Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 2

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 35

CHAPTER ONE
and infantry-branches of the army. Half way on the road, as I went along, I saw an exceedingly beautiful garden, charming with continuous, dense shade, like the rest-house of Sri wearied by wandering in the world; dancing, as it were, with hands of the waving shoots of the aśoka; laughing, as it were, with the multitudes of blossomclusters of the smiling jasmine; horripilated, as it were, with the rising heaps of kadamba-blossoms; being observed, as it were, by the eyes of the blooming ketaki; warding off the burning rays of the sun, though attacking from afar, by the raised arms, as it were, of the sal and palm trees; with resting-places offered 21 for the sake of travelers, as it were, by the banyan trees; with water for the feet prepared, as it were, by canals here and there; with a cloud chained, as it were, by large water-wheels; summoning travelers, as it were, by the sounds of humming bees; provided with darkness, as it were, by tamāla trees, palm, date, and sandal trees inside it, because of fear of the sun's rays; extending the sole umbrella of the world for the Śri of fragrance by the mango, campaka, punnāga, nāgakesara, and kesara trees; making without effort a pleasure-pavilion for young travelers, by the continuous arbors of betel vines, lavali-creepers, and grape vines, as if Bhadraśāla had come from the foot of Mt. Meru.
ΙΟ
After I had spent a long time in the expedition of conquest, on my return I came again with the army to the garden. With my retinue I got out of the conveyance from curiosity, entered it, and saw that it was very different from what it was before. I thought, 'Have I come to the wrong place by mistake, or has this been transformed? Such is magic.' Where there were leaves and vines warding off the advance of the sun's rays, (now) there is
21 104. The text here, dattagupyadgurum, is perhaps corrupt, but the MSS. give no help. I think the meaning surely is that the banyan trees offer resting-places and I have so translated, but I can do nothing with the text.