Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 3

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

Page 56

ŚREYĀNSANĀTHACARITRA
The lion awakened at once at the noise of their chariot resembling thunder, like a king at the noise of bards. Opening a little his eyes, which were like torches of Yama, shaking his lofty, massive mane, which was like Yama's chauri, opening his mouth, which was like a door to hell, with a yawn, his neck contracted a little, the lion took a look. When he saw only two men with a retinue of only a chariot, he pretended to go to sleep from contempt.
"He has certainly been made arrogant by the kings guarding the rice-fields with complete armies, offering oblations with elephants, et cetera.”
So addressed by Acala, the man-lion went ahead a little and challenged the best of lions, like a wrestler challenging a wrestler. Hearing the bragging noise of Vişnu, the lion, his ears erect, was astonished, thinking, "This is some hero." The lion came out of his cave with his ears firmly propped up on his head like posts in high ground, with eyes exceedingly red like terrifying torches, with a mouth, like an armory of Vama, filled with tusks and fangs, his tongue outside his mouth like a Takşaka (Nāga) outside Pātāla, with tusks above his mouth like a festoon of Yama's house, with a mane like the flames of a fire of anger burning within, with nails like hooks for drawing out the life from creatures, his tail twitching like a hungry serpent, his mouth open, frightful with roaring like the emotion of cruelty in person.
The lion struck the earth with his large, cruel tail, like Indra striking a mountain with his thunderbolt. At the sound of the beating with his tail, creatures disappeared on all sides like sea-animals in the ocean at the sound of a drum.
: "Stop, sir! When I am present there is no occasion for you to fight," with these words Triprstha stopped Acala right there. Vişņu got out of the chariot, saying, "It is not in accordance with military ethics for me now in a chariot to fight with him as a foot-soldier." Saying, "It is not fitting for me armed to fight with him unarmed,"