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SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
367
All were pious to the exclusion of the impious. All were bounteous. All understood the terms of the expert educationists. All took to doing good to others. All trod on righteous path. They had studied all the lores along with their subdivisions. All were rich in righteous temperaments and had earned the goodwill of the public as well as the council of ministers meant to fight their causes. They were prone to utter words of welcome in advance and had a knack for answering questions put to them or were prone to indulge in conversations (by way of hospitality unto the guests) after having welcomed them at the inception. They were men of all tastes and were full of ideas. They were cheerful in tempers. They were prone to observe a judicious way of life or prone to favour justice come to sight. They lacked ferocity of mind. They did not deride others. They were jovial in moods. They could imbibe the virtues of all. They were never fastidious. They were never prone to leaving in the lurch (the troubled ones). They shared the weal and woes with others. They were obliging unto the others. They were given to selfpurification etc.!
Vidyadhara sage getting down to the roof of the palace the welcome ovation afforded by the king along with the queen to the sage is reminiscent of the social custom that is normally prevalent in a society in point of hospitality meet for a guest.
"He welcomed him along with Madirāvatī, facing as he was the mansion, with his face radiant to a distance, like the day accompanied by the morning glow as well as twilight welcoming the sun (lit. the maker of the day) anxious to ascend on the mountain of the east.''
The sage finding himself in a state of dignity anticipating the honour likely to be done to them got down from the aerial regions and the king approaching him in modesty brought in front the vase containing the material of worship (Argha), paid his obeisance and made him sit on a seat of gold swept clean by the hem of his own garment and brought by himself personally,
With etiquettes fit to be shown to the great sage, a guest, observed in their entirety, he greeted him as he would do an elderly man or a preceptor,
1. "अकलितादयानाढ्यविवेकैरगृहीतपण्डितापण्डितविभक्तिभिरनवबुद्धसाध्वसाधुविशेषैरनवधारितधार्मिकाधार्मिक
परिच्छित्तिभिः सर्वैरप्युदारविशेषैः सर्वैरपि छेकोक्तिकोविदः सर्वैरपि परोपकारप्रवणैः सर्वैरपि सन्मार्गवर्तिभिः.... प्रमाणविद्भिरप्यप्रमाणविद्यैःधीतनीतिभिरप्यकुटिलैरभ्यस्तनाट्यशास्त्रैरप्यदर्शितभ्रूनेत्रविकारैः कामसूत्रपारगैरप्यविदितवैशिकैः सर्वभाषाविचक्षणैरप्यशिक्षितलाटोक्तिभिः सात्त्विकैरपि राजसभावाप्तख्यातिभिः-.... निवासिलोकैः संकुला"।
TM, Vol. I pp 51-53. 2. अभिमुखीभूतं च तं प्रासादस्य दिवसकरभिव पौरस्त्यभूधराभिलाषिणं सप्रभातसन्घ्यों वासरः सुदूरविकासितमुखः समं
He i 41 Ibid. Vol. I p. 90.
