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SUMATINĀTHACARITRA
277
mendicancy, a boat for crossing the ocean of existence. By avoidance of negligence, wishing protection for all creatures, he guarded closely his mendicancy like a king his kingdom. By several sthānas of the twenty sthänakas, he acquired brilliant body-making karma of a Tirthakrt. After he had wandered for a long time, and had died by fasting, he became a powerful god in the palace Vaijayanta.
Incarnation as Sumatinātha (121–264)
Description of Vinītā (121–127) Now in the zone named Bharata in this Jambūdvīpa, there is a city Vinītā, the abode of the powerful and rich. Its wall shines with silver copings, as if they were made of moons brought from all the other continents. 481 It, the depository of various jewels, shines with a silver rampart, as if served by Śeşa made into a circle, for the sake of protection. The moon, reflected in the jeweled roofs of its palaces, is licked frequently by the house-cats with the idea that it is a ball of curds. Even the pleasure-parrots in this city recite, “Arhat, god, guru, and sādhu," since they hear only that in every house. There lines of smoke, rising from burning aloes in every dwelling, spread a grove of tamālas 622 in the air. In its gardens, surrounded by showers of mist from the water-machines, the rays of the sun never entered at all, as if afraid of the cold.
His parents (128–138) In this city there was a king, named Megha, the tilaka of the Ikşvāku family, rejoicing all, like a great cloud. His superabundant wealth, though always rising to satisfy beggars, increased like the water in a canal. Kings bowed to him like a divinity, touching the ground with five members, and paid homage to him with clothing, ornaments, jewels, etc. His splendor streaming forth like
421 122. See p. 108.
422 126. Usually identified as Garcinia xanthochymus, which has very dark foliage.
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