________________
RĀVAŅA'S EXPEDITION OF CONQUEST 159 magic missiles which quickly participated in the state of oppressed and oppressor like a general rule and the exception. While the two elephants, Airāvana and Bhuvanalankāra, were closely joined like two pieces of fruit on one stalk, Rāvaņa, knowing tricks, leaped from his elephant, went to Airāvana, killed the mahout, and captured Indra as well as the Indra of elephants. The elephant was entirely surrounded below by the Rakşas-soldiers making a loud noise from joy, like a piece of honey by bees. When Sakra (Indra) had been captured by Rāvana, his army fled in all directions. When the lord has been conquered, the soldiers are surely conquered. Rāvana led Indra with Airāvaņa to his own camp and he himself became chief in the two rows (of cities).
Then Dasakandhara returned to Lankā, threw Sakra into prison, like a parrot into a wooden cage. Sahasrāra, with the regents of the quarters, came to Lankā, bowed to Rāvana, his hands folded submissively like a footman, and said:
"We are not ashamed because we were conquered by you, powerful, who lifted up Kailāsa as easily as a piece of rock. You being such as you are, a petition is not a reason for shame at all. So I ask you: release Sakra and give me the alms of a son.”
Rāvaņa said: "If I free Sakra, he with the regents and attendants must always do such work (as this). He must constantly keep the city Lankā everywhere as clean from grass, wood, et cetera, as the floor of a house. At every dawn he must sprinkle the city all over with divine perfumes like a cloud 180 with water, having made a waving of garments. After gathering and tying flowers himself
180 628. Celotkṣepam. PE interprets celotkşepa as a 'rain of clothes,' and it is often so interpreted, I believe. But Hemacandra makes it plain in other passages that he does not mean a shower of clothes, but a waving of garments. See 1. 3. 300, where there is a comparison with chauris, 2. 3. 291, 3. I. 308, 3. 2. 115. One MS has the reading celaknopam, which has some appeal.
II
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
