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SETUBANDHA
13 18. Even though restless, it remained steadfast by respecting its limits. It abounded in riches, even though its treasures had been taken out by the gods (during the churning). It was unscathed, even though churned; and oozed nectar,15 even though its waters had a briny taste.
19. It had in its depths the mountains16 abounding in jewels, as if they were treasure hidden in dread of Indra, and marked by branch-roots, the moonbeams, coming down from the tree that was the sky.17
20. The sea surged when the moonlight came, bringing joy by its cherished presence, and calmed down when it was gone; just as passion is strong at the advent of youth, delightful with the company of the beloved, and loses its turbulence when youth has passed.
21. The pearls, issuing from the partly split oyster shells, filled the mouths of the conches; and the clouds withdrew from half the way, because they were filled with water blown high by the wind.
22. The mature sprouts of the corals looked green in contact with the lustre of the emeralds; and the hovering clouds seemed to be veils, thrown over the faces of the sea elephants, as they rushed forward at the smell of the celestial elephants (that came to bathe in the sea).18
23. It was the custodian of gems. The groves of creepers on its shore outshone beautiful royal mansions. It gave water to
15. Traces of nectar are probably meant, the ocean being the original home of nectar which was taken out during the churning.
16. See verse 14.
17. The verse refers to a belief that the presence of a tree with branchroots indicates the location of buried treasure. Here, the mountains, which took shelter in the ocean to save their wings from Indra's thunder, are fancied as treasure buried in the sea. The sky is the tree, and the moonbeams disturbing the waters of the sea are the branch-roots cleaving the ground. See f.n, on 1.4 above.
18. The eyes of a furious elephant were covered with a veil to prevent it from attacking other elephants. Here, the clouds are fancied as veils, with which the sea restrained its elephants from attacking the visiting elephants of the gods.
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