CHRISTIAN RELIGION IN INDIA. 6/ 



to take him down from the cross ; and then falling 

 at his feet, humbly begged his forgiveness. Imme- 

 diately tlie Rtshi descended into hell, and asked the 

 King of death, and of justice, how he could allow 

 him to be crucified, as he was guiltless. Yama an- 

 swered, that in his infancy he had pierced an inno- 

 cent insect witli a blade of grass. The Rishi said, 

 that at that age he could not incur guilt of any kind, 

 and of course drove him out of the infernal king- 

 dom ; and willed, that he should be born of the 

 worn!) of a woman of the \Sudra tribe. This was 

 effected in the house of Vichitravirya, who was 

 dead; but Dwaipa'yana, or Vya'sa, raised seed to 

 him, through his wife and a handmaid. Yama was 

 born of the latter under the name of Vidu'ra, and 

 remained on earth 100 years, during which the go- 

 vernment of the infernal regions was committed to 

 Auyama', according to the Bhdgavata. In the 

 Sahyadri-cliand'a, \yq have a most prolix account of 

 this momentous event, which I shall give in ab- 

 stract. 



' Whatever man listens with due attention to this 

 legend, his sins shall be remitted. In the forest of 

 Dandaca, in tlie Saliyddri mountains in the Dekhin, 

 on the banks of the river Pranitd, Avas the hermit- 

 age of Mand'avyah, a most holy Rishi, most bene- 

 volent, and no accepter of persons. There he re- 

 mained, between live fires, entirely taken up with 

 holy contemplation, and inwardly repeating sacred 

 names. A numerous banditti, with the goods they 

 had stolen, being pursued by the King at the head 

 of a strong party, took shelter near the holy man. 

 As soon as the King came, he ordered them all to be 

 crucified immediately ; and the holy man was num- 

 bered am.ong them, and from his being crucifi^ed, he 



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