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Introduction
CCXXXVII
the very first verse + of its description by Hemachandra. It was sui rounded by a fortifying wall which, as we learnt from the P. C., was first built by Bhūyada: This sala, vapra or kotta (all synonyms for city-wall) seems to have impressed the imagination of the poets very much; for as one approached the city the innumerable sikharas or domes of the temples and this wall with its turrets and gopuras must have caught the eye first and tickled the imagination. Hemachandra, in his Prákrta Dvyāşraya, while describing the city, describes first the prākāra ( the city - wall ) as the looking-glass of the heavenly damsels referring to its high towers of sphatika - stone. *
In the Samskrta Dvyásraya he describes the citywall thus : 'Here everywhere shines the Şāla (citywall ), like the Lord of serpents (Seshanāga - the cosmic serpant white in colour), in height like the Lord of mountains ( Meru ), looking down upon the enemies, with its white heads bearing banners that lick the heavens' ( C. I. V. 127 ). Somaprabha, in the Ku. Pra., also, first describes the city-wall and compares it to a pearl-necklace. (p. 3).
Someşvara, in his K. K., also gives a similar simile and imagines it to be a hedge of good deeds to guard the city against Kali (C. I. v. 49 ). *
+ अस्ति स्वस्तिकवद् भूमेर्धर्मागारं नयास्पदम् ।। ____पुरं श्रिया सदाश्लिष्टं नाम्नाणहिलपाटकम् ॥ स. १. 'लो. ४. * तिअसवईहरवहुमुहआदरिसीहूयफलिहसिलसिहरो।
जस्सिं पुहइवहुमुहअवयंसो सहइ पायारो ॥ स. १. लो. ३. * See also Hemachandra's T.S. P. C. Parvan 10, canto XII, vv. 39 etc., the Vasantavilāsa of Balachandra (p. 9 v. 40-44 ) and Hamira-mada-mardana of Jayasimhasūri p. 47 v, 23.
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