Simhasanadvatrimshika 16.p3

16.p3

Seeing such a display of spring, the minister Sumantra approached the king and said: "O King, spring, the king of seasons, has arrived. Today the worship of spring must be performed; when it is worshipped, all seasons will be propitious, all people will have prosperity, and there will be appeasement of all misfortunes." Hearing his words, the king agreed and commanded him alone to prepare the articles for the worship of spring. Then that minister had a very lovely assembly pavilion constructed, and invited brahmins learned in the Vedas and learned treatises, as well as dancers and charming women skilled in singing, instrumental music, and dance. Other petitioners—the wretched, the blind, the deaf, the crippled, the hunchbacked, and others—came of their own accord. In that assembly pavilion, a throne inlaid with the nine gems was placed; upon that throne, a pair of images of Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa was consecrated. For their worship, fragrant substances such as saffron, camphor, musk, sandalwood, and aloe-wood were brought, and flowers such as jasmine, mango-blossom, young mallikā, kunda, water-lily, madana, maruvaka, campaka, and ketakī were brought. When all the preparations were thus completed, the king himself performed the sixteen modes of worship of Nārāyaṇa, and honored the brahmins and the people skilled in arts with garments and other gifts; then the singers sang praises in the spring melody and praised spring. Thereupon, giving them betel, the king dismissed them, and gratified the remaining cripples, the blind, and others with gifts of gold. At that moment, a certain brahmin, holding a young girl by the hand, came before the king and,