Indian Antiquary Vol 18

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 99

FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
87
MARCH, 1889.]
tithi is as regularly preceded by sukla-paksha, krishna-paksha, sukla, krishna, sita, asita, or some similar expression. And judging from the large number of dates before me, I feel little hesitation in saying that the two terms retained their original signification, and were felt to be what they really are, abbreviations of two separate words, up to about the beginning of the twelfth century of the Vikrama era. At any rate, I may be permitted to point out that, if an expression like sudi-pañchamyám, which we have met with in the date No. 1 above, had been habitually employed in earlier times, we might certainly expect to read sudi-panchamyám, instead of sita-pañchamyam, in the following verse, which occurs in my Report on Sanskrit MSS. for 1880-81, p. 9, and in Professor Peterson's Report for 1884-86, Appendix, p. 149:
Samvatsara-sata-navakê dvishashți-sahitê-tilamghitê ch=âsyah |
Jyêshthê si(si)ta-pamchamyam Punarvvasau Guru-dinê [samâptir-abhût ] i.e. and this (work) was completed when nine hundred and sixty-two years had gone by, in (the month) Jyaishtha, on the fifth (lunar day) of the bright (half), on a Thursday, (the moon being) in (the nakshatra) Punarvasu.'
In conclusion, I may add that some of the dates quoted above are of considerable interest, for various reasons, which I shall have occasion to state fully in a separate paper.
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
BY PANDIT NATESA SASTRI, M.F.L.S.
No. 29.
THE JESSAMINE KING.
In a certain country there lived a petty king called the Jessamine King (Mallikairajan), because when he laughed the country, for ten kos round, became fragrant with the scent of jessamines; provided his laughter was not forced, but came naturally to him. His fame soon spread throughout the world, and many came to see him, and to wait for a chance of enjoying the scent he gave out. The Emperor, however, to whom the Jessamine King paid his tribute, sent for him in the pride of his superiority, and in obedience to the mandate, the Jessamine King went to his master, who tried in several ways to make him laugh, but in vain. After trying all he could the Emperor grew hopeless of success, and thinking that his vassal was impertinent, sent him to prison. So the poor Jessamine King, for no fault of his own, was imprisoned.
Now just opposite the prison there lived a deformed cripple with whom the Emperor's wife had an unlawful intimacy. She was in the habit of going to him at the tenth ghatiká of every night with pudding and sweetmeats, and remaining with him the whole night. Several people knew of this, and the Jessamine King was informed of it by the jailor, but he never seemed to take any notice of it.
One night the emperor's wife came rather later than usual, at which the cripple became highly enraged, and kicked and struck her with his deformed legs and hands. She bore it all patiently and without a murmer, and gave him the sweetmeats and other things as before. After eating his fill, the cripple thought within himself:-"What have I been doing to-day! 1 have severely punished a woman who is my protectress. Notwithstanding my intimacy with her, she is a woman of high rank. Perhaps she will discontinue her visits to me."
Thinking thus he spoke to her :-"My dear! you must excuse my kicks! Were they very severe ?"
"No, my love!" said she. "I am as happy after them, as one who has travelled over the fourteen worlds."
Not Jyeshthisitapanchamyam, t.e., Jyeshth4 asita-pathchamyam, as given in Professor Peterson's Report. The corresponding day, for the bright half of Jyaishtha, of the southern Vikrama year 962, expired, is Thursday, 1st May, A.D. 906, when the fifth bithi of the bright half ended 16 h. 22 m. after mean sunrise, and when the moon was in Punarvasu up to about 5 h. 16 m. after mean sunrise.