THE KINGS OF J.fAGADII.\. 85 



tljrough the stars'^ and a of tlie great bear. Wlien 

 they are in MagJia then the hne passes through this 

 asterism and the stars ^ and «. l>y these means they 

 coukl see them in cveiy part of the starry heavens. 

 "When Nan DA was born, they were then in Furvus- 

 hadha, or about 400 years B. C. and he died 327 

 before the Christian Era. Astrologers watch care- 

 fully their motion, because their influence is variously 

 modified through every mansion : and whatever new 

 married couple see them in a fortunate moment, they 

 are sure to live happy together for a hundred years. 

 Hence, says the ingenious Mil. Bailly, we may safely 

 conclude,"^ that no body ever saw them in that propi- 

 tious moment. 



Tlie period of the seven Tlislih begins to be neglected 

 in the more northern parts of /;^«7.'/, because they are 

 not always to be seen at the lucky moment ; and, in 

 their stead, they use Diuiuva, or the polar star : 

 This star is often mentioned in the sacred books of 

 the Hindus, and it is connected with their mytho- 

 logy; but has not long been near enough to the Pok, 

 to be thus denominated after it : and for a long 

 series of years, before, there was no Dihiuva or im- 

 moveable star. Be this as it may, Dhruva, with 

 his relations, shines in the lesser bear. In the Yautra- 

 ratna-'cdlyam^ this consieliation is called the fish of 

 Dhuuva-bkahma'xa'd'hica'ra. It consists of thir- 

 teen stars : Dhuuva is in the mouth, and Uttana- 

 PA'DA his father in the tail. The mouth is turned 

 towards Bharam, and its revolution is the same. 



The wives of the seven RltliisaYe the Pleiades, at 

 least six of them ; for the Hindus do not know that 

 they were seven formerly. Agxi fell in love with 

 them ; but his wife, dreading the resentment of the 

 holy Ithhis, assumed their shapes and countenances, 

 and thus personifying them, satisfied her husbancfs 

 lust. She was however unsuccessful with regard to 



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