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96
CHAPTER THREE
Stuti (384-398)
Śakra bowed again to the Lord, his hands folded submissively, the hair on his body erect from devotion, and began a hymn of praise as follows:
"O Lord, you delight the people, kind to all, because of friendliness to all arising from Tirthakṛtnāmakarma.201 Animals, men, and gods by the crore with their retinues are accommodated in the preaching-hall which is a yojana in size. Your speech, bestowing enlightenment in regard to dharma, though in only one form, is delightful by transformation into each of their dialects. In more than one hundred yojanas 202 clouds of disease that have risen formerly are quickly dispersed by the wind-waves of your wandering. Plagues of the seasons-mice, grasshoppers, parrots-disappear from the earth at once like injustice dismissed by the king. The fire of enmity arising on account of women, fields, villages, etc., becomes extinct on the surface of the earth as if from rain of the Puşkarävartaclouds 203 of your compassion. Pestilences, the enemies of the world, do not exist while your power is wandering on earth, a drum for the destruction of misfortune, O Lord. While you, alone devoted to all, are raining love on the people, there can be neither an excess of rain nor a drought, causing distress. Cruel attacks from one's own country and from another country disappear quickly because of your power, like elephants at the roar of a lion. Famine is destroyed while you, endowed with all miraculous powers, a living kalpa-tree, wander on earth. A great light, surpassing the sun, is collected at the back of your head, as if with the idea' May it be easy to see his body.' 204
To whom does not the power of the sovereignty of
201 384. See I, App. II.
202 387. The extent of immunity is 125 yojanas, according to Abhi. 1. 60.
203 389.
See I, n. 211.
204
394. These are the II supernatural powers arising from the destruction of karma.
See I, n. II.
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