The destruction of Saubha

Krishna said: O king, when he (Shalva) left the city of the Anarthas, I returned there on the completion of your great Rajasuya sacrifice.

O great king, on my arrival I found Dvarka shorn of its splendour. Vedic recitations and sacrificial offerings were stopped, beautiful damsels were destitute of ornaments and the gardens were devoid of beauty, Alarmed by the sight, I asked the son of Hridika.

"O best of men, why are the men and the women of the Vrishni race are all woc-begone. I desire to hear all about it."

O best of kings, having been thus addressed by me, the son of Hridika narrated to me in detail the invasion of the city by Shalva and his subsequent defeat and departure.

O best of the Bharata race, thereupon having heard all, I instantly made up my mind to kill king Shalva.

O best of the Bharata race, encouraging the citizens, I thus addressed with cheerfulness king Ahuka and Anakadundubhi and also all the chief heroes of the Vrishni race, "O best of the Yadavas, stay all of you in the city with all caution.

Know, I shall go to kill Shalva, Without killing him, I shall not return to the city of Dvarvati.

I will again come back to you after destroying Shalva with his city “Saubha'' made of precious metals. Strike up the three notes of the Dundubhi (musical instrument) which are so dreadful to the foes."

O best of the Bharata race, thus adequately encouraged by me, they all with cheerful hearts said to me, “Go and kill the enemy."

O king, having received the benedictions of those cheerful heroes and having caused the Brahmanas to utter auspicious words and having also bowed down to the best of Brahmanas and to Shiva, I started on my car yoked with (my horses) Shaivya and Sugriva, filling all directions with the clatter of its wheels and blowing that best of conches named the Panchajanya. O best of men, surrounded by my invincible and victorious army consisting of four kinds of troops, all so persevering in battle, I started.

Passing over many countries, mountains and trees, many lakes and rivers, I at last arrived at the country of Martikavata.

O best of men, here did I hear that Shalva was coursing in his (car) Saubha near the ocean. I soon followed him there.

O slayer of foes, having reached the ocean (I saw) Shalva on his (Saubha, car made of precious metal in the midst of the ocean full of heaving billows.

O Yudhishthira, having seen ine from a distance, that wicked-minded (Asura) challenged me again and again to the fight.

Many arrows, each capable of piercing to the very heart, discharged from my bow, did not reach his car. Thereupon I became filled with wrath.

O king, that greatly sinful and irrepressibly powerful wretch of a Daitya's son began to shoot at me thousands of arrows in torrents.

O descendant of Bharata, he showered arrows on my soldiers, on my charioteer and on my horses. But without much caring for his arrows, we continued to fight.

Thereupon those warriors who were at the command of Shalva showced on me thousands of straight arrows.

The Asura heroes covered my horses, my car and my charioteer, Daruka, with arrows cach capable of piercing to the very heart.

O nero, I could not at that time see either my car or horses or my charioteer Daruka. For ! and my soldiers were covered with arrows.

O son of Kunti, thereupon I too discharged from my bows tens of thousands of arrows inspiring them with proper Mantras and shooting them with celestials methods.

O descendant of Bharata, as that (car) Saubha made of precious metals was in the sky full two miles off, it could not be seen by my troops.

Therefore, they only looked on from that field of battle like (so many) spectators in a place of annusement but they cheered me on by clappings and by shouts loud as the roars of lions.

The beautiful arrows discharged from the fore part of my hand penetrated into the bodies of the Danavas like biting insects.

Thereupon loud cries of those dying of the wounds inflicted by the arrows rose on the Saubha (car); and they (those wounded) fell into the water of the great ocean.

Having lost their arms and necks and having appeared like Kabandhas (a sort of headless ghosts), the Danavas fell (down into the sea) with fearful cries.

As they fell, they were devoured by the animals, living in the waters of the ocean. Thereupon 1 powerfully blew the (conch) Panchajanya, which was obtained from the waters and which was as graceful as the lotus stock and as white as the milk or the Kunda flower or the moon or the silver. Having seen them fall, the king of Saubha Shalva. Began to fight with me with the help of illusion. Then he began to hurl upon me clubs, plough-shares, winged darts, lances, javelins, thunder-bolts, nooses, broad-swords, bullets, shafts, axes and rockets.

Allowing them to come towards me, I soon destroyed them all by counter illusion. On mis illusion being rendered ineffectual he began to fight with mountain-peaks.

O descendant of Bharata, then there was darkness and light alternately, the day was now fair, now gloomy and now hot and now cold. There was a fearful shower of cools, ashes and weapons. Creating such illusions, the enemy fought with me.

Knowing this, I destroyed his illusion by counter illusion; and at the proper times I showered arrows all around.

O great king, O son of Kunti, then the sky blazed forth with one hundred suns, with one hundred moons and thousands and tens of thousands of stars.

None could ascertain whether it was then day or night. None could distinguish even the points of heaven. Thereupon becoming bewildered, I fixed on my bowstring the weapon, named Prajnastra.

O son of Kunti, that weapon rushed onwards like flakes of cotton blown away by the winds. Tlien a great and hair-stirring battle took place. O king of kings, having rcguined light, I again fought with the enemy.