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43M
 
The Concluding Canto
 
(Translation of slōkās available completely in the
concluding canto)
 
Slökās 1 to 20: The final battle with the Muslims.
 
1. Bow-men severed the hands of elephant riders
with Ardhachandra arrows; and they fell down in the
pool of blood in the battle field like serpents in the
sacrificial fire of Parikshit's son.
 
2. Pearls from the broken heads of elephants in
rut attacked by heroic warriors, fell down blood-tinged
like sparks produced in sudden collision.
 
3. No sooner did a horseman begin to return after
having cut with his sword the frontal globe of an
elephant than that elephant was seen seizing his horse
between his legs and squeezing him.
 
4. The blood flowing from the wounded frontal
globes of elephants was seen, being drunk through
their trunks by some night-prowling demons in great
glee, spitting the pearls that also came with the blood
 
stream.
 
5. Birds of prey with a view to taste the inner
flesh entered into the body of a dead elephant making
it quiver; jackals that mistook it for sign of life fled
away, though they very much loved to feast on the
body.
 
6. Just as the heads cut by wheels were about to
fall down, they were snatched away quite afresh with
 
I