Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/462

 Starts for Ciaya. Meets I¢vara Puri. 426 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap. | Nimai started for Gaya ; his companions were gay, but he was sad. An emotion passed over him which brought tears to his eyes and he yearned for better company. Near Kumar Hatta he halted, and wanted to have a sight of I¢vara Puri, the saint whom he had so often ridiculed. As he came to Kumar Hatta, he said, “It is heaven to me—this ’ native land of I¢vara Puri.’’ The saint was dining when Nimai arrived at his place. He partook of the food which the veteran Vaisnava was taking and wept for joy; he said, ‘““‘Dearer than my own soul,—than anything that I possess, than my life itself, you are to me, O venerable sir, for you are a true servant of God.” As _ he said this, tears began to flow from both his eyes, and he clasped the feet of I¢vara Puri. The old man appeared as a god to him and he said again and again, ‘Blessed am [ that I have seen such a , holy man.” Indeed I¢vara Puri’s devotion to God was such that he was admittedly the head of the Vaisnava community at that time. Nimai set out for Gaya; his life, his conversa- tion and ways became altogether changed. He would speak but few words, and left Kumar Hatta as inatrance. While leaving, he took a handful of dust from the place and tied it in a corner of his cloth and said, ‘This isthe dust of the place where Ievara Purl was born. It is sacred,—it is dearer to me than all that I have, nay than life itself.” He stood there absorbed in a reverie and seemed to see nothing around, Indeed a higher life was calling him. The portals of heaven seemed to open before him. His companions thought that there was something i