Indian Antiquary Vol 23

SR No.: 032515
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 412
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

Page 203

JULY, 1894.]
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
191
Translation. There is an ocean of water, an ocean of milk, an ocean of dirty water, an ocean of blood, and an ocean full of lotus. There is a palace built in the midst of seven oceans.
In the palace in Någaloka, a son was born as beautiful as a nágakannikê. In Devalóka another son was also born as beautiful as a daughter of the gods. They were produced, one by a heap of mallila flowers piled up as high as a man's neck, and the other by a heap of sampilu flowers pilod up as high as a man's middle.
About seven, or seven and a half, years passed over them that were so produced, and beards grew on their beautiful faces !
"Who is the barber that should shave us and make smooth our faces?” asked they.
“In the town of Ejanagar ((?) Bijanagar), on the Ghâţs, there is such a barber," said their attendants.
They sent a man to Udda-bettu, and made him bring short and good palm leaves, which were spread in the morning sun and were heaped together in the evening sun. Then both the top and the bottom were cut off, and a letter was written to the barber. The letter was given to n servant to take, who was paid for his trouble. The bearer of the letter took it and left the palace in Nagalôka, and went to the town of Ejanagar, on the Ghâts, and to the barber's house, and gave the letter to the barber.
The bearer read it, and found there was written in it:-"You must start at once without taking a meal or attending to your dress."
He opened his box of razors, put a looking glass, round scissors, an European razor, and a water cap in it, and followed the bearer. He saw the boy born at the palace in Nâgaloka, and saluted him.
Then the boy said :-" It is well that you have come. You had better do your duty."
An English chair with four legs was placed in the middle of the chávadi, two jagana jóti lamps were placed at the left and the right of him, and a sér of rice and a cocoanut were placed before him. A chank-shell was blown, and fly brushes were waved on both sides of him. The two boys sat there in undress, while pearls were sprinkled over them and a light adorned with corals was turned towards tbeir faces.' So all the ceremony was performed.
Then the barber came, and, placing a cup of water ready, he stood on the left side, and shaved the right side, and then he went to the right side, and shaved the left side, and also cut off the ends of the moustaches. He made a line for the eyebrows, and put the sign of the sun and the moon on their hearts, and of Bhima Rakkasa on their backs. He polished their toe-nails and cut their finger-nails. In this way did he shave them correctly from head to foot.
Then asked the servants :- "What is to be done for putting away the sin of touching a barber."
"Oil should be rubbed on and washed off again with water," said the boys.
A Jattis was sent for and oil was rubbed on them. A large pan, four hands in breadth, was placed under a white kadika tree near a tank built by one of the boys. A thousand pots of water were poured in and were warmed with twelve bundles of firewood, and a thousand pots of warm water were poured on their heads, and then a thousand pots of cold water. Thus were they rubbed with oil and washed in water,
Then their hair had to be rubbed with cloth made of silk, of the following kinds :-kaler, black silk; bober, white silk; sopu kambati; yir madure; the silk which is so light that it flies off three hundreds gavudsø at a breath; the silk that is soaked by a tear ; and the silk which may be concealed between the finger and the nail. All these silks were brought out, and their hair was rabbed with them. 8 A person employed to rub on oil.
1 gavud == 12 miles.