156 



A Supplement to the Six Reports 



[No. S3, 



vdnengudi. He went so far, when feeling faint, and being both hungry 

 and thirsty, he put down the two mountain peaks, without going on to " 

 Foteiya. He scooped out a tank with his hands, and being refreshed by 

 the water, was about to take up the two mountain peaks ; but found he 

 could not do so. They remained fast. Being angry he inquired who had 

 lessened his strength, and he climbed up Siva-giri in order to see. At 

 the top he saw Suhrahmanya like a little child. He came near, and some 

 discussion occurred. Sahrahmanya told him the mountain was to stay 

 there : if he thought otherwise he might take it away, if he could. The 

 Asiira became angry. A battle resulted, and Suhrahmanya slew him. 

 A snake had formed the ligatures of the Cdvadi. It went and told AgaS' 

 tya what had happened. The asura's wife who had accompanied him to 

 prepare his food hearing a noise went up the mountain. On seeing the 

 state of the case, she uttered lamentations, which are written, being what 

 is termed 3Iangala-2nchi, a prayer to consider the state of a wife. In 

 reply to her plaint the Asura was re-animated, and rose up. He then 

 enlarged in praises of the god, and on his own happiness in meeting with 

 him : requesting to be allowed always to remain on that hill, and to do 

 service. Agastya came and congratulated the Asura on the privilege 

 •which he had acquired, and then went away. But Idamharen remained 

 and did service. [There is a building called Idamhara kovil at Pyney.] 



Section 21. A legend concerning Agastya — Agastya and other risMs 

 were in a certain place together : when Nareda came ; and in the course of 

 conversation said that the Being who was the first cause of all things ought 

 to be worshipped. The rishis thought Agastya to be first and chief. On 

 which Veda Vyasa became angry, observing that Nareda spoke not of 

 him, but of Sarasvati. Agastya asked if he meant to insult Isvaren, by 

 whose aid he had compiled the Vedas, and being angry went away to 

 Potaiya hill. The rishis wished to see what would occur between Vyasa 

 a devotee of Vishnu, and Agastya a follower of Siva. Agastya did 

 penance at Durga-puri, The story of the image there is this. A Brah- 

 man woman named Indri, and her husband named Murkali, being with- 

 out children, the woman reared an ichneumon. At length she had a child, 

 and she one day left the animal in charge of it, while she went to draw 

 water. A snake approached the child, which the Kiri-pillai killed, and 

 then ran out to meet the child's mother; who seeing its mouth to be 

 bloody thought it had killed her child, and killed it; but on coming in, 

 and seeing the true state of the case, she was about to kill herself, by 

 swallowing the venom ejected by the snake. Isvari appeared, and told 

 her not to do so ; adding that the ichneumon, in a former state, was her 

 own mother, and the snake a wicked king, who had killed her father and 

 was born a snake. Isvari told her not to be sorry, and in her sight entered 

 an image. After some time both the husband and the wife died. The 

 said inaage was afterwards called Nagilesvarer. The earth in the shape 



