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The army of Martand Bhairav was such that the like of it had never been seen before. All the gods had sent their contingents. Skanda was the leader of the army. The first group was his own guards, mounted on peacocks and wearing blue armours. The next group that was spread as long as the eyes reached was the army of Indra, the Lord of the Heavens. The soldiers held flashing swords in their hands and rode huge war elephants. The elephants were swinging their trunks this way and that and were trumpeticng often being impatient to go to the attack. Next to them was arrayed a corps of warriors who were riding goats and were as fiery as their Lord-Agni.
The army of Yama was immediately recognis- able from their vahans, the giant he- buffalows, bellowing off and on. They held the Yama dandas in their hands and the tinkle of the bells that hung around their necks filled the air. The army of Nairut was of a fierce appearance and wielded menacing scimitars. Still further on was the corps consisting of red-headed troops swinging their pashas and flying the flag of Varuna. The army of Ganesh was quite strange looking, the horses had heads resembling that of mice and the soldiers carried amkushs and battle-axes. The legions of Moon rode horses having heads like deer, The Sun’s armies were ready to charge in huge chariot drawn by seven horses each. Brahmadeva had sent his armies astride milk-white swans, and carrying akshamalas and kamandalus. Huge garudas were ready to take off for battle. The warriors astride them flying Vishnu’s flag wielded shankh, chakra, gada and padma. Finally was arrayed Shiva’s own army wearing elephant hides and sporting shulas and khatvangas.
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