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....MAHĀVIRA'S WANDERING AS AN ASCETIC 97 beginning? Or shall I give you here sovereignty abounding in wealth, its commands accepted respectfully by the lords of the whole world ?".
The Lord's mind being undisturbed by these alluring speeches, the wretch again reflected, as he had obtained no answer: “He made this manifestation of my power futile. I wonder if instruction in love would be futile now. For even great men have been seen to break their heroic vows when they have been looked at coyly by women who have become missiles of love." With this decision he instructed goddesses by thought and employed the six seasons to assist his illusion. The Sri.of Spring, by whom the introduction was made with the soft murmurs of an excited hen-cuckoo, an actress in the play of love, looked beautiful. The Lakşmi of Summer, preparing a breath-perfume from the pollen of the blossoming aśoka, like a slave-girl of the maidens of the quarters, bloomed. The Rainy Season appeared, making auspicious tilakas, as it were, at a coronation of love, exactly in the guise of pandanus blossoms. Autumn shone, seeing her own unrestrained beauty, as it were, having become a thousand eyes in the guise of new blue lotuses. The Sri of Winter wrote, as it were, a paean of the victory of Love with the fresh jasmine-buds which resembled white letters. The Śri of the Cool Season was covered with jasmines and sinduvāras, like a courtesan maintaining herself from Winter and Spring at the same time.109 At the same time with the seasons manifesting themselves in this way, goddesses appeared instantly, flag-bearers of Minadhvaja.
They, whose bodies were in harmony, performed before the Lord a concert that was like a magic missile, leading to victory of Manmatha. In it some sang jātis110 with pure
109 263. Kunda and sinduvāra, the Vitex Negundo. Both these shrubs bloom all the year, so do not seem a very logical choice for this comparison,
110 266. Jāti, mode. See III, n. 92. 13M
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