1847.] on Mackenzie Maiiiiscripts. 137 



The Minac^shipillai Tamil, for example, is a poem on the infantile ges- 

 tures and pastimes of the tutelary Darga at Madura. This present 

 poem has reference to an imag-e of Cumara or Suhi-ahmanya, worshipped 

 at the town called Tiru Virinjai. Ten stages of infancy are noted, as 

 usual ; and to each stage an appropriate gesture, or amusement, is as- 

 cribed. These are dwelt on in verse of the viruttam kind. The book I 

 am told is common in Native Plindu Schools. Such compositions in a 

 remarkable manner display the puerility of idolatry: even as others 

 show its more grave and aggravated features. 



Note. — The document wants a few leaves in different places ; but is 

 in a very tolerable preservation. It is entered in the Des. Cat., Vol. 1, 

 p. 217, Art. 13. 



57. Vencata venpa, a poem on the Tripeti god. No. 149, C. M. 169. 

 Stanzas of the venpa (or Sonnet) species of verse, in praise of Vishnu, 



in the form worshipped at Tripeti ; composed by Pillai Perumal-ayengar, 

 a Vaishnava Brahman, and manager of the fane. Several of the stan- 

 zas are wanting. Some of the remaining leaves are slightly injured. ( It 

 is entered in the Des. Cat., Vol. 1, p. 225, Art. 41. 



58. Tiru pacayur poyamorzi-isvara coravanchi. No. 120, CM. 121. 

 This is a draitta composed in almost every species of Tamil versification, 



and relates to the adventures of Siva as worshipped at Tiru-pacayur, in 

 the South. It is an enlargement on the gross fable of Vishnu transform- 

 ed into Mohini, and wedded to Siva ; which is as nectar to the Saivas ; 

 and as poison to the Vaishnavas. It is quite unnecessary to dwell on the 

 contents ; which are of the order of low comedy. It is not complete ; but 

 is in good preservation. I do not find any entry in the Des. Catalogue. 



59. Nellai-malai, a poem. No. 197, C. M. 180. 



This production is of the Caliturai species of versification. It is pane- 

 gyrical of the numen worshipped as I think at Tinnevelly. Ten stanzas 

 are wanting. The remainder is in good preservation. It is entered in 

 Des. Cat., Vol. 1, p. 227, Art. 50. 



60. Grahasphuta, an astrological work. No. 74, C. M. 236. 



The subject of this work is the forming a horoscope, consequent to 

 noting the exact moment of birth ; and from the configurations of planets 

 at the time, inferring the future adverse, or prosperous, circumstances of 

 the child. It is an incomplete copy. What remains is only very slightly 

 injured. An entry occurs in Des. Cat., Vol. 1, p. 256, Art. 9. 



61. Bhasijacara-charitra, an account of Ramanuja. No. 244, C. M. 100. 



This is a sort of biographical notice of Ramanuja the Vaishnava cham- 

 pion; the name of Bhasyacara (or linguist) being a titular name. The 

 chief subject of the book relates to the recovery of two fanes from the 

 Siivas. Of these the principal one was Tripety. It is stated that when 

 the Tondaman visited that place, the god told him there was no need to 

 come daily ; and presented the chatik and chacra which the Tondaman 



s 



