English
What do you think should be done here?” 677. “Either we set fire to the door, Or we take up the sword; Having killed each other, We will quickly give up our lives; Mahosadha cannot free us, Not even easily.” 678. “As one seeking the pith of a plantain tree Does not find it; So, seeking him, We have not found the answer to the problem. 679. “As one seeking the pith of a silk-cotton tree Does not find it; So, seeking him, We have not found the answer to the problem. 680. “Alas, we have fallen in a wrong place, Like elephants in a forest pool; Among wicked people, Fools who do not understand. 681. “My heart throbs, And my mouth is parched; I find no peace, Like one burned by fire in the heat. 682. “As a blacksmith's forge Burns within, not without; So too my heart Burns within, not Then that wise, sagacious one, Mahosadha, who saw the good; Seeing Vedeha distressed, spoke these words: "Do not fear, great king, do not fear, chief of charioteers; I will release you, like the moon seized by Rāhu. "Do not fear, great king, do not fear, chief of charioteers; I will release you, like the sun seized by Rāhu. "Do not fear, great king, do not fear, chief of charioteers; I will release you, like an elephant sunk in mud. "Do not fear, great king, do not fear, chief of charioteers; I will release you, like a snake bound in a basket. "Do not fear, great king, do not fear, chief of charioteers; I will release you, like a bird bound in a cage. "Do not fear, great king, do not fear, chief of charioteers; I will release you, like fish caught in a net. "Do not fear, great king, do not fear, chief of charioteers; I will release you, with your chariots, army, and vehicles. "Do not fear, great king, do not fear, chief of charioteers; I will drive away Pañcāla, like a flock of crows with a clod of earth. "Of what use is wisdom, or such a minister, who does not release you, from this distress and suffering?" "Come, young men, rise up, clear the mouth of the tunnel; Vedeha with his ministers, will go through the underground passage." Hearing his words, the followers of the wise one; Opened the door of the underground passage, and the bolted, mechanically-fitted bars. Senaka goes in front, and Mahosadha behind; And in the middle, King Vedeha, with his ministers. From the tunnel having come, Videha boarded the ship; Knowing him to be aboard, Mahosadha then instructed. ‘This is your father-in-law, O king, This is your mother-in-law, lord of men; As your conduct to your mother, So let it be to your mother-in-law. ‘As your own brother, Born of the same womb, of one mother; So Pañcālacanda, Should be cherished by you, O chief of chariots. ‘This Pañcālacandī, The princess, is desired by you; Do as you wish with her, She is your wife, O chief of chariots.’ ‘‘Having boarded the ship, Why do you stand on the bank? From suffering we are freed with difficulty, Let us go now, Mahosadha.’’ ‘‘This is not the custom, O great king, That I, the leader of the army; Should abandon the army, And save myself. ‘‘In your palace, O king, The army has been left behind; That which was given by Brahmadatta, I will bring back, O chief of chariots.’’ ‘‘With a small army, How will you contend with a great army? Weak, you will be destroyed By the strong, O wise one.’’ ‘‘Even a minister with a small army, Can conquer a great army without a minister; A king conquers kings, As the rising sun conquers darkness.’’ ‘‘How pleasant indeed is association With the wise, O Senaka; Like birds caught in a cage, Like fish gone into a net; When in the hands of enemies, Mahosadha freed us.’’ ‘‘It is so, O great king, For the wise bring happiness; Like birds caught in a cage, Like fish gone into a net; When in the hands of enemies, Mahosadha freed us.’’ ‘‘Having guarded the whole night, Cūḷaneyya, the mighty one; At the rising of the dawn, Approached his benefactor. ‘‘Having mounted an excellent elephant, A powerful sixty-year-old; The king of Pañcāla spoke, Cūḷaneyya, the mighty one. ‘‘Equipped with a jeweled shield, Taking an arrow in hand; He sent... You laughed, when the thickets gathered. 710. "Elephant riders, army officers, Charioteers, foot soldiers; Those skilled in archery, Those who can pierce a hair, have gathered." 711. "Send forth the tusker elephants, Strong, sixty years old; Let the elephants crush the city, Well-built by Vedeha. 712. "White, with calf-tooth points, Sharp-tipped, bone-piercing; Propelled by the force of the bow, They fly swiftly, one after another. 713. "Young men, armored, brave, With weapons adorned with colorful handles; Let the great warriors charge, Let them be in front of the elephants. 714. "Spears, washed with oil, Flaming, shining brightly; Let them stand gleaming, Like stars with a hundred rays. 715. "For those strong in weapons, Wearing armlets and bracelets; For such warriors, Who do not flee in battle; How will Vedeha escape, Even if he flies like a bird? 716. "Thirty thousand of my men, All individually chosen; Whose equal I do not see, Wandering over the whole earth. 717. "And elephants, caparisoned, tusker, Strong, sixty years old; On whose shoulders shine, Princes of charming appearance; 718. "With yellow ornaments, yellow garments, Yellow upper and lower robes; They shine on the elephants' shoulders, Like sons of gods in Nandana. 719. "Swords, fish-colored, Washed with oil, shining brightly; Finished by brave men, With even edges, well-sharpened. 720. "Wavy, spotless, Made of strong iron; Held by the strong, Who strike good blows. 721. "Endowed with golden hilts, Worn with red scabbards; As they are brandished, they shine, Like lightning amidst dense clouds. 722. "Standard-bearers, armored, brave, Skilled with sword and shield; Archers, well-trained, Who strike down from elephant-backs. 723. "Beset by such as these, There is no escape for you from here; I do not see your power." Oh, by which you will go to Mithila. Why indeed, hurrying so much, Did you send the elephant, the tusker? You arrive with a joyful appearance, Thinking "I have achieved my purpose." Put down that bow and arrow, Put away the razor-edged arrow. Put down that beautiful armor, Adorned with lapis lazuli gems. Your face is bright, And you speak with moderation. Indeed there is, At the time of death, Such a complexion. Vain is your roar, O king, Your counsel is broken, O warrior. You are hard to grasp, O king, Like a wild horse by its bridle. The king crossed the Ganges yesterday, With his ministers and retinue. Like a crow after a swan-king, You will fall without reaching. Jackals in the night, Seeing a blooming kiṃsuka tree, Thinking "It's a piece of meat," Gathered around, those wretched beasts. When the nights had passed, And the sun had risen; Seeing the blooming kiṃsuka, Those wretched beasts lost hope. Just so, O king, you, Having surrounded Videha; Will go, having lost hope, Like the jackals with the kiṃsuka. His hands and feet, And ears and nose, cut off! He who freed my enemy, Videha, who was in my hand. This meat should be eaten, Having put him on a stake, let them cook him; He who freed my enemy, Videha, who was in my hand. Just as a bull's hide, Is stretched out on the ground; Or a lion's or a tiger's, And pierced with pegs. So having stretched him out, I will pierce him with a spear; He who freed my enemy, Videha, who was in my hand. If my hands and feet, And ears and nose you cut off; So will Videha cut off Pañcālacanda's. 737. "If you cut off my hands and feet, and my ears and nose; So will Videha cut off Pañcālacandī's. 738. "If you cut off my hands and feet, and my ears and nose; So will Videha cut off Queen Nandā's. 739. "If you cut off my hands and feet, and my ears and nose; So will Videha cut off your sons and wives'. 740. "If you cook me on a spit, like meat to be eaten; So will Videha cook Pañcālacanda. 741. "If you cook me on a spit, like meat to be eaten; So will Videha cook Pañcālacandī. 742. "If you cook me on a spit, like meat to be eaten; So will Videha cook Queen Nandā. 743. "If you cook me on a spit, like meat to be eaten; So will Videha cook your sons and wives'. 744. "If you stretch me out, and pierce me with a spear; So will Videha pierce Pañcālacanda. 745. "If you stretch me out, and pierce me with a spear; So will Videha pierce Pañcālacandī. 746. "If you stretch me out, and pierce me with a spear; So will Videha pierce Queen Nandā. 747. "If you stretch me out, and pierce me with a spear; So will Videha pierce your sons and wives'; Thus was it secretly planned by Videha and me. 748. "Just as a hundred-pound shield, well-made and strong, Serves as a body-guard, to ward off arrows. 749. "Bringing joy, dispelling sorrow, for the glorious Videha; I will thwart your intention, as with a hundred-pound arrow." 750. "Look, great king, your inner palace is empty; The women of the harem, the princes, and your mother, O warrior; They have been led out through the tunnel, and brought to Videha." 751. "Go, search my inner palace, and find them; So that this word, true or false. So it is, great king, as Mahosadha said; The entire inner palace is empty, like a crow's nest. From here has gone, great king, the woman beautiful in all her limbs; With hips like a Kosamba plank, speaking with a swan's gurgle. From here was led away, great king, the woman beautiful in all her limbs; Clad in silk, dark-skinned, with a golden girdle. With beautiful reddish feet, with a golden jeweled girdle; With eyes like a dove, with a lovely body, with Bimba-red lips, slender-waisted. With well-formed arms like creepers, slender-waisted like a creeper; Her long hair black, slightly curled at the ends. Well-formed like a fawn, like a winter's flame; Like a river in mountain fortresses, covered with small bamboos. With thighs like an elephant's trunk, beautiful, with excellent breasts; Neither too tall nor too short, neither hairless nor too hairy.