Chapter 141

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Unvanquished by Drona, and Radha’s son and Vikarnaand Kritavarman, how could the heroic Satyaki, never before checked inbattle, having after his promise to Yudhishthira crossed the ocean of theKaurava troops, being humiliated by the Kuru warrior Bhurisravas andforcibly thrown on the ground?’

“Sanjaya said, ‘Hear, O king, about the origin, in the past times, ofSini’s grandson, and of how Bhurisravas also came to be descended. Thiswill clear thy doubts. Atri had for son Soma. Soma’s son was calledVudha. Vudha had one son, of the splendour of the great Indra, calledPururavas. Pururavas had a son called Ayus. Ayus had for his son Nahusha.Nahusha had for his son Yayati who was a royal sage equal to a celestial.Yayati had by Devayani Yadu for his eldest son. In Yadu’s race was born ason of the name of Devamidha of Yadu’s race had a son named Sura,applauded in the three worlds. Sura had for his son that foremost of men,viz., the celebrated Vasudeva. Foremost in bowmanship, Sura was equal toKartavirya in battle. In Sura’s race and equal unto Sura in energy was,born Sini, O king! About this time, O king, occurred the Swayamvara. ofthe high-souled Devaka’s daughter, in which all the Kshatriyas werepresent. In that self-choice, Sini vanquishing all the kings, quicklytook up on his car the princess Devaki for the sake of Vasudeva.Beholding the princess Devaki on Sini’s car, that bull among men, viz.,the brave Somadatta of mighty energy could not brook the sight. A battle,O king, ensued between the two which lasted for half a day and wasbeautiful and wonderful to behold. The battle that took place betweenthose two mighty men was a wrestling encounter. That bull among men,viz., Somadatta, was forcibly thrown down on the earth by Sini. Upliftinghis sword and seizing him by the hair, Sini struck his foe with his foot,in the midst of many thousands of kings who stood as spectators allaround. At last, from compassion, he let him off, saying, ‘Live!’ Reducedto that plight by Sini, Somadatta, O sire, under the influence of wrathbegan to pay his adorations to Mahadeva for inducing the latter to blesshim. That great lord of all boon-giving deities viz., Mahadeva, becamegratified with him and asked him to solicit the boon he desired. Theroyal Somadatta then solicited the following boon, ‘I desire a soon, Odivine lord, who will strike Sini’s son in the midst of thousands ofkings and who will in battle strike him with his foot.’ Hearing thesewords, O king, of Somadatta, the god saying, ‘So be it,’ disappeared thenand there. It was in consequence of the gift of that boon that Somadattasubsequently obtained the highly charitable Bhurisravas for son, and itwas for this, Somadatta’s son threw down Sini’s descendant in battle andstruck him, before the eyes of the whole army, with his foot. I have nowtold thee, O king, what thou hadst asked me. Indeed, the Satwata hero isincapable of being vanquished in battle by even the foremost of men. TheVrishni heroes are all of sure aim in battle, and are conversant with allmodes of warfare. They are vanquishers of the very gods, the Danavas andthe Gandharvas. They are never confounded. They always fight, relyingupon their own energy. They are never dependent on others. None, O lord,are seen in this world to be equal to the Vrishni’s. None, O bull ofBharata’s race, have been, are, or will be equal in might to theVrishni’s. They never show disrespect to their kinsmen. They are alwaysobedient to the commands of those that are reverend in years. The verygods and Asuras and Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Uragas and the Rakshasascannot vanquish the Vrishni heroes, what need be said of men, therefore,in battle? They never covet also the possessions of those that everrender them aid on any occasion of distress. Devoted to the Brahmanas andtruthful in speech, they never display any pride although they arewealthy. The Vrishnis regard even the strong as weak and rescue them fromdistress. Always devoted to the gods, the Vrishnis are self-restrained,charitable, and free from pride. It is for this that the prowess,[173] ofthe Vrishnis is never baffled. A person may remove the mountains of Meruor swim across the ocean but cannot defeat the Vrishnis. I have told theeeverything about which thou hadst thy doubts. All this, however, O kingof the Kurus, that is happening is due to thy evil policy, O best ofmen!'”