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30
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA.
1, 37.
me. I will break all those puzzles up and solve them. You may go fearlessly to Sâgala.'
'Then all the Elders went to the city of Sagala, lighting it up with their yellow robes like lamps, and bringing down upon it the breezes from the heights where the sages dwell".
237. At that time the venerable Å yupâla was living at the Sankheyya hermitage.. And king Milinda said to his counsellors: 'Beautiful is the night and pleasant! Who is the wandering teacher or Brahman we can visit to night to question him who will be able to converse with us and to resolve our doubts?'
And the five hundred Yonakas replied : 'There is the Elder, Lord, named Âyupala, versed in the three baskets, and in all the traditional lore. He is living now at the Sankheyya hermitage. To him you might go, O king, and put your questions to him.'
Very well, then. Let the venerable one be informed that we are coming
1 Isi-vâtam parivâtam (nagaram) akamsu. The meaning of this phrase, which has not been found elsewhere, is doubtful. Trenckner renders 'making it respire the odour of saints.' The literal translation would be making it blown round about by Rishi-wind.' Perhaps it may be meant to convey the idea of 'scented with the sweet breath of the wise.' But in any case the connotation is intended to be a pleasant one. Calling to mind the analogous phrase viganavâtam ârâmam, a hermitage with breezes from the desert.' (Mahavagga I, 22, 17=Kullavagga VI, 4, 8.) I venture to suggest the rendering adopted above. Hînafikumburê (p. 24) has Rishiwarayange gamanâgamanayem ganita wa kivara wata yem pratiwataya kala hu ya. "They set its air in commotion produced by the waving of the robes of the coming and going Rishis.'
* We here take up the original episode of Milinda as interrupted at $ 15 (or if there is an interpolation at $ 10).
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