1870.] The Vdstu Yagd. 217 



chandra, brought down the river Ganges from the heavens. On 

 the same day, the goddess Manasa is also worshipped in the ^Eu- 

 phorbia plant ; and bits of green lime, uchchhe (Ifomordica charantia), 

 and jack fruit are swallowed as safeguards against the venom of 

 snakes. Another mythical specific for the same is a compound of 

 lentils and nim ( Azardirachta indica) leaves.* 



A. remarkable myth connected with the Nagas, is the bestowal 

 of the art of music by Sarasvati upon Kamvala and Asvatara nagas 

 mentioned in the Mdrkandeya Purdna.f 



This implies a toleration of the aborigines quite inconsistent with 

 the feeling of hatred, disgust and animosity which prevailed amongst 

 the first Aryan settlers, and which is so pointedly displayed in the 

 Rig- Veda, and can only be accounted for on the supposition that in 

 course of time the two races were reconciled and came to a compro- 

 mise. The Aryans remained engaged in intellectual occupations and 

 religious worship, while such works as tilling the soil, tending the 

 cattle, dancing, singing, and playing on the lute, &c, were left to the 

 more intelligent of the aborigines. And though the invention of a 



He who eats lentils with Nim leaves when the sun enters Aries, what can 

 even the enraged Takshaka do to him ? 



"SjfrT I 7 ?! fPm m?Q Tf^fT ^ ^<jf*N I 



Through my favour you, noble chief of serpents, (bhujagendrapara) shall learn 

 the four kinds of feet, the three kinds of measures of time, the three harmonies, 

 the pause, as also, &e., &c, given by me, from my favour, you noble chief of 

 serpents, shall also learn in connexion with these, the distinction between 

 vowels and consonants. All these have been imparted by me to you and 

 to Kamvala, in a manner, the like of which none had before either on earth 

 or in the lower region. 



29 



