________________
240
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1895.
ing his round of one leós round Venkatesa. On seeing her he guessed from her face what the object was that she had in view, and he therefore said to her:- Sri Venkatesa is living only about two kôs from here : join him and be worshipped in company with him by my devoted disciples. She consented to do this gladly, and went and settled down on the right side of Sri Venkatesa."
Vyasa then said to Sata :-Now listen and I will tell you the story of the Bilva-Tirtha.
"A Brahman devoted to Bhairava was going to the Sahyadris with the intention of worshipping him on the day of the Mahasivayoga. While going (there) he lost his way in the forest, and being unable to find it, he betook himself to prayer without food, and without performing his usual devotions. Bhairava, therefore, determined to succour his devotee, and for this purpose he assumed the form of a bull, his wife taking that of a cow, and appeared before him like ordinary cattle, returning homewards with the herds. The Brahman, on seeing them, followed them with the fruits, etc., he had brought with him as offerings, determining to worship Bhairava after entering the town at least. Bhairava thereon immediately appeared to the Brahman in a very tall form, and commanded him to erect a temple to him as high as he was himself, and such as would command from it a view of Gôkarta : in return for which he promised to bestow much wealth upon him. As Bhairava was disappearing after this, the bull as if to lower his pride struck his head with his horn, and the cow poured its milk upon him, and then they both vanished : on perceiving this, the Brahmañ worshipped the linga, and wreathed it with bél-flowers and leaves. Upon this being done, Bhairava again assumed a human shape and spoke thug :-O Brahman, a little distance away to the east of this place there is a Tirtha, throw the bél-leaves you have adorned me with into it, take a bath in it, and then go still further east when you will meet Sômêsvara. Worship bim as well as myself with panchadravy a54 devoutly. Sri Venkatesa will do what you desire :' and saying this he disappeared. Accordingly he (the Brahman) searched for the spring, and when he found it he threw the bél-leaves and the fruit into it. In the last yuga, a Gandharva had forced a woman, named Ambalâ, 65 for his sensual pleasure. She in her wrath cursed him to be a fish nntil he eat bél-leaves, which had been consecrated by being placed on the head of a Sivalinga. This Gandharva had in consequence wandered through many rivers and tanks in the guise of a fish, till at length he had come to this tank. When the leaves therefore fell into the tank, the fish eat them all, and thus, being freed from the curse, it resumed its original (or rightfal) form of a Gandharva. And then addressing the Brahman, he said :
O pious and faithful Brâhman, I have regained my former state throdgh the leaves which you have thrown into the water : so let this spring be known in future as the Bilva-tîrtha. Those who bathe in it will be purged from all sin committed by them in their former births.' So saying the Gandharva returned to his native place. The Brahman was greatly surprised at hearing this, and from that time forth he used to bathe daily in that spring, and worship Bhairava and Venkatesa, till he finally obtained eternal happiness. I have told you this story as briefly as I could. It is from this story that the spring derives its name. He who hears it or reads it will become pure and attain to Svarga."
Vyâsa said: "Oh Sta! in the last yuga, Skanda and Vinayaka, when boys, contended with each other, and they came to their father, Mahêsvara, and enquired of him thus: - Tell us, O father, which of us two is the wiser and braver P' Their father told them to go and Ask Brahma. They therefore went to Brahma-lôka, and there they saw Brahma with Sarasvati by his side. Brahmå knowing their errand took up some water in his hands from his
* The five elements of immortality, 1. e., (1) milk, (2) curds, (3) ghi, (4) honey, (5) sugar, which make up the mixture palichamrita, in which an idol is bathed.
66 The name of the youngest daughter of a king of Kast and wife of Vichitravirya. She became the mother of Pandu by Vysa, the brother of Vichitra virya :- the latter dying childless. There is a curious likeness here to the Jewish law enjoining the raising up of seed to a brother dying without issue. AmbalA is also the name of one of the Apsaras. It is probable that she is the individual indicated in the text.
