fflicted 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 (Kritavarman) relate to me in detail
the invasion of the city by Salwa, and his subsequent departure from it.
And, O thou foremost of Bharatas, hearing all, even then I made up my
mind to slay Salwa. And encouraging the citizens, O best of Bharatas, I
cheerfully addressed king Ahuka, and Anakdundhuvi, and the chief heroes
of the Vrishni race, saying, "Do ye, O bulls among the Yadavas, stay in
the city, taking every care, and know that I go to slay Salwa! I return
not to the city of Dwaravati without slaying him. I will again come to
ye having compassed the destruction of Salwa together with his car of
precious metals. Do ye strike up the sharp and middle and flat notes of
the Dundhuvi so dreadful to foes!" And O thou bull of the Bharata race,
thus adequately encouraged by me, those heroes cheerfully said unto me,
"Go and slay the enemies!" And thus receiving the benedictions of those
warriors with glad hearts, and causing the Brahmanas to utter auspicious
words and bowing down to the best of the regenerate ones, and to Siva
also, I set out on my car unto which were yoked the horses _Saivya_, and
_Sugriva_, filling all sides with the clatter (of my wheels) and blowing
that best of conchs, the _Panchajanya_! And, O king, O tiger among men,
accompanied by my redoubted and victorious army consisting of the four
kinds of the forces so persevering in battle, I set out. And leaving
many countries, and mountains, crowned with trees, and pieces of water,
and streams, I at last arrived at the country of Matrikavarta. It is
there, O thou tiger among men, that I heard that Salwa was coursing on
his car of precious metals near the ocean, and I followed in his
pursuit. And, O thou slayer of thy foes, having reached the ma