"If you will not listen calmly, I will tell you no more," said Srish.
But Nagendra heard no more; he had lost consciousness. With closed
eyes he sought the form of the heaven-ascended Surja Mukhi; he saw her
seated as a queen upon a jewelled throne. The perfumed wind played in
her hair, all around flower-like birds sang with the voice of the
lute; at her feet bloomed hundreds of red water-lilies; in the canopy
of her throne a hundred moons were shining, surrounded by hundreds of
stars. He saw himself in a place full of darkness, pain in all his
limbs, demons inflicting blows upon him, Surja Mukhi forbidding them
with her outstretched finger.
With much difficulty Srish Chandra restored Nagendra to consciousness;
whereupon Nagendra cried loudly--
"Surja Mukhi, dearer to me than life, where art thou?"
At this cry, Srish Chandra, stupefied and frightened, sat down in
silence.
At length, recovering his natural state, Nagendra said, "Speak."
"What can I say?" asked Srish.
"Speak!" said Nagendra. "If you do not I shall die before your eyes."
Then Srish said: "Surja Mukhi did not endure this suffering many days.
A wealthy Brahman, travelling with his family, had to come as far as
Calcutta by boat, on his way to Benares.
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