Philosophy and Religion / Yoga Vāsistha / Yoga-Vāsistha (3): Utpatti-Prakarana

Válmiki

Yoga-Vāsistha, Book 3: Utpatti-Prakarana (Evolution of the World). Chapter 36

Section 1 - Collision of Equal Arms and Armigerents

The heaps of arrows rising in spires above the ground, drove the cowards and the wounded a far from the field.

The hills of the dead bodies of men, horses and elephants, heaving in promiscuous heaps, and appearing as clouds fallen upon earth, invited the Yaksas and Rācksasas, and the carnivorous Piśācas, to come and sport in the wide ocean of blood.

Now there commenced a commutual contest, betwixt men of rank and virtue, and those of good character, valour and strength on both sides; not excepting even the holy and household people, all of whom took part in the combat. (that is, no condition of life, nor age nor sex, could escape the contagion of a warfare).

Duels were fought between these, like the clashing of one cloud with another; and like the confluence of two streams discharging their fury against each other.

As a rib is joined to another, and one side with the other, so met the horse against the horse, and elephant opposed the elephant in mutual conflict.

As one forest clasps and clings to another, and one hill is linked with the other in a range, so the
duellists strove together, as one wave dashes against the other.

Footmen fought with footmen, as the reeds crush the reeds, and bamboos clash against one another, and the contrary winds struggle between themselves.

Cars falling upon cars, and chariots running against chariots, broke one another to pieces; and the citizens beat the rustics, as the Devas smote the demons of old.

The sky which had been ere while clouded by the flight of arrows, was now emblazoned by the banner of the bowyer, resembling the rainbow of various colours.

At last the warriors who were overpowered in their conflict with unequal arms, fled away from the field, as they do from the fire of a conflagration.

Now the armigerents with discuses, met the thwarters of disks (cakras) in contest; and bowyers were opposed to bow-men, and swords­men challenged the sword fighters in the field. So met the hookers and crookers with their co­rivals with crowbars (bhusundis) in hand.

Maces were opposed to maces (musalas), and lancers were set against the lance bearers (kuntas) in fighting. Spearmen braved the spearmen (ristis), and the throwers of missiles were crossed with missives (prāsas) in hand.

Mallets militated against mallets (mudguras), and clubs were contravened by clubmen in the conflict. Combatants with pikes (śaktis), encountered the pikemen (śakti-dharas) face to face; and iron rods were crossed to pointed rods (śūlas) in the strife.

Pugilists with missive weapons, counteracted the missiles of their antagonists (prāsas), and those fighting with battle axes (paraśus), baffled the poleaxes and pickaxes (parasvadhas) of their foes.

Trappers with their traps and shares, attacked the darters of nooses and lassos (pāśas); and the darters of javelins (śankus), withstood the darts of the darts-men on the other side. Daggers were opposed to daggers (ksurikas), and cudgels were presented before the cudgels (bhindipālas of the enemy).

Combatants with iron gloves contravened the boxers with iron fisticuffs (Vajramustis), and those with iron cranes, pursued the fighters with crooked goads, (ankusas) in hand. Warriors with ploughshares attacked the ploughmen, and those with tridents, fell upon the trident holders (trśūlins) in contest.

Champions with chained armours set upon the soldiers attired in mail (srnkhala jāla): and they poured upon the field as flights of locusts, or as the waves in the troubled sea.

The air also seemed as a sea, with flying disks whirling as whirlpools (cakravartas), and the flight of reeds whistling like gusts of wind; while the range of running weapons seemed as sharks and dolphins moving about it.

The hollow of the heaven became as the great deep of the sea, impassable by the celestial, owing to the waving weapons, moving as sea monsters in the air.

Thus the armies of the two belligerent potentates, each composed of eight ranks or battalions, were furiously engaged with one another, as described below.

Section 2 - Catalogue of the Forces

Now hear me relate to you, the forces on the side of Padma, now named Vidūratha, and the allied powers that came to his side, from the Central and Eastern districts.

There came the hardy warriors of Kosala (Oudh) and Kāśī (Benares); those of Magadha (Bihar) and Utkala (Orissa), situated in the east; and the Mekhalas (of Vindya range), the Karkars (of Karnatic), and the Mūdras (of Madura) in the south.

The chiefs of Hema (Imaus) and Rudras and the Tāmraliptas (Tamils) from the south; the Prāgjyotisas (of east Assam), and the horse face! Osmuks and Ambastha cannibals.

Then there joined the Varna-kosthas and Viśvotras, and the eaters of raw food and flesh and the fish eaters (piscivori); and those with faces like tigers, the Kirātas (Kirrhoids and Kirantis), with the Sauvīras and one legged people.

Next came the mountaineers of Mālyavāna, Śibira and Añjanagiri; and others having the ensigns of bulls and lotuses, and the people of the sun rising mountain (Udaya-giri) in the east.

Those that joined from the south east (prāgdaktina), are the following, namely; the Vindhyas the Cedis, the Vatsas, the Danārnas (near the confluence of the ten streams); and the Angas, Bangas and Upabangas (of Upper and Lower Bengal).

They that met from the south were, Kalingas and Pundras, the Jatharas, Vidarbhas and the hill people (on the Karnatic coast); the Śabaras, the outcasted savages, the Karnas and the Tripura people.

Those named Kantakas from their thorny district, the unenlightened Komalas (of Comilla?); the Karnas (Canarese), the Āndhras, the Colas and the people on the borders of the Carmanvati river.

The Kakos or bald-headed and bearded people, and those of the Hema-kuta hills; the frizzled and long necked people, and the inhabitants of Kiskindhā and cocoa forests.

The princes that joined with Līla's husband from the south, were as follows viz. the Vindhyans, the Kusumians (of Patna) the Mahendras and the Darduras, (of the hills of the same names).

The Malays and the solar race, and the Prince of the (33) united states and the rich and united cities of Avanti and Śāmbavatī.

Those of Daśapūra (or ten cities) of Kathā (Kota), Cakra, Resika Cutch and others, and the foresters of Upagiri and Bhadragiri hills.

The prince of Nagore and the chiefs of Dandaka forest, and the joint states of the people; the Sahas, Śaivas, and the hill people of the Risyamuka and Karkota and the Vimbila foresters.

Then cam the inhabitants from the banks of Pampā, the Kerakas and Karkaviras; with the Kherikas, Asikas and the people of Dharmapattana.

Next came the Kāśikas and Khallūkas, the Yadas and Tāmra parnikas; the Gonardas, the Kanakas and the people of Dīnapattam.

The Tamris (Tamils), Kādambharas, Sahakāras and Enakas (or deer hunters); the Vaitundas, Tumba-vanalas, and those attired in deer and elephant skins.

Then cam the lotus-like Śibis and Konkanas and the inhabitants of Citrakuta mountains; with the people of Karnāta, the Mantas, Vatakas and those of Cattaka.

The Āndhras and Kola hill people (Koles), the Avantis and Cedis; with the Candas and Devanakas and Krauñcāvāhās.

At last came the people from the three peaks of Citrakuta mountains, called the Silāksāra, Nanda mardana and Malaya, which were the seats of the guardian Rāksasas of Lanka.

Then those of the Southwest where there is the great realm of Surāstra (Surat), with the kingdoms of Sindhu (Sinde) Sauvīra, Ābhīra, and Dravidas (in Deccan).

Also those of the districts of Kikata, Siddha Khanda, and Kāliruha, and the mount Hemagiri or golden hills and the Raivataka range.

Then the warriors of Jaya Kaccha (the victorious Cutch), and Mayavara (Mewar); as also the Yavanas (Ionians), the Bāhlikas, the Mārganas (nomads), and the grey coloured Tumbas (on the north).

Then there came Lahsa races and many hill peoples, inhabiting the borders of the sea (Caspean), forming the limit of the dominion of Lila's husband (Hindu Government) on the north.

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

The mount Manimān and the Kurār-pana hills, with the hillocks of Vanorka, Megha­-bhava, and the Cakra- vana mountain.

There is the country of the five peoples limiting the territory of the Kāśa Brāhmanas, and after that the Bhāraksa, the Pāraka and Śāntika countries.

Thence stretch the countries of the Śaivyas, Amarakas, the Pacchyas (Pāscātyas) and Guhūtvas; and then the Haihaya country, and those of the Suhyas, Gāyās and Tājikas and Hunas (Huns).

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.

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

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

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

Then there are the countries of the Fālgunakas and Māndavayas and many other peoples; and those of Purukundas and Pāras (Paris?) as bright as the orb of the sun.

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 Ramnas (Red men) Stānikas with protuberant breasts, and the Guruhas and Caluhas.

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

These are the Krauñca and Madhumān hills; and the Kailāśa, Vasumā and the Sumeru peaks; at the foot of which are the people, known under many names.

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

There were the Abalas, Prākhalas, and Sakas (Sacce or Scythians). The Ksemadhūrtas, the Daśādhānās, the Gavāsanas and Dandāhanas (club fighters).

The Dhānadas and Sarakas and Vātadhānas also, with the islanders and Gāndhāras and Avanti warriors of Malva.

The warlike Taksasilas (Taxilas), the Bīlavas, Godhanas, and the renowned warriors of Puskara (Pokhra).

Then there were the Tiksas and Kälavaras, and the inhabitants of the cities of Kähaka and Surabhūti like wise.

There were the people of the Ratikādarśa and Antarādarśa also; and Pingalas, Pāndyas, Yamanas and Yātudhānas Rāksasas too.

There were also the races of men, known as Hematālas and Osmuks, together with the hilly tribes, inhabiting the Himālaya, Vasumān, Krauñca an Kailāsa mountains.

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

There came also the Kālutas and Brahmaputras, the Kunidas and Khādinas, with the warlike Malavas and the champions of the Andhra and forest states.

Then there were the Kedavas and Sinhaputras of dwarfish statures; the Sabas (Sabe of Sabinas?), the Kaccaes, the Pahlavis (ancient) Persians), the Kamiras and the Daradas (the present Darduis of Himalayan hills).

There were also the people of Abhisa, the Jārvakas, the Pālolas and Kuves; the Kirātas and Yāmupātas, together with the poor and rich people of desert lands and tracts of gold.

Thus Līla 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 (visvāvasus), and the edifices with which they were adorned; she beheld the summit of Kailāsa, and the delightful groves at its foot, and the level lands traversed by the aerial cars of Vidyādhara and celestial beings.¹

Footnotes

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE