THE NILAMATA AND M AH ATM Y AS. 
53 
1899.] 
31 . Another potent cause seems to have co-operated in this vitiation 
of the local nomenclature of the Mahatmyas. 
Popular etymology j mean ‘ popular etymology.’ We have already 
m local names of , , 5 , j j. . , ,, , , 
Mahatmyas referred to the tendency displayed throughout 
these tracts of making the names of localities, 
rivers, springs, etc., the starting-point for legendary anecdotes. For men 
of such very scant knowledge of Sanskrit as the than a pat l s invariably 
are, it was naturally far easier to explain such etymological stories when 
they were based on the modern local names. 
It is undoubtedly this reason which has, e.g„ led the compiler of the 
present Haramukutagangamahatmya to substitude the name Karanka- 
nadi for the old Kanakavdhinl. By the latter name the stream coming 
from the Haramukuta lakes is designated in all our old texts, as ex- 
plained in my note on Rajat. i. 149-150. By turning Kank a nai, the 
modern derivative of this old name, into Karankanadi, ‘ the skeleton- 
stream/ the compiler of the Mahatmya gets an occasion to treat his 
readers to a legend likely to appeal to their imagination. The river 
is supposed to have received this appellation, because Garuda had 
dropped at its Samgama with the Sindliu the skeleton ( karanka) of 
the Rsi Dadliici which indra before had used as his weapon, etc. 1 
This story, it is true, is wholly unknown to the Nilamata or any other 
old text. But, on the other hand, it has got the great merit of being 
easily explained and proved to any Kasmiii pilgrim. He cannot fail 
to realize the manifest connection between Karanka and his familiar 
k a ranz , ‘skeleton.’ 
An exactly similar case of ‘ popular etymology ’ has been noticed 
in the analysis of the S'aradamahatmya as contained in my Note B 
(i. 37). There the name of the village SunQ-Drang is reproduced as 
Suvarncirdlidhgaka and explained by a legend, how the Muni S'andilya 
had at that spot half his body ( ardhangaka) turned into gold ( suvarna ), 
etc. In reality the village name is derived from the old term Dranga, 
‘ watch-station,’ by which the place is mentioned by Kalhana. 2 The 
distinguishing prefix Sun ?-, meaning ‘ gold ’ in Kasiniri, was given to it, 
because it lay on the route to the old gold-washing settlements in the 
Kisangaiiga Valley. 3 
1 The story is spun out at great length in Patala iii. of the Haramukutaganga- 
mahdtmya , MS. No. 221. 
2 See viii. 2507, 2702. 
& For other examples of local names in Mahatmyas metamorphosed for the 
above reason, compare my notes ltajat. vi. 177 (Bhhnudvipa in the Martandamah., for 
Bum^zu); i. 267 (S'esandga in the Amaresvaramah., for the older Susramandga , recte 
Susravondga ) ; Note 0, i. 124 ( Jyesthesvara, the present Jyether, turned into a site 
of Jyestha), etc. 
