42. The hollow sounding caves of mountains, resounded to the loud shouts of warriors; who were ready to expose their dear lives and dearly earned vigour in the battle field. 43. The burning fire of firearms, and the flames of incendiarism flashed on all sides; these and mutual conflicts and chariot fightings, went on unceasingly all around. 44. The battle field was surrounded by the surviving soldiers, who were as staunch hearted as the Mount Kailása, with the strong god Siva seated therein. 45. The bravemen that boldly expose their lives in battle, enjoy a lasting life by their death in warfare, and die in their living state, by their flight from the field. (The text is very curt and says:--The brave live by dying, and die by their living). 46. Big elephants being killed in the battle field, like lotus flowers immerging into the waters of lakes; great champions were seen to stalk over the plains, as towering storks strutted on the banks of lakes. 47. Here showers of stones were falling in torrents, with a whizzing sound; and the showers of arrows, were running with a whistling noise around; and the uproar of warriors were growling in the skies. The flying weapons were hurtling through the air, and the neighing of horses, the cries of elephants and the whirling of chariot wheels, together with the hurling of stones from the height of hills, deafened the ears of men all about. CHAPTER CXI. THE FLIGHT OF THE SOLDIERS ON ALL SIDES. Argument:--Description of the Discomfiture of the Royal army, and their use of pneumatic arms. Vasishtha continued:--Thus the war waged with the fury of the four elements, in their mutual conflict on the last doomsday of the world; and the forces on all sides, were falling and flying in numbers in and about the battle field. 2. The sky was filled with the stridor of the fourfold noise of drums and conch-shells; and the rattling of arrows and clattering of arms on all sides. 3. The furious warriors were violently dashing on one another, and their steel armours were clashing against each other, and splitting in twain with clattering noise. 4. The files of the royal forces, were broken in the warfare; they fell fainting in the field, and were lopped off as leaves and plants, and mown down as straws and grass. 5. At this time the trumpets announced the advance of king, with a peal that filled the quarters of the sky; and the cannons thundered with a treble roar, resounding with uproar of the _kapa_ or doomsday clouds. 6. They rent asunder at the same time, the sides of the highest hill and mountains; and split in twain, the rocky shores and banks every where. 7. The king then issued forth to all the four sides, in the four fold or four parted form of himself; like the four regents of the four quarters of the sky, or like the four arms of Náráyana, stretching to so many sides of heaven.