May 3, 1872.]
THE ASIATIC SOCIETIES.
referring to some local era. If these Kadambas should prove to be of a different line from the de scendants of Elliot's Mayuravarmá, they may be referred to the period before the commencement of the 10th century when the Chálukya dynasty emerged from a temporary obscuration. If they are to be placed before Mayúravarmá, we have the inscription of Ye-ur, translated by Mr. Elliot, which speaks of Kádamba kings anterior to the first Chá lukya king Jayasimha, as “the inimical Kádambas lofty, powerful heroes to conquer, but not to be overcome,” &c. Jayasimha, according to in scriptions, flourished about Saka 400, though Mr. Elliot prefers , the date Saka 572. All tradition, too, points to Kadambas amongst the
very earliest dynasties. (2.) “The shrine of the river Krishnā at the village of Mahābalesvara ;” by Rāo Sāheb Wisva náth Nārāyan Mandlik. “A stone temple built about 125 years ago over the source of the river Krish na is annually resorted to from all parts of the neighbouring country, and every twelfth year, when the planet Jupiter enters the sign of Virgo, pilgrims from all parts assemble to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges, which river is be lieved to make her appearance at this shrine at the beginning of that year and to stay there for a twelvemonth on a visit to her younger sister Krish n a.” The Temple stands at the foot of the hill facing the east. It measures 364 feet in length by 164 in depth, having an open courtyard in front 62 ft. 3 in. long and 32 ft. 6 in. wide, in which are two cisterns with steps down to them. Along three sides of the courtyard is an open cloister 93 feet deep supported in front on pillars 2 ft. square and about 7 ft. 3 in. from centre to centre.
The whole
is enclosed by a wall 4 ft. thick, with an entrance door to the east, 4 ft. 9 in. wide, leading into the court. Opposite the entrance and projecting into the outer cistern is a pavilion for N a n di. The temple is formed of two bays separated by four pillars and two corresponding pilasters with a portico in front. Each bay is thus divided into five squares, separately roofed in by domes inside, but outside finished off in steps running longitu dinally. The cloisters are similarly roofed. At the back of the temple and behind an inner wall 4ft. thick is the main source of the river. Through this wall, five holes are made to represent the rivers Krish n 4, We n n 4, Koy an ā, G a y a tri, and Så vitri. The priests say that two others—the B h 4 g i r a thi and Sar as v a t i-also flow from the sides of the other G a ng 4 s or rivers—the former once in 12 years, and the latter once in
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charged into the inner cistern in the courtyard through a spout carved to represent a cow's head. Here the visitors bathe and perform all the con
nected ceremonies. This temple was built by a Sattara Brahman family named Anagala. But the first hereditary officer connected with its manage ment is a Koli or rather a Koli family, from
their connection with it, known as G a ng 4-p u tra, and, as soon as a visitor has bathed all offerings he
makes belong to these Kolis. What is offered before bathing only is retained by the Brahmans, who, of course, press visitors to make offerings be fore bathing. At the temple of M a h 4 b a lesſ w a ra also, the Kol is hold a hereditary position, and the Gur a vas, who worship the L in g a there, appear more closely allied to the hill tribes than to the inhabitants of the plains; they have no connection however with the shrine of Kr i s h m 4,
where the Kol is alone are the principal officers in charge. “The serpent,” says the writer, “is con nected with both these temples; and from the L in g a temples he seems to be quite inseparable. In the latter, he is represented as being coiled round the L in g a, while in the temple of the Krish n 4, a living one is supposed to be guard ing its sources.” The priests at both these shrines are primarily the wild or at least Non-Vedic tribes. Some wear the Linga, and these do not taste food
prepared by a Brahman ; and B r a h m an s are prohibited from becoming officiating priests at Saiva temples, and cannot partake of offerings made there. “There is no doubt that the people do consider that there is something awkward, if not obscene, in Linga worship. Because, so far
as I am aware, only young girls who have not ar rived at maturity, and old ladies who have passed the period of child-bearing, are permitted to enter a Saiva temple. Others have to perform their worship by deputy.” (3.) “Some further Inscriptions relating to the Kádamba Kings of Goa,” by J. F. Fleet, C.S. A large stone tablet in the temple of Narasimha at Halsi records two grants made by Sivachitta and Vishnuchitta in the 23rd and 25th years of their joint reign in K. Y. 4270, and 4272 respectively.
The
other inscriptions enable us to add a few names to the list of the Kadamba family. The father of Shasthadeva was Gūhalladeva ; and the wife of
Sivachitta was Kamaládevi, daughter of Kāma bhūpa of the Somavansa and Chattaládevi of the
60 years ; the holes through which they issue
Pändya race, according to Nos. 1 and 3, though Nos. 4 and 7 say that Kámabhūpa was of the Sūryavans'a and Chattaládevi of the Somakula. “The expression B an avāsip urav ará disºw a ra would appear to be only a hereditary title and not
being at the N. and S. ends of the temple res
meant to denote the actual residence” of the Kadamba
pectively.
Kings, as their real capital seems to have been, not H alsi, as I had supposed, but Go a, which is
The water from these five drains flows
into a channel in front, and is thence dis
rºo. Ptolemy mentions it as Banauasi-ED.
- Banavāsi is in N. Lat. 14°. 35', E. Long. 775°;
