The destruction of Saubha

Yudhishthira said : O Vasudeva, O mighty-armed and highminded hero, tell me in detail the account of the death of the king of Saubha I am not as yet fully satisfied.

Krishna said: O mighty-armed king, O best of the Bharata race, having heard that the son of Shrutasrava (Shishupala) was killed, Shalva came to the city of Daravati.

O son of Pandu, the wicked-minded Shalva, stationing his forces in battle-array, invaded that city all around and from above.

Thereupon, that ruler of earth, stationing himself in the sky, began to fight with that city. The battle commenced with a thick shower of weapons form all sides.

The city (was then) well furnished with pennons, arches, soldiers, walls, turrets, engines and miners.

With streets barricaded with spiked woodworks, with towers and edifices on gateways, with plentiful provisions, with offensive weapons, with engines for hurling burning brands and fires.

O best of the Bharata race, O king, with deer-skin vessels (for carrying water), with trumpets, taboos and drums, with lances and forks and Sataghnis, with plough-shares. With rockets, stones, battle-axes and other weapons, with shields protected by iron, with engines for hurling balls and bullets and fires.

O best of the Bharata race, all this was keptaccording to the Shastras.It was also wellprotected by numerous cars and also by Gada, Samba, Udhava and others. O best of the Kurus and also by warriors of prowess, all well-tried in battle, all well-born and all capable of encountering any foe. All these warriors, placing themselves in commanding positions and being aided by cavalry and standard bearers, began to protect the city. To prevent carelessness and to avoid danger Ugrasena, Udhava and others, proclaimed throughout the city that none should drink liquor.

Well-knowing that they would be killed by king Shalva, if they became intoxicated all the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, remained sober and watchful.

The guards soon drove out of the city all actors, dancers and singers of the Anartha country.

O descendant of Kuru, all the bridges over rivers were destroyed and boats were forbidden to ply (in those rivers) and the trenches around the city were spiked with poles at the bottom, O best of the Kurus, the land around the city for full two miles was rendered uneven and holes and pits were dug there; combustibles were secreted below its surface.

O sinless one, our fort is naturally strong. It is always well-defended and filled with all kinds of weapons.

And in consequence of the preparations made, our city became then more prepared than ever to meet the enemy. O best of the Bharata race, in consequence of all this, it looked like the abode of Indra.

O king, when Shalva thus came, none could, without presenting the sign, that was agreed upon, either enter or leave the city of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas.

O descendant of Kuru, O great king, all the streets of the city and its open spaces were filled with numerous horses and elephants.

O mighty-arined hero, the soldiers were all gratified with the allowances, wages, rations, weapons and dresses (that were given to them).

Among those soldiers there was none who was not paid in gold, who was not paid at all, who was not somehow obliged and who was not of tried valour.

O lotus-eyed hero, it was thus that Dvarka, abounding in well-ordered arrangements, was defended by Ahuka (Ugrasena).