who is a greater well wisher to us than thou art.
He who is always well-affected, he who is always obedient,
I think, he should be appointed to a grave commission
in times of distress. As Kesava is ever the refuge
of the Pandavas even, so art thou, O thou of Vrishni’s
race, who art like Kesava in prowess. I will,
therefore, lay a burthen on thee. It behoveth
thee not to frustrate my purpose. Arjuna is thy
brother, friend, and preceptor, O bull among men,
in this battle render him aid in time of distress.
Thou art devoted to truth. Thou art a hero.
Thou art the dispeller of the fears of friends.
Thou art celebrated in the world, in consequence of
thy acts, O hero, as one that is truthful in speech.
He, O grandson of Sini, who casteth away his body while
fighting in battle for friends, is equal to him who
giveth away to Brahmanas the whole earth. We
have heard of various kings gone to heaven, having
given away the whole of this earth unto Brahmanas
with due rites. O thou of virtuous soul, I beg
of thee, with joined hands, even this viz., that,
O lord, attain thou the fruit of giving away (unto
Brahmanas) the whole earth, or something higher than
that by incurring danger to thy life itself for helping
Arjuna. There is one, viz., Krishna, that
dispeller of the fears of friends, who is ever willing
to cast away his life in battle (for the sake of friends).
Thou, O Satyaki, art the second. None but a hero
can render aid unto a hero, exerting valorously in
battle, from desire of fame. An ordinary person
cannot do so. In this matter, here is none else
but thee who can protect Arjuna. On one occasion,
while applauding thy numerous feats, Arjuna, giving
me great pleasure repeatedly recited them. He
said of thee that thou art endued with extreme lightness
of hand, that thou art conversant with all modes of
warfare, that thou art possessed of great activity
and great prowess. He said, ’Satyaki is
endued with great wisdom, is acquainted with every
weapon, is a hero, and is never stupefied in battle.
Of broad neck and broad chest, of mighty arms and
broad cheeks, or great strength and great prowess,
Satyaki is a high-souled Maharatha. He is my disciple
and friend; I am dear to him and he is dear to me.
Becoming my ally, Yuyudhana will crush the Kauravas.
Even if Kesava and Rama, and Aniruddha, and the mighty
car-warrior Pradyumna, and Gada, and Sarana, and Samva,
with all the Vrishnis, case themselves in mail for
assisting us, O king, in the field of battle, I shall
yet appoint that tiger among men viz., Satyaki
of unbaffled prowess, for our aid, since there is none
equal to him.’ Even this is what Dhananjaya
told me in the Dwaita woods, in thy absence, while
truly describing thy merits in an assembly of righteous
persons. It behoveth thee not, O thou of the Vrishni
race, to falsify that expectation of Dhananjaya, and
also of myself and Bhima! When, returning from
various tirthas, I proceeded to Dwaraka; there I witnessed