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Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts, 



[April 



her to the fane by the right hand ; and soon after all her body, except 

 the right hand, was found to have been taken into the image. Vara 

 guna, considering that he had taken hold of this right hand, earnestly 

 enquired what crime he had committed, that it should be so marked. 

 Soon after the hand also was drawn in. After some time the god, in 

 the shape of a Brahman, appeared to the king, and reproaching him 

 for offering up his wife, invited him to make a sacrifice of himself also, 

 which he is stated to have done ; when he rejoined his wife, on a ce- 

 lestial car, and both acquired beatitude. He ruled seventy-five years. 

 Pugerh Cholan formed the town of Uriyur, and ruled therein, with 

 great credit, for sixty years. By the advice of his mantiri (or minis- 

 ter) he engaged in an inroad on the C^em king, in order to get plun- 

 der } with which fanes and ^r«^man-choultries might be built, and 

 fame in the world acquired. The Cheran repelled the invasion ; and 

 the mantirij viho vfBS also general, only just escaped with his life; 

 but, to make it appear as if he had conquered, he brought a hundred 

 skulls, and shewed them to the king. Among these heads one was 

 discovered to be that of an ascetic, from having braided hair ; at which 

 circumstance great grief arising, and the loss of the kingdom being 

 feared, the head was put into a case of gold. A fire being kindled, 

 the king prepared to commit himself to the flames, along with the 

 head ; but Siva appeared, on his bullock vehicle, and told him his 

 devotedness was accepted; that the fault of the war was his minister's, 

 not his, and commanded him to live prosperously. At his own re- 

 quest, notwithstanding, he was beatified, holding the said skull in his 

 hand. Hence his epithet Pugerh Cholan, or " the praised." Kribala 

 Cholan, succeeded, and became accomplished in knowledge. Instead 

 of taking one-fifth, as his predecessors had done, from the cultivators, 

 he contented himself with one-sixth part. He acquired great ascen- 

 dancy, and ruled with great equity. By reason of it, the tiger and 

 the cow rested in the same shed ; the cat and the rat dwelt in the 

 same place ; the snake and the frog were like mother and child, 

 (symbolical language). Thus his people were without strife, or divi- 

 sions. Injustice was unknown. Notwithstanding, the king fearing 

 neglect on the part of his ministers, or servants, had a bell erected 

 between two pillars in the public street ; proclaiming that if any one 

 was aggrieved, it was only necessary to sound the bell, and the king's 

 attention to the case would be given. He thus ruled with great pros- 

 perity, until 64 years of age, without the alarm-bell of justice having 

 been even once rung. After his 64th year he had a son born to him. 

 He greatly rejoiced, and distributed gifts, on having a child born in hi« 



