Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 49.djvu/32

12 like the son of Agni (Skanda) seated on Devi's side, he stood with the tears hanging on the ends of his eyelashes, and sighing he looked up towards heaven.

67. But seeing Asita with his eyes thus filled with tears, the king was agitated through his love for his son, and with his hands clasped and his body bowed he thus asked him in a broken voice choked with weeping,

68. 'One whose beauty has little to distinguish it from that of a divine sage, and whose brilliant birth has been so wonderful, and for whom thou hast prophesied a transcendent future,—wherefore, on seeing him, do tears come to thee, O reverend one ?

69. 'Is the prince, O holy man, destined to a long life ? Surely he cannot be born for my sorrow. I have with difficulty obtained a handful of water, surely it is not death which comes to drink it.

70. 'Tell me, is the hoard of my fame free from destruction ? Is this chief prize of my family secure ? Shall I ever depart happily to another life,—I who keep one eye ever awake, even when my son is asleep ?

71. 'Surely this young shoot of my family is not born barren, destined only to wither! Speak quickly, my lord, I cannot wait; thou well knowest the love of near kindred for a son.'

72. Knowing the king to be thus agitated through his fear of some impending evil, the sage thus