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royal invitation was sealed with his immediate approval, and the
saint with his eighteen thousand disciples set sail to Pataliputra,
down the Jamuna and Ganges. The party was given a warm welcome. From
there, the historic march commenced with unusual fanfare, escorted
by a mighty army. It was indeed an amazing spectacle to witness the
cavalcade of carriages and devout pilgrims in saffon robes going
from place to place, with the monarch in the forefront.
Asoka
reached the Lumbini Garden first. Upagupta, the guide explained at
length the sacredness of the place and ended that it was on this
sacred spot. Buddha, the venerable master was born and took seven
steps upon the ground soon after his birth. Pointing to an
awe-inspiring monument, he said that it was the first to come up to
consecrate the memory of Buddha. The imperial monarch bestowed a
hundred thousand gold pieces on the people and praised their good
fortune of living on such sacred spot. To mark that momentous
event,
a stupa was built before his departure for Kapilavastu,
where Buddha lived till the time of his renunciation.
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