WHY SRI KRISHNA MOVED FROM MATHURA?

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA - SABHA PARVA - RAAJASOOYA AARAMBHA (UPA) PARVA - CHAPTER 14(B) - WHY SRI KRISHNA MOVED FROM MATHURA?

“(Sri) Krishna continued, ‘There lived, O monarch (Yudhishthira), a king of the name of Hamsa, who was slain by (Bala) Rama after having a battle of eighteen days. But, O Bharata, hearing people say that Hamsa had been killed, Dimbhakaa, O king (Yudhishthira), thought that he could not live without Hamsa. He accordingly jumped into the waters of Yamuna (river) and killed himself. Afterwards when Hamsa, the subjugator of hostile heroes (Veera in Sanskrit), heard that Dimbhakaa, had killed himself, he went to the Yamuna and jumped into its waters.  Then, O bull of the Bharata race (Yudhishthira), king Jaraasandha, hearing that both Hamsa and Dimbhakaa had been killed, returned to his kingdom with an empty heart. After Jaraasandha had returned, O slayer of all enemies, we were filled with pleasure and continued to live at Mathura. O monarch (Yudhishthira), then the widow of Kamsa and the daughter of Jaraasandha, that handsome woman with eyes like lotus-petals, grieved at the death of her lord, went to her father, and repeatedly urged the king of Magadha (Jaraasandha), saying, ‘O slayer of all enemies, you kill the slayer of my husband.’

“Then, O great king, remembering the conclusion to which we had come long back we became exceedingly cheerless and fled from Mathura. Dividing our large wealth into small portions so as to make each portion easily portable, we fled from fear of Jaraasandha, with our cousins and relatives. Thinking upon everything, we fled towards the west.

“There is a delightful town towards the west called Kushasthalee (present-day Dwaraka, Gujarat, India), adorned by the mountains of Raivata (present-day Girinar, Junagadh district, Gujarat, India). In that city, O monarch (Yudhishthira), we took up our abode. We rebuilt its fort and made it so strong that it has become impregnable even to Devas. From within it even the women might fight the enemy, what to speak of the Vrishni heroes without fear of any kind? O slayer of all enemies, we are now living in that city. O tiger of the Kuru race, considering the inaccessibility of that first of mountains and regarding themselves as having already crossed the fear of Jaraasandha, the descendants of Madhu (Maadhavaa in Sanskrit) have become exceedingly glad. Thus, O king (Janamejaya), though possessed of strength and energy, yet from the oppressions of Jaraasandha we have been obliged to travel to the mountains of Gomanta (possibly western Ghat mountain and Gomanta is likely to indicate the present-day Goa, India), measuring three Yojanas in length. Within each yojana have been established twenty one posts of armed men. At intervals of each yojana are hundred gates with arches which are defended by valorous heroes engaged in guarding them. Innumerable Kshatriyas invincible in war, belonging to the eighteen younger branches of Yaadavaas, are employed in defending these works.

“In our race, O king (Yudhishthira), there are full eighteen thousand brothers and cousins. Aahuka has had a hundred sons, each of whom is almost like a Deva (in prowess), Chaarudeshna with his brother Chakradeva, Saatyaki, myself, Baladeva – the son of Rohini, and my son Saamba who is equal to me in battle – these seven, O king are Atirathas. Besides these, there are others, O king (Yudhishthira), whom I shall presently name. They are Krutavarma, Anaadhrushti, Sameeka, Samitinjaya, Kahva, Shanku and Nidaanta. These seven are Maharathas. There are also two sons of Andhakabhoja, and the old king himself. Filled with great strength these are all heroes (Veera in Sanskrit), each mighty as Vajra. These Maharathas, choosing the middle country, are now living among Vrishnis.

“O you best of the Bharata line (Yudhishthira), you alone are worthy of being an emperor (Samraada in Sanskrit). It is your duty, O Bharata (Yudhishthira), to establish your empire over all the Kshatriyas. But this is my judgment, O king (Yudhishthira), that you will not be able to celebrate the Raajasooya yagna as long as the mighty Jaraasandha lives. By him have been imprisoned in his hillfort numerous monarchs, like a lion that has deposited the slain bodies of mighty elephants within a cave of the king of mountains. O slayer of all enemies (Yudhishthira), king Jaraasandha, desirous of offering in sacrifice hundred monarchs, adored for his fierce ascetic penances (Aaraadhya in Sanskrit) the illustrious Mahadeva, the lord of Uma. It is by this means that the kings of the earth have been vanquished by Jaraasandha. O best of monarchs (Yudhishthira), he has by that means been able to fulfil the vow he had made relative to his sacrifice. By defeating the kings with their troops and bringing all of them as captives into this city, he had swelled its crowds enormously. We also, O king (Yudhishthira), from fear of Jaraasandha, at one time had to leave Mathura and fly to the city of Dwaaravati (present-day Dwaraka, Gujarat, India). If, O great king (Yudhishthira), you desire to perform this yagna, strive to release the kings confined by Jaraasandha, as also to compass his death. O son of the Kuru race (Yudhishthira), otherwise this undertaking of yours can never be completed. O you foremost of intelligent men (Yudhishthira), if the Raajasooya is to be performed by you, you must do this in this way and not otherwise. This, O king (Yudhishthira), is my view (on the matter). Do, O sinless one, as you think. Under these circumstances, O king (Yudhishthira), having thought upon everything, taking note of causes, tell us what you yourself think proper.’”

(THE IMPENETRABLE DWARAKA)