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140
SETUBANDHA
24. The ranks of the elephants broke up, and were formed again. The foot-soldiers, checked in their advance, retreated and formed a circle. The path of the chariots was covered with blood, and the horses neighed faintly because of the dry foam in the inouth.
25. The heads of the warriors, pleased with the foeman's striking power, rang with applause as they fell; 14 and the battle-cry died away in the mouth of those mangled and stunned by the enemy's assault.
26. The Rākşasa troops were hemmed in15 by their elephants, controlled with toil and trouble, because they took fright at the impact of the mountains (hurled by the apes); while the chariots, with their flags and emblems broken, could hardly be recognised by their puzzled fighters who had withdrawn from the fray.16
27. The horses groaned with wide open mouths, worn out with fatigue, as they pulled out the chariots squeezed by the mountains; while the pools of blood became palish white, commingling with the silver of the fallen mountains crushed to dust.17
28. The moist traces of the streams could be discerned on the mountains hurled by the apes and reduced to dust; and, while the fighting apes came within range of the swords wielded by the demons, they were evaded by others going out of range 18
29. The long hair of the apes spread over their shoulders as they rushed forward; while the warriors wounded by clubs hitting them on the waist slumped down to the ground.
14. Lit. were full of the sound of praise, i.e., the warriors fell praising the bravery of the enemy.
15. Or, attacked. 16. i.e., they had abandoned the chariots damaged by the apes.
17. Krsna's reading ('silver dust) is followed. See Extracts. The mountains are those hurled by the apes.
18. Trans. follows Rāmadāsa. Acc. to Madhava (see Extracts): the apes, who came within range of the swords of the demons), struck a blow and got away, eluding the foe.
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