Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

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

Page 317

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their horses, made them go to test them. If a horse is badly trained and apathetic, it is like an enemy to the rider. Some worshipped their horses like gods, if they neighed on taking their equipment. For neighing in battle is indicative of victory. Some, who received horses without equipment, laid aside their own armor. For this is the heroic custom in battle of men proud of their arms.
“You should go unstumbling in the terrible battle, like a fish in the ocean. You should show skill,” some instructed their charioteers. Some completely filled their chariots with weapons, like travelers with supplies, foreseeing a battle for a long time. Some set up flag-poles with their respective cognizances raised, like bards for announcing themselves from afar. Some yoked horses to chariots with closely joined yokes, winds to the ocean of the enemy's army. Some gave very strong armor to charioteers. For chariots, even if they have horses, are useless without charioteers. Some adorned the elephants' tusks, harsh from union with rows of large, iron rings, as if they were their own arms. Some put elephant-armor with wreaths of banners, like abodes of the Sri of victory who was to come, on the elephants. Some made at once tilakas from the ichor from the bursting cheeks of the elephants, as if from musk, saying, “It is an omen." Some mounted the elephants, unrestrainable like the mind, not enduring even the wind rich with the fragrance of the ichor of the enemy's elephants. All had all the elephants take golden armor that was like an elegant dress for the festival of battle. The elephant-drivers had the elephants take iron hammers by the ends of their trunks as easily as blue lotuses with erect stalks. The elephant-keepers quickly put on the elephants' tusks sharp sheaths, like tusks taken from Yama.
“Let the mules and carts filled with arrows go forward quickly, one after another. Otherwise, how will arrows be supplied to archers ? Let camels laden with coats of mail go, since the armor worn in the beginning by warriors