And ran the sage to meet,
    As Indra from his palace goes
    Lord Brahma’s self to greet. 
    When glowing with celestial light
    The pious hermit was in sight,
    The King, whose mien his transport showed,
    The honored gift for guests bestowed. 
    Nor did the saint that gift despise,
    Offered as holy texts advise;
    He kindly asked the earth’s great King
    How all with him was prospering. 
    The son of Kusik bade him tell
    If all in town and field were well,
    All well with friends, and kith and kin,
    And royal treasure stored within:—­
    “Do all thy neighbors own thy sway? 
    Thy foes confess thee yet? 
    Dost thou continue still to pay
    To Gods and men each debt?”
    Then he, of hermits first and best,
    Vasishtha with a smile addressed,
    And asked him of his welfare too,
    Showing him honor as was due. 
    Then with the sainted hermit all
    Went joyous to the monarch’s hall,
    And sate them down by due degree,
    Each one, of rank and dignity. 
    Joy filled the noble prince’s breast
    Who thus bespoke the honored guest:—­
    “As Amrit by a mortal found,
    As rain upon the thirsty ground,
    As to an heirless man a son
    Born to him of his precious one—­
    As gain of what we sorely miss,
    As sudden dawn of mighty bliss,
    So is thy coming here to me—­
    All welcome, mighty Saint, to thee. 
    What wish within thy heart hast thou! 
    If I can please thee, tell me how. 
    Hail, Saint, from whom all honors flow,
    Worthy of all I can bestow. 
    Blest is my birth with fruit to-day,
    Nor has my life been thrown away. 
    I see the best of Brahman race,
    And night to glorious morn gives place. 
    Thou, holy Sage, in days of old
    Among the royal saints enrolled,
    Didst, penance-glorified, within
    The Brahman caste high station win. 
    ’Tis meet and right in many a way
    That I to thee should honor pay. 
    This seems a marvel to mine eyes—­
    All sin thy visit purifies;
    And I by seeing thee, O Sage,
    Have reaped the fruit of pilgrimage. 
    Then say what thou wouldst have me do. 
    That thou hast sought this interview. 
    Favored by thee, my wish is still,
    O Hermit, to perform thy will. 
    Nor needest thou at length explain
    The object that thy heart would gain. 
    Without reserve I grant it now—­
    My deity, O Lord, art thou.” 
    The glorious hermit, far renowned. 
    With highest fame and virtue crowned,
    Rejoiced these modest words to hear
    Delightful to the mind and ear.

CANTO XXI

VISVAMITRA’S SPEECH