Simhasanadvatrimshika 24.p3

24.p3

rājā vikramo 'pī 'maṃ vibhāganirṇayavṛttāntaṃ śrutvā 'tivismayaṃ gataḥ pratiṣṭhānanagaraṃ prati pattrikāṃ preṣayām āsa: kim iti: svasti śrīyajanayājanādhyayanādhyāpanadānapratigrahaṣatkarmaniratān yamaniyamādiguṇaniṣṭhān pratiṣṭhānanagaravāsino mahājanān kuśalapraśnapūrvakaṃ rājā vikramo vadati: bhavadgrāme yenai 'ṣāṃ caturṇāṃ vibhāganirṇayaḥ kṛtaḥ, so 'smadantikaṃ preṣitavyaḥ. mahājano 'pi rājñā preṣitāṃ pattrikāṃ vācayitvā śālivāhanam āhūyā 'vādiṣuḥ: bhoḥ śālivāhana, tvāṃ rājādhirājaparameśvaraḥ pratyarthipṛthvīpatinamaskṛtacaraṇo vikramo rājo 'jjayinīnivāsaḥ sakalārthilokakalpadrumaḥ samāhvayati. tvaṃ tatra gaccha. teno 'ktam: vikramo rājā kiyān? tena samāhūto na gacchāmi. yadi tasya prayojanam asti, svayam evā 'gacchatu. mama tena kimapi prayojanaṃ nā 'sti. tasya vacanaṃ śrutvā mahājanaiḥ sa na yātī 'ti punaḥ pattrikā rājānaṃ prati preṣitā. tato rājā pattrikālikhitārthaṃ śrutvā krodhānalena dedīpyamānavigraho 'ṣṭādaśākṣauhiṇībalena saha nirgatya pratiṣṭhānanagaram āgatyā 'vṛtya śālivāhanaṃ prati dūtān preṣitavān. tato dūtair āgatya śālivāhano bhaṇitaḥ: bhoḥ śālivāhana, sakalarājādhirājo vikramo rājā tvām āhvayati; tarhi tasya saṃdarśanārtham āgaccha. śālivāhaneno 'ktam: bho dūtāḥ, aham ekākī san rājānaṃ na drakṣyāmi; caturaṅgabalopetaḥ samarāṅgaṇe vikramasya darśanaṃ kariṣyāmi. evaṃ rājñe nivedayantu bhavantaḥ. tad vacanaṃ śrutvā te dūtā rājñe tathai 'vā 'cakhyuḥ. tac chrutvā rājā vikramo yuddhāya samarabhūmim āgataḥ. śālivāhano 'pi kumbhakāragṛhe mṛttikām ādāya kṛtahastyaśvarathapadātīn mantreṇa samujjīvya tenai 'va caturaṅgabalena nagarān nirgatya samarāṅgaṇaṃ prati samāgataḥ. tata ubhayabalanirgamasamaye:

But when King Vikrama heard how this allotment had been solved, he was astonisht, and sent a letter to the city of Pratiṣṭhāna, saying: "Greetings to the noble folk dwelling in the city of Pratiṣṭhāna, who are devoted to the six sacred duties of sacrificing and conducting of sacrifice (for others), studying and teaching, giving and receiving gifts; and who are intent on all the virtues, including the abstentions and observances (of Yoga?). King Vikrama asks after your health, and says: let the person in your town who solved the problem of the allotment of those four (brothers) be sent into my presence." And when the nobles had read the letter which the king sent, they called Çālivāhana and said: "Çālivāhana, the supreme emperor of emperors, whose feet are worshipt by all his rival kings, Vikrama, king in Ujjayinī, who is a tree of wishes to all suppliants, summons you. Go to him." Said he: "What sort of a king is Vikrama? I will not go at his summons. If he has any business with me, let him come himself; I have no business with him." Hearing his words the nobles sent back a letter to the king, saying: "He will not go." And when the king heard the purport of what was written in the letter, his body was aflame with the fire of anger; and he went forth attended by his eighteen-fold complete army, and came to the city of Pratiṣṭhāna, and beleaguered it. And he sent messengers to Çālivāhana, who came to Çālivāhana and said: "O Çālivāhana, King Vikrama, the overlord of all kings, summons you; so come and see him." And Çālivāhana said: "Messengers, I will not see the king alone; surrounded by a complete army of the four parts [compare four lines below], on the field of battle will I see Vikrama. Let your honors tell the king this." Hearing these words the messengers repeated them even thus to the king. When he heard this King Vikrama came forth to the battle-field to fight. But Çālivāhana took some clay in the potter's house, and made with it elephants and horses and chariots and foot-soldiers, and brought them to life with a charm; and with this four-fold army he went out from the city and came to the field of battle. And at the time when the two hosts were advancing: