accomplishments, we are worthy of praise to persons like you seeking friendship. And such sons are more worthy of praise (67). As by the dreadful fight of the elephants, trees are destroyed which, after the close of the combat, become their food, so when dissensions take place amongst kinsmen, either relatives or inferior arbitrators meet with destruction (68–69). Vasudeva, while you are about to sow dissensions in this family, I now understand forsooth that without knowing you I fed you who are like death (70). O foolish man, you are always angry by nature, fond of creating enemies, sinful and of false humility. It is you who have brought this Yadu race into a pitiable strait (71). O Vasudeva, your old age is of no use. Unknowingly did I reward you who, in his hundred years with all his hairs grey, do not become old (72)? He is aged in this world whose sense is ripe. But he is not aged whose hairs are grey (73). You are of a harsh temper; your intellect is not ripe and you are merely old in age like an autumnal cloud (74). O vain Vasudeva, you have thought. ’On Kansa being slain my son will govern Mathura’ (75). Your hope is already frustrated, O you who have uselessly grown old and your resolution is falsified. No, one who has the desire of living, will live before me (76). By this wicked mind you have thought of injuring me who have confided in you; I will take steps against it in the presence of your two sons (77). I have never killed an old man, a Brāhmana, a woman, or any one specially amongst my kinsmen, and I shall never do it (78). You are born here and have been brought up by my father. Besides you are my sister’s husband and the first preceptor of the Yadus (79). Born in the great family of the well-known Lords Paramount of the world you are being worshipped as a preceptor by the noble and religious Yādavas (80). Old man, what shall we do? For such a conduct of a leading Yadava like your self, all the members of the Yadu race have become the butt of peoples’ talk (81). O Vasudeva, if I am dead or defeated, for your improper conduct, it will put the Yadavas to shame before the pious (82). By concerting this measure for my destruction you have made yourself an object of distrust and the Yādavas of redicule (83). What more, you have created such an enmity between me and Krishna that there will be no peace in the Yadu family unless one of us dies (84).