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276 / The Rāstrakūtas and Jainism
away the hostile lord of Talavanapura, having shown famous valour in war, defeating my enemies, for his master an object of praise, true to his promise, he at the time of battle did not let his bravery be baffled by the hosts of the enemy.
(V. 27.) With a lion's spring having crossed the Kāvēri, most difficult to be passed on account of its heavy floods, by the lines of the ever freshly flashing flames of fire of his valour having at once consumed the allied, extirpating the forest of adversaries, he shook the mighty dominion of him even who was able to shake the world.
(Vs. 28 and 29.) On that occasion, when through internal dissension a disturbance had arisen near me, then, a the mere word of me that he should return - having made a vow that if, before his arrival, I, the Vallabha lord, should defeat the enemies, he would as an ascetic completely resign the world, or if by chance the fortune of victory should fall to the enemies, he would enter into the flames of a roaring fire - he arrived near me after a few days.
(Vs. 30 and 31.) Having said that also he certainly would enter into fire if, within three months, by defeating the enemies he could not make his master drink milk - after my son, whose hosts were consumed by the flames of the blazing fire of his impetuous bravery, blackened by the smoke and thus hidden himself had escaped, perchance sent away by the rest - he completely defeated the princes who remained, and, victorious, made captive and slew the adversaries, and thus fulfilled his promise.
(V.32.) The fire of his prowess, with the flames of wrath which it emits, consumes the enemies on which it feeds, even without wind; though unlit, it blazes forth again and again.
(V. 33.) Soiled with blood, the Fortune of the enemies dives into the water of his sword; but that of his master emerges from it, anointed as it were with saffron.
(V. 34.) Like a Brāhmaṇ, having sacrificed the enemy
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