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CANDRAPRABHACARITRA
315
of time, after he had completed his life, the great ascetic went to the palace Vaijayanta, which was the first fruit of the tree of the vow.
Incarnation as Candraprabha (14-123) Now, in the zone Bharata in this Jambūdvipa there is a city Candrānana, resembling the face of the earth. In it shines a row of shops, rich with many jewels, like a vessel of the ocean with its wealth of water increased.450 And there are houses of various shapes and colors, as if numerous twilight-clouds had descended to earth. In its gardens are seen flying-ascetics engaged in pratimā, motionless from head to foot, like mountains in the form of men. Women became angry with their lovers, thinking, “ This is another woman," from their own reflections in its houses made of jewels.
In this city Mahāsena, by whose army the earth was covered, was king, like the ocean with an invincible crestjewel. Splendor became devoted to his power constantly, like a servant, doing his work, a sign of conquest over the earth. While he, whose command was not transgressed, was ruling the earth, the people desisted from birth from taking another's property. He was lord, like the ocean whose center is inaccessible, beautiful as the moon, like a wishing-tree, like an Indra of liberality. On his breast; broad as the leaf of a door, Ramā (Lakşmi) sported constantly with her mind devoted solely to him, like a hansi on a sandy beach of the Gangā.
He had a wife, named Lakşmaņā, who had all the favorable marks, surpassing the moon in fascinating beauty of face. Though possessing a body which was an unequaled stream of loveliness, 451 she rained only nectar with her eye and speech. Walking very slowly, she made blooming mallows grow at every step with her feet, as it
460 14. See above, p. 114, and K., p. 243. 461 24. Lāvaṇya, with reference also to its meaning 'saltness.'
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