334 Lieut. -Colonel Tod 07i Sculptures in the Temples of Ellora. 



Time is indignant at being awoke from the repose of ages, by so inade- 

 quate a cause as the approaching struggle for the empire of Hindust'han, 

 between the Chohans and the Ghorians, and treats the bard of Bhavani with 

 but little respect. He gives vent to his indignation in the measure of verse 

 called a Cdvita. 



" These are but mortals ; the Gods engaged in fight have I beheld. 

 Between Serindra and Tarika I saw the combat : in the war of Lanka I 

 was present : in that of Magad-desa, in the time of Mandhata : that of 

 the lofty DuRYODHANA and Arj6na I witnessed. O Bard of the double- 

 tongue, these were battles !" 



Chand. — " You are a God ; in the combats of Gods and Titans (Di/te) 

 you have mingled, but those of the high-minded warriors of the Chohan are 

 also worth beholding. When their arms ply in fight the foe survives 

 not ; their heads as they Jail exclaim havac, the standing trunk tranching 

 the air, and from the blood fresh warriors rise and renew the figlit. Do 

 you, oh ViRA, accompany our warriors, and with them dance a moment in 

 the red field of slaughter. The war of Gods and Demons, even that of the 

 Mdhdbhdrdta of old, was not more glorious than this ; nor amongst them 

 all was there the equal of the son of Somesa." 



*' VfRA-BHADR\ smiled on the bard as he said ' The battles I have seen with 

 the mighty swords of old, awoke from his meditations tiie father of creation : 

 nay, the chaplet dropped from his hands. Such were they, that the strong in 

 heart wished for distance. Oh mortal, let thy words resemble thy condition, 

 and talk not as though thou wert exalted as myself. I saw Sri Crishna in the 

 fight with DuRYODHANA. Evcn of his immortality I liad doubts; but thy 

 words are incredible as if thou hadst said Sumeru had been moved. These 

 eyes beheld the war between Kali and the Demons : the deeils of tliese 

 mortals I regard as a dream." 



" Vira Bhadra became warm : his eyes glared with rage. Oh bard 

 insignificant, lower your speech. To awake me to see your conflict ! 

 the heroes of Duryodhana alone dared to do this ! " As he spoke volcanic 

 flames issued from his throat ; the three worlds shook. " No buttle equalled 

 that of Duryodhana ; nor would I term what mortals can perform a battle. 

 Mimic not, therefore, your superiors ; but from my mouth listen to the 

 fight of Duryodhana." 



ViaA-BHADRA (or Time) proceeds to relate to the Prophetic Seer Tri-cal 

 the events of the great international war amongst the Yadavas, which forms 



