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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
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(V. 6) (He is) Indra in causing a rift (in enemy ranks).1 a blazing fire in brilliance, amiable, a very Brahmana in point of noble behaviour, deemed praiseworthy, one who has gained authority and excellence, whose sight inspires joy in (the hearts of) good people and brings to fruition the merit and desires of the common folk, to whom gifts of gold are presented at the time when he occupies the sacrificial seat for (performing) a sacrifice, and who is always respected by worthy
persons.
(V. 7) Like a gigantic celestial elephant, he pulled down and tore asunder a multitude of resounding trees (in the form) of overweening foes and had all the quarters thickly strewn over with them. A king capable of such a feat exercises complete sovereignty over the whole world, ensuring righteousness, prosperity and happiness.5
(V. 8) In prowess equal to the Lord of gods is the illustrious king Bharata, a paragon of rulers. who, having slain the enemy hosts, bore their Fortune on his own arms as she approached him. (1. 25) The only one,"
(V. 9)-who is, as it were, the Ganges herself, from heaven descended, purifying the people here, possessing the water (in the form) of character pure and brilliant as crystal, with its serene flow bounded within the two banks of self-restraint and self-discipline, ripply with many virtues such as equanimity.
(V. 10) royal consort of the king Bharatabala of the glory comparable to shining moonbeams is Lökaprakāsā, the lady par ercellence, who, born in Kosala, carrying the high renown of (being of) a divine origin, ever intensely zealous upon righteousness, prosperity and happiness," has attained to a sublime status by virtue of her having sons and grandsons, who are champions of justice and discipline, (and would-be) foremost kings.
1 I am not certain of this rendering. See above, p. 141, n. 1.
The long compound expression sad-rritta-shtiti-ripra-mandra-ridhrita-prapta-praman-onnatih is amenable to other interpretations as well, which may be quite different from the one given above, but, the description being more laudatory than factual, it matters little in whatever sense it is construed.
3 It was of course a custom that a sacrificing king received rich presents from his friends and feudatories. In this connection, the case of Yudhishthira celebrating the Rajaya scarifice may be recalled when such tributes poured in in a regular stream, so much so that a special steward was appointed in the person of Duryodhana to take charge of them, while his cousins and some of his brothers were posted likewise to look after other affairs of the ceremony. The kings who attended the grand ceremonial vied with one another in presenting Yudhishthira with costly gifts. We read the following in the Mahabharata, II (Sabhaparvan), Chapter 30 (the reference being to the Southern Recension, P. P. S. Sastri's edition) :
Te vai digbhyah samapetuḥ parthiras tatra Bharata samudaya maharhani ratnani viridhani cha 21 ||
Bahu rittam samadaya viridhaḥ parthira yayuh | drash!ukamah sabham chaira Dharmarajain cha Pandaram || 23 |
Duryodhanas te-arhanani pratijagraha sarvaśaḥ || 63 ||
Katham tu mama Kauraryo ratna-danaiḥ samäpnuyat | yajuam=ity=ēva räjänaḥ spardhamana dadur-dhanam 1 67
This refers to one of the eight mythieal elephants, guarding the eight quarters or cardinal point in the space. Their names are Airavata, Pundarika, Vämana, Kumada, Anjana Pushpadanta, Sarvabbauma aud Supratika.
Sec above, p. 141, n. 6.
This goes with the royal consort' in verbe 10. See above, p. 111, u, 8.
See above, p. 141, n. 13.
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