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INITIATION, AND OMNISCIENCE OF ŚRI PĀRSVA 379 of the evil-eye.334 The peafowl there utter their cries all the time as if it were the rainy season, mistaking the sounds of drums in concerts for thunder of the clouds.
His parents (14–21)
Aśvasena of the Ikşvāku-family was king there, by whom other regions on all sides had been made into a court-yard by armies and horses. Sri 335 was on his chest, the goddess Vāc in his lotus-mouth, the sword on the couch of his hand, and the earth on his arm. With great ease he conquered his enemies; with great ease he ruled the earth; with great ease he gave wealth; with ease he did everything. A mountain-peak for the river of good conduct, a tree for the bird of virtues, he became the tying-post for the cow-elephant, Lakşmi, on earth. Kings, even though always ill-behaved like serpents, did not transgress the command of the lotus of kings.
His chief-queen, the crest-jewel of fair-eyed women, without deceit even toward her co-wives, was Queen Vāmā. She wore good conduct like the spotless glory of her husband, like a second Jāhnavi with inherent purity. She became exceedingly dear to her husband because of these various virtues. Yet she did not take the least pride in this favor.
Birth (22–34) Now, after enjoying the greatest magnificence of a god in the heaven Prāṇata, King Suvarnabāhu's jiva completed its life. On the fourth of the black half of Caitra, (the moon being) in Višākhā, having fallen, at night he descended into Lady Vāmā's womb. Then Queen Vāmā saw the fourteen great dreams indicating a Tīrthakệt's birth enter her mouth. The dreams being interpreted by the Indras, her husband,
334 12. Dark blue and black are anti-evil eye colors. Cf. Crooke, An Introduction to the Popular Religion and Folklore of Northern India, p. 190. See also III, pp. 260, 344.
335 15. In the form of the srivatsa.
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