Now the surface of Earth being shaken, Sumeru, the lord of mountains, radiant with the lustre of its manifold gems, began to waver. _S_akra, the Lord of the Devas, inquiring into the cause of the earthquake, was informed of it by the regents of the world-quarters, who, with eyes expanding with amazement, told him that it had been caused by Vi_s_vantara giving away his children. Excited with joy and surprise, next day at day-break he went into the presence of Vi_s_vantara, feigning to be a Brâhman come to him as a mendicant. The Bodhisattva showed him the hospitality due to a guest, after which he asked him to bring forth his request. Then _S_akra begged him for his wife. 92. 'The practice of almsgiving in virtuous persons,' he said, 'comes as little to its end as the water in great lakes dries up. For this reason I ask thee for that woman there who is looking like a deity. Her, thy wife, give to me, I pray thee.' The Bodhisattva did not lose his firmness of mind, however, and made the promise of giving her. 93. Then taking Madrî with his left hand and the waterpot with his right, he poured down water on the hand of the Brâhman, but fire of grief on the mind of the Love-god[93]. [93] This means not so much that the Indian Amor was afflicted on account of the offence against conjugal love, as the defeat of Mâra, the Indian Satan. To conquer the senses and sensuality is to vanquish Mâra, who is the same as Kâma. 94. No anger arose in Madrî's breast, nor did she weep, for she knew her husband's nature. Only keeping her eyes fixed on him, she stood like an image, stupefied by the excessive heaviness of that fresh burden of suffering. On beholding this, _S_akra, the Lord of the Devas, affected with the utmost admiration, magnified the Great Being. 95. 'Oh! the wide distance which is between the conduct of the righteous and that of the impious! How will those who have not purified their hearts be even capable of believing this great performance? 96. 'To cherish an affectionate wife and much-beloved children, and yet to give them up, obeying the self-imposed vow of detachment--is it possible to conceive any loftiness like this? 97. 'When thy glory will be spread throughout the world by the tales of those who are enthusiastic about thy virtues, the brilliant reputations of others will disappear in thine, beyond doubt, just as the other luminaries dissolve in the splendour of the sunlight. 98. 'Even now this superhuman fact of thine is praisingly approved by the Yakshas, the Gandharvas, the snakes, and by the Devas, Vâsava[94] included.' [94] Vâsava is another name of _S_akra. After so speaking, _S_akra reassumed his own brilliant figure and made himself known to the Bodhisattva. Which being done, he said: 99. 'To thee I now give back Madrî, thy wife. Where else should moonshine stay but with the moon?