858 
The Idolatry of 
'art 
The Story 
of Ram. 
Praffaram 
endeavours 
to kill 
Ram. 
The Mala- 
bars ac- 
count of 
this Tranf- 
formation. 
By this time rifinum remembring his 
Promife made to Prajfarani's Parents, ■z/iz.. 
that they were to be bleft with three Sons, 
he commanded Bramha (the God with 
four Heads) to fend down from Heaven 
the Souls of Siamdichemi and Reneca, and 
to convey them into the Bodies of Ragia 
d'Jfferat, and his Wife Couula (flain 
among the Ketteriis) unto whom he had 
made a Promife of exalting their Pofte- 
rity. 
Bramha finding by the Celeftial Re- 
cords, that their time was expir'd (for 
thefe Pagans believe that nothing is done 
without Divine Providence, and that the 
Fate of Men is written in Br^wfca's Hand) 
infufed the Soul of Reneca into the Body 
of Ccu-Jla, and the Spirit of Simdiche- 
mi into that of Ragia, which brought 
forth a Son named Ram: This Ram ha- 
ving marryM Sytha, and making his pub- 
lick Entry into the City (accordmgto 
the Cuftom of the Benjam ) was met by 
Praffaram, who being inform'd that he 
was defcended of the Race of the Ket- 
teriis, did let fly at him, which Ram 
perceiving did the fame from his Elephant 
on which he was mounted but their 
Arrows hitting againfl: one another in 
the Air did no mifchief, except that all 
the ftrength of Praffaram's Arrow be- 
ing lodg'd in that of Ram, he was there- 
by bereav'd of all his Advantage, being 
no more than a common Brahman for ever 
after, whereas Kam encreafed every day 
in Power. . . ^ ^ 
The Malabars fay that this Transfor- 
mation was made by Ftftnum in the fhape 
of Siri Parexi Rama. For the Rtxt living 
in the Defarts, being no longer able to 
endure the Oppreflions from the Neigh- 
bouring Kings, ofFer'd their Sacrifices 
to rijlnum, defiring his Afhftance againft 
them A certain famous Rixi named Pa- 
ra j'ara, facrificing one day to rifimm, 
he appear'd in the ftiape of a Child, and 
alTifted at the Ceremony of the Sacrifice 
which done, Parexi Rama took up an Ax 
and kill'd 44 Kings, who ufed to infelt- 
the Rixi, and put them into the Pofleirion 
of their Territories. Siri Parexi Rama 
being afterwards deiirous to ered certain 
Temples, and not finding fufficient roouii 
for that purpofe (becaufe the Sea then 
touch'd the Mount Gatte) he oifer'd his 
Sacrifice, when a Sieve appearing to him 
(fuch as they ufe to cleanfe the Rice 
with) he found that as often as he did 
fhake it, the Sea retreated backwards 
from the Shore ; but whilil he was doing 
it a third time, Farrinem the God of the 
Sea, having transform'd himfelf into 
Pifmires ( call'd by them Carrea^ ) gnaw'd 
the Sieve in pieces. However Siri Rama 
built 108 Temples, and ereded as many 
Stones near them, from Mangalor to the 
Cape Comorytty much reverenc'd to thi.s 
day by the Indians. 
In the mean v/hile the Fifiiermen of 
that Coaft making their Complaints to 
Parexi Rama, that by this means they 
had been bereav'd of their Subfiftence^ 
he conftituted them his Guards of the 
Temples he had built, with a fufEcienn 
allowance for their Maintenance •, fo thac 
thefe Fiftiermen being thus become Brab- 
mans, they ufed always to wear a Thred 
of a Fifliing-Net about their Necks whilft 
they were performing their Sacrifices, 
and introduc'd that Cuftom among the 
Pagans, for a new-married Couple to go 
a fifhing with a Linen Cloth inftead of a 
Net. 
Parexi Rama being one time employed the Origm 
in his Solitude in facrificing to the Gods, °f 
Siri Rama (or rijlnum') appear'd in the ^rahmans, 
fhape of a Man which Parexi Rama 
taking notice of, his Jealoufy was raifed 
to fuch a height, that he would needs 
enter into a fingle Combat with him but 
being prevented by the Rixii, they difco- 
ver'd themfelves to one another, and 
entring into a flrift Friendlhip, Parexi 
Rama prefented his Bow to Siri Rama^ 
who return'd to the Milk-Sea. 
CHAP. IV, 
The feventh Transformation of Viftnum Rama. His Birth. He gains 
h^is Bride Sytha hy /hooting. Beauty of Lekeman. His meeting with Soup- 
penekbia. Rawan takes away Sytha ; performs Wonders, Ram and Leke- 
man go in quefi of Sytha. Hanumzn's great Anions in Ceylon. 
IXor^jbeingreverenc'd by all the World, Son of the Brahman KaJJio^a} who for 
but efpecially by on^ Ravean, (call'd 300 years ofFer'd him 1 00 Flowers every 
Rawan-a by Roger im, who makes him a day j Ixora having one time a mind to 
try 
