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the son was critical with a powerful invader in the front, and a combination of four hostile kings' in the rear, any other prince would have lost courage. To add to the embarassment of his position, the kings of Godraha and Lața allied themselves with the Marwad kings and seceded, from the camp, and left these two to themselves. But Viradhavala and Lavanaprasada were equal to the occasion. They pursued with great vigour, at first, the army of the Yadus, but, when harassed in the rear by the combined kings, they turned their forces against them. The southern army was so completely broken that it had not the courage to make any diversion again on the rear. While the king was thus engaged in a destructive war, Sankha, the son of Sindhuraja, sent an emissary to the minister, Vastupala. He extolled the bravery of Sankha as shown in his contest with Yadavas though unfortunately Sankha was taken prisoner in the contest. Further, he stated that the town of Stambhapura was, by right of descent, his, as his ancestors had formerly held it. He also held out to him the hope of being made a governor of the town if he surrendered it to Sankha, and he ended by threatening him with an instant expedition Though Vastupala's feelings of hope, fear and justice were thus appealed to, he remained firm. He refused to surrender the town, and pleaded his king's right of conquest against the hereditary title of Sankha, and distinctly told him that he was quite ready to take the field if Sankha should have the audacity to declare war.
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This defiance of Vastupala swelled the tide of Sankha's anger, and he at once advanced to the side of a tank called Vaṭakupa ( Vadkuvo). The minister defended with great bravery the town which he occupied. After some time the minister attacked the position of Sankha, though his army was numerous. When the battle commenced, Bhuvanapala of the Gula family, on the side of the minister, assailed Sankha, who was also called Sangrāmasimha, but was himself attacked by Samanta, an ally of Sankha. The two fought desperately, Bhuvanapala slew Samanta, and proceeded against Śankha. Sankha cut off his head in a single fight. This sharpened the edge of the minister's anger. The fight now became general, and several warriors were killed on each side. At last Sankha, finding the minister invulnerable, withdrew his shattered forces, and retired from the field. The minister led back his successful army, receiving congratulation of his subjects on the way. Lavaṇaprasada too, with his valiant son, returned to his capital, having repelled the southern invader on one side, and the combined forces of neighbouring princes on the other.
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In honour of this victory the citizens held a great festival, to witness which and to make his obeisance to the goddess called Ekallavira, whose shrine was outside the town, the minister passed the principal street in the town. The minister worshipped the goddess according to the proper ceremonies, and prayed' to the goddess that she might always bless by her presence his own heart and his king's arm.
The poet now proceeds to describe the sufferings and pleasures of the hot season, and the way in which the minister passed it-a noticeable fact, in which connexion is that a great part of the minister's leisure was spent in the company of literary men, among whom probably the author held a prominent position. His gifts to these men are described as having been princely, and more than an adequate return for the pleasure which the men afforded to him. The poet next proceeds to describe the evening and moonlight. He employes the most fanciful
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