Analytical Account of the Panclia Tantra. 159 



become extinct, than that a son, endowed with your form, wealth, and 

 family-credit, should want understanding.' If, therefore, by any means> 

 their minds can be roused, do you declare it." On this, a counsellor replied' 

 " Prince, the study of grammar alone is the work of twelve years, how then 

 is a knowledge of Dharma, Art'ha, Kama, and MoksJia, * to be speedily 

 conveyed?" Another counsellor, named Sumati, observed, " Prince, the 

 powers of man are limited by his transitory existence ; but to acquire a 

 knowledge of lansuage alone, demands much time. It is better that we 

 think of some means of communicating the substance of each science, in 

 a compendious form; as it is said, 'The Sabda Sdstra (Philology) is a 

 boundless ocean : life is short, and the difficulties are many ; the essence, 

 therefore, is to be taken, as the swan extracts the milk from the water.' t 

 There is a Brahman, named Vishnu SarmA, celebrated for his perfect 

 acquisition of the sciences. To him entrust your sons, and he will render 

 them well informed." On hearing this, the king sent for Vishnu Sarma, 

 and addressed him, " Venerable Brahman, confer a favour upon me, by 

 instructing these princes in polite literature, and rendering them superior to 

 the youths, their companions ; in recompense of which, I promise you lands 

 of large extent." Vishnu Sarma replied, " Hear, O king, my words. I 

 am not a retailer of knowledge for lands and wealth ; but if I do not 

 instruct your sons in the Niti Sdstra, I will forego my own name. There 

 is no need to say more. I do not utter this vaunt, through any desire of 

 wealth ; for wealth is useless to any one whose passions are mortified, and 

 subdued : I wish but to gratify you, and to do the will of Saraswati'. Let 

 it be written, therefore, that if, in six months from this day, I do not make 

 the princes more proficient than many people, in various branches of know 

 ledge, it shall not be allowed to me, a Brahman, to point out the way of 

 God." The king, highly gratified by this assurance, delivered his sons to 



• The four objects or occupations of human life : Duty, Wealth, Desire, and Final Libera- 

 tion. 



f This is a popular notion among the Hindus, originating, probably, in the colour of the 

 bird. • 



• Or raUicr, because tlie bird seems, as the Hindus apprehend, to extract his food, by suction, from solution in water, 

 wherefore, a bird of Uii» genus is considered to be an emblem of discrimination, as being capable of separating milk 

 from water H.T C. 



