With the detached collection of rocks and the dreadful down-pour of embers that mountain appeared like a cloud accompanied by a shower of fire-brands (62). With springs of water rising up and enveloped with smokes the mount Gomanta appeared to have been consumed by the fire of dissolution (63). With half of this body burnt, serpents, having huge hoods, overwhelmed, with anxious eyes and sighing, began again and again to leap up and fall down with their heads bent downwards (64). Assailed by fire and excited the lions and tigers began to cry and the trees began to yeild juice consequent upon burning (65). Rendered coppery with ashes and embers the wind began to rise and cover the sky, with smokes, like clouds (67). On account of the spread of fire the birds and beasts left the table-lands and the mountain became agitated (68). As if rent by the thunder-bolt of Vāsava that mountain, abounding in shaken and high rocks, began to throw out rocks (69). Thus setting fire to that mountain and themselves distressed by it the Kshatriyas retreated to a distance of a mile (70).
When that foremost of mountains was thus burnt the great trees were so scorched that none could look at them, and the root (of the mountain) was slackened, Rāma in anger, said to the lotus-eyed Krishna, the slayer of Madhu (71–72). "O my brother Krishna, on account of their enmity towards us the enemies are consuming this mountain along with its table-lands, summits and trees (73). Behold O Krishna, the leading twice-born ones, who are living in the forest of the mountain assailed by fire and covered with smokes, are as if weeping (74), O brother, if this Gomanta is burnt down on our account we shall acquire great censure and blame in the world (75). Therefore O foremost of warriors, in order to satisfy our debt to this mountain whose shelter we have taken we shall destroy the Kshatriyas with our very arms (76). Setting fire to this mountain these foremost of car-warriors, the Kshatriays, well armed, are signifying their desire for battle. (We shall despatch them to the abode Yama)" (77). Saying this Keshava's elder brother, bedecked with a garland of wild flowers, beautiful Kundalas and crown, inebriete with Kādamvari wine, resembling an autumnal moon, clad in a blue raiment, of white face, the beautiful Baladeva jumped down in the midst of kings from the summit of Gomanta like the moon from the summit of Sumeru (78-80). When Rāma leaped down, the beautiful Krishna, too of incomparable energy, resembling a dark-blue cloud, jumped down from the summit of Gomanta (81). Thereat the divine Hari, assailing that foremost of mountains with his two feet, its four sides were broken down (82). Thereupon, water, issuing from its rocks, resembling elephants in rut, immediately extinguished that fire as the sun, at the end of a cycle, puts down the fire of dissolution with showers. Having thus put down the fire the powerful lotus-eyed Krishna, of a gentle face and leonine voice, carrying a beautiful diadem like that of the thousand eyed deity and bearing the mystic mark of Srivatsa on his breast, followed Rāma by jumping. When they got down the foremost of mountains, assailed with their foot-steps, began to yield water for extinguishing the flaming fire. Beholding that fire extinguished by water the kings too grew terrified (83–87).
CHAPTER XCIX. KRISHNA MEETS HIS ENEMY.
Vaishampayana said:—Beholding the two sons of Vasudeva come down from the mountain the soldiers of the kings grew terrified and the animals bewildered (1). Although they had no other weapons but their arms they began to move about there in anger like two Makaras that agitate the ocean (2). When they began to range there desirous of fighting there arose in them their respective ancient intelligence regarding the handling of weapons (3). The weapons, which they had obtained before in their encounter at Mathura, came down from the sky like burning flames before the very eyes of the assembled kings. The huge bodily weapons, which the two Yādavas obtained, came down from the sky, as if filled with thirst and the desire of feeding upon human flesh. They, adorned with celestial garlands, lighted up the ten quarters with their lustre and terrified the sky-ranging ones. Beasts of prey followed them with a view to feed upon royal flesh (4–8). When in that great battle came down for the two Yadavas four powerful Vaishnava weapons namely, the plough-share Samvartaka, the mace Sounanda, the discus Sudarshana, and the club Koumodaki the powerful Rāma, the foremost of Sātwatas, first of all, took up with his left hand the plough-share embellished with celestial garlands and moving obliquely like a serpent and with his right hand, the best of maces Saunanda that creates depression in the enemies (9-12). Keshava, with delight, took up the discus Sudarshana which is worthy of being looked at by all the worlds and effulgent like the sun (13). The other hand of Krishna, the necessity of whose incarnation was known to the gods, was bedecked with the club Koumodaki (14).
Thus armed the heroic Rāma and Govinda, the very incarnations of Vishnu, began to withstand the enemies in battle (15). Displaying their prowess like two gods, the two heroic sons of Vasudeva, designated as the younger and the elder brothers and although one in Vishnu, divided into two as men under the names of Rāma and Govinda and dependant on each other, began to range in the battle-field withstanding the enemies (16-17). Thereupon raising up his plough-share in anger, resembling the belly of a crow the heroic Rāma began to move about in the battle-field like the very Death of the enemies. And dragging the cars of the highly powerful Kshatriyas he began to give effect to his anger on the horses and the elephants (18–19). Ranging in that battle-field and assailing with the strokes of his mace mountain-like elephants thrown up with his plough share he began as if to churn them (20).
Thereupon the leading Kshatriyas, who were on the point of being slain by Rāma, left their cars in fear, and went to Jarāsandha. Thereat the king Jarāsandha, ever observant of Kshatriya duties, said to them:—"O fie on your conduct as Kshatriyas grown tired of battle (21–22). The sages say that those, who albeit powerful fly away from the battle-field leaving their cars behind, are visited by the sin of destroying an embryo. Do you not know this (23)? Fie on your conduct as Kshatriyas. Why do ye fly away in fear of a milk-herd of limited power who fights on foot (24)? Do ye return soon according to my order, or you need not fight, but wait in the battle-field as spectators. I shall myself despatch those two cow-herd boys to the abode of Yama (25)."
Thus excited by Jarāsandha the Kshatryas delightedly rallied round and engaged in fight with a downpour of arrows (26). With coats of mail, Nishtringsas, weapons, quivers, arrows and bows, set with strings, horses adorned with golden reins, cars of moon-like lustre and cloud-like elephants driven by Mahāmātras they again set out for the battle-field (27-28). Covered with rising umbrellas and fanned with beautiful chowries the kings, stationed on cars, shone greatly in beauty in the battle-field (29). The foremost of warriors, the two heroic sons of Vasudeva, Rāma and Keshava were seen ranging about with a desire of fighting as soon as they got down in the battle-field (30). Thereupon there took place a terrible encounter between them and the kings, accompanied with a profuse discharge of shafts and strokes of clubs (31). Those two heroic descendants of the Yadu race bore thousands of arrows shot by the kings like two mountains sprinkled with rain. Although assailed by heavy clubs and maces they did not tremble (32-33).
Thereupon the highly-powerful Krishna, resembling a cloud and holding conch, discus and club in his hand, increased his body like a cloud accompanied by wind. And with his discus effulgent like the sun he began to cut down men, horses, elephants and mighty car-warriors (34–35). On the other side, Rāma too so dragged the kings with his plough share and so struck them with his club, that they, deprived of consciousness, could not stand in the battle-field (36). The car-wheels being obstructed the variegated chariots of the kings were broken down and could not go on in the battle-field (37). Having their tusks broken down with the strokes of maces, Hastihānaya[269] elephants began to fly away from the battle-field with a great noise like the autumnal clouds (38). Assailed by the flames of the fire wrought by the discus, the cavalry and the infantry began to breathe their last like those struck down by thunder-bolts (39). Struck and grinded with the plough-share the entire host of the royal army appeared like creatures at the time of the universal dissolution (40). What to speak of fighting the kings could not even look at the battle-field, the sporting ground of the celestial weapons of Vishnu incarnate (41). Some of the cars were completely crushed down, of some the kings were killed and some, with one wheel broken down, lay upset on the surface of the earth (42). In that dreadful battle of discus and plough-share portendous Rākshasas were seen (43). So great was the number of upturned cars, elephants, horses, and men, who, on being assailed, were plaintively bewailing that even with great care it could not be ascertained (44). Saturated with the blood of the wounded kings the battle-field appeared like a damsel besmeared with sandal paste (45). The battle-field was covered with the hairs, bones, fat, entrails and blood of horses, elephants and men (46). The battle-field was destructive of the men and animals of the kings, was filled with inauspicious cries and bewailings of the jackals, was crested with lakes of blood, was like the sporting-ground of Death, was covered with the bones of elephants, with warriors having their arms cut off and wounded horses and was echoing with the cries of vultures and wolves (47-49). In that battle-field in which the kings were killed and death was common Krishna, looking like Death himself, moved about for killing his enemies (50). Thereupon taking up his discus effulgent like the sun at the time of the universal dissolution and his dark iron club Keshava stood there in the midst of the army and said (51). "O ye heroes of firm resolution who are clever hands in the use of weapons, though I, a foot-soldier, stand before you with my elder brother, why do you fly away? (62) Why does not that king Jarāsandha, ill-fated as he is, come before us by whom you are being protected in the battle-field? (53)"
On his saying this the powerful king Darada ran towards Rāma of coppery eyes with a plough-share in his hand who was in the midst of the army and addressed him, like a cultivator calling a bull, saying:—"O Rāma, O slayer of enemies, come and fight with me" (54–55). Thereupon there began an encounter between Rāma and Darada, the foremost of men, like unto two powerful elephants (56). Placing his plough-share on Darada's shoulder, Baladeva, the foremost of those endued with strength, struck him with his mace (57). Thereupon grinded by that mace and with his head cut off the king Darada fell down on earth like a mountain, with its half rent assunder (58).
When that foremost of kings Darada was slain by Rāma a dreadful, hair-stirring encounter took place between Rāma and Jarāsandha like that between Vitra and Mahendra. When those two heroes, taking up huge clubs, ran towards each other with great vigior shaking the earth they looked like two mountain summits (59–61). When those two highly powerful heroes, celebrated in the world as being most proficient in club-fighting, ran towards each in anger like two infuriated elephants all came away from the battle-field to them (62–63). Thereupon thousands of Gandharvas Siddhas, saints, Yakshas, Apsarās and Devas came there (64). O king, at that time adorned with Gandharvas and great saints the welkin shone greatly in beauty as if crested with luminous bodies (65).