XXXVI 



Report of the Archaeological Survey. 



ground, and this is said to have been the origin of the name of the 

 ancient city of Dhili. 



68. This tradition has been variously reported by different authorities, 

 but the main points are the same in all. Colonel Tod states that the 

 Iron Pillar is said to be resting on the head of the Bakes JVdg, who is 

 the same as Vdsufci, the serpent king. A lady traveller, who visited 

 Delhi between 1804 and 1814, heard the tradition in a somewhat 

 different way. A Brahman told the king that if he could place the 

 seat of his government on the head of the snake that supports the 

 world, his kingdom would last for ever. The Iron Pillar was accord- 

 ingly driven into the ground on its present site, under the superinten- 

 dence of the Brahman, who announced that the lucky spot had bee.u 

 found. On hearing this, a courtier, jealous of the Brahman's influence 

 declared that the pillar was not placed over the serpent's head, but 

 that he could point out the true place, which he had seen in a dream. 

 The pillar was accordingly taken up by the Eaja's order, and, agreeably 

 to the Brahman's prediction, the foot of it was found wet with the 

 blood of the serpent's head. This tradition is also imperfectly related 

 in Purchas's Pilgrims, on the authority of English travellers who visited 

 India during the reigns of Jahangir and Shahjahan. Purchas states 

 that the Base (Raja) who founded Delhi " by advice of his magicians, 

 tried the ground by driving an iron stake, which came up bloody, 

 having wounded a snake. This the Ponde, (Pande or Pandit,) or 

 magician, said was ft fortunate sign." In all these different versions 

 of the erection of the Iron Pillar, the main points of the story are the 

 same, and the popular belief in this tradition is confirmed by the well 

 known verse : — 



** Killi to dhilU bhai, 

 " Tomar hhaya mat Mn" 

 " The pillar became loose by the Tomar's folly." 



69, This tradition is related in a more poetical form by Kharg Rai, 

 who wrote in the reign of Shahjahan. According to him, the Tomar 

 Prince was provided by the sage Vyas with a golden nail, or spike, 25 

 fingers in length, which he was told to drive into the ground. At a 

 lucky moment, on the 18th day of the waning moon of VaisdJch, in 

 the Samvat year 792, or A. D. 736, when the moon was in the mansion 

 of AbMjit, the spike was driven into the ground by the Raja, Then 

 said Vyas to the King— 



" Turn se raj Tcadijaega naTii. 



u Yih hJiunti Vasug hi mdlhe gadlii liaiP 



