END OF THE STORY OF THE VETÁLA DEMON.
Arguments:--After part of Vetála's tale and Preamble to the tale of
Bhagíratha.
Vasishtha resumed:--After hearing these words from the mouth of the
prince, the vetála held his peace and quiet, and remained reflecting on
them in his mind, which was capable of reasoning.
2. Being then quite calm in his mind, he reflected on the pure
doctrines of the prince; and being quite absorbed in his fixed
meditation, he forgot at once his hunger and thirst.
3. I have thus related to you, Ráma, about the questions of the vetála,
and the manner in which these worlds are situated in the atom of the
intellect and no where else.
4. The world residing in the cell of the atomic intellect, ceases to
subsist by itself upon right reasoning; so the body of a ghost exists
in the fancy of boys only, and there remains nothing at last except the
everlasting one.
5. Curb and contract thy thought and heart from every thing, and
enclose thy inward soul in itself; do what thou hast to do at any time,
without desiring or attempting any thing of thy own will, and thus have
the peace of thy mind.
6. Employ your mind, O silent sage! to keep itself as clean as the
clear firmament, remain in one even and peaceful tenor of thy soul,
and view all things in one and the same light (of tolerance and
catholicism).
7. A steady and dauntless mind with its promptness in action, is
successful in most arduous undertakings, as was the prince Bhagíratha
with his unsevering perseverance.
8. It was by his perfectly peaceful and contended mind, and by the
lasting felicity of the equanimity of his soul, that this prince
succeeded to bring down the heavenly Ganges on earth, and the princes
of Sagar's line were enabled to perform the arduous task of digging
the bay of Bengal. (Where they were buried alive by curse of the sage
Kapila, for disturbing his silent meditations).