1896. | N. N. Vasu— Nagaras and the Nagari-alphabet. 119 
kings of Gujarat have shown their reverence towards these Nagara 
Brahmanas from very ancient times. One cannot fail to notice the 
hereditary employments of these Brahmanas as ministers, counsellors, 
&e., at the highest and most important functionaries of the state. 
These Brahmanas also allude to the authority of the Skanda-purana 
for their origin. The Nagara-khanda thus speaks of the origin of 
the Nagara Brahmanas :-— 
Camatkara, the king of Anartta, was once afflicted with leprosy. 
Being unable to get rid of the malady, he despaired of his life. One 
day he came to the hermitage of Vigvamitra and stated his misfortune. 
The ascetics of the hermitage were moved to pity by the lamentations 
of the king and advised him to bathe in the Cankha-tirtha. Bathing 
there he recovered from leprosy. Then he built close to that Cankha- 
tirtha a city named Camatkara-pura, which extended for two miles. 
Picturesque structures were there raised by his orders; and Kulina 
Brahmanas, well-versed in the Védas, and other religious Brahmanas were 
invited from distant quarters to inhabit the town. A few years after, 
there was born amongst them the learned Citra-carman. Practising 
penance he was able to propitiate Mahadéva, who to accomplish his 
desire appeared in the form of Hatakegvara. People from different 
parts took to frequenting the place to have a sight of the Hatakécvara- 
linga. The Brahmanas of Camatkara-pura began to consider that, 
intrinsically Citra-garman was in no way superior to them; but as 
he had earned honour and respect of the public by instituting a 
permanent object of glory, why should not they? Reflecting thus, 
they all fell to practising austere penance. Mahadeva became pro- 
pitiated and appeared before the Camatkara-pura Brahmanas, who 
were then divided into 68 gdtras. Mahadéva said, ‘There are in alk 
68 Caiva-ksétras (places of Viva). Dividing myself into 68 parts I 
always reside in these places. Now to satisfy your object I will appear 
here in 68 forms.’ Accordingly there were erected 68 shrines, and 
each gdtra devoted itself to the worship of a separate form of Civa. 
(Nagara-khanda, chs. 106 and 107.) 
Once upon a time the king of Anartta became aware that a heavy 
ealamity was brooding over his peaceful domimions owing to the wrath 
of the presiding planet of his son then about to be born. He called 
for all the great astrologers of the age, who all concurrently advised 
him to observe expiatory rites through the medium of competent 
Brahmanas. The king of Anartta had already established the Brah- 
manas of the 68 gétras in Camatkara-pura, where he also had beautiful 
edifices built for them. Now, instructed by the astrologers, he came in 
person to Camatkara-pura, and solicited the Brahmanas to perform the 
