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petrified. Gaunt is her frame, like the drought-dry forests of
the Vindhya hills. Mighty is she, and her eyes are as flaming
fire, for never is her hunger satisfied. Black is her garment, too,
as if woven out of the densified nights of the rainy season.
Fogs and mists enwrap her ; clouds rest on her head ; bones
and skulls bedeck her fearsomeness.
The meat that she obtains extinguishes not the fire of her
hunger, even as the ever-pouring stream of salt waters quenches
not. the fire of the sea-volcano. Therefore, she once thought
within herself : "If I could only swallow all the teeming people
of the land ofJamb5"dvTpa(^1), in a process as unceasing as my
breath, then, perchance, my hunger would be stayed. And yet
it is not easy to prevail against a people guarded well by
mantras(^2), medicines, clean ways, and charities and worship of
the gods. But Tapas(^8) brings about things most improbable?
therefore, let me make great Tapas."
Ascending a tall peak untrodden tiy other creatures, she
stood on a single foot, immovable, till she became as a part of
the rocks around. A Jthousand years elapsed, and Brahma,
Cosmic Mind Embodied, appeared, constrained by that long
self-denial, to bestow on her the boon she craved. "O daughter
Karkati !, thou art the glory of the Rakshasa race," He said ;
^name the boon thou era vest." She pondered long and then
replied : ^O Father of Creation !, may I at will become a
living needle with two forms, one gross and one not such ; and
may I have the power at will to enter into the hearts of
creatures and suck away their lives.^)) ^Be it so,^55 He said, and
added : "Thou shalt be a Snchika(^4) with an upasarga(^5) ;•
(1) Asia.
(2) Magio chants ; also 'good counsels', mananat trayat^, *that "which
protects, when dwelt on duly'; sage maxims, seed-thoughts.
(8) Austerity, penance.     ^ (4) A needle; siv, to sew.
(5) "Opa-sarga" means a "prefix" in .grammar; it also means a