Simhasanadvatrimshika 24.p7

24.p7

mahad yuddhaṃ jātam. tato vikramārkeṇa śālivāhanasainyaṃ nipātitam. śālivahano 'py ativihvalaḥ sann āpatkāle māṃ smare 'ti pitrā dattaṃ varaṃ smṛtvā śeṣanāgendraṃ pitaraṃ sasmāra. śeṣeṇa sarve 'pi sarpāḥ preṣitāḥ; taiḥ sarpair daṣṭam akhilam vikramādityasainyaṃ viśeṣeṇa mūrchitaṃ sad raṇāṅgaṇe papāta. tadanantaraṃ vikramo rājai 'kākī nijanagaram āgatya svasainyasaṃjīvanārtham ardhodake varṣaparyantaṃ vāsukimantram anuṣṭhitavān. tato vāsukis tasmai prasanno bhūtvā babhāṇa: bho rājan, varaṃ vṛṇīṣva. rājño 'ktam: bhoḥ sarparāja, yadi prasanno 'si, tarhi sarpaviṣavegena mūrchitasya mama sainyasya saṃjīvanārtham amṛtaghaṭaṃ dehi. tathe 'ti vāsukinā 'mṛtaghaṭo dattaḥ. tam amṛtaghaṭaṃ gṛhītvā rājā vikramo yāvan mārge samāyāti, tāvad brāhmaṇaḥ kaścit samāgatya:

Thus a terrible battle took place, and Vikramārka destroyed the army of Çālivāhana. And Çālivāhana was much dejected; but remembering the boon given him by his father, saying "In time of distress call upon me," he called to mind his father, the serpent-prince Çeṣa. Çeṣa sent forth all his serpents, which stung the whole army of Vikramāditya, so that they were completely paralyzed and fell upon the battle-field. Thereupon King Vikrama returned alone to his city; and in order to bring his army back to life, he stood in water up to the waist for the space of a year, and recited prayers to Vāsuki [another serpent-king]. After this Vāsuki became satisfied with him and said: "O king, choose a wish." The king said: "O serpent-king, if you are propitiated, then give me a jar of nectar to bring to life my army, which is paralyzed by the power of the serpents' venom." Vāsuki consented, and gave him a jar of nectar. And King Vikrama took the jar of nectar; and as he was on the way back a certain brahman came up to him, and recited a blessing: 8. "May the rod-like tusk of Viṣṇu in the guise of a boar protect you — (the tusk) upon which the earth, having the Himālaya for its pinnacle, assumed the majesty of a (royal) parasol." [The earth, balanst on the top of the tusk of the boar-god, is likened to a parasol, the tusk being the rod or handle, and the Himālaya the crest on the top of it.]