Gaudavaho

Author(s): Vakpatiraj, Narhari Govind Suru, P L Vaidya, A N Upadhye, H C Bhayani
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 42

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removed and their wooden spokes lying broken and thrown about" (685). “The terraces of houses strike terror and are hair-raising, because of the fear of ghosts, which conjures imaginary sudden sounds where none exist” (684). “The streets during nights are enveloped in pitchy darkness and are greatly reduced in width by the houses crumbling over them.” (687).
. After this the Poet switches on to describe a few erotic scenes ( 689-693), indulged in by the army-men, when they met their wives after the expedition was over. Bards' Eulogy :
The joyful occasion of the King's victory is hailed by the panegyrists, who shower their profuse praise on him in poetic fancies full of exaggeration. 41 Gāthās (695-736) are devoted by the Poet to this topic, in which, incidentally, the legendary episode of the god Sun, trimming himself to make his lustre bearable to his wife Avarcā, is described to show that even the blazing Sun-god, with his orb doubly lustrous because of his being chiselled by Tvaşts, the gods' sculptor, does not fully come up for comparison with the brilliance of our King's prowess !” (704). Note, for instance, some of these fancies :-"It is true that when you are seen, it looks as if there is none like you; for your sight alone establishes your greatness of the era " ( 706 ). “If, (as is supposed ) Vāsuki has a thousand tongues, then why does he not fully praise you? (That were possible, however, ) if he were competent enough to grasp all your merits in one single mind of his " (710). “The bright-red vermilion used for seals on your commandments is received by your servants as a symbol of your affection, but your adversaries look upon it as a glow of the fire of your wrath "(715). "The merits of the people, O Master