8 BLOOMFIELD— ON THE ART OF 



lusts after Ruci, do thou guard her with all thy might. Unceasingly 

 must thou be on thy guard against him, for he puts on many dis- 

 guises ! " Then Vipula, ascetic and chaste, clean like the sheen of 

 fire's flame, knowing the moral law and truthful, consented to take 

 charge. 



As the Master was about to start Vipula asked him : " What are 

 the shapes that Indra contrives, when he comes? What sort of 

 beauty and majesty does he assume, pray tell me that, O Sage?" 

 Then the Master recounted to him Indra's wiles in detail : " He ap- 

 pears with a diadem, carrying his war-bolt, with jewels in his ears ; 

 the next moment like a Paria in appearance ; as an ascetic with a 

 tuft on his head, clothed in rags ; of body great, or of body small. 

 He changes his complexion from red to pale, and again to black ; 

 his form from stalwart youth to decrepit old age. He appears in the 

 guise of Brahman, Ksatriya, Vaigya, Cudra, indifferently of high 

 or low caste; may show himself beautiful in white robe; disguised 

 as swan or koi'1-bird ; as lion, tiger, or elephant ; in the guise of god, 

 or demon, or king ; fat or lean ; as a bird, or stupid animal of many 

 a form, even as a gnat or fly. He may vanish, so as to be visible 

 only to the eye of knowledge ; turn to thin air." 



The Sage in due time starts on his journey, leaving his fiduciary 

 pupil in charge of the wife. Indra, as forecast, appears upon the 

 scene, and Vipula finds that Ruci is wayward. Then, by his Yoga, 

 he invades her mind (cittasya paragariraveqah ) and restrains her. 

 He abides in her " limb by limb," like a shadow, like a person 

 stopping in an empty house which he finds on his way, soiling her 

 as little as a drop of water soils a lotus-leaf, standing in her like a 

 reflection in a mirror. 



Ruci is unconscious of the influence, but the operator's eye is 

 fixed, for his spirit is far away. When Indra enters she wishes to 

 say politely to the guest, " Who are thou ? " but, stift'ened and re- 

 strained by the magic presence in her soul, she is unable to move. 

 Indra says : " Compelled by the bodiless God of Love I come for 

 thy sake, O sweetly smiling woman," but she is still unable to rise 

 and speak, because the virtuous pupil restrains her by the bonds of 

 Yoga. Vipula finally returns to his own body, and Indra, shamed 

 by his reproaches, slinks off. 



