19. He was met on his way, by the combined forces of the inimical princes of the east and south, who put him to death in his half way journey to the spot.
20. Vasishtha continued:—As he was relating in this wise, another emissary driven by his haste, entered the court-hall with as great a rush, as a current of the deluging flood.
21. He represented, saying:—O lord, the general of thy forces on the north, is overpowered by a stronger enemy, and is routed from his post, like an embankment broken down and borne away by the rushing waters.
22. Hearing so, the king thought it useless to waste time, and issuing out of his royal apartment, he bade as follows.
23. Summon the princes and chiefs and the generals and ministers, to appear here forthwith in their full armour; and lay open the arsenal, and get out the horrible weapons (of destruction).
24. Put on your bodies your armours of mail, and set the infantry on foot; number the regiments, and select the best warriors.
25. Appoint the leaders of the forces, and send the heralds all around; thus said the king in haste, and such was the royal behest.
26. When the warder appeared before him, and lowly bending down his head, he sorrowfully expressed: “Lord, the chieftain of the north is waiting at the gate, and expects like the lotus to come to thy sunlike sight”.
27. The king answered:—Go thou quickly there, and get him to my presence; that I may learn from his report the sterling events of that quarter.
28. Thus ordered, the warder introduced the northern chief to the royal presence; where he bent himself down before his royal lord, who beheld the chieftain in the following plight.