163B.] Chola purva Patayam, or ancient Chola record. 373 



tious K&si, that is designated.) They subsequently came to Canchi- 

 nagara (Conjeveram.) The same process as before is represented to 

 have been repeated. Here also an inscription was found. (It is to be 

 noted that the original name is Cachi ; Canchi being a modern addi- 

 tion.) They were referred for further information to Cachi Vira Ca- 

 machi rayen, of the weaver tribe. They cleared the forest ; but were 

 opposed by a local Durga who threatened to sacrifice them for trespass- 

 ing on her domains. There follow various details needless to state 

 minutely, Saliyahana is again designated simply by the name Bhoja. 

 The aforesaid Cachi Vira Camachi appears as a negociator with the 

 local Durga, and promises her one thousand and eight human sacri- 

 fices, from among the people of his tribe, and the title of " War god- 

 dess ;" so that when the tribe should rule, and fight with other kings, 

 her appetite for human blood should be abundantly satiated : with these 

 terms the Durga was satisfied and gave consent to the building of a 

 town, and establishing a monarchy. (If this be ornament it is still 

 startling in its indications as to by-gone days.) She then took him 

 to the tank of her local residence, and explained to him that after Vi- 

 kramaditya's defeat by Salivahana, all the former inhabitants of the 

 place had collected their jewels and other valuables, which were put 

 into a copper chest, and that this chest was buried, deep under the bed 

 of a tank (reservoir), in a cave closed by a door, which was locked, and 

 over it the stone bed of the tank was relaid. She pointed out to him 

 the spot, and put him in possession of the chest. She also directed him 

 to another spot where ancient records of the place, when the country 

 was ruled by Devendra were deposited, and shewing him where it 

 was she disappeared. Cachi Viran returned to a locality where 

 the three kings were waiting for him. There follows some more 

 fable, and then an order from Siva in the form of a guru, to open the 

 chest. A detail of its contents — a smaller chest, a weapon, a sacred 

 utensil or weapon, another weapon, a brass vessel, a key of the inferior 

 regions, five other keys, an iron crow-bar, a hammer, ten thousand pieces 

 of gold coined in the age of the great king Santanu. The smaller 

 chest being opened contained images of Ganesa, Kdrtikeya, Valliyam- 

 ma, (the female image at ChillambramJ a trinetra fruit (the sacred ashes 

 of the S aivas), a sacred bead containing the image of one god (usually 

 it is held to contain three, four, or five; the kind mentioned is very 

 rare). A chank with its windings to the right (extremely rare and 

 precious), a cane without joints or knots, a row of beads for prayer, a 

 seal ring of six classes of Hindus — these and the like were in the inner 

 box. These were given to the Saiva guru to be purified, and then 

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