SACRED ISLES IN THE WEST, &Cc 369 



On Vaicana resides the offspring of Garud'a, 

 the destroyer of serpents : it abounds with metals 

 and precious stones. A strong and turbulent wind 

 swiftly passes over this mountain, in a human 

 form, called Sitgnva. The offspring of Punxa'- 

 GA'Ri', or Garud'a, in the shape of birds, fly 

 about this moimtain : they are strong, fly quickly, 

 and mighty are their achievements. On Caraja 

 always resides the mio'htv lord of living beino-s, 

 who manifests himself there to human sisj-ht, the 

 great God riding upon a J3ull, hence called Vrisha- 

 bha'nca-saxcara, the chief of J^oow. The inha- 

 bitants, like I\Iaiia'-deva, always carry poison 

 about them : they are Pramafhas, or servants of 

 IMaha'-deva, and difiicult of access. Maha -deva 

 resides there among them. 



On Vasu-d'hura in Vasiimati, a mountain and 

 country full of fire, as implied by their names, 

 are the st'hdns, or places of the eight forms of 

 Maha'-deva, the merciful God. They are full 

 of resplendence, and proper places of worship. 

 There are seven stlians oi Sidd has : and the stlidn 

 of Brahma' with four faces, the mighty lord of 

 created beings, on a high peak : all living crea- 

 tures bow to it. The eleven Ritdras reside there, 

 on the Gaja-saila, or elephant mountain. 



Su-Megha is full of metals, a king of mountains 

 it is, like the clouds Megha, with many caves in 

 its bosom, and arbours in its skirts. It is the 

 A'yataymn, or place of abode of the twelve Suns, 

 and of the eight forms of Rudra. There also the 

 St ham of Vishnu, and the Asuinau ox Dioscuri, 

 with many belonging to the Siad'has and Gods. 

 There the Yacshas, Gand'harras, and Cimiaras, 

 probably priests and minstrels, are constantly per- 

 forming the puja. In the bosom of this mountain, 



Vol. VIII. Bb 



