1919.] The Rajput Kingdoms of Mediaeval Chhattisgarh. 217 
of adversaries’? overthrown by Simhana Deva. These are all 
clearly Rajput conceptions and the Atharahgarh of Sambalpur 
and Kalahandi are certainly imitations of the same Rajput 
idea. 
33. I haveshown that in Chhattisgarh the terms Atharah- 
garh, Chaurasi an Barhon were conventional, and were intro- 
i But it 
would be in my opinion, useless to attempt to find a reason for 
the selection of these numbers. In almost every country 
enquiry will disclose a series of ‘‘Sacred numbers”’ with a 
Penny story of account for them. 
Beames, in Elliott’s Glossary explains the popularity 
of oe numbers on an astronomical basis 3 the 
* multiple of the number of ae in a year with the het 
‘of days in a solar month........ is 84 the sooeiele of the 
“ number of months with the raat of days in the 
Aisi y It is needless to particularize all the Shanes | in reiih 
“the partiality of the natives of India for the numbers 7, 12 
“and 84 isshown.’’ Hethen quotes a mediaeval writer who re- 
ferred the origin of chess and backgammon to the preference for 
certain astronomical numbers and proceeds ‘“‘ Let us take also 
‘the emblematical ea of Surya, the Indian Sun. He is 
‘‘represented with 12 spokes to his wheel indicating, as the 
‘‘ Bhagvata expressly says, the number of months. and sitting 
“under a canopy formed by the 7 heads of the Coluber Naga. 
‘powers in each of the twelve months throughout his passage 
‘ through the ecliptic. The allegorical import of this Chaurasi 
‘is so evident that we need go no further to assign causes for 
‘the selection of this multiple of 7 and 12 to represent terri- 
Macha subdivisions in India; no numbers being Hae gees 
ore appropriate for that purpose than those which 
« reference to the motion of the earth, the revolving seasons, 
and the succession of seed time and harvest.’ 
35. As something of an antidote to this rayiee sublime 
explanation of the common use of the term Chauras may 
quote the following from Henry fingatev's Ravenshoe (Chapter 
XXIV). “The natives (in Australia) are very low savages, 
‘are they not, Mr. Smith?” said William. “I have heard 
‘that they cannot count above ten.” ‘‘ Not so far as that” 
“said Mr. Smith. ‘The tribe we were most among used to 
‘‘express all large unknown quantities By eighty-four’ ; it 
“was asaandytothem. That seems curious at first, does it 
n « > se 
orse and not caring how ‘It was not at all 
uri If you multiplied the neten tribes of Israel into 
“ the seven cities of refuge, there you were at once. Mr. Smit 
“ particular number. But Mr. Bidder, trying to mount his 
8 pate sai 
