374 Analysis of the Mackenzie Manuscripts. [May, 



were committed to the care of Vira Camachi for the purposes of wor- 

 ship. He fetched a pot of water from the Cambhd river, and putting- 

 it before the chest, placed one of the weapons upright in the ground, 

 and paying homage transferred the divinity resident within the chest, 

 into the pot of water, which was daily worshipped by himself and his 

 wife. This was all done by instructions from the god in the shape of 

 a Saiva guru. He delivered the same over to his son to be so handed 



\ down from generation to generation. The said guru further told them 



to make use of the key of the inferior regions in the place before indi- 

 cated by the local Durga, where a copperplate inscription would be 

 found. The Saiva guru then disappeared resuming his divine form 

 of Yegambaresvarer. The three kings were again resorted to, when 

 the original inscription first mentioned was once more read by them all, 

 and again hidden. After some other matters the opening of the other 

 cave is mentioned to which the instruments before found in the first 

 box were necessary. This was a cave which was entered by the light 

 of large torches, and thence another box was taken. The inscription 

 on copper-plates and its contents are stated to have referred to the four 

 ages, with the record of some leading names, and coming down to the 

 mention of Vikramaditya's defeat by Salivahana ; at which era it 

 would appear to have been engraved ; and its contents are said to have 

 contained extensive details, (certainly ill suiting a copper-plate record, 

 but there is much of exaggeration apparent :) the simple object of the 

 inscription would seem to have been to commemorate the previous preva- 

 lence of the Hindu faith, that the memory might not be lost, during the 



v greatly altered state of things under Salivahana. The three kings 



rendered great honor to Vira Cama'chi and to his son. There is a 

 brief repetition of matters connected with the four ages ; for the pur- 

 pose of shewing apparently, that all the great events recorded were 

 preceded by the exhibition of human sacrifices ; and it was again agreed 

 upon by the three kings that before setting out to conquer Salivahana 

 a similar sacrifice must be offered at a place termed Cudutturi. The 

 contents of the inscription, as regards the list of kings in foregoing ages 

 was copied out on palm-leaves, and then the copper-plates were returned 



> to the place whence they had been taken. The three kings again went 



to Kasi. Thence they derived three crores of money, said to be dug 

 up from beneath the shrine of a goddess ; a variety of fabulous accom- 

 paniments. Nine persons in all are represented as having visited Kasi, 

 and as subsequently returning to Conjeveram. The affair of destroying 

 Salivahana was now entered on, and the three kings leaving Conje* 

 veram proceeded to Cudatturiyur . Being there Vira Cholan wrote 



