"Yudhishthira said, 'O Krishna, why wert thou absent (from the Anartta
country)? And, O descendant of the Vrishni race, while thou wert away,
where didst thou dwell? And what didst thou do while out of thy
kingdom?'
"Krishna said, 'O bull of the Bharata race, I had gone for the purpose
of destroying the (ranging) city Salwa. And, O foremost of the
Kauravas, listen to the reasons I had for so doing! The heroic son of
Damaghosha, the well-known king Sisupala of mighty arms and great
energy, was slain by me, O best of Bharatas, at thy _Rajasuya_
sacrifice, because that wicked one could not from anger bear to see the
first worship offered to me! Hearing that he had been slain, Salwa,
burning with fierce anger, came to Dwaraka, while, O Bharata, it was
empty, myself being away, residing with you here. And having arrived
there on a car made of precious metals and hence called the _Souva_, he
had an encounter with the youthful princes of the Vrishni race--those
bulls of that line--and fought with them mercilessly. And slaughtering
many youthful Vrishnis of heroic valour, the wicked one devastated all
the gardens of the city. And, O thou of mighty arms, he said, "Where is
that wretch of the Vrishni race, Vasudeva, the evil-souled son of
Vasudeva? I will humble in battle the pride of that person so eager for
fight! Tell me truly, _O Anarttas_! I will go there where he is. And
after killing that slayer of Kansa and Kesi, will I return! By my weapon
I swear that I will not return without slaying him!" And exclaiming
repeatedly--_Where is he? Where is he?_ the lord of Saubha rusheth to
this place and that, desirous of encountering me in battle. And Salwa
also said, "Impelled by wrath for the destruction of Sisupala I shall
today send to the mansion of Yama that treacherous miscreant of mean
mind." And, O king, he further said, "That Janardana shall I slay, who,
wretch that he is, hath killed my brother who was but a boy of tender
years, and who was slain not on the field of battle, unprepared as he
was!" Having, O great king, wailed thus, and having, O son of the Kuru
race, abused me thus, he rose into the sky on his car of precious metals
capable of going anywhere at will! On returning (to my kingdom) I heard
what, O Kaurava, the evil-minded and wicked king of Maticka had said
regarding myself! And, O descendant of the Kuru race, I was agitated
with wrath, and, O king, having reflected upon everything, I set my
heart upon slaying him! And, learning, O Kauravya, of his oppression of
the _Anarttas_, of his abuse of myself, and of his excessive arrogance,
I resolved upon the destruction of that wretch! And, O lord of earth, I
accordingly set out (from my city), for slaying the (lord of) the
Saubha. And searching him here and there, I found him in an island in
the midst of the ocean! Then, O king, blowing my conch called the
_Panchajanya_ obtained from the sea, and challenging Salwa to combat, I
stood for the fight! At that instant, I had an encounter with numerous
Danavas, all of whom, however, I subdued and prostrated on the ground. O
mighty-armed one, it was owing to this affair that I could not then come
(unto thee)! As soon as I heard of the unfair game of dice at
Hastinapura, I have come here desirous of seeing ye who have been
plunged in distress.'"