[61] This fear of the Lord of the Devas rests on the belief in the transcendent power of penance, which enables great ascetics to aspire even to that dignity. Sakra, afraid of human tapas and trying to prevent its earning by every means, is a well-known figure in Indian mythology.
[62] In the metrical part of the Pâli redaction of this story in the Gâtaka, Akitti (=Agastya) is likewise called Kassapa and addressed by that name.
[63] Viz. the klesâs, cp. Dharmasamgraha LXVII with Kenjiu Kasawara's explanatory note on p. 49 and the literature quoted there.
[64] In order to correct the fault against the metre in the first pâda of this stanza, I think we should read arthâd api bhramsam avâpnuvanti.
[65] Instead of vrati, which is here almost meaningless, Prof. Kern suggests vriti = vara.
[66] This name signifies, 'he whose strength is kindness,' cp. stanza 14. The edition has here Maitrabalo, by a misprint, it seems.
[67] It is likely, those Yakshas were thought to possess the power of causing consumptive diseases; consumption is called in Sanskrit yakshma or râgayakshma. In the Divyâvadâna (295, 6) a râkshasa ogohârah is mentioned.
[68] In the original the Yakshas utter some inarticulate sounds before succeeding in speaking Sanskrit.
[69] Viz. spells and charms, effective of bliss and happiness and obstructive of the contrary.
[70] Every one's good fortune is the result of his merit, and lasts until that store of good actions is exhausted.