Part 5: Bāhubali’s march

The son of Sunandā knew at once of his arrival from spies—the pillars of the house of royal state-craft. Then Bāhubali had the kettle-drum beaten for the march, making the sky resound with echoes as if it were turned into a drum. The departure-rites made, Bāhubali, like auspiciousness embodied, mounted a bhadra-elephant like eagerness embodied. He was surrounded at once by kings, princes, ministers, and other heroes, like Purandara by gods. Bāhubali shone with them possessing great strength and great eagerness, setting out on one duty, indivisible, like pieces of hi m self. His elephant-drivers, horsemen, charioteers, foot-soldiers came at once by thousands, as if governed by his thoughts. Possessing unshakeable determination, making the earth seem to be made only of warriors by his mighty heroes with weapons raised, he set out.

Greedy for undivided victory, his warriors said to each other, “I alone will conquer the enemy.” In that army even the kāhalā-player considered himself a warrior. All the pebbles too in Mt. Lohaṇa share jewelship. At that time the sky seemed to be made of white lotuses, from the governors’ umbrellas white as the moon. Bāhubali went inspecting the kings individually, esteeming them powerful just like his own arms. Bāhubali split the earth, as it were, with the great weight of the armies and the sky by the violent noise of the musical instruments, as he advanced along the road. He arrived at the boundary of his territory, even though distant, very soon. Certainly those eager for battle are swifter than the wind. Bāhubali placed his camp on the bank of the Gaṅgā, not too near and not too far from the Lord of Bharata’s camp.