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Bhagaval 7:9:
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power, a great invincible armour-a replica of the vajra (thunderbolt).2 Thus, indeed, two Indras (Chiefs) were fighting in the battle-field, viz., the Indra of gods and the Indra of human beings. Only by a single hatthi,3 King Kūņika was capable enough to winning the war, only by a single hatthi, King Kūņika was capable enough to defeating the enemy.
Bhāṣya
1. Sütra 177
Semantics
1. Spread out
The word 'upastṛta' (utthaya) means 'spread out'. (Thus, the breast was covered by the garland which was spread out on his breast).
2. Like a vajra (thunderbolt)
vairapaḍiruvagam-here vaira means vajra (thunderbolt) and padiravaga means
like.
3. By a single hatthi
egahatthiņa-the Vṛtti explains hasti as elephant.' But this needs scrutiny in the context of the Mahasilakanṭaka battle. Even a grain of sand hurled in the Mahasilakaintaka battle hit the target like a big boulder. So here hast? should mean 'hastika' which is the name of an implement or a weapon, which was used for hurling stones.2
1. Bha. Vr. 7.177-egahatthiņā vi tti-ekenäpi gajena.
2. Apte-Hastika-A kind of stringed instrument.
Text
7.178 tae nam se küṇie rāyā mahāsiläkamṭagam samgämam samgämemāṇe nava mallal, nava lecchaï käsi-kosalaga aṭṭhārasa vi gaṇarāyaṇo haya- -mahiyapavaravira-ghaiya-vivadiyacimdhaddhayapadage kicchapāṇagae disodisim
padisehittha.
Then, that King Kūņika, while fighting the Mahäsiläkanţaka battle, pushed back the nine Mallavis and nine Licchavis-all the eighteen republican kings of Kasi and Kausala-in the reverse directions, by wounding and churning them, by killing their chief warriors and by dismentling their emblems, flags and banners and putting their life in danger of annihilation.
7.179 se keṇattheṇam bhamte! evam vuccai-mahāsilākamṇae samgame? goyama! mahāsilākamtae nam samgame vaṭṭamāṇe je tattha äse va hatthi vä johe vä särahi va taṇeņa vā kaṇṭheņa vā patteṇa vā sakkarāe vā abhi-hammati, savve se jänei mahäsiläe aham abhihae. se teṇattheṇam goyama! evam vuccai-mahāsilākamtae samgame.
For what reason, O Lord! was that battle designated Mahāśīlākanṭaka battle?
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