The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 2 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 2 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
14. The mirage of the desert glistened as water, and deluded the dry
buffaloes to roll in it (as in a pool); and there was no current of
breeze to cool the desert air.
15. The call and cry for water, came only to the ears of men; who were
parching under the burning rays of the torrid sun (in the Deccan).
16. The hungry mob, hurrying to browse the branches and herbs, yielded
their lives in those acts; while others sharpened their teeth, in their
acts of tearing and devouring one another.
17. Some ran to bite the gum of catechu, thinking it to be a bit of
flesh; while others were swallowing the stones, as if they were cakes
lying on the ground before them.
18. The ground was sprinkled with blood, by the mutual biting and
tearing of men; as when blood is spilt in profusion, by the lion’s
killing a big and starving elephant.
19. Every one was as ferocious as a lion, in his attempt to devour
another as his prey; and men mutually fought with one another, as
wrestlers do in their contest.
20. The trees were leafless, and the hot winds were blowing as
fire-brands on all sides; and wild cats were licking the human blood,
that was spilt on the rocky ground.
21. The flame of the wild fire rose high in the air, with clouds of
smoke whirling with the howling winds of the forest; it growled aloud in
every place, and filled the forest-land with heaps of brown cinders and
burning fire brands.
22. Huge serpents were burnt in their caves, and the fumes rising from
these burning bodies, served to grow the poisonous plants on the spot;
while the flame stretching aloft with the winds, gave the sky an
appearance of the glory of the setting sun.
23. Heaps of ashes were lifted like dust, by the high howling winds, and
stood as domes unsupported by pillars in the open sky; and the little
children stood crying for fear of them, beside their weeping parents.
24. There were some men who tore a dead body with their teeth, and in
their great haste to devour the flesh, bit their own hands and fingers,
which were besmeared in their own blood.
25. The vultures flying in the air, darted upon the smoke, thinking it a
turret of trees, and pounced upon the fire brands, taking them for bits
of raw flesh.
26. Men biting and tearing one another, were flying in all directions;
when the splitting of the burning wood hit upon their breasts and
bellies, and made them gory with blood gushing out of them.
27. The winds were howling in the hollow caves, and the flames of the
wild fire flashing with fury; the snakes were hissing for fear of these,
and the burnt woods were falling down with hideous noise.
28. Thus beset by dangers and horrors, with no other shelter than the
rugged hollows of rocks, this place presented a picture of this world,
with its circumambient flames, burning as the twelve zodiacal suns on
high.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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