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APRIL, 1889.)
EXTRACTS FROM THE RAJATARAMGINI.
103
capture to their rulers when these returned into them on his departare. - (302, 303) As he came to the “Gate" of Kasmira (Kamira-Dvara), he heard the terrified cries of an elephant that had fallen into a chasm; and the sounds gave him such exquisite pleasure, that he caused a hundred other elephants to be wantonly destroyed in the same way. - (304) As the touch of the sinful defiles the body, 80 does a description of them defile the speech; accordingly, all his other cruel deeds are not detailed, (lest they should pollute the narrator). - (305) But who can fully comprehend the behaviour of men whose minds are uncultivated, and who do evil deeds ? for even he made an assumption of religion, for the sake of acquiring merit. - (306) Thus, evil-minded as he was, he installed (the god) Mihir svara at Srinagari, and in Holade he built a great city named Mihirapura.- (307) And he gave agraharas to Brahmans of the Gandhára country, the lowest of the twice-born, resembling himself in character. - (309, 310) At length when he, & very Bhairava incarnate, had reigned for seventy years, he became afflicted with much disease, and immolated himself in the flames; and a voice from the sky was beard to proclaim that, though he had slain three crores of people, yet he had attained final emancipation, in consequence of the disregard that he had shown for his own sufferings also. - (311) Those, who report this, consider that he made amends for his cruelty, by his gifts of agrahdras, and similar deeds. - (312 to 316) For, even when the country was overrun by the Daradas (and) Bhauttas, (who were) Mléchchhas of impure rites, and all (the national) religion was destroyed, yet he insured the maintenance of pions observances. And he firmly established the countries of the Aryas, and then performed a terrible penance, ordaining, as expiation for his sing, the burning of himself; in accordance with which he bestowed a thousand agraharas at Vijayesvara on Brahmans born in the Gandhára country, and then gave his body to the flames, on a pyre which was a flat plank studded with razors, swords, and knives, and thus atoned for all his cruelty. - (317) Others excuse all his cruel acts by asserting that he performed them only in order to destroy the Khabas, who had become powerful when the city was burned by the Någa. (318 to 324) As & final instance of his cruelty, one day, when he was diverting the river Chandrakulys, the work was hindered by a large rock that could not be uprooted and removed. Having performed austerities, he was told by the gods in a dream that a powerful Yaksha dwelt in the rock, observing the vow of chastity, and that the obstacle could be removed only by the touch of a chaste woman. Next day he had his dream pat to the test; but no woman was found who could prevail against the rock, until a potter's wife, named Chandravati, touched it and displaced it. Whereapon, filled with anger, he cansed three crores of virtuous women to be slain, with their husbands and brothers and sons. It was only the power of the gods, who caused him to do this act, that prevented his subjects from rising of one accord and slaying him.
(325) When at length he (Mihirakula) had perished through the good luck of biu subjects, the citizens anointed his virtuous son Baka. -(326) Throngh the influence of (their) previous (experiences), which (I) have told, the people were afraid even of his role, as of a pleasure-house built on a cemetery. - (327) Begotten by one who had caused excessive pain, he became a bestower of delight on men, just like a downpour of water, which follows on a cloudy day of the rainy season. - (328) Then people fancied that justice had arrived from another world, and that safety had returned from an inaccessible exile. - (329) Having founded (the temple of) Baxêba aud (having conducted) the river Bakevati to a (dry) valley, the illustrions Baka built a town called Lavaņotsa. -(330) There the prince passed sixty-three years and 305 a rterat at P.
306 cresteret P. 307 A P. After this verse, C and T insert two sparious verses which are omitted in P. 313 TT&T P. The Daradas are the inhabitants of Dardistan, and the Bhsalas are the Tibetano. 816 yrargatan P. 517 The reference is to the story of Nara L. and the Naga Sairavus, verses 203 to 274 above. 319 : PT. 320 P. 335 794 P. 330°C TP. TALO 32791797294 P.
339 PO.
380 HTT
