482 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. |NS., XIX, 
Hindu Brahmanie political rulers in Nepal itself suggests quite 
different and opposite conclusions. 
In addition, such a theory fails to account for the inti- 
mate connection of many of the occupational sections with 
religious duties. especially in connection with Matsyendranatha. 
This deity seems to be unknown in Tibet, while in India, 
although absent from the purely Brahmanic or Bauddha pan- 
theon it occupies a prominent position in the worship of the 
Indian yogis, who revere Matsyendranatha, and Goraksanatha 
as their first masters. The latter, it may be pointed out, ts 
the patron saint of the neighbouring Gurkha country in the 
kingdom of Nepal! 
It may be objected that Matsyendranatha is not a Bauddha 
deity proper and therefore as the official religion of the 
Bauddhamargis of Nepal is certainly Buddhism, the hypothesis 
suggested by myself fails to agree with the facts This parti- 
cular special deity of Newars, however, not being known in 
the Brahmanic or Bauidha pantheons. merely suggests that 
the deity was known in Nepal before Buddhism came there. 
For it is highly doubtful that a deity like Matsyendranatha 
could suddenly come to Nepal after Indian Buddhism had 
of this deity is connected with the ending of a drought in 
Nepal by his intervention. There however his rdle is to 
release the Nagas who are the givers of the waters from the 
heavens, as well as subterranean springs. The great function 
-of Matsyendranatha therefore seems to be to ensure the water 
‘supply of Nepal. The fact that cultivation is the most im- 
portant source of production in the valley of Nepal and that 
irrigation is invariably employed explains the importance of 
‘such a deity to the Newars. At the same time, it suggests that 
the god came into or developed in Nepal with the people who 
taught irrigated cultivation to the aborigines. The Newar 
name of the deity is still Buga and as Lévi has suggested the 
mames Lokesvara (Buddhist) and Matsyendranaitha were prob- 
ably given later to an earlier god in order to make it fall in 
line with the official religions.’ 
| Lévi: ibid., Vol. I, p. 347-54. 
lo ee too The Mystics, Ascetics and Saints of India, p. 184-6. 
Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, V 
‘ogee y, Vol. VIII, 1884. p. 447. 
* Lévi: ibid., Vol. I, Les divinités locales, p. 356. Kickpatrick, ibid., 
