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MADHURAVIJAYAM
 
Slokas 17 to 35: Prince Kampana starts on the campaign.
He is accompanied by the Cola, Kērala and Pandya kings.
 
28
 
17. The king who had himself knowledge of the
appropriate hour, however, awaited with his retinue,
the formal fixing of the auspicious moment by his loyal
priests.
 
18. His throbbing right hand foretold the auspi-
cious event of the forthcoming embrace by the Goddess
of Valour, before everybody else.
 
19. Brāhmins chanting the Atharva Vēda, aug-
mented the chances of his victory with their (hearty)
blessings, just as the sacrificial fire is made to glow by
oblations sanctified by hymns.
 
20. The king now came out of his palace and had
a good look at his tall agile horse saddled in readiness
near the outer gate.
 
21. Like an ally of Garuda, like the next of kin of
the mind, and like a friend of Vayu, the agile animal
looked like Speed itself in its aggregate.
 
22. As if the horse felt that the space of the earth
was inadequate for the demonstration of his great speed
which was faster than even that of the mind, he seemed
extending it by constantly beating with his hoofs.
 
23. Excelling the horse of Indra in speed, he
appeared to be attacking his own image reflected in the
crystal walls (which he was facing).
 
24. With neigh attended with white foam, he
seemed to mock at Hanūmān who took great pride in
having merely crossed the saltish ocean.