Meanwhile those men, following the way pointed out to them, had reached the lake; and after refreshing themselves and recovering from heat, thirst, and fatigue, going on as the High-minded One had instructed them, they saw at no great distance from that place the body of an elephant that had died not long before. And they reflected: 'What a strong likeness this elephant has to that chief of elephants! 31. 'Is he perhaps a brother to that mighty being, or some kinsman of his, or one of his sons? In fact, it is the self-same beautiful figure equalling a snow-peak that we behold in this body, even though it be crushed. 32. 'It looks like a condensation of the lustre of many groups of waterlilies, like the concrete form of moonshine, or rather like His image, reflected in a mirror.' But some among them who had a keener judgment of the matter began to reflect thus: 'As far as we see, this animal, whose surpassing beauty rivals the elephants of the world-quarters, is that very elephant, indeed, who has thrown himself from this plateau, in order that He might save us from distress who are without relations and friends.' (And having understood so, they said:) 33. 'That noise we heard, as of a whirlwind, as of an earthquake, was caused by His fall, to be sure. 34. 'This body, in truth, is His. It has the same yellowish-white hue of a lotus-root, and is covered with similar hairs as white as moonbeams and adorned with fine spots. These are the same tortoise-like feet with white nails. And this is the same backbone gracefully curved in the guise of a bow. 35. 'Also this is the same face long and full, embellished by the furrows of his wind-perfuming juice. And this is the same head, tall, auspicious, never touched by a driver's goad, standing on a strong neck. 36. 'This is the same couple of tusks of a honey-colour; they boastingly bear the token (of his glory), being covered with the red dust of the mountain-slope. And this is that trunk with long, finger-like tip, wherewith He showed us this way. 'Oh! This is, in truth, a wonder of surpassing strangeness! 37. 'Ah! So great a friendship has He shown to us, without first inquiring into our family, our conduct and faith, to us broken by misfortunes and never heard of by Him before! How great must His goodness be for His friends and relations! 'In every way veneration be to Him, that Illustrious One! 38. 'Assisting the likes of us, distressed people, overcome with fear and sorrow and desponding, He, bearing the shape of an elephant, holds up, as it were, the sinking behaviour of the pious[217]. [217] I have not adopted the ingenious conjecture of Professor Kern, sishatsatâm, as I now think the text of the MSS. gives a good sense, if but the complex of aksharas sîdatsatâm is divided into two words. Accordingly I read sîdat satâm udvahatîva v_ri_ttam.