This depraved woman, O afflicter of enemies, knowing Shukrůd in the disguise of a sage, through wantonness consented, he being king of the gods. The chief of the gods having perpetrated his crime, she thus addressed him: "O chief of gods, thou hast accomplished thy design, speedily depart unobserved. O sovereign of the gods, effectually preserve thyself and me from Goutŭmů.' Indrů smiling replied to Ŏhůlya, 'O beautiful one, I am fully pleased; I will depart; forgive my transgression.' After this, he, O Ramů, with much caution left the hermitage, dreading the wrath of Goutůmů. At that instant he saw Goutůmŭ enter, resplendent with energy, and, through the power of sacred austerities, invincible even to the gods; wet with the waters of the sacred teêr'thŭ, as the fire moistened with clarified butters, he saw him coming to the hermitage, laden with sacrificial wood, and the sacred kooshů. Perceiving him, Shukrů was overwhelmed with sadness. The sage clothed in virtue, beholding the profligate lord of the gods in the disguise of a sage, in dreadful anger thus addressed him: 'O profligate wretch, assuming my form thou hast perpetrated this crime: therefore become an eunuch.' At the word of the magnanimous and angry Goutůmŭ, the thousand-eyed god instantly became an eunuch. Deprived of manly energy, and rendered an eunuch by the anger of the devout sage, he, full of agonizing pain, was overcome with sorrow".

• A name of Indrů, signifying strength.

e The Hindoos believe that the merit of works is such as to be sufficient to raise a person higher than the gods themselves.

Teert'hus are certain places esteemed peculiarly sacred by the Hindoos. Bathing in these places is reckoned highly meritorious.

That is, the fire of the burnt offering.

Other accounts say, that Goutŭmů imprinted a thousand female marks upon him as proofs of his crime, and that Indrů was so ashamed, that he petitioned Goutămă to deliver him from his disgrace. The sage, therefore,

The great sage, having cursed him, pronounced a curse upon his own wife: 'Innumerable series of year, O sinful wretch, of depraved heart, thou, enduring excessive pain, abandoned, lying constantly in ashes, invisible to all creatures, shalt remain in this forest. When Ramů, the son of Dushurut'hu, shall enter this dreadful forest, thou, beholding him, shalt be cleansed from thy sin. Having, O stupid wretch, entertained him without selfish views, thou, filled with joy, shalt again approach me without fear.' Having thus addressed this wicked woman, the illustrious Goutumů, the great ascetic, abandoned this hermitage, and performed austerities on the pleasant top of Himŭvut, frequented by the siddhŭs and charŭnus c.'

Indru was also guilty of stealing a horse consecrated by king Sŭgură, who was about to perform, for the hundredth time, the sacrifice of this animal,

Indru, though king of the gods, has been frequently overcome in war: Méghŭ-nadů, the son of Ravănŭ, the giant, once overcame him, and tied him to the feet of his horse. On condition of releasing the king of the gods, Brùmha conferred on Méghŭ-nadů the name Indru-jit, that is, the conqueror of Indrů. He was called Méghŭ-nadů because he fought behind a cloud, (méghŭ;) and this enabled him to overcome Indrů, who, in the engagement, was unable to see him, though he had a thousand eyes.

Kushyŭpů, the sage, once performed a great sacrifice, to

changed these marks into eyes, and hence Indrů became the thousandeyed god.

с

Carey and Marshman's Translation of the Ramayůně, vol. i. page 433, d This word signifies thunder.

VOL. I.

which all the gods were invited. Indru, on his way to the feast, saw 60,000 dwarf bramhuns trying in vain to cross a cow's footstep which was filled with water, and had the misfortune to laugh at these pigmies; at which they were so incensed, that they resolved to make a new Indru, who should conquer him, and take away his kingdom. Indru was so frightened at these 60,000 pigmy bramhuns, who could not get over a cow's footstep, that he entreated Brumha to interfere; who saved him from their wrath, and continued him on his throne.

Description of Umŭravutée, the residence of Indră, from the Muhabharůtů :-This heaven was made by Vishwů-kurma, the architect of the gods. It is 800 miles in circumference, and 40 miles high; its pillars are composed of diamonds; all its elevated seats, beds, &c. are of gold; its palaces are also of gold. It is so ornamented with all kinds of precious stones, jasper, chrysolite, sapphire, emeralds, &c. &c. that it exceeds in splendour the brightness of twelve suns united. It is surrounded with gardens and forests, containing among other trees the parijatŭ, the fragrance of the flowers of which extends 800 miles, that is, fills the whole heavene. In the pleasure grounds are pools of water, warm in winter and cold in summer, abounding with fish, water-fowl, waterlilies, &c. the landing places of which are of gold. All kinds of trees and flowering shrubs abound in these gardens. The winds are most refreshing, never boisterous; and the heat of the sun is never oppressive. Gods, sages, upsŭras, kinnŭrus, siddhus, saddhyŭs, dévůrshees, brůmhurshees, rajurshees, Vrihůsputee, Shookrů, Shůnee, Boodhů, the winds, clouds, Oiravătă, (Indrŭ's elephant,) and other celestial beings, dwell in this heaven. The inhabitants are con

It is a curious fact, that though this flower is so celebrated in the pooranus for its fragrance, it has no scent at all.

tinually entertained with songs, dances, music, and every species of mirth. Neither sickness, sorrow, nor sudden death, are found in these regions, nor are its inhabitants affected with hunger or thirst.-When the god Narŭdů was sitting in an assembly of princes at king Yoodhist❜hiru's, the latter asked him whether he had ever seen so grand a scene before. Narudu, after some hesitation, declared he had beheld a scene far more splendid in Indru's heaven, of which he then gave the above account; but confessed that the place exceeded all his powers of description.

A scene in Indru's heaven:-On a certain occasion an assembly of the gods was held in this place, at which, beside the gods, Narudŭ and the rishees, the gunus, dŭkshŭs, gundhurvus, &c. were present. While the courtezans were dancing, and the kinnŭrus singing, the whole assembly was filled with the highest pleasure. To crown their joys, the gods caused a shower of flowers to fall on the assembly. The king of the gods, being the most distinguished personage present, first took up a flower, and, after holding it to his nose, gave it to a bramhun. The assembled gods laughing at the brumhun for receiving what Indrŭ had used, he went home in disgrace; but cursed Indru, and doomed him to become a cat in the house of a person of the lowest cast. Suddenly, and unknown to all, he fell from heaven, and became a cat in the house of a hunter. After he had been absent eight or ten days, Shuchēē, his wife, became very anxious, and sent messengers every where to enquire for her husband. The gods also said among themselves, 'What is become of Indru ?-A total silence reigns in his palace, nor are we invited to the dance and the usual festivities! What can be the meaning of this?'-All search was in vain; and the gods assembled to enquire where he was. They found Shuchee in a state of distraction, of whom Brumha enquired

respecting the lost god. At length Brumha closed his eyes, and by the power of meditation discovered that Indrů, having offended a bramhun, had become a cat. Shuchee, full of alarm, asked Brůmha what she was to do. He told her to go to the house of the bramhŭn, and obtain his favour; upon which her husband would be restored to her. Shuchee obeyed the directions of Brumha, and went to the house of the bramhun; who was at length pleased with her attentions, and ordered her to descend to the earth, and go to the house of the hunter, whose wife would tell her what to do that her husband might be restored to his throne in heaven. Assuming a human form, she went to the house of the hunter, and, looking at the cat, sat weeping. The wife of the hunter, struck with the divine form of Shuchee, enquired with surprise who she was. Shuchee hesitated, and expressed her doubts whether the hunter's wife would believe her if she declared her real name. At length she confessed who she was, and, pointing to the cat, declared that that was her husband, Indrŭ, the king of heaven. The hunter's wife, petrified with astonishment, stood speechless. Shuchee, after some farther discourse, said, she had been informed that she (the hunter's wife) alone could assist her in obtain ing the deliverance of her husband. After some moments of reflection, this woman directed Shuchee to perform the Kalika-vrůtů. She obeyed; and poor Indru, quitting the form of the cat, ascended to heaven, and resumed his place among the gods. No doubt he took care in future not to offend a bramhŭn.

Another scene in the heaven of Indru, from the Shree-bhagŭvětů.-On a certain occasion, the heavenly courtezans and others were dancing before the gods, when Indru was so charmed with the dancing and the person of Oorvushee, one of the courtezans, that he did not perceive when his