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CHAPTER THREE
'Serve my master, Nala, a forest-fire to a forest of enemies. (By so doing) prosper very much. Do not destroy your own splendor. I tell you what is to your own advantage, just as if I were supervised by your family-gods. Serve Nala. Reflect. Do not make a mistake.'
106
Biting his lower lip with his teeth, like Rāhu a digit of the moon, Kadamba, not knowing his own advantage like a child, said: Is Nala a fool or insane, or asleep from wind ?121 For who does not know me, a boar for the grass 122 of enemies? Are there no family-ministers at your court by whom Naiṣadhi, stupid, was prevented from insulting me? Therefore go, messenger! If your lord is weary of his kingdom, let him be prepared. For I am his battle-guest.'
The messenger went and reported Kadamba's speech, which was harsh from arrogance, to Nala, powerful. Then Naişadhi marched against the lord of Takṣaśilā, a mountain of arrogance, with full equipment. Nala invested all Takṣaśilā with an army, making a second wall, as it were, with elephants in close array. Kadamba put on armor and went outside with his army. For a lion can not endure for another one to approach the entrance of his den. The soldiers, their eyes red with anger, fought with each other, with pavilions made in the air by arrow against arrow, with cruel brilliance.
6
Nala said to Kadamba: Why should the elephants, et cetera be killed? Let us, who are enemies, fight in single combat.' Then Nala and Kadamba, like living mountains, fought in the best single combats, wrestling, et cetera. Kadamba, blind with arrogance, was defeated by Nala, victorious, in every kind of fight that he demanded from Nala. The warrior's conduct has been possessed in equal degree by me, but I have been brought to the point of death by powerful Nala. So, let me not die like a moth. I shall flee from him
6
121 416. I.e., from an excess of the windy humor..
122 416
boar. '
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