404                        ALBERUNPS INDIA.

much stronger. But for the cunning devices of Vasu¬
deva and his teaching them whereby they might gain
victory, they would have been in a less favourable
situation than their enemies. But now they conquered ;
all those hosts were destroyed, and none remained ex¬
cept the five brothers. Thereafter Vasudeva returned
to his residence and died, together with his family,
who were called Yadava. Also the five brothers died
before the year had reached its end, at the end of
those wars.
EndofVasu-      Vasudcva had concerted with Arjuna the arrangement

deva and                                                      • i         i            •

of the five    that they would consider the quivering of the left arm

Pandu                                                                              J.                o

bro'tiiers. Or left ojo as a mysterious intimation that there was
something happening to him. At that time there lived
a pious Rishi called Durvasas. Now the brothers and
relations of Vasudeva were a rather malicious, incon¬
siderate set of people. One of them hid under his coat
a new frying-pan, went to the anchorite, and asked him
what would be the result of his pregnancy, jeering at
the pious man. The latter said, "In thy belly there
is something which will be the cause of thy death and
that of thy whole clan." When Vasudeva heard this
he became sorry, because he knew that these words
would be fulfilled. He gave orders that the pan should
be filed away and be thrown into the water. This
was done.    There was only a small part of it left, which

Page 202. the artisan who had done the filing considered as insig¬
nificant. Therefore he threw it, as it was, into the
water. A fish devoured it; the fish was caught, and the
fisherman found it in its belly. He thought it would
be a good tip for his arrow.

When the predestined time came, Vasudeva rested
on the coast under the shadow of a tree, one of his feet
being crossed over the other; the fisherman took him
for a gazelle, shot at him, and hit his right foot. This
wound became the cause of the death of Vasudeva. At
the same time the left side of Arjuna began to quiver,