King Duhshanta Hunts and Devastates a Forest
King Duhshanta leads a massive hunting expedition into a dense, remote forest. His army of men, horses, and elephants creates a deafening roar as they encircle and slaughter the wildlife with every weapon at their disposal. The hunt leaves the once-teeming forest empty, its rivers dry and its surviving creatures exhausted, terrified, and fleeing in disarray.
The king went to the dense forest with a retinue that was itself an army. Hundreds of horses and elephants moved with him, surrounded by warriors carrying swords, spears, clubs, maces, javelins, and lances. As they marched, they roared like lions. Conches and drums sounded. Chariot wheels thundered. Elephants trumpeted. Horses neighed. The collective noise of men and arms rose in a deafening roar.
From the balconies of terraced palaces, women came out to watch their king depart. They knew him as the equal of Shakra (Indra) in destroying his enemies. In his power, they saw the wielder of the vajra (thunderbolt) himself—a tiger among men, whose arm-strength allowed no enemy to remain alive. Out of love, they showered flowers down on his head. As he traveled, the best of Brahmanas paid homage to him along the way.
Pleased, Duhshanta progressed toward the forest for the hunt. Citizens and country residents followed him for a long distance, only turning back on the king’s own instructions. His chariot filled the earth, even heaven, with its roar, like Suparna (Garuda, the divine eagle). When he arrived, he saw a beautiful forest like Nandana (the garden of the gods). It was full of bilva, arka, khadira, kapittha, and dhava trees. The terrain was uneven—full of mountains and valleys, strewn with boulders. It stretched for many yojanas, held no water, and had no human habitations. This terrible forest abounded with herds of deer and other animals.
With the help of his servants, soldiers, and mounts, Duhshanta, the tiger among men, began the slaughter. He killed deer of many kinds. Many families of tigers were killed as they came within the reach of his arrows. Many animals were pierced by Duhshanta’s shafts. Those that came near he killed with his sword. Supreme among spear-wielders, he killed many in that way. His valour was boundless, and he was skilled in the circular motions of the club. He roamed the forest, killing wild animals with his spear, sword, mace, club, and javelin.
The great forest was perturbed by the extraordinarily powerful king and his soldiers, who loved the fight. The larger animals fled. Having lost their leaders, their herds dispersed. Deer screamed in fright and fled in all directions. The river beds were dry. Emaciated by thirst, their hearts tired with exhaustion, animals dropped down unconscious—hungry, thirsty, and spent.
Some of the slain animals were eaten raw by those hungry tigers among men. Others built a fire, ignited it, cut the meat into pieces, and ate them in the proper way. Many mighty elephants were wounded by weapons and went mad. Raising their trunks, they stamped violently, flowing blood and emitting urine and dung in fear. These wild elephants trampled many men to death.
With the cloud of his strength and the rain of his arrows, the king eliminated the once-teeming forest of its large animals, as if a buffalo had run amok.