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SĪTALANATHACARITRA
339
woman was in herself. There is nothing similar in extent to the sky. She was sewn firmly in the heart of Drdharatha by her virtues, and Drồharatha was engraved on her mind, as it were.
Birth (26-29) Now in Prāṇata-heaven, King Padmottara's jīva completed his life of twenty sāgaropamas. On the sixth day of the black half of Rādha, when the moon was in Pūrvāsādhā, King Padmottara's jiva fell and descended into Nandā's womb. Then the Lady Nanda, comfortably asleep, saw the fourteen great dreams which indicate the birth of a Tīrthankara. On the twelfth day of the black half of Māgha, when the moon was in Purvāşādhā, Śrī Nandā bore a gold colored son, marked with a śrīvatsa.
Birth-ceremonies (30-36) Then the fifty-six Dikkumāris-the eight living in the lower world, the eight belonging to the upper world, the eight from each of the directions of Rucaka, the four from the intermediate points, and the four from the center of Rucakadvipa--whose thrones had shaken, came and performed the birth-rites. Sakra, too, came there very quickly, took the Master himself and, surrounded by gods, went to the peak of Mt. Sumeru. Holding the Lord on his lap, the Lord-of-the-sky sat down on the lion-throne on Atipāņdukambalā. Then Acyuta and the other Indras sprinkled the Lord with water brought from the ocean, rivers, pools, etc. Then Sakra placed the Lord on Îśāna's lap and bathed him then with water spurting from the tips of the horns of the crystal bulls created (by Sakra). After he had anointed the Lord of the World with divine unguents and had worshipped him with ornaments, etc., Sakra began a hymn of praise as follows :
Stuti (37–44) “O moon to the Ocean of Milk in the form of the Ikşvāku-family, hail ! O sun for driving away the deep
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