116 
Sarat Chandra Das —Life and 
[No. 2, 
the great sage STi Saraha Bhadra was the high priest of Nalendra. Hear¬ 
ing the gatha the sage sent for the boy who was accordingly brought to 
bis presence. Saraha asked him who he was and what brought him there, 
on which the boy gave a faithful account of his life and the melancholy 
aspect which overhung his fate and which he was painfully anxious to 
escape. The sage advised him to enter the holy order of monks, which 
act alone could deliver him from the hand of death. The boy took the 
vows of monkhood, Saraha, then invited him to the worship and service 
of Buddha Aparimita Ayusha and secured him his blessings. He required 
the boy to recite holy mantras and gathas in honour of that Buddha from 
sunrise to sunset, within which time the fatal moment was predicted to 
arrive. The boy remained engaged in reading sacred books and reciting 
gathas without falling asleep. The fatal moment passed. The messenger 
of death did not arrive or could not sieze his victim. This happy news was 
conveyed to his parents whose hearts now overflowed with joy. The great 
high-priest Saraha then ordained him a Bhikshu of the Nalendra Vihara. 
Here he prosecuted his religious studies under the tuition of that great 
sage. After a few years service he obtained the subordinate office of 
head steward of the congregation. During the first part of the tenure of 
office, Nagarjuna is said to have propitiated the goddess Chandika, by 
whose agency he succeeded in providing the great body of priests with the 
necessaries of life. The propitiation took some time, after which the god¬ 
dess presented herself before him in obedience to his call. Enslaved as it 
were by the force of the propitiatory rites of Nagarjuna, she submissively 
asked if she was to carry him to heaven. So saying .she prepared to 
transport him thither. The sage not caring for his own happiness and ever 
mindful of his duties, exclaimed, “ Bold goddess, I will not go to the celestial 
regions, I called you to help me in the propagation of Dharma on this earth.” 
He then built a lofty stone temple in honour of Bodhisattva Manju Sri, in 
the court of which he pitched a thick pointed wooden club to fix the goddess, 
as it were, to her appointed terrestrial duties by the spell of mystic charms. 
He then addressed the goddess Chandika,—“ 0 thou divine nymph, I bid 
thee to look to the supply of provisions for the great congregation. Thou 
shaft not leave thy post till this club becomes reduced to dust.” Chandika 
accordingly, in the guise of a beautiful damsel began her homely work. 
During her temporary residence within the environs of the monastery, the 
chief cook of the congregation was enchanted with her personal charms. 
He spared no pains or means to win her favour, with the sensual object 
of enjoying her person. The maiden refused his addresses several times, but 
at the end consented on the condition that he should reduce the said club 
to dust. The deluded cook not knowing the secret connected with the 
club, instantly burnt it to ashes. The maiden now set free from this 
