476 ON MOUNT CAUCASUS. 



was enraged; and infifted on her going. Maha'-de'va 

 did what he could to dilTuade her from it, but in vain. 

 She was treated with fuch contempt by her father, that, 

 in a rage, fhe flung herfelf into the facred fire, and 

 thereby fpoilcd the facrifice. Maha'-de'va hearing 

 of this, blamed her for her rafli conduft, in thus fpoil- 

 ing the religious performance, and curfed her. In con- 

 fequence of this curfe, and for her improper behaviour, 

 flie was doomed to be born again, and to tranfmigrate 

 for a thoufand years into an inferior being. Thus fhe 

 became a Pica: but Maha'-de'va to pleafe her, af- 

 fumed the fhape of a Pica or Picas under the title of 

 Pice'swara or Pice'sa-Maha'-de'va. He is more 

 generally known by the name of Cocile's'wara-Ma- 

 ha'-de'va: Cocila (Cucidus) being another name for 

 the bird Pica or Picas*. 



Maha'-de'va afterwards went up to Brahma', in 

 the charaQer of Dacsha; and after a great deal of 

 abufe, began to beat him; the confufion became gene- 

 ral in the whole affembly, who all took the part of Dac- 

 sha : but Siva ftriking the ground with the locks of 

 bis yata^ produced two heroes, and a whole army of 

 demons came to his afliftance; the battle raged, and 

 during this general conflift Maha'-de'va cut off Dac- 

 sha's head: feveral of the Gods were wounded, parti- 

 cularly the Sun and Moon; Heaven, Hell, and the 

 Earth trembled. 



The Gods at laft humbled themfelves before Maha'- 

 de'va, who was appeafed; and order was re-eftablifhed 

 through the whole affembly. The Gods requefled 

 Maha'-de'va toreftore Dacsha to life, which he pro- 

 mifed to do; but the head could not be found, for dur- 



* Pica in Sanfcrit is the name of the Cuckoo: but it was once taken 

 in a more extenfive feiife; for we read in gloffaries, that Pica is the name 

 of fuch birds as pick their food out of holes. In this fenfe the bird Picut 

 is certainly a Pica. The root of the word Picus is loft in Latin, but it is 

 prefervcd in Gothick and moft of its dialedis, 



ing 



