Reading section 81

19. Some of these are whirling about with a jarring noise for ever, which is neither heard by nor known to any body. It is like the motion of men addicted to earthly pursuits by their nature.

20. Some of these are now growing in form, as if they were newly created, and are in the course of their development, like sprouts in the cells of seeds newly sown in the ground.

21. Some of these are melting away as icicles under heat, like the mountains that were melted down by the burning sun and heavenly fire, at the dissolution of the world.

22. Others have been continually falling downward without gaining the ground, till at last they dwindle away, and melt into the divine Intellect.

23. Others are as immovable in the air, as the animalculae in the water, which are moved to and fro by the wind, without any sign of motion or sensation in them.

24. Again nothing is stable in nature, but every thing is as changeful as the acts and usages enjoined in the Vedas and sástras, are altered and succeeded by others.

25. There are other Brahmás and other patriarchs, and many Vishnus and many Indras one after the other. We have different kings of men, and sometimes no ruler of them.

26. Some are as men and lords of others (Ishas), in this multiform creation, and some are creeping and crooked living beings on earth; some kinds are as full as the waters of the ocean, and others have become quite extinct in the world.

27. Some are as hard as solid stones, and others as soft as the poor insects and worms; some are of godly figures as the giants, and others of puny human forms.

28. Some are quite blind and suited to darkness (as owls and moles and bats); others are suited to light (as men, birds and beasts), and some to both (as cats and rats).

29. Some are born as gnats sucking the juice of the fruits of the fig tree; while others are empty within, and fly about and feed upon the air.

30. The world is thus filled with creatures beyond the conception of Yogis, and we can not form even a guess-work of the beings that fill the infinite vacuum.

31. This world is the sphere of these living beings; but the great vacuum spreading beyond it, is so extensive, that it is immeasurable by the gods Vishnu and others, were they to traverse through it, for the whole of their lives.

32. Every one of these etherial globes, is encircled by a belt resembling a golden bracelet; and has an attractive power like the earth to attract other objects.

33. I have told you all about the grandeur of the universe to my best knowledge, any thing beyond this, is what I have no knowledge of, nor power to describe. 34. There are many other large worlds, rolling through the immense space of vacuum, as the giddy goblins of _Yakshas_ revel about in the dark and dismal deserts and forests, unseen by others.

CHAPTER XXXI.

SECTION I.

ALIGHTING OF THE LADIES ON EARTH.

Vasishtha said:—After having seen the worlds in their aerial journey, the ladies alighted from there, and quickly entered the inner apartment of the king.

2. There they saw the dead body of the king lying in state amidst heaps of flowers, accompanied by the spiritual body of Lílá, sitting beside the corpse.

3. It was the dead of night, and the inmates had fallen into sound sleep one by one; and the room was perfumed with the incense of resin, camphor and sandalwood and saffron.

4. Lílá, seeing the house of her latter husband, and wishing to enter into it, alighted in her assumed body (sankalpadeha) on the spot of his sepulchre.

5. She then passed through the fictitious spacious palace of her lord (_sankalpasansára_), by breaking out of the confines of her body and cranium called the earthly and worldly environs in Yoga terminology (sansára and Brahmánda-ávaranas).

6. Then she went again with the goddess to the bright and spacious temple of the world (Brahmánda-mandapa), in which she quickly entered.

7. She saw her husband’s imaginary world to lie as a dirty and mossy pool, as the lioness beholds the mountain cave covered by darkness and clouds.

8. The goddesses then entered into that vacuous world with their airy bodies, as weak ants make their passage through the hard crust of the wood-apple or _bel_-fruit.

9. There they passed through regions of cloudy hills and skies, and reached the surface of the earth, consisting of tracts of land and basins of water.

10. They then came to the Jambudwípa (Asia), situated amidst the ninefold petals of the other dwípas (or continents), and thence proceeded to the territories of Lílá’s husband in the _varsha_ land of Bharata (India).

11. At this interval of time they beheld a certain prince—(the ruler of Sinde), strengthened by other chiefs, making an attack on this part which was the beauty of the world.

12. They beheld the air crowded by people of the three worlds, who had assembled there to see the conflict.

13. They remained undaunted, and saw the air crowded by aerial beings in groups like clouds.

14. There were the Siddhas, Cháranas, Gandharvas, Vidyádharas, Súras, celestials and Apsarás in large bodies.

15. There were also the goblins of Bhútas and Pisáchas, and Rákshasa cannibals; while the Vidyádhara females were flinging handfuls of flowers like showers of rain on the combatants.

16. The Vetálas, Yakshas and Kushmánds, that were looking at the affray with pleasure, took themselves to the shelter of hills, to avoid the flying darts and weapons.

17. The imps were flying from the air, to keep themselves from the way of the flying weapons; and the spectators were excited by sound of the war-whoop of the combatants.

18. Lílá who was standing by with a flapper (or fan) in her hand, was frightened at the imminent dreadful conflict, and smiled to scorn their mutual vauntings.

SECTION II.

SIGHT OF A BATTLE ARRAY IN EARTH AND AIR.

19. Virtuous people who were unable to endure the horrid sight, betook themselves to prayers, with the chief priests for averting the calamity.

20. The messengers of Indra, were ready with their decorated elephants (called _loka-pálas_), for bearing the souls of mighty heroes to grace the seats of heaven.

21. The cháranas and Gandharvas, were singing praises of the advancing heroes; and heavenly nymphs that liked heroism, were glancing at the best combatants.

22. Voluptuous women were wishing to embrace the arms of the brave; and the fair fame of the heroes, had turned the hot sunshine to cool moonlight.

23. Ráma asked:—Tell me, sir, what sort of a warrior is called a hero, that becomes a jewel in heaven, and who is an insurgent.

24. Vasishtha answered:—He who engages in a lawful warfare, and fights for his king, and whether he dies or becomes victorious in the field, is called a hero, and goes to heaven.

25. Whoever kills men otherwise in war and dies afterwards, in an unjust cause, is called an insurgent, and goes to hell at last.

26. Whoever fights for unlawful property, and dies in battle, becomes subject to everlasting hell fire.

27. Whoso wages a just warfare, that is justified by law and usage, that warrior is called both loyal as well as heroic in deed.

28. Whoever dies in war, for the preservation of kine, Bráhmans and friends with a willing mind, and whoso protects his guest and refugee with all diligence, he verily becomes an ornament in heaven after his death.

29. The king who is steadfast in protecting his subjects and his own country, is called the just, and those that die in his cause are called the brave.

30. They that die fighting on the side of riotous subjects, or in the cause of rebellious princes or chiefs, are doomed to fire.

31. They that die fighting unjustly against their kings, lawgivers and rulers, are subjected to the torments of hell.

32. A war which is just, serves to establish order; but the giddy that are fearless of the future, destroy all order (by their unjust warfare).

33. The hero dying, goes to heaven, is the common saying; and the sástras call the lawful warrior only a hero, and not otherwise.

34. They who suffer wounds on their bodies, for the protection of the righteous and good, are said to be heroes, or else they are insurgents (_dimbhavas_).

35. It was in expectation of seeing such heroes that the damsels of the gods, were standing in the air, and talking to themselves of becoming the spouses of such warriors.

36. The air was as decorated as by an illumination on high, and by rows of the beautiful heavenly cars of gods and Siddhas, and presence of celestial maidens, who sang in sweet notes, and decorated their locks with _mandára_ flowers.

CHAPTER XXXII.

ONSET OF THE WAR.

Vasishtha said:—Lílá standing with the goddess of wisdom in air, saw the Apsarás dancing there, at the eagerness of the combatants for war below.

2. She beheld the assemblage of the forces in her own territory once governed by her lord; and saw the field of the air not less formidable by the assembled ghosts (and its encircling belt composed of the lion, scorpion, crab and the archer).