of distress. Thou art devoted to truth. Thou art a hero. Thou art
the dispeller of the fears of friends. Thou art celebrated in the world,
in consequence of thy acts, O hero, as one that is truthful in speech.
He, O grandson of Sini, who casteth away his body while fighting in
battle for friends, is equal to him who giveth away to Brahmanas the
whole earth. We have heard of various kings gone to heaven, having given
away the whole of this earth unto Brahmanas with due rites. O thou of
virtuous soul, I beg of thee, with joined hands, even this viz., that, O
lord, attain thou the fruit of giving away (unto Brahmanas) the whole
earth, or something higher than that by incurring danger to thy life
itself for helping Arjuna. There is one, viz., Krishna, that dispeller of
the fears of friends, who is ever willing to cast away his life in battle
(for the sake of friends). Thou, O Satyaki, art the second. None but a
hero can render aid unto a hero, exerting valorously in battle, from
desire of fame. An ordinary person cannot do so. In this matter, here is
none else but thee who can protect Arjuna. On one occasion, while
applauding thy numerous feats, Arjuna, giving me great pleasure
repeatedly recited them. He said of thee that thou art endued with
extreme lightness of hand, that thou art conversant with all modes of
warfare, that thou art possessed of great activity and great prowess. He
said, 'Satyaki is endued with great wisdom, is acquainted with every
weapon, is a hero, and is never stupefied in battle. Of broad neck and
broad chest, of mighty arms and broad cheeks, or great strength and great
prowess, Satyaki is a high-souled Maharatha. He is my disciple and
friend; I am dear to him and he is dear to me. Becoming my ally,
Yuyudhana will crush the Kauravas. Even if Kesava and Rama, and
Aniruddha, and the mighty car-warrior Pradyumna, and Gada, and Sarana,
and Samva, with all the Vrishnis, case themselves in mail for assisting
us, O king, in the field of battle, I shall yet appoint that tiger among
men viz., Satyaki of unbaffled prowess, for our aid, since there is none
equal to him.' Even this is what Dhananjaya told me in the Dwaita woods,
in thy absence, while truly describing thy merits in an assembly of
righteous persons. It behoveth thee not, O thou of the Vrishni race, to
falsify that expectation of Dhananjaya, and also of myself and Bhima!
When, returning from various tirthas, I proceeded to Dwaraka, there I
witnessed