After the princesses’ chariot disappeared from sight, the astrologer led Vandiyathevan into his house. Seating himself upon his customary dais, he glanced all around and bade the young man to sit as well. He studied Vandiyathevan up and down.

“Young man! Who are you? Where have you come from?” he asked. Vandiyathevan laughed.

“What’s so funny, my boy?”

“Nothing. It’s just that such a renowned astrologer as yourself is asking me questions. Can’t you find out who I am, and why I have come to you, by looking into your astrology?”

“Oh-ho! Is that so? I can, of course. But I was just wondering—if I read my own fortune, who will pay me my fee?”

Vandiyathevan smiled and then asked, “Astrologer! The people who just came here and left—who are they?”

“Oh! Them? I know whom you are asking about. I know, young man, I know! When you dragged my disciple inside, they were here, weren’t they? You’re asking about them, aren’t you? The ones who climbed into the chariot and drove off, raising a cloud of dust behind them—those are the ones, right?” said the Kudanthai astrologer, circling around the question.

“Yes, yes! I am asking about them…”

“Listen well. Who said you shouldn’t ask? Both of them are women!”

“That much I already figured out, astrologer! I am not blind. I can tell the difference between men and women. Even if a man were disguised as a woman, I would know.”

“Then what are you asking for?..”

“If they are women, who are they, and of what type…”

“Oh-ho! Is that what you want to know? Among women, there are four types: Padmini, Chithini, Gandharvi, and Vidyadhari. It seems you have some training in the science of physiognomy. Of those four types, these two belong to the Padmini and Gandharvi types…” “Those who are united.”

“Heavens!…”

“Why, my friend?”

“When I call upon God, you ask ‘Why?’”

“What’s so strange in that? Haven’t you heard that God is omnipresent? It seems you haven’t had much company with the wise! The God who dwells within me is the same as the one within you. The God who resides within that disciple of mine whom you dragged in here is also the same…”

“Enough, enough, please stop.”

“It was God who made me speak all this while; now it is God who tells me to stop!”

“Jyotidar! Just now, those women who left—who are they, from which town, what clan, what names? If you answer directly without evasion…”

“If I do, what will you give me in return, my friend?”

“I will offer you my salutations.”

“Keep your salutations to yourself. If you are willing to give me a gold offering, then speak!”

“If I give you gold, will you surely tell me?”

“I will tell you—if it is something I am allowed to tell! Listen, young man. Many people come and go at the astrologer’s house. One must not speak of one person to another. I will not tell you about those who just left. Likewise, if someone asks me about you, I will not utter a single word about you to them.”

“Aha! Then what Alwarkadiyan Nambi said about you is entirely true.”

“Alwarkadiyan? Who is he, such a person?”

“You don’t know him? He spoke as if he knew you very well! Haven’t you heard the name Alwarkadiyan Nambi?”

“Perhaps I know the man; the name doesn’t come to mind. Give me some description, let’s see!”

“He will be thin as a stick and short as a stump, with a tuft of hair tied at the front. He’ll have his veshti tightly wound around his youthful waist. He’ll smear his entire body, from toe to crown, with sandalwood paste mixed to a thick paste. If he sees Shaivites, he’ll pick a quarrel. If he meets Advaitins, he’ll raise his staff, ready for a fight. Just now, you said, ‘You are God, I am God’—if Azhwarkkadiyan had heard that, he would have cried, ‘God is striking God!’ and come at you with his staff…”

“Brother! From all that you’re saying, it sounds as if you’re talking about Thirumalaiyappan…”

“Does he have so many different names?”

“That fierce Vaishnavite gives himself a new name in every town.”

“And he dons a different disguise to match each person!”

“Ah! He even changes his attire to suit the occasion.”

“Is there perhaps some exaggeration or falsehood in what you say?”

“Three and a half parts out of four are exaggeration and lies; perhaps half a part is truth.”

“Then you mean he’s a very wicked man?”

“I wouldn’t say that either. He’s good to the good; wicked to the wicked.”

“You can’t trust anything he says.”

“Whether you trust him or not depends on what he says…”

“For example, he told me that if I came to you for an astrological reading, you would give me a favorable answer…”

“I told you, there’s half a part of truth in what he says—your example falls into that half.”

“In that case, tell me some astrology, some omen or prediction; it’s getting late, I must be going, sir!”

“Where do you have to rush off to in such a hurry, young man?”

“Can’t you look into your astrology and tell me that too? Where should I go, where should I not go, and if I go, will my task succeed? That’s what I came to ask you about.”

“For astrology and divination, there must be some basis, my dear fellow! A horoscope is needed; if not a horoscope, at least the date and star of birth must be known; if even that is unknown, at the very least, your village and your name must be told.”

“My name is Vandiyathevan!”

“Aha! Are you of the Vanar clan?”

“Yes.”

“Are you Vallavaraiyan Vandiyathevan?”

“The very same, in the flesh.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier, brother? You should have mentioned it at once! Why, I even have your horoscope with me! If I search