Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

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

Page 258

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dwell Kiratas, named Apātas, arrogant, rich, powerful, fiery, like demons on earth. They have unlimited mansions, couches, seats, and vehicles, much gold and silver, like relatives of Kubera. They are rich with much livestock, have retinues of many slaves, in general free from humiliations, like trees in the garden of the gods. With strong forces ready for many battles they are always like oxen for loads of big carts. As soon as the Lord of Bharata started out like Kộtānta, portents took place indicating misfortunes to them. The earth, houses and gardens being shaken, trembled as if pained by the weight of the vanguard of Bharata's army advancing. Flames in the sky appeared like forest fires, as if from the great splendor of the Cakrin penetrating to the end of the horizon. The heavens became quite invisible from the floating dust. Evil winds spread, with a cruel noise painful to hear, striking against each other, - like sea-animals in the ocean. Meteors fell on all sides from the sky like fire-brands, causing agitation in all the tigers of Mlecchas. There were claps of thunder, terrifying from their great noise like blows with the hand on the earth by Kệtānta angered. Here and there in the sky circles of crows and kites wandered, like umbrellas of the approaching Śri of Death.
The Kirātas became extremely angry when they saw Bharata who had come, making a sun with crores of rays in the sky, as it were, by the rays from the golden armor, axes, and darts; providing the sky with teeth by upraised staves, bows, and hammers; terrifying the troops of Khecaras in the sky by the lions, tigers, etc., on the banners; darkening the face of the sky by the clouds in the form of the troop of elephants; with the faces of the makaras on the front of the chariots rivaling the face of Yama; splitting open the earth, as it were, by the blows of the horses' hooves; bursting open the sky, as it were, by the terrible noise of the drums of conquest; terrifying from the cakra, like the sun with the planet Mars going in advance.