1838.] 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts, 



19 



killed a Brahman became afflicted with Brahma-hatti ; and, under the 

 influence of that evil, neglected his kingdom: the C//o/a king took ad- 

 vantage of the opportunity to invade the Pandiyan kingdom ; but the 

 latter under the special favour of Siva, not only repelled the invasion, 

 but conquered the Chola kingdom ; and ruled over it, as well as his 

 own. He also got quit of his afflictive visitation, at a fane in the Chola 

 country. Other particulars of his devoteeship are given (a little sin- 

 gular in their way); and then the bearing of this preface appears, in 

 as much as the god favoured Varaguna with a sight of all the special 

 fanes of Siva, in vision, and aftervi'ards the celestials chose the one at 

 Caveri-patnam as being of special importance. 



At this town there were sixty thousand inhabitants, of one tribe, en- 

 gaged in commerce ; who were accustomed to eat together indiscrimi- 

 nately. The chief of this people was F'e?igada cheHi/, entitled Pafna- 

 pillay. He had eight thousand ships, or vessels of his own, and liad 

 brought to him, as his wife's dower, another thousand, or nine tboa- 

 sand in all. With these he traded to Irz% (probably Ceylon^ ; and 

 other neighbouring islands. While thus occupied, the following cir- 

 cumstance occurred. At the fane of Maratapa-svami the head Brahman 

 was unable to get married, from a want of means to defray the attend- 

 ant expenses. The god appeared, in vision, and told him to sell the 

 image in the fane, which the Brahman declined doing. The god then 

 assumed the form of a young lad, of the merchant tribe, and the Brah- 

 man took this lad and offered to sell him, as a slave, to V engada-cjietly ; 

 who, asking how he a Brahman could have a child of that tribe at his 

 disposal, the /?/'a/<.OT«?i told a story to serve the purpose; and mean- 

 time, a seemingly valuable jewel was brouglit, and offered in sale to 

 the said Fen o-ai/a. All thought the jewel valuable j but the lad found 

 many faults, which led to a discussion ,• and the event proving the lad 

 to be in the right, Fengada was induced to purchase him, at the price 

 demanded by the Brahman. Some time after a thousand ships were 

 to be dispatched, of which 500 belonged to Fengada, and 500 

 to the other people of the place: upon some deliberation the lad, 

 named after the god Maratapa, was sent in charge of the chief 

 man's part of the convoy. On going to Candidesam (Ceylon) the 

 other traders all bartered their goods, and laded their vessels 

 advantageously with a return freight; but Maratapa, after selling 

 his merchandize, expended the proceeds on the fane of Su- 

 hrahmanya, and his attendants in that island. When the others 

 were about returning they called xl/a?-a/a^a to accompany them ; who 

 laded his vessel (or vessels, for the sense in this respect is not clear) 

 with vrattis, or fuel made of cow-dung in dried cakes. He was laugh- 



