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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
as fed the girl's cloth, in lieu of which a clean one is given to her. The legend is : Maha-sammata (q. v.) wedded the daughter of Maha-devi's queen, who on coming to puberty became unclean, and to purify her the ran-säli rite, or rite of the golden vase, had to be performed. A bower was made and a dimbul-chair put in it; canopies, carpets, water-pots and flowers were arranged, and hill-paddy heaped up, and a great feast was prepared. A washerwoman changed the queen's cloth, while a thousand women stood by and did obeisance. A master washerman with an iron mace recited verses and paid homage to her; and the washerwoman, standing on the paddy, took a golden vase of water from the dimbul-chair and poured it over the queen's head. [Kota-halu-kavi.] One K. h. upata-kavi, after narrating the myth of the beginning of the present ton as far as the crowning of Maha-sammata (q. v.), says that Isuru and Má-devi then existed, and had two daughters, Sarasvati and Umayangana (Uma), and a son Nila Devi, who was born from blood. When Umå was 7 years of age and Sarasvati still younger, Nila was sent to the Bamba world to fetch them a celestial robe. He went, adorned like a Yama, with a sword in his right hand and an iron mace in his left. The Bamba king sent to him a nymph, called Ridî ("Silver"), with a cloth 60 cubits long; he brought back both, divided the cloth between his sisters, and married Ridi. On the seventh day after putting on the robe Umâ married her father Isuru. - When she reached puberty, an astrologer told Nilâ how she was to be purified. At her request Nîlâ washed the robe in the Anotatta Lake. A Rakusu hid himself there in the rock on which the robe was to be pounded. After an altercation with him Nîlâ struck the lake with his mace; the water retreated, fish were left on dry land, and the Rakusu trembled. The robe when spread out to dry on the rock became so fine as to be invisible. Nila began to weep, but Säkra came and bade him sprinkle water on the rock, upon which the role reappeared. He took it away in a casket, and gave the Rakusu authority to receive offerings when maidens attain puberty and are purified. The descendants of Nila and Ridî (i.e., apparently the Radâ washer-caste) remain a distinct race. Another K.-.-upatakavi, after relating the legend of Maha-sammata and his marriage to Mâ-devi, gives the following account of Ma-devi's purification. Gämunus (laic nobles ?) skilled in the Vedas were summoned. A hall was built of 1000 lime-trunks, round which was drawn a “virgin-cord"; over a gilded chair of dimbul wood, on which foster-mothers placed a golden bowl, was built the hall, 60 carpenter's cubits in length and 30 in width. The queen in full dress was brought to the hall; Brahmans chanted spells and women did homage. Offerings of food were placed under canopies; bisons, sambur deer, spotted deer, peacocks, pigs, cocks, mongooses, civet-cats, and hares were sacrificed. 60 yalas of paddy were brought into the hall, a golden ladder laid by it, and a golden bowl put on top. The queen was then led away with music, saluted by 1000 gämunus, who received gifts. The Loka-uppattiya, after giving the legend of the flood and Maha-sammata's coronation, relates that M. married Uma-Sarasvati, for whom the Kota-halu was performed. The rites are much the same as above; the hall however is 70 cubits long, Brahmans chant spells for the sacrifices, and offerings are made to the Rakusus and Kili Garavu. It also says that Mâ-de vindu (Siva) and Ma-devi begot Uma, Sarasvati, and Nilâ-yodaya, who fetched for his sisters the celestial robe, as narrated above. Another K.-h.-upata gives a different account. The king is here Manu-rada, and marries Sarasavi
Sarasvati). For her purification a hall was built, in front of which stood a Yodaya (apparently Nila) with a gword in his right hand and a mace in his left, who exorcised the
