Page:The Mahabharata (Kishori Mohan Gangopadhyay, First Edition) Volume 16.djvu/21

4 dreds and thousands of shafts at him, but none of these succeeded in piercing him, for he was none else than the Destroyer of all creatures. Day by day strong winds blew, and many were the evil omens that arose, awful and foreboding the destruction of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas. The streets swarmed with rats and mice. Earthen pots showed cracks or broken from no apparent cause. At night, the rats and mice ate away the hair and nails of slumbering men. Sārikās chirped, sitting within the houses of the Vrishnis. The noise made by those birds ceased not for even a short while by day or by night. The Sāraskas were heard to imitate the hooting of the owl, and goats imitated the cries, O Bhārata, of jackals. Many birds appeared, impelled by Death, that were pale of complexion but that had legs red of hue. Pigeons were seen to always disport in the houses of the Vrishnis. Asses were born of kine, and elephants of mules. Cats were born of bitches, and mouse of the mungoose. The Vrishnis, committing sinful acts, were not seen to feel any shame. They showed disregard for Brāhmanas and the Pitris and the deities. They insulted and humiliated their preceptors and seniors. Only Rāma and Janārddana acted differently. Wives deceived their husbands, and husbands deceived wives. Fires, when ignited, cast their flames towards the left. Sometimes they threw out flames whose splendour was blue and red. The Sun, whether when rising or setting over that city, seemed to be surrounded by headless trunks of human form. In cook-rooms, upon food that was clean and well-boiled, were seen, when it was served out for eating, innumerable worms of diverse kinds. When Brāhmanas, receiving gifts, blessed the day or the hour (fixed for this or that undertaking) or when high-souled men were engaging in silent recitations, the heavy trend was heard of innumerable men running about but no one could be seen to whom the sound of such tread could be ascribed. The constellations were repeatedly seen to be struck by the planets. None amongst the Yādavas could, however, obtain a sight of the constellation of his birth. When the Pānchajanya was blown in their houses, asses of dissonant and awful voice, bayed aloud from every