Chapter 20
“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 said, ‘When Salwa had left the city of the Anarttas, I returnedto it, O king, on the completion of thy great Rajasuya sacrifice!
“Sanjaya said, ‘Duryodhana, O king, and thy son Sudarsa, the only two ofthy children yet unslain, were at that time in the midst of the (Kaurava)cavalry.
“Vamadeva continued, ‘When the king, who is powerful, acts unrighteouslytowards the weak, they who take their birth in his race imitate the sameconduct.
“Yudhishthira said, ‘Thou hast, O grandsire, discoursed to me, in detailon the merits that attach to the gift of gold agreeably with theordinances laid down in the scriptures as indicated in the auditions ofthe Veda.
“Bhishma said, ‘After he had quartered there, on third day, O king,Jamadagni’s son of high vows, sent a message to me, saying, ‘I have comehere, do what is agreeable to me.’
“Sanjaya said, ‘That arm (of Bhurisravas) decked with Angada and thesword in its grasp (thus cut off), fell down on the earth to the greatgrief of all living creatures.
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!
“Sanjaya said, ‘After that elephant-division had been destroyed, OBharata, by the son of Pandu, and while thy army was being thusslaughtered by
“Vamadeva said, ‘The king should win victories without battles. Victoriesachieved by battles are not spoken of highly. O monarch, by the wise.
‘The Deities said, ‘The Asura named Taraka who has received boons fromthee, O puissant one, is afflicting the deities and the Rishis. Let hisdeath be ordained by thee. O Grandsire, great has been our fear from him.O illustrious one, do thou rescue us. We have no other refuge than thee.’