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TWELFTH INCARNATION AS SĀNTI
313 us. From fear of him we have fled here, like a flight of crows. Protect us, blessed Abdas. You alone are our protection. When one is bewildered and miserable, generally a friend is a refuge."
The gods, the Meghāsyas, said to the Mlecchas, "Now we shall destroy your enemies by a very cold death by inundating them."
Then the Abdas began to make the earth have one ocean, as it were, with streams of water like iron pestles on Sänti's army. Seeing his own camp inundated with water, the fifth Cakrabhrt touched the skin-jewel with his hand.. At once the skin-jewel grew to twelve yojanas in size and floated just like a ball of sea-foam on a mass of duck-weed. At Śrī śānti's command the whole army got on the skin-jewel like a boat as steady as if nailed down. After he had touched the umbrella-jewel, like the skin, and had made it twelve yojanas in size, Santi stretched it over his army. On the umbrella's handle, like a lamp in a window, the crest-jewel of mortals set the gem-jewel to destroy darkness. Grain, sowed there at dawn, ready at noon, was eaten by the soldiers. This power belonged to the steward-jewel. Cakrabhrt Santi remained so with his army for seven days, like a sea-trader, in this ocean with one expanse of water
: Then his servant-gods, atigered, carrying swords, said to the gods, the Meghamukhakumaras: "See here! What is this that has been undertaken? Acting without reflection, do you not know your own power and another's power, your minds destroyed ? On the one hand is Suvarnaśikharin, its peak touching the sky; on the other hand, ant-hills, knee-high, made of earth and sand. Here a sun giving light to the world; there, young fire-flies. Here a garuda, the abode of power; there, worthless grasshoppers. On the one hand, the king of Nāgas, supporting the earth; on the other hand, the miserable venomless water-snakes. Here, Svayambhūramana, an ocean; there, house-streams. Here the Cakradhara and Tirthakýt praised by the three
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