14 JOURNAL R, A. S. (CEYLON), [Vol. Ill, 



which the Brahrnans regard as the seven insular continents 

 which are severally surrounded by oceans. It is said, that 

 Priywritta drove his carriage seven times round the earth, 

 and the seven seas are the seven ruts left by its wheels. The 

 poet in alluding to the seven rocks, which are Yugandhara, 

 fsadhara, Karawika, Sudarsana, NSmindhara, Winataka, 

 and Asivakarna, says : — 



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Guttila. 



The four continents are Uturukuru - di vayin a, Purva- 

 videhaya, Aparagoydna, and Jamhudwipa, of which the 

 last is on the south of Meru, and has 500 islands. The 

 first, on the north of the great Meru, is the happiest of the four. 

 It is celebrated for the tree Kap-tura, which, like the horn 

 of Amaltheia, given by Zeus to the daughter of Melissius, 

 conferred whatever was desired by its possessors. The 

 Kap-tura is, in its properties, the same as Sura-tura, ' the 

 heavenly tree,' which gives whatever is desired by the gods. 

 We may here, by the way, refer to the Situmini gem, and the 

 Hurabi cow, the personifications of abundance and charity. 

 The poet, in reference to these tliree, says: — 



On the north of Jamhudwipa is the Himala-wana, a 

 great forest, in which are situated some of the mountains, 

 famous in Hindu and Sinhalese poetry, and which are 

 represented as the abodes of gods and devils. Himdla-ivana 

 is also famous for its lakes, among which is the Anotatta 

 vila, and 500 rivers : one of these, which, after taking a 

 circuitous course, ascends into the sky, is called the Ahas- 

 ganga, * the Ganges of heaven,' supposed to trickle through 



