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humming and seeking their food. In this river they bathed and 

 played, Creeshna always in the midst of them. At length, in the 

 very height of all their revels and enjoyments, he suddenly dis- 

 appeared ! ! ! His principal wives, which were the eight Nayega, 

 remained for some time in profound astonishment : then they all 

 burst out into the most passionate exclamations, crying, " Whither 

 is he gone ?" One demanded of the birds if they had seen him, 

 wondering they could sing till he returned. Another asked of the 

 four-footed beasts why they made such loud meanings, as if 

 Creeshna had left and deceived them too. One addressed the sea, 

 " Thou ocean ! who art night and day roaring, hath not Creeshna 

 taken thy fourteen Reten, or precious things, also, as well as our 

 hearts, and is it not therefore thou grievest ?" Another addressed 

 the moon, " O thou Lord of the stars ! why dost not thou draw on 

 the world the veil of darkness ? Art thou not affected by his ab- 

 sence? at which every one must be heartless, like us wretched 

 creatures, who know not what is our fault to be thus forgotten and 

 forsaken." Another spake to the passing clouds, " Ye, too, are 

 impressed with the colour and figure of Creeshna, and, as he has 

 taken his departure, so ye also are ever on the wing ; and ye, like 

 us mourning for his absence, overspread every quarter with 

 gloom." Another asked the cocela why he had lost his tine notes? 



" Is your mate also fled ?" 



******** 



Mr. Halhed's copy of the Mahabbarat was imperfect and ended 

 abruptly ; but he has added in the manuscript these words : " Few 

 events of any importance occur in the history of Creeshna between 

 this period and that of his going to Hastanapoor to assist the Pan- 

 doos, just before the breaking out of the war of the Mahabbarat, 

 which ended in the destruction of the Kooroos." 



