The whole court being thus incensed, the ambassador Suvigraha went out, and repaired to Mṛigánkadatta in his camp. He told him and his friends what Karmasena had said; and the prince, when he heard it, ordered the army to march. Then the sea of soldiers, set in motion by the order of the commander, as by a violent gust of wind, in which men, horses, and elephants moved like bounding sea-monsters, exciting satisfaction in the mind of the allied monarchs,[23] assumed an agitation terrifying to the minds of timid men. Then Mṛigánkadatta, making the earth miry with the foam of high-mettled horses, and the frontal ichor of elephants, and deafening the world with the noise of his drums, moved on slowly to Ujjayiní to victory.
[1] See the Dummedhajátaka, Fausböll’s edition of the Játakas, Vol. I, p. 259; Liebrecht’s translation of the Pentamerone of Basile, Vol. I. p. 83; and Vol. I of this translation, pp. 153 and 575; also Ralston’s Tibetan Tales, Introduction, p. lii.
[2] Or “black as tamála.”
[3] Or “which were of opposite appearance, being white.” The word arjuna (white) also refers to the hero Arjuna one of the Páṇḍavas, who lived disguised as a eunuch in the city of king Viráṭa. Kíchaka (cane) was the leader of the host of king Viráṭa, and was conquered by Bhíma (terrible). The passage contains another pun which will be obvious to those acquainted with Hindu customs.
[4] I. e. patatigavṛitti. The word seems to mean “subsistence of birds.” Compare Macbeth IV, 2, 33. Paṇḍit Ráma Chandra of Alwar points out that the reference in patangavṛitti is to the “rushing of a moth into a candle.” In the text therefore “would be a mere reckless rushing on destruction” should be substituted for “is a mere chimerical fancy.”
[5] I find tat-sambandhánuráginá in three India Office MSS. kindly lent me by Dr. Rost.
[6] I read Mátangarájadeśágato; the reading of the India Office MS. No. 1882 is rájádeśágato which would mean “by the invitation of the king of the Mátangas.” For dúrágamana in śl. 31, No. 2166 reads dútágamana, i. e. “the coming of your messenger.” This makes better sense.
[7] A pun! It also means “holding prosperity, and holding out hopes to the world.”
[8] All the three India Office MSS., which Dr. Rost has kindly lent me, read niśáśrayaḥ.