HURDWAR. 
211 
a terrace of holy ground shaded by an overhanging 
byr tree ; but they knew him not until he had de- 
clared himself. Having received the benefit of their 
prayers and religious consolation, he sent for Bikhari 
the banker, and bestowed upon the priests a lahk of 
rupees, the full price of the chaplet; and with the 
chaplet itself he begged them to adorn the image of 
the god, as the free offering of his daughter. 
In answer to his enquiries, however, he was assured 
that no sacrifice or penance, but death alone, could 
remove the burden of his punishment. “Yet,” said 
he, “ here under the shadow of these holy temples do I 
solemnly bind myself henceforth to devote daily unto 
the gods one half of the amount which I may have 
spent the previous day ; and further, I vow to give to 
every Brahmin, or religious pilgrim, who shall demand 
it, a handful of the finest meal, as often as they may 
require it for their own use or for the gods.” 
The Brahmins having heard with delight this vow 
of the penitent Purwatti, by which they anticipated 
that great riches would come to their temples, not 
only as the gift of Purwatti, but also by increasing 
their renown as persons of wonderful sanctity, be- 
came anxious lest when he should have an opportunity 
for cool consideration, when time should have as- 
suaged the bitterness of his misery, he should again 
backslide, and leave his solemn promises unper- 
formed. One of them, therefore, hoping to persuade 
