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SEPTEMBER, 1887.)
LEGEND ABOUT KALI.
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AN ORTHODOX LEGEND ABOUT KALI, THE LORD OF THE KALIYUGA.
BY B. D. M. Those who know the story of Nala and feudal chiefs submitted to the successor of a Damayanti, will remember that Kali, the former king, unless they were either attached quarrelsome lord of the present, or Iron, Age, to him by close personal friendship or near after persecuting Nala for years, was at last kinship. So as soon as a king was dead they driven out of his body and compelled by Nala eagerly seized the opportunity of becoming in. to take refuge in the vibhitaka tree. For this dependent, if they were not promptly put reason every pious Hindu has scrupulously down with an iron hand by the new king. avoided the very shade of the vibhitaka (ter- Parfkshit, therefore, was not surprised after minalia bellerica, belleric myrobalans); and ascending to the throne to find that many seldom indeed does he touch its berries, except of his father's, old vassals had rebelled against for medicinal purposes, for fear lest Kali him, and that not a few of them were trying should be transferred from the tree into his to gain independence. However, he immeown person !
diately set out on his journey round his Now Kali is mischief-loving and wicked, kingdom, accompanied by a well-trained army, always waiting for an opportunity to enter subduing the rebels and even conquering the into the heart of somebody who is not careful powerful kings of the neighbouring countries. to be on his guard, and who, when he manages He had almost got through his adventores, to do so, becomes very wicked, quarrelsome, and, thinking that there remained no more indolent, and subject to ugly habits. All im- adversaries to encounter, he bent his steps ginable misfortunes befall him, and he is homewards. As he was passing by the sacred very unhappy. It is therefore no wonder that river Prâchi Sarasvati, to his great horror and a Hindu does not like to have the honour of intense indignation, he beheld a cow and a becoming the vehicle of this dread personage. milk-white ox being tortured to death by one
For ages after Ņala's death Kali was confined who seemed to be a Badra, though he had to the vibhitaka, except now and then, when a arrogantly taken on himself to wear royal robes, careless person happened to come within his and was carrying a sceptre in his hand. The reach. The hundreds of kings who ruled the ox was in great agony, for the merciless Sudra earth after Nala were too just and powerful to had deprived him of three of his legs, and was let Kali have a chance of unchecked movement, on the point of cutting off the fourth. The and so he had to wait patiently for ages apon cow also, sad as a bereaved mother, was so ages; but he was not discouraged, for he had lank and lean from starvation that she would & prophetic insight into the future, and was have excited pity and compassion in the sure that the day would come when he was to hearts of the very stones around her, had they have his freedom, and establish his kingdom been blessed with the power to feel ! But the upon the earth.
brutal sadra irreverently kicked and torAt last he thought it had come, but later mented her incessantly! What could be more on he found out his mistake, for even he offensive and shocking to a pious Hindu than was liable to make mistakes! Krishna, the this--the greatest sacrilege and most unparincarnation of Vishnu, had ascended to his donable crime possible in a territory ruled by heavenly abode, and his devout followers, the | Hindu prince, whose highest ambition was sons of Pandu, had also followed him, after to obtain the title of "Protector of cows and installing their grandson and heir, young Brahmans" P Parikshit, on the imperial throne of Bharata. | King Parikshit, enraged by these pernicious Now the first and most pressing duty of a proceedings and ready to punish them by newly made king in Hindustan in the early putting the wicked Sudra to death on the times, was to take a journey throughout his spot, thus addressed him :-“Who art thou, domains to subdue unruly vassals, and thus that hast robed thyself in royal garments, but establish order and peace in his kingdom ; for showest thyself by thy vile conduct to be not it seldom happened that the more powerful of the twice-born P Woe unto thee, that after
