Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 240

219
had a flag-staff with pennants like a living palace; decorated with several rows of weapons like an armory; beautiful with four bells tinkling loudly, as if for the pur
pose of summoning the Gris of conquest of the four direc* tions; provided with horses swift as the wind, brave as lions. The charioteer, knowing the details of the King's intention as Mātali 282 that of Vāsava, urged on the chariot-horses merely by shaking the reins. Like a second ocean with a multitude of mountains in the form of huge elephants, with a multitude of crocodiles in the form of big carts, with waves in the form of moving horses, terrifying with its serpents in the form of various weapons, with a coast of dust from the ground rising up, thundering with the noise of chariots, the King advanced to the ocean. He crossed the ocean with his chariot until the water reached to the hub, accompanied by cries of multitudes of crocodiles terrified by the increased noise of the water.
Placing one hand on the middle part, and the other on the side of the notched end of the bow, he strung the bow so that it resembled the moon of the fifth night. The Lord of Bharata, pulling the bow-string a little with his hand, made a loud twanging like the onkāra of the Dhanurveda. The King took from the quiver an arrow marked with his name which resembled the King of the Nāgas leaving the door of Pātāla. Taking the feathered end with his hand in the lion's-ear 288 position, he placed on the bowstring the arrow (like) the diamond staff (jewel) 284 against enemies. He drew up to the end of his ear the golden arrow which had the appearance of a stalk of the golden ear-ornament-lotus. The great arrow shone with the light
282 92. Indra's charioteer.
288 99. In this the tips of the fingers are joined to the thumb. H. I. Vol. I, p. 15.
284 99. Vajradanda. I do not believe this refers to the shaft of the arrow here. It was gold, as a matter of fact. Cf. Yog. p. 24a for the vajradanda. Or perhaps it should be emended to vajratunda from parallel passages, though all the MSS have vajradanda here.