Page:The Mahabharata (Kishori Mohan Gangopadhyay, First Edition) Volume 16.djvu/40

Rh ordained. It was the destiny of those high-souled warriors. Krishna suffered it to take place although he was fully competent to baffle it. Govinda was able to alter the very course of the universe with all its mobile and immobile creatures. What need then be said of the curse of even high-souled Brāhmanas? He who used to proceed in front of thy car, armed with discus and mace, through affection for thee, was the four-armed Vāsudeva, that ancient Rishi! That high-souled one of expansive eyes, viz., Krishna, having lightened the burden of the Earth and cast off his (human) body, has attained to his own high seat. By thee also, O foremost of men, with Bhima for thy helpmate and the twins, O mighty-armed hero, has the great work of the gods been accomplished! O foremost one of Kuru's race, I regard thee and thy brothers as crowned with success for ye have accomplished the great purpose of your lives! The time has come for your departure from the world. Even this, O puissant one, is what is beneficial for you now. Even thus, understanding and prowess and foresight, O Bhārata, arise when days of prosperity have not outrun. These very acquisitions disappear when the hour of adversity comes. All this has Time for its root. Time is, indeed, the seed of the universe, O Dhananjaya! It is Time, again, that withdraws everything at its pleasure. One becomes a master and rules others, and, again, losing that position, becomes a servant for obeying the behests of others. Thy weapons, having achieved success, have gone away to the place they came from. They will, again, come into thy hands when the Time for their coming approaches. The time has come, O Bharata, for you all to attain to the highest goal. Even this is what