m 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts, 



8. The Vwiana was placed in the centre of a river at Ayodhija, where 

 a temple was built for it, and all accompaniments provided. The race 

 of /c^AfttCM worshipped during a wa/m or great age. At that 

 time a Chola raja named D'herma Brahma, went thither to a sacrificej 

 and enquired of the rishts the circumstances attending the transit of 

 the Fimana from heaven to earth. He professed a desire to do 

 penance in order to obtain the image ; bat the rishis told him 

 it would be useless ; explaining to him, that they knew the town 

 of his ancestors, to which Sri-rangha was due-west only a mile or 

 two, had been destroyed by Siva, because one of his progenitors 

 had trampled on the flower garden of a Muni there 5 that Vishnu 

 would soon be incarnate as Rama, who would give the Fimana 

 or shrine into the hands of Vibushana (younger brother of Ra;vana) who 

 would place it at Sri-rangha. (A defiance of chronology is here in- 

 volved, in making the destruction of Uriyur anterior to the expedition 

 of Rama). Rama being come made an Asvamedha ydgam (horse-sacrifice) 

 to which D'herma Brahma went 5 and, before the other assembled kings 

 were dismissed, he asked leave to return home. Vibushana followed, 

 bringing the shrine by permission of Rama, which he placed between 

 both banks of the Caveri ; with the mention of which the 8th adhyaya 

 concludes, 



9. D'herma Brahma detained Vibushana from going to Lanca for 

 the space of 15 days, during which time a festival of 10 days was cele- 

 brated in honour of the image. At the end of the 15 days, Vibushana 

 purposed to take up the image again on his head, and carry it to Lanca, 

 but found it to be so heavy, that he could not move it, on which being 

 greatly grieved, and prostrating himself before the image, Perumal 

 told him not to grieve, for that it was previously appointed that the 

 shrine should remain here, in the good land of the excellent Chola 

 kings; and, to account for it, narrated a fable of a dispute between 

 the Ganges and the Caveri, as to which of the two was the greatest; 

 which being decided in favour of Gango,, the Cavexi (personified 

 as a female) dissatisfied went to the north-side of the Himalaya, 

 and there began a severe penance. Brahma demanded what 

 gift she wanted. The reply was to be greater than Ganga. The 

 answer of Brahma was, that this could not be j but he bestowed on 

 her the gift of being " equal to Ganga.'' Caveri dissatisfied 

 «< came to a place near this," added Perumal, " and there worshipped 

 me, demanding to be greater than Ganga, As nothing belonging to the 

 world can be greater than Ganga, I promised to come myself and reside 

 between the banks of the Caveri^ whereby in effect the Caveri should 



