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was laughing and joking with the mistress of the house ; at another 

 he was performing the Howm : at another he was exercising 

 Dherme ; at another he had set the women to quarrel, and was 

 amusing himself with looking on ; at another he was pacifying a 

 dispute among them ; at another he was sitting with Ram ; at 

 another he was preparing a marriage-portion, or Dheek ; at ano- 

 ther he was rejoicing at being returned from his son's wedding ; 

 at another he was digging a well or tank ; at another he was 

 preparing for the chase. In this manner did Nared enter the 

 houses of the eight Nayega and of the 16,000 wives, and 

 in every one of them he found Creeshna differently engaged, so 

 that he was altogether astonished and confounded. Creeshna, at 

 length, appeared, and thus addressed him : " O Nared ! these se- 

 cret doubts and suspicions which have so perplexed thee are no 

 fault of mine but of thine own mind. On subjects where the wis- 

 dom even of Devatas is confused, what can be said of man's limi- 

 ted understanding ? Ask each of my wives separately whether she 

 ever thinks me absent from her ; she will answer that I am never 

 for a moment from her sight." Nared humbled himself and con- 

 fessed his weakness, that he was bewildered by Maya, and sub- 

 missively implored Creeshna's mercy in his behalf. Creeshna 

 answered, " O Nared ! I am the sole Kerta. My acts are inscru- 

 table ; nor must any suspicions be cherished, nor any distraction 

 of mind be endured, on account of them, nor any idle fancies and 

 curiosity be indulged. Perplex not thyself farther, but quietly 

 pursue thine own affairs, and make mankind happy with thy pre- 

 sence and conversation." Nared, however, was several times 

 subject to the same distraction ; but, at length, calling on the name 

 of Narayen and playing on his Veena, he departed. Creeshna, 

 in the mean time, employing himself in the functions of a Gre- 

 hecharee, regulated the affairs of his families and children, while 



