408 Analysis of the Mackenzie Manuscripts. [May, 



In illustration Brahma narrates an account of the visit of Pradatta, 

 king of Benares and of the surrounding country, in extravagantly 

 hyperbolical language, and of his becoming enamoured of one of the 

 Devadas is of the fane at Arundche llum (or Trinomallee) , in consequence 

 of which his face was transformed into that of a baboon. Some of the 

 great men said it was from an evil thought, and advised him to render 

 special adoration to the image worshipped there, which he did and 

 recovered a beautiful form. These circumstances Brahma related to 

 Sanaka Rishi. The entering on another narrative is announced; 

 which appears to be the one contained in the following section. 



Observation. 

 The preceding is probably part of a legend connected with the Trino- 

 mallee temple ; and has been evidently constructed so as to impose a 

 superstitious dread of taking any property from that place, or of covet- 

 ing any thing belonging to it : it is very well adapted to the intellectual 

 measure of the lower class of natives ; it may illustrate manners and 

 opinions ; but in any historical reference, it seems quite useless. 



Section 5. — Account of Vajrangata Pdndiyan. 

 The king of the fertile country on the banks of the Vaigai, one day 

 set out on a hunting excursion to the great terror of the elephants, and 

 other beasts, and in the course of the chase he started a civet-cat, which 

 ran directly for Trinomallee, and then went round the mountain, when 

 it fell down from exhaustion, and died ; the horse ( Ganavattam) on 

 which the Pdndiya king rode, also fell down, from extreme fatigue, and 

 died. Immediately two Vidhytidharas (celestials) appeared and said to 

 the king, ' Why do you grieve, we were imprisoned in bodies through 

 the malediction of Durvasa-rishi, from having trodden on some flowers 

 in his garden ; so that he commanded one of us to become a civet-cat, 

 and the other a horse. On our asking when the spell would be dis- 

 solved, he said it would be by Vajrangata Pandiyan.' These two ani- 

 mals then attained final happiness, by the merit of having gone around 

 Arumachella hill (or Trinomallee) ; but as the king did not walk round 

 but went round on horseback, he had no part in the merit. He subse- 

 quently made over his kingdom to his son named Art'hanan-gata 

 Pandiyan, and became an ascetic; residing near the hill. His son 

 sent him much money, with which he greatly added to the splendour 

 and beauty of the fane. On walking round it, one day, the god Siva 

 met him in a visible form ; and told him .that he also had been impri- 

 soned, having heretofore been Indra, who threw his diamond weapon 

 (Vajrangu), at him (Siva), in consequence of which he was condemned 

 to live on earth as Vajrangata Pandiyan ; but that now from the 



