268 



Life and Writings of Father BescM, 



[April 



Father Beschi was distinguished for his piety, benevolence and learn- 

 ing. To the conversion of idolators his principal efforts were directed, 

 and they were uncommonly successful on several occasions. He dis- 

 played much skill in solving various subtle questions with which his 

 adversaries endeavoured to ensnare him. 



On an occasion when he was making a missionary circuit, he happen- 

 ed to halt in a village named Vythisweram Covil, and during his walk 

 through the place, he approached a pagoda, where he observed a con- 

 course of people, some of whom he interrogated respecting the deity 

 to whom the pagoda was dedicated. They replied that it was dedica- 

 ted to Vineideerthan, and that the blind, lame, &c., were cured by a 

 pilgrimage to this pagoda: whereupon Viramamuni immediately com- 

 posed the following verse:— 



He who is afflicted with elephantiasis; his brother-in-law with dia^ 

 heies, his son with a pot-helly, and, moreover, this same Feloordnf 

 being unacquainted with medicine to cure his own disease, what sick* 

 ness can be healed by such an one ? 



The assembled multitude who heard this were astonished at his know- 

 ledge of their mythology. 



Being desirous of having an audience of Chundah Saib, the Nabob of 

 Trichinopoly, he commenced learning the Hindoostanee and Persian 

 languages, and made himself complete master of them in the short time 

 of three months. On his first visit, Chundah Saib, admiring the rare 

 qualities of this distinguished divine, conferred on him the surname 



religious devotee, and presented him with a palankeen, inlaid with ivory, 



• Vydenada Swamy called Velooran, the deity abovementioned under the appellation 

 of Vineideerthan, is represented as afflicted with elephantiasis or an enlargement of one 

 of his legs, his brother-in-law, Vishnu, with diabetes, and his son Pilliav or Ganesa with 

 an enlarged stomach. The words here used have also a double meaning. Vadakkal ia 

 *' Foot upon dispute," alluding to the attitude in which Siva disputed with Kali, dancing 

 on one foot, as well as elephantiasis. Nirizhivu is "running of water," alluding to the 

 Oangea flowing from Vuhuu'sfoot, ais well as the disease. 



Ismattee Sannyasi, indicating his excellence as a 



