ORIENTAL SERIES.

VIKRAMORVASIVINDHYA. 357
eourt was made illustrious by the ISTava-ratna, or nine gems of
literature, who flourished there. He is a great hero of romance,
and many improbable stories are told of him. His real position
is uncertain. He appears to have driven out the $akas, and to
have established his authority over Northern India, He is said
to have fallen in battle with his rival >$alivahana, king of the
Dakhin, who also has an era called 5aka dating from 78 A,D.
< YIKRAMOKYASL The hero and the nymph.' A cele-
brated drama by Kalidasa, translated in Wilson's Hindu Theatre.
There are many editions and translations. See Puru-ravas.
YIKUKSHL A king of the Solar race, who succeeded his
father, Ikshwaku. He received the name of #asada,
'
hare-eater/
He was sent by his father to hunt and obtain flesh suitable for
offerings. Being weary and hungry he ate a hare, and Yasish&a,
the priest, declared that this act had defiled all the food, for what
remained was but his leavings.
YIMADA. In the J?/g-veda it is said the Aswins gave
a bride to the youthful Yimada, and the commentator explains
that Yimada had won his bride at a swayam-vara, but was stopped
on the way home by his unsuccessful competitors. The Aswins
came to his succour, repulsed the assailants, placed the bride in
their chariot, and carried her to the home of the prince.
VINATA. A daughter of Daksha, one of the wives of
Kasyapa, and mother of Garuda. According to the Bhagavata
Puram she was the wife of Tarkshya or Garuc?a.
YINDA, Yinda and Anuvinda were joint kings of Avanti^
and fought in the great war.
YINDHYA. The mountains which stretch across India, and
divide what Manu calls the Madliya-desa or 'middle land/ the
land of the Hindus, from the south, that is, they divide Hindustan
from the Dakhin. The mountain is personified, and according to a
legend he was jealous of the Himalaya, and called upon the sun to
revolve round him as he did round Meru. When the sun refused
the mountain began to raise its head to obstruct that luminary,
and to tower above Himalaya and Meru. The gods invoked the
aid of Agastya, the spiritual guide of Yindhya, That sage called
upon the mountain to bow down before him, and afford him an
easy passage to and from the south. It obeyed, and Agastya
passed over. But lie never returned, and so the mountain remains
in its humbled condition, far inferior to the Himalaya.