46 
ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY OF KASHMIR. [Extra No. 2, 
Section VI.— The Nilamata and Mahatmyas. 
The Nilamata- 
purana. 
27. We Lave already above drawn attention to the fact that 
Kasmir has since early times been pre-emi¬ 
nently a country of holy sites and places of 
pilgrimage of all kinds. These objects of 
ancient local worship have always played an important part in the 
historical topography of the Valley and the adjacent mountain regions. 
It is hence no small advantage that there are abundant materials at 
our disposal for the special study of this Topographia sacra of Kasmir. 
The oldest extant text which deals in detail with Kasmirian Tlrthas, 
is the Nilamatapurana. This work which Kalhana used as one of his 
sources, J claims to give the sacred legends regarding the origin of the 
country and the special ordinances which Nila, the lord of Kasmir 
Nagas, had revealed for the worship and rites to be observed in it. 8 
It is unnecessary to refer here to the legends which are related at the 
commencement of work, and to ‘ the rites proclaimed by Nila’ which 
together with the former occupy about two-thirds of the extant text. 1 2 3 
These parts have been fully discussed by Prof. Biihler in his lucid 
analysis of the Nilamata. 4 The remaining portions, however, deserve 
here special notice as forming, — to use Prof. Biihler’s words — “a real 
mine of information, regarding the sacred places of Kasmir and their 
legends.” 
In the first place we find there a list of the principal Nagas or 
sacred springs of Kasmir (vv. 900-975). This is followed by the in¬ 
teresting legend regarding the Mahapadma lake, the present Volur, 
which is supposed to occupy the place of the submerged city of Candra- 
pura (vv. 976-1008). 5 The Purana then proceeds to an enumeration 
of miscellaneous Tlrthas chiefly connected with S'iva’s worship (vv. 
1009-48). To this is attached a very detailed account, designated as 
Bhutesvaramahatmya , of the legends connected with the sacred lakes 
and sites on Mount Haramukuta (vv. 1049-1148). 6 Of a similar 
Mahatmya relating to the Kapatesvara Tirtha, the present K5ther, 7 
only a fragment is found in our extant text (vv. 1149-68). The list of 
1 See Rajat. i. 14. 
2 Compare Rdjat. i. 178-184. 
3 Nilamata, vv. 1-366, contain the legends, v. 367-899 the rites above referred to. 
4 See Report, pp 38 sqq. 
8 Compare below, § 74, and Report, p. 10. 
8 Compare below, § 57, and Rdjat. notes i, 36, 107, 113. 
T See below, § 112, and Rdjat. i. 32 note. 
