1848.] 



Analysis of Mackenzie Mamiscripts. 



173 



VII. — Analysis of Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



( Supplement continued.) 



B— TELUGU. 



A — Pahn-leof Manusci-ipts. 



I. — 1. Mddhava Bhijudaam, or adventures of Vkhnu, No. 97, C. M. SSL 

 ' The principal subject of this poem, in the Padya Owyam metre, is the 

 ten metamorphoses of Vishnu; composed by Aladhavudttru Guruvaya 

 Kichchaya^ son of Guruvaya of the house (or lineage) of Mddhavuduru, 

 at the desire of Ndgardja, son of Kariajjpa, a local chief of the Nellore 

 district. 



In the opening portion, there is an account of Nandirdja of Nandiva- 

 ram^ who by favor of a Brahman had acquired the power of visiting Cdsi, 

 or Benares, by an aerial transit; and was accustomed to take his wife 

 with him : until by a transgression of rules as to a certain four days ob- 

 .servance, occasioned hj his wife, he lost the said power of making aerial 

 voyages. However he regained the faculty by making largesses to Brah- 

 mans, leading to the influx of a colony of Brahmans to his town, or capital, 

 at Nandivaram. This part is introductory. 



The patron of the poet dictated as his subject the avatars of VisJmu ; 

 which are then poetically narrated. 



1. 3Iatsya. — The rescue of the Vedas from Sdmacdsura, 



2. Curma. — The churning of the milk sea, by means of 3£t. Mandara^ 

 to produce nectar for the celestials. 



3. Varaha, — The killing Hiranyacsha, who had rolled up the earth 

 like a mat, and carried it away. 



4. Narasinha. — The killing Iliranya casipu. 



5. Vdm.ana. — The trampling upon Bali-chakraverti. 



6. Barasu Bdma. — The destruction of the Cshetriyas, 



7. Rama Chandra. — The destruction of Rdvana. 



8. Bala Rama. — The story of the elder brother of Crishna. 



9. Crishna. — His early adventures; marriage with Rucmeni ; and 

 other actions. 



The composition of the work is stated to be good. It is very full of 

 Sanscrit words, or derivatives. 



Remark. — The story of Nandi of Nandivaram, heretofore occurred in 

 a Mahratta book, with a prevailing similarity to the account in this one; 

 its chief use is with respect to the past history of colonizing Brahmans. 

 Of course the account of Vishnu's avatdras can offer nothing new. 



Note. — The Manuscript is complete, and of recent appearance. It is 

 entered in Des. Cat., Vol. 1, p. 329, Art. 35. 



