03.015
Pancharatra: Krishna narrates the reason for going after Shalva.
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O Kṛṣṇa, O delight of the Vṛṣṇis, how did your absence occur? Where was your separation? Or what did you do as a traveler? (3-15-1)
Kṛṣṇa said.
O best of men, bull among the Bharatas, I went to the city Saubha of Śālva to destroy it; there, hear my reason. (3-15-2)
Śiśupāla, the heroic son of Damaghoṣa, who was a king of great fame, mighty arms, and great brilliance, has been slain by me. (3-15-3)
O best of the Bharatas, in your Rājasūya sacrifice, he, the wicked-minded one, overcome by the power of anger, could not endure the honors given to others. (3-15-4)
O Bhārata, having heard that Śālva was slain, filled with intense anger, he approached the empty city of Dvārakā while I was here.
O king, he fought there with the boys and the foremost of the Vṛṣṇis; then, having come, he mounted the Saubha, which moved at will, and committed cruel deeds. (3-15-6)
Then, after killing those many children, the mighty Vṛṣṇis, at that time the evil-minded one destroyed all the city gardens. (3-15-7)
Having spoken thus, O mighty-armed one, where has that lowest of the Vṛṣṇi clan, Vāsudeva, the very dull-minded son of Vasudeva, gone? (3-15-8)
I am the destroyer of the pride in battle of him who seeks war. O Anartas, declare this truly: I will go there where he is. (3-15-9)
Having slain him, I shall return, O destroyer of Kamsa and Keshi. Without slaying him, I shall not return; by truth, I take up my weapon. (3-15-10)
Saying, "Where is he, where is he?", he again runs here and there, desiring a fight with me in battle, that king of the Saubhas. (3-15-11)
Today, out of anger at the killing of Śiśupāla, I will send that base, evil-doing betrayer of trust to Yama's abode. (3-15-12)
Because of my evil nature, the brother who was cast down by Śiśupāla, the king, I shall slay him on the earth. (3-15-13)
Whether he is a brother, a child, or a king, and even if not in the forefront of battle, if he is a negligent and slain hero, I shall slay that Janardana. (3-15-14)
O great king, after lamenting in this way, he ascended to heaven in the wish-moving Saubha and cast me away, O joy of the Kurus. (3-15-15)
O Kauravya, I went and heard all that happened—how the very evil-minded, wicked-souled king of Mrittikāvata acted towards me. (3-15-16)
Then I too, O Kauravya, my eyes filled with anger, firmly resolved in my mind, O king, to kill him. (3-15-17)
O Kaurava, in the Anarta region, there was conflict and abuse directed at himself, and the arrogance of that evil-doer had greatly increased. (3-15-18)
Then, O lord of the earth, I set out for the destruction of Saubha. There, in the whirlpool of the ocean, I saw him, eager to achieve his purpose. (3-15-19)
Then, O king, after blowing the Panchajanya conch, I summoned Śālva and stood ready for battle. (3-15-20)
There was a battle for a good while with the Dānavas there; all my subdued forces were cast down to the earth. (3-15-21)
O mighty-armed one, this was the reason why I did not come then; for I had just heard about the dice-game and the impropriety that had arisen in Hastinapura. (3-15-22)
