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
the Vrishni race, behold Salwa the owner of the car of precious metals
sitting (yonder). Do not disregard him! Do thou exert thyself! Do thou
abandon thy mildness and consideration for Salwa. Slay Salwa, O thou of
mighty arms! O Kesava, do not let him live! O hero, O thou destroyer of
those that are not thy friends (enemies), an enemy should be slain with
every exertion! Even a weak enemy who is under the feet of a man endued
with strength, should not be disregarded by the latter: what (shall I
say) of one that dareth us to the fight? Therefore, O thou tiger among
men, putting forth every exertion, slay him, O lord, O thou foremost of
the Vrishni race! Do thou not delay again! This one is not capable of
being vanquished by milder measures. And he cannot in my opinion be thy
friend who is fighting thee and who devastated Dwaraka!" O Kaunteya,
hearing such words of my charioteer, and knowing that what he said was
true, I directed my attention to the fight (afresh), with the view of
slaying Salwa and destroying the car of costly metals! And, O hero,
saying unto Daruka, "_Stay a moment_" I fixed on my bow-string my
favourite weapon of fire, blazing and of celestial origin, of
irresistible force, and incapable of being baffled, bursting with
energy, capable of penetrating into everything, and of great splendour!
And saying, "_Destroy the car of precious metals together with all those
enemies that are in it_" I launched with the might of my arms and in
wrath with _mantras_, the great powerful discus _Sudarsana_ which
reduceth to ashes in battle Yakshas and Rakshasas and Danavas and kings
born in impure tribes, sharp-edged like the razor, and without stain,
like unto Yama the destroyer, and incomparable, and which killeth
enemies. And rising into the sky, it seemed like a second sun of
exceeding effulgence at the end of the _Yuga_. And approaching the town
of Saubha whose splendour had disappeared, the discus went right through
it, even as a saw divideth a tall tree. And cut in twain by the energy
of the Sudarsana it fell like the city of Tripura shaken by the shafts
of Maheswara. And after the town of Saubha had fallen, the discus came
back into my hands. And taking it up I once more hurled it with force
saying, "_Go thou unto Salwa_." The discus then cleft Salwa in twain who
in that fierce conflict was at the point of hurling a heavy mace. And
with its energy it set the foe ablaze. And after that brave warrior was
slain, the disheartened Danava women fled in all directions, exclaiming
_Oh!_ and _Alas!_ And taking my chariot in front of the town of Saubha I
cheerfully blew my conch and gladdened the hearts of my friends. And
beholding their town, high as the peak of the Meru, with its palaces and
gate-ways utterly destroyed, and all ablaze, the Danavas fled in fear.
And having thus destroyed the town of Saubha and slain Salwa, I returned
to the Anarttas and delighted my friends. And, O king, it is for this
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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