174

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

The god was much pleased to hear this, and or dered Bimardi to erect a temple and fort, and said to him—“When I was living with Wenkata Saprumal on the hill of Dharmalingamalai, that god placed one foot on the Dharmalinga Hill and the other on the Tripati Hill, and went to Tripati. In the place on which he placed his first foot there lies immense wealth, of which you may take as much as you can in the course of seven days and seven nights.” So saying the serpent return ed to his hole.

Bimardi awoke from his dream,

and implicitly believing everything that he had heard and seen in his vision, the first thing he did was to place a line of labourers from the hole to

the hill mentioned by Sambašivam. Bimardi afterwards repaired to the summit of the hill, where he repeated what the god Sambašivam had uttered. All of a sudden, golden coins now flowed out, which Bimardi's men began to carry one after another. On this news reaching the Rāja he summoned Bimardi into his presence.

[JUNE, 1873.

ties with her. The Rāja was consequently so much enraged against him that he instantly ordered his hands and feet to be cut off, and his maimed body to be cast on the aforesaid hill from which

Bimardi had his stones. Sarangadram did not take this undeserved cruelty to heart, but spent all his solitary hours in devotion to his god.

Consequently his hands and feet were replaced, and the hill was also benefited by his meritorious sufferings, in that any extent of stones extracted from it was in no time replaced. Now to return to the story of the fort and the

temple. They were all completed within the fixed time. The sacred cars were also ready. The first worship was held on the appointed day and the appointed hour. The god was named Jalāganthā Išvarar, and fairs in the temple were

held every year, and the number of pilgrims and

being cleared, it so happened that a hare appeared

worshippers constantly increased. Meanwhile, Bimardi besought an interview from his god, which was granted: he com menced thus—“I am simply a shepherd and tiller; I have no capacity for administration. I beseech thee therefore to appoint one who is fit to conduct a râj and to keep all affairs in con nection with the temple in a prosperous state, so

Bimardi informed him of all that had occurred.

The Rāja was so gratified to hear all this that he rendered his best assistance in getting the aforesaid

jungle cleared for Bimardi. As the jungle was and made a certain sort of round several times

that I may have more time to spend in your

and then disappeared. Bimardi was lost in as tonishment. He implored his patron god to

devotion.” To this the god answered—“There is

acquaint him with the meaning of what he saw.

dama Pirawadardevamahariar, who maintains a

He was informed in his dream that he should lay the foundation of the fort as the hare had pointed out. Bimardi lost no time in complying with

thousand Brahmans daily. He is a fit person

this behest.

one Wenkatdevamahariar, the son of Pargon

for the rāj; go and tell him to undertake the

management.” A dispute was now raging be.

The foundation was laid in the

tween Wenkat and his brother as to the distribu

Sukla year 1190 of Śālivāhana's Sagārtha-varsha. The

tion of certain villages between them. Wellur was also added to these villages. The two

god further ruled that the whole structure should

brothers agreed to proceed to the Melkatachala

be finished within nine years, and he be installed in

pularaisna

the year Isvara and on the 19th date of the month

there to cast lots and abide by the result.

of Panguni. Bimardi on laying the foundation earnestly expressed his desire to carry out all these commands. The stones required for the structures were sent by Bimardi from a hill

Wenkat got Vellur. On leaving his father's palace to repair to Vellur, he met with what was considered a very good omen, which was in the

named Palikonda, which was 12 miles distant, and

es in the palace. The result of his connection with her at this moment, which was justified and unavoidable in consequence of the coincidence, was that she gave birth to a son, who was, according to

The month was Panguni, and the date 19th.

where Sriranganaigar used to sleep—pali meaning bed, and konda to take. The more stones were extracted from this quarry the more inexhaustible

it proved. This mystery is explained by another story which may be told here. There was a Rāja named Dharma Rāja. He had a son who was noted for unrivalled beauty. He had a step-mother who became hopelessly fond of him. She once called him to her and tried by every means to make him make love to her. Sarangadram hereupon left his stepmother in great disdain. With a view now to ruin him, she told her husband Dharma Rāja that this his son had attempted to take improper liber

temple

in the

Maisur Zilla, and

form of a maid-servant who was preparing torch

the law of the times, proclaimed heir-apparent to the rāj. He was named Krishna Devamahariar, Wenkat reigned three years and gained a name for uprightness. He granted Wanandurgam and Chitaldurgam, lying to the east of Vel lur, to his washerman and shoemaker, and made other similar grants to his deserving subjects. After this he abandoned all his possessions and business, and retired into a jungle where he led the

life of a hermit.

The Rayars or the descend,