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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[SEPTEMBER, 1915
What is quadrangular, in the form of a flag, fixed in front of the palace gate, that they call Indra's flag; it bears on it the happiness of the inhabitants of the city;
The first is from the Bhavishyttarapurana.
These explanations in regard to the nature of the festival, the allusion that. Kalidasa makes to it as though it were a thing familiar to all, the eclat with which the two Tamil poets describe it and the explanation that the 12th century A. D. Tamil commentary and the later Mallinatha are able to give of its details go to establish the popularity as well as the long vogue of the festival. It would not be surprising if this itself, or something akin to it had been in existence in Asoka's time and if he himself had contributed to rid it of any element of grossness. Any way there is no mistaking the light that this festival to Indra throws upon the edict under consideration. If this should in the least contribute towards the elucidation of the particular sentence in the edict, the Tamil poets deserve to be gratefully studied.
THE ADVENTURES OF THE GOD OF MADURA. BY V. VENKATACHALLAM IYER, NELLORE.
(Continued from Vol. XLII, page 72.)
In the reign of this monarch, Ugra-Pandya, it came to pass that for a second time the land suffered from famine and scarcity. On this occasion Indra was not to blame, for, the want of rain resulted from a certain collocation of the planets. The king appealed to his father, the god in the temple, for relief from the distress. But he appealed in vain. For, the god confessed himself powerless to control, much less to vary, the eternal and immutable laws of planetary motions. He told the prince, however, that there was an abundance of treasure stowed away in some recesses of Mount Meru ; that the prince might take it if he could, and by largesses out of it alleviate the sufferings of his subjects.
The king made up his mind to venture on the enterprise. He left Madura and steadily marched northwards. He passed through the Dekhan. He went up to Benares, where he bathed in the Ganges. He proceeded further north, crossed the Himalayas and passed through the several varshas or districts, which lay between the abode of snow and Ilâvritavarsha, in the centre of which Mount Meru towered his height. By forced marches, the king came to close quarters with the mountain.
The campaign was begun in earnest. After some progress made, the mountain-god was summoned to audience. He, however, proved refractory in the first instance. The Pandya was exasperated. He discharged the rendu or bali against the haughty crown of the mountain. This, the reader will recollect, was the third of the divine weapons which the king as crown-prince had received from his father, the god. The mountain was shaken to its foundations. The divinity of the mountain-god could not withstand the attack. He came down humbly. He appeared before the Pândya with four heads, eight hands and a white umbrella in one of his hands. He wished to know all that was wanted of him.
The king badly wanted the treasure of which the mountain-god kept charge. This was readily yielded up. The Pandya took as uch as he cared to have. The mountain-god was now free to air his height as before. The king returned to Madura, with all possible expedition. The people were relieved and comforted and, when the year came round, rains fell with tropical copiousness.
After a long and prosperous rule, Ugra-Påņdya passed away and became unified with his father, the god of the temple.
