________________
160
an aerial car to Mt. Vaitāḍhya to the city Gaganavallabha. After establishing Sahasranayana in his ancestral kingdom, the King made him overlord of all the Vidyadharas.
CHAPTER FOUR
Entrance into Vinita (335-348)
Taking the woman-jewel, Cakrin Sagara, possessing the strength of Purandara, went to Saketapura (Vinītā). The King made a three days' fast directed toward Vinītā, and observed pausadha in the pauṣadha-house according to rule. At the end of the three days' fast the King left the pauṣadha-house and broke his fast with his retinue. The King entered the city which was like a woman ready for her lover, frowning, as it were, with a multitude of festoons; smiling, as it were, with the beauty of a large number of pearl svastikas; with raised arms, as it were, with the dancing banners of the handsome markets; with body-decoration, as it were, with the smoke-rings rising from the jars of incense; with wide-open eyes, as it were, from the jeweled vessels on the platforms; just as if it had couches from the varied daises; uttering auspicious sounds, as it were, by the tinklings of the palace-bells. The King went to his palace-court, like Śakra to his palace, which had high arches, high banners, and loud blessings from the bards. He dismissed the sixteen thousand gods and thirty-two thousand kings in attendance, the chief jewels the general, the priest, the steward, and the carpenter, the three hundred and sixty-three cooks,31 the eighteen guilds and sub-guilds,318 and others also in turn, governors of fortresses, merchants, caravan-leaders, etc.
817
Attended by his retinue and harem, accompanied by the woman-jewel, the King entered his own palace, like the souls of creatures entering the womb. After he had 317 344. Cf. I. 4. 661 and 719, and I, n. 321. This is probably an error on Hem.'s part, since the Jamb. (67) gives the number as 360, which corresponds with the conventional year. But it is curious that Hem. repeats the slip so often. See App. I.
318 345. See I, n. 315.
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