Page:Biographical Sketches of Dekkan Poets.djvu/130

mit of the Himalaya mountain, and as it was impossible to proceed there by human means, he was anxious by some supernatural process to effect his wish, he in consequence stopt every ascetic and traveller, that he saw journeying thither, that he might obtain from them the secret, by which they were able to surmount all difficulties, and attain the top of the mountain—he was in the habits of inviting these people to his house, and courteously to entertain them in hopes to obtain from them the secret. One day, a devotee came to his dwelling, and as his manner was more than usually complaisant, the bramin strenuously beseeched him to furnish him with the means of proceeding to the top of the Himalaya mountain, the devotee yielded to his request, and furnished him with the juice of a plant, which he rubbed on his feet, and desired him to fly away, repeating the name of the goddess. Pravarakhya at once flew away to the top of Himalaya mountain, without thinking to ask, how he should return again to his dwelling: when the juice on his feet was dried up, Pravarakhya lost the power of flying, and wandered