When Krishna carried away Rukmini, he defeated the kings in battle and, amongst others, he defeated Sâlva, king of Soubha, the friend of Sisupâla. Sâlva vowed at the time to kill all Yâdavas. He ate only a handful of dust and worshipped Śiva. After a year Śiva became pleased with his worship and asked the king to name a boon. He prayed for an invulnerable chariot that would carry terror to the Yâdavas. At the bidding of Śiva, Mâyâ prepared an iron chariot, called Soubha, which could move at will to any place. Mounted on this chariot, Sâlva attacked Dvârakâ, with his large army. He threw weapons, stones, trees and serpents from above and demolished walls and gardens. The people of Dvârakâ became very much oppressed. Pradyumna and other Yâdavas engaged in fight with Sâlva and his army. Sâlva's chariot was sometimes visible and sometimes not. It now rose high and now came low. With difficulty, Pradyumna killed Dyumat, the general of Sâlva. But still the fight went on for seven days and seven nights. Krishna had been at Hastinâpura. He felt misgivings and hurried to Dvârakâ with Râma. The fight was then going on. Krishna placed Râma in charge of the town and himself went to fight with Sâlva. Sâlva tauntingly addressed Krishna who gave the king a heavy blow with his club. Sâlva disappeared. Instantly a man came and informed Krishna that he was a messenger from Devaki. Sâlva had carried away his father Vâsudeva.
Krishna asked: — "How could Sâlva conquer Râma so as to carry away my father?" But he had scarcely finished when Sâlva appeared with somebody like Vâsudeva, saying "O fool, here is your father. I will kill him in your presence. Save him, if you can." He then cut off the head of Vâsudeva, and entered the chariot. Krishna found this was all the Mâyâ of Sâlva and in reality his father was neither carried off nor killed. He broke the chariot Soubha with his club. Sâlva left the chariot and stood upon earth, club in hand. Krishna cut off his hands and then cut off his head with the Chakra.
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