Note 13 — I. KING MĀNDHĀTAR.1

But King Māndhātar ascended higher together with his hosts. Now Sumeru, the monarch of mountains, plunged 80,000 yojanas13 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 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.