends and relatives,
such as Madhu, Bhoja, Dasarha, Arha, Satvata, Andhaka and the members of the Yadu family
are all passing their days in happiness. Is my respectable grandfather Surasena in
a happy mood? And are my maternal uncle Vasudeva and his younger brothers all doing well?
His seven wives, headed by Devaki, are all sisters. Are they and their sons and daughters-in-law
all happy? Are Ugrasena, whose son was the mischievous
Kamsa, and his younger brother still living? Is Ugrasena happy? Are Hrdika and his son
Krtavarma happy? Are Akrura, Jayanta, Gada, Sarana and Satrujit all happy? How is Balarama,
the Personality of Godhead and the protector of devotees?
How is Pradyumna, the great general of the Vrsni family? Is He happy? And is Aniruddha,
the plenary expansion of the Personality of Godhead, faring well?
Are all the chieftain sons of Lord Krsna, such as Susena, Carudesna, Samba the son of
Jambavati, and Rsabha, along with their sons, all doing well?
Also, Srutadeva, Uddhava and others, Nanda, Sunanda and other leaders of liberated souls
who are constant companions of the Lord are protected by Lord Balarama and Krsna. Are
they all doing well in their respective functions? Do they, who are all eternally bound in friendship
with us, remember our welfare? Is Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who gives pleasure to the cows, the senses and the brahmanas, who is very affectionate
towards His devotees, enjoying the pious assembly at Dvaraka Puri surrounded by friends?
The original Personality of Godhead, the enjoyer, and Balarama, the primeval Lord Ananta, are
staying in the ocean of the Yadu dynasty for the welfare, protection and general progress
of the entire universe. And the members of the Yadu dynasty, being protected by the arms
of the Lord, are enjoying life like the residents of the spiritual sky.
Simply by administering comforts at the lotus feet of the Lord, which is the most important
of all services, the queens at Dvaraka, headed by Satyabhama, induced the Lord to conquer
the demigods. Thus the queens enjoy things which are prerogatives of the wives of the
controller of thunderbolts. The great heroes of the Yadu dynasty, being
protected by the arms of Lord Sri Krsna, always remain fearless in every respect. And therefore
their feet trample over the Sudharma assembly house, which the best demigods deserved but
which was taken away from them. My brother Arjuna, please tell me whether
your health is all right. You appear to have lost your bodily luster. Is this due to others
disrespecting and neglecting you because of your long stay at Dvaraka?
Has someone addressed you with unfriendly words or threatened you? Could you not give
charity to one who asked, or could you not keep your promise to someone?
You are always the protector of the deserving living beings, such as brahmanas, children,
cows, women and the diseased. Could you not give them protection when they approached
you for shelter? Have you contacted a woman of impeachable
character, or have you not properly treated a deserving woman? Or have you been defeated
on the way by someone who is inferior or equal to you?
Have you not taken care of old men and boys who deserve to dine with you? Have you left
them and taken your meals alone? Have you committed some unpardonable mistake which
is considered to be abominable? Or is it that you are feeling empty for all
time because you might have lost your most intimate friend, Lord Krsna? O my brother
Arjuna, I can think of no other reason for your becoming so dejected.