KIRTIMAN II 413 KISKINDHA that he was not his enemy. He was brought up under Once upon a time a son called Bali was born to Arunl- the name Klrtiman. Afterwards Narada visited Karhsa devi by Indra, and another son called Sugrlva was born and explained to him about his former birth, the to her by Surya. (See under Aruna) . Both the boys object of Krsna's incarnation etc. This information so were brought up in the Asrama of sage Gautama. angered Karhsa that he got Vasudeva and Devaki When they grew up, Indra handed them over to Rksa- chained in prison. Moreover he brought back the raja, and thus Bali and Sugrlva came to Kiskindha. first-born son of Devaki and dashed him to death on After the death of Rksaraja, Bali became King of Kis- a stone. Thus ended the life of Klrtiman. kindha. and Sugrlva lived in the service of his brother. KlRTIMAN II. Mahavisnu mentally created a son At that time there was a very mighty Asura called called Virajas, and Klrtiman was his son. A son called Dundubhi. Finding no one fit to fight with, he challeng- Kardama was born to Kirtiman. (Sand Parva, Chapter ed Varuna. Varuna directed him to Himavan, whose 59, Verse 90). peaks he rent asunder, and played with. Then Himavan K-lRTIMAN III. A Visvadeva (universal deva). told Dundubhi that he was of a peaceful nature and (Anusasana Parva, Chapter 91, Verse 31). that Bali would be a match for him (Dundubhi). KlRTIMUKHA. A Siva gana born out of the matted Accordingly Dundubhi fought with Bali and got killed. hair of Siva with three faces, three tails, three legs and Bali cast away the corpse of Dundubhi. The blood seven hands. The Lord at first asked him to live on oozing out from the nose of Dundubhi fell on the corpses, but later on, in appreciation of his valour body of sage Mataiiga who was engaged in penance on granted him the boon that if anyone saw the Lord the peak Rsyamuka. By means of his divine powers, the without thinking first about Kirtimukha, he would sage found out the origin of the blood contaminating his meet with his down-fall. (Padma Purana, Uttara body, and cursed that Bali would die the moment he Khanda, Chapter 50) . set foot on the mountain. KlRTISENA. Son of the brother of the Naga chief Dundubhi's son Mayavi was enraged at the death of Vasuki. He made a love-marriage with Srutartha his father. He went to Kiskindha to take revenge on daughter of a brahmin, and a child was born to them. Bali, but got defeated by the latter in fighting. Mayavi (Kathasaritsagara, Kathaplthakalambaka) . took to his heels; Bali followed him, and Sugrlva follow- KlRTISENA. A heroine who has firmly established her ed his brother. Mayavi took refuge in a cave followed reputation in Sanskrit literature. An exceptionally by Bali, and Sugrlva waited at the mouth of cave. Even good woman, Kirtisena was the daughter of a merchant after one year neither Bali nor Mayavi emerged out of called Dhanapala in Pataliputra, and was married by the cave, but Sugrlva saw blood coming out of the another merchant called Devasena. Once Devasena cave and heard Mayavi roaring. Taking it for granted left the country for purposes of trade, and during his that Bali was killed, Sugrlva closed the mouth of the absence from home the mother-in-law of Kirtisena shut cave, returned to Kiskindha, and at the instance of his her up in a dark room. But, with the help of an iron subjects assumed kingship. rod, which fortunately came to her hands she made a But, Bali forced open the cave, hurried back to his hole in the room at night, and through it escaped kingdom, and interpreting the action of Sugrlva as from captivity. Hungry and thirsty, Kirtisena travelled one purposely done to usurp the throne, drove a long distance in the forest, and at night climbed a Sugrlva away and took for himself Sugrlva's wife. Thus tree and rested thereon. Presently a Raksasa woman Bali became again King of Kiskindha. with her children came to the foot of the tree. There is a mountain called "Bali-kera-mala" mountain During this period the King of Vasudattapura was prohibited to Bali in the eastern region of the former suffering from pain in the head because a bug entered princely kingdom of Travancore. Is it in any way con- his ear and multiplied there in numbers. All the nected with Rsyamukacala ? physicians gave up the case as incurable. But, the Sugrlva founded a new kingdom at Rsyamuka moun- RaksasT at the foot of the tree advised the following tain. Mainda, Dvivida, Hanuman and Jambavan cure for the King's illness to her children : "Anoint were the ministers of Sugrlva. It was while Sugrlva was the King's head with ghee and make him lie in the thus living on Rsyamukacala that Rama and Laksmana sun at noon. After that insert a small tube into his came that way in the course of their search for Sita. In ear, and keep the other end of the tube in a pot full accordance with the agreement made between Sugrlva of water. Then the bugs will come out from the ear and Rama, the latter killed Bali and crowned Sugrlva into the water, and the King will be cured of his ill- as the King of Kiskindha. (Valmiki Ramayana, Kis- ness. kindha Kanda, and Mahabharata, Vana Parva, Chap- heard this medical Kirtisena, who advice from her ter 280) . seat on top of the tree disguised herself as a physician, During the triumphal tour of Sahadeva in the South he cured the of went to the palace and King his troubles. fought against Kiskindha, and after seven days' fighting continued to live in the In her disguise, she palace as the monkeys saw Sahadeva off with a present of costly a friend of the King. Shortly, her husband Devasena, gems. came there and they were happily reunited. The King "Sahadeva fought against the monkey chiefs like gave them costly presents. (Kathasaritsagara, Madana- Mainda, Dvivida etc. for seven days, but neither of manjukalambaka, Taranga 3). them got exhausted, and the monkey chiefs, with of KISKINDHA. An ancient kingdom the monkeys in affection and gratitude asked Sahadeva to depart with South India. This kingdom is mentioned both in the gems." (Sabha Parva, Chapter 31). Ramayana and the Mahabharata. During this period nothing was heard of Sugrlva, During the Ramayana period a monkey King called Hanuman and Jambavan in Kiskindha. Might be Rksaraja was the ruler of Kiskindha. He was childless. Sugrlva was no more. Hanuman, after the death of Sri.