________________
Nov. 1, 1872.]
S'RAVANA SATURDAYS.
343
The commentary on this runs as follows:
At the end of each chapter the concluding TT:44:
17 : CISTE : words of the author are as follows:-- kryera WIF: I traurà : apergeret af: 1
rain-herceraian trafia a कल संख्याने कल्क: सृ गतौ किच सूकः । वृज वरेण वृकः।
मितायो महाकविकालिदासकृतनानार्थशब्दरत्न को शरबीपि Fra : TT TITOT 275* | 99 5 :
| कायां तरलाख्यायां प्रथम (द्वितीयं or तृतीय) निबंधनं० शुभ शोभाथें भकारलोपः । अगणवं च शुक: । वल संवरणे There is not much merit in the commentary; * ETTIR TAITET FITreof IT a : 1
it simply gives the root of every word and quotes
the Unådisútra in a mutilated form. If Put a *: 1 76 AT*: a artura :
Nichulayogîndra, the friend of Kalidasa, was मह पूजायामर्कः ॥
a sage under Bhoja he should be mentioned In the Unâdisútra, 3rd chap. we have the fol- in the Bhoja Charitra, but he is not, nor do lowing:
we hear anything of him from other sources. TIHTIKT:: 1 ENTITATS TRT The internal evidence however is not strong ar : T HI: 7
against their being the works of Kalidasa and In the order of these sûtras, he has taken
Nichulayogindra respectively. The subject re
quires more investigation. There was another 5*, , , Tral, a , e, , , ,
Kalidasa, viz., the author of the Bhagarata OT56, 57, T , 4, 377, (the last three being
Champu. He calls himself Abhinava Kalidasa nipâtas or words irregularly formed from the
(the new Kalidasa) and thus distinguishes himroots 317, TE, ), 57, 5, 7, 9, TF, self from his illustrious namesake; some of the 3** *.
works mentioned above may be his.
ŚRÁVANA SATURDAYS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
BY V. N. NARASIMMIYENGAR, MAISUR.
Few Europeans in India are aware that one of and riches and prosperity ensured by the observance the most ludicrous vows made in honour of Sri- of this superstitious rite. niv&sa Svami of Tirupati consists of an eleemo- | It does not appear that this custom is supported aynary excursion on Saturdays in the month of by any Purânic authority. I do not know whether Sravana (August-September). People, especially the Tirupati Sthala Purana enjoins it. But even young lads, who do not ordinarily wear the three tradition fails to explain its origin or rationale. It marks affected by the followers of Ramanujachâ-| is followed exclusively by those families whose rya put on those emblems of Vaishnavism on these tutelary god is the Tirupati Ventaramanasauni. days, and adorning themselves with laced and silk
They imagine that they become the Dasas or clothes, go from house to house begging alms, and servitors of that deity on the particular Saturdays exclaiming "Sri Venkate-S'Aya Mangalam." At alluded to, which are always sacred to his worship. cach door, they receive a handful of raw rice, the ag- and when feasts are frequently given to Brahmans gregate of which they give away in alms, or lay apart in his honour. Although it is very difficult to discovfor the purpose of giving a feast to the Brahmans er the cause of this peculiar observance, it would in honour of the god they specially adore. It is not be very hazardous to trace it to the sordid inmaterial whether the observers of this vow are character of the god Srinivasa Svêni. lix legenrich or poor, beg they must, and that too in an ignol dary origin, his insatiable greed, and the heartley minous manner. It is firmly believed by them that manner in which his Ines, even to one's locket the non-observance of this vow is sure to excite the hair, nre exacted, all tend to serve the same primary wrath of the angry god, while on the other hand object of squeezing as much as possible frorn his chronic fevers and other distempers are got rid of, deluded worshippers and fear-inspired victims.
• The manuscript from which the above passage has been quoted is so full of mistakes that any attempt at translating or explaining it is entirely useless. Nor do we require
translation or explanation. The quotation serves our purpose so far as it shows the manner in which the author bas handled his subject.
