"Thus divine persons become incarnate for some reason, and are born in this world of men, and possessing their native virtue and courage, attain successes which it is hard to win. So I am persuaded that you, O sea of courage, are some portion of a divinity, and will attain success as you desire; daring in achievements hard to accomplish even by the great, generally indicates a surpassingly excellent nature. Moreover the princess Kanakarekhá, whom you love, must surely be a heavenly being, otherwise being a mere child how could she desire a husband that has seen the Golden City?" Having heard in secret this long and interesting story from Vishnudatta, Saktideva desiring in his heart to behold the Golden City, and supporting himself with resolute patience, managed to get through the night. CHAPTER XXVI. The next morning, while Saktideva was dwelling in the monastery in the island of Utsthala, Satyavrata, the king of the fishermen, came to him, and said to him in accordance with the promise which he had made before, "Bráhman, I have thought of a device for accomplishing your wish; there is a fair isle in the middle of the sea named Ratnakúta, and in it there is a temple of the adorable Vishnu founded by the Ocean, and on the twelfth day of the white fortnight of Áshádha there is a festival there with a procession, and people come there diligently from all the islands to offer worship. It is possible that some one there might know about the Golden City, so come let us go there, for that day is near." When Satyavrata made this proposal, Saktideva consented gladly, and took with him the provisions for the journey furnished by Vishnudatta. Then he went on board the ship brought by Satyavrata, and quickly set out with him on the ocean-path, and as he was going with Satyavrata on the home of marvels [412] in which the monsters resembled islands, he asked the king, who was steering the ship, "What is this enormous object which is seen in the sea far off in this direction, looking like a huge mountain equipped with wings rising at will out of the sea?" Then Satyavrata said: "Bráhman, this is a banyan-tree, [413] underneath it they say that there is a gigantic whirlpool, the mouth of the submarine fire. And we must take care in passing this way to avoid that spot, for those who once enter that whirlpool never return again." While Satyavrata was thus speaking, the ship began to be carried in that very direction by the force of the wind; [414] when Satyavrata saw this, he again said to Saktideva: "Bráhman, it is clear that the time of our destruction has now arrived, for see, this ship suddenly drifts [415] in that direction. And now I cannot anyhow prevent it, so we are certain to be cast into that deep whirlpool, as into the mouth of death, by the sea which draws us on as if it were mighty fate, the result of our deeds. And it grieves me not for myself, for whose body is continuing? But it grieves me to think that your desire has not been