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Śuabhadra said:- " O good man ! Do you think, you will be able to accomplish your work simply by sitting idly at home! Cobhadra replied :-" Then, what is improper! Prepare some food for my journey, so that I may go tomorrow." Subhadra prepared food for his journey and on the next day, he departed for Vāņārasi. On his way, Gobhadra met a man possessed of supernatural powers; whose bodily constitution was strong; who had worn a pair of clothes; who appeared lovely by the lustre of his body although he had not put on any ornaments; whose excellent qualities can be deciphered only by his external form; who had put on pair of sandals, and who was sportively walking fearlessly like Kāmdéva (the God of Love) without Rati (his wife ) As soon as Gobhadra was looking at him with curiosity, the Siddha-purus'a sald "O Gobhadra ! did you come comfortably? Do you, now, intend going to Vaņārasi.” On hearing this, Gobhadra astonishingly thought." Oh! how does he know me although he had not seen ne and not heard of me. Or, how can he know the talk about my depature done in private with my wife ? However, by all mean18 he is not an ordinary man. He who knows this much is expected to know even much more, 60 let me serve him as if he were a god In due course of time, my work will be surely accomplished, only through him". With this idea in his mind Gobhadra, bowing with an anjali in front of his forehead, said 'O Worthy Maut Yes ! you have very correctly guessed so. The Siddhapurusa said "O good man! then, let us go together. Gobbadra accepting his offer, went along with him. Ac meal-time, Gobhadra said, “ O worthy man! let us go into the -village, and make preparations for our food. Now it is nearly meal time. The Siddha-putuşa replied, O good man ! What shall we do in the village ! Let us walk 20. It is only one prahara. The rays of the Sun are not warm as yet, let us move on a little further. Gobhadra said " Chen let it be so'. Both of them walked further and ai mid-day, they reached a forest (ull of numerous trees. There they saw a small lake, filled with perfectly pure water, with its banks grazed by swans rendered yellow by the pollen of lotus, white latuses, and oleander flowers. Both had their bach. Gobhadra,
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