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JULY, 1887.]
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
217
XIX.-The Brahmarakshasa.
In my former life I was a Bråhman, and learnt In a certain village of the country of all the intricacies of music, but I was unwilling Sengalinirppattu there dwelt & Brahman, to impart my hard-earned knowledge to gaining his living by the alms he collected others. Paramésvara was so greatly displeased daily, and so he was in extremely poor cir. with me that he made me a Brahmarakshasa in cumstances. Poverty indeed had taken such this life and even now his rage seems not to have a firm hold of him that he wished to fly to been appeased. At the distance of a quarter Banaras. Accordingly, depending as usual of a ghaţiká from this spot is a ruined temple, upon what charity would provide for him on the in which půjd (worship) is conducted in a very way, he started with only one day's supplies rough way, and during the ceremony & piper tied up in a bundle.
plays upon a nágasvara pipe so very awkwardly, When there wanted yet four ghatikás before that its causes me the utmost mortification to sunset he had approached a thick wilderness, listen to him. My only hope of escape is that which was also long and wide, and studded with a Brahman will rescue me from this tree. You small villages here and there. After journeying are the first Brahman I have ever met with in through this for more than the four gharikas this wilderness, and I have grown quite thin he reached a splendid tank just as the sun was from the worry of hearing that awkward piper setting. Ablutions must never be foregone by day after day! If I continue much longer in & Brahman, so he neared the tank to wash this tree, it will be the death of me! So pity his hands and legs, to perform his prayers, and my condition, I beseech you, and remove me to eat what little his bundle contained. As to some tree five or six ghatikds' distance from soon as he placed his foot in the water he this place, and leave me in peace there, so heard a voice calling out :-"Put not thy foot that I may be out of the reach of that horrible in this water ! Thou art not permitted to do piper and get a little stouter. In return
demand from me any boon and I will grant He looked round about him and discovered it." nothing, and so not heeding the threat he Thus said the Brahmarakshasa and in its Washed his hands and feet, and sat down to very voice the Brahman could discover its perform his sandhyavandana or evening wor failing strength. Said he :-"I am an ex-. ship, when again he heard & voice :-"Per- tremely poor Brahman, and if you promise to form not thy sandhyavandana! Thou art not mend my condition and to make me rich I permitted to do so!"
will remove you to a good distance where the A second time he gave no heed to the voice sound of the cracked ndgasvara shall never bat proceeded with his prayers, and when affect your ears." they were over opened his bundle of food. The Brahmarákshasa thought for a few As soon as he began to eat the same voice was nimishas and thus replied: "Holy Brahman, again heard, but the Brahman paid no atten- every person must undergo what is cut upon tion, and finished his meal. Then getting op his forehead by Brahma, in this world. Five he pursued his journey, so as, if possible, to more years of poverty are allotted to you by fate, reach a village to sleep in for the night. He after which I shall go and possess the Princess had scarcely advanced a step, when again the of Maistr, and none of the incantations which same voice forbade him to go on !
learned magicians may pronounce upon me Having thus been barred four times the shall drive me out, until you have presented Brahman boldly broke out and said :-"Who yourself before the king of Maisur and proart thou, thou wretch ? And why dost thou mised to cure her of me. He will promise thus forbid me every reasonable action." yon ample rewards, and you must commence
Replied a voice from a pipal tree above him: the core, when I will leave her. The king will “I am a Brahmardkshasa, named Ganapriya.' be pleased and grant you several boons, which
BO !"
Sengalintrpaffu means "the land of the blae lily" now corrupted into Chingleput.
* This means merely "lover of music." • It is common notion among Hindus, especially
among Brahmaps, that he who does not freely impart his knowledge to others is born in the next life as a kind of demon called Brahmardkahasa.
