The battle between the Yadus and Śālva’s army raged fiercely. Even as torrents of weapons poured down upon them, the heroic Vṛṣṇis refused to abandon the fight, each warrior resolved to conquer both this world and the next. Among Śālva’s ranks was Dyumān, a formidable minister who had once bested Pradyumna. Now, Dyumān approached Pradyumna with a heavy mace, struck him with a mighty blow, and roared triumphantly. Pradyumna, ever the subduer of enemies, suffered greatly—his chest shattered by the force of the mace. Seeing his master fallen and unconscious, Pradyumna’s charioteer, the righteous son of Dāruka, quickly carried him away from the battlefield. After a brief moment, Pradyumna regained consciousness. He turned to his charioteer and spoke in distress: “Ah, how improper it is, O charioteer, that you have withdrawn me from the battle!” He lamented, “Never has it been heard that one born in the Yadu dynasty has left the battlefield—except for a charioteer whose mind is unmanly and who has incurred sin. What shall I say when I approach my fathers, Rāma and Keśava, having retreated from battle? When questioned there, what answer will be fitting for me? Surely, my brothers’ wives will laugh and say, ‘How, how did your cowardice, O hero, become known to others in battle?’” The charioteer replied gently, “O lord, knowing righteousness, I did this. A charioteer should protect a warrior in distress, and a warrior his charioteer. Knowing this, my lord, I withdrew you from the battle, for you were attacked by the enemy and had fallen unconscious, struck by the mace.” Thus concluded the seventy-sixth chapter, “The Battle with Śālva,” in the tenth book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa. Now Śrī Śuka continued: After purifying himself by touching water, Pradyumna took up his bow and commanded his charioteer, “Take me to the side of Dyumān, the hero.” Rukmiṇī’s son, smiling, struck down Dyumān—who was attacking his own troops—with eight iron arrows. With four arrows, he felled Dyumān’s four horses; with one, he struck the charioteer; with two, he shattered the bow and the banner; and with another, he pierced Dyumān’s head. Meanwhile, Gada, Sātyaki, Sāmba, and other Yadu heroes slew the forces of the lord of Saubha. The warriors of Saubha, their necks severed, fell into the sea. The battle between the Yadus and Śālvas was fierce and tumultuous, lasting for twenty-seven days and nights. During this time, Krishna had been invited by the son of Dharma to Indraprastha. There, after the completion of the Rajasuya sacrifice and the slaying of Shishupala, Krishna took leave of the elders of the Kuru dynasty, the sages, Pritha, and her sons. He observed exceedingly terrible omens and then returned to Dvaraka. Krishna spoke, “I have come here, joined by noble friends. The kings allied with the Chedi are surely about to attack my city.” Observing the slaughter of his own people and arranging for the defense of Dvaraka, Keshava spoke to Daruka about Saubha and King Śālva. “Charioteer, bring my chariot quickly to Śālva’s presence; do not be alarmed, for this king of Saubha is a master of illusion.” Daruka mounted the chariot and drove forth. All, both friend and foe, saw Krishna—Arjuna’s younger brother—entering the battlefield. Śālva, whose forces were nearly destroyed, saw Krishna and hurled a spear with a terrible roar at Krishna’s charioteer. The weapon blazed through the sky like a great meteor, illuminating the quarters, but Shauri’s arrows shattered it into a hundred pieces. Then, Krishna pierced Śālva with sixteen arrows and struck Saubha as it moved in the sky, showering the aerial city with arrows like the sun’s rays. Śālva retaliated, striking Krishna’s left arm and breaking the Sharnga bow from his hand—a wondrous sight! A great outcry arose among the witnessing beings. The king of Saubha, roaring loudly, addressed Janardana: “Fool, because of you our friend—my brother-in-law—was slain in the assembly, his wife abducted, while you acted recklessly. Today, with sharp arrows, I will send you—who think yourself invincible—on a path of no return, if you dare stand before me.” The Blessed Lord replied, “In vain you boast, dull-witted one; you do not see Death standing near. True heroes show their valor in deeds, not in many words.” With these words, Krishna struck Śālva’s chest with his mace of terrible force. Śālva trembled and vomited blood. Suddenly, Śālva repelled the mace and vanished. After a moment, a man approached Krishna, bowed, and, weeping, spoke: “I am sent by Devaki. Krishna, Krishna, mighty-armed one, your father, who loves you dearly, has been bound and carried away by Śālva and his men, like a beast.” Hearing this grievous news, Krishna was overcome by affection. Assuming a human disposition, he became dejected and compassionate, speaking as any ordinary man would: “How could my father, mighty and unconcerned Rama—who was unconquered by gods and demons—be carried away by Śālva, a mere lesser man? Such is the power of fate.” As Govinda spoke thus, the lord of Saubha appeared and, bringing Krishna as Vasudeva had been brought, addressed him: “Here is your father, the one for whom you live in this world. I will kill him before your eyes. If you are the Lord, protect him, O foolish one.” Thus rebuking Krishna, the deceiver drew his sword, seized Anakadundubhi’s head, and, taking it, entered the Saubha fortress in the sky. For a moment, Krishna, surrounded by his own people, was overcome by natural affection. But he soon realized this was a demonic illusion, conjured by Śālva at Maya’s instruction. Awakened on the battlefield, Achyuta saw neither the messenger nor his father’s body. Like a man waking from a dream, he beheld his enemy in the sky, stationed on Saubha, ready to strike. Thus do some sages speak, O royal sage. Yet if their words contradict themselves, surely they do not truly remember.