1840,] 



Accou7it of the Basava Puran, 



281 



The book closes with praise of Basava as being really the god Siva» 



The fifth book commences with the life of a very celebrated saint, 

 Kinnara Bramhaya (or, Bramhaya of the harp). He distributed all his 

 goods among the Jangams and then lived as a harper. Hearing of Basa- 

 va's liberality to ail the worshippers of Siva he resorted to him. After 

 dwelling with him for some time Bramhaya one day saw a (vitara) gal- 

 lant carrying a sheep to his mistress. The sheep escaped and ran into 

 the temple of Siva. Bramhaya begged it might be -pared, on the plea 

 that it had thus offered itself for sacrifice : so he offered to pay for it : 

 the price being half a (varaha) pagoda: but t!ie man demanded 2,000 

 pagoilas for it. This money he obtained and paid. The man then got 

 two other sheep for the woman ; but she chose to demand the original 

 sheep alone. He therefore attempted to wrest the sheep from Bramhaya 

 ■who in the struggle cut off the man's head. His relations complained 

 to king Bizzala, who sent for his minister (Basava) and reproached him 

 with the deeds of his fellow zealots. Basava recommended an enquiry 

 info the circumstances on the spot. The king therefore repaired to the 

 place, and ihe god was called on to bear witness. Siva thereupon burst 

 forth in divine form in flames and thunder, which ceased at their entrea- 

 ty : the king then offered homage to Bramhaya who consented to restore 

 the dead man to life. 



The next four legends are full of miracles, but they are not so popular 

 as to call for notice. We may remark that in these stories Basava is by 

 no means exalted over his brother zealots. It is stated that (on visit- 

 ing a very charitable woodman, named Moliga Maraia) Basava looked 

 upon himself as sanctified by eating in the house of so excellent 

 a person ; he even envied the birds and beasts that were at this 

 holy abode. On Basava's offering homage to Maraia, he replies by 

 attributing divine honours to Basava, saying all I do is by thy grace : 

 Basava is much shocked at this homage, and replies, have mercy on 

 me a poor inferiv)r creature : as far beneath thee as a crow is beneath an 

 eagle ; for I am the very abode of all sin.* 



The next legend is regarding Cannada Bramhaya, a saint of a singular 

 temperament, being (like saint Nicholas) by trade a housebreaker. If 

 on breaking into a house he found that the inmates were worshippers 

 of Siva, he spared them, but shewed no such delicacy towards those as were 

 not of the true faith. He once was digging through the wall of king 

 Bizzala's treasury, and on entering he met Basava, who being the trea- 



• His crossiag the river dryshod is another incident paralleled in the legend of Saint 

 Kentigern. 



