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354
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1375.
The boon asked for by the waters was grant- only holy place in the three worlds, from time ed them by the deity, and hence the names immemorial, in which there lives the deity Sri Pravarâ, or the river of very sweet water; Ma hâlay à (Mohiniraja), the preserver of lives Pâphara, the river washing away sins; and in the universe, and in which there is a ruler of Vará, the river of healthy water."
the earth (by name) Ramachandra, who This story, though mythological, serves well is an ornament to the Yadava race, the abode of to explain the origin of the names of New â sa, all arts, and the supporter of justice. There the and those of the river Pra vara. It need not Gita was dressed in Marathi by D nya nanow be told that Newasa is a corruption of deva, a descendant of the family of Mahesa, Nidhiwa s a, the ancient name of the place. It and the son of Nivritti Nath." was first changed to Niwasa, in which form it At the distance of about a quarter of a mile occurs in Dny ânes vara, and then to Newa from New as a towards the west there is a stone 8a. Niwas a is also a Sanskrit word mean- pillar, apparently part of a temple not now in ing 'a place of residence. There is a phrase existence, bearing a Sanskrit inscription. The in Marathi TT FIT ST TOT, "We should pillar is called Dn yî no ba cha khamb, use waters of the God â for bathing, and those Dnyanoba's pillar.' When I first heard of the of the Pra vara for drinking," in common use pillar and of its being inscribed, I was impatient among the higher classes of Hindus residing on the to see the inscription, as I was in hopes that I banks of the Godavari and the Pra vara. might find something in it regarding Dnyanobâ,
The Jahaluya Jakaye tells us that the the pillar being called after his name. But, to Vaishnavi Sakti above alluded to was the pre-my disappointment, when I did visit it I found siding deity at Newasa when the gods came nothing in it regarding either Dnyâ nobâ or there for protection. This Sakti is still the Newasa. The pillar is buried in the ground, tutelary deity of the town. There is a beauti- with a pretty good flat-roofed building over it ful temple of this deity at New isa. It is of measuring about thirty-three feet by twentymodern date, but its sculpture is excellent. This six. The pillar is called Dnyinoba's only because Sakti, the Jahatmya states, is the form which it is supposed to have been leaned against by him Vishnu assumed to punish Rahu (a demon) whilo composing his commentary on the Gita. who, at the time of distributing nectar produced But great respect is paid to it in consequence of by the Surîs and Asuras from the churning of this, and a fair is held every year in honour of the ocean, entered in disguise among the gods the pillar, on the 11th day of the dark fortnight to drink it, though it was intended for the gods of Phálgun. The height of the pillar above the only.
ground is about four and six inches, and its Dny âneśvara makus mention of Newa. circumference about four feet. The middle part sa, and states that he composed his Dnyanesvars of the pillar is square, while it is round above there. He has given a description of it, which and below. The front side of the square bears is similar to that given in the Mahalaya Mahat. the inscription, which consists of seven lines, mya. It is this (Dnyáncsvari, ch. xviii.)
and contains two Sanskrit verses in Anushtup
metre. It is as follows: to go * PT HETTATZ! श्रीगोदावरीजवळी । निवास स्थान॥
[1] : [*] IT BET ते त्रिभुवनकपवित्र । अनादि पंचक्रोश क्षेत्र।
[2] HA ETT (+] TETT: जेथ जगाचे जीवन सूत्र | श्रीमहालया बसे ||
[3] अखं उ वति ते लार्थं प्रजेथ यदुवंशविलास । जो सकलकलानिवास ।
[4] ff w aar a [ET] are for at f i II
(5] [t] he Tतेथ महेशान्वयसंभूनें। श्रीनिवृत्तिनाथसुनें।
[6] #11:]CIA TE:[2] 77 केलें ज्ञानदेवें गीते। देशिकारलेणं ॥
[7] Cen: hetet: “In the Kali Yug there is a place (by name)
Translation Niwasa, in the Marathî country, near the "Om, salutation to Karavîreśvara! As (my) Godavari, which extends five kus, and is the grandfather has formerly granted a sum of six
• Nivritti Nath was the elder brother of Duyanesvara, and also his guru. Ho therefore calls himself his son.
