Jain Ramayana Part 1

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 47

Lanka: Its Decline and Rise
35
“Will you stop your senseless babbling or not? Don't you have confidence in your brother's invincible prowess ? See if I do not force this imitation -- Indra to lick the dust in a disgraceful manner in a battle; and if I do not return home like a storm, victorious and triumphant. Heroic persons do not care for good omens or bad omens. Oh! You mad fellow ! They have faith and confidence in their own might and militaric prowess."
"Oh king of Rakshasas! Omens by themselves do not cause harm to anyone, but they surely presage the auspicious or the inauspicious possibilities of our future. Even great Rishis have described the power of omens”,
"Be quiet! I do not need your idiotic suggestions”. Mali said, suddenly growing angry.
What could poor Sumali do? He felt helpless. He had to be silent since Mali was obdurate. Soon the warriors of the Rakshasa army descended on the mountains and caves of the Vaithadhya like a cloud of locusts.
Mali challenged Indra to a fight. He was not the heavenly Indra but he was the Indra of the Vidyadhars. He retaliated in a valiant manner. The bazaars and mansions of Ratanupur and the surrounding area began to reverberate with war-cries and the proclamation of war. The Vidyadhar army was not at all inferior to the Rakshasa army in ability, militaric prowess and strategic wisdom and skill. The Indra of the Vidyadhars ascended his Iravat. He carried in his hand the mighty weapon called “Vajra”. With a vast army which was like an ocean in magnitude, Indra set out to fight against the enemies.
The two armies clashed. A dreadful war broke out. The warriors on both sides were fighting with bows, arrows, swords, spears, lances and daggers in a ferocious manner. War-cries and counter war-cries began to reverberate through the skies. Everywhere, shrieks, screams, moanings, deep sighs and serious cries filled the air. Their weapons clashed against one another and the metallic noises of the weapons filled the air. Everywhere fiery flames arose. Just as rocks roll down a mountain,