ABSTRACT
Regarding the south pole, I have heard from them only one story or tradition, viz. the following. They had once a king called Somadatta, who by his noble deeds had deserved paradise; but he did not like the idea of his body being torn away from his soul when he should depart into the other world. Now he called on the ~ishi Vasishtha, and told to him that he loved his body, and did not wish to be separated from it; but the ~ishi informed him that it was impossible to take along with oneself the material body from this world into paradise. Thereupon he laid his desire before the children of Vasishtha ; however, these spat in his face, scoffed at him, and changed him into a canddla with ear-rings in both ears, and clad in a kU1"talj; (i.e. a short shirt worn by the women round the shoulders, reaching down to the middle of the body). When he came in this condition to the ~ishi, Visvamitra, the latter found him to be a disgusting spectacle, and asked him what
was the reason of his appearing so, whereupon Somadatta informed him, and told him the whole story. Now Visvftmitra became very angry on his acconnt; he
Page 120. ordered the Brahmans into his presence in order to perform a great sacrifice, among those also the children of Vasishtha, and he spoke to thern: ,. I wish to make a new world, and a new paradise for this pious king, that there he may obtain the fulfilment of his wish." Thereupon he began to make the pole and the Great Bear in the south, but then Iudra, the ruler, and the spiritual beings began to fear him. They went to him, humbled themselves before him, and asked him to desist from the work he had commenced on this condition, that they would carry Somadatta with his body, just as it was, into paradise. 'I'his they did, and in consequence the J;tishi desisted from making a second world, but that which he had already made up to that moment remained.
