| Then
I saw the grandeur that was the temple; its endless pilgrims; its valiant defenders; Ganga
Sarvajna, the Pashupatacharya, combining in himself spiritual inspiration and worldly
wisdom, who died in front of the Linga before it was shattered to pieces; the brave Bhima
of the twanging 'bow who harassed the retreating army of the Turk and restored the temple.
Then I saw Chowla, the great grand-mother of Emperor
Kumarapala, the restorer of the Fifth Temple, a dancing girl, self-wedded to her mighty
Lord but married in flesh to Bhima in a moment of illusory emotion, and I also saw this
beautiful, spotless woman giving up her life before Somanatha in her final ecstatic dance
of surrender. |
