S8 EKV. G. U. POPEj D.D., ON 



but she cannot lierself dig and carry earth, and she has no 

 one to Avork for her, and no money whereAvith to hire a 

 substitute. In her despair she rushes to the temple of 

 ^okka-nayagar"^ (under Avhich name (^iva is still Avorshipped 

 in the renowned temple at Madura). Her prayer in the 

 temple is very touching. It comes to this at last, "Helper 

 of the helpless, I flee to Thee for succour I " (^ivan is 

 neA'er appealed to in A^ain, and so He Himself comes in His 

 OAvn quaint Avay to her rescue. Just outside the shrine, as 

 she is chying her tears, she sees a youthful rustic, a day 

 labourer, clad in ragged garments, Avith a basket for carry- 

 ing earth put on his head as a covering, and bearing a spade 

 on his shoulder, Avho addresses her Avitli the Avords, " Will 

 you hire me to do your Avork? I am hungry; feed me, and 

 I Avill do A\-hateA'er you bid me." The old Avoman Avas in 

 raptures, for had not her prayer been ansAvered? But 

 the Avonder of it ! She kncAv not the Avhole mystery. The 

 coolie Avas none other than (^iA^an in servant's form,t thus 

 humbling Himself to bear tJie burdens of His living ones. 

 So the god undertakes the task, eating the rice-cakes Avith 

 undisguised delight, but doing his Avork in very eccentric 

 fashion. It Avas another of his " sports " ! He ran back- 

 Avard and forAvard, thrcAv a little earth here and a little earth 

 there, danced Avildly, and sang strange snatches of songs, 

 till tlie inspectors of the Avork pronounced Him mad. Still, 

 on the whole. His Avork seemed marvellously to prosper ; for 

 in fact the riA^er knew him, and shrank aAvay back into its 

 former narrow limits. At length the young coolie having 

 ejiten all the cakes, crowned all his eccentricities by quietly 

 lying down on the riverbank, and falling asleep with the 

 basket as a pillow. This is reported to the king. The 

 inipudent coolie is sent for, and having been Avith difficulty 

 aroused from his slumber, stands before tlie king as a culprit, 

 making hoAvever no defence. The angry king commands 

 him to be beaten. But Avhen the first blow is struck, all the 

 universe shudders. Every god in heaven and every sentient 

 being on earth feels the bloAv. There goes up a shuddering 

 cry from all creation. And when they look again, the god 

 has disappeared.! 



* This is equivalent to sundara, " the beautiful." 



t In all this there is much to remind us of Heraklgs. 



+ Comp. Tinivii II, 47 ; VIII, 47 ; XIII, 62. 



