The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1
Epic literature, Sanskrit
down, afflicted with Pradyumna's arrows, the son of Rukmini aimed
another arrow at him, capable of destroying every foe. And beholding
that arrow worshipped by all the Dasarhas, and flaming like fire and
fatal as a venomous snake, fixed on the bow-string, the firmament was
filled with exclamations of _Oh!_ and _Alas!_ Then all the celestials
with Indra and the lord of treasures (Kubera) at their head sent Narada
and the god of wind endued with the speed of the mind. And these two
approaching the son of Rukmini delivered unto him the message of the
celestial, saying, O hero, king Salwa is not to be slain by thee! Do
thou draw back the arrow. He is unslayable by thee in fight! There
breatheth not a person who cannot be killed by that arrow! O thou of
mighty arms, the Creator hath ordained his death at the hands of
Krishna, the son of Devaki! Let this be not falsified!--Thereupon with a
glad heart, Pradyumna withdrew that best of arrows from his excellent
bow and deposited it back in his quiver. And then, O foremost of kings,
the mighty Salwa, afflicted with the arrows of Pradyumna, rose
disheartened, and speedily went away. Then O king, the wicked Salwa,
thus afflicted by the Vrishnis, mounted on his car of precious metals,
and leaving Dwaraka scudded through the skies!'"
SECTION XX
"Vasudeva said, 'When Salwa had left the city of the Anarttas, I
returned to it, O king, on the completion of thy great _Rajasuya_
sacrifice! On my arrival I found Dwaraka shorn of its splendour, and, O
great monarch, there were not sounds of Vedic recitation or sacrificial
offering. And the excellent damsels were all destitute of ornaments, and
the gardens were devoid of beauty. And alarmed by the aspect, I asked
the son of Hridika saying, "Why is it that the men and women of the city
of the Vrishnis are so woe-begone, O tiger among men?" O thou best of
kings thus asked the son of Hridika (Kritavarman) relate to me in detail
the invasion of the city by Salwa, and his subsequent departure from it.
And, O thou foremost of Bharatas, hearing all, even then I made up my
mind to slay Salwa. And encouraging the citizens, O best of Bharatas, I
cheerfully addressed king Ahuka, and Anakdundhuvi, and the chief heroes
of the Vrishni race, saying, "Do ye, O bulls among the Yadavas, stay in
the city, taking every care, and know that I go to slay Salwa! I return
not to the city of Dwaravati without slaying him. I will again come to
ye having compassed the destruction of Salwa together with his car of
precious metals. Do ye strike up the sharp and middle and flat notes of
the Dundhuvi so dreadful to foes!" And O thou bull of the Bharata race,
thus adequately encouraged by me, those heroes cheerfully said unto me,
"Go and slay the enemies!" And thus receiving the benedictions of those
warriors with glad hearts, and causing the Brahmanas to utter auspicious
words and bowing down to the best of the regenerate ones, and to Siva
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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