hand, cut all
those weapons off as they reached him. Finding his arrows cut by
Pradyumna, the lord of Saubha, having recourse to the dreadful illusion
natural to Asuras began to pour a thick shower of arrows. But cutting
into pieces those powerful Daitya weapons shot at him in mid-career by
means of his Brahma weapon, Pradyumna discharged winged shafts of other
kings. And these delighting in blood, warding off the shafts of Daitya,
pierced his head, bosom and face. And at those wounds Salwa fell down
senseless. And on the mean-minded Salwa falling down, afflicted with
Pradyumna's arrows, the son of Rukmini aimed another arrow at him,
capable of destroying every foe. And beholding that arrow worshipped by
all the Dasarhas, and flaming like fire and fatal as a venomous snake,
fixed on the bow-string, the firmament was filled with exclamations of
Oh! and Alas! Then all the celestials with Indra and the lord of
treasures (Kubera) at their head sent Narada and the god of wind endued
with the speed of the mind. And these two approaching the son of Rukmini
delivered unto him the message of the celestial, saying, O hero, king
Salwa is nor to be slain by thee! Do thou draw back the arrow. He is
unslayable by thee in fight! There breatheth not a person who cannot be
killed by that arrow! O thou of mighty arms, the Creator hath ordained
his death at the hands of Krishna, the son of Devaki! Let this be not
falsified!--Thereupon with a glad heart, Pradyumna withdrew that best of
arrows from his excellent bow and deposited it back in his quiver. And
then, O foremost of kings, the mighty Salwa, afflicted with the arrows of
Pradyumna, rose disheartened, and speedily went away. Then O king, the
wicked Salwa, thus afflicted by the Vrishnis, mounted on his car of
precious metals, and leaving Dwaraka scudded through the skies!'"

SECTION XX

"Vasudeva said, 'When Salwa had left the city of the Anarttas, I returned
to it, O king, on the completion of thy great Rajasuya sacrifice! On my
arrival I found Dwaraka shorn of its splendour, and, O great monarch,
there were not sounds of Vedic recitation or sacrificial offering, And
the excellent damsels were all destitute of ornaments, and the gardens
were devoid of beauty. And alarmed by the aspect, I asked the son of
Hridika saying, 'Why is it that the men and women of the city of the
Vrishnis are so woe-begone, O tiger among men?' O thou best of kings thus
asked the son of Hridika (Kritavar