Captain Tod's Comments on a Sanscrit Inscription. \5\ 



In Vaicunt'ha, choristers chaunt his praise; the Apsaras dance before 

 him ; and he eats from the fabulous Calpa-vrksha, which is in eternal fruition : 

 nor is Indra's heaven free from strife and battle. This is a more refined 

 abode, perhaps, altogether, than Odiii's Vallmlla : who however has another 

 of a more exalted order, Gimle, which is eternal, the other not. 



The Rajput ascends from that, the most sensual, just described, to the 

 most etherial, Bhdnuloca, the mansion of the sun, reserved for those, who, 

 to use the poet's words, " spurned life as a vain dream, and, through the 

 " wave of battle, performed the pilgrimage of the sword." 



In illustration of Chand's mode of translating his heroes to heaven, I 

 will give in his own words, as near as my very imperfect version will 

 allow, the death of Sulakha. 



It is in the twenty-seventh book, called the Battle of the Rave, because 

 fought on that stream, between Prithwiraja and the King of Ghizni. 



" The brother of Jait lay slain in the field, Sulakha, the seed ofLakhan. 

 " Where he fell, Mahamaya herself descended and mingled in the fight, 

 " uttering horrid shrieks. Innumerable vultures took flight from the field. 

 " In her talons she bore the head of Sulakha : but the Apsaras descended 

 " to seize it from the unclean. Her heart desired, but she obtained it not ! 

 " Where did it go ? For Sulakha will have no second birth. It caused 

 " amazement to the gods, for he entered none of their abodes. He was 

 " not seen in Yama's realm ; nor in the heaven of Siva ; nor in that of the 

 •' Moon; nor in Brahma-pura ; nor in the abode of Vishnu. Where, then, 

 " had he gone ? To the realm cf the Sun ! 



" The Apsaras in vain searched each part of the field. Rembha asked 

 " Mainaka, ' Why thus sad to-day ?' ' This day,' said she, ' I expected 

 " guests. I descended in my chariot. The field have I searched, but he, 

 " whom my soul desires, is not to be found : therefore am I sad ! Chiefs, 

 " mighty waniors, strew the ground, who conquered victory at every step ! 

 " My feet are weary in tracing the paths in which fell the brave ; but him 

 " whom I seek, I cannot find.' ' Listen, oh sister,' said RembhA, ' He 

 " who never bowed the head to a foe, will not be found in this field. To 

 " convey hence the pure flame, the chariot of the planets descended. He 

 " even avoided the heaven of Bhamha and of Siva ; his frame has gone to 



or Valaj Sola or Hala, for the initial letters are permutable, is a hall, or abode ; thus Valhalla, 

 the heroes' abode. 



