________________
ŚRNGÄRAMANJARIKATHA
ly and unsuccessfully swoop down and are cheated by (the fish) which are not caught; which (lakes) taste like nectar «very sweet though possessed of poison «possessed of water»; which are full of passions «fish, though old «extensive»; which are without lotuses though possessed of lotuses «water>; they are twice presided over by Satapatras «by lotuses and hundreds of birds>; doubly savanāni «possessed of water and in which savana baths are taken»; twice charming by Kuvalaya «night lotuses and the orb of the earth>; twice vitatāni «having rows of birds and extensive»; and which (lakes) thus imitate the movements of the mad-at some places laughing as it were by the erect and fully bloomed white lotuses; at some places throwing arrows of side glances with the knitting of eyebrows in the form of blue lotuses seen in between the waves; at some places throwing up dust in the form of drops of water split up by coming into contact with big waves; and at some places jabbering as it were by the great noise produced by the waves striking against the wind on both the sides.
(5) In the (city) where there are many enchanting abodes like the pleasure tanks and the Viravilāsodyāna and others, there is a mechanical fountain house which fascinates the minds of the citizens; which (fountain house) because of the reflection of the trees in its walls made of pure precious stones (standing) in the middle of Nandanavana looks as if it has allowed in, and thus protected the very delicate garden trees which have sought refuge due to the fear of the sun; which, out of fear of insulting the great, welcomes the people entering with coolness produced by the fall of thousands of streams spreading all round; (6) which as it were forms masses of clouds by the radiant lustre of the emeralds (set) in the base of the pinnacle, for warding off, even from a distance, the heat of the sun which torments the whole world, which having cut asunder keeps outside under the guise of the leaves of the forest as it were, the fire of agony of the people entering, who are reflected in both the sides of the doors made of dark coloured precious stones; which in the three worlds mocks as it were the creation of the Ancient Creator by the production of the moving mechanical dolls; which is like the palace of Varuna; like the place of assignation of winter; like the home of auspiciousness of the gods of the regions of the Himalayas; like the place of defeat for the summer's heat; like the pleasure-home of the fish-bannered God; like the store-house of sport of the ocean of love; like the place of origin of the rains; like the mansion of creation of the inventions; like the summum bonum of loveliness; like the jewelled mirror of skilfulness; and like the outhouse of pleasures.
Which (fountain house), due to its extreme coolness is as if made of camphor powder, constructed with mass of snow, and built
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
