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SIXTH INCARNATION AS APARĀJITA
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presiding over the assembly, began to have a fine play acted by them. Just then Nārada, his top-knot waving, carrying an ascetic's mat, bearing the triple staff, with a rosary and sacred thread, wearing a loin-cloth, fat-bellied, going through the air, white like a rājahansa, his feet in golden slippers, carrying a water-jar, roaming about eager to see strife among all the people, quicksilver in instability, came to the assembly.
Rāma and Vişnu, their minds absorbed in watching the dancing of Barbarikā and Kiräti did not welcome the sage. Angered, Nārada thought to himself: "These two did not rise to greet me, when I came, from arrogance. They considered the dance of these mere slave-girls important, indeed! but did not even look at me when I came, as if I were a low person. Now I will quickly show them, to whom slave-girls are dear, like leaders of slaves, the fruit of arrogance.”
With these reflections, Nārada went suddenly like the wind to Mt. Vaitādhya to King Damitāri. The Vidyadharaking, Damitāri, like Indra in his splendor, surrounded by hundreds of Vidyadhara-kings, at once hastily abandoned his lion-throne and slippers and rose to greet Nārada when he came, while he was still far away. Damitări gave him the lion-throne. So great is the welcome of such sages. He abandoned the lion-throne and sat down on his own mat. For such people desire devotion only, not material objects. Nārada said to him:
"O Lord of the province with three parts, overlord of the Vidyadharas, success to you, powerful. May your empire, country, city, clan, relatives, retinue, and everything else in your house prosper always."
Damitāri said: "Always I have prospered, but henceforth I shall prosper especially from your favor, muni. However, I ask you, have you seen anything marvelous, pever seen before, as you have gone through the air at
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