THE JAIXS. £6/ 



and was under a holy vow of abstaining from taking 

 food in the house of any person who was lame, or 

 deficient in any of the members of his body. Upon 

 hearing of the vow which he had made, she asked 

 the king, from motives of curiosity, *' Behold your 

 Guru ! will he, at your request, eat food with your" 

 The Raja, not recollecting the customs of the Gurus^ 

 replied " Why not ? will he not come to the house of 

 his own disciple? if he refuse at my request, 1 will 

 abandon my sect, and bind myself to your command; 

 but, if he comply, contrary to your expectation, 

 you must conform to my sentiments." Then the 

 Raja, descending from the terrace, advanced to the 

 Guru, and asked him to take food, walking, at the 

 same time, round him, with closed hands, and pro- 

 nouncing, three times successively, the following sa- 

 cred form of words, according to the rules of their 

 religion. " O Lord ! reverence be to you ! stay ! — 

 for Bramar ayah's sake — -comply!": — After he had 

 used this prayer, he took water into his hands, to 

 give to him, with the following form. "Adoration ! 

 O Lord ! — Adoration ! do purify this water ! " But 

 t\\t Szcami, without speaking, retired to the temple; 

 where he resolved to fast that day, as an expiation 

 for beina' invited to eat bv a maimed man. 



•to 



Bhattav^ard'hax, following his Guru to the 

 temple, upon inquiry was informed of its being for- 

 bidden by their law : he then explained to the Guru, 

 what had passed between him and his beloved mis^ 

 tress, and earnestly intreated the priest to comply 

 with his request; declaring, that if it were refused, 

 he must join the other sect, whence great misfortunes 

 would befal their religion : the Sivauii replied, that he 

 would suifer death, or any other misfortune, rather 

 than for the king's favor do what was contrary to 

 the law. 



Upon this refusal, Bhattavard'han, agreeably 



