In that ancient city, a vast multitude of people from every walk of life gathered: poets and creators of verse, skilled in the many forms of poetry; healers versed in the lore of Garuda, able to cure poison; and those who could discern the worth of countless gems. There were metalworkers, coppersmiths, makers of bronze, and goldsmiths; silk-weavers, painters, potters, and those who worked with fire. Craftsmen fashioned sticks and swords, while others made their living by brewing liquor. Wrestlers, messengers, and scribes—all those who performed a variety of tasks—joined the throng. Weavers and image-makers, artisans of all kinds, oil-pressers, vendors of fried grain, fowlers, and those who subsisted on wild animals and birds were there too. Elephant doctors, physicians for humans, doctors for trees and cows, and those skilled in cutting and cauterizing—all manner of healers and experts—came forward. All these townspeople, and many others not named, followed the king, for the entire city’s inhabitants were drawn to him. Just as eager sons follow their father to another village, so too did the townsfolk follow their king with devotion. Thus, the illustrious king, surrounded by his people and accompanied by elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, advanced slowly on his way. For a long time, the king journeyed, followed by this great assembly, until at last they reached the southern shore of the ocean. There, the king beheld the magnificent ocean, its surface seeming to dance, alive with countless hundreds of thousands of waves. The ocean glistened, filled with many kinds of gems, teeming with living creatures, its waves and billows a spectacle of wonder. It was the king of sacred fords, resounding with a mighty roar, boundless and fearsome, resembling a mass of clouds, unfathomable, and the dwelling place of makaras. Within its depths swam fish, turtles, conches, oysters, crocodiles, porpoises, crabs, and great venomous serpents. This salt ocean was the resting place of Hari, lord of rivers, destroyer of all sins, holy and the bestower of all desires. It was profound, with countless whirlpools, the refuge of the Dānavas, the churning rod for nectar, divine, the very source of the gods, lord of waters. Distinguished among all beings, it sustained life, supremely pure among the pure, auspicious among the auspicious. It was the foremost of sacred fords, imperishable, lord of aquatic beings, its measure as fixed as the waxing and waning of the moon. Impenetrable to all, it was the abode of immortality for the gods, the eternal cause of creation, preservation, and destruction. Gazing upon that lord of rivers and streams, the source of merit for all, the king was filled with utmost wonder. He made his dwelling there, upon the ocean’s shore, in a land holy and delightful, endowed with every virtue of the earth. That place was adorned with groves of shāla and kadamba, puṃnāga, sarala pines, jackfruit, coconut palms, bakula, and nāgakesara trees. There grew palmyra, pipal, date palms, oranges, bījapūra citrons, shāla, amrātaka, lodhra, bakula, and many vāraka trees. Kapittha and karṇikāra trees flourished, along with pāṭala, ashoka, campaka, pomegranate, tamāla, pārijāta, and arjuna trees. Prācīna amalaka, bilva, priyangu, vaṭa, khadira, iṅgudī, saptaparṇa, aśvattha, agastya, and jambuka trees graced the land. Madhuka and karṇikāra trees, vāraka and tinduka, palāśa, badara, nīpa, siddha-nimba, and auspicious añjana trees grew in abundance. Vāraka, kovidāra, bhallāta, amalaka, hintāla, aṅkola, karañja, and vibhītaka trees stood tall. Sasarja, madhuka, āśmarī, shālmalī, devadāru, shākhoṭaka, nimba, vaṭa, kumbhī, kauṣṭha, and harītaka trees completed the lush groves. Guggulu, sandalwood, aguru, pāṭala, jambīra, karuṇa, tintiḍī, and red sandalwood lent their fragrance and shade. The land was filled with all manner of trees and plants, including wish-fulfilling trees that bore fruit at all times and blossoms in every season. Divine birds abounded, their songs resounding—intoxicated cuckoos, splendid peacocks, flocks of parrots and mynas. There were hāritas, bhṛṅgarājas, cātakas, bahuputras, jīvaṃjīvas, kākolas, kalaviṅkas, and doves. Many other charming birds perched beautifully upon the flowering branches, their sweet songs filling the air. Clusters of ketakī groves always bore white blossoms, while mallikā, kundakusuma, yūthikā, and tagara flowers flourished. Kuṭaja and bāṇapuṣpa, atimukta and kubjaka, mālatī and karavīra, and golden banana plants added to the beauty. Many other fragrant and colorful flowers from forests, gardens, and groves graced the land. Hosts of vidyādharas, attended by siddhas and cāraṇas, mingled with gandharvas, serpents, rākṣasas, spirits, apsarases, and kinnaras. Sages and yakṣas frequented the area, along with deer, tree-dwelling animals, lions, boars, and buffaloes. Black antelopes, tigers, radiant elephants, and other forest-dwelling creatures roamed everywhere. The land was adorned with gardens like Nandana, with bowers of vines and shrubs, and with various reservoirs of water. Flocks of swans and kāraṇḍava ducks glided across lotus ponds, accompanied by kadamba birds, diving birds, swans, and cakravāka ducks, all adding to the splendor of that sacred and enchanting shore where the king made his home.