Site menu |
|
Login form |
|
Search |
|
Our poll |
|
Statistics |
Total online: 1 Guests: 1 Users: 0 |
|
Welcome, Guest · RSS |
2024-03-29, 9:48 AM |
|
Chapter
10: Dhruva
Mahârâja's Fight with the Yakshas
(1) Maitreya said: 'Dhruva ['the immovable one']
married Bhrami [meaning 'turning around'] the daughter of
Prajâpati S'is'umâra ['the dolphin', 'the galaxy']
and named her sons Kalpa ['epoch'] and Vatsara ['tropical year']. (2) With another wife called Ilâ ['the
comfort'], a daughter of Vâyu [the demigod of the air], the
powerful one begot a son called Utkala ['the one who carries the load']
and a jewel of a girl. (3) Uttama ['the one of excel'] however, Dhruva's brother
who
didn't marry, was during a hunt in the Himalaya range killed by a very
powerful Yaksha [an evil spirit]. He was [soon] followed by his mother
[Suruci]. (4)
Dhruva hearing about the
death of his brother, filled with
lamentation angered swore revenge and got on his victorious chariot to
leave
for the city of the Yakshas.
(5) Heading in the northern direction the king saw
in a valley of the Himalayas that was inhabited by followers of Lord
S'iva, a
city full of ghostly people. (6) There oh
ruler,
the mighty-armed one blew
his
conch shell that resounded fearfully in the sky in all directions
so that the wives of the Yakshas became most afraid. (7) Thereupon the very powerful
soldiers of Kuvera appeared out of their resentment against
the sound of the conch shell and attacked him with all kinds of weapons. (8) He, the hero and powerful bowman with all
of them attacking, could fight many adversaries simultaneously
and killed them one after the other, shooting three arrows at a time. (9) Because these arrows were aimed at their
heads, they, being convinced of the fact that they all without
fail surely would be defeated, lauded
his
action. (10) Not accepting that they would be
trampled like serpents under his
feet, they tried to retaliate,
striking back shooting twice as much arrows at the same time. (11-12) Eager to
counter his actions and his charioteer they, a 130.000 men
strong, very angry showered thereupon all kinds of feathered arrows,
bludgeons, swords, tridents, pointed lances, spears and fire weapons. (13) The
master of war vanished completely
from sight behind that constant shower of weapons, just
like a mountain that is covered by a downpour.
(14) In the sky a tumult
of disappointment resounded from the perfected ones [the
Siddhas] who, witnessing the fight, assumed that this grandson of Manu
who was setting like the sun in the ocean
of Yakshas, had been killed. (15) The Yakshas exclaimed that the victory was
theirs, but then his chariot reappeared from the fighting lot like
the
sun
emerges
from
the
mist. (16)
His twanging divine bow created the lamentation of his enemies,
scattering the different weapons with his arrows just like the wind
scatters an array of clouds. (17) The sharp arrows released from his bow
pierced the shields and entered the bodies of the demons, just like
thunderbolts hitting the mountains. (18-19) The battlefield that bewilders the mind of
a hero, began to glimmer from the by the arrows severed heads complete
with
garlands and turbans beautiful with earrings and helmets, and the cut
off thighs and arms that with beautiful bracelets and armlets shone
like
golden palm trees. (20) The remaining
soldiers, the most of whom had wounded limbs because of the arrows
of the greatest of all warriors, fled in all directions like elephants
defeated by a lion.
(21) At that time seeing that none
of the enemy soldiers were left standing, the best of all men wanted to
see
their
city,
but
he
didn't
enter
it for one can't be sure of the
plans of a mystical enemy. (22)
When the one with the finest chariot, apprehensive about a
counterattack of his enemies, was talking to his charioteer, a
loud sound like that of the ocean was heard that could be
recognized as produced by
the wind of a dust storm rising from all directions. (23) In a moment the sky was covered by a mass of
dense clouds that everywhere glittered with lightening accompanied by a
thunder that threatened on all sides. (24) Oh
faultless one, there was an
inundation of blood, mucus, pus, stool, urine, marrow and trunks of
bodies falling from the sky in front of him. (25) Then from the sky a downpour
from everywhere could be observed of a mountain of clubs, bludgeons,
swords, maces together with a hail of big stones.
(26) Serpents breathing like thunder vomited fire
with angry eyes and groups of mad elephants, lions and tigers were
encroaching. (27)
As if the last of days had
arrived the sea flooded the
earth in all directions with
fierce rolling waves, producing a tremendous sound.
(28) These kinds of phenomena are created by
heinous demons who with demoniac
illusions try to frighten the
less
intelligent ones. (29)
The great sages cognizant of the highly dangerous mystic power that by
the
demons was directed against Dhruva, then united to support him and help
him
out. (30)
They said: 'Oh son of
Uttânapâda, may the Supreme Lord carrying the bow called
S'ârnga, be the Godhead that kills all the enemies of the
surrendered souls in order to remove their distress. For it is the
chanting and hearing of His holy name that forthwith helps men fully
to overcome insurmountable death o Dhruva.'
|
|