SECTION CLIX

“Vaisampayana said, ’About this time, there came into the Pandava camp Bhishmaka’s son, foremost among all persons of truthful resolution, and known widely by the name of Rukmi.  The high-souled Bhishmaka, who was otherwise called king Hiranyaroman, was the friend of Indra.  And he was most illustrious among the descendants of Bhoja and was the ruler of the whole southern country.  And Rukmi was a disciple of that lion among the Kimpurushas who was known by the name of Drona, having his abode on the mountains of Gandhamadana.  And he had learnt from his preceptor the whole science of weapons with its four divisions.  And that mighty-armed warrior had obtained also the bow named Vijaya of celestial workmanship, belonging to the great Indra, and which was equal to Gandiva in energy and to also Sarnga (held by Krishna).  There were three celestial bows owned by the denizens of heaven, viz., Gandiva owned by Varuna, the bow called Vijaya owned by Indra, and that other celestial bow of great energy said to have been owned by Vishnu.  This last (Sarnga), capable of striking fear into the hearts of hostile warriors, was held by Krishna.  The bow called Gandiva was obtained by Indra’s son (Arjuna) from Agni on the occasion of the burning of Khandava, while the bow called Vijaya was obtained from Drona by Rukmi of great energy.  Baffling the nooses of Mura and slaying by his might that Asura, and vanquishing Naraka, the son of the Earth, Hrishikesa, while recovering the begemmed ear-rings (of Aditi), with sixteen thousand girls and various kinds of jewels and gems, obtained that excellent bow called Sarnga.  And Rukmi having obtained the bow called Vijaya whose twang resembled the roar of the clouds came to the Pandavas, as if inspiring the whole universe with dread.  Formerly, proud of the might of his own arms, the heroic Rukmi could not tolerate the ravishment of his sister Rukmini by wise Vasudeva.  He had set out in pursuit, having sworn that he would not return without having slain Janardana.  And accompanied by a large army consisting of four kinds of forces that occupied (as it marched) a very large portion of the earth, accoutred in handsome coats of mail and armed with diverse weapons and resembling the swollen current of the Ganga, that foremost of all wielders of weapons set out in pursuit of Vasudeva of Vrishni’s race.  And having come up to him of Vrishni’s race who was lord and master of everything obtainable by ascetic austerities, Rukmi, O king, was vanquished and covered with shame.  And for this he returned not to (his city) Kundina.  And on the spot where that slayer of hostile heroes was vanquished by Krishna, he built an excellent city named Bhojakata.  And, O king, that city filled with large forces and teeming with elephants, steeds., is widely known on the earth by that name.  Endued with great energy, that hero, cased in mail and armed with bows, fences, swords and quivers, quickly entered