Reading section 85

44. Now know the names of the countries belonging to the enemy in the west, and of those composed of the following mountain ranges, _viz._

45. The mount Manimán and the Kurar-pana hills, with the hillocks of Vanorka, Megha-bhava, and the Chakra-vana mountain.

46. There is the country of the five peoples limiting the territory of the Kása Brahmans, and after that the Bháraksha, the Páraka and Sántika countries.

47. Thence stretch the countries of the Saivyas, Amarakas, the Pachchyas (Páschátyas) and Guhutwas; and then the Haihaya country, and those of the Suhyas, Gayas and Tajikas and Hunas (Huns).

48. Then along the side of some other countries, there is the range of Karka hills, inhabited by barbarous people, devoid of caste, customs and limits of moral duties.

49. Thence stretches a country hundreds of leagues in length, to the boundary mountain of Mahendra, abounding in rich stones and gems.

50. After that stands the Aswa range with hundreds of hills about it; and extending to the dread ocean on the north of the Pariyátra range. (Paropamisus).

51. On the north western side, there are countries beyond the boundary mountains (of Asia), where Venupati was the king of the land.

52. Then there are the countries of the Phálgunakas and Mándavayas and many other peoples; and those of Purukundas and Paras (Paris?) as bright as the orb of the sun.

53. Then the races of Vanmilas and Nalinas and the Dirghas; who are so called, from their tall statures and long arms and hairs. Then there are the Rangas (Red men), Stánikas with protuberant breasts, and the Guruhas and Chaluhas.

54. After that is the kingdom of women (ruled by a queen), where they feed upon bullocks and heifers. Now about the Himálayas and its hills in the north (of India):—

55. These are the Krauncha and Madhumán hills; and the Kailása, Vasumán and the Sumeru peaks; at the foot of which are the people, known under many names.

56. Beside these there met the warlike tribes of India consisting of the Madrawars, Malavas and Sura-senas. The Rajputs of the race of Arjuna, the Trigartas and the one legged people and Khudras.

57. There were the Abalas, Prakhalas, and Sakas (Saccæ or Scythians). The Khemadhúrtas, the Dasadhanas, the Gavásanas and Dandahanas (club fighters).

58. The Dhánadas and Sarakas and Bátadhánas also, with the islanders and Gándháras and Avanti warriors of Malwa.

59. The warlike Takshasilas (Taxilas), the Bílavas, Godhanas and the renowned warriors of Pushkara (Pokhra).

60. Then there were the Tíkshas and Kálavaras, and the inhabitants of the cities of Káhaka and Surabhúti likewise.

61. There were the people of the Ratikádarsa and Antarádarsa also; and the Pingalas, the Pandyas, Yamanas and Yátudhánas Rákshasas too.

62. There were also the races of men, known as Hematálas and Osmuks, together with the hilly tribes, inhabiting the Himalaya, Vasumán, Krauncha and Kailasa mountains.

63. Hear me now relate to you the peoples that came from the north east quarter, which extends a hundred and eighty leagues in its circumference.

64. There came also the Kalutas and Brahmaputras, the Kunidas and Khudinas, with the warlike Malavas and the champions of the Randhra and forest states.

65. Then there were the Kedavas and Sinhaputras of dwarfish statures; the Sabas (Sabæ or Sabians?), the Kaccæs, the Pahlavis (ancient Persians), the Kamiras and the Daradas (the present Darduis or Himalayan hills).

66. There were also the people of Abhisa, the Jarvakas, the Pulolas and Kuves; the Kirátas and Yamupatas, together with the poor and rich people of desert lands and tracts of gold.

67. Thus Lílá saw in one view, the residences of the _devas_; the forest lands and the earth in all their beauty. She saw all the seats of opulence (viswavasus), and the edifices with which they were adorned; she beheld the summit of Kailása, and the delightful groves at its foot, and the level lands traversed by the aerial cars of Vidyádhara and celestial beings.[21]

CHAPTER XXXVII

CATALOGUE OF THE FORCES CONTINUED.[22]

Vasishtha said:—Thus the ravaging war was making a rapid end of men, horse, elephants and all; and the bravos coming foremost in the combat, fell in equal numbers on both sides.

2. These (as named before), and many others were reduced to dust and ashes; and the bravery of the brave, served but to send them like poor moths to the fire and flame of destruction.

3. Know now the names of the central districts, not yet mentioned by me, that sent their warriors to the field, in favour of the consort prince of Lílá.

4. These were the inland forces of Sursena (Muttra), the Gudas (Gaudas?), and the Asganas (?); the Madhymikas and they that dwell under sunlight (the tropics).

5. The Sálukas and Kodmals, and Pippaláyanas; the Mándavyas, Pandyans, Sugrívas and Gurjars.

6. The Páriyátras, Kurashtras, Yamunas and Udumvaras; the Raj-waras, the Ujjainas, the Kálkotas (Calicuts) and the Mathuras (of Muttra).

7. The Pánchálas (Pánjábis), the Northern and Southern Dharmakshetras; the Kurukshetriyas, Pánchálakas and Sáraswatas.

8. The line of war chariots from Avanti, being opposed by the arms of the warriors of the Kunta and Panchanada districts, fell in fighting by the sides of the hills.

9. Those arrayed in silken attire, being dismantled by the enemy, fell upon the ground, and were trodden down by the elephants.

10. The bravadoes of Daspura, being hacked in their breasts and shoulders by the hostile weapons, were pursued by the Banabhuma warriors, and driven to the distant pool.

11. The Sántikas being ripped in their bellies, lay dead and motionless in naked field, and wrapped in their mangled entrails, which were torn and devoured by the voracious Pisáchas at night.

12. There the veteran and vociferous warriors of Bhadrasiri, who were well skilled in the battle field, drove the Amargas to the ditch, as they drive the tortoises to their pits.

13. The Haihayas were driving the Dandakas, who like fleet stags were flying with the swiftness of winds, and all gushing in blood by the pointed and piercing arrows of the enemy.

14. The Daradas were gored by the tusks of the elephants of their enemies, and were borne away in floods of their blood, like the broken branches of trees.

15. The Chínas (Chinese) were mangled in their bodies by darts and arrows, and cast their tortured bodies in the water, as a burden they could no longer support.

16. The Asúras, pierced in their necks by the flying lances of the Karnatic lancers, fled in all directions like the faggots of fire, or as the flying meteors of heaven.

17. The Sákas and Dásakas were fighting together, by holding down one another by the hair on their heads, as if the whales and elephants were struggling mutually from their respective elements.

18. The flying cowards were entrapped in the snares cast by the Dasárna warriors, as dolphins hiding under the reeds, are dragged out by nets on the blood-red shore.

19. The lifted swords and pikes of the Tongas (Tonguise), destroyed the Gurjara (Guzrati) force by hundreds, and these like razors balded the heads (_i.e._ made widows) of hundreds of Gurjara women. (It is their custom to remain baldheaded in widowhood).

20. The lustre of the lifted weapons of the warriors, illumined the land as by flashes of lighting; and the clouds of arrows were raining like showers of rain in the forest.

21. The flight of the crowbars (bhusundis), which untimely obscured the orb of the sun, affrighted the Abhíra (cowherd) warriors with the dread of an eclipse, and overtook them by surprise, as when they are pursued by a gang of plunderers of their cattle.

22. The handsome gold collared army of the Támras or tawny coloured soldiers, were dragged by the Gauda warriors, as captors snatch their fair captives by the hair.

23. The Tongons were beset by the Kanasas, like cranes by vultures with their blazing weapons, destroying elephants and breaking the discuses in war.

24. The rumbling noise (gudugudurava), raised by the whirling of cudgels by the Gauda gladiators, frightened the Gándháras to a degree, that they were driven like a drove of beasts, or as the dreading Drávídas from the field.

25. The host of the Sáka or Scythian warriors, pouring as a blue torrent from the azure sky, appeared by their sable garb as the mist of night, approaching before their white robed foes of the Persians.

26. The crowded array of lifted arms in the clear and bright atmosphere, appeared as a thick forest under the milk white ocean of frost, that shrouds the mountainous region of Mandara.

27. The flights of arrows which seemed as fragments of clouds in the air from below, appeared as waves of the sea, when viewed by the celestials from above.

28. The air appeared as a forest thickly beset by the trees of spears and lances, with the arrows flying as birds and bees; and innumerable umbrellas, with their gold and silver mountings, appearing as so many moons and stars in the sky.

29. The Kekayas made loud shouts, like the war whoops of drunken soldiers, and the Kankas covered the field like a flight of cranes, and the sky was filled with dust over their heads.

30. The Kiráta army made a purling noise (kulakula) like the effeminate voice of women; causing the lusty Angas to rush upon them with their furious roar.

31. The Kásas (Khasias) covering their bodies with _kusa_ grass (in their grassy garbs), appeared as birds with feathers, and raised clouds of dust by flapping their feathered arms.

32. The giddy warriors of Narmada’s coasts, came rushing in the field unarmed with their weapons, and began to fleer and flout and move about in their merry mood.

33. The low statured Sálwas came with the jingling bells of their waist bands, flinging their arrows in the air, and darting showers of their darts around.

34. The soldiers of Sibi were pierced with the spears hurled by the Kuntas. They fell as dead bodies in the field, but their spirits fled to heaven in the form of Vidyádharas.