of that foremost of all Beings, they are devoted to Him with their whole souls.  They all enter that eternal and illustrious deity of a thousand rays.[1803] They are divested of senses.  They do not subsist on any kind of food.  Their eyes are winkless.  Their bodies always emit a fragrance.  Indeed, the denizens of White Island believe and worship only one God.  Go thither, ye ascetics, for there I have revealed myself!—­All of us, hearing these incorporeal words, proceeded by the way indicated to the country described.  Eagerly desirous of beholding Him and our hearts full of Him, we arrived at last at that large island called White Island.  Arrived there, we could see nothing.  Indeed, our vision was blinded by the energy of the great deity and accordingly we could not see Him.[1804] At this, the idea, due to the grace of the great God Himself, arose in our minds that one that had not undergone sufficient penances could not speedily behold Narayana.  Under the influence of this idea we once more set ourselves to the practice of some severe austerities, suited to the time and place, for a hundred years.  Upon the completion of our vows, we beheld a number of men of auspicious features.  All of them were white and looked like the Moon (in colour) and possessed of every mark of blessedness.  Their hands were always joined in prayer.  The faces of some were turned towards the North and of some towards the East.  They were engaged in silently thinking on Brahma.[1805] The Yapa performed by those high-souled persons was a mental yapa (and did not consist of the actual recitation of any mantras in words).  In consequence of their hearts having been entirely set upon Him, Hari became highly pleased with them.  The effulgence that was emitted by each of those men resembled, O foremost of ascetics, the splendours which Surya assumes when the time comes for the dissolution of the universe.  Indeed, we thought that Island was the home of all Energy.  All the inhabitants were perfectly equal in energy.  There was no superiority or inferiority there among them.[1806] We then suddenly beheld once more a light arise, that seemed to be the concentrated effulgence of a thousand Suns, O Vrihaspati.  The inhabitants, assembling together, ran towards that light, with hands joined in reverential attitude, full of joy, and uttering the one word Namas (we bow thee!) We then heard a very loud noise uttered by all of them together.  It seemed that those men were employed in offering a sacrifice to the great God.  As regards ourselves, we were suddenly deprived of our senses by his Energy.  Deprived of vision and strength and all the senses, we could not see or feel anything.[1807] We only heard a loud volume of sound uttered by the assembled inhabitants.  It said,—­Victory to thee, O thou of eyes like lotus-petals!  Salutations to thee, O Creator of the universe!  Salutations to thee, O Hrishikesa, O foremost of Beings, O thou that art the First-born!  Even this was the sound we heard, uttered distinctly