THE KINGS OF MAGADHA. ^1 



the sea on the bank of the Narmada, and seven 

 coss to the west of Baroche, to get himself purified. 

 There, having gone through a most severe course of 

 rehgious austerities and expiatory ceremonies, he 

 was directed to sail upon the river in a boat with 

 white sails, which, if they turned black, would be to 

 him a sure sign of the remission of his sins ; the 

 blackness of which would attach itself to the sails. 

 It happened so, and he joyfully sent the boat adrift, 

 with his sins, into the sea. 



This ceremony, or another very similar -to it, (for 

 the expense of a boat would be too great), is per- 

 formed to this day at the Siicla-Tirf/m ; but, instead 

 of a boat, they use a common earthen pot, in which 

 they light a lamp, and send it adrift with the accu- 

 mulated load of their sins. 



In the 63d section of the Agnl-purcnia, this expia- 

 tion is represented in a different manner. One day, 

 says the author, as the gods, with holy men, were 

 assembled in the presence of Indra, the sovereign 

 lord of heaven, and as they were conversing on va- 

 rious subjects, some took notice of the abominable 

 conduct of Cha'nacya, of the atrocity and heinous- 

 ness of his crimes. Great was the concern and 

 affliction of the celestial court on the occasion ; and 

 the heavenly nionarclr observed, that it was hardly 

 possible that they should ever be expiated. 



One of tlie assembly took the- liberty to ask him, 

 as it was still possible, what mode of expiation was 

 requisite in the present case ? and Indra answered, 

 the Carsha'gni. There was present a crow, who, 

 from her friendly disposition, was surnamed Mitra^ 

 Ca'ca : she flew immediately to Cha'nacya, and 

 imparted the welcome news to him. He had applied 

 in vain to the most learned divines ; but they uni- 

 formly answered him, that his crime was of such a 



Vol. IX. H 



