Indian Antiquary Vol 01

SR No.: 032493
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 22 MB

Page 208

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
absence of any reference to Krishna or the Krishna-worship, though of course the only legitimate inference to be drawn from this silence is that we must not push the date of the work too far back. The same remark applies to the absence of any mention of the Dâkini and (if I do not mistake) of the Vidy âdhara. The Vedic gods, however-for instance, Indra, Vâyu, Agni, Rudra-are repeatedly mentioned, and frequently as taking part in the action of the poem; but alongside of them, and decidedly ranking as the principal deities, we find Brahman, Vishnu (Nârâyana), and Siva; and, as we have already seen, one of the chief tendencies of the poem, in its present form at least, is a distinctly implied desire to exalt Vishnu above the other gods. Whether the legends that specially serve to favour this and other aims, regarding the pious Savarî, and regarding Sarabhanga, Kabandha and Virâdha, are to be ascribed to a Christian origin (as Monier Williams thinks) or to a Buddhist one (which is my own opinion), § is a question which
JUNE 7, [1872.
must probably be left in the meantime undecided; but, in any case, completely to strike them all out of the original text, and to regard them only as later additions, would certainly be attended with considerable difficulties.
(1.) The Puttakota.-This, the most ancient fort, is said to have been built by Odiya sovereigns
ON THE ANCIENT REMAINS IN THE KRISHNA DISTRICT.
(From the Report of the late J. A. C. Boswell, Esq., M. C. S., offg. Collector Krishna District.) (Concluded from page 155.)
VII. Forts illustrating the periods of the Oriya sovereigns, the Reddi Chiefs, the Bijayanagar or Royalu dgnasty, the Muhammadan conquest, the rise of the Zamindars, and the powers of the Maráthas and Rohillas. The most important forts in this district are those of Kondavid, Kondapalli, and Bellamkonda. These have interesting associations, and are worthy of preservation. The stones have been largely removed of late years, and used for building purposes. I would propose in future only to allow the loose stones to be removed, and to preserve the walls and buildings at present existing.
when they held this part of the country. It is situated in a valley between two spurs of the hill, and the mouth of the valley was closed by a high embankment of earth and stone. A stone wall was also raised across the top of the valley. The area of the old fort is overgrown with jungle, but hid among the bushes and trees are to be found remains of temples, mantapams, wells, rice-pounding mortars of stone, &c. The opening of the valley, where the wall was raised, faces the north-east. The whole drainage of the valley was let out through this wall by a sluice which may still be seen. The tradition of the place is, that this sluice having become choked, the heavy fall of rain during a single night inundated the whole fort, and drowned all the inhabitants.
Kondavid. This is a small range of hills about 1,500 feet high about 12 miles to the west of Guntur. There are two ghâts, that on the north is much the shortest, but very steep, there being an ascent of steps the whole way, the other ghât is more circuitous about two miles, but it is not so steep, and persons can be carried up by bearers. There are three forts of successive periods, the ruins of which still exist.
Vide Gorresio: Introd. to Vol. I. 1848, p. xciii. † It ought also to be said that this silence is capable of explanation by the rivalry of these two incarnations of Vishnu, or rather by that of their respective followers. Rama undoubtedly represents an earlier stage of Vishnuism; but it is certainly possible that his becoming the deity of a sect is due to some previous development of the Krishnaworship.
I refer, in the sixth and last place, to the diction of the work, as exhibiting on the whole decidedly less of a tendency to take liberties with the grammar, than is shown in the earlier parts of the Mahabharata. There is an important difference also in the form of the composition in the two works, and in this the Ramayana is at a disadvantage, as in it the concluding verses of the chapters (and the remark holds true of all the recensions) are constructed in various metres, more artificial than the single epic sloka-measure. From this it is quite evident that a more artistically correct kâvya-form was aimed at; and accordingly the Ramayana is frequently designated as mahâkâvya: The title of the chapters, sarga (not adhyâya), probably furnishes additional evidence in the same direction. (To be continued.)
(2.) The Durgam or Kila.-The second fort is situated on the top of the hill, the longer ghât is through the Puttakota, and on the top of the hill there is a gate known at kattol diddi or firewood gate, By this ascent all supplies were brought up to the fort. The gate was originally surmounted by a building of four stories, each supported on
S'avari, indeed, recalls the "woman of Samaria." § Rám. Táp. Up. p. 276.
In connection with this part of the subject we may refer also to S'ambuka in the Raghuvans'a and in Bhavabhuti; differently in the Uttarakanda 82, 3.
See my Acad. Vorl. über Ind. Lit. G. p. 180, 181.