The True Gospel of Chrishna-Jeseus
Section 4 — Appulse of Crises
41 — The Chapter of The Great Battle
A-UM !
1. And Akruna, the messenger, delivered his report to the Lord, saying:
2. 'I am commanded by the mouth of Vasudeva, the Patriarch of the shepherds and the herdsmen of Mount Meru, and by the mouths of the holy Anchorites, and Hermits, and other holy men who dwell in Peace at that sacred place,
3. 'To warn thee that Kamsa, the evil king, and thy mortal enemy, hath discovered thy present lodgment and is sending Agha, the Asura, who is the general of all the king's armies, to destroy thee and thy Disciples.
4. 'And it was I, Akruna, who discovered the plot against thee, having dwelt at the king's court by desire of the holy Hierophant of Meru, in order to watch in thy behalf, and give warning if necessary of that king's plans.
5. 'And the king himself is with the army, for he hath sworn a great oath that after thy Disciples have been slain, the army will capture thee alive, and the king will offer thee as a living sacrifice to the black gods.
6. 'And Prahlada, his hierophant of the dark rites will tear thy heart from out of thee, and burn it at the altar,
7. 'And thy body shall perish in the flames of the pyre prepared for thee.
8. 'Prahlada is with the army too, and the king and hierophant have followed thee for a long while, hoping to ensnare thee all in just such a spot as this, from which there is no escape;
9. 'For the mountains cannot be scaled, the river cannot be crossed, and the woods swarm with the evil ones, so that thy retreat is cut off.
10. 'Behold! The enemy is nigh, oh Madhusudana, beloved of the pure in heart; and the Patriarch, and the Anchorites and Hermits, and all the holy men, bid thee flee, and save thy life, and the lives of thy Disciples.
11. 'But where shalt thou go? There is no escape from this place, and I could only reach this spot because I was with the army, and known to all, but even so I had to slink through the army by night, hiding by day, until I got in front and reached thee to deliver my message, which, alas, cometh too late;
12. 'Nor art thou armed, though resistance would be in vain, for there are multitudes of soldiers everywhere, and no loophole whatever is left.
13. 'The feet of the warriors strike the earth like heavy clubs and they are all demons from the lower hells, who hate thee with a fierce hatred,
14. 'Lusting for thy life, dear Lord. But my sword is dedicated to thy service, and I shall defend thee as long as may be'.
15. But Chrishna smiled calmly, and, after thanking the messenger, and blessing him for his offer, and sending blessings to the Patriarch, and the Hierophant of Meru, and the Anchorites and Hermits, and all the other holy men, said,
16. 'It is not fit for Vishnu's Ambassador on earth to fly when danger threatens.
17. Here I am and here I stay, and would do so if flight were possible, and I will await the coming of my enemies in Peace; and my Father will make the decision, for we are all in his holy keeping'.
18. And after Chrishna had spoken, it was as if a gigantic God, with scarlet-flaming robe covered the whole of the firmament with fire;
19. And the light of the sun was obscured for some moments, so great was the effulgence—so very great.
20. And the messenger and the Disciples fell upon their faces, being utterly overcome by that great, fiery light;
21. But the Lord stood upright and stretched forth both arms in greeting, raising his hands towards that luminous flaming.
22. And as he stood there, he looked like a majestic statue, or like unto a brazen effigy of a God; his eyes blazing with turquoise gleams in his exultation at the sign in the sky:
23. For his Father had answered and he knew that all was well—whatever should betide.
24. And Chrishna bade the others rise in honour of the fiery sign within the Sky, and be without fear, and await the coming of the evil ones with hearts and minds serene, for all would be secure until their purpose was fulfilled, and after that would come Salvation.
25. And the Lord said, 'The Gates of Paradise cannot be taken with sword in hand: for this is as useless as trying to pull down a great tree with a thread of cotton.
26. 'Equally useless and in vain it is for evil to assail virtue when the Gods have spoken and stretched out their protecting hands above the good.
27. 'Stung by the stings of the black bees of Fate, the evil ones will perish.
28. 'And as Kamsa's troops are but shades from Hell, summoned by the fiend Prahlada, so will the hallowed Hosts of Heaven defend their Lord and keep us safe,
29. 'Though we must do our share as well, should this be needed'.
30. So all sat down again and awaited that which would surely come to pass.
31. Meanwhile the evil king, surrounded by his guards as he came through the wood towards the spot where Chrishna sat, fretted like a hill-stream with his craven secret fear of the Lord.
32. And far away in her palace in Mathura, the queen was as restless as a rill.
33. The great, bare mountains of the land, quartz veined and violet-crested, with rosy tints upon the topmost snow, stood silently, as if watching for the drama which soon would now unfold.
34. Far away there sounded the minor third of elephant bells, accompanied by dull booms of threatening tomtoms.
35. And like little grey squirrels, swiftly chasing one another in the Tamarind tree, so ran Kamsa's fears within his coward mind when he thought of the approaching meeting.
36. And now the hosts drew near to Chrishna's pleasant spot, where he waited with his Disciples and the messenger.
37. And presently they heard a rustling of stealthy steps, like the wild beasts in the jungle stalk their prey, as if fear were approaching on his pallid mare.
38. And the hairs of the Disciples stood up with affright as they heard those slinking prowlers coming nigh from several directions within the forest:
39. Stealing along on panther's feet, cryptic, clandestine in hazy ambush.
40. And anon, all was silent, and terrible was that silence, for there were to be seen eyes of fire in the darker shades beneath the trees, glaring upon the victims they had come to destroy, who were still seated without the slightest movement in the middle of the clearing Chrishna had selected as his biding post.
41. Suddenly was heard a low murmur, and like maddened swarms of wasps a cloud of arrows hummed through the air, aimed at that silent group, who remained motionless upon their spot.
42. But it was as if an invisible wall surrounded the Lord and his Disciples and the arrows fell short, and a howl of fury sounded from the edge of the forest.
43. And now slopped forth the evil priest Prahlada, very menacing, announcing to Chrishna that he was surrounded and cut off from all escape, demanding his surrender.
44. But the Lord's answer was as eloquent as the silent sky, and the priest wavered, and retired into the shade of the trees again.
45. But presently he returned, and with him was the evil king, who with reluctant steps came forward, but helpless in the grip of the stronger will of Prahlada.
46. And the demon priest spoke again, tauntingly addressing Chrishna, his gold-flecked eyes glaring redly with a savage lust of hate,
47. Like the wild tiger's eyes blaze crimson in the watch-fire's glow, and he shouted hoarsely:
48. 'Ho! Thou bloodsmiting scimitar of thy God! Come thou hither and make obeisance to thy Lord and King, who eagerly waits to have word with thee, and perchance embrace thee as a brother.
49. 'What, coward! Thou speakest not? Is thy lying tongue withered within thy head with fear, or has thy famous eloquence, the snare of fools, forsaken thee?
50. 'Come here, and make surrender, and, maybe, the miserable lives of thy deluded followers will be saved from the spears and arrows of the soldiers!'
51. But hearing those insolent words addressed to the beloved Master, Arjuna and the messenger, and the six male Disciples jumped to their feet, heedless of the gesture of the Lord, who bade them be silent.
52. But Arjuna stepped forth, and the Lord desisted, and the Disciple answered the black priest, saying,
53. 'Thou blasphemer from Hell, let that brave king come forward and meet me in single combat, that I may avenge the insult to my Master!'
54. And Kamsa trembled with fear, for Arjuna looked very formidable indeed in his rightful indignation;
55. But the priest whispered somewhat in the king's ear, promising protection from the demon gods; and taking heart at this, but still afraid, he hesitated before meeting Arjuna.
56. And Arjuna, seeing this wavering undecided coward standing there, shouted:
57. 'What! Shall the rose wither away ungathered? Oh, thou shameful poltroon, not fit to sit upon a throne and an everlasting shame upon the memory of thy fathers!'
58. At this unbearable reproach, spoken in the hearing of his soldiers, the king rushed forward and the two met in deadly combat, each determined to take the life of the other if he could.
59. With great sword-cunning waged the fight; with atavistic warriors' wrath, opulent of the poison of destruction,
60. For at last the king had found his manhood, and strove mightily to kill Arjuna, who with the messenger's sword, which he had wrested from that reluctant one, beset the king like unto a very host of swordsmen.
61. Adamant as the verdict of timeless eternity did Arjuna give stroke for stroke as the king fought him in desperation.
62. Like two opposing winds of blight and disaster they rushed upon each other, time and again, the swords striking fire.
63. And suddenly, like unto an acceleration thousandfold of eagle speed, Arjuna's sword descended, smashing the king's guard and cleaving the evil one in two;
64. His murky blood spouting like a fountain in the air, the two halves falling heavily upon the trodden grass, the breath of his lungs escaping with a whistling sound.
65. Arjuna retired to the Lord and the Disciples, and they withdrew to the centre of the plain, whilst the priest rushed into the forest, calling loudly for the army to come forth——and kill!
66. In the centre of the plain there stood a little hill, and at the command of Chrishna they climbed to its top, whence the whole panorama could be seen.
67. But Arjuna retained the messenger's sword, in spite of Akruna's plea to have it returned, that he might do his share and defend the Lord as long as that might be.
68. And when they were still disputing, lo! there stood in their midst the holy form of Vasishta, the purple-haloed Saint,
69. And he smiled upon the Lord and the others, and Chrishna knew that the end of his journey was drawing near,
70. For he remembered the words of the Sage on the top of Mount Meru, where the cedars balsam the air when the winds from Himavat blow.
71. And the two holy ones embraced, and the Lord said calmly, 'Is this the end?'
72. But the holy one shook his head, and said, 'Not yet; there is still more work to do for thee and thine, but the time draws nigh'.
73. At that moment the demon army issued from the woods in strength, led by Prahlada and Agha the Asura, and gathered upon the plain in front of the forest.
74. And now they marched towards the little hill, intending to surround it first, and then slay those who stood there, calmly waiting for the next development.
75. And lo! At the foot of the mountain range stood suddenly revealed a great host, astride upon white steeds, with white banners bearing the design of the divine lotus; and the banners shook in the wind that blew lightly across the plain.
76. And the riders approached the little hill and opposed the army of Agha and Prahlada, which now streamed in great masses out of the woods, yelling with fury at the sudden obstacle to their evil will.
77. And Agha gave a guttural command, and his men rushed forward to meet the horsemen who came running swiftly, without uttering a sound, though their horses' hoofs struck the ground so that it trembled as if there were an earthquake.
78. And now the armies met, and the dire conflict began around the little hill with its silent spectators, though Arjuna wanted to go forth, as did the messenger, and the male Disciples, and strike in defence of the Lord; but Chrishna and Vasishta restrained their eagerness and bade them wait.
79. Now, swift unfurling pennons fluttered high above the lance-bearing horsemen as their ardoured steeds came galloping along.
80. And the magic-raising sounds of battle soared over the plain; mystic, enthralling, like a breeze of spiritual, meteoric temper.
81. And the purple rust of blood cascaded like wild water-spouts and gushes as the foemen's heads rolled over the plain or their life-stream squirted forth from their lance-torn bodies; and heads fell like nuts shaken from high trees in a storm;
82. Their stricken bodies standing upright for a moment as their rivers of gore rushed up in the air from their severed necks——
83. And then they fell—like empty wineskins, deflated, pitiful to behold.
84. They fell in hundreds and in thousands, uncountable as the horsemen rushed to and fro among them without a hurt, so swift were they and so appalling in their fury of justice and destruction.
85. And Prahlada, the evil priest himself, and the general of the troops, even Agha, met the end of their fate alike, and were slain by the light-gleaming blade of a sabred rider, breaking through their guards, in defence of the splendour of the Lord, and the Saintly one who stood beside him on the hill.
86. Thus the hosts of warriors swept over the plain, swarming like irksome bees that are churned in gusty torrents of the wind;
87. Or swirling like unto frenzied whirlpools, striking at the rocks that fell in ages past down from the mountain side, and are now like futile husks which seek to stem the angry river's flow.....but fail.
88. The demons fell in the mauling massacre, as if a treacherous, unexpected power struck suddenly upon the dark blast of a vast conflagration, forcing up the roaring flames till they singe the very clouds.
89. Hark to the song of the sword as it mows, and the snarl of the arrow: desperately striking, or piercing the flesh in their lust for blood;
90. As if a thousand mad volcanoes do vomit from their burning bowels a spume of frothing lava and great rocks and stones, white-hot, wrested from the rumbling maw of cracking, writhing soil.
91. Disasters came like swarms of locusts, falling hungrily upon the wild attackers of the Lord,
92. And heads kept falling, like ripe purple plums from the trees when the elephant strikes them in the up-roaring might of his ire.
93. That day there were many unsealings, and the far-flung portals of the lower spirit-worlds were thronged with fugitives from the earth.
94. And the little ones, slaves and sons of sin, were erased from the book of demon existence and cancelled out like errors committed by incompetent clerks.
95. For them, the malicious cunning of craven death struck home, unseen and unexpected as it were, and after striking fled, to strike elsewhere, and rejoice silently amidst the turmoil of the battle—one-sided, but just.
96. And their evil spirits, utterly bewildered, stung themselves with the poison-prongs of their hatred of God,
97. Like unto the furious scorpion beset by a wall of flames: and their end was a torment unspeakable.
98. Yea, verily! As the swift lances of the horsemen pierced their flesh, and the swords struck home, their blood spouted from their punctured skins, as wine spouts from a broken vat, broached by the careless cellar-man.
99. And they tried in vain to flee towards the woods, or across the water where they drowned within its turbulence; as deer fly from the rapid cheetah, to be taken in the end.
100. For now the horsemen had surrounded them, and few indeed escaped with their temporary lives; for leaden-footed they were with terror, which laid an enemy's curse upon their minds and hearts.
101. And all the while a great Angel hovered above the field of carnage; as if directing the battle with the wisdom of a God; his amazing wings like unto huge, waving flames.....
102. And far away, in her stronghold of Mathura, Kadru, the evil queen placed her black hands upon her throat in despair.
103. For the Serpent Fiends had whispered in her ear, and she knew that victory was on the side of Chrishna for a while.
104. But she plotted another evil plan, that queen of snakes and worms, so that Vasishta's words would be fulfilled in the end——
105. For thus it was written in the Book of Life of the divine Messenger's Destiny.
106. And Destiny uses strange tools to enact and complete her secret decrees to crown the Lot of Gods, and men;
107. Weaving and spinning the interwoven threads of cause and effect, in the name of the All-wise Deity—far seeing and omniscient.
Next: 42 — The Chapter of The Magic Plain
This e-text facsimile of The Book of Sa-Heti was published on 5 August 2012.
© Copyright 2012 J Michaud PhD & occult-mysteries.org. Last updated 28 March 2017.
