1844.] 



Contents of the Kerala Mahaimya. 



103 



the happiness of the infidel King to a sad end. He was de- 

 tained in the chase by Shiva in disguise ; whilst the Queert 

 fell in love with Croda the minister and made offers to him ; 

 the fiat refusal of which prompted her to devise a speedy re- 

 venge. She acts all the part of Potiphar's wife ; but the faith- 

 ful servant, when on the point of being executed, is discover- 

 ed mounted on the heavenly chariot ; and parting, advises 

 the King to go to Mecca, and worship there Vishnu incar- 

 nate in all shapes ( Vishwa rupavatara) in order to go to Vish- 

 nu's heaven. The King did so ; and left his maid servant 

 Sphulli to rule in Madai, with Buddhist aid, for evermore. 

 Parasu Rama wished to restore the undiminished sway of the 

 Colattiri princes ; but this was rendered impossible by a com- 

 promise made in the meanwhile by the rival Queens Sphulli 

 and Subhangi. The taint, brought by this occurrence on the 

 Colattiri family, could only be expiated by the ceremony of 

 Hiranya Garbha ; that is, by the creeping of all princes and 

 princesses thro' a golden cow, and by the gift of that, and of 

 a silver bullock to the Brahmans. This holy act to be re- 

 peated every 12th year. 



§ 74-85. Description of the national feast, maha makham, 

 celebrated at Navayogipura (M. Tirunavai) on the northern 

 bank of the Vrihannadi, where the Brahmans of the sixty-four 

 colonies, the four kings (S. bhiipas Colattiri, Travancore, Sa- 

 morin, Perimpadappu or Cochin] assemble with all the aristo- 

 cracy, the 1400 lords [vlras, M. idaprabhu] 1000 Nayakas : 

 and all their vassals. Also the TuluRaja [Tulasibhils S.] makes 

 his appearance with his Racshasa Nayers. ParasuRama, being 

 there crowned again as king of kings, annexes great promises 

 to the repetition of the feast in every 12th year. [It was ce- 

 lebrated the last time A. D. 1743) — [An account of the 18 gym- 

 nastic and warlike exercises (18 ayudhabhyasa] with the insti- 

 tution of pallestras and headmasters in the four great districts 

 of Kerala. The origin of some caste divisions is explained, 



