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102
THE INDIAN ANTIQUABY.
[APRIL, 1889.
(275) Through the wonderful diversity of the course of fate, his only son, who had been brought to Vijayakshetra by his nurse, did not lose his life. -(276) This king, called Siddha, refreshed the exhausted people, just as the cloud a mountain, which is parched by a forest-fire. - (277) Thus the strange fate of his father became to this magnanimous one a beneficial instruction in the knowledge of the vanity of the world. -(278) Thongh in the midst of enjoyment, he could not be led into sin by it, just as the spotless image of the moon remains undefiled, though it is reflected in a quagmire. - (279) In the midst of princes, who were hot with the fever of pride, he alone recovered from it) by meditating incessantly on Siva. - (280) Abandoning gems like trifles, this virtuous one found (the only) perfect ornament in the worship of Siva. -(281) The royal splendour of this king followed him to another world, because he cunningly combined it with unfailing virtue.- (282) Having ruled over the earth for sixty years, he, accompanied by his hear attendants, ascended with his body to the worlds of Siva. — (283) Having songht refuge with the preceding king) Nara, the servants had got into a deplorable state; but, depending on his son (Siddha) as their lord, they became worthy of praise in the world. - (284) A dependant shares the fate of his lord, be it blamed in the world or praised by all men. A rope of straw descends, if it is attached to the bucket of a well; if it is tied to flowers, it ascends on the head of a god. - (285) “Here is Siddha, (who has become) demigod (Siddha) with his body;" this announcement was proclaimed by the gods in heaven, with beating of the drum, for seven days.
(286) His son, who received the name UtpalAksha (i.e. the lotus-eyed) on account of his lovely eyes, ruled over the earth for thirty and a half years.
(287) His son HiranyAksha, who enjoyed the earth for thirty-seven years and seven months, built a town, which was designated by his name.
(288) His son Hiranyakule, who founded Hiranytba, was (king) for sixty, (and) his son Vasukula (likewise) for sixty years.
(289) Then, when the country was (again) overrun by a Mlochohha tribe, his son Kihirakula, who was of cruel deeds and resembled Kala (or Death) (in destructiveness), became king. -(290) In him the northern region possessed another Antaka (or Death), thus rivalling the southern region, the regent of which is the god) Antaka. – (291) His approach was always heralded by the flights of valtares, crows, &c., that flew before him, eager to devour those who were being slain among his troops. -(292) He was a very ghoal of a king, surrounded day and night by thousands of slaughtered beings even in his pleasure-honses. — (293) This cruel murderer had no pity or respect for children or women or aged men. -- (294 to 299) One day he noticed that the breasts of his queen, who wore a maslin bodice from Simhala (or Ceylon), were marked with golden foot-prints. Burning with wrath, he questioned the chamberlain, and was told that, in the Sinhala country, it was customary to impress the meserial with the stamp of the king's foot. This explanation failed to appease him; and he yot out on a campaiga as far as the southern ocean, and onsted the king of Simhala. Instead of bim, he set up another king; and he brought away a woven cloth called yamushadeva, stamped with an image of the sun. - (300, 301) On his way back, he pat to flight the Chola, Karnata, Lata and other kings, whose ruined cities announced their
97 tratand TP.
277 fax PT. P. motion and start p. m P.
285 FASTT:P. On P.
fervorrat: and P. to . I w here Mr. Thoot's abridged translation, from the Caloutta edition, published ants, Vol. XV. p. 276.; altering some details and the numbering of the verses according to the Sarada MS.
* HIT: P. *
T 280° P, 49° C. As the first part of the king's name, Mihira, is doubtlessly of Iranian origin. The term yamuha might to derived from the same source; perhaps it is a corruption of amesha, immortal,' which occurs in the Avesta as an attribute of the sun.
300 1314 P. TIPT. TOTE PC.
