Sivasamudram in the Caveri River. 309 
till the day of his death, when he was succeeded by his son SrirancanAven. 
The reigns of these three sovereigns are supposed to have lasted about 
eighty years; and after the death of SrirancarAyen, the island and its 
dependencies went to decay for a short time. 
After a lapse of time, GancarAyEn, a petty prince of Umattun in the 
district of Mysore, also of the Cshatriya caste, but of the sect of Siva, is 
said to have visited the desolate island; and finding it quite in a ruined 
state, he took measures for its improvement, and built a fort with gates of 
brass, and a bridge on each of the branches of the Cdveri, by which the 
island is formed. He also repaired the dilapidated pagoda of Rangaswami, 
and enlarged the ruined pagoda of Sémés'waraswémt, which is said to have 
been found on the island when TrruCcHOLARAYEN, the first king, took 
possession of it. This prince is said to have committed suicide by 
plunging himself into the cataract which is formed by the western branch 
of the river. ‘The following are said to have been the circumstances which 
led to this desperate act. 
It is stated that in GancarAyen’s reign a chakler, named Umsan, having 
discovered a root which had the quality of making a man invisible, ground 
it into a very fine powder, and mixing it with a little oil, made a mark on 
his forehead with the composition, which, causing him to be invisible, he 
formed the audacious design, and actually achieved the enterprize, of 
frequenting the table of GancarAyen, and feasting on the luxuries of the 
king’s dishes. He continued to do this, it is said, for the space of about 
twelve long years, until, the consumption at the king’s table on these days 
being unusually great, the queen observed it, and wished to know the 
cause of the extraordinary consumption. Having laid her plan, she one 
day made GancarAyen bathe in a very warm bath, after which she had 
meals placed before him, all of which were very hotly seasoned, and 
caused him on eating to perspire a great deal. The invisible chakler being 
at the same time at the table partook of the same hot dishes, which causing 
him also to perspire violently, his enchanted mark dissolved and dropped 
off, when he was instantly discovered by the prince, and on being ques- 
tioned who he was, declared the truth, and fell dead on the spot. The 
king finding that he was defiled by having eaten with a chakler, consulted 
the s/dstras, which directed him, for the expiation of so great a sin, to 
plunge himself and his wife into the Caveri. In obedience to this mandate, 
he caused his favourite mare to be saddled, and taking his wife behind him, 
