18 Account of Mamallaipur. [No. 30. 



do not appear to illustrate the story, or at least the version 

 above given of it. Perhaps another circumstance should be 

 related, and the imagination may be allowed under some 

 restriction to be the interpreter : but even then only a part 

 of the figures seem to be connected with the tale. ' 



It is said that Sucra, regent of the planet Venus and guru 

 of the asuras, acting as mantri, or minister, of Mahabali, 

 faithfully informed the king of the deceit that was being 

 practiced upon him. There is a figure with a dog-like head 

 speaking to another, who seems to rest his chin on his right 

 hand in deep reflection. These two figures occupy the up- 

 per part of the sculpture on the left of Vishnu. Below them 

 are two figures in human shape represented as falling. Per- 

 haps the former may represent Sucra and Mahabali at the 

 moment when the Prince was first made acquainted by his 

 counsellor with the true character of the Dwarf, but was too 

 proud to withdraw his royal pledge : and the latter the same 

 after he had fallen from, his high estate : or the two falling 

 figures may imply that the two steps of Vishnu had deprived 

 him of the dominion of heaven and earth. What the rest of 

 the figures may illustrate I do not conjecture. 



On the wall of the opposite or north-eastern end is a sculp- 

 tured delineation in bas relief of the Varah avatar a. Among the 

 legendary stories of the Hindus, several different accounts are 

 given of Vishnu's reasons for taking on himself this incarnation, 

 and particularly why he assumed the shape of a boar. Among 

 others it is said that a Daitya, or evil spirit, named Hiranyac- 

 sha, gained from Brahma by his scrupulous piety and the 

 performance of penances of very great efficacy, a promise 

 that he should have given to him any thing he asked. Ac- 

 cordingly he desired universal dominion, and exemption from 

 being hurt by the bite or power of any living creature. He 

 enumerated all animals and venomous reptiles, that bite or 

 sting, except the boar which was forgotten. His ambitious 

 desires were no sooner obtained than he became exceedingly 



