Section XXI

"Vasudeva said,

'O you tiger among men, my great enemy king Salva, thus encountered by me in battle, again ascended the sky. And O mighty monarch, inspired with the desire of victory, that wicked one hurled at me Sataghnis, and mighty maces, and flaming lances, and stout clubs, and as the weapons came along the sky, I speedily resisted them with my swift arrows, and cut them in two or three pieces before they came at me. And there was a great noise in the welkins. And Salva covered Daruka, and my steeds, and my car also with hundreds of straight shafts.

Then, O hero, Daruka, evidently about to faint, said unto me,

'Afflicted with the shafts of Salva I stay in the field, because it is my duty to do so. But I am incapable of doing so (any longer). My body has become weak!'

Hearing these piteous words of my charioteer, I looked at him, and found the driver wounded with arrows. Nor was there a spot on his breasts or the crown of his head, or body or his arms which was not, O you foremost of sons of Pandu, covered with shafts! And blood flowed profusely from his wounds inflicted by arrows, and he looked like unto a mountain of red chalk after a heavy shower. And, O you of mighty arms, seeing the charioteer with the reins in his hands thus pierced and enfeebled by the shafts of Salva in the field of battle, I cheered him up!

"'And, O Bharata, about this time, a certain person, having his home in Dwaraka quickly coming to my car, addressed me like a friend, delivering to me, O hero, a message from Ahuka! He seemed to be one of Ahuka’s followers.

And sadly and in a voice choked in sorrow, know, O Yudhishthira, he said words'—

O warrior, Ahuka, the lord of Dwaraka, has said these words unto you! O Kesava, hear what your father’s friend says: O son of the Vrishni race, O you irrepressible one, in your absence today Salva, coming to Dwaraka, has by main force killed Vasudeva! Therefore, no need of battle any more. Cease, O Janardana! Do you defend Dwaraka! This is your principal duty!—

Hearing these words of his, my heart became heavy, and I could not ascertain what I should do and what I should not. And, O hero, hearing of that great misfortune, I mentally censured Satyaki, and Baladeva, and also that mighty pradyumna. Having reposed on them the duty of protecting Dwaraka and Vasudeva, I had gone, O son of the Kuru race, to effect the destruction of Salva’s city.

And in a sorrowful heart, I asked myself,—Does that destroyer of foes, the mighty-armed Baladeva, live, and Satyaki, and the son of Rukmini and Carudeshna possessed of prowess, and Shamva and others? For, O you tiger among men, these living, even the bearer himself of the thunderbolt could by no means destroy Suta’s son (Vasudeva)! And thought, I, It is plain that Vasudeva is dead and equally plain that the others with Baladeva at their head have been deprived of life

—This was my certain conclusion. And, O mighty king, thinking of the destruction of those all, I was overwhelmed with grief! And it was in this state of mind that I encountered Salva afresh. And now I saw, O great monarch, Vasudeva himself falling from the car of precious metals!

And, O warrior I swooned away, and, O king of men, my sire seemed like unto Yayati after the loss of his merit, falling towards the earth from heaven! And like unto a luminary whose merit has been lost saw my father falling, his head-gear foul and flowing loosely, and his hair and dress disordered. And then the bow Sharanga dropped from my hand, and, O son of Kunti I swooned away! I sat down on the side of the car.

And, O you descendant of the Bharata race, seeing me deprived of consciousness on the car, and as if dead, my entire host exclaimed Oh! and Alas! And my prone father with out-stretched arms and lower limbs, appeared like a dropping bird.

And him thus falling, O you of mighty arms, O hero, the hostile warriors bearing in their hands lances and axes struck grievously! And (beholding this) my heart trembled! and soon regaining my consciousness, O warrior, I could not see in that mighty contest either the car of costly metals, or the enemy Salva, or my old father! Then I concluded in my mind that it was certainly illusion. And recovering my senses, I again began to discharge arrows by hundreds."