Gaudavaho

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

Page 487

190
Gajidavaho
436. The battle-field looked as thick and crowded (forfas) as at the beginning, even though the soldiers were routed (a) and taken away, because there were the dead bodies (55) of horses and horsemen stuck together (HO) and now in a swollen state (उस्सूणभाव). All this struck terror (कअडिब).
437. The mahoot's hook (FT), pierced in the frontal joint on the temples of the elephant, broke and was ejected (frutout) from the wound (aut). It, however, stayed there in broken splinters (FH) and the elephant thought them to be a swarm of bees still hovering over his temples, although they had scattered away. Hence does the elephant go on shaking his head. 371228 – 317789:, -- "The junction of the frontal sinuses of an elephant, f7:
438. Multitudes of soldiers' bodies, becoming heavy (+7831Tअमाण) because the life inside had departed (अवजीवभाव), proved an unbearable burden, as it were, to Sesa.
Now follows a Kulaka of 19 Gāthäs ( 440-458) describing his march through regions inaccessible on account of the western mountain-ranges and making the inhabitants thereof pay him tribute. In this context, he refers to the legend of the king Pșthu, who cleared the plains of the Deccan by pushing the existing mountains towards the seas on the east and the west. When Pộthu, the son of Vena, became the king, his subjects, who had suffered from famine, besought him for the edible plants which the earth withheld: In anger, he seized his bow to compel her to yield the usual supply. She assumed the form of a cow and filed before him. Unable to escape, she implored him to spare her and promised to restore all the needed fruits, if a calf were given to her, through which she might be able to secrete milk. He, therefore, made Farina F the calf, milked the earth and received the milk in his own hand for the benefit of mankind. Thence proceeded all kinds of corn and vegetables, upon which people subsist now and perpetually.' Cf.
तत उत्सारयामास शैलान् शतसहस्रशः । धनुष्कोटया तदा वैन्यस्तेन शैला विवर्धिताः ।। ८२ ।। न हि पूर्वविसर्गे वै विषमे पृथिवीतले । प्रविभागः पुराणां वा ग्रामाणां वा पुर ऽभवत् ।। ८३ ।।