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THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
Similarly, the golden Lanka of Rāvan is end burnt by the queen of Nandrāj and the still believed to exist under the sea, ruled treasure still lies hidden in the waters of the over by Bibhishan, the brother of Rävan, and sea. visible only to the eyes of saints and holy | It is narrated in the fourth chapter of persons. It is a common belief that the Bhagvat-paran that the ten thousand sons nether regions are inhabited by a species of Prachetas used to residen palvor built of semi-divine beings, half men and half under water, serpents, called Nägs, who possess magnifi- Mountains are held to be sacred in a cent palaces under the water. The story variety of circumstances; thus some are of Kaliya Näg, who resided at the bottom of valued for possessing medicinal druge: some the Jumna and was driven from that place are revered as the birthplaces of the gods, by Krishna, is well known. There are & or as the residences of saints : some for posnumber of mythological traditions in the sessing many tirthas (holy spots) : some bePurūnas of kings and princes having visited cause they were visited by Rāma or the these palaces in watery regions, and of their Pandavas : some serve as guardians of the having brought back beautiful Nagakanyas four quarters : and some contain the sources (daughters of Nägs) therefrom. For of holy rivers. instance, Arjuna married a Nägakanya Both the important ranges of the Presinamed Ulupi when he was living in exile
dency, the Sahyadri and the Sätpuda, are with his brothers. He also stayed for some subjects of veneration in the popular mind. time with the Nāgs.
The Himalayas, the Vindhya Mountains, and Ghosts and demons sometimes inhabit the Nilgiris command special respect. Other palaces under the water. Deep waters, sacred mountains are Girnär and Shetrunja unfrequented by men, are the favourite in Kathiawar, Mount Abu, Pāvāgad, near resorts of such beings,
Baroda, Brahmagiri Arasur, Tryambak near The god Varuna resides in the waters, Nasik, Koyalo, Govardhan near Mathura, and is said to have once carried off Nand Revatāchal near Dwarka, and Hinglaj in (the adoptive father of Krishna) to his Sind. watery abode, for having bathed in the It is said that in ancient times there Jumna before dawn,
were deep miry ditches where Girnar and Kālindi, the daughter of the king of the Abu stand at present. One day a cow Kalingas, practised religious austerities in a belonging to the sage Vasishtha fell into palace under the waters of the Jumna with one of them and was found by Kacha, the object of securing a suitable husband. the son of Brihaspati, after a long search, Krishna, on being informed of this by When the incident was brought to the Arjuna, went to the place and married her, notice of Vasishtha, he requested Meru (a
There is a story in the Purānas that a mythical mountain) to send his two sons king, named Nandrāj, used to bury his Girnär and Abu to occupy and fill the treasures in the sea with the assistance of a ditches. Girnar required sixty-eight tirthas mani (jewel) which furnished a safe passage to accompany him; and the boon was granted through the water. The mani was in the by the gods.
1 The Schoolmasters of Dadvi and Kolki.
?D. K. Pandya, Dhbank. H. M. Bhatt, Ganod.
+ The Schoolmaster of Kolki. 6 Jairam Vasaram, Jodia.
• The Schoolmaster of Khirasara, + N. M. Dave. Sankad
• The Deputy Educational Inspector of Halar. • The Schoolmasters of Dhhank, Moti Parabadi, and Luvaria.
