महावीरचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - वीररस-प्रधान रामकथा नाटक सम्पूर्ण ७ अङ्क सटीक)

ACT VI
Then enter in an aerial car a pair of air-sprites
gaudily attired.
Male Sprite—Oh, how marvellous really are the valorous deeds of these two
scions of the Solar race [Lava and Chandraketu] fiercely engaged in a
sudden combat—deeds that inflame [all the more] their [blazing] Kshatriya
lustre, so that even Gods and Demons seem to be quite lost in amazement!
For, look, look here, my love!—
As they bend their bow, the tiny bells [upon it] tinkle like
jingling bracelets, and it produces by its [vibrating] ends and by
the twang of its tough string a terrific clamour; and as they
discharge [a shower of] arrows, the crests on their head throb
ceaselessly: it is a combat waxingly wondrous and striking
the whole world down with terror! 1
And as a portent of victory for both of them, here goes the deep
boom of the celestial war-drum, rumbling like a roaring rain-
cloud. 2
Let us then start continually pouring upon these two heroes a thick
coursing shower of flowers, mingled with a charming succession of the
full-blown golden lotuses—[a shower] surcharged with comely dew-drops
[glistening] upon the bunches of fresh and rubied buds [culled] from the
garden of the Gods.
Female Sprite—Why then, all at once, does the sky appear yellow, as
if with the flashing streaks of some sudden and mightily throbbing
lightning?
Male Sprite—Can it then be that even to-day—
The Blue-red [God Śiva] is going to open the lid of the [third]
eye in his forehead, [that eye] which dazzles like the flaring orb
of the Sun when whirled¹ on Tvashṭṛi's whirling lathe? 3
Reflecting. Ah, I see. It is Prince Chandraketu who has employed this
Fiery missile, from which are shooting these streaks of fire. For, now—
¹ As happened when Tvashṭṛi, the divine too strong for Sañjnā, Tvashṭṛi's daughter,
architect, wanted to trim off a portion wedded to the Sun. For another ex-
of the Sun's brilliancy, which proved planation see Notes.