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248
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1886.
the northern region possessed another Antakaagraháras to Brahmans of the Gandhára counor Death, thus rivalling the southern region, try, of Mlôchchha birth, Daradas, full of sin, the the regent of which is Antaka (1. 292); whose lowest of the twice-born, resembling himself in approach was always heralded by the flights character, who shamelessly cohabited with of vultures, crows, &c., that flew before him, their own sisters and daughters-in-law; who eager to devour those who were being slain by sold their wives for lucre; and whose women, his troops (1. 293); who was a very ghoul through being enjoyed by others than their of a king, surrounded day and night by lawful husbands, had become as shameless as thousands of slaughtered beings (1. 294): themselves (11. 309-313).- At length when he, and who had no' pity or respect for children & very Bhairava" incarnate, had reigned for or women or aged men (1.295).-One day seventy years, he became afflicted with much he noticed that the breasts of his queen, disease, and immolated himself in the flames ; who wore #muslin bodice from Simhala and a voice from the sky was heard to proor Ceylon, were marked with golden foot. claim that, though he had slain three crores of prints. Burning with wrath, he questioned people, yet he had attained final emanoipation, the chamberlain, and was told that, in the in consequence of the disregard that he had Sinhala country, it was customary to impress shewn for his own sufferings also (11. 314, 315). the material with the stamp of the king's foot. | -There are some people who consider that This explanation failed to appease him; and he made amends for his cruelty, by his gifts of he set out on a campaign as far as the agraháras, and similar deeds. And, even when southern ocean, and slew the king of Sinhala the country was overrun by the Darada priests, (11. 297-300).-Instead of him, he set up another Mléchchhas by birth, of impure rites, and all king, of cruel disposition; and he brought (the national) religion was destroyed, yet he away & woven cloth called yamushadéva, insured the maintenance of pious observances, stamped with an image of the sun (11. 296-301). And he firmly established the countries of the
-On his way baok, he overthrew the Chola, Aryas, and then performed a terrible penance, Karnata, Naba, and other kings, whose ruined ordaining, as expiation for his sins, the barncities announced their defeat to those who ing of himself; in accordance with which flocked into them on his departure (11. 302,303). he bestowed a thousand agrahdras at Vijayês
-As he canie to the "gate" of Kaśmir, he vara on Brahmans born in the Gândhára coun. heard the terrified cries of an elephant that had try, and then gave his body to the flames, fallen into a chasm; and the sounds gave him on a pyre which was a flat plank stadded such exquisite pleasure, that he caused a with razors, swords, and bows, and thus hundred other elephants to be wantonly de, atoned for all his cruelty (11. 316-321).-Others, stroyed in the same way (11. 304, 305).--"As however, say that he acted as he did in order the touch of the sinful defiles the body, so does to destroy the Khasas, who had become powera description of them defile the speech ; accord. fal when the city was burned by the Naga" ingly, all his other evil deeds are not detailed, (1. 322).-As a final instance of his cruelty, one lest they sbould pollute (the narrator)" (1. 306). day, when he was descending into the river _"But who can fully comprehend the be- Chandrakulya, his way was blocked by a large haviour of men whose minds are ancultivated, rock that could not be uprooted and removed. and who do unexpected deeds P; for even he Having performed penance, he was told by made an assumption of religion, for the sake the gods in a dream that a powerful Yakshas of acquiring merit" (1. 307). Thus, evil-minded dwelt in the rook, performing the austerities as he was, he installed the god Mihirêsvara" of a Brahman, and that the obstacle could at Srinagarl, and in Hol& he built & great be removed only by the touch of a chaste city named Mihirapura (1. 308); and he gave woman. Next day he declared his dream, and
Evidently form of Itrars or diva, combined with wife of Brahman named Visakha, and the daughter of the Sun.
the Naga Suíravas-how, failing in his attempts to • One of the most terrible and ordel forms of the god seduce her, he sought, also in vain, to compel her by Siva.
foroe to yield to his desires and how the Naga Sun The reference is to Rajatarangint, i. 247-268, re- krave took Vengeance for the insult, by burning down lating how Nara I., who built a city on the banks of the city and destroying the king in the conflagration. the Vitasta, beonme enamoured of Chandralekha, the
