Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

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

Page 307

286
camels from the forest for carrying armor, etc., that cried out on the march like living musical instruments. Some made firm quivers with arrows and coats of mail with helmets, even though already firm, like logicians the Siddhantas (Scriptures). Some spread out concealing," heavy curtains and tents of felt, like palaces of Gandharvas, and examined them instantly. All, as if in rivalry with each other, devoted to King Bahubali, prepare for battle, and also people in the country. If any one, eager for battle, is restrained by a friend, he, wishing to show the King devotion, is angry with him like an
enemy.
As he went along the road, he saw such preparation on the part of the people, who wished to show devotion to the King even with their lives, because of their affection. When they had heard and had seen, the mountain-kings in his territory also assembled, from thinking themselves wonderfully devoted to the King. Just as cows run from arbors at the call of the cowherd, thousands of Kirātas ran at the sound of their cow-horns. Some soldiers bound their hair quickly with the skin of tigers' tails, some with peacocks' tail-feathers, some with vines. Some fastened their deer-skin garments with snake-skin, some with treebark, some with iguana-skin. Carrying stones and bows in their hands, leaping like monkeys, like dogs they soon surrounded their own masters who were devoted to their lord. "Now at last we can give a return for Bahubali's favor by destroying Bharata's army," was what they said.
Noticing such enthusiastic preparations on their part, Suvega, being endowed with a discriminating mind, reflected thus: "Indeed, these adherents of Bahubali living in the district hasten to the battle-business as if from inherited hostility. Even these Kiratas, indeed, desiring battle in the vanguard of Bahubali's army, are eager to kill our army when it has come. I see no one who is not preparing for battle. There is no one here who is not devoted