314

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

the famous Rúp Rám of Barsána. With the ex ception of one temple dedicated to Manasí Devi, all the remainder bear some title of the one po pular divinity, such as Nar-sińha, Gopiniſth, Nritya-Gopāl, Giri-dhán, Nanda-namdan, Rádhá Mohan and Jasodá-nandan.

This last is on a

larger scale than the others, and stands in a court yard of its own, half way up the hill. It is much in the same style and apparently of the same

date as the temple of Nand-Ráe, or probably a little older. A flight of 114 broad steps, con structed of well-wrought stone from the Bharat

pur quarries, leads from the level of the plain up to the steep and narrow street which terminates at the main entrance of the great temple. This staircase was made at the cost of Bābū Gam

I'rasād of Calcutta in the year 1818 A.D. At the foot of the hill is a large unfinished square with a range of stone buildings on one side for tºe accommodation of dealers and pilgrims, and

ſoci. 4, 1872.

Bábá, who in 1811, A.D., acquired it in free gift from the then zamindårs. The above sketch has entered rather largely into details regarding two comparatively unim

portant places. But such minutiae are the most trustworthy exponent of provincial customs, speech and traditionary ideas; and their recital in the present case has been further intended as an attempt—first to rescue from oblivion the name of a local worthy, who has been somewhat hardly treated by posterity; and secondly, to illustrate by a view of the fortunes of one small town, a curious transitional period in Indian history.

After a checquered existence of 500

years, there expired with Aurangzib all the vital energy of the Muhammadan empire. The Eng lish power, its fated successor, was yet uncon scious of its destiny and all reluctant to advance

any claim to the vacant throne.

Every petty

fine khirni trees, the property of the Rájá of

chieftain, as for example Bharatpur, scorning the narrow limits of his ancestral domains, pressed forward to grasp the glittering prize;

Bharatpur. A little beyond this is the sacred lake called Pán Sarovar, a magnificent sheet of

his service the ablest men of any nationality,

at the back is an extensive garden with some

water with noble masonry Ghâts on all its sides, the work of one of the Rájás of Baldwān. This is one of the four lakes of highest repute in Braj; the others being the Chandrasarovar at Parsoli by

Gobardhan, the Prem-sarovar at

Gházipur near Barsána, and the Mán-sarovar at

and spared no outlay in the attempt to enlist in either like Sumroo to lead his armies in the field, or like Rūp Rām to direct his counsels in the cabinet. Thus men, whatever their rank in

life, if only endowed by nature with genius or audacity, rose in an incredibly short space of time from obscurity to all but regal power.

Ama in the Mát Pargana. According to po

The wealth so rapidly secured was as profusely

pular belief there are within the limits of Nand gánw no less than 56 kunds; though it is admitted that in this degenerate age all of them

lavished ; nor was there any object in hoarding,

are not readily visible. In every instance the name is commemorative of Krishna and his pastoral occupations. Like Barsána and so many other of the holy places, Nand-gáàw is part of

to a victorious rival.

the estate of the representatives of the Lälä

when the next chance of war would either in

crease the treasure ten-fold, or transfer it bodily Thus a hamlet became in

one day the centre of a princely court, crowded with magnificent buildings, and again, ere the architect had well completed his design, sunk with its founders into utter ruin and desolation.

ON SOME EMIN ENT CHARACTERS IN SANSK RIT LITERATURE. Br M. SASHAGIRI SASTRI, B.A., ACTING PROFEssoR of SANSKR1T, MADRAs.

VIRRAMADITY.A.—This name is applied to several kings and consequently causes consider able confusion. The first sovereign that is known by it was the Vikramāditya from whom the well known era takes its name. He is said to have been the son of a Brahman named

Chandragupta, who married four wives, one of the Brahman caste, another of the Kshatriya, the third of the Vaiśya, and the fourth of the Sudra caste. They were called Brahmani, Bhānumati, |

Bhāgyavati, and Sindhumati respectively. Each of the four bore him a son.

Vararuchi was

born of the first wife, Vikramārka of the second, Bhatti of the third, and Bhartrihari, of the fourth. Vikramārka became king while Bhatti served him in the capacity of the prime minister. After an incredibly long reign he is said to have

been killed by a prince of the potter caste, named Sālivahana

in 56 B. C. and in that

year commences his era.

He is considered one