he saw some delicious fruits lying on the sand. He got up as best he could and stretched his hand forward to reach them. But lo! when nearly in his grasp they vanished and at the same time the ground began to sink under his feet, and he was like to be in water again. Just then his tormentress again appeared in the air and asked him to yield, but all to no effect.
The Apsara couple who were Padmá's friends were in sympathy with her wishes, and formed a plan to help her. It was this: that one of them should subject himself to re-birth as Chánd's son and that the other should be born as the daughter of a Saodágar of Ujáninagar, Sáha Beniah by name; that they should both grow up and be united in marriage, and thus one being the only son of Chánd whilst the other would be his dear daughter-in-law, they would secure very great influence over him which could be used for the sole purpose of bringing him round to the worship of Padmá. Accordingly, five or six months after Chánd had set sail from home, to him was born a son who was named Lakhindar; and to Sáha was born some time later a daughter to whom the poetical name of Behulá was given. It is needless to say that Lakhindar was to Chánd, who after many further trials and privations had at last reached home, "dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty."
Now when Lakhindar came of age, he chose Behulá to be his wife, and they arranged to be married. It must be borne in mind that the Apsara couple, in their present re-birth as Lakhindar and Behulá, retained no consciousness of their former state; and it was only by virtue of their divinity, that they felt a strong desire
