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the great. The people, delighted, ate this grain, vegetables, and fruit; resorting to pleasure in gardens, they did not know the fatigue of an army.
The Lord of the Middle World with his retinue remained as comfortable inside the skin- and umbrellajewels as in his own house. For seven days and nights without interruption the Nāgakumāras rained there, as if it were the end of the world. “Who are these villains who are eager to cause me such trouble ?" Knowing this conjecture of the powerful King, the sixteen thousand Yaksas always in attendance came armed, with quivers fastened on, with bows strung, as if ready to burn enemies on all sides with the flame of their anger, and spoke to the Nāgakumāras, the Meghamukhas. “O wretches, do you, indeed, as if you were creatures without a mind, not know the King, the Cakrin, Lord of Bharata ? This King being invincible to all, this undertaking of yours is doomed to calamity, like an attack on a huge mountain by elephants with their tusks. This being so, hurry away like bugs. Otherwise, sudden death as never seen before will surely befall you." Confused by hearing this, the Meghamukhagods dispelled at once the mass of clouds, like magicians an illusion.
The Meghamukhas went to the Kirātas, related this, and advised them, “Go and take refuge with Bharata." Then the Mlecchas, their desires destroyed by that speech, took refuge with the Lord of Bharata, as they had no other refuge then. Bowing to the Lord of Bharata, they delivered as presents gems like the hood-jewels of snakes heaped together, a heap of beautiful gold like the internal contents of Meru, horses by the lac like images of the horse-jewel. With folded hands placed on their heads, they spoke aloud with flattery like brothers of bards: “Be victorious, O Lord of the World, who have severe, unbroken power. You are like Indra in the six-part country. Who except you is able to open the great gateway of Mt. Vaitādhya, the very rampart of our land, O King ? Who
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