1840.] 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



89 



wearing them. The story of a monkey re-born as tlie son of a minister 

 of state. 21. — The exce]\er\ce of \\\e /ludra-mantra. Illustrated by a story 

 relative to Cashmir, 22. — The merit of hearing this puranam. The 

 sins of such will be removed; they will obtain all that they desire; vill 

 escape from Yoma ; and obtain m my othf^r advan'ages. A description 

 of the torments of Yoma^s v^orld, is given, from the narrative of a Paw- 

 tanica- Brahman. These [jimishments i^re of g'oss crimes; and the 

 fear of that punishment is obviated by hearinic thi^; puranam recited. 



Remark. — It has more than once met my (,bservation that degrading, 

 and depraving, as is very m.U' h the tendencv in a'l Hindu books, those 

 of the M//rfl-«rt?'t?« kind are peculiarly so. A ver> brief indication of the 

 contents of the preceding m mnscript is given ; a full tianslafion would 

 illustrate the above remark ; further detail on which point is needless. 

 The book is complete; and very recent in appearcnce : it remains quite 

 uninjured. It is stated to be a production of Vara-tunga R tma Pandi- 

 yan ; to be understood of a poetical version, in Ta:ni^, ascribed, or de- 

 dicated, to him. From that poetical version, -his on-^ in plain prose, 

 was made by some wri er unknown. The oiii^inal Sanscrit is said to 

 be the concluding book, or portion, of the B rahma-purahuin. 



Note. -It it entered in Des. Cutal. vol. 1. p. 166. art. xi. as "a 

 translaiion of a division of the Skanda Parana.''* The like definition 

 of two Sanscrit copies, bearing the same tide is given at p. 51. The 

 Scanda puranam, has much referred to it, generally, which is of doubt- 

 ful origin. — I would not determine ; but am told that the aforesaid 

 M.S. is part of the Brahma- pur an am; and the title which it bears with« 

 in itself, as well as on the label, certainly implies the same. 



2. Tin/pachur St^hala puranam, legend of Tripassore, No. 39— • 

 Countermark 43. 



This is a legend of a sm ill fane, writte i in verse of the Firuttam 

 kind, and consisting of 595 stanzas, diviied in'o s-^venteen sections; 

 each section containing a tale as usual : but not of any con-sequence. 

 The situation is 32 miles W. of Mad 'as. The outer- v. orkmanship of 

 the shrine, I have remarked to be superior, and wiih an appe trance 

 of some antiquity. There are also remains around (he place, at some 

 small distance, in a different style of architecture from vnv tiling now 

 customary. The fort caused this place to be.-ome of consequence in 

 the modern wars, and convulsions, of the pettinsula. 



Note.— -It is briefly entered in Des. Catal. vol. i. p. 173. art. 28. 



