The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c17.s1.135

v2.c17.s1.135

On the forenoon of the third day after visiting Bhuvaneśvara, the king arrived at Puri, and pitched his camp on its south-eastern side, near the temple of Vilveśvara. The place was well wooded, and afforded ample accommodation to the royal **[103]** retinue. Leaving his people there to refresh themselves after their long and tedious march, the king took Nārada and Vidyāpati in his chariot, and proceeded at once to the Blue Hill to gratify his long-cherished desire of beholdind with his carnal eyes the Divinity face to face. But he was doomed to disappointment. In the way many inauspicious signs attracted his notice. His left eye began to twitch and quiver, and his left hand to throb and tremble. He knew well what these twitchings and throbbings prognosticated, and so felt greatly distressed. Nārada thereupon told him that on the evening of the day following that on which Vidyāpati had beheld the divine image, it had sunk under the golden sand of the sea, and departed to the region of Pātāla. so there was no image now to see ; but there was no occasion for despondency. Obstacles and impediments were frequent attendants on happiness, but to the fortunate and the manly, happiness always succeeds impediments. The news fell like a thunder-bolt on the king, and he immediately fainted away. When revived by great exertion on the part of his people, he gave vent to his feelings in the most piteous language, and ended by proclaiming that he would put a period to his existence on the sea-shore by absolute fast, and that Nārada and his retinue should go back to Mālava, and there install the Crown Prince on the throne with instructions to rule justly, paternally, and with the sole object of benefitting the people. Nārada, however, consoled him by assuring him that, though it was not given to man with his carnal eyes to behold the Divinity, it was possible for the king to establish images which would ensure to mankind the same blessing; that it had been predestined that the Rājā would be instrumental in establishing such images; and that it was for him to perform there and then a thousand horse-sacrifices which would prepare the way for the fulfilment of his destiny.