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CH. XVni. GOVINDA. 127
me heartache ;
I was pondering how to reclaim him, when you,
Sire, fulfilled my heart's wish by circumventing the poor heretic,
by preaching to him the True Faith, pointing out to him the
dangers of the path lie had stra3'ed into and otherwise convincing
him of the Truths of our Religion : and thus by destroying
the perverse notions he had formed in his wandering
mind, restored him to our holy fold. What better achievement
can be effected than this ? Permit me to ask yet
another favour of you, Sire,— -can you part with him, and let
mehavehim?" Without a moment's thought, " come, Govinda,"
called Pur na, "thou art from this moment, RamsLnuja's own.
I make a free gift of thee to him. Go with him and be to
him, I command, all that thou hast been to me. Nothing less
will please me."
Govinda said not a word, but followed Rd.m£lnuja, after
pro.strating himself before his Guru. They all now left Tirupati,
and visited on their way home the Holy Places of GhatikS.-
chalani,
Tiru-p-putkuzhi—where the holy well Gridhra Saras
and other holy waters are situate—, and Tiruvehka, and in
due course reached Kanchi, whereto he was welcomed as usual
by Sage Kafichi-purna.
Govinda was found to gi-ow cheerless, and was day by day
losing health. Ramanaja was watching him decline ; and
divining that separation from his beloved Acharya must be
gnawing at his heart, producing all the outward symptoms of
grief, he thought it prudent io send him back to Tirupati.
he bade him depart, giving him two Srivaishnavas as escorts to
see him safe to his destination. Govinda reached Tirupati,
and stood outside his Acharya's house, in mute devotion. The
attendants entering informed Srisaila of the return of his old
disciple,—who was standing :— at the door. Purna was displeased
and indignantly cried " Let the mad fellow depart. He
ought not to cross my threshold." Piirna's wife watched tliis
and interposing begged her husband that one wtio had come
so far and hungry and tired, should not be so summarily dismissed,
but that he might be permitted to have rest and food
" No," gruffly said tlie husband, " no such considei-ation can
So,