And by it
flowed, O king, the sacred and transparent Malini with every species of
water-fowl playing on its bosom. And that stream infused gladness into the
hearts of the ascetics who resorted to it for purposes of ablutions. And
the king beheld on its banks many innocent animals of the deer species and
was exceedingly delighted with all that he saw.
"And the monarch, the course of whose chariot no foe could obstruct, then
entered that asylum which was like unto the region of the celestials,
being exceedingly beautiful all over. And the king saw that it stood on
the margin of the sacred stream which was like the mother of all the
living creatures residing in its vicinage. And on its bank sported the
Chakravaka, and waves of milkwhite foam. And there stood also the
habitations of Kinnaras. And monkeys and bears too disported themselves in
numbers. And there lived also holy ascetics engaged in studies and
meditation. And there could be seen also elephants and tigers and snakes.
And it was on the banks of that stream that the excellent asylum of the
illustrious Kasyapa stood, offering a home to numerous Rishis of great
ascetic merit. And beholding that river, and also the asylum washed by
that river which was studded with many islands and which possessed banks
of so much beauty,--an asylum like unto that of Nara and Narayana laved by
the water of the Ganga--the king resolved to enter into that sacred abode.
And that bull among men, desirous of beholding the great Rishi of ascetic
wealth, the illustrious Kanwa of the race of Kasyapa, one who possessed
every virtue and who, for his splendour, could be gazed at with difficulty,
approached that forest resounding with the notes of maddened peacocks and
like unto the gardens of the great Gandharva, Chitraratha, himself.
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