up I once more
hurled it with force saying, 'Go thou unto Salwa.' The discus then cleft
Salwa in twain who in that fierce conflict was at the point of hurling a
heavy mace. And with its energy it set the foe ablaze. And after that
brave warrior was slain, the disheartened Danava women fled in all
directions, exclaiming Oh! and Alas! And taking my chariot in front of
the town of Saubha I cheerfully blew my conch and gladdened the hearts of
my friends. And beholding their town, high as the peak of the Meru, with
its palaces and gate-ways utterly destroyed, and all ablaze, the Danavas
fled in fear. And having thus destroyed the town of Saubha and slain
Salwa, I returned to the Anarttas and delighted my friends. And, O king,
it is for this reason that I could not come to the city named after the
elephant (Hastinapura), O destroyer of hostile heroes! O warrior, if I
had come, Suyodhana would not have been alive or the match at dice would
not have taken place. What can I do now? It is difficult to confine the
waters after the dam is broken!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Having addressed the Kaurava thus, that foremost
of male persons, of mighty arms, the slayer of Madhu, possessed of every
grace, saluting the Pandavas, prepared for departure. And the
mighty-armed hero reverentially saluted Yudhishthira the just, and the
king in return and Bhima also smelt the crown of his head. And he was
embraced by Arjuna, and the twins saluted him with reverence. And he was
duly honoured by Dhaumya, and worshipped with tears by Draupadi. And
causing Subhadra and Abhimanyu to ascend his golden car, Krishna, mounted
it himself, worshipped by the Pandavas. And consoling Yudhishthira,
Krishna set out for Dwaraka on his car resplendent as the sun and unto
which were yoked the horses Saivya and Sugriva. And after he of the
Dasharha race had departed, Dhristadyumna, the son of Prishata, also set
out for his own city, taking with him the sons of Draupadi. And the king
of Chedi, Dhrishtaketu also, taking his sister with him set out for his
beautiful city of Suktimati, after bidding farewell to the Pandavas. And,
O Bharata, the Kaikeyas also, with the permission of Kunti's son
possessed of immeasurable energy, having reverentially saluted all the
Pandavas, went away. But Brahmanas and the Vaisyas and the dwellers of
Yudhishthira's kingdom though repeatedly requested to go, did not leave
the Pandavas. O foremost of king, O bull of the Bharata race, the