all the ministers of state, upraising him, exhort him, as was right, to calm himself.  After awhile, his mind somewhat recovered, speaking to the royal steed, he said:  “How often have I ridden thee to battle, and every time have thought upon your excellence! but now I hate and loathe thee, more than ever I have loved or praised thee!  My son, renowned for noble qualities, thou hast carried off and taken from me; and left him ’mid the mountain forests; and now you have come back alone; take me, then, quickly hence and go!  And going, never more come back with me!  For since you have not brought him back, my life is worth no more preserving; no longer care I about governing!  My son about me was my only joy; as the Brahman Gayanta met death for his son’s sake, so I, deprived of my religious son, will of myself deprive myself of life.  So Manu, lord of all that lives, ever lamented for his son; how much more I, a mortal man deprived of mine, must lose all rest!  In old time the king Aga, loving his son, wandering through the mountains, lost in thought, ended life, and forthwith was born in heaven.  And now I cannot die!  Through the long night fixed in this sad state, with this great palace round me, thinking of my son, solitary and athirst as any hungry spirit; as one who, thirsty, holding water in his hand, but when he tries to drink lets all escape, and so remains athirst till death ensues, and after death becomes a wandering ghost; so I, in the extremity of thirst, through loss, possessed once of a son, but now without a son, still live and cannot end my days!  But come! tell me at once where is my son! let me not die athirst for want of knowing this and fall among the Pretas.  In former days, at least, my will was strong and firm, difficult to move as the great earth; but now I’ve lost my son, my mind is dazed, as was in old time the king Dasaratha’s.”

And now the royal teacher (Purohita), an illustrious sage, with the chief minister, famed for wisdom, with earnest and considerate minds, both exhorted with remonstrances, the king.  “Pray you (they said) arouse yourself to thought, and let not grief cramp and hold your mind! in olden days there were mighty kings, who left their country, as flowers are scattered; your son now practises the way of wisdom; why then nurse your grief and misery; you should recall the prophecy of Asita, and reasonably count on what was probable!  Think of the heavenly joys which you, a universal king, have inherited!  But now, so troubled and constrained in mind, how will it not be said, ’The Lord of earth can change his golden-jewel-heart!’ Now, therefore, send us forth, and bid us seek the place he occupies, then by some stratagem and strong remonstrances, and showing him our earnestness of purpose, we will break down his resolution, and thus assuage your kingly sorrow.”

The king, with joy, replied and said:  “Would that you both would go in haste, as swiftly as the Saketa bird flies through the void for her young’s sake; thinking of nought but the royal prince, and sad at heart—­I shall await your search!”