HISTORY OF and demanded his daughter in marriage. The Raja replied: INDIA. PART II. Proceeds to Review of the legend of Arju -"Chitrangada is my only child, and the great god Síva has ordained that neither I, nor the Rajas of Manipura who were before me, nor those who will come after me, shall have more than one child, be it a lad or a damsel: If therefore I give you my daughter in marriage, you must give to me any son that she may bear to you, that he may succeed in the Raj." So Arjuna pledged his word to the Raja and married Chitrangada, and she gave birth to a son who was named Babhru-váhana; and Arjuna dwelt at Manipura for three years. After this Arjuna took leave of his wife and son and departed out of Manipura, and travelled through many regions until he came to the holy place named Prabhása, which is nigh unto Dwáraká, where he met Krishna, and the other Chieftains of the Yádava tribe, who were reigning there. The foregoing legend of the exile of Arjuna na's adventures. comprises a few significant incidents, which demand Conversion of special consideration. The intimation that he was Brahman hero. accompanied by many Bráhmans, and that he made Arjuna into a pilgrimages to all the holy places, is apparently a general statement, having for its object the conversion of Arjuna into a Bráhman hero, piously attentive to all Brahmanical observances and ordinAmours of Ar- ances. But the stories of his amours were introduced juna introduced to represent him for a different purpose, though still having the same as the ancestor of the Nága, Rajas. ultimate object in view. They have been apparently incorporated with the Mahá Bhárata, for the purpose of representing Arjuna as the ancestor of certain Rajas of a powerful Scythian race, known as the Nágas, whose history is deeply interwoven with Prominent part that of the Hindús. These Scythic Nágas worshipScythie Nagasin ped the serpent as a national deity, and adopted it as a national emblem, and from these circumstances taken by the the history of ancient India. they appear to have derived the name of Nágas, or The INDIA. PART II. serpents. seats of these Nágas were not con- HISTORY OF fined to India, for they have left traces of their belief in almost every religious system, as well as in almost every country in the ancient world. They to have entered India at some remote period, appear and to have pushed their way towards the east and south; but whether they preceded the Aryans, or whether they followed the Aryans, is a point which has not yet been decided. In process of time these Confusion beNágas became identified with serpents, and the re- as serpents, and sult has been a strange confusion in the ancient Scythians. myths between serpents and human beings; between the deity and emblem of the Nágas and the Nágas themselves.5 tween the Nágas the Nagas as between the the Nagas later religious wars between and the Bud The great historic fact in connection with the Ancient conflict Nágas, which stands prominently forward in Hindú Brahmans and myths, is the fierce persecution which they suffered merged in the at the hands of the Bráhmans. The destruction of the Brahmans serpents at the burning of the forest of Khándava, dhists. the terrible sacrifice of serpents which forms one of the opening scenes in the Mahá Bhárata, and the supernatural exploits of the youthful Krishna against the serpents sent to destroy him, are all expressions of Brahmanical hatred towards the Nágas. Ultimately this antagonism merged into that deadly con See some interesting notices of the Nágas in Elliot's Supplementary Glossary, art. Gourtuga. Sir H. M. Elliot observes that the Nágas extended their usurpations to the Magadhá empire of Bahar, the throne of which was held by the Nag or serpent dynasty for ten generations. A branch of them, the Nagbunsee chieftains of Ramgarh Sirgooja, have the lunettes of their serpent ancestor engraved on their signets in proof of their lineage; while the capital and district of Nagpore are called after their name. It may be added that the whole of the Scythian race are mythically descended from a being half woman and half serpent, who bore three sons to Heracles (Herod. rv. 9, 10). It was no doubt from this creation that Milton borrowed his conception of sin. The serpents that are said to have invaded the kingdom of Lydians just before the downfall of Croesus, were probably nothing more than Scythian Nagas (Herod. 1.). INDIA. HISTORY OF flict between the Bráhman and the Buddhist, which after a lengthened period of religious warfare termThe Nagas ori inated in the triumph of the Brahman. From these PART II. ginally distinct from the Aryans, data it would appear that the Nágas were originally but are now ei ther Buddhists or a lower order a race distinct from the Aryans, and wholly without of Kshatriyas, the pale of Brahmanism; that those who became Existing remains of serpent worship. Amour of Arjuna with Ulúpi po ed as one with a serpent maiden. Buddhists were either crushed or driven out of India during the age of Brahmanical revival; and that the remainder have become converts to Brahmanism, and appear to be regarded as an inferior order of Kshatriyas. But there is a vitality in certain religious ideas which seems to render them immortal; and whilst the Nágas as a people have almost disappeared from the Indian continent, the worship of serpents, or a reverential fear of serpents as divine beings, is still to be found deeply rooted in the mind of the Hindú. The general question perhaps properly belongs to the history of the Hindú religion; but it should be distinctly borne in mind whilst considering every legend which seems to point to the Nágas." The legend of Arjuna's amour with Ulúpí calls for pularly regard- no particular remark, excepting that according to the popular belief she was a real serpent, and not a Nága woman; and that she carried Arjuna away to the subterranean city of Bhogavatí, the mythical capital of Significance of the serpent empire. But Arjuna's amour with the Arjuna's amour daughter of the Raja of Manipura is of a more signifiter of the Raja cant character. Manipura, the modern Munnipur, is the myth of with the daugh of Manipura. 6 This is the opinion of Sir H. M. Elliot, and is confirmed by the present status of the Nága tribe in the neighbourhood of the Munnipur valley, who, whenever they profess Hindúism, at once receive the thread of the Kshatriya.— M'Culloch's Account of Munnipore, p. 18. 7 Snake worship especially prevails in the northern and eastern districts of Bengal, and in the Madras Presidency, but is generally associated with the worship of Siva and Krishna. INDIA. Munnipurees of the Scythic a secluded valley lying between Eastern Bengal and HISTORY OF Burmah; and the people appear to be a genuine PART II. relic of the ancient Nágas. They are a barbarous The modern race, who have as yet learnt very little Brahmanism a genuine relic from their Hindú neighbours. They have no early Nagas. marriages, and no ideas of Satí, and their widows remarry. The Raja's deity and ancestor is a serpent, and a cavity is shown in which the ancestral deity resides, and the throne of the Raja is fixed over the cavity. Whilst, however, the traditions and institutions of Munnipur are so widely different from those of Hinduism, the myth of Arjuna's marriage with the daughter of the Raja is widely known amongst the Munnipurees, and implicitly believed. juna's marriage the sister of Krishna. The concluding portion of the narrative of Legend of ArArjuna's adventures now remains for consider- with Subhadrá, ation; and here the myth takes a pleasing form, for it becomes a story of mutual affection, and betrays a sentiment and feeling far in advance of the grosser details which appertain to Arjuna's temporary union with the Nága women. The scene of this charming romance is laid at Dwáraká, the chief city of the Yádavas, situated at the western extremity of the peninsula of Guzerat. According to the Mahá Bhárata, Arjuna had gone on a pilgrimage to Prab For the information respecting the Munnipurees I am indebted to the valuable report on Munnipur drawn up by the Political Agent, Colonel W. M'Culloch, who has resided many years at Munnipur. My acknowledgments are also due to Colonel M'Culloch for having furnished me direct with some valuable local information as regards the popularity of the myth of Arjuna's marriage amongst the inhabitants of the country. This myth is a very ancient one, for it finds a place in the Vishnu Purána, which cannot be of later origin than the tenth century; and it is somewhat remarkable that no traces of Brahmanisin can be found in Munnipur of an earlier date than the beginning of the last century. The myth, however, will reappear for consideration in the sequel of the tradition of the great war. INDIA. HISTORY OF hása, a famous locality in the neighbourhood of Dwáraká, when he met with the adventures which are described in the following legend: PART II. Krishna receives Arjuna with great rejoicings at Dwáraká. Great feast on the Raivataka mountain. Krishna and Arjuna fall in with the as sembly of ladies. Now when Krishna heard of the approach of his kinsman Arjuna, he went out to meet him, and conducted him with great respect to his own house, and gave orders that the city of Dwáraká should be dressed out with flowers and banners and every sign of rejoicing; and he entertained Arjuna many days, and took him out every day to hunt or to ride. And it came to pass that after a while Krishna held a great assembly on a beautiful mountain named Raivataka, which is nigh unto the city of Dwáraká; and he gave a great feast there to all the Chieftains and their ladies, but the ladies were entertained in a separate pavilion by themselves. On the first day of the feast, Krishna took Arjuna by the hand and led him over the mountain, and as they were walking together they came near to the assembly of ladies; and when the ladies saw Krishna they came up and spoke to him, and amongst them was Subhadrá, who Arjuna smitten was Krishna's sister. And Arjuna saw Subhadrá, and he was stricken with her great beauty and exceeding elegance, and he interchanged glances with her. And Krishna saw that he was stricken, and said:-" How can you, who wander in the habit of a pilgrim, cast your eyes upon the ladies, and so lose your heart?" Arjuna replied:-" When a beautiful figure strikes the eye it will captivate the heart, and so it was unwittingly with me:" and with these words he turned away. Then Krishna took him by the hand, and said: "This is my sister: If you wish to have her for your wife I will ask my father to give her to you." Arjuna replied:-" What happiness can equal that of the man who has your sister for his wife?" Then Krishna said :-"My elder brother Balarúma is desirous of giving this sister of mine to Duryodhana, but I will give her to you." with Subhadrá. Krishna promises to give Subhadrá in marriage to Ar juna. And the feast on the mountain lasted two days, and on the morning of the third day the Chieftains and the ladies prepared to return to Dwáraká. And Krishna took Arjuna |