ei mahārāja - this Rāmānanda Rāya, who is the Governor; mahā-paṇḍita - a very learned person; gambhīra - grave; sannyāsīra sparśe - by touching a sannyāsī; matta - mad; ha-ilā - became; asthira - restless.

They thought, “This Rāmānanda Rāya is the Governor of Madras, a highly learned and grave person, a mahā-paṇḍita, but upon touching this sannyāsī he has become restless like a madman.”