t> History of'Cooch Behdr. [Jan. 



in considerable splendour, and without fear, while the works of his rela- 

 tion Sora and of his tributary Benna show, that his dependents had 

 considerable power, and did not require fortresses to enable them to 

 live in security. After the death of Bhovochondro there came a 

 Pala raja of the same family who is said to have been destroyed by a 

 dynasty that I shall have next occasion to mention, although it is more 

 probable that a period of anarchy intervened. 



The princes of the dynasty of Dhormo Pal are supposed to have 

 been Khyotriyos ; yet this seems doubtful. The lady Moynawote had 

 not a brahman for a spiritual guide, but this important office was held 

 by a yogi, that is a Sudra dedicated to a religious life ; and there is great 

 reason to believe that the yogis who repeat the songs, are descendants 

 of this kind of priesthood, who were degraded by Songkor Acharyo, 

 and who reject the brahmans as spiritual guides, although in order to 

 procure a miserable existence they have now betaken themselves to 

 weaving, burning lime, and other low employments. In the south of 

 India they collect and vend drugs, and pretend to practise physic, but 

 are equally obstinate in rejecting the instruction of the sacred orders. 



With regard to the next dynasty there is greater certainty, although 

 as usual the chronology is attended with many difficulties. According 

 to tradition there was a brahman whose name is unknown, but who had 

 a servant that tended his cattle, no one knows where. According to 

 some this servant was an infidel (osurj most probably from the moun- 

 tains of Tripura ; but concerning this different persons are not exactly 

 agreed, and some allege that it was his mother who was of the impure 

 race, and that she bore her son while in the service of the brahman. 

 Many complaints were lodged against this fellow, and his master one 

 day was desired to view him asleep while his cattle were permitted to 

 destroy the crops of the neighbours. The brahman was advancing with 

 a determination to bestow the merited punishment, when he observed the 

 lines on the naked feet of his servant, and immediately by his profound 

 skill in the most noble science of Samudrik Jyotishi, knew that the 

 sleeper would become a prince. On this discovery the brahman paid 

 him all due respect, rendered it unnecessary for him to perform any low 

 office, and shewed [him still more kindness by disclosing the certainty 

 of his future greatness ; the servant in return promised that when he be- 

 came a prince, the brahman should be his chief minister, (Patro). Ac- 

 cordingly some time afterwards, it is not known how, he became king, 

 and is said to have destroyed Pala, the successor of Horochondro. 

 This, however, as I have before observed, is rather doubtful ; and Karri" 

 rup in the interval had probably fallen into a state of anarchy favorable. 



