HISTORY OF CASHMIR. 43 



Pratapadxtya* was the founder of Pratapapur, converted by local pro- a.d.c.32. 

 nunciatiou into Tapar, according to the Mohammedan authorities. In this 

 new city a merchant named Nona, of the Raukilija race, took up his abode, 

 and founded a college for the residence of Rauhitya Brahmans. Ofthe wealth 

 of tie trader it is stated as a proof, that on one occasion he lighted up his 

 bouse with diamonds to receive the king, whom he had heard formerly 

 complain of being inconvenienced by the smoke of the ordinary lamps. The 

 familiarity between the prince and merchant led to some unexpected re- 

 sults : the former fell deeply in love with one of the merchant's women, and 

 being unwilling either to commit a breach of hospitably, or to forfeit his 

 fair name by a vicious act, he struggled with his passion and endeavoured 

 to subdue it; the contest induced a fever, which threatened his life; he was. 

 saved however by the generosity of his friend, who learning the cause of 

 his disease, not only yielded up the woman to the king*, but exerted no 

 small ingenuity in argument to persuade him to accept her : his logic how- 

 ever, made a due impression, and Narendra Prabhd was elevated to the 

 royal bed : it was a fruitful one, as she bore the king seven sons, Chandrdpira, 

 Tdrapira, Abhimuctapira, Jmuctapi'ra, Vajraditya, Udaydditya, and Lalitci- 

 dilya; several of whom succeeded in time to the crown. Pratapaditya 

 died after a reign of 50 years. 



CHA\DRA.piRA,f the eldest son and successor ofthe last monarch, was a 

 prince of exemplary mildness and equity. He punished his own officers, for 

 encroaching on the tenements of a Charnar,+ or worker in leather, in pre- 

 paring the site of a temple which he wished to erect, and which design he 

 was prepared to abandon if the consent of the leather-worker could not be 

 obtained. Aliberal reward and luspersonal solicitation obtained the acquies- 

 cence ofthe Charnar; his ground was duly made over to the king, and the 

 Jemple was completed. We have another legend of his equity, and dis- 



* Pertaubadut.— Almifaif. t Cliandranund.— Abulfaxl. 



} Who as an out-cast could haye no rights under n strict Hindu administration. 



V'2 



A. D.702 



