A PILGRIMAGE. 
173 
cover her that he might give her up as a victim to 
expiate the guilt of a dishonoured bed. Time, how- 
ever, soothed his grief, though it did not restore peace 
to his bosom. He no longer repined at the weight of 
woe which had fallen so unexpectedly upon him, but 
resolved by a life of penance to atone for the guilt of 
past years, and spiritualise his body by fastings, 
mortifications, and torture. In this determination he 
was encouraged by his friends : they were elated at 
the idea of having a saint in their family who would 
wander about the world with a withered body and dis- 
torted limbs, an object of veneration to all devout 
Hindoos. He was therefore urged immediately to com- 
mence a pilgrimage to Benares, and having purified 
from the gross defilements of the flesh his youthful 
frame, now robust and sleek with the pampering 
enjoyments of a luxurious life, reduce it to that spi- 
ritual tenuity which should the better enable it, 
when disencumbered from its load of superfluous clay, 
to soar, like a straight and buoyant feather, to that 
Universal Presence, where it will be everlastingly ab- 
sorbed in, and become a part of the infinite and 
ubiquitous Brihm. 
This was a vast inducement to one of a naturally 
devout temperament, who had lost a young and beau- 
tiful wife, to quit the gay world and nobly give him- 
self up as a spiritual martyr: he consequently 
prepared to set out on his pious pilgrimage. Having 
provided the necessary viaticum, together with a staff* 
of light bamboo, and made his salaam to his friends, 
he turned his back towards the sea, and commenced 
his journey to the holy city, the walls of which are 
Q 3 
