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292
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1885.
him.
and another on the Sankh river a few miles to
NOTANDA. the south enjoyed some reputation in Dehlt in With reference to the inscription published by Akbar's time and subsequently.
me in the August number (p. 233) under the title The statement on page 364 that Sambhalpur of " A Jaina-Vaishnava Compact," I have since on the Upper Mahanadi produces the finest dia- found that an erroneous version of the same, monds in the world, is scarcely supported by the made for Colonel Mackenzie, appeared in 1809 in only extant records of the now long deserted Asiatic Researches, Vol. IX. p. 270. mines, which, however, produced some large stones, In connection with the Ganga inscription pubthough, on the other hand, the produce is spoken lished by Mr. Fleet in the same number (p. 229), of in the Central Provinces Gazetteer as having he remarks (note 7) that "the text of the Hosûr been of inferior quality.
grant has not been published." This is not so: II. Bénagouron (140° 20° 15'), see ante, Vol. for I would point out that it was published by me XIII. page 364. This was one of the towns of the in extenso in the Madras Journal of Literature Salakênoi, towards the Oroudian mountains, which and Science for 1878, p. 138. Other inscriptions Mr. M'Crindle believes cannot now be recognised. of the same kings in my possession, not yet pubI would suggest its identity with the modern lished, make it quite clear that Durvvinita was a Wairagarh (lat 20° 26'; long. 80° 10') in the Chanda different person from Avinita, and at the same District. As an old city of Gondwana, which was time give very important information regarding taken possession of by the rulers of Berar, it has several times been referred to by early writers,
LEWIS RICE. who allude to the fact of diamond mines being in its
Bangalore, 25th August 1885. vicinity. The earliest reference to it is, perhaps, in the Barhut Samhita, where it appears under the name of the Vêna Ganga, on a tributary of which
CURIOSITIES OF INDIAN LITERATURE. river it is situated. Farishta, in 1425, refers to
ANOTHER MACARONIC VERSE OP GUMANI KAVI. the city and its diamond mines. In the 15th century, too, Nicolo Conti speaks of a diamond
तुकृतिनां प्रकृतिः किल घोरा locality under the name Albenigaras or Abnigaro,
__ मानसवृद्धिरतीव कठोरा। which I doubtfully refer here: but, regarding its identity with the Bairagash of the Ain-i-Akbart
वाक्सुधया सदृशी रसपूरा there is no doubt whatever, in spite of the fact
मूख में राम बगल में छूरा॥ that Karl Ritter and Rennell argued that it must have been--the former to the west, and the
Terrible indeed is the nature of the wicked, latter much further to the east, of its true
and the workings of their mind are cruel, while position-Bairagarh (the modern Wairagash) is
their words are as if they were full of nectar : therefore, I suggest, identical with Ptolemy's
-"God in the mouth, and a dagger under the Bênagouron. III. The Loadstone Rocks of Southern India, to
G. A. GRIERSON. which early writers have referred, as noticed by Mr. M'Crindle, ante Vol. XIII. page 386,-80 far from being mythical and owing their conception alone
THE PROVERBS OF ALI EBN ABI TALEBI. to the absence of iron in the boats and canoes of
Translated by K. T. Best, M.A.,. M.R.A.S., that region,-are a very solid reality, as there are in
Principal Guverat College. various parts of the country extraordinary deposits
Continued from p. 262. of vast extent of the purest magnetic iron which 295. Blessed is he who conquers himself, and in some cases form whole hills and ridges, and in keeps his desires in subjection. others afford the main sustaining backbones of 296. Blessed is he whose breast is free from the elevated portions of the country. Is it too
hatred, and his heart from deceit. much to conclude, knowing this fact, that the
297. An ugly wise man is better than a handmagnetic property of the rock was discovered in some fool. early times ? If so, this, like many another 'myth,'
298. The heart of a fool is in his mouth, and proves to rest upon a very substantial basis of
the tongue of a wise man in his heart. fact.
299. A wicked man never has a contented and V. BALL
tranquil mind. Science and Art Museum, Dublin,
300. The best contest is that which you carry 17th July.
on against yourself. See Economic Geology of India, page 37.
arm."
