mother's [S']raddha; and
large sums are still spent on similar occasions by wealthy Hindus
(see my 'Brahmanism and Hinduism,' p. 306).

100. _The mother of the great Indra_.

That is, Aditi, the wife of Ka[s']yapa, with whom, in their sacred
retreat, [S']akoontala was enjoying an asylum.

101. _Distinguishes the milk from worthless water_.

The Hindus imagine that the flamingo (a kind of goose) is the
vehicle on which the god Brahma is borne through the air; and
that this bird, being fond of the pulpy fibres of the water-lily,
has been gifted by him with the power of separating the milky
from the watery portion of the juice contained in the stalk of
that plant.

102. _Matali_.

The charioteer of Indra. In the pictures which represent this god
mounted on his usual vehicle--an elephant called Airavata--Matali
is seen seated before him on the withers of the animal, acting as
its driver. In the plays, however, Indra is generally represented
borne in a chariot drawn by two horses, guided by Matali.

103. _Kalanemi_.

A Daitya or demon, with a hundred arms and as many heads.

104. _Narada_.

A celebrated divine sage, usually reckoned among the ten
patriarchs first created by Brahma. He acted as a messenger of
the gods.

105. _Tinged with celestial sandal from the breast_.

The breast of Indra was dyed yellow with a fragrant kind of
sandal-wood (_hari-chandana_); and the garland by rubbing
against it, became tinged with the same color. Wreaths and
garlands of flowers are much used by the Hindus as marks of
honorary distinction, as well as for ornament or festive
occasions. They are suspended round the neck.

106. _The ever-blooming tree of Nandana_.

That is, Mandara, one of the five ever-blooming trees of Nandana,
or Swarga, Indra's heaven. The two most celebrated of these trees
were the Parijata and the Kalpa-druma, or tree granting all
desires. Each of the superior Hindu gods has a heaven, paradise,
or elysium of his own. That of Brahma is called Brahma-loka,
situate on the summit of mount Meru; that of Vishnu is Vaikuntha,
on the Himalayas; that of [S']iva and Kuvera is Kailasa, also on
the Himalayas; that of Indra is Swarga or Nandana. The latter,
though properly on the summit of mount Meru, below Brahma's
paradise, is sometimes identified with the sphere of the sky or
heaven in general. It is the only heaven of orthodox Brahmanism.

107. _Jayanta_.

The son of Indra by his favourite wife Paulomi