SOMNATIIPUR, a village in Mysore State, celebrated for its temple of Prasanna Chenna Kesava. An inscription at the entre' nee shows that it was completed in 1270 by a prince of the Ballala dynasty. The whole is most elaborately ornamented, and the structure is completed by three simanas or pyramidal towers surmounting the triple shrine. Round the exterior base are portrayed the leading incidents in the Ramayana, Mahabliarata, and 13hagavata, carved in relief in potstone, the termination of each chapter and section being indicated respectively by a closed and half-closed door. The number of separate sculptured images is 74. The workmanship is attributed to Jaekanachari, tho frunons sculptor and architect of the Ballala kings, under whotn Hindu art in Mysore reached its culminating point. There is also at Somnatlipur a large temple to Siva in ruins.—linp. Gaz.
SON. To have a son, a male child, is the great desire of the married Hindu ; and if a son be not born, lie may adopt one. The Sanskrit word 'peening a son is said to mean deliverer from hell, since the son delivers his father from hell (Menu, ix. p. 138). This accounts for the extreme desire
entertained by the Hindus for male offspring. Thus I3hima, like Dasaratha the Ramayatia, and many others, performed the holiest acts for the sake of obtaining a son. The son alone by the offering of the funeral libation (Sradlut) is sup posed to procure rest for the departed spirit of the father. The Hindu law recognised 12 kintls of sons. A son may be born of a wife or adopted. The Dattala putra, or adopted son, properly re /101111CCS all claim to direct inheritance from his natural father and paternal relations, except through any affinity he may have acquired through his adopted father.—IVilliants' Nato, p. 178.
SON or Sugun, in Sind, is a kind of divination by means of the position of birds and beasts, their cry, the direction of their flight, and other such particulars.