41. The king saw the horse brought before him as a figure drawn in painting, and gazed upon him with his fixed eyes and without closing his eye-lids, as he was himself turned to a painting. (A gift horse is looked in his gait, and not in his mouth). 42. Having looked upon him for a long time, he mounted on his back, and sat still with his closed eye-lids, as the sage Agastya was confounded at the sight of the sea and its rocks. 43. He continued for a couple of hours as if he was drowned in his meditation, and as insensible saints remain in the enjoyment of their internal and spiritual stupor. 44. He remained as spell-bound and overpowered by his own might, and could not be roused from his stupefaction by any body, but was absorbed in some thoughts of his own mind. 45. The flapping chouries ceased to wave about his person, and the holders of the flappers remained as still as the moon beams at night. 46. The Courtiers remained motionless at seeing his quiescence, as when the filaments of the lotus, remain unmoved, by their being besmeared in the mud. 47. The noise of the people in the Courtyard, was all hushed and quiet; as the roaring of the clouds is stopped at the end of the rains. 48. The ministers were drowned in their thoughtfulness and doubts at the state of their king, as the host of the gods were filled with anxiety on seeing the club bearing Vishnu fighting with the demons. 49. The people were struck with terror and dismay, at seeing this apoplexy of their prince who remained with his closed eyes, like closed lotuses shorn of their beauty. CHAPTER CV. THE BREAKING OF THE MAGIC SPELL. Argument. Inquiry of the courtiers into the cause of the king’s apoplexy, and his answer thereto. Vasishtha continued:—After a couple of hours the king returned to his senses, like the lotus flower resuming its beauty, after the mists of the rainy weather are over. 2. He shook his body decorated with ornaments upon his seat; as a mountain shakes with its peaks and woods at an earthquake. 3. His seat also shook under him as he came to his sense and moved his body, just as the seat of Siva on the Kailása mountain, is shaken by the movement of the infernal elephant. 4. As he was about to fall down from the horseback, he was held up by and supported upon the arms of his attendants; as the mount Meru is kept from falling, by the hills at its feet and sides. 5. The attendants bore the prince, in the deranged state of his mind upon their arms; as the still waters of the sea bear the figure of the moon that is disturbed by the waves. 6. The king asked them softly saying, what place was it and whose court it was; as the bee shut up in the flower cup of the lotus, asked it when it is about to sink in the water saying:—Ah! where am I, and where am I going?