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## The Eighth Chapter
169
Then, King Maya himself said, "I do not know the minds of you all. But I am pleased with the renowned Dashaanan, who has mastered all the Vidyaas." 14
"He is destined to be a great one, a cause of wonder in the world. Otherwise, how could he have mastered so many Vidyaas at such a young age?" 15
Hearing this, all the ministers, led by Maricha, who were experts in Mantras, were filled with joy. 16
Maricha and his powerful brothers, along with the other ministers, urged King Maya to act quickly. 17
King Maya, considering that time was slipping away, decided to act. He chose a favorable day, when the auspicious planets were in the ascendant, the inauspicious planets were in the opposite direction, and the ascendant was auspicious. He then set out with his daughter in the Pushpantak Vimana. As they departed, the sound of trumpets filled the air, and the women sang auspicious songs. When the trumpets fell silent, the sky echoed with the women's songs, as if it were filled with sound itself. 18-20
"Dashaanan is in the Bhimavana," reported the young men who had gone ahead, returning to King Maya after disembarking from the Pushpantak Vimana. 1
King Maya, after consulting with the local spies, set out for the Bhimavana. There, he saw the forest, dark as a black cloud. 21-22
One of the spies, pointing out the specific location of Dashaanan, said, "O King! Just as there is the Mandaruna forest between the Sammedachala and Kailasa mountains, so too is this excellent forest between the Valahka and Sandhyavarta mountains. See how beautiful this forest is, like a mass of soft darkness, with its tall, dense trees." 23-24
"In the middle of this forest, you can see a city adorned with large, white houses like conch shells. It is as beautiful as a cluster of autumn clouds." 25
"Near this city, you can see a very tall palace. It is so magnificent that it seems to touch the sky with its peaks." 26
1. Maricha and his brothers.
2. The sound of the trumpets ceased, and the sky was filled with sound.
3. The young men who had gone ahead.
4. Between the Valahka and Sandhyavarta mountains.