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May you be pleased to appear there like the Sun, to cause to bloom the lotus-like face of Rambha and other Deva maidens. O King and Jivanmukta, you may stay there for the period of a Kalpa, and plunge yourself in diverse ways in Devalokic enjoyment. Therefore do not tarry here any longer, but come at (Mice there. It is for this purpose I came here to take you.' Hearing these strange words of Indra, the noble king said thus: — O my parent Deva, I have known all the plea sures of Svarga-loka. I have not even the conception of differences of locality, such as this or that place. Wher ever T am, there is Svarga (heaven) for me, and there it is I enjoy bliss. Therefore I do not long after Svarga pleasures- Be pleased to return to your seat, fhave not the least desire for it.' When the kine had given vent to these words, the whole troup of Devas returned to their abode. Thus did Chudalai ob serve that the King's (lower; mind had been destroyed, not withstanding the different trials to which she had subjected him through her powers of M&ya. Still she wanted to try him THE STOKV OF S'iKHlUWAJA. 307 further, and so hit upon another expedient. One day, while the pure King was performing Japa on the banks of the Ganges, Just at moon-rise, Chudalai entered a thickset bower hard by and having created within it, through her Mayavic power, a lover seated on a pleasant seat of Neerandra flowers, she made a show of embracing him. After having performed the daily rites and sought in vain for his wife (Madhanika) over all the hills and dales, the king saw on his return his wife and a male figure in a mutual embrace, but was not in the least disconcerted. Nearly forty-eight minutes after the King, who went away unruffled without evincing the least anger towards Madhanika, disappeared from view, she, in order yet to ob serve his demeanour appeared before this Rajayogi with signs of her late love tryst still visible in her, such as dishevelled hair, &c., and stood as if penitent in a submissive attitude of great shame. While Chudalai, surnamed Madhanika, was thus stand ing as if greatly stricken by grief and remorse, the King re turned from Samadhi, and saw her before him. Then, with out showing the least symptoms of anger, he said softly the following words with calm deliberation:—' How is it you have hurried so and come away so soon as this ? You may, O girl, if you like, still gratify your passion by returning to your lover.' At these words of the King, Madhanika said thus : — ' It is the supreme duty of the unblemished to put up with and overlook the faults of the ignorant. The quali ties of females are unsteady in diverse ways. Therefore, be pleased to excuse me for my heinous crime.' Thereupon Sikhidwaja of mighty Jnana said the follow ing words to his wife Madhanika : — ' A tree may grow in the sky, but never will anger rise in me, O lady.' Tnus was he in full possession of equal vision over all. Then Chudalai soliloquised to herself thus :— The King has destroyed to the root passion and anger. He will not subject himself to the many enjoyments and the love of transcendental Siddhis, This king of puissant arms has at last attained the end ot Jnana. Let me no longer pass under false colors. Let me cast aside the body of Madhanika, and assuming that of Chudalai appear before him. With this thought in her mind she transformed herself into Chudalai and presented hersalt 30& TOGA-VA'SISHTA in that true character before him, when the quiescent King eyed her and remarked in wonder thus: — * Is it true that I see before me Chudalai with her entire form, speech, modesty of mien and her other inestimable good qualities? O lady who are you ?' To which she replied that she was his lawfully wedded wife and continued : — ' O dearest one, it was I that initiated you into the mysteries of Atma-Jndna, assuming the bodies of Kumbha-Muni and then Madhanika. Through such a course, I sounded the depth of your Jnana by the power of Maya. Now go into Nirvikalpa Samadhi, and you will under stand all things truly.' Accordingly the King made his mind merge into the Uni versal Consciousness, and in that Samadhi surveyed all the events that had happened, from the date of his quitting his magnificent country down to the present period of the appear ance of Chudalai (in her real form). After^Samadhi, the just King became quite enraptured with joy and having embraced Chudalai, who stood shining before him as the personation of true love and grace, was struck dumb for a long time, and completely submerged in bliss for a moment. Then having recovered himself, he seated her on his lap and said to her thus : — * Thou hast, through thy vast intelligence, lifted me out of the unfathomable cave of thick darkness that I was entangled in. Who is there to compare to thee in all this wide world ? How can I> O tendril-like lady, requite thee for all thy kindness ? 0 thou who hast reached the other side of the ocean of Samsara (mundane existence), O thou the perso nation of Justice without any desires, how can I aid thee in any way ?' To which the lady replied : — ' Observing you drooping under the many actions of Tapas (penances) in the forest, I came with great effort in quest of you to elevate you above Samsara. Hence there is no necessity for you to eulogise me thus, as I but did my duty. Have you not, O my husband, freed yourself from all petty worldly actions, Sankalpas (thoughts) and Vikalpas (fancies) ?' Then the King said : — * All doubts have now vanished out of my mind. I am devoid of desires and the idea of he terogeneity. I have become as immaculate as Akasa. I shall never hereafter fall through becoming of the form of THE STORY OF s'lKHIDWAJA. 309 (or, thinking about) objects. I have attained the incom parable Samadhi, the highest thing worthy of being attained. I am free from mental joy or dire pains. I shall never here after shine as this or that (object). I am like the pure light ot the resplendent sun's sphere, which does not come into contact with any medium such as a wall, &c., and is there fore subject to no increase or diminution. I am like the Akasa which permeates all objects, and is yet undefiled. I am of the nature of Absolute Consciousness. I can now cog nise my Reality to be no other than That. Therefore thou art my well-favored Guru. I worship thy lotus feet/ At which Chudalai asked him as to his future course of action. To which the King said :— ' I am free from all love and hatred. From this day forward, I shall daily perform my duties strictly according to your dictates, like a crystal tinged with the five colors. Then Chudalai said thus : — ' If thou art willing to act up to what I say, it behoves thee then to now give up all thy ignorance and resume the regal duties once relinquished by thee. Let us both wield the sceptre of our kingdom for some time as Jivanmuktas and then attain Videhamukti, after the body is thrown aside. To this the King acquiesced. Then Chudalai rose up and, through dint of her concentrated San- kalpa, she acted as follows : — She then and there first anointed him by bathing him in jewelled vessels full of the waters of the seven oceans, and then, having installed him on an effulgent throne bedecked with rubies, &c., blessed him with a long life. Then the King and his wife Chudalai, who were both of one mind, mounted upon a decorated elephant and went back to their town with their four-fold army amidst great rejoicings. As soon as they reached the outskirts of their town, the four-fold army in their town came in advance to meet them. Thus both the armies joined together and went gaily along. There the King reigned with true love along with his wife for 10,000 years, and then attained a dis embodied emancipation. ** Thus, Oh Rama, if by associating yourself with the Karmas of the world, your quiescent Jnana is ever developed without the longing after objects, you will be able to enjoy YOGA-VA'SISHTA. real bliss and emancipation." So said Muni Vdsishta of Hlu minaied mind and great Tapas to Sri Rama. THE STORY OF KACHA. Summary. — Again is illustrated the tact that Chitta- Ty£ga alone constitutes the renunciation of all. In the previous story I have related to thee the story of S'ikhidwaja, the most enlightened of persons. If thou art as ripe as he, thou wilt never be affected by dire pains. Follow ing the same path is the learned Kacha, the son of Brihas- pati, the Deva-guru.