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172
the temple. They honored the pure burial-mounds of Bharata's brothers,391 and then, after reflecting a little, Jahnu said to his younger brothers:
"I think that a place equal to Aṣṭāpada is to be found nowhere. We shall make this shrine here like another one. Even though emancipated, Cakrin Bharata enjoys Bharatakṣetra, remaining in the guise of a shrine on this mountain which is the essence of Bharata(kşetra). This very shrine has been made by us if the protection of the shrine to be robbed by future men is arranged for. When the duḥṣama-period has begun, there will be men greedy of money, devoid of nobility, not considering right and wrong. Then the protection of old holy places is better than the making of new holy places." 832
CHAPTER FIVE
Destruction of the Nagas' houses (135-156)
The younger brothers agreed and then Jahnu took the staff-jewel which had a powerful radiance like the sun. He and his younger brothers began to dig up the earth to make a moat around Aṣṭāpada like a city. The sons of Sagara dug the moat a thousand yojanas in depth and by it split open the homes of the Nagas. All the Naga-folk were terrified at their houses being destroyed, like the circle of sea-monsters at the ocean being churned. On all sides the Nagas trembled as at an enemy's army that had come, or at a fire that had started, or at a great wind that had risen. Then the Naga-king, Jvalanaprabha, blazing with anger like a fire, saw the Naga-folk confused. When he saw the earth split open, thinking 'What's this?' he hurried away and came to Sagara's sons.
Terrible with a violent frown like an ocean with high waves, his lips trembling from anger like a flaming fire; casting red glances like a succession of darts made of hot iron; opening wide his nostrils which resembled blow
331 129. See I, p. 369. 332 134. The actual practice in India is just the opposite of this. New temples, etc., are erected in preference to repairing old ones.
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