Chapter 233

Vaisampayana said, “Then Kesava, the slayer of Madhu, also calledJanardana, having conversed on various agreeable themes with theillustrious sons of Pandu and with those Brahmanas that were headed byMarkandeya and having bid them farewell, mounted his car and called forSatyabhama. And Satyabhama then, having embraced the daughter of Drupada,addressed her in these cordial words expressive of her feelings towardsher: ‘O Krishna, let there be no anxiety, no grief, for thee! Thou hastno cause to pass thy nights in sleeplessness, for thou wilt surely obtainback the earth subjugated by thy husbands, who are all equal unto thegods. O thou of black eyes, women endued with such disposition andpossessed of such auspicious marks, can never suffer misfortune long. Ithath been heard by me that thou shall, with thy husbands, certainly enjoythis earth peacefully and freed from all thorns! And, O daughter ofDrupada, thou shalt certainly behold the earth ruled by Yudhishthiraafter the sons of Dhritarashtra have been slain and the deeds of theirhostility avenged! Thou wilt soon behold those wives of the Kurus, who,deprived of sense by pride, laughed at thee while on thy way to exile,themselves reduced to a state of helplessness and despair! Know them all,O Krishna, that did thee any injury while thou wert afflicted, to havealready gone to the abode of Yama. Thy brave sons, Prativindhya byYudhishthira and Sutasoma by Bhima, and Srutakarman by Arjuna, andSatanika by Nakula, and Srutasena begot by Sahadeva, are well and havebecome skilled in weapons. Like Abhimanyu they are all staying atDwaravati, delighted with the place. And Subhadra also, cheerfully andwith her whole soul, looketh after them like thee, and like thee joyethin them and deriveth much happiness from them. Indeed, she grieveth intheir griefs and joyeth in their joys. And the mother of Pradyumna alsoloveth them with her whole soul. And Kesava with his sons Bhanu andothers watcheth over them with especial affection. And my mother-in-lawis ever attentive in feeding and clothing them. And the Andhakas andVrishnis, including Rama and others, regard them with affection. And, Obeautiful lady, their affection for thy sons is equal unto what they feelfor Pradyumna.

“Having said these agreeable and truthful and cordial words, Satyabhamadesired to go to Vasudeva’s car. And the wife of Krishna then walkedround the queen of the Pandavas. And having done so the beautifulSatyabhama mounted the car of Krishna. And the chief of the Yadavas,comforting Draupadi with a smile and causing the Pandavas to return, setout for his own city, with swift horses (yoked unto his car).”