Page:The Indian Antiquary Vol 2.djvu/30

 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [January, 1873. The customs of the PArsis in reference to these matters, I am persuaded, are of great antiquity. I have numerous Sassanian coins and a few medals in my collection. On their reverse they have all a fire-altar with one or two worshippers represented having both their head and feet covered. A plate given by Anquetil du Perron repre¬ sents a PArai repeating the prayer of the Kusti, or sacred cincture, with his head covered and shoes on his feet. In describing the Civil and Religious Usages of the PAreis, Anquetil thus writes :—“ Les‘ Mobeds sont sans sonliers dans P Atesch-gAh : ils n’ont que des chaussons ; ou s’ils se servent de pan- toufles, il faut qu’en sortant ils les laissent dans 1'Atesch-gAh. Les mAmes precautions doivent avoir lieu A l’4gard de 1* Izesch-khan6h. II n’est gu^res possible d’aller dans les rues sans que les souliers deviennent impure, ce qui oblige de les quitter en entrant dans l* Atesch-gAh ; et faire trois g&ms les pieds nuds c’est cominettre, k chaque gAm, le peche Farman.” In corroboration of this statement, he refers to the PArei RavAits, or Collections of Tradi¬ tions and Correspondence (between the PAreis of India and the Zoroastrians of Persia). I have read his testimony to the chief Dastur of the Kadami PAreis of Bombay (now holding the office of the late learned Mullah Firoz) j and he has certified to me its accuracy. In the collection of fragmentary writings forming the Zendavesta of the PAreis, I do not remember to have met with any passage making express men¬ tion of the covering or uncovering of the feet, except when a person is enjoined to lay aside his shoes, as well as to strip himself of his clothes, when he enters water to drag from it a dead: body (Vendi- dadtfargard VI. 56). In the Patits, or Penitential Services of the PAreis, written in old Persian or GujarAti,tiuch expressions as the following occur : — “ If I have gone without the Kusti (the sacred cincture), I repent of it. If I have defiled my feet, I repent of it” (Patit Kod, 19). “ If I have walked on the earth with only one shoe on, if I have buried corpses in the earth, ... if / have gone on the earth without shoes. . . ., I repent of it” (Patit IrAni, 7). Other passages of a similar import are to be found in these Penitential Prayers. Though oaths are allowed to the PArsis, no in¬ junctions about the form of them are given in their sacred books. THE TRITHIRAJA RASAU, OF KAVI CHAND BARDAL Extract from the Kanhapatti Prabtav—Fifth Book. When PrlthirAja was a minor, BholA Bhima ruled in Gujarat. Sprang Deva was his uncle, whose sons were PratAp Sifiha and his six brothers—Arisifiha, GokaldAs, Govind, H arisifiha, SyAm, and BhagwAn. They were brave warriors, they owned the sway of no master. They slew RAna, the most powerful of the JhalAs. When SArang Deva died, PratAp Siiiha succeeded him, and his brothers served under him. They had five hundred horee. They lived in the MewAs, plundering the YAdava’s country. A com¬ plaint was made to Bhima, who went against them.0 He encamped on the bank of a river, and his ele¬ phant, bathing in it, was slain by PratAp and Ari Sifiha. They killed also the mahaut. When he heard of it, Bhima declared that, though previously he had intended only to seize them, he would now think it no fault to slay them. When the brothers heard this they contemplated leaving Gujarat, meantime PrlthirAja sent for them: he gave them grants (jpata) of villages and other presents, and treated them with great respect. The seven ChAlukya brothers, crafty and bold, remained faith¬ fully in his service, coming one by one they placed his feet on their heads. Once on a time the son of Som was seated in his court among his SAmants, having made a brilliant assembly. Kanh the ChauhAn was also seated there, hislong moustaches looking terrible, with ChAmand Ray, Naraifiha, KaimAs, and other warriors. Prl¬ thirAja shone in the midst as the new moon on the second day of the light half. Around him shone a cluster of stars. PratAp, with his seven brothers, paid obeisance to PrlthirAja. He came and sat down opposite to Kanh. The MahAbhArata was the subject of talk. PratAp put his hand to his mous¬ tache. Kanh ChauhAn saw it. He drew his sword, the devourer of many. He cut him where the janeU was worn. ‘Hu!’ ‘huP sounded through the ball. PratAp foil. Arisifiha was enraged : he struck Kanh on the left arm with his sword. Kanh raged like a lion awakened, or a fire having ghi thrown into it. Kunvar PrlthirAja rose and retired into his palace. Behind him he closed the door. The fight raged in the hall. Arisifiha struck Nar- sifiha on the head with his sword, and pierced Ram- bha the Bargujar. Seeing this ChAmand was en¬ raged. The strife was like a forest conflagration. Kanh slew Arisifiha. Govind with a jaindad in his hand furiously attacked the ChauhAn. Kanh seized and slew him. Narsifiha threw his arms round Harisifiha, and others rained blows upon him, but he threw Narsifiha down and got above him. ChAmand plunged his sword into his back. Hari¬ sifiha followed Ari and pierced the mansion of the sun. Well done ChAluk 1 well done his father and mother 1 who not even in thought attempted to flee.
 * About 79 lines descriptive of the army and its march omitted.—J. B.