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SEPTEMBER, 1886.]
THE HISTORY AND DATE OF MIHIRAKULA.
247
ing of the cruel persecution and atrocities self in the kingdom. Mihirakula, having of Mihirakula, he strictly guarded the frontiers thus lost his royal estate, concealed himself of his kingdom, and refused to pay tribute, in the isles and deserts, and finally went Mihira kula raised an army to punish his northwards to Kasmir (Kia-shi-mi-lo), and rebellion. And then Bâlâditya, knowing sought an asylum there. The king of Kasmir his renown, and thinking that he himself received him with honour, and, in pity, gavo could not withstand him, wandered with large him a small territory and a town to govern. numbers of his followers through the mountains But, after some years, Mihirakula stirred and deserts, and hid himself in some islands." up the people to rebellion, and placed himself Mihira kula committed his army to his on the throne. After this, Mihirakula younger brother, and himself embarked" to go made an expedition to the west, against the to attack Baláditya. But he and his troops kingdom of Gandhara (Kien-to-lo). He were caught and surrounded in the narrow took the king in ambush and killed him; passes; and Mihirakula was captured alive, exterminated the royal family and the chief taken into the presence of Baladity, and minister; overthrew the stúpas and destroyed condemned to death for his crimes Bild
the saighdrámas; and slew large numbers of ditya's mother, who was of wide celebrity on the people by the side of the river Sindhu account of her vigorous intellect and her skill (Sin-tu). Then he took the wealth of the coun- in casting horoscopes, expressed a wish to see try that he had destroyed, assembled his troops, Mihirakula once before his death, as she had and returned. But before the year was out he heard that he was of remarkable beauty and died; and, at the time of his death, there was vast wisdom. Mihira kula was brought thunder and hail and a thick darkness, and the into her presence, and, after some persuasion, earth shook, and a mighty tempest raged: And was induced to uncover his face, which, the holy saints said, in pity, -"For having daring his interview with BalAditya, he had killed countless victims and overthrown the steadfastly kept hidden ander his robe. On law of Buddha, he has now fallen into the beholding his face, the king's mother said lowest hell, where he shall pass endless ages “My son is well-favoured; he will die after his
of revolution." years are accomplished...... I gather from
The Rájatarangim (i.; Calcutta edition, lines his air that he will be the king of a small 291 to 329; French edition, verses 289 to 326) country; let himh rule over some small kingdom takes up bis history from the time when he in the north." Eventually BalAditys,- became king of Kasmir, and gives an moved by his mother's words, and her repre- emphatic account of his cruelty and evil deeds. sentation that it was right to forgive crime Except, however, for the hint unconsciously and to love to give life, and that, if he slew given in the mention of the invasion by the Mihirakula, for twelve years he would have the Mêchchhas, it treats him as a native hereditary sight of his pale face before him,- pardoned king of the country. Thus, after HiranMihirakula, gave him in marriage to a young yaksha' (line 289), there came his son maiden, and treated him with extreme courtesy. Hiraaya kula, who reigned for sixty years Then Mihirakula assembled the troops he (1. 290); and after him, his son Mukula," had left, increased his escort, and departed whoreigned forthe same period. And then, when from the islands. Meanwhile, Mihirakula's the country was overrun by a Mlech chha younger brother, who had been left in command tribe, there came his son Mihirakula, who of the army when Mihirakula set out to attack was of cruel deeds and resembled Kale or Baladitya, had gone back and established him- Death (in destructiveness) (I. 291); in whom
1. Julien has simply "sur des fles" (Vol. II. p. 192), and, three lines further on "s'embarque pour aller at taquer," Beal gives respectively in the islands of the BOS" (Vol. I. p. 169), and "embarked on the sea," but without any remarks as to this important addition concerning the ma. It is dimcult to see how Mibirakula and BdAditya gan brave had anything to do with the ses And the text seems plainly to refer only to up-country islands of the Ganges, s.c. to part of the country intersected by several branches of the Ganges, or ter
bataries of it; specially , just before, BALAditya had announced lo intention of concealing himself "among the bushes of the morasse" ("au milieu des marais"). 1 Or "engaged himself," see the preceding note.
* In the mi atirarlıginaahgraha, hd is onlled simply Hiragya (Hirmy Athy3 mahijad). 11. In the Rijataranginteargraha, he is called Ysavw Michchhe-gandkird mandall
kula.
