34 G. A. Grierson— Translation to Man%odVs Sarihaiis. [Sp. Ko, 
running to tlieir father’s palace. In piteous plight, how much had they to 
tell! and hearing their story he could no longer contain himself. (Said 
the widows), “The son of Nanda hath made me a widow.^ A thing 
which ought not to have been possible by the strength of any one.^ (5) 
The moon may fall (from the sky), the earth may dry up. Mount Meru 
itself may desert its site, and go elsewhere. All this may rather be done, 
yea, can^ be done, but not that a gowala, a (common) stave-bearer, 
should kill a mighty warrior. We will not drink water, until we take 
(vengeance on) the enemy of our husband.” Jarasandha comforted 
them, collected his camps and roughly counted^ their numbers. (From) 
Sorath, Bhorath, Garh’pal, Anga, Banga, and Nepal; from Betia, Tirhut, 
and other countries, his majesty summoned all the kings. They could 
not be contained in all his forts, there was no room even in the whole 
land of Magadh.^ The army waxed in size for ten or twenty days, 
and then all issued in the direction of Mathura. The sight of the sun 
was obscured by the dust, and it is lucky that the back® of the mundane 
tortoise did not break in (with the weight). There was not a drop of 
water or (a grain of) food to be found in the moon or on the earth. 
The ocean itself took refuge in (the hell called) Tala. 
(15) At eventime there rose a hubbub from the army, on hearing 
which His Majesty got a headache'^. So then old and reverend ushers, 
with wands in their hands went about calling in all' directions, ‘ silence ’ 
‘ silence.’ The camp stopped, and surrounded the fort (of Mathura) 
as a falcon swoops upon a quail. To Hari the gate-keeper said 
respectfully® “there is a sound of drums near^ the city. Who can 
tell the size of the army ? It is as if the whole universe were densely 
collected^® together.” (20) When they saw this their faces became 
^ Lit.) ‘ taken tke vermilion from my hair,’—a sign of widowhood. 
^ Lit., ‘ which one wonld not think (proper) for the being done by the strength of 
any one.’ is obi. form of the verb, noun of ^ ‘ be.’ The is an 
euphonic addition as in see Mth. Gr. §. 189, 3, add. ... ^ = ‘ strength,’ 
‘ power.’ 
3 ‘ to be able to be done.’ 
See note to 9, 28. 
^ Jarasandha’s kingdom. 
® The pandits translate by ‘ back,’ but they are doubtful as to the exact 
meaning of the word. 
' Lit., ‘ pain in his mind.’ 
^ ‘ a camel-drum.’ 
Cf. coll. Mth., ‘ the clouds are dense/ 
