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festivities. Raised plat-forms were constructed everywhere, and seats were arranged at appropriate places over them. Various functions were assigned to different individuals and & spacious pavilion was prepared for marriage-altar. The altar pavilion was appearing charming with Markata jewels, lovely by the arrangement of gold auspicious pots beautiful with victoryflags hanging on very white trunks of plantain trees; and noisy with the buzzing sound of black wasps roaming over heaps of flowers arranged in all directions, in which walls were decorated with emerald beset with pure pearls, in which the lotuslike faces of young handsome females were reflected in mirrors placed in all directions; where darkness wag removed by precious jewels arranged at appropriate places; where the flooring appeared variegated by the radiant brilliance of emeralds and the pavilion in which a portion was smeared with fresh cow-dung.
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Having done the functions appropriate to each occasion, Méghanāda sent word to King Siddhartha, "Now, the auspicious moment of four Pani-grahana,-Receiving the hand of the bride into that of the bride groom,-is quite near, please let Vardhamāna Kumāra be brought here. King Siddhartha there-upon, told Trisala-devi "O queen! Do immediately whatever is to be done such as welcoming the prince with an auspicious ceremony etc. The auspicious moment of Paņi-graha. na is very near." The queen, very respectfully uttering various auspicious words, well-comed Vardhamana Kumāra with auspicious ceremony, and gave him a bath with fragrant water mixed with numerous odoriferous drugs. Vardhamana Kumāra wore very costly white garments and attended other auspicious ceremonies. The body of Vardhamana Kumāra rendered white by the application of the fragrant Gośirsa Eandal-paste looked beautiful like the Kanaka-giri whitened by the Moon-light of the Winter Moon. The hair of the head of the Jinéndra decorated with wreaths of flowers, appeared like the vault of the sky beautiful with twinkling stars. The Prince appearing more lovely by new ornaments of various precious stones
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