The minister, on being released, came to his dwelling, attended by musical instruments and the like accompaniments, and there was waited upon by all classes. When these were gone, he retired to a private place, and addressing the god, said, "It is true that horses have been brought to the satisfaction of the Pandian; but that I may have no more trouble of this sort, change my mortal form." The day was now departed and the moon and stars appeared; when the god, by an exertion of his power, again changed the horses, who were tied in rows, into their own form of jackals. These now said one to another, "We, who delight in the sound of funeral instruments and wailings of mourners, have been all day made to bear burdens, and have been flogged with whips; we find not here the crabs nor shell-fish on which we are want to feast, nut gram and grass which we desire not; it is better to break our cords, and retire to our native woods, where we shall have none of these annoyances. They accordingly broke their fastenings, and proceeding to prey on the entrails of some dead horses of the old stud, they raised a great cry, which brought the keepers; on whose approach, some of the jackals clambered over the walls, some passed through the windows, and some out through the drains; while a few, being old and infirm, remained trembling at the approach of the keepers. There was now a barking of dogs, and cry of awakened birds the whole town became disturbed, and everywhere jackals were visible; which, by the morning, had escaped to the forest. The day following, the head keeper of the lines went to the king and reported what had occurred. The Pandian sent for the minister, and being very angry with him, ordered him to bring back the money which he had received; and delivered him over to peons till he should do so. The peons carried him into the open field, exposed him to the sun, and placed a stone on his head and a heavy one in each hand to keep him down,* (* This is said to be a customary mode in village of obtaining money from a refractory debtor) until he should restore the money. The god, being displeased at the treatment of his votary, threw a glance on the river Vaigai, which, understanding the signal given, came rushing down with great force and rising over its tanks, entered the streets and houses of the town. The people being alarmed collected their children and valuables, and debated what they should do; while the water rose, first to the waist and afterwards as high as the shoulders; they then ascended upper houses, and the water rose as high; when they uttered piteous lamentations, saying, "Is this for the injustice of the king? or is it a sacred amusement of the god? we know not. A thousand Kundotheras could not swallow up this inundation. What shall we do? In the meanwhile the peons who were torturing Manikkavasager, finding that their wives and children were in danger of being drowned, left him, and went to their rescue. He, being released, proceeded to the temple; and being unmoved, continued his meditation of the god, without sustaining any harm.

 

 

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