Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 509

A GROVELLING MONARCH
469
before he descried the form of the illustrious penitent,
crouching in the strange manner enjoined upon him by the
minister, and apparently as motionless as the rocks which
formed his retreat. After gazing upon him for some time
in silence, the king tremblingly approached, and prostrat-
ing himself before him, with his hands joined, addressed
him humbly as follows
Illustrious penitent
happy is
the destiny which allowed me to live until this day, so that
I might enjoy the inestimable happiness of looking upon
your sacred face. I know not what it is that has procured
for me such a wonderful blessing.
The little that I have
done during my life cannot possibly have rendered me
worthy of such a distinction probably, therefore, it is to
the good works of my ancestors or to some good work
which I may have accomplished in preceding births that
I now owe my good luck.
However this may be, the day
on which I have seen your sacred feet is certainly the most
glorious and happy of my life.
In future I have nothing
more to desire in this world, for in seeing these sacred feet
of yours I have obtained the greatest blessing which could
happen to any mortal. The sight of your feet alone is
sufficient to wash away all the sins which I have committed
both in this generation and in the preceding one. Hence-
forth I am as pure as the water of the Ganges, and all my
desires are accomplished
The supposed penitent heard this flattering discourse
without evincing the slightest sign that he had heard it,
and without change either of countenance or posture. The
crowd surrounding him, astonished at this indifference,
became perfectly convinced that he was a supernatural
being, for in no other way could they account for his solemn
silence and complete immovability.
It is evident,' they
said,
that only the body of this holy penitent inhabits
this lower world, while his soul and his thoughts must be
united to the Divinity whose image he is.' The king,
Krishna Roya, in the ecstasy of his religious zeal, and
unable to attract a single glance from the holy penitent,
addressed him in still more flattering terms in the hope
of winning at any rate one look from him.
Vain hope,
:
—
'
!
;
V
'
'
1
This is the stereotyped form of address used in
describing the respects paid to a holy personage.
when
all
Hindu books
Ed.