(192) He reached Çukanasa's gate, which was crowded with a troop of
elephants appointed for the watch, obstructed by thousands of horses,
(193) confused with the hustling of countless multitudes, visited
day and night by Brahmans, Çaivas, and red-robed men skilled in
the teaching of Çakyamuni, clothed as it were in the garments of
righteousness, sitting on one side by thousands, forming circles,
coming for various purposes, eager to see Çukanasa, having their
eyes opened by the ointment of their several çastras, and showing
their respectful devotion by an appearance of humility. The gateway
was filled with a hundred thousand she-elephants of the tributary
kings who had entered the palace with double blankets drawn round
the mahouts who sat on their shoulders, having their mahouts asleep
from weariness of their long waiting, some saddled and some not,
nodding their heads from their long standing motionless. The prince
dismounted in the outer court, as though he were in a royal palace,
though not stopped by the guards standing in the entrance and running
up in haste; and having left his horse at the entrance, leaning on
Vaiçampayana, and having his way shown by circles of gatekeepers,
who hastened up, pushing away the bystanders, he received the salutes
of bands of chiefs who arose with waving crests to do him homage,
and beheld the inner courts with all the attendants mute in fear
of the scolding of cross porters, and having the ground shaken by
hundreds of feet of the retinues of neighbouring kings frightened by
the moving wands, (194) and finally entered the palace of Çukanasa,
bright inside with fresh plaster, as if it were a second royal court.