Chapter 21
“Vasudeva said, ‘O thou tiger among men, my great enemy king Salwa, thusencountered by me in battle, again ascended the sky.
“Vasudeva said, ‘O thou tiger among men, my great enemy king Salwa, thusencountered by me in battle, again ascended the sky.
“Vasudeva said, ‘When Salwa had left the city of the Anarttas, I returnedto it, O king, on the completion of thy great Rajasuya sacrifice!
Vasudeva continued, Thus addressed, the son of Suta race replied in hasteunto Pradyumna, that foremost of all endued with strength, in these sweetwords, ‘O son of Rukmini, I fear not to guide the horses on the field ofbattle, and I am acquainted also with the customs of the Vrishnis in war!
“Vasudeva continued, ‘O king, afflicted with the arrows of Salwa, whenPradyumna became senseless the Vrishnis who had come to the fight wereall disheartened and filled with grief!
“Vasudeva continued, ‘O bull of the Bharata race, having spoken thus untothe Yadavas, the son of Rukmini (Pradyumna) ascended his golden car.
“Vasudeva continued, ‘O king of kings, Salwa, the lord of Saubha, cametowards our city with an immense force consisting of infantry, cavalryand elephants!
“Yudhishthira said, ‘O illustrious Vasudeva of mighty arms, tell thou indetail of the death of the lord of Saubha. My curiosity hath not beenappeased by the narration.’
“Yudhishthira said, ‘O Krishna, why wert thou absent (from the Anarttacountry)? 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?’
“Vasudeva said, O lord of earth, if I had been present at Dwaraka, then,O king, this evil would not have befallen thee!
Vaisampayana said, ‘Hearing that the Pandavas had been banished, theBhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas went to those heroes residing inaffliction in the great forest.