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88.SOMADATTA'S END
"THERE comes the valorous Satyaki,"
said Krishna, the charioteer, to
Dhananjaya. "Your disciple and friend is
marching up, triumphantly breaking
through enemy ranks."
"I do not like it, Madhava," replied
Arjuna. "It was not right for him to have
left Dharmaputra and come here to join
me. Drona is there ever seeking an
opportunity to seize Dharmaputra. Satyaki
should have stuck to his post there to
guard him. Instead, he has come here. Old
Bhurisravas has intercepted Satyaki. It
was a great mistake for Yudhishthira to
have sent Satyaki away here."
There was a family feud between
Bhurisravas and Satyaki that made them
inveterate foes.
It had come about this way. When Devaki,
who was to be the blessed mother of Sri
Krishna, was a maiden, many princes
competed for her hand and there was a
great battle between Somadatta and Sini
over it.
Sini won, and on behalf of Vasudeva he
placed Devaki in his chariot and took her
away. Since that incident there was feud
between the two clans, the Sini family and
that of Somadatta. Satyaki was Sini's
grandson.
Bhurisravas was Somadatta's son. When
they found themselves on opposite sides
in the Kurukshetra battle, it was natural
that, as soon as Bhurisravas saw Satyaki,
the old warrior challenged Satyaki to
battle.
"Oh Satyaki," cried Bhurisravas, "I know
you strut about thinking yourself a man of
great prowess. Here now I have you in my
power and will presently finish you. Long
have I sought for this meeting. Like
Indrajit destroyed Dasaratha's son
Lakshmana, you will die today and go to
the abode of Yama, gladdening the hearts
of many a bereaved widow."
Satyaki laughed. "Have done with your
vaunting," he interrupted. "Words are not
deeds and do not frighten fighting men.
Demonstrate your valor in action and do
not indulge in dry thunder like autumn
clouds."
After this exchange of words, the battle
began, and the combat was as between
two fierce lions. Their horses were killed,
their bows were broken, and both were
rendered chariotless.
They were now standing on the ground
fighting with swords and shields, till their
shields were hacked to bits and their
swords broken. Then they were locked in
a deadly embrace without weapons.
They rolled together on the ground. They
leaped up and they sprang on each other.
They fell down again and so the combat
went on for a long while.
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