said to have been owned by Vishnu. This last (Sarnga), capable of
striking fear into the hearts of hostile warriors, was held by Krishna.
The bow called Gandiva was obtained by Indra's son (Arjuna) from Agni on
the occasion of the burning of Khandava, while the bow called Vijaya was
obtained from Drona by Rukmi of great energy. Baffling the nooses of Mura
and slaying by his might that Asura, and vanquishing Naraka, the son of
the Earth, Hrishikesa, while recovering the begemmed ear-rings (of
Aditi), with sixteen thousand girls and various kinds of jewels and gems,
obtained that excellent bow called Sarnga. And Rukmi having obtained the
bow called Vijaya whose twang resembled the roar of the clouds came to
the Pandavas, as if inspiring the whole universe with dread. Formerly,
proud of the might of his own arms, the heroic Rukmi could not tolerate
the ravishment of his sister Rukmini by wise Vasudeva. He had set out in
pursuit, having sworn that he would not return without having slain
Janardana. And accompanied by a large army consisting of four kinds of
forces that occupied (as it marched) a very large portion of the earth,
accoutred in handsome coats of mail and armed with diverse weapons and
resembling the swollen current of the Ganga, that foremost of all
wielders of weapons set out in pursuit of Vasudeva of Vrishni's race. And
having come up to him of Vrishni's race who was lord and master of
everything obtainable by ascetic austerities, Rukmi, O king, was
vanquished and covered with shame. And for this he returned not to (his
city) Kundina. And on the spot where that slayer of hostile heroes was
vanquished by Krishna, he built an excellent city named Bhojakata. And, O
king, that city filled with large forces and teeming with elephants
and steeds, is widely known on the earth by that name. Endued with great
energy, that hero, cased in mail and armed with bows, fences, swords and
quivers, quickly entered the Pandava camp, surrounded by an Akshauhini of
troops. And Rukmi entered that vast army, under a standard effulgent as
the sun, and made himself known to the Pandavas, from desire of doing
what was agreeable to Vasudeva. King Yudhishthira, advancing a few steps,
offered him worship. And duly worshipped and eulogised by the Pandavas,
Rukmi saluted them in return and rested for a while with his troops. And
addressing Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti in the midst of the heroes there
assembled, he said, 'If, O son of Pandu, t