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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1907.
and was about to cut off his own head with it, when the goddess revealed her spirit to him, caught his hand and said, "I am greatly pleased with thy devotion. Go to the mountains of Kashmir, pray to God, and all thy desires will be fulfilled. Shiv-ji will be pleased and will fulfil thy desires. Go there cheerfully and there will be no obstacle in thy way."
Obeying the order of the goddess, Hùnå went at once, and in a few days reached his destination. After his departure, he gave up eating grain and lived on vegetables. He also gave up clothes, using the bark of trees for his dress. He spent most of his time in worship, sometimes standing on one 'toe. When Shiv-ji was pleased with him, the spirit of the four-armed image addressed him, saying, "I am greatly pleased with thee : ask me any boon, which thou desirest."
On hearing these words from the god Siva, Hûna clasped his hands and said, "O Siva thou hast power to kill the demons. Thou hast power to repel all enemies and to remove all difficulties. I pray and worship the Ganges, the saviour of the creatures of the three worlds, which looks most beautiful as it rests on thy head. There are no words to describe thy glory. The beauty of thy face, which is so brilliant with the serpents hanging round thy Deck, beggars all description. I am highly indebted to the goddess of Hât-koji, at whose feet I bow my head, and by whose favour I and my wife are so fortunate as to see thee in the Kali Yug."
Uttar Khand men rakshas basé, manukhna kd karté dhar; Kul mulul barbad leiya, abadí hogdi ujár. Tum Rudar, tum hi Dishnu Nand Gopdi. Dukh hud sur sd/huon ko; mdro rdkshas tat-kal. sat puttar mujh das ke nahane gaye jab parbhat :
Jab ghd gayé nudi Tuis ke jinko Kirmar khåyo ek sath. The demons who dwelt in the Northern Region are preying upon the people. They have laid waste the country and the people have Aed. Thou only art Rudar (Siva); thoa alone art Bishnu Nand Gopk1.56 The sages and devotees are in distress; kill the demons at once. Early in the morning the seven sons of me thy slave went to bathe.
When they reached the banks of the River Tons, Birmar ate them at once, The god Siva was pleased at these words and said, "O Rikhi, the people of the Kali Yug being devoid of religion have lost all strength. I admire thy sincere love and true faith, especially as thon didat not lose heart in worshipping me. Hence all thy desires shall be fulfilled and I have granted thee the boon asked for. Be not anxious, for all the devils will be killed in a few days."
Doba (couplets). Bidd kiyo jab Bipra ko, diyé akshat, phai, chirdg. Saktf rup pahle pargat gas, Mainddrath ke bdg. Ghar jdo Bipra apne, rdkho mujh par iek. Shakti rúp ke ang se, ho-gayé deb anek. Pargate ang sé debté, róm rôm sé bir,
Istri sahit bida kiyo; rdkho man men dhir.' When the god) bade the Brahman farewell he gave him rice, flowers, and a lamp, A Sakti (goddess) first appeared in the garden at Maindarath, Go home, Brâhman, and place reliance on me. Countless divinities arose from the body of the Sakti. Gods appeared from her body, and heroes from her every hair. She dismissed him with his wife saying: keep patience in thy heart.'
2 Explained to mean the son of Nand, i..., Krishna.
