ORIENTAL SERIES.

42
BALHIKAS BARBARAS.
BALHIKAS, BAHLIKAS. "Always
associated with the
people of tlie north, west, and ultra-Indian provinces, and usually
considered to represent the Bactrians or people of Balkh." Wilson.
BALL A good and virtuous Daitya king. He was son of
Virochana, son of Prahlada, son of Hira^ya-kasipu. His wife
was YindhyavalL Through Ms devotion and penance he defeated
Indra, humbled the gods, and extended Ms authority over the three
worlds. The gods appealed to Vishrai for protection, and he be-
came manifest in Ms Dwarf Avatara for the purpose of restrain-
ing Bali. TMs dwarf craved from Bali the boon of three steps
of ground, and, having obtained it, he stepped over heaven and
earth in two strides ; but then, out of respect to Bali's kindness
and Ms grandson PraMada's virtues, he stopped short, and left to
him Patala, the infernal regions. Bali is also called Maha-bali, and
his capital was Maha-bali-pura. The germ of the legend of the
three steps is found in the .ffig-veda, where Vishnu is represented
as taking three steps over earth, heaven, and the lower regions,
typifying perhaps the rising, culmination, and setting of the
sun.
BALI, BALIN. The monkey king of Kishkindhya, who was
slain by Rama, and whose kingdom was given to Ms brother
Su-griva, the friend and ally of Rama. He was supposed to be
the son of Indra, and to have been born from the hair
(bdla)
of
his mother, whence his name. His wife's name was Tara, and
his sons Angada and Tara.
BAJVA. A Daitya, eldest son of Bali, who had a thousand
arms. He was a friend of Siva and enemy of Vishwu. His
daughter tTsha fell in love with Aniruddha, the grandson of
KnshTia, and had Mm conveyed to her by magic art. Kn'slma,
Bala-rama, and Pradyumna went to the rescue, and were resisted
by Bam, who was assisted by $iva and Skanda, god
of war.
Siva was overpowered by Krishna ; Skanda was wounded ; and
the many arms of Bma were cut off by the missile weapons of
Krishna. $iva then interceded for the life of Bana, and Knshwa
granted
BANGrA. Bengal, but not in the modern application. In
it. He is called also Yairochi.
ancient times Banga meant the districts north of the Bhaglrathi
Jessore, Knshmgar, &c.
BARBARAS. JSTame of
See Ann.
a people.
" The analogy to '
bar-
barians '
is not in sound only, but in all the authorities these are