HIS DREAM way to Port Said, when he had this dream. An old and bearded man appeared before him, saying " Observe well this place that I show to you. You are now in the island of Crete. This is the land in which Chris- tianity began." In support of this origin of Christianity, the speaker gave two words one of which was Therapeutce and showed both to be derived direct from Sanskrit roots. The Swami frequently spoke of this dream in after years, and always gave the two etymologies ; but the other seems* nevertheless, to be lost, beyond recovery. Of therapeutce , the meaning advanced was, sons of the theras, from thera, an elder amongst the Buddhist monks, and putra, the Sanskrit word for son. " The proofs are all here," added the old man, pointing to the ground, "Dig, and you will find ! " The Swami woke, feeling that he had
- It is my own belief that the second word was Esstnt. Bat
alas, I cannot remember the Sanskritic derivation ! N. 351
