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ORIGIN OF THE RĀKŞASAVANSA AND VĀNARAVANSA 109 friend. In some one of them, establish your capital and stay with me in comfort, not separated because of the close proximity. Even if you do not have the least fear of your enemies, nevertheless you can not leave from fear of separation from me." Urged affectionately by him in this way and very fearful of separation from him, Srikantha agreed to live on Vānaradvīpa. After he had founded his capital, named Kişkindhā, on Mt. Kişkindha on Vānaradvīpa, Kirtidhavala installed him in his kingdom. King Srikantha saw many monkeys roving about on the island. They were handsome, with large bodies, and lived on fruit. He proclaimed that they should not be killed and had food, drink, et cetera given them. Others, also, treated them well. Like king, like subjects. From that time on for amusement the Vidyadharas made monkeys both in paintings and plaster models and in insignia on banners, umbrellas, et cetera. The Vidyādharas who lived there were called Vānaras (Monkeys) from the kingdom of Vānaradvīpa and from the monkey-insignia.
A son, named Vajrakantha, was born to Srikantha. He was zealous in the sports of battle, his strength unblunted in them all.
As Srikantha was sitting in his own assembly-hall, he saw the gods going to Nandīśvara for a festival to the eternal Arhats. As a horse on a village-road follows horses going on the highway, he, full of devotion, followed the gods. As he was going,'his aerial car stumbled on Mānuşottara, like the current of a river on a mountain which was on its course. "I must have performed little penance in a former birth. For that reason my desire for the Arhats' festival in Nandīśvara was not fulfilled." Attaining disgust with existence at that thought, he became a mendicant at once, practiced severe penance, and went to emancipation.
Since the time of Śrīkantha many kings had come and gone, Vajrakantha and others. At the time of the congregation of Munisuvrata Ghanodadhiratha was king. At
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