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162
had been made by the gods. Then an umbrella resembling the full moon shone over Bharata's head, like the Master's unbroken command. At his sides shone two waving chauris, like two messengers who had come from the future Sris of the two halves of Bharata. The son of Vịşabha shone with garments and pearl-ornaments that were like his own exceedingly pure virtues. From a desire for their own prosperity the circle of kings 208 paid homage to the new king, a suitable recipient of great honor like the new moon. 200
Next the Lord apportioned fittingly territories among his other sons, Bāhubali, etc. Then the Lord, like a wishing-tree, commenced bestowing gifts on men for a year, in accordance with their unrestricted requests. “Everyone may take whatever he desires." The Lord had a proclamation to this effect made aloud at the crossroads, city-gates, etc. The Jşmbhaka gods, sent by Kubera at the order of Vāsava, collected treasures, silver, gold, jewels, etc., everywhere, those that had been lost for a long time, disappeared, whose owners were missing, whose landmarks were completely destroyed, those inside mountains and bowers, concealed in cemeteries, and hidden in houses, and bestowed them as a gift on the Lord, like clouds giving water. Daily, the son of Nābhi gave away one crore and eight lacs of gold between sun-rise and meal-time (i.e. sunset). In the course of the year the son of Nābhi gave away three hundred eighty-eight crores and eighty lacs of gold. 210 The people
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208 16. Rājacakra. Here cakra equals the more usual mandalathe circle of a king's neighbors with whom he maintains relations. The number varies from 4 to 12, but Hem. makes it twelve. Tri. 10. II. 307.
209 16. Hindus and Jains make a point of seeing the new moon on the second day of the bright half of the month, and make na.. maskāra to it. Cf. Folk Lore Notes of Gujarat, p. 17.
210 24. Hiranya here is probably 'unwrought' gold, when it was measured by weight or quantity. See Uv. n. 22 and n. 316.
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