30 HISTORY OF CASHMXR. 



Vaca* the son of Mihira Cula succeeded his father: he founded the city 

 Lavanotsa on the banks of Vacqvati river: he was prevailed upon to assist a 

 Yogiswari at a rite, which enabled her to traverse the air at a spot where 

 the impression of her knees is still visible on a rock.f He was accompanied 

 by a hundred of his descendants, and (he legend of Satacapdlesa and the 

 Matrichqcra stone is still commemorated at Khira Matha or Khiva Colleo-e • 

 Vaca reigned 63 years and 13 days. The names and reigns of his imme- 

 diate successors are all that has been recorded of them : 



Cshitinanda, ruled 30 years. 



Vasunanda, , 52 years and 2 months, 



Bara > 60 years. 



Acsha4 ■ • 60 years. 



b.c. A Cama Sastra is ascribed to the second of these princes. Acsha was sue- 



3*0 or 130. l 



ceeded by his son Gopaditva,§ a prince of eminent piety, whose virtue 

 brought back the Satya or golden age: he enforced a strict observance of 

 the ritual and distinctions of cast, removed those Brahmans who had adopt- 

 ed impure practices from their endowments, and invited others from distant 

 countries to replace them, and finally he forbad the killing of any animal ex- 

 cept for the purpose of sacrifice. According to the Mohammedan authorities, 

 he built a temple, or the mound near the capital of CasJtmir, called the Takhl 

 Suliman:\\ it was destroy el with other places of Hindu worship by Secan- 

 der,f one of the first Mohammedan kings of Cashmir, and who, on account 

 of the bigoted assiduity with which he demolished the vestiges of Hind i\ 

 superstition, is constantly alluded to by the title But Skeken, the idol breaker, 



* Beck. Ayin Acberi. 



f At Beren or Meren according to IVarAyan Cul, who adds that she killed the king : the 

 subsequent allusion is not further explained by Calhan'a Pundit. 



% Kutnund. Vistnund. Nir. Aj. Ayin Acberi. § Kulvarit. — Ibid. 



|| Bedia-ad-din notices a tradition that the tomb in this building was said to enshrine the 

 remains of a christian apostle, 



11 This is from Rcjiaddin, but Naeayan Cul asserts that it was still standing in his time. 

 Forster does not notice any ruins or buildings on this spot, but we have mention made of them 



