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162
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JUNE, 1907.
Translation.
64. There (on Mount Arbuda) the wise house-priest of the Ikshvaku made a sage's grove rich in wild rice, fruits, roots, firewood and Kusa-grass,34
66.
67.
65. His wish-granting cow was once stolen and carried away by the son of Gâdhi, as was that of Jamadagni, Arjuna, of Kritavirya's offspring.
Arundhati, upon whose bosom the silk garment was bathed with streams of tears, became a log, on account of her husband's wrath.
Thereupon the first of the judges of the Atharvana songs,36 with holy sayings, threw an offering into the fire, which, kindling up with broad flames, seemed to bear an ascetic's hair braid.
68. Quickly a man sprang out of the fire, with bow and crown and golden armour.37
69. By him, the cow of the wise man, led away by Visvamitra, is brought back, as the sun brings back the light of day, which has been led away by the thick darkness.
70. Then the grove-maidens took the cheek, wet with tears of joy, from the supporting hand which is worshipped by the devout.
71. He received from the prophet the fitting name of Paramara- killer of the enemy - and a ruler's power over the globe, before whom all the parasola of all other kings were shut.
72. (From him), who, bringing a multitude of great offerings, only left the ancient tortoise, 3973. (From him) the sacrificer, by whom this earth was filled with golden altar staves, which, resting on foundations of precious stones, were ornamented with wreaths of pearlstrings,0
74. (From him), by whom, when he conquered the Daityas, Sacht was freed at last, with a heart at rest from jealous wrangling with the race of impure splendour,"
75. From him, who resembled the ancient King Manu, sprang a race, who obtained high esteem by virtuous kings, like beautifully rounded pearls.41
34 A temple of Vasishtha, which, through local tradion, is closely connected with the holy mountain, is still found on the south side of Abû or Arbuds. The inscriptions in its vicinity prove that it was kept up by the princes of Chandravati. To the right of the temple stands the statue of a warrior, which, according to a tradition, represents the mythical Paraméra. See J. Tod, Travels in Western India, p. 116 ff.
55 The story of the theft of the Kamadhenn and its recovery differs widely here and in the tarratives of the bards of Rajputând and Gujarat, from the classical, and is, of course, merely a local representation.
28 Vasishtha is naturally a better judge of the Atharavaveda, the great collection of charms and incantations than the Purohita.
ST On the origin of the Paramaras, who, according to the various modern bardie traditions in the Agnikunda, sprang from Mount Abû, and belonged to the Agnikulas. See also J. Tod, Annals of Rajasthan, Vol. I. p. SS ff., and specially p. E6 ( Madras ed.). The account in the Nagpur Prasast!, verse 13 (Zeitsch f. d. Kunde des Morgenländes. Bd. VII, 194) and that in Someévara's Prasasti, verse 39 (Kirtikaumudi, App. I., p. 4) agrees exactly with Padmagupta's.
I. ., he killed all other inhabitants of the ocean by his horse sacrifices and other Sattras, which required an incredible amount of slaughter. Only the tortoise upon which the earth rests, was left.
On the golden, i. e., gold-plated stakes for the sacrifice, see J, Tod, Annals of Rajasthan, Vol. I. pp 71-72, and specially note 1 on the latter page.
40 Probably this merely means that the Paramara exterminated the Daityas, "the race of impure lustre," and so pacified Bach!, troubled about Indra's lordship.
41 The poet, as often happens in other works, plays on the word suoritta, "virtuous" and "beautifully rounded." Possibly a second play of words is intended with vamhéa race and "bamboo rod." Thus the end of the verse might be translated: a race....(and that, therefore) resembles a bamboo rod, which is made valuable by beautifully rounded pearls. Referring to the Indian belief, that pearls grow in the bamboo rod.
