Chapter XII — Aravana the Sage

Day after day, Madhavi and Suthamathi awaited the return of Manimekalai. Their hearts were torn with anxiety. On the seventh day, Madhavi said to her friend, ‘‘ This is the seventh day since her going, yet my daughter has not come,”

iven as she spoke, Manimekalai stood ibefore her. ‘Daughters of the great king Ravivanman, Hail! Wives of King Dutchaya, , Hail! Beloved sisters, Hail! I salute your dear feet. May the virtue of your good deeds cleanse you of the sins of the body. Aravana the sage, is herein this city. He will tell you of your past lives. I hold in my hands the Holy Grail of Aputhra. Salute it, sisters.”

Madhavi and Suthamathi fell down and worshipped the Holy Grail. Then hey went to the’liouse of the sage ‘Aravana,

Old, very old was the blameless Aravana.. His hair was grey; his ancient frame was: bent. But his voice was firm. It trembled. not. In his speech was the highest wisdom.. All three saluted him with the greatest respect, Then Manimekalai told him her story. She: described the journey to the grove. She told of the pursuit of the Prince, and his words. She described her flight to Manipallavam, and the finding of the Holy Seat. She told of her past life, of the Holy Grail, and of the three mantrams. ‘To you, now, O' sage Aravana, are we come. You can teach us more of the truth. You can tell us more of our former births.”

Her words filled the heart of the old man with great joy. ‘Now let me tell your sisters more of their former births. One: day, I made a pilgrimage to the Mount of the Lotus-Feet. There I met the brave King Dutchaya in the grove. He too had come to worship. 1 asked if all was well with him and his two queens. He cried out in his. grief, and told me his story. :

“Veerai had gone too near an elephant. The beast had but lately been trapped, and’ was still wild. The brute trampled on Veerai the queen of Dutchaya.: She- died in. great pain. Tharai could not,;bear the-loss;of her;

‘dear sister, So great was her sorrow, she had no wish to live. So one day, she flung ‘herself from a high terrace. The king himself ihad picked up the bruised and broken corpse.

“I tried to comfort the King. [ explain- ed the folly of grief. Your sudden deaths were the fruit of your karma. They had to ibe. Now I meet you again. Instead of Veerai and Tharai, you are Madhavi and Suthamathi! How like a stage is the world! How like actors are we all! We go on and -olf the stage; we remain the same persons -all the time. We just change our costumes to appear in different plays.”

The sage now turned to Manimekalai, “Listen. to me, my daughter,’ he pleaded. “You know of the bondage of birth. You know .of the laws of the Lord Buddha, But the Law of Righteousness does not prevail among men. . The. way, to Nirvana is blocked with thorns and, weeds. Few follow the True Path. Most prefer to walk the broad path of Evil. Everywhere men are born. Everywhere men are dying. Truth is like the sun. Evil, like a fog, hides the face of the sun. . The sun is there in the heaven; but we cannot always see it. Truth is like a amighty ocean. Men will not open their hearts

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to it. They only let it trickle through, as: through a hole made by an arrow. I myself teach the Truth, though one mouth is little: enough. But sixteen hundred and sixteen years from now the Lord Buddha will come to earth once more, It is the prayer of all the gods in heaven. Then shall the earth rejoice. The fogs shall be scattered. Men shall see the sun in all his glory, As a mighty flood, Truth shall flow from out the lips of the Lord. It shall overflow the hearts. of all men. Then shall the whole world rejoice in the Truth.

“The pale fingers of the dawn tell us. of the coming of the day. So do many signs appear now. Wise men can read them. They now foretell the rising of the Sun of Wisdom to dispel the darkness in the-souls of men. Then will the sun and moon shine together in friendship. The stars will ride in their proper paths. The rain will fall in the proper seasons. The: earth will drink it up and be fruitful. No. living creature will suffer pain or hunger. Then will the winds blow aright. The moun- tains will give up their wealth, and the seas. their hidden treasures. All nature will. serve and bless Man. Cows will nurse their calves. With milk will they fill our pails to-

MANIMEKALAI 5b

overflowing. No more will the birds have to search for food. It will be ready to hand for them, and in plenty. There will be no fear nor hatred between man and beast.. The lion and the lamb will lie down together. Even they who dwell in hell, will suffer no anguish. The devils themselves will grieve no more. There will be neither deaf, nor dumb, nor blind. Deformed and idiot child- ren will no more be born, AI) will hear the words of Mercy from the lips of the Lord Buddha. Then will men be freed from the bondage of birth. Therefore, Manimekalai, do I never cease to praise the Lord in any of my births.

* Listen, fair one! You are going to be confirmed in the True Faith, Many marvels will happen in this city of Kaveripatnam, because of your virtue. Because of your virtue, have you received the Holy Grail. With the elixir of life, will you bless men. Hearken then, to this great truth. Of all gods is it true. Of all men, is it true. ‘To relieve hunger is the highest love,’ ”