When King Māndhātar heard this, he said to his ministers, “O chieftains, have you seen the garland-like trees of various colours planted over there?”
“Yes!”
“O chieftains, those are the wishing-trees that bear the garments with which the inhabitants of Uttarakuru clothe themselves. Ye also, when ye have arrived there, will clothe yourselves with garments from off the wishing-trees.”
King Māndhātar reached Uttarakuru, and there, enjoying the fruits of his deserts, like a being who has acquired great power and supernatural force through his virtue and merit, he ruled over his hosts for many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years. While he ruled over his hosts there, six Śakra-evanescences passed away.
Later on King Māndhātar asked the Yaksha Divaukasa whether there still remained anywhere a dvīpa as yet unsubdued. Divaukasa said, “No, there is none. However, there are the thirty-tree gods, who, long-lived, endowed with beauty, and replete with bliss, perpetually abide in the lofty Vimāna palace. Be pleased, O king, to go thither in order to look upon the thirty-three gods.” Then King Māndhātar reflected that he possessed the vast, rich, prosperous, fruitful, and replete with many men and living beings Jambudvīpa, and that he possessed the seven treasures of the wheel and so forth, and that he had a full thousand of heroic sons, and that a rain of precious stones had fallen within his palace for the space of seven days, and that he had gone to Pūrvavidehadvīpa [[10]]and had ruled there for many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years; and that he had gone on to Aparagodānīyadvīpa, and had there ruled for many years, for many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years; and that he had moved forward to Uttarakurudvīpa, and there also had ruled over his hosts for many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years; and that inasmuch as there were thirty-three gods, long-lived, endowed with beauty, and replete with bliss, perpetually abiding in the lofty Vimāna palace, therefore he would make his way thither in order to visit the thirty-three gods. Scarcely had this idea occurred to King Māndhātar when he arose, surrounded by his thousand sons, accompanied by an army eighteen koṭi strong, and proceeded heavenwards, sending his seven jewels on in front.
Sumeru, the monarch of mountains, is surrounded by seven mountains of gold. King Māndhātar tarried on Mount Nemindhara, and while he ruled over his hosts on Mount Nemindhara six Śakra-evanescences passed away. Thence he betook himself to the golden mountain Aśvakarṇa. While he ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away. From Mount Aśvakarṇa he went to the golden mountain Sudarśana, and while he ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away. From Mount Sudarśana he went to the golden mountain Khadiraka, and while he ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away. From Mount Khadiraka he went to the golden mountain Iśādhāra, and while he ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away. From Mount Iśādhāra he went to the golden mountain Yugandhara, and while he ruled over his hosts there six Śakra-evanescences passed away.
When he left Mount Yugandhara, taking his course heavenwards, the five hundred Rishis, who now dwelt on [[11]]one of the slopes of Sumeru, saw him coming, and they said, “Honoured sirs, here comes the worst of kings.” The Rishi Durmukha poured water into the palms of his hands, and flung it towards the host in order to stop it. Then the treasure of the minister, which went in front of the host, said to the Rishis, “O Brahmans, cease to be angry. This is one who is everywhere victorious. This is King Māndhātar. It is not a case of cranes.” Now when King Māndhātar came up to that spot, he asked who had stopped the army. The treasure of the minister replied that the Rishis had done so. The king asked what those Rishis delighted in. The minister replied, “In their matted hair.”[12] The king said, “Then let it fall. And as for themselves, let them go on in front of me.” Thereupon their matted hair fell, and they themselves began to move on in front of him, their hands grasping bows and arrows. Then the treasure of the wife said to the king, “O king, these Rishis are practising austerities; you ought to let them go free.” So the king let them go free; and when they had again betaken themselves to their works of penance they became possessed of the five kinds of insight.
But King Māndhātar ascended higher together with his hosts. Now Sumeru, the monarch of mountains, plunged 80,000 yojanas[13] deep into the golden soil and soared aloft 80,000 yojanas above the waters, so its height was 160,000 yojanas. Each side also measured 80,000 yojanas, so that its circumference was 360,000 yojanas. Formed of four kinds of jewels, it was beautiful and splendid to look upon. On its summit dwelt the thirty-three gods. The five defences of the thirty-three gods were the water-inhabiting Nāgas, the dish-bearing Yakshas, the garland-wearing and the ever-elevated gods, and the four Mahārājas. The water-inhabiting Nāgas [[12]]stopped King Māndhātar’s host. When King Māndhātar came up he asked who had stopped his host. The answer was, “O king, the water-inhabiting Nāgas have stopped it.” The king said, “Shall animals wage war with me? These water-inhabiting Nāgas shall themselves be my advanced guard.” Then the Nāgas marched along in front of King Māndhātar.
As the Nāgas marched along in front of the king they reached the abode of the dish-bearing gods, who said, “Honoured sirs, wherefore are ye on the move?” The Nāgas replied, “The king of men is coming here.” Then the Nāgas and the dish-bearing gods turned round and stopped the host. When King Māndhātar came up he asked who had stopped his host. The answer was, “O king, these dish-bearing gods have stopped it.” King Māndhātar said, “Let the dish-bearing gods themselves march in front of me.” Thereupon they began to move onwards.
They and the Nāgas reached the abode of the garland-wearing gods, who asked them why they were on the move. They replied, “The king of men is coming here.” Thereupon these gods and the Nāgas turned round and tried to stop the host. When the king came up he asked who had stopped his army. The answer was, “O king, the garland-wearing gods have stopped it.” The king said, “Let these garland-wearing gods themselves march in front of me.” Thereupon they began to move along in front.