611:13 The women, the elders, and the children, amongst whom, as we shall presently see, was Vajra, the son of Aniruddha, who was established as chief of the Yádavas at Indraprastha, and who therefore escaped the destruction which overwhelmed their kinsmen, the Vrishńis, Kukkuras, and Andhakas, of Dwáraká. This was a fortunate reservation for the tribes which in various parts of Hindustan, both on the Ganges and in the Dakhin, profess to derive their origin from the Yádavas.

611:14 The process is explained by the commentator: 'By the force of Dhyána, or abstraction, Krishńa satisfies himself that he is Brahma, or universal spirit; and is next convinced that he is therefore all things; by which his individuality ceases.'

611:15 The story is told in the Mahábhárata, Durvásas was on one occasion hospitably p. 612 entertained by Krishńa, but the latter omitted to wipe away the fragments of the meal which had fallen on the foot of the irascible sage, who thereupon foretold that Krishńa should be killed as in the text.

612:16 This is an allegorical personage, however, for Jará signifies 'infirmity,' 'old age,' 'decay.'

612:17 The Bhágavata explains how this part of the foot became exposed. Krishńa had assumed one of the postures in which abstraction is practised: he had laid his left leg across his right thigh, by which the sole of the foot was turned outwards.

612:18 He became Nirguńa, 'devoid of all qualities.'

Next: Chapter XXXVIII

Hinduism

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