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Third Pratipatti: The Proclamation of Lavanaśikhā
[11] The forty-two thousand Nāgakumāra devas who come under the Bhavanapatinikāya are those who prevent the advancing wave, i.e., the crest that is moving towards the Jambūdvīpa, from the inner shore of the Lavaṇasamudra.
Similarly, the seventy-two thousand Nāgakumāra devas are those who prevent the advancing crest and its excessive growth that is moving towards the Dhātakīkhaṇḍa, which is the outer shore of the Lavaṇasamudra.
The sixty thousand Mārukumāra devas are those who prevent the water (of the Lavaṇasamudra) from rising above the Deśonapardhayojana.
These Nāgakumāra devas maintain the shores of the Lavaṇasamudra within their limits.
The total number of these Velaṃdhara Nāgakumāras is one lakh seventy-four thousand.
159. (a) - Bhante! How many types of Velaṃdhara Nāgarājas are there? Gautama! There are four types of Velaṃdhara Nāgarājas, namely - Gothūbha, Sivae, Saṃkhe, and Maṇosilae.
Bhante! How many residential provinces (āvāsapabbhaya) are there for these four Velaṃdhara Nāgarājas? Gautama! There are four residential provinces, namely - Gothūbha, Udagabhāse, Saṃkhe, and Dagasīmāe.
Bhante! In which residential province is the Gothūbha Velaṃdhara Nāgarāja's Gothūbha named? Gautama! In the Jambūdvīpa island, the Gothūbha residential province of the Gothūbha Velaṃdhara Nāgarāja is situated, extending seventeen hundred and twenty-one yojanas upwards in height, four hundred yojanas in width at the base, and twenty-seven yojanas in width at the middle, with a circumference of three thousand and thirty-two yojanas at the base and two thousand and sixty-six yojanas at the middle. It is entirely made of gold, beautiful and splendid.
It is surrounded on all sides by a magnificent lotus lake and a forest. Both are of the same color. In the middle part of the Gothūbha residential province, there is a vast and delightful land area where the devas reside. In the center of this delightful land, there is a magnificent palace, eighty yojanas in height and of the same measurement in width and length, entirely made of gold, beautiful and splendid, along with its surroundings.
Bhante! Why is it called the Gothūbha residential province? Gautama! In the Gothūbha residential province, there are many small and large lotus flowers of the Gothūbha variety, and the devas who reside there are also called Gothūbha. Therefore, it is called the Gothūbha residential province.
The Rājahāṇī (the chief queen) of the Gothūbha residential province of the Gothūbha Velaṃdhara Nāgarāja resides there eternally. The Rājahāṇī is situated in the eastern part of the Lavaṇasamudra, across an uncountable number of islands, and in another Lavaṇasamudra, with the same measurements as described earlier.