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SEPTEMBER, 1886.)
MISCELLANEA.
281
Before concluding, we must correct an error The Samanyacharana of Mr. Rice's inscription occurring in the opening sentence of the article may mean, I think, the other Brahmans, who under notice. It stands thus :-"The Upanishads must have been the previous settlers, and who are to the modern Hindu that part of his sacred must have had only ordinary observances, sdma. literature for which he cares most, if not the only nya-dcharana. These may be the modern priests one for which he cares at all." If the writer were of temples, Gurukkals and Pújdris, who are to sojourn for a few years in this country he would always considered low in the scale of Brahmanism, find cause for modifying this view. As a matter of and who, especially in Southern India, are not fact, “the modern Hindu" knows no more of considered fit for company at meals, and do not the Upanishads than he does of the Mantras join in domestic and religious gatherings. In the of the Voda. The Paurknik literature, and the several Chola inscriptions that I have examined popular vernacular poems based thereon, are the
these Gurukkale only sign as Brahmans, and I only writings " for which he cares at all."
have found no other Brahmang. The mention of
G. A. JACOB. the Samanyacharanas, which is a name opposed 15th June 1886.
to that of the Brihacharanas, may also go much
against the genuineness of the date of the grant, SAMANYACHARANA AND BRIHACHARANA. Saka 261. In the June number of this Journal, p. 174
As far as I can conclude, I am of opinion that above, Mr. Rice has given a derivation and expla
the first Brahman migration to the South began nation of the name of Brihacharana; and I take
in the seventh century A.D., and that the origi this opportunity, as I am a Dravida Brahman of
nal immigrants must be the present degenerated that caste, to write to you of what I have heard
Gurukkals, who seem to have once exercised great and read about its origin.
influence. The Brihacharanas, Vadamas, and In the Sthalapurdna of Talgudi, a small town
others, must have arrived in later times. in the district of Trichinopoly, a story occurs ex
S. M. NATESA SASTRI. plaining how a certain set of Brahmans came
Madras, 15th June 1886. from the north and received the name of Briha
CURIOSITIES OF INDIAN LITERATURE. charaṇas.
THE FOUR QUESTIONS. There was a great dearth in the Chola country; When king Yudhishthira was in exile, he came all the lakes and rivers had dried up; famine to a tank inhabited by a ferocious Grdha or and pestilence prevailed. Brahmans, as long water demon. It was the habit of this beast to as they are orthodox especially, cannot live for put the following questions to all who came to & moment without that most necessary element | drink at the tank of human or animal kind, -water. But, so great
को मोदते किमाश्चर्य का वार्ता का पथः स्मृतः । was the scarcity of water in the Chola dominions,
इति मे चतुरः प्रमान् पूरयित्वा जलं पिब ।। that even the Brahmaņs there had to leave off a
'Who is happy P What is wonderful P What great part of their rites.
is the news P What is the path P First answer me Just at this time the king of the Chola country
these four questions, and then drink.' As no found a great multitude of Brahmans coming into
one was ever able to answer these questions, he his dominions from the north. Wherever they
used to kill and devour them. Yudhishthira, halted, they found sufficient water for their bath
however, was equal to the occasion, and, when und ablutions. They were all Anitagnis, or reli.
challenged, replied as follows: gious men who maintained their sacred fire, with their wives. When the Chola king saw them, he
दिवसस्याष्टमे भागे शाक पचति यो गृहे। was struck with their achdra or pious behaviour
अनृणी चाप्रवासीच स वारिचर मोदते ॥१ and observances, and said-yuyam brihad-dchara
अहन्यहनि भूतानि गच्छन्ति यममन्दिरे। ndh, "you are all persons of mighty (wonderful)
अपरे स्थातुमिच्छन्ति किमाश्चर्यमतः परम् ॥ २ observances." From that time these new Brah- अस्मिन्महामोहमये कटाहे सूर्याग्निना रात्रिदिनेन्धनेन । man settlers were called Brihaddcharandh, मासर्तुदीपरिघहनेन भूतानि कालः पचसीह वार्ता ॥ which in course of time was corrupted into Briha. श्रुतिविभिन्नास्मृतयो विभिन्नानैकोमुनिर्यस्य मतं विभिन्नम्। charañáì.
धर्मस्य तत्त्वं निहितं गुहायां महाजनो येन गतःस पन्थाः।।४ LAlgudi is near Trichinopoly, on the banks of the coloured red.-Tho Dravidian name of the place is TiruColeroon (Kolladam), and contains a fine templo dedica- ttirai, or the wored spot, from which the seven sages ted to Saptarshisvara, the Siva who gavo eternal feli- attained, after long penance, eternal folicity. city to the seven bages. The modern name of LAlgudi, • The king's name is not on good authority. Ho is, I ut the red temple' [a hybrid formation, in which al is think, onlled Karikbla; but whatever may be tho namo Hindustani and gudi is Dravidian; J. F. F.], was given by in the Sthalapurdra, we cannot take it as an historical the Nawab of Trichinopoly to the place, because when certainty. once he visited it be found the gopura of the temple Throngh the gront rightoons power they had in them.
