विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

. 176 never forget. You seem to have great influence with his majesty : use it now in my behalf. All I want is nine days for completing my vow. I also desire that his majesty will be pleased to order the necessary preparations for the occasion, and direct the chief priest of his household to prepare for the vrut, in accordance with our law. Lose no time, good mother, but go quickly and submit my requests to his majesty, and intercede for me.' The deluded Sham- bae returned to the king, and communicated to him all that Moheeny had said ; at the same time she besought him to have patience, and to grant Moheeny's request ; adding that there was no fear of her escaping, as she was strictly confined within his palace, and carefully watched. The king unwillingly consented, and retired to sleep. Next morning he directed a temporary shed to be erected, beau- tifully and richly ornamented, and, having summoned the priests and worshipped the deity, as was the custom, the brahmins and other devout persons were sumptuously feasted for the space of nine days. On the ninth day, towards the close of the ceremony, Moheeny, according to the direction of the chief priest, worshipped the deity, and then, clasping her hands together, she addressed it thus :—‘ O goddess ! I know thee to be the principal maker of the universe ; the hermits and sages are perpetually thinking of thee ; Brahma* is unable to recount thy invisible power ! How then can I, with my profane tongue, praise thee as I ought ? People born blind are restored to sight if thou but lookest on them ; the lame are made to walk, the idiot restored to sense, and the dumb made to speak ! Thy compassion is great beyond measure ! If thou pleasest thou canst imme- diately change pebbles into precious stones ; therefore the devotees engage in the profoundest and most abstract contemplation of thee. Hermits are absorbed in the medita- tion of thy goodness ; the pious and learned are continually

• The first of the Hindoo Triad, or the form of the deity as crea- tor of the universe.