Part 8: Sagara’s coronation

Then the best of kings instructed his ministers at once in regard to the coronation of the noble Sagara. Water for the bath was brought from the tīrthas with pitchers covered with lotuses, like pools easily produced. Instantly other objects of the coronation-paraphernalia were prepared by workers, as well as presents by kings. When kings like power embodied and ministers excelling Bṛhaspati in counsel had come; when generals like Dikpālas had arrived by command, and relatives, excited from joy, had met at one time; when others, superintendents of elephants, horses, and military forces, etc., were present as if they had come simultaneously from one house; while conchs were blown, like mountain-plateaux with noisy cascades; while drums resembling clouds were beaten; while numerous kettle-drums were beaten with drumsticks with echoes in all directions, like teachers of auspicious things; while cymbals clashed together like waves of the ocean; while gongs^[1] rattled on all sides; while some other musical instruments were blown, some beaten, and some struck together; while musicians sang auspicious songs sweetly, and Brahmans, bards, etc., recited blessings, Sagara’s coronation was made properly by the chief-priests at the command of Ajita Svāmin.

All the kings, vassals, and ministers, bowed to Sagara, like the people to the rising sun^[2] with folded hands raised to their foreheads. The chief-citizens approached, carrying choice presents, and bowed to the King like the new moon,^[3] with devotion. “We have not been abandoned by the Master, since he has made this other embodiment of himself our leader,” the people said, rejoicing.

Now the Blessed Lord Ajita, an ocean of compassion, began to make gifts for a year, like a cloud beginning to rain. The gods, named Tiryagjṛmbhakas,^[4] sent by Dhanada at Vāsava’s command, came there. Then they brought money which had been dropped or lost, whose owners had died, whose marks (of ownership) had been completely obliterated, whose masters had vanished, which was in mountain-caves, deposited in cemeteries, and hidden in houses. They made piles of it on the ground the entrance and exit at triangular places, at rectangular places, at the junctions of three roads, and at the junctions of four roads. At every junction of three roads, on every road, at every junction of four roads, the Master had a proclamation made, “Take this gold.” The Lord of the World, seated from sunrise till meal-time,^[5] gave to everyone whatever gold he asked for. Every day the Lord of the Universe gave one crore and eight lacs of gold to petitioners. Then in one year the Lord gave three hundred and eighty-eight crores and eighty lacs of gold.^[6] As a consequence of fate and the Master’s power, the people did not become exceedingly grasping even in obtaining whatever they desired. Rich in compassion, the Lord satisfied the earth with money in this way, like a wishing-gem that had unexpected power, for a year.