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KARAKAŅDACARIU
( 5. 3. 6
and multifarious power of the Khecaras. This mountain was surrounded by Khecaras like the great mountain Meru by the excellent Suras. Observing that beauty, the lords of the Sura groups stood thoroughly wonderstruck. At this time, oh ye sincere minded, there arrived the great friends of Nila. In the Northern Range of that Vijayārdha there is the lovely town Gaganatala dear to the Suras, Khecaras and Kinnaras as if tlie city of gods had come and stood there.
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4. There dwelt two Khecara brothers who had a deep affection for each other. Pleasant like the moon and immensely powerful like the sun, they were called Anitaveja and Suvega. Pure in conduct and unconquerable in battle, they had their bodies adorned by the jewel of Right Faith On one holy day, the mighty one started for worship. Advancing south wards towards Lanka in the Malaya country, they saw the great ani auspicious Püdi mountain where the lord of gods would come for amusement. They descended upon it as if the lords of gods had alighted from heaven. Seeing there a temple of the twenty-four Jinas, white with lime and touching the sky, they went there to see those who had far driven away Cupid.
5. With pure thoughts, the king of Lanka, born in the family of Rāvana, renowned by the name of Suraprabha, husband of Srisen, while on a pleasure trip, one day, arrived at the Pūdi mountain. As he wandered in the Malaya country, he saw that most beautiful site, like Bharata on the Kailãsa. He got the twenty-four images made, out of devotion, and also the temple of the twenty-four Jinas the givers of happiness, bright being made of gems and jewels, and destroying sin in the minds of their devutees. He who was ever adored by the Suras, was worshipped and meditated upon with reverence. They gave pleasure to the eyes of those who looked upon them, removed the dirt of sin of those who medidated upon them, stopped in an instant the worldly cycle of existence and gave all that one might desire.
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6. They who had removed the great darkness of wrong belief, saw the images of the Jinas. In body, speech and pure mind, they eulogized the escellent god, the unblemisherl Jinendra. “ There is not, in the three worlds, as much speech as would suffice to praise adequately the omniscient.
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Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com