hty host and began to fight
with all. And, O great king, a well-known Danava named Vivindhya, a
mighty warrior wielding a large and powerful bow, encountered
Charudeshna! And, O monarch, the encounter between Charudeshna and
Vivindhya was as fierce as that in days of yore between Vritra and
Vasava! And enraged with each other the combatants pierced each other
with their arrows, uttering loud roars like unto two powerful lions! Then
the son of Rukmini fixed on his bow-string a mighty weapon possessing the
splendour of fire or the sun, and capable of destroying all foes, having
first vivified it with incantations! Then, O monarch, that mighty warrior
my son, fired with wrath, challenged Vivindhya and discharged the weapon
at him. And the Danava struck with that weapon, fell down on the ground a
lifeless corpse! And beholding Vivindhya slain, and the whole host waver,
Salwa advanced again on his beautiful car capable of going everywhere.
And, O king of mighty arms, beholding Salwa on that beautiful car of his,
the combatants of Dwaraka wavered with fear! But, O thou of the Kuru
race, Pradyumna sailed out, and, O great king, bidding the Anarttas be of
good cheer, said, 'Waver ye not, and staying behold me fight I Even I
shall, by force, repell that car with Salwa on it! Ye Yadavas, this day,
I shall, with my weapons like unto serpents discharged from my bow with
my hand, destroy this host of the lord of Saubha! Be of good cheer, ye
all! Fear not! The lord of Saubha will be slain today! Attached by me,
the wretch will meet with destruction together with his car!' O son of
Pandu, upon Pradyumna speaking thus with cheerful heart, the Yadava host,
O hero, remained on the field, and began to fight cheerfully!'"

SECTION XVII

"Vasudeva continued, 'O bull of the Bharata race, having spoken thus unto
the Yadavas, the son of Rukmini (Pradyumna) ascended his golden car. And
the car he rode was drawn by excellent steeds in mail. And over it stood
a standard bearing the figure of a Makara with gaping mouth and fierce as
Yama. And with his steeds, more flying than running on the ground, he
rushed against the foe And the hero equipped with quiver and sword, with
fingers cased in leather, twanged his bow possessed of the splendour of
the lightning, with great strength, and transferring it from hand to
hand, as if in contempt of the enemy, spread confusion among the Danavas
and other warriors of the city of Saubha. And as hot in conte