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There were several other Brahmans named JSIudgala. A sage of this name is recorded in the Maha-bharata to have " lived a life of poverty, piety, and self-restraint, otler- ing hospitality to thousands of Brahmans, according to his humble means, with the grain which he gleaned like a pigeon, and which (like the widow of Zarephath's oil) never underwent diminution, or rather increased again, when it was required." The choleric sage Dur-vasas went to test the patience of Mudgala, and six times devoured all the food which his host possessed without ruffling his temper. Dur-vasas in his admiration de- M UDRA-RAKSHA SA—MUNDAKA. 1 1 T clared that Mudgala would go bodily to heaven, and the mes- senger of the gods arrived with his heavenly car. The sage, before accepting the invitation, desired to be informed of the joys and ills of heaven. After hearing a full explanation, he found that the enjoyments of heaven must come to a close, so he declared that he " had no desire for heaven, and would seek only that, eternal abode where there is no sorrow, nor distress, nor change." He dismissed the messenger of the gods, and began to practise ascetic virtues, becoming indifferent to j)raise and blame, regarding clods, gold, stones, and gold as alike. Pure knowledge led to fixed contemplation ; and that again imparted strength and complete comprehension, whereby he obtained supreme eternal perfection in the nature of quietude {nirvdiia). MUDEA-RAKSHASA. 'The signet of the minister.' A drama by Visakha-datta. This play has an historical interest, for Chandra-gupta, the Sandracottus of Greek writers, is a leading character in it. The date of its production is apparently the eleventh or twelfth century a.d. It is one of the dramas trans- lated by Wilson, who says, " The author was not a poet of the sj)here of Bhava-bhiiti or Kali-dasa. His imagination rises not to their level, and there is scarcely a brilliant or beautiful thought in the play. As some equivalent for the want of imagination, he has a vigorous perception of character and a manly strain of sentiment, that are inferior only to elevated conception and deli- cate feeling. He is the Massinger of the Hindus. The language of the original partakes of the general character of the play ; it is rarely beautiful or delicate, but always vigorous, and occasion- ally splendid." MUGDHA-BODHA. A standard Grammar by Yopadeva, written towards the end of the thirteenth century. It has been edited by Bohtlingk, and there are several Indian editions. MtJKA. A Danava, son of Upasunda. He assumed the form of a wild boar in order to kill Arjuna, but was himself killed by /Siva in his form of the Kirata or mountaineer. MUKHAGNL ' Fiery-faced. ' Spirits or goblins with faces of fire, perhaps meteors. MUiVDA. 'Bald.' An appellation of Ketu. Is^ame of a demon slain by Durga. MUiVDAKA. Name of a Upanishad (q.v.) translated by 2 1 2 MUXI—XA CHIKE TA S. Dr. Eoer in tlie EihVwiheca Indica and by Eammoliim Eoy. There are several editions of tlie text. MUX I. " X holy sage, a pious and learned person, endowed with more or less of a divine nature, or having attained to it by rigid abstraction and mortification. The title is applied to the ^/shis, and to a great number of persons distinguished for their writings considered as inspired, as Pa?iini, Tyasa." Their super- human powers over gods and men have been often displayed in blessings, but more frequently in curses. MUEA, ]\IUEU. A great demon who had seven thousand sons. He was an allv of the demon Xaraka, who ruled over Prag-jyotisha, and assisted him in the defence of that city against KWsh;?a. He placed in the environs of the city " nooses the edges of which were as sharp as razors," but K//sha cut them to pieces with his discus, slew Muru, " and burnt his seven thousand sons like moths with the flame of the edge of his discus." MUEAEI. ' The foe of Mura.' An appellation of K;'/sha, MUEAEl ^IIaS'EA. Author of the drama Murari Xafaka or Anargha Eaghava (q.v.). MUSALA. The pestle-shaped club carried by Bala-rama. It was named Saunanda. MUSALA - DHAEA, IMTSALAYVDHA, :\irSALIX. 'Armed with a pestle.' An appellation of Bala-rama. MUSHJIKA.. A celebrated boxer in the service of Kan^a, who directed him to kill Krishna or Bala-rama in a public en- counter, but Bala-rama overthrew him and killed him. XABHAGADISHrA, XABHAGAXEDISHrHA, XABHA- iJ^DISH JIIA. A son of jNIanu, who, wliile he was living as a Brahmachari, was deprived of his inlieritance, by his father according to the Yajur-veda, by his brothers according to the Aitareya Brahma 7?a. He subsequently acquired wealth by im- parting spiritual knowledge. NACHIKETAS. The story of Xacliiketas is told in the Taittiriya Bralima7?a and Katha Upanishad. Vaja-c<;ravasa or" Aruwi, the father of Xachiketas, desirous of attaining heaven, performed great sacrifices, and was profuse in his gifts to the priests. The son told him that he had not given all, for that he, his son, was left, and said, " To whom shall I be given % " On repeating the question, the father angrily replied, "To death.'* So the son dejiarted to the abodes of death, and, after staying NACA-NAHUSHA. 213 there three nights, Yama was constrained to offer him a boon. He prayed to see his father again and be reconciled. This boon was granted and another offered. All kinds of blessings were proposed, but the youth refused to be contented with anything but a true knowledge of the soul. Yama then proceeded to instruct hiuL The story has been done into verse by Muir (Texts, vol. V. p. 329). NAGA. A snake, especially the cobra-capella. A mythical semi-divine being, having a human face with the tail of a ser- pent, and the expanded neck of the cobra. The race of JS'agas is said to be a thousand in number, and to have sprung from Kadru, the wife of Kasyapa, for the purpose of peopling Patala, or the regions below the earth, where they reign in great splendour. From the name of their mother they are called Ivadraveyas. Their mother is sometimes called Su-rasa. This dominion was taken from them by the Gandharvas, but they recovered it through their sister, the Xarmada river, who induced Yishwu to send Pratardana to their assistance. Their females were handsome, and some of them intermarried with men, as Ulupi with Arjuna. The IS^agas, or a people bearing the same name, are historical, and have left many traces behind them. There were mountains so called, and Naga-dwipa was one of the seven divisions of Bharata- varsha. Kings of this race reigned at ]\Iathura, Padmavati, &c., and the name survives in the modern Xagpur. There are various speculations as to who and what they were, but it seems clear they were a race distinct from the Hindus. The mythological accounts are probably based upon the historical, but they have been mixed up together and confused. The favourite theory is that they were a Scythic race, and probably obtained their name from worshipping serpents or holding them in awe and reverence. iJsi'AGA-LOKA. Patala, the residence of the Kagas. NAGA-NAXDAXA. A Buddhist drama in five acts by Ai Harsha Deva. It has been translated by Boyd. The text has been printed. XAGAEA. A city. There are seven sacred cities which confer eternal happiness — (i.) Ayodhya, (2.) Mathura, (3.) Ma^^a (Gaya), (4.) £a<bi (Benares), (5.) Kanchi (Conjeveram), (6.) Avanti or Avantika (Ujjajini), (7.) Dwaraka or DwaravatL XAHUSHA. Son of Ayus the eldest son of Pururavas, and 214 NA IK AS HE YAS—NAKULA. 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- hharata as well as in the Pura/zas, the aim and object of it evidently being to exhibit the retribution awaiting any man who derogates from the power of Erahmans and the respect due to them. " By sacrifices, austere fervour, sacred study, self-restraint, and valour, jSTahusha acquired the undisturbed sovereignty of the three worlds. . . . Through want of virtuous humility the great king Xahusha was utterly ruined." — Maim. One version of the story says that he aspired to the possession of Indra?zi, wife of Indra, when that god had concealed himself for having killed a Brahman. A thousand great Rkhis, bore the car of Xahusha through the air, and on one occasion he touched with his foot the great Agast^^a, who was carrying him.