"Vasudeva continued, 'Then O thou foremost of the Bharata race, taking
up my beautiful bow, I began to cut off with my arrows the heads of the
enemies of the celestials, from off that car of costly metals! And I
began to discharge from the _Sharanga_ many well-looking arrows of the
forms of snakes, capable of going at a great height and possessing
intense energy. And, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, I could not then
see the car of costly metals, for it had vanished, through illusion! I
was then filled with wonder! That host of Danavas then, O Bharata, of
frightful visages and hair, set up a loud howl while I was waiting for
it, in that fierce battle. I then, with the object of destroying them,
fixed on my bow-string the weapon capable of piercing the foes if but
his sound was inaudible. Upon this, their shouts ceased. But those
Danavas that had sent up that shout were all slain by those shafts of
mine blazing as the Sun himself, and capable of striking at the
perception of sound alone. And after the shout had ceased at one place,
O mighty king, another yell proceeded from another quarter. Thitherto
also I sent my shafts. In this way, O Bharata, the Asuras began to send
up yells in all the ten quarters above and across. These were all slain
by me, _viz_., those that were in the skies and that were invisible,
with arrows of diverse forms, and celestial weapons inspired with
_mantras_. Then, O hero, that car of precious metals capable of going
anywhere at will, bewildering my eyes, reappeared at Pragjyotisha! And
then the destroying Danavas of fierce forms suddenly drowned me with a
mighty shower of rocks. And, O thou foremost of monarchs, torrents of
rocks falling upon me covered me up, and I began to grow like an
ant-hill (with its summits and peaks)! And covered along with my horses
and charioteer and flagstaffs, with crags on all sides, I disappeared
from sight altogether. Then those foremost of heroes of the Vrishni race
who were of my army were struck with panic, and all on a sudden began to
fly in all directions. And beholding me in that plight, O king, the
heaven, the firmament, and the earth were filled with exclamation of
_Oh!_ and _Alas!_ And then, O monarch, my friends filled with sorrow and
grief began to weep and wail with heavy hearts! And delight filled the
hearts of the enemies. And O thou who never waverest, I heard of this
after I had defeated the foe! And then wielding the thunderbolt, that
favourite (weapon) of Indra, capable of riving stones, I destroyed that
entire mass of crags! But my steeds, afflicted with the weight of the
stones and almost on the point of death began to tremble. And beholding
me, all my friends rejoiced again even as men rejoice on seeing the sun
rise in the sky, dispersing the clouds. And seeing my horses almost in
their last gasp for breath, afflicted with that load of stones, my
charioteer said unto me in words suitable to the occasion, "O thou of
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
reason that I could not come to the city named after the elephant
(Hastinapura), O destroyer of hostile heroes! O warrior, if I had come,
Suyodhana would not have been alive or the match at dice would not have
taken place. What can I do now? It is difficult to confine the waters
after the dam is broken!'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Having addressed the Kaurava thus, that
foremost of male persons, of mighty arms, the slayer of Madhu, possessed
of every grace, saluting the Pandavas, prepared for departure. And the
mighty-armed hero reverentially saluted Yudhishthira the just, and the
king in return and Bhima also smelt the crown of his head. And he was
embraced by Arjuna, and the twins saluted him with reverence. And he was
duly honoured by Dhaumya, and worshipped with tears by Draupadi. And
causing Subhadra and Abhimanyu to ascend his golden car, Krishna mounted
it himself, worshipped by the Pandavas. And consoling Yudhishthira,
Krishna set out for Dwaraka on his car resplendent as the sun and unto
which were yoked the horses _Saivya_ and _Sugriva_. And after he of the
Dasharha race had departed, Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, also set
out for his own city, taking with him the sons of Draupadi. And the king
of Chedi, Dhrishtaketu also, taking his sister with him set out for his
beautiful city of Suktimati, after bidding farewell to the Pandavas.
And, O Bharata, the Kaikeyas also, with the permission of Kunti's son
possessed of immeasurable energy, having reverentially saluted all the
Pandavas, went away. But Brahmanas and the Vaisyas and the dwellers of
Yudhishthira's kingdom though repeatedly requested to go, did not leave
the Pandavas. O foremost of kings, O bull of the Bharata race, the
multitude that surrounded those high-souled ones in the forest of
Kamyaka looked extraordinary. And Yudhishthira, honouring those
high-minded Brahmanas, in due time ordered his men, saying '_Make ready
the car_.'"