Lila, saw the Jiva set itself upon the surface of a stream of a.lx^
and begin its long journey through the vast expanse of space-
They followed after it as two young bees a streak of fragrance
stolen by the wind. Shortly the consciousness of the Jiy-^
awoke with the oblations offered by Viduratha's relations^
even as the sleeping scents of blooms awaken with the morning
breezes ; and, imagining a body to itself, it saw the messenger's
of Yama(1) leading it to his abode. Yama saw the new arrival
and said : ^No evil acts are his, but only good ones, and he has
won the favour of Sarasvati. He has to go again to the body
of Padma. Let him go, therefore." And Yama's messengers
permitted him to go; and he, followed by the two others, swept^
on again through various regions till they came to the world,
the lands, the capital, and the palace of king Padma, and
entered it as minute currents of air enter a budded lotus.

There they saw, sitting beside the body of Padma, acid
fanning it with a jewelled chamara(2), the Lila of the Viduratha-
world, beautiful as there, wearing the same bright dress and
ornaments, pale with intentness on her husband's face, voice-
less, resting her cheek on her left hand, like the new-risen
moon held on the edge of a tiny silver cloud on a starless
night in the early spring.

They saw not the body (Lila's own) which the enlightened
Lila left behind when starting on her journey to the other world,
and on being questioned, Sarasvati said to Lila : "These palace^
maidens have been keeping watch over king Padma's body,
for a whole month now, as they count their time, and thy old
body fell lifeless after a fortnight. The ministers mourned
over it, as for thy death, and gave it to the Sacred Fire, and
did the last rites of the V^das for it. Seeing thee again and tbe
new Lila they shall only think that thou hast come back from

(1) God and Lord of Death.

(2) ]Pan, whisk, made oi the tail-hairs of the ohamaxi or yak.

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