ORIENTAL SERIES.

214
NAIKASHEVASNAKULA.
father of Yayati. This king is mentioned by Mann as having
come into conflict with the Brahmans, and his story is repeated
several times with variations in different parts of the Maha-
of it
bharata as well as in the Puranas, the aim and object
evidently being to exhibit the retribution awaiting any man who
derogates from the power of Brahmans and the respect due to
them.
" By sacrifices, austere fervour, sacred study, self-restraint,
and valour, Nahusha acquired the undisturbed sovereignty of
the three worlds. . . . Through want of virtuous humility the
great king Nahusha was utterly ruined." Manu. One version
of the story says that he aspired to the possession of Indram, wife
of Indra, when that god had concealed himself for having killed
a Brahman. A thousand great .Z&shis bore the car of Nahusha
and on one occasion he touched with his foot
through the air,
the great Agastya, who was carrying him. The sage in his anger
"
cried out, Pall, thou serpent," and Nahusha fell from his
glorious car and became a serpent. Agastya, at the supplication
of Nahusha, put a limit to the curse ; and according to one ver-
sion, the doomed man was released from it by the instrumentality
of Yudhi-shftrira, when he threw off "his huge reptile form,
became clothed in a celestial body, and ascended to heaven."
JSTATKA SHEYAS. Carnivorous imps descended from Ki-
kasha, mother of Eavana. They are called also JSTikashatmajas.
JSTAIMISHA, NAIMISHAEA^YA. A forest (aranya) near
the Gomati (Gumti) river, in which the Maha-bharata was
rehearsed by Sauti to the assembled .Z&shis.
NAIEEITA. Belonging to the south-west quarter; the
regent of that quarter. An imp, goblin, or Eakshasa.
NAISHADHA-CHAEITA, ISTAISHADHIYA. A poem on
the life of ISTala, king of Mshadha, by Sri Harsha, a great scep-
tical philosopher who lived in the eleventh or twelfth century
A.D. It is one of the six Maha-kavyas. There are several
printed editions.
NAKSHATEAS. Mansions of the moon, lunar asterisms,
At first they were twenty-seven in number, but they were
increased to twenty-eight. They are said to be daughters of
Daksha who were married to the moon. See Daksha.
NAKTJLA. The fourth of the PaMu princes. He was the
twin son of Madri, the second wife of Pawdu, but mythologically
he was son of the Aswins, or more specifically of the Aswin