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176
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JUNE, 1895.
MISCELLANEA. The Date of the Buddhist Inscription from Rasadhikam-abhivyâpi Girisa-charan-asritam Sravasti, ante, Vol. XVII. p. 81.
baths-iva manasan yasya jahuti ema na SINCE I edited the Buddhist inscription from
Bharatf 11; SIẢ VIL8 ti ( St - Maltốt ), a te, Vol. XVII. P. 61 f, And Dr. Hoey's translation of it is :-" His mind, Dr. W. Hoey has published a translation of it in of mighty grasp and perfect taste, devoted to the the Jour. Beng. As. Soc. Vol. LXI. Part I., feet of Girisa, Bharati forsaketh not, even as the
ra No. p. 60 ff. which is a decided improve. I swan forsaketh not the broad Manasa lake, rement on my own translation. What I would posing with its vast store of water at the feet of draw attention to here, is, that Dr. Hoey has the Lord of mountains (Himalaya )." This is read the date in line 18 correctly sarat 1176 simple enough ; but the two native scholars, who instead of savivat 1276, as I, misled by my rub. have furnished Dr. Hoey with this translation, bings, had given it. That saivat 1176 is the deserve grent credit indeed for having perceived true date of the inscription, is proved both by that some of the words of the verse are so chosen the reference in the text to a king Madana, who as to suggest the year 1176, Giri-féa being equal must be the king Madanapala, or Madanadeva, of
to 117 and rasa to 6. - The matter shews how Kananj, about whose time there can be no doubt dates may be hidden away in places where one now, and especially by the wording of verse 11 would be least likely to look for them. of the inscription. In the original that verse
F. KIELHORN. reads
Göttingen.
NOTES AND QUERIES. THE WORSHIP OF NARSINGH IN KANGRA. Nårsingh's worshippers also wear a bahuta
(amulet for the arm) containing a picture of him ABOUT two-thirds of the women, and some of in the form of a man. This bahutá is of silver, the men in the Kangra district, are believers in and is worshipped in the same manner as the Narsingh. The women firmly believe that ndryil. Also a ring is worn on the little finger Narsingh gives then sons, and assists them in all in honor of Narsingh, generally inade of silver their difficulties. His worshippers keep by them with a projection towards the nail. This is also a nirjil a sacred cocoanut adorned with flowers) worshipped like ths nárjil. The worship is and chandan (sandal-wood jaste obtained by further conducted in a special costume made grinding a small piece of the wood on a stone for the purpose only. made for the purpose). Every Sunday, or on the first Sunday of each Hindu month, they worhpis
When a mother or mother-in-law worships him as follows:--They put the ndrjil above
Narsingh, ber daughter or daughter-in-law must. mentioned on a brass-plate (thalt), and first wash i:
also do so. Barren women, consulting a cheia with pure fresh water. They then puta tilak of the
(magic-man) or a jógf, are usually advised to chandan on it, in the same way that Brahmans
worship him for offspring. Strangely enough mark their foreheads, and then an achhat, of as
Narsingh is believed to cohabit with these women much washed-rice as will stay on three fingers of
in their dreams in the form of a Brahman clothed the right hand - i.e., on the thumb, first finger,
in white, and aged from twelve to twenty years. and the second or middle finger. When this is When a woman gets sick a chéld is sent for to done they adorn the nurjil with flowers, and then charm away the illness. If he says that Narsingh's burn some dháp. This dháp (dolomiæa macro. anger has caused it, he orders a baithak. If cephala) is a root which comes from the Chamba sle do not happen to have a bahutd, or the Hills, besprinkled with powdered camphor, proper rings or clothes, or a nurjil, the chélá sandal wood, almonds, and spices. It is in the will order any of them that may be wanting form of black pastilles, and when burnt emits a to be procured before performing the baithak. pleasant odour. The narjil (cocoanut) is then The ceremony of the baithale is as follow On worshipped as Narsingh, and sweetmeats are any Sunday, or any other fixed day, the chela offered to it, which are subsequently distributed comes with a baitri, or singer of sacred songs, who to children and members of the house holding plays on a dipatra, an instrument made of twa he worship and the neighbours.
tumbas (ascetic's begging bowl) connected by a [Narsingh, Nirsingh, Abar Singh is the Nyisirha avatar of Vishņu. - ED.)
