234 B. Bandyopadbyaya — Hamir Rasa, [No. 3, 



once. The continuous succession of the sounds of these fire-arms was like 

 the sounds emitted from the fiery oven of a grain-baker. Thousands of 

 guns were discharged all at the same time. The showers of their bullets 

 were like the showers of hail-stones. Rockets of iron (ban) flew, circling 

 with a great noise, and fell amidst the hostile ranks. 



Heavy showers of arrows rained incessantly. Away they flew piercing 

 many horses and elephants. There was a brisk play of tomars (sticks pointed 

 at both ends). Many a lance was driven into the bowels of the Muham- 

 madan soldiers amidst loud shouts. The swords began to flash fire. Even 

 the massive heads of two elephants were cut off by one stroke. The blood 

 of the slain flowed in torrents. When a sword was raised on the head of 

 a Muhammadan, it failed not to cut through the belmet, the head, the breast- 

 plate, the breast, the belly, the waist, the saddle and the horse. There 

 danced and laughed Sambhu, the lord of tigers. With great glee he 

 presented necklaces of human heads, one to every hero. Daggers were 

 run through the breasts of the hostile soldiers. Their sharp points, seen 

 outside the backs of the wounded, were like red hands of women stretched out 

 of the windows of a balcony. The sharpest knives stabbed many a warrior, 

 and Jcanjars (battle-axes) despatched many more by opening large wounds in 

 their chests. Here and there the heroes of both sides fell to wrestling. The 

 din of the battle was deafening. Many bodies rose without heads and fled at 

 their adversaries with a rush. The bowels of the slain were scattered all 

 around and drawn hither and thither by the greedy vultures. The wounded, 

 made desperate by the deep scars on their bodies, began to rave. The Joginis 

 filled their cups with blood and feasted on flesh, and the Bhairavs danced 

 with mirth, eating the hearts of the fallen. The infidel heroes were taken to 

 heaven by the black-eyed Houris and the Hindu by the Apsaras. The 

 goddess Kali opened wide her jaws and laughed, grinning at the Muham- 

 madans. 



The imperial forces withdrew in fear. The emperor, in an angry tone, 

 thus exclaimed — " Where will ye fly to, ye fools ? Wherever you may go, 

 you can never escape from the fury of Hamir." 



Ald-uddin to Mihrdm Khan. — " See, Vazir, see how my cowardly 

 troops prize their lives and fly away, while the Chohans are fighting 

 bravely, regardless of life and interest. Ail the Kshatriyas are very 

 faithful to the virtues of their clans. See, how they fight fearlessly 

 and never show their backs to the enemy. See their bold determination, 

 their unflinching courage, their noble resignation to fate, and lastly their 

 heroic contempt of life. See, with what skill they are cutting our soldiers 

 to pieces, never leaving for a moment the field of battle. On the other 

 hand look at our forces. They, including the Mirs and the Amirs, love the 



