ORIENTAL SERIES.

MARUTTA MATANGA. 205
MARTJTTA. i. A descendant of Mann Vaivaswata, He waa
a Chakravartl, or nniversal monarch, and performed a celebrated
sacrifice. "Never," says the Vislmu Purawa, "was beheld on
earth a sacrifice equal to the sacrifice of Marutta. All the im-
plements and utensils were made of gold. Indra was intoxicated
with the libations of soma juice, and the Brahmans were en-
raptured with the magnificent donations they received. The
winds of heaven encompassed the rite as guards, and the assembled
gods attended to behold it." According to the Vayu Purawa,
Marutta was taken to heaven with his kindred and friends by
Samvarta, the officiating priest at this sacrifice. But the Markarcrfeya
Purawa says he was killed after he had laid down his
crown and retired to the woods. 2. A king of the Solar race,
who was killed by Vapushmat, and fearfully avenged by his son
Dama (q.v,).
MATALL Charioteer of Indra.
MATANG-A. 'An elephant.' A man who was brought up
as a Brahman but was the son of a Chaftrfala. His story, as
told in the Maha-bharata, relates that he was mercilessly goading
an ass's foal which he was driving. The mother ass, seeing this,
tells her foal that she could expect no better, for her driver was
no Brahman but a Cha^ala. Matanga, addressing the ass as
"
most intelligent," begged to know how this was, and was in-
formed that his mother when intoxicated had received the
embraces of a low-born barber, and that he, the offspring, was a
Clia^ala and no Brahman. In order to obtain elevation to the
position of a Brahman, he went through such a course of austerities
as alarmed the gods. Indra refused to admit him He
persevered again for a hundred years, but still Indra persistently
refused such an impossible request, and advised him to seek
some other boon. Nothing daunted, he went on a thousand
years longer, with the same result. Though dejected he did not
despair, but proceeded to balance himself on his great toe. He
continued to do this for a hundred years, when he was reduced
to mere skin and bone, and was on the point of falling. Indra
went to support him, but inexorably refused his request, and,
when further importuned, "gave him the power of moving
about like a bird, and changing his shape at will, and of being
honoured and renowned" In the Kamayawa, Kama and Sita
visited the hermitage of Matanga near Jftshya-muka mountain,