Indian Antiquary Vol 07

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 67

FEBRUARY, 1878.]
HISTORY OF THE KÅNPHÂTAS OF KACHH.
repaired to another hill, which broke down the end, which brings out the water, of which with his weight-hence called Jhuryo (a)= there must be a reservoir the level of which 'broke'). At last he came to a third hill, which must always remain a little below the hole. Those could bear his weight provided he ascended it who ascend the hill can find water on their rewith his back turned towards it. He did so, and turn only when they come to this place. The as the hill bore the weight of his sins he called water is rather brackish, being impregnated it Dhinodhar (i.e. holder of car = dhirand, or with salts. They then came to another place,
patience. He went to the highest peak and where all the Siddhas combined got water out began to perform tap standing on his head, miraculously, and called it the Siddh-Vidi which rested on & conical ball of hard stone (lat), or "saints' pool.' It is said never to called Vajra Sopdri. He continued in this state fail, and is held in great reverence; but when I for twelve years, during which time Garib- visited it there was no water. My guide looked nåtha and a Châran woman called Deval surprised, and ascribed this to its having been remained beside him, the latter supplying polluted by a low-caste person. The Pir, he said, him with milk and ministering to his other would come there and burn incense to the Dåda wants. When the period of his penance was or Father Dharmanatha, who would refill it. drawing to a close, the throne of Indra began to Thence they came to the foot of the eastern side shake, and he was alarmed. He went to Bhaga- of the hill, which they selected as the spot for vîn, who counselled him to devise means to stop the present establishments. The Nathas and his tap. Thereupon Bhagavån himself, the nine Siddhas departed, and Dharma nátha mado Nathas, and the eighty-four Siddha s assem- his dhuni or fire, built the monastery and estabbled together and alighted on the hill. They lished the Order of the Kân phát â s, and praised the austerity of his penance and besonght commenced that charitable distribution of food him to rise, when he said that in whichever the refusal of which had caused the destruction direction his eyes would open, that portion of the of the Pattans. Then he went away, no one country would be burnt. Then Gorakha- knows where. He is even said to be still living. nátha, one of the nine Nathas, after consulting Garib na tha, thinking that some share of the others, told him to open his eyes towards the the sin of destroying the Pattans must fall
sca on the north-east. Upon this he turned to his lot,, determined to perform penance by - towards the sea and opened his eyes, when the standing for twelve years in Bhadli, 18 miles
Bca was dried up and all the animals therein de- west of Bhuj, in a jungle, which is even at the stroyed, leaving nothing else but the present Raņ. present day very thick and mountainous. At When so many lives began to be destroyed, this time the Jats were powerful near the Dharman åtha declared he was losing the hill of Vârâr. The children of the Jats har. merit of his penance, whereupon Gorakhanatha assed the ascetic and disturbed his penance by asked him to turn his eyes towards his foot, but pelting him with mango-stones. Being in. instead of doing so he turned them to the hill, censed, he went in search of some warrior tribe which split into two valleys, leaving the part to expel these marauders, when, fortunately, obstructed by the nose entire in the shape of the ancestors of the present Jha dejas bad the nose, by which name it is known at the just entered the province and were trying to pesent day.
establish their authority. According to one Then Dharmana tha, with the Nathas account, Jam RÂyadhan, the son of Lakhî and Siddhas, descended. While doing so they Jhâdeja, who was reigning in the small principroposed to have a treat of bhang (infusion of pality of Lakhiar Virâ, went to seek his blessCannabis indica), but no water was to be had ing, when he encouraged him by his benedicabout the hill, when one of them, Pir Patha tion to expel the Jats out of the province, and (Gopichand), brought out water by striking his in this the Jam was successful. This Rayadhan kunari or dagger into the side of the hill, and pre- flourished between Samvat 1231 and 1271 pared the 'green beverage.' The hole was shown 1 = A.D. 1175-1215), and there is a couplet to me by my cicerone, but the water does not on the subject in the Kachhi language : come out till & stick is thrast into it. The stick, गरवो गरीब नाथ. आयो मुख आवाज । कुडा जत which is a rude branch of a tree, has a knob at af lovit raya TGT.