ORIENTAL SERIES.

250
PUSHANPVSHKARA.
Taittiriya Brahmana says, "When Prajapati formed living
creatures Pushan nourished them/' The account given in Bb'h-
tlingk and Eoth's Dictionary, and adopted by Dr. Muir, is as
"
follows : Piishan is a protector and multiplier of cattle and
of human possessions in general As a cowherd he carries an
ox-goad, and he is drawn by goats. In the character of a Solar
deity, he beholds the entire universe, and is a guide on roads
and journeys and to the other world He is called the lover of
his sister SuryjL He aids in the revolution of day and night,
and shares with Soma the guardianship of living creatures. He
is invoked along with the most various deities, but most fre-
quently with Indra and Bhaga" He is a patron of conjurors,
especially of those who discover stolen goods, and he is connected
with the marriage ceremonial, being besought to take the bride's
hand and bless her. (See Muir^s Texts, v.
171.) In the
JNIrukta, and in works of later date, Pushan is identified
with the sun. He is also called the brother of Indra, and is
enumerated among the twelve Adityas. Pushan is toothless,
and feeds upon a kind of gruel, and the cooked oblations offered
to him are of ground materials, hence he is called Karambhad
The cause of his being toothless is variously explained Accord-
ing to the Taittiriya Sanhita, the deity Eudra, being excluded
from a certain sacrifice, shot an arrow at the offering and pierced
it. A portion of this sacrifice was presented to Pushan, and it
broke his teeth. In the Maha-bharata and in the Puranas the
legend takes a more definite shape. "Eudra ($iva), of dreadful
power, ran up to the gods present at Daksha's sacrifice, and in
his rage knocked out the eyes of Bhaga with a blow, and, in-
censed, assaulted Pushan with his foot, and knocked out his
teeth as he was eating the purofea offering." In the Puramis
it is not 5iva himself, but his manifestation the Eudras, who
disturbed the sacrifice of the gods and knocked Pushan's teeth
down his throat. Pushan is called Aghnm, splendid ;
'
Basra,
'
Dasma, and Dasma-varchas, of wonderful appearance or power/
and Kapardin (q.v.)-
PUSHKAEA. A blue lotus A celebrated tank about five
miles from Ajmir. One of the seven Dwipas, (See Dwipa.)
The name of several persons. Of the brother of Nala to whom
JSTala lost his kingdom and all that he possessed in gambling.
Of a son of Bharata and nephew of Eama-chandra, who reigned
over the GandBaras.