The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 1 (of 4)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 1 (of 4)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
5. As a rib is joined to another, and one side with the other, so met
the horse against the horse, and elephant opposed the elephant in
mutual conflict.
6. As one forest clasps and clings to another, and one hill is linked
with the other in a range, so the duelists strove together, as one wave
dashes against the other.
7. Footmen fought with footmen, as the reeds crush the reeds, and
bamboos clash against one another, and the contrary winds struggle
between themselves.
8. Cars falling upon cars, and chariots running against chariots, broke
one another to pieces; and the citizens beat the rustics, as the Devas
smote the demons of old.
9. The sky which had been erewhile clouded by the flight of arrows, was
now emblazoned by the banner of the bowyer, resembling the rainbow of
various colours.
10. At last the warriors who were overpowered in their conflict with
unequal arms, fled away from the field, as they do from the fire of a
conflagration.
11. Now the armigerents with discuses, met the thwarters of disks
(chakras) in contest; and bowyers were opposed to bowmen, and swordsmen
challenged the sword fighters in the field. So met the hookers and
crookers with their co-rivals with crowbars (bhusundis) in hand.
12. Maces were opposed to maces (musalas), and lancers were set against
the lance bearers (kuntas) in fighting. Spearmen braved the spearmen
(rishtis), and the throwers of missiles were crossed with missives
(prásas) in hand.
13. Mallets militated against mallets (mudguras), and clubs were
contravened by clubmen in the conflict. Combatants with pikes (saktis),
encountered the pikemen (sakti-dharas) face to face; and iron rods were
crossed to pointed rods (súlas) in the strife.
14. Pugilists with missive weapons, counteracted the missiles of their
antagonists (prásas), and those fighting with battle axes (parasus),
baffled the poleaxes and pickaxes (paraswadhas) of their foes.
15. Trappers with their traps and snares, attacked the darters of
nooses and lassos (pásas); and the darters of javelins (sankus),
withstood the darts of the dartsmen on the other side. Daggers were
opposed to daggers (kshurikas), and cudgels were presented before the
cudgels (bhindipálas of the enemy).
16. Combatants with iron gloves contravened the boxers with iron
fistcuffs (Vajramushtis), and those with iron cranes, pursued
the fighters with crooked goads (ankusas) in hand. Warriors with
ploughshares attacked the ploughmen, and those with tridents, fell upon
the trident holders (trisúlins) in contest.
17. Champions with chained armours set upon the soldiers attired in
mail (srinkhala jála); and they poured upon the field as flights of
locusts, or as the waves in the troubled sea.
18. The air also seemed as a sea, with flying disks whirling as
whirlpools (chakravartas), and the flight of reeds whistling like
gusts of wind; while the range of running weapons seemed as sharks and
dolphins moving about it.
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