BHARAVI in
himself in the guise of a sage, admires the fervour of the penance, but contends that to bear arms and practise asceticism are incon- sistent ; Arjuna admits the logic of the censure, but asserts that he will do all to save his family's honour. Indra is touched, reveals himself, and bids him win the favour of Civa (xi). Here ends the poet's invention, and we again find the epic as his source. Arjuna continues his penance in order that Civa may bless him ; the seers in distress appeal to the great god, who expounds to them Arjuna's divine nature as an incorporation of Nara, a part of the primeval spirit ; a demon Miika in boar form plans to slay him ; therefore Civa bids his host follow him to guard the prince (xii). The boar appears to Arjuna ; it falls pierced by his own and Civa's dart ; the prince advances to recover his arrow, but is challenged by a""Kirata who claims it in his master's name (xiii). Arjuna rejects the demand in a long speech ; the Kirata returns, and Civa launches, but in vain, his host against Arjuna, who endures unscathed the shower of their arrows (xiv). The host is rallied from flight by Skanda and Civa himself, who then begins a deadly battle of arrows with Arjuna (xv). The two then strive with magic weapons, the hero is beaten (xvi), but grasps again his bow, and with sword, mighty rocks, and the trunks of great trees assails the god, but all in vain (xvii). They box, at last they wrestle ; Civa reveals his true form, and the hero, humbled at last, praises the greatness of the god and begs him for strength arid victory ; the god and the world guardians, who come to the scene, accept his devotion and give him the magic weapons tliat he craves.
The introduction of Civa's host, of its struggles under Skanda's leadership with the hero, and the whole episode of the contest with magic weapons are the fruit of the poet's imagination. One difficulty is obvious ; it is made necessary to duplicate the episode of the force of the penance causing fear and evoking divine inter- vention, and the {Jrolongation of the conflict results in some repetition of ideas. Duplication also results from the description of the amours of the nymphs with the Gandharvas and their attempts on the prince. The poet's skill led him, we must con- fess, to exhibit it too freely, and the introduction of magic weapons leaves us cold. In this regard Valmiki has a fatal influence on Sanskrit poetry ; the mythical background of the
