Page:The Indian Antiquary Vol 1.pdf/68

 50

at the surface it is hardly four times the size of the oyster.

A perpendicular ridge of rock rises abruptly from the Shank haku n da and stretches to wards the north and east.

[FEB. 2, 1872.

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

On the north-west

sioned by the poison in his throat. At N 3 r a d a 's suggestion he went to Brahma, and hav ing brought some water from his famous basin in which the G a fig & is said to have taken its birth, deposited it on M and a r a for his own

corner of this ridge, about five feet from the base,

use.

is a small cave hewn out in the solid rock.

On the left side of the A käs h g ang 4, is the colossal figure of Madhu ka i tab a traced on

It

is about four feet square and high enough to allow a person to sit at his ease in it. It is just

the rock.

like one of the rock-cut caves to be met with in

hátmya, was done by R & m a during his residence

different parts of India, where Buddhist as cetics used to retire for the purpose of contem plation and prayer. But from an inscription on a large cave in the neighbourhood, to be pre sently noticed, it appears doubtful whether it does not rather owe its origin to Hindu devotees. Further north, about half way to the summit

This, according to the Mandara Ma

on the hill.

About 15 feet below, is a vaulted

cave, cut into the body of a smaller ridge of rock which rises like an inclined plane from near the base of the perpendicular ridge before men

tioned. The chamber is about 15 feet by 10, and, like the veranda of a bangala, gets higher as it recedes from the entrance, owing to the incli

of the ridge above mentioned, is situated a spring

nation of the vaulted roof with which it is cover

named Aké s h g a fig ó, meaning the Gañg: of the sky. The only approach to this is by a

ed. On this roof there is an inscription in large letters which has not yet been deciphered. The only approach to the cave is by a small door which just enables a person to enter in a sitting posture, but does not admit sufficient

wooden ladder about 15 feet high.

The water,

which is contained in a cavity in the shape of a cone, cut in the body of the rock, is only about three feet deep, and is so transparent that the smallest objects at the bottom appear distinctly. This cavity, to which no rain-water can find ac

cess, fills itself as often as it is emptied, being supplied from a source which no eye has ever Seell.

-

The following legend accounts for the exist ence of the sacred G a fi g 4 at Mandara.

The M and a r a having been blessed by the presence of all the principal deities, was anxious to have Shiva also. With this object, it offered prayer to the sage Nära d'a, who thereupon un dertook a journey to Kail ís a for the purpose.

light to perceive what it contains.

The ascetic

residing on the hill, who has his cottage con tiguous to the cave, however, assists pilgrims with lamps to observe the representation of one of the incarnations of W i s h n u—carved in stone— on the middle of the floor. The image in the cen tre, is that of Wish n u in the shape of the man

lion, its eyes almost glaring with unearthly lus tre and its claws tearing into pieces the body of a Titan thrown over his thigh, while a child

On his way he met an ascetic who, having propi tiated Shiv a by his prayers, had just been pro

stands underneath with half-shut eyes trem bling at the fearful scene. There are other fi gures such as those of Lak s h m i, Sar as v at i, R 4 m a, &c.; but the cave goes under the name of the central image—to which it is principally

mised the sovereignty of B an à res. N &rad a

dedicated.

told him he was a fool to desire the sovereignty

The following is the legend to which the cen

of B an är es as long as Shiv a himself was there,

tral image alludes.

since the latter would be considered the real

A sur as or Titans by birth who by the favour of S h i v a, became very powerful and, expelling the gods, usurped the throne of heaven. In the pride of victory the elder brother, named Hira ny akha, thought himself even equal to Vishnu in power, and so sought him in the nether world

Rújá and the ascetic only so in name. So under the guise of friendship, N &rada advised him to

go back and ask Shiva to leave Banāres as long as he reigned. The ascetic did so; and Shiva, being unable to refuse the prayer of a devoted votary,consented to leave Banāres; and as Ná

rada happened just then to prefer his own prayer, towards the accomplishment of which he had

played so deep a game, the deity agreed to spend the time on Mandara. He would not go however unless he had the water of the Gamgá to drink, in order to quench the irritating sensation occa

There were two brothers

to give him battle, but was killed in the en

counter. The younger Hir any a k as hip a therefore hated Vishnu so intensely that he could not even bear to hear his name pro nounced in his presence. But in course of time a son was born to him, who became a devoted fol

lower of his antagonist, and who, forsaking the