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 PRINCETON,  N.  J. 
 
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 -p  o \ i o 
 
 Division  ' 2.0  1 
 
 Section . 
 
 •C^ 
 
 a- 
 
Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
 in  2016 
 
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THE 
 
 MYTHOLOGY  OF  THE  HINDUS, 
 
 WITH 
 
 NOTICES 
 
 VARIOUS  MOUNTAIN  AND  ISLAND  TRIBES, 
 
 INHABITING  THE 
 
 TWO  PENINSULAS  OF  INDIA  AND  THE  NEIGHBOURING  ISLANDS ; 
 
 AND  AN 
 
 APPENDIX, 
 
 COMPRISING  THE 
 
 MINOR  AVATARS,  and  the  MYTHOLOGICAL  and  RELIGIOUS  TERMS,  &c.  &c. 
 
 OF  THE 
 
 HINDUS. 
 
 WITH 
 
 PLATES, 
 
 ILLUSTRATIVE  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  HINDU  DEITIES,  &e. 
 
 By  CHARLES  COLEMAN,  Esq- 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PARBURY,  ALLEN,  AND  CO.,  LEADENHALL  STREET. 
 
 1832. 
 
LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED  BY  J L.  COX  AND  SON,  GREAT  QUEEN  STREET, 
 LI N CO f.N*S-I N N FIELDS. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 In  presenting-  the  following  pages  to  the  Public,  I have  to  acknow- 
 ledge my  obligations  to  the  distinguished  and  intelligent  writers  on 
 oriental  subjects,  from  whose  works  I have  derived  very  extensive 
 and  valuable  assistance  in  the  first  part  of  this  book,  and  have  com- 
 piled the  larger  portion  of  the  second. 
 
 It  has  been  frequently  observed  by  those  who  have  been  acquainted 
 with  India,  that  although  almost  the  whole  of  the  wide  extent  of 
 country  from  the  southern  coasts  of  Ceylon  to  the  snowy  range  of 
 the  Himalaya  mountains,  and  from  the  confines  of  China  to  the  shores 
 of  Guzerat  has,  within  the  last  century,  come  under  the  dominion  of 
 Great  Britain,  there  is  scarcely  a spot  in  the  civilized  world  so 
 incorrectly  known  to  the  British  community  in  general  as  India. 
 Tales  of  romance  have  beguiled  the  ardent  imaginations  of  youth, 
 and  tales  no  less  fictitious  and  delusive  have  misled  the  more  ripened 
 and  sober  judgment  of  manhood : for,  with  the  general  or  local  his- 
 tories of  the  nations  and  tribes  of  Hindustan  ; the  positions  of  the 
 several  states  in  regard  to  each  other ; the  varieties  in  the  people ; 
 or  with  their  religion,  their  customs,  or  their  manners,  even  the 
 well-informed  parts  of  European  society  have  been  almost  as  little 
 
VI 
 
 PREFAC  E. 
 
 acquainted,  as  if  this  important  and  valuable  portion  of  our  empire 
 had  been  placed  within  the  ice-bound  regions  of  the  frozen  ocean.* 
 That  this  has  not  been  caused  by  India  under  our  rule  having 
 possessed  historians  deficient  in  industry  and  research,  or  in  the 
 necessary  qualifications  to  embody,  in  a satisfactory  manner,  the 
 scientific  and  literary  treasures  which  they  may  have  discovered  in 
 
 * Of  the  too  general  correctness  of  the  above  observation,  an  extract  from  the  Asiatic  Journal 
 of  February  1826,  will  afford  a lamentable  proof.  For  the  veracity  of  the  statement  contained  in 
 that  extract  the  author  of  this  work  can  vouch,  as  the  circumstances  mentioned  occurred  under 
 his  immediate  notice ; the  only  difference  from  the  relation  being,  that  the  parties  concerned  were 
 the  captain  and  purser  of  an  India  ship,  who,  from  the  overstock  of  English  goods  in  Calcutta  at 
 the  time,  could  not  dispose  of  their  investments  in  the  customary  wholesale  manner,  and  in  con- 
 sequence opened  a room,  to  do  so  as  they  best  could.  Even  several  years  after,  the  author  being 
 at  a well-known  watering  place,  observed  the  story  reiterated  in  a paper  published  in  the  town, 
 and  on  calling  at  the  proprietor’s,  who  was  a highly  respectable  librarian,  to  point  out  the  folly  of 
 such  credulity,  he  greatly  astonished  the  person  whom  he  saw  by  an  explanation  of  the  facts. 
 
 “ Seven  years  ago,  a dealer  in  dress  dolls  at  Calcutta,  having  received  a consignment  of  these 
 commodities  from  Europe,  advertised  them  at  that  presidency  in  the  following  humorous  strain : — 
 Females  raffled  for : Be  it  known,  that  six  fair  pretty  young  ladies,  with  two  sweet  and  en- 
 gaging children,  lately  imported  from  Europe,  having  the  roses  of  health  blooming  on  their 
 cheeks,  and  joy  sparkling  in  their  eyes,  possessing  amiable  tempers,  and  highly  accomplished, 
 whom  the  most  indifferent  cannot  behold  without  expressions  of  rapture,  are  to  be  raffled  for 
 next  door  to  the  British  Gallery.  Scheme  : twelve  tickets,  at  twelve  rupees  (£1.  10s.)  each  ; the 
 highest  of  the  three  throws,  doubtless,  takes  the  most  fascinating.” 
 
 “ So  much  ignorance  respecting  India,  and  credulity  existed  in  England,  that  this  advertise- 
 ment was  gravely  appealed  to  as  an  evidence  that  a trade  in  women  was  really  permitted  in 
 British  India  (it  is  surprising  that  the  low  price  of  the  ladies  did  not  lead  to  a discovery  of  the 
 joke).  To  carry  the  farce  still  farther,  a work  of  extensive  circulation, f (The  Percy  Anecdotes, 
 part  ix,  Anecdotes  of  Women),  adopted  the  blunder,  and  prefaced  the  terrific  advertisement 
 with  this  extraordinary  statement : — ‘ While  Britons  deplore  the  traffic  in  negroes,  and  have 
 abolished  the  slave  trade,  it  is  a fact  that  there  are  persons  who  actually  import  beautiful  women 
 to  the  British  settlements  in  India,  in  order  to  sell  them  to  the  rich  Nabobs  or  Europeans  who 
 may  give  a good  price  for  them  ; but,  what  is  worse,  they  are  sometimes  played  for  at  a game  of 
 chance.  The  following  advertisement  appeared  in  Grinsby’s  (Greenway’s)  Daily  Advertiser,  of 
 the  3d  September  1818,  a paper  printed  at  Calcutta.’  Then  came  the  dreadful  annunciation, 
 to  which  were  appended  the  following  remarks  : ‘ What  a specimen  of  Calcutta  morals  does  this 
 advertisement  exhibit!  Surely  a more  abominable  outrage  upon  morality  and  virtue  has  never 
 been  heard  of  than  this,  which  is  openly  practised  in  a settlement  under  British  laws  and  British 
 government!’” 
 
 f And  it  might  be  added,  of  generally  valuable  intelligence. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Vll 
 
 their  paths,  the  names  of  Sir  William  Jones,  Sir  J.  Malcolm,  Sir  S. 
 Raffles,  Dr.  Wilkins,  Colonel  Wilks,  Messrs.  Marsden,  Elphinstone, 
 Colebrooke,  and  many  others  of  the  most  distinguished  writers  and 
 oriental  scholars  of  the  age,  will  prove  : but  it  may,  perhaps,  be  justly 
 averred,  that  the  taste  of  society  has  hitherto  travelled  but  slowly  in 
 their  course.  India,  however,  and  her  magnificent  architectural 
 remains,  her  cavern  temples,  her  sculptures,  and  the  productions  of 
 her  poets  and  her  philosophers,  will,  before  many  years  shall  have 
 passed  away,  be  better  and  more  generally  known.  It  will  then  be 
 seen,  that  while  Italy  and  Greece  have  been  traversed  in  search  of 
 their  antiquities,  and  the  deserts  of  Africa  explored  to  discover  the 
 relics  of  Egyptian  art,  the  possessions  of  our  own  country  have  con- 
 tained wonders  not  less  astonishing  than  those  of  Egypt ; sculptures 
 which  have  been  inferior  only  to  those  of  Greece  and  Rome ; and  that 
 the  sages  and  poets  of  India  have  inculcated  moral  precepts,  and 
 displayed  poetic  beauties,  which  no  country  in  the  world,  of  either 
 ancient  or  modern  date,  need  be  ashamed  to  acknowledge. 
 
 Among  the  later  writers  on  India,  there  have  been  some  who, 
 shocked  at  the  obscenities  and  profanations  of  too  considerable  a 
 portion  of  the  modern  Hindus,  have  scarcely  allowed  to  this  people 
 the  possession,  in  any  degree  or  at  any  period,  of  either  morality, 
 literature,  or  science ; while  others  again  have  thrown  around  them 
 a mystic  veil,  and  have  imagined  excellencies  in  them  to  which  they 
 have  not  possessed,  nor  can  possess,  a title.  The  truth,  as  is  com- 
 monly the  case,  will,  perhaps,  be  found  in  the  medium.  If  the 
 Hindus  have  numerous  vices,  they  have  also  many  virtues.  If  their 
 ancient  sculptures  possess  not  the  majesty  and  expression  of  the 
 Grecian  art,  they  can  boast  of  an  almost  unrivalled  richness  and 
 
viii 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 beautiful  minuteness  of  floral  ornaments,  which  claim  and  excite  our 
 warmest  admiration.  If  the  works  of  their  poets,  some  of  which 
 are  exceedingly  beautiful,  be  disfigured  by  monsters,  it  cannot  be 
 denied  that  Homer  and  Virgil  are  subject  to  similar  imputations. 
 “If  the  laws  of  Menu,  Sir  W.  Jones  observes,  abound  with  blemishes 
 which  cannot  be  justified  or  palliated,  a spirit  of  sublime  devotion, 
 of  benevolence  to  mankind,  and  of  amiable  tenderness  to  all  sentient 
 creatures,  nevertheless,  pervades,  adds  that  eminent  scholar  (who  can 
 never  be  read  without  respect,  and  seldom  without  conviction)  the 
 whole  work.  The  style  of  it,  he  continues,  has  a certain  austere 
 majesty,  that  sounds  like  the  language  of  legislation  and  extorts  a 
 respectful  awe.  The  sentiments  of  independence  on  all  beings  but 
 God,  and  the  harsh  admonitions  even  to  kings  are  truly  noble  ; 
 and  the  many  panegyrics  on  the  Gayatri,  the  mother,  as  it  is  called 
 of  the  Veda,  prove  the  author  to  have  adored  (not  the  visible  ma- 
 terial sun,  but)  that  divine  and  incomparably  greater  light  (to  use 
 the  words  of  the  most  venerable  text  in  the  Indian  scriptures)  which 
 illumines  all,  delights  all,  from  which  all  proceed,  to  which  all  must 
 return,  and  which  can  alone  irradiate  (not  our  visual  organs  merely, 
 but  our  souls  and)  our  intellects.”  Their  ancient  language,  the  San- 
 scrit, is  described  as  being  more  perfect  than  the  Greek, — more 
 copious  than  the  Latin, — and  more  exquisitely  refined  than  either. 
 It  has  been  urged  against  them,  by  some  most  respectable  authors, 
 that  their  deities  are  nothing  but  monstrous  personifications  of  vice  ; 
 but  can  it  be  shewn  where  the  gods  of  idolaters  have  been  otherwise  ? 
 If  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  Heathen  pantheon,  we  shall  find  that 
 the  gods  of  Greece,  Italy,  and  India,  were  not  more  analogous  in 
 their  attributes,  than  in  their  abominations.  If  the  Hindus  have 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 IX 
 
 their  Linga  worship,  the  Greeks  had  their  Phalli,  and  the  Egyptians 
 their  Priapus.  If  the  Hindus  have  their  Kali,  the  Greeks  had  their 
 Diana  Taurica,  and  other  nations  their  deities  to  whom  sanguinary 
 sacrifices  were  acceptable.  The  Romans  deified  not  only  the  virtues 
 but  the  vices.  Thus  we  see  that  altars  were  raised  by  them  to  Truth, 
 Justice,  Piety,  Peace,  Calumny,  Fraud,  Impudence,  and  Discord. 
 The  metamorphoses  of  Jupiter  were  for  the  gratification  of  vicious 
 desires : the  avatars  of  the  Indian  Vishnu  were  generally  for  the 
 preservation  of  the  world ; the  relief  of  suffering  humanity ; and 
 to  recall  mankind  back  to  piety  and  virtue.  In  this  respect  our 
 judgment  must  be  in  favour  of  the  Hindus.  Of  the  Hindu  system 
 of  music,  the  excellent  writer  whom  I have  before  mentioned  has 
 expressed  his  belief  that  it  has  been  formed  on  better  principles  than 
 our  own  ; and  that  the  remains  of  their  architecture*  might  furnish 
 the  architects  of  Europe  with  new  ideas  of  beauty  and  sublimity. 
 
 * Magnificent  architectural  remains  abound  in  every  part  of  India.  Some  of  those  splendid 
 works  were  erected  from  devotion,  penitence,  or  as  propitiations  of  the  deities ; others,  from  osten- 
 tation, parental,  conjugal  or  filial  affection,  or  to  the  vanity,  incident  to  orientals  especially,  of 
 thus  perpetuating  their  names.  The  following,  taken  from  the  Transactions  of  the  Bombay 
 Literary  Society,  relate  two  extraordinary  anecdotes  of  the  origin  of  Mussulman  buildings  in  the 
 now  ruined  city  of  Bejapoor : — 
 
 “ The  Maitree  Kujoos  is  a small  but  very  elegant  gateway  and  mosque  about  the  centre  of  the 
 city,  built  by  a Hallalchore.  That  an  individual  so  debased  should  have  the  ability  to  raise  such 
 a work,  is  accounted  for  in  the  following  manner  : Ibrahim  Shah  was  said  to  have  been  afflicted 
 with  a dreadful  malady,  and  having  in  vain  had  recourse  to  medicine  and  human  means,  at  last 
 endeavoured  to  avail  himself  of  planetary  influence.  A crafty  astrologer,  on  being  consulted* 
 resolved  to  profit  from  the  king’s  credulity.  Expounding  the  book  of  fate  to  him,  he  pretended 
 that  his  recovery  depended  on  his  presenting  a large  and  specific  sum  of  money  to  the  first  person 
 he  saw  on  a particular  morning,  of  course  intending  that  person  should  be  himself.  Unfortunately  > 
 however,  for  the  astrologer,  the  king  happened  to  rise  much  earlier  than  usual  that  morning,  and 
 the  first  person  he  saw  was  the  sweeper  (Hallalchore)  in  the  palace-yard  ; to  him,  therefore,  the 
 king  gave  the  money ; and  the  poor  creature,  overloaded  with  unexpected  wealth,  knew  not 
 better  how  to  dispose  of  it  than  in  building  the  Maitree  Kujoos.  From  the  angles  of  the  building 
 hang  massy  stone  chains,  which  must  have  been  cut  out  of  solid  blocks,  as  there  are  no  joinings 
 in  the  links. 
 
 b 
 
 “ The 
 
X 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 To  those  who  may  derive  pleasure  from  dwelling  on  the  deeds  of 
 chivalry  of  the  western  world,  there  need  only  be  related  the  heroic 
 achievements  of  the  royal  races,  the  Suryavans  and  Chandravans 
 of  ancient  India,  with  the  exploits  of  their  high  caste  military  tribes. f 
 In  short,  with  the  Hindus,  as  with  other  once  renowned  states,  we 
 shall  find,  at  different  periods  of  their  history,  the  virtues,  the  wisdom, 
 and  the  glories  of  Augustan  ages,  and  the  vicissitudes,  and  miseries, 
 and  crimes,  which  mark  the  decadence  and  subjugation  of  powerful 
 and  mighty  empires. 
 
 In  respect  of  the  origin  and  antiquity  of  the  Hindu  mythology, 
 numerous  conjectures  have  been  hazarded,  in  which  widely  contrasted 
 
 “ The  Taj  Bowree  is  not  far  from  the  Maitree  Kujoos,  but  nearer  to  the  Mecca  gate.  The 
 Bowree  is  a superb  tank,  or  well,  nearly  one  hundred  yards  square,  and  fifty  feet  deep,  and  is  sur- 
 rounded by  a colonnade  and  gallery.  The  entrance  to  the  Bowree  is  through  a grand  arch,  on 
 either  side  of  which  is  a wing  for  the  accommodation  of  travellers;  the  descent  to  the  water  is 
 by  a considerable  flight  of  steps. 
 
 “ It  was  huilt  by  Mulik  Scindal,  a voluntary  eunuch,  in  Sooltan  Mahomed’s  reign.  The  tradi- 
 tion of  its  origin  is  as  follows: — The  king  having  a taste  for  beautiful  females,  and  Mulik  being 
 his  intimate  friend,  the  king  resolved  to  despatch  him  to  Sungul-deep  for  a Padmee.  Mulik, 
 knowing  what  a dangerous  and  delicate  task  was  enjoined  him,  but  resolved  to  make  every  sa- 
 crifice rather  than  lose  the  king’s  favour,  begged  a month  to  make  the  necessary  preparations. 
 In  the  mean  time  he  deprived  himself  of  his  virility,  sealed  the  attributes  of  it  in  a casket,  which 
 he  lodged  in  the  king’s  treasury,  and  then  set  out  on  his  journey.  In  due  time  he  returned  with 
 the  lady ; but  suspicions  having  been  infused  into  the  king’s  mind  by  Mulik’s  enemies  that  he 
 had  anticipated  the  king  with  his  fair  charge,  Mahomet  Shah,  in  the  usual  style  of  eastern 
 despots,  ordered  his  head  to  be  instantly  struck  oft'. 
 
 “ ‘ O king !’  exclaimed  Mulik,  ‘ order  restitution  of  my  deposit  in  your  treasury  ere  the  fatal 
 blow  is  struck.’  The  casket  was  accordingly  brought,  opened,  and  to  the  king’s  astonished  eyes 
 appeared  the  proofs  of  Mulik’s  imbecility,  and  his  consequent  innocence ! Horror-struck  at  his 
 injustice,  he  commanded  Mulik  to  ask,  and  his  wish  should  be  granted,  even  to  the  sacrifice  of 
 his  kingdom.  Mulik  observed,  as  he  could  not  have  posterity,  he  was  merely  desirous  of  raising 
 some  work  which,  by  its  utility,  might  do  that  which  was  denied  him  in  a natural  way,  namely, 
 hand  down  his  name  to  future  generations.  The  king  supplied  the  money,  and  the  Taj  Bowree 
 perpetuates  Mulik’s  wish.” 
 
 f To  the  reader  who  would  wish  to  become  acquainted  with  the  chivalry  of  the  Hindus,  the 
 author  would  recommend  the  admirable  work  of  Colonel  Tod  on  the  Rajpoot  tribes. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Xl 
 
 hypotheses  have  been  advanced  in  opposition  to  each  other.  By 
 some  it  has  been  urged,  that  India  derived  her  religion  and  her  gods 
 from  Egypt ; by  others  that  Egypt  obtained  hers  from  India  ; and  by 
 a third  party  that  Persia  was  the  immediate  parent  of  both.  The 
 latter  conjecture  will,  perhaps,  appear  to  be  as  well-founded  as  any, 
 as  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  earliest  departure  from  the 
 worship  of  a supreme  and  invisible  god,  took  place  in  Chaldea, 
 where  the  solar  orb*  was  first  deified  and  worshipped ; and  from 
 whence  the  adoration  of  this  gorgeous  symbol  of  the  Majesty  of 
 Heaven  extended  into  Persia.  In  time  the  other  celestial  bodies 
 became  also  symbols  of  divine  attributes,  till  they,  either  from  the 
 restless  disposition  of  man,  or  the  crafty  machinations  of  priests, 
 were  succeeded  by  personified  representations  more  intelligible  to 
 the  general  mass  of  human  nature  in  the  rude  and  earlier  ages  of 
 society.  If,  then,  Persia  became  (as  there  are  grounds  to  believe  she 
 did)  the  country  into  which  the  stream  of  Chaldean  idolatry  next 
 ran,  we  may  readily  imagine  that  it  may  have  there  divided,  and 
 flowed  in  separate  channels,  to  inundate,  at  the  same  period,  the 
 one  the  shores  of  Egypt  and  the  western  world,  and  the  other  the 
 plains  of  ancient  India,  with  the  numerous  countries  still  farther  to 
 the  east. 
 
 But,  from  whatever  source  the  existing  theology  of  the  Hindus  may 
 have  sprung,  we  need  only  here  observe,  that  at  the  present  day,  it 
 
 * The  religion  of  the  Andamaners  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal  (perhaps  one  of  the  wildest  and  most 
 uncivilized  of  any  of  the  yet  known  tribes  of  mankind)  is,  according  to  Colonel  Syms,  the  homage 
 of  nature  to  the  incomprehensible  Ruler  of  the  Universe,  expressed  in  adoration  to  the  sun  as  the 
 primary  and  most  obvious  source  of  good  ; to  the  moon  as  the  secondary  power;  and  to  the  genii 
 of  the  woods,  the  waters,  and  the  mountains,  as  inferior  agents.  In  the  spirit  of  the  storm  they 
 confess  the  influence  of  the  malignant  Being,  whose  wrath  they  deprecate  by  wild  choruses,  which 
 they  chaunt  during  tempests  on  the  beach,  or  on  some  rock  that  overhangs  the  ocean. 
 
 b 2 
 
Xll 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 is  in  practice  the  most  decided  and  extravagant  polytheism  ; that 
 the  objects  of  their  worship  are  almost  exhaustless ; and  that  those 
 objects  are  as  varied  in  their  attributes  as  they  have  been  multiplied 
 in  their  numbers.  In  short,  as  Major  Moor  has,  with  his  usual 
 judgment,  observed,  “ Mythology  is  with  them  all-pervading.  Their 
 history,  science,  literature,  arts,  customs,  conversation,  and  every 
 thing  else,  are  replete  with  mythological  allusion.”  A respectable 
 knowledge  of  their  pantheon  is  consequently  an  almost  indispensable 
 preparatory  acquirement  to  the  study  and  comprehension  of  nearly 
 every  thing  which  relates  to  them.  In  the  following  pages,  it  has 
 been  my  endeavour  to  condense  my  subjects  as  much  as,  consistent 
 with  a clear  explanation  of  them,  I with  propriety  could  : and  from 
 the  limited  extent  of  the  first  part  of  the  work,  which  comprises  the 
 hydra-headed  mythology  of  this  extraordinary  people,  I hope  it 
 may  be  considered  that  I have  not  failed  in  the  attempt. 
 
 The  second  part  of  this  work  will  not,  I also  venture  to  hope,  be 
 found  either  uninteresting  or  unuseful ; as  it  brings  within  a circum- 
 scribed and  convenient  compass  the  widely  scattered  relations  of  the 
 numerous  mountain  and  island  tribes  of  the  two  peninsulas  and 
 the  adjacent  islands  of  India  ; tribes  little  known,  even  to  those 
 otherwise  possessing  a competent  knowledge  of  the  history,  and  man- 
 ners, and  customs  of  the  Hindus  in  general. 
 
 The  plates  in  this  book  have  been  taken,  with  a very  few  exceptions, 
 from  sculptures,  casts,  models,  carvings,  drawings,  &c.  in  my  own 
 possession,  and  have  been  lithographed  (except  six  of  them)  by 
 Clerk,  of  Dean  Street,  Soho. 
 
 A brief  notice  in  this  place  of  the  chronology  of  the  Hindus  may 
 not  be  found  unnecessary,  in  elucidating  some  of  the  observations 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 xm 
 
 which  may  be  met  with  in  the  course  of  the  work.  It  will  be  seen, 
 that  the  extravagant  ideas  of  this  people  are  not  confined  to  their 
 mythology,  but  pervade,  in  a no  less  degree,  their  chronological  and 
 astronomical  calculations.  Their  extraordinary  system  comprises  a 
 calpa  or  grand  period  of  4,320,000,000  years,  which  they  form  as 
 follows.  Four  lesser  yugs,  viz. 
 
 1st,  Satya  yug 
 2d,  Treta  yug 
 3d,  Dwapa  yug 
 4th,  Kali  yug 
 
 Years. 
 
 1,728,000 
 
 1,296,000 
 
 864.000 
 
 432.000 
 
 4,320,000 
 
 which  make  one  divine  age  or  maha  (great)  yug;  71  maha  yugs 
 make  306,720,000  years,  to  which  is  added  a sandhi  (or  the  time 
 when  day  and  night  border  on  each  other,  morning  and  evening 
 twilight),  equal  to  a satya  yug,  1,728,000,  make  a manwantara  of 
 
 368.448.000  years;  fourteen  manwantaras  make  4,318,272,000 
 years ; to  which  must  be  also  added  a sandhi  to  begin  the  calpa, 
 
 1.728.000  years,  make  the  calpa  or  grand  period  of  4,320,000,000 
 of  years ; of  which  amazing  period  it  may  be  satisfactory  to  some 
 prophetical  individuals  to  know,  that  about  half  only  has  yet  ex- 
 pired, the  world  being  now  in  the  kali  yug  of  the  twenty-eighth 
 divine  age  of  the  seventh  manwantara. 
 
 Extraordinary  as  this  jargon  may  appear,  it  is  shewn,  by  Mr.  S. 
 Davis  in  his  Essay  in  the  Asiatic  Researches,  to  be  no  fanciful  fic- 
 tion, but  to  have  been  founded  upon  an  actual  astronomical  calcula- 
 tion, formed  upon  an  hypothesis  which  it  will  be  unnecessary  here 
 
XIV 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 to  enter  into.  I shall,  therefore,  only  farther  observe,  that  the  Hindus 
 calculate  from  the  commencement  of  the  present  Kali  yug,  which  took 
 place  in  the  906th  year  of  the  world.  Their  date,  to  correspond 
 with  the  year  of  our  Lord  1832,  or  that  of  the  world  5839,  will  be 
 about  4933  of  the  Kali  yug. 
 
 The  Hindus  have  various  other  eras : those  most  commonly  cur- 
 rent are,  according  to  an  article  taken  from  the  Calcutta  Govern- 
 ment Gazette,  the  Saka  and  the  Sambat.  “ The  former  is  computed 
 from  the  supposed  birth  of  Salivahana,  King  of  Pratishthana,  in 
 Southern  India.  The  event  is  said  to  have  occurred  in  the  year  of 
 the  Kali  age  3179,  which  makes  it  seventy-eight  years  after  the 
 birth  of  Christ.  The  year  1832  will  consequently  be  1754. 
 
 The  Sambat  year  numbers  the  luna  solar  years  in  the  same  man- 
 ner as  the  Saka  does  the  solar  years.  It  is  computed  from  the  reign 
 of  Vikramaditya,  King  of  Oujein,  which  began  fifty-seven  years 
 before  Christ.  The  present  year,  Sambat,  will  be  about  1888-9- 
 
 The  Jainas  reckon  from  the  disappearance  of  their  last  legis- 
 lator, Verdhamana  Swami,  according  to  some  authorities  663,  and 
 to  others  636  years  before  the  Christian  era.  The  religious  era  of 
 the  Burmans  commences  544  years  prior  to  that  period : they  have, 
 however,  a vulgar  era  also,  which  commences  A.D.  638. 
 
 The  Hejira,  or  Mahomedan  era,  is  counted  from  the  flight  of 
 Mahomed  from  Mecca,  and  is  usually  considered  to  begin  on  Friday, 
 the  16th  July,  A.D.  622:  some  make  it  commence  on  the  preced- 
 ing day. 
 
 The  Hindus  have  various  other  eras,  which  commence  in  different 
 months  of  the  year.  Most  of  these  are  local,  and  a description  of 
 them  will  not  prove  of  any  interest  to  the  reader. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 XV 
 
 Much  inconvenience  has  been  experienced  by  English  readers, 
 from  the  numerous  ways  in  which  the  proper  names  of  the  Hindus 
 have  been  spelt  and  pronounced,  as  Vishnu,  Veeshnu,  Veeshnoo, 
 Vaishnu,  Vishen,  Beeshnoo,  Bishen,  &c. ; Siva,  Seiva,  Siv,  Seiv, 
 Sieb ; Garuda,  Garura,  Gururu,  Goorooroo,  &c.  &c.  Of  these  modes 
 I have  judged  it  better  to  adopt  that  which  has  appeared  to  me  to 
 be  the  most  simple,  and  which,  with  the  following  brief  observa- 
 tions, may  enable  the  reader  to  identify  the  proper  names  in  this 
 work  with  those  which  he  may  find  elsewhere  differently  spelt,  but 
 signifying  the  same  persons  or  things. 
 
 A is  commonly  pronounced  au , and  u as  oo,  as  if  Hindustan  were 
 written  (as  it  sometimes  is),  Hindoostaun,  or  (as  respects  u),  Hindu, 
 Hindoo.  / is  sometimes  pronounced  like  ee,  as  rishis,  reeshees,  but 
 would  not  be  so  in  Hindu.  A and  u are  equally  used  by  different 
 writers ; Agni,  Ugni ; Asuras,  Usuras,  Usooras.  In  like  manner  c 
 and  k are  also  used,  as  in  Crishna,  Creeshna,  Krishna ; Camdenu, 
 Kamdenu ; Cashi,  Kashi,  & c.  &c.  By  the  Hindus  h is  pronounced 
 v : the  city  of  Benares  is  thus  by  them  called  Venares. 
 
 A generally  understood  and  accepted  orthography  might,  in  spite 
 of  many  local  difficulties,  be,  no  doubt,  effected  by  the  several 
 learned  oriental  societies  of  Great  Britain  and  our  Indian  presi- 
 dencies. At  present  no  such  standard  appears  to  be  acknowledged ; 
 consequently  the  intelligent  contributors  to  works,  equally  learned 
 and  valuable,  are  too  frequently  opposed  to  each  other  in  their  se- 
 lections of  the  modes  in  which  their  compositions  are  written. 
 Compiled,  as  a large  portion  of  this  book  has  been,  from  so  many 
 diversified  sources  of  information,  I fear  that,  notwithstanding  all 
 the  watchfulness  and  diligence  which  I have  been  enabled  to  exer- 
 
XVI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 cise  in  altering'  the  spelling  of  names  to  adapt  them  to  one  rule, 
 some  (perhaps  many)  discrepancies,  in  that  respect,  may  have  crept 
 into  my  work,  for  which,  if  such  should  be  found,  I must  intreat 
 the  indulgence  of  the  reader. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PART  FIRST. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 Brahra,  1. — The  Creation,  4*. — Brahma,  5. — Daksha,  Viswakarma,  6. — Nareda,  Brigu,  7. — The 
 Brahmadicas,  Menus,  8. — Rishis,  Suraswati,  9. 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 The  Sect  of  Visnu,  Visnu,  10. — The  First  Avatar , 14. — Second  Ditto,  15. — Third  Ditto,  16. — 
 Fourth  Ditto,  17. — Fifth  Ditto,  18. 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 The  Sixth  Avatar,  20. — Seventh  Ditto,  or  Rama  Chandra,  22. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 Krishna,  or  the  Eighth  Avatar,  34. — Radha,  the  Ninth  and  Tenth  Avatars,  45. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 Kamadeva  or  Camdeo,  46 Bala  Rama,  48.— Juggarnat’h,  49. — Wittoba,  53. — Garuda,  55.— 
 
 Hanuman,  57. — Lakshmi,  60. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 Siva,  Mahadeo,  or  Rudra,  62. — Bhairava,  or  Byru,  73. — Vira  Badra,  Kartikeya,  74. 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 Parvati  or  Suti,  79. — Durga,  83. — Kali,  91. — Chinnu  Mustuka,  94. — Maha  Devi,  95. — Bhavani, 
 96. — Anna  Purna  Devi,  97. — Ganesha  Junani,  Jugud’hatri,  98. — Krishna  Krora,  Kamula 
 Kamini,  99. 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 
 Viraj,  Ardha  Nari,  100. — Heri-Hari,  101. — Narayana,  Prit’hivi,  102. — Ganesha,  103. — Kuvera, 
 Pavana,  111. — Yama,  112. — Agni,  115. 
 
 C 
 
XVU1 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 Gunga,  118. — The  Sactis,  120. — Indra  and  Indrani,  122. — Surya,  127. — Chandra  or  Soma,  131. 
 — Mungula,  132.— Budh,  Brishput  or  Vrihuspati,  133.— Sukra,  Sani,  Rahu,  134..— Ketu, 
 Varuna,  135. 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 O’m,  136. —The  Vedas,  137 — The  Brahmans,  140.— Poita  or  Zennaar,  154. — Temples,  155. 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 
 Srad’ha,  162. — Sectariai  Marks,  163.  — Austerities  and  Punishment,  165.  — Suttees  or  Satis,  166. 
 — Johara,  Linga,  and  Yoni,  174.— Salagrama  and  Binlang  stones,  176. — Infanticide,  177. 
 
 Buddha,  184. 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIII. 
 
 Buddha  of  Nepal  and  Thibet,  213. — Sacrificial  Utensils,  219. — The  Jainas,  220. — The  Shikhs, 
 226. — Choitunya,  240 — The  Sauds,  241. — Nir  Narrain,  244. — The  Datyas,  &c.,  Jalandhara 
 245. — The  Pandus,  248. — Meru,  253. — The  Nagas,  254. — Egyptian  Mythology,  Osiris,  Isis, 
 and  Orus,  255. 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 The  Bheels,  Coolies,  and  Ramoosees,  261. — The  Rajpoots  and  Katties,  275. — The  Maharattas, 
 285. — The  Koombies,  289. — The  Pindaries,  293. — The  Goands,  296. 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 The  Mhairs,  299. — The  Nepalese,  301. — Sirmoris,  304. — Polyandry,  &c.,  305 — The  Rohillas, 
 
 306. — The  Roshaniah  Sect,  308. — The  Dhamians,  310. — The  Bazeegurs,  or  Nuts,  312. 
 
 The  Parsees,  316. — The  Garrows,  318. — The  Kookies,  321. — The  Sintiphos,  The  Kiayns,  326. 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 Japan,  328. — Bugis  and  Macassars,  343. — The  Daya  of  Borneo,  346. — The  Balinese,  348. 
 
 Java,  349. — Sumatra,  the  Bataks  or  Cannibals,  360. — Bedas  of  Ceylon,  368 Cochin  and 
 
 Tonquin  Chinese,  369. —The  Shaman  Religion,  370. 
 
 PART  THIRD. 
 
 Appendix,  from  page  373  to  page  401. 
 
DIRECTIONS  TO  THE  BINDER. 
 
 Durga,  Ganesha,  and  Kartikeya  to  face  the  title- 
 page. 
 
 Plate  20  to  face  . . 
 21  .. 
 
 page 
 
 94 
 
 98 
 
 Plate  2 to  face 
 
 page  1 
 
 22  . . 
 
 111 
 
 3 .. 
 
 5 
 
 23  . . 
 
 122 
 
 4 .. 
 
 ..  11 
 
 24  .. 
 
 128 
 
 5 .. 
 
 ..  13 
 
 25  . . 
 
 132 
 
 6 . . 
 
 . . 15 
 
 26  .. 
 
 134 
 
 7 
 
 ..  16 
 
 27  . . 
 
 155 
 
 8 
 
 . . 18 
 
 28  . . 
 
 165 
 
 9 .. 
 
 . . 22 
 
 29  . . 
 
 202 
 
 10  . . 
 
 . . 26 
 
 30  .. 
 
 204 
 
 11  . . 
 
 ..  33 
 
 31  ..  .. 
 
 206 
 
 12  . . 
 
 ..  34 
 
 32  . . 
 
 219 
 
 13 
 
 ..  49 
 
 33  . . 
 
 220 
 
 14  . . 
 
 . . 62 
 
 34  .. 
 
 225 
 
 15 
 
 ..  64 
 
 35  . . 
 
 227 
 
 16  . . 
 
 . . 72 
 
 36  .. 
 
 255 
 
 17  . . 
 
 ..  78 
 
 37  . . 
 
 338 
 
 18  .. 
 
 ..  84 
 
 38  .. 
 
 340 
 
 19 
 
 . . 91 
 
 39  . . 
 
 369 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Line  3,  page  15,  for  lost  Veda,  read  lotus,  and  for  sword,  read  club. 
 
 29, 16,  for  Varaha,  read  Varahi. 
 
 23, 29,  for  leaches,  read  leeches. 
 
 1, 53,  for  block,  read  black. 
 
 10, 212,  for  carving,  read  sculpture. 
 
 9, 284,  for  peninsular,  read  peninsula. 
 
 In  note, 84,  for  gives,  read  give. 
 
 In  plate  9,  for  5,  read  6. 
 
ft.  2. 
 
 Yi\Aji:xixjiiixlxx:oinxxiuyYxiYY)irTrTT 
 
 ZXXXXlXX. 
 
 Fia.l.  frimurtv:  //<■<“  Zfinctci  Yzzrul. 
 
 Jir^cQ*Lit?uy,  S4J,<ur»*rSfu^. 
 
 JLf 
 
 <3o' 
 
 o 
 
 Fig:  2 Seriaruti  Marks 
 
HINDU  MYTHOLOGY 
 
 PART  FIRST. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 Brahm. — The  Creation. — Brahma. — Daksha. — Viswakarma. — Nareda,— Brigu— The 
 Brahmadicas. — Menus  and  Rishis. — SuraswatL 
 
 BRAHM. 
 
 The  Almighty,  infinite,  eternal,  incomprehensible,  self-existent  being; 
 he  who  sees  every  thing,  though  never  seen ; he  who  is  not  to  be  com- 
 passed by  description,  and  who  is  beyond  the  limits  of  human  conception  ; 
 he  from  whom  the  universal  world  proceeds ; who  is  the  Lord  of  the 
 universe,  and  whose  work  is  the  universe ; he  who  is  the  light  of  all  lights, 
 whose  name  is  too  sacred  to  be  pronounced,  and  whose  power  is  too 
 infinite  to  be  imagined,  is  Beahm!  the  one  unknown,  true  being,  the 
 creator,  the  preserver,  and  destroyer  of  the  universe.  Under  such,  and 
 innumerable  other  definitions,  is  the  Deity  acknowledged  in  the  Veda,  or 
 sacred  writings  of  the  Hindus ; but,  as  has  been  judiciously  observed, 
 “ while  the  learned  Brahmans  thus  acknowledge  and  adore  one  God, 
 without  form  or  quality,  eternal,  unchangeable,  and  occupying  all  space, 
 they  have  carefully  confined  their  doctrines  to  their  own  schools,  and  have 
 taught  in  public  a religion,  in  which,  in  supposed  compliance  with  the 
 infirmities  and  passions  of  human  nature,  the  Deity  has  been  brought  more 
 to  a level  with  our  own  prejudices  and  wants ; and  the  incomprehensible 
 attributes  assigned  to  him,  invested  with  sensible,  and  even  human  forms.’'* 
 
 * Mr.  Erskine. 
 
BRAHM. 
 
 o 
 
 Upon  this  foundation  the  most  discordant  fictions  have  been  erected,  from 
 which  priestcraft  and  superstition  have  woven  a mythology  of  the  most 
 extensive  character.  The  reverend  missionary  Ward  describes  the  Hindus 
 as  possessing  three  hundred  and  thirty  millions  of  gods,  or  forms  under 
 which  they  are  worshipped.  Certain  it  is,  that  the  human  form  in  its  na- 
 tural state,  or  possessing  the  heads  or  limbs  of  various  animals ; the  ele- 
 ments, the  planets,  rivers,  fountains,  stones,  trees,  &c.  &c.  have  been 
 deified,  and  become  objects  of  religious  adoration.  The  Brahmans  allege, 
 “ that  it  is  easier  to  impress  the  minds  of  the  rude  and  ignorant  by  intelli- 
 gible symbols,  than  by  means  which  are  incomprehensible.”  Acting  upon 
 this  principle,  the  supreme  and  omnipotent  God,  whom  the  Hindu  has 
 been  taught  to  consider  as  too  mighty  for  him  to  attempt  to  approach,  or 
 even  to  name,  has  been  lost  sight  of  in  the  multiplicity  of  false  deities, 
 whose  graven  images  have  been  worshipped  in  his  place.  To  these  deities 
 the  many  splendid  temples  of  the  Hindus  have  been  erected,  while, 
 throughout  the  whole  of  Hindustan,  not  one  has  been  devoted  to  Brahm, 
 whom  they  designate  as  the  sole  divine  author  of  the  universe. 
 
 It  has,  it  is  true,  been  asserted,  that  the  Hindus  blend  the  material  and 
 visible  form  with  the  invisible  spirit ; and  that,  in  the  outward  worship  of 
 the  idol  whom  they  dare  to  name,  they  are  mentally  addressing  the 
 Creator  of  the  universe,  whom  they  dare  not.  Whatever  this  may  be  in 
 doctrine,  in  popular  practice  it  appears  to  be  decidedly  incorrect ; or  it 
 must  be  imagined  that  they  have  formed  extraordinary  opinions  of  the  god 
 whom  they  contemplate  as  so  sacred,  if  they  can  entertain  a momentary 
 belief  that  the  external  abominations  at  the  festivals  of  Siva,  Juggarnat'h, 
 Durga,  Kali,  and  others  of  their  idols,  can  at  all  harmonize  with  that  pure 
 and  spiritual  worship,  which  they  are  supposed  (according  to  the  argument 
 in  question),  to  be,  at  the  same  instant,  offering  to  the  supreme  being. 
 Upon  this  subject,  much,  indeed,  has  been  written  ; but  it  may,  I think, 
 be  comprehended  in  a few  words.  The  religion  of  the  Hindu  sage,  as 
 inculcated  by  the  Veda,  is  the  belief  in,  and  worship  of,  one  great  and  only 
 God — omnipotent,  omniscient,  and  omnipresent,  of  whose  attributes  he 
 expresses  his  ideas  in  the  most  awful  terms.  These  attributes  he  conceives 
 
BRAHM. 
 
 3 
 
 are  allegorically  (and  allegorically  only),  represented  by  the  three  per- 
 sonified powers  of  Creation,  Preservation,  and  Destruction ; — Brahma, 
 Vishnu,  and  Siva.  But  this  consistent  monotheism,  this  worship  of  God 
 in  unity,  is  bounded  here  ; as  the  religion  taught  to  the  common  herd  is 
 polytheism,  accompanied  by  the  most  disgusting  of  abominations,  pro- 
 fanations, and  inconsistencies ; for  the  deities  most  honoured,  and  the 
 worship  most  practised,  are  of  the  least  beneficent  character.  Thus  Siva, 
 Durga,  Kali,  Surya,  Mungula,  and  the  baneful  Sani,  are  held  in  far  higher 
 veneration  than  those  deities  whose  attributes  are  of  a more  mild,  but  less 
 imposing  description. 
 
 A compilation  of  a history  of  such  a host  of  deities  would  be  a work  of 
 no  small  difficulty,  were  we  not  enabled  to  trace  most  of  these  inferior 
 objects  of  worship,  either  as  incarnations  or  in  some  other  shape,  back  to 
 the  superior  gods  of  this  hydra-headed  mythology.* 
 
 Mr.  Colebrooke  has  observed,  in  a note  to  his  admirable  essay  on  the 
 religious  ceremonies  of  the  Hindus,  that  five  sects  exclusively  worship  a 
 single  deity ; and  that  one  sect  recognises  the  five  divinities  which  are 
 adored  by  the  other  sects  respectively.  These  five  sects  are  the  Saivas, 
 who  worship  Siva  ; the  Vishnaivas,  who  worship  Vishnu  ; Saurias,  Surya, 
 or  the  Sun;  the  Ganapatyas,  who  adore  Ganesha;  and  the  Sactis,  who 
 worship  Bhavani,  or  Parvati : the  last  sect  is  the  Bhagavatis.  These 
 deities  have  their  different  avatars  or  incarnations,  in  all  of  which,  except 
 that  of  the  Sactis  themselves,  they  have  their  sactis  (wives),  or  energies  of 
 their  attributes.  These  have  again  ramified  into  the  numerous  names  and 
 forms  which  will  be  described  in  the  following  pages. 
 
 * To  enable  the  reader  to  form  a proper  idea  of  the  power  assumed  by  the  Hindus  to  belong 
 to  their  respective  deities,  I need  only  quote  the  following  from  the  Kurma  Puran,  from  the  work 
 of  Colonel  Vans  Kennedy.  Siva  (as  Ishwara)  says,  “ though  I am  the  sole  self-existent  God, 
 incorporeal  and  immutable,  still  do  I assume  various  forms.  Amongst  the  skilled  in  divine 
 knowledge,  I am  Brahma;  amongst  those  exempt  from  Maya,  I am  that  ancient  god  Hari ; 
 amongst  Yogis,  Shambha ; amongst  females,  the  mountain-born  goddess;  amongst  the  Adityas, 
 Vishnu  ; amongst  the  Vasdevas,  Vani ; amongst  the  Rudras,  Shankara ; amongst  birds,  Garuda  ; 
 amongst  elephants,  Airavati ; amongst  warriors,  Rama ; amongst  the  Rishis,  Vasisht ; amongst 
 the  gods,  Indra  ; amongst  artificers,  Viswakurma  ; amongst  mountains,  Meru  ; amongst  serpents, 
 Sesha  ; amongst  animals,  the  lion,”  &c. 
 
 B 2 
 
4 
 
 THE  CREATION. 
 
 THE  CREATION. 
 
 “ Spirit  of  spirits,  who  through  every  part 
 Of  space  expanded,  and  of  endless  time, 
 
 Beyond  the  stretch  of  labouring  thought  sublime, 
 
 Bade  uproar  into  beauteous  order  start.1’ 
 
 Sir  William  Jones. 
 
 Brahm,  the  supreme  being,  created  the  world;  but  it  has  not  been  agreed 
 upon  by  the  Hindu  mythologists,  in  what  manner  that  important  event  took 
 place.  Some  imagine  that  he  first  formed  the  goddess  Bhavani,  or  nature; 
 who  brought  forth  three  sons,  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva,  whom,  having 
 converted  herself  into  three  females,  she  married.  The  first  (or  Brahma) 
 was  called  the  creator  ; the  second  (Vishnu)  the  preserver ; the  third  (Siva) 
 the  destroyer.  To  these  the  future  arrangement  and  government  of  the 
 world  were  entrusted. 
 
 Others  believe,  that  the  elements  of  the  world  were  enclosed  in  an 
 immense  shell,  called  the  mundane  egg,  which  burst  into  fourteen  equal 
 parts,  and  formed  the  seven  superior  and  seven  inferior  worlds.  God  then 
 appeared  on  the  mountain  Meru,  and  assigned  the  duties  of  continuing  the 
 creation  to  Brahma;  of  preserving  it  to  Vishnu ; and  of  again  annihilating 
 it  to  Siva. 
 
 Others  again  assert,  that  as  Vishnu  (the  preserving  spirit  of  God)  was 
 sleeping  on  the  serpent  Ananta,  or  eternity,  on  the  face  of  the  waters, 
 after  the  annihilation  of  a former  world,  a lotus  sprung  from  his  navel,  from 
 which  issued  Brahma ; who  produced  the  elements,  formed  the  present 
 world,  and  gave  birth  to  the  god  Rudra  (or  Siva)  the  destroyer.  He  then 
 produced  the  human  race.  From  his  head  he  formed  the  Brahmans  or  priests ; 
 from  his  arms,  the  Khetries  or  warriors ; from  his  thighs,  the  Vaisyas  or 
 merchants  ; and  from  his  feet,  the  Sudras  or  husbandmen. 
 
 It  will  thus  be  seen,  that  under  either  of  these  systems,  on  which  the 
 creation  of  the  world  has  been  fabled  to  have  been  founded,  the  three  great 
 operations  of  nature,  to  produce,  to  preserve,  and  to  destroy,  have  been 
 
* 
 
 % 
 
 M 
 
 ' 
 
n.3. 
 
 -Z  — 2 /j  raJizruz  . Fig.  3.  J){z&s/u&  . Fiff.  / J*U7'USU/6zZl  . Iz^iz/ctA/zzmizz  . -/"Yc/.  0.  JVcirez&t  . 
 
 J-'ror?/  t31f<>defo,  Dzvfu^zt^s  &<:. 
 
 PezM/ jh&z  67/  Ptulury-Atl&is&C?  LemZ&sc . 1&3Z . 
 
THE  CREATION— BRAHMA. 
 
 assigned  to  this  extraordinary  Hindu  triad  or  trinity,  Brahma,  Vishnu, 
 and  Siva.  But  as  to  destroy  is,  according  to  her  regular  order,  to  re- 
 produce under  another  form,  Siva,  the  destroyer,  is  also  seen  as  the 
 god  of  reproduction  or  creation ; and  the  creating  power  of  Brahma  is 
 supposed  to  be  dormant,  till  it  shall  be  again  required  to  be  exerted  in  the 
 formation  of  a future  world,  on  the  total  annihilation  of  the  present  one, 
 which  is  expected  in  the  kalki  avatar,  or  tenth  incarnation  of  Vishnu. 
 For  this  reason  Brahma  is  not  now  much  regarded  ; his  temples  have  been 
 overturned,  and  the  worship  of  him  suppressed  by  the  followers  of  Vishnu 
 and  Siva. 
 
 I shall  now  proceed  to  describe  the  deities  of  the  Hindu  Mythology  under 
 their  separate  heads,  commencing  with  Brahma,  of  whom,  for  the  reason 
 just  mentioned,  a very  succinct  account  will  be  sufficient. 
 
 BRAHMA. 
 
 This  deity,  the  least  important,  at  the  present  day,  of  the  Hindu  Triad, 
 is  termed  the  creator,  or  the  grandfather  of  gods  and  men.  Under  this 
 denomination  he  has  been  imagined  to  correspond  with  the  Saturn  of  the 
 Greeks  and  Latins. 
 
 Brahma  is  usually  represented  as  a red  or  golden-coloured  figure,  with 
 four  heads.  He  is  said  (by  the  Saivas)  to  have  once  possessed  five  ; but, 
 as  he  would  not  acknowledge  the  superiority  of  Siva,  as  Vishnu  had  done, 
 that  deity  cut  off  one  of  them.  He  has  also  four  arms,  in  one  of  which  he 
 holds  a spoon,  in  another  a string  of  beads,  in  the  third  a water-jug  (articles 
 used  in  worship),  and  in  the  fourth  the  Veda,  or  sacred  writings  of  the 
 Hindus.  (See  fig.  1 and  2,  plate  3.)  He  is  frequently  attended  by  his 
 vahan  or  vehicle,  the  hanasa  or  goose,  or  (as  some  allege)  a swan. 
 
 The  temples  of  this  deity  in  Hindustan  have  been  overturned  by  the 
 followers  of  Vishnu  and  Siva ; and  he  is  now  but  little  regarded,  and  very 
 seldom,  if  at  all,  worshipped,  except  in  the  worship  of  other  deities.  Like 
 the  other  gods,  he  has  many  names. 
 
 Brahma  had  few  avatars  or  incarnations  on  earth : Daksha  (see  fig.  3, 
 
6 
 
 DAKSHA— VISWAKARMA. 
 
 plate  3,)  is  the  principal  of  them  ; Viswakarma,  Nareda  (see  fig.  5 and  6 in 
 the  same  plate),  and  Brigu,  are  his  sons.  The  Brahmadicas,  Menus,  and 
 Rishis,  are  also  called  the  descendants  of  Brahma.  His  heaven  is  described 
 as  excelling  all  others  in  magnificence,  and  containing  the  united  glories  of 
 all  the  heavens  of  the  other  deities. 
 
 DAKSHA. 
 
 Daksha  was  an  avatar  or  appearance  of  Brahma  upon  earth  in  a human 
 shape.  He  was  the  father  of  Suti,  the  consort  of  Siva ; whose  son,  Vira 
 Badra  (produced  from  the  jatta  or  locks  of  Siva),  cut  off  his  head  for 
 treating  his  father  with  indignity,  and  causing  the  death  of  Suti.  (See 
 Parvati.)  On  the  intercession  of  the  gods,  Daksha  was  restored  to  life ; 
 but  his  head  having  during  the  battle  fallen  into  the  fire,  and  been  burnt, 
 it  was  replaced  by  that  of  a he-goat,  in  which  form  he  is  seen.  (See  fig.  3, 
 plate  3.) 
 
 VISWAKARMA, 
 
 The  architect  of  the  universe,  and  the  fabricator  of  arms  to  the  gods,  is 
 the  son  of  Brahma,  and  the  Vulcan  of  the  Hindus.  He  is  also  called  the 
 Sootar,  or  carpenter,  and  presides  over  the  arts,  manufactures,  &c.  In 
 paintings,  he  is  represented  as  a white  man  with  three  eyes,  holding  a club 
 in  his  right  hand.  Some  of  the  most  grand  and  beautiful  of  the  cavern 
 temples  at  Ellora,  Nasak,  &c.  bear  the  name  of  this  god.  One,  at  the  first- 
 mentioned  place,  is  hewn  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  in  depth,  out  of  the 
 solid  rock,  presenting  the  appearance  of  a magnificent  vaulted  chapel, 
 supported  by  ranges  of  octangular  columns,  and  adorned  by  sculptures  of 
 beautiful  and  perfect  workmanship.  In  the  sculptured  representations  of 
 this  deity  he  is  shewn  in  a sitting  posture,  with  his  legs  perpendicular,  and 
 holding  with  the  fingers  of  one  hand  the  fore-finger  of  the  other.  (See  fig.  5, 
 plate  3,  wherein  he  appears,  with  the  exception  of  the  arch  and  attendants, 
 as  he  is  seen  in  his  temple  at  Ellora.) 
 
N A R E D A— B R I G U. 
 
 7 
 
 NAREDA 
 
 Is  also  a son  of  Brahma  and  Suraswati,  the  messenger  of  the  gods,  and 
 the  inventor  of  the  vina,  or  Hindu  lute.  He  was  not  only  a wise  legislator, 
 an  astronomer,  and  a musician,  but  a distinguished  warrior.  His  name  will 
 be  found  frequently  and  respectably  mentioned  in  Hindu  mythology. 
 Major  Moor  relates  some  humorous  jokes  practised  upon  him  by  Krishna, 
 perfectly  in  accordance  with  the  sportive  character  of  that  deity.  Being 
 once  on  a visit  to  him,  Nareda  having  no  wife  or  substitute,  asked  Krishna 
 lor  the  loan  of  one  of  his  sixteen  thousand.  The  god  told  him  to  pick  and 
 choose.  He  endeavoured  to  do  so  sixteen  thousand  times,  but  in  every 
 place  he  entered  he  found  the  multiplied  image  of  the  god  in  the  very  spot 
 that  he  wished  to  occupy.  On  a different  occasion,  being  proud  of  his  skill 
 in  playing  on  his  own  invented  instrument,  the  vina,  Krishna  placed 
 another  instrument  of  the  same  kind  in  the  hands  of  a bear,  having  with 
 him  a brother  bruin  beating  the  cymbals.  In  plate  3,  fig.  6,  Nareda  is 
 represented,  from  a compartment  in  the  temple  of  Rama,  bearing  a vina 
 in  his  hand,  engaging  the  attention  of  a stork  : with  which  story  I am 
 unacquainted. 
 
 BRIGU 
 
 Is  another  son  of  Brahma,  of  whom  I have  no  representation.  His  name 
 is  frequently  found  in  Hindu  mythology.  It  is  related  of  him,  that  on  being 
 once  asked,  in  an  assembly  of  the  gods,  which  was  the  greatest,  Brahma, 
 Vishnu,  or  Siva,  he  undertook  the  task  of  ascertaining  the  point  by  a some- 
 what hazardous  experiment.  He  first  proceeded  to  Brahma,  whom  he 
 purposely  neglected  to  treat  with  his  customary  respect  and  decorum  ; 
 which  unusual  proceeding  drew  upon  him  the  indignation  and  lavish  abuse 
 of  that  deity.  He  then  repaired  to  Siva,  to  whom  he  behaved  in  a still 
 more  offensive  manner ; which  roused  in  a much  greater  degree  the  anger 
 of  that  impatient  and  vindictive  personage.  Brigu,  however,  on  both  of 
 these  occasions,  by  timely  apologies,  made  his  peace  and  retired.  He  finally 
 
8 
 
 BRIGU— THE  BRAHMADICAS. 
 
 proceeded  to  the  heaven  of  Vishnu,  whom  he  found  asleep,  with  Lakshmi 
 sitting  by  him.  Knowing  the  mild  temper  of  the  god,  he  judged  that  a 
 mere  appearance  of  disrespect  would  not,  as  in  the  two  former  cases,  be 
 sufficient  to  try  it : he  therefore  approached  the  sleeping  deity,  and  gave 
 him  a severe  kick  on  the  breast.  On  this,  Vishnu  awoke ; and  instead  of 
 being  indignant,  as  Brahma  and  Siva  had  been,  he  not  only  expressed  his 
 apprehensions  and  regret  lest  he  should  have  hurt  his  foot,  but  benevolently 
 proceeded  to  chafe  it.  Brigu,  on  witnessing  this,  exclaimed,  “ This  god 
 must  be  the  mightiest,  since  he  overpowers  all  by  goodness  and  gene- 
 rosity.” 
 
 A similar  exploit  to  another  incident  which  is  related  of  Brigu,  would 
 prove  as  inconvenient  as  extraordinary,  were  it  to  be  exerted  in  the 
 present  state  of  mundane  population.  It  is  told  of  him,  that  the  wife  of 
 King  Suguru  proving  barren,  applied  to  him  to  remove  the  evil ; than  which 
 no  greater  can  be  apprehended  by  a Hindu  female.  Brigu  promised  that, 
 on  the  performance  of  certain  ceremonies,  her  wishes  should  be  accom- 
 plished. The  required  measures  were  immediately  adopted  by  the  anxious 
 queen,  who  was  accordingly,  by  the  aid  of  Brigu,  enabled  to  produce  at 
 one  birth,  the  moderate  progeny  of  sixty  thousand  sons.  Whether  she 
 continued  to  be  equally  prolific,  Hindu  mythology  does  not  state. 
 
 THE  BRAHMADICAS, 
 
 Called  the  sons  of  Brahma,  are  named  Marichi,  Atri,  Vasishta,  Palastya, 
 Angiras,  Pulastia,  and  Critu.  Colonel  Wilford,  in  the  Asiatic  Researches, 
 has  considered  the  Brahmadicas,  the  Menus,  and  the  Rishis,  to  be  seven 
 individuals  only.  The  names  of  some  of  the  Brahmadicas  correspond  with 
 those  of  some  of  the  Rishis. 
 
 THE  MENUS 
 
 Are  seven  : Swayambhuva  (who  by  some  is  termed  an  incarnation  of 
 Brahma),  Swarochesa,  Uttoma,  Tamasa,  Raivata,  Chaishusha,  and  Saty- 
 
ltlSHIS — SURASWATI. 
 
 9 
 
 avrata.  Sir  William  Jones  has  considered  Swayambhuva  to  have  been 
 Adam  ; and  Satyavrata,  Noah. 
 
 THE  RISHIS 
 
 Were  the  children  of  the  Menus,  the  offspring  of  the  Brahmadicas,  who 
 were  the  sons  of  Brahma.  They  are  seven  in  number,  and  are  named 
 Kasyapa,  Atri,  Vasishta,  Viswamitra,  Gautama,  Jamadagni,  and  Bharad- 
 waja.  They  are  astronomically  the  husbands  of  the  six  Pleiades.  How 
 six  and  seven  can  accord,  it  may  be  difficult  to  understand.  Mythologi- 
 cally, they  were  seven  sages,  who  obtained  beatitude  by  their  virtue  and 
 piety. 
 
 SURASWATI, 
 
 The  goddess  of  learning,  music,  and  poetry,  is  the  wife  of  Brahma. 
 The  reverend  missionary  Ward,  in  his  work  on  the  history,  & c.  of  the 
 Hindus,  has  described  her  as  the  daughter  of  Brahma,  and  one  of  the  wives 
 of  Vishnu ; but  all  the  other  authorities  which  I have  consulted  represent 
 her  as  I have  described.  She  is  also  called  Brahmi,  or  Brahmini,  the 
 goddess  of  the  sciences ; and  Bharadi,  the  goddess  of  history.  She  is 
 sometimes  seen  as  a white  woman  standing  on  a lotus,  or  water-lily, 
 holding  a lute  (or  vina)  in  her  hand,  to  shew  that  she  is  also  the  goddess  of 
 music  ; at  others,  riding  on  a peacock,  with  the  same  emblem  in  her  hand. 
 (See  fig.  4,  plate  3.)  Although  the  worship  of  Brahma  has  fallen  into 
 disuse,  the  annual  festival  of  Suraswati,  in  the  month  Maghu,  is  highly 
 honoured.  On  that  day  she  is  worshipped  with  offerings  of  perfumes, 
 flowers,  and  rice ; and  the  Hindus  abstain  from  either  reading  or  writing, 
 as  they  ascribe  the  power  of  doing  both  to  be  derived  from  this  goddess. 
 Offerings  are  also  made  to  her  in  expiation  of  the  sin  of  lying,  or  of  having- 
 given  false  evidence.  If  these  offerings  have,  as  is  alleged,  a successful 
 effect,  it  may  be  imagined  that  they  are  not  infrequently  made,  as  the  sin 
 is  one  to  which  the  Hindus  are  infinitely  too  prone. 
 
 Bartolomeo  describes  Suraswati  as  presiding  over  gold  and  silver,  trees, 
 
 c 
 
10 
 
 SUR  ASWATI. 
 
 fruit,  rice-fields,  plants,  and  cattle ; and  as  sitting  on  the  lotus,  suckling  a 
 child  at  her  breast,  and  pouring  from  a bag  the  productions  of  the  earth. 
 This  description  will,  I imagine,  better  apply  to  Sri,  or  Lakshmi,  the  Ceres 
 of  the  Hindus.  Suraswati  has  been  compared  to  the  unarmed  Minerva,  or 
 goddess  of  wisdom,  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans.* 
 
 * I will  take  this  opportunity  of  noticing,  that,  in  the  Pantheum  Mythicum  of  Pomey  (now  in 
 my  possession),  which  formerly  belonged  to  the  late  Sir  William  Jones,  and  is  referred  to  by  him 
 in  his  dissertation  on  the  gods  of  Greece,  Italy,  and  India,  he  has,  in  various  marginal  and  other 
 notes,  compared  the  deities  of  these  several  mythologies  as  follow  : — 
 
 Siva 
 
 j-  Jupiter. 
 
 Rama 
 
 Indra  
 
 Bala  Rama . . . 
 
 r Ditto,  as  l 
 
 Brahma 
 
 , . Saturnus. 
 
 I the  use 
 
 Yama 
 
 . . Minos. 
 
 Skanda  
 
 Varuna 
 
 . Neptunus. 
 
 Durga 
 
 Surya 
 
 . Sol. 
 
 Suraswati. . . . 
 
 Chandra 
 
 , . Lunus. 
 
 Remb’ha  .... 
 
 Vayu 
 
 . .®olus. 
 
 Ushasa 
 
 Viswakarma . . 
 
 . . Vulcan. 
 
 Swaha 
 
 Aswinicamara . 
 
 . Castor  and  Pollux. 
 
 Prit’hivi 
 
 Ganesha 
 
 . . Janus. 
 
 Sri 
 
 Pavana Pan. 
 
 Viraja,orVaitarini,The  River  Styx. 
 
 Gopyah  
 
 Vidyah  
 
 j-  Musae. 
 
 Kuvera 
 
 . . PllltUS. 
 
 Atavi  Devi  . . 
 
 . . Diana 
 
 Krishna 
 
 . . Apollo. 
 
 Aswiculapa  . . 
 
 . . Genii. 
 
 Nareda  
 
 . . Mercurius. 
 
 Heracula  . . , . 
 
FI.+. 
 
 ' trier c&tZ  itkou . 
 
 'Fig.]—  Z.  V/.rJtnu-  . Fig.o.  Vishnu  and  LaAs Amt v.  Fiy.  ■£_<£  Cranxe&t.  Fear. 6? XaAshrni-. 
 
 Front  IneinF  ScuZgtfures , ias/.t,  Hie. 
 
 f'uS&sh&J  J<2s6ii7y ^l?/£7LjF C#  £(T7ie£<77L  .2332. 
 
C 11  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 The  Sect  of  Vishnu. — Vishnu. — The  first,  second,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  Avatars. 
 
 The  SECT  of  VISHNU. 
 
 I have,  in  a former  page,  stated,  that  the  Hindus  of  the  Brahminical 
 religion  are  divided  into  six  great  religious  sects,  viz.  the  Vishnaivas, 
 Saivas,  Saurias,  Ganapatyas,  Sactis,  and  the  Bhagavatis ; and  as  the 
 deities  worshipped  by  these  six  sects  may  be  given,  with  greater  clearness 
 as  well  as  conciseness,  under  the  heads  of  the  sects  to  which  they  belong, 
 I have  adopted  that  plan,  as  far  as  I conveniently  could,  in  preference  to 
 describing  them  according  to  the  rank  which  they  respectively  occupy  in 
 the  Hindu  mythology. 
 
 VISHNU 
 
 Is  the  second-named  of  the  Trimerti  or  Hindu  Triad,  and  the  preserving 
 spirit  of  the  supreme  deity — Brahm.  This  god  is  represented  of  a black 
 or  blue  colour,  with  four  arms  ; in  which  he  holds  a club,  to  shew  that  he 
 punishes  the  wicked ; the  chank,  or  wreathed  shell,  blown  on  days  of 
 rejoicing,  and  at  a period  of  worship  ; the  chukra  or  discus,  the  emblem  of 
 his  universal  domination ; and  the  lotus,  or  water-lily,  the  type  of  his 
 creative  power.  He  is  variously  described  : sometimes  seated  on  a throne 
 of  the  sacred  lotus,  with  his  favourite  wife,  Lakshmi,  in  his  arms ; or 
 standing  on  a lotus  pedestal  between  his  two  wives,  Lakshmi  and  Satya- 
 vama  (fig.  1 , plate  4)  ; at  others  reclining  on  a leaf  of  that  flower,  or  on 
 the  serpent  Ananta,  or  eternity,  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  primeval 
 waters  (fig.  1,  plate  5)  ; or  riding  on  Garuda  (his  celestial  vahan  or  vehicle\ 
 which  is  represented  as  a youth  with  the  wings  and  beak  of  a bird  (fig.  5, 
 plate  4). 
 
 c 2 
 
12 
 
 VISHNU. 
 
 As  each  of  the  deities  of  the  Triad  is  occasionally  seen  possessing  the 
 attributes  of  the  others,  Vishnu  is  found  sometimes  as  the  Creator,  and  at 
 others,  as  the  god  of  Destruction,  as  well  as  the  Preserver.  In  one  of  the 
 hypotheses  respecting  the  creation  of  the  world,  he  appears  in  his  creative 
 attribute,  giving  birth  to  Brahma,  who  is  springing  from  his  navel  to 
 execute  his  high  behests,  in  producing  the  elements,  and  forming  the 
 system  of  the  world  (fig.  1,  plate  5).  In  his  tenth  incarnation,  or  the 
 kalki  avatar  (which  is  yet  to  come),  it  is  fabled  that  he  will  appear  at  the 
 end  of  the  kali  yug  as  an  armed  warrior,  mounted  on  a white  horse,  fur- 
 nished with  wings  and  adorned  with  jewels ; waving  over  his  head,  with 
 one  hand,  the  sword  of  destruction,  and  holding  in  the  other  a discus,  or, 
 as  Mr.  Maurice  has  imagined,  a ring,  or  emblem  of  the  perpetually 
 revolving  cycles  of  time.  The  horse  is  represented  holding  up  the  right 
 fore-leg ; and  the  Brahmans  say,  that  when  he  stamps  on  the  earth  with 
 that,  the  present  period  will  close,  and  the  dissolution  of  nature  take 
 place.* 
 
 Mr.  Holwell,  in  his  historical  events,  has  described  the  world  as  resting 
 on  the  head  of  a serpent,  which  is  supported  on  the  back  of  a tortoise. 
 Another  writer  has  farther  explained  this,  by  informing  us,  that  “the  sins 
 of  the  sages  increasing,  the  Kalki  will  set  down  his  right  foot  to  punish  their 
 sins,  and  therewith  press  the  earth  so  hard,  that  the  serpent  Seesha  shall 
 not  be  able  to  bear  it ; and  the  tortoise,  feeling  the  unusual  burthen,  shall 
 fall  into  the  deep,  and  so  rid  himself  of  his  load  ; and  by  that  means,  all 
 the  wicked  inhabitants  of  the  world  will  be  destroyed.” 
 
 No  sanguinary  sacrifices  are  offered  to  Vishnu.  He  is  considered  as  a 
 household  god,  and  is  extensively  worshipped.  His  wives  are  Lakshmi,  the 
 goddess  of  fortune  and  beauty  (fig.  6,  plate  4),  and  Satyavama. 
 
 The  heaven  of  Vishnu  is  thus  described  by  Mr.  Ward,  from  the  Maha- 
 bharata:  “ This  heaven,  called  Vaikunt'ha,  is  entirely  of  gold,  and  is  eighty 
 thousand  miles  in  circumference.  All  its  edifices  are  composed  of  jewels. 
 The  pillars  of  this  heaven,  and  all  the  ornaments  of  the  buildings,  are  of 
 
 * Fig.  3,  plate  13,  is  a representation  of  this  avatar , from  a compartment  in  the  temple  of 
 Rama,  which  differs  in  some  points  from  the  description  just  given. 
 
n.J. 
 
 Fly  .7  J if  fa  repofiny  <m/ gfa,  Serpent  -inanta,  and  con  tempiaiiny  £fa  creation-  of  the  world. 
 ■ *-  {-'  Ff/'St/  07~  Jl/cz£sycUW/iZ7ZZ  _ Fty.  *3-  Fu.rTttnc’gzftZ/'OL  . 
 
 From  at  (Pomf?a,r£men£  zzz  fFc  Ftimfpfe  oFTtar/zcc  _ rtrtrf  of  Aft  jD  rauoszsirfS . 
 
 P&tflis/ied 6y  fez*-6ury,Fflen£:'G?.  Zatiefon,  J83Z. 
 
VISHNU. 
 
 13 
 
 precious  stones.  The  crystal  waters  of  the  Ganges  fall  from  the  higher 
 heavens  on  the  head  of  Druvu,  and  from  thence  into  the  bunches  of  hair 
 on  the  heads  of  seven  Rishis  in  this  heaven ; and  from  thence  they  fall 
 and  form  a river,  Vaikunt’ha.  Here  are  also  fine  pools  of  water,  containing 
 blue,  red,  and  white  water-lilies,  the  flowers  of  some  of  which  contain  one 
 hundred  petals,  and  others  a thousand ; gardens  of  nymphseas,  &c.  &c. 
 On  a seat,  as  glorious  as  the  meridian  sun,  sitting  on  water-lilies,  is 
 Vishnu;  and  on  his  right  hand  the  goddess  Lakshmi.  From  the  body  of 
 Lakshmi  the  fragrance  of  the  lotus  extends  eight  hundred  miles.  This  god- 
 dess shines  like  a continued  blaze  of  lightning.  The  D^varshis  and  Rajarshis 
 constantly  celebrate  the  praise  of  Vishnu  and  Lakshmi,  and  meditate  on 
 their  divine  forms.  The  Bramharshis  chaunt  the  Veda.  The  glorified 
 Vishnaivas  approach  Vishnu,  and  constantly  serve  him.  The  gods  are  also 
 frequently  employed  in  celebrating  the  praises  of  Vishnu.” 
 
 Vishnu  had  a thousand  names ; and  many  avatars  or  incarnations  are 
 ascribed  to  him,  in  which  he  is  represented  in  various  forms,  to  save  the 
 world  ; to  restore  the  lost  Veda,  or  sacred  writings  ; to  destroy  the  giants  ; 
 and  to  punish  the  wicked.  Ten  of  these  avatars  compose  a large  portion 
 of  the  Hindu  mythology.  Nine  of  them  are  already  past,  but  the  tenth  is 
 yet  to  come,  in  which  the  dissolution  of  the  world  will  take  place.  An 
 avatar  is  a descent  of  the  Deity,  in  some  manifest  shape,  upon  earth.  Thus 
 in  the  first  avatar,  Vishnu  appeared  as  a fish ; in  the  second,  as  a tortoise  ; 
 in  the  third,  as  a boar;  in  the  fourth,  in  the  compound  character  of  a man- 
 lion,  and  in  the  others  in  human  forms.  It  is  to  be  observed,  that  the 
 Varaha  avatar,  commonly  described  as  the  third,  is  placed  as  the  second 
 and  most  important  avatar  in  some  of  the  Puranas,  which  appear  to  have 
 multiplied,  and  carried  back  to  an  earlier  period,  the  incarnations  of 
 Vishnu  : the  first  and  second  being  in  them  made  the  tenth  and  eleventh 
 avatars.  The  principal  incarnations  of  this  Deity  are,  however,  usually 
 known  as  they  will  be  found  described  in  the  following  pages. 
 
14 
 
 MATSYA  AVATAR. 
 
 FIRST  or  MATSYA  AVATAR. 
 
 In  this  avatar  Vishnu  is  fabled  to  have  assumed  the  form  of  a fish,  to  re- 
 store the  lost  Veda,  which  had  been  stolen  from  Brahma,  in  his  sleep,  by  the 
 demon  Hayagriva.  This  and  the  two  following  avatars  seem  to  refer  to  the 
 universal  deluge ; and  the  present  would  appear  as  the  announcement  of 
 it  to  a pious  king,  Satyavrata ; who,  by  some,  has  been  considered  to  have 
 been  Noah  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Hindu  allegory  has  woven  the  legend 
 into  a sort  of  fairy  tale,  making  Vishnu  appear  first  in  the  shape  of  a minute 
 fish  to  the  devout  monarch  to  try  his  piety  and  benevolence  ; then  gradually 
 expanding  himself,  he  became  one  of  an  immense  magnitude.  He  subse- 
 quently disclosed  himself,  and  finally  announced  the  flood,  which,  in  con- 
 sequence of  the  depravity  of  the  world,  was  about  to  overwhelm  the  earth 
 with  destruction.  “ In  seven  days  from  the  present  time  the  three  worlds 
 will  be  plunged  in  an  ocean  of  death  ; but  in  the  midst  of  the  destroying 
 waves  a large  vessel,  sent  by  me  for  thy  use,  shall  stand  before  thee.  Then 
 shalt  thou  take  all  medicinal  herbs,  all  the  variety  of  seeds,  and  accom- 
 panied by  seven  saints,  encircled  by  pairs  of  all  brute  animals,  thou  shalt 
 enter  the  spacious  ark,  and  continue  in  it  secure  from  the  flood  on  an  im- 
 mense ocean,  without  light,  except  the  radiance  of  thy  holy  companions. 
 When  the  ship  shall  be  agitated  by  an  impetuous  wind,  thou  shalt  fasten 
 it  with  a large  sea  serpent  to  my  horn,  for  I will  be  near  thee,  drawing 
 the  vessel  with  thee  and  thy  attendants.  I will  remain  on  the  ocean 
 until  a day  of  Brahma  (a  year)  shall  be  completely  ended.”* 
 
 As  it  was  announced,  the  deluge  took  place ; and  Satyavrata  entered 
 the  ark  and  did  as  he  was  directed,  in  fastening  it  to  the  horn  of  the  fish  ; 
 which  again  appeared,  blazing  like  gold,  and  extending  a million  of  leagues. 
 When  the  deluge  was  abated,  and  mankind  destroyed  (except  Satyavrata 
 and  his  companions),  Vishnu  slew  the  demon  Hayagriva,  and  recovered  the 
 lost  Veda : or,  in  other  words,  when  the  wicked  were  destroyed  by  the 
 deluge,  sin  no  longer  prevailed,  and  virtue  was  restored  to  the  world. 
 
 * Maurice. 
 
KURMAVATARA. 
 
 15 
 
 Fig.  2,  plate  5,  represents  Vishnu,  having  the  body  of  a man  issuing  from 
 the  mouth  of  a fish.  On  his  head  is  a crown,  and  in  his  four  hands  he  holds 
 the  lost  veda,  the  chuckra,  the  chank  or  shell,  and  a sword. 
 
 SECOND  or  KURMAVATARA. 
 
 In  this  avatar  Vishnu  assumed  the  form  of  an  immense  tortoise  to  support 
 the  earth,  while  the  gods  and  genii  churned  with  it  the  ocean.  Vishnu  is 
 here  represented  as  a tortoise  sustaining  a circular  pillar,  which  is  crowned 
 by  the  lotus  throne,  on  which  sits  the  semblance  of  that  deity  in  all  his 
 attributes.  A huge  serpent  encircles  the  pillar,  one  end  of  which  is  held  by 
 the  gods  and  the  other  by  the  daityas,  or  demons.  By  this  churning  the 
 sea  was  converted  into  milk,  and  then  into  butter;  from  which,  among 
 other  things,  were  produced  the  amrita,  or  water  of  life,  drank  by  the 
 immortals  ; Sri,  or  Lakshmi,  the  goddess  of  fortune,  and  the  favourite 
 wife  of  Vishnu;  the  moon,  “ shining  with  ten  thousand  beams  of  light ;” 
 a white  horse  with  seven  heads ; a physician  or  holy  sage ; a mighty 
 elephant ; Suradevi,  the  goddess  of  wine  ; a sparkling  gem  worn  by  Vishnu 
 Narayan  on  his  breast;  the  tree  of  plenty;  and  the  all-yielding  cow, 
 Kamdenu.  (See  fig.  3,  plate  5 and  plate  6.) 
 
 Before  dismissing  this  account  of  the  kurma  avatar,  I shall  relate  an 
 extraordinary  belief  which  prevailed  among  the  Iroquois  Indians,  in  which 
 the  tortoise  is  imagined  to  have  acted  an  equally  important  partin  the  forma- 
 tion of  the  globe.  They  believed  that  before  that  period  there  were  six  male 
 beings  who  existed  in  the  regions  of  the  air ; but  were,  nevertheless,  sub- 
 jected to  mortality.  Among  them  there  was  no  female  to  perpetuate  their 
 race ; but  they  learnt  that  there  was  one  in  heaven,  and  it  was  agreed  that 
 one  of  them  should  undertake  the  dangerous  task  of  endeavouring  to  bring 
 her  away.  The  difficulty  was  how  he  should  get  there ; for  although  he 
 floated  in  aether,  it  appears  that  he  could  not  soar  to  the  celestial  realms. 
 A bird,  therefore  (but  whether  the  eagle  of  Jove,  or  the  Garuda  of  Vishnu, 
 or  of  what  other  kind,  we  are  not  told),  became  his  vehicle,  and  conveyed 
 him  thither  on  his  back.  He  saw  the  female,  and  seduced  her  by  (what  too 
 
16 
 
 VARAHA  AVATAR. 
 
 many  ladies  of  the  present  day  are  led  astray  by)  flattery  and  presents ; 
 but  of  what  kind  we  are  also  unfortunately  left  in  ignorance.  The  supreme 
 deity  knowing  what  had  taken  place,  immediately  turned  her,  like  another 
 Eve,  out  of  Paradise,  and  she  was  received  by  a tortoise  on  its  back  ; when 
 the  otter  (a  most  important  party  in  North  American  legends)  and  the  fishes 
 disturbed  the  mud  at  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  and,  drawing  it  up  round 
 the  tortoise,  formed  a small  island,  which,  gradually  increasing,  became 
 the  earth.  The  female  had  at  first  two  sons  (one  of  whom  slew  the  other), 
 and  afterwards  several  children,  from  whom  sprung  the  rest  of  mankind. 
 This  curious  legend  would  appear  to  bear,  in  some  parts,  a strong  affinity 
 to  the  history  of  our  first  parents ; and  a great  analogy,  in  others,  to  the 
 mythology  of  the  Hindus. 
 
 THIRD  or  VARAHA  (Boar)  AVATAR. 
 
 Whether  this  and  the  preceding  avatar  have  any  relation  (as  the  first 
 avatar  is  supposed  to  have)  to  the  general  deluge,  or  refer  to  a subsequent 
 convulsion  of  nature,  attended  by  a local  flood,  would  appear  to  admit  of 
 some  doubts.  The  best  authorities,  however,  seem  to  incline  to  the  opinion 
 that  all  the  three,  clothed  in  different  allegories,  relate  to  the  same  awful 
 and  momentous  event.  Vishnu  is  here  represented  with  the  head  of  a 
 monstrous  boar,  supporting  the  world,  which  had  been  overthrown  and 
 sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea  by  a malignant  demon,  on  his  tusks.  Fig. 
 1,  plate  7,  taken  from  a fine  specimen  of  ancient  sculpture  in  alto-relief, 
 represents  him  armed  with  a richly  ornamented  shell  and  discus  to  attack 
 the  demon.  One  arm  is  stretched  forward  in  a bending  position,  bearing 
 Lakshmi  on  a lotus  throne ; with  another  hand  he  is  leading  Satyavama. 
 Underneath  is  the  figure  of  another  female,  issuing  from  something 
 resembling  a fish,  on  which  Varaha  has  set  his  foot.  Fig.  2 in  the  same 
 plate,  likewise  taken  from  an  ancient  sculpture,  represents  Lakshmi  or 
 Varaha  also  armed  for  the  combat.  She  possesses  four  heads  (one  that  of 
 a boar)  and  eight  arms,  with  the  last  of  which  she  wields  various  instru- 
 ments of  destruction.  About  her  are  figures  of  boars  armed  with  bows 
 
NARA-SINGH  AVATAR. 
 
 17 
 
 and  arrows,  and  in  the  act  of  discharging  the  latter.  The  whole  is  repre- 
 sented under  a Gothic  arch,  resting  on  a plinth  ornamented  with  the  heads 
 of  boars. 
 
 In  an  ancient  legend  relating  to  the  destruction  of  the  city  of  Mahabali- 
 pooram,  and  the  seven  pagodas,  on  the  coast  of  Coromandel,  by  an  earth- 
 quake and  inundation  during  an  early  period  of  Hindu  history,  it  is  stated 
 that  “ Hirinacheren,  a gigantic  prince  or  demon,  rolled  up  the  earth  into 
 a shapeless  mass,  and  carried  it  down  to  the  abyss  : whither  Vishnu 
 followed  him  in  the  shape  of  a hog,  killed  him  with  his  tusks,  and 
 replaced  the  earth  in  its  original  position.”  A large  portion  of  the 
 magnificent  ruins  of  the  city  and  pagodas  are  now  covered  by  the  sea ; 
 other  parts  of  them  (the  sculpture  of  which  are  still  in  many  places  very 
 little  injured  by  the  lapse  of  ages  or  the  effect  of  the  elements)  extend  over 
 a space  of  several  miles.  One  of  the  cavern  temples,  now  used  as  a place 
 of  worship,  is  said  to  contain  a fine  figure  of  Vishnu  in  the  Varaha  Avatar. 
 
 FOURTH,  or  NARA-SINGH  (Man-Lion)  AVATAR. 
 
 In  this  avatar  Vishnu  took  the  form  of  another  monster,  to  punish  the 
 wickedness  of  a profane  and  unbelieving  monarch,  Hiranyacasipa,  the 
 brother  of  the  gigantic  demon  mentioned  in  the  third  avatar,  and  his  suc- 
 cessor on  the  throne,  who  being  not  less  wicked  than  his  predecessor,  refused 
 to  do  homage  to  Vishnu.  He  had  a son,  named  Pralhaud,  who  disapproved 
 of  his  father’s  conduct ; who,  in  consequence,  banished,  and  sought  to  kill 
 him.  A reconciliation,  however,  at  length  took  place  : but  the  king  still 
 contended  against  the  supremacy  of  Vishnu,  boasted  that  he  himself  was 
 lord  of  the  universe,  and  asked  wherein  Vishnu  was  greater  than  himself? 
 Prahaud  replied,  that  Vishnu  was  supreme  over  all,  and  was  every  where. 
 “ Is  he,”  said  Hiranyacasipa,  “in  this  pillar  ?”  (striking  it  at  the  same 
 moment  with  his  sceptre) : “if  he  be,  let  him  appear.”  In  an  instant 
 the  magnificent  column  was  rent  in  twain,  and  Vishnu,  in  the  form  of  a 
 man  with  the  head  of  a lion,  issued  from  it,  and  tore  Hiranyacasipa  in 
 pieces.  (See  fig.  1,  plate  8.) 
 
 D 
 
18 
 
 YAMUNA  AVATAR. 
 
 FIFTH  or  VAMUNA  (Dwarf)  AVATAR. 
 
 Vishnu,  in  this  avatar,  took  the  form  of  a Brahman  dwarf,  to  humble 
 the  pride  and  arrogance  of  another  monarch,  Maha  Bali,  a descendant 
 from  Pralhaud,  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  avatar . This  king  is  repre- 
 sented to  have  been  both  a pious  and  a magnificent  sovereign,  and  by  his 
 religious  austerities  to  have  obtained  from  Brahma  the  dominion  of  the 
 universe,  or  the  three  regions  of  the  sky,  the  earth,  and  patala  (or  hell). 
 Having  thus,  by  his  piety,  gained  supreme  power,  his  virtue  was  not  long 
 proof  against  the  pride  which  his  pre-eminence  created,  and  he  neglected 
 to  worship  the  gods,  and  to  offer  up  to  them  the  oblations  which  he  had 
 been  before  accustomed  to  do.  In  short,  he  arrogated  to  himself  a supe- 
 riority over  all  created  beings,  and  an  equality  of  power  with  the  gods 
 themselves.  The  Dewtahs,  alarmed,  supplicated,  through  the  mediation  of 
 Brahma,  the  protection  of  Vishnu,  who  descending  from  heaven,  became 
 incarnate  in  the  person  of  a dwarf,  the  more  effectually  to  humble  the 
 pride,  and  to  punish  the  presumption  of  the  apostate  king. 
 
 It  must  here  be  imagined,  that  power  having  been  once  conferred  upon 
 mortals  by  a deity  could  not  be  recalled  without  the  consent  of  the  party 
 who  had  obtained  it.  In  this  avatar,  Vishnu  appears  to  have  judged 
 that  the  end  would  sanctify  the  means,  and  to  have  resorted  to  a somewhat 
 unholy  fraud  to  effect  his  object  in  depriving  Maha  Bali  of  his  authority. 
 Having  interested  the  king,  who  compassionated  his  distress,  in  his  behalf, 
 he  supplicated  him  for  a piece  of  ground,  not  larger  than  he  could  measure 
 with  three  steps,  on  which  to  erect  a poor  dwelling  to  contain  himself  and 
 his  books.  This  the  king  readily  granted,  and  confirmed  by  the  solemn 
 Hindu  ceremony  of  pouring  the  sacred  water  from  a vessel  over  the  hands 
 of  the  supplicant.  As  soon  as  the  holy  stream  had  reached  his  hand  the 
 form  of  the  dwarf  began  to  expand  itself,  and  at  length  became  so  enor- 
 mous that  it  appeared  to  extend  itself  up  to  heaven.  Then  with  one  stride 
 he  compassed  the  earth ; with  another,  heaven  ; and  with  the  third  was 
 about  to  obtain  patala,  when  Maha  Bali,  convinced  that  the  pretended 
 
f 
 
 ■JJTe&Ufc&tZahap: 
 
 . The  rasiayAavaTara, , or  the  Toicrih.  Tloatar  or  FioAmc  . Hup  2. . HAe  Hi/IA,  or  Tamz/Jna  xloatoer. 
 
 7ru/s<3  The  Si,xlA,  or  Tarawa  Hama  . 
 
 Aram.  the  Temple  o/' Jla/ruz  , aruA  other  Trazat/ipj . 
 
 I*u6tij/ied  &e/  J^arduiy  tI den  JcCb . ^London. . J&3Z  - 
 
- 
 
 ' 
 
YAMUNA  AVATAR. 
 
 19 
 
 dwarf  was  no  other  than  the  god  himself,  fell  prostrate  in  adoration  before 
 him,  and  yielded  it  up.  From  this  incident  of  Yamuna  Vishnu  is  also 
 called  Trivikrum,  or  the  three-stepper. 
 
 While  the  foot  of  Vishnu  was  extended  the  second  time,  to  compass  the 
 heavens,  Brahma  came  and  poured  water  upon  it ; which  descending  to  the 
 earth,  formed  the  sacred  stream  of  the  Ganges.  This  river  is  thus  fabled, 
 by  the  Vishnaivas,  to  have  gushed  from  the  foot  of  Vishnu.  The  Saivas, 
 however,  claim  for  it  a different  origin,  as  will  be  hereafter  seen. 
 
 Mr.  Chambers,  in  the  first  volume  of  the  Asiatic  Researches,  mentions 
 Maha  Bali  to  have  been  the  founder  of  the  magnificent  city  of  Mahaba- 
 lipooram.  This  conjecture  will  be  somewhat  at  variance  with  the  story  told 
 of  its  destruction  in  the  third  avatar;  but  the  discrepancy  may,  perhaps, 
 be  reconciled,  by  supposing  that  he  may  have  added  to  what  remained  in 
 his  reign  of  its  former  splendour,  and  given  it  his  name,  by  which  it  may 
 have  been  known  ; or,  what  may  be  more  probable,  the  city  may  have  been 
 founded  at  an  earlier  period,  by  another  prince  of  the  same  name. 
 
( 20  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 The  Sixth  and  Seventh  Avatars. 
 
 SIXTH  AVATAR,  or  PARASU  RAMA. 
 
 In  this  avatar  Vishnu  no  longer  assumes  the  form  of  a monster,  but 
 claims  our  admiration  as  a youthful  hero,  Parasu  Rama,  for  his  filial  piety 
 and  undaunted  prowess  in  exterminating  a race  of  tyrants,  the  Khetrie  or 
 warrior  tribe  of  India,  who  had  oppressed  mankind,  and  barbarously 
 caused  the  death  of  his  parents.  In  consequence  of  having  no  offspring, 
 his  father  and  mother  had  secluded  themselves  from  the  world,  and  passed 
 their  time  in  prayers,  mortifications,  and  religious  austerities,  in  the  hopes 
 that  these  would  be  acceptable  to  Vishnu,  and  that  they  might  eventually 
 obtain  for  them  the  earnest  wish  of  their  hearts.  Their  supplications  were 
 at  length  heard,  and  Runeeka,  the  mother  of  Parasu  Rama,  gave  birth  to 
 a beautiful  child  (an  incarnation  of  Vishnu  himself),  whose  transcendent 
 talents  and  virtues  were  so  pleasing  to  Maha  Deo,  or  Siva,  that  he  trans- 
 lated him  to  his  heaven  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Kailasa,  where  he 
 remained  till  the  age  of  twelve  years,  when  he  re-appeared  on  earth,  to  assert 
 the  rights  of  his  father  against  an  inhuman  and  vindictive  tyrant,  Deeruj,  of 
 the  Khetrie  race,  who  had  oppressed  (and  before  Parasu  Rama  could  arrive 
 had  murdered)  him.  He  came  in  time  only  to  witness  the  remains  of  the 
 funeral  pile  of  his  parents  (his  mother  having  performed  suti),  and  in- 
 stantly swore  by  the  sacred  waters  of  the  Ganges  to  wholly  exterminate 
 the  race  of  their  murderers. 
 
 Deeruj  is  represented  as  possessing  a thousand  arms,  wielding  as  many 
 destructive  instruments  of  war ; but  endowed  with  the  immortal  energies 
 of  Vishnu,  Parasu  Rama  easily  overcame  him  (see  fig.  3,  4,  plate  8),  and 
 
PARASU  RAMA. 
 
 21 
 
 the  numerous  forces  which  attended  him ; and  speedily  effected  the  de- 
 struction of  the  race  of  the  Khetries. 
 
 It  may  be  here  mentioned,  that  this  incarnation  and  the  two  following 
 avatars  are  supposed  to  relate  to  the  heroic  exploits  of  warlike  and  pa- 
 triotic princes,  who  would  appear  to  have  relieved  their  country  from  either 
 internal  oppression  or  foreign  invasion.  Parasu  Rama  having  succeeded  in 
 extirpating  the  Khetries,  collected  together  their  treasures ; one  portion 
 of  which  he  consecrated  to  the  gods,  the  other  he  bestowed  in  charity.  He 
 then  retired,  to  devote  the  remainder  of  his  life  to  the  purposes  of  religion. 
 
 Another  story  is  also  related  of  Vishnu  in  this  incarnation,  which  seems 
 to  partake,  in  some  degree,  of  the  pious  artifice  by  which  he  had  overcome 
 Maha  Bali  in  the  preceding  avatar.  Having  conquered  the  Khetries, 
 Parasu  Rama  bestowed  their  country  upon  the  Brahmans  : but  subsequently 
 asked  for  a small  part  of  it  back,  whereon  to  end  his  days ; which  was  un- 
 gratefully refused.  He  then  supplicated  Varuna,  the  Neptune  of  the 
 Hindus,  to  withdraw  the  waters  of  the  ocean  from  the  foot  of  the  gauts  or 
 mountains  (the  country  he  had  bestowed  upon  the  Brahmans,  which  the  sea 
 then  reached),  so  far  only  as  he  could  shoot  an  arrow  from  his  bow.  Varuna 
 had  no  sooner  promised,  than  it  was  insinuated  to  him  that  the  supplicant 
 was  no  other  than  Vishnu  himself ; whose  arrow  discharged  from  the  sacred 
 bow,  da  nook,  would  probably  fly  over  the  whole  extent  of  the  waters,  and 
 thus  deprive  him  of  his  dominions.  The  ocean  god  too  late  repented  of  the 
 promise  which  he  had  made ; but,  as  has  been  shown  in  the  instance  of 
 Maha  Bali,  as  the  promises  and  gifts  of  the  gods  cannot  be  recalled  (although 
 it  would  appear  they  may  be  eluded  or  taken  away,  by  the  Hindu  deities 
 at  least,  by  surreptitious  means),  it  was  resolved  to  oppose  artifice  to 
 artifice,  to  lessen  the  apprehended  serious  consequences.  In  the  night, 
 therefore,  preceding  the  morning  on  which  Parasu  Rama  was  to  let  fly  the 
 arrow,  it  was  contrived  to  injure  the  string  of  the  bow,  so  that  when  the 
 shaft  was  discharged,  it  extended  no  farther  over  the  waters  than  where 
 they  covered  the  present  coast  of  Malabar,  on  the  western  side  of  the 
 gauts,  which  has  been  fabled  to  have  been  thus  rescued  from  the  ocean. 
 
 The  combats  of  the  gods  of  the  Hindu  mythology  with  the  giants  who 
 
RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 <22 
 
 oppressed  mankind  so  nearly  resemble  each  other,  that,  as  I shall  elsewhere 
 describe  a most  astonishing  one,  I shall  refrain  from  a description  of  those 
 of  the  other  Hindu  deities.  It  will,  therefore,  only  be  necessary  to  imagine, 
 when  one  of  these  desperate  encounters  is  mentioned,  that  the  antagonists 
 of  the  gods  were  monsters  possessing  an  interminable  number  of  heads, 
 arms,  and  weapons ; that  innumerable  forces,  billions  of  elephants,  and 
 millions  of  horses  and  chariots,  were  engaged  on  each  side  ; and  that  stu- 
 pendous mountains,  and  serpents  of  enormous  magnitude,  flew  about  on 
 these  occasions,  incomparably  thicker  and  faster  than  musket-balls  and 
 grape-shot,  on  the  ever  memorable  day  of  Waterloo.  By  this  proceeding, 
 I shall  be  enabled  greatly  to  shorten,  much  to  the  relief  of  the  reader,  my 
 account  of  the  extensively  worshipped  deity,  Krishna,  and  the  heroes  of 
 the  Ramayana. 
 
 SEVENTH  AVATAR,  or  RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 It  has  been  already  shewn,  that  the  entire  objects  of  the  several  avatars 
 of  Vishnu  have  been  the  punishment  of  tyrannical  and  wicked  princes,  who 
 having  obtained  extraordinary  power  from  the  gods  by  their  religious 
 austerities,  afterwards  became  iniquitous  ministers  of  vice,  and  the  san- 
 guinary oppressors  of  mankind.  They  are,  in  consequence,  represented  as 
 hydra-headed  demons  or  giants,  possessing  numerous  arms,  which  (as  well 
 as  their  heads)  were  no  sooner  struck  off,  than  they  were  instantly  re- 
 produced. In  this  avatar , Vishnu  appears  in  the  person  of  a courageous 
 and  virtuous  prince,  the  son  of  the  puissant  sovereign  of  Hindustan  (whose 
 capital,  Ayodhya,  is  said  to  have  extended  over  a space  of  forty  miles),  to 
 punish  a monstrous  giant,  Ravan,  who  then  reigned  over  Lanka  (or  the 
 island  of  Ceylon).  Ravan,  like  the  tyrants  of  the  preceding  avatars,  had 
 obtained  his  power  by  his  piety,  having  been  rewarded  by  Brahma,*  in 
 
 * There  is  another  version  of  Ravan’s  acquirement  of  power,  which  exonerates  Brahma  aud 
 implicates  Siva,  in  a manner  difficult  to  account  for  beyond  the  charmed  pale  of  Hindu  my- 
 thology. Ravan,  to  propitiate  Siva,  cut  off  nine  of  his  ten  heads,  and  was  about  to  decapitate 
 the  tenth,  when  Mahadeo,  moved  by  such  extraordinary  devotion,  demanded  to  know  his  wishes, 
 pledging  himself  unreservedly  to  grant  them.  Ravan  demanded  immortality,  universal  dominion, 
 
FI.  S 
 
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RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 23 
 
 consequence  of  it,  with  the  monarchy  of  the  three  regions.  Rama  Chandra 
 had  also  been  brought  up  in  the  paths  of  religion  and  virtue,  and  had  been 
 taught  that  one  of  the  first  duties  of  a prince  was  to  subjugate  his  own 
 passions  to  their  control.  When,  therefore,  Ravan  became  an  apostate 
 from  his  duty  to  the  gods,  Rama  Chandra  was  appointed  the  instrument  of 
 his  destruction. 
 
 The  Grecians  had  their  Homer,  to  render  imperishable  the  fame  acquired 
 by  their  glorious  combats  in  the  Trojan  war ; the  Latins  had  Virgil,  to  sing 
 the  prowess  of  Eneas ; and  the  Hindus  have  had  their  Valmic,  to  immor- 
 talize the  martial  deeds  of  Rama,  and  his  army  of  monkeys,  in  subduing 
 the  giant  Ravan  and  his  hosts  of  many-headed  monsters.  The  Ramayana, 
 one  of  the  finest  epic  poems  (in  spite  of  its  many  extravagancies)  extant, 
 beautifully  describes  the  incidents  of  Rama’s  life,  and  the  exploits  of  the 
 contending  foes. 
 
 The  deity  whose  fame  is  thus  celebrated,  is,  in  the  pictorial  represen- 
 tations of  him,  usually  described  as  a green  man,  seated  beneath  an  umbrella, 
 the  emblem  of  sovereignty,  on  a throne  : a quiver  of  arrows  hangs  at  his 
 back  ; in  one  hand  he  holds  his  destructive  bow,  and  in  the  other  a flower 
 of  the  sacred  lotus.  By  his  side  is  placed  Sita,  who  is  depicted  as  a god- 
 dess of  transcendent  beauty,  of  a deep  yellow  complexion  (see  fig.  1,  plate  9). 
 Although  the  daughter  of  a king,  and  far  famed  for  her  loveliness,  she  did 
 not  disdain  to  sweep,  in  a most  patriarchal  manner,  her  own  room  daily  ; 
 a task  which  our  charming  and  accomplished  princesses  are  not  frequently 
 discovered  performing.  In  doing  this,  she  was  accustomed  to  lift  with 
 
 the  Linga,  and  Parvati.  These  were,  in  consequence  of  Siva's  pledge,  bestowed  : but  as  that 
 god  happened  to  be  seized,  like  some  of  our  austere  Benedicts,  with  a momentary  uxorious  fit,  he 
 was  unwilling  to  part  with  the  lovely  source  of  all  his  torment  and  all  his  bliss;  so  he  prevailed  on 
 Vishnu  to  obtain  (which  that  deity  had  a happy  facility  in  doing),  by  stratagem,  what  he  himself 
 could  not  withhold.  Vishnu,  in  disguise,  succeeded ; and  Parvati,  after  purifying  herself  by 
 austerities,  was  restored  to  her  proper  lord.  Dominion  and  immortality,  it  would  appear,  still 
 remained  with  Ravan  ; as,  according  to  descriptions  of  compartments  said  to  be  in  the  temples  of 
 Ellora,  he  made  prisoners  of  all  the  gods,  not  excepting  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva,  and  put  them 
 in  chains. 
 
24 
 
 RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 one  hand,  while  she  swept  under  it  with  her  left,  a bow,  which  a thousand 
 of  her  father’s  stoutest  archers  could  not  raise.  This  ponderous  bow 
 obtained  for  Rama  the  possession  of  the  beauteous  Sita,  as  her  father, 
 Junuka,  who  had  received  it  from  Mahadeo,  had  declared,  that  no  one 
 should  marry  her  who  could  not  bend  it.  Rama  and  Ravan  were  com- 
 petitors for  the  prize ; but  the  strength  of  the  former  easily  effected  that 
 which  the  monstrous  giant  attempted  in  vain.  Sita  was,  in  consequence, 
 adjudged  to  Rama,  and  Ravan  retired  overwhelmed  with  jealousy  and  shame, 
 and  brooding  over  a desire  of  revenge,  which  he  lost  no  time  in  attempting 
 to  accomplish  ; and  which  was  increased  by  a subsequent  outrage  offered 
 by  Lackshman,  the  brother  of  Rama,  to  Surpanukha,  the  sister  of  Ravan, 
 whose  nose  and  ears  he  most  unceremoniously  and  ungallantly  cut  off,  in 
 consequence  of  her  attempt  to  intimidate  him  for  having  rejected  her 
 proffered  love.  This  insult  instantly  roused  her  family  to  arms,  and  three 
 of  her  brothers  fell  by  the  hand  of  Rama.  Thus  the  tyrant  had  obtained 
 too  correct  a knowledge  of  the  strength  of  Rama  (as  well  as  when  he  bent 
 the  bow  of  Junuka),  to  venture  to  attack  him  openly:  he  therefore  sought 
 to  accomplish,  by  artifice,  that  which  he  could  not  effect  by  valour  and 
 strength ; and  to  rob  him,  by  stratagem,  of  the  prize  which  he  himself  had 
 been  unable  to  win.  It  appears  that  Rama  having  been  exiled  from  the 
 dominions  of  his  father  by  the  machinations  of  one  of  his  queens,  had 
 determined,  although  invited  to  return,  to  seclude  himself  from  the  world 
 for  a time,  to  perform  his  penitential  austerities  in  honour  of  the  gods  in  a 
 retired  forest,  and  Sita  prevailed  upon  him  to  allow  her  to  accompany 
 him. 
 
 Ravan,  who  knew  what  had  passed,  and  judged  it  a proper  opportunity 
 to  effect  his  purpose,  transformed  himself  into  a beautiful  deer,  and  sedu- 
 lously ranged  about  the  hut  where  Rama  and  Sita  had  taken  up  their  abode. 
 The  beauty  of  the  animal  attracted  the  notice  of  Sita,  who,  with  amiable 
 female  tenderness  and  humanity,  earnestly  besought  Rama  to  kill  it  and 
 present  her  with  the  skin.  He  at  length  consented,  and  set  off  in  search  of 
 the  deer,  which  led  him  in  pursuit  a considerable  distance  from  the  forest. 
 
RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 25 
 
 It  then  suffered  itself  to  be  shot.  Ravan  immediately  transported  himself 
 back  to  the  hut,  and  carried  away  Sita  through  the  air  in  triumph.* 
 
 The  poem  then  pathetically  describes  the  grief  of  Rama,  the  measures 
 adopted  by  him  and  his  brother  Lakshman  to  discover  Sita,  rendered  difficult 
 by  the  aerial  course  which  Ravan  had  pursued.  At  length  they  learnt  that 
 she  had  been  conveyed  to  Lanka.  Rama  then  engaged  in  his  interest  a 
 sovereign,  Sugrivu,  whose  subjects  consisted  of  monkeys,  who  sent  an 
 army  of  these  sagacious  and  intrepid  warriors,  headed  by  his  renowned 
 generals,  Hanuman,  a monkey,  and  Jumont,  a bear,  and  others  of  great 
 martial  fame,  to  his  assistance.  They  marched  forward,  in  the  shapes  of 
 various  animals,  in  splendid  military  array,  until  they  reached,  after  nume- 
 rous difficulties,  dangers,  and  privations,  the  coast  opposite  Lanka,  when 
 they  learned  in  a more  positive  manner  from  Sanput  (a  vulture)  that  Sita 
 was  in  that  island.  But  a difficulty  then  presented  itself  which  necessarily 
 led  to  a considerable  delay;  being  no  other  than  the  ocean,  which  rolled  its 
 waves  between  the  island  and  the  main.  It  was  accordingly  determined  in 
 council,  after  long  and  mature  deliberation  (for  they  acted  like  discreet 
 warriors,  which  all  pugnacious  nations  of  the  present  day  do  not),  that  it 
 would  be  more  prudent  to  attempt  that  which  was  possible,  than  to  endea- 
 vour to  do  what  was  absolutely  impossible  ; and  as  it  was  evident  they  could 
 not  pass  over  without  a bridge,  not  to  try  that  manoeuvre,  but,  difficult  as 
 the  undertaking  was,  to  set  about  building  one  with  all  necessary  dispatch. 
 This,  after  strong  opposition  on  the  part  of  Ravan,  and  the  utmost  skill  and 
 
 * There  is  another  account  of  this  incident,  which  my  regard  for  the  industrious  and  lovely 
 daughter  of  Junuka  induces  me  to  give  implicit  credit  to  : namely,  that  while  hunting,  Rama 
 meeting  the  Rakshasa  in  the  form  of  a deer  or  antelope,  shot  him.  The  Rakshasa  called,  appa- 
 rently in  pain,  upon  the  name  of  Lakshman,  with  whom  Rama  had  left  Sita.  The  affectionate 
 wife  believing  that  the  cry  came  from  Rama,  whom  she  imagined  to  be  in  danger,  urged  her 
 protector  to  fly  to  his  aid.  Lakshman  at  length,  having  previously  drawn  with  his  bow  round  the 
 abode  of  Rama  a charmed  circle,  within  which  nothing  could  injure  Sita,  and  which  he  forbade 
 her  to  pass,  hastened  to  the  relief  of  his  supposed  brother.  No  sooner  had  he  left  his  charge 
 than  a mendicant  Brahman  appeared,  and  solicited  alms ; but  would  accept  of  none  unless  taken 
 without  the  circle.  Sita,  respecting  the  sacred  character  of  a Brahman,  was  induced  to  pass  the 
 prescribed  bounds,  and  was  immediately  seized  by  him  (who  was  Ravan  in  disguise),  and  carried 
 away  through  the  air  to  Lanka. 
 
 E 
 
26 
 
 RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 courage  on  the  side  of  Hanuman,  was  effected  by  the  monkeys,  their 
 commander  setting  an  example  of  perseverance  and  bravery,  which  it  would 
 be  well  if  our  generalissimos  would  always  follow.  This  intrepid  simian 
 chief  not  only  tore  up  mountains  from  their  bases,  but  conveyed  ten  of  them, 
 sixty-four  miles  each  in  circumference,  at  a time  (one  on  the  tip  of  his  tail, 
 one  under  each  arm,  one  on  each  shoulder,  one  in  each  paw,  and  three  on 
 his  head),  and  cast  them  into  the  sea.  (See  fig.  5,  plate  9.) 
 
 If  we  are  to  believe  the  Hindus,  the  remains  of  this  mighty  undertaking, 
 now  called  Adam’s  bridge,  are  still  observable : but  if  we  are  not  satisfied 
 to  extend  our  implicit  faith  so  far,  we  may,  perhaps  more  safely,  imagine 
 that  Ceylon  was  once  a part  of  the  Continent,  and  insulated  by  a violent 
 convulsion  of  nature  ; and  that  the  mountains  of  Hanuman  are  but  the  frag- 
 ments of  the  rocky  isthmus  which  formerly  linked  them  together.  But 
 whatever  our  wayward  imaginations  may  lead  us  to  think,  the  Hindus 
 possess  a firm  belief  in  the  feats  of  Hanuman  and  his  indefatigable  monkeys : 
 and  with  their  belief,  only,  we  have  at  present  to  do. 
 
 Impatient  of  delay,  and  anxious  to  be  informed  of  the  treatment  which 
 Sita  had  experienced,  it  was  deemed  advisable  by  Rama  and  his  generals, 
 that,  while  farther  operations  were  in  progress  in  building  the  bridge,  accu- 
 rate information  should  be  obtained  respecting  her.  The  sage  Jumont 
 observed,  that  he  who  could  leap  a hundred  joguns  (about  seven  or  eight 
 hundred  miles)  across  the  channel,  was  exactly  the  party  required.  Who  so 
 proper  to  execute  a brave  action  as  he  who  proposes  it,  has  been  often 
 observed  ; but,  unfortunately,  commonly  observed  in  vain.  Thus  Jumont 
 said,  he  himself  would  be  glad  to  attempt  it,  but  was  too  old  : others  were 
 equally  willing,  but  equally,  from  some  cause  or  other,  unable  to  undertake 
 it.  One,  indeed,  believed  he  might  leap  across,  to  be  sure,  easily  enough ; 
 but  he  thought  the  question  should  be,  if  he  might  ever  be  able  to  leap  back 
 again.  At  length,  the  dauntless  Hanuman,  who  had  (like  all  those  who 
 perform  the  most)  said  the  least,  was  appealed  to.  The  simian  hero  smiled 
 at  Rama,  and  ever  attentive  to,  and  insensible  of  danger  at  the  call  of 
 friendship  (unlike  the  summer  friends  we  occasionally  meet  with),  made 
 light  of  the  business,  ascended  a hill,  and,  after  plenty  of  sage  advice  from 
 
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RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 27 
 
 Jumont  (in  givingwhich  the  courage  of  this  ursine  Nestor  seldom  required 
 to  be  prompted),  took  a leap ; and  although  tempted,  like  Saint  Anthony, 
 by  demons  and  other  things  in  his  course,  safely  reached  Lanka,  and  the 
 vicinity  of  the  abode  of  the  captive  beauty.  With  the  rapidity  of  lightning 
 Hanuman  descended  in  the  garden  of  the  palace,  where  he  discovered  the 
 pensive  and  disconsolate  Sita.  Transported  with  indignation  against  Ravan, 
 he  appears,  after  having  conferred  with  her,  to  have  resorted  to  some  monkey 
 tricks,  not  at  all  in  accordance  with  his  usual  wisdom  and  discretion  ; for 
 he  began  pulling  up  the  trees,  destroying  the  flower-beds,  and,  in  short, 
 turning  the  garden  into  a complete  wilderness.  The  king  sent  out  people 
 to  drive  him  away,  but  he  destroyed  them  all.  Ravan  then  sent  his  eldest 
 son,  who,  after  a furious  contest,  in  which  he  used  a charmed  weapon, 
 seized  Hanuman  and  set  fire  to  his  tail ; with  which,  leaping  from  house  to 
 house,  the  enraged  general  burnt  all  Lanka.  This  operation  was  a manoeuvre 
 of  Hanuman,  for  on  hearing  the  order  of  Ravan  to  wrap  the  tail  round 
 plentifully  with  linen  and  oil  it  well,  he  continued  to  elongate  it  while  they 
 continued  to  wrap  and  oil,  so  that,  when  set  fire  to  it  made  a tremendous 
 blaze.  He  then,  after  having  fired  the  town,  went  to  Sita,  and  complained 
 that  he  could  not  extinguish  the  flame  of  his  tail.  She  directed  him  to 
 spit  upon  it,  in  doing  which  he  smutted  his  face,  and  gave  rise  to  the  present 
 black  faced  mustachioed  race  of  martial  monkey  heroes  of  the  world. 
 
 Having  effected  the  object  of  his  mission,  Hanuman  returned  back  to  the 
 continent,  and  found  that  Rama  had  nearly  perfected  his  preparations  for 
 the  attack.  A battle  ensued,  in  which  an  incident  occurred  that,  as  I do 
 not  find  a similar  one  represented  in  the  combats  of  Osiris,  Sesostris, 
 Semiramis,  Alexander,  or  in  any  other  battle  in  the  world,  I am  bound, 
 for  the  good  of  my  country  in  general,  and  for  the  instruction  of  the  army 
 in  particular,  to  notice  here. 
 
 One  of  the  generals  of  the  Lanka  forces,  named  Koombhukurma,*  a 
 
 * I will  in  this  place  enable  the  reader  to  form  a judgment  of  this  redoubtable  champion  of 
 Ravan,  who,  for  the  good  reason  of  avoiding  repetition,  I beg  may  be  considered  as  a fair  sample 
 of  the  Brobdingnag  race  of  heroes  to  which  he  belonged.  I have  been  somewhat  apprehensive 
 that  these  (in  a certain  degree  apocryphal)  deliniations  of  persons  and  propensities,  which 
 historic  fidelity  has  occasionally  obliged  me  to  exhibit,  may  throw  a shade  of  doubt  over  my 
 
 E 2 
 
RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 28 
 
 mighty  giant  and  brother  to  Ravan,  was  directly  opposed  to  Rama  and 
 the  monkeys ; and,  by  a piece  of  generalship  which,  I fear,  our  invin- 
 cible Wellington  could  not  have  executed,  nor  would  have  even  thought 
 of,  bade  fair  to  effect  the  destruction  of  the  whole  of  the  invading  legions. 
 No  sooner  had  the  battle  commenced,  than  Koombhukurma  made  a des- 
 perate charge  upon  the  dense  columns  of  the  monkeys,  seized  entire 
 battalions  one  after  another,  and  in  a few  minutes,  like  the  destroying  stork 
 among  the  frogs  in  the  fable,  had  nearly  swallowed  the  whole  of  them. 
 Dire  would  have  been  the  event  to  Rama,  had  the  Lanka  chief  united  the 
 prudence  of  our  great  general  to  his  own  intrepid  valour  ; but  it  is  a fact  well 
 known  to  intelligent  military  men,  that  the  bravest  leaders  of  divisions  make 
 frequently  the  worst  commanders  of  armies.  Thus  it  happened  with  Koom- 
 bhukurma, who  knew  how  to  win,  but  knew  not  how  to  benefit  by  a victory ; 
 for,  by  not  taking  all  circumstances  into  his  consideration  and  properly 
 protecting  his  minor  positions,  he  had  no  sooner  possession  of  the  monkeys 
 in  his  stomach,  than  with  an  agility  incredible  to  those  who  have  not  wit- 
 nessed the  oriental  warfare  of  those  days,  they  leaped  up  again,  and 
 darted  out  from  his  nostrils  and  ears,  recommenced  the  combat,  and  with 
 the  assistance  of  Rama  defeated  and  slew  him. 
 
 Gladly  would  I undertake  a more  comprehensive  description  of  this 
 
 good  name  (as  occurred  with  that  of  the  great  explorer  of  the  source  of  the  Nile)  for  veracity 
 of  description  ; but  I can  assure  my  readers,  that  I have  no  wish  to  draw  upon  them  for  a single 
 atom  of  belief,  beyond  what  they  are  perfectly  disposed  to  advance. 
 
 Koombhukurma,  then,  as  I have  before  stated,  was  the  brother  of  Ravan.  Immediately  after 
 his  birth  he  stretched  forth  his  enormous  arms,  and  gathered,  as  infants  usually  do,  into  his 
 mouth  every  thing  within  his  reach.  At  one  time  he  ate*  five  hundred  mistresses  of  Indra,  the 
 exemplary  and  chaste  king  of  the  heavens  ; at  another,  the  wives  of  one  hundred  sages,  with  cows 
 and  Brahmans  without  number ; at  a future  meal  (which  was  after  he  had  been  taken  to  task  by 
 the  gods  for  his  gluttony,  and  he  had  become  more  moderate  in  his  appetite)  six  thousand  cows, 
 ten  thousand  sheep,  as  many  goats,  five  hundred  buffaloes,  five  thousand  deer,  and  drank  five 
 thousand  hogsheads  of  spirits,  and  a few  other  (to  use  a military  phrase)  small  articles  complete; 
 after  which  he  expressed  great  indignation  towards  his  brother  for  half-starving  him.  This 
 hero  s bed  is  said  to  have  been  the  whole  length  of  his  house,  which  was  twenty  thousand  miles 
 long,  and  which  must  have  been  compressed,  by  some  gigantic  machine  of  course,  into  a becoming 
 space,  in  the  beautiful  island  of  Ceylon,  about  eight  hundred  miles  in  circumference. 
 
 * Ward. 
 
RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 29 
 
 eventful  war,  far  more  prolific  in  incidents  than  those  sung  by  Homer  or 
 Virgil,  or  related  by  any  poetical  veteran  of  the  present  day.  Gods  met 
 gods ; demons  encountered  ursine  and  simian  demi-gods ; charmed  com- 
 batants and  weapons  were  opposed  to  others  equally  gifted  ; and  death 
 danced  in  various  figures  through  all  the  mazes  of  mythological  extrava- 
 gance. The  attempt  would  be  vain.  But  as  the  brave  warrior  Hanuman 
 was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  in  the  field,  I cannot  resist  the  impulse 
 to  wander,  like  the  predatory  follower  of  a camp,  amidst  the  wreck  of 
 battle,  to  collect  from  its  spoils  wherewith  to  form  a chaplet  of  renown 
 for  this  invincible  hero,  and  his  no  less  redoubtable  chief,  the  illustrious 
 Rama. 
 
 The  principal  commanders  of  Rama’s  army  were  his  brother  Lakshman, 
 Hanuman,  Jumont,  Ungud,  Nul,  Neel,  and  Beebee  Khan,  a deserter  from 
 Ravan.  Those  of  Ravan  were  his  brother  Khoombhukurma,  his  son  Megh- 
 naud,  Unee,  Unkpan,  and  Tekaee.  Hanuman  and  Meghnaud  were  com- 
 monly opposed  to  each  other,  and  each  was  wounded  often  enough  to  kill 
 a hundred  commanders  of  the  present  day.  When  Meghnaud  discharged 
 serpentine  fiery  arrows,  Hanuman  dashed  mountains  at  him  in  return.  The 
 attacks  of  the  one  were  evaded  by  monkey  sauterelles,  and  those  of  the 
 other  by  the  instantaneous  ascent  of  fiery  chariots.  Meghnaud  finding  he 
 could  do  nothing  with  Hanuman,  attacked  Lakshman  and  struck  him  sense- 
 less to  the  earth  ; which  threw  the  whole  of  Rama’s  army  into  sad  conster- 
 nation, for  leaches  as  learned  as  Doctors  H — and  W — , who  can  see  full 
 an  inch  beyond  their  noses,  declared  that  nothing  could  save  him  but  the 
 leaves  of  a particular  tree  that  grew  on  a far  distant  mountain,  which  must 
 be  administered  before  sun-rise  the  next  morning.  Hanuman,  as  no  one 
 else  would,  undertook  to  obtain  it ; but  Ravan,  who  had  been  informed  of 
 the  circumstance,  caused  the  sun  to  rise  at  midnight.  Hanuman,  as 
 prompt  in  expedients  as  he  was  resolute  in  action,  no  sooner  beheld  the 
 harbinger  of  the  god  of  day,  and  finding  that  he  had  no  time  to  collect  the 
 simples,  tore  the  huge  mountain  from  its  base,  seized  it  in  one  hand,  and 
 tucked  Surya,  with  his  seven  horses,  legless  charioteer,  and  gorgeous 
 chariot,  under  his  other  arm,  thereby  obscuring  his  light,  arrived  in  time 
 
30 
 
 RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 to  save  the  life  of  Lakshman  ; although  interrupted  on  his  return  by  another 
 manoeuvre  of  Ravan,  in  the  person  of  a Rakshasa,  whom  he  instantly  trod 
 down  and  crushed  to  death.  (See  fig.  2,  plate  11.) 
 
 After  the  death  of  Khoombhukurma,  Meghnaud  stood  the  foremost  amidst 
 Ravan’s  chiefs.  Mounted  on  a fiery  and  invisible  chariot,  he  enveloped 
 his  foes  in  sheets  of  fire,  and  transfixed  every  god,  bear,  and  monkey  of 
 them,  except  Jumont,  with  a thousand  darts.  At  Jumont,  Meghnaud 
 hurled  his  trident,  which  his  opponent  caught  with  the  agility  of  a bear,  and 
 in  return  pierced  Megnaud  with  it.  He  then  seized  him  by  the  leg  and 
 hurled  him  headlong  into  the  city.  Stung  with  shame,  the  Lanka  chieftain 
 sallied  out  again,  and  after  performing  a multiplicity  of  valorous  actions, 
 a minute  relation  of  each  of  which  would,  in  modern  type  and  margin, 
 make  up  a thicker  quarto  volume  than  my  own,  was  slain  by  the  hand  of 
 Lakshman. 
 
 After  this  affair,  another  brother  of  Ravan,  Mehrawun,  who  was  the 
 then  king  of  patala  (or  hell),  made  his  appearance  on  the  stage,  and,  en- 
 tering the  camp  of  Rama  at  midnight,  took  him  and  Lakshman  prisoners, 
 and  conveyed  them  to  the  infernal  regions,  where  they  were  destined  to 
 be  sacrificed  ; but  at  the  moment  the  sacrificial  sword  was  raised  over  the 
 head  of  Rama,  Hanuman  made  his  appearance,  liberated  them,  and  in  his 
 rage  depopulated  all  patala. 
 
 Another  sanguinary  conflict  then  took  place,  in  which  the  heavens 
 were  sometimes  illumined  with  fiery  chariots  and  flaming  darts,  at  one 
 moment  rushing  straight  forward,  then  cutting  zigzag,  and  then  winding  in 
 a variety  of  directions,  and  sometimes  darkened  by  showers  of  arrows, 
 javelins,  and  other  missile  weapons.  Numberless  arms  and  legs  were  thus 
 lopped  off,  and  millions  of  headless  bodies  stalked  about  the  battle-field. 
 Lakshman  was  killed  over  and  over  again.  Ravan  fought  here,  and  there, 
 and  every  where,  and  made,  in  utter  despair,  such  death-dealing  charges, 
 that  even  “ the  bravest  of  the  brave”  (Hanuman)  turned  tail,  and  was  seized 
 by  Ravan,  by  the  tail,  and  compelled  to  renew  the  combat,  in  which  they 
 both  fell  together  to  the  earth.  On  another  occasion  Ravan  charged  the 
 main  body  of  the  gods,  except  Mahadeo,  and  had  put  them  to  flight,  had 
 
RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 31 
 
 not  Ungad  followed  him,  and  (a  common  mode  of  attack  in  those  days) 
 pulled  him  down  by  the  heels. 
 
 To  cut  short  this  momentous  affair,  I must  now  bring  forward  the  im- 
 mortal Rama,  who,  after  a contest  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  foregoing, 
 which  lasted  seven  days,  and  which  would  take  seven  long  summer  days  to 
 relate,  terminated  it  and  the  life  of  Ravan  together,  on  learning  that  the 
 navel  of  the  giant  contained  a portion  of  the  amrita,  or  water  of  immortality, 
 by  letting  fly  a fiery  arrow,  which  entered  that  part,  and  instantly  dried  up 
 the  immortal  liquor,  on  which  the  charmed  existence  of  the  giant  depended. 
 At  the  moment  of  his  fate  the  earth  shook  violently,  and  other  portentous 
 omens  disclosed  the  joyful  event  which  had  taken  place. 
 
 No  sooner  was  the  battle  terminated  than  Indra  descended,  and  sprinkled 
 over  the  field  the  water  of  life ; when  every  monkey  and  bear  among  the 
 slain  became  immediately  resuscitated  ; but  the  Rakshasas  remained  rotting 
 on  the  ground. 
 
 Rama,  impatient  of  beholding  his  beloved  Sita,  lost  no  time  in  des- 
 patching Hanuman  to  bring  her  to  the  camp  ; but  before  their  reunion,  it 
 was  necessary  that  she  should  undergo  the  fiery  ordeal,*  to  prove  that  her 
 virtue  had  remained  unsullied  during  the  time  she  was  in  the  possession  of 
 the  giant. 
 
 After  this  the  victorious  army  dispersed,  and  Rama,  accompanied  by 
 Sugrivu,  Jumont,  Nul,  Neel,  and  Ungad,  who  then  assumed  human 
 forms,  returned  with  Sita  to  Ayodhya,  where  he  was  received  by  his  sub- 
 jects with  those  demonstrations  of  joy  usually  attendant  upon  eastern 
 conquerors.  He  reigned  over  them  ten  thousand  years,  and  was  at  length 
 received  into  the  heaven  of  Vishnu,  leaving  his  kingdom  to  his  two  sons. 
 
 If,  in  the  perusal  of  the  foregoing  pages,  any  of  my  readers  should  have 
 allowed  their  imaginations  to  be  alarmingly  worked  upon  respecting  the 
 fate  of  Sita,  I am  now  at  liberty  to  assure  them,  that,  as  respects  that 
 
 * The  fiery  ordeal  is  thus  performed An  excavation,  nine  hands  long,  two  spans  broad,  and 
 one  span  deep,  is  made  in  the  ground,  and  filled  up  with  fire  of  pepal  wood  ; into  this  the  person 
 accused  must  walk  barefooted  ; and  if  his  feet  remain  unhurt,  they  hold  him  blameless  ; if  burned, 
 guilty. 
 
m 
 
 RAMA  CHANDRA. 
 
 beautiful  daughter  of  Junuka,  the  whole  was  nothing  but  jnaya,  or  illusion. 
 It  appears,  in  a very  lively  epitome  of  the  Ramayana , by  the  late  Colonel 
 Delamain,  that  Rama,  knowing  it  was  destined  that  the  abduction  of  Sita 
 should  lead  to  the  destruction  of  Ravan,  unfolded  to  her  the  true  nature  of 
 his  expedition.  She,  accordingly,  consented  to  pass  into  fire  during  the 
 war.  Having  entered  it,  she  disappeared  ; and  a fictitious  Sita  sat  by 
 Rama  in  her  stead.  Thus,  after  the  termination  of  the  war,  when  it  was 
 supposed  Sita  entered  the  flame  of  the  fiery  ordeal,  the  illusive  body 
 perished,  and  the  real  wife  of  Rama  came  forth,  transcendent  in  purity  and 
 beauty.  This  secret  was  preserved  even  from  Lakshman,  and  was  known 
 only  to  Rama  and  Sita. 
 
 The  monkey,  throughout  Hindustan,  is  considered  the  emblem  of  policy 
 and  stratagem,  and  the  worshippers  of  Rama  believe  that  he  transformed 
 himself  into  that  animal.  Holwell  states,  that  numerous  colleges  of 
 Brahmans  are  supported  by  the  people  for  the  maintenance  of  these  ani- 
 mals, near  the  groves  where  they  resort.  They  are  said  “to  live  in  tribes 
 of  three  or  four  hundred,  to  be  extremely  gentle,  and  to  appear  to  possess 
 some  kind  of  order  and  subordination  in  their  sylvan  polity.”  Mr.  Ward 
 assures  us  that,  some  years  ago,  the  rajah  of  Nudeeya  expended  100,000 
 rupees  in  celebrating  a marriage  ceremony  between  two  of  these  descendants 
 of  Hanuman. 
 
 In  respect  to  the  chain  of  rocks  which  joins  the  island  of  Ceylon  to  the 
 main  land  of  Madura,  the  story  of  an  army  having  passed  across  it  is  not 
 wholly  a fable.  The  rajah  of  Marava  being  severely  pressed  in  a retreat  by 
 the  king  of  Madura,  passed  over,  by  means  of  beams  extended  from  one 
 rock  to  another,  with  his  whole  army,  accompanied  by  their  treasures, 
 elephants,  and  various  munitions  of  war. 
 
 The  incarnate  deity,  whose  exploits  I have  just  represented  as  they  are 
 recorded  by  the  poetValmic,  is  considered  by  Sir  William  Jones  to  be  the 
 same  as  the  Dionysos  or  Bacchus  of  the  Greeks.  This  Dionysos,  or  Bacchus, 
 whom  he  imagined  to  be  Rama,  the  son  of  Cush,  is  said  to  have  invaded 
 India  and  other  countries  with  an  army  of  satyrs,  commanded  by  the  Sylvan 
 deity  Pan  ; and  Sir  William  Jones  concludes  that  this  army,  or  probably 
 
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 71' C(.es-A'  4-/. 7Jeaj>Lo  ^rJ'o//A>,  . 
 
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SITA. 
 
 33 
 
 part  of  it  (which  he  thinks  may  have  been  composed  of  hardy  mountaineers), 
 gave  rise  to  the  poetical  tale  of  the  feats  of  Rama,  aided  by  the  heroic 
 Hanuman  and  his  host  of  monkeys. 
 
 We  shall,  however,  obtain  a more  consistent,  as  well  as  abetter  under- 
 stood comprehension  of  Rama,  in  considering  him  to  have  been  the  son  of 
 Desaratha,  of  the  solar  race,  king  of  Ayodhya,  now  termed  Oude,  a potent 
 sovereign  of  Hindustan,  who  having  been  banished  by  his  father  in  conse- 
 quence of  the  machinations  of  his  queens,  retired  to  the  banks  of  the 
 Godavery,  accompanied  by  his  brother  Lakshman  and  his  wife  Sita,  and 
 lived  in  the  neighbouring  forests  the  austere  and  secluded  life  of  an  ascetic  : 
 but  Sita  having  been  forcibly  taken  from  him  by  Ravana,  the  king  of 
 Lanka  (Ceylon),  Rama,  with  the  aid  of  Sugriva,  the  sovereign  of  Karnata, 
 invaded  the  kingdom  of  Ravana,  and  having  conquered  him,  placed  his 
 brother  on  the  throne  of  Lanka  in  his  stead. 
 
 The  Godavery  is  a sacred  stream,  and  its  banks  appear  to  be  classic 
 ground,  where  the  visitor  is  almost  at  every  step  reminded  of  the  heroes  of 
 the  Ramayana.  Here  are  the  temples  of  Rama  and  Hanuman,  the  caves  of 
 Nasuk  (nose),  which  commemorate  the  ungallant  action  of  Lakshman  in 
 cutting  off  the  nose  of  Surpanukha ; and  the  cave  of  Sita,  round  which 
 Lakshman  drew  the  circle  with  his  bow,  which  in  his  absence  she  was  not 
 to  overstep.  Like  the  misguided  bride  of  Blue-beard,  however,  she  did  so; 
 and  the  war  of  Lanka  and  the  Ramayana  were  the  consequences.  The  bones 
 of  Brahmans,  according  to  Colonel  Delamain,  are  brought  from  a consider- 
 able distance  to  be  cast  into  the  holy  stream  of  the  Godavery,  of  which 
 they  are  said  to  become  immediately  component  parts. 
 
 Rama  is  extensively  worshipped,  and  numerous  temples  are  erected  to 
 him  ; among  which  is  the  splendid  one  at  Ramnaghur  (see  plate  27),  from 
 which  many  of  the  plates  in  this  volume  are  taken.  A farther  description 
 is  given  under  the  head  of  Hindu  Temples. 
 
 SITA 
 
 Is  likewise  extensively  worshipped  in  company  with  her  husband  Rama. 
 
 F 
 
(34.) 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 Krishna,  or  the  Eighth  Avatar. — Radha. — the  Ninth  and  Tenth  Avatars. 
 
 KRISHNA. 
 
 I have  now  come  to  the  eighth  incarnation  of  Vishnu,  in  the  person  of 
 Krishna,  the  shepherd  Apollo  of  the  Hindus,  whose  deeds,  like  those  of 
 Rama  Chandra,  have  been  sung  by  the  noblest  poets  of  the  east. 
 
 This  deity,  one  of  the  most  extensively  and  enthusiastically  worshipped 
 among  the  Hindus,  and  the  delight  of  the  Hindu  females,  is  variously  repre- 
 sented ; sometimes  as  a beautiful  infant  playing  among  the  companions  of 
 his  infancy  ; at  others  attending  the  flocks  of  Nanda , and  sporting  among 
 the  Gopias,  or  milk-maids,  of  Mount  Govudun,  where,  like  another 
 Orpheus  with  his  lyre,  the  ravishing  harmony  of  his  flute  put  in  motion  not 
 only  the  nymphs  and  shepherds,  but  birds,  beasts,  trees,  and  all  which 
 came  within  the  sphere  of  its  enchanting  melody.  Again,  he  is  seen  as  the 
 youthful  hero  protecting  the  shepherds  by  his  mighty  power;  and,  at 
 another  time,  raising  up  on  his  finger  the  mountain  Govudun  above  the 
 heaven  of  Indra,  to  shield  them  from  a destructive  storm,  which  that  deity, 
 in  an  angry  mood,  had  poured  upon  them.  Plate  11,  fig.  3,  represents  him 
 among  the  Gopias.  He  is  richly  dressed,  with  a crown  on  his  head,  round 
 which  is  a ray  or  glory.  In  pictures  he  is  usually  seen  of  an  azure  colour ; 
 but  at  all  times  with  a beautiful  and  engaging  countenance.  In  plate  12, 
 fig.  1,  Krishna  is  represented  crushing  the  head  of  the  monstrous  serpent. 
 Fig.  2,  from  a richly  emblazoned  modern  sculpture,  represents  him  playing 
 on  his  flute  among  the  Gopias.  Figs.  3 and  4 show  him  as  Gopula,  the 
 infant  Krishna ; the  head  of  fig.  3 is  surmounted  by  the  hooded  snake. 
 Fig.  5 represents  his  mistress,  Radha  ; and  fig.  6,  Krishna  upholding  the 
 
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 35 
 
 mountain  Govudun  with  his  little  finger,  to  protect  his  worshippers  on  the 
 occasion  just  mentioned. 
 
 In  this  incarnation,  Vishnu  is  said  to  have  appeared  in  all  the  splendour 
 of  his  godhead,  accompanied  by  the  other  deities  ; whereas  in  his  preceding 
 avatars  he  conveyed  with  him  only  a portion  of  his  divine  nature.  But  in 
 this,  as  in  his  former  descents  on  the  earth,  the  object  of  his  appearance  has 
 been  the  destruction  of  giants,  and  the  overthrow  of  oppressive  and  irre- 
 ligious kings.  The  Brahmans  affirm  of  this  avatar,  that  “ though  all  the  seas 
 were  ink,  and  the  whole  earth  paper,  and  all  the  inhabitants  did  nothing 
 but  write  night  and  day  for  the  space  of  a hundred  thousand  years,  it  would 
 be  impossible  for  them  to  describe  all  the  wonders  which  Krishna  wrought 
 on  earth  in  the  time  of  his  hundred  years’  reign ; and  they  believe  that  all 
 those  who  shall  write  respecting  his  history,  read  the  same,  or  hear  it  read, 
 shall  merit  very  much;  and  if  they  read  it  with  devotion,  shall  not  be  transmi- 
 grated into  another  body,  but  enter  into  heaven  and  live  for  ever.”  Upon 
 the  shewing  in  the  first  lines  of  the  above  sentence,  I give  up,  in  utter 
 despair,  any  adequate  description  of  this  extraordinary  immortal : but  as  I 
 am  desirous  that  both  the  reader  and  myself  should  benefit,  in  some  degree, 
 from  a portion  of  the  belief  of  the  Hindus  which  follows  (whatever  may 
 attach  to  us  under  the  concluding  part),  I shall  hope  it  will  appear  that  we 
 merit  something  of  the  very  much  which  is  promised. 
 
 Krishna  was  born  in  Mathura,  and  was  the  son  of  Vasudeva  and  Devaki, 
 sister  to  Cansa,  the  king  of  that  country.  At  the  time  of  the  nuptials  of 
 his  father  and  mother,  it  was  predicted  to  Cansa  that  the  eighth  child  of 
 Devaki  would  deprive  him  of  his  life  and  crown,  and  become  the  sovereign 
 of  Mathura  in  his  stead.  The  king,  in  consequence,  commanded  that 
 Devaki  should  be  closely  confined,  and  that  whenever  she  was  delivered  of 
 a child,  it  should  be  brought  to  him  immediately  to  be  put  to  death.  The 
 princess  gave  birth  to  five  sons  and  one  daughter,  who  were  thus,  by  the 
 directions  of  her  brother,  destroyed  as  soon  as  they  were  born.  When  she 
 became  pregnant  the  seventh  time,  a voice  from  heaven  commanded  that 
 the  fire  of  her  womb  should  be  conveyed  into  that  of  another  female  named 
 Rohini,  who  gave  birth  to  the  third  Rama,  called  Bala  Rama,  Krishna’s 
 
 f 2 
 
36 
 
 KRISHNA. 
 
 elder  brother;  and  when  the  period  of  her  delivery  the  eighth  time  arrived, 
 the  tyrant  gave  orders  for  a stricter  watch  to  be  placed  over  her  than  had 
 been  before  observed.  When  her  time  had  expired,  the  room  became 
 suddenly  illumined,  and  she  was,  without  pain,  delivered  of  a beautiful 
 child,  who  having  been  endowed  by  Mahadeo  with  the  gift  of  speech,  im- 
 mediately addressed  her  (as  she  was  sorrowfully  lamenting  that  she  should 
 in  a short  time  be  so  cruelly  deprived  of  him),  and  assured  her  that  she 
 need  not  grieve,  for  he  would  escape  from  his  uncle’s  power,  and  also  soon 
 deliver  her  from  imprisonment ; then  turning  to  his  father,  he  desired  him 
 to  carry  him  to  the  house  of  a pious  man,  Nanda,  at  Gokal,  and  exchange 
 him  for  Nanda’s  daughter,  of  whom  his  wife  Yasuda  had  been  just  de- 
 livered. Like  a good  father,  Yasudeva  did  as  his  wonderful  son  desired, 
 the  prison  doors  flying  open,  the  guards  falling  asleep,  and  the  river  sus- 
 pending its  course  to  admit  of  an  easy  execution.  When  he  returned  with 
 the  daughter  of  Nanda,  she,  as  female  infants  usually  do,  began  to  kick  up 
 a terrible  dust  at  being  disturbed  from  her  sleep,  and  put  the  whole  palace 
 in  an  uproar.  Cansa  immediately  ran  in  haste  to  his  sister’s  apartment, 
 and  seizing  the  child,  was  about  to  dash  her  to  pieces,  when  she  slipped 
 out  of  his  hands,  and  placing  her  own  upon  her  hips,  and  raising  herself  on 
 tip-toe,  she  thus,  like  a precocious  Thalestris,  addressed  him  : “ How  dare 
 you,  audacious  wretch,  seek  to  put  me  to  death  ? Know  monster ! that  I 
 am  not  the  right  party,  and  that  he  who  shall  dethrone  you,  and  deprive 
 you  of  your  life,  lives  in  safety  at  Gokal.”  Having  thus  spoken,  or  rather 
 thus  declaimed,  she  bounced  into  the  air,  where  Mahadeo  transformed  her 
 into,  what  so  fiery  a young  lady*  was  most  fit  for,  lightning  ; which,  if  we 
 may  credit  Vyasa,  was  never  seen  nor  heard  of  before  that  time  : a fact 
 well  worthy  the  notice  of  the  natural  philosophers  of  intellectual  ages, 
 some  of  whom,  years  gone  by,  have  attributed  it  to  different  causes,  little 
 dreaming  that  the  etherial  fire  about  which  they  had  perplexed  their  brains 
 so  much,  was  caught  from  a spark  of  the  same  lovely  portion  of  creation 
 which  kindles  that  holy  flame  upon  earth,  without  which  man  would  be 
 nothing. 
 
 * She  is  described  as  a form  of  Parvati,  as  Durga. 
 
KRISHNA. 
 
 37 
 
 If  the  lofty  and  amazonian  character  of  this  patriarchal  maid  of  Gokal 
 should  (as  it  no  doubt  must  do)  prove  an  incitement  to  the  nobler  energies 
 of  her  beauteous  sex,  how  much  ought  the  naturally  felicitous  manner  with 
 which  she  managed  to  preserve  the  momentous  secret  of  the  existence  and 
 abode  of  Krishna,  to  excite  our  admiration  of  her  prudence  and  circum- 
 spection ; and  how  much  might  we  not  have  expected  that  her  philippic 
 would  have  caused  Cansa  to  stand  rebuked,  and  to  have  desisted  from  his 
 iniquitous  cruelties.  But  these  expectations,  like  the  bright  but  fleeting 
 visions  of  youth,  fade  before  the  wisdom  of  experience ; and  we  find  the 
 tyrant,  so  far  from  feeling  compunction,  adopting  further  measures  to  effect 
 his  flagitious  purposes.  He  accordingly  employed  the  giantess  Pootena, 
 whom  some  describe  as  his  eldest  sister,  and  others  as  a nurse,  to  proceed 
 in  the  disguise  of  an  interesting  woman  to  Gokal,  and  endeavour  to  find 
 means  to  get  Krishna  to  suck  her  breasts,  which  she  had  previously  rubbed 
 with  a deadly  juice.  She  succeeded  in  placing  one  of  her  nipples  in  his 
 mouth,  when,  protected  by  the  power  of  Mahadeo  from  poison,  he  drew  it 
 with  such  force,  that  he  not  only  sucked  her  milk,  but  also  the  blood  from 
 her  veins,  and  she  fell  dead  at  his  feet.  In  falling,  her  disguise  vanished, 
 and  she  resumed  her  natural  form,  which,  as  may  be  readily  imagined, 
 could  have  been  of  no  common  size,  when  it  is  affirmed  that  it  covered  a 
 space  of  twelve  square  miles,  and  convulsed  the  wide  expanse  of  heaven 
 and  earth  so  much  as  it  fell,  that  the  affrighted  shepherds  of  Gokal  imagined 
 the  Kalki  avatar  had  prematurely  arrived,  and  that  the  dissolution  of  nature 
 was  taking  place. 
 
 Cansa  lost  no  time  in  resorting  to  other  stratagems  to  effect  the  destruction 
 of  the  infant,  who,  either  by  his  incarnate  knowledge  or  Herculean  strength, 
 rendered  them  all  abortive.  His  next  feat  was  to  crush  the  bones  of  the 
 giant  Seedhu,  who  sought  to  kill  him  and  his  brother.  He  then  slew 
 Ternaveret,  who  having  first  raised  a tempest  to  darken  the  earth,  seized 
 Krishna  while  sleeping  in  his  cradle,  and  carried  him  aloft  in  the  air  : but 
 the  giant  soon  came  tumbling  down  with  a noise,  like  the  fall  of  Pootena. 
 One  day  he  happened,  in  a sleepy  fit,  to  gape,  and  his  nurse  taking  that 
 opportunity  to  look  in  his  mouth  beheld  what  astonished  her  more  than  if 
 
38 
 
 KRISHNA. 
 
 she  had  unexpectedly  seen  so  near  to  her  the  teeth  of  a monstrous  and 
 voracious  shark,  being  nothing  less  than  the  three  worlds,  with  Brahma, 
 Vishnu,  and  Siva  sitting  in  all  their  glory  on  their  heavenly  thrones.  At 
 another  time  he  thought  proper  to  get  into  a precious  passion,  because, 
 when  he  awoke,  his  nurse  was  out  of  the  way,  and  his  breakfast  not  ready 
 in  exact  time ; so  he  began  kicking  about  him  most  violently,  and  in  a few 
 minutes  dashed  into  fragments  an  enormous  patriarchal  chariot,  which  hap- 
 pened incautiously  to  have  been  left  near  him.  He  afterwards  killed  the  large 
 serpent  Kali-naga,  which  poisoned  the  “waters  of  the  river  Jumna.  He  de- 
 stroyed the  giant  Shishoo-palu ; also  another  giant,  in  the  shape  of  an  immense 
 bird,  which  sought  to  peck  out  the  eyes  of  himself  and  his  brother  ; and  an- 
 other, in  the  shape  of  a wild  ass.  He  burnt  the  entrails  of  Peck  Assoor,  who  had 
 swallowed  him  in  the  shape  of  an  alligator ; and  choked  Aghi  Assoor,  who 
 had  made  a similar  meal  of  him  in  the  shape  of  a dragon.  He  extinguished 
 a destructive  fire  which  had  been  kindled  to  exterminate  the  Gopas  and 
 Gopias.  Although  living  among  cow-herds,  he  became  intuitively  the 
 greatest  scholar  in  the  world,  and  learnt  to  walk  by  taking  hold  of  a calf’s 
 tail.  He  then  broke  the  tremendous  bow  Danook,  and  overcame  the 
 celebrated  wrestler  Chandoor.  These  are  a few  of  the  acts  which  illus- 
 trate the  life  of  this  redoubtable  deity  : but  he  intermediately  performed 
 an  infinite  variety  of  others  equally  notable,  which  are  not  in  our  times  of 
 such  frequent  occurrence  ; and  finally  destroyed  Cansa  and  took  possession 
 of  his  throne.  But  as  I have  largely,  though  not  wholly,  performed  my 
 promise  to  my  reader,  and  must  entertain  some  respect  towards  his  time 
 and  patience,  I shall  leave  the  remainder  of  his  numerous  martial  deeds  to 
 be  related  by  the  more  elaborate  historians  of  his  life. 
 
 I therefore  close  my  relation  of  his  feats  of  arms ; but  it  must  not  be 
 supposed  that  the  hero  of  so  many  far-famed  actions  can  be  yet  finally 
 dismissed  from  our  consideration.  Love  and  glory,  it  has  been  asserted, 
 usually  go  hand  in  hand ; and  it  will  not  be  a matter  of  surprise  that 
 we  find  the  invincible  conqueror  of  so  many  giants  and  assoors  a second 
 Juan  among  the  Gopias.  Hitherto  my  course,  as  an  historian  of  his 
 renown,  has  been  so  smooth  and  easy  that  scarce  a ripple  has  disturbed  the 
 
KRISHNA. 
 
 39 
 
 surface  of  the  historic  stream ; but  I am  now,  unfortunately,  thrown 
 between  the  horns  of  a difficult  and  overwhelming  dilemma,  as  I have  still 
 a duty  to  perform  toward  my  readers,  and  am  aware  that  the  loves  of  heroes 
 should  commonly  be  buried  in  their  roseate  and  blissful  bowers.  True  it  is 
 (and  few  will  deny  that  truth,  in  the  face  of  so  many  learned  authorities), 
 that  there  must  be  many  and  eminent  exceptions  to  this  generally  pru- 
 dential rule,  of  which  Krishna’s  wanderings  must  be  allowed  to  stand  a 
 part. 
 
 Lest,  however,  it  should  be  imagined  by  those  who  have  not  been  oriental 
 travellers,  that  the  pastoral  maids  of  Gokal  resembled  the  rosy-cheeked 
 damsels  of  the  delightful  plains  of  Devon,  or  the  herd-spangled  vallies  of 
 Buckingham,  I most  emphatically  assure  them  that  they  have  formed 
 supremely  erroneous  notions  of  the  nymphs  in  question ; but  as  proofs  are 
 at  all  times  better  than  assertions,  the  reader  shall  have  something  beyond 
 my  simple  averment  to  direct  him.  Let  him,  then,  if  his  soul  be  sensible 
 to  the  raptures  of  love,  listen  to  the  voice  of  Jayad^va,  whose  notes  are 
 both  sweet  and  brilliant : — 
 
 “ Bring  home  the  wanderer  (Krishna)  to  my  rustic  mansion,”  spoke  the 
 fortunate  herdsman  Nanda  to  the  lovely  Radha.  “ The  firmament  is 
 obscured  by  clouds,  the  woodlands  are  black  with  tamala  trees  : that 
 youth  who  roves  in  the  forest  will  be  fearful  in  the  gloom  of  night.  Go, 
 my  daughter,  bring  the  wanderer  home.” 
 
 Radha  sauglit  him  long  in  vain.  She  roved  among  the  twining  vasantis 
 covered  with  soft  blossoms,  when  a damsel  thus  addressed  her  : — * 
 
 “ The  gale  that  has  wantoned  round  the  beautiful  clove  plants,  breathes 
 now  from  the  hills  of  Malaya.  The  full  blown  cesara  gleams  like  the 
 sceptre  of  the  world’s  monarch.  Love  ; and  the  pointed  thyrse  of  the  cetaca 
 resembles  the  darts  by  which  lovers  are  wounded.  See  the  bunches  of 
 patali  flowers  filled  with  bees,  like  the  quiver  of  Smara  full  of  shafts,  while 
 the  amrita  tree,  with  blooming  tresses,  is  embraced  by  the  gay  creeper 
 atbnucta,  and  the  blue  streams  of  the  Yamuna  wind  round  the  groves  of 
 
 * The  addresses  of  this  loquacious  young  lady  were  considerably  longer  than  I have  given 
 them,  as  I have  merely  abstracted  a few  of  the  parts. 
 
40 
 
 KRISHNA. 
 
 Vrindhavan.  A breeze,  like  the  breath  of  love  from  the  fragrant  flowers  of 
 the  cetacci,  kindles  every  heart,  whilst  it  perfumes  the  woods  with  the  dust 
 which  it  shakes  from  the  mallica  with  half -opened  buds;  and  the  cocila* 
 bursts  into  song,  when  he  sees  the  blossoms  glistening  on  the  lovely  rasala. 
 In  this  charming  season,  young  Heri  (Krishna)  dances  with  a company  of 
 damsels.” 
 
 This  agreeable  speech  was  intended,  in  the  true  spirit  of  female  kindness, 
 to  answer  a similar  purpose  to  many  made  in  our  modern  boudoirs,  that  is, 
 to  give  pain  to  the  auditor.  The  jealous  Radha,  however,  gave  no  answer; 
 when  her  amiable  friend  pointed  out  Krishna,  “with  a garland  of  wild 
 flowers  descending  even  to  the  yellow  mantle  that  girds  his  azure  limbs  ; 
 distinguished  by  smiling  cheeks,  and  by  earrings  that  sparkle  as  he  plays,” 
 enjoying  the  rapturous  embraces  of  his  fair  companions.  One  presses  him 
 to  her  swelling  bosom  ; another  meditates  on  the  lotus  of  his  face  ; a third 
 points  to  a vanjula  bower.  He  caresses  one,  kisses  another,  and  smiles  on 
 a third ; while  a fourth,  under  the  pretext  of  hymning  his  divine  perfections, 
 whispers  in  his  ear,  “ thy  lips,  my  beloved,  are  nectar.” 
 
 Radha  remained  in  the  forest  lamenting  to  her  confidant  the  wanderings 
 of  her  faithless  swain.  “ I saw  him,”  she  exclaimed,  “ in  the  grove  with 
 happier  damsels,  yet  the  sight  of  him  delighted  me.  Soft  is  the  gale  that 
 breathes  over  yon  clear  pool  and  expands  the  clustering  blossoms  of  the 
 voluble  asoca  ; soft,  yet  grievous  to  me,  in  the  absence  of  the  foe  of  Madhu. 
 Delightful  are  the  flowers  of  the  amru- trees  on  the  mountain-top,  while  the 
 murmuring  bees  pursue  their  voluptuous  toil ; delightful,  yet  afflicting  to 
 me,  O friend,  in  the  absence  of  the  youthful  Cesava.”  f 
 
 Krishna  now  repented  of  his  levity,  and  sought  a reconciliation  with 
 Radha  ; who,  while  she  ardently  wished  for,  appeared  somewhat  coquetishly 
 to  shun  it.  At  length  she  yielded  to  the  plaintive  solicitations  of  her 
 despairing  lover,  whose  messenger  tells  her,  “ that  the  deity,  crowned  with 
 silver  blossoms,  mourns  in  her  absence ; that  even  the  dewy  rays  of  the 
 moon  can  bring  no  relief  to  the  ardent  flame  which  consumes  him  ; that  he 
 
 * A bird  of  sweet  song,  with  green  plumage,  and  red  beak  and  feet. 
 
 -{-  A name  of  Krishna. 
 
KRISHNA. 
 
 41 
 
 quits  the  bower  of  love  to  throw  himself  on  the  cold  clay,  and  repeat  words 
 which  he  had  heard  his  beloved  express  : then,  having  bound  his  locks  with 
 forest  flowers,  he  hastens  to  yon  arbour,  when  a soft  gale  breathes  over  the 
 banks  of  Yamuna;  then  again,  pronouncing  her  name,  he  modulates  his 
 divine  reed.  Oh  ! with  what  rapture  doth  he  gaze  on  the  golden  dust  which 
 the  breeze  shakes  from  expanded  blossoms  ; the  breeze,  which  hath  kissed 
 her  cheek.  With  a mind  languid  as  a dropping  wing,  feeble  as  a trembling 
 leaf,  he  doubtfully  expects  her  approach.” 
 
 Radha  was  unable  to  move  from  her  arbour  of  flowery  creepers  through 
 debility,  but  her  damsel  hastened  to  Krishna  to  tell  him  he  was  expected. 
 “ The  moon  had  spread  a net  of  beams  over  the  groves  of  Vrindhavan,” 
 but  alas  he  came  not ; for,  in  habiliments  becoming  the  war  of  love,  and 
 with  traces  waving  like  flowery  Bannias,  a damsel  more  alluring  than 
 Radha  had,  pending  the  negociation,  captivated  the  heart  of  the  fickle  god. 
 
 Here  follows  a description,  the  bare  perusal  of  which  might  send  some  of 
 my  romantic  readers  on  a pilgrimage  to  the  banks  of  the  Yamuna.  I shall 
 therefore  pass  on  to  say,  that  after  some  varying  incidents,  described  in  the 
 most  glowing  style  of  oriental  imagery,  the  lovers  were  reconciled,  and 
 Radha  sought  the  blossom-illumined  bower  of  Govinda  (Krishna).  In  the 
 morning  she  rose  disarrayed,  and  her  eyes  betrayed  a night  without  slumber  ; 
 when  the  yellow-robed  god,  who  gazed  on  her  with  transport,  thus  meditated 
 on  her  charms  in  his  heavenly  mind  : “ Though  her  locks  be  diffused  at 
 random,  though  the  lustre  of  her  lips  be  faded,  though  her  garland  and 
 zone  be  fallen  from  their  enchanting  stations,  yet,  even  though  thus  dis- 
 arrayed, she  fills  me  with  extatic  delight.” 
 
 Radha  turned  from  his  gaze,  and  sportively  bade  him  array  her.  He 
 obeyed  her  behests,  and  placed  musky  spots  on  her  bosom  and  forehead, 
 dyed  her  temples  with  radiant  hues,  embellished  her  eyes  with  additional 
 blackness,  decked  her  braided  hair  and  her  neck  with  fresh  garlands,  and 
 tied  on  her  wrists  the  loosened  bracelets,  on  her  ankles  the  beamy  rings, 
 and  round  her  waist  the  zone  of  bells  that  sounded  with  ravishing  melody . 
 Thus  sang  Jayad^va.* 
 
 * Translated  by  the  accomplished  and  learned  Sir  William  Jones.  Asiatic  Researches,  vol.  iii. 
 
 G 
 
42 
 
 KRISHNA. 
 
 On  another  occasion,  when  Krishna  came  to  Bindreben,  the  Devatas,  in 
 honour  of  the  moon  shining  in  her  meridian  lustre,  had  adorned  themselves 
 in  variegated  chains  of  pearls  and  rubies,  had  robed  themselves  in  vestments 
 of  rose-colour,  and  rubbed  themselves  with  saffron,  so  that  the  earth  received 
 fresh  splendour  from  their  appearance,  and  a warm  and  sweet  air  breathed 
 around,  when  Krishna  began  to  play  on  his  flute.  Immediately  on  hearing 
 it,  the  Gopias  all  left  their  several  occupations  unfinished,  and  ran  out  to 
 listen.  Krishna  affected  to  ask  them  “ if  all  was  well  at  home?  ” He  then 
 proceeded  to  give  them  some  good  advice  upon  their  duties  to  their  husbands, 
 and  so  forth;  when  one  of  them  said,  “ that  when  frenzy  and  distraction 
 seized  the  mind,  all  duties  and  all  earthly  motives  were  overturned  and 
 forgotten  ; that  if  he  ordered  them  to  go,  they  were  lame;  but  if  he  called 
 them  to  him,  they  flew.”  Krishna  perceiving  them  thus  sincerely  inflamed 
 would  not  be  too  harsh  with  them,  but  took  each  of  them  in  his  arms,  and 
 treated  them  with  equal  tenderness ; so  that  all  the  happiness  and  transport 
 which  are  to  be  found  in  the  world  were  collected  in  one  place,  in  the  hearts 
 of  the  Gopias.  Whenever  they  turned  Krishna  was  close  to  them  ; and  as 
 women  naturally  acquiesce  in  the  truth  of  an  idea  that  pleases  them,  they  con- 
 cluded Krishna  to  be  equally  fond  of  them.* 
 
 Krishna,  however,  contrived  to  play  them  a slippery  trick ; for  after 
 having  buoyed  them  up  with  hopes,  he  all  on  a sudden  vanished  from  their 
 sight,  leaving  them  staring  around  them  in  astonishment  and  despair,  and 
 interrogating  every  tree,  flower,  and  blade  of  grass,  to  obtain  information 
 of  their  faithless  swain,  which  they  at  length  effectually  discovered  him  to 
 be,  as  they  too  soon  ascertained  that  another  damsel  had  occupied  his 
 attentions.  They  then  became  frantic  with  grief ; till  Krishma,  taking 
 pity  upon  them,  again  made  his  appearance,  when  they  worshipped  him 
 with  flowers,  and  “ caressed  him,  expressing  in  different  languages,  actions, 
 and  attitudes,  the  same  passion.” 
 
 All  this  excessive  joy  terminated  in  (what  is  not  an  unusual  event)  a 
 rasumandala , j-  or  dance,  in  which  Krishna  multiplied  his  form  in  proportion 
 
 * Maurice. 
 
 f Of  this  dance  Mr.  Holwell  has  given  a neat  plate  in  his  Historical  Events;  and  Major 
 Moor  a very  pretty  one  in  his  Hindu  Pantheon,  in  which  Krishna  and  a fair  companion,  playing 
 
KRISHNA. 
 
 43 
 
 to  the  number  of  the  Gopias,  and  giving  each  of  them  a hand,  caused  each 
 to  believe  that  he  was  close  to  her  side.  “ In  that  agitation  of  the  feet, 
 and  delicate  motion  of  the  limbs  and  waist,  all  the  refinement  of  the 
 oriental  dance  was  exhibited.  The  moisture  of  perspiration  came  on  the 
 cheeks  of  the  Gopias,  their  hair  was  dishevelled,  and  their  jetty  tresses 
 trembled  over  their  necks,  resembling  black  snakes  feeding  on  the  due  of  the 
 hyacinth .”  The  enjoyment  of  Krishna  with  the  Gopias,  and  the  Gopias 
 with  Krishna,  is,  concludes  Mr.  Maurice,  a mystery,  and  cannot  be  de- 
 scribed. Sir  William  Jones  also  says,  they  circulate  the  cup,  but  no 
 material  goblet. 
 
 Of  the  pastoral  nymphs  just  described  (of  whom  see  a whimsical 
 story  under  the  head  of  Nareda),  Krishna  is  said  to  have  possessed  sixteen 
 thousand.  Sir  William  Jones,  in  his  Dissertation  on  the  musical  Modes  of 
 the  Hindus,  says : “ in  the  literature  of  the  Hindus  all  nature  is  animated 
 and  personified ; every  fine  art  is  declared  to  have  been  revealed  from 
 heaven,  and  all  knowledge,  divine  and  human,  is  traced  to  its  source  in  the 
 Vedas.’’  In  their  science  of  music,  he  adds,  that  in  the  days  of  Krishna 
 there  were  sixteen  thousand  ragas,  or  musical  modes,  each  of  the  Gopias  of 
 Mathura  chusing  to  sing  one  to  captivate  the  heart  of  their  pastoral  god. 
 It  has  thus  been  assumed,  that  the  sixteen  thousand  mistresses  of  Krishna 
 were  nothing  else  than  the  sixteen  thousand  ragas,  which  delighted  the 
 Apollo  of  the  Hindus.  The  Brahmans  aver,  that  his  numerous  love 
 adventures  were  all  maya,  or  illusion  ; and  describe  him  as  a perfect  Joseph 
 in  regularity  and  goodness. 
 
 After  these  specimens,  I think  I may  spare  the  reader  a recapitulation  of 
 the  other  love  adventures  of  Krishna.  Suffice  it,  therefore,  to  say,  that, 
 like  his  victories,  they  were  numerous ; and  that  at  length,  following  the 
 example  of  other  satiated  votaries  of  dissipation,  he  married,  and  to  prove 
 more  effectually  his  penitence,  took  unto  himself  eight  wives,  of  whom 
 Rukmini,  an  incarnation  of  Lakshmi,  was  the  principal.*  But  as  the 
 
 on  flutes  and  dancing,  are  in  the  centre  ; and  eight  females,  with  as  many  forms  of  the  god, 
 dancing  round  them ; six  other  females  are  playing  upon  various  instruments.  Krishna  has  been 
 astronomically  considered  as  the  sun,  with  the  planets  moving  round 
 
 * To  understand  this,  and  the  far  larger  portion  of  Hindu  Mythology,  in  the  shortest  way,  it 
 will  be  well  to  agree  with  Vishnu — that  it  is  maya,  or  illusion. 
 
 G 2 
 
44 
 
 K R I S FI  N A. 
 
 reformation  of  rakes  is  seldom  permanent,  he  speedily  forsook  the  haven  of 
 domestic  enjoyment  to  revel  again  in  the  arms  of  his  mistress,  the  beautiful 
 Rhada,  also  deemed  an  incarnation  of  the  same  goddess,  with  whom  he  is 
 commonly  worshipped. 
 
 An  annual  festival,  to  celebrate  the  birth  of  this  god,  is  held  in  the  month 
 Bhadra.  On  this  day  his  worshippers  fast ; but,  on  the  conclusion  of  the 
 worship,  indulge  themselves  in  music,  dancing,  singing,  and  various  other 
 festivities. 
 
 In  the  month  Shravunu  another  festival  is  held  in  honour  of  him,  which 
 lasts  from  three  to  five  days,  during  which  the  same  festivities  prevail ; to 
 which  is  added  the  ceremony  of  swinging  the  image  of  the  god  in  a chair, 
 suspended  from  the  ceiling. 
 
 In  the  month  Kartiku  a third  festival  takes  place  to  celebrate  his 
 revels,  which  have  been  before  described,  among  the  Gopias ; and  in  the 
 month  Phalgoonu  is  also  held  the  celebrated  swinging  festival  of  the 
 dolu,  the  ceremonies  of  which  last  fifteen  days,  and  are  accompanied 
 with  great  splendour  and  festivity.  During  these  holidays  the  Hindus 
 spend  the  night  in  singing  and  dancing,  and  wandering  about  the  streets 
 besmeared  with  the  dolu  (a  red)  powder,  in  the  day  time,  carrying  a quantity 
 of  the  same  powder  about  with  them,  which,  with  much  noise  and  rejoicing, 
 they  throw  over  the  different  passengers  they  may  meet  in  their  rambles. 
 Music,  dancing,  fire-works,  singing,  and  many  obscenities  take  place  on 
 this  occasion.  The  intelligent  missionary.  Ward,  has  given  descriptions  of 
 these  festivals,  in  which  he  says : “At  these  times  I have  seen  the  grey- 
 headed idolater  and  the  mad  youth  dancing  together ; the  old  man  lifting 
 up  his  withered  arms  in  the  dance,  and  giving  a kind  of  horror  to  the 
 scene,  which  idolatry  itself,  united  to  the  vivacity  of  youth,  could  scarcely 
 be  able  to  inspire.” 
 
 Krishna  is  also  worshipped  under  his  infant  form  as  Gopalu  and  Bala- 
 gopalu,  and  again  as  Gopee-nat’hu,  the  god  of  the  milk-maids. 
 
 In  the  picture  of  Krishna,  observes  Sir  William  Jones,  it  is  impossible 
 not  to  discover,  at  the  first  glance,  the  features  of  Apollo,  surnamed  Nomios, 
 or  the  pastoral,  in  Greece,  and  Opifir  in  Italy,  who  fed  the  herds  of 
 Admetus,  and  slew  the  serpent  Python. 
 
RADH  A. 
 
 45 
 
 RADHA, 
 
 The  celebrated  mistress  of  Krishna,  was,  in  her  mortal  form,  the  wife  of 
 a cowherd  of  Gokal,  whom  she  lived  with  in  a forest  near  the  Jumna.  Her 
 image  is  set  up  in  the  temples,  and  worshipped  at  the  festivals  with  that  of 
 Krishna.  (Fig.  5,  plate  12.) 
 
 NINTH  and  TENTH  AVATARS. 
 
 The  ninth  avatar  of  Vishnu,  or  his  incarnation  as  Buddha,  will  be  noticed 
 under  the  head  of  Buddha : the  tenth,  or  Kalki  avatar,  I have  already 
 mentioned  in  a preceding  page.  Fig.  1,  plate  13,  from  a compartment  in 
 the  temple  of  Rama,  represents  Vishnu  richly  apparelled,  with  a drawn 
 sword  in  his  hand,  kneeling  in  front  of  a winged  horse,  whose  fore  foot  is 
 raised  from  the  ground,  prepared  to  announce  the  destruction  of  the  uni- 
 verse. 
 
( 46  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 Kamadeva,  or  Camdeo — Bala  Rama — Juggarnat’h — Wittoba — Garuda — HaAuman — Lakshmi. 
 
 KAMADEVA,  or  CAMDEO,  thk  God  of  Love. 
 
 Whether  we  consider  this  universal  deity  (alike,  through  all  ages  and 
 all  climes,  the  object  of  the  poet’s,  the  hero’s,  the  blockhead’s,  and  the 
 wise  man's  invocation),  as  Anteros  with  his  leaden  arrow  ; or  as  the  beau- 
 teous Eros  with  his  golden  dart ; as  the  Egyptian  Horus  with  the  wings  of 
 the  Etesian  winds,  or  as  the  Hindu  adored  Camdeo,  with  bee-strung  bow  and 
 dower-tipped  shaft ; whether  we  consider  him  as  the  son  of  Jupiter,  or  Mars 
 and  Venus  ; of  Porus  the  god  of  counsel,  and  Penia  the  goddess  of  poverty; 
 of  Coelus  and  Terra,  or  of  Zephyrus  and  Flora ; or  as  the  son  of  Brahma, 
 or  of  Vishnu,  or  Krishna,  or  (which  heaven  forefend)  of  Maya  or  illusion  ; 
 this  we  know  : — 
 
 “ Whate’er  thy  seat,  whate’er  thy  name, 
 
 Seas,  earth,  and  air  thy  reign  proclaim. 
 
 Wreathy  smiles  and  roseate  pleasures 
 Are  thy  richest,  sweetest  treasures. 
 
 All  animals  to  thee  their  tribute  bring. 
 
 And  hail  thee  universal  king.” 
 
 Sir  William  Jones. 
 
 This  deity  is  represented  as  the  child  of  Brahma,  and  subsequently  as 
 the  illusive  offspring  of  Vishnu  and  Lakshmi,  in  their  avatars  as  Krishna 
 and  Rukmini.  He  is  hence  called  the  son  of  Maya,  or  illusion.  In  his 
 first  birth,  as  the  son  of  Brahma,  he  was  promised  by  that  god  dominion 
 over  the  hearts  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  three  worlds ; and  that  himself, 
 Vishnu,  and  Siva,  would  be  subject  to  his  power  The  malicious  urchin, 
 upon  obtaining  this  promise,  immediately  let  fly  an  arrow,  and  pierced  the 
 
KAMADEVA. 
 
 47 
 
 bosom  of  his  father ; but  on  trying  his  skill,  on  a subsequent  occasion,  upon 
 Siva,  when  he  happened  to  be  engaged  in  prayer,  he  so  incensed  him,  that 
 with  the  eye  in  the  middle  of  his  forehead  he  consumed  the  god  of  love  to 
 ashes : from  which  he  is  called  Ananga,  the  bodyless.  Brahma,  however, 
 assured  him  that  his  body  should  be  restored.  After  his  second  birth  of 
 Rukmini,  he  was,  on  the  sixth  day,  carried  away  by  the  Daitiya  Shambara 
 and  thrown  into  the  sea,  where  he  was  swallowed  by  a fish  ; which  being 
 taken,  was  opened,  and  the  infant  discovered  and  given  to  Shambara,  who 
 delivered  it  to  his  wife,  Mayavati.  This  female  was  no  other  than  Reti, 
 the  wife  of  Kama  in  his  former  birth,  who  had  assumed  the  form  and  name 
 of  Mayavati,  in  consequence  of  having  been  assured  by  Siva  that  her  hus- 
 band would  be  born  again  as  the  son  of  Krishna.  Kama,  or  Pradyumna, 
 was  immediately  recognised  and  brought  up  carefully  by  her ; till,  at  a 
 proper  period,  he  was  informed  who  he  was,  and  of  the  cruelty  of  Shambara, 
 whom  he  instantly  slew. 
 
 His  standard  is,  in  consequence  of  the  circumstance  just  mentioned,  a 
 fish,  and  he  is  called  the  son  of  Maya. 
 
 “ Yes,  son  of  Maya,  yes,  I know 
 Thy  bloomy  shafts  and  cany  bow, 
 
 Cheeks  with  youthful  glory  beaming, 
 
 Locks  in  braids  etherial  streaming, 
 
 Thy  scaly  standard,  thy  mysterious  arms, 
 
 And  all  thy  pains  and  all  thy  charms.” 
 
 The  image  of  this  god  is  represented  as  a beautiful  youth,  riding  on  a 
 lory  (or  parrot)  with  emerald  wings.  In  his  hands  he  holds  a bow  strung 
 with  bees,  and  five  arrows  tipped  with  flowers. 
 
 “ He  bends  the  luscious  cane,  and  twists  the  string, 
 
 With  bees,  how  sweet ! but  ah  ! how  keen  their  sting ! 
 
 He  with  five  flow’rets  tips  his  ruthless  darts, 
 
 Which  through  five  senses  pierce  enraptur’d  hearts: 
 
 Strong  chumpa,  rich  in  od'rous  gold. 
 
 Warm  amer,  nurs’d  in  heavenly  mould, 
 
48 
 
 KAMADEVA. 
 
 Dry  nagkesir , in  silver  smiling, 
 
 Hot  kiticum  our  sense  beguiling, 
 
 And  last,  to  kindle  fierce  the  scorching  flame, 
 
 Love-shaft,  which  gods  bright  beta  name.” 
 
 Sir  WiUiam  Jones , 
 
 He  is  supposed  to  be  accompanied  by  his  consort  Reti,  or  affection : 
 
 “ Thy  consort  mild,  affection  ever  true, 
 
 Graces  thy  side  in  vest  of  glowing  hue.” 
 
 Also  by  the  cuckoo,  the  humming  bee,  and  gentle  breezes,  and  to  be 
 always  wandering  through  the  world  ; but  the  banks  of  the  Yamuna,  the 
 resort  of  Krishna  and  the  Gopias,  became  his  favourite  haunt. 
 
 Kama,  like  the  other  Hindu  deities,  has  numerous  names,  either  indi- 
 cative of  the  power  of  love  over  the  mind,  or  descriptive  of  his  attributes. 
 He  is  called  Smara,  the  son  of  Maya,  Ananga  the  bodyless,  Mudun,  he 
 whose  banner  is  a fish,  Pradyumna,  &c.  &c. 
 
 Fig.  2,  plate  21,  represents  him  as  a beautiful  youth  kneeling  on  a lory 
 with  emerald  wings,  in  the  act  of  discharging  the  love-shaft  arrow  from  his 
 bow,  strung  with  bees.  Behind  him  hangs  his  quiver,  filled  with  four  other 
 arrows  tipped  with  the  flowers  of  the  chumpa,  the  amer,  the  naghesir,  and 
 the  kiticum. 
 
 Images  and  pictures  of  this  deity  are  not  common.  The  one  given  in 
 this  work  is  from  a drawing  of  a very  inferior  description.  The  sectarial 
 mark  on  his  forehead  is  that  of  Vishnu. 
 
 BALA  RAMA. 
 
 This  god  was  the  brother  of  Krishna,  and,  as  I have  remarked  in  the  life 
 of  that  deity,  was  saved  from  the  fury  of  Cansa,  by  being  translated  from 
 the  womb  of  his  mother  into  that  of  another  female.  He  is  frequently 
 represented  as  the  coadjutor  of  his  brother  in  his  exploits,  and  his  image 
 usually  accompanies  that  of  Krishna  in  his  reanimation  (after  having  been 
 killed)  under  the  form  of  Juggarnat’h.  According  to  a note  in  my  account 
 
* 
 
 # • 
 
 ■ 
 
 *•  ♦ 
 
 ' 
 
 . 
 
BALA  RAMA.— JUGGARNAT’H. 
 
 49 
 
 of  Suraswati,  Sir  William  Jones  has  compared  him  to  Bacchus,  the  inven- 
 tor of  the  use  of  wine.  There  would  not  appear  to  be  any  incident  for  which 
 he  is  individually  famed,  except  the  above-mentioned,  and  that  of  having 
 married  one  of  the  most  beautiful  old  maids  of  ancient  times,  of  a standard 
 somewhat  above  the  usual  size;  his  wife,  Revati,  having  been,  “ at  the 
 time  of  her  marriage,  3,888,000  years  of  age,  and  so  tall,  that  her  stature 
 reached  as  high  as  the  hands  clapped  seven  times  could  be  heard.”*  I have 
 not  learnt  how  he  managed  in  respect  to  her  age ; but  he  is  said  to  have 
 taken  a very  ingenious  method,  which  I would  seriously  recommend  to  the 
 modellers  of  high-shouldered  young  ladies,  of  reducing  her  inconvenient 
 height  to  one  more  agreeable  to  his  taste ; by  fixing  an  enormous  plough- 
 share, which  this  delicate  damsel  herself  used,  to  her  shoulders.  Bala  Rama 
 is  represented  with  Juggarnat’h  and  Subhadra,  in  fig.  2,  plate  13.  Why  he 
 and  the  lady  should  also  be  without  arms  and  legs,  I am  unacquainted. 
 
 f 
 
 JUGGARNAT'H. 
 
 Since  gods,  as  well  as  men,  must,  it  would  appear,  die  some  time  or 
 other,  the  love-inspiring  Krishna  was  one  day  shot  with  an  arrow  from  the 
 bow  of  a hunter,  who  most  unceremoniously  left  the  lovely  form  of  the 
 deity,  whom  the  Gopias  had  so  franticly  adored,  to  rot  under  the  tree  where 
 it  fell.  After  some  time  his  bones,  like  those  of  the  beautiful  Rosalia  in 
 Sicily,  were  collected  by  some  pious  persons,  and  made  the  pious  means  of 
 enriching  the  priests  of  the  Hindus,  as  the  more  tender  ones  of  the  virgin 
 saint  have  done  the  reverend  fathers  of  Palermo.  Having  been  collected 
 they  were  placed  in  a box,  where  they  remained  till  Vishnu,  on  being 
 applied  to  by  a religious  monarch,  Indra  Dhoomna,  commanded  him  to  make 
 an  image  of  Juggarnat’h  and  place  the  bones  in  it.  The  king  would 
 willingly  have  done  as  he  was  desired,  but  unfortunately  possessed  not  the 
 skill  for  such  an  undertaking : so  he  made  bold  to  ask  Vishnu,  who  should 
 make  it  ? Vishnu  told  him  to  apply  to  Viswakarma,  the  architect  of  the 
 gods.  He  did  so,  and  as  promptly  as  our  great  architect,  Mr.  Nash,  would 
 
 * Ward. 
 
 H 
 
50 
 
 JUGGARNAT’H. 
 
 undertake  the  building  of  a palace,  his  brother  of  the  Hindu  pantheon  set 
 about  forming  the  image  of  Juggarnat’h;  but  declared,  if  any  person  disturbed 
 him  in  his  labours,  he  would  leave  his  work  unfinished.  All  would  have 
 gone  on  well,  had  not  the  king  shewn  a reprehensible  impatience  to  those 
 divine  injunctions  which  he  had  solemnly  pledged  himself  to  observe.  After 
 fifteen  days  he  went  to  see  what  progress  the  holy  architect  had  made ; 
 which  so  enraged  him  that  he  desisted  from  his  labours,  and  left  the  intended 
 god  without  either  arms  or  legs.  In  spite,  however,  of  this  perplexing 
 event,  the  work  of  Viswakarma  has  become  celebrated  throughout  Hindus- 
 tan ; and  pilgrims  from  the  remotest  corners  of  India  flock,  at  the  time  of 
 the  festivals  of  Juggarnat’h,  to  pay  their  adoration  at  his  monstrous  and 
 unhallowed  shrine.  Some  years  ago  I took  some  brief  extracts  from  a work 
 which  I was  then  reading  (the  name  of  which  I,  at  present,  forget,  but  I 
 think  it  was  a book  of  the  Rev.  — Buchanan’s),  which  will  give  a faint  idea 
 of  the  dreadful  orgies  and  horrid  abominations  practised  upon  these  occa- 
 sions. 
 
 “We  know  that  we  are  approaching  Juggarnat’h  (and  we  are  more  than 
 fifty  miles  from  it)  by  the  human  bones  which  we  have  seen  for  some  days 
 strewed  by  the  way.  At  this  place  we  have  been  joined  by  several  large 
 bodies  of  pilgrims,  perhaps  two  thousand  in  number,  who  have  come  from 
 various  parts  of  northern  India.  Some  old  persons  are  among  them,  who 
 wish  to  die  at  Juggarnat’h.  Numbers  of  pilgrims  die  on  the  road,  and  their 
 bodies  generally  remain  unburied.  On  a plain  by  the  river,  near  the  pilgrim's 
 caravansera  at  this  place,  there  are  more  than  a hundred  skulls.  The  dogs, 
 jackalls,  and  vultures,  seem  to  live  here  on  human  prey.” — “ I have  seen 
 Jug  garnat’h.  The  scene  at  Buddruch  is  but  the  vestibule  to  Juggarnat’h. 
 No  record  of  ancient  history  can  give,  I think,  an  adequate  idea  of  this  valley 
 of  death  : it  may  be  truly  compared  with  the  valley  of  Hinnom  ! I have 
 also  visited  the  sand  plains  by  the  sea,  in  some  places  whitened  with  the 
 bones  of  the  pilgrims ; and  another  place,  a little  way  out  of  the  town, 
 called  by  the  English  Golgotha,  where  the  dead  bodies  are  usually  cast  forth, 
 and  where  the  dogs  and  vultures  are  ever  seen.  — “ I have  beheld  another 
 distressing  scene  this  morning,  at  the  place  of  skulls  : a poor  woman  lying 
 
JUG  GAR  N AT’H 
 
 51 
 
 dead,  or  nearly  dead,  and  her  two  children  by  her,  looking-  at  the  dogs  and 
 vultures  which  were  near.  The  people  passed  without  noticing  the  children. 
 I asked  them  where  was  their  home.  They  said  they  had  no  home  but  where 
 their  mother  was.” — “ The  raja  of  Burdwan,  Kurta  Chanda,  expended,  it  is 
 said,  twelve  lacks  of  rupees  in  a journey  to  Juggarnat'h  and  in  bribing  the 
 Brahmans  to  permit  him  to  see  these  bones.  For  the  sight  of  them  he  paid 
 two  lacks  of  rupees ; but  he  died  two  months  afterwards  (adds  the  writer) 
 for  his  temerity.” 
 
 On  the  occasion  of  the  festivals  of  this  idol  he  is  accompanied  by  his 
 brother,  Bala  Rama,  and  his  sister,  Subhadra,  and  is  conveyed  to  a place 
 about  a mile  from  the  temple.  His  throne,  on  which  he  is  seated,  is  fixed 
 on  a stupendous  car  sixty  feet  in  height,  the  enormous  weight  of  which,  as 
 it  passes  slowly  along,  deeply  furrows  the  ground  over  which  it  rolls. 
 Immense  cables  are  attached  to  it,  by  which  it  is  drawn  along  by  thousands 
 of  men,  women,  and  even  infants ; as  it  is  considered  an  act  of  acceptable 
 devotion  to  assist  in  urging  forward  this  horrible  machine,  on  which,  round 
 the  throne  of  the  idol,  are  upwards  of  a hundred  of  his  priests  and  their 
 attendants.  As  the  pondrous  car  rolls  on,  some  of  the  devotees  and  worship- 
 pers of  the  idol  throw  themselves  under  the  wheels,  and  are  crushed  to 
 death  ; and  numbers  lose  their  lives  by  the  pressure  of  the  crowd.  A letter 
 from  an  eye-witness  at  Juggarnat’h,  on  the  25th  June  1814,  published  in 
 the  Asiatic  Journal,  states,  “ the  sights  here  beggar  all  description.  Though 
 Juggarnat’h  made  some  progress  on  the  19th,  and  has  travelled  daily  ever 
 since,  he  has  not  yet  reached  the  place  of  his  destination.  His  brother  is 
 ahead  of  him,  and  the  lady  in  the  rear.  One  woman  has  devoted  herself 
 under  the  wheels,  and  a shocking  sight  it  was.  Another  intending  also  to 
 devote  herself,  missed  the  wheels  with  her  body,  and  had  her  arm  broken. 
 Three  people  lost  their  lives  in  the  crowd. 
 
 “ The  place  swarms  with  Fakeers  and  mendicants,  whose  devices  to 
 attract  attention  are,  in  many  instances,  ingenious.  You  see  some  standing 
 for  half  the  day  on  their  heads,  bawling  all  the  while  for  alms ; some 
 having  their  eyes  filled  with  mud  and  their  mouths  with  straw ; some  lying 
 in  puddles  of  water ; one  man  with  his  foot  tied  to  his  neck,  another 
 
 h 2 
 
59 
 
 JUGGA  RNAT’H. 
 
 with  a pot  of  fire  on  his  belly,  and  a third  inveloped  in  a net- work  made 
 of  rope.” 
 
 It  is  said  that  between  two  and  three  thousand  persons  lose  their  lives 
 annually  on  their  pilgrimage  to  Juggarnat’h.  The  temples  of  this  deity 
 being  the  resort  of  all  the  sects  of  the  Hindus  it  is  calculated  that  not  less 
 than  two  hundred  thousand  worshippers  visit  the  celebrated  pagoda  in  Orissa 
 yearly,  from  which  the  Brahmans  draw  an  immense  revenue.  All  the  land 
 within  twenty  miles  round  the  pagoda  is  considered  holy ; but  the  most 
 sacred  spot  is  an  area  of  about  six  hundred  and  fifty  feet  square,  which 
 contains  fifty  temples.  The  most  conspicuous  of  these  is  a lofty  tower, 
 about  one  hundred  and  eighty-four  feet  in  height,  and  about  twenty-eight 
 feet  square  inside,  called  the  Bur  Dewali,  in  which  the  idol,  and  his  brother 
 and  sister,  Subhadra,  are  lodged.  Adjoining  are  two  pyramidical  build- 
 ings. In  one,  about  forty  feet  square,  the  idol  is  worshipped  ; and  in  the 
 other,  the  food  prepared  for  the  pilgrims  is  distributed.  These  buildings 
 were  erected  in  A.D.  1198.  The  walls  are  covered  with  statues,  many  of 
 which  are  in  highly  indecent  postures.  The  grand  entrance  is  on  the 
 eastern  side  ; and  close  to  the  outer  wall  stands  an  elegant  stone  column, 
 thirty-five  feet  in  height,  the  shaft  of  which  is  formed  of  a single  block  of 
 basalt,  presenting  sixteen  sides.  The  pedestal  is  richly  ornamented.  The 
 column  is  surrounded  by  a finely-sculptured  statue  of  our  former  acquain- 
 tance, Hanuman,  the  monkey-chief  of  the  Ramayana , The  establishment 
 of  priests  and  others  belonging  to  the  temple  has  been  stated  to  consist  of 
 three  thousand  nine  hundred  families,  for  whom  the  daily  provision  is 
 enormous.  The  holy  food  is  presented  to  the  idol  three  times  a day.  His 
 meal  lasts  about  an  hour,  during  which  time  the  dancing  girls*  belonging  to 
 the  temple  exhibit  their  professional  skill  in  an  adjoining  building.  Twelve 
 festivals  are  celebrated  during  the  year,  the  principal  of  which,  the  Rat’h 
 Jattra,  has  been  described. 
 
 Juggarnat’h  is  styled  the  Lord  of  the  World.  His  temples,  which  are 
 also  numerous  in  Bengal,  are,  as  before  shewn,  of  a pyramidical  form. 
 During  the  intervals  of  worship  they  are  shut  up. 
 
 * Vide  Deva-dasi,  in  the  third  part  of  this  volume. 
 
JUGGARNAT’H. — WITTOBA. 
 
 53 
 
 The  image  of  this  god  is  made  of  a block  wood,  and  has  a frightful  visage 
 with  a distended  mouth.  His  arms,  which,  as  he  was  formed  without  any, 
 have  been  given  to  him  by  the  priests,  are  of  gold.  He  is  gorgeously 
 dressed,  as  are  also  the  other  two  idols  which  accompany  him.  In  fig.  2, 
 plate  13,  from  a compartment  in  the  temple  of  Rama,  he  is  represented  in 
 company  with  Bala  Rama  and  Subhadra,  without  arms  or  legs. 
 
 It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  worship  of  this  fascinating  deity  is  on  the  de- 
 cline, as  a Calcutta  paper  a short  time  ago  stated  that,  from  various  causes, 
 the  number  of  pilgrims  had  so  considerably  decreased,  that  enough  could 
 not  be  found  to  drag  the  rat'hs,  or  cars,  and  that  not  a single  devotee  had 
 that  year  paved  the  way  with  his  blood ; though,  it  adds,  “ the  sight  on  the 
 opening  of  the  gates  for  the  admission  of  pilgrims  would  have  melted  the 
 heart  of  a savage.  Numbers  of  expiring  wretches  were  carried  in,  that 
 they  might  die  at  the  polluted  and  horrid  shrine.”  At  a more  recent 
 period,  one  of  his  temples  was  robbed  of  silver  ornaments  of  the  value  of. 
 five  thousand  rupees.  The  seapoys  enjoyed  the  joke,  saying  “ he  must 
 have  robbed  himself,  as  he  would  have  struck  any  person  blind  who  had 
 attempted  to  take  away  any  ornaments  of  his  or  his  sister,  or  of  Bulbudder 
 (Bala  Rama).” 
 
 WITTOBA 
 
 Is  one  of  the  minor  incarnations  of  Vishnu.  This  avatar,  according  to 
 Major  Moor,  in  whose  work  it  is  particularized,  would  appear  to  have  been, 
 like  some  of  the  other  minor  avatars  of  the  Hindu  deities,  of  a circumscribed 
 worship,  and  not  of  a very  ancient  date.  It  seems  to  have  occurred  at 
 Pandipur,  about  eighty  miles  south  of  Poona,  in  which  town  a magnificent 
 temple  has  been  dedicated  to  Vishnu,  under  the  name  of  Wittoba.  The 
 images  of  him  and  his  two  wives,  Rukmini  and  Satyavhama  (the  names 
 also  of  the  wives  of  Krishna),  have  commonly  a rude  and  modern  appear- 
 ance,* and  represent  them  standing  with  their  arms  akimbo  : on  which  the 
 
 * The  sculptures  and  paintings  of  the  modern  Hindus  possess  much  beauty  and  richness  of 
 colouring,  intermixed  with  gold,  laid  on  in  a manner  peculiar  to  these  people,  of  which  art 
 the  Europeans  are,  I believe,  ignorant ; but  these  paintings  are  devoid  of  perspective,  and  the 
 sculptures  are  as  clumsy  as  those  of  greater  antiquity  are  generally  fine. 
 
51 
 
 W I T T O B A. 
 
 gentleman  before  mentioned  has  observed,  that  the  Jainas  represent  the 
 world  by  the  figure  of  a woman  in  that  position  ; “ her  waist  being  the 
 earth,  the  superior  portion  of  her  body  the  abode  of  the  gods,  and  the 
 inferior  part  the  infernal  regions." 
 
 Major  Moor  thus  relates  the  history  of  this  avatar : — “ A Brahman, 
 named  Pundelly,  was  travelling  on  a pilgrimage  from  the  Dekhan  to 
 Benares,  with  his  wife,  father,  and  mother.  His  neglect  of  the  two  latter 
 caused  them  many  vexations  on  the  journey,  for  he  would  sometimes  ride 
 with  his  wife  and  leave  them  to  walk,  &c.  Arriving  at  Panderpur,  they 
 took  up  their  abode  in  a Brahman’s  house  for  the  evening  and  night ; 
 during  which  Pundelly  noticed,  with  some  self-abasement,  many  acts  of 
 filial  piety  and  kindness  on  the  part  of  his  host  toward  his  parents,  who, 
 with  his  wife,  composed  the  hospitable  family.  Early  in  the  morning, 
 Pundelly  observed  three  elegant  females,  attired  in  white  and  richly  de- 
 corated, performing  the  several  duties  of  sweeping  his  host’s  house  and 
 putting  it  in  order,  filling  water,  arranging  the  vessels  for  cooking,  sancti- 
 fying the  eating  place  by  plastering  it  with  cow-dung,  &c.  Astonished  at 
 the  sight,  he  proceeded  to  inquire  who  these  industrious  strangers  were,  he 
 not  having  seen  overnight  any  such  persons  of  the  family  ; but  his  inquiries 
 were  received  with  repulsive  indignation  by  the  beauteous  damsels,  who 
 forbade  him,  ‘ a chandala,  an  ungrateful  and  undutiful  son,’  to  approach  or 
 converse  with  them.  Pundelly,  humbling  himself,  solicited  to  know  their 
 names,  &c.,  and  learned  they  were  named  Gunga,  Yamuna,  and  Saraswati, 
 and  immediately  recognized  the  triad  of  river  goddesses  (see  fig.  1,  plate  23). 
 More  and  more  astonished,  he,  after  prostration,  inquired  how  it  could  be 
 that  such  divine  personages,  in  propitiation  of  whose  favour  he  with  his 
 family,  among  thousands  of  others,  undertook  long  and  painful  pilgrimages, 
 should  descend  to  the  menial  occupations  he  had  witnessed  ? After  re- 
 proaching him  for  his  undutiful  conduct,  they  replied  to  this  effect : — ‘ You 
 have  witnessed  the  filial  and  dutiful  affection  of  the  heads  of  this  family  to 
 their  aged  and  helpless  parents  ; for  them  they  seem  solely  to  live,  and  for 
 them  they  find  delight  in  toiling  ; they  seek  no  pleasures  abroad,  nor  do 
 they  deem  it  necessary  to  undertake  pilgrimages,  which,  holy  as  they  may 
 
WITTOBA.— GARUDA. 
 
 55 
 
 be,  are  nevertheless  of  no  avail,  unless  earlier  duties  have  been  attended  to. 
 Bad  men,  especially  those  who  neglect  their  first  duties  to  their  parents,  to 
 whom  all  duties  are  owing,  may  pass  their  whole  lives  in  pilgrimages  and 
 prayer  without  benefit  to  their  souls.  On  the  contrary,  with  those  who 
 are  piously  performing  those  primary  duties,  the  outward  ceremonies  of 
 religion  are  of  secondary  and  inferior  moment ; and  even  deities,  as  you 
 have  witnessed,  minister  to  their  comforts  and  conveniences.  He  who 
 serves  his  parents,  serves  his  God  through  them.'  Struck  with  remorse  at 
 the  rebuke,  Pundelly  resolved  amendment ; and  dropping  his  intended  pil- 
 grimage, remained  at  Panderpur,  and  for  a series  of  years  acted  in  a most 
 exemplary  manner  towards  his  parents,  exceeding  even  in  attention  and 
 duty  the  pattern  of  his  former  hosts,  insomuch,  that  Vishnu  inspired  him 
 with  a portion  of  his  divinity,  and  he  now  assumed  the  name  of  Wittoba.” 
 
 GARUDA  or  GURURA. 
 
 This  demi-god,  with  the  head  and  wings  of  a bird,  and  the  body,  legs, 
 and  arms  of  a man,  will  be  found  of  considerable  importance  in  Hindu 
 mythology.  He  is  the  son  of  Kasyapa  and  Vinata,  the  brother  of  Arun, 
 and  the  vahan  or  vehicle  of  Vishnu, 
 
 “ When  high  on  eagle  plumes  he  rides.” 
 
 As  Arun,  the  charioteer  of  Surya  (the  sun),  is  the  dawn,  the  harbinger 
 of  day,  so  does  Garuda,  the  younger  brother,  follow  as  its  perfect  light. 
 He  is  the  emblem  of  strength  and  swiftness,  and  besides  being  the  bearer 
 of  the  omnipotent  Vishnu,  is  greatly  distinguished  in  Hindu  legends  on 
 many  very  important  occasions. 
 
 His  complicated  endowments  of  person  may  be  readily  accounted  for,  by 
 the  extraordinary  manner  in  which,  as  those  legends  inform  us,  he  was 
 ushered  into  the  world.  It  appears  that,  for  some  good  purpose  or  other, 
 his  mother,  Vinata,  laid  an  egg ; which  must  have  been  of  a marvellous 
 size,  as  it  required  five  hundred  years  to  hatch  from  it  the  bird  of  the  im- 
 perial Vishnu.  Whether  the  good  lady  and  her  husband  sate  upon  it 
 
56 
 
 GARUD  A. 
 
 during  that  period  is  not,  as  I am  aware  of,  shewn.  Be  that  as  it  may,  we 
 are  told  that  his  shell  was  no  sooner  broken,  than  his  body  became  so 
 large  as  to  reach  the  heaven  of  the  gods ; which  so  alarmed  them,  that  they 
 instantly  ran  to  complain  to  Agni,  believing  that  Garuda,  the  rays  of  whose 
 wings  had  set  the  world  on  fire,  could  be  no  other  than  an  incarnation  of 
 the  regent  of  that  all-powerful  element. 
 
 The  images  of  Garuda  are  set  up  and  worshipped  with  those  of  Vishnu, 
 in  the  temples  dedicated  to  that  deity.  Sculptured  images  of  him  are 
 also  found  in  the  magnificent  cavern  temples  of  Elephanta,  Ellora,  & c.  &c. 
 In  the  last-mentioned  excavation  he  is  seen  in  several  places,  accompanying 
 Parvati,  the  consort  of  Siva.  This  we  need  not  be  surprised  at,  for  in  spite 
 of  the  alarm  which  at  his  birth  he  caused  to  the  gods  and  goddesses,  he 
 appears  to  have  been,  on  all  occasions,  a ready  champion  and  a useful 
 character  when  required  by  any  of  these  deities.  He  was  of  great  service 
 to  Krishna,  in  his  numerous  encounters  with  the  giants  and  datyas ; as 
 well  as  to  Rama,  in  his  contest  with  Ravan,  by  swallowing  the  serpent 
 arrows  of  the  latter,  without  which  he  would  not  have  been  able  to  have 
 overcome  that  monster. 
 
 In  some  representations  of  him,  he  is  described  as  being  the  gigantic 
 crane  of  India,  in  which  he  would  be  the  natural  enemy  of  serpents.  My- 
 thology gives  another,  but  I fear  not  a better  reason  for  this  antipathy ; 
 namely,  a quarrel  between  his  mother  and  that  of  the  mother  of  those  reptiles, 
 on  some  celestial  matter : on  which  occasion  Garuda  obtained  from  Vishnu 
 permission  to  kill  all  the  serpents  he  could  meet  with.  It  was  this  sanction 
 which  enabled  him  to  assist  so  essentially  the  two  deities  just  mentioned  ; 
 as  he  was  useful,  in  the  same  manner,  to  Krishna  as  to  Rama,  in  clearing  the 
 countries  conquered  by  that  deity,  not  only  of  those  venomous  enemies,, 
 but  of  others  of  greater  importance  who  assumed  their  forms. 
 
 By  some  Garuda  has  been  called  the  Pondicherry  or  Malabar  eagle,  or 
 the  Brahmani  kite  of  Bengal.  This,  as  well  as  the  adjutant,  or  crane,  is 
 a highly  useful  bird  in  India,  in  clearing  away  filth  and  carrion  from  the 
 streets  of  the  populous  towns.  The  adjutant  is  a very  voracious  bird,  and 
 will  swallow  at  a mouthful,  without  difficulty,  a Bengal  leg  of  mutton. 
 
GARUDA— HANUMAN. 
 
 57 
 
 The  Brahmini  kites  are  equally  voracious  and  more  audacious,  as  it  is  not  an 
 uncommon  occurrence  for  them  to  snatch  poultry,  or  a joint  of  meat,  if  it 
 happen  to  be  uncovered,  from  a dish,  as  a servant  is  bringing  it  from  the 
 culinary  offices  to  the  table.  Both  these  birds  are  destructive  to  snakes. 
 
 Garuda  has  many  names.  He  is  called  Superna,  from  the  beauty  of  his 
 plumage,  which  in  the  pictures  of  him  is  of  the  rich  colours  of  blue,  red, 
 and  green,  embellished  with  the  variety  of  gems  which  usually  adorn  the 
 Hindu  deities.  He  is  also  termed  Nag-antara,  or  the  enemy  of  serpents; 
 Vishnu-rat’ha,  or  the  vahan  of  Vishnu,  See.  Sec. 
 
 Fig.  4,  plate  4,  from  an  ancient  sculpture,  represents  Garuda  in  the  act 
 of  prayer.  He  is  furnished  with  wings,  and  has  a human  face,  with  a 
 hooked  nose  of  remarkable  length.  His  hair  is  turned  up  in  the  front  and 
 formed  into  a club  behind,  not  unlike  the  pictures  of  a petit  maitre  of  the 
 early  part  of  the  last  century. 
 
 Fig.  5,  in  the  same  plate,  from  the  temple  of  Rama,  is  Vishnu  riding  on 
 the  shoulders  of  Garuda,  who  has  outstretched  wings  (although  apparently 
 running),  with  a head  more  resembling  that  of  a bird  than  in  the  other 
 figure. 
 
 HANUMAN. 
 
 Of  this  extraordinary  simian  demi-god  I shall  have  occasion  to  say  very 
 little  ; but,  after  the  gallant  exploits  which  are  related  of  him  in  the  life  of 
 Rama,  I cannot  allow  myself  to  pass  over  altogether  in  silence,  this  god  of 
 enterprise  and  attack.  The  common  herd  of  beings  may  sink  into  oblivion 
 in  their  graves,  scarcely  known  in  life,  and  wholly  forgotten  in  death ; but 
 the  illustrious  conqueror  cannot  be  so  easily  disposed  of.  Time,  which 
 destroys  the  most  splendid  fabricks  of  human  genius,  venerates  that  sacred 
 and  undying  monument  of  glory,  the  historic  page,  which  records  the 
 hero’s  deeds,  and  renders  his  renown  as  imperishable  as  itself.  At  all  events, 
 whatever  fate  may  attend  these  humble  pages,  we  now  learn  from  that 
 unerring  source,  that  Hanuman  could  only  claim  alliance  to  the  monkey 
 race,  through  his  mother,  Unjuna,  who  was  a dignified  female  monkey  of 
 
 i 
 
58 
 
 HANUMAN. 
 
 wonderful  lactescent  celebrity,  for  on  being  told  of  the  astonishing  feats  of 
 her  son,  she,  in  derision  (it  may  be  presumed,  that  such  insignificant  mole 
 hills  should  be  turned  into  mighty  mountains)  pressed  a little  milk  from  her 
 breast,  which,  like  an  overwhelming  Himalaya  torrent,  swept  down  in  its 
 course  whole  regions  of  ghauts*  which  were,  as  Hindu  legends  relate,  thus 
 destroyed  by  this  milky  stream.  The  father  of  Hanuman  was  Pavana,  the 
 god  of  the  winds  ; so  that  we  find  this  celebrated  opponent  of  Ravan  is,  by 
 no  means,  to  be  compared  to  some  chieftains  of  the  present  day,  whose 
 lofty  flights  of  heroism  have  commenced  from  aeries  of  a very  uncertain  and 
 doubtful  character.  It  is  at  all  events  unquestionable,  that  the  hero  of  my 
 present  biography  was  of  no  common  origin  ; though  some  accounts  make 
 it  different  from  that  which  I have  just  related,  in  which  Pavana  is  made  to 
 play  a very  subordinate  part.  In  these,  Hanuman  is  represented  as  an 
 incarnation  of  Mahadeo,  and  his  mother  as  a married  female  Brahman,  with 
 the  posterior  appendages  of  a monkey.  This  lady,  who  could  not  become 
 “ as  women  wish  to  be  who  love  their  lords,”  performed  austerities  in 
 honour  of  Mahadeo  to  procure  that  desirable  object.  Through  the  means  of 
 a charmed  cake  (that  had  been  stolen  by  a kite  from  another  female  in  a 
 similar  perdicament,  just  as  she  was  about  to  taste  it),  which  was  conveyed 
 to  her  by  the  order  of  Pavana,  and  of  which  she  ate,  the  boon  prayed  for 
 was  obtained  by  the  birth  of  Hanuman.  The  simian  hero  had  no  sooner 
 entered  the  world  than  he  displayed  proofs  of  the  aspiring  mind,  which 
 afterwards  led  him  to  accomplish  the  deeds  of  renown  that  I have  mentioned 
 in  the  seventh  avatar  ; for  the  first  object  of  his  mighty  fancy  was  no  other 
 than  the  rising  sun,  which,  as  he  made  a spring  from  his  mother's  arms  to 
 possess  himself  of  it,  so  frightened  Surya,  that  he  sat  off,  with  Hunuman  at 
 his  heels,  to  the  heaven  of  Indra,  who  instantly  launched  a thunderbolt  at 
 the  monkey  god,  and  had  nearly  deprived  Valmic  of  one  of  the  most  distin- 
 guished ornaments  of  the  Ramayana. 
 
 Pavana  now  steps  forward,  and  performs  a somewhat  extraordinary  part 
 in  the  drama;  for  being  indignant  at  the  treatment  of  his  son  (though  it  is 
 difficult  to  make  out  how  Hanuman  became  so,  which,  by-the-bye,  is  a 
 
 * Ghauts,  or  gauts,  mountains. 
 
HANUMAN. 
 
 59 
 
 mere  trifle  on  these  occasions),  he  called  to  his  assistance,  as  regent  of  the 
 winds,  all  the  strength  of  his  attributes ; with  which  he  inflated  Indra  and 
 the  rest  of  the  gods,  and  gave  them  the  colic  to  so  violent  a degree,  that  to 
 relieve  themselves  from  the  pain,  they  were  glad  to  restore  Hanuman,  and 
 severally  to  endow  him  with  a portion  of  their  own  power. 
 
 Hanuman  is  extensively  worshipped,  and  his  images  will  be  found  set  up 
 in  temples,  sometimes  alone,  and  sometimes  in  the  society  of  the  former 
 companions  of  his  glory,  Rama  and  Sita.  He  is  supplicated  by  the  Hindus 
 on  their  birth-days  to  obtain  longevity,  which  he  is  supposed  to  have  the 
 power  to  bestow  ; and  which,  of  course,  he  unhesitatingly  grants  ; or  which, 
 at  least,  the  disinterested  Brahmans  of  his  temples  unhesitatingly  promise. 
 
 As  the  god  of  enterprise,  offerings  should  be  made  at  his  shrine  by 
 night. 
 
 Hanuman  is  called  Maruty,  from  Pavana  being  chief  of  the  Maruts,  or 
 genii  of  the  winds.  He  is  also  called  Muhabar. 
 
 A few  years  ago,  a monkey,  perfectly  white,  was  caught  in  the  Burmese 
 territories.  It  was  considered  to  be  rare,  and  excited  much  admiration  ; as 
 one  only  had  before  been  seen  like  it,  for  which  the  king  of  Ava  had  sent  a 
 golden  case,  and  to  celebrate  its  happy  arrival,  from  which  the  most  for- 
 tunate auguries  were  drawn,  expended,  according  to  the  Calcutta  India 
 Gazette,  no  less  a sum  than  twenty  thousand  rupees  in  sacrifices  and 
 rejoicings.  What  happy  exaltation  might  have  awaited  the  other  gentleman 
 who  succeeded  him,  had  he  lived,  it  is  impossible  to  say : but  he  died, 
 although  a Burmese  woman,  who  was  suckling  her  child,  prayed  to  have  the 
 nursing  of  him,  and  fairly  divided  her  nurture  and  maternal  attention 
 between  the  human  infant  and  the  simian  nursling. 
 
 Figs.  3 and  5,  plate  9,  from  drawings,  represent  Hanuman  armed  for  battle ; 
 4 ditto,  from  a cast,  trampling  on  a Daitya  ; 5,  conveying  the  mountains  for 
 the  bridge,  to  enable  Rama  to  invade  Lanka.  Plate  10  represents  Hanuman 
 and  his  monkeys,  with  Rama,  making  oblations  to  Vishnu  and  Lakshmi. 
 This  plate  is  from  a large  and  beautiful  carving,  brought,  I imagine,  from  a 
 temple.  It  has  been  richly  emblazoned.  Fig.  1,  plate  11,  is  from  the 
 temple  of  Rama,  and  represents  Hanuman  relating  his  adventures  to  Rama, 
 
 i 2 
 
60 
 
 HANUMAN.— LAKSHMI. 
 
 Sita,  and  Lakshman  ; and  fig.  2,  from  the  same  place,  trampling  on  the 
 Rakshasa,  who  attempted  to  stop  his  progress  in  conveying  the  medicinal 
 plant  for  the  cure  of  Lakshman. 
 
 LAKSHMI. 
 
 This  sea-born  goddess  of  beauty  and  prosperity,  the  consort,  or  sacti  of 
 Vishnu,  was  obtained  by  him  at  the  churning  of  the  sea.  She  is  painted 
 yellow,  sitting  on  the  lotus  or  water-lily,  and  holding  in  her  hand,  some- 
 times the  kamala  or  lotus,  at  others,  the  shell  or  club  of  Vishnu.  At  her  birth 
 she  was  so  beautiful  that  all  the  gods  became  enamoured  of  her ; but 
 Vishnu  at  length  obtained  her.  She  is  considered  as  the  Hindu  Ceres,  or 
 goddess  of  abundance. 
 
 Lakshmi  has  various  names : — among  which  are  Sri  or  Sris,  the  goddess 
 of  prosperity ; Pedma  or  Kamala,  from  the  lotus  or  nymphcea  being  sacred 
 to  her  ; Rembha,  the  sea-born  goddess;  Varahi  (as  the  energy  of  Vishnu 
 in  the  Varaha  avatar)',  Ada  Maya,  the  mother  of  the  world ; Narayana, 
 Vidgnani,  Kaumali,  &c.  (which  see.) 
 
 This  goddess  was  the  daughter  of  Bhrigu  ; but,  in  consequence  of  the 
 curse  of  Durvasa  (an  incarnation  of  Siva)  upon  Indra,  she  abandoned  the 
 three  worlds,  and  concealed  herself  in  the  sea  of  milk,  so  that  the  earth  no 
 longer  enjoyed  the  blessings  of  abundance  and  prosperity.  To  recover  her, 
 the  gods  churned  the  milky  ocean,  as  related  in  the  Kurma  avatar.  After 
 some  labour,  and  having  thereby  obtained  the  moon  (which  Siva  instantly 
 seized  and  placed  in  the  middle  of  his  forehead,  where  it  still  shines)  and 
 some  other  things,  Sri,  as  Rembha,  the  sea-born  goddess  (the  Venus 
 Aphrodites  of  the  Greeks),  was  produced,  seated  on  her  sacred  lotus,  and 
 resplendent  as  a blazing  sun.  Thus  was  abundance  and  prosperity  again 
 restored  to  the  three  worlds  ; at  which  the  gods  expressed  their  satisfaction 
 in  a very  becoming  and  celestial  manner,  by  dancing,  singing,  splendid 
 decorations,  and  other  similar  signs  of  heavenly  rejoicing.  Siva,  who 
 will  be  hereafter  shown  to  be  somewhat  of  a libertine  among  the  Hindu 
 divinities,  wished  to  possess  her ; but  as  he  had  already  stuck  the  Lunar 
 
LAKSHMI. 
 
 61 
 
 crescent  in  his  forehead,  Vishnu  urged  his  claim  to,  and  obtained  for  his 
 share  this  ocean  gem  of  beauty  and  prosperity. 
 
 The  festivals  in  honour  of  Lakshmi  are  held  in  the  months  Bhadra, 
 Aswinu,  Karteku,  Poushu,  and  Choitru.  The  ceremonies  are  performed 
 before  a corn-measure  filled  with  rice  in  the  husk,  which  is  decorated  with 
 a garland  of  flowers,  shells,  & c.  No  sanguinary  sacrifices  are  offered. 
 
 The  chewing  of  the  cud  by  the  cow  arose  from  a curse  of  Lakshmi,  that 
 her  mouth  should  be  always  in  a state  of  uncleanliness,  in  consequence  of 
 a falsehood  told  by  the  animal  to  the  goddess. 
 
 Fig.  6,  plate  4,  represents  Lakshmi  standing  on  a lotus  pedestal.  In 
 one  of  her  hands  is  the  kamala  or  lotus ; the  other  is  held  up  in  a forbidding 
 attitude.  In  fig.  2,  plate  7,  she  appears  as  Varahi  in  the  third  avatar,  having 
 four  heads  (one  a boar’s),  and  eight  arms  holding  various  weapons.  In 
 several  of  the  other  plates  she  is  represented,  either  in  company  with 
 Vishnu,  or  as  his  sacti  in  his  different  avatars.  In  fig.  2,  plate  23,  she  is 
 seen  with  Parvati  and  Suraswati,  emblematical  of  the  three  sacred  streams 
 of  the  Gunga,  Yamuna,  and  Suraswati. 
 
 ♦S 
 
( 62  } 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 Siva. — Bhairava  or  Bhyru. — Vira  Badra. — Kartikeya. 
 
 SIVA,  MAHADEO,  or  RUDRA, 
 
 The  Destroyer,  is  represented  under  various  forms.  He  is  usually  painted 
 of  a white  or  silver  colour,  with  a third  eye,  and  the  crescent  (which  he 
 obtained  at  the  churning  of  the  ocean)  in  the  middle  of  his  forehead. 
 Sometimes  he  is  described  with  one  head,  and  at  others  with  five  : some- 
 times armed  with  various  instruments  of  destruction  ; at  others  riding  on 
 the  bull,  Nandi,  with  Parvati  on  his  knee ; and  again,  at  others,  as  a 
 mendicant  with  inflamed  eyes  and  besotted  countenance,  soliciting  alms 
 from  Anna  Purna,  a form  of  Parvati.  He  is  also  represented  under  the 
 appearance  of  Kal,  or  Time,  the  destroyer  of  all  things. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  14,  taken  from  an  antique  sculpture  in  basalt,  represents 
 him  standing  between  four  attendants,  armed  with  the  trisula  or  trident  in 
 one  hand,  and  having  an  antelope  in  another ; the  third  is  held  up  in  a 
 forbidding  attitude,  and  the  fourth  is  displayed  in  the  act  of  solicitation. 
 His  head-dress  is  richly  ornamented.  He  is  standing  beneath  an  arch 
 enriched  with  emblematical  figures,  animals,  and  arabesques  of  elegant 
 design  and  beautiful  workmanship.  On  the  plinth  are  the  bull,  Nandi, 
 and  various  other  figures  and  animals.  Fig.  2,  from  a cast  in  the  same 
 plate,  is  (Panch  Mukhti)  Siva  with  five  heads ; the  fifth,  or  upper  head, 
 surmounted  by  a hooded  snake.  His  hands  are  as  in  fig.  1.  Fig.  3,  from 
 the  temple  of  Rama,  is  Siva  as  Kal,  or  Time,  the  destroyer  of  all  things. 
 In  his  hands  are  the  damara  or  small  drum,  the  cup  to  receive  the  blood 
 of  the  slain,  two  human  heads,  and  the  club. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  15,  is  Siva  as  Mahadeo,  “or  the  supreme  god,’ ‘ from  a 
 
PI  14 
 
SIVA. 
 
 63 
 
 beautiful  specimen  of  ancient  sculpture.  One  hand  rests  upon  his  knee  ; 
 the  other  holds  a lotus  sceptre,  flat  on  the  top,  is  if  intended  to  fit  the 
 wreathed  pinnacle  (which  is  too  large  in  the  plate)  on  the  other  side.  On 
 his  head  is  a rich  mughut  or  cap.  The  throne  on  which  he  is  seated,  and 
 the  arch  above,  are  finely  sculptured.  Fig.  2,  in  the  same  plate,  also  from 
 a sculpture,  is  Siva  as  Bhyru.  Fig.  3,  from  a drawing,  is  Siva  and 
 Parvati,  as  Hari  Gauri,  riding  on  the  bull,  Nandi.  With  one  hand  he 
 clasps  Parvati,  the  other  three  are  as  in  fig.  1,  plate  14. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  16,  from  a model  by  Chit  Roy,  represents  them  in  the 
 same  characters.  Round  the  waist  of  Siva  is  wrapped  a tiger’s  skin;  and 
 a cobra  capella,  or  hooded  snake,  rears  its  head  over  his  left  shoulder.  His 
 head-dress  is  of  serpents,  the  heads  of  which  point  forward  ; the  bodies 
 form  the  knot  on  the  top  of  his  head.  The  position  of  Parvati  is  singular ; 
 but  it  is  exactly  as  it  is  seen  in  the  processions  of  the  pujas,  or  festivals  in 
 honour  of  this  couple,  in  Calcutta.  On  the  thigh  of  Nandi  is  the  trisula, 
 or  trident,  of  Siva.  Fig.  2,  represents  Siva  as  a mendicant,  similarly 
 adorned,  soliciting  alms  from  Parvati,  as  Anna  Purna  Devi  (see  Anna 
 Purna).  This  plate  is  also  from  a faithful  model  by  Chit  Roy.  In  both 
 these  plates  Siva  has  the  third  eye  (made  of  a stone  to  resemble  a brilliant), 
 and  the  crescent  in  the  middle  of  his  forehead.  Fig.  3,  from  the  temple  of 
 Rama,  is  Siva  as  Kandeh  Rao  (see  Kandeh  Rao).  As  Kal,  or  Time,  he 
 is,  as  in  his  other  forms,  painted  white,  to  denote,  according  to  some 
 authors,  the  visible  creation  which  Time  destroys,  in  opposition  to  the 
 dark,  eternal  night,  that  follows ; which  is  represented  by  his  consort.  Kali, 
 who  is  painted  of  a dark  colour,  and  decorated  (as  Kal  is  in  some  repre- 
 sentations of  him)  with  a necklace  of  human  skulls,  and  armed  with  the 
 sword  of  destruction.  In  the  plates,  which  represent  him  as  the  maha 
 pralaya,  or  grand  consummation  of  all  things,  when  time  itself  shall  be  no 
 more,  he  is  deprived  of  his  necklace,  his  crescent,  and  his  trident  (to  show 
 that  his  dominion  and  power  no  longer  exist),  trodden  under  foot  by  Maha 
 Kali,  or  Eternity. 
 
 Of  the  emblems  of  Siva,  Mr.  Patterson  has  conjectured  that  he  has  three 
 eyes,  to  denote  the  three  divisions  of  time,  the  past,  the  present,  and  the 
 
64 
 
 SIVA. 
 
 future : that  the  crescent  in  his  forehead  refers  to  the  measure  of  time  by 
 the  phases  of  the  moon,  as  the  serpent  denotes  it  by  years  ; and  the  neck- 
 lace of  skulls,  the  lapse  and  revolution  of  ages,  and  the  extinction  and 
 succession  of  the  generations  of  mankind.  He  holds  the  trident  in  one 
 hand,  to  shew  that  the  three  great  attributes  of  creating,  preserving,  and 
 destroying,  are  in  him  united,  and  that  he  is  the  Iswara,  or  supreme  Lord, 
 above  Brahma  and  Vishnu  ; and  that  the  emblem  called  damara,  shaped 
 like  an  hour-glass,  with  which  he  is  sometimes  seen,  was  actually  intended 
 to  be  such,  to  pourtray  the  progress  of  time  by  the  current  of  the  sand  in 
 the  glass.  On  the  celebrated  colossal  sculpture  of  the  Trimurti , or  three- 
 formed  god  (Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva),  in  the  caves  of  Elephanta,  he  has 
 marked  on  his  cap  a human  skull  and  a new-born  infant,  to  shew  his  two- 
 fold power  of  destruction  and  reproduction ; and  on  another  figure  in  the 
 same  cave,  he  is  represented  in  the  attributes  of  his  vindictive  character, 
 with  eight  arms,  two  of  which  are  partly  broken  off.  In  one  of  the  re- 
 maining six  he  brandishes  a sword,  and  in  another  holds  a human  figure  : 
 in  the  third  he  has  a basin  of  blood,  and  in  the  fourth  a sacrificial  bell, 
 which  he  appears  to  be  ringing  over  it.  With  the  other  two  he  is  in  the 
 act  of  drawing  a veil,  which  obscures  the  sun,  and  involves  all  nature  in 
 universal  destruction. 
 
 The  bull,  Nandi,  the  vahan  of  Siva,  is  held  in  great  reverence  by  the 
 Hindus.  This  animal  is  one  of  the  most  sacred  emblems  of  Siva,  as  the 
 Egyptian  Apis  was  of  the  soul  of  Osiris.  The  Egyptians  believed  that, 
 when  he  ate  out  of  the  hands  of  those  who  went  to  consult  him,  it  was  a 
 favourable  answer.  The  Hindus,  says  Bartolomeo,  place  rice  and  other 
 articles  before  their  doors  as  the  animal  passes  along  in  their  processions, 
 and  if  he  stop  to  taste  them,  consider  it  as  a fortunate  event.  This,  at 
 least,  he  is  very  prone  to  do,  to  the  serious  injury  of  the  Hindu  shop- 
 keepers, as  he  wanders,  not  in  his  most  sacred  capacity,  through  the  streets 
 of  Calcutta  and  other  towns. 
 
 In  the  analogies  of  learned  writers  of  ancient  mythologies,  Siva,  in  his 
 character  of  the  creative  power,  has  been  compared  to  the  Jupiter  Triop- 
 thalmos,  or  the  triple-eved  god,  the  Zeus,  or  the  giver  of  life,  of  the 
 
PI. 15 
 
 b ' yV'/£ , /,  7.  ^ 
 
 />y  / A r>  </ W*  /P  /Jty-roo,  from,  aj-u:/e rvttScu. tyt ti/.rej . J. J vvcu&&rv0L  t/  4.  Occri^p/ict  & Krzv/J 'ourfrou . b'.  (ZtcAJicu,  Vcltl, frcTti  ( "sfa  /JrciM't  u qj-  &c 
 
 2ti,bU.fA^aZ  biurj>-  6£ZZe;ro<&  C?  JCot^cA*. ■»*  2<?'3Z 
 
SIVA. 
 
 65 
 
 Greeks  ; the  Osiris  of  the  Egyptians  ; and  the  Axieros  of  the  Cabiri  of  the 
 Phenicians.  Each  of  these  is  the  personification  of  the  solar  fire,  and  the 
 spirit  of  all  created  things. 
 
 In  his  destructive  character  he  is  Saturn,  or  the  Destroyer,  Time.  He  is 
 also  worshipped  as  Shankara,  or  the  beneficent  deity,  as  his  followers  at- 
 tribute to  him  the  benefits  they  enjoy  from  the  mighty  stream  of  the  Ganges, 
 which  is  fabled  to  have  sprung  from  his  plaited  locks.  This,  however,  the  < 
 Vishnaivas  deny,  urging  that  it  first  flowed  from  the  foot  of  Vishnu  in 
 Vaicontha  (the  heaven  of  Vishnu),  when  Brahma  poured  water  over  it  as  it 
 was  extended  to  compass  the  heavens,  as  related  in  the  Nara  Singha  avatar ; 
 from  whence  it  ran  on  the  head  of  Siva,  and  descended  from  thence  to  fer- 
 tilize the  earth. 
 
 The  Vishnaivas  claim  for  their  deity,  Vishnu,  the  title  of  Iswara,  or  the 
 supreme  lord  : the  Saivas  contest  his  claim  to  this  pre-eminence,  and  have 
 bestowed  on  Siva  that  of  Bhuban  Iswara,  or  the  lord  of  the  universe.  The 
 title  of  Iswara  was  first  enjoyed  by  Brahma,  until  the  sect  of  Siva  over- 
 powered the  worshippers  of  that  god  ; when  Bhairava,  the  son  of  Siva,  cut 
 off  one  of  his  heads.  After  this,  the  Saivas,  for  a time,  possessed  the 
 supreme  power  ; but  it  is  alleged  that  the  Vishnaivas  have  since  contested 
 the  palm  of  supremacy,  and  that  sanguinary  conflicts,  attended  with  alter- 
 nate victory  and  defeat,  in  consequence,  ensued  between  the  two  sects, 
 which  continue  even  at  the  present  day  among  their  mendicant  worshippers, 
 who  assemble  at  stated  periods  in  immense  numbers,  at  the  fair  at 
 Hurdwar.  The  subject  of  their  animosity  on  these  occasions  I have  just 
 related,  being  no  other  than  the  very  important,  but  highly  apocryphal 
 point,  whether  the  sacred  Gunga  issued  from  the  foot  of  Vishnu  or  the  head 
 of  Siva. 
 
 Colonel  Vans  Kennedy  ascribes  the  loss  of  Brahma’s  head  to  Siva  him- 
 self. It  would  appear  that,  immediately  after  the  existence  of  these  two 
 deities,  a quarrel  of  no  heavenly  character  ensued  between  them,  in  con- 
 sequence of  Rudra  (Siva)  asking  Pitamaha  (Brahma),  “ whence  earnest  thou, 
 and  who  created  thee  ?”  Brahma’s  fifth  head  being  more  voluble  than  the 
 others,  indignantly  replied,  ‘‘and  whence  art  thou?  I know  thee  well,  thou 
 
 K 
 
66 
 
 S I VA. 
 
 form  of  darkness,  with  three  eyes,  clothed  with  the  four  quarters  of  heaven 
 (i.  e.  naked),  mounted  on  a bull,  the  destroyer  of  this  universe !”  Siva 
 became  incensed,  and  while  he  viewed  the  contemptuous  head,  his  own  five 
 heads  became  white,  red,  golden,  black,  and  yellow,  and  fearful  to  behold. 
 But  although  Brahma  observed  these  heads,  thus  “ glowing  like  the  sun” 
 before  him,  the  flippant  tongue  still  continued  to  urge  on  the  destruction  of 
 the  head  which  contained  it,  by  telling  Siva,  “why  dost  thou  agitate  thy- 
 self, and  attempt  to  appear  powerful ; for,  if  I chose,  I could  this  instant 
 make  thy  heads  appear  like  bubbles  of  water  ?”  Which  so  inflamed  the 
 deity  to  whom  it  was  addressed,  that  he  immediately  cut  off  the  offending 
 member  with  the  nail  of  his  left  thumb.  Having  performed  this  operation, 
 Siva  would  have  thrown  the  head  to  the  ground,  but  it  would  not  fall  from 
 his  grasp.  We  thus  see  him,  in  his  destructive  character,  usually  pourtrayed 
 with  one  in  his  hand. 
 
 Siva  is  principally  worshipped  under  the  form  of  the  ling  a ; for  the  un- 
 derstanding of  which  I must  refer  the  reader  to  that  article,  and  to  figs. 
 1,  2,  and  3,  plate  33.  Some  of  these  emblems,  usually  of  basalt,  are  of  an 
 enormous  size ; and  they  are  also  made  morning  and  evening  of  the  clay  of 
 the  Ganges,  which,  after  worship,  are  thrown  into  the  river.  The  linga  is 
 never  carried  in  procession.  The  temples  dedicated  to  it  are  square  gothic 
 buildings,  the  roofs  of  which  are  round,  and  tapering  to  a point.  In  many 
 parts  of  Hindustan  they  are  more  numerous  than  those  dedicated  to  the 
 worship  of  any  other  of  the  Hindu  idols  ; as  are  the  numbers  of  the  wor- 
 shippers of  this  symbol,  beyond  comparison,  more  extensive  than  the 
 worshippers  of  the  other  deities  or  their  emblems.  The  Binlang  stone  is 
 also  sacred  to  Siva. 
 
 Besides  the  daily  worship  of  the  linga  in  the  temples,  there  are  several 
 other  periods  in  which  the  image  of  Siva  is  worshipped  under  the  different 
 forms  which  I have  before  described : but  it  is  not  correct  to  suppose  that 
 images  of  him  are  not  now  made,  as  they  are  seen  in  numbers,  like  figs. 
 
 1 and  2,  plate  16,  conveyed  through  the  streets  of  Calcutta,  after  the  fes- 
 tivals in  honour  of  Siva,  to  be  cast  into  the  river.  In  the  month  Phulgunu 
 he  is  worshipped  for  one  day  as  a mendicant.  On  the  following  day  the 
 
SIVA. 
 
 67 
 
 images  of  him,  with  a bloated  countenance,  matted  locks,  and  inflamed 
 eyes,  are,  as  I have  just  stated,  carried  in  procession,  attended  by  a large 
 concourse  of  people,  dancing,  singing,  and  playing  on  various  instruments, 
 and  thrown  into  the  river.  In  the  month  Mughul  there  is  another  festival 
 in  honour  of  him,  called  Harl  Gauri,  in  which  he  is  represented  riding  on 
 a bull,  with  Parvati  on  his  knee,  as  in  fig.  1,  plate  16.  But  the  most  cele- 
 brated occasion  of  his  worship  is  in  the  month  Choitru,  at  the  time  that  the 
 ceremony  of  the  churaka,  or  swinging  by  hooks  fastened  in  the  flesh  of  the 
 back,  is  performed. 
 
 This  festival  derives  its  name  Chiiruk  (or  chakra),  a wheel  or  discus, 
 from  the  circle  performed  in  the  swinging  part  of  it,  that  terminates  the 
 ceremonies,  which  should  properly  last  a lunar  month  ; but  the  term  is  now 
 much  shortened,  and  the  observances  of  it  are  limited  to  the  followers  of  Siva. 
 The  higher  classes  do  not  engage  in  it,  although  they  contribute  towards  the 
 expense  of,  and  countenance  it.  The  initiatory  ceremonies  of  purification, 
 abstinence,  and  exercises  of  devotion,  take  place  several  days  before  the 
 commencement  of  the  rites,  during  which  time  the  Sanyasis,  or  worshippers, 
 form  themselves  into  parties,  and  wander  about  the  streets  with  horns, 
 drums,  &c.,  making  a most  intolerable  and  horrid  din.  The  first  exhibition 
 is  that  of  suspension,  which  is  performed  by  two  posts  being  erected,  on  the 
 top  of  which  is  placed  a strong  bar,  from  which  the  Sanyasi,  or  worshipper, 
 is  suspended  by  his  feet  over  a fire  kindled  beneath  him,  into  which  rosin 
 is  occasionally  cast.  His  head  is  then  completely  enveloped  in  the  smoke, 
 though  sufficiently  high  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of  the  flame.  On  the 
 following  day  the  Sanyasis  dance  and  roll  themselves  upon  the  downy  beds 
 of  various  descriptions  of  prickly  plants.  Their  next  ceremony  is  called  the 
 Jamp  Sanya,  or  jumping  on  a couch  of  pointed  steel,  which  has  been  thus 
 described  : 
 
 “ A bamboo  scaffolding  of  three  or  four  stages  is  erected,  on  which  the 
 Sanyasis  stand,  tier  above  tier,  the  principal  and  most  expert  occupying  the 
 upper  row,  which  is  sometimes  between  twenty  and  thirty  feet  high.  A kind 
 of  bedding,  supported  by  ropes,  is  stretched  beneath  the  scaffolding  by  a 
 number  of  men.  Upon  the  mattrass  are  attached  several  bars  of  wood,  to 
 
 k 2 
 
68 
 
 SIVA. 
 
 which  are  fixed  very  loosely,  and  in  a position  sloping  forward,  semi 
 circular  knives,  upon  which  the  Sanyasis  throw  themselves,  in  succession. 
 In  general,  the  effect  of  the  fall  is  to  turn  the  knives  flat  upon  the  bedding, 
 in  which  case  they  do  no  harm  ; but  occasionally  severe  wounds,  and  even 
 death,  are  the  consequences  of  this  rite.  Before  they  take  their  leap,  the 
 performers  cast  fruits,  as  cocoa-nuts,  bels,  plantains,  See.  among  the  crowd, 
 in  which  there  is  a great  scramble  for  them,  as  they  are  supposed  to  possess 
 much  virtue.  Women  desirous  of  progeny  are  very  anxious  to  get  these 
 donations ; and  those  of  the  first  families  send  persons  to  obtain  and  bring 
 them  for  their  private  eating.”*  The  ensuing  day  is  spent  in  revelling  and 
 dancing  among  burning  ashes,  and  afterwards  casting  them  at  each  other. 
 On  the  following  one  they  again  infest  the  streets,  attended  by  music  of 
 such  an  abominable  description,  that  our  old  national  instruments  of  hyme- 
 neal serenade  (now,  like  many  other  good  old  things,  become  obsolete  from 
 the  march  of  intellect)  would  be  almost  celestial  harmony  to  it. 
 
 In  the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  Calcutta,  at  Kalighat,  stands  the 
 celebrated  temple  of  Kali : the  energy  of  Siva  in  his  destructive  character 
 of  Kal,  or  Time,  on  the  altar  of  which  myriads  of  animals  are  annually 
 sacrificed.  To  this  temple  the  collected  crowds,  from  miles  round  our 
 Indian  metropolis,  pour,  like  a living  stream  of  frantic  bacchanals,  exhibiting 
 in  their  progress  sights  which  the  imagination  of  those  who  have  not 
 witnessed  them  could  scarcely  form  a conception  of.  On  this  occasion 
 they  practise  the  most  painful  self-inflicted  tortures  ; piercing  their  tongues 
 and  sides,  and  sticking  in  the  holes  heavy  pieces  of  iron,  arrows,  canes, 
 living  snakes,  & c.  &c.,  with  which  they  dance,  with  indecent  gestures,  to 
 the  obscene  songs  of  the  surrounding  multitude.  Mr.  Ward  says  that,  in 
 one  year,  a man  thrust  his  finger  through  the  tongue  of  another,  and  they 
 thus  proceeded  dancing  with  much  indecency  together  through  the  streets  ; 
 and  that  another  had  his  breast,  arms,  and  other  parts  stuck  entirely  full  of 
 pins,  as  thick  as  nails  or  packing-needles.  These  acts  are  devotional,  and 
 are  considered  proofs  of  holiness  and  merit.  The  tortures,  however,  thus 
 inflicted  are  temporary : but  some  of  these  religious  mendicants  impose 
 
 * Asiatic  Journal. 
 
SIVA. 
 
 69 
 
 upon  themselves  others  which  are  of  a more  durable  description  ; such  as 
 carrying  the  arm  erect  over  the  head,  till  it  becomes  so  fixed  that  the 
 miserable  devotee  is  unable  to  bend  it ; sitting  in  the  same  manner  with 
 both  the  arms  or  legs  similarly  placed  ; clinching  the  hand,  and  allowing 
 the  nails  to  grow  through  it  to  a considerable  length  from  the  back  ; sliding 
 backwards  and  forwards  on  their  bellies,  from  which  position  they  will  not 
 stir  ; preserving  a sitting  posture,  from  which  they  never  move  ; dwelling 
 surrounded  by  fires,  and  beneath  a scorching  sun  in  the  summer,  and  exposed 
 to  the  rigours  of  the  seasons  in  the  winter.  These,  and  many  other  self- 
 inflicted  tortures,  may  be  daily  witnessed  in  the  streets  of  our  Indian  cities 
 and  their  neighbourhoods,  some  of  which  are  represented  in  figs.  3,  4,  5,  6, 
 and  7,  plate  28.  These  wretched  fanatics  are  covered  with  filth  and  ashes, 
 and  go  entirely  naked,  except  a small  piece  of  cloth  between  the  thighs, 
 fixed  round  the  waist  with  a cord. 
 
 The  next  is  the  day  of  the  churuk,  or  swinging  ceremony  (fig.  1,  plate 
 28).  Posts,  about  thirty  feet  in  height,  are  erected  in  the  suburbs  of  a 
 town,  across  the  upper  part  of  which  are  loosely  suspended  long  bamboos, 
 so  as  to  enable  them  to  traverse  freely.  To  one  end  of  the  bamboo  two 
 hooks  are  fixed,  by  ropes,  which  are  run  through  the  fleshy  parts  of  the 
 back,  near  the  shoulders.  A rope  is  also  fastened  to  the  other  end  of  the 
 bamboo,  which,  as  soon  as  the  party  who  is  to  swing  is  secured  to  the 
 hooks,  is  pulled  by  several  men,  who  thus  raise  the  other  end  somewhat 
 higher  than  the  post.  They  then  go  round  with  it,  with  considerable 
 velocity ; by  which  means  the  man  at  the  other  end  describes  a circle  of 
 about  thirty  feet  in  diameter.  Sometimes  a cloth  is  tied  round  the  body 
 and  secured  to  the  hooks,  to  prevent,  if  the  flesh  should  be  torn  away,  the 
 man  from  being  dashed  to  pieces ; but  such  is  frequently  not  the  case,  and 
 the  party  falling  is  often  killed  upon  the  spot.  Some  of  these  men,  while 
 swinging,  amuse  themselves  in  smoking  and  in  throwing  fruit  and  flowers 
 (which  they  take  up  on  purpose)  among  the  spectators.  Mr.  Ward  relates 
 a story  of  a man  who  had  a monkey’s  collar  run  through  his  hinder  parts, 
 in  which  state  the  man  and  monkey  whirled  round  together,  and  on  another 
 occasion,  of  a man  who  took  a large  log  of  wood  in  his  mouth,  and  swung 
 
70 
 
 SIVA. 
 
 for  a considerable  time,  without  having  any  cloth  round  him  to  preserve 
 him  from  falling.  He  also  states,  that  in  the  year  1800,  five  women  swung 
 with  hooks  through  their  backs  and  thighs,  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
 Calcutta.  The  parties  sometimes  swing  for  a considerable  time,  and 
 appear  to  make  very  light  of  the  business.  A gentleman,  with  whom  I was 
 some  years  ago  acquainted  in  Calcutta,  missed,  on  one  of  these  festivals, 
 one  of  his  bearers  or  palanquin  carriers;  and,  as  he  was  going  out,  left 
 home  without  him.  On  his  return  he  found  him  carrying  his  palanquin  ; 
 and  when  he  arrived  at  his  home,  questioned  him  where  he  had  been  ? 
 The  man  coolly  answered,  ‘‘he  had  only  been  performing  churuk that 
 is,  had  been  swinging : and,  on  his  master  inspecting  his  back,  the  spots, 
 pierced  by  the  hooks,  were  conspicuous  enough.  The  wounds  are  very 
 simply  treated.  The  parts  are  first  well  pressed  with  the  flat  palm  of  the 
 hand,  or  trodden  on  with  the  sole  of  the  foot,  to  cause  their  reunion. 
 Clarified  butter  is  then  spread  over  on  a leaf,  and  the  place  is  bandaged : 
 this  dressing  is  renewed  two  or  three  times. 
 
 On  the  morning  following  the  churuk  Siva  is  worshipped  in  the  temple, 
 and  the  festival  is  concluded.  During  each  day  of  the  festival,  says  Mr. 
 Ward,  the  Sunyasis  worship  the  sun,  pouring  water,  flowers,  &c.  &c.  on  a 
 clay  image  of  the  alligator,  and  repeating  mantras. 
 
 The  consort  or  energy  of  Siva  is  Parvati,  or  Durga,  &c. ; the  mountain- 
 born  goddess,  whom  I shall  presently  have  occasion  to  notice.  Numerous 
 stories  are  related  of  his  marriage  with  this  goddess,  and  of  the  abuse 
 lavished  on  him  by  her  first  father,  Daksha ; for,  having  been  twice  born, 
 her  second  was  no  other  than  the  Himalaya  mountain.  I can  discover  no 
 good  reason  for  such  ungodlike  treatment,  or  for  Daksha’s  ungenerous 
 representations  of  him  as  an  intoxicated  Bacchanal ; except  that  one  day, 
 in  an  assembly  of  the  gods,  he  did  not  rise  up  and  salute  him  on  his 
 entrance,  as  a dutiful  son-in-law  should  have  done.  Bacchus,  however, 
 (to  whom  Siva  has,  in  some  points,  been  compared)  was  occasionally 
 represented  of  a drunken  bloated  form,  wandering  about  almost  naked,  and 
 having  only  a tiger’s  skin  wrapped  round  his  loins.  But  Bacchus  was  the 
 god  of  wine,  a personage  not  to  be  found  in  the  Hindu  Mythology : 
 
SIVA. 
 
 71 
 
 although,  what  is  extraordinary  enough  among  a people  who  do  not  touch 
 that  beverage,  they  have  Suradevi,  the  goddess  of  wine,  and  the  invention 
 of  the  use  of  it  is  ascribed  to  Bala  Rama. 
 
 The  filthy  appearance  of  Siva,  as  a mendicant  ascetic,  may  be  ascribed 
 to  his  solitary  and  abstracted  devotional  practices,  for  the  purpose,  it  may 
 be  supposed,  of  maintaining  the  ascendancy  which  he  had  obtained  among 
 the  gods.  With  all  this,  he  appears  to  have  gained  no  high  character  in 
 heaven,  especially  for  connubial  fidelity ; as  the  quarrels  of  him  and 
 Parvati,  in  consequence  of  his  peccadilloes  and  her  jealousy,  are  said  to 
 have  caused  as  much  trouble  to  the  celestial  hosts  to  adjust,  as  those  of 
 some  dignified  personages  in  this  country  have  to  many  of  our  gentlemen 
 of  the  long  robe. 
 
 The  Saivas  have  many  sectarial  marks  : among  them  are,  1st,  the  trisula 
 or  trident,  to  denote  the  dominion  of  Siva  over  heaven,  earth,  and  the  in- 
 fernal regions.  This  weapon  is  supposed  to  be  in  continual  motion  over 
 the  face  of  the  earth,  and  instant  death  would  attend  opposition  to  its 
 points  (see  Trisula).  He  is  from  it  called  the  Trident-bearer.  2d,  Shula, 
 representing  the  same  symbol.  Both  of  these  are  formed  of  white  earth 
 on  the  forehead  and  breast.  3d,  Ciaksliu  or  tkkanna,  the  sacred  eye  (or 
 that  in  the  midddle  of  the  forehead)  of  Siva.  He  is  on  this  occasion 
 called  Trilocena,  or  the  triple-eyed  god.  4th,  Agni  or  Ti,  or  fire;  symboli- 
 cal of  the  sun.  5th,  Tirumana,  or  the  holy  earth  : the  lateral  strokes  of 
 this  sectarial  mark  are  white  or  yellow,  that  in  the  middle  red,  and  repre- 
 sents the  womb  of  Bhavani.  6th,  The  tripundarci,  or  ornament  of  the 
 three  stripes,  which  also  represents  Bhavani  with  her  three  sons,  Brahma, 
 Vishnu,  and  Siva.  It  is  made  with  sandal-wood  and  ashes.  7th,  The 
 linga,  painted  on  the  neck,  arms,  and  forehead.  8th,  The  crescent,  painted 
 on  the  forehead  yellow.  9th,  The  same,  with  the  puttu,  or  spot,  of  either 
 red,  white,  or  black.  The  description  of  these  marks  I have  taken  prin- 
 cipally from  Bartolomeo;  but  see  farther  on  this  subject  the  article  Sectarial 
 Marks,  and  fig.  2,  plate  2. 
 
 In  the  Asiatic  Journal  of  August  1829,  is  a description  of  an  idol  which 
 was  in  the  museum  at  Moscow,  that  had  been  obtained  from  the  Bokharians, 
 
SIVA. 
 
 72 
 
 who  had  taken  it  in  war  from  the  Mongols.  It  is  represented  to  have  the 
 figure  of  a man  with  a bull's  head,  which  is  surrounded  by  six  grotesque 
 human  heads,  and  having  sixteen  feet  and  thirty-four  hands.  Above  the 
 seven  heads  rises  an  eighth,  equally  deformed,  which  is  in  its  turn  sur- 
 mounted by  another  head  of  a very  handsome  character.  All  these  heads 
 are  surrounded  with  flame,  and  decorated  with  necklaces  of  human  skulls. 
 The  statue  is  represented  as  embracing  a female,  and  holds  in  its  hands  the 
 symbols  of  regeneration  and  destruction.  Its  feet  also  rest  upon  the  like 
 symbols.  This  idol  is  called  Yamantaga,  and  is  considered  by  the  Mongols 
 as  the  god  of  destruction.  It  has  been  imagined  to  be  synonymous  with 
 Siva. 
 
 In  a temple  in  the  vicinity  of  Soongaum,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Sutlej, 
 there  is  another  extraordinary  image  resembling  Siva,  there  called  Dakpo. 
 It  is  three  yards  high  and  has  four  feet,  each  of  which  is  treading  on  a 
 human  form.  It  possesses  six  arms,  with  two  of  which  it  embraces  a 
 female,  and  in  the  others  holds  a spear,  a sword,  a serpent,  and  a skull, 
 and  has  round  the  waist  a belt  of  skulls. 
 
 The  heaven  of  Siva  is  Mount  Kailasa,  on  the  mountain  Meru,  and  his 
 palace  is  described  as  being  resplendent  with  gold  and  jewels.  He  is  the 
 regent  of  the  North-East. 
 
 Siva  had  numerous  names  and  incarnations,  derived  from  his  attributes 
 and  exploits.  Among  these  are  Mahadeo,  the  great  god  ; Rudra,  the 
 destroyer;  Kal,  time;  Shankara ; Iswara  ; Kandah  Rao ; Kapali  ; Kalu 
 Rayu  ; Nilakantha,  the  blue-throated ; and  a variety  of  others,  some  of 
 which  will  be  noticed  under  their  several  heads. 
 
 Kartikeya  is  a son  of  Siva,  produced  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  without 
 the  aid  of  his  consort,  Parvati ; as  was  also  Vira  Badra.  Bhairava  or 
 Bhyru  is  likewise  his  son,  in  his  destructive  form.  Some  make  Vira  Badra 
 and  Bhairava  incarnations  of  Siva.  (See  Vira  Badra  and  Bhairava,  and 
 plates  14,  15,  and  16.) 
 
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BHAIRAVA,  Oil  BHYRU. 
 
 73 
 
 BHAIRAVA,  or  BHYRU 
 
 Is  an  incarnation,  or  son  of  Siva,  in  his  destructive  character,  and  Kali. 
 He  is  a terrific  deity,  and  can  only  be  satisfied  by  blood.  He  cut  off  the 
 fifth  head  of  Brahma  with  his  thumb-nail.  According  to  Major  Tod  there 
 are  two  Bhairavas,  the  fair  and  the  black  (Gora  and  Kala),  who  in  the  field 
 of  battle  are  the  standard-bearers  of  their  mother.  The  sable  deity  is  the 
 one  most  worshipped.  The  dog  is  sacred  to  him,  and  in  sculptures  he  is 
 commonly  represented  on  one.  He  is  also  called  Bajranga,  or  of  thunder- 
 bolt frame.  Mr.  Ward  states  that,  under  the  name  of  Bhairava,  Siva  is 
 regent  of  Kashi  (Benares).  All  persons  dying  at  Benares  are  entitled  to 
 a place  in  Siva’s  heaven  ; but  if  any  one  violate  the  laws  of  the  Shastre 
 during  his  residence,  Bhairava  grinds  him  to  death.  A temple  is  dedicated 
 to  Bhyru  and  his  wife  Jogeesury  at  Lony,  about  twelve  miles  from  Poona, 
 into  which  people  bitten  by  snakes  are  brought,  and,  it  is  said,  invariably 
 recover.  Bhyru  will  not  even  permit  the  neem-tree,  used  as  a preservative 
 against  the  bite  of  snakes,  to  grow  near  the  place,  as  all  persons  so  bitten 
 are  under  his  especial  care. 
 
 Fig.  4,  plate  16,  from  the  temple  of  Rama  at  Ramnaghur,  represents 
 Bhairava  riding  on  a dog,  his  usual  valian  or  attendant ; in  one  hand  he 
 has  a trisula,  in  another  a standard ; described,  says  Major  Tod,  by  the 
 bard  “ of  the  colour  of  the  rain-cloud,”  or  a field  sable,  on  which  a white 
 horse  passa?tt  is  delineated.  In  another  hand  he  has  either  a bead-roll  or  a 
 head,  but  which  does  not  distinctly  appear ; I have  put  the  latter,  as  he  is 
 usually  seen  with  one.  Fig.  4,  plate  14,  also  represents  him  standing, 
 holding  in  his  hands  the  trisula,  a cup  to  catch  the  blood  of  the  slain,  a 
 sword,  and  a human  head.  In  the  temple  of  Kylas  at  Ellora  is  a beautiful 
 sculpture  of  him,  bearing  in  his  hands  the  damara,  the  hooded  snake,  and 
 apparently  a richly  sculptured  sceptre.  In  the  same  temple  are  eight  re- 
 presentations of  Siva  as  Bhyru,  under  different  forms.  Fig.  2,  plate  15,  from 
 an  ancient  sculpture,  represents  him  in  a sitting  posture,  with  a large  sword 
 in  one  hand,  and  resting  one  of  his  legs  on  an  animal,  apparently  a sheep - 
 
 L 
 
74 
 
 VIRA  BADRA— KARTIKEYA. 
 
 VIRA  BADRA, 
 
 Or  Ehr  Badr,  is  an  avatar , or  by  some  called  a son  of  Siva,  produced 
 from  th ejatra,  or  plaited  locks  of  that  deity,  which  he  cut  off  and  threw  on 
 the  ground,  in  a moment  of  frenzy,  on  learning  the  death  of  Suti,  caused 
 by  the  curse  of  Daksha.  Vira  Badra  immediately  attacked  Daksha,  and  cut 
 off  his  head,  which  fell  into  the  fire  prepared  for  a sacrifice,  and  was  burnt. 
 He  is  armed  with  various  instruments  of  destruction ; and  the  representations 
 of  him  are  usually  seen  with  the  head  of  a goat  (with  which  that  of 
 Daksha  was  replaced  on  his  body)  near  them,  or  accompanied  by  a human 
 figure  with  a goat’s  head.  (See  Daksha,  and  fig.  3,  plate  3;  also  Vira 
 Badra,  fig.  5,  plate  15.) 
 
 KARTIKEYA. 
 
 This  deity  is  the  son  of  Siva,  produced  in  an  extraordinary  manner  for 
 an  extraordinary  purpose ; and  the  leader  of  the  celestial  armies.  He  is 
 sometimes  represented  with  one  face,  and  sometimes  with  six  faces ; possess- 
 ing two,  four,  or  six  arms,  holding  various  instruments  in  his  hands  ; of  a 
 yellow  complexion,  and  riding  on  a peacock,  his  vahan  or  vehicle. 
 
 Of  the  birth  of  this  deity  it  is  not  easy  to  give  an  account : but,  as  it 
 was  thought  proper  that  he  should  make  his  appearance  in  the  Hindu 
 Mythology,  for  the  especial  purpose  of  repairing  an  error  of  Brahma,  who 
 appears  to  have  been  little  better  than  a blundering  sort  of  god  who  caused 
 incessant  trouble  to  his  compeers,  I must  necessarily  describe  him  in  the 
 most  becoming  terms  I can. 
 
 Tarika,  a giant,  in  consequence  of  performing  religious  penances  and 
 austerities,  obtained  from  Brahma  a promise  that  he  would  grant  him  any 
 boon  he  asked.  Among  his  requests  was  the  usual  one  of  universal  power 
 and  dominion.  He  then,  like  others  whom  I have  before  described,  began  to 
 oppress  both  the  gods  and  men.  He  robbed  the  ocean  of  its  riches, 
 plundered  the  sun  of  its  fire,  and  bade  the  moon  to  stand  still.  Indra,  who 
 
KARTIKE  YA. 
 
 75 
 
 appears  generally  among  the  greatest  sufferers  on  these  melancholy  occa- 
 sions, was  deprived  of  his  eight-headed  horse,  Oochisrava ; and  others  of 
 the  gods  were  treated  in  the  same  audacious  and  unceremonious  manner. 
 In  this  dilemma  they,  as  was  their  wont  when  similarly  circumstanced, 
 called  a council  in  heaven,  at  which  Indra  presided  ; wherein  it  was  deter- 
 mined to  apply  immediately  to  Brahma.  The  application  was  accordingly 
 made ; and  Brahma,  who  had  promised,  among  other  things,  that  Tarika 
 should  be  invincible  except  to  a son  of  Siva,  declared  his  utter  inability  to 
 revoke  his  promise.  Here  then  was  a case  which  appeared  to  portend  more 
 evil  to  the  gods  than  any  that  had  before  befallen  them,  as  Siva  had  no  son  ; 
 nor,  from  his  total  abstraction  in  his  religious  austerities,  was  any  hope 
 entertained  that  he  would  have  one.  No  expedient  could,  for  a long  time, 
 be  found  to  overcome  this  difficulty,  till  Kamadeo  started  up,  and  boasted 
 that  he  would  conquer  the  mind  of  even  Mahadeo  himself.  On  this  Indra 
 flattered  the  ill-fated  boy,  and  allured  him  to  accompany  Parvati  to  the 
 forest  to  which  Siva  had  retired,  where  he  was  discovered  under  a tree, 
 wholly  absorbed  in  his  devotions.  Parvati,  by  equal  austerities  and  worship 
 of  the  Linga,  round  which  she  wreathed  garlands  of  the  brightest  flowers, 
 at  length  attracted  the  notice  of  Siva,  when  Kama,  watching  the  auspici- 
 ous moment,  let  fly  an  arrow,  and  pierced  the  terrific  deity  to  the  heart. 
 Roused  by  the  wound,  Siva  cast  an  indignant  glance  at  Kama,  and,  with 
 the  fire  of  his  eye  in  the  centre  of  his  forehead,  consumed  the  beauteous 
 god  of  love  to  ashes.  The  aim  had,  however,  been  sufficiently  unerring, 
 and  the  union  of  Siva  and  Parvati  was  the  consequence.  Still  no  issue  was 
 the  fruit  of  it ; and  the  gods  again  assembled  to  consider  what,  on  such  a 
 conjuncture,  should  be  done.  At  length  they  hit  upon  a scheme  which,  at 
 a critical  moment,  by  the  instrumentality  of  Agni  (the  regent  of  fire),  in  the 
 shape  of  a dove,  was  successful.  This  part  of  the  proceeding  is  of  so 
 mysterious  a character,  that  it  will  be  more  prudent  to  draw  over  it  the 
 veil  of  concealment  than  to  expose  it.  Suffice  it,  therefore,  to  say,  that  the 
 germ  of  the  leader  of  the  celestial  armies  was  nourished  in  the  bosom  of 
 the  majestic  Ganges ; from  whence,  one  day,  arose  a boy  of  transcendent 
 beauty  (Kartikeya),  hence  called  the  son  of  Gunga.  He  was  here  discovered 
 
 l 2 
 
7 6 
 
 K ARTIKEYA. 
 
 by  six  females  who  went  to  the  river  to  bathe,  from  each  of  whom  he  received 
 the  breast. 
 
 The  excellent  work  of  Major  Moor  places  those  ladies  in  a somewhat 
 dubious  position,  which  may  lead  to  no  very  high  opinion  of  the  chastity  of 
 the  Hindu  nymphs  of  ancient  times,  as  he  describes  them  as  the  daughters 
 of  as  many  rajahs.  Mr.  Ward  calls  them  (as  indeed  does  Major  Moor 
 elsewhere),  more  becomingly,  the  wives  of  six  of  the  seven  Rishis  of  the 
 name  of  Krittlka  (astronomically  the  Pleiades).  Hence  his  name  of  Kar- 
 tikeya,  or  he  who  was  nourished  by  six  mothers  named  Krittika,  and  hence 
 his  being  occasionally  described  with  six  heads. 
 
 We  are  thus  left  in  considerable  perplexity  respecting  the  maternal  part 
 of  this  hero’s  origin.  He  was,  however,  the  son  of  Siva  ; and  in  due  time, 
 after  a desperate  combat,  accomplished  the  object  of  his  appearance,  if  not 
 of  his  birth,  by  the  predicted  destruction  of  Tarika. 
 
 Although  the  leader  of  the  celestial  armies,  little  more  is  related  of  the 
 belligerent  exploits  of  Kartikeya  than  the  foregoing  incident.  In  the  battle 
 between  the  gods  and  Jalandhara,  this  distinguished  warrior  appears  to 
 have  thought  that  the  better  part  of  valour  was  discretion,  and  while  the 
 battle  raged  around  him,  to  have  deemed  it  wiser  to  retire  on  his  peacock  to 
 the  mountain,  because  he  did  not  like  to  continue  the  contest  with  Rahu  and 
 his  mother,  as  he  was  disinclined  to  offend  the  latter.  If  we  can  bestow 
 a proper  portion  of  credit  on  the  account  given  of  Rahu,  we  shall  not  be 
 surprised  that  Kartikeya  thought  with  Hudibras,  that 
 
 “ He  who  fights  and  runs  away, 
 
 May  live  to  fight  another  day.” 
 
 Of  this  monster,  whose  mother  so  happily  interposed,  we  are  told  in  the 
 third  volume  of  the  Asiatic  Researches , that  “ he  had  four  arms  ; his  lower 
 parts  ended  in  a tail,  like  that  of  a dragon ; his  aspect  was  grim  and 
 gloomy,  like  the  darkness  of  chaos,  whence  he  had  also  the  name  of  Tamas. 
 He  was  the  adviser  of  all  mischief  among  the  Daityas,  who  had  a regard 
 for  him ; but  among  the  Devatas  it  was  his  chief  delight  to  sow  dissention  : 
 and  when  the  gods  had  produced  the  amrit  (water  of  immortality)  by  the 
 
KARTIKEYA. 
 
 77 
 
 churning  of  the  ocean,  he  disguised  himself  like  one  of  them  and  received 
 a portion  of  it.  But  the  sun  and  moon  having  discovered  his  fraud,  Vishnu 
 severed  his  head  and  two  of  his  arms  from  the  rest  of  his  monstrous  body. 
 That  part  of  the  nectareous  fluid  that  he  had  time  to  swallow  secured  his 
 immortality.  His  trunk  and  dragon-like  tail  fell  on  the  mountain  of 
 Malaya,  where  Mini,  a Brahman,  carefully  preserved  them,  by  the  name 
 of  Ketu  or  Cetu  ; and,  as  if  a complete  body  had  been  formed  from  them, 
 like  a dismembered  polype,  he  is  even  said  to  have  adopted  Ketu  as  his 
 own  child.  The  head  with  two  arms  fell  on  the  sands  of  Barbara,  where 
 Prit’henas  was  walking  with  Sinhica,  by  some  called  his  wife.  They  carried 
 the  daitya  to  their  palace  and  adopted  him  as  their  son,  whence  he  acquired 
 the  name  of  Prit’hinasi.  This  extravagant  fable  is,  no  doubt,  astrono- 
 mical. 
 
 Ketu  often  appears  as  a comet,  a whirlwind,  a meteor,  a water-spout, 
 and  a column  of  sand.  Fifty-six  comets  are  said  in  the  Chintamani  to 
 have  sprung  from  K4tu  ; and  Rahu  had  a numerous  progeny  of  grahas 
 and  crocodiles. 
 
 In  this  battle  Ganesha  too  proved  a degenerate  son  of  his  invincible  and 
 amazonian  mother  ; for,  on  being  wounded  in  the  mouth,  he  cried  out  lustily 
 on  the  field,  “ Oh,  my  mother ! Oh,  my  father!  Oh,  my  brother!  Oh, 
 my  dear  Rat !” 
 
 Kartikeya  is  worshipped  in  the  month  Kartika;  on  which  occasion 
 numerous  images  are  made  (Mr.  Ward  says  not  less  than  five  thousand  in 
 Calcutta  alone,  some  of  which  are  twenty-five  feet  high),  which,  after  the 
 ceremony  of  worship,  are  cast,  like  those  of  Durga  and  Kali,  into  the  river. 
 Images  of  him  are  also  set  up  and  worshipped,  as  I have  before  mentioned, 
 with  those  of  Durga,  on  the  festivals  of  that  goddess.  The  model  by  Chit 
 Roy,  from  which  fig.  3,  in  the  frontispiece,  is  taken,  is  a correct  specimen 
 of  the  images  of  Kartikeya  on  these  occasions.  Vows  and  offerings  are 
 made  to  him  by  Hindu  females  to  obtain  children,  especially  sons. 
 
 Kartikeya  has  many  names;  among  which  are  Skanda,  Subrahmani, 
 Tarikajit,  or  he  who  conquered  Tarika,  &c.  &c. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  17,  from  a drawing,  represents  him  on  a peacock,  the  tail 
 
78 
 
 KARTIKEYA. 
 
 of  which  forms  a back  to  his  lotus  throne.  In  one  hand  he  holds  a spear, 
 in  another  a trident,  in  a third  an  arrow,  and  the  fourth  is  held  in  the  act 
 of  solicitation.  The  peacock  is  treading  upon  a serpent  holding  something 
 red  in  its  mouth. 
 
 Fig.  2,  in  the  same  plate,  from  the  temple  of  Rama,  represents  him 
 similarly  mounted  and  armed,  except  that  his  fourth  hand  holds  a bow. 
 In  the  compartment  of  the  temple  the  tail  of  the  bird  is  trailing  on  the 
 ground,  which  want  of  room  obliged  me  to  alter  in  the  plate. 
 
( 79  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 Parvati,  or  Suti. — Durga. — Kali. — Chinnu  Muktuka. — MahaDevi. — Bhavani. — Anna  PurnaDevi. 
 Ganesha  Junani. — Jugud’hatri. — Krishna  Krora. — Kamula  Kamini. 
 
 PARVATI. 
 
 The  contradictions  which  pervade  all  the  parts  of  the  Hindu  mythology 
 are  so  strongly  opposed  to  every  thing  in  the  shape  of  a consistent  relation, 
 that  the  farther  we  proceed,  the  more  perplexed  we  become  to  reconcile 
 every  fresh  legend  with  the  fables  already  related.  In  the  account  of  the 
 creation,  I have  mentioned  that  the  goddess  Bhavani  (or  nature)  divided 
 herself  into  three  females,  for  the  purpose  of  marrying  her  three  sons, 
 Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva ; to  the  last  of  whom  she  united  herself  under 
 the  name  of  Parvati.  Other  accounts  make  Parvati  the  daughter  of  Brahma, 
 in  his  earthly  form  (or  avatar)  of  Daksha,  named  Suti. 
 
 After  her  marriage  with  Siva,  a dispute  arose  between  that  god  and 
 Daksha  ; who  not  only  refused  to  invite  his  son-in-law  to  a feast  given  in 
 honour  of  the  immortals,  but  reviled  him  in  terms  which  roused  the  indig- 
 nation of  Siva,  and  pierced  the  tender  and  affectionate  bosom  of  Suti,  who 
 first  resented,  and  then  sank  under  the  contumely  ; for,  on  hearing  Daksha 
 term  him  a wandering  mendicant,  a bearer  of  skulls,  a delighter  in  cemeteries, 
 a contemner  of  divine  ceremonies  and  unfit  for  the  society  of  the  gods,  she 
 took  the  part  of  her  husband  ; and  true  to  the  Hindu  creed,  that  when  a 
 virgin  marries  she  leaves  for  ever  her  father’s  house,  gave  Daksha  a me- 
 morable lecture  in  return,  which  would  be  too  long  to  insert  here,  and  might 
 moreover  prove  a dangerous  specimen  of  eloquence  to  some  new-married 
 ladies ; who,  in  their  zeal,  might  not  always  wait  for  proper  occasions  to 
 
80 
 
 P A R V A T I. 
 
 exercise  themselves  in  the  recitation  of  it.  I must,  therefore,  content 
 myself  with  simply  noticing  the  incident. 
 
 Having  defended  her  lord  against  parental  slander  and  malignity,  the 
 sorrowful  Suti  retired  to  the  banks  of  the  sacred  waters  of  the  Ganges,  and 
 yielded  up  her  life  on  the  altar  of  domestic  affliction.  Siva  was  inconsolable 
 for  the  loss  of  his  lovely  and  affectionate  wife.  On  beholding  her  lifeless 
 form  his  senses  forsook  him  ; frequent  fainting  fits  ensued  ; he  clasped  her 
 to  his  bosom,  pressed  his  lips  to  hers,  called  on  her  in  the  bitterness  of  his 
 anguish  to  reappear  to  him,  doubted  the  reality  of  her  death,  till  again  too 
 fatally  convinced  of  his  inevitable  loss,  he  became  overwhelmed  with  grief 
 and  despair,  and  finally  sank  down  overcome  by  anguish  and  fatigue.  In 
 this  state  he  was  found  by  Vishnu,  Brahma,  and  the  other  gods,  who  were 
 not  a little  astonished  at  such  an  exhibition  of  godlike  and  intolerable  woe. 
 The  immortal  Vishnu  shed  tears,  and  attempted  to  console  him,  by  telling 
 him  that  nothing  was  real  in  this  world,  but  that  every  thing  was  altogether 
 maya,  or  illusion.  Siva,  rejecting  this  consolatory  admonition,  joined  his 
 tears  to  those  of  Vishnu  ; and  thus  united,  they  formed  a lake,  which 
 became  a celebrated  place  of  pilgrimage.*'  At  length  the  beauteous  form 
 of  Suti  reappeared  before  them,  and  with  a heavenly  smile  exhorted  the 
 now  delighted  Siva  to  be  comforted,  as  she  had  been  again  born  as  the 
 daughter  of  Himavan,  the  ruler  of  the  mountains,  and  Mena,  and  would 
 never  more  be  separated  from  him.  The  transitions  from  the  bitterness  of 
 insupportable  grief  to  unexpected  happiness  are  at  first  tumultuous:  but 
 exhausted  nature  soon  seeks  that  soft  and  halcyon  repose,  whose  charm  is 
 throned  in  the  heart,  far  beyond  the  sacrilegious  reach  of  either  the  tongue 
 or  the  hand  of  man.  I must,  therefore,  content  myself  with  saying,  that 
 after  some  due  preparations,  Siva  and  Suti,  as  Parvati,  were  reunited,  and 
 appear  to  have  lived  as  happily  together  as  married  folks  usually  do  : that 
 is,  sometimes  in  a state  of  inexpressible  bliss,  sometimes  in  ineffable  in- 
 difference, and  sometimes  involved  in  a matrimonial  thunder-cloud,  the 
 veil  of  which  we  ought  not,  if  we  could,  to  attempt  to  penetrate.  On  the 
 
 * Colonel  Vans  Kennedy’s  Researches. 
 
P A II  V A T I. 
 
 81 
 
 first  of  these  occasions  they  spent  their  time  in  heavenly  dalliance  on  Mount 
 Kailasa,* — 
 
 “ Above  the  stretch  of  mortal  ken, 
 
 On  bless’d  Kailasa1  s top,  where  every  stem 
 Glowed  with  a vegetable  gem, 
 
 Mahesa  sate,  the  dread  and  joy  of  men. 
 
 While  Parvati,  to  gain  a boon, 
 
 Fix’d  on  his  locks  a beamy  moon, 
 
 And  hid  his  frontal  eye,  in  jocund  play, 
 
 With  reluctant  sweet  delay. 
 
 All  nature  straight  was  lock’d  in  dim  eclipse, 
 
 Till  Brahmans  pure,  with  hallowed  lips 
 And  warbled  prayers,  restored  the  day ; 
 
 When  Gunga  from  his  brow,  by  heavenly  fingers  prest, 
 
 Sprang  radiant,  and,  descending,  grac’d  the  caverns  of  the  West.” 
 
 Sir  William  Jones’s  Hymn  to  Gunga. 
 
 Had  Siva  been  content  to  have  remained,  like  the  exemplary  benedicts 
 of  this  thrice  felicitous  and  favoured  isle,  becomingly  at  home,  and  not  have 
 wandered  abroad  at  unseasonable  hours,  things  would  have  gone  on  be- 
 tween them  as  they  should  have  done,  and  the  portentous  clouds  to  which  I 
 have  alluded  (which  often  alarmed  even  the  gods),  would  not,  in  all  pro- 
 bability, have  appeared.  But  such  matters  are  considered  by  the  rulers  of 
 the  universe  of  very  slight  importance,  and  both  the  reader  and  myself 
 must  be  satisfied  to  take  them  as  we  actually  find  them,  without  adopting 
 the  Quixotic  undertaking  of  attempting  to  make  them  better. 
 
 Before  going  farther  into  the  life  of  Parvati,  I must  observe,  on  the 
 authority  of  Mr.  Patterson,  that  when  Vishnu  beheld  Siva  dancing  about 
 franticly  with  the  deceased  form  of  Suti  in  his  arms,  he  cut  it  into  fifty-one 
 pieces  ; which  Siva,  who  still  continued  in  his  frenzy,  scattered  in  different 
 parts  of  the  earth.  These  spots  he  afterwards  ordained  to  be  places  of 
 worship,  to  his  own  and  his  energy’s  peculiar  emblems.  Daksha,  who  had 
 been  slain  by  Vira  Badra,  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  Suti  was  restored 
 to  life,  but  with  the  head  of  a goat,  on  condition  of  his  adopting  the  doc- 
 trines of  Siva. 
 
 * The  terrestrial  abode  of  Siva  and  Parvati  is  the  Himalaya  mountain. 
 
 M 
 
82 
 
 PARVATI. 
 
 Mr.  Patterson  imagines  that  these  circumstances  arose  from  an  attempt, 
 on  the  part  of  Daksha,  to  abolish  the  worship  of  the  emblem  of  Siva,  in 
 which  he  was  unsuccessful. 
 
 Parvati  had,  as  the  consort  of  Siva,  maternal  claims  upon  Kartikeya,  the 
 leader  of  the  celestial  armies,  and  Ganesha,  or  Ganaputty,  the  god  of  wis- 
 dom. They  were  both  produced  in  a very  extraordinary  manner,  as  will 
 be  seen  in  the  descriptions  of  them. 
 
 Parvati  is  the  goddess  of  a thousand  names ; and  both  her  forms  and 
 powers  are  more  various  and  extensive  than  those  of  any  of  the  other  Hindu 
 deities.  She  acts  sometimes  dependant  on,  at  others  wholly  independant 
 of  her  husband,  Siva. 
 
 As  Bhavani,  she  is  the  goddess  of  nature  and  fecundity,  and  is  invoked 
 by  women  in  labour.  As  Maha  Devi,  she  is  “ the  goddess,”  the  sacti  of 
 the  lord  of  the  universe,  Mahadeo.  As  Parvati,  she  is  his  constant  com- 
 panion. As  Durga,  or  Katyayini,  she  is  the  amazonian  champion  and 
 potent  protectress  of  the  gods,  endowed  by  them  severally  with  their  attri- 
 butes, and  wielding  in  her  numerous  hands  their  various  instruments  of 
 destruction,  with  which,  for  their  protection,  they  had  armed  her.  In  this 
 character  she  has  been  compared  to  the  Olympian  Juno,  and  the  Pallas  or 
 armed  Minerva  of  the  Greeks ; but  clearly,  thus  blending  in  herself  the 
 power  and  divinity  of  all  the  gods,  of  incomparably  greater  importance  than 
 either.  As  Kali,  she  is  their  Diana  Taurica,  and  personifying  that  black 
 abyss,  eternity,  by  which  Kal  (or  time  itself)  shall  be  destroyed  (pictured 
 by  her  trampling  upon  Siva  in  that  character),  she  is  arrayed  in  attributes 
 supreme  over  those  of  her  husband. 
 
 Parvati  has  been  described  under  numerous  forms ; but  as  they  are  only 
 variations  of  the  more  important  ones,  Bhavani,  Devi,  Durga,  and  Kali,  I 
 shall  content  myself  with  noticing  those  under  which  she  is  most  generally 
 known. 
 
 As  Parvati,  she  is  described  of  a white  ; as  Kali,  of  a dark  blue  or  black  ; 
 and  as  the  majestic  and  tremendous  Durga  (of  whom  I shall  now  treat),  of  a 
 yellow  colour. 
 
D U R G A. 
 
 83 
 
 DURGA. 
 
 In  this  character  she  is  represented  with  ten  arms.  In  one  hand  she 
 holds  a spear,  with  which  she  is  piercing  the  giant  Muhisha  ; in  another,  a 
 sword ; in  a third,  the  hair  of  the  giant,  and  the  tail  of  a serpent  twined 
 round  him ; and  in  others,  the  trident,  the  discus,  the  axe,  the  club,  the 
 arrow,  and  the  shield.  One  of  her  knees  presses  on  the  body  of  the  giant, 
 and  her  right  foot  rests  on  the  back  of  a lion,  which  is  lacerating  his  arm. 
 On  her  head  she  has  a crown  richly  gemmed,  and  her  dress  is  magnificently 
 decorated  with  jewels.  The  giant  is  issuing  from  the  body  of  the  buffalo, 
 into  which  he  had  transformed  himself  during  his  combat  with  the  goddess. 
 (See  fig.  I in  the  frontispiece.) 
 
 The  plate  here  given  is  taken  from  a cast  by  a well-known  modern  artist, 
 Chit  Roy,  and  represents  with  great  precision  the  figures  which  are  ex- 
 hibited at  the  annual  celebration  of  the  Durga  Puja,  or  Dusarah.  On  this 
 occasion  the  images  of  her  sons,  Kartikeya  and  Ganesha,  are  also  in 
 Bengal  usually  placed  on  each  side  of  her,  as  shewn  in  the  plate. 
 
 This  festival,  the  most  splendid  and  expensive,  as  well  as  the  most  popular 
 of  any  of  the  Hindu  festivals,  takes  place  in  the  month  Ashwinu  (the  end 
 of  September  or  beginning  of  October).  The  preliminary  ceremonies 
 occupy  several  days  previous  to  the  three  days  of  worship.  During  the 
 whole  of  this  period  all  business  throughout  the  country  is  suspended,  and 
 universal  pleasure  and  festivity  prevail. 
 
 On  the  first  of  the  three  days  of  worship,  the  ceremony  of  giving  eyes 
 and  life  to  the  images  takes  place,  before  which  they  cannot  become  objects 
 of  worship.  This  is  performed  by  the  officiating  Brahman  touching  the 
 cheeks,  eyes,  breast,  and  forehead  of  the  image,  saying,  “ Let  the  soul  of 
 Durga  long  continue  in  happiness  in  this  image.”  Other  ceremonies,  and 
 the  sacrifices  of  numerous  animals,  as  buffaloes,  sheep,  goats,  &c.  then 
 follow.  The  flesh  and  the  blood  of  the  animals,  and  other  articles,  are  then 
 offered  to  the  images  of  the  goddess  and  the  other  deities  which  are  set  up. 
 The  ceremonies  and  sacrifices  of  the  second  and  third  days  of  the  worship 
 
 m 2 
 
84 
 
 DURGA. 
 
 are  nearly  similar  to  those  of  the  first  day.  After  the  whole  of  the  beasts 
 have  been  slain,  the  multitude  daub  their  bodies  with  the  mud  and  clotted 
 gore  of  the  blood,  and  then  dance  like  Bacchanalian  furies  on  the  spot. 
 On  the  following  morning  the  image  is,  with  certain  ceremonies,  dismissed 
 by  the  officiating  Brahman.  It  is  then  placed  on  a stage  formed  of  bamboos, 
 and  carried,  surrounded  by  a concourse  of  people  of  both  sexes,  and 
 accompanied  by  drums,  horns,  and  other  Hindu  instruments,  to  the  banks 
 of  the  river,  and  cast  into  the  water,  in  the  presence  of  all  ranks  and  descrip- 
 tions of  spectators  ; the  priest,  at  the  time,  invoking  the  goddess,  and  suppli- 
 cating from  her  life,  health,  and  affluence ; urging  her  (their  universal 
 mother,  as  they  term  her)  to  go  then  to  her  abode,  and  return  to  them  at  a 
 future  time.  During  this  period  a licentiousness  and  obscenity  prevail, 
 which  too  well  justify  Mr.  Ward’s  indignant  remarks  on  the  Hindu  festivals. 
 That  gentleman  relates  an  anecdote  of  a rajah  of  Nudeya,  who,  on  one 
 occasion,  during  the  several  days  of  the  Durga  festival,  slaughtered  no  less 
 a number  of  beasts  than  65,535,  in  honour  of  this  goddess. 
 
 During  the  three  days  of  worship,  in  Bengal,  the  houses  of  the  rich 
 Hindus  are  at  night  splendidly  illuminated,  and  thrown  open  to  all  descrip- 
 tions of  visitors  ;*  and  they  acknowledge  with  much  attention  and  gratitude 
 the  visits  of  respectable  Europeans.  On  some  occasions  they,  formerly, 
 
 * Plate  18  represents  the  house  of  a rich  Hindu  gentleman  illuminated  on  the  occasion  of  the 
 Durga  Puja.  The  place  seen  in  the  plate  is  the  compound,  or  court  of  the  house,  covered  over 
 with  a canopy.  Round  the  court  are  piazzas,  and  above  these  are  galleries,  with  interior  chambers. 
 At  the  upper  end  of  the  court  are  the  images  of  Durga,  Ganesha,  and  Kartikeya,  as  seen  in  the 
 frontispiece.  In  front  of  the  images,  on  the  left  side  of  the  plate,  are  European  visitors  of  rank 
 receiving  uttr  and  conserves  from  the  servants  of  the  house  : opposite  is  the  master  of  the  house 
 with  some  of  his  male  relations.  In  the  centre  is  a Nautcli  (a  singing  or  dancing)  girl  ;f  and  on 
 the  right  are  others  of  the  same  profession,  some  of  whom  are  said  to  receive  as  much  as  three 
 hundred  rupees  a night : on  the  left  are  musicians.  Under  the  piazzas  are  Hindus  of  various 
 ranks.  In  the  gallery  and  rooms  on  the  right,  and  at  the  farther  end,  are  respectable  European 
 and  other  visitors.  The  pillars,  fronts,  and  hangings  of  the  piazzas  and  galleries  are  fancifully 
 decorated,  in  the  oriental  style,  with  gold  and  silver  tissue,  coloured  silk,  or  paper,  &c.  &c.  which 
 reflecting  the  brilliant  light  of  numerous  lamps  in  vases  or  wall-shades,  gives  the  scene  a dazzling, 
 and  sometimes  an  imposing  effect.  The  closed  parts  of  the  left  gallery  are  the  apartments  of  the 
 females  of  the  family,  who  can  view  the  festivities  through  the  Venetians  without  being  seen. 
 
 f These  people  have  different  appellations,  but  I have  used  a common  one. 
 
Tl  Id'. 
 
 ',U,  l.J7)r. T„ 
 
 Du  ma  Pu/a . 
 
 77/t>/i  >//..> of  a nr/?  Z2tn.</tt  ?//?/  n??n  cf?^<7  ft?  ?/?r  rtccrt.yrvt?  oL’L/i  f 77??/y/'j  , <?/*  A tL?  / a/  ? /*  /?>nr?r  o/  //to  /Ir'c/fZ </,r  /)?/ /v/n 
 
 <W 6j-  7hj/>u7  f . ?J //(  rf  A'  Lon  '/art.  /&.)  > 
 
DURGA. 
 
 85 
 
 evinced  their  hospitality  by  suppers,  and  ample  supplies  of  wine,  which 
 have  been  unfortunately  too  frequently  abused  by  persons,  who  have  not 
 been  of  the  most  respectably  behaved  of  our  countrymen. 
 
 The  images  exhibited  on  these  occasions,  of  which  the  figures  in  the 
 frontispiece  are  correct  specimens,  are  made  of  a composition  of  hay,  sticks, 
 clay,  &c.,  and  some  of  them  are  ten  and  twelve  feet  high.  On  the  morning 
 after  the  puja,  hundreds  of  them  are  conveyed  on  stages  through  the  streets 
 of  Calcutta,  accompanied  as  I have  before  described,  to  be  cast  into  the 
 river.  During  the  whole  of  the  day,  as  some  of  them  are  brought  from 
 villages  at  a considerable  distance  from  the  holy  stream,  the  uproar  and  din 
 are  indescribable.  Immense  sums  of  money  are  expended  on  these  festivals. 
 In  Calcutta  alone,  it  has  been  calculated  that  no  less  a sum  than  half  a 
 million  is,  or  at  least  was,  annually  spent.  A few  years  ago  it  was  said  that 
 some  of  the  most  wealthy  of  the  Hindus  expended  each  a lac  of  rupees 
 (£12,500). 
 
 Fig.  4,  plate  17,  is  another  representation  of  Durga  from  the  temple  of 
 Rama.  She  is  here  also  ten-armed,  holding  in  her  hands  various  weapons. 
 Fig.  1,  plate  20,  represents  her  with  four  arms,  having  in  her  hands  the 
 sword,  the  trident,  the  damara,  and  a cup  containing  a human  head. 
 
 Numerous  images  of  Durga,  in  gold,  silver,  and  other  metals,  are  made  ; 
 and  she  is  worshipped  by  the  Vishnaivas  as  well  as  by  the  Saivas.  The  cow 
 is  regarded  as  one  of  her  forms. 
 
 I now  come  to  the  martial  deeds  of  Durga,  which  have  obtained  for  her 
 so  important  a position  in  the  Hindu  Mythology.  It  is  with  no  inconsider- 
 able share  of  reluctance  that  I place  the  gods,  in  accordance  with  my  au- 
 thorities, in  situations  of  so  much  wretchedness  and  humiliation,  as  to  have 
 required  the  interposition  of  the  extraordinary  skill  and  intrepidity  dis- 
 played, on  many  occasions,  by  Durga,  who,  in  the  all-work  kind  of  em- 
 ployment of  destroying  giants,  was  as  redoubtable  as  our  renowned  cham- 
 pion, the  infant  fascinator,  Jack  the  Giant-killer. 
 
 Fig.  4,  plate  17,  and  fig.  1,  frontispiece,  represent  her  in  the  act  of  kill- 
 ing, after  a desperate  battle,  Muhisha,  the  king  of  these  monsters,  who  had 
 reduced  the  gods  to  such  straits,  by  having  in  the  shape  of  an  immense 
 
86 
 
 D URG  A. 
 
 buffalo  conquered  Indra  and  his  celestial  bands,  that  they  were  wandering 
 about  the  earth  without,  if  I may  use  a homely  expression,  shoes  or  stock- 
 ings to  their  feet,  “ as  common  beggars.”  Muhisha,  having  obtained  pos- 
 session of  Swerga,  deprived  its  immortal  inmates  of  their  amrita,  and  re- 
 duced them  to  such  a plight,  that  Brahma  at  length  took  compassion  on 
 them,  and  conducted  them  to  Vishnu  and  Siva,  whose  omniscience  would 
 appear  to  have  been  taking  a temporary  slumber  ; but  on  being  roused  by 
 the  wretchedness  of  Indra  and  his  vanquished  hosts,  radiant  flames  issued 
 from  their  mouths,  as  well  as  from  the  mouths  of  the  other  principal  deities, 
 which  blending  themselves  together,  formed  a female  (Durga  or  Katyayini) 
 of  celestial  beauty,  with  ten  arms,  into  which  the  gods  delivered  their 
 weapons,  the  emblems  of  their  power,  with  which  she  attacked  and  slew 
 the  monster  Muhisha,  and  restored  to  the  gods  their  celestial  abodes. 
 
 On  this  occasion  she  received  from  Vishnu  the  discus ; from  Siva,  the 
 trident ; from  Varuna,  the  conch  or  shell ; from  Agni,  a flaming  dart;  from 
 Vayu,  a bow;  from  Surya,  a quiver  and  arrows;  from  Yama,  an  iron 
 rod  or  mace  ; from  Brahma,  a bead-roll  ; from  Indra,  a thunderbolt ; from 
 Kuvera,  a club  ; from  Viswa-karma,  a battle-axe ; and  from  Samudra 
 (the  sea),  precious  stones  and  offensive  weapons ; from  the  milky  ocean,  a 
 necklace  of  pearls;  from  Mount  Himala,  a lion  for  a charger;  and  from 
 Ananta,  a wreathed  circlet  of  snakes.  The  other  gods  presented  to  her 
 various  other  gems  and  instruments  of  war.  Her  person  was  similarly 
 formed.  One  god  gave  her  a head,  another  arms,  another  legs,  and  others 
 a nose,  breast,  feet,  &c.  &c. 
 
 Sir  John  Malcolm,  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Bombay  Literary  Society, 
 in  allusion  to  the  Durga  Puja,  or  Dusrah,  has  stated,  that  the  Hindu  sol- 
 diers have  converted  the  animals  and  instruments  of  modern  warfare  into 
 emblems  of  their  Bellona.  Thus  the  horse  is  invoked  to  carry  his  master, 
 first  to  victory  and  then  to  repose.  The  flag-staff  is  the  ensign  of  Indra ; 
 the  sword  is  celebrated  under  several  names ; the  bow  and  arrows  are  also 
 praised  ; and  even  fire-arms  have  their  proper  pre-eminence  of  adoration. 
 The  Hindu  artilleryman,  at  all  times,  regards  the  gun  to  which  he  is  at- 
 tached as  an  object  of  superstitious  reverence,  and  usually  bestows  on  it 
 
DURGA. 
 
 87 
 
 the  name  of  some  deity.  During  the  Durga  festival,  the  cannon  belonging 
 to  the  army  are  painted,  praised,  invoked,  and  propitiated  by  every  species 
 of  offering. 
 
 Sir  John  Malcolm  has  also  observed,  that  on  the  western  side  of  India, 
 nine  nights  (or  now  ratree ) only  of  the  Dusrah  (ten  nights)  are  appropriated 
 to  the  worship  of  Durga,  the  tenth  day  being  considered  as  a distinct  fes- 
 tival, sacred  to  Rama  and  Arjun,  in  celebration  of  the  victories  of  these 
 heroes.  The  sami-tree,  from  having  concealed  the  mighty  bow  of  Arjun,  is, 
 on  this  occasion,  an  object  of  especial  reverence,  and  every  man  who  fol- 
 lows arms  is  expected  to  shoot  an  arrow  at  it,  or  a branch  of  it  brought 
 from  a distance,  on  the  Dusrah. 
 
 “ The  ritual  ceremonies  of  the  Dusrah , or  tenth  day,  consist,  according  to 
 some  Hindu  books,  in  a procession  from  the  town  or  village  of  all  the  Hindu 
 inhabitants  to  the  sacred  sami-tree.  The  procession  must  move  in  a north- 
 easterly direction ; and  if  there  be  no  tree  on  the  spot,  a branch  is  brought 
 from  a distance,  and  planted  there  for  the  occasion.  Every  man  who  fol- 
 lows arms  as  a profession  must  shoot  an  arrow  at  this,  and  placing  a leaf  or 
 two  in  his  turban,  return  with  shouts  of  joy  to  his  house.  Kings  and  chiefs 
 are  directed  to  assemble  on  the  morning  of  this  festival  all  their  armies  and 
 followers,  and  to  march  in  all  their  state  to  the  verge  of  the  city  or  camp, 
 where  their  soldiers  are  to  perform  the  ceremony  abovementioned.  By  this 
 act  they  are  believed  not  only  to  propitiate  the  deities,  but  also  to  avert  the 
 baneful  influence  ofSeetha*  Matta  (the  goddess  of  small-pox),  famine,  and 
 all  other  misfortunes,  from  their  territory.  Many  other  things  are  prescribed 
 to  be  observed  in  the  Dusrah  or  Desara;  these  consist  chiefly  in  devotions  to 
 the  gods,  gifts  (particularly  new  clothes)  to  friends  and  relations,  and  pre- 
 sents of  money  and  food  to  Brahmans.  This  is  also  considered  as  a fortu- 
 nate day  to  receive  all  gifts  or  payments.  The  debtor  pleases  his  creditors 
 by  a trifling  present  in  money ; the  tenant  his  landlord,  by  one  in  produce  ; 
 and  each  considers  it  peculiarly  fortunate  to  receive  on  this  day  even  a trifle 
 of  that  which  constituted  his  expectations  or  actual  subsistence.  I have 
 
 * Or  Shetula. 
 
88 
 
 D U RG  A. 
 
 however  said  enough  on  the  ground  subject  of  these  ceremonies,  and  shall 
 therefore  proceed  to  notice  those  peculiar  to  the  Mahrattas. 
 
 On  the  morning  of  the  tenth  day,  the  Peishwa,  with  all  his  chiefs  and 
 soldiers,  moves  out  to  the  camp  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city,  each  being  ranged 
 under  his  particular  banner,  mounted  on  his  best  horse,  dressed  in  his  finest 
 clothes,  and  with  his  arms  highly  polished.  Horses,  elephants,  and  camels, 
 are  all  arranged  in  their  gayest  trappings,  and  every  corps  spreads  its 
 gaudiest  flags  and  banners.  The  whole  population  of  the  capital,  either 
 as  actors  or  spectators,  join  in  this  grand  procession,  which  moves  towards 
 the  sacred  tree,  the  object  of  adoration.  After  the  offerings  and  prayers 
 the  Peishwa  plucks  some  leaves  of  the  tree,  on  which  all  the  cannon  and 
 musquetry  commence  firing.  The  Peishwa  then  plucks  from  a field  pur- 
 chased for  the  occasion,  a stalk  of  jowary  or  bajree,  on  which  the  whole 
 crowd  fire  off  their  arms,  or  shoot  arrows,  and  rush  in  an  instant  and  tear 
 up  the  whole.  Each  endeavours  to  procure  his  share  of  the  spoil.  Some 
 succeed  in  carrying  off  a handful,  whilst  others  content  themselves  with  a 
 few  stalks  : all,  however,  return  home  with  shouts  of  joy,  and  the  remainder 
 of  the  day  and  night  is  devoted  to  festivity  and  mirth.  Many  other  usages 
 prevail  at  this  festival,  which  are,  I believe,  peculiar  to  the  Mahrattas ; 
 among  others,  that  of  sacrificing  sheep  and  buffalos,  sprinkling  the  blood 
 on  the  horses  with  great  ceremony,  and  distributing  the  flesh  of  the  former 
 to  all  ranks,  Brahmans  excepted.  The  chiefs  often  give  money  to  enable 
 their  soldiers  to  buy  sheep  to  perform  sacrifices ; which,  from  furnishing 
 them  with  a good  dinner,  are  by  many  considered  as  the  most  essential 
 ceremonies  of  the  Dusrah." 
 
 Parvati  obtained  the  name  of  Durga  in  consequence  of  her  having- 
 destroyed  the  giant  Durgu,  no  less  potent  than  Muhisha,  and  equally  re- 
 nowned for  dispossessing  the  gods  of  their  power  and  dominions.  This 
 celebrated  contest  is  thus  described  by  Mr.  Ward  :*  “ On  a certain 
 
 * Colonel  Vans  Kennedy  has  imagined  that  this  description  of  Mr.  Ward  combines  several  of 
 Durga’s  martial  exploits.  It  certainly  contains  wonders  enough  to  justify  the  belief  of  that  in- 
 telligent writer ; but,  at  the  same  time,  nothing  more  extraordinary  than  we  find  related  in  the 
 accounts  of  Rama  and  others. 
 
D U R G A. 
 
 89 
 
 occasion,  Agastya,  the  sage,  asked  Kartikeya,  why  Parvati,  his  mother, 
 was  called  Durga.  Kartikeya  replied,  that  formerly  a giant  named  Durgu 
 having  performed  religious  austerities  in  honour  of  Brahma,  obtained  his 
 blessing,  and  became  a great  oppressor ; he  conquered  the  three  worlds, 
 and  dethroned  Indra,  Vayu,  Chandra,  Yama,  Varuna,  Agni,  Kuvera, 
 Ishani,  Rudra,  Surya,  &c.  The  wives  of  the  Rishis  were  compelled  to 
 celebrate  his  praises.  He  sent  all  the  gods  from  their  heavens  to  live  in 
 forests,  and  at  his  nod  they  came  and  worshipped  him.  He  abolished  all 
 religious  ceremonies : the  Brahmans,  through  fear  of  him,  forsook  the  read- 
 ing of  the  veda ; the  rivers  changed  their  courses ; fire  lost  its  energy ; 
 and  the  terrified  stars  retired  from  sight.  He  assumed  the  forms  of  the 
 clouds,  and  gave  rain  whenever  he  pleased ; the  earth  through  fear  gave  an 
 abundant  increase,  and  the  trees  yielded  flowers  and  fruits  out  of  season. 
 The  gods  at  length  applied  to  Siva.  Indra  said,  “ he  has  dethroned  me 
 Surya  said,  “ he  has  taken  my  kingdom and  thus  all  the  gods  related 
 their  misfortunes.  Siva,  pitying  their  case,  desired  Parvati  to  go  and 
 destroy  the  giant.  She  willingly  accepting  of  the  commission,  calmed  the 
 fears  of  the  gods,  and  first  sent  Kalaratree,  a female  whose  beauty  be- 
 witched the  inhabitants  of  the  three  worlds,  to  order  the  giant  to  restore 
 things  to  their  ancient  order.  The  latter,  full  of  fury,  sent  some  soldiers  to 
 lay  hold  of  Kalaratree  ; but  by  the  breath  of  her  mouth  she  reduced  them 
 to  ashes.  Durgu  then  sent  30,000  other  giants,  who  were  such  monsters 
 in  size  that  they  covered  the  surface  of  the  earth.  At  the  sight  of  these 
 giants  Kalaratree  fled  through  the  air  to  Parvati,  and  the  giants  followed 
 her.  Durgu,  with  100,000,000  chariots,  120,000,000,000  of  elephants, 
 10,000,000  of  swift-footed  horses,  and  innumerable  soldiers,  went  to  fight 
 with  Parvati  on  the  mountain  Vindhu.  As  soon  as  the  giant  drew  near, 
 Parvati  assumed  one  thousand  arms,  and  called  to  her  assistance  different 
 kinds  of  beings  (whose  names  are  given  in  the  original).  The  troops  of  the 
 giant  poured  their  arrows  on  Parvati,  sitting  on  the  mountain  Vindhu,  thick 
 as  the  drops  of  rain  in  a storm  ; they  tore  up  the  trees,  the  mountains,  &c., 
 and  hurled  them  at  the  goddess ; who,  however,  threw  a weapon  which 
 carried  away  many  of  the  arms  of  the  giant : when  he,  in  return,  hurled  a 
 
 N 
 
90 
 
 DURG  A. 
 
 flaming  dart  at  the  goddess  ; she  turned  it  aside.  He  discharged  another ; 
 but  this  also  she  resisted  by  a hundred  arrows.  He  next  let  fly  an  arrow 
 at  Parvati’s  breast ; but  this  too  she  repelled,  as  well  as  two  other  instru- 
 ments, a club  and  a pike.  At  last  Parvati  seized  Durgu  and  set  her  left 
 foot  on  his  breast ; but  he  disengaged  himself  and  renewed  the  fight.  The 
 beings  (9,000,000)  whom  Parvati  caused  to  issue  from  her  body,  then 
 destroyed  all  the  soldiers  of  the  giant.  In  return,  Durgu  caused  a dreadful 
 shower  of  hail  to  descend,  the  effect  of  which  Parvati  counteracted  by  an 
 instrument  called  shoshunu.  He  next,  breaking  off  the  peak  of  a mountain, 
 threw  it  at  Parvati,  who  cut  it  into  seven  pieces  by  her  arrows.  The  giant 
 now  assumed  the  shape  of  an  elephant  as  large  as  a mountain,  and  ap- 
 proached the  goddess  ; but  she  tied  his  legs,  and  with  her  nails,  which 
 were  like  scymitars,  tore  him  to  pieces.  He  then  arose  in  the  form  of  a 
 buffalo,  and  with  his  horns  cast  stones,  trees,  and  mountains  at  the  goddess, 
 tearing  up  the  trees  by  the  breath  of  his  nostrils.  The  goddess  next  pierced 
 him  with  her  trident,  when  he  reeled  to  and  fro,  and  renouncing  the  form 
 of  a buffalo,  assumed  his  original  body  as  a giant,  with  a thousand  arms 
 and  weapons  in  each.  Going  up  to  Parvati,  the  goddess  seized  him  by  his 
 thousand  arms  and  carried  him  into  the  air,  from  whence  she  threw  him 
 down  with  dreadful  force.  Perceiving,  however,  that  this  had  no  effect, 
 she  pierced  him  in  the  breast  with  an  arrow,  when  the  blood  issued  in 
 streams  from  his  mouth  and  he  expired.  The  gods  were  filled  with  joy. 
 Surya,  Chandra,  Agni,  obtained  their  former  splendour;  and  all  the  other 
 deities,  who  had  been  dethroned  by  this  giant,  immediately  reascended 
 their  thrones.  The  Brahmans  resumed  the  study  of  the  Veda,  sacrifices 
 were  regularly  performed,  and  every  thing  assumed  its  pristine  state  ; the 
 heavens  rang  with  the  praises  of  Parvati,  and  the  gods,  in  return  for  so 
 signal  a deliverance,  honoured  her  with  the  name  of  Durga.” 
 
 It  is  the  happy  privilege  of  mythological  personages  that  they  can  be 
 
 “ Every  thing  by  turns 
 
 Thus  it  is  that  we  find  in  the  mythology  of  the  Hindus  apparently  more 
 gods  than  their  country  possesses  of  mortal  inhabitants.  Of  these  gods, 
 
WClerl  Uth.  41DeajtSF  Jo?u>. 
 
 . Wahsi  K-olU.  from,  a tnori  el  by  Chilli  try 
 
 T^illxsJved-byJhrlvvry,  (li/rn  ii''  C ’ 'Condo ff  7&12. 
 
DURG  A.— K ALI. 
 
 91 
 
 however,  hundreds  of  names  and  attributes  are  but  varieties,  as  I have 
 elsewhere  stated,  belonging  to  one  individual  deity.  Indeed,  it  was  impera- 
 tively necessary  that  they  should  have  been  endowed  with  such  a harlequin 
 facility  of  transition  of  characters,  without  which  they  would  have  been  no 
 match  for  the  giants  and  demons,  with  whom  they  had  to  contend,  and 
 whose  skill  in  metamorphoses  and  other  things  I have,  in  different  parts  of 
 this  work,  already  described.  The  promptness  (which  is  the  soul  of 
 business)  with  which  they  manage  these  matters,  is  no  less  surprising  than 
 their  power  of  performance.  A glance  of  the  eye,  a shake  of  their  serpent 
 locks,  a bound  from  the  earth,  and  a variety  of  other  modes  and  gestures 
 which  cannot  with  propriety  be  mentioned,  tend  to  the  same  happy  effect  of 
 destroying  thousands  of  Asuras  and  Rakshasas,  and  giving  to  the  victorious 
 deity  a new  name ; under  which  laudatory  strains  are  instanter  sung  to  him 
 orher  by  the  other  gods  and  goddesses.  The  deity  thus  honoured  is,  how- 
 ever, still  the  same ; and  Durga,  who  destroyed  more  giants  than  all  the  rest 
 of  the  Hindu  divinities  together,  is,  under  all  her  numerous  names  and 
 forms  derived  therefrom,  no  other  than  Parvati,  Bhavani,  or  Devi,  the  sacti 
 or  personified  energy  of  Siva. 
 
 The  Yoni,  the  symbol  of  female  energy,  is  the  emblem  of  this  goddess, 
 as  the  Linga  is  that  of  her  husband.  This  emblem  is  worshipped  by  the 
 Sactis  ; and,  in  conjunction  with  the  Linga,  by  the  Saivas.  It  forms  the 
 rim  or  edge  of  the  Argha,  or  cup,  which  encircles  the  Linga.  (See  figs,  of 
 the  Linga,  1,  2,  and  3 of  plate  33.) 
 
 KALI. 
 
 The  next  form  under  which  I shall  notice  Parvati  is  that  of  Kali,  or  Maha 
 Kali,  the  consort  of  Siva,  in  his  destroying  character  of  Time.  As  such, 
 she  is  painted  of  a black  or  dark  blue  complexion.  In  Calcutta  her  images 
 are  usually  seen  of  the  last-mentioned  colour.  In  plate  19,  also  taken 
 from  a model  by  Chit  Roy,  she  is  shewn  as  trampling  (as  the  personification 
 of  Eternity)  on  the  body  of  Siva  (Time).  In  one  hand  she  holds  the  exter- 
 minating sword ; in  another  a human  head ; a third  points  downward, 
 
 n 2 
 
92 
 
 KALI. 
 
 indicating,  according  to  some,  the  destruction  which  surrounds  her ; and  the 
 other  is  raised  upwards,  in  allusion  to  the  future  regeneration  of  nature  by 
 a new  creation. 
 
 Mr.  Ward,  however,  is  of  an  opinion,  which  he  has  expressed  respecting 
 others  of  the  deities,  but  which  appears  to  be  much  at  variance  with  the 
 character  of  Kali,  who  is  here  annihilating  Time  itself,  viz.  that  one  of  the 
 two  last-mentioned  hands  is  bestowing  a blessing,  the  other  forbidding  fear. 
 Whatever  her  gestures  may  import,  the  image  of  this  goddess  is  truly  horrid; 
 as  are  the  devotional  rites  performed  in  honour  of  her.  Her  wild  dishevelled 
 hair  reaching  to  her  feet,  her  necklace  of  human  heads,  the  wildness  of  her 
 countenance,  the  tongue  protruded  from  her  distorted  mouth,  her  cincture 
 of  blood-stained  hands,  and  her  position  on  the  body  of  Siva,  altogether 
 convey  in  blended  colours  so  powerful  a personification  of  that  dark  character 
 she  is  pretended  to  pourtray,  that  whatever  we  may  think  of  their  tastes, 
 we  cannot  deny  to  the  Hindus  our  full  credit  for  the  possession  of  most 
 extraordinary  and  fertile  powers  of  imagination.  In  the  plate  the  appear- 
 ance of  this  goddess  could  not  be  given  with  so  much  precision  as  in  the 
 coloured  and  ornamented  model,  which  is  a faithful  representation  of  her  as 
 seen  during  the  festivals  in  Calcutta.  It  has  the  body  of  a dark  blue  ; the 
 insides  of  the  hands  are  red,  as  is  also  the  circlet  of  hands  round  the  waist. 
 The  heads  which  form  the  necklace  have  a ghastly  appearance.  Her  tongue 
 is  protruded  from  her  mouth,  the  sides  of  which  are  marked  with  blood. 
 Her  head-dress  and  other  ornaments  are  splendidly  adorned  with  gems  of 
 various  kinds.  The  body  of  Siva  is  white. 
 
 Kali  is  also  called  the  goddess  of  cemeteries,  under  which  form  she  is 
 described  dancing  with  the  infant  Siva  in  her  arms,  surrounded  by  ghosts 
 and  goblins  (likewise  dancing)  in  a cemetery  amongst  the  dead.  A paragraph 
 appeared  some  time  ago  in  a Calcutta  paper,  which  stated,  that  her  images, 
 under  this  form,  were  now  worshipped  by  the  Hindus  as  a propitiation 
 against  the  destructive  ravages  of  the  cholera. 
 
 To  this  ferocious  goddess  sanguinary  sacrifices  are  made.  The  Kalika 
 Purana,  which  details,  in  due  order  and  with  much  precision,  the  different 
 descriptions  of  animals  that  are  to  be  sacrificed,  and  the  length  of  time  by 
 
KALI. 
 
 93 
 
 which  this  insatiate  lady  will  be  gratified  and  kept  in  good  humour  by 
 each,  ordains  that  one  man  (or  a lion)  will  please  her  for  a thousand  years  ; 
 but  that  by  the  immolation  of  three  men  she  will  graciously  condescend  to 
 be  pleased  one  hundred  thousand  years.  At  present,  her  smiles  are  not 
 courted  for  so  long  a period,  nor  I believe  even  for  a thousand  years,  by  any 
 other  sacrifices  than  those  of  animals  ; that  of  human  life,  whatever  practices 
 may  have  formerly  prevailed,  being  now  strictly  forbidden.  Kids  are  usually 
 sacrificed,  which  the  priests  allege  immediately  ascend  to  the  heaven  of 
 Indra,  and  become  musicians  in  his  band. 
 
 A short  abstract  from  the  Rudhira  dhya  ya,  or  sanguinary  chapter,  quoted 
 in  the  Asiatic  Researches,  from  the  work  above  mentioned,  will  enable  the 
 reader  to  form  an  opinion  of  the  nature  of  the  worship  formerly  practised  ; 
 and  which,  in  a great  degree,  still  exists. 
 
 Through  sacrifices  princes  obtain  bliss,  heaven,  and  victory  over  their 
 enemies.  Birds,  tortoises,  alligators,  fish,  nine  species  of  wild  animals, 
 buffalos,  bulls,  goats,  lions,  tigers,  men,  blood  drawn  from  the  offerer’s 
 body,  & c.  &c.  are  proper  oblations.  From  the  blood  drawn  from  fishes 
 and  tortoises,  the  goddess  is  pleased  one  month : a crocodile’s  will  please 
 her  three  ; wild  animals’,  nine  ; a wild  bull’s  and  a guana’s,  a year ; an- 
 telope’s and  wild  boar’s,  twelve  years  ; buffalo’s,  rhinoceros’,  and  tiger’s, 
 a hundred ; lion’s  and  the  human  species,  a thousand  ; and  three  of  the 
 latter,  one  hundred  thousand.  Bad  flesh  must  not  be  offered  ; and  the 
 sacrifice  should  be  performed  with  an  axe,  which  should  be  previously 
 invoked  by  holy  texts.  The  sacrificer  must  repeat  the  name  of  Kali,  and 
 pay  her  the  compliment  of  saying  “ Hrang,  hring,  Kali  Kali ! O,  horrid- 
 toothed goddess  ! eat,  cut,  destroy  all  the  malignant ; cut  with  this  axe  ; 
 bind,  bind,  seize,  seize,  drink  blood ; spheng,  spheng : secure,  secure ! 
 salutation  to  Kali !”  The  blood  may  be  presented  in  vessels  of  gold,  silver, 
 copper,  brass,  & c.  & c.,  but  not  in  an  iron,  pewter,  tin,  or  a leaden  one,  or 
 one  made  of  the  hide  of  an  animal  or  the  bark  of  a tree.  On  the  sacrifice 
 of  a human  being,  the  sacrificer  is  directed  not  to  cast  his  eyes  on  the 
 victim,  but  to  present  the  head  with  them  averted.  The  person  of  the  vie- 
 
94- 
 
 kali.—  CHINNU  MUSTUKA, 
 
 tim  must  be  of  good  appearance,  and  properly  prepared  and  decorated  for 
 the  important  occasion. 
 
 This  long  chapter  of  sanguinary  ordinances  contains  many  variations, 
 according  to  the  deity  to  whom  the  sacrifices  are  to  be  offered,  and  other 
 circumstances ; but  I think  I have  stated  sufficient  to  enable  the  reader  to 
 form  a judgment  on  the  subject.  I shall,  therefore,  close  it  by  a communi- 
 cation which  may  appear  somewhat  supererogatory;  but  which,  as  it  is 
 most  expressly  stated,  I should  not  be  justified  in  withholding.  If,  says 
 the  Pur  an,  “ the  severed  head  of  the  human  victim  smiles,  it  indicates  increase 
 of  prosperity,  and  long  life  to  the  sacrificer,  without  doubt ; and  if  it  speak, 
 whatever  it  says  will  come  to  pass." 
 
 Immense  sums  of  money  are  annually  spent  in  the  worship  of  this  terrific 
 deity.  There  is,  as  I have  mentioned  in  my  account  of  Siva,  a celebrated 
 temple  dedicated  to  her  at  Kalighat  in  the  vicinity  of  Calcutta,  or  the  city  of 
 Cali  or  Kali.  In  the  same  account  I have  also  mentioned  the  impure  sacri- 
 fices offered  at  it ; to  which,  and  the  relation  in  the  preceding  page  to  this, 
 I need  only  add,  that  on  the  occasion  of  the  festivals  of  Kali,  her  temples 
 are  literally  swimming  with  blood.  An  adequate  delineation  of  the  scene, 
 and  of  the  horribly  disgusting  appearance  of  the  executioners  and  other 
 attendants  of  the  place,  is  scarcely  possible,  and  would,  indeed,  afford  no 
 gratifying  information  to  the  reader. 
 
 The  festivals  of  Kali  are  numerous,  and  her  images,  like  those  of  Durga, 
 are  afterwards  thrown  into  the  river. 
 
 CHINNU  MUSTUKA 
 
 Is  a form  of  Parvati  as  Kali,  and,  I imagine,  the  sacti  of  Siva,  in  the  form 
 of  Kapali  (which  see  in  the  third  part  of  this  volume).  She  is  described 
 as  a naked  woman  with  a necklace  of  skulls.  Her  head  is  almost  severed 
 from  her  body,  and  her  blood  is  spouting  into  her  mouth.  In  two  of  her 
 hands  she  holds  a sword  and  a skull.  In  a note  on  this  subject  in  Mr. 
 Ward’s  work,  it  is  stated  that  this  goddess  was  so  insatiate  of  blood,  that 
 
fl  .20\ 
 
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CHINNU  MUSTUKA.— MAHA  DEVI. 
 
 95 
 
 not  being  able  at  one  time  to  obtain  enough  of  that  of  the  giants,  she  cut 
 her  own  throat  to  supply  herself  therewith.  (See  fig.  6,  plate  20.) 
 
 Parvati,  as  Kali,  had  a variety  of  other  forms,  some  of  which  will  be 
 noticed  in  the  third  part  of  this  work. 
 
 MAHA  DEVI. 
 
 Devi,  the  goddess,  is  a title  given  to  Lakshmi,  Suraswati  and  Parvati ; 
 but  the  latter  is  commonly  called  Maha  Devi.  The  origin  of  these  three 
 goddesses  is  thus  described  in  the  Varaha  Puran,  translated  in  Colonel 
 Vans  Kennedy’s  learned  researches  on  the  mythology  of  the  Hindus,  & c. 
 In  consequence  of  the  distressed  situation  of  the  gods  from  the  oppression 
 of  the  Asuras,  Brahma  hastened  to  Kailasa  to  Siva.  Siva  in  thought 
 summoned  Vishnu,  who  instantly  stood  between  them,  “ and  the  three 
 gods  viewing  each  other  with  delight,  from  their  three  refulgent  glances 
 sprang  into  being  a virgin  of  celestial  loveliness,  who  bashfully  bowed  be- 
 fore Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva.  They  said  “ who  art  thou?  lovely  one! 
 and  why  art  thou  thus  distinguished  by  the  three  several  colours  of  black, 
 white  and  red?”  She  replied  : “ from  your  glances  was  I produced  ; and 
 do  you  not  know  your  own  omnipotent  energies  ?”  Brahma  then  praised 
 her,  and  bestowed  on  her  this  blessing:  “Thou  shalt  be  named  the  god- 
 dess of  the  three  times,  Morning,  Noon,  and  Evening,  the  Preserver  of  the 
 Universe ; and  under  various  other  appellations  shalt  thou  be  worshipped,  as 
 thou  shalt  be  the  cause  of  accomplishing  the  desires  of  thy  votaries.  But, 
 oh,  goddess ! divide  thyself  into  three  forms,  according  to  the  colours  by 
 which  thou  art  distinguished.”  On  hearing  these  words  she  divided  her- 
 self into  three  forms  of  a white,  a red,  and  a black  colour.  The  white  was 
 Suraswati,  the  sacti  of  Brahma ; the  red  was  Lakshmi,  the  beloved  of 
 Vishnu;  and  the  black,  Parvati.” 
 
 This  account  differs  widely  from  other  accounts  of  the  origin  of  these 
 goddesses,  but  consistency  is  out  of  the  question  in  Hindu  mythology. 
 Parvati  is  now  generally  understood  by  the  appellation  of  Devi,  or  Maha 
 Devi.  Nevertheless,  by  the  Vishnaivas,  Lakshmi  is  also  thus  called,  to 
 
96 
 
 MAHA  DEVI.— BHAVANI. 
 
 whom  they  attribute,  as  the  Saivas  do  to  Parvati,  the  production  of  Kali, 
 Kali  Ratree,  Chandika,  &c.  &c. 
 
 Fig.  3,  plate  20,  represents  Devi  seated  on  the  lotus.  She  is  richly 
 dressed,  and  holds  in  one  of  her  hands  a piuda,  or  ball  of  rice,  a distin- 
 guishing emblem  of  this  benificent  form  of  the  sactis.  In  her  nose  is  a 
 large  hoop  ring,  commonly  worn  by  the  Hindu  females,  from  a sculpture. 
 Fig.  3,  plate  17,  is  another  representation  of  Devi,  also  from  a sculpture. 
 The  elephant  pouring  water  over  the  goddess  is  an  especial  emblem  of 
 Devi. 
 
 BHAVANI, 
 
 Another  form  of  Parvati,  has  been  mentioned  in  several  parts  of  this  work. 
 She  is  nature  personified ; in  which  character  she  is  fabled,  in  one  of  the 
 hypotheses  of  the  Hindus,  as  has  been  related  in  my  account  of  the  Crea- 
 tion, to  have  been  the  mother  of  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva,  and  to  have 
 divided  herself  and  become  their  sactis. 
 
 Parvati  is  very  generally  known  under  the  form  of  Bhavani,  among  the 
 Jainas,  Bhuddas,  and  other  heterodox  sects.  At  Omercuntue,  near  the 
 sources  of  the  Nerbuddah  and  the  Soane,  she  is  fancifully  worshipped  as 
 Bhavani,  under  the  symbol  of  Narmada,  or  the  Nerbuddah  river.  The 
 images  at  this  place  are  said  to  represent  her  much  enraged  with  her  slave 
 Johilla,  and  attended  by  a great  variety  of  attendants  preparing  a nuptial 
 banquet;  to  which  a very  romantic  fable  is  attached: — That  Soane,  a 
 demi-god,  being  much  enamoured  with  the  extreme  beauty  of  Narmada, 
 after  a very  tedious  courtship  presumed  to  approach  the  goddess,  in  hopes 
 of  accomplishing  the  object  of  his  wishes  by  espousing  her.  Narmada  sent 
 her  slave  Johilla  to  observe  in  what  state  he  was  coming,  and  if  arrayed  in 
 jewels,  of  lovely  form  and  dignity,  or  worthy  to  become  her  consort,  to 
 conduct  him  to  Omercuntue.  Johilla  departed,  met  with  Soane,  and  was 
 so  dazzled  with  the  splendour  of  his  ornaments  and  extreme  beauty,  that 
 she  fell  passionately  in  love  with  him,  and  so  far  forgot  her  duty  as  to 
 attempt  to  personate  her  mistress  ; in  which  succeeding,  Bhavani  (or 
 Narmada)  was  so  enraged  at  the  deceit,  that  upon  their  arrival  at  Omer- 
 
BHAVANL— ANNA  PURNA  DEVI. 
 
 97 
 
 cuntue  she  severely  chastised  Johilla,  and  disfigured  her  face  in  the  manner 
 said  to  be  represented  in  the  image.  She  then  precipitated  Soane  from  the 
 top  of  the  table-land  to  the  bottom,  whence  that  river  rises,  disappeared 
 herself  into  the  very  spot  where  the  Nerbudda  issues,  and  from  the  tears 
 of  Johilla  a little  river  of  that  name  springs  at  the  foot  of  Omercuntue.* 
 
 ANNA  PURNA  DEVI. 
 
 In  the  modern  representations  of  this  beneficent  form  of  Parvati,  she  is 
 described  of  a deep  yellow  colour,  standing,  or  (as  in  fig.  2,  plate  16) 
 sitting  on  the  lotus,  or  water-lily.  She  has  two  arms,  and  in  one  hand 
 holds  a spoon,  in  the  other  a dish.  In  her  dress  she  is  decorated  like  the 
 other  modern  images  of  Durga. 
 
 Mr.  Patterson  describes  her  as  being  of  “ a ruddy  complexion,  her  robe 
 of  various  dyes,  and  a crescent  on  her  forehead  : she  is  bent  by  the  weight  of 
 her  full  breasts.  Bhava  or  Siva  (as  a child)  is  playing  before  her,  with  a 
 crescent  also  on  his  forehead.  She  looks  at  him  with  pleasure,  and  seated 
 on  a throne  relieves  his  hunger.  All  good  is  united  in  her.  Her  names 
 are  Annada,  Anna  Purna  Devi,  Bhavani,  and  Bhagavati.” 
 
 In  fig.  2,  plate  16,  Siva  stands  before  her  as  a mendicant.  Round  his 
 loins  is  wrapt  a tiger’s  skin ; a serpent  twines  itself  about  him,  and  rears 
 its  head  over  his  right  shoulder.  His  eyes  are  inflamed,  and  turned  up  as 
 if  in  invocation  ; except  the  one  in  the  centre  of  his  forehead,  which  is  re- 
 presented by  a resplendent  gem.  His  hands  are  held  out  in  the  act  of 
 soliciting  alms. 
 
 Anna  Purna  is  a household  goddess,  and  is  extensively  worshipped  by 
 the  Hindus.  Her  name  implies  the  goddess  who  fills  with  food,  and  they 
 believe  that  a sincere  worshipper  of  her  will  never  want  rice. 
 
 She  has  been  considered  as  the  prototype  of  the  Anna  Perenna  of  the 
 Romans,  whom  Varro  places  in  the  same  rank  with  Pallas  and  Ceres,  and 
 who  was  deified  and  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  Roman  people,  in  conse- 
 
 * Asiatic  Researches,  vol.  vii. 
 
 O 
 
98 
 
 GANESHA  JUNANI.— JUGUD’HATRI. 
 
 quence  of  having  supplied  them  with  food  when  they  retired  into  Mount 
 Aventine.  Besides  the  great  similarity  of  names,  there  is  a singular  coin- 
 cidence in  the  times  of  their  worship,  the  festivals  of  Anna  Purna  taking 
 place  in  the  early  part  of  the  increase  of  the  moon  in  the  month  Choitru 
 (partly  in  March),  and  those  of  the  Roman  goddess  on  the  Ides  of  March. 
 If,  however,  the  patriotic  country  dame  Anna  Perenna  was  raised  to  the 
 rank  of  a deity  for  her  express  services,  there  can  be  no  great  cause  to 
 imagine  that  she  travelled  from  Benares  to  Rome  on  the  occasion ; so  that 
 we  must  suppose  these  coincidences,  like  many  others  that  have  been 
 used  to  identify  important  personages,  to  be  altogether  casual. 
 
 GANESHA  JUNANI 
 
 Is  another  form  of  Parvati,  under  which  she  is  represented  sitting  on  a 
 lotus,  dressed  in  red,  and  supporting  the  infant  Ganesha  in  her  arms  (fig.  5, 
 plate  20).  Very  expensive  festivals  are  held  in  honour  of  this  form  of 
 Parvati. 
 
 Fig.  4,  in  the  same  plate,  from  a model  by  Chit  Roy,  represents  her 
 under  a form  not  known  to  me.  She  is  apparelled  like  the  forms  of  Durga 
 from  the  other  models,  seated  on  a horse,  without  a saddle  or  bridle,  and 
 holding  under  her  arm  a jar.  Her  hands  have  probably  had  some  dis- 
 tinguishing emblems  placed  in  them,  but  they  are  now  without  any  thing. 
 I do  not,  at  this  moment,  recollect  to  have  seen  this  form  of  Durga  or 
 Parvati  in  Calcutta. 
 
 Fig.  1 , in  plate  20,  is  Durga  seated  on  a lion  or  tiger,  armed  to  encounter 
 the  giants.  Fig.  2,  is  Parvati  at  prayer ; both  from  sculptures. 
 
 JUGUD’HATRI, 
 
 A form  of  Parvati  as  Durga.  She  is  represented  as  a yellow  woman 
 sitting  on  a lion,  holding  in  her  four  hands  a shell,  a discus,  a lotus  flower, 
 and  a club.  This  goddess  is  worshipped  with  much  rejoicing  in  the  month 
 Kartiku,  on  which  occasions  large  sums  are  expended.  After  the  ceremony 
 
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JUGUD’HATRI. — KAMULA  KAMINI. 
 
 99 
 
 her  images,  like  those  of  Durga,  are  conveyed,  attended  in  the  customary 
 manner  with  much  noisy  music,  to  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  cast  into  the 
 stream.  Fig,  1 , plate  21,  represents  her  seated  on  a lion,  which  is  bestriding 
 and  wounding  with  his  fore-paws  an  elephant,  whose  trunk  is  twined  round 
 one  of  the  hinder  legs  of  the  lion.  From  a handsome  model  by  Chit  Roy. 
 
 KRISHNA  KRORA 
 
 Is  another  form  of  Parvati  as  Durga,  under  which  she  is  giving  suck  to 
 Krishna,  to  prevent  the  effects  of  the  poison  which  he  received  in  subduing 
 the  monstrous  serpent  Kalya. 
 
 This  monster  infested  the  banks  of  the  river  Yamuna,  and  destroyed  the 
 herds  of  the  Gokals.  Krishna  attacked  and  conquered  him.  He  then 
 asked  that  deity  where  he  was  to  go,  as,  if  he  remained  on  shore,  Garuda 
 would  destroy  him.  Krishna  pressed  his  foot  on  his  head,  and  told  him 
 that  the  impression  would  secure  him  from  Garuda.  The  venom  of  the 
 serpent,  however,  affected  Krishna,  which  Durga  cured  by  administering 
 to  him  her  own  milk. 
 
 KAMULA  KAMINI, 
 
 Another  form  of  Durga,  in  which  she  is  described  pulling  an  elephant 
 out  of  her  mouth.  Fig.  6,  plate  26,  from  the  temple  of  Rama,  represents  a 
 personage  of  some  kind  mounted  on  the  back  of  another,  pulling  an  elephant 
 from  the  mouth  of  a fish.  Whether  this  has  any  relation  to  the  present 
 form  of  Durga  I am  unacquainted  ; as  I am,  indeed,  with  the  legend  to 
 which  the  figures  refer. 
 
 Parvati  has  numerous  other  names,  some  of  the  most  important  of  which 
 will  be  noticed,  under  their  respective  heads,  in  the  third  part  of  this 
 work. 
 
( 100  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 
 Viraj  ; Ardha-Nari. — Heri-Hari. — Narayana. — Prit’hivi. — Ganesha. — Kuvera. — Pavana. 
 
 Yama. — Agni. 
 
 VIRAJ, 
 
 The  primeval  being,  represented  under  a form  half  male,  half  female. 
 The  term  is  usually  applied  to  Siva  and  Parvati ; but  where  gods  meet  gods 
 at  every  step,  it  is  impossible  to  decide  which  of  them  was  the  primeval 
 being.  Mr.  Colebrooke  informs  us,  that  “ he,  the  primeval  being,  felt  not 
 delight,  therefore  man  delights  not  when  alone.  He  wished  the  existence 
 of  another,  and  instantly  became  such  as  is  man  and  woman  in  mutual  em- 
 brace. He  caused  this,  his  own  self,  to  fall  in  twain,  and  thus  became  a 
 husband  and  wife : therefore  was  this  body,  so  separated,  an  imperfect 
 moiety  of  himself.  This  blank,  therefore,  is  completed  by  woman  : he  ap- 
 proached her,  and  thus  were  human  beings  produced. 
 
 “ She  reflected  doubtingly : ‘ How  can  he,  having  produced  me  from 
 himself,  incestuously  approach  me?  I will  now  assume  a disguise.’  She 
 became  a cow,  and  the  other  became  a bull,  and  approached  her ; and  the 
 issue  were  kine.  She  then  became  successively  a mare,  a she-ass,  a female 
 goat,  an  ewe,  &c.  &c.  ad  infinitum,  and  he  a male  of  every  species  ; so  that 
 all  kinds  of  animals,  &c.  down  to  the  minutest  insect,  were  created.” 
 
 According  to  some,  Viraj  was  the  first  issue  of  the  mighty  being  who  had 
 thus  divided  himself,  and  was  consequently  the  first  man  and  the  founder 
 of  the  human  race.  Swayambhuva  is  considered  to  have  been  his  son. 
 There  are  many  accounts  respecting  their  descendants,  each  at  variance 
 with  the  other.  I need  only,  therefore,  say  that  they  were  the  Brahma- 
 dicas,  Menus,  and  Rishis  ; and  the  race  of  the  Children  of  the  Sun,  the  des- 
 cendants of  Surya. 
 
VIRAJ. — HERI-HARI. 
 
 101 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  15,  is  a compound  figure,  half  man  half  woman,  or  Siva  and 
 Parvati  conjoined,  called  Ardha  Nari  or  Ardha  Maheswari,  which  I imagine 
 may  apply  to  Viraj.  In  one  hand  Siva  holds  the  trident,  and,  in  another, 
 Parvati  the  damara  ; the  other  two  are  joined  together.  From  the  head  of 
 Siva  issues  the  sacred  Gunga.  His  foot  rests  on  the  bull,  Parvati’s  on  the 
 tiger. 
 
 It  will  be  unnecessary  to  say  more  of  the  intimate  union  of  this  quar- 
 relsome couple  than  I have  above  stated ; except  that,  as  frequently  hap- 
 pens to  men  who  are  unruly  abroad,  the  lady  at  home  was  the  better  half. 
 Thus,  in  the  war  of  Lanka,  it  was  found  that,  although  Siva,  on  the  impor- 
 tunity of  the  other  gods,  wished  to  act  in  conjunction  with  them  to  destroy 
 his  worshipper  Ravan,  Parvati  put  the  whole  of  the  assembled  deities  at  de- 
 fiance ; till  the  flattery  of  the  accomplished  Rama  obtained  her  acquiescence. 
 
 One  account  related  by  Mr.  Ward  is  however  worthy  of  notice,  as  it  ex- 
 hibits, what  we  might  not  have  been  otherwise  prepared  to  expect,  the 
 miserable  plight  to  which  even  the  supreme  of  the  Hindu  gods,  with  all 
 their  glory  and  magnificence,  were  sometimes  reduced.  It  appears  that 
 Siva  having  only  one  mouth,  and  Parvati  as  Durga  ten,  with  Ganesha  be- 
 sides to  support,  he  desired  to  be  thus  united  to  preserve  himself  from 
 starving.  But  we  have  elsewhere  a more  godlike  account  of  this  union, 
 viz.  that  Siva  assumed  the  conjoint  form,  to  prove  that  he  was  the  supreme 
 being,  possessing  both  the  male  and  female  powers  of  creation. 
 
 HERI  HARI, 
 
 The  conjoint  forms  of  Vishnu  and  Siva.  This  singular  union  of  the  two 
 great  deities  of  the  Hindu  sects  is  involved  in  much  obscurity,  and  the  little 
 light  that  we  have  on  the  subject  is  not  of  the  most  becoming  description. 
 The  union  is,  perhaps,  little  else  than  the  caprice  of  the  votaries  of  the  two 
 deities.  The  sculptures  of  them  in  this  form  somewhat  resemble  Ardha 
 Nari.  In  pictures,  Vishnu  is  painted  black  and  Siva  white. 
 
102 
 
 NARAYANA.— PRIT’HIVI. 
 
 NARAYANA. 
 
 This  appellation,  like  that  of  Iswara,  appears  to  have  been  claimed  by 
 the  followers  of  the  three  principal  deities  for  the  three  several  objects  of 
 their  worship.  Thus  Brahma  was  Narayana ; the  Vishnaivas  bestowed  the 
 title  upon  their  god  Vishnu  ; and  the  Saivas  upon  Siva. 
 
 Narayana  is  the  spirit  of  the  supreme  god;  but,  as  the  Hindus,  when 
 they  lost  sight  of  an  unity  of  worship,  endowed  their  idol  with  his  essence, 
 Narayana  may  be,  as  above  stated,  Brahma,  Vishnu,  or  Siva,  and  is  some- 
 times even  Ganesha.  Narayani,  his  sacti,  maybe  accordingly  Suraswati, 
 Lakshmi,  or  Parvati.  Vishnu  is,  however,  in  common  usage,  called  Nara- 
 yana, in  which  character  he  is  fabled  to  be  sleeping  on  the  serpent  Shesha 
 or  Ananta,  on  the  waters  of  Eternity,  and  causing  the  creation  of  the  world. 
 He  is  also  described  with  his  toe  in  his  mouth,  reposing  in  like  manner  on  the 
 leaf  of  the  lotus,  which  an  old  work  now  before  me  thus  describes.  “ Before 
 the  creation  of  the  world,  Vishnu,  that  is  God,  had  some  inclination  to 
 have  a new  place  to  recreate  and  delight  himself  in  : he  accordingly  swam 
 on  the  leaf  of  a tree  on  the  water  (for  there  was  nothing  but  God  and  water 
 before  the  creation)  like  a little  child,  with  his  great  toe  in  his  mouth,  in  the 
 form  of  a circle ; in  testimony  that  he  is  without  beginning  or  end.  He  then 
 caused  a flower  to  spring  out  of  his  navel,  from  whence  sprang  Brahma, 
 whom  God  (as  elsewhere  related)  commanded  to  create  the  world.” 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  5,  from  the  temple  of  Rama,  represents  Vishnu  as  Narayana 
 sleeping  on  the  serpent  Ananta : from  his  navel  springs  the  stem  of  the 
 lotus,  from  the  flower  of  which  issues  Brahma,  with  the  Veda  and  a sceptre 
 in  his  hands.  Near  Brahma  are  two  (apparently)  combatants,  armed  with 
 swords  and  shields.  At  the  feet  of  Vishnu  is  Lakshmi,  champooing  one  of 
 his  legs. 
 
 PRIT’HIVI. 
 
 Prith’hivi,  the  goddess  of  the  earth,  is  by  some  termed  a form  of  Lakshmi, 
 by  others  of  Parvati.  Her  husband  is  Prit’hu,  produced,  in  strict  accord- 
 
PRIT’HIVI. — GANESHA. 
 
 103 
 
 ance  with  mythological  extravagance,  by  churning  the  right  arm  of  a 
 deceased  tyrant  who  had  died  without  issue,  that  he  might  have  a posthu- 
 mous son,  who  is  represented  as  a form  of  Vishnu. 
 
 This  primitive  couple  appear  to  have  quarrelled  in  a very  primitive 
 manner ; that  is,  the  mother  of  nature  became  sulky  and  would  not  supply 
 her  husband  or  his  family  (mankind)  with  food.  Prit’hu,  in  consequence, 
 beat  and  wounded  her  : on  which  she  assumed  the  form  of  a cow,  and  com- 
 plained to  the  gods  ; who  having  heard  both  sides  of  the  question,  allowed 
 him  and  his  children  to  treat  her  in  a similar  manner,  whenever  she  again 
 became  stubborn  and  sulky. 
 
 In  this  mythological  tale  we  may  discover  a rude  allegory  of  the  bountiful 
 productiveness  of  the  earth,  when  aided  by  the  industry  of  man.  The 
 loveliness  of  nature  robed  in  her  most  splendid  attire,  is,  like  that  of  her 
 beauteous  daughters,  when  unattended  by  good  humour  and  domestic  utility, 
 of  little  use  to  him,  unless  accompanied  by  the  smiles  and  blessings  of 
 Ceres.  We  must  not,  however,  pursue  the  comparison  farther,  as  the  gods 
 of  Meru  allowed  Prit’hu  and  his  children  not  only  to  take  from  Prit’hivi  her 
 arborescent  decorations,  but  to  scarify  her  form  and  lacerate  her  bosom, 
 whenever  she  refused  a cheerful  performance  of  her  duties.  Thus  it  is  that 
 the  woodland  must  be  cleared,  and  the  spade  and  plough  employed,  before 
 the  earth  will  yield  a ready  obedience  and  support  to  the  offspring  of  her 
 lord.  Prit’hivi,  nevertheless,  in  spite  of  her  occasional  stubbornness,  is 
 allowed  to  possess,  on  submitting  meekly  to  her  castigation,  the  truly 
 feminine  virtues  of  patience,  humility,  and  resignation. 
 
 As  a form  of  Lakshmi,  Prit’hivi  is  the  Indian  Ceres.  Daily  sacrifices 
 are  offered  to  her.  The  Hindus  divide  the  earth  into  ten  parts,  to  each  of 
 which  a deity  is  assigned. 
 
 GANESHA. 
 
 This  deity,  the  god  of  wisdom  and  policy,  is  painted  as  a short,  fat,  red- 
 coloured  man,  with  a large  belly  and  the  head  of  an  elephant.  He  has  four 
 arms ; in  one  hand  of  which  he  holds  the  ankas  or  hook  for  guiding  the 
 elephant,  in  another  a chank  or  shell,  in  the  third  a conical  ball,  and  in 
 
104 
 
 G ANESH  A. 
 
 the  fourth  a cup  with  small  cakes,  with  which  he  is  supposed  to  feed  him- 
 self. He  is  sitting  on  the  lotus.  Fig.  2,  in  the  frontispiece,  exactly 
 represents  the  images  made  and  set  up  of  him,  with  those  of  Durga,  in 
 the  festivals  of  that  goddess  in  Calcutta.  He  is  frequently  described  as 
 riding  on,  or  having  near  him  a rat,  the  emblem  of  prudence  and  foresight, 
 and  is  invoked  on  all  matters  of  business  by  the  Hindus.  If  a person  under- 
 take a journey  or  build  a house,  prayers  are  addressed  to  Ganesha;  for 
 which  purpose  his  statues  are  set  up  on  the  roads  and  other  open  places. 
 At  the  commencement  of  a letter  or  a book,  or  an  invocation  to  a superior 
 deity,  a salutation  is  usually  made  to  him  ; and  his  image  is  frequently  seen 
 placed,  as  a propitiation,  over  the  doors  of  houses  and  shops,  to  insure 
 success  to  the  temporal  concerns  of  their  owners. 
 
 The  Peishwa,  Bajee  Row,  had  an  image  of  Ganesha,  valued  at  £50,000. 
 It  was  of  gold  and  had  eyes  of  diamonds. 
 
 The  introduction  of  Ganesha  into  the  celestial  regions  was  a work  of 
 as  much  mystery  as  that  of  his  brother  Kartikeya,  neither  of  them  being 
 “ of  woman  born.”  Ganesha,  however,  contrived  to  come  into  the 
 world  without  the  aid  of  a father  as  well : but  as  the  gods  have  ways 
 peculiarly  their  own  in  the  management  of  their  affairs,  we  will  adopt 
 the  practice  universally  exercised  in  polished  society  in  the  terrestial 
 regions  (of  which  the  coteries  in  this  country  are  distinguished  examples), 
 of  not  prying  rudely  into  matters  that  do  not  concern  us ; and  with  which 
 the  god  of  prudence,  whom  I now  treat  of  and  invoke,  would  teach  us, 
 that  the  less  we  have  to  do  the  better.  We  must,  therefore,  rest  satisfied 
 in  learning  that  Ganesha  was  formed  in  the  same  manner  as  Prometheus 
 produced  his  handy-works ; save  and  except  that,  instead  of  clay,  his 
 mother  Parvati,  while  bathing,  collected  the  scum  and  impurities  floating 
 on  the  surface  of  the  water  in  the  bath,  and  kneaded  them  into  the  form 
 of  a man,  to  which  she  gave  life,  not  by  fire  stolen  from  heaven,  but  by 
 pouring  over  it  the  holy  water  of  the  Ganges.  Notwithstanding  this 
 irregular  mode  of  procuring  an  offspring,  Parvati  was  as  fond  of  her 
 elephant-headed  scion,  as  if  every  thing  had  been  effected  in  the  most  be- 
 coming way  imaginable. 
 
G A N E S H A. 
 
 105 
 
 Various  stories  are  related  of  the  manner  in  which  Ganesha  became 
 possessed  of  his  elephant  head,  some  of  which  are  greatly  opposed  to  the 
 account  just  given  of  his  formation.  By  some  legends  it  would  appear, 
 that  after  having  given  life  to  him,  Parvati  placed  him  as  a guard  at  the 
 door  of  the  bath,  when  Siva  approached  it  and  wished  to  enter,  which 
 Ganesha  would  not  permit.  The  god,  in  consequence,  became  incensed 
 and  cut  off  his  head ; but  on  learning  that  it  was  the  son  of  Parvati  whom  he 
 had  thus  so  unceremoniously  treated,  and  beholding  that  goddess  over- 
 whelmed with  affliction  for  the  loss  of  her  child,  he  took  the  first  head, 
 which  was  that  of  an  elephant,  that  could  be  found  (as  the  other  had  disap- 
 peared), and  placed  it  on  his  shoulders. 
 
 Others  state,  that  Parvati  believing,  as  mothers  are  prone  to  do,  and  which 
 she  was  unquestionably  warranted  in  doing,  that  her  child  was  an  extra- 
 ordinary prodigy,  requested  Shuni  or  Sani  (the  Hindu  Saturn)  to  look  at 
 it.  The  god,  considerately  recollecting  that  his  gaze  was  as  baneful  and 
 destructive  as  the  Gorgon’s  head,  attempted  to  back  out  of  the  compliment ; 
 but  the  partial  and  importunate  mother  would  not  be  denied.  To  gratify 
 her,  therefore,  he  at  length  looked  at  Ganesha,  whose  head  was  instantly 
 consumed  to  ashes  ; but  as  it  would  not  have  been  compatible  with  either 
 common  sense  or  propriety  for  the  god  of  wisdom  to  have  remained  without 
 one,  Brahma,  to  pacify  Parvati,  directed  that  the  first  which  could  be  dis- 
 covered, and  which  proved  to  be  an  elephant’s,  should  be  placed  on  the 
 headless  trunk  ; and  promised,  as  a kind  of  antidote  to  the  misfortune,  that 
 Ganesha  should  be  the  first  worshipped  among  the  gods. 
 
 Other  legends  assert  that  his  mother  formed  him  with  an  elephantine 
 head  : and,  as  nature  plays  her  wild  fantastic  tricks  with  her  progeny,  why 
 should  not  nature’s  goddess  toss  about  her  ball  with  celestial  fancy,  at  her 
 will  and  pleasure  ? Others  again  state,  that  Siva  cut  off  his  head  in  con- 
 sequence of  his  fighting  with  Vishnu. 
 
 Siddhi  and  Buddhi  (knowledge  and  understanding)  are  represented  as 
 the  two  wives  of  Ganesha. 
 
 The  Father  Bartolomeo  states,  that  Ganesha  is  called  Pollyar  on  the 
 
 p 
 
106 
 
 GANESHA. 
 
 coast  of  Coromandel ; as  does  Sonnerat,  who  adds,  that  his  images  must  be 
 made  of  stone  : but  I have  them  also  both  of  metal  and  composition. 
 
 Ganesha  has  been  compared  to  the  Janus  of  the  Romans.  The  Hindu 
 god  is  invoked  upon  the  commencement  of  any  business  of  importance,  and 
 his  statues  are  (as  I have  before  stated)  placed  over  the  houses  of  bankers 
 and  shops.  The  Roman  deity  was  the  god  who  presided  over  all  new  un- 
 dertakings, and  his  images  were  placed  in  the  Jani,  or  spot  where  usurers 
 and  creditors  met  to  receive  money.  The  first  libations  were  made,  and  all 
 prayers  prefaced  with  a short  address  to  him.  In  the  latter  point  he  also 
 agrees  with  Ganesha.  Janus  was  worshipped  in  the  month  of  January, 
 Ganesha  in  Maghu,  which  will  farther  correspond. 
 
 I do  not  find  that  many  temples  are  dedicated  to  Ganesha  ; but  his  images 
 are  frequently  discovered  set  up  in  those  of  the  other  deities. 
 
 Ganesha  has  several  names : among  which  are  Lumboduru,  the  long- 
 bellied  ; Eku  Duntu,  one-toothed  ; Gujanumu,  elephant-faced  ; Gunniss  ; 
 Gannaputty  ; Pollyar,  &c.  &c. 
 
 In  the  second  volume  of  the  Transactions  of  the  Bombay  Literary  Society , 
 and  in  the  seventh  volume  of  the  Asiatic  Researches,  are  descriptions  of  a 
 living  god  at  Chincore  near  Poona,  believed  by  the  Hindus  to  be  an  incar- 
 nation of  Ganesha,  in  the  person  of  a supposed  descendant  of  a pious  man 
 named  Moroba. 
 
 It  appears  that  an  aged  couple  had  been  childless,  and  petitioned  Ganesha 
 to  assist  them  out  of  the  difficulty,  so  repugnant  to  the  feelings  of  Hindus. 
 They  had  been  exemplary  in  their  devotions  to  the  god,  who  promised  to 
 the  husband,  in  a dream,  the  fulfilment  of  his  wishes  in  a male  child ; who, 
 in  return,  vowed  to  dedicate  the  child  to  the  deity.  That  child  was  Moroba ; 
 thus  named  from  it  being  one  of  the  appellations  of  Ganesha. 
 
 Moroba,  by  his  piety  and  austerities,  had  obtained  the  power  of  per- 
 forming miracles  upon  all  those  who  had  a sufficient  stock  of  faith  therein ; 
 so  that,  in  due  time,  he  was  considered  and  followed  as  a saint,  and  in  a 
 short  period  after  was  elevated  to  the  rank  of  a Deo.  This  elevation  he 
 owed  to  his  piety  and  faith  : for  having,  in  performance  of  a vow,  under- 
 taken a long  journey  to  visit  Ganesha’s  temple  at  Morgow,  he  arrived  worn 
 
GANESHA. 
 
 107 
 
 out  with  sickness,  fatigue,  and  fasting,  after  the  gates  were  closed,  and  the 
 Brahmans  and  devotees  had  retired.  He  lay  down  and  slept.  Ganesha 
 then  appeared  to  him  in  a dream,  and  commanded  him  to  rise  and  enter  the 
 temple,  telling  him  that  his  probation  was  expired,  and  that,  in  consequence 
 of  his  virtue,  to  save  him  future  journeys  to  Morgow,  he  would  himself 
 become  incarnate  in  his  person  and  that  of  his  descendants  for  seven  gene- 
 rations. Moroba  arose  and  entered  the  temple,  the  doors  of  which  flew 
 open  on  his  approach.  He  then  removed  the  faded  flowers  from  the  image 
 of  the  god,  bedecked  it  with  fresh  ones,  and  having  completed  his  devotions, 
 retired,  and  again  composed  himself  to  rest.  In  the  morning  the  Brahmans 
 beheld  the  fresh  woven  garland  with  surprise ; but,  in  no  less  amazement, 
 beheld  not  a valuable  pearl  necklace  that  usually  adorned  the  image  ; which 
 being,  after  some  search,  found  on  the  neck  of  Moroba,  he  was  committed 
 by  the  Hakem  to  prison.  The  officer,  however,  had  soon  reason  to  regret 
 the  measure  that  he  in  this  instance  pursued,  as  Ganesha,  having  first 
 afflicted  him  with  a violent  cholic,  appeared  to  him,  and  told  him  instantly 
 to  release  his  favourite  Moroba,  as  he  himself  had  placed  the  necklace 
 round  his  neck.  Moroba  was  in  consequence  released,  and  permitted  to 
 return  to  his  former  residence  at  Chincore.  The  following  night  a conical 
 stone,  sacred  to  Ganesha,  arose  from  the  ground  ; and  Moroba,  on  the  spot, 
 commenced  building  a superb  temple  in  honour  of  the  god.  Having  there 
 performed  numerous  miracles,  his  fame  was  spread  to  the  remotest  parts  of 
 India.  After  this,  finding  his  time  approach,  he  caused  himself  to  be  buried 
 alive  in  a sitting  position,  with  the  scriptures  in  his  hand,  commanding  that 
 his  grave  should  not  be  disturbed. 
 
 Moroba  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Chintamun  Deo,  who  instanced  his 
 divinity  by  the  following  remarkable  miracle  : 
 
 Another  living  deity,  named  Tookaram,  dwelt  at  no  great  distance  from 
 Chintamun.  The  two  gods  were  not,  as  they  should  have  been,  good 
 friends.  It  is  true  they  were  of  rival  sects  ; one  being  Ganaputty  himself, 
 but  not  remarkable  for  the  possession  of  that  quality  of  which  he  is  said  to 
 be  the  god  ; the  other  a literary  deity,  and  a friend  of  Wittoba  (an  incar- 
 nation of  Vishnu),  who,  by  his  laudable  endeavours  to  promote  the  march 
 
 p 2 
 
108 
 
 GANESH  A. 
 
 of  intellect,  and  enable  mankind  to  understand  the  true  nature  of  the  divine 
 institutes,  gave  offence  to  his  brother  divinity.  Chintamun,  in  consequence, 
 resorted  to  the  weapons  usually  had  recourse  to  by  the  ignorant  and  pre- 
 sumptuous,— revilings  and  evil  actions.  He  declared  that  the  works  of 
 Tookaram  were  only  fit  to  be  destroyed  ; and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word, 
 contrived  to  possess  himself  of  them.  He  then  tied  them  in  a bundle 
 with  heavy  weights,  and  cast  them  into  the  water. 
 
 Tookaram  being  much  grieved  at  this  event,  supplicated  the  aid  of 
 Wittoba,  who  caused  the  books  to  rise  from  the  water  free  from  damp  and 
 uninjured.  Chintamun  thus  finding  Tookaram  to  possess  too  many  friends 
 in  heaven  for  him  to  injure  him,  acknowledged  that  some  portion  of  divinity 
 “ dwelt  within  him,”  and  they  became  tolerably  good  friends  ; till  Tooka- 
 ram next  found  occasion  to  be  envious  and  malicious,  and  was  celestially 
 rebuked  in  his  turn.  One  day  Chintamun  civilly  asked  his  brother  god  to 
 dine  with  him,  which  invitation  he  thankfully  accepted.  But  it  is  not  to 
 be  supposed  the  usual  vulgar  means  of  dinner-cards  were  had  recourse 
 to  : no,  the  whole  business  was  managed  mentally ; for  while  Chintamun 
 was  engaged  in  the  worship  of  Gunputtee  or  Ganesha,  he  thinks  to  himself, 
 “ Tookaram,  will  you  do  me  the  honour  to  dine  with  me  to-day?”  At 
 the  same  time  thinking  that  the  period  of  an  intended  visit  to  Morgow  was 
 near,  and  his  bridle  wanted  mending,  he  would  therefore  send  it  to  the 
 Moochey’s  to  have  it  set  to  rights.  Finishing  his  devotions,  which  had 
 taken  up  more  time  than  usual,  he  came  out  of  the  temple  into  his  house, 
 and  found  Tookaram  already  there,  half-famished,  waiting  impatiently  for 
 his  dinner.  “ What!”  says  Chintamun,  “ how  came  you  here?  and  when 
 did  I invite  you  to  dine?”  “ What!”  says  the  other,  “ did  not  you  think 
 the  invitation  in  the  temple?  and  did  you  not  intend  sending  to  the 
 Moochey’s  to  get  your  bridle  repaired?”  “Verily,”  says  Chintamun, 
 “ I now  give  you  full  credit  for  supernatural  intelligence.  Come,  sit  down, 
 and  we  will  have  dinner  presently.”  Two  paats  were  accordingly  placed. 
 Tookaram  observing  this,  desired  another  might  be  brought ; which  was 
 done  without  remark,  and  dinner  was  brought  in. 
 
 The  base  passions  of  envy,  jealousy,  and  vanity,  pervade  every  bosom : 
 
G A N E S H A. 
 
 109 
 
 the  gods  themselves  are  not  free  from  them.  Tookaram  was  envious  of 
 Chintamun’s  fame,  and  vain  at  the  time  of  his  own  intimacy  with  Wittoba, 
 “ now,”  says  he,  “ that  we  may  dine  in  good  company,  I’ll  persuade 
 Wittoba,  my  god,  to  honour  us,  and  to  bring  Gunputtee.”  Chintamun 
 agreeing,  after  the  performance  of  the  necessary  prayers  and  ceremonies  on 
 the  part  of  Tookaram,  a little  lad  about  five  years  of  age  suddenly  appear- 
 ed, and  introduced  himself  as  Wittoba.  Tookaram’s  heart  was  elate  at  his 
 success.  Chintamun  prayed,  and  prayed,  and  prayed  again ; but  a deaf 
 ear  was  turned  to  his  entreaties,  and,  alas ! no  Gunputtee  made  his  ap- 
 pearance. Almost  in  despair,  Chintamun  seized  a panchpatra  and  rushed 
 to  the  temple ; Tookaram  followed,  smiling  at  the  other’s  melancholy  coun- 
 tenance. Chintamun  in  the  temple  dropped  upon  his  knees,  and  in  doleful 
 strain  uttered  all  the  moving  passages  he  could  think  of  to  induce  Gun- 
 puttee not  to  abandon  him,  particularly  as  the  honour  of  the  god  was  con- 
 cerned. After  much  ado,  Chintamun  began  to  think  his  nose  had  rather  a 
 curious  feel,  and  presently  it  lengthened  out  into  an  elephant’s  trunk,  and 
 his  ears  increased  to  the  size  of  those  belonging  to  that  beast ; his  stomach 
 swelled  out  into  a respectable  pot-belly,  and  two  additional  arms  shot  out 
 from  his  shoulders,  thus  exhibiting,  in  his  own  person,  the  god  himself. 
 So  public  a demonstration  of  the  incarnation  of  the  divinity  had  never 
 been  witnessed  before ; and  Tookaram,  whose  vanity  was  a good  deal 
 abated,  thought  it  behoved  him  to  conduct  himself  with  proper  respect. 
 Knocking,  therefore,  his  head  against  the  ground  three  times,  he  observed, 
 that  for  the  future  he  could  only  designate  Chintamun  by  the  appellation 
 of  Deo  (god).  In  consequence,  from  this  period  Chintamun  and  his  de- 
 scendants have  been  honoured  with  the  official  title  of  Deo,  before  which 
 they  only  possessed  it  by  courtesy. 
 
 Gunputtee,  Wittoba,  and  Tookaram  now  returned  to  dinner,  which  had 
 necessarily  been  interrupted,  and  after  some  friendly  chat  took  leave  of 
 each  other.  Chintamun’s  trunk,  ears,  and  extra  arms  disappearing,  and 
 his  belly  resuming  its  pristine  shape.  Wittoba  vanished,  and  Tookaram 
 returned  with  as  much  speed  as  he  had  arrived.* 
 
 * Bombay  Literary  Transactions. 
 
110 
 
 G A N E S H A. 
 
 Chintamun  married  eight  wives,  and  had  eight  sons.  He  did  not  follow 
 the  example  set  him  by  his  father  Moroba,  of  being  buried  alive,  but  rather 
 chose  to  die  a natural  death,  and  his  body  was  buried  in  the  ordinary  way. 
 A stone,  however,  called  Pashun,  rose  up  amidst  the  ashes,  preternaturally 
 for  six  successive  generations,  and  then  discontinued  to  pay  such  monu- 
 mental honours  to  the  deceased. 
 
 Chintamun  Deo  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Narrain  Deo,  who  also  per- 
 formed singular  miracles  ; and  he  by  another  Chintamun,  who  was  followed 
 by  Dhurmedhur  Deo,  and  he  by  Narrain  the  second  ; who  having  sacri- 
 legiously disturbed  the  ashes  of  Moroba  in  spite  of  his  denunciations,  lost 
 his  divinity  and  became  a mortal.  Moroba,  on  his  grave  being  opened,  thus 
 execrated  his  descendant:  “ Degenerate  wretch!  thou  hast  sealed  thy  own 
 fate  ; a curse  lie  upon  thee  and  thy  son,  beyond  whom  thy  name  shall  not 
 exist.’'  On  Narrain’s  death  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  who  completed 
 the  seventh  generation  and  died  childless. 
 
 “ The  imposture  should  have  ended  here ; but  the  Brahmans,  with  a 
 laudable  determination  to  preserve  the  valuable  legends  to  the  temple,  and 
 not  without  hopes  of  still  farther  profiting  by  the  credulity  of  the  pious, 
 have  endeavoured  to  persuade  the  public  that  the  god  has  abrogated  his 
 limitation,  and  is  satisfied  to  continue  the  incarnation  for  some  time  longer, 
 and  they  have  set  up  a boy,  of  the  name  Suckharee,  a distant  relative  of 
 Dhurmedhur.” 
 
 The  god  will  neither  want  votaries  nor  champions,  so  long  as  his  friends 
 will  admit  of  his  continuing  the  practice  of  giving  a dinner  to  a limited 
 number  of  Brahmans  once  a month,  and  two  annual  entertainments  to  un- 
 limited numbers.  The  guests  at  these  entertainments  sometimes  amount 
 to  many  thousands. 
 
 Mrs.  Graham,  who  visited  the  Deo  in  1809,  has  thus  described  her  visit 
 in  her  pleasing  and  interesting  journal.  “ The  Deo’s  palace,  or  barn,  is  an 
 enormous  pile  of  building,  without  any  kind  of  elegance,  near  the  river 
 Mootha,  on  which  the  town  stands.  As  we  entered  the  crowd  we  saw  a 
 number  of  persons  engaged  in  the  honourable  and  holy  office  of  mixing  the 
 sacred  cowdung  to  be  spread  on  the  floors  of  the  bara.  The  whole  place 
 
* *i  ' 
 
 ' 
 
 1 
 
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 ■ 
 
W.  Cleric -LiTh  Jj]  X> cotn,  St.  5 ohc. 
 
 TiyJ  Knieera  the  Gad  of  Wealth  ? .Pararue  of  the  Winds  SYaana  cfthelrtferrvalKe^icruJfd^rvi  of  Fire  from  compexertfrienis  in  the  • 
 
 Temple  cf  Ttama 
 r‘ullishoC-cLby Parbtcry  (XllervScCt'  laancfecm.  76 32 
 
GANESHA.— KUVERA.— PAVANA. 
 
 Ill 
 
 looked  dirty,  and  every  window  was  crowded  with  sleek  well-fed  Brah- 
 mans, who  doubtless  take  great  care  of  the  Deo’s  revenues.  We  found 
 his  little  godship  seated  in  a mean  veranda,  on  a low  wooden  seat,  not  any 
 way  distinguished  from  other  children,  but  by  an  anxious  wildness  of  the 
 eyes,  said  to  be  occasioned  by  the  quantity  of  opium  which  he  is  daily  made 
 to  swallow.  He  is  not  allowed  to  play  with  other  boys ; nor  is  he  per- 
 mitted to  speak  any  language  but  Sanscrit,  that  he  may  not  converse  with 
 any  but  the  Brahmans.  He  received  us  very  politely,  and  said  he  was 
 always  pleased  to  see  English  people.  After  some  conversation,  which  a 
 Brahman  interpreted,  we  took  leave,  and  were  presented  by  his  divine  hand 
 with  almonds  and  sugar-candy,  perfumed  with  assafoetida,  and  he  received 
 in  return  a handful  of  rupees.” 
 
 KUYERA, 
 
 Is  the  god  of  wealth  and  the  Hindu  Plutus ; he  is  also  the  regent  of  the 
 north.  This  deity  was  a son  of  Viswasrava,  and  a brother  of  Ravan,  who 
 was  overcome  by  Rama,  as  related  in  the  account  of  that  god.  Thus  the 
 latter  was  one  of  the  datyas,  and  Kuvera  one  of  the  celestials.  He  is  also 
 called  Paulastya. 
 
 A brief  notice  only  has  been  taken  of  him  in  Hindu  Mythology  ; although 
 he  is  a deity  whose  favours  are  by  no  people  more  valued  than  by  the 
 Hindus.  He  is  represented  as  a magnificent  personage,  residing  in  the 
 splendid  palace  of  Alaca ; or  borne  through  the  sky  on  the  heads  of  four 
 figures,  in  a radiant  car,  called  pushpaca,  which  was  given  to  him  by 
 Brahma.  In  each  of  two  of  his  hands  he  holds  a closed  flower  of  the  lotus, 
 and  has  on  his  head  a richly  ornamented  crown.  (See  fig.  1,  plate  22,  from 
 the  temple  of  Rama.)  His  sacti  is  Kuveri. 
 
 PAVANA 
 
 Is  the  god  of  the  winds,  and  is  by  some  represented  sitting  on  a deer, 
 holding  in  his  hand  a hook  for  guiding  the  elephant.  My  plate,  from  the 
 
112 
 
 PA  VAN  A.— YAMA. 
 
 temple  of  Rama,  shews  him  mounted  on  that  animal  or  an  antelope,  having, 
 in  one  of  his  four  hands,  a pennon,  and  very  appropriately  in  another,  the 
 head  of  (what  appears  to  be)  a spear  or  an  arrow ; which  would  indicate 
 swiftness,  from  the  supposed  possession  of  which  he  is  termed  the  mes- 
 senger of  the  gods.  Fig.  2,  plate  22,  represents  him  as  I have  described. 
 He  is  adorned  with  a rich  crown,  and  the  armlets,  bracelets,  and  anklets, 
 which  are  usually  seen  on  the  Hindu  deities. 
 
 YAMA. 
 
 Yama,  or  Dhermarajah,  resembles  both  the  Grecian  Pluto,  the  king  of 
 hell,  and  Minos,  the  judge  of  departed  souls,  and  is  the  regent  of  the  south, 
 or  lower  division  of  the  world,  mythologically  called  Patala,  or  the  infernal 
 regions. 
 
 Yama  is  described  of  a green  colour,  with  red  garments,  having  a crown 
 on  his  head,  his  eyes  inflamed,  and  sitting  on  a buffalo,  with  a club  and 
 pashu  in  his  hands.  “ His  dreadful  teeth,  grim  aspect,  and  terrible  shape,” 
 says  Mr.  Ward,  “ fill  the  inhabitants  of  the  three  worlds  with  terror.” 
 As  Dhermarajah  he  is  differently  described  : of  a divine  countenance,  mild 
 and  benevolent.  The  virtuous  only  see  the  latter : the  wicked  are  judged 
 by  Yama,  surrounded  by  all  his  terrors.  If  the  deceased  have  been  virtuous, 
 they  ascend  to  a place  of  happiness  ; if  wicked,  they  are  sent  to  a particular 
 hell,  to  undergo  the  punishment  appointed  for  their  especial  crimes. 
 
 In  a large  chart,  in  my  possession,  of  the  celestial  and  infernal  regions  of 
 the  Hindus,  the  several  heavens  are  placed  in  variously  elevated  positions, 
 the  roads  to  which  are  lined  by  gods,  Gundharvas  Apsaras,  &c.  &c.,  with 
 lotus  flowers  in  their  hands,  singing  the  praises,  and  waiting  the  approach 
 of  the  good,  and  having  near  them  convenient  resting-places.  In  some 
 parts  are  gilt  temples  and  palaces,  streams  of  water,  and  a variety  of  other 
 agreeable  things  to  render  the  journey  as  pleasant  as  possible.  On  the  other 
 hand,  the  passage  to  the  infernal  regions  presents  a different  aspect.  The 
 road  to  the  palace  of  Yama,  which  is  believed  to  be  situated  in  Yamapur, 
 or  the  city  of  Yama,  is  both  long  and  painful,  being  over  burning  sands  and 
 
YAM  A. 
 
 113 
 
 sharp-pointed  or  red-hot  stones,  amidst  showers  of  burning  cinders,  scalding 
 water,  and  molten  metal,  and  through  dark  and  terrific  passages  filled  with 
 snakes,  tigers,  enormous  giants,  and  many  inconceivable  horrors.  This 
 road,  according  to  Mr.  Ward,  is  688,000  miles ; at  the  end  of  which,  after 
 crossing  Vaitarini,  the  Indian  Styx,  Yama  is  beheld,  “ clothed  with  terror, 
 two  hundred  and  forty  miles  in  height ; his  eyes  distended  like  a lake  of 
 water,  of  a purple  colour,  with  rays  of  glory  issuing  from  his  body.  His 
 voice  loud  as  the  thunders  at  the  dissolution  of  the  universe  ; the  hairs  of 
 his  body  are  each  as  long  as  a palm  tree ; a flame  of  fire  proceeds  from  his 
 mouth ; and  the  noise  of  the  drawing  of  his  breath  is  greater  than  the 
 roaring  of  a tempest,  &c.  &c.”  His  attendant,  Chitra  Gupta,  is  almost  as 
 terrible  as  his  master.  Thus  attended  he  judges  the  trembling  and  wailing 
 sinners,  and  consigns  them  to  their  punishments,  in  their  different  hells. 
 
 Of  these  hells  and  punishments  there  are  some  of  all  sorts  and  descrip- 
 tions, each  appropriated  for  different  crimes  ; so  that  the  wicked  may  very 
 well  know,  before-hand,  precisely  what  they  have  to  expect  hereafter. 
 Some  of  these  punishments  are  shewn,  from  the  chart  before  mentioned,  in 
 figs.  8 to  22,  in  plate  28. 
 
 Fig.  8 represents  the  sinner  in  a hell  of  boiling  oil,  for  having  been  a 
 glutton,  and  guilty  of  destroying  animals.  In  figs.  9,  10,  11,  and  12,  he  is 
 being  fed  upon  by  dogs,  jackalls,  swine,  rooroos,  and  birds  and  beasts  of 
 prey,  for  highway  robbery,  burning  the  house  of,  or  poisoning,  or  doing  an 
 injury  to  others ; having  been  inhospitable,  neglecting  the  ceremonials  of 
 religion,  &c.  &c.  In  fig.  13,  he  is  being  sawed  in  two.  In  fig.  14,  he  is 
 sticking  in  the  mud,  with  his  head  downwards,  for  despising  a religious 
 devotee.  In  fig.  15,  he  is  in  a hell  of  burning  metal,  having  his  head  com- 
 fortably pinched  with  red  hot  pincers  for  3,500,000  years,  for  disregarding 
 the  Veda  and  Brahmans  : this  gentleman  would  appear  to  be  travelling  in 
 his  hell,  drawn,  with  a stake  through  his  body,  by  the  bull  Nandi.  In 
 fig.  16,  he  is  being  eternally  beaten  with  immense  clubs,  for  having  been  an 
 adulterer  or  a fornicator  (chastity  being  an  indispensable  virtue  with  both 
 the  Hindu  mortals  and  immortals),  or  a thief  (honesty  being  also  a highly 
 venerated  virtue) : in  fig.  17,  the  sinner  is  having  molten  lead  poured  into  his 
 
 Q 
 
114 
 
 YAMA. 
 
 ears  : in  fig.  18,  he  is  having  his  toe  nails  pulled  out : in  fig.  19,  his  tongue  is 
 being  served  in  the  same  way,  for  a crime  which  the  Hindus  abhor  (if  we  might 
 believe  themselves)  above  all  others,  “ lying.”  In  figs.  20  and  23,  the  sinner  is 
 being  for  ever  bitten  by  fleas  or  lice,  or  stung  by  wasps  : in  fig.  21,  he  is  being 
 eternally  preyed  upon  by  snakes  for  having  caused  sorrow  to  others  ; and  in 
 rig.  22,  he  is  agreeably  reposing  on  a bed  of  spikes,  being  soundly  flagellated 
 all  the  while  that  he  might  not  compose  himself  to  sleep,  and,  consequently 
 enjoy,  in  greater  perfection,  the  titillation  intended  for  him.  Besides  these 
 there  any  many  other  punishments  equally  extraordinary ; with  some  of 
 which  the  crimes  do  not  appear  to  be  at  all  commensurate.  One  of  them, 
 indeed,  which  represents  a sinner  in  the  embraces  of  a red  hot  iron  female, 
 for  cohabiting  with  a woman  of  a low  or  discreditable  caste,  I intend  to  send 
 sketches  of  (that  this  law  of  Yama  may  be  passed  into  their  statute  books), 
 to  about  fifty  of  the  wisest  and  most  virtuous  of  the  legislators  of  Europe ; 
 so  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  western  world  may  experience  some  gratifying 
 return  from  the  poor  Hindu,  for  the  numerous  social,  moral,  and  religious 
 blessings,  which  they  are  daily  conferring  upon  him.  But  to  proceed  : 
 Yama  is  called  Srad'ha  deva,  or  lord  of  the  obsequies,  and  presides  over 
 the  ceremonies  of  Srad'ha.  At  the  time  of  offering  the  oblations  to  the 
 manes  of  deceased  ancestors,  he  is  invoked  by  the  priest  under  several 
 names,  of  which  Mr.  Colebrooke  has  enumerated  fourteen.  The  priest  thus 
 addresses  him.  “ Salutation  to  Yama!  salutation  to  Dherma  Rajah,  or 
 the  King  of  the  Deities!  to  Death!  to  Antaka,  or  the  destroyer!  to  Vai- 
 waswata,  or  the  Child  of  the  Sun  ! to  Time  ! to  the  Slayer  of  all  Beings  ! to 
 Andhambara  or  Yama,  &c.  & c.”  The  prayers  which  conclude  these  cere- 
 monies are,  from  their  heterogeneous  association  of  things,  not  a little  sin- 
 gular. “ May  the  gods,  demons,  benevolent  genii,  huge  serpents,  heavenly 
 choristers,  fierce  giants,  blood-thirsty  savages,  unmelodious  guardians  of 
 the  celestial  treasure,  successful  genii,  spirits  called  Cushmamda,  trees, 
 and  all  animals  which  move  in  air  or  in  water,  which  live  on  earth  and  feed 
 abroad  ; may  all  these  quickly  obtain  contentment.  To  satisfy  them  who 
 are  detained  in  all  the  hells  and  places  of  torment,  this  water  is  presented 
 by  me.” 
 
YAMA.— AGNI. 
 
 *•  115 
 
 The  Hindus  make  daily  oblations  of  water  to  Yama.  The  second  day  of 
 the  month  Karticu  is  sacred  to  him  and  his  sister,  the  river  goddess,  Ya- 
 muna or  Jumna,  who  entertained  him  on  that  day ; in  consequence  of 
 which  an  annual  festival  is  held,  in  which  sisters  entertain  their  brothers. 
 On  this  occasion  an  image  of  him  of  clay  is  made  and  worshipped,  and  then 
 thrown  into  the  river.  He  is  also  worshipped  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the 
 dark  part  of  the  month  Aswina. 
 
 Some  of  the  other  names  of  Yama  are  Pitripeti,  or  lord  of  the  Pitris ; 
 Andhambara,  from  a wood  from  which  fire  is  produced  by  attrition  ; An- 
 taka,  the  destroyer  ; Kala,  Time  ; and  Dundudhara,  he  who  has  the  rod  of 
 punishment,  &c.  See. 
 
 Fig.  3,  plate  22,  from  the  temple  of  Rama,  represents  Yama  on  his  va- 
 han,  the  buffalo.  On  his  head  is  a rich  crown,  and  he  is  adorned  with  the 
 usual  Hindu  ornaments.  In  one  hand  he  has  a club,  and  in  another  the 
 pashu  or  cord  to  bind  the  wicked.  (See  Pashu.) 
 
 AGNI, 
 
 Is  the  personification  of  fire,  and  the  regent  of  the  south-east  division 
 of  the  earth.  He  is  variously  described  : sometimes  with  two  faces,  three 
 legs,  and  seven  arms,  of  a red  or  flame  colour,  and  riding  on  a ram,  his  va- 
 han  or  vehicle.  Before  him  is  a swallow-tailed  banner,  on  which  is  also 
 painted  a ram.  He  is  by  others  represented  as  a corpulent  man  of  a red 
 complexion,  with  eyes,  eyebrows,  head,  and  hair  of  a tawny  colour,  riding 
 on  a goat.  From  his  body  issue  seven  streams  of  glory,  and  in  his  right 
 hand  he  holds  a spear. 
 
 Agni  is  the  son  of  Kasyapa  and  Aditi.  His  consort  or  sacti  is  Swaha,  a 
 daughter  of  Kasyapa. 
 
 The  Brahmans  who  devote  themselves  to  the  priesthood  should  maintain 
 a perpetual  fire  ; and  in  the  numerous  religious  ceremonies  of  the  Hindus, 
 Agni,  the  regent  of  that  element,  is  commonly  invoked.  He  is  usually 
 drawn  with  a forked  representation  of  fire  issuing  from  his  mouth,  which 
 may  denote  the  seven  tongues  of  fire  described  by  Mr.  Colebrooke.  “ Pra- 
 
 Q 2 
 
116  * 
 
 AG  N I. 
 
 vaha,  Avaha,  Udvaha,  Samvaha,  Vivaha,  Paruvaha,  Nevaha  (or  else  Anu- 
 vaha),  all  of  which  imply  the  power  of  conveying  oblations  to  the  deities  to 
 whom  offerings  are  made.” 
 
 In  offering  an  oblation  to  fire,  the  priest  utters  this  prayer.  “ Fire! 
 seven  are  thy  fuels  ; seven  thy  tongues ; seven  thy  holy  sages  ; seven  thy 
 beloved  abodes  ; seven  ways  do  seven  sacrificers  worship  thee.  Thy  sources 
 are  seven.  May  this  oblation  be  efficacious !”  The  mystical  number  seven 
 is  also  used  respecting  Agni  on  other  occasions. 
 
 “ In  exciting  fire  and  sprinkling  water  on  it,  he  also  makes  an  oblation 
 to  Agni,  and  concludes  the  sacrament  to  the  gods  with  six  oblations,  re- 
 citing six  prayers.  1st.  Fire,  thou  dost  expiate  a sin  against  the  gods 
 (arising  from  any  failure  in  divine  worship),  may  this  oblation  be  effica- 
 cious ! 2nd.  Thou  dost  expiate  a sin  against  man  (arising  from  a failure 
 in  hospitality) ! 3rd.  Thou  dost  expiate  a sin  against  the  manes  (from  a 
 failure  in  the  performance  of  obsequies) ! 4th.  Thou  dost  expiate  a sin 
 against  my  own  soul  (arising  from  any  blameable . act)  ! 5th.  Thou  dost 
 expiate  repeated  sins!  6th.  Thou  dost  expiate  every  sin  I have  com- 
 mitted, whether  wilfully  or  unintentionally : may  this  oblation  be  effica- 
 
 CIOUS.  * 
 
 Numerous  other  oblations  are  made  to  Agni.  He  is  thus  the  great  moral 
 purifier  with  the  Hindus,  as  fire  is  physically  the  potent  refiner  of  earthly 
 matters.  Agni  is  especially  worshipped  in  every  particular  work  requiring 
 the  agency  of  fire. 
 
 Sir  William  Jones,  in  allusion  to  the  ancient  Persians,  says:  “ while  they 
 rejected  the  complex  Polytheism  of  their  predecessors,  they  retained  the 
 laws  of  Mahabad , with  a superstitious  veneration  for  the  sun,  the  planets, 
 and  fire  ; thus  resembling  the  Hindu  sects  called  Sauras  and  Sagnicars , the 
 second  of  which  are  very  numerous  at  Benares,  where  many  Agnihotras  are 
 continually  burning,  and  where  the  Sagnicars,  when  they  enter  on  their 
 sacerdotal  office,  kindle  with  two  pieces  of  the  hard- wood  (semi)  a fire, 
 which  they  keep  lighted  through  their  lives,  for  their  nuptial  ceremony,  the 
 performance  of  solemn  sacrifices,  the  obsequies  of  departed  ancestors,  and 
 
 * Asiatic  Researches. 
 
A G N I. 
 
 117 
 
 their  own  funeral  pile.”  The  fire  is  produced  by  the  attrition  of  the  two 
 pieces  of  wood. 
 
 On  the  occasion  of  producing  it  for  household  and  sacrificial  fires,  the 
 priest  recites  this  prayer  : “ Fires  ! this  (wood)  is  thy  origin,  which  is  attain- 
 able in  all  seasons,  whence  being  produced  thou  dost  shine.  Knowing  this, 
 seize  on  it,  and  afterwards  augment  our  wealth.” 
 
 Swaha,  the  sacti  of  Agni,  resembles  the  younger  Vesta,  or  goddess  of 
 fire,  of  the  Romans,  who  had  no  images  in  their  temples  to  represent  her, 
 Thus  Ovid  has  said, 
 
 “ No  image  Vesta’s  semblance  can  express  ; 
 
 Fire  is  too  subtile  to  admit  of  dress.'” 
 
 Neither  have  I met  with  an  image  of  Swaha.  Those  of  Agni  are  usually 
 seen  in  pictures.  In  the  collection  of  the  late  General  Stuart  was  a basalt 
 sculpture  of  him,  seated  on  a couchant  ram,  the  back  ground  waved  with 
 flames.  The  Romans,  although  they  had  no  images  of  Vesta  in  their  tem- 
 ples usually  placed  one  in  the  porches*  or  entrances  of  their  houses,  and 
 offered  daily  sacrifices  to  her.  The  Hindus  have,  as  I have  before  stated, 
 also  their  sacred  household  fires. 
 
 It  has  been  justly  observed,  that  nothing  could  be  a stronger  or  more 
 lively  symbol  of  the  Supreme  Being  than  fire:  accordingly  we  find  this 
 emblem  in  early  use  throughout  all  the  east.  The  Persians  held  it  in 
 veneration  long  before  the  time  of  Zoroaster ; the  Prytanei  of  the  Greeks 
 were  perpetual  and  holy  fires,  and  Eneas  carried  with  him  to  Italy  his 
 penates  (or  the  household  gods),  the  palladium,  and  the  sacred  fire. 
 
 Agni  has  several  names.  His  heaven  is  called  Agni-loka.  Fig.  4,  plate 
 22,  represents  him  on  a ram  : in  one  hand  is  a spear,  in  another  a lotus 
 flower,  and  in  a third  a bead  roll. 
 
 * Hence  the  name  of  Vestibulum. 
 
( 118  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 Gunga. — The  Sactis — Indra  and  Indrani. — Surya. — Chandra — Brishput. — Mungula. — Budh. 
 Sukra. — Sani. — Rahu. — Ketu. — Varuna. 
 
 GUNGA. 
 
 “ By  the  autumn  led, 
 
 Fondly  impatient  to  her  ocean  lord, 
 
 Tossing  her  waves,  as  with  offended  pride, 
 
 And  pining  fretful  at  the  lengthened  way.” 
 
 Wilsons  Translation  of  Mudra  Rakshasa. 
 
 The  honour  of  having  given  birth  to  this  goddess,  the  personification  of 
 the  sacred  stream  of  the  Ganges,  has  been  claimed  for  their  deities,  as  I 
 have  related  in  my  account  of  Siva,  both  by  the  Saivas  and  Vishnaivas, 
 the  former  alleging  that  she  sprang  from  the  locks  of  Siva,  and  the  latter 
 urging  that  she  issued  from  the  foot  of  Vishnu.  It  would  be  highly  de- 
 sirable to  have  this  important  point  placed,  indisputably,  beyond  farther 
 discussion  ; but  as  both  parties  adhere  most  pertinaciously  to  their  opinions, 
 I fear  an  attempt  of  the  kind  would  impose  upon  a mediator  a task  of  no 
 little  difficulty,  and  probably  of  some  danger.  I shall,  therefore,  content 
 myself  with  imagining  that  she  was  heaven-descended,  leaving  the  reader 
 to  determine  whether  the  head  of  Siva  gave  her  birth,  or  whether  that  deity 
 merely  caught  her  in  his  plaited  locks  as  she  was  rushing  impetuously  to 
 the  earth,  to  prevent  her  crushing  it  by  her  fall.  This  the  Vishnaivas  assert; 
 and  as  their  assertion  is  as  likely  to  be  true  as  any  other,  it  may  be  as  well 
 to  leave  the  matter  as  it  is.  From  the  heaven,  however,  of  either  Vaicontha 
 or  Kailasa,  we  must  allow  her  to  have  come,  which  she  was  induced  with 
 much  difficulty  to  do,  to  restore  to  King  Suguru  the  sixty  thousand  sons 
 
GUNG  A. 
 
 119 
 
 whom  that  procreative  deity  Brigu  had  caused  his  wife  to  have  at  one  birth, 
 and  who,  for  some  malpractices,  had  been  reduced  to  ashes.  In  her  pas- 
 sage towards  the  sea  she  was  swallowed  by  a holy  sage  for  disturbing  him 
 in  his  worship  ; but,  by  some  channel  or  other,  she  contrived  to  make  her 
 escape,  and  having  divided  herself  into  a hundred  streams  (now  forming 
 the  delta  of  the  Ganges),  reached  the  ocean,  where,  it  is  fabled,  she  de- 
 scended into  Patala,  to  deliver  the  sons  of  Suguru. 
 
 All  castes  of  the  Hindus  worship  this  goddess  of  their  sacred  stream. 
 Numerous  temples  are  erected  on  the  banks  of  the  river  in  honour  of  her, 
 in  which  clay  images  are  set  up  and  worshipped.  The  waters  of  the  river 
 are  highly  reverenced,  and  are  carried  in  compressed  vessels  to  the  remotest 
 parts  of  the  country  ; from  whence  also  persons  perform  journeys  of  several 
 months’  duration,  to  bathe  in  the  river  itself.  By  its  waters  the  Hindus 
 swear  in  our  courts  of  justice. 
 
 Mr.  Ward  informs  us  that  there  are  3,500,000  places  sacred  to  Gunga; 
 but  that  a person,  by  either  bathing  in  or  seeing  the  river,  may  be  at  once 
 as  much  benefited  as  if  he  visited  the  whole  of  them. 
 
 For  miles,  near  every  part  of  the  banks  of  the  sacred  stream,  thousands 
 of  Hindus  of  all  ages  and  descriptions  pour  down,  every  night  and  morning, 
 to  bathe  in  or  look  at  it.  Persons  in  their  dying  moments  are  carried  to  its 
 banks  to  breathe  their  last : by  which  means  the  deaths  of  many  are  fre- 
 quently accelerated;  and  instances  have  been  known  wherein  such  events 
 have  thereby  been  actually  produced.  The  bodies  are  thus  left  to  be 
 washed  away  by  the  tide ; and  from  on  board  the  ships  in  the  neighbour- 
 hood of  Calcutta,  numbers  of  them  are  seen  floating  down  every  ebb,  with 
 carrion  crows  and  kites  about  them  feeding  upon  their  entrails. 
 
 Several  festivals  are  held  during  the  year  in  honour  of  Gunga.  She  is 
 described  as  a white  woman  with  a crown  on  her  head,  holding  a water-lily 
 in  one  of  her  hands,  and  a water  vessel  in  another,  riding  upon  a sea  animal 
 resembling  an  alligator  (see  fig.  1,  plate  23),  or  walking  on  the  surface  of 
 the  water  with  a lotus  in  each  hand. 
 
120 
 
 THE  SACTIS. 
 
 THE  SACTIS 
 
 Are  the  consorts  or  energies  of  the  Hindu  gods  : thus  Parvati  is  the  sacti 
 of  Siva ; Lakshmi,  that  of  Vishnu ; and  Suraswati,  Brahma  or  Brahmini, 
 of  Brahma.  As  their  energies,  they  participate  in  their  various  avatars  or 
 incarnations  ; Lakshmi,  in  those  of  Vishnu,  being  Varahi,  Narasinhi,  Sita, 
 Radha,  &c.,  and  in  like  manner  are  the  other  sactis. 
 
 In  the  eighth  volume  of  the  Asiatic  Researches,  Mr.  Colebrooke  calls 
 them  also  Matris  or  mothers,  and  says  “ they  are  named  Brahmi,  & c., 
 because  they  issued  from  the  bodies  of  Brahma  and  the  other  gods  respec- 
 tively.” These  important  lords  of  the  Hindu  pantheon  appear,  like  the 
 lords  of  the  creation  in  many  countries,  to  lead  a tolerably  idle  sort  of  life, 
 contenting  themselves  to  will  an  act,  and  leaving  the  execution  of  it  to  their 
 ever-ready  partners,  who  on  these  occasions  are  endowed  with  the  full 
 power  and  attributes  of  their  husbands.  Durga  and  the  sactis  are  thus  seen 
 fighting  the  battles  of  the  gods  with  the  giants.  See  fig.  1 in  the  frontis- 
 piece, and  fig.  1,  plate  20,  of  Durga;  and  fig.  2,  plate  7,  of  Lakshmi,  as 
 Varahi,  with  three  heads  (one  a boar’s)  and  numerous  hands,  armed  with 
 various  instruments  of  war. 
 
 As  the  gods  are  the  regents  of  the  eight  divisions  of  the  world,  so  are  the 
 sactis  protectors  of  them  ; though  some  of  them  appear  to  have  jostled  into 
 places  not  under  the  immediate  dominion  of  their  lords.  These  trifling 
 incongruities  are,  however,  of  little  moment  in  Hindu  mythology,  as  the 
 ladies  are  as  devoutly  invoked  by  their  worshippers  for  favours  and  protection, 
 as  if  they  were  in  their  proper  positions. 
 
 The  sactis  have  numerous  followers,  who  worship  them  exclusively. 
 The  emblem  of  worship  is  the  yoni.  One  branch  of  these  worshippers  is  so 
 grossly  licentious  and  addicted  to  debauchery,  that  they  are  held  in  the 
 utmost  detestation  by  the  other  sects,  and  even  by  a large  portion  of  their  own. 
 
 In  the  wars  of  the  gods  and  the  giants,  the  Amazonian  Matris  rendered 
 themselves  highly  conspicuous.  Mr.  Colebrooke,  to  whom  the  learned  world  is 
 so  eminently  indebted  for  his  researches  into  the  mythology  and  literature  of 
 
THE  S ACT  IS. 
 
 121 
 
 the  Hindus,  has  thus  described  their  military  array.  “ The  energy  of  each 
 god,  exactly  like  him,  with  the  same  form,  the  same  decorations,  and  the 
 same  vehicle,  came  to  fight  against  the  demons.  The  sacti  of  Brahma,  girt 
 with  a white  cord  and  bearing  a hollow  gourd,  arrived  on  a car  yoked  with 
 swans : her  title  is  Brahmani.  Maheswari  came  riding  on  a bull,  and 
 bearing  a trident,  with  a vast  serpent  for  a ring  and  a crescent  for  a gem. 
 Caumara,  bearing  a lance  in  her  hand,  and  riding  on  a peacock,  being 
 Ambica  in  the  form  of  Kartikeya,  came  to  make  war  on  the  children  of 
 Diti.*  The  sacti  named  Vishnaivi  also  arrived  sitting  on  an  eagle,  and 
 bearing  a conch,  a discus,  a club,  a bow,  and  a sword,  in  her  several  hands. 
 The  energy  of  Hari,  who  assumed  the  unrivalled  form  of  the  holy  boar, 
 likewise  came  there,  assuming  the  body  of  Varahi.  Narasinhi,  too,  arrived 
 there,  embodied  in  a form  precisely  similar  to  that  of  Narasinha,  with  an 
 erect  mane  reaching  to  the  host  of  stars.  Aindri  (Indrani)  came  bearing  the 
 thunderbolt  in  her  hand,  and  riding  on  the  king  of  elephants,  and  in  every 
 respect  like  Indra,  with  a hundred  eyes.  Lastly  came  the  dreadful  energy 
 named  Chandica,  who  sprung  from  the  body  of  Devi,  horrible,  howling  like 
 a hundred  shakals.  She,  surnamed  Aparajita,  the  unconquered  goddess, 
 addressed  Isana  whose  head  is  encircled  by  his  dusky  braided  locks.” 
 
 With  these  were  the  demons  conquered  and  slain.  Mr.  Colebrooke 
 mentions,  from  other  Puranas,  some  trifling  variations  respecting  these 
 heroines  and  their  vahans  ; but  it  will  be  unnecessary  to  describe  them  here, 
 beyond  saying,  that  Kuveri,  the  energy  of  Kuvera,  the  god  of  riches,  not  (as 
 is  also  found  in  modern  times)  an  unimportant  arm  in  war,  was  likewise  one 
 of  the  warlike  sactis ; as  was  Chamunda,  sprung  from  a frown  of  Parvati. 
 
 We  may  here  learn  that  the  sack's,  in  these  contests,  multiplied  themselves 
 into  the  various  forms  of  the  several  avatars  of  their  lords  ; and  that  Parvati, 
 who,  as  Durga,  possessed  an  independant  power,  having  been  armed  with 
 the  attributes  of  all  the  gods,  created  female  warriors  at  will  from  her 
 frowns ; of  which,  if  we  may  judge  from  her  images,  she  was  not  in  the 
 least  sparing.  In  the  foregoing  extract,  Maheswari  and  Chandica  are  forms 
 of  Parvati ; and  Narasinhi,  Vishnaivi,  and  Varahi,  those  of  Lakshmi. 
 
 * Tlie  giants,  or  Assoors. 
 
 It 
 
122 
 
 THE  SACTIS. — INDR  A. 
 
 Of  the  detestable  worship  of  the  degraded  sactis  the  Abb6  Dubois 
 relates  : “ They  bring  before  the  idol  Vishnu  all  sorts  of  meat  that  can  be 
 procured,  without  excepting  that  of  the  cow  ; they  likewise  provide  abun- 
 dance of  arrack  (the  brandy  of  the  country),  of  toddy,  of  opium,  and  several 
 other  intoxicating  drugs.  The  whole  is  presented  to  Vishnu.  Then  he 
 who  administers  tastes  each  species  of  meat  and  of  liquor,  after  which 
 he  gives  permission  to  the  worshippers  to  consume  the  rest.  Then  may  be 
 seen  men  and  women  rushing  forward,  tearing  and  devouring.  One  seizes 
 a morsel,  and  while  he  gnaws  it  another  snatches  it  out  of  his  hands ; and 
 thus  it  passes  on  from  mouth  to  mouth  till  it  disappears,  while  fresh  morsels, 
 in  succession,  are  making  the  same  disgusting  round.  The  meat  being 
 greedily  eaten  up,  the  strong  liquors  and  the  opium  are  sent  round.  All 
 drink  out  of  the  same  cup,  one  draining  what  another  leaves,  in  spite  of 
 their  natural  abhorrence  of  such  a practice.  When  the  liquors  are  ex- 
 hausted, they  have  nothing  left  but  to  scramble  for  the  leaves  of  betel.  On 
 such  occasions  they  regard  not  the  pollution  that  must  ensue  when  they  eat 
 and  drink  in  a manner  so  beastly  and  disgusting.  When  arrived  at  a state 
 of  drunkenness,  men  and  women  being  all  indiscriminately  mixed,  there  is 
 no  restraint  on  any  sort  of  excess.  A husband  sees  his  wife  in  the  arms  of 
 another  man,  and  has  not  the  right  to  recall  her,  or  to  find  fault  with  what 
 is  going  on.  The  women  are  there  in  common.  All  castes  are  confounded, 
 and  the  Brahman  is  not  above  the  Pariah. 
 
 It  cannot  well  be  doubted,  that  these  enthusiasts  endeavour,  by  their 
 infamous  sacrifices,  to  cover  with  the  veil  of  religion  the  two  ruling  passions, 
 lust  and  the  love  of  intoxicating  liquor.  It  is  also  certain,  that  the  Brah- 
 mans, and  particularly  certain  women  of  the  caste,  are  the  directors  of  these 
 horrible  mysteries  of  iniquity.  Fortunately,  the  great  expense  of  these 
 ceremonies  prevents  their  frequent  recurrence.” 
 
 INDRA. 
 
 This  god  is  the  king  of  the  immortals  and  the  lord  of  the  firmament.  He 
 is  represented  as  a white  man  sitting  upon  his  celestial  vahan,  the  elephant 
 
PI  23. 
 
 ■ f r7s  Ii  fh  *Z1.  Oe/m  ) ' 
 
 ■'  73  .7  J^iri'nTy  .T.nlryhrrn  emoL  JwraswaZi  irrt  th#  . IdvJc/vrcL , lortoue  couLZtccrvcusa  e*ri4>lern/fiircu.  oZ  the.  Zacred J&crer.y  On./iga , 
 
 larnzLrrut  eur/d  Z’^ra^n'aZt  4-.J.6.  IruZra,  a,nd  Zruir-fc-rw. 
 
 TubhzJu/i  by  Jb-rbwr\,  (XJlen  'Xr  Cc  JLc  nz?srrL  . 2(9*1? 
 
INDR  A. 
 
 123 
 
 Airavat,  produced  at  the  churning  of  the  ocean,  and  holding  in  his  hand 
 the  vajra  or  thunderbolt.  He  is  depicted,  like  Argus,  covered  with  eyes, 
 and  is  thus  called  the 'thousand-eyed  god:  which  distinction  was  not  con- 
 ferred upon  him  in  consequence  of  his  good  deeds ; for  having  become 
 enamoured  of  Ahilya,  the  wife  of  the  pious  rishi  Gotama,  he  endeavoured 
 to  seduce  her.  The  rishi  having  discovered  his  intentions  in  time,  bestowed 
 on  the  god  his  curse,  that  his  body  should  be  covered  in  a very  extraordinary 
 manner,  which,  on  the  contrition  of  the  offending  deity,  he  changed  into 
 eyes. 
 
 The  heaven  of  Indra  is  Swerga ; a beautiful  description  of  which  has 
 been  given,  in  the  English  language,  by  a native  Hindu  youth  (Kasiprasad 
 Ghosh,  educated  at  the  Anglo-Indian  College  of  Calcutta),  who  has  not  only 
 made  himself  proficient  therein,  but  has  greatly  distinguished  himself,  as  a 
 poet  far  above  common  pretensions.  The  opening  lines  of  his  description 
 of  Indra’s  heaven  accord  so  well  with  the  nature  of  this  work,  that  the  in- 
 sertion of  them  here  will  need  no  apology.  I will  simply  premise,  that  this 
 heaven,  made  by  Vishmakarma,  the  architect  of  the  gods,  is  represented 
 in  the  Mahabharat  to  be  eight  hundred  miles  in  circumference,  and  forty 
 miles  high  ; its  pillars  are  formed  of  diamonds,  its  palaces  of  gold,  and  it  is 
 said  to  be  so  resplendent  with  gems  as  to  exceed  in  radiance  the  blended 
 brightness  of  a dozen  suns.  Flowers  of  delightful  perfume  shed  their  fra- 
 grance around,  and  all  that  can  fascinate  the  oriental  sensualist  are  to  be 
 found  in  the  heaven,  which  the  youthful  Hindu  poet  thus  describes  : — 
 
 “ Great  Surya  * smiles  with  lustre  gay, 
 
 And  flings  through  azure  skies  his  ray ; 
 
 The  golden  mountain’s  glittering  brow 
 Is  decked  with  many  a sparkling  gem, 
 
 Which  shines,  by  Surya’s  brightness,  now 
 As  if  a halo  circled  them ; 
 
 And  on  the  mount  beneath  this  beam 
 The  king  of  Swerga’s  garden  + smiles, 
 
 R 2 
 
 * The  sun. 
 
 f Indra. 
 
IN  DR  A. 
 
 124- 
 
 In  which  by  many  a gurgling  stream, 
 
 The  God  his  time  in  pleasure  whiles. 
 
 Here  Vayu  * through  the  charming  wood 
 For  ever  creeps  in  gentlest  mood  : 
 
 Now  o’er  the  bowing  grass  he  goes, 
 
 Now  stirs  the  fragrance  of  the  rose. 
 
 Here  many  a flower  of  lovely  hue, 
 
 Famed  in  the  love  of  former  time, 
 
 Blooms  glittering  wth  the  diamond  dew. 
 And  sweetening  the  heavenly  clime. 
 
 Young  roses  through  the  passing  breeze, 
 To  taste  their  sweets  invite  the  bees. 
 
 Here  fountains  round  the  heavenly  bowers 
 Perpetual  fall,  and  glittering  showers 
 Of  diamonds,  pearls,  and  stars  descend. 
 And  sweet  celestial  music  lend 
 Unto  the  ears  of  mortals,  blessed, 
 
 For  pious  deeds,  with  heavenly  rest. 
 
 The  garden’s  edge  is  compassed  round 
 With  trees  with  lasting  verdure  crowned, 
 And  in  the  garden’s  centre  stands 
 A palace  built  by  heavenly  hands ; 
 
 With  sapphires  decked,  the  golden  walls 
 Of  Satakratu’s  courtly  halls, 
 
 Reflecting  fling  their  beauteous  light, 
 
 And  glisten  round  all  fair  and  bright. 
 
 The  snow-white  pavements  made  have  been 
 Of  chrysolites  of  brightest  sheen, 
 
 Where  sweetest  flowers  of  lovely  hue 
 Are  strewed  upon  with  drops  of  dew  ; 
 
 The  outer  wall  is  smooth  all  o’er 
 With  rubies  glittering  more  and  more, 
 
 And  through  the  garden’s  trees  appear. 
 Like  morning's  light  in  winter’s  sky, 
 
 * The  north-west  wind. 
 
1NDRA. 
 
 125 
 
 Ere  the  resplendent  Surya  rears 
 His  glorious  face  of  light  on  high. 
 
 As  if  in  floods  of  ruby  light, 
 
 The  court  is  bathed  and  made  so  bright. 
 
 But  lo  ! a throng  afar  appears, 
 
 Like  vanished  joys  of  former  years  ; 
 
 So  indistinct,  that  scarce  the  eye 
 Its  faint  progression  can  descry. 
 
 As  when  at  morning’s  dubious  light, 
 
 A star  or  two  appears  in  sight ; 
 
 And  now  behold,  and  now  no  more, 
 
 The  glimmer  in  the  growing  shine ; 
 
 So  like  a mass  of  dim  light  o’er 
 The  garden  move  the  gods  divine ; 
 
 And  ’midst  them  those  who  greater  are 
 Shine  like  so  many  stars  afar. 
 
 Now  more  and  more  advance  they  nigh, 
 
 With  breast  erect  and  statues  high, 
 
 With  steps  majestically  slow, 
 
 With  looks  cast  on  the  ground  below. 
 
 Before  them  Indra,  dignified 
 With  royal  mien  and  royal  pride, 
 
 Proceeds.” 
 
 This  Olympus  of  Indra  is  on  Mount  Meru,  or  the  North  Pole.  He  is 
 the  Jupiter  Fulminator  of  the  Romans  ; and  is  thus  betokened  by  the  vajra 
 or  thunderbolt  in  his  hand. 
 
 Indra,  however,  performs  a secondary  part  only  among  the  gods  of  the 
 Hindu  Pantheon,  the  omnipotent  Jupiter  being  the  Triad,  Brahma,  Vishnu, 
 and  Siva.  Indra  was  frequently  deprived  of  his  kingdom  in  the  wars 
 between  the  gods  and  the  demons,  and  obliged  to  wander  about  the  world 
 in  a state  of  mendicity.  But  the  imperial  Jove  himself  was  once  compelled 
 to  hide  from  the  persecution  of  his  enemies.  To  account  for  these  various 
 transitions,  astronomy,  the  ready  expounder  of  mythological  extravagancies, 
 h as  been  called  in  aid,  and  found  highly  useful  in  solving  many  of  these 
 heterogeneous  enigmas. 
 
126 
 
 I N I)  R A. 
 
 Indra  is  the  regent  of  the  east,  and  the  supreme  ruler  of  winds  and 
 showers.*  Among  the  magnificent  sculptures  in  the  cavern  temples  at 
 Ellora,  he  is  represented  on  his  elephant  Airavat.  The  animal  is  reclining 
 under  a tree,  which  shades  Indra.  Upon  the  branches  of  this  tree  are  four 
 peacocks  ; two  attendants  with  chawries  are  in  the  back  ground.  Another 
 sculpture  represents  his  consort,  Indrani,  seated  on  a lion  under  a tree,  with 
 a child  in  her  arms,  and  four  attendants  with  chawries  in  the  back  ground. 
 Figs.  5 and  6,  plate  23,  exhibit  them  in  a similar  manner,  but  without  the 
 trees,  or  attendants.  Fig.  4 represents  them  on  the  elephant  Airavat. 
 
 The  character  of  Indra  is  not  in  accordance  with  his  dignified  situation 
 among  the  Hindu  deities.  In  addition  to  the  profligate  attempt  made  by 
 him  on  the  virtue  of  Ahilya,  the  wife  of  Gotama,  as  already  related,  he 
 availed  himself  of  another  opportunity  and  succeeded  in  seducing  her,  which 
 drew  upon  them  the  curse  of  the  Rishi.  Indra,  in  consequence,  became 
 an  eunuch  ; which  part  of  the  anathema  was,  on  the  intercession  of  the 
 gods  (as  occurred  on  a former  occasion),  mitigated,  and  his  virility  was 
 graciously  restored.  The  frail  Ahilya  was  condemned  to  lie  in  ashes,  in 
 pain,  and  invisible,  for  a long  series  of  years,  till  the  coming  of  Rama.  On 
 beholding  that  deity  without  desire,  she  was  purified,  and  restored  to  the 
 bosom  of  the  sage  Gotama. 
 
 Numerous  other  instances  are  related  of  the  profligacy  of  Indra.  He 
 stole  a horse  from  king  Suguru  as  he  was  about  to  perform  the  aswamedha, 
 or  sacrifice  of  a horse,  for  the  hundredth  time  ; which  ceremony  would  have 
 deposed  Indra,  and  elevated  Suguru  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  immortals  in 
 his  place.  On  another  occasion,  in  the  form  of  a shepherd’s  boy,  he  robbed 
 the  garden  of  a peasant.  In  this  theft  he  was  detected  and  bound  with 
 cords,  but  released  by  the  aid  of  the  subordinate  genii  of  the  winds.  This 
 incident  is  thus  beautifully  related  by  Sir  William  Jones.  The  peasant 
 
 “ Seized,  and  with  cordage  strong 
 Shackled  the  god ,*f*  who  gave  him  show’rs. 
 
 Straight  from  seven  winds  immortal  genii  flew: 
 
 Varunaf  green,  whom  foamy  waves  obey  ; 
 
 * This  would  appear  to  be  an  encroachment  upon  the  attributes  of  Pavana. 
 f Indra,  the  regent  of  showers  and  of  the  east  wind.  | Varuna,  regent  of  the  west. 
 
INDRA. 
 
 127 
 
 Bright  Vahni,*  flaming  like  the  lamp  of  day  ; 
 
 Kuvera-f*  sought  by  all,  enjoyed  by  few ; 
 
 Marut,j  who  bids  the  winged  breezes  play  ; 
 
 Stern  Yama,§  ruthless  judge,  and  Isa,||  cold  ; 
 
 With  Nairit,!  mildly  bold; 
 
 They,  with  the  ruddy  flash,  that  points  his  thunder. 
 
 Rend  his  vain  bands  asunder. 
 
 Th’  exulting  god  resumes  his  thousand  eyes, 
 
 Four  arms  divine,  and  robes  of  changing  dyes.'’ 
 
 Indra  is  worshipped  on  the  fourteenth  of  the  month  Badra,  accompanied 
 by  numerous  festivities ; after  which  the  image  is  thrown  into  the  water. 
 His  worshippers  solicit  from  him  riches  and  the  various  enjoyments  of  life, 
 together  with  a future  residence  in  his  celestial  abode. 
 
 Indra  has  a variety  of  names.  He  is  called  Sakra,  in  consequence  of 
 being  the  evil  adviser  of  the  demons  or  Asuras,  by  whom  he  was  so  often 
 driven  from  heaven  ; and,  with  true  mythological  inconsistency,  Paku- 
 shasani,  he  who  governs  the  gods  with  justice  ; Shatkratu,  he  to  whom  a 
 hundred  sacrifices  are  made  ; Vajra  Pani,  the  bearer  of  the  thunder  bolt; 
 Vitraha;  Bularati ; and  Numuchisadana,  the  destroyer  of  the  giants; 
 Vrisha  the  holy  ; Meghusadama,  he  who  is  borne  on  the  clouds,  &c.  &c. 
 
 Indra  possesses  the  following  blessings,  produced  at  the  churning  of  the 
 ocean.  Kamdenu,  the  all-yielding  cow ; Pariyataka,  the  tree  of  plenty  ; 
 and  Oochisrava,  the  eight- headed  horse.  The  princes  of  Kangti,  the  rajahs 
 of  Asam,  and  other  chiefs  in  the  eastern  parts  of  India,  pretend  to  have 
 derived  their  origin  from  Indra. 
 
 * Vahni,  of  the  south-east.  f Kuvera,  of  the  south.  j Marut,  of  the  north-west. 
 
 § Yama,  of  the  south.  ||  Isa,  or  Isani,  of  the  north-east. 
 
 ^ Nairit,  of  the  south-west.  This  account  will  be  found  to  vary  slightly  from  other  descrip- 
 tions of  the  regents  of  the  winds  or  eight  points  of  the  earth  ; but  the  several  accounts  differ  in 
 a very  trifling  degree,  introducing  Agni  instead  of  Vahni ; Surya  instead  of  Nairit : Chandra 
 for  Kuvera ; and  Chandra  also,  or  Prithivi,  for  Isa. 
 
128 
 
 S U II  Y A. 
 
 SURYA. 
 
 This  deity  was  the  son  of  Kasyapa  and  Aditi,  and  from  his  mother  is 
 called  Aditya.  He  is  pictured  of  a deep  golden  complexion,  with  his  head 
 encircled  by  golden  rays  of  glory.  He  has  sometimes  four,  and  at  others 
 two,  arms ; holding  a lotus  in  one  of  his  hands,  and  sometimes  the  chukra 
 or  wheel  in  another ; standing  or  sitting  on  a lotus  pedestal,  or  seated  in  his 
 splendid  car  with  one  wheel,  drawn  by  a seven-headed  horse  of  an  emerald 
 colour,  or  “ the  seven  coursers  green"  of  the  sun. 
 
 First  o’er  blue  hills  appear, 
 
 With  many  an  agate  hoof 
 
 And  pasterns  fringed  with  pearl,  seven  coursers  green  ; 
 
 Nor  boasts  yon  arched  roof, 
 
 That  girds  the  show’ry  sphere, 
 
 Such  heav’n-spun  threads  of  coloured  light  serene, 
 
 As  tinge  the  reins  which  Arun*  guides. 
 
 Glowing  with  immortal  grace, 
 
 Young  Arun,  loveliest  of  Vinatian  race  ; 
 
 Though  younger  he*j*  whom  MadhavaJ  bestrides, 
 
 When  high  on  eagle  plume  he  rides. 
 
 But,  oh  ! what  pencil  of  a living  star 
 Could  paint  that  gorgeous  car, 
 
 In  which,  as  in  an  ark,  supremely  bright, 
 
 The  lord  of  boundless  light, 
 
 Ascending  calm  o’er  the  Empvreum  sails, 
 
 And  with  ten  thousand  beams  his  awful  beauty  veils. 
 
 Sir  W.  Jones's  Hymn  to  Surya. 
 
 In  the  preface  to  this  work  I have  imagined  the  source  of  all  idolatry  to 
 have  been  the  sun.  Surya  is  the  personification  of  that  luminary,  the  orb 
 of  light  and  heat ; but  the  omnipotent  sun,  the  creator  of  all  things,  the  god 
 of  the  universe,  is  Brahm  ; typified  among  the  first  idolators  by  the  visible 
 
 * Arun  and  Garuda  are  the  sons  of  Kasyapa  and  of  Vinata. 
 t Garuda,  the  sacred  bird  of  Vishnu.  J A name  of  Vishnu. 
 
JPIJI 
 
SUR  YA. 
 
 129 
 
 sun,  and  by  the  Hindus  by  their  three  principal  deities,  Brahma,  Vishnu, 
 and  Siva,  personifications  of  his  attributes,  creation,  preservation,  and 
 destruction.  But  Surya,  as  the  type  also  of  the  deity,  is  likewise  that 
 of  his  attributes.  Thus,  in  the  east,  morning,  he  is  Brahma,  creation  ; at 
 noon,  Vishnu,  preservation  ; in  the  west,  evening,  Siva,  destruction.  We 
 shall,  therefore,  have  little  occasion  for  surprise  at  the  great  veneration  in 
 which  this  deity  is  held  by  all  classes  of  the  Hindus.  Sir  William  Jones, 
 in  his  beautiful  hymn  to  Surya,  terms  him  “ the  lord  of  the  lotus.” 
 
 “ Lord  of  the  lotus,  father,  friend,  and  king, 
 
 Surya,  thy  power  I sing. 
 
 Thy  substance  Indra,  with  his  heav’nly  bands, 
 
 Nor  sings,  nor  understands, 
 
 Not  even  the  Vedas  three  to  man  explain 
 
 Thy  mystic  orb  triform,  though  Brahma  tuned  the  strain.” 
 
 The  mystic  orb  triform  alludes  to  the  omnipotent  and  incomprehensible 
 power  represented  by  the  triple  divinity  of  the  Hindus. 
 
 The  flower  of  the  lotus  is  said  to  expand  its  leaves  on  the  rising  of  the 
 sun,  and  to  close  them  when  it  sets. 
 
 The  Aswinikumara,  the  twins  of  the  Hindu  zodiac,  are  called  the  children 
 of  Surya,  from  Aswini,  a form  of  Parvati  in  the  shape  of  a mare,  into  whose 
 nostrils  Surya  breathed,  and  thus  impregnated  her  with  sun-beams  and 
 gave  birth  to  the  Aswini. 
 
 Surya  is,  by  some  writers,  called  the  regent  of  the  south-west.  He 
 presides  over  Adit- war,  or  Sunday  (from  Adit,  the  first,  and  War,  day.) 
 
 Surya  has  various  names.  In  the  Gayatri  he  is  called  Savitri,  as  the 
 symbol  of  the  splendour  of  the  supreme  ruler,  or  the  creator  of  the  universe. 
 The  most  important  of  these  names  will  be  noticed  in  the  third  part  of  this 
 work. 
 
 Prabha,  or  brightness,  is  the  consort,  or  sacti,  of  Surya.  She  is  also 
 Chaya,  or  shade,  which  form  she  assumed  in  consequence  of  not  being  able 
 to  endure  the  intensity  of  the  splendour  of  her  lord. 
 
 The  Saurias  derive  their  name  from  the  radiance  of  their  deity,  “ soor 
 
 s 
 
130 
 
 SURYA. 
 
 bright.”  He  is,  in  his  mortal  form,  the  progenitor  of  the  two  great  Kettrie 
 tribes,  the  Suryabans  and  Chandrabans,  the  descendants  of  which  are 
 termed  the  children  of  the  Sun. 
 
 Although  extensively  worshipped  by  all  the  sects  of  the  Hindus,  no 
 temples  appear  to  be  exclusively  dedicated  to  Surya ; but  his  images  are 
 set  up  in  those  of  the  other  deities.  In  the  temple  of  Viweswara,  at  Benares, 
 dedicated  to  Mahadeo,  is  a splendid  image  of  him,  a model  of  which  is  in 
 the  fine  museum  of  the  East-India  Company. 
 
 In  the  account  of  Hanuman  is  related  an  impudent  attempt  of  that 
 monkey  god  to  snatch  the  beams  of  the  rising  sun  to  swallow  for  his 
 breakfast,  which  dreadfully  frightened  Surya.  On  another  occasion,  when 
 Lakshman  was  wounded  in  the  war  of  Lanka,  his  friends  were  directed  to 
 pluck  four  leaves  on  a distant  mountain,  at  night , to  effect  a cure.  Hanuman 
 undertook  the  task,  and  immediately  leaped  into  the  air  to  accomplish  his 
 object ; but  Ravan,  having  engaged  Surya  in  his  interest,  caused  him  to  rise 
 at  midnight,  which  so  incensed  Hanuman  that  he  arrested  the  chariot  of  the 
 sun,  and  having  tucked  the  god  under  his  arm  and  seized  the  mountain  in 
 his  hand,  returned  to  Rama’s  camp,  where  the  medicinal  herbs  were  found 
 to  have  been  obtained  in  good  time  to  effect  a cure. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  24,  is  from  a drawing  from  a compartment  in  the  temple  of 
 Rama,  at  Ramnaghur.  The  god  of  day  is  here  seen  in  his  chariot,  drawn 
 by  his  seven-headed  courser.  His  head  is  encircled  by  rays  of  glory ; he  is 
 two-armed,  and  holds  in  his  hand  the  sacred  lotus.  Before  him  is  his 
 charioteer  and  harbinger,  Arun,  the  morn. 
 
 Fig.  2 is  from  a fine  specimen  of  ancient  Hindu  sculpture,  rich  in  floral 
 ornaments,  and  possessing  much  grace  and  expression  in  the  figures.  In 
 the  centre  is  Surya  standing  on  a lotus  pedestal,  and  holding  in  each  hand 
 a richly  sculptured  lotus  sceptre.  His  mnghut  or  cap,  ear-rings,  dress,  and 
 ornaments,  are  equally  rich.  Before  him  stands,  also  on  a pedestal,  a 
 handsomely  formed  female,  Prabha  or  brightness,  his  consort  or  sacti.  At 
 her  feet,  and  in  the  front  of  the  pedestal,  is  the  legless  Arun,  holding  “ the 
 heaven-spun  reins”  in  one  hand,  and  a whip  in  the  other,  guiding  the  seven 
 coursers  of  the  sun,  which  are  represented  on  the  socle.  On  each  side  of 
 
SURYA.— CHANDRA. 
 
 131 
 
 Surya  are  two  attendants,  those  nearest  carrying  chawries,  another  a sword, 
 and  the  fourth  a cup.  At  their  feet  are  smaller  figures  with  bows,  from 
 which  they  appear  to  have  just  discharged  their  arrows.  In  the  back 
 ground  are  the  figures,  animals,  and  foliage,  usually  seen  in  Hindu  sculp- 
 tures. 
 
 CHANDRA,  or  SOMA, 
 
 The  moon,  is  described  as  a male,  and  is  painted  young,  beautiful,  and 
 of  dazzling  fairness ; two-armed,  and  haAring  in  his  hands  a club  and  a 
 lotus.  He  is  usually  riding  on  or  in  a car  drawn  by  an  antelope.  (See  fig. 
 1,  plate  25.)  Being  a Kettrie,  he  is  of  the  warrior  caste.  It  is  fortunate 
 to  be  born  under  this  planet,  as  the  individual  will  possess  many  friends, 
 together  with  the  high  distinctions  and  enjoyments  of  life.  Soma  presides 
 over  Somwar,  or  Monday. 
 
 Although  Soma  or  Chandra  is  here  described  as  a male,  he  is  occasionally 
 represented  as  Chandri,  a female ; in  which  character  being  visited  by 
 Surya,  she  produced  a numerous  family,  called  Pulinda.  In  the  third 
 volume  of  the  Asiatic  Researches,  this  sexual  change  is  accounted  for  by 
 Colonel  Wilford,  who  says,  “ when  the  moon  is  in  opposition  to  the  sun, 
 it  is  the  god  Chandra,  but  when  in  conjunction  with  it,  the  goddess  Chandri, 
 who  is  in  that  state  feigned  to  have  produced  the  Pulindas.” 
 
 The  moon  was  also  worshipped  as  male  and  female,  Lunus  and  Luna,  by 
 the  Egyptians  ; the  men  sacrificing  to  it  as  Luna,  the  women  as  Lunus ; 
 and  each  sex,  on  these  occasions,  assuming  the  dress  of  the  other. 
 
 The  Hindus  have  in  their  zodiac  twenty-seven  lunar  mansions,  called 
 Nakshatra,  or  daily  positions  of  the  moon  ; and  as,  to  perfect  the  revolutions, 
 some  odd  hours  are  required,  they  have  added  another  not  included  in  the 
 regular  chart.  These  twenty-eight  diurnal  mansions  from  the  zodiac  having- 
 been  invented  by  Daksha,  are  personified  as  the  daughters  of  that  deity, 
 and  are  the  mythological  wives  of  Chandra.  In  the  chart  of  the  lunar 
 mansions  they  are  curiously  represented,  as  a horse’s  head,  a yoni,  a razor, 
 an  arrow,  a wheel,  a bedstead,  a house,  & c.  &c.  Some  make  them  the 
 
 s 2 
 
132 
 
 CHANDRA.— MUNGULA. 
 
 daughters  of  Kasyapa,  the  brother  of  Daksha.  Sir  William  Jones  has  thus 
 described  them  in  the  following  lines,  in  his  Hymn  to  Surya : 
 
 “ Thou,  nectar-beaming  moon, 
 
 Regent  of  dewy  night, 
 
 From  yon  bright  roe  that  in  thy  bosom  sleeps. 
 
 Fawn  spotted  Sasin*  hight; 
 
 Wilt  thou  desert  so  soon 
 
 Thy  night-flowers  pale,  whom  liquid  odour  steeps, 
 
 And  Oshadi’s  -f*  transcendant  beam, 
 
 Burning  in  the  darkest  glade  ? 
 
 Will  no  lov’d  name  thy  gentle  mind  persuade, 
 
 Yet  one  short  hour  to  shed  thy  cooling  stream  ? 
 
 But,  ah  ! we  court  a passing  dream  ; 
 
 Our  prayers  not  Induj  nor  Himansu  § hears — 
 
 He  fades,  he  disappears ; 
 
 E’en  Kasyapa’s  ||  gay  daughters  twinkling  die, 
 
 And  silence  loves  the  sky, 
 
 Till  Chatacs  twitter  from  the  morning  brake, 
 
 And  sandal-breathino;  gales  on  beds  of  ether  wake.’’ 
 
 Chandra,  besides  Indu  and  Himansu,  has  many  names  : Nishaputi,  lord 
 of  the  night ; Mrigranku,  he  who  has  a deer  in  his  lap ; Kshupakara,  he 
 who  illumines  the  night,  &c.  &c. 
 
 MUNGULA. 
 
 Although  Kartikeya  is  the  leader  of  the  celestial  armies,  Mungula  is  the 
 Mars  of  the  Hindus.  He  is  one  of  the  planets,  and  is  of  the  Kettrie  caste. 
 He  was  produced  from  the  sweat  of  Siva’s  brow ; and  is  painted  of  a red  or 
 flame-colour,  with  four  arms,  holding  in  his  hands  a trident,  a club,  a lotus, 
 and  a spear.  (See  fig.  2,  plate  25.)  His  vahan  is  a ram.  Those  who  are 
 born  under  this  planet  are  subject  to  losses  and  misfortunes ; but  it  is  con- 
 sidered fortunate  (it  may  be  presumed  to  the  assailant)  to  engage  in  battle 
 
 * Sasin,  the  roe.  f Oshadi,  a wife  of  Chandra, 
 
 f $ Indu,  Himansu,  names  of  Chandra.  |[  The  astronomical  wives  of  Chandra. 
 
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MUNGULA.— BUDH.— BRISHPUT. 
 
 133 
 
 on  Mungulwar,  or  Tuesday,  over  which  day  he  presides.  Like  many  other 
 martial  personages,  Mungula  is  said  to  be  of  a fierce  and  arbitrary  dis- 
 position. 
 
 BUDH, 
 
 The  planet  Mercury  of  the  Hindus,  is  the  son  of  Soma  or  Chandra  and 
 Rohini.  He  is  a Kettrie,  and  the  first  of  the  Chandrabans,  or  lunar  race 
 of  sovereigns.  He  is  represented  as  being  eloquent  and  mild,  and  of  a 
 greenish  colour.  In  one  of  the  zodiacs  he  is  seated  on  a carpet,  holding  in 
 his  hands  a sceptre  and  a lotus  : in  another,  he  is  riding  on  an  eagle.  He 
 is  elsewhere  described  sitting  in  a car  drawn  by  lions ; and  by  Ward, 
 as  mounted  on  a lion.  In  one  of  the  compartments  of  the  temple  at  Ram- 
 naghur  he  is  represented,  very  appropriately,  on  a winged  lion,  holding 
 in  three  of  his  hands  a scimitar,  a club,  and  a shield.  (See  fig.  3,  plate  25.) 
 
 Budh  is  the  god  of  merchandize  and  the  protector  of  merchants  ; he  is, 
 therefore,  an  object  of  worship  by  the  Bys  caste.  It  is  fortunate  to  be  born 
 under  this  planet.  Budh  presides  over  Budhwar,  or  Wednesday.  The 
 bow,  according  to  Colonel  Delamaine,  is  sacred  to  Budh,  being  an  emblem 
 of  his  yielding  disposition.  It  was  selected  by  the  sage  Dunwuntree,  and 
 by  him  presented  to  that  god ; saying,  “ I have  this  day  completed  the 
 circle  of  my  knowledge,  and  he  who  shall  reverence  this  token  of  thee,  to 
 him  shall  knowledge  be  given,  and  his  diseases  vanish.” 
 
 BRISHPUT,  or  VRIHUSPATI, 
 
 Is  the  regent  of  the  planet  Jupiter,  and  the  preceptor  of  the  gods,  hence 
 called  their  guru.  He  is  the  son  of  Ungira,  a son  of  Brahma,  and  is  of  the 
 Brahman  caste.  He  is  described  of  a golden  or  yellow  colour,  sitting  on  a 
 horse,  and  holding  in  his  hands  a stick,  a lotus,  and  his  beads.  (See  fig.  1, 
 plate  26.)  The  Hindus  consider  it  fortunate  to  be  born  under  this  planet, 
 and  are  strict  in  their  worship  of  Brishput.  Besides  being  called  Guru  or 
 the  preceptor,  he  is  termed  Gishputu,  the  eloquent,  & c.  See.  Vrihuspatwar, 
 or  Thursday,  is  the  day  over  which  he  presides.  The  mango-tree  is  sacred 
 to  him. 
 
134 
 
 SUKRA.— SANI.— RAHU. 
 
 SUKRA, 
 
 The  planet  Venus,  is  a Brahman,  the  preceptor  or  guru  of  the  giants  or 
 ditis,  and  is  held  in  great  estimation  by  the  Hindus.  He  is  by  some  called 
 the  son,  by  others  the  grandson,  of  Brigu,  and  is  described  as  variously 
 mounted.  In  one  of  the  zodiacs  he  is  seated  on  a camel  (see  fig.  2,  plate 
 26),  with  a large  ring  or  hoop  in  his  hands,  and  having  the  appearance  of  a 
 female ; in  another  on  an  animal  resembling  a rat.  By  Colonel  Delamaine 
 he  is  represented  on  a horse,  with  a stick,  beads,  a lotus,  and  sometimes  a 
 bow  and  arrows  in  his  hands.  He  is  thus  represented  in  my  plate  from  the 
 temple  at  Ramnaghur.  He  is  of  a white  complexion,  middle-aged,  and  of 
 an  agreeable  countenance.  A person  born  under  this  planet  will  be  gifted 
 with  the  power  of  omniscience,  and  possess  the  gifts  of  fortune  and  the  bless- 
 ings of  life,  among  which  are  many  wives.  He  presides  over  Sukerwar,  or 
 Friday. 
 
 SANI  or  SHUNI, 
 
 Is  the  planet  Saturn.  He  is  described  of  a dark  colour,  and  clothed  in 
 black  ; holding  a sword,  arrows,  and  two  daggers  in  his  hands.  (See  fig.  3, 
 plate  26.)  His  vahan  is  variously  represented,  being  by  some  called  a black 
 vulture  or  raven,  and  by  others  an  elephant.  He  is  old,  ugly,  lame,  of  an 
 evil  disposition,  has  long  hair,  nails,  and  teeth,  and  is  of  the  Sudra  caste. 
 It  is  unfortunate  to  be  born  under  this  planet,  and  the  ills  of  life  are 
 ascribed  to  his  influence,  as  he  is  supposed  to  be  skilled  in  all  kinds  of 
 wickedness.  In  the  worship  of  him  numerous  ceremonies  are  in  consequence 
 resorted  to,  to  appease  him.  He  presides  over  the  day  of  the  week  Sanis- 
 war,  or  Saturday. 
 
 RAHU 
 
 Is  by  some  called  the  sun,  and  by  others  the  grandson  of  Kasyapa,  and 
 is  the  planet  of  the  ascending  node.  He  is  also  variously  represented  on  a 
 lion,  a flying  dragon,  an  owl,  and  a tortoise.  Fig.  5,  plate  26,  from  a 
 zodiac,  shews  him  on  the  latter  with  a spear  in  his  hand.  He  is  worshipped 
 
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RAHU.— KETU.— VARUNA. 
 
 135 
 
 in  misfortune,  and  to  avert  the  approach  of  evil  spirits,  malignant  diseases, 
 earthquakes,  comets,  See.,  and  especially  during  an  eclipse.  He  is  repre- 
 sented without  a head,  which  is  supposed  to  belong  to  his  other  portion. 
 
 KETU, 
 
 The  planet  of  the  descending  node,  also  variously  described ; by  some 
 sitting  on  a vulture ; and  by  others,  as  a head  on  the  back  of  a frog.  (See 
 fig.  4,  plate  26.)  For  further  particulars  of  Rahu  and  Ketu  refer  to  a 
 preceding  account  of  Kartikeya. 
 
 VARUNA 
 
 Is  the  god  of  the  waters,  the  Indian  Neptune,  and  the  regent  of  the  west 
 division  of  the  earth.  He  is  represented  as  a white  man,  four-armed,  rid- 
 ing on  a sea  animal,  with  a rope  called  pashu  in  one  of  his  hands,  and  a 
 club  in  another.  He  is  worshipped  daily,  as  one  of  the  regents  of  the 
 earth;  and  also,  according  to  Mr.  Ward,  by  those  who  farm  the  lakes  in 
 Bengal,  before  they  go  out  a fishing.  And  in  times  of  drought,  people 
 repeat  his  name  to  obtain  rain.  His  heaven,  formed  by  Viswakarma,  is 
 eight  hundred  miles  in  circumference,  in  which  he  and  his  queen,  Varuni, 
 are  seated  on  a throne  of  diamonds,  attended  by  Samudra,  Gunga,  &c.  Sec. 
 
 Fig.  7,  plate  26,  from  the  temple  at  Ramnaghur,  represents  him  on  the 
 the  mukara,  or  sea  animal,  armed  as  above  described. 
 
( 136  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 O’ra  ! — The  Vedas. — The  Brahmans. — The  Poita  or  Zenaar. — Temples. 
 
 O’M! 
 
 A mystick  syllable,  signifying  the  supreme  god  of  gods,  which  the 
 Hindus,  from  its  awful  and  sacred  meaning,  hesitate  to  pronounce  aloud  ; 
 and,  in  doing  so,  place  one  of  their  hands  before  their  mouths.  “ A Brah- 
 man beginning  or  ending  a lecture  of  the  Veda  (or  the  recital  of  any  holy 
 strain)  must  always  pronounce,  to  himself,  the  syllable  O’m  ; for  unless  that 
 syllable  precede,  his  learning  will  slip  away  from  him  ; and  unless  it  follow, 
 nothing  will  be  long  retained.  It  is  prefixed  to  the  several  names  of 
 worlds,  denoting  that  the  seven  worlds  are  manifestations  of  the  power 
 signified  by  that  syllable.”  “ All  rites  ordained  in  the  Veda,  oblations  to 
 fire,  and  solemn  sacrifices  pass  away  ; but  that  which  passeth  not  away, 
 says  Menu,  is  declared  to  be  the  syllable  O'm,  thus  called  Aschara,  since  it 
 is  the  symbol  of  God,  the  Lord  of  created  beings.* 
 
 From  various  passages  in  the  Asiatic  Researches,  principally  by  Mr.  Cole- 
 brooke,  as  well  as  other  authorities,  it  may  be  collected,  that  this  sacred  mo- 
 nosyllable, spelt  O'm,  is  pronounced  A,0,M,  or  A,U,M,  signifying  Brahm, 
 the  supreme  being,  under  his  three  great  attributes  of  the  Creator,  the  Pre- 
 server, and  the  Destroyer ; the  letters  standing,  in  succession,  for  the 
 attributes  as  they  are  here  described. 
 
 The  gayatri,  called  by  Sir  William  Jones  the  mother  of  the  Vedas,  and 
 in  another  place  the  holiest  text  of  the  Vedas,  is  expressed  by  the  triliteral 
 monosyllable  aum,  and  means,  if  I understand  it  correctly,  that  divine 
 light  of  knowledge  dispersed  by  the  Almighty,  the  sun  of  righteousness, 
 
 * Asiatic  Researches,  Vol  v. 
 
O'M.— THE  VEDAS. 
 
 137 
 
 to  illumine  the  minds  of  created  beings.  Sir  William  Jones  thus  trans- 
 lates it : “Let  us  adore  the  supremacy  of  that  divine  sun,  the  godhead 
 who  illumines  all,  delights  all,  from  whom  all  proceed,  to  whom  all  must 
 return,  whom  we  invoke  to  direct  our  understandings  aright  in  our  progress 
 towards  his  holy  seat.”  And  in  another  place  he  defines  that  divine  sun 
 as  “not  the  visible  material  sun,  but  that  divine  and  incomparably  greater 
 light,  which  illumines  all,  delights  all,  from  whom  all  proceeds,  to  which  all 
 must  return,  and  which  can  alone  irradiate  not  our  visual  organs  merely, 
 but  our  souls  and  our  intellects.”  Mr.  Colebrooke  again  explains  it : “ On 
 that  effulgent  power  which  is  Brahm  himself,  and  is  called  the  light  of 
 the  radiant  sun,  do  I meditate,  governed  by  the  mysterious  light  which 
 resides  within  me  for  the  purpose  of  thought.  I myself  am  an  irradiated 
 manifestation  of  the  supreme  Brahm.” 
 
 These  brief  extracts  may  explain  as  well  as  volumes,  that  the  funda- 
 mental principles  of  the  Hindu  religion  were  those  of  pure  monotheism ; 
 the  worship  of  one  supreme  and  only  god.  Under  what  circumstances  the 
 attributes  of  that  Almighty  Being  became  divided  and  appropriated  to  the 
 Hindu  Triad,  or  that  the  visible,  instead  of  the  divine  invisible  sun  became 
 an  object  of  worship,  we  are  left  in  utter  darkness.  The  one  was  the 
 hallowed  fundamental  creed  ; the  other  is,  unfortunately,  the  perverted 
 popular  practice  of  the  Hindus. 
 
 THE  VEDAS. 
 
 The  Vedas  are  the  earliest  sacred  writings  of  the  Hindus.  The  first  four, 
 called  the  immortal  Vedas,  are  the  Rig  or  Risk  Veda,  the  Yajar  or  Yajush 
 Veda , the  Sama  or  Saman  Veda,  and  the  Atharva  or  Atharvana  Veda.  They 
 comprise  various  sections,  which  are  again  divided  and  subdivided,  under 
 the  distinctions  of  Alantras,  Brahmana,  Itahasa,  Parana,  Upanishad,  See. 
 They  were  reduced  to  order  by  Vyasa,  and  prescribed  the  moral  and  re- 
 ligious duties  of  mankind. 
 
 Much  has  been  adduced  on  these  heads  by  writers  whose  opinions  appear 
 to  have  differed  very  widely  from  each  other.  The  following  scattered 
 
 T 
 
138 
 
 THE  VEDAS. 
 
 observations,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Colebrooke,  in  the  Asiatic  Researches,  will 
 explain  in  the  most  simple,  clear,  and  connected  light,  in  which  I have 
 been  able  to  discover  them,  these  fundamental  principles  of  the  Hindu 
 religion.  It  is  to  be  observed,  that  many  of  the  Hindu  scriptures  are 
 suspected  not  to  have  formed  parts  of  the  original  Veda. 
 
 “ It  is  well  known  that  the  original  Veda  is  believed  by  the  Hindus  to 
 have  been  revealed  by  Brahma,  and  to  have  been  preserved  by  tradition, 
 until  it  was  arranged  in  its  present  form  by  a sage,  who  thence  obtained 
 the  surname  of  Yyasa,  or  Yedavyasa;  that  is,  compiler  of  the  Vedas.  He 
 distributed  the  Hindu  scriptures  in  the  four  parts  before  mentioned. 
 
 “ According  to  the  received  notions  of  the  Hindus  themselves,  it  appears 
 that  the  Rich,  Yajush,  and  Saman,  are  the  three  principal  portions  of  the 
 Veda;  that  the  Atharvana  is  commonly  admitted  as  a fourth ; and  that 
 divers  mythological  poems,  entitled  Itahasa  and  Puranas,  are  reckoned  a 
 supplement  to  the  scripture,  and,  as  such,  constitute  a fifth  Veda. 
 
 “ The  true  reason  why  the  three  first  Vedas  are  often  mentioned  without 
 any  notice  of  the  fourth,  must  be  sought  not  in  their  different  origin  and 
 antiquity,  but  in  the  difference  of  their  use  and  purport.  Prayers  employed 
 at  solemn  rites,  called  Vajnyas,  have  been  placed  in  the  three  principal 
 Vedas.  Those  which  are  in  prose  are  named  Yajush  ; such  as  are  in  metre 
 are  denominated  Rich  ; and  some,  which  are  intended  to  be  chaunted,  are 
 called  Saman.  But  the  Atharvana,  not  being  used  at  the  religious  ceremonies 
 above  mentioned,  and  containing  prayers  employed  at  lustrations,  at  rites 
 conciliating  the  deities,  and  as  imprecations  on  enemies,  is  essentially 
 different  from  the  other  Vedas. 
 
 “ Vyasa  having  compiled  and  arranged  the  scriptures,  theogonies,  and 
 mythological  poems,  taught  the  several  Vedas  to  as  many  disciples,  who, 
 with  their  scholars  in  progression  becoming  teachers,  their  schools  of  scrip- 
 tural knowledge  at  length  amounted  to  eleven  hundred. 
 
 “ From  this  great  being  (God)  were  respired  the  Rigveda,  the  Yajurveda, 
 the  Samaveda,  and  the  Atharvan  and  Angiras,  the  Itahasa  and  Parana,  the 
 sciences  and  upanishads,  the  verses  and  aphorisms,  the  expositions  and 
 illustrations  : all  these  were  breathed  forth  by  him. 
 
THE  VEDAS. 
 
 139 
 
 “ Each  Veda  consists  of  two  parts,  denominated  the  Mantras  and  the 
 Brahmanas,  or  prayers  and  precepts.  The  complete  collection  of  the  hymns, 
 prayers,  and  invocations,  belonging  to  one  Veda,  is  entitled  its  Sanhita. 
 Every  other  portion  of  Indian  scripture  is  included  under  the  general  head 
 of  Divinity  ( Brahmana ). 
 
 “ There  are  four  sorts  of  prayers  {Mantra),  and  eight  kinds  of  precepts 
 (Brahmana).  The  Itahasa  designates  such  passages  in  the  second  part  of 
 the  Vedas  entitled  Brahmana,  as  relate  a story ; the  Parana * intends  those 
 which  relate  to  the  creation  and  similar  topics.  Sciences  are  meant  of 
 religious  worship  ; verses  are  memorial  lines ; aphorisms  are  short  sentences 
 in  a concise  style  ; expositions  interpret  such  sentences  and  elucidate  the 
 meaning  of  the  prayers.  Upanishad  means  divine  science,  or  the  knowledge 
 of  God,  and  is  equally  applicable  to  theology  itself,  and  to  a book  in  which 
 this  science  is  taught. 
 
 “ The  Rishi,  or  saint  of  a Majitra,  is  he  by  whom  it  is  spoken,  or  the  in- 
 spired, or  supposed  inspired  writer  ; the  Devata  is  the  deity  to  whom  it  is 
 addressed.  These  Devatas,  or  deities,  would,  upon  a cursory  view,  appear 
 to  be  numerous;  but  it  is  observed  that  they  are  resolvable  into  three 
 Devatas,  and  ultimately  into  one  God.  “ The  deities  are  only  three,  whose 
 places  are  the  earth,  the  intermediate  region,  and  heaven,  viz.  fire,  air,  and 
 the  sun ; and  ( Prajapati ) the  lord  of  creatures  is  the  deity  of  them  col- 
 lectively. The  syllable  O’ m intends  every  deity  : it  belongs  to  (. Paramesthi ) 
 him  who  dwells  in  the  supreme  abode ; it  appertains  to  (Bralim)  the  vast 
 one;  to  (Deva)  God;  to  (Ad’hyatma)  the  superintending  soul.  Other 
 deities  belonging  to  these  several  regions  are  portions  of  the  (three)  gods ; 
 for  they  are  variously  named  and  described,  according  to  their  different 
 operations  ; but,  in  fact,  there  is  only  one  deity,  the  great  soul  (Maham- 
 atma).  He  is  called  the  sun,  for  he  is  the  soul  of  all  beings.” 
 
 This  article,  with  the  preceding  one,  will  shew  that  the  Hindu  scriptures 
 recognised  but  one  God,  though  they  now  admit  the  worship  of  him  through 
 intermediate  objects,  which  are  considered  as  his  attributes,  or  mani- 
 
 * There  are  two  descriptions  of  Puranas.  See  that  article  in  the  third  part  of  this  volume. 
 
 T 2 
 
140 
 
 THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 festations  of  his  power.  That  many  interpolations  and  alterations  have 
 been  made  by  the  Brahmans  in  the  original  Vedas,  which  have  detracted 
 much  from  their  sacredness  and  purity,  there  can  be  little  question  ; and 
 it  may  be  imagined  that  those  interpolations  have  introduced,  among  other 
 things,  the  many  intermediate  objects  of  worship  which  are  now  reverenced 
 by  the  Hindus. 
 
 THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 The  Brahmans  are  the  first  and  most  distinguished  race  of  the  Hindus, 
 mythologically  described  to  have  sprung  from  the  head  of  Brahma ; as  the 
 Kettries,  Vaisyas,  and  Sudras  did  from  his  arms,  thighs,  and  feet.  They 
 had,  in  consequence,  the  charge  of  the  Vedas  assigned  to  them ; and  from 
 them  only  (except  as  Mr.  Ward  affirms,  among  the  Yogus,  mostly  weavers, 
 the  Chundalus,  and  the  basket-makers,  who  have  priests  of  their  own  castes) 
 can  the  sacerdotal  office  be  at  any  time  filled  ; and  their  influence  in  that 
 character  is  almost  unbounded.  In  the  sacred  writings  they  are  styled 
 divine  ; and  the  killing,  or  entertaining  an  idea  of  killing,  one  of  them  is  so 
 great  a crime,  that  Menu  says,  “ no  greater  can  be  known  on  earth.”  A 
 few  brief  sentences  from  the  institutes  of  that  lawgiver  will,  however,  best 
 shew  the  veneration  in  which  the  Brahmans  are  held. 
 
 “ Since  the  Brahman  sprang  from  the  most  excellent  part,  since  he  was 
 the  first  born,  and  since  he  possesses  the  Veda,  he  is  by  right  the  chief  of 
 this  whole  creation. 
 
 “ Of  created  things,  the  most  excellent  are  those  which  are  animated ; 
 of  the  animated,  those  which  subsist  by  intelligence  ; of  the  intelligent, 
 mankind  ; and  of  men,  the  sacerdotal  class. 
 
 “ Brahmans  should  be  preeminent  in  learning,  virtue,  and  justice. 
 
 “ When  a Brahman  springs  to  light,  he  is  born  above  the  world,  the 
 chief  of  all  creatures,  assigned  to  guard  the  treasury  of  duties,  religious  and 
 civil. 
 
 “ Whatever  exists  in  the  universe  is  in  effect,  though  not  in  form,  the 
 wealth  of  a Brahman,  since  the  Brahman  is  entitled  to  it  by  primogeniture 
 and  eminence  of  birth. 
 
THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 141 
 
 “ The  Brahman  eats  but  his  own  food,  wears  but  his  own  apparel,  and 
 bestows  but  his  own  in  alms  ; through  the  benevolence  of  the  Brahman, 
 indeed,  all  mortals  enjoy  life.” 
 
 A variety  of  punishments  (some  of  which  are  shewn  in  plate  28),  are  ap- 
 portioned to  those  who  assault,  or  in  any  way  injure  a Brahman  : it  is 
 accordingly  further  said : 
 
 “ Let  not  a king,  though  in  the  greatest  distress  for  money,  provoke  a 
 Brahman  by  taking  his  property. 
 
 “ What  prince  could  gain  wealth  by  oppressing  those  who,  if  angry, 
 could  frame  other  worlds  and  regents  of  worlds ; could  give  being  to  new 
 gods  and  mortals? 
 
 “ A Brahman,  whether  learned  or  ignorant,  is  a powerful  divinity,” 
 &c.  & c. 
 
 “ Though  Brahmans  employ  themselves  in  all  sorts  of  mean  occupations, 
 they  must  invariably  be  honoured  ; for  they  are  transcendently  divine. 
 
 “ A king  must  not  slay  a Brahman  though  convicted  of  all  possible 
 crimes ; but  may  banish  him,  with  his  body  unhurt,  and  his  property 
 secure. 
 
 “If  a twice-born  * man  assault  a Brahman,  he  is  to  be  whirled  about  in 
 hell  for  a century .” 
 
 These  institutes,  as  well  as  other  sacred  writings  of  the  Hindus,  furnish 
 abundant  proofs  of  the  profound  veneration  in  which  the  Brahmans,  espe- 
 cially those  of  the  sacerdotal  order,  are  held  ; but  the  few  which  I have 
 quoted  will  be  sufficient  to  give  an  ample  idea  of  them.  I need,  therefore, 
 only  add,  that  Brahmans,  their  wives  and  daughters  (till  they  are  eight 
 years  of  age),  are  objects  of  worship.  “ The  guru  (or  spiritual  guide),” 
 says  Mr.  Ward,  “ is  literally  a god.  Whenever  he  approaches,  the  disciple 
 prostrates  himself  in  the  dust  before  him,  and  never  sits  in  his  presence 
 without  leave.  He  drinks  the  water  with  which  he  has  washed  the  feet  of 
 his  guru,  and  relies  entirely  on  his  blessing  for  final  happiness.” 
 
 * A twice-born  man  must  be  of  the  Brahman,  Kettrie,  or  Vaisya  classes.  He  becomes  twice- 
 born  on  receiving  the  sacred  thread,  poita  or  zennar.  (See  Po'tta  or  Zennar.)  The  Sudras  have 
 no  second  birth,  and  do  not  wear  the  thread. 
 
142 
 
 THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 Every  Brahman  may  perform  the  ceremonies  of  his  religion,  and  may 
 become  an  officiating  priest,  if  he  is  acquainted  with  the  different  formulas 
 of  worship.  The  four  principal  orders  of  priests  are  the  Acharyas,  who 
 teach  and  read  the  Veda;  the  Sudushyus,  who  regulate  the  ceremonies  of 
 worship  ; the  Brumhas,  who  sit  near  the  fire  at  a burnt  offering,  and  supply 
 it  with  wood  ; and  the  Hota,  who  throws  the  clarified  butter  on  the  fire  in 
 the  burnt  offering.  In  sacrifices  of  animals  the  Hota  is  also  the  sacrificial 
 priest. 
 
 There  are  various  orders  of  Brahmans,  the  chief  of  which  are  the  Kulenas, 
 the  Vmgshujas,  and  the  Shrotujas,  the  Rarhees,  and  the  Vordikas,  &c.  &c. 
 The  divisions  and  subdivisions  of  the  different  castes  are  also  numerous. 
 The  Sudras  are  said  to  have  nearly  fifty.  Purity  of  caste  is  held  of  the 
 highest  consequence  among  the  Hindus.  Loss  of  caste  may  be  caused  by 
 various  means.  It  can  be  regained  only  by  atonement  and  fasting  on  the 
 part  of  the  offender,  together,  as  will  be  presently  instanced,  with  a liberal 
 expenditure  in  presents  and  feasting  towards  the  Brahman  priests  : fifty  and 
 even  one  hundred  thousand  rupees  have  been  known  to  have  been  ex- 
 pended on  such  occasions. 
 
 The  Kalena  or  Catena  Brahmans  are  a superior  order,  to  whom  the  seat 
 of  honour  is,  on  all  occasions,  yielded.  A Kulena  may  marry  his  son  to  a 
 daughter  of  a Brahman  of  a lower  class,  but  can  only  marry  his  daughters 
 to  those  of  his  own  order.  It  was  formerly  (and  still  is  to  a less  extent) 
 considered  a distinguished  honour  to  unite  a daughter  to  a Kulena,  who  on 
 such  occasions  receives  large  presents  from  the  father  of  the  bride.  Many 
 Kulenas  have,  in  consequence,  a number  of  wives ; sometimes  marrying 
 into  thirty,  fifty,  and  even  a hundred  families,  in  various  parts  of  Hindus- 
 tan. With  each  of  these  wives  the  Kulena  receives  a portion  ; and  also,  as  he 
 leaves  them  after  marriage  with  their  parents,  a handsome  present  when  he 
 may,  occasionally,  condescend  to  visit  them.  Sometimes  he  never  sees 
 them  after  the  marriage  ceremony,  and  sometimes  visits  them  once  in  three 
 or  four  years ; but  does  not  always,  in  doing  so,  cohabit  with  them,  as  he 
 dreads  having  a female  offspring,  whom  he  can  only  marry  to  a Kulena; 
 which,  as  these  Brahmans  receive,  as  before  observed,  large  portions  from 
 
THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 143 
 
 those  of  inferior  orders,  is  commonly  a matter  of  some  difficulty.  The  evils 
 arising  from  these  circumstances,  and  the  neglect  of  the  married  females, 
 are  manifold.  Profligacy,  adultery,  and  a consequent  destruction  of  unborn 
 children,  are  of  common  occurrence  among  the  Kulenas. 
 
 “ The  Brahman,”  says  the  Abb6  Dubois,  who,  probably,  knew  the 
 Hindus  better  than  any  European,  “ lives  but  for  himself.  Bred  in  the 
 belief  that  the  whole  world  is  his  debtor,  and  that  he  himself  is  called  upon 
 for  no  return,  he  conducts  himself  in  every  circumstance  of  his  life  with  the 
 most  absolute  selfishness.  The  feelings  of  commiseration  and  pity,  as  far 
 as  respects  the  sufferings  of  others,  never  enter  into  his  heart.  He  will 
 see  an  unhappy  being  perish  on  the  road,  or  even  at  his  own  gate,  if  be- 
 longing to  another  caste,  and  will  not  stir  to  help  him  to  a drop  of  water, 
 though  it  were  to  save  his  life.  There  is  no  country  on  earth  in  which  the 
 sanction  of  an  oath  is  less  respected,  and  particularly  amongst  the  Brah- 
 mans. That  high  caste  is  not  ashamed  to  encourage  falsehood,  and  even 
 perjury,  under  certain  circumstances,  and  to  justify  them  openly  ; as  vices, 
 no  doubt,  when  used  for  ordinary  purposes,  but  as  virtuous  in  the  highest 
 degree,  when  employed  for  the  advantage  of  the  caste.” 
 
 Of  the  Kurradee  Brahmans  the  following  is  related  in  the  Transactions  of 
 the  Bombay  Literary  Society,  from  the  pen  of  Sir  John  Malcolm  : “ As  con- 
 nected with  the  Dusrahs,  by  the  festival  being  the  period  at  which  they 
 were  celebrated,  I.  cannot  refrain  from  mentioning  the  horrid  human 
 sacrifices  (now,  I hope,  no  longer  in  existence)  formerly  offered  by  the  Kur- 
 radee Brahmans  to  the  sactis  at  the  close  of  this  feast.  I had  often  heard 
 this  sect  accused  of  having  made  human  sacrifices,  and  I asked  my  Brahman 
 friend  if  it  was  true.  ‘ There  is,’  said  he,  ‘ not  the  slightest  doubt  of  it; 
 and  still  more  horrible,  sometimes  the  victim  is  nearly  connected  with  the 
 person  by  whom  he  is  sacrificed  to  the  infernal  and  sanguinary  gods. 
 These  sacrifices,’  continued  he,  ‘ were  often  made  at  Poonah,  till  put  an 
 end  to  by  Balajee  Badjerow.’  He  promised  to  note  down  for  me  all  the 
 particulars  he  knew ; and  I was  soon  presented  with  an  account,  of  which 
 the  following  is  a literal  translation  : — 
 
 “ ‘ The  tribe  of  Brahmans  called  Kurradee  had  formerly  a horrid  custom 
 
144. 
 
 THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 of  annually  sacrificing  to  their  deities  ( sactis ) a young  Brahman.  The  sacti 
 is  supposed  to  delight  in  human  blood,  and  is  represented  with  three 
 fiery  eyes,  and  covered  with  red  flowers.  This  goddess  holds  in  one  hand 
 a sword,  and  in  the  other  a battle-axe.  The  prayers  of  her  votaries  are 
 directed  to  her  during  the  first  nine  days  of  the  Dusrah  feast ; and  on  the 
 evening  of  the  tenth  day  a grand  repast  is  prepared,  to  which  the  whole 
 family  is  invited.  An  intoxicating  drug  is  contrived  to  be  mixed  with  the 
 food  of  the  intended  victim,  who  is  often  a stranger  whom  the  master  of  the 
 house  has  for  several  months,  perhaps  years,  treated  with  the  greatest  kind- 
 ness and  attention  ; and  sometimes,  to  lull  suspicion,  gives  him  his  daughter 
 in  marriage.  As  soon  as  the  poisonous  and  intoxicating  drug  operates,  the 
 master  of  the  house,  unattended,  takes  the  devoted  person  into  the  temple, 
 leads  him  three  times  round  the  altar,  and  on  his  prostrating  himself  before 
 it  takes  this  opportunity  of  cutting  his  throat.  He  collects  with  the  greatest 
 care  the  blood  in  a small  bowl,  which  he  first  applies  to  the  lips  of  this 
 ferocious  goddess,  and  then  sprinkles  it  over  her  body ; and  a hole  having 
 been  dug  at  the  feet  of  the  idol  for  the  corpse,  he  deposits  it  with  great 
 care  to  prevent  discovery.  After  the  perpetration  of  this  horrid  act,  the 
 Kurradee  Brahman  returns  to  his  family,  and  spends  the  night  in  mirth  and 
 revelry,  convinced  that  by  this  praiseworthy  act  he  has  propitiated  the  favour 
 of  his  bloodthirsty  deity  for  twelve  years.  On  the  morning  of  the  follow- 
 ing day  the  corpse  is  taken  from  the  hole  in  which  it  had  been  thrown, 
 and  the  idol  is  deposited  till  the  next  Dusrah,  when  a similar  sacrifice  is 
 made.’ 
 
 “ The  discontinuance  of  this  horrid  custom,  however,  of  late  years,  is 
 said  principally  to  have  arisen  from  the  following  circumstance.  At  Poonah 
 a young  and  handsome  Carnatic  Brahman,  fatigued  with  travel,  and  op- 
 pressed by  the  scorching  heat  of  the  sun,  sat  himself  down  in  the  veran- 
 dah of  a rich  Brahman,  who  chanced  to  be  of  the  Kurradee  sect.  The 
 Brahman  shortly  after  passing  by,  and  perceiving  that  the  youth  was  a 
 stranger,  kindly  invited  him  to  his  house,  and  requested  him  to  remain  till 
 perfectly  recovered  from  the  fatigues  of  his  journey.  The  unsuspecting 
 Brahman  youth  readily  accepted  this  apparently  kind  invitation,  and  was 
 
THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 145 
 
 for  several  days  treated  with  so  much  attention  and  kindness  that  he  shewed 
 no  inclination  to  depart.  He  had  seen  also  the  Kurradee  Brahman’s  beauti- 
 ful daughter,  and  conceived  for  her  a violent  attachment.  Before  a month 
 had  elapsed  he  asked  and  obtained  her  in  marriage.  They  lived  happily 
 together  till  the  time  of  the  Dussaratis  arrival,  when  the  deceitful  old  Brah- 
 man, according  to  his  original  intention,  determined  to  sacrifice  his  son-in-law 
 to  the  goddess  of  his  sect.  Accordingly,  on  the  tenth  day  of  the  feast  he 
 mixed  an  intoxicating  poisonous  drug  in  his  victuals,  not,  however,  unper- 
 ceived by  his  daughter.  She  being  passionately  fond  of  her  husband, 
 contrived,  unobserved,  to  exchange  the  dish  with  that  of  her  brother,  who 
 in  a short  time  became  senseless.  The  unlucky  father  seeing  the  hapless 
 state  of  his  son,  and  despairing  of  his  recovery,  carried  him  to  the  temple, 
 and  with  his  own  hands  put  him  to  death.  This  being  perceived  by  the 
 young  Brahman,  he  asked  his  wife  the  meaning  of  so  shocking  and  unna- 
 tural an  action.  She  replied  by  informing  him  of  his  recent  danger,  and 
 the  particulars  of  the  whole  affair.  Alarmed  for  his  own  safety,  and  de- 
 sirous that  justice  should  be  inflicted  on  the  cruel  Brahman,  he  effected 
 his  escape,  and  repairing  to  the  Peishwa,  fell  at  his  feet  and  related 
 the  whole  affair.  Orders  were  instantly  given  to  seize  every  Kurradee 
 Brahman  in  the  city  of  Poonah,  and  particularly  the  infamous  perpe- 
 trator of  the  horrible  deed.  He  was,  with  a number  of  others  similarly 
 convicted,  put  to  death ; and  all  the  sect  were  expelled  the  city,  and  strict 
 injunctions  laid  on  the  inhabitants,  to  have,  in  future,  as  little  connection 
 with  them  as  possible.  By  this  well-timed  severity  (says  my  authority) 
 Balajee  Badjerow  effectually  prevented  the  recurrence  of  similar  crimes, 
 and  the  Kurradee  Brahmans  now  content  themselves  with  sacrificing  a 
 sheep  or  buffalo.” 
 
 To  the  inviolability  of  a Brahman,  and  to  the  sin  which  is  attached  to 
 causing  the  death  of  one,  in  any  way,  may,  according  to  Sir  William  Jones, 
 be  traced  “ the  practice  called  dherna,  which  was  formerly  familiar  at 
 Benares,  and  may  be  translated  caption  or  arrest.  It  is  used  by  the  Brah- 
 mans to  gain  a point  which  cannot  be  accomplished  by  any  other  means  ; 
 and  the  process  is  as  follows : — The  Brahman  who  adopts  this  expedient 
 
 u 
 
146 
 
 THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 for  the  purpose  mentioned,  proceeds  to  the  door  or  house  of  the  person 
 against  whom  it  is  directed,  or  wherever  he  may  most  conveniently  in- 
 tercept him.  He  there  sits  down  in  dherna , with  poison  or  a poignard,  or 
 some  other  instrument  of  suicide  in  his  hand,  and  threatening  to  use  it  if 
 his  adversary  should  attempt  to  molest  or  pass  him,  he  thus  completely 
 arrests  him.  In  this  situation  the  Brahman  fasts  ; and  by  the  rigor  of  the 
 etiquette,  which  is  rarely  infringed,  the  unfortunate  object  of  his  arrest 
 ought  also  to  fast ; and  thus  they  both  remain  until  the  institutor  of 
 the  dherna  obtains  satisfaction.  In  this,  as  he  seldom  makes  the  attempt 
 without  resolution  to  persevere,  he  rarely  fails ; for  if  the  party  thus 
 arrested  were  to  suffer  the  Brahman  sitting  in  dherna  to  perish  by  hunger, 
 the  sin  would  for  ever  be  upon  his  head.  This  practice  has  been  less  fre- 
 quent of  late  years,  but  the  interference  of  our  courts  have  often  proved 
 insufficient  to  check  it ; as  it  has  been  deemed  in  general  most  prudent  to 
 avoid  for  this  purpose  the  use  of  coercion,  from  an  apprehension  that  the 
 first  appearance  of  it  might  drive  the  sitter  in  dherna  to  suicide.  The  dis- 
 credit of  the  act  would  not  only  fall  upon  the  officers  of  justice,  but  upon 
 the  government  itself. 
 
 “ The  practice  of  sitting  in  dherna  is  not  confined  to  male  Brahmans 
 only,  which  the  following  instance  will  at  once  prove  and  exemplify : 
 Beenoo  Bhai,  the  widow  of  a man  of  the  Brahminical  tribe,  had  a litiga- 
 tion with  her  brother-in-law,  Balkishen,  which  was  tried  by  arbitration ; 
 and  the  trial  and  sentence  were  revised  by  the  court  of  justice  at  Benares, 
 and  again  in  appeal.  The  suit  of  Beenoo  involved  a claim  of  property  and 
 a consideration  of  caste,  which  her  antagonist  declared  she  had  forfeited. 
 The  decision  was  favourable  to  her,  but  not  to  the  extent  of  her  wishes, 
 and  she  resolved  therefore  to  procure  by  the  expedient  of  the  dherna,  as 
 above  explained,  what  neither  the  award  of  arbitration  nor  the  judicial 
 decision  had  granted.  In  conformity  to  this  resolution,  Beenoo  sat  down 
 in  dherna  on  Balkishen ; and  he,  after  a perseverance  of  several  days, 
 apprehensive  of  her  death,  repaired  with  her  to  a Hindu  temple  in  Benares, 
 where  they  both  continued  to  fast  some  time  longer.  Thirteen  days  had 
 elapsed  from  the  commencement  of  Balkishen’s  arrest,  when  he  yielded 
 
THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 147 
 
 the  contest,  by  entering  into  a conditional  agreement  with  Beenoo,  that  if 
 she  would  establish  the  validity  of  her  caste,  and  in  proof  thereof  prevail  on 
 some  creditable  members  of  her  own  tribe  to  partake  with  her  of  an  enter- 
 tainment of  her  providing,  he  would  not  only  defray  the  expense  of  it,  but 
 would  also  discharge  her  debts.  The  conditions  were  accepted  by  Beenoo, 
 who  fulfilled  her  part  of  the  obligation  ; and  her  antagonist,  without  hesita- 
 tion, defrayed  the  charges  of  the  entertainment.  But  the  non-performance 
 of  his  engagement  to  discharge  her  debts  induced  Beenoo  Bhai  to  institute 
 a suit  against  him ; and  the  practice  of  the  dherna,  with  the  proofs  of  it, 
 were  thus  brought  forward  to  official  notice.  It  is  not  unworthy  of  remark, 
 that  some  of  the  pandits,  on  being  consulted,  admitted  the  validity  of  an 
 obligation  extorted  by  dherna , provided  the  obligation  were  to  obtain  a just 
 cause  or  right,  wickedly  withheld  by  the  other  party,  but  not  otherwise. 
 Others  again  rejected  the  validity  of  an  engagement  so  extorted,  unless  it 
 should  be  subsequently  confirmed  by  the  writer,  either  in  whole  or  in  part, 
 after  the  removal  of  the  coercion  upon  him.” 
 
 Sir  William  Jones,  on  farther  information,  added  : “ Any  one  who  sits  in 
 dherna  on  another's  door  or  in  his  house,  for  the  realization  of  a debt,  or 
 for  other  purpose,  takes  with  him  some  weapon  or  poison  and  sits  down ; 
 he  does  not  eat  himself,  nor  allow  the  party  against  whom  he  is  sitting, 
 or  his  family  to  eat ; nor  does  he  allow  any  person  ingress  into  that 
 person’s  house,  nor  egress  from  it ; and  addressing  himself  in  terms  of  the 
 strongest  oaths  to  the  people  of  the  house,  he  says,  ‘ If  any  of  those  of 
 your  house  shall  eat  victuals,  or  go  into  your  house,  or  go  out  of  it,  I shall 
 either  wound  myself  with  this  weapon  or  swallow  this  poison  and  it  does 
 sometimes  happen  that  both  these  events  take  place,  and  that  he  who  sits 
 in  dherna  does  not  remove  from  it  without  the  entreaty  of  those  on  whom  he 
 is  sitting,  or  the  order  of  the  hakim.” 
 
 The  following  instance  is  of  late  occurrence.  “ Mohun  Panreh,  an  in- 
 habitant of  a district  in  the  province  of  Benares,  sat  down  in  dherna  before 
 the  house  of  some  Rajpoots,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  payment  of 
 birt , or  a charitable  subsistence,  to  which  he  had  a claim,  and  in  that  situ- 
 ation poisoned  himself.  Some  of  the  relations  of  the  deceased  retained 
 
 u 2 
 
148 
 
 THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 his  corpse  for  two  days  before  the  house  of  the  Rajpoots ; who  thus  were 
 compelled  to  forego  taking  sustenance,  in  order  to  induce  them  to  settle  the 
 birt  on  the  heir  of  the  deceased  Brahman.” 
 
 The  celebrated  Scindiah  was  not  exempt  from  this  mortifying  ceremony. 
 Two  of  his  chiefs  once  sat  down  in  dherna  with  drawn  swords,  &c.  to 
 obtain  from  him  arrears  of  pay  due  to  their  troops,  who  were  reduced  to 
 the  utmost  distress.  He  contrived,  however,  to  remove  them  by  promises 
 from  the  entrance  of  his  tent,  and  then  surrounded  them  with  two  batallions 
 of  his  troops  and  artillery,  and  compelled  them  to  quit  the  camp. 
 
 Another  practice,  of  a very  singular  and  cruel  nature,  is  called  erecting 
 a koor.  This  term  is  explained  to  mean  a circular  pile  of  wood  which  is 
 prepared  ready  for  conflagration.  Upon  this,  sometimes  a cow,  and  some- 
 times an  old  woman,  is  placed  by  the  constructors  of  the  pile,  and  the 
 whole  is  consumed  together.  The  object  of  this  practice  is  to  intimidate 
 the  officers  of  government,  or  others,  from  importunate  demands,  as  the 
 effect  of  the  sacrifice  is  supposed  to  involve  in  great  sin  the  person  whose 
 conduct  forces  the  constructor  of  the  koor  to  this  expedient.  An  instance 
 of  this  practice  is  thus  described.  “ Three  Brahmans  had  erected  a koor, 
 upon  which  an  old  woman  had  suffered  herself  to  be  placed.  The  object 
 of  temporary  intimidation  was  fully  attained  bv  it,  and  the  timely  inter- 
 position of  authority  prevented  the  completion  of  the  sacrifice.  It  cannot 
 be  uninteresting  to  know  the  cause  which  urged  the  three  Brahmans  to  this 
 desperate  and  cruel  resource.  Their  own  explanation  is  summarily  this : 
 That  they  held  lands  in  partnership  with  others,  but  that  the  public  assess- 
 ment was  unequally  imposed  upon  them,  as  their  partners  paid  less,  whilst 
 they  were  charged  with  more  than  their  due  proportion ; they  therefore 
 refused  to  discharge  any  part  of  the  revenues  whatever,  and  erected  a koor, 
 to  intimidate  the  government’s  officers  from  making  any  demands  upon 
 them.  Their  sole  object,  as  they  explicitly  declared,  was  to  obtain  an 
 equal  distribution  of  the  public  assessment  between  themselves  and  their 
 partners.  A woman,  nearly  blind  from  age,  had  in  this  instance  been 
 placed  upon  the  koor : she  was  summoned  to  appear  before  the  English 
 superintendant  of  the  province,  but  absolutely  refused  to  attend  him,  de- 
 
THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 149 
 
 daring  that  she  would  throw  herself  into  the  first  well  rather  than  submit. 
 The  summons  was  not  enforced.” 
 
 Having  described  the  highest  caste  or  tribe  of  the  Hindus,  I proceed  to 
 notice  that  of  the  lowest,  as  related  by  the  intelligent  Abb6  Dubois  ; who, 
 flying  from  the  atrocities  of  the  French  revolution,  sought  refuge  in  India, 
 where  he  became  a missionary,  and  in  the  performance  of  his  religious 
 functions,  lived  in  intimate  communication  with  the  natives  during  a period 
 of  seventeen  years,  conforming  to  their  manners  and  prejudices,  their  dress, 
 and  their  mode  of  living,  as  far  as  he  with  propriety  could.  This  respect- 
 able authority  has  stated  that  “ The  distance  and  aversion  which  the  other 
 castes,  and  the  Brahmans  in  particular,  manifest  for  the  Pariahs,  are  carried 
 so  far,  that  in  many  places  their  very  approach  is  sufficient  to  pollute  the 
 whole  neighbourhood.  They  are  not  permitted  to  enter  the  street  where 
 the  Brahmans  live  : if  they  venture  to  transgress,  those  superior  beings 
 would  have  the  right,  not  to  assault  them  themselves,  because  it  would  be 
 pollution  to  touch  them  even  with  the  end  of  a long  pole,  but  they  would 
 be  entitled  to  give  them  a sound  beating  by  the  hands  of  others,  or  even  to 
 make  an  end  of  them,  which  has  often  happened  by  the  orders  of  the  native 
 princes,  without  dispute  or  inquiry.  Any  person  who,  from  whatever  acci- 
 dent, has  eaten  with  Pariahs,  or  of  food  provided  by  them,  or  even  drank 
 of  the  water  which  they  have  drawn,  or  which  was  contained  in  earthen 
 vessels  which  they  have  handled,  any  one  who  has  set  his  foot  in  their 
 houses  or  permitted  them  to  enter  his  own,  would  be  proscribed  without 
 pity  from  his  caste,  and  would  never  be  restored  without  a number  of 
 troublesome  ceremonies  and  great  expense.  The  Pariahs  are  considered 
 to  be  far  beneath  the  beasts  who  traverse  their  forests,  and  equally  share 
 the  dominion  in  them.  It  is  not  permitted  to  them  to  erect  a house,  but 
 only  a sort  of  shed,  supported  on  four  bamboos  and  open  on  all  sides.  It 
 shelters  them  from  the  rain,  but  not  from  the  injuries  of  the  weather.  They 
 dare  not  walk  on  the  common  road,  as  their  steps  would  defile  it.  When 
 they  see  any  person  coming  at  a distance,  they  must  give  him  notice  by  a 
 loud  cry,  and  make  a great  circuit  to  let  him  pass.” 
 
 Witches,  charms,  and  amulets,  obtain  extensive  credit  in  some  of  the 
 
150 
 
 THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 provinces  of  Hindustan.  Instead,  however,  of  the  former  appearing,  as  in 
 Scotland,  on  the  blasted  heaths,  or,  as  in  ancient  times  in  England,  be- 
 striding a broom-stick  and  decently  dressed,  in  the  cavalier  hat  and  cloak 
 of  scarlet  dye,  they  are  generally  discovered  dancing  naked  at  midnight, 
 with  a broom  tied  round  their  waists,  either  near  the  house  of  a sick  person 
 or  on  the  outside  of  a village. 
 
 To  ascertain  with  a greater  degree  of  certainty  the  persons  guilty  of 
 practising  witchcraft,  the  three  following  modes  are  adopted  : 
 
 First.  Branches  of  the  saul  tree,  marked  with  the  names  of  all  the  females 
 in  the  village,  whether  married  or  unmarried,  who  have  attained  the  age  of 
 twelve  years,  are  planted  in  the  water  in  the  morning,  for  the  space  of  four 
 hours  and  a half,  and  the  withering  of  any  of  these  branches  is  proof  of 
 witchcraft  against  the  person  whose  name  is  annexed  to  it. 
 
 Secondly.  Small  portions  of  rice  enveloped  in  cloths,  marked  as  above, 
 are  placed  in  a nest  of  white  ants.  The  consumption  of  the  rice  in  any  of 
 the  bags  establishes  sorcery  against  the  woman  whose  name  it  bears. 
 
 Thirdly.  Lamps  are  lighted  at  night,  water  is  placed  in  cups  made  of 
 leaves,  and  mustard-seed  and  oil  is  poured,  drop  by  drop,  into  the  water, 
 whilst  the  name  of  each  woman  in  the  village  is  pronounced.  The  appear- 
 ance of  the  shadow  of  any  woman  on  the  water  during  this  ceremony,  proves 
 her  a witch. 
 
 In  accordance  with  the  policy  of  the  ancient  Brahmans  to  keep  the  Hindus 
 detached  from  all  communication  with  other  nations,  the  higher  castes  of 
 them  are  prohibited  from  crossing  the  river  Attock  (the  name  given  to  the 
 Indus  after  its  junction  with  that  river) ; but  they  contrive  to  avoid  the 
 prohibition  by  passing  the  stream  above  the  point  where  the  waters  unite  ; 
 or  allege,  as  the  channel  of  the  Indus  is  understood  to  have  formerly  ran 
 farther  to  the  westward,  that  they  may  cross  it  without  scruple,  as  its  true 
 bed  is  not  now  defined.  This,  however,  is  not  at  all  times  to  be  done  with 
 impunity,  when  the  priests  discover  that  the  offending  parties  are  rich,  as 
 the  following  statement  will  shew. 
 
 “ When  the  unfortunate  Raghu  Nath  Raya,  orRagoba,  sent  two  Brahmans 
 as  ambassadors  to  England,  they  went  by  sea  as  far  as  Suez,  but  they 
 
THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 151 
 
 came  back  by  the  way  of  Persia,  and  of  course  crossed  the  Indus.  On 
 their  return  they  were  treated  as  outcasts,  because  they  conceived  it  hardly 
 possible  for  them  to  travel  through  countries  inhabited  by  Mlec’h' has,  or 
 impure  tribes,  and  live  according  to  the  rules  laid  down  in  the  sacred  books. 
 It  was  also  alleged  that  they  had  crossed  the  Attaca  or  Attock.  Numerous 
 meetings  were  held  in  consequence  of  this,  and  learned  Brahmans  were 
 convened  from  all  parts.  The  influence  and  authority  of  Raghu  Nath 
 Raya  could  not  save  his  ambassadors.  However,  the  holy  assembly  de- 
 creed, that  in  consideration  of  their  universal  good  character,  and  of  the 
 motives  of  their  travelling  to  distant  countries,  which  was  solely  to  promote 
 the  good  of  their  country,  they  might  be  regenerated,  and  have  the  sacer- 
 dotal ordination  renewed.  For  the  purpose  of  regeneration,  it  is  directed 
 to  make  an  image  of  pure  gold,  of  the  female  power  of  nature,  in  the  shape 
 either  of  a woman  or  of  a cow.  In  this  statue  the  person  to  be  regenerated 
 is  enclosed  and  dragged  through  the  usual  channel.  As  a statue  of  pure 
 gold  and  of  proper  dimensions  would  be  too  expensive,  it  is  sufficient  to 
 make  an  image  of  the  sacred  yoni,  through  which  the  person  to  be  regene- 
 rated is  to  pass.  Raghu  Nath  Raya  had  one  made  of  pure  gold  and  of 
 proper  dimensions  : his  ambassadors  were  regenerated,  and  the  usual  cere- 
 monies of  ordination  having  been  performed,  and  immense  presents  be- 
 stowed on  the  Brahmans,  they  were  readmitted  to  the  communion  of  the 
 faithful.”  * 
 
 The  five  great  sacraments  of  the  Brahmans  are,  the  study  of  the  Veda ; 
 the  sacraments  of  the  manes  ; of  deities  ; of  spirits  ; and  the  hospitable  re- 
 ception of  guests. 
 
 The  rites  and  ceremonies  used  on  these  occasions  are  numerous.  On 
 rising  from  his  sleep,  a Brahman  must  clean  his  teeth  with  the  twig  of  the 
 ramiferous  fig-tree,  repeating  to  himself  at  the  same  time  a prayer;  or  on 
 certain  days  must  rinse  his  mouth  twelve  times  with  water.  He  must  then 
 proceed  to  perform  his  ablutions,  which  are  accompanied  by  various  prayers 
 and  ceremonies.  Having  finished  these,  he  puts  on  his  mantle  after  washing 
 
 * Asiatic  Researches,  vol.  vi. 
 
152 
 
 THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 it,  and  sits  down  to  worship  the  rising  sun.  During  this  worship  he 
 occasionally  sips  water,  and  touches  with  his  wet  hand  different  parts  of  his 
 body  : but  if  he  happen  to  sneeze  or  spit,  he  must  not  sip  water  till  he  has 
 first  touched  the  tip  of  his  right  ear.  He  next  meditates  the  holiest  of  texts 
 (the  gayatri ) during  three  suppressions  of  the  breath,  which  is  thus  per- 
 formed. Closing  the  left  nostril  with  the  two  longest  fingers  of  his  right 
 hand,  he  draws  his  breath  through  the  right  nostril ; and  then  closing  that 
 nostril  likewise  with  his  thumb,  holds  his  breath  while  he  meditates  the 
 text : he  then  raises  both  fingers  off’  the  left  nostril,  and  emits  the  breath 
 he  had  suppressed  : he  next  inhales  water  through  each  nostril  as  an  inter- 
 nal ablution  to  wash  away  sins.  Again  he  worships  the  sun,  standing  on 
 one  foot,  and  resting  the  other  against  his  ankle  or  heel,  looking  towards 
 the  east,  and  holding  his  hands  open  before  him  in  a hollow  form,  repeating 
 prayers,  in  allusion,  says  Mr.  Colebrooke  (from  whose  copious  essays  on  the 
 religious  ceremonies  of  the  Hindus  I have  abstracted  this  matter),  to  the 
 seven  rays  of  the  sun,  four  of  which  are  supposed  to  point  towards  the  four 
 quarters,  one  upwards,  one  downwards,  and  the  seventh,  which  is  centrical, 
 is  the  most  excellent  of  all.  An  oblation,  called  argha,  is  offered,  con- 
 sisting of  tila,*  flowers,  barley,  water,  and  red  sanders  wood,  in  a clean 
 copper  vessel  made  in  the  shape  of  a boat.  (See  fig.  5,  plate  32.)  This  the 
 priest  places  on  his  head,  and  presents  it  with  a text,  expressive  that  the 
 sun  is  the  manifestation  of  the  supreme  being,  present  every  where,  produced 
 every  where,  and  pervading  every  place  and  thing.  The  oblation  over,  the 
 sun  is  again  worshipped  with  another  prayer.  Bathing  at  noon  and  in  the 
 evening  is  also  enjoined,  which  may  be  done  with  water  drawn  from  a well, 
 a fountain,  or  a bason  of  a cataract : but  water  that  lies  above  ground 
 should  be  preferred  ; as  should  a stream  to  stagnant  water  ; a river  to  a 
 brook ; a holy  stream  before  a vulgar  river ; and,  above  all,  the  water  of 
 
 * Sesamum.  Various  other  articles  are  also  used  in  Pujah.  Cum  grass,  sugar-cane,  &c.  &c. ; 
 and  to  the  vindictive  deities,  human  beings  (now,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  not  practised),  beasts,  birds, 
 fishes,  spirituous  and  fermented  liquors,  warlike  instruments,  &c.  &c.  Forms  are  prescribed  for 
 offering  up  the  blood  of  the  victims,  which  must  be  in  vessels  of  peculiar  shapes  and  compositions. 
 See  farther  particulars  in  the  account  of  the  goddess  Kali. 
 
THE  BRAHMANS. 
 
 153 
 
 the  Ganges.  Preparatory  to  any  act  of  religion,  ablutions  should  be  per- 
 formed : but  ablution  does  not,  in  all  cases,  consist  of  the  use  of  water. 
 The  body  may  be  purified  by  ashes,  by  dust  raised  by  the  treading  of  cows, 
 from  wind  or  air,  standing  in  the  rain  during  day-light,  &c.  &c. 
 
 The  sacrament  of  deities  consists  in  oblations  to  fire,  with  prayers  and 
 offerings,  which  vary  according  to  the  divinity  worshipped. 
 
 In  consecrating  the  fire  and  hallowing  the  sacrificial  instruments  many 
 ceremonies  are  practised ; after  these  the  priest  takes  a lighted  ember  out 
 of  a covered  vessel  which  contains  the  fire,  and  throws  it  away,  saying,  “ I 
 dismiss  far  away  carnivorous  fire  : may  it  go  to  the  realm  of  Yama  bearing 
 sin  (hence)!”  He  then  places  the  fire  before  him,  adding  “ earth ! sky! 
 heaven  ! this  other  (harmless)  fire  alone  remains  here."  He  then  names  the 
 fire  according  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  prepared,  burning  at  the  same 
 moment  a small  log  of  wood  smeared  with  ghee * Numerous  ceremonies 
 follow,  with  prayers  and  oblations  of  cusa  grass,  & c.  & c. 
 
 The  sacrament  of  the  manes  is  also  accompanied  by  numerous  cere- 
 monies. The  corpse  of  the  deceased  is  washed,  perfumed,  and  decked  with 
 wreaths  of  flowers,  and  gold,  gems,  &c.  put  into  its  mouth,  nostrils,  ears, 
 and  eyes.  A perfumed  cloth  is  then  thrown  over  it,  and  it  is  carried  to  a 
 holy  place  in  a forest,  or  near  water,  accompanied  by  fire  and  food.  The 
 corpse  of  a Sudra  is  conveyed  out  of  a town  through  the  southern  gate  ; that 
 of  a Brahman  through  the  western  ; of  a Ketrie  through  the  northern  ; and 
 of  a Vaisya  through  the  eastern.  The  funeral  procession,  in  passing  to  its 
 destination,  must  make  a circuit  to  avoid  any  inhabited  place.  On  reaching 
 the  spot,  the  relations  must  first  bathe,  and  then  prepare  the  funeral  pile : 
 having  done  which,  they  again  bathe.  These  proceedings  are  attended, 
 like  the  rest  of  the  Hindu  rites,  by  prayers,  &c. 
 
 The  ceremonies  occasionally  vary,  according  to  the  person  whose  funeral 
 obsequies  may  be  performed.  After  the  body  has  been  burnt,  oblations  of 
 water,  &c.,  are  offered  ; the  relations  of  the  deceased  then  change  their 
 clothes,  and,  sitting  down,  utter  the  following  or  other  moral  sentences. 
 
 * Ghee,  clarified  butter. 
 
 X 
 
154 
 
 THE  BRAHMANS— POITA. 
 
 “ Foolish  is  he  who  seeks  permanence  in  the  human  state ; unsolid,  like 
 the  stem  of  the  plantain  tree  ; transient,  like  the  foam  of  the  sea.  All  that 
 is  low  must  finally  perish ; all  that  is  elevated  must  fall  ; all  compound 
 bodies  must  end  in  dissolution ; and  life  is  concluded  with  death.” 
 
 The  other  funeral  ceremonies,  as  well  as  those  of  marriage,  and  the  duties 
 attendant  upon  hospitality  (which  are  peremptorily  enjoined  towards 
 strangers,  especially  Brahmans),  are  very  numerous  and  diversified.  The 
 inquisitive  reader  will  find  them  detailed  in  the  seventh  volume  of  the 
 Asiatic  Researches. 
 
 POITA  or  ZENNAAR. 
 
 Various  ceremonies  are  attendant  upon  Hindu  boys  between  infancy  and 
 the  age  of  eight  years.  After  that  age,  and  before  a boy  is  fifteen,  it  is 
 imperative  upon  him  to  receive  the  poita,  zennaar,  or  sacred  thread,  which 
 after  a variety  of  preliminary  ceremonies  is  thus  performed.  “ The  priest 
 first  offers  a burnt  sacrifice,  and  worships  the  salagrama,  repeating  a 
 number  of  prayers.  The  boy’s  white  garments  are  then  taken  off,  and  he  is 
 dressed  in  red,  and  a cloth  is  brought  over  his  head,  that  no  Sudra  may 
 see  his  face  : after  which  he  takes  in  his  right-hand  a branch  of  the  vilwa, 
 and  a piece  of  cloth  in  the  form  of  a pocket,  and  places  the  branch  on  his 
 shoulder.  A poita  of  three  threads,  made  of  the  fibres  of  the  suru,  to  which 
 a piece  of  deer’s  skin  is  fastened,  is  suspended  from  the  boy’s  left  shoulder, 
 falling  under  his  right  arm,  during  the  reading  of  the  incantations.”  The 
 father  of  the  boy  then  repeats  certain  formulas,  and  pronounces  three  times, 
 in  a low  voice,  from  the  Gayitree,  “ Let  us  meditate  on  the  adorable  light 
 of  the  divine  Ruler  (Savitri) : may  it  guide  our  intellect.”  After  this  the 
 suru  poita  is  taken  off,  and  the  real  poita,  or  sacred  thread,  put  on.  During 
 this  ceremony  the  father  repeats  certain  formulas ; the  suru  poita  is  fas- 
 tened to  the  vilwa  staff,  shoes  are  put  on  the  boy’s  feet,  and  an  umbrella 
 in  his  hand.  He  then  solicits  alms  from  his  parents  and  the  company 
 present,  who  give  more  or  less  according  to  their  means.  Various  other 
 ceremonies  then  follow,  which  are  succeeded  by  the  service  called  sandhya : 
 
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POITA.— TEMPLES. 
 
 155 
 
 at  the  close  of  which  the  boy  eats  of  the  rice  which  has  been  offered  in  the 
 burnt  sacrifice,  and  thus  the  ceremony  ends. 
 
 The  receiving  of  the  poita  is,  as  I have  elsewhere  stated,  considered  as 
 the  second  birth  of  a Hindu,  who  is  from  that  time  denominated  twice- 
 born.  A boy  cannot  be  married  till  he  has  received  the  poita. 
 
 The  sacred  thread  must  be  made  by  a Brahman.  It  consists  of  three 
 strings,  each  ninety-six  hands  (forty-eight  yards),  which  are  twisted  toge- 
 ther : it  is  then  folded  into  three,  and  again  twisted ; these  are  a second 
 time  folded  into  the  same  number,  and  tied  at  each  end  in  knots.  It  is 
 worn  over  the  left  shoulder  (next  the  skin,  extending  half-way  down  the 
 right  thigh),  by  the  Brahmans,  Ketries,  and  Yaisya  castes.  The  first  are 
 usually  invested  with  it  at  eight  years  of  age,  the  second  at  eleven,  and 
 the  Vaisya  at  twelve.  The  period  may,  from  especial  causes,  be  deferred  ; 
 but  it  is  indispensable  that  it  should  be  received,  or  the  parties  omitting  it 
 become  outcasts. 
 
 The  Hindus  of  the  Sudra  caste  do  not  receive  the  poita. 
 
 TEMPLES. 
 
 The  temples  of  the  Hindus  vary,  in  a very  great  degree,  both  in  their 
 structure  and  dimensions  ; from  the  small  choultry,  containing  the  simple 
 clay  image  or  emblem  of  the  deity,  to  the  magnificently  sculptured  fane 
 enriched  by  a whole  pantheon  of  gods  in  all  their  varied  forms,  attributes, 
 and  avatars;  and  from  this  to  the  extensive  cavern  temples  of  Ellora, 
 Karli,  Elephanta,  &c.  &c.  That  the  sculptures  in  these  temples  are  inferior 
 in  many  points  to  those  of  Greece  and  Rome,  will  not  be  questioned  ; but 
 that  there  are  other  points  in  which  they  have  never  been  excelled,  is 
 equally  undoubted. 
 
 Plate  27  of  this  work  is  a representation  of  part  of  the  south  front  of  the 
 beautiful  temple  of  Rama,  at  Ramnaghur.  It  is  stated  to  have  been  com- 
 menced by  the  unfortunate  Rajah  Cheyt  Singh,  and  is  described  as  one  of 
 the  most  admirable  specimens  of  indefatigable  and  minute  labour  in  all  Hin- 
 dustan. Hamilton  describes  it  as  being  equally  beautiful  and  mythologi- 
 
 x 2 
 
156 
 
 TEMPLES. 
 
 cally  correct.  Hindu  drawings  of  the  four  fronts  are  in  my  possession, 
 which  correspond  in  all  points  except  in  the  variety  of  their  mythological 
 subjects,  and  possess  one  merit  over  most  of  the  temples  of  a similar 
 description  in  Hindustan,  viz.  that  in  the  whole  of  the  compartments, 
 which  comprise  the  forms  and  avatars  of  the  several  deities,  there  is  not  a 
 single  unchaste  figure  to  be  discovered  among  them. 
 
 The  part  of  the  south  front  of  the  building  shewn  in  plate  27,  represents, 
 in  the  centre  of  the  upper  row  of  figures,  Durga  destroying  the  giant 
 Muhisha,  Ganesha,  and  a figure  kneeling  : on  one  side  are  also  three 
 devotees.  In  the  centre  of  the  second  row  appear  to  be  Krishna  concealing 
 himself  from  the  Gopias,  with  one  of  the  latter  on  each  side.  On  the  left 
 side  of  the  centre,  commencing  from  the  left,  are,  in  one  compartment, 
 Ganesha  and  Kartikeya  ; in  others,  Hanuman,  Mungula,  three  of  (to  me) 
 unknown  figures  ; and  in  the  two  lower  rows,  elephants,  & c.  On  the  right 
 of  the  centre  are  Yama,  Hanuman,  Agni,  Kal,  and  two  more  unknown 
 forms,  with  the  two  lower  rows  as  before.  On  each  side  of  the  door  are 
 various  figures.  The  whole  stands  upon  a terrace,  apparently  commanding 
 a wide  extent  of  country.  Several  other  figures  from  this  temple  are 
 presented  in  the  plates  of  this  work. 
 
 Of  the  cavern  temples  of  Ellora,  the  Earl  of  Munster  (then  Colonel 
 Fitzclarence)  has  written  : “ I will  not  permit  my  feelings  to  pass  away 
 without  recording  them  on  a more  secure  tablet  than  that  of  my  memory. 
 My  eyes  and  mind  are  absolutely  satiated  with  the  wonders  I have  seen. 
 The  first  are  weary  with  objects  so  gigantic  and  extraordinary;  and  the 
 latter  has  been  so  much  on  the  stretch,  being  crowded  and  overwhelmed 
 with  ideas  so  overpowering  and  various,  that  I despair  of  ever  forming  a 
 calm  judgment  upon  them.  Some  of  the  sculptured  decorations,  and  taste 
 of  the  ornaments,  would  do  credit  to  the  best  period  of  the  Grecian 
 school.” 
 
 These  temples  are  of  both  Brahmanical  and  Buddhist  workmanship. 
 The  origin  of  them,  as  well  as  those  of  Elephanta,  Salcette,  Karli,  &c., 
 appears  to  have  been  altogether  lost  in  the  lapse  of  ages.  The  Ellora  caves 
 are  fifteen  (some  say  more)  in  number,  and  consist  of  Jugnath  Subba, 
 
TEMPLES. 
 
 157 
 
 Adnatli  Subba,  Indur  Subba,  Pursaram  Subba,  Dooma  Leyna,  Junwassaor 
 the  place  of  nuptials,  Ghana,  Neelkunt,  Mahadeo,  Rameshwar,  Kylas  (Kai- 
 lasa,  or  the  paradise  of  Mahadeo),  Dus  Outar,  Teen  Tal,  Bhurt  Chuttur- 
 ghun,  Biskurma  or  Viswakarma  ka  Jompree  (the  Carpenter's  hovel),  and 
 Dehr  Warra.  Of  these,  Kylas,  or  the  paradise  of  Mahadeo,  stands  pre- 
 eminent, both  in  extent  and  beauty.  The  approach  to  it  is  handsome,  and 
 it  consists  of  a pagoda  a hundred  feet  high,  of  a sugar-loaf  form,  surrounded 
 by  five  chapels,  being  nearly  miniatures  of  the  grand  temple.  The  extreme 
 depth  of  the  excavation  in  the  rock  is  401  feet,  the  extreme  breadth  185 
 feet,  which  will  make  an  area  of  about  two  acres.  The  whole  of  this  im- 
 mense body  is  supported  on  the  backs  of  elephants,  intermixed  with  ani- 
 mals resembling  tigers  and  griffins,  and  exhibits  one  vast  and  extraordinary 
 mass  of  sculpture  of  most  exquisite  workmanship. 
 
 The  space  occupied  by  what  Major  Seely  has  correctly  denominated  the 
 “ wonders  of  Ellora,”  embraces  many  miles,  the  whole  hewn  out  of  the  solid 
 rock,  and  sculptured  into  so  vast  and  rich  a pantheon  of  gods,  demi-gods, 
 and  heroes,  with  architectural  ornaments  of  every  description,  exhibited  in 
 temples,  chapels,  halls,  vestibules,  galleries,  &c.,  as  would  require  a volume 
 of  no  small  size  to  describe  them  with  appropriate  justice. 
 
 The  temples  of  the  south  are  not  less  worthy  of  notice  than  those  of  the 
 more  northern  and  central  provinces  of  India.  The  beautiful  temple  of 
 Cirangam,  or  Ciringapatam,  is  described  by  Bartolomeo  as  a real  master- 
 piece of  Indian  architecture.  It  is  situated  in  the  kingdom  of  Tanjore,  on 
 the  island  of  Ciranga,  which  lies  in  the  river  Colura  or  Colram. 
 
 “ This  temple  (he  says)  is  surrounded  by  seven  walls,  each  of  a square 
 form,  which  together  inclose  the  whole  edifice.  They  are  entirely  con- 
 structed of  hewn  stone,  are  twenty-five  feet  in  height,  and  each  is  350  feet 
 distant  from  the  other  in  a parallel  direction.  Each  wall  has  four  gates, 
 and  over  each  gate  is  a gobura,  or  high  tower,  which  rests  on  the  middle  of 
 the  wall,  and  is  at  an  equal  distance  from  both  ends.  These  gates  and 
 towers,  which  stand  exactly  opposite  to  each  other,  looking  towards  the 
 lour  cardinal  points,  are  ornamented  with  columns  thirty-five  feet  in  length 
 and  five  in  thickness.  In  the  centre  of  this  temple,  that  is  the  sanctuary, 
 
158 
 
 TEMPLES. 
 
 stands  the  image  of  Vishnu,  to  whom  it  is  dedicated.  On  the  gates,  towers, 
 and  walls  may  be  seen  various  figures  of  men  and  animals,  which  all  have 
 a symbolical  meaning.  This  temple  is,  at  least,  * two  thousand  years  old, 
 and  serves  to  shew  how  far  advanced  the  ancient  Indians  were  in  the  arts 
 of  architecture  and  sculpture.” 
 
 I am  induced  to  extend  this  article,  to  notice  the  much-resorted-to 
 temple  of  Tripetty,  in  the  kingdom  of  Tanjore.  The  following  account  will, 
 in  a general  sense,  be  found  a tolerably  correct  description  of  the  measures 
 commonly  adopted  by  the  Brahmans  to  impose  upon  the  minds  of  their 
 superstitious  and  ignorant  followers.  This  celebrated  temple,  which  it  has 
 been  said  was  not  built  by  mortal  hands,  is  situated  in  the  Carnatic,  about 
 eighty  miles  from  Madras,  and  is  resorted  to  by  pilgrims  from  every  part  of 
 Tndia.  It  is  dedicated  to  Vishnu  as  Ballaji,  whose  image,  seven  feet  in 
 height,  with  four  arms,  and  having  in  three  of  his  hands  the  chukra,  the 
 chunk,  and  the  lotus,  is  here  worshipped  with  those  of  Lakshmi  and  the 
 serpent  Sesha.  It  is  built  of  stone  and  covered  with  plates  of  gilt  copper, 
 and  stands  in  a valley  in  the  centre  of  a range  of  hills,  which  are  imper- 
 vious alike  to  the  Christian  and  the  Mussulman.  The  very  sight  of  the 
 hills,  though  at  the  distance  of  many  leagues,  is  so  gratifying  to  the  Hindu 
 devotees,  that  upon  first  catching  a glimpse  of  these  sacred  rocks  they  fall 
 prostrate,  calling  upon  the  idol's  name. 
 
 A lively  correspondent  in  the  Asiatic  Journal  thus  farther  describes  it, 
 and  its  ceremonies  : “ The  early  history  of  the  Pagoda  is  involved  in  the 
 obscurity  of  Indian  mythology  and  fable.  Its  anticjuity  is  undoubted,  and 
 the  Brahmans  assert  that  it  was  erected  at  the  commencement  of  the  Kali- 
 yug,  of  which,  I believe,  4,930  years  have  expired.  This  temple  is  distin- 
 guished by  the  oblations  which  are  offered  to  its  god,  by  Vishnu’s  votaries 
 from  all  parts  of  the  Indian  world.  Princes  send  their  vakeels  or  ambassa- 
 dors to  present  their  offerings  to  the  shrine  ; whilst  the  poorer  peasant,  who 
 may  have  less  to  offer,  wraps  up  some  petty  oblation  in  a piece  of  waxcloth  : 
 a handful  of  rice  stained  with  munjal  makes  it  look  a larger  packet. 
 
 * This  supposition,  like  many  others  respecting  the  architecture  and  sculpture  of  India,  may 
 not  be  correct. 
 
TEMPLES. 
 
 159 
 
 “ The  cause  of  these  offerings  is  as  follows  : The  idol,  smitten  with 
 love  for  the  blooming  Judmavuttee,  daughter  of  the  Rajah  Akasha,  de- 
 termined to  espouse  her  : but  wanting  coin  for  the  matrimonial  expenses, 
 he  raised  the  wind  by  the  aid  of  Kuvera,  the  Indian  Plutus.  This  god, 
 however,  directed  that  the  money  thus  lent  should  be  repaid  annually  to 
 the  sovereign  of  the  countries  lying  between  the  Palaur  and  Soonoo- 
 mookei  rivers ; and  the  votaries  at  the  shrine  pour  in,  in  great  numbers, 
 during  the  Brumhantsciween,  or  nine  days’  celebration  of  the  nuptials  ; and, 
 annually,  at  this  period,  two-thirds  of  the  usual  collections  are  made. 
 
 “ These  offerings  are  made  generally  from  interested  motives,  and  are 
 of  every  diversity  of  articles  conceivable  : gold  and  silver  lamps,  coins  of 
 all  sorts,  bags  of  rupees,  copper  money,  spices,  assafoetida,  the  hair  cut 
 off  the  head,  frequently  vowed  from  infancy,  and  given  up  by  some  beauti- 
 ful virgin  in  compliance  with  her  parent’s  oath.  A man  who  is  lame 
 presents  a silver  leg  ; if  blind,  a gold  or  silver  eye.  In  fact,  there  would 
 be  no  end,  were  I to  enumerate  the  various  ways  in  which  Hindu  super- 
 stition develops  itself  on  this  occasion.  The  jewels  which  a woman  has 
 worn  with  pride  from  infancy  are  voluntarily  left  before  the  idol.  She 
 appears  with  a shabby  cloth  before  the  stone  god,  and  presents  a splendid 
 one  which  has  never  been  worn  : she  tears  the  bangles  from  her  infant’s 
 legs,  and  fondly  hopes  that  the  god  whom  she 
 
 ‘ Sees  in  the  clouds  and  hears  in  the  wind,’ 
 
 will  shower  down  his  blessings  on  her  and  her’s.  She  has,  haply,  travelled 
 hundreds  of  miles,  and  accomplished  her  object;  and  perhaps,  before  a 
 journey  which  to  her  might  have  been  one  of  terror,  never  left  her  village 
 and  the  bosom  of  her  own  family. 
 
 “ The  birth  of  a son,  reconciliation  with  enemies,  success  against  the 
 foe,  safe  determination  of  a journey,  the  marriage  of  a son  or  a daughter, 
 prosperity  in  trade,  enjoyment  of  health,  and  the  reverse  of  these,  are 
 among  the  reasons  which  lead  together,  in  the  direction  of  Tripetty,  the 
 wise  as  well  as  ignorant  heathens.  The  offerings  are  not  always  presented 
 
160 
 
 TEMPLES. 
 
 by  the  interested  party  : they  may  be  sent  by  relations,  friends,  or  vakeels ; 
 but  they  are  frequently  forwarded  by  gnseynes.  A goseyne  is  a servant  of 
 the  temples ; there  are  a considerable  number  of  them.  A few  months 
 before  the  Brumhantsaween  they  set  out  in  different  directions,  and  reach- 
 ing the  country  they  intend  to  commence  their  operations  in,  they  unfurl 
 the  sacred  flag  of  the  god  with  which  each  is  entrusted.  Round  this 
 idolatrous  banner  the  Hindus  gather,  and  either  trust  their  offerings  to  its 
 bearer,  or  carry  the  counukee  themselves  to  the  foot  of  the  idol.  A suffi- 
 cient mass  being  congregated,  the  blind  leader  of  the  blind  strikes  the 
 standard  and  returns  whither  he  came,  in  time  for  the  nuptial  anniversary. 
 
 “ The  following  are  ceremonies  for  which  the  superstitious  devotee  or 
 inquisitive  visitor  must  pay  amply,  before  they  are  indulged  with  a sight  of : 
 
 “ 1st  Abbeesheykoom.  Every  Friday  throughout  the  year  the  idol  is  anoin- 
 ted with  civet,  musk,  camphire,  &c.,  and  washed  clean  again  with  milk.  So 
 important  a spectacle  cannot  be  seen  for  love,  and  the  devotee,  desirous  of 
 viewing  the  operation,  pays  what  he  chooses  during  the  rest  of  the  year, 
 but  at  the  Brumhantsaween  pays  through  the  nose,  in  a sum  formerly  more, 
 but  now  reduced  to  fifty  rupees.  This  ceremony  of  rubbing,  scrubbing, 
 and  causing  the  god  to  smell  sweet,  and  visa  versd,  is  stiled  Poolkauh. 
 
 “2d.  Porlungee  Seeva,  or  enrobing  his  excellency  the  god  in  a flowered 
 garment.  This  ceremony  takes  place  every  Thursday.  During  the  festival 
 sixty  rupees  are  paid  for  seeing  the  business. 
 
 “ 3d.  Soomanlah  Seeva.  Twelve  rupees  are  paid  under  this  head  by  all 
 who  delight  in  seeing  the  idol  decorated  with  a necklace  of  flowers  ; and 
 the  pleasure  may,  for  this  daily  payment,  be  enjoyed  for  three  hundred  and 
 sixty-five  days  of  the  year. 
 
 “ 4th.  Saliasranamaschana.  This  term  signifies  the  diurnal  worship  of  the 
 god  under  his  thousand  names.  Five  rupees  is  the  price  of  this  peice  of 
 devotion. 
 
 “ 5th.  Mansoon  Seeva  is  an  imposing  ceremony,  and  yeilds  forth  twelve 
 rupees,  for  seeing  the  mighty  object  of  his  worship  rocked  to  sleep. 
 
 “ There  remains  now  to  describe  Wahanum , or  processions  of  the  idols. 
 They  are  twelve  in  number,  and  each  has  a reference  to  different  parts  of 
 
TEMPLES. 
 
 161 
 
 Hindu  mythology,  as  connected  with  the  adoration  of  Vishnu.  The  idol 
 exhibited  on  these  occasions  is  a gilded  representation,  made  of  metal,  of 
 the  stone  fellow  in  the  temple,  who  is  too  lazy  to  turn  out  himself. 
 Kulpavaroocha  Wahanum  is  a procession  of  the  idol  placed  under  a gilt 
 wooden  tree.  Andolecka  Wahanum  is  a procession  attending  his  excellency 
 in  a palankeen.  Sesha  Wahanum  is  the  god  carried  forth  on  a gilt  serpent. 
 Sooroah  Boopaulah  Wahanum  signifies  the  carrying  the  idol  on  a gilt 
 throne.  Surya  Prabah  Wahanum  is  a procession  of  the  idol  attended  by 
 the  sun.  Addarrah  is  a trip  of  the  gentleman  to  a room  surrounded  by 
 looking-glasses,  adjusted  to  reflect  him  several  times.  Andulum  Wahanum 
 is  another  kind  of  palankeen  procession.  For  all  the  above,  the  votary  who 
 gives  the  idol  the  trouble  of  coming  out  is  forty  rupees  less  than  he  was 
 before.  Girda  Wahanum  is  the  procession  in  which  the  idol  is  mounted  on 
 a gilt  parrot.  Chandra  Prabah  is  a procession  of  the  idol  accompanied  by 
 a gilt  moon.  Hanamuntrum  Wahanum  is  a procession  of  the  idol  mounted 
 upon  a gilt  figure  like  an  elephant  ( quere  monkey)  something  in  represen- 
 tation of  Hanuman,  the  Indian  Pan.  Sinha  Wahanum  is  a procession  in 
 which  the  idol  rides  a gilt  lion.  Balasesha  Wahanum  is  the  last  procession 
 of  the  idol  sitting  again  upon  a gilt  serpent.” 
 
 x 
 
( 162  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 
 Srad’ha. — Sectarial  Marks. — Austerities  and  Punishments. — Suttee,  or  Suti. — Johara. — Linga 
 and  Yoni. — Salagrama  and  Binlang  Stones. — Infanticide. 
 
 SRAD’HA. 
 
 Srad’has  are  commonly  understood  as  obsequies  paid  to  the  manes  of 
 deceased  ancestors,  “ to  effect,  by  means  of  oblations,  the  re-embodying  of 
 the  soul  of  the  deceased  after  burning  his  corpse,  and  to  raise  his  shade  from 
 this  world  (where  it  would  else,  according  to  the  notions  of  the  Hindus, 
 continue  to  roam  among  demons  and  evil  spirits)  up  to  heaven,  and  then 
 deify  him,  as  it  were,  among  the  manes  of  departed  ancestors.” 
 
 Mr.  Colebrooke  describes  the  Srad’has  under  twelve  heads,  by  which  it 
 would  appear  that  they  are  performed  for  many  other  purposes  than  funeral 
 obsequies.  1.  Daily  obsequies,  either  with  food  or  with  water  only,  in 
 honour  of  ancestors  in  general,  but  excluding  the  Viswedeva.  2.  Obsequies 
 for  a special  cause,  that  is,  in  honour  of  a kinsman  recently  defunct. 
 3.  Voluntary  obsequies,  performed  by  way  of  supererogation,  for  the  greater 
 benefit  of  the  deceased.  4.  Obsequies  for  increase  of  prosperity,  performed 
 upon  any  accession  of  wealth  or  prosperity,  and  upon  other  joyful  occasions. 
 5.  A sradd’ha  intended  to  introduce  the  shade  of  a deceased  kinsman  to  the 
 rest  of  the  manes.  C.  Obsequies  performed  on  appointed  days,  such  as  that 
 ot  new  moon,  full  moon,  sun’s  passage  into  anew  sign,  &c.  7.  A sradd’ha 
 
 to  sanctify  the  food  at  an  entertainment  given  to  a company  of  reverend 
 persons.  8.  One  when  stated  numbers  of  priests  are  fed  at  the  cost  of  a 
 person  who  needs  purification  from  some  defilement.  9.  A sradd’ha  pre- 
 paratory to  the  celebration  of  any  solemn  rite.  10.  Sradd’has  in  honour  of 
 deities.  11.  Oblations  of  clarified  butter,  previous  to  the  undertaking  of  a 
 
SRAD’HA. — SECTARIAL  MARKS. 
 
 163 
 
 distant  journey.  12.  A sradd'ha  to  sanctify  a meal  of  flesh  meat,  prepared 
 simply  for  the  sake  of  nourishment. 
 
 The  funeral  ceremonials  of  Sr  ad' ha  are  performed  immediately  after  the 
 decease  of  a person,  and  are  continued  at  short  periods  for  twelve  months. 
 They  are  then  performed  annually,  either  in  honour  of  a particular  indi- 
 vidual, or,  generally,  to  the  manes  of  the  worshipper’s  departed  progenitors. 
 The  observances  on  these  occasions  are  similar  to  the  other  religious  cere- 
 monies of  the  Hindus  : such  as  rubbing  the  floor  with  cow-dung  ; oblations 
 of  food,  &c.  to  the  gods  and  deceased  ancestors  ; various  libations ; shifting 
 the  zenaar  or  Brahminical  thread ; turning  the  face  to  the  several  quarters 
 of  the  globe  and  sprinkling  the  body.  See.  Sec. 
 
 Some  of  the  rules  for  the  performance  of  Sr  ad' ha  are  singular  : the  two 
 following  are  specimens. 
 
 “ As  many  mouthfuls  as  an  unlearned  man  shall  swallow  at  an  oblation 
 to  the  gods  and  to  ancestors,  so  many  red-hot  iron  balls  must  the  giver  of 
 the  Sr  ad' ha  swallow  in  the  next  world.” 
 
 “ He  who  caresses  a Sudra  woman  after  he  has  been  invited  to  sacred 
 obsequies,  takes  on  himself  all  the  sin  that  has  been  committed  by  the 
 giver  of  the  repast.” 
 
 These  rules  are  very  numerous  and  are  minutely  detailed.  Many  of  them 
 are  equally  curious  with  the  foregoing. 
 
 SECTARIAL  MARKS. 
 
 These  symbols  are  made  of  ashes,  cow-dung,  earth  of  the  Ganges,  tur- 
 meric, sandal-powder,  chunam  (a  sort  of  lime),  &c.,  and  are  commonly 
 of  yellow,  red,  black,  and  ashen  colours.  I do  not  recollect  any  of  either 
 blue  or  green.  The  Hindus  mark  their  foreheads,  arms,  and  breasts  with 
 various  devices  of  three  colours,  which  denote  the  sect  to  which  they  belong. 
 These  marks  are  numerous,  but  upon  the  many  images  in  my  possession  a 
 few  of  them  only  have  been  drawn  : and,  indeed,  I am  disposed  to  think 
 that  a large  part  of  those  occasionally  seen,  are  merely  varieties  of  a smaller 
 number  of  originals,  according  to  the  fancy  of  individuals  or  families.  Thus 
 
164 
 
 SECTARIAL  MARKS. 
 
 No.  1,  in  the  lower  part  of  plate  2,*  is  a single  perpendicular  line,  which  de- 
 notes the  sect  of  Vishnu ; as  will  two  or  more  perpendicular  lines,  either 
 without  or  with  (as  in  Nos.  2 and  3)  a small  dot  or  circle  between  them  ; 
 or  (as  in  4)  under  them  ; or  a wheel  ( chuckra ) or  discus  (5,  6) ; a cone,  or 
 triangle,  or  shield  (7,  8,  9),  or  any  similar  form  having  the  apex,  or  oval,  or 
 smallest  parts  downward;  or  with  or  without  dots  (10,  11,  12),  or  any 
 thing  else  between,  or  under  them,  are  indicative  of  Vishnu,  and  are  typical, 
 by  pointing  downwards,  of  water  (the  symbol  of  that  deity),  whose  property 
 it  is  to  descend  ; as  it  is  that  of  fire,  the  symbol  of  Siva,  to  ascend  : there- 
 fore a cone,  or  triangle,  or  other  form  (13,  14,  15,  16,  17,  18),  having  the 
 apex,  or  oval,  or  smallest  parts  pointing  upwards,  either  with  or  without 
 dots,  or  other  marks  between  or  under  them,  denote  the  sect  of  Siva  ; as  do 
 two  or  more  horizontal  lines  (19,  20),  either  without  or  with  (21,  22,  23) 
 a single  dot  or  small  circle  (called  putta),  between  or  under  them  ; or  the 
 circle  alone  (24) ; or  an  oval,  with  or  without  a smaller  oval  or  semi-oval 
 or  putta  within  it,  also  denote  Siva.  The  latter  are  typical  of  the  third  eye 
 in  the  centre  of  the  forehead  (25,  26,  27,  28)  of  that  deity.  The  crescent 
 
 (29) ,  either  with  or  without  circles  or  ovals,  distinctly  indicates  Siva ; as  does 
 
 (30) ,  which  Bartolomeo  calls  his  trisula  or  trident.  Two  triangles  crossed 
 
 (31)  denote  the  two  sects,  which  will  be  seen  in  fig.  1,  plate  21  (a  form  of 
 Durga),  with  the  addition  of  puttas  on  the  legs  of  the  triangles  (32).  A 
 circle  within  a triangle,  or  a triangle  within  a circle  (33,  34,  35),  are  said 
 to  be  typical  of  the  three  sects,  or  the  Hindu  triad  or  trinity. 
 
 The  images  of  Brahma  have  usually  the  sectarial  marks  of  Siva,  but  they 
 have  sometimes  those  of  both  that  deity  and  Vishnu.  Ganesha,  Kartikeya, 
 and  the  avatars  and  forms  of  Siva  and  Parvati  have  also  the  marks  of  Siva  , 
 whereas  Indra,  Chandra,  Agni,  Kamadeo,  Hanuman,  and  the  avatars  of 
 Vishnu,  have  the  sectarial  signs  of  Vishnu.  The  Buddhas  (except  the 
 Brahmanical  Buddhas,  or  ninth  avatar  of  Vishnu,  who  have  the  marks  of 
 that  deity)  and  the  Jainas,  have  not  sectarial  distinctions ; but  the  images  of 
 the  Buddhas  and  Tir’thankaras  of  these  heterodox  sects  are  frequently 
 
 * In  referring  to  plate  2 for  illustrations  of  the  Sectarial  Marks,  the  reader  will,  to  save  unne- 
 cessary repetitions,  be  pleased  to  understand  that  the  lower  part  of  the  plate  is  alluded  to. 
 
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SECTARIAL  MARKS.— AUSTERITIES  AND  PUNISHMENTS. 
 
 165 
 
 marked  with  the  chuckra  (or  wheel)  on  the  palms  of  the  hands  and  soles  of 
 the  feet,  and  sometimes  with  a lozenge  on  the  breast. 
 
 According  to  Bartolomeo,  the  two  marks  under  No.  10  denote  the  medhra 
 or  womb  of  Bhavani,  and  are  used  by  the  two  sects  of  Siva  and  Vishnu.  The 
 same  author  describes,  No.  36,  the  villa  or  bow,  as  the  mark  of  Rama;  but 
 I do  not  recollect  to  have  elsewhere  seen  it. 
 
 AUSTERITIES  and  PUNISHMENTS. 
 
 The  Hindus  subject  themselves  to  more  devotional  austerities,  penances, 
 and  mortifications,  some  of  which  are  of  a temporary  and  others  of  a per- 
 manent character,  than,  perhaps,  any  people  in  the  world.  The  punish- 
 ments which  they  have  prescribed  for  themselves  in  a future  state  I have 
 already  noticed,  in  my  account  of  Yama,  the  Hindu  Pluto,  in  page  113,  of 
 which  representations  are  given  in  plate  28.  In  my  account  of  Siva,  I have 
 also  described,  in  page  67  and  following  pages,  and  shewn  in  the  plate  just 
 mentioned,  some  of  the  self-inflicted  penances,  tortures,  and  mortifications, 
 to  which  this  extraordinary  people  frequently  devote  themselves.  I have, 
 however,  yet  to  notice  the  tapass,  or  propitiatory  austerities,  practised  to 
 obtain  the  more  especial  divine  favour  and  blessings  of  the  gods.  This  con- 
 sists in  standing  on  one  toe,  the  shin  of  the  same  leg  having  the  heel  of  the 
 other  foot  resting  upon  it.  The  arms  are  at  the  same  time  raised  over  the 
 head ; and  the  eyes  must,  during  the  day,  be  constantly  gazing  upon  the 
 sun.  See  fig.  4,  plate  28 ; and  fig.  8,  plate  26.  The  latter  represents 
 Arjun,  one  of  the  Pandu  brothers,  performing  tapass  to  propitiate  Vishnu, 
 in  order  to  obtain  from  him  a celestial  weapon,  to  enable  him  and  his  bro- 
 thers to  reconquer  their  patrimonial  dominions,  of  which  they  had  been  un- 
 justly dispossessed. 
 
 In  the  performance  of  the  tapass  the  prescribed  acts  of  devotion  are 
 termed  mana,  or  the  devotion  that  proceeds  from  the  heart  in  profound 
 silence  ; vauk,  or  devotion  audibly  pronounced  ; neyana,  or  devotion  accom- 
 panied by  religious  ceremonies,  purifications,  &c.  Arjun,  in  the  performace 
 of  his  tapass,  took  food,  during  the  first  month  of  his  austerities,  only  once 
 
1G6 
 
 AUSTERITIES  AND  PUNISHMENTS.— SUTTEES. 
 
 in  four  days ; during  the  second  month,  once  in  seven  days  ; during  the 
 third,  once  in  a fortnight ; and  during  the  fourth  month  he  subsisted  alone 
 on,  what  he  was  no  doubt  liberally  supplied  with  on  one  of  the  loftiest 
 peaks  of  the  gigantic  Himalaya, — air ; resting  all  the  time,  as  represented 
 in  the  plate,  on  the  tip  of  his  great  toe. 
 
 In  the  articles  Siva,  Yama,  and  The  Pandus,  and  in  the  plates  before- 
 mentioned,  the  subject  will  be  found  more  particularly  noticed. 
 
 SUTTEES. 
 
 Among  the  many  abominations  which  stain  the  practice  of  the  Hindu 
 religion,  that  of  the  suttee,  with  the  no  less  barbarous  practice  of  infanticide, 
 are  of  the  greatest.  Many,  and  very  strenuous,  attempts  have  been  made 
 by  the  governments  of  India  to  abolish  the  latter,  with  (as  will  be  seen 
 under  the  article  infanticide)  very  limited  success ; for,  although  the  tribes, 
 among  whom  it  prevailed,  promised  much  to  the  humane  interceders  for 
 infant  preservation,  and  for  a time  partially  kept  the  word  of  promise  to 
 the  sense,  they  soon  returned  to  their  former  cruelties ; and  infanticide,  at 
 the  present  day,  is,  it  may  be  feared,  almost  as  much  practised  as  ever. 
 
 In  respect  of  suttees,  or  female  immolation  on  the  funeral  pile  of  a de- 
 ceased husband,  it  is  gratifying  to  be  enabled  to  withdraw  the  melancholy 
 veil,  and  display  a brighter  and  more  cheering  prospect.  The  humane 
 exertions  of  the  Indian  governments  have,  at  length,  commenced  upon, 
 and  it  may  be  hoped,  will  consummate,  what  for  a longtime  was  considered 
 could  not  be  attempted  without  a daring  invasion  of  the  religious  principles 
 and  privileges  of  the  Hindus  (which  we  had  pledged  ourselves  not  to  inter- 
 meddle with),  and  a consequent  hazard  to  the  foundation  upon  which  the 
 security  of  our  eastern  possessions  rests.  Its  positive  abolition,  by  the  means 
 of  legal  prohibitory  enactments,  has  been  lately  notified  ; but  against  this 
 benevolent  and  most  laudable  measure  powerful  opposition  has  been  made 
 by  many  wealthy  and  influential  Hindus.  Aided,  however,  by  the  diffusion 
 of  knowledge  among  the  more  enlightened  of  others  of  them,  it  is  to  be 
 trusted  that  this  decided  and  humane  interference  will  soon  be  attended 
 
SUTTEES.  167 
 
 with  all  the  success  which  can  be  desired  for  it,  and  which  it  so  eminently 
 and  manifestly  deserves. 
 
 It  must  not  be  imagined  that  the  Brahmans  have  legally  possessed  the 
 means  of  dragging  the  devoted  victim  to  the  pile,  by  any  other  chains 
 than  those  of  superstition.  Although  the  Shasters  recommend,  and  contain 
 regulations  for  the  practise  of  the  rite,  the  sacred  ordinances  not  only 
 do  not  expressly,  as  some  have  supposed,  enjoin  it,  but  distinctly  point 
 out  in  what  manner  a woman,  after  the  decease  of  her  husband,  shall  be 
 taken  care  of ; and  leave  it  optional  with  her,  either  to  burn  herself,  or  live 
 a future  life  of  chastity  and  respectability.  If,  they  say,  after  marriage 
 her  (the  woman’s)  husband  shall  die,  her  husband's  relations  ; or,  in  default 
 thereof,  her  father's ; or,  if  there  be  none  of  either,  the  magistrate,  shall 
 take  care  of  her : and,  in  every  stage  of  life,  if  the  person  who  has  been 
 allotted  to  take  care  of  a woman  do  not  take  care  of  her,  each  in  his 
 respective  stage,  the  magistrate  shall  fine  them.  The  ordinance,  neverthe- 
 less adds,  that  it  is  proper  for  a woman  to  burn  herself  with  the  corpse  of 
 her  husband ; in  which  case  she  will  live  with  him  in  paradise  three  crore 
 and  fifty  lacks,  or  thirty-five  millions  of  years.  If  she  cannot  burn  she 
 must  observe  an  inviolable  chastity.  If  she  remain  always  chaste  she  will 
 go  to  paradise;  if  not,  she  will  go  to  hell.  A woman  usually  declares 
 her  determination  to  become  suttee  during  the  dying  moments  of  her  hus- 
 band : having  once  declared  it,  she  is  seldom  induced  to  alter  it.  She 
 may,  however,  do  so  if  she  pleases,  as  it  is  stated,  “ if  the  woman,  re- 
 gretting life,  recede  from  the  pile,  she  is  defiled ; but  may  be  purified  by 
 observing  the  fast  called  Prajapatya.  This  fast,  according  to  Mr.  Cole- 
 brooke,  extends  to  twelve  days.  The  first  three  she  may  take  a spare 
 meal ; the  next  three,  one  on  each  night ; the  succeeding  three  days 
 nothing  may  be  eaten,  but  what  is  given  unsolicited  • and  the  last  three 
 days  are  a rigid  fast.  There  are  various  disqualifications  against  the  per- 
 formance of  suttee,  such  as  a woman  being  pregnant,  having  an  infant 
 child,  & c.  & c. 
 
 The  main  crime  of  the  Brahmans  then  has  been  the  fabrication,  from  these 
 flimsy  materials,  of  the  soul-enfeebling  chain  of  superstition,  and  decking 
 
168 
 
 SUTTEES. 
 
 it  with  flowers  of  heavenly  promise.  Although  some  ladies  might,  for  so 
 long  a period,  be  better  satisfied  with  other  company  than  that  expressly 
 promised,  immediate  beatitude,  an  almost  immortal  life  in  heavens  of 
 ineffable  delight,  and  other  enjoyments  whose  gross  sensualities  are  con- 
 cealed by  the  dazzling  brilliancy  of  oriental  colouring,  are  among  the  irre- 
 sistible charms  which  are  held  forth  to  enthral  the  mind,  and  lead  the 
 victim  of  marital  selfishness,  too  often,  to  become  a Suttee.  In  short,  we 
 are  told  that  the  gods  themselves  reverence  and  obey  the  mandates  of  a 
 woman  who  becomes  one. 
 
 There  is,  besides  these,  another  powerful  motive  which  operates  in  con- 
 junction with  them.  Among  the  Hindus  a woman,  after  the  decease  of  her 
 husband,  loses  entirely  her  consequence  in  his  family,  and  is  degraded  to  a 
 situation  little  above  that  of  a menial.  She  is  told  that  if  she  become  a 
 Suttee,  she  will  not  only  escape  from  that  life  of  assured  debasement  and 
 contempt,  but  will  ascend  to  a state  as  pre-eminently  exalted  ; and  will 
 thus  (whatever  the  crimes  of  the  parties  may  have  been)  save  both  her  own 
 soul,  and  the  souls  of  her  husband  and  her  husband’s  family  from  purgatory 
 and  future  transmigration.  If,  then,  it  be  considered  that  by  her  immo- 
 lation she  imagines  that  she  emancipates  herself  from  present  misery,  and 
 obtains  exemption  from  that  attendant  upon  future  births  in  the  shape  of 
 animals  of  all  descriptions,  and  that  she  moreover  raises  her  family  in  the 
 estimation  of  society,  we  shall  the  less  wonder  that,  in  briefly  exchanging 
 such  positive  evil  for  so  much  of  promised  and  expected  good  (and  that 
 exchange,  too,  commonly  countenanced  and  apparently  reverenced  by  all 
 that  she  holds  most  dear  and  sacred),  the  shrinking  timidity  of  her  sex 
 should  be  overcome,  and  every  domestic,  every  social,  and  every  tender 
 bond  should  be  burst  asunder,  with  sometimes  an  heroic  fortitude  and  firm- 
 ness, which  excite,  and  blend  into  one  overwhelming  feeling  of  horror,  our 
 indignation,  our  pity,  and  our  admiration. 
 
 Whatever  may  have  been  the  origin  of  female  immolation  and  infanticide 
 in  the  east,  pride  and  avarice  are  the  unquestionably  existing  causes,  ope- 
 rating by  the  means  which  I have  just  described.  And  to  the  same  fount 
 alone,  we  should  blush  to  say,  may  be  traced  the  sources  of  female  immo- 
 
SUTTEES. 
 
 169 
 
 lation  (for  such  in  fact  it  is)  in  the  west.  Pride  and  avarice  have  been  the 
 shrines  at  which  the  lives  of  the  one  on  the  funeral  pile  or  in  the  bowl  of 
 milk,  and  the  minds  of  the  other  in  the  gloomy  recesses  of  the  conventual 
 cell,  have  been  alike  sacrificed  and  destroyed. 
 
 Courage  and  a disregard  of  life,  in  whatever  manner  the  mind  of  the 
 sufferer  may  have  been  worked  upon,  or  whatever  opiates  may  have  been 
 administered  to  lull  the  faculties,  and  deaden  the  apprehensions  of  “ that 
 bourne  from  which  no  traveller  returns,”  are  not,  however,  always  dis- 
 played ; for  it  is  too  true,  that  sometimes  the  miserable  victim  is  led  forth, 
 decked  in  her  gayest  paraphernalia,  for  the  melancholy  pageant,  feeble, 
 trembling,  half  intoxicated  with  drugs,  dreading  to  go  on,  yet  sufficiently 
 conscious  that  it  is  too  late  and  in  vain  to  attempt  to  recede. 
 
 It  is  meritorious  to  die  in  sight  of  the  sacred  stream  of  the  Ganges,  or 
 any  other  of  the  holy  rivers  in  India,  as  it  is  imagined  that  the  dying  person 
 will  thus  obtain  salvation.  If,  however,  the  party  be  a man,  and  his  wife 
 intend  to  burn  herself,  the  aid  of  these  hallowed  waters  is  not  necessary, 
 as  his  salvation  is  rendered  certain  by  the  performance  of  suttee  by  his  wife. 
 If  a husband  should  be  at  a distance,  a woman  may  take  any  article  of  his 
 dress  in  her  possession,  and  binding  it  round  her,  may  burn  herself  on  a 
 separate  pile.  In  justice,  however,  to  the  Hindus,  it  must  be  acknowledged, 
 that  sometimes  the  better  feelings  of  human  nature  prevail  over  the  baser 
 passions  and  the  abominations  of  superstition,  and  every  solicitation  is 
 adopted  by  the  relatives  and  members  of  the  family,  with  various  success, 
 to  prevent  the  widow’s  immolation  taking  place.  An  instance  of  which  the 
 following  pathetic  relation  from  Holwell’s  Historical  Events  will  shew,  as 
 will  a subsequent  one  a practice  of  a contrary  description. 
 
 “ At  five  of  the  clock  in  the  morning  died  Raam  Chund  Pundit,  of  the 
 Maharatta  tribe,  aged  twenty-eight  years.  His  widow  (for  he  had  left 
 one  wife,  aged  between  seventeen  and  eighteen)  as  soon  as  he  expired, 
 disdaining  to  waste  the  time  allowed  for  reflection,*  immediately  declared 
 
 * Twenty-four  hours  after  the  decease  of  the  husband  are  allowed  by  the  Brahmans  for  the 
 widows  to  determine.  If,  says  Holwell,  the  first  wife  should  not,  in  that  time,  express  her  inten- 
 tions to  burn,  the  right  to  do  so  devolves  upon  the  second,  and,  if  both  are  disinclined,  upon  the 
 third,  &c.  &c. 
 
 Z 
 
170 
 
 SUTTEES. 
 
 to  the  Brahmans  and  witnesses  present  her  resolution  to  burn.  As  the 
 family  was  of  no  small  consideration,  all  the  merchants  of  Cossimbazar,  and 
 her  relations,  left  no  arguments  unessayed  to  dissuade  her  from  it.  Lady 
 Russel,  with  the  tenderest  humanity,  sent  her  several  messages  to  the  same 
 purpose.  The  infant  state  of  her  children  (two  girls  and  a boy,  the  eldest 
 not  four  years  of  age),  and  the  terrors  and  pain  of  the  death  she  sought, 
 were  painted  to  her  in  the  strongest  and  most  lively  colouring  : she  was  deaf 
 to  all.  She  gratefully  thanked  Lady  Russel,  and  sent  her  word  she  had 
 now  nothing  to  live  for,  but  recommended  her  children  to  her  protection. 
 When  the  torments  of  burning  were  urged  in  terrorem  to  her,  she,  with  a 
 resolved  and  calm  countenance,  put  her  finger  into  the  fire,  and  held  it 
 there  a considerable  time  : she  then  with  one  hand  put  fire  into  the  palm  of 
 the  other,  sprinkled  incense  upon  it  and  fumigated  the  Brahmans.  The 
 consideration  of  her  children  left  destitute  of  a parent  was  again  urged  to 
 her.  She  replied,  “ he  that  made  them  would  take  care  of  them.”  She 
 was  at  last  given  to  understand  she  should  not  be  permitted  to  burn.  This 
 for  a short  space  seemed  to  give  her  deep  affliction  ; but  soon  recollecting 
 herself,  she  told  them  death  was  in  her  power,  and  that  if  she  was  not 
 allowed  to  burn  according  to  the  principles  of  her  caste,  she  would  starve 
 herself.  Her  friends,  finding  her  thus  peremptory  and  resolved,  were 
 obliged  at  last  to  assent. 
 
 “ The  body  of  the  deceased  was  carried  down  to  the  water  side  early  the 
 following  morning  : the  widow  followed  about  ten  o’clock,  accompanied  by 
 three  very  principal  Brahmans,  her  children,  parents,  and  relations,  and  a 
 numerous  concourse  of  people.  The  order  of  leave  for  her  burning  did  not 
 arrive  from  Hosseyn  Khan,  Fouzdar  of  Moorshedabad,  until  after  one,  and 
 it  was  then  brought  by  one  of  the  Soubah’s  own  officers,  who  had  orders  to 
 see  that  she  burnt  voluntarily.  The  time  they  waited  for  the  order  was 
 employed  in  praying  with  the  Brahmans  and  washing  in  the  Ganges.  As 
 soon  as  it  arrived  she  retired,  and  stayed  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour  in 
 the  midst  of  her  female  relations,  amongst  whom  was  her  mother.  She  then 
 divested  herself  of  her  bracelets  and  other  ornaments,  and  tyed  them  in  a 
 cloth  which  hung  like  an  apron  before  her,  and  was  conducted  by  her 
 
SUTTEES. 
 
 171 
 
 female  relations  to  one  corner  of  the  pile.  On  the  pile  was  an  arched 
 arbour,  formed  of  dry  sticks,  boughs,  and  leaves,  open  only  at  one  end  to 
 admit  her  entrance : in  this  the  body  of  the  deceased  was  deposited,  his 
 head  at  the  end  opposite  to  the  opening.  At  the  corner  of  the  pile  to  which 
 she  had  been  conducted,  the  Brahman  had  made  a small  fire,  round  which 
 she  and  the  three  Brahmans  sat  for  some  minutes.  One  of  them  gave  into 
 her  hands  a leaf  of  the  ball  tree  (the  wood  commonly  consecrated  to  form 
 part  of  the  funeral  pile)  with  sundry  things  on  it,  which  she  threw  into  the 
 fire  : one  of  the  others  gave  her  a second  leaf,  which  she  held  over  the  flame, 
 whilst  he  dropped  three  times  some  ghee  (clarified  butter)  upon  it,  which 
 melted  and  fell  into  the  fire  (these  two  operations  were  preparatory  symbols 
 of  her  approaching  dissolution  by  fire)  ; and  whilst  they  were  performing 
 this,  the  third  Brahman  read  to  her,  and  asked  her  some  questions,  to 
 which  she  answered  with  a steady  and  serene  countenance  ; but  the  noise 
 was  so  great  we  could  not  understand  what  she  said,  although  we  were 
 within  a yard  of  her.  These  over,  she  was  led  with  great  solemnity  three 
 times  round  the  pile,  the  Brahmans  reading  before  her.  When  she  came  the 
 third  time  to  the  small  fire  she  stopped,  took  the  rings  off  her  toes  and 
 fingers  and  put  them  to  her  other  ornaments.  Here  she  took  a solemn 
 majestic  leave  of  her  children,  parents,  and  relations : after  which  one  of 
 the  Brahmans  dipped  a large  wick  of  cotton  in  somegAee,  and  gave  it  ready 
 lighted  into  her  hand,  and  led  her  to  the  open  side  of  the  arbour.  There 
 all  the  Brahmans  fell  at  her  feet.  After  she  had  blessed  them  they  retired 
 weeping.  By  two  steps  she  ascended  the  pile  and  entered  the  arbour. 
 On  her  entrance  she  made  a profound  reverence  at  the  feet  of  the  deceased, 
 and  advanced  and  seated  herself  by  his  head.  She  looked  in  silent  medi- 
 tation on  his  face  for  the  space  of  a minute,  then  set  fire  to  the  arbour  in 
 three  places.  Observing  that  she  had  set  fire  to  leeward,  and  that  the 
 flames  blew  from  her,  instantly  seeing  her  error,  she  rose,  and  set  fire  to 
 windward,  and  resumed  her  station.  Ensign  Daniel,  with  his  cane,  sepa- 
 rated the  grass  and  leaves  on  the  windward  side,  by  which  means  we  had  a 
 distinct  view  of  her  as  she  sat.  With  what  dignity  and  undaunted  a 
 countenance  she  set  fire  to  the  pile  the  last  time  and  assumed  her  seat,  can 
 
 z 2 
 
172 
 
 SUTTEES. 
 
 only  be  conceived,  for  words  cannot  convey  a just  idea  of  her.  The  pile 
 being  of  combustible  matters,  the  supporters  of  the  roof  were  presently 
 consumed  and  it  tumbled  upon  her.” 
 
 Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  this  instance  of  female  magnanimity,  if  this 
 unappalled  contempt  of  death  may  be  so  considered,  is  an  uncommon  one, 
 as  the  reverse  is  the  case  : but  the  better  feelings  of  our  nature  cannot  be 
 the  less  interested,  in  consequence,  to  witness  the  downfall  of  a superstition 
 which  can  create  such  an  unshrinking  self-devotedness,  and  make  martyrs 
 of  beings,  whose  minds,  had  they  been  properly  directed,  might  have  formed 
 them  to  appear  among  the  loveliest  and  most  exemplary  ornaments  of 
 society. 
 
 I now  turn  me  to  a different  picture,  drawn  with  many  others  of  a similar 
 stamp  by  the  Reverend  Missionary  Ward  ; which  various  other  authorities 
 before  me,  as  well  as  my  own  local  inquiries,  oblige  me  to  say  is  not  unfre- 
 quent. Probably  the  excess  of  violence  instanced  in  this  case  may  be  (and 
 it  must  be  hoped  is)  so  : but  that  a moral,  and  too  often  a more  positive 
 coercion,  to  overcome  the  last  lingering  love  of  life  has  been  practised,  is 
 unquestionable. 
 
 “ Bancha-ramu  (says  the  reverend  gentleman),  a native  of  Mujil-poora, 
 a place  about  a day’s  journey  from  Calcutta,  dying,  his  wife  went  to  be 
 burnt  with  the  body.  All  the  previous  ceremonies  were  performed  : she 
 was  fastened  on  the  pile,  and  the  fire  was  kindled ; but  the  night  was  dark 
 and  rainy.  When  the  fire  began  to  scorch  this  poor  woman,  she  contrived 
 to  disentangle  herself  from  the  dead  body,  and  creeping  from  under  the 
 pile  hid  herself  among  some  brushwood.  In  a little  time  it  was  discovered 
 that  there  was  only  one  body  on  the  pile.  The  relations  immediately  took 
 the  alarm  and  searched  for  the  poor  wretch.  The  son  soon  dragged  her 
 forth,  and  insisted  that  she  should  throw  herself  on  the  pile  again,  or  hang 
 or  drown  herself.  She  pleaded  her  life  at  the  hands  of  her  own  son,  and 
 declared  that  she  could  not  embrace  so  horrid  a death  : but  she  pleaded  in 
 vain.  The  son  urged  that  he  should  lose  his  caste,  * and  that,  therefore, 
 
 * This,  I imagine,  must  have  been  an  empty  threat;  as  it  does  not  any  where  appear,  that  I 
 am  aware  of,  that  a loss  of  caste  can  attach  itself  to  the  relative  of  a party  so  acting. 
 
SUTTEES. 
 
 173 
 
 he  would  die  or  she  should.  Unable  to  persuade  her,  the  son  and  others 
 present  then  tied  her  hands  and  feet,  and  threw  her  on  the  funeral  pile, 
 when  she  quickly  perished.” 
 
 We  have  here  two  opposite  pictures  of  this  abominable  rite ; but  both 
 equally  faithful,  and  equally  tending  to  the  same  melancholy  result.  We 
 have,  therefore,  only  to  hope  that  the  humane  interference  of  the  Indian 
 Government  will  not  be  exercised  in  vain.  Certain,  I think,  we  may  be, 
 that  all  which  can  with  safety  be  done  will  be  done.  But  let  not  the  ar- 
 dent and  benevolent  advocates  of  this  measure,  as  well  as  for  the  suppression 
 of  infanticide,  and  of  the  other  infatuations  and  horrid  practices  of  the  Hin- 
 dus, untimely  press  them  with  too  great  a degree  of  fervour,  lest  their  zeal 
 should  kindle  a flame  no  less  dreadful  in  its  operations,  and  more  extensive 
 in  its  consequences,  than  that  of  the  funeral  pile.  Temper,  perseverance, 
 firmness,  and  a gradual  and  judicious  diffusion  of  knowledge,  will  be  the 
 wisest,  as  well  as  the  safest  weapons,  with  which  we  can  combat  all  oppo- 
 sition to  the  destruction  of  this  monstrous  heap  of  the  abominations  of 
 priestcraft,  feudal  pride,  and  superstition.  If,  which  heaven  forbid,  we 
 should  determine  to  crush,  summarily,  those  monstrous  practices  by  other 
 means,  we  should,  in  all  probability,  only  rivet  firmer  chains  which  we 
 would  seek  to  break,  and  perpetuate  evils,  which  prudence  and  judgment 
 might  convert  into  blessings  that  would  encircle  the  name  of  Britain  with  a 
 brighter  halo  than  all  the  splendour  of  her  power,  or  the  glory  of  her  con- 
 quests and  renown. 
 
 As  regards  the  Suttee,  under  the  Mahomedan  government,  a Hindu 
 woman  was  not  allowed  to  burn  herself  without  an  official  order  of  leave  ; 
 and  under  our  own,  the  same  practice  has  been  observed,  but  with,  I be- 
 lieve, still  stronger  restrictions.  To  withhold  permission  has  been  by  both 
 (till  lately,  as  before-mentioned,  by  us)  considered  dangerous ; as  it  has 
 been  imagined  that  an  act  of  that  nature  would  be  deemed  by  the  Hindus 
 an  atrocious  and  outrageous  violation  of  their  most  sacred  rites  and  privi- 
 leges. The  attempt  has,  however,  now,  for  the  first  time,  been  made,  not 
 only  to  disallow,  but  peremptorily  to  suppress  the  rite.  It  need  only  be 
 
174 
 
 SUTTEES.— LINGA  AND  YONI. 
 
 added,  that  the  prayers  of  the  good  and  wise  of  every  nation  and  every 
 faith  must  attend  it  for  success. 
 
 Among  the  Jarejahs,  women  of  rank  seldom  burn  on  the  funeral  pile  of 
 deceased  husbands.  This  rite  is  left  to  their  rackelis  or  mistresses,  several 
 of  whom  sometimes  perform  suttee  with  the  body  of  their  lord. 
 
 Under  the  head  of  the  funeral  pile  may  be  noticed  a johara,  or  grand 
 funeral  pyre,  on  which  the  whole  are  consumed.  Major  Tod,  in  the 
 Transactions  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  illustrates  it  in  the  following  inte- 
 resting anecdote. 
 
 “ Hammir  Chahamana,  prince  of  Rin-tham-bhor,  gave  asylum  to  a 
 noble  of  the  great  Alla-uddm,  when  disgraced  by  his  sovereign,  who 
 assumed  the  name  of  Sikander  Sani,  or  Second  Alexander,  and  who 
 scarcely  yielded  to  him  in  the  rapidity  of  his  conquests.  Called  on  to 
 surrender  his  supplicant,  Hammir  thus  gives  him  assurance  of  protection  : 
 * The  sun  will  rise  in  the  west ; the  sandal-tree  be  changed  into  the  thorny 
 thur ; the  streams  will  cease  to  flow  ; Sum6ru*  become  level  with  the 
 earth ; the  pledge  of  Parasu-rama  be  a bye-word,  ere  Hammir  fails  in  his 
 faith.  The  walls  of  Rin-tham-bhor  shall  fall,  and  my  head  be  crushed  in 
 their  ruin ; but,  till  these  things  occur,  security  is  thine.’  Hammir  did 
 fall  in  defending  his  guest.  On  which  occasion  the  grand  sacrifice  of  the 
 johara  was  performed,  when  all  the  females  were  immolated,  and  the  males 
 rushed  on  the  destruction  which  they  could  not  avert.” 
 
 LINGA  and  YONI. 
 
 The  Linga  is  the  symbol  of  the  regenerator  Siva,  synonymous  with,  but 
 divested  of  the  gross  appearance  of,  the  Phallic  emblem  of  the  Greeks, 
 worshipped  by  the  Saivas. 
 
 Of  the  origin  of  the  mystic  worship  of  the  Linga  and  the  Yoni  little 
 appears  to  be  understood.  It  may  be  presumed  to  have  been  nature,  under 
 
 * The  mountain  Meru. 
 
LINGA  AND  YON I. 
 
 175 
 
 the  male  and  female  forms,  personified ; as  Siva,  the  sun  (which  he  is 
 equally  with  Surya)  or  fire,  the  genial  heat  which  pervades,  generates, 
 and  vivifies  all ; and  Bhavani,  who  as  the  goddess  of  nature  is  also  the 
 earth,  the  universal  mother.  These  two  active  principles  of  life  having 
 been  thus  personified,  may  have  been  subsequently  converted  by  the  gross- 
 ness of  idolatry  (which,  in  its  progress,  invariably  seeks  rather  to  gratify 
 the  sensual  appetites  than  to  instruct  the  minds  of  its  votaries)  from  ima- 
 ginary forms  to  realities ; from  the  personified  symbols  of  nature,  to 
 typical  representations  of  the  procreative  powers  of  these  symbols  them- 
 selves. 
 
 In  the  sculptures  which  I shall  presently  describe,  and  I have  noticed  the 
 same  in  others,  it  will  be  seen  that  a sun  surmounts  one  of  the  Lingas ; 
 which  must  evince  a clear  indication  of  the  more  decorous  and  respectable 
 allusion  : to  account  for  the  other  in  popular  practice,  we  need  only  recall 
 to  our  recollection  that  the  Hindu  religion  is  one  thing  in  that  practice,  and 
 another  as  understood  by  the  learned  Brahmans. 
 
 Perforated  rocks  are  considered  as  emblems  of  the  Yoni,  through  which 
 pilgrims  and  other  persons  pass  for  the  purpose  of  being  regenerated.  The 
 utmost  faith  is  placed  in  this  sin-expelling  transit. 
 
 Fig.  1 , plate  33,  is  a four-headed  Linga  of  white  marble  on  a stand  of  the 
 same,  surrounded  by  Parvati,  Durga,  Ganesha,  and  the  Bull  Nandi,  in 
 adoration.  The  size  of  the  stand  or  table  is  about  two  feet  square,  and  the 
 whole  is  richly  painted  and  gilt.  On  the  crown  of  the  Linga  is  a reful- 
 gent sun. 
 
 Fig.  2,  is  a Panch  Muckti  or  five-headed  Linga,  of  basalt,  in  which  the 
 fifth  head  rises  above  the  other  four,  surmounted  by  the  hooded  snake. 
 Each  of  the  heads  has  also  a snake  wreathed  around  it,  as  well  as  round  the 
 Argha.  The  Bull  Nandi  is  kneeling  in  adoration  before  the  spout  of  the  Yoni. 
 
 Fig.  3,  is  a plain  Linga  similar  to  those  commonly  used. 
 
 The  places  of  Linga  worship  are  numerous  : the  principal  Lingas  are 
 called  the  Ji/olisha  Lingas,  the  worship  of  which  is  considered  the  most 
 sacred,  in  consequence  of  Siva  having  appeared  on  the  spots  where  they 
 are  set  up. 
 
176 
 
 LINGA  AND  YONI  — SALAGRAMA  STONES. 
 
 The  Yoni  is  the  symbol  of  female  energy,  worshipped  by  the  sect  of  the 
 Sactis ; and,  in  conjunction  with  the  Linga,  by  the  Saivas.  It  is  the 
 especial  emblem  of  Parvati.  In  representations  of  the  Linga,  it  forms  the 
 rim  or  edge  of  the  Argha,  which  encircles  it.  (See  fig.  1,  2,  3,  plate  33.) 
 
 SALAGRAMA  STONES. 
 
 These  stones  are  sacred  to  Vishnu,  and  are  valued  according  to  the  per- 
 forations and  spiral  curves  in  each,  as  they  are  thereby  supposed  to  contain 
 Vishnu  and  Lakshmi  in  their  different  characters.  Of  those  which  I have 
 seen,  some  are  as  large  as  a pigeon’s  egg,  others  about  the  size  of  a musket- 
 ball,  and  much  resembling  an  old  one  of  iron  of  the  latter,  here  and  there 
 indented.  They  are  supposed  by  some  to  be  the  cetiles  or  eagle  stones  of 
 the  ancients.  The  principal  sorts  are  the  Lakshmi  Narayani  (which,  ac- 
 cording to  Mr.  Colebrooke,  must  be  perforated  in  one  place  only,  and  have 
 four  spiral  curves  in  the  perforation,  with  marks  resembling  a cow’s  foot, 
 and  a wreath  of  flowers,  which  is  supposed  to  contain  Lakshmi  as  Narayani), 
 the  Vamuna,  the  Dumodura,  the  Narsingha , & c.  &c.,  some  denote  the 
 gracious,  and  others  the  vindictive  incarnations  of  Vishnu.  The  former  are 
 much  valued.  Mr.  Ward  states,  that  the  Lakshmi  Narayani  is  sometimes 
 sold  for  as  much  as  two  thousand  rupees. 
 
 These  stones  are  said  to  be  found  in  the  Gandak  river,  in  the  Nepaul 
 territories,  and  are  conjectured  to  be  perforated  by  worms  ; but  are,  in  all 
 probability,  so  formed  by  accidental  circumstances  like  any  other  descrip- 
 tions of  stones  so  worn.  The  Hindus,  however,  believe  that  Vishnu  him- 
 self, in  the  form  of  a reptile,  perforated  them.* 
 
 * Since  writing  the  foregoing,  I have  observed  in  an  account  of  the  meeting  of  the  Asiatic 
 Society  of  Calcutta  in  October  1830,  a notice  of  a letter  from  the  enterprising  Dr.  Gerard  of 
 Soobathoo,  who  had  discovered  in  a lofty  position  ( 15,000  feet)  of  the  Himalaya  range,  an  exten- 
 sive fossil  tract  of  shell  formation  ; of  which  he  describes  four  classes,  and  of  the  fourth  thus 
 writes : “ Belemnites  and  Orthoceratites  mineralized  by  the  same  material  as  the  Ammonites 
 (iron  clay  and  pyrites).  Their  abundance  in  the  beds  of  mountain  torrents,  especially  the  Gundak, 
 had  been  long  known,  as  they  form  an  indispensable  article  in  the  sacra  of  the  Hindu  ThaJcoord- 
 voaree,  under  the  name  of  Salagrama."  This  agrees  with  Sonnerat,  who  calls  them  a petrified  shell. 
 
SALAGRAMA  STONES.— INFANTICIDE. 
 
 177 
 
 The  Salagrama  is  worshipped  daily  by  the  Brahmans,  and  is  used  in  the 
 several  Hindu  ceremonies  of  Srad’ha,  See.  One  should  be  always  placed 
 near  the  bed  of  a dying  person,  and  the  marks  on  it  shewn  to  him.  This  is 
 believed  to  secure  his  soul  an  introduction  to  the  heaven  of  Vishnu. 
 
 The  Binlang  stones,  which  are  found  in  the  Nerbuddah  river,  are  also 
 worshipped  as  emblems  of  Siva. 
 
 INFANTICIDE. 
 
 To  the  earlier,  as  well  as  to  the  more  recently  known  nations  of  the 
 world,  this  crime  has  been  familiar.  The  Greeks  exposed  their  children  on 
 the  highways  to  perish  of  hunger,  or  to  be  devoured  by  beasts  of  prey,  and 
 had  their  barbarous  practice  sanctioned  by  some  of  their  most  celebrated 
 lawgivers.  Among  the  Romans  the  custom  of  infanticide  also  prevailed  ; 
 as  it  did,  on  the  first  discovery  of  America,  with  the  savage  tribes  of  that 
 continent.  When  Captain  Wallis  visited  Otaheite  and  the  neighbouring 
 islands  in  the  South  Sea,  the  practice  was  unhesitatingly  avowed  by  the 
 lascivious  Eareeoie  societies  in  these  islands.  Among  the  Canaanites,  the 
 Phenicians,  and  the  Carthagenians,  the  sacrifice  of  children  was  prescribed 
 as  a propitiation  to  their  sanguinary  deities  Moloch  and  Kronos.  In  China, 
 and  also  in  Japan,  infant  murder  is  at  the  present  time  prevalent ; as  it  is, 
 in  a much  greater  degree,  among  the  Rajpoot  tribes  of  Hindustan. 
 
 The  causes  of  practices  so  opposed  to  the  most  powerful  feelings  of  our 
 nature,  and  in  utter  discordance  with  that  tender  instinct  which  prompts 
 even  the  most  timid  of  sentient  animals  of  the  brute  creation  to  protect  their 
 young,  at  the  hazard,  and  frequently  at  the  sacrifice  of  their  own  existence, 
 have  been,  among  the  people  whom  I have  enumerated,  various  ; — a sterile 
 country,  a superabundant  population,  superstition,  avarice,  lasciviousness, 
 and  lastly,  as  with  the  Rajpoot  tribes  of  India,  feudal  pride,  and  an  unshaken 
 and  resolute  preference  of  death  to  what,  in  their  estimation,  would  be 
 dishonour. 
 
 It  has  been  observed  in  other  pages  of  this  work,  that  the  Hindus  are  di- 
 vided into  four  great  tribes  : the  Brahmans,  the  Khetries,  the  Vaisyas,  and 
 
 2 A 
 
178 
 
 INFANTICIDE. 
 
 the  Sudras  ; or  priests,  warriors,  merchants,  and  husbandmen.  These  are 
 again  variously  subdivided  ; and  the  Rajpoot  tribe  forms  one  of  the  numerous 
 subdivisions  of  that  of  the  Khetries  ; and  has  still  farther  a great  variety  of 
 subdivisions  in  itself.  From  the  Khetrie  tribe  the  sovereigns  of  India  have 
 been  taken ; the  Rajpoots,  consequently,  call  themselves  children  of  the 
 royal  race. 
 
 Those  tribes  inhabit  various  parts  of  India.  Some  of  them,  the  Raj- 
 kumers  and  Rajavansas,  a portion  of  the  territories  of  Oude  and  the  ad- 
 joining provinces  ; and  others,  the  Jharejahs,  the  countries  of  Kutch  and 
 Guzerat,  on  the  western  side  of  the  hither  peninsula.  Among  those  tribes 
 the  practice  of  female  infanticide  has,  they  allege,  existed  for  4,900  years; 
 and  the  late  General  Walker  has,  in  an  account  published  by  Major  Moor 
 in  an  interesting  work  on  this  subject,  estimated  the  number  of  deaths  of 
 female  children  annually,  in  Kutch  and  Guzerat  only,  at  no  less  than  thirty 
 thousand. 
 
 It  must  not  be  supposed  that  this  inhuman  practice  has  been  unnoticed 
 by  the  Indian  government,  or  that  the  most  strenuous  exertions  have  not 
 been  made  to  abolish  it.  To  the  perpetual  honour  of  the  excellent  man  just 
 mentioned,  and  the  benevolent  Mr.  Duncan,  when  governor  of  Bombay, 
 sanctioned  by  higher  authorities,  every  argument  which  humanity  could 
 suggest,  and  every  measure  which  sense  and  prudence  could  dictate,  were 
 attempted,  with,  for  a time,  the  best  promise  and  prospect  of  success. 
 But  it  is,  it  may  be  feared,  too  true,  that  these  promises  were  soon  for- 
 gotten ; that  the  prospects,  at  least  for  the  present,  have  vanished  ; and 
 that  female  infanticide  now  prevails,  almost  as  much  as  ever,  in  the  countries 
 where  the  humanity  of  those  gentlemen  was  so  strenuously  exerted  for 
 its  suppression. 
 
 Many  well-intentioned  people,  prompted  by  that  warmth  of  feeling  and 
 active  benevolence  which  so  eminently  characterize  our  countrymen,  would 
 fain  press  upon  the  executive  authorities  the  exercise  of  coercive  measures 
 to  abolish  an  evil  that  appeals  to  every  human  heart  for  commiseration 
 and  redress  : but,  ere  these  individuals  reproach  the  Indian  government 
 with  supineness,  let  them  weigh  well  the  character  of  the  people  by  whom 
 
INFANTICIDE. 
 
 179 
 
 their  indignation  has  been  excited.  Brave,  even  to  an  enthusiastic  spirit 
 of  chivalry ; inured  to  arms  from  the  moment  they  can  use  them  ; and 
 entertaining  the  loftiest  sense  of  independence,  blended  with  the  most 
 elevated  ideas  of  feudal  rank  and  power,  derived,  as  they  assert,  from 
 the  royal  race  of  the  ancient  sovereigns  of  Hindustan,  it  may  be  easily  ima- 
 gined how  dangerous  would  prove  all  attempts  to  subvert,  by  coercive  means, 
 usages  based  upon  hereditary  principles  thus  deeply  rooted,  and  considered 
 by  these  courageous  and  high-minded  people,  to  be  equally  sanctioned  by 
 their  religion  and  their  honour. 
 
 The  origin  of  female  infanticide  among  the  Rajpoots  may,  it  is  supposed 
 by  some,  be  traced  to  their  apprehensions  of  not  being  able  to  provide 
 suitable  portions  for  their  female  offspring,  to  intermarry  them  with  families 
 of  equal  rank  with  themselves.  So  soon,  therefore,  among  some  of  these 
 tribes,  as  a female  child  is  born,  it  is  (with  some  especial  exceptions)  im- 
 mediately put  to  death,  either  by  strangulation,  by  the  means  of  opium 
 infused  in  milk,  or  by  the  infant  being  immersed  in  a vessel  containing  that 
 liquid. 
 
 General  Walker  accounts  for  this  inhuman  practice  in  a different  manner  : 
 “ It  is  said  (says  this  gentleman)  that  some  of  the  early  Mussulman  Indians 
 of  the  Jharejah  country,  experiencing  the  determination  with  which  they  de- 
 fended their  liberties,  united  policy  to  their  arms,  and  sought  to  consolidate 
 their  interests  in  the  country  by  demanding  the  daughters  of  the  Rajahs 
 in  marriage.  The  high-spirited  Rajahs  would  not  brook  the  disgrace,  and 
 pretended  they  did  not  preserve  their  daughters ; but  fearful  of  the  con- 
 sequences, and  that  force  would  be  resorted  to  in  order  to  obtain  what  was 
 refused  to  entreaty,  they,  in  this  extremity,  listened  to  the  advice  of  their 
 rajgurs  (or  priests),  and  deluded  by  the  fictitious  responsibility  which  they 
 accepted,  the  practice  of  infanticide  originated,  and  has  since  been  con- 
 firmed.” 
 
 It  may,  at  least,  be  fairly  conjectured,  that  some  of  these  tribes  adopted 
 the  barbarous  practice  in  question,  in  consequence  of  the  progress  of  the 
 Mahomedan  conquests,  and  the  Mahomedan  doctrines  in  Hindustan.  Al- 
 though conquered,  they  appear  to  have  alike  despised  the  enmity  and  the 
 
 2 a 2 
 
180 
 
 INFANTICIDE. 
 
 friendship  of  their  conquerors  ; submitting,  in  gloomy  silence,  to  the  one ; 
 and  avoiding,  what  they  considered  the  contamination  of  the  other,  by 
 infanticide. 
 
 But  whatever  may  have  been  the  origin  of  this  inhuman  practice,  it  may, 
 I think,  from  the  various  authorities  which  I have  consulted,  be  concluded, 
 that  motives  of  a very  powerful  character  can  only  have  influenced  this 
 brave  people  (some  of  whom  are,  in  other  respects,  in  the  highest  degree 
 tenacious  of  the  life  of  the  most  insignificant  of  sentient  animals)  thus  to 
 destroy  their  helpless  offspring,  at  the  expense  of  every  natural  and  every 
 manly  feeling. 
 
 A question  will,  no  doubt,  suggest  itself  to  the  reader,  in  what  manner 
 these  powerful  tribes  can,  if  they  thus  destroy  their  female  offspring  at  the 
 moment  of  their  birth,  perpetuate  their  race  ? I have  before  stated,  that 
 there  are  especial  exceptions  from  this  common  practice,  which  arise  from 
 occasional  unconquerable  natural  affection  ; from  the  family  having  no  male 
 child  ; from  an  extraordinary  loveliness  in  the  infant ; or  from  the  circum- 
 stance of  the  children  of  the  Rannies  only  being  put  to  death,  those  of  the 
 concubines  being  spared.  These,  and  the  females  of  inferior  castes,  who  do 
 not  destroy  their  children,  become  the  wives  of  the  tribes  who  do;  gene- 
 rally speaking,  I believe,  they  choose  their  wives  from  females  of  other 
 tribes  than  their  own. 
 
 The  Rajpoots,  among  whom  the  practice  of  infanticide  has  the  most  pre- 
 vailed, appear  to  have  been  aware  of  the  enormity  of  the  measure  ; and 
 while  they  have  urged  the  plea  of  necessity,  to  have  been  conscious  how 
 untenable  such  a plea  must  have  been,  in  opposition  to  the  immutable  prin- 
 ciples of  truth  and  nature.  Still,  the  insurmountable  apprehension  of  dis- 
 grace to  their  families,  feudal  pride,  and  long-established  custom  have 
 predominated  over  every  other  consideration. 
 
 To  those  who  would  make  the  sword  the  law,  and  hasten  forward  events 
 by  opposing  cannon  to  such  powerfully  religious  and  national  prejudices, 
 which  have  subsisted,  as  these  people  believe,  for  centuries  before  the 
 Christian  era,  instead  of  patiently  allowing  the  slow,  but  certain  progress 
 of  intelligence,  directed  by  prudence  and  perseverance,  to  undermine  their 
 
INFANTICIDE. 
 
 181 
 
 hitherto  adamantine  bases,  I would  recommend  the  attentive  perusal  of  the 
 following  pages  from  the  pen  of  a gentleman,  whose  long  residence  among 
 the  Rajpoots  has  stored  his  mind  with  an  intimate  knowledge  of  their  habits 
 and  manners,  their  lofty  principles  of  independence,  their  feudal  pride,  their 
 prejudices,  and  above  all,  their  power.  If,  then,  there  be  any  who  would 
 attempt  to  put  down  the  practices  which  have  been  now  described,  and 
 which  cannot  be  too  much  deprecated,  by  force,  instead  of  the  better  wea- 
 pons of  reason  and  persuasion,  let  them,  in  the  first  place,  recollect  that  the 
 Rajpoots  do  not  acknowledge  our  authority ; and,  in  the  next,  calculate 
 upon  the  awful  responsibility  which  that  man  would  incur,  who  should 
 first  attempt  to  subvert,  by  such  means,  the  independence  of  these  people, 
 for  the  sole  purpose  of  intermeddling  with,  and  striving  to  suppress  customs, 
 which  they  have  considered,  for  ages,  to  have  been  their  surest  safeguards 
 against  dishonour  and  disgrace.  * 
 
 “ Although,”  says  Colonel  Tod,  “ custom  sanctions,  and  religion  rewards 
 a sati  (or  suttee ),  yet,  to  the  honour  of  humanity,  neither  traditionary 
 adage  nor  religious  text  can  be  quoted,  in  support  of  a practice  so  revolting 
 as  infanticide.  Man,  alone,  of  the  whole  animal  creation,  is  equal  to  the 
 task  of  destroying  his  offspring.  When  a female  is  born,  no  anxious  enquiries 
 await  the  mother,  no  greetings  welcome  the  new  comer,  who  appears  an 
 intruder  on  the  scene  which  often  closes  in  the  hour  of  its  birth.  But  the 
 very  silence  with  which  a female  birth  is  accompanied  forcibly  expresses 
 sorrow.  Families  may  exult  in  the  satis  which  their  cenotaphs  pourtray, 
 but  none  ever  heard  a Rajpoot  boast  of  the  destruction  of  his  infant  progeny. 
 What  are  the  causes,  we  may  ask,  sufficiently  powerful  to  induce  the 
 suppression  of  a feeling  which  every  sentient  being  has  in  common  for  its 
 offspring?  To  suppose  a Rajpoot  devoid  of  this  sentiment,  would  argue  his 
 deficiency  in  the  ordinary  attributes  of  humanity.  Often  is  he  heard  to 
 exclaim,  “ accursed  is  the  day  when  a woman  child  was  born  to  me.” 
 That  woman  child  he  dares  not  see  degraded,  and  he  gives  the  opiate  to  his 
 infant,  whom  he  cannot  portion  to  marry  to  her  equal. 
 
 * For  a farther  account  of  the  Rajpoots,  see  the  article  “ Rajpoots,  &c.”  in  another  part  of 
 this  volume. 
 
182 
 
 INFANTICIDE. 
 
 “ Although  religion  no  where  authorizes  this  barbarity,  the  laws  which 
 regulate  marriages  amongst  the  Rajpoots  powerfully  promote  infanticide. 
 Not  only  are  intermarriages  prohibited  between  families  of  the  same  clan 
 ( compa ),  but  between  those  of  the  same  tribe  (gote) ; and  though  centuries 
 may  have  intervened  since  their  separation,  and  thus  transplanted  they  may 
 have  lost  their  original  patronymic,  they  can  never  be  regrafted  on  the 
 original  stem.  Every  tribe  has,  therefore,  to  look  abroad  to  a race  distinct 
 from  its  own  for  suitors  for  the  females. 
 
 “ Many  virtuous  and  humane  princes  have  endeavoured  to  check  or  miti- 
 gate an  evil,  in  the  eradication  of  which  every  parental  feeling  would 
 co-operate.  Sumptuary  edicts  can  alone  controul  it.  The  plan  proposed,  and 
 in  some  degree  followed  by  the  great  Jey  Sing  of  Amber,  might  with  caution 
 be  pursued,  and  with  great  probability  of  success.  He  submitted  to  the 
 prince  of  every  Rajpoot  state  a decree,  which  regulates  the  dayar  (or 
 dower),  and  other  marriage  expenditure,  with  reference  to  the  property  of 
 the  vassal,  limiting  it  to  one  year's  income  of  the  estate.  This  plan  was, 
 however,  frustrated  by  the  vanity  of  the  Chondawut  of  Saloombra,  who 
 expended  on  the  marriage  of  his  daughter  a sum  even  greater  than  his 
 sovereign  could  have  afforded.  Were  bonds  taken  from  all  the  feudal 
 chiefs,  and  a penal  clause  inserted,  of  forfeiture  of  their  fief  by  all  who 
 exceeded  a fixed  nuptial  expenditure,  the  axe  would  be  laid  to  the  root, 
 and  the  evil  would  be  checked,  and  the  heart  of  many  a mother  (and  we 
 may  add,  father),  be  gladdened  by  preserving  at  once  the  point  of  honour 
 and  their  child. 
 
 “ When  ignorance  declaims  against  the  gratuitous  love  of  murder  amongst 
 these  brave  men,  our  contempt  is  excited  equally  by  its  short-sighted  con- 
 clusions, and  the  affected  philanthropy  which  overlooks  all  remedy  but  the 
 ‘sic  volod  Sir  John  Shore,  when  acting  on  the  suggestion  of  the  benevolent 
 Duncan,  for  the  suppression  of  this  practice  amongst  the  Rajkoomars, 
 judged  more  wisely  as  a politician,  and  more  charitably  in  his  estimate  of 
 human  motives.  A prohibition  (says  he)  enforced  by  the  denunciation  of 
 the  severest  temporal  penalties,  would  have  had  little  efficacy  in  abolishing 
 a custom  which  existed  in  opposition  to  the  feelings  of  humanity  and  natural 
 
INFANTICIDE. 
 
 183 
 
 affection  ; but  the  sanction  of  that  religion  which  the  Rajkoomar  professed, 
 was  appealed  to  in  aid  of  the  ordinances  of  civil  authority,  and  an  engage- 
 ment binding  them  to  desist  from  the  barbarous  practice  was  prepared, 
 and  circulated  for  signature  amongst  the  Rajkoomars.  It  may  well  be 
 doubted  how  far  this  influence  could  extend,  when  the  root  of  the  evil 
 remained  untouched,  though  not  unseen,  as  the  philanthropic  Duncan 
 pointed  out  in  the  confession  of  the  Rajkoomars.  All  unequivocally  admitted 
 it,  but  all  did  not  fully  acknowledge  its  atrocity ; and  the  only  reason  they 
 assigned  for  the  inhuman  practice  was,  the  great  expense  of  procuring 
 suitable  matches  for  their  daughters  if  they  allowed  them  to  grow  up.  The 
 Rajkoomar  is  one  of  the  Chohan  Sachae,  chief  of  the  Agriculas,  and  in 
 proportion  to  its  high  and  well  deserved  pretentions  on  the  score  of  honour, 
 it  has  more  infanticides  than  any  other  of  the  thirty- six  royal  races. 
 Amongst  those  of  this  race  out  of  the  pale  of  feudalism,  and  subjected  to 
 powers  not  Rajpoot,  the  practice  is  four-fold  greater,  from  the  increased 
 pressure  of  the  cause  which  gave  it  birth,  and  the  difficulty  of  establishing 
 their  daughters  in  wedlock.  Raja  Jey  Sing’s  enactment  went  far  to  remedy 
 this.  Conjoin  his  plan  with  Mr.  Duncan's  : provide  dowers,  and  infanticide 
 will  cease.  It  is  only  by  removing  the  cause  that  the  consequence  can  be 
 averted.  As  to  the  almost  universality  of  this  practice  amongst  the  Jar^jas, 
 the  leading  cause  which  will  also  operate  to  its  continuance  has  been 
 entirely  overlooked.  The  Jarejas  were  Rajpoots,  a subdivision  of  the  Yadus, 
 but  by  intermarriages  with  the  Mahomedans,  to  whose  faith  they  became 
 proselytes,  they  lost  their  caste.  Political  causes  have  disunited  them  from 
 the  Mahomedans,  and  they  desire  again  to  be  considered  as  pure  Rajpoots  ; 
 but  having  been  contaminated,  no  Rajpoot  will  intermarry  with  them. 
 The  owner  of  a hyde  of  land,  whether  Seesodia,  Rahtore,  or  Chohan,  would 
 scorn  the  hand  of  a Jareja  princess.  Can  the  ‘sic  volo  be  applied  to  men  who 
 think  in  this  fashion  ?” 
 
( 184  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 The  conflicting  opinions  which  have  prevailed  among  the  most  intelligent 
 Oriental  writers  respecting  the  origin  and  antiquity  of  this  and  the  Jaina 
 sects,  and  the  little  historical  light  that  has  yet  been  afforded  to  disperse 
 the  darkness  that  ages  has  spread  over  them,  leave  us,  at  the  end  of  many 
 learned  disquisitions,  involved  in  almost  as  many  doubts  as  when  we  com- 
 menced upon  them.  By  some,  the  extensive  sect  of  Buddha  is  supposed  to 
 have  derived  its  origin  from,  and  to  have  been  identified  with,  the  ninth  avatar, 
 or  the  last  appearance  of  Vishnu  upon  earth  ; when  he  is  said  to  have  ap- 
 peared to  reclaim  the  Hindus  from  numerous  abominations  into  which  they 
 had  fallen,  and  to  teach  them  more  benevolent  forms  of  worship  than  those 
 which,  through  the  means  of  human  and  animal  sacrifices,  they  then  prac- 
 tised. These  mild  doctrines  were  too  simple,  and  interfered  too  strongly 
 with  the  privileges  of  the  Brahminical  priests  to  be  long  tolerated  by  them. 
 A religious  war,  in  consequence,  ensued  between  the  old  and  the  new  sects, 
 and  that  of  Buddha  was  ultimately  expelled  from  the  hither  peninsula  of 
 India. 
 
 In  noticing  this  most  beneficent  of  the  explanations  of  Vishnu’s  ninth 
 incarnation,  we  are  left  in  considerable  perplexity  to  account  for  the  appa- 
 rently inadequate  manifestation  of  his  power  to  punish  the  sacrilegious 
 Brahminical  opponents  of  his  divine  will : and  this  will  lead  to  the  obser- 
 vation, that  the  Buddhas  wholly,  and  the  Brahmans  partially,  disavow  this 
 incarnation  of  Vishnu  ; the  former  insisting  that  the  worship  of  Buddha 
 possesses  a far  higher  claim  to  antiquity  than  that  of  the  deities  of  the 
 Brahmans,  who,  they  maintain,  came  from  other  countries,  and  established 
 their  own  religion,  mainly  by  the  power  of  the  sword,  on  the  ruins  of  the 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 185 
 
 more  ancient  one  of  Buddha,  which  had  for  ages  before  prevailed.  This 
 point  will  be  noticed  again  presently. 
 
 The  Brahmans,  on  their  side,  aver  that  this  appearance  of  Vishnu  was 
 not  an  incarnation,  but  merely  a manifestation  of  his  power  ; the  object  of 
 which  they  account  for  in  a manner  peculiarly  their  own. 
 
 It  may  have  been  noticed  in  other  parts  of  this  work,  that  the  gods  of  the 
 Hindus  were  not  remarkably  scrupulous  about  the  means  which  they 
 adopted  for  the  accomplishment  of  any  especial  purpose  that  they  might 
 have  had  in  view,  whether  that  purpose  were  the  establishment  of  indi- 
 vidual supremacy,  the  benefit  of  the  celestial  hosts,  or,  more  benevolently, 
 the  good  of  mankind.  Thus  we  find  Vishnu,  in  the  Yamuna  avatar,  de- 
 ceiving Maha  Bali  to  dispossess  him  of  his  three  kingdoms  : and  thus  we 
 find  him,  as  Parasu  Rama,  and  Varuna,  opposing  craft  against  craft  to  each 
 other,  as  readily  and  effectually  as  two  of  the  most  skilful  of  modern  diplo- 
 matists ; the  one  to  obtain  a promise  that  he  might  take  an  undue  advan- 
 tage of  it ; the  other,  to  evade  that  which  sacred  ordinances  forbade  him  to 
 retract.  In  the  argument  of  the  Brahmans  here  alluded  to,  we  shall  find 
 the  doctrine  of  the  end  sanctifying  the  means,  carried  to  an  extent  which 
 must  be  deemed  more  demoniacal  than  divine,  and  more  in  accordance  with 
 the  character  of  a minister  of  evil,  than  of  the  preserving  deity  of  the  uni- 
 verse. 
 
 It  is  accordingly  urged,  that  Vishnu  (in  some  accounts  it  is  said  at  the 
 solicitation  of  Siva)  manifested  himself  in  the  form  of  Buddha,  to  overturn 
 the  supremacy  of  the  Asuras  (or  demons),  the  opponents  of  the  gods  ; who, 
 under  Divodasa,  by  their  extraordinary  virtue,  piety,  and  practice  of  the 
 holy  doctrines  of  the  Vedas,  had  become  eminently  powerful  and  happy. 
 It  would  thus  appear  that  the  Hindu  immortals  were  not  behind  earthly 
 mortals  in  cherishing  those  evil  and  base  passions  of  the  heart,  envy  and 
 uncharitableness,  which  we  are  apt  so  frequently  to  decry,  and,  like  the  gods 
 of  Swerga,  too  frequently  to  nourish.  But  be  that  as  it  may,  Indra  and 
 his  subordinate  deities  were  alarmed  at  the  increasing  virtue,  and,  in  con- 
 sequence, extending  power  of  the  Asuras  ; and  applied  to  Brahma,  Vishnu, 
 and  Siva  to  protect  them  from  the  distress  which  they  anticipated  from  such 
 
 2 n 
 
186 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 exemplary  holiness  and  goodness.  Brahma,  whose  blundering  good  nature, 
 as  may  be  discerned  on  many  other  occasions,  so  frequently  led  the  gods 
 into  almost  insurmountable  difficulties,  appears  also  on  this  to  have  granted 
 a boon  (and  to  have  obtained  Siva's  consent  thereto)  which  he  could  not 
 recall,  to  Divodasa,  that  none  of  the  deities  should  exercise  their  power  in 
 that  monarch’s  dominions  of  Kashi.  Vishnu  and  Siva  accordingly  declared, 
 that  it  would  be  impossible  to  resist  or  overcome  the  Asuras,  so  long  as 
 they  continued  to  be  virtuous  and  to  adhere  to  the  religion  of  the  Vedas. 
 Continuing,  however,  to  experience  the  solicitations,  and  to  witness  the 
 anxiety  of  Indra  and  the  other  gods,  Vishnu  at  length  assumed  the  form  of 
 Buddha,  and  by  preaching  doctrines  of  a more  humane  character  than  those 
 of  the  Vedas,  caused  Divodasa  and  the  Asuras  to  become  apostates  from 
 that  faith,  and  thus  enabled  the  gods  to  overcome  them,  and  establish  their 
 own  supremacy  on  the  subversion  of  their  just  and  pious  opponents. 
 
 This  legend,  of  which  there  are  several  versions,  puerile,  and  we  may  add 
 highly  immoral  as  it  may  appear,  is  a correct  specimen,  in  point  of  extrava- 
 gance, of  many  others  contained  in  the  Puranas.  It  reflects  too  little  credit 
 on  their  deity,  for  the  Vishnaivas  to  insist  so  strenuously  on  the  manifesta- 
 tion of  his  power  in  the  ninth  avatar  as  in  the  others  ; and  this  incarnation 
 is  in  consequence  held  in  infinitely  less  esteem. 
 
 The  more  beneficent  explanation  of  Vishnu’s  appearance  in  the  ninth 
 avatar,  mentioned  in  the  preceding  part  of  this  article,  must  be  equally  un- 
 satisfactory to  the  Brahmans;  inasmuch  as  it  places  the  priesthood  in  a 
 direct  and  sacrilegious  opposition  to  the  god  whom  they  profess  to  serve. 
 
 The  Buddhas,  however,  as  I have  before  stated,  wholly  deny  the  identity 
 of  their  deity  with  the  avatar  in  question.  They  admit  the  divinity  both  of 
 that  god  and  others  of  the  Vedantic  faith ; but  they  insist  that  they  are  greatly 
 subordinate  to  Buddha,  the  worship  of  whom  they  carry  back  to  a period 
 far  anterior  to  that  of  the  gods  of  the  Hindus.  They  do  not  acknowledge 
 a creation  of  the  universe  ; but  they  admit  that  it  has  been  destroyed  many 
 times,  and  by  some  extraordinary  operation  been  as  often  reproduced. 
 Each  of  these  regenerated  worlds  was  governed  by  Buddhas,  of  whom  they 
 enumerate  twenty-two.  The  present  universe  has  been  ruled,  successively, 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 187 
 
 by  four,  of  whom  Gautama  or  Gaudama,  whose  doctrines  now  prevail  in 
 Ceylon,  Ava,  and  some  other  places  where  the  religion  of  Buddha  is 
 acknowledged,  is  the  fourth.  A fifth,  Maitree  Buddha,  is  yet  to  come. 
 
 From  the  contradictory  jargon  of  the  Buddhas  respecting  the  objects  of 
 their  worship,  it  may  be  collected,  that  they  were  men  (although  their 
 worshippers  say  they  were  first  gods)  of  surpassing  piety  and  virtue,  who 
 by  their  holiness  raised  themselves  to  a state  of  beatitude ; obtaining,  in 
 the  first  instance,  admission  into  one  of  the  lower  heavens,  from  whence, 
 after  a stated  period,  they  again,  in  accordance  with  the  Buddha  doctrines 
 of  transmigration,  manifested  themselves  upon  earth,  and  by  increasing 
 piety  obtained  a title  to  a higher  step  on  the  ladder  of  celestial  bliss,  and 
 so  on  through  various  births  and  successive  elevations,  until  they  arrived 
 at  the  highest  heaven,  or  absorption  into  the  divine  essence,  at  which  all 
 the  supremely  good  will  eventually  arrive.  The  personage  who  last  go- 
 verned the  universe  (such  as  he  may  be,  divine  or  human),  and  who  is  now 
 worshipped,  they  say  is  dead ; and  that  a sort  of  interregnum  will  prevail 
 till  the  appearance  of  Maitree  Buddha,  during  which  the  governing  power 
 is  in  the  hands  of  a servant  of  Gaudama,  Maha  Brahma,  who  is  consequently 
 (though  not  a Buddha,  which  he  may  become  hereafter)  the  regent  of  the 
 universe,  and  at  present  superior  over  all  the  gods.  His  reign  or  regency 
 will  last  many  ages  longer,  when  that  and  the  present  universe  will 
 terminate  together.  He  will  then  ascend  from  the  ninth  heaven  in  which 
 he  now  resides,  through  the  seventeen  superior  heavens,  till  he  arrives  at 
 the  highest,  when  he  will  become  a Buddha,  and  be  worshipped  in  his  turn. 
 How  many  may  be  now  on  the  road  before  him  it  may  be  difficult  to  ascer- 
 tain ; but  in  respect  of  the  universe,  a new  one  will,  some  how  or  other,  be 
 formed,  or  will  form  itself,  over  which  another  vicegerent  will  preside  : and 
 so  matters  will  go  on  till  worlds  shall  be  no  more,  if  such  a thing  can, 
 according  to  the  belief  of  the  Buddhas,  happen. 
 
 With  these  extraordinary  and  complicated  ideas  of  infinity,  the  Buddhas 
 may  well  challenge  the  Brahmans  on  the  score  of  antiquity.  Fortunately, 
 however,  for  the  latter,  the  claims  of  the  Buddhas  are  veiled  by  as  much 
 mystery  as  their  own  ; so  that,  as  neither  of  them  are  sufficiently  lucid  to 
 
 2 b 2 
 
188 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 be  comprehended  by  a dispassionate  party,  they  are  likely  to  have  full 
 scope,  both  for  themselves  and  their  respective  advocates  and  champions 
 in  the  west,  to  argue  the  point  to  the  end  of  the  present  calpi ; unless  some 
 extraordinary  and  unexpected  manifestation  should,  in  the  mean  time,  take 
 place. 
 
 As  in  most  cases  where  much  obscurity  prevails,  conjecture  is  corres- 
 pondingly active,  numerous  arguments  have  been  adduced  by  European 
 writers  in  support  of  the  claims  of  those  two  sects.  By  some  it  has  been 
 urged,  in  favour  of  the  Buddhas,  that,  as  man  in  a primitive  state  of  society 
 would  be  more  likely  to  entertain  a belief  that  the  universe  was  the  effect  of 
 chance,  or  of  some  natural  operation,  rather  than  the  creation  of  a divine 
 power,  it  will  follow,  that  such  being  the  creed  of  the  Buddhas,  that  portion 
 of  the  people  of  India  who  had  adopted  the  Brahminical  faith  must  have 
 done  so,  and  have  departed  from  an  earlier  belief,  in  consequence  of  an 
 advance  of  knowledge  among  them,  which  other  parts  of  the  same  country 
 did  not  experience ; and  that,  therefore,  while  the  Brahmans,  who  first 
 among  them  acknowledged  and  worshipped  a supreme  Being,  were  departing 
 afterwards  from  that  unity  of  worship,  and  erecting  idols  as  symbols  of  his 
 power  and  attributes,  the  Buddhas  remained  stedfast  in  their  disbelief  of 
 a first  divine  cause,  and  in  their  adoration  only  of  virtue  and  goodness,  as 
 exemplified  by  their  learned  and  pious  sages,  whom  they  in  consequence 
 raised  to  a state  of  beatitude  and  worshipped.  The  religion  of  Buddha 
 must  then,  they  say,  be  the  most  ancient.  Others,  adopting  an  opposite 
 reasoning,  have  argued  that  the  Brahmans,  when  they  arrived  in  India  from 
 some  other  country,  found  the  worship  of  Buddha  to  be  then  established, 
 and,  in  compliance  with  the  feelings  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants,  engrafted 
 it  on  their  own  polytheism. 
 
 Others  again,  the  advocates  of  the  priority  of  the  Brahmans,  either  urge 
 the  ninth  avatar  of  Vishnu,  or  allege  that  the  sect  of  Buddha  has  been 
 founded  by  good  and  virtuous  men,  who  were  disgusted  at,  and  dissatisfied 
 with  the  idol  worship  of  the  Brahmans,  and  who,  running  into  contrary 
 extremes,  introduced,  in  opposition  thereto,  and  to  its  attendant  sanguinary 
 sacrifices,  as  a summum  bonum  of  earthly  consideration,  a love  and  adoration 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 189 
 
 of  virtue  and  justice,  and  a benevolent  regard  towards  the  most  minute  of 
 sentient  animals.  The  major  part  of  these  learned  theorists  have,  however, 
 concurred  in  making  Egypt  the  fountain-head  from  which  one  of  these 
 sectarial  streams  first  issued,  but  they  have  not  agreed  on  the  main  point — 
 which  of  them  had  that  honour ; as  it  is  by  one  given  to  the  Buddha  atheist, 
 and  by  the  other  to  the  Brahminical  polytheist. 
 
 It  will  be  obvious  that  these,  and  a variety  of  corresponding  arguments, 
 can  be  only  conjectural ; but,  in  the  absence  of  historical  or  other  positive 
 evidence,  there  are  a few  points  which  maybe  worthy  of  consideration.  In 
 most  of  the  countries  wherein  the  religion  of  Buddha  now  prevails,  vestiges 
 of  the  Brahminical  worship  are  also  found,  as  are  the  images  of  Buddha 
 among  those  of  the  Brahmans  in  some  of  the  earliest  of  the  excavated 
 temples  of  Hindustan.  A reference  to  the  article  Japan,  the  islands  in  the 
 eastern  Archipelago,  and  countries  bordering  on  the  China  Sea,  with  plates 
 37,  38,  and  39,  will  shew  that,  among  the  Japanese,  the  first,  second, 
 third,  and  sixth  avatars,  with  Hanuman  and  Surya,  are  clearly  distin- 
 guished ; and  yet,  according  to  Kempfer  and  other  later  writers,  the  wor- 
 ship of  Buddha  is  now  the  prevailing  one  in  that  empire.  In  China,  Ton- 
 quin  China,  Tartary,  Thibet,  and  Ceylon,  the  gods  of  the  Hindu  Pantheon  are 
 also  met  with;  but,  in  some  places  scarcely,  and  in  others  not  at  all  acknow- 
 ledged, while  the  worship  of  Buddha  is  paramount.  In  Java,  the  concur- 
 rent testimonies  of  the  late  Sir  Stamford  Raffles  and  Colonel  Mackenzie 
 lead  to  the  impression,  that  the  once  magnificent  temples  of  that  island 
 were,  like  the  early  sculptured  cavern  temples  of  the  Hindus,  the  works  of 
 these  sects  conjointly,  either  while  they  acknowledged  the  same  objects  of 
 worship,  or  while,  at  least,  they  simultaneously  worshipped  their  several  idols 
 in  harmony  and  mutual  toleration.  Thus  the  most,  to  me,  satisfactory  con- 
 clusion which  I can  draw  from  these  circumstances  is,  that  the  Brahminical 
 is  either  the  most  ancient,  or  the  original  form  of  worship  of  the  two  sects, 
 or  it  is  not  probable  that,  in  countries  where  that  of  Buddha  now  prevails, 
 the  idols  of  the  other  would  be  so  frequently  found,  and  the  worship  of  them 
 extinct ; or  that,  in  other  places,  the  temples  of  both  would  be  discovered 
 
190 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 together,  and  alike  magnificent  in  their  ruins,  overturned  on  the  same  spot 
 by  the  ruthless  hand  of  the  Mahomedan  conqueror. 
 
 It  therefore  appears  the  more  reasonable  conjecture,  that  the  religion  of 
 Buddha  commenced  in  Majadha,  or  Bahar,  in  the  early  centuries  of  the 
 Christian  era,  and  had  its  mythological  origin  in  what  is  called  the  ninth 
 avatar  of  Vishnu,  or,  in  reality,  in  some  wise  or  holy  persons,  who  insti- 
 tuted, or  practised,  under  the  benevolent  fiction  of  the  power  and  sanctity 
 of  that  deity,  a mild  and  beneficent  doctrine,  in  opposition  to  the  sanguinary 
 practices,  and  probably  oppression,  of  the  Brahmanical  priests.  The  new 
 doctrines  may  not,  in  the  beginning,  have  excited  any  considerable  degree 
 of  jealousy,  or  may  have  been  too  powerfully  protected  to  be  for  a time  at- 
 tacked ; but  when,  in  the  course  of  years,  their  extensive  effects  may  have 
 been  more  sensibly  felt  by  a rapacious  priesthood,  uncompromising  sectarial 
 differences,  (under  political  changes  which  begat  opposing  interests  that  led 
 to  attempted  independence  on  one  side,  and  intolerance  and  persecution  on 
 the  other),  may  have  arisen.  The  Brahmans  were  triumphant  in  Hindus- 
 tan ; the  Buddhas  spread  their  reformed,  but  atheistical,  doctrines  in  the 
 border  and  more  distant  countries,  where  the  power  and  faith  of  their  op- 
 ponents were  less  potent  and  acknowledged.  Persecution  having  then 
 nothing  more  to  feed  upon,  may  have  ceased,  although  enmity  and  its  ac- 
 companiments, occasional  wars,  may  have  still  remained ; till  dissensions 
 among  the  powerful  princes  of  the  Hindus  themselves  may  have  checked 
 that  which  the  Persian  and  Tartar  conquerors  finally  put  a stop  to,  the 
 contentions  of  the  rival  sects.  But  even  at  the  present  day  their  hatred 
 still  continues  ; the  Buddhas  considering  the  Brahmans  as  a set  of  devils, 
 and  the  latter  returning  the  compliment,  by  viewing  the  Buddhas  as  a 
 race  of  vile  and  abominable  heretics,  infinitely  worse  than  the  Maho- 
 medans. 
 
 In  hazarding  the  foregoing  conjectures,  it  must  at  the  same  time  be 
 acknowledged,  that  many  very  strong  and  sensible  arguments  have  been 
 adduced  on  the  other  side  of  the  question.  It  may  be,  however,  worthy  of 
 remark,  that  the  conquests  of  the  Brahmans  over  the  Buddhas,  towards  the 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 191 
 
 south,  appear  to  have  terminated  in  the  island  of  Ramisaram,  one  of  the 
 chain  of  rocky  islands  called  Adam’s  Bridge,  lying  between  the  southern 
 extremity  of  the  hither  peninsula  of  India  and  Ceylon.  The  island  is 
 about  two  miles  from  the  main.  The  pagodas  or  temples  of  this  sacred  isle, 
 for  such  it  is  considered  to  be,  are  extensive,  and  are  visited  by  pilgrims 
 from  very  distant  countries,  whose  donations,  added  to  the  munificence  of 
 the  neighbouring  rajahs,  render  unnecessary  all  kinds  of  labour  in  this 
 highly  favoured  spot.  Among  the  objects  of  worship,  the  emblem  of  Siva 
 is  one  of  the  most  prominent.  According  to  the  late  Colonel  Mackenzie, 
 a custom  prevails  in  this  island,  which  is  not  uncommon  in  the  southern 
 parts  of  the  continent  of  India,  by  which  the  territorial  chief  of  the  island 
 (a  member  of  a family  of  Byraages,  or  devotees,  to  whom  the  guardianship  of 
 it  belongs)  is  doomed  to  a life  of  perpetual  celibacy  ; the  succession  being 
 carried  on  by  his  sisters  or  collateral  relations,  who  are  permitted  to  marry. 
 
 The  island  of  Manaar  is  separated  from  the  shore  of  Ceylon,  like  that  of 
 Ramisaram  from  the  main  land,  by  a channel  about  two  miles  in  width. 
 Here  the  doctrines  of  Buddha  prevail  : so  that  the  narrow  channel  between 
 these  two  islands  would  appear  to  have  opposed  an  unsuperable  barrier  to 
 the  farther  progress  of  Brahmanical  intolerance  and  persecution.  There 
 are,  however,  the  ruins  of  Hindu  temples,  and  others  which  once  belonged 
 to  the  Hindus  now  used  for  the  worship  of  Buddha,  in  several  parts  of 
 Ceylon,  so  that  that  religion  must  have  extensively  prevailed  in  the  island 
 previous  to  the  contests  between  the  two  sects.  The  emblems  of  Mahadeo 
 appear  to  be  more  common  than  others.  Of  these  buildings  and  emblems 
 the  Cingalese,  at  the  present  day,  appear  to  know  but  little,  as  they 
 ascribe  them  to  the  agency  of  evil  spirits. 
 
 Leaving  this  doubtful  point  of  antiquity  to  the  judgment  of  the  reader,  I 
 will  proceed  to  describe,  as  briefly  as  I can,  the  very  extensive  sect  (perhaps 
 the  most  extensive  that  is  known)  of  Buddha,  whose  doctrines  are  now 
 acknowledged  in  Ceylon,  some  parts  of  Hindustan,  Nepal,  Thibet,  some  of 
 the  provinces  of  Tartary,  the  empires  and  their  dependencies  of  China  and 
 Japan,  the  kingdoms  of  Ava  and  Siam,  and  most  of  the  various  countries 
 which  are  situated  on  the  shores  of  the  China  Sea. 
 
192 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 In  this  vast  extent  of  country  Buddha  is  known  under  numerous  names, 
 and  has  been  identified  by  learned  European  writers,  alike  with  the 
 patriarchs  of  our  own  sacred  history,  the  sovereigns  of  Egypt,  and  the 
 princes  of  Hindustan.  Some  have  supposed  him  to  have  been  Noah, 
 Moses,  See.  ; others  Sesac  or  Sesostris  of  Egypt;  while  others,  again,  have 
 imagined  him  to  have  been  the  same  with  Woden,  the  god  of  the  Scandina- 
 vians, whose  worship  extended  during  the  barbarous  ages  over  the  various 
 kingdoms  of  the  west.  It  will  be  unnecessary  to  discuss  these  theories, 
 as  it  is  my  object  to  describe  the  practices  and  the  creeds  of  the  Hindu 
 religions,  as  far  as  I can  comprehend  them,  as  they  actually  prevail,  rather 
 than  to  enter  upon  abstruse  arguments,  which,  after  all,  would  be  only  heaping 
 another  conjecture  upon  the  unstable  pile  that  has  already  preceded  it. 
 
 Buddha  is  now  worshipped  in  Ceylon  and  the  Burman  empire,  under  the 
 name  of  Gautama  or  Gaudama.  It  is  variously  spelt,  but  there  is  no 
 distinct  difference  in  the  sound.  He  has  many  names,  some  of  which  are 
 derived  from  the  postures  in  which  he  is  placed.  In  Siam  he  is  called 
 Pout  and  Sommonokodum ; Pott  or  Pote,  in  Thibet ; Saka,  in  China ; 
 Xaka,  in  Japan;  and  Chacabout,  in  Tonquin  China.  Neither  Xaka  nor 
 Chacabout,  at  the  time  of  the  Hollanders’  embassies  to  Japan,  or  Taverner’s 
 visit  to  Tonquin  China,  appear  to  have  been  held  either  in  exclusive  worship 
 or  in  the  first  estimation.  The  image  of  Xaka,  as  represented  in  Japan, 
 will  be  seen  in  fig.  4,  plate  37,  and  noticed  farther  under  the  article  Japan. 
 In  the  same  degree  of  consideration,  according  to  Dr.  F.  Buchanan,  Buddha 
 would  appear  to  have  been  held  by  the  Cochin  Chinese;  but  according  to 
 Mr.  Finlayson,  who  accompanied  Mr.  Craufurd’s  mission  in  1821-2,  they 
 seemed  to  have  had  no  religion  at  all ; at  least  none  that  he  could  com- 
 prehend ; unless  a belief  in  charms,  putting  raw  meat  on  their  altars,  and 
 scattering  scraps  of  gilt  and  painted  paper,  could  be  termed  such. 
 
 Various  data  have  been  assigned  to  the  period  of  Buddha’s  existence  on 
 earth.  The  most  correct  seems  to  be  about  five  hundred  and  fifty  years  before 
 the  birth  of  Christ. 
 
 Whatever  pretensions  to  divinity  Buddha  may  have  had  previous  to  his 
 appearance  on  earth,  Gautama  (or  under  what  other  name  he  may  be  known) 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 193 
 
 the  present  Buddha,  was  born  the  son  of  Soododama  Rajah,  king  of  Giamba 
 Dwipa.  His  mother  was  Maya  Maha.  He  lived  in  a most  happy,  and  of 
 course  correct  manner  with  his  queen  Yessadra  and  forty  thousand  concu- 
 bines for  thirty-one  years,  when  he  turned  ascetic  for  six  years,  to  become 
 a god  or  something  like  one.  In  this  brief  space  of  time  his  sanctity  and 
 austerities  swept  away  all  preceding  peccadilloes.  He  was  then  Buddha 
 for  forty-five  years,  when  he  died,  and  ascended  to  the  “ hall  of  glory.” 
 His  government  on  earth  has  been  since  that  time,  and  will  be  for  about 
 two  thousand  five  hundred  years  more,  administered  by  his  regent,  Maha 
 Brahma. 
 
 But  whatsoever  Buddha  may  have  been,  the  doctrines  that  he  inculcated 
 were  those  of  virtue,  justice,  and  benevolence  : so  that  those  related  of  the 
 ninth  avatar,  and  those  now  ascribed  to  common  practice,  are  in  perfect 
 accordance  with  each  other.  His  commandments  were  originally  only  five; 
 but  were  afterwards  increased  to  eight,  some  say  to  ten.  The  first  five  are 
 considered  necessary  towards  salvation  ; the  others  are  meritorious,  but  not 
 imperative.  The  five  are  : 
 
 1st.  Not  to  kill  a living  creature  of  any  kind. 
 
 2d.  Not  to  steal. 
 
 3d.  Not  to  commit  adultery. 
 
 4th.  Not  to  speak  an  untruth  on  any  occasion. 
 
 5th.  Not  to  use  intoxicating  liquors  or  drugs. 
 
 The  meritorious  commands  are  to  abstain  from  female  intercourse  on  the 
 eighth  and  fifteenth  days  of  the  moon’s  increase,  these  days  being  sacred  ; 
 not  to  eat  after  mid-day  ; and  not  to  sleep  on  costly,  soft,  or  elevated  beds, 
 but  on  clean  mats.  The  others  inculcate,  generally,  virtue  and  benevolence, 
 and  the  practice  of  individual  abstinence.* 
 
 * Although  Gautama,  in  the  second  and  fourth  commandments,  imperatively  enjoins  honesty 
 and  truth,  it  would  appear  that,  like  Vishnu,  he  did  not  think  cunning  and  fraud  to  be  sins  of  a 
 very  heinous  nature,  if  they  were  exercised  to  answer  an  end  which  he  deemed  good.  We 
 accordingly  find  him  practising  both  against  the  Assura  Nat,  to  expel  them  from  their  heavenly 
 abode  Mienmo,  in  alluring  them  to  drink  wine,  which  he  also  pretended  to  do  himself,  but  drank 
 another  beverage  of  a harmless  quality.  The  Assuras  followed,  as  they  imagined,  the  example 
 
 2 c 
 
194- 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 The  Buddhas  do  not,  as  has  been  before  stated,  believe  in  a creation  of  a 
 world,  but  in  a succession  of  worlds,  the  beginning  or  end  of  which  Gau- 
 tama did  not  obtain  a knowledge  of.  The  present  universe  is  composed  of 
 many  worlds.  In  the  centre  of  these  is  a large  stone  (as  it  is  termed),  or 
 country  of  vast  extent,  in  which  dwells  Buddha.  Around  this  stone  is 
 water,  and  on  the  outside  of  that  is  another  stone  ; and  around  these  again, 
 others  : some  of  which  are  inhabited  by  the  planets  and  celestial  bodies, 
 and  others  are  uninhabited.  Among  these  outer  circles  are  four  other 
 stones  or  countries,  whose  inhabitants  possess  very  superior  claims  to  our 
 consideration  : one  race  of  them  having  faces  like  half  moons ; another 
 ( Giambu , or  in  Ava  Zabudabar , the  earth),  triangular  faces  ; a third,  per- 
 fectly round  faces;  and  a fourth,  those  of  an  entirely  square  formation. 
 These  stones  are  severally  red,  green,  yellow,  and  white,  of  which  colours 
 the  complexions  of  their  inhabitants  partake,  only  our  defective  organs  of 
 vision  will  not  allow  us  to  perceive  it.  The  country  which  we  inhabit  is 
 the  most  southern  of  these  stones,  and  the  age  of  man  in  it  is  eighty  years. 
 In  two  of  the  other  islands  the  inhabitants  live  to  five  hundred  years,  and 
 are  in  the  one  nine,  and  in  the  other  six  cubits  high  ; but  in  the  fourth,  or 
 northern  island,  called  Unchigru,  the  people  live  for  a thousand  years  a life 
 of  enchanting  and  unchequered  ease  and  enjoyment.  For  labour  there  is 
 no  occasion,  as  luxuries  of  every  kind  spring  spontaneously  from  a tree 
 called  the  Padeza  Bayn , which  instead  of  fruit  produces  precious  garments, 
 and  rice,  and  meats  of  most  exquisite  flavour  and  in  every  variety,  to  suit 
 the  particular  taste  of  each  individual,  ready  cooked.  Of  this  food,  such  is 
 its  nature,  a person  need  partake  only  once  a week.  In  this  enviable  and 
 happy  spot,  ease  and  gratification  are  the  order  of  the  day  ; for  no  sooner 
 is  the  repast  finished,  than  the  remains  of  it  in  a moment  disappear.  Danger 
 and  sickness  are  here  unknown,  while  unfading  youth  casts  over  the  coun- 
 tenances of  all  the  perennial  sunshine  of  happiness  and  tranquillity. 
 
 I am  almost  afraid  to  proceed  with  my  abstract  of  the  description  given 
 
 of  the  god,  and  became  intoxicated.  Gautama  then  called  his  followers,  and  dragged  them  neck 
 and  heels  away  from  Mienmo.  This  story,  if  it  have  not  the  same  foundation,  is  much  upon  a 
 par  with  that  related  of  Vishnu  at  Kashi. 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 1 95 
 
 of  this  fairy  land  by  Dr.  F.  Buchanan,  from  whose  excellent  essay  on  the 
 Burmans  I have  gleaned  my  knowledge  of  it,  lest  in  this  age  of  emigration 
 I should  frustrate  some  of  the  laudable  and  considerate  plans  of  our  Colonial 
 Secretary.  However,  as  it  is  proper  that  so  interesting  a country  should 
 be  more  extensively  known,  I must  venture  to  continue  my  relation,  with 
 as  much  brevity  and  as  much  adherence  to  veracity  as  the  subject  will 
 admit  of.  Women  in  this  delightful  island  bring  forth  their  children  in  the 
 streets  without  pain,  and  there  leave  them.  In  this  there  is  nothing  what- 
 ever unnatural,  as  the  children  thus  left  do  not  die ; for  the  passengers  put 
 the  extremities  of  their  fingers  into  the  mouths  of  the  infants,  who  from 
 thence  suck  a most  exquisite  nectareous  liquor,  by  which  they  are  refreshed 
 and  nourished  for  seven  days,  in  which  time  they  become  full  grown.  No 
 one  knows  his  own  relations,  not  only  for  the  above-mentioned  reason,  but 
 also  because  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  northern  island  are  of  the  same  form 
 and  golden  colour.  Whenever,  therefore,  a man  and  woman,  struck  with 
 mutual  love,  wish  to  contract  marriage,  they  retire  under  the  shade  of  a 
 most  agreeable  kind  of  tree.  If  they  be  not  nearly  related,  this  tree  bends 
 down  its  branches  and  leaves,  and  forms  for  them  a delightful  bower ; but 
 if  they  be  related,  they  immediately  discover  their  consanguinity  by  the 
 then  unbending  branches.  These  islanders  are  thirteen  cubits  high,  and  are 
 very  handsome,  especially  the  women,  who  excel  in  softness,  suppleness, 
 and  elegance  of  limbs. 
 
 Skies  of  heavenly  serenity  and  a delightful  temperature  reign  for  ever  in 
 this  enviable  country.  Its  trees  exude  gums  of  aromatic  fragrance ; and 
 streams  of  sandal-wood,  in  which  the  natives  bathe,  issue  from  every  part 
 of  the  island. 
 
 All  this  is  blissful  and  wonderful  enough  for  common  understandings  ; 
 but  if  any  of  my  readers  should  be  pleased  to  soar  into  the  regions  of  ro- 
 mance, wherein  I beg  to  assure  them  I have  not,  comparatively  speaking, 
 yet  entered,  I must  refer  them  to  the  eighth  article  of  the  sixth  volume  of 
 the  Asiatic  Researches,  where  they  will  find  the  Nats,  or  inhabitants  of  the 
 heavens  above  the  country  in  question,  blessed  in  an  inconceivably  multi- 
 fold degree  with  the  luxuries  of  very  surpassing  trees,  and  numerous  other 
 
 2 c 2 
 
196 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 et  ceteras,  which  turn  the  legends  of  the  Arabian  Nights  and  Fairy  Tales 
 into  mere  bagatelles.  But  as  that  volume  may  not  be  at  hand,  the  following 
 description  of  the  elephant  of  the  Nat  sovereign  may  for  the  moment  suffice: 
 “ This  elephant  has  thirty-three  heads,  corresponding  to  the  thirty-three 
 Nat  princes.  Every  head  has  seven  teeth,  which  are  fifty  juzana  in  length. 
 In  every  tooth  are  seven  lakes ; in  every  lake,  seven  flowering  trees  ; on 
 every  tree,  seven  flowers ; in  every  flower,  seven  leaves ; in  every  leaf, 
 seven  thrones ; in  every  throne,  seven  chambers  ; in  every  chamber,  seven 
 beds  ; and  in  every  bed,  seven  Nat  dancing  girls. 
 
 “ The  stature  of  these  Nat  is  three  gant ; the  duration  of  their  lives  thirty- 
 six  millions  of  years  ; and  they  do  not  require  the  light  of  the  sun  and 
 moon,  since  that  from  their  own  bodies  is  quite  sufficient,  as  they  shine  like 
 so  many  suns  and  stars.” 
 
 These  planets  are,  however,  the  palaces  of  Nats.  He  of  the  solar  orb  has 
 his  of  gold  and  crystal,  while  that  of  the  gentleman  who  inhabits  the  moon 
 is  of  silver  and  carbuncle. 
 
 But,  after  all,  the  Nat  and  the  Padeza  Bayn  trees  are  nothing  to  Gautama 
 and  the  tree  ( Gnaing  Bayn ) under  which  he  received  his  divine  nature. 
 Under  this  tree  resides  the  king  of  the  elephants,  in  all  the  luxury  of  an 
 elephant  Sardanapalus. 
 
 The  Buddhas,  like  the  Brahmans,  have  had  their  Assuras  or  Nat  demons, 
 and  furious  wars  have  taken  place  between  them  ; which  have,  of  course, 
 terminated  in  favour  of  the  most  worshipful  party.  Both  sides,  on  those 
 occasions,  performed  prodigies  of  valour,  though  no  one  was  killed  on 
 either.  These  contests  were  at  length  decided  by  a trial  of  skill  instead  of 
 prowess,  the  Nat  prince  having  challenged  Gautama  to  decide  their  supre- 
 macy by  the  power  which  either  had  to  conceal  himself  from  the  other. 
 The  challenge  having  been  accepted,  the  Assura  changed  himself,  while 
 Gautama  closed  his  eyes,  into  a grain  of  sand,  and  descended  to  the  centre 
 of  the  earth.  This  the  god,  by  his  omniscience,  knew  very  well,  and 
 accordingly  clapped  his  left  hand  over  the  hole,  and  with  the  right  tossed 
 about  the  earth  like  a tee-totum,  till  his  opponent  became,  if  the  term 
 inay  be  used,  completely  sea-sick.  On  his  coming  up  from  his  hiding  place. 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 197 
 
 Gantama  in  an  instant  transformed  himself  into  a minute  atom,  and  placed 
 himself  over  the  eye,  between  the  eyebrow  and  the  eyelid  of  the  assura, 
 and  called  to  him  to  seek  him.  The  other  hearing  the  voice  so  near,  looked 
 and  groped,  and  groped  and  looked  in  vain ; till  having  wandered  through 
 the  four  great  and  two  thousand  small  islands  of  the  world,  the  ocean,  and 
 Gautama  and  the  Nat  only  know  where  besides,  he  found  himself  harrassed, 
 vexed,  fatigued,  and  frustrated,  and  gave  up  the  contest,  acknowledging  the 
 superior  power  of  Gautama,  and  calling  upon  him  to  shew  himself.  This 
 the  god  did  by  making  a ladder  of  gold  and  gems,  and  lowering  it  before 
 the  face  of  the  astonished  Assura.  He  then  descended,  not  as  an  atom,  but 
 in  all  the  glory  and  attributes  of  his  divine  character. 
 
 The  heavens  of  the  Buddhas  are  twenty-six,  placed  one  above  another. 
 At  the  end  of  the  maha  calpi,  when  the  world  will  be  at  an  end,  six  of  the 
 lower  of  these  celestial  abodes  will  be  destroyed  by  fire,  four  by  storms, 
 and  six  by  water.  The  four  superior  heavens  will  escape  destruction  ; 
 but  what  will  become  of  the  six  intermediate  ones  does  not  so  clearly 
 appear. 
 
 The  great  hells  are  thirty-four ; but  besides  these  there  are  a hundred 
 and  twenty  smaller  hells.  Those  which  are  hot  lie  immediately  under  the 
 earth  ; which  may  possibly  account  for  the  many  volcanos,  whirlpools,  and 
 sundry  explosive  and  other  turbulent  things  that  it  contains. 
 
 The  punishments  for  sinners  in  these  hells  are  as  correspondingly  de- 
 grading, as  the  condition  of  the  good  is  in  the  heavens  transcendently 
 happy : with  this  difference,  that  in  their  amended  state  they  contrive  to 
 forget  (a  thing  very  uncommon  in  this  lower  world  of  ours)  what  they 
 ascended  from : whereas,  in  their  debased  situation,  their  reminiscences 
 are  more  perfect ; as  we  are  told  of  a priestly  dignitary,  who  having,  for 
 practices  it  may  be  presumed  partaking  of  the  nature  of  the  insect,  been 
 transformed  into  a louse,  became  so  absolutely  miserable  at  the  idea  of  his 
 goods  and  chattels,  especially  his  garment,  in  which  he  took  great  pride 
 (unlike  the  pious  and  patriarchal  pastors  of  the  western  world,  who  enter- 
 tain no  such  proud  or  selfish  feelings,  or  worldly  considerations  for  rich 
 garments  or  rich  chattels  of  any  kind)  being  divided  among  the  surviving 
 
198 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 priests,  that  his  agitation  was  painfully  obvious  to  his  old  associates,  who, 
 with  the  feeling  common  to  their  order  towards  sentient  animals,  applied 
 to  Gautama  to  know  what  to  do.  The  deity  desired  them  to  wait  seven 
 days  (the  term  of  a louse’s  life),  in  which  time  the  miserable  insect  (as  will 
 be  seen  hereafter),  would  be  emancipated  in  some  way  from  his  then  un- 
 happy state.  A louse’s  mental  agony  is,  however,  but  as  the  bite  of  one  to 
 some  of  the  infernal  punishments  of  the  Buddha’s  Tartarus.  Assura  Nat  are 
 their  Minos  and  Rhadamanthus,  and,  as  it  may  be  imagined,  are  not  very 
 tender  in  awarding  to  their  opponents  their  full  share  of  any  tortures  which 
 their  misdeeds  may  have  called  for.  One  of  these  is,  that  a man  as  big  as 
 three  mountains,  and  who  is  always  in  a hungry  state,  is  tantalized  by 
 having  a mouth  no  longer  than  the  eye  of  the  finest  needle.  The  punishments 
 attributed  to  the  hells  of  the  Buddhas  assimilate  so  nearly  to  those  of  the 
 Hindus,  that  a farther  description  of  them  may  be  referred  to  the  account 
 which  will  be  found  of  them  under  the  head  of  Yama,  and  the  figures  in 
 plate  28. 
 
 The  destruction  of  the  world  will,  it  is  imagined,  take  place  in  the  follow- 
 ing manner.  A great  rain  will,  at  a future  time,  fall  in  torrents ; after 
 which  not  a drop  will  descend  from  the  heavens  for  a hundred  thousand 
 years.  In  this  period  plants,  animals,  and  every  living  thing  will  perish, 
 the  sun  and  the  moon  will  disappear,  and,  in  their  stead,  two  false  suns 
 will  arise.  The  one  will  succeed  the  other,  rising  when  it  sets.  There 
 will  then  be  no  night.  The  heat  will  be  intense,  and  small  bodies  of  water 
 will  be  dried  up.  A third  sun  will  arise  and  dry  up  the  largest  rivers;  a 
 fourth  and  fifth  will  come  and  dry  up  the  different  seas  ; a sixth  will  rend 
 asunder  the  1,010,000  earths,  from  whose  rents  will  be  emitted  smoke  and 
 flames.  By  the  seventh  sun  the  heavenly  mountain  Mienmo,  and  all  its 
 celestial  inhabitants,  will  be  consumed.  The  destroying  fire,  having  then 
 nothing  more  to  feed  it,  will  expire  of  its  own  accord. 
 
 The  Buddhas  allege  that  every  thing  exists  from  natural  causes ; that 
 virtue  brings  its  own  reward,  and  vice  its  own  punishment ; and  that  the 
 state  of  man  is  probationary.  If  he  be  virtuous,  he  will,  after  death,  ascend 
 to  one  of  the  lower  heavens,  but  will  be  born  again  many  times  : and  as  he 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 199 
 
 may  each  time  continue  virtuous,  or  according  to  the  extent  of  his  virtue, 
 he  will  progressively  ascend  in  the  scale  of  celestial  bliss,  till  he  may 
 finally  reach  the  highest  heaven,  and  obtain  Nivani  or  absorption,  not  as  the 
 Hindus  believe,  into  a supreme  being,  which  would  not  be  in  accordance 
 with  the  doctrines  of  the  Buddhas,  but  a kind  of  cessation  of  animal  suf- 
 fering, and  exemption  from  farther  transmigration. 
 
 If  he  have  been  wicked,  he  will,  in  like  manner,  descend  into  the  different 
 hells,  and  will  exist  again  in  the  forms  of  different  animals,  according  to 
 the  nature  and  extent  of  his  sins ; but  the  duration  of  his  punishment  is 
 not  eternal,  and  is  still  supposed  to  depend  upon  himself.  He  may  thus, 
 according  to  his  conduct  in  the  various  forms  he  may  exist  in,  be  again 
 blevated  to  the  probationary  condition  of  man ; and,  although  his  crimes 
 may  have  once  degenerated  him  into  a lion,  or,  as  just  noticed,  into  a louse, 
 a monkey,  a mammoth,  or  a maggot,  he  will  still,  on  attaining  the  state  of 
 man,  be  in  a condition  to  look  forward,  by  the  practice  of  virtue,  to  obtain 
 at  a future  period  the  blissful  reward  of  Nivani. 
 
 If,  however,  he  continue  to  be  wicked  in  this  degraded  and  degenerate 
 state,  he  will  descend  still  lower  and  become  a devil,  than  which  nothing 
 can  be  imagined  more  base  or  miserable.  Some  of  these  devils  are  such 
 hungry  and  abject  wretches,  that  the  very  secretions  of  the  mouth  and 
 nostrils  are  described  as  being  delectable  food  to  them.  It  is  to  be  pre- 
 sumed that  these  hungry  devils  are  not  of  the  race  of  the  Seven  Hundred 
 in  Ceylon,  whom  Buddha  (wherein  he  displayed  signs  of  supremacy)  ordered 
 Vishnu  to  destroy  ; which  that  deity  did,  except  one,  by  calling  to  his  aid 
 Vige  Kumareia,  the  lion  hero,  and  founder,  in  union  with  a female  devil, 
 of  the  early  race  of  Singhalese  monarchs.  The  story  is  curious,  but  would 
 occupy  too  much  space  for  this  work.  It  will  be  found  at  length  in  M. 
 Joinville’s  Treatise  on  the  Religion  and  Manners  of  the  People  of  Ceylon, 
 in  the  seventh  volume  of  the  Asiatic  Researches. 
 
 Gaudama  has  also  enjoined,  as  a necessary  qualification  to  obtain  Nivani, 
 the  performance  of  dana,  or  the  bestowing  of  alms ; and  of  bavana,  which 
 (according  to  Dr.  F.  Buchanan)  consists  in  pronouncing  three  words : 
 
200 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 aneizzo,  doccha,  and  anatta.  The  first  is  to  shew  that  he  recollects  that 
 life  is  subject  to  vicissitudes ; the  second,  that  man  is  thereby  liable  to 
 misfortune ; and  the  third,  that  exemption  from  either  does  not  depend 
 upon  himself. 
 
 The  Buddhas  do  not,  like  the  Brahmans,  respect  fire ; and  the  rahans  (or 
 priests)  never  kindle  one,  lest  they  should  thereby  destroy  the  life  of  an 
 animal.  They  consequently  do  not  cook  any  food;  though  they  eat  that 
 which  has  possessed  life,  provided  it  be  ready  dressed  ; such,  at  least,  ap- 
 pears to  be  the  case  in  Ava,  but  in  some  places  it  is  said  to  be  different. 
 They  commonly  subsist  on  provisions  given  as  alms ; to  collect  which  they 
 issue  every  morning  from  their  convents,  as  early  as  it  is  sufficiently  light 
 for  them  to  distinguish  the  veins  on  their  hands.  They  do  not  beg,  but 
 they  stop  before  every  house  in  a street.  If  food  be  given  to  them,  they 
 put  it  into  their  sabeit  or  baskets,  and  pass  on  without  returning  thanks : 
 if  none  be  given,  they  go  on  to  the  next  house  in  silence.  They  are  clothed 
 in  a large  yellow  mantle,  folded  becomingly  round  them,  passing  over  the 
 left  shoulder  and  leaving  the  right  shoulder  and  breast  uncovered.  They 
 shave  their  heads  and  beards,  and  go  barefooted  : are  usually  clean,  but 
 do  not  wear  any  ornaments  (see  fig.  6,  plate  33).  On  receiving  the  sacer- 
 dotal rank,  they  are  enjoined  to  live  in  houses  built  under  trees  in  the 
 woods:  but  these  injunctions  are  qualified,  so  that  they  usually  reside  in 
 convents  or  colleges,  which  in  Ava  are  described  as  the  best  habitations  in 
 the  empire,  built  in  the  most  agreeable  situations. 
 
 They  are  well-conducted,  kind,  and  hospitable  to  strangers,  and  are  the 
 best-informed  men  in  the  Burman  empire.  Each  college  has  a head,  called 
 zara  or  teacher  ; of  which,  according  to  the  size  of  the  colleges,  or  the  esti- 
 mation in  which  they  are  held,  there  are  degrees.  The  head  of  the  col- 
 leges is  the  zarado  or  royal  abbot.  Towards  the  whole  of  them  the  utmost 
 respect  and  attention  are  shewn.  They  are  the  gratuitous  instructors  of 
 youth,  which  is  considered  as  a work  of  merit. 
 
 During  their  priesthood  they  must  abstain  from  female  connexion,  and 
 observe  other  strict  regulations ; but  may,  at  any  time,  leave  their  convent 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 201 
 
 and  marry,  which  is  frequently  done.  A priest  must  be  provided  with  the 
 following  articles  : the  yellow  mantle  before-mentioned,  a sabeit,  * a mat, 
 a pillow,  a bucket  to  draw  water  and  a bottle  to  contain  it,  a drinking-cup, 
 a fan  to  use  as  an  umbrella,  & c.  The  head  of  the  church  in  Ceylon  is 
 styled  “ Dammah  Chandeh  maha  Nayekoh.” 
 
 It  may  be  imagined  that  in  a religion  extending  over  so  many  countries, 
 a great  diversity  will  be  discovered  in  some  of  the  minor  practices  of  its 
 votaries,  although  its  fundamental  principles  may  be  throughout  the  same. 
 This  observation  will  probably  apply  to  the  foregoing  account  of  the 
 priests,  whose  manners  and  customs  will  unquestionably  vary  in  unim- 
 portant points  in  some  places,  from  what  may  have  been  noticed  in  others. 
 In  like  manner,  the  temples  and  religious  buildings  of  the  Buddhas  will  be 
 observed  of  various  descriptions  : some  small  and  plain,  others  large  and 
 magnificent  in  their  paintings  and  decorations  : in  other  places,  formed,  as 
 I have  elsewhere  related,  by  excavations  in  the  solid  rock  of  an  immense 
 extent,  and  equally  astonishing  in  their  magnitude  and  beauty. 
 
 In  these  temples,  the  images  of  Buddha,  sitting,  standing  or  lying  down, 
 are  seen  in  great  numbers,  from  three  or  six  inches  high  to  a colossal  size. 
 His  images  are,  however,  usually  made  sitting  on  a lotus  throne  or  seat, 
 sometimes  supported  on  the  backs  of  elephants,  the  legs  turned  up  and 
 crossed  upon  the  seat,  the  soles  of  the  feet  being  uppermost.  The  hands 
 are  sometimes  also  crossed,  and  resting  upon  the  lap  : at  others,  one  hand 
 is  placed  there  with  the  palm  uppermost,  and  the  other  hanging  down  over 
 the  right  knee.  The  hair  is  short  and  curled,  like  a negro’s.  Sometimes, 
 principally  among  the  Burmans,  ascending  in  a spire  of  various  lengths 
 (fig.  1,  plate  29,  and  fig.  2,  plate  30) ; at  others,  as  in  Ceylon,  forming  a sort 
 of  triform  flame  (fig.  4 and  5,  plate  29) ; and  at  others  the  head  is  covered 
 with  a rich  mughut  or  cap.  The  countenance  should  be  benign,  placid, 
 and  contemplative,  indicative  of  the  mild  and  humane  doctrines  which  he 
 preached. 
 
 Koempfer,  in  his  work  on  Japan,  says  that  the  Japanese  Buddhists  have 
 
 * The  sabeit  is  a round  black  covered  vessel,  usually  made  of  lacquered  basket-work. 
 
 2 D 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 <202 
 
 a temple  which  they  call  the  Temple  of  the  White  Horse.  Fig.  2,  plate 
 29,  taken  from  a carving  about  four  feet  high,  and  half  as  many  broad,  in 
 my  possession,  represents  Buddha  mounted  on  a winged  horse.  I believe 
 the  carving  to  have  come  from  Ava.  It  is  badly  proportioned,  but  is  richly 
 painted  and  decorated.  The  colour  of  the  figure  is  white : his  hair  is  in 
 the  usual  way,  terminating  on  the  top  of  his  head  in  a spiral  manner : his 
 robe  or  coat  is  green,  with  golden  flowers ; his  perjammahs  are  red,  also 
 with  flowers.  Over  his  head  he  brandishes  with  one  hand  a scimitar,  with 
 the  other  he  holds  the  reins  of  his  horse ; which  animal  is  richly  capari- 
 soned, and,  in  consequence  of  being  covered  with  silver  leaf,  has  a dazzling 
 white  appearance.  Captain  Low,  in  his  description  of  the  divine  foot  of 
 Buddha,  states  that  his  horse  Kanthat  Assawarat,  forming  one  of  the  divi- 
 sions of  the  divine  foot,  bore  Phra  Puttha,  or  the  Siamese  Somonok-hodom, 
 when  he  rode  towards  the  banks  of  the  Jumna. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  29,  is  taken  from  a beautiful  cast  of  Buddha  in  copper,  gilt. 
 He  is  represented  sitting  in  his  usual  form  of  contemplation.  His  head  is 
 covered  with  a richly-gemmed  tiara  or  crown,  from  which,  on  each  side, 
 project  large  ornaments  resembling  bows,  or  the  convolutions  of  serpents, 
 the  tails  of  which  appear  to  hang  through  his  ear-rings.  The  spire  on  the 
 top  of  his  head  is  of  considerable  length,  and  he  is  also  adorned  with  neck 
 ornaments.  On  each  side  of  him  is  a tree.  Whether  this  really  elegant 
 cast,  in  all  respects  very  inadequately  copied,  may  have  been  intended  to 
 represent  Buddha,  the  portion  of  Narayana  in  the  wild  and  dreary  forest, 
 or,  as  I imagine,  in  grateful  recollection  of  the  condescending  trees  which 
 bent  their  graceful  branches  over  the  form  of  Mayamaha,  the  mother  of 
 Buddha,  when,  in  travelling  to  see  her  father,  she  was  seized  with  the  pains 
 of  labour  in  a garden,  I do  not  know.  On  the  sole  of  his  foot  is  the  mark 
 called  the  chakraverti,  or  wheel  or  discus,  which  should  also  have  been  on 
 the  palm  of  his  hand,  by  which,  on  that  occasion,  the  sages  divined  that  he 
 would  rise  to  considerable  eminence. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  30,  is  from  a large  cast  in  metal  of  Buddha.  Fig.  2,  in  the 
 same  plate,  from  a sculpture  in  white  marble  from  Ava : the  positions  and 
 contemplative  countenances  the  same.  The  figure  from  Ava  has  an  orna- 
 
PI  29- 
 
 1 r"—  ■ S 
 
 Clerk  frfji.  £2 ' 2)ean.S^Joho  . 1 
 
 Pig"  I . Buddha.  2 .BP  on.  the.  wvrgred.  Parse . 3.  B)  ? op Bengal . f.  2)  2)?  op  Ceylon. . (3 '.  The  Pruncefs  with  the  lot'ig'Pafr. 
 
 who  /^reserved  the  Life  of  'Buddha. . 
 
 Buitishsd-  by  Pa  rbwry  (ZZlen  <&C°fo7uZon.  .2832 
 
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BUDDHA. 
 
 203 
 
 mental  spire  surmounting  his  head,  which  the  other  has  not.  Fig.  3 is 
 from  the  temple  of  Rama,  and  is  of  course  the  Brahminical  Buddha.  In 
 this  figure  it  must  be  observed  that  the  hair,  instead  of  being  short  and 
 curly,  is  long.  His  eyes,  instead  of  being  bent  down  in  a contemplative 
 manner,  are  open  ; and  his  ornaments  are  also  Brahminical.  Fig.  3,  plate 
 29,  is,  in  General  Stewart’s  description,  called  the  Buddha  of  Bengal.  1 
 believe  it  to  be  (but  am  open  to  correction)  the  same  form  of  Buddha  that 
 is  seen  in  Thibet. 
 
 Other  objects  of  worship  among  the  Buddhas  are  sculptures  and  carvings 
 richly  gilt,  like  his  images,  of  the  divine  foot  of  Buddha.  He  is  stated  to 
 have  placed  one  in  Ceylon,  the  impression  of  which  (if  we  may  believe  all  we 
 are  told  on  the  subject)  is  still  to  be  seen  on  Adam’s  Peak  in  that  island,  and 
 the  other  in  Siam.  The  stride  for  a becomingly  sized  man,  like  the  impression 
 of  his  foot  on  Adam’s  Peak,  may  be  deemed  somewhat  apocryphal ; but 
 as  I make  it  one  rule  not  to  believe  all  I hear,  so  I have  established  another, 
 not  to  call  in  question  all  that  I do  not  see ; and  as  the  reader  can  decide 
 as  independently  on  the  facts  of  the  case  as  myself,  I will  leave  them  to  her 
 or  his  judgment.  These  feet  represent  various  hieroglyphics,  illustrative 
 of  the  actions  Gautama,  &c.  (see  fig.  4,  plate  30;)  who  seems,  besides  the 
 one  just  noticed,  to  have  made  many  extraordinary  strides,  although  none 
 that  I am  aware  of  so  wonderful  as  that.  Among  the  mountains  of  Arracan, 
 near  the  celebrated  Shoechatoh  Pagoda,  are  two  other  impressions  formed 
 in  the  same  manner,  one  at  the  base,  the  other  on  the  summit  of  a hill, 
 ascended  by  a flight  of  nine  hundred  and  seventy  steps.  This  pagoda,  in 
 consequence  of  these  impressions,  is  of  singular  celebrity,  and  is  visited 
 by  devotees  from  all  parts  of  the  Burman  empire. 
 
 In  addition  to  these  objects,  there  are  numerous  figures  of  saints  and 
 devotees  placed  in  the  company  of  Gautama  in  his  temples  ; among  which 
 are  those  of  his  favourites,  Mokila  and  Saribout.  The  last-mentioned  per- 
 sonage is  noticed  by  Tavernier,  in  his  account  of  Tonquin  China,  under  the 
 name  of  Chacabou’t,  as  having  introduced  the  doctrine  of  Buddha  into  that 
 kingdom.  Another  of  the  principal  figures  seen  in  the  temples  is  a princess 
 on  her  knees,  with  her  attendants,  offering  up  her  long  hair,  in  grateful 
 
 2 d 2 
 
204 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 recollection  of  having  by  it  saved  the  life  of  Gautama.  The  story  is  some- 
 where told  at  length ; but  all  I recollect  of  it  is,  that  being  once  closely 
 pursued  by  his  enemies,  the  god  threw  himself  into  a river ; when,  being 
 borne  down  by  the  stream,  he  was  near  perishing,  till  the  royal  maid  pro- 
 jected herself  over  the  water,  and  cast  loose  her  hair.  Gautama  seized  hold 
 of  it,  and  thus  supported  himself  till  his  deliverer  drew  him  on  shore. 
 Fig.  6,  plate  29,  from  a metal  cast,  gilt,  from  a temple  in  Ava,  is  a repre- 
 sentation of  this  fair  preserver  of  the  life  of  Gautama. 
 
 These  images  of  Buddha,  like  those  of  the  Brahmans,  are  made  of  various 
 materials  : black  and  white  marble,  crystal,  the  precious  and  other  metals, 
 wood,  clay,  and  compositions  of  cloth  and  lacker.  Those  of  the  last  de- 
 scription are  very  large,  but  light  and  portable.  Some  of  those  of  marble 
 are  colossal,  and  the  sculpture  of  one  is,  on  occasions,  among  the  Burmans, 
 a concern  of  royal  superintendence.  In  Siam,  besides  the  articles  which  I 
 have  enumerated,  images  are  formed  of  others  of  both  rich  and  rare 
 qualities.  The  Siamese  burn  their  dead.  If  the  deceased  have  been 
 persons  of  rank,  their  ornaments,  worn  during  life,  are  consumed  with 
 them.  After  combustion  the  molten  metals  (and  it  is  said  gems)  are  col- 
 lected and  then  formed  into  images  and  placed  in  the  temples.  In  a temple 
 at  Saccai,  in  Japan,  there  is  reported  to  be  one  of  this  description,  from 
 Siam,  of  inestimable  value.  The  deceased,  whose  splendid  ornaments 
 formed  the  concrement,  was  a Siamese  princess.  Images  of  Buddha  are 
 also  made  by  these  people,  after  combustion,  from  the  collected  fragments 
 of  the  bones  and  ashes  of  the  body.  These  are  carefully  scraped  together, 
 and  kneaded  into  a paste  with  water.  The  idol  is  then  formed,  and  having- 
 been  lackered  and  gilt,  is  placed  in  the  temple,  and  worshipped  among, 
 probably,  his  or  her  former  associates  in  life. 
 
 This  brief  method  of  turning  a deceased  mortal  into  a gilded  transcript  of 
 a deity,  is,  however,  somewhat  expensive,  so  that  the  rich  only  can  indulge 
 in  the  vain  and  ambitious  gratification. 
 
 A singular  custom  also  prevails  among  the  Siamese,  of,  previous  to  com- 
 bustion, cutting  the  flesh  from  the  bones  of  a dead  body,  dividing  it  into 
 small  pieces,  and  then  feeding  with  it  the  vultures,  dogs,  &c.  which,  on 
 
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BUDDHA. 
 
 205 
 
 this  account,  flock  to  a particular  spot  in  great  numbers.  This  act  is  con- 
 sidered highly  meritorious,  and  may  be  supposed  to  have  had  its  origin  in 
 the  belief  of  the  people  in  transmigration. 
 
 The  Buddhists  of  Ceylon,  according  to  Captain  Mahony,  have  prayers 
 adapted  to  circumstances,  which  are  used  privately  in  their  houses,  and 
 publicly  in  the  presence  of  the  congregation.  They  are  recorded  to  have 
 been  handed  down  from  Buddha.  The  Buddhists  are  obliged  to  pray  three 
 times  a day : about  five  in  the  morning,  at  noon,  and  towards  the  fall  of 
 night.  Their  devotions  are  addressed  to  Buddha  and  his  rahatoons  (apostles), 
 with  a religious  respect  for  his  code  of  laws,  and  the  relics  both  of  him  and 
 his  rahatoons.  The  four  first  days  of  the  changes  of  the  moon  are  dedicated 
 to  public  worship  ; but  they  have  no  fixed  days  for  public  festivals  or 
 thanksgivings.  All  are,  however,  at  liberty  to  select  such  for  themselves, 
 which  they  particularize  by  different  acts  of  devotion  addressed  to  their 
 saviour  Buddha. 
 
 The  Buddhas  believe  in  the  efficacy  of  charms  and  in  the  influence  of 
 particular  days  on  mundane  affairs,  and  usually  consult  a cabalistical  doctor 
 before  they  commence  any  undertaking  of  importance.  These  charms, 
 they  imagine,  will  preserve  them  from  danger  and  sickness,  and  the  bite  of 
 snakes,  and  render  them  invulnerable  against  either  the  sword  or  a musket- 
 ball.  Friday  is  with  them,  as  it  was  in  former  times  commonly  with  us, 
 an  unlucky  day,  on  which  a Burman  will,  on  no  account,  commence  a 
 business  of  consequence. 
 
 The  Jainas  have  been  considered  a subdivision  of  the  sect  of  Buddha ; 
 but  they  differ  from  it,  in  some  respects,  as  much  as  they  do  from  the  Brah- 
 mans in  others.  The  Buddhas  do  not  admit  of  castes,  neither  do  they 
 believe  in  a Supreme  Being.  The  Jainas  do  acknowledge  one,  but  deny 
 his  power  over,  or  interference  in  either  the  creation  of  the  world  or  any 
 thing  contained  in  it.  They  might,  therefore,  like  the  Buddhas,  as  well 
 discard  their  belief  altogether ; the  Buddhas  admit  into  their  temples 
 images  of  the  Brahminical  deities,  but  do  not  in  Ceylon,  Ava,  or  Siam, 
 acknowledge  them  as  objects  of  worship  : the  Jainas  both  admit  them,  and, 
 in  a limited  degree,  do,  I believe,  so  acknowledge  them. 
 
206 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 The  offerings  made  by  the  Buddhas  in  their  temples  are  various  : “ boiled 
 rice ; fruits,  especially  the  cocoa-nut ; flowers,  natural  and  artificial ; 
 curious  figures  made  of  paper,  gold-leaf,  & c.  & c.”  The  rich  present*  white 
 golden  ornaments,  elegant  slippers,  and  other  articles  of  a more  costly  de- 
 scription. Some,  as  a mark  of  their  devotion,  gild  a portion  of  a temple, 
 and  others  gild  other  parts ; so  that  the  whole  becomes,  by  these  means, 
 fresh  gilt.  The  king  of  Ava  thus  displays  his  munificence  annually,  by 
 gilding  anew  many  large  temples  : the  heir-apparent  also  expends  con- 
 siderable sums  in  the  same  way. 
 
 At  the  age  of  eighty  years,  Gautama  having  entered  Nivana,  commanded 
 that  his  images  and  relics  should  be  worshipped. 
 
 The  largest  and  most  celebrated  of  the  temples  and  pagodas  erected  in 
 honour  of  him  are  pyramidical,  or  in  the  form  of  a dome.  Fig.  6,  plate  31, 
 represents  the  great  pagoda,  or  golden  temple,  called  Shoe  Dagoon,  near 
 Rangoon  in  the  Burman  dominions,  and  the  dome-topped  pagoda,  fig.  8, 
 in  the  same  plate,  one  at  Villigaam  in  Ceylon.  The  former  is  splendidly 
 gilt,  and  is  considered  to  be  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height, 
 but  there  are  others  said  to  be  five  hundred  feet.  Round  the  tee,  or  umbrella 
 at  the  top,  are  suspended  a number  of  small  bells,  which,  with  those  from 
 tees  of  a great  quantity  of  smaller  pagodas  that  surround  the  great  one, 
 being  set  in  motion  by  the  wind,  keep  up  a constant  tinkling,  but  not 
 unpleasing  sound.  These  immense  structures  are  sometimes  of  solid  brick 
 work,  and  at  others  mounds  of  earth  faced  with  brick,  having  numerous 
 niches  round  them,  containing  sculptured  and  other  images  of  Buddha 
 richly  gilt.  (See  fig.  3,  plate  31,  from  a large  carved  model  of  one  of  the 
 pagodas.)  Many  of  the  images  of  Buddha,  which  formerly  adorned  the 
 great  praws  or  pagodas  and  the  surrounding  temples,  are  now  in  England, 
 these  sacred  edifices  having  been  despoiled  by  the  conquerors  of  Ava.  The 
 
 -■  The  white  umbrella  is  an  emblem  of  royalty,  and,  ornamented  with  deep  gold  fringe,  &c.  is 
 borne  over  the  bead  of  the  king,  as  well  as  over  that  of  the  deity.  Those  of  the  princes  of  the 
 blood  are  gilded  and  without  fringe  ; the  xuoognhyes,  or  ministers,  are  red  ; hereditary  governors 
 of  provinces,  yellow;  inferior  governors,  or  myoowuns,  blue;  subordinate  officers,  black  with 
 long  handles  ; and  the  common  people,  the  same  colour,  with  shorter  handles. 
 
P’  5* 
 
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 J^uTZesTberr  '\y Terri  isr/  CilZen  <&  {'?TZrcrrLoio'vr.7$3/L. 
 
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BUDDHA. 
 
 207 
 
 other  representations  in  the  same  plate  are  from  models  in  metal,  gilt,  from 
 Ava. 
 
 In  the  pagodas  are  deposited,  at  the  time  they  are  built,  supposed  sacred 
 relics  of  Gautama,  &c.  such  as  part  of  a garment,  a hair,  a tooth,  &c.  &c. 
 with  small  images  of  that  deity.  The  pagoda  is  then  closed.*  In  the 
 Burma  war,  our  soldiers,  imagining  that  these  pyramids  contained  treasure, 
 opened  some  of  them,  but  were  ill  requited  for  their  labour. 
 
 It  is  in  the  smaller  surrounding  temples,  which  contain  the  images  of 
 Gautama  (some  of  which  are  of  a colossal  size),  that  the  adoration  of  his 
 worshippers  is  found.  These  temples  present  a magnificent  appearance, 
 being  splendidly  gilt,  and  picked  out  with  crimson.  In  that  of  the  great 
 praw  at  Rangoon  was  an  image  so  large,  that  it  is  a well-known  fact  that 
 an  English  officer  placed  the  bed,  on  which  he  slept,  on  the  palm  of  its  left 
 hand  that  rested  on  its  knees.  The  temples  of  Buddha,  both  in  Siam  and 
 Japan,  are  also  splendid  ; but  those  in  Ceylon  are  plain. 
 
 The  two  great  seats  of  early  Buddhism  were  Giya  and  Buddha  Bamiyam. 
 The  last-mentioned  place  is  situated  in  ancient  Bactria,  about  eight  days’ 
 journey  in  a north-westerly  direction  from  Caubul.  This  once  magnificent 
 place  has  been  cut,  like  the  cavern  temples  of  Elephanta  and  Ellora,  en- 
 tirely out  of  the  solid  rock  of  an  insulated  mountain.  According  to  Wil- 
 ford,  it  would  appear  to  have  been  a city  of  temples.  Some  of  the  paint- 
 ings on  the  walls  are  represented  as  still  fresh,  but  the  sculptures  have  been 
 almost  wholly  destroyed  by  the  ruinous  hand  of  time,  or  the  more  ruthless 
 hands  of  Mahomedan  conquerors.  The  colossal  statues  still  claim  the  at- 
 tention of  the  traveller.  Their  dimensions  have  been  variously  represented, 
 but  their  true  ones  seem  to  be  about  eighty  feet  in  height.  They  are  said 
 to  be  Bhima,  one  of  the  Pandus,  and  his  wife  ; which  seems  a very  disputed 
 point,  as  the  Mahomedans  call  them  Adam  and  Eve.  In  1646,  when  Au- 
 rungzebe  passed  this  place,  he  ordered  some  cannon-balls  to  be  fired  at 
 them,  one  of  which  fractured  the  leg  of  the  male  figure  ; which  miraculously, 
 as  both  Hindus  and  Mahomedans  believe,  bled,  in  consequence,  copiously. 
 
 * That  of  the  Shoe  Dagoon  contains  the  staff  of  Kaut-ka-than,  the  water-pot  of  Gau-na-gon. 
 the  bathing  garment  of  Kathapa,  and  eight  hairs  from  the  head  of  Gautama. 
 
208 
 
 BUDDH  A. 
 
 Tradition  attaches  to  this  place  the  character  of  very  high  antiquity.  It 
 is  said  not  only  to  have  existed  before  the  flood,  but  to  have  been  the  exact 
 spot  on  which  the  first  man  was  created.  The  question  is  an  abstruse  one, 
 and  I must  leave  it  to  others  to  discuss  : but  certain  it  is,  that  its  claims  to 
 very  great  antiquity  are  unquestionable.  To  this  spot  Colonel  Wilford  has 
 ingeniously  sought  to  trace  the  origin  of  the  great  deities  of  the  Hindus, 
 identifying  their  characters  with  the  acknowledged  history  of  the  progenitors 
 of  mankind.  He  farther  informs  us,  that  when  Satan  was  ejected,  or  kicked 
 out  of  the  Garden  of  Eden,  he  leaped  over  the  mountain,  and  alighied  on 
 that  spot  where  Cabul  now  stands : hence  the  origin  of  the  proverb,  that 
 the  inhabitants  of  that  country  are  the  offspring  of  the  devil.  These  honest 
 folks  do  not  pretend  to  deny  Satan’s  visit,  but  consider  it  to  be  a libel  upon 
 them  to  aver  that  he  had  any  offspring  there  ; as  they  say  he  was  very  soon 
 conjured  away,  by  some  who  understood  his  value  better,  to  another  place. 
 
 In  the  first  part  of  the  third  volume  of  the  Transactions  of  the  Royal 
 Asiatic  Society,  Captain  Low  has  given  an  intelligent  and  interesting  descrip- 
 tion of  the  symbols  on  the  Siamese  Pra  Pat’ha,  or  impression  of  the  divine 
 foot  of  Buddha.  In  this  elaborate  description,  that  gentleman  says,  “ the 
 list  of  the  symbolical  allusions  is  recited  by  the  priests  in  their  temples, 
 and  forms  an  essential  portion  of  their  recital.  It  consists  of  fifty  measured 
 lines,  of  eight  syllables  each,  and  contains  the  names  of  one  hundred  and 
 eight  objects  or  things.”  On  comparing  a pencil  sketch,  much  rubbed, 
 with  the  plate  attached  to  Captain  Low’s  account,  and  also  with  another 
 from  an  apparently  time-worn  original  in  Colonel  Symes'  embassy  to  Ava, 
 the  former,  as  far  as  I can  make  it  out,  much  resembles  that  of  Colonel 
 Symes’  which  is  from  Ava  : Captain  Low’s  from  Siam.  Most  of  the  objects 
 (although  they  are  perfectly  distinct  in  the  one  and  confused  in  the  other, 
 and  nearly  throughout  varying  in  their  positions),  can,  with  some  few  ex- 
 ceptions, be  traced  to  be  the  same  symbols  in  all.  Of  these  symbols 
 Captain  Low  enumerates  in  his  description  (the  only  one  on  the  subject 
 that  I have  met  with)  ninety-six,  from  which  the  following  is  abstracted  : 
 No.  1.  Chakrane , or  the  two  chakras  or  discus,  used  by  the  deities  in 
 punishing  the  wicked.  2.  The  Mongkut,  or  tiara  of  Buddha.  3.  The  jar 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 209 
 
 carried  by  the  priests  to  contain  their  provisions,  called  Bat-keoent-hanan. 
 4.  Bunnang,  or  a water-jar,  supposed  to  have  belonged  to  Buddha  before 
 he  entered  Nivana.  5.  Talapat  Nang,  the  fan  used  by  the  priests  instead 
 of  an  umbrella,  to  shade  them  from  the  sun,  and  drive  away  insects. 
 6.  Passato,  or  a palace  in  the  form  of  a square,  which  should  be  seven 
 stories  in  height.  7.  Taubai  Lakshai,  or  the  royal  standard.  8.  Trumpets 
 by  which  kings  of  old  were  wont  to  be  announced.  9.  Pethakang,  or  the 
 golden  bed.  10.  The  stone  couch  or  seat  of  Buddha,  supposed  to  be  now 
 the  altar  sacred  to  Buddha.  11.  D'ha  Chang,  a flag.  12.  Pato,  the  paper 
 ensign.  13.  The  royal  palanquin,  or  covered  litter.  14.  T'hat  T'hang,  a 
 sort  of  salver.  15.  Wuchani,  a large  fan,  which  kings  only  are  privileged 
 to  have  near  them.  16.  Sineru  or  Meru,  the  mountain  of  that  name.  17,  is 
 the  Satt'ha  Mafia  K'hangka,  or  the  seven  great  rivers.  18.  Cha  Kama  Wa- 
 chara,  the  first  six  mansions,  including  the  habitations  of  mortals.  Of  these 
 six,  the  first  is  the  heaven  of  spirits,  who  remain  in  it  500  years,  and  visit 
 their  consorts  9,000,000  times.  The  second  is  the  heaven  of  Indra,  where 
 the  devata  live  1,000  years,  being  blessed,  as  above  stated,  346,000,000  of 
 times:  this  heaven  is  680,000  yojanas ,*  and  the  wall  of  his  city  10,000, 
 with  1,000  gates:  every  thing  in  it  is  upon  a scale  of  corresponding  mag- 
 nitude and  splendour : he  had  thirty-five  consorts  and  250,000,000  of  mis- 
 tresses. Thirdly,  the  heaven  of  Yama : here  they  live  2,000  years ; but 
 connubial  bliss  is  dealt  out  to  them  with  a more  sparing  hand,  as  they 
 simply  embrace  their  wives,  and  then  not  oftener  than  144,000,000  of  times. 
 In  the  fourth  heaven  the  inhabitants  live  4,000  years  : these  only  take  their 
 wives  by  the  hand  576,000,000  of  times  : thus  making  up  in  quantity  what 
 they  lose  in  quality.  In  the  fifth  heaven,  the  gentlemen  only  discourse 
 with  the  ladies ; but  then  it  is  2,304,000,000  of  times,  and  moreover  for 
 8,000  years.  In  the  sixth  heaven,  they  look  at  each  other  for  16,000  years; 
 but  in  that  time  exchange  enough  glances  to  supply  for  ages  to  come  all 
 the  belles  and  beaux  of  the  crowded  coteries  of  this  great  metropolis, 
 being  no  less  than  920,000,000  of  times.  But  it  must  not  be  supposed 
 
 * The  extent  of  the  yojana  appears  to  be  not  clearly  defined;  some  making  it  thirteen  miles, 
 others  only  nine. 
 
 2 E 
 
no 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 that  these  unions  of  hands  and  interchanges  of  glances  are  cold  as  the 
 snow-clad  peaks  of  the  Himalaya : on  the  contrary,  every  thing  is 
 perfectly  etherial,  and  it  follows,  by  certain  natural  rules,  as  is  often 
 experienced  in  this  lower  world  of  our's,  that  these  pressures  of  the 
 hands  and  extatic  glances  are  productive  of  highly  beneficial  and  sub- 
 stantial results,  in  populating  the  heavenly  worlds  in  question.  Of 
 the  other  heavens,  and  their  inhabitants,  we  are  left  in  the  dark  : but 
 enough  has,  no  doubt,  been  elicited  in  this  very  desirable  account,  to  enable 
 us  to  form  a sufficient  judgment.  19,  contains  the  four  great  Dwipas  or  di- 
 visions of  the  world,  heretofore  mentioned.  20,  is  Maha  Samut  Ho,  or  the 
 great  sea.  21,  is  the  2,000  smaller  Dwipas  surrounding  the  great  Dwipas. 
 22,  are  the  huge  golden  fishes  which  swim  in  the  ocean  between  Meru  and 
 the  Dwipas.  23,  is  the  Raja  Naja,  or  famous  King  of  the  Snakes.  24,  is 
 Chakravaling,  or  the  horizon  represented  by  a wall  of  circumvallation  sur- 
 rounding Meru.  25,  is  Surya.  26.  Chand-hema  or  Chandra.  27.  Nak- 
 hata,  a star  ; supposed  the  polar  star.  28,  an  umbrella  of  seven  tiers,  used 
 by  royal  personages  only.  29,  the  mountain  Himawa,  or  Himalaya.  30, 
 Satta  maya  sara,  or  the  seven  great  lakes  of  the  Himalaya.  Near  this  spot 
 the  Elephant  King  with  his  8,000  followers  and  wives  reside.  31,  are  the 
 five  rivers  issuing  from  the  seven  lakes.  32,  are  the  seven  great  rivers,  or 
 seven  great  waters.  33,  is  the  Siamese  whale  or  great  fish.  34,  is  the 
 horse  of  Himala  or  Himalaya,  termed  the  horse  of  the  sky,  the  supposed 
 white  * horse  of  the  Kalki  avatar.  35,  the  horse  that  carried  Phra  Phutt’ha, 
 or  the  Siamese  Sonomokhodum,  to  the  banks  of  the  Jumna.  36,  is  the 
 whip  used  by  the  god  on  that  occasion.  37,  are  four  lions  of  various  de- 
 scriptions. 38,  is  the  royal  tiger.  39.  The  green  elephant,  and  40  is  the 
 white  elephant  which  bore  Buddha  in  one  of  his  avatars  on  his  back.  41, 
 is  the  red  elephant  of  the  Himalaya.  42,  is  the  elephant  of  Indra,  des- 
 scribed  by  Captain  Low  in  a corresponding  manner  with  a previous  de- 
 scription of  the  elephant  of  the  Nats.  43,  is  the  King  of  the  White  Cattle  of 
 Himalaya.  44,  is  the  Me  Kho,  the  supposed  cow  of  plenty  of  the  Hindus. 
 
 * 
 
 A white  horse  in  Siam  is  highly  prized. 
 
BUDDHA. 
 
 211 
 
 45,  is  its  calf.  46,  is  Nawa,  the  ship  supposed  to  refer  to  the  ark  of  Noah. 
 47,  is  a Chourie,  or  tail  of  the  ox  or  yak  of  Thibet.  48,  is  the  blue  lotus,  or 
 water-lily,  which,  when  Buddha  walked  abroad,  sprung  up  in  all  its  ex- 
 panded beauty  and  brilliancy  of  colouring  to  prevent  his  feet  from  touching 
 the  ground.  49,  is  the  red  lotus.  50,  is  the  boa,  or  flower  of  the  lotus 
 class.  51,  is  the  tail  feathers  of  the  peacock.  Under  this  number  Captain 
 Low  has  made  some  very  benevolent  and  judicious  observations,  which  I 
 regret  not  being  able  to  insert ; they  will  be  found  in  page  109  of  the  first 
 part  of  the  third  voloume  of  the  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society. 
 52,  is  the  Chank,  or  shell,  or  buccinum,  with  the  involutions  turned  from  left 
 to  right.  It  is  prized  according  to  its  number  of  convolutions.  53,  is 
 Chattu  Muk' ha,  or  the  four-faced  Brahma.  54,  represents  the  Scarabceus , 
 or  beetle  of  the  golden  mountains.  55,  is  the  golden  tortoise.  56,  is  the 
 Hanasa  of  Brahma.  This  is  the  Hanza  or  Henza  of  Ava.  57,  is  the  Mang- 
 karo  (or  mukara  of  the  Hindus),  an  aquatic  monster  resembling  a crocodile. 
 58,  is  the  melodious  bird  of  paradise.  59,  is  the  Kinaro,  a figure  half-bird, 
 half-human,  the  same  as  is  (I  presume)  shewn  in  fig.  10,  plate  39.  60,  is 
 
 Mayuro,  a bird  so  called.  61,  is  another  bird,  inhabiting  the  Himalaya 
 mountains.  This  bird  is  said  to  eat  iron  filings,  and,  in  consequence,  the 
 finest  tempered  swords  are  made  from  its  ordure.  62,  63,  and  64,  are  other 
 birds.  64,  is  supposed  to  be  the  Garuda  of  Vishnu,  65,  is  Hari  or  Siva. 
 66,  is  an  alligator.  67,  is  the  wooden  fence  which  surrounded  the  house 
 of  Sonomokhodum.  68  and  69  are  various.  70,  are  the  representations  of 
 the  toes  of  the  foot  of  the  Phrabat.  I have  used  this  explanation  generally. 
 By  Captain  Low  they  are  called  flowers  representing  the  toes  of  his  Phra- 
 bat. 71.  Parechatta,  a flower  which  grows  only  in  heaven.  72.  Precious 
 stones.  73.  The  buffalo.  74.  Certain  hills.  75.  Rama  Sura.  76.  Maha 
 Rishi.  77.  Dha  Chang,  or  the  bow  of  Rama.  78.  Pato.  79.  Khelasa 
 Bhapp  hato,  the  supposed  mountain  Kailasa.  80.  Utsathi,  a star.  81. 
 Kangsatala.  82.  Salawanang , or  the  diamond  garden.  83.  The  golden 
 goblet.  84.  Pak'hanang.  85.  Paduka,  the  slippers.  86.  The  goddess  of 
 the  clouds.  87.  The  golden  deer.  88.  A Siamese  fowl.  89.  The  supposed 
 constellation  Rohini.  90.  An  ornamental  part  of  a dress.  91.  Saticha,  or 
 
 2 e 2 
 
212 
 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 spear.  92.  A diamond  ornament.  93.  Another  diamond  garden.  94.  A 
 part  of  a princely  wardrobe.  95,  is  a part  of  a head-dress,  which  falls 
 down  and  covers  a part  of  the  nape  of  the  neck.  96,  is  “ the  inestimable 
 jewel,  the  type  of  mental  illumination  of  the  Hindus,  which  shone  reful- 
 gent to  illumine  the  earth  from  the  sacred  breast  of  Narayana.” 
 
 The  representations  of  the  foot  of  Buddha,  although,  in  substance,  gene- 
 rally agreeing,  vary,  as  I have  before  observed,  in  the  positions  of  the  sym- 
 bols, &c.,  very  materially.  The  representation  given  in  fig.  4,  plate  30, 
 of  this  work  is  taken,  by  the  permission  of  the  trustees  of  the  British  Mu- 
 seum, from  the  carving  in  the  hall  of  that  establishment : but,  as  it  will  be 
 obvious,  from  what  I have  before  stated,  that  any  description  of  one,  as 
 respects  all  the  symbols  and  most  of  their  positions  in  it,  may  not  apply  to 
 another,  the  reader  must  exercise  his  best  judgment  in  the  application. 
 
( 213  'i 
 
 v / 
 
 CHAPTER  XIII. 
 
 Buddha  of  Nepaul  and  Thibet. — Sacrificial  Utensils. — The  Jainas — -The  Shiklis.  — Choitunya 
 
 The  Sauds. — Nir  Narrain. — The  Datyas. — Jalandara. — The  Pandus. — Meru Osiris,  Isis,  and 
 
 Orus. 
 
 BUDDHA  OF  NEPAL. 
 
 The  religion  of  Nepal  is  considered  to  be  that  of  Buddha,  but  in  external 
 worship  it  approaches  nearer  to  the  Brahminical.  The  Nepalese  acknow- 
 ledge, unlike  the  Buddhas  of  Ava  and  Ceylon,  a Creator,  and  like  the 
 Jainas,  worship  the  deities  of  the  Hindu  Pantheon  ; but  consider  them  as 
 very  inferior  to  their  own  Buddhas,  as  the  Jainas  do  to  their  Tirthankaras. 
 
 Adi  Buddha  is  considered  by  the  Nepalese  as  the  supreme  Being  or  the 
 Creator  of  the  world.  He  created  by  Dhyan  (inward  or  spiritual  contem- 
 plation) five  divine  Buddhas — Vairochanar  Akshobhya,  Ratna,  Sambhava, 
 Amitabha,  and  Amogha  Siddlia  : each  of  whom  produced  from  himself,  in 
 the  same  manner,  his  Bodhi-sitwa  or  son;  SamantBadra;  Vajra  Pani ; 
 Ratna  Pani ; PadmaPani ; and  Viswa  Pani. 
 
 Four  of  these  Bodhi-sitwas  were  ingrossed  in  worship,  and  nothing  more 
 is  known  of  them  (says  Mr.  Hodgson,  from  whose  sketch  of  Buddhism  in 
 Nepal  I have  taken  this  abstract),  than  their  names ; but  Padma  Pani,  by 
 the  command  of  Adi  Buddha,  created  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva,  to  perform 
 the  operations  which  have  been  assigned  to  them  in  Hindu  mythology. 
 Brahma,  in  his  turn,  created  for  the  devas  (gods)  heaven  : for  the  daityas 
 (demons)  patala  or  hell : and  the  four  other  kinds  of  beings  (aeriel  spirits 
 and  mortals  it  may  be  presumed)  he  placed  between  these  two  regions  and 
 the  earth. 
 
 Vishnu  and  Siva  appear  to  have  been  introduced  into  the  system  rather  to 
 exalt  the  power  of  Adi  Buddha  than  for  any  practical  purpose  whatever. 
 
 The  mystic  syllable  O’M  (or  A,U,M)  is  equally  reverenced  by  the  Buddhas 
 
214 
 
 BUDDHA  OF  NEPAL. 
 
 of  Nepal,  as  by  the  Brahmans.  A,  they  say,  is  the  Vija  Mantra  of  the  male 
 Buddha,  the  symbol  of  generative  power  : U,  of  the  female  Dharma,  the 
 type  of  productive  power  : and  M,  of  Sanga,  the  union  of  the  essences  of 
 both.  These  form  the  Buddhist  triad. 
 
 The  Buddhas  of  Nepal  acknowledge  to  have  adopted  the  favourite 
 Brahminical  deities.  Nature  is  symbolized  by  the  Yoni,  and  personified  as 
 a female  divinity,  called  Adi  Prajni  and  Adi  Dharma. 
 
 The  Dhyani  Buddhas  are  quiescent  and  inactive,  as  are  also  their  several 
 sactis.  Besides  the  divine  Buddhas,  are  seven  human  or  earth-born 
 Buddhas,  Vipasya,  Sikhi,  Viswa  Bhu,  Karkutchand,  Kanakamuni,  Kasyapa 
 and  Sakya  Sinha,  who  have  obtained  Nivani.  The  idea  of  the  Ethiopic 
 origin  of  Buddha,  in  consequence  of  his  curled  locks,  about  which  so  much 
 has  been  written,  is  distinctly  disclaimed.  The  Nepalese  consider  that 
 fashion  to  be  merely  a point  of  beauty. 
 
 Adi  Buddha  was  never  seen  nor  ever  made  a descent  upon  earth.  He  is 
 merely  light,  and  is  perfectly  quiescent,  as  are  the  Dhyani  Buddhas  : but 
 the  seven  mortal  Buddhas,  who  taught  the  doctrines  of  Buddhism,  ascended 
 in  consequence  of  their  virtue  and  piety  to  heaven,  and  obtained  Nivani  or 
 union  with  him  ; which  is  the  expected  final  reward  of  good  actions.  Like 
 other  followers  of  Buddha  the  Nepalese  believe  that  man  is  destined  to 
 numerous  births,  according  to  his  merits  or  demerits,  till  he  be  perfectly 
 virtuous,  to  enable  him  to  obtain  Nivani.  On  being  asked  if  they  will 
 answer  in  the  world  to  come  to  Adi  Buddha,  and  what  rewards  and  punish- 
 ments they  expect  for  good  or  bad  actions,  they  reply,  “ How  can  the 
 wicked  arrive  at  Buddha  ? bad  men  will  go  to  the  infernal  regions : the 
 good  ascend  to  heaven.  Those  who  commit  both  good  and  evil  actions  will 
 have  numerous  births,  the  account  of  which  is  kept  by  Yama.” 
 
 The  Buddha  is  an  adept  in  the  wisdom  of  Buddhism,  which  it  is  his  duty 
 to  teach  to  others  : the  Bodhisitwas  are  willing  learners  of  it  till  they  obtain 
 sufficient  knowledge  to  become  a Buddha,  an  omniscient  being. 
 
 The  abode  of  Adi  Buddha  is  the  higher  Bhuvana  or  heavenly  mansion  : 
 below  this  are  thirteen  others  called  Bodhi  Satwi  Bhuvanas ; to  which  the 
 faithful  followers  of  Buddha  are  translated  after  death  : below  these  are 
 
BUDDHA  OF  NEPAL. 
 
 215 
 
 eighteen  others  belonging  to  Brahma,  for  the  abode  of  his  worshippers 
 hereafter  : below  these  again  are  nine  others,  six  for  the  followers  of  Vishnu, 
 and  three  for  those  of  Siva  or  Mahadeo.  Still  lower  are  Bhuvanas  for 
 Indra,  Surya,  Yama,  Chandra,  Agni,  and  various  others  of  the  Hindu 
 deities. 
 
 The  opinion  of  the  Nepalese  respecting  the  origin  of  mankind  is  no  bad 
 counterpart  of  the  flying  inhabitants  of  another  world  in  “ Peter  Wilkins.” 
 Our  first  parents  they  imagine  inhabited  Abha’swara,  one  of  the  Bhu- 
 vanas of  Brahma,  and  occasionally  visited  the  earth.  These  paradisiacal 
 beings,  although  of  different  sexes,  knew  it  not,  till  coming  once  to  the 
 earth  Adi  Buddha  created  in  them  a desire  to  eat ; and  they  did  eat  of 
 almonds,  which  deprived  them  of  the  power  of  flying  back  to  Abha'swara. 
 They  then  ate  of  other  fruits  and  associated  together,  and  grew  wiser ; and 
 then  human  kind  very  naturally  increased.  It  does  not  appear  how  beings 
 of  other  kinds  became  also  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  They  say  that  there 
 have  been  and  will  be  four  yogas ; in  the  first  of  which  men  lived  for 
 80,000  years  ; in  the  second  10,000  ; in  the  third  1,000;  and  that  the  fourth 
 is  divided  into  four  periods,  in  the  first  of  which  men  will  live  100  years  ; in 
 the  second  fifty ; in  the  third  twenty-five,  and  in  the  fourth,  towards  the 
 close  of  the  kali  yug,  only  seven  years,  when  they  will  be  no  higher  than 
 the  thumb. 
 
 Matte  (the  body),  which  is  subject  to  changes,  perishes  : but  spirit  (the 
 soul),  which  is  unchangeable,  perisheth  not.  Animal  existence,  subject  to 
 transmigration,  is  pravritti.  Spiritual  bliss,  eternal  rest,  or  an  union  with 
 the  deity,  is  called  nirvritti. 
 
 The  Bandyas  are  the  followers  of  the  Buddha  doctrines,  and  as  such  are 
 brethren  in  faith,  and  equal.  They  were  formerly  divided  into  five  classes, 
 differing  from  each  other  only  in  certain  practices.  Two  of  these,  the 
 Bhikshu  (or  monastic  order),  and  the  Vijra  Archarya  or  secular  priests,  now 
 remain.  The  Bhikshus  are  principally  found  among  the  Bhoteas,  a race 
 subject  to  Nepal  on  the  borders  of  Thibet,  or  exercising  the  inferior  ministry 
 in  Nepal ; the  superior  ministry  being  in  the  hands  of  the  Vaijra  Acharya.  The 
 vihars,  or  conventual  residences  of  the  priests,  with  which  Nepal  is  covered, 
 
216 
 
 BUDDHA  OF  NEPAL— BUDDHA  OF  THIBET. 
 
 are  no  longer  monastic  seclusions,  but  (according  to  Mr.  Hodgson)  “ re- 
 sound with  the  hum  of  industry  and  the  pleasant  voices  of  women  and 
 children.”  These  convents  have  each  a superior,  and  are  open  both  for 
 the  admittance  and  departure  of  all.  Women  have  their  separate  vihars 
 and  superiors. 
 
 The  sacerdotal  professions,  as  well  as  all  other  avocations  and  pursuits, 
 whether  civil  or  religious,  in  Nepal,  have  become,  by  usage,  hereditary. 
 
 It  will  by  this,  as  well  as  by  other  parts  of  Mr.  Hodgson’s  sketch,  appear 
 that  the  Nepalese  do  now,  in  practice  at  least,  acknowledge  to  a certain 
 extent  the  distinctions  of  caste,  although  the  doctrines  of  their  religion,  as 
 Buddhas,  reject  them.  It  is,  therefore,  somewhat  difficult  to  comprehend 
 what  is  actually  the  religion  of  the  Newars  or  Nepalese.  Avowedly  they 
 are  followers  of  the  Buddhist  faith — practically  they  are  worshippers  of  the 
 Brahminical  deities  : but  with  some  variations  they  appear  more  allied  to 
 the  Jaina  sect  than  to  either. 
 
 According  to  information  obtained  by  Mr.  Hodgson  the  religion  of  the 
 Lamas  closely  approximates  to  that  of  the  Nepalese ; except  that  they 
 extend  their  belief  considerably  farther  respecting  the  avatars  of  Buddha ; 
 as  they  imagine  that  their  Lamas  are  living  incarnations  of  that  deity. 
 
 I shall  close  this  account  of  Buddha  with  a description  of  Captain 
 Turner’s  interview  with  the  Teeshoo  Lama,  or  living 
 
 BUDDHA  OF  THIBET. 
 
 This  deity  is  supposed  never  to  die  ; or  rather,  as  soon  as  he  is  dead,  to  be 
 again  regenerated  in  the  form  of  an  infant.  It  need  scarcely  be  stated  that 
 this  regeneration  is  an  act  of  priestly  arrangement:  it  is,  however,  conscien- 
 tiously believed  by  the  millions  of  worshippers  of  the  Teeshoo  Lama.  In 
 1783,  Mr.  Turner,  the  author  of  the  Embassy  to  Thibet,  was  sent,  by  the 
 British  government  of  India,  to  congratulate  the  infant  Lama  after  the  death 
 of  the  old  Lama,  upon  his  resuscitation.  The  account  of  this  interview,  in 
 which  the  holy  young  gentleman  of  eighteen  months  old  behaved  with 
 becoming  dignity  and  decorum,  is  both  interesting  and  singular.  Mr. 
 
BUDDHA  OF  THIBET. 
 
 217 
 
 Turner  says  he  did  not  speak,  which  he  ingenuously  confesses  saved  him,' 
 the  ambassador,  many  words  in  the  way  of  rejoinders,  &c.  However,  he 
 contrived  to  make  the  young  pontiff  understand  the  inconsolable  grief 
 that  the  Governor- General  and  the  good  people  in  India  (those  inhabit- 
 ing the  City  of  Palaces*  especially)  were  plunged  into  when  he  died  ; 
 which  was  only  surpassed  by  their  unbounded  joy  and  happiness  when  they 
 found  that  he  had  come  to  life  again,  to  exercise  his  holy  vocation  for  the 
 benefit  of  his  numerous  worshippers.  This  gratifying  compliment,  or  a 
 string  of  handsome  pearls  which  the  ambassador  had  presented  to  him, 
 caused  the  infant  Lama  to  regard  him  and  his  suite  with  looks  of  singular 
 complacency  ; and  to  present  them  with  sugar-plums  (not  of  the  kind 
 usually  given  by  foreign  potentates  to  plenipotentiaries,  but  of  real  con- 
 fectionary) from  a golden  cup  which  stood  near  him.  The  ambassador 
 continued  to  express  the  Governor-General’s  hope  that  the  Lama  might 
 long  continue  to  illumine  the  world  with  his  presence  ; and  that  the  friend- 
 ship which  had,  heretofore,  subsisted  between  them,  might  be  yet  more 
 strongly  cemented,  for  the  benefit  and  advantage  of  the  intelligent  votaries 
 of  the  Lama,  and  the  disinterested  worthy  inhabitants  of  Great  Britain  : 
 all  which  made  the  little  creature  look  steadfastly  at  the  speaker,  and 
 graciously  bow  and  nod — and  bow  and  nod,  and  bow  and  nod  again — as  if 
 he  understood  and  approved  of,  says  Mr.  Turner,  every  word  that  was 
 uttered.  Indeed  the  embassy  had  every  reason  in  the  world  to  be  satisfied 
 with  the  extraordinary  politeness  and  attention  of  the  young  Lama  ; for,  on 
 understanding  that  the  English  gentlemen  had  arrived,  he  was  so  impatient 
 to  see  them,  that  he  rose  long  before  his  usual  hour  : and  although  he  could 
 not,  during  the  audience,  converse  with,  he  kept  his  eyes  constantly  fixed 
 upon  them  ; and  “ when  their  cups  were  empty  of  tea,  he  appeared  uneasy, 
 and  throwing  back  his  head,  and  contracting  the  skin  of  his  brow,  continued 
 making  a noise  till  they  were  filled  again.”  He  was  particularly  struck 
 with  the  movements  of  the  hands  of  a small  clock ; but  his  admiration  was 
 that  of  a philosopher,  perfectly  grave  and  sedate,  as  was  indeed  the  whole  of 
 his  behaviour;  but  at  the  same  time  apparently  natural  and  unconstrained. 
 
 * Calcutta. 
 
218 
 
 BUDDHA  OF  THIBET. 
 
 In  short,  the  holy  pontiff  of  Rome  could  not  have  conducted  himself  more 
 appropriately  than  did  on  that  occasion,  with  all  due  allowances  for  cir- 
 cumstances, the  infant  pontiff  of  Thibet. 
 
 The  following  account  of  the  temple  of  Hurry-Ho  may  shew  the  descrip- 
 tion of  idols  which  occupy  some  of  the  temples  in  the  dominions  of  the 
 Lamas.  Whatever  of  Hindu  there  may  be  about  them,  would  appear  to 
 belong  to  the  vindictive  deities. 
 
 “ The  temple  of  Hurry-Ho  is  sixty  feet  long,  forty  wide,  and  about  thirty 
 high.  The  principal  object  is  a demon  with  a third  eye  in  his  forehead, 
 and  a mouth  like  a wild  beast ; round  his  head  is  a tiara  of  human  skulls ; 
 a chaplet  of  men’s  heads,  alternately  black  and  white,  reaches  from  his 
 shoulders  to  the  ground  ; his  waist  is  encircled  by  the  skin  of  a tiger,  which 
 is  fastened  about  him  by  yellow  and  green  serpents ; a human  skull  in- 
 verted, filled  with  blood,  is  in  his  left  hand,  and  in  his  right  a bird  with 
 wings  extended  ; each  foot  tramples  on  a human  body.  The  figure  is  of 
 colossal  dimensions,  being  between  eight  or  nine  feet ; he  is  in  an  upright 
 position,  together  with  a female  demon,  who  has  also  three  eyes,  similar  in 
 countenance  to  the  male,  and  crowned  like  him  with  a wreath  of  human 
 skulls,  and  bearing  in  her  hands  the  same  blood-filled  goblet.  From  the 
 head  of  the  male  grows  out  a horse’s  head  ; from  that  of  the  female  a boar’s 
 with  bloody  jaws.  The  paintings  on  the  walls  are  not  less  horrible  or  dis- 
 gusting : two  sides  of  the  walls  are  filled  with  quiescent  figures  in  a sitting 
 posture,  having  each  a halo  or  glory  round  his  head,  and  the  hands  joined 
 in  the  attitude  of  prayer.  On  the  other  two  sides  are  the  following 
 designs : 
 
 “ No.  1.  A black  demon  with  boar’s  face  ; in  the  right  hand  a dagger, 
 and  in  the  left  a skull  ; a human  body,  mangled  and  bleeding,  lies  prostrate 
 under  each  foot. 
 
 “2.  A yellow  figure  with  three  eyes,  a dagger  in  one  hand  and  a club  in 
 the  other,  sitting  on  a tiger,  mangling  a human  body. 
 
 “ 3.  A black  demon  with  boar’s  face,  gory  mouth,  and  three  eyes;  in  one 
 hand  a mace,  in  the  other  a skull ; a human  body  under  her  foot. 
 
 “4.  A red  demon  with  three  eyes;  chaplet  of  skulls;  in  the  right 
 
W.  Clerk,  liths.  4-1  Dean.  $l  Soho  | 
 
 Articles  used.  Pro  Worship.  Ac 
 
 Fvgla.n.Js2  ,5ta,noU  far  oltp-ositvnj  snc-red,  article*  upon;  tfac  far jl  steered  toDevl  ?j  4-  Lot,  trips  2>  OfaytKacBxZra,  b Box.  far  colours  fortmgmq  Che  Eyes  .&*■  tpeercea 
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BUDDHA  OF  THIBET.— SACRIFICIAL  UTENSILS. 
 
 219 
 
 hand  a club,  in  the  left  a scorpion  ; under  each  foot  a human  body  lies 
 bleeding. 
 
 “5.  A human  figure,  face  half  concealed  by  a mask,  with  a glory  round 
 his  head  ; he  is  in  a sitting  posture,  drinking  blood  from  a skull. 
 
 “ 6.  Similar  to  No.  1 . 
 
 “ 7.  Two  figures,  male  and  female ; a legion  of  nondescript  animals  around. 
 
 “8.  A serpent  with  a face,  body  full  of  eyes,  coiled  over  a human  body. 
 
 “ 9.  An  equestrian  figure  with  three  eyes ; heads  depend  from  the  saddle- 
 bow ; it  is  armed  with  a bow  and  arrows  ; the  horse  has  a dragon’s  head. 
 
 “ 10.  A dog  with  a human  face,  with  a female  human  being. 
 
 “ 11.  A black  demon  ; across  his  lap  is  a human  body,  upon  whose  en- 
 trails he  is  feeding. 
 
 “12.  An  equestrian  figure  with  a boar’s  head,  jaws  bloody,  armed  with 
 sword  and  shield  ; a dragon  is  sitting  on  the  shoulders  of  the  figure. 
 
 “ 13.  An  equestrian  female  figure  of  a white  demon  with  three  eyes, 
 breasts  exposed,  sitting  upon  a horse,  with  a human  skin,  the  head  and 
 hands  of  which  are  remaining,  for  a saddle  cloth,  the  reins  of  the  bridle 
 passing  through  two  skulls  ; in  her  mouth  is  an  infant.  Under  the  horse  a 
 human  figure  is  seen  with  her  stomacli  ripped  open. 
 
 “ Eight  other  figures  follow,  similar  to  No.  7.” — Asiatic  Journal. 
 
 SACRIFICIAL  UTENSILS. 
 
 This  article  should  properly  have  appeared  in  a preceding  page  ; but  as 
 the  plates  have  been  otherwise  arranged,  it  will  be  necessary  to  introduce  it 
 here,  in  explanation  of  plate  32,  and  a part  of  plate  33. 
 
 Figs.  1 and  2,  I am  not  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  use  of,  to  say 
 more  than  that  I believe  them  to  be  depositaries  for  articles  of  some  kind, 
 used  in  worship.  Fig.  J is  a handsome  cast,  and  from  the  elephants  on 
 each  side  of  the  idol,  evidently  sacred  to  Devi.  Like  some  of  my  sculptures 
 it  was  completely  crusted  with  the  sin-expelling  ordure  of  the  cow. 
 Fig.  2 appears  to  be  a throne  for  the  reception  of  a small  idol.  It  is  sur- 
 mounted by  a peacock.  Figs.  3 and  4 are  lamps,  also  used  in  worship. 
 
 2 f 2 
 
220 
 
 SACRIFICIAL  UTENSILS.— THE  JAINAS. 
 
 Fig.  5 is  a boat-shaped  vessel,  called  Argha  Patra,  used  in  religious  cere- 
 monies to  contain  the  argha,  or  offering,  made  of  tila  (or  sesamum  indicum), 
 cusa  grass,  perfumes,  flowers,  durva  grass,  and  water.  Fig.  6 is  a hand- 
 somely engraved  box  in  two  compartments  (having  in  the  inside  a small 
 mirror)  containing  colours  for  staining  the  eye-lashes,  &c.  Fig.  7 is  a 
 pierced  shell  for  containing  incense.  Figs.  8,  9,  and  10,  are  lustral  spoons 
 sacred  to  Vishnu,  Krishna,  &c.  Fig.  11  is  the  Hindu  vina  (or  lute)  com- 
 monly seen  in  the  hands  of  Nareda  and  Surawati. 
 
 Figs.  4 and  5,  plate  33,  are  compressed  vessels  used  for  religious  purposes, 
 to  contain  the  water  of  the  Ganges.  Fig.  6 is  ganta,  or  a bell,  used  at 
 various  periods  of  worship  : and  fig.  7 is  a paun  daun,  in  seven  compart- 
 ments, for  containing  paun,  chewed  by  the  Hindus,  consisting  of  betel, 
 chunan,  spices,  &c.  Fig.  8 is  a Fakeer’s  crutch,  with  a concealed  dagger; 
 over  it  hangs  a rosary  or  string  of  beads. 
 
 THE  JAINAS. 
 
 The  Jainas,  or  Svarakas,  or  Swarkas,  have  been  considered  a division  of 
 the  sect  of  Buddha ; but  the  principal  tenet  of  their  faith  is  in  direct  oppo- 
 sition to  the  belief  of  that  sect.  The  latter  deny  the  existence  of  a supreme 
 Being  ; the  former  admit  of  one,  but  deny  his  power  and  interference  in  the 
 regulation  of  the  universe.  Like  the  Buddhas,  they  believe  that  there  is  a 
 plurality  of  heavens  and  hells  ; that  our  rewards  and  punishments  in  them 
 depend  upon  our  merit  or  demerit : and  that  the  future  births  of  men  are 
 regulated  by  their  goodness  or  wickedness  in  every  state  of  animal  life. 
 On  these  points  the  reader  need  only  refer  to  the  article  “ Buddha”  to  find 
 a full  description,  which  it  would  be  unnecessary  to  recapitulate.  Thus, 
 like  the  Brahmans,  the  Jainas  acknowledge  a supreme  Being,  but  pay  their 
 devotion  to  divine  objects  of  their  own  creation,  with  this  difference,  that 
 the  Brahmans  represent  their  deities  to  be  of  heavenly  descent,  whereas, 
 the  Jaina  objects  of  worship,  like,  but  at  the  same  time  distinct  from,  those 
 of  the  Buddhas,  are  mortals  of  alleged  transcendent  virtue,  raised  to  beati- 
 tude by  their  piety,  benevolence,  and  goodness.  Equally  with  the  Buddhas. 
 
ri.53. 
 
 'rrU>-7c  ZM.  4-lZ)etunS?JcA.o 
 
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THE  JAINAS. 
 
 221 
 
 they  deny  the  divine  authority  of  the  Vedas,  yet  they  admit  the  images  of 
 the  gods  of  the  Vedantic  religion  into  their  temples,  and,  it  is  said,  to  a 
 certain  extent  worship  them  ; but  consider  them  to  be  inferior  to  their  own 
 Tir’thankaras.  They,  therefore,  appear  to  blend,  in  practice,  portions  of 
 the  two  faiths,  advocating  doctrines  scarcely  less  irrational  than  those 
 of  atheists,  and  no  less  wild  than  the  heterogeneous  polytheism  of  the 
 Brahmans. 
 
 The  founder  of  the  Jaina  sect  was  Rishabadeva,  who  was  incarnate  thir- 
 teen times.  After  him  twenty-three  other  sages  or  holy  men  became  the 
 Tir’thankaras  or  Gurus  of  the  sect,  the  last  of  whom  was  incarnate  twenty- 
 seven  times.  Gautama,  the  present  Buddha,  was  his  disciple.  The  Bud- 
 dhas state  that  twenty- two  Buddhas  appeared  on  earth  before  Gautama. 
 The  Jainas  describe  twenty-four  of  their  Tir’thankaras.  The  Jainas  derive 
 their  name  from  the  word  Jinu  (ji,  to  conquer).  A Jaina  must  overcome 
 the  eight  great  crimes,  viz.  eating  at  night,  or  eating  of  the  fruit  of  trees 
 that  give  milk ; slaying  an  animal ; tasting  honey  or  flesh ; taking  the 
 wealth  of  others,  or  taking,  by  force,  a married  woman  ; eating  flour,  but- 
 ter, or  cheese  ; and  worshipping  the  gods  of  other  religions.  * 
 
 The  Jainas  extend  the  doctrine  of  benevolence  toward  sentient  animals 
 to  a greater  degree  than  the  Buddhas,  with  whom  they  agree  in  their  belief 
 of  transmigration.  A Jaina  yati  or  priest  carries  with  him  a broom  made  of 
 cotton  threads  to  sweep  the  ground  before  him  as  he  passes  along,  or  as  he 
 sits  down,  lest  he  should  tread  or  sit  upon  and  injure  any  thing  that  has 
 life.  A strict  yati  will  not,  consequently,  go  out  on  a rainy  day,  nor,  for 
 the  same  reason,  speak  without  first  covering  his  mouth.  He  will  neither 
 drink  water  which  has  not  been  boiled  ; wash  his  clothes  ; bathe  or  cleanse 
 any  part  of  his  body,  from  the  apprehension  that  he  should,  by  so  doing, 
 inadvertently  destroy  any  living  animal. j* 
 
 * This  last  injunction  strongly  militates  against  what  I have  just  before  stated. 
 
 f A strong  instance  of  their  strict  adherence  to  this  article  of  their  religion  is  related  in  Major 
 Seeley’s  work,  the  Wonders  of  Ellora.  “ An  ascetic  at  Benares  was,  like  the  rest  of  the  sect, 
 extremely  apprehensive  of  causing  the  death  of  an  animal.  Some  mischievous  European  gave 
 him  a microscope  to  look  at  the  water  he  drank.  On  seeing  the  animalculi  he  threw  down  and 
 
222 
 
 THE  JAINAS. 
 
 The  hospitals  of  the  Jainas  for  the  reception  of  animals  and  reptiles  of  all 
 kinds,  however  vile,  may  be  considered  as  singular  among  the  customs 
 of  mankind.  These  hospitals  are  called  pinjra-pul,  and  contain  animals  of 
 various  descriptions.  There  appears  to  be  no  restriction  upon  their  admis- 
 sion on  account  of  their  species  ; and  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  objects 
 of  the  establishment  is  a receptacle  for  vermin,  in  which  the  Jainas,  upon 
 the  principle  of  their  religion,  which  forbids  them  to  deprive  an  animal  of 
 life,  place  maggots,  weevils,  and  insects  of  all  kinds,  which  they  may  find, 
 either  in  their  food,  on  their  persons,  or  elsewhere.  The  houses  which  con- 
 tain them  are  of  considerable  extent,  and  raised  several  feet  from  the  ground. 
 They  are  there  fed  with  grain  deposited  for  the  purpose  of  their  support,  and 
 exhibit  a living  mass  of  the  vilest  animal  matter.  It  has  been  alleged  (but 
 with  what  degree  of  truth  I do  not  pretend  to  determine),  that  pious  Jainas 
 occasionally  take  up  an  abode  in  these  places  for  a night,  in  order  to  regale 
 their  inhabitants  with  a repast  of  a superior  description. 
 
 The  priests  of  the  Jainas  are,  as  just  mentioned,  called  yatis  or  jatis;  the 
 laity  are  termed  svrarakas  or  swarkas.  The  jatis  are  usually  taken  from 
 the  tribe  of  the  Banyas,  and  are  devoted,  in  early  life,  to  the  purposes  of 
 religion.  They  pass  their  noviciate  with  a guru  or  teacher,  and  at  a proper 
 period  are  admitted  as  yatis.  On  this  occasion  a novice  is  stripped  of  his 
 apparel,  and,  with  certain  ceremonies,  invested  with  the  dress  of  his  order. 
 A blanket,  a plate,  and  a cloth  for  his  provisions,  a water-pot  and  his  broom 
 are  then  given  to  him.  He  may  purchase  provisions  ready  dressed,  but  he 
 cannot  dress  them  ; neither  can  he,  like  a Buddhist  priest,  who  can  retire 
 from  his  vocation,  marry,  as  he  is  considered  to  have  renounced  the  world, 
 and  all  the  enjoyments  of  it.  His  duties  are  to  read  and  expound  the  sacred 
 writings  to  the  svrarakas.  The  religious  ceremonies  of  the  Jainas  are  also 
 performed  by  the  yatis  ; but  marriage,  which  is  a civil  act,  is  celebrated  by 
 a Svraraka  Brahman.  The  chief  priest  of  the  yatis  is  called  sripuja,  to 
 which  state  he  is  chosen  from  among  the  chilas,  or  disciples.  The  Jainas 
 have  a variety  of  sects,  which  have  many  divisions,  each  of  which  has  its 
 
 broke  the  instrument,  and  vowed  he  would  not  drink  water  again.  He  kept  his  promise,  and 
 died.” 
 
THE  JAINAS. 
 
 22S 
 
 sripuja  or  spiritual  guru,  whose  duty  is  to  visit  his  flock  every  year  in  all 
 the  places  over  which  his  functions  extend. 
 
 The  Svrarakas,  or  laymen,  conform  to  the  usual  customs  of  society.  The 
 two  principal  sects  of  the  Jainas  are  the  Swetambaras  and  the  Digambaras. 
 Of  these  there  are  also  divisions;  the  Bispankhti  and  the  Tirapankhti,  or 
 the  thirteen  or  twenty  ways  to  heaven  ; and  the  Duriya. 
 
 The  pilgrims  of  the  Bispankhti  sect  worship  with  flowers  and  fruits,  and 
 offer  different  kinds  of  sweetmeats  ; but  the  people  of  the  Tirapankhti 
 division  present  no  flowers  nor  fruits.  They  offer  sacred  rice  called  Akshau, 
 sandal,  cloves,  nutmegs,  &c. 
 
 These  things  they  place  before  the  images,  after  which,  standing  before 
 the  temple,  they  leap  and  dance  to  their  own  songs,  the  naulet  khana  (or 
 band  of  drums  and  trumpets)  resounding  all  the  time,  and  passages  of  their 
 sacred  volumes  being  read  by  their  priest.  When  they  advance  to  present 
 their  offerings,  they  tie  a cloth  over  their  mouth. — Oriental  Magazine . 
 
 The  Digambaras  wear  no  clothes,  and  the  Swetambaras  hold  them  in 
 great  contempt  in  consequence  of  their  extravagant  practices. 
 
 The  Duriyas  are  said  to  consider  themselves  as  having  obtained  divinity, 
 and  therefore  as  exempted  from  the  worship  of  any  god.  They  are  ascetics 
 of  the  most  extravagant  degree  of  mortification,  who  wander  about  thought- 
 less of  all  worldly  concerns.  The  Jainas,  it  is  asserted,  now  acknowledge 
 in  some  places  the  distinctions  of  caste ; but  this  is  considered  to  be  a 
 modern  innovation. 
 
 The  names  of  the  twenty-four  Jaina  Tirt’hankaras  who  are  placed  in 
 their  temples  are  Rishabha  (Deva),  Ajita,  Sambhava,  Abhinandana,  Sumati, 
 Padamaprabha,  Suparsiva,  Chandra  Prabha,  Pushpadanta,  Sitala,  Srey- 
 amsa,  Vasapujia,  Vimala,  Ananta,  D’harma,  Santhi,  Kunthu,  Arhamali, 
 Mumsuvrata,  Nami,  Nemi,  Parswanatha,  and  Verdhyamana.  To  each  of 
 these  names  the  title  of  Deva  or  Tirt’hankara  is  added.  The  founder,  with 
 Par’swanat’ha  and  Verdhyamana,  are  those  now  most  frequently  worshipped. 
 According  to  Dr.  Buchanan  the  devotions  of  the  Jainas  are  usually 
 addressed  to  representations  of  their  feet.  Par’swanat’ha  had,  like  Vishnu, 
 many  forms  or  appearances  on  earth. 
 
224 
 
 THE  J AINAS. 
 
 The  Jaina  temples  and  caves  exhibit  some  of  the  finest  specimens  of 
 architecture  and  sculpture  in  India.  The  ancient  and  celebrated  caves 
 of  Elephanta  and  Ellora  have,  by  some,  been  thought  to  be  of  Jaina  or 
 Buddha  workmanship,  and  by  others  of  one  or  both  and  the  Brahmans. 
 Where  there  is  scarcely  any  thing  beyond  conjecture  to  guide  us,  it  may, 
 perhaps,  be  as  safe  to  suppose  that  these  stupendous  and  magnificent  exca- 
 vations were  formed  before  the  first  great  schism  of  the  Hindu  race.  The 
 caves  of  Karli,  Kanara,  Nasuk,  Adjunta,  & c.  appear  to  have  been  of  later 
 formation,  and  are  generally  acknowledged  to  have  been  the  works  of  either 
 the  Buddhas  or  Jainas.  These  temples  are  highly  enriched  with  sculptures, 
 and  are  variously  formed.  (See  Temples.) 
 
 In  an  essay  on  the  Jainas*  from  the  pen  of  the  late  Lieut.  Col.  Delamain, 
 from  which  the  following  is  abstracted,  it  is  stated  the  Srawacs  (or  Svra- 
 rakas),  or  laity  of  the  Jains,  appear  to  be  the  only  considerable  remnant  in 
 India  of  the  earlier  Jains,  or  Arhatas. 
 
 “ The  Srawac  Yatis  have  fashioned  much  of  history  and  tradition  to  suit 
 their  particular  purpose,  rendering  it  doubtful  what  is  their  invention  and 
 what  original. 
 
 “ The  Srawacs  seem  to  have  thriven,  and  survived,  in  useful  occupation, 
 the  wreck  of  their  ancient  faith.  Some,  probably  all,  the  Jain  temples  in 
 Mandu  and  the  neighbourhood  were  built  at  the  expense  of  the  Srawacs. 
 
 “ Besides  the  Jain  distinction  of  Disambar  and  Sw^tambar,  the  Srawacs 
 more  or  less  differ,  as  Oswals,  Vaisyapariwars,  Homars,  Khaderwars,  &c., 
 and  through  connecting  sects  coalesce  with  the  orthodox  Hindus. 
 
 “ Some,  I understand  (as  the  Oswals),  eat  at  night,  contrary  to  the  Jain 
 usage ; and  so  much  do  the  Srawacs  differ  among  themselves,  that  several 
 sects  will  not  intermarry. 
 
 “ The  Swetambars  appear  more  particularly  devoted  to  Rishabha,  the  first 
 Jina,  and  to  have  been  the  naked  wood  hermits  of  former  days. 
 
 “ The  eternal  existence  of  the  world,  including  gods  and  men,  is  generally 
 understood  to  form  a part  of  the  Jain  system,  and  is  adhered  to  in  a great 
 measure  by  the  Srawacs,  though  of  man  they  entertain  a notion  that  fourteen 
 * Published  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society. 
 
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THE  JAINAS. 
 
 2 25 
 
 pairs,  from  a former  seed,  in  the  re-production  of  worlds  sprang  into 
 existence  from  a cave  in  a mountain.  They  were  of  a very  diminutive  size, 
 being  only  one  cubit  and  a half  high.  These  pairs,  male  and  female,  which 
 were  called  Yugaliyas,  produced  Nabhi  Raja  and  Mora  Deva.  These 
 Yugaliyas  appear,  however,  to  have  thriven  amazingly,  for  Rishabha  Deva, 
 their  first  Tirt’hankara,  attained  a height  of  two  thousand  cubits. 
 
 However  nearly  the  Jainas  were  allied  to  the  Hindu  faith  originally,  they 
 cannot  now  with  propriety  be  admitted  of  that  class,  so  long  as  they  deny 
 the  supremacy  of  their  gods  and  vedas,  as  at  present  at  least  accepted  and 
 understood  by  the  orthodox  party.  Mr.  Colebrooke  calls  them  a sect  of 
 Hindus,  and  the  Hindus  consider  them  a separation  from  their  faith. 
 
 Even  after  having  got  the  universe  ready  made,  the  Jainas  appear  incapable 
 of  arranging  consistently  its  parts  and  movements  ; and  the  pantheon  of  the 
 Hindus,  which  they  still  acknowledge,  would  seem  rather  a useless  piece 
 of  machinery,  where  the  divine  essence  existing  in  their  deified  saints  is 
 the  supreme,  if  not  the  sole  object  of  their  adoration.  An  original  system 
 would  scarcely  have  introduced  immortal  gods,  to  make  them  of  such 
 secondary  consideration.  Such,  however,  having  once  been  part  of  their 
 system,  would,  though  superseded  by  saint-worship,  still  remain  in  some 
 degree  essential  appendages  to  the  minor  purposes  of  ceremony  and  super- 
 stition. 
 
 I conclude  the  present  number  of  Tirt'hankaras  (twenty-four)  to  be 
 fashioned  after  the  twenty-four  greater  avatars  of  the  Hindus.  The  most 
 important  are  Rishabha,  the  first  Tirt’hankara,  and  Parswanat’ha,  the 
 twenty-third.  The  colossal  stature  attributed  to  these  Tirt’hankaras,  and 
 to  all  their  celebrated  men,  whether  saints  or  princes,  in  their  books*  and 
 statues,  shews  how  necessarily  connected  in  their  estimation  were  mental 
 powers  with  personal  size. 
 
 Adinat’ha,  or  Adiswara,  another  term  for  the  deity,  if  we  may  so  term 
 their  idea  of  purified  matter,  is  usually  applied  to  Rishabha  D6va,  who  is 
 allowed  by  the  Jainas,  Srawacs,  &c.  of  every  description,  to  be  their  first 
 
 * The  Jaina  books  are  said  to  contain  ten  thousand  volumes,  the  principal  parts  of  which  are 
 supposed  to  be  at  Patun,  in  Rajpootana,  and  at  Jusselmere,  N.W.  of  Cambay. 
 
 2 G 
 
226 
 
 THE  JAINAS. 
 
 deified  saint,  and  one  who,  whatever  scattered  notions  may  have  before 
 existed,  was  the  first  who  reduced  them  to  a system. 
 
 All  that  we  can  gather  from  history  or  by  means  of  antiquities,  tends 
 strongly  to  the  belief  that  these  now  incompatible  sects  (the  Jainas  and 
 Brahmans)  were  parts  of  one  general  system.  Rishabha,  as  well  as  Sakya 
 Kapila,  and  Vyasa,  may  then  have  been  an  avatara;  and  if  the  Brahmans 
 consider  the  avatara  Rishabha  a distinct  personage  from  him  who  founded 
 the  Jaina  sect,  it  may  be  but  with  the  same  motive  which  induces  them  to 
 assert  a distinct  Buddha  avatara,  viz.  that  of  denying  men  whose  memory 
 has  from  subsequent  broils  become  obnoxious. 
 
 As  the  source  of  the  Jain,  or  Arhata  sect,  is  acknowledged  by  all  to  be 
 Rishabha  deva,  I do  not  know  how  to  reconcile  to  this  opinion  the  sup- 
 position of  Mr.  Colebrooke,  that  Parswanat’ha  might  be  the  real  founder 
 of  the  sect.* 
 
 The  usual  idea  of  the  Jainas  being  a modern  sect  may  not  be  erroneous, 
 the  doctrines  originating  with  Rishabha,  and  dividing  at  periods  of  schism 
 into  more  distinct  classes,  of  which  the  Jainas  or  Srawacs  as  now  estab- 
 lished, form  one;  and  the  modern  Buddhists,  as  in  Burma,  Siam,  Ceylon, 
 Thibet,  &c.,  another. 
 
 Parswanat’ha  I consider  only  as  another  form  of  Vishnu,  in  his  distinct 
 character  of  preserver ; and  that  the  histories  of  Buddha,  son  of  Suddho- 
 dana,  as  well  as  of  Salivahan,  Gautama,  &c.  &c.  are,  in  a great  measure, 
 a jumble  derived  from  the  same  source,  with  the  addition  of  foreign 
 legends. 
 
 The  latter  sectarians  appear  to  have  merely  given  locality,  name,  and 
 parentage,  through  the  medium  of  saints  or  real  existences,  to  original 
 
 * “ That  supposition  rests  upon  the  surmise,  that  the  history  of  Rishabha,  and  the  other  deified 
 saints  anterior  to  Parswanat’ha,  is  mere  fable.  It  is  vain  to  look  for  any  foundation  in  truth  for  the 
 monstrous  absurdities  related  of  them,  their  more  than  gigantic  stature,  prodigious  duration  of 
 life,  &c.  There  is  a nearer  approach  to  sober  history  and  credible  chronology,  amid  much  which 
 is  silly,  in  the  account  of  Parswanat’ha.  He  lived  to  the  age  of  one  hundred  years;  his  pre- 
 decessor to  one  thousand.  He  flourished  1230  years  before  the  date  of  the  work  which  gave  an 
 account  of  him  and  of  his  successor;  his  predecessor  more  than  eighty  thousand  years  earlier.” 
 — Note  by  Mr.  Colebrooke. 
 
" 'Clerh  litA,  “flJ) m n-  J?S c\c 
 
 Pa  rlr/t  sin  a?  />  a 
 
 ^/roTn-OLV  (urtcienl  jclltu*.  Jcti  Ifihure  in, Basal? . 
 
 •m,. 
 
 <•  * ^ • ■■+ 
 
THE  JAINAS.— THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 227 
 
 notions,  varying  the  minor  details  as  facts  or  convenience  might  dictate. 
 The  names  of  the  ten  forms  of  Parswanat’ha  are  Marabuti,  Gaja,  Deva, 
 Kirawavega,  Surabhiman,  Vajranabhi,  Suranabhi,  Chakravarti,  Suvarna- 
 bahu,  and  Parswanat’ha. ” 
 
 Plate  34,  is  a representation  from  a Jaina  sculpture  three  feet  eight  by  two 
 feet  six,  of  Bhavani.  She  is  seated  on  a lion,  and  is  richly  decorated  with 
 gems.  In  one  hand  she  holds  a human  figure  to  her  breast,  and  in  another 
 a lotus  flower.  Over  her  head  is  one  of  the  Jaina  Tirt’hankaras  with  two 
 attendants,  having  chawries  in  their  hands,  standing  on  elephants  ; and  two 
 others  holding  over  his  head  the  umbrella  or  ensign  of  royalty.  On  each 
 side  are  two  larger  elephants  with  their  keepers,  numerous  figures  of  de- 
 votees, gundharvas,  apsaras,  &c.  &c.,  fill  up  the  other  parts  of  the  sculpture, 
 which  is  very  elaborately  executed. 
 
 Plate  35,  represents  Parswanat'ha,  from  a highly  finished  and  beautiful 
 sculpture  in  basalt.  He  is  seated  beneath  an  arch  on  a lotus  throne,  on  the 
 pedestal  of  which  are  three  figures  in  various  positions.  Standing  on  the 
 platform  of  the  arch  are  two  Fakeers  supporting  on  their  upraised  hands 
 the  figure  of  Siva,  Durga,  and  Indra  and  Indrani  on  elephants.  On  the 
 head  of  Parswanat’ha  is  a rich  tiara,  with  large  bows  at  the  sides  ; and  over 
 it  an  umbrella  or  canopy  formed  like  the  branches  of  a tree.  The  octan- 
 gular pilasters,  which  support  the  arch,  as  well  as  the  ornamental  parts  of 
 the  arch  itself,  are  finely  sculptured  : the  latter  in  a flame-like  wreath, 
 apparently  forming  the  tails  of  birds,  and  terminating  in  a colossal  head. 
 Above  this  are  three  (probably  Swetambara  and  Digambara)  figures.  The 
 whole  has  a rich  and  beautiful  effect. 
 
 THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 The  doctrines  of  the  Shikhs  appear  to  partake  both  of  the  Brahminical 
 and  Jaina  sects,  blended  with  peculiar  tenets  of  their  own.  They  believe 
 in  a divine  unity,  and  preach  a strict  and  fervent  devotion  to  the  Deity ; 
 but  raise  their  Gurus,  or  spiritual  guides,  to  an  equality  with,  or  superiority 
 over  him.  Like  the  Brahmans,  in  one  of  their  hypotheses,  they  believe 
 that  nature  is  the  mother  of  the  world,  and  that  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva 
 
 2 g 2 
 
228 
 
 THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 are  her  sons,  who  regulate  it ; but  they  teach  that  there  is  a god  (Narayana) 
 superior  to  them,  who  created  the  world  and  innumerable  other  worlds, 
 which,  and  the  periods  of  their  creation,  are  known  only  to  himself. 
 
 The  Shikh  doctrines,  as  taught  by  their  founder,  Nanock,  inculcate,  that 
 devotion  to  God  is  to  partake  of  God,  and  finally  to  obtain  absorption  into 
 the  divine  essence.  The  Shikhs  believe  in  transmigration,  a multiplicity 
 of  heavens  and  hells,  and  future  births  ; and  that  mankind  will  be  punished 
 or  rewarded  according  to  their  merits  or  demerits. 
 
 God,  they  say,  is  pleased  with  devotion  which  springs  from  the  heart ; 
 outward  forms  he  disregards.  He  is  infinite,  omnipotent,  invisible  : nothing 
 can  speak  his  praise  ; nothing  describe  his  power.  Every  thing  is  absorbed 
 in  him : all  that  exists  in  the  world  is  of  him.  The  millions  of  Hindu 
 deities,  with  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva,  as  well  as  Mahomet  and  all  other 
 divine  personages,  are  subject  to  his  power ; nothing  in  fine  is  equal  to 
 him — except  the  Gurus,  or  spiritual  teachers  of  the  Shikhs. 
 
 Notwithstanding  this  reservation,  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Shikh 
 religion,  as  taught  by  Nanock,  breathe  the  purest  spirit  of  holiness,  truth, 
 justice,  benevolence,  a regard  towards  sentient  animals,  and  that  meek  and 
 inobtrusive  devotion  of  the  heart  which  acknowledges  the  deity  in  all  his 
 works,  and  leads  to  the  worship  of  him,  regardless  of  outward  forms  and 
 observances,  in  silent  meditation  and  prayer. 
 
 Such,  and  other  not  less  excellent  doctrines,  appear  to  have  been  those 
 inculcated  by  the  founder  of,  and  his  immediate  successors  among  the 
 Shikhs  ; but  how  soon  the  staff  of  the  wandering  and  pious  pilgrim,  and  the 
 devotion  of  the  mind-absorbed  ascetic,  were  exchanged  for  the  sword  and 
 shield,  and  predatory  ravages  of  the  mountain  warrior,  the  following  pages 
 will  shew. 
 
 The  founder  of  this  sect,  as  before  intimated,  was  Nanock,  a Hindu  of 
 the  Khetrie  caste,  who  was  born  in  the  year  1469,  at  the  village  of  Tala- 
 wundy  (now  called  Rhaypore),  about  sixty  miles  westward  of  Lahore, 
 He  is  said  to  have  travelled  through  most  of  the  countries  in  India,  and 
 even  into  Persia  and  Arabia,  preaching  his  doctrines  in  peace,  and  pre- 
 serving an  unaffected  meekness  and  simplicity  of  manners.  He  died  at 
 
THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 229 
 
 Rawee,  a village  to  the  north  of  Lahore,  in  the  year  1539,  at  the  age  of 
 seventy  : at  which  time  not  less  than  one  hundred  thousand  persons  in 
 different  countries  had  adopted  his  tenets,  and  considered  him  as  their 
 Guru,  or  religious  guide. 
 
 After  the  death  of  Nanock,  the  Shikhs  had  successively  for  their  leaders 
 Anghudu,  Amaradasu,  Ramdasu,  Arjunu,  Hurree  Govindu,  HarraRayu,  Hur- 
 reekissen,  Teg  Bahadur,  and  Govindu  Singh.  These  leaders,  sometimes  mo- 
 lested and  sometimes  unopposed  by  the  Mogul  emperors  of  Dehli,  continued 
 to  increase  their  followers,  till  Govindu  Singh,  in  consequence  of  his  two 
 sons  having  been  barbarously  put  to  death  in  cold  blood  by  the  governor  of 
 Sirhend,  mustered  the  Shikhs  and  attacked  the  Mahomedans,  all  of  whom, 
 of  every  age  and  sex  that  fell  into  their  hands,  were  immediately  massacred. 
 This  person  possessed  more  of  the  character  of  a military  chief  than  of  that 
 of  the  leader  of  a religious  sect : he  made  many  alterations  in  the  established 
 institutions  of  his  predecessors,  better  adapted  to  the  martial  spirit  which 
 he  had  laboured  to  infuse  into  the  minds  of  his  adherents.  On  his  death, 
 which  was  caused  by  assassination  in  1708,  he  limited  the  number  of  the 
 Shikh  priests  to  ten  ; in  consequence  of  which  no  successor  was  appointed 
 to  him.  Bunda,  one  of  his  disciples,  however,  raised  a force,  and  com- 
 mitted many  predatory  attacks  on  the  Mahomedans,  which  were  accom- 
 panied by  the  utmost  cruelty  and  rapacity.  His  successes  drew  to  his 
 standard  a large  body  of  the  Shikhs ; but  the  Moguls,  after  some  desperate 
 and  sanguinary  conflicts,  at  length  overpowered  them,  and  they  were  only 
 saved  from  destruction  by  the  death  of  the  emperor  Bahadur  Shah.  The 
 weakness  and  disasters  of  the  succeeding  reign  checked  the  progress  of 
 active  pursuit ; but  persecution  still  continued,  and  the  Shikhs  were 
 obliged  to  seek  safety  in  concealment.  At  length  they  emerged  from  their 
 hiding-places,  but  were  again  defeated,  and  compelled  to  fly  to  the  recesses 
 of  the  wild  and  mountainous  country,  or,  to  save  their  lives,  to  exteriorly 
 renounce  their  religion,  and  profess  themselves  to  be  Mussulmen. 
 
 Very  little  was  known  of  the  Shikhs  for  more  than  a quarter  of  a century, 
 and  the  name  of  the  sect  was  almost  unheard  of  in  the  Mogul  territories. 
 But  this  bold  and  daring  people  were  only  overpowered,  not  subdued. 
 
23Q 
 
 THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 Again,  the  distractions  of  the  Mogul  empire  enabled  them  to  emerge  from 
 their  mountain  fastnesses.  Sanguinary  battles  both  with  the  Moguls  and 
 Afghans,  which  lasted  for  a long  series  of  years,  and  in  which  both  parties 
 exercised  the  most  monstrous  barbarities  against  each  other,  ensued : but 
 victory,  after  having  often  wavered,  finally  crowned  the  standard  of  the 
 Shikhs,  and  established  the  once  pious  followers  of  Nanock,  and  the  subse- 
 quently adventurous,  but  lawless,  bands  of  Govindu  and  his  successors  in 
 arms,  as  one  of  the  most  powerful  and  warlike  states  of  northern  Hindustan. 
 These  people  are  brave,  hardy,  active,  singularly  abstemious,  and  capable 
 of  undergoing  extraordinary  fatigue  : their  cavalry,  according  to  Mr.  Foster, 
 from  whose  travels  I have  abstracted  much  of  this  account,  have  been 
 known  to  march  forty  or  fifty  miles  a day  for  several  successive  days. 
 Bread  baked  in  ashes,  and  tares  and  vetches  parched,  are  commonly  their 
 only  food. 
 
 The  Shikhs  are  now  divided  into  two  great  sects : one,  the  followers  of 
 the  more  simple  doctrines  of  Nanock,  are  termed  Kulasas  ; the  other,  the 
 martial  adherents  of  Govindu  Singh,  are  called  Khalsas : the  latter  prin- 
 cipally inhabit  the  Punjab.  These  sects  are  governed  by  separate  leaders, 
 some  of  whom  command  two  or  three  thousand  men,  others  ten  or  twelve 
 thousand,  and  others  armies  of  considerable  strength.*  The  assembly  of 
 the  confederated  chiefs  is  termed  the  Gurumuta,  or  great  council  of  the 
 Shikhs ; which  is  called  together  only  in  cases  of  emergency  wherein  the 
 general  body  of  the  nation  is  concerned.  On  these  occasions  every  one  is 
 expected  to  lay  aside  all  private  considerations,  and  to  have  his  proceedings 
 regulated  alone  by  the  welfare  of  his  country,  and  the  interests  of  his 
 religion. 
 
 Sir  John  Malcolm,  in  his  admirable  sketch  of  the  history  of  the  Shikhs, 
 has  stated,  that  these  councils,  which  are  held  at  Amrita  Suru,  are  con- 
 vened by  the  ukalees,  a sort  of  militant  priests,  who  have  the  direction  of 
 all  religious  affairs  at  that  place.  They  wear  chequered  clothes,  and  bangles 
 or  bracelets  of  steel  round  their  wrists,  initiate  converts,  and  have  almost 
 the  sole  direction  of  religious  ceremonies  at  Amrita  Suru,  where  they 
 * Runghit  Singh  is  said  to  possess  a force  of  100,000  men. 
 
THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 231 
 
 reside,  and  of  which  they  deem  themselves  the  defenders,  and,  conse- 
 quently, never  desire  to  quit  it  except  in  cases  of  great  extremity.  This 
 order  of  Shikhs  have  a place,  or  boonga,  on  the  banks  of  the  sacred 
 reservoir  of  Amritu  Suru,  where  they  generally  resort : they  are  individually 
 possessed  of  property,  though  they  affect  poverty  and  subsist  upon 
 charity  ; which,  however,  since  their  numbers  have  increased  they  generally 
 extort,  by  accusing  the  principal  chiefs  of  crimes,  imposing  fines  upon 
 them,  and,  in  the  event  of  their  refusing  to  pay,  preventing  them  from 
 performing  their  ablutions,  and  going  through  any  of  their  religious  cere- 
 monies at  Amrita  Suru.” 
 
 “ When  the  chiefs  and  principal  leaders  are  seated  (in  the  Council),  the 
 Adee-Grunthu  and  Dushuma  Padshahee  Grunthu*  are  placed  before  them. 
 They  all  bend  their  heads  before  these  scriptures,  and  exclaim  ‘Wah! 
 gooroojeda  khalsa ! wah!  gooroo  jeekee  phute6 !’  A great  quantity  of  cakes 
 made  of  wheat,  butter,  and  sugar,  are  then  placed  before  the  volumes  of 
 their  sacred  writings,  and  covered  with  a cloth.  These  holy  cakes,  which 
 are  in  commemoration  of  the  injunction  of  Nanock,  to  eat  and  to  give  others 
 to  eat,  next  receive  the  salutation  of  the  assembly,  who  then  rise,  and  the 
 ukalees  pray  aloud,  while  the  musicians  play.  The  ukalees,  when  the 
 prayers  are  finished,  desire  the  council  to  be  seated.  They  sit  down,  and 
 the  cakes  being  uncovered,  are  eaten  of  by  all  classes  of  Shikhs;  those 
 distinctions  of  original  tribes,  which  are  on  other  occasions  kept  up,  being  on 
 this  occasion  laid  aside  in  token  of  their  general  and  complete  union  in  one 
 cause.  The  ukalees  then  exclaim,  ‘ Sudars  (chiefs),  this  is  the  Guru 
 Muta!’  on  which  prayers  are  again  said  aloud.  The  chiefs  after  this  set 
 down,  and  say  to  each  other,  ‘ the  sacred  Grunthu  is  betwixt  us ; let  us 
 swear  by  our  scripture  to  forget  all  internal  disputes  and  to  be  united.’ 
 This  moment  of  religious  fervour  and  ardent  patriotism  is  taken  to  reconcile 
 all  animosities.  They  then  proceed  to  consider  the  danger  with  which  they 
 ate  threatened,  to  settle  the  best  plans  for  averting  it,  and  to  choose  the 
 generals  who  are  to  lead  their  army  against  the  common  enemy.” 
 
 * Sacred  books  of  the  Shikhs.  The  first  written  by  their  founder  Nanock  ; the  other  (as  its 
 name  imports)  by  their  tenth  leader,  Govindu  Singh. 
 
232 
 
 THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 There  does  not  appear  to  be  any  restriction  against  individuals  of  other 
 sects  becoming  Shikhs.  A person  so  disposed  communicates  his  intentions 
 to  a grunt’hee,  or  priest,  with  whom  he  enters  upon  some  preparatory  studies. 
 Certain  initiatory  ceremonies  of  meat  offerings,  drinking  five  times  with  a 
 short  ejaculation  from  a cup  filled  with  sherbet,  worshipping  the  sacred 
 books,  and  invocations  for  the  blessings  of  Nanock  and  Govindu  then  take 
 place,  which  are  closed  by  a discourse  from  the  priest  on  the  religion  which 
 the  disciple  has  just  embraced,  and  his  being  instructed  in  a prayer  of 
 considerable  length  relating  to  it.  Women  of  other  sects  may  equally  with 
 men  become  Shikhs  ; but  their  sherbet  must  be  stirred  with  the  back  of  a 
 knife  instead  of  the  edge  of  it,  as  is  done  with  that  for  the  men.  A person 
 who  would  become  a Khalsa,  or  military  Shikh,  must  permit  his  hair  and 
 beard  to  grow  for  some  weeks  previous  to  initiation. 
 
 The  sacred  books,  or  shastres  of  the  Shikhs  are  reverenced  and  read 
 daily  at  stated  periods,  both  by  the  religious  leaders  and  individuals.  These 
 books  are  carefully  preserved  in  their  temples,  and  worshipped  with  various 
 ceremonies.  They  are  kept  wrapt  up  in  rich  cloths,  which,  previous  to  the 
 books  being  used,  are  removed  with  great  respect ; the  officiating  Grunt’hees 
 and  worshippers  bowing  with  the  utmost  reverence  as  the  coverings  are 
 taken  off'. 
 
 These  sacred  books  are  written  in  a peculiar  character,  called  Guru  Mhu- 
 kee,  or  language  of  the  Gurus.  They  do  not  exclude  the  doctrines  of  the 
 principal  Hindu  deities,  Brahma,  Vishnu,  Siva,  Yama,  Indra,  Durga,  &c. ; 
 but  they  teach  that  Narayana  is  the  only  true  and  supreme  god.  To  him 
 alone,  they  say,  should  adoration  be  paid  ; as  absorption  in  him  is  the 
 highest  reward  of  man.  External  ceremonies  and  devotions  may  raise 
 men  to  the  inferior  heavens,  and  produce  future  births ; but  by  internal 
 holiness  alone  can  man  unite  himself  with  Narayana. 
 
 The  Shikhs,  like  the  Hindus,  have  various  orders  of  religious  mendicants  : 
 they  are  also  divided  into  castes ; but,  nevertheless,  eat  together.  The 
 flesh  of  animals,  with  a few  exceptions,  is  not  prohibited  from  being  eaten, 
 or  spirits  (in  which  they  sometimes  indulge  to  excess)  from  being  drank. 
 They  burn  their  dead,  and,  although  contrary  to  the  law  of  Nanock,  women 
 
THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 233 
 
 are  permitted  to  perform  suttee  with  the  bodies  of  their  deceased  husbands, 
 which,  however,  does  not  frequently  occur. 
 
 Their  principal  festivals  are  in  commemoration  of  the  birth  and  death  of 
 Nanock  ; and  their  great  annual  festival,  called  Dipu  Mata,  held  at  Amrita 
 Suru,  when  two  or  three  hundred  thousand  persons  are  said  to  assemble  to 
 bathe  in  the  sacred  pool.  This  place,  in  ancient  times,  was  a reservoir  of 
 water  dedicated  to  Rama ; but  was  repaired  and  rendered  sacred  for  the 
 worship  of  the  Shikhs  by  one  of  their  leaders,  Ramdasu.  It  was  made  by 
 the  Afghans,  under  Ahmed  Shah,  a scene  of  melancholy  retribution  for  the 
 former  cruelties  of  the  Shikhs.  Pyramids  of  their  heads  were  erected,  and 
 the  walls  of  the  Mahomedan  mosques,  which  had  been  polluted  by  them, 
 were  purified  by  their  blood.  The  city  was  razed  to  the  ground,  and  the 
 sacred  waters  of  the  pool  choked  up  with  its  ruins.  The  triumph  of  the 
 Afghans  was,  however,  of  short  duration.  No  sooner  had  Ahmed  Shah 
 retired,  than  the  Shikhs  descended  from  their  mountain  coverts,  defeated 
 the  remaining  Afghans,  and  exercised  a sanguinary  vengeance  on  their  late 
 conquerors.  They  compelled  them,  in  chains,  to  wash  with  the  blood  of 
 (what  they  most  abhorred)  hogs  the  mosques  which  they  had,  as  they  ima- 
 gined, purified  with  that  of  the  Shikhs ; and  to  excavate  again  the  sacred 
 reservoir  of  Amrita  Suru,  which  they  had  the  year  before  filled  up.  Never- 
 theless, says  Mr.  Foster,  although  the  Afghan  atrocities  rankled  in  the 
 minds  of  the  Shikhs,  these  people  did  not  destroy  a single  prisoner  in  cold 
 blood. 
 
 The  temples  of  the  Shikhs  are  flat  buildings  of  various  dimensions.  The 
 hall  or  place  of  worship  is  covered  with  a carpet,  and  furnished  with  several 
 desks,  on  which  are  placed  their  sacred  books.  Into  this  room  all  persons 
 are  allowed  to  enter,  the  parties  (if  Europeans)  being  first  required  to  take 
 off  their  shoes.  Mr.  Wilkins,  in  his  account  of  the  college  of  Shikhs  at 
 Patna,  describes  the  hall  as  being  hung  with  looking-glasses  and  pictures. 
 “ A little  room  on  the  left  hand  end,’’  he  adds,  “ is  the  chancel,  and  is  fur- 
 nished with  an  altar  covered  with  cloth  of  gold,  upon  which  was  laid  a 
 round  black  shield  over  a long  broad  sword,  and  on  either  side  a chowry  of 
 
 2 H 
 
THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 234 
 
 peacocks'  feathers,  mounted  in  a silver  handle.  The  altar  was  raised  a 
 little  above  the  ground,  in  a declining  position.  Before  it  stood  a low  kind 
 of  throne,  plated  with  silver,  but  rather  too  small  to  be  useful.  About  it 
 were  several  silver  flower-pots  and  rose-water  bottles  ; and  on  the  left  hand 
 stood  three  small  urns,  which  appeared  to  be  copper,  furnished  with  notches 
 to  receive  the  donations  of  the  charitable.  There  stood  near  the  altar,  on  a 
 low  desk,  a great  book  of  a folio  size,  from  which  some  portions  are  daily 
 read  in  their  divine  service.  It  was  covered  over  with  a blue  mantle,  on 
 which  were  printed,  in  silver  letters,  some  select  passages  of  their  laws. 
 
 “ When  the  service  was  about  to  begin,  the  congregation  arranged  them- 
 selves upon  the  carpet  on  each  side  of  the  hall,  so  as  to  leave  a space  before 
 the  altar  from  end  to  end.  The  great  book  (desk  and  all)  was  brought,  with 
 some  little  ceremony,  from  the  altar,  and  placed  at  the  opposite  extremity 
 of  the  hall.  An  old  man  with  a reverend  silver  beard  kneeled  down  before 
 the  desk,  with  his  face  towards  the  altar ; and  on  one  side  of  him  sat  a man 
 with  a small  drum,  and  two  or  three  with  cymbals.  The  book  was  now 
 opened,  and  the  old  man  began  to  chaunt  to  the  tune  of  the  drum  and  cym- 
 bals ; and,  at  the  end  of  every  verse,  most  of  the  congregation  joined  chorus 
 in  a response,  with  countenances  exhibiting  great  marks  of  joy.  Their  tones 
 were  by  no  means  harsh  ; the  time  was  quick  ; and  I learnt  that  the  subject 
 was  a hymn  in  praise  of  the  unity,  the  omnipresence,  and  the  omnipotence 
 of  the  deity.  I was  singularly  delighted  with  the  gestures  of  the  old  man  : 
 I never  saw  a countenance  so  expressive  of  infelt  joy,  whilst  he  turned 
 about  from  one  to  the  other,  as  it  were  bespeaking  their  assents  to  those 
 truths  which  his  very  soul  seemed  to  be  engaged  in  chaunting  forth.  When 
 the  hymn  was  concluded,  prayers  against  temptation,  for  grace,  for  the  ge- 
 neral good  of  mankind,  for  particular  blessings  to  the  Shikhs,  and  for  the 
 safety  of  travellers,  followed.  The  old  man  then  blessed  them,  and  invited 
 them  to  a friendly  feast.  A cauldron,  just  taken  from  the  fire,  containing  a 
 sort  of  sweetmeat,  consisting  of  flour,  sugar,  and  ghee  (or  clarified  butter), 
 was  then  brought  in.  This  was  put  into  silver  dishes,  and  each  person, 
 without  distinction,  was  served  with  it  on  leaves  sewed  together  to  resemble 
 
THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 235 
 
 plates.  They  were  then  served  with  sugar-plums,  and  the  ceremonies  con- 
 cluded. The  religious  part  of  the  ceremonies  were  repeated  daily  four 
 times.” 
 
 I cannot  close  my  account  of  these  extraordinary  people  better  than  by 
 an  extract  from  the  sixth  volume  of  the  Asiatic  Researches,  from  the  pen  of 
 the  then  Captain  Hardwicke,  as  it  not  only  correctly  characterizes  the  sect 
 in  question,  but  the  Gosseins,  the  Sanyasis,  Takurs,  and  other  religious 
 persons,  who  assemble,  in  almost  incredible  numbers,  at  the  mela  or  great 
 fair  at  Hurdwar.  This  fair  is  held  annually,  and  is  the  resort  of  parties  of 
 every  sect,  and  from  every  part  of  India,  as  well  as  the  countries  contiguous 
 to  it.  The  contentions  described  in  the  following  extract  are  of  common 
 occurrence  among  this  mixed  mass.  The  conflicts  between  the  Vishnaivas 
 and  Saivas,  respecting  the  superiority  of  their  deities,  are  seldom  terminated 
 without  bloodshed. 
 
 “ This  mela,  or  fair,  is  an  annual  assemblage  of  Hindus,  to  bathe,  for  a 
 certain  number  of  days,  in  the  waters  of  the  Ganges,  at  this  consecrated 
 spot.  The  present  is  one  of  those  periods,  and  the  multitudes  collected 
 here,  on  this  occasion,  may,  I think,  with  moderation,  be  computed  at  two 
 and  a half  millions  of  souls.  Although  the  performance  of  a religious  duty 
 is  their  primary  object,  yet  many  avail  themselves  of  the  occasion  to  trans- 
 act business,  and  carry  on  an  extensive  annual  commerce.  In  this  con- 
 course of  nations,  it  is  a matter  of  no  small  amusement  to  a curious  observer 
 to  trace  the  dress,  features,  manners,  &c.,  which  characterize  the  people  of 
 the  different  countries  of  Cabul,  Cashmere,  Lahore,  Bootan,  Sirinagur, 
 and  the  plains  of  Hindustan.  From  some  of  these  very  distant  countries 
 whole  families,  men,  women,  and  children,  undertake  the  journey;  some 
 travelling  on  foot,  some  on  horseback,  and  many,  particularly  women  and 
 children,  in  long  heavy  carts,  railed,  and  covered  with  sloping  matted  roofs, 
 to  defend  them  against  the  sun  and  wet  weather ; and  during  the  continu- 
 ance of  the  fair,  these  serve  also  as  habitations. 
 
 “ At  our  tents  parties  succeeded  parties  throughout  the  day  ; where  they 
 would  take  their  stand  for  hours  together,  silently  surveying  every  thing 
 they  saw.  Sometimes  more  inquisitive  visitors  approached  even  to  the 
 
 2 n 2 
 
236 
 
 THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 doors  of  the  tent,  and  finding  they  were  not  repelled,  though  venturing 
 within,  they  generally  retired  with  additional  gratification  ; and  frequently 
 returned  as  introductors  to  new  visitors,  whose  expectations  they  had  raised 
 by  the  relation  of  what  themselves  had  seen. 
 
 “ The  most  troublesome  guests  were  the  Goosseyns,  who,  being  the  first 
 here  in  point  of  numbers  and  power,  thought  it  warrantable  to  take  more 
 freedoms  than  others  did  ; and  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  be  at  any  time  free 
 from  their  company  : it  was,  however,  politically  prudent  to  tolerate  them  ; 
 for,  by  being  allowed  to  take  possession  of  every  spot  round  the  tents,  even 
 within  the  ropes,  they  might  be  considered  as  a kind  of  safeguard  against 
 visitors  of  worse  descriptions  ; in  fact,  they  made  a shew  of  being  our  pro- 
 tectors. 
 
 “ In  the  early  part  of  the  mela  or  fair  this  sect  of  Fakeers  erected  the 
 standard  of  superiority,  and  proclaimed  themselves  regulators  of  the  police. 
 
 “ Apprehending  opposition  in  assuming  this  authority,  they  published  an 
 edict,  prohibiting  all  other  tribes  from  entering  the  place  with  their  swords 
 or  arms  of  any  other  description.  This  was  ill-received  at  first,  and  for 
 some  days  it  was  expected  force  must  have  decided  the  matter  : however, 
 the  Byzaagees,  who  were  the  next  powerful  sect,  gave  up  the  point,  and 
 the  rest  followed  their  example.  Thus  the  Goosseyns  paraded  with  their 
 swords  and  shields,  while  every  other  tribe  carried  only  bamboos  through 
 the  fair. 
 
 “ The  ruling  power  was  consequently  held  by  the  appellation  of  Mehunts, 
 and  during  the  continuance  of  the  mela,  the  police  was  under  their 
 authority,  and  all  duties  levied  and  collected  by  them.  For  Hurdwar, 
 though  immediately  connected  with  the  Mahratta  government,  and  at  all 
 seasons  under  the  rule  and  control  of  that  state,  is,  on  these  occasions, 
 usurped  by  that  party  of  the  Fakeers  who  prove  themselves  most  powerful : 
 and  though  the  collections  made  upon  pilgrims,  cattle,  and  all  species  of 
 merchandize,  amount  to  a very  considerable  sum,  yet  no  part  is  remitted  to 
 the  treasury  of  the  Mahratta  state. 
 
 “ These  Mehunts  meet  in  council  daily,  hear  and  decide  upon  all  complaints 
 brought  before  them,  either  against  individuals,  or  of  a nature  tending  to 
 
THE  SHIKHS.  237 
 
 disturb  the  public  tranquillity  and  the  well  management  of  this  immense 
 multitude. 
 
 “ The  Goosseyns  maintained  an  uncontented  authority,  till  the  arrival  of 
 about  12  or  14,000  Shikh  horsemen,  with  their  families,  &c.,  who  encamped 
 on  the  plains  about  Jualapore.  Their  errand  here  was  avowed  to  be  bath- 
 ing ; and  soon  after  their  arrival  they  sent  Oodassee,  their  principal  priest 
 or  guru,  to  make  choice  of  a situation  on  the  river  side,  where  he  erected 
 the  distinguishing  flag  of  their  sect,  for  the  guidance  and  direction  of  its 
 followers  to  the  spot.  It  appeared,  however,  that  no  compliments  or  intima- 
 tion of  their  intentions  had  been  made  to  the  ruling  power ; and  the 
 Goosseyns,  not  willing  to  admit  of  any  infringement  of  their  authority, 
 pulled  down  the  flag  and  drove  out  of  the  place  those  who  accompanied  it. 
 Some  slight  resistance  was  shewn  by  the  Shikhs,  in  the  support  of  their 
 priest  and  the  dignity  of  their  flag,  but  was  repelled  with  much  violence, 
 and  the  Goosseyns,  not  content  with  driving  them  away,  abused  and  plun- 
 dered the  whole  party  to  a considerable  amount. 
 
 “ The  old  priest  Oodassee,  on  his  return  to  the  Shikh  camp,  complained 
 to  Rajah  Saheb  Sing,  their  chief,  in  the  name  of  the  body  collective,  of  the 
 insult  and  violence  they  had  met  with  from  the  Goosseyns.  A consultation 
 was  immediately  held  by  the  three  chiefs  of  the  Shikh  forces,  viz.  Rajah 
 Saheb  Sing,  of  Puteealah ; Roy  Sing,  and  Shena  Sing,  of  Booreah,  who 
 silenced  the  complainants  by  promising  to  demand  redress  and  restitution 
 for  what  they  had  been  plundered  of.  A vakeel  was  immediately  dis- 
 patched, with  a representation  from  the  Shikhs  to  the  Mehunts,  or  priests 
 of  the  Goosseyns,  pointing  out  the  right  they  conceived  they  possessed,  in 
 common  with  all  other  nations,  to  have  access  to  the  river  or  place  of 
 bathing. 
 
 “ The  Mehunts  heard  their  complaints,  expressed  their  concern  at  what  had 
 happened,  and  promised  their  assistance  in  obtaining  the  redress  sought  for  : 
 and  the  matter,  for  the  present,  rested  here ; the  Goosseyns  giving  back 
 to  the  Shikhs  all  the  plunder  they  had  taken,  and  admitting  of  their  free 
 ingress  and  egress  to  the  river.  All  was  pretty  quiet  during  the  few  re- 
 maining days  of  bathing;  but  on  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  April  (which 
 
238 
 
 THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 day  concluded  the  meld),  a scene  of  much  confusion  and  bloodshed  ensued. 
 About  eight  o’clock  on  that  morning,  the  Shikhs  (having  previously  de- 
 posited their  women,  children,  and  property,  in  a village  at  some  distance 
 from  Hurdwar)  assembled  in  force,  and  proceeded  to  the  different  watering 
 places,  where  they  attacked  with  swords,  spears,  and  fire-arms,  every  tribe 
 of  Fakeers  that  came  in  their  way.  These  people  made  some  resistance, 
 but  being  all  on  foot,  and  few,  if  any,  having  fire-arms,  the  contest  was 
 unequal : and  the  Shikhs,  who  were  all  mounted,  drove  the  poor  Sanny- 
 asses,*  Byraagees,*  Goosseyns,*  Naagees,*  &c.,  before  them  with  irresistible 
 fury.  Having  discharged  their  pieces  within  a few  paces,  they  rushed 
 upon  those  unfortunate  pilgrims  with  their  swords,  and  having  slaughtered 
 a great  number,  pursued  the  remainder  until  by  flight  to  the  hills,  or  by 
 swimming  the  river,  they  escaped  the  revenge  of  their  pursuers.  The  con- 
 fusion spread  among  other  descriptions  of  people  was  inconceivable,  and 
 every  one  thinking  himself  equally  an  object  of  their  resentment,  sought 
 every  means  of  safety  that  offered.  Many  took  to  the  river,  and,  in  the 
 attempt  to  swim  across,  several  were  drowned  : of  those  who  endeavoured 
 to  escape  to  the  heights,  numbers  were  plundered,  but  none  who  had  not  the 
 habit  of  a Fakeer  was  in  the  least  hurt.  Many  parties  of  straggling  horse- 
 men now  ranged  the  island  between  Hurdwar  and  Unjinnee  Gaut,  plundering 
 the  people  to  the  very  water’s  edge,  immediately  opposite  to  us.  Fortunately 
 for  thousands  who  crowded  to  this  Gaut,  the  greatest  part  of  one  of  the 
 vizier’s  battalions,  with  two  six-pounders,  were  stationed  here ; two  com- 
 panies of  which,  with  an  addition  of  a few  of  our  own  sepoys,  and  a native 
 officer,  whom  Captain  Murray  very  judiciously  sent  across  the  river,  kept 
 the  approach  of  the  horse  in  check.  Finding  they  could  not  attack  the 
 crowd  on  the  water’s  edge,  without  receiving  a smart  fire  from  the  sepoys, 
 as  well  as  exposing  themselves  to  the  fire  of  their  guns,  they  drew  off,  and 
 by  about  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  all  was  again  quiet. 
 
 “ At  this  time  the  cause  of  such  an  attack,  or  the  future  intentions  of 
 this  body  of  Shikhs,  was  all  a mystery  to  us  ; and  popular  report  favoured  the 
 conjecture,  that  they  intended  to  profit  from  the  present  occasion,  and  by 
 * Fakeers  and  religious  mendicants  of  different  sects. 
 
THE  SHIKHS. 
 
 239 
 
 crossing  the  river  at  a few  miles  lower  down,  return  and  plunder  the 
 myriads  of  travellers  who  crowded  the  roads  through  Rohilcund.  How- 
 ever, the  next  morning  discovered  they  had  no  such  intentions ; as,  from 
 the  adjacent  heights,  we  saw  them  take  their  departure,  in  three  divisions, 
 bending  their  march  in  a westerly  course,  or  directly  from  us.  The  number 
 which  had  crowded  to  the  river  side,  opposite  to  our  tents,  was  too  great  to 
 be  ferried  over  in  the  course  of  the  night,  and  consequently  remained  in 
 that  situation  : fearful  of  the  approach  of  day,  and  in  dreadful  alarm  from 
 the  expectation  of  another  visit  from  the  Shikhs ; but  by  eight  o’clock, 
 their  minds  were  more  at  ease,  and  they  offered  up  their  prayers  for  the 
 English  gentlemen,  whose  presence  they  universally  believed  had  been  the 
 means  of  dispersing  the  enemy.  From  the  various  information  we  had  now 
 collected,  we  concluded  this  hostile  conduct  of  the  Shikhs  was  purely  in 
 revenge  against  the  tribes  of  Fakeers.  Many  of  the  wounded  came  to  our 
 camp  to  solicit  chirurgical  assistance ; and  they  all  seemed  very  sensible 
 that  they  only  were  the  objects  of  the  enemy’s  fury. 
 
 “ Accounts  agree  that  the  Fakeers  lost  about  five  hundred  men  killed, 
 among  whom  was  one  of  their  mehunts,  or  priests,  named  Manupooree  ; 
 and  they  had  many  wounded.  Of  the  Shikhs,  about  twenty  were  killed, 
 but  the  number  of  wounded  not  known.” 
 
 In  1820,  another  most  appalling  circumstance  occurred  at  the  fair  at  Hurd- 
 war,  in  which  seven  hundred  persons  are  stated  to  have  lost  their  lives.  It 
 was  calculated  that  not  less  than  two  millions  of  people  were  assembled  on 
 the  occasion  ; when,  at  the  opening  of  the  fair,  the  rush  was  so  great  towards 
 the  steps  of  the  bathing-place  as  to  cause  this  melancholy  catastrophe. 
 Dreadful  as  it  was,  the  exertions  of  the  British  officers  only  prevented  its 
 being  infinitely  greater,  as,  says  a military  gentleman,  who  was  an  eye-wit- 
 ness, the  Brahmans  looked  on  not  only  with  apathy,  but  with  joy  depicted  in 
 their  countenances  ; and  women,  at  a short  distance,  were  bathing  in  other 
 parts  of  the  sacred  water,  with  as  much  indifference  as  if  the  utmost  serenity 
 prevailed  around  them.  After  the  fair  the  roads  for  miles  round  Hurdwar 
 were  strewed  with  dead  bodies  of  men,  women,  horses,  camels,  and  dogs. 
 The  only  living  things  were  myriads  of  flies  feeding  upon  the  carcases. 
 
240 
 
 CHOITUNYA. 
 
 * 
 
 CHOITUNYA. 
 
 This  personage,  the  founder  of  the  sect  of  Gosaees,  is  represented,  ac- 
 cording to  Mr.  Ward,  as  an  almost  naked  mendicant,  painted  yellow.  His 
 father  resided  in  Nudeya.  When  he  was  born  he  refused  nourishment  for 
 three  days,  and  his  mother  supposing  that  he  would  not  live,  put  him  in  a 
 basket  and  hung  it  on  a tree.  Here  a venerable  Brahman  suspecting  that 
 he  discovered  in  the  puny  infant  an  incarnation  of  some  deity,  wrote  on  the 
 earth  with  his  great  toe  the  initiating  incantation  of  Huree  (Krishna,  or 
 the  eighth  avatar  of  Vishnu).  The  child  was  then  taken  down,  and  re- 
 ceived the  breast  immediately. 
 
 At  the  age  of  forty-four  he  appears  to  have  had  a divine  call,  and  em- 
 braced a life  of  mendicity.  He  then  began  to  found  the  sect  of  the  Gosaee, 
 and  taught  the  exclusive  worship  of  Krishna,  under  the  name  of  Huree. 
 He  exhorted  his  followers  to  abandon  a secular  life,  to  renounce  castes,  and 
 to  eat  with  all  those  who  had  received  the  incantation  of  Huree.  He 
 allowed  widows  to  marry,  and  forbade  sanguinary  sacrifices,  and  all  com- 
 munion with  those  who  practised  them. 
 
 Having  rendered  himself  an  object  of  worship,  Choitunya  went  to  Juger- 
 nat'ha,  and  supplied  himself  with  four  additional  arms.  He  then,  having- 
 first  exhorted  two  of  his  disciples  to  labour  in  making  proselytes,  soon  after 
 disappeared,  and  was  no  more  heard  of. 
 
 The  present  leaders  of  the  Gosaees  are  the  descendants  of  the  two  dis- 
 ciples, whose  images,  with  those  of  the  founder  of  the  sect,  are  set  up  and 
 worshipped  in  various  places  near  Calcutta.  The  followers  of  this  sect  are 
 said  to  be  generally  among  the  least  reputable  of  the  Hindus  of  both  sexes 
 in  the  vicinity  of  our  Indian  metropolis  ; though  some  highly  opulent  and 
 influential  persons  are  met  with  among  them. 
 
 The  Gosaees  perform  the  ceremonials  of  marriage,  and  other  rites  among 
 themselves.  They  will  also,  contrary  to  the  usual  customs  of  the  Hindus, 
 dissolve  a marriage  with  as  much  facility,  on  an  application  from  the 
 parties. 
 
CHOITUNYA. — THE  SAUDS. 
 
 241 
 
 The  Gosaees  observe  none  of  the  Hindu  festivals  except  those  of  Krishna ; 
 but  the  anniversaries  of  the  deaths  of  their  founders  are  observed  as  such. 
 They  do  not,  says  Mr.  Ward,  reject  the  mythology,  or  the  ceremonies  of 
 the  Hindus,  but  they  believe  that  those  of  Huree  (Krishna)  only  are  neces- 
 sary. The  sect  is  said  to  be  daily  increasing. 
 
 On  the  nights  of  their  festivals,  the  initiating  incantation,  or  some  similar 
 exclamations,  may  be  heard  resounding  through  the  streets  of  Calcutta : 
 “Huree,  Krishna;  Huree,  Krishna;  Krishna,  Krishna,  Huree,  Huree; 
 Huree,  Ram ; Huree,  Ram  ; Ram,  Ram,  Huree,  Huree.” 
 
 THE  SAUDS. 
 
 The  chief  seats  of  the  Saud  sect  are  Delhi,  Agra,  Jayapur,  and  Far- 
 rukhabad ; but  there  are  several  of  the  sect  scattered  over  other  parts  of 
 the  country.  An  annual  meeting  takes  place  at  one  or  other  of  the  cities 
 above-mentioned,  at  which  the  concerns  of  the  sect  are  settled.  In  Farruk- 
 habad  the  number  was  about  three  thousand. 
 
 The  Sauds  utterly  reject  and  abhor  all  kinds  of  idolatry,  and  the  Ganges 
 is  considered  by  them  not  to  be  a sacred  object ; although  the  converts  are 
 made  chiefly,  if  not  entirely,  from  among  the  Hindus,  whom  they  resemble 
 in  outward  appearance. 
 
 Saud,  the  appellation  of  the  sect,  means,  they  say,  “ servant  of  God.” 
 They  are  pure  deists,  and  their  form  of  worship  is  most  simple.  The  Sauds 
 resemble  the  Quakers,  or  Society  of  Friends,  in  England,  in  their  customs, 
 in  a remarkable  degree.  Ornaments  and  gay  apparel  of  every  kind  are 
 strictly  prohibited.  Their  dress  is  always  white.  They  never  make  any 
 obeisance  or  salutation.  They  will  not  take  an  oath  ; and  they  are 
 exempted  in  the  courts  of  justice ; their  asseveration,  like  that  of  the 
 Quakers,  being  considered  equivalent.  The  Sauds  profess  to  abstain  from 
 all  luxuries,  such  as  tobacco,  betel,  opium,  and  wine.  They  never  have 
 exhibitions  of  dancing.  All  violence  to  man  or  beast  is  forbidden  ; but,  in 
 self-defence,  resistance  is  allowable.  Industry  is  strongly  enjoined. 
 
 2 i 
 
242 
 
 THE  S A U D S. 
 
 The  Sauds,  like  the  Quakers,  take  great  care  of  their  poor  and  infirm 
 people.  To  receive  assistance  out  of  the  tribe  or  sect  would  be  reckoned 
 disgraceful,  and  render  the  offender  liable  to  excommunication.  All  parade 
 of  worship  is  forbidden.  Private  prayer  is  commended.  Alms  should  be 
 unostentatious  ; they  are  not  to  be  given  that  they  should  be  seen  of  men. 
 The  due  regulation  of  the  tongue  is  a principal  duty. — Abstracted  from  the 
 Transactions  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society. 
 
 The  origin  and  farther  account  of  the  Sauds  will  be  found  in  the  following 
 extracts  : 
 
 “ About  one  hundred  and  sixty  years  ago,  Jogee  Das,  son  of  Gopal  Sing, 
 of  Bindair,  when  at  an  advanced  age,  had  the  command  of  a body  of  troops 
 in  the  service  of  the  Rajah  of  Doolpoor,  and  was  slain  in  action  with  the 
 enemies  of  this  prince.  His  dead  body  was  not  suffered  to  remain  neglected 
 on  the  field  of  battle,  but  was  miraculously  recalled  to  life,  as  is  pretended, 
 by  a stranger  in  the  habit  of  a mendicant,  whose  holy  and  venerable  ap- 
 pearance excited  in  the  mind  of  the  astonished  Jogee  Das  the  deepest 
 respect  and  confidence.  The  stranger  led  him  away  into  the  solitudes  of  a 
 distant  mountain,  and  there  detained  him  in  the  diligent  study  of  those 
 sacred  truths  which  it  was  intended  he  should  disseminate  among  the  people 
 when  he  again  returned  to  the  world.  As  soon  as  he  was  judged  sufficiently 
 qualified  for  the  labours  of  his  mission,  the  mendicant  stranger  returned  him 
 to  his  friends,  with  a commission  to  inculcate  the  doctrines  which  he  had 
 received. 
 
 “ For  divine  worship  they  have  no  temple,  but  a hut  called  Jumla  Ghur, 
 usually  situate  in  the  village  where  the  elder  of  the  congregation  may 
 happen  to  reside. 
 
 “ The  simplicity  of  this  meeting  is  very  interesting.  The  whole  of  the  Sauds 
 who  reside  at  a convenient  distance,  females  included,  assemble  at  the 
 nearest  Jumlu  Ghur,  each  person  furnishing,  according  to  his  means,  flour, 
 ghee,  milk,  or  sugar.  Part  of  the  congregation  is  employed  during  the 
 day  in  making  these  materials  into  bread,  while  others  converse  on  the 
 affairs  of  the  community,  or  investigate  any  complaints  that  may  be  brought 
 
THE  SAUDS. 
 
 213 
 
 forward  against  their  people.  In  the  evening  the  bread  is  placed  upon  a 
 small  elevation  in  the  Jumlu  Ghur,  and  after  a short  extempore  prayer, 
 divided  among  the  guests.  A vessel  containing  sherbet,  called  the  “ cup 
 of  fellowship,”  is  also  passed  round,  and  the  remainder  of  the  night  is  spent 
 in  rehearsing  verses  in  praise  of  the  Sut-Guru,  and  listening  to  the  legendary 
 stories  of  their  founder,  and  directions  for  their  moral  conduct  in  life. 
 
 “ Any  member  convicted  of  immorality  is  precluded  from  participating  in 
 their  food,  or  associating  in  their  worship.  Excommunication  is  their 
 special  punishment,  the  duration  of  this  discipline  being  wholly  regulated 
 by  and  proportioned  to  the  atrocity  of  the  offence. 
 
 “ They  profess  to  believe  in  one  Invisible  God,  who  retains  every  thing  in 
 his  own  sovereign  power,  is  every  where  present,  and  is  infinitely  merciful, 
 and  who,  in  this  exceeding  mercy,  sent  the  Sut-Guru  to  enlighten  ignorant 
 men.  This  Sut  Guru,  who  instructed  Jogee  Das  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
 truth,  they  esteem  as  the  immediate  chila  or  pupil  of  the  Supreme 
 Being. 
 
 “ The  Sauds  have  no  regular  order  of  priesthood.  That  man  who,  in  each 
 division,  happens  to  be  considered  most  respectable,  who  can  read,  repeat 
 their  hymns,  and  relate  their  traditions,  is  constituted  their  chief,  though 
 always  with  limited  authority. 
 
 “ Any  Saud  believing  himself  to  be  under  the  influence  of  that  same  divine 
 spirit  which  they  supposed  to  have  inspired  their  first  founder,  is  at  perfect 
 liberty  to  offer  his  own  productions  at  their  religious  assemblies  for  public 
 repetition  ; and  so  long  as  they  are  moral,  and  not  in  contradiction  to  their 
 received  opinions,  they  will  not  be  objected  to. 
 
 “ Their  nuptial  rite  is  simple,  all  unnecessary  expense  being  scrupulously 
 avoided.  Polygamy  is  never  allowed,  and  even  widows  are  forbidden  to 
 unite  with  a second  husband. 
 
 “ As  they  are  taught  to  esteem  the  soul  the  immortal  part  of  man,  and  as 
 of  the  greatest  value,  they  have  no  prescribed  mode  of  disposing  of  their 
 dead. 
 
 “ They  know  nothing  of  any  rites  for  the  repose  of  the  departed  soul ; but 
 believe  that  it  is  either  happy  or  miserable,  according  to  its  conduct  while 
 
 2 i 2 
 
244 
 
 THE  SAUDS.— NIR  NARRAIN. 
 
 in  the  body,  and  that  at  the  future  great  day  of  judgment  body  and  soul 
 will  be  reunited. 
 
 “ A tradition  obtains  credit  among  them,  that  after  a lapse  of  thirteen  years, 
 according  to  calculation,  the  Saud  sect  will  rapidly  increase,  and  that 
 eventually  the  whole  population  of  Hindustan  will  embrace  their  tenets.” — 
 Asiatic  Journal. 
 
 NIR  NARRAIN. 
 
 This  personage  is  worshipped  by  a sect  represented  as  having  its  rise 
 from  Odhow,  to  whom  the  charge  of  the  human  race  was  delivered  by 
 Krishna  when  he  left  this  world.  The  new  doctrines  were  first  preached  by 
 a Brumacharee  called  Gopal,  and  afterwards  by  Atmanund  Swamee.* 
 
 The  grand  principle  of  the  system  seems  to  be,  that  the  souls  of  all 
 mankind  are  equal. 
 
 The  principal  observances  enjoined  are  abstinence  from  what  are  repre- 
 sented as  the  four  besetting  sins  of  the  flesh  ; indulgence  in  drinking  spiri- 
 tuous liquors,  eating  flesh,  stealing,  and  connection  with  other  than  their 
 own  women. 
 
 The  votaries  are  sometimes  indulged  with  what  they  call  a Sumadhee,  in 
 which  the  spirit  is  said  to  leave  the  body,  and  to  be  transported  to  the 
 blissful  regions  their  imaginations  are  taught  to  expect  after  death ; and 
 during  the  period  of  its  absence,  no  wound  or  infliction  produces  the 
 slightest  effect  or  pain,  the  trunk  is  represented  to  be  perfectly  senseless ; 
 and  after  its  return,  the  favoured  person  gives  lively  descriptions  of  what  he 
 has  seen ; generally  abundance  of  gold  and  jewels,  with  palaces,  &c., 
 according  to  the  fertility  of  his  imagination. 
 
 Those  who  become  Fakeers  receive  a name,  and  are  instructed  to  submit 
 to  any  ill  usage  without  resistance,  or  without  allowing  the  slightest  resent- 
 ment to  remain  on  their  minds ; they  are  to  forswear  all  worldly  goods,  and 
 all  the  concerns  of  this  world  ; they  are  not  even  to  possess  any  article 
 
 * Swamee — a person  so  called  is  understood  to  be  one  who  lays  down  the  observances  of  caste, 
 and  devotes  himself  entirely  to  the  service  of  God. 
 
NIR  NARRAIN. — DATYAS,  &c. 
 
 24.5 
 
 made  of  metal,  except  a needle  to  sew  their  clothes,  and  a knife  to  mend 
 their  pen  for  writing  holy  words ; they  are  not  to  see  nor  to  think  of  a 
 woman ; if  they  do  see  one  so  as  to  distinguish  her  as  such,  if  the  idea  of  a 
 woman  comes  into  their  minds,  or  if  they  touch  one,  they  must  fast  for 
 that  day. 
 
 People  of  all  castes  and  persuasions  resort  to  Swamee  Narrain,  and 
 the  number  of  his  followers  is  very  great,  estimated  by  the  most  intelli- 
 gent natives  at  about  one  hundred  thousand,  principally  from  Kattywar 
 and  the  northern  districts  of  Guzerat.  Hindus,  of  all  the  four  classes, 
 Mahomedans,  and  even  Dhers  are  admitted ; but  all  are  seated  and  fed 
 according  to  their  castes.  The  Swamee  himself  (who  is  a Brahman)  eats 
 indiscriminately  with  any  caste  as  far  down  as  Rajpoots,  or  Kattees,  but 
 not  below  them. 
 
 The  most  intelligent  people  in  the  country,  even  while  they  regret  (as 
 Hindus)  the  levelling  nature  of  his  system,  acknowledge  their  belief  that 
 his  preaching  has  produced  great  effect  in  improving  the  morals  of  the 
 people.* 
 
 DATYAS,  ASURAS,  DEMONS,  GIANTS,  AND  RAKSHASAS. 
 
 These  names  are  synonymous,  and  mean  the  powerful  enemies  with 
 whom  the  gods  had  to  contend,  and  by  whom  they  were  frequently  over- 
 come, as  has  been  related  in  various  parts  of  this  work.  They  were  the 
 children  of  Diti,  as  the  gods  were  those  of  Aditi.  (See  Diti,  in  the  third 
 part  of  this  work.)  The  principal  of  these  Datyas  were  Hayagriva,  Hira- 
 nyacasipa,  Maha  Bali,  Deeruj,  Ravan,  Meghnaud,  Koombhukurma,  Kansa, 
 Tarika,  Muhisha,  and  many  more  mentioned  in  the  avatars  of  Vishnu, 
 and  the  accounts  of  Kartikeya,  Durga,  and  others.  One  yet  remains  to  be 
 described,  who  appears  to  have  given  the  gods  more  trouble,  and  to  have 
 placed  them  in  greater  danger,  than  any  of  those  who  have  been  yet  noticed. 
 This  Datya  is  Jalandhara,  the  son  of  the  ocean  and  Gunga. 
 
 It  seems  that,  by  the  command  of  Siva,  the  river  goddess  left  the  hea- 
 
 * Asiatic  Journal,  from  Bombay  Courier. 
 
246 
 
 .1  ALAND  HA  R A. 
 
 yens  to  form  an  union  with  the  sea.  They  engaged  in  amorous  dalliance, 
 and  from  their  embraces  sprang  Jalandhara,  on  whom  Brahma  bestowed  the 
 boon  that  he  should  be  unconquered  by  the  gods.  Jalandhara’s  uncle  was 
 the  sea  of  milk,  churned  with  the  mountain  Mandarah  by  the  gods  in  the 
 Kurmavatara ; and,  as  Indra  and  the  other  deities  would  not  restore  the 
 precious  gems  then  taken,  Jalandhara  made  war  upon  them.  His  Rak- 
 shasas  or  warriors  were  of  a most  appalling  description,  having  the  heads  of 
 horses,  elephants,  camels,  cats,  tigers,  and  lions ; with  eyes  glancing  like 
 lightning ; snaky  hair  and  enormous  bodies,  whence  hair  like  scimitars 
 arose,  who  rushed  on,  “ like  shouts  loud  as  the  thunder  of  clashing  clouds.”  * 
 Nothing  more  need  be  added,  to  shew  the  potency  of  Jalandhara’s  army, 
 than  to  say,  that  it  consisted  of  one  hundred  crores  of  such  warlike  Asuras, 
 on  chariots,  elephants,  horses,  and  foot,  with  trumpets,  kettle-drums,  & c. 
 &c.  No  wonder,  therefore,  can  be  experienced  that  the  heavens  trembled 
 with  the  din  of  such  warfare,  or  that  the  frightened  gods  of  Swerga  made 
 all  the  haste  they  could  to  escape  from  it,  to  supplicate  for  assistance.  In 
 vain  Vishnu,  Siva,  Surya,  Varuna,  and  the  god  of  riches  rushed  to  the 
 battle  ; in  vain  they  performed  prodigies  of  valour  ; in  vain,  in  short,  vain, 
 very  vain,  will  it  be  for  me  to  attempt  to  describe  this  tremendous  battle,  in 
 which  the  sun  ran  away ; the  moon  was  swallowed ; Indra  struck  sense- 
 less, and  his  elephant  captured  ; Siva  taken  prisoner ; Vishnu  overcome 
 and  whirled  about  by  the  hand  of  Jalandhara  ; and  the  whole  of  the  celestial 
 hosts  dispersed  by  that  brave  and  generous  son  of  the  ocean ; who,  like  his 
 descendants,  had  no  sooner  conquered,  than  he  nobly  forgave  his  enemies, 
 and  invited  Vishnu  and  Lakshmi  to  take  up  their  residence  in  the  sea  of 
 milk,  which  they  did. 
 
 The  gods  were,  however,  a restless  set,  and  mustered  again  their  forces 
 under  Siva.  After  numerous  battles,  which  I will  not  attempt  to  describe, 
 they  triumphed  over  their  gallant  foe  ; whose  last  boon  was,  that  no  hand 
 but  his  own  should  finally  destroy  him.  This  was  granted  ; and  it  may  be 
 satisfactory  to  some  to  learn  that  he  subsequently  obtained,  what  he  de- 
 served, immortality. 
 
 * Colonel  Vans  Kennedy’s  Researches. 
 
JALANDHAR  A. 
 
 247 
 
 But  it  must  not  be  imagined  that  this  brave  Datya  was  overcome  by  va- 
 lour alone.  His  fate,  on  the  contrary,  furnishes  us  with  another  instance  of 
 the  extraordinary  ruses  de  guerre  frequently  practised  by  the  immortals  of 
 the  east,  which,  as  they  are  not  noticed  by  either  Homer,  Plutarch,  Xeno- 
 phon, Caesar,  Vegetius,  or  Rohan,  are,  I believe,  even  in  this  wonderful  age 
 of  air-balloon  rapidity  of  advance  of  knowledge,  not  entirely  understood  by 
 the  mortal  warriors  of  the  west.  Perhaps  the  manoeuvre  partakes  too  much 
 of  the  character  of  the  once  much-talked-of  infernal  machine,  to  be  ho- 
 nourably introduced  into  their  tactics.  Of  that  I will  not  pretend  to  judge? 
 but  as  the  text  will  convey  with  it  its  best  commentary,  I shall  merely  re- 
 cite it,  and  then  leave  the  matter  to  the  judgment  of  my  military  readers ; 
 premising,  that  Jalandhara  had,  certainly,  before  endeavoured  to  practise 
 the  same  manoeuvre  against  either  Vishnu  or  Siva  (which  of  them  I do  not, 
 at  present,  remember),  as  the  former  of  those  deities  succeeded  in  against 
 him. 
 
 It  appears  that,  in  the  last  battle,  the  gods  (after  a conflict  of  twenty-two 
 days),  learnt  that  the  cause  of  their  ill  success  against  Jalandhara  arose 
 from  his  having  been  rendered  invulnerable  by  the  virtues  of  his  wife, 
 Binda;  which  would  still  continue  to  protect  him,  and  make  him  invincible 
 so  long  as  she  remained  pure  and  unsullied  in  conjugal  fidelity.  This  was 
 a serious  predicament  for  the  deities  to  discover  themselves  to  be  in,  as 
 Binda  was  a perfect  Penelope  in  that  respect.  The  crafty  Vishnu,  how- 
 ever, instantly  left  the  field  of  battle,  and,  assuming  the  form  of  Jalandhara, 
 hastened  to  the  presence  of  that  Datya's  wife,  with  whom,  under  his  dis- 
 guise, he  contrived  to  enjoy  the  privileges  of  a husband.  Scarcely  had  he 
 succeeded,  than  Binda  learnt,  at  the  same  moment,  the  artifice  that  had 
 been  practised  upon  her,  and  the  melancholy  tidings  of  her  husband  having 
 received  a mortal  wound.  Jalandhara  soon  expired,  and  Binda  performed 
 suttee  on  his  funeral  pile.  It  is  fabled  that  Vishnu,  at  a future  period, 
 transformed  her  remains  (ashes)  into  the  tolusa  plant,  on  the  leaves  of  which 
 the  salagrama  stones,  sacred  to  that  deity,  are  deposited. 
 
248 
 
 THE  PANDUS. 
 
 THE  PANDUS 
 
 Are  five  heroes  or  demi-gods,  descended  from  the  ancient  sovereigns  of 
 the  countries  of  Hindustan  bordering  upon  the  Jumna,  thus  called  “ Pan- 
 duan  Raj,  or  the  kingdom  of  the  Pandus.”  Pandu,  the  father  of  these  five 
 heroes,  was  the  son  of  Vyasa  and  Pandea.  Their  mother’s  name  was 
 Koonti,  the  sister  of  a prince  of  Mathura,  who  was  the  father  of  Heri  and 
 Baldiva,  the  Indian  Hercules.  Koonti,  in  consequence  of  the  sins  of  the 
 ancestors  of  herself  and  her  husband,  was  doomed  to  experience  the  greatest 
 curse  that  can  befal  a Hindu  female,  sterility.  However,  by  a charm 
 (which  in  this  modern  Sparta  will  not  be  considered  an  example  to  be  fol- 
 lowed), she  contrived  to  remove  the  anathema  by  enticing  the  gods  to  her 
 bed.  Thus,  says  Colonel  Tod,  from  whose  disquisition  on  the  Hindu  and 
 Theban  Hercules  I have  extracted  this  account,  she  had  by  Dhermaraja 
 (Yama,  or  the  Minos  of  the  Greeks),  Yudishtra;  by  Pavana,  Bhima ; by 
 Indra,  Arjun  ; and  Nycula  and  Sydiva  by  Aswini  Kumara  (the  Hindu  Es- 
 culapius,  or  the  sons  of  Surya,  the  twins  of  the  Hindu  zodiac). 
 
 Other  writers  term  the  three  first-mentioned  the  sons  of  Koonti,  without 
 disclosing  the  secret  of  her  amours.  Major  Moor  considers  the  Pandus  to 
 have  been  allegorical,  rather  than,  as  Colonel  Tod  assumes,  historical  or 
 mythological ; and,  in  one  of  the  legends  which  he  quotes,  imagines 
 Yudishtra  to  represent  the  virtues  of  modesty  and  tenderness;  Bhima, 
 strength;  Arjun,  skill  and  courage;  Nycula,  or  Nakal,  beauty  and  har- 
 mony ; and  Sydiva,  wisdom  and  penetration. 
 
 Ambea,  the  sister  of  Pandea,  had  also,  by  Vyasa,  Dhertrashtra,  who  had 
 a son,  Duryodhana.  This  branch  of  the  Yadhus  assumed  the  surname  of 
 Curu.  Here  Major  Moor  also  considers  the  subject  to  be  allegorical,  as  he 
 says,  “ man’s  manifold  vices  are  personated  by  the  hundred  sons  of  Kuru, 
 or  Curu:  hence  a near  relationship  exists  between  vice  and  virtue." 
 Colonel  Tod,  after  naming  the  five  brothers,  represents  them  as  those 
 “ whose  exploits  fill  the  traditional  history  of  India,  and  though  a mixture 
 of  truth  and  fiction,  must  not  be  rejected.”  As  the  names  of  these  heroes 
 
THE  PANDUS. 
 
 249 
 
 are  frequently  met  with  in  Hindu  mythology  and  history,  I shall  endeavour 
 to  describe  them  as  briefly  as  possible.  On  Pandu’s  death,  Duryodhana 
 (in  consequence  of  his  father’s  incapacity  from  blindness)  assumed  the  rod 
 of  empire,  proclaiming  the  illegitimacy  of  the  five  Pandus.  Intestine 
 broils  followed,  and  the  brothers  were  proscribed  during  the  term  of  twelve 
 years.  Accompanied  by  their  Heracula  relations,  Heri  and  Baldiva,  they 
 perambulated  every  part  of  India,  leaving  behind  them  those  monuments 
 of  glory  and  magnificence  which  are  still  ascribed  to  them. 
 
 In  those  primitive  days,  beauty  (in  India,  as  once  was  in  Europe)  became 
 the  prize  of  valour.  That  of  Arjun,  the  most  celebrated  of  the  brothers, 
 gained  him  the  hand  of  Drupdevi,  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  Panchalica, 
 who,  according  to  certain  Hindu  customs,  which  are  known  to  prevail  at  the 
 present  day  in  some  parts  of  India,  became  also  the  wife  of  the  five 
 brothers. 
 
 They  returned  with  their  wife  to  Hastinapoor,  the  capital  of  Dher- 
 trashtra’s  dominions,  but  were  again  expelled  by  Duryodhana.  “ They 
 then  travelled  to  the  south,  and  were  (adds  Colonel  Tod)  long  indebted  to 
 the  deep  forests  of  Verat  and  Herimba  for  security,  suffering  every  privation, 
 and  encountering  manifold  dangers  from  the  savage  beasts,  and  no  less 
 savage  men  who  peopled  these  wilds.  The  remembrance  of  these  varied 
 adventures  is  yet  cherished  in  these  intricate  and  interesting  regions,  through 
 which  I have  traced  their  wandering,  and  listened  with  delight  to  the  recital 
 of  their  adventures.  To  that  of  Bhima  with  the  giant  daughter  of  Herimba ; 
 or  the  exploits  of  Heri  with  the  demon  of  Toolisham.  I have  gazed  with 
 interest  on  the  refreshing  cascade  issuing  from  the  fissure  of  the  bleak  rock, 
 rent  by  the  club  of  Baldiva  to  assuage  the  thirst  of  the  mother  of  the  Pan- 
 dus ; and  partaken  of  the  sorrow  of  the  narrator,  as,  seated  on  the  margin 
 of  the  lotus  fountain,  he  related,  on  the  spot  where  it  happened,  the  mar- 
 tyrdom of  Heri  by  the  forester  Bhil.  These  are  the  scenes  which  excite  the 
 Hindu,  whether  the  proud  Rajpoot,  the  humble  peasant,  or  the  man  of 
 wealth ; and  you  must  see  them  and  converse  with  them,  under  the  in- 
 fluence of  such  impressions,  to  understand  the  moral  effect  upon  their  lives 
 and  character.” 
 
 2 K 
 
250 
 
 THE  PAN  DUS. 
 
 After  having  performed  numerous  acts  of  valour,  in  grateful  return  for 
 the  protection  which  was  afforded  to  them  in  the  various  countries  through 
 which  they  passed,  the  Pandus,  at  length,  when  the  term  of  their  exile 
 was  expired,  returned  to  demand  a participation  in  their  birthright ; but 
 were  contemptuously  told  by  Duryodhana  that  they  should  not  have  so  much 
 of  the  soil  as  would  cover  the  point  of  a needle.  They  then  determined  to 
 conquer  what  injustice  denied  them. 
 
 A desperate  conflict  ensued  in  the  extensive  plains  of  the  Caggar  and 
 Suraswati,  between  the  rival  clans  of  the  Curus  and  Pandus,  assisted  by 
 the  fifty-six  Yadhu  tribes.  With  which  party  the  victory  remained  is  not 
 expressly  stated  : but  it  may  be  collected  that  for  a time  it  was  with  the 
 Pandus,  but  that  eventually  they  were  unsuccessful ; as  Colonel  Tod  states, 
 “ After  the  grand  war,  in  which  the  Yadhu  confederation  was  broken  up, 
 the  Pandus,  with  Heri  and  Baldiva,  abandoned  their  dominions  on  the 
 Yamuna  for  Saurashtra.  Here,  in  their  ancient  haunts,  they  remained 
 some  time  : but  if  we  judge  from  the  traditional  accounts  of  Heri’s  assassi- 
 nation, and  Arjun’s  being  despoiled  even  of  his  bow  by  the  original  races, 
 they  must  have  lost  all  their  power.”  In  the  end,  Yudishtra  and  Baldiva 
 are  supposed  to  have  abandoned  India,  and  to  have  perished  with  their 
 followers  in  an  attempt  to  cross  the  snowy  mountains  of  Himachel.  The 
 son  of  Arjun  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  Indraprestha,  or  Dehli,  which 
 Yudishtra  had  abandoned.  The  sons  of  Heri  fixed  themselves  in  various 
 parts  of  India ; but  what  became  of  Arjun  or  Bhima  does  not,  in  this 
 account,  appear. 
 
 Colonel  Tod  concludes,  that  in  Baldiva  he  has  discovered  the  origin  of 
 the  Theban  Hercules,  and  that  the  exploits  of  the  Pandus  have  furnished 
 the  Greeks  with  the  ground-work  of  the  actions  which  they  have  ascribed 
 to  him. 
 
 Arjun  is  celebrated  for  the  tapass  that  he  performed  to  obtain  the  celestial 
 arrow,  pausuputt  astrum,  which  was  to  enable  the  brothers  to  overcome 
 their  powerful  and  vindictive  enemies,  the  Curus.  In  the  appendix  to 
 Mrs.  Graham’s  pleasing  Journal  of  a Residence  in  India,  is  an  extract  from 
 the  Mahabarat,  giving  a different  version  of  the  expulsion  of  the  Pandus 
 
THE  PANDUS. 
 
 251 
 
 from  their  country.  The  account  already  given  may  be  considered  as 
 traditional,  the  other  is  mythological : and  as  it  contains  a description  of 
 this  celebrated  tapass,  I shall  briefly  abstract  it. 
 
 The  brothers  are  here  made  to  have  lost  their  kingdom  by  play  to 
 Duryodana,  who,  in  consequence,  obliged  them  to  retire  into  banishment 
 for  twelve  years,  which  they  did  with  a train  of  five  thousand  Yogees. 
 Rajah  Dhurm,  or  Dhermaraja,  is  here  made  the  eldest  of  the  five  brothers, 
 instead  of  the  father  of  Yudishtra.  Having  reached  the  forest  of  Durta- 
 Vanum,  they  consulted  together  in  what  manner  they  should  avenge  them- 
 selves on  their  powerful  enemy,  whom  they  imagined  had  outwitted  them 
 by  guile  and  stratagem,  as  soon  as  their  term  of  banishment  had  expired  ; 
 and  resolved  to  send  Arjun,  whose  fortitude  and  valour  was  distinguished 
 among  the  five  valiant  brethren,  to  the  mountain  of  Indra  Keeladree,  to 
 perform  vogra  tapasa,  the  most  austere  species  of  penance.  After  due  prepa- 
 ration, and  having  met  numerous  demons  and  holy  prophets,  and  being 
 fanned  by  the  god  Vayu  on  his  journey,  he  passed  the  forest  of  the  Himalaya 
 mountain,  and  reached  the  lofty  and  celebrated  one  of  Indra  Keeladree. 
 
 Before,  however,  he  could  commence  his  tapass,  he  had,  like  Saint  An- 
 thony, various  temptations  to  undergo  to  try  his  piety  and  fortitude  ; all  of 
 which  he  heroically  resisted.  He  then  ascended  to  the  highest  summit  of 
 Himalaya  Purvut,  “ where  he  found  a delightful  grove,  abounding  in  lofty 
 trees  and  fragrant  shrubs,  producing  various  fruits  and  flowers,  watered 
 by  pleasant  pools,  by  sarovaras  and  purest  streams,  whereon  the  lovely 
 kamalas,  the  water-lily  of  purest  white,  and  the  calahara  of  deepest  tinge, 
 displayed  their  brightest  hues  : and  while  the  celestial  Hamsa  swam  before 
 his  eyes,  and  the  pleasant  strains  of  celestial  music  reached  his  ears,  the 
 sweet  odours  of  fragrant  heavenly  flowers  and  shrubs  delighted  his  smelling 
 organs  and  filled  him  with  admiration.  He  then  commenced  his  devotions 
 to  the  almighty  Param-Eswar  in  the  three  prescribed  modes  of  Mana,  Vauk, 
 and  Neyama,  standing  all  the  time  on  the  tip  of  his  great  toe.  {See  Auste- 
 rities and  Punishments,  also  fig.  4,  plate  28,  and  fig.  8,  plate  26.) 
 
 The  Rishees,  who  beheld  Arjun,  reported  to  Param-Eswar*  the  severity 
 
 * Here  Siva  appears  to  be  Param-Eswar,  or  Iswari. 
 
 2 k 2 
 
252 
 
 THE  PANDUS. 
 
 of  his  penance,  who  determined  to  try  his  fortitude  himself.  He  assumed 
 a mortal  form,  and,  in  the  character  of  a king  of  the  Keratas,  pursued  a wild 
 boar  (the  shape  of  which  he  had  commanded  an  evil  spirit  to  assume  to 
 terrify  Arjun)  to  the  spot  where  the  hero  stood.  Seeing  Arjun  preparing 
 to  discharge  an  arrow  at  the  beast,  he  called  out  to  him  imperiously  not  to 
 shoot  or  kill  his  game.  Arjun,  however,  discharged  his  shaft ; the  king  at 
 the  same  moment  shot  his,  and  the  animal,  struck  by  both,  fell  lifeless  to 
 the  ground.  The  king  on  this  contrived  to  provoke  a quarrel,  that  led  to  a 
 wrestling  match  between  the  god  and  the  hero,  which  terminated  by  their 
 coming  together  to  the  ground. 
 
 Param-Eswar,  like  a generous  and  noble  foe,  admired  the  valour,  as  he 
 had  previously  done  the  piety  of  his  competitor,  and  assuming  his  own 
 form,  said  to  him  : “ O,  Arjun ! I am  well  satisfied  with  your  sincere  devo- 
 tion, your  valour,  and  your  fortitude,  and  shall  bestow  all  your  wishes.” 
 He  finally  blessed  him,  to  conquer  the  whole  world,  with  the  celestial 
 weapon,  the  pausuputt  arrow,  which  he  gave  him,  and  instructed  him  in  the 
 use  of ; telling  him  its  virtues  were  mysterious,  and  unknown  even  to 
 Indra,  Kuvera,  Varuna,  or  Yama,  and  then  disappeared. 
 
 That  there  is  nothing  like  standing  well  with  the  highest,  Arjun  ex- 
 perienced on  this  occasion ; for  no  sooner  had  Param-Eswar  gave  him  his 
 tremendous  weapon  than  the  whole  host  of  heaven  came  and  welcomed 
 him  ; and  the  regents  of  the  various  quarters  of  the  world,  when  they  found 
 he  had  no  occasion  for  them,  came  likewise,  and  offered  him  their  celestial 
 weapons.  Indra,  his  divine  Indrastrum  ; Agni,  his  fiery  arrow  ; Yama,  his 
 death-disposing  club,  & c.  &c. 
 
 Among  the  ancient  temples  and  sculptures  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Maha- 
 balliporam  is  a rock,  on  the  face  of  which  are  sculptured  more  than  a 
 hundred  figures  of  gods,  men,  and  animals,  some  as  large  as  life,  and  others 
 much  larger,  illustrative  of  this  tapass.  Arjun  is  here  represented  standing 
 near  the  centre  of  the  rock,  as  in  fig.  8,  plate  26,  with  Param-Eswar,  of  a 
 gigantic  size,  by  the  side  of  him. 
 
MERU. 
 
 253 
 
 MERU. 
 
 The  mythological  mountain  Mem,  the  Mienmo  of  the  Burmese,  and  the 
 Sineru  of  the  Siamese,  is  termed  by  the  Hindus  the  navel  of  the  world,  and 
 is  their  Olympus,  the  fabled  residence  of  their  deities.  It  is  described  by 
 them  to  be  placed  at  the  north  pole  and  formed  like  a lotus,  the  petals  of 
 which  are  the  abodes  of  the  gods,  attended  by  the  Rishees,  the  Gundharvas, 
 the  Apsaras,  and  the  Naga  Rajah  or  great  Snake  King.  On  the  summit  is 
 the  heaven  of  Brahma  ; in  the  east  is  Swerga,  the  paradise  of  Indra,  resplen- 
 dent as  a thousand  suns ; in  the  south-east  is  the  heaven  of  Agni ; in  the 
 south  is  Yamas  ; in  the  south-west,  Yirupacsha’s  ; in  the  west,  Varuna’s  ; 
 in  the  north-west,  Yayu’s  ; in  the  north  is  Kuvera’s,  whose  seat  is  formed 
 of  lapus-lazuli ; and  in  the  north-east  is  the  heaven  of  Siva,  “ of  fervid 
 gold.”  Siva  would  thus  appear  to  be  doubly  provided  for,  Virupacsha  being 
 also  one  of  his  names.  According  to  some,  Surya  occupies  the  south-west. 
 The  heaven  of  Vishnu  is  variously  placed  : by  some  in  the  Frozen  Ocean, 
 and  by  others  in  a subterraneous  sea  of  milk.  Indra’s  terrestrial  abode  is 
 described  to  be  in  the  mountains  of  Silanta,  a delightful  country  with  plenty 
 of  water,  where  he  constantly  enjoys  the  harmonious  songs  of  the  black 
 bee  and  frogs.  The  terrestrial  residence  of  Siva  is  the  Himalaya  Moun- 
 tain. 
 
 The  Siamese  and  Burmese  describe  this  mythological  mountain  differ- 
 ently, and  also  vary  from  each  other.  In  the  representation  of  it  in  plate 
 28,  from  a large  Hindu  drawing  in  my  possession,  the  centre,  A,  is  Meru  ; 
 B,  the  heavenly  mansions  ; C,  the  abode  of  the  great  Nagas,  as  I shall 
 presently  more  particularly  notice ; and  D,  the  infernal  regions.  Meru, 
 according  to  some  descriptions,  appears  to  be  seven  great  ranges  of  hills, 
 forming  seven  stages,  each  stage  being  encircled  by  a sea.  These  stages 
 contain  the  four  great  dwipas,  and  the  heavenly  mansions  of  the  devatas 
 or  gods.  Round  the  whole  is  the  Maha  Samut,  or  the  great  sea.  B de- 
 scribes the  heavenly  mansions  on  the  plane  as  they  are  placed  above  Meru, 
 the  sixteen  that  are  marked  from  24  to  39  being  those  of  Indra  and  other 
 
254 
 
 MERU.— THE  NAGAS. 
 
 deities.  The  temples  above  are  the  superior  heavens,  which  are  particularly 
 described  in  the  drawing,  in  Sanscrit  characters ; the  crescent  in  the  centre 
 at  the  top,  is  the  abode  of  the  Supreme  Being,  round  which  perpetually 
 revolve  the  sun,  moon,  and  other  celestial  bodies. 
 
 THE  NAGAS. 
 
 Below  A,  are  D the  infernal  regions,  with  sinners  undergoing  the  punish- 
 ments apportioned  to  their  several  crimes,  marked  from  8 to  23,  which  will 
 be  found  more  particularly  described  in  my  account  of  Yama,  page  113; 
 and  B,  the  abode  of  the  great  Snake  King  (Raja  Naga),  attended  by 
 Bhumme  Nari,  the  Goddess  of  the  Earth,  &c.  The  worship  of  the  snake 
 gods  is  termed  Naga  Panchami.  These  gods,  of  whom,  among  the  Hindus, 
 Vasuki  ( see  Vasuki  and  Manusa  in  the  third  part  of  this  work)  is  the  lord, 
 and  Manusa  the  queen,  reside  in  regions  immediately  under  the  earth, 
 which  are  the  seat  of  exhaustless  treasures,  the  blaze  of  which  supplies  the 
 absence  of  the  solar  radiance.  The  principal  Nagas,  of  which  there  are 
 about  a dozen,  are  propitiated  with  offerings  of  milk  and  ghee.  The  fifth 
 lunar  day  of  Sravana  is  held  sacred  to  the  Nagas.  On  that  day  ablutions 
 should  be  performed  in  the  pool  sacred  to  Vasuki,  the  lord  of  the  Nagas. 
 By  observing  this  ceremony  the  Nagas  are  pleased,  and  the  votaries  may 
 rest  free  from  the  dread  of  serpents.  “ Offerings  of  ghee,  dhurva  grass,  See. 
 should  be  made  to  the  Nagas,  and  drawings  of  deadly  poisonous  serpents 
 should  be  exhibited,  representing  them  armed  with  scimitars  and  shields  ; 
 but  the  upper  part  of  the  body  should  be  of  human  appearance,  the  lower 
 part  that  of  a snake,  painted  black,  which  on  the  day  of  worship  should 
 be  bathed  with  milk.”*  In  the  south  of  India  the  day  is  called  Garura’s 
 panchami,  the  bird  garura  being  the  implacable  enemy  of  the  snakes. 
 
 * Calcutta  Government  Gazette. 
 
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 //  (TlerT? . 7et/r  /,  7 />e<i  n S^Soh.a 
 
 T'tM  1.  Osiris . Z Jjls  3 Oriut  '4  Isis  cls  Ma/.vre  3.  (Zjus  or  Osiris  as  Jerajns 
 
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OSIRIS,  ISIS,  AND  ORUS. 
 
 255 
 
 EGYPTIAN  MYTHOLOGY. 
 
 OSIRIS,  ISIS,  AND  ORUS. 
 
 As  the  mythology  of  ancient  Egypt  is  frequently  alluded  to  in  notices 
 of  that  of  the  Hindus,  a brief  sketch  of  it  in  this  place  may  not  be  found 
 unuseful.  I have  already  imagined  that  both  the  Egyptians  and  Hindus 
 have  been  indebted  for  the  origin  of  their  idolatry  to  the  Chaldeans,  and 
 that  the  other  parts  of  the  eastern  and  western  worlds  have,  in  like  manner, 
 obtained  theirs  from  them. 
 
 The  early  religion  of  the  Egyptians  was,  no  doubt,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
 Hindus,  the  worship  of  a supreme  and  only  God,  the  creator  of  the  uni- 
 verse, which  was  exchanged  for  what  they  considered  the  symbol  of  his 
 power  and  majesty,  the  sun.  This  symbol  they  subsequently  personified 
 and  worshipped,  and  endowed  with  the  divine  attributes  of  a deity,  pos- 
 sessing, at  the  same  time,  the  sensual  appetites  of  humanity.  Thus  an- 
 other personification  was  necessarily  introduced  and  worshipped,  as  the 
 goddess,  or  female  nature,  from  whom,  by  the  fecundizing  power  of  the 
 solar  orb,  every  thing  possessing  either  animal  or  vegetable  life  was  pro- 
 duced. This  caused  a third  personified  deity,  typical  of  the  essence  of  the 
 power  and  energy  of  both.  Thus  Osiris,  the  great  emblem  of  the  solar 
 body ; Isis,  the  symbol  of  aether,  “ the  natural  parent  and  spirit  of  the 
 universe,  comprehending  and  pervading  the  whole  creation  and  Orus  or 
 Horus,  the  symbol  of  light  (usually  described  as  a winged  boy  standing 
 between  Osiris  and  Isis),  are  the  three  great  deities  of  the  Egyptian  my- 
 thology, who  have  radiated,  like  the  Hindu  triad,  into  a multiplicity  of 
 forms  and  names,  either  as  their  various  attributes  were  displayed,  or  ac- 
 cording to  the  motions  of  the  two  great  luminaries,  of  which  Osiris,  and 
 Isis  (in  one  of  her  forms)  were  the  personified  representations.  Plutarch 
 makes  Osiris  to  signify  “ the  active  principle  or  the  most  holy  Being ; Isis, 
 the  wisdom  or  rule  of  his  operation  ; Orus,  the  first  production  of  his  power, 
 
256  OSIRIS,  ISIS,  AND  ORUS. 
 
 the  model  or  plan  by  which  he  produced  every  thing,  or  the  archetype  of 
 the  world.” 
 
 The  attributes  of  Osiris,  under  his  several  forms,  correspond  with  those 
 of  Jupiter,  Sol,  Bacchus,  Pluto,  Oceanus,  &c.  He  will  accordingly  assi- 
 milate with  Siva  in  his  majestic  and  vindictive  characters,  as  well  as  with 
 Yama,  with  Indra,  Rama,  and  Varuna. 
 
 The  goddess  Isis  (called  also  Isha,  the  woman)  is  termed  the  mother  of 
 the  gods,  and  like  the  Hindu  Parvati  (Bhavani  or  Durga),  the  goddess  of  a 
 thousand  names.  The  Greek  and  Roman  writers  make  her  the  same  as 
 Juno,  Minerva,  Diana,  Proserpine,  Venus,  Ceres,  Hecate,  & c.  &c.  She 
 thus  corresponds  with  the  three  great  sactis  of  the  Hindu  triad.  As  the 
 unarmed  Minerva,  she  is  the  goddess  Suraswati ; as  Ceres  and  Venus,  she 
 is  the  Hindu  Lakshmi,  the  goddess  of  fecundity  and  beauty ; as  the  Olym- 
 pian Juno,  she  is  the  mountain-born  goddess;  as  Vesta  or  Cybele,  she  is 
 Bhavani ; as  Bellona,  Durga,  and  as  Hecate  and  Proserpine,  the  terrific 
 and  sanguinary  Kali,  under  her  numerous  vindictive  and  destructive  forms. 
 
 Orus,  or  Horus,  is  the  emblem  of  light,  whose  parent  is  the  solar  orb. 
 He  is  thus  the  son  of  Osiris ; and,  as  light,  flows  through  all  aether  or 
 spaces  of  Isis.  He  is  the  Roman  Cupid  ; and,  as  such,  may  be  compared 
 with  the  beauteous  Kamadeo,  the  Hindu  god  of  love. 
 
 The  striking  similarity  between  almost  every  part  of  the  Heathen  and 
 Hindu  mythologies,  will  scarcely  leave  room  to  doubt  that  th'e  origin  of 
 both  was  derived  from  the  same  source.  Among  the  numerous  instances 
 of  analogy,  the  wars  of  the  Devas  and  Daityas  of  the  Hindus,  and  of  the 
 gods  and  giants  of  the  Heathens,  will  perhaps  not  be  the  least  remarkable. 
 The  charmed  instruments  of  war  ; the  hydra-headed  and  many  handed  mon- 
 sters ; the  enormous  mountains  and  missiles  of  the  stoutest  trees  which 
 were  used  in  battle  by  the  one,  were  equally  familiar  to  the  other.  The 
 Heathen  gods  were  driven  from  the  heavens  by  the  giants,  and  obliged 
 to  seek  shelter  in  Egypt.  The  Hindu  deities  were  frequently  compelled 
 by  the  Daityas  to  abandon  Swerga,  and  wandered  about  the  earth  like  com- 
 mon beggars.  Vishnu  was  taken  prisoner,  and  his  heavenly  hosts  defeated, 
 by  Jalandhara,  whom  he  afterwards  subdued.  Jupiter  also  was  captured. 
 
OSIRIS,  ISIS,  AND  ORUS. 
 
 257 
 
 and  the  heathen  gods  put  to  the  route  by  Typhon,  who  was  also,  like  Ja- 
 landhara,  finally  overcome.  In  all  these  battles,  Pallas  and  Durga,  in  their 
 respective  mythologies,  acted  distinguished  parts. 
 
 The  Typhon  above-mentioned  is  described  as  the  brother  of  Osiris,  whom 
 he  dethroned  and  murdered,  by  shutting  him  up  in  a chest  and  throwing 
 him  into  the  Nile.  Isis  found  the  body  and  buried  it;  but  Typhon  having- 
 discovered  it,  cut  it  into  many  pieces,  which  he  scattered  abroad.  Isis  went 
 in  search  of  the  different  parts  ; which,  as  she  found  them,  she  caused  to 
 be  interred.  In  the  places  where  the  parts  were  buried,  magnificent 
 temples  were  afterwards  erected.  This  corresponds  with  Siva  having- 
 commemorated  the  spots  where  the  fifty-one  pieces  of  Suti's  body  had 
 fallen,  by  ordaining-  that  they  should  become  places  of  distinguished 
 worship. 
 
 Osiris  is  historically  described  by  some  authors  as  the  king  of  the  Ar- 
 gives,  who  resigned  his  crown  to  one  of  his  brothers  and  went  to  Egypt, 
 where  he  married  Io  (or  Isis),  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  that  country. 
 He  afterwards  travelled  into  various  parts  of  the  world,  civilizing  and  in- 
 structing mankind  in  the  useful  arts  in  his  progress.  On  his  return  he  was 
 slain  by  his  brother  Typhon,  who  usurped  his  throne ; but  was  soon  after 
 subdued  and  put  to  death  by  Isis  and  her  son  Orus. 
 
 Osiris  was  deified,  as  were  Isis  and  Orus,  and  became  the  personified 
 emblems  of  the  solar  orb  ; of  iEther,  the  pervading  spirit  of  the  universe  ; 
 and  of  Light,  the  efflux  of  the  sun.  It  is  doubtful  if  the  Egyptians  con- 
 sidered these  representations  otherwise  than  as  symbols  : but  the  Greeks, 
 who  appear  not  to  have  been  very  particular  on  these  points  (like  the 
 Chinese  at  Java,  who  having  obtained  a portrait  of  Buonaparte,  placed  it 
 among  some  casts  of  Hindu  deities  from  the  ruins  of  Brambana,  saying,  “ as 
 they  had  no  gods  of  their  own  country,  they  might  as  well  worship  those 
 of  others”),  seem,  on  adopting  the  Egyptian  mythology,  to  have  placed 
 the  gods  of  it  in  higher  estimation.  After  the  death  of  Osiris,  his  soul  was 
 supposed  to  have  transmigrated  into  the  bull,  Apis  : hence  the  bull  was 
 worshipped  under  that  name,  and  Osiris,  as  Serapis,  became  another  pro- 
 
 2 L 
 
258 
 
 OSIRIS,  ISIS,  AND  ORUS. 
 
 minent  form  of  Egyptian  worship ; and  in  like  manner  numerous  other 
 forms  were  in  time  given  both  to  him,  Isis,  and  Orus,  under  which  they 
 were  also  worshipped. 
 
 It  is  foreign  from  my  intention  to  enter  farther  into  the  Egyptian  my- 
 thology than  the  before-going  sketch,  and  to  describe  as  briefly  the  figures 
 contained  in  plate  36.  It  will  be  observed  that,  whatever  coincidences 
 there  may  be  in  the  attributes  of  the  Hindu  and  Egyptian  deities,  there  are 
 none  whatever  in  the  graphic  illustrations  of  them,  those  of  Egypt  being 
 entirely  hieroglyphical. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  36,  represents  Osiris  seated  on  a cheepiered  throne,  supposed 
 to  be  expressive  of  the  vicissitudes  of  night  and  day.  His  head  is  that  of  a 
 hawk,  the  symbol  of  the  solar  orb  ; and  his  head-dress  is  adorned  with  orbs, 
 in  allusion  to  his  dominion  over  innumerable  worlds.  One  hand  is  stretched 
 forward  in  a commanding  attitude,  and  the  other  holds  a staff  with  a curved 
 top,  which  also  points  forward. 
 
 Fig.  2 is  the  goddess  Isis,  also  seated  on  a throne.  Her  dress  is  described 
 as  being  composed  of  wings,  expressive  of  the  velocity  and  universal  diffusion 
 of  aether.  On  her  head  is  an  African  hen  with  expanded  wings,  said, 
 from  its  party-coloured  feathers,  to  denote  the  variety  of  created  beings. 
 Above  that  rises  a sort  of  coronet,  supposed  to  be  a basket,  from  which 
 project  two  leaves,  and  over  it  are  two  horns  (in  allusion  to  the  crescent, 
 one  of  the  emblems  of  Isis),  which  enclose  a circle  emblematical  of  the  sun. 
 One  of  her  hands  is  held  up  in  a monitory  attitude ; and  in  the  other  is  a 
 staff  or  sceptre  surmounted  by  a flower  of  the  lotus,  which  is  also  held  in 
 high  estimation  among  the  Egyptians,  as  with  the  Hindus.  Probably  the 
 circle  may  be  symbolical  of  the  sun  or  fire  ; the  crescent,  of  aether ; the 
 leaves  issuing  from  beneath  it,  of  the  productions  of  the  earth,  or  the  Earth  ; 
 and  the  flowering  lotus,  of  humidity  or  water  ; thus  expressive  of  universal 
 dominion  over  all  things. 
 
 Fig.  3 is  Orus,  represented  with  a youthful  countenance,  supposed  to 
 indicate  the  perpetual  renewal  of  the  solar  efflux.  In  one  of  his  hands  is  a 
 staff  crossed,  with  other  hieroglyphics,  surmounted  by  the  head  of  a 
 
OSIRIS,  ISIS,  AND  ORUS. 
 
 259 
 
 transient  bird,  called  the  houp,  denoting  that  every  thing  in  nature  is  un- 
 dergoing a perpetual  change.* 
 
 Fig.  4 represents  Isis  as  nature.  Her  head  is  crowned  with  a handsome 
 tiara,  and  the  whole  of  her  body,  downwards  from  the  shoulders,  is 
 covered  with  human  breasts,  indicative  of  her  universal  bounteousness  and 
 fecundity. 
 
 Fig.  5 is  the  bull  Apis;  or  Osiris  as  Serapis. 
 
 * Boyse. 
 
 2 l 2 
 
PART  SECOND. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 The  Bheels,  Coolies,  and  Ramoosees. — The  Rajpoots  and  Kattees. — The  Mahrattas. — The 
 Koombies. — The  Pindaries. — The  Goands. 
 
 In  introducing  the  second  part  of  this  volume,  I have  to  offer,  with 
 every  grateful  recollection  of  the  aid,  the  pleasure,  and  the  information 
 which  I have  derived  in  the  compilation  of  it,  my  warmest  acknowledg- 
 ments to  the  authorities  from  whose  scattered  sources  I have  drawn  the 
 collected  stores  of  this  my  humble  work.  That  these  sources  have  been  of 
 the  best  description  will  not,  I think,  be  questioned.  That  their  valuable 
 productions  might  have  been  more  skilfully  blended  I am  free  to  ingenuously 
 admit ; but,  if  the  present  attempt  should  lead  to  one  of  a bolder  and  more 
 enlarged  character,  for  which  an  ample  scope,  and,  I doubt  not,  an  abun- 
 dance of  materials  will  be  found,  my  researches  will,  in  one  shape  at  least, 
 have  reaped  a highly  gratifying  reward. 
 
 What  the  mountain  and  island  tribes  of  India  at  present  are,  the  fol- 
 lowing pages  will  shew  ; what  some  of  them  once  were,  has  been  lost  in  the 
 lapse  of  ages.  Numerous  circumstances,  however,  lead  to  well-founded 
 conjectures,  that  they  were  the  aborigines  of  the  countries  whose  mountain 
 fastnesses  they  now  only  inhabit.  A little  research  might,  perhaps,  shew 
 us,  that  these  Indian  “ children  of  the  mist,”  these  miserable  predatory, 
 but,  in  many  instances,  highly  interesting  outcasts,  were,  in  times  long 
 gone  by,  the  legitimate  lords  of  the  soil  of  many  parts  of  ancient  Hindustan. 
 Among  these  tribes  the  Bheels,  of  whom  I shall  first  treat,  will  not  be  found 
 the  least  worthy  of  notice. 
 
THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 262 
 
 The  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  and  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 The  Bheels  inhabit  the  northern  part  of  the  chain  of  Ghauts  running- 
 inland  parallel  with  the  coast  of  Malabar.  On  one  side  they  are  bordered 
 by  the  Coolies,  and  on  another  by  the  Goands  of  Goandwana.  They  are 
 considered  to  have  been  the  aborigines  of  Central  India  ; and  with  the 
 Coolies,  Goands,  and  Ramoosees,  are  bold,  daring,  and  predatory  marauders ; 
 occasionally  mercenaries,  but  invariably  plunderers.  There  are,  however, 
 many  shades  of  difference  in  the  extent  of  the  depredations  of  these  several 
 people,  in  which  the  balance  of  enormity  is  said  to  be  considerably  on  the  side 
 of  the  Bheels.  They  are,  nevertheless,  described  as  faithful,  when  employed 
 and  trusted ; and  Major  Seely,  in  his  interesting  work  on  the  wonders  of 
 Elora,  has  stated,  that  the  travellers  who  pay  them  their  choute,  or  tribute, 
 may  leave  untold  treasure  in  their  hands,  and  may  consider  themselves  as 
 safe  with  them  as  in  the  streets  of  London.  “ Their  word  (says  that  gen- 
 tleman) is  sacred,  their  promise  unimpeachable.” 
 
 I will  make  no  apology  for  some  lengthened  extracts  respecting  this  ex- 
 traordinary race.  They  are  little  known  ; and  I feel  assured  that  as  full 
 a description  of  them  as  can  be  collected  will  not  fail  to  be  acceptable.  For 
 these  extracts  I am  indebted  to  the  Asiatic  Journal,  the  Madras  Courier, 
 the  gentleman  just  mentioned,  and  finally  to  Sir  John  Malcolm. 
 
 To  enable  the  reader  to  understand  the  people  in  question  properly,  it 
 will  be  necessary,  in  the  first  instance,  to  shew  the  nature  of  the  country 
 which  they  inhabit. 
 
 Describing,  in  his  official  report  to  the  late  Marquess  of  Hastings,  the 
 western  side  of  the  hither  peninsular  of  India,  the  Hon.  Mounstuart  Elphin- 
 stone  has  stated  : “ The  grand  geographical  feature  of  this  tract  is  the 
 chain  of  ghauts  which  run  along  the  western  boundary  its  whole  length. 
 Between  this  range  and  the  sea  lies  the  Concan,  now  under  Bombay.  It 
 extends  from  forty  to  fiftv  miles  in  breadth,  includes  many  fertile  places 
 producing  abundance  of  rice,  but  in  genearl  is  very  rough,  and  much 
 crossed  by  steep  and  rocky  hills.  Towards  the  ghauts  the  country  is  in 
 
THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 263 
 
 most  places  extremely  strong,  divided  by  hills,  intersected  by  ravines,  and 
 covered  with  thick  forests.  The  range  itself  is  from  two  to  four  thousand 
 feet  high,  extremely  abrupt,  and  inaccessible  on  the  west.  The  passes 
 are  numerous  but  steep,  and  very  seldom  passable  for  carriages.  The 
 table-land  on  the  east  is  nearly  as  high  as  many  parts  of  the  ridge  of  the 
 ghauts,  but  in  general  the  hills  rise  above  it,  to  the  height  of  from  a thousand 
 to  fifteen  hundred  feet.  The  table-land  is  for  a considerable  distance  ren- 
 dered very  strong  by  numerous  spurs  issuing  from  the  range,  among  which 
 are  deep  winding  rugged  vallies,  often  filled  with  thick  jungle.  Further 
 east,  the  branches  from  the  ghauts  become  less  frequent,  and  the  country 
 becomes  more  level  till  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Nizam's  frontier,  where 
 it  is  an  open  plain. 
 
 “ The  northern  part  of  the  chain  of  ghauts  and  the  country  at  its  base  is 
 inhabited  by  Bheels ; that  part  to  the  south  of  Baugland  and  the  country 
 at  its  base,  as  far  south  as  Bassein,  is  inhabited  by  Coolies,  a tribe  somewhat 
 resembling  the  former,  but  more  civilized  and  less  predatory.  The  Bheels 
 possess  the  eastern  part  of  the  range,  and  all  the  branches  that  run  out 
 from  it  towards  the  east,  as  far  south  as  Poona  ; they  even  spread  over  the 
 plains  to  the  east,  especially  north  of  the  Godavery,  and  to  the  neighbourhood 
 of  the  Wurda.  On  the  north  they  extend  beyond  the  Taptee  and  Ner- 
 budda.  Both  the  Bheels  and  the  Coolies  are  numerous  in  Guzerat.  South 
 of  Poona  the  Bheels  are  succeeded  by  the  Ramoosees,  a more  civilized  and 
 subdued  tribe,  but  with  the  same  thievish  habits  as  the  Bheels.  They 
 have  no  language  of  their  own,  are  more  mixed  with  the  people,  and  re- 
 semble the  Mahrattas  in  dress  and  manners ; whereas  the  Bheels  differ 
 from  the  rest  of  the  people  in  language,  manners  and  appearance.  Of  the 
 latter  Mr.  Elphinstone  remarks,  that  although  they  live  quietly  in  the 
 open  country,  they  resume  their  wild  and  predatory  character  whenever 
 they  are  settled  in  a part  that  is  strong,  either  from  hills  or  jungle.  The 
 * Ramoosees  do  not  extend  farther  south  than  Colapore,  or  further  east  than 
 the  line  of  Bejapoor." 
 
 “ The  Bheels,  the  Coolies  of  Guzerat,  and  the  Goands  of  the  eastern 
 parts  of  the  peninsula  or  Goandwanah,  are  considered  to  be  the  remains  of 
 
261 
 
 THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 the  aborigines  of  India.  The  two  latter  classes,  here  alluded  to,  have 
 maintained  more  of  their  original  character  than  the  Bheels  : they  have 
 probably  been  less  disturbed.  The  Bheels,  however,  have  constant  acces- 
 sions to  their  numbers  from  the  plains  ; and  wretches  of  desperate  fortune, 
 such  as  have  by  crime  and  misfortune  been  ejected  from  their  caste  or  pro- 
 fession, flock  to  their  standard.  Hence  a variety  of  feature  is  observed  : 
 Hindus  of  all  descriptions,  Mahomedans  of  every  sect,  are  here  mingled 
 together,  and  engaged  in  the  same  pursuits. 
 
 “ They  all  indiscriminately  eat  beef  and  pork,  and  drink  toddy  and 
 arrack;  in  fact,  there  is  nothing  in  their  ideas  either  of  morality  or  religion, 
 and,  at  a distance,  they  have  scarcely  the  appearance  of  human  beings. 
 When  pursued  they  evince  uncommon  dexterity,  and  a Bheel  with  a child 
 on  each  shoulder  will  spring  from  rock  to  rock,  and  from  bush  to  bush,  with 
 as  much  dexterity  as  a wild  goat ; and  when  pushed,  will  coil  himself  up  in 
 a bush  so  snugly,  that  his  pursuer  will,  ten  to  one,  pass  by  without  noticing 
 him.  Although  they  are  generally  armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  when  they 
 expect  much  opposition  they  take  a few  matchlocks  with  them  ; they  never 
 poison  their  arrows,  and  generally  fire  from  ambush.  They  frequently 
 shift  their  quarters,  and  a Hathy  or  Bheel  village  is  soon  formed.  Like 
 savages  and  barbarians,  they  are  extremely  improvident,  seldom  have  a 
 week’s  provision  for  their  families : hence  death  from  famine  is  no  uncom- 
 mon occurrence,  particularly  in  the  monsoon.  Disease  appears  to  have 
 made  dreadful  ravages  amongst  them,  and  few  of  the  males  live  to  an 
 old  age. 
 
 “ The  Bheels  are  by  no  means  deficient  of  intelligence  ; they  are  lively, 
 patient  of  fatigue,  and  vigilant.  They  are  attached  to  their  offspring,  and 
 when  pursued  make  a desperate  resistance  at  a particular  point,  until  their 
 wives  and  children  have  had  time  to  escape  in  an  opposite  direction,  when 
 they  take  to  their  heels  ! ” 
 
 “ The  Bheels  (says  Major  Seely),  are  generally  of  short  stature,  some-  ♦ 
 times  with  short  curly  hair,  and  a thickness  of  the  lower  lip  ; of  very  dark 
 complexion,  and  more  masculine  in  form  than  the  Hindus.  Their  habits 
 are  migratory  ; but  wherever  extensive  forests  or  mountainous  woody  tracts 
 
THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 265 
 
 are  found,  parties  of  Bheels  reside,  and  only  quit  their  strongholds  for 
 plunder,  or  to  engage  as  auxiliaries  in  a foray,  to  devastate  and  destroy  that 
 which  contending  chiefs  cannot  themselves  accomplish.  A refinement  in 
 the  vengeance  of  sanguinary  warfare  was  always  had  recourse  to  in  the 
 employment  of  Bheels  ; and  of  late  years,  likewise,  in  those  desultory 
 vindictive  inroads  of  petty  chiefs,  the  Bheel  became  a willing  and  useful 
 ally  ; and  the  work  of  destruction  was  incomplete  without  his  demoniacal 
 aid,  in  poisoning  the  wells,  burning  the  villages,  murdering  the  inhabitants, 
 destroying  the  crops,  and  driving  off  the  cattle.  Fifty  Bheels  could  be 
 more  useful  than  five  hundred  troops,  approaching  by  paths  through  the 
 deep  forest  known  only  to  themselves.  Their  appearance  was  as  sudden  as 
 unexpected,  and  the  visit  fatal  to  the  devoted  spot.  To  find  treasure,  the 
 most  horrid  and  refined  cruelties  were  practised,  the  like  of  which  we  have 
 not  in  history.  Their  retreats  were  unknown  ; the  jungle  and  mountains 
 were  impenetrable  to  all  but  themselves,  and  woe  to  the  individual  who 
 opposed  a Bheel,  or  was  marked  out  by  them  for  vengeance.  A journey  of 
 three  hundred  miles  would  be  a mere  walk  to  a Bheel.  Wily,  hardy,  and 
 bold,  no  danger  could  arrest  his  progress,  and  no  security  protect  his 
 victim,  though  years  might  elapse  of  unavailing  pursuit ; and  if  the  Bheel 
 did  not  succeed,  at  last  he  would  destroy  himself. 
 
 “An  officer,  a Captain  B d,  had,  by  interrupting  and  wounding  a 
 
 Bheel  while  labouring  in  his  vocation,  been  marked.  In  consequence  of 
 this  he  had  a sentry  to  his  house ; but  from  the  neighbouring  bank  of  the 
 river  they  had  worked  a subterraneous  passage  for  a considerable  distance, 
 large  enough  for  one  man  to  crawl  along,  and  had  begun  to  perforate  the 
 floor  of  his  bed-chamber  when  he  was  discovered.  We  had  at  the  city 
 where  this  took  place  nearly  two  thousand  troops,  yet  it  was  necessary,  for 
 the  officer’s  safety,  to  remove  him  to  Bombay.  A Parsee  messman,  who  had 
 refused  to  pay  the  usual  tribute  to  the  Bheels,  was  found  dead  in  the  morn- 
 ing in  the  mess-room.  It  was  his  custom  to  put  his  mat  on  a large  wine- 
 chest  where  he  slept : in  the  morning  he  was  found  with  his  head  placed 
 on  the  mess-table,  the  headless  body  lying  on  the  chest.  In  neither  of  the 
 above  instances  was  plunder  their  object;  bat  the  choute  (tribute),  which 
 
 2 M 
 
266 
 
 THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 they  consider  to  be  their  unquestionable  right,  by  established  and  immemo- 
 rial custom,  had  not  been  paid.  At  the  mess-room  there  were  two  sentries 
 stationed,  whom  they  had  eluded,  a matter  of  no  difficulty  to  a Bheel  on  a 
 dark  night,  as  will  be  duly  shown. 
 
 “ In  some  parts  of  Guzerat  the  Bheels  are  not  only  numerous  but 
 formidable.  Neither  their  interest  nor  inclination  induces  them  to  attack 
 an  armed  force,  though  probably  a large  booty  would  prevail  on  them  to 
 incur  danger  ; but  if  revenge  was  to  be  gained,  they  would  risk  the  chance 
 of  an  encounter.  To  follow  them  into  their  wilds  is  impracticable,  for  if 
 driven  from  one  spot  they  would  retire  to  an  fcher.  A herdsman  by  neces- 
 sity, a freebooter  by  profession,  and  a hunter  by  choice,  the  Bheel  cares  for 
 no  one,  but  makes  mankind  and  the  so':  s ibservient  to  his  wants  and 
 caprices. 
 
 “ Travelling  with  my  wife  (adds  Maj  r Seely)  in  a palanquin  carriage, 
 or  shigrumpo,  towards  Baroda,  the  capital  city  of  Guzerat,  at  which  place 
 we  had  a subsidized  force  stationed,  amounting  to  about  two  thousand  men, 
 when  within  a few  miles  of  the  city  we  were  stopped  by  two  Bheels,  who 
 demanded  tribute.  I had  a pair  of  pistols,  and  instantly  cocked  one. 
 It  appeared  to  me,  at  the  moment,  an  insult  to  the  British  flag,  flying  but  a 
 few  miles  off,  to  submit  to  the  impost.  Remonstrances  were  unavailing  ; and 
 having  a lady  with  me  whose  fears  were  excited,  I paid  the  required  amount ; 
 and,  singular  as  it  must  appear,  although  I had  a dozen  rupees  in  my  hand, 
 the  Bheels  only  levied  one  out  of  that  number. 
 
 “ At  one  time,  passing  through  a Bheel  district  between  the  villages  of 
 Ittola  and  Meagaum,  to  avqid  any  alarm  at  night,  or  the  probability  of 
 being  plundered,  I hired  a Bhaut  and  two  Bheels  as  a night-guard.  As  it 
 got  towards  the  evening,  the  Bhaut  and  one  Bheel  only  arrived,  the  re- 
 maining one  was  shortly  to  follow  them.  At  the  usual  hour  I retired  to  my 
 couch,  perfectly  secure  from  insult  or  depredation  ; nor  had  I.  taken  any 
 precaution  to  repel  the  one  or  protect  me  from  the  other ; the  security  of 
 the  Bheels  being  a sufficient  guard  against  attack. 
 
 “It  being  a hot  night,  I got  up  about  one  o’clock  to  enjoy  the  cool  air 
 outside  of  my  tent.  I had  not  stepped  a few  yards  out  when  the  Bheel  on 
 
THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 267 
 
 watch  instantly’and  rudely  seized  me,  exclaiming,  ‘ what  business  have  you 
 there  V This  noise  awoke  the  other  two,  who  rushed  to  the  spot.  They 
 seeing  who  it  was,  informed  the  Bheel  (for  it  was  the  mfin  who  arrived  after 
 I had  gone  to  bed)  of  his  mistake.  He,  hearing  this,  fell  down  with  his 
 face  to  the  ground,  beseeching  me  to  place  my  foot  on  his  neck  and  kill 
 him.  He  then  began,  while  prostrate,  touching  my  feet  with  his  forehead, 
 nor  would  he  quit  his  position  until  I forcibly  withdrew  myself  into  the 
 tent,  when  the  other  Bheels  pacified  his  feelings. 
 
 “ The  other  instance  of  the  watchfulness,  daring,  and  honour  of  the 
 
 Bheels  is  as  follows:  Major  F , afterwards  my  commanding  officer, 
 
 having  some  supplies  coming  to  Baroda,  in  their  journey  they  passed  by  a 
 post  where  thirty-five  of  his  own  siphauees  were  stationed.  These  men 
 having  just  been  relieved  from  that  duty,  they  returned  with  the  supplies, 
 which  were  in  charge  of  a Parsee  servant.  On  the  road  they  were  met 
 by  the  Bheels,  who  wanted  the  usual  tribute  for  the  bullocks.  This  ex- 
 action the  Parsee,  with  the  approbation  of  the  siphauees,  refused  to  pay. 
 Whether  the  Bheels  found  the  party  too  strong  for  them,  or  had  orders  from 
 their  Raj  not  to  engage  in  any  affray,  I know  not,  but  the  party  escaped 
 without  paying  or  being  molested,  and  the  Parsee  did  not  a little  pride 
 himself  on  his  address  and  achievement.  Some  considerable  time  after  this 
 period,  Major  F — — and  his  wife  taking  their  evening  ride,  had  gone 
 beyond  the  prescribed  limits  of  the  British  cantonment,  and  heedlessly 
 were  pursuing  their  course,  when  some  Bheels  came  upon  them  and  claimed 
 
 the  money  owing  by  the  Parsee  for  himself  and  bullocks.  Major  F 
 
 having  no  rupees  about  him,  they  took  him,  his  wife,  horse,  and  vehicle 
 together.  After  some  consultation,  and  a promise  on  the  Major’s  part  to 
 pay  the  tribute  demanded,  he  and  his  lady  were  allowed  to  depart,  and  an 
 agreement  entered  into  to  send  seven  rupees  (the  sum  required)  by  a servant 
 unarmed  and  alone.  This  stipulation  was  carried  into  effect,  and  at  the 
 appointed  time  and  place  the  cash  was  paid,  and  the  gig  and  horse  returned 
 uninjured,  with  the  Bheels’  compliments. 
 
 “ We  were  cautioned  by  those  who  had  suffered  on  the  spot  from  Bheels, 
 against  their  depredations.  The  trunks  belonging  to  each  officer  were 
 
 2 m 2 
 
268 
 
 THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 chained  together,  and  the  chain  fastened  round  his  tent-pole.  There  being 
 about  two  hundred  of  our  siphauees  on  guard  round  our  camp  that  night,  we 
 apprehended  no  danger,  and  in  consequence  did  not  hire  any  Bhauts,  or 
 the  Bheels  deputed  by  them,  for  our  protection.  When,  as  before  stated, 
 the  precaution  is  taken,  money,  effects,  and  life  are  safe.  It  costs  but  a 
 trifling  sum ; half  a rupee  for  a man,  or  when  they  keep  a regular  night- 
 watch,  two  rupees  for  three.  On  the  first  night  no  molestation  occurred, 
 and  the  next  day  (as  is  too  often  the  case  when  we  are  in  security)  we  grew 
 a little  careless,  in  opening  trunks,  and  making  arrangements  for  a large 
 dinner-party  that  evening.  Our  servants  also  were  getting  careless,  and 
 laughing  at  the  idea  of  a corps,  having  two  hundred  sentries  mounted,  being 
 robbed  by  a few  wretched,  dastardly  Bheels  or  Coolies ; and  I believe 
 among  ourselves  such  an  idea  was  scouted.  We  thought  ourselves  valiant 
 fellows,  and  fancied  ourselves  cunning  ones.  Night  came  and  we  sought 
 our  repose.  Perhaps  some  few  of  us,  from  having  drunk  a little  more  than 
 usual  of  ‘ very  good  wine  in  very  good  company,'  slept  rather  soundly.  Be 
 that,  however,  as  it  may;  when  the  morning  broke  forth,  every  officer  had 
 been  robbed,  save  one,  and  he  had  a priest  (Bhaut)  and  a Bheel  guard. 
 Nor  did  the  poor  siphauees  escape  ; for  when  they  gave  the  alarm  of  ‘ thief! 
 thief!’  they  were  sure  to  get  a blow  or  wound  in  the  leg  or  thigh,  from  a 
 Bheel  lying  on  the  ground,  or  moving  about  on  all-fours,  wrapped  in  a bul- 
 lock’s hide  or  a sheep-skin,  or  carrying  a bush  before  or  over  him  ; so  that 
 the  sentries  were  deceived;  and  if  they  fired,  they  were  as  likely  to  hit  some 
 of  the  women  or  children,  or  the  followers,  or  the  officers,  as  the  Bheel 
 himself ; and,  had  they  fired,  the  Bheel,  in  the  dark,  thus  placed  in  a 
 populous  camp,  had  every  advantage,  his  weapon  making  no  noise,  and 
 his  companions  being  ready  to  shoot  the  siphauee  through  the  head. 
 
 “ Most  of  the  officers  were  up  during  the  night,  but  their  presence  was 
 
 useless.  Lieutenant  B did  lay  hands  on  a Bheel,  but  he  literally 
 
 slipped  through  his  fingers,  being  naked,  his  body  oiled  all  over,  and  his 
 head  shaved  ; and  on  giving  the  alarm,  one  or  two  arrows  were  seen  to  have 
 gone  through  the  cloths  of  the  tent.  Were  it  possible  to  retain  a hold  of  a 
 Bheel  your  motions  must  be  quick  as  lightning  ; for  they  carry  the  blade  of 
 
THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 269 
 
 a knife,  which  is  fastened  round  the  neck  by  a string,  and  with  which,  if 
 they  find  themselves  in  a dilemma,  they  will  rip  up  the  person  holding 
 them.  Horses  having  long  tails  they  take  a great  fancy  to,  and  some  of 
 our’s  were  gone  the  next  morning,  but  they  were  of  no  great  value.” 
 
 I now  turn  to  an  admirable  essay  on  these  people,  from  the  pen  of  one  of 
 our  ablest  writers  on  Oriental  history.  Sir  John  Malcolm,  published  in  the 
 first  volume  of  the  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society . I have  been 
 necessarily  obliged  to  render  my  extracts  as  brief  as  possible  ; but  those 
 who  would  desire  farther  information,  will  find  a highly  interesting  account 
 in  the  volume  just  quoted. 
 
 Sir  John  Malcolm  states,  that  the  Bheels  are  a distinct  and  original  race, 
 claiming  a high  antiquity,  and  that  they  were  once  masters  of  the  fertile 
 plains  of  India,  instead  of  being  confined,  as  they  now  are,  to  the  rugged 
 mountains  and  almost  impenetrable  jungles.  The  Rajpoot  princes  deprived 
 them  of  the  fairest  portions  of  their  country,  leaving  them  the  wild  and 
 uncultivated  tracts  which  they  now  inhabit. 
 
 They  ascribe  their  descent  to  an  intercourse  between  a celestial  and 
 terrestial  being.  Mahadeo  became  enamoured  of  an  earthly  beauty,  and 
 had  a family  by  her.  One  of  his  sons,  alike  remarkable  for  his  deformity 
 and  vice,  slew  the  sacred  bull  of  his  father  ; for  which  sacrilege  he  was  ba- 
 nished to  the  mountains,  where  he  became  the  founder  of  a race  inheriting 
 his  vices  and  his  turbulence,  which  took  the  name  of  Bheels  ; an  appellation 
 that  has  been,  in  the  course  of  time,  indiscriminately  applied  to  the  Chan- 
 dala  and  Nishada  (outcasts  of  spurious  birth),  many  of  whom  dwell  among 
 them. 
 
 The  Bheels  are  divided  into  many  tribes,  the  chiefs  of  which  claim  a 
 distinct  celestial  origin,  in  addition  to  their  common  divine  descent.  Some 
 of  these  tribes  have  been  converted  to  Mahomedanism,  but  the  larger  part 
 of  them  are  professedly  Hindus.  They  worship  the  same  deities,  but  limit 
 their  ceremonies  to  propitiating  the  minor  infernal  deities,  particularly  Sita 
 Maya  (Shetula),  the  goddess  of  the  small -pox,  whom  they  invoke  under 
 various  names,  in  the  hopes  of  averting  its  dreadful  ravages.  They  pay 
 great  reverence  to  Mahadeo. 
 
270 
 
 THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 The  names  of  the  other  deities  principally  worshipped  are  not  (except- 
 ing Kali)  commonly  met  with  in  Hindu  mythology.  The  following  is  a list 
 of  them,  and  the  occasions  on  which  the  Bheels  deem  it  necessary  to  pro- 
 pitiate their  favour. 
 
 “ Kali,  on  many  occasions.  Hatipowa , at  the  Davali  and  Dusrah  feasts, 
 as  presiding  over  village  cultivators.  Waghacha  Kunwer,  to  protect  them 
 against  the  ravages  of  wild  beasts.  Halemata,  to  protect  them  in  their  pre- 
 datory journies  and  undertakings.  Khorial  Mata,  for  protection  to  the 
 cattle  from  sickness  and  plundering.  Devi  Kanail,  for  a good  ripening  of 
 their  corn  and  for  plenty.  Behyu  Baji,  for  rain.  Ghora  Raja,  against  at- 
 tacks and  plunderers.  Hallam,  worshipped  by  the  Malwa  Bheels,  at  the 
 annual  pilgrimage  to  the  large  hill  of  Retna  Wal  in  Bariya.  Chamconda 
 Alata  is  the  goddess  of  harvest,  and  the  first  of  every  grain  cut  is  offered  to 
 her.  Huwin  Warn  Mata,  against  murrain  and  lameness  among  their  cattle. 
 Bhulbae  Mata,  in  times  of  epidemic  sickness,  cholera,  &c.  Badri  Bae  and 
 Ghona,  small-pox.”  Bullocks  are  offered  to  Hatipowa  and  Waghacha  Kun- 
 wer ; to  the  others,  fowls  and  he- goats  : a male  bird  to  the  male  deities,  and 
 a female  to  the  female  ones.  “ Their  usual  ceremonies  consist  in  merely 
 smearing  the  idol,  which  is  seldom  any  thing  but  a shapeless  stone,  with 
 vermilion  and  red  lead  or  oil ; offering,  with  prostrations  and  a petition,  an 
 animal  and  some  liquor,  casting  a small  portion  of  each  with  some  pulse 
 into  the  fire,  and  then  partaking  of  the  flesh  and  remaining  liquor,”  after 
 giving  the  presiding  Rawel  or  Bhat  his  share. 
 
 Besides  these  the  Bheels  have  a numerous  race  of  Ruwets,  or  hill  gods,  of 
 whom  Bhillet  is  the  most  reverenced,  in  consequence  of  his  successes  under 
 Bhairava,  the  son  of  Siva.  The  Barwas  are  votaries  of  the  hill  gods,  and  are 
 imagined  to  be  endowed  with  the  hereditary  gift  of  inspiration.  They  also 
 act  as  physicians,  and  cure  trifling  complaints  by  means  of  simples.  When 
 the  disease  is  beyond  their  cure,  they  attribute  it  to  the  evil  influence  of 
 dhakans,  or  witches,  of  whose  power  the  Bheels  entertain  a strong  and  su- 
 perstitious belief.  The  Barwas  are  always  consulted  previous  to  the  com- 
 mencement of  a plundering  excursion.  (See  Barwas.) 
 
 The  Bheels  have  among  them  the  distinctions  of  white  and  black  (pure 
 
THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEE& 
 
 271 
 
 or  impure)  Bheels,  not  in  consequence  of  their  complexions,  but  from  the 
 habits  of  the  tribes  thus  distinguished.  The  white  Bheels  are  said  to  have 
 descended  from  Rajpoots,  who  in  former  times  lost  their  caste.  These  re- 
 frain from  carrion  and  animals  that  have  died  a natural  death,  which  the 
 impure  Bheels  do  not. 
 
 The  Bheels  often  make  small  mud  figures  of  horses,  which  they  range 
 round  the  idol,  to  whom  they  promise  a fine  charger  if  he  will  hear  their 
 petition ; and  it  is  not  unusual  to  place  the  image  upon  one  of  these  figures. 
 The  extreme  reverence  of  this  rude  race  for  the  horse  is  very  singular,  and 
 in  many  of  their  legends  the  principal  event  depends  on  the  assistance  of  an 
 enchanted  horse. 
 
 The  Bheels  never  build  or  frequent  pagodas,  or  temples,  but  in  general 
 select  for  a place  of  worship  some  particular  tree,  which  is  consecrated  by 
 a few  large  stones  put  on  an  elevated  terrace  of  mud,  which  is  constructed 
 at  its  root.  In  some  places,  however,  a small  open  shed  is  erected  for  some 
 particularly  sacred  image, 
 
 “ At  the  Damharu  (or  Dusrah ) many  of  the  Bheels  resort  to  the  princi- 
 pal neighbouring  towns  to  celebrate  that  feast,  and  sacrifice  at  the  outside 
 of  the  village  to  Durga,  a goddess  to  whom  they  at  all  times  pay  adoration. 
 But  the  most  singular,  and,  perhaps,  the  original  worship  of  the  Bheels,  is 
 that  which  they  pay  to  their  deceased  ancestors  or  chiefs  of  note.  On  the 
 death  of  one  of  these,  a brass  bull  or  horse  is  formed,  and  delivered  to  the 
 Bhaut,  who  makes  an  annual  circuit  of  the  hamlets  with  this  image,  perform- 
 ing the  requisite  ceremonies,  and  commemorating,  in  songs,  the  fame  of  the 
 deceased  ; for  which  service  he  receives,  as  his  dues,  a piece  of  cloth,  and 
 the  vessels  and  other  articles  used  in  the  sacrifice.  It  is  also  common  for 
 the  Bheels  to  raise,  on  such  occasions,  a cairn,  or  rude  pile  of  stones,  to  the 
 chief  who  is  beatified ; and  the  top  of  this  pile  is,  at  particular  periods  of 
 worship,  covered  with  oil,  red-lead,  and  vermilion. 
 
 “ The  fixing  of  a marriage  between  a young  couple  is  managed  entirely 
 by  their  relations.  When  the  parents  desire  to  marry  their  son,  they  send 
 some  friends  to  the  parents  of  the  girl  whom  they  wish  to  become  their 
 son’s  bride.  These  make  proposals,  and  present  some  ( gur ) raw  sugar  and 
 
272 
 
 THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 arrack,  which,  if  partaken  of,  shows  that  the  proposals  are  accepted  Pre- 
 sents are  then  made  by  the  bridegroom  and  his  parents  in  person,  and  the 
 young  couple  are,  from  that  day,  considered  as  regularly  betrothed.  The 
 celebration  of  the  marriage  is  afterwards  fixed,  according  to  circumstances 
 and  opportunity.  During  the  week  preceding  the  nuptials,  which  always 
 takes  place  on  a Saturday,  mutual  visits  are  exchanged  by  the  families,  and 
 various  ceremonies  are  performed. 
 
 “ When  a man  wishes  to  contract  a marriage  with  a widow,  without 
 incurring  trouble  and  expense,  he  sends  some  of  his  friends  to  urge  his  suit 
 with  the  woman,  or  with  her  parents  or  relations.  If  his  proposals  are 
 accepted,  the  suitor  is  desired  to  bring  presents  of  clothes,  &c.  to  the  house 
 of  his  intended  bride  : the  match  is  then  considered  settled.  The  visit 
 must  be  on  a Saturday  night.  The  man  takes  with  him  friends,  and  requi- 
 sites to  form  an  entertainment,  of  which  the  woman’s  friends  and  his  own 
 partake.  The  woman  dresses  herself  in  the  clothes  brought  to  her,  and  she 
 and  her  new  spouse,  after  the  departure  of  the  guests,  pass  the  night 
 together.  According  to  long  established  custom,  the  new  married  pair  are 
 obliged  to  leave  the  house  before  day-break,  and  pass  the  next  day  in  the 
 fields,  in  some  solitary  place,  about  the  distance  of  three  or  four  miles  from 
 the  village,  and  they  must  not  return  till  the  dusk  of  the  evening.  Their 
 friends,  however,  send  them  meat  and  drink.  The  necessity  of  the  new 
 married  couple  passing  the  first  day  of  their  marriage  like  outcasts,  at  a 
 distance  from  any  human  habitation,  is  to  mark  that  sense  of  degradation 
 which  all  the  natives  of  Hindustan,  even  the  degraded  race  in  question, 
 entertain  against  a woman  marrying  a second  husband. 
 
 “ These  second  marriages  are  most  frequently  preceded,  amongst  the 
 Bheels,  by  an  elopement  of  the  parties,  which  generally  ends  in  the  pardon 
 of  the  parents  and  relations,  who  are  appeased  by  the  seasonable  applica- 
 tion of  some  presents. 
 
 “ The  Bheels  always  bury  their  dead,  a very  marked  distinction  from  the 
 Brahmanical  practice  of  burning.  The  corpse  is  wrapt  in  a shroud  of  new 
 coarse  white  cloth,  and  borne  on  a bier  made  of  bamboos,  or  any  kind  of 
 sticks.  This  is  carried  by  some  of  the  relations  of  the  deceased  to  the 
 
THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 273 
 
 usual  burying-ground,  which  is  always  on  the  bank  of  a stream.  It  is  the 
 custom  for  the  female  relations  of  the  deceased  to  observe  a course  of 
 lamentation  for  five  days.  They  commence  their  wailings  in  the  mornings, 
 keep  them  up  for  about  a quarter  of  an  hour,  and  then  resume  their  domestic 
 occupations. 
 
 “ Disputes  of  a trifling  nature  amongst  the  Bheels  are  in  general  amicably 
 settled  by  the  heads  of  families.  Should  aBheel  kill  another  of  a different 
 tribe  or  family,  he  must  be  adjudged  by  a Panchayat,  or  court  of  arbitra- 
 tion, of  the  most  respectable  of  the  different  hatis,  or  Bheel  villages,  near 
 the  place  where  the  murder  was  committed.  Efforts  are  always  made  to 
 compound  every  crime,  even  murder,  by  fines,  and  the  price  of  blood  is 
 generally  given  to  the  family  of  the  man  that  has  been  killed.  The  sum  is 
 proportioned  to  the  circumstances  of  the  offender : sometimes  it  does  not 
 amount  to  more  than  ten  or  twelve  rupees  ; at  others,  several  heads  of  cattle 
 are  given.  There  is,  however,  often  great  difficulty  in  compounding  for  a 
 murder ; and  as  it  is  deemed  against  usage  to  put  a man  to  death  in  cold 
 blood,  the  cause  of  revenge  is  left  to  the  relations  of  the  man  that  has  been 
 murdered ; and  in  such  cases  blood-feuds  are  often  commenced,  which 
 continue  for  many  years,  and  sometimes  for  generations.  Consequently 
 one  murder  amongst  this  wild  race  is  usually  attended  with  the  loss  of  many 
 lives,  beyond  that  of  the  individual  by  whom  it  was  perpetrated. 
 
 “ The  mountain  Bheels  live  in  small  clusters  of  rude  huts,  which  are  to 
 the  north  of  the  Nermada  termed  paras,  and  to  the  south  hatis.  They  are 
 under  the  authority  of  a Nayaca  or  Tarwi,  whose  power  resembles  that  of 
 the  Patel.  A number  of  these  small  colonies  are  often  united  in  general 
 obedience  to  one  chief,  who  has  a title  according  to  his  class  and  the  usages 
 of  the  country. 
 
 “ There  is  a natural  spirit  of  independence  in  the  mountain  Bheels,  which 
 compels  chiefs  who  have  a desire  to  establish  an  authority  that  supersedes 
 that  of  the  Tarvois  of  small  colonies,  to  entertain  followers  from  a distant 
 country.  Besides,  when  the  sphere  of  plunder  is  extended  to  any  distance 
 from  their  native  wilds,  the  Bheels  are  not  so  fit  for  such  enterprizes  as 
 many  others  of  the  predatory  tribes.  Their  arms  and  their  habits  are  more 
 
 2 N 
 
274  THE  BHEELS,  COOLIES,  AND  RAMOOSEES. 
 
 suited  to  the  ravines,  the  woods,  and  the  mountains  amid  which  they  live. 
 If  he  descends  into  the  plain  it  is  at  night,  to  thieve  and  plunder  ; or  if  in 
 the  day,  to  drive  away  unguarded  cattle,  or  to  attack  defenceless  travellers, 
 who  (if  not  killed)  are  kept  till  they  are  ransomed. 
 
 “ A few  words  (adds  the  able  author  of  this  excellent  essay)  will  complete 
 the  picture  of  this  extraordinary  race,  as  far  as  relates  to  their  past  and 
 present  condition.  Existing,  as  they  have  hitherto  done,  under  despotic 
 governments,  which  placed  them  beyond  the  pale  of  civil  society,  and 
 which  not  only  gave  them  no  encouragement  or  protection,  but  authorized 
 the  lowest  of  the  fiscal  officers  to  take  their  lives  without  trial,  considering 
 themselves  a proscribed  and  contemned  race,  ignorant  to  a deplorable 
 degree,  believing  in  witchcraft,  blindly  obedient  to  the  orders  of  their  chiefs, 
 subject  to  extraordinary  privations,  and  constantly  exposed  to  danger  from 
 their  fellow  creatures,  and  from  the  ferocity  of  the  wild  beasts,  with  whom 
 they  shared  the  forests,  the  Bheels  have,  in  consequence,  become  the 
 enemies  of  order  and  peace.  They  have  cherished  predatory  habits,  as  the 
 means  of  subsistence ; and  receiving  no  mercy  or  consideration,  they  have 
 sought,  from  natural  impulse,  to  revenge  the  wrongs  they  have  sustained. 
 Time  has  interwoven  their  habits  of  life  and  feelings  with  their  supersti- 
 tions, until  they  actually  believe  that  they  were  created  to  prey  upon  their 
 neighbours.  c I am  Mahadeva’s  thief,’  is  the  common  answer  of  a Bheel 
 detected  in  a crime  ; and  his  promise  of  amendment  is  usually  so  qualified, 
 as  to  period,  that  it  seems  more  like  a truce,  than  a pact  of  permanent  good 
 conduct.  Nevertheless,  from  what  has  occurred  since  this  tribe  became 
 subject  to  the  British  Government,  we  may  anticipate  a gradual,  and  ulti- 
 mately a complete  change  in  their  character  and  condition.  The  men, 
 though  habituated  to  a life  of  rapine,  are  not  sanguinary ; and  the  females 
 of  the  tribe,  who  possess  great  influence  over  them,  are  of  kind  dispositions, 
 and  many  of  them  are  intelligent  and  industrious. 
 
 “ To  reclaim  this  race  (I  speak  from  much  reflection  and  considerable 
 experience),  they  must  be  treated  with  great  attention  to  their  prejudices 
 and  condition.  Reform  with  them,  as  with  all  such  classes,  must  com- 
 mence with  their  superiors.  We  cannot  break  the  link  by  which  they  are 
 
THE  BHEELS,  &C.-THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES.  27 5 
 
 attached  to  their  chiefs  ; and  if  we  could,  it  would  not  be  wise  or  desirable 
 to  do  so.  We  must  endeavour,  by  every  act,  to  elevate  the  Bheels  in  the 
 community,  and  to  raise  them  in  their  own  esteem,  or  else  we  cannot  suc- 
 ceed in  altering  their  habits.  We  must,  by  making  roads  through  their 
 hills  and  forests,  by  employing  them  in  honest  occupations,  by  establishing 
 markets  for  the  produce  of  the  tract  they  inhabit,  bring  this  race  into  daily 
 and  familiar  intercourse  with  those  among  whom  they  live.  While  we  use 
 preventive  means  to  check  and  eradicate  their  evil  habits,  we  must  temper 
 our  firmness  with  mercy;  taking  care,  however,  that  certain  rules  should 
 never  be  infringed,  and  that  protection  and  punishment  should  be  alike  cer- 
 tain when  merited.  But,  above  all,  the  object  should  be,  to  give  to  this 
 hitherto  injured  race  a stake  in  the  general  prosperity;  and  then,  and  not 
 before,  we  may  rest  satisfied  that  they  will  become  the  defenders,  instead 
 of  the  disturbers  of  the  general  welfare.” 
 
 The  RAJPOOTS  and  KATTEES. 
 
 The  peninsula  of  Guzerat,  commonly  known  under  the  name  Kattiwar, 
 is  situated  within  the  69th  and  72d  degrees  of  east  longitude,  and  the  20th 
 and  23d  of  north  latitude. 
 
 The  inhabitants  of  the  province  may  be  classed  under  the  following 
 heads : — 
 
 1 . Rajpoots,  amongst  whom  there  are  several  tribes,  standing  in  power 
 and  wealth  thus  : 1 . Jharejah ; 2.  Jhalla;  3.  Goil ; and  4.  Jetwah. 
 
 2.  Kattee,  of  whom  there  are  three  families,  Walla,  Khacher,  and  Khoo- 
 man.  They  are  originally  of  the  same  stock,  but  have  now  their  respective 
 districts. 
 
 3.  Koolies,  Kauts,  and  Scindies,  called  Bawars. 
 
 4.  Koombies,  Mares,  Ahars,  Rhebarries,  and  the  other  industrious  classes. 
 
 “ The  Jharejahs,  who  are  the  most  powerful  and  numerous  of  the  Rajpoot 
 
 tribes,  and  who  possess  all  the  western  part  of  the  peninsula,  are  a branch 
 of  the  family  of  Rao  of  Kutch,  who  in  consequence  of  intestine  feuds, 
 left  their  country  about  A.D.  800 ; and  having  crossed  the  run  of  the  head 
 
 2 n 2 
 
276 
 
 THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES. 
 
 of  the  gulf  of  Kutch,  established  themselves  upon  the  ruins  of  the  Jetwah 
 Rajpoots  and  a few  petty  Mahomedan  authorities  which  at  that  time  existed 
 in  Halar. 
 
 The  lands  appear  to  have  been  divided  in  common  among  the  whole 
 tribe;  the  teelat,  or  eldest  branch  of  the  family,  reserving  to  itself  the  largest 
 portion;  whilst  the  byaud * held  their  respective  villages  by  a pure  feudal 
 tenure. 
 
 The  establishment  of  the  Kattees  was  made  much  in  the  same  manner, 
 though  at  an  earlier  period  by  thirty  or  forty  years,  than  that  of  the  Jhare- 
 jahs.  The  Kattees  originally  inhabited  the  country  on  the  borders  of  the 
 river  Indus,  and  their  migration  thence  can  be  traced  by  tradition  with 
 tolerable  accuracy. 
 
 Whatever  may  have  been  the  cause  of  this  change  of  situation  of  the 
 Kattees,  they  certainly  crossed  the  waste  tract  of  land  between  Kutch  and 
 Guzerat,  and  settled  themselves  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  town  of 
 Jhaun,  which  is  on  the  borders  of  Kattiwar  and  Jhallawar. 
 
 It  may  naturally  be  concluded,  that  the  circumstances  which  led  to  the 
 establishment  of  these  people  were  adverse  to  the  improvement  either  of 
 the  civil  government  or  society  of  the  country.  It  had  hitherto  enjoyed  a 
 tolerable  degree  of  repose  under  two  or  three  extensive  authorities ; but  was 
 now  invaded  by  many  thousands  of  a barbarous  and  warlike  race  of  people, 
 who,  whilst  they  held  in  contempt  the  industrious  class  of  inhabitants,  and 
 disdained  to  lay  their  hand  on  the  plough,  acknowledged  no  law  but  the 
 sword,  and  no  employment  so  honourable  as  a life  of  plunder.  When  a 
 Bhy,  or  brother,  found  himself  aggrieved  by  his  chief,  unable  to  oppose  him 
 openly,  or  to  injure  the  towns  which  were  in  general  surrounded  by  walls, 
 he  drew  others  to  his  cause,  and  became  what  is  styled  Bharwuttia,  which 
 signifies  an  outlaw,  either  voluntary  or  otherwise.  When  a Rajpoot  or 
 Kattee  determines  to  become  Bharwuttia , he  gives  notice  to  his  villagers, 
 who  instantly  remove  their  families  and  property,  and  place  them  under  the 
 protection  of  some  neighbouring  chieftain,  or  in  a tract  of  country  wild  and 
 intricate.  He  next  reduces  his  village  to  ashes,  and  commits  some  sudden 
 
 * Or  brotherhood. 
 
THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES. 
 
 2?7 
 
 and  daring  outrage  on  the  land  of  his  chief.  In  such  case  the  country  is 
 soon  alarmed ; every  village  has  its  look-out  post,  and  the  instant  that 
 horsemen  are  perceived,  the  approach  of  danger  is  announced  by  a large 
 rattle  on  the  highest  trees,  which  brings  the  labourers  from  the  fields  ; and 
 the  cattle,  as  if  aware  of  the  danger,  are  seen  returning  from  the  pasture  at 
 full  speed  to  take  shelter  in  the  village,  the  inhabitants  of  which  are 
 quickly  armed  and  at  their  stations. 
 
 The  circumstances  attending  the  driving  of  cattle  in  the  north-west  parts 
 of  Jhallawar  are  particularly  deserving  of  notice.  When  the  alarm  is 
 sounded  from  the  village,  the  cattle  surround  the  herdsman,  and  accompany 
 him  as  fast  as  he  can  run  ; they  are  guided  by  his  voice,  and  until  deprived 
 of  their  keeper,  the  plunderer  seldom  or  ever  succeeds  in  driving  them  off. 
 The  robbers,  who  are  Hindus,  dare  not  shoot  for  fear  of  killing  one  of  the 
 cows ; and  his  person  being  surrounded  by  the  cattle,  they  are  frequently 
 unable  to  reach  the  head  with  their  spears. 
 
 But  to  return  to  the  Bharicuttia.  If  he  fails  in  getting  the  flocks,  he  seizes 
 the  persons  of  such  villagers  as  he  can  find,  and  carries  them  off.  These 
 are  styled  bhan,  or  captives,  for  whose  release  sums  of  money  are  demanded. 
 In  short,  the  life  of  a Bharicuttia  is  one  of  blood  and  rapine,  until  he  is  killed, 
 or  by  the  fury  of  his  feud  he  compels  his  chief  to  grant  him  redress  ; and 
 the  security  of  charons*  and  bhats' having  been  given  on  both  sides,  the  out- 
 law and  his  family  return  to  their  homes  and  occupations  in  perfect  security. 
 
 The  Kattees  have,  in  general,  been  more  united  than  the  Rajpoots,  and 
 in  most  cases  assist  each  other  against  the  latter,  and  carry  on  their  feuds 
 in  a spirit  of  desperation  approaching  to  barbarism.  These  quarrels  between 
 chiefs  are  termed  wyre  or  were,  and  involve  the  family  and  adherents  of  both 
 parties.  A wyre  between  a Rajpoot  and  a Kattee,  or  between  two  of  the 
 former,  is  settled  by  a general  meeting  of  the  opponents,  when  an  agree- 
 ment is  made,  and  the  ceremony  finally  closed  by  the  kusoomba  cup.  But 
 a dispute  between  two  Kattees  is  not  so  easily  adjusted,  particularly  if  any 
 member  of  the  chief’s  family  has  been  slain.  In  this  case,  the  person  who 
 
 * Religious  persons. 
 
 f Bards. 
 
278 
 
 THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES. 
 
 has  killed  the  Kattee  proceeds  to  the  house  of  the  deceased,  and  after  sub- 
 mitting himself  to  their  mercy,  makes  an  offer  of  his  daughter  in  marriage,  a 
 favourite  mare,  cows,  or  any  thing,  as  an  earnest  of  his  sorrow.  It  is  dis- 
 graceful for  the  other  party  to  reject  his  humble  offers  of  accommodation, 
 and  an  instance  of  their  taking  advantage  of  their  power  over  his  person 
 probably  never  occurred  ; but  until  these  advances  have  been  made,  or  re- 
 venge taken  on  the  person  of  some  of  their  opponent’s  family,  a Kattee  will 
 not  speak  to  another  who  has  slain  his  relation. 
 
 The  province  of  Kattiwar  has  always  been  considered  a tributary  of  Gu- 
 zerat,  although  the  realization  of  the  revenue  has  been  uncertain  at  different 
 times.  During  the  constant  troubles  in  which  Guzerat  was  involved,  con- 
 sequent to  the  fall  of  the  house  of  Tymour  and  the  annual  invasions  of  the 
 Mahrattas,  a hasty  and  occasional  mooluckgeeree*  was  not  sufficient  to  keep 
 the  turbulent  spirits  of  Kattiwar  in  order.  The  Paishwa’s  and  Guicawar 
 forces,  which  on  these  occasions  sometimes  amounted  to  twenty  thousand 
 Mahratta  horse,  were  opposed  by  every  chieftain,  and  every  petty  village 
 shut  their  gates  and  fired  at  the  troops  as  they  passed. 
 
 If  they  ventured  to  advance  into  the  interior,  they  were  compelled  to  use 
 force  to  every  village,  and  expended  probably  ten  thousand  rupees  for  the 
 realization  of  one  thousand.  This  army  was  surrounded  by  bodies  of  Kattee 
 and  Rajpoot  cavalry,  who  cut  off  their  supplies;  and  the  expedition  gene- 
 rally ended  in  a hasty  retreat  to  Jhallawar,  the  chieftains  of  which  being 
 nearer  to  Guzerat,  were  often  made  to  pay  for  the  losses  sustained  on  the 
 expedition.  The  Kattees  and  some  of  the  more  enterprizing  Rajpoots 
 allowed  to  each  other  rich  and  fertile  tracts  of  land  in  Guzerat,  which  they 
 tauntingly  styled  jaghires  or  manors,  and  from  which  they  levied  contribu- 
 tions at  pleasure.  A Kattee  could  collect  in  a short  period  of  three  days 
 seven  or  eight  hundred  cavalry  of  his  own  caste,  capable  of  undertaking  the 
 most  hazardous  and  fatiguing  expeditions  ; and  their  attachment  to  a roving 
 life  and  habits  of  plunder  was  such,  that  no  danger,  however  great,  could 
 overcome  what  might  be  considered  as  inherent  in  their  disposition.  The 
 
 * Military  expedition. 
 
THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES. 
 
 279 
 
 superiority  of  the  breed  of  horses  in  the  peninsula  gave  those  robbers  a won- 
 derful advantage  over  their  neighbours  in  Guzerat.  If  overtaken,  their  ac- 
 knowledged bravery,  which  when  attacked  borders  on  desperation,  often 
 deterred  the  pursuers  from  effecting  any  thing  of  consequence,  and  the 
 death  of  a single  Kattee  was  looked  upon  as  an  instance  of  surprising  suc- 
 cess. The  Rajpoot,  and  in  particular  the  Kattee,  until  late  years  looked 
 upon  agriculture  as  a degrading  employment,  and  as  a drudgery  adapted  to 
 the  habits  of  the  koombie  and  ahar,  or  other  labouring  classes,  whilst  they 
 reserved  for  themselves  the  duty  of  defending  the  village  and  its  inhabitants. 
 
 The  character  of  the  Rajpoot  of  Kattiwar  is  composed  of  the  extremes  of 
 praiseworthy  and  objectionable  qualities.  He  is  hospitable  to  strangers, 
 and  will  defend  them  at  the  expense  of  his  life  and  property.  Indolent 
 and  effeminate  to  an  extreme  degree,  he  will,  in  cases  of  emergency,  or 
 when  his  own  interest  is  involved,  be  roused  to  an  incredible  exertion  of 
 energy  and  activity.  As  an  enemy  he  is  often  cruel.  Impatient  of  an  in- 
 sult or  injury,  though  seldom  or  ever  offering  one,  he  is  upon  the  whole  an 
 inoffensive  character  : but  what  may  perhaps  be  considered  the  most  ad- 
 mirable ingredient  in  the  composition  of  his  mind,  is  a certain  pride  of 
 family,  which  raises  him  above  the  level  of  his  neighbours,  and  which, 
 united  with  a passionate  love  of  liberty  and  attachment  to  each  other,  forms 
 a character  which,  if  it  does  not  call  for  admiration  from  its  virtues,  is  pro- 
 bably entitled  to  it  on  the  score  of  novelty. 
 
 In  stature  he  may  be  considered  to  exceed  the  natives  of  the  Deccan, 
 being  generally  tall,  but  not  of  a robust  frame.  The  complexion  of  the  re- 
 spectable Rajpoot  is  generally  fair,  contour  of  the  face  long,  nose  aquiline, 
 and  eyes  large,  but  devoid  of  animation  : the  general  expression  of  the  face 
 is  pleasing.  Their  dress  differs  from  that  of  most  Indians  : it  consists  of  a 
 fine  white  angerka  or  jacket,  a pair  of  very  wide  trowsers  of  the  same  cloth, 
 with  a tight  button  at  the  ancle.  Round  their  loins  they  gird  a broad 
 cummerband  of  dark  brown  cloth,  which  covers  the  buttocks  and  thighs, 
 and  above  this  is  tied  a white  doputta.  The  turban  is  generally  of  a fine 
 texture,  tied  on  the  head  in  loose  twists  to  an  inconvenient  height,  some- 
 
280 
 
 THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES. 
 
 times  two  feet,  and  inclining  a little  forwards,  and  forms  probably  the  hand- 
 somest head-dress  to  be  met  with  anywhere. 
 
 The  Kattee  differs  in  some  respects  from  the  Rajpoot : he  is  more  cruel  in 
 his  disposition  ; but  far  exceeds  him  in  the  virtue  of  bravery,  and  a character 
 possessed  of  more  energy  than  a Kattee  does  not  exist.  His  size  is  con- 
 siderably larger  than  common,  often  exceeding  six  feet.  He  is  sometimes 
 seen  with  light  hair  and  blue-coloured  eyes.  The  shoe  of  the  Kattiwar,  as 
 it  is  confined  to  their  particular  district  in  the  province,  is  perhaps  to  be 
 seen  no  where  else  in  the  world.  It  is  generally  made  of  leather  extremely 
 soft,  and  being  stuffed  with  cotton,  is  pleasant  to  the  foot ; the  outer  leather 
 is  strong,  and  stamped  in  flowers  or  other  little  ornaments,  and  the  point 
 turns  up  perpendicularly  (in  men  of  rank),  sometimes  as  high  as  the  lower 
 part  of  the  knee,  quite  stiff,  and  terminating  in  points  of  loose  leather  cut 
 to  resemble  a bird’s  beak.  The  arms  are  the  same  throughout  the  penin- 
 sula, and  consist  of  a sword,  shield,  and  spear,  the  latter  about  eight  feet 
 long,  made  so  slender  as  to  break  when  thrown  at  the  enemy,  to  whom  it 
 thus  becomes  useless.  They  are  all  horsemen,  and  are  wonderfully  par- 
 ticular in  the  breed  of  that  animal.  Mares  are  universally  preferred.  A 
 Kattee’s  mare  is  one  of  his  family  : she  lives  under  the  same  roof,  by  which 
 means  she  is  familiarized,  and  is  obedient  to  his  voice  in  all  situations.  A 
 Kattee  is  seldom  seen  but  walking  or  galloping  his  beast.  He  is  so  averse 
 to  walk  on  foot,  that  he  rides  to  the  field  where  he  means  to  labour,  and  is 
 prepared  either  to  join  a plundering  party  or  resist  attack. 
 
 Both  the  Rajpoot  and  Kattee  eat  the  flesh  of  goats,  sheep,  and  wild  hogs, 
 but  they  are  more  partial  to  a diet  of  milk  and  bajeree  (bread  baked  with 
 ghee  into  thick  loaves). 
 
 The  Bhomeas  of  Kattiwar  still  preserve  a great  portion  of  that  spirit  of 
 hospitality  for  which  their  ancestors  were  so  celebrated. 
 
 All  the  inhabitants  of  this  province  are  much  addicted  to  opium  and 
 spirituous  liquors.  A custom  prevails  throughout  the  country,  of  erecting 
 a stone  to  the  memory  of  those  who  have  died  a violent  death ; but  it 
 appears  now  to  be  common,  also,  to  those  who  have  departed  in  the  course 
 
THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES. 
 
 281 
 
 of  nature.  This  stone  is  called  a pallia:  it  resembles  an  European  grave- 
 stone, has  the  name,  date,  and  mode  of  death  engraven,  and  is  surmounted 
 by  a roughly  executed  figure,  representing  the  manner  in  which  the  de- 
 ceased fell.  Thus  you  see  them  on  horseback  with  swords  and  spears  ; 
 also  on  foot,  or  on  carts,  with  the  same  weapons  : I have  even  seen  them 
 on  vessels,  of  course  applicable  to  fishermen.  In  the  upper  parts  of  the 
 pallia  are  the  sun  and  moon  rudely  represented. 
 
 The  practice  of  traga,  or  inflicting  self-wounds,  suicide,  or  the  murder  of 
 relations,  deserves  to  be  noticed,  as  it  forms  a strong  feature  of  the  manners 
 of  the  people.  This  practice,  which  is  common  in  Kattiwar  to  Bhats  and 
 Charons  of  both  sexes,  and  to  Brahmans  and  Gosseins,  has  its  rise  in  re- 
 ligious superstition,  and  probably  cannot  be  better  explained  than  in  the 
 following  instance,  which  is  perfectly  true  ; and  although  tragas * seldom 
 wear  this  formidable  aspect,  still  they  are  sometimes  more  criminal,  by  the 
 sacrifice  of  a greater  number  of  victims. 
 
 In  the  year  1806,  a Bhat  of  Veweingaum,  named  Kunna,  had  become 
 security  on  the  part  of  Dossajee,  the  present  chieftain  of  Mallia  in  the 
 Muchoo  Kaunta,  for  a sum  of  money  payable  to  the  Guicowar  government. 
 The  time  specified  for  payment  arrived,  and  Dossajee  refused  to  fulfil  his 
 engagement.  Government  applied  to  the  Zamin  or  Munotidar,  who,  after 
 several  fruitless  attempts  to  persuade  Dossajee  to  comply  with  his  bond, 
 returned  to  his  house ; and  after  passing  some  time  in  prayer,  assembled 
 his  family,  and  desired  his  wife  to  prepare  a daughter,  about  seven  years  of 
 age,  for  traga.  The  innocent  child,  taught  from  her  earliest  infancy  to 
 reflect  on  the  sacred  character  and  divine  origin  of  her  family,  and  the  ne- 
 cessity which  existed  for  the  sacrifice,  required  no  compulsion  to  follow  the 
 path  by  which  the  honour  of  her  caste  was  to  be  preserved.  Having 
 bathed  and  dressed  herself  in  her  best  clothes,  she  knelt  with  her  head 
 upon  her  father’s  knee,  and  holding  aside  her  long  hair,  she  resigned  herself 
 without  a struggle  to  the  sword  of  this  unnatural  barbarian.  The  blood  of 
 a Bhat  being  sprinkled  on  the  gate  of  the  chieftain  produced  an  instan- 
 
 * This  abominable  ceremony  borders  much  upon  the  Brahman  practice  of  Dherna,  but  is  in- 
 finitely more  detestable. — See  page  145. 
 
 2 o 
 
28  2 
 
 THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES. 
 
 taneous  payment  of  the  money.  Presents  of  land  to  the  father,  and  a 
 handsome  mausoleum  or  dorce  to  the  daughter,  marked  the  desire  of  the 
 Rajpoot  to  avert  the  punishment  supposed  to  await  the  spiller  of  a Charon  a 
 blood. 
 
 No  deed  or  agreement  is  considered  equal  to  bind  the  faithless  robber, 
 unless  guaranteed  by  the  mark  of  the  kutar,*  the  insignia  of  the  Charon  or 
 Bhat ; and  no  traveller  could,  until  lately,  venture  to  journey  unattended 
 by  one  of  those  persons  as  a safeguard,  who  was  satisfied  for  a small  sum 
 to  conduct  him  in  safety,  or  sacrifice  his  life.  These  guards  are  called 
 Wollawas,  and  hesitate  not  to  inflict  the  most  grievous  wounds,  and  ulti- 
 mately death,  if  the  robbers  persist  in  plundering  those  under  their  protec- 
 tion ; but  this  is  seldom  the  case,  as  the  most  barbarous  Coolies,  Kattees, 
 or  Rajpoots,  hold  sacred  the  persons  of  Charons,  Brahmans , and  Gosseins. 
 
 The  Charons , besides  becoming  security  for  money  on  all  occasions,  and 
 to  the  amount  of  many  lacks  of  rupees,  also  become  what  is  called  fell 
 Zamin,  or  security  for  good  behaviour,  and  hazir  Zamin,  or  security  for  the 
 appearance. 
 
 Independently  of  these  duties,  the  Bhats  are  the  bards  of  the  Rajpoot  and 
 Kattee  : they  keep  the  genealogical  table  or  vunah  wallee  of  the  family,  and 
 repeat  their  praises.  Their  duty  is  hereditary,  for  which  they  have  gifts  of 
 land  and  other  privileges. 
 
 The  Bhats  are  more  immediately  with  the  Rajpoots,  and  the  Charons 
 with  the  Kattees.  The  two  castes  will  eat  of  each  other’s  food,  but  will 
 not  intermarry. 
 
 The  women  of  the  Charons  and  Bhats  are  clothed  in  long  flowing  black 
 garments,  and  have  a sombre,  if  not  actually  horrid  appearance.  They  do 
 not  wear  many  ornaments,  and  are  not  restricted  from  appearing  in  the 
 presence  of  strangers ; accordingly,  in  passing  a Charon  village,  you  are 
 sometimes  surrounded  by  women  who  invoke  blessings  on  your  head  by 
 joining  the  backs  of  their  hands,  and  cracking  the  knuckles  of  their  fingers 
 in  that  position  over  their  heads. 
 
 The  Rajpoot  women  of  high  rank  are  often  of  an  intriguing  disposition, 
 
 * A curiously  shaped  dagger. 
 
THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES. 
 
 283 
 
 and  always  meddle  in  the  affairs  of  their  husband.  Every  raja  has  several 
 wives,  each  of  whom  has  a separate  establishment  of  friends,  relations,  ser- 
 vants, lands,  and  every  thing  else.  Each  is  jealous  of  the  influence  of  the 
 others  over  their  lord,  who,  by  the  time  he  is  forty  years  old,  is  generally  a 
 victim  of  opium,  tobacco,  or  spirituous  liquors,  and  other  exciting  drugs. 
 If  one  of  the  wives  has  offspring,  the  others  practice  deceit  upon  the  family, 
 and  every  woman  of  spirit  has  a son.  Dissention  and  discord  prevail,  and 
 it  has  become  almost  as  rare  an  event  for  a raja  to  leave  this  world  in  peace 
 and  quiet,  as  it  is  for  a Rajpoot  gaudee  to  be  filled  by  a person  the  purity  of 
 whose  birth  is  perfectly  ascertained.  This  melancholy  picture  of  the  morals 
 of  Rajpoot  ladies  is  confined  solely  to  the  higher  classes  ; and  the  female  sex 
 in  Kattiwar,  generally  speaking,  are  modest,  chaste,  and  faithful  to  their 
 lords,  and  kind  and  hospitable  to  strangers.  As  a proof  of  the  former,  there 
 are  few  or  no  women  of  easy  virtue  in  the  villages,  and  those  in  the  large 
 towns  are  frequently  natives  of  other  countries. 
 
 The  Kattee  women  are  large  and  masculine  in  their  figures,  often  dressed 
 in  long  dark  garments  like  the  Charon  women  ; but  have  the  character  of 
 being  always  well-looking,  and  often  remarkably  handsome.  They  are  more 
 domesticated  than  the  Rajpoot,  and  confine  themselves  solely  to  the  duties 
 of  their  families.  They  are  often  brides  at  seventeen  and  sixteen  years  of 
 age,  which  may  probably  account  for  the  strength  and  vigour  of  the  race. 
 A Kattee  will  do  nothing  of  any  consequence  without  consulting  his  wife 
 and  a Charon,  and  he  is  in  general  guided  by  their  advice.  The  marriage 
 ceremony  of  this  irregular  tribe  deserves  notice,  as  being  totally  opposite  to 
 all  Indian  notions  of  female  treatment,  although  there  is  a trace  of  the  same 
 to  be  found  in  almost  all  Indian  castes.  A Kattee  to  become  a husband 
 must  be  a ravisher  ; he  must  attack  with  his  friends  and  followers  the  village 
 where  his  betrothed  resides,  and  carry  her  off  by  force.  In  ancient  times 
 this  was  no  less  a trial  of  strength  than  of  courage  : stones  and  clubs  were 
 used  without  reserve  both  to  force  and  repel ; and  the  disappointed  lover 
 was  not  unfrequently  compelled  to  retire,  covered  with  bruises,  and  wait 
 for  a more  favourable  occasion.  The  bride  had  the  liberty  of  assisting 
 her  lover  by  all  the  means  in  her  power,  and  the  opposition  ceased  when 
 
 2 o 2 
 
284 
 
 THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES. 
 
 her  dwelling  was  once  gained  by  the  assailants,  and  the  lady  then  bravely 
 won  submitted  willingly  to  be  carried  oft’  by  her  champion.  The  Kattees 
 do  not  intermarry  with  any  other  caste.  The  Kattee  is  a Hindu,  although 
 no  Hindu  will  eat  with  him.  A Rajpoot  will,  however,  eat  food  dressed  by 
 a Kattee.  He  worships  the  cow;  leaves  a lock  of  hair  on  his  head;  and 
 adores  Mahadeo  and  other  Hindu  deities,  although  he  is  more  attached  to 
 the  worship  of  the  Sooruje  (Surya  or  the  sun),  and  to  Ambha  and  other 
 terrible  goddesses. 
 
 The  practice  of  female  infanticide,*  peculiar  in  this  peninsular  to  the 
 Jharejah  Rajpoots,  is  too  well  known,  and  has  been  too  often  described  to 
 require  particular  notice  in  this  place.  The  Jhalla,  Goit,  and  Jaitwa  Raj- 
 poots, differ  in  no  material  point  from  the  Jharejahs,  if  we  except  their  not 
 practicing  infanticide. 
 
 Of  the  Kauts,  the  Meres,  the  Ahurs,  and  the  Rhebarrees,  it  will  be 
 unnecessary  to  say  more  than  that  they  are  cultivators,  and  some  of  them 
 plunderers  when  opportunity  offers.  When  a dispute  occurs  about  a piece 
 of  land,  it  is  decided  by  the  form  of  pacing  it.  The  man  who  lays  claim 
 to  it  covers  himself  with  a raw  hide  and  walks  over  the  ground,  after  which 
 it  becomes  his  own  ; this  ceremony  is  done  in  the  presence  of  some  authority. 
 It  is  considered  as  one  of  the  most  awful,  and  the  person  who  undergoes  it 
 is  supposed  never  to  survive  it  long  if  he  is  false.  Abundance  of  instances 
 are  advanced  of  houses  burnt,  families  dying,  and  going  to  ruin,  from  having 
 walked  over  land  without  a claim.  The  hide  is  what  makes  it  so  very  awful, 
 and  it  is  thence  called  alloo." — Transactions  Bombay  Literary  Society. 
 
 Sacambhari  Bhavani  is,  according  to  Major  Tod,  “ the  guardian  goddess 
 of  the  whole  Rajpoot  race,  yet  more  especially  claimed  by  the  Chahamanas  ; 
 though  A’sa  purna  is  their  immediate  patroness,  and  a most  enchanting 
 one  to  have  : ‘ Hope  herself.’  Sacambhari-D^vi  had  her  statue  erected  on 
 a small  island  on  the  Sar,  or  salt-lake,  to  which  she  gives  her  name,  con- 
 tracted to  Sambhar.” 
 
 “ The  Chahamana  (Major  Tod  in  his  spirited  language  adds)  is  right  in 
 considering  Sacambhari  as  deserving  more  of  his  adoration  than  the  more 
 
 * See  Infanticide,  page  177. 
 
THE  RAJPOOTS  AND  KATTEES.— THE  MAHARATTAS. 
 
 285 
 
 benign  divinity,  Hope  ; for  no  race  of  the  sons  of  Adam  is  less  indebted  to 
 A’sa-purna  for  the  fulfilment  of  their  wishes  than  these  her  votaries. 
 A sketch  of  the  reverses  of  the  various  Sacce  of  this  widely-extended  name 
 would  form  a history,  for  their  misfortunes  were  conspicuous  as  their  renown 
 was  splendid.  No  other  of  the  martial  races  of  India  can  fill  more  pages 
 of  its  heroic  history  with  deeds  in  arms.  They  still  live  in  the  songs  of  the 
 bard,  and  furnish  most  interesting  materials  to  the  itinerant  minstrel,  the 
 Dholi,  the  jongleur  of  India,  who  to  the  sound  of  his  rhubab  chants  the 
 exploits  of  Goga,  who,  with  fifty  sons  and  nephews,  and  all  his  clan,  fell  on 
 the  banks  of  the  Indus  opposing  Mahmud ; or  those  of  the  romantic 
 Hammir,  the  theme  of  eternal  plaudits,  whenever  the  Rajpoot  instances 
 the  sacrifices  which  the  rights  of  sanctuary  and  hospitality  demand."  (See 
 Johara,  page  174.) 
 
 THE  MAHARATTAS. 
 
 Of  the  numerous  tribes  of  India  there  are  few  whose  names  have  been 
 better,  or  whose  character  has  been  less  known  in  Europe  than  the  Maha- 
 rattas.  Their  sometimes  rival,  and  sometimes  confederated  chieftains,  the 
 Peishwa,  Holkar,  and  Scindiah,  have  given  a dazzling,  but  ephemeral 
 celebrity  to  the  Maharatta  name,  which  has  caused  many  to  blend  with 
 them  (than  which  nothing  can  have  been  more  erroneous)  the  Rajpoots,  the 
 Kattees,  the  Bheels,  and  other  more  or  less  warlike  and  predatory  tribes, 
 who  have  occasionally  sided  with  them.  These  races  are  altogether  distinct, 
 as  the  following  pages,  contrasted  with  those  which  have  preceded  this 
 article,  will  shew. 
 
 * “ The  original  Maharatta  state  comprehend  a country  of  great  natural 
 strength,  interspersed  with  mountains,  defiles,  and  fortresses.  The  best 
 modern  accounts  lead  us  to  suppose  that  it  included  Kandeish,  Bagland, 
 and  part  of  Berar,  extending  towards  the  north-east  as  far  as  Guzerat  and 
 the  Nerbuddah  river.  To  the  west  the  Maharattas  possessed  the  narrow 
 but  strong  tract  of  country  which  borders  on  the  Concan,  and  stretches 
 
 * In  consequence  of  having  omitted  to  note  my  authority  for  a part  of  this  article,  I regret 
 my  inability  to  acknowledge  it. 
 
286 
 
 THE  MAHARATTAS. 
 
 parellel  with  the  sea  from  near  Surat  to  Canara.  This  country  is  well 
 calculated  for  the  maintenance  of  defensive  warfare ; but  that  the  people 
 were  not  of  the  military  caste  is  proved  by  the  names  of  their  particular 
 tribes.  The  Koonbee,  the  Dangar,  and  the  Goalah  ; or,  the  farmer,  shep- 
 herd, and  cow-herd  : all  rural  occupations.  The  exterior,  also,  of  the 
 Rajpoots  and  Maharattas  marks  a different  origin.  The  first  is  remarkable 
 for  the  grace  and  dignity  of  his  person  ; the  latter,  on  the  contrary,  is  of 
 diminutive  size,  in  general  badly  made,  and  of  a mean  rapacious  disposition. 
 The  Maharatta  Brahmans,  also,  differ  in  their  customs  from  their  neighbours, 
 with  whom  they  will  never  associate  nor  intermarry. 
 
 “ It  certainly  appears  extraordinary,  that  a nation  so  numerous  as  the 
 Maharattas  should  have  remained  almost  wholly  unnoticed  in  Indian  history 
 for  so  long  a period  as  from  the  first  Mahommedan  conquest  until  the  reign 
 of  Aurengzebe ; but  it  appears  probable  that  prior  to  the  time  of  Sevajee, 
 the  Maharatta  country,  like  the  other  parts  of  the  Deccan,  was  divided  into 
 little  principalities  and  chiefships  ; many  of  which  were  dependant  on  the 
 neighbouring  Mahommedan  princes,  but  never  completely  brought  under 
 subjection. 
 
 “ Sevajee,  the  first  Maharatta  commander  who  combined  the  efforts  of 
 these  discordant  chiefs  and  tribes,  was  born  in  A.D.  1626,  and  died  in 
 1680.  His  genealogy  being  obscure,  his  adherents  were  at  liberty  to  in- 
 vent the  most  illustrious ; and,  accordingly,  traced  his  origin  from  the 
 Ranahs  of  Odeypoor  (the  purest  of  the  Khetrie  caste),  who  claim  a descent, 
 equally  fabulous,  from  Noushirwan  the  Just. 
 
 ‘ The  Maharatta  constitution,  from  the  commencement,  has  always  been 
 more  aristocratic  than  despotic,  and  the  local  arrangements  of  their  empire 
 peculiar  ; the  territory  of  the  different  hostile  chiefs  being  blended  or  inter 
 spersed  with  each  other. 
 
 “ The  Maharatta  soldiers  eat  almost  every  thing  indiscriminately,  except 
 beef  and  tame  swine : they  will  eat  wild  hogs.  The  Maharatta  country 
 abounds  with  horses,  and  there  are  some  of  a very  fine  breed,  called  the 
 Beemarteddy  (raised  near  the  Beemali  river) ; but  the  common  Maharatta 
 horse,  used  in  war,  is  a lean,  ill-looking  animal,  with  large  bones,  and  com- 
 monly about  fourteen  or  fourteen-and-a-half  hands  high.  The  only  wea- 
 
THE  MAHARATTAS. 
 
 287 
 
 pon  used  by  the  horsemen  is  a sabre  ; in  the  use  of  which,  and  management 
 of  their  horses  they  are  extremely  dexterous.  For  defence  they  wear  a 
 quilted  jacket  of  cotton  cloth,  which  comes  half  way  down  their  thighs.” 
 
 According  to  Colonel  Broughton’s  description  of  the  Maharattas,  nothing- 
 can  present  a more  irregular,  filthy,  or  wretched  appearance  than  one  of 
 their  camps ; men,  horses,  camels,  and  bullocks  being  all  huddled  in  it  to- 
 gether in  a mass ; which  mass  is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  others  of  a 
 similar  nature,  in  a continued  state  of  comfortless  confusion.  These  camps 
 are  attended  by  large  bazars,  the  shopkeepers  of  which,  as  well  as  the  sol- 
 diers, reside  under  miserable  pals  or  coverings  formed  of  blankets  or  coarse 
 cloths  stretched  across  a bamboo  ridge  stick,  and  supported  at  each  end  by 
 others  stuck  in  the  ground.  Near  these  the  Maharattas  huddle  in  the  cold 
 weather  round  their  miserable  fires  made  of  horse  or  cow-dung,  or  of  dirty 
 straw ; or  pass  their  time  in  the  rack-shop,  or  the  tent  of  the  prostitute, 
 whose  mysteries  are  very  imperfectly  concealed  from  the  public  eye  by  the 
 wretched  coverings  just  noticed.  At  the  door  of  every  tent  is  a fire ; the 
 smoke  of  which  being  too  heavy  to  ascend  into  the  air,  spreads  throughout 
 the  whole  camp. 
 
 In  these  camps  acts  of  injustice,  oppression,  and  misery  appear  to  go 
 hand  in  hand.  When  grain  is  dear,  hundreds  of  families  are  reduced  to  a 
 state  of  starvation.  “ At  such  times  (says  Colonel  Broughton)  I have  often 
 seen  women  and  children  employed  in  picking  out  the  undigested  grains  of 
 corn  from  the  dung  of  the  different  animals  about  the  camp.  Even  now, 
 when  wheat  is  by  no  means  at  a high  price,  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  move 
 out  of  the  limits  of  our  own  camp,  without  witnessing  the  most  shocking 
 proofs  of  poverty  and  wretchedness.  I was  returning  from  a ride  the  other 
 morning  when  two  miserable-looking  women  followed  me  for  charity  : each 
 of  them  had  a little  infant  in  her  arms  ; and  one  of  them  offered  to  sell  her's 
 for  the  trifling  sum  of  two  rupees  (four  or  five  shillings.)”  These  instances 
 were  common,  and  many  of  the  sepoys  in  the  British  resident’s  camp  had 
 children  obtained  in  this  manner. 
 
 “ It  is  one  peculiar  feature  in  the  Maharatta  constitution  that  the  govern- 
 ment always  considers  itself  in  a state  of  war  ; which  formerly  was 
 a principal  source  of  revenue.  On  the  day  of  the  festival  called  the 
 
288 
 
 THE  MAHARATTAS. 
 
 Dusserah,  or  Durga  Puja,  towards  the  end  of  September,  at  the  break- 
 ing up  of  the  rains,  the  Maharattas  used  to  prepare  for  their  plunder- 
 ing excursions.  On  this  occasion  they  wash  their  horses,  sacrificing  to  each 
 a sheep,  whose  blood  is  sprinkled  with  some  ceremony,  and  the  flesh  eaten 
 with  none. 
 
 “ Among  this  people  the  gradual  progress  of  refinement  is  discernable, 
 from  the  wild  predatory  Maharatta,  almost  semi-barbarous,  to  the  polished 
 and  insidious*  Brahman,  whose  specious  politeness  and  astonishing  com- 
 mand of  temper  leave  all  European  hypocrisy  in  the  shade.  This  extra- 
 ordinary urbanity  qualifies  him  in  the  highest  degree  for  all  public 
 business.  The  bulk  of  the  people  under  the  Maharatta  government  are 
 almost  without  property ; few  have  an  opportunity  of  acquiring  wealth, 
 except  the  powerful  Brahmans,  who  are  the  principal  functionaries  under 
 the  state.  Their  avarice  is  insatiable ; and,  if  ever  the  madness  of  accu- 
 mulation was  accompanied  by  the  highest  degree  of  folly,  it  is  here  exempli- 
 fied ; for  although  the  Brahman  be  permitted  to  go  on  for  years  in  the 
 practice  of  extortion,  his  wealth  at  last  attracts  the  attention  of  the  prince, 
 when  he  is  obliged  to  disgorge,  and  is  perhaps  confined  in  a fortress  for 
 life.  If  he  happens  to  die  in  office,  his  property  is  generally  sequestrated. 
 This  mode  of  raising  money  forms  a considerable  part  of  the  contingent 
 revenue,  and  is  known  by  the  name  of  goona-geeree,  or  crime  penalty. 
 
 “ The  two  classes  of  Maharattas']'  are  as  much  distinguished  by  personal 
 peculiarities,  as  caste  and  dress  : the  Brahmans  are  fair,  have  prominent 
 features  and  comely  persons  : the  rest  are  dark,  with  broad  flat  faces,  small 
 features,  and  short  square  persons ; but  are  seldom  if  ever  stout.  I have 
 never  been  able  to  discover  any  quality  or  propensity  they  possess,  which 
 might  be  construed  into  a fitness  for  the  enjoyment  of  social  life.  They 
 are  deceitful,  treacherous,  narrow-minded,  rapacious,  and  monstrous  liars : 
 the  only  quality  they  are  endowed  with,  which  could,  according  to 
 our  system  of  ethics,  be  placed  on  the  credit  side  of  the  account,  being 
 
 * The  Maharatta  may  be  divided  into  two  great  classes : the  one  composed  of  Brahmans, 
 the  other  of  inferior  castes.  The  Brahmans  are  of  the  sect  of  Vishnu,  and  abstain  from  eating 
 flesh  ; the  others  do  not. 
 
 f Broughton’s  Maharatta  Camp. 
 
THE  MAHARATTAS.— THE  KOMBEES. 
 
 289 
 
 candour ; for  there  is  not  one  of  the  propensities  I have  enumerated  to  which 
 a Maharatta  would  not  immediately  plead  guilty  : in  his  idea  of  things  they 
 are  requisite  to  form  a perfect  character : and  to  all  accusations  of  false- 
 hood, treachery,  extortion,  &c.,  he  has  one  common  answer:  ‘ Maharatta 
 durbar  hue,'  ’tis  a Maharatta  camp.” 
 
 The  Maharatta  Brahmans  wear  commonly  white  turbans  which  are 
 plaited,  in  a particular  fashion,  high  above  the  head,  and  long  muslin  dotees 
 hanging  down  to  the  feet,  a plain  white  gown  reaching  to  the  knees,  and  a 
 shawl,  or  in  warm  weather  a scarf  of  gauze  or  muslin  thrown  loosely  across 
 the  shoulders.  The  other  classes  wear  a flat  turban,  a sela  or  shawl  or 
 scarf,  short  breeches,  and  occasionally  in  the  cold  weather  a jacket. 
 “ They  are  fond  of  ornamenting  their  ears  with  small  gold  rings,  and  such 
 as  can  afford  it  have  silver  chains,  twisted  like  ropes,  fastened  round  their 
 necks.  Every  one  wears  a sword  and  commonly  a shield  ; and  when  on 
 horseback  carries  either  a matchlock  or  a long  spear  called  a bala."  The 
 chief  who  holds  out  to  them  the  best  prospect  of  pay  and  plunder  has  the 
 best  chance  of  attracting  them  to  his  standard.  They  sustain  with  chearful- 
 ness  great  deprivations  and  fatigue  : but  if  they  quarrel  with  their  chief, 
 entertain  no  reluctance  to  forsake  his  colours  and  join  the  ranks  of  his 
 enemies. 
 
 The  Maharatta  confederacy  is  now  broken,  and  the  political  power  and 
 importance  of  its  chiefs  become  little  better  than  nominal.  They,  however, 
 still  demand  the  utmost  vigilance  of  the  British  government.  Treacherous, 
 crafty  and  enterprising,  no  treaties  can  bind  them,  no  benefits  secure  them 
 to  our  interest ; nor  have  successive  defeats  sufficiently  subdued  them  to 
 prevent  their  seizing  the  first,  apparently,  favourable  opportunity  to  throw 
 off  the  mask  of  friendship,  and  attempt  the  hazard  of  another  struggle  to 
 regain  their  former  power. 
 
 THE  KOOMBEES  of  LONY. 
 
 These  people,  now  under  the  dominion  of  the  British  government,  are 
 a branch  of  the  Maharattas,  and  inhabit  the  town  and  country  of  Lony, 
 
 2 p 
 
290 
 
 THE  KOOMBEES  OF  LONY. 
 
 situated  on  the  mountain  range,  about  twelve  miles  from  Poonah.  They 
 are  Hindus,  and  worship  principally  Siva  and  Parvati,  or  local  incarnations 
 of  them. 
 
 “ Their  system  of  faith  and  worship  is  extremely  absurd  and  lamentable, 
 but  many  of  its  precepts  are  good,  and  have  a wholesome  influence  on  their 
 moral  conduct.  It  inculcates  the  belief  in  future  rewards  and  punishments, 
 enjoins  charity,  benevolence,  reverence  to  parents,  &c.,  and  respects  all 
 other  modes  of  worship,  but  does  not  admit  of  proselytism.  The  Koom- 
 bees  are  sincere  and  devout  in  their  worship,  which  is  exempt  from  the  idle 
 and  protracted  ceremonies  of  the  Brahmans,  and  does  not  restrain  them 
 from  any  of  the  duties  of  life.  They  are  professedly  followers  of  Mahadeo ; 
 but  are  led  by  a spirit  of  toleration,  or  rather  superstition,  to  join  in  the 
 worship  of  any  sect  or  object  that  comes  in  their  way.  They  constantly 
 make  vows  at  the  tombs  of  Mahomedans,  and  occasionally  even  at  those  of 
 Christians. 
 
 “ The  idols  of  Cundoo*  and  Byroo,  Jemnee  Yemnee  and  Tookia,  local 
 incarnations  of  Mahadeo  and  Parvati,  are  their  principal  objects  of  wor- 
 ship ; and  are  believed  to  be  vindictive  and  prone  to  anger,  and  only  to  be 
 appeased  or  conciliated  by  penances,  sacrifices,  and  offerings.  The  figures 
 of  these  idols  are  in  relief,  on  plates  of  gold  or  silver,  about  four  inches  high 
 and  two  broad,  and  every  family  has  two  or  more  of  them  placed  on  a stand 
 ( dewarah ) in  a suitable  part  of  the  house,  which  constitute  their  kooldiewut, 
 or  household  gods.  Cundoo  is  represented  with  four  hands,  holding  a sword 
 and  shield,  and  seated  on  horseback,  with  a dog  by  his  side.  Byroo  has 
 also  four  hands,  which  hold  a trident  and  a small  drum.  Jemnee  Yemnee 
 and  Tookia  are  females,  with  four  or  more  heads,  each  holding  weapons  of 
 offence,  with  necklaces  of  human  skulls,  &c. 
 
 “ Their  religion  strongly  enjoins  marriage,  which  is  by  far  the  most  im- 
 portant consideration  on  this  side  the  grave,  and  considered  so  essential  to 
 respectability  and  happiness  that  it  is  universally  adopted,  except  by  per- 
 sons labouring  under  some  incurable  disease  or  deformity,  or  by  the  most 
 
 * Kandeh  Rao. 
 
THE  KOOMBEES  OF  LONY. 
 
 291 
 
 wretched.  One  who  has  not  been  married  is  not  admitted  to  join  in  certain 
 rites  and  festivals ; and  the  calamity  of  being  without  a son  to  perform  the 
 obsequies  and  offer  prayers  to  his  name,  extends  beyond  this  world.  Poly- 
 gamy is  allowed,  but  seldom  practised,  except  by  the  rich  or  those  who 
 have  no  family  by  the  first  marriage.  When  a marriage  is  contemplated, 
 the  following  points  must  be  settled:  1st,  that  the  parties  are  not  of  the 
 same  kool,  or  clan.  They  may  both  bear  the  same  surname,  but  in  this  case 
 their  dewack  or  family  crest  must  be  different.  Consanguinity  in  the  female 
 line  is  no  ground  for  objection.  2d,  that  the  planets  under  which  they  were 
 respectively  born  are  in  harmony,  and  auspicious  to  the  union  ; which  is 
 decided  by  the  astrologer.  3d,  that  they  are  healthy,  and  without  any  per- 
 sonal defect.  The  amount  of  the  portion  and  quality  of  presents  to  be  made 
 to  the  bride  are  then  settled,  preparations  are  made  for  the  marriage,  and 
 the  lucky  day  and  moment  fixed  by  the  priest  for  its  celebration.  The 
 ceremony  occupies  three  or  four  days.  The  ordinary  expenses  of  a mar- 
 riage are  two  or  three  hundred  rupees,  but  often  much  more. 
 
 “ Widows  are  sometimes  permitted  to  marry ; but  it  is  looked  on  by  some 
 families  as  disreputable,  and  not  practised.  It  is  only  widowers  who  marry 
 widows,  and  the  offspring  are  not  entitled  to  inherit  in  the  same  proportion 
 as  those  by  a first  marriage.  Widows  sometimes  go  with  their  husbands  to 
 the  funeral  pile,  but  it  is  very  rare.  It  is  between  forty  and  fifty  years  since 
 a suttee  took  place  in  a Koombee  family  at  Lony. 
 
 “ They  generally  bum  their  dead;  but  it  is  also  a custom  in  some  fami- 
 lies to  bury  them.  At  this  time  a small  piece  of  gold  is  put  into  the  mouth 
 of  the  deceased,  the  reason  of  which  they  do  not  explain.  It  is  believed 
 that  the  soul  of  the  deceased,  from  a longing  after  its  earthly  enjoyments, 
 hovers  about  its  late  abode  for  ten  days  before  it  is  disposed  to  take  its  flight 
 to  its  new  jannum  or  birth.  On  the  tenth  day  the  heir  and  his  family,  ac- 
 companied by  the  priest,  proceed  to  a stream  of  water  nearest  the  village, 
 and  perform  ceremonies  for  the  rest  of  the  soul  of  the  deceased,  and  make 
 offerings  of  hallowed  food.  If  the  crows  come  and  eat  it,  the  omen  is  good, 
 and  it  is  believed  the  soul  is  happy  and  has  entered  its  new  birth : on  the 
 contrary,  if  they  avoid  it,  the  greatest  consternation  takes  place  ; the  friends 
 
 2 p 2 
 
292 
 
 THE  KOOMBEES  OF  LONY. 
 
 of  the  deceased  call  on  him  to  know  why  he  is  unhappy,  that  he  has  no 
 reason  to  be  so,  as  his  family  will  be  protected,  &c.  Every  expedient  is 
 tried  to  get  the  crows  to  eat  of  the  food  ; and,  after  waiting  till  night  with- 
 out success,  a figure  of  a crow  is  formed  by  the  priest,  and  if  made  to  touch 
 the  offering,  the  party  go  home,  but  generally  persuaded  that  the  soul  of 
 their  friend  remains  at  large,  and  becomes  a ghost  or  demon. 
 
 “ The  community  all  implicitly  believe  in  incantations,  witchcraft,  a mo- 
 dification of  fatalism,  and  in  the  existence  of  ghosts  and  evil  spirits.  The 
 male  ghosts  and  evil  spirits  are  termed  keins,  or  joting  ; and  those  of  females 
 handal.*  Those  of  Brahmans,  Mahomedans,  and  outcasts  have  different 
 names  ; and  the  general  term  boot  is  applied  to  the  whole.  Their  favourite 
 haunts  are  large  trees  in  lonely  places,  deserted  buildings,  and  old  wells. 
 They  are  seen  or  heard  making  strange  noises,  especially  at  noon  and  mid- 
 night, and  assume  different  shapes,  often  that  of  a deer,  and  suddenly  be- 
 coming a very  tall  figure,  or  of  a strange  ox,  or  goat,  mixing  in  the  flock  for 
 a time  and  vanishing  into  air.  f The  evil  spirits  that  possess  them  occasion 
 madness  and  strange  diseases  ; they  haunt  them  in  their  sleep,  destroy  their 
 families,  and  deprive  them  of  every  enjoyment.  The  incensed  spirits  are 
 attempted  to  be  appeased  by  ceremonies,  and  are  cast  out  by  a numerous 
 set  of  impostors,  who  derive  a handsome  livelihood  from  their  trade.  One 
 way  of  casting  out  devils  is  by  the  exorciser  placing  the  person  possessed 
 with  the  evil  spirit  in  front  of  an  idol,  seizing  him  by  the  lock  of  hair  on  his 
 crown,  and  threatening  him,  or  actually  scourging  him,  till  the  demon  says 
 what  offering  or  penance  will  satisfy  him. 
 
 “ They  have  many  holidays.  Those  of  greatest  interest  are  the  Hooly, 
 Dussera,  Dewallee,  and  one  in  honour  of  their  cattle.  The  holiday  of  the 
 Hooly  is  said  to  be  in  celebration  of  the  spring.  The  favourite  dance  is  the 
 
 * The  Sept-Asira,  Aija,  or  Jel  doota,  are  seven  water  nymphs,  who  destroy  or  carry  off  hand- 
 some young  men  for  their  own  enjoyment. 
 
 j-  A ghost  haunts  an  Indian  fig-tree  and  well  in  a field  near  the  Bungalow  at  Lony,  and  is  oc- 
 casionally seen  in  different  shapes.  It  once  carried  a person,  for  presuming  to  bathe  in  the  well, 
 to  the  bottom,  and  drowned  him,  and  has  done  other  mischief;  but  if  not  disturbed,  it  is  harm- 
 less. This  ghost  is  ordinarily  termed  “ Peepree  Bana,"  from  the  peepree-tree,  near  which  it 
 stays. 
 
THE  KOOMBEES  OF  LONY.— THE  PINDARIES. 
 
 298 
 
 tipree  dance.  Twenty,  thirty,  or  more  young  men  form  a ring,  each  with  a 
 piece  of  seasoned  wood,  a foot  in  length,  in  his  hand,  which  he  strikes  alter- 
 nately with  that  of  the  person  before  and  behind  him,  keeping  time  with  it 
 and  his  foot,  while  the  circle  moves  round  keeping  time  to  a drum  and 
 shepherd’s  pipe  of  three  or  four  sweet  and  plaintive  notes. 
 
 “ During  the  moonlight  throughout  the  year,  in  the  fine  weather,  theKoom- 
 bees  are  found  sitting  in  the  open  air,  and  chanting  songs  in  chorus,  with 
 the  accompaniment  of  a drum  and  the  chondkia  (a  simple  stringed  instru- 
 ment), and  listening  to  stories.” — Transactions  Bombay  Literary  Society. 
 
 About  fourteen  years  ago  these  people  came  under  the  dominion  of  the 
 British.  They  are  principally  husbandmen,  as  their  name  imports. 
 
 THE  PINDARIES. 
 
 The  account  from  which  the  following  extracts  relative  to  this  predatory 
 race  were  taken,  was  written  previous  to  the  result  of  the  Pindarie  war 
 about  fourteen  years  ago.  The  description  may  be,  however,  considered 
 equally  applicable  to  them  at  the  present  day. 
 
 “ The  name  of  Pindarie  may  be  found  in  Indian  history  as  early  as  the 
 commencement  of  the  last  century ; several  bands  of  these  freebooters 
 followed  the  Maharatta  armies  in  their  early  wars  in  -Hindostan.  They  are 
 divided  into  Durrahs,  or  tribes,  commanded  by  Sirdars,  or  chiefs ; people 
 of  every  country,  and  of  every  religion,  were  indiscriminately  enrolled  in 
 this  heterogeneous  community,  and  a horse  and  sword  were  deemed  sufficient 
 qualifications  for  admission.  A common  interest  kept  them  united ; the 
 chiefs  acquired  wealth  and  renown  in  the  Maharatta  wars ; they  seized 
 upon  lands  which  they  were  afterwards  tacitly  permitted  to  retain,  and 
 transmitted,  with  their  estates,  the  services  of  their  adherents  to  their 
 descendants. 
 
 “ In  an  association  which  is  daily  augmented  by  the  admittance  of 
 strangers,  it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  influence  will  not  be  confined  to 
 hereditary  claims,  and  that  men  of  superior  genius  and  enterprise  will  ulti- 
 mately rise  to  the  chief  command.  This  is  accordingly  found  to  have  been 
 
294. 
 
 THE  PINDARIES. 
 
 the  case,  and  Seetoo,  the  most  powerful  of  all  the  Pindarie  leaders,  was  a 
 few  years  ago  a person  of  no  consideration.  It  is  only  of  late  that  these 
 banditti  have  become  really  formidable,  and  they  may  now  be  looked  upon 
 as  an  independent  power,  which,  if  properly  united  under  an  able  com- 
 mander, would  prove  the  most  dangerous  enemy  that  could  arise  to  disturb 
 the  peace  and  prosperity  of  India. 
 
 “ The  climate  and  the  hardy  habits  of  these  plunderers  render  tents  or 
 baggage  an  unnecessary  incumbrance ; each  person  carries  a few  days’ 
 provisions  for  himself  and  for  his  horse,  and  they  march  for  weeks  together 
 at  the  rate  of  thirty  and  forty  miles  a day,  over  roads  and  countries  im- 
 passable for  a regular  army.  They  exhibit  a striking  resemblance  to  the 
 Cossacks,  as  well  in  their  customs  as  in  the  activity  of  their  movements. 
 Their  arms  are  the  same,  being  a lance  and  a sword,  which  they  use  with 
 admirable  dexterity ; their  horses,  like  those  of  the  Cossacks,  are  small, 
 but  extremely  active  : and  they  pillage,  without  distinction,  friends  as  well 
 as  foes.  They  move  in  bodies  seldom  exceeding  two  or  three  thousand 
 men,  and  hold  a direct  undeviating  course  until  they  reach  their  destination, 
 when  they  at  once  divide  into  small  parties,  that  they  may  with  more  facility 
 plunder  the  country,  and  carry  off  a larger  quantity  of  booty  ; destroying 
 at  the  same  time  what  they  cannot  remove.  They  are  frequently  guilty  of 
 the  most  inhuman  barbarities,  and  their  progress  is  generally  marked  by 
 the  smoking  ruins  of  villages,  the  shrieks  of  women,  and  the  groans  of  their 
 mutilated  husbands.  At  times  they  wallow  in  abundance,  while  at  others 
 they  cannot  procure  the  common  necessaries  of  life ; and  their  horses  are 
 trained  to  undergo  tho  same  privations  as  their  masters.  Night,  and  the 
 middle  of  the  day,  are  dedicated  to  repose ; and  recent  experience  has 
 shewn  us  that  they  may  be  surprised  with  effect  at  such  hours.  Fighting  is 
 not  their  object,  they  have  seldom  been  known  to  resist  the  attack  even  of 
 an  inferior  enemy ; if  pursued  they  make  marches  of  extraordinary  length, 
 and  if  they  should  happen  to  be  overtaken,  they  disperse,  and  re-assemble 
 at  an  appointed  rendezvous  ; or,  if  followed  into  their  country,  they  imme- 
 diately retire  to  their  respective  homes.  Their  wealth  and  their  families 
 are  scattered  over  that  mountainous  tract  of  country  which  borders  the 
 
THE  PIND  ARIES. 
 
 295 
 
 Nerbudda  to  the  north.  They  find  protection  either  in  castles  belonging  to 
 themselves,  or  from  those  powers  with  whom  they  are  either  openly  or 
 secretly  connected.  They  can  scarcely  be  said  to  present  any  point  of 
 attack,  and  the  defeat  or  destruction  of  any  particular  chief,  would  only 
 effect  the  ruin  of  an  individual,  without  removing  the  evil  of  a system 
 equally  inveterate  in  its  nature,  and  extensive  in  its  influence. 
 
 The  Pindaries  may  probably  amount  altogether  to  between  thirty  and 
 forty  thousand  horses ; but  in  a community  so  subject  to  constant  fluctua- 
 tions, it  is  impossible  to  form  any  accurate  idea  of  their  number,  which 
 must  vary  from  day  to  day,  according  to  the  caprice  of  individuals  and  the 
 condition  of  the  adjoining  countries.  Throughout  the  greater  part  of  the 
 territories  of  the  native  powers  in  Central  India,  the  husbandman  is  seldom 
 permitted  to  reap  the  fruits  of  his  labours ; his  fields  are  laid  waste,  his 
 cottage  reduced  to  ashes,  and  he  has  no  alternative  but  that  of  joining  the 
 standard  of  some  lawless  chief.  Thus  the  number  of  the  Pindaries  may  be 
 said  to  increase  in  the  same  ratio  as  the  means  of  subsistence  diminish ; 
 hunger  goads  them  on  to  the  work  of  destruction,  and  they  rejoice  in  antici- 
 pation of  the  spoils  of  wealthy  countries.  Were  they  permitted  to  con- 
 tinue their  merciless  depredations  without  molestation,  the  peninsula  of 
 India  would,  in  time,  become  a desert,  and  the  few  inhabitants  that  sur- 
 vived the  general  wreck,  a band  of  savage  and  licentious  robbers.  The 
 Pindaries  are  confined  to  a tract  of  waste  land  which  has  become  the 
 general  rendezvous  of  every  vagabond  and  outlaw,  and  whence  they  issue 
 in  desperate  bands  in  search  of  the  necessaries  of  life. 
 
 In  1814,  they  entered  the  province  of  Bahar,  and  threatened  Bengal ; 
 and  in  the  two  following  years  invaded  the  British  territories  under  Fort 
 St.  George.  Passing  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning  through  the  country  of 
 the  Nizam,  they  suddenly  broke  in  upon  the  defenceless  district  of  Guntoor, 
 and  in  an  instant  spread  themselves  over  the  face  of  the  country,  every 
 where  committing  the  most  shocking  and  wanton  atrocities.  In  1816  they 
 returned  with  redoubled  numbers,  and  extending  themselves  from  the  coast 
 of  the  Concan  to  that  of  Orissa,  threw  the  whole  southern  part  of  the  penin- 
 sula into  a state  of  alarm.  They  again  passed  without  difficulty,  and 
 
296 
 
 THE  PIND ARIES. — THE  GOANDS. 
 
 without  opposition,  through  the  dominions  of  our  allies  the  Peishwah  and 
 the  Nizam,  carried  fire  and  sword  almost  from  one  end  to  the  other  of  the 
 district  of  Ganjam,  and  returned  home  laden  with  the  spoil  and  stained 
 with  the  blood  of  our  subjects.” — Origin  of  the  Pindaries. 
 
 The  result  of  these  daring  attacks  on  the  British  territories  and  those  of 
 our  allies  was  the  complete  overthrow  of  these  rapacious  tribes ; and,  from 
 our  since  extended  control  over  central  and  western  India,  it  may  be  hoped 
 for  ever.  The  people,  however,  are  still  the  same,  and  the  first  native 
 power  in  that  part  of  India  which  might  feel  itself  strong  enough  to  defy  us 
 to  the  field,  would  not  find  the  Pindarie  slow  in  answering  any  signal  of 
 plunder  that  might  be  then  displayed  to  him. 
 
 THE  GOANDS. 
 
 The  country  of  the  Goands  (Goandwana)  borders  on  that  of  the  Bheels. 
 Though  not  less  savage  these  people  appear  to  be  somewhat  less  predatory 
 than  their  neighbours.  They  are  divided  in  various  tribes,  which,  like  others 
 of  the  semi-barbarous  races  of  Hindustan,  can  scarcely  be  considered  as 
 Hindus,  as  they  eat  every  kind  of  flesh.  “ They  have  many  rude  super- 
 stitions amongst  them ; and  worship  Banga,  or  Banca  Deva,  to  whom  they 
 offer  fowls,  goats,  fruit,  rice,  grain,  spirits,  and,  in  short,  whatever  the 
 country  affords.  They  distil  a sort  of  spirituous  liquor  called  handia , and 
 are  much  addicted  to  intoxication.  They  are  very  expert  in  the  chace,  and 
 kill  game  with  bows  and  arrows  : these  also  are  their  chief  implements  of 
 war,  in  addition  to  the  hatchet  and  sword.  When  they  meditate  any  act 
 of  aggression,  the  chiefs  of  the  villages,  after  fasting  for  a day,  take  in  the 
 evening  two  fowls,  which  they  designate  as  their  own  and  the  opposite 
 party.  These  are  put  into  a hole  near  the  idol,  and  left  buried  during  the 
 night.  In  the  morning  the  fowls  are  taken  from  their  sepulchre,  and  the 
 fortune  of  the  contest  is  foretold,  according  to  the  bird  which  has  survived 
 the  night’s  inhumation.  Should  their  own  representative  have  perished, 
 the  hostile  purpose  is  abandoned,  or  suspended. 
 
 “ All  disputes  amongst  themselves  are  decided  by  the  chiefs  of  the 
 
THE  GOANDS. 
 
 297 
 
 village,  who  seldom  award  a severer  punishment  than  the  cost  of  feasting 
 the  acquitted,  or  victorious  party. 
 
 “ Their  marriages  do  not  take  place  before  the  fourteenth  or  fifteenth 
 year,  and  seem  to  be  attended  with  a singular  ceremony.  It  is  said  that 
 the  bride  is  brought  home  in  the  evening,  when  in  an  assembly  of  the 
 people  the  bridegroom  applies  the  frontal  mark  made  with  vermilion, 
 throws  a garland  of  flowers  round  her  neck,  and  then  retires  and  conceals 
 himself  in  the  thickets.  The  relations  of  the  bride  arm  themselves  and  go  in 
 quest  of  him,  and  if  he  is  found  during  the  night,  the  marriage  is  void ; if 
 not  discovered,  he  appears  in  the  morning,  takes  the  bride  by  the  hand, 
 removes  the  veil  from  her  face,  and  they  dance  together  in  the  centre  of  a 
 ring,  formed  by  the  assistants,  who  also  dance  round  them.  The  ceremony 
 is  thus  completed,  and  the  rest  of  the  day  is  devoted  to  festivity  and  mirth. 
 The  Lurka-Koles  burn  their  dead  in  front  of  their  dwellings,  bury  the  ashes, 
 and  burn  a light  on  the  grave  for  the  space  of  one  month  : they  then  erect 
 a stone  upon  the  spot.  Their  little  traffic  consists  chiefly  of  an  exchange 
 of  pulse,  mustard,  sesamum,  and  ghee,  for  salt  and  coarse  cloths  from  the 
 neighbouring  pergunnahs.” — Asiatic  Journal. 
 
 One  of  the  Goand  tribes,  the  Binderwars,  who  inhabit  the  hills  of  Ooma- 
 cuntu,  near  the  source  of  the  Nerbuddah  river,  is  described  as  a race  of 
 cannibals.  It  may  be  presumed  the  only  one  inhabiting  the  hither  penin- 
 sula of  India. 
 
 This  race  live  in  detached  parties,  and  have  seldom  more  than  eight  or  ten 
 huts  in  one  place.  They  are  cannibals  in  the  real  sense  of  the  word,  but 
 never  eat  the  flesh  of  any  person  not  belonging  to  their  own  family  or  tribe, 
 nor  do  they  do  this  except  on  particular  occasions.  It  is  the  custom  of  this 
 singular  people  to  cut  the  throat  of  any  person  of  their  family  who  is 
 attacked  by  severe  illness,  and  who  they  think  has  no  chance  of  recovering, 
 when  they  collect  the  whole  of  their  relations  and  particular  friends,  and 
 feast  upon  the  body.  In  like  manner,  when  a person  arrives  at  a great  age, 
 and  becomes  feeble  and  weak,  the  Khulal  Khor  operates  upon  him,  when 
 the  different  members  of  the  family  assemble  for  the  same  purpose  as  above 
 stated.  In  other  respects,  this  is  a simple  race  of  people,  nor  do  they  con- 
 
 2 Q 
 
298 
 
 THE  GOANDS. 
 
 sider  cutting  the  throats  of  their  sick  relations  or  aged  parents  any  sin  ; but 
 on  the  contrary,  an  act  acceptable  to  Kali,  a mercy  to  their  relations,  and 
 a blessing  to  the  whole  race.  “ Our  Goand  guide  (says  Lieutenant  Pen- 
 dergast,  the  writer  of  this  extract,)  drank  the  oil  provided  for  the  Mushal 
 or  flambeau,  when  I thought  this  a good  opportunity  of  ascertaining  the 
 truth  of  their  being  cannibals,  and  on  qusetioning  him  about  killing  and 
 eating  the  sick  and  aged  of  his  tribe,  he  did  not  deny  it ; but  said  it  was 
 an  ancient  custom  of  their’s.  I asked  him  if  he  would  eat  the  flesh  of 
 people  not  belonging  to  his  tribe,  when,  with  visible  marks  of  anger  and 
 disgust,  he  said,  ‘ no — I never  eat  of  any  person  not  belonging  to  my  own 
 tribe.’  These  people  form  cisterns  of  bamboos  and  mud  in  the  most  acces- 
 sible parts  of  the  forest,  which  in  the  rains  are  filled  with  water ; but  in  the 
 dry  season,  should  their  scanty  supply  run  short,  they  remove  to  a more 
 convenient  place,  or  to  a cistern  which  has  not  been  used ; for  each  family 
 forms  a number  of  cisterns,  sometimes  several  miles  distant,  to  supply  their 
 wants  as  well  as  to  facilitate  their  flight,  should  any  unwelcome  guest 
 approach  their  dwellings.  Their  principal  food  is  coarse  rice,  snakes  of  all 
 sorts,  wild  hogs,  deer,  wild  fowls  of  all  kinds,  cows,  bullocks,  monkeys, 
 and  in  fact  every  thing  they  can  put  their  hands  on.” — Ibid. 
 
( 299  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 The  Mhairs. — The  Nepalese ; Sirmoris ; Polyandry,  &c. — The  Rohillas. — The  Roshaniah  Sect. 
 
 — The  Dhamians. — The  Bazeegurs,  or  Nuts. — The  Parsees. — The  Garrows. — The  Rookies. 
 
 — The  Sintiphos. — The  Keyans. 
 
 THE  MHAIRS. 
 
 The  country  of  the  Mhairs  is  situated  but  a very  few  miles  west  of 
 Ajmere,  and  is  composed  of  successive  ranges  of  huge  rocky  hills,  the  only 
 level  country  being  the  vallies  running  between  them. 
 
 Either  from  the  insignificance  or  sturdy  valour  of  this  race,  the  rulers  of 
 India  were  never  able  to  make  any  impression  on  them,  notwithstanding 
 their  vicinity  to  the  occasional  residence,  for  a long  period,  of  the  emperors 
 of  Hindustan. 
 
 “ In  later  times  the  Mhairs  have  been  the  terror  of  their  lowland  neigh- 
 bours ; and  even  the  Rajpoots,  perhaps,  with  the  sole  exception  of  the  Ro- 
 hillas, the  bravest  men  in  India,  dreaded  their  approach. 
 
 “ The  peculiarities  in  the  disposition  of  the  Mhairs  are  an  irresistible  love 
 of  freedom,  which  is,  among  them,  carried  to  such  an  excess,  that  they  ac- 
 knowledge no  king  or  chief ; or,  at  any  rate,  the  obedience  they  pay  to 
 them  is  purely  nominal,  and  only  continued  as  long  as  suits  their  own  con- 
 venience. When  a predatory  excursion  was  determined  on,  some  distin- 
 guished warrior  volunteered  his  services  to  lead  the  attack,  and  those  who 
 placed  confidence  in  him  associated  themselves  with  his  band ; but  their 
 choice  of  leaders  was  entirely  voluntary,  and  the  engagement  was  only 
 binding  according  to  the  will  of  the  people.  Regarding  the  religion  of  the 
 Mhairs,  I have  been  unable  to  learn  any  thing  correctly  : their  ideas  of 
 caste,  however,  are  quite  distinct  from  those  of  the  neighbouring  people,  or 
 of  the  Hindus  generally;  and,  I believe,  they  make  no  objection  to  receive 
 food  from  the  hands  of  Europeans;  but  they  still  have  some  prejudices  on 
 
 2 q 2 
 
300 
 
 THE  MHAIRS. 
 
 the  subject,  which,  perhaps,  would  induce  the  expression  ‘ low  caste  Hin- 
 dus’ to  be  applied  to  them.  They  do  not  hesitate  in  expressing  the  con- 
 tempt they  entertain  for  even  the  highest  class  of  Brahmans  or  Rajpoots, 
 and,  in  fact,  generally  for  all  natives  distinct  from  themselves.  Their  habits 
 and  customs  would  lead  a traveller  to  conclude  them  nothing  more  or  less 
 than  ‘ Bheels;’  but  it  is  rather  a surprising  fact,  that  the  appellation  is, 
 among  them,  the  greatest  insult  that  can  be  offered  ; such  a stigma  thrown 
 on  the  most  inferior  among  them,  is  only  to  be  wiped  away  by  the  blood  of 
 the  offender. 
 
 “ The  country  of  the  Mhairs  a common  observer  would  pronounce  im- 
 penetrable ; and  so  it  certainly  would  be  to  any  thing  but  European  valour. 
 Its  inhabitants  reside  in  the  deepest  jungles,  on  the  summits,  chiefly,  of 
 their  almost  inaccessible  mountains.  Their  towns  formerly  were  securely 
 hidden  from  all  human  search;  the  vallies  were  entirely  deserted;  and  not 
 a trace  of  man  was  there  to  meet  the  eye  of  a stranger,  who  could  only  con- 
 clude the  country  to  be  a barren  and  uninhabited  waste ; while,  in  reality, 
 the  people  constantly  stationed  in  the  watch-towers,  with  which  the  sum- 
 mits of  the  mountains  are  crowned,  had  in  all  human  probability  given  the 
 alarm,  and  the  sides  of  the  hills  were  every  where  covered  with  the  moun- 
 taineers, ready  to  rush  down  on  their  unsuspecting  victim.  Such  was  the 
 state  of  the  country  but  a very  few  years  ago.  I recollect  passing  a spot 
 which  most  powerfully  brought  to  my  recollection  Sir  Walter  Scott’s  beau- 
 tiful description  of  the  ambuscade  in  ‘ The  Lady  of  the  Lake,’  which  he  thus 
 describes. 
 
 ‘ Instant  through  copse  and  heath  arose, 
 
 Bonnets  and  spears,  and  bended  bows ; 
 
 On  right  and  left,  above,  below, 
 
 Sprung  up  at  once  the  lurking  foe; 
 
 From  shingles  grey  their  lances  start, 
 
 The  bracken  bush  sends  forth  the  dart, 
 
 The  rushes  and  the  willow  wand 
 Are  bristling  into  axe  and  brand, 
 
 And  every  tuft  of  broom  gives  life 
 To  plaided  warrior  armed  for  strife.’ 
 
THE  MHAIRS.— THE  NEPALESE. 
 
 301 
 
 And  my  imagination  was  so  worked  on  that  I could  scarcely  rouse  myself 
 from  the  utmost  conviction  I felt  of  my  being  surrounded  by  the  savage  in- 
 habitants of  the  deep  and  sequestered  glen  through  which  I was  passing. 
 From  these  fastnesses  the  Mhairs  were  used  to  come  suddenly  down  with 
 an  irresistible  impetuosity,  and  burn  and  plunder  the  whole  neighbouring 
 country ; the  people  were  paralized  with  dread,  and  the  hardy  savages 
 were  safe  again  before  they  could  resume  courage  to  act  on  the  defensive.”* 
 
 These  people  were,  a few  years  ago,  brought  into  subjection  by  the 
 British  power,  and  under  our  protective  rule  have  become  more  quiet  and 
 civilized.  Agricultural  pursuits  have  been  encouraged  among  them,  and 
 their  vallies,  it  is  said,  now  display  the  marks  of  industrious  cultivation. 
 
 THE  NEPALESE. 
 
 Nepal,  including  its  tributary  provinces,  was  one  of  the  most  extensive 
 independent  sovereignties  in  India,  comprehending  nearly  the  whole  of 
 northern  Hindustan. 
 
 The  country  is  mountainous,  giving  rise  to  many  rapid  streams. 
 
 “ At  Hettowra  it  is  composed  of  a confused  heap  of  hills,  separated  in 
 various  directions  by  narrow  bottoms  or  glens,  which  is  the  appearance 
 exhibited  by  the  greatest  part  of  the  mountainous  tract  known  under  the 
 general  name  of  Nepal  ; no  single  uninterrupted  chain  or  range  being  met 
 with  after  passing  the  Cheriaghauti  ridge.  The  sides  of  these  hills  are 
 every  where  covered  with  tall  forests  (chiefly  of  saul  or  sisso),  or  partially 
 cultivated  with  different  sorts  of  grain.  The  mountainous  tract  to  the  east 
 is  inhabited  by  various  uncultivated  nations,  the  principal  of  whom  are  the 
 Kyrauts,  the  Hawoos,  and  the  Limbooas,  who  are  all  Hindus  of  the  Brah- 
 minical  persuasion,  but  of  the  lowest  caste.  The  chief  towns  are  Katmandoo, 
 Gorkah,  Pattan,  Bhatgan,  Jemlah,  Almora,  and  Serinagur. 
 
 “ The  valley  of  Nepal  Proper,  whence  the  sovereignty  takes  its  name, 
 is  nearly  of  an  oval  figure  : its  greatest  length  from  north  to  south  is  twelve 
 miles,  by  nine  its  greatest  breadth ^the  circumference  of  the  whole  being 
 
 * India  Gazette.  Asiatic  Journal. 
 
302 
 
 THE  NEPALESE. 
 
 under  fifty  miles.  To  the  south  it  is  bounded  by  very  stupendous  mountains ; 
 but  to  the  east  and  west,  the  enclosing  hills  are  less  lofty.  Sheopuri,  which 
 constitutes  its  principal  barrier  to  the  north,  is  the  highest  of  the  mountains 
 that  encircle  it ; whence  issue  the  Bhagmatty  and  Vishunmatty  rivers, 
 which,  with  many  other  streams,  traverse  the  valley  of  Nepal ; the  bottom 
 of  which,  besides  being  very  uneven,  is  intersected  with  deep  ravines  and 
 speckled  with  little  hills.  Seen  from  Mount  Chandraghire,  the  valley  of 
 Nepal  appears  thickly  settled  with  villages,  among  fields  fertilized  by  nume- 
 rous streams ; but  the  part  of  the  view  which  most  powerfully  attracts  the 
 attention,  is  the  adjacent  numerous  mountains  of  Sheopuri  and  Jibgibia, 
 with  the  gigantic  Himalaya  ridge,  covered  with  everlasting  snow,  in  the 
 back  ground. 
 
 “ In  some  ancient  Hindu  books,  Nepal  is  called  Deccani  Tapoo,  or  the 
 southern  isle,  in  reference  to  its  situation  with  respect  to  the  Himalaya 
 mountains,  and  the  contiguous  northern  regions  ; the  valley  of  Nepal  being 
 there  described  as  an  immense  lake,  which,  in  the  progress  of  ages,  had 
 retired  within  the  banks  of  the  Bhagmatty. 
 
 “ The  modern  names  of  the  other  principal  districts  are  Ghorkah,  Kyraut, 
 Morung,  Muckwany,  Macwanpoor,  Lamjung,  Jahnoor,  twenty-four  Rajas, 
 Casly,  Palpar,  Ismah,  Rolpah,  Patahu,  Deucar,  Jemlah,  Kemaoon,  Almora, 
 and  Serinagur. 
 
 “ Throughout  Nepal  Proper,  the  Newar  tribes  alone  cultivate  the  ground, 
 and  exercise  the  useful  arts ; but  they  enjoy  little  security  or  happiness 
 under  their  present  rulers.  The  sovereign  is  there  regarded  as  the  original 
 absolute  proprietor  of  all  lands.  Even  the  first  subject  of  the  state  has, 
 generally  speaking,  but  a temporary  and  precarious  interest  in  the  lands 
 which  he  holds  ; being  liable,  at  every  punjunni  (or  grand  council)  to  be 
 deprived  of  them  altogether ; to  have  them  commuted  for  a pecuniary 
 stipend,  or  exchanged  for  others. 
 
 “ The  great  mass  of  the  inhabitants  of  Nepal  dwell  in  the  valleys ; the 
 hills  and  Turiani  being  but  thinly  populated.  General  Kirkpatrick  estimates 
 the  population  of  the  valley  of  Nepal  at  half  a million,  which  appears  an 
 extraordinary  number,  when  its  small  dimensions  are  considered.  The 
 
THE  NEPALESE. 
 
 308 
 
 inhabitants  consist  principally  of  the  two  superior  classes  of  Hindus,* 
 Brahmans  and  Khetries,  with  their  subdivisions,  Newars,  Dhenwars, 
 Mhanjees,  Bhooteas,  and  Bhanras  the  two  first  divisions,  who  occupy  the 
 principal  stations  in  the  sovereignty,  and  fill  the  armies,  are  dispersed 
 through  the  country.  The  Newars  are  confined  almost  to  the  valley  of 
 Nepal ; the  Dhenwars  and  Mhanjees  are  the  fishermen  and  husbandmen  of 
 the  western  districts,  and  the  Bhooteas  inhabit  such  parts  of  Kuchar  (Lower 
 Thibet)  as  are  included  in  the  Nepal  territories.  The  Bharas  are  separated 
 from  the  Newars,  and  amount  to  about  five  thousand.  To  the  eastward 
 some  districts  are  inhabited  by  the  Limbooas,  Nuggerkooties,  and  others; 
 of  whom  little  is  known  beside  the  name.  The  Newars  are  divided  into 
 several  castes  like  those  among  the  more  southern  Hindus. 
 
 “ The  Nepal  artillery  is  very  bad.  Matchlocks,  bows  and  arrows,  and 
 kohras,  or  hatchet-swords,  are  the  common  weapons  used.  The  regular 
 forces  are  armed  with  muskets,  of  which  few  are  fit  for  actual  service. 
 The  Jung  Neshaun,  or  war-standard,  is  on  a yellow  ground,  and  exhibits  a 
 figure  of  the  monkey-god  Hanuman.  The  inhabitants  of  this  region  have 
 all  along  entertained  but  little  intercourse  with  the  neighbouring  nations, 
 and  are  probably  the  only  Hindu  people  who  have  not  been  disturbed,  far 
 less  subdued,  by  any  Mohammedan  force.']:  They  are  in  consequence 
 
 * This  description  will  not  accord  with  that  given  under  the  article  Buddha  of  Nepal.  It  may 
 be  presumed  that  the  extensive  worship  of  the  Hindu  deities  as  subordinate  to  Adi  Buddha,  &c., 
 may  have  caused  this  discrepancy. 
 
 j-  Bandyas. 
 
 £ The  ancient  history  of  Nepal  is  very  much  clouded  with  mythological  fable.  The  inhabitants 
 have  lists  of  princes  for  many  ages  back,  of  whom  Ny  Muni,  who  communicated  his  name  to  the 
 valley,  was  the  first.  Like  other  eastern  states  it  often  changed  masters.  It  was  last  conquered 
 by  Purthi  Narayan,  the  rajah  of  Goreah  (Ghoorka),  who  put  an  end  to  the  dynasty  of  Semroung- 
 hur  Khetries.  Runjeet  Mull,  of  Bhatgong,  was  the  last  prince  of  the  Soorej  Bungsi  (Surya 
 Bans)  race  that  reigned  over  Nepal. 
 
 Ghoorka,  orGhurka,  a town,  and  also  a district  to  which  the  former  gives  its  name,  in  northern 
 Hindustan,  situated  between  the  twenty-eighth  and  twenty-ninth  degrees  of  north  latitude. 
 
 The  Ghoorkali  reigning  family  pretend  to  derive  their  descent  from  the  Rajpoot  princes  of 
 Odeypoor,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Savajee  family  claimed  a similar  origin.  For  a considerable 
 period  they  have  existed  in  the  mountainous  country  bordering  on  the  river  Gunduck,  during 
 which  time  they  have  gradually  risen  into  power  by  successive  encroachments  on  their  neighbours. 
 
 After 
 
304 
 
 THE  NEPALESE.— THE  SIRMORIS. 
 
 remarkable  for  a simplicity  of  character,  and  an  absence  of  parade  or  affec- 
 tation. The  Newar  tribe  differ  in  many  respects  from  the  other  Hindu 
 inhabitants,  particularly  in  feeding  on  the  flesh  of  buffaloes.  The  ordinary 
 hue  of  their  complexion  is  between  a sallow  and  a copper  colour.  It  is 
 remarkable  that  the  Newar  women,  like  the  Nairs  of  Malabar,  may,  in  fact, 
 have  as  many  husbands  as  they  please,  being  at  liberty  to  divorce  them  on 
 the  slightest  pretences.”* 
 
 An  account  of  the  religion  of  the  Nepalese  will  be  found  under  the  head 
 of  Buddhism  in  Nepal,  page  213. 
 
 THE  SIRMORIS. 
 
 In  conjunction  with  the  Nepalese,  the  Sirmoris  may  be  noticed.  The 
 country  of  this  people  is  bounded  on  the  north,  west,  and  south,  by  Bisr, 
 Hind  war,  and  the  Shikh  possessions,  and  on  the  east  by  Ghoorkwal.  Naken 
 is  the  capital,  once  a flourishing  town.  After  our  successes  in  the  Nepal 
 war,  the  Sirmoris  were  released  from  the  cruelty  and  extortion  of  the 
 Ghoorkas,  and  taken  under  the  protection  of  the  British  government. 
 Their  manners  to  European  travellers  have,  however,  been  deceitful  and 
 inhospitable.  They  are  filthy  in  their  persons  and  habits,  and  nothing  can 
 be  conceived  more  disgusting  than  the  skirts  of  their  villages  at  the  close  of 
 the  winter,  when  the  snow  begins  to  melt.  Their  villages  are  small,  con- 
 taining from  three  to  fourteen  houses  ; but  being  situated  on  the  summit  of 
 the  ranges,  or  ornamenting  their  craggy  slopes,  they  give  a singular  and 
 highly  pleasing  effect  to  the  mountain  landscape. 
 
 “ Ten  years  of  restraint  have  not  subdued  the  mutual  animosity  of  the 
 borderers  of  Sirmorand  Goorkwal.  The  one,  in  speaking  of  the  other,  rarely 
 uses  the  appellation  of  his  nation,  but  substitutes  the  more  expressive  and 
 rancorous  term  “ Bairi ,”  signifying  foe. 
 
 After  the  conquest  of  Nepal  by  the  Ghoorkhalies  in  1768,  the  seat  of  government  was  transferred 
 to  Catmandoo,  and  the  city  of  Ghoorka,  having  been  much  neglected,  is  greatly  decayed. 
 
 * Asiatic  Journal. 
 
SIRMORIS.— POLYANDRY. 
 
 305 
 
 “ The  superstition  of  this  people  is  extreme.  Every  peak  is  the  residence 
 of  some  sprite,  whose  wrath  it  is  deemed  dangerous  to  provoke. 
 
 “ Polyandry,  or  the  custom  of  one  woman  having  two  or  more  husbands 
 (relations),  obtains  among  them.  It  frequently  happens  that  two  brothers 
 succeed  conjointly  to  an  estate : they  cohabit  with  one  wife,  and  the  in- 
 tegrity of  the  property  is  thus  preserved.”* 
 
 POLYANDRY. 
 
 This  latitude  of  female  indulgence  prevails  also  among  the  happy  dames 
 of  several  other  Indian  tribes.  Among  the  Todirs  of  the  Nilgiri  moun- 
 tains, the  brothers  of  a family  have  usually  only  one  wife  between  them, 
 who  makes  her  election  of  which  of  them  she  is  disposed  to  drop  the  hand- 
 kerchief to.  She  is,  moreover,  allowed  to  do  so  to  a lover,  without  the 
 slightest  objection  or  jealousy  on  the  part  of  her  proper  lords.  In  other 
 parts  of  India  females  have  had  less  deference  paid  to  them  ; and  in  Malwa 
 it  has  been  said  they  were,  till  very  recently,  accounted  witches ; that  is  to 
 say,  after  a certain  age.  They  were  then,  according  to  a statement  pub- 
 lished in  the  Calcutta  Journal,  1821,  put  into  a sack  and  thrown  into  a tank  ; 
 if  they  swam  they  were  certainly  witches  and  suffered  death  ; if  they  sank 
 they  were  drowned,  and  it  may  be  supposed  not  witches.  Many  hundreds, 
 adds  the  writer,  have  in  some  seasons  been  doomed  to  this  cruel  death. 
 The  Rajah  Zalim  Singh  of  Kotah  sentenced  four  hundred  to  die  in  this 
 manner,  because  the  death  of  his  favourite  wife  was  attributed  to  witchcraft. 
 Through  the  laudable  and  humane  interference  of  the  British  political  agent 
 this  barbarous  custom  has  now,  it  is  said,  ceased  ; and  the  benevolent 
 author  of  the  change  became  so  popular  among  the  old  ladies,  that  it  is  sup- 
 posed he  might  have  married  them  all,  had  he  been  so  disposed. 
 
 * Abstracted  from  the  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society. 
 
306 
 
 THE  ROHILLAS. 
 
 THE  ROHILLAS. 
 
 The  Rohillas  have  long  ceased  to  be  an  independent  power,  their  country 
 having  been,  in  1774,  annexed  to  the  territories  of  the  Vizier  (now  the 
 kingdom)  of  Oude,  by  which  it  was  bounded  on  the  east,  as  it  was  by 
 those  of  the  Mogul  emperor  on  the  west.  In  1801,  Rohilcund  came,  with 
 other  provinces  ceded  by  the  Vizier  to  the  East-India  Company,  under  the 
 dominion  of  Great  Britain. 
 
 The  foundation  of  the  Rohilla  state,  in  the  country  now  known  as  Rohil- 
 cund (formerly  called  Kuthair),  took  place  between  the  years  1720  and 
 1730,  and  had  its  origin  in  two  enterprising  chiefs  of  the  Rohilla  tribes  of 
 Afghanistan,  with  a few  followers,  entering  Hindustan  in  search  of  military 
 employment,  and  engaging  in  the  service  of  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  preda- 
 tory bands  of  northern  Hindustan.  This  chief  assigned  to  them  certain 
 lands  for  the  maintenance  of  themselves  and  followers,  which,  in  a few 
 years,  after  many  adventurous  but  varying  incidents,  they  contrived  to  ex- 
 change, by  the  only  law  which  they  acknowledged — the  sword,  for  the 
 dominions  of  their  former  employer ; who  fell  in  one  of  the  battles  that  he 
 fought  against  those  enterprising  Afghans. 
 
 From  this  inconsiderable  beginning,  the  Rohillas  became  one  of  the  most 
 powerful  and  warlike  states,  as  they  were  unquestionably  one  of  the  bravest 
 tribes  of  India.  They  did  not,  however,  attain  this  pre-eminence  without 
 numerous  desperate  and  sanguinary  conflicts  with  the  neighbouring  powers, 
 attended  with  alternate  victory  and  defeat ; but,  in  every  instance  wherein 
 the  latter  occurred,  either  retrieving  or  rendering  ineffectual  the  evil  fortune 
 of  the  day,  by  unextinguished  bravery  and  uncompromising  resolution. 
 They  were  at  length  subdued,  nominally  by  the  Vizier  of  Oude,  but  in 
 reality  by  British  valour,  in  the  battle  of  Bagga  Nulla.  Whatever  laurels 
 the  handful  of  our  gallant  soldiers  (who  bore  almost  the  whole  brunt  of  the 
 action)  may  have  reaped  on  that  occasion,  the  local  government  of  the  time 
 appears  to  have  gained  little  credit  for  the  political  share  which  it  had  in 
 the  transaction. 
 
THE  ROHILLAS. 
 
 307 
 
 The  religion  of  the  Rohillas  is  Mahomedan  ; and  their  government,  dur- 
 ing their  existence  as  an  independent  state,  might  be  considered  to  have 
 been,  like  that  of  their  original  country  Afghanistan,  feudal.  Braver  men 
 than  the  Rohillas  could  not  be  found,  and  no  power  in  India  could  have  sub- 
 dued them  except  the  English.  Bred  amidst  the  din  of  war  they  believed 
 the  only  honourable  profession  in  life  to  be  that  of  arms,  and  the  noblest 
 right  of  possession  to  be  that  of  the  sword.  Entertaining  these  opinions, 
 it  may  be  readily  imagined  that,  in  having  given  them  full  credit  for  their 
 military  virtues,  little  can  be  said  of  any  other. 
 
 In  the  Asiatic  Journal  of  October  1824,  is  an  extract  of  a letter  which 
 relates  some  anecdotes  illustrative  of  the  Rohilla  war  in  1774,  that  termi- 
 nated in  the  battle  of  Bagga  Nulla,  which  I have  just  mentioned.  They 
 appear  to  have  been  related  by  a gentleman  who  was  an  eye-witness,  fifty 
 years  before,  of  the  events  described. 
 
 In  the  battle  in  question  “ the  Rohillas  were  commanded  by  Hafiz 
 Ramut  Khan,  a gallant  leader,  and  they  bravely  stood  a cannonade  of  several 
 hours,  before  our  infantry  line  moved  forward  and  drove  them  from  their 
 position  and  encampment,  which  we  took  possession  of.  The  enemy  was 
 dispersed  in  every  direction,  and  lost  many  men  in  the  pursuit,  which  the 
 Vizier’s  irregulars  continued  for  many  miles,  destroying  vast  numbers  of  their 
 brave  enemies.  I well  remember  the  tragic  scene  of  the  Vizier’s  visit  to 
 Colonel  Campion,  our  commander  in  the  battle,  who  was  reposing  himself, 
 after  the  fatigues  of  the  day,  in  a tent  in  the  Rohilla  camp.  It  was  reported 
 that  Hafiz  Ramut  was  killed  in- the  action,  and  that  the  Vizier  was  about  to 
 present  his  head  to  the  Colonel.  Curiosity  brought  most  of  the  English 
 Qfficers  to  the  tent,  and  shortly  the  Vizier  dismounted  from  his  elephant, 
 and  one  of  his  followers  produced  the  head  of  poor  Hafiz.  It  was  wrap- 
 ped in  a dirty  cloth  : the  countenance  was  placid  : the  beard,  though  Hafiz 
 was  an  old  man,  was  black.  Some  doubts  as  to  its  being  the  head  of  the 
 chief  were  removed  by  the  lamentations  and  assurances  of  a wounded 
 Rohilla,  who  was  lying  near  the  tent.  There  was  not  an  Englishman  who 
 did  not  lament  the  fate  of  poor  Hafiz.  Not  so  his  implacable  and  ostenta- 
 tious enemy,  who  could  not  conceal  his  joy  at  the  spectacle  exhibiting.” 
 
 2 r 2 
 
308 
 
 THE  ROHILLAS.— THE  ROSHENIAH  SECT. 
 
 After  the  battle  of  Bagga  Nulla,  one  of  the  Rohilla  chiefs,  Fysoolah 
 Khan,  escaped  with  the  remnants  of  his  nation  to  the  mountains  and 
 jungles,  where  he  entrenched  himself,  and  held  out  till  he  negociated  for  a 
 small  independent  territory.  “ After  which  (says  the  writer)  curiosity 
 carried  many  of  us  to  view  the  spot  where  these  wretched  people  had 
 suffered  so  much.  It  was  said  that  two-thirds  of  them  had  died  of  famine 
 and  disease ; and  truly,  the  number  of  graves,  and  the  limbs  and  offal  of 
 dead  cattle  and  horses  which  were  strewed  about,  were  ample  proof  of  the 
 assertion.  It  was  a sight  most  sickening  and  distressing.”  The  English 
 lost  many  officers  by  the  pestiferous  air  of  the  place. 
 
 “ Rohilcund,  when  our  army  entered  it  in  1774,  was  a garden  : in  a few 
 years  after  it  was  rendered  a desert  by  the  Vizier’s  government.”  Since  it 
 has  been  ceded  to  the  English  it  has  become  more  flourishing. 
 
 THE  ROSHENIAH  SECT. 
 
 This  sect  flourished  about  two  centuries  ago  in  Afghanistan  ; and  their 
 doctrines,  although  they  have  been  proscribed,  are  still  cherished  to  a con- 
 siderable extent  in  that  state.  Its  founder  was  Banyezid  Ansauri,  “ who 
 assumed  the  title  of  Rosheniah  or  illuminati ; though  his  enemies  changed 
 his  title  to  Piri  Tawreek  (apostle  of  darkness).  Besides  the  notoriety  he 
 has  acquired  as  the  founder  of  a sect,  he  derives  some  reputation  from 
 another  source,  being  the  first  author  who  employed  in  his  works  the  Afghan 
 or  Pushtoo  language,  in  which  he  displayed  such  elegance  of  style,  as  to 
 extort  the  praise  of  those  writers  who  condemned  most  severely  his  heretical 
 tenets. 
 
 “ Banyezid  was  born  on  the  borders  of  Kandahar,  among  the  Vurmud 
 tribe.  His  father,  named  Abdallah,  was  of  the  class  of  Ulema,  a learned 
 and  religious  man.  In  early  life,  it  appears  that  Banyezid  became  ac- 
 quainted with  a Malhed,  or  member  of  the  heretical  sect,  named  Moullah 
 Soliman,  from  whom  he  is  supposed  to  have  imbibed  his  principles.  On 
 his  return  from  a journey  to  Hindustan,  he  began  to  affect  the  manners  of 
 a solitary  recluse,  retiring  to  a cell  in  the  mountains.  To  such  visitors  as 
 
THE  ROSHENIAH  SECT. 
 
 309 
 
 approached  him,  he  addressed  himself,  saying,  ‘ enter  into  this  recess,  fix 
 your  mind  in  profound  meditation,  and  within  it  you  will  see  God.’  He 
 was  expelled  from  this  station  by  the  Moslems,  and  even  compelled,  by 
 his  own  father,  to  renounce  his  new  creed  ; but  he  soon  after  fled  to  another 
 part  of  the  empire,  and  employed  all  his  wit,  diligence,  and  ingenuity, 
 which  was  great,  iji  practising  upon  the  simplicity  of  the  ignorant  tribes, 
 to  whom  he  represented  himself  as  a Pir,  or  religious  guide  ; and  pretended 
 he  was  expressly  referred  to  in  the  Koran  as  the  teacher  who  should  point 
 out  to  them  the  path  to  God.  Persuasion  and  eloquence  were  at  first  the 
 only  means  used  by  Banyezid  to  win  men  to  his  belief.  But  as  his  sect 
 increased  in  number  and  power,  comprehending  at  one  period  nearly  the 
 whole  of  the  Afghans,  it  assumed  a political  as  well  as  religious  aspect : 
 the  founder  no  sooner  finding  himself  at  the  head  of  a formidable  party, 
 than  he  asserted  his  right  to  convince  by  the  sword  those  who  were  deaf  to 
 his  arguments.  The  times  were  favourable  to  the  innovation,  during  the 
 dark,  turbulent,  and  sanguinary  period  which  preceded  the  accession  of 
 Akbar  to  the  throne  of  India.  The  sect  maintained  its  ground  for  the 
 greater  part  of  a century,  and  flourished,  in  spite  of  the  most  vigorous  ex- 
 ertions to  suppress  it,  from  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Akbar  to  that  of 
 Shahjehan.  The  genius  of  Banyezid,  great  as  it  was,  could  not  withstand 
 the  armies  successively  brought  against  him  : he  died  of  fatigue  and  vexa- 
 tion. After  his  death  the  sect  rallied  under  his  sons,  who  were  at  length 
 crushed,  and  two  black  rocks  in  the  Indus  are  shewn  as  the  transformed 
 bodies  of  two  of  them,  and  are  called  after  their  names  Jelallea  and  Keman- 
 liea,  which  being  situated  near  the  whirlpools  occasioned  by  the  junction 
 of  another  river,  aptly  represent,  according  to  the  orthodox  writers,  the  fate 
 of  heretics,  whose  souls  are  dashed  to  pieces  and  engulphed,  through  belief 
 in  the  doctrines  of  these  wretches,  as  the  vessels  are  destroyed  by  the  rocks 
 into  which  they  have  been  changed. 
 
 Dr.  Leyden  has  extracted  the  following  principles  as  those  which 
 Banyezid  had  been  charged,  by  Akhum  Derwezeh,  with  maintaining  hereti- 
 cally.  They  display  a clear  affinity  to  the  Ismailiyah  heresy  ; and  moreover 
 
310 
 
 THE  ROSHENIAH  SECT.— THE  DHAMIANS. 
 
 shew  that  he  adopted  from  the  Hindus  their  grand  doctrine  of  Metempsy- 
 chosis : — 
 
 “ 1.  God  is  all  in  all ; and  all  existing  objects  are  only  forms  of  deity. 
 
 “2.  The  great  manifestations  of  divinity  are  Pirs,  or  religious  teachers, 
 who  are  forms  of  divinity,  or  rather  the  deity  himself.  In  the  spirit  of  this 
 opinion,  Banyezid  said  to  his  followers,  ‘ I am  your  Pir  and  your  God.’ 
 
 “3.  The  sole  test  of  right  and  wrong  is  obedience  to  the  Pir,  who  is  the 
 representative  of  the  divinity,  or  rather  deity  itself ; and  therefore  right  and 
 wrong  are  not  attributes  of  a Pir ; and  the  greatest  of  all  sins  is  disobe- 
 dience to  the  deity  himself. 
 
 “4.  Those  who  will  not  receive  the  precepts  of  a Pir  are  in  the  situation 
 of  brutes,  that  it  is  in  some  cases  meritorious  to  kill,  and  in  all  cases  lawful ; 
 or  in  that  of  dead  men,  whose  property  naturally  devolves  on  the  living,  and 
 may  therefore  be  legally  taken,  at  pleasure,  by  all  true  believers. 
 
 “ 5.  Human  souls  transmigrate  into  other  bodies,  and  reappear  in  other 
 forms ; and  the  resurrection,  the  day  of  judgment,  paradise  and  hell,  are 
 only  metaphors  to  express  those  mundane  changes. 
 
 “ 6.  The  Koran  and  Hadis  are  not  to  be  interpreted  literally,  or  accord- 
 ing to  the  apparent  sense,  but  according  to  the  mystic,  secret,  or  interior 
 meaning.  The  ordinances  of  the  law  have,  therefore,  a mystical  meaning, 
 and  are  ordained  only  as  the  means  of  acquiring  religious  perfection. 
 
 “7.  This  mystic  sense  of  the  law  is  only  attainable  by  religious  exer- 
 cises, and  the  instructions  of  a Pir  : it  is  the  source  of  religious  perfection  ; 
 which  perfection  being  attained,  the  exterior  ordinances  of  the  law  cease  to 
 be  binding,  and  are  virtually  annulled.”* 
 
 THE  DHAMIANS,  or  the  VAISHTENAIVA  SECT. 
 
 According  to  Captain  Franklin,  the  Dhamians  are  a sect  of  Mahomedan 
 Hindus  (about  1,500  in  number),  principally  inhabiting  Bundelcund,  but 
 partially  spread  over  other  parts  of  India.  The  sect  was  founded  by  an 
 * Abstracted  from  an  article  in  vol.  xiv.  Asiatic  Journal. 
 
THE  DHAMIANS. 
 
 311 
 
 enthusiast  named  Ji  Saheb,  and  its  chief  religious  establishment  is  at 
 Pannah. 
 
 Ji  Saheb  assumed  the  appellation  of  “ Lord  of  Life,”  and  declared  him- 
 self to  be  the  promised  Imam  Mehedi  mentioned  in  the  Koran.  “ His  first 
 attempts  to  set  up  his  new  religion  were  in  the  Punjab,  that  fertile  spot  for 
 religious  innovation.  Afterwards  he  removed  to  Delhi ; and  finally,  to 
 avoid  the  persecution  of  the  Mahomedans,  he  fled  into  Bundelcund,  where 
 he  found  protection  under  the  rising  power  of  Raja  Chatrasal.  None  but 
 converts  to  his  religion  are  allowed  to  read  his  book,  which  is  entitled 
 Kulzam  ; but  having  procured  some  extracts  from  it,  and  other  information 
 concerning  it,  I ascertained  that  his  principal  arguments  for  the  necessity 
 of  this  new  religion  are  founded  on  the  discrepancy  which  exists  between 
 the  practice  of  Mahomedans  and  the  precepts  of  the  Koran ; and  he  pro- 
 fesses to  promulgate  in  his  book  the  remaining  30,000  words  which  Maho- 
 med, on  the  occasion  of  his  miraculous  ascent  into  heaven,  was  told  should 
 be  reserved  for  the  coming  of  Imam  Mehedi.” 
 
 An  article  in  the  Calcutta  Journal  contains  a farther  account  of  this  sect. 
 “ We  proceeded,”  says  the  writer,  “to  the  temple,  a very  respectable 
 edifice,  and  on  complying  with  the  request  of  the  wardens,  or  persons  offi- 
 ciating as  such,  to  leave  our  boots  and  shoes  outside,  we  were  allowed  to 
 enter. 
 
 “ The  object  of  worship  was  the  shrine  of  the  saint,  resembling  somewhat 
 that  of  the  Shikhs  which  I had  seen  at  Guru  Devrah,  on  the  Dhun,  with 
 this  exception,  that  on  the  top  of  the  tomb,  and  equidistant  from  each  end, 
 was  placed  the  figure  of  a human  head.  The  brow  or  frontal  aspect  of  these 
 was  marked  like  the  Vishnaiva  Hindus,  with  three  streaks  uniting  between 
 the  eye-brows,  and  on  the  crown  was  placed  something  like  three  fingers, 
 probably  in  imitation  of  the  streaks  on  the  forehead. 
 
 “ The  persons  being  assembled  for  worship,  the  priests  opened  their 
 sacred  book,  and  chaunted  a few  melodious  hymns.  The  ceremony  was 
 soon  over,  and  their  behaviour  was  very  decorous. 
 
 “ I was  told  by  those  people  that  they  admitted  prbselytes,  both  from 
 the  Mahomedans  and  Hindus,  but  I did  not  inquire  whether  they  admitted 
 
312 
 
 THE  DHAMIANS THE  BAZEEGURS. 
 
 the  lower  castes  of  Hindus.  We  were  told,  not  by  the  Vaishtenaivas,  but  by 
 the  Mahomedans,  that  this  sect  sprung  up  only  about  one  hundred  years 
 ago,  and  that  Ji  Saheb  was  a vizier  to  the  Padshah  of  Delhi.  We  could 
 not  ascertain  the  name  of  the  then  reigning  prince.  It  is  said  that  the 
 Padshah  was  one  day  remarking  to  his  courtiers,  that  it  was  almost  impos- 
 sible by  persuasion  to  convert  the  Hindus  from  their  obstinate  idolatry  and 
 polytheism  to  the  true  faith.  Ji  Saheb  replied,  that  it  was  not  impossible, 
 but  only  required  address  and  conciliating  means  to  effect  their  conversion. 
 
 “ In  consequence,  having  obtained  the  royal  sanction,  he  proceeded  to 
 Bundelcund  with  only  one  disciple,  who,  on  his  arrival  at  Pannah,  pro- 
 claimed that  his  master  could  perform  miracles.  The  person  who  first  went 
 to  him  was  a Brahman,  who  became  desirous  of  getting  his  daughter 
 married,  and  begged  of  the  holy  man  to  procure  him  a hundred  rupees  for 
 this  purpose.  Ji  Saheb  said  that  ‘ he  would  first  consult  God,  and  give 
 him  an  answer  in  two  days  mean  time  he  directed  his  disciple  to  bury  a 
 hundred  rupees  near  a certain  tree  that  he  pointed  out : at  the  appointed 
 time  the  Brahman  waited  on  him,  and  was  desired  to  go  to  the  tree,  and 
 to  dig  to  a certain  depth,  and  find  the  money.  The  Brahman  did  as  he  was 
 desired,  and  finding  the  sum  became  a proselyte. 
 
 “ This  Ji  Saheb  was  perhaps  also  acquainted  with  the  science  of  mi- 
 neralogy, as  it  is  said  that  he  directed  the  Rajah  Chatrasal  to  dig  mines 
 for  twelve  coss  round  Pannah,  assuring  him  he  would  certainly  find  dia- 
 monds, which  would  enrich  him  greatly.  The  Rajah  followed  his  advice, 
 and  on  finding  diamonds  as  had  been  foretold,  he  became  a proselyte  ; and 
 when  the  chief  was  converted,  many  of  his  adherents  and  others  followed 
 his  example.  They  endeavour  to  prove  that  there  is  no  difference  between 
 the  god  of  the  Hindus  and  of  the  Mahomedans,  but  in  the  language.” 
 
 THE  BAZEEGURS  or  NUTS. 
 
 The  Nuts  may  be  considered  as  the  gipsies  of  Hindustan  ; and  a late  in- 
 telligent writer  has,”  with  much  plausibility,  endeavoured  to  trace  from  them 
 the  origin  of  the  gipsies  of  the  west.  They  are  both  wandering  tribes,  and 
 
THE  BAZEEGURS. 
 
 313 
 
 have  each  a language  understood  only  by  themselves : live  principally  by 
 juggling,  fortune-telling  (by  palmistry  and  other  means),  and  are  alike 
 addicted  to  thieving.  The  gipsies  are  governed  by  their  king,  the  Nuts  by 
 their  nardar  bouthah.  They  appear  to  be  equally  indifferent  on  the  sub- 
 ject of  religion,  and  in  no  respect  particular  in  their  food,  or  the  manner  by 
 which  it  is  obtained.  According  to  a list  furnished  by  Captain  Richardson, 
 the  languages  adopted  by  these  people  would  appear  to  possess  a very  strong- 
 affinity  to  each  other. 
 
 “ The  Bazeegurs  are  subdivided  into  seven  castes,  viz.  the  Charee, 
 At'h  b'hycea , Bynsa,  Purbuttee,  Kalkoor,  Dorkinee,  and  Gungwar : but  the 
 difference  seems  only  in  name,  for  they  live  together,  and  intermarry  as  one 
 people  : they  say  they  are  descended  from  four  brothers  of  the  same  family. 
 They  profess  to  be  Mussulmans  ; that  is,  they  undergo  circumcision  ; and 
 at  their  weddings  and  burials  a qasee  and  moullah  attend  to  read  the  ser- 
 vice : thus  far,  and  no  farther,  are  they  Mussulmans.  Of  the  Prophet  they 
 seem  to  have  little  knowledge  ; and  though  in  the  creed,  which  some  of  them 
 can  indistinctly  recollect,  they  repeat  his  titles,  yet,  when  questioned  on 
 the  subject,  they  can  give  no  further  account  of  him,  than  that  he  was  a 
 saint  or  pir.  They  acknowledge  a God,  and  in  all  their  hopes  and  fears 
 address  him,  except  when  such  address  might  be  supposed  to  interfere  in 
 Tansyn’s  department,  a famous  musician,  who  flourished,  I believe,  in  the 
 time  of  Akbar,  and  whom  they  consider  as  their  tutelary  deity ; conse- 
 quently they  look  up  to  him  for  success  and  safety  in  all  their  professional 
 exploits.  These  consist  of  playing  on  various  instruments,  singing,  dancing, 
 tumbling,  &c. 
 
 “ The  two  latter  accomplishments  are  peculiar  to  the  women  of  this  sect. 
 The  notions  of  religion  and  a future  state,  among  this  vagrant  race,  are 
 principally  derived  from  their  songs,  which  are  beautifully  simple.  They 
 are  commonly  the  production  of  Kubier,  a poet  of  great  fame,  and  who,  con- 
 sidering the  nature  of  his  poems,  deserves  to  be  still  better  known.  He  was 
 a weaver  by  trade,  and  flourished  in  the  reign  of  Slier  Shah,  the  Cromwell 
 of  Indian  history.  There  are,  however,  various  and  contradictory  traditions 
 relative  to  our  humble  philosopher,  as  some  accounts  bring  him  down  to  the 
 
 2 s 
 
THE  BAZEEGURS. 
 
 3U 
 
 time  of  Akbar.  All,  however,  agree  as  to  his  being  a Soopee,  or  Deist,  of 
 the  most  exalted  sentiments,  and  of  the  most  unbounded  benevolence.  He 
 reprobated  with  severity  the  religious  intolerance  and  worship  of  both  Hin- 
 dus and  Mussulmans,  in  such  a pleasing  poetic  strain  of  rustic  wit,  humour, 
 and  sound  reasoning,  that  to  this  day  both  nations  contend  for  the  honour 
 of  his  birth  in  their  respective  sects  or  tribes.  He  published  a book  of 
 poems  that  are  still  universally  esteemed,  as  they  inculcate  the  purest  mo- 
 rality, and  the  greatest  good  will  and  hospitality  to  all  the  children  of  man. 
 From  the  disinterested,  yet  alluring  doctrines  they  contain,  a sect  has  sprung 
 up  in  Hindustan  under  the  name  of  Kubeir-punt-hee,  who  are  so  universally 
 esteemed  for  veracity,  and  other  virtues,  among  both  Hindus  and  Mussul- 
 mans, that  they  may  be  with  propriety  considered  the  Quakers*  of  this 
 hemisphere.  They  resemble  that  respectable  body  in  the  neatness  of  their 
 dress  and  simplicity  of  their  manners,  which  are  neither  strictly  Mahomedan 
 nor  Hindu,  being  rather  a mixture  of  the  best  parts  of  both. 
 
 “ The  Bazeegurs  conceive  that  one  spirit  pervades  all  nature;  and  that 
 their  soul,  being  a particle  of  that  universal  spirit,  will  of  course  rejoin  it 
 when  released  from  its  corporeal  shackles.  At  all  their  feasts,  which  are 
 as  frequent  as  the  means  will  admit,  men,  women,  and  children  drink  to 
 excess.  Liquor  with  them  is  the  very  summurn  bonum  of  life  : every  crime 
 may  be  expiated  by  plentiful  libations  of  strong  drink. 
 
 “ Though  professing  Islamism , they  employ  a Brahman,  who  is  supposed 
 to  be  an  adept  in  astrology,  to  fix  upon  a name  for  their  children,  whom  they 
 permit  to  remain  at  the  breast  till  five  or  six  years  of  age.  It  is  no  uncom- 
 mon thing  to  see  four  or  five  miserable  infants  clinging  round  their  mother, 
 and  struggling  for  their  scanty  portion  of  nourishment,  the  whole  of  which, 
 if  we  might  judge  from  the  appearance  of  the  woman,  would  hardly  suffice 
 for  one.  This  practice,  with  the  violent  exercises  which  they  are  taught 
 in  their  youth,  and  the  excessive  and  habitual  indulgence  in  drinking  in- 
 toxicating liquors,  must  greatly  curtail  the  lives  of  these  wretched  females. 
 Their  marriages  are  generally  deferred  to  a later  period  than  is  usual  in  this 
 
 * 
 
 Query  the  Sauds,  described  in  page  241  and  following  pages. 
 
THE  BAZEEGURS. 
 
 315 
 
 climate,  in  consequence  of  a daughter  being  considered  as  productive  pro- 
 perty to  the  parents  by  her  professional  abilities.  The  girls,  who  are  merely 
 taught  to  dance  and  sing,  like  the  common  Nach  or  Nautch  girls  of  Hin- 
 dustan, have  no  restrictions  on  their  moral  conduct  as  females ; but  the 
 chastity  of  those  damsels  whose  peculiar  department  is  tumbling  is  strictly 
 enjoined,  until  their  stations  can  be  supplied  by  younger  ones,  trained  up 
 in  the  same  line.  When  this  event  takes  place,  the  older  performers  are 
 then  permitted  to  join  the  mere  dancers,  from  among  whom  the  men, 
 though  aware  of  their  incontinence,  make  no  difficulty  of  selecting  a wife. 
 After  the  matrimonial  ceremony  is  over,  they  no  longer  exhibit  as  public 
 dancers.  A total  change  of  conduct  is  now  looked  for,  and  generally,  I 
 believe,  ensues.  To  reconcile  this  in  some  manner  to  our  belief,  it  may  be 
 necessary  to  mention  that,  contrary  to  the  prevailing  practice  in  India,  the 
 lady  is  allowed  the  privilege  of  judging  for  herself;  nor  are  any  prepara- 
 tions for  the  marriage  thought  of  till  her  assent  has  been  given,  in  cases 
 where  no  previous  choice  has  been  made. 
 
 “ There  are,  in  and  about  the  environs  of  Calcutta,  five  sets  of  these 
 people,  each  consisting  of  from  twenty  to  thirty,  exclusive  of  children. 
 There  is  a surdur  to  each  set,  one  of  whom  is  considered  as  the  chief,  or 
 nardar  boutah,  at  this  station.  The  people  of  each  set  are,  like  our  actors, 
 hired  by  the  surdur,  or  manager  of  a company,  for  a certain  period,  gene- 
 rally one  year ; after  which  they  are  at  liberty  to  join  any  other  party. 
 No  person  can  establish  a set  without  the  sanction  of  the  nardar  boutah, 
 who,  I believe,  receives  a choul  (tribute  or  small  portion)  of  the  profits,  be- 
 sides a tax  of  two  rupees,  which  is  levied  on  the  girls  of  each  set,  as  often 
 as  they  may  have  attracted  the  notice  of  persons  not  of  their  own  caste. 
 This,  from  their  mode  of  life,  must  be  a tolerably  productive  duty.  When 
 the  parties  return  from  their  excursions,  this  money  is  paid  to  the  nardar 
 boutah,  who  convenes  his  people,  and  they  continue  eating  and  drinking 
 till  the  whole  is  expended.  When  any  of  the  surdurs  are  suspected  of 
 giving  in  an  unfair  statement  of  their  profits,  a puncha’et  is  assembled,  be- 
 fore whom  the  supposed  culprit  is  ordered  to  undergo  a fiery  ordeal,  by 
 applying  his  tongue  to  a piece  of  red-hot  iron  : if  it  burns  him,  he  is  de- 
 
 2 s 2 
 
316 
 
 THE  RAZEEGURS.— THE  PARSEES. 
 
 dared  guilty.  A fine,  always  consisting  of  liquor,  is  imposed.  If  the 
 liquor  be  not  immediately  produced,  the  delinquent  is  banished  from  their 
 society,  hooted  and  execrated  wherever  he  comes : his  very  wife  and 
 children  avoid  him.  Thus  oppressed,  he  soon  becomes  a suppliant  to  the 
 nardar  boutah.  Some  of  the  women  of  the  Bazeegurs  are,  I have  heard, 
 extremely  handsome,  and  esteemed  as  courtezans  in  the  east  accordingly  ; 
 though  I must  confess  I have  not  seen  any  who,  in  my  opinion,  came 
 under  that  description  as  to  personal  charms.”* 
 
 THE  PARSEES  or  FIRE  WORSHIPPERS. 
 
 “ When  the  emigration  of  the  Persians  took  place  in  the  seventh  century, 
 soon  after  the  conquest  of  their  country  by  the  Mahomedans,  a number  of 
 these  people  found  their  way  to  India,  and  landing  on  the  western  coast, 
 near  Danoo  and  Cape  Sejan,  commonly  called  St.  John’s,  were  admitted 
 by  the  Hindu  rajah  to  settle  in  the  adjacent  country,  and  particularly  at 
 the  village  of  Oodwara,  which  is  still  the  chief  residence  of  their  priests, 
 and  the  depository  of  the  sacred  fire  brought  by  them  from  Persia.  These 
 people  have  now  increased  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  families, 
 dispersed  in  the  cities  and  villages  on  the  coast  of  western  India,  from  Diu 
 to  Bombay,  of  which  about  six  thousand  reside  in  Bombay;  which,  reckon- 
 ing four  to  a family,  makes  the  Parsee  population  of  Bombay  about  twenty- 
 four  thousand.  Cultivating  only  the  arts  of  peace,  they  may  be  said  to  be 
 a distinct  race  from  their  ancestors ; and  though  they  have  been  settled 
 for  more  than  a thousand  years,  yet  have  hitherto  refrained  from  inter- 
 meddling with  politics  ; consequently  they  are  the  best  of  subjects,  and 
 demean  themselves  so  as  to  give  the  governments  under  which  they  reside 
 the  utmost  satisfaction. 
 
 “ The  opulent  among  them  are  merchants,  brokers,  ship-owners,  and 
 extensive  land-holders.  The  lower  orders  are  shop-keepers,  and  follow 
 most  of  the  mechanic  arts,  except  those  connected  with  fire : thus  there 
 are  neither  silversmiths,  nor  any  workers  of  the  metals  among  them ; nor 
 
 * Asiatic  Researches,  vol.  vii. 
 
THE  PARSEES. 
 
 317 
 
 are  there  any  soldiers,  the  use  of  fire-arms  being  abhorrent  to  their  principles ; 
 nor  are  there  any  sailors.  Their  charities  are  munificent  and  unbounded, 
 relieving  the  poor  and  distressed  of  all  tribes,  and  maintaining  their  own 
 poor  in  so  liberal  a manner  that  a Parsee  beggar  is  no  where  seen  nor 
 heard  of. 
 
 “ Anxious  to  know  every  thing  respecting  the  religion  of  their  ancestors, 
 the  opulent  Parsees  of  Bombay  and  Surat  have  from  time  to  time  sent 
 persons  into  Persia  to  collect  books  and  notices  respecting  it ; and  have 
 also  invited  many  of  the  sect  from  Persia,  some  few  of  whom  reside  occa- 
 sionally in  Bombay. 
 
 “ The  Parsee  population  is  divided  into  clergy  and  laity  (Mobed  and 
 Bedeen).  The  clergy  and  their  descendants  are  very  numerous,  and  are 
 distinguished  from  the  laity  by  wearing  of  white  turbans  ; but  they  follow 
 all  kinds  of  occupations,  except  those  who  are  particularly  selected  for  the 
 service  of  the  churches,  though  they  have  no  distinction  of  castes.  A recent 
 innovation,  respecting  the  commencement  of  their  new  year,  has  formed 
 them  into  two  tribes,  one  celebrating  the  festival  of  the  new  year  a month 
 before  the  other,  which  causes  their  religious  ceremonies  and  holidays  to 
 fall  also  on  different  days. 
 
 Those  who  adopted  the  new  era  (in  compliance,  I believe,  withMolna 
 Firaun,  the  high  priest  of  Bombay,  who  has  himself  been  in  Persia),  are 
 styled  Kudmee,  and  jocularly  Chureegurs,  i.  e.  bangle- makers,  workers  in 
 ivory,  and  other  materials  for  women’s  ornaments ; the  tribe  of  Chureegurs 
 being  amongst  the  foremost  of  those  who  adopted  the  new  computation. 
 Those  who  still  adhere  to  the  old  method  are  stiled  Rusmee  and  Shersi,  and 
 still  form  the  bulk  of  the  population. 
 
 Some  of  their  ancient  ceremonies  have,  however,  been  preserved  invio- 
 late ; and  particularly  those  concerning  the  rites  of  sepulture.  No  person 
 of  a different  sect  is  allowed  to  approach,  or  any  stranger  allowed  to  witness 
 the  obsequies  ; but  it  does  not  appear  that  the  bodies  should  be  exposed  to 
 any  thing  but  the  elements. 
 
 “ They  have  a few  plain  and  unornamented  churches,  where  they  assemble 
 
318 
 
 THE  PARSERS.— THE  GARROWS. 
 
 for  the  purpose  of  prayer;  they  are  crowded  everyday  by  the  clergy,  but 
 the  laity  only  attend  on  certain  days. 
 
 “ It  has  been  already  said  that  there  are  no  sailors  amongst  them  ; but 
 the  Persians  were  never  a maritime  nation : they  possess,  however,  no 
 abhorrence  to  a sea  life,  for  many  of  them  embark  as  traders,  on  the  most 
 distant  and  perilous  voyages,  and  take  part  in  all  shipping  speculations,  and 
 are  bold  and  enterprizing  merchants.  Though  they  follow  not  the  pro- 
 fession of  arms,  yet  they  have  no  hesitation  in  following  the  armies 
 into  the  field  in  quality  of  sutlers,  shop-keepers,  and  servants  to  the 
 officers.”* 
 
 THE  GARROWS. 
 
 The  Garrows  are  a tribe  of  hillmen  inhabiting  a mountainous  country 
 called  the  Garrow  Hills,  which  bound  the  north-eastern  parts  of  Bengal. 
 They  differ  in  many  respects  from  the  tribes  of  hillmen  mentioned  in  other 
 pages  of  this  work. 
 
 “ The  Garrows  are  called  by  the  villagers  and  upper  hill  people,  Counch 
 Garrows;  though  they  themselves,  if  you  ask  them  of  what  caste  they  are, 
 will  answer,  Garrows,  and  not  give  themselves  any  appellation  of  caste, 
 though  there  are  many  castes  of  Garrows.  A Garrow  is  a stout,  well-shaped 
 man ; hardy,  and  able  to  do  much  work  ; of  a surly  look ; flat  cafre-like 
 nose  ; small  eyes,  generally  blue  or  brown  ; forehead  wrinkled,  and  over- 
 hanging eye-brow ; with  large  mouth,  thick  lips,  and  face  round  and  short : 
 their  colour  is  of  a light  or  deep  brown.  The  women  are  the  ugliest  crea- 
 tures I ever  beheld,  short  and  squat  in  their  stature,  with  masculine  faces ; 
 in  the  features  they  differ  little  from  the  men. 
 
 “ The  dress  of  these  people  correspond  with  their  persons.  They  eat  all 
 manner  of  food,  even  dogs,  frogs,  snakes,  and  the  blood  of  all  animals. 
 The  last  is  baked  over  a slow  fire,  in  hollow  green  bamboos,  till  it  becomes 
 of  a nasty  dirty  green  colour.  They  are  fond  of  drinking  to  an  excess. 
 
 * Asiatic  Journal. 
 
THE  GARROWS. 
 
 319 
 
 Liquor  is  put  into  the  mouths  of  infants  almost  as  soon  as  they  are  able  to 
 swallow. 
 
 “ Their  surly  looks  seem  to  indicate  ill  temper ; but  this  is  far  from 
 being  the  case,  as  they  are  of  a mild  disposition.  They  are  moreover  honest 
 in  their  dealings,  and  sure  to  perform  what  they  promise.  When  in  liquor 
 they  are  merry  to  the  highest  pitch : then  men,  women,  and  children  will 
 dance  till  they  can  scarcely  stand.  Their  manner  of  dancing  is  as  follows  : 
 twenty  or  thirty  men  of  a row  standing  behind  one  another,  hold  each  other 
 by  the  sides  of  their  belts,  and  then  go  round  in  a circle,  hopping  on  one 
 foot  then  on  the  other,  singing  and  keeping  time  with  their  music,  which  is 
 animating  though  harsh  and  inharmonious,  consisting  chiefly  of  tomtoms 
 and  brass  pans;  the  first  generally  beaten  by  the  old  people,  and  the  last  by 
 the  children.  The  women  dance  in  rows,  and  hop  in  the  same  manner,  but 
 hold  their  hands  out,  lowering  one  hand  and  raising  the  other,  at  the  same 
 time,  as  the  music  beats,  and  occasionally  turning  round  with  great  rapidity. 
 The  men  also  exhibit  military  exercises  with  the  sword  and  shield,  which 
 they  use  with  grace  and  great  activity  Their  dancing  at  their  festivals 
 lasts  two  or  three  days,  during  which  time  they  drink  and  feast  to  an  ex- 
 cess, insomuch  that  it  requires  a day  or  two  afterwards  to  make  them  per- 
 fectly sober  again ; yet  during  this  fit  of  festivity  and  drunkenness  they 
 never  quarrel. 
 
 “ Marriage  is  in  general  settled  amongst  the  parties  themselves,  though 
 sometimes  by  their  parents.  If  it  has  been  settled  by  the  parties  them- 
 selves, and  the  parents  of  either  refuse  their  assent,  the  friends  of  the  oppo- 
 site party,  and  even  others  unconnected,  go  and  by  force  compel  the  dis- 
 senters to  comply ; it  being  a rule  among  the  Garrows  to  assist  those  that 
 want  their  help  on  these  occasions,  let  the  disparity  of  age  or  rank  be  ever 
 so  great.  If  the  parents  do  not  accede  to  the  wish  of  their  child,  they  are 
 well  beaten  till  they  acquiesce  in  the  marriage. 
 
 “ The  dead  are  kept  for  four  days  ; burnt  on  a pile  of  wood  in  a dingy, 
 or  small  boat,  placed  on  the  top  of  the  pile ; and  the  ashes  are  put  into  a 
 hole,  dug  exactly  where  the  fire  was,  covered  with  a small  thatch  building, 
 and  surrounded  with  a railing.  A lamp  is  burnt  within  the  building  every 
 
320 
 
 THE  GARROWS. 
 
 night  for  the  space  of  a month  or  more.  They  burn  their  dead  within  six 
 or  eight  yards  of  their  chaungs,  and  the  ceremony  is  performed  exactly  at 
 twelve  o’clock  at  night ; the  pile  is  lighted  by  the  nearest  relation  : after 
 this  they  feast,  make  merry,  dance  and  sing,  and  get  drunk.  This  is  how- 
 ever the  ceremony  of  a common  Garrow.  If  it  be  a person  of  rank,  the 
 pile  is  decorated  with  cloth  and  flowers,  and  a bullock  sacrificed  on  the 
 occasion,  and  the  head  of  the  bullock  is  also  burnt  with  the  corpse.  If  it 
 be  an  upper-hill  Booneah,  of  common  rank,  the  head  of  one  of  his  slaves 
 would  be  cut  off  and  burnt  with  him.  And  if  it  happen  to  be  one  of  the 
 first  rank  Booneahs,  a large  body  of  his  slaves  sally  out  of  the  hills,  and 
 seize  a Hindu,  whose  head  they  cut  off,  and  burn  with  their  chief.  The 
 railed  graves  of  Booneahs  are  decorated  with  images  of  animals  placed 
 near  the  graves,  and  the  railing  is  often  ornamented  with  fresh  flowers. 
 
 “ Their  religion  appears  to  approximate  to  that  of  the  Hindus:  they 
 worship  Mahadeva;  and  at  Baunjaur,  a pass  in  the  hills,  they  worship  the 
 sun  and  moon.  To  ascertain  which  of  the  two  they  are  to  worship  upon 
 any  particular  occasion,  their  priest  takes  a cup  of  water,  and  some  wheat : 
 first  calling  the  name  of  the  sun,  he  drops  a grain  into  the  water  ; if  it  sinks, 
 they  are  then  to  worship  the  sun  ; should  it  riot  sink,  they  then  would  drop 
 another  grain  in  the  name  of  the  moon,  and  so  on  till  one  of  the  grains  sink. 
 All  religious  ceremonies  are  preceded  by  a sacrifice  to  their  god,  of  a bull, 
 goat,  hog,  cock,  or  dog.  In  case  of  illness  they  offer  up  a sacrifice  in  pro- 
 portion to  the  supposed  fatality  of  the  distemper  with  which  they  are 
 afflicted ; as  they  imagine  medicine  will  have  no  effect,  unless  the  deity 
 interfere  in  their  favour,  and  that  a sacrifice  is  requisite  to  procure  such 
 interposition. 
 
 “ Their  mode  of  swearing  at  Ghosegong  is  very  solemn  : the  oath  is  taken 
 upon  a stone,  which  they  first  salute ; then,  with  their  hands  joined  and 
 uplifted,  their  eyes  steadfastly  fixed  to  the  hills,  they  call  on  Mahadeva  in 
 the  most  solemn  manner,  telling  him  to  witness  what  they  declare,  and  that 
 he  knows  whether  they  speak  true  or  false.  They  then  again  touch  the 
 stone  with  all  the  appearance  of  the  utmost  fear,  and  bow  their  heads  to  it 
 calling  again  upon  Mahadeva.  They  also,  during  their  relation,  look  sted- 
 
THE  GAR  ROWS — THE  ROOKIES. 
 
 321 
 
 fastly  to  the  hills,  and  keep  their  right  hand  on  the  stone.  When  the  first 
 person  swore  before  me,  the  awe  and  reverence  with  which  the  man  swore 
 forcibly  struck  me  ; my  Moherrir  could  hardly  write,  so  much  was  he  affected 
 by  the  solemnity.  I understand  their  general  belief  to  be,  that  their  god 
 resides  in  the  hills ; and  though  this  belief  may  seem  inconsistent  with  an 
 awful  idea  of  the  divinity,  these  people  appeared  to  stand  in  the  utmost  awe 
 of  their  deity,  from  their  fear  of  his  punishing  them  for  any  misconduct  in 
 their  frequent  excursions  to  the  hills.  Charms  and  spells  are  common 
 among  the  Garrows.  The  tiger's  nose,  strung  round  a woman's  neck,  is 
 considered  as  a great  preservative  in  child-birth ; they  aver  it  keeps  off 
 giddiness,  and  other  disorders  consequent  on  this  event. 
 
 “ Among  the  Garrows  a madness  exists  which  they  call  transformation 
 into  a tiger,  from  the  person  who  is  afflicted  with  this  malady  walking 
 about  like  that  animal,  shunning  all  society.  It  is  said  that  on  their  being 
 first  seized  with  this  complaint  they  tear  their  hair,  and  rings  from  their 
 ears,  with  such  force  as  to  break  the  lobe.  It  is  supposed  to  be  occasioned 
 by  a medicine  applied  to  the  forehead  : but  I endeavoured  to  procure  some 
 of  the  medicine  thus  used,  without  effect : I imagine  it  rather  to  be  created 
 by  frequent  intoxications,  as  the  malady  goes  off  in  the  course  of  a week  or  a 
 fortnight.  During  the  time  the  person  is  in  this  state,  it  is  with  the  utmost 
 difficulty  he  is  made  to  eat  or  drink."* 
 
 THE  ROOKIES,  CUCIS,  or  LUNCTAS. 
 
 The  Kookies  are  a race  of  people  that  live  among  the  mountains  to  the 
 north-east  of  the  Chittagong  province. 
 
 They  are  the  least  civilized  of  any  of  the  people  we  as  yet  know  among 
 these  mountains  : like  all  other  mountaineers,  they  are  of  an  active,  mus- 
 cular make,  but  not  tall. 
 
 “ The  tradition  of  the  Kookies  respecting  their  origin  is,  that  they,  and 
 the  Mugs,  are  the  offspring  of  the  same  progenitor,  who  had  two  sons  by 
 different  mothers.  The  Mugs,  they  say,  are  the  descendants  of  the  eldest, 
 
 * Asiatic  Researches. 
 2 T 
 
322 
 
 THE  KOOKIES. 
 
 and  the  Kookies  of  the  youngest  son.  The  mother  of  the  youngest  having 
 died  during  his  infancy,  he  was  neglected  by  his  step-mother,  who,  while 
 she  clothed  her  own  son,  allowed  him  to  go  naked:  and  this  partial  dis- 
 tinction being  still  observed  as  he  grew  up,  he  went  by  the  name  of  Luncta, 
 or  the  naked.  Upon  the  death  of  their  mother  a quarrel  arose  between  the 
 brothers,  which  induced  the  Luncta  to  betake  himself  to  the  hills,  and 
 there  pass  the  remainder  of  his  days.  His  descendants  have  continued 
 there  ever  since,  and  still  go  by  the  name  of  Lunctas. 
 
 “ The  Kookies  are  all  hunters  and  warriors,  and  are  divided  into  a num- 
 ber of  distinct  tribes,  totally  independent  of  each  other.  The  rajahships 
 are  hereditary  ; and  the  rajahs,  by  way  of  distinction,  wear  a small  slip  of 
 black  cloth  round  their  loins  ; and,  as  a farther  mark  of  superior  rank,  they 
 have  their  hair  brought  forward  and  tied  in  a bunch,  so  as  to  overshade  the 
 forehead,  while  the  rest  of  the  Kookies  have  their’s  hanging  loose  over  the 
 shoulders. 
 
 “ The  Kookies  are  armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  spears,  clubs,  and  dars, 
 an  instrument  in  common  use  among  the  natives  of  this  province  as  a hand- 
 hatchet,  and  exactly  resembling  the  knife  of  the  Nyars  on  the  Malabar 
 coast,  which  is  a most  destructive  weapon  in  close  combat.  They  also 
 wear  round  their  necks  large  strings  of  a particular  kind  of  shell  found  in 
 their  hills : about  their  loins,  and  on  their  thighs,  immediately  above  the 
 knee,  they  tie  large  bunches  of  long  goat’s  hair,  of  a red  colour ; and  on 
 their  arms  they  have  broad  rings  of  ivory,  in  order  to  make  them  appear  the 
 more  terrific  to  their  enemies. 
 
 “ The  Kookies  choose  the  steepest  and  most  inaccessible  hills  to  build 
 their  villages  upon,  which,  from  being  thus  situated,  are  called  parahs,  or, 
 in  the  Kookie  language,  k'hooah.  They  construct  their  houses  after  the 
 manner  of  the  Choomeeas  and  Mugs,  that  is,  on  platforms  or  stages  of  bam- 
 boo, raised  about  six  feet  from  the  ground,  and  enter  them  by  ladders,  or 
 more  frequently  by  a single  stick,  with  notches  cut  in  it  to  receive  the  foot : 
 underneath  the  stages  they  keep  their  domestic  animals. 
 
 “ They  always  endeavour  to  surprise  their  enemy,  in  preference  to  en- 
 gaging them  in  open  combat,  however  confident  of  superiority  they  may 
 
THE  KOOKIES. 
 
 3C23 
 
 be.  With  that  view,  when  on  any  hostile  excursion,  they  never  kindle  a 
 fire,  but  carry  with  them  a sufficiency  of  ready- dressed  provisions  to  serve 
 during  the  probable  term  of  their  absence ; they  march  in  the  night,  pro- 
 ceeding with  the  greatest  expedition,  and  observing  the  most  profound 
 silence  : when  day  overtakes  them  they  halt,  and  lie  concealed  in  a kind  of 
 hammock,  which  they  fasten  among  the  branches  of  the  loftiest  trees,  so 
 that  they  cannot  be  perceived  by  any  person  passing  underneath.  From 
 this  circumstance  of  ambuscade,  the  idea  has  originated  of  their  living  in 
 trees  instead  of  houses.  When  they  have  in  this  manner  approached  their 
 enemy  unperceived,  they  generally  make  their  attack  about  the  dawn,  and 
 commence  it  with  a great  shout,  and  striking  of  their  spears  against  their 
 shields.  If  they  are  successful  in  their  onset,  they  seldom  spare  either  age 
 or  sex. 
 
 “ The  heads  of  the  slain  they  carry  in  great  triumph  to  their  par  ah, 
 where  the  warriors  are  met  on  their  arrival  by  men,  women,  and  children 
 with  much  rejoicing ; and  they  have  the  peculiar  privilege  of  killing  any 
 animal  in  the  place  they  may  choose  (not  excepting  the  chief  s),  to  be  given 
 as  a feast  in  celebration  of  their  victory ; but  should  the  party  have  been 
 unsuccessful,  instead  of  being  thus  met  with  every  demonstration  of  joy, 
 and  led  into  the  parah  amidst  the  exultations  of  its  friends,  it  enters  in  the 
 greatest  silence,  and  as  privately  as  possible ; and  all  the  warriors  com- 
 posing it  remain  in  disgrace  until  such  time  as  they  retrieve  their  charac- 
 ters, either  jointly  or  individually,  by  some  act  of  valour. 
 
 “ Next  to  personal  valour,  the  accomplishment  most  esteemed  in  a war- 
 rior is  superior  address  in  stealing ; and  if  a thief  can  convey,  undiscovered, 
 to  his  own  house,  his  neighbour's  property,  it  cannot  afterwards  be  claimed  : 
 nor,  if  detected  in  the  act,  is  he  otherwise  punished,  than  by  exposure  to 
 the  ridicule  of  the  parah,  and  by  being  obliged  to  restore  what  he  may  have 
 laid  hold  of. 
 
 “ The  Kookies,  like  all  savage  people,  are  of  a most  vindictive  disposition ; 
 blood  must  always  be  shed  for  blood.  If  a tiger  even  kills  any  of  them 
 near  a parah,  the  whole  tribe  is  up  in  arms,  and  goes  in  pursuit  of  the 
 
 2 t 2 
 
324 
 
 THE  ROOKIES. 
 
 animal ; when,  if  he  is  killed,  the  family  of  the  deceased  give  a feast  of  his 
 flesh,  in  revenge  of  his  having  killed  their  relation. 
 
 “ The  Kookies  have  but  one  wife : they  may,  however,  keep  as  many 
 concubines  as  they  please.  Adultery  may  be  punished  with  instant  death 
 by  either  of  the  injured  parties,  if  the  guilty  are  caught  by  them  in  the  fact ; 
 it  may  otherwise  be  compromised  by  a fine  of  gyals,  as  the  chief  may  deter- 
 mine. The  frailty  of  a concubine  is  always  compromised  in  this  way,  with- 
 out disgrace  to  the  parties.  Fornication  is  punished  in  no  other  manner 
 than  by  obliging  the  parties  to  marry,  unless  the  man  may  have  used  vio- 
 lence, in  which  case  he  is  punished,  generally  with  death,  either  by  the 
 chief,  or  by  the  relations  of  the  injured  female.  Marriage  is  never  consum- 
 mated among  them  before  the  age  of  puberty.  When  a young  man  has 
 fixed  his  affections  upon  a young  woman,  either  of  his  own  or  of  some 
 neighbouring  parah,  his  father  visits  her  father,  and  demands  her  in  mar- 
 riage for  his  son.  Her  father  on  this  inquires  what  are  the  merits  of  the 
 young  man  to  entitle  him  to  her  favour,  and  how  many  he  can  afford  to 
 entertain  at  the  wedding  feast ; to  which  the  father  of  the  young  man  re- 
 plies, that  his  son  is  a brave  warrior,  a good  hunter,  and  an  expert  thief;  for 
 that  he  can  produce  so  many  heads  of  the  enemies  he  has  slain,  and  of  the 
 game  he  has  killed ; that  in  his  house  are  such  and  such  stolen  goods,  and 
 that  he  can  feast  so  many  (mentioning  the  number)  at  his  marriage. 
 
 “ When  any  person  dies  in  a parah,  the  corpse  is  conveyed  to  the  rela- 
 tions of  the  deceased  and  deposited  under  a shed  erected  for  the  purpose  at 
 some  distance  from  the  dwelling-house.  While  it  remains  there  it  is  care- 
 fully guarded,  day  and  night,  from  the  depredations  of  dogs  and  birds  by 
 some  one  of  the  family ; and  a regular  supply  of  food  and  drink  is  daily 
 brought  and  laid  before  it.  Should  more  than  one  casualty  occur  in  a 
 family,  the  same  ceremony  is  observed  with  respect  to  each  corpse  ; and  at 
 whatever  time  of  the  year  persons  may  happen  to  die  in  the  parah,  all  the 
 bodies  must  be  kept  in  this  manner  until  the  11th  of  April,  called  by  the 
 Bengalees  Beessoo.  On  that  day  all  the  relations  of  the  deceased  assemble 
 and  convey  their  remains  from  the  sheds  to  different  funeral  piles  prepared 
 
THE  ROOKIES. 
 
 325 
 
 for  them  on  a particular  spot  without  the  parah,  where  they  are  burnt ; as 
 are  also  the  several  sheds  under  which  the  bodies  had  lain  from  the  period 
 of  their  decease. 
 
 “ The  Kookies  have  an  idea  of  a future  state,  where  they  are  rewarded 
 or  punished  according  to  their  merits  in  this  world.  They  conceive  that 
 nothing  is  more  pleasing  to  the  deity,  or  more  certainly  ensures  future  hap- 
 piness, than  destroying  a number  of  their  enemies.  The  Supreme  Being 
 they  conceive  to  be  omnipotent,  and  the  creator  of  the  world  and  all  that 
 it  contains.  The  term  in  their  language  for  the  Supreme  Being  is  Khogein 
 Pootteeang.  They  also  worship  an  inferior  deity,  under  the  name  of 
 Sheem  Sauk,  to  whom  they  address  their  prayers,  as  a mediator  with  the 
 Supreme  Being,  and  as  more  immediately  interested  in  the  concerns  of  in- 
 dividuals. To  the  Supreme  Being  they  offer  in  sacrifice  a gyal,  as  being 
 their  most  valued  animal ; while  to  Sheem  Sauk  they  sacrifice  a goat  only. 
 In  every  parah  they  have  a rudely  formed  figure  of  wood,  of  the  human 
 shape,  representing  Sheem  Sauk  ; it  is  generally  placed  under  a tree,  and 
 to  it  they  offer  up  their  prayers  before  they  set  out  on  any  excursion  or  en- 
 terprise, as  the  deity  that  controls  and  directs  their  actions  and  destiny. 
 Whenever,  therefore,  they  return  successful,  whether  from  the  chase  or  the 
 attack  of  an  enemy,  they  religiously  place  before  Sheem  Sauk  all  the  heads 
 of  the  slain,  or  of  their  game  killed,  as  expressive  of  their  devotion,  and  to 
 record  their  exploits.  Each  warrior  has  his  own  particular  pile  of  heads, 
 and  according  to  the  number  it  consists  of,  his  character  as  a hunter  and 
 warrior  is  established  in  the  tribe.  These  piles  are  sacred,  and  no  man 
 dares  attempt  to  filch  away  his  neighbour’s  fame,  by  stealing  from  them  to 
 add  to  his  own.  They  likewise  worship  the  moon,  as  conceiving  it  to  in- 
 fluence their  fortunes  in  some  degree.  And  in  every  house  there  is  a par- 
 ticular post  consecrated  to  the  deity,  before  which  they  always  place  a 
 certain  portion  of  whatever  food  they  are  about  to  eat. 
 
 “ In  the  month  of  January  they  have  a solemn  sacrifice  and  festival  in 
 honour  of  the  deity,  when  the  inhabitants  of  several  neighbouring  parahs 
 (if  on  friendly  terms)  often  unite,  and  kill  gyals  and  all  kinds  of  animals, 
 on  which  they  feast,  and  dance  and  drink  together  for  several  days.  They 
 
326 
 
 THE  SINTIPHOS.— THE  KIAYNS. 
 
 have  no  professed  ministers  of  religion,  but  each  adores  the  deity  in  such 
 manner  as  he  thinks  proper.  They  have  no  emblem,  as  of  Sheem  Sauk,  to 
 represent  the  Supreme  Being.”  * 
 
 THE  SINTIPHOS. 
 
 These  people  inhabit  the  eastern  districts  of  Asam.  According  to  their 
 own  traditions  “ they  descended  from  heaven ; but  the  plain  truth  seems  to 
 be,  that  about  four  or  five  centuries  ago  they  migrated  from  a mountainous 
 region  on  the  borders  of  China,  gradually  advanced  to  the  mountains 
 skirting  Asam,  and  within  the  last  forty  years  established  themselves  on  the 
 low  lands  which  they  at  present  occupy.  They  have  little  system  of  law  or 
 government,  except  being  divided  into  tribes  under  different  petty  chiefs  or 
 gaums,  equal  in  rank  and  authority.  Their  religion  is  that  of  Buddha,  but 
 intermixed  with  a variety  of  superstitious  practices,  the  relics,  probably,  of 
 their  original  creed.  They  offer  a sort  of  worship  to  the  spirits  of  those  who 
 die  in  battle,  and  to  the  elements  and  clouds.  The  Sintiphos  confine  them- 
 selves chiefly  to  the  practice  of  arms,  and  leave  domestic  occupations  and 
 the  cultivation  of  the  soil  to  their  Asamese  slaves,  of  whom  they  annually 
 capture  great  numbers,  to  the  gradual  depopulation  of  the  country.”'!' 
 
 The  Asamese,  in  like  manner,  make  pretensions  to  a celestial  origin, 
 affirming  that  two  brothers,  Khunlong  and  Khunlai,  descended  from  heaven 
 by  an  iron  ladder,  and  founded  the  present  race  of  inhabitants  of  Asam. 
 This  tradition  has,  no  doubt,  the  same  foundation  as  the  foregoing. 
 
 THE  KIAYNS. 
 
 The  Kiayns  of  Arracan  inhabit  the  mountains  of  Youmah,  which  separate 
 this  country  from  Ava.  These  people  upon  the  skirts  of  the  mountains  are 
 subject  to  the  Burmans  ; but,  in  the  less  accessible  districts,  have  preserved 
 their  independence.  According  to  their  own  traditions,  they  are  the 
 
 * Asiatic  Researches. 
 
 f Calcutta  Government  Gazette. 
 
THE  KIAYNS. 
 
 327 
 
 aboriginal  inhabitants  of  the  Burma  country,  and  were  expelled  by  the 
 present  race,  who  were  of  a Tartar  stock.  They  differ  very  widely  in  their 
 habits  and  appearance  from  the  Burmese,  being  inferior  in  form  and  features 
 to  their  neighbours  ; they  have  no  chief,  but,  in  disputes  amongst  them- 
 selves, appeal  to  a priest,  who  is  reputed  to  be  a descendant  from  the  su- 
 preme pontiff : he  is  termed  Passine,  and  acts  as  prophet,  physician,  and 
 legislator.  They  have  no  written  records,  and  a very  rude  form  of  faith ; 
 their  chief  homage  being  addressed  to  a particular  tree,  under  which,  at 
 stated  periods,  they  assemble  and  sacrifice  cattle,  on  which  they  subse- 
 quently feast.  Another  object  of  adoration  is  the  aerolite,  for  which,  after 
 a thunder-storm,  they  make  diligent  search,  and  which,  when  found,  they 
 deliver  to  the  priest ; by  whom  it  is  preserved  as  an  infallible  remedy  for 
 every  disease.  Amongst  their  peculiar  notions  is  that  of  esteeming  merit 
 by  animal  appetite,  and  he  is  the  man  of  most  virtue  who  is  the  amplest 
 feeder,  and  drinks  to  most  excess.* 
 
 * Calcutta  Government  Gazette. 
 
( 328  ) 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 Japan. — Bugis  and  Macassers. — The  Daya  of  Borneo. — Bali. — Java. — Sumatra,  the  Bataks  or 
 Cannibals. — Bedas  of  Ceylon. — Cochin  and  Tonquin  Chinese. — The  Shaman  Religion. 
 
 JAPAN. 
 
 I have  in  other  places  in  this  work  observed  that  the  deities  of  the  Hindu 
 pantheon  are,  or  have  been,  objects  of  adoration  among  the  islands  of  the 
 eastern  Archipelago,  and  the  countries  on  the  shores  of  the  China  sea. 
 In  the  island  of  Bali*  the  Brahminical  religion  is  still  that  of  the  country ; 
 and  is  yet  preserved  among  the  mountaineers  of  Tong’garj'  in  Java.  Else- 
 where in  this  wide  extent  of  country  it  has  yielded  to  the  doctrines  of 
 Mahomet  and  Buddha.  That  it  did,  however,  generally  prevail  in  Java, 
 and  to  a certain  (now  unknown)  extent  in  Sumatra,  Tonquin  China,  part  of 
 China,  and  other  countries  on  the  eastern  confines  of  Asia  there  can  scarcely 
 be  a doubt ; and  if  we  may  be  allowed  to  place  any  faith  in  the  descriptions 
 and  representations  of  idols  alleged,  by  early  writers  on  Japan,  to  have  been 
 worshipped  in  that  empire,  we  may  conclude  that  the  Brahminical  images, 
 at  least,  were  not  unknown,  either  blended  in  the  worship  with  those  of  the 
 Sintu  or  ancient  religion,  or  introduced  anterior  to,  or  with  that  of  Buddha, 
 and  the  whole  subsequently  mixed  up  with  each  other. 
 
 Passing  over,  for  the  present,  the  earlier  accounts  of  Japan,  among  which 
 we  shall  find  the  narratives  of  the  Dutch  ambassadors  to  the  Emperor, 
 between  1600  and  1650,  and  that  of  Don  Rodrigo  de  Vivero  y Velasco,  the 
 governor- general  of  the  Philippine  Islands,  who  was  wrecked  upon  the 
 coast,  and  traversed  the  country  of  Japan  about  the  year  1611,  we  shall 
 arrive  at  the  next  authority,  Kcempfer,  the  most  esteemed  for  accuracy  among 
 
 * See  Bali. 
 
 f See  Java. 
 
J A P A N. 
 
 329 
 
 the  early  writers  on  that  country.  He,  however,  confined  himself  to  stating 
 that  the  Japanese  worshipped  a multiplicity  of  deities,  many  of  whom  were 
 deified  heroes  and  emperors ; that  they  also  worshipped  demons  and  evil 
 spirits,  and  believed  in  witchcraft  and  sorcery,  but  that  the  prevalent  wor- 
 ship was  that  of  Buddha,  Saka,  or  Sakya. 
 
 It  may  be  here  observed,  that  from  about  the  period  of  the  Dutch 
 embassies  up  to  the  present  time  the  empire  of  Japan  has  been  hermetically 
 closed  against  European  nations,  except  from  a short  annual  visit  of  the 
 Dutch,  from  Batavia  to  the  port  of  Nangasaki,  for  the  purposes  of  com- 
 merce ; but  even  in  these  exceptions,  so  jealous  have  been  the  Japanese  of 
 European  intercourse,  that  the  crews  of  the  vessels  during  their  stay  in 
 Nangasaki  were  confined  within  the  compass  of  a small  insulated  spot,  and 
 the  sails,  guns,  and  rudder  taken  possession  of  by  the  authorities  of  the 
 port. 
 
 Captain  Galownin,  of  the  Russian  navy,  has,  however,  been  an  excep- 
 tion of  a different  description.  That  officer  was  taken  prisoner  under  peculiar 
 circumstances,  and  was  conveyed  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  where  he 
 remained  for  a considerable  time : but  he,  also,  has  confined  himself  to 
 observing,  in  a few  brief  and  scattered  notes,  that  the  Japanese  took  him 
 and  his  companions  in  captivity  without  reserve  into  the  temples  and  places 
 of  devotion  ; which  he  has  stated  bore  an  extraordinary  resemblance  to  the 
 Catholic  churches,  being  furnished  with  numerous  images,  large  and  small 
 candlesticks  holding  tapers,  &c.  &c. 
 
 “ They  (the  Japanese,  he  adds)  are  not  followers  of  foreign  religions. 
 They,  however,  give  full  liberty  to  a variety  of  sects,  but  are  quite  intolerant 
 to  Christianity,  on  account  of  the  troubles  it  has  occasioned  among  them. 
 The  Catholic  priests,  who  formerly  lived  in  Japan,  and  enjoyed  every  pos- 
 sible freedom,  preached  the  Christian  faith,  and  converted  a great  number  of 
 the  natives  : but,  at  last,  the  progress  of  the  new  religion  (to  which,  it  is 
 alleged,  may  be  added  proceedings  on  the  part  of  its  preachers  not  in 
 accordance  with  its  doctrines)  led  to  a civil  war,  and  caused  the  complete 
 extirpation  of  the  Christians.” 
 
 2 u 
 
330 
 
 JAPAN. 
 
 The  next  account  that  may  be  noticed  is  one  entitled  to  the  highest 
 consideration,  both  from  the  respectability  of  its  author,  and  the  great 
 estimation  of  its  distinguished  narrator,  the  late  Sir  T.  S.  Raffles.  That 
 gentleman,  in  his  discourse  to  the  literary  society  of  Java,  has  observed,  that 
 the  Japanese  are  represented,  by  Dr.  Ainslie,  to  be  “ a nervous  vigorous 
 people,  whose  bodily  and  mental  powers  assimilate  much  nearer  to  those  of 
 Europe  than  what  is  attributed  to  Asiatics  in  general.  Their  features  are 
 masculine  and  perfectly  European,  with  the  exception  of  the  small  length- 
 ened Tartar  eye,  which  almost  universally  prevails,  and  is  the  only  feature 
 of  resemblance  between  them  and  the  Chinese.  The  complexion  is  perfectly 
 fair,  and,  indeed,  blooming ; the  women  of  the  higher  classes  being  equally 
 fair  with  Europeans,  and  having  the  bloom  of  health  more  generally  preva- 
 lent among  them  than  is  usually  found  in  Europe. 
 
 “ For  a people  who  have  had  very  few,  if  any,  external  aids,  the  Japanese 
 cannot  but  rank  high  in  the  scale  of  civilization.  The  traits  of  a vigorous 
 mind  are  displayed  in  their  proficiency  in  the  sciences,  and  particularly  in 
 metaphysics  and  judicial  astrology.  The  arts  they  practise  speak  for  them- 
 selves, and  are  deservedly  acknowledged  to  be  in  a much  higher  degree  of 
 perfection  than  among  the  Chinese,  with  whom  they  are  by  Europeans  so 
 frequently  confounded  ; the  latter  having  been  stationary  at  least  as  long  as 
 we  have  known  them,  while  the  slightest  impulse  seems  sufficient  to  give  a 
 determination  to  the  Japanese  character,  which  would  progressively  improve 
 until  it  attained  the  same  height  of  civilization  with  the  European.  Nothing 
 indeed  is  so  offensive  to  the  feelings  of  a Japanese  as  to  be  compared,  in  any 
 one  respect,  with  the  Chinese  ; and  the  only  occasion  on  which  Dr.  Ainslie 
 saw  the  habitual  politeness  of  a Japanese  ever  surprised  into  a burst  of 
 passion  was,  when,  upon  a similitude  of  the  two  nations  being  unguardedly 
 asserted,  the  latter  laid  his  hand  upon  his  sword  ! 
 
 “ The  people  are  said  to  have  a strong  inclination  to  foreign  intercourse, 
 notwithstanding  the  political  institutions  to  the  contrary  ; and  perhaps  the 
 energy  which  characterizes  the  Japanese  character  cannot  be  better  eluci- 
 dated than  by  that  extraordinary  decision  which  excluded  the  world  from 
 
J A PA  N. 
 
 331 
 
 their  shores,  and  confined  within  their  own  limits  a people,  who  had  before 
 served  as  mercenaries  throughout  all  Polynesia,  and  traded  with  all  nations 
 — themselves  adventurous  navigators. 
 
 “ Unlike  the  Chinese,  the  women  here  are  by  no  means  secluded  : they 
 associate  among  themselves  like  the  ladies  of  Europe.  During  the  residence 
 of  Dr.  Ainslie,  frequent  invitations  and  entertainments  were  given  : on  these 
 occasions,  and  at  one  in  particular,  a lady  from  the  coast  of  Jeddo  is  repre- 
 sented to  have  done  the  honours  of  the  table,  with  an  ease,  elegance,  and 
 address  that  would  have  graced  a Parisian.  The  usual  dress  of  a Japanese 
 woman  of  middle  rank  costs  perhaps  as  much  as  would  supply  the  wardrobe 
 of  an  European  lady  for  twenty  years. 
 
 “ The  Japanese  are  open  to  strangers,  and,  abating  the  restrictions  of 
 their  political  institutions,  a people  who  seem  inclined  to  throw  themselves 
 into  the  hands  of  any  nation  of  superior  intelligence.  They  have  at  the 
 same  time  a great  contempt  and  disregard  of  any  thing  below  their  own 
 standard  of  morals  and  habits,  as  instanced  in  the  case  of  the  Chinese. 
 
 “ The  mistaken  idea  of  the  illiberality  of  the  Japanese  in  religious 
 matters,  seems  to  have  been  fully  proved.  On  visiting  the  great  temple  on 
 the  hills  of  Nangasaki,  the  English  commissioner  was  received  with  marked 
 regard  and  respect  by  the  venerable  patriarch  of  the  northern  provinces, 
 eighty  years  of  age,  who  entertained  him  most  sumptuously.  On  shewing 
 him  round  the  courts  of  the  temple,  one  of  the  English  officers  present 
 heedlessly  exclaimed  in  surprise,  Jasus  Christus  ! The  patriarch  turning 
 half  round,  with  a placid  smile,  bowed  significantly  expressive  of  ‘ We 
 know  you  are  Jasus  Christus  ! well,  don’t  obtrude  him  upon  us  in  our 
 temples,  and  we  remain  friends and  so,  with  a hearty  shake  of  the  hands, 
 these  two  opposites  parted.” 
 
 We  now  come  to  a later  writer,  whose  work,  from  the  high  character  of 
 its  author,  is  also  entitled  to  the  first  consideration  and  respect.  M.  Klaproth 
 is  well  known  as  a Chinese  scholar,  and  professes  to  have  drawn  his  infor- 
 mation respecting  Japan  from  Japanese  books  at  his  command ; the  best 
 authority  we  can  possess,  in  the  absence  of  actual  observation.  We  may, 
 however,  hope  to  derive,  ere  long,  a still  better  knowledge  of  this  extra- 
 
 2 u 2 
 
332 
 
 J A PA  N. 
 
 ordinary  people,  from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Siebold  ; who,  like  Captain  Galownin, 
 was  for  some  time  a prisoner  among-  them. 
 
 In  the  mean  time  we  can  only  depend  on  the  information  which  we  now 
 have.  M.  Klaproth  states — 
 
 “ There  are  three  principle  religions  in  Japan  : that  denominated  Sinto, 
 or  Sinsion,  is  the  most  ancient,  and  the  primitive  faith  of  the  empire.  It 
 is  founded  on  the  worship  of  spirits,  or  divinities  presiding  over  all  things 
 visible  and  invisible,  and  who  are  called  Sin,  or  Kami.  The  Dairi,  whose 
 family  is  regarded  as  descended  from  the  divinities  that  anciently  reigned 
 in  the  empire,  was  originally  the  head  of  this  religion,  which  holds  in 
 higher  reverence  than  any  other  divine  being  the  goddess  Ten-sio-dae-sin 
 (great  spirit  of  celestial  light),  from  whom  the  family  of  the  Dairis  is  de- 
 rived, and  whose  chief  temple,  called  Nae-koo  (interior  temple),  or  Dae-sin- 
 koo,  is  situated  near  Oozi,  in  the  district  of  Watarabeh,  province  of  Izeh. 
 It  was  founded  by  the  eleventh  Dairi.  It  is  a very  plain  edifice,  surrounded 
 by  seven  other  temples  dedicated  to  various  deities  and  genii.  In  its 
 vicinity  are  twenty-four  other  altars,  or  chapels,  where  sacrifices  are  olfered 
 to  different  tutelary  spirits.  The  Ghekoo  (exterior  temple),  or  Ghe-dai- 
 sin-koo,  is  in  the  same  district,  at  Takawara,  on  Mount  Nuki-noku  Yama. 
 Here  is  invoked  the  god  Toyo-ke-o-dae-sin,  who  is  regarded  as  the  creator 
 of  heaven  and  earth,  and  who  is  at  the  same  time  the  tutelary  divinity  of 
 the  Dairi ; wherefore,  this  is  the  temple  in  which  the  reigning  Dairi  offers 
 sacrifice  and  performs  his  devotions. 
 
 “ The  date  of  the  Ghekoo,  like  that  of  the  other  temple,  is  B.  C.  4 ; 
 it  is  encircled  with  four  other  temples,  amongst  which  are.  those  of  the 
 earth,  the  wind,  and  the  moon.  Sixteen  altars  and  chapels  belonging  to 
 different  deities  are  near  it,  and  eight  others  further  off.  Generally  speaking, 
 the  whole  province  of  Izeh  is  filled  with  temples  and  places  of  sacrifices, 
 and  it  is  regarded  as  a holy  place.  The  brother  of  the  goddess  Ten-sio- 
 dae-sin  was  Fatsman,  commonly  called  Oosa  Fatsman,  from  his  chief 
 temple  being  at  Oosa,  in  the  province  of  Bunzen : its  date  is  A.  D.  570. 
 Fatsman  is  the  Japanese  god  of  war,  and  the  deity  who  takes  most  interest 
 in  the  fate  of  the  empire  : hence  the  emperors  often  send  embassies  to  con- 
 
JAPAN. 
 
 333 
 
 suit  him  in  important  matters.  The  Japanese  regard  Ten-sio-dae-sin  as 
 the  founder  of  their  empire,  and  she  is  on  that  account  the  object  of  their 
 most  profound  veneration ; in  fact,  the  pure  Sinto  worship  recognizes  no 
 being  superior  to  her.  The  Dairis  who  descend  from  this  goddess,  bear,  for 
 that  reason,  the  epithet  of  Ten-si,  or  “ son  of  heaven.”  The  stock  of  this 
 celestial  family  is  imperishable,  for  the  people  believe  that  when  a Diiiri  has 
 no  child,  heaven  procures  him  one.  At  the  present  day,  when  an  emperor 
 of  Japan  has  no  heir,  he  finds  one  beneath  a tree,  near  his  palace  : this  is 
 a child  secretly  selected  by  himself  from  an  illustrious  family,  and  placed 
 there.  The  souls  of  the  Dairis,  as  well  as  those  of  other  men,  are  considered 
 immortal ; for  the  Sintos  acknowledge  a state  of  existence  after  death.  All 
 souls  are  judged  by  heavenly  judges;  those  of  virtuous  men  are  admitted 
 into  paradise  Taka-ama-kawara,  or  exalted  platform  of  heaven,  where  they 
 become  Kamis,  or  beneficent  genii  : whilst  those  of  the  wicked  depart  for 
 the  hell  Ne-no-kooni,  or  kingdom  of  roots.  In  honour  of  the  Kamis,  mens 
 or  wooden  temples  are  raised  to  them  : in  the  midst  of  them  is  placed  the 
 symbol  of  the  divinity,  which  consists  of  strips  of  paper*  attached  to  sticks 
 of  the  wood  of  the  finoki  (thurya  Japonica)  ; these  symbols,  termed  gofei, 
 are  found  in  all  Japanese  houses,  where  they  are  kept  in  little  meas. 
 
 “ Every  day,  or  at  certain  periods,  prayers  and  sacrifices  are  offered  to 
 the  founder  of  the  empire,  to  good  emperors,  and  to  other  persons  who  have 
 deserved  well  of  their  country,  and  whose  souls  have  become  Kamis.  Fes- 
 tivals are  also  celebrated  in  their  name,  termed  Matsuri.  No  person,  how- 
 ever, can  address  himself  directly  to  Ten-sio-dae-sin  : he  must  transmit  his 
 prayers  to  her  through  the  medium  of  the  Sin-go-zins,  or  tutelary  and 
 guardian  deities. 
 
 “ The  sacrifices  offered  to  the  Kamis  and  tutelary  divinities,  chiefly  at 
 the  beginning  and  end  of  the  month,  consist  of  various  articles  of  food,  such 
 as  rice,  cakes,  fish,  deer,  &c.  In  ancient  times  human  sacrifices  were 
 offered  to  the  tutelary  deities  ; for  instance,  to  Kosu-rio,  or  the  dragon  with 
 nine  heads,  of  Mount  To-kakoosi,  in  the  province  of  Sinano,  and  other 
 
 * These  strips  of  paper  accord  with  Finlayson's  account  of  the  Cochin  Chinese. 
 
3 34 
 
 J A P A N. 
 
 Kamis  in  Yamato.  The  object  was  to  conciliate  these  malevolent  deities, 
 who  were  regarded  as  servants  of  the  gods,  and  the  dearest  members  of  the 
 family  were  sacrificed  to  them,  commonly  damsels  of  great  beauty. 
 
 “ The  votaries  of  the  Sinto  religion  are  not  forbidden  to  kill  living  beings; 
 the  priests  suffer  their  hair  to  grow,  like  the  laity,  and  may  marry.  The 
 dead  are  buried  in  a bier  (kwan  or  fitsuki),  like  a mea  in  shape.  Anciently, 
 when  a great  personage  died,  a number  of  his  servants  and  friends  were 
 buried  alive  with  him,  In  later  times,  these  persons  on  such  occasions 
 ripped  up  their  bellies.  This  custom  was  prohibited  by  the  thirty-third 
 Dairi,  A.  D.  3,  but  it  was  still  continued  till  the  time  of  Taeko,  towards  the 
 close  of  the  sixteenth  century  ; instead  of  living  men,  however,  statues  of 
 clay  were  substituted,  which  are  still  frequently  found  buried  in  the 
 earth. 
 
 “ The  second  religion,  and  that  which  is  now  most  prevalent  in  Japan, 
 since  it  has  become  the  popular  creed,  is  Buddhism.  This  religion  which, 
 previous  to  the  commencement  of  our  era,  had  spread  from  India  to  central 
 Asia,  penetrated  soon  after  into  China,  and  at  a later  period  into  Corea. 
 
 “ This  exotic  doctrine  not  only  maintained  its  footing  in  the  palaces  of 
 the  great,  but  made  considerable  progress  among  the  vulgar,  who  were 
 captivated  by  the  pomp  of  its  ceremonies,  so  much  more  imposing  and 
 splendid  than  the  pure  and  simple  worship  of  the  ancient  religion  of  the 
 country.  From  this  period  Buddhist  priests  flocked  into  Japan  from  Corea 
 and  China ; and,  as  the  latter  country  was  regarded  as  the  second  birth- 
 place of  Buddhism  in  eastern  Asia,  a vast  number  of  Japanese,  who  dedi- 
 cated themselves  to  the  ecclesiastical  profession,  proceeded  thither,  in  order 
 to  perfect  themselves  in  the  study  of  the  law  in  Chinese  convents.  Even 
 the  Diiiris,  who  had  been  previously  regarded  as  the  heads  of  the  Sinto 
 religion,  often  deserted  it  to  follow  the  precepts  of  Buddhism,  and  many 
 princes  of  the  imperial  family,  whose  reputed  descent  was  from  the  ancient 
 gods  of  the  country,  shaved  their  heads,  and  became  priests  in  the  con- 
 vents of  the  new  faith.  A.D.  805,  the  fiftieth  Dairi  caused  images  of  the 
 Buddhist  divinities  to  be  even  placed  in  the  imperial  palace,  and  the  sacred 
 books  procured  from  India  to  be  read  and  explained  ; and  he  received  the 
 
JAPAN. 
 
 335 
 
 Kivantsio  of  Buddhist  baptism.”  Buddhism  in  Japan  was  always  on  the 
 increase  until  the  period  when  it  was  declared,  by  the  Japanese  government, 
 the  religion  of  the  state ; a circumstance  which  has  occasioned  the  ancient 
 worship  of  Sinto,  although  differing  essentially  from  Buddhism,  to  be  almost 
 completely  identified  with  it,  at  least  amongst  the  vulgar  ; for  the  learned 
 are  perfectly  well  aware  of  the  distinction  between  the  two  doctrines.  This 
 fusion  of  the  two  religions  is  now  carried  so  far,  that  the  Sinto  divinities 
 are  often  worshipped  in  the  Buddist  temples,  and  vice  versa. 
 
 “ Japan  is  every  where  crowded  with  Buddhist  temples,  called  Zi.  One 
 of  the  chief  is  the  T6-ko-zi,  in  the  south-east  quarter  of  Keo  or  Meyako. 
 Its  enclosure  contains  several  religious  edifices,  the  most  considerable  of 
 which  is  the  Dae-Boots-den,  or  saloon  of  the  great  Buddha,  surnamed 
 Roosiana,  a term  corrupted  from  the  Sanscrit  roshana  or  ‘ the  resplen- 
 dent.’ The  image  was  first  set  up  in  the  year  1576,  by  the  military 
 emperor  Takeo,  or  Fide-yosi.  The  saloon  in  which  it  is  placed  was  de- 
 stroyed in  1596,  by  a terrible  earthquake.  Fide-yeo,  son  of  Taeko,  rebuilt 
 it  in  1602.  But  the  colossus,  which  was  of  brass  gilt,  having  been  ma- 
 terially injured  by  another  earthquake,  in  1662,  the  statue  was  melted 
 down,  and  the  metal  used  in  coining  copper  money,  and  a substitute  of 
 wood  covered  with  gilt  paper  was  completed  in  1667.  This  is  still  in  ex- 
 istence; it  represents  Buddha  seated  in  the  Indian  mode,  upon  a lotus 
 flower ; the  body  of  the  god  is  77  feet  5i  inches  high,  Rhenish  measure ; 
 and  the  entire  statue  with  the  lotus  89  feet  8f  inches.  The  head  of  the 
 collossus  protrudes  through  the  roof  of  the  saloon.  At  a little  distance  from 
 hence  is  a chapel  called  Mimitsuka,  or  ‘ tomb  of  ears,’  in  which  are  buried 
 the  ears  and  noses  of  the  Coreans  who  fell  in  their  battles  with  Taeko. 
 He  had  them  salted  and  conveyed  to  Japan  in  barrels.  The  grand  portico 
 of  the  external  wall  of  the  temple  is  called  Ni-wo-mon,  or  ‘ gate  of  the  two 
 kings.’  On  entering  this  vast  portico,  which  is  83i  feet  high,  on  each  side 
 appears  a collossal  figure  22  feet  in  height,  representing  the  two  celestial 
 kings,  Ardoon  and  Inyo,  who  are  the  usual  parties  at  the  Buddhic  tem- 
 ples. Another  edifice,  placed  before  the  apartment  of  the  great  Buddha, 
 contains  the  largest  bell  known  in  the  world.  It  is  17  feet  2i  inches  high, 
 
336 
 
 J A P A N. 
 
 and  weighs  1,700,000  Japanese  pounds,  equal  to  2,040,000  pounds  Dutch. 
 Its  weight  is  consequently  five  times  greater  than  that  of  the  Irvan  Weliki, 
 at  Moscow. 
 
 “On  the  south  side  of  the  enclosure  of  the  temple  is  the  grand  apart- 
 ment named  that  of  the  thirty-three  arcades.  It  was  built  in  the  reign  of  the 
 seventy-fourth  Diiiri  (between  1108  and  1123),  who  placed  there  images  of 
 the  divinity  Kwan-roon,  with  eleven  faces,  which  was  not  consecrated  till 
 the  year  1131,  by  his  successor,  after  he  had  abdicated.  The  seventy- 
 seventh  Diiiri,  Gozira  Kawa-no-in,  having  likewise  abdicated  and  embraced 
 the  ecclesiastical  profession,  placed  there  in  1164  a vast  number  of  images 
 of  the  same  deity.  The  length  of  this  apartment  is  upwards  of  491  feet. 
 On  each  side  of  the  great  altar  are  ten  ranges  of  stools,  one  nearly  a foot 
 higher  than  the  other.  On  each  range  are  fifty  statues,  each  about  five 
 feet  high,  of  superior  execution,  according  to  the  taste  of  the  country,  and 
 covered  with  gilt  paper.  From  the  number  of  small  idols  upon  the  heads, 
 shoulders,  arms,  and  hands  of  the  greater  ones,  amounting  to  forty  or  fifty 
 on  some  of  them,  it  would  appear  that  the  number  of  33,333  idols,  which 
 the  Japanese  assert  are  to  be  found  in  this  temple,  is  not  exaggerated.  The 
 military  daily  exercise,  near  the  saloon  of  Kwan-won,  with  the  bow.  It  is 
 recorded  in  the  register  of  the  temple,  that  in  1686,  Sacara  Diiifats  of  Ke- 
 tsin  discharged  in  that  place  13,053  arrows  in  one  day,  whereof  8,133  hit 
 the  mark. 
 
 “ The  third  creed  prevailing  in  Japan  is  the  Sin-do,  or  philosophical 
 doctrine  of  Confucius.  The  first  official  intercourse  which  took  place  be- 
 tween Japan  and  China  was  an  embassy  dispatched  A.D.  57,  by  the 
 Diiiri  Seu-nin-teno  to  the  emperor  Kwang-woo-te,  of  the  Heu-han  dynasty; 
 but  we  are  not  told  whether  the  Chinese  literature  and  philosophy  were 
 imported  by  that  medium  into  Japan  It  would  appear  that  this  did  not 
 happen  till  284,  in  the  reign  of  Diiiri  Ozin-teno,  when  this  prince  sent  an 
 embassy  to  the  kingdom  of  Fiak-sae  (Pe-tse,  in  Corea)  in  quest  of  educated 
 men,  who  were  capable  of  diffusing  Chinese  civilization  and  literature 
 throughout  his  empire.  This  embassy  returned  with  the  celebrated  Wonin, 
 descended  from  the  imperial  family  of  the  Hans,  who  brought  with  him  the 
 
JAPAN. 
 
 337 
 
 book  Rongo  (Lun-yu)  of  Confucius,  which  he  presented  to  the  Dairi,  and 
 taught  one  of  his  sons  to  read  and  write.  It  would  thence  appear,  that  the 
 Chinese  colonists,  who  had  in  early  times  settled  in  Japan,  had  not  made 
 the  use  of  writing  generally  known  there,  which  they  perhaps  kept  to  them- 
 selves as  an  advantageous  secret.  Whatever  be  the  fact,  the  merit  of 
 Soonin  appeared  so  eminent  to  the  Japanese,  that  they  paid  him  divine 
 honours  : his  principal  temple  is  in  the  province  of  Idzunu. 
 
 “ The  Japanese,”  says  Galownin,  “ reckon  their  time  by  lunar  months, 
 with  an  intercalary  month  to  supply  the  difference  betwen  the  lunar  and 
 solar  reckoning.  They  occupy  an  entire  month  in  celebrating  the  new 
 year ; during  the  first  half  of  which  all  business  is  suspended,  and  nothing 
 but  feasting  and  rejoicing  thought  of.  Their  day  is  divided  into  twelve 
 hours,  reckoning  six  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  and  an  equal  number  from 
 sunset  to  sunrise ; consequently  the  hours  are  not  always  equal.  When 
 the  day  is  longer  than  the  night,  the  day  hours  are  the  longest;  and  when 
 the  night  is  longer  than  the  day,  the  night  hours  are  the  longest.  To  mea- 
 sure time  they  employ  a small  beam  of  wood,  the  upper  part  of  which  is 
 covered  with  glue  and  whitewashed  ; a narrow  groove  is  made  in  the  glue 
 and  filled  with  vegetable  powder,  which  burns  very  slowly.  On  each  side 
 of  this  groove,  at  certain  distances,  there  are  holes  formed  for  the  purpose 
 of  nails  being  put  into  them  : by  these  holes  the  length  of  the  day  and 
 night  hours  is  determined  for  the  space  of  six  months  from  the  spring  to  the 
 winter  equinox ; during  the  other  six  months  the  rule  is  inverted,  the  day 
 becoming  night-hours.  The  Japanese  ascertain  the  length  of  a day-hour, 
 and  mark  it  off  with  nails  ; they  then  fill  the  groove  with  powder,  set  light 
 to  it  at  noon,  and  thus  measure  their  time.  The  beam  is  kept  in  a box, 
 which  is  laid  in  a dry  place ; but  the  changes  of  weather  have,  notwith- 
 standing, a great  influence  on  this  kind  of  timekeeper. 
 
 “ The  Japanese  day  begins  at  midnight,  at  which  time  the  clock  strikes 
 nine,  after  having  given  three  strokes,  as  it  were  to  denote  the  being  about 
 to  strike.  These  three  strokes  precede  every  hour.  One  hour  after  mid- 
 night the  clock  strikes  eight,  the  next  hour  seven  ; at  sunrise  six,  then  five, 
 and  four,  and  at  noon  again  nine.  One  hour  after  mid-day  seven,  at  sun- 
 
 2 x 
 
338 
 
 JAPAN. 
 
 set  six,  then  five,  and  finally  four.  At  midnight  the  new  day  commences. 
 The  hours  are  struck  in  the  following  manner  : first  one  stroke  ; in  a minute 
 and  a half  a second  stroke,  and  immediately  a third.  These  three  warning 
 strokes  announce  that  the  hour  is  about  to  be  struck.  In  the  space  of  a 
 minute  and  a half  after,  the  striking  of  the  hour  begins.  The  strokes  suc- 
 ceed each  other  at  intervals  of  fifteen  seconds,  except  the  two  last,  which 
 follow  more  rapidly,  as  if  to  notify  that  the  hour  is  struck.” 
 
 From  these  descriptions,  which  may  be  considered  accurate,  of  the  reli- 
 gion of  this  little-known  empire  and  its  inhabitants,  I turn  to  others,  which 
 may  be  deemed  apocryphal,  or  at  least,  from  a want  of  the  narrator’s  pos- 
 sessing a necessary  acquaintance  with  the  language  (as  also  occurred  among 
 the  early  writers  on  the  Hindus),  loaded,  in  their  details,  with  errors,  espe- 
 cially in  the  names  of  persons  and  places.  My  object  in  thus  recurring 
 to  my  notice  of  the  Dutch  embassies  is  for  the  purpose  of  annexing  a few 
 of  the  representations  of  the  personages  described  as  belonging  to  the 
 Japanese  Pantheon,  some  of  which  are  evidently  of  Brahminical  origin. 
 How  far  these  accounts  and  plates  are  entitled  to  confidence,  I shall  leave 
 entirely  to  the  discrimination  of  the  reader. 
 
 The  plates  in  question  will  be  found  in  the  narrative  of  the  Embassies  of 
 the  Dutch  to  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  between  the  years  1600  and  1650. 
 One  of  them  exactly  corresponds  with  the  Kurm  avatara  of  Vishnu,  except 
 that  the  articles  produced  at  the  churning  of  the  ocean  are  excluded.  This 
 plate,  which  is  described  as  being  of  the  Creator,  I have  not  given,  as  the 
 reader  has  only  to  refer  to  plate  6,  illustrative  of  that  avatar. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  37,  is  the  form  of  the  goddess  Daiboth.  This  statue  repre- 
 sents a gigantic  figure  (whose  hand  is  larger  than  the  size  of  an  ordinary 
 man),  sitting  in  a halo  of  dazzling  beams,  among  which  are  an  infinite 
 number  of  small  images  of  various  shapes.  The  temples  dedicated  to  this 
 image  are  spacious  and  magnificent. 
 
 Fig.  2 in  the  same  plate  represents  the  principal  idol  in  the  temple  of  a 
 thousand  gods,  near  Meaco,  of  very  great  antiquity,  having  been  erected 
 by  one  of  the  earliest  emperors  of  Japan,  and  much  enlarged  and  beautified 
 by  some  of  the  later  sovereigns.  The  idol,  like  that  of  Daiboth,  is  of  an 
 
FI  37. 
 
 W Clerk. HtJu-f-l '.~Deocn.J^fo7io 
 
 Fi?.l.The.Go&Zejs2)aFl>o&i  Z.Th^p  r-i-rvci?tZe  figure  l?L  &ve  ZirapZt-  of  a tkoe^roLnf,GodJ.3.TZ>e  Oo7fen^nuf^  A XaAeu.  6 Ma-rrca^i 
 
 Cererrconjr.  &.ZZa-n<r 
 
 TttHl*r7tetZ  ip-foLri>u.rp- , <227?n  it-  C°  f,cndo7i  2<SoZ . 
 
 127 
 
JAPAN. 
 
 339 
 
 enormous  size,  sitting  on  a magnificent  throne,  from  the  canopy  of  which 
 are  suspended  several  caps.  His  head  is  closely  shaven  : on  each  side  of 
 him,  in  his  temple,  stand  five  hundred  gods,  each  having  thirty  arms,  and 
 holding  in  each  hand  two  arrows.  Their  heads  are  adorned  with  golden 
 crowns;  and  the  statues,  chains,  bells,  & c.  &c.,  are  described  as  being  of 
 massive  gold. 
 
 Fig.  3 represents  the  golden  Amida.  The  temples  of  this  idol  are  stated 
 to  be  incomparably  costly  and  magnificent.  The  altar  of  the  figures  here 
 shewn  is  described  as  being  of  silver,  on  which  is  the  idol  mounted  on  a 
 horse  with  seven  heads  (the  Hindu  Surya),  each  head  signifying  a hundred 
 thousand  years.  The  head  of  the  idol  is  that  of  a dog  with  long  ears.  In 
 his  mouth  he  holds  a golden  hoop,  which  he  supports  with  his  hands.  The 
 skirts  of  his  dress  are  richly  embossed.  This  god  is  held  in  high  venera- 
 tion, and  is  said  to  be  worshipped  under  various  forms. 
 
 Fig.  4 is  the  representation  of  the  god  Xaka  or  Saka.  He  is  described  as 
 sitting  cross-legged,  richly  apparelled,  and  usually  surrounded  by  his 
 forty  children  ; in  which  manner  he  appears  in  the  picture.  In  this  work 
 the  figure  of  Xaka  is  only  shewn.  Before  he  was  born  his  mother  dreamed 
 that  she  saw  a white  elephant  come  out  of  her  mouth,  and  enter  her  left 
 side,  which  is  said  to  have  been  the  origin  of  the  worship  of  that  animal. 
 Many  of  the  sacred  volumes  of  Japan  were  written  by  Xaka,  who,  that 
 there  might  be  no  dispute  hereafter  concerning  their  contents,  sealed  them 
 and  indorsed  them  with  this  inscription  : “ Thus  I,  Xaca,  have  written  the 
 truth.” 
 
 Fig.  5 represents  a bonzi  performing  a marriage  ceremony  before  the  idol 
 of  the  bride.  The  temple  stands  on  a hill,  one  side  of  which  is  ascended 
 by  the  bride,  the  other  by  the  bridegroom.  On  arriving  at  the  top  the 
 bridegroom  takes  the  bride  by  the  hand,  and  leads  her  into  the  open  temple, 
 the  roof  of  which  is  surmounted  by  a spire  of  seven  golden  balls.  Within 
 it,  on  a magnificent  altar,  is  the  idol  of  the  bride  with  a dog’s  head ; his 
 arms  spread  out,  holding  in  each  hand  the  end  of  a copper  chain,  which 
 passes  under  his  chin.  By  the  head,  it  is  supposed  the  Japanese  intend  to 
 represent  the  faithfulness  and  constancy  that  belongs  to  a married  life  ; and 
 
 2x2 
 
340 
 
 JAPAN. 
 
 by  the  chain  the  strong  tie  of  marriage.  Before  the  altar  is  the  bonzi  or 
 priest,  with  the  bride  and  bridegroom  holding  torches  in  their  hands. 
 
 Fig.  6 is  the  Tartar  Huns,  supposed  to  have  been  introduced  from  China. 
 
 Fig.  1,  plate  38,  represents  the  golden  bull  of  Japan  breaking  with  his 
 horns  the  mundane  egg.  This  beast,  which  has  a large  knob  on  his  back,  is 
 said  to  be  of  massive  gold,  and  round  his  neck  is  a golden  collar  embossed 
 with  precious  stones.  The  Japanese,  like  the  Hindus,  in  one  of  their 
 hypotheses  of  the  creation,  believe  that  the  world  was  once  enclosed  in  an 
 immense  egg,  the  shell  of  which  was  brass.  In  this  egg  the  world  floated 
 on  the  surface  of  the  waters,  till  the  moon  by  her  piercing  light  drew  up 
 matter  from  the  bottom  of  them,  which  became  earth  and  stone,  upon  which 
 the  brazen  egg  reposed.  The  bull  finding  it,  butted  against  and  broke  it, 
 and  the  world  came  forth.  The  animal  being  heated  with  such  hard  labour, 
 blowed  very  much,  and  his  breath  entered  into  a calabash  called  Pou, 
 which  became  a man,  and  is  termed  Pourang.  This  reminds  me  of  an 
 observation  once  made  by  a negro  in  the  West-Indies,  that  man  came  out  of 
 a calabash ; and  here,  changing  the  tortoise  for  the  egg,  and  the  otter  for 
 the  moon,  we  have  a similar  version  of  the  formation  of  the  earth  as  that 
 related  of  the  Iroquois  at  the  conclusion  of  the  Kurm  avatara.  Where  the 
 serviceable  bull  and  calabash  here  mentioned  came  from  we  are  not  told. 
 
 I find  in  another  place  a slight  variation  in  this  story  of  the  golden  bull 
 and  brazen  egg,  in  which  a Japanese  Eve  is  made  the  origin  of  all  the 
 mischief  that  has  since  occurred  in  the  world.  It  would,  in  this  case, 
 appear,  that  in  the  egg  were  enclosed  the  four  elements,  and  the  four  prin- 
 cipal colours,  red,  yellow,  blue,  and  green.  These  being  well  shaken 
 together  produced  the  world.  Man,  however,  was  wanting ; but  woman, 
 naturally  enough,  undertook  to  remedy  the  defect.  It  seems  that  one  of  her 
 lovely  sex  was  discovered  one  day  growing  in  the  shell  of  a calabash,  but 
 she  had  unhappily  no  soul,  on  which  account  God  pitied  her,  and  sent  a bull 
 to  the  calabash,  which  breathed  into  it  the  breath  of  his  nostrils,  and,  by 
 that  means,  gave  her  a soul,  and  a most  wicked  one  it  unfortunately  turned 
 out  to  be  ; for  no  sooner  had  she  issued  from  her  shell  than  she  became 
 more  intimate  with  the  inferior  deities  than  our  modern  ideas  of  propriety 
 
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J A PAN. 
 
 341 
 
 can  at  all  approve  of.  A wicked  and  irreligious  race  of  men  was,  in  con- 
 sequence, produced  : so  that  God  determined  to  destroy  the  world  ; mix  up 
 the  elements  and  colours  again  into  a chaotic  mass,  and  of  it  form  a round 
 globe.  In  the  destructive  part  of  this  operation  one  pious  man  and  his 
 family,  who  had  duly  worshipped  God,  only  were  saved  by  being  shut  up 
 in  a cave,  before  which  a large  shell  was  placed  to  prevent  the  water  running 
 into  it. 
 
 Fig.  2 is  the  self-deified  personage  Xantai.  He  is  adorned  with  a splen- 
 did crown,  and  is  richly  apparelled.  He  was  formerly  a king  named 
 Nubunanga,  who  about  1564  undertook  to  proclaim  himself  a god,  under 
 the  name  of  Xantai : but  his  rule  as  such  upon  earth  was  of  short  duration, 
 as  he  was  slain  in  1582  for  his  cruelty  and  wickedness.  His  temples, 
 however,  still  stand,  and  his  images  continue  to  be  worshipped. 
 
 Fig.  3 is  the  principal  statue  apparently  in  the  temple  of  monkeys,  as  it 
 is  filled  with  numerous  images  of  the  fraternity  of  Hanuman. 
 
 Fig.  4 and  5 are  the  idols  Siquani  and  Jene,  deities  who  preside  over 
 the  dead  : the  Minos  and  Rhadamanthus  of  Japan.  The  first  presides  over 
 the  souls  of  children,  and  the  latter  over  those  of  married  or  aged  persons. 
 The  face  of  the  idol  Siquani  is  that  of  a youth  ; the  hair  tied  with  a string 
 of  pearls,  with  one  lock  curled  and  turned  up.  Adjoining  him  is  a silver 
 parrot.  In  one  arm  he  holds  a child  ; with  another  hand  he  holds  a string 
 of  beads,  and  in  a third  a serpent.  His  dress  is  resplendent  with  sparkling 
 stars.  The  other  idol  Jene  is  held  in  great  adoration.  He  sits  on  a lotus 
 cushion  ; has  four  heads  like  Brahma,  on  which  is  a crown  of  seven  spires, 
 on  each  of  which  is  a round  ball.  Various  gems  adorn  his  person.  In  one 
 hand  he  holds  a radiant  sun ; in  another  a rosary ; in  a third  a sort  of 
 plant ; and  in  a fourth  a short  staff.  Those  who  mourn  for  fathers,  mothers, 
 wives,  husbands,  or  other  near  relations,  go  in  great  numbers  to  the  temple 
 of  this  deity  to  make  their  offerings  for  the  departed  souls  of  the  deceased. 
 
 Fig.  6 represents  the  deity  Canon,  the  son  of  Amida,  with  thirty  arms, 
 having  two  arrows  in  each  hand.  On  his  breast  are  seven  heads.  He  is 
 worshipped  under  various  forms. 
 
 Fig.  7 shews  him  as  the  ocean  god  (quere  the  Hindu  Vishnu  in  the 
 
342 
 
 J A PA  N. 
 
 Matsya  avatar').  In  his  hands  he  holds  a discus,  a flower,  and  a sceptre. 
 The  walls  of  his  temples  are  said  to  be  richly  decorated  with  fishes  of  all 
 descriptions.  People  weary  of  life,  or  in  fits  of  devotion,  sacrifice  them- 
 selves to  this  form  of  Canon. 
 
 Fig.  8 is  called  by  my  authority  Joosie  Tiedbak.  This  image  has  the 
 head  of  a boar,  wearing  a crown,  and  holding  in  his  hands  a discus,  a ser- 
 pent, a sceptre,  and  a stick  with  apparently  a ring  upon  it.  He  is  trampling 
 upon  a demon  or  giant.  We  are  at  no  loss  to  discover  in  this  figure  the 
 third  avatar  of  Vishnu. 
 
 The  Formosans  entertain  an  extraordinary  opinion  of  their  gods,  which  I 
 am  almost  afraid  to  repeat,  lest  I should  incur  the  censure  of  the  most 
 amiable  part  of  my  readers.  I beg  of  them,  however,  to  consider  that  I am 
 not  accountable  for  the  actions  or  opinions  of  others ; but  merely  relate 
 matters  as  I find  them  ; which,  that  I may  avoid  all  chance  of  disgrace,  I 
 will  now  do  verbatim. 
 
 “ Amongst  their  several  gods  which  they  worship,  the  chief  one  isTamagis- 
 anbach,  who  governs  and  inhabits  the  south.  His  celestial  spouse,  Taxank- 
 pada  Agodales,  commands  the  east,  where,  when  it  happens  to  thunder  they 
 believe  that  she  exercises  her  tongue,  the  female’s  best  arms,  scolding  so 
 loud  at  her  husband  in  the  south  because  he  neglects  his  office,  not  sending 
 rain  when  the  earth  needs ; who  being  nettled  with  his  wife’s  bitter  and 
 sharp  expression,  and  not  enduring  to  hear  her  any  longer,  opens  his  mouth, 
 sending  and  dispersing  with  his  breath  abundance  of  water.” 
 
 The  Japanese  have  also  a temple  dedicated  to  the  Prince  of  Devils,  a 
 terrific  gentleman,  whose  two  attendants  hold  books,  in  which  all  the  actions 
 of  mankind  are  registered.  On  the  walls  of  his  temples  are  painted  the 
 torments  of  the  infernal  regions. 
 
 These  accounts  which  I have  given  of  the  very  numerous  hosts  of  Japanese 
 deities,  I have  found  partially  confirmed  by  another  old  authority,  viz.,  that 
 of  Don  Rodrigo  de  Vivero  y Velasco,  the  governor  general  of  the  Philippine 
 Islands,  who,  in  1609,  was  shipwrecked  on  the  coast  of  Japan.  He  was 
 hospitably  received  by  the  emperor,  and,  after  having  travelled  over  various 
 parts  of  the  country,  was  sent  with  his  people  to  Acapulco.  This  gentle- 
 
JAPAN.— THE  BUGIS  AND  MACASSARS. 
 
 343 
 
 man  has  confirmed  many  of  the  Dutch  ambassador’s  statements,  on  the 
 points  I have  here  related ; and  it  is  due  to  them,  therefore,  to  conclude 
 that  they  are,  in  many  respects,  correct.  He  states  that  in  Meaco  there 
 were  not  less  than  five  thousand  temples  ; and  describes  the  Daiboth  (or 
 Daibu)  as  worthy  of  being  classed  among  the  wonders  of  the  world.  Its 
 dimensions  rendered  him  mute  with  astonishment.  “ I ordered,”  he  says, 
 “ one  of  my  people  to  measure  the  right  thumb  of  the  idol,  and  I perceived 
 that,  although  he  was  a man  of  large  size,  he  could  not  embrace  it  with  his 
 two  arms  by  two  palms.  But  the  size  of  this  statue  is  not  its  only  merit. 
 The  feet,  hands,  mouth,  eyes,  forehead,  and  other  features,  are  as  perfect 
 and  as  expressive  as  the  most  accomplished  painter  could  make  a portrait. 
 One  hundred  thousand  men  were,  at  the  time,  employed  upon  it.” 
 
 THE  BUGIS  and  MACASSARS. 
 
 These  people  are  the  most  prominent  tribes  in  the  Island  of  Celebes : 
 they  profess  the  Mahomedan  religion,  and  use  the  same  written  character, 
 but  speak  different  languages.  “ They  are  known  to  be  the  most  bold, 
 adventurous,  and  enterprising  of  all  the  people  of  the  Eastern  Islands. 
 They  were  formerly  celebrated  for  their  fidelity  and  their  courage,  and  for 
 this  reason  were  employed,  like  the  Swiss  in  Europe,  in  foreign  armies. 
 They  served  in  those  of  Siam,  Camboja,  and  other  countries,  and  also  as 
 guards  to  their  own  princes. 
 
 “ The  most  singular  political  feature  in  Celebes  is  that  of  an  elective 
 monarchy,  limited  by  an  aristocracy  generally  hereditary,  and  exercising 
 feudal  authority  over  the  minor  chiefs  and  population,  at  all  times  prepared 
 to  take  the  field  ; a constitution  of  civil  society  which,  however  common  in 
 Europe,  is,  perhaps,  without  parallel  in  Asia,  where  we  seldom  witness  any 
 considerable  departure  from  the  despotic  sway  of  an  individual.  The  whole 
 of  the  states  in  that  portion  of  Celebes  to  which  1 have  alluded,  are  con- 
 stituted on  the  peculiar  principle  stated.  The  prince  is  chosen  from  the 
 royal  stock  by  a certain  number  of  counsellors,  who  also  possess  the  right 
 of  subsequently  removing  him.  These  counsellors  are  themselves  elected 
 
344 
 
 THE  BUGIS  AND  MACASSARS. 
 
 from  particular  families  of  the  hereditary  chiefs  of  provinces,  and  such  is 
 their  influence,  that  the  prince  can  neither  go  to  war,  nor  indeed  adopt 
 any  public  measure,  except  in  concert  with  them.  They  have  the  charge 
 of  the  public  treasure,  and  also  appoint  the  prime  minister.  The  prince 
 cannot  himself  take  the  personal  command  of  the  army ; but  the  usage  of 
 the  country  admits  of  a temporary  resignation  of  office  for  this  purpose  ; in 
 which  case  a regent  succeeds  provisionally  to  the  rank  of  chief,  and  carries 
 on  the  affairs  of  government  in  concert  with  the  majority  of  the  council. 
 Women  and  minors  are  eligible  to  election  in  every  department  of  the  state, 
 from  the  prince  down  to  the  lowest  chief ; and  when  this  takes  place,  an 
 additional  officer,  having  a title  which  literally  means  ‘ support,’  or  ‘ prop,’ 
 is  appointed  to  assist.  Some  variation  is  observable  in  the  different  states. 
 
 “ War  is  decided  upon  in  the  council  of  state,  and  so  forcibly  is  the 
 desperate  ferocity  and  barbarism  of  the  people  depicted  by  the  conduct 
 they  observe  on  these  occasions,  and  in  their  subsequent  proceedings  towards 
 their  enemies,  that  however  revolting  the  contemplation  of  such  a state  of 
 society  may  be,  it  forms  too  striking  a trait  in  their  character  to  be  omitted. 
 War  being  decided  upon  by  the  prince  in  council,  the  assembled  chiefs, 
 after  sprinkling  their  banners  with  blood,  proceed  to  take  a solemn  oath,  by 
 dipping  their  cresses  in  a vessel  of  water,  and  afterwards  dancing  around 
 the  bloody  banner  with  frantic  gestures  and  a strange  contortion  of  the 
 body  and  limbs,  so  as  to  give  the  extended  creese  a tremendous  motion. 
 Each  severally  imprecates  the  vengeance  of  the  deity  against  his  person  if 
 he  violates  his  vow.  An  enemy  is  no  sooner  slain  than  the  body  is  decapi- 
 tated, and  treated  with  every  indignity  which  the  barbarous  triumph  of 
 savages  can  dictate.  The  heads  are  carried  on  poles,  or  sent  in  to  the  lord- 
 paramount.  Some  accounts  go  so  far  as  to  represent  them  devouring  the 
 raw  heart  of  their  subdued  enemy,  and  whatever  shadow  of  doubt  humanity 
 may  throw  over  this  appalling  fact,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  their  favourite 
 meal  is  the  raw  heart  and  blood  of  the  deer.  This  latter  repast  is  termed 
 Lor  Dara,  or  the  feast  of  the  bloody  heart,  which  they  are  said  to  devour,  as 
 among  the  Battas,  in  the  season  when  limes  and  salt  are  plentiful.  The 
 inhabitants  of  the  Wadju  districts  are  celebrated  for  their  enterprize  and 
 
THE  BUGIS  AND  MACASSARS. 
 
 3 ±5 
 
 intelligence,  extending  their  commercial  speculations,  with  a high  character 
 for  honourable  and  fair  dealing,  from  the  western  shores  of  Siam  to  the 
 eastern  coast  of  New  Holland.  Women,  as  before  observed,  take  an  active 
 part  in  all  public  concerns,  and  are,  in  no  instance,  secluded  from  society ; 
 being  on  a perfect  equality  with  the  men.  The  strongest  attachment  that 
 is  conceivable  is  felt  for  ancient  customs,  and  relics  of  antiquity  are  held  in 
 the  highest  possible  veneration.  They  are  slow  and  deliberate  in  their  de- 
 cisions; but  these,  once  formed,  are  final.  Agreements  once  entered  into 
 are  invariably  observed  on  their  part,  and  a Bugis  is  never  known  to  swerve 
 from  his  bargain.  That  natural  politeness  which  characterises  the  various 
 nations  and  tribes  distinguished  by  wearing  the  cris  or  creese,  is  no  where 
 more  forcibly  exhibited  than  among  the  inhabitants  of  Celebes.  Their 
 minor  associations  are  held  together  by  all  the  attachment  and  warmth 
 which  have  distinguished  the  clans  of  North  Britain.  The  same  bold  spirit 
 of  independence  and  enterprise  distinguishes  the  lower  orders  ; while  the 
 pride  of  ancestry  and  the  romance  of  chivalry  are  the  delight  of  the  higher 
 classes.  Attached  to  the  chase  as  an  amusement,  rather  than  as  the  means 
 of  subsistence,  the  harvest  is  no  sooner  reaped  than  every  feudal  chief,  with 
 his  associates  and  followers,  devotes  himself  to  its  pursuits.  The  language  of 
 Goa,  or  Macassar,  is  peculiarly  soft,  and  is  considered  to  be  the  more  easy 
 of  acquisition,  but  not  so  copious  as  that  of  the  Bugis.  Whether  the  Bugis 
 language  contains  any  portion  of  a more  ancient  language  than  either  (of 
 which  traces  are  said  to  exist  in  some  old  manuscripts  of  the  country),  or, 
 from  commercial  intercourse  with  other  states,  has  adopted  more  foreign 
 terms,  is  yet  to  be  determined. 
 
 “ The  Bugis  trace  back  their  history  to  Sawira  Geding,  whom  they  re- 
 present to  have  proceeded  in  immediate  descent  from  their  heavenly 
 mediator,  Bitara  Guru,  and  to  have  been  the  first  chief  of  any  celebrity  in 
 Celebes.”  * 
 
 * Sir  T.  S.  Raffles’  Discourse. 
 
346 
 
 THE  DAYA  OF  BORNEO. 
 
 THE  DAYA  of  BORNEO. 
 
 The  population  of  the  extensive  island  of  Borneo  consists  of  the  Daya, 
 the  Chinese,  the  Malaya,  the  Ugi  from  Celebes,  and  a few  Arabs.  The 
 Dayas,  who  are  principally  miners  and  agriculturists,  are  by  far  the  most 
 numerous  class.  They  are,  generally  speaking,  peaceable  ; but  petty  feuds 
 among  themselves  are  not  infrequent,  which  are  ascribed  to  the  horrid 
 custom  of  ornamenting  their  houses  with  human  skulls,  procured  by  way- 
 laying individuals  of  a different  tribe,  and  to  decorating  their  children  with 
 the  teeth  ; or  to  disputes  about  particular  tracts  of  forests  ; and  the  oppres- 
 sion of  the  Chinese  sometimes  rouses  them  to  revenge  themselves  against 
 that  race.  It  is  considered  more  honourable  that  the  skulls  should  be  those 
 of  women  or  children,  on  the  supposition  that  the  men  would  exert  them- 
 selves for  their  protection ; but  it  is  seldom  they  are  procured  by  open 
 attack ; the  general  practice,  when  operations  are  carried  on  to  a consider- 
 able extent,  being  to  surround  a village  during  the  night,  and  murder  those 
 who  have  occasion  to  leave  it  at  break  of  day.  Some  of  those  who  are 
 found  about  the  ports  to  the  northward  of  Sambas  at  times  connect  them- 
 selves with  the  pirates,  and  the  condition  of  the  connexion  is,  that  the 
 skulls  and  iron  shall  be  their  share,  the  other  plunder  that  of  the  pirates. 
 
 “ The  villages  of  these  savages  are  mostly  placed  near  spots  fit  for  their 
 ladangs,  and  are  generally  protected  by  a beinting  or  breastwork.  The 
 houses  are  built  with  a long  verandah  in  front,  which  serves  for  communi- 
 cating with  the  different  families,  and  for  their  several  fire-places.  There 
 are  mostly  three  ladders,  which  are  pulled  up  at  night.  From  six  to  seven 
 families  reside  in  one  house,  the  patriarch  in  the  middle,  in  whose  apart- 
 ment the  musical  instruments  are  kept.  The  houses  are  built  upon  posts, 
 and  in  the  space  below  the  pigs,  &c.  are  reared. 
 
 “ Among  the  customs  peculiar  to  them,  it  may  be  expected  that  some- 
 thing respecting  the  decapitation  of  heads  should  be  mentioned.  The  more 
 heads  a man  has  cut  off,  the  more  he  is  respected  ; and  a young  man  can- 
 
THE  DAYA  OF  BORNEO. 
 
 347 
 
 not  marry  until  he  can  produce  heads  procured  by  himself ; nor  can  the 
 corpse  of  a person  of  rank  be  inhumed  until  a fresh  head  be  acquired  by  his 
 nearest  of  kin.  Should  he  be  of  high  rank,  great  rejoicings  take  place  on 
 his  return  from  a successful  expedition  ; the  heads,  which  probably  still 
 bleed,  are  seized  by  the  women,  who  rush  into  the  water,  dip  the  heads, 
 and  anoint  themselves  with  the  ensanguined  stream  which  drops  from  the 
 skulls.  A man  of  great  consideration  may  have  fifty  or  sixty  skulls  sus- 
 pended in  his  premises.  It  has  been  known  that  two  years  have  expired 
 before  a young  man  could  be  married,  or,  in  other  words,  before  he  could 
 procure  a skull. 
 
 “ The  following  are  the  customs  observed  on  the  conclusion  of  peace 
 between  two  hostile  tribes.  Each  provides  a slave  to  be  murdered  by  the 
 other,  and  the  principal  person  present  gives  the  first  wound,  which  is  in- 
 flicted on  the  lower  part,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  breast  bone.  The  other 
 persons  of  the  tribe  who  may  be  present  immediately  follow  the  example, 
 and  fathers  encourage  their  children  to  mutilate  the  body  with  their  knives 
 or  whatever  weapon  they  can  acquire.  The  slaves  sacrificed  to  peace  are 
 not  criminals,  but  generally  purchased  for  this  purpose.  Besides  this,  pre- 
 sents are  interchanged  ; these  are  provisions,  gold-dust  to  the  value  of  a 
 few  rupees,  and  Siamese  earthen  jars,  which  are  highly  valued,  as  the 
 priests  use  them  as  oracles,  striking  them,  and  predicting  according  to  the 
 sounds  which  may  be  elicited.  Peace  is  concluded  at  the  chief  village  or 
 town  of  the  most  powerful  tribe.  It  was  thus  that  a feud  which  had  ex- 
 isted five  years  between  the  Sintang  and  Sakado  Daya  was  determined  in 
 1826,  since  when  they  have  been  on  amicable  terms. 
 
 “ The  principal  Daya  are  those  of  Kayang,  whose  principal  town  is 
 Segao,  which  is  about  twenty-five  days’  journey  by  water  above  Sintang, 
 and  the  latter  is  about  fourteen  inland  from  Pontianak.  Seven  different 
 dialects  are  known  to  exist  among  the  Daya  of  this  presidency.  Far  in  the 
 interior  the  only  trace  of  religion  appears  to  be  in  a superstitious  reverence 
 paid  to  deer,  which  are  considered  to  be  the  progenitors  of  the  Daya,  and 
 this  animal  is  not  therefore  killed  or  eaten  by  them.  The  high  caste  Daya 
 
 2 y 2 
 
318 
 
 THE  DAYA  OF  BORNEO.— THE  BALINESE. 
 
 do  not  engage  in  mining,  as  they  fancy  it  may  induce  misfortune  on  their 
 country.”  * 
 
 Ruins  of  temples,  statues,  and  dilapidated  cities  have  been  discovered  in 
 the  Island  of  Borneo,  as  well  as  inscriptions  in  characters  unknown,  to  the 
 Malays,  Chinese,  or  Dayas. 
 
 THE  BALINESE. 
 
 “ The  island  of  Bali  is  at  present  divided  under  seven  separate  authorities, 
 each  independent  of  the  other : and  of  this  heptarchy,  the  state  of  Klong- 
 kong  is  acknowledged  to  be  the  most  ancient ; its  princes  tracing  their 
 descent  from  the  princes  of  Java,  and  having  once  possessed  authority  over 
 the  whole  island.  Among  the  regalia  of  this  state  are  reported  to  be  still 
 preserved  the  creese  of  Majapahit,  and  the  celebrated  gotig  named  Bentur 
 Kadaton ; and  although  the  other  governments  do  not,  at  the  present  day, 
 admit  of  any  interference  on  the  part  of  this  state,  they  still  evince  a marked 
 respect  and  courtesy  to  that  family,  as  the  Asal  Rajah  Bali  (the  stock  from 
 which  they  sprung). 
 
 “ The  population  is  roughly  estimated  by  the  number  of  male  inhabi- 
 tants whose  teeth  have  been  filed,  and  whose  services  each  prince  can  com- 
 mand ; and  who  amount  to  upwards  of  200,000.  The  female  population 
 is  understood  rather  to  exceed  the  male. 
 
 “ The  government  is  despotic,  and  vested  in  the  prince  alone,  who  is 
 assisted  in  all  affairs  relating  to  the  internal  administration  of  the  country, 
 by  a head  Perbakal  (immediately  under  officers  of  this  name,  are  placed 
 the  heads  of  villages),  and  by  a Radin  Tumung-gung , who  conducts  the 
 details  of  a more  general  nature,  of  commerce  and  foreign  intercourse. 
 
 “ Whatever,  at  former  periods,  may  have  been  the  extent  and  influence  of 
 the  Hindu  religion,  Bali  is  now  the  only  island  in  the  eastern  seas,  in  which 
 that  religion  is  still  prevailing  as  the  national  and  established  religion  of  the 
 country. 
 
 * Asiatic  Journal. 
 
THE  BALINESE.— JAVA. 
 
 34-9 
 
 “ That  high  spirit  of  enterprize  which  burst  the  bounds  of  the  extensive 
 confines  of  India,  like  the  dove  from  the  ark,  rested  its  weary  wing  for  a 
 while  in  Java,  till  driven  from  thence  it  sought  a refuge  in  Bali,  where  even 
 amongst  the  rudest  and  most  untutored  of  savages  it  found  an  asylum. 
 The  four  grand  divisions  of  the  Hindus  are  here  acknowledged. 
 
 “ The  bodies  of  deceased  persons  are  invariably  burnt,  and  the  wives 
 and  concubines  of  the  higher  classes  perform  the  sacrifice  of  suttee.  A 
 few  days  previous  to  my  landing  on  Bali,  nineteen  young  women,  the  wives 
 and  concubines  of  the  younger  rajah,  who  was  lately  put  to  death,  sacri- 
 ficed themselves  in  this  manner.”* 
 
 “ The  Balinese  acknowledge  (says  Mr.  Medhurst  in  the  Transactions 
 of  the  London  Missionary  Society)  Brahma  as  the  supreme,  who  they  sup- 
 pose to  be  the  god  of  fire.  Next  to  him  they  rank  Vishnu,  who  is  said 
 to  preside  over  rivers  of  waters  ; and  thirdly,  Segara,  the  god  of  the  sea. 
 They  also  speak  of  Ram,  who  sprung  from  an  island  at  the  confluence  of 
 the  Jumna  and  Gunga,  and  we  distinctly  recognize  in  their  temples  an  image 
 of  Ganesha,  with  an  elephant’s  head  ; and  one  of  Durga  standing  on  a bull. 
 They  have  great  veneration  for  the  cow,  not  eating  its  flesh,  nor  wearing  its 
 skin,  nor  doing  any  thing  to  the  injury  of  that  animal.  We  observed,  also, 
 an  image  of  a cow  in  one  of  their  sacred  enclosures,  which  seemed  put 
 there  as  an  object  of  worship.” 
 
 Their  temples  were  numerous,  but  small  and  common  in  their  architecture. 
 Outside  of  some  of  them  stood  the  large  images  usually  discovered  in  the 
 porches  of  the  Hindu  temples.  The  principal  priests  were  called  Brah- 
 manas.  Those  of  inferior  rank  Idas.  They  wore  the  Brahminical  cord, 
 which  they  call  Ganitree ,” 
 
 JAVA. 
 
 Java  is  washed  on  the  south  and  east  by  the  Indian  Ocean.  To  the  west 
 lies  the  island  of  Sumatra  ; to  the  north,  Borneo  ; to  the  north-east,  Cele- 
 bes ; and  to  the  east  it  is  separated  by  two  narrow  straits  from  the  islands 
 
 * Sir  T.  S.  Raffles. 
 
350 
 
 JAVA. 
 
 of  Madura  and  Bali.  In  length  it  may  be  estimated  at  six  hundred  miles, 
 by  ninety-five  in  average  breadth. 
 
 “ If  we  admit  the  natural  inference,  that  the  population  of  the  islands 
 originally  emigrated  from  the  continent,  the  history  of  the  eastern  islands 
 may,  with  reference  to  that  of  Java  in  particular,  in  which  a powerful  Hindu 
 government  was  without  doubt  early  established,  be  divided  into  five  dis- 
 tinct periods. 
 
 “ The  first  division  would  include  the  period  commencing  with  the  earliest 
 accounts  of  the  population,  down  to  the  first  establishment  of  a foreign 
 colony  in  Java. 
 
 “ The  Javans  date  the  commencement  of  their  era*  from  the  arrival  of 
 Adi  Saka,  the  minister  of  Prabu  joyo  Boyo,  sovereign  of  Hastina,  and  the 
 fifth  in  descent  from  Arjuno,  the  favourite  of  Krishna,  and  the  leading  hero 
 of  the  B'rata  Yud'ha.  This  epoch  corresponds  with  that  of  the  introduc- 
 tion of  a new  faith  into  China,  and  the  further  peninsula,  by  Saka,  Shaka, 
 or  Sakia,  as  he  is  differently  termed. 
 
 “ But  whether  Saka  himself,  or  only  some  of  his  followers  assuming 
 this  name,  found  their  way  to  Java,  may  be  questionable. 
 
 “ Anterior  to  this  supposed  arrival  of  Adi  Saka,  the  two  most  eventful 
 periods  in  the  history  of  these  countries  of  which  tradition  and  history  make 
 mention,  are — first,  that  which  includes  the  excursions  of  the  far-famed 
 race,  which  have  been  supposed  to  have  peopled  South  America  and 
 according  to  Sir  William  Jones,  £ imported  into  the  furthest  parts  of  Asia 
 the  rites  and  fabulous  history  of  Rama;’  and  secondly,  that  which  includes 
 the  consequences  of  the  invasion  of  India  by  Alexander  the  Great.  That 
 the  fabulous  history  of  Rama,  as  well  as  the  exploits  of  Alexander,  have 
 been  current  in  the  Malayan  Archipelago  from  time  immemorial,  cannot  be 
 questioned  ; and  it  may  be  remarked,  that  while  the  Javans  use  the  term 
 Rama,  for  father,  the  Malays  universally  attempt  to  trace  their  descent 
 from  Alexander  or  his  followers. 
 
 “ The  second  division  would  include  the  period  between  this  first  regular 
 
 * Their  present  year  is  1758. 
 
 f Humboldt  describes  the  existence  of  Hindu  remains  still  found  in  America. 
 
JAVA. 
 
 351 
 
 establishment  from  Western  India,  and  the  decline  and  fall  of  the  first 
 eastern  empire  in  Java,  which  may  be  fixed  with  tolerable  accuracy  at 
 about  the  Javanese  year  1000,  or  A.D.  1073. 
 
 “ During  this  period,  by  far  the  most  eventful  in  the  history  of  Java,  we 
 shall  find  that  colonies  of  foreigners  established  themselves,  not  only  in 
 Java,  but  in  various  other  islands  of  the  Archipelago  ; that  the  arts,  par- 
 ticularly those  of  architecture  and  sculpture,  flourished  in  a superior  degree; 
 and  that  the  language,  literature,  and  institutions  of  the  continent  of  India, 
 were  transfused  in  various  directions  through  the  oriental  islands.  It  was 
 during  this  period  that  the  principal  temples,  of  which  the  ruins  now  exist 
 in  Java,  were  built. 
 
 “ This  period  will  commence  from  the  arrival  of  Awap,  the  reputed  son 
 of  Baliattcha,  sovereign  of  Kudjorat,  who  came  in  search  of  a celebrated 
 country  described  in  the  writings  of  Saka ; and  who,  under  the  name  of 
 Sewelo  Cholo,  established  the  first  regular  monarchy  of  which  the  Javanese 
 annals  make  mention;  and  include  the  adventures  of  the  celebrated  Panji, 
 the  pride  and  admiration  of  succeeding  ages. 
 
 “ The  third  division  would  include  the  period  from  the  above  date  to  the 
 final  overthrow  of  the  second  eastern  empire,  in  the  Javanese  year  1400. 
 Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  power  and  opulence  of  this  second  empire, 
 established  at  Majapahit,  from  the  extensive  ruins  of  that  city  still  extant. 
 The  walls  enclose  a space  of  upwards  of  twenty  miles  in  circumference. 
 
 “ Within  this  period  will  be  included  the  establishment  of  the  western 
 empire  at  Pajajaran,  the  subsequent  division  of  the  island  under  the  princes 
 of  Majapahit,  and  Pajajaran,  the  eventual  supremacy  of  Majapahit,  and 
 the  final  overthrow  of  the  government  and  ancient  institutions  of  the  country, 
 by  the  general  establishment  of  the  Mahometan  faith. 
 
 “ It  is  during  this  period  that  Java  may  be  said  to  have  risen  to  the 
 highest  pitch  of  her  civilization  yet  known,  and  to  have  commanded  a more 
 extensive  intercourse,  throughout  the  Archipelago,  than  at  any  former 
 period.  Colonies  from  Java  were  successively  planted  in  Sumatra,  the 
 Malayan  peninsula,  Borneo  and  Bali,  the  princes  of  which  contrive  still  to 
 trace  their  descent  from  the  house  of  Majapahit. 
 
JAVA. 
 
 85Q. 
 
 “ In  the  endeavours  to  establish  the  Mahometan  faith  in  the  various 
 countries  where  it  is  now  acknowledged,  and  particularly  in  Java,  we  find, 
 that  notwithstanding  attempts  to  make  proselytes  were  as  early  as  the  com- 
 mencement of  the  twelfth  century,  such  was  the  attachment  of  the  people 
 to  their  ancient  faith  and  institutions,  that  these  efforts  did  not  effectually 
 succeed  till  the  latter  end  of  the  fifteenth  century  of  the  Christian  era. 
 
 “ In  Java,  and  in  the  whole  of  that  range  of  islands  which  modern 
 geographers  have  classed  under  the  denomination  of  the  Sunda  Islands, 
 extensive  traces  of  antiquity  and  national  greatness  are  exhibited  in  the 
 numerous  monuments  of  a former  worship,  in  the  ruins  of  dilapitaded  cities, 
 and  in  the  character,  the  institutions,  the  language,  and  the  literature  of 
 the  people. 
 
 “ The  most  splendid  of  the  monuments  of  ancient  worship  are  to  be 
 found  at  Prambanon,  Boro  Bodo,  and  Singa  Sari.  These  extensive  ruins 
 lay  claim  to  the  highest  antiquity ; and,  considering  the  vicinity  of  the 
 temples  to  have  been  the  seat  of  the  earliest  monarchy  in  Java,  I may  be 
 permitted,  in  the  words  of  Captain  Baker,  to  lament  the  contrast  of  the 
 present  times  with  times  long  since  past.  ‘ Nothing,’  he  observes,  ‘ can 
 exceed  the  air  of  melancholy,  desolation,  and  ruin,  which  this  spot  presents; 
 and  the  feelings  of  every  visitor  must  be  forcibly  in  unison  with  the  scene 
 of  surrounding  devastation,  when  he  reflects  upon  the  origin  of  this  once 
 venerated,  hallowed  spot ; the  seat  and  proof  of  the  perfection  of  arts  now 
 no  longer  in  existence  in  Java ; the  type  and  emblem  of  a religion  now  no 
 longer  acknowledged,  and  scarcely  known  among  them  by  name:  when  he 
 reflects  upon  that  boundless  profusion  of  active,  unwearied  skill  and  patience, 
 the  noble  spirit  of  generous  emulation,  the  patronage  and  encouragement 
 which  the  arts  and  sciences  must  have  received,  and  the  inexhaustible 
 wealth  and  resources  which  the  Javanese  of  those  times  must  have  pos- 
 sessed !’ 
 
 “ In  attempting  to  describe  the  Chandi  Sewo,  or  thousand  temples, 
 which  form  a principal  part  of  these  .ruins,  he  laments  his  inability  to  convey 
 any  adequate  ideas  satisfactory  to  his  own  mind,  even  of  the  actual  dis- 
 mantled state  of  this  splendid  seat  of  magnificence  and  of  the  arts. 
 
J A V A. 
 
 353 
 
 “ Next  to  Prambanan,  the  ruins  of  Boro  Bodo  may  be  ranked  as 
 remarkable  for  grandeur  in  design,  peculiarity  of  style,  and  exquisite  work- 
 manship. 
 
 “ It  is  built  so  as  to  crown  the  upper  part  of  a small  hill,  the  summit 
 terminating  in  a dome.  The  building  is  square,  and  is  composed  of  seven 
 terraces,  rising  one  above  the  other,  each  of  which  is  enclosed  by  stone 
 walls ; the  ascent  to  the  different  terraces  being  by  four  flights  of  steps, 
 leading  from  four  principal  entrances,  one  on  each  side  of  the  square.  On 
 the  top  are  several  small  latticed  domes,  the  upper  part  terminating  in  one 
 of  a larger  circumference.  In  separate  niches,  or  rather  temples,  at  equal 
 distances,  formed  in  the  walls  of  the  several  terraces,  are  contained  upwards 
 of  three  hundred  stone  images  of  devotees,  in  a sitting  posture,  and  being 
 each  above  three  feet  high.  Similar  images  are  within  the  domes  above  ; 
 and  in  compartments  in  the  walls,  both  within  and  without,  are  carved  in 
 relief,  and  in  the  most  correct  and  beautiful  style,  groupes  of  figures,  con- 
 taining historical  scenes  and  mythological  ceremonies,  supposed  to  be 
 representations  of  a principal  part,  either  of  the  Ramayan  or  Mahabarat. 
 The  figures  and  costumes  are  evidently  Indian ; and  we  are  at  a loss 
 whether  most  to  admire  the  extent  and  grandeur  of  the  whole  construction, 
 or  the  beauty,  richness,  and  correctness  of  the  sculpture. 
 
 “ The  same  maybe  also  traced  in  the  ruins  at  Singa  Sari,  situated  in  the 
 Residency  of  Pasaruan,  where  are  still  to  be  found  images  of  Brahma, 
 Mahadeo,  Ganesa,  the  bull  Nandi,  and  others  of  the  most  exquisite  work- 
 manship, and  in  a still  higher  degree  of  preservation  than  any  remaining  at 
 Prambanan  or  Boro  Bodo. 
 
 “ These  buildings  must  have  been  raised  at  a period  when  the  highest 
 state  of  the  arts  existed,  and  constructed  at  no  very  distant  date  from  each 
 other.  Considered  in  this  view,  they  serve  very  forcibly  and  decidedly  to 
 corroborate  the  historical  details  of  the  country,  which  are  found  to  exist  in 
 the  different  written  compositions  and  dramatic  entertainments. 
 
 “ Gunung  Prahu,  a mountain,  or  rather  a range  of  mountains  (for  there 
 are  no  less  than  twenty-nine  points  or  summits,  which  have  distinct  names), 
 situated  on  the  northern  side  of  the  island,  and  inland  between  Samarang 
 
 2 z 
 
354, 
 
 JAVA. 
 
 and  Pacalongan,  is  the  supposed  residence  of  Arjuno,  and  of  thedemi-gods 
 and  heroes  who  distinguished  themselves  in  the  B’rata  Jud’ha,  or  holy  war. 
 Here,  the  ruins  of  the  supposed  palace  of  the  chief,  the  abode  of  Bima,  his 
 followers  and  attendants,  are  exhibited  ; and  so  rich  was  once  this  spot  in 
 relics  of  antiquity,  that  the  village  of  Kali  Babar,  situated  at  the  foot  of  the 
 mountain,  is  stated  to  have  paid  its  rents,  from  time  immemorial,  in  gold 
 melted  down  from  the  golden  images  here  discovered. 
 
 “ As  connected  with  these  early  and  splendid  monuments  of  the  former 
 high  state  of  the  arts  in  Java,  and  illustrative  of  the  history  of  the  country, 
 are  to  be  noticed  the  great  variety  of  inscriptions  found  in  different  parts  of 
 the  island. 
 
 “ Did  not  the  other  striking  and  obvious  proofs  exist  of  the  claims  of 
 Java  to  be  considered  at  one  period  far  advanced  in  civilization,  it  might  be 
 sufficient  to  bring  forward  the  perfection  of  the  language,  the  accession 
 which  that  language  must  in  early  times  have  received  from  a distant  but 
 highly  cultivated  source,  and  the  copiousness  for  which  it  stands  so  peculiarly 
 and  justly  distinguished. 
 
 “ In  the  island  of  Java  two  general  languages  may  be  considered  as  pre- 
 valent. The  Sunda  language,  which  prevails  in  the  western,  and  the  Java- 
 nese, which  is  the  language  of  the  districts  east  of  Cheribon. 
 
 “ The  literature  of  Java,  however  much  it  may  have  declined  in  latter 
 days,  must  be  still  considered  as  respectable.  The  more  ancient  historical 
 compositions  are  mostly  written  in  the  Kawi  language,  to  which  frequently 
 the  meaning  of  each  word,  and  a paraphrase  of  the  whole  in  Javanese,  is 
 annexed.  Of  these  compositions  those  most  highly  esteemed  are  the  B’rata 
 Jud’ha,  or  holy  war,  and  a volume  entitled  Romo  or  Rama;  the  former 
 descriptive  of  the  exploits  of  Arjuno,  and  the  principal  heroes  whose  fame 
 is  recorded  in  the  celebrated  Indian  poem  of  the  Mahabarat,  the  latter  of 
 those  who  are  distinguished  in  the  Ramayan.  These  poems  are  held,  by  the 
 Javanese  of  the  present  day,  in  about  the  same  estimation  as  the  Iliad  and 
 Odyssey  of  Homer  are  by  Europeans.  I should  not  omit  to  mention  that 
 the  belief  is  general  among  the  Javanese,  that  the  scene  of  this  celebrated 
 romance  is  in  Java.  They  point  out  the  different  countries  which  are  re- 
 
JAVA. 
 
 355 
 
 ferred  to ; such  as  Hastina,  Wirata,  and  others  in  different  districts  of  the 
 island,  which  have  since  assumed  more  modern  names ; and  the  supposed 
 mansion  of  Arjuno,  as  before  noticed,  is  still  traced  upon  Gunung  Prahu. 
 Dramatic  representations  of  various  kinds  form  the  constant  recreation  of 
 the  higher  classes  of  society,  and  the  most  polished  amusements  of  the 
 country.  These  consist  of  the  way-ang-kulit,  or  scenic  shadows,  and  the 
 way-ang-wong,  in  which  men  personify  the  heroes  of  the  B’rata  Jud’ha  and 
 Romo.  They  have  also  the  topetig,  in  which  men  wearing  masks  personify 
 those  immortalized  in  the  history  of  Panji ; and  the  way-ang-klitik,  or  korit- 
 chil,  not  unlike  a puppet-shew  in  Europe,  in  which  diminutive  wooden 
 figures  personify  the  heroes  of  Majapahit. 
 
 “ These  dramatic  exhibitions  are  accompanied  by  performances  on  the 
 gamelan , or  musical  instruments  of  the  Javanese,  of  which  there  are  several 
 distinct  sets.  The  Javanese  music  is  peculiarly  harmonious,  but  the  gamut 
 is  imperfect. 
 
 “ The  superior  and  extraordinary  fertility  of  the  soil  may  serve  to  ac- 
 count for  the  extensive  population  of  Java,  compared  with  that  of  the  other 
 islands ; and  when,  to  the  peaceable  and  domestic  habits  of  an  agricultural 
 life,  are  added  the  facilities  for  invasion  along  an  extensive  line  of  coast, 
 accessible  in  every  direction,  it  will  not  have  been  surprising  that  she 
 should  have  fallen  an  easy  prey  to  the  first  invader.  She  appears  to  have 
 lost,  by  these  invasions,  much  of  that  martial  spirit  and  adventurous  enter- 
 prise which  distinguishes  the  population  of  the  other  isles  ; but,  at  the  same 
 time,  to  have  retained,  not  only  the  primitive  simplicity  of  her  own  peculiar 
 usages,  but  all  the  virtues  and  advantages  of  the  more  enlightened  institu- 
 tions which  have  been  introduced  at  different  periods  from  a foreign  source. 
 At  all  events,  when  we  consider  that  her  population  cannot  be  less  than  four 
 millions,  and  when  we  witness  the  character  and  literature  of  the  people  as 
 it  is  even  now  exhibited,  we  must  believe  that  Java  had  once  attained  a far 
 higher  degree  of  civilization  than  any  other  nation  in  the  southern  hemi- 
 sphere. Remains  of  the  Hindu  religion  is  still  existent  on  the  Teng’gar 
 Mountains  on  the  island. 
 
 “To  the  eastward  of  Surabaia,  and  on  the  range  of  hills  connected  with 
 
 2 z 2 
 
356 
 
 JAVA. 
 
 Gunung  Dasar,  and  lying  partly  in  the  district  of  Pasuraun  and  partly  in 
 that  of  Probolingo,  known  by  the  name  of  the  Teng’gar  Mountains,  we  find 
 the  remnant  of  a people  still  following  the  Hindu  worship,  who  merit  atten- 
 tion, not  only  on  account  of  their  being  the  depositaries  of  the  last  trace  of 
 that  worship  discovered  at  this  day  on  Java,  but  as  exhibiting  a peculiar 
 singularity  and  simplicity  of  character. 
 
 “ These  people  occupy  about  forty  villages,  scattered  along  this  range  of 
 hills  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Sandy  Sea,  and  are  partly  under  Pasuraun 
 and  partly  under  Probolingo.  The  site  of  the  villages,  as  well  as  the  con- 
 struction of  the  houses,  is  peculiar,  and  differs  entirely  from  what  is  else- 
 where observed  in  Java.  The  houses  are  not  shaded  by  trees,  but  built  on 
 spacious  open  terraces,  rising  one  above  the  other,  each  house  occupying  a 
 terrace,  and  being  in  length  from  thirty  to  seventy,  and  even  eighty  feet. 
 
 “ The  head  of  the  village  takes  the  title  of  Petingi , and  he  is  generally 
 assisted  by  a kabayan;  both  elected  by  the  people  from  their  village.  There 
 are  four  priests,  who  are  here  termed  dukuns,  having  charge  of  the  sacred 
 records. 
 
 “ These  dukuns,  who  are  in  general  intelligent  men,  have  no  tradition  of 
 the  time  when  they  were  first  established  on  these  hills  ; from  what  country 
 they  came,  or  who  intrusted  them  with  the  sacred  books,  to  the  faith  con- 
 tained in  which  they  still  adhere.  These  latter,  they  state,  were  handed 
 down  to  them  by  their  fathers,  their  office  being  hereditary ; and  the  sole 
 duty  required  of  them  being  to  perform  the  puja  according  thereto,  and 
 again  to  hand  them  down  in  safety  to  their  children.  They  consist  of  three 
 compositions  written  on  the  /owtar-leaf,  describing  the  origin  of  the  world, 
 the  attributes  of  the  deity,  and  the  forms  of  worship  to  be  observed  on  dif- 
 ferent occasions. 
 
 “ On  the  death  of  an  inhabitant  of  Teng’gar,  the  corpse  is  lowered  into  the 
 grave,  the  head  being  placed  to  the  south  (contrary  to  the  direction  observed 
 by  the  Mahometans),  and  bamboos  and  planks  are  placed  over,  so  as  to  pre- 
 vent the  earth  from  touching  it.  When  the  grave  is  closed,  two  posts  are 
 planted  over  the  body,  one  perpendicular  from  the  breast,  the  other  from 
 the  lower  part  of  the  belly.  Between  these  two  a hollowed  bamboo  is  in- 
 
JAVA. 
 
 357 
 
 serted  in  the  ground,  into  which,  during  seven  successive  days,  they  daily 
 pour  a vessel  of  pure  water,  placing  beside  the  bamboo  two  dishes,  also 
 daily  replenished  with  eatables.  At  the  expiration  of  the  seventh  day,  the 
 feast  of  the  dead  is  announced,  and  the  relations  and  friends  of  the  de- 
 ceased assemble  to  be  present  at  the  ceremony,  and  partake  of  the  enter- 
 tainment, which  is  conducted  as  follows  : 
 
 “ An  image  of  leaves,  ornamented  with  variegated  flowers,  made  to  re- 
 present the  human  form,  and  of  about  a cubit  high,  is  prepared  and  placed 
 in  a conspicuous  place,  and  supported  round  the  body  by  the  clothes  of  the 
 deceased.  The  dukun  then  places  in  front  of  the  garland  an  incense-pot, 
 with  burning  ashes,  and  a vessel  containing  water,  and  repeats  the  two 
 puja  to  fire  and  water.  Nothing  more  occurs  until  the  expiration  of  a 
 thousand  days ; when,  if  the  memory  of  the  deceased  is  beloved  and  che- 
 rished, the  ceremony  and  feast  are  repeated ; otherwise  no  further  notice 
 is  taken. 
 
 “ On  questioning  them  regarding  the  tenets  of  their  religion,  they  replied 
 that  they  believed  in  a dewa,  who  was  all  powerful ; that  the  term  by  which 
 the  dewa  was  designated,  was  Bumi  Truko  Sang-y-ang  Dewato  Bator;  and 
 that  the  particulars  of  their  worship  were  contained  in  the  book  called 
 Panglawa,  which  they  presented  to  me.  On  being  questioned  regarding 
 the  adat  against  adultery,  theft,  and  other  crimes,  their  reply  was  una- 
 nimous and  ready ; that  crimes  of  the  kind  were  unknown  to  them,  and 
 that  consequently  no  punishment  was  fixed  either  by  law  or  custom  ; that 
 if  a man  did  wrong,  the  head  of  the  village  chid  him  for  it,  the  reproach  of 
 which  was  always  sufficient  for  a man  of  Teng’gar.  They  literally  seem  to 
 be  without  crime.  They  are  universally  peaceable  ; interfere  with  none  ; 
 neither  quarrel  among  themselves.  It  may  be  superfluous  to  add,  that 
 they  are  unacquainted  with  the  vices  of  gaming  and  opium-smoking.”* 
 
 Among  the  interesting  subjects  peculiar  to  Java  and  the  eastern  islands, 
 is  the  edible  Bird’s  Nest,  of  the  esculent  or  small  swallow  (the  hirundo 
 esculenta).  The  mucilaginous  substances  of  which  these  nests  are  formed 
 
 * Sir  T.  S.  Raffles'  Discoveries. 
 
358 
 
 J A V A. 
 
 have  been  generally  supposed  to  be  drawn  from  the  ocean  : but  as  the 
 birds  and  their  nests  have  been  found  forty  or  fifty  miles  inland,  and  fre- 
 quently on  the  borders  of  lakes,  where  they  have  been  observed  to  feed  on 
 various  sorts  of  insects,  this  opinion  has  given  way  to  another,  that  the 
 birds  possess  a peculiar  secretion,  which  they  use  in  the  formation  of  their 
 nests.  Whichsoever  may  be  the  correct  opinion,  small  particles  of  shell,  as 
 well  as  of  hay  or  dry  grass,  are  seen  in  their  composition.  They  are  much 
 used  by  the  Chinese  (among  whom  they  sell  at  very  high  prices — sometimes 
 twice  their  weight  in  silver)  in  consequence  of  being  supposed  to  possess 
 very  nutritious  and  stimulating  qualities.  The  cook  of  Louis  XIV.  declared 
 that  if  he  had  plenty  of  sauces  he  could  make  good  soup  out  of  the  sole  of 
 an  old  shoe.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  edible  birds’  nests  ; the  latter 
 having,  when  dissolved  and  cleaned,  somewhat  the  appearance  and  in- 
 sipidity of  isinglass  in  the  same  state. 
 
 But  that  which  has  probably  obtained  the  highest  celebrity  among  the 
 natural  productions  of  Java  is  the  Oopas,  Upas,  or  poison  (now  known  as  the 
 antshar)  tree.  The  story  of  its  noxious  qualities  has  been  worked  up  into  a 
 romantic  tale  of  terror,  which  for  a long  time  was  almost  universally  believed. 
 To  a great  extent  around  this  soul-appalling  tree,  as  in  the  spell-bound  circle 
 of  the  enchanted  dragon,  the  air  was  impregnated  by  its  pestilence,  to 
 inhale  which  was  death ; and  none  but  devoted  criminals,  whose  lives 
 depended  on  their  success  in  obtaining  the  poison  for  the  arrows  of  the 
 sovereign,  dared  venture  within  its  destructive  range.  These  covered 
 their  mouths  and  nostrils,  and,  on  entering  within  the  fatal  bounds,  sped 
 on  the  wings  of  life  or  death  to  effect  the  desperate  undertaking.  Like  the 
 plague-affiicted  leper  the  Upas  had  no  companion.  Around  it  both  animal 
 and  vegetable  life  became  extinct,  and  like  the  “ last  man”  of  the  novelist, 
 it  stood  in  solitary  and  awful  supremacy  amid  surrounding  scenes  of  death 
 and  desolation. 
 
 Such  for  a long  time  was  the  general  belief  in  Europe,  till  knowledge  and 
 science  burst  the  bonds  of  ignorance,  and  unshackled  the  mind  from  such 
 gross  and  impudent  impositions.  No  sooner  had  the  British  arms  proved 
 successful  in  Java,  than  the  conquerors  turned  their  attention  towards  the 
 
JAVA. 
 
 359 
 
 natural,  the  scientific  and  the  literary  productions  of  the  island  and  its  inhabi- 
 tants. Among  those  distinguished  persons  were  Sir  T.  S.  Raffles  and  Dr. 
 Horsfield,  an  American  gentleman  at  Batavia,  to  the  latter  of  whom  we  owe 
 the  following  and  best  account  of  this  once  dreaded  and  terrific  tree  : — 
 
 “ The  literary  and  scientific  world  has  in  few  instances  been  more  grossly 
 and  impudently  imposed  upon  than  by  the  account  of  the  Pohon  Oopas, 
 published  in  Holland  about  the  year  1780.  The  history  and  origin  of  this 
 celebrated  forgery  still  remains  a mystery. 
 
 “ It  is  in  no  small  degree  surprising  that  so  palpable  a falsehood  should 
 have  been  asserted  with  so  much  boldness,  and  have  remained  so  long  with- 
 out refutation. 
 
 “ But  though  the  account  just  mentioned,  in  so  far  as  relates  to  the  situa- 
 tion of  the  poison-tree,  to  its  effects  on  the  surrounding  country,  and  to  the 
 application  said  to  have  been  made  of  the  Oopas  on  criminals  in  different 
 parts  of  the  islands,  as  well  as  the  description  of  poisonous  substance  itself, 
 and  its  mode  of  collection,  has  been  demonstrated  to  be  an  extensive 
 forgery ; the  existence  of  a tree  on  Java,  from  whose  sap  a poison  is  pre- 
 pared, equal  in  fatality,  when  thrown  into  circulation,  to  the  strongest 
 animal  poisons  hitherto  known,  is  a fact,  which  it  is  at  present  my  object  to 
 establish  and  to  illustrate. 
 
 “ The  tree  which  produces  this  poison  is  called  Antsliar,  and  grows  in 
 the  eastern  extremity  of  the  island. 
 
 “ The  Antshar  is  one  of  the  largest  trees  in  the  forests  of  Java.  The  stem 
 is  cylindrical,  perpendicular,  and  rises  completely  naked  to  the  height  of 
 sixty,  seventy,  or  eighty  feet.  Near  the  surface  of  the  ground  it  spreads 
 obliquely,  dividing  into  numerous  broad  appendages  or  wings,  much  like  the 
 Canarian  commune,  and  several  others  of  our  large  forest  trees.  Discovered 
 with  a whitish  bark,  slightly  bursting  in  longitudinal  furrows : near  the 
 ground  this  bark  is,  in  old  trees,  more  than  half  an  inch  thick,  and  upon 
 being  wounded  yields  plentifully  of  the  milky  juice  from  which  the  cele- 
 brated poison  is  prepared.  A puncture  or  incision  being  made  in  the  tree, 
 juice  or  sap  appears  oozing  out  of  a yellowish  colour  (somewhat  frothy) ; 
 from  old  trees,  paler ; and  nearly  white  from  young  ones  ; when  exposed 
 
360 
 
 JAVA.— SUMATRA. 
 
 to  the  air,  its  surface  becomes  brown.  The  consistence  very  much  resem- 
 bles milk,  only  it  is  thicker  and  viscid.  This  sap  is  contained  in  the  true 
 bark  (or  cortex),  which,  when  punctured,  yields  a considerable  quantity, 
 so  that  in  a short  time  a cup  full  may  be  collected  from  a large  tree.  The 
 poorer  classes  employ  the  inner  bark  of  younger  trees,  which  is  more  easily 
 prepared,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a coarse  stuff  which  they  wear  when 
 working  in  the  fields.  But  it  requires  much  bruising,  washing,  and  a long 
 immersion  in  waters,  before  it  can  be  used,  and  even  when  it  appears 
 completely  purified,  persons  wearing  this  dress,  on  being  exposed  to  the  rain, 
 are  affected  with  an  intolerable  itching,  which  renders  their  flimsy  covering 
 almost  insupportable. 
 
 “ It  will  appear  from  the  account  of  the  manner  in  which  the  poison  is 
 prepared,  that  the  deleterious  quality  exists  in  the  gum,  a small  portion  of 
 which  still  adhering  to  the  bark,  produces,  when  it  becomes  wet,  this 
 irritating  effect. 
 
 “ The  Antshar  delights  in  a fertile  and  not  very  elevated  soil,  and  is  only 
 found  in  the  largest  forests.  In  clearing  the  new  grounds  in  the  environs  of 
 Banjoowangee  for  cultivation,  it  is  with  much  difficulty  the  inhabitants  can 
 be  made  to  approach  the  tree,  as  they  dread  the  cutaneous  eruption  which 
 it  is  known  to  produce  when  newly  cut  down.  But  except  when  the  tree 
 is  largely  wounded,  or  when  it  is  felled,  by  which  a large  portion  of  the 
 juice  is  disengaged,  the  effluvia  of  which,  mixing  with  the  atmosphere, 
 affects  the  persons  exposed  to  it,  with  the  symptoms  just  mentioned,  the 
 tree  may  be  approached  and  ascended  like  the  other  common  trees  in  the 
 forests.” 
 
 SUMATRA. 
 
 This  extensive  island  was,  according  to  various  traditions,  first  peopled 
 from  Java,  and  as  it  seems  to  have  been  clearly  ascertained  that  the  Hindu 
 religion  was  introduced  into  that  country  by  its  first  settlers,  or  by  some  of 
 its  earliest  visitors,  there  can  be  no  question  of  its  having  been  conveyed 
 from  thence  into  Sumatra.  To  what  extent  it  may  have  flourished  in  this 
 
SUMATRA. 
 
 361 
 
 last  mentioned  island  does  not  appear  to  have  been  so  well  ascertained. 
 The  magnificent  and  almost  unrivalled  monuments  of  its  existence  in  Java 
 are  not  to  be  found  in  Sumatra.  Mr.  Anderson,  in  his  account  of  his 
 mission  to  the  coast  of  that  island,  has,  however,  stated,  that  he  discovered 
 at  Jambi  the  remains  of  an  ancient  Hindu  temple  of  considerable  dimensions, 
 and  near  the  spot  various  mutilated  figures,  which  would  appear  to  clearly 
 indicate  the  former  existence  of  the  worship  of  the  Vedantic  mythology. 
 Among  these  figures  were  a bull,  about  half  the  natural  size,  kneeling, 
 the  body  and  neck  adorned  with  wreaths  of  bell-shaped  flowers,  with  a 
 bell  suspended  at  the  chest ; four  figures,  each  representing  an  elephant's 
 head:*  and  the  statue  of  a man*  in  relief,  in  a sitting  posture,  with  a high  orna- 
 ment head-dress.  The  natives  called  them  the  chessmen  of  the  gods  or  genii. 
 
 This  extensive  island  is  now  inhabited  by  numerous  tribes.  The  sea 
 coast  is  principally  occupied  by  the  Malays,  who  are  Mahomedans  ; and 
 the  interior  of  the  country  by  various  mountain  tribes,  who  state  their  origin 
 to  have  been  from  Java  by  a prince  and  princess  (brother  and  sister),  who 
 first  settled  in  Sumatra  from  that  island.  Some  of  these  are  partially 
 Mahomedans,  practise  circumcision,  and  observe  some  of  the  Mahomedan 
 ceremonies  : but  they  also  acknowledge  other  dewas  or  deities,  whose  sacred 
 abode  is  the  celebrated  volcano  mountain  Gunung  Dempo.  These  deities 
 are  benignant  spirits  who  watch  over  the  destinies  of  mortals.  There  are 
 also  evil  spirits  called  Jins,  who  are  supposed  to  be  the  authors  of  all  evils. 
 The  utmost  veneration  is  paid  by  the  tribes  in  question  to  the  manes  of 
 deceased  ancestors,  who  are  considered  scarcely  inferior  to  the  gods  ; they 
 also  entertain  a firm  belief  in  the  existence  of  spirits  and  aerial  beings  of 
 various  descriptions.  Others  of  these  sects  have  no  idea  of  a Supreme 
 Being,  nor  belief  in  the  doctrines  of  Mahomed  : they,  however,  call  their 
 principal  Dewa  on  the  Gunung  Dempo  Alla  Tualla.  Among  these  tribes 
 are  the  inhabitants  of  Pasummah  Lebar  and  Pasummah  Ulu  Manna.  The 
 manners  of  the  higher  class  are  described  as  courteous  and  respectful  : those 
 of  the  lower  order  as  being  rude  and  savage.  They  are,  nevertheless, 
 hospitable,  open,  generous,  and  brave  ; temperate  in  their  diet,  and  seldom 
 
 * Now  brought  to  England  and  presented  to  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society. 
 
 3 A 
 
362 
 
 SUMATRA. 
 
 eating  flesh  : but  like  the  Bataks  (as  will  be  presently  seen),  except  not 
 being  cannibals,  will  not  scruple  to  partake  of  it  in  a most  revolting  state. 
 Their  mode  of  writing  is  by  scratching  with  a knife,  or  something  sharp,  on 
 a piece  of  split  bamboo.  Deadly  party  feuds  exist  among  them  for  two  or 
 three  generations,  which  are  rarely  appeased,  till  much  bloodshed  has  taken 
 place. 
 
 In  other  places  in  this  extensive  mountainous  tract,  the  inhabitants  are 
 described  as  inhospitable,  addicted  to  theiving,  implacable  in  their  tempers, 
 and  harbouring  revenge  in  their  bosoms  for  years,  until  an  opportunity  is 
 afforded  them  of  running-a-muck,  to  destroy  the  party  who  has  excited 
 their  enmity.  In  doing  this  they  will  kill  or  wound  all  who  attempt  to 
 oppose  their  design  until  they  are  themselves  destroyed.  They  are  much 
 afflicted  with  immense  goitres ; but  entertain  a high  opinion  of  their  own 
 personal  comeliness  : at  all  events  European  features  and  complexions  appear 
 to  be  held  in  very  low  estimation  among  them,  as  one  of  them,  who  was 
 adorned  with  an  excrescence  of  enormous  size,  said  to  his  companions  in 
 the  presence  of  some  English  gentlemen,  “ These  are  the  white  men  we 
 have  so  often  heard  of:  here  they  are  like  devils .”  The  object  of  these 
 gentlemen  was  to  ascend  to  the  crater  of  Gunung  Dempo,  in  which,  after 
 undergoing  extraordinary  difficulties,  they  unfortunately  failed. 
 
 One  of  the  objects  reverenced  by  the  tribe  in  question  is,  according  to 
 the  relation  of  the  parties  just  alluded  to,  an  ancient  spear,  which  is  said  to 
 possess  most  miraculous  powers,  as  it  speaks,  is  consulted  as  an  oracle, 
 and  is  deemed  to  be  so  invincible  in  war  that  hosts  fly  before  it.  When  it  is 
 brought  from  its  usual  depository  the  people  fall  down  and  worship  it. 
 
 But  among  the  most  extraordinary  of  the  various  people  inhabiting  the 
 mountain  tracts  of  the  interior  of  Sumatra,  are  the  tribes  of  Bataks,  or 
 Battas,  occupying  the  border  of  the  Great  Lake  and  the  adjacent  country. 
 
 “ It  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  Batak's  country,  and  maybe  described 
 generally  as  comprising  the  whole  of  that  part  of  Sumatra  which  is  situated 
 between  the  equator  and  2^°  North  latitude,  with  the  exception  of  a few 
 Malay  settlements  at  the  mouths  of  the  rivers  on  either  coast. 
 
 “ The  lake  of  Toba,  the  middle  of  which  bears  about  north-east  from  the 
 
SUMATRA. 
 
 363 
 
 settlement  at  Tappanooly,  is  situated  near  the  centre  of  the  Batak  country, 
 and  the  most  populous  districts  are  those  upon  its  borders. 
 
 “In  answer  to  various  questions  on  the  origin  of  the  Bataks,  the  prin- 
 cipal chief  of  Silindung  informed  us,  that  they  considered  themselves  the 
 first  people  who  had  settled  in  Sumatra  ; but  that  the  traditions  respecting 
 the  mother  country  were  lost,  except  that  it  was  situated  far  to  the  east, 
 beyond  the  sea. 
 
 “ In  their  personal  appearance,  the  Bataks  of  Silindung  struck  us  as 
 bearing  a considerable  resemblance  to  the  Hindus.  They  are  generally  of 
 a middle  stature,  well  made,  and  robust,  and  their  features  (particularly 
 the  nose)  are  rather  prominent.  They  possess  smooth  skins,  of  a lighter 
 colour  than  the  people  of  the  coast.  They  wear  the  hair  long,  and  tied  at 
 the  top  of  the  head  in  the  manner  of  the  Hindus,  and  the  women  part  their 
 hair  in  front  precisely  like  the  women  in  India.  Amongst  the  crowds  by 
 which  we  were  constantly  surrounded,  we  do  not  recollect  a single  instance 
 of  natural  deformity.  The  countenances  of  the  children  are  mostly 
 agreeable,  uniting  in  their  expression  mildness  with  great  vivacity ; but  on 
 attaining  the  age  of  ten  or  twelve  years,  their  front  teeth  are  filed  down 
 nearly  to  the  gum,  and  the  stump  blackened,  which  exceedingly  injures 
 their  appearance.  Females,  arrived  at  years  of  maturity,  have  generally 
 lost  all  traces  of  beauty,  which  cannot  excite  surprise,  when  it  is  considered 
 that  most  of  the  labours  of  the  field,  as  well  as  the  drudgery  of  the  house 
 and  the  manufacture  of  cloth,  devolve  upon  them. 
 
 “ The  women  have  no  head-dress  ; and,  after  marriage,  only  one  cloth 
 fastened  round  the  loins,  the  parts  above  being  perfectly  exposed.  Pre- 
 viously to  marriage  they  have  an  additional  garment  covering  the  breasts  : 
 but  in  the  vicinity  of  the  lake  this  practice  was  said  to  be  reversed,  the 
 married  women  covering  the  bosom,  and  those  unmarried  leaving  it  ex- 
 posed. The  daughters  of  the  chiefs  have  sometimes  thick  brass  wire  twisted 
 about  their  wrists,  and  if  unmarried,  a few  strings  of  beads  round  their 
 necks.  The  children  go  naked  to  the  age  of  six  or  eight  years,  or  even 
 longer.  The  people  of  Silindung  use  neither  opium  nor  intoxicating 
 liquors,  except  toddy  (palm  wine) ; but  both  sexes  and  all  ages  are  ex- 
 
 3 a 2 
 
364- 
 
 SUMATRA. 
 
 ceedingly  addicted  to  smoking  a stimulating  herb  of  a slight  narcotic  quality, 
 which,  however,  they  eagerly  abandon  for  tobacco,  when  that  is  procurable. 
 The  people  of  Silindung  are  far  from  being  cleanly  either  in  their  persons 
 or  their  houses.  We  believe  they  never  wash  their  clothes,  and  but  seldom 
 bathe  their  persons ; on  asking  their  reason  for  which,  they  replied,  that 
 the  water  was  too  cold. 
 
 “ In  their  choice  of  animals,  or  even  reptiles,  for  food,  they  are  by  no 
 means  delicate  : horses,  buffaloes,  cows,  pigs,  fowls,  and  goats,  are  es- 
 teemed the  best ; but  they  do  not  scruple  to  eat  dogs,  cats,  snakes, 
 monkeys,  bats,  See.,  nor  does  it  make  any  particular  difference  in  their 
 estimation  whether  the  animal  has  died  a natural  death,  or  been  killed  in 
 good  health  ; whether  recently  dead,  or  bordering  on  putridity.  When  an 
 animal  is  killed  for  food  they  save  the  blood,  and  use  it  as  sauce,  pouring  it 
 over  the  meat  when  cooked  and  chopped  into  pieces  of  about  an  ounce 
 weight  each. 
 
 “ Nothing  can  be  more  erroneous  than  the  opinion  commonly  entertained 
 by  the  Malays  in  their  neighbourhood,  as  well  as  by  Europeans,  with 
 regard  to  the  general  character  and  dispositions  of  the  Bataks.  The  well- 
 established  fact  of  their  cannibalism  has,  perhaps,  naturally  led  to  the 
 conclusion  that  they  were  a remarkably  ferocious  and  daring  people. 
 
 “ So  far  from  this,  whatever  may  be  the  fact  with  respect  to  other 
 districts,  the  people  of  Silindung,  in  quietness  and  timidity,  are  apparently 
 not  surpassed  even  by  the  Hindus.  We  mean  not  to  say,  however,  that 
 the  Bataks  are  a kind  and  humane  people  ; instances  of  their  extreme  un- 
 feelingness and  cruelty  towards  the  afflicted,  and  to  enemies  in  their  power, 
 are  lamentably  numerous. 
 
 “ The  Bataks  believe  in  the  existence  of  one  Supreme  Being,  the  creator 
 of  the  world,  whom  they  name  Debata  Hasi  Asi.  Since  completing  the 
 work  of  creation,  they  suppose  him  to  have  remained  perfectly  quiescent, 
 having  wholly  committed  the  government  to  his  three  sons,  Batara  Guru, 
 Sori  Pada,  and  Mangana  Bulan,  who  do  not,  however,  govern  in  person, 
 but  by  vakeels  or  proxies,  whom  they  are  supposed  to  station  over  different 
 divisions  of  the  earth.  To  these  vakeels  they  give  the  distinctive  titles  of 
 
SUMATRA. 
 
 365 
 
 Debata  digingang,  Debata  detora,  and  Debata  dostonga,  or  the  gods  above, 
 the  gods  below,  and  the  gods  of  the  middle,  expressive  of  the  departments 
 over  which  their  principals  respectively  preside.  Batara  Guru  they  repre- 
 sent as  the  god  of  justice  ; Sori  Pada,  as  the  god  of  mercy  ; and  Mangana 
 Bulan  as  the  original  source  of  evil,  and  the  constant  instigator  to  its  com- 
 mission. The  last  is  supposed  to  have  the  principal  share  in  the  manage- 
 ment of  human  affairs,  and  to  be  able  at  any  time  to  thwart  the  good 
 intentions  of  his  brethren ; consequently,  in  whatever  circumstance  the 
 Bataks  may  be  placed,  they  are  most  anxious  to  secure  his  favour,  con- 
 sidering good  in  general  to  consist  in  the  absence  of  evil ; it  matters  little 
 to  them  how  they  may  be  regarded  by  Batara  Guru  or  Sori  Pada,  so  long 
 as  they  secure  the  good  will  of  Mangana  Bulan.*  Batara  Guru  (as  his  name 
 denotes)  is  the  chief  instructor  of  men  ; and  when  he  is  supposed  by  Sori 
 Pada  to  be  dealing  too  harshly  with  them,  the  latter  expostulates  with  him 
 on  their  behalf. 
 
 “ Besides  these  they  number  amongst  their  deities  the  fabled  serpent  Naga 
 Padhoa,  which  they  represent  with  horns  like  a cow  supporting  the  earth. 
 They  imagine,  also,  that  every  village  has  its  Boru  na  mora,  Boru  Sani- 
 yang  Naga,  and  Martua  Sambaon,  or  guardian  deities,  superintending  its 
 interests  and  overruling  its  affairs  ; and  they  attempt  to  secure  the  favour  of 
 those  deities  by  propitiatory  sacrifices.  Besides  this  particular  interference 
 in  the  public  affairs  of  the  community,  they  suppose  that  every  individual 
 is  constantly  attended  and  watched  over  by  a number  of  genii,  both  good 
 and  evil,  called  Bogus  and  Saitans.  These  are  chiefly  the  souls  of  their  de- 
 parted ancestors,  whom  they  look  upon  as  possessing  extensive  power  over 
 the  living,  either  to  protect  or  to  afflict  them. 
 
 “ There  is  generally  one  priest  in  every  village : he  receives,  we  believe, 
 no  consecration  to  his  office,  but  is  selected  from  amongst  those  who  are 
 best  acquainted  with  their  books  and  superstitions ; and  as  the  ability  to 
 read  is  mostly  confined  to  the  families  of  the  chiefs,  it  frequently  happens 
 that  the  offices  of  raja  and  priest  are  united  in  the  same  person.  He  ex- 
 pounds all  their  religious  books,  and  according  to  his  interpretation  a day  is 
 * The  Hindus  also  pay  greater  adoration  to  the  vindictive  deities. 
 
360 
 
 SUMATRA. 
 
 chosen  as  propitious  to  their  object;  and  they  will  not  engage  in  any  under- 
 taking, however  trifling,  nor  make  the  smallest  alteration  in  their  domestic 
 economy,  without  first  consulting  him.  To  other  instruments  of  his  art  we 
 may  add  a book  called  ati  siporhas,  and  a cord  named  rombu  siporhas  by 
 the  former  of  which  he  determines  the  best  time  to  attack  an  enemy,  and 
 by  the  latter  measures  the  comparative  strength  of  the  two  parties.  Nor 
 is  it  sufficient  that  he  should  be  well  versed  in  the  interpretation  of  these  : 
 in  an  egg,  a dog,  or  a pig,  he  must  see  much  that  is  important ; he  must 
 be  acquainted  with  one  hundred  and  seventy-seven  different  omens  ex- 
 hibited by  the  inside  of  fowls,  with  seventy  exhibited  in  portions  of  calcined 
 lime,  and  with  seventy-three  in  lemons  cut  transversely  ; and  he  must  repeat 
 readily  from  memory  the  various  forms  of  prayer  and  invocation  that  are 
 most  esteemed  in  his  district. 
 
 “ The  Bataks  present  no  offerings  of  gratitude  to  their  gods.  In  the 
 full  enjoyment  of  health,  prosperity,  and  peace,  having  nothing  to  ask  from 
 them,  they  are  wholly  neglected.  It  is  only  when  entering  on  some 
 hazardous  enterprise,  or  on  being  threatened  with  war  ; when  followed  by 
 a long  train  of  misfortunes,  or  when  suffering  from  severe  and  protracted 
 afflictions,  that  they  invoke  the  shades  of  their  ancestors,  and  offer  sacrifices 
 to  the  gods.  But  in  any  of  the  circumstances  here  supposed,  and  particu- 
 larly the  latter,  the  timid  Batak  applies  to  the  Batu  to  learn  the  cause  and 
 the  remedy  of  his  sorrows.  He  takes  with  him  a fowl  and  a little  rice  as  a 
 present.  Having  opened  the  fowl,  the  Datu  is  not  at  a loss  to  select,  from 
 the  great  variety  of  distinct  intimations  which  it  gives  to  his  enlightened 
 mind,  a prescription  precisely  adapted  to  the  circumstances  of  his  timid  and 
 dejected  applicant.  His  affliction,  he  is  commonly  told,  is  a visitation  from 
 one  of  the  genii  for  the  misconduct  of  some  of  his  ancestors,  and  he  must 
 make  a feast  in  honour  of  his  father  or  grandfather,  and  intreat  his  inter- 
 cession. This  may  be  regarded  as  an  act  of  religious  worship,  addressed  to 
 the  deities  through  the  intercession  of  their  ancestors.  This,  however,  is 
 not  the  only  way  in  which  the  gods  may  be  approached.  Supplications 
 may  be  preferred,  and  offerings  made,  immediately,  to  any  of  them  sepa- 
 rately, or  to  them  all  collectively,  without  the  assistance  of  the  priest,  care 
 
SUMATR  A.  367 
 
 being  taken  that  every  thing  is  done  according  to  the  directions  given  in 
 their  religious  books. 
 
 “ The  only  religious  ceremony  of  universal  interest,  and  in  which  all  the 
 village  unites,  is  that  which  they  celebrate  when  on  the  eve  of  commencing 
 hostilities. 
 
 “ After  feasting,  dancing,  and  beating  their  gongs  for  some  time,  the 
 Datu  takes  in  his  hand  the  rombu  siporhas  in  the  presence  of  all  the  people, 
 when  he  invokes  the  wrath  of  the  gods  and  of  their  ancestors  upon  their 
 enemies,  and  desires  them  to  make  it  manifest  by  rombu  siporhas,  whether 
 at  that  time  they  may  revenge  the  wrongs  of  their  country ; then  letting 
 drop  the  cords,  the  Datu  discovers  by  their  relative  situation  and  peculiar 
 appearance  what  may  be  expected  as  the  result  of  an  attack  at  present ; 
 and  should  his  report  be  favourable,  they  immediately  commence  opera- 
 tions. 
 
 “ Though  the  Bataks  do  not  worship  idols,  in  every  village  is  found  an 
 image  of  wood  or  stone,  the  figure  of  a man,  which  they  chiefly  use  in  the 
 administration  of  oaths.  To  this  test  are  referred  suits  upon  which  positive 
 evidence  cannot  be  obtained ; and  it  is  thought  that  few  are  so  daring  as 
 wholly  to  disregard  its  sanction. 
 
 “ Of  a future  state  of  rewards  and  punishments  these  people  have  no 
 conception.  They  imagine  the  spirit  to  become  more  powerful  and  inde- 
 pendent after  the  dissolution  of  the  body,  and  to  be  wholly  exempt  from 
 suffering,  and  consequently  look  forward  to  death  without  terror,  except 
 such  as  may  arise  from  the  prospect  of  corporal  pain.  Whether  the  soul 
 be  immortal  or  not,  they  do  not  pretend  to  know,  but  speak  of  it  as  lost 
 when  its  memory  is  no  longer  cherished  on  earth. 
 
 “ Almost  all  crimes  are  punished  with  fines  proportioned  to  the  offence  and 
 to  the  rank  of  the  criminal ; and  since  the  chief,  who  acts  as  judge,  may 
 always  be  bribed,  and  usually  receives  the  fines  himself,  oppression  must 
 no  doubt  exist  to  a considerable  extent.  Persons  caught  in  the  act  of 
 house-breaking  or  highway  robbery  are  publicly  executed  with  the  knife  or 
 matchlock,  and  then  immediately  eaten  : no  money  can  save  them.  But 
 if  the  delinquents  are  fortunate  enough  to  escape  immediate  seizure,  they 
 
368 
 
 SUMATRA.— BEDAS  OF  CEYLON. 
 
 are  only  fined.  A man  taken  in  adultery  is  instantly  devoured  and  may  be 
 lawfully  eaten  piecemeal  without  first  depriving  him  of  life.  Men  killed, 
 or  prisoners  taken  in  a great  war,  are  also  publicly  eaten ; but,  if  only  two 
 villages  be  engaged  this  is  not  allowed  : the  dead  are  then  left  on  the  field 
 to  be  buried  by  their  respective  parties,  and  the  prisoners  may  be  redeemed. 
 
 “ A man  cannot  marry  a relative  of  his  own,  however  distant.  For 
 instance,  two  brothers  agree  to  settle,  the  one  in  Toba,  the  other  in  Angkola. 
 They  marry  there  and  have  several  children,  but  the  descendants  of  these 
 two  families  can  at  no  future  period  intermarry.  Divorces  are  very  rare, 
 being  seldom  granted  except  for  adultery ; when  the  woman,  her  head 
 having  been  first  shaved,  is  sold  out  of  the  country. 
 
 “ A feast  is  always  made  on  the  day  of  a funeral,  and  the  jaw  of  the 
 animal  killed  on  the  occasion  (usually  a pig)  is  fastened  to  a stake  at  the 
 head  of  the  grave,  together  with  a bag  containing  gambir  serih,  tobacco, 
 &c.,  and  a bamboo  filled  with  water.  These,  when  dried  up  by  the  sun, 
 they  suppose  the  spirit  to  have  eaten.”* 
 
 BEDAS  of  CEYLON. 
 
 “ The  Bedas  are  of  no  caste  ; but  they  are  not  considered  as  impure, 
 and  enjoy,  as  a body,  a certain  degree  of  consideration.  They  inhabit  the 
 woods,  and  live  up  in  the  trees.  They  feed  principally  on  the  game  they 
 kill  with  their  arrows,  and  have  the  reputation  of  being  good  archers.  Their 
 bows  are  remarkably  difficult  to  draw ; their  arrows  have  a piece  of  iron  at 
 the  end  six  or  eight  inches  long,  and  about  one  and  a half  broad.  With 
 these  they  can  kill  an  elephant  by  striking  him  between  his  eyes,  a thing 
 very  possible  from  the  construction  of  the  bone  about  that  part.  When  a 
 Beda  wants  an  iron  lance,  or  a tool,  which  is  the  only  thing  he  may  stand 
 in  need  of  that  he  cannot  procure  for  himself,  he  places  in  the  night  before 
 the  door  of  a smith,  some  honey  or  game,  together  with  a model  of  the  in- 
 strument he  requires  in  wood  or  earth.  In  a day  or  two  after,  he  returns, 
 and  finds  the  instrument  he  has  demanded.  This  good  faith  and  reciprocal 
 * Transactions  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society. 
 
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 yKCl^Tjt.Zidv.^JJJea^tS^So/Lo . „ j 
 
 1^  1 to  J Deities  cf TcrnqaisiCliiriajf^lRaJicm  crBvulelhuttl'rieJt  7 to  13  lines' /i La i n <ui  Burnuzrv^fuyureJ,  in,  tcirvings  arrvat 
 
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 Guts  from  Tenyil&s. 
 
BEDAS  OF  CEYLON— COCHIN  AND  TONQUIN  CHINESE.  369 
 
 confidence  prove,  at  least,  that  some  honesty  exists  in  a country  where 
 swindling  and  robbery  are  carried  to  a great  excess.  They  would  consider 
 themselves  extremely  criminal  if  they  cheated  a Beda,  who  from  his  way 
 of  living,  can  never  impose  upon  them.  Once  a year  the  Bedas  send  two 
 deputies  with  honey,  and  other  little  presents  to  the  king.  When  they 
 arrive  at  the  gate  of  the  palace,  they  send  word  to  his  majesty  that  his 
 cousins  wish  to  see  him.  They  are  immediately  introduced.  They  then 
 kneel,  get  up,  and  inquire  of  the  king,  rather  familiarly,  about  his  health. 
 The  king  receives  them  well,  takes  their  presents,  gives  them  others,  and 
 orders  that  certain  marks  of  respect  be  shewn  them  on  their  retiring  from 
 the  palace.  These  Bedas  are  black,  like  all  the  Singalese.”* 
 
 COCHIN  and  TONQUIN  CHINESE. 
 
 In  explanation  of  figs.  1 to  5,  in  plate  39,  it  will  be  necessary  to  say  a 
 few  words  respecting  the  worship  of  these  people.  Some  part  of  the  Cochin 
 Chinese  pay  their  devotions  to  deceased  ancestors  ; others  are  worshippers 
 of  Buddha  ; but  they  have  also  small  temples  dedicated  to  tutelary  deities, 
 in  which  they  burn  and  let  fly  pieces  of  coloured  and  gilt  paper.  A similar 
 practise  prevails,  as  I have  elsewhere  observed,  among  the  Japanese. 
 
 The  Tonquin  Chinese,  according  to  Tavernier,  worship,  some  of  them 
 Chacabout  (or  Buddha),  others  the  celestial  bodies,  and  others  deities, 
 evidently  derived  from  the  Hindu  pantheon  ; among  which  are  three 
 named  Raumu,  Brama,  and  Satyabana.  In  fig.  1,  plate  39,  we  may  recog- 
 nise Rama  ; fig.  3,  Siva  with  the  trident ; and  fig.  4,  Brahma  : the  other  two 
 are  not  so  clear  : perhaps  fig.  2 may  be  Vishnu,  and  fig.  5 Durga. 
 
 Fig.  7 to  13,  in  the  same  plate,  are  from  Burmese  carvings  and  casts  in 
 my  possession.  Fig,  10  I imagine  to  be  the  Kinaro,  a form  half-human, 
 half-bird,  mentioned  in  number  59,  page  211,  and  indistinctly  shewn  in  one 
 of  the  divisions  of  the  foot  of  Buddha,  fig.  4,  plate  30. 
 
 * Asiatic  Researches. 
 
370 
 
 SHAMAN  RELIGION. 
 
 SHAMAN  RELIGION. 
 
 This  is  the  ancient  religion  (if  religion  it  can  be  termed)  of  the  Tartar  and 
 some  of  the  other  Asiatic  tribes  : it  may  be  more  properly  denominated  a 
 belief  in  sorcery,  and  a propitiation  of  evil  demons  by  sacrifices,  frantic 
 motions  and  gestures,  and  intolerable  noises,  rather  than  a worship  of  any 
 kind.  They  have  neither  altars  nor  idols  ; and  the  more  noise  a Sseman, 
 or  priest,  makes,  the  more  intimately  connected  he  is  thought  to  be  with 
 the  devil. 
 
 “ The  priests  are  men  or  women,  married  or  single,  and  acquire  their 
 dignity  easily  enough.  Whenever  any  individual  wishes  to  be  a Sseman, 
 he  pretends  that  the  soul  of  a deceased  priest  has  appeared  to  him  in  a 
 dream,  appointing  him  his  successor.  But  previously  to  entering  upon 
 their  business,  they  represent  themselves  for  some  time  mad,  assuming  an 
 alarmed  and  timid  appearance.  If  the  Ssemans  are  in  function  they  wear 
 a long  robe  of  elk-skin,  hung  with  small  and  large  brass  and  iron  bells,  the 
 weight  of  which  is  sometimes  very  considerable.  Moreover,  they  carry 
 staves,  which  are  carved  at  the  tops  into  the  shape  of  horses’  heads  also 
 hung  with  bells.  With  the  assistance  of  these  staves  they  leap  to  an 
 extraordinary  height.  The  respect  they  enjoy  among  their  countrymen 
 depends  on  the  skill  they  possess  in  deceiving  them. 
 
 “ The  followers  of  the  Shaman  religion  have  neither  altars  nor  idols,  but 
 perform  their  sacrifices  in  a hut  raised  on  an  open  space  in  a forest,  or  on  a 
 hill.  There  are  no  fixed  periods  for  the  performance  of  their  ceremonies  : 
 births,  marriages,  and  sickness  are  generally  the  occasions  which  call  for 
 them.  The  Sseman,  or  sometimes  the  donor,  fixes  upon  the  species,  colour, 
 and  sex  of  the  animal  which  is  to  be  sacrificed.  A horse,  ox,  sheep,  or  goat,  is 
 killed,  its  flesh  eaten,  and  the  skin  and  bones  are  suspended  on  a pole. 
 Uncommon  appearances  in  the  atmosphere,  or  public  calamities,  call  forth 
 the  most  solemn  sacrifices.  Several  persons  having  united  for  the  purpose, 
 they  take  a one  year’s  colt,  three  sheep,  and  a male  goat  to  the  place  fixed 
 upon.  The  Sseman  enters  into  the  hut,  and  begins  the  ceremony  by  reading 
 
SHAMAN  RELIGION. 
 
 371 
 
 and  chanting-  certain  words,  in  the  latter  part  of  which  he  is  joined  by  the 
 audience.  This  being  done,  he  sprinkles  on  all  sides  of  the  hut,  and  over 
 the  fire,  spirits  and  milk,  then  coming  forward,  he  commands  the  animals  to 
 be  slaughtered,  which  is  done  by  their  hearts  being  torn  out.  The  skin  is 
 stripped  off  in  the  shape  of  a bag,  the  head  and  feet  remaining  on  it,  and 
 left  suspended  on  poles.  Whilst  the  flesh,  with  the  exception  of  a few  pieces 
 which  are  thrown  into  the  fire,  is  consumed  by  the  audience.  During  all 
 this  time  the  Sseman  continues  repeating  and  chanting  various  words,  and 
 sprinkling  about  spirits  and  milk,  in  which  he  is  occasionally  supported  by 
 the  congregation,  which  is  generally  more  or  less  numerous  according  to 
 the  number  of  victims,  of  which  they  all  partake.”* 
 
 * Asiatic  Journal,  vol.  xviii. 
 
' 
 
 ft 
 
PART  THIRD. 
 
 AN  APPENDIX 
 
 OF 
 
 THE  DEITIES  AND  MINOR  DEITIES, 
 
 AND 
 
 THE  TERMS  USED  IN  THE  WORSHIP  AND  CEREMONIES,  &c. 
 
 OF  THE  HINDUS. 
 
 A. 
 
 Acasanavi,  a manifestation  of  a deity  in  which 
 he  is  heard  but  not  seen. 
 
 Acshava,  the  mystic  syllable  O’m.  (See 
 O'm,  p.  136.) 
 
 Acuti,  a daughter  of  Swayambhuva. 
 
 Aditi,  one  of  the  w ives  of  Kasyapa,  and  the 
 mother  of  the  gods  and  suras. 
 
 Adit y as,  the  gods,  the  offspring  of  Aditi. 
 
 Agastya,  a pious  and  learned  sage,  trans- 
 lated to  the  heavens  for  his  virtue,  who  re- 
 duced the  monster  Sanchanaga  and  carried 
 him  about  in  an  earthen  pot.  He  is  said 
 to  have  swallowed  the  sea  and  its  contents. 
 
 Agni,  p.  115. 
 
 Agnidra,  a name  of  Agni. 
 
 Agni  Loka,  the  heaven  of  Agni. 
 
 Agnipuri,  a manifestation  of  a deity,  in 
 which  a sound  issues  from  fire  or  a me- 
 teor. 
 
 Ahilya,  the  wife  of  the  rishi  Gotama,  se- 
 duced by  Indra.  (See  Indra .) 
 
 Aindra  (Indra.) 
 
 Aindri  (Indrani.) 
 
 Airavat,  the  elephant  of  Indra,  produced  at 
 the  churning  of  the  ocean. 
 
 Alaca,  the  residence  or  heaven  of  Kuvera. 
 
 Alloo,  a raw  hide  used  by  the  Rajpoots,  with 
 which  they  cover  themselves  to  assert  their 
 claim  to  a disputed  property,  p.  284. 
 
 Amara  Dasu,  a leader  of  the  Shikhs,  p.  229. 
 
 Ambha  Matha,  a Jaina  Devi  worshipped  in 
 Marwar  and  its  neighbourhood.  “ The 
 temples  erected  to  her  (the  ruins  of  which 
 possess  great  beauty,)  are  to  be  seen  in 
 the  wildest  parts  of  the  high  mountains 
 with  which  Marwar  abounds.” 
 
 Ambea,  the  mother  of  the  Curas  (see  Pan - 
 dus,  p.  248.) 
 
 Arnbika,  a name  of  Parvati. 
 
374  APPENDIX. 
 
 Arnida,  a Japanese  deity,  p.  339,  PI.  37. 
 
 Amravati,  the  celestial  city  of  Indra. 
 
 Amrita,  the  beverage  of  immortality  drank 
 by  the  gods,  produced  at  the  churning  of 
 the  ocean. 
 
 Amrita  Sir,  or  Umrit  Suru,  the  principal 
 place  of  worship  of  the  Shikhs,  founded 
 by  Ramdasu.  (See  Shikhs,  p.  227.) 
 
 Ananda,  the  god  of  desire. 
 
 Ananta  (see  Sesha .) 
 
 Anghudu,  one  of  the  ten  leaders  of  the 
 Shikhs,  p.  229. 
 
 Anna  Puma  Devi,  a form  of  Parvati,  p.  97- 
 
 Anugamana,  the  performance  of  Suttee  by  a 
 woman  alone,  whose  husband  has  died  in 
 a distant  country:  a sandal,  or  any  article 
 of  his  clothes  may  then  represent  him. 
 
 Aparagiti,  a name  of  Parvati  or  Durga. 
 
 Apsaras,  celestial  dancers  celebrated  for 
 their  beauty.  Among  them  Rembha,  the 
 popular  Venus  of  the  Hindus,  and  some 
 others  are  described  to  be  of  inconceivable 
 loveliness. 
 
 Ardha-nari,  p.  101. 
 
 Argha,  the  cup  or  circle  from  which  the 
 Linga  rises ; its  outer  edge  or  rim  is  the 
 yoni.  It  is  also  a boat-shaped  vessel 
 (called  argha  patra),  used  in  religious  ce- 
 remonies to  contain  the  argha,  or  offering 
 made  of  tila  or  sesamum  indicum,  cusa- 
 grass,  perfumes,  flowers,  durva-grass  and 
 water.  See  fig.  5,  plate  32. 
 
 Arghanat'ha,  a name  of  Siva,  in  allusion  to 
 the  Argha’s  connexion  with  the  Linga. 
 
 Arjun,  one  of  the  five  Pandu  brethren  (see 
 Pandus,  p.  248.) 
 
 Arjunu,  one  of  the  ten  leaders  of  the  Shikhs, 
 p.  229. 
 
 Arun,  the  son  of  Kasyapa  and  Vinata,  the 
 brother  of  Garuda,  and  the  charioteer  and 
 harbinger  of  Surya.  He  is  thus  described 
 as  the  dawn ; and  as  a handsome  youth 
 without  thighs  or  legs  (see  Surya),  p.  127, 
 PI.  24. 
 
 A sa'purna,  the  Rajpoot  goddess  Hope. 
 
 Asoca,  a shrub  sacred  to  Maha  Deva;  on 
 particular  ceremonies  the  buds  of  it  are 
 steeped  in  water,  which  is  then  drank.  The 
 flowers  are  very  beautiful. 
 
 Asuras  (Asurs  or  Asoors),  demons  and 
 giants,  who,  like  the  Titans,  made  war 
 against  the  gods.  Sons  of  Diti. 
 
 Asivamedha,  a sacrifice  of  a horse.  The  san- 
 guinary part  of  this  ceremony  would,  ac- 
 cording to  Mr.  Colebrooke,  appear,  like 
 that  of  the  parushamedha,  or  human  sa- 
 crifice, to  be  merely  nominal,  the  horse, 
 after  certain  ceremonies,  being  let  loose. 
 Mr.  Ward,  however,  states  that  he  is  li- 
 berated only  for  a twelvemonth,  when  he 
 is  again  taken,  and  being  magnificently 
 caparisoned,  is,  after  various  preliminary 
 proceedings,  slain  by  the  hota  or  priest. 
 He  who  offers  a hundred  sacrifices  of  a 
 horse  is  entitled  to  the  throne  of  Indra. 
 Aswini,  a name  of  Parvati,  who  took  the 
 form  of  a mare,  and  was  approached  by 
 Surya  in  the  form  of  a horse.  On  their 
 nostrils  touching  she  was  impregnated  with 
 sunbeams,  and  became  the  mother  of  the 
 Aswini- Kumara,  or  twins  of  the  Hindu 
 zodiac. 
 
 Aswini- Kumara  (see  the  foregoing  article.) 
 Atharva  or  Atharvana  Veda,  one  of  the 
 four  Vedas.  (Seep.  137.) 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 375 
 
 Atri,  one  of  the  seven  Rishis,  also  called  one 
 of  the  seven  Brahmadicas.  (See  Brahma- 
 diccis  and  Rishis.) 
 
 Avatara  or  Avatar , a descent  upon  earth  of 
 a deity  in  a human  or  some  other  shape. 
 (See  the  ten  avatars  of  Vishnu,  p.  14  to 
 45,  and  those  of  others  of  the  gods  under 
 their  several  heads.) 
 
 Austerities  and  Punishments,  p.  112,  165. 
 B. 
 
 Badra  Bae,  a deity  worshipped  by  the  Bheels 
 to  obtain  rain.  (See  Bheels,  p.  270.) 
 
 Badra  Kali.  (See  Kali.) 
 
 Bajranga,  a name  of  Bhairava. 
 
 Bala  Rama,  p.  48. 
 
 Baldiva,  the  Hindu  Hercules.  (See  Pandus, 
 p.  248.) 
 
 Bali  or  Maha  Bali,  an  irreligious  monarch, 
 destroyed  by  Vishnu  in  the  fifth  avatar,  p.  18. 
 
 Balinese,  p.  348. 
 
 Ballaji,  an  avatar  of  Vishnu,  in  honour  of 
 whom  the  splendid  temple  at  Jejurv  was 
 erected.  For  further  particulars  of  this 
 buildingand  of  its  deity,  seeTemples,p.  158. 
 
 Banga  or  Banca  Deva,  worshipped  by  the 
 Goands,  p.  296. 
 
 Bataks,  p.  362. 
 
 Bauts,  Hindu  bards  produced,  to  amuse  Par- 
 vati,  from  the  drops  of  sweat  on  Siva’s 
 brow ; but  they  sang  the  praises  of  Siva 
 only,  which  so  offended  Parvati  that  she 
 turned  them  out  of  heaven,  and  condemned 
 them  to  lead  a wandering  life  upon  earth, 
 to  sin°f  there  the  martial  deeds  of  heroes 
 and  the  praises  of  the  gods.  Among  the 
 Bheels  and  some  of  the  hill  tribes,  priests 
 and  bards. 
 
 Bazeegurs,  p.  312. 
 
 Bedas,  p.  368. 
 
 Behyu  Baji,  a deity  worshipped  by  the 
 Bheels  to  obtain  rain. 
 
 Bhagisree,  a name  of  Bhavani  in  western 
 India. 
 
 Bhagiswar,  a name  of  Mahadeo  or  Siva. 
 
 Bhagwan,  Parswanat’ha. 
 
 Bhairava,  p.  73. 
 
 Bhallae,  an  instrument  of  the  spade  kind 
 used  in  sacrifice. 
 
 Bhanu,  one  of  the  Ahityas,  a name  of  the 
 sun. 
 
 Bharadwaji,  one  of  the  Rishees. 
 
 Bhavani  or  Bowanee,  the  consort  of  Siva,  a 
 name  of  Parvati,  p.  96. 
 
 Bheels,  (The)  p.  261. 
 
 Bhillet,  a hill  god,  worshipped  by  the  Bheels, 
 p.  270. 
 
 Bhyru,  p.  73. 
 
 Bliyrus,  colossal  figures  seen  at  the  entrances 
 of  temples. 
 
 Bikh  Poison.  One  of  the  things  produced  at 
 the  churning  of  the  ocean,  which  Siva  is 
 said  to  have  drank.  The  Saivas  allege  that 
 he  did  so  to  save  the  gods,  and  that,  in  con-; 
 sequence,  his  throat  was  turned  blue  ; 
 hence  his  name  of  Nilakantha  (or  blue- 
 throated)  ; but  the  Vishnaivas  assert  that  it 
 was  from  jealousy  in  consequence  of  Vishnu 
 possessing  Lakshmi. 
 
 Bilva,  a flower  sacred  to  Siva.  Chaplets  of 
 them  are  worn  by  him,  and  are  also  used 
 in  sacrifices. 
 
 Binlang.  Stones  found  in  the  Narmada, 
 which  are  worshipped  as  emblems  of  Siva. 
 
 Birth,  second  (or  twice  born).  These  are 
 
37  6 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Bugis  and  Macassars , p.  343. 
 
 Bulbudder , a name  of  Bala  Rama. 
 
 Bull.  (See  Nandi).  The  golden  ditto  of 
 Japan,  p.  340,  pi.  38. 
 
 Byragees.  Hindu  devotees.  Some  of  these 
 people  find  employment  in  conveying,  for 
 purposes  of  worship,  the  holy  water  of  the 
 Ganges  to  many  of  the  most  distant  parts 
 of  Hindustan,  in  pitchers  slung  on  bamboos. 
 For  an  account  of  a family  of  Byragees  at 
 Ramisseram,  see  p.  191. 
 
 terms  frequently  met  with  in  works  on  the 
 Hindu  religion,  and  indicate  that  the  party 
 to  whom  it  is  applied  has  received  the 
 Zennaar  or  sacrificial  cord.  (See  Poita  or 
 Zennaar,  p.  154.) 
 
 Bohras,  a religious  sect  found  in  the  Rajpoot 
 states,  who  represent  themselves  to  be 
 the  descendants  of  the  followers  of  the 
 Seikh  al  Jabal,  or  the  celebrated  old  man 
 of  the  mountains.  They  acknowledge  an 
 Archamandrite  or  religious  chief : they 
 principally  follow  mercantile  pursuits. 
 
 Bragwan , a name  of  Vishnu. 
 
 Brahma,  p.  5. 
 
 Brahmans  (The),  p.  140. 
 
 Brahmadicas,  p.  8. 
 
 Brahmini,  a name  of  Suraswati. 
 
 Brehm  or  Brahm,  the  Creator,  p.  1. 
 
 Brigu,  p.  7. 
 
 Brishput-Brihuspati.  (See  Vrihuspati ),  p. 
 133. 
 
 Brahmacharees  or  B ruhmacharees , an  order 
 of  religious  medicants. 
 
 Brahminicide.  The  sin  of  killing  a Brahman. 
 The  Datyas  were  Brahmans,  and  were  slain 
 by  the  gods  : but  were  resuscitated  by 
 Sukra,  their  guru,  and  attacked  the  gods 
 in  Swerga,  from  which  the  latter  fled  in 
 various  disguises  ; Indra  as  a peacock,  Ya- 
 munu  as  a crow,  Kuvera  a lizard,  Agni  a 
 pigeon,  Nairat  a parrot,  Varuna  a par- 
 tridge, Vayu  a dove,  &c.  Indra  thus  lost 
 his  heaven : but  he  afterwards  slew  the 
 Datya  Vitra,  and  committed  the  crime  of 
 Brahminicide,  on  which  account  he  with- 
 drew from  heaven  and  performed  penance. 
 
 Budk,  p.  133. 
 
 Buddha,  p.  184  to  219. 
 
 C 
 
 Calpi,  an  astronomical  term  of  4,320,000,000 
 years. 
 
 Calya,  or  Calinaga,  a serpent  slain  by 
 Krishna. 
 
 Camdenu.  (See  Kamdenu.) 
 
 Camdeo,  or  Kamadeva,  p.  46. 
 
 Canon,  a Japanese  deity,  p.  341,  pi.  38. 
 
 Cartica,  one  of  the  lunar  months  of  the 
 Hindus. 
 
 Cashi,  or  Kashi,  a name  of  the  holy  city  of 
 Benares,  or  Venares.  (See  Kashi.) 
 
 Catri,  a sort  of  axe  used  in  sacrifice. 
 
 Chakra,  a discus  resembling  a wheel,  or 
 quoit,  a sort  of  missile  weapon,  imagined 
 to  have  been  whirled  round  the  middle 
 finger,  and  used  as  an  instrument  of 
 war.  The  Chakra  is  mythologically  de- 
 scribed as  a circular  mass  of  fire,  darting 
 flame  in  all  directions,  which,  thrown  by 
 the  gods,  slays  the  wicked,  and  then  re- 
 turns to  the  hand  from  which  it  issued. 
 
 Chamara,  or  Chawrie,  a kind  of  whisk,  made 
 sometimes  of  peacock’s  feathers,  sometimes 
 of  the  shavings  of  sandal-wood,  and  com- 
 monly  of  a description  of  grass  ; used  for 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 377 
 
 the  purpose  of  driving-  away  flies,  mus- 
 quitoes,  and  other  insects.  They  are  usu- 
 ally seen  in  the  hands  of  the  attendants 
 of  the  gods, 
 
 Chamconda  Mata,  the  goddess  of  harvest, 
 worshipped  by  the  Bheels.  The  first  of 
 every  grain  is  sacred  to  her. 
 
 Chandica,  one  of  the  Sactis,  sprung  from  the 
 body  of  Devi.  (See  Sactis,  p.  121.) 
 
 Chandra,  or  Soma,  p.  131. 
 
 Chandra  Hasa,  a kind  of  axe  used  in  sacri- 
 fice. 
 
 Chank,  the  buccinum  or  wreathed  shell,  one 
 of  the  emblems  of  Vishnu.  It  is  much 
 prized  throughout  India.  When  the  con- 
 volutions are  many,  it  is  highly  estimated. 
 In  fig.  2,  pi.  5,  an  animal  resembling  a fox 
 is  issuing  from  one;  and  in  fig.  7,  pi.  38, 
 illustrative  of  one  of  the  Japanese  idols, 
 the  form  of  a youth  appears  rising  from  a 
 shell  ; this  is  probably  the  shell-king  of 
 the  Siamese. 
 
 Charga,  an  axe  used  in  sacrifice. 
 
 Charons , Rajpoot  priests,  p.  277. 
 
 Chawrie.  (See  Chamara .) 
 
 C 'hay a (shade),  the  consort  of  Surya.  (See 
 Pradha  and  Surya,  p.  129.) 
 
 Chila,  or  Chela,  a pupil  or  disciple  of  a saint 
 or  guru. 
 
 Chinnu  Mustuka,  p.  94. 
 
 Choitunya,  p.  240. 
 
 Chundee,  a vindictive  form  of  Durga  or  Par- 
 vati.  (See  Parvati.) 
 
 Cinnaras,  forms  half  human,  half  equine, 
 having  the  latter  sometimes  the  upper,  and 
 sometimes  the  lower  part  of  the  figure. 
 
 Cochin  Chinese,  p.  369. 
 
 Coolies,  p.  262. 
 
 Cow  (The).  (See  Kamdenu .) 
 
 Creation  (The),  p.4. 
 
 Crerasaga,  the  sea  of  milk ; the  ocean  churned 
 by  the  gods  and  Asuras. 
 
 Critu,  one  of  the  seven  Brahmadicas. 
 
 Cundoo,  p.  290. 
 
 Curus.  (See  Pandus,  p.  248.) 
 
 Cusa,  grass  used  in  Pujah,  or  worship. 
 
 Cuvera.  (See  Kuvera,  p.  111.) 
 
 D 
 
 Dae-Boots-den,  p.  335. 
 
 Daghopes,  mounds  of  earth  found  in  most 
 parts  of  India,  under  which  bones  and  relics 
 are  discovered,  supposed  to  have  been 
 thrown  up  over  deceased  persons. 
 
 Dahl,  a small  shield. 
 
 Daiboth  (quere  Dae-boots-den ),  a Japanese 
 deity,  p.  338,  fig.  1,  pi.  37. 
 
 Daityas,  Asuras,  demons  or  giants,  sons  of 
 Diti,  who  made  war  on  the  gods,  by  whom 
 they  were  finally  overcome. 
 
 Dakslia,  p.  6. 
 
 Damara,  or  Damru,  a small  hand-drum,  or 
 rattle,  usually  seen  in  the  hands  of  Siva 
 or  his  avatars.  This  definition  of  the  em- 
 blem is  doubtful,  as  it  has  more  the  ap- 
 pearance of  an  hour-glass.  One  will  be 
 seen  in  one  of  the  hands  of  fig.  3,  pi.  14 ; 
 fig.  6,  pi.  15  ; and  fig.  1,  pi.  20. 
 
 Danava,  evil  spirits. 
 
 D anus  ha , or  Danook,  the  unerring  bow  pro- 
 duced at  the  churning  of  the  ocean. 
 
 Daruka,  a female  Asura,  who  was,  according 
 to  Colonel  Vans  Kennedy,  the  leader  of  a 
 3 c 
 
378 
 
 appendix. 
 
 host  of  Amazonian  Asuras,  with  whom  the 
 gods  wrere  afraid  to  engage  in  battle,  from 
 an  apprehension  of  incurring  the  sin  of 
 feminicide.  They  in  consequence  applied 
 to  Siva,  on  whose  solicitation  Parvati 
 produced  from  herself  the  form  of  Kali, 
 bearing-  in  her  hands  a trident  and  a skull. 
 
 <D 
 
 On  beholding  her,  the  affrighted  gods  ran 
 away : Kali  alone  attacked  Daruka  and 
 her  hosts,  and  destroyed  them. 
 
 Dasharata,  king  of  Ayodhya,  the  father  of 
 Rama  Chandra. 
 
 Day  (A),  of  the  gods  or  celestial  beings 
 is  three  hundred  and  sixty  of  the  days  of 
 mortals ; and  a day  of  the  Petris  or  Pa- 
 triarch’s, inhabiting  the  moon,  is  a month 
 of  earthly  beings. 
 
 Day  a (The),  of  Borneo,  p.  346. 
 
 Deervj,  a tyrant  destroyed  by  Parasu  Rama, 
 in  the  sixth  avatar,  p.  *20. 
 
 Dev-Deo,  or  Deu,  synonymous  with  Deva. 
 
 Deva,  a title  of  a god,  as  Devi  is  of  a god- 
 dess. Maha  Deva,  a name  given  to  Siva 
 by  the  Saivas,  is  the  great  or  supreme  god, 
 as  Maha  Devi,  a name  of  Bhavani  or  Par- 
 vati, is  the  supreme  goddess. 
 
 Deva  Dasi , women,  or  dancing  girls,  in  at- 
 tendance at  the  temples  of  the  Hindu 
 deities,  who  call  themselves  the  servants  or 
 slaves  of  the  gods.  Next  to  the  sacrificers, 
 the  most  important  persons  about  the 
 temples,  says  the  Abbe  Dubois,  are  the 
 dancing  girls,  who  are  known  to  the  public 
 by  a much  coarser  name.  “ Their  pro- 
 fession, indeed,  requires  of  them  to  be 
 open  to  the  embraces  of  all  castes ; and, 
 although  originally  they  appear  to  have 
 been  intended  for  the  gratification  of  the 
 Brahmans  only,  they  ate  now  obliged  to 
 
 extend  their  favours  to  all  who  solicit 
 them.  Such  are  the  loose  females  who  are 
 consecrated  in  a special  manner  to  the  wor- 
 ship of  the  gods  of  India.  Every  temple, 
 according  to  its  size,  entertains  a band  of 
 them,  to  the  number  of  eight,  twelve,  or 
 more.  The  service  they  perform  consists 
 of  dancing  and  singing.  The  first  they 
 execute  with  grace,  though  with  lascivious 
 attitudes  and  motions.  Their  chauntinsr 
 is  generally  confined  to  the  obscene  songs 
 which  relate  to  some  circumstance  or  other 
 of  the  licentious  lives  of  their  gods.  They 
 perform  their  religious  duties  at  the  temple 
 to  which  they  belong  twice  a day — morning 
 and  evening.  They  are  also  obliged  to 
 assist  at  all  the  public  ceremonies,  which 
 they  enliven  with  their  dance  and  merry 
 song.  As  soon  as  their  public  business  is 
 over,  they  open  their  cells  of  infamy,  and 
 convert  the  temple  of  worship  into  a den  of 
 licentiousness. 
 
 “ They  are  bred  to  this  profligate  life 
 from  their  infancy.  They  are  taken  from 
 any  caste,  and  are  frequently  of  respectable 
 birth.  It  is  nothing  uncommon  to  hear  of 
 pregnant  women,  in  the  belief  that  it  will 
 tend  to  their  happy  delivery,  making  a 
 vow,  with  the  consent  of  their  husband, 
 to  devote  the  child  then  in  the  womb,  if  it 
 should  turn  out  a girl,  to  the  service  of  the 
 Pagoda.  And  in  doing  so,  they  imagine 
 they  are  performing  a meritorious  duty. 
 The  infamous  life  to  which  the  daughter  is 
 destined  brings  no  disgrace  on  the  family. 
 These  women  are  the  only  females  in  India 
 who  may  learn  to  read,  to  sing,  and  to 
 dance.  Such  accomplishments  belong  to 
 them  exclusively,  and  are,  for  that  reason, 
 held  by  the  rest  of  the  sex  in  such  ab- 
 horrence, that  every  virtuous  woman  would 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 379 
 
 consider  the  mention  of  them  as  an  affront. 
 These  performers  are  supported  out  of  the 
 revenues  of  the  temple,  of  which  they  re- 
 ceive a considerable  share.  But  their  dis- 
 solute profession  is  still  more  productive. 
 There  are  temples  in  some  solitary  places, 
 where  the  divinity  requires  to  be  honoured 
 with  the  most  unbounded  licentiousness. 
 He  promises  children  to  the  barren  women 
 who  will  lay  aside  the  most  inviolable  rules 
 of  decency  and  shame,  and  in  honour  of 
 him  submit  to  indiscriminate  embraces. 
 An  annual  festival  is  held,  in  the  month  of 
 January,  at  those  infamous  sinks  of  de- 
 bauchery; where  I need  not  say,  great 
 numbers  of  the  libertines  of  both  sexes 
 assemble  from  all  quarters.  Besides  bar- 
 ren wives,  who  come  in  quest  of  issue,  by 
 exposing  their  persons,  some  of  them  have 
 bound  themselves  by  a vow  to  grant  their 
 favours  to  numbers ; many  other  dissolute 
 women  also  attend  to  do  honour  to  the  in- 
 famous deity,  by  prostituting  themselves, 
 openly  and  without  shame,  before  the 
 gates  of  his  temple.” — Dubois'  Indict. 
 
 Devctrshis,  holy  sages  or  saints. 
 
 Devatas  or  Dewtah,  plural  of  Deva. 
 
 Devi-Kanciil,  a deity  worshipped  by  the 
 Bheels  to  obtain  the  ripening  of  their  corn. 
 
 Devukee  or  Devaki,  the  mother  of  Krishna 
 and  the  sister  of  Kansa  or  Cansa,  king'  of 
 Mathura.  (See  Krishna,  p.  35.) 
 
 Dewal,  a temple. 
 
 Devoali  or  Kali  Puja,  a festival  in  honour  of 
 Kali. 
 
 Dhamians  (The),  p.  310. 
 
 Dhanovantara,  a physician  ; one  of  the  gems 
 produced  at  the  churning  of  the  ocean. 
 
 Dharma  Thakoor,  a name  of  Siva. 
 
 Dhermaraja,  a name  of  Yama  in  his  benefi- 
 cent form.  He  is  the  king  of  justice,  whose 
 countenance  the  virtuous  only  see : the 
 wicked  see  him  as  the  Pluto  or  kins-  of  the 
 infernal  regions.  (See  Yama,  p.  112.) 
 
 Dherna,  p.  145. 
 
 Dhertrashta,  a half-brother  of  the  Pandus. 
 (See  Pandus,  p.  248.) 
 
 Dhuna.  The  worship  of  a deity  in  which 
 oblations  are  offered. 
 
 Diti,  one  of  the  wives  of  Kasyapa  and  the 
 mother  of  the  Daityas,  or  Asuras  (demons 
 and  giants)  as  Aditi,  another  wife  of  Ka- 
 syapa, is  of  the  gods  and  the  Suras,  by 
 whom,  after  numerous  sanguinary  conflicts, 
 the  power  of  the  Asuras  or  demons  was 
 destroyed.  Indra  was  one  of  the  sons  of 
 Aditi,  whose  kingdom,  as  will  be  seen  in 
 many  parts  of  this  work,  the  Asuras  fre- 
 quenly  possessed  themselves  of,  and  sent 
 him  wandering  about  the  earth  like  a 
 beggar  ; but  who  at  length  was  greatly  in- 
 strumental in  expelling  the  whole  race  of 
 the  children  of  Diti.  Diti,  it  appears,  had 
 obtained  a promise  from  Kasyapa,  by  the 
 performances  of  austerities  for  a thousand 
 years,  that  she  should  have  a son  who 
 should  destroy  Indra.  The  god,  aware  of 
 the  threatened  design,  watched  her  mo- 
 tions, and  when  the  time  had  nearly  ex- 
 pired, caught  her  at  a moment  when  her 
 indiscretion  gave  him  power  over  her,  to 
 destroy  the  foetus  which  was  intended  to 
 prove  his  own  destruction.  He  divided  it 
 into  forty-nine  parts,  which,  being  scat- 
 tered, became  the  same  number  ofMaruts, 
 or  regents  of  the  wind. 
 
 The  impurity  which  gave  the  power 
 alluded  to,  was  a monstrous  one;  being 
 
 3 c 2 
 
380 
 
 appendix. 
 
 no  other  than  sleeping  “ with  her  head  in 
 the  place  of  her  feet,”  so  that  her  head 
 touched  her  feet;  meaning  thereby,  it  may 
 be  presumed,  that  she  curled  herself  up 
 like  a serpent. 
 
 Divakara,  one  of  theAdityas:  a name  of  the 
 sun.  (See  Adityas.) 
 
 Divodasa,  a virtuous  king  of  the  Asuras, 
 overcome  according  to  some  accounts  by 
 Vishnu  in  the  ninth  avatar,  and  according 
 to  others  by  the  machinations  of  Siva. 
 Under  him  the  sect  of  the  Buddhas  was 
 dispersed  by  the  Brahmans.  During  his 
 extraordinary  reign  of  eight  thousand  years 
 vice  was  wholly  expelled  from  his  do- 
 minions of  Kashi,  and  so  much  virtue 
 and  happiness  prevailed  therein,  that  even 
 Ganesha  and  some  of  the  gods  took  up 
 their  abode  in  it,  (p.  186.) 
 
 Doorvasu,  a Brahman  who  lengthened  the 
 day  that  lie  might  finish  his  religious  cere- 
 monies. 
 
 Drupdevi  or  Drawputty , the  wife  of  the  five 
 Pandus,  p.  249.) 
 
 Durga,  p.  83. 
 
 Duryodhana.  (See  Pandus , p.  248.) 
 
 Dusarah,  Desahara , or  Dvgotsava,  the 
 Durga  Puja  or  festival  in  honour  of  Durga; 
 in  the  tenth  of  Aswini  (September  or 
 October.)  (See  Durga,  p.  84.) 
 
 Dyupeti,  a name  of  Indra,  signifying  the 
 Lord  of  Heaven. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gabliasti,  one  of  the  Adityas,  a name  of  the 
 sun. 
 
 Gadha,  or  Parasha,  the  mace  or  club  of 
 Vishnu. 
 
 Gahyaca,  satyrs  ; forms  half  human,  half 
 bestial. 
 
 Gann,  a band  of  inferior  deities  attendant 
 upon  a superior. 
 
 Ganaputty  or  Gunness,  names  of  Ganesha. 
 
 Gandliavas,  or  Gundharvas , celestial  choris- 
 ters of  beautiful  forms  and  complexion, 
 usually  seen  in  Hindu  sculptures  attendant 
 on  the  deities. 
 
 Ganesha,  p 103. 
 
 Ganesha  Junanee,  p.  98. 
 
 Gant' ha,  a bell  used  in  holy  ceremonies,  which 
 is  rung  at  certain  times  to  keep  away  evil 
 spirits.  These  bells,  as  well  as  the  Lustral 
 spoons,  are  usually  surmounted  by  the 
 figure  of  the  deity  in  whose  worship  they 
 are  used.  See  fig  6,  plate  33. 
 
 Garrows  (The),  p.  318. 
 
 Garuda  or  Gurura,  p.  55. 
 
 Gautama  or  Gotama,  one  of  the  seven  Rishis. 
 
 Gaivrie,  (white  or  fair)  a name  of  Parvati. 
 
 Gayatri  (The),  a venerated  text  of  the  Veda, 
 called  by  Sir  W.  Jones  the  mother  of  those 
 sacred  writings.  See  O’M.  p.  136. 
 
 Ghata,  an  earthern  jar  used  in  certain  reli- 
 gious ceremonies. 
 
 Ghona,  a deity  worshipped  by  the  Bheels 
 against  the  small-pox. 
 
 Ghora  Raja,  worshipped  by  the  Bheels 
 against  attacks  and  plundering. 
 
 Girisha,  a name  of  Siva. 
 
 Gounds  (The),  p.  296. 
 
 Godaven,  one  of  the  sacred  rivers  of  the 
 Hindus,  which  falls  into  the  Bay  of  Bengal. 
 
 Gopa-nath,  a form  of  Krishna,  the  worship 
 of  which  was  established  by  a follower  of 
 Choitunya.  (See  Choitunya,  p.  240.) 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 381 
 
 Goparum.  Beautifully  sculptured  gateways 
 attached  to  the  large  temples  of  the  Hin- 
 dus, into  which  the  people  are  not  per- 
 mitted to  enter.  On  days  of  festivals  the 
 figures  of  the  deities  are  brought  out  of 
 the  temples  through  the  Goparum,  and 
 placed  in  small  open  temples  called  Munto- 
 pas,  to  receive  the  adoration  of  the  multi- 
 tude. 
 
 Gopula,  a form  of  Krishna  in  his  childhood. 
 (See  fig.  3 and  4,  plate  12.) 
 
 Gosaees.  (See  Choitunya,  p.240.) 
 
 Govindhu  Singhu,  the  last  of  the  ten  leaders 
 of  the  Shikhs.  (See  Sliikhs,  p.  229.) 
 
 Grahas  (The),  planets  of  the  Hindus;  they 
 are  sometimes  worshipped  together,  and  at 
 others  separately.  They  consist  of  Surya 
 or  Ruvee,  the  sun ; Soma  or  Chandra,  the 
 moon;  Mungula,  Budh,  Vrihuspati,  Sukra, 
 Shuni  or  Sani,  Rahu,  and  Ketu.  (See 
 Suryd,  Chandra,  Mungula,  Budh,  Vri- 
 huspati, Sukra,  Sani,  Rahu,  and  Ketu,) 
 p.  127  to  135. 
 
 Grunt' hee,  a Shikh  priest. 
 
 Grunt'hus,  the  sacred  books  of  the  Shikh 
 sect. 
 
 Gunga,  p.  118. 
 
 Gunga  Putra,  Kartikeya. 
 
 Guru  Muta,  the  great  council  of  the  Shikh 
 sect. 
 
 Gutachue.  This  extraordinary  figure,  seen 
 commonly  in  the  Hindu  sculptures  bent  to 
 the  ground  with  outstretched  legs  and 
 arms  supporting  another  figure  of  greater 
 magnitude,  was,  according  to  Colonel  Tod, 
 the  son  of  the  forest  king  Herimba,  who 
 bestowed  his  affections  on  Drupdevi,  the 
 wife  of  the  five  exiled  brothers,  the  Pan- 
 
 dus,  (See  Pandus,  p.  248.)  Bhima,  one  of 
 them,  determined  to  punish  the  insult  which 
 was  thus  offered  to  them.  He,  therefore, 
 instructed  Drupdevi  to  consent,  and  name 
 the  Temple  as  the  place  of  assignation. 
 Overjoyed  at  his  success,  Gutachue  failed 
 not  in  punctuality  ; but,  as  his  audacious 
 hand  was  raised  to  remove  the  veil  from 
 her  face,  the  nervous  arm  of  Bhima  rent 
 the  supporting  column  of  the  temple.  To 
 save  himself  and  the  fair  object  of  his  pas- 
 sion from  being  crushed  under  the  impend- 
 ing ruin,  he  strained  his  gigantic  force,  and 
 supported  the  fabric  on  his  shoulders  till 
 he  was  released  by  the  attendant  protectors 
 of  the  fair.  To  perpetuate  the  infamy  of 
 the  forester  who  thus  violated  the  laws  of 
 sanctuary  and  hospitality,  the  architects 
 have  adopted  this  relation  in  all  sacred 
 edifices,  where  a diminutive  and  grotesque 
 figure  of  Gutachue,  with  arms  and  legs 
 extended  under  him,  the  head  stooping, 
 and  face  distorted,  as  from  a sense  of  op- 
 pression, are  seen. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hallam,  a Bheel  deity. 
 
 Halle  Mata,  worshipped  by  the  Bheels,  to 
 protect  them  in  their  predatory  excursions. 
 
 Hanasa,  the  vahan  or  vehicle  of  Brahma ; a 
 swan  or  goose. 
 
 Hans,  a Japanese  deity,  p.  340. 
 
 Hanuman,  p.  57. 
 
 Hara,  or  Hari,  a name  of  Siva. 
 
 Hara  Rayu,  one  of  the  ten  leaders  of  the 
 Shikhs.  (See  Shikhs.) 
 
 Hara-gawri,  a name  of  Siva  and  Parvati. 
 
382 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Hari,  a name  of  Parvati,  the  consort  of 
 Siva,  as  Hara  or  Hari. 
 
 Hatipowa,  a deity  presiding-  over  agriculture, 
 worshipped  by  the  Bheels. 
 
 Hayagriva,  the  demon  who  stole  the  Vedas 
 from  Brahma,  and  was  destroyed  by  Vishnu 
 in  the  Matsya  avatar,  p.  14. 
 
 Heri,  a name  of  Vishnu ; also  one  of  the 
 Pandus. 
 
 Heri-Hari,  the  conjoint  form  of  Vishnu  and 
 Siva,  p.  101. 
 
 Himalaya,  or  Hivmaran,  the  mountain,  the 
 mythological  father  of  Parvati.  The 
 chain  of  mountains  separating  India  from 
 Tartary. 
 
 Himansu,  a name  of  Chandra. 
 
 Hiranyacasipa,  a demon,  who  vanquished 
 the  gods,  but  was  afterwards  overcome 
 and  destroyed  by  Vishnu.  (See  Fourth 
 Avatar,  p.  17.) 
 
 Hooly,  or  Hohli,  a festival  in  honour  of 
 Krishna,  which  takes  place  in  the  month 
 Phulgoon  (February — March),  at  the 
 commencement  of  the  spring.  The  amuse- 
 ments on  this  joyous  occasion  consist  in 
 dancing,  singing,  and  playing,  in  the  most 
 complete  sense  of  the  word  (if  the  expres- 
 sion may  be  allowed)  the  fool.  Their 
 songs  are  kuveers,  or  extempore  stanzas, 
 principally  in  allusion  to  the  charms  of 
 Krishna  and  his  amours  with  the  Gopias, 
 and  are  consequently  not  marked  by  an 
 excess  of  delicacy.  One  of  the  dances  is 
 the  favorite  tipree  dance,  or  rasa-mandala, 
 in  which  twenty,  thirty,  or  more  form  a 
 ring,  each  having  a short  stick  in  his  hand, 
 with  which  he  strikes,  alternately,  those 
 of  the  persons  before  and  behind  him, 
 keeping  time  with  it  and  his  foot,  while 
 
 the  circle  moves  round,  keeping  time  to  a 
 drum  and  shepherd’s  pipe,  of  three  or 
 four  sweet  and  plaintive  notes.  (See  p.  293.) 
 
 In  Major  Moor’s  Hindu  Pantheon  is 
 a beautiful  plate  on  this  subject,  in  which 
 Krishna  (with  Radha)  in  the  centre,  is 
 described  as  the  sun,  and  the  circle  of 
 Dancers  as  the  heavenly  bodies  moving 
 round  him. 
 
 Playing  the  Hooly  consists  in  throwing 
 a red  powder,  sometimes  mixed  with  pow- 
 dered talc  to  make  it  glitter,  in  the  eyes, 
 mouth,  and  nose,  or  over  the  persons  of 
 those  who  arc  the  objects  of  the  sport, 
 splashing  them  well  at  the  same  time  with 
 an  orange-coloured  water.  The  powder  is 
 sometimes  thrown  from  a syringe,  and 
 sometimes  put  into  small  globules,  which 
 break  as  soon  as  they  strike  the  object  at 
 which  they  are  aimed.  The  Hindu  fe- 
 males are  as  expert  in  throwing  these  as 
 some  of  our  singularly  well-bred  young 
 ladies  are  in  hitting-  the  noses  of  their 
 lovers  or  beaux  with  pellets  of  bread. 
 
 Colonel  Broughton  relates  an  anecdote, 
 in  which  the  celebrated  Mahratta  chief, 
 Scindiah  acted  a distinguished  part.  On 
 inviting  some  English  officers  to  partake 
 of  the  amusement,  he  was  told  that  they 
 were  determined  to  pelt  and  squirt  at 
 every  one  who  pelted  and  squirted  at 
 them.  He  said  he  was  ready  for  them, 
 and  that  it  would  soon  be  seen  who  could 
 manag-e  the  matter  best.  The  officers 
 speedily  found,  that  although  they  had 
 been  accustomed  to  have  the  best  of  the 
 battle  with  powder  and  ball,  they  were  no 
 match  for  Scindiah  with  powder  and  water, 
 as  the  pipe  of  a large  fire-engine,  filled 
 with  yellow  water,  and  worked  by  half  a 
 dozen  men,  was  placed  in  his  hand,  with 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 383 
 
 which  he  contrived  to  deluge  the  whole 
 company,  causing  shovelfuls  of  the  powder 
 to  be  thrown  over  them  at  the  same  time, 
 so  that,  from  the  effects  of  the  red  powder 
 and  yellow  water,  the  shouts,  female 
 screams,  and  noise  of  drums,  trumpets, 
 fiddles,  and  cymbals,  the  whole  in  a few 
 minutes  became  a scene  little  better  than  a 
 pandemonium. 
 
 This  festival  is  observed  by  all  classes 
 throughout  Hindustan,  and  evil  (or  at 
 least  red  powder)  will  commonly  await 
 the  European,  as  well  as  native,  who  on 
 these  occasions  has  the  misfortune  to  fall 
 in  with  a wandering  band  of  these  joy- 
 intoxicated  furies.  (See  farther — Krishna, 
 p.  44.) 
 
 Horus.  (See  Orus,  p.  255.) 
 
 Hota,  a priest  who,  at  sacrifices,  slays  the 
 victim. 
 
 Howen  Wana  Mata,  a deity  worshipped  by 
 the  Bheels,  to  protect  their  cattle  against 
 murrain  and  lameness. 
 
 Hurree  Govindu,  Hurree  Kissen,  two  of 
 the  ten  leaders  of  the  Shikhs. 
 
 I,  J. 
 
 Jainas  (The),  p.  220. 
 
 Jalandhara,  p.  245. 
 
 Jami,  or  Jemni,  an  incarnation  of  Bhavani, 
 worshipped  in  the  Mahratta  States.  She 
 has  four  hands,  with  destructive  woapons, 
 necklaces  of  skulls,  &c.  & c. 
 
 Janvi,  or  Januvi,  a name  for  the  sacred 
 thread  worn  by  the  Hindus.  (See  Poita, 
 or  Zennaar,  p.  154.) 
 
 Japan,  p.  328. 
 
 Java,  p.  349. 
 
 Jaya,  and  Vijava,  two  of  the  daughters  of 
 
 Dakslia.  The  latter  brought  forth  a hun- 
 dred  weapons,  missile  and  manual,  for 
 the  use  of  Rama  in  the  war  of  Lanka. 
 
 Jene,  a Japanese  deity,  p.  341. 
 
 Jharejas  a tribe  of  Rajpoots,  p.  275. 
 
 Jhari,  a vessel  to  hold  lustral  wrater. 
 
 Ila,  the  child  of  Manu,  the  son  of  Surya  Vi- 
 vaswari.  This  personage  was  born  as  a 
 female,  and  wras  transformed  into  a male 
 under  the  name  of  Sudyumna.  He  was 
 again  turned  into  a female  on  entering-  the 
 
 o n 
 
 charmed  forest  of  Gawri  (see  Uma.)  The 
 planet  Budh  became  enamoured  of  Sudy- 
 umna under  this  form.  Siva  afterwTards 
 restored  Sudyumna  to  his  sex,  on  con- 
 dition that  he  should  become,  alternately, 
 a male  one  month,  and  a female  another. 
 
 Images.  The  images  worshipped  by  the 
 Hindus  are  made  of  various  materials  ; 
 gold  and  silver  ; metals  of  inferior  value  ; 
 chrystal,  stone,wood,  clay,  and  compositions 
 of  different  kinds.  Some  are  of  small  size, 
 and  appropriated  as  household  gods ; 
 others  are  progressively  larger,  and  used 
 for  temple  worship  ; and  others  again  are 
 of  colossal  size,  seventy,  eighty,  and  more 
 feet  in  height.  A Linga  at  Benares  re- 
 quires six  men  to  encircle  it.  The  clay 
 and  composition  images  made  in  the  vici- 
 nity of  Calcutta  for  the  annual  festivals 
 (some  of  which  have  a very  splendid  ap- 
 pearance, and  are  of  large  dimensions), 
 are,  after  the  ceremonies  are  over,  cast  into 
 the  river.  The  modern  manufacturers  of 
 the  deities  are  artisans  in  gold,  silver,  and 
 other  metals ; stone-cutters  and  potters. 
 Some  of  the  modern  casts  are  handsome  ; 
 but  the  modern  sculptures  are  commonly 
 contemptible.  Some  of  the  ancient  Hindu 
 sculptures  are  magnificent ; and,  in  minute 
 
S84 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ornamental  and  flcral  decorations,  almost 
 unrivalled.  In  Siam,  Japan,  &c.  images 
 are  made  of  the  ornaments  and  precious 
 metals,  &c.  collected  from  the  ashes  of 
 the  funeral  pile  of  a deceased  person  ; and 
 others  again  from  the  pulverized  fragments 
 of  the  bones  kneaded  with  water  into  a 
 paste,  baked,  and  afterwards  gilded. 
 
 Indr  a,  p.  122. 
 
 Indrani , the  consort  or  Sacti  of  Indra.  (See 
 Indra.) 
 
 Indra  Doomnu,  a pious  king,  who  collected 
 the  bones  of  Krishna ; and  caused  an 
 image  of  Jaggarnat’h  to  be  formed  by 
 Viswakarma,  in  which  they  were  placed. 
 
 Indu,  a name  of  Chandra. 
 
 Infanticide , 1/7. 
 
 Jogeesuree,  the  consort  of  Bhyru,  or  Bhai- 
 rava,  worshipped  in  the  Mahratta  States. 
 
 Jogun,  or  Yogun,  about  four  coss,  or  eight 
 miles,  some  make  it  more. 
 
 J ohara,  p.  174. 
 
 Isa,  or  Isani,  names  of  Siva. 
 
 Isis,  p.  255.  * 
 
 Iswara,  or  Eswara,  Lord  of  the  Universe  ; 
 supreme  Lord.  A name  appropriated  to 
 each  of  the  three  great  deities  by  their  re- 
 spective followers  ; whose  endeavours  have 
 been  to  raise  their  own  object  of  worship 
 above  those  of  the  other  two  sects  ; thus 
 with  the  Vishnaivas,  Vishnu  is  the  Is- 
 wara ; with  the  Saivas,  Siva ; as  was  with 
 the  worshippers  of  Brahma,  that  deity. 
 
 Itahara,  a portion  of  the  Vedas.  (See 
 Vedas'). 
 
 Jugarnatha,  p.  49. 
 
 Jugudhatri,  a form  of  Parvati  or  Durga, 
 p.  98,  and  fig.  1,  pi.  21. 
 
 Jurnont,  a celebrated  bear  ; one  of  the  gene- 
 rals of  Sugrivu,  and  chief  counsellor  of 
 Rama,  in  the  war  of  Lanka.  He  over- 
 came Megnaud,  and  threw  him  headlong 
 into  Lanka. 
 
 Junuka,  the  father  of  Sita ; the  wife  of  Rama 
 Chandra,  p.  24. 
 
 Jutaee,  a celebrated  vulture,  the  brother  of 
 Samput.  (See  Samput.) 
 
 K. 
 
 Kakya,  one  of  the  wives  of  Dasara,  king  of 
 Ayodhya,  who  persuaded  that  monarch 
 to  banish  his  son  Rama  from  his  domi- 
 nions. (See  Rama  Chandra.) 
 
 Kailasa,  the  heaven  of  Siva. 
 
 Kali,  p.  91. 
 
 Kalki,  or  tenth  avatar  of  Vishnu.  (See  p.  12 
 and  45,  pi.  13. 
 
 Kalpi,  an  astronomical  calculation  of 
 4,320,000,000  of  years. 
 
 Kalu  Rayu,  a form  of  Siva,  mounted  on  a 
 tiger,  having  in  one  hand  a bow,  in  another 
 an  arrow. 
 
 Kamadeva,  or  Camdeo,  p.  46. 
 
 Kamala  or  Kernel,  the  lotus  ; also  a name  of 
 Lakshmi. 
 
 Karndarhu , a name  of  Mahadeo,  worship- 
 ped in  the  southern  and  western  parts  of 
 India. 
 
 Kamdenu,  the  boon-granting  cow  produced 
 at  the  churning  of  the  ocean.  (See  the 
 Tortoise  ovKurmavatara  of  Vishnu.)  This 
 animal  is  invoked  to  obtain  favours  from 
 the  deities,  who  are  supplicated  to  assume 
 her  form  to  bestow  them.  On  this  occa- 
 sion, the  supplicant  presents  a cow  to  the 
 deity  whose  favour  he  solicits,  and  holding 
 it  by  the  tail,  thus  addresses  Lakshmi, 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 385 
 
 (who  is  usually  invoked),  or  any  other 
 deity  whom  he  then  names,  instead  of 
 Lakshmi. 
 
 “ May  the  goddess,  who  is  the  Lakshmi 
 of  all  beings,  and  resides  among  the  gods, 
 assume  the  form  of  a milch  cow  to  procure 
 me  comfort. 
 
 “ May  she,  who  is  Lakshmi,  reposing 
 on  the  bosom  of  Vishnu — she  who  is  the 
 Lakshmi  of  the  regent  of  riches — she  who 
 is  the  Lakshmi  of  kings — be  a boon-grant- 
 ing cow  unto  me.” 
 
 Mr.  Colebrooke,  in  the  7th  vol.  As.  Res., 
 mentions  other  forms  of  invocation,  but 
 these  will  be  sufficient  for  the  present 
 purpose.  That  gentleman  also  states,  that 
 it  is  common  for  a householder  to  feed  “ a 
 cow  before  he  breaks  his  own  fast;”  and 
 that  the  worship  of  this  animal  consists  in 
 presenting  flowers  to  her,  washing  her  feet, 
 &c.  &c.  The  hospitable  rites  of  marriage 
 ceremonies  are  concluded  by  letting  loose 
 a cow,  a guest  exclaiming — “ Release  the 
 cow,  may  she  subdue  my  foe  ; may  she 
 subdue  the  enemies  of  him  (the  host)  and 
 me  ; dismiss  the  cow  that  she  may  eat 
 grass  and  drink  water.”  When  the  animal 
 has  been  released,  the  guest  addresses  her. 
 “ I have  earnestly  addressed  this  prudent 
 person,  saying.  Kill  not  the  innocent  cow, 
 who  is  the  mother  of  Rudra.” 
 
 The  cow  is  an  object  of  extensive  ado- 
 ration. Besides  the  annual  festivals  in  ho- 
 nour of  her,  particularly  pious  individuals 
 worship  her  daily,  at  which  times  they 
 feed  and  scatter  flowers  around  her.  The 
 ordure  of  the  cow  is  considered  as  a great 
 purifier ; unclean  places  are  purified  with 
 it ; the  floors  and  door-ways  of  houses 
 and  cooking-places  are  periodically  rubbed 
 with  it.  Ashes  from  it  are  used  to  rub 
 the  bodies  of  the  Hindus,  and  form  the 
 
 sectarial  marks  that  denote  their  castes  ; 
 the  images  of  their  gods  are  also  purified 
 with  it,  mixed  up  with  the  urine  of  the 
 animal,  milk,  ghee,  &e.  & c.  Those  of 
 
 basalt  in  my  possession  were  completely 
 plastered  with  this  holy  unction,  so  baked 
 apparently  by  the  sun  of  ages,  that  it 
 took  a man  two  days  to  pick  it  out,  and 
 purify  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the 
 English  style  with  soap  and  warm  water. 
 But  soul-purifying  as  is  the  ordure  of  the 
 animal,  the  urine  of  her  is  so  potently  holy, 
 that,  says  Major  Moore — “ the  catholic 
 devil  himself  cannot,”  as  the  proverb  runs, 
 “ hate  holy  water  more  than  the  Hindu 
 spirits  of  impurity  abhor  this  sin-expelling 
 sanctifying  liquor.  Images  are  sprinkled 
 with  it ; no  man  of  any  pretensions  to 
 piety  and  cleanliness  would  pass  a cow  in 
 the  act  of  staling,  without  receiving  the 
 holy  stream  in  his  palm,  sipping  a few 
 drops,  and,  with  his  bedewed  fingers, 
 marking  and  crossing  his  forehead,  shoul- 
 ders and  breast.”  This  gentleman,  after 
 seriously  assuring  us  that  he  never  tried 
 this  delightful  exorcism,  relates  a droll 
 story  in  point,  which  will  reward  a reader 
 for  turning  to  p.  143  of  his  excellent  work. 
 
 Mr.  Ward  says,  that  Bramah  created 
 the  Brahmans  and  the  cow  at  the  same 
 time,  and  that  the  latter  is  called  “ the 
 mother  of  the  gods,”  and  is  declared  by 
 Brahma  to  be  a proper  object  of  worship. 
 
 Kamula  Kamini,  a form  of  Parvati  or 
 Durga,  p.  99. 
 
 Kandeh  Rao,  an  avatar  of  Siva,  who  became 
 incarnate  in  that  character,  to  destroy  the 
 giant  Mani-Mal.  A magnificent  temple  is 
 dedicated  to  his  worship  in  this  avatar  at 
 Jejury,  about  thirty  miles  from  Poonah. 
 Siva,  as  Kandeh  Rao  is  represented  on 
 3 D 
 
386 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 horseback,  with  four  arms,  holding  in 
 three  of  his  hands  a trident,  a banner,  and 
 a bead-roll.  (See  fig.  3,  pi.  16,  from  a 
 compartment  in  the  Temple  of  Rama.) 
 
 Kansa  or  Cansa,  king  of  Mathura,  who 
 ordered  the  children  of  his  sister  to  be 
 put  to  death  immediately  they  were  born, 
 in  consequence  of  a prediction  that  he 
 would  be  dethroned  and  slain  by  one  of 
 them.  Krishna  escaped  and  afterwards 
 slew  him.  (See  Krishna,  p.  35.) 
 
 Kapila,  an  incarnation  of  Vishnu. 
 
 Kapuli,  a form  assumed  by  Siva,  as  a reli- 
 gious mendicant.  A human  skull  was  his 
 alms-dish  ; his  necklace  and  ornaments 
 were  of  the  bones,  and  his  dwelling-place 
 was  amongst  the  ashes  of  the  dead.  From 
 skulls  a Kapulika  eats  and  drinks,  and 
 his  sacrificial  fires  are  fed  with  the  brains 
 and  lungs  of  men,  mixed  up  with  their 
 flesh;  and  human  victims  covered  with  the 
 fresh  blood  gushing  from  the  horrible 
 wounds  in  the  throats,  are  the  offerings 
 by  which  they  appease  this  terrible  god. 
 Dr.  J.  Taylor. 
 
 Karmala,  the  servant  of  Dhermarajah,  the 
 benevolent  form  of  Yama,  who  conveys 
 the  righteous  to  him  for  judgment.  Chitra 
 Guptu,  according  to  Mr.  Ward,  is  the 
 attendant  of  Yama  in  his  terrific  character. 
 
 Kartikeya,  p.  74. 
 
 Kashi,  the  sacred  city  (the  modern  Benares). 
 No  city  iii  the  world,  say  the  Hindus,  is 
 equal  to  Kashi. 
 
 Benares  is  said  to  contain,  at  the  present 
 time,  a million  of  inhabitants  ; 400,000 
 of  whom  are  Mahomedans,  the  rest  Hin- 
 dus : two- thirds  of  this  population  are 
 females.  Benares  is  five  miles  Ions',  and 
 
 four  broad  ; and  it  has  been  calculated 
 that  25,000  pilgrims,  merchants,  travellers, 
 &c.,  enter  and  depart  daily  from  it.  It 
 has  1 ,000  temples,  half  of  which  are  dedi- 
 cated to  Mahadeo  and  the  gods  of  his 
 family.  The  number  of  Brahmans,  Fa- 
 kirs, Sanyasis,  and  other  beggars  in  this 
 town  is  immense.  One  of  its  greatest 
 annoyances  arises  from  the  Bramany  or 
 sacred  bulls  (which  are  also  numerous) 
 throwing  themselves  across,  and,  at  times, 
 rendering  almost  impassable  its  narrow- 
 streets  and  lanes  ; from  which  strong  coer- 
 cive measures  must  not  be  used  to  remove 
 them. 
 
 The  principal  temple  in  Benares  is 
 that  of  Beseshur,  built  A.D.  1681.  “ It  is 
 
 very  handsome,  but  is  too  much  confined 
 by  surrounding  houses.  The  only  entrance 
 to  it  is  by  a narrow  lane  not  five  feet  wide, 
 and  blocked  up  with  dirt,  Brahmany  bulls, 
 &c. ; the  temple  stands  on  the  north. 
 On  entering,  it  is  at  first  impossible  to 
 distinguish  any  thing,  the  eye  being  blinded 
 by  the  sudden  change  from  glare  to  dark- 
 ness : a few  lamps  glimmer  here  and  there  ; 
 but  the  ear  is  saluted  by  the  buz  of 
 prayers,  and  the  harsh  tinkling  of  a large 
 copper  bell,  which  is  suspended  from  the 
 roof  of  the  centrical  apartment,  and  is 
 sounded  by  each  worshipper  on  his  depar- 
 ture. On  each  side  are  a few  small  rooms, 
 each  feebly  lighted  by  a single  lamp 
 placed  in  a niche  over  the  object  of  adora- 
 tion (the  linga).  Many  people  of  both 
 sexes  were  on  their  knees,  scattering  on 
 the  linga  rice,  water,  and  leaves,  which 
 were  soon  devoured  by  the  Brahmany 
 bulls,  who  were  roaming  about  the 
 temple,  quite  at  their  ease ; the  crowd 
 was  incessantly  entering  and  departing. 
 The  Brahmans  were  very  annoying  in  their 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 387 
 
 beggings  for  money  ; but  this  seems  to  be 
 a priestly  custom,  sanctioned  every  where 
 by  long  usage,  and  equally  as  applicable 
 to  the  Friars  of  the  west  as  to  the  Brah- 
 mans of  the  east.” — Asiat.  Jour. 
 
 Kattees,  p.  275. 
 
 Katyayini,  a form  of  Durga,  armed  by  all 
 the  gods  to  attack  the  Asuras. 
 
 Kavya,  a name  of  Sukra. 
 
 Ketu,  the  planet  of  the  descending  node, 
 p.  77  and  135,  and  pi.  26. 
 
 Keyans,  p.  326. 
 
 Khandarpa,  a name  of  Kamadeva. 
 
 Khaticka,  a Devi  of  the  Jains. 
 
 Khettries,  the  warrior  tribe  of  India, 
 formed  from  the  arms  of  Brahma. 
 
 Khorial  Mater,  a deity  worshipped  by  the 
 Bheels  for  protection  of  their  cattle 
 against  sickness  and  plundering. 
 
 Kinnurus,  celestial  choristers  having  horses’ 
 heads. 
 
 Kookies,  p.  321. 
 
 Koombees , p.  289. 
 
 Koonti,  the  mother  of  the  Pandus.  (See 
 Pandus,  p.  248.) 
 
 Krishna,  p.  34. 
 
 Krishna  Krora,  a form  of  Parvati,  p.  99. 
 
 Kshupakara,  a name  of  Chandra. 
 
 Kustubha,  an  inestimable  jewel,  one  of  the 
 gems  produced  at  the  churning  of  the 
 ocean. 
 
 Kutar,  a singularly  shaped  dagger,  the 
 mark  of  which  is  used  by  the  Kattees  to 
 ratify  a deed  or  agreement,  p.  282. 
 
 Kuvera,  or  Cuvera,  the  god  of  wealth,  and 
 the  regent  of  the  North.  This  deity  is 
 
 the  son  of  Viswasrava,  and  the  brother  of 
 Ravana,  who  was  overcome  by  Rama  in 
 the  war  of  Lanka,  as  related  in  the  ac- 
 count of  that  god.  A very  brief  notice 
 has  been  taken  of  him,  which  represents 
 him  “ as  a magnificent  deity  residing  in 
 the  palace  of  Alaka,  or  borne  through 
 the  sky  in  a splendid  car,  named  Push- 
 paka.”  p.  111. 
 
 Kuveri,  the  Sacti  of  Kuvera. 
 
 L. 
 
 Lakshmi,  p.  60. 
 
 Lanka,  the  island  of  Ceylon,  celebrated  by 
 the  war,  which  bears  its  name,  between 
 Rama  Chandra  and  Ravan.  (See  Rama 
 Chandra,  p.  22.) 
 
 Linga,  p.  174. 
 
 Lingaets  worshippers  of  the  Linga,  who 
 wear  the  mark  of  it  on  their  breasts. 
 
 Lotus,  the  water-lily.  This  plant  is  held 
 sacred  throughout  the  East,  and  the  dei- 
 ties of  the  various  sects  in  that  quarter  of 
 the  world  are  almost  invariably  represented 
 as  either  decorated  with  its  flowers,  seated 
 or  standing  on  a lotus  throne  or  pedestal, 
 or  holding  a sceptre  formed  from  its 
 flower,  sometimes  expanded,  and  at  others 
 closed.  These  flowers  are  said  to  be  found 
 in  some  parts  of  India  blue,  and  in  the 
 southern  parts  white  or  red.  It  is  fabled 
 that  they  obtained  the  last-mentioned  co- 
 lour by  being  dyed  with  the  blood  of  Siva, 
 when  Kamadeva  wounded  him  with  the 
 love-shaft  arrow,  as  related  under  the  ar- 
 ticles Siva  and  Kamadeva.  Lakshmi  is 
 called  the  Lotus-born,  from  having  as- 
 cended from  the  ocean  on  its  flower  in  the 
 Kurmavatara.  Its  expanding  and  closing 
 3 D 2 
 
388 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 powers,  and  its  beautifully  brilliant  co- 
 lours, afford  an  infinite  variety  of  meta- 
 phors to  the  Hindu  poets.  Thus  the 
 lotus  is  with  them  as  the  lovely  vary- 
 ing rose  among  the  Persians.  The  lotus 
 floating-  on  the  water  is  the  emblem  of  the 
 world.  It  is  also  the  type  of  the  moun- 
 tain Meru,  the  residence  of  the  gods  (see 
 Meru,  p,  253),  and  the  emblem  of  female 
 beauty.  No  wonder  therefore  it  is  the 
 poetic  flower  of  the  Hindus. 
 
 M. 
 
 Macassers  (The),  p.  343. 
 
 Malta  Bali,  an  irreligious  monarch,  whose 
 power  was  destroyed  by  Vishnu  in  the 
 fifth  Avatar.  (See  fifth  avatar,  p.  18.) 
 
 Mahadeva,  or  Mahadeo,  a name  of  Siva. 
 
 Mahadevi,  Parvati. 
 
 Malta  Pralaya,  or  grand  consummation  of 
 all  things,  represents  Siva  as  Kal,  or  Time, 
 trodden  under  foot  by  Maha  Kali,  or 
 Eternity.  (See  Kali,  p.  91,  and  pi.  19.) 
 Pa/criti  Pralaya  is  another  name  for  the 
 same  event,  namely,  the  complete  destruc- 
 tion of  the  universe.  When  this  awful 
 event  shall  take  place,  rain  will  fall  on  the 
 earth  for  one  hundred  (the  Buddas  say 
 100,000)  years.  Men  and  animals  will  be 
 famished.  The  sun  will  dry  up  the  seas, 
 and  all  the  waters  and  the  universe  will  be 
 burnt  up  like  a ball  of  cow-dung.  Various 
 other  destructive  operations  will  then  take 
 place  till  the  universe  is  again  finally  ab- 
 sorbed in  the  supreme  essence.  This  de- 
 scription corresponds  in  substance  with  the 
 opinions  of  the  Burmans  respecting  the 
 future  destruction  of  the  world,  which  the 
 reader  will  find  under  the  article  Buddha , 
 p.  198. 
 
 Maharshis,  holy  sages  or  saints. 
 
 Mahedasa,  one  of  the  minor  avatars  of 
 Vishnu,  assumed  to  inculcate  the  doctrines 
 of  the  Vedas. 
 
 Mahesa,  a name  of  Siva. 
 
 Mahis/ia,  Muhisha,  a giant  destroyed  by 
 Durga,  p.  86. 
 
 Mahmunee , the  Buddha  of  Bengal. 
 
 Mahrattas , or  Maharattas  (The),  p.  285. 
 
 Mala,  a rosary,  or  necklace. 
 
 Malsara,  a name  of  Parvati  in  the  avatar 
 of  Siva,  as  Kandeh  Rao.  (See  Kandeh 
 Rao .) 
 
 Maria,  devotion  that  proceeds  from  the 
 heart  in  profound  silence. 
 
 Manasa,  the  goddess  of  snakes.  She  is 
 worshipped  as  a preservative  against  the 
 bite  of  these  reptiles,  and  is  represented 
 sitting  on  a water-lily  environed  with 
 snakes.  If  a Hindu  has  been  bitten  by 
 one,  incantations  are  pronounced  to  pro- 
 pitiate the  favour  of  Manasa. 
 
 Mandhara,  or  Mandha,  a mountain  used 
 by  the  gods  in  churning  the  ocean.  (See 
 second  avatar  of  Vishnu , p.  15.) 
 
 Manovate,  a name  for  the  heaven  of  Brah- 
 ma. 
 
 Mantras,  prayers.  (See  Vedas,  p.  139.) 
 
 Maruts,  the  genii  of  the  winds,  of  whom 
 Pavana  was  the  chief,  and  is  thus  called 
 Marut. 
 
 Maruty , a name  of  Hanuman,  as  the  son 
 of  Pavana,  or  Marut. 
 
 Mata,  one  of  the  martial  names  of  Durga. 
 
 Maya,  or  illusion.  Brahma  says,  in  this  life 
 man,  as  in  a dream,  finds  delight  in  eat- 
 ing, drinking,  and  other  enjoyments,  but 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 389 
 
 as  soon  as  he  awakes  they  yield  no  longer 
 pleasure  ; for  the  joys  and  pleasures  of 
 this  life  are  as  unreal  as  dreams.  By  de- 
 vout abstraction  (that  is,  by  meditating  on 
 God)  man  awakes  to  a knowledge  of  di- 
 vine truths,  and  finds  his  former  enjoy- 
 ments nothing  but  illusion.  Thus,  a su- 
 preme eternal  Spirit,  the  creator  of  all,  per- 
 vades all,  preserves  all,  and  will  finally  de- 
 stroy all ; in  fine,  all  things  are  Maya  which 
 do  not  proceed  from  the  light  of  divine 
 knowledge.  By  the  Vishnaivas  Laksmi  is 
 called  Maya,  or  Ada  Maya. 
 
 Medhra,  the  same  as  Yoni,  p.  174. 
 
 Meghnaud , a son  of  Ravan,  who  was  cele- 
 brated in  the  wrar  of  Lanka.  He  w as  over- 
 thrown by  the  bear  Jumont,  and  after- 
 wards killed  by  Lakshman. 
 
 Mehravoun , a brother  of  Ravan,  who,  in  the 
 war  of  Lanka,  took,  by  a surprise,  Rama 
 and  Lakshman  prisoners,  and  carried  them 
 to  Patala  (or  hell),  from  whence  they  were 
 released  (as  they  were  about  to  be  sacri- 
 ficed) by  Hanuman. 
 
 Mendicants  (religious).  These  people  are 
 very  numerous,  and  consist  of  the  Voira- 
 gees,  or  Vishnaivas  ; Sanyasis,  or  Saivas  ; 
 Ramanayas,  or  worshippers  of  Rama ; 
 Nanock  Punthees,  followers  of  Nanock  ; 
 and  various  others,  viz.  Kuveer  Punt’- 
 hees  ; Sukhee  Bhuvus  ; Khelanta  Y ogees ; 
 Kanu-pala  Yogees  j Shurevurees ; Ughoru 
 Punt’hees ; Brumhacharees,  &c.  &c.  They 
 have  their  various  forms  of  austerities, 
 which  it  would  afford  no  satisfaction  to  the 
 reader  to  recapitulate  ; a few  of  them  are 
 noticed  in  pp.  67  and  165,  and  pi.  28. 
 
 Menus,  p.  8. 
 
 Meru  (The  Mountain),  p.  253. 
 
 Mhairs  (The),  p.  299. 
 
 Migranku,  a name  of  Chandra. 
 
 Mitra,  a name  of  Surya  (the  sun),  one  of  the 
 Adityas. 
 
 Moinee,  an  order  of  Hindu  devotees,  who 
 vow  perpetual  silence.  They  go  almost 
 naked,  and  smear  their  bodies  with  cow- 
 dung. 
 
 Mooktee  Kestree,  a form  of  Parvati,  or 
 Durga.  She  is  of  a blue  complexion,  like 
 Kali,  and  appears  to  be  merely  a variety 
 of  that  terrible  goddess. 
 
 Mrigu , the  antelope.  (See  Chandra  and 
 Siva. 
 
 Mughs,  or  Mugs,  a people  inhabiting  the 
 border  countries  of  Chittagong  and  Arra- 
 can  ; thus  called,  according  to  Colonel 
 Symes,  from  a corruption  of  the  word 
 Mog,  a term  of  religious  import  and  high 
 sanctity,  formerly  applied  only  to  the 
 priesthood  and  the  king.  (See  Kookies, 
 p.  321.) 
 
 Mughut,  a head-dress. 
 
 Muhishu  Murdinee,  a form  of  Durga  or 
 Parvati : she  is  represented  sitting  on  a 
 lion,  having  six,  eight,  or  ten  arms,  and 
 holding  in  her  hands  a shell,  a club,  a 
 shield,  a water-lily,  a discus,  & c.  &c. 
 
 Mundaris , a Mahomedan  sect,  founded  by 
 Mudan,  a Soofi.  “ They  admit  the  divine 
 mission  of  Mahomed,  but  disclaim  his  title 
 to  particular  veneration.  The  Mudans  go 
 nearly  naked,  braiding  the  hair  and  smear- 
 ing the  body  with  ashes,  and  wearing  iron 
 chains  round  their  waists  and  necks. 
 
 Mund  Mala,  the  necklace  of  human  heads, 
 which  is  suspended  from  the  necks  of  Siva 
 and  some  of  his  avatars,  and  Parvati,  as 
 Kal  and  Kali. 
 
 Mungala,  p.  132. 
 
390 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Mungala  Chundika,  a form  of  Durga,  repre- 
 sented sitting  on  three  skulls,  with  a book 
 in  one  hand,  a string  of  beads  in  the  other. 
 Much  w orshipped,  according  to  Mr. Ward, 
 by  females,  to  avert  distress  from  their 
 families. 
 
 Muntopums,  small  open  temples  standing 
 near  the  larger  ones,  into  which  the  figures 
 of  the  deities  are  placed  on  being  brought 
 from  the  latter,  on  days  of  festivals,  for 
 worship. 
 
 Murlidur  (or  the  Tuneful),  a name  of  Krishna 
 when  represented  playing  on  his  flute. 
 
 N. 
 
 Naga,  or  Nag,  a serpent. 
 
 Nagas  (The),  p.  254. 
 
 Nairit,  or  Nirut,  the  regent  of  the  south- 
 west division  of  the  earth. 
 
 Nakharam  and  Mairam,  the  mountain  gods 
 of  the  Cucis. 
 
 Nakshaha,  the  twenty-eight  lunar  mansions. 
 (See  Chandra.) 
 
 Names. — Vishnu,  Siva,  Durga,  and  others, 
 have  each  a thousand  names:  the  other 
 deities  have  also  many.  The  Brahmans  in 
 worship  repeat  these  names,  and,  in  doing 
 so,  drop  a bead  for  each  from  a rosary 
 which  they  wear.  The  rosaries  resemble 
 those  of  the  Catholics.  (See  fig.  8,  pi.  33.) 
 
 Nanda,  or  Ananda,  a pious  herdsman  or 
 patriarch  of  the  Gokals  ; the  foster  father 
 of  Krishna. 
 
 Nandi,  the  sacred  bull  of  Mahadeva,  or 
 Siva : it  is  his  vahan,  and  by  some  de- 
 scribed as  the  emblem  of  justice.  (See 
 Siva,  with  fig.  3,  pi.  15  and  pi  16.) 
 
 Nandiswara,  a name  of  Siva,  as  Iwara,  and 
 his  vahan,  the  bull  Nandi. 
 
 Naneshwer,  a subordinate  incarnation  of 
 Vishnu,  described  by  Major  Moor  as  hav- 
 ing taken  place  at  Alundy,  near  Poonah, 
 about,  as  some  state,  seven,  or  according 
 to  others,  twelve  hundred  years  ago.  In 
 that  gentleman’s  work  will  be  found  a full 
 description  of  him.  He  is  there  stated  to 
 have  been  a religious  ascetic,  and  to  have 
 been  buried  alive  at  Alundy,  where  his 
 tomb  is  seen  under  a splendid  temple,  and 
 where  he  yet  appears  (for,  although  buried, 
 he  is  not  dead)  to  pious,  if  at  the  same 
 time,  wealthy  visitors. 
 
 Nanock,  the  founder  of  the  sect  of  the  Shikhs. 
 (See  Shikhs,  p.  227.) 
 
 Naraka  (generally),  the  hells  of  the  Hindus, 
 (especially)  the  hell  or  region  of  serpents. 
 
 Narasingh  Avatar,  p.  17,  pi.  8. 
 
 Narasinghi,  a name  of  Lakshmi,  as  the  sacti 
 of  Vishnu  in  the  Narasingh  avatar.  (See 
 p.  17  and  120.) 
 
 Narayana,  p.  102. 
 
 Narayani,  a name  usually  applied  to  Laksh- 
 mi, sacti  of  Vishnu;  but  may  be  applied  to 
 Parvati  and  Saraswati.  (See  Narayana, 
 p.  102.) 
 
 Nareda,  p.  7- 
 
 Neel,  a chief  in  Rama’s  army  in  the  war  of 
 Lanka. 
 
 Nejjalese  (The),  p.  301 . 
 
 Neyama,  devotion  assisted  by  ceremonial 
 purification. 
 
 Nilakantha,  a name  of  Siva,  from  his  having 
 a blue  throat,  in  consequence  of  having 
 drank  the  poison  produced  at  the  churning 
 of  the  ocean. 
 
 Nimba,  a plant,  the  leaves  of  which  are 
 used  in  Puja. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 391 
 
 Nir  Narrain,  p.  244. 
 
 Nishaputi,  a name  of  Chandra. 
 
 Nvl,  a chief  in  Rama’s  army  in  the  war  of 
 Lanka. 
 
 Numuchisadunee , a name  of  lndra,  &c., 
 who  slew  the  giant  Numuchi. 
 
 Nycid,  or  Nakla,  one  of  the  Pandus.  (See 
 Pandas). 
 
 Nymphcea,  or  Lotus.  (See  Lotus). 
 
 O. 
 
 O'm,  or  A UM,  p.  136. 
 
 Ochisrava,  the  white  eight-headed  horse 
 of  lndra,  produced  at  the  churning  of  the 
 ocean. 
 
 Orus,  p.  255. 
 
 Osiris,  p.  255. 
 
 P. 
 
 Padma,  or  Pedma.  The  lotus. 
 
 Pakriti,  a name  of  Parvati,  or  Bhavani. 
 
 Pakriti  Pralaya.  (See  Maya  Pralaya. 
 
 Pakushasanu,  he  who  governs  the  gods 
 with  justice  ; a name  of  lndra. 
 
 Panchanum,  or  Pauncha  Mucktee  Siva,  a 
 form  of  Siva  with  five  faces ; much  wor- 
 shipped in  Bengal : Naga  Panchamucktee^ 
 is  five  heads  surmounted  by  a snake.  (See 
 fig.  2,  pi.  14.) 
 
 Pandu,  the  father  of  the  Pandus.  (See 
 Pandus.) 
 
 Pandus,  p.  248. 
 
 Pan  Patra,  a cup  for  receiving  the  blood 
 of  victims. 
 
 Paramest'hi,  or  Prajapati,  names  of  the 
 supreme  deity. 
 
 P arameswar a,  a name  of  Brahm,  the  supreme 
 being,  sometimes  applied  as  Iswara.  (See 
 Iswara.) 
 
 Parasha,  a club.  (See  Gadha.) 
 
 Paras/m  Rama,  p.  20. 
 
 Pariyati,  the  tree  of  Plenty  produced  at 
 the  churning  of  the  ocean,  p.  15 
 
 Par  sees  (The),  p.  316. 
 
 Parvana,  or  Parana,  p.  111. 
 
 Parvati,  p 79. 
 
 P ar  us  homed'  ha,  human  sacrificess.  Certain 
 forms  for  this  sacrifice  are  prescribed  in 
 the  Puranas  ; but  the  ceremony  would 
 appear  to  be  emblematic,  and  not  real. 
 Mr.  Ward  affirms,  that  it  is  generally 
 reported  that  human  sacrifices  actually 
 exist  in  Bengal.  I think  the  statements  of 
 his  informants  to  be  questionable  : at  all 
 events,  the  measure  is  in  direct  defiance  of 
 the  law. 
 
 Pas,  Pash,  or  Pashu,  a cord  or  rope,  seen 
 in  the  hands  of  some  of  the  deities  to 
 strangle  sinners  with.  Whoever  is  caught 
 by  it  cannot  get  away. 
 
 Patala,  the  infernal  regions.  (See  Yama). 
 
 Pat  ala  devi,  a name  of  Parvati  in  her  aveng- 
 ing character. 
 
 Paulastya,  a name  of  Kuvera. 
 
 Phans  agars,  a set  of  murderers,  found 
 principally  in  the  Deccan,  who  either  for 
 the  sake  of  plunder  or  private  revenge, 
 adopt  peculiar  methods  to  ensnare  their 
 victims,  one  of  the  most  common  of  which 
 is  to  place  a woman  in  a secluded  spot, 
 who,  by  a tale  of  pity  and  helplessness, 
 induces  the  traveller  to  offer  her  his  pro- 
 tection, often  to  receive  her  on  horseback 
 behind  him,  and  while  thus  journeying, 
 the  murderer  flings  a noose  round  her 
 benefactor’s  neck,  throws  herself  on  the 
 ground,  and  drags  him  with  her.  Con- 
 cealed accomplices  rush  out,  and  the  un- 
 
392 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 fortunate  traveller  is  immediately  dis- 
 patched. They  choose  lonely  spots,  and 
 often  follow  their  victims  for  weeks  before 
 an  opportunity  offers  to  effect  their  savage 
 and  demoniacal  object.  All  castes  are 
 found  in  this  gang. 
 
 Pinda,  round  balls  made  of  rice  ; seen  in 
 the  hands  of  Devi,  and  some  of  the  other 
 deities. 
 
 Pindaries,  (The)  p.  293. 
 
 Pitris,  or  Patriarchs,  descendants  of  the 
 Rishis. 
 
 Pitamaha,  a name  of  Brahma. 
 
 Poita,  or  Zennaar,  p.  154. 
 
 Pollyar,  a name  of  Ganesha. 
 
 Polyandry,  p.  305. 
 
 Pooja,  or  Pnja,  Hindu  worship,  or  the  fes- 
 tival of  the  Hindus,  as  Durga  Puja,  or  the 
 worship  of  the  goddess  Durga.  It  assumes 
 various  forms,  and  is  attended  by  a variety 
 of  ceremonies  according  to  the  deities 
 worshipped,  and  the  circumstances  under 
 which  the  worship  is  performed.  (See 
 Durga  Puja,  p.  84,  and  pi.  18.) 
 
 Powlamya,  a name  of  Indrani. 
 
 Pradha,  or  Brightness,  the  consort  of  Surya; 
 also  called  Chaya,  from  having  changed 
 herself  into  shade  to  avoid  the  intensity  of 
 his  beams.  The  glory  round  the  heads  of 
 the  gods  is  also  called  Pradha  or  Prad- 
 ha val. 
 
 Pradham,  or  Pakriti. 
 
 Pralhaud,  a virtuous  prince,  the  son  of  the 
 demon  Hiranyacasipa,  who  was  destroyed 
 for  his  wickedness  by  Vishnu.  Pralhaud 
 remonstrated  with  his  father  on  his  infide- 
 lity to  the  gods,  and  on  his  death  succeeded 
 to  his  throne. 
 
 Priests  (Hindu).  Every  Brahman  who  pro- 
 fesses a knowledge  of  the  formula  of  his 
 religion  may  become  a priest.  They  are 
 distinguished  by  the  appellation  of  the 
 Purushita,  the  Acharya,  the  Sudushya, 
 the  Brahma,  and  the  Hota.  The  first  ap- 
 pears to  be  the  principal  ceremonial,  the 
 last  the  sacrificial  priest.  According  to 
 Mr.  Ward  the  first  mentioned  is  the  most 
 advantageous  order,  as  the  rich  who  are 
 unwilling'  to  fast,  bathe  in  cold  water  and 
 perform  further  ablutions  and  sacrifices, 
 hestow  fees  upon  the  Purushita  to  per- 
 form their  ceremonies  for  them.  Some  of 
 the  lower  castes  have  priests  of  their  own, 
 and  not  Brahmans.  Priests  have  no  official 
 garments,  but  always  appear  in  their  usual 
 dress.  (See  Brahmans,  p.  142.) 
 
 Prithivi,  p.  102. 
 
 Prityungira,  a vindictive  form  of  Parvati, 
 worshipped  with  sanguinary  sacrifices,  and 
 propitiated  to  obtain  the  destruction  of,  or 
 injury  to  another.  She  is  consequently 
 invoked  in  a similar  manner  to  Kali. 
 
 Pudmawuttee,  a Jaina  Devi. 
 
 Pulaha,  one  of  the  seven  Brahmadicas. 
 
 Pulastya,  one  of  the  seven  Brahmadicas. 
 
 Puniakirti,  a form  of  Garuda,  assumed  to 
 propagate  the  delusive  doctrines  of  Vishnu, 
 as  Budda,  at  Kashi,  to  deceive  the  virtuous 
 king  Divodasa. 
 
 Puram-hungru.  Hindu  religious  mendicants, 
 who  go  naked,  observe  perpetual  silence, 
 and  appear  regardless  of  all  visible  objects. 
 
 Pur  anas.  Sacred  writings  of  two  kinds : one 
 treats  of  the  creation  of  the  universe,  the 
 progress  and  renovation  of  worlds,  &c. ; 
 and  the  other  of  chronology  and  the  geneo- 
 logy  and  achievements  of  the  gods,  demi- 
 gods, and  heros  of  the  Hindus. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 39  3 
 
 Purashu  or  Purushu,  the  principal  male,  the 
 first  manifestation  of  the  Supreme  Being, 
 the  term  like  that  of  Viraj  is  variously  ap- 
 plied, in  honour  of  their  especial  deity, 
 by  the  different  sects. 
 
 Pushcin,  a name  of  Surya. 
 
 Pushpaka,  the  car  of  Kuvera ; also,  accord- 
 ing to  legends,  the  name  of  a favourite 
 parrot  of  Indra,  who,  on  the  appearance 
 of  Yama,  flew  away,  allegingthat  he  could 
 not  face  the  destroyer  of  mankind.  The 
 gods  entreated  Yama  to  spare  it,  who  re- 
 ferred them  to  Kal  (time)  ; Kal  again 
 referred  them  to  death,  who,  on  the  ap- 
 proach of  the  bird,  cut  short  the  argument 
 and  the  parrot’s  life  at  the  same  time.  On 
 beino- reproached  by  the  gods,  Yama  said 
 that  fate  had  decided  the  parrot’s  life,  and 
 that  no  care  on  their  parts  could  have 
 saved  it. 
 
 R. 
 
 Iiadha,  the  mistress  of  Krislma,  p.  45,  pi. 
 
 12. 
 
 Raghuva,  a name  of  Rama  Chandra. 
 
 Rahti,  the  planet  of  the  ascending  node, 
 p.  134,  pi.  26. 
 
 Rajarsliis,  holy  sages  or  saints. 
 
 Raja  Vansas,  Raj  Kumars,  and  Rajpoots, 
 independent  warlike  tribes  of  Hindustan, 
 among  whom  female  infanticide  extensively 
 prevails.  (See  Infanticide,  p.  177,  and 
 Rajpoots  275.) 
 
 Raju  Rajeswaree,  a form  of  Durga,  repre- 
 sented sitting  on  a stool  of  three  legs,  which 
 rests  on  the  heads  of  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and 
 Siva. 
 
 Raivata,  one  of  the  seven  Menus. 
 
 Rakshasas,  demons  who  assume  at  will  the 
 
 forms  of  lions,  tigers,  horses,  and  other 
 animals,  as  well  as  the  human  shape,  with 
 numerous  heads  and  arms.  They  are 
 represented  as  Cannibals,  who  devour 
 their  enemies. 
 
 R ama  Chandra,  p.  22. 
 
 Ramalayas , religious  mendicants  of  the  fol- 
 lowers of  Rama. 
 
 Ram-dasu,  one  of  the  ten  leaders  of  the 
 Shikhs.  (See  Shikhs.) 
 
 Ramoosees,  p.  262. 
 
 Rath,  a car  used  for  the  conveyance  of  an 
 idol. 
 
 Rath-Yatra,  the  celebrated  festival  of  Jug- 
 gan-na’th. 
 
 Ravana,  or  Ravan,  a powerful  Asura,  the 
 sovereign  of  Lanka,  destroyed  by  Rama 
 Chandra.  He  is  described  with  numerous 
 heads  and  arms,  and  is  said  to  have  become 
 so  potent,  in  consequence  of  an  ill-judged 
 promise  (according  to  some  of  Siva,  and 
 according  to  others  of  Brahma)  obtained 
 in  the  usual  manner  by  marvellous  religious 
 austerities  and  devotion,  as  to  have  brought 
 all  the  gods  under  his  subjection.  As  the 
 promise  of  the  deity  could  not  be  revoked, 
 Vishnu  found  the  means  of  evading  the 
 performance  of  it  by  becoming  incarnate 
 as  Rama  Chandra  to  effect  the  destruction 
 of  the  tyrant.  (See  Rama  Chandra,  p. 
 22,  and  fig.  2,  pi.  9.) 
 
 Ravi,  one  of  the  Adityas,  a name  of  the 
 sun. 
 
 Rawels  (Bhauts). 
 
 Rawets,  hill  gods  of  the  Bheels. 
 
 Rembha,  a name  of  Lakshmi,  the  sea-born 
 Venus  of  the  Hindus,  and  the  Venus 
 Aphrodites  of  the  Greeks;  one  of  the  gems 
 3 E 
 
394 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 produced  at  the  churning  of  the  ocean.  (See 
 Lakshmi,  p.  60.) 
 
 Reti,  affection ; the  consort  of  Kamadeva, 
 the  god  of  love. 
 
 Revvtee,  the  wife  of  Bala  Ram,  who  was 
 3,888,000  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  mar- 
 riage. (See  p.  48.) 
 
 Rig,  or  Risk  Veda,  one  of  the  four  Vedas. 
 (See  Vedas). 
 
 Rishis  (The),  p.  9. 
 
 Rivers.  Numerous  rivers  are  held  sacred  by 
 the  Hindus,  viz.  the  Gunga  or  Ganges ; 
 (see  Gunga)  ; the  Yamuna  or  Jumna ; 
 the  Suraswati;  theGodaveri  ; the  Sindhu; 
 the  Krishna;  the  Brahmaputra,  &c.  &c.&c. 
 The  three  first  mentioned  are  called  the 
 Triveni,  and  form  a junction  at  Allahabad, 
 where  multitudes  of  pilgrims  annually 
 resort  in  consequence  to  bathe.  (See  Tri- 
 veni.) 
 
 Rohillas  (The),  p.  306. 
 
 Rohini,  one  of  the  daughters  of  Daksha, 
 and  the  favourite  wife  of  Soma,  or  Chan- 
 dra. 
 
 Rosheniah  Sect  (The),  308. 
 
 Rudra,  a name  of  Siva  in  his  destroying 
 character. 
 
 Rudrani.  Parvati,  as  the  sacti  of  Rudra. 
 
 Rukmini,  the  wife  of  Krishna;  an  incarnation 
 of  Lakshmi.  (See  Krishna.) 
 
 Runeka,  the  mother  of  Parashu  Rama. 
 
 Rutna  Soor,  one  of  the  Datyas ; from  his 
 blood  shed  on  the  ground  in  battle  fresh 
 demons  sprung  up. 
 
 S. 
 
 Sacamhhari  Bhavani,  the  guardian  goddess 
 of  the  Rajpoots,  p.  284. 
 
 Sacrificial  Utensils,  p.  219. 
 
 Sactas,  the  worshippers  of  the  Sactis.  (See 
 Sactis.)  This  sect,  though  numerous,  is, 
 from  the  profligacy  of  a large  portion  of 
 its  members,  held  in  general  disesteem. 
 
 Sactis  (The),  p.  120. 
 
 Saka,  or  Sakya,  a name  of  Buddha. 
 
 Salagrama  Stones,  p.  176. 
 
 Santa,  or  Sarnan  Veda,  one  of  the  Vedas. 
 (See  Vedas.) 
 
 Sambhu,  a name  of  Siva.  (See  Siva.) 
 
 Sami  Tree,  used  in  Puja,  or  worship. 
 
 Samjmt,  a vulture,  by  which  Rama  Chandra 
 was  directed  to  seek  for  Sita  in  Ceylon. 
 This  bird,  with  his  brother  Jutaee,  in 
 early  life  made  an  attempt  to  gain  the 
 realms  of  celestial  light  ; Jutaee  relin- 
 quished the  undertaking,  but  Samput 
 persevered,  and  had  his  wings  and  plu- 
 mage scorched  for  his  pains,  and  fell  to 
 the  ground.  So  keen  was  his  sight,  even 
 in  old  age,  that  although  Sita  must  have 
 been  at  least  one  thousand  miles  distant,  he 
 beheld  her,  and  directed  Rama  accordingly. 
 
 Sanchandga,  an  enormous  giant,  in  the  form 
 of  a serpent,  killed  by  Krishna.  He  is 
 described  by  Colonel  Wilford  as  having 
 two  countenances,  one  that  of  a man,  and 
 the  other  of  a snake  ; and  to  have  fixed  his 
 abode  in  a shell.  His  breath  was  believed 
 to  have  been  a fiery,  poisonous  wind, 
 which  burnt  and  destroyed  all  the  animals 
 and  vegetables  near  it.  This  the  Hindus, 
 who  imagine  that  his  descendants  still 
 exist,  consider  as  the  hot  winds  of  the 
 African  Deserts.  The  sage  Agastya,who 
 for  his  piety  and  learning  was  translated 
 to  the  heavens,  reduced  this  monster,  and 
 carried  him  about  in  an  earthen  pot. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 395 
 
 Sani,  or  Shunee,  the  planet  Saturn. 
 
 Sankara,  a form  of  Siva,  assumed  by  him 
 to  overthrow  the  Buddhas. 
 
 Sanyasis,  religious  mendicants  of  the  sect 
 of  Siva. 
 
 Sasin,  a roe,  a fawn,  or  antelope  ; the  va- 
 han  of  Chandra. 
 
 Satkara,  a deity  worshipped  by  the  Sauds. 
 (See  Sauds,  p.  241.) 
 
 Satyavama,  one  of  the  wives  of  \ ishnu  ; also 
 in  his  avatar  of  Krishna. 
 
 Satyavrata,  one  of  the  seven  Menus ; and 
 the  holy  king  to  whom  Vishnu  appeared 
 in  the  first  or  Matsya  Avatar,  p.  14. 
 
 Sauds  (The),  p.  241. 
 
 Savitri,  a name  of  Surya;  also  of  Suraswati, 
 the  Sacti  of  Brahma.  Some  singular  sto- 
 ries are  related  of  the  curse  of  Savitri  on 
 the  gods,  in  consequence  of  Brahma  being 
 united  to  Gayitri,  which  caused  the  wor- 
 ship of  Brahma  but  once  in  a year  ; the 
 distresses  and  wanderings  of  Indra ; the 
 avatars  of  Vishnu ; the  loss  of  Siva’s  vi- 
 rility ; the  destructive  power  of  Agni  or 
 fire,  which  devours  every  thing,  clean  or 
 unclean,  that  it  touches  ; the  inconstancy 
 of  Lakshmi  or  fortune ; and,  above  all,  the 
 dreaded  Hindu  curse  of  barrenness  upon 
 all  the  goddesses.  Gayitri,  however,  al- 
 though she  could  not  avert,  rendered  in- 
 nocuous the  curses  of  Savitri  by  counter- 
 vailing boons;  thus,  those  who  did  wor- 
 ship Brahma  obtained  the  blessings  of  this 
 world,  and  beatitude  hereafter.  Indra,  al- 
 though often  oppressed  and  driven  from 
 his  heaven,  was  restored  to  enjoy  it  in 
 peace  and  security.  . Vishnu  gave,  by  his 
 avatars,  tranquillity,  happiness,  and  vir- 
 
 tue to  mankind  ; the  Linga  became  of  ex- 
 tensive worship  ; and  Lakshmi,  although 
 inconstant,  was  always  received,  wherever 
 she  appeared,  with  smiles  and  welcome. 
 
 Sectarial  Marks,  p.  162,  pi.  2. 
 
 Sects.  These  I have  noticed  and  referred  to 
 under  their  respective  heads  in  my  account 
 of  Brahm  (p.  1).  In  addition,  however, 
 to  the  six  sects  there  described,  it  is  to  be 
 observed,  that  the  Vishnaivas  are  divided 
 into  two  branches,  the  Goculast’has,  and 
 the  Ramanuz : the  first  the  worshippers 
 of  Krishna,  the  latter  of  Rama  Chandra. 
 These  again  are  subdivided,  one  part  of 
 the  Goculast'has  worshipping  Krishna 
 alone  ; a second  worshipping  him  in  con- 
 junction with  his  mistress  Radha ; and  a 
 third  (called  Radhaballabhi)  who  adore 
 Radha  only,  considering  her  as  the  active 
 power  of  Vishnu  in  the  eighth  avatar.  The 
 followers  of  the  last-mentioned  sects  have 
 adopted  the  singular  practice  of  presenting 
 to  their  own  wives  the  oblations  intended 
 for  the  goddess  ; and  those  among  them 
 who  follow  the  left-handed  path  (there 
 being-  in  most  sects  a right-handed  or  de- 
 cent  path,  and  a left-handed  or  indecent 
 mode  of  worship),  require  their  wives  to 
 be  naked  when  attending  them  at  their  de- 
 votions. Among  the  Ramanuz  some  wor- 
 ship Rama  only ; others  Rama  and  Sita. 
 
 The  Saivas  worship  Siva  and  Bhavani 
 conjointly,  and  adore  the  Linga  or  com- 
 pound type  of  their  god  and  goddess. 
 (See  Linga  and  Yoni .)  The  exclusive 
 
 worshippers  of  Siva  are  the  Lingis  or  Gym- 
 nosophists.  Those  of  Bhavani,  or  any 
 other  of  the  female  energies,  are  the  Sac- 
 tas,  whose  emblem  is  the  Yoni. 
 
 Seeloochunci,  the  affectionate  wife  of  Megh- 
 3 E 2 
 
396 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 nacl  (son  of  Ravan),  who  after  his  over- 
 throw and  death,  performed  suttee  with 
 his  head,  and  ascended  to  heaven. 
 
 Sequani,  a Japanese  deity,  p.  341,  pi.  38. 
 
 Sesha,  or  Ananta,  the  thousand-headed  ser- 
 pent, emblematical  of  eternity,  on  which 
 Vishnu  reclined  on  the  primeval  waters. 
 (See  Vishnu,  p.  11.) 
 
 Seta,  or  Sit  a,  the  wife  or  sacti  of  Rama, 
 p.  23. 
 
 Shaman  Religion  (The),  p.  3/0. 
 
 Shaster,  a holy  ordinance. 
 
 Shatarupa,  a name  of  Suraswati. 
 
 Shatukratu,  or  Shatkratu,  a name  of  Indra. 
 
 Shetula,  a Hindu  goddess,  worshipped  as 
 a guardian  deity  against  the  small-pox 
 and  other  cutaneous  diseases : on  inocula- 
 tion, and  in  various  stages  of  the  small- 
 pox offerings  are  made  to  this  goddess. 
 Shikhs  (The),  p.  227. 
 
 Shri,  or  Sri,  a name  of  Laksmi. 
 
 Shushtee,  the  goddess  of  fecundity,  a Hindu 
 deity,  represented  as  a yellow  woman  sit- 
 ting on  a cat  ; regarded  by  the  Hindus, 
 says  Mr.  Ward,  as  the  protectress  of  chil- 
 dren, and  is  especially  worshipped  by  fe- 
 males who  have  not  been  blessed  with  any. 
 She  is  also  worshipped  monthly  by  women 
 who  have  lost  their  children,  and  is  gene- 
 rally invoked  by  parents  as  their  protec- 
 tress. The  cat  being  sacred  to  Shustee 
 the  Hindus  avoid  hurting  one,  lest  the 
 goddess  should  injure  their  children. 
 
 Sidasiva,  a name  of  Siva. 
 
 Silvanka  Yoni,  p.  174. 
 
 Sindhu,  one  of  the  sacred  rivers  of  the  Hin- 
 dus. 
 
 Singhu  Valiini,  a form  of  Durga  or  Parvati. 
 
 This,  like  other  forms  of  the  Sacti  of 
 Siva,  is  described  with  four  arms,  sitting 
 on  a lion,  and  armed  with  a sword  and 
 spear,  &c. 
 
 Sintiphos  (The),  p.326. 
 
 Sirmoris  (The),  p.  304. 
 
 Sita  Maya.  Shetula. 
 
 Siva,  p.  62. 
 
 Skanda,  a name  of  Siva. 
 
 Sootar  (or  the  carpenter),  a name  of  Viswa- 
 karma. 
 
 S'radha,  p.  162. 
 
 Sruva.  Lustral  spoons.  (See  fig.  8,  9,  and 
 10,  pi.  32.) 
 
 Stones.  Certain  stones  are  held  sacred  by  the 
 Hindus  : the  principal  are  the  Salagrama, 
 Binlang,  and  Linga.  (See  Salagrama , p. 
 176,  and  Linga,  p.  174.) 
 
 Subha,  a portico  of  a Hindu  temple. 
 
 Subhadra,  the  sister  of  Juggarnath  and  Bala 
 Rama ; placed  in  the  temples  and  wor- 
 shipped with  Juggarnath. 
 
 Subramanhi,  a name  of  Kartikeya  in  the 
 south  of  India. 
 
 Sudras,  the  tribe  of  husbandmen  of  the  Hin- 
 dus, produced  from  the  feet  of  Brahma. 
 
 Sudyumna.  (See  Ila.) 
 
 Sugrivu,  king  of  Karnata,  who  received  and 
 assisted  Rama  Chandra  in  recovering'  Sita 
 in  the  war  of  Lanka. 
 
 Suguru,  p.  8. 
 
 Sukra,  p.  134. 
 
 Sumatra,  p.  360. 
 
 Sumudra,  or  Samudra.  The  sea  ; is  wor- 
 shipped (says  Mr.  Ward)  by  the  Hindus 
 when  they  visit  the  sea,  as  well  as  at  the 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 different  festivals,  and  on  the  sixth  day 
 after  the  birth  of  a child. 
 
 Surabhi,  the  boon-granting  cow:  one  of  the 
 articles  produced  at  the  churning  of  the 
 ocean.  (See  Kamdenu .) 
 
 Suradevi,  the  goddess  of  wine,  one  of  the 
 good  things  produced  at  the  churning  of 
 the  ocean.  After  having  taken  so  much 
 trouble  to  bring  her  from  the  fathomless 
 deep,  it  might  have  been  expected  that 
 more  respect  would  have  been  paid  to  her. 
 She  is,  however,  at  present  wholly  neglect- 
 ed, whatever  value  may  have  been  assigned 
 to  her  heretofore.  It  has  been  concluded 
 that,  although  the  Hindu  religion  has  re- 
 strained the  use  of  spirituous  liquors,  the 
 earlier  inhabitants  of  India  had  no  objection 
 to  it. 
 
 Suras,  children  of  Aditi.  (See  Diti.) 
 
 Suraswati,  see  p.  9 ; also  one  of  the  sacred 
 rivers  of  the  Hindus,  which  rises  in  the 
 north,  and  is  supposed,  after  losing  itself 
 under  ground,  to  join  the  Gunga  or  Ganges 
 near  Allahabad. 
 
 Surpanukha , the  sister  of  Ravan,  whose 
 nose  and  ears  were  cut  off  by  Lakshman. 
 
 ( See  p.  24.) 
 
 Suti.  (See  Parvati,  p.  79.) 
 
 Suttee,  p.  166.  The  sketch  from  which  the 
 small  representation  in  fig.  2,  pi.  28,  is 
 taken,  is  by  an  eye  witness  of  a suttee, 
 which  took  place  on  the  banks  of  the 
 Hooghley,  at  Choikdho,  near  Suk  Saugor, 
 a few  miles  from  Calcutta,  in  December 
 1829.  In  this  instance,  as  in  that  related 
 in  p.  169,  every  exertion  was  made  to  save 
 the  female  from  self-immolation;  but  to 
 every  remonstrance  that  could  be  urged 
 she  answered  calmly,  but  determinedly. 
 
 397 
 
 that  her  god  called  her  and  she  must 
 burn. 
 
 Swadha,  the  goddess  of  funeral  obsequies, 
 termed  by  Mr.  Colebrooke  the  food  of  the 
 manes.  The  word  appears  to  possess  a 
 mystical  meaning. 
 
 Swaha,  the  sacti  of  Agni  (the  Vesta  of  the 
 Romans).  Her  name  is  repeated  at  burnt- 
 offerings  and  other  ceremonies  of  the  Hin- 
 dus. (See  Agni,  p.  115.) 
 
 Swanareta,  one  of  the  Adityas,  a name  of 
 the  sun.  (See  Adityas.) 
 
 Swardevi,  a benevolent  name  of  Bhavani  or 
 Parvati. 
 
 Swarochesha,  one  of  the  seven  Menus. 
 
 Swayambhuva , the  first  Menu,  considered 
 by  Sir  W.  Jones  to  have  been  synonymous 
 with  Adam. 
 
 Swerga,  or  Sorgon,  the  heaven  of  Indra  on 
 Mount  Meru. 
 
 Sydeva,  one  of  the  five  Pandu  brethren. 
 (See  Pandus.) 
 
 T. 
 
 Tag  Bahadur,  one  of  the  ten  leaders  of  the 
 Shikhs,  p.  227. 
 
 Tamasa,  one  of  the  seven  Menus. 
 
 Tapyasa,  or  Tapass,  p.  165  and  251,  fig.  8, 
 pi.  26,  and  fig.  3,  pi.  28. 
 
 Tara,  a form  of  Durga  or  Parvati,  a variety 
 of  Kali  painted  black.  (See  Kali  and 
 pi.  19.) 
 
 Tarika,  a demon  destroyed  by  Kartikeya, 
 p.  75. 
 
 Tee,  the  umbrella  which  crowns  the  top  of  a 
 Burman  praw  or  pagoda,  without  which  it 
 is  not  considered  to  be  sanctified.  In  re- 
 storing that  of  the  Shoe  Dagon  at  Ran- 
 
398 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 goon,  which  had  been  destroyed  by  an 
 earthquake  in  1769,  the  King  of  Ava  at- 
 tended with  an  army  of  50,000  men. 
 
 Temples,  p.  155. 
 
 T eyo-ke-o-dae-sin,  the  creator  of  the  Ja- 
 panese, p.  332. 
 
 T en-seo-dae-sin,  the  principal  goddess  of 
 the  Japanese,  p.  332. 
 
 T'hakur,  or  T'akur,  a name  of  Vishnu. 
 
 Tila  Sesamun,  used  in  puja,  or  worship. 
 
 Tonquin  Chinese,  p.  369. 
 
 Tookia,  a deity  worshipped  by  the  Koom- 
 bies,  p.  290. 
 
 Traga,  an  abominable  practice  in  use  among 
 the  Kattees,  the  object  of  which  is  si- 
 milar to  the  d’herna,  but  more  barbarous, 
 
 p.  281. 
 
 Trees  and  plants.  The  bilwa,  tolusa,  and 
 other  trees  and  plants,  are  sacred  among 
 the  Hindus.  A leaf  of  the  tolusa  is  al- 
 ways placed  under  a salagrama  stone.  (See 
 Jalandhara,  p.  247.) 
 
 Trilu,  a Brahman,  who  cursed  Siva  to  de- 
 prive him  of  his  virility,  for  seducing  his 
 wife  under  the  form  of  a Sanyasi. 
 
 Triparasura,  a name  of  Tarika. 
 
 Trip' hala,  the  trident  or  trisula  of  Siva. 
 
 Trisula,  the  trident  of  Siva.  It  is  considered 
 to  be  in  continual  motion  over  the  face  of 
 the  universe  to  guard  and  preserve  its  crea- 
 tures. To  oppose  its  course  would  be  to 
 incur  immediate  death.  Its  motion  would 
 appear  to  be  regular,  but  varying  accord- 
 ing to  the  days  in  the  week ; thus  it  is 
 imagined  that  it  is  unlucky  to  proceed  to- 
 wards the  westward  on  Sundays  and  Fri- 
 days, to  the  northward  on  Tuesdays  and 
 Wednesdays,  to  the  eastward  on  Satur- 
 
 days and  Mondays,  and  to  the  southward 
 on  Thursdays. 
 
 T rivena,  or  three  plaited  locks,  allegorical 
 of  the  holy  rivers  Gunga  (or  Ganges),  Ya- 
 muna (or  Jumna),  which  join  near  Allaha- 
 bad, and  the  Suraswati,  which  is  also  sup- 
 posed to  join  the  other  two  under  ground. 
 A person  dying  near  the  imagined  conflu- 
 ence of  the  three  streams,  or  even  those  of 
 the  Gunga  and  Yamuna,  attains  imme- 
 diate beatitude;  consequently  self,  or  self- 
 permitted,  immolation,  suttees,  &c.  are  me- 
 ritorious on  this  peculiarly  holy  spot. 
 
 Trivikrum  or  the  three- steppter , a name  of 
 Vishnu.  (See  fifth  avatar.) 
 
 U. 
 
 Uma,  a name  of  Parvati.  Under  this  name 
 the  goddess  was  surprised  by  the  Rishis  in 
 the  forest  of  Gauri,  in  the  embraces  of  Siva ; 
 in  consequence  of  which  that  deity  con- 
 demned every  male  who  should,  from  that 
 period,  enter  the  forest,  to  a change  of 
 sex.  This  story  has  been  also  attributed 
 to  Rohini,  the  wife  of  Soma  or  Chandra, 
 who  surprised  her  in  a similar  situation 
 with  Siva,  who  accordingly  transformed 
 the  unfortunate  husband  into  a female. 
 Hence  the  moon,  which  was  before  a 
 male,  became  of  the  female  sex.  (See 
 Chandra,  p.  131.) 
 
 Unee  and  Unkpan,  chiefs  in  the  army  of 
 Ravan. 
 
 Ungad,  a general  in  Sugrivu’s  army,  at- 
 tached to  Rama  Chandra  in  the  war  of 
 Lanka.  On  one  occasion,  when  Ravan 
 pressed  powerfully  upon  the  gods.  Ungad 
 seized  him  by  the  leg  and  pulled  him  down. 
 
 Upanishad,  a portion  of  the  Vedas.  (See 
 Vedas.) 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 Uttama,  one  of  the  seven  Menus. 
 
 V. 
 
 Vagiswari,  the  goddess  of  eloquence. 
 
 Vahan,  a vehicle  allotted  to  each  of  the 
 gods.  Brahma  has  the  Hanasa,  a goose 
 or  swan.  Vishnu,  Garuda,  half  man  half 
 bird  ; Siva,  the  bull ; Indra,  the  elephant ; 
 Ganesha,  a rat ; Kartikeya,  a peacock ; 
 Agni,  a ram  ; Pavana,  an  antelope  ; Yama, 
 a buffalo  ; Mungula  or  Mars,  a sheep  ; 
 Budh,  a lion  ; Shunee  or  Sani,  a vulture  ; 
 Rama,  a monkey  ; Kama  Deva,  a parrot ; 
 Durga  or  Parvati,  a lion  and  bull,  and  the 
 other  goddesses  the  vahans  of  their  respec- 
 tive lords. 
 
 Vaidya-nath,  a form  of  Siva. 
 
 Vajra-pani,  he  who  holds  the  thunder-bolt ; 
 a name  of  Indra. 
 
 Vaikontha  or  Vaikunt'ha,  the  heaven  of 
 Vishnu,  p.  12. 
 
 Vaishnaivi  or  Vishnaivi,  a name  of  Lakshmi. 
 
 Vaishnaivas  or  Vishnaivas,  the  worshippers 
 of  Vishnu. 
 
 Vaiswadeva,  the  gods  collectively.  In  the 
 performance  of  a Sradd’ha,  or  ceremonies 
 in  honour  of  departed  ancestors,  the  offici- 
 ating priest  thus  invites  and  welcomes  the 
 Vaiswadeva.  He  places  cushions  for  them, 
 made  of  cusa  grass,  and  thus  invokes  them : 
 “ Assembled  gods  ! hear  my  invocation  ; 
 come  and  set  down  on  this  holy  grass.” 
 After  scattering  barley  on  the  same  spot, 
 he  meditates  this  prayer,  “ Assembled 
 gods  ! listen  to  my  invocation  ! ye  who  re- 
 side in  the  sky,  and  ye  who  abide  near  us, 
 (on  earth)  or  far  off  (in  heaven)  ; ye  whose 
 tongues  are  fire,  and  ye  who  defend  the 
 funeral  sacrifice,  set  on  this  grass  and  be 
 cheerful.” — Asiatic  Researches. 
 
 399 
 
 Vaisyas,  the  merchant  tribe  of  India  pro- 
 duced from  the  thighs  of  Brahma, 
 
 Vaitarini,  the  Styx  of  the  Hindus. 
 
 Vamuna,  a dwarf ; a form  assumed  by  Vishnu 
 to  destroy  Maha  Bali  in  the  fifth  avatar, 
 p.  18. 
 
 Varaha,  an  avatar  of  Vishnu  in  the  third  or 
 boar  avatar,  p.  16. 
 
 Varahi,  the  sacti,  or  consort  of  Vishnu  in 
 the  boar  avatar. 
 
 Varuna,  the  god  of  the  waters,  p.  135. 
 
 Varuni,  the  sacti  of  Varuna. 
 
 Vasanta  (The  spring),  the  friend  of  Kama 
 Deva,  the  god  of  love,  and  Reti,  affection. 
 
 Vasishta,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  of 
 the  seven  Rishis ; also  one  of  the  seven 
 Brahmadicas. 
 
 Vasu  (A),  one  of  the  deities  who  forma  Gana, 
 which  is  composed  of  eight.  There  are 
 nine  Ganas,  whose  principal  is  Ganesha ; 
 hence  his  title  of  lord  of  the  Ganas. 
 
 Vasudeva,  the  father  of  Krishna,  p.  35. 
 
 Vasnki,  the  venomous  serpent  used  as  a rope 
 by  the  Suras  and  Asuras,  at  the  churning 
 of  the  ocean,  p.  15  and  254,  plate  6.  The 
 pestilential  breath  of  this  enormous  reptile 
 was  such,  as  to  cause  the  gods  to  resort  to  a 
 stratagem  to  induce  the  demons  to  change 
 sides  with  them,  the  former  taking  the  tail, 
 the  latter  the  head  part.  Siva  swallowed 
 a portion  of  the  poison,  which  changed 
 his  throat  to  a blue  colour  ; hence  his  ap- 
 pellation of  Nilakantha,  or  blue  throat. 
 
 Vauk,  devotion  offered  by  the  audible  effu- 
 sions of  speech. 
 
 Vayu,  a name  of  Pavana. 
 
 Vedas  (The),  the  earliest  sacred  writings  of 
 the  Hindus,  p.  137. 
 
400 
 
 appendix. 
 
 Vedanga,  one  of  the  Adityas ; a name  of 
 Surya. 
 
 V enamaly , a name  of  Narayana. 
 
 Vicramadittya  or  Vi/cramaditya,  a learned 
 monarch  and  an  astronomer,  whose  capital, 
 Oujein,  was  about  his  time  overwhelmed 
 by  a violent  convulsion  of  nature.  Hindu 
 legends  thus  whimsically  account  for  that 
 circumstance,  together  with  his  origin  and 
 birth ; as  described  in  the  6th  vol.  of  the 
 Asiatic  Researches. 
 
 “ A certain  deity,  named  Gundrufsein, 
 was  condemned  for  an  offence  committed 
 against  Indra,  to  appear  on  earth  in  the 
 shape  of  an  ass  ; but  on  his  entreaty  he 
 was  allowed,  as  a mitigation  of  his  punish- 
 ment, to  lay  aside  that  body  in  the  night, 
 and  take  that  of  a man.  His  incarnation 
 took  place  at  Ougein,  during  the  reign  of 
 a rajah  named  Sundersein,  and  the  ass, 
 when  arrived  at  maturity,  accosting  the 
 rajah  in  a human  voice,  proclaimed  his 
 own  divine  origin,  and  demanded  his 
 daughter  in  marriage.  Having,  by  certain 
 prodigies,  overcome  the  scruples  of  the 
 rajah,  he  obtained  the  object  of  his  wishes. 
 All  day,  in  the  form  of  an  ass,  he  lived  in 
 the  stable ; but  when  night  came  on,  laying 
 aside  the  ass’s  skin,  and  assuming  the  form 
 of  a handsome  and  accomplished  young 
 prince,  he  went  into  the  palace,  and  en- 
 joyed, till  morning,  the  conversation  of 
 his  beauteous  bride.  In  process  of  time 
 the  daughter  cf  the  rajah  became  pregnant, 
 and  as  her  husband,  the  ass,  was  deemed 
 incapable  of  producing  such  an  event  in 
 one  of  the  human  species,  her  chastity  was 
 suspected.  Her  father  questioned  her  on 
 the  subject,  when  she  explained  the  mys. 
 tery.  At  night  the  rajah  concealed  him- 
 
 self, and  having  witnessed  the  metamor- 
 phosis, set  the  ass’s  skin  on  fire  to  prevent 
 his  son-in-law  from  reassuminsr  that  form. 
 Although  rejoiced  at  his  liberation,  Gun- 
 drufsein foresaw  the  vengeance  of  Indra, 
 and  warned  his  wife  to  flee  ; tellin^  her 
 that  his  earthly  tenement  being  consumed, 
 he  must  return  to  heaven,  and  that  the 
 city  would  be  overwhelmed  with  destruc- 
 tion. The  princess  fled  to  a village  at 
 some  distance,  where  she  brought  forth  a 
 son,  named  Vicramadittya ; and  a shower 
 of  earth  falling  from  heaven,  buried  the 
 city  and  its  inhabitants.” 
 
 Vina,  the  Hindu  lyre,  formed  of  a flat  piece 
 of  wood  with  strings,  having  a gourd  at  one 
 end,  and  sometimes  one  at  both  ends,  seen 
 in  the  plates  in  the  hands  of  Nareda, 
 Suraswati,  and  the  celestial  choristers. 
 (See  fig.  11.  pi.  32.) 
 
 Vindhya  Vasini,  a form  of  Durga  or  Par- 
 vati,  to  whom  is  ascribed  the  destruction 
 of  many  giants.  She  is  represented  sitting 
 on  a lion,  with  four  or  eight  arms. 
 
 Vira  Badra,  or  Ehr  Badr,  p.  74. 
 
 Viraj,  p.  100. 
 
 Virupacsha,  a name  of  Siva. 
 
 Vishnu,  p.  11. 
 
 Vismamitra,  one  of  the  Rishis,  and  the  Guru 
 of  Rama  Chandra.  He  was  seduced  by 
 Rembha  while  engaged  in  austerities,  at 
 the  instigation  of  Indra. 
 
 Viswakarma,  p.  6. 
 
 Vitruha  or  Vitrahan,  a name  of  Indra.  He 
 who  slew  the  giant  Vitruha  or  Vitra. 
 
 Viweswat,  a name  of  Surya. 
 
 Viweswati,  the  son  of  Surya,  called  the 
 child  of  the  sun,  and  the  founder  of  the 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 401 
 
 the  race  of  Hindu  rajahs,  termed  the 
 Surya  bans,  or  children  of  the  sun. 
 
 Vogra  Tapasu,  one  of  the  most  severe  of  the 
 Hindu  austerities.  (See  p.  251.). 
 
 Voiragees,  religious  mendicants  of  the  sect 
 of  Vishnu. 
 
 Vriclgnani  Kaumali,  a form  assumed  by 
 Lakshmi  as  the  consort  of  \ ishnu  in  the 
 form  of  Buddha,  to  delude  Divodasa.  Like 
 her  lord,  she  taught  to  the  females  of 
 Kashi  the  doctrines  of  self-existent  nature, 
 and  the  abolition  of  castes.  By  these  and 
 other  artifices,  she  seduced  the  women  to 
 counsel  the  men  of  that  kingdom  to  aban- 
 don the  worship  of  the  \edas  for  the 
 atheistical  religion  preached  by  Vishnu, 
 under  the  delusive  form  of  Buddha. 
 
 Vrihaspati,  or  Brishmit,  p.  133. 
 
 Vrisha,  the  holy,  a name  of  Indra. 
 
 Vyagrn  Ycihi,  a name  of  Devi  when  mounted 
 on  a tigef. 
 
 W, 
 
 Waghacha-Kuniver,  worshipped  by  the 
 Bheels,  against  the  ravages  of  wild  beasts. 
 
 Wittoba,  p.  53. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Yakshas,  or  Yakshus,  attendants  of  Kuvera, 
 who  wander  about  the  world  to  preserve 
 
 the  riches  of  the  avaricious  worshippers  of 
 the  god  of  wealth. 
 
 Yajar,  or  Yajush  Veda , one  of  the  four 
 Vedas,  p.  138. 
 
 Yama , p.  112. 
 
 Yamuna  (The),  or  Jumna,  one  of  the  sacred 
 rivers  of  the  Hindus.  It  joins  the  Ganges 
 at  Allahabad ; also  the  sister  of  Yama, 
 
 Yasuda , the  wife  of  Xanda,  or  Ananda,  and 
 the  foster  mother  of  Krishna. 
 
 Yoginis  (called  the  fatal  sisters):  they  are 
 sixtv-four  in  number,  and  follow  the 
 Sactis  in  the  field  of  battle,  each  holding 
 in  her  hands  a patera  of  a skull  to  receive 
 the  blood  of  the  slain,  on  which  they  feast. 
 
 Yogun.  (See  Jogun.') 
 
 Yoni  (The),  p.  174. 
 
 Yoogadya,  a form  of  Durga,  much  wor- 
 shipped in  some  places  ; she  is  represented 
 with  her  anus,  sitting  on  a lion.  Sangui- 
 nary sacrifices  are  offered  to  her ; and, 
 according  to  Air.  Ward,  100,000  people 
 assemble  at  a place  in  Burdwan  on  the 
 occasion  of  the  annual  festival  in  honour 
 of  her. 
 
 Yudishtra,  one  of  the  five  Pandus  brethren. 
 (See  Pandus .) 
 
 Z. 
 
 Zennaar,  p.  154. 
 
 THE  END. 
 
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