e shafts of Salwa in the field of battle, I cheered him
up!

"'And, O Bharata, about this time, a certain person, having his home in
Dwaraka quickly coming to my car, addressed me like a friend, delivering
to me, O hero, a message from Ahuka! He seemed to be one of Ahuka's
followers. And sadly and in a voice choked in sorrow, know, O
Yudhishthira, he said words--"O warrior, Ahuka, the lord of Dwaraka,
hath said these words unto thee! O Kesava, hear what thy father's friend
sayeth: _O son of the Vrishni race, O thou irrepressible one, in thy
absence today Salwa, coming to Dwaraka, hath by main force killed
Vasudeva! Therefore, no need of battle any more. Cease, O Janardana! Do
thou defend Dwaraka! This is thy principal duty!_"--Hearing these words
of his, my heart became heavy, and I could not ascertain what I should
do and what I should not. And, O hero, hearing of that great misfortune,
I mentally censured Satyaki, and _Baladeva_, and also that mighty
Pradyumna. Having reposed on them the duty of protecting Dwaraka and
Vasudeva, I had gone, O son of the Kuru race, to effect the destruction
of Salwa's city. And in a sorrowful heart, I asked myself,--Doth that
destroyer of foes, the mighty-armed _Baladeva_, live, and Satyaki, and
the son of Rukmini and Charudeshna possessed of prowess, and Shamva and
others? For, O thou tiger among men, these living, even the bearer
himself of the thunderbolt could by no means destroy Suta's son
(Vasudeva)! And, thought I, _It is plain that Vasudeva is dead and
equally plain that the others with Baladeva at their head have been
deprived of life_--This was my certain conclusion. And, O mighty king,
thinking of the destruction of those all, I was overwhelmed with grief!
And it was in this state of mind that I encountered Salwa afresh. And
now I saw, O great monarch, Vasudeva himself falling from the car of
precious metals! And, O warrior I swooned away, and, O king of men, my
sire seemed like unto Yayati after the loss of his merit, falling
towards the earth from heaven! And like unto a luminary whose merit hath
been lost saw my father falling, his head-gear foul and flowing loosely,
and his hair and dress disordered. And then the bow _Sharanga_ dropped
from my hand, and, O son of Kunti I swooned away! I sat down on the side
of the car. And, O thou descendant of the Bharata race, seeing me
deprived of consciousness on the car, and as if dead, my entire host
exclaimed _Oh_! and _Alas_! And