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163
in whom the Master's initiation had produced disgust with existence took only the remains of the sacrifice nothing more, even though they might have taken at will.
Then at the end of the giving that lasted for a year, Vásava's throne shook; and he approached the Blessed One, like another Bharata in devotion. Together with the chief-gods, who held pitchers in their hands, he made the ceremony of the initiation of the Lord of the World like his coronation-ceremony. The Lord of the World quickly put on divine garments, ornaments, etc., brought by Balārin like an official. Hari had made for the Lord a litter, named Sudarśanā, like a palace of the Anuttaravimānas. Supported by Mahendra, the Lord ascended the litter like the first flight of stairs to the house of mokşa. The litter was lifted in front by mortals with hair erect from joy, as if it were a load of their own merit embodied, and at the back it was carried by immortals. Choice auspicious musical instruments, played by the gods and asuras, filled the skies with sounds like Puşkarāvartaka clouds. 211 At the sides of the Lord of the Three Worlds, a pair of chauris shone like the personified spotlessness of this
He gave daily 10,800,000 measures (?), and his total was 3,888,000,000. That would mean a year of 360 days. In actual practice the Hindu calendar has a lunar year of 360 tithis (the time occupied by the moon in increasing the distance from the sun by 12 degrees is a tithi) or 354+ days; and a solar year of 365 + days, like the Western calendar. In this case, Hem, specifies that the gold was given away at sunrise, which suits neither calculation. There are, however, many methods of calculating a year (theoretically). See Bșhatsamhita, Chap. 2, pp. 30 ff. where numerous calculations are given, some of which make 360 days. But none gives a year of 363 days, which Hem, mentions later. See IV. 719, n. 321.
211 32. These clouds are generally spoken of as a beneficial variety, conducive to fertility of the earth. See Pañcaprati. p.
64. Meghadūta 1. 6. They are, however, also associated with the end of the world. Infra 5. 328 and 600. Cf. Venisaṁhāra III. 4.
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