________________
TILAKAMANJARI OF DHANAPĀLA
Rasavatī (kitchen ), Ajirabhūmi ( Verandah), Bhojanaśālā (Dining Hall), Pratoli (the vestibule) or the front apartment), the chambers of the Sattrins (the sacrificers or the secret agents) formed a part of the residential abode of the king as well as the commoners. The groups of parrots and starlings nibbling tree fruits pale through ripening were kept in cages hung in the upper-galleries susceptible to air.2 The Rajakula or the residential arena of the king possessed white chambers or white mansions sky-scraping and numbering many hundreds having many rooms or apartments within.
468
A dantavalbhikā or an upper-ivory-chamber, situated at the corner of the roof of the residential mansion pleasant in the afternoon having guñjā berry creepers hanging over the bejewelled windows or lattices resounding with the flutters of squall pouring in every moment, with centre of its walls collided by the sprays of showers of scented water. Madirāvati's apartment in the harem was a spacious abode (Viśālaveśma) which had a bejewelled mosaic extremely placid and dappled with offerings of flowers strewn constantly, was glamorous with the construction of the pillars of gold designed with fine-leafy sprouts, had an awning overhead of a huge Netracanvas, pendulous pearl wreaths hanging by the corners of the canopies; the wall paintings become luscious with the lamps steady on staves and burning, burnished slumber-ewers made of gold placed at the head of the couch shining with counterpanes stretched over nicely. Madirāvatī was surrounded by the coquettes of the harem, who had placed expansive raised planks made of gold on the seat in the form of the surfaces of the bejewelled platform in the beautiful pavilion raised on four pillars prepared afresh." The golden seat was placed on the surface of the bejewelled dais."
1. निवृत्तरसवतीधूमेषु
प्रतोलीशिखराधिरुढ
समुपलिप्यमानाजिर भूमिषु... भोजनशालासंचार्यमाणविद्याहारपाकेषु पुरोहितपरीक्ष्यमाणाध्ययनमुखरोन्मुखद्विजेषु सर्वतः संवृतेषु सत्रिणां भवनेषु । TM Vol.II p. 167. 2. प्रवातपट्टशालावलम्बितपंजरे पाकपिंजराणि शकलयति तरुफलानि संवृतालापे शुकसारिकाकलापे । Ibid Vol. II. p.
167
3. गन्धसलिलच्छटासेकशिशिरीकृतसकलभित्तिक्षणामनुक्षणापतत्पवनपुंजगुंजन् मणिगवाक्षगुंजामपराह्नरम्यामावासहर्म्यशिखरप्रान्तवर्तिनीं दन्तवलभिकामगच्छत्। Ibid Vol.II p. 171. चाविरलविप्रकीर्णपुष्पबलिशबलितातिमसृणमणिकुट्टिमे
विकटपत्रभङ्गचित्रितचामीकरस्तम्भविरचनाचारुण्युपरिविस्तारिततारनेत्रपटविताने वितानकप्रान्तलम्बमानलोलमुक्तास्रजि ज्वलदकम्पयष्टिप्रदीपप्रकटितप्रशस्तभित्तिचित्रसुकल्पितास्तरणतल्पतलोपशोभिनि शय्याशिरोभागनिहितधौतनिद्राकलशो विशालवेश्मनि कृतावस्थानाम् । Ibid Vol. II p. 174.
5. प्रत्यग्रविरचितचतुष्कचारुणिमणिवितर्दिकापृष्ठपीठे प्रतिष्ठापितविततहेमपट्टाभिः... अन्तः पुरविलासिनीभिः परिवृत्तां ।
4. तत्र
Ibid. Vol. II p. 176.
6. मणिवेदिकापृष्ठवर्तिनि हेमविष्टरैः । Ibid.
