SECTION –XXI
(Arjunabhigamana Parva Continued)
"Vasudeva said, 'O thou tiger among men, my
great enemy king Salwa, 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 Salwa 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 Salwa I stay in the
field, because it is my duty to do so. But I am incapable of doing so (any
longer). My body hath 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 thou 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 thou of mighty arms, seeing
the charioteer with the reins in his hands thus pierced and enfeebled by the
shafts of Salwa 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, hath said
these words unto thee! O Kesava, hear what thy father's friend sayeth: O son of
the Vrishni race, O thou irrepressible one, in thy absence today Salwa, coming
to Dwaraka, hath by main force killed Vasudeva! Therefore, no need of battle
any more. Cease, O Janardana! Do thou defend Dwaraka! This is thy 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
Salwa's city. And in a sorrowful heart, I asked myself,--Doth that destroyer of
foes, the mighty-armed Baladeva, live, and Satyaki, and the son of Rukmini and
Charudeshna possessed of prowess, and Shamva and others? For, O thou 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 Salwa 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 hath 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 thou 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 thou 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 Salwa, 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."
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