Kṛṣṇasya asāṃnidhya-kāraṇaṃ — Śālva–Soubha-vṛttāntaḥ
Why Kṛṣṇa was absent; the Śālva and Saubha account
तत्रस्थो5थ महीपालो योधयामास तां पुरीम् । अभिसारेण सर्वेण तत्र युद्धमवर्तत,उसीपर रहकर राजा शाल्व द्वारकापुरीके लोगोंसे युद्ध करता था। वहाँ भारी युद्ध छिड़ा हुआ था और उसमें सभी दिशाओंसे अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंके प्रहार हो रहे थे
tatra-stho 'tha mahīpālo yodhayāmāsa tāṁ purīm | abhisāreṇa sarveṇa tatra yuddham avartata |
সেই ঠাইতে অৱস্থান কৰি ৰজাই সেই নগৰীলৈ সম্পূৰ্ণ আক্ৰমণ চলালে। তাত ভয়ংকৰ যুদ্ধ জ্বলি উঠিল; সকলো দিশৰ পৰা অস্ত্ৰ-শস্ত্ৰৰ আঘাত পৰি নগৰী মহা বিপদত পৰিল।
वायुदेव उवाच
The verse underscores how a ruler’s aggressive resolve can engulf an entire city in indiscriminate danger; it implicitly warns that war, once unleashed as a ‘full assault,’ spreads suffering in all directions and tests the boundaries of righteous conduct (dharma) in conflict.
A king, remaining in position, launches a comprehensive assault on a city, and a major battle erupts there, with attacks coming from every side—depicting an intense, all-directional clash typical of a siege or large-scale engagement.