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Svayambhūstotra
time of the present descending half-cycle of cosmic age (avasarpiņi kāla), the felicities due to the ten kinds of special tree-like bestowers of wants (kalpavṛkṣa) started to progressively dwindle down and the people no more were able to live the lives of instant gratification of all their wants, and sheer enjoyment. They started to worry about their sustenance and livelihood. Wise men, called kulakara, arose from time to time and kept on enlightening people, laying the foundation of the civilization of labour, law and order. The number of sages who thus appeared is said to be fourteen, the last of whom was Nābhirāja. He lived for 1 crore purva (see page 173) and his height was 525 dhanusa (see
page 181).
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