Section 2 - Description of Dhara

Here is a city named Dhara, the one ornament of the whole world, which has by its own wondrous splendour put aside the glory of the city of the gods; which as it were laughs at the single disc of the moon by thousands of moons in the form of the faces of the city dames moving every night in the candrasalas of the high mansions; which, by the mass of the rays arising from the pure crystal mansions brightening the sky and the network of flashing rays issuing forth from the emerald palaces, brings about a friendship of sale and exchange between the naturally opposite darkness and moonlight; which, on every mansion removes as it were the perspiration of the horses of the sun whose bodies are tired due to the fatigue caused by traversing the vast expanse of the sky, by fanning with the fringes of the banners waving in the wind; which is, as it were, the life of the earth; the essence as it were of the world; the summum bonum as it were of the Universe; the place of trust as it were of all wealth; the residence as it were of Grace; the ornament as it were of the world; the resort as it were of the three goals of life (viz. dharma, artha and kama); the house of creation of the naturally charming women; the chief resort as it were of loveliness, and the stream of nectar to the eyes of all the people. Wherein, the spreading mass of white lustre of the crystal mansions makes the circle of directions white and blissfully pleasant; wherein, every night, darkness is multiplied by the emerald floors, is split up by the floorings of the crystal palaces, is reduced to pieces by the golden roofs of the mansions, is drunk in by the moonlight of the moons in the form of the faces of the ladies of the town, is augmented by columns of smoke of the Aguru incense issuing from the windows, is collected as it were by the gardens, is destroyed as it were by the spread of the rays from the tusks of the elephant in the form of victory and is stored up, as it were, in the underground chambers made of sapphire. Wherein, every night, on the top of the houses, the rays

of the moon reflected in the floorings made of red precious stones gives rise to the illusion of a grove of water-lilies to the fascinated womenfolk. (The city) which derides as it were even in the three worlds all the old residences of the town by its continuously flashing lustre of pure crystalline turrets; which (city) to a man who looks longingly at it seems to be a world of palaces only, the Creator's new creation of mansions only, an earth possessed of tanks only, a circle of directions made of gardens only and the vault of the sky made of banners only. Wherein it seemed that every night the rays of the moon merged in the crystal floorings, were drunk in by the courtyards studded with emeralds, surpassed the evening clouds (as they were reflected) in the middle of the raised seats of the pavilions of the houses made of red jewels, possessed the lustre of the deer in the crystal windows darkened by the smoke of the Kalaguru incense, and melted in the moonstone channel on the eaves. Wherein, everyday, the rays of the sun appeared, like offshoots on the golden pinnacles, like stems on the golden staffs of the banners, like leaves on the flashy ruby mansions, like flowers on the rows of the golden swans inlaid with precious red stones, and like fruits on the balls on the golden tops of the palaces made of shining gold; (3) which (rays) falling on the crystal walls and flashing back become as it were moonlight (rays) even during the day; which being deflected from the ruby floors after coming in contact with it, become, as it were land-lotuses; which falling on the raised seats of the pavilions made of pure pearls and reflecting back become as it were white lotuses; which falling on the candrasalas made of sapphires become as it were blue lotuses; which possess, as it were, the red lustre of the early sun on the floors of the pleasure houses made of corals; which shine refulgently, after reflecting on the golden tops of the mansions; which cool down as it were on the turrets made of emeralds; which become covered as it were by the columns of smoke of Kalaguru; and which, due to the intermingling of the mass of rays of the other colourful jewels on the mansions give rise to thousands of rain-bows on all sides for the protection of the city. Where, every night, the moon is disturbed in his movement when the deer stops moving on hearing the notes of music together with the jingling of the jewelled bangles of the women resorting to the terraces of the high buildings. Where the deer in the form of the spot suffers the never-experienced pain of being tied by the ropes in the form of the rays issuing forth from the jewelled armlets on the unsteady hands which are raised in dancing, of these very women. Where the grandeur of the monsoon is always pre. sent, because the sky is darkened by the mass of dense smoke issuing from the fire of hundreds of sacrifices in which oblations are

offered and Which (city) at some place becomes Brahmaloka being surrounded by rows of learned brahmanas engaged constantly in religious rites and with the sound of the Khila and Nigamas being read, and all the Puranas, Itihasas, Srutis and Smrtis being related; which (city) at some places gives rise to the illusion of water-lotuses even on ground due to the crystal floors reddened by the alaktaka-dye on the feet of the women intoxicated with youth; where due to the deep sounds ., due to music continuously going on in every house, and the border regions of the houses darkened by the thick growth of green flowering trees and the mastery of the peacocks in dancing .....; which (city) guides the movements of the female love-messengers clever in knowing the ways of pleasing the women piqued in love; which at some places becomes a world of Madana, enthusing friends in getting ornaments for the doe-eyed ones anxious to go to their lovers; which at places becomes the nether regions with the lovers <hooded serpents» enjoying pleasures; and which at places becomes heaven with the winds following light the Maruts following the Sun». « Where (in the city) the body of the towns-folk, skillful in all transactions, is compassionate like the storm which holds dust in it»; which is free from miseries like the ocean which dispels the heat of the sun»; which is free from all horrors like Ravana <whose residence was abandoned by Vibhisana»; which had not widowers like the newmoon day <which is without the moon or the sun»; which has decked itself with resplendent gold like spring <which is adorned with the pleasing Kancana trees; which has obtained union with pure ones like summer summer which has heat; which has not seen heavy taxation like the monsoon when the hot-rayed one, the sun, is not seen»; which has a longing for clean clothes like the autumn <when the sky is free from clouds»; which is full of greatness like the old season when snow is equally spread»; which is always free from anxiety like the winter <when there is no heat of the sun»; which though Makanda «the root of prosperity», is Asoka <free from sorrow»%3 B which though Sarala «straight-forward» is Arista «secure»; which though Sumitranandana «giving joy to good friends» is Sugriva <of well built necks»; which though Virocana «brilliant» is the immortal God «enjoying pleasure; which though Paramesvara «very rich» is without anger «without anxiety»; which though Bhutanaya «mars» «laying down judicious principles for the people» is not moving crooked not wicked»; and which though full of pearls <free from diseases» is adorned with all the ornaments. (4) Which (city) is encircled by a city wall, unique in form in the three worlds, which is white as snow like the Himalayas <<which is white with snow»; which hampers the moon (lit. lord of the

constellations) like Ravana (lit. the ten-headed one) <who defeated the moon»; which obstructs the path of the sun like the Vindhya mountain which obstructed the sun; whose sides are encircled by the mass of lustre issuing from the variegated jewels; which is ever ready with bows as if for the protection of the city; which has an incurvature like the rainbow; which has four gateways decorated with massive gates which are always crowded with thousands of peoples as if the directions had come there out of curiosity to see the city. Which is surrounded by a moat, in which at places the lotuses were ever kept open by the pairs of Cakravakas constantly together on account of the continuous brightness of the day created by the spreading of the rays of the refulgent topaz embedded on the sides of the high copings; in which, at some places, the night lotuses were forever blooming because of the illusion of night created by the dense darkness of the collection of rays of the emeralds set in the turrets; whose water appeared at some places to be reddened by the kumkum applied to the pot-like breasts of the ladies of the town, on account of its waters being tinged with the rays issuing from the watch towers made of rubies; and which at some places, because of the reflection of the white circular crystal wall within it, looked as if it was Sesa who had come out to see the city out of curiosity. In which (city) there are lakes, with their waters tinged with the pollen of the open Kamala, Kumuda, Kalhara and Indivara; which are very pure like the minds of the good people; which are difficult to be measured like the minds of the wicked; which are attractive with the sweet humming of the bees hovering over upright white lotuses; which are fragrant with the sandal-paste washed away from the pot-like breasts of the wanton women of the city sporting in them; whose border regions are darkened by the rows of bees attracted by the fragrance of the Saugandhika flowers; which seemed to be presided over by the maidens of the netherland come out for water sport, on account of the reflection in the crystal slabs of the women of the city who have come for their bath; where every night, the mates of the Cakravakas, languid due to love, look with great longing at their own reflections thinking them to be their lovers; in which, it seemed, due to the fear of the sun, darkness, becoming very small, had taken resort, in the form of bees hidden in the inmost cups of the closed night lotuses; on whose banks resorted moonlight as it were, in the form of rows of geese, possessing the lustre of white lotuses, seating in the shades of the leaves of the land lotuses fearing the oppression of the rays of the sun; which are resorted to by the flocks of the foolish cranes, who being greedy to devour the Saphara fish seen in the very clear deep waters, frequent

ly and unsuccessfully swoop down and are cheated by (the fish) which are not caught; which (lakes) taste like nectar «very sweet» though possessed of poison «possessed of water»; which are full of passions «fish» though old <extensive»; which are without lotuses though possessed of lotuses water»; they are twice presided over by Satapatras <by lotuses and hundreds of birds»; doubly savanani «possessed of water and in which savana baths are taken»; twice charming by Kuvalaya «night lotuses and the orb of the earth»; twice vitatani «having rows of birds and extensive»; and which (lakes) thus imitate the movements of the mad-at some places laughing as it were by the erect and fully bloomed white lotuses; at some places throwing arrows of side glances with the knitting of eyebrows in the form of blue lotuses seen in between the waves; at some places throwing up dust in the form of drops of water split up by coming into contact with big waves; and at some places jab. bering as it were by the great noise produced by the waves striking against the wind on both the sides. (5) In the (city) where there are many enchanting abodes like the pleasure tanks and the Viravilasodyana and others, there is a mechanical fountain house which fascinates the minds of the citizens; which (fountain house) because of the reflection of the trees in its walls made of pure precious stones (standing) in the middle of Nandanavana looks as if it has allowed in, and thus protected the very delicate garden trees which have sought refuge due to the fear of the sun; which, out of fear of insulting the great, welcomes the people entering with coolness produced by the fall of thousands of streams spreading all round; (6) which as it were forms masses of clouds by the radiant lustre of the emeralds (set) in the base of the pinnacle, for warding off, even from a distance, the heat of the sun which torments the whole world; which having cut asunder keeps outside under the guise of the leaves of the forest as it were, the fire of agony of the people entering, who are reflected in both the sides of the doors made of dark coloured precious stones; which in the three worlds mocks as it were the creation of the Ancient Creator by the production of the moving mechanical dolls; which is like the palace of Varuna; like the place of assignation of winter; like the home of auspiciousness of the gods of the regions of the Himalayas; like the place of defeat for the summer's heat; like the pleasure-home of the fish-bannered God; like the store-house of sport of the ocean of love; like the place of origin of the rains; like the mansion of creation of the inventions%; like the summum bonum of loveliness; like the jewelled mirror of skilfulness; and like the outhouse of pleasures. Which (fountain house), due to its extreme coolness is as if made of camphor powder, constructed with mass of snow, and built

with the digits of the moon; which due to the extreme fragrance of its scented waters (seems) as if created by the perfume of the Bakula flowers, made with powder of the Kakkola fruits, whose surrounding area is as if made by the clove-flowers, and whose streams are as of the juice of Elaphala; which exhibits, as it were, the watery creation of the Creator by thousands of streams flowing everywhere; which is unattainable by the rays of the sun; which admits not misery; which cannot be overpowered by the antidotes of the separated; which cannot be looked at by the fire of separation of the separated lady-lovers; which is the place for cooling even cold; the habitation of happiness even of happiness; and charm even of charm; which seems to sprinkle in the directions, camphor powder due to the spraying of the drops of thousands of streams with its waves rising, striking and breaking in all directions, which seems to strew flakes of snow like moonlight, because of the oozing of the mechanical water dolls made of moonstone; which pours forth streams of sandal paste as it were, as the water mixed with the rays of the white jewels; which has hundreds of flowing streams looking like the fibres of the lotus-stalks broken due to the weight of the full bloomed lotuses; which though made of various precious stones looks as if made of one jewel because the pillars, the tops of the pillars and the human figures carved on the tops of the pillars were mutually well-laid and their joints were firmly fixed; which looks as if it has come out of the earth; and which is artificial yet looks natural. • Which (fountain-house) is the abode of good conduct; the root of the creepers in the form of the streams of water; the dwelling of the prosperity of the earth; the pleasure ground of excessive joy; which spreads the Kunkumarasa as it were, by the streams of water .and flowing out from the inner cup of the open golden lotuses; (6) which manifests allround pendants by the continuous and slow flow of streams from the ends of the ruby slabs; producing another by the clear, big and continuously falling drops of the rising and falling streams of water; making the garden peacocks dance due to the illusion of clouds produced by the darkening directions by the uninterrupted flowing of the streams of water, by the deep and pleasant rumblings produced by the drums beaten by the mechanical dolls, and, the sky being darkened by the lustre of the emeralds; giving rise to streams of water looking like the smoke of the Kalaguru-incense due to their being mixed with the flashing lustre of the dark precious stones; creating, as it were, from the lotuses on the ceiling, from jewelled dolls thousands of bow-strings of Smara ready to conquer the three worlds by the streams of water flowing out from the palms of the mechanical dolls; which is like the disc of the full-moon to the blue •

lotuses in the form of the eyes of all the peoples; the sheath for the water missile of Manmatha; the resting place of the group of senses; the mine of pleasures; the abode of delight; and the temple of beauty. In which (fountain-house) the water of the streams is sometimes eaten by the foolish ducks made of white jewels and seated in the midst of the open artificial lotuses under the impression that they are lotus fibres; sometimes it appears to laugh under the guise of the grove of blooming kumudas; sometimes seems to dance with the jewelled mechanical dolls playing the lutes in hands; sometimes it appears to sing by the mechanical pairs of bees made of black precious stones humming inside the buds of open lilies; where at some places, the radiance of the crystal pillars is being sipped by the thirsty garden cakorakas even during day-time due to the illusion of its being moonlight, with their beaks open and their minds anxious; having (streams of water) as thick as the inter twining of two or three lotus fibres oozing out from the corners of the eyes of the winged crocodiles, from the mouth of the peahen looking down, from the pairs of breasts of the jewelled dolls, from the end of the braid of hair of a golden doll just come out after a bath, from the tip of the nails of the jewelled wanton women; ; from the hollow of the mouths of a family of monkeys climbing a mechanical tree, from the floorings, from the walls, from the lotuses on the ceiling, from jewelled dolls, from pillars and from the pillar tops; which produces all round as it were (by the rays of the lustre of various jewels) another variegated grove of bamboos for the production of thousands of rainbows; which imitates as it were the monsoon by the darkening of the directions, by the sound produced by the continuous falling of thousands of streams of water, with the splendour of clouds formed by the network of rays uprising from the emerald pillars, and with the beauty of lightening produced by the intermittently flashing rays of rubies; where in the courtyard-tanks and ponds at some places a family of artificial cranes is cheated by the little Sapharika fish coming in and out; at other (7) the mechanical young ones of tortoise are visible now and then, where at other places, the mermaids do not place their lotus feet seeing with fear the mechanical crocodiles coming out though they are anxious to see; where the mass of rays of the rubies are like the rays of the sun for the blooming of the buds of the day-lotuses on the inner walls; the middle portion of which has jewelled pillars, which supported one another, and which being reflected into each other appeared as if they had collected to carry the burden (of the whole construction); which, because of its charm is seen with unflinching eyes and anxious minds even by the bharaputrakas; which produces wonder even in the minds of the

experts by the triple symphony of song, dance and instrumental music displayed by the mechanical dolls; which laughs under the guise of the blooming white lotuses carved on the walls at the clever onlookers whose minds are dazzled on seeing the curious mechanical contrivances; and, which has on all sides the rivers for pleasuresports, with their banks muddy with the musk of deer, with the sand in the form of camphor powder, with waters fragrant with pure sandal, and with lotus groves in the form of the rays of rubies mixed with those of emeralds. In the (city) were forests, which due to the constant presence of dense darkness and excessive light were as if presided over by innumerable rays of the sun and darkness; which (forests) were decorated with trees which because of the continuous sprouting of leaves looked as if it was their love that had manifested on seeing the womenfolk of the town; which announced as it were the royal proclamation of victory of the fish-bannered god under the pretext of the sweet humming of the bees; and where, because, the citywomen were moving here and there for collecting flowers, it appeared that the sylvan deities were always in vicinity. Having said this, when the mechanical doll was addressed thus: "O Yantraputraka, though it is the approved opinion of our assembly still the narration of one's own virtues seems censurable, therefore you may discribe the king now", he (the Yantraputraka), being looked upon with wonderstruck eyes by the friends sitting near by began to speak: