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Am I not a Mighty Emperor
Pusya was the greatest astrologer of the day I His predictions were marvellous People from remote places called on him for consultation He was conscious of his lasting fame Once he happened to loiter along the bank of the Ganges There he observed the fresh imprint of certain feet He was struck by the astrological marks
Who could be the owner of these rare feet?' He repeatedly said to himself 'Whosoever he be, he cannot be an ordinary being He cannot be a common monarch These are the marks of an emperor who rules a vast empire If he is an emperor how be it that his retinue is singularly absent as far as the foot-prints disclose? Is it a hallucination?' He could not reconcile himself with the situation
He settled near the imprints to study them minutely He inferred that it was no hallucination He argued with himself If the science be correct and I have learnt as a sincere pupil the man ought to be a great emperor If it be otherwise, astrology is no science I would condemn the books to the waves of the Ganges and pronounce that my master taught me a pseudo-science
Following the foot-prints he came to the vicinity of Sthunak He found a sadhu meditating in his standing posture Evidently the imprints were caused by this monk He stood before him watching the figure He cast a meaningful glance
1
Second year of the pursuit at Thunak
