the Buddhist origin of Jagannatha. These are," the suspension of caste during the festival," and "the belief that the image contains the relics or bones of Krishna." The first is one of the fundamental principles of the Buddhist faith, that was promulgated by the great teacher Sákya Muni, and is so utterly repugnant to the deeply inwoven spirit of caste which pervades Brahmanism, that we may safely refer it to a Buddhist origin. The other is also not at all Brahmanical, while, as we have seen throughout this work, it is eminently characteristic of Buddhism.

12. When restored to its original monogrammatic form, the figure of Jagannath, or the Lord of the Universe, becomes clear and intelligible, but its present uncouth shape has taxed even the ingenious mendacity of a Brahman to account for. According to the learned, a king named Indradyumna besought the divine artist Viswakarma to make a figure of Jagannáth to contain the relics of Krishna. The artist promised on condition that he should not be disturbed. But the king's impatience interrupted the work in the midst, and the enraged artist immediately gave up his labour, and left the figure of Jagannath without arms. A trace of the Buddhist origin of the name may perhaps be found in the fact that one of the cave temples of Ellora is still called Jagannáth.

13. There is another modern Triad which I believe to be also of Buddhist origin, namely, Vithoba and his two wives Rukmini (or Rakhami) and Satyavama.

Their statues are represented standing with the arms a-kimbo. The Hindus generally do not recognise them as orthodox ;* but their worshippers have attempted to identify Vithoba and his wives with Krishna and his wives, who are also named Rukmini and Satyavama. Dr. Stevenson was the first to point out that "the festivals of Vithoba correspond in a remarkable manner with the seasons of the Buddhists." The two principal festivals of Vithoba occur, "the one just four days before the commencement, and the other just four before the completion of the Buddhist Wasso, or season of sacred rest, which continues from the full moon of Asarh to that of Kártik.† The full moon of Asárh is the pancha-dasam-sudi, or 15th of the bright half, or waxing moon; and the full moon of Kartik is the 15th sudi of that month. Four days earlier would be the 11th of the bright half, or ekádasi sudi.”

14. I have been thus particular in specifying the date of Vithoba's festivals, because the latter one at least appears to me to have some connection with the mela, or "fair," which is held at the old ruined city of Besnagar, near Bhilsa, in the same month of Kártik. According to one statement this takes place on Kártik sudi 9; but another authority makes

* Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, vii. 5. I believe that the worship of Krishna is only a corrupt mixture of Buddhism and Christianity, and was a sort of compromise intended for the subversion of both religions in India.

From the middle of July to the middle of November.

it Kartik badi, 11. The true date* is, however, Kártika sudi ekadasi, on the 11th of the bright half of Kártik; that is, just four days before the full moon of that month. According to tradition this fair was established by Raja Rukmángada, from whom it was named the Rukhmángada ekádasi.†

15. According to the Bhagta-mála, the Rukhmángada Ekadasi was instituted in commemoration of an Apsara (or heavenly nymph) having pricked her foot with the thorn of a Bhangan plant in Rukhmángada's garden.

16. According to the Rukmángada cheritra, Rukmángada was the son of Rohitaswa, and the grandson of Harischandra. He had a son named Dharmangada by his wife, whom he neglected for the beautiful Apsara Viswa Mohoni, and his after life was embittered until he made propitiation by the establishment of the festival called the Rukmángada ekadasi.‡

17. Rukmin or Rukam was the name of a prince who was slain by Balaráma, the brother of Krishna. An existing tradition says that one of the Rajas of Bhilsa had a white horse, which, for security, was stabled on the top of the precipitous rock of Lohángi,

The first date was obtained by my brother; the latter by Lieutenant Maisey, as communicated by Captain Ellis. The beginning of the Buddhist Wasso is still celebrated at Bhilsa by the illumination of the Ziárat, or shrine of Lohángi Pir or the "Saint of Lohángi," on the full moon of Asarh.

My authority refers to the Matsya Purána for this account.

For these two references I am indebted to the kindness of Captain Ellis.

to the eastward of Bhilsa. But the Raja was overcome by the Pândus, who carried off the white horse for the performance of the aswamedha, or horsesacrifice. This prince was most probably the Rukam, or Rukma of the Prem Ságar, and the brother of Rukmani, who became one of the eight wives of Krishna. Rukma, in Sanskrit, means "iron," and therefore Rukmángada is only a synonyme of Lohángada, or Lohángi, the name of the famous Bhilsa rock.* It is true that Krishna was a Yádava and not a Pándava; but as I have always found that the latter name is used in a general manner throughout India to denote any hero of ancient times, the tradidition of the Pandu conqueror may be applied to Krishna and his brother Balaráma.

18. According to the Prem Ságur, Rukma was the son of Bhikmak, the Raja of Vidarbha, or Berar. His sister Rukmini is often called Vidarbhajá, or "born in Vidarbha." The name of Vi-darbha implied a country in which the holy Kusa grass is not found; and it is generally applied to the modern Berar Proper. But if I am correct in my identification of Raja Rukma of Vidarbha with Rukmángada of Besnagar, there can be no doubt that Vidarbha must, in ancient times, have included the whole of Bhopal and Bhilsa to the north of the Narbada.

19. In my account of Asoka's reign, I have already shown that Besnagar was a large city in 270 B. C., and that it was also called Chaityagiri, or the "hill of * It is also called Loháchal, or "Iron-hill."

chaityas," because the Tope-covered hill was in its immediate neighbourhood. According to tradition, Besnagar was founded by Rukmángada, in the Dwâpur-yug* (the third age, or age of copper), one million and three hundred thousand years ago. It stands at the Triveni, or triple junction of the rivers Betwa, Bes (or Besali), and Ganga, of which the last is believed to flow underground.

20. The less ancient city of Bhilsa, or Bhadravati, is said to have been the capital of Yavanasna Chandravansi. The same story which I have related above is told about him and the Aswamedha, or white horse with a black ear, which was carried off by a Pandu prince. The existence of the Pandus in this part of the country is proved by the inscriptions of No. 2 Tope at Sánchi, which certainly dates as high as 200 B. C. The trough from which the horse used to drink is still pointed out; but this is only a bell capital of a gigantic Buddhist pillar, of which nothing more now remains. The capital is 3 feet high, and 3 feet broad; and as the Sánchi capitals are only 3 feet, the Lohángi pillar must have been nearly 50 feet high. The capital is now standing upside down, and has been hollowed out to a depth of 15 inches, with a diameter of 21 inches, so as to form a large bowl.

21. A glance at the map (Plate I.) will show the re

Captain Ellis's information says the Satya-yug; that is, the first, or golden age.

+ Called Alamgirpur by the Mahomedans.