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Gil. XIX. GOVINDA'S CHARACTER. 131
aucl wife together in a bed-room and went their way. Left
alone with his wife, he began a discour.se on theology and
theosophy, and all the night through preached to her, God and
Hi.s Glories, His Riches and His Wonders, His Blissful Presence
in the heart and His Love to His Creatures, and so on
himself, as he preached, revelling in the rapturous enjoyment of
God. It was now morning, and relatives came to offer congratulations
on the happy state of the couple. But the mother wa.i
aware, by overhearing, what had all
niglit transpired within
doors. " How is it, son," remonstrated the mother, " 3-ou seem
to have been engaged oth.erwise with your wife. We could hear
a regular religious sermon in a nuptial chamber " "
! Mother,"
replied Govinda, " when God is in my heart, and is everywhei e
present, and ever watching me, how can I escape from Him,
and feel lonely enough to be able to do any other work than
that of His contemplation, and praise ? With no solitude, no
secret act is possible ; with no darkness, no dark act is possible."
This interview between son and mother was reported to BSimdinuja.
" Govinda," he said, calling him to his side, " so, thou
hast passed the greatest or deal which can be put upon a pure
soul like thee. TIiou canst never be a worldiug, seeing how
thou hatest things of that sort. But, come, Ssbstras require
every man to belong to some one definite Order ^ ; and a.s thou
canst not be a householder, be of the Order of the SannySrsin.
This was exEictly the wish of Govinda, and he begged that he
be so ordained at once. It was done, and Ratmanuja conferred
upon him his own name of Ernberumdndr. " That, noble Sire,"
said Govinda, " is too great an honor to put upon an humble
creature like me. Bless me with a name which a shadow like
me deserves. " Then", gracefully said lUmanuja, "let it be
Emhdr, the shadow (or abbreviated form) of Emb{erumdn)dr."
^ lYati-dharma-sama-ccliaya.]
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