Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/215

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Chapter VI
187

the mound. After he had gone some way up the mound, a young soldier came before the Vaishnava army and said : " Come and mount up the hill." Those who stood by asked in surprise, " Why ? " The soldier stood on a small mound and said : " Come, we shall have to fight the foe on the hill yonder in this moonlit night, enjoying all the while the sweet odour of the new flowers of the spring." The Children saw it was Jivananda who spoke. Then the whole army sprang up leaning upon spears with a loud shout of " Hare Murare" and rushed up the hill after Jivananda. One of the soldiers brought him a horse which he rode. From a distance, Mahendra was surprised to see the army march without his orders. He therefore turned his horse and rushed down at full speed. Seeing Jivananda in front of the Children's force, he asked : " Now, what fun is this ?" Jivananda smiled and said : " It's a great fun—great joy. On the other side of the hill is Edwards. Who mounts the hill first gains the battle." Addressing the army he said, " Do you know me ? I am Jivananda Goswami, I have killed a thousand foes !" The army replied with a voice that rang the woods and wilds to the echo. " Say, then, Mare Murare" said Jivananda. The war cry was repeated from thousands of throats that rang throughout the woods. " On the other side of the hill is the enemy. On the summit of this mound and under the blue sky will the