VICRAMADITYA AND SALIVAHANA. 235 



The origin of the Mahratas is also noticed in the 

 Scanda-purana, in the section of the Sahyadrij or 

 mountains of Sahya, for thus the ghats are denomi- 

 nated in Sanscrit, and Sahyan or Sakydn, on the Ma- 

 labar coast. Unfortunately the second part of this 

 section, in which the origin of the Mdhrdtds was 

 inserted, is so very scarce, that it is supposed to have 

 entirely disappeared, and to have been destroyed by 

 them; as the account given of their origin, was by 

 no means a very honourable one. With the destruc- 

 tion of this part only of the Hindu sacred books, 

 they can fairly be taxed ; and the Hindus are, on 

 the contrary, under the greatest obligations to them 

 for the preservation of the rest. Wherever the Mcih^ 

 raids go, they buy all Sanscrit books indiscriminate!}', 

 and give any price for them ; so much so, as to 

 render them very scarce in every country but their 

 own. Be this as it may, it is affirmed, that they 

 have destroyed the second part of this section, the con- 

 tents of which are yet by no means forgotten. There 

 are still living many persons, both respectable and 

 well informed, who well remember having read that 

 unlucky paragraph. For this reason, they are branded 

 with the appellation of Mldclihas or barbarians, 

 by those who have suffered from their tyrannical and 

 cruel behaviour; which, for a long time past, is at 

 least equal to that of an}^ foreign tribe, that ever 

 invaded India, with regard to extortions, plunder, 

 and other acts of cruelty. 



Three different dates are given of this emigration ; 

 the first in the time of Abu-Becr, in the years 

 631 and 632; the second in the year 651, after the 

 defeat and death of Yezdejird; and the last, when 

 the descendants of Abbas, the uncle of Muhammed, 

 began to prevail in Persia, about the year 749 : and 

 these are probably three different emigrations. The 

 last has been adopted by the late Nawab Ali-Ibkahim- 



