500 Analysis of the Mackenzie Manuscripts. [June, 



mother, he had previously, in promise, made over the whole of the land 

 in free-gift to them (the brahmans), and could not equitably assume 

 the reins of government himself. Not to forfeit his veracity he deter- 

 mined to act up to his promise ; and relinquishing the whole land to 

 them, retired, and built himself a hermitage of branches and reeds. 

 The brahmans however still pestered him ; asking him if it was right 

 to sell jewels, and other valuables, when he had made over every thing 

 to them. Incensed beyond endurance he went away, and besought a 

 territory from the sea, which he received, in accordance with his re- 

 quest ; and there he resided. While living there Rama Chandra 

 together with Sita his consort, came that way. Parasu Rama 

 scolded him for taking the same name, saying, " I am Rama, but if 

 you indeed are Rama then bend this bow." The other Rama did so ; 

 but according to this authority (differing from the Ramdyana) it broke. 

 Parasu Rama perceiving the stranger's strength paid him great com- 

 pliments, and then, dismissing him, sent him away to Ayodhya, Para- 

 su Rama himself continued to reside on the territory which he had 

 acquired. 



Observation. — The chasm in this manuscript (extending it appears 

 to 41 palm-leaves), would in a literary point of view be serious, espe- 

 cially as the book is a copy of a poem become, as I understand, very 

 scarce, and not to be met with elsewhere at Madras. 



In the bearing of the half legendary, half historical, subject on the 

 leading object of the present researches the deficiency can be briefly 

 supplied from other sources to the following effect. 



The rishi named Jamadagnt, father of Parasu Rama, possessed 

 the cow of plenty Camadhenu or Surabhi, and by means of this cow on 

 the occasion of a certain hunting party, all the suite of Karta Viriya 

 were satisfied. The monarch, in consequence, considered the posses- 

 sion of this cow to be an object to him, and asked it of Jamadagni 

 who refused it, as a matter of course, it being the cow of the gods. No 

 solicitations or molestations being sufficient to obtain the cow as a gift, 

 Karta Viriya killed Jamadagni, to get at the desired treasure, by 

 force. Hence the resentment and vengeance of Parasu Rama. It 

 is probable that the missing leaves would contain an account of the 

 birth of Parasu Rama. Towards the close of the poem, the brah- 

 mans remind Parasu Rama of the fault concerning his mother which 

 is rather equivocally expressed, but most probably alludes to the fol- 

 lowing circumstance. 



Jamadagni's wife, the mother of Parasu Rama, was named Re- 

 nuca ; and one day, for a mental transgression of strict conjugal fide- 



