When the Imperial standards were for the first time borne aloft in this garden of perpetual spring, a book called Ráj Tarangini written in the Sanskrit tongue containing an account of the princes of Kashmír during a period of some four thousand years, was presented to His Majesty. It had been the custom in that country for its rulers to employ certain learned men in writing its annals. His Majesty who was desirous of extending the bounds of knowledge appointed capable interpreters in its translation which in a short time was happily accomplished. In this work it is stated that the whole of this mountainous region was submerged under water and called Sati Sar. Sati is the name of the wife of Mahádeva, and Sar signifies a lake. One day of Brahmá comprises 14 manvantaras.* Up to the 40th year of the Divine Era, of the seventh manvantara, at which time Kashmír began to be inhabited, 27 (kalpas) each of four cycles (yug) as before mentioned,* have elapsed and of the twenty-eighth three cycles, and of the fourth cycle 4,701 solar years. And when, according to the legend which they relate, the waters had somewhat subsided, Kasyapa who is regarded as one of the most sublime amongst ascetics, brought in the Bráhmans to inhabit the new region.* When men began to multiply they sought to have a just ruler over them, and experienced elders, solicitous of the public weal met together in council and elected to the supreme authority one who was distinguished for his wisdom, his large understand­ing, his comprehensive benevolence and his personal courage. From this period dates the origin of their monarchical government which proceeded thus to the time of Ugnand 4,044 years prior to this the 40th year of the Divine Era.* Ugnand fell by the hand of Balbhadra, the elder brother of Kishan in the battle fought at Mathura betwean Kishan and Jarasandha rájá of Behár. Damódara (his son), to revenge his death marched against some of the relations of Kishan who were hastening to a marriage festival in Ḳandahár, and was killed fighting on the banks of the Sind. His wife being then pregnant and the astrologers foretelling that it would prove a son, Kishan bestowed on him the government of the province. Thirty-five princes succeeded, but through their tyranny their names are no more remembered. When Lavah ascended the throne, justice was uni­versally administered and deeds met their just recognition. He founded in Kámraj the great city of Lavapúr the ruins of which are still to be traced It is said to have held 800,000,000 houses. As the sage* of Ganjah well says:

House linked to house fnom Ispahan to Rai
Like jointed canes, I've heard, stretch countlessly,
So that a cat might trace the distant span
From roof to roof twixt Rai and Ispahan;
But if the tale my credit doth belie,
The teller is its surety, faith not I.

When the succession devoled on Asoka the son of Janaka's paternal uncle, he abolished the Brahminical religion and established the Jain faith.* His personal virtues adorned his reign, and his son Rájá Jalóka was distinguished for his justice, and his conquests were limited only by the ocean. On his return from Kanauj, then the capital of Hindustán, he brought with him a number of learned and enlightened men and of these his sagacity and perception of worth selected seven individuals. To one of them he entrusted the administration of justice; to another the revenue department; to a third the finances; to a fourth the superintendence of the troops; the fifth took charge of the department of commerce; the sixth controlled the material resources of the state, and the seventh interpreted the mysteries of the stars. He had also a knowledge of alchemy. It is said that a huge serpent ministered to his commands, mounted upon which be could descend below water for a long space. Sometimes he appeared as an old man, and at other times, as a youth, and marvellous tales are related of him. Buddhism became prevalent about this time.

Damodar (II) is said by some to have been one of the descendants of Asoka. He was a pious devout prince but was transformed into a snake through the curse of an ascetic. In the reign of Rájá Nara the Bráhmans prevailed over the Buddhists and levelled their temples to the ground. Rájá Mihirkal was a shameless tyrant, but by the strange freaks of for­tune he made extensive conquests. As he was once returning homewards by the pass of Hastibhanj, an elephant lost its footing, and its screams and manner of falling caused him such amusement that he ordered a hundred ele­phants to be precipitated in a similar manner. From this circumstance the pass received its name hasti signifying elephant, and bhanj,* injury. During his reign, a large rock blocked up the ferry of a river, and, however much it was cut away, it yet increased again during the night to its ordinary dimensions. Remedies were proposed in vain. At length a voice came forth intimating that if touched by the hand of a chaste woman, the rock would displace itself. Time after time it was touched by women in suc­cession, and when no effect was produced, he ordered the women to be put to death for incontinence, the children for bastardy, and the husbands for consenting to the evil, until three krórs of human beings were massacred. The miracle was at length effected by the hand of a chaste woman, a potter by trade and caused great wonder. The Rájá being afflicted by various diseases, burnt himself to death.

Rájá Gopadit possessed considerable learning and his justice increased the extent of his sway. The slaughtering of animals was forbidden throughout his dominions and high and low abstained from eating flesh. The temple which now stands on Solomon's Hill was built by his minister.

Rájá Judishthira in the beginning of his rule administered the state with an impartial hand, but in a short space through his licentious con­duct and intimacy with base associates, his subjects became extranged from him, and the kings of Hindustán and Tibet were arrayed against him. The chiefs of Kashmír threw him into prison.

During the reign of Rájá Tanjir (Banjír) snow fell when the sun was in Leo (July, August). The crops were destroyed and a terrible famine threw the country into disorder.

Rájá Jayandra possessed a minister wise, loyal and virtuous, and void of levity and dissimulation. His equals bore him envy and the wicked at heart but specious in appearance sought his ruin and undermined his influence by underhand misrepresentations. As princes are on these occa­sions apt to err and do not investigate closely, forgetful of former experiences of what envy can effect, the minister was overthrown, and banished in disgrace. His strange destiny, however, did not deprive him of his composure. He allowed not grief to encompass him, but gladdened his days with cheerfulness of heart. His wicked enemies represented him as aiming at the throne, and the Rájá, ignorant of the real facts, ordered him to be impaled. After some time had elapsed, his spiritual preceptor happened to pass that way and read on the frontal bone of his skull that he was destined to disgrace and imprisonment and to be impaled, but that he should again come to life and obtain the sovereignty. Amazed at learn­ing this, he took down the body and secretly kept it and continued in supplication to the Almighty. One night the spirits gathered round and by their incantations restored the corpse to life. In a short time he suc­ceeded to the throne, but his experience of life soon induced him to with­draw into retirement.