48. The all-seeing Masters of the world send their looks in all directions of the horizon, and by opening the gate of immortality[1] they make people reach the (safe) shore[2].
49. An inconceivable number of Æons now past were void, and all quarters wrapt in darkness, as the chief Ginas did not appear.
50. The dreary hells, the brute creation and demo nswere on the increase; thousands of kotis of living beings fell into the state of ghosts[3].
51. The heavenly bodies were on the wane; after their disappearance they entered upon evil ways; their course became wrong because they did not hear the law of the Buddhas.
52. All creatures lacked dutiful behaviour[4], purity, good state[5], and understanding; their happiness was lost, and the consciousness of happiness was gone.
53. They did not observe the rules of morality; were firmly rooted in the false law[6]; not being led by the Lord of the world, they were precipitated into a false course.
54. Hail! thou art come at last, O Light of the world! thou, born to be bounteous towards all beings.
- ↑ In the Mahâbhârata III, 156, and Yogayâtrâ I, 1, the sun is called 'the opened gate of deliverance,' mokshadvâram apâvritam.
- ↑ Atârenti; the var. lect. avatârenti is out of place and destroys the metre.
- ↑ Preta, properly 'deceased, a deceased one.' The real meaning of the passage is that men at night fall asleep.
- ↑ Properly, movement, karyâ.
- ↑ Gati, going, gait; the latter is really meant.
- ↑ Asaddharme pratishthita; the real meaning may be, 'firmly established in the condition of non-existence,' i. e. in sleep.
