________________
CONQUEST OF BHARATAVARSA BY SAGARA
149
general, powerful like a bull, attacked with ease the Kacchacountry, the best in the whole country. Returning from its extremity, the general remained in its plain, like an elephant returned from water-play. The Mlecchas, lords of isolated villages, towns, villages, etc., went from all sides to him there as if drawn by a noose. They brought varied ornaments, jewels, and garments, silver, gold, horses, elephants, chariots, and whatever other choice treasures they had to the general, as if they were entrusted as a deposit. "We shall remain here subject to you, paying taxes like householders," they said to the general, their hands folded submissively. The general accepted their presents, and dismissed them; came and crossed the Sindhu by the skin-jewel as before. He went and delivered all that to King Sagara. For riches come like servants, drawn by the power of the powerful.
Passage through Tamisra (176-195)
Sagara remained in that camp for a long time, attended by kings who had come from afar, like the ocean by rivers. One day, he instructed the general, carrying the staffkey, to open the leaves of the south door to Tamisra. He went near Tamisra and made a three days' fast with reference to the god Kṛtamāla. For the gods are generally won by penance. At the end of the three days' fast, after he had bathed and put on clean garments and ointment, taking an incense burner, he went to the cave like a divinity. Bowing at the sight of it, the general stood at the door like a door-keeper, like a policeman. After he had made an eight-day festival to it (the cave) and had drawn the eight auspicious things, the general struck its doors with the staff-jewel. Making the creaking-sound,' sarat, sariti,' the doors opened at once like the halves of a dry pod. He reported to Sagara the opening of the doors announced by the noise of 'sarat, sariti.'
The King mounted the elephant-jewel and, attended by the fourfold army like one of the Dikpālas, went there. He placed the gem-jewel on the right frontal boss of the
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
