Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 3

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

Page 55

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CHAPTER ONE
the lion.” Prajāpati summoned the princes and said: “Your bad behavior has resulted unexpectedly in guarding (the fields) from the lion. If the command is broken unexpectedly, then Hayagriva acts like Yama. If his command is not broken, then the lion acts like Yama. In either case sudden death is present for us. Nevertheless, I go now to the guarding from the lion, sons.”
The princes said: “Asvagriya's courage is known, by whom, like an animal, an animal (the lion) is considered terrifying. Stay here, father. We will go now and soon kill the lion. O man-lion, why should you go there yourself, lord?”
Prajāpati, depressed, said: “You are young boys, ignorant of what should and should not be done. One such act was committed by you while in my jurisdiction, behaving badly like a rogue-elephant, little princes. This result of that action has appeared at once. What will be the result of what you will do when you are far away?”
Then Triprstha said: "What is this fear of the lion shown by him, foolish, like that of foolish kings? Now, father, do us a favor. Stay here. We will go and destroy the lion together with Aśvagrīva's wishes."
So, finally persuading the king, they went with small, superior retinues to the country inhabited by the lion. The princes saw the bones of many soldiers killed by the lion at the foot of a mountain, like a heap of his glory incarnate. They asked the rice-cultivators who had climbed tall trees, "How do the kings keep off the lion?” The cultivators replied: "O heroes, after the kings had made a disposition of forces, they made a blockade of the lion in a cave with armored elephants, horses, chariots, and soldiers, like a dam of a stream, like a moat of an elephant. The kings, feeling doubtful of their lives, guarded us against the lion with soldiers who were continually killed and torn to pieces."
When they heard this speech of theirs, Bala and Keśava smiled, left their army there, and went to the lion's cave.