HISTORY OF CASHMIR. 33 



The king exerted himself to relieve the distresses of his subjects, and ex- 

 hausted his own treasures, as well as those of his ministers, in procuring 

 supplies of grain : the jewels of his court and queen were appropriated to 

 the same purpose, but the famine still continuing, the monarch, despairing 

 of relieving his afflicted people, and unable to witness their sufferings, deter- 

 mined to put a period to his existence by committing his body to the flames: 

 from this purpose he was dissuaded by his queen, and once more addressing 

 their earnest supplications to the gods, they obtained by their divine inter- 

 position, a miraculous shower of pigeons, who fell dead in the streets of the 

 capital everyday for a considerable period, and furnished the inhabitants 

 with food until the proJucts of the earth once more supplied them with 

 subsistence, This prince died after a reign of 36 years : his wife accompa- 

 nied him on the funeral pile at a place thence called Vacpushtafavi, and to 

 which it was customary, in our author's time, for persons to bring the dead 

 bodies of those husbands to be burnt, whose wives had the virtue to emu- 

 late the example of this pious princess. 



As the pure piety of this couple did not permit their having posterity, & 

 prince of another family ascended the throne: he was named Vijaya,* and 

 built the temple of Vijayeswara in the capital. He reigned 8 years, and 

 was succeeded by his son 



JAYENDRA,f who was distinguished by the length of his arms, his hands 

 touching his knees: this prince was fortunate at first in a minister of great 

 integrity and talent, named Sandhimati, but influenced by the advice of those 

 who envied the minister's superiority, the king conceived an aversion for 

 him, and dismissed him from his employments : the poverty to which he 

 Yvaithus reduced served only to heighten his reputation: he devoted all his 

 thoughts to religion, but a report, of heavenly origin, soon prevailed, that he 

 was yet destined to wear a crown : when the report reached the king, his fears 

 were excited, and seizing the person of Sandhimati he threw him into pri- 

 son, and kept him several years in close confinement; at the expiration of 

 Ahat term, the king, feeling his end approach, wasdet^rmined before his death 



* Brjeery. — Abulfazl. f Chundcr.—Ibid. 



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