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339 haste like a wishing-tree by twins, he went instantly to Aşțāpada with his retinue and women of his family. He dismounted from the elephant and ascended the great mountain, like an ascetic ascending lofty good conduct from a householder's practices. He entered the samavasaraņa by the north door and saw the Lord—the cloud for making shoot up the kandala878 of joy. After making pradakşiņā three times and bowing at the Lord's feet, his folded hands on his head, Bharata began a hymn of praise as follows:
Stuti (173-180) "Praise of you by people like me is like measuring the ocean by pitchers. Nevertheless, I shall praise you, O Master, for I am unrestrained in devotion. People who have associated with you become equal to you, O Lord. For wicks become lights from contact with light. Your teaching, a cure for making free of mada87e the best elephant of the senses subject to excitement, teaching the path (to emancipation), prevails. After destroying the destructive-karmas, you are indifferent to the remaining karmas, I think, only to favor the world, O Lord of the Three Worlds.880 Clinging to your feet, O Lord, people cross the ocean of existence like crossing the ocean under the wing of Garuda. The sight of you, dawn for the deep sleep of delusion of all, satisfies the desire for appearance on the part of the tree of endless happiness. From contact with your lotus-feet people's karma is destroyed. For elephants' tusks split from the moon's rays though gentle,881 Your favor, O Lord of the World, is rain from a cloud, moonlight from the moon, beneficial to all.”
878 171. Its blossoms appear suddenly in the rainy season.
879 175. There is, of course, a double meaning to mada: 'the ichor of the elephant' and 'pride.'
880 176. I.e., as soon as he destroys the remaining karmas he will attain mokṣa and be unable to assist other people.
881 179. I have found no parallel reference for this interesting superstition. The verb used is sphuț, which must be taken as 'split,' orthere is no point to the comparison.
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