174 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [Juxe, 1873. The god was much pleased to hear this, and or¬ dered Bimardi to erect a temple and fort, and said to him—" When I was living with Wenkata Saprumal on the hill of Dharmalingamalai, that god placed one foot on tho Dharmalinga Hill and the other on the Tripati Hill, and wont to Tripati. In the place on which he placed his first foot there lies immense wealth, of which you may take as much as you can in -the course of seven days and seven nights.” So saying the serpent return¬ ed to his hole. Bimardi awoke from his dream, and implicitly believing everything that ho had heard and seen in his vision, the first thing he did was to place a line of labourers from the hole to the hill mentioned by Sambasivam. Bimardi afterwards repaired to the summit of the hill, where he repeated what the god Sambasivam had uttered. All of a sudden, golden coins now flowed out, which Bimardi’s men began to carry one after another. On this news reaching the Raja ho summoned Bimardi into his presence. Bimardi informed him of all that had occurred. The Raja was so gratified to hear all this that he rendered his best assistance in getting the aforesaid jungle cleared for Bimardi. As the jungle was being cleared, it so happened that a hare appeared and made a certain sort of round several times and then disappeared. Bimardi was lost in as¬ tonishment. Ho implored his patron god to acquaint him with the meaning of what he saw. He was informed in his dream that he should lay the foundation of the fort as tho hare had pointed out. Bimardi lost no timo in complying with this behest. Tho foundation was laid in the Sukla year 1190 of ^alivahana’s Sag&rtha-varsha. The month was Panguni, and tho date 19th, The god further ruled that the whole structure should be finished within nine years, and ho be installed in the year Isvai* and on tho 19th date of the month of Panguni. Bimardi on laying the foundation earnestly expressed his desire to carry out all these commands. The stones required for the structures were sent by Bimardi from a hill named Palikonda, which was 12 miles distant, and where ^riranganaigar used to sleep—pali meaning bed, and komla to take. The moro stones were extracted from this quarry the more inexhaustible it proved. This mystery is explained by another story which may be told here. There was a R&ja named Dharma Raja. He had a son who was noted for unrivalled beauty. He had a step-mother who became hopelessly fond of him. She onco called him to her and tried by every means to make him make love to her. Sarangadram hereupon left his stepmother in great disdain. With a view now to ruin him, she told her husband Dharma R&ja that this his son had attempted to take improper liber¬ Digitized by Google ties with her. The R&ja was consequently so much enraged against him that he instantly ordered his hands and feet to be cut off, and his maimed body to be cast on the aforesaid hill from which Bimardi had his stones. Sarangadram did not take this undeserved cruelty to heart, but spent all his solitary hours in devotion to his god. Consequently his hands and feet were replaced, and the hill was also benefited by his meritorious sufferings, in that any extent of stones extracted from it was in no time replaced. Now to return to the story of the fort and the temple. They were all completed within the fixed time. The sacred cars were also ready. The first worship was held on the appointed day and the appointed hour. The god was named Jal&ganthtk Isvarar, and fairs in the temple were held every year, and the number of pilgrims and worshippers constantly increased. Meanwhile, Bimardi besought an interview from his god, which was granted: he com¬ menced thus—“I am simply a shepherd and tiller; I have no capacity for administration. I beseech thee therefore to appoint one who is fib to conduct a r&j and to keep all affairs in con¬ nection with the temple in a prosperous state, so that I may have more time to spend in your devotion.” To this the god answered—“ There is one Wenkatdevamahariar, the son of Pargon- dama Pirawadardevamahariar, who maintains a thousand Brahmans daily. He is a fit person for the r&j; go and tell him to undertake the management.” A dispute was now raging be¬ tween Wenkat and his brother as to the distribu¬ tion of certain villages between them. Yellur was also added to these villages. The two brothers agreed to proceed to the Melkatachala- pularaisna temple in the Maisur Zilla, and there to cast lots and abide by the result. Wenkat got Yellur. On leaving his father’s palace to repair to Vellur, he met with what was considered a very good omen, which was in the form of a maid-servant who was preparing torch¬ es in tho palace. The result of his connection with her at this moment, which was justified and unavoidable in consequence of the coincidence, was that she gave birth to a son, who was, according to the law of the times, proclaimed heir-apparent to the r&j. He was named Krishna Devamahariar. Wenkat reigned three years and gained a name for uprightness. He granted Wanandurgam and Chitaldurgam, lying to tho east of Yel¬ lur, to his washerman and shoemaker, and made other similar grants to his deserving subjects. After this he abandoned all his possessions and business, and retired into a jungle where he led tho life of a hermit. The Rayars or the descend.
