CHAPTER CIII.
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Valmiki and Mitra, Viharilala
39. She then gave a vibration to the intellection of her living lord, and after putting it in its action and motion, she returned to her own body; as a bird flits on the twig of a tree which is shaken thereby, it comes back to its own nest again.
40. She rose in her figure of the Bráhman boy Kumbha, and sat upon a flowery bed, where she began to chaunt her hymns of the sáma veda (psalmody); with her soft tunes resembling the melodious chime of buzzing bees.
41. The prince felt an intellectual exhilaration, on hearing the tuneful chime of the psalms; and his dormant life was awakened to its sensibility, as the lotus bud comes to bloom by the breath of the vernal season.
42. His eyelids oped to light, as the lotus bud blooms at the sunlight; and the whole body of the prince, became vivid with his renewed life.
43. He beheld the Bráhman boy Kumbha, singing sáma psalms before him; and appeared in his divinely fair form, as the divinity of music was present in person.
44. O fortunate am I, said he, to have found my friendly Kumbha again before me; and so saying, he picked up some flowers and offered them to him.
45. O how great is my good fortune, said he to his guest, to be thus recalled to your gracious memory; or what else is it, that could cause a divine personage like yourself, to be so favourably disposed towards me.
46. It is only the cause of my salvation, that has caused you to come to and call at mine, or else what else can it be to bring a godson down to revisit me.
47. Kumbha spoke:—O sinless prince, my mind was ever intent on thee, ever since I departed from thee; and now it has come back to me, to have found thee well in this place.
48. I do not reap so much delight in the ever delightful region of heaven, as I do here in your presence; because I have the great work of your redemption not pending before me.
49. I have no friend or companion, that is dearer to my soul than yourself; nor have I any faithful pupil, nor confidential disciple like you in this world.
50. Sikhidhwaja replied:—Ah! I see now that the arbours of this mountain, are about to yield the fruits of my meritorious acts, that have made a retired recluse like yourself to condescend to desire my company.
51. If these woods and trees and myself who am so devoted to you, should find favour in your sight than the bliss of your heavenly abode, then may you please to take your residence with me in this lonely forest.
52. For my part who am so blest with the gift of thy samádhi, that I have always my perfect repose in God even in this place; have no desire for heavenly delights (which cannot be better than my absorption in the Divine spirit).
53. Reclining in that state of pure effulgence, I enjoy my fill of heavenly bliss even in this earth below.
54. Kumbha interrogated:—Have you ever had your repose in the state of supreme felicity, and were you ever freed from the infelicity, which is ever attendant on the knowledge of duality.
55. Have you ever felt a disgust to all temporary enjoyments, and have rooted out your taste for insipid pleasures of this earth.
56. Has your mind ever rested in that state of even indifference, which has no liking for the desirable nor dislike to what is undesirable, but is ever content with whatever awaits upon it at any time?
57. Sikhidhwaja replied:—It is by your favour sir, that I have seen all what transcends human sights; that I have reached beyond the verge of the universe, and obtained the best obtainable and most certain bliss.
58. It is after long that I am freed from decay and disease, and gained all which is to be gained, and wherewith I am quite content.
59. I require no further advice, from anyone for my edification; I feel fully gratified with every thing in all places, and am quite at ease and out of disease everywhere.
60. I have nothing to know that is unknown to me, and nothing to obtain that is not obtained by one; I have forsaken whatever is not worth having, and my soul has its reliance in the supreme essence.
61. I rest quite aloof of all, being devoid of my fear and error and apathy at any thing; I am always manifest in the even and equal tenor of my mind, and in the equality of my soul with all others; I am free from all imagination, as the clear sky is free from all taint and cloud.