Mausala Parva

Mausala Parva denotes the tragical incidents related to the death of Shri Krishna and the destruction of Yadavas through an internal strife. This Parva is the third last Parva preceded by Ashramavasika Parva and Ashvamedhika Parva Parva and preceding the last two Parvas Mahaprasthanika Parva and Svargarohana Parva. It contains approximately 250 verses of the complete Mahabharata which is seven times Illiad and Oddyssey.

Introduction

The Parva starts with the Pandavas weeping for Krishna and his men. Yudhishtira sends Arjuna to Dwaraka in order to enquire the well being of the rest of the survivors of the Yadava clan. Arjuna brings the news.

Various curses on Krishna and the Yadava clan

The Yadava clan get cursed on three ocassions:-

"Firstly, Gandhari curses Krishna and his clan to get destroyed towards the end of the Mahabharata war. Secondly various sages such as Vishwamitra, Brigumuni, Vashista, Narada and others curse Yadava clan when Samba and his friends play a Boyish prank with these Rishis. Thirdly, lord Krishna curses his wives that the robbers will kidnap them soon after his death; He further curses his son Sambha to suffer from Leprosy when Krishna's wives attempts to have incest relationship with Sambha".

Gandhari's curse on Krishna

During the end of the Mahabharata war, Gandhari lost all of her sons except Duryodana. Krishna comes to visit Gandhari. While Gandhari realised that almost all her sons were killed by Bhima in the Mahabharata war. Further, she could hear the widows of various soldiers weeping a lot over their husbands being dead. She could not find ways to console them over they lamenting for the dead. Thus, Gandhari blames Krishna to be the cause for this total destruction of the Kuru race. Gandhari believed that Krishna though had the power to prevent the war, he did not do enough inspite of having such a power. So, if Krishna had really willed, then he could have stopped the war from happening. So, Gandhari cursed Krishna that his entire Yadava race will also get destroyed through an internal strife in the same way as the Pandava and Kauravas were destroyed after fighting with each other. All the wives of the Yadava clan will lament over their dead husbands in the same way as the widows of the Kuru race lament over their dead husbands now. Further, Krishna will be a mute witness of this entire carnage. Krishna will meet a cheap death like an animal after being the only person of his race.

Krishna's reply to Gandhari

On hearing the curse, Krishna replied that the Mahabharata war was a necessity and yet it occured after being inevitable. He reminds Gandhari as how he came as a messenger of peace between Pandavas and Kauravas and how her son Duryodana adamantly said that he cannot even offer even a small piece of land occupied by a small needle, when the Pandavas were content even if Duryodana offered atleast five villages. He reminded her again as how Duryodana with the help of Shakuni attempted to destroy the Pandavas on various occasions. So, he said that his duty was to protect Dharma and not to prevent the war. He reiterated to her that although he controls the entire Universe, yet he does not interfere. He allowed the people to choose their own actions.

The Burden of Lord Krishna

Lord Krishna used to think for a long time as how can his race be destroyed. The Yadavas were very powerful under the protection of lord Krishna. So, no outside force on the earth can defeat the Yadavas in a war. If the Yadavas themselves are left unchecked, at some point of time in future, they themselves will be a burden to the Earth. So, lord Krishna realised the importance of bringing the destruction of his own race, but was indeed clueless as how to trigger such a collapse inspite of being lord vishnu himself. So, when Gandhari uttered a curse on lord Krishna and his race, then he thanked Gandhari for having solved his problem that used to haunt him for a long time. He thanked Gandhari who made Krishna to realise that 'a quarrel among his own men will trigger their own destruction leading to a fracticide (brothers killing brothers)'. Krishna further said to Gandhari that as for as his death was concerned, he will take her curse as a blessing.

The Rishi's Curse on Yadavas

Once some Rishis had come to the Yadavas. The Yadavas and Bhopas, Vrishnis, Kekeyas and all others devoted to Krishna and his men lost their discipline and culture and live luxuriously. They dressed up Sambha as a woman and tied many robes to his belly to show him as a pregnant woman. They ask the rishis to predict whether he will give birth to a boy or a girl. The rishis, angry with them, curse them that he will give birth to a lump of mace and that it will destroy the Yadavas and the ones devoted to them.

The Mace

They open the robes on the belly and find a lump of mace. They all go to Krishna and he tells to grind and pond and scatter it in the sea. They all do as commanded and feel that they have become out of danger. Only wise Krishna knows that the danger can't be overcomed but he has done his best. The powder gets deposited on the coast and grows into clubs of mace. The process goes fast as a result of the curse.

The Destruction of the Yadavas

The Yadavas soon forget all about the curse. They once go to the beach and drink and spend time cheerfully. But Satyaki couldn't have his tongue shut. He says to Pradyumna all about how Kritavarma, Ashwatthama and Kripacharya killed all the sons of Pandavas. Kritvarma in turn tells of Bhurisravas's end. Pradyumna tries to stop the fight in vain. The fight increases and Satyaki kills Kritavarma with his sword. The Bhojas pounce upon Satyaki and kill him. The Yadavas come upon Bhojas. Kekeyas and Vrishnis divide between Yadavas and Bhojas. They all rush to the mace clubs and kill each other. Some pieces were left.

The passing away of Krishna, Balarama, Daruka and Babrua

The left over pieces were collected by a hunter and he fixes them as the edges of the arrows. It makes the arrows real sharp. Daruka and Babrua, who were left over in the battle, go to Krishna. Babrua and Daruka are commanded to collect the women of the fort and leave Dvaraka. But both are killed by the arrows of the hunter. The hunter had aimed the arrow towards the sky and it reached the both. Krishna himself collects all the women and leave the city. He foresees that Dvaraka will soon sink underwater. Krishna and Balarama sit under a tree. A silver serpent comes out of Balarama's head. The hunter mistakes Krishna's feet for a deer's face an aims an arrow towards it. Krishna is killed on the spot.

The Left Over People

The rest follow Arjuna. Arjuna plans to take them to Indraprastha. Vasudeva, Krishna's father leave for the heavenly abode while meditation posture. The wives of Krishna and Balarama pounce into pyre. Dvaraka sinks. On their way, some thieves try to rob them. Arjuna couldn't save the people. The thieves kill many of them. The left over people burn themselves alive.

Notes and references

All the references below are from two books:

1. Bharatam (Dviteeya Bhagam) by Ushasri in Telugu. 2001 Edition by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's Religious Publication Series. No.: 111
2. Mahabharata by C Rajagopalachari. 2008 (52^nd) Edition by Bhavan's Book University. ISBN 81-7276-368-9

The reference from the:

• Bharatam book is prefixed by "Bharatam''.
• Mahabharata book is prefixed by ''Mahabharata''