Within that wondrous city, roads and grand gateways stretched in all directions, bordered by shining white ramparts and guarded by vigilant bands of armed men. Deep moats encircled the city, offering both protection and majesty. The air was vibrant with the flutter of flags—white, red, yellow, black, and hues as dark as the night—dancing vigorously in the wind, adding color and movement to every vista. Festivals filled the city with unending joy; music resounded everywhere, the melodious strains of vīṇās and flutes mingling with the rhythmic beats of drums and the bright chime of cymbals. Divine temples rose throughout the city, their sanctuaries adorned with splendid arrangements for worship. Ramparts gleamed, and lush gardens flourished, each corner radiant with beauty and devotion. Amidst these surroundings, women of striking grace moved joyfully. Their waists were slender, their necks adorned with shining necklaces, and their eyes long and lovely like lotus petals. They possessed full, high breasts and dark, radiant complexions. Their faces glowed with the fullness of the moon, framed by steady, lustrous locks and beautiful cheeks. Girdles and anklets jingled as they walked, announcing their presence with gentle music. Their beauty was further enhanced by charming hips and flowing hair, their eyes extending gracefully to their ears. They bore every auspicious mark and wore all manner of dazzling ornaments. Some were clad in garments that shone with divine radiance, others glimmered like gold itself. They moved with the effortless grace of swans and elephants, their forms gently bent by the weight of their breasts. Divine fragrances anointed their limbs, while their ears sparkled with ornaments. Delight made their movements languid, their hips alluring, and their faces ever smiling. Their teeth flashed slightly as they smiled, lips red as the bimba fruit, voices sweet and melodious, mouths tinted with betel, clever and pleasing to all who beheld them. Fortunate and ever-youthful, they spoke with affection and wore divine garments, their conduct always exemplary. These women, resembling celestial nymphs, played joyfully in their homes, day and night, their beautiful faces ever radiant. There, too, dwelled men proud of their beauty and youth, bearing all auspicious marks and adorned with polished jeweled earrings. Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras lived together, each devoted to their own duties and righteous in conduct. Amidst them were chief courtesans, their eyes captivating, whose beauty rivaled that of Ghritachi and Menaka, and even surpassed Tilottama. Some resembled Urvashi, some Vipracitti, some were like the natural daughters of Vishvachi, and others resembled Pramlocha. All these women spoke affectionately, their faces ever smiling, skilled in every art and endowed with noble virtues. The courtesans excelled in dance and song, proud of all the qualities of women. Their glances and words were enchanting, their beauty flawless, their conduct pure, and none harbored any intent to harm. A mere sidelong glance from them could cast men into sweet delusion. In this place, there was no poverty, no ignorance, no hostility. None suffered from illness or impurity; none were miserly or deceitful; all were beautiful, well-behaved, and harmless. Men in this land were renowned throughout the world, and all movement and activity brought happiness to every being. The city was crowded with people of many kinds, abounding in every crop. The land was adorned with groves of karṇikāra, jackfruit, campaka, and nāgakesara trees, as well as pāṭala, aśoka, bakula, kapittha, dhava, mango, neem, kadamba, and many other flowering trees. Nīpa, dhava, khadira, and creepers flourished alongside śāla, tāla, tamāla, coconut, and auspicious añjana trees. Arjuna, samaparṇa, kovidāra, pippala, lakuca, sarala, lodhra, hintāla, and devadāru trees all contributed to the lush landscape. Palāśa, mucukunda, pārijāta, kubjaka, and banana groves thrived, bearing fruits of jambū and areca palm. The air was fragrant with ketakī, karavīra, atimukta, kiṃśuka, mandāra, jasmine, and countless other blossoms. Gardens resounded with the songs of birds, as delightful as the Nandana grove itself. Trees were bowed down with the weight of fruit, and every season brought fresh clusters of flowers. Among the branches and blossoms lived chakora, lotus-dwelling birds, bhringarāja, cuckoos, kalaviṅka, peacocks, beloved parrots, and mynas. Jīvaṃjīvika, harita, cātaka, and many other flocks of birds filled the air with sweet songs. Long ponds, lakes, lotus pools, and reservoirs dotted the land, adorned with clusters of lotuses. Kumuda, white and blue lotuses bloomed, while kādamba, chakravāka, and waterfowl glided across the waters. Kāraṇḍava, plava, swans, and other aquatic birds dwelled amidst this abundance of excellent trees and flowers. Everywhere, sacred bodies of water could be found, bestowing purity and blessing. Here, the god Kṛttivāsa, the bull-bannered Lord Śiva himself, made his abode. For the welfare of all worlds, Śiva, the giver of enjoyment and liberation, gathered together on earth all the sacred places, rivers, and lakes. He drew individual drops of water from each of these—lotus ponds, reservoirs, wells, and oceans—and, for the benefit of all beings, Rudra, with all the gods, created the holy site called Bindusara in this very region. Established together with the sages, it is remembered as Bindusara. On the eighth day of the waxing fortnight in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, whoever, having mastered the senses, journeys there during the equinox and bathes with faith in Bindusara, attains great merit and blessing.