Janamejaya said:—O foremost of the twice-born I wish to hear again truly
the incomparable deeds of the intelligent Vāsudeva the foremost of the
Yadus, O you of great effulgence, I have attained to great delight by
hearing of the numberless, wonderful, heavenly and ordinary deeds of
Krishna. O sinless Muni, describe them all to me. (1–3).
Vaishampāyana said:—O king I had already described the many wonderful
feats of the high-souled Keshava and you too have heard them repeatedly.
O you of large arms, O foremost of Bharatas, I have described them many
a time no doubt, but it is impossible to finish them. But O great king,
while you are anxious to listen to an account of the glorious deeds of
Vāsudeva of incomparable power I should describe what little I, can.
Hear, I shall describe them from the beginning (4–6).
While residing at Dwaravati, the intelligent Yadu king Keshava invaded
the territories of many highly powerful kings (7). At that time, a
Dānava, by name Vichakra, who used to seek loop-holes of the Yadavas,
was killed. Going to the city of Prāgyotish situate at the bed of the
ocean the great Keshava killed the wicked Asura Naraka. Vanquishing
Vāsava he, by force, carried away his Pārijāta tree (8–9). In the lake
Lohita the divine Varuna was vanquished by Keshava. In the Deccan the
Karusha king Dantavakra was killed. After he had committed a hundred
offences Shishupala was slain. O king, repairing to the city of Shonita
Mādhava vanquished, in a great battle, the thousand-handed and highly
powerful Vāna the son of Bali protected by Shankara and left him only
alive (10-12). All the fires in the mountains were suppressed by that
high-souled one and Shalwa and Soubha were defeated and killed by him in
battle (13). Having assailed the ocean Janārddana took from him the
conch-shell Paachajanya and Hayagriva and other highly powerful kings
have been killed by him (14). On Jarasandha being slain by him all the
kings have been released. Having vanquished all the kings on a single
car he carried away the daughter of the Gāndhara king. The sons of
Pandu, deprived of their kingdom and stricken with sorrow, were
protected by him. Having consumed the dreadful forest of Khāndava
belonging to Sachi’s lord he conferred Gāndiva, given by fire, on
Arjuna. O Janamejaya, when the dreadful conflict took place, this Yadu
king Janārddana acted as the ambassador. On behalf of the Pāndavas he
promised before Kunti, "After the termination of the Bhārata war I will
return the kingdom to your sons." By him the highly effulgent Nriga was
released of his curse and the well known Kāla Yavana was killed. By him
the highly powerful and irrepressible monkeys Mainda and Dwivida were
defeated in battle and Jāmvavān was vanquished. Although possessed by
death Sandipani’s son and your father was restored to life again. O
Janamejaya, I had already described to you how the kings met with death
in many battles destructive of men (15-23).