Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

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

Page 335

314
Bharata decreased very much, like the trunk of an elephant, like the body of a snake. Bahubali's lion's-roar increased very, very much, like the current of a river, like the friendship of good people. The Lord of Bharata, the defendant, was defeated by the hero Bahubali, plaintiff, also in the voice-fight according to the śāstras.
Then the two brothers fastened their girdles for the arm-fight, like the best elephants with their girths fastened. Then Bahubali's chief door-keeper, carrying a golden staff, roaring like the ocean with high waves, said: "O earth, be firm, especially leaning on the mountains like adamant pillars, resorting to all your strength. Completely surrounding and holding in the wind, O serpent-king, becoming firm like a mountain, support the earth. Rolling in the mud of the ocean and, leaving your former fatigue, revived again, O great boar, embrace the earth. Contracting your legs on all sides, considering yourself adamant, O best of tortoises, make your back firm and bear the earth. Do not go to sleep from carelessness or rutting, (but) as before 956 attentive with your whole soul, support the earth, O elephants of the quarters. For Bahubali, having the nature of adamant, is ready now to engage in a prize-fight with his adamantine arms."
Then the two great wrestlers challenged each other, clapping their hands like the noise of a mountain struck by lightning. They advanced with an easy gait with dangling earrings, like two Kṣudramerus that had come with the sun and moon from Dhatakikhaṇḍa. With loud shouts they struck at each other's hands, like elephants at each other's tusks. In a moment they were united, and in a moment they were separated, like big trees close together stirred by a violent wind. The heroes jumped up one minute; they came down the next,
356 614. The position of the purvavat certainly favors taking it with the first clause, but I have not been able to find any account of the elephants going to sleep.