SEEKING A BURIED TEMPLE 711
The king, Indra-mena, delighted with what he had heard, asked Brahma who was the founder of this magnificent
temple, and where the exact spot was on which it had been built. Brahma responded
:
'
It was thy ancestors, great king, who erected it in the preceding yuga, and who by this means procured for mankind the ineffable happiness of seeing the Supreme Being on this earth. Go, then, and reclaim this venerable spot from
oblivion; cause the deity to descend there anew, and thou shalt procure a similar happiness for the human race.'
'
But how,' again asked the prince, can ' I discover a temple which is completely buried in the sand, unless you
'
yourself help me to find it?
Thereupon Brahma gave him a few directions, and added
that he would find, not far from the mountain of Nila, a
tank wherein lived a turtle as old as the world, who would give him more definite particulars.
Indra-mena thanked Brahma and at once set forth to find the tank. Hardly had he arrived on its banks when a turtle of enormous size approached him, and asked who he was and what he wanted in that desert place.
' I am,' replied the prince, by ' birth a Kshatriya and
sovereign of a great kingdom, but the enormity of my sins and the remorse that I feel oppress me and make me the most miserable of men. Brahma with the Four Faces has given me some vague information respecting a holy place
near the mountain of Nila, assuring me that I shall be able to obtain from you all the necessary directions to guide me in my search.'
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1 am delighted, prince,' replied the turtle, to have ' an opportunity of contributing to your happiness. Unfortunately, however, I am unable to satisfy you upon all the points about which you seek information, for my great age has caused a partial loss of memory; yet the indications that I can give may, perhaps, be useful to you. It is quite true that in former days there existed a temple near the mountain of Nila, which was famous for its wealth.
The God with Four Arms, the God of Gods, the Great
Vishnu, had taken up his abode there. All the other gods resorted to it regularly to do him honour, and it was also a spot which they greatly affected for indulging in their