Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/39

OF JAVA. g5 would give less dissatisfaction to the European reader, than the most skilful one of the Indian original. The following is an example : " The charge of the King of Awangga was as a torrent. The forces of the Pandus, advancing with clattering pace, met Kama. Their chiefs at- tempted to arrest his career, but their close ranks were trode down, were fiercely trampled upon. His chariot rushed on, with a hollow noise, like the flight of Garuda. His arrows flew in every direction, interrupted only for a moment by the thunderbolts he discharged ; his arrows, which fell on the foe thicker than a shower of rain, poured on without interruption. The Pandus, crushed, over- whelmed, could not sustain themselves. The rage of Kama was unbounded. The hundred Pandus enraged, again rallied and charged, but again fled, broken, trod down, scattered, as if overwhelmed by a mountain flood ; while the Kurawa advanced with shouts like the roar of a torrent, or like that of the approaching storm." All the translations which I have seen of the Ramayana make it appear a more feeble and less interesting production than the Brata-yuda. The following is a favourable specimen ; it describes Ra- wana, the giant of Ceylon, going forth to encoun* ter Rama, after the death of his sons :