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18
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
sources tells that Säkra sent Senasuru with a potion which restored her to life, and then Senasuru spitefully threw poison over Dala Raja which made him hideous. The D-kumaraasné relates that he was the son of Danta-siva Raja of Danta-pura by Nava-ratnavali. At the birth of his gister Giri Devi astrologers foretold his union with her. She was therefore brought up in a rock-house. But a woman described her beauty to him, and he went out under pretence of wishing to plough near the forest, and then feigned sickness, and begged to see her. She was sent by her parents to him, and he seduced her. She at once hanged herself on an üsala tree, and Säkra made her body invisible. Dala wandered everywhere in search of her, and at last came to Säkra's world, where he beat Senasuru at dice 7 times, and then demanded her back from Säkra, who agreed, and sent Senaguru to the īsala tree with nectar (amțita), with which to restore her to life. After reviving her with the nectar, Senasuru threw poison on Dala, whose form was thereby changed into that of a Rakusu, with blue hue, vast forehead, and head like a water-jar, huge eyes and belly, a nose like & black mountain, and short stump-like legs. He and Giri received offerings, and came to Ceylon. The Giri-devi-asnê states that Giri Devi was the daughter of the Brahman Dalakeśvara and Hamsavati Devi of Dantapura, and sister of Dala Kumâra, who was 7 years older than she. On account of the astrologers' prediction, she was confined in a dungeon. Dala reached her by a stratagem. She hanged herself on an ähala tree, and Säkra made her body invisible. Dala sought for her through many lands, aided by Senasuru, whom he beat at dice, and at length by the help of Säkra he found her body. Säkra sent Senasuru with a potion to restore her; but Senasuru out of spite threw poison upon Dala, who was thereby made to take the form of a Rakusu. The lovers were married, and all the gods gave gifts. One D-r.-kavi tells of the coming of Dala to the Sat-clanta Lake in search of Giri Devi and his struggle with an elephant there, from which Säkra named the prince Dala Kadavara. The elephant died and became a demon, which haunted Dantapura and so terrified the queen and Dala Raja, the king, that offerings were made to him and the 12 Giri goddesses given over to him. When Pattini went to the world of men, Dala Raja, who watched over the corpse of Palanga, received from her 3 kila to dispel sickness, from which he was called Kila Garâ, q. v. One Giri-devi-upata relates that Dala was born of queen Hamsavati, who during her pregnancy had a longing for all kinds of wild fruit, and also ate bits of potsherds, clay, and gravel. She afterwards bore Giri Devi, who was imprisoned in a cave. Her nurse told Dala about her, and he feigned illness. The parents to save his life decided to sacrifice Giri's maidenhood, and sent her. She went to him in all innocence, was seduced, and then while he slept hanged herself. Another Giri-deviupata gives a similar story. The parents are the king and quiven of Hamsavati; before Giri's birth, which was eagerly prayed for, the queen dreained that the gods gave her a golden mirror. The D.-kalavara-pidavila narrates that an elephant-king went with his queen, to a lake, and there battered at the bank with his tusks. The tusks broke, and he fell dead. From the tusks was born a prince, who magically flew through the air to Dantapura town, where he afflicted the queen and other women. He makes noises at night and causes cees to rustle; his body has yellow spots. The D.-karlarara-kavi states that the god was born with his twin sister from the womb of Ruvan-karandu, and they married one another. He brings fever and pestilence on men; his victims in dreams eat flesh and cakes, and a congulation forms in their stomachs. For exorcism a bali-image is made, for which the head-pillow is red and white; 3 cobras surmount the head, the face is like that of Brahma, and the appearance that of a Rakusu; there are two tusks in his mouth, a necklace on the
