1847.] 



Neilgherry Hills, 8^c. 



137 



ed dynasty of Indian kings whose dominion extended nearly over 

 the whole Peninsula. Chandragupta or Sandracottiis who confronted 

 Alexander the Great was the founder of this dynasty. He was 

 succeeded by Varisara, and he by Asoka of the same line whose capi- 

 tal was Palibothra. He was the great Buddhist king of India whose 

 rock edicts at Girnar and Cuttack have created so much interest 

 amongst our Indian antiquaries. These edicts contain a prohibition 

 against the destruction of animal life, and publish ordinances for the 

 construction of hospitals or asylums in which men and every kind of 

 living creature were to be provided for. In this singular law I trace 

 the origin of that part of the Burgher tradition relating to the Mau- 

 ryas having created all kinds of animals. With respect to the 

 destruction of the Mauryas by fire and mud it is clearly the same as 

 the tradition preserved amongst the Mackenzie Manuscripts (vide 

 Rev. William Taylor's Report: A :— Tamil, Palm-leaf M. S. S. 

 No. 165, Countermark 64, marked CJiola pvrva Patayam. Madras 

 Journal, April, 1838). This account states that at the commencement 

 of the Salivahanam era, (1st century A. D.) the great Samana or 

 Jain king destroyed the sacred edifices of the Hindus and oppressed 

 all who would not become converts to his religion. At length Siva 

 moved by the complaints of his people sent a shower of fire and mud 

 upon the Jainas. Whether the tradition about the Mauryas on the 

 Neilgherries relates particularly to the kings of that race, or whether 

 the expression Maurya is now used by the Plindus to designate any 

 Buddhist or Jain people, I am unable to determine. If the latter be 

 the case it furnishes fresh proof of my conjecture respecting Adi- 

 Raer the Pandyan king being a Jaina and the first conqueror of the 

 Thautawars. On the other hand is the statement of a Burgher that 

 the Mauryas were here 2000 years ago, which is about the time that 

 Asoka the Buddhist king of India flourished. 



Referring to the Puranic lists of kings I find that the Maurya 

 race terminated with Vrihadratha who was succeeded by the Sunga 

 kings the second of whom is called Agnimitra. Agnimitra seems to 

 be compounded of two words signifying fire and mud, and in this 

 name of one of the foreign successors and perhaps usurpers of the 

 Maurya dynasty we may trace the origin of the foregoing fable 

 respecting the Buddhists or Jains having been visited with a shower 

 of fire and mud. 



s 



