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68
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1897.
So saying he got the stána cleansed. And the Bhatta lit a fire for a sacrifice with fire-wood from the jack-tree; and gave oblations to the Bhúta of ghi, and gave sacrifices according to a certain number. As the sacrifices were over, the sun set; then the devil-dancer also came. Then the Bhatta sitting before the fire took tender cocoanuts and ripe cocoanuts, and beaten rice and baked rice, and honey, and ghí, and butter, and curds, and milk, and prepared panchamṛita; and then the Bhatta took the sandal-stone and rubbed sandal-wood upon it and prepared sandal. Then the Bhatta called the Ballâl and told him:-" Now, take the devil-dancer yourself to the tank, and let him bathe there and come."
So saying he sent them; and before they returned he made everything ready in the stána. And then they came and entered the stána and came and stood before the sacrificial fire. Then the Bhatta said :-"Now, be not dilatory. Give the devil-dancer the flowers of the arecanut tree and some grains of rice; and let him stand in front of us. Give him the sword and the bell."
Having done so, all of them prayed:-"O lord, if you are Panjurli Bhûta of a truth, let it become known to us in this way."
So saying all of them at once threw rice upon the devil-dancer. Then the music was played. Suddenly the devil-dancer began to tremble and cried out with a loud voice and ran round the stána, and ran to the tank and bathed again, and came back and took the sword, and began to pierce his belly with it. Then the Baragas, who had come together in the stána, took away the sword from the hands of the devil-dancer, and prayed thus:-"O lord Pañjurli, if you are of truth, now you must open your mouth and speak to us. We have taken much pains to believe in you. Now you must be pleased with us and take the sacrifices which we offer, and onder us and save us."
At this Panjurli said thas:-"O Ballâ]. I came down from the sky, yet I had no ladder to do it. Do you hear me? I am he that came down without a ladder. Great magicians tried for seven days and seven nights to catch me; and yet they could not catch me; but I am come here. Now I must go about to the great towns and see renowned places and seek for a habitation. I am come to help the men of this world. Take courage. Do not be afraid. I am very much pleased with the sacrifices which you have offered. And yet you must henceforth give me two tambilas every year. If you fail in this, I will give you trouble. Then you must not complain of me. Now I am very glad that I have first drunk milk in your house. In future I will help you, so that no sickness or disease attack your children or your cattle. Now bring me food; the devil-dancer is getting very tired. I must leave him. I have recently come here; I must not give much trouble. Bring me all sorts of cakes and puddings and milk, and I will take my food."
At this the Ballal said :-"O Baragas, Pañjurli has spoken well. He is a demon of truth. Bring him the food that he has asked. Let him take it."
All the Baragas, hearing these words, brought food to Panjurli Bhûta. Panjurli, when he was about to take the food, asked the Balla]:-"O Ballal, shall I take food ?" To this the Ballâl answered:-"Yes, you may take. All is yours. It is also yours to save us all."
After the Ballal had said thus, he took the food, and said: "O Ballal, how is the trisula which you have got prepared for me? I wish to see it; bring it here before me."
Then they brought the trisula to Pañjurli Bhúta, and gave it to him. Then Panjurli took the trisula in one of his fingers, and said:"All of you see this; now, though this trisula is so big, it is big only to you, but it is not so to me.. To me this is as a straw. It is not big in my eyes. What you have got prepared for me is very beautiful. And now I must see all the other ornaments which you have prepared for me."
