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RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS
219
where he sits clothed in jewels and surrounded by many women He wears bright ear-rings, is very wealthy has a heavenly seat and foot-stool and is refreshed by breezcs from Nandana and Alaka Nalini His city Alakā is situated on mount Kalasd and he is Oi Ci-lord ol laksas, Raksasas and Guhyukas 200 Wcaic told that Visamine was uic loud of the Taksas and guarded the northein ducction 201
(7) VIG AVVII '03
The general ablc of the divine scupents, according to Indian my thology, is below callth, where is found 5 su, thc Niiga of a thousand heads, who supports thc caith from bencath 203 According to a Jain lcgcnd. prince Bhàgiraha, the grandson of Bharaha, was the first sjunder of Nagabalı. It is stated that after the sons of Sagara wcrcput burnt to death by the Näga king, Bhagilaha went to draw the watcı of thc Ganges from the neighbouring villages of Atthāvaya Bhagīiaha worshipped the Nāgas with bali, flowers etc, and since then thc Magabalı came into
vogur, 90"
The worship ol Nizon Viajanna) is spccully mention in the north-cast of Sagcy in three lay a Niiga shune (Nipazharal with an image of a scopont "7 Iu Irsiyal ol Miyu Als jullii) Was iclubiated with great pomp and ccicmony by the qucen Paumīvai lhe city was swept clean and was spinklcd ovci with Watci Then a flower-house (pupphamandava) was made near the shinc where a beautiful huge garland was suspended The queen took bath and in the company of her friends and relations proceeded to the shune Shc bathed in the lake and with full moist robe pluched thc locuses and with various flowers, fruits and the incense pot in her hand, entered the temple, where she cleaned
300 301 307
203
304
Hopkins op cit pp 112-1 IS 11 3, p 281 1 hel" a lack of people called Niras csicling upon thickvalid 1gion between Assam and Manipur, who are sud to hc unii cisall threaded for the dci aslations they commit upon the inhabitants of the plains, and it is posuble that the mythological Nagas may have had their origin in the cars pioduced by thy raialer ol the ancient mountainter, Hardy, Alannial of Bird Ihas p 15 London 1850 st 0 Rhus Dauds Buddust India, Pp 220 fr Itula Sui (lilla Rr Ice No Der 19 p 219 Dr Vogel's Indian Serpent I one (
1 11) lot WOLS tlu Ollsconein of linnoiship Hopkins op cil pp 2329 I he fire-lihc ac l10, scubec toilu Ta ponon isci plisied by auous Brahmanic and Buddhist legends lou (xampl. accorcins to tie var illa 'a thic Taza Tahsaha by his fieri bite 1cduced a lot an itc to ashould thing I'
m its hall on fire Cven the pool ol the Yamun is closeul cd 2 OTU 1st with a dens smolc caused by the poison-boin fire of the \ign hiliya (Di Togel / (11 ) Uttarā 11 18 p 2311 Mathurā is mentioned as 7 big centre of Na, Moslup ulen a ni mlect la a images have been recor cied Then nu Vitastă in hashnur is sud to Lc the abode of Nāga Tahsaha (Dr Togel, op all, pp 41f, 229) Also sce Rose, Inles and carics of Panjab and i W Province, lol I pp 117 ff The Arthasastra (p273) mentions an image of a serpent with a boie-hole in it
705
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207
