1838.] 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



217 



purdnas were delivered to Suta. The Vedas were communicated only to 

 Brahmans. All stories not relating to Vishnu are venemous ; and there 

 is much in the like style. Even a Sudra by doing homage to Vishnu will 

 become virtuous. The assertion is exemplified in the case of Nareda^ 

 who though at first a Sudra, yet by following the instructions of a Brah- 

 man, was born a second time as a Brahman. If the Vedas be read 

 16,000 times, beatitude will not be attained; but it will be attained by hear- 

 ing the Bhagavatam read only once ; provided it be at the same time un- 

 derstood. There is a reference to the great war, led on by Crishna and 

 the Pandavas. A statement of certain events, births, deaths, and other 

 matters, as in the Mahabhdrata. The death of Bhishma is particularly 

 noticed. Story of Crishna, and his sixteen thousand wives (which is 

 probably resolvable into some astronomical enigma). The rishis en- 

 quire concerning the birth oi Paricshit, and Suta replies. His nativity, or 

 astrological horoscope, was calculated. Thence it was predicted, that he 

 would be of illustrious character; would make great acquisitions ; would 

 have a son named </aw«we/"a?/a : would have his life endangered by the bite 

 of a serpent ; and then, after hearing the Bhagavatam recited, would go 

 and die by the Ganges (water in general). The calculation, and pre- 

 diction, were made at the instance of Dherma raja, who after hearing the 

 result, returned to Hastindpuri. Nareda is introduced as detailing, to 

 Dherma-raja many particulars of the future fate of several of his relatives j 

 and as announcing the evil character of the approaching Cali-yuga. Dher« 

 ma-raja caused Paricshit to be crowned. Paricshit, going out to hunt, 

 saw a cow with three legs broken, having a calf, and weeping. The king 

 enquired what was the matter ; when the cow lamented that Crishna was 

 no longer on earth to care for it. A Sudra came by, and kicked the cow 

 breaking the remaining leg, &o that it fell to the ground : the king was 

 angry, and threatened to cut him down with his own sword, when Cali- 

 purusha, the said man, besought his mercy ; and was sent away out of his 

 dominions.* As the king always acted justly, the cow was restored to 

 its former position, during his reign. 



Another day the king went out to hunt ; and came to the place where an 

 ascetic was doing the penance of a Vogi. The king asked for water ; to 

 which request the ascetic paid no attention. A dead snake was near, 

 which the king took up ; tied round the neck of the ascetic ; and went away. 

 The son of the ascetic coming up, uttered a denunciation on the person 

 who had so acted, to the effect that he should be bitten by a snake and 

 die. The father said the doing so was wrong ; inasmuch as the king had 



* This it will be remembered is symbolical language, as will appear more plainly from 

 a Mahratta MS. abstracted uader that head in this report. See Mahratta Bakheer No. 27. 



