113. Golden-peak.

A sacred range of mountains lying among the Himalaya chain, and apparently identical with, or immediately adjacent to, Kailasa, the paradise of Kuvera, the god of wealth.  It is here described as the mountain of the Kimpurashas, or servants of Kuvera.  They are a dwarfish kind of monster, with the body of a man and the head of a horse, and are otherwise called Kinnara.

114. Ka[s’]yapa.

Ka[s’]yapa was the son of Brahma’s son, Marichi, and was one of those Patriarchs (created by Brahma to supply the universe with inhabitants) who, after fulfilling their mission, retired from the world to practise penance.  He was a progenitor on a magnificent scale, as he is considered to have been the father of the gods, demons, man, fish, reptiles, and all animals, by the thirteen daughters of Daksha.  The eldest of the thirteen, his favourite wife, was Aditi, from whom were born Indra and all the inferior gods, and particularly the twelve Adityas, or forms of the sun, which represent him in the several months of the year.  From Diti, Danu, and others of the remaining twelve, came the Daityas, Danavas, and other demons.

115. No sacred cord is twined.

The serpent’s skin was used by the ascetic in place of the regular Brahmanical cord.  This thread or cord, sometimes called the sacrificial cord, might be made of various substances, such as cotton, hempen or woollen thread, according to the class of the wearer; and was worn over the left shoulder and under the right.  The rite of investiture with this thread, which conferred the title of ‘twice-born,’ and corresponded in some respects with the Christian rite of baptism, was performed on youths of the first three classes (compare note 80), at ages varying from eight to sixteen, from eleven to twenty-two, and from twelve to twenty-four, respectively.  At present the Brahmans alone, and those who claim to be Kshatriyas, have a right to wear this thread.  Not long since, a Kayath (or man of the writer caste) in Bengal, who attempted to claim it, was excommunicated.

116. And birds construct their nests within its folds.

Such was the immovable impassiveness of this ascetic, that the ants had thrown up their mound as high as his waist without being disturbed, and birds had built their nests in his hair.

117. And need no other nourishment.

The Hindus imagine that living upon air is a proof of the highest degree of spirituality to which a man can attain.

118. A[s’]oka-tree.

The A[s’]oka (Jonesia Asoka) is one of the most beautiful of Indian trees.  Sir W. Jones observes that ’the vegetable world scarce exhibits a richer sight than an A[s’]oka-tree in full bloom’.  It is about as high as an ordinary cherry-tree.  The flowers are very large, and beautifully diversified with tints of orange-scarlet, of pale yellow, and of bright orange, which form a variety of shades according to the age of the blossom.