to drive a car drawn by a thousand steeds (14). Stretching his huge bow,
many thousand cubits in dimension, the Dānava Vāraha stood before the
army like a fig tree covered with its branches (15), Shedding tears of
anger out of haughtiness and with his lips and teeth trembling the
Dānava Khara stood for the battle (16). Ascending a car drawn by twelve
horses and surrounded by Dānava Vyuhas the energetic Aristha began to
move about in the battle-field (17). Adorned with golden ear-rings,
Viprachitti’s son Swetā stood before the battle-field like a white
mountain (18). Armed with most excellent weapons made of stone and being
tired thereby Bati’s son Aristha stood there for battle like a mountain
(19). A Dānava, by name Kishora, resembling a young charger in pride,
appeared like the sun in the midst of the Daitya army (20). Being
dressed with a long raiment resembling a cloud the Dānava Lamva appeared
in the midst of the Daitya Vyuhas¹⁴⁶ like the sun possessed by Rāhu¹⁴⁷
(21). Taking up weapons in the shape of teeth, lips and eyes the
huge-bodied and terrible warrior Sharbhānu smilingly stood before the
Daityas (22). Some shone on the horses and others on the elephants. Some
sat on the lions and tigers and others on boars and bears (23). Some
rode the asses and camels and others rode the clouds. And others rode on
various birds and some the winds¹⁴⁸ (24). Other Daitya proceeded on
foot. Some Daityas, with dreadful faces, some with one foot and some
with two feet began to dance for battle (25). Some began to strike their
arms. Thus the leading Dānavas began to roar there like proud tigers
(26). The Daityas, expert in the use of bows, began to assail the gods
with fierce clubs, Parighas and their Parigha-like arms (27). And
sporting with maces, Prāshas, clubs hooks, swords, Sataghnies, sharpened
daggers, excellent iron Parighas and discuses they delighted the
soldiers (28–29). The Dānavas, irrepressible in battle, desired for
victory. Thus the Dānavas, proud of their various weapons, confronted
the gods like rising clouds (30). That Daitya army, consisting of
thousands of Dānavas, resembling the air, the fire, the cloud and the
mountain and filled with war-like speed and advancement, was maddened
with desire for battle (31).
¹⁴⁶ The arrangement of troops in various positions, as the array in
line, that in column, that in circle, and that in mixed order.
¹⁴⁷ This is the mythological account of the solar eclipse.
¹⁴⁸ _i.e._ were fleet like the wind.
CHAPTER XLIV. ARRANGEMENT OF THE CELESTIAL ARMY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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