Page:A Collection of Esoteric Writings.djvu/214

200 the trouble to record such unnecessary details and trifling events.

When we approached expected answers, the old book was opened and the verses therein found were read. The first question related to the Theosophical Society. But unfortunately the astrologer was unable to understand the meaning of the expression. As might be expected under such circumstances, he was not very eager to give lucid explanations and comment upon the text as he did when dealing with the articles brought and the dancing in Vykuntham, in spite of my request that he should proceed with text and not waste his time on such trivial things. The text was the most ridiculous rigmarole that I ever heard. Each verse contained three or four contradictory verbs of various meanings and a number of other words which seemed to refer to a puzzling variety of subjects. Their combination conveyed no meaning whatever and might be made to mean anything and everything, provided the interpreter was allowed to have his own way in the matter. But how could the astrologer interpret it in a manner that would connect his explanation with the question when he was unable to understand the question, though we allowed him a Sanskrit dictionary and grammar of his own choise? He tried his best to catch any remark that we might make and proceeded in a very cautions and guarded manner. I requested my friend, therefore, in English, not to make any remark which would, in the slightest degree, help him. The result, as might be anticipated under such circumstances, was a ridiculous failure. For a few more minutes the astrologer went on reading, now and then catching a word and looking at our faces to see if we would be foolish enough to suggest a meaning and soon dropping his eyes when his expectations were disappointed. I may notice in this connection an interesting incident that occurred. In one of the verses my friend noticed the phrase "Mayasakti" and expecting to find something in it, asked the astrologer what it meant. He interpreted it in the usual manner, but my friend said that it had no connection with his question. The clever astrologer then said