SONG OF THE FAMINE. 
29 
1881.] 
TO TOHFft 1 ^TTg TOtW— 1| ^ 
mg*: *tt*i ^tf% toto %\—\ rbft ^ vra-—n 
jttc^ srvr^.—l fav^rfa VF0fi? 5TST«T—II ^ 
'J' TRANSLATION OF JpATuX 1 ' J-A'l's jSoNG OF THE 
j^AMINE, 
1. Hear the tale of the year 1281: On every side a famine fell. 
In that year the rains wasted away ; how can 1 tell all that happened ? 
2. Hohani is the first asterism of the rainy season: but, as it came, 
so it departed (without rain). Mrigsiras fulfilled our hopes, for it gave 
a few drops of rain and departed. 
8. Aradra passed by with great majesty, thundering on every side ; 
Hulch saved the face of the earth, but became the end of the rains. 
4. Jdunarbas is a very holy asterism, but it was also a miser. 
All the seed in the seed-beds would have been utterly destroyed if blessed 
Aslelchd had not rained. 
5. Who in the world does not know that Magha became like a 
Magadh beggar? JPurbd Phctlguni did not prove its premises. Which 
asterism can I praise? 
6. Utra arriving found its home ready and abode there (i. e., came at 
its proper season); but it did not give even a drop to swear by. Hatdiiya 
concealed his trunk in his mouth, and the woodworm attacked him, (and 
left him empty). 
7. Chitra lost his senses and went mad, even he became a robber 
and a murderer. All the asterisms had their noses painted red (as a 
penance), and iSwati put his tail between his legs.* 
8. All the Pandits who came from Banaras, after studying astro¬ 
nomy ; though they calculated the position of the planets, and knew all 
about geometry and algebra ; even their word turned out false. 
9. By the mercy of Ham, through whose mercy everything happens, 
they did not know the truth. If any one asked them the prospects of 
rain, even as they spoke, they (were shewn to be liars and) were put to 
shame. 
10. When the rivers and streams did not fill, then there came a cer¬ 
tainty of drought. For want of water, nothing grew on the earth. The 
land became as if it were burnt up. 
* I have slightly altered the original here, which is very indecent. This and the 
five preceding verses contain a series of puns on the names of the various lunar aste¬ 
risms, which it is impossible to translate. 
