224 Major Tod, on cm Inscription at Madhucarghar. 



of the king, against whom he therefore vowed deadly revenge. He 

 appears to have been a disciple of the sect, described by Gibbon,* " who 

 converted the study of philosophy into that of magic, attempted to explore 

 the secrets of the invisible world, claimed familiar intercourse with demons 

 and spirits, and pretended that they possessed the secret of disengaging the 

 soul from its corporeal prison." The Y6gi learned this art in that grand 

 school for magic, Cashmira. He could at pleasure effect this interchangeable 

 metempsychosis. He commanded the soul of the ill-starred Bhoja to limit 

 its powers within the frame of a parrot, while he, so soon as he animated 

 the frame of the prince of Dhdra, issued his first mandate, to slay all the 

 parrots in his dominions. The now feathered monarch took wing to the 

 forests of Chandrdvati, and was cauglit by a Palinda.f 



The Bldlla carried the bird, which retained the faculty of speech, to 

 Raja Chandrasena ; with whose daughter the parrot became a favourite. 

 The captive related his metamorphosis, and by stratagem induced the Ydgt 

 king to come suitor for her hand : when he was slain, and Bh6ja resumed 

 his shape and kingdom. 



If any historical fact is meant under this allegory, it would probably be 

 that an invader from the north despoiled Bh6ja of his kingdom, that he 

 fled in disguise to the wilds, and was carried from his concealment by the 

 wild tribes ; and finally, through the daughter of Chandrasena, obtained 

 liberty and aid to regain his kingdom. Bhoja lived in the very period of 

 trouble, between MAHMiiD's invasion, and the final conquest of India by 

 ShahabTjddin. 



The last story is of a similar nature, which serves to shew the Jaina 

 cosmogony ; a tirade on the Riglits of Sanctuary, in a dialogue between a 

 monkey and a lion, in which the long-armed beast delivers some wholesome 

 maxims ; and a story, which is meant to shew the superior intellect of the 

 sage Vararuchi. These are all episodes in the adventures of Deva-rAja, 

 and Vach-raja t the sons of Bhoja, who were banished at the early age of 

 nine and seven, for being boisterous and noisy, and disturbing the old man's 

 rest. Their first adventure is on the sea-coast, where they fall in M'ith a 

 merchant, and go to sea with him. Their vessel is held stationary on the 



• Vol. I. p. 182. t See Note O. % See Note P. 



