1 174
2 Gdgd^s legend analysed.
3 Again we have an abrupt change of scene^ and find ourselves ])aclc
4 in Jewar^s palace. Jewar laments his harshness towards Ihlchhal, and
5 his wazir advises him to depute him to fetch her hack. The icazir sets
6 out to Gajni, where he is met hy the king Chandarhhan, w ho, \ve
7 thus learn, is BachhaFs father, and Jewar takes Bachhal hack with him
8 without any miracle or fuss of any kind, an instance of the play wright^s
9 entire lack of literary skill.
10 On their return to Jewar’s capital, a place called Gard Gardra later
11 on in the poem, Guga is at last born at midnight on the Stli-Oth of
12 Bhadon. Pandit Rangachar thinks this an auspicious date, and avers
13 that Guga^s votaries will use fans of flowers and blue flags, which they
14 of course do, and all the land of Bagar rejoiced. Raja Jewar bids his
15 tvazir acknowledge Guga as his heir by putting on him the sign of
16 royalty, although KachhaPs twins had ])resumabl3^ been born before
17 Guga. However this may be, I take it that by putting on the sign of
18 royalty can,only be meant tlie mark which would make Guga the //7%/
19 or heir-apparent to Jewar. But it is important to note that Jewar for
20 some reason or other hesitates to make this order, and after Giiga^s
21 birth two months elapse before he is thus recognized.
22 A considerable period, nearly 1*2 3'ears at least, now elapses, and in
23 the next scene we find Guga out hunting. Tortured bv the heat he
24 rides up to a well and asks a Brahman woman to give him some water
25 to drink, but she refuses on the ground that her pitcher is an earthen
26 one and would be defiled, apparently, if he were to drink from it. Guga,
27 vexed at her refusal, invokes Goraklnnith and shoots an arrow, where-
28 with he breaks both the Brahman woinaiFs pitchers, so that the water
29 drenches her body. ^ Weeping, she cuises Guga, and his children, but
30 Bachhal endeavours to atone for the insult. AVhv the insult was such
31 an inexpiable one is not clear.
32 Again the scene changes and we see Raja Sanja send out a priest
33 to find a match for his daughter Chhari^^al or Sirial as she is more
34 usually called. This priest. Gunman by name, comes to Jewar^s city
35 and solicits Guga'^s hand in due form, which is bestowed on Chharival.
36 But at this point Bachhal breaks in with a lament for the ill-timed
37 death of Jewar, and on hearing of that event Riija Sanja, in alarm at
38 evil omen, breaks off the engagement
39 Bachhal is greatly distressed at this breach of faith, and on learning
40 the cause of her grief Guga goes to the forest, and there sings the mode
41 of defiance and war. His flute-playing charms the beasts and birds of
42 the forest. Basak Nag, the king of the Snakes, sends his servant Tatig
43 Nag to see who it is.
44 ^ Whether this is a rain-charm or 110c I am unable to say. A similar but expanded ver-
45 sion of the rite occurs in the legend of Raja Rasalu, who first breaks the pitchers of the
46 women of the city with stones. They complain to Salivahan who bids them use pitchers of
47 iron, but these he breaks with his iron-tipped arrows. — Legends of the Punjab, I, pp.
48 6-7. Apparently a fertility charm is hinted at. Possibly a man who could succeed in
49 breaking a jar of water poised on a woman’s head once acquired a right over her. According
50 to Aryan usage a shave might be manumitted by liis owuer pouring ove: his head a pot of
51 water, with gram and flowers, and the custom of pouring out water was observed in all
52 ceremonies accompanying the transfer of property ; for ins'ance it took place when laad
53 was sold, and when a father hand'd over his daughter to her husband. W tnesses to ^ were
54 examined before a fire and a jar of water. See Barnett’s Antiquities of Indi 1, pp. 128 and
55 X26, We find the custom again in the Pum legend — see infra - current in the Simla Hills