________________
217
elephants as in the rainy season. Then in the clear stream of the Jahnavi the best elephants took up the water at will, as clouds take up the water in the ocean. Again and again the horses bathed, jumping up with much swimming about, giving the impression of being waves. The Ganga appeared to have new crocodiles everywhere from the elephants, horses, buffaloes, and oxen that had entered because of fatigue. By the mist raised by its waves, the Ganga removed fatigue from the army immediately, as if to favor the King on the bank. Being used by the huge army of the king, the Gangā became small at once, like the glory of enemies. The deodar trees growing on the bank of the Bhagirathi served as tying posts (ready) without effort for the king-elephants of the army. In a moment the elephant-keepers cut with axes sprouts of the pippal-tree, of sallaki, karnikāra, and udumbara for the elephants. The horses, tied in rows by the thousand, making arches as it were with their raised ear-shoots, had a beautiful appearance. Quickly the horse-keepers placed before the horses, like relatives, kidney-beans, green gram, chick-peas, and barley.
Cross-roads where three and four roads met, and two rows of shops sprang up at once in the camp, like those of Vinītā. The whole army ceased to remember their former houses, being comfortable with concealing, heavy, thick felt-tents beautiful with curtains. The camels lopped thorny trees such as the sponge and jujube, as if showing the soldiers the removal of thorns (to the state) that had to be made. The mules with waving manes rolled at will on the sandy bank of the Gangā, like servants before a master. Some men brought fuel; some water from the river; some loads of durvagrass, etc.; some vegetables, fruit, etc.; some dug out fireplaces; some removed the husks from rice; some lighted the fire; some boiled the rice; some bathed with clear water on one side as if in their own houses; some after
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
