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SETUBANDHA
37. There, precious pearls were scattered from inside the temples of the elephant mangled by the lion's paws;24 and the luxuriant grass on the approaches to the streams was crushed by the herds of elephants that ran thither, scared by the forest fires.
38. The chariot of the sun wound its way along the slopes of the mountain. The radiant stars wandered through the woods on its flanks. It seemed to tower over the firmament lying by its side.
39. The rays of the sun were half cut off from its jagged cliffs,25 and the rays of the full moon covered only a portion of them. The bird king Garuda, who set out in quest of their summit, returned, worn out with fatigue.
40. It fulfilled with marvellous perfection the desire for pleasure in the hearts of the celestial nymphs.23 It seemed to be a mart set up for the gems of the ocean.27 The water in its pools was sweet and dark in contact with the leaves of the lilies; and a fragrance like that of wine issued from the groves of Bakula trees.28
41. The deer fainted on account of the smell of the yellow orpiment heated by the fierce midday sun; and the buffaloes licked the rocks for the taste of the salt crust formed by sea spray.29
42. The surface of the mountain was bright with its lofty silver peaks. With the blood of the elephants killed by lions it coloured the scattered) pearls.30 With steadfast fortitude it had passed through many an epoch of destruction. To its lakes came conches in straight rows from the waters of the sea.
43. It was gay with the mansions of the Yakşas. The waters were dark in the pools containing gems. It was free from fires
24. Cf. verse 24. 25. i.e., did not reach the upper part of the cliffs. 26. Cf. the last verse of the Canto.
27. The gems washed up by the waves are fancied as being set out as on a market stall.
28. The smell of Bakula flowers is often likened to that of wine. Cf. 1.56; 12.14.
29. See verse 24.
30. i.e., the pearls supposed to be inside the head of elephants were stained with blood when they were killed by the attacking lions.
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