Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 3

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

Page 71

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CHAPTER ONE
The battle-drums of both armies were sounding as if to summon gods with the idea, "There should be judges of the battle." The armies of Tripṛstha and Hayakantha, who were very eager for battle like lords of the gods and demons, flew at each other. The loud tumult of the armored soldiers, as well as the dust of the earth crushed by the horses and army, invested the heavens. The heavens had a terrifying appearance, like a great forest, from the lions, sarabhas, tigers, elephants, and monkeys placed on the army-banners. Like relatives of Narada,62 eager for the sport of strife, bands of sworn comrades came together, skilled in arousing the enthusiasm of the soldiers. Then fighting was commenced by the vanguards of the two armies which made the sky appear to have birds in flight from the multitude of arrows. A great fire arose from the weapons of the vanguards of the two armies in battle, like a forest-fire from the rubbing together of the top branches of trees in a forest. In the van of the battle of the soldiers occupied with weapon against weapon, possessing unmeasured strength, there was angry conflict like that of sea-monsters in the ocean. Aśvagriva's vanguard was turned back by Tripṛṣṭha's vanguard, like the water of a river by the waves of the ocean. The followers of Vājigrīva, the best of Vidyadharas, were enraged instantly by the crushing of the vanguard like the tip of the finger. They became vampires, eager for battle, cruel-armed; just like demons who had received the minister's seal from Yama; ghouls with monstrous huge teeth and broad chests, dark and terrifying, like peaks of the Añjana Mountains; lions by whom the earth was split by blows with ploughs in the form of tails, with nails doing the work of scimitars; sarabhas with (four) feet on top like mountains with high peaks, by whom elephants are tossed up as easily as a bunch of straw by an
62 599. Nārada, in addition to his many accomplishments, is considered a fomentor of strife. Cf. the Marathi, 'Muni Narada, the starter of quarrels.' Mainwaring, 1077.