Having saluted Narayana and Nara the best of male beings, as also Sarasvati the goddess of Learning let us cry success.

Vaishampayana said, When the thirty-sixth year (after the battle) arrived, the delighter of the Kurus, viz., Yudhishthira, saw many unusual portents.

Winds, dry and strong, and showering gravel blew from all sides. Birds began to wheel, making circles from right to left.

The great rivers ran in opposite courses. The horizon on every side seemed to be always covered with fog. Meteors, showering coals, dropped on the Earth from the sky.

The Sun's disc, O king, seemed to be always covered with dust. At its rise, the Sun was shorn of splendour and seemed to be crossed by headless trunks.

Terrible circles of light were seen every day around both the Sun and the Moon. These circles showed three colours. Their edges seemed to be black and rough and ashy-red in color.

These and many other omens, fore shadowing fear and danger, were seen, o king and struck the hearts of men with anxiety.

A little while after the Kuru king Yudhishthira heard of the wholesale destruction of the Vrishnis on account of the iron bolt.

The son of Pandu, hearing that only Vasudeva and Rama had escaped alive, summoned his brothers and consulted with them as to what they should do.

Meeting with one another they became greatly stricken with surrow upon hearing that the Vrishnis had met with destruction through the Brahmana's rod of Punishment.

These heroes could not believe the death of Vasudeva, like the drying up of the ocean. In fact, they could not believe the destruction of the holder of Sharnga.

Inforined of the incident about the iron bolt, the Pandavas, became stricken with grief and sorrow. In fact, they sat down, utterly cheerless and stricken with blank despair.

Indeed, O holy one, how was it that the Andhakas along with the Vrishnis, and those great car-warriors, viz., the Bhojas, met with destruction before the very eyes of Vasudeva?

Vaishampayana said When the thirty-sixth year arrived (after the great battle) a great calamity overtook the Vrishnis. Moved by Time, they all met with destruction on account of the iron bolt.

Crused by whom did those heroes, viz., the Vrishnis, Andhakas and the Bhojas, met with destruction? O foremost of twice-born persons, do you fully explain all this to me.

One day, the Vrishni heroes numbering Sarana amongst them; saw Vishvamitra and Kanwa and Narada arrived at Dwraka.

Afflicted by the rod of punishment held by the celestials, those heroes causing Shamba to be disguised like a woman, approached those ascetics and said, “This one is the wife of Vabhru of great energy who is desirous of having a son. You Rishis, do you know for certain what this one will produce?'

Hear now, O king, what those ascetics, attempted to be thus imposed on, said, “This heir of Vasudeva, by name Shamba, will produce a dreadful iron bolt for the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas.

O wicked and cruel ones, intoxicated with pride, through that iron bolt you will become the exterminators of your family with the exception of Rama an Janardana.

The blessed hero armed with the plough will enter the ocean renouncing his body, while a hunter of the name of Jara will pierce the great Krishna while lying on the ground.'

Attempted to be deceived by those wicked ones, those ascetics, with eyes red in anger, looked at each other and uttered those words. Having said so they then went to see Keshava.

The destroyer of Madhu, informed of what had occurred, summoned all the Vrishnis and told them of it. Gifted with great intelligence and fully acquainted with what the end of his family would be he simply said that that which was destined would surely take place.

Hrishikesha having said so, entered his palace. The Lord of the universe did not wish to ordain otherwise.

When the next day came, Shamba actually produced an iron bolt through which all the individuals in the family of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas became reduced to ashes.

Indeed, for the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, Shambas brought forth, through that curse, a dreadful iron bolt that looked like a huge messenger of death. The fact was duly reported to the king.

In great distress of mind, the king (Ugrasena) caused that iron bolt to be reduced into fine powder. Men were engaged, O king, to cast that powder into the sea.

At the command of Ahuka, of Janardana, of Rama, and of great Vabhru, it was, again, proclaimed throughout the city, that from that day, among all the Vrishnis and the Andhakas one should manufacture wines and intoxicating liquors of any kind, and that whoever would secretly manufacture wines no and spirits should be impaled alive with all his kinsmen.

Through fear of the king, and knowing that it the order of Rama also of unimpeachable deeds, all the citizen bound themselves by a rule and abstained from manufacturing wines and spirits. was