‘What, then, may be the proper way to act here? … Why, I have found it.
4. ‘People like to imitate the behaviour of him who is the foremost among them; this is their constant nature. Accordingly, here the king alone is the person to be cured, for it is from him that originates the good as well as the evil of his people.’
Having thus made up his mind, the Great Being took on himself the majestic figure of a Brâhman. His colour shone like pure gold; he wore his hair matted and twisted up, which gave him a rather stern appearance; he had his body covered with the bark-garment and the deer-skin[1]. A jar of moderate size, filled with surâ, was hanging down from his left side. In this shape, standing in the air he showed himself to king Sarvamitra, while he was sitting with his company in his audience-hall, and their conversation had turned to be such as attends drinking surâ, âsava, maireya[2], rum, and honeyed liquor. On seeing him, the assembly, moved by surprise and veneration, rose from their seats, and reverentially folded their hands to him. After which, he began to speak in a loud voice, resembling the deep noise of a cloud big with rain:
5.
‘See, 't is fill'd up to its neck,
Flowers laugh around its neck;
Well 't is dress'd, a splendid jar;
Who will buy from me this jar?
6. ‘I have here a jar adorned with this bracelet-like wide wreath of flowers, fluttering in the wind. See how proud it looks, decorated as it is by tender foliage. Which of you desires to possess it by purchase?’
Upon which, that king, whose curiosity was excited by astonishment, reverentially fixing his eyes on him and raising his folded hands, spoke these words:
7. ‘Like the morning-sun thou appearest to us by
