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EDUCATION, LITERATURE AND ART
475
stones.' 'Śaśīkantamaṇḍapikā" is another term meaning a moon-chamber. Many gorgeous mansions with lofty pinnacles and surrounded by very lofty fortifications have also been alluded to. There is reference to a huge Sofacouch made of gold even though soft-covered all over by an uppercovering-cloth below the bejewelled pavilion in the square of the sleeping gallery having an expansive open space endowed with a row of lofty golden pillars, having the surface of the lotus-pavement on the roof consisting of its approach through a series of steps made of plane bejewelled slabs shining with the movement of steps.3
Similarly
A sleeping gallery clinging to the top of mansion, having a couch of lotus leaves in the moon-stone-window in the corner of the bejewelled storey or floor attached to the portion of the left wall with northern side becoming apparent owing to recent opening of the door, in the mansion of Tilakamañjarī has been described having all the accessories detailed here. It was endowed with flags, parasols, flywhisk forming its decorative materials placed within its chambers that had many diadems, accoutrements, couches having surfaces of pannels, all the equipments suited to the occasion of a promenade. These chambers were spacious and huge enhancing the beauty of the outer apartment. The central door attached to the turrets of the fortification was occupied by the vehicles of the Vidyadhara-maidens come to have a sight of that having assumed the garbs of peacocks, parrots, antelopes, lions, Garudas, suitably caparisoned. It (i.e. the mansion of Tilakamañjarī) was crowded with water pavilions, reservoirs and oblong tanks adjoining the associate-chambers. Its precincts were engirt by the seven storeyed chambers of the harem cordoned by the fortification of fructified Sarala and Arjuna trees, having sparks of fire of the thunderbolts spreading out, as if on to the tops of the Himalaya, with their pinnacles lofty
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1. तिसृभिर्भूमिकाभिरुपरचितनिर्माणस्य मणिशिलामठश्वां रम्यतरमध्यां ममेयभूमिकामाश्रयाय मैं विश्राणितवती । सुश्लिष्टसंधान मणिशिला तलघटितया शिखरपरिपाट्या समन्ततः परिक्षिप्त पीठां मठाग्रभूमिकापृष्ठवर्तिनीमिन्दुकान्त Ibid. Sm. ed. pp 344, 352.
2. Ibid. Sm. ed. p. 356.
3. निरन्तरन्यासशालिना मणिशिलातलसंक्रमेण क्रमेणाधिरूढमानीय मामुपरितलकमलकुट्टिम तलस्योत्तुङ्गकनकस्तम्भ राजीविरा: प्रकाश विपुल वातावकाशस्य शयनचित्रशालिकागंणरत्न मण्डपस्याधस्यात् स्व हस्तसंचारितेनाचिरधौतेन शुचिना समन्तादुतरच्छद् पटेनाच्छादिते मृदावपि तापनीये महति पट्टपर्यंके न्यवेशयत् । Ibid. Sm. ed. p. 367.
4. सौधशिखराग्रसंगिनी शयनचित्र शालाम् । Ibid Sm.. ed.p. p. 368.3
तस्यां च तत्क्षणोद्धाटितकपाटप्रकटितोत्तराशे दक्षिणेरभितिभागश्रियिणि सुश्लिष्टमणि भूमिकान्ते शशिकान्त वातायने चितज्ञन विरचित विचित्रविन्यासैश्चतुरपरिचारिका जनेन सरोजिनीपत्रशयनीय मधिशयाना । Ibid.
