CHAPTER II. Founding of the Gupta dynasty by Ne Muni. Discovery of Pashupati in Bhuktamana's reign. Ahir dynasty from Hindustan. Kirātī dynasty. Commencement of Kali Yuga. Sākya Sinha Buddha comes to Nepāl. Asōka visits Nepāl. Somabansī Rājpūts invade the country and seize the throne. Suryabansī Rājpūt dynasty. Sunayasrī Misra. Introduction of cultivation into Nepal. Shankaracharya visits Nepal and overthrows the Buddhist religion. Religious persecutions. Vikramaditya visits Nepal and introduces his era. THE ancient temple of Pashupati having fallen down, the light was buried under the ruins. Some cowherds came into the country in the train of Sri Krishna, who came from Dwarikā to help his grandson in letting out the water from the valley through a passage, which he made at Chaubahal, and in carrying off the daughter of Dānāsur, who had stopped the outflow of the water. These men settled down at Padmakāshthagiri, and built cowsheds. One of their cows, by name Nē, was a milch cow, but gave no milk. Every day at a certain time she went running to a certain place. One day the chief cowherd followed her, and saw milk issuing from her udder, and saturating the spot on which she stood. His curiosity was excited to know what was under the spot, and on removing some earth he discovered the light, which however consumed him. Nē Muni, from whom Nepal derives its name, then came, and having persuaded the people that there would be no Chhetri Rājās in the Kali Yuga, he installed as king the son of the cowherd who had been consumed by the light. 1. This Rajā, by name Bhuktamāna, reigned 88 years, and Pashupati was discovered in his reign. He used to play at a game called Kilatari' in the Sleshmāntakban. 2. His son Jaya Gupta reigned 72 years. These Rājās had their residence near Mātā Tīrtha2, and used to tend Brahmans' cows. These eight Rājās were descended from the cowherd, who was installed as king by Ne Muni. The origin of Mātā Tīrtha is thus described. In the time of Ne Muni, one of his cowherds, being much distressed by the death of his mother, went into the jungle near his house on the 15th day of Baisakh, and offered a ball of boiled rice to her in the tank, into which water was collected from the mountain. His mother's face and hand appeared in the tank, and the hand accepted the offering. For this reason, Ne Muni called the place Mātā Tīrtha, and to the present day people resort there, on that date, to offer balls of boiled rice to their deceased mothers. The cowherds reigned through eight generations, extending over 521 years. Yaksha Gupta, having no issue, 1 A military game, a sort of sham fight. 2 At the foot of the hill to the south of Kirtipür. an Ahir, from the plains of Hindustan, came and ruled over the country. His name was (1) Bara Sinha. His son (2) Jayamati Sinha succeeded him; and he was followed by his son (3) Bhuvana Sinha. This Rājā was conquered by the Kirātīs, who came from the east. The Rājās of the Kirātī dynasty were :— 1. Yalambar, who reigned 13 years. 2. His son Pabi, in whose reign the astrologers announced that the Kali Yuga had entirely overspread the earth, and that mankind were bent on sin. The gods' period of Dwapara ended, and the first quarter of Kali Yuga commenced. In this reign the Pandavas were destined to reside in forests, and one of them, named Arjuna, fought with Mahādēva, who was in the form of a Kirātī, and pleased him by his skill in archery. 7. Humati's son Jitēdāsti. This Raja, by the order of Arjuna, went to Kurukshētra1, to fight against his enemies the Kauravas, mentioned in the Mahabharata. During this reign Sakya Sinha Buddha came into Nepal, from a city named Kapilabastu, and having visited Swayambhu Chaitya and Manjusri Chaitya, fixed his abode at Puchhägra Chaitya3. While there, he accepted the worship and offerings of Chuda, a female bhikshu, and made 1350 proselytes, viz., Saliputra, Maudgalyāyana, Ananda, &c., from the Brahman and Chhetri castes. To several Bodhisatwas, such as 1 Near Panipat. 3 To the west of Swayambhu hill. Said to be in the Terai. Maitreya, and gods, such as Brahma, who came to Nepāl expressly to see him, Sakya described the glory of Swayambhu. He then visited Guhjeswarī, and after that the Namobuddha mountain1. Here he discovered, and showed to his disciples, certain ornaments belonging to himself, buried under a chaitya. When he formerly existed as a prince named Mahasatwa (the son of Maharatha of Panavati2, formerly called Panchala), he had buried these ornaments, after destroying himself by giving his flesh to a tiger to eat. He replaced them as they were, and repaired the chaitya. He next ascended into heaven, and returned after visiting his mother, who had died on the seventh day after his birth. Then, after preaching his doctrines to the people, he saw that the time of his death was approaching, and went to a city called Kūsī3. Here, while he was preaching to an assembly of gods (such as Brahma) and bhikshus (such as Ananda), he disappeared. Some of his followers remained in Nepal and professed his religion. As Rājā Jitēdāsti did not return from the wars recounted in the Mahābhārata, 8. His son Gali ascended the throne. 9. His son Pushka. In the reign of this Rājā, Asōka, the Rājā of Pataliputra (Patna), having heard of the fame of Nepāl as a 1 About twelve miles east of Bhatgaon. 2 A village in a valley about eight miles south-east of Bhatgaon. 3 Or Kosinar. The river Küsi or Kosi is well known, sacred place, and having obtained the permission of his spiritual guide, Upagupta Bhikshu, came on a pilgrimage to Nepal, accompanied by his family, and followed by a large number of his subjects. He visited every holy place, and bathed in every sacred water, and went to Swayambhu, Guhjeswari and eight Buddha bitarāgas or chaityas. He also built several chaityas. His daughter Charumati, while playing one day, saw an iron arrowhead turned into stone by a god, and determined to remain in Nepal, having concluded from this that it was a land of miracles wrought by the gods. The Raja, therefore, gave her in marriage to a descendant of a Chhetrī, named Dēvapāla; gave them 3,600 rōpnis of land, and everything else requisite; and then returned to his own country. On the way back, his Rānī, Tikhya Lakshmi, gave birth to a son, and suckled him on the ground; whence the spot and the child were both named Mahīpāna. After this, Charumati and her husband Dēvapāla founded and peopled Deva Patan1. They were then blessed with a numerous family, and becoming aged, they determined to pass the rest of their lives in retirement. They therefore resolved each to build a bihar. Charumati was first completed, and she died in it, after living the life of a bhikshunī2. Dēvapāla died in great distress, from not being able to complete his bihar before his death. All this happened in the reign of the Kirāti Rājā Sthunko. That of 1 A town west of and adjacent to Pashupati temple. 2 Charumati Bihar still exists at Chabahil, a village north of and close to Deva Patan. |