SACRE© ISLIS IN THE WEST. 71. 



*5 GRisHNAivas much nettled at this, and going into the secret apartments,- 

 « he fomid 'Sa'mba ithere-, and cursed him. 'Sa'mba, failing at his feet, 

 " humbled himself, and the father, relenting, forgave him ; but the curse 

 "of the Rishi was not to be so easily removed ; and in consequence of it a 

 " piece of iron was produced in his belly. Crishna advised him to direct 

 *^' his prayers to the sun : this he did ; and was cured. He placed the image 

 "^ of thie^un on the banks of the Chandra-santa, or Ckin-ah; and as it was 

 "~ the first place ere6ted in Jdmhu in honor of the sun, it was from that cir- 

 ** dumstanccj called Adya-&Vhdnam, Among the twelve suns, he chose 

 *.* MiTRA for the good of mankind: hence this place is called Mitra-pada7n^ 

 ^' or at the feet of Mitra, or at the. friendly feet." Thusat the court of 

 the Grand Lama they say the most excellent feet; at the court of Av^ 

 the golden feet. \ , ^ 



**. "Sa'mba Jiaving obtained leave from his father to withdraw into for- 



" ests, 'there to dedicate himself to the service of the sun, he forsook 



" Dwdracd, and. soon reached the northern shores of the sea of the gulph 



" of Cutch, and safely travelled to the banks of the Chandra'-bhdgd, ,^ 



" great river which he crossed. Then he went ^nto Mitra-vdn or th? 



" forest of Mitra, where is a sacred pool, well known to the three world^. 



" There he fasted in honor of the sun, performing the guhyam^^antrc^n^ or 



*' secret spell, inwardly repeating sacred words, and the names of the sun. 



•' There is a Mandalam, white, divine and ( ajar am ) ewjoy'm^ the fuH 



" energy of youth, or in other words incapable of decay. Such is the re;- 



" fulgence of tliis holy place, as to illumine the whole country. The sun, 



•* pleased with his austerities, said to him, " ask your boon." " My only 



" wish," answered 'Sa'mba, '' is, that you will deign to admit me amoi)g 



" your servants for ever." The sun said, " build here a town, and call it 



