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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1885.
Jasar); and him the king married to his sister- in-law Diwala. The other was named Bachh'raj, and was married to Til’ka. When they grew up, Parmál divided his kingdom and his army between them. Each of them had children. Jásar's son by Diwala was called Alh å or Alha. He had also another son by a maid-servant, whom he named Dhadh û. A son, subsequently born to him by his legitimate wife, was named Rûdal or Udal. The former is the Bihari, and the latter the Hindi version of his name.
Alh â was a suitor for the hand of Son's vatî, the sister of Raja Indar'man of Nainagarh. Indar’man was opposed to his sister marrying any one, and had captured and imprisoned several would-be suitors. The present poem deals with Rûdal's many battles with Indar'man on behalf of his brother Alhů. Finally Indar'man is conquered and slain, and Alhâ marries Son'vati.
TRANSLATION. When Alha's court was held, his palace was attended by great noblemen. The courts of the Ujains and Bisains' were also held there. Nine-hundred Någas of Nâg'púr, armed with Nag'phênî swords were there, and Kåkan of Dilli was seated there, with three thousand Loh'- tamiyâs." (5) There were also there Mash'war, Tirantî, Karam'wâr and Kumh Chandál. So also were seated there, Jhard, Ujhaniya, Guj'haniya, and the Lord Gadahiyawal. Dancing is going on and Mar'lidhar is playing on the flute. "Murmur murmur' sound the fiddles, and run run' sound the guitars. The drums roll, the flutes express love, and the mukh'chands studded with jewels give forth music. (10) Girls from Ceylon and boys from GoAliyar are dancing. So also are dancing girls of Bangal, verily a dance of fairies is going on in the bungalow. The kundio weighs seven mans' and its pestle ten. Eighteen 1 Rajput tribes..
Said to be the name of a Rajput tribe. * These are all said to represent Raj'pût tribes. It is A common saying that there aro as many kinds of Raj'. pûts as there are kinds of rice, 97 YT YE . * A kind of wind instrument.
pitchers of sabjó have been prepared, and nine balls of opium for each guest. Alha himself is chewing fourteen battis of poisons, and in his intoxication) (15) the pupils of his eyes are inverted, and his eyes themselves shot with blood. Fierce shone the features of the kings, brave as lions in battle. The son of Jasario is immortal. At that moment Rudal, at whose step the earth used to shake, and at whose shout the trees would wither, entered the palace. (20) As A lh â looked upon him he became grieved in heart, saying, "I see your body dimmed and your face sad. What distress has befallen you ? Tell me, sir, in what difficulty you are. Tell me the secrets of your heart, for how else shall my soul be comforted.' Rûdal said respectfully, 12 "O brother, hear the real facts (25) I am much distressed" in body, let my elder brother agree to do a certain thing. In the East I took Pat'ni city," on the day when I conquered the seven divisions of Nepal. In the West I conquered Badam and Lahaur, and in the South the mountain of Birin. I have searched the four quarters of the earth, but nowhere bave I found a maiden fit to be your wife. A bride has been born in Nainagarh, in the palace of king Indar'man (her brother). (30) She is the daughter of Sam Dêva, and is grown up, and her father demands a tiger-fighting bridegroom. Great is the desire in my heart to celebrate the marriage of my brother, and I would wed him to Son'vati.'
This much heard Ålhî and he began to grieve in his mind. Folding his hands he said respectfully, 'O Rüdal, pay heed unto my words. (35) Go not to Nainigarh, for its prince destroys castles just as if they were but wild beasts' holes." Powerful is the king of Nainagarh, and very mighty" in arms. He has thrown into prison fifty-two (would-be) bridegrooms, and seven hundred and fifty thousand happens in these songs. (See Preface to Vol. I. Legends of the Panjib, p. X.-ED.)
1 Rudal was younger than Alh, hence his respect in addressing him. ___1 पढ़ि is metrigratid. for पड़ी which is Hindi for पडल.
13 Torch means either Pat'na city,' or a well-laidout city. The phrase constantly occurs in folk-songs, Thus in one colebrating the birth of Ram, the fourteenth line commences, TTGT TCT, the town is welllaid out and a high city (J. R. A. S., Vol. XVI. Part 2, Some Bihirt Folk Songs. No. 9.) 16 HT is the den of a wild beast : TIE, here means like. "A common use of the word G.
طایفه or طوايف ft for ة
• A stone vessel for grinding bhang. "Abont a quarter of a ton.
An intoxicating drink made from bhang. • A batti is the lump of opium eaten at one time.
10 i. e. Alh. The latter half of the line appears to bave no meaning. It is recorded exactly as it was sung, but the singer was unable to interpret it. This often
