________________
360
NOTE II.
his leg (calf of leg) like the stag's 1, the hair of the head curling to the right, every hair with a distinct opening, the hair or the skin soft and pliant, free from perspiration, on his breast the figure 7 Asita beholding these signs was overcome with emotion, the tears fell from his eyes, and he was unable to speak. On this, the king and Mahâpragapati were moved at heart, and with reverence (closed hands) addressed him thus : Is there then something unlucky? oh! tell us then its purport.' With closed hands, and raised in reverence, he replied : 'Fortunate and without the least ill omen. Let me venture to felicitate the king on the birth of this divine being (spiritual man). Undoubtedly it was on this account that the heavens and earth were greatly shaken on the evening of yesterday; and now as I understand the meaning of these signs, I will tell the king. The child possesses the thirty-two marks of a great man; if he remains in the world (i.e. a secular man) he will be a holy wheel-king (kakravartin) to whom the seven precious things will of themselves arrive, and his thousand sons will rule the world in righteousness; but if he leaves the world (i.e. becomes a recluse) he will of himself become a Buddha (perfectly enlightened), and be the saviour of all living things. And now because I am old, I shall assuredly not in after days behold the Buddha, nor hear his sacred instructions (sūtras), and therefore I give way to grief.' Then the king, perfectly understanding his ability in interpreting signs, caused a palace to be erected with three halls fit for the three seasons-each in a different place-one for the cool season, and this he called the Autumn Hall; one for the warm season, and this was the Cool Hall; one for the winter season, and this was the Warm Hall: and then he selected 500 dancing women of rare beauty, neither too stout nor too thin, neither too tall nor too short, neither too fair nor too dark, skilful in all feminine arts and blandishments, all of them provided with pearl and other famous
"There is a phrase here used
hook-lock, which may possibly refer to the hooked form of the leg of the stag, though this would hardly be a sign of beauty in a human being. [It is explained in the glossary as denoting the bones well knit together.]
Dust-water,
s well knit todelling. (It is explained this would hardly be
Digitized by Google
