Vaishampayana said:—Akrura had that peerless jewel which Krishna
conferred on Satrājit, stolen by Shatadhanwā (1). Akrura always wished
to have the beautiful Satyabhāmā.⁷⁰ As soon as he got an opportunity he
desired to possess that valuable jewel (2). Thereupon, having slain
Satrājit at the dead of night the highly powerful Shatadhanwā took away
the jewel and made a present of it to Akrura (3). Taking that jewel he
made Shatadhanwā promise that he would never give out that the jewel was
in his (Akrura’s) possession (4). (He said):—"If Krishna attacks you I
shall follow you. Forsooth the whole of Dwarkā is now under my control
(5)." On her father (Satrājit) being slain the illustrious Satyabhāmā,
stricken with grief, got on a chariot and repaired to the city of
Barawāvata (6). She then communicated to her husband what had been
perpetrated by Shatadhanwa of the Bhoja race. Then stricken with grief
and standing by his side she began shedding tears (7). Having performed
the watering ceremony of the Pāndavas burnt in the house of lac⁷¹
Krishna engaged Satwaki to perform their obsequial rites (8).
Thereupon hurrying on to the city of Dwarkā the graceful slayer of
Madhu⁷² said to his elder brother Haladhar⁷³ (9) "Prasena has been
killed by a lion and Satrājit has been slain by Shatadhanwā. Therefore I
am the master of the jewel Sywamantaka (10). Therefore speedily get on
your car, O mighty armed hero. After slaying the highly powerful Bhoja
Swyamataka will be ours (11)". Thereupon there arose a terrible
encounter between Krishna and Shatadhanwā The latter saw Akrura on all
sides (12). Thereupon beholding both Krishna and Shatadhanwā enraged
Akrura, though capable, out of wickedness did not help the son of
Hridika (13). Thereat stricken with fear Shatadhanwā took to his heels.
With one mare he travelled over a distance of more than a hundred
_Yojanas_⁷⁴ (14). O king, Shatadanwa, of the Bhoja race, had a mare that
could go over a distance of a hundred _Yojanas_, by name
_Vijnātāhridayā_. With her he fought with Krishna (15). Having travelled
over a distance of a hundred _Yojanas_ Shatadhanwa found her motionless
and seeing the increased motion of the car he left her off (16).
Thereupon, O descendant of Bharata, on account of the exhaustion and
misery of that mare all his vital breaths went up to the sky. Then
Krishna said to Rāma. (17). "Wait here, O you of large arms. I have seen
the wretched plight of the mare. Going on foot I shall carry away the
jewel Swyamantaka (18)". Thereupon, O king, going on foot, Achyuta
(Krishna), highly skilled in the use of arms, killed Shatadhanwa on the
way to Mithila (19). Having slain the highly powerful Bhoja king he did
not see Swyamantaka. And seeing Krishna return Balarāma said to him
"Give me the jewel" (20).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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