r1.";'!"/>Yi!f.', CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library DS 423. W26 1863 A view of the history, literature, and r 3 1924 021 023 613 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924021023613 m 1 GUNESHU. COMMONLY KNOWN IN MADRAS AE PU LI AR OR BEL. LY - GOD fir/- dcicrLftLffrt. vide j?acje 3^- ioiirienlitliai)'. A VIEW OF THE HISTOEY, LITEMTUEE, AND EELIGION OF rn THE HINDOOS : INOLUDINe A MINUTE DESCRIPTION OF THEIR MANNERS k^B CUSTOMS, . an:i» TRANSLATIONS FROM THEIR PRINCIPAL WORKS. BY THE REV. W. WARD, OHB OJ THE BAPTIST MISSIONABTES AT SBKAMPORE, BIHQAL. THE FIFTH EDITION, CAREFOLIT ABBTDGEV AND GREATLT lUPROTBJ); WITH A BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCH OF THJl ^TJTHOE, AND AN AMPLE INDEX MADRAS : J. HiaGINBOTHAM. MOUNT BO AD. 186 3. .. EL /\ i6(ol(ci PMNTED AT THE UKITED SCOITISH PBESS, BY GRAVES, COOKSON AND CO. STo t^c JHcmorg of The Eev. SAMUEL PEAECE, of Birmingham; The Eev. JOHN SUTCLIFE, of Olney; AND The Eet. ANDEEW FULLEE, or Ketteking, anil t0 The Eev. JOHN ETLAND, of Bristol; The Eev. JOHN EAWCETT, of Hepdkn-briDge; AND The Eev. EOBEET HALL, of Leicester; , antt to The Eev. WILLIAM CAEET, AND ALL THE OTHEE EUKOPEAN AND OTHEE COLLEAGUES OF THE AUTHOE IN INDIA ; THIS WORK IS VERY AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED, THE AUTHOR. Serampobe, Jime, 1815. PRONUNCIATION OF HINDOO NAMES. In endeavouring to give the sounds of SHngskritH v?ords, the author has adopted a method, which he hopes unites correctness with simplicity, and avoids much of that confusion which has been so much complained of on this subject. If the reader will only retain in his memory, that the short it is to be sounded as the short o in son, or the u in Burton ; the French e, as a in plate ; and the ee as in sweet ; he may go through the whole Tvork with a pronuncia- tion so correct, that a Hindoo would understand him. At the beginning and end of a word, the inherent vowel (S) has the soft sound of au. CONTENTS. B10GKAPHICAI4 Introduction, bi Eet. W. p. SijiBSONj The foUomng ^re the illustrations. I. — Guuesliii, commonly known as the JPulliar ot_ Belfy Go4.-"rEONTispiHCE. II. — Bramah, iAe Creator, III.— Vishnu, the Prolector. ' IV. — Shiva, the Destroyer with his Wife Parvatee, V. — Krishna, the most celebrated Incarnation 0/ Fishnilji Jfl. — Khali, Parvatee represented as avenging Justice, INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. The Hindoo theology founded on the same pliilosopliical notion as that of the Greeks, that the Divine Spirit is the soul of the world, proved from the Greek writers, i. — from the Vedantii-Saril, ii — A system of austerity founded on this system, iii. — Extract from the Sliree-Bhagilviitii on this subject, iv, — Account of the ceremony called yoga, by which the Divine Spirit, dwelling in inatier, becomes purified, extiacted from the Patnnjtilii Dhdrshlinii and the Goriiksha-siingiiita, v. — Norealyogees to be found at present, vi. — Absurdity oi tiiese opinions and practices, ib. — Another class of Hindoos place their hopes on devotion, vii. — The great mass of the population adhere to religious cere- monies, viii. — Conjectures on the orit>in of the Hindoo Mythology, ib. — on images, as originating in moral darkness, a»d the depravity of men, ib. — those of tiie Hindoos not representations of 1 he One God, ix. — uor of his perfec- tions, ib — nor of human vntues, ih. — nor of ihe objects of natural science, x. — but in general the invention of kings, to please the multitude, ib. — The doc- trine of all the East, that God in his abstract state is unknown, and imconnect- ed with tlie universe, ib. — the object of worship the divine energy, subject to passions, in consequence of its union to matter, xi. — the creation of the gods first, ib. — Proofs that ihe divine energy is the object of adoration, from the forms of the gods, xii. — the modes of worship, ib. — ^the common observations of the Hindoos on the phenomena of nature, xjii. — The divine energy the object of worship among the Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Sfc. proved by quotations froni various authors, xiv.- 'Ihe subjects embraced by the Hindoo mythology, ib. — The ancient idolairy of this people confined to the primary elements, the heavenly bodies, and aerial beings, xv. — the succeeding objects of worship, Bi'iiinha, Vishnoo, and Shiv'ii, the creator, the preserver, and destroyer, ib. — next tlie female deities, as the representatives of nature, ib. — then sundry deities, connected with corrupt notions of Divine Providence ; and afterwards di'ified heroes, xvi. — The number of fhe Hindoo gods, ib.— Benefits sought from ditferent gods by their worshippers, ib. — iJriimha — his form — allusions to his attributes- coiijeciuie of Mr. Palerson's exnniined, xvii.— Vishnoo — the attri- butes of his iniaite explained — conjecture of Mr. Paterson's noticed, xviii. — Shivii, and the attributes of his image — reiriarkson the worship of the Lingii. — resomblfincc bdwei'n Bacchus and Shivii— two other forms of Sliivn'noticed, yi CONT|;STS. ■ Kalii-BhoiriivS and Mnha-Kalii, six. — IndrS, xx. — Yiimit, ii. — Glineshn, xxi. — Kai-tikeyii, il>. — Sooryn.j'i. — Uarnee, xxii — Piivrinii, ib. — Vviroonii, xxiii. — S imoodrii, ii. — Prit'hivee; ii. — The heayealy iDodies, ii. — Doorga, xxiv. — Jviilos, ii- — L'Akshmon, xxv.— Siiraswriteu,«S. — SlieutSla, ii. — Miinnsa, xxvi. — Sli'islit'lieo, i^.—Krislinii. ?■/'.— Jiigiinnafhti, xxvii, — Eamii, xxviii. — Choi- tinyii, «7; — VishwH-kiii-ma, «i^ — Kamii-deva, i6. — Stityvi-Naraynna, id. — Pnn- oliati'iiiiri, ii. — Dhnriryi-t'hftkoQrii, ii. — Kalporayn, i5.— Deii^ecl beings in strange shapes, ii. — worship orhuinarf beings,' xxix. — Worship of beasts, ib. — birds, i6. — trefs, ii. — Worship of rivers, xxs.^— fish, ii. — books, ii. — stones, ii. — a loo of wood, ii*. — Remarks on the system ot mythology, ii.— on the use of idols in worship, xxxi. — Indelicacy of many of the Hindoo irtiages, ib. — Corrupt effcpis ofidpl wnj'sMp ju. tliisicavtntry, xxxii. — especially after the festivals, ti. — The history of the gods and 'religio\is pantomimes exceedingly increase these fffeot'i, xxxiii. — Practices of the vamacharees add to the general corruption, ■ xxxiv. — Reflections on this State of things, xxxvi.— causes of the popularity of the festivals, ib. rem;u']fs, wiih a view of correcting the false estimate made ot tiiH Hincloo chnTJicter by the Rev. Mr. Maurice and others, xxxvii.— Idobitry t;x(:itiim to frauds, xxxix.' — setting up of gods a trade, ii. — Hindoo Temples, — their use, xl.— dedicaiion of them, ii. — Images, of what materials made, xli. — Priests, »i. — Ceremonies at .tfimples, xlii. — Periodical ceremonies, ii — daily duties of a bramhVin, xliii. — form of initiation into the Plindoo ri^es, ii.— the spiritual "iiide, ii. — Bathing, ib. — forms of worship before the idol, xliv — Ej^t tract fmm the Ain AkbHrPe, iA.npte. — fovms of praise and prayer, xlv. — ■ meditation, ii: — repeatinsj the names of the gods, xlvi. — vows, fasting, and siifts to bram'.iilns.VA, — ho.=pitality,diii;ging pools, planting tree3,rehearsing and hearing the poornnvis, '&c. xivii. — Burning widows, and biirving them alive, ib. — an ad^cting relation ■ by Captain Kemp, xlviii. note.— number of the victims, xli^, — Visiting sacred places, ii. — atonements, and oiferings to themanes, 1. — heavens and hells, ii. — Confession of faith made by a bramhiin, Ii — Uemarks on it. Hi. — Snn-i of the Hiurloo system, liii.^ — view of its effects, ib. — Uemarks of the same brandviu on the present state of religion among his cnuntrymen, ib. — Appear- ances in the streets, reminding the passenger of the different Hincloo ceremonies, Iv. — This system incapable of prodiicing moral effects, notwithstanding the doctrine flf fut^ire rewards and punishments, Ivi. — Errors inculcated in the. Hindoo writingB-respecting G(id,ii. — Impure actions of thpgods, lix. — the gods cnnnteracting each oiher in the goyernment of the world, ii. - Irreverence of the people towards the gods, Ix.- Contrast lietwixt Hindooism and Christianiiy, ii. — Hiniloo system ascribes all ?in to .■firod, Ixi. — teaches the bramhiin to despise the slioodrfi, «i.— exhorts to the e,x:tinotion of every virtuous passion, ii.—- declavci that sin is removed by the most trifling ceremony, Ixii. — supplies prav- ers for the destrnetion of enemies, ii. — perpaits falsehood, and theft even fiom a slave, ii. — Works, said to raise men to heaven, not beneficial to others, ii. Rcmiirks on the irnpuiities "i\<\ cruelties connected ^yith this system, Ixiii. — [mpossiliie to know the Hindoo idolatry, as it is, without initiation, Ixiv. — Tho dispensations of Providence towards the Hindoos unfolded by this state of things, ii. — Happiness under the British government, ib. — Misrepresentations of Kuropean writers notifted and reprehended, Ixv. — Scripture testimony airainst idolatry, Ixvii —Of the seceders, or heterodox Hindoos, the Joiniis, Bonddhiis, ^•hikhs, and foUoivnrs of Choitiiny-i -the founders of all these sects reliuioug mendicants lxi\. — Observations on the tenets of these seceders, ii. ^' Irt thl? TiitrodiK'tinn, tho author h;is ffone over the whole of the Hindoo Pantheon that hs might snpiily a n\unl)er of nini,s.4«nt iij tho liody of the worlf; and hence it forms .in epitome of the wUnle, CONTENTS. BOOK 1. OBJECTS OF WORSHIP. CHAP. I. OF GOD. vn Page. The One God an object of speculation only ; not a single temple erected to his honour throughout the whole of Hindoost'hanii, ... 1 CHAP, II. OF THE eODS. Their number, three hundred and thirty millions, ... ... 2 Sect. I. "Vishnoo. The source of all the Hindoo incarnations, 2. — Accounts of the ten incarnations, iHd. — Other incarna- tions, 6. — Meaning of these fables, 7. — Images ofVishnoo, 8. Mark of his followers, iii(?. His names, ibid. His wives, ibid. His heaven, ... ... ... 9 II. Shivu. Forms of this god, 9. The lingn, 10. Eesembles the phalli of the Greeks, ibid. Form of this god as Miiha- Kaln, 11. Names and maik of the sect, ibid. Shivii's festivals — particularly the siinyasee and swinging ditto, 13—16. Origin of these horrid rites, 17. Marriage of ShivK, ibid. Fables respecting Shivu, 1 8. Names, ibid. Description of Shivii's heaven, ... ... ... 19 III. Bktjmha. Account of the creation, 21. Form of this god, ibid. Worship paid to him, ibid. He attempts to commit incest, 22. Heaven of Briimha. «fe¥. His names, ... 33 IV. Indrd. His image and festivals, 23. Accoimt of a criminal intrigue, 24. Other fables, 25. Heaven of Indrii, 26. Scenes in this heaven, in several stories, 27. Names of this god, ... ... ". ... ... 31 V. SooRYU. His descent, 31. His festivals, 32. Anecdotes of this god, 33. His names, „. ... ... 34 VI. GuNESHU. His image, 35. Descent and birth, «kW. Wor- ship, 86. Names, ... ... ... ... 37 VII. Kaetikeyb. His image and descent, 37. Festivals, 39. Names, ... ••• ••• ... ... 40 VIII. Ugneb. His form and descent, 40. Festival, 41. Names, 41 IX. PuvuNU. His birth, 43. A story respecting him, ibid. His impure character, 43. Names, ... ... ... 43 X, VuKpoNU. His image and worship, 43. Fables, 44. His heaven, 45. His names, ... ... ... 45 XI. Ttjmu. His image and festivals, 46. His court as judge of the dead, 47. His palace, ibid. Fables respecting him, 47-50. His heaven, 50. Marriage, ibid. Names, 52 XII. " Host of Heaven." Eemarks on their worship, ... 52 XIII. Planets. Worshipped in a body, ... ... ,.. 54 XIV. KuvEE. His form and worship, 55, Commits a rape, .,. 55 VUl CONTENTS. SCT. Pace. XV. SoMU. His image and worship, 56. Names, ... ... 56 XVI. MuNGULU. His image, 57. An evil planet, ... ... 57 XVII. BooDDHU. His form, 57. Account of his birth, ... 57 XVIII. Vkihusputeb. His image, 58. An auspicious planet, Hid. Names, ... ... ... ... 59 XIX. Shookru. His form, 59. A fable respecting his blind- ness, ibid. A propitious planet, ibid. A fable, Hid. Names, ... ... ... ... 61 XX. Shdnee. His image, 61. An evil and much dreaded planet, ... ... ... .. ... 61 XXI. Eahoo. His image, 62. Eeceived this form at the churn- ing of tKe sea, ibid. Names,63. Unaccountable coincidence in the customs of different nations respecting an eclipse, 63. note. XXII. Ketoo. His image, ... ... ... ... 63 CHAP. III. OF THE GODDESSES. I. DooKGA. Her descent, 64. Eeason of her name, a fable, ibid. Festivals, 67. Image, ibid. Ceremonies at her festival minutely described, 68. Bloody sacrifices, 69. Offerings, 70. Dances, 71. A scene at Eaja Eaj-krish- nii's at Calcutta, 73. Drowning the image, 74. Fables respecting this goddess,... ... . . ... 75 II. The ten lorms of Boorga. Story from the MarHkiindeya poorann, and another from the ChSndee, relative to the wars of Doorga, 76. Names of the ten forms, ... 79 III. Sin GHU-TAHINEE, a form of Doorga, Her image, 79. and worship, ... ... ... ... ... 79 IV. MuHiSHU-MTJRDiNEE. Her image, and worship, 80. Be- nefits attending it, ... ... ... ... 80 V. JUGTJDDHATEEE. Her image, 80. A popular festival, held jn her honour, ... ... ... ... ... 80 VI. MooKTU-KESHEE. Her image, 81. Her festival, and the benefits premised to her worshippers, ... ... 81 VII. Taka. Her image and worship, ... ... ... 81 VIII. Chinnu-mustuka. Her image, 83. Her worship, and the benefits resulting from it, ... ... ... 83 IX. JuGUDGO0REB. Her image and worship, ... ... 83 X. VuGULAMOOKHEE. Her festival, 83. Benefits resulting from ber worship, ... ... ... ... 83 XI- Pbutyungiea. Petitions addressed to this goddess, 83. Story respecting her, .,. ... ... ... 84 Xn. Unnu-pookna. Her image, and festival, ... ... 84 XIII. GUNESHU-JUNONEE. Her image, 85. Regular and occa- sional festival, ... ... ... ... 85' Xiy. Krishnu-keoba. Her image, and festival, 85. The history of this goddess, ... ... ... 85 XV. VisHALAKSHEB. Offerings to this goddess, ... ... 86 XVI. Chdndee. Her worship, and festivals, 87. Offerings to her, ... ... ... ... ... 87 contents. ix Sect. Page. XVII. & XVIII. Other forms of Doorga of inferior note, ...87, 89 XIX. Kalee. Her image, and anecdotes connected with it, 89. Human sacrifices, 91. Other horrid rites, 93. A singu- lar fact, that thieves worship her, ibid. Festivals — a scene at Kalee-ShSnkSrti-Goshn's, at Calcutta, 95. The degree of honour formerly paid to this goddess by the Hindoo rajas, 96. Image and temple at Kalee-ghatii, described, 97. This image much honoured, presents being made to it by kings, merchants, and even by Clnis- fians, 99. Statement of the value of the monthly offer- ings, ... ... ... ... ... 102 XX. Other forms of Kalee of inferiornote, ... ... ... 102 XXI. LuKSHMEE. Her image, 105. Her descent and festivals, 105 XXII. Kojaguru-Ltjkshmee, another form of Lukshmee. Her worship, and festival, ... ... ... ... 106 XXni. StiBCSwuTEE. Her descent, 106. Indecencies practised during her festival, ... ... ... ... 107 XXrV. Sheetula. Her image, 107. Worshipped during the small-pox, ... ... ... ... ... 108 XXV. MuNUSA*- Her image and descent, 108. Her festival, ... 108 XXVI. Shushtee. Her six festivals described, ... ... ILO CHAP. IV. INPEKIOB CELESTIAL BEINGS OBJECTS OP WORSHIP. I. Usooras. Their conduct at the churning of the sea, a story, 113 II. BakshusuS: Story of Koombhn-kiirnn. 115. The Gund- hnrviis and Kinniir'iis, ibid. Vidya-dhiiriis and Upsfirns, ibid. Nayikas, 117. Tiikshns, 118. PishaehSs, Good- ghnkns, Siddhiis, Bhootiis, Chartinas, &c. ... ... 118 CHAP. V. or THE TEBKESTKIAL GODS. I. K.BISHNU. His birth, 119. Juvenile exploits, ibid. His image and festivals, 120. Image of Kadha accompanies Krishnu's, 123. Number of his followers, ibid. Stories of Krishna, ... ... ■■• ... ••• 123 II. GoPALU. His image, 125. A story of this image found iu a field, ... ... ... ... ••• 125 III. Gopie-nat'hu. a celebrated image of him at Ugrii-dweepu. 125 IV. Jdgunnat'hd. Form of Ills image, with the origin of it, 127. His temples, iUd. Festivals, ... ... 128 V. BtiLU-KAMU. His image generally accompanies JSgiin- nat'hn's, '. ... 129 * This goddess is honoured as she who protects from serpents : but the author is assured, that, in the upper provinces, the serpent itself is worshipped, and that the injage is formed into a circle, the head and tail of the serpent being joined. The legend respecting this serpent-god is, that the earth rests on his thousand heads. X CONTENTS. c Page. Sect. YI. Kamxi. His history, including his war with Eavan'ii, 130. His image and festival, ... ... ... ... 134 VII. Choitdnyu. History of this mendicant god, 134. His festivals, 136. Another mendicant-god, ... ... 137 VIII. VisHWO-KBRMU. Form of his image and festival, ... 137 IX. Kamu-devu. His image and festival, 138. A story respect- ing him, 139. His names, ... _ ... — 139 X. SUTYU-NAUAY0NU. His image and worship, ... ... 139 CHAP. VI. TEHRESTEIAL GODDESSES. I. Seeta, ... ... ... ••• - 1*1 ib. II. Eadha, ... III. EooKMiNEE, and Sutyu-bhama. ... ... ... 142 IV. SOOBHUDRA, ... ... ... — «*• CHAP. VII. deities worshipped by the lower orders only. I. PcNCHANUNTJ. Form of the image, 143. A story respect- ing him, ... ... ..■ ... 144 note. II. Dhuemu-T'hakooetj. a form of ShivS, 144. His image and festival, ... ... ... ... ... 145 III. Kaloo-kayu, ... ... ... ... ib. IV. Kaltj-bhoiruvu, ... ' ... ... ... 146 V. Worship to cure the itch and scurvy. ... ... ib. CHAP. VIII. worship of beings in STRANGE SHAPES, I. Urdhu Nareeshwuru. Origin of this image, as related in the pooran'iis, 147. Its festival, ... ... ... 148 II. Krishnu-Kalee, ... ... ... ... ib. III. HuBEE Hdru. Form of the image, 149. Different ac- counts in the pooraniis of its origin, ... ... 149 CHAP. IX. worship of human beings. Deified men and women — BramhSns, especially religious guides, 151 Daughters of bramhiins, ib. Wives of bramhSns, ib. A female, 152. Unutterable abominations practised, ... ... ... ... ... ib. Sect. CONTENTS. si Page. CHAP. X. IVOKSHIP OF BEASTS. I. The Cow, ... ... ... ... ... 154 II. TheMonJcey,{Wvmoom&-a,)\^o. Marriage of two given by the Eaja of Niideeya, who spent 1 00,000 rupees on the ceremony, ii. Anecdotes of this god, ... 15fi HI. The Dog, ... ... ... " ]57 IV. TheJacUl, ... ... ... ... '" ib. V. Other animals worshipped,... ... ... ... ib. CHAP XI. THE WOHSHIP OF BIRDS. I. Gdroouu. His image and descent, 158. A story respect- ing him, iijc?. His names, ... ... ... 159 II. Uroonu, ... ... ... ... . _ ji. III. JUTAYOO, ... ... .. ... ... 160 IV. Shunbluku Chillu, or the Eagle of Coromandel, ... ib. V. KnvNGVSV, OT the Wag Tail, ... ... ... ib. VI. Other birds worshipped. ... ... ... ib. CHAP. XII. THE WORSHIP OF TREES. I. The Toolmie, ... ... ... ... ... let II. Other sacred trees, ... ... ... ... 162 CHAP. XIII. THE WORSHIP or RIVERS. I. GoNGA. Her image, 163. Descent, J 64. Worship, 165. Festivals, 166. Attachment of the natives to this river, 168. This attachment encouraged by the shastriis, ib. note. Anxiety of the Hindoos to die in sight of the Ganges, 169. Children and grown-up persons drowned in it, 170. Extracts from the pooranlls, ib. Beflections, 171 -II. Other deified rivers, ... ... ... ... ib. CHAP. XIV. THE WORSHIP OP PISH. 173 CHAP. XV. THE WORSHIP OF BOOKS. ib. XU CONTENTS. r.\GE. CHAP. xvr. THE WORSHIP OP STONES. The Shalgramii* Different kinds, 174. Reason of its deification, ilid. Constant representative of the gods in worship, 175. Other stones worshipped, ... ... ... 176 CHAP. XVII. A LOG OF WOOD WOBSHIPPED. The Pedal. Origin of its worship, 176. Festival given in honour of it by the Eaja of Niilvi-danga, ... ... ... 176 BOOK II. 01* THE TEMPLES, IMAGES, PRIESTS, AND TEMPLE WOE- SHIP OF THE HINDOOS. CHAP. I. OF THE TEMPLES. Sect. I. Of different kinds of temples, ... ... ..'. 177 II. Dedication of temples, ... ... ... 180 III. Endowment of temples, ... ... ... ... 181 CHAP. II. OF THE IMAGES. Of what made, 182. Ceremonies of consecration,... ... ... 183 CHAP. III. 01? THE PKIESTS. Different ordefs, with their employments, ... ... ... 185 CHAP. IV. OF THE W^OESHIP IN THE TEMPLES. In the temples of Shivn, 187. In those of Vishnoo, ... ... 188 * One of these stones, by a fall, being split asunder, was lately shewn to the au- thor. The internal appearance of this strongly indicates, that these stones are not, as has been supposed, (see Asiatic Researches, vol vii. p. 240.) perforated stones, bnt petrified shells : the shell in the inside of this was the Argonauta Argo.— -May 8, 1815. CONTENTS. XIU BOOK III. OF THE STATED PERIODS OF WORSHIP, AND VARIOUS DUTIES AND CEREMONIES. CHAP. I. of the times op worship, Page. Sect. I. Lunar days, ... ... ... ... ... 190 II. Weekly ceremonies, ... ... ... .,, i6, III. Monthly ceremonies, .. ... ... ... 191 IV. Annual festivals, extracted from the Tit'hee-Tuttwa,... jj. V. Daily ceremonies, 193. Daily duties of abramhtin, extracted from the Anhikn-Ttittwii, 193 — 198. Present practice among bramhnns, shoodrtis, and women, as it respects the daily duties of religion,... ... ... ... 199 CHAP. II. APPOINTED SITES AND CEKEMONIBS. I. Porm of initiation into the Hindoo religion, ... ... 199 II, Duties of a disciple to his spiritual guide, (gooroo,) 200 Anecdote of a dying gooroo, ... ... ... 202 III. Eeligious austerities,* (tiipasya,) ... ... 203 IV. Burnt sacrifices, (yngnii.) Eules for them, 204. Human SACKIFICES — Proofs from the shastrns that they have been offered, 205. Pacts relative to present times, 206. Sacrifice of a ball, 208. Of a horse, ibid. Of an ass, 210. At the birth of a son, Hid. After death, ibid. To the nine planets, &'iDjsx ... ... ... ... ... ... 395 BIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION. There is a propriety, I thiiik, in prefacing the follow- ing work by some account of the author; for upon our know- ledge of his career and capabilities depends the amount of credibility and confidence which we award to his book. After a careful perusal of the Lives we have of him * I have been led to conclude that we do not yet know all we ought to know of the Reverend WOliam Ward of Serampore: — a man who, though not endowed with genius, was possessed of great capacity for mental toil and physical endurance, just such a man, as the world wants and romance avoids: — a Missionary, expert and diligent in many varieties of toil; — a Christian, whose piety retained its freshness during a long and arduous career, breathed itself out in the last eiforts of his penf, and shed a quiet beauty over his end. Scant justice can be done to him in a sketch so brief as~ this; yet as far as space will admit, I will place before the reader the chief events of his life. WiUiam Ward was born of middle-class parents, in Derby, on the 20th of October 1769. Soon after his birth, his mother, a good and pious woman, was left a widow. Up to her prayers, con- versation and example, Ward traced his religious history. The first human hand that went to form his career and character was a mother's: so should it ever be. His school life was not spent under favourable auspices, and gave him an education plain and common enough. But the lad was studious, retired, self-forming, with high aims, which now and then peeped out and startled his more common place companions. So came it, that he saw after his own education when his masters had done with him, and by such ways and means as a determined young man will always find out, he acquired a knowledge of the literature and science of his country. He became a printer by trade, and * Memoirs of the Life of the Rev. William Ward, by Samuel Stennett. London, 1826. Life and Times of Carey, Marshman and Ward by John Clark Marshman. In two volumes. Longmans, London, 18.^9. t '• Iteflcctions for every day in the year" Published in 1822. Tlie work was highly prized by his Christian friends and brought into daily use in many faniilies. 2 WILLIAM WARD, PUINTEU AND PKEACHEK. spent some ten years, fii'st in, putting up type for newspapers, and then ia writing for them, id Derby, Stafford, and Hull; and he acquired more than ordinary influence as an Editor. But the power which fixed his future course lay not in these external cir- cumstances, but in that umer life of piety, to the begiimings of which I have already adverted. In his case, the influence of maternal example and youthful associations did not supersede the exercise of individual decision. After much thought, it appeared to him that the opinions held by the Baptists were most in accordance with the word of God and, by public baptism, he became a member of that denomination, in 1794 or 1795, being about twenty-five years of age. Prior to that event, he passed through many troubles of heart, — "storms," "miry clay," "fierce vol- cano fires not to be quenched by a mere sprinkling of words" — such are his own phrases: but that rite spoke truly of a heart then resting quietly and lovingly in discipleship to Jesus. Prompted by his own earnest feeling, and drawn by the necessities of his neighbourhood. Ward occasionally presided at religious assemblies and gave "a word of exhortation" at cottage meetings: not with- out notice, for in 1797 he was selected as a man of promise for the future, and sent to Ewood Hall, near Halife.x, wheie Dr. Fawcett, the tutor of Foster, ti-ained a few young men for the ministry. There study, not wide, yet careful and regular, became a habit, bearing finiit afterwards in the translation work of the Serampore press and the uniform^ diligence of Seiumpore fife. Yet then and there the missionary spirit of the man found a sphere for itself He was often out preaching in the villages, amongst a rough people; men and women such as the Brontes describe, and among whom they also lived, listened to him and loved him. He had a cottage church all his own; rough handed, good hearted, long headed, plain spoken laborers crowding in to hear their lecturer as, "elevated on a three-legged stool with his Kttle Bible in his hand, he preached with fervor and affection the unsearchable riches of Chnst." There seemed every probability of his settling down to the pulpit and pastoral work of the home ministry, when a circumstance occurred which reversed every calculation, and led to his becoming one of India's pioneer missionaries, for which, after aU, God had been fitting him by this twofold training of printing and preaching. So at least thought a member of the Baptist Missionary Committee, who went down casually to Halifax and saw Ward, and spoke to him of Brother Carey working alone on the banks of the Hoogly. Ward was now thirty yeai-s of age, a time of life when men generally allow their emotions to fireeze a little, and act on something stronger than impulse. Add to this, that he had had fifteen years of practical Ufe, forming him to prosaic steady work, and that at that time there was a future before him more hopeftd than genei-aUy falls to the lot of ministerial novitiates. We need not then wonder at the absence of sentimentality in his decision to HK BECOMES A MISSIONARY. ^ become a missionary. We feel tke man will do his work well, when a sense of duty sends him to it. Speaking on the occasion of his ordination, of what is technically termed a "call," he said, "I have received no new revelation on the subject: I did not expect any. Our Redeemer has said 'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel unto every creature and lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world.' This command I con- sider is stiU binding. In His strength, therefore I wiU go forth, borne up by your prayers, hoping that two or three stones at least inay be laid of Christ's Kingdom in India, nothing doubting but that the fabric will rise from age to age, till time shall be no more." Thus much for his public confession; as to his heart pre- paration, we have the following sentence in a letter to a friend. "Every day's experience convinces me that 'tis safety, 'tis life, 'tis heaven to rest in the bosom of our God and no where else, but there. I am afraid lest my heart should deceive me, but I feel at present a resignation to the divine will, which I never felt before. With such views the voyage to India, seems but like crossing the Humber. A few more respirations, and the lungs shall cease to play, the pulse to beat, the tongue to move, and then 'What boots it where the high reward is given. Or whence the soul triumphant wings to heaven.'" He embarked on the 24th of May 1799 with three companions, one of whom was Dr. Marshman. There are few circumstances of note in the next nineteen years of Ward's life. Not that he lost his individuality; no, he gave it up to the steady carrying out of a system unique in the love, self denial and energy of the men who devised and worked it. His history henceforth, is one with that of the Serampore Mission. Calcutta was closed against him and his companions; so they moved up to that Danish Settlement, which their labors brought into celebrity; there Dr. Carey and his comrades joined them. Death speedily thinned their ranks, and Carey, Marshman and Ward, a memorable trio, were left to work alone. It is evident from his letters, that Ward, from the beginning, cultivated a habit of constant observation, aad enhanced its value by the admirable practice of taking accurate notes. In this lay the foundation of the Work, now re-printed more than fifty years after its materials were first gathered. Mission life was then for the most part what it is now; a daily diUgenee in unobtrusive labors; its motives, methods and effects being scarcely known to the outside public, save when some event more distinctive than usual attracts notice and awakens criticism. The language came but gradually, but work came at once. Ward did that which lay near- est to him, he preached and taught in English, and superintended the Mission Press; and God blessed him in these first labors. 4 SERAMPORE WORK. When he could speak Bengali (and he spoke it fluently and well), bazaar preaching and touring formed his only relaxation from the toils of the printing office. Soon after his arrival, the first convert was baptized; in 1800, two thousand copies of the Bengali New Testament issued from the press, — 2,000 Missionaries, he called them — and in 1803, the first native Minister preached his first sermon. New successes followed extending labors, and fresh crises of progress were gained almost yearly. In 1809 amidst all the opposition of Government, the missionaries "had succeeded in settling four stations in Bengal; they had sent a Missionary to Patna, and planted stations on the borders of Orissa and Bootan, and in Burmah; the number of members in church fellowship ex- ceeded two hundred; they had obtained a footing in Calcutta, where a chapel had been erected at a cost of more than £3000, and a large church and congregation collected ; the Scriptures had been printed in whole or in part, in six languages, and translations had been commenced in six others."* His prayer was fulfilled ere half his course was run; he saw laid the foundation stones of Christ's kingdom in Hindustan. One circumstance alone threat- ened Ward's peculiar work. In 1812 the printing offices were burnt down, and a loss of £10,000 was inflicted on the Mission. The public CAonced their confidence in the Missionaries by ready and ample liberality, and before the close of the following year, he writes " ten presses are going, and nearly two hundred people are employed about the printing office." He knew the value of the press, and the spirit in which he wrought, would have dignified the meanest toil. When about to commence his career, he wrote thus in his diary, " but to me, who am less than the least of aU Saints, is this grace given that I should" print " among the heathen, the unsearchable riches of Christ." Now again he writes; "what multitudes of Christian works will be wanted ! We have not been able to print one argumentative work against idolatry; not one elaborate defence of Christianity. We have let off nothiiig but squibs. The Hindu Pundits have not yet felt in their learned languages the weight of Christian artillery; except in one or two parts of the Bible. We have not yet had the honor of an attack from one Hindu scholar. These times are all to come; they are coming._ The struggle wiU be a tough one." What he anticipated, we realize, and it will be well with us, if we can use his weapon, the press, wisely and effectively. Though this notice chiefly concerns the public career of "Ward, it would scarcely be just to close this period without a reference to his domestic life, and that of the Missionaries with whom he was associated. He married the widow of his deceased colleague, Mr. Fountain, and the ceremony so far characterized the man and his fellows, as to warrant the extract in which it is narrated. f * Carej-^, Marsliman and Ward. i. 421. WARD VISITS EKGLAKD. O "1802 May lOtli. This evening sister Fountain and I were married at our house in the presence of pur Bengali Mends and others. This connection was intended for sometime, but circum- stances prevented. Brother Carey introduced the business by a few words and read the marriage agreement. I then toolc sister Fountain by the hand and walked up to the table, saying 'we sign this our solemn covenant to each other.' We then signed it, and about a dozen friends, European and Bengali added their signa- tures. Brother Carey then delivered a very appropriate address to the parties on the duties of husband and wife, and made a pleasing allusion to our family situation, in which ,all personal interests are swallowed up in the interest of the whole. A short prayer concluded the service. I gave some fruit and a few things of native manufacture amongst the native friends, and thus the marriage was celebrated."* Let us now take a glance at "the situation" of Ward and his companions. These men who by tlieir labors brought in £50,000 in eighteen years to defray the expenses of the Mission, practised the sternest economy in their household and personal expenditure. They all dined together at four long tables. Missionaries, wives, children and scholars, and this arrangement continued until the enlargement of the mission circle by the arrival of new mission- aries rendered it no longer desirable or practicable."!- Including a child of his wife's,, by her first husband. Ward had five children, two of whom died young; the remainder he trained, with anxious solicitude for their best interests.- In 1815 Mrs. Ward was compelled to visit England for her health, and returned to find hpr husband so broken down in constitution as to be under medical orders for home. Leaving his family behind, he embarked in 1818, after nineteen years of almost unre- lieved toil; yet he carried Serampore with him, and marked out for himself Serampore work to be done in England. His scheme was to obtain the help and sympathy of British Christians for the establishment of a Training College for native agents. His visit was paid at a time unseasonable for the accomplishment of his object, but seasonable enough for the general welfare of the Mission. He found the public mind disturbed by many calum- nies as to the Serampore brethren and their work. He took joy- fully upon himself the responsibility of their defence, and in a great measure succeeded in restoring confidence, and in placing the Mission in a less exceptional position than it had hitherto occupied. He travelled all over England, and visited Holland and America; pleading first for the Society with which he was connected, and then for the College, realiiiing for the latter, about £3,000. * Life of Ward. 111. t Carey, Marshman and Ward. i. 1,52. DEATH. "During the voyage from America, Mr. Ward employed his time in writing "Farewell Letters" to his friends in England and America. He was subsequently induced to publish them, and the work speedily went through three Editions. They are valuable as the elFusion of those fervent and affectionate feelings which endeared him to aU with whom he was associated. They also breathe the genuine spirit of Christian benevolence, expanded by the magnitude of the sphere in which he had laboured. In suc- cessive letters he presents a vivid picture of the superstitions of the natives, the impurity and cruelty to which they gave birth, and the moral and religious degradation they entailed."* He embarked for India in 1821; as the event proved, he returned but to die. After his arrival at Serampore the Train- ing School occupied his time along with the press. He was at work when his Master called him. "On Wednesday the 5th of March (1823) he preached the evening lecture, apparently in excellent health and spirits. The next morning he joined his brethren at their weekly breakfast, though suffering from what he considered a simple diarrhoea which he attributed to a cold caught during the night. After breakfast he proceeded as usual to his labours, and began a letter to the Rotterdam Bible Society. At noon he was obliged to leave the letter vmfinished, and retired to his room which he never left. At three in the afternoon he was seized with cramps; and it then became evident that the disease from which he was suffering was cholera of a virulent type. Two medical, gentlemen were immediately called in, and under their treatment the dangerous symptoms appeared to abate. His friends never left his couch the whole of that night. He was placed in a warm bath, and fell into a sound sleep, which gave hopes of his recovery, and induced Dr. Garey to go down to his coUegiate duties at Calcutta. But at eleven in the forenoon of Friday his pulse began to sink, and at five in the afternoon he was a corpse. The scene of distress was heart rending. The three old men had lived and laboured together for twenty three years as if one soul animated them, and it was difficult to realize the fact that one of them was gone. Dr. Marshman had been afflicted for some days with deafaess which the present distress served to aggravate, and for a time he was altogether deprived of the power of hearing. He paced the room in silent dismay, watching with intense anguish the gradual dissolution of his beloved colleague; yet unable to receive any communication. Thus at the age of fifty-three died the first of the men at Serampore. "-f Ward was no genius; no dilettante missionary, but a conscientious worker, who amidst his labour kept alive a spiritual mind, and graced it with an amiable disposition, and herein he is a model of what the Mission field requires in all its laborers, in all spheres and at all times. * Carey, Marshman and Ward. ii. 245. f Carey, Marshman and Ward. ii. 278. EDITIONS OF THE FOLLOWING WOKK. 7 A word or two is now required about that work which keeps alive the name of Ward, and a new edition of which is here presentr ed to the reader. The idea of such a composition appears to have suggested itself to the author soon after his arrival in India, and he forthwith began to collect materials for it. It was first printed at Calcutta in 1806, ia two volumes quarto,* and was well received. In 1815 a second edition was published in one volume, and in the list of subscribers were found the names of more than two hundred and fifby individuals of high position in the service of the East India Company. It was re-printed in England soon after its ap- pearance in Calcutta, and whilst the Author was sojourning there in 1820, he carried a new edition through the press, the preface to which is dated at sea, June 1st 1821. We have here then the result of a process of observation, research, and correction, which ■extended over twenty years of the Author's life. The present re-print is from the edition published in London in 1817, by order "of the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society," said in the title page "to be carefaUy abridged and greatly improved." The e(£tion of 1821 was on the other hand, "arraiiged according to the order of the original work print- ed at Serampore." There being no preface to the edition of 1817, we are left to surmise by whom and upon what principle the abridgment was effected. As the dedication however bears date at "Serampore, June 1815," I am inclined to think that the Author himself revised the work, and it is not difficult by a com- parison of the two editions to discover the principle upon which he acted. He appears to have regarded those parts of the first edition which referred to the historical traditions and literature of India as foreign to the purpose of the new issue, and these he left to the antiquarian and the scholar. There was wanted for general use a book- that should, in a popular way, treat of the belief, institutions, and practices of the Hindus, and this he found to his hand in the' remaining portions of the original work. This we have in the edition of 1817. Subsequent circumstances have proved that such a selection has preserved to us the truly valu- able parts of Ward's work. Oriental scholars, too numerous to name, have superseded the productions of Ward's pen upon sub- jects so abstruse as the history and philosophy of India, so wide as its aincient literature. But no one has followed him, much less surpassed him in his own sphere, in the subjects brought before us in this volume. At first sight, one might regret the absence of one chapter of the first edition; I mean that which treats of some features of social life in India, not directly religious. But more detailed accounts of these matters are found in the work of Abb^ Dubois and to us, the Abba's narrations have this additional value, that they specifically refer to the Hindus of South India. * Life of W*rd, it is said in 1806:— Carey, Marshman and Ward,-18I0. 8 CONTENTS OP THIS WOltK. On the whole, the publislier appears to have done wisely and well for the public, in selecting for publication the edition of 1817, rather than the bulky volumes of 1821. From the latter how- ever he has taken the glossary, in which the several terms used in tlie work are explained. "In the introduction, the author has gone over the whole of the Hindu Pantheon, that he might supply a number of omissions in the body of the work and hence it forms an epitome of the whole." Coming to the work itself, after a few sentences upon the views of philosophers as to the Deity he introduces us (Book 1.). to the whole ^assemblage of Hindu Deities. No name of note in that long muster roll is omitted from these des- criptions. Gods and goddesses, powers celestial and powers ter- restrial, avatars and symbols, devils and monsters, birds and beasts, trees and stones, have each assigned to them their modi- cum of divinity, their quantum of reverence. The machinery of worship is next described; the shrine, the idol and the priest. (Book ii.). We attend the Hindu in his lunar fasts and annual ceremonies; we follow him to his ablutions and stand by his sacrificial fire; we listen to the mystic ejaculations of his prayers and the intoned music of his hymns; we share his weary pilgri- mages, watch the kindling of his funereal fires, and are spectators of the repeated and sacred hospitalities that give repose to his soul. (Book iii.). Betaking ourselves to the "lotus feet" of the Guru, we leam the laws that guide the wanderings of the soul in future births, the nature of perfect bliss, and the modes of future retribution. (Book iv.). AVe are introduced to the Brother- hood of Holy Mendicants and made familiar with the tricks and trappings of religious beggary. (Book v.). Lastly we become ac- quainted with the orthodox sections of the Hindu community; and then with heretics and schismatics, Buddhists, Jainas, Sikhs and Bhdktas (Book vi.). The Author gathered the materials for his work by personal observation, by information derived from others, and by transla- tions from standard native works. For the acquisition of in- formation on reliable authority, few men have ever had so favor- able an opportunity; for the extensive translations carried on by the Serampore press gathered round the Missionaries a large body of Pundits from all parts of India, whilst their philological ac- quirements and official position associated them, not only with learned natives unconnected with themselves, but with a circle of Oriental scholars, amongst whom may be mentioned the names of Golebrooke and Leyden. Ward taxed aU the stores thus placed within his reach for the production of this work. He is generally however careful to cite his authority, so tliat the reader may be fairly warned as to the degree of confidence to be placed in the several statements. It is no slight voucher both for the facts CONFIDENCE AWARDED TO IT. 9 and opinions of the book, that it should have received the sanc- tion of eminent scholars, and that it should have gone through so many editions during the very period (1803-1821) when Hindu matters were discussed with the greatest interest, when the bitter- est hostility was manifested towards the Missionaries both as to their evangelistic and literary enterprises. I may be permitted to quote one illustration of the style of criticism with which the book was received. It is taken from an article in the Asiatic Journal for 1817,* written it should be observed, when the work had reached its third edition and after a good deal of adverse criticism had been exercised upon it. "As a general survey of whatever is connected with Hindustan, we mean the most essen- tial concern of morals and religion, the singular 'book which we are now about, to review wiU be found the most luminous and comprehensive of any ever published in this country, speaking to facts and to facts only, upon the evidence of the senses: — ^the scrutinising eye and the attentive ear whose accuracy could not be deceived. The distinguishing, the sterling merit of this pub- lication is that direct translations from the original Sanscrit ac- company all the assertions, however apparently incredible, made in the course of it. To the versions already published lay Mr. Colebrooke, Mr. Patterson and other members of the Asiatic Soci- ety, are added those made by the Missionaries, assisted by learned brahmans, from the Vedas and the sastras, illustrative of each object discussed; so that the authenticity of the facts narrated can admit of no doubt, however revolting may be the enormities displayed to the mind of refined sentiment." About 100 pages of Professor H. H. Wilson's Essay on the Ee- Hgious Sects of the Hindus,f coincide with part of the foUowiug work and I find many references to this work, cited as substantia- tions of the text, a proof that that great oriental scholar consider- ed Ward a reliable authority, and made him the companion of his own researches. As I have before hinted, this work is specially adapted for po- pular use. It gives an answer to the casual observer on points about which he is most curious, the temples that meet the eye in every street ; the festivals with which every Hindu home is busy, the worship which attracts his notice by the banks of lake or river, the books by which the youth of India is still instructed and upon which its manhood feeds. This book is a sine quanon to every one who has not the leisure or liking for deep research, yet wishes to have some key to the ongoings of Hindu life and the elements of Hindu faith. In this respect it is as welcome to- * Asiatic Journal, iii, 1817, 34, 35. t Works (if H. H. Wilson, Vol. I. 1862. Trubner and Co:, 152, 168, 171, 181, 196, 253, 258, 262, 277. 10 ■ward's views of HINDUISM. day as when first issued. We have little books without end that nibble at Indian life and manners ; but Ward remains yet unri- valled as a repertory of detailed information, and an indispensable book of reference. The present publisher has recognised this, as the worth of the work, and greatly aided it by the portable form of the present volume, and by the devices of modem typography; I refer to the detailed table of contents, the page headings, the ample Index, and the beautiful colored plates, doing for us by the eye what can scarcely be done by the pen;— helping us to shape a correct idea of those "holy forms" of the principal deities before which, painted, carved, moulded or graven, millions of Hindus daUy bend in reverence. One fault however has been charged upon this work with con- siderable uniformity. It is said that the views contained in it upon Hindu morals, manners and worship, are prudish and con- demnatory beyond reasonable limits. Nor can the book be alto- gether acquitted ; yet some considerations should be taken into accoimt which may modify censure. One is suggested by a phe- nomenon of our own times. Let any one refer to the papers, speeches, and pamphlets, of modem Hindu reformers, from the days of Rammohun Roy to our own, and he will find young Bengal, or young Madras dealing in opinions and terms as to the creed and practices of his grand-father much more in accordance with the pages of this work than the oily apologies of a Twining or a Scott Waring. Only the other day I observed in the public prints the following expressions used by a brahman, a graduate of the Madras University, in the course of a very able address on female education. "In one point of view, a forgetful course is advisable for some of our females. For some of the Hindu works, be they Sanscrit, Telugu or Tamil, which ourfaTnilies use, are interspersed with delineations and pictures that we males cannot read with- out a blush ; and we altogether abstain from reading such portions, if females chance to be near us. Just imagine the effects that may flow from our females reading such books! When a girl quits her school, her parents in general put into her hands books like the Neishadam, Camba-Ramayanam, Arichendra-Vil4sam, Sakunthalie-Vil^am and Mathana-Kk^ma-rllja-Kathei. These are dangerous instruments, especially in the hands of young in- experienced persons" — and so on. The very sensible conclusion of the whole address may be put thus; "if we educate our children, especially our girls, we must have a new literature." — Such evi- dence is surely of some weight. Another consideration, which, I suggest, should qualify our censure, arises from the state of public feeling when the book made its several appearances before the public. At that time an influential section of Indian politicians, who could both write and speak well, ventured boldly to assert and defend opinions of a character very opposite to those of Ward; according to them the REASON FOE HIS STRONG EXPRESSIONS. 11 Hindus were almost immaculate in morals, the possessors of a lite- rature and religion singularly perfect. For instance, a Mr. Charles Marsh, a quondam Madras barrister, had a seat in the House of Commons, during the Indian Debate of 1813, and delivered a veiy effective speech against the opening of India to the labors of Missionaries, whom he spoke of as "crawling from the holes and caverns of their origiaal destinations; apostates from the loom and the anvil, renegades from the lowest handicraft employments." In that speech occurs this paragraph. "When I turn to her philo- sophers, lawyers and moralists, who have left oracles of political and ethical wisdom to restrain the passions and awe the vices which disturb the commonwealth: — ^when I look at the peaceful and harmonious alliances of families guarded and secured by the household virtues; — when I see among a cheerful and weU ordered society, the benignant and softening influences of religion and morality, a system of manners founded on a system of mild and polished obeisance, and preserving the surface of social life, smooth and unruffled, I cannot hear without surprise, mingled with horror, of sending Baptists and Ana-Baptists to civilize or convert such a people at the hazard of disturbing or deforming institutions which appear hitherto to have been the means ordained by Providence for making them virtuous and happy."* By the way, one cannot help the question, was there any work for lawyers in a land where the surface of social life was so smooth and unruffled ? Had this barrister ever a brief? Views, such as those stated above, were spawned multitudinously from the public press, and uttered .eloquently in public addresses by Anglo-Indians, the very men apparently most fitted to write and speak on such subjects. If a voice was to be raised in qualification of these high flown eulogies, it must come from In(Ha, and it could not come better than from those who had unwillingly been made the scape-goats of the controversy, the Serampore Missionaries. Intimate ac- quaintance with popular literature — that literature which is both the index of popular morality, and the power that fashions it — and personal observation, gave Ward a right to speak, and speak he did, and for the most part gave chapter and verse for his utter- ances. We cannot be surprised if, under the circumstances, he did not care to smooth the roughness of his sentences, or stay to count the grains of his indignation. Deduct something for the heat of controversy, and the Missionary's views escape censure. Certainly the sober opinion of our own day leans rather to the plain spoken printer of Serampore, than the polished apologists of the senate. The biographer of Carey, Marshman and Ward says significantly enough: "But all these suspicions of exaggera- tion have been at once and for ever dispelled by recent events. While these pages are passing through the press, the mutiny of a hundred thousand of our native soldiery has been announced * Carey, Marshman and Ward. ii. 36. 12 BIOGRAPHICAL INTEODDCTION. and Mr. Ward's view of the genuine character of Hinduism has been lamentably verified by the wanton and unparralleled atroci- ties committed on unoffending women and helpless babes, by the mUd and humane Hindus, when released from all restraint, and at liberty to indulge their passions."* Whether these views were narrowly accurate or not, they were the author's own, and no subsequent publisher has a right to omit, or modify them. They therefore stand in the present edition in. the very terms in which the author originally ex- pressed them. W. 0. Simpson. ROYAPETTAH, November 12, 1863. * Carey, Marshman and Ward. i. 444. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS- ON TBE HINDOO EELIGION. The whole system of Hindoo tlieology is founded upon tlie doctrine thafe the Divine Spirit, as the soul of the universe, becomes, in all animate beings, united to matter ; that spirit is insulated or individuated by particular portions of matter, which it is continually quitting, and joining itself to new portions- of matter ;° that the human soul is, in other words, God himself ; that the knowledge of this, leading men to seek complete deliverance from the degrad- ing and polluting influence of material objects, is the only means of hieing re- united to the divine nature ; that this deliverance, from matter may be obtained in the present state by separation from human intereourse, the practice of bodily austerities, and entire abstraction of mind ; and that, if not obtained in one birth, it is to be sought through every future transmigration till obtained^ » There are two opinions among the Hindoos on this subjjeet ; some philosophers maintaining, that it is one soul which is united to sentient creatures ; while others sup- port a contrary opinion, and affirm, that human souls must be emanations from the Great Spirit, otherwise, when one person obtained absorption into the divine nature, all would obtain it at the same moment. The vddantff philosophers teach, ' that God exists in millions of forms, from the ant to Brttmha, the grandfather of the gods,, as one moon is seen at once in twenty different pans of water.' The agreement betwixt thesse opinions and those of the Greek philosophers is very remarkable :— ' Almost all ancient philosophers agreed in admitting twO' principles in- nature, one active and the other passive; but ' they differed in the manner in which- they conceived these principles to subsist. Some held God and. Matter to be two- principles, which are eternally opposite ; not only differing in their essence, but having no common principle by which they can be united. This was the doetrine taught by Anaxagoras and after him by Plato, and the whole Old Academy. This system, for the sake of perspicuity, we will call the Diialistic system. Others were convinced,, that nature consists of these two principles ; but finding themselves perplexed by the difficulty with which they saw the Dualistic system to be encumbered, that of suppos- inatwo independent and opposite principles, they supposed both these to be compre- hended in one universe, and conceived them to be united by a necessary and essential bond To effect this, two different hypothesis were proposed : some thought God to have been eternally united to matter in one whole, which they called Chaos, whence it was sent forth, and at a certain time brought into form, by the energy of the divine inhabiting mind. This was the System of Emanation, commonly embraced by the a" cient barbaric philosophers, and afterwards adinitted into the early theogcmies of the Greeks Others attempted to explain the subject more philosophieaaiy, and, to avoid ^e absurdity which they conceived to attend both tlie former systems asserted that God! tlTttLnal and efficient principle, is a. intimately connected with the universe r^he human mind with the body, and is a forming power so ""S'-'fly -^ necessary, teherent in matter, that it is to be conceived- as a natural part of the original chao». n INTRODUCTORY REMARKS This doctrine is taught in many parts of the Hindoo writings, especially in the Dilrshntiiis ; which works, though almost wholly speculative, make known a method of abstraction, to assist ascetics in obtaining deliverance from mortal birth. Udwiiyanundii, a siinyasee, and the compiler of ' the Essence of the Vedantii,' says, ' Briimhn and life are one : that which, pervading all the members of the body, gives to them life and motion, is called jeevn, life ; that which, pervading the whole universe, gives life and motion to all, is Briimhn ; therefore these two are one. Every kind of matter is without life ; that wliick is created cannot possess life : therefore all life is the creator, or Bi-iimhu ; God is the soul of the world. This is the substance of the Vedantii philosophy. Not only is God thus declared to be the soul of the world, but the writer of the above work affirms, that the world itself is God — God expanding him- self in an infinite variety of forms : ' All things past, present, and to come ; all that is in the earth, sky, &c. of every class and description ; all this is Briimhii, who is the cause of all things, and the things themselves.' Yet this writer, in another part of this work, seems to affirm, that the universe is the work of God : — ' The principle of life is Briimhii ; that which is animated is the work of Briimhu,'' who directs every thing, as the charioteer directs the chariot. Brnmh'ti is everlasting and unchangeable ; the world, which is his work, is changeable.' This work represents Brnmhn, in his state of repose, as destitute of ideas or intelligence, and entirely separated from all intelligences. It describes this repose by comparing it to whatever may communicate the idea of undisturbed tranquillity ; to the bosom of the unruffled ocean ; or to the rest enjoyed in a deep sleep, in which there is an entire cessation even of the faculties of the mind. The Vedantii writers add, that at certain revolutions of time, ' Brvimhn. awaking from this repose, unites to himself his own energy, and creates the universe ;" that as soon as souls are united to matter, they become impressed This system seems not only to have been received by the Ionic philosophers, Thales and Auaximander ; but by the Pythagoreans, the followers of Heraclitus, and others. Zeno, determining to innovate upon the doctrine of the Academy, and neither choosin<' to adopt the Dualistic nor the Emanative System, embraced the third hypothesis which, though not originally his own, we shall distinguish by the name of the Stoical System. Unwilling to admit, on the one hand, two opposite principles, both primary and independent, and both absolute and infinite; or on the other, to suppose matter which is in its nature diametrically opposite to that of God, the active efficient cause to have been derived by emanation from him ; yet finding himself wholly unable to derive these two principles from any common source, he confounded their essence and maintained that they were so essentially united, that their nature was one and the same.' Enfield, p. 329, 330. l" Or, as some writers explain it, exists as an effect, as heat is an effect of fire. ' 'When Brumhii withdraws his energy, the destruction of the world succeeds* when he employs it, creation springs to birth.' The VedantU-sm-U, ON THE HINDOO EELIGION. UI according to their destiny, with more or less of three qualities* : — as 1st, with that which gives rise to excellence of character; — 2ndly, with that which ex- cites to aoger, restlessness, worldly desire, &c. — and 3dly, that which leads to inactivity, ignorance, and such-like errors. The character is formed, and the future destiny regulated, by the preponderance of any one of these qualities. Krishnii is represented in the Shree-Bhagnvutn-Geetti as teaching Urjoonti, that, * the man who is born with divine destiny is endued witli certain qualities, [here follow a number of excellent qualities ;] that those who come into life under the influence of the evil destiny, are distinguished by hypocrisy, pride, presumption, harshness of speech, and ignorance ; that divine destiny is for eternal absorption into the divine nature ; and that the evil destiny confineth the soul to mortal birth.'° The soul then, by these writers, is considered as separated from the source of happiness when it takes mortal birth, and as remaining a miserable wanderer in various births and states, till it regains its place in the divine essence. A devotee, sighing for absorption, is described as uttering his feelings in words to this purport : 'When shall I be delivered from this world, and obtain God !' In consonance with these ideas, a system of devotion has been formed, to enable men to emancipate themselves from the influence of material objects, and thus to prepare them for absorption. In the first place, the devotee is to acquire the right knowledge of Brtimhvi, namely, that God and matter are the same ; that Brnmhti is the soul of the world. ' That error* which excites earthly desires, and impels to worldly exertions^ is destroyed,' says the writer of the work already quoted, ' by the knowledge of Brnrahii.' The person possessed of these ideas of God is called ' the wise man.' JBrumlm gnanee ; and he who is destitute of this knowledge is considered as in a state of pitiable ignorance, like an insect incrusted with matter. Further to enable him to subdue his passions, and renounce all natural desires, he is directed to retire from the world ; to counteract all his natural propensities ; and to confine himself to intense meditation on Brumhn, till he has thoroughly established in his mind this principle, that, ' seeing every thing proceeded from Briimhn, and that, at the end of the four yoogns, when the universe shall be dissolved, every thing will be absorbed into him again, therefore Brvimhii is every thing.' The Vedantii-sarii says, ' There are four ways by which the knowledge of * The possession of more or less of any one of these qualities is owing to the balance of merit or demerit in the preceding birth. Many Hindoo philosophers, however, have no idea of accountability as the cause of reward or suffering : they suppose that all ac- tions, good and bad, produce certain natural effects, which ripen in a future birth ; as poverty, disease, and wickedness, or riches, health, and works of merit. ^ See Wilkins's translation of this work. t Error here refers to the false idea, that a man's self and spirit are different, aa that / is any thing different from spirit. This idea of the separate existence of Z ^eads to the idea of mine, and thus to every worldly desire, IV INTKODUCTOKY EEMARKS. BrHmhu is perfected : — 1st, By that reflection, in which the pei'son decides upon what is changeable and what is unchangeable in the world ; — 2dly, By . cultivating a distaste of all sensual pleasures, and even of the happiness enjoyed by the gods ; — 3dly, By the following qualities, an unruffled mind, the . subjugation of the .passions, unrepenting generosity, contempt of the world, ■the rejection of whatever obstructs the acquisition of the knowledge of Briimhii ; — and ^thly. By unwavering faith in the shastrus, added to the desire of absorptioa.' Krishnn, in his conversation with Uijoonn, makes the perfection of religion to consist in subduing the passions, in perfect abstraction from all objects of the senses, and in iixing the whole mind on Brtimhti : I extract a few paragraphs from Wilkins. — ' A man is said to be confirmed in wisdom, when he forsaketh every desire which entereth into his heart, and of himself is happy and contented in himself. His mind is undisturbed in adversity, he is happy and contented in prosperity, and he is a stranger to anxiety, fear, and anger. Such a wise man is called a sage. The wisdom of that man is established, who, in all things, is without affection, and having received good or evil, neither rejoiceth at the one, nor is cast down by the otl\pr. His wisdom is confirmed, when, like the tortoise, he can draw in all his members, iand restraii;! them from their wonted purpose.' ' The wise neither grieve for the dead nor for the living.' ' The wise man, to whom pain and pleasure are the same, is formed for immortality.' ' The heart, which foUoweth the dictates of the moving passions, carrieth away the reason, as the storm the bark in the •raging ocean.' ' The man whose passions enter his heart as waters run into the uDSwelling placid ocean, obtaineth happiness r^ Even at the hour of death, ■should he attain it, he shall mix with the incorporeal nature of Brrimhn.' ' The man who may be self-delighted and self-satisfied, and who may be happy in his own soul, hath no intei-est either in that which is done, or that -which is not done.' 'The learned behold Brvimhn alike in the reverend ^bramhiin perfected in knowledge, in the ox, and in the elephant ; in the dog, and in him who eateth of the flesh of dogs.' ' Those whose minds are fixed on this ■equality, gain eternity even in this world. They put their trust in Briimhii, the eternal, because he is every where alike free from fault.' The enjoyments which proceed from the feelings, are as the wombs of future pain.' ' To the ^ogee, gold, iron, and stones, are the same.' ' The yogee constantly exerciseth the spirit in private. He is recluse, of a subdued mind and spirit ; free from iope, and fr? e from perception. He planteth his own seat firmly on a spot that is undefiled, neither too high nor too low, and sitteth upon the sacred grass which is called kooshti, covered with a skin and a cloth. There he whose business is the restraining of his passions, should sit, with his mind fixed on one object alone, in the exercise of his devotion for the purification of his soul ; keeping his head, neck, and body steady without motion, his eyes fixed on the point of his nose, looking at no other place around.' ' The man wliose mind is endued with this devotion, and looketh on all things alike, beholdeth ( 8 This is strange doctrine in th« mouth of Krishnu, who spent his youtli in Bcontious amours ; and afterwards cohabited with Eadha, the wife of AyauK-ghoshB, ■while he retained 1,600 mislyeeses, 'ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. V ithe supreme soul in all things, and all things in the supreme soul' ' He who having closed up all the doors of his faculties, looked up his mind in his own ■breast, and fixed his spirit in his head, standing firm in the exercise of devo- ,-tion, repeateth in silenee Om 1 the mystic sign of Bramhn, shall, on his quit- ting this mortal frame, calling upon me, without doubt, go the journey of supreme happiness.' ' He my servant is dear unto me, who is unexpecting, just, and pure, impartial, free from distraction of mind, and who hath forsaken •every enterprize. He is worthy of my love, who neither requireth, norfindeth ■fault ; who neither lamenteth, nor coveteth ; and being my servant, hath forsa- Icen both good -and evil fortune ; who is the same in friendship and in hatred, in honor and dishonor, in cold and in heat, in pain and in pleasure; who is uusolicitous about the events of things ; to whom praise and blame are as one ; who is of little spirit, and pleased with whatever coniethto pass ; who owneth 110 particular home, and who is of a steady mind.' ' Wisdom is exemption from attachments and affection for children, wife, and home ; a constant even- ness of temper upon the arrival of every event, whether longed for or not ; a -constant and invariable worship paid to me alone ; worshipping in a private place ; and a dislike to the society of man.' A most singular ceremony, called yogti, is said to have been formerly prac- tised by ascetics to prepare them for absorption. I give an account of this peremoTiy from the first part of the Patiinjnlii Diirshiinii, and the Goriikshii- silnghita : — The yogee must in the first place, by medicines (here described) reduce the appetites of the body, and increase its strength; he jnust then learn the proper posture (or the ceremony ; this posture may be various, but a particular one is here enjoined — the yogee is to put his legs across in a sitting posture, and to hold his feet with his hands crossed behind him. The next act of austerity is that of learning to inhale and discharge his breath ; in doing which, he is to tak6 a, piece of cloth fifteen cubits long and four fingers in breadth, and swallow it repeatedly, drawing it up and taking it down his throat, drinking water at intervals. He must next choose a seat on some sacred, spot, at the bottom of a vvitu tree, at some place frequented by pilgrims, near an image of an uncreated lingn, or in any place peculiarly pleasant to a yogee ; but it must be a secret one. — That on which he must sit may be either kooshti grass, or the skin of a tiger or a deer, or a blanket; he must not sit on wood, nor on the earth, nor on cloth ; his back, neck, and head must be exactly erect ; and he must remain motionless, keeping his eyes fiied on his nose. The act of yogii consists of several parts : the devotee must first with his thumbs and fingers prevent the air from issuing through his eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth, and with his feet bind up the two other avenues of respiration. This he is to practise by degrees till he is able to exist without inspiration and respiration. He who is thus far perfected will be able to subdue his passions, and to disrelish all the pleaures oi the senses. Should the mind, at any time, be again entangled in worldly attachments, the devotee must study the essential virt-ue of things, as, that the world is a dream ; that God is the all in all ; and, thus bring back the mind to abstraction. He is next to meditate on his guardian vi INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. deity according to the rules of the shastrS. After thus annihilating, as it were^ the body and t!ie world, he is then to fix in his mind that he and Briimhii are one, and so to settle this point as never to lose sight of it, nor return to earthly attachments. From this state of mind arises complete pleasure ; he becomes dead to food and to every other bodily want. The yogee who has attained this state of perfection becomes emancipated in the following manner : —while he sits confining the air within his body, and closing his eyes, by the power of wisdom all his members become dead to action ; he unites the energy which is lodged in the body to the soul, and they both ascend by means of the veins and arteries to the skull, from which the soul escapes, by the basilar suture : and the body being thus shaken off, he is reuni- ted to the supreme soul.™ The Vedantvi-saru also pronounces in favour of an opinion of the philoso- pher Shnnkdrii, that the practice of ceremonies is to be renounced by the per- son seeking absorption, in whom all desires respecting -himself are to be annihilated. • From the preceding sketch, the reader will be able to form some idea of this system of Hindoo theology, which is doubtless very ancient. No yogees, however, now exist, who perform these bodily austerities to the extent laid down in the shastriis. A number of mendicants may be seen, who profess to aim at abstraction of mind, and contempt of the world ; but they are in general the greatest sensualists in the country. Amongst the learned, a few are to be found, who consider the attainment of divine wisdom, as the only means of securing future beatitude : these persons either renounce all wordly connections and become pilgrims, or tliey remain in a secular state, and ground their expectations (if they have any) of future hap- piness, on their speculative opinions being less gross than those of the vulgar. As an apology for not practising severe austerities, and for continuing in a secular state, they quote a sentence of Jiinnkn : ' A man does not become a a hermit by residing in a forest ; but he is a hermit, who even in his own house subdues his passions.' Some of those persons despise the popular supersti- tion. The absurdity and impiety of the opinions upon which the practices of these yogees are founded, need not be exposed : the doctrine which destroys all accountability to the Creator, and removes all that is criminal in immorality, must be condemned by every good man ; and the absurdity of rejecting those rntional enjoyments which at once prove the beneficence of the Creator, and con- tribute to the refinement of our nature, is so flagrant, that the slightest notice of it may surely be considered as more than necessary to the discharge of our duty to the interests of Christian morals. The author may however remark, that he has had many opportunities of witnessing the pernicious eifects of the belief, that it is God in man who " For further remarks oh absorption, and on those mendicants who practise aus- terities leading to it, the reader is referred to pages 285, 286, 298—301. ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. V]l is the author of every volition, and that evil and good actions are both to be referred to him. A Hindoo, perverted by these ideas, d oes not perceive the evil of ascribing every villainous action to God ; though when the dreadful and unavoidable result of this doctrine has been pointed out, many revolt from the conclusion. Under tlie influence of this doctrine, that the human soul is' God, the crimes of a malefactor lose their turpitude, and he is bewailed as a person who has acted under unfortunate influence, or as one born with evil destiny. It is also easy to perceive, that where such a belief prevails, all efforts to fly from evil, and to attain moral perfection, are out of the question : — ' God does every thing ;' ' My evil destiny follows me every where, as a shadow the body,' is the method by which the Hindoo accounts for all his evil propensi- ties and unjust actions. Another class of Hindoqs place a greater reliance on devotion than on. divine knowlege. They derive their opinions from different parts of the Hindoo writings, and from favourite books of their own, as the Madhyvi-bhashyii, Bhuktee-rusamritii-sindhoo', &o. One of the sentiments of this sect is thus given in the Shree-bhagSviitvi : — ' He who, renouncing the service of God, enters the path of wisdom, (practises religious austerities,) works hard at bruis- ing the straw, but obtains only chaff.' Another of their poets has a verse to this purport :. — ' He who dies at Kashee obtains absorption : true ; but the cause of his. emancipation is his devotion.' Viirahn, a poet belonging to the court of Vikrtim-adityn, says, personifying a person of this sect, ' God ! I ask not for the merit of works ; nor for riches ; nor for fame ; I leave all this to fate; nor do I refuse to endure the fruit of my actions; — but this ^ I ask, that, through every transmigration, I may be thy devoted servant.' — Vilwit-mSngilln, another poet of this sect, says, addressing himself to Vish- noo, ' God ! I desire not absorption. I ask for a distinct existence, and to be always near thee, as my lord and master.' Some of/these persons express attachment to their guardian deity in the most familiar acts of devotion — as his friends, or servants ; in songs or prayers ; by bowing or making offerings to his image, by washing its feet, by repeating his name, or listening to his praise, or meditating on his qualities. These persons are mostly found among the fol- lowers of Krishnn and Choitiinyii. Such a worshipper presents himself before the image of KrishnS, and says, '.Oh, t'hakoorii ! thou art God, the maker of the world, the saviour, the friend, of the friendless : I am destitute ; I am thy servant ; save me !' Others, more fervent in their attachment, omitting the usual purifications and ablutions before morning worship, hasten, as soon as they rise, to pay all those marks of respect and attention to the image which belong to the character under which they wor- ship it. For instance, one man's image is that of the infant Krishnu : he imagines it ndcessary, that the god should be honoured as a child, and he there- fore makes an offering of sweetmeats to him early in the morning ; he is very careful too that the image should be laid down to rest, and raised up again, only at the appointed hours ; he bathes, anoints it, and adorns it with the utmost fondness. Songs in praise of Krishnvi are very common amongst this sect; and sometimes an enthusiast falls to the ground vifhile singing, and exhibits all the symptoms of superstitious frenzy. These persons reject viii INTRODUCTORT RESURKS many of the Hindoo ceremonies ; but tliey repeat the name of Krishnli, worship the common images of this god, and observe the national festivals to his honer. Some individuals are directed in their religious duties by the Hindoo writings : but the great body are entliusiasts, following the impulse of feelings enkindled by their own impure imaginations. Some of them wander from village to village, proclaiming the name and reciting the praises of Krishnn. Those who reverence the philosophical doctrine, and those who thus adhere- to devotion, form however but a very small part of the Hindoo population. The great majority of the community are attached to the popular ceremonies, con- sidering them as at least leading to the knowledge of God, or as laying in a stock of merit which will influence their condition in this or a future birth. The other branch of Hindoo theology enjoins eeligioijs duties, as preparing a person for that state which leads to absorption. Krishnn, in his address to Urjoonn, thus holds up the value of religious practice : — ' Perform thy duty, and make the event equal whether it terminate in good' or evil. The miserable are so on account of the event of things. ^Vise- meii, who have abandoned all thought of the fruit of their actions, are freed from the chains of birth, and go to the regions of eternal hap- piness.' Junnkn and others have attained perfection even by works. Wise men call him a pnndit, whose every undertaking is free from the idea of desire. He abandoneth a desire of a reward of his actions; h& is always contented and independent, and although he may be engaged in a work, he as it were doth nothing. God is to be obtained by him who maketh God alone the object of his works. The speculative and the prac- tical doctrines are but one, for both obtain the self-same end, and the place which is gained by the followers of the one is gained by the followers of the other. The man who. performing the duties of life, and quitting all interest in them, placeth them upon Briimhn the supreme, is not tainted by sin; but remaineth, like the leaf of the lotus, unaffected by the waters. — If thou shouldest be unable, at once, steadfastly to fix thy mind on me, endeavour to find me by means of constant practice. If after practice thou art still unable, follow me in my works supreme, for by performing works for me thou shall obtain perfection.' This brings us to the popular superstition of the Hindoos, of which I shall now endeavour to give a summary account, beginning with their mythology. It is very difficut, perhaps, to speak decisively on the precise origin of any of ihs Ancient Systems of Idolatry ; but not so difficult to trace idolatry itself to certain natural causes, and to prove, that the heathen deities owe their origin to the common darkness and depravity of men ; wiio, rejecting i Mr. Wilkins has thus translated thia part of the BhagflvfitS ; but the fact is, that there is no distinct happiness in the Hindoo absorption, because there is no re- maining individuality. The spirit being liberated from every thing which is not spirit, and absorbed in the ocean of universal spirit, or deity, there can be no such thing as individual enjoyment. The Hindoos illustrate their idea on this subject, by comparing the soul to air confined in. a vessel, which, when the vessel breaks, is im- mediately lost in the vast body of air which eomposes the atmosphere. ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. ix the doctriue of the divine unity, and considering. God as too great or too spiritual to be the object of human worship, chose such images as their darkness or their passions suggested. Hence idolatry has arisen out of circumstances common to all heathen nations ; which fact, and another here- after mentioHed, will account for many coincidences in the mythology of nations the most remote, while differences in manners and customs, and in the degrees of civilization, may account for most of the diversities found in the images and worship of different idolatrous nations. It is not to be supposed that any of the images invented by the heathen were intended to be representations of the One God, according to the ideas given of tbis adorable Being in the sacred Scriptures ; they arc images of beings formed by the fancies of men, who ' by wisdom knew not God.' It is probable, indeed, that no heathen nation ever made a single idol in honour of •the one living and true God;' and that direct worship ' to Him was never offered by any heathens. Nor does it appear, from the various systems of idolatry, tliat the heathen regarded the gods as intercessors with the Supreme Being, It is certain that no sucli idea exists among the Hindoos, who never worship the One God, either directly or through the intercessions of others. The gods are regarded as the only divine beings from whom evil is to be dreaded, or good to be expected. It is true, I have heard the bramhttns often speak of the worship of the gods as introducing the worshipper to a great approximation to final beatitude, but this has nothing to do with -the Christian doctrine of mediation. Writers on heathen mythology have frequently supposed, that the extraordinary bodily organs of the gods were intended to represent the perfections of Deity. Such writers, in elucidating the Hindoo system, would have said, ' Indrii is represented as full of eyes,'' to exhibit the divine omni- science ; Briimha with four faces,, to display the perfect wisdom of God ; and Doorga with ten hands, to teach that God is almiglity.' It is a fact, however, that the Hindoos are never thus instructed by the forms ^ of their idols. When the author once interrogated a learned bramhSn on this subject, he rejected this Christian explanation of the forms of his idols, and referred him to the imace of Kaviinti, the cannibal, who is painted with a hundred arms, and ten heads.' It has been common too to represent the idols as personifications of the virtues, and as teachinf , by hieroglyphics, a theory of morals. As it respects i The Hindoo fable on this subject is so insufferably gross, that it cannot be printed. 1 Thus Briarelis, one of the monsters brought forth by the earth, is said to have had a hundred arms, with which he threw up to heaven the rocks from the sea shore against Jupiter. X INTRODUCTORY REMARKS the Hindoos, however, the fact is, that they have still; for popular use, a sys- tem of morals to seek : some of their idols are actually personifications of vice ; and the formularies used before the images, so far from conveying any moral sentiment, have tlie greatest possible tendency to corrupt the mind with the love of riches and pleasure."^ To the author it seems equally improbable, that the original framers of idols desio-ned to teach by them a system of natural science. The distance of time betwixt the formation of different images, militates strongly against such an idea : men of science, also, have generally held idolatrous rites in feontempt j but before a man would sit down to frame an image, to teach the sciences, his mind must have been enthusiastically attached to idolatry. Nor does it appear probable, that the Hindoo poets were the first who set up idol worship ; thouo-h we admit, that many ideas on this subject were borrowed from their ex- travagant descriptions, and ethereal visions. The introduction of new idols seems, in most instances, to have been the work of kings, who sought the gratification of the populace, rather than their instruction ; and the exhibition of popular sentiments, rather than the teaching of profound mysteries, or the principles of science. It appears from the Brumhn-voivurttu poorann, that king Soorut'hii first set up the image of Doorga ; king Mnngtiln, that ofLftkshmee; Ushwn- putee, that of Savitree, the wife of Brumha ; king Sooyiignn, that of Eadha, the mistress of Krishnu; Eiimyti-rut'hn, king of Oojjnnyinee, that of Kartik^yvi ; king Shivii, that of Sooryn ; and the sage Bou.dhaynnti, that of Giineshn. The author imagines, that the disclosure of real facts respecting the Mythology of the Hindoos, would greatly tend to elucidate the origin of that of ALL THE Easteen NATIONS : and he here offers to the consideration of his readers a conjecture or two, the fruit of his own enquiries. The philoso- phers of all these nations conceived, that the Great Spirit remains for ever un- known, that he neither comes within the thoughts nor the speech of men. In the Chandogyvi oopiinishnd of the Eig vedu, we have a discourse on this sub- ject, in which Shwetii-ketoo enquired of Boudhayiinii respecting Bramhii : the sage answered him by an impressive silence : on being called upon for the rea- son of this silence, he answered, ' Brum.hu is undescribable : he who says, " I know BrftmhS," knows him not ; he who says, " I know him not," has obtain- ed this knowledge.' The vedn declares, that ' he is that which has never been seen nor known.' In other words, he is the Athenian ' unknown God.* The One God is never worshipped by the Hindoos as a mere spiritual being, but always as united to matter, and before some image. "• See Mr. Colebrooke's translation of many of these formularies, in his excellent Essays on the Religious Ceremonies of the Hindoos, in the fifth and seventh volumes of. the Asiatic Kesearohes, ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. - xi When Brnmhtl resolved to create, according to the pooraniis,'- ke looked upon" that which is denominated by the Hindoo philosophers delusion, or inanimate energy,* and became subject to the three qualities (goonus) of which it is composed— that which leads to truth, and is called siittii ; that which excites desires, (rnjn ;) and that which leads to sensuality, (tnmii.) He now created time, nature, and future consequences ; the primary elements ; the organs of sense, of action, and of intellect : he next became the first form, or pattern, or the aggregate, of life, and individuated himself into separate por- tions of animal life ; and then, under the name of Vishnoo, he created the universe from the waters, and entered it as the soul of the world. While Vishnoo lay asleep on the watess, a lotus ascended from his navel, from which sprung BrSmha, the creator. Shivn, Vishnoo, and Brnmha, are considered as the representations of the three goomis : Vishnoo of the suttn goonn, Brtimha of the riijri, and Shivn of the tiimvi. We have no regular account of the creation of Vishnoo and Shivn. Almost all the other Hindoo deities are found to be derived from the three principal gods : — Indrn, Kamu- devn, Doorga, Sooryu, Ugnee, Piivunii, Viiroonu, GSroorii, Vishwii-kSrma, Siiriiswtitee, Tnmn, &c. are the descendants of BrumJia ;— Giineshn,. JugSnnat'hn, Bnliiramn, Eamn,, Krishnn, Gopaln, Gopee-nat'hn, Valii-Gopalii Choitilnyn, SUtyu-Narayiinn, Mkshmee, &c. are forms of VisJinoo ; — Karti- keyii, Piinchannnn, Koodrn, Kalu-Bhoir'nvn, &c. are forms of SUvii. ' Thus' as Sir W. Jones has observed, ' we must no? be surprised at iinding, on a close examination, that the characters of all the Pagan deitiesi male and female, melt into each other, and at last into one or twa' But the enquiry returns, 'What is the object of worship among the Hindoos ?' It is not the Onh God, but this compound being, the soul of the world enclosed in matter, the primeval energy, the prolific and vivifying principle dwelling in all animated existences?, or in, other words the personification o^ " The Shree-Bhagifyatii, &c. The NoiyayikSa declare, that the universe was created from atoms; while the Meemangsukfis, equally w;ise, afftrm, that the. consequences of actions were the only things united to. birth. " < Or,' as the word is explained by some Hindoo scholars,' tlj? first inolinationof' the Godhead to diversify himself, by creating worlds. Sir W. Jones. p It is called delusion, or appearance, to shew, that it is something assumed for an occasion, and which, when that occasion is served^ will be destroyed : hence they say, that matter is from everlasting, but is subject to destruction. It is called inanimate- energy, as it supplies the forms of things, though the vivifying principle is God. 1 When the following lines of Pope were, read to Gopalu-tiirkalunkara, a learned liramhSn, he started from his seat, begged for a copy of them, and, declared that the, author must have been a Hindoo : — ' All are but parts of one stupendous whole. Whose body Nature is, an^d God the soul ; — Warms in the sun, refreshes in the Breeze,, Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees ; Lives through aU life, extends through all extent. Spreads undivided, operates unspent.' Xll INTEODUCTORY REMARKS whatever the disordered iaiaginations of the Hindoos have attributed to this God encompassing himself with delusion/ This energy is said to have created the universe ; and therefore this, as displayed in the grandest of the forms it assumes,' is the object of worship. Hence the gods, the heavens collectively, the sun and moon, as well as the stars, the sea, mighty rivers, and extraordi- nary appearances in nature, receive the adorations of tlie Hiadoos.' This energy itself has been personified and worshipped, not only in the form of Bbuguvutee," but, as it is manifested equally in creation, in the government of the world, and in the work of destruction, in Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shivn. The universe being full of the divine majesty, a deity has been consecrated as the regent of every element ; and, to complete this mass of folly, the bramhnn and the devout mendicant, as sharing more largely of the indwelling deity, have received the adoration of the multitude. If we recur to the bodily powers of the different images worshipped by the Hindoos, we see the same principle exhibited : hence UnnntS has a thousand heads ; Brvimha has four faces ; Indrn is full of eyes ; Doorga has ten, and even Eavitnn, the giatlt, has an hundred arms : — the formidable weapons^ of the .gods too, have evidently the same allusion, as well as their symbols and vehicles, among which we find the eagle/ the serpent, the Uon, ' The TSntrSs teach, that after BrJfmliJf had entered the world, he divided himself into male and female. s ' It seems a well-founded opinion, that the whole crowd of gods and goddesses in ancient Rome, and modern VSndres, mean only the powers of nature, and principally those of the Sun, expressed in a variety of ways, and by a multitude of fanciful names.' Sir W. Jones. — ' Nature herself, and its plastic powers, originating solely in the sovereign energies of the supreme creative source of all being, they (the Asiatics) ab- surdly dignified by the majestic denomination of God. This snpreme creative energy, diffused through nature, they distinguished by various names ; sometimes it was Osiris the fountain of Light, the Sutr, the prolific principle by which that was invigorated ■ sometimes it was the life-generating Fike, the divine offspring of the solar deity ; and it was sometimes called by an appellation consonant to the Soul of the Woeld. The First Vivtfic Pkinciple, emanating from the primeval source of being, is visibly of Chaldaic origin ; and thence, through the medium of the Egyptians, the Stoic philoso- phers doubtless had their doctrine of ' the fiery soul of the world,' by which they sup- posed all things to be created, animated, and governed.' Maurice. « They (the pagans) called the elementary fire Pitha, Vulcan, Ugnee; the solar light they denominated Osiris, Mithra, SooryS, Apollo, and the pervading air, or spirit • Cneph, Naraytfnu, Zeus, or Jupiter.' Maurice. " Many Hindoos are denominated shaktns, as devoted to the worship of this shfiktee, or energy. It is remarkable, also, that all the goddesses are called the energies of their lords, as well as matrees, or mothers. " IndrK's thunder-bolt ; the EriimhastrJf, a weapon wielded by the gods, which infallibly destroys an enemy. ' Vishnoo's chiikra, a weapon in the form of a circle continually vomiting flames.' — Maurice. y ' Vishnoo riding upon his GilroorK, or eagle,' says Maurice, ' puts us in mind of the thunder-bearing eagle of the Qrscian Jupiter.' ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. xiii the tiger, the elephant, the bull, the buMo, &c. The abominable lingR wor- ship too, (the last state of degradation to which human nature can be driven,) no doubt took its rise from the same doctrine. Under the influence of this doctrine, the philosophic mind chose, as the objects of its adoration, the forms in which ' this energy displays itself with the greatest magnificence, and almost confined its worship to the primary elements, tlie heavenly bodies, and aerial beings ; — the great body of the community became attached to this energy in its forms of preservation : — persons of gloomyhabits, as ascetics and yogees, adored it in the work of destruction, as connected with emancipation and with return to ineffable repose in the divine essence. The first class chose the retirement of forests ' as the scene of their contemplations ; the second, the public streets, to adore the prolific power ; and the last retired to gloomy caverns," for the celebration of those horrid vites, which took their rise in the common error, that the energetic principle is the chief object of worship. Thus the indwelling principle is adored in whatever form it is supposed to display itself : in the cow, as a form of Bhngnvfitee ; in the boar, as an incarnation of Vishnoo ; and in an ascetic, who has passed through religious austerities supposed to be too dreadful to be borne without support from the divine inhabiting energy. Exactly conformable to the Hindoo idea was the declaration respecting Simon Magus, ' This man is the great power of God.' The object of adoration being thus simple power, or energy, wherever this is supposed to reside, the impiety of the possessor forms no obstacle to his becoming an object of worship : it is sufficient that he be a god or a bramhiin. ' The learned,' says Krishnii, ' behold Bi-nmhn alike in the reverend bramhiin, : perfected in knowledge, in the ox and the elephant ; in the dog, and in him who eateth of the flesh of dogs.' Upon the same principle the Hindoo, when he sees the force with which the flood-tide comes into the Ganges or any other similar phenomena of nature, recognizes it as God, or the energy of God. The blessing which he supposes a yogee obtains, as the fruit of his religious austerities, he confines to power — power to heal or to kill others, to ride in the air on the back of a tiger, to foretel future events, &c. Benevolent dis- positions and actions procure for a man praise, but not reverence. Howard would have obtained the encomiums of this people, and would have been complimented on the exaltation he was likely to have in the next birth, but nobody would have worshipped him ; tjiis honour is always reserved for men of pretended supernatural powers. If these conjectures be just, they may perhaps afford a solution of the ' The Scythians, the Druids, and other anoieat nations, it is well known, wor- shipped this energy in its destructive forms in glootoy recesses, and there offered human and other victims. In the caverns of Salsette and Elephanta, too, the same horrid rites were practised by gloomy ascetics. XIV INTRODUCTORY REMARKS difficulties attending the worship of the Egyptians/ the Scythians, the Greeks, the Persians, and other idolaters ; some of them adoring, by sanguinary rites, this principle in its destructive forms, and others in its prolific forms, fire, and the solar orb.'> It is the same energetic principle that is also worshipped in. the wonderful motions of the heavenly bodies, and in the confl.icting gods and the giants, shaking to its centre the solid world ; in the warring elements ;° and even in all the forms of brute matter in which it appears. These ideas the author ofliers to the examination of men of greater leisure and erudition, not without the hope, that they may tend to elucidate a subject exceedingly complicated, and upon which a great variety of opinions have been held. As the same ideas respecting the divine energy were held in common by almost all the ancient philosophers, it, is not wonderful that the same objects of worship should be seen among all nations, subject to those variations and addi^ tions which might be expected whenman had abandoned the doctrine of the divine unity, and had resolved to worship every form and appearance of this energy. The Hindoo mythology, in its present mixed state, presents us with gods of every possible shape, and for every possible purpose, [even to cure the itch !) but most of them appear to refer to the doctrine of the periodical creation* and destruction of the world,'^ — the appearances of natnrej' — the heavenly bodies, ' — the history of deified heroes,^ — the poetical wars of the giants with the gods,'' — or to the real or imagined wants of mankind.' » ' Taut, or Thoth, was the true Anubis of the Egyptians, one of their eight greater gods. Thoth considers the cosmogony of Phcenicia as founded on the doctrine which maintains two priaeiplea in nature, matter or darkness, and spirit or intelligence. By the former, he would understand the chaos, obscure and turbid ; by the latter, the agitative wind or spirit, which put that chaos in motion, and ranged in order the various parts of the universe.' Maurice. ^ In this island of Albion, the image of the sun was placed upon an high pillar, as half a man, with a face full of rays of light, and a flaming wheel on his breast. He was worshipped in the same manner as Mithra in Persia, and the divinities of the East. The Persian Magi preserved a continual fire upon an altar in honour of the sun and the lights in the firmament^ as the Romans did their holy fire dedicated to Vesta. The Jewish writers affirm, thatthis wasthe god Abraham refused to worship in Ur of the Chaldees.' GaltrucJUus. — 'The sun became the deity adored by the Sabian idolaters.' Maurice. ■= ' Sees God in clouds, and hears him in the wind.' * As Brumha and ShivS. " The deified elements, as Pfiviinu, Vfiroonii, &o. ' SooryiJ, ChifndrK, &c. K Eamti, who, in reference to his forest residence, is painted green, and carries a bow and arrow. •> Doorga, who has a giant at her feet, and the head of another in her hand. The author will not presume to decide, whether these wars of the gods have reference to human contests, and as such are to be regarded as real history disguised in fable • or whether images of this class have been borrowed merely from the reveries of the poets. i StfrSswStee, the goddess of learning; Unnu-pOorntf, the goddess of plenty, &c. ON THE HINDOO EKLIGION. XV It cannot be doubted, from what has been published of the jedrts, said to be the most ancient of the Hindoo writings, that the pbimaky elements, fire, air, water, earth, and space, with the heavenly bodies, and aebial beinos, were the first objects of worship among this people- The worship of the primary elements possibly originated in the doctrine of the veduB respecting the eternity of matter ; for we find in these writings the elements deified, and called by appropriate names, as in the modern mytho- logy of the Hindoos. The worship of the heavenly bodies may probably be attributed to the astro- nomical notions of the Hindoos : and, as the worship of heathens has alwajs been dictated by their f^ars and hopes rather than .by their reason, it is not a matter of surprise that they should have worshipped the host of heaven, while they believed the stars to have such a mighty and immediate influence ou their destiny here and hereafter. In the prayers of the vediis, the name of Indrti is found, who was probably considered as a personificatiou of the heavens : his name, Indrn, signifies the glorious ; and his body, covered with stars, might easily be supposed to resemble ' the spangled heavens.' The worship of mrial beings, under the general name of spirits, is easily accounted for from the proneness of mankind to superstitious fears respecting invisible existences, and from the notion found in the Hindoo writings, that every form of animated existence has its tutelar divinity presiding over it.'' These appear to have been the first gods worshipped in India, though such a system of mythology could in no way account for the existence and government of the universe ; which exhibited a process for which this system made no provision. This might therefore induce later Hindoo theologians to add three new gods, under the characters of the Cbeatob, the Pkeseevek, an-d the DBSTRoyEK, — Brumha, Vishnoo, and ShivS; and the pooraniis exhibit each of these gods at his post, committing faults and absurdities that would disgrace beings destitute of every spark of divinity, and even of reason. A philosophical doctrine found in the Tiintrns, having reference to the supposed union of spirit and matter in the formation of the world, ' has intro- duced an order of female deities among this people, at the head of which stands Bhngiiviitee, or Doorga. Of this goddess, many forms are worshipped among the Hindoos ; and indeed . almost all the goddesses are only different forms of Bhitgilvntee, as the image of Prukritee, or nature. Jagunnat'hn, the lord of the world; KooverS, the god of riches; Kamn- devil, the god of love ; KartikeyS, the god of war ; Yfimti, the regent of death ; ■= Diseases also, and divisions of time, as well as places, have their tutelar deitiest The god BhSg^f, who ia blind of both eyes, presides over the members of the body. 1 Mr. Paterson thinks, that the mixed image of HifrS-Gouroe, in which Shivii and Doorga are united in one image, is intended to represent this union. XVI INTRODTJCTORY REMARKS and VishwH-ktirtnn, the architect of the gods ; seem to have originated in the fables of the Hindoos, and in the imagined necessities of a people destitute of just ideas respecting Divine Providence. Krishna, Eamu, and other terrestrial gods, are evidently deiiied heroes. These general remarks may probably account for the whole system of Hindoo idolatry, witliout the absolute necessity of admitting that this people borrowed their gods from their neighbours. That they borrowed some, or the features of some, many striking coincidences hereafter mentioned seem to indi- cate ; but, these coincidences excepted, we have found no further evidence of this fact." I shall now give some account of the gods found in the Hindoo Pan- theon," as a very brief notice of what the reader has to expect in this volume. It may be necessary, however, to premise, that the Hindoos profess to have 330,000,000 of gods : not that they have even the names of such a num- ber ; but they say, that God performs all his works by the instrumentality of the gods, and that all human actionsj as well as all the elements, have their tutelar deities. Images have been chosen to fix the mind of the worshipper, and attributes of power and splendour, and various fables, having been added in the forms of devotion and the addresses to the gods, all these attributes are recognized, and the contents of these fables rehearsedj to raise in the mind of the worshipper the highest thoughts of the power of the idol. He who approaches an idol, seeking the happiness of a future state, is required to fix in his mind only one idea, that the god can save him . and in this respect all the gods, however various their images, are equal. But when a Hindoo is anxious to obtain any peculiar favour, he applies to the god whose province it is to bestow it : thus, he who prays to Briimha, entreats that hs may be like him, in order to absorption ; but he who is anxious that his mem- bers may continue perfect, and that he may enjoy the pleasures of the senses, worships Indrti ; he who desires children, prays to the progenitors of mankind j he who seeks worldly prosperity, worships Liikshmee ; he who prays for a shining body, supplicates Ugnee ; the person who is anxious for strength, ap- plies to EoodrS ; the glutton prays to Uditee ; he who pants for a crown, ap- plies to Vishwadeya or SwayKmbhoovti ; a king intreats Sadhyu, that his kingdom may be free from sedition ; he who prays for long life, addresses him- " Should the reader, however, be inclined to pursue this subject, he will find piuch ingenious conjecture, and many apparent resemblances betwixt the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman mythology and that of the Hindoos, in Mr. Paterson's essay already alluded to. " The Hindoos have no temple like the Pantheon at Rome ; but the palaces of some Hindoo rajas contain courts filled with idols, each of which has an establishment of priests, who daily perform the ceremonies of worship. ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. XVli self to Ushwinee-koomarS ; he who desires corpulence, addresses Prit'hivee ; he who prays that he may preserve his homestead, petitions Prit'hivee and the re- gents of space ; he who seeks beauty, prays to the GtindhHrvSs ; he who prays for a good wife, calls on Oorviisee, a celestial courtezan ; he who seeks honour, prays to Yiignn : he who is anxious for stor,e-houses full of wealth ; calls on Prnche'ta; the' seeker of wisdom, solicits the favour of Shivn ; he or she who seeks union and happiness in the marriage state, addresses Doorga ; he who wishes to destroy his enemy, supplicates NoiritS ; he who is anxious for strength of body, prays to Vayoo ; he who prays to be preserved from obstruc- tion in his aifairs, calls on Koovern ; he who prays for the merit of works, ap- plies to the regent of verse ; he who prays for pleasure in the enjoyment of earthly things, addresses Chandra ; he who desires freedom from worldly pas- sions, he who asks for the completion of all his desires, he who prays for ab- sorption, and the person free from all desire, worship Brnmha. Hence it ap- pears, that all the Hindoo gods, except Brnmha, are considered as bestowing only temporal favours ; and it has been already observed, tliat this god has .been abandoned, and left without either temples or images. Thus the whole system excites in the mind of the worshipper onjy cupidity and the love of pleasure ; and to this agrees what I have repeatedly heard from sensible bram- hnns, that few if any persons now attend the public festivals with a direct view to a future state. It is common for the Hindoos to speak of some of their gods as benevo- lent, and to treat others as malignant beings" : Shivii, as well as other gods, unites both these qualities ; in one hand he holds a dreadful weapon, and with two others he blesses a worshipper, and invites him to approach. Not one of these images, however, conveys the least idea of the moral attributes of God. 1. BrUmlia. This god may be properly noticed first, as he is called the creator, and the grandfather of cods and men ; in the latter designation he resembles Jupiter, as well as in the lasciviousness of his conduct, having betray- ed a criminal passion towards his own daughter. Bramha's image is never worshipped, nor even made ; but the Chiindee describes it as that of a red man with four faces.' He is red, as a raark of his being full of the riija goonn ; he has four faces, to remind the worshipper that the vediis proceeded from his four mouths. In one hand he has a string of beads, to shew that his power as creator' was derived from his devotion. The pan of water in his left hand points out, that all things sprang from water. It has ex(^ted much surprise, that this deity, sopre-emiuent, should be entirely destitute of a temple and of " Hindoo women, and the lower orders, regard PSuchantfnS, DKkshinKray} The pooranifs contain a story of this god much resembling that of Mercurv's steaUng a cow from Apollo. In the Hindoo fable, Brtfmha is the thief. >. Sometimes Hindoos are seen licking up the very dust of the place where the crowd are celebrating the praises of KrishnS ; and others are said to faint with iov on these occasions. In memory of KrishnS's lewd conduct with the milk-maids i„ the forest of Vrindavi fact, that not a single virlumis idea is ever communicated by any of them ? The image of Kalou exhibits a female with inflamed eyes, standing on the body of her husband, her hair disheveled, slavering the blood of her enemies down her bosom, her tongue hanging from her mouth, wearing a necklace of skulls, and holding a skull in the left hand, and a sword in the right. Another image, that of Krishnii KalSSj exhibits Krishnn and Eadha, his mistress, united in one body, to conceal Radlia's infide- lity from her husband. Another image is the lingu ! Another that of a monkey^ an incarnation of ' the great god' Shivii ; the offspring of the god of the winds by a female monkey V The image of Doorga is that of a female warrior : and " They admit this : a pan of water is indeed often substituted for an Idol. " Tan is said to have been the son of Mercury. XXxn INTRODUCTORY REMARKS one form of tliis goddess is that of a female so athirst for blood, that she is repre- sented as cutting off her own head ; and the severed head, with the mouth dis- tended, is si-en devouring the blood streaming from the trunk. This goddess stands upon two otlier deities in an attitude so abominablv indecent that it cannot be described : the common form of Kalee, standing on her husband Sliiv'd, has secret meaning, well known to a Hindoo, but which is so indelicate that even they, liceiitious as they are, dare not make it according to the genuine meaning of the fable to wliicli it belongs.' Some of the formulas used at the festival in honour of this goddess, called the Shyama-pooja, relate to things which can never became the subject of description ; but perhaps in this concealed state they are more pernicious than if paintfd, and exhibited to the open gaze of the raoh. To this it may be added, that amidst all the numerous idols worshipped by the Hindoos, there is not one to repiesent any of the Firtuea. In this respect, the Hindoo mythology sinks far below the European ; for the Greeks and Romans a.iored Virtue, Truth, Piety, Chastity, Clemency, Mercy, Justice, Faith, Hope and Liberty, and consecrated images and temples to these deities. Among the Hindoos, the most innocent part of the system, and that which existed iu the purest ayes, was the worship of the primary eleiuents, the adoration of in.mimate matter ! The manifest effect of idolatry iu this country, as held up to thousands of Christian spectr a junction of the planets, at which moment they (ilunge into the stream wilh the greatest eagerness ; to the people committing the images of their gods to tlie sacred stream, at the close of their festivals ; and, finally, to the boats crowded with passengers going to Sagiir island vGMga-sagiiru) every year". The forms of worship (poojap) liefore the idol are particularly laid down in p. 315. The priest who officiates has the common dress of a bramhiin ; it must, however, be clean : he has occasionally one or two bramhuns to assist him in presenting the offerings. made'iy looks, &c. while they are thus washing away their sins. A number of bram- hJfuB engage as cooks to opulent families, to facilitate their licentious intrigues : this is become so common, that the bramht(ns, proverbially known by the name of cooking bramhttns, are treated with the greatest suspicion by those who care for the chastity of their wives. Multitudes of iramkuns likewise are employed as priests to prostitutes, and actually perform the oiBoes of religion in houses of ill-fame ; — so completely absent is the moral principle from the religion of the Hindoos ! " Till lately, eople used to thro w themselves, or their children, to the alligators at this place, under the idea that dying at Gffnga-sagSrif, ia the jaws of an alligator, was the happiest of deaths. This is now prevented by a guard of sepoys sent by Government. p The Ain AkbSree says, the Hindoos ' divide pooja into sixteen ceremonies. After the devotee has performed his usual and indispensable ablutions, with the sMadhya and homK, he sists down, looking towards the east or the north, with his legs drawn up in front. Then, taking in his hand a little water and rice, he sprinkles the idol, and conceives this act to be a proper preface to the commencement of his adora- tion. Next follows the worship of the idol's flagon. Then succeeds the worship of the conch-shell. Last in order, a ceremony which consists in plastering the bell with ashes of sandal-wood. When he has finished, he throws down a little rice, and wishes that his god may be manifested. These various duties are all comprised in the first of the sixteen ceeemonies. — In the second, he prepares and places a table of metal, either gold, silver, or copper, as a seat or throne for a deity.— In the third, he throws water into a vessel to wash his feet ; for in Hiudoost'hanS it is the custom, that, when a superior enters the house of an inferior, he washes his feet. — In the fourth, he sprinkles water thrice, to represent the idol rincing his mouth, since it is ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. xlv Short forms of praise and prayer to the godsi are continually used, and are supposed to promote very highly a person's spiritual interests. The following is an example of praise addressed to Gtinga : — ' goddess, the owl that lodges in the lioUow of a tree on thy banks, is exalted beyond measure ; while tlie emperor, whose palace is far from thee, though he may possess a million of stately elephants, and may have the wives of a million of conquered enemies to serve him, is nothing.' Example of prayer : — ' god ! I am the greatest sinner in the world ; but thou, among the gods, art the greatest saviour : I leave niy cause in thy hands.' Praise is considered as more prevalent with the gods than prayer, as the gods are mightily pleased with flattery. Some unite vows to their supplications, and promise to present to the god a handsome oiFering if he be propitious. Another act of Hindoo devotion is meditation on the form of an idol. Mr. Hastings, in his prefatory letter to the Geeta, says, the Rev. Mr. Maurice describes the bramhiins as devoting a certain period of time to the contem- plation of the deity, his attributes, and the moral duties of life. The truth is, that in this Hindoo act of devotion there is not a vestige of reference to also the custom for an inferior to bring to a su])6rior water to rinoe his mouth with before meals. — In the fifth, sandal, flowers, betel, and rice are offered to the idol. — In the sixth, the idol arfd his throne are carried to another spot : then the worshipper takes In his right hand a white conch-shell full of water, which he throws over the idol, and with his left hand rings thebell. — In the seventh, he wipes the idol dry with a cloth, replaces it upon its throne, and adorns it with vestments of silk or gold stuff. — In the eighth, he puts the zennar upon the idol. — In the ninth, he makes the tilSk upon the idol in twelve places — In the tenth, he throws over the idol flowers or green leaves. — In the eleventh, he fumigates it with perfumes. — In the twelfth, he lights a lamps with ghee. — In the thirteenth, he places before the idol trays of food, according to his ability ; which are distributed among the by-standers, as the holy relics of the idol's banquet. — In the fourteenth, he stretches himself at full length with his face towards the ground, and disposes his body in such a manner, as that his eight members touch the ground, namely, the two knees, two hands, forehead, nose, and cheeks. These kinds of prostration are also performed to great men in Hindoost'hanti. — In the fifteenth, he makes a circuit around the idol several times. — In the sixteenth, he stands in the posture of a slave, with his hands uplifted, and asks permission to depart.'— At some of the great festivals, boys in play make an image, paint it, and beg from house to house for the offerings, as rice, fruits, &c. When all things are ready, some one becomes the priest, and performs the ceremonies. Thus early are the Hindoo children initiated into their idolatrous rites. If, however, the parents of these children discover what is going on, they forbid it, and warn the children, that the god will be displeased. If it be an image of Kalee, or any ferocious deity, they endeavour to terrify the children, by telling them that the goddess is a fury, and wiU certainly devour them. If any elderly boy be concerned, and the image made be a good one, the parents will sometimes, rather than destroy it, call a bramhSn, and have the ceremonies performed in a regular way. 1 Instead of hymns in honour of the gods, the Hindoos, at present, as has been already noticed, introduce before the idol little beside filthy songs. Some bramhKns acknowledge, that not a single Hindoo seeks in his religion any thing of a moral nature. A real Christian, when be approaches God, prays, 'Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.' ' Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.' ' Give me neither poverty nor riches.' 'Guide me -with thy xlvi INTRODUCTORY REMAEKS the dirine attributes, nor to moral duty. The Hindoo rehearses in his mind the form of the god, his colour, the number of his heads, eyes, hands, &c. and nothing more. Repeating the names of the gods, particularly of a person's guardian deity, is one of the most common, and is considered as one of the most efficacious acts of devotion prescribed in the shastrns. The oftener the name is repeated, the greater the merit. Persons may be seen in the streets repeating these names either alone, or at work, or to a parrot ; others, as they walk along, count the repetitions by the beads of their necklace, whieh they then hold in the hand. A great number of prescribed ceremonies, called vrutus, exist among the Hindoos, which are practised with the hope of obtaining some blessing : females chiefly attend to these ceremonies. Pasting is another act of religious merit among the Hindoos. Some fasts are extremely severe, and a Hindoo who is very religious must often abstain from food. It is commended, not as an act of preparation for some duty, calling for great attention of mind, but as an instance of self-denial in honour of the gods, which is very pleasing to them. One man may fast for another, and the merit of the action is then transferred to the person paying and em- ploying another in this work. Gifts to bramhnns are highly meritorious, as might be expected in a system exclusively formed for their exaltation : the more costly the gift, the more valuable the promissory note, drawn on heaven, and presented to the giver. Giving entertainments to bramhnns is also another action which procures heaven. Hospitality to travellers is placed among the duties of the Hindoos, and is practised to a considerable extent, though the distinctions of caste destroy the feelings which should give efficacy to this excellent law. So completely do these distinctions destroy every generous and benevolent feeling, that many unfortunate crsatures perish in the sight of those who are well able to relieve them, but who exonerate themselves from this duty, by urging, that they are of another caste : a bramhun finds friends every where, but the caste has sunk counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory.' A Hindoo, when he supplicates his god, prays for riches, or for recovery from sickness, or for a son, or for revenge upon his enemy. Sometimes the worshipper places himself before the image in a sitting posture, and, closing his eyes, prays, ' Oh, god ! give me beauty, let me be praised, give me prosperity, give me a son, give me riches, give me long life, or, give me health, &c.' The eldest female of the house, throwing her garment over her shoulder, and sitting on her hams, joining her hands, in the same manner, prays, ' god ! preserve these my childen, and my son's wife ; do not suffer us to have sorrow again in our family, (referring to some death in the preceding year,) and then I will present offerings to thee every year :' saying this, she prostrates herself before the image. Sometimes a woman, after bathing, stretches her arms towards the sun, and says, ' god of day ! such a one has ill-treated me ; do thou afflict her. See ! I supplicate thee without having touched or tasted food.' A poor man, in the presence of an image, sometimes prays, ' god ! fill me every day with food, I ask no more.' ON THE HINDOO EELIGION. xlvii the afflicted sliSodrn to the level of the beasts': when a bramhnn is relieved, however, he is not indebted to the benevolence of his countrymen, so much as to the dread which they feel lest neglect of a bramhnn should bring upon them the wrath of the gods. Digging pools, planting trees for fruit or shade, making roads for pilgrims, &e. are other duties commanded by the shastrii, and practised by the modern Hindoos. Eeading and rehearsing the pooraniis are prescribed to the Hindoos as religious duties, and many attend to them at times in a very expensive manner. » Other ceremonies contrary to every principle of benevolence exist among this people, one of which is to repeat certain formulas, for the sake of injuring, removing, or destroying enemies. Here superstition is made an auxiliary to the most diabolical passions. But what sl.all we say of the murder of widows on the funeral pile ? — this too is an act of great piety. The priest assists the poor wretch, in her last moments, before she falls on the pile, with the formulas given by the Hindoo legislators : and, to complete this most horrible of all religious customs, the son of this wretched victim kindles the fire in the very face of the mother who gave hira birtli. Can there possibly be a greater outrage on human nature ? Is there any thing like it in all the records of the most wild and savage nations ? The North American Indian proceeds with the utmost coolness, it is true, in the work of scalping and murder, but the victim is his enemy, taken in battle ; here the victim is an innocent woman — a mother — a widow, her heart fresh bleeding under the loss of the companion of her youth — the murderer, her own child — dragged to the work by the mild bramhun, who dances, and shouts, and drowns the cries of the family and the victim in the horrid sounds of the drum. Such is the balm which is here poured into the broken heart of the widow, Nor are these unheard of, unparalleled murders, perpetrated in the night, in some impenetrable forest; but in the presence of the whole population of India, ia open day : — and oh ! horrible ! most horrible ! not less than five thousand of these unfortunate women, it is supposed, are immolated every twelve months. I have heard that the son sometimes manifests a great reluctance to the deed' and that some of these human sacrifices are almost dead before they are touched by the flames.' It is certain, that in many cases the family do much to prevent the female from being thus drawn into the flaming gulph ; but such are the effects of superstition, and the influence of long esl^ablished cusloms, ' The shastrii prescrihes, that he should do it with his head turned from the pile. Kennett, describing the Roman funeral, says, ' The next of blood performed the cere- mony of lighting the pile, which they did with a torch, turning their face all the while the other way, as if it was done out of necessity and not willingly.' • These barbarous murderers say, that when a woman is thus frightened to death, the gods, charmed with her devotion, have taken her before she entered upon this holy act. xlviii INTRODUCTOKY REMARKS joined to the disgrace and terrors of a state of widowhood, that, in the first moments of grief and distraction for the loss of her husband, reason is overpowered, and the widow perishes on the funeral pile, the victim of grief, superstition, and dread. Many widows are buried alive with the corpses of their husbands.' Voluntary suicide is not only practised to a dreadful extent among the Hindoos, but the shastrus positively recommend the crime, and promise heaven to the self-murderer, provided he die in the Ganges ! Nay, the bramhiins, as well as persons of other castes, assist those who desii;n thus to end life, of which the reader will find instances recorded in pp. 245, 24S, 248. In some places of the Ganges, deemed peculiarly sacred and eflScacious, infatuated devotees very frequently drown themselves. A respectable bramhliu assured the author, that in a stay of only two months ' The following circumstance took place at Gondul-para, about 20 miles N. of Calcutta, on the 18th of March, 3813, and was commnnioated to the author by Cap- tain Kemp, an eye-witnees. The description is nearly in his own words : — ' On Thurs- day last, at nine in the morning, Vishwtfnat'hu, one of our best workmen, who had been sick but a short time, was brought down to the river side to expire : he was placed, as is customary, on the bank, and a consultation held respecting the time he would die ; the astrologer predicted, that his dissolution was near at hand. This sick man was then immersed up to the middle in the river, and there kept for sometime ; but death not being so near as was predicted, he was again placed on the beach, extend- ed at full length, and exposed to a hot sun, where he continued the whole of the dayi excepting at those intervals, when it was supposed he was dying, when he was again immersed in the sacred stream. I visited him in the evening ; he was sensible, but had not the power of utterance ; he however was able to make signs with his hand, that he did not wish to drink the river water, which they kept almost continually pouring into his mouth by means of a small shell. He remained in this situation during the night : in the morning the immersions commenced, and were continued at intervals till about five in the evening, when he expired, or was literally murdered. Jfis wife, a young woman about sixteen years of age, hearing of his death, came to the desperate resolution of being buried alive with the corpse. She was accompanied by her friends down to the beach where the body lay, where a small branch of the Mango tree was presented to her, which (as I understood) was setting a seal to her determina- tion ; from which, after having accepted the branch, she could not retreat. I went to her, and questioned her with respect to the horrid act she was aboiit to perform, whether it was voluntary or from persuasion : nothing of the latter appeared ; it was entirely her own desire. I spoke to her relations on the heinousness of the crime they were guilty of, in allowing the young creature thus to precipitate herself into the pre- sence of her Creator uncalled for. Mrs. K. spoke both to the mother and the daughter a good deal, but all to no purpose. The mother declared, that it was her daughter's choice, who added, that she was determined to "go the road her husband had gone." There was not the least appearance of regret observable in the mother's countenance or conduct. A woman, then, can " forget her sucking child, and forsake the child of her womb :" the prophet seemed to think it only possible that there might exist such a monster, but here it was realized ; here was a monster of a mother, that could resign her child, the gift of a gracious Providence, and designed to be the comfort and support of her old age; — could, without the least apparent emotion, consign this child alive to the tomb, and herself continue an unmoved spectator of the horrid deed. At eight P.M. the corpse, accompanied by this self -devoted victim, was conveyed to a place a little below our grounds, where I repaired, to behold the prepetration of a crime which I could scarcely believe possible to be committed by any human being. ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. xlix at Allahabad, he saw aboat thirty persons drown themselves ! Lepers are sometimes burnt alive with their own consent, to purify themselves from disease in the next birtli. Others throw themselves under the wheels of JSgnnnat'hSs ponderous car, and perish instantly. Thousands perish annually by disease and want on idolatrous pilgrimages; and notwithstanding the benevolent efforts of Mr. Duncan, it is pretty certain, that infanticide is still practised to a great extent in various parts of Hindoost'hanH, (see p. 251.) I have, in p. 254, ventured to oiFer a calculation respecting the probable num- ber of persons who perish annually, the victims of the bramhinical superstition, and find, that it cannot be less than Ten Thousand Five Hundred. Another very popular act of Hindoo devotion is that of visiting sacred places." There are few Hindoos grown up to mature age, who have not visited one or more of these places, the resort of pilgrims ; many spend their whole lives in passing repeatedly from one end of Hindoost'hatin to the other as pil- grims : nor are these pilgrimages confined to the lower orders, householders and The corpse was laid on the earth by the river till a circular grave of about fifteen feet in circumference and five or six feet deep was prepared ; and was then (after some formulas had been read) placed at the bottom of the grave in a sitting posture, with the face to the N., the nearest relation applying a lighted wisp of straw to the top of the head. The young widow now came forward, and having circumambulated the grave seven times, calling out Hifree Bill ! HSree BSl ! in which she was joined by the surrounding crowd, descended into it. I then approached within a foot of the grave, to observe if any reluctance appeared in her countenance, or sorrow in that of her relations : in hers no alteration was perceptible ; in theirs, there was the appearance of exultation. She placed herself in a sitting posture, with her face to the back of her husband, embracing the corpse with her left arm, and reclining her head on his shoulders ; the other hand she placed over her own head, with her forefinger erect, which she moved in a circular direction. The earth was then deliberately put round them, two men being in the grave for the purpose of stamping it round the living and the dead, which they did as a gardener does around a plant newly transplanted, till the earth rose to a level with the surface, or two or three feet above the heads of the entombed. As her head was 'covered some time before the finger of her right hand, I had an opportunity of observing whether any regret was manifested ; but the finger moved round in the same manner as at first, till the earth closed the scene. Not a parting tear was observed to be shed by any of her relations, till the crowd began to disperse, when the usual lamentations and howling commenced, without sorrow.' "» A journey to Benares, &o. and the performance of religious ceremonies there are actions in the highest repute, for religious merit amongst the Hindoos. Many sir- kars in Calcutta indulge the hope, that they shall remove all the sins they commit in the serviee of Europeans (which every one knows are neither few nor small) by a journey to Benares, before they die. The Hindoo pifadits declare, that even Europeans, dying at Benares, though they may have lived all their days upon cow's flesh," wiU cer- tainly obtain absorption into Brifmhif. On this subject, they quote a couplet, in which Benares is compared to a loose female, who receives all, and destroys their desire of ■in, by quenching their appetites. The Hindoo learned men also admit, that English- men may partake of the blessings of their religion in two other instances, viz., if they become firm believers in Oifnga, or die at JKgifnnat'hH-kshetrif. In all other respects, the Hindoo heavens are all shut against eaters of cow's flesh. G I INTRODUCTORY REMARKS learned bramlitins are equally infatuated, and think it necessary to visit one or more of these spots for the purification of the soul before death. In some instances, a river; in others, a phenomenon in nature ; and in others, a famous idol, attracts the Hindoos. Large sums are expended by the rich, and by the poor their little all, in these jouruies, in the fees to the bramhnns, and in ex- penses at the sacred place. I have given an account of the ceremonies prepara- tory to the pilgrimage, as well as of those which are performed when the pil- grims arrive at the consecrated place ; to which are also added particulars of the most frequented of these haunts of superstition. For the expiation of sin, many different methods of atonement are pre- scribed in the Hindoo writings ; many of which, however, have fallen into disuse. Lest the observance of all these acts of religious homage should fail lo secure happiness in a future state, the Hindoos are taught to repeat the names of the gods in their last hours ; -and are also enjoined to make presents to the hramhiins, especially to their spiritual guides : their relations also immerse the body of a diseased person up to the middle in the Ganges, and pour copiously of this sacred water into the dying man. To procure relief for the wandering spirit after death, they make to it offerings of rice, &c., in a religious ceremony, almost universally attended to, called the shraddhn, and on which very fequently a rich man expends not less than 3 or 400,000 rupees. To make this offering at Giiya, is supposed to be attended with the certain deliverance of the deceased from all sorrow.' The pooranns teach, that after death the soul becomes united, to an aerial body, and passes to the seat of judgment, where it is tried by Yumii, the Indian Pluto, who decides upon its future destiny. It, however, remains in this aerial vehicle, till the last shraddhn is performed, twelve months after death ; when it passes into happiness or misery, according to the sentence of Yumii. Tlie same works teach, that there are many places of happiness for the devout, as well as of misery for the wicked ; that God begins to reward in this life those who have performed works of merit, and punishes the wicked here by various afflictions; that indeed all present events, prosperous or adverse, are the rewards or punishments inevitably connectwd with merit or demerit, either in a preceding birth, or in the present life ; that where merit preponderates, the person, after expiating sin by death and by sufferings in hell, rises to a higher birth, or ascends to the heaven of his guardian deity. » ' Ah !' said a Hindoo one day, in the hearing of the author, lameating the catas- trophe, ' it is not every one, even of those who set out for GSya, who reaches the place.' Another Hindoo, in the presence of the author, reproving a yonng bratnhfiu, who refused to afford pecuniary help to his aged infirm parent, ask^d him, if this was not the grand reason why a person entered into the marriage state, that he might have a son, who, by offerings at Giiya, might procure for him happiness after death ? ON THE HINDOO BELIGIOK. Ii The joys of the Hindoo heavens are represented as wholly sensual, and the iiiiseiies of the wicked as consisting in corporal punishment : the descrip- tions of the former digust a chaste mind by their grossness, and those given of the latter offend the feelings by their brutal literality. Anxious to obtain the Confession of PaiTH of a Bramhun, from his own pen, I solicited this of a man of superior understanding, and I here give a translation of this article ; — ' God is invisible, independent, ever-living, glorious, uncorrupt, all- wise, the ever-blessed, the almighty ; his perfections are indescribable, and past finding out ; he rides over all, supports all, destroys all, and remains after the destruction of all ; there is none like him ; he is silence ; be is free from passion, from birth, &c., from increase and decrease, from fatigue, the need of refreshment, &c. He possesses the power of infinite diminution, and light- ness, and is the soul of all. ' He created, and then entered into, all things, in which he exists in two ways, untouched by matter, and receiving the fruits Of practiced He now assumes visible forms, for the sake of engaging the minds of mankind. The' different gods are parts of God, though his essence remains undiminished, as rays of light leave the sun his undiminished splendour. He created the gods to perform those things in the government of the world of which man was incapable. Some gods are parts ,of other gods, and there are deities of stilL inferior powers. If it be asked, why God himself does not govern the world, the answer is, that it might subject him to exposure, and he chooses to be concealed : he therefore governs by the gods, who are emanations from the one God, possessing a portion of his power : he who worships the gods as the one 6od, substantially worships God. The gods are helpful to men in all human affairs, but they are not friendly to those who seek final absorption ; being jealous lest, instead of attaining absoiption, they should become gods, ind rival them. ' Eeligious ceremonies procure a fund of merit to the performer, which raises him in every future birih, and at length advances him to heaven, (wheire he enjoys happiness for a limited period,) or carries him towaxd's final absorp- tion. ' Happiness in actual enjoyment'is the fruit of the meritorious works of preceding birtlis ; but very splendid acts of merit procure exaltation even ia. the birth in which they are performed. So, the misery which a person is now enduring, is the fruit of crimes in a former birth : enormous crimes however meet with punishment in the life in which they are committed. The miseries r Here a,n objection presses hard on the bramhHn, that it is God, or Spirit, then, in maitter, that suffers, since matter cannot suffer. To this he anawers, that^the heart, though it be inaoimate, and, in consequence, unconscious matter, by its nearnesG to spirit, becomes' capable of joy and sorrofr, and that this is the sufferer. lii INTRODUCTOKY REMARKS of a future state arise out of sins unremoved by former sufferings : an inanimate state, and that of reptiles, are also called states of suffering. Absorption can be obtained only by qualifications acquired on earth ; and to obtain this, even an inhabitant of heaven must be born on earth. A person may sink to earth again by crimes committed in heaven. The joys of heaven arise only from the gratification of the senses. A person raised to heaven is considered as a god. ' Every ceremony of the Hindoo religion is either accompanied by a general prayer for some good, or is done from pure devotion, without hope of reward ; or from a principle of obedience to the shastrn, which has promised certain blessings on the performance of such and such religious actions. ' Various sacrifices are commanded, but the most common one at present is the burnt-offering with clarified butter, &c. It is performed to procure heaven. — The worship of the gods is, speaking generally, followed by benefit! in a future state, as the prayers, praise, and offerings, please the gods. — Re- peating the names of the gods procures heaven, for the name of god is like fire, which devours every combustible. — Bathing is the means of purification before religious services, and when attended to in sacred places, merits heaven. — Gifts to the poor, and to persons of merit, and losing life to save another, are actions highly meritorious, and procure for the person future happiness. — Pasting is an act of merit, as the person refuses food in devotion to the gods. — Vows to the gods procure heaven. — Praise offered to the gods in songs, is efficacious in procuring future happiness. — Visiting holy places, a spiritual guide, a father or a mother, destroys all sin. — Compassion, forbearance, tender- ness, (regarding the shedding of blood,) speaking truth, entertaining strangers, becoming the refuge of [the oppressed, planting trees, cutting pools of water, making'flights of steps to holy rivers, and roads to holy places, giving water to the thirsty, building temples and lodging-houses for travellers, hearing the praise of the gods or a sacred book, &c. are actions which merit heaven. — Keligious austerities are useful to subdue the passions, and raise the mind to a pure state. These austerities are rewarded either by heaven or absorption.' Thus far this bramhinical Confession of Faith. Its author has scarcely noticed the amazing efficacy ascribed to religious abstraction, and the austeri- ties practised by anchorites, though the doctrine of the vedns evidently favours an ascetic life. Indeed, retirement from the world and abstraction of mind, assisted by bodily austerities, is considered as the direct way to final beatitude ; yet it is not denied, but that a person who continues in a secular state, may, by performing the duties of his religion, accelerate his approach, either in this or some future birth, to divine destiny. The yogee being thus exalted in the Hindoo system of theology, and in consequence honoured by his countrymen, it has become very common to embrace the life of a religious mendicant ; to do which, indeed, among an idle, effeminate, and dissolute people, there are many inducements very different from those of a religious nature : disappointments in ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. liii lif^, disagreeable domestic occurrences, wandering propensities, illicit connections, and vei-y often a wish to procure impunity in the commission of flagrant crimes,' induce many to embrace such a life. Perhaps there is not a single instance at present known, of a person's becoming an ascetic from the pure desire of ab- sorption. In cases where there is the greatest appearance of such a desire, the hermit possesses a motive no higher than that of exemption from the troubles of mortal existence. I have given in this work an account of nearly twenty orders of mendicants, (p. 294, &c.) the followers of diiferent deities : these are the scourge of the country, though the legitimate offspring of this baneful super- stition. Nor need we now expect to see realized the description of a yogee as laid down in the shastrti : this description never was realized ; those who have received the highest fame as yogees, were as corrupt, perhaps, as the present wretched imitators of these austerities. Many actions are attributed to them which put human nature to the blush. The sum of the Hindoo doctrine, then, is this : — spirit dwelling in bodies, and partaking of the passions incident to residence in matter, is purified by austerities and numerous transmigrations, and at length re-obtains absorption into the divine nature. Eeligious practice leads to better destiny, and divine destiny draws the person to abstraction and religions austerities. Such is the Hindoo religion ; let us examine how far it is practised at present. The ceremonies most popular are — the daily ablutions, repeating the names of the gods, the daily worship of some idol, and visiting holy places. The works of merit in greatest estimation are, entertaining bramhnns, building temples, cutting pools, erecting landing-places to the Ganges, and expensive offerings to deceased ancestors. The strict bramhiins are distinguished by a scrupulous regard to bathing, the daily worship of their guardian deity, and a proud contempt of the lower orders. The voishniivns are more sociable, and converse much among each other on their favourite KrishnS, and the accidents connected with religious pilgrimages. ' At present,' says the brarahiin whose confession of faith has been given in the preceding pages, ' nine parts in ten of the whole Hindoo population have ahandonei all eonscieniioua regard to the forms of their religion. They rise in the morning without repeating the name of god, and perform no religious ceremony whatever till the time of bathing at noon, when, for fear of being re- proached by their neighbours, they go and bathe : a few labour through the usual ceremonies, which occupy about fifteen minutes ; the rest either merely bathe, or hypocritically make a few of the signs used in worship, and then re- 2 I have noticed in p. 293 the fact, that many hordes of mendicants are aimed, and live by public plunder ; but perhaps there are quite as many secret robbers to be foimd in the garb of religious mendicants. Since this fact has become more generally known, many have suffered the punishment of their crimen. liv INTRODUCTORY REMARKS turn home, and eat. This constitutes the whole of their daily practice. Among these nine parts, moreover, there are many who spend tlie time of bathing in con- versation witli others, or in gazing at the women ; aud some are to be found who ridicule those who employ a greater portion of time in relitjious cereinonies : "What! you have taken an ass's load of religion.'' "Faith! \ou are become very religious — a very holy man. Eise, and go to your proper work." Three- fourths of the single tenth part attend to the daily duties of their religion in the following manner: — when they rise, they repeat the name of their jiuardian deity, make a reverential motion with the head and hands in remembrance of their absent spiritual guide, then wash themselves in the house, and pursue their business till noon. Should the wife or child have neglected to prepare the flowers, &c. for worship, the master of the family scolds his wife in some such words as these: — " Why do I labour to maintain you ? It is not because you can answer for me, or preserve me from punishment at death ; but that you may assist me in these things, that I may repeat the name of Goil, and perpare for a future state." If the son is to be reproved for such a neglect, the father asks him, if Jie is not ashamed to spend so much time in phiy, careless how much fatigue he undergoes to please himself, while he is unwilling to do the smallest trifle to please the gods. He declares himself ashamed of such a family, and desires to see their faces no more. He then gathers the flowers himself, and going to the river side, takes some clay, examines whether it be free fjom every impurity, lays it down, taking a morsel with him into the water, iramersso himself once, and tlien rubs himself with the clay, repeating this prayer, " O earth ! thou bearest the weight of the sins of all : take my sins upon thee, and grant nne deliverance." He tlien invites to him the river goddesses Yiimoona, GodavSree, Suriiswtitee, Nvirmuda, Siudhoo, and Kav^ree, that he may, in Gtinga, have the merit of bathing in them all at once, and again immerses himself, after repeating, " On such a day of the month, on such a day of the moon, &c. I (such a one) bathe in the southwards-flowing Gunga." He then offers up a prayer for himself in some such words as these; — " Ubbuyti-chiirnnii praying for final happiness for ten millions of his family, bathes in Giinga :" and then immerses again. Next, he repeats the day of the month, of the moon, &c., and immerses himself, while he utters, " Let my guardian dsity be propitious ;" and then ascends the bank, wiping his hair, and repeating the praises of Q&aga, as, " O Gunga, thou art the door of heaven, thou art the watery i/faage of religion, thou art the garland round the head of Shivn : the very cra«v-fish in thee are happy, while a king at a distance from thee is miserable." He then sits down, and repeats certain prayers to the sun for the removal of his sins among which is^ the celebrated gayfttree, " Zet us meditate on the adorable light of the divine Muler, (Savitree :) may it guide our intellects." He next pours out drink-offerings to Ynmil, to Brumha, Vishnoo, Eoodra,. the eiglit progenitors of mankind, to all the gods, and all living things in the three worlds, to certain sages, and at length to his forefathers, praying that they may hereby be satisfied. Now he forms, with the clay he had prepared, an imageoftheKngn, and worships it; which aet includes praise to one of the OK THE HINDOO RELIGION. Iv "rods, prayers for preservation, meditation On the form of the idol, hymns on the virtues of some deity, and repetitions of the^ names of the gods. He tlien returns home, antl repeats, if he has leisure, certain portions of one of the shastrns. Before he begins to eat, he offers up his food to his guardian deity saying, " I offer this food to such a god ;" and after sitting, with his eyes closed, as long as would be requisite to milk a cow, he takes the food and eats it. In the evening, just before sun-set, if he have a temple belonging to him, he presents some fruits, &c. to the image, repeats parts of the ceremonies of the forenoon, and the name of snnie deity at considerable length. When he retires to rest, lie repeats ihe word I'fidmu-nabhn, a name of Vishnoo. Perhnps one persoii in ten thousand carries these ceremonies a little farther than this.' As a person passes along the streets and roads he is continually reminded of one or otlier of these ceremonies : — here sits a man in his shcip, repeating the name of his guardian deity, or teaching it to his parrot' — the re go half a dozen voiragees, or other persons, making their journey to some holy place — here passes a person, carrving a basket on his head, containing rice, sweetmeats, fruits, flowers, &c. an offering lo his guardian deity — here comes a man with a chaplet of red flowers round his head, and the head of a goat in his hand, having left the blood and carcase before the image of Kalee — there sits a group of Hin- doos, listening to three or four persons rehearsing and chanting poetical versions of the poorauiis — here sits a man in the front of his house reading one of the pooranns" inoving his body like the trunk of a tree in a high wind — and (early in the morning) here comes a group of jaded wretches, who have spent the night in boisterously signing filtliy songs, and dancing in an indecent manner, before the image of Doorga — add to this, the villKgers, men and women, coming dripping from the banks of the Ganges — and the reader has a tolerable view of the Hindoo idolatry, as it stalks every day, along the streets and roads, and as it may be recognized by any carelesss observer. The reader will perceive, that in all these religious ceremonies not a particle is found to interest or amend the heart ; no family bible, 'profitable •■ This ceremony is supposed to bring great blessings both on tLe teacher and the scholar : the parrot obtains heaven, and so does its raaater. Numbers of Hindoos, particvilarly in a morning and evening, may be seen in the streets walking about with parrots in their hands, and repeating aloud to them, ' Eadha-Krishnif, Radha-Krishnif, KriahnS, KrishnS, Kadha, Kadha,' or ' Shivif -Doorga,' or ' Kalee-tKraK . Some are thus embloyed six months, others twelve or eighteen, before the parrot has learnt his lesson. The merit consists in having repeated the name of a god so great a number of times. " Heading a book, or having it read at a person'a house, even though the person himself should not understand it, is a most meritorious action. The love of learning for its own sake is unknown in Bengal : a Hindoo, if he applies to learning, always does it to obtain rupees^or heaven. When he opens one of the shastrKs, or even an account book, he makes a bow to the book. A shopkeeper, when he is about to balance his books, uncertain how the balance will fall, makes a vow to some god, that if by his favour he should not find himself in debt, he will present to him some offerings. Ivi INTRODUCTOBY REMARKS for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, that men may be thoroughly furnished unto all- good works ;' no domestic worship ; * no pious assembly where the village preacher ' attempts each art, reproves each dull delay, allures to brighter worlds, and leads the way.' No standard of morals to re- press the vicious ; no moral education in which the principles of virtue and religion may be implanted in the youthful mind. Here every thing that as- sumes the appearance of religion, ends (if you could forget its impurity) in an unmeaning ceremony, and leaves the heart cold as death to every moral principle. Hence the great bulk of the people have abandoned every from and vestige of religious ceremony. The bramhftn who communicated this informa- tion, attributed this general disregard of their religion to the kiilee-yoogii ; and consoled himself with the idea, that this deplorable state of things was an exact fulfilment of certain prophecies in the pooraniis. Some persons may plead, the doctrine of a state of future rewards and punishments has always been supposed to have a strong influence on public morals : the Hindoos not only have this doctrine in their writings, but are taught to consider every disease and misfortune of life as an undoubted symptom of moral disease and the terrific appearances of its close-pursuing punishment — can this fail to produce a dread of vice, and a desire to merit the favour of the Deity? I will still further assist the objector, and inform him, that the Hindoo writings declare, that till every immoral taint is removed, every sin atoned for, and the mind has obtained perfect abstraction from material objects, it is impossible to be re-united to the Great Spirit ; and that, to obtain this perfection, the sinner must linger in many hells, and transmigrate through al- most every form of matter. Great as these terrors are, there is nothing more palpable than that, with most of the Hindoos, they do not weigh the weight of a feather, compared with the loss of a rupee. The reason is obvious : every Hindoo considers all his actions as the effect of his destiny ; he laments perhaps his miserable fate, but he resigns himself to it without a struggle, like the malefactor in a condemned cell. To this may be added, what must have forced itself on the observation of every thoughtful observer, that, in the absence of the religious principle, no outward terrors, especially those which are invisible and future, not even bodily sufferings, are sufficient to make men virtuous. — Painfid experience proves, that even in a Christian country, if the religious principle does not exist, the excellency and the rewards of virtue, and the dishonour and misery attending vice, may be held up to men for ever, without making a single convert. But let us now advert to the pernicious errors inculcated in the Hindoo writings, and to the vices and miseries engendered by the popular superstition : — The Bhngiivnt-Geeta contains the following most extraordinary descrip- tion of God : — ' Simjiiyu. The mighty compound and divine being Hiiree, having, O raja, thus spoken, made evident and to Urjoona his supreme and * The women and children take no share in the worship performed by the master of the family. It is not supposed to belong to them. See p. 198. ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. Ivii lieavenly form ; of many a mouth and eye ; many a heavenly ornament ; many an upraised weapon; adorned with celestial robes and chaplets; anointed with lieavenly essence ; covered with every marvellous thing ; the eternal God, whose countenance is turned on every side ! The glory and amazing splendour of this mighty being may be likened to the sun rising at once into the heaven?, with a thousand times more than usual brightness. The son of Pandoo then beheld within the body of the god of gods, standing together, the whole universe divided into its vast variety. He was overwhelmed with wonder, and every hair was raised an end. He bowed down his head before the god, and thus addressed him with joined hands: — Urjoqnu. I behold, O god ! within thy breast, the devns assembled, and every specific tribe of beings. I see Brumha, that diety sitting on his lotus-throne ; all the rishees and heavenly coriiglis : I see thyself, on all sides, of infinite shape, formed with abundant arms, and bellies, and mouths, and eyes ; but I can neither discover thy beginning, thy middle, nor again thy end. O universal lord, form of the universe ! I see thee with a crown, and ar.-ned with club and chtikrti, a mass of glory, darting refulgent beams around. I see thee, difficult to be seen, shining on all sides with light immeasurable, like the ardent fire, or glorious, sun. I see thee of valour infinite ; the sun and moon thy eyes ; thy mouth a flaming fire ; and the whole world shining with reflected glory ! The space between the heavens and the earth is possessed by thee alone, and every point around ; the three regions of the uni- verse, O mighty spirit ! behold the wonders of thy avvful countenance with troubled minds. Of the celestial bands, some I see fly to thee for refuge ; whilst some, afraid, with joined hands sing forth thy praise. The miihnrshees, holy bands, hail thee, and glorify thy name with adoring praises. The roodras, the adityns, the viisoos, and all those beings the world esteemeth good ; tishwinn, and koomarii, the mnroots and the ooshmiipas, the gtindhiirviis and yiikshiis, with the holy tribes of nsooriis ; all stand gazing on Ihee, and all alike amazed ! The worlds, alike with me, are terrified to behold thy wondrous form gigantic ; with many mouths and eyes ; with many arms, and legs, and breasts ; with many bellies, and with rows of dreadful teeth ! Thus as I see thee, touching the heavens, and shining with such glory ; of such various hues ; with widely-op- ened mouths, and bright expanded eyes ; I am disturbed within me ; my resolution faileth me, O Vishnoo ! and I find no rest ! Having beholden thy dreadful teeth, and gazed on thy countenance, emblem of time's last fire, I know not which way I turn ! I find no peace ! Have mercy then, O god of gods ! thou mansion of the universe! The sons of Dhritilrashtrii, now, with all those rulers of the land, Bheeshmn, Dronii, the son of Sootii, and even the fronts of our army, seem to be precipitating themselves hastily into thy mouths, discover- ing such frightful rows of teeth ! whilst some appear to stick between thy teeth with their bodies sorely mangled.'" — It should be observed, that this frightful description of the Hindoo Supreme Being does^not relate to the ferocious Kalee, « Wilkins's translation of the BhSgifvStS QSeta. H Iviii INTRODUCTORY REMARKS drinking the blood of the giants ; but it is tlie plaj'ful Krisluili wlio tlius shews his dreadful teeth, with the mangled bodies of the family of Dhritiiiashtrii sticking between them. No question occurs so frequently in the Hindoo shastrSs as this — ' What is God ?' To know whether he exists or not, page upon page has been written ; and this question has been agitated in every period of Hindoo history, wherever two or three ptindits happened to meet, with a solicitude, but, at the same time with, an uncertainty, wHch carries us at once to the apostolic declaration, ' The world by wisdom knew not God.' Some ptindits call him the invisible and ever-blessed; others conceive of him as possessing form, others have the idea that he exists like an inconceivably small atom ; sometimes he is male ; at other times female ; sometimes both male and female, producing a world by conjugal union ; sometimes the elements assume his place, and at other times he is a deified hero. Thus in 330,000,000 of forms, or names, this nation, in the emphatical language of St. Paul, has been, from age to age, ' feeling after' the Supreme Being, like men groping 'in the region and shadow of death;' and, after so many centuries, the question is as much undetermined as ever — What is God ? One day, in conversation with the Siingskritii head-pundit of the College of Fort William, on the subject of God, this man, who is truly learned in his own shastrSs, gave the author, from one of their books, the following parable : . — In a certain country there existed a village of blind men, who had heard of an amazing animal called the elephant, of the shape of which, however, they could procure no idea. One day an elephant passed through the place : the villagers crowded to the spot where the animal was standing ; and one of them seized his trunk, another his ear, another his tail, another one of liis legs. After thus endeavouring to gratify their curiosity, they returned into the village, and sittin's- down together, began to communicate their ideas on the shape of the elephant to the villagers : the man who had seized his trunk said, he thought this animal must be like the body of the plantain tree ; he who had touched his ear was of opinion, that he was like the winnowing fan ; the man who had laid hold of his tuil said, he thought he must resemble a snake ; and he who had caught his le"- declared, he must be like a pillar. An old blind man of some judgment was present, who, though greatly perplexed in attempting to reconcile these jarring notions, at length said — ' You have all been to examine this animal, and what you report, therefore, cannot be false : I suppose, then, that the part resemblino- the plantain tree must be his trunk ; what you thought similar to a fan must be his ear ; the part like a snake must be the tail ; and that like a pillar must be his leg.' In this way the old man, uniting all their conjectures, made out something of the form of the elephant. — 'Respecting God,' added the piindit, ' we are all blind ; none of us have seen him ; those who wrote the shastrSs like the old blind man, have collected all the reasonings and conjectures of mankind together, and have endeavoured to form some idea of the nature of the divine ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. lix Being.' " It is an irresistible argument in favour of the majesty, simplicity, and truth of the Holy Scriptures, that nothing of this uncertainty has been left on the mind of the most illiterate Christian. However mysterious the subject, vpe never hear such a question started in Christian countries — What is God ? The doctrine of a plurality of gods, with their consequent intrigues, crimi- nal amours, quarrels, and stratagems to counteract each other, has produced the most fatal effects on the minds of men. Can we expect a people . to be better than their gods ? Briimha was inflamed with evil desires towards his own daughter.' — Vishnoo, when incarnate as Bamiinii, deceived king 3iilee, and deprived him of his kingdom. ^ — Shivfi's wife was constantly jealous on account of his amours, and charged him with associating with the women of a low caste at Coooh-Behar. The story of Shivii and Moliinee, a female form of "Vishnoo,' is shockingly indelicate.'' — Vrihilsp'iitee, the spiritual guide of the gods, com- mitted a rape on his eldest brother's wife. ' — ^Indrii was guilty of dishonouring the wife of his spiritual guide. '' — Sooryti ravished a virgin named Koontee.' — Yiimii, in a passion, kicked his own mother, wlio cursed him, and afflicted him with a swelled leg, which to this day the worms are constantly devouring." Ugnee was inflamed with evil desires towards six virgins, the daughters of as many sages ; but was overawed by the presence of his wife ■■ — Bnliiramii was a great drunkard" . — Vayoo was cursed by DSikshil, for making his daughters crooked when they refused his embraces. He is also charged with a scandalous connection with a female monkey, i" — When Vfiroonii was walking in his own heaven, he was so smitten with the charms of OorvSshee, a courtezan, that, after a long contest, she was scarcely able to extricate herself from him. '> — ■ Krishnii's thefts, wars, and adulteries are so numerous, that his whole history seems to be one jininterrupted series of crimes. "■ — In the images of Kalee, she is represented as treading on the breast of her husband, a — LSkshmee and SliruswiiteD, the wives of Vishnoo, were continually quarrelling. ' — It is worthy of enquiry, how the world is governed by these gods more wicked than men that we may be able to judge liow far they can be the objects of faith, hope and affection. Let us open the Hindo sacred writings : here we see the Creator and the Preserver perpetually counteracting each other. Sometimes the Preserver is destroying, and at other times the Destroyer is preserving. On a certain occasion," Shivn granted to the great enemy of the gods, Eavtinii, a blessino- which set all their heavens in an uproar, and drove the 330,000,000 of gods into a state of desperation. Brrimha created Koombhii-kiirna, a monster larger than the whole island of Liinka ; but was obliged to doom him to an almost perpetual sleep, to prevent his producing an universal famine. This « Acts xvii. 27. ^ See Kalika pooranH. b See MnhabharKtif. k Ibid, ' Ibid. '' Ibid. i Ibid. ^ See MShabharKtrt. " Ibid. « Ibid. p See Bamayffnff. i Ibid. ' See the Shree-bhagifvtftlt. » See the Markttndeyif poorantf. ' See the YrihSddhKrmK pooranK. " See the Ramytotf. Ix INTRODUCTORY REMARKS pod is often represented as bestowing a blessing, to remove the effects of wMch Vishnoo is obliged to become incarnate : nay, these effects have not in some cases been removed till all the gods have been dispossessed of their thrones, and obliged to go a begging ; till all human affairs have been thrown into confusion, and all the elements seized and turned against the Creator, the Preserver, and the Eeproducer. When some giant, blessed by BrSmha, has destroyed the creation, Vishuoo and ShivH have been applied to ; but they have confessed that they could do nothing for the tottering universe. Eeverence for the gods, especially among the poor, as might be expected, does not eiceed their merits ; yet it is a shocking fact, that language like the following should be used respecting what the Hindoos suppose to be the Provi- dence which governs the world : — when it thunders awfully, respectable Hin- doos say, ' Oh ! the gods are giving us a bad day;' the lower orders say, 'The rascally gods are dying.' During a heavy rain, a woman of respectable caste frequently says, ' Let the gods perish ! my clothes are all wet.' A man of low caste says, ' These rascaDy gods are sending more rain.' In witnessing such a state of gross ignorance, on a subject of infinite moment to men, how forcibly do we feel the truth and the wisdom of the declaration of the Divine Author of the Christian religion, ' This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God !' A correct knowledge of the Divine perfec- tions, in the mind of a sincere Christian, is a treasure which transcends in value all the riches of the earth : for instance, how much does the doctrine of the Divine Unity tend to fix the hope and joy of the Christian ! but the poor Hin- doo knows not, amongst so many gods, upon whom to call, or in whom to trust. In the spirituality of the Divine Nature, united to omniscience and omnipresence, the Christian finds a large field for the purest and most sublime contemplations ; but the degraded idolater, walking round his pantheon, sees beings that fill him only with shame or terror : he retires from the image of Kalee overwhelmed with horror, and from those of Eadha-KrishnS with confusion and contempt — or else inflamed with concupiscence. How effectual to awaken the fears and excite the salutary apprehensions of those who neglect their best interests, is the scripture doctrine of the Divine Purity and Justice ; but the wretched Hindoo has the examples of the most corrupt beings, even in his gods, to lead him to perdition. How necessary to the happiness of a good man, are just ideas of the wisdom, and equity, and beneficence, of providential dispensations : — the reader has seen how impossible it is for a Hindoo to derive the smallest consolation in adversity from the doctrine of the shaatriis respecting the government of the world. How consoling to a person, sensible of many failings, is the doctrine of the Divine Mercy : — but these heathens have nothing held out to encourage the hopes of the penitent ; nothing short of perfect abstraction, and the extinction of every desire, qualify for deliverance from matter.— The sincere Christian, with his knowledge of God, ' casteth all his care on his Father, who is in heaven ;' and the language of his mind, ON THE HINDOO KELIGION. Ixi invigorated by tlie living waters flowing from the fountain of eternal truth, is, ' Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel ;' ' Though I walk through the valley and even the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.' The Hindoo writings farther teach, that it is the Great Spirit which is diflfused through every form of animated matter; that actions of every, kind are his ; that he is the charioteer, and the body the chariot ;' that it is the highest attainment of human wisdom to realize the fact, that the human soul and Bramhu are one and the same. By this doctrine all apeoumtability is destroyed, and liability to punishment rendered preposterous. How often has the author heard it urged by the most sensible Hindoos, tliat the moving cause of eveay action, however flagitious, is God; that man is an instrument upon which God plays what tune he pleases. Another modification of this doctrine is that of fate, or unchangeable destiny, embraced, without a dissentient voice, by all the Hindoos. Thus the Deity on his throne is insulted as the author of all crimes, and men are emboldened to rush forward in the swiftest career of iniquity. The sacred writings of the Hindoos encourage the bramhuns to despise the great body of the people, and teach them, that the very sight and touch of a s^oodrii renders them unclean. To be contented in ignorance is the duty of a shoodrn, as well as to drink with reverence and hope the water in which the bramhnn has dipped his foot. The services 'too and the hopes held forth by this religion, are almost exclusively confined to the bramhuns. The shoodrn is supposed to be born to evil destiny ; and the only hope he can indulge is, that after a long succession of transmigrations he may probably be born a bramhiin. The subjugation of the passions, so much insisted upon in the Hindoo shastrns, applies to all virtuous as well as vicious desires. The person who is divested of aU desire, even t^at of obtaining God, is described as having arrived at the summit of perfection. The love of parents, of children, &c. is an imperfection, according'to the Hindoo code : hence says Krislinu, ' Wisdom is exemption from attachment and aft'ection for children, wife, and home'' .' "^ See the VedantS-sarii. y At the time a learned native was assisting the Kev. Mr. Carey in the transla- tion of the New Testament into the SHngskrittf, wlien such passages as these were translating, ' Henceforth know I no man after the flesh ;' ' We are dead, and our life is hid,' &c. ' I am crucified to the world ;' ' We are fools for Christ ;' ' We are made a. spectacle,' &o. he exclaimed, ' This is pure voirageeism : Paul was a true Pm-um- hungsee.' Yet the divine principles upon which Paul trampled upon the world, and devoted himself supremely to God, have no existence in the shatrfts. The Hindoo principle is mere stoicism ; its origin is either selfishness, or infatuated ambition : but the principle of the apostle, was the love of Christ, who died on a cross for his enemies— as he himself says, ' The love of Chiist. like an irresistible torrent, bears us away;' ' If we are beside ourselves, it is for your, sakes.' Ixii INTRODUCTORY REMARKS These shastms also teach, that sin may be removed by the slightest cere- mony ; and thus, instead of reformins, they promise impunity in transgression. See different stories in pp. 51, 168, 170. The tit'liuryvS vedii contains many jprayers for the destruction of enemies; and gives a list of offerings proper to be presented to Bhiigiiviitee, that she may be induced to assist in the gratification of revengeful passions : among the rest, the worshipper is to make a paste image of a man, cut off its head, and offer this head to the goddess, with a burnt-sacrifice, &c. Is it not reasonable to suppose, that human sacrifices preceded the cutting off the head of this man of paste ; and that one man was sacrificed and offered to the gods to induce them to destroy another ? In the Institutes of Miinob a man is allowed to commit adultery, if the female consent; to steal, for the sake of performing a religious cereinony ; and to perjure himself, from benevolent motives : they also allow of lying, to preserve the life of a bramh'iin, to appease an angry wife, or to please a mistress, ^ What is still worse, in this code a bramhiin, in case of want, is permitted to steal, not from the rich merely, but — from his slave ! It is a common senti- ment among this people, that in secular transactions lying is absolutely necessary ; and peijury is so common, that it is impossible to rely upon the testimony of Hindoo witnesses. The natives ridicule the idea of administering justice by oral testimony. I have given in p. 283, a few examples of persons raised to heaven by their own works, to sliew that these works have nothing to do with real morality. But how shall we describe the unutterable abominations con- nected with the popular superstition ? The author has witnessed scenes which can be clothed in no language, and has heard of other abominations pi'actised in the midst of religious rites, and in the presence of the gods, which, if they could be described, would fill the whole Christian world with disgust and horror. Let impenetrable darkness cover them till ' the judgment of the great day.' Men are sufficiently corrupt by nature, without any outward excitements to evil in the public festivals ; nor have civil nor spiritual terrors, the frowns of God and governors united, been found suffi.cient to keep within restraint the 2 If a man, by the impulse of lust, tell lies to a woman, or if his own life would otherwise be lost, or all the goods of his house spoiled, or if it is for the benefit of a bramhSu, in such affairs falsehood is allowable.' Halhed's Code of Gentoo Laws.— How can we wonder that the Hindoos should be so addicted to falsehood, when even in the rig-v^dff, approached with profound reverence by so many Christian infidels, we find monstrous exaggerations like the following ?— » EhltrKtS distributed in MKshnarK a hundred and seven thousand millions of black elephants with white tusks, and decked with gold.' ' A sacred fire was lighted for BhtfrKtif, sou of Dooshfinttt, in Saoliigoontf, at which a thousand bramh^fns shared a thousand millions of cows a piece.' See Mr. Colebroohe's Essay. ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. Ixiii overflowings of iniquity :— but what must be the moral state of that country, where the sacred festivals, and the very forms of religion, lead men to every species of vice ! These festivals and public exhibitions excite universal atten- tion, and absorb, for weeks together, almost the whole of the public conversation :'_and such is the enthusiasm with which they are hailed, that the whole country seems to be thown into a ferment : health, property, time, business, every thing is sacrificed to them. In this manner are the people prepared to receive impressions from tlieir national, institutions. If these institutions were favourable to vii'tue, the effects would be most happy ; but as, in addition to their fascination, they are exceedingly calculated to corrupt the mind, the most dreadful consequences follow, and vice, like a mighty torrent, flows through the plains of Bengal, with the force of the flood-tide of the Ganges, carrying along with it young and old, the learned and the ignorant, rich and poor, all castes and descriptions of people — into an awful eternity ! In short, the characters of the gods; and the licentiousness which prevails at their festivals, and abounds in their popular works, with the enervating nature of the climate, have made the Hindoos the most effeminate and corrupt people on earth. I, have, in the course of this work, exhibited so many proofs of this fact, that I will not again disgust the reader by going into tlie subject. Suffice it to say, that fidelity to marriage vows is almost unknown among the Hindoos ; the intercourse of the sexes approaches very near to that of the irrational animals. The husband almost invariably lives in criminal intercourse during the pupilage of his infant wife ; and she, if she becomes a widow, cannot marry, and in consequence, being destitute of a protector and of every moral principle, becomes a willing prey to the lascivious. Add to all this, the almost incredible number of human victims which annu- ally fall in this Aceldama. I have ventured on an estimate of ihe number of Hindoos who annually perish, the victims of the bramhinical religion'; (p. 254,) and have supposed, that they cannot amount to less than 10,500 I Every additional information I obtain, and the opinions of the best informed persons with whom I am acquainted, confirm me in the opinion, that this estimate is too low, that the havoc is far greater, however difficult it may be to bring the mind to contemplate a scene of horror which out-does all that has ever been perpetrated in the name of religion by all the savage nations put to- gether. These cruelties, together with the contempt which the Hindoos feel for tlie body as a mere temporary shell, cast off at pleasure, and the disorganizing effects of the caste, render them exceedingly unfeeling and cruel : of which their want of every national provision for the destitute ; their leaving multitudes to perish before their own doors, unpitied and even unnoticed ; the inhuman manner in which they bum the bodies of their deceased relations, and their savage triumph when spectators of a widow burning in the flames of the funeral pile, are awful examples. Ixiv INTRODUCTOKT REMARKS But to know the Hindoo idolatry, as it is, a person must wade tlirough the filth of the thirty-six pooraiins and other popular books — he must read and hear the modern popular poems and songs — he must follow the bramhrin through his midnight orgies, before the image of Kalee, and other goddesses; or he must accompany him to the nightly revels, the jatras, and listen to the filthy dialogues which are rehearsed respecting Krishnii and the daughters of the milk- men ; or he must watch him, at midnight, choking, with, the mud and waters of the Ganges, a wealthy rich relation, while in the delirium of a fever ; or, at the same hour, while murdering an unfaithful wife, or a supposed domestic enemy ; burnin" the body before it is cold, and washing the blood from his hands in the saered stream of the Granges ; or he must look at the bramhiln, hurrying the trembling half-dead widow round the funeral pile, and throwing her, like a long of wood by the side of the dead body of her husband, tying her, and then holding her down with bamboo levers till the fire has deprived her of the power of rising and running away. — After he has followed the bramhiin through all these horrors, he will only have approached the threshold of this temple of Moloch, and he will begin to be convinced, that to know the Hindoo idolatry, AS IT IS, a man must become a Hindoo — rather, he must become a bramhiin ; for a poor shoodra, by the very circumstances of his degradation, is restrained from many abominations which bramhiins alone are privileged to commit. And when he has done this, let him meditate on this system in its effects on the mind of the afflicted or dying Hindoo, as described in pp. 277, 278, and 285 ; on reading which description he will perceive, that in distress the Hindoo utters the loudest murmurs against the gods, and dies in the greatest perplexity and agitation of mind. The state of things serves to explain the mysterious dispensations of Provi- dence, in permitting the Hindoos to remain ss long in darkness, and in causino- them to suffer so much formerly under their Mahometan oppressors. The mur- der of so many myriads of victims has armed heaven against them. Let us hope that now, in the midst of judgment, a gracious Providence has remembered mercy, and placed them under the fostering care of the British government, that they may enjoy a happiness to which they have been hitherto strangers. If then this system of heathenism communicates no purifying knowledge of the divine perfections, supplies no one motive to holiness while living, no com- fort to the aflfl-icted, no hope to the dying ; but on the contrary excites to every vice, and hardens its followers in the most flagrant crimes ; how are we to account for the conduct of its apologists, except in the recollection, that the sceptical part of mankind have always been partial to heathenism. Voltaire, Gibbon, Hume, &c. have been often charged with a strong partiality for the Grecian and Eoman idolatries ; and many Europeans in India are suspected of having made large strides towards heathenism. Even Sir Wm. Jones, whose recommendation of the Holy Scriptures (found in his Bible after his death) has been so often and so deservedly quoted, it is said, to please his piindit, was accustomed to study ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. Ixv the sbastriis with the image of a Hindoo god placed on his table: — his fine metrical translations of idolatrous hymns are known to every lover of verse.* In the same spirit, we observe, that, figures and allusions to the ancient idola- tries are retained in almost all modern poetical compositions, and even in some Christian writings. However wonderful this partiality of professed Christians to heathenism may be, it is not more extraordinary than the extravagant lengths into which some learned men have pone in their expectations from the antiquity of the Hindoo writings. Mr. Halhed. seems to prefer Hindooism to Christianity pure- ly on account of its boasted antiquity"". Dr. Stiles, president of Yale College, in North America, formed such an enthusiastic expectation from the amazing antiquity of the Hindoo writings, that he actually wrote to Sir William Jones, to request him to search among the Hindoos for the Adamic books. Had not this. gentleman been a zealous Christian, it is likely his extravagant expectations might have led him to ask Sir William to translate and send him a book two or three millions of years old, written in some kiilpii amidst the endless succession of worlds. Por sometime, a very unjust and unhappy impression appeared to have been made on the public mind, by the encomiums passed on the Hindoo writings. In the first place, they were thus elevated in their antiquity beyond the Chris- tian Scriptures, the writings of Moses having been called the productions of yesterday, compared with those of the bramhSns. The contents of these books also were treated with the greatest reverence ; the primitive religion of the Hin- doos, it was said, revealed the most sublime doctrines, and inculcated a pure morality. We were taught to make the greatest distinction between the ancient and modern religion of the Hindoos ; for the apologists for Hindooism did not approve of its being judged of by present appearances. Some persons endeavoured to persuade us, that the Hindoos were not idolaters, because they maintained the unity of God ; though they worshipped the works of their own hands as God, and though the number of their gods was 330,000,000. It is i ' I could not help feeling a degree of regret, in reading lately the Memoirs of the admirable and estimable Sir William Jones. Some of his researches in Asia have no doubt incideritally served the cause of religion ; but did he think the \s,st possible di- rect service had been rendered to Christianity, that his accomplished mind was left at leisure for hymns to the Hindoo gods ? Was not this a violation even of the neutrality, and an offence, not only against the gospel, but against, theism itself? I know what may be said about personification, license of poetry, and so on : but should not a wor- shipper of God hold himself under a sojemn ofeligation to adjure all tolerance of even poetical figures that can seriously seem, in any way whatever, to recognize the pagan divinities, or abominations, as the prophets of Jehovah would have called them ? What would Elijah have said to such an employment of talents ? It would have availed little to have told him, that these divinities were onlypersonifications (with their appropriate representative idols) of objects in nature, of elements, or of abstractions. He would have sternly replied — And was not Baal, whose prophets I destroyed, the same !' See Foster's incomparable Essays. ' ' Is Mr. Halhed an example of the amazing credulity of unbelievers in every case, wherein the Holy Bible is not concerned ? When he wrote bis ' Code of Gentoo Laws,' I Ixvi INTRODUCTORY REMARKS very probable, that the unity of God has been a sentiment amongst tlie philosophers of every age ; and that they wished it to be understood, that they worshipped the One God, whether they bowed before the image of Moloch, Jupiter, or Kalee : yet mankind have generally concluded, that he who worships an image is an idolater ; and I suppose they will continue to think so, unless, in this age of reason, common sense should be turned out of doors. Now, however, the world has had some opportunity of deciding upon the claims of the Hindoo writings, both as it respects their antiquity, and the value of their contents. Mr. Colebrooke's essay on the vedtis, and his other import- ant translations ; the Bhtigiivftt-Geeta, translated by Mr. Wilkins ; the trans- lation of the Eamaynnii, several volumes of which have been printed ; some valuable papters in the Asiatic Besearches ; with other translations by different Stingskritil scholars ; have thrown a great body of light on this subject i— ^and this light is daily increasing. Many an object appears beautiful when seen at a distance, and through a mist ; but wlien the fog has dispersed, and the person has approached it, he smiles at the deception. Such is the exact case With these books, and this -system of idolatry. Because the public, for want of being more familiar with the subject, could not ascertain the point of time when this Hindoo shastrHs were written, they therefore at once believed the assertions of the bramhunsand their friends, that their antiquity was unfathomable. The Eeverend Mr. Maurice has attempted to describe the Hindoo cere- monies, which he never saw, in the most captivating terms, and has painted these ' abominable idolatries' in the most florid colours. It might have been expected, (idolatry being in itself an act so degrading to man, and so dishonour- able to God,) that a Christian divine would have been shocked while writing in this manner. If Mr. Maurice think there is something in Hindooism to excite the most sublime ideas, let him come and join in the dance before the idol ; — -or assist the bramhnns in crying Hiiree bul I Hilree bul ' .' while the he hesitated to believe the Bible, because it was out' done in chronology by the his. tories of the Chinese and Hindoos. With sacred reverence he exclainis, at the close of his account of the four yoogifs, ' To such antiquity the Mosaic creation is but as yesterday ; and to such ages the lite of Methuselah is no more than a span !' He aays, in another page, ' The conscientious scruples of Brydone will always be of "some weight in the scale of philosophy.' If the age or reign of BriSinha, Viz., 55,987,200,000,000 years, excited such sacred awe in the mind of this gentleman, what would have been his sensations, and how strong his faith in ' holy writ' of the Hindoos, if he had hap- pened to read in the RamayunS the account of Ramu's army ; which, this 'holy writ' says, amoimted to 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 soldiers, or rather monkies ? Again, two thousand times the four yoogus, or 8,640,000,000 years, is the age of the sage Markiiudgk*! 1 What, in the name of 'Mr. Halhed, is the life of Methuselah to this ?— This unbeliever in Moses became at last, it is said, a firm believer in Richard Brothers I ' Sounds of triumph, which the bramhnns use when the fii-e of the funeral pile begins to burn, and when they are choking a dying person with the water of the Ganges. These Words literally mean, 'call upon Htiree,' or repeat the name of HKree, viz., KrisUnSf. In their popular use, they arc like the English phrase, Kvzi«, ! Kiicsa I ON THE HINDOO IlEI,IGION. Ixvii fire is seizing the limbs of the yowng and unfortunate Hindoo widow ;— or let him attend at the sacrificing of animals before the images of Kalee and Doorga '; — or come and join in the dance, stark naked, in the public street, in open day, before the image of Doorga, in the presence of thousan,d,s of spectators, young and old, male and female. He will find, that the sight will never make these holy bramhiins, these mild and innocent Hindoos, blush for a moment. — Seriously, should sights like these raise the ardour of enthusia,sm, or chill the blood of a Chiistinn minister ?. Say, ye who blush for human, nature sunk in shame. As a clergyman, Mr. Mauiice should have known, that antiquity sanctifies nothing :— ' The sinner, being an Imndred years old, shall be accursed.' , What will a sober Christian say to the two following paragraphs, inserted in the fifth volume of the Indian Antiquities ?» ' Mr^ Eorbes, of Stanmore-hill, in his elegaut museum of Indian rarities, numbers tvyo of the bells that have been u^ed in devotion by the bramh.ilns. They are great cuijiosities, and one of them in particular appears to be of very high antiquity, in form very muoli resembling the cup of the lotog ; and the tune of it isi uncommonly soft and > melodious. I could not avoid being deeply aiiecte4 with the sound of an instrument which had been actually employed to kindle the flame of that superstition, which I have attempted so extensively to unfold. My transported thoughts travelled back to the remote period, when the bramhnn religion, blazed forth in all its splendour in the caverns of elephanta : I was, for a moment, entranced, and caught the ardour of enthusiasm. A tribe of vener-;^ able priests, arrayed in flowing stoles, and decorated with high tiq,ra,Sj seemed assembled around me; the mystic song of initiation vibrated in my ear; I breathed an air fragrant with the richest perfumes, and contemplated the Deity in the fire that symbolized him.' In another place:— 'She [the Hindoo relio-iou] wears the similitude of a beautiful and radiant Cherub from Heaven, bearing on his persuasive lips the accents of pardon and peace, and on his silken wings benefaction and blessing.' The sacred scriptures, of which this writer professes to be a teacher, in every part, mark idolatry as the abominable thing which God hatbth. Mr. Maurice calls it, ' a beautiful and radiant cherub from heaven.' How .this Christian minister will reconcile his ideas of idolatry with those of his Great Master in the great day of final account, I must leave; but I recomn-.end to him, and to all Europeans who think there is not much harm in Hindooism, tlie perusal of the following passages from the word of the teue aAd living God :— ' If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, a While the author cannot but withhold his assent from Mr. Maurice's application of the Hindoo triad, and the whole of his attempt to illustrate Scripture doctrines from the ancient systems of idolatry, he embraces this opportunity of expressing his admira- tion of the great merit of this singular and masterly work. Ixviii INTRODUCTORY REMARKS thou, nor thy fathers ; (namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far oft' from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth ;) thou shall not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him ; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him : but thou shall surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die ; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. And all Israel shall hear and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.' Beat. xiii. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. — I quote this remarkable passage, not because I think the Christian dispen- sation allows of punishing idolaters with death, but to shew how marked is the divine abhorrence of this sin. ' And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.' Lemticus xxvi. 30. — ' Cursed be the man that maketh au-y graven image, any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsmen, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say. Amen.' Deut. xxvii. 15. — ' Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon aU the cities of Judah ; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein. Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to bum incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers. Howbeit, I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and send- ing them, saying, O do not this abominable thing that I hate. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods. Wherefore my fury and mine anger was pour- ed forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem ; and they are wasted and desolate, us at this day.' Jeremiah xliv. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. — ' And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols ?' 3 Cor. vi. 16. — ' For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.' 1st Peter iv. 3. — ' But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore-mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone : which is the second death.' liev. xxi. 3. Let every conscientious Christian fairly weigh these portions of the divine word, and then say, whether there be not, according to the spirit of these pas- sages, a great degree of criminality attached to the person who in any way countenances idolatry. I am not ashamed to confess, that I fear more for the continuance of the British power in India, from the encouragement which Englishmen have given to the idolatry of ihe Hindoos, tlian from any other quarter whatever. The Governor of the world said to the Israelites, in parti- cular reference to idolatry, ' If ye walk contrary to me, I will walk contrary to you.' Moses, in the name of Jehovah, thus threatens tie Jews, if they ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. Ixix countenanceidolatry:— ' I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it : ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.' It cannot be doubted, that in every case in which either a person, or a nation, begins' to think favonrably of idolatry, it is a mark of departure in heart and practice from the living God : it was always so con- sidered among the Jews. There is scarcely any thing in Hindooism, when truly known, in which a learned man can delight, or of which a benevolent man can approve ; and I am fully persuaded, that there will soon be but one opinion on the subject, and that this opinion will be, that the Hindoo system is less ancient than tlie Egyptian, and that it is the most puerile, impure, and BLOODY OF ANY SYSTEM OF IDOLATliY THAT WAS EVER ESTABLISHED ON EARTH. To this description of the Hindoo Mythology, the author has added ac- counts of the principal Hindoo Seceders, including the sects founded by Booddhu, Kishiibhti-devii, Nanakii, and Choitiinyii. All the founders of these sects appear to have been religious mendicants, who, animated by excessive enthusiasm, have attempted to carry certain points of the Hindoo system farther than the regular Hindoos, particularly those which respect severe mortifications. Naniikii and Choitiinyii were less rigid, and do not seem to have pressed the importance of religious austerities. Booddhii and Eishudhu-dev'ti evidently adiiered to the systems of those Hindoo philoso- phers who were atheists.'' Both these systems are comprised in two or three doctrines .- — the world is eternal, and possesses in itself the energy which gives rise to what we call creation, preservation, and resuscitation ; religion (Dhnrrali) regulates all states, and is in fact what Christians call providence^ connected wiih absolute predes- tination ; the person who acquires the greatest portion of dhurmii: becofties a personification of religion, procures happiness for himself, and deserves the worship of others. Amongst nil excellent qualities, compassion is the cardinal virtue, especially as manifested in a rigid care not to hurt or destroy sentient beings. Without abating an atom of our abhorrence and contempt of a scheme of religion which excludes a God, it is a singular feature of this system of atheism, that it has placed the sceptre of universal government in an imagined being under the name of Eeligion ; or, to speak more correctly, in the hands of two beings, Ueliginn and Irreligion, who have the power of rewarding and punish, ing the virtuous and the vicious. In short, these heresiarchs have not promul- gated a system of atheism, without making some provision for the interests of morality in their way ; and if the idea of punishment alone would make men virtuous, a Bouddhii and a Joinu might attain a place in the niche of fame not much below thousands who believe in a First Cause. ^ The Shee-bhagtivtftK mentions BooddhS as the son of Unjifnif, of ..KeekStK ; and that CharvvakH, a celehrated atheist, embraced and published the real opinions of Booddirii. See Shree-bhagtfvrtttf, chap. i. sect. 3, IXX INTRODUCTOEY REMARKS As men are born under a certain destiny and as every action produces its destined fruit, little is left to human exertion, and in consequence religious ceremonies have little place in these systems. The on'y object of worship is a deceased or living peifect ascetic ; the I'ormer has temples erected to his memory, which contain his image, and before which a few ceremonies are performed similar to those before the Hindoo idols ; and the living mendicant is wor- shipped by the devout, wberever he happens to rest from his peregrinations. These men have almost entirely excluded from their system a social life ; and at present those Joinus, wlio find the rules of their guides too strict, are obliged to solicit the forms of marriage at the hands of some Hindoo priest. In the translation of the Temee Jatli, a Bouddhil work, (see p. 313,) the reader will perceive, that a monarch and all his subjects abandoned a civil life at the call of the monarch's son, an ascetic, and sought in a forest that abstraction from secular concerns which they considered as an essential preparation for re- union to the divine essence. The ceremonies of these two sects are all comprised in the worshipping of their saints, rehearsing their praises, listening to their sayings or written worksj and a rigid care to avoid the destruclion of animal life, even in its most diminutive forms. The Booddhiis and Joinns have not excluded, it is true, every thing pleasant from their religion, for a number of festivals are celebrated among them monthly or annually : but there is reason to suppose, that these are no parts of the original system, but the additions of meudicants less rigid in their principles and less austere in their manners. The Joiniis speak of the Bouddhils with a degree of contempt, as being very loose in their practice, praticularly as it regards the destruction of animal life. From this circumstance, and from the Joinns being still found in Hindoost'- hanS, as well as from the fact that they trace tlieir religion up to a very early Hindoo monarch, it may be conjectured, that they are the oldest of the two sects, and are the scattered remnants of those persecuted under the name of atheists, after the destruction of the Goutiimvi dynasty, or, as they were then called, Bouddhiis. Naniikii, the Shikh leader, does not appear to have had any connection with the atheists ; he disapproved of the excessive polytheism of the Hindoos, and wished to draw them to the worship of the one God, whom, however, he called by the names usually adopted by the Hindoos : Briimhn, Piirrim-eshwurii, Unadee, Nirakarn, &c. He did not publicly reprobate those parts of the Hindoo system to which he was most averse, but contented himself with observ- ing, that while he left them indifferent, the practice of them would not be ac- companied with the benefits held out by the Hindoo writers. He formed, from the bramhinical system, a new one, having little polytheism in it, but borrowing aU its principal doctrines from the Hindoo writings ; and he and his successors incorporated the whole in two volumes. The principal tenets of this seceder are : There is one invisible God, who is to be worshipped or honoured in holy men ; his name is to be repeated ; that spiritual guide is to be reverenced ; all e\il avoided; if images be adopted, they should be these of eminent ascetics. ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. Ixxi ]?iiture happiness, consisting in union to the divine nature, is secuved to those Shikhs who observe the rules laid down by their sacred books. Choitanyn, the last of the seceders, departed still less from regular liiudooism : his principal opposition was aimed at the rising sect of the shaktiis, or those who worship the female deities with bloody sacriiices : he testified his abhorrence of the destruction of animal life in sacrifices, and professed to be a rigid VoishniivS, adopting Krishnri, or Htiree, as his favourite deity. He did not proscribe the other gods, but set up Yishnoo as uniting all in himself; nor did he explode any tenet of Hindooism beside that relating to bloody sacrifices. A devout attachment to Krishnn ; a strict union among all his followers ; reverence for religious mendicants ; visiting holy places ; re- peating the name of Hiiree, and entertaining mendicant Voishniiviis, compose the prime articles in the creed of this sect. Such are the systems established by these Hindoo heresiarchs, each of which, though different in many essential points, is distinguished by one re- markable feature, reverence for mendicant saints, especially those who seem to liave carried abstraction of mind, seclusion from the world, and religious austeri- ties to the greatest lengths. Among the atheistical sects, these mendicants are regarded as personifications of religion ; and among the two last, as partial incarnations, or persons approaching the state of re-union to the Great Spirit. Respecting the priority of the atheistical or the bramhinical systems, the author has not been able entirely to satisfy his own mind. Some persons conjecture, that they see a coincidence betwixt the doctrines of the v^dds, and of the atheistical sects, respecting the origin of things, and the worship of the elements. It may be safely added, that to these systems succeeded the pouranic mythology, and after that the worship of the female deities with bloody sacri- fices. The whole of these systems, however, whenmore generally known, will, no doubt, exceedingly endear the ' Wokd of Tbuth' to every sincere Christian, and more and more prove, how deep and important a slake he has in the glorious gospel of the blessed God. THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY. BOOK I. OBJECTS OF WORSHIP. CHAPTER I. OF GOD. It is a painful reflection to every benevolent mind, that not a single Hindoo temple, dedicated to the One God, is to be found, in all Hindoost'hau ; nor is any act of worship, in any form, addressed by this people to God. The doctrines respecting the Divine Nature are considered as mere philosophical speculations, totally unconnected with religious services. It is true, indeed, that the Hindoos believe in the unity of God. ' One Briimhii, without a second,' is a phrase very commonly used by them when conversing on subjects which relate to the nature of God. They believe also that God is almighty, allwise, omnipresent, omniscient, fee, and they frequently speak of him as embracing in his government the happiness of the good, and the subjection or punishment of the bad : j^et they have no idea of •God's performing any act, either of creation or proyidence, except through the gods ; and thus are prevented all the beneficial effects which might have arisen out of their notions of the divine perfec- tions : for in the whole of the reigning superstition the gods alone are seen ; and these gods bear no more resemblance to the one true God, than darkness to light, than vice to virtue. Pei'ceiving, therefore, that the speculations of the Hindoo philosophers on the divine nature have no place whatever in the religion of the country, I have placed these dogmas in the preceding volume* * See Intrpdiiction, 2 VISHNOO— SOURCE OF ALL HINDU INCARNATIONS. CHAPTER II. OF THE GODS. The deities in the Hindoo pantheon amount to 330,000,000. Yet all these gods and goddesses may be resolved into the three principal ones, Vishnoo, Shivu, and Bmmha ; the elements ; and the three females, Doorga Liikshmee, and Siiriiswtttee. The follow- ing pages will contain accounts of all those at present worshipped by the Hindoos, particularly in the provinces of India under the English government. * " Sect. I. — Vishnoo. This god is represented in the form of a black man, with four arms ; in one of which he holds a club, in another a shell, in the third a chukrii^ and in the fourth a water-lily. He rides on Giirooru, an animal half-bird and half-man, and wears yellow garments. ' The Hindoo shastrtis give accounts of ten appearances or incar- nations of Vishnoo, in the character of the Preserver ; nine of which are said to be past. The first is called the Miitsytl incarnation. Brfimhu'', the one God, when he resolves to recreate the universe after a periodical destruction, first gives birth to Briimha, Vishnoo, and Shivii, to preside over the work of creation, preservation, and destruction. After a periodical dissolution of the universe, the four vddiis re- mained in the waters. In order to enter upon the work of creation, it was necessary to obtain these books, for the instruction of Brftmha. Vishnoo was therefore appointed to bring up the vddiis from the deep ; who, taking the form of a fish, (some say one. kind and some another,) descended into the waters, and brought up these sacred books. In the KGchyftpii incarnation, Vishnoo assumed the form of a tortoise, and took the newly created earth upon his back, to render it stable. The Hindoos believe that to this hour the earth is supr ported on the back of this tortoise. The Viirahti incarnation happened at one of the periodical des- tructions of the world, when the earth sunk into the waters. Vish- noo, the preserver, appearing in the form of a bdar fvurahti), des- cended into the waters, and with his tusks drew up the earth. ° An iron instrument of destruction like a -wheel. •> The reader will please to keep in mind that Brumhti means the one God, and that Brtimha means the idol of that name. V I SHNOO. Tublislied W J/fligtfinbothazn, Midrfts. A 'Ea,rreri.,l,]tJii ACCOUNTS OF THE TEN INCARNATIONS. 3 What contemptible ideas on such a subject ! The earth, with all its mountains, &c. &c. made fast on the back of a turtle, or drawn up from the deep by the tusks of a hog ! The fourth incarnation is called Niirtisinghii". Among other des- cendants of Diikshii, (the first man that Bi'ttmha^created,) was Ktish- yiipu, a moonee, and his four wives, Ditee, IJditee, Viniita, and Kiidroo. From Ditee, sprang the giants ; from Uditee, the gods ; . from Vin&ta, Giiroorii ; and from Ktidroo, the hydras. The giants possessed amazing strength, and amongst them two arose of terrific powers, named Hiriinyakshti.and Hirtinytt-kushipoo, both of whom performed religious austerities many thousand years to obtain im- mortality. Brflmha at length gave them a blessing apparently equivalent to that which they desired. He promised, that no com- mon being should destroy them ; that they should not die either in the day or in the night, in earth or in heaven, by fire, by water, or by the sword. After this these giants conquered all the king- doms of the earth, and even dethroned Indrti, the king of heaven. Indru, collecting all the gods, went to Br&mha, and intreated him to provide some way of deliverance, as the universe which he had created was destroyed. Brumha asked the gods, how he could destroy those who had obtained his blessing ? and advised them to go to Vishnoo. They obeyed, and informed this god of the miseries brought upon the universe by these giants, whom Brtimha had blessed. Narayunii promised to destroy them, which he did in the following manner : Hirttnyii-kiishipoo's son Prtilhadii was constan- tly absent from home pei'forraing religious austerities, at which his father became angry, and, tying a stone to his body, threw him into the water ; but Vishnoo descended, and liberated liim. His father next threw him under the feet of an elephant ; but the elephant took him up, and put him on its back. He then built a house of sealing wax, put his son into it, and set it on fire ; the wax melted, and fell upon Prulhadtt, but lie received no injury. The father next gave him poison, but without effect. At length, wearied of trying to kill him, he said, ' Where does your preserver Vishnoo dwell V ' He is every where,' says Prulhadu. ' Is he then in this pillar f 'Yes,' said the son. "i'hen,' said Hirttnyu-ktishipoo, 'I will kill him,' and gave the pillar a blow with his stick — when Vishnoo, in the form of half-lion, half-man, burst from the pillar; laid hold of Hirunjii-kiishipoo by the thighs- with his teeth, and tore him up the middle. This was in the evening, so that it was neither in. the day nor in the night; it was done under the droppings of the thatch, about which the Hindoos have a proverb, that this place is out of the earth; he was not killed by a man, but by a being half -man, half-lion : so that the promise of Brumha to him was not broken. Vishnoo next destroyed Hirftnyakshtt. After the death of his father, Priilhadii^ began to worship Vishnoo under " From ntlrH, a man ; and singhC, a lion. •i ACCOUNTS OF THE TEN INCARNATIONS. the form which he had assumed, and with tears, enquired into tlie future fate of his father. Yishuoo assured him, that as he had died by liis hands, he would surely ascend to heaven. Vishnoo was so pleased with the praises wliicli Prtilhadu bestowed on him, that he began to dance, hanging the entrails of Hiranyii-kiishipoo round his neck. By Vishnoo's dancing, the earth began to move out of its place, so that Briimha and all the gods were frightened, but durst not go near him. However, at the entreaties of Prfilha- dtt, Vishnoo gave over dancing ; the earth became fixed, and Vish- noo gave Pi-ttlhadu this promise, that by his bands none of his I'ace should die. The fifth is the VamQnu incarnation. PrulhadQ's gi'andson Btilee followed the steps of his great-grandfather, and committed every kind of violence. In contempt of the gods, he made offer- ings in his own name. He performed the tfshwtimedliii sacrifice one hundred times, by which he was entitled to become the king of the gods ; but as the time of the then reigning Indrti was not expired, the latter applied for relief to Vishnoo, who promised to destroy this giant : to accomplish which he caused himself to be born of Uditee, the wife of Kushyiipti, the moonee. Being ex- ceedingly small in his person, he obtained the name of Vamtinfl, i. e,, the dwarf. At a certain period king Bulee was making a great sacrifice, and VamTinu's parents being very poor, sent him to ask a gift of the king. It is customary, at a festival, to present gifts to bramhuns. Vamiinii was so small, that in his journey to the place of sacrifice, when he got to the side of a hole made by a cow's foot, and which was filled with water, he thought it was a river, and entreated another bramh^n to help him over it. On his arrival, he went to ask a gift of Billee. The king was so pleased with him, on account of his diminutive form, that he promised to give him whatever he should ask. He petitioned only for as much land as he could measure by three steps. Bulee pressed him to ask for more, intimating that such a quantity was nothing ; but Vamflntt persisted, and the king, ordered his priest to read the usual formulas in making such a pre- sent. The priest warned the king, declaring he would repent of making this gift ; for the little bramhun was no other than Vishnoo himself, who would deprive him of all he had. The king, however, was determined to fulfil his promise, and the grant was made. Varatintl then placed one foot on Indrtt's heaven, and the other on the earth, when, lo ! a third leg suddenly projected from his belly, and he asked for a place upou which he might rest this third foot, Bulee, having nothing left, and being unable to fulfil his promise, was full of anxiety. His wife, having heard what was going forward, came to the spot, and, .seeing the king's perplexity, advised him to give his head for Vamuntt to set bis foot upon. He did so ; but Vamunil then asked" for what is called dukshintt, a .small present which accompanies a gift, and without which the ACCOUNTS OF THE TEN INCARNATIONS. o gift itself produces no fruit to the giver. Biilee knew not what to do for dukshinn : his all was gone. His wife advised him to give bis life to VamQnS as dukshinii. He did this also ; but the latter told him, that as he had promised Prulhadii not to destroy any of his race, he would not take his life. He therefore gave him his choice either of ascending to heaven, taking with him five ignorant persons ; or of descending to patulu,, the world of the hydras, with live wise men*. Biilee chose the latter, but said that as be had done much mischief on earth, he was afraid of going to pattilu, lest he should there be punished for his crimes. Vamunu told him not to fear, as he would, in the form of Vishnoo, become his pro- tector. At the close, this god, having restored every thing on earth to a state of order and prosperity, returned to heaven. The sixth is the Pui-ushoo-ramu incarnation.. Purushoo is the name of an instrument of war. The occasion of tliis appearance of -Vishnoo is thus related : — The kshutriyus, from the king to the lowest person of this caste, were become very cormpt. Every one did as ho pleased, the king was without authority, all order was destroyed, and the earth was in the greatest confusion. In these circumstances the goddess Prit'hivee' went to Vishnoo, and prayed for relief. Her petition was heard, and one part of Vishnoo was incarnate as the son of Jaraudganee, a descendant of Bhrigoo the sage. After twenty-one different defeats the kshutriy^ were exterminated by Piirushoo-ramn ; but after a lapse of years they again became numerous : Urjoonu, a kshutriyii king with a thousand arms, overcame the greatest raonarchs, and made dread- ful havock in the world : lie beat Ra\'Tinu, and tied him to the heels of a horse ; but Bramha delivered him^ and reconciled them again. One evening in the i-ainy season, Urjoonii, being in the forest, took refuge in the hut of JamudiJgnee, the learned ascetic. He had with him 900,000 people ; yet Jumiidugnee, entertained them all. Urjoonu, astonished, enquired of his people how the sage, living in the forest, was able to entertain so many people ? They could not tell ; they saw nothing except a cow which i>rumha had given him ; but it was by her means perhaps that he was able to entertain so many guests : its name was Kamu-dh^noo.' In fact, when Urjoonii was to be entertained at the sage's house, this cow in a miraculous manner gave him all kinds of food, clothes, &c. The kiiig on his depai'ture asked for the cow ;. but the sage refiised it to him, though he offered for it his whole kingdom. At length, IJrjoon^ made war on Juinjidugnee ; and though the cow gave an army to her master, he was unable to cope with tjrjoonti, who des- troyed both him and his army. After the victory, however, IJr- * It is a proverb among the Hindoos, that there is no pleasure in the company oi the ignorant in any place or circumstances ; and that a bad place, in the company of the wise, is better than a good one in that of the ignorant. e The earth personified. ? That is, the cow which yields every thing desired. , 6 ACCOUNTS OF THE TKN INCARNATIONS. joonu could not fiud the cow, but went home disappointed. Puru- shoo-ramii, hearing of the defeat and death of his, father Jumu- dugnee, went to complain to Shivu, on the mountain Koilasii ; but could not get access to him till he had knocked down the gods Gundshu and Kartiku, Shivfi's door-keepers. Shivfi gave Purushoo- ramu the instrument purashoo, and promised him the victory. On his return Purushoo-rarau met his mother, who was about to throw herself on the funeral pile of her husband. After attending upon this ceremony, Piiriishoo-ramu went to the residence of Urjoonii, and killed him*. These six incarnations are said to have taken place in the satjrS yooga''. Tliere are no images respecting them made for worship. The seventh incarnation is that of Ramu to destroy the giant Raviinu ; for the history of which, see the Translation of the Table of Contents of the Ramayunii, toward tlie close of this volume. — ^The eighth incarnation is that of Buliiramu, to destroy Prulumbii and other giants. This latter incarnation is said to have taken place in the dwapurn-yoogti. — The ninth is the Booddhii incarnation, in which Vishnoo appeared as Booddhu, to destroy the power of the giants. In order to effect this, Booddhu produced among mankind by his preaching, &c. a disposition to universal scepticism ; that having no longer any faith in the gods, the giants might cease to apply to them for those powers by which they had become such dreadful scourges to mankind. In this appearance the object of Vishnoo, the preserver, was accomplished by art, without the necessity of war ; though the dreadful alternative to which he was driven to accomplish his object, that of plunging mankind into a state of universal scepticism, aflfords another proof how wretchedly the world would be governed if every thing depended on the wisdom of man. — ^TheJ;enth incarnation is still expected, under the name of the Kulkee tJvutaru. See translation from the Kiilkee pooranii, in the second volume. The appearance of Vishnoo, when he took the name of Krishnu to destroy the giant Kungshu, is called the descent of Vishnoo himself, and not an incarnation of this god. There are, how- ever, beside the preceding ten incarnations, and this of Krishnii, many others mentioned in the pooraniis, all having their source in Vishnoo. — The Shree-bhaguvutu. contains accounts of the following : Soo-yugnu created certain gods, and«removed distress from the three worlds ; — Kupilti taught his mother the knowledge of K This story is told variously in the poorautts: according to the RamaySnii, VCshis- 'thfi was the owner of this cow, and Vishwtimitrii the person who fought with the moonee to obtain it. •" These ravages of tyranny, and bloody contests, form a sad specimen of the happiness of the Hindoo sQtytl yoogS, could we believe that there ever had been such a period. OTHER INCARNATIONS — MEANING OF THESE ^FABLES. 7 Briimhu, by which she obtained absorption ; — Duttatr^yii delivered all his disciples, by means of- the ceremony called yogii, from future birth, and obtained for them absorption ; — Koormaru declared the events that had happened in a former age ; that his, previous to the dissolution of things which preceded liis incarnation ; — Num- Narayunix was such a perfect ascetic that the courtezans, sent by the gods to allure him from his religious austerities, were unsuc- cessful ; Vishnoo himself created a female on purpose to divert him from his devotions, but her attempts were equally abortive ;— Prit'hoo opened the bowels of the earth, and brought forth its treasures ; — Rishtivu was an incomparable yogee, who was worship- ped by the piiriim-hungsus and other ascetics ; — Htiyugreevu was so great a saint, that the words ofthevdduwere uttered every time he breathed ; — Htiree delivered his disciples from all their enemies, whether among men or the inferior animals ; — Hungsu taught his disciples the mysteries of yogti, and obtained absorption himself while performing the ceremonies of a yogee ; — Miinoo's fame filled the three worlds, and ascended even as far as Sutyu-loku ; — Dhun- wunturee delivered all diseased persons from their disorders on their mere remembrance of his name, and gave the Avater of immortality to the gods ; — Vj'asu arranged the v^dus, was the author of the pooraniis, &c. — Vibhoo was the spiritual guide of 80,000 disciples, whom he taught the knowledge of Briimhu, and the ceremonies of yogii ; — Sutyusdnu cleared the earth of hypocrites and wicked persons ; — Voikoont'hii created the heaven of,Vishnoo known by this name, and performed other wonders ; — tJjitti in- structed the gods to churn the sea to obtain the water of immor- tality, and did other things which distinguished him as an incar- nation ; — Mohiinee was incarnate, to prevent the giants from obtaining the water of immortality at the churning of the sea ; — Narudti revealed the work called Voishniivu Tiintra. The following incarnations are expected : Sarvubhoumu to dethrone the present Indru, and instate Btilee in his stead; — Vishwtlksdnu .as the friend of Shumbhoo, when he becomes the king of heaven ; . — Dhiirmii-s^too to nourish the three worlds ; — Soodhama to assist Eoodru-savurnee, the twelfth of the fourteen miinoos ; — Yogdsh- wuru to place Divtts-putee on the throne of Indru ; — Vrihud- bhanoo to make known many new religious ceremonies. — The readei", however, is not to suppose that there are no other incarnations mentioned in these marvellous books : every hero, and every saint, is complimented by these writers as an incarnate deity. I have not discovered any proof in the Hindoo writings, or in conversation with learned natives, that these incarnate persons are personifications of any of the divine attributes ; or that these stories have any other than a literal meaning. No doubt they were written as fables, which the ignorance of modern Hindoos has converted into facts ; or many of them may relate to common events here magnified into miracles. 8 IMAGES OF VISHNOO— HIS NAMES, WIVES. Stone images of Vishnoo are made for sale, and worshipped in the houses of those who have chosen liim for their guardian deity. There are no public festivals in honor of this god, yet he is wor- shipped at the offering of a burnt sacrifice ; in the form of medita- tion used daily by the bramhuns ; at the times when ' the five gods' are worshipped, and also at the commencement of each shrad- dhu. No bloody sacrifices are ofiered to "Vishnoo. The offerings presented to him consist of fruit, flowers, water, clarified butter, sweetmeats, cloth, ornaments, &c. Many choose Vishnoo for their guai-dian deity. These persons are called Voishnuvus. The distinctive mark of this sect of Hindoos consists of two lines, rather oval, drawn the whole length of the nose, and carried forward in two straight lines across the forehead. This mark is common to the worshippers of aU the dif- ferent forms of Vishnoo. It is generally made with the clay of the Ganges ] sometimes with powder of sandel wood. Vishnoo has a thousand names', among which are the follow- ing : — ^Vishnoo ; that is, the being into whom, at the destruction of the world, all is absorbed. — Narayfinu, or, he who dwelt in the waters'', and he who dwells in the minds of the devout. — Voikoon- t'hiS, or, the destroyer of son-ow. — Vishtixru-shruva, or, he who, in the form of Viratti, is all eye, all ear, &c. — Ehisheek^shfi, viz., the god of all the members, and of light. — Keshuvu, or, he who gave being to himself, to Brumha ^nd Sliivu ; or, he who has excellent hair.— Madhuvu, or, the husband of Lukshmee. — Mudhoosoodhttnti, the destroyer of MMhoo, a giant. — Swumbhoo, or, the self-existent. — Doityaree, or, the enemy of the giants. — Poondtireekakshtf, or, be whose -eyes are like the white lotus. — Govindfi, or, the raiser of the earth. — Pitamvtirfi, or, he who wears yellow garments. — Uchyoottt, or, the undecayable. — Sharungee, or, he who possesses the horn bow. — Vishwtiksh^Ti, or, he whose soldiers fill all quarters of the world. — Jtinardd-unu, or, he who afflicts the wicked, and, he of whom emancipation is sought. — Pudmunabhtt, or, he whose navel is like the water lily. — Vishwumvuru, or, the protector of the world Koitubhajit, or, he who overcame the giant Koitnbh'fi. Vishnoo has two wives', Lukshmee, the goddess of prosperity, i The meaning of the i)riucipal names of some of the gods is to be found in the comment upon the Umttrii-koshiS, by Bhurutu-mullikii. Jupiter had so many names, they could scarcely be numbered ; some of them derived from the places where he lived and was worshipped, and others from the actions he performed. ^ At the time of a prHlilytl, when every thing is reduced to the element oi water, Vishnoo sits on the snake Unfintti, which has 1,000 heads. I One of the Hindoo poets, in answer to the question. Why has Vishnoo assumed a wooden shape ? (alluding to the image of Jilguunafhii,) says, 'The troubles in his family have turned Vishnoo into wood : in the first place, he has two wives, one of whom (the goddess of learning) is constantly talking, and the other (the goddess of S HI VU, WITH HIS Wirt PARVUiTEE. FiiViisnecl "by J ffig'gn'betha.m, lliliidra-a. A,B;iTrcTL| i/ithop^ AND HEAVEN-, &C. — SHIVU, FORMS OF THIS GOD. 9 and Sttruswutee, the goddess of learning. The former was produced at the churning of the sea : Suruswutee is the daughter of Brfimha. The following description of the heaven of Vishnoo is taken from the Miihabharritu. This heaven, called Voi-koont'hu", 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 precious stones. The chrystal waters of the Ganges fall from the higher heavens on the heads of Droovu, and from thence into the bunches of hair on the heads of seven rishees in this heaven, and from thence they {sd\ and form a river in Voi'koont'hu. 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 ; gar- dens of nymphceas, &c. On a seat as glorious as the meridian sun, sitting on water-lilies, is Vishnoo, and on his right hand the god- dess Ltikshmee. From the body of Lnkshmee the fragrance of the lotus extends 800 miles. This goddess shines like a continued blaze of lightning. The ddvurshees, rajurshees, and silpturshees constantly celebrate the praise of Vishnoo and Lukshmee, and meditate on their divine forms. The brumhiirshees chant the v^diis. The glorified voishnuvtis approach Vishnoo, and constantly serve him. The gods" are also frequently employed in celebrating the praises of Vislmoo ; and Guroorii, the bird-god, is the door- keeper. '= Sect. II. — ShivH. Shivu, the detroyer, has the second place among the Hindoo deities, though in general, in allusion to their offices, these three gods are classed thus : Brumha, V^ishnoo, Shivti. This god is represented in various ways. In the form of me- ditation used daily by the bramhiins, he is described as a silver coloured man, with five faces ; an additional eye" and a half-moon grace each forehead''. He has four arms ; in one hand he holds a prosperity) never remains in one place : to increase his troubles, lie sits on a snake ; his dwelling is in the water, and he rides on a bird.' All the Hindoos acknowledge that it is a great misfortune for a man to have two wives ; especially if both live in one house. ™ The wQi-k called KSrmu-VipakH says, that the heavens of Vishnoo, Briimha, and Shivu are upon three peaks of the mountain Soomgroo ; and that at the bottom of these peaks are the heavens of twenty-one other gods. " These gods are supposed to be visitors at Vishnoo's. » One of the names of Shivu is TrilochSnfi, viz., the three-eyed. One of the names of Jupiter was Tiioculus, (Triophthalmos,) given Mm by the Greeks, because he had three eyes. An image of this kind was set up in Troy, vfhich, beside the usual two eyes, had a third in the forehead. p At the churning of the sea, Shivii obtaiaed the moon for his share, and fixed it, with all its glory, in his forehead. 9 10 THE LINGU — RESEMBLES PHALLI OF THE GREEKS. purushoo ; in the second a deer ; with the third he is bestowing a blessing, and with the fourth he forbids fear : he sits on a lotus', and wears a tyger-skin garment. At other times Shivu is represented with one head, three eyes, and two arms, riding on a bull, covered with ashes, naked, his eyes inflamed with intoxicating herbs', having in one hand a horn, and in the other a drum, Another image of Shivu is the lingti, a smooth black stone almost in the form of a sugar-loaf, with a projection at the base like the mouth of a spoon. There are several stories in the pooranus respecting the origin of the lingii worship, three of which I had translated, and actually inserted in this work, leaving out as much as possible of their of- fensive parts : but in correcting the proofs, they appeared too gross, even when refined as much as possible, to meet the public eye. It is true I have omitted them with some reluctance, because I wish that the apologists for idolatry should be left without ex- cuse, and that the sincere Christian should know what those who wish to rob him of the Christian Religion mean to leave in its stead. From these abominable stories, temples innumerable have arisen in India, and a Shivii lingu placed in each of them, and WORSHIPPED AS A GOD ! ! Tliese temples, indeed, in Bengal and many parts of Hindoost'han, are far more numerous than those dedicated to any other idol ; and the number of the daily worship- pers of this scandalous image, (even among the Hindoo women,) who make the image with the clay of the Ganges every morning and evening, is beyond comparison far greater than the worship- pers of all the other gods put together. The account of the origin of the phalli of the Greeks bears a strong and unaccountable resemblance to some parts of the pouranic accounts of the lingu : Bacchus was angry with the Athenians, because they despised his solemnities, when they were first brought by Pegasus out of Boeotia into Attica ; for which he afflicted them with a grievous disease, that could have no cure, till, by the advice of the oracles, they paid due reverence to the god, and erected phalli to his honour ; whence the feasts and sacrifices called Phallica were yearly celebrated among the Athenians. — The story of Priapus is too indecent, and too well known to need recital. t It appears that this jilant was formerly venerated by the Egyptians as much as it is now by the Hindoos. The sacred images of the Tartars, Japanese, and other nations are also frequently represented as placed upon it. ' Bacchus, who appears to bear a pretty strong resemblance to Shivii, is said to have vraudered about naked, or to have had no other covering than a tygerV skin, which is the common garment of Shivu, and of his followers, the sxinyasees. The bloated image of Shivii corresponds with that of Bacchus ; and though the Indian god did not intoxicate himself with wine, yet hia image is evidently that of a drunkard. Shiv3 perpetually smoked intoxicatiug herbs, FORM OF THIS GOD AS MUHA-KALU. 11 Should the reader wish for farther information on this subject, he is referred to an extract from Diodorus Siculus, as given in the Keverend Mr. Maurice's second volume of Indian Antiquities. The perusal of this extract may help further to convince the reader that the old idolatry, and that of the present race of Hindoos, at least in their abominable nature, and in some of their prominent features, are one. Beside the clay image of the lingu, there are two kinds of black stone lingus : these are set up in the Hindoo temples'. The first is called swuy-umbo5, (the self-existent,) or tinadee', that which has no beginning. The second they call vanu-lingu, because Vanti, a king, first instituted the worship of this image. These stones are brought from the neighbourhood of the river Gund- kuhee, which faUs into the Ganges near Patna. The images are made by Hindoo and Miisulman stone-cutters. There is another form in which Shivu is worshipped, called Muha-kalu. This is the image of a smoke-coloured boy with three eyes, clothed in red garments. His hair stands erect ; his teeth are very large ; he wears a necklace of human skulls, and a large turban of his own hair ; in one hand he holds a stick, and in the other the foot of a bed-stead ; he has a large belly, and makes a very terrific appearance. Shivu is called _Muha-kalu, because he destroys all ; by which the Hindoos mean, that all is absorbed in him at last, in order to be reproduced". Images of this form of Shivu are not made in Bengal ; but a pan of water, or an iinadee-lingti, is substituted, before which bloody sacrifices are offered, and other ceremonies performed, in the month Choitru, at the new moon. Only a few persons perform this worship. Except before this image, bloody sacrifices are never offered to Shivu, who is himself called a voishnuvu, i. e., a worshipper of Vishnoo, before whose image no animals are slain, and whose disciples profess never to eat animal food. Under different names other images of Shivu are described in the shastrfis ; but none of these images are made at present, nor is any public worship offered to them. Those who receive the name of Shivu from their spiritual guides, are called Soivyus. The mark on the forehead which s It is remarkable, that a stone image, consecrated to Venus, bore a strong resemblance to the Ungii, Of this stone it is said, that it was " from the top to the bottom of an orbicular figure, a little broad beneath ; the circumference was small, and sharpening towards the top like a sugar loaf. The reason unknown.'' t At the time of a great drought, the Hindoos, after performing its trorship, throw very large quantities of water upon this unadee-Ungu, in order to induce Shivii to give them rain. " Some say Saturn received his name, because he was satisfied with the years he devoured. Saturn was also represented as devouring his children, and vomiting them up again. 12 NAMES AND MAEK OF THE SECT. these persons wear, is composed of three curved lines like a Iialf- moon, to which is added a round dot on the nose. It is made either with the clay of the Ganges, or with sandal wood, or the ashes of cow-dung. Warship is performed daily at the temples of the Knga ; when offerings of various kinds are presented to this image. If the temple belong to a sh65dru, a bramhun is employed, who receives a small annual gratuity, and the daily offerings\ These ceremonies occupy a few minutes, or half an hour, at the pleasure of the worshipper. Many persons living in Bengal employ bramhuns at- Benares to perform the worship of the lingS in temples which they have built there. Every year, in the month Phalgoonti, the Hindoos make the image of ShivS, and worship it for one day, throwing the image the next day into the water. This worship is peiformed in the night, and is accompanied with singing, dancing, music, feasting, &c. The image worshipped is either that of Shivti with five faces, or that with one face. In the month Maghtt also a festival in honour of Shivu is held for one day, when the image of this god sitting on a bull, with Parvutee on his knee, is worshipped. This form of Shivu is called Huru-Gouree^. In the month Choitrtt an abominable festival in honour of of this god is celebrated ; when many Hindoos, assuming the name of sunyasees, inflict on themselves the greatest cruelties. Some of the chief siinyasees purify themselves for a month previ- ously to these ceremonies, by going to some celebrated temple or image of Shivu, and there eating only once a day, abstaining from certain gratifications, repeating the name of Shivu, dancing before his image, &c. Other stinyasees perform these preparatory cere- monies for fifteen, and others for only ten days ; during which time parties of men and boys dance in the streets, having their bodies covered with ashes, &c. and a long piece of false hair mixed with mud wi'apped round the head like a turban. A large drum accompanies each party, making a horrid din. On the first day of the festival, these siinyasees cast themselves from a bamboo stage with three resting places, the highest about twenty feet from the ground. From this height these pei'sons cast themselves on iron spikes stuck in bags of straw. These spikes are laid in a reclining posture, and when the person falls the}' almost constantly fall down instead of entering his body. There are instances however of persons being killed, and others wounded • : ^ The shastriis prohibit the bramhuns from, recemng the offeriDgs presented to Shivu : the reagon I have not discovered. The bramhiins, however, contrive to explain the words of the shastrS in such a manner, as to secure the greater pait of the things presented to this idol. ' Hurti is the name of Shivu, and Qouree that of Doorga, SHIVU'S FESTIVALS — SUNY^HeE" AND SWINGING. ,1S but thej are very rare. A few years ago, a person at KiJt^rpooru, near Calcutta, cast himself on a knife used in cleaning fish, which entered his side, and was the cause of his death. He threw him- self from the stage twice on the same day ; the second time, (which was fatal,) to gratify a prostitute with whond he lived.— In some villages, several of these stages are erected, and as manj' as two or three hundred people cast themselves on these spikes in one day, in the presence of great crowds of people. The worshippers of Shivu make a great boast of the power of their god in p'eserv*- ing his followers in circumstances of such danger. The next day is spent in idleness, the silnyasees lying about Shivii's temple, and wandering about like persons half drunk, or jaded with revelling. On the following day, a large fire is kindled opposite Shivu's temple ; and when the burnt wood has been form- ed into a great heap, one of the chief sunyasees, with a bunch of canes in his hand, flattens the heap a little, and walks over it with his feet bare. After him, the other stlnyasees spread the fire aboutj walk acorss it, dance upon it, and then cast the embers into the air and at each other. The next morning early the work of piercing the tongues and sides commences. In the year 1^061 went to KaleeghatB, in company with two or three friends, to witness these practices ; at which place we arrived about five o'clock in the morning. We overtook numerous companies who were proceeding thither, having with them drums and other instruments of music ; also spits, canes, and different articles to pierce their tongues and sides. Some with tinkling rings on their ancles were dancing and exhibiting indecent gestures as they passed along, while others rent the air with the sounds of their filthy songs. As we entered the village where the temple of this great goddess is situated, the crowds were so great that we could with difiiculty get our vehicles' along, and at last were completely blocked up. We then alighted, and went amongst the crowd. But who can describe a scene like this ? — Hen'e, men of all ages, who intended to have their tongues pierced, or their sides bored, were buying garlands of flowers to hang round their necks, or tie round their heads ; — there, others were carrying their offerings to the goddess : — above the heads of the crowd were seen nothing but the feathers belonging to the great drums, and. the instruments of torture which each victim was carrying in his hand. These wretched slaves of superstition were distinguished from others by the quantity of oil rubbed on their bodies, and by streaks and dots of mud all over them : some of the chief men belonging to each company were covered with ashes, or dressed in a most fantastic manner, like the fool among mountebanks. For the sake of low sport, some were dressed as English women ; and others had on a hat, to excite the crowd to laugh at Europeans. As soon aa we could force our way, we proceeded to the temple of Kalee, 14 SHIVU'S FESTIVALS. where the crowd, inflamed to madness, almost trampled upon one another, to obtain a sight of the idol. We went up to the door-way, when a bramhiin, who was one of the owners of the idol, addressed one of my companions in broken English : " Money — money — for black mother." My friend, not much liking the looks of his black mother, declared he should give her nothing. From this spot we went into the temple-yard, where two or three blacksmiths had begun the work of piercing the tongues and boring the sides of these infatuated disciples of Shivii. The first man seemed reluctant to hold out his tongue ; but the blacksmith, rubbing it with some- thing like floui', and having a piece of cloth betwixt his fingers, laid firm hold, dragged it out, and, placing his lancet under it in the middle, pierced it through, and let the fellow go. The next person, whose tongue we saw cut, directed the blacksmith to cut it on a contrary side, as it had been already cut twice. This man seemed to go through the business of having his tongue slit with perfect saTig froid. The company of natives were entirely unmoved, and the blacksmith, pocketing the trifling fee given by each for whom he did this favour, laughed at the sport. I could not help asking, whether they were not punishing these men for lying. — After seeing the operation performed on one or two more, we went to another group, where they were boring the sides. The first we saw undergoing this operation was a boy, who might be twelve or thirteen years old, and who had been brought thither by his elder brother to submit to this cruelty. A thread rubbed with clarified butter was drawn through the skin on each side, with a kind of lancet haviag an eye like a needle. He did not flinch, but hung by his hands over the shoulders of his brother. I asked a man who had just had his sides bored, why he did this ? He said, he had made a vow to Kalee at a time of dangerous illness, and was now performing this vow : a bye-stander added, it was an act of holiness, or mei-it. Passing from this group, we saw a man dancing backwards and forwards with two canes run through his side as thick as a man's little finger. In returning to Calcutta we saw many with things of difierent thicknesses thrust through their sides and tongues, and several with the pointed handles of iron shovels, containing fire, sticking in their sides. Into this fire every now and then they threw Indian pitch, which for the moment blaz- ed very high. I saw one man whose singular mode of self-torture struck me much : his breast, arms, and other parts of his body, were entirely, covered with pins, as thick as nails or packing nee- dles. This is called vanu-ph5ra'. The person had made a vow to Shivu thus to pierce his body, praying the god to remove some evil from him. Some sunyasees at this festival put swords through the holes in their tongues ; others spears ; others thick pieces of round iron which they call arrows. Many, as a bravado, put other things • Piercing with arrows. SHIVU'S FESTIVALS. 15 through their tongues, as living snakes, bamboos, ramrods, &c. Others, to excite the attention of the crowd still more, procure images of houses, gods, temples, &c. and placing them on a single bamboo, hold them up in their hands, and put the bamboo through their tongues. In 1805, at Calcutta, a few base fellows made a bamboo stage, placed a prostitute upon it, and carried her through the streets, her paramour accompanying them, having one of her ancle ornaments in the slit of his tongue. Another year a man put his finger through the tongue of another persen, and they went along dancing and making indecent gestures together. Others put bamboos, ropes, canes, the stalk of a climbing plant, the long tube of the hooka, &c. through their sides, and rubbing these things with oU, while two persons go before and two behind to hold the ends of the things which have been passed through the sides, they dance backwards and forwards, making indecent gestures. These people pass through the streets with these marks of self-torture upon them, followed by crowds of idle people. They are paid by the towns or villages where these acts are performed, and a levy is made on the inhabitants to defray the expense. On the evening of this day some stinyasees pierce the skin of their foreheads, and place a rod of iron in it as a socket, and on this rod fasten a lamp, which is kept burning all night. The persons bearing these lamps ait all night in or near Shivu's temple, occasionally calling upon this god by different names. On the same evening, different parties of stinyasees hold conversations respecting Shivu in verse. On the following day, in the afternoon, the ceremony called Churukii, or the swinging by hooks fastened in the back is per- formed. The posts are erected in some open place in the town or suburbs : they are generally fifteen,' twenty, or twenty-five cubits high. In some places a kind of worship is paid at the foot of the tree to Shivu, when two pigeons are let loose, or slain. In other parts, i. e., in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, the worship of Shivu is performed at his temple ; after which the crowd proceed to the swinging posts, and commence the horrid work of torture. The man who is to swing prostrates himself before the tree, and a per- son, with his dusty fingers, makes a mark where the hooks are to be put. Another person immediately gives him a smart slap on the back, and pinches up the skin hard with his thumb and fingers ; while another thrusts the hook through, taking hold of about an inch of the skin : the other hook is then in like manner put through the skin of the other side of the back, and the man gets. up on his feet. As he is rising, some water is thrown in his face. He then mounts on a man's back, or is elevated in some other way ; and the strings which are attached to the hooks in his back are tied to the rope at one end of the horizontal bamboo, and the rope at the other end is held by several men, who, drawing it down, raise up the end on which the man swings, and by their run- ning round with the rope jthe machine is turned. In swinging, 16 SHIVU'S FESTIVALS. the man describes a circle of about thirty feet diameter. Some swing only a few minutes, others half an hour or more: I have heard of men who continued swinging for hours. In the southern parts of Bengal, a piece of cloth is wrapt round the body under- neath the hooks, lest the flesh should tear, and the wretch fall, and be dashed to pieces; but the whole weight of the body rests on the hooks. Some of these persons take the wooden pipe, and smoak while swinging, as though insensible of the least pain. Others take up fruit in their hands, and either eat it or throw it among the crowd. I have heard of a person's having a monkey's collar run into his hinder parts", in which state the man and the monkey whirled round together. On one occasion, in the north of Bengal, a man took a large piece of wood in his moulh, and swung for a considerable time without any cloth round his body to preserve him, should the flesh of his back tear. On some occa- sions these sunyasees have hooks run through their thighs as well as backs. About the j'ear ] 800 five women swung in this manner, with books through their backs and thighs, at Kidur- pooru near Calcutta. It is not very uncommon for the flesh to tear, and the person to fall : instances are related of such persons perishing on the spot. A few years ago a man fell from the post at Kidiirpooru, while whirling round with great rapidity ; and, falling on a poor woman who was selling parched rice, killed her On the spot : the man died the next day. At a village near Bujbuj, some years since, the swing fell, and broke a man's leg. The man who was upon it, as soon as he was loosed, ran to another tree, was drawn up, and whirled round again, as though nothing had happened. I have heard of one man's swinging three times in one day on different trees ; and a bramhun assured me, that he had seen four men swing on one tree ; while swinging, this tree was carried round the fi^eld by the crowd. On the day of swinging, in some places, a sunyasee is laid be- {ove the temple of Shiv^ as dead, and is afterwards carried to the place where they burn the dead. Here they read many incanta- tions and perform certain ceremonies, after which the (supposed) dead siinyasee arises, when they dance around him, proclaiming the name of Shivu. The next morning the sunyasees go to Shivu's temple, and perform worship to him, when they take off the poita which they had worn during the festival. On this day, they beg, or take from their houses, a quantity of rice, and other things, which they make into a kind of frumenty, in the place where they burn the dead. These things they offer, with some burnt fish, to departed ghosts. Each day of the festival the sunyasees worship the sun, pouring " At KidurpoorS. ORIGIN OF THESE HOERID RITES— SHIVu'S MARRIAGE. 17 water, flowers, &;c. on a clay image of the alligator, repeating m&itriis. These horrid ceremonies are said to derive their origin from a king named Vanu, whose history is related in the Muhabharutu. This work says, that Vanu, in the month Choitru, instituted these rites, and inflicted a number of the cruelties here detailed on his own body, viz., he mounted the swing, pierced his tongue and sides, danced on fire, threw himself on spikes, &c At length he obtained an interview with Shivti, who surrounded his palace with a wall of fire, and promised to appear whenever he should stand in need of his assistance. Those who perform these ceremonies at present, expect that Shivti will bestow upon them some blessing either in this life or in the next. Doorga is the wife of Shivix. This goddess is known under other names, as Bhiiguvutee, Sutee, Parvutee, &c. In one age Shivii was mamed to Sutee, the daughter of king Dukshti, and in another to the same goddess under the name of Parviitee, the daughter of the mountain Himaluyii : hence she is the mountain- goddess. When Doorga was performing religious austerities to obtain Shivfi in marriage, the latter was so moved that he appeared to her, and enquired why she was thus employed ? She was ashamed to assign the reason, but her attendants replied for her. He, in jest, reproved her, observing that people performed religious aus- terities to obtain something valuable ; in the article of marriage they desired a person of a good family, but he (Shivii) had neither father nor mother ; — or a rich person, but he had not a garment to wear ; — or a handsome person, but he had three eyes. When ShivTX was about to be married to Parviitee, her mother and the neighbours treated the god in a very scurrilous manner : the neighbours cried out, " Ah ! ah ! ah ! This image of gold^ this most beautiful damsel, the greatest beauty in the three worlds, to be given in marriage to such a fellow — an old fellow with three ■eyes ; without teeth ; clothed in a tiger's skin ; covered with ashes ; incircled with snakes ; wearing a. necklace of human bones ; with a human skull in his hand ; with a filthy jiita (viz., a bunch of hair like a turban) twisted round his head; who chews intoxi- cating drugs; has inflamed eyes; rides naked on a bull, and wanders about like a madman. Ah ! they have thrown this beautiful daughter into the ri ver'l" — In this manner the neighbours * In allusion to the throwing of dead bodies into the river. This resembles the surprise said to have been excited by the marriage of Venus to the filthy and deformed Vulcan. Another very singular coincidence betwixt the European idolatry and that of the Hindoos is furnished by the story' of Vulcan and Minerva, and that respecting Shivu and Mohinee ak given in the MarkundSSyli pooranti j but which I have suppress Bed on account of its offensive nature. 18 FABLES EESPECTIXG SHIVU — HIS NAMES. exclaimed against the marriage, till Nariidti, who had excited the disturbance, interfered, and the wedding was concluded. A number of stories are related in some of the Hindoo books of an inferior order, respecting the quarrels of Shivtl and Par viitee, occasioned by the revels of the former, and the jealousy of the latter. These quaiTels resemble those of Jupiter and Juno. Other stories are told of Shivu's descending to the earth in th6 form of a mendicant, for the preservation of some one ia distress ; to per- form religicms austerities, &c. Shivu is said, in the pooranus, to have destroyed _ Kfindurpu (Cupid), for interrupting him in his devotions, previous to his union with Doorga. We find, however, the god of love restored to existence, after a lapse of ages, under tbe name of Prildyoomu, when he again obtained his wife Rutee. After his marriage with the mountain-goddess, Shivii on a certain occasion offended his^ ■ father-in-law, king Dflkshti, by refusing to bow to him' as he en- tered the circle in which the king was sitting, To be revenged, Diikshii refused to invite Shivil to a sacrifice which he was aboiit to perform. Stttee, the king's daughter, however, was resolved to go, though uninvited and forbidden by her husband. On her ar- rival Dttkshti poured a torrent of abuse on Shivu, which affected Siitee so much that she died". When Shivu heard of the loss of his beloved wife, he created a monstrous giant, whom he command- ed to go and destroy Dukshti, and put an end to his sacrifice. He speedily accomplished this work, by cutting off the head of tlie king, and dispersing all the guests. The gods, in compassion to Dukshti, placed on his decapitated body the head of a goat, and restored him to his family and kingdom. This god has a thousand names, among which are the following : Shivti, or, the benefactor. Muheshwiirti, the great god''. Eeshwurti, the glorious god. Chtindrushekuru, he whose forehead is adorned with a half-moon. Bhoot^shtt, he who is lord of the bh66ttis°. Mriru, he who purifies. Mrityoonjiiyu, he who conquers death. Krittivasa, he who wears a skin. Oogru, the furious. Shreekuntii, he whose throat is beautifuF. KupaWbhrit, he whose alms' dish is - In reference to this mark of strong attachment, a Hindoo widow burning with her huabaild on the funeral pile is called Stitee. ^ The pfindits give proofs from the shastrtis, in which Shivu is acknowledged to be the greatest of the gods, or Muha-ddvii : from muha, great, and ddviS, god. " Bhoatns are beings partly in human shape, though some of them have the faces of horses, others of cameLs, others of monkeys, &;c. Some have the bodies of horses, and he faces of men. Some have one leg, and some two. Some have only one ear, and thers only one eye. Shivfi is attended by a number of these bhootfis, as Bacchus had body of guards consisting of drunken satyrs, demons, nyniphs, &c. f After Shivfi, to preserve the earth from destruction, had drank the person which arose out of the sea, when the gods churned it to obtain the water of immortali- ty, he fell into a swoon, and appeared to be at the point of death. All the gods were exceedingly alarmed ; the usooras were filled with triumph, under the expectation that DESCRIPTION OF SHIVU'S HEAVEN. 19 a skull^. Smurfi-huru, the destroyer of the god of love. Tripoo- rantukti, he who destroyed Tripooru, an lisooru, Gunga-dhuru, he who caught the goddess Gunga in his hair*"- Vrishu-dwtijti, he whose standard is a bull'. Shoolee, he who wields the trident''. St'hanoo, the everlasting. Sliurvu, he who is every thing. Gir^shti, lord of the hills, he who dwells on the hills. The following account of the heaven of Shivu is translated from the work called Krityu-tutwu. This.heaven, which is situated on mount Koilasu, and called Shiviipooru, is ornamented with many kinds of gems and precious things, a^ pearls, coral, gold, silver, &c. — Here reside gods, danuvus', gundhurviis"', tipsurus", siddhus", chariinils'', brumhurshees", d^vtirshees', and muhurshees'; also other sages, as Sunatunii, Suniitkoomaru, Sunundu, Ugustyu, tJngira, Poolustyu, Pooluhri, Chitru, Angirtisu, Goutumii, Bhrigoo, Purashilru, Bhtirudwaju, Mrikundu, Markund^yri, Shoonushephti, TJshtavukrii, Dhoumyu, Valmeekee, Vushisht'hu, Doorvasa, &c. These persons constantly perform the worship of Shivu and Doorga, and the upsurtis are continually employed in singing, dancing, and other festivities. — The flowers of every season ai'e always in bloom here : among wliich are, the yoothee', jatee", muUika", malutee^, dortt', tttguru', kuraveerfi*, kulharu", kfirnikaru*, k^shtiru", poonnagii*, drona", gundhfiraju', shephalika*, chumpuku"*, bhoomee- chttmpuku', nagu.-kdshuru'', moochtikoondtf, kaiichuntt", pioolee", jhintee", neeW-jhintee", rfiktS-jhinteei, kudumbfi', rujuneegundhu', tiirku'j tttrooluta", parijattf, &c. &c. Cool, odoriferous, and gentk winds always blow on these flowers, and diffuse their fragrance all one of the goda (even Shivu himself) wasaboiit to expire. The gods addressed Doorga, who took Shivu in her arm, and hegan to repeat certain incantations to destroy the effects of the poison : Shivu revived. This was the first time incantations were used tn destroy the power of poison. Though the poison did not destroy ShivS, it left a blue mark on his throat ; and hence one of his names is Neelu-kfintii, the blue-throated. s This is 'BrSmha's skull. Shivu in a quarrel cut off one of Brnniha's five heads, and made an alms' dish of it. Eiximha and other gods, in the character of mendicants, are represented with an earthen pot in the hand which contains their food. This pot is called a kitmnn-dnloo. 1' In Giinga's descent from heaven, Shivu caught her in the bunch of hair tied at the back of his head. ' Shivn's conduct, on the day of his marriage with Parvtitee, puts us in mind o£ Priapus. The Indian god rode through KamiS-rooiiu on a bull, naked, with the btide on his knee. l' Here Shivfi appears with Neptune's sceptre, though I cannot find that he re- sembles the watery god in any thing else. 1 A particular kind of giants. "> The heavenly choristers. » Dancers and courtezans. ° P Gods who act as servants to some of the other gods. i Sacred sages. ■■ Divine sages. « Great sages. ' Jasminttm auriculatum. » J. grandi- florum. " J. zambae. y Gsotnera raeemosa, ^ XJiikiJown. " Tabernsemontaua covonaria. i' Nerium odorum. « Nymphffia cyaneai <^ Pterospermum aoerifolium. " Mimusups eleugi. * Eottlera tinctorial « Phlomis zeylanica. ' Gardenia flotida. E Nyctanthesarbor tristis. •» Michelia ehampaea, ' Kempferia rotunda. ^ Mesua ferrea. ' Pterospennum- subelifoliai ™ Bauhinia (several species). " Linnra trigynum. " Barleria cristata. p Barleria coerulea. « Barleria oiliata. ' Naaiclea orientalis. ' The tuberose. ' J5schynomenesesban, " Ipomea quamoclit. " Phoenix palndosa. 20 DESCRIPTION OF SHIVU'S HEAVEN. over the mountain. The shade produced by the jDarijatti tree is very cooling. This mountain also produces the following trees and fruits : shala'', talu^, tumalii'', hintalu'', kurjooru", amrif, jumveeru", goovakix*', pixnusu", shreephtilti'', draksha', ingoodee'', viitii'i ■fishwut'liu", kiipitt'hn", &c. A variety of birds are constantly singing here, and repeating the names ofDoorgaand Shivu, viz., the kaku", sliookti'', paravutu', tifctiree', chattiku', chasu', bhasu", kokilu.-'', sarasu'', datyoohti', chukruvakn", &c. &c. The -waters of the heavenly Ganges (Mundakineej glide along in purling streams. The six seasons are uninterruptedly enjoyed on this mountain, viz., viistintu (spring), greeslimu (summer), vtirsha(rainy), shtiriit (sultry) , shishirii (dewy^, and sheetn (cold). On a golden throne, adorned with jewels, sit Shivii and Doorga, engaged in conversation. The Shrie-bhaguvtitu contains another description of the heaven of Shivii; — Sixteen thousand miles from the earth, on mount Koilasu', resides this god, in a palace of gold, adorned with jewels of all kinds. This palace is surrounded with forests, gardens, canals, trees laden with all kinds of fruit, flowers of every fragrance. The kulpti tree also grows here, from which a person may obtain every kind of food and all other things he may desire. In the centre of a roodrakshiS" forest, under a tree, ShivS frequently sits with his wife Parvfitee. The fragrance of the paa-ijatu flowers extends 200 miles in all directions ; and all the seasons are here enjoyed at the same time. The winds blow softly, filled with the most refreshing odours. At the extremities of this heaven south- wards and northwards Shivu has fixed two gates, one of which is kept by NundeS, the other by Miiha-kalu. A number of gods and other celestial beings constantly reside here, among whom are Kartik^yii and Giineshu, the sons of Shivti ; also the female ser- vants of Doorga, Jtiya, and Vijuyar, eight nayikas, and sixty-four yoginees, with bho5tiIs, pishachus, Shivil's bull, and those disciples of Shivii (shaktiis) who have obtained beatitude. The time is spent here in the festivities and abominations of the other heavens. J Phoenix sylvestria. ^ Erythrina f ulgens. " Shorea robusta. i* Borassus flabelli- formis. = Diospyrus cordifolia. '' Maugifera Indioa. = The citron or lime tree, f Areoa catechu. EArtocarpas integrifolia. ^ JEgle marinelos. 'The grape vine. 1' Unknown. ' Ficus ludica. ™ Ficus rehgiosa. " Ferouia elephantiuin. " The crow. P The parrot. i The pigeon. ' The partridge. ' The sparrow. ' Cojaoias Indies. "Unknown. " The Indian cuckow. r The Siberian crane, ^ The gaUinule. » Anas caisarca. ' Sonini, 'during his travels in Greece and Turkey, made a journey into ancient Macedonia, and paid a visit to mount Olympus, the abode of the gods. It was the middle of July when this excursion waa made, and although the heat was extreme towards the base of the mountain, as weU as in the plain, vast masses of snow render- ed the summit inaccessible. " It is not astonishing," says Sonini, " that the Greeks have placed the abode of the gods on an eminence which mortals cannot reach. " The monks of the convent, " who have succeeded them in this great elevation," confirmed what has been sometimes disputed, the perpetual permanence of ice and snow on the top of the mountain. With the exception of chamois and a few bears, there are hard- ly any quadrupeds to be seen beyond the half of the height of Olympus. Birds also scarcely pass this limit. " Eleocarpus ganitrus. ^ BRUMHA. ri^'Dj_sIir>Ll '':y J liLdanitotl A 3avre"n., hitliotf. BRUMHA THE CREATION — POEM AND WORSHIP OF BRUMHA^ 21 ■ Sect. III. — UrUmha. As has been already mentioned, Brumha, -Vishnoo, and Shivu derived their existence from the one Brtirnhn. 'i'he Hindoo ptindits do n«t admit these to be creatures, but contend that they are ema- nations from, or parts of, the on^ Br&nhu. _. Brumha first produced th« watera, then the earth ; next, from his own mind, he caused a number of sages and four females to be born : among the sages was Ktishj'upu, the father of the gods, giants, and men. Fr This word meaua a shadow. P When the i^l Hindoo aaoetics wished to ascertain a fact, they performed what is called dhyanil, viz., they shut their eyes, and began to meditate, when, it is said, the information they sought was revealed to them. 1 That is, the sons of a mare ; these are now physicians to the gods. QUNKRHU- — HIS IMAGE, DESCENT AND BIRTH. o5 men to their work. — Dwadashatma, he who assume.^ twelve forms'. — DivakiSru, the maker of the day. — Bhaskiirli, the creator of the light.— -Viviiswtit, the radiant. — Suptashwti, he who has seven horses in his chariot. — VikiirttSnu, he who was made round by "Vishwnknrma in his lathe.— ttrkti, the maker of heat.— Mihiru, h« who wets the earth^ — Pooshiinu, he who cherishes all.— Dyoo- mnnee, he who spai-kles in the sky. — Turiinee, the saviour. — Mitrti, the friend of the water-lily'.— Gruhupufcee, the lord of the stars. — Stihtisrangshoo, the thousand-rayed. — Riivee, he who is to be praised. Sect. VI.— CHinMm. This god is represented in the form of a fat short man, with a long belly, and an elephant's head". He has four hands ; holding in one a shell, in another, a chiikraj in another, a club, and in the fourth, a water-lily. He sits upon a rat. In an elephant's head are two projecting teeth, but in Giin^shti's only one, the other having been torn_ out by Vishnoo, when in the form of PiiriXsoo- rarnii he wished to have an interview with ShiviX. Gundshu, who stood as door-keeper, denied him entrance, upon which a battle ensued, and Puriisoo-ramu, beating him, tore out one of his teeth. The work called Gnndshu-khundu contains a most indecent story respecting the birth of this god ; which, however necessary to the history, is so extremely indelicate that it cannot possibly be given. It is mentioned in this story, that Doorga cursed the gods ; so that they have ever since been childless, except by criminal amours with females not their own wives. When it was known that Doorga had given birth to a son, Shiinee and the rest of the gods went to see the child. Shiinee knew that if he looked upon the child it would be reduced to ashes ; but Doorga took it as an insult that he should hang down his head, and refuse to look at her child. For some time he did not regard her reproofs ; but at last, irritated, he looked upon r Alluding to his progress through the twelve signs. ■ The Sooryfi-shntnkn say.s, the sun draws up the waters from the earth, and then lets them fall in showers again. t At the rising of the sun this flower expands itself, and when the sun retires shuts up its leaves again. " Sir "W. Jones calls GSn^shii the god of wisdom, and refers, as a proof of it, to his having an elephant's head, I cannot find, however, that this god is considered by any of the Hindoos as properly the god of wisdom ; for though he is said to give knowledge to those who worship him to obtain it, that is what is ascribed also to other gods. The Hindoos in general, T believe, consider the elephant as a stupid animal, and it is a biting reproof to be called as stupid as an elephant. " 36 HIS WORSHIP. Gun^shu, and its head was instantly consumed " The goddessj seeing her child headless i, was overwhelmed with grief, and would have destroyed Shtinie ; but Brnmha prevented her, telling Shu- nee to bring the head of the first animal he should find living with its head towards the north. He found an elephant in this situ- ation, cut off its head, and fixed it upon Giin^shu, who then assumed the shape he at present wears. Doorga was but little soothed when she saw her son with an elephant's head : to pacify her, Brumha said, that amongst the worship of all the gods, that of Gnndshu should for ever bear the preference. In the beginning of every act of public worship therefore, certain ceremonies are constantlj'' performed in honour of G'findshu\ Not only is Gun^shu thus honoured in religious ceremonies, but in almost all civil concerns he is particularly regarded : as, when a person is leaving his house to go a journey, he says, ' Oh ! thou work per- fecting Gundshti, grant me success in my journey ! Giin&hu ! Gundshu ! Gun^shii !' — At the head of every letter, a salutation is made to Giindshu'. When a person begins to read a book, he salutes Gun&hu ; and shop-keepers and others paint the name or image of this god over the doors of their shops or houses, expecting from his favour protection and success. No public festivals in honour of Giindshu are held in Bengal. Many persons however choose him as their guardian deity, and are hence called Ganuputyus. At the full moon in the month Maghii, some persons make or buy a clay image, and perform the worship of Gtin^shu ; when the officiating bramhiin performs the ceremonies common in the Hindoo worship, presenting ofierings to the idol. This god is also worshipped at considerable length at the commencement of a wedding, as well as when the bride is presented to the bridegroom. Great numbers , especially from the western and southern provinces, celebrate the worship of Guneshu on the' 4th of the new moon in " This property is ascribed to Shiinee, (Saturn,) to point out, no doubt, the supposed baneful influence of this planet. This resembles the fable of Saturn's (tevouring all his male children. The Ramayiintt contains a story respecting Dtlshiirut'hfi and Shiinee, in which it is said, that DSshiiriit'hu was once angry with this god for preventing the fall of rain in his kingdom : he ascended his chariot to make war with him, when Shanee, by a single glance of his eyes, set the king's chariot on fire, and DushiJrut'hS, in the most dreadful state of alarm, fell from the skies. y One cause of this misfortune is said to be this : Doorga had laid her child to sleep with its head to the north, which is forbidden by the shastrij. The Anhikii- tutwu declares, that if a person sleep with his head to the east, he will be rich ; if to the south, he will have long life ; if to the north, he will die ; and if to the west, (except when on a journey,) he will have misfortunes. ^ It will occur to the reader, that in all sacrifices among the Romans, prayers were first offered to Jaaus. " Gun^shS is famed as writing in a fceautifiil manner : so that when a person writes a fine hand, people say, ' Ah ! he writes like Gnn&hii.' This god is said to have first written the MShabhartitiJ from the'mouth of Vyasiid^viS. AND NAMES — KARTIKEYU, HIS IMAGE AND DESCENT. 37 Bhadra, when several individuals in each place subscribe and de- fray the expence. Many persons keep in their houses a small metal image of Gundshu, place it by the side of the shalgramu, and worship it daily. At other times, a burnt-oifering of clarified butier is presented to this idol Stone images of Giindshu are worshipped daily in the temples by the sides of the Ganges at Benares ; but I cannot fiad that there are any temples dedicated to him in Bengal. Gtin^shtL is also called Huridra-Guneshu. This name seems, to have arisen out of the following story : — When Doorga was once preparing herself for bathing, she wiped off the turmerick, &c. with oil, and formed a kind of cake in her fingers ''. This she rolled to- gether, and made into the image of a child ; with which she was so much pleased, that she infused life into it, and called it Huridra- Guneshu ". The image of this god is yellow, having the face of an elephant. He holds in one hand a fope ; in anothei-, the spike used by the elephant driver ; in another, a round sweetmeat, and in an- other, a rod. The principal names of Gundshuare : — Gtindshu,or, the loi'dof the gtinnu ddvtas *. — Dwoimatooru, the two-mothered *. — Ekti- duntti, the one-toothed. — H^rtimbu, he who resides near to Shivu. — Ltimbodurii, the long-bellied. — Gujanunu, the elephant-faced. Sect. VII. — KartiMyiL. This is the god of war. He is represented sometimes with one, and at other times with six faces ; is of a yellow colour ; rides on a peacock' ; and. holds in his right hand an arrow, and in his left, a bow. The reason of the birth of Kartik^yu is thus told in the Koo- maru-stimbhiivu, one of the kavytts : — Tariiktt, a giant, performed religious austerities till he obtained the blessing of Briimha, after which he oppressed both bramhiins and gods. He commanded that the sun should shine only so far as was necessary to cause the water-lily to blossom ; that the moon should shine in the day as well as in tlie night. He sent the god Yumii to cut grass for his horses ; commanded Ptivunii to prevent the wind from blowing any stronger than the puff of a fan ; and in a similar manner tyrannizetl l" The Hindoos have a custom of cleaning their bodies by rubbing them all over with turmerick ; and then, taking oil in their hands, wiping it off again, when it falls as a paste all round them. "! HSridra the name for turmerick. •1 These are the companions of ShivS. c One of Gun&hu's mothers was Doorga, and the other the female elephant whose head he wears. < Juno's chariot was said to be drawn by peacocks. oS HIS DESCENT. over all the gods. At length Indrii called a council in heaven, when the gods applied to Brtimha : but the latter declared he was unable to reverse the blessing he had bestowed on Taruku ; that their only hope was Kartikdyu, who should be the son of Shivu, and destroy the gaint. — After sometime, the gods assembled again to consult respecting the marriage of Shivix, whose mind was entire- ly absorbed in religious austerities. After long consultations, Kun- durpu^ was called, and all the gods began to flatter him in such a manner that he was filled with pride, and declared he could do every thing : he could conquer the mind even of the great god Shivu himself. That, ' says Indrtt,' is the very thing we want you to do.' At this he appeared discouraged, but at length declared, that he would endeavour to fulfil his promise. He consulted his wife Rtttee ; who reproved him for his temerity, but consented to accompany her husband. They set off", with Viisftnta\ to mount HimaliiyG, where they found Shivti sitting under a roodrakshu' tree, performing his devotions. Previously to this, Himaliiyii'' had been to Shivii, and propos- ed that Doorga, his daiighter, should wait upon him, that he might uninterruptedly go on with his religious austerities ; which olfer Shivti accepted. One day, after the arrival of Kundiirptt and his party, Doorga, with her two companions Juya and Vijiij'a, carried some flowers and a necklace to Shivu. In the moment of opening his eyes from his meditation, to receive the offering, Kundiirptt let fly his arrow ; and Shivii, smitten with love, awoke as from a dream, and asked who had dared to interrupt his devotions. — Looking towards the south he saw Kiindtirpu, when fire proceeded from the third eye in the centre of his forehead, and burnt Kun- dttrpu to ashes'. The enraged god left this place for another forest, and Doorga, seeing no prospect of being married to Shivu, returned home full of sorrow. She sought at last to obtain her object by the power of religious austerities", in which she persevered till Shivtt was drawn from his devotions, when the marriage was con- summated. The Muhabhariitu and Ramayiinii contain accounts of the K Tlic god of love. '' The spring. Tlie Hindoo poets always unite love and spring together. ' From the fruit of this tree necklaces are made, the wearing of which is a great act of merit among the Hindoos. ^ The mountain of this name personified. • Through the blessing of Shivti to Kntee, Klludurptl was afterwards born in the family of Krishna, and took the name of Kamu-d^vu ; after which Ratee (then called Mayaviltee) was again married to him. "> When this goddess, says a kavyu shastrfl, told her mother that she woijjd perform austerities to obtain ShivS, her mother, alarmed, exclaimed — " Ooma ! (Oh! mother!) how can you think of going into the forest to perform religious aus- terities ? Stay and perform religious services at home, and you will obtain the god you desire. How can your tender form bear these severities ? The flower bears the weight of the bee, but if a bird pitch upon it, it breaks directly," HIS FESTIVALS. 39 birth of KaTtik^ytt, the fruit of this marriage ; but they are so indelicate that the reader, I doubt not, will excuse their omission. On the last evening in the month Kartiktt, a clay image of this god is worshipped", and the next day thrown into the water. These ceremonies differ little from those at other festivals : but some images made on the occasion are not less than twenty-five cubits high ; that is, a whole tree is put into the ground, and wor- shipped as a god. The height of the image obliges the worshippers to fasten the offerings to the end of a long bamboo, in order to raise them to the mouth of the god. This festival is distinguished by much singing, music, dancing, and other accompaniments of Hindoo worship. The image of Kartik^yu is also made and set up bj"- the side of his mother Doorga, at the great festival of this goddess in the month Ashwinu ; and each day, at the close of the worship of Doorga, that of her son is performed at considerable length. In the month Choitrtt also the worship of Kartik^yu accompanies that of his mother. — No bloody sacrifices are offered to this idol. At the time when the above festival is held, some persons make ° or purchase clay images, which they place in their houses, and before which the officiating bramhCn performs the appointed ceremonies ; preceding which a prayer is made for offspring. This is repeated sometimes on the anniversary of this day, for four years together. If the person, long disappointed, should, in these years, or soon after, happen to have a child, particularly a son, the whole is ascribed to KartikdyuP . When persons have made a vow to Kartik^ytt, they present offerings to this idol at the completion of the vow. These vows are sometimes made to obtain the health of a child, or a son ; a woman, when she makes this vow, thus ad- dresses the god : ' Oh ! Kartikdyti t'hakooru. i, give me a son, and I will present to thee [here she mentions a number of offerings, as sweetmeats, fruits, &c.] — I do not want a female child.' This vow may be made at any time, or place, without any. previous n Vast numbers of these images are made ; in some towns as many as five hun- dred. It is supposed that in Calcutta more than five thousand are made and wor- shipped. " He who makes an image for his own use is supposed to do an act of much gi'eater merit than the person who purchases one. P A part of the Mfihabharntn is sometimes recited to obtain offspring. The part thus read is a list of the ancestors of Hnree, (a name of Vishnoo.) When a person wishes to have this ceremony performed, he employs a learned native to recite these verses, and another to examine, by a separate copy, whether the verses be read with- out mistake : if they be read improperly, no benefit will arise from the ceremony. If the person who seeks offspring be unable to attend himself during the ceremony, he engages some friend to hear the words in his steacl. — Some verses of praise, addressed to Shivii, are also occasionally read in the ears of a husband and wife who are anxious to obtain offspring. 1 A term of respect, meaning excellent. 40 HIS NAMES — UGNEE, HIS FOEM AND DESCENT. ceremony. When several women ^are sitting together, another woman perhaps comes amongst them, and, in the course of the conversation, asks the mistress of the house, ' Has your daughter-in-]av/ any children yet ?' She replies, in a plaintive man- ner, ' No, nothing but a girl.' Or she answers altogether in the negative, adding, ' I have again and again made vows to Karti- k^yti, and even now I promise before you all, that if the god will give her a son, I will worship him in a most excellent manner, and my daughter-in-law will do it as long as she lives.' There are no temples in Bengal dedicated to Kartik^ytt, nor are any images of him kept in the houses of the Hindoos except during a festival. The principal names of Kartlkeyil, are : Kartikdyu, or, he who was cherished by six females of the name of Krittika'.— Miiha- s^nu, he who commands multitudes.-;;;;Shurantinu, the six-faced. — Skundti, he who afflicts the giants.— TJgnibhoo, he who arose from ttgnee.— Goohu, he who preserves his troops in war. — Tarukujit, he who conquered Tartiku.— Yishakhu, he who was born under the constellation of this name.— Shikhi-vahunu, he who rides on a peacock.— Shuktee-dhurix, he who wields the weapon called slmktee. — Koomaru, he who is perpetually young'. — Krounchii- darttnii, he who destroyed the giant Krounchii. It is said that Kartik^yu was never married, but that Indru gave him a mistress named D^vus^na. He has no separate heaven, nor has Gun^shu : they live with Shivfi on mount KoilasiS. Sect. YIII. — IJ'gnee. This god is represented as a red corpulent man, with eyes, eye- brows, beard, and hair, of a tawny-colour. He rides on a goat ; wears a poita, and a necklace made with the fruits of eleocarpus ganitrus. From his body issue seven streams of glory, and in his right hand he holds a spear. He is the son of Kushyiipti and ■Uditeff. Ugnee has his forms of worship, meditation, &;c. like other gods ; but is especially worshipped, under different names, at the time of a burnt-offering, when clarified bittter is presented to him. The gods are said to have two mouths, viz., that of the bramhiln, and of fire (Ugnee). ' Six stars, (belonging to ursa major) said to be the wives of six of the seven rishees. Tliese females are called Krittika. They cherished Kartik^ynas soon as he was born in Ihe forest of writing-reeds, and hence his name is a regular patronymic of Krittika, because they were as his mothers. ' Under sixteen years of age. HIS FESTIVAL AND NAMES. 41 At the fall moon in the month Maghti, when danger from fire is considerable, some persons worship this god before the image of Bi-umha, with the accustomed ceremonies, for three days. When any particular work is to be done by the agency of fire, as when a kiln of bricks is to be burnt, this god is worshipped ; also when a trial by ordeal is to be performed. Some bramhtins are distinguished by the name sagnikii, be- cause they use sacred fire in all the ceremonies in which this ele- ment is used, from the time of birth to the burning of the body after death. This fire is preserved in honour of the god Ugnee, and to make religious ceremonies more meritorious'. Ugnee, as one of the guardian deities of the earth, is wor- shipped at the commencement of every festival. He pi'esides in the S. E. Bhrigoo, a sagniku bramhun and a g^eat sage, once cursed his guardian deity tJgnee, because the latter had not delivered Bhrigoo's wife from the hands of a giant, who attempted to violate her chastity when she was in a state of pregnancy. The child, how- ever, sprang from her womb, and reduced the giant to ashes. Bhrigoo doomed the god to eat every thing. "Ugnee appealed to the assembled gods, and Briimha soothed him by promising, that whatever he ate should become pure. Ugnee was also once cursed by one of the seven rishees, who- turned him into cinders. ^ Urjoonu, the brother of Yoodhisthir-o,, at the entreaty of Ugnee, set fire to the forest Khtinduvu^ in order to cure him of a surfeit contracted in the following manner : — Murootu, a king, entered upon a sacrifice which occupied him twelve months, during the whole of which time clarified butter had been pouring on the fire, in a stream as thick as an elephant's, trunk : at length Ugnee could digest no more, and be intreated Urjoonu to burn this forest, that he might eat the medicinal plants, and obtain his appetite again. Swaha, the daughter of KfehySpii, was niarried to Ugnee. Her name is repeated at the end of every incantation used' at a burnt- offering, as well as in some other ceremonies. The reason of this honor is attributed to Ugnee's uxoriousness. The heaven of this god is called Ugnee-loku. His principal names are . — Vunhee, or, he who receives the clarified butter in the burnt-sacrifice (homu). — Veetihotrfi, he who purifies those who perform the homu. — Dhiinunjuyu, he who conquers (destroys) riches. — Kripeetuyonee, he who is born^fi-om rubbing two sticks together. — JwiiWnu, he who bums.— Ugnee, he to whom fuel is presented. « There may be some resemblance in this to the custom of the Romans, in preserv- ing a perpetual fire in the temple of Vesta. 42 PUYUNU— HIS BIRTH— STORY RESPECTING HIM. Sect. IX. — PijivUnU. This is the god of the winds, and the messenger of the gods". His mother Uditee, it is said, prayed to her husband, that this son might be more powerful than Indrii : her request^was granted ; but Indru, hearing of this, entered the womb of Uditee, and cut the foetus, first into seven parts, and then each part into seven others. Thus Puvunu assumed forty-nine forms". He is meditated upon as a white man, sitting on a deer, with a white flag in his his right hand. Puvunti has no separate public festival, neither image, nor temple. As one of the ten guardian deities of the earth, he is worshipped, with the rest, at the commencement of every festival, lie is said to preside in the N. W. Water is also offered to him in the daily ceremonies of the bramhuns ; and, whenever a goat is offered to any deity, a service is paid to Vayoo, another form and name of Puvunti. In the work called Udikuriinu-mala, a burnt-sacrifice of the flesh of goats" is ordered to be offered to this god. Tlie following story is related of Puvunti in the Shree- bhaguvutu : — On a certain occasion Narudii paid a visit to Soomdroo', and excited his pride in such a manner, that he protest- ed the god Pttviinu could not approach his summit. Narudu carried the news of Soomdroo's insolence to Puvunu, and advised him to go and break down the summit of Soom^roo ; which, even to the depth of 800 miles below the surface, was of solid gold. Ptivunu went, and produced such a tempest, that the earth trembled to its centre ; and the mountain god, terribly alarmed, invoked Guroorti, who came to his relief, and, covering the moun- tain with his wings, secured it from the wrath of Ptivxinti. For twelve months, however, the storm raged so that the three woi-lds were hastening to destruction. The gods desired Narudu to prevail on Puvunu to compose the diflerence with Soom^roo : instead of complying with which the mischievous rishee went, and calling Puvunu a fool for exciting such a storm to no purpose, told him that as long as Gtirooru protected the mountain with his wings, there was no hope; but that, if he would attack Soomeroo, when Gurooru was canying Vishnoo out on a journey, he might easily be revenged. This opportunity soon occurred : all the gods " I can find no agreement betwixt this god and either Mercury or .lEolus. " The forty-nine points. The Hindoos have 49 instead of 32 points ; and the pooraniis, ■which contain a story on every distinct feature of the Hindoo philosophy, have given this fable : and in the same manner all the elements are personified, and some remarkable story invented to account for their peculiar properties. y The goat, it will be remembered, was slain in the sacrifices of Bacchus. '■ The mountain of this name personified. HIS IMPURE CHARACTER AND NAMES— VCROONU, HIS IMAGE. 43 (330,000,000) were invited to Shivti's marriage with Parvutee, among whom were the mountains Soom^roo, Trikootti, Oodtiyti% "Dstn\ Vindhyn, Malyrivanu, Gtindhnma-dunr(, Chitrttkodttt, Mti- luyti, Nilu, Moinakti", &c. Vishnoo, riding on Gttroorti, also went to the marriage, and all the heavens were left empty. Seizing this op- portunity, Puviinu flew to Soom^roo, and, breaking the summit of the mountain, hurled it into the sea*. Pixvfinti is charged with an adulterous intercourse with tJnjuna, the wife of Kdshuree, a monkey. The fruit of this intercourse was Hunoomanu. Piivunu was once inflamed with lust towards the hundred daughters of Kooshunabhn, a rajtirshee ; and because they refused his ofiers, he entered the body of each, and produced a curvature of the spine. They were made straight again by a king named Brumhu-dttttu, to whom they were married. The name of the heaven of this god is Vayoo-lokii. His prin- cipal names are :— Shwusunu, or, he who is the giver of breath. — Spttrshunu, the toucher. — Vayoo, he who travels. — Maturishwa, he who gave his mother sorrow". — Prishiidushwa, he who rides on the deer. — Gundhuvuhu, he who carries odours. — Ashoogii, he who goes swiftly. — Marootu, without whom people die. — Ntibhiiswutu, he who moves in the air. — Puviinu, the purifier. — Prubhungjunn, the breaker. Sect. X. — V'iiroo7i'ti,. This is the god of the waters. His image is painted white ; he sits on a sea-animal called mukuru, with a rope' in his right hand. Vuroonu's name is repeated daily in the worship of the bram- huns ; but is image is never made for worship, nor has he any pub- lic festival or temple in Bengal. He is worshipped however as one » Mountains over which the sun rises. ■> Behind which the sun sets. " Some of these belong to the snowy range north of India, and others to the tropi- cal range dividing south from north India. These and other mountains are personified, and by the Hindoo poets are designated as the residence of the gods, and by poetical licence ranged timong the inferior gods. 4 Here it became the island of Ceylon, (Lfinka.) " When IndrH cut him into forty-nine pieces in the womb. ' This weapon is called pashii, and has this property, that whomsoever it catches, it binds so fast that he can never get loose. All the gods, giants, rakshijsfis, &c. learn the use of this weapon. 44 FABLES EESPECTING HIM. of the guardian deities of the earth ; and also 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 raini?. A story of this god is contained in the Pudmti pooranii to this purport : — Ravfeu was once carrying an unadee-lingu from Hima- Itiyu to Lunka'', in order that he might accomplish all his ambitious schemes against the gods : for it was the property of this stone, also called kamu'-lingn, to grant the worshipper all his desires, whatever they might be. Shivu, however, when permitting Eavunti to remove this his image to Lunka, made him promise, that wherever he sufiered it to touch the ground, there it should remain. When the gods saw that Eaviinu was carrying this stone to Lnnka, aU the heavens were in a state of agitation : for the gods knew, that if Eavunxi could be permitted to accomplish his wishes, nei- ther Indrn nor any other god would continue on his throne. Council after council was held, and applications made to different gods in vain. It was at last resolved that Vtiroonu should enter the belly of Eavfinu, who would thereby be compelled to set the stone down, while discharging his urine''. Vtiroonti accordingly entered the belly of Ravtinu, as he was caiTying the lingti on his head ; and the latter soon began to feel the effects of his visit. His belly swelled prodigiously : — he proceeded however on his journey, till at last he could wait no longer. At this moment Indrti, in the form of an old bramhiin, meeting him, Eavunti, after asking who he was, and where he was going, entreated him to hold the lingti for a short time, promising to bestow on him the greatest favours ; to which the bramhun consented, agreeing to hold the stone an hour, but no longer. Ravunu told him he would not de- tain him half that time'; and squatted on his hams to rid himself of Vuroonti. After he had thus sat for four hours, the bramhun, complaining he could hold the stone no longer, threw it down — when the lower part siink into the world of the hydras, and the top is said to be visible to this day at Voidyii-na'thti, a place in the zillah of Beerbhoom, where the river Khursoo is believed te have ainsen from the urine of this enemy of the gods'. Ravunu, when he arose, and saw what had taken place, went home full of B At the time of a drought, it is common for bramhnns to sit in crowds by the sides of the Ganges, or any other river, and address their prayers to this god. A bram- hun once informed me, that he remembered when Krisbnn-ChfindrS, the raja of NilvS- dweepfi, gave presents to vast multitudes of bramhttns thus employed ; and that, in the midst of their prayers, ViirooniJ sent a plentiful supply of rain. h Ceylon. ' Kamfi means desire. •' EaviSnS could not hold the lingiS while in this act, as a person hereby becomes imclean until he has bathed. This is the strict rule of the shastril : at present, how- ever, should a person, in the midst of his worship, be compelled to discharge urine, he does not bathe, but only changes his clothes, ' The Hindoos do not drink the water of this river, but bathe in and drink the water of a pool there, which they have called Ntivfi-giSnga, viz., the New Ganga. HIS HEAVEN AND NAMES. 45 rage and disappointment : some accounts add, that he went and fought with the gods in. the most furious manner. The heaven of this god, called Ywoonu-loku^ is 800 miles in circumference, and was formed by Vishwuktirma, the divine ar- chitect. In the centre is a grand canal of pure water. Ynroonu, and his queen Varoonee, sit on a throne of diamonds ; and around them the court, among whom are Siimoodiii, Giinga, and other river gods and goddesses'" ; the twelve Adityiis, and other deities ; the hydras ; Oiraviitti ; the doitytis ; the danuviis, &c. The plea- sures of this heaven consist in the gratification of the senses, as in the heavens of Indrtt and others. There does not seem to be a vestige of any thing here, but what would exactly meet the wishes of a libertine.' A scene in the heaven of VUroonii .--^Nimee, a ^ing, invited Viishisht'hii to preside as priest over the ceremonies at a sacrifice he was about to perform. Vftshisht'hii, being engaged at that time as priest to perform a sacrifice for some other king, from whom he expected very large presents, excused himself for the present ; when Nimee, after using entreaty in vain, employed another sage as priest. Viishi^th'huj having concluded the sacrifice in which he was engaged, proceeded to the palace of Nimee ; but hearing that the king had employed another priest, was filled with rage, and pronounced a curse on the king, by which he was reduced to ashes. Before the curse took efiect, however, the king cursed Vushisht'hu, and reduced his body also to ashes. The soul of Yushisht'hn ascend- ed to Bramha, to enquire how he was to procure a body again. Brumha said, ' Go to the gods Vuroonij and Sooryu.' He went, and obtained his body in the following manner ; Sooryu, captivated with the sight of Oorvtishee, a courtezan, as she was dancing in Indru's heaven, invited her to his house. As she was going, Vuroonu met her, and became enamoured of her also. [Here the story becomes too filthy to be written.-. — -] From the inflamed passions of these two gods, Ugustyfi, an eminent ascetic, was bom, and Vushisht'hti, one of the most exalted of the Hindoo saints, ob- tained a new body. The priests who had been employed by Nimee, fearing they should lose all employment hereafter if they suffered the king thus to perish, at the close of the sacrifice formed from the ashes a young man, to whom they gave the name of Juntiku ; who became the father of Seeta, the wife of Eamu. The meaning of the name Viiroonu is, he who surroupds. — This god is also called Pruch^ta, or the wise. — Pa.shee, he who holds a rope. — ^Yadtisang-ptitee, the lord of the watery tribes. — Upputee, the lord pf waters. m Among these deities are iaoluded gods of wells, pools, lakes, basing, -whirl- pools, &c. 46 YUMU — HIS IMAGE AND FESTIVALS. Sect. XI.— Y^mC This god is called the holy king, who judges the dead. His image is that of a green man, with red garments ; inflamed eyes ; having a crown on his head, and a flower stuck in his hair"; sitting on a buffaloe, with a club in his right hand. His dreadful teeth, grim aspect, and terrific shape, fill the inhabitants of the three worlds with terror. An annual festival is held in honour of Yumu on the second day of the moon's increase in the month Kartikii, when an image of clay is made, and worshipped with the usual ceremonies for one day, and then thrown into the river. No bloody sacrifices are offered to this god. Yiimu is also worshipped at the commencement of other festi- vals, as one of the ten guardian deities of the earth. He presides in the south. Every day the Hindoos offer water to Yumu, in the ceremony called turpunu, as well as annually on the 14th of the month Ugruhayunu, when they repeat several of his names. At the time of other festivals, the Hindoos sometimes make an image of the mother of Yumu", and worship it. At other times children in play make this image, and pretend to worship it. On the first of the month Kartiku, a curious ceremony takes place in every part of Bengal :— the unmarried girls of each house engage a near relation to dig a small pit near the front of the house, at the four corners of which they sow rice, or barley, or wheat, and plant some stalks of the plantain or other tree : they also plant other branches in the midst of the pit. The place being thus pre- pared, every morning for a month these girls, after putting on clean apparel, and sprinkling their heads with the water of the Ganges to purify themselves, present flowers, &c. to Yumu by the side of this small pit, repeating an incantation. Each day they put a single kouree' in an earthen pot, and at the end of the ceremony present the thirty kourees to the person who dug the pit. They perform this ceremony to procure from Yumii either husbands, or sons, or happiness, and also that they may escape punishment after death. " It is very common to see a flower, which has been presented to an image, stuck in the bunch of hair which the Hindoos tie behind the head. This is done under the idea that the flower has some virtue in it. Several shastrils prescribe this practice, and promise rewards to the person who places in his hair flowers which have been present- ed to his guardian deity, or to any other god. o A very old woman, who is at the same time a great scold, is called by the Hindoos the mother of Yiimil. p Shells from the Maldive islands, which pass for money in Bengal. More than six thousand of these shells may be bought for a rupee. HIS COURT AS JUDGE OP THE DEAD— HIS PALACE. 47 I have heard of some Hindoos, who, rejecting the worship of other gods, worship only Ytimu ; alleging that their future state is to be determined only by Yumti, and that they have nothing there- fore to hope or to fear from any beside him. _ Ynmn is judge of the dead. He is said to hold a court, in which^ he prejsides as judge, and has a person to assist him, called Chitru-gooptni, who keeps an account of the actions of men. A number of officers are also attached to the court, who bring the dead to.be judged. If the deceased persons have been wicked, Ytimu sends them to their particular hell ; or if good, to some place of happi- ness. The poor Hindoos, at the hour of death, sometimes fancy they s^e Yiimn's officers, in a frightful shape, coming to fetch them away. Yiimu is said to reside at Yumaliiyu, on the south side of the earth'. AU souls, wherever the persons die, are supposed to go to Yumu in four hours and forty minutes ; and a dead body cannot be burnt till that time have elapsed. The following account of Yumaluyu, and of Voiturunee, the river to be crossed after death, is taken from the Miihabharutii : — After Brumha had created the three worlds, viz., heaven, earth, and pattilu, he recollected that a place for judgment, and for the punish- ment of the wicked, was wanting. He therefore called Vishwu- kurma, the architect of the gods, and gave him orders to prepare a very superb palace. Opposite the south door Visliwukiirma made four pits for the punishment of the wicked. Three other doo2's were reserved for the entrance of the good, that they might not see the place of punishment when they went to be judged. Brumha, taking with him the giindhurvtiSj the giants, &c. went to see the place, and gave it the name of Sunjee-vuiiee. The giindhtirvus asked Brumha to give them this beautiful palace. Brumha asked them if they were willing to inflict the punishments on the wicked : to which they replied in the negative. The giants were next about to seize the place by force ; to prevent which Brumha ordered Vish- wtikurma to form a vast trench around, and to fill it with water, which became the river Voituranee. Brumha next ordered IJgnee to enter the river, and the waters became hot. Having thus sur- rounded the hall of judgment with a river of boiling water, the creator ordered, that after death each one should be obliged to swim across. This, however, subjected the good to punishment : to pre- vent which it was ordained, that the offering of a black cow to a bramhiin should cool the river, and render the person's passage easy'. It was still necessary, that some one should occupy this place, and judge the dead ; and Brumha assigned this work to Yumu. 1 That is, he who paints in secret ; or, he who writes the fates of men in secret. ' One Hindoo sometimes jokes with another, by asking him where he is going, as he seems to be proceeding southwards. ' I do not find that the Hindoos have any ferryman, like Charon, or boat to cross this river ; though they talk of crossing it by laying hold of the tail of the black 48 FABLES EESPECTING HIM. The Kainayiinu contains the following story about Yumu : — Soon after Gunga came down to the earth, Ytimti was very angry with the gods, as she left him nothing to do in his office of judge ; all the people, however sinful, through her power ascending to heaven. His officers, in a rage, were about to give up their places, and leave him. On applying to Indru, he advised him not to place his mes- sengers in any situation where the wind, passing over Gunga blew ; for that all persons touched even by the wind of this sacred river had all their sins removed, and would go to heaven'. Many other stories are to be found in the pooranus,, some of them supposed to be related by persons who have been at Yumaluyti: the following are of this description. — In a certain village lived two persons of the same name ; one of whom had lived out his whole time, the other had many years to live. Chitru-gooptti, examining his register, sent Yumti's messengers to fetch the person whose appointed time was expired : the messengers went, but brought the wrong person. On re-examining his records, Chitru- gooptu found out the mistake, and directed the officers to hasten back with the soul before the relations had burnt the body. While at Yumaluyu, this person looked all around, and saw, in one place, the punishments infficted on the wicked : Yumu's officers were chastising some, by casting them into pits of ordure ; others, by throwing them into the arms of a red hot image of a woman"; others, by making their bellies immensely large, and their mouths as small as the eye of a needle ; others, by feeding them with red hot balls ; others, by throwing them into pits filled with devouring worms and insects, or with fire. In other places he saw those who had practised severe mortifications living in a state of the greatest magnificence ; and women who had been burnt on the funeral pile, sitting with their husbands, enjoying the greatest delights. As he was coming away, he saw preparations making for the reception of some one in the highest style of grandeur, and asked the messengers who was to enjoy this. The messengers replied that it was for one of his neigh- bours,, a very holy man, whose appointed time was nearly expired ; and who, in fact, died^ soon afterwards. A story very similar to this is often related of a person named Bultiramu, of the voidyu cast, who lived some years ago at Choopee, near Nudeeya. This man, to aU appearance, died ; and was lying by the side of the Ganges, while his relations were collecting the wood and other materials to burn the body. Before the fire was cow which they offered in order to obtain a safe passage. It ia very common in Bengal for a herdsman to cross a river by taking hold of a cow's tail. ' Whatever the Hindoos may think of Gunga's taking away their sins, it is ac- knowledged by all, that the inhabitants who live on the banks of the Ganges are the most corrupt and profligate of all the Hindoos. » This instrument is used for the punishment of adulterers. When RavfinS was carrying off Seeta by force, she reminded him, that for this crime he would have to go into the burning arms of this image after death. FABLES RESPEOTrxG HIM. 49 liglited, however, the body began to move, and in'a little while the dead man arose, and told his friends of his having been carried by mistake to Yumahlyu, where he saw terrific sights of the punish- ments of tlie wicked. This man lived fifteen years after this journey to Ytimu's palace The following storj' was invented, no doubt, in order to check excessive soitow for deceased relations.-^A rich bramhtin had only one son, who grew up to manhood, and was loved almost to distrac- tion by his parents". This son, however, died in his youth, and his wife was burnt witk him on the funeral pile. . The father and mother were so overwhelmed with distress, that for years they refused all comfort. During this time an old servant, who had served the bramhun many years, and had eaten of his food', died, and, for his merit, was made one of Yumil'a officers. This man was going one day to fetch the soul of some one from the village where he had once lived, and saw his former master weeping by the side of the road for the loss of his son. Assuming his old form, he raised up his master, and endeavoured to comfort him, but in vain. He then told him, that he was become one of Yumu's offi- cers, oii account of the merit he had obtained by serving him (the bramhun), and eating of his food ; and that now, to remove his sorrow, he would take him and shew him his son. The old man got on his back, and the officer immediately carried him to the residence of Yiimu, and shewed him his 'son and daughter-in-law in the greatest happiness, surrounded with every delight, playing at chess. But the son, having lost all affection for his parent, would not even look at him, though exhorted to it by his wife. He replied, that in numerous transmigrations, it was very likely that this old man might have been his son again and again. The old man was so incensed, to see that his daughter-in-law had more affection for him than his own son, for whom he was dying with grief, that he desired the constable to carry him back. The old bramhunee would not believe that her son's affections wei'e thus alienated from them : the constable^ therefore, carried her also to see him ; but she met with the same treatment. They both im- mediately renounced their grief for a son who had lost all his filial affection, and resolved to think no more about him. Other stories abound in the poorantis respecting Yumii, some of which I'elate to disputes betwixt the messengers of this god and those of some other god, about the soul of a departed person, wher tber it shall be Ivappy or miserable. I insert two of these stories :-^ » The Hindoos in general carj-y their attachjnent to children, especially to sqns, to the greatest excess. — They are amazed at tjie supposed want of affection in Euro- peans, who leave their parents in order to traverse foreign countries ; some of them without the hope of ever seeing them again. 1 It is a very meritorious action for a shoodrft to eat the leavings of a bramhfln. Hence a shoqdrS will serve a bramhiin for rather leas wages than another jjerson, 7 50 FABLES RESPECTING HIM. "VVher. the sage Unimanduvyu was a cliild of five j'eara old, he piifc a straw into the tail of a locust, and let it fly away. In advanced years, while once employed in performing religious austerities, he was seized as a thief by the officers of justice, and, as he gave no answer on his trial, the king took it for granted that he was guilty, and ordered him to be impaled. After he had been impaled four years, his body bad undergone no change, and, though he appeared perfectly insensible to human objects, he was evidently alive. The king, being informed of this, was filled with astonishment, and declared that he was certainly some great ascetic, equal to one of the gods. He then immediately ordered him to be taken down ; but in endeavouring to extract the wood upon which he had been impaled, it broke within his body. The sage was then suffered to depart, and, after sometime, his religious abstraction was inter- rupted ; though his mind had been so set upon his god, that neither impaling him for four years, nor breaking the stake within his body, had disturbed his intense devotion. On awaking from this state he discovered what had been done to him, and that he bad suffered all this from the hands of Yiimti, for having pierced the locust when he was a child. He was exceedingly angry with Ytimu for such unrighteous judgment. To punish a person for a sin com- mitted at the age of five years, and for so small a crime to impale him for four years, was what he could not bear. He then cursed Tiimu, and doomed him to be born on earth, and to take the name of Vidoorii, the son of a servant girl in the house of the mother of Vedu-vyasu. — How the administration of justice in the other world was carried on after Yiimu assumed human birth, this story does not relate. — What an excellent religion for a wicked man : the criminal can punish his judge ! UjamiK had committed the most enormous crimes, having killed cows and bramhuns, drank spirits, and lived in the practice of evil all his days. He had four sons ; the name of one was Narayiinri. In the hour of death TJjamilu was exti'emely thirsty, and thus called to his son i ' Narayunii, Narayiinu, Narayunii, give me some water.' After his decease, the messengers of Yiimu seized him, and were about to drag him to a place of punishment, when Vishnoo's messengers came to rescue him. A furious battle jnsued, but Vishnoo's messengers were victorious, and carried off Ujamilu.- to Voikoantii, the heaven of Vishnoo. The messengers of Yum'K, enraged, returned to their master, threw their clothes and staves at bis feet, and declared that they would serve him no longer, as they got nothing but disgrace in all ihaj did. Ynmu ordered Chitra-gooptu, the recorder, to examine his books. He did so, and reported that this Ujarailii had been a most ri&torious sinner, and that it was impossible for him to reckon up his sins, they were so numerous. Yumu hastened to Voikoontti, and demanded .of Vish- noo an explanation of this affair. Vishnoo reminded him, that however wicked this man miglit have been, he had repeated the HIS HEAVEN AND MAKItlAGE. 51 name Narayunu in liis last moments ; and that he (Yumii) ought to know, that if a man, either when laughing, or by accident, or in anger, or even in derision, repeated the name of "Vishnoo, he would certainly go to heaven, though, like tJjamilil, covered with crimes, he had not a single meritorious deed to lay in the balance against them. — This is the doctrine that is universally maintained by the great body of the Hindoos : hence, when a person in a dying situa- tion is bi'ought down to the river side, he is never exhorted to re- pentance, but is urged in his last moments to repeat the names of certain gods, as his passport to heaven. A Hindoo shopkeeper one day declared to the author, that he should live in the practice of adultery, lying, &c. till death ; and that then, repeating the name of Krishntt, he should, without difficulty, ascend to heaven. How shocking this sentiment ! How dreadful this mistake ! Description of the heaven of YUm'ti, from, the M'UhahharUt'iJi. This heaven, formed by "V'ishwukurma, is 800 miles in circumfer- ence. From hence are excluded the fear of enemies, and sorrow both of body and mind ; the climate is mild and salubrious ; and each one is rewarded in kind, according to his works : thus he, wlio has given much away on earth, receives a far greater quantity of the same things in heaven; he who has not been libei'al, will have other kinds of happiness, and will see food, houses, lands, &e. but will receive nothing. All kinds of excellent food are here heap- ed up into mountains'. To this heaven have been raised a gi-eat number of Hindoo kings, whose names are given in the Miiha- bharutu. The pleasures of this heaven are like those of Indru- pooru : the senses are satiated with gratifications as gi-oss as the writer of this pooranu, the licentious Vyasu, could make them. YCmu married Vijuyu, the daughter of Veerii, a bramhun. The Bhtivishytit poorann contains the following story respecting this marriage : — Yumil was so pleased with this female, on account of her having performed the Boodhashtumee vrutu, that he appeared to her, and offered her marriage. She was alarmed at the sight of this stranger, and asked him who he was. When she found it was Yiimil, the judge of the dead, who was thus paying his addi-esses to her, she was filled with terror. Yumii calmed her fears, and per- mitted her to acquaint her brother ; as he would be full of distress after her departure, if he were left in ignorance. Her brother told her she was certainly mad : — ' What, to be married to Yiimu ! A fine husband truly !' She however consented, and Yumu conveyed her to his palace, but charged her never to go to the southwards. She suspected that there Ytimu had another favourite, and would not be satisfied till he had explained to her, that his reasons for forbid- ding her to go southwards were, that there the wicked were punished, and that she would not be able to bear so dreadful a sight. All these warnings, however, wei-e given in vain : while 2 This seems to be a heaven for ghittons ! 52 HIS NAMES.—-" HOST OF HEAVEN." Ytimu was one day busy, she took another fefflale or two, and went southwards, till the cries of the damned had nearly terrified her to distraction : to add to the horror of the scene, she saw her mother in torments. On her return, Yiimu found her in a state of the greatest distress, and soon discovered the cause. She insisted on Tumtt's delivering her mother that very day, or he should see her face no more. Ytimu declared this to be impossible ; that her own bad conduct had brought her there, and that she could only be de- livered, according to the forms of the shastrti, after suflfering the punishment due to her. Vijuyu became impatient and clamorous ; till Yum-S told her, that if she could get tlie merit of the Boodhas-' trimee vrutu, transferred to her by some one, she might deliver her mother. Yumti further informed her, that on earth a certain queen, ■who had performed the Boodhashtumee vrutu, had been three days in the pains of child-birth ; and that, if she would perform a certain ceremony, v/hich he described to her, the queen would be delivered, and would in return transfer the merits of this vrfitu to her mother, who would immediately be delivered from torments. Yijuyu took this advice, and thus procured the deliverance of her mother from hell. Yiimti's principal names are : Dlmrmu-raju, or, the holy king. — Pitripittee, the lord of the ancients.— Sumuvurttee, he who judges impartially.— Pretu-r.at, the lord of the dead.-^Kritantu, the destroyer. -^Yumoona-bhrata, the brother of YiImoona''.--Shu- mtinu, he who levels all. — Ytimu-rat, the chief of the fourteen Y^imus^ — Yumu, he who takes out of the world.' — Kalu, time. — Dundudhuru, he who holds the rod of punishment. — Shraddhu- devu, the god of the ceremonies paid to deceased ancestors ; or, he who eats his share of Jihe shraddhii. — Voivuswutu, the son of VivTiswtLt, or Sooryu, — TJntuku, he who kills, or puts an end to life. Sect. XU.^The Worship of the " Host of Heaven" The Hindoos, like other idolatrous nations, have gone into the worship of the heavenly bodies. The planets, the constellations, the signs of the zodiac, the stars in general, the star Canopus", the star Kalu-poorooshit, &c. bave all been deified, and are worshipped with appropriate forms of petitiofi, praise, &c. some of them at the festivals of other gods, and others at different times. The constel- lations are worshipped separately at the births of children, as well as at the anniversaries of these births till the time of death. » The river YSmoona. •> YnrntS haa thirteen assistants, whose names are here given as different names of this judge of 'the dead. ' Called by the Hindoos UgSstyft, the sage. EEMAKKS ON THEIR WORSHIP. 53 Some persons suppose, that the worship of tlie eJements was the primitive idolatry of the Hindoos, and that of heroes the in- vention of later times. It is plain, however, that the vddus, sup- posed to be the most ancient of the Hindoo writings, countenance the worship of deified heroes. These books contain accounts of Brtimha, Vishnoo, and Shivti, and most of the other deities. A paragraph in the Rig-v^dii speaks of the gods choosing Indru to be their king, whom they placed on a throne fancifully constructed "with texts of the v^dti : (amongst all the gods none are charged ■with greater crimes than IndrS, who seduced the wife of his spiri- tual guide :) indeed from a variety of facts it is highly probable, that to the vddns we are to attribute the foundation of this whole fabric of superstition. These books contain prayers to procure the destruction of enemies, as well as encourage the burning of widows alive*, which is surely a far greater crime than any thing done in the presence of the images of Ramn or Krishnti. The ancient idolatry, therefore, seems to have been as corrupt as any thing practised at present. — Is it not probable that the horrid worship of Moloch was really that of the element of fire ? I do not find, however, that the heavenly bodies are worship- ped on the tops of houses, as appears to have been the case among those nations from whom the Jews learnt their idolatry. , It is said of Manasseh, that ' he worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.' Josiah, the son of Manasseh, put down all that burnt incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. By the prophet Jeremiah, God threatens, that the people shall bring out the bones of the king of Judah, of the princes, priests, prophets, and people ; and adds, 'And they shall spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have served ; they shall not be gathered nor be . buried ; they, shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.' By the prophet Zephaniah, God threatens to cut off them 'that worship the host of heaven upon the house-tops.' Stephen, in rehearsing the history of the children of Israel before the Jewish council, declares, that God formerly gave up their fore- fathers to worship the host of heaven ; and mentions among other objects of worship the star of the god Remphan. This woi'ship, which has been so general among heathen na- tions, seems to have originated in judicial astrology, and in the belief that the heavenly bodies have a great influence upon human events. Hindobs, wliose birth under a supposed evil planet has been ascertained, are often filled with melancholy ; some abandon themselves to despair, careless of what becomes of an existence * ' fire, let these women, with bodies anointed with ghee, eyes (coloured) with stibium and void of tears, enter the parent of water, that they may not be separated from their husbands, may be in union with excellent husbands, be sinless, and be jewels among women.' Sig-vSdU, 5i PLANETS, WORSHIPPED IN A BODY. connected with such omens. The reader will" perceive, in reading the account of Satui-n, to what a degree the Hindoos dread the in- fluence of this planet, especially at the time when it is in a certain sign. Against fears of this kind the prophet Jeremiah warned the Jews : ' Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them.' Sect. XIII. — The Womhip of the Nine Oruhiis'.or Planets. At the great festivals a small offering is presented to all the planets at once ; but except on these occasions they are never worshipped together. They ai-e, however, frequently worshipped separatel}' by the sick or unfortunate, who suppose themselves to be under the baneful influence of some planet. At these times the nine planets are worshipped, one after the other, in regular succes- sion. The ceremonies consist of the common forms of worship before other images, and close with a burnt-offering to each planet. To Sooryti are offered in the burnt-sacrifice small pieces of the shrub urku^; to Ghiindru, those of the ptilashti*; to Mars, those of the khudiru'' ; to Mercury, those of the iipamargu' ; to Jupiter, those of the itshwutt'lm'' ; to Venus, those of the ooroom- burii; to Saturn, those of the shiimee'; to Rahoo, blades of doorva grass; and to Ketoo, blades of kooshii gr'ass. In honour of Sooryti boiled rice, mixed with molasses, is burnt ; milk is to be mixed with the rice ofiered to Chiindrii ; with that to Mars, curds ; with that to Mercury, clarified butter : to Jupiter is offered frumenty ; to Venus, boiled rice alone ; to Saturn, various kinds of food ; to Rahoo, goat's flesh or fish ; to Kdtoo, blood from the ear of a goat, mixed with rice. The image of Sooryu is to be a round piece of mixed metal, twelve fingers in diameter ; that of Chtindra is to be like a half moon, a cubit from end to end ; that of Mars, a triangular piece of metal measured by the thickness of six fingers ; that of Mercury, a golden bow measuring the thickness of two* fingers from one extremity to the other ; that of Jupiter, like a flower of the water- lily ; that of Venus, a four-square piece of silver ; that of Saturn, an iron scymitar ; that of llahoo, an iron miikiLrfi ; and that of K^too, an ii-on snake. ' These stars are called giahiJs,bccauBe they make known to people good and evil. ^ Aaclepias gigantioc. « Butea frondosa. '■ Mimosa catechu. ' Achyranthes aspera. ^ Ficus religioaa. ' Mimosa albida. RUVEE— HIS FORM AND WORSHIP— COMMITS A RAPE. 55 The fees accompanying the worship of the different planets are various : at that of Sooryii, a milch cow ; of Chandra, a shell ; of Mars, a bull ; of Mercury, a morsel of gold ; of Jupiter, a piece of cloth ; of Venus, a horse ; of Saturn, a black cow ; of fiahoo, a piece of iron ; and of K^too, a goat. When the officiating bramhun performs the worship of separate planets, he must put on vestments of divers colours, and offer different kinds of flowers. Sect. XlV.—R'Uvee'', the Sun. This god, the son of Kushyxipil, the sage, is painted red. He holds a water-lily in each hand, and rides in a chariot drawn by seven yellow" horses. Ruvee, as one of the planets, is worshipped only at the great festivals. The Jyotish-tixtwu says, that if a person be born under the planet Ruvee, he will possess an anxious mind, be subject to disease and other sufferings, be an exile, a prisoner, and endure much sorrow from the loss of his wife, children, and pi-operty. This god has been already noticed under the name of Sooryu ; but in that account several particulars were omitted by mistake ; and which I insert here, though they properly' belong to another form of this idol. — While bathing, the Hindoos repeat certain incantations, in order to bring the waters of all the holy places in the heaven of this god into the spot where they are standing, and thus obtain the merit of bathing not only in Gunga, but in all the sacred rivers, &c. in the heaven of Sooryu. After bathing too, the Hindoos make their obeisance to this god in a standing ]X)sture ; the more devout draw up their joined hands to the forehead, gaze at the sun, make prostration to him, and then turn round seven times, repeating certain forms of petition and praise. On these occasions they hold up water in their joined hands, and then ' pour out a drink-offering' to the sun. o When^the terrific being which sprung out of Shivti's bunch of hair went with all the bho5ttis, &;c. to destroy Dukshti's sacrifice, all the gods being present, this monster seized on Sooryu and knocked out his teeth : in consequence, at the time of worship, only soft things, as flour, &c. are now offered to this god> such as a toothless old man might eat. Sooryii is charged in the M^habharutii with ravishing Koonte, a virgin, from whence Ktirnnti, a gaint, was born. ™ Hence Envee-vaiTj, or Sunday. = Not green, as mentioned hy Mr. Maurice. 56 SOMU — HIS IMAGE, WORSHIP AND NAMES. Sect. XV. — Sorn'W', or ChiCndrH, the Moon, The image of Somu is that of a white man, drawn by tet^ horses, or sitting on the water-lily. With his right hand he is giving a blessing, and in the other he holds a club. In the work called Udhiknrunu-mala, a sacrifice is ordered to be performed to Somti, and the woi'shipper is promised a place in the heaven of this god. All the Hindoo ceremonies are regulated by the rising or setting, the vi^axing or waning of the moon. The Jyotishtutwfi says, ' If a person be born under the planet Somu, he will have many friends ; will possess elephants, horses, and palanqueens ; be honourable and powerful ; will live upon excellent food, rest on superb couches, &c.' A race of Hindoo kings are said to have descended from Somu by Rohinee'', and are called the children of the moon. The first of these was Boodhu, and the forty-sixth Yoodhist'hiru. This god on a certain occasion was forcibly carried away bj'' Gurooru, the bird on which Vi.shnoo rides, and delivered up to the giants. The giants, anxious to become immortal as well as the gods, promised Gurooru that if he would bring the moon by force, so that they might drink the nectar supposed to exist in the bright parts of that planet, they would deliver his mother from the curse pronounced against her by her son Uroonil, by which she had been doomed to become the slave of her sister. GuroorC soon seized the god, and placed him trembling among the assembled giants ; but while the latter were gone to bathe, and prepare for partaking of the waters of immortality, Indru arrived and delivered the cap- tive, and thus disappointed these implacable enemies of the gods. Somix is charged with seducing the wife of Vrihttsptitee, his preceptor. — See p. '57 The chief names of this god are : Somu, or, he from whom the water of immortality springs. — Himangshoo, he whose beams are cooling. — Chundru, he at whose rising people rejoice. — Indoo, the great. — Koomoodii-bandfivti, the friend of the flower Koomoodu'. — Vidhoo, he who causes the gods to drink the water of life. — Soodhangshoo, he whose rays are as the water of life. — Oshudhee- shti, the lord of medicinal plants, — Nishapfltee, the lord of night. — TJbju, he who was bom from the waters. — Joivatrikti, the pre- server of men. — Glou, he who decreases. — Mrigranku, he on whose " Hence Somfi-varii, or Monday. P The Hyades. 1 Nymphcea lotus. After the rising of the moon this flower is said by the Hindoos to expand. MUNGULU, HIS IMAGE-AN EVIL PLANET— EOODHU, HIS FORM. 57 lap sits a deer'.— Kulanidhee, he with whom are the ktilas'.— Dwijui-ajii, the chief of the brHinhfins.— Ntikshtitr^shti, the lord of the planets.— Kshupaktirti, he who illumines the night. Sect. XVI. — MiUngiiilu'; or Mars. This god is painted red ; rides on a sheep ; wears a red neck- lace, and garments of the same colour ; and has four arms : in one hand he holds a weapon called shuktee ; with another he is giving a blessing ; with another forbidding fear ; and in the fourth he holds a club. ' If a person be born under the planet MtlngiilTi, he will be full of anxious thoughts, be wounded with offensive weapons, be im- prisoned, be oppressed with fear from robbers, fire, &c.,, and will lose his lands, trees, and good name.' — Jyotish-tiLtwU. Sect. XVII. — Boodh-W, or Merenry. This god has four arms ; in one hand he holds the discus, in another a club, in another a scymitar, and with the fourth is be- stowing a blessing. He rides on a lion ; is of a placid countenance ; and wears yellow garments. The following is an account of the birth of Boodhii : — On a cei-tain occasion Vrihusptitee, the spiritual guide of the gods, made a great feast, to which he invited all the gods. Chundrti was present among the rest ; who, during the festival, fell in love with Tara, the wife of Vrih&sputee. Not knowing how to accomplish his wishes, after his return home he invited Vrihiispiitee to a sacrifice, begging him to bring his wife with him. Vrihtisputee and his wife proceeded to the palace of Chiindru, but saw no pre- parations for the sacrifice. The former' expressing his surprise at this circumstance, Chiindrti told him that the sacrifice was una- voidably delayed, and advised him to return for a short time to f See a story of the birth o£ Boodhu in the following page. " Kula is the one 16th part of the disk of the moon, viz., that quantity which it iuoteases or decreases in one day. '. Mungiila-vara, or Tuesday. MfingSltt is also called Ungaraku, or, ho who travels ; Koojn, the son of the earth ; and Lohitangti, the blood-coloured. " Boodhii-varSi or Wednesday. The meaning of BoodhS ia, the wise. He ia also called Rouhinfiyii, the son of KohinES, and Soumyti, the son of Somit. 8 58 ACCOUNT OF HIS BIRTH — VEIHUSPUTEE, HIS IMAGE. his devotions, leaving his wife at his house. > Vi'ihtisputee consent- ed, and during his absence Chflndrti dishonoured the "wife of his spiritual guide ; wlio on liis return, finding his wife pregnant, cursed Chundru, and hurled him into the sea, where lie continued like a cinder, leaving tlie eartli in darkness for two kulpiis, or 864,000,000 years. Vrihiisputee compelled his wife to deliver herself, and, on the hirth of the child Boodhu, reduced lier to ashes. Brfimha afterwards raised her from her ashes, and, thus purified, Vrihusputee took her to his embraces again. Sfimoodru, (the sea,) incensed at his son for this horrid crime of dishonouring the wife of his divine teacher, disinherited him. CTiUndru then applied to his sister Ltikshmee", the wife of Vishnoo, by whose power part of his sin was removed, and he became light like the moon when three days old. She also applied in his behalf to Parviitee, who resolved to restore ClitindrTi to heaven, and for this purpose planted him in the forehead of her husband'' ; wlio went, thus ornamented, to a feast of the gods. Vrihfispiitee, on seeing Ohnndrii again in heaven, was greatly incensed, and could only be appeased by Brnmha's ordaining, that the lascivious god sbould be excluded from heaven, and placed among tlie stars ; and that the sin by which his glory had been obscured should remain for ever,. Chundrii now asKed Brnmha to remove tbe vomiting of blood, with which he had been seized since his fall from heaven ; who directed him, as a certain cure, to hold a deer on his knees. ' If a person be born under the planet Boodhfi, he will be veiy fortunate, obtain an excellent wife, &e.'' — Jyollsh-tiUivH. Sect. XVIlI.^-J-'ri/i'itspufoe'', or Jupiter. The image of this god, the son of the sage Ungira, is painted j-rellow. He sits on the water-lily ; has four arms ; in one hand he holds a roodrakshiS. bead-roll ; in another, an alms' dish ; in another, a club ; and with the fourth, he is bestowing a bles.sing. VrihiSsputee is preceptor and priei^t to the gods ; in whose palaces he explains the v^d<(s, and performs a number ©f religious ceremonies. If a person be born under the planet Vrihilspiitee, lie 'will be endowed with an amiable disposition ; possess palaces, gardens, lands, and be rich in money, corn, fee. ; obtaining the affections of all, his honours will inci-ease ; he will possess much religious merit ; " Ljjkshmee was born, like Chtlndrfl, at the chvu-ning of the sea by the gods, y In Shivtl's forehead is placed a half moon. « Vrihuspiiti-vara, or Thursday. AN ArsPICIOtJS PLAXET— Iirs N^AMES-SnOOKRU,,HIS FORM— FABLE 59; and in short, will have all liis wislxes gratified. Kshutriytis, Voishyfis, and Sho5dras, if bom uader this planet, will be prosper- ous and happy ; but bramhuns will act be so fortunate :. the reason given IS, that Vrihuspiitee is a bramhiin, and therefor© does not wish to exalt those of his own c-dst.—Jyotish-mwU. This god is charged in the MiJhablxarutu with deflowering the wife of his eldest brother Ootiit'hyit. Names. — Vrihtispfitee, or, pa-eceptor to the gods.— Sooracharyu, the priest of the god^-— Gishpfitee, the eloquent. — Gooroo, the- |)recepto.r. — Jeevu, he who. revives the gods'. — Angirusu, the mn. of Ungira. — Vachttspiitee, the ford of words, viz., the eloquent. Sect. XlX.Sho&JcrW', or the Flanet Venus: Thls god, the son of the sage Bhrigoo, is dressed in white ; sit.» ©n the water-lily ; has four hands : in one, he holds a roodrakshu bead-roll ; in aitother, an alms' dish ; in another, a dub ; and with the other is besto-wing a blessing. Shookru is preceptor and officiating priest to the giants. He is represented as blind of one eye ; the reason of which is thus related: — When Vamilnu went to king Bulee, to solicit a present, Shookrif, being Billee's preceptor, forbad his giving him, any thing. 'Jlie king disregarding his advice, the priest was obliged to read the necessary formulas, and to pour out the water from a vessel,, to ratify the gift. Shookru, still anxious to withhold the gift, which he foresaw would be the destruction of his master, -entered' the water in an> invisible form, and by his magic power prevented it from falling ; but Vamunii, aware of the device, put a straw into the bason of water, whicli entered Shookrtt's eye, and gave him so. much pain, that he leaped out of the bason : the water then fell, and the gift was offered. ' If a person be born under the planet Shookrfi, he will have the faculty of knowing things past, present, and future ; will havee many wives ; have a kingly umbrella, (the emblem of royalty ;) and other kings will worship him ; he will possess elephants, horses, palanqueens, footmen, Siic'—Jyotisk-tUtwiJi^ Shookrti's daughter, D^viijanee, was deeply in love with one of her father's pupils, K€chti, the son of Vrihiisptutee. This youth • That is, when the gods, die iti battle, YrihSsptttee by incaptationg restores theni to life. ^ Shookra-varfi or Friday.. 60 RESPECTING HIS BLINDNESS— A PROPITIOUS PLANET — A FABLE, bad been sent by hi& fatlier to learn from Sliookru an incantation for raising the dead. One day Di^vujanee sent Kuchii to bring some flowers to be used in worship" from a forest belonging to the giants. Previously to this, Kuchti ha(i been devoured several times by different giants ; but Shookru by the above incantation had restored him to life: when he tore open the bellies of these cannibals, and destroyed them. The giants now resolved to make Shookru himself eat this boy ; for which purpose they caught him in the forest, cut him into the smallest pieces, boiled him up in spirits, and invited Sookriito the entertainmei>t. Kuchii not returning from the forest, D^vujanee wept much, and told her father, that she would certainly kill herself^ if be did not bring back her lover. Shookru at length, bj'- the power of meditation, discovered that he had eaten this youth, so beloved by his daugh- ter ; and he knew not how to bring him back to life, without the attempt being fatal to himself. At last, however, Avhile the boy continued in his belly, he restored him to life, and taught him the incantatian for raising the dead ; after which Kuchii, tearing open Shookrtl's belly, came forth, and immediately restored his teacher to life. Kuchti, having obtained the knowledge of revivify- ing the dead, took leave of his preceptor, and was about to return to his father Vrihusputee, when D^vujanee insisted upon his marr5'ing her. Kuchii declined this honour, as she was the daugh- ter of his preceptor ; at which she was so incensed that she pro- nounceid a curse upon him, by which he was doomed to reap no advantage from all his learning. In return Kiichu cursed Devu- janee, and doom'ed her to marry a kshutriyxl ; which curse after sometime took effect, and she was married to king Yujatee. After D^vtijanee had borne two children, she discovered that the king maintained an illicit connection with a princess of the name of Stimmisht'lia, by whom he had tliree sons. She appealed to her father Shookru, who pronounced a curse on Ytijatee ; when his hair immediately became grey, his teeth fell from his head, and he was seized with complete decrepitude. Yiijatee remonstrated with bis father-in-law, and asked him who should live with his daughter, who was yet young, seeing that he had brought old age upon him. Shookrfl replied, that if he could persuade any one to take upon him this curse, he might still enjoy connubial felicity. Yiijatee returned home, and asked his eldest son by D^vujanee to take this curse for a thousand years, and possess the kingdom ; af the close of which time he should become young again, and con- tinue in the kingdom : but this son, his brother, and the two eldest sous of Summisht'Iia refused the kingdom on these condi- tions ; which so enraged the father, that he cursed them all. The youngst son, however, by Siimmisht'ha accepted the conditions, ' Gathering flower.s for the worship of the goda is often at present the employ- ment of young persons. * The Hindoo children often resort to this thi-eat to extort some fayoiir from their parents. HIS NAMES— SHUNEE, HIS IMAGE—AN EVIL PLANET. 61 and instantly became weak and decrepid ; when the father assumed his former youth, and returned to the company of his wives. Names. — Shookrii, or, he who sorrows at the destruction of. the giants.^— Doityii-gooroo, preceptor to the giants. — Kavyft, the poet. — Ooshuna, the friend of the giants. — Bharguvu, the descen- dant of Bhrigoo. Sect. XX. — Shunee", or Saturn. This god is dressed in black ; rides on a vulture' ; has four arms ; in one he holds an arrow ; in another, a javelin ; in another a bow ; and with the other is giving a blessing. He is said to be the son of Sooryii by Chaya. All the Hindoos exceedingly dread the supposed baneful in- fluence of this god, and perform a number of ceremonies to appease him. Many stories of him are to be found in the writings of the Hindoos, such as that of his burning off tlie head of Qundshii ; his burning Dushiiriit'hii's chariot in his descent from heaven ; his giving rise to bad harvests, ill fortune, &c. ' If a person be born under the planet Slmnee,' says the Jyotish-tiitwu, ' he will be slandered, his riches dissipated, his son, wife, and friends destroyed ; he will live at variance with others ; and endure many sufferings.' Tlie Hindoos are under constant fear of bad fortune from this planet. Some persons, if absent from home at the time of his appearance, return through fear, and others forsake their business lest they should meet with misfortunes. If one person persecute another, the latter sometimes takes it patient- ly, supposing it to arise from the bad fortune which naturally springs from the influence of this star. The Hindoos believe that when Shftnee is in the ninth stellar mansion, the most dreadful evils befal mankind : hence, when Ramii broke the bow of Shivu, which was the condition of obtaining Seeta in marriage, and when the earth sunk, and the waters of the seven seas were united in one, Purushoo-ramu, startled at the noise of the bow, exclaimed, 'Ah ! some one has laid hold of the hood of the snake, or fallen under the ninth of Shnnee.' At present, Avhen a person is obstinate, and « Shanee-varu, or Saturday. Oue of the name.s of Slinnee is Shfinoish-ohiirii, viz., he who travels slowly. ' This god is represented as sitting on this bird, prob.ably, to denote his destruc- tive power. Saturn, in the Grecian system of idolatrj', was rcjiresented as devouring his children. The vultures in Bengal are highly useful in devouring the dead bodies of men and beasts, many of which are left in the roads and on the banks of rivers. It is astonishing how swiftly these birds collect wherever a dead body falls, though one of them should not have been seen in the place for weeks or months before ; illustrating, in the most striking manner, the words of our Lord, " Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together."— ilf««. xxiv. 28. 62 RAHOO.HIS IMAGE— RECEIVED THIS FORM AT CHUKNING'OF THE SEA, will not hearken to reason, a bye-stander says, ' I suppose he has fallen upon Shttnee, or he has laid his hand upon the hood of the snake, viz., he is embracing his own destructioni' When Ramui found that some one had stolen Seeta, in the midst of his rage he- exclaimed, ' This person must have been born: when. Shfinee was ins the ninth mansion.' Sect. XXI.-Eahoo\ This god, the son of Singhika, is painted black : he rides ow .1 lion ; has four arms, in thi-ee of which he holds a scyniitar, a spear, and a shield, and with the other hand is bestowing a blessing: ' If a person be born under the planet Rahoo,' says the work already quoted, ' his wisdom, riches, and children will be destroj''- ed ; he will be exposed to many afflictions, and be subject to his enemies.' Rahoo was originally a giant, but at the churning of the sea he took his present name and form ; (that is, he became one of the heavenly bodies* ;) which transformation is thus described in the pooraniis : — -At the time when the gods churned the sea. to obtain, the water of life, Sooryii (the sun) and Chilndru (the moon) were sitting together. When the nectar came up, these gods hinted to- Vishnoo, that one of the company who had drank of the nectar was not a god. but one of the giants. Vishnoo immediately cut off his head ; but after drinking the water of life, neither the head nor the trunk could perish. The head taking the name of Rahoo, and the trunk that of K^too, were placed in the heavens as the ascending and descending nodes ; and leave was granted, by way of revenge on Sdoryii and Chundrfi, that on certain occasions Rahoo should approach these gods, and make them unclean, so that their bodies should become thin and black. The popular opinion, however, is, that, at the time of an eclipse, Rahoo swallows the sun and moon 7 and vomits them up again''. >> The ascending node. ' We are here reminded of .Tupiter's deflowering Calisto, the daughter of Lycaon. king of Arcadia. It will be remembered, that when her disgrace became known, Juno turned her into a bear, which Jupiter afterwards advanced into heaven, and made it a constellation, now called Ursa major. '' It is a most unaccountable coincidence in the notions of remote nations, that the Chinese and the Greenlanders, as well as the Hindoos, shoxild think that the sun or the moon is devoured at the time of an eclipse. " As soon as they (the Chinese): perceive that the sun or moon begins to be darkened, they throw themselves on their knees, and knock their foreheads against the earth. A noise of dnuns and cymbals is immediately heard throughout the whole city. This is the remains of an ancient opinion entertained in China, that by such a horrid din they assisted the suffering luminary, and prevented it from being devoured by the celestial dragon." Crantz ia his History of Greenland asserts, that a similar custom exists among this people, who could certainly never have learnt it either from the Hindoos or the Chinese. HIS NAMES — KETOO, HIS IMAGE. 63 Many persons perform a number of ceremonies on these occa- sions, as, those to the manes ; pouring out water to deceased ancestors ; repeating the names of the gods ; setting up gods ; making offerings, &c. The Jyotish-tutwu declares, that performing 'these duties now is attended with benefits infinitely greater than at other times. Nobody must discharge the fseces or urine, or eat any food, until they have seen the sun or moon after the eclipse, though it be till their rising the next day. He who does not observe this law, will have a million of hells in one. Names. — Tumu, the dark, or, he who is possessed of a great ^oportion of the quality of darkness. — Eahoo, he who swallows and afterwai-ds vomits up the sun or moon. — Swiirbhanoo, he who shines in the heavens. — Soinghik^yii, the son of Singhika. — Yid- ihoontoodu, he who afilicts the mooii. Sect. XXII.— ^^foo'. Ketoo is the headless trunk of Ralioo, which became immortal ait the churning of the sea. This god is painted of a light green «olour. He rides on a vulture ; in one hand holds a club, and with ihe other is bestowing a blessing. The preceding may be called the Hindoo Celestial Gods. I dare not say, that I have given every deity of this order, as I have not found any book containing an exact list of them. I could «asily have enlarged the number, by inserting accounts of other forms of these gods .; but this would have swelled the work, without adding to its value. ' The descending node. 6-J- DOORGA-HEE DESCENT, -REASON OF HER NAME, A FABLE. CHAP. III. OF THE GODDESSES. Sect. l.—Doorga. In those parts of the Hindoo shastrfts which treat of the production of the world, this goddess is spoken of as the female j)ower, under the name of Prtikritee or Bhiigiivutee. She was first born in the house of Dukshii, one of the progenitors of man- kind, and called Stitee ; under which name she was married to Shiviij but renounced her life on hearing her father I'eproach her liusband. On her second appeai'ance, we recognize her under the name of Parvutee, the daughter of Himaliiyu' ; when she was again married to Shivii, by whom she had two children, Kartik^yti and Giindshu. Doorga has had many births to destroy the giants'"- The reason of her being called Doorga is ^thus given in the Kashee- khundii : — On a certain occasion Ugustyti, the sage, asked Kartik^yu, why Parviitee, his mother, was called Doorga. Karti- kdyu replied, that formerly a giant named Doorgn, the son of Rooroo, having performed religious austerities in honour of Brumha, obtained his blessing, and became a great oppressor : he conquered the three worlds, and dethroned Indrix, Vayoo, Chtindi-u, Ytimti, Ugnee, Vtiroonu, Koovdrti, Biilee, Eeshanti, Roodrtt, Sooryu, the eight Viisoos, &c. The wives of the rishees 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 woi'shipped him. He abolished all religious ceremonies'; the bramhtins, through fear of him, forsook the reading of the vddtis ; 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 Shivu. Indru said, ' He has dethroned me ;' — Sooryu said, ' He has taken my kingdom :' and thus all the gods related their misfortunes. Shivii, pitying their case, desired Parviitee to go and desti-oy the giant. She willingly accepting of the commission, calmed the fears of the gods, and first sent Kalu-ratree, a female whose beauty bewitched the in- habitants of the three worlds, to order the giant to restore things " The mountain of this name. '' Sir W, Jones, not improperly, considers Doorga as bearing a pretty strong resemblance to Juno, as well as to Minerva. REASON OF HER NAME, A FABLE. 65 to theii- ancient order. The latter, full of fury, sent some soldiers to lay hold of Kalu-ratree ; but, by the breath of her mouth, she reduced them to ashes. Doorgti then sent 30,000 other giants, who were such monsters in size, that they covered the surface of the earth. Among them were the following.- Doordhuru", Doormookhu'', Khuru=, Shiru-panee^ Pashu-panee^ Soor^ndrtt", Diimiinu', Htinoo^ Yugniihanee', Khurga-roma", Oograsyft", D^vti- k-fimpunu", &c. At the sight of the.se giants, Kalu-ratree fled through the air to Parvutee, a;nd the giants followed her. Doorgu, with 100,000,000 chariots, 200 urvoodtts (or 120,000,000,000) of elephants, 10,000,000 of swift-footed horses, and innu- merable soldiers, went to fight with Parvutea on the mountain Vindhu. As soon as the giant drew near, Parvittee assumed 1,000 arms, and called to her assistance different kinds of beings, as jiimbhii'', muhajumbhii'', vijumbhu"', viktitanunu', pingakshu', mil- hishij", muhogru", utyoogru'', vigruhu^, kroorakshu", krodhiinu'', knindiinu", sunkrundiinu'', muha-blmyu", jitantuku'', mtiha-vahoo^, mtiha-vuktru'', muh^edhuria', doondoobhu\ doondoobhiruvii', muha- doondoo-bhinasiku", oograsyii'', deergu-dushilnu", m^ghu-k^shuf, vrikantinu', singhasyii', shookurti-mookhu', shiva-ruvil-muhotkiitu', shookut-oondix", pruchundasyu", bheemakshii'', kshoodru-mantisu^ oolookundtru', kttn■ukasyu^ kakutoondu", khurunukhu*, deergu- greevii', miihajunghti* shiroddhuru^ ruktu-vrindu-juvandtru'', vi- dyootjivhu', ugnin^truku'', tapiintt', dhoDmraksh'S'", dhoomuni«h- wastt", shooru-chiindangshoo-tapTinu", mtihabheeshitnu-mookhu'', &c. She also brought a number of weapons out of her body, as usees chtikra', bhooshoondee', gtida', moodgurii", tomuru^ bhindi- palti^, purighu', koontii', shulyit'', shtiktee", urdhfi-chundrii'', kshoo- rttpru', narachu', shileemookhiiS mtihabhulltf, purushoo', bhidooru*, and murmiibh^du'. The troops of the giant poured their arrows on Parviitee, sitting on the mountain Vindhii, thick as the drops of rain in a storm ; they even tore up the trees, the mountains, &c. ' Difficult to catch. '^ Foul-mouthed. ' Cruel. ' Holdicg a human skull in the hand. E Wielders of the pashS. >> Sovereigns of the gods, i Bullies. k Of high cheek bones. ' Sacrifice- destroyers. "> Theywhose hair is like scymitars. " Of terrific countenance. " They who make the gods tremble, p Malicious. iVery malicious. ■■ In variotis ways malicious. ^ Of fear-excit- ing countenance. ' Of yellow eyes. " Like buffaloes. » Wrathful. ? Exceedingly wrathful. "^ Warriors. » Cruel-eyed. •> Wrathful. >= Causers of crying. iOausing to cry excessively. « Fear exciting, f Death conquering, s Large-armed. •'Large- faced. 'Mountain-like, is Noisy like the doondoobhee. ' Dittoo. "' With noses like the doondoobhee. " With wrathful countenance. » Long toothed. P With hair like clouds. i Leopard-faced. ' Lion-faced. ' Pig-faced. 'Exciting terrors by making sounds like the jackal. " With bills like a parrot. " Terrible-faced, r Ter- i-tfio-eyed. ' Little-minded. « Owl-eyed. ^ Gold-faced. ■= Crow-faced. * Sharp- nailed. = Long-necked, f Long-thighed. e Large-veined. •• With eyes red like the ySva flower. ' With tongues like lightning. '^ Fiery-eyed. ' Inflamers. '" Smoke-eyed. " With breath like smoke. . " Giving pain to the sun and moon, p Of horrid countenance, i A scymitar. ■• A discus. » A hatchet. ' A bludgeon or club. " A hammer. » An iron crow i A short arrow. ' A bludgeon. » A bearded dart. ""A javelin. ^ Another. * An arrow like a half -moon. « A weapon like a spade. ' A small arrow, s A i-ound arrow. '' A very long spear. ' A hatchet like a half-moon, i^ A thimderbolt full of spikes. ' A bearded arrow, y CG REASON OF HER NAME, A FABLE. and hurled at the goddess ; who however thi-ew a weapon whicli earned away many of the arms of the giant : when he, in return, hurled a flaming dart at the goddess ; which she turning aside, he discharged another ; but this also she resisted by a hundred arrows- He next let fly an arrow at Parvutee's breast ; but this too she re- pelled, as well as two other instruments, a club and a pike. At last Parvutee seized Doorgii and set her left foot on his breast ; but he disengaged himself, and lenewed the fight. The beings (9,000,000) whom ParviiteJ caused to issue from her body then des- troyed all the soldiers of the giant ; in return Doorgii caused a dreadful shower of hail to descend, the eflect of which Parvfitep counteracted by an instrument called Shoshttnu'" He next, break- ing off the peak of a mountain, threw it at Parvutes, who cut it into seven pieces by her arrows. The giant now assumed the shape of an elephant as large as a mountain, and approached the god- dess ; but she tied bis legs, and with her nails, which were like scymitara, tore him to pieces. He then arose in the form of a buf- falo, and with his horns, cast stones, trees, and mountains at the goddess, tearing up the trees by the breath of bis nostrils. Tlie goddess next pierced him with her trident, when he reeled to and fro, and, renouncing the form of tlie bufialo, assumed his ori- ginal body as a giant, with a thousand arms, and weapons in each . Going up to Parvutee, 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 bad no effect, she pierced him in the breast with an arrow ; when the blood issued in streams from his mouth, and lie expired. Tlie gods were now filled with joy : Sooryii, Chiindrti, Ugnee, &c. obtained their fonnei- splendour ; and all the other deities, who had been dethroned by this giant, immediately re-ascended their thrones ; the bramhiin» resumed the study of the vddiis ; sacrifices were regularly perform- ed, and every thing assumed its pristine state : the heavens rang with the pi-aises of Parvut)i3, and the gods, in return for so signal a deliverance, honoured her with the name of Doorga. MuhishUj king of the giants, at a certain period overcame the gods in war, and reduced them to such a state of indigence, that they were seen wandering about the earth like common beggars. Indrii, after a time, collected them together, and they went in a bodj' to Brumha, and afterwards to Shivu, but met with no redress. At last they applied to Vishnoo, who was so enraged at beholding their wretchedness, that streams of glory issued from his face, from which sprang a female named MiXha-maya (Doorga). Streams of glory issued also from the faces of the other gods, and entering Muha-maya, she became a body of glory resembling a mountain on fire. The gods then gave their weapons to this female, and with a frightful scream, she ascended into the air. " A weapon which dries up liquids. PfiSTtVALS — LMAdE. 61' [Tlie work Cliundee, in this place, contains a long account of Ihe dreadful contest betwixt Muha-maya and this giant, which ended in the destruction of the latter.] After the victory, the gods chanted the praises of Miiha-maya ; and the goddess, pleased with their gratitude, promised to succour them whenever they were in distress, and then disappeared. The Hindoos believe that the worship of Doorga has been per- formed through the four yoogus ; but that Soorfltu, a king, in the end of the dwapfirfi-yoog^ made known the present form of wor- shipping the goddess, and celebrated these orgies in the month Choitrii ; (hence called the Vasilntee, or spring festival.) Soorutti offered a very gteat number of goats, sheep, and buffaloes to Doorga ; believing, according to the shastriS, that he should enjoy happiness in heaven as many years a.s there were hairs upon the different animals offered. After his death, however, his case excited much discussion in the court of Yiimii ; who at length decided, that though Sooriitu had much merit, he had destroyed the lives of many animals, and that he must be born and sufier death from all these beasts assembled in oiie plaxSe, when he should immediately be advanced to heaven. Others interpret this passage of the shasti-ti as meaning, that the king was to assume in succession the forms of all these beaSts, and be put to death in each form before he could ascend to heaven. In the trt^tti-yoogfi Kamti is said to have performed the worship of Doorga in the month Ashwinti ; and from him it is continued in this month, and called the Sharii- deeya, or autumnal festival. This festival, celebrated in the month Asiiwinu, the most popular of all the annual festivals held in Bengal, I shall now attempt to describe. Immense sums are expended upon it" ; all business throughout the country is laid aside for several days, and universal festivity and licentiousness prevail. A short time before the festival, the learned men and sirkars" employed in Calcutta almost universally return home ; some of them enjoy a holiday of several weeks. The image of Doorga has ten arms. In otie of her right hands is a spear, with which she is piercing the giant Muhishii ; with one of the left she holds the tail of a serpent, and the hair of the giant, whose breast the serpent is biting. Her other hands are all stretch' ed behind her head, and filled with different instruments of war. Against her right leg leans a lion, and against her left the above » In the city of Calcutta alone, it is supposed, upon a moderate calculation, that half a million sterling is expended annually on this festival. About fifty years ago, (1811) KfindJirpS-gooru, a kaist'litl, expended in this worship 38, 000 pounda, and spent 12,500 pounds annually as long as he Kved in the same manner. » Natives who direct the business of Europeans are commouly called sirkar^. Th« proper name is Mootafiddee, or MooUSree. 63 DESCRIPTION OF CEREMONIES AT HER JfESTIVAL, giant — The images of LuksUraee; Stiru.swiitee, Kartik^yii, and Giindshtl, are very frequently made and placed by the side of this goddess. On the 9th day of the decrease of the moon this festival begins, when the ceremony called sttnkGlpft is performed, by the officiating bramhtin's taking into his joined hands a metal kosha, (which con- tains water, flowers, fruits, sesamum, rice, and a blade of kooshti grass,) reading an incantation, and promising that on the succeed- ing days such a person will perform the worship of Doorga. After this, Doorga is worshipped before a pan of water with the accus- tomed formularies. On the iOth, 11th, 12th, 13th, 11th, and J 5th days of the moon, the same ceremonies are performed before the pan of water ; and, with some trifling variations in the offerings, continued on the 16th, 17th, 18th, l9th and 20th. On the 21st day of the moon, at the close of the worship, what is called udhivasu is performed. This also is a preliminary cere- mony, and consists in taking rice, fruits, &c., and touching with them a pan of water, and afterwards the forehead of the image, at intervals repeating incantations. On the 22d, early in the morning, the officiating bramhun con- secrates the image, placing it on the spot prepared for it in tbe temple, and repeating the proper formulas. After this, the princi- pal ceremonies before the image begin. First, the business of giving eyes and life to the images is performed ; when they become objects of worship. In this curious ceremony, the officiating bramhun touches with the two fore-fingers of his right hand the breast, the two cheeks, the eyes, and the foi'ehead of the image. When he touches these places, he says, ' Let the soul of Doorga long continue in happiness in this image.' After this, he takes a leaf of the vilwii tree, rubs it with clarified butter, and holds it over a burning lamp till it be covei'ed with soot ; of which he takes a little on the stalk of another vilwu leaf, and touches the eyes, filling up with the soot a small white place left in the pupil of the eye. The worship of Giineshu and other gods is now performed ; then that of the demi-goddesses, the companions of Doorga in her wars, who are rep]'esented by the dots of paint on the canopy which covers the image of the goddess. The offerings presented to them consist of very small slices of plantains, on each of which are stuck two or three grains of rice, &c. Then follows the worship of the other images set up with that of Doorga ; to which succeeds the principal worship, that of Doorga. First, the officiating barmhiiu perforus dhyanu ; in which, sitting before the image, he closes his eyes, and repeats the proper formulas, meditating on the form of the goddess, and repeating to himself, ' I present to the goddess all these flowers, fruits, &c. [here he goes over all the offerings ;] I slay all these BLOODY SACRIFICES. 69 animals/ &c. He then calls the goddess, sayhig, ' goddess, come here, come here ; stay here, stay here. Take up thine abode here, and receive my worship,' The priest next places before the image a small piece of square gold or silver, for the goddess to sit upon, and asks if she has arrived happily ; adding the answer himself, • Very happily.' After this, water for washing the feet is offered, by taking it with a spoon from one vessel, and pouring it out into another, while the incantation is repeated. Ten or lifteen blades of doorvu grasfe, a yuva flower, sandal powder, rice, &c. are then offered with an incantation, and laid at the feet of Doorga. Next follows water to wash the mouth ; curds, sugar, and a lighted lamp. Then water to wash the mouth, and to bathe ; then cloth, or garments ; then jewels, or ornaments for the feet, arms, lingers, nose, ears, &c., with sandal wood, and red or white lead ; then flowers of different kinds, one at a time, with a separate incanta- tion for each flower : also a vilwiL leaf, with some powder of jsandal wood put upon it. Then are offered thrice successively two handfuls of flowers of different kinds ; afterwards incense, a lighted lamp, and meat offerings. At the close, the bramhun walks round the image seven times, repeating forms of petition and praise. Now the bloody sacrifices are offered. If the animal be a sheep or a goat, as is always the case on the first day, the officiat- ing bramhiin, after bathing it either in the river or in the house, puts his left hand on its forehead, marks its horns and forehead with red lead, and reads an incantation, in which he offers it up to the goddess, thus : ' goddess, I sacrifice this goat" to thee, that I may live in thy heaven to the end of ten years.' He then reads an incantation in its ear, and puts flowers, and sprinkles water on its head. The instrument with wliich the animal is killed is consecrated by placing upon it flowers, red lead, &c , and wi-iting on it the incantation which is given to the disciples of Doorga. The officiating bramhrin next puts the instrument of death on the neck of the animal, and, after presenting him with a flower as a blessing", then into the hand of the person appointed to slay the animal, who is generally the black-smith'', but sometimes a brmhiln. The assistants put the goat's neck into an upright postj excavated at the top so as to admit the neck betwixt its two sides ; the body remaining on one side of the post, and the head on the other. An earthen vessel containing a plantain is placed upon a plantain leaf ; after which the blacksmith cuts oft' the head at one blow, p Only male animals are offered. 1 It is common among the Hindoos for a superior to give a blessing while pro- , senting a flower, r The Hindoos covet the honour of cutting off the head of an animal dexterously at the time of these sacrifices. If it be not done at one blow, they drive the blacksmith away in disgrace. The shastnts have denounced vengeance on the person who shall fail to cut off the head at one blow : his sou will die, or the goddess of fortune (Lakshmce) will forsake him. to OFFfiRINGS. find another person holds up the hod}', and drains out tl)e blood upon the plantain in the bason If the person who performs the sacrifice does not intend to oifer the flesh to Doorga', the slayer cuts only a small morsel from the neck, and puts it on the plan- tain ; when some one carries it, and the head, and places them befoi'e the image, putting on the head a lighted lamp. Mter all the animals have been thus killed, and some of the flesh and the heads carried before the image, the ofilciating bramhun repeats certain prayers over these offerings, and persentS them to the goddess, with the blood which fell On the plantains : then, taking the blood from the bason, he ])uts it on a plantain leaf, and cuts it into four parts, presenting it to the four goddesses who attend upon Dooi-ga. Offerings of lice, plantains, sugar, sweetmeats, sour milk, curds, pulse of different sorts, limes, fruits, &c. are next presented with prayers. Now the names of Doorga are repeated by the priest, who afterwards presents camphorated water to the goddess ; then betle-nut, limes, spices, &c., made into what is called panil'. After repeating a number of forms of praise, this part of the service closes with the prostration of the officiating bi-amhun before the idol. Next, food is presented with many prayers to the goddess ; which food consist.'* of what is called khc^churti", fried fruits, fried fish and flesh, &c. About four in the afternoon, large quantities of food ai'e presented to the goddess ; amongst which are, prejiared greens of three or four kinds ; prepared peas of three or four kinds ; fried fruits, sweet potatoes, &c ; fried fish, mixed with fruits of four or five different sorts ;. the flesh of sheep and goats, stewed in two or three ways ,' preparations of tamarinds, two or three sorts ; rice boiled in milk, two or three sorts ; fifteen or sixteen sorts of sweetmeats &c. ; all which are oflered with separate prayers : after which water, betle, &c. are presented. The bramlams are entertained either with sweetmeats, or pre- pared food, by the person at whose house the worship is perform- ed : some of them are expressly invited, and others attend to see the ceremonies. The food which has been presented to the god- dess, being considered almost as ambrosia, is given to the guests with a sparing hand ; some of whom (mothers) beg to take a morsel home to cure their children, or relatives, of diseases. Food is also sent to the neighbours, and persons of inferior cast carry away great quantities". ' This is rarely or never done at iiresent. There are no parts of the animal, however, which may not be offered. ' Chewed by ahnost all the natives. " A common dish in Bengal, made of rice, boiled up with turmeric, peas, spices, clarified butter, &c. ^ In some places a family or several families of bramhfins are supported by the re- venues attaohed to a temple, and by the offerings preseUted to the idol. At the time of .1 festival, the heads of these families wait on those who eorae to make offerings to theidol, aud present them with betle, sweetmeats, fruits, water, &c, , according to their quality. DANCES. 71 In the evening, the officiating bramhun waves a brass candle- stick, or lamp vf^itli five lights, before the goddess, repeating incan- tations ; afterwards a shell with water in it, and then a piece of cloth. At night the temple is lighted up, and, about eight o'clock, unleavened bread, butter, fruits, sweetmeats, curds, milk, &c., are presented to the goddess. At midnight some ' persons repeat the worship ; but in this case the offerings are few, and there are no bloody sacrifices. After the worship of the daj"-, many rich men engage a num- ber of prostitutes, richly dressed and almost covered with orna- ments, to dance and sing before the idol. The songs are exceed- ingly obscene ; the dances highly indecent ; and the dress of the dancing women no less so : their clothing being so fine as scarcely to deserve the name of a covering. The tresses of some are thrown loose, hanging down to the waist. During the dances, the doors are shut to keep out the crowd, as well as Europeans, who are excluded. Six, seven, or eight women thus dance together, assist- ed by music, for about four hours. Rich spectators, when remark- ably pleased with a part of the song, throw to the singer as much as four, eight, or sixteen rupees ; beside which, those who engage these women make them presents of garments, and of considerable sums of money. The sons of the rich natives are highly pleased with these dances. On the second day, the worship and sacrifices are much the same as on the first, except that the bathing of the goddess, called the gi-eat Snanii, is attended with more ceremonies. In this cere- mony the priest first brings some earth said to have been thrown up by the teeth of a wild hog, and, mixing it with water, presents it with prayers to the goddess, to be used as soap. Then in suc- cession earth from before the door of the king, or lord of the soil ; from before that of a courtezan ; from the side of the Ganges ; earth raised by ants ; and, lastly, earth from any river side, not the Ganges, is presented with the same ceremonies. After this, tur- meric, fruits and spices ; the water of the cocoa-nut, and of the water melon ; the juice of the sugar oane ; honey, clarified butter, sour milk, milk, cow's urine, cow-dung, sugar, treacle, and difierent sorts of oil, are presented in succession, with the necessary formulas. While the officiating bramhun is going through these ceremonies, he revolves in his mind that he is making these gifts to assist the goddess in bathing. At the close, he presents some water of the Ganges, and after this the water of four seas ; or, if unable to ob- tain thisj the water of the Ganges again, and then the water of some other river. The bathing ceremonies are clased by a present of cloth for the loins. In the evening, or else in the night, according to the conjunction of the stars, worship is again performed, in which only one bloody sacrifice is offered ; and in some cases none. Widows fast on this day, particularly a widow with children ; the latter deriving great benefits from the meritorious actions of the mother. 72 SCENE AT RAJA RAJ-KEISHNu'S AT CALCUTTA. On the third day, the goddess is worshipped only once, but the offerings and sacrifices are many ; bufffiloea are offered only on this day. A respectable native once told me, he had seen one hun- dred and eight buffaloes sacrificed hy one Hindoo at this festival : the number slain in the whole country must therefore be very great. Formerty, some of the Hindoo kings killed a thousand ani- mals on these occasions'. The males only are sacrificed ; and they are in general young and \ery tame, costing from five to sixteen rupees each. None of the Hindoos eat the sacrificed buffaloes, ex- cept the shoemakers'. Each animal is bathed before it is slain ; after which the officiating bramhiin puts red lead on its horns, and, with a red string, ties a piece of wool smeared with red lead on the forepart of the'breast ; he also puts a piece of cloth coloured over with turmeric on his back, and a necklace of vilwu leaves on his neck, repeating prayers during these actions. The ceremonj'' of cutting off the heads of the buffaloes, and presenting them to the goddess, is similar to those already described respecting the sacrifice of goats and sheep. After the beasts are all slain, the multitude, rich and poor, daub their bodies all over with the mud formed with the blood which has collected where the animals were slain, and dance like furies on the spot ; after which they go into the street, dancing and singing indecent songs, and visit those houses where images of the goddess have been set up. At the close of the whole, the officiating bramhun presents a burnt-offering, and gives to the goddess a sum of money, commonly about four rupees : some indeed give one hundred, and others as much as a thousand rupees ; which at length return into the hands of the officiating bramhiin. In the year 1806, I was present at the worship of this goddess, as performed at the house of Raja Raj-Krishnu at Calcutta. The buildings where the festival was held were on four sides, leaving an area in the middle. The room to the east contained wine, English sweetmeats, &c. for the entertainment of English guests, with a native Portuguese or two to wait on the visitors. In the opposite room was placed the image, with y The father of the present kinp; of Nudeeya, at one of these festivals, offered a great number of goats and sheep to Doorga. He began with one, and, doubling the number each day, continued it for sixteen days. On the last day he killed 33,768, and in the whole he slaughtered 65,535 animals. He loaded boats with the bodies, and sent them to the neighboui-ing bramhuns ; but they could not devour them fast enough, and great numbers were thrown away. — Let no one, after this, tell us of the scruples of the bramhiins about destroying animal life, and eating animal food. " In some places, the tame hog is offered to Doorga by the lowest casts, who, among other o£fering,% present spirituous liquors to the goddess. At the end of the ceremonies, these persons cook and eat the flesh, drink the spirits, and then, in a state of intoxication, the men and women dance together, and commit the greatest indecen- cies. No bramhSn, on pain of losing cast, can assist at these ceremonies ; and indeed all bramhiins, who perform ceremonies for persons of low cast, sink in society. SCENE AT RAJA RAJ-KPaSHNU'S AT CALCUTTA. 73 vast heaps of all kinds of offerings before it. In the two side rooms were the native guests, and in the area groups of Hindoo dancing women, finely dressed, singing, and dancing with sleepy steps, surrounded with Europeans who were sitting on chairs and couches. One or two groups of MusiSlman men-singers entertained the company at intervals with Hindoost'hanee songs, and ludicrous tricks. Before two o'clock tlie place was cleared of the dancing girls, and of all the Europeans except ourselves ; and almost all the lights were extinguished, except in front of the goddess ; — when the dooi's of the area were thrown open, and a vast crowd of nati ves rushed in, almost treading one upon another; among whom were the vocal singers, having on long caps like sugar loaves. The area might be about fifty cubits long and thirty wide. When the crowd had sat down, they were so wedged together as to pre- sent the appearance of a solid pavement of heads ; a small space only being left immediately before the image for the motions of the singers, who all stood up. Four sets of singers were present on tins occasion, the first consisting of bramhtins, the next of bankers, the next of voishnnvtis, and the last of weavers ;" who entertained their guests with filthy songs, and danced in indecent attitudes before the goddess, holding up their hands, turning round, putting forward their heads towards the image, every now and then bend- ing their bodies, and almost tearing their throats with their vociferations. The whole scene produced on my mind sensations of the greatest horror. The dress of the singers — their indecent gestures — the abominable nature of the songs — the honid din of their miserable drum — the lateness of the hour — the darkness of the place — with the reflection that I was standing in an idol temple, and that this immense multitude of rational and immortal creatures, capable of superior joys, were, in the very act of worship, perpetrating a crime of high treason against the God of heaven, while they themselves believed they were performing an act of merit — excited ideas and feelings in mj^ mind which time can never obli- terate. I would have given, in this place, a specimen of the songs sung before the image, but found them so full of broad obscenity that I could not copy a single line. All those actions, which a sense of decency keeps out of the most indecent English songs, are here detailed, sung, and laughed at, without the least sense of shame. A poor ballad-singer in England would be sent to the house of correction, and flogged, for performing the vneritorious actions of these wretched idolaters.'' The singing is- continued for three days, from about two o'clock in the morning till nine. » Distinguished among the natives by the name of Huroo-i'hakooi-fi, BhfiTR- niindii, Nitaee, and LukshmSS. •■ The reader will recollect that the festivals of Bacchus and Cybele were equally noted for the indecencies practised by the worshippers, both in their words andaotions. 10 74 DROWNING THE IMAGE. The next morning, between eight and nine, a shoi't time is spent in woi'ship, but no bloody sacrifices are offered. Amongst other ceremonies at this time the officiating bramhiin, in the pre- sence of the family, dismisses the goddess, repeating these words : ' goddess ! I have, to the best of my ability, worshipped thee. Now go to thy residence, leaving this blessing, that thou wilt return the next j^ear : ' after which the priest immerses a looking-glass, the representative of the goddess, in a pan of water ; and then takes some of this water, and sprinkles himself and the company with it. When the goddess is thus dismissed, the women set up a cry — some even shed tears In the afternoon, the mistress of the house and other women go to the image, put a rupee and some betle in its hand, strew some turmeric at its feet, and rub the dust of its feet on their own foreheads and those of their fiiends. On their retiring, the crowd assemble, with their bodies daubed with tur- meric, oil, and sour milk ; and, bringing out the image, place it on a stage, to which they fasten it with cords, and carry it on their shoulders to the water. It is here placed in the centre of two boats lashed together, and filled with people, among whom are dancers, musicians, singer,?, &c. At this time, in many instances, men dance stark naked on the boat before many thousands assem- bled, who only laugh at this gross indecency. Perhaps in one place on the river twenty or thirty images will be exhibited at once, while the b^nks are crowded with spectators rich and poor, old and young, all intoxicated with the scene." The last ceremo- ny is that of letting down the image, with all its tinsil and orna- ments into the river. The women of the house to which the temple belongs go to the room from whence the goddess has just been taken, and place a pan of water upon the spot where the image stood, and put upon the top of the pan a branch of the mango tree. After the goddess has been drowned, the crowd return to the temple ; and the offi- ciating bramhun, taking his place by the side of the pan of water, dips the branch of the mango tree intO' the water, and spi-inkles all the people, repeating incantations ; and thus blessing the people they are dismissed, when each one clasps his neighbour in his arms. Adjourning to their own houses, they partake of sweetmeats, and of an intoxicating beverage made with hemp leaves. In a vast ' In a memorandum of my own, dated Sept. 26, 1 803, I find these remarks, made one Evening in the course of a journey ; — ' About five in the afternoon, we came to Bttlargtir. The people of about twenty villages, more than 2,000 in number, including women and children, were assembled to throw their images into the river, this being the termination of the Doorga festival. I observed that one of the men standing before the idol in a boat, dancing and making indecent gestures, was naked. As the boat passed along, he was gazed at by the mob ; nor could I perceive that this abominable action produced any thing beside laughter. Before other images, young men dressed in women's clothes, were dancing with other men, making indecent gestures. I cannot help thinking the most vulgar mob in England would have turned with disgust from these abominable scenes. I have seen the same abominations exhibited before our own house at Serampore.' FABLES EESPECTING THIS GODDESS, 7") number of instances, this festival is thus closed with scenes of the most shameful intoxication : almost all the Hindoos in Bengal think it a duty to indulge to a certain degree in drinking this liquor at this festival. Presents to the bramhiins and their wives are made on each of the fifteen days of the festival by the person at whose house the image is set up, if he be very rich. If he be not rich enough to bear so great an expense, he gives presents on the nine or three last days of worship ; and if he be still poorer, on the last day. These presents consist of gold and silver female ornaments, silk and cloth garments, brass and other metal dishes, basons, &c. Some persons expend the greatest sums on the dances and other exhibi- tions, and others in feasting and giving presents to bramhiins. Some classes of Hindoos, especially thosei who are the disciples of Vishnoo, do not offer bloody sacrifices to Doorga, though they celebrate this festival with much shew. These persons, instead of slaying animals, cut pumkins in two, or some other substitute, and offer them to the goddess. In the month Choitrii, a number of Hindoos hold a festival to this goddess, after the example of king Soorntft. Many Hindoos are initiated into the rites by which this goddess becomes their guardian deity ; and as she is considered as the image of the divine energy, her disciples are called Shaktiis, a word signif^'ing energy. Images of Doorga, made of gold, silver, brass, &c., are preserved by many, and worshipped daily. In the year 1808, a bramhiin of Calcutta, who had celebrated the worship of Doorga, pretended that he had seen the goddess in a dream ; who had declared that she would not descend into the river till he had sacrificed his eldest son to her : and that when the people went to convey the image to the river, it was found so heavy that it could not be lifted. Vast crowds of people flocked to see this new miracle, many of whom made offerings to this terror-inspiring goddess ; and others assisted the poor man, by their contributions, to pacify the goddess in some way consistent with the preservation of his son. One of the Tuntriis contains an account of an incarnation of Doorga in the form of a jackal, in order to carry the child Krishnii aver the river Ytimoono, when he wais flying from king Kungsti. Some of the heterodox Hindoos, ca;lled varaacharees, feed the jackal daily, by placing the offerings in a corner of the house, or near their dwellings, and-tben calling the goddess (in the form of some one of these animalis) to come and partake of them. As this is done at the hour when the jackals come out of their lurking places to 76 THE TEN FORMS OF DOORGA— STORIES FROM THE seek for food, one of these animals somefcimes comes and eats the offerings in the presence of the worshipper ; and this is not wonderful, when he finds food in this place every day. Images of the jackal are made in some parts of Bengal, and worslwppecU^ sometimes alone, and at others with the images of Doorga and Slimushanu-Kal)e. Some Hindoos bow to the jackal; if it pass by a person on his left, it is a fortunate omen. The cow is regarded by the Hindoos as a form of Duorga^ and called Bhiigftviitee. Tliis goddess has a thousand names, among which are Katya- yiinee, or, the daughter of the sage Katyu. — Gouree, the yellow coloured.— Kalee, the black.— Hoimiivufje, the daughter of Hima- liiyu. — Eeshwuree, the goddess. — Shiva, the giver of good. — Bhii- vanee, the wife of Shivu — Siirvumtingula, she who blesses all. — IJpurna, she who amidst religious austerities abstained from eating even leaves. — Parvutee, the daughter of the mountain. — Doorga, she who destroyed the giant Doorg-u ; the inaccessible, — Chilndika, the terrible. — Umbika, the mother of the universe. Sect. II. — The ten Forms of Doorga. This goddess is said to have assumed ten different forms in order to destroy two giants, Shoombhn and NishoombhiJ. The following account of these wars is translated from the Marknnd^yu pooranu : — At the close of the tr^ta yoogii, these two giants performed religious austerities for 10,000 years; the merit of which actions brought Shivu from heaven," who discovered that by these works of extraordinary devotion they sought to obtain the blessing of immortality. Shivu reasoned long witli them, and endeavoured to persuade them, though in vain, to ask for any other blessing short of immortality. Being denied, they entered upon more severe austerities, which they continued for another thousand years ; when Shivu again appeared, but refused to grant what they asked for. They now suspended themselves with their heads downwards over a slow fire, till the blood streamed from their heads ; and continued thus for 800 years, till the gods began to tremble, lest, by performing such rigid acts of holiness, they should be supplanted on their thrones. The king of the gods assembled a council, and imparted to them his fears : the gods ad- mitted that there was great ground for fear, but asked what remedy there was. Agreeably to the advice of Indra, Kunditrpii (Cupid), with Kumbha and Tilottuma, the most beautiful of the celestial courtezans, were sent to fill the minds of these giants with sensual = It ia a maxim of the Hindoo religion, that by performiog religious austerities the goda become subject to the wishes of men, desires ; and Kundilrpu, letting fly his arrow, wounded them botli : upon which, awaking from their absorption, and seeing two beautiful women, they were taken in the snare, and abandoned their devotions. With these women they lived 5,000 years, after which they began to think of the folly of thus renouncing their hopes of immortality for the sake of sensual gratifications. They suspected that this must have been a contrivance of Indrii's ; and driving the courtezans back to heaven, renewed their devotions, cutting the flesh off their bones, and making burnt-offerings of i t to Shivu ; which they continued for another thousand years, till they became entire skeletons, when Shivu again appeared, and bestowed upon them this blessing — that in riches and strength they should excel the gods. Being thus exalted above the gods, they soon began to make war with them. After various success on both sides, the giants were every where victorious ; till Indru and all the gods, reduced to the most deplorable state of wretchedness, solicited the interference of Brumha and Vishnoo ; but they refen-ed them to Shivu : who also declared that he could do nothing for them. When, however, they reminded him that through his blessing they had been ruined, he advised them to perform religious austerities to Doorga. They did so ; and after sometime the goddess appeared, gave them her blessing, and immediately, disguised like a common female carrying a pitcher of water, passed the assembled gods. This female asked them whose praise they were chanting ? While she uttered these words, she assumed her proper form, and replied, ' They are cele- brating my praise.' The new goddess then disappeared, and ascend- ed mount Himaluytl, where Chilndu and Mundii, two of Shoombhii and Nishoombhu's messengers, resided. As these messengers wandered on the mountain, they saw the goddess, and were ex- ceedinglj' struck with her charms, which they described to their masters ; and advised them to engage the affections of this female, even if they gave her all the glorious tilings which they had ob- tained in plundering the heavens of the gods. Shoomblm sent Shoogreevu, a messenger, to the goddess, to inform her that the riches of the three worlds were in his palace ; that all the offerings which used to be presented to the gods were now offered to him ; and that all these riches, offerings, &;c. should be her's if she would come to him. The goddess replied, that this offer was very liberal ; but she had resolved, that the person whom she mamed must first conquer her in war, and destroy her pride. Shoogreevti, unwilling to return unsuccessful, still pressed for a favourable answer ; promising that he would engage to conquer her in war, and subdue her pride ; and asked in an authoritative strain, ' Did she know his master, before whom none of the inhabitants of the three worlds had been able to stand, whether gods, hydras, or men ? How then could she, a female, think of resisting his offers ? If his master had ordered him, he 78 STORIES RESPECTING THE WA.ES OF DOORGA. would have compelled hei- to go into his presence immediately.' She said all this was very correct, but that she had taken her resolution, and exhorted him, therefore, to persuade his inaster to come and try his strength with her. The messenger went to his master, and related what he had heard from this female ; on hearing which Shoombhii was filled with rage, and without maldng any reply, called for Dh5omlochtiBii, his commander-in-chief, and gave him orders to go to Himaluyu, and seize a certain goddess, (giving him particular directions,) and bring her to him ; and if any attempted to rescue her, utterly to destroy them. The commander went to Himaluyii, and acquainting the goddess with his master's orders, she, smiling, invited him to execute them ; but, on the approach of this hero, she set up a dreadful roar, (as is usual among the Hindoo warriors when two combatants meet,) by which he was reduced to ashes ; after which she destroyed the army of the giant, leaving only a few fugitives to communicate the tidings. Shoombhu and Nishoombhu, infuriated, sent Chiindu and Mundti, who, on ascending the mountain, perceived a female sitting on an ass, laughing ; but on seeing them she became full of rage, and drew to her ten, twenty, or thirty of their army at a time, devouring them like fruit. She next seized Mundtt by the hair, cut otf his head, and, holding it over her mouth, drank the blood. Chundix, on seeing the other commander destroyed in this manner, came to close quarters with the goddess ; but she, mounted on a lion, sprang on him, and dispatching him as she had done M&ndti, devoured part of his army, and di'ank the blood of the gi'eater part of the rest. The two giants no sooner heard this alarming news, then they resolved to go themselves, and engage the furious goddess ; for which purpose they collected all their forces, an hifinite number of giants, and marched to Himaltlyu. The gods looked down with astonishment on this army of giants, and all the goddesses descended to help Muha-maya (Doorga), who how- ever soon destroyed the giants. Ruktuveeju, the principal com- mander under Shoombhu and Nishoombhu, seeing all his men destroyed, encoimtered the goddess in person ; but though she filled him with wounds, from every drop of blood which fell to the ground arose a thousand giants equal in strength to Ruktu-veeju himself ;' hence innumerable enemies surrounded Doorga, and the gods were filled with alarm at this amazing sight. At length Chtindee, a goddess who had assisted Kalee in the engagement, promised that if she would open her mouth, and drink his blood before it fell on the ground, she (Chundee) would engage the giant, and destroy the whole of his strangely-formed offspring. Kalee consented, and this commander and his army were soon dispatched. Shoombhu and Nishoombhu, in a state of desperation, next engaged the goddess in single combat, Shoombhu making the first onset. The battle was dreadful, inconceivably dreadful, on both sides, till at ' This arose from a blessing given by Brfimha. NAMES OF THE TEN rOEMS-SINGHU-VAHINEE. 79 last both the giants were killed, and Kalee sat down to feed on the carnage she had made. The gods and goddesses then chanted the praises of the celestial heroine, and she in return bestowed a bles- sing on each. After the destruction of these enemies of the gods, the sun (Soorj-u) shone resplendently forth ; the wind (Vayoo) blew salubri- ously ; the air became pure ; the gods ascended their thrones ; the hydras attended to the duties of their religion without fear; the sages performed their devotions without inteiTuption ; and the people at large were restored to happiness. The Chundei, a part of the Markund^yu pooranti, places these forms of Doorga in the following order : Fii-st, as l)oorga, she j-eceived the messenger of the giants ; 2, as Dushubhooja,* she destroyed part of their army ; 3, as Singhu-vahinee,'' she fought with Rtiktu-veeju ; 4, as Muhishu-murdinee,' she slew Shoombhti, in the form of a buffalo ; 5, as Jugiiddhatree,'' she overcame the ai-my of tlie giants ; 6, as Kalee/ she destroyed Kuktu-veeju ; 7, as Mooktu-keshee,™ she again overcame the army of the giants ; 8, as Tara," she killed Shoombhu ; 9, as Chinnumusttika," she killed Nishoombhii ; 10, as Jugiidgourei/ she was praised by all the gods. Such of the above forms as are honoured by separate festivals- will be noticed hereafter under their different names. Sect. III. — SinghU-vahinee^ This goddess with yellow garments is represented as sitting on a lion. She has four hands ; in one a sword ; in another a spear ; with a third is forbidding fear, and v/ith the fourth bestowing a blessing. Many people make this image, and worship it in the daj'- time, on the 9th of the increase of the moon, in whatever month they please, but in general in the month Ashwinu or Choitru, for two or three days. The ceremonies, including bloody sacrifices, are almost entirely the same as those before the image of Doorga. Sometimes a rich man celebrates this worship at his own expense, and at other times several persons, who expect heaven as their re- ward, unite in it. Some Hindoos keep in their houses images of all the following forms of Doorga, made of gold, silver, brass, copper, crystal, stone, or mixed metal, and worship them daily. B Having ten arms. •> Sitting on a lion. ' Destroyer of the buffalo, [viz., of Shoombhfi in this form.] k Mother of the world. i The black. "" With flowing hair. ■> Saviour. » Headless. p The yellow. i She ■who sits upon a lion. so MUHISHU-MURDI^'EE AND jtjGODDHATREE, THEIR IMAGES, &C. Sect. IV. — Muhishii-miirdinee.' This is the image of a yellow woman, sitting on a lion ; having either six or ten anus. In her hands are seen a conch, a discus, a club, a water-lily, a shield, a large spear, and the tail of a snake. Some persons make this image, and worship it with the ac- customed ceremonies, including bloody sacrifices, on the 9th of the month Choitrii. The Tiintru-saru declares, tliat tho.se who worship this goddess will obtain present riches and future happiness. Many of the regular Hindoos, as well as the heterodox sects, receive the initiatory rites of this goddess, and adopt her as their guardian deity. Sect. V. — JUgUddhatree.' This is the image of a yellow woman, dressed in red, and sit- ting on a lion. In her four hands she holds a conch,' a discus, a club, and a water-lily. A very popular festival in honour of this goddess is held in the month Kartiku, on the 7th, 8th and 9th of the increase of the moon, when bloody sacrifices are offered as at the Doorga festival : the formulas are necessarily different. Very large sums are fre- quently expended on these occasions, especially in theilluminations, dances, songs, entertaining of bramhtins, &c., as many as one hun- dred and fifty persons being employed as singers, and dancers, beside othei-s who sing verses from the Chundee, the Krishnumun- gtilu, the Ramayunu, &c. A number of men like guards are also hired, and placed near the temple for the sake of shew. Much indecent mirth takes place, and numbers of men dance naked before the image, and call this the way to heaven ; the venerable bram- hnns smiling with complacency on these works of merit, so accep- table to the gods. The benefits expected from this worship are, the fruit of meritorious actions, riches, the gratification of every desire, and future happiness. These four things are commonly mentioned in the Hindoo shastrus, as promised by the gods to their worshippers. >■ She who destroyed Mnhishfi, a giaut. " The mother of the world. ' This shell is blown at the times of worship, and at other festivals. MOOKTU-KfeSHEE AND TAEA, THEIR IMAGES AND WORSHIP. 81 Sect., VI. — MooktU-k^sheS^. This is the image of a naked woman, painted blue, 'standing on the breast of Shivtt, and having four arms : the upper right arm is placed in the posture of bestowing a blessing ; with the other she is forbidding fear, and in her left hand she holds a sword and a helmet. The festival of thisgoddess is held on the 14th of the decrease oi the moon in the month Maghu : the ceremonies are like those before the image of Kalee, but the bloody sacrifices are very numerous. Spirituous liquors are privately presented to the god- dess, at a late hour at night, or rather early in the morning. Some of the Hindoo shastriis allow of this practice, yet it is far from being honourable. I have been credibly informed, that numbers of bram- huns, in different places, at the annual festival of this goddess, join in drinking the spirits which have been offered to her, and, in a state of intoxication, pass from the temples into the streets, prece- ded by lighted torches, dancing to the sound of music, and singing indecent songs. Some are hugging one another ; others fall down quite intoxicated ; others lose their way, and go along lifting up their hands, dancing and singing alone. The purer Hindoos stand gazing at a considerable distance, lest they should be drag- ged among this crowd of drunken bramhuns. The benefits promised to the worshippers of this goddess are riches now, and heaven hereafter. Very many persons are initiated into the rites of this goddess as their guardian deity. Sect. VII.— Tamv This is the image of a black woman, with four arms, standing on the breast .of Shivu : in one hand she holds a sword ; in another a giant's head ; with the others she is bestowing a blessing, and forbidding fear. The worship of Tara is performed in the night, in different months, at the total wane of the moon, before the image of Sid- dh^shwiiree ; when bloody sacrifices are offered, and it is reported, that even human beings were formerly immolated in secret to this ferocious deity ; who is considered by the Hindoos as soon incen- sed, and not unfrequently inflicting on an importunate worshipper the most shocking diseases, as a vomiting of blood, or some other dreadful complaint which soon puts an end to his life. "Of flowing hair. "The deliverer. 11 82 CHINNU-MUSTUKA AND JUaUDGOUEEE, THEIR IMAGES, &C. Almost all the disciples of this goddess are from among the heterodox : many of them, however are learned men, Tara being considered as the patroness of learning. Some Hindoos are sup- posed to have made great advances in knowledge through the favour of this goddess ; and many a stupid boy, after reading some incantations containing the name of Tara, has become a learn- ed man. Sect. VIII. — Chinnii-m'tist'tika^. This is the image of a naked yellow woman, with her head half severed from her body', wearing a necklace of skulls, and standing on the body of Shivti. She is surrounded with dead bodies ; has a scymitar in one hand ; a giant's skull in another ; and with two others is forbidding fear, and bestowing a blessing. This image is not made at present, but the worship may be celebrated before the images of any other female deities. Those who receive the initiatory rites of this goddess worship her daily before the shalgramu, or water, or flowers, or an incantation written on a metal dish". She promises her disciples riches, learning, or absorption'', but principally riches. Some people are afraid of becoming her disciples, lest, in a lit of anger, she should bring upon them a violent death'. Sect. IX. — Jiig'&dgouree\ This is the whole length figure of a yellow woman, with four arms ; holding in her hands a conch, a discus, a club, and a water- lily. She is mostly worshipped on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of the increase of the moon in Maghti. Very few persons learn the initiatory rites of this goddess. y The headless. ■ The Tiiutriis- give the following explanation of this monstrous feature in the image of this goddess : — At a certain time, not being able to procure any of the giants for her prey, to satisfy her thirst of blood, ChinnS-miSstilka actually cut her own throat, that the blood issuing thence might spout up into her mouth. I hare seen a picture of this image, agreeing with this description ; and at Chachra, in Jessore, such an image may be seen at present, the half-severed head resting on the left hand of the goddess, and streams of blood falling into her mouth. « Before any one of these things, the worship of any of the gods may be per- formed ; but the shalgramu is mostly preferred. b A person can receive only one blessing at a time from his god. The Hindoos, however, relate a story of a blind man, who put a trick on his guardian deity, by obtaining three blessings from him at once : he asked that he might see his chUd- eat from off a golden dish every day. He was then childless. ' The following story, current among the Hindoos, I give as a proof of the dread in which they live of some of their deities : — A bramhfln who had received the initiating incantation of this goddess, to avoid dying an unnatural death, used to confine himself to his house ; where, however, a hatchet, hung up for sacrificing animals, fell upon and killed him as he lay asleep. •^ The yellow. VUGULAMOOKHEE — PRUTYUNGIRA, PETITIONS ADDEESSED, 83 Sect. X. — VUgUlafnookhee". The image of this deity is never made ; though she is some- times -worshipped on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of the moon in Maghn, before a pan of water, or some other proper substitute. The officiating bramhtin, in yellow garments, presents yellow flowers, flesh, fish, and spirituous liquors to her : the animals sacrificed are not numerous. This goddess is frequently worshipped in the hope of procuring the removal, the injury, or the destruction of enemies, or whatever else the worshipper desires — which is sometimes the wife of another. He makes no doubt, if he can please the goddess by presents, or flattery, or by inflicting, for her sake, certain cruelties on his body, that she will be disposed to grant him even this last favour. If the ceremonies be not performed in strict conformity to the rules laid down in the shastrti, it is believed that the wor- shipper will be deprived of reason, or of speech, or that some other dreadful calamity will befal him. In the burnt-sacrifice presented to this goddess, turmeric, oil^ and salt, form the principal ingredients. The Hindoos believe that after performing the proper ceremonies for the destruction of an enemy, the goddess soon complies with the prayers of the wor- shipper. ShSodrns, of course, employ bramhuns in thus attempting to accomplish their murderous wishes. Particular forms of praise and of petition, referring in many cases to the injury or destruction of enemies, addressed to this goddess, are contained in the Tuntrti- sarii. Sect. XI. — PrUtytingira'. The image of this idol is never made, but is worshipped in the night whenever a person chooses, which is, generally, when he ■yv^ants to injure or destroy another. The officiating bramhtin dress- ed in red, and wearing a roodrakshii necklace, offers, among other things, red flowers, spirituous liquors, and bloody sacrifices. The flesh of crows, or cats, or of some other animal, after haying been dipped in spirituous liquors, sometimes makes a part of the burnt- off'erings ; the worshippers believing that the flesh of the enemy, for whose injury these ceremonies are performed, will swell on his body as the sacrificed flesh does on the flre. Particular forms of praise are also repeated before this image to accomplish the destruc- tion of enemies. I here give a specimen : ' Oh ! Prutyungira, mother ! Destroy, destroy my enemies ! Kill ! kill ! Reduce them tc^ • Of fear-ezcititig countenance, ' The well-propprtioned. 84 TO, AND STORY RESPECTING HER — UNNU-POORNA, HER IMAGE. ashes ! Drive them away ! Devour them ! devour them ! Cut them in two ! Drinkj drink their blood ! Destroy them root and branch ! With thy thunder-bolt, spear, scymitar, discus, or rope, destroy them.' A story to the following purport is very current among the Hindoos : — Jaffir-alee-kha, the nabob of Moorshtidubad, was much attached to Ramu-khantu, his Hindoo treasurer ; who was at enmity with Kalee-shiinkuru, a very learned Hindoo, and a great worshipper of the female deities. The latter, to effect the destruction of Eamii-kantu, began to worship the goddes.s Prutyun- gira. He had not performed the ceremonies long, before Ramu- kanttt became sick, and it was made known to him and the nabob, that Kalee-shtinkuru was thus employed. The nabob, full of rage, ordered that Kalee-shiinkiiru should be brought before him : but he fled before the messengers could seize him, and began to perform these ceremonies for the destruction of the nabob. A servant, mistaken for Kalee-shunkuru, was, however, seized ; but he bribed the messengers, that they might protract his journey as much as possible. They did so, and the day before they arrived at Moorshudiibad the nabob died. I give this story to shew, what a strong possession the popular superstition has taken of the minds of the' people; who, while smoaking together, listen to these stories with the utmost eagerness and surprise, as the villagers in England tell stories current amongst them while sitting round the winter's fire. Sect. XII.— UnnU-poorna^. This image may be made standing, or sitting on the wa- ter-lily : in the right hand is a spoon, like that with which the Hindoos stir their boiling rice, and in the other a rice dish : Shivu, as a naked mendicant, is standing before the image asking relief. The worship paid to this form of Doorga is performed on th6 7th, 8th, and 9th days of the moon's increase in the month Choitru : bloody sacrifices, fish, and spirituous liquors are among the offer- ings. TJnnu-poorna being the guardian deity of many of the Hin- doos, (who have a proverb amongst them, that a sincere disciple of this goddess never wants rice,) very great festivities take place at this festival, accompanied with music, dancing, filthy songs, and every thing else calculated to deprave the heart. A Hindoo rising in a morning, before his eyes are well open, repeats the name of this goddess — ' Unnu-poorna ! Unnti-poorna !' and hopes, that through her favour he shall be well fed that day. s She who fills with food ; from Suni(, food, and poornij, full. gunkshu-junCnee and krishnu-keora^ their images, &C. 85 When one Hindoo wishes to compliment another on his riches or liberality, he says, ' Oh ! Sir, your house is as full of riches as that of Unnii-poorna :' or, if he speak of another when absent, he says, ' Such a one, in liberality, is lilce XJnnB.-p66rna.' Sect. XIII. — GHin^sh'U-jiiniineeK This name Doorga assumed after the birth of Gun^shu : she is here represented as sitting on the water-lily, dressed in red, and supporting with one arm the infant Gundshu at the breast, while the other hand rests on the knee of the infant. A small festival in honour of this goddess is celebrated in the month TJgruhayunu or Phalgoonti, on the 7th, 8th and 9th of the increase of the moon. Some years ago, at Gooptee-para, a village, about forty miles north of Calcutta, a great festival was held in honour of Gundshii-juntinee, when fifty thousand rupees or more were expended. The bramhuns of the village collected money to defray the Expenses ; some gave one thousand, others two, and others five thousand rupees : and crowds came two or three days journey to b© present. The dancing, singing, music, &c. began a month before the principal day of worship ; all the visitors were entertained, and more than two thousand animals were slain. Sect. XIV. — KTishnii-krora\ This is an image of Doorga giving suck to Krishnu, to des- troy the poison which he had received in a quarrel with Kaleeyii, a hydra. A festival in honour of this goddess is held on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of the increase of the moon, in the day, in the month Maghil. The history of this idol is thus related : — In the west of Hin- doost'han, a stone image was once found in a pool ; and no inform- ation could be obtained to what it related, until a Brumhticharee referred them to the following story in one of the Ttintrus. — In the neighbourhood of Vrinda-vunti, by the river Yumoona, Soubhuree, a sage, for a long time performed religious austerities. One day, while in the midst of his devotions, he saw a shiikoolii and some other fish playing together ; with which sight he was much pleased, till Gurooru, the king of the birds, descended into the water, and snatched up the shnkoolu fish. The sage, unable to punish GU- I' The mother of GSngshS. ' She who holds Krishnu in her arras. 86 VISHALAKSHEE, OFFERINaS TO THIS GODDESS. roor^, pronounced a curse upon this bird-god, or any other bird, who should hereafter come to destroy the fish in this spot ; and this curse was afterwards the means of preserving the king of the hydras from the wrath of Guroorti in the following manner. — The mountain Huluyu was the resort of many serpents, who daily col- lected a number of frogs, &c. and presented them to Guroorfi, to conciliate him, and to prevent his devouring them. At last Kaleeyu, the king of the hydras, commanded his subjects^to give the frogs to him, promising to protect them from Gtirooru : but the latter on his arrival, finding no food, attacked and overcame KaleeyiS ; who, though defeated, amused Gurooru by rehearsing some verses which no one understood but himself'', till he had made good his retreat into a deep place of the river, where Guroorfi durst not follow him for fear of the curse of the sage. In consequence of the serpent's remaining in this spot, the poison proceeding from his body had destroyed all the trees, v/ater, &c. for two miles round, and who- ever drank of the water died. About this time Krishnii was born ; who in his childhood, on a certain day, discovering that a dreadful mortality existed among the cows and the boys who kept them, asked the reason, and was informed that they had been poisoned by the waters of the Yumoona. Krishnu then jumped from a tree into the river ; overcame the serpent, and drove him out of the place. Kaleeyii, full of fear, asked where he was to go, for that Gurooru would certainly kill him. Krishnu, putting his foot on his head, assured him that when Gtirooru discovered the mark of his foot, he would not destroy him. The waters now became wholesome ; the trees gained their verdure ; and the boys and cows were restored to life : but the pain arising from the poison in the wounds which Kaleeyii had given to Krishnu was intolerable. He therefore prayed to Doorga, who made him suck the milk from her own breast, by which he was immediately restored to health. Sect. XV. — VishalaksheeK A CLAY image of this goddess is set up at Shy^ntihatee, a village in Burdwan, which is become a place of great resort for pilgrims. Vast multitudes of buffaloes, sheep, goats, &c. are offered at differ- ent times to this goddess, not unfrequently for the destruction of enemies : sheep and goats are offered every day, and it is said that formerly human sacrifices were offered to this goddess. Many per- sons, it is affirmed, have obtained the privilege of conversing with their guardian deities in consequence of worshipping this image with very shocking ceremonies, while others thus employed are said to have been driven mad ; yet some persons receive the name of Vishalakshee as their guardian deity. k These verses, it is said, now compose one of the kavyfis called PingiJW. 1 Of large or beautiful eyes. CHUNDEE, HER WORSHIP — OTHER INFERIOR FORMS OF DOORGA. 87 Sect. XYI.—Chiindee^. Images of this form of Doorga are not made at present in Ben- gal ; but this goddess is worshipped by many of the bramhtins, &c., before a metal cup containing the water of the Ganges. This wor- ship is celebrated daily, or at the time of the full or change of the moon, or when the sun enters a new sign, or on the 9th of the moon. The Kalikn-pooraniS directs that birds, tortoises, alligators, fish, buffaloes, bulls, he-goats, ichneumons, wild boars, rhinoceroses, antelopes, guanas, rein-deer, lions, tigers, men, and blood drawn from the offerer's own body, be offered to this goddess. The follow- ing horrid incantation is addressed to the goddess Chiindee, when offering an animal in order to effect the destruction of an enemy : ' O goddess, of horrid form, O Chttndika ! eat, devour such a one, my enemy, consort of fire ! Salutation to fire ! This is the enemy who has done me mischief, now personated by an aninjal : destroy him, O Muhamaree ! Sphdng ! sph^ng ! eat, devour.' Women sometimes make a vow to Chundee to engage her to restore their children to health, or to obtain some other favour. If a person recover in whose name such a vow has been made, his neighbours ascribe it to Chiindee. The exploits of this goddess are celebrated in a poem written by the poet Ktinktinu, and recited on various occasions, under the name of Chundee-ganil, or Ohundie-yatra. Sect. XVII. — Other forms of Boorga. Kamakhya". — This goddess is worshipped daily by persons of property before a pan of water, or some other substitute ; and also by many shakttis on the 8th of the moon in both quarters. Those who worship her monthly, generally present some particular re- quest in favour of themselves or families. At the Doorga festival, this goddess is also worshipped with many ceremonies and at a great expense.. A few persons receive the initiatory rites of this goddess, and worship her as their guardian deity. VindhyU-vasinee^. — This is the image of a yellow female, sitting on a lion, with either four or eight arms : she is worshipped in the month Voishakhu, on the 9th, or on the 7th, 8th, or 9th of m The wrathful. ° She who is called desire. " She who dwelt on mount Vindhyil. 8S OTHER INFEEIOE FORMS OF DOORGA. the increase of the moon : at Benares she is worshipped daily. The destruction of several giants is ascribed to this goddess. MUngUl'ii-Ch'andika^. — This is the image of ayello-w female, sitting on three skulls, clothed in red ; having in her right hand a book, and in her left a roodrakshti bead-roll. She is mostly worshipped by females, or rather by bramhtins employed by them, in consequence of some particular distress in their families ; when they make a vow to the goddess to worship her a certain number oftimesifshe will deliver them. Even the wives ofMusulmans sometimes send offerings to the house of a bramhun, to be pre- sented to her with prayers. In the month Poushu a small festival is held in honour of this goddess. KHmMl^-kaminee'^. — This is the image of a female sitting on the water-lily, swallowing an elephant, while with the left hand she is pulling it out of her throat'. — She is worshipped on the 8th of Voishakhii, with the usual ceremonies and festivities. RajH-raj^shwUree'. — This goddess is represented as sitting on a throne, the three feet of which rest on the heads of Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shivti. She is worshipped on the 7tli, 8th, and 9th of Voishakhu, with the ceremonies common to all the female deities to whom bloody sacrifices are offered. Yoogadya^ is represented as sitting on a lion, having ten arms. — A festival in honour of this goddess is held on the last day of Voishakhii, at Ksheeru, a village in Burdwan, where many animals are slain, and large quantities of spirituous liquors offered : the goddess at the time of worship is taken out of a tank near the temple. It is supposed that not less than 100,000 people assemble at this place on this occasion. Human sacrifices, I am informed, were formerly offered to this goddess. — ^So numerous are the sacri- fices, that the water of the pool, in which the dead bodies are thrown immediately after decapitation, becomes the colour of blood. These bodies are taken otit of the pool again in a little time after the sacrifice. The disciples of this goddess are very numerous. KUroonamUyee'^. — In some places the image of this goddess is set up and worshipped daily. At the festivals of Doorga, Kalee, &c.. she is worshipped in a more splendid manner. Some persons make vows to this goddess in times of distress, and manj'- receive the initiatory rites by which she becomes their guardian deity. p The fervent benefactress. 1 She who sits on the water-lily. ' This image is said to owe its rise to a vision at sea ascribed to Shreemfintti, a merchant, the particulars of which are related in the KSvee-ktlnkilnfi. ' The goddess who governs BrSmha, Viahnoo, and Shivfi. ' She who existed before the yoogas. " The compassionate. KALEE, ^iA^lislicci ay - 'ilg-g-nbc'iiaji.. M.>d'.-af . INFERIOR FORMS OF DOORGA — KALEE. 89 Sect. XVIlI. — Other Forms of Boorga, Tripoora", Twurita^ Nitya', Priistahinse'', Juyu-doorga*", Shoolinee'^, Miiha-lukslimee*, Sliree-vidya^ Tripoora-soonduree', Vunu-df^vei", CMndu-nayika'', Pruchunda", Churidagra'', Dhooma-vufcee', tJblmya", Sut5e°, Gouree", Pud ma*, Shuchee", M^dha', Savitree'j Juya", Devu-sAia", Swiidha^', Swab a", Shautee", Toostee\ Poostee", DhriteeS Afcmu-ddvta', Koolti-d^vta^j &c. &c. Vij-Sya', All these goddesses are worsliipped at the festivals of Doorga, as well as at other times, before the proper representative of a god, as water, the shalgramu, &c., but their images are not now made in Bengal. Many persons receive the initiatory rites of these deities, and pay their devotions dailj'^ to the particular goddess whom they have chosen as their guardian deity. Bloody sacrifices, fish, and spirituous liquors, are presented to these goddesses. The last sixteen are worshipped when rice is first given to a child, at the investiture with the poita, at the time of marriage, and in general at all the ceremonies performed for a son before marriage. Juyu-doorga is worshipped to obtain deliverance from danger. Beside the above forms of Doorga, there are many others, whose names end with the word Bhoirtivee, viz., the terrific ; and temples consecrated to Bhoirttvu and Bhoiruvee are erected at many of the holy places visited by the Hindoo pilgrims. When a person per- forms any of the ceremonies of Hindoo worship at these places, he must first, on pain of meeting with some misfortune, worship these two deities. Sect. XIX. — Kalee, This goddess may also be considered as a form of Bhiigiivufcee, or Doorga. According to the Chundee, the image of Kalee, at pre- sent worshipped in Bengal, had. its origin in the story of Euktfi- veejti, already inserted in page 78'- Kalee was so overjoyed at the victory she had obtained over this giant, that she danced till the " She who governs the three worlds, heaven, earth, and the world of the hydras, y She who speedily executes her will. '■ The everlasting. » The praise-worthy. ^ The destroyer of the giant Doorgii. <: She who wields the weapon of this name. •1 The great goddess of fortiine. ■= The learned. ' The beauty of the three worlds. B The goddess of forests, i" The destroyer of the giant Uhttndti. ' The wrathful, k The furious. ' She who is the colour of smoke. "She who removes fear. "The wife of Shivii. " The yellow. P She who sits on the water-Jily. 9 She who tells the truth of all. ' The wise. » The cause of all, « The victorious. » Ditto. " The celestial heroine, y She who presides over the manes. ^ Ditto. "The comforter, i" Ditto. " The nourisher. 4 The patient. ^ The goddess of souls, f She who presides- over the generations of men, 12 90 ANECDOTES OF KALEE'S JJIAGE. earth shook to its foundation ; and Shivu, at the intercession of the gods, was compelled to go to the spot to persuade lier to desist. He saw no other way, however, of prevailing, than by throwing himself among the dead bodies of the slaii). When the goddess saw that she was dancing on her husband, she was so shocked, that to express her surprise she put out her tongue to a great length, and remained motionless ; and she is represented in this posture in almost all the images now made in Bengal. The tJdhyatmii Ramayunix" gives another story from which the image of Kalee may have originated : — Rarau, when he return- ed home with Sesta from the destruction of Ravfinu, began to boast of his achievements before liis wife ; who smiled, and said, ' You rejoice because you have killed a Raviluu with ten heads ; but Y/hat would you say to a Raviinu with 1 ,000 heads ? ' ' Destroy him,' said Ramu. Seeta, again smiling, advised him to stay at home ; but he, collecting all themonkies, the giants, and his own soldiers together, with Sssta, Liikshmunti, Shiitriighnii, and Bhiirutu, im- mediately departed for Shutii-dweepu to meet this new Ravunti ; sending Hunoomanii before to discover the residence of this thou- sand-headed monster, and bring a description of his person. Hiinoo- manii, after a little play with him, returned to RamiS, who soon after attacked the giant : but he, looking forward, beheld llamu's army as so many children ; arid discharged three aj-rows, 'one of which sent all the monkies to Kishkindha, their place of residence ; anotlier sent all the giants to Lunka, (Ceylon ;) and the third sent all the soldiers to IJyodhya, Ramu's capital. Ramu, thunderstruck at being thus left alone in a moment, and thinking that all his adherents had been at once annihilated, began to weep : when Seeta, laughing at her husband, immediately assumed the terrific form of Kalee, and furiously attacked this thousand- headed Ravunti. The conflict lasted ten years, but she at length killed the giant, drank his blood, and began to dance and toss about the limbs of his body. Her dancing shook the earth to its centre, so that all the gods, filled with alarm, applied to Shivii : but he declared that he almost despaired of calming her passions, for she was mad with joy ; be promised, however, to do all that could be expected fi'om a god in so desperate a case ; but, pausing for some time, and seeing no other alternative, he, in the presence of the assembled gods, threw himself among the dead bodies under her feet. Bntmha called to the goddess, and said, ' goddess ! what art thou doing ? Dost thou not see that thou art trampling on thy husband V She stooped, and saw Shivix under her feet ; and was so ashamed, that she stood still, and threw out her tongue to an uncommon length''. i There are four Ramaytlniis, one written by Valraeekee, another by Vyasii-dSvu, and two others, called the Udbootfi and the Udhyatratl Ramayttniis ; but the others are in little estimation compared with the work of Valmeekee. ^ When the Hindoo women are shocked or ashamed at any thing, they put out their tongues, as a mode of expressing their feelings. HUMAN SACRIFICES. 91 B_y this moans Shi vtt saved the universe ; and Seeta, again assuming her proper form, went home with Knmii and his brothers. In the ima,ges commonly worshipped,' Kalee is' represented as .a very black female, v, ith four arms ; having in one hand a scymitar, and in another the head of a giant, which she holds by the hair ; another hand is spread open bestowing a blessing ; and with the other she is forbidding fear. She wears two dead bodies for ear-rings, and a necklace of skiills ; and her tongue hangs down to her chin. The hands of several giants are hung as a girdle round her loins, and her tresses fall down to her heels. Having drank the blood of the giants s1:e has slain in combat, her eye- brows, are bloody, and the blood is falling in a stream down her breast ; her eyes are red like those of a drunkard. She stands with one leg on the breast of her husband Shivu, and rests the other on his thigh'. This deity is equal in ferocity to any of the preceding forms of Doorga. In the Kalika pooranu, men are pointed out, amongst other animals, as proper for sacrifice. It is here said that the blood of a tiger pleases the goddess for one hundred years, and the blood of a lion, a rein-deer, or a man, a thousand. But by the sacrifice of three men, she is pleased 100,000 years ! I insertjtwo or three extracts from the sanguinary Chapter of the Kalika pooranu : — ' Let a human victim be sacrificed at a place of holy worship, or at a cemetery where dead bodies are buried. Let the oblation be performed in the part of the cemetery called h^riikii, or at a temple of Kamakshya, or on a mountain. Now attend to the mode : The human victim is to be immolated in the east division, which is sacred to Bhoiriivu ; the head is to be presented in the south division, which is looked upon as 'the place of skulls sacred to Bhoiriivu ; and the blood is to be presented in the west division, which is denominated h^rukii. Having immolated a human victim, with all the requisite ceremonies at a cemetery, or holy place, let the sacrificer be cautious not to cast his eyes upon it. The victim must be a person of good appearance, and be pre- pared by ablutions, and requisite ceremonies, (such as eating consecrated food the day before, and by abstinence from flesh and venery,) and must be adorned with chaplets of flowers, and besmeared with sandal wood. Then causing the victim to face the north, let the sacrificer worship the several deities presiding over the different parts of the victim's body: let the worship be then paid to the victim himself by his name. Let him worship Brumha in the victim's rhiindru, i. e., cave of Briimha, cavity in the skull, under the spot where the sutura coronalis and sagittalis meet. Let him worship the earth in his nose, &c. — Worshipping ' The image of Minerva, it will be recollected, was that of a threatening goddess, exciting terror : on her shield she bore the head of a gorgon, Sir AY. Jones con- siders Kalce as the Proserpine of the Greek*. 92 HUMAN SACRIFICES. — OTHER HORRID KITES. the king of serpents, let hira pronounce the following incantation : O best of men ! O most auspicious ! thou who art an assemblage of all the deities, and most exquisite ! bestow thy protection on me; save me, thy devoted ; save my sons, my cattle, and kindred ; pre- serve the state, the ministers belonging to it, and all friends ; and as death is unavoidable, part witli (thy organs oi) life, doing an act of benevolence. Bestow upon me, O most auspicious ! the bliss which is obtained by the most austere devotion, by acts of charity, and performance of religious ceremonies; and at the same time, most excellent ! attain supreme bliss thyself. May thy auspices, most auspicious ! keep me secure from rakshiisiis, pishachtis, tei-rors, serpents, bad princes, enemies, and other evils ; and, death being inevitable, charm BhugiivTitee in thy last moments by copious streams of blood spouting from the arteries of thy fleshly neck.' — When this has been done, my children ! the victim is even as as myself, and the guardian deities of the ten quarters take place in him ; then Brumha and all the other deities assemble in the victim ; and be he ever so great a sinner, he becomes pure from sin ; and when pure, his blood changes to ambrosia, and he gains the love of Mtihad^vee, the goddess of the yogu nidru, (i.e., -the tranquil repose of the mind from an abstraction of ideas,) who is the goddess of the whole universe, the very universe itself He does not return for a considerable length of time in the human form, but becomes a ruler of the gunii d^vtas, and is much respected by me myself. The victim who is impure from sin, or ordure and urine, Kamakshya will not even hear named. The blind, the crippled, the aged, the sick, the afflicted with ulcers, the hermaphrodite, the imperfectly formed, the scarred, the timid, the leprous, the dwar- fish, and the perpetrator of miiha patnkii, (heinous offences, such as slaying a bramhun, drinking spirits, stealing gold, or defiling a spiritual teacher's bed,) one under twelve years of age, one who is impure from the death of a kinsman, &;c., one who is impure from the death of muh a gooroo, (father and motlier), which impurity lasts for one whole year — these severally are unfit subjects for im- molation, even though rendered pure by sacred texts. Let not a bramhun or a chundalu be sacrificed; nor a prince, nor that which has been already presented to abramlmn, or adeity ; nor theoffspring of a prince ; nor one who has conquered in battle ; nor the offspring of a bramhun, or of a kshiitriyu ; nor a childless brother ; nor a father; nor a learned person ; nor one who is irawilling ; nor the maternal uncle of the sacrificer. The day previous to a human sacrifice, let the victim be prepared by the text mantishtiiku and three ddvee giindhu shiiktus, and the texts wadi-ungu, and by touching his hea.d with the axe, and besmearing the axe with sandal, &c. perfumes, and then taking some of the sandal, &c. from off the axe, and besmearing the victim's neck therewith. If the severed head of a human victim smile, it indicates increase of prosperity and long life to the saciificer, without doubt ; and if it speak, whatever it says will come to pass.' WORSHIP OF THIEVES TO HEU. 93 This work further lays down directions for a person's drawing blood from himself, and-offering it to the goddess, repeating the following incantation : ' Hail ! supreme delusion ! Hail ! goddess of the universe ! Hail ! thou who fulfiUest the desires of all. May I presume to offer thee the blood of my body ; and wilt thou deign to accept it, and be propitious towards me.' A person's cutting off his own flefih, and presenting it to the goddess as a burnt-sacrifice, is another method of pleasing this infer- nal deity : ' Grant me, goddess ! bliss, in propoi'tion to the fer- vency with which T present thee with my own flesh, involdng thee to.be propitious to me. Salutation to thee again and again, under the mysterious syllables "ting, 'ting .' A person's burning his body, by applying the burning wick of a lamp to it, is also very acceptable to KaJei, &c. On this occasion this incantation is used : ' Hail ! goddess ! Salutation to thee, un- der the syllables ung, Ung. To thee I present this auspicious luminary, fed with the flesh of my body, enlightening all around, and exposing to light also the inward recesses of my soul.''' It is observed in this work, that the head or the blood of an animal, in its simple state, forms a proper ofiering to a goddess, but that flesh must be presented as a burnt-offering. Other Tilntrtis observe, that the eating of the flesh of men, cows, and swine, and drinking spirits, after these things have been offered to an idol, must be done in secret ; or the person will commit a great crime, and sink into poverty. I am credibly informed, that very many bramhuns in Bengal eat cow's flesh, and, after they have been offer- ed to an idol, drink spirits, though none of them will publicly ac- knowledge it. Thieves frequently pay their devotions to Ka,h"e, and to all the goddesses to whom bloody sacrifices are offered, under the hope of carrying on their villainous designs with security and success'. A gang of ten persons, perhaps, agree to plunder a house ; who meet together in a dark night, under a tree where an image ofSid- ddshwnree is placed ; and bring to the spot spirituous liquors, fish, and other offerings. One of the company, a bramhtin, goes through the ceremonies of worship : at the close of which a bloody sacrifice is offered, and the instrument worshipped which is to cut through the wall of the house ; at which time the following incantation from the Chorii-punchashika is read: '0! Sindhttkatee ! (the name of k See Mr. Blaquiere's translation of the Sanguinary Chapter, Asiatic Researches, vol. V. The author hopes Mr. Blaquiere will excuse the liberty he has taken of altering his spelling of Siiugskrita words, as he has done it merely to preserve unifor- mity throughout the work. I One of Jupiter's names, it is well known, was Prsedator, because plunder was offered to him. Qi WORSHIP OF THIEVES TO HER. tbe instrument formed by the goddess Visha:e ! Kalee commanded thee to cut a passage into the liouse, to cut through stones, bones, bricks, js'ooiJ, the earth, and mountains, and, through the bless- ing of IJnadya'", to make a way by cutting the enrth from the house of the MaHnee to tha.t of Vidya", and that the soil brought out should be carried away by the wind. Haree-jhee° and Chamttnda have given tliis blessing, and Karaakshya (Kalee) has given the command.' After the reading of this incantation, the thieves , sit down to eat and drink the things that have been offered ; and when nearly intoxicated, they gird their garments firmly round their loins, rub their bodies well with oil, daub their eyes with lamp-black, and repeat an incantation to enable them to see in the dark ; and thus proceed to tlie spot : when they cut a hole through the wall, plunder the house, and sometimes murder the inhabitants. Sometime ago, two Hindoos were executed at Calcutta for robbery. Before they entered upon their work of plunder, they worshipped Kalee, and offered prayers before her image, that they might be protected by the goddess in the act of thieving. It so happened, that the goddess left these disciples in the lurch ; they were detected, tried, and sentenced to be hanged. While under sentence of death, a native Catholic, in the same place and circum- stances, was visited by a Roman Catholic priest to prepare him for death. These Hindoos now reflected, that as Kalee had not pro- tected them, notwithstanding they had paid their devotions to her, there could be no hope that she would save them after death ; they might as well, therefore renounce their caste : which resolution they communicated to their fellow-prisoner, who procui-ed for them a prayer from the Catholic priest, translated into the Bengalee lang- uage. I saw a copy of this prayer in the hands of the native Catholic who gave me this account. These men at last, out of pure revenge upon Kalee, died in the faith of the Virgin Mary : and the Catholics, after the execution, made a grand fuaeral for them ; as these per- •" A name of Kalee, which means, without beginning. " Soondivrii, the son of (ioonfi-sindhoo, raja of Kanohee-pooru, wag overcome by the charms of Vidya, the daughter of Veeru-singhu, the raja of Burdwau. For the purposes of courtship, he concealed himself at the house of a flower-seller (Maliuee) near the ]ialace of VeerS-siughu, and began to pay his devotions to the goddess Kalee ; who gave him this incantation, and the instrument Sindlmkatee, that he might cut hi.9 way to his fair one. One night, however, Soondiiril was caught in the palace, and seized as a thief. As he was led from prison to the place of execution, he composed fifiy verses in praise of the raja's daughter, which verses have since received the name of Chora-piinchashika. The Hindoos add, that when they were about to execute Soondurii, the cords by which he was bound miraculously burst asunder, and the exe- cutioners fell senseless to the ground ; in consequence, the execution was postponed, and the next night Kalee appeared to Veeru-singhu in a dream, and directed him to marry his daughter to Soonduru ; who was not a thief, but the son of the raja of Kanchee-poorii, a very proper person to become his son-in-law. The marriage was soon after celebrated in the most sijlendid manner. ■> The Hindoos say, that a female of the Haree cast was once honoured with an interview by the goddess Kamakshya, who delivered to her a variety of incantations, now used Iiy the lowest casts for the most ridiculous, as well as brutal and wicked purposes. FESTIVALS — SCENE AT KALEE-SHUNKUEU-GOSHU'S AT CALCUTTA. 95 sons, they said, embraced the Catholic faith, and renounced their cast, fromj conviction. Agum-vageishti^ a learned Hindoo, about five hundred years ago, formed the image of Kalee according to the preceding descrip- tion, and worshipped it monthly, choosing for this purpose the darkest nights in the month ; he made and set up the image, worshipped it, and destroyed it, on the same night. At present the greater number of the worshippers of Kalee hold a festival to her honour on the last night of the decrease of the moon in the month Kartiku, and call it the Shyama"" festival. A few persons celebrate the worship of Kalee at the full moon in Kartiku ; the ceremonies of which are performed before a pic- ture of this goddess, drawn on a stiff mat of reeds seven or eiglit feet long. This festival lasts three days, and on the fourth the picture is thrown into the river. Some also worship Kalee for one night on the 1 1th of the decrease of the moon, in the month Maghu ; and a few rich men do so monthly, on the last night of the moon : while others wor- ship this goddess in the month Jyoisht'hu, when it is called the Phiilii-huree festival, on account of the many, mangoes, jack fruits, &c. offered to her. * A few years ago, I went to the house of Kalee-shunkilrii- ghoshu, at Calcutta, at the time of the Shyama festival, to see the animals sacrified to Kalee. The buildings where the worship was performed were raised on four sides, with an area in tlie middle. The image was placed at the north end, with the face to the south ; and the two side rooms, and one of the end rooms opposite the image, were filled with spectators : in the area were the animals devoted to sacrifice, and also the executioner, with Kalee-shtinktiru, a few attendants, and about twenty persons to throw the animal down, and hold it in the post, while the head was cut off. The goats were sacrificed first, then the buffaloes, and last of all two or three rams. In order to secure the animals, ropes were fastened round their legs ; they were then thrown down, and the neck placed in a piece of wood fastened into the ground, and made open at the top like the space betwixt the prongs of a fork. After the animal's neck was fastened in the wood by a peg which passed over it, the men who held it pulled forcibly at the heels ; while the executioner, with a broad heavy axe, cut off* the head at one blow : the heads were carried in an elevated posture by an attendant, (dancing as he went,) the blood running down him on all sides, into the presence of the goddess. Kales-shunkiiru, at the close, went up to the executioner, took him in his arms, and gave him several presents of cloths, &c. The heads and blood of the animals, as well as different meat-offerings, are presented with P A name of Kalee, meaning black. 96 HONOR PAID rOEMEELY TO KAI,EE BY HINDOO RAJAHS. incantations as a feast to the goddess ; after whicli clarified butter is burnt on a prepared altar of sand. Never did I see men so eagerly enter into the shedding of blood, nor do I think any butchers could slaughter animals more expertly. The place literally swam with blood. The bleating of the animals, the numbers slain, and the ferocity of the people employed, actually made me unwell ; and I returned about midnight, filled with horror and indignation. The gifts to bramhuns and guests at this festival are numerous, and in some instances very expensive. The bramhuns, and then the familj'^ and other guests, are entertained, when the spirituous liquors which have been presented to the goddess are drank pri- vately by those who are in the secret. The festival closes with the dances and songs before the goddess. The reader may form an idea how much idolatrj^ prevailed at the time when the Hindoo monarchy flourished, from the following circumstance, which belongs to a modern period, when the Hindoo authority in Hindoost'hanu was almost extinct. — Eaja Krishnu- chundrii-rayu, and his two immediate successors, in the month Kartikii, annually gave orders to all the people over whom they had a nominal authority to keep the Shyama festival, and threaten- M every offender Avith the severest penalties on non-compliance. In consequence of these orders, in more than ten thousand houses, in one night, in the zillah of Krishnti-nugtiru, the worship of this goddess was celebrated. The number of animals destroyed could not be less than ten thousand. The officiating bramhuns, especially those who perform religious ceremonies for shoodrus, were greatly ])erplexed, as a single bramhiin had to perform the ceremonies of worship at two hundred houses, situated in different villages, in one night. All the joiners, barbers, or blacksmiths, in fifteen or twenty villages, in many instances have but one officiating priest, the bramhuns in general being unwilling to incur the disgrace which arises from performing religious services for shoodrus. Eeshatiu-chundru-rayu, the grandson of Krishnu-chiindru- rayu, in certain years, presented to Kalee eighty thousand pounds weight of sweetmeats, the same quantity of sugar, a thousand women's clotli garments, the same number of women's China silk garments^ a thousand offerings, including rice, plantains, peas, &c., and immolated a thousand buffaloes, a thousand goats, and the same number of sheep ; which altogether could not cost less than ten thousand rupees, while the other expenses amounted to scarcely less than twenty thousand. To defray these expenses, this rajah sold the greater part of his patrimony; and in this and other idolatrous customs, he and other Hindoo rajahs have expend- ed almost the whole of their estates. Raja Ilam-Krishnia also expended very large sums of money IMAGE AND TEMPLE AT KALEE-GHATU DESCEIBED. 97 upon the worship of Kalee. He set up a stone image of this god- dess at Vurahu-nuguru ; on which occasion he is said to have spent a lack of rupees. He also endowed this image with such a large revenue, that at present five hundred persons are maintain- ed there daily. In the service of this goddess he has nearly reduced himself to poverty, though formerly from the rents of the lands, &c., he used to pay fifty-two lakhs of rupees annually into the Com- pany's treasury. Kalee is the guardian deity of very many of the Bengalees, especially of the bramhtins. At Kalee-ghatii, near Calcutta, is a celebrated image of this goddess, 'whom (in the opinion of the Hindoos) all Asia, and- ' the whole world worshippeth.' Having obtained an account of this temple from a bramhiin whom I sent to Kalee-ghatu for the purpose, I here lay it before my readers : — The temple consists of one room, with a large pavement around it. The image is a large black stone, to which a horrid face, partly cut and partly painted, has been given ; there are neither arms nor legs, a cloth covering all the lower part which, should be the body. In front of the temple is a very large build- ing capable of seating two hundred people ; in which, and on the pavement around the temple, many bramhuns daily sit reading the Clrundee, a work on the ware of Kalee : on some days, as many as a thousand bramhuns may be seen thus employed. Beyond this building, in front of the image, the animals for sacri- fice ai-e slain. Not fewer than four thousand persons assemble on particular occasions at this temple, especially at the Shyama and Doorga festivals ; and, twice a week, on the Chetula' market days, two thousand people or more visit this place, multitudes of whom (my informer says, not less than a thousand) present offerings. At these times it is common for a Hindoo to go up to the temple, and, presenting himself at the door with joined hands, to address himself thus to the idol : ' Oh ! mother ! I am going to the market for such and such a purpose. If thou grant me success, I will on the next market day present offerings to thee to the amount of.'— Or he says to another person standing near, ' See, brother, I have promised to mother so and so, if she will accomplish my wishes in the market.'' About nine o'clock each day, the bramhiin who in turn per- forms the duties at the temple, and who receives the offerings of the day, after cleaning and bathing the image, puts on it the gar- lands of flowers and other ornaments, sweeps the temple, and then throws open the doors, calling out, ' Victory to the great Kalee ! 1 An adjoining village. ' It is said that formerly, especially in times of scarcity, numbers of men were Sold at this market. 13 98 IMAGE AND TEMPLE AT KALEE-GIIATU DESCEIBED. Victory to the great Kalee!' These compliments on different mornings he changes at pleasure. After this, persons going to bathe, or coming from bathing, approach the door of the temple, and bow to the goddess : and now the daily worship is performed, which occupies about an hour ; after which men and women are seen bringing their offerings to the idol, which continue to be pre- sented during the greater part of the day. Some merely present them, without asking for any blessing : these persons take away a few flowers, or any other trifle of what they have offered, as something that will secure the good of the family ; and friends on a visit at the house of such a person beg any thing of this kind, and eat it, or wear it in their hair. Other visitors to the temple leave part of the offerings there, and take away the other part to present to their friends. Others make a vow, while the offering is presented to the image, in some such words as these : ' Oh ! goddess ! mother Kalee ! If thou wilt deliver me out of such or such a trouble, or wilt bestow such or such a blessing, I will pre- sent to thee [here the petitionei' repeats the names of all the offer- ings or bloody sacrifices.'] Disputes arise almost daily in the temple betwixt the worshippers aixd the priests respecting the offer- ings, and not unfrequently a violent scramble takes place for the meat-offerings in the presence of the goddess herself: the officia- ting bramhtin says, ' Who is to have these offerings' ? to which the worshipper replies, ' Oh ! sir ! our family priest always receives these things. I must carry them home for him.' Or a man bring- ing offerings procures a bramhun to go and tell a lie in the pre- sence of the goddess, saying to him, ' Sir, the bramhuns at the temple of Kalee are such notorious cheats, that of all I give to the goddess, she will probably get nothing but a few flowers ; and they are so rapacious that 1 shall never get these offerings out of their hands :' on which this bramhtin carries the offerings to the temple, and declares, that they belong to the bramhuns of such a temple, and must be returned to them. By these contrivances, the offerer obtains what he has given to the goddess ; aud, giving part to the bramhixn who has extricated him from the rapacious hands of the proprietors of the temple, he takes the remainder home. About three o'clock in the afternoon, food is placed before the goddess, consisting of rice, greens, roots, fruits, milk, curds, clari- fied butter, flesh, spirituous liquors' (in a concealed fonn,) sweet- meats, &c. &c.~ Genei'ally about 2.50 pounds of rice are cooked daily, but at particular time twice or thrice as much. After reser- ving as much as is necessary for his own family, the officiating bramhtin sells the rest of the offerings to devout visitors or neigh- bours, and gives away what he cannot sell. When a bloody sacri- fice is offered, the offerer either pays the priest for his trouble, or » It is affirmed that the greater number of grown up persons in this village drink spsTita. BramliCins may be seen in front of the temple, drinking spirits at noon-day ; and religious mendicants walking about, naked, without the least sense of shame. IMAGE MUCH HONORED— PRESENTS MADE 90 gives up tlie slaughtered animal. The slayer also receives a fee. Of this ilesh, the officiating bramhiin keeps what he pleases, and sells the rest to bramhuns, shoodriis, Portuguese, and persons from all parts of the neighbourhood.' The daily offerings to this goddess are astonishingly numerous^ On days when the weatlier is very unfixvourable, not less than three hundred and twenty pounds of rice, twenty-four of sugar, forty of sweetmeats, twelve of clarified buttei', ten of flour, ten quarts of milk, a peck of pease, eight hundred plantains, and other things, (the price of which may amount to about five shillings,) are offer- ed, and eight or ten goats sacrificed. On common days, of all these things three times the quantity ; and at great festivals, or when a rich man comes to worship, ten, twenty, or forty times this quantity; and as many as forty or fifty buffaloes and a thousand goats are slain. Raja Niivii-Krishnu, of Calcutta, about fifty years ago, when on a visit to Kalee-ghatu, expended, it is said, not less than 100,000 rupees on the worship of this goddess. Amongst the offer- ings was a gold necklace valued at 10,000 rupees, and, beside other ornaments, a rich bed, silver plates, dislies, and basons ; sweetmeats, and other food sufficient for the entertainment of a thousand persons ; and trifling presents of money to near two thou- sand of the poor. About twenty years ago, Juyu-Narayunu-Ghoshalu,of Kiddiir- poorii, near Calcutta, expended 25,000 rupees at this place : when he sacrificed twenty-five buffaloes, one hundred and eight goats, and five sheep ; and presented to the goddess four silver arms, two gold eyes, and many gold and silver ornaments. About ten years ago, a merchant from the east of Bengal ex- pended 5,000 rupees on the worship of this goddess,, beside the price of a thousand goats which were slaughtered. In the year 1810, a bramhun from the east of Bengal expend- ed on this idol about four thousand rupees, with part of which he bought a golden necklace, the beads of which were in the shape of giants' skulls. In the year 1811, Gopee-mohuQU, a bramhun of Calcutta, ex- pended ten thousand rupees in the worship of this goddess ; but, being a voishnnvu, he did not offer any bloody sacrifices. The Hindoos, it seems, are not the only persons who worship ' The women belonging to the temple have become such good cooks, that it is not uncommon for persona to pay for a dinner from their handf, preffrring it to any thing they could get elsewhere. 100 TO IT, BY KINGS, MERCHANTS AND this black stone : I have received accounts several times of Euro- peans, or their native mistresses, going to this temple, and expend- ing thousands of rupees in offerings. The bramhnn with whom I wrote tliis account declares, that when he was a student at Vuiisha, near Kalee-ghatii, he several times saw the wives of Europeans come in palanqueens with offerings ; though I suppose these ladies were born in India. But the proprietors of the temple positively assured this bramhnn, (a.s he says,) that very frequently European men ])resented offerings, soliciting some favour at the hands" of the goddess ; and that veiy lately a gentleman in the Hon. Company's service, who had gained a cause at law, presented thank-offerings to Kalee which cost two or three thousand rupees'. I confess that I very reluctantly insert these accounts, because I should hope they mostly originate in wilful misrepresentation on the part of the bramhuns of the temple, or in mistake. I suppose some Portu- guese (who also go by the name Sahdb) may present offerings, and pray to this goddess — hence one source of misinformation ; the mistresses of Europeans are supplied with money by their retainers, and hence the worship not unf'requently passes off, with many a triumph over degraded Christianity, as the worship of such a Euro- pean ; and many Europeans, who go for curiosity to seethe temple and the image, inconsiderately or wantonly give presents to the clamorous and greedy bramhuns, who proclaim it as an offering to their goddess. Actions the most innocent, (even going to view the image,) are construed by these ignorant idolaters into an approval of idolatry. A European who was lately there, says mj'' inlbi-mant, to make a drawing of the image, when he departed gave the offici- ating bramhun a gold mohiir, and this present was probably enrolled among the gifts to the temple. It is further affirmed, that many Miissillmans (four or five liundred) present offerings to Kalee monthly — so strangely has the veneration for this image seized the minds of the natives ! And it is added, that an equal number of prostitutes, from all parts of Bengal, pay their devotions at this temple : some pray for the health of their paramours, and others that great numbers may visit their houses of ill fame. It is not uncommon for a loose female to say to her paramour, after his recovery from sickness, ' I made vows to Kal?e, that if she would restore j^ou to health, I would present her with such and such offerings : you are Recovered ; and I must now go and perform my vows.' Such a female sometimes thus prays for her pai-amour — ' mother Kalee ! 1 pray for . If thou wilt increase his wealth, [or remove sickness from him — or make him successful in such a concern — or increase his attachment " Silver hands, and gold tongues and eyes are among the presents made by rich men to this goddess. Such is the stuxjidlty of idolaters. ^ It is probable, that the real worshipper in this instance was a head-servant of this gentleman's ; though the ex])ense might be defrayed by the master. Without thinking of the guilt of such conduct, I have known frequeut instances of Europeans making presents to their servants for the avowed purpose of idol woi'ship. EVEN BY CHKiaTlAJNo. 101 to me, that he may always foUo-w my advice] I will present to thee all these offerings [here she repeats the, names of what she intends to give].' When she returns home, she tak^s off all her ornaments, laying them aside till her vow be either fulfilled or abandoned. Merchants^ and tradesmen present offerings to Kalee once, twice, or thrice a year, to obtain success in their concerns ; — many rich men ("thirty or forty) place bramhiins at this temple to worship the goddess, to walk round the temple, and read the Chundee; daily in their names ; — others place bramlmns here for these pur- poses, for two or three months in the year ; — sepoys from all parts of Hindoost'hanu resort to this temple as often as they can obtain leave of absence ; — mothers present offerings, praying for the re- covery of their children, and promising to bring the restored child in their arms when they come to fulfil their vows ;' or, that it shall be invested with the poita,' or pass through some other ceremony at the temple ; — servants in search of employment make vows to the goddess to present her with a month's wages, if she will raise them to siich a situation ; — in a word, the occasions of drawing people to this famous temple are as endless as the superstitious hopes and fears, the crimes and the wants of the worshippers. Goats are devoted to Kal^e, and kept, in some cases, for a long time, till the owner be able to meet the other expenses attending the offerings and worship. These animals are called the goats of Kalee. The village of Kalee-ghuttii (or Kalee-ghatu) owes "the greater part of its present population to this temple ; from which near two hundred persons derive theii- subsistence, exclusive of the proprie- tors, who amount to about thirty families. Some propiietors have a day in turn, others half a day, and others two or three hours ; to whom all the offerings presented in the portion of time thus appor- tioned belong. All these families have become rich. In the month Maghu, a festival is held in various places of Bengal in honour of Ghatoo, the god who presides over blotches on the skin ; bul the assembly at Kalee-ghatu is very great. At the time of swinging in Choitru also, the concourse of people at this place is also very large. See the account of Shivu. y Hindoo merchants engaged in foreign commerce, after the successful voyage of a ship in vrhich they had property, frequently present thank-offerings to this goddess. » The hair of some children is not cut at all till the vow be fulfilled ; others only separate a lock of the child's hair, tying it up in a bunch A large hillock of human hair, collected at the times of shaving when vows have been fulfilled, is formed near the temple. « A bramhtlu once assured me, that he had seen not less than three hundred boys invested with the i)oita in one day at this place; ou which occasion many bloody sacrifiees were offered. The concourao of people was immense. 102 STATEMENT OF MONTHLT OFFERINGS. I here add a rough account of what is expended on this idol monthly : — Es. As. P. Buffaloes slain, (5) Goats ditto, (1,000) Sheep ditto, (30) Eice, (200 cwt.) Salt, Spices, Pease, Fish, fee. Clarified Butter, ... ... Milk and Curds, Sugar, (11 cwt.) Sweetmeats, (22 cwt.) Plantains, (25,000) Evening offerings,... Meatofferings,... Dressed food. Fees, Travelling Expenses, Alms given to the poor by visitors, ... Extraordinaries from rich men, and at festivals. ... 30 800 ... 40 440 ... 200 7 ... 5 105 ... 360 50 ... 60 90 ... 80 233 „. 300 200 ..3,000 Sa. Rs. 6,000 Seventy-two Thousand Rupees annually, or Nine Thousand Pounds sterling. Sect. XX..— Other Forma of Kalee, &c. ChamUnda}'. — This image, which is similar to that of Kalee, except that Chamiindais represented with two giants' heads in her hands, and as sitting on a dead body, is seldom or never made. The goddess is worshipped at the festival of Doorga, on three different days. ShmushanU-Kulee'. — When this image is made, other figures are introduced, as those of the giants Shoombhti and Nishoombhii, of jackals, dead bodies, &c. These giants are represented as sitting on elephants, throwing arrows at the goddess ; while the latter is standing on her husband, and aiming blows at them with a sword. The ceremonies of worship are like those performed in honour of Kalep : the worship begins at the total wane of the moon in Maghii, and continues for three nights. Eevelling is carried to the greatest >> She who seized Chnndn and MSudu, two giants. and, repeating a prayer, presents them to the goddess ; after which follow gifts to the bramhtins, and a feast. Every Hindoo who is able to read and write endeavours to celebrate the worship of this goddess : the raja of Burdwan is said to expend 15,000 rupees annually at this festival. In every Hindoo college, the students keep the festival with great joy ■ many of them dance naked, and are guilty of every indecency. ■= The sliastrus have commanded that each Hindoo shall remain awake durinK the night of the full moon in Ashwinfi, when a festival is held in honour of this go<£ dess J and from this circiunstance this name is derived. INDECENCIES OF HEB FESTIVAL — SHEETOLA — 107 The day after the festival, the image is earned in procession through the town, and then thrown into the river. In passing through the streets of Serampore, at the time of this festival in the year 1806, I was exceedingly shocked at observing among the crowd, who were dancing, playing on music, bearing flags, &c. two or three young men quite naked, the mob triumphing in this shocking insult on public decency. To induce young men to resort to their houses, many prostitutes keep this feast, and connect with it all that low merriment which conupts the mind and draws the attention of the crowd.** On this day the Hindoos neither read nor write,' though they will do any other secular business. They eat only once during the day, and those who are accustomed to eat fish abstain from it on this day. The Hindoos believe, that from this goddess they derive their learning and powers of eloquence,' as well as their ability to read and write. Some of those who can neither read nor write, insist upon it, that they ought to worship her, as they derive their powers of speech from her.'' Others however complain, ' Suruswutee has bestowed nothing on us — why should we perform her worship ?' The image of Suruswiitee is sometimes painted blue, and placed in temples ; when she is called Neelii-Suruswiitee. Names. Bramhee, or, the daughter of Brumha ; — Bhartitee, she who presides over words ; — Bhasha, she who bestows the power of speech ; — Stirtiswatee, she who through the curse of a bramhun was tuiTjed into a river. Sect. XJlY.—ShMtaia}^ Is painted as a yellow woman sitting on the water-lily, dress- ed in red, and giving suck to an infant. Before this image, or a pan of water, the worship of this goddess is performed, in any part of the year ; but in general on the 7 th, 8th, and 9th of the increase * In the year 1808, I saw a group ol performers reciting the Ramaynnfl in the street ; and on enquiry, I found it was before the door of some prostitutes, who had subscribed to bear the expense. The reason assigned was, that it would be an act of merit, helping them in another world ; and would also draw men into whoredom. Offerings are sometimes brought home, and shared by a prostitute with her paramour; like the harloir, in the Book of Proverbs, who is represented as saying to the young man she met in the street, ' I have peace-offerings with me ; this day have I payed my vows.' — Frov. vii. \i. ' The only reason I can find for this is, it is the command of the shastrtt. ' Of an eloquent man, the Hindoos say, ' SttrtlswfitSe sits on his tongue.' 8 Of this fact they give the example of Kavttntt, who, when Ramtt was about to kill him, procured a reprieve by flattering his adversary ; but the gods, afraid lest Eavilnfi should be spared, sent Siiriiswiitee into his throat, and caused him to say pro- voking things to Ramii. ■■ Or, she who cools the^body at the tiiae of the small-pox. 108 HER IMAGE WORSHIPPED DURING SMALL-POX — MUNUSA. of the moon, in tlie day time. Bloody sacrifices are not offered. On the 10th, the image is thrown into the water. This goddess is also worshipped to obtain preservation from the evil eifects of the small-pox. In the months Choitrti and Voishakhn, the Hindoos inoculate those of their children who are two years old ; on which occasion the inoculating bram- htin' presents offerings and prayers to this goddess in the name of the child, promising for the parents, that if she be kind to. the child, they will present to her certain offerings, &c. as soon as it is recovered. At the close of the ceremony, the bramhun places the flowers which have been offered in the hair of the child, telling the parents that the goddess will be favourable ; and then performs the operation. When the child becomes affected with the disease, the family priest (if the parents be rich enough to pay for it) comes to the house every day, and repeats certain forms of pray- er and praise to SheetiSla ; after recovery she is again worshipped. If the child become dangerously ill, it is carried to an image of Sheetula, and bathed in the water which has been offered to this goddess, some of which is given it to drink. Beggars of different descriptions procui'e a stone, gild a small part of it, and carry it from place to place, singing the praises of Sheetula. These mendicants sometimes proclaim in a village, that Sheetula has appeared to one of them in a dream, and ordered, that in this village the mistress of each house shall beg at -three, four, or more doors, and take whatever is given her, and eat it in some neighbouring garden or forest.'' The most dreadful misfor- tunes being threatened in case of disobedience, the affrighted women beg from door to door, and fulfil the supposed commands of the goddess. Sect. XXV.—MUn'Usa}. This goddess, the sister of Vasookee," and the wife of Jurut- karu, a sage, is called the queen of the snakes, and is worshipped to obtain preservation from their bite. She is represented as sitting on the water-lily, clothed with snakes. In the month Jyoist'hti, on the 10th of the increase of the moon ; also on the 5th of the moon's increase and decrease in Ashwinu and Shravunu, as well as on the last day of Shravunti this goddess is worshipped. On the three last occasions, the wor- ' The regular Hindoo doctors (voidyfl) do not inoculate, but a lower order of brarahtins called doivflgnns, or astrologers. ' This is a trick to extort some part of the alms from these deluded women. ' Or Mtinusa-ddvec ; the goddess who possesses pleasure in herself, ™ The king of the serpents. HEK IMAGE, DESCENT AND FESTIVAL. 109 shippers' plant branches of the Euphorbia before the houses and worship them. In Shravunix, the worship is celebrated with tlie greatest show ; on which occasion an image, or some branches of the same tree, or a pan of water surrounded with snakes made of clay, is placed as the object of worship : in some places, twenty or thirty thousand people assemble ; and amidst singing, dancing, music, &c. some persons play with snakes of different kinds, parti- cularly the cobra capello, suffering them to bite them. This play, however, ends fatally when the venomous fangs have not been carefully extracted. The cast called Mai, who play with snakes for a livelihood, profess great regard for Munusa. On the days of the festival, the Hindoos do not kindle a fire, alleging that one of the names of Munusa is Tjrundhuna, she who does not cook. A day or two before the festival, in some places, the women of the village (perhaps fifty or a hundred, or even two hundred) beg rice, either in their own or an adjoining vil- lage ; which they offer, in a field in the neighbourhood, in the name of Munusa, but without an image. After thus offering rice, milk, curds, sugar, &c. to the goddess, they eat them on the Spot ; and this act of holiness, they say, preserves their children from the bite of snakes, as well as assists the parents themselves on their way to heaven. A song founded upon the following story con- cludes the whole : — Chandti, a merchant, not only refused to worship the goddess, but professed the utmost contempt for her. In process of time, however, she caused his six youngest sons to be killed by the bite of snakes : to avoid the fate of whom, the eldest son, Lukinduru, made an iron house, and retired to it ; yet Munusa caused the snake Tukshiiku to enter by a crevice, which destroyed Lukinduru on his wedding-day ; his widow escaped, and went weeping into the presence of her mother-in-law. The neighbours again attempted to reason with Chandti ; but he continued obstinate, declaring that Munusa was no goddess. She appeared to people in dreams, and commanded them to persuade him to celebrate her worship ; and, after much entreaty, to pacify the goddess, he was induced to comply: but declared he would present the offerings only with the left hand ;" and, turning back his head, he thi-ew a fiower at her image with the left hand. Munusa, however, was so pleased, that she restored his seven sons ; and from this circumstance, the worship of this goddess has since been very much celebrated. When the worship is performed before an image, sheep, goats, and buffaloes are offered to Munusa, and even swine." When a Hindoo has been bitten by a snake, the persons who pretend to cure him read different incantations containing the " The hand used in -washing after stools. ° Among the Egyptians, swine, it is well known, were offered to Bacchus. 110 SHUSHTEES FESTIVALS DESCRIBED. names of Munusa. If one or two persons in a village have died by the bite of snakes, all Jthe inhabitants become alarmed, and celebrate the worship of Mtintisa. Sect. XXYl—Shitshm.^ Is a yellow woman sitting on a cat, nursing a child. The Hindoos regard her as the protectress of their children. Six annual festivals are held in honour of this goddess, viz., in Jyoisht'hu, Bhadra, Ashwinu, Maghu, and two in Choitrti ; on the 6th of the increase of the moon, and on the last day but one of the month. The worship celebrated in Jyoisht'hti is performed by a bramhtinee, or an officiating bramhun, under the viitu tree,' or -under a branch of this tree planted in the house. At the time of this worship, every woman of the village, dressed in her best clothes, with her face painted, her ornaments on, and her body anointed with oil, goes to the place of worship under the tree, taking in her hand an oflering ; over each of which the officiating bram- hun performs the usual ceremonies. The offerings are sent to the house of the officiating bramhtin, or distributed amongst the eager by-standers. Among others who are eager to obtain some of these offerings, are women who have not been blessed with children ; each of whom sits down pensively among the crowd, and opens the end of her garment to receive what the assembled mothers are eager enough to bestow : when the giver says, ' May the blessing of Shtishtee be upon you, and next year may you bring offerings — with a child in your arms.' The receiver adds with eagerness, ' Ah ! if she bestow this blessing, I will celebrate her worship ; I will keep my vows, and bring offerings every year.' This festival is called Arunyti-shushtea, because the worshippers are directed to walk in some forest on this day, with fans in their hands. In those houses where the daughter is married, but has not left her parents, they send for the son-in-law ; and at the close of the worship the girl's father sends to him, on a metal plate, a flower, some unhusked rice, a piece of string consecrated to the goddess, five or six blades of do5rva grass, a garment, &c. The son-in-law, if a person of respectability, contents himself with sticking the flower in his hair. If a poor man, he puts on the garment, and raises all the other presents to his head. If the son- in-law neglect to stick the flower in his hair, the girl's father be- comes very sorrowful ; and all the spectators pronounce the former p She is worehipperl on the sixth lunar day. 1 Ficus Indies. SHUSHTE«'S FESTIVALS DESCRIBED. Ill a dead man, for throwing away a flower which has been oflered to Shushtee. The worship in the month Bhadru does not differ from the preceding, except in its being performed by the river side, or at a pool of water, before the stick which is whirled round in churning butter, upon which a fan is placed. In the midst of the worship the women make little paste images of children, and, placing them on leaves of the ktintukee tree,' present them to the goddess, and afterwards throw them into the river. This festival is called Chaptii-a-shashtee.' The Ashwinii festival, distinguished by the name Doorga- shtishtee, is in almost every particular the same as the preceding. At the Maghii festival, called Sheetnla-shttshtee, the women, on the night preceding, boil a large quantity of rice and pulse for ofierings ; mixing with the latter, in boiling, a kind of kidney beans and varttakoos,' The next morning they bathe very early, and on their return go through the ceremonies of worship in thQ house, before the two stones with which they grind their spices ; and upon which they throw a yellow cloth, smeared with red lead. The worship is finished before ten o'clock, and at noon they eat what the goddess has left, i. e. every thing they gave her. The two festivals in Choitrti are held on the 6th, and on the last day but one of the month : on the 6th, in the morning, either before a branch of the vutu, the shalgramu, or some proper repre- sentative of an image ; and at the close of the month, in the even- ing, before an image of Shivti. On the 6th the worshippers eat the bud of the Euphorbia inclosed in a plaintain ; and at the latter festival they fast during the day, and after worship ^at some fruit, and some barley flour mixed with curds or^water. Rich persons eat sweetmeats. These festivals are called tlshokii-shushtee and Neelu-shushtee. Another festival is held jn honour of this goddess in some parts of Bengal, in the month Ugruhayunii, called Hftree-shushtee. The worship is celebrated before a clay pot, filled with water, having six spouts. In addition to all these times of worship, females who have lost all their children by death, worship this goddess every month : beside which, after a child is six days old, every father, to preserve the child, performs the worship of the goddess, while the officiating bramhun reads the incantations ; and on the 21st day of the child's age, the mother presents offerings to the goddess with her own hands, while the ofttciating bramhun reads the prayers. The ' ArtecarpuE integrifolU- • In allusion to the making of these image*. ' The fruit of solanum melongena. 112 SHUSHTEES FESTIVALS DESCRIBED. first of these ceremonies takes place in the evening, before a branch of tlie vntu tree, fastened in the house floor ; the two stones with which spices are gi-ound being placed against the wall in the inside of the house, covered with a piece of cloth. The husband, at the close, asks the blessing of the goddess on the child, promising to present to her a number of offerings when the child shall be twenty- one days old. Before the door the family place the skull of a cow, rubbing some red lead on its forehead ; and in three lumps of cow- dung, put on the forehead, they stick three cowries ; upon which also they spread a yellow cloth. The head remains a month at the door of the house, as a kind of charm for the good of the children. On the 21st day of the child's age, the mother invites ten or fifteen female neighbours, who, with the officiating bramhiin, ac- company her to a stone placed at the foot of the vutii tree, which is supposed to be the representative of the goddess ; around whicli they put a large necklace or garland of flowers, and go through the ceremonies of worship in the usual manner: at the close the mother promises, on condition that the goddess bless her child, that she will worship her every year. The mother distributes the sweet- meats, &c. that have been offered to the idol among the females present. This festival is called dkooshiya." Shushtee has no temples in Bengal ; her common representa- tive, a rough stone, smeared with red paint, about as large as a man's head, is commonly placed at the root of the sacred viitix ; to which passengers, especially women, pay a degree of reverence. In fulfilling particular vows to Shushtee, some worshippers sur- round the vutii tree with garlands of flowers, and great numbers of artificial lamps made of clay : others fulfil their vows by building an earthen or brick seat atound one of these trees. A female of property, as a thank-offering after child-birth, presents by the hands of a bramhun a child made of curds, which the bramhtin never fails to devour. Bloody sacrifices of bullocks, goats, sheep, and sometimes of tame hogs, are offered to Shushtee. For receiving these latter offerings some persons call the goddess a cannibal. At the close of the different festivals held in honour of Shush- tee, it is common for women to entertain the company with mar- vellous stories relating to this goddess. The wives of some of the lower castes beg for a share of the offerings at the doors of the bramhuns, Shushtee rides on a cat : hence the Hindoos, especially mothers, avoid hm-ting this animal, lest the goddess should revenge herself on their children. " From dkooshii, twenty-one. USOORUS, THEIR CONDUCT AT CHURNING OF THE SEA, 113 CHAP. IV. INFERIOR CELESTIAL BEINGS, OBJECTS OF WORSHIP. These beings are either the enemies of the gods, as the ■Qsoorus and rakshtistis ; or their companions : or those who are employed as dancers, singers, or musicians in the heavens of the gods. They are worshipped at the great festivals, but have no separate images. Sect. I. — The Usoot'&b, or Giants. These enemies of the gods, are the offspring of Kiishyupri, the progenitor of gods, giants, men, serpents, and birds, by his different wives. They bear a resemblance to the titans or giants of the Grecian Mythology ; and stories of their wars with the gods (some of which will be found in this work) abound in the pooranixs. Indru, Vishnoo, Kartikii, and Doorga, are distinguished among the Hindoo deities for their conflicts with these beings^ King Vulee, a giant, is worshipped by the Hindoos on their birth-days, with the same forms as are used in the worship of the gods. Story of the churning of the sea by the gods and UsoorUs. — The most rancorous hatred has always existed betwixt the nsoorus and the gods, although half-brothers ; the former having been excluded by the gods from succeeding to the throne of heaven : and dreadful conflicts were carried on betwixt them with various success, till both parties sought to become immortal. The giants performed the most severe religious austerities, addressing their prayers alternately to Yishnoo, Shivix, and Brumha ; but were always unsuccessful. The gods, however, at last obtained this blessing at the churning of the sea of milk ; which story is related at length in the Muhabhariitu and other works : — The gods first took mount MundurQ, placed it in the sea, and wrapping round it the serpent Vasookee, began to whirl it round as the milk-men do the staff in making butter. The gods took hold of the head of the snake, and the giants of the tail ; but being almost consumed by the poison from the mouth of the serpent, the gods privately entreated Vishnoo to prevail upon the giants to lay hold of the » Jupiter was represented as aiming the thunder in his right hand against a giant under his feet : Doorga is aiming the spear in her right hand against an usoora under her feet. 15 114 THE EAKSIIUSXJS. head ; upon which he thus addressed them : ' How is it' said Vishnoo, ' that you, giants as you are, have taken hold of Vasookee's tail ?' The gods and the giants then changed places ; and the elephant Oiraviitti first ai-ose from the churned sea to reward their labours ; afterward the gem Koustoobhu — the horse Oochoishruva — the tree Parijatu — many jewels — the goddess Liikshmee — and then poison. Full of alarm at this sight, the gods applied to Muha-d^v& (Shivti) ; who, to save the world from destruction, drank up the poison, and received no other injury than a blue mark on his throat.*" Next came up the water of immortality ; when the 330,000,000 gods, and the iisoorus without number, took their stand on each side, each claiming the mighty boon. Vishnoo proposed to divide it with his own hands : but while the usoorus went to prepare themselves by bathing in the sacred stream, the gods drank up the greatest part of the nectar ; and, to give them time to drink the whole, Vishnoo assumed the form of a most captivating female ; with which the giants were so charmed, that they totally forgot the nectar. One of them, how- ever, having changed his sha,pe,. mixed with the gods, and, drink- ing of the water of life, became immortal ; but Vishnoo, being in- formed of this circumstance by S5oryu and Chfiudru, (the sun and moon,) cut off the head of the giant. The head and trunk, being thus immortalized, were made the ascending and descending nodes, under the names Rahoo and Kdtoo. Sect. II. — The RakshHsiis. Many stories respecting the wars of the rakshtisus, or canni- bals, with the gods, are contained in the pooranus and other shas- trSs, and several will be found in different parts of this work. They are represented as assuming at pleasure the different shapes of horses, tigers, lions, buffaloes, &c. : some have a hundred heads, and othei-s as many arms." In the Hindoo writings Malee, Soo- malee, Raviinti, Koombhu-kurnu, Vibheeshunii, Indru-jit, IJtikayti, and others, are distinguished as renowned rakshusus. As soon as born, these giants are said to arrive at maturity. They devour their enemies. All the rakshusus are bramhiins, and are said to dwell in the 8. W. corner of the earth. Noiritu, a rakshtisu, is one of the ten guardian deities of the earth, and presides in the S. W, In this character he is worship- ped at all the great festivals. He is represented in 'the form of meditation used by the bramhuns as a black man, having in his right hand a scimitar. ■> Hence this god is called Neelfi-kantiS, the blue throated. • This is the way iu which all Hindoos carry their children : a child is rarely seen in a person's arms, as in Europe. The same custom appears to have existed among the Jews : ' Ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her kneeS. Isaiah Ixvi. 12. 16 122 HIS IMAaE AND FESTIVALS. and gamblers are very bugy at tliese times ' ; and upon the wl-iole it is amazing how much a European is here reminded of an English race-ground. 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, would scarcely be able to inspire'' - In England the bait to corrupting amusements is merely a liorse-race : but in Bengal the Hindoo is at once called to what he considers divine worship and to a licen- tious festival ; no one imagining, but that worship and adultery may be performeed in the same hour. About four or five in the morning the crowd carry the god back to the -temple ; and then retire to cure their hoarseness and rest their wearied bodies. On the fourth morning, having brought the god home, after the usual ceremonies, they sing songs in celeb)"ation of the actions of Krishnn ; and continue them from ten till twelve or one o'clock in the day. Many come to hear, who present various offerings to the god ; after which a gi-and feast is given to the bramhuns. The expenses of this festival are defrayed either by rich natives, or from the revenues of the temples. At the full moon in Phalgoonti, the Dolu,' another swinging festival is held. — Fifteen days before the full moon the holidays begin, from which time the Hindoos assemble in the night to sing and dance ; and in the day they wander about the streets, throwing red powder™ at the passengers, either with their hands or through a syringe. On the night before the full moon, the ceremonies of worship are performed ; at the close of which, having besmeared themselves with red powder, they carry the god from his house to some distance, amidst the sounds of music, dancing, iireworks, ' In the year 1810, on aeeount of the depredations of preceding years, the magistrate of Serampore forbad the erection of booths and all games at this festival : in consequence of wliich an expense of near four hundred rupees, incurred in perform- ing the ceremonies of worship, fell upon the owner of the image of Krishnii, who would otherwise have received as much from the proprietors of the booths and gaming shops. '' Illuminations, fireworks, and the gilding of their temples, give a very ahewy effect to Hindoo ceremonies, which are often performed at the time of the full moon, and at midnight. A moon-light night in India is highly pleasant. At the time of the EasS festival, I have seen a scene so gaily illuminated and adorned, that the whole seemed enchantment ; every native, as he approached the god, threw himself on the ground with the most profouiid reverence, and muttered his praise with rapture as he mingled in the delighted crowd. Could I have forgotten that these people were perpetrating a dreadful crime, and that these nightly festivals were connected with the greatest impurities, 1 should have been highly gratified. 1 AU these festivals are intended to represent the obscene acts or play of Krishna. This is the play of swinging common to young folks in Europe. I am told that on this occasion, in various places in Hindoost'hanji, many families sit \ip all night, swinging by the light of the moon. They suspend a cord betwixt two trees, and while some are swinging, others are singing impure songs, and others dancing. ™ This powder is^ade with the roots of wild ginger, coloured with sappan wood. Other ingredients are added to make superior kinds. IMAGE OF RADHA ACCOMPANIES KEISHNU'S. 123 singing, &c. A bamboo, with a straw man tied to it, having been erected in some plain, they place the god here, and again worship him. After three hours have been spent in various sports, especially with fireworks, they set fire to the bamboo and straw, carrying back the image to the temple. Very early in the morning they bathe the god, set him on a chair, and then worship him, rocking him in this chair, and throwing upon him red powder. At twelve o'clock at noon these ceremonies are repeated with greater splend- our ; when many oiFerings are presented, and the bramhuns entertained. About four the festival closes by another repetition of the same ceremonies. The god is then washed, anointed, clothed, and put into the temple ; where food remains before him for some time, and is then given to the bramhuns. Besides these many other festivals less popular are held in the course of the year. Many small black stones, having images of Krishnu cut in them, are to be found in the houses of the Hindoos ; to which difierent names are given, but they' are all forms of Krishnu. The temples dedicated to Krishn'fi are very numerous ; and it is a scandalous fact that the image of Eadha, his mistress, always accompanies that of Krishnu, and not those of his wives Kookminee and StLtya-bhama. Many persons may be heard in the streets, and when sitting in their shops, repeating to themselves and to parrots the names of Radha and Krishnu, as works of merit. Pantomimical entertainments ai'e frequently represented, in which the lewd actions of this god are exhibited. Six parts out of ten of the wjiole Hindoo population of Bengal are supposed to be the disciples of this god. The far greater part of these, however, are of the lower orders, and but few of them bramhuns." The mark on their foreheads consists of two straight lines from the tip of the nose to the back of the head. A story of Krishn'H. — The death of Shishoo-palti is thus related : — ^A quarrel arose at a sacrifiee between Krishnu and this monarch, respecting the point of precedency, which Shishoo-palii would not resign to Krishna : 'What !' says he, ' shall I be preceded by the son of a cowherd ; one who has eaten with a cow-keeper, who has led cows to pasture, and has been 'guilty of all manner of abominations ? Krishnu restrained his rage for some time ; but at length became exceedingly - angiy, and cut off his head at one blow. It was prophesied of Shishoo-palti, that as soon as he saw the person by tvhose hands he should die, two of his, four arms would fall off; and this is said to have happened the moment he saw Krishnu at the meeting of the kings at this sacrifice. " The greater part of the bramhilns are disciples of the female deitieis, (Shaktus. ) 124 STORIES OF KRISHNU. Another Story. — On a certain occasion the lascivious Krishn« heard, that king Dftndee possessed a horse, ■ whicli every night assumed the form of a beautiful female. Krishnii asked for this horse : but the king refused him, and fled to Bheemti, Krishnu's friend ; who, rather than abandon a person who had claimed his protection, resolved to break the ties of friendship with Krishnu, and go to war with him. A war commenced, which continued to rage with the utmost fury, till the horse, assuming the shape of a kinnuree, ascended to heaven, the period of the curse under which it lay being expired. Krishnii ruining his friend by urging him to declare a deli- berate falsehood. — In the war betwixt the family of Dooryodhnnu and the Pandtivus, DronacharjytL was so mighty a warrior that the Panduvus had no hope of success, unless they could cut him off ; to accomplish which, Krishnii contrived to throw Dronacharjyu off his guard, by causing it to be reported through the army, that his son Ushwutt'hama was killed. The father refused to believe the report, unless Yoodhist'hirti would say it was true. Krishnu pressed Yoodhist'hirti to tell this lie, as it would insure success to their affairs ; and, in cases of extremity, the shastru had declared it lawful to employ falsehood. Yoodhist'hiru at first positively refused, but was at length persuaded by the entreaties of Krishnii, tJfjoonti, and others ; who told him the assertion would not be a lie, as an elephant of Dooryodhunii's, of the same name, had actu- ally been killed in battle. Dronacharjyu was so^ overcome when he was thus brought to believe the news, that tJijoomi soon dis- patched him ; which completely changed the face of the battle. On account of this falsehood, Yoodhist'hiru, in going to heaven, was terrified by a sight of the torments of hell. — Where did Krishnu, the father of this lie, go ? Theft and onurder committed by Krishnii. — When Krishnu was going to Mtit'hoora to destroy Kflngsti, as he approached the city he felt ashamed of the meanness of his dress, which consisted only of some shreads of cloth, like ropes, tied round his loins ; and said to his brother Bulii-ramu, ' All are going to this sacrifice elegantly dressed ; we cannot go in this condition.' Krishnu then sent his brother to a washerman, who however would not part with the clothes in his possession, as they belonged to king KtLngsti. A quarrel ensued, in the midst of which Krishn'fi killed the washer- man, and carried off the clothes. These free-booters next went to a shop, and stole two necklaces ; and afterwards seized some sandal- wood, which a deformed woman was taking to the palace of Kungsu: but, to reward her, Krishnu pulled her straight, and made her more beautiful than the upstiras. The -woman asked Krishnu, since he had made her so beautiful, who should marry her. Krishnii asked her, to whom she wished to be united. She said, to himself ; — and from that time she became his mistress. GOPALU, Story of his image — gopee-nat'hij, 125 Sect. II. — OopalU." This is an image of Krishnii in his childhood. He is resting on one knee, with his right hand extended, craving some sweet-- meats from his mother. This infant god is worshipped at the festivals in honour of Krishnu : the ceremonies are the same, though the formulas are different. Those who preserve stone, or brass, or other images of this god in their houses, as many do, worship them eveiy day, or when- ever they choose. Many persons receive the initiating incantation of Gopalu as their guardian deity. Gireeshu-chiindrti, the raja of Nfideeya, in the year 1807, had two dreamSj in which the god Gopal-fi appeai-ed to him, and told him, that in a certain place in Nudeeya, a beautiful image of him was buried deep in the ground. The raja paid no attention to his dreams, till the god appeared to him a third iime, telling him the same thing: when he consulted his principal servants, who sent labourers to dig up the image ; but none was found. A few nights after, Gopalu appeared again, and told the raja that he was to be found in such a place, describing the spot in a more particular ■ manner. The raja again sent his servants, who found the image. The greatest rejoicings took place at Niideeya on this occasion ; learned bramhfins were called ; and a vast concourse of people collected from the surrounding country to behold this miraculously discovered god, and to witness his installation, at which four thou- sand rupees were expended : a temple was afterwards erected on the spot, and the god placed in it. This image is now become very famous : the offerings presented to it do not amount, it is said, to less than two hundred rupees monthly. Another image of the infant Krishnfl, called Baliigopalu, made of stone or metal, is kept in the houses of many, and worshipped daily, as well as at the festivals in honour of Krishnu. Sect. III. — Oopee-nafhU.^ This is another fonn of Krishntt. In some places the image is worshipped every day, as weU as at the festivals in honour of Krishntt, A celebrated image of this god is set up at tJgru-dweepii where an annual festival is held, on the 11th and five following ^ays of the decrease of the moon, in Choitril. The origin of this image is so recent, that the story is known to every Hindoo : — " The cowherd. t The god of the milk-maids. 126 HIS IMAGE AT UGRU-DWEEPU. Two religious mendicants, since become famous among the follow- ers of Krishnu, Choitunyii and Nityantindti, sent their disciple Ghoshii-t'hakooru, who did not Telish an austere life, to tJgru- dweepii, and directed him to take a certain stone with him, and make an image of Gopee-nat'hii, which he should set up there and worship. Ghoshu-t'hakooru obeyed his spiritual guides ; took the stone on his head ; set it up as a god, the gift of Choitunytt and Nityanundu, and began to worship it in public daily. The god soon appeared to him in dreams, and revealed a num- ber of secret things ; so that by degrees Gope6-nat'hti of tJgrii- dweepu became veiy famous. One night a stranger came to the temple at a verj'^ late hour, when no one was awake to give him refreshment. The god himself, however, in the form of Ghoshn-t'hakoorii, took an ornament from his ancle, and pur- chased some food for the stranger at an adjoining shop. In the morning there was a great noise in the town about this ornament, when the shopkeeper and the stranger declared these facts, so creditable to the benevolence of the god ; and from this cii-cum- stance the fame of Gopee-nat'hti spread still wider. After the death of Ghoshu-t'hakoorti, the god appeared to his successor, and directed him to perform the funeral rites ; in the celebration of which it was contrived that the god himself should present the oifering to the manes : for when the kooshii grass, the rice, and the water were put into the hands of the image, the god (a little more water than usual being poured into his hand) poured out the offering ; when the crowd set up a gi'eat shout, declaring that the god himself had presented the offering to the manes. At present, it is said, this god brings in not less than 25,000 rupees annually to his owner. At the above-mentioned^festival, it is supposed that 100,000 people assemble each day at Ugru-dweepii ; among whom are great multitudes of lewd women, who accompany the religious mendi- cants. Filthy songs about Krishnu and his mistresses are sung by the crowd, and all manner of indecent diversions practised. Different castes eat together here. After the death of Ghoshu-t'hakooru, the image fell into the hands of the raja, or lord of the .soil ; who sent bramhtins to per- form the ceremonies before the image, and receive the offerings. Eaja Nuvii-krishuu, of Calcutta, once seized this image for a debt of three lacks of rupees, due to him from the owner, raja Krishnu- chundru-rayu. The latter afterwards regained the image by a suit at law ; but not till NnvG-krishnu had made another Gopee- nat'hti exactly like it. All this has arisen out of a stone given by two mendicants to one of their companions ! — Who can avoid feeling a mingled sensa- tion of disgust and pity, while he beholds such multitudes, the abject slaves of a superstition so degrading ? jugunnat'hu, his image, temples 127 Sect. TV .—J'vigUnnat'M.'^ The image of this god has no legs, and only stumps of ai"ms :"■ the head and eyes are very large. At the festivals the bramhtins adorn him with silver or golden hands. Krishnii, in some period of Hindoo history, was accidentally killed by tJngudu, a hunter ; who left the body to rot under the tree where it fell. Some pious person, however, collected the bones of Krishnii, and placed them in a box ; where they remain- ed till Indrti-dhoomnti, a king, who was performing religious aus- terities to obtain some favour ofVishnoo, was directed bj' the latter to form the image of Jugunnat'hu, and put into its belly these bones of Krishnii, by which means he should obtain the fruit of his religious austerities. Indru-dhoomnu enquired who should make this image ; and was commanded to pray to Vishwti- ktirmti.' He did so, and obtained his request ; but Yishwu-kurmu at the same time declared, that if any one disturbed him while preparing the image, he would leave it in an unfinished state. He then began, and in one night built a temple upon the blue mountain in Orissa, and proceeded to prepare the image in the temple : but the impatient kin^, after waiting fifteen days, went to the spot ; on which Vishwti-kurmu desisted from the work, and left the god without hands or feet. The king was very much disconcerted ; but on praying to Brumha, he promised to make the image famous in its present shape. Indru-dhoomnu now invited all the gods to be present at the setting up of this image : Brumha himself acted as high priest, and gave eyes and a soul to the god, which completely established the fajne of Jugiinnat'hu. This image is said to lie in a pool near the present temple, at Jtigunnat'hu-kshdtru in Orissa,- commonly known among the English by the name of Jugflnnat'hti's pagoda. The particulars of this place will be found in the account of the Hindoo holy places, the resort of pilgrims. Jugunnat'hti has many temples in Bengal, built by rich men as works of merit, and endowed either with lands, villages, or money. The worship of this god is performed in these temples every morning and evening ; at which times people come to see the god, or prostrate themselves before him. During the intervals of worship, and after the god has partaken of the offerings, he is ■) The lord of the world, from jngiSt, the world, and nat'hfi, lord. ' The Athenians placed statues at their doors to drive away thieves, which they called Hermse, from Mercury. These images had neither hands nor feet, and hence Mercury was called Cylleuius, and by contraction Cyllius, from Eullos, viz., without hands or feet. = The architect of the gods. 12S AND FESTIVALS. laid dcrwn to sleep,' when the temple is shut up till the next hour of worship. Bramhiins may make offerings of boiled rice to this or to any other god, but shoodrus cannot : they are permitted to offer only dried rice." The food which is offered to Jtigiinnat'hu is either eaten by the bramhiins and their families at the temples, or by passengers and others, who purchase it of those shopkeepers that have brought it of the bramhiins ; a little is given to the poor. There are two annual festivals in Bengal in honour of this god ; the Snanu-yatra, and the Riit'hu-yatra. At the Snanu-yatra, in the month Jyoisht'hii, this lord of the world, wrapped in a cloth, is carried out and placed in a seat on a lai-ge terrace built in an open place near the temple. Here the bramhiins, surrounded by an immense concourse of spectators, bathe the god by pouring water on his head, during the reading of incantations. The people at the close of the ceremony make obei- sance, some by lifting their hands to their foreheads, and others by prostration, and then depart, assured by the shastrus that they shall be subject to no more births, but be admitted to heaven after the death of this body. The brainhtins then wipe this creator of the world, and carry him back to the temple ; after which the ceremonies of worship are performed before him with great shew. This snanu, however, is not confined to Jtigunnat'hu ; but at this time all the different images of Vishnoo, throughout the country, are bathed. It is the custom of the Hindoos to feed their children with rice for the first time when they are six, seven, or nine months old. On this day, before the ceremony of feeding the child, they bathe it, repeating incantations. Krishnii par- took of his first rice at the full moon in Jyoist'hu ; in commemo- ration of which, this snanu-yatra is performed annually by the worshippers of any separate form of Vishnoo, About seventeen days after the snanu-yatra, on the second of the increase of the moon in Asharhu, the Rti'thu or car festival is held. Before the god is taken out of the temple to be placed on the car, the usual ceremonies of woi-ship are performed. 'I'he car be- longing to the image near Serampore is in the form of a tapering tower, between thirty and forty cubits high. It has sixteen wheels, two horses, and one coachman, all of wood. Jug-unnat'hti, his brother Bulii-ramu, and their sister Soobhiidra, are drawn up by ropes tied round the neck, and seated on benches in an elevated « The images of the gods in all the Hindoo temples, at certain hours, are laid down to sleep ; at least, all those that are small enough to be laid down and lifted up again. » The bramhSns do not eat the boiled rice of the shoodrSs. Sweetmeats, fruit, the water of the Ganges, &o. are things received from shoodrus. Yet there are a few bramhuns who refuse even sweetmeats and water from the hands of shoodrtjs. BOLU-EAmB — ^HIS IMAGE ACCOMPANIKS JUGUNNAT'hu'S. 129 part of the carriage ; when a servant on each side waves a tail of the cow of Tartary, called a chamrLrfi." The crowd draw the car- riage by means of a hawser ; their shouts, as the carnage proceeds, may be heard at the distance of a mile. Being arrived at the ap- pointed spot, the bramhtins take out the images, and carry them to the temple of some other god, or to a place prepared for them, where they remain eight days. At Serampoi'e, Jugunnat'hu, and his brother and sister, visit tlie god Eadhavtillubhu ;'' and here the wives of bramhuns, who are never seen at shews, and who seldom leave home, come to look at Jtigunnat'hti. The car stands empty during this time, and the crowd flock to gaze at the indecent figures,' alluding to the abominations of the gods, which are paint- ed all over it. Tempoi'ary shops are erected near the place where tlie car stands, like booths on a race-ground.'" At the end of eight days, the god is again drawn up by the neck, placed in the car, and carried back to the place from whence he came ; but the crowd is not quite so great as when the carriage is drawn out. Many recent instances might be collected of persons, diseased or in distress, casting themselves under the wheels of this ponderous car, and being crushed to death. This festival is intended to celebrate the diversions of Krishnti and the milk-maids, with whom he used to ride out in his chariot. Sect. V. — B-aUi-ramM^ This god was cotemporary with Krishnii. His image, painted white, almost always goes with that of Jtigunnat'hti, though in a few temples it is set up alone. At the worship of Jugunnat'hu, and also at that of Krishnu, a short service is performed in the name of Bulu-^ramti, whose image also sometimes accompanies that of Krishnu. Some place the image of Rdvutee by the side of her husband. From the sutyti to the kfilee-yoog-u this female, the daughter of king R^vutu, remained unmamed." The king, at length, asked Brumha, to whom he should give his daughter in marriage : Brumha recommended Brilu-ramu, who saw her for the first time wben ploughing. Notwithstanding her I The cbamSrtt is a necessary appendage to royalty among, the Hindoos. y Another form of Krishnfi. The name intimates that this god is the paramour of Radha. » Romans i. 27- » The spirit of gambling is very prevalent at this festival. I have been credibly informed, that, a year or two ago, at Serampore, a man actually sold his wife for a slave, in order to supply himself with money for gaming. ^ He who pursues pleasure, or bestows it, in his own strength. e tin: 17 This old maid must have been 3,888,000 years old at the time of her marriage if we date her birth from the beginning of the sfityu-yoogfi. ISO RAMU — HIS HISTORY, INCLUDING immense stature, (it is said her stature reached as high as a sound ascends in clapping the»hands seven times.) BGluramu married her ; and to bring down her monstrous height, he fastened a plough- share to her sliouldei's. Sect. Yl.—Mam'it^ The following history of this god forms a brief table of con- tents of the llainayunu,' an epic poem, much celebrated among the Hindoos. At a certain period, king Dushii-rut'hu, having been cherished with great affection by his wife K^koiyee,* promised her whatever she should ask. She told him that she would avail herself of his promises on some future occasion ; and when Ramu was called to the co-adjutorslii}) by the voice of the people, and to which Dushu- rut'hu gladly assented, Kdkoiyee reminded the king of his promise; and at the instigation of a deformed and revengeful female slave, whom Ramu had formerly beaten, she petitioned that Ramu might be exiled to a distant forest to live as an ascetic, and that Bhurutu her son might be installed in his stead. The king reluctantly complied. Eamii however readily submitted, and went into the forest, taking with him Seeta and his brother Liakshmunia. Dushu-rut'hu soon died of grief for Ramu ; after which a shoe of Ramus was placed on the throne, Bhur-utu refusing the crown. When in the forest, S66i-pii-nukha,« the sister of Ravunu, a giant who reigned at Ltinka, (Ceylon,) proposed marriage to Ramu, who sent her to Lukshmiinu ; he sent her again to Ramu ; Ramu sending her back to Lukshmiinu, the latter cut off her nose : on this she fled to her brothers Khtiru and Dooshunti, who immediately made war upon liamii ; Kamu, however, destroyed them, as well as their army of 14,000 giants, (rakshusus.) Ravunu, on hearing of these events, I'equested Mureechu, another giant, to go to the residence of Ramu in the form of a beautiful deer, and tempt Ramu to pursue him, while he stole Seeta. Mareechii consented, and Ramu, at the urgent request of Seeta, pursued the flying deer, leaving Liakshmiinu to guard his family. When Mareechu, in the form of the deer, was wounded, he set up a loud cry like the voice of Ramu; which greatly alarmed Seeta, who prevailed on Lukshmtinti to follow her beloved husband. While Seeta was ^ The liappy, or he who makes happy. ' I have omitted the long table of contents of this work inserted in the first edition, thinking it unnecessary, as the Eamayfinfi with an English translation is issuing from the Serampore press. [The second edition is now published in England — f DSshu-riit'hti had 250 wives. I A name given to her ^ou account of her having nails like a Hindoo fan for winnowing com. HIS WAR WITH RAVUNU. 131 thus left alone, RavuriQ carried her off in triumph. The poem then describes the grief of Ramu and his brother for the loss of Seeta. Ravfinu, in* taking away Seeta, was met by Juta- yoo, a vulture, formerly the friend of Dushu-rtit'hu. This bird endeavoured to deliver Seeta by jBghting with Ravtinu ; but being unsuccessful, Seeta directed him to inform Ramia, that Eavunti was carrying her away. Ramti in his search for Septa met with this bird, which, as soon as it had delivered this account, died of the wounds it had received in fighting with Ravunu. Ramu and his brother now went forward in pursuit of Ravunu, and met with the giant Ktibundhu, whom they destroyed. This giant immediately assumed another body, and informed Ramu, that he had formerly lived in the heaven of Indrti, but had been cursed, and sent down to take the body of a rakshtis'S. He further informed Ramu, that two brothers, (monkies,) Soogreevix and, Balee, were in a state of warfare, Balee having seduced his brother's wife ; he therefore ad- vised Eamti to destroy Balee, and contract an alliance with Soog- reevu, by whose means he should obtain Seeta. Ramu took this advice, and having destroyed Balee, "^ restored Soogreevii to his kingdom. To prove his gratitude to Ramti, Soogret.vu collected his army of monkies, and sent them to seek for Seeta. The mon- kies who went southward met Sumpatee, a vulture without wings, brother to Jtitayoo, who informed them that he had seen Seeta at Lunka, (Ceylon.) Htinpoman, one of Soogi-eevii's generals, im- mediately leaped across the sea, (five hundred miles,)' to Ltinka, where he found Seeta in a garden' belonging to Ravunii ; to whom he gave a ring from Ramu, while she, in retui-n, sent llamti a jewel from her hair. Hiinooman then began to destroy one of Ravunu's gardens ; who sent people to kill Hunooman, but he destroyed those who were sent. Ravunu then sent his son Ukshiiyu against the mischievous monkey ; but he also was destroyed. Eavttnu next sent his eldest son Indrujit, who seized Hunooman, and bring- ing him before his father, the king ordered his attendants to set fire to his tail ; when the enraged monkey, with his burning tail, leaped from house to house, and set all Lunka on fire : after finish- ing which he came to Seeta, and complained that he could not ex- tinguish the fire that had kindled on his tail ; she directed him to spit upon it, and lie, raising it to his face for this purpose, set his face on fire. He then complained, that when he arrived at home with such a black face, all the monkeys would laugh at him. Seeta, to comfort him, assured him, that all the other monkeys should have black faces also ; and when Hunooman came amongst his friends, he found that, according to the promise of Seeta, they had all black faces as well as himself. After hearing the account >> Eam8, compared with KrishnS, is a pure character ; yet we see him here, with- out provocation, destroy the rightful heir to a throne, and set up one who had seduced the wife of his brother. ' No one can doubt the propriety of making a spy of a monkey who can leap 600 milea at once. 132 RAMUS WAR WITH RAVUNU. brought by Hunooman, Ramu and Ltikshmiinu, with Soogreevil and his army of monkeys, proceeded to invade Ltlnka. Tliey tore up the mountains, trees, and other large substances, and cast them into the sea to form a bridge -^ which, however, Ravunti was constantly employed in breaking down. Tibhee- shiinu, Eaviinix's brother, perceiving that Ramu would make good his landing, recommended that Seeta should be given up : but his brother, unable to bear this advice, quarrelled with Vibheeshttnii ; who came over to Ramu, and advised him to throw inito the sea a temple and image of Shivu, assuring him, that as Eavunu was a worshipper of Shivu, he would not destroy the temple and image of his god. Ramu followed this advice, soon made good his landing, and began the war with Ravunti. After many giants had been killed, Koombhuktirnu, a monstrous giant, 2,400 cubits high, and 1,600 thick, brother to Raviinri, engaged Ramu" and the monkeys. He began the combat by seizing and devouring his enemies. Some of them, as soon as they entered his mouth, came out at his nostrils and ears, and escaped. The terri- fied monkeys fled ; but Ramti with his arrows first cut off his arms, then his legs. Still he waddled round, and endeavoured to devour all within his reach, till Ramti gave him a mortal wound in the neck. Next after Koombhtikurnu, Indrfijit engaged in the contest. He seized Ramii, and, by the power of enchantment, carried him down to patalti ; where Hunooman went in search of him, and, while Muheeraviinu was there, instructing Indrujit how to prosfa-ate himself before an image of the goddess Bhudru-kalee, Hianooman cut off his head, and rescued Ramti, At length Ravunu himself entered the combat ; but after many conflicts, finding himself very weak, he resolved to restore Seeta, and put an end to the war. To this Ramu consented ; but while Ravunti was on the point of bringing Seeta, he thought within himself, ' If I do this, every one will charge me with cowardice : shall I, a giant, refuse to fight ?' The combat was again renewed, and Raviinu was slain.^ Ramti then obtained his wife ; but as a trial of her innocence while in the hands of Raviinu, he compelled her to pass through a fiery ^ EamS's bridge. See the map of Hindoost'han. Kamu v,as at a loss how to lead his army across the sea to Lnnka. He fasted, and prayed to Saguru for three days, and was angry with the god for not appearing to him. He therefore ordered Ltiksh- mnmi to fire an arrow, and carry away the god's umbrella. He did so, and the arrow , carrying away the umbrella, penetrated even as far as patalti. The god, aroused from his sleep, exclaimed, ' Is Ramu arrived by the sea side, and I have not known it ?' He then directed P^amu to apply to king Nulfi, to whom he had given a blessing, that whatever he threw into the sea should become buoyant. At the command of NfilS the monkeys tore up the neighbouring mountains, and oast them into the sea. Hiinoo- man brought three mountains on his head at once, each 64 miles in circumference • and one on each shoiilder, equally large ; together with one under each arm, one in each paw, and one on his taU. All these mountains being thrown into the sea, and becom- ing buoyant, a complete bridge was formed. > The engagement betwixt Eamu and Kavunfi lasted seven days : Ramtt cut off the ten heads of RavflnS a hundred times, but they were always miraculously restored. Kamtt then discharged an arrow which had these properties, that if it went into the air, it became a thousand ; if it entered the body of an enemy, it became an innumer^ RAMU'S WAR WITH BAVUNU. 133 ordeal: which she did unhurt. He then returned to Uyodhya, and mounted the throne. After this, however, some person objected to Ramxi, that it was not proper for him to receive Seeta, after she had been in keeping of a giant. He therefore sent her into the forest to Valmeekee, the writer of the Eamayunu, where she was delivered of two sons, Lnvfi and Kooshu ; the latter of whom was afterwards stolen by the god Ptinchanunti, when Valmeekee, to comfort the mother, took a blade of kooshu grass, and secretly made a child so much like Kooshu, that Seeta did not know it from her own son. In a short time, however, Punchanunii, not being able to destroy a child of Eamii's, restored Kooshu, and Valmeekee caused the two boys to become one. Eefore his death Eamu performed the sacrifice of a horse ;"' and Seeta and her two sons, Luvti and Kooshu, were restored to him : but Ramu wishing Seeta again to pass through a fiery ordeal, she entered the fire ; but the goddess Prut'hivee," (Seeta's mother,) opened her mouth, and receive'd her into patalti. At length Kalupoorooshu, the angel of death, went to Kamti, expressing a wish for a secret conference. Eamu pro- mised that while he was present no one should be^ admitted, and placed LtGsshmunu at the door to keep out all intruders : but while Eamii and Kalti-poorooshu were closeted, Doorvasa, the s£^ge, arrived, and demanded an interview with Eamn. This sage was so very passionate, that every one dreaded contradicting him ; Lukshmtinu, therefore, through fear, went in and announced his arrival. Eamu, for this ofience, rejected his brother, who in a paroxysm of grief drowned himself in the sacred river Suruyoo, and went to heaven. Ramu afterwards put an end to his life in the same manner. Lfivu and Kookshii succeeded him." able multitude. Bavfina at the sight of this arrow was filled with fear, and would have fled ; but recollecting that Smvu had once given him an arrow that was to rescue him in a time of extreme peril, he discharged it, and destroyed RamS's terrible arrow. Still however he was f uU of fear, for whichever way he turned, he saw Ramfi ; he shut his eyes, but still he saw him in his mind. At length, perceiving no way of escape, he began to flatter fiamii ; who was so softened, that he declared he would never des- troy Kavfinfi. The gods, alarmed lest RavilniJ should be spared, excited him to reproach Eamtt ; who, indignant at such conduct, let fly an arrow which pierced Ravunfi's body, proceeded through the earth into the regions below, and having there bathed, returned iu the form of a goose, and again entered the quiver in its original shape. The gods were so much in fear of EaviSnii, that they durst not begin to rejoice till they were sure he was dead : in whispers they asked each other, 'Is he dead?' — ' Is he really dead ?' &c. When it was known that he was cei-tainly dead, the gods, Ramu, the monkeys, and the bears, all began to dance. — Mundodfiree, the chief wife of Ra,ytinii, and mother of Indriijit, after the death of her husband, went to Ramtl, weeping. Ramfi, not knowing who she was, gave her this blessing, that she should never become a widow. Finding his mistake, (having just killed her husband,) he ordered Hllnooman continually to throw wood into the fire ; according to a proverb among the Hindoos, that as long as the body of the husband is burning, a woman is not cafled a widow. To this day, therefore, Hflnooman keeps laying logs on the fire; and every time a Hindoo puts his fingers in his ears and hears a sound, he says, he hears, the bones of RavttnS burning. ■" This sacrifice was performed by many of the ancient Hindoo princes, and was considered as highly meritorious. n The earth personified. " There are a few sentences in this Ihistory, which are not to be found in Valmeekee's Ramayflnn ; but they may be seen in the|Bengalee translation. 134 HIS IMAGE AND FEST1VA:l — CHOITUNYU — The image of Eamu is painted green ; he is represented as sitting on a throne, or on Hunooman, the monkey, with a crown upon his head. He holds in one hand a bow, in another an arrow, and has a bundle of arrows slung at his back. The worship paid to him is of the same kind as that to Krishnti ; but the formulas are different. On the ninth of the increase of the moon in Choitru, on which day Eamu was boru, an annual festival is held, when multitudes of clay images are worshipped. The dolu festival also is observed in honour of this god on this day, which is also kept as a fast ; when Ramu's three brothers, Bhurutii, Lukshmunri, and Shutraghnu are worshipped, but the images of the first and last are never made. At other festivals also a few ceremonies in honour of Eamu are performed. The birth of Ramu forms the seventh of the Hindoo incarna- tions. On the birth-day of this god'' the Hindoo merchants in general begin their new year's accounts. At the time of death, many Hindoos wi-ite the name of Eamti on the breast and forehead of the dying person, with earth taken from the banks of the Ganges ; and hence these persons after death, instead of being dragged to Yiamu to be judged, immediately ascend to heaven. Many of the disciples of Ramti become Kamahoots, a class of mendicants who impress on difierent parts of their bodies Eamu's name and the figure of his foot. The mark on the forehead of Ramu's followers very much resembles a trident. Temples containing the images of Ramu, Liikshmiinu, Seeta, and Hunooman are erected in many parts of Bengal ; and the worship of Ramu performed in them daily. Sect. MIL— ChoitUnyO,.'' This is the image of an almost naked mendicant, painted yel- low. Some of the Hindoos believe, that amongst all the Hindoo incarnations there are four principal ones. The first, in th^ sutyu- yoogti., called the Shooklu-vurnu' incarnation, was that of Ununtu ; that in the trdta, the ruktu-vurnti,' was the incarnation of Kopilu- devtt ; that in the dwapuru-yoogti, the Krishnu-vurnu ;' and the last, in the kulee-yoogu, called peetii-vurnn," that of Choittinyu. According to the disciples of Choitunyu, the founder of this sect, TJdwoitu, a voidikii bramhun, lived at Shantipooru about 400 years ago. Nityanundu, another leader, was born at Nudeeya, a little before Choitfinyn. His father was a rarheeyu bramhun. p The gods on this day are said to have caused a shower of flowers to fall, as at the birth of Minerva it is said to have rained gold. 1 The wise. ' The white. ' The blood-coloured. » The black. " The yellow. HISTORY OF THIS MENDICANT GOD. 136 Choittinyfi's father, Jugunnafhu-Mishra, a voidiku bramhun, lived at Nudeeya ; his wife's name was Shuchee ; their first son, Visli- wumbhiiru, embraced the profession of a dundee. The mother was advanced in years when Choitunyu was born ; the child continued three days without taking the breiast, and the parents, not think- ing it would live, putting it^into a basket, hung it on a tree near the house/ At this time "Udwoitu before-mentioned, who had heard of this birth, having some suspicions that it might be the in- carnation he had expected and foretold, visited the parents, and learning from the mother that she had not received the initiating incantation of Huree, he wrote, with his great toe, this incantation on the soft earth : — ' Huree, Krishnti ; Htiree, Krislmu ; Krishnn, Krishnu, Htiree, Htiree ; Htiree, Kamti, Htiree, Ramti, Ramu, Ramti, Htiree, Htiree.' After the mother had received this incantation, the child was taken down, and immediately began to dra\y the breast. Choitunyti made a great progress in learning ; at sixteen he married Vishnoo-priya, and continued in a secular sta.te till forty- four, when he was persuaded by Udwoitti and other diindees then at his house, to renounce his poita, and become a mendicant : upon which, forsaking his mother and wife, he went to Benares. His family was reduced to great distress indeed ; and it was thought a crime that a person upon whom such a family depended should embrace a life of mendicity. From this period Choittinyu began to form a new sect, giving to all his followers the preceding initiatory incantation, and con- tinuing to call them voishnuvtis. He exhorted them to renounce a secular life ; to visit the different holy places on pilgrimage ; to eat with all castes who should receive the preceding incantation ; to i-epeat the name of Vishnoo, using the bead-roll made with the stalk of basil. He further taught that widows might marry ; but forbad the eating of fish or flesh, and the worship of the deities to whom bloody sacrifices are offered, as well as all communion with those who make these sacrifices. He went to Jfigtinnat'hti-ksh^tru in Orissa, and there assum- ing six arms, received many honors. He exhorted TJdwoitti and NityanfindG to labour in making proselytes ; but directed Nitya- nundu to enter into a secular state :' he did so, and took up his " There are still many instances of children being exposed. If a child appear iiu- likelv to live, the parents consult an astrologer, who perhaps gives but small hopes of the child's recovery. Voiragees and other mendicants, who make a merit of possessing no worldly attachments, some times hang up a child in a pot in a tree ; or, putting it in a pot, let it float down the river. Persons of other castes may do it, but these the most frequently. Mr. Carey's journal, dated in July, 1794, contains the following paragraph : ' One day, as Mr. Thomas and I were riding out, we saw a basket hung in a tree, in which an infant had been exposed ; the skull remained, but the rest had been devoured by ants.' See Baptist Mission Accounts, vol. i. j). 183. This practice is now prohibit- ed by the Hon. Company's Government, in a regulation made for that purpose. y Perceiving his aversion to a life of mendicity 136 HIS FESTIVALS. residence at Khurdu, near Calcutta. Choittinyu wrote to his two principal disciples from Orissa, again exhorting them to labour in gaining proselytes ; yet few or none joined them : and from this time Choitunyu himself was never more heard of. Udwoitu and Nityanundti raised familieSj whose descendants live at Shantipoorii, Vagna-para^ and Khurdu to this day, where they are become leaders of the sect ; all other Gosaees^ acknowledging the descendants of these two families as their superiors, and prostrating themselves before them. These Gosaees at present are men of large fortunes ; at whose houses are the images oiiginally set up by the male des- cendant of Choitfinyu, by Nityannndn, and TJdwoittL Crowds are almost constantly arriving at these places with offerings : besides which, the Gosaees derive a large revenue from marriages, to super- intend which they have agents distributed throughout the country, who are allowed a sixth part of the fee ; a sum that from both parties amounts to about six shillings. They also dissolve marriages at the pleasure of the parties, on receiving the same fees. When a new disciple is initiated, a fee is also given ; but the Gosaees obtain the largest sums at the deaths of such of their disciples as die intestate. At Calcutta, nearly all the women of ill-fame profess the religion of Choittinyti before their death, that they may be entitled to some sort of funeral rites : as almost all these persons die intestate, and have no relations who will own them, the Gosaees obtain their effects. The anniversaries of the deaths of the original founders of the sect are observed as festivals. One-fifth of the whole Hindoo population of Bengal are sup- posed to be followers of Choittinya, and of the Gosaees, his successors. Many of these persons despise the other sects of Hindoos, and are great enemies of the bramhuns. They refuse to eat without their necklace, as the bramhuns do without their poita. Most of the mendicant followers of Yishnoo have embraced the tenets of Choitunyii ; but many of the disciples of the latter live in a secular state, and some of them are possessed of large property. Persons of this description frequently entertain a great number of voiragees at their houses ; when, as an act of great merit, they prostrate themselves before these wanderers, wash, and lick the dust of their feet, and devour their orts. They pay no attention to the feasts and fasts of the Hindoo calendar, except those in honour of Krishnu. The images most regarded among this sect are those of Choi- tfinyu and Nityanundti, set up at iJmbika, in the district of Burdwan. 2 Distant branches of the same families. ANOTHER MENDICANT GOD — VISHWU-K^BMA. 137 About a hundred years ago, another man rose up in Bengal as the leader of a sect, -whose dress, of many colours, is said to be so heavy that two or three people can scarcely carry it. This and his string of beads are preserved as relics at Ghoshparti, where he continued five years, and died at the house of Ramfi-Shuronu-Palu, a shoodru of the Sud-gopu caste, to whom he communicated his supernatural powers ; and who, after the death of this mendicant, began to teach the doctrine of a constant incarnation, and that God then dwelt in him. He persuaded many that he could cure the leprosy, and other diseases ; and preached the doctrines of Choitunyu, imitating him in conforming, for convenience sake, to many of the superstitions of the Hindoos. He also gave a new initiating incantation to his followers,' who, of whatever caste, ate together privately. Vast multitudes joined this man, both Mtisiil- mans and Hindoos ; and carried him presents, eating together once or twice a year. Jiy this means, from a state of deep poverty he became rich, and his son now lives in affluence. A number of Ramii-Shurunu's disciples adhere to hiS son Doolalu; others follow Shivti-Ramu and some others of the old man's disciples, who pretend to have received the power of their master to cure diseases, &c. Though part of the father's followers have thus apostatized, Doolalfi pretends that he has now 20,000 disciples. Sect. VIII. — VishwH-kUrma}' Is the son of BriXmha, and architect of the gods : he is painted white, has three eyes, holds a club in his right hand ; wears a crown, a necklace of gold, and rings on his wrists. He presides over the arts, manufactures, &c. The worship of this god js performed once, twice, or four times a year, in the month Ugrnhayunti, Poushu, Choiti-u, or Bhadrii, by all artificers, to obtain success in business. The ceremonies may be performed either in the day or night, before any implements of trade. The joiners set up their mallet, chisel, saw, hatchet, fee. as the representative of this god. Weavers choose their shuttle, &c., putting them into the hole in the earth wherein they place their feet when they sit at work. The razor is the barber's god on this occasion. The potter, after a month's fast, adopts and worships the wheel with which he turns his pots. Masons choose their trowel ; washermen take the beetle or stamper, » The following is a translation of this incantation : ' sinlenB Lord, great Lord ; at thy pleasure I go and return : not a moment am I without thee. I am ever with thee ; save, great Lord.' ^ VishwiS, the world ; kiirmfi, work. le 138 KAMD-DEVU, HIS IMAGE AND FESTIVAL. their smoothing irons, &c. as their god ; blacksmiths worship their hammer and bellows ; the farmer his plough ; spinsters their wheel. The shoemaker chooses his awl and knife, and bows down to them : and thus, amongst all the artificers, each one chooses the principal tool or instrument with which he works, and makes it a god, or the i-epresentative of Vishwu-kiirma". The cere- monies are not long ; but according to their ability the worship- pers provide as good a feast as possible. At the close of the festi- val, the crowd foi-m themselves into parties of pleasure : some go upon the river in boats, singing songs, and playing on different in- struments of music ; others ,sit in companies, smoke, and relate the news of the village ; others spend their time in gaming, and some resort to houses of ill-fame. Though the illiterate consider this god, who may be called the Indian Vulcan, as the inventor of all the mechanic arts, the shilpu shaatrus, a part of the original vddu, are more properly considered as their source. These works are not now read in Bengal, if they really exist : they describe, it is said, the proper shape and dimen- sions of all the various images of the Hindoo gods. Sect. IX. — KamH-d^vU, the Indian Cupid} The image of this god, the son of Brumha, is that of a beauti- ful youth, holding in his hands a bow and arrow of flowers. He is always supposed to be accompanied by his wife Rntee,' by spring personified, the cuckoo, the humming-bee, and gentle breezes ; and is represented as wandering through the three worlds. The image of Kamu-ddvti is never made in Bengal, but on the 13th of the increase of the moon in Choitrii an annual festival is held, when the ceremonies of worship are performed before the shalgramii. At the time of marriage, and when a wife leaves her father's house to go to her husba.nd for the first time, petitions are addressed to this god for children, and for happiness in the mar- riage state. " This worship affords anothe.r strong proof of the low and sordid nature of idolatry, and strikingly illustrates the words of our Lord, ' after all these things do the Gentiles seek. ' Instead of raising their minds to the Great Source of all good, these persons are taught to worship the tools belonging to their trades, as the cause of their temporal happiness, This conduct seems to be reproved in the first chapter of the book of Habakkuk, ' They sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag ; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. ' * Kama, desire ; devil, god. ' From Eumn, to play, or to give pleasure. It is said that the god of love found Kutee in the house of ShBrnbiira, a giant, whom he destroyed. STORY RESPECTING HIM — sijTYU-NARAYUNU. 139 The pooranti and kavyu shastrjSs abound with stories respect- ing Kamu-ddvti, one of which I here give from the Kalikti poo- ranu : — The god of love, the most beautiful creature in the three worlds, with whom every one was pleased, immediately after his creation solicited the commands of Brixmha ; who assured him, that, with his five arrows, he should wound with love the hearts of the inhabitants of the three worlds ; that all beings should be sub- ject to his sway, not excepting even Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shivu; and that through him the universe should be peopled. Kundiirpu first discharged his arrow at Briimha himself, who became en- amoured of his own daughter, Sundhya. Mtireechee, and the other sons of Brumha, also smitten by his arrows, were inflamed with unlawful desires toward their sister. Shivti. said to Brumha, ' What ! art thou inflamed with lust towards thy own daughter V Brumha was covered with shame, and, from the perspiration which issued from his bodj'-, IJgnishwuta and other progenitors of man- kind,' to the number of 149,000, were born. Brumha, full of rage against Kundtirpu, cursed him, and declared that he should be burnt to ashes by the fire from the eye of ShivQ ; but on his inter- cessions promised, that when Shivii should be married to Doorga, he would restoi-e to him his body. Names. — Mudiinu, or he who intoxicates with love ; — Mun- mtit'hu, he who agitates the mind ; — Maru, he who wounds with love ; — Pi-udyoomnu, he who overcomes all ; — Meenu-k^tfinu, he whose flag;^ is a fish ;^Kundurpu, he who bloats the mind with desire ; — Unnngu, he who is destitute of body ; Ramu, the creator of desire ; — Punchushuru, he who has five arrows ; — Smtiru, he who inflames ; — Shumbtiraree, the enemy of the giant Shtimburti ; ' — Muntisiju, he who is born in the heart ; — Koosoom&hoo, he whose an-ows are flowers ; — Uutinyuju, he who is born only in the mind; — Pooshpfl-dhunwa, he whose bow is made of flowers; — Rutee-putee^, the husband of Rtitee ; — Mukuru-dhwtijti, he whose flag is the animal Muktiru ; — Atmtibhoo, he who is self-created. Sect. X. — S'tbtyH-NarayunU. This is a form of Vishnoo, but the image is never made : a pan of water is the substitute. This god is worshipped several times in the year, in the house of the richer Hindoos, when all the bramhttns in the village are ' In performing the ceremony called ttlrptiiiS, seven names are used in pouring out drink-offerings to all these ancestors. 140 HIS IMAGE AND WORSHIP. invited. The object of ■worship, painted red, .and covered with leaves of the mango tree, is placed near a square board, at the four corners of which four arrows are set up, and from which garlands of flowers are suspended ; a piece of clean linen is laid on the board, and then the offerings of flowers and sweetmeats. At the close of the festival, some one present reads different marvellous stories in praise of this god. The sweetmeats are given to the guests, especially to the bramhuns : the acquisition of riches, recovery from sickness, the birth of children, the obtaining of any of the blessings, or the removing any of the miseries of life, are objects sought in the worship of this god. The preceding account of the terrestrial gods contains the names of all the principal deities of this description worshipped in Bengal. I am aware, however, that worship is paid to some idols not mentioned here ; but these are only different forms of the deities whose history is given, and the worship is merely an appendage to the ceremonies at the gi-eat festivals. ISEETA — RADHA. HI CHAP. VI TERRESTRIALGODDISSSES. Sect. I. — 8eeta. This is the image of a yellow woman, covered with jewels : it always accompanies and is worshipped with that of'her husband. Seeta was the daughter of king Junuku," whose capital was Mit'hila. Her historj', after her marriage with Ramu, will be found in the account of that god.*" Sect. II. — Radha. Radha was the wife of Ayunu-ghoshti, a cowherd of Gokoolii, where Krishntl in his youth resided : through Viaraee, a procuress, he seduced Radha, and led her into the forest near the river Yumoona, where they continued till Krishnu left her to begin the war with Ktingsu. This mistress of Krishnu has been deified with her paramour. Her image is set up in temples with different forms of Krishnu, and worshipped at the festivals of this god. The act of looking upon these images together, is declared by the shastrus to be an act of peculiar merit ! If a Hindoo be charged with any particular act of which he wishes to express his abhorrence, he • exclaims, ' Radha-Krishnu !' Many persons repeat ' Ramu ! Ramti ! Ramti !' on such occasions, ■ iShiTti gave to JuniikQ a bow so heavy that a thousanri men could not lift it, and which the father placed in a separate room, and commanded Seeta to sweep the room daily; in doing which she used to lift up the bow with her left hand, and sweep under it with her right. One day the king saw her thus move the bow, and, filled with astonishment, was at a loss to whom he should give this daughter in marriage. After some time, he came to this resolution, that whoever should be able to break this bow, should obtain Seeta. — Udhyatmu-Rumayunv,, I" While Seeta was detained at Lnnka, she was fed with ambrosia for twelve months by Indra, as she would not eat in the house of a giant. That RavttnO could not destroy her virtue, is thus accounted for by the pooranfis : — This giant had before seized the wives of the gods, and dishonoured them ; and one day he dishonoured his niece, the wife of king Ntila : for which crime Kooverti cursed him, and caused fire to proceed from his ten heads at once. By the entreaty of Brilmha, this curse was mitigat- ed ; with the proviso, however, that if he ever defiled the wife of another, it nhould be renewed in full force. — Ihid. 142 ROOKMINEE AXD SDTYU-BHAMA — SOOBHtjDRA. but no one says Seeta-Ramu ;" yet when Krishnu's name is to be repeated, they always join to it that of his mistress Radlia. One of the Hindoo learned men has written a work (the Eadha-tiiritru) to prove that Radha was an incarnation of Bhugu- vutee ; and this opinion is quoted by the Hindoos of the present day to cover this abominable transaction. Sect. III. — Rookminee and Sutyu-bhama. These are the most distinguished wives of Krishnu, but their images are never made, Krishnu being always associated with Radha his mistress, and not with his lawful wives. At the festivals of Krishnu, however, these women are worshipped, as well as six other wives of this god, viz., Jambubiitee, Mitruvinda, Luguntijitee, Lukshmtina, Kalindee, and Bhtidra ; but Rookminee and Sutyu- bhama are the most distinguished. Sect. IV. — SoobhUdra. This sister of Jugunnat'hn is worshipped at the same time with her brother, and placed with him in the temples dedicated to his honour. PUNCHANUNU, HIS IMAGE AND STORY RESPECTING HIM. 143 CHAP. VI I. DEITIES WORSHIPPED BY THE LOWER ORDERS ONLY. Sect. I. — PunchawanH" Is a form of ShivS : tlie image has five faces, and in each face three eyes. Some persons make a clay image, and worship it witli the usual forms, adding bloody sacrifices ; while others worship Ptinchanunu before a stone placed underneath the vutu,"' ushwiit'h- t'hti," or koolu* trees. This stone is painted red at the top, and anointed with oil.' Offeringsof flowers, fruits, water, sweetmeatsj and fried peas accompany the worship, and sometimes bloody sacrifices. In almost every village this worship is performed beneath some one of these trees. In some villages several of these shapeless stones' are to be seen thus anointed, and consecrated to the worship of this god. In other places the clay images of Ptinchanunu are placed in houses, or under trees ; and old women, called dyasinees/ devote themselves to his service : they sweep the inside of the clay temple, and repeat the ceremonies of worship for others ; constantly remaining near the image, and re- ceiving all offerings and presents. Not more than one woman waits upon one idol, unless she admit a pupil, who expects to suc- ceed her. These women, either married or widows, are treated almost as witches. , There is no appointed time for the worship of this god, but Tuesdays or Saturdays are preferred to other days. There are some places in Bengal, where images of Punchantinii are in great celebrity for bestowing the blessing of children, and other favours on the worshippers. The Hindoo women are terrified at this god, and are exceed- ingly afraid lest their children should, in play, injure the stone » The five-faced. *■ Ficus Indica. " Ficus religiosa. * Zizyphas jujuba. « The statue of the god Terminus was either a square stone, or a log of wood ; which the Romans usually perfumed with ointmeuts, and crowned with garlands. <■ The representative of the goddess Passinuutia was a shapeless stone. The Arabians are said to have worshipped a stone without the form or shape of a deity. B It ia probable that these dyasinees resemble the priestesses of Cybele. 144 DHURMU T'HAKOORU, A FORM .OF SHIVU. under the tree.^ Some therefore warn their children against going near these stones, by declaring that Piinchanunfl will assuredly kill them, if they touch or play with his image. Children in fits of epilepsy are supposed to be seized by this god, and thrown into a state of frenzy, till they foam at the mouth, tear their hair, &c. The mother asks the supposed evil spirit his name, who answers, through the child, ' I am Punchanunu : your child has cast dust on my image, kicked it, and is the ringleader of all the children of the village in this wickedness. I will certainly take away his life.' The dyasinee is now called, who comforts the weeping and alarmed family, and addresses the god thus : ' Ptin- chaimnn ! I pray thee restore this child : these are thy worship- pers : the offender is but a child ; and it is not proper for thee to be angry with such paltry offenders. If tliou restore the child, the parents will sacrifice a goat to thee, and present to thee many offer- ings.' If this should fail to render the god propitious, they take the child to the image, before which they sit down, and offer the most excessive flattery to the god, causing the child to beat its head on the ground. After using every contrivance, they retire, and, at the close of the fit, believing that Ptinchanunu has cui-ed the child, they present to him offerings according to their ability. Sect. II. — Bhitrm'ti T'halcoorii,. Another form of Shivri. A black stone of any shape becomes the representative of this god. The worshippers paint the part designated as the forehead, and place it under a tree ; others place - the stone in the house, and give it silver eyes, and anoint it with oil, and worship it. Almost every village has one of these idols. K The late Jngunnat'hS-Tfirkku-Puiichanunu, who died in the year 1807, at the advanced age of 112, and who was siippoBed to be the rao'st learned Hindoo in Bengal, used to relate the following ancedote of himself : — Till he was twenty years old he was exceedingly ungovernable, and refused to apply to his studie.s. One day his parents rebuked him very sharply for his conduct, and he wandered to a neighbouring village, where he hid himself in the viStfi tree, tinder which was a very celebrated image of Punohanijml. While in this tree, he discharged his urine on the god, and afterwards descended and threw him into a neighbouring pond. The next morning, when the per- son arrived whose livelihood depended on this image, he discovered his god was gone ! ! He returned into the village distracted, and the village was very soon all in an uproar about the lost god. In the midst of this confusion, the parents of JiSgiinnat'hfi- TiirkkiS-Punchauunii arrived to search for their son ; when a man in the crowd de- clared that he had seen a young man sitting in Pilnohanttnfi's tree, but what was be- come of the god he could not say. The runaway at length appeared, and the sus- picions of all the villagers fell upon him, as the stealer of PttnchaniinS. After some time he confessed the fact, pointed out the place where he had thrown the stone, and added moreover that he had discharged bis urine on the god. All hands were lifted up in amazement at this atrocious crime, and every one present pronounced his death as certain ; for Pfinchannnii would certainly revenge such a daring insult. Our young hero was himself terribly afifrighted, and from that hour Sat down so sedulously to his studie.s, that he became the most learned man in Bengal. He was employed by the government in India for many years, at a salary of 300 rupees per month, and used to give advice on the subject of the Hindoo law in all difficult cases. HIS IMAGE AND FESTIVAL — KALOO-RATU. 145 A festival in honour of this god is observed by some of the lower orders in Voishakl, in the day. The ceremonies are like those at the swinging festival, with the addition of bloody sacri- fices, the greater number of which are goats. At this time devotees swing on hooks ; perforate their sides with cords ; pierce their tongues with spits ; walk upon fire, and take it up in their hands ; walk upon thorns ; and throw themselves upon spikes, keeping a severe fast. The people who assemble to see these feats of self- torture, are entertained with singing, music, and dancing. On the 14th day, a great feast is held, when people bring their offerings, and giving them to the ofiiciating bramhun, request him to present them to the idol, to fulfil a vow ; or with petitions to the god for some particular favour, as the birth of a child, recovery from sick- ness, or any other blessing. Wherever this idol is placed in a house, a woman called a dyasinee attends upon it, and repeats the daily ceremonies. At two vUlages in Bengal, Poosooree and Rayii-kalee, the worship of this god is constantly attended by crowds fi'om a great distance. If a woman's eldest child die, she makes a vow before witnesses, that she will not cut her hair for two yearl ; and that then, going to one of these villages, she will cut it off, and present an offering to the god, provided he will preserve her second child. Some women, a& an acknowledgment of a favour, or to beg a bles- sing, take a young child in their arms ; and putting on wet clothes, place and earthen pot full of burning coals upon some cloth on their heads ; and sitting before the god in a supplicating posture, con- tinue for sometime offering incense, throwing Indian pitch into the pan of coals. A poor man sometimes places the black stone, adorned with garlands, &c. in a basket, and the offerings which he collects at the doors of housekeepers in another, and, tying the baskets to a bam- boo which he lays on his shouldfer, carries the god from door to door as a show ; while another plays on a rude instrument of music, and joins in singing the praises of Dhurmii-t'hakooru. House-holders give a handful of rice, and the beggars present in return a flower which has been offered to the god. Sect. III. — Raloo-rayS,. This is another form of Shivu : the image is that of a yellow man sitting on a tiger, holding in his right hand an arrow,^ and in his left a bow. A few of the lower orders set up clay images of this god in straw houses, and worship them at pleasure. The wood-cutters in the Eastern, Western, and Southern forests of Bengal, in order to 19 146 KALU-BHOIRUVU — WORSHIP TO CURE ITCH AND SCURVY. obtain protection from wild beasts, adopt a peculiar mode of wor- shipping this idol. The head-boatman raises elevations of earth three or four inches high, and about three feet square ; upon which he places balls of clay, painted red ; and, among other ceremonies, offers rice, flowers, fruits, and the water of the Ganges can-ied from the river Hooglee, keeping a fast : the god then directs him in a dream where to cut wood free from danger. There is no authority for this worship in the shastrtts. Dukshina-rayu is another god worshipped in the same manner, and by the same class of persons. Sect. W.—Kam-Bhoir-aiAi. A. NAKED Shivti, smeared with ashes ; having three eyes ; riding on a dog ; and holding in one hand a horn, and in the other a drum. In several places in Bengal this image is worshipped daily. Shivti, under this name, is regent of Kashee, (Benares.) All persons dying at Benares are entitled to a place in Shivti's heaven ; but if any one violate the laws of the shastru during his residence there, Kalti-Bhoirtlvii at death grinds him between two mill-stones. Sect. V. — Worshi2^ to cure the Itch and Scui'vy. The goddess Sheetula is worshipped by the Hindoo females whenever their families are afflicted with the itch ; and the god Ghf^too (a black boiling pot) is worshipped to remove the scurvy or any kind of blotches on the skin. Iq the pi-eceding sections of tjiis work, the god Prit'hivee, regent of the earth, should have been noticed : he has no separate worship, but certain formulas are repeated in his name at all the great festivals. Vishnoo is revered as the Household God ; he is worshipped when a person enters a new house, or at any other time to procure the removal of family misfortunes. Doorga should have been mentioned also as the Village Goddess ; she is worshipped by the villagers in the month Asharhti, before a jar of water, when bloody sacrifices are offered. An annual festival is also held in each village in Asharhti, in honour of Vishnoo, Indru, Koov^ru, and Ltikshmee ; when the persons pay the first instalment pf their rents. The land-owner is at the expense. URDHU-NAREESHWURU, ITS ORIGIN. 147 CHAP. VIII. WORSHIP OF BEINGS IN STRANGE SHAPES. Sect. I. — UrdML-nareeshwvir'il,}- Here Shivii and Doorga are united in one body, white and yellow. The origin of this image is thus given in the Lingu pooranil : — Shivti and Doorga after their marriage lived on mount Koilasu, where Doorga kept the house, cooked, and nursed her two children, Guneshu and Kartiku ; and Shivu supported the family as a mendicant. On a certain occasion, Shivu, having one day smoked intoxicating herbs to excess, was unable to go his daily rounds. Doorga informed him that there was nothing in the house ; that the family had eaten half of what was collected the day before, and that Gun^shu's rat and Kartiku's peacock' had devoured the rest. After much altercation, Shivti left his hut, and Doorga, to avoid perishing for want, went to her father's, taking her children with her. On the way Narudu met her, and advised her to assume the form of the goddess tJnnu-poSrna,'' and lay an embargo on all the food where 8hivu would ask for alms. She did so ; and Shivu begged in vain for a handful of rice. Narildti at length meeting Shivu also persuaded him to return to his wife : Doorga received him with joy, and relieved his hunger ; which so pleased the old mendicant, that in pi-essing her in his arms both bodies became one. In the Radha-tuntru it is said, that Shivu and Doorga assumed this form in order to prove that Shivu is the one Brtimhu, in whom both the male and female powers are united. In one of the smaller Hindoo poems, a different account of the oi'igin of this image is given : — Shivti, finding it very difficult to prociire a subsistence by the alms which he daily collected^ especially as Doorga had ten mouths, and Gtin^shti a very large beUy, agreed with his wife, that they should assume one body, which would be supported with less labour. Notwithstanding this apparently close union of Shivti and Doorga, the Shivopa-khyanti, a poem, contains a story, in which Doorga is represented as quarrelling with Shivu in a fit of jealousy, i> Urdhit, half ; naree, woman ; eeshwfii-fi, a name of ShivS. ' GilndshS rides on a rat, and Kartikfi on a peacock. ^ One of the forms of Doorga, as the regent of food. 148 ITS FESTIVAL — KRISHN0-KALEE. on account of his begging in that part of Shivu-pooru' where the women of ill-fame live. — On another occasion, as related in the Ramayunu, a dreadful quarrel took place betwixt Shivu and Doorga, because Purushoo-ramu had beaten Kartiku and Giin^shu, the two sons of Doorga. Another account of these quarrels is given both in the Ramayunu and the Muhabhariitu: — Ramu's efforts to destroy Ravunu proving abortive, in consequence of the protection afforded the giant by Shivu, all the gods whom Ravunu had oppressed joined Ramfl in supplications to Shivu : and on the seventh day, when Ravunu was to be slain, the gods resolved to be present ; and Shivii was about to join them, when Doorga inteifered, and asked him how he could witness the destruction of his own disciple : that disciple, who had stood praying to him all day in the sultry weather, sur- rounded with four fires ; who had continued his devotions in the chilling cold, standing in the water ; and had persevered in his sup- plications, standing on his head in the midst of torrents of rain? — Here she poured a volley of abuse upon Shivu, as a withered old fellow who smoked intoxicating herbs ; covered himself with ashes ; dwelt in cemeteries ; a beggar ; whose name would never be remembered ; — 'and dost thou think,' said she, ' that I shall be present at such a sight ?' — Shivu could no longer smother his resent- ment, but reproached her in the severest terms, reminding her that she was only a woman, and knew nothing : and indeed that she did not act like a woman, for she was continually wandering from place to place ; engaged in wars ; was a drunkard ; spent her time with degraded beings ; killed giants, drank their blood, and hung the skulls round her neck. Doorga was enraged to madness by these cutting reproaches, so that the gods became alarmed, and intreated Ramu to join in supplications to Doorga, or there would be no possibility of destroying Ravunu. He did so, and so pleased the go'ddess by his flatteries, that she was at length brought to consent to the destruction of Rav&nn. At the new or full moon, or on the 8th or 14th of the moon in any month, or on the last day of any calendar month, in the day, the usual ceremonies of worship are performed before this disgusting image, which is thrown into the water the succeeding day. The formulas are those used in the worship of Doorga, not of Shivii. Animals are slain and offered to the goddess. Sect, II. — KrishnU-Kalei. This scandalous image is worshipped annually at the total wane of the moon"* in Kartiku, in the night. Of aU the milk-maids that used to collect around him, Krishnu 1 Shivu's heaven. «" A very proper time for such a worship. Let neither sun nor moon shine on Buch deeds. HUREE — HURU, ITS FORM. 149 ■was most charmed with Eadha, the wife of Ayunughoshtt. When the attachment was first formed, the sister of Ayunu-ghoshtt saw tliem together, and informed her brother of the circumstance ; at which'Radha became very much alarmed, assured Krishnn that her sister-in-law had seen her with him, and that her husband would certainly destroy her. Krishnu commanded her not to fear, adding, if her husband came, he would assume the form of Kalee, and she should be found in the act of worship. When her husband and others arrived, they found her thus employed, and joined her in her devo" tions. Could it be believed that such an abominable instance of adultery and treachery would be made the subject of worship? — yet so it is. Four images are made from this stroy,viz : Krishfl-a-Kalee, Badha, Ayunu-ghoshu, and Kootila, Ayuiiu's sister, — Bloody sacri- fices are offered to this image ; but the worshippers of Krishhft are ashamed, when asked by the shaktiis, if Krishntt has begun to drink blood ? Sect. III.— Haree-HUiiA,. Here Vishnoo (Huree) and Shivu (Huru) appear in one body ; the former is black, and the latter white. The image has four arms and two feet. The origin of this image is thus recorded in the Vishnoo pooranu : — LTikshmee and Doorga were once sitting together in the presence of Shivu, when Lukshmee contended that her husband (Vishnoo) was greater than Shivu; which Doorga as firmly denied. Lukshmee said, her husband must be gi-eatest, since Shivu had worshipped him. In the midst of this conversation, Vishnoo arrived, and to convince Lukshmee that both were equal, he immediately entered the body of Shivu, and they became one. Another account of the origin of this image is given in the Kashee-khundu, a part of the Sfindu pooranu. — On a certain occa- sion, when ' Vishnoo and Shivu were conversing together, Shivu requested Vishnoo to assume the beautiful female form which he had formerly done at the churning of the sea : to which he consented ; when Shivu, ovei-powered with desire, pursued the flying beauty, tiQ, overcome with fatigue, she hid herself behind a tree, and re-assumed the form of Vishnoo. Shivu, however, embraced Vishnoo with such eagerness, that the bodies of both became one ." The worship of this image takes place whenever any one pleases. Stone images in some places are continually preserved ; and in others a clay one is made, and worshipped, and afterwards committed to the river. " The reader need not be informed how much this story in its termination resem- bles that of the nymph Salmacis, who is said to have fallen excessively in love vrith a son of Mercury by his sister Venus. 150 ACCOUNTS IN THE POOEANUS Oi' ITS OKIGIN. Raja Krishnu-chundrti-rayii expended fifty or sixty thou- sand rupees at the consecration of a stone image of Huree-Htiru, which may he still seen at Giinga-vasu, near Nudeeya. "While this raja lived, fifty rupees were daily expended in this worship ; yet, though a number of villages have been bequeathed to the god, the expense of the daily worship and offerings is less now than formerly. Few places in Bengal, however, can now boast of a temple at which fifty rupees are daily expended °. No bloody sacrifices are offered to this image. However shocked a professed Christian may be at reading such accounts, and however revqlting to every feeling of modesty and decency these stories may be, the Hindoo philosophers have thought proper to perpetuate them, and in this image to personify lust itself. The bramhnns also bow down to this image as to a deity worthy of adoration " This expense'is incurred in the meat-oflferings, consisting of rice, peas, salt, oil, ghee,hutter, sugar, sweetmeats, fruits of different kinds, herbs, spices, betle nuts, &c. ; in the offerings of cloth, metal vessels, and other things ; and in the wages of the bramhiins and shoodrHs employed. About ten brainhuna and fourteen shoodrfis con- stantl}' attend on the service of this image. BRAMHUNS AS RELIGIOUS GUIDES ; THEIR DAUGHTERS, &0. 151 CHAP. IX. WORSHIP OF HUMAN BEINGS. Deified Men and Women. All the bramhuns, but especially the religious guides, (gooroo,) are objects of worship among the Hindoos, and have divine honours paid to them. The spiritual guide, in the estima- tion of the disciple, 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 gooroo,"" and relies entirely upon his blessing for final happiness. I have heard some Hindoos speak with comparative contempt of all other ways of salvation. When the claims of the bramhuns to deity have been disputed by any one, I have seen the poor besotted shoodru prostrate himself at the feet of the nearest bramhtin, and, raising his head, and closing his hands, say, ' You are my god.' At the same time the character of the bramhun has perhaps been notorious for every vice. The shasfcrus declare that the daughters of bramhuns, till they are eight years old, are objects of worship, as forms of the goddess Bhuguvutee ; and some persons worship these girls daily. The worshipper, taking the daughter of some neighbouring bramhun, and placing her on a seat, performs the ceremonies of worship ; in which he presents to her flowers, paint, waterjgarlands,' incense, and, if a rich man, oflferiags of cloth and ornaments. He closes the whole by prostrating himself before the girl. At the worship of some of the female deities also, the daughters of bramhuns have divine honours paid to them. The wives of bramhuns are also worshipped occasionally as an act of gi'eat merit. A man of property sometimes invites ten, twenty, or one hundred of these females, and repeating before them forms of prayer, praise, fee, worships them, and at the close entertains them with the offerings. This is frequently done at Benares. On the lith of the decrease of the moon in Shravunu, at the time of the Savitree vrutti, the wives of bramhuns very generally p DoiDg rererenoe to the very feet of superiors prevailed among the Jews. ?Tence the woman yrashed the feet of Christ, and wiped them with the haii- of her head. Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. 1 Both the Greeks and Romans, it is well knowD, used to adorn their images with garlands at the time of worship. 152 WORSHIP OF A FEMALE — ABOMINATIONS PRACTISED. worship their hushands. The worshipper, having placed a seat for her husband, and presented him with new garments, entreats him to be seated, and puts round his neck a garland of flowers. She then anoints his body with fragrant ointments, and performs before him the various ceremonies which belong to the worship of the gods. In presenting the oflerings she says, regarding her husband as a form of Yishnoo, ' Oh ! husband, grant that I may long live in the man-iage state, and never become a widow.' The husband then partakes of the offerings, and the wife having walked round him either three or seven times, the service ends. The origin of this ceremony is given in the Brumhri-voiviirttii pooranu, but the story is too long for insertion. Many of the tiantTOS, and particularly the Roodruyamfilu, the Yonee-tuntrii, and the Neelu-tiintru, contain directions respecting a most extraordinary and shocking mode of worship, which is , understood in a concealed manner amongst the Hindoos by the name of Chiikru. These- shastrus direct, that the person who wishes to perform this ceremony must first, in the night, choose a woman as the object of worship. If the person be a diikshina- charee, he must take his own wife ; and if a vamaeharee, the daughter of a dancer, a kiipalee, a washerman, a barber, a chiindalu, or of a Mnsulman, or a prostitute ; and place her on a seat, or mat : and then bring broiled fish, flesh, fried peas, rice, spirituous liquors, sweetmeats, flowers, and other offerings ; which, as well as the female, must be purified by the repeating of incantations. To this succeeds the worship of the guardian deity ; and after this, that of the female, — who sits naked. * * * * Hete, things too abominable to enter the ears of man, and impossible to be revealed to a Christian public, are contained in the directions of the shastru. The learned bramhiin who opened to me these abominations, made several efforts — paused and began again — and then paused again — before he could mention the shock- ing indecencies prescribed by his own shastrus. As the object of worship is a living person, she pa,rtakes of the offerings, even of the spirituous liquors ; and of the flesh, though it should be that of the cow. The refuse is eaten by the persons present, however different their castes ; nor must any one refuse to partake of the offerings. The spirituous liquors must be drank by measure ; and the company while eating must put food into each other's mouths. The priest then — in the presence of all — behaves towards this female in a manner which decency forbids to be mentioned ; after which the persons present repeat many times the name of some god, performing actions unutterably abominable : and here this most diabolical business closes. The ABOMINATIONS PRACTISED. 153 The benefits promised to the worshippers are riches, absorption in BrSmhti, &c. At present the persons committing these abominations (vama- charees) are becoming more and more numerous ; and in propor- tion as they increase, the ceremonies are more and more indecent. They are performed in secret ; but that these practices are be- coming very frequent among the bramhuns and others, is a fact known to all. Those who abide by the rules of the shastrus are comparatively few : the generality confine themselves chiefly to those parts that belong to gluttony, drunkenness, and whoredom, without acquainting themselves with all the minute rules and incantations of the shastras. 20 ]54 THE COW. CHAP. X. THE WORSHIP OF BEASTS. Sect. I.— The Cow. Brumha created the bramhuns and the cow at the same time : the bramhuns to read the formulas, and the cow to afford milk, (clarified butter,) for the burnt-offerings. The gods by partaking of the burnt-offerings are said to enjoy exquisite pleasure, and men by eating clarified butter destroy their sins. The cow is called the mother of the gods, and is declared by Brumha to be a proper object of worship. The shastru appoints that the images of the gods shall be , anointed with milk, curds, clarified butter, cow-dung, and cows' urine, whereby they become free from impurity ; and all unclean places are purified with cow-dung. Indeed many bramhuns do not go out of the house in a morning, till the door-way has been rubbed with cow-dung. The cow was created on the first of Voishakhn, and on this day, or on the second of the moon in Jyoisht'hti, she is worshipped annually. No image is used, but the worship is performed in the cow-house before a jar of water. The ceremonies are the same as those before the images of the gods : the prayers a,r6 necessarily peculiar to the object worshipped. The officiating bramhfin, at the close of the service, reads the whole of the Chun-- dee, a poem relating to the wars of Doorga. On the 18th of Phal-. goonti, the milkmen paint the horns and hoofs of their cattle yel-. low, and bathe tbem in the river. Persons strict in their religion worship the cow daily : after bathing, they throw flowers at her feet, and feed her with fresh grass, sajdng, ' Bhuguvntee ! eat ;' and then walk round her three or seven times, making obeisance. If you speak among Hindoos of eating the flesh of cows, they immediately raise their hands to their ears : yet milkmen, carmen, and farmers, beat the cow as unmercifully as a can-ier of coals beats his ass in England ; and many starve them to death in the cold weather, rather than be at the expense of giving them food.' Thus is the cow at once a beast of burden and a goddess. Some of the poor think themselves happy if they can support a cow, as by serving this aninial they expect reward in a future state. If a man sell his cow, the shastras threaten him with the torments of hell during as many thousand years as there are hairs on her body. If any one neglect to burn cow-dung, &c. in the cow-house, where- " In the year 1812, a bramhnn was convicted before the Magistrate of Serampore, pi stealing from a relative a cow in calf, aifd offering this goddess for sale to a l|\itcher. THE MONKEY (hIJNOOMAN) — MARRIAGE OF TWO MONKEYS 155 by smoke is raised, and the musquitoes prevented from hurting the cows, he will descend into the hell of musquitoes and gad-flies. The gift of a cow to a bramhtin is an act of great merit. The dung of the cow is gathered and dried as fuel amongst the Hindoos. Some cows are of more value for their dung than for their milk ; tor the Bengal cow gives very little milk indeed, com- pared with the European cow. Sect. II. — The Monkey. The black-faced monkey, Httnooman,'' the son of the god Ptlvtinii, by TJnjtina, a female monkey,' is believed to be an incarnation of Shivti. The Hindoos worship Httnooman on their birth-day to obtain long life, which they suppose this monkey can bestow, as he is immortal. In some temples his image is set up alone, and in others with that of Eamu and Seeta, and worshipped d^ly. The ■worship of Ramti is always preceded by a few ceremonies in honour of Hunooman. Stone images of Hunooman are kept in the houses of some of his disciples, and worshipped daily. The worshipper of this animal is proaiised every gratification he can desire. Many Hindoos receive the initiating incantation by which this monkey becomes their guardian deity. The mark which these disciples make on their foreheads is the same as that made by the followers of ShiviS. About twenty years ago, Eeshwtiru-chilndru, the raja of Nfldeeya, spent 100,000 rupees in marrying two monkeys,* when all the parade common at Hindoo marriages was exhibited. In the marriage procession were seen elephants, camels, horses richly caparisoned, palanqueens, lamps, and flambeaus ; the male monkey was fastened in a fine palanqueen, having a crown upon his head, with men standing by his side to fan him ; then followed singing and dancing girls in carriages ; every kind of Hindoo music ; a grand display of fireworks, &c. 'Dancing, music, singing, and every degree of low mirth, were exhibited at the bridegroom's palace for ** HSuoomsn broke his cheek-bone by a fall from the sun's ofbit ; and bis name is derived from hilnoo, the cheek-bone. « There is nothing too filthy for idolatry : here the god of the winds pays his addresses to a monkey, as Jupiter is said to have done to a swan. * At this time none of these monkeys were to be seen about NSdeeya ; now they are so numerous that they devour almost ail the fruit ef the orchards, as the inhabitants are afraid of hurting them. 156 GIVEN BY THE KAJA OP N^DEETA — ANECDOTES OP THIS GOT). twelve days together. At the time of the mamage ceremony, learned bramhfcis were employed in reading the formulas from the shastrus ! Amongst men of sense the performance of the ceremonies of worship before the image of this monkey is attended with a degree of disgi'ace. I have heard of a quarrel between two bramhtins, one of whom was paid by a rich Hindoo to repeat the ceremonies of Hindoo worship before the image of Hrinooman, daily, at his house : amidst the quarrel the other said, ' Thou refuse of bramhuns ! thou gainest a subsistence by worshipping a monkey.' Stories of this god. — When Htinooman first saw the rising sun, thinking it a ripe fruit, he leaped up to the residence of the god of day, and seized his chariot : Indru fearing Hunoomin would swallow the glorious luminary, with his thunderbolt smote him to the earth, where he lay lifeless. His distracted mother applied to his father Puvfinu, who, enraged at the loss of his son, retired into an inaccessible chasm, and bound up the wind, till both men and gods begaU to perish. Brtimha, Vishnoo, Shivu, and oth^r gods now petitioned Puvuntt ; but he refused them the privilege of breathing, unless they would make Htinooman im- mortal. Brumha then bestowed on Hiinooman the water of life, and Purfinti restored to men and gods the vital air. — When ten years old, Htinooman was possessed of immense strength. He brought a stone, from a mountain, sixteen or twenty miles in circumfer- ence, and threw >it into a pool of water where a number of sages were at worship. This raised the water, so that the sages, who had closed their eyes in the act of meditation, began to sink. After a few struggles they regained the land, and again sat down with closed eyes to their work. Hiinooman next took out the stone, and the waters retired ; and when the sages put out their hands to take up water for worship, they were again disappointed. Opening their eyes, they saw the water had sunk exceedingly ; and following it, again closed their eyes, and sat down. Htinooman again flung in the stone, and the sages began to sink. He con- tinued to repeat these frolics, till the sages, discovering the culprit, took away his strength. The sagacious monkey now began to flatter the sages ; brought them fruits, &c. from the forest, and performed, with agility, every act of menial service. After three years they blessed him, and assured him that, when he should see Bamu upon mount Rishyt[mo5ku, he should obtain twice his former strength, — On a certain occasion Hunooman was resolved to put the strength of 'Bheemu to trial, as he was reputed to be so tremendous a giant : and lengthening his tail, he threw it across the path. As the Hindoos never stride across a person's body, or even his shadow, Bheemii requested Htinooman to take up his tail : but he complained he was grown old and could not. At last Bheemu stooped to lift it out of his way ; he tried at the end, and THE DOG, SHACKAL AND OTHER ANIMALS WORSHIPPED. 157 then at the middle, but found, giant as he was, he could not lift up this monkey's tail. Overcome with astonishment, he began to praise Hiinooma.n, and at length prevailed on him to promise that he would help the Pandnvns in their expected war with Dooryo- dhunti. Sect. III.— The Dog. Carries Kalu-BhoiruvC, a form of Shivu, and therefore receives the worship of the Hindoos whenever his master is worshipped.' I have heard also that there are many Hindoos in the west of Hindoost'hanti, who pay theii- devotions to the Hog, and become his disciples. Though the dog is thus placed amongst the objects of worship, he is mentioned in the Mtihabharutti as an unclean animal : everj' offering which he approaches is rendered unaccept- able to the gods, and every one who touches him must purify him- self by bathing. Sect. 1Y.— The Shackal. The TtintrSs mention an incarnation of Doorga in the form of the shackal, when she carried the child Krishnu over the ytimoona, in his flight from king Kungsu. AU the worshippers of the female deities adore the shackal as a form of this goddess, especially the vamacharees, who present offerings to him daily. Every worship- per lays the offerings on a clean place in his house, and calls the god to come and partake of them. As this is done at the hour when the shackals leave their lurking places, one of these animals sometimes comes and eats the food in the presence of the worship- per : this will not appear wonderful when it is considered, that the same animal finds food placed for him in this place every day. In temples dedicated to Doorga and other deities, a stone image of the shackal is placed on a pedestal, and daily worshipped. When a, shackal passes a Hindoo, he must bow to it ; and if it pass on the left hand, it is a most lucky circumstance. Sect. V. — Other Animals worshipped. The elephant, the lion, the bull, tRe buffalo, the rat, the deer, the goat, &ic. are worshipped at the festivals of the gods whom they respectively carry, that is, of Indru, Doorga, Shivu, Yumti, Gtineshu, Puvtinn, and Brumha. • The dog, it will be remembered, was consecrated to Mars. 158 GUROORU, HIS IMAGE AND DESCENT. CHAP XL THE WORSHIP OF BIRDS. Sect. I. — GUroorU." This god, with the head and wings of a bird,*" and the rest of his body like that of a man, is called the king of the birds, and the carrier ofVishnoo. Vinuta, the wife of Kiishyiipli, the progenitor of gods and men, laid an egg," and became the mother of this bird-god"! As soon as Griroorli was born, his body expand- ed till it touched the sky ; all the other animals were terrified at him ; his eyes were like lightning ; the mountains fled with the wind of his wings, and the rays which issued from his body set the four quarters^of the world on fire. The affrighted gods sought the help of Ugnee, conceiving that Gurooru must be an incarnation of the god of fire. In consequence of a dispute betwixt Viniita, the mother of Gurooru, and K&droo, the mother of the serpents, respecting the , colour of the horse procured at the churning of the sea, a continual enmity has subsisted betwixt the descendants of these females ; and Gtirooru once obtained permission from one of the gods to devour all the serpents he could find.* The story of Gurooru's becoming the carrier of Vishnoo is thus related in the Mtihabharutu : — His mother in the above dispute having laid a wager, and being the loser, was reduced to a state of servitude to her sister ; and the serpents, wishing to become immortal, promised to liberate his mother on condition that Gurooru should bring Chundrti, (the moon;) whose bright parts, the Hindoos say, are filled with the water of immortality. Before Gurooru departed, he asked his mother for some food. She advised him to go to the sea shore, and gather up whatever he could see ; but conjured him to beware of eating a bramhun : adding, ' Should you at any time feel a burning heat in your stomach, be sure you have eaten a bramhun.' Thus instructed, he began his journey: at his flight the three worlds Were agitated like the sea at the great deluge. Passing by a country inhabited by fishermen, he at one inspiration drew in houses, trees, cattle, men, and other » Some suppose Gflrooni to be a large species of vulture, and others the gigantic crane. ^ GfiroorS in some degree resembles Mercury, viz., in his having wings, and being the messenger of Vishnoo, as Mercury was of Jupiter. " Jupiter is said to have been enamoured of the goddess Nemesis in the shape of a goose ; and that she laid an egg, from which was born Helena. * When the Hindoos lie down to sleep, they repeat the name of GSroorfi three times, to obtain protection from snakes. STORY RESPECTING HIM — HIS NAMES — UEOONU- 159 animals; but, among the inhabitants swallowed, one was a bramhun, who caused such an intolerable burning in his bowels, that Guroora, unable to bear it, called, in the greatest haste, for him to come out. The bramhun refused, unless his wife, a fisherman's daughter, might accompany ^him ; to which |Gurooru consented. Pursuing his journey, Gtiroorii met his father Ktishyfipu, ■•who directed him to appease his hunger at a certain lake where an elephant and a tortoise were fighting. The body of the tortoise ■was eighty miles long, and the elephant's one hundred and sixty. Guroora with one claw seized the elephant, with the other the tortoise, and perched with them on a tree eight hundred miles high ; but the tree was unable to bear the ponderous weight, and unhappily thousands of pigmy brattrhtins were then worshipping on one of its branches. Trembling lest he should destroy any of them, he took the bough in his beak, continuing to hold the elephant and tortoise in his ^laws, and flew to a mountain in an uninhabited country, where he finished his repast on the tortoise and elephant. Gtirooru, having surmounted astonishing dangers^ at last seized the moon, and concealed it under his wing : but on his return was attacked by Indrii and other gods, all of whom, however, except Vishnoo, he overcame ; and even he was so severely put to it in the contest, that he came to terms with Guroorn, who was made immortal, and promised a higher seat than Vishnoo, while Guroorn on his part became the carrier of Vishnoo. Since this time Vishnoo rides on Gui-oortt ; while the latter, in the shape of a flag, sits at the top of Vishnoo's car. Gtirooru is worshipped at the great festivals before the difierent images of Vishnoo ; but has no separate time of worship. His image is placed in the temples dedicated to various forms of Vishnoo ; and some persons receive his name as their guardian deity, and repeat it daily. Gui'oora's two sons, Siimpatee and Jutayoo, once flew, as a trial of strength, up to the sun ; but the wings of Sumpatee were burnt off". Gtirooru resides in Kooshti-dweepti, one of the seven islands into which the Hindoos divide the earth. Names. — Gtiroomut, or, he who is clothed with feathers. — Gtirooru, he who swallows [serpents, and throws up their bones.] Tttrkshyn, the father of Gnroorii. — Voinut^yu, from Vinttta. — Khtigdshwtiru, the lord of the feathered tribes. — NaganttOsu, the destroyer of the serpents, (nagus.) — Vishnoo-rnt'hu, the carrier of Vishnoo. — Soopumti, he whose feathers are of the colour of gold. — Punnuga-shtinu, the devourer of the serpents. Sect. II.— Uroonii. The elder brother of Gtirooru, is the charioteer of Sooryti, the 160 JUTAYOO — ShOnKURU CHILLU — KHUNJUNU AND OTHERS. sun ; and is worshipped with his master, as well as at the festivals of other gods. The image of this god is that of a man without thighs. Sect. III.— Jutayoo. This bird is the friend of Ramu, and is \^orshipped at the same festival with him. He is mentioned in the preceding account of Ramfi. Sect. IV. — Sh'tink'Hrii Ghill'H, or the Eagle of Coromandd. This is the white-headed kite, commonly called the bramhfinee kite. It is considered as an incarnation of Doorga, and is rever- enced by the Hindoos, who bow to it whenever it passes them. Sect. V. — KhUnjUnti or the Wag-tail. Is considered as a form of Vishnoo, on account of the mark on its throat, supposed to resemble the sbalgramfi. The Hindoos honour it in the same manner as they do the eagle of Coromandel. Sect. VI. — OtherBirds worshipped The peacock, the goose, and the owl,' are worshipped at the festivals of Kartikn, Briimha, and Ltikshmee. = If, however, the owl, the vulture, or any other unclean birds, perch upon the house of a Hindoo, it is an unlucky omen, and the effect must be removed by the per- formance of the following expiatory ceremony : ' If a vulture, a heron, a dove, an owl, a hawk, a gull, a kite, a Bhasha, or a Pundura, should settle upon a house, the wife, or a chUd, or some other person belonging to the master of the house, will die, or some other calamity will befal him within a year afterwards. To prevent this, the house, or its value in money, must be given to bramhttns ; or a peace-offering of an extraordi- nary nature must be offered : viz., five productions of the cow, the five gems, the five nectareous juices, the five twigs of trees, and the five astringents, are to be put into a pot of water ; the guardian deities of the quarters of the universe must then be wor- shipped, and an hundred and eight oblations of clarified butter must be made with a sacrificial piece of the wood of the Khadira tree, while the prayer of Mrityoonjnyii is repeated. The oblation, called the miiha-vyadh^e homti, is to be pei^ormed at the commencement, or at the end of this ceremony. Oblations of clarified butter, at each of which the gayitree is repeated, are then to be made to Vishnoo, the nine planets, UdbhootiS, and the house-hold gods ; which being done, the bramhiins must be enter- tained with clarified butter and rice milk. The sacrificial fees must then be paid, and water sprinkled with appropriate incantations ; when an assurance that all has been duly performed being given, a prostration is made to the bramh;Sns, and the benedic- tion received from them.' THE TOOLUSEE. J 61 CHAP. XII. THE WORSHIP OF TREES. Trees are worshipped by the Hindoos as the forms of parti- cular gods : the iishwutu and vutn are representatives of Vishnoo, and the vilwn that of Shivu. The devout Hindoos worship them, water their roots, plant them near their houses, &c. The Hindoo females, who are never seen in the streets, plant a sacred tree within the compound, that they may not lose the merit of watering it in the sultry months. The female shoodrus, to honour the wives of bramhtins, carry water to these trees, and on a fortunate day make offerings to them. Sect. I.— The Tool'Usee^ The Hindoos have no public festival in honour of this plant ; but they occasionally prostrate themselves before it, repeating a form of prayer or praise : they have great faith also in the power of its leaves to cure diseases, and use it with incantations to expel the poison of serpents. They plant it also Tbefore their houses, and in the morning cleanse the place around it with water and cow-dung ; and in the evening place a lamp near it. Throughout the month Voishakhu they suspend a large pot over it filled with water, and let the water drop upon it through a small hole. Whenever any of these plants die, it is considered a sacred duty to commit them to the river ; and when a person is brought to the river side to die, hi^ relations plant a branch of the tooltisee near the dying man's head. A piUar, hollow at the top, is erected by many Hindoo^j.,in which they deposit earth, and set the plant. They walk round these pillars and bow to the plant ; which actions are declared by the shastrus to be very meritorious. - „ ' The origin of the worship of the Toolusee is thus related in the Vishnoo pooranu, and in the Toolusee-Mahatmu : — Toolusee, a female, was engaged for a long time in religious austerities ; and at length asked this blessing of Vishnoo, that she might become his wife. Ltikshmee, Vishnoo's wife, hearing this, cursed the woman, and changed her into a Toolusee plant ; * but Vishnoo promised, that he would assume the form of the shalgramti, and always con- tinue with her. The Hindoos, therefore, continually keep one leaf of the toolusee under and another upon the shalgramu. • Basil, Ocimum gratisBimum, and 0. sanctum. The myrtle was sacred to Venus. l" Apollo changed the youth CyparisBus into a. cypress tree. Daphne was changed into a laurel, 21 163 OTHER SACBKD TREES. Sect. II. — Other sacred 'frees. The iisliwuttu," vutu/ vukoolu," liuritiikee/ amiilukee/ vilwu,'' and nimbu' trees receive divine honours from the Hindoos, and are set apart with the same ceremonies as are common at the setting up of an image of the gods. These ceremonies take place either at the time of planting the tree, or after the person has watered and nourished it for some time. An individual who conseci-ates an ushwuttti or a vutu, considering these trees as continuing to flou- rish many years, says, ' Oh !. Vishnoo ! grant that, for planting this tree, I may continue as many years in heaven as this tree shall remain growing in the earth \' The person expects too, that as he has set apart this tree to afford shade to his fellow creatures, so after death he will not be scorched by excessive heat in his journey to Ytimu, the regent of death. " Kous religiosa. This and other trees are never injured, nor out down, nor burnt by devout Hindoos. I was once informed by a bramhfin, that his grandfather planted one of these trees near his house, which has now spread its branches so widely, that, as my informant affirmed, 2,000 persons may stand under it ; and so much is this tree reverenced by his family, that they do not suffer its withered branches to be burnt, i Ficus Indica, vulgarly called the banyan tree. ' Mimusops elengi. '' ' Terminalia citrina. B Phillanthus emblica. •» . An incantation, at the time of repeating which the person promises to attend to certain ceremonies. i The ceremonies performed at the setting up of an image. Here the jar of TCater is the image, before which the worship of any of the gods may be performed. •' Purifying the seat. i Ceremonies accompanied with motions of the fin- gers, "i Purifying the five elements of which the body is composed. " Bind- ing the ten quarters, to prevent evil spirits from arriving to defile the worship. » Driving away the evil spirits. p Going over all the ceremonies in the mind. 1 Shivii. HER FESTIVALS. 167 Briimha, Sooryii, Bhugeerut'hn, and Himal-ayu ; then the worship of the inhabitants of the waters, as the fish, the tortoises, the frogs, the water-snakes, the leeches, the snails,' the miikurtis, the shell- fish, the porpoises, &c. The offerings, after having been presented to the inhabitants of the waters, are thrown into the Ganges. Ten lamps of clarified butter are then lighted up, and all the other ofierings presented. After this, the names of certain gods are re- peated, with forms of praise ; the fee is presented to the priest, the bramhuns ai-e entertained, and the ofierings sent to the houses of bramhuns. At the close of these ceremonies the people perform obeisance to Gunga, and then depart. Great multitudes assemble on the banks of the river on these occasions, and expect much both in this life and hereafter from this act of worship. If a person, placing on his head ten fruits of anj' kind, thus immerse himself in the Ganges on this day, the sins of ten births will be removed. In this month also clay images of Gunga are set up in domes- tic temples, and worshipped, and the next day thrown into the river. In some places clay images of this goddess are preserved in clay temples, and worshipped daily. Pei'sons escaping dangers on water present offerings to Gunga, as well as to Vuroonu, the Indian Neptune ; as mariners, having escaped the dangers of the sea, used to offer a sacrifice to Venus. On the thirteenth of the decrease of the moon in Choitrti, the people descend into the water, and with their hands joined immerse themselves ; after which the officiating bramhtin reads a portion of the shastru, describing the benefits arising from this act of bathing, The people repeat after the priest certain significant words, as the day of the month, the name of Vishnoo, &c., and then immerse themselves again. Gifts of rice, fruits, and money are offered to ' This strongly reminds us of the lines of Juvenal, Satire xv« ' Who has not heard, where Egypt's realms are nam'd> What monster gods her frantic sons have fram'd ? Here Ibis gorg'd with well-grown Berpents*, there The crooomle + commands religious fear : Where Memnon's statue magic strings inspire With vocal sounds that emulate the lyre ; And Thebes (such, Fate, are thy disastrous turns t) Now prostrate o'er her pompous ruins mourns j A monkey-god J , prodigious to be told ! Strikes the beholder's eye with burnished gold : To godship here blue Triton's scaly herd. The river progeny is there preferr'dll : Through towns Diana's power neglected lies. Where to her dogs§ aspiring temples rise : ' And should you leeks or onions eat, no time Would expiate the sacrilegious crime. Eeligious nations sure, and blest abodes. Where every orchard is o'errun with gods !' ? See Gurooru. + The Hindoos throw their children to the alligators'. J Hunooman. I See the account atOTe, 5 See a preceding article. 168 ATTACHMENT OF THE NATIVES TO THIS RIVER. the poor, the bramhuns, and the priest. On this occasion groups of ten or twelve persons stand in the water in one spot, for whom one bramhixn reads the formulas. These groups are to be seen ex- tending themselves very far along the river. At the moment of the conjunction of the moon (on the thirteenth of its deci'ease) with the star Shiitubhisha, this festival is called the Great Varoo- nee. The merit arising from bathing at this lucky moment is sup^ posed to be very great ; the people fast till the bathing is over. When there is a conjunction as above, and the day falls on a Saturday, the festival is called the Great, Great Varoonee.^ The pooranus declare, that the sight, the name, or the touch of Giiuga takes away all sin, however heinous ; that thinking of Gunga, when at a distance, is sufficient to remove the taint of sin ; but that bathing in Gunga has blessings in it of which no imagination can conceive. So much is this river reverenced among the Hindoos, that many bramhuns will not cook upon it, nor throw saliva into it, nor wash themselves nor their clothes in it.' Some persons perform a journey of five or six months to bathe in Gunga, to perform the rites for deceased relations, and to cany this water to place in their houses, for religious and medicinal uses. The water of this river is used also in the English courts of justice to swear upon, as the koran is given to Musulmans, and the New Testament to Chris- tians ; but many of the most respectable Hindoos refuse to comply with this method of making oath, alleging that their shastrtts forbid them in these cases to touch the water of the Ganges," the shalgramu, or a bramhun. When such cases occur in the courts, the judges very candidly permit the person, if of good character, to give Ms evidence in a way consistent witii his peculiar prejudices, as, after bathing, &c. and standing with his face to the east. The Hindoo courts formerly admitted a person's evidence without an oath ; and when a cause could not be deter- mined by evidence thus given, they resorted to the ordeal. It is not uncommon for one Hindoo to say to another, ' Will you make this engagement on the banks of Gunga ?' The other replies, ' I engage to do what I have said ; but I cannot call Gunga to witness it.' If a person utter a most audacious lie, while near or upon the Ganges, the person to whom he is speaking saj's, ^ ' Are you ' At the time of many of the festivals, the sides of the Ganges, in many places, are gaily illuminated ; and lights fastened on boards, plantain stalks, 4c. or put in earthen pots, are floated down the stxeam. ' In the work called Vaimegkee-moonee, amongst many other forms of praise to he offered to Giinga, is the following ;—' O goddess, the owl that lodges in the hollow o£ a tree on thy banks is exalted beyond measure; while the emperor, whose palace is far from thee, though he may possess a million of stately elephants, and may have the wives of millions of conquered enemies to serve him, is nothing.' u Many persons refuse to contest causes in which large sums are at stake, under the fear that they may be constraiaed to make oath on the waters of the Ganges. ANXIETY or HINDOOS TO DIE IN SIGHT OF THE GANGES. 169 not afraid of littering such a falsehood in the presence of Gunga 1' A third person perhaps adds, as a continuation of the reproach — 'Not he ; he has been guilty of discharging his urine into Gflnga, even at Prttyagti.' Morning and evening the Hindoos visit and look at this river to remove the sins of the night or of the day ; when sick they smear their bodies with the sediment, and remain near the river for a month perhaps. Some of course recover, and others die : a Hindoo says, that those who have a steady faith and an unwaver- ing mind, recover ; the rest perish. f The Hindoos are extremely anxious to die in the sight of the Ganges, that their sins may be washed away in their last moments. A person in his last agonies is frequently dragged from his bed and friends, and carried, in the coldest or in the hottest weather, from whatever distance, to the river side ; where he lies, if a poor man, without a covering day and night till he expires : with the pains of death upon him, he is placed up to the middle in the water, and drenched with it. Leaves of the toolusee plant are also put into his mouth ; and his relations call upon him to repeat, and repeat for him, the names of Eamu, Htiree, Naraytinfi, Brumha, Gunga, &c. In some cases the family priest repeats some incantations, and makes an offering to Voiturtinee, the river over which the soul, they say, is ferried after leaving the body. The relations of the dying man spread the sediment of the river on his forehead or breast, and afterwards with the finger write on this sediment the name of some deity. Tf a person should die in his house, and not by the river side, it is considered as a great misfortune, as he thereby loses the help of the goddess in his dying moments. If a person choose to die at home, his memory becomes infamous. The conduct of Eaja Nuvu-krishnu of Nudeeya, who died in his bed-room about the year 1800, is still mentioned as a subject of reproach, because he refused to be carried to the river before death. ' Ah ! Ah !' say the superstitious, when a neighbour at the point of death delays the fatal journey to the river, ' he will die like Raja Nuvu-EJrishnu.' Dead bodies are brought by their relations to be burnt near this river ; and when they cannot bring the whole body, it is not uncommon for them to bring a single bone and cast it into the river,^ under the hope that it will help the soul of the deceased. ' Many persons, whose relations die at a distance from the Ganges, at the time of burning the body preserve a bone, and at some future time bring this bone and commit it to Gjinga, supposing that this will secure the salvation of the deceased. The work called Kriya-yogusarS contains the following curious story : — A bramhun, who had been guilty of the greatest crimes, was devoured by wild beasts ; his bones only remained. A crow took up one of these bones, and was carrying it over Giinga, when another bird darting upon it, the crow let the bone fall. As soon as the bone touched GSnga, the bramhSn sprang to life, and was ascending to heaven, when the messenger of Ynmii, tie judge of the dead, .seized him, as a great sinner. At this 22 170 CHILDREN, AND GEOWN-UP PERSONS DROWNED IN IT. In the eastern parts of Bengal, married women, long disap- pointed in their hopes of children, make an offering to Gunga, and enter into a vow, that if the goddess will give them two children, they will present one to her : and it is not uncommon fOr such women to cast the first child into the river as an offering ; but it is said, that at present some relation or religious mendicant stands ready to presei-ve the life of the child. The mother cannot take it again, but this person adopts and provides for it. These offerings are made on the tenth of the moon in Jyoisht'hia, and on the 13th of ChoitriS. Some persons even drown themselves in the Ganges, not doubting but they shall immediately ascend to heaven. The shastrti encoiirages this.' It is a sin for a bramhun, but an act of merit in a shoodru or a dundee, if he be in worldly trouble, or afflicted with an incurable distemper. The Gunga-Vakya-Vulee says, ' Should any person have eaten with another who is degrad- ed for seven successive births ; or have committed the five sins, each of which is called miiha-patuku ; should he have eaten the food which has been touched by a woman in her courses ; or have constantly spoken falsely ; or have stolen gold, jewels, &c. ; should he have killed the wife of his friend ; or have injured bramhiins, or friends, or his mother, &c. ; or have committed the sins whicli doom a man to the hell called Muharouruvti ; or have committed those sins for which the messengers of Yumu constantly beat a person ; or have committed multitudes of sins in childhood, youth, and old age ; — if this person bathe in Gunga at an auspicious period, all these sins will be removed : he will also be admitted into the heaven of Brumha, the Purum-hungsee ; be put in possession of the merits of the man who presents a lac of red cows to a bram- hun learned in the four vddus ; and afterwards will ascend and dwell at the right hand of Yishnoo. After he has enjoyed all this happiness, and shall be re-born on the earth, he will be possessed of every good quality, enjoy all kinds of happiness, be very honour- time Naraynnu's messengers interfered, and pleaded, that the sins of this man, since one of his bones had toviohed Gnnga, were all done away. The appeal was made to Viahnoo, who decided in the bramhiin's favour. The bramhiin immediately went to heaven. y The Skiindu pooranu declares, that by dying in the Ganges, a person will obtain absorption into Brilmhii. The same work contains a promise from Shivtl, that who- ever dies in Gtinga shall obtain a place in his heaven. — The Bhuvishyii pooranu aflfirms that if a worm, or an insect, or a grass-hopper, or any tree growing by the side of Gnnga, die in the river, it will obtain absorption into Brumhti. — The Brumhtl pooranii says, that whether a person renounce life in Gttnga, praying for any particular benefit, or die by accident, or whether he possess his senses or not, he will be happy. If he purposely renounce life, he wiU enjoy absorption, or the highest happiness ; if he die by accident, he will still attain heaven. — Mijnoo says, 'A mansion with bones for its rafters and beams ; with nerves and tendons for cords ; with muscles and blood for mortar ; with skin for its outward covering ; filled with no sweet perfume, but loaded with faeces and urine ; a mansion infested by age and by sorrow, the seat of malady, harassed with pains, haunted with the quality of darkness, and incapable of standing long ; such a mansion of the vital soul let its occupier always cheerfully quit.' EXTRACTS FROM THE SHASTRUS — OTHER DEIFIED RIVERS. 171 able, &c. He who shall doubt any part of this, will be doomed to the hell called Koombhee-pakti, and afterwards be born an ass. If a person, in the presence of Giinga, on the anniversary of her arri- val on the earth, and according to the rules prescribed in the shastrtis, present to the bramhtins whole villages, he will obtain the fruits that arise from all other offerings, from all sacrifices, from visiting all the holy places, &c. ; his body will be a million times more glorious than the sun ; he will obtain a million of virgins, and multitudes of carriages, palankeens, &;c. covered with jewels ; he will dwell for ages in heaven, enjoying its pleasures in company with his father ; as many particles of dust as are contained in the land thus given away to the bramhuns, for so many years will the giver dwell in happiness in Vishnoo's heaven.' Every real Christian must be deeply affected on viewing the deplorable effects of this superstition. Except that part of the rig-vedii which countenances the burning of women alive, no writers ever gave birth to a more extensive degree of misery than those who have made the Ganges a sacred river. Thousands, yea mil- lions of people ai-e annually drawn from their homes and peaceful labours, several times in the year, to visit different holy places of this liver, at a great expense of time, and money spent in making offerings to the goddess ; expensive journeys are undertaken by vast multitudes to obtain the water ' of this river, (some come two or three months' journey for this purpose,) or to carry the sick, the dying, the dead, or the bones of the dead, to its banks. What the sick and dying suffer by being exposed to all kinds of weather in the open air on the banks of the river, and in being choked by the sacred water in their last moments, is beyond expression. In short, no eyes, but those of Omniscience, can see all the foul deeds done upon and by the sides of this river ; and the day of judgment alone can bring all these deeds to light. The bramhiln will then see, that instead of Gtinga's having removed the sins of her worshippei's, she has increased them a million-fold. Sect. II. — Other deified Rivers. The Godavuree, the Ntii-mnda, the Kav^ree, the Atreyee the Kuriitoya, the Bahooda, the Gomutee, the Siiriiyoo^ the Giindukee, the Varahee, the Chiirmun-wntec, the Shiitudroo the Vipasha, the Goutiimee, the Kurmunasha, the Shonti,' the Oiravutee, the Chiindrubhaga, the VitiSsta, the Sindhoo, the Bhtidra-vukasha, the Ptinusa, the D^vika, the Tamrtipttrnee, the Toongubhitdra, . the Krishna, the V^trtLvutee, the Bhoiruvti, the Brumhn-pootru,'' the Voitnrtinee, and many other rivers, are mentioned in the Hindoo shastrus as sacred. ' Many thousands perish by the dysentery, and others through want, in these journies. " This is a male river. •■ Ditto. 172 OTHER DEIFIED RIVERS. At the full moon in Asharhu, many thousand Hindoos assemble at Prutapti-guru, a place to the west of Lucknow, and bathe in the GodavTiree, or in the remains of it, (for at this season of the year this river is nearly dried up.) On the last day of Choitrft, a large assembly of Hindoos meet at Moduphuru-poorti, about sixteen miles from Patna, where the Gtindakee, the Suruyoo, and the Ganges meet.'' The assembly remains eight days, and a large fair is held on the spot, at which horses, camels, and other beasts, and also children, are bought and sold : the price of a boy is from ten to twelve rupees ; that of a girl is less. On the same day a large concourse of Hindoos, some say as many as 20,000, principally women, assemble at tJ3''odhya, to bathe in the Surttyoo. On the 14th of the decrease of the moon in Phalgooqu, an equal number of people are said to meet on the banks of the Stirtiyoo at Biihurum-ghatu, near Lucknow : but they do not bathe in the river, the water of which is very filthy, but in a sacred pool adjoining. On the banks of the Ytimoona, on the second of the moon in Kartiku, and on the eighth of the decrease of the moon in Bhadru, vast crowds of Hindoos assemble in different places to bathe. The Brumh-fi-pootru receives the same honours on the eighth of the increase of the moon in Choitrii. At a place three days' journey from Dacca 50 or 60,000 people assemble, and sacrifice , pigeons, sheep, and goats, casting them into the river. Children are also cast into the river here by their mothers, but are generally rescued and carried home by strangers. Superstitious people say, that on this day the river gradually swells so as to fill its banks, and then gradually sinks to its usual level. The Voittirunee, in Orissa, is also placed among the sacred rivers, and on the thirteenth of the decrease of the moon in Choitru, great multitudes of Hindoos, (six or seven hundred thousand,) assemble at Yajli-pooru, near the temple of Jugtinnat'hu, and bathe in this river. Many other rivers receive the same honours ;' and I could lia,ve greatly enlarged this account, in detailing their fabulous histories, and in noticing the superstitious ceremonies of this deluded people on their banks : but what I have here inserted, and the preceding account of Gnnga, niust suffice. •" There are several causes why particular places ot these rivers are esteemed peculiarly sacred. Some of these causes are given in the shastrfis, and others arise from tradition. One instance of the latter occurs respecting VoidyvSatee, a place near Serampore, where Nimaee, a religious mendicant, performed his devotions, and where at present, at a conjunction of particular stars, multitudes assemble to bathe. ' See Asiatic Researches. WORSHIP OF FISH AND BOOKS. 173 CHAP. XIV. THE WORSHIP OF FISH. ViSHNOO, having been incarnate in the form of a iish, is worship- ped on cert^n occasions, or rather a form of praise is repeated in honour of this incarnation. In the preceding account of Gunga it will also be seen, that the finny tribes of that river are worshipped at the festivals in honour of this goddess. I am informed, however, that female Hindoos, residing on th^ banks of the Pudmii, on the 5th of the increase of the moon in Maghti, actually worship the Ilishu fish, when they first arrive in the river, with the usual ceremonies, and after that partake of them without the fear of injuring their health. CHAP. XT. THE WORSHIP OF BOOKS. The Hindoos have deified their shastrus, which, on different occasions, they worship with the same ceremonies as an idol, anointing the book with perfumes, and adorning it with garlands. Atthereadingof anypartof thevediis, the Chundee, and other works, the book to be read is always addressed as an idol. At such times the worshipper thus prays to the book : ' Oh ! book !i thou art the goddess of learning, bestow learning upon me.' When an individual employs a bramhtin to recite to his family and neighbom's the Mtihabharutu, Ramayunti, Shreebhagtivatu, or any other pooranti, the worship of the work recited is performed on the first and last days at considerable length, many oQerings being presented : each day's recital is also preceded by a short service paid to the book. At the festival in honour of the goddess Suruswutee any one of the shastrus is adopted and worshipped, joined with the pen and inkstand. The followers of Yishnoo, and especially the mendicant voirageeSj pay a still greater reverence than the regular Hindoos to the books they esteem sacred. These books relate to the amours of Krighnu, or to the mendicants Choitiinyti. and Nityantindu. A book placed on a golden throne, and presented to a bramhun, is a very meritorious gift. 174 THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHALGRAMU. CHAP. XVI. THE WORSHIP OF STONES. The Shalgram'ti'. This is the setites, or eagle-stone, of which there is a great variety, and to which many virtues were ascribed by the ancients. When I shewed a picture of the eagle-stone to a bramhtin who was sitting with me, without informing him what it was, he exclaimed — ' This is the shalgramu !' and added, (jocularly,) ' Oh ! then, Englishmen will be saved, as they have the shalgramii amongst them.' This stone, black, hollow, and nearly round, is said to be brought from mount Gtindukee, in Nepaul. It is added, that in this mountain there are multitudes of insects which perforate the masses of stone, so that pieces fall into the river Gundiiku in the shape of the shalgramu, from whence they are taken with nets. Common ones are about as large as a watch. They are valued according to their size, their hollowness, and the colours in the inside ; and from these circumstances they are called by different names. The chief sorts are called LTikshmee-Narayunu,Rughoonat'hu, Ltikshmee, Junardiinii, Vamunti, Damoduru,^ &c. These different shalgramiis are worshipped under their different names. The first is sometimes sold for as much as two thousand rupees. The Hin- doos have a notion, that whoever keeps in his house this celebrated stone, and a shell called dukshina-vurtu," can never become poor ; but that the very day in which any one parts with one of them,; he will begin to sink into poverty. Almost every respectable bramhun keeps a shalgramti, as do some shoodrus. The bramhtin who does not keep one is reproached by his neighbours. The reason why this stone has been deified is thus given in the Shree-bhaguvtitii : — Vishnoo created the nine planets to preside over the fates of men. Shunee (Saturn) commenced his reign by i> From sharu and gramti, whioli indicates that this stone makes the place excellent in which it is preserved, as the Mfihabharutu is said to purify the places in which it is read : hence bramhuns are forbidden to enter a village where the Muhabharutfl is not found, as such place is pronounced unclean. •" The Hindoos say, that this last shalgramn requires large offerings of food to be presented to it ; and that a brarahiin, who had begged one of them, and neglected to feed it sufficiently, was brought to ruin, this god having swept away nearly his whole family by death. Many stories of this kind are related of this stone. Though a single grain of rice was ne%'er known to be eaten by an image, yet the Hindoos firmly believe this and similar stories, against all the evidence of their senses for hundreds of years together. Gopalu, a learned bramhun employed in the Serampore printing-office, declared that one of these stones had been placed in his house by a relation, who attributed his famUy misfortunes to its powers. " A shell, the convolutions of which turn to the right. Vishnoo is said to hold a shell of this kind in his hand. EEASON OF ITS DEIFICATION — CONSTANT REPRESENTATIVE. 175 proposing to Brumha, that he should first come under his influence for twelve years. Brtimha referred him to Yishnoo, but- this god, equally averse to be brought under the dreaded influence of this inauspicious planet, desired Saturn to call upon him the next day^ and immediately assumed the form of a mountain. The next day Saturn was not able to find Vishnoo, but discovering that he had united himself to mount Giindukee, he entered the mountain in the form of a worm called vujru-keetu." He continued thus to aflJict the mountain- formed yishnoo for twelve years, when Vish- noo assumed his proper shape, and commanded that the stones of this mountain should be worshipped, and should become proper representaiives of himself ; adding, that each should have twenty- one marks in it, similar to those on his body, and that its name should be shalgramii. The worship of any of the gods may be performed before the shalgramu, and it is often adopted as the representative of some god. It claims no national festival, but is placed near the image worshipped, and first receives the devotions of the Hindoos. The shalgramii is also worshipped daily by the bramhuns, after morn- ing ablutions : they first bathe or wash the stone, reading the formulas ; and then ofier flowers, white lead, incense, light, sweet- meats, and water, repeating incantations : the offerings, after remaining before it a short time, are eaten by the family. In the evening, incense, light, and sweetmeats are offered, preceding which a bell is rung, and a shell blown ; and the whole is closed by the priest's prostrating himself before the stone. During the month Voishakhu, bramhiins suspend a pan of water every day over the shalgramil, and, through a small hole at the bottom, let the water fall on it, to preserve it cool during this month, which is one of the hottest in the year. This water is caught in another pan placed beneath, and drank in the evening as holy water. When the country is in great want of rain, a bramhtin in some instances places the shalgramu in the burning sun, and sits down by it, repeating incantations. Burning the god in the sun is said to be a sure way of obtaining rain. Some persons, when sick, employ a bramhun to present single leaves of the toolusee plant, sprinkled with red powder, to the shalgramu, repeating incantations. A hundred thousand leaves are sometimes presented. It is said, that the sick man gradually recovers as every additional leaf is offered. "When a Hindoo is at the point of death, a bramhun shews him the marks of the shalgramu, the sight of which is said to secure the soul a safe pas- sage to Vishnoo's heaven. In a work called Shalgramu-nirnuyu an account is given of the proper names of the different shalgramus ; the benefits arising " Literally, the thunJer-bolt worm. 176 OF THE GODS IN WORSHIP — THE PEDAL; from their worship ; the kinds of shalgraimas proper to be kept by persons in a secular state, and also by the religious. A separate room, or house, or a particular spot in the room where the family dwell, is assigned to this god. Some persons keep one, others ten, others a hundred, and some even as many as a thousand of these stones. The shalgramu is rendered impure by the touch of a shoodrti* and in such cases must be purified by rubbing it over with cow- dung, cow's urine, milk, ghee, and curds. If a small part of the shalgramn be broken off, the owner commits it to the river. The bramhilns sell these stones, but trafi&cing in images is dishonorable. [The shalgramu is the only stone deriving its deity from itself: all other stones worshipped are made sacred by incanta- tions. For an account of them, see a succeeding article relative to the Hindoo images.] CHAP. XVII. A LOG OF WOOD WORSHIPPED. The Pedal. This is a rough piece of wood, (termed dh4nkee,) generally the trunk of a tree, balanced on a pivot, with a head something like a mallet ; it is used to separate the rice from the husk, to pound brick-dust for buildings, &c. A person stands at the farthest end, and with his feet presses it down, which raises up the head ; after which he lets it fall on the rice, or brick-ends. One of these pedals is set up at almost every house in country places. The origin of this worship is thus given : — A religious guide, being called upon to give the initiating incantation to one of his disciples, commanded him to repeat the word dhdnkee, dh^nkee. Narudu, the god of the dh^nkee, pleased with the disciple, visited him, riding on a pedal, and gave him as a blessing another incan- tation, by which he immediartely became perfect, and ascended to heaven. The pedal is worshipped at the time of marriage, of investiture with the poita, of giving the first rice to a child, and at any other particular time of rejoicing. The women are the worshippers. It is also worshipped in the month Voishakhtt by all castes of females, not excepting the wives of the most learned bramhuns ; who con- secrate it by putting red, white, or yellow paint, and also some rice, doorva grass, and oil on its head. About twenty years ago, the raja of Nulu-danga, Muhdndru- ddvti-rayu, spent three hundred thousand rupees in a grand festival in honour of this log of wood. At the close of the festival, the raja took a firebrand, and set all the gilded scenery on fire, and thus finished this scene of expensive folly and wickedness. ^ So are all other images that have been consecrated. OF DIFFEKEKT KINDS OF TEMPLES. 177 BOOK II. OF THE TEMPLES, IMAGES, PRIESTS, AND CEREMONIES OF THE HINDOOS. CHAPTER I. OJ* THE TEMPiiKS. The Hindoo temples in Bengal, though different in shape, are nearly of the same description of architecture : they are very in- inferior, it is true, to the sacred edifices in Europe ; but some of these buildings are in a better style than might have been expected' fi'om a people so little advanced in the arts. Sect. I. — Of different Kinds of Temples. The MUndirSi,^ dedicated to the Hngu, is a double-roofed Gothic building, the body square, but the upper part short and tapering to a point. It contains one, two, three, or more rooms, about three cubits by four, with a porch in front for spectators. The centre room contains the lingu ; in the others are placed the utensils for worship, the offerings, fee. — Small square temples for the lingtt, with flat roofs, are erected in rows facing the houses of rich men, or before a college, a consecrated pool of water, another temple, or a flight of steps descending into the river. Similar temples in honour of Gtindshu are to be seen in some places. Very small temples like the Mtindiru, only three or five cubits high, and containing a lingu about a foot in height, have been erected at Benares. The D^ool'W' temples, sacred to Jiigtinnat'hu, rise from the foundation in a gradual slope like a sugar loaf, with an iron image of Guroorti on the pinnacle. These temples, made of brick, are ascended by a flight of steps, and contain only one room. The PUnchU-r'tltn'W temple has two or three rooms, and a single-arched roof, with a large pinnacle or turret on the dome, and a smaller one on each corner. It is dedicated to the different forms ' MuudirH means any edifice of brick or stone ; but custom has appropriated it almost exclusively to the temples of the lingfl. '' Corrupted from devalayii, i. e., devil, a god, alfiyfi, a house. ' Having five turrets. 23 178 DIFFERENT KINDS OF TEMPLES. of Vishnoo, as Kadha-biillubhu, Gopalii, Mudtinu-niohtiiiu, Govin- dhu, &c. The temple called JS^Uvti-riltnii^ dedicated also to the various forms of Vishnoo, has a double roof like the Mundirti, with a small turret on each corner of the lower roofs, and on the upper one a larger J;urret to crown the dome. It contains four or five rooms. At IJgru-dweepii, the temple of Gopee-nat'hu has different houses attached to it ; one for cooking, another for the utensils used in worship ; another is a store-house for the offerings, and two others are open rooms for the accommodation of visitors and devotees. The Vishnoo-TnUndirii, 'having one room, with a partico in front, is a flat-roofed building, erected either within or without the wall which encloses a Hindoo house, or at a little distance from the owner's house ; and sometimes by the side of the Ganges, when the person's house is near the river. A few temples may be seen, having three rooms ; one of which is the god's hall of audience, another his dining room, and the third his room for sleeping. Another kind of temple, with a flat roof, is often erected by rich Hindoos adjoining to their houses, and called Chimdee-mitn- ditpU, and is designed for the image of Doorga or Kalee. This is built on four sides, with an area in the middle. The image is placed at the north end, with its face to the south ; the two sides, and the north end, in most cases, contain upper rooms with porticos beneath. The room which contains the image is about ten cubits long and sixteen broad : the other rooms are open in front with arched doorways ; and in these the visitors sit to see the ceremo- nies of worship, hear the singing, &c. The Yorti-bangala is made like two thatched houses or banga- las, placed side to side ; and has what is called in England a double-pitched roof, generally covered with tiles or bricks. The front is open without dooi-s. These temples are dedicated to dif- ferent gods, but are not now frequently built in Bengal. The Hindoos have another sacred edifice, called RasUm'Wnch'ii, in which the image of Krishnu is annually placed and worshipped. This building is octagonal, with eight turrets at the corners, and a steeple in the centre supported by pillars ; and consists of one room, open on all sides, and elevated five or six feet from the ground. On the nights of the rasti festival, the image is brought and placed in this elevated open room, there worshipped, and afterwards carried back to the temple adjoining to the owner's house. The DoM-munchu is a similar building, but is sometimes made larger. A great number of small clay and thatched buUdiiigs are erected in Bengal, in which the images of Siddh^shwiiree, Krishnoo. ^ Having nine turrets. DIFFERENT KINDS OF TEMPLES. 179 Ramu, &c. are set up. The roofs of these buildings are sloping, like the huts of the poor in Europe. Images of some of the inferior deities are placed under trees, and these trees become as it were temples for worship. In some few towns a number of different temples are built in a square. I once saw a D^vaMyH of this kind at Chanchra, in Jessore, which contains twenty-one temples and as many gods. One thousand acres of ground are attached to this place ; one bramhun perform the ceremonies ; six others cook for these gods ; four others gather flowers, and Ijring the articles for the daily worship. Nimaee-mtillikti, a goldsmith of Calcutta, built and endowed this place. Similar devaluyiis are to be seen at Krishnti- nugnra/Gmiga-vasu, Shiu-nivasu,Burnhu-ntiguru', Natoru, Poontd^, Sonara'', Bhoo-koilasu, Gooptu-para, and at many other places in Bengal. — Raja Chundru-rayS, of Patnlee, is said to have built two hundred of these d^valnyus, at each of which two or three hundred people are daily fed. The relict of raja Tiluku-chtindrti, of Burdwan, erected one hundred and eight temples in one plain, and placed in them as many images of the lingu ; attaching to them eleven bram- hiins and inferior servants, and endowing the temples with estates, to the amount of the wages of the attendants. Before many temples is seen a roof, supported by pillars >■ under which portions of the shastrtis are recited or sung, and at other times animals for sacrifice slaughtered. In general, however, the singing and dancing at the festivals take place under an awning in the open air, near some temple, or near the person's house who bears the expense. The long periods of dry weather in this climate render this practicable ; nor would the heat allow of such large assemblies meeting in houses, even if buildings suffici- ently large could be constructed. This accounts for the Hindoo temples being so small in the inside : many of them, especially those of the lingu, are only large enoxigh to contain the image, the offerings, the utensils of worship, and the officiating priests. Much of the wealth of the Hindoo kings was formerly expend- ed in building temples, and supporting splendid festivals. At present, those who erect these temples in Bengal are principally the head -servants of Europeans, who appropriate part of their gains to these acts of supposed merit. ' ' These belong to Gii'Seshfi-cMndrn, the raja Nfi vit-dweepfi. f This first place is in MoorshiSdabadfi, and belongs to raja Vishoonat'hii, as does that at Natoril. e This belongs to raja Bhoovunfi-fhakoorn. •• This place is the property of Eam-sunltfiru-rayu, a voidyS. i The Capitol, or temple of Jupiter Capitolinua, was raised in consequence of a. vow made by Tarqiiinius Prisous in the Sabine war. ]80 DEDICATION OF TEMPLES. The expense of erecting one of these temples, if a single room, amounts to about two hundred rupees ; and the wages and daily offerings to one image are about three rupees per month. Some give the bramhun who officiates twelve annas, and others a rupee monthly, with his food and clothes. Sometimes the offerings are given to him, but in other cases they are presented to the bram- htins of the village alternately, and the priest has money given him in their stead. These offerings frequently consist of a pound of rice, a pint of milk, half an ounce of sugar, and two plantains. The quantity, however, is not prescribed ; and other things are added by the wealthy. Sect. II. — Dedication of Temples. When a Hindoo has erected a temple, he appoints a day to dedicate it to some god. The following account of the dedication of one hundred and eight temples to Shivii, some years ago, at Talitu, in the district of Burdwan, by the mother of T^jtish-chun- dru, the raja of Burdwan, will give an idea of the manner in which this ceremony is performed. The foundation of these temples being about to be laid, a place was dug in the earth about a cubit square, into which water was porired, and a brick placed in the hole ; after which the worship of the household god, (Vishnoo,) of Vtiroonu, and the lingu, was per- formed. At the close of the worship, a flower was thrown into the water, the floating of which to the right was considered as a good omen, and decided the point that the temple should be raised on that spot. The following prayer was then addressed to this brick : ' As long as the earth and mountains remain, so long do thou remain immoveable.' After the temples were nearly finished, many bramhuns and the relations of the queen were invited, and on an auspicious day the ceremony of consecration was performed. An altar was raised before each temple, and four priests chosen for each altar ; who, purifying them, performed the worship of the five gods,"* the nine planets, the ten guardian deities of the earth, and of Shivu, Vishnoo, and Doorga. To this succeeded the burnt-sacrifice. One hundred and eight officiating, priests then celebrated the worship of Shivu, while sitting at the doors of the temples. A person, in the name of the queen, next made a present to the builder, and hinted to him that she now wished to conse- crate these temples to Shivu. The trident of Shivu was next worshipped, and fixed on the steeple. The princess then, sitting in an enclosure below the steps of one of the temples, in the presence of one of the priests and her attendants, devoted these temples to Shivu, saying, ' Shivti ! I present to thee these one hundred and eight temples, made of brick : may I be rewarded ^ Brnmha, Vishnoo, ShivS, Gnnfehn, and Sooryfi. ENDOWMENT OF TEMPLES. 181 with an everlasting residence in heaven.' In making this offering, a number of minute ceremonies took place. The princess next sent one of her relatives to perform the worship of Indru near a bamboo, bearing a trident, with a flag fastened thereto. The same person^ after professing to animate one hundred and eight wooden image's of the bull, worshipped them, and placed them in the temples thus dedicated. A representative of the princess next walked round the temples three times : — (the princess herself began to perform the ceremonies of circuraambulation, but being very corpulent, she resigned it to one of the priests.) — One hundred and eight priests, bringing garlands' and the other articles used in worship, now performed the worship of the lingii in the temples. At the close of these ceremonies, the princess presented a rupee to each of the four hundred and thirty -two officiating bramhuns, and one hundred and eight rupees to her own jjrivate priest, who also obtained the offerings. She also presented twelve kinds of offerings to Shiva, among which were vessels of gold, silver, and other metals, cloths, &c. An entertainment to the bramhtins succeeded, and at length the guests were dismissed with presents from among the offerings, or in money, from ten to fifty rupees each bramhtin. One hundred thousand rupees, it is said, were expended upon these buildings." The ceremonies are nearly similar to the above when idols are dedicated and set up in temples ; when pools or trees are consecrated to the public use ; when cars are presented to some god ; and when a person is finishing the ceremonies of a vrutu or vow. Sect. III. — Endowment of teTnples. The worship in some temples is conducted, and the offerings supplied by the family which has erected the temple ; but in others by a hired bramhun, who receives monthly wages : the offerings are in general distributed among the bramhuns of the village. To a temple particularly celebrated, rich men make grants of houses, sometimes of whole villages ; and of lands, orchards, pools, fee to a large amount ; and the produce of these grants is applied to the uses of the temple. The temple of Radha-btillubhu at Biillubhii-poorn, about twelve 1 At the time of worship the priest always puts upon the image a garland of flowers. This seems to have been practised among other idolaters : for when the priest of Jupiter came to worehip Paul and Barnabas, (Acts xiy. 13.) he brought oxen and garlands. No doubt the latter were intended to be put upon the heads or necks of the apostle and his companion, the persons about to be worshipped. " T^jfish-chilndra has since built one hundred and eight temples at Umbika and dedicated them to ShiTu. 182 MATERIALS OF WHICH IMAGES ARE MADE. miles north of Calcutta, has been endowed with lands, houses, &c. to the annual amount of 3,000 rupees, by Eaja Muvu-Krishnfi ; which is divided among sixteen families of bramhuns. The temple of Jiigunnat'hti at Mtih^shii, about the same dis- tance from Calcutta, has been endowed with lands, &c. to the annual amount of 1,400 rupees, by Eaja Anfindix-Chiindrii-Rayu. The temple of Gopee-nat'hu at Ugi'u-dweepti has been endow- ed with lands, &c. to the annual amount of 6 or 7,000 rupees, by Eaja Krishnn-Chundru-Rayu. The temple of Jugunnat'hu in Orissa has been endowed by several rich Hindoos : Raja Eam-Krishnn-d^vfi gave two villages, the rents of which bring in about 4,000 rupees annually : Nimoo- mtillikti of Calcutta gave daily one rupee, or 365 annually ; and his children continue the donation. Other rich men make similar annual presents. It is supposed that not less than 100,000 rupees a year are drawn from the Hindoos by the bramhtins of this temple. CHAP. II. OF THE IMAGES. The images of the Hindoo gods are made either of gold, silver, quicksilver mixed with the powder of tin, brass, copper, iron, mixed metal," crystal, stone, wood, or clay." The common workmen in gold, silver, brass, &c. make these images. The images made of gold are generally those of Doorga, Liiksh- mee,. Eadha, Krishnu, and Suruswntee ; which are kept in private houses, and worshipped daily. These images must not not be less in weight than one tola ;'' they are generally three or four. < The image of Sheetiila is often made of silver, kept in the house, and worshipped daily. It is as heavy as ten or twelve rupees. " Containing, as the Hindoos say, eight ingredients, viz., gold, silver, tin, copper, iron, zinc, lead, and brass. " The shastriis allow images to be made of no other substances than these. The image of Shtlnee alone is made of iron. p Three tolas are rather more than one ounce. At Kidderpoorn, adjoining to Calcutta, is a golden image of Pfititu-pavtlnee, two cubits high. Near Serampore, is a golden image of Jngudhatree, about a cubit and a half high. MATERIALS OF WHICH IMAGES AKE MADE. 183 ' I'he images of Shivti only are made of quicksilver and crystal. They are very small, and are kept in the houses of the rich, and used for daily worship. Small brazen images of many of the gods are kept in private houses, and worshipped daily. These are very small, weighing only an ounce or two. Very small copper images of Sooryti, and of Shivii riding on a bull, are preserved in private houses, and worshipped daily. The images of mixed metal are those of Radha, Doorga, Ltikshmee, Shivti, &c. The images of any of the gods may be made with this mixed metal ; and may be worshipped either in private houses or in temples. The images of all the gods and goddesses may, be made of stone : the greater number are placed in temples ; a few small ones are found in private houses. All images of stone are worship- ped daily : the greater number are of the Hngu, or the various forms of Vishnoo. A few exist of the lingti nine or twelve cubits high.'! The mendicant followers of Yishnoo carry small images of Kiishnu with them in their peregrinations, which are from one to two cubits high. All the stone images in Bengal are of black marble ; but there are some at Benares which are white. The sculpture on these stones is in much the same state of perfection as that to be seen in the oldest churches in England, These stones are brought into Bengal from the upper provinces, and cut by men who are to be found in aU the great towns, and to whom it is an employment. Some stone images are miraculously found under ground.' See p. 12.5. The nimbu' tree supplies the images of Vishnoo in his different forms ; also of Doorga, Radha, Lukshmeej Shivti, Gtiroorti, Choi- tunyti, &c. None of the wooden images are kept in private houses, but in separate temples. They are generally from one to three cubits in height. All the images which, after worship, are thrown into the water, are of clay baked in the sun, about four cubits high : the images of the lingti, made daily and worshipped, are immediately thrown away. In some places, clay images of Kartiku, twenty-one cubits high, are set up, and after the festivalj;ommitted to the river. The images of Doorga, Siddhdshwfiree, IJnnti-poorna, Krishnu, Ptinchantinti, Shtist'hee, Mtintisa, Dukshinti-rayti, &c. are however constantly preserved in temples. The Hindoo potters are the prin- 1 An image of the lingfi is set up at Benarea, -which six men can hardly grasp. ' An image of Cybele is said to have fallen from heaven into a certain field in Phrygia, ' Melia azadarachta. 184 CEREMONIES OF CONSECRATION. cipal god-makers, though many other castes, and even Mtisulmans, follow this employment. The maker first take,s a board, and raises upon it a little frame-work, to which he fastens bamboos covered with straw, for the back-bone, the arms, legs, &c. Round these he lays clay mixed mth cow-dung, chaff, and straw, which he suffers to dry. Having made the head of clay, he lays it to dry, and afterwards joins it to the trunk very carefully. He again clothes the body, arms, and legs, with more cow-dung and clay, and covers the whole with a cloth, that it may not crack. When ready, he carries it to the person's house who may have ordered it, and, ac- cording to the size, obtains two, four, seven, or eight rupees for it. Sometimes the maker paints it at his own house, which costs two, three, four, or five rupees more. The evening before the consecration, the person at whose temple this image is to be set up, brings twenty-two different articles, among which are fruits, flowers, gold, silver, rice, a stone, turmeric, sugar, cow-dung, clarified butter, a shell, peas, red powder, &c. With all these things the officiating bramhnn touches the forehead and other parts of the image, repeating in- cantations. This is called udhivasu, or inviting the goddess to come and dwell in the image. The next day, eyes and a soul (pranti) are given. No one reverences the image till this work is done. When an image of Doorga is to be consecrated, in addition to the above ceremonies, a plantain tree is brought, and bathed either in the house, or in the river. At this time the service occupies about an hour : after which the tree is clothed like a woman, with two vilwu fruits for breasts ; and nine sorts of leaves, smeared with red paint, are hung round the neck. The trees, from which these leaves are taken, are said to have assisted in different wars the deities wjiose images accompany that of Doorga. The Hindoo shastriis make no hesitation in giving tongues to stones, or making trees into soldiers. It may be allowed in a romance ; yet the modern Hindoos are silly enough to believe most gravely that all this is the very truth. They say, ' Why not ? God can do every thing.' If a woman, a dog, or a sho5dru touch an image, its godship is destroyed, and the ceremonies of deification must be again per- formed. A clay image, if thus defiled must be thrown away. There are degrees of impurity imparted by the touch of different animals. Breaking the hand or foot of an image is an evil omen. If an image be unequal in any of its parts, or if the eyes be made to look upwards or downwards, and not straight forwards, some- thing evil will befall the owner. If it be set up with ease, the spectators declare, that god himself is pleased. Godship of Images tried. — By performing a ceremony called ORDERS OF PRlESTS WITH THEIR EMPLOYMENTS. 18-5 ahora, it is imagined, a pei-son may obtain the power of ascertaining whether the deity dwell in an image or not. In this ceremony, which must be repeated during fifteen days and nights, the devotee bathes an image of the goddess Vipureetfi-prutyungira with milk, curds, clarified butter, cow's dung, and cow's urine ;. worships it, having on red garments ; and repeats the initiating incantation of this goddess ten thousand times. In the night, he walks round tlie image, in a triangular manner, one hundred and eight time;?, prostrating himself after every circumambulation. On the last day, the ceremonies are continued to a greater extent, and the burnt-sacrifice is added. When such a person bows to an image, if the deity dwell not in it, it will break to pieces A person of Krishnu-niiguru is mentioned as having obtained this power; he bowed to an image «f Mudtinii-Mohunu, at Vishnoo-pooi'u ; when the image became bent in the neck, and continues so to this day. At Rdboona, a village near Balasore, several stone images are said to have been broken by a man named Kalaparhtt, who bowed to them. CHAP. III. OF THE PRIESTS. The Poorohit'U. — Every bramhtin may perform the ceremonies of his religion. The priest, called a poorohitti, is, however, called in to assist in the shraddhii, the ten ceremonies called stingskaru, in these at the offering of a temple, at the different vrutiis, at the festivals, and at a burnt-sacrifice ; and he is sometimes called to fast, and bathe, in the name of another. A man of property in some cases, unwilling to fast himself, gives his poorohitu a rupee to do it for him ; and, in. the cold weather, he gives him a fee, to bathe for a month, and perform the ceremonies connected with bathing, instead of himself. Some rich men retain a family priest, who receives the fees and separate presents of cloth, sweetmeats, rice, fruits, &c. as his reward. Any bramhun, who is acquainted with the diflferent formulas of worship, may become an officiating priest. In some cases, one person is priest to a thousand families ; but he employs assistants, and gives them a stipulated share of the perquisites. If the priest do not arrive in time, or if he blunder in performing the ceremonies, the person employing him reproves him. When several faniilies have the same priest, and wish to perform certain ceremonies on the same day, the priest is sure to offend, and never fails to be told of his partiality to one family, and neglect of the otlier. These priests are generally veiy avaricious, and take care 24. 186 ORDERS OF PRIESTS WITH THEIR EMPLOYMENTS. to have their full share of the presents at' the close of a ceremony. The amount of the fees depends upon the ability and generosity of the person who employs the priest ; who is not unfrequently very much dissatisfied with what he receives, and complains to others, that ' the duties at such a man's house are very heavy, but that he gives only a very trifling fee, and no more of the offerings than a crow might eat.' This man subsists upon the fees aud offerings, engaging in no other emplojrment. The higher orders despise a bramhtin who becomes priest to shoodrfis, and refuse to eat with him. Such a person can only be priest to one caste, and is called the joiners' bramhtin, or the blacksmiths' bramhitn, &c. The yogees, (mostly weavers,) the chandalfis, and the basket- makers, have priests of their own castes, and not from among the bramhiihs. The shastrus point out the proper qualifications of a poorohitii, which are similar to those of a spiritual guide, mentioned in a following article. Some enjoy this office by hereditary succession. When a person, immediately after the performance of a religious ceremony in his family, meets with success in his connections or business, he not unfrequently attributes his prosperity to his priest, and rewards him by liberal presents. On the other hand, if a person sustain a loss after employing a new priest, he lays it at the door of the priest. If at a bloody sacrifice the slayer happen to fail in cutting off" the head at one blow, the priest is blamed for having made some blunder in the ceremonies, and thus produc- ing this fatal disaster. The Acharyii. — The person who taught the vedns used to be called acharyti ; and at present the bramhun, who reads a portion of them at the time of investiture with the poita, is called by this name ; as well as the person who reads the formularies at a sacrifice. This latter person is generally the pootohitti, but he then assumes the name of acharyu. A considerable number of bramhtins are qualified to discharge the duties of an acharyu ; and any one thus qualified may perform them, without any previous consecration or appointment. Twenty or thirty rupees is the amount of the fee of the acharyti at festivals. The SUdtishyu. — The Sudashyfi regulates the ceremonies of worship, but is not employed on all occasions : he is however gene- rally engaged at the festivals ; at the first shradhii after a person's death ; at the dedication of images, temples, flights of steps, ponds, &c. At the reading of the pooraiius also he attends, and points out where the reading or the copy is defective. He receives a fee of ten or fifteen rupees, and sometimes as much as one hundred and fifty. On extraordinary occasions, five or ten sudtishyfis are employed, WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLES OF SHIVU. 187 The BriH/mha sits near the fire at the time of a burnt-offering and supplies it with wood. The fee to this person is five rupees in cases where the Sfidiishyxi receives fifteen ; to which is added a gift of ricCj &c. The Hota throws the clarified butter on the fi.re in the burnt- offering, repeating the proper formulas. He receives the same fee as the acharyfi. ^The four last-mentioned persons divide the offerings presented to Ugnee, and are worshipped at the commencement of a sacrifice ; when rings, poitas, clothes, seats of cloth, or wood, pillows,' awn- ings, brass and copper vessels, &c. are presented to them. The Hindoo priests wear their usual dregs during the perform- ance of any ceremony. Other priests. — A number of persons are employed as assistants to the priests : as, the Vuroo, who gathers flowers to present to the image, sweeps the temple, &c. The pgrson who buys and collects the things for the offerings is called Udhikaree ; he who performs the ceremonies of worship is called Poqjukn ; he who cooks for the image, Pachtlkti ; he who recites the poorantL in an assembly is called Pat'hukti ; he who holds the book and corrects the reading and the copy, Dharfikfi ; he who hears the words, as the represen- tative of the person who is to enjoy the merit arising from the hearing of these stories, is caviled Shrota ; and he who repeats in the evening the meaning of what has been read in the day, Ktlt'hi(ku. CHAP IV. OF THE WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLES. The daily ceremonies in the temples erected in honour of Shivii are as follows : — In the morning the officiating bramhtln, after bathing, enters the temple* and bows to Shivfi. He /then anoints the image with clarified butter or boiled oil ;' after which he bathes the image with water which has not been defiled by the touch of a sh5odrti, nor of a bramhun who has not performed his ablutions, by pouring water on it, and afterwards wipes it with a napkin. He next grinds some white powder in water, and, dipping > The ri&h Hindoos sit wath a large pillow placed at t^eir backs. b Palling off his shoes at the bottom of the steps, <= The Gr,eekB used t() smear the statues of their godi with ointments, and adorn them with garlands. 188 WORSHIP IN THE TEMPI^ES OF VISHNOO. the ends of his three fore-fingers in it, draws them across the lingu, marking it as the worshippers of Shivti mark their forelieads. He next sits down before the image, and, shutting his eyes, meditates on the work he is commencing ; then places rice and doorva grass on the lingu ; next a flower on his own head, and then on the top of the lingu ; then another flower on the lingu ; then others, one by one, repeating incantations ; he then places white powdei-, flowers, vilwu leaves, incense, meat offerings, and a lamp before the image ; also some rice and a plantain : he next repeats the name of Shivii, with some foniis of praise ; and at last prostrates him- self before the image. These ceremonies, in the hands of a secular person, are concluded in a few minutes ; a person who has sufficient leisure spends an hour in them. In the evening the ofliciating bi'amhun goes again to the temple, and after washing his feet, &c. prostrates himself before the door ; then opening the door,'' he places in the temple a lamp, and, as an evening oblation, presents to the image a little milk, some sweetmeats, fruits, fee. when, fall- ing at the feet of the image, he locks the door, and comes away. At the temple of Shivu, on the 14th of the increase of the moon in Phalgoonu, in the night, a festival in honour of Shivu is kept : the image is bathed four times, and four separate services are performed during the night. Before the temple, tho worship- pers dance, sing, and revel all night, amidst the horrid din of their music. The occasion of this festival is thus related in the Blitivish- wu-pooran^ : — ^A bird-catcher, detained in a forest in a dark night, climbed a vilwu tree under which was an image of the lingii. By shaking the boughs of the tree, the leaves and drops of dew fell upon the image ; with which Shivii was so much pleased, that he declared, the worship of the lingii on that night should be received as an act of unbounded merit. The wprship at the temples in honour of the different forms of Vishnoo, is nearly the same as that at the temples of the lingu. Very early in the morning the officiating bram- hiln, after putting on clean apparel, and touching the purify- ing water of the Ganges, comes to the temple to awake the god. He first blows a shell and rings a bell ; then presents water and a towel, .n-i always flew open of themselves ; remindiua; us of the European superstition, jLJiat ' the temple of Cybele was opened not by hands, but by prayers.' ti WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLES OF VISHNOO. 189 left to sleep, and the temple is shut up. While he sleeps the bramhuns eat the ofFerings. In tlie evening, curds, butter, sweet- meats, fruits, (fee. are presented, and at this hour people come to the temple to look at the god and make their obeisance. After the setting of the sun, a lamp is brought into the temple, and a small quantity of milk, sweetmeats, &c. are offered. The priests wave a lamp of five lights before the image, ring a small bell, present water to wash the mouth, face, and feet, and a towel*. After the offerings have continued before the god about ten minutes, they are withdrawn, as well as the lamp, and the god is shut up in the dark all night. * When I enquii-ed into the meaning of these ceremonies, I was infonned, that they were in imitation of the service paid to Krishnft when he used to return from tending the cattle : — water to wash himself, a towel, lights to examine where the thorns had entered his feet or any other parts of the body, a bell to testify their joy that he has arrived in safety, and some food to refresh him after the fatigues of the day iu following the herds. 190 LUNAR DAYS — WEEKLY CEREMONIES. BOOK III. OF THE STATED PERIODS OF WORSHIP, AND VARIOUS DUTIES AND CEREMONIES. CHAP. I. OF THE TIMES OF WORSHIP. Sect. I. — Lunar Days. The eighth, eleventh, fourteenth, and fifteenth lunar days, both of the increase and decrease of the moon in each month, are consi- dered as fortunate days. At the full moon in Asharhu, Kartik'fi, Maghii, andVoishakhu, religious ceremonies are peculiarly meritori- ous, especially gifts to learned bramhUns ; but on the third lunar day in VoishakhQ, their merit is imperishable. Bathing in the Ganges on the tenth lunar day in Jyoisht'hu, is extremely meritorious. The second lunar day in Asharhu, and the eleventh in Shravunii, are auspicious times for religious ceremonies. The performance of the shraddhfi during the decrease of the moon in Bhadrn is a work of great merit. On the seventh, eighth, and ninth lunar days of Ashwinii, eleventh in Kartiku, the fifth lunar day in Maghu, the thirteenth in Phalgoonti, and the seventh In Choitrti, and at the full moon in Poushfi, very great benefits flow from religious acts. On all these days the Hindoos are particularly occupied in the different ceremonies of their religion. Sect. II. — Weekly Ceremonies. Some Hindoos fast every Sunday, and perfonn the worship of their guardian deity Sooryn. Others, to fulfil a vow, fast on a Monday," performing the worship of Shivn. Others, who suppose themselves to be under the baneful influence of the planet Saturn, fast on a Saturday, and endeavour to propitiate this god by acts of devotion. » It is rather singular, that both in the European and Hindoo Mythology, the two first days of the week should be called after the same gods : Rfivee-varS, Sunday, from Kfivee, the sun ; and Somti-varfi, Monday, from Somil, the moon. MONTHLY CEREMONIES— ANNUAL FESTIVALS. 191 Sect, III. — Monthly Ceremonies, The Shyama festival is held monthly by certain Hindoos. The shraddhu should be repeated monthly. Some persons, not able to attend to the weekly ceremonies connected with their vows, perform them monthly. Sect. IV. — Anmml Festivals. The festivals of Doorga, ^Shyama, Jtiguddhatree, Kartikti, Muhish-murdinee, Rtituntee, Unnu-poorna, Phuluharee, Shivti, Krishnti, Gtindshft, &c. are held annually. Ttvo festivals of Shivu and nine of Krishnu are annual. The following account of the Hindoo festivals in each month of the year is taken from the Tit'hee-tuttwti : — VoishakhU. — On the third lunar day, (the anniversary of Gtinga's descent,) the worship of Gfinga, of the mountains Koilasu and Himaluyu, of Bhilgeerut'hu, and of Shivu. On the twelfth lunar day the bathing and worship of Vishnoo. Jyoisht'h'&.^On the tenth lunar day, (the anniversary of the birth of Gunga,) the worship of Muniisa, and of the nagtis, (serpents.) At the full moon, the bathing of Jugunnat'hu ; and on the four- teenth of the wane of the moon, the worship of the goddess Savitree. Asharhii. — On the second lunar day, the drawing of Jtignn- nat'hti's car, with the worship of this god, and of Bultiramu and Soobhtidra. On the tenth, the return of the car, and the worship of these three gods. The next day is the anniversary of Vislmoo's lying down to sleep. ShravUnii. — At the full moon, the dolii festival. On the eighth of the wane, (the anniversary of the birth of Krishnti,) the worship of this god, of his father, Jtishoda, Rohinee, Chundika, Buluramti, Dukshu, Gurgu, Bramha, Ltikshmee, and Shust'hee. Bhadrii, — On the seventh lunar day, the worship of Shivii and Doorga ; and on the seventh, the worship of Munusa, before small sheaves of dSorva grass. On the twelfth, the worship of Indru, before a kind of flag-staff made with a tree called dumunu. On the fourteenth, the worship of Ununtti. The shraddhu is performed every day during the wane of the moon. Ashwin'ii. — From the first to the ninth lunar day, the worship of Doorga. At the full moon, the worship of Lukshmee, and the game of Chtitoorajee ; and on the last day of the moon, the bhyama festival. 192 DAILY CEREMONiES. Kartihijb. — On the first lunar daj', the worship of king Btilee f and on the second that of Yumii, and the feasting of own brothers by their sisters.*" On the eighth, the worship of Giirooril ; and on the ninth, that of Jnguddhatree. At the full moon, the rasu festival, and the worship of Shyama before a picture. At the entrance of the sun into a new sign, or on the last day of Kai-tikti, the worship of Kartikii. Ugrtihay'tin'ti. — On the sixth lunar day, the worship of Kartikii ; and on the seventh, eighth, and ninth, that of Mtthishii- murdinee. On the fourteenth that of Gouree ; and on the seventh of the wane of the moon, the offerings to the dead. PoUsh'U. — On the eighth of the decrease of the moon, tlie offerings to the dead. On the fourteenth, the Shyama festival. Magh . — ^On the fourth, the worship of Gouree ; on the fifth, that of Suruswiitee, and ot the inkstand ; on the sixth, that of Shusht'hee ; on the seventh, that of Sobryu ; and on the eighth ; that ofBheeshmti. On the eighth of the decrease of the moon, the offerings to the dead ; and on the fourteenth, the anniversary of the I'ise of the lingtl. Phalgoonii. — On the eighth, the worship of Mtfngulfi- chiXndika ; and at the full moon, the dolti festival Choitrtt. — On 'the sixth, the worship of Kartiku ; on the eighth, that of Vishnoo with ushokti flowers ; on the ninth, the anniversary of the birth of Ramn. On the seventh, eighth, and ninth, the worship of Doorga ; and on the ninth, that of Unnu- p5orna. On the fourteenth, the woi'ship of Kamti-ddvii. On the thirteenth of the decrease of the moon, the worship of Giinga. On the entrance of the sun into a new sign at the close of this month, the presenting of water, rice, &c. to' bramh&ns. ^ Sect. V. — Daily Ceremonies. The shastrus prescribe daily duties towards the gods, de- ceased ancestors, strangers, and the cow. The worship of Vishnoo, before the shalgramu ; of Shivu, before the lino-u ; of a person's guardian deity, befoi-e the shalgramu or water • and of any image constantly preserved, is performed daily. If the family of a bramhun, where such an image is set up, has become unclean by the death of one of its members, or by any other cause, they do not omit the daily worship, but invite another bramhun to perform the ceremonies. Sometimes a person makes a vow to i> The smritee shastras ordain this custom. The manner of keeping it is as fol- lows ;— The sisters mark the foreheads of the Tjrothers with white powder, and present them with garments, poitas, &c. and provide a great feast. It is said that YiJmu and his sister Yumoona established this custom. DUTIES OF A BRAMHUN FROM THE ANHIKU-TUTT WU. 193 perform for a certain time the daily worship of Vishnoo, Shivu, and his guardian deity. Bathing also, and repeating the names of the gods, with or without a bead-roll, especially the name of a person's guardian deitjr, are acts of daily worship. The daily shraddhu is performed by very few ; but at the time of bathing, in the ceremony called turpunu, the Hindoos pour out water from a copper vessel, or from their hands, for their deceased ancestors. Some religious acts are performed daily for three or four months together : as during the time of Vishnoo's sleeping, (viz., from the twelfth or fifteenth of the moon in Asharhu, to the twelfth ov fifteenth in Kartiku,) a person vows that no razor shall come on his head ; that he will abstain from flesh, fish, salt," peas, oil, curds not made at home, &c. ; that he will not visit at the house of a shoodrti, nor eat there nor any where else more than once a day. 13uring this period he engages particularly" to attend to his daily duties, as bathing, repeating the name of his god, &c. Agreeably to the directions of the Anhikii-tuttwu, the daily duties of a bramhun, walking in strict conformity to the rules of his religion are as follows : — He must divide the day, from five o'clock in the morning till seven at night, into seven equal parts. The duties of the first part are thus described : — first, awaking from sleep, and rising up in his bed, he must repeat the names of different gods and sages, and pray that they wouM make the day prosperous. He must then repeat the name of Urjoonii, and pray to him, that whatever he may lose during the day may be restored to him'' ; and then the names of any nersons celebrated for their religious merit. Next the names of Uhtilya', Droptidee', Seeta*^, Tara^ and Mun- dodiire'. After this, he must meditate with his eyes closed on the form of his spiritual guide, and worship him in his mind, repeating these two incantations : Oh i * * * * i according to thy commands I descend from my bed.' — ' Oh 1****11 know what is right, but I do it not : I know what is wrong, but I forsake it not : But do thou reside within me, and whatever thou commandest I shall do.' Then follows another incantation, and obeisance to Htiree. He now descends from his bed, placing first his right foot on the ground. On going out, if he see a Shrotriyu bramhun, a beloved and excellent wife, fire, a cow, an IJgnihotree bramihrin, or any "= Rock salt may be eaten. 4Itis saidthat when Urjoonu was king, there were no robberies ; or if such a thing did happen, by repeating his name, the loser was sure to find his property again. ' The wife of Goutfimii : she was guilty of adultery with Indru. f The wife of Yoodhisht'hirS and his brothers. e The wife of Ramii. •• The wife of Balee and Soogreovu, two monkies. ■ The wife of Ravanil, 194 DUTIES OF A BEAMHUN FROM THE ANHIKU-TUTTWU. other bramhun, the day will be auspicious. If he see a wicked or naked person, a wretched woman, distilled spirits, or a man with a, great nose, the da.y will be inauspicious. By repeating the names of Kiirkotuku,'' Dumuyiintee,' NTaJu,"" and Eitoopurnii," no quarrel will arise during the day. He must then, after discharging wind, washing his mouth, &c. go at least a hundred and ten yards from his house into the field ; and taking water, choosing a clean place, scattering some grass to the S, W., tying a turban round his head, remaining silent with his face to the north, refraining from spit- ting, and holding his bi'eath, perform the offices of nature. His poita must remain on his right ear till he has washed his hands. It is unlawful to attend to the offices of nature on a road, in the shade, where cattle graze, in the fire, or water, in a ploughed field, ' where dead bodies are burnt, upon a mountain, on the ruins of a temple, on an ant-hill, in a ditch, or by the side of a river." After this, he must go to a more clean spot, and taking some good earth, cleanse the left hand ten times, then both hands seven times, and the back of the left hand six times ; then his nails ; then wash his hands ; each foot three times, and then rince both feet. If he per- ceive any evil smell remaining on his hands or feet, he must wash tliem again. If tbe bramhun have no water-pot, he must wash himself in this manner in a common pool or river, and take care that he come out of the water clean. His water-pot must neither be of mixed metal, copper, nor gold : an earthen pot must be thrown away as soon as used. If the pot be of brass or silver, he must scour it well after he return. If a bramhun attend not to these modes of cleansing, all his other religious actions will be void of merit.P The bramhun must next attend to his morning ablutions. Taking a dry towel, he must go to a pool or river, and placing the cloth on the ground, wet his feet and hands ; then perform achti- mitnii, by taking up water in the palm of his right hand three times, and drinking it as it runs toward his wrist ; then with his right hand touch his lips, nose, eyes, ears, navel, breast, forehead, and shoulders, repeating an incantation ; wash his hands again and perform achiimunu, repeating an incantation ; then sitting to the N. or E. before sunrise, cleanse his teeth with the end of a green stick,'' about six or seven inches long. If he clean his ^ A serpent. ' The wife of king Nulg. ■•' A king. i> Another king. ° So little is this regarded, that almost all the lower orders of Hindoos go to the Ganges. p One of the things, in the conduct of Europeans, which gives most offence to the Hindoos, is the- omitting these modes of cleansing. q On the 1st, Gth, 8tii, 10th, and 14th days of the increase and wane of the moon, and at the full and new moon ; on the last day of the calendar month : on a fast day, and on the day of performing a shraddhii ; it is unlawful for a bramhnu to clean his teeth with a stick. ^ If he should do this on these days, he will sink into a dreadful hell. Jf the Bible had laid down rules mid penalties like these, what occasion for ridicule to unbeiicvers ! DU-TIKS OF A BRAMhCx KROM THE ANHIKU-TCtTWU. 195 teeth after sunrise, in the next birth he will be born an in- sect feeding on ordure. He must now wash from his face the mark on his forehead made the day before ; then scrape and wash his tongue, taking care that the blood does not flow. If in cleansing his teeth he should make them bleed, he becomes unclean, and is disqualified for performing any religious ceremony on that day. If, however, he make his teeth bleed by the side of the Ganges, he does not become unclean. He must next gather liowers for worship on the banks of a pool or river. If any one forbid him, he miist willingly desist ; if any are given him by a bramhun, he must receive them ; .but, not if a shoodrix offer them: if a person have them to sell, he must give him what he asks. If in carrying these flowers to the side of the water, a person of mean cast touch them, or he touch any unclean thing, he must throw them away. If a person of any cast make a bow to him while the flowers are in his hand, he mus also throw them away.'' Returning to the river, and sitting in silence, he must rub himself all over with mud; then descending into the river as high as his breast, with his face towards the east or north, he must repeat certain incan- tations, by which (in his imagination) all other sacred rivers will flow into that in which he stands, as well as other holy places; he must afterwards repeat many incantations, and perform moodra, viz., certain motions by twisting his fingers into several curious shapes ; then, dividing his hair behind, and bringing it into his hands before, with his thumbs he must stop his ears ; with the three first fingers of each hand cover his eyes, and with his two little fingers his nos- trils, and then immerse himself three or four times ; then with his hands joined throw up water to his head ; then repeat other incan- tations ; then, taking up water with his joined hands, he must offer it three times to the sun ; then washing his body, and repeating certain prayers, that he may ascend to some heaven, or receive some temporal good, he must again immerse himself in the water. After this he must ascend to the side of the river, and wipe his body with a towel ; then repeat certain forms of praise to Gunga, Sooryti, Vish- noo, and other gods ; then put dry and newly- washed cloth round his loins ; and sitting down cleanse his poita by rinsing it in the water ; then taking up some earth in his hand, and diluting it with water, put the middle finger of his right hand in this earth, and make a line betwixt his eyes up to the top of his forehead ; then draw his three first fingers across his forehead ; make a round dot with his little finger in the centre at the top of his head, another on ■• The moaning of this is, that the sin of the person who made the bow being transferred to the bramhan, the sin, instead of entering the fire said to lodge in a bramhnn's hand, by which it would be consumed, enters the flowers, and they thereby become unclean. If a bramhun, with flowers in his hand, meet a shoodril v.h'j is ignorant o£ the rules of the shastrtt, he forbids him to bow to liim ; but iu genera), the lower orders luiow this custom. '196 DUTIES OF A BHAMHUN FROM THE ANHIKU-TJTT WU. the upper part of his nose, and another on his throat ; then with his three first fingers make marks across his breast and arms ; then make dots on his sides, and another on the lower part of his back. After this he must take up water in liis right hand tliree times, and drink it. To this succeeds the morning stindhya, in which the person mvist offer many praj'^ers ; pour out water to different gods ; repeat certain forms of praise in honour of the sun, which he must worship ; and repeat the gayutree : then take up water with his kosha,' and pour it out to his deceased ancestors ; after which he must return liome, and read some part of the v^dti.' After this, if the bramhiin be a house-keeper, he must seek the provisions for his family for the day. If he be diligent in discharg- ing social duties, he will obtain heaven ; but if not, he will sink into hell. About eleven o'clock, taking the flowers, his kosha and kooshee, some seeds of sesamum, leaves of the vilwtt tree, blades of the kooshu grass, and a towel, he must proceed to the river. Placing these things by the side of the river, he must prepare a place for worship ; take some proper earth, and cleanse it, so that neither insects, hair, nor any thing impure remain ; and then make the earth into a ball, lay it down, and Avash his own body, rubbing him- self with his towel. Then he must descend into the water up to the middle, and perforin his ablutions as in the morning. After bathing, he must ascend to the side, wipe himself, put on a dry piece of cloth, (not a black one ;) sit with his face to the east or north ; tie a lock of hair into a knot, and having repeated a prayer, the whole of his hair in a knot ; mark his forehead as in the morning ; then perform the ceremony called achumunti ; and then the sundhya. After this he must make an image of the lingQ. with the pure earth which he has prepared ; and laying it aside, descend into the water, or sit by it, and pour out water (containing a few seeds of the sesamum) from his kosha to three or four of the gods, repeating in- cantations : then to certain sages, and deceased ancestors, viz., to three generations on the father's and three on the mother's side, (males.) If a bramhun do not present drink-offerings to deceased relations, all his works of merit lose their virtue. The nWt thing is the act of worship, (poqja ;) in which the bramhtin must sit with his face to the north, and placing the lingu towards the same point, bathe it by sprinkling it with water ; then, closing his eyes, sit for some time in the act of meditation, (dhyanu ;) after which, placing some flowers on his own head, he "■ A small copper cup. Another still smaller is called kooshee. <■ If at this time he copy a part of any of the shastriSs, and present it to some liramhttu, lie will receive everlasting happiness. DUTIES OF A BRAMHUN FEOM THE ANHIKU-TUTTWU. 197 must perform the worship of Shivii ; then meditate on the image, and placing flowers on the Ungti, repeat other incantations, to com- municate a soul (pranu) to the lingu ; then another prayer to bring Shivti himself into his presence ; and then perform a ceremony- called yonee-moodra, which consists of five curious motions with the hands ; then he must offer to the lingu a morsel of silver or gold ; or, if he be poor, water, reading prayer. He must after this offer water for the god's feet ; also a little dry rice, and a few blades of doorva-grass, with a prayer ; then a number of raw vegetables. He must next repeat the name of Shivti a certain number of times ; offer water, and repeat an incantation, (offering water or flowers,) and worship Shivii in his eight forms," repeating eight incantations ; then follow forms of praise in honour of Shivti, during which he must prostrate himself before the lingti ; and afterwards make a drumming noise with his thumb or fingers on the right cheek, and beat against his sides with his arms. If he has been worshipping by the side of the Ganges, he must throw the hngu into the river ; or if by the side of a pool or any other river, he must throw away the Kngu on the land. To this should suc- ceed the worship of Vishnoo before the shalgramti, or before water. Next that of SoorjrS, Ugnee, Doorga, Brumha, the gayiitree, the spiritual guide, the nine planets, the ten guardian deities of the earth, and lastly 'of the person's guardian deity. The offerings in this last act of worship are the same as in the worship of the lingu, but the prayers are more numerous. When aU these ceremonies have been performed by the side of a pool, or a river, the worshipper, having presented the burnt- offering, must return to his house, perfoi-m the daily shraddhti, and offer to the gods plantains, dry rice, peas, sweetmeats, cocoanuts, &c. The day's work must be closed by entertaining several poor bramhuns, or other guests who may be in his house. If no guests should arrive, about three o'clock in the afternoon he must sit down to dinner ; which may consist of boiled rice, fried fruits, split peas, greens, sour curds, or milk, but neither fish nor flesh. First, he must offer the whole food to his guardian deity, sprinkling water on the rice, and repeating incantations ; and then put morsels of the different articles of his food in five places on a clean spot ; which, after sprinkling with water, he must offer to the five winds, Nagu, Koormu, Kreekutti, Ddvu-duttti, and Dhunijn-jtiyu. After this, drink a little water, repeating an incantation ; and then put a little rice into his mouth with his right hand at five different times, and repeat incantations, containing the names of five airs which the Hindoos say are lodged in the body ; he may then, remaining in silence, finish his repast ; afterwards drink a little water, wash his hands and mouth, and cleanse his teeth. After " These eight forms of Shivu are representatives of the earth, water, fire, air, space, sacrifice, the sun, and the moon. 198 PllCATICE AMO\G BKAMHUNS SHUODRUS, kC washing his feet, he must sit upon a mat of kooshti-grass, and chew betle-nut, mixed with some or all of the following articles ; lime, treacle, catechu, cardamums, cloves, nutmeg, mace, camphor, coriander seed, &c. Before he begins to chew the betle, he must offer it with prayers to his guardian deity. If he do not chew betle, he must eat fruit of the terminalia citrina, and repeat the name of Vishnoo once. To this must succeed the evening sundhya, either in his own house or by the side of the river. The ceremonies are the same as those already described. After this, repeating the name of his guardian deity during two hours, he may take a little refreshment, as sweetmeats, milk, plantains, curds, or something of the same nature ; and about ten retire to rest. At present, those bramhuns who live v/ithout secular employ- ment spend about four hours daily in worship ; an hour in the morning, two at noon, and one in the evening. Such a person's first act in the morning, as he rises, is to repeat the name of his guardian deity ; after which he goes into a field with a pan of water, and returning, bathes ; then taking the water of the Ganges, he sits down in his house, or by the river, and pours out drink-offerings to his deceased ancestors ; repeat certain forms from the v^du, the meaning of which he himself does not understand ; wor- ships Shivu with the usual forms of praise, as, ' Oh ! Shivu ! thou art every thing ; thou unitest all the gods in thyself ; thou canst do all things,' &c. during which he offers with proper forms water, flowers, &c. to the god ; and then repeats for some time the name of his guardian deity. At noon, after bathing, he repeats certain forms from the v^diS ; and worships Shivu, his guardian deity, and other gods, with the usual forms and offerings ; pours out drink-offerings to deceased ancestors, and repeats the name of his guardian deity. At this time, the worshipper prays for any thing he may be anxious to obtain, as the health of his child, a lucrative situation, &c., but this is done only when sickness, poverty, or any other necessity, forces a person to express his complaints to his god. The Avorship in the evening is similar to that in the morninsr. -"o Bramhuns in employment unite the first and second services together in the morning, and finish the whole in half an hour ; con- fining themselves to the repetition of the name of their guardian deity, the forms from the vddia, including the gayiitree, and pouring out a drink-offering to deceased ancestors. Most of these persons omit the evening service altogether. Though these ceremonies are in general performed in the house, the family do not unite in them : during their performance, the family business is transacted, and the children play as usual ; the v/orshipper himself not unfrequently mixes in conversation, or gives directions respecting matters of business. The children sometimes RESPECTING DAILY RELIGIOUS DUTIES.— FORM OF INITIATION 199 sit as spectators, so that by the time they grow up, they learn the different forms of daily worship. The women, though not allowed to touch a consecrated image, (beasts, women, and sh55drias are forbidden,) worship the gods daily in their own houses, or by the river side, (repeating certain forms from the Tuntru shastrils,) before an earthen image of the lingu, or the water of the Ganges : if they should worship before a consecrat- ed image, they must keep at a respectable distance from the idol. Some merely repeat a few forms while standing in the water, bow, to the god without an image, and thus finish the religion of the day ; others spend half an hour in these ceremonies, and females who have leisure, an hour or more. The shoodrfis in general repeat the name of their guardian deity while bathing, and this comprises the whole of their daily religion : yet rich men of the lov/er castes spend an hour in religious ceremonies, in the house or by the side of the river. As there is nothing of pure morality in the Hindoo writings, so in the ceremonies of this people, nothing like the rational and pure devotion of a Christian worshipper is to be found. In perform- ing their daily duties, as might be expected from a ritual possessing little meaning and no interest, the Hindoos are sometimes precise, and at other times careless ; muttering forms of praise or prayer to the gods, while their attention is drawn to every surrounding object. To expect that services like these would mend the heart, is out of the question. CHAP. II. APPOINTED RITES AND CEREMONIES. Sect. I. — Form of Initiation into the Hindoo Religion. Every Hindoo receives an initiating incantation from some bramhtin," who then becomes his spiritual guide, (gooroo :) the principal thing in this incantation is the name of some god, who becomes his (ishtii) chosen deity, and by repeating whose name he is to obtain present and future happiness. When the ceremony of initiation is to be performed, an aus- picious day is chosen, which is preceded by a fast. On the morning of the day appointed, the disciple bathes ; after which, entreating the priest to sit down, he presents him with some cloth, kourees, betle-nut and a poita : after which he performs the ceremony called ■a There are some rare examples among the poor, of persons who never receive the initiatory incantation. 200 INTO THE HINDOO RELIGION. sunkulpii, in doing which he first takes in his joined hands a small copper dish, with some water in it ; lays a plantain, some flowers, sesamum, kooshG-g'rass, rice, &c. upon it ; and then says, ' For the removal of all my sins, and to obtain happiness after death, I take the incantation from my gooroo.' The gooroo then performs, at some length, the worship of the god whose name is to be given ; to which succeeds the burnt-offering. He next thrice repeats, in the right ear of the disciple, the incantation : after which the disciple presents a fee of from one to twenty rupees, and wor- ships the feet of the gooroo, presenting sweetmeats, cloths, flowers, fruits, and other offerings commonly presented to the gods. He next repeats certain forms, and in his meditation brings into his mind that his spiritual guide is in fact his guardian deity, from whom he is to receive salvation. Another fee is then given ; after which the disciple drinks the water in which the gooroo's feet have been washed, and prostrates himself at his feet; when the spiritual guide, putting his right foot on his head, and stretching forth his right hand, gives him a blessing. The gooroo is then feasted, with other bramhfins. Two or three persons only are permitted to be present at this ceremony. The above incantation is called veejti mSntrfi.'' It generally consits of a single sound : as, when it is to be taken from the name of a god, a consonant is taken out of this name, and a vowel added to it : thus, when Krishntt is about to~ become the chosen god of a person, the gooroo takes the consonant k, and adds to it a, or oo, or some other vowel, and then the miintru becomes ka, or koo. Very frequently the sound ung is united to a consonant, to form the initiating incantation, of which there are many specimens in the Tuntrii-sarii. It is probable that no meaning was ever intended to be attached to these sounds. Sect. II. — Duties of a Disciple to his Spiritual Guide, (Gooroo.), The following article respecting the qualifications of a gooroo is taken from the Tuntru-saru : — A spiritual guide must be free from the following faults : he must not be subject to his passions, so as to become an adulterer, a thief, &c. ; be bom of a good family ; possess suavity of manners ; be attentive to religious duties ; honourable in the eyes of others ; always keep his body pure ; be ready in religious ceremonies ; faithful in the discharge of the duties of his caste ; wise, able to keep in order as well as to cherish his disciples ; learned in the shastrus, &c. From a gooroo thus qualified it is proper to receive the initiatory rites. A person who is a glutton, who has the leprosy, is blind of one or both eyes ; very smaU in stature, or who has whitlows ; whose teeth stand *> The original incantation, or that which gives rise to works nf merit, wealth, the desire of happiness, and absorption. DUTIES OF A DISCIPLE TO HIS GOOROO. 201 out ; who is noisy and talkative ; subject to his wife, or whose toes or fingers are unnaturally unequal, or of an improper number ; an asthmatic person, or in other respects diseased, is disqualified. The following are the duties of a disciple to his preceptor, as given in the Ttintru-sarfi : — A disciple must be docile ; keep his body pure ; be obedient in receiving all that the shastrus make known ; be capable of understanding what he is taught, fee. If the disciple consider his gooroo as a mere man, and not the same as his guardian deity, he will sink into miseiy. A pupil must worship his father and mother, as those who gave him birth ; but he must honour his gooroo in a superior degree, as he who rescues him from the path of sin, and places him in the way of holiness ; the gooroo is in fact the disciple's father, mother, and god ; if even Shivu be offended with a disciple, his gooroo is able to deliver him. The disciple must promote the welfare of his gooroo by all his actions ; if he injure him, in another birth he will become a worm feeding on ordure. If a disciple renounce the initiating incantation, he will die ; if he reject his gooroo, he will become poor ; if both, he will fall into the hell Rourtivti ; if he, leaving his guardian deity, worship another god as his guardian deity, he will sink into torments. A disciple must honour his gooroo's son and grandson as he honours the gooroo. Whether the spiritual guide be learned or ignorant, a vile or a holy person, a disciple has no other resource, no other way to happiness, but his gooroo. Other shastrfts prescribe, that the disciple shall make prostration to the gooroo three times a day, if he live in the same village, viz., in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. If he meet him at any time, he must prostrate himself at his feet, and receive his blessing. When a gooroo dies, a disciple becomes unclean. When the gooroo arrives at the house of a disciple, the whole family prostrate themselves at his feet, and the spiritual guide puts his right foot on the heads of the prostrate family. One of the family washes his feet, and all afterwards drink some of the dirty water with which his feet have been washed ; the water which . remains is preserved. Others present to him flowers, or anoint his body with oil, or bathe him by pouring water on his head. After they have aU bathed, they again worship the gooroo's feet, by presenting flowers, sweetmeats, &c. repeating incantations. The go&roo is then entertained. Of the little that he leaves, each ore seizes a morsel with eagerness. At length he departs with presents according to the disciple's ability. Some give a piece of cloth, others from one to ten rupees. The disciple sometimes sends presents to his gooroo's house. As a proof how rigidly many of the Hindoos adhere to the commands of the shastrti on this subject, it may not be amiss to record the following circumstance : — In the year 1804, Huree- Turku-Bho5shtinii, a bramhun of Calcutta, aged about 60, was 26 202 ANECDOTE OF A DYING GOOROO. carried to the river side, at the point of death ; and while there one ofhis disciples, Ubhuyii-chrirtinti-Mitru, akaist'hu, went to see him. The disciple asked his dying gooroo if there was any thing that he wished from him. The gooroo asked him for 100,000 rupees. The disciple hesitated, and said he could not give so much. The gooroo then asked him what he was worth. He said, he might be worth about 100,000, but it was not all in rupees. The gooroo asked him to give his children half this sum. This the disciple surrendered ; and then asked him what else he could do for him. He pretended not to want any thing else, but his youngest son then present was in want of a pair of gold ritjgs for his wrists, and which he had been unable to give him. The disciple had a son standing near who had on a pair. These rings, worth about five hundred rupees, were immediatly taken off, and put on the wrists of the old gooroo's son. The disciple again asked w'hat else he could do for him. The gooroo requested him to give his eldest son a piece of ground in Calcutta. He gave it. This land was worth twenty thousand rupees. The disciple again asked, if there was any thing further he could do to please him. The old fellow made apologies, but at length requested him to make a present of five thousand rupees towards the expences of his shraddhu." This was added. The next morning the gooroo died. His wife was burnt with his body. At the time of his shraddhti, the disciple added another five thousand rupees towards defraying the expenses. This man's memory is exe- crated by all the Hindoos ; who say, he would certainly have gone to hell,^if his wife had not burnt herself with him. — Since this event, Ubhuyu-churunu died at Muttra ; and his widow, taking his clog and stick, renounced life at Calcutta, on a funeral pile pre- pared for the purpose. At present, the ofiice of spiritual guide is often hereditary, and of course is frequently in the hands of persons really disqualified. Neither do the modem Hindoos pay much regatd to the qualifica- tions of their teachers : these guides too are equally careless re- specting their disciples ; they give the incantation, and receive in return revei-ence and presents. To become a religious guide it is only necessary to be a bramhitn, and be acquainted with the incan- tations. In many cases, indeed, the wives of bramhiins become gooroos to their own children, as well as to others, both male and female. It is considered as a happy circumstance to receive the form of initiation from a mother. Among the followers of ChoittL- nyu, some shoodrus are gooroos. The business of a religious guide is very profitable^ Some ob- tain a thousand disciples ; and all are ambitious of guiding the rich. Upon a moderate calculation, the gooroo of a thousand dis- ciples receives in presents much more than a thousand rupees an- t ites for the repose of the sOul. RELIGIOUS AUSTERITIES. 203 nually, A poor man generally gives his gooroo a rupee a year, or if he visit him twice a year, two rupees. One or two of the Gosaees, descendants of Choittinytl, have two or three thousand disciples. Instances of disputes between a spiritual guide and a disciple are not uncommon : in which case the foraier does not fail to curse such a disobedient disciple in terms like these : ' May your pos- terity perish.' ' May all your wealth evaporate.' The disciple is exceedingly alarmed at the curse of his gooroo, and if in a short time any of the family die, his neighbours ascribe it to this curse. If the children do not choose their father's gooroo, he curses the family. If a bramhun consider himself as having claims on any member of a family to become his spiritual guide, and this person or the family be unwilling, the bramhiin goes to their house, and refuses to eat till they consent. Tlie family dare not eat till the gooroo has eaten. — On some occasions, the gooroo is called in to adjust family differences. If two brothers quarrel about an estate, an appeal is made to the gooroo, who generally gives bis judgment in favour of the brother who can afford the greatest bribe. The gooroos or not distinguished by any particular dress, and; many pursue secular employment. I have heard of some religious guides who, taking advantage of the profound reverence in which they are held, are guilty of im- proper conduct with their female disciples ; and others ofthesfr demi-gods are guilty of crimes which they expiate on a gallows. Assistant Gooroo. — These persons are sometimes employed in teaching the disciple how to worship his guardian deity. If the chief gooroo be a female, or be ignorant of the proper incantation, the assistant gooroo is called in. Sect. III. — Reliffious Austerities, (T^Hisya.) Those rehgious works which require bodily sufferings^ are, Ini general, denominated tuptisyas. Among other acts which fell under this description, are, — severe abstinence ; repeating the name of an idol, and sitting in particular postures, for a long time ; a person's surrounding himself with five fiifes ;* and the severities practised by ascetics. These works of severity towards * In January 1812, the author witnesBed the performance of some imconwnonljr severe acts of religious austerity, in the suburbs of Calcutta. A number of Hindoo mendicants had erected huts near one of the descents into the Ganges, aud several devotees on this spot daily surrounded themselves with fires of cow-dung, and for three or iour hours each day rested on their shoulders with their legs iipwardi repeating the names of the gods in sUenoe, aud counting their bead-rolls. Crowds of people were e'oiaiug and going, astonished spectators of these infatuated men ; who continued their religious austerities in the night, by standing up to the neck in the Ganges for two op three hours, eounting their beads. 204 RULES FOR 3URNT SACRIFICES. the body are not done as penances for sin, but as works of extra- ordinary' merit, producing large rewards in a fature state. Sect. IV. — Burnt Sacrifices (YUgnU.) In these sacrifices, the following ceremonies are commanded bjf^ the shastrti : — The names of deceased ancestors for six generations must be repeated in the morning before the sacrifice ; to this succeeds the appointment of the sacrificial priests ; then a cere- mony for the success of the sacrifice, in which the priest, tak- ing up dry rice, scatters it on the ground, repeating incantations ; after this, sunkulpu, in which the person, repeating the name of the day, month, &c. declares that he is about to perform this ceremony to obtain such and such benefits ; lastly follows a sacri- fice of mustard seed to drive away evil genii and enemies. On the altar are placed things necessary for the diflferent ceremonies, as pans for water, branches of the mangoe tree, fruits, flowers, garlands, sandal wood, toolusee " and vilwfi ' leaves, doorva and kooshil grass, rice, seeds of sesamum, curds, I'ed lead, small twigs of sacred trees to be burnt, a mortar and pestle, spoons, meat offerings, garments, &c. The priest sitting on the altar worships certain gods ; after which the alter is s^ in order for the sacrifice, and the fire prepar- ed ; the worship of TJgnee then takes place, at the commencement of which the priest repeats a prayer from the v^du to this purport : ' Oh J Ugnee ! thou who sittest on a goat, and hast seven columns of fire ; thou art energy itself; thou art the mouth of the gods. — I worship thee ; come.' One of the priests next purifies, with in- cantations, the vessels, the wood for the sacrifice, and the clarified butter ; he then boils the rice, and afterwards performs the burnt- sacrifice either with clarified butter, the flesh of some animal, pieces of wood, vilwii leaves, flowers of the kuriiveeru' or the water-lily, boiled rice, seeds of sesamum, or fruits. To this succeeds a. burnt- sacrifice to certain gods, with rice, clarified butter, sugar, curds, milk, flesh, and other articles, and a sacrifice to the nine planets, and to all the gods whom the priest can remember. An atonement for any mistake which may have occurred is next made by a burnt- offering of clarified butter. The officiating priest must then put on the fire a new poita, cloth, flowers, a plantain, betle, and rice ; when the sacrificer, standing behind the priest, must put his right hand on his shoulder, while the latter pours clarified butter on the fire, till the flame ascends to a great height. If the flame be free from smoke, and surround the altar in a southerly direction, the blessings sought by the sacrificer will be obtained. After this, the priest, sprinkling some water on the fire, dismisses the god Ugnee. The sacrificer now presents fees to the priests, and the ' Ooymum gratiasimum. f ^gle marmeloa. t N«rium odonim. HUMAN SACRIFICES. 205 whole ends with a feast to the bramhuns, and the dismissing of the guests with presents. I have obtained from several works accounts of the following burnt-sacrifices : — The sacrifice of a MAN!! — First, a covered altar'" is to be prepared in an open place near the house of the offerer ; sixteen posts are to be erected, six of vilwtt, six of khtidiriij and four of oodoombtirii ; a golden image of a man, and an iron one of a goat, are then to be set up ; and also golden images of Yishnoo and Lukshmee, a silver one of Shivu, with a golden bull on which Shivu rides, and a silver one of Guroorii. Brass pans are also to be provided for holding water, &c. Animals, as goats and sheep, are to be tied to the posts, one of the khudiru posts being left for the man who is to be sacrificed. Fire is next to be procured with a burning-glass, or with flint, or brought from the house of a devout bramhtin. The priest, called briSmha, sits on a seat of kooshu grass at one corner of the altar with an alms' dish in his hand, and con- secrates the different utensils. The priest, called hota, then per- forms certain minute ceremonies, and lays blades of kooshu grass all round the fire on the alter ; to which succeeds the burnt-sacri- fice to the ten guardian deities of the earth, to the nine planets, to Roodru, Brumha, Vastoo-poorooshti, and Vishnoo : to each of the two latter clarified butter ■ is to be poured on the fire a thousand times. Next follows another burnt-sacrifice, and the same sacrifice to sixty-four gods, beginning with Douvariku. A.fter this, in the name of all the gods above-mentioned, is made the burnt-sacrifice with the flesh of the other animals tied to the different posts. To this succeeds the human sacrifice. The victim must be free from bodily distemper, be neither a chUd nor advanced in years.' After slaying the victim, the hota, with small pieces of flesh, must offer the sacrifice to the above-mentioned gods, walking round the altar after each separate offering. In the third book of the Miihabharutu, a story is related res- pecting a king of the name of SomiSkii, who obtained from the gods a hundred sons in consequence of having offered a human sacrifice. The Bamayiin-fi contains a story respecting Muhee-Ravunu, who attempted to offer Ramu and Lukshmunii, when in patiilu, as a sjicrifice to Bhildra-Kalee, in order to obtain success in war for his father Eavunu. Another story is contained in the Ramayunu, that Umvureeshij, >• The Hindoo altar may have briek-work around it, but in the inside it is to be filled up with pure earth. In the .centre some persons make a hole for the fire, and others raise on the centre a small elevation of sand, and on this kindle the fire. ' These victims were formerly bought for sacrifice. 206 PROOFS FROM THE SHASTRUS OF OFFERINGS OF, &C. king bf Uyodhya, once resolved on offering a human victim ; which, after being prepared, was stolen by Indrfi. The king traversed many countries unable to obtain another victim, till at last Kicheeku sold his second son to him, for ' heaps of the purest" gold, jewels, and a hundred thousand cows/ The father refused to sell his eldest son, and the mother would not give up the youngest. The second son, after he had been sold, claimed the protection of the sage Vishwa-mitru, who directed each one of his sons to give himself up to be sacrificed instead of this youth : but they all refused; when Vishwa-mitrti cursed them, and gave this youth an incantation, by repeating which the gods would deliver him from death. After he had been bound for execution, he repeated this incantation from the Rig-v^da ; when Indrti delivered him, and bestowed on the king the blessing he sought by this sacrifice. The Shreebhag&vutu gives a similar story respecting an ascetic, Jtirii-Bhuriitu ; but in this case the goddess worshipped burst from the image, rescued the devotee,'' and destroj'ed those who were about to sacrifice him. The Institutes of Munoo contain the following paragraph : — ' The sacrifice of a bull, of a man, or of a horse, in the knlee age, must be avoided by twice-born men ; so must a second gift of a married young woman, whose husband has died before consumma- tion : the larger portion of an eldest brother, and procreation on a brother's widow or wife.' However shocking it may be, it is generally reported amongst the natives, that human sacrifices are to this day ofiered in some places in Bengal. At a village called Ksheeru, near the town of Burdwan, it is positively affirmed, that human sacrifices are still offered to the goddess Yoogadya, a form of Doorga ; at Kireetn- kona, near Moorshridiibad, to Kalee ; and at many other places. The discovery of these murders in the name of religion is made by finding the bodies with the heads cut off near these images ; and though no one acknowledges the act, j'et the natives well know, that these people have been offered in sacrifice. About seven years ago, at the village of Serampore, near Ktitwa, before the temple of the goddess Tara, a human body was found without a head ; and in the inside of the temple different offerings, as ornaments, food, flowers, spirituous liquors, &c. All who saw it knew that a human victim had been slaughtered in the night ; and search was made after the murderers, but in vain. At Brumha-neettila, near Niideeya, is an image of MtinQsa, before which the worship of Doorga is performed. It is currently reported, that at this place human victims are occasionally offered, as decapitated bodies are found there. ^ This man observed a voluntary silence, and refused all intercouree with human beings, that he might avoid injuring any one. HUMAN SACRIFICES. — FACTS RELATIVE TO PRESENT TIMES. 207 Ramil-aat'hft-Yaclitisputee,the second Suugskritu pundit in the College of Fort-William, once assured me, that about the year 1770, at the village of Soomtira, near Gooptipara, he saw the head of a man, with a lamp placed on it, lying in a temple before the image of the goddess Siddh^shwuree, and the body lying in the road op- posite the temple. A similar fact is related respecting an image of Bhtirga-Rheema at Ttimlooku, where a decapitated body was found. At Chit-pooru, and at Kalee-ghaffi,' near Calcutta, it is said, that human sacrifices have been occasionally offered. A re- spectable native assured me. that at Chitpooru, near the image of Chittr^shwuree, about the year 1788, a decapitated body was found ; which, in the opinion of the spectators, had been evidently offered on the preceding night to this goddess. The following stoiy respecting raja Krishnii-chtindrurayu is believed by a great number of the most respectable natives of Bengal : — A brtimhucharee of Kritukona, after repeating (jupu) the name of his guardian deity for a long time, till he had established a great name as a religious devotee, at length had a dream, in which he supposed that his guardian deity told him to make a number of offerifigs to her, which he understood to mean human sacrifices ; and that then she would become visible to him, and grant him all his desires. He was now very much perplexed about obtaining the necessary victims ; and, as the only resource, he applied to Krishnu-chtindrti-raya, and promised, that if he would supply the victims, he should share in the benefits to be derived from this great act of holiness. The raja consented to this, and built a house in the midst of a large plain, where he placed this brumhncharee ; and directed some chosen servants to seize persons of such and such a description, and forward them to the briimhucharee. This was done for a considerable time, (some say for two or three years,) till at length the brumhttcharee iDecame weak and emaciated through the perpetration of so many murders ; and the raja began to suspect that there must be some mistake in the business. He consulted a learned man or two near him, who declared that the brumhxicharee had very likely mistaken the words spoken to him in his dream, for that these words might 1 About the year 1800, according to UbhfiyiS-chfirttnS, a learned bramhun, who has assisted the author in this work, two Hindoos cut out their own tongues, and offered them to the idol at Kalee-ghatft. Both these men came from Hindoost'hanii : one of them was seen by my informant lying on the ground after the action, the blood running from his mouth. At Jwala-mookhfl, to the N, W. of Delhi, from time im- memorial, infatuated Hindoos have out out their tongues, and offered them to SuteS, to whom this place is sacred, and where the tongue of this goddess is supposed to have fallen, when Shivu threw the members of her body into different parts of the earth. In the inside of the temple at this place (which appears to be part of a burning moun- tain) fire ascends, exhibiting to this degraded people a constant miracle. The same person informed the author, that two diseased persons, who who had gone to the idols at Tarnkeshwfiru and at Muoola in Bengal, some years ago, despairing of a cure, sacrificed themselves to these idols by stabbing themselves, and letting the blood fall into the pans placed to receive the blood of slaughtered animals. 208 SACRIFICE OF A BULL AND A HORSE. mean simple offerings of food, &c. A thousand victims are said to have been thus butchered. The sacrifice of a Bull. — In this sacrifice four altars are re- quired for offering the flesh to four gods, Ltikshmee-Naraytinu, Ooma-muhdshwTjrti, Brumha, and Ununtu. Before the sacrifice, Prit'hivee, the nine planets, and the ten guardian deities of the earth, are worshipped. Five vilwu," five khtidirii,'' five pulashti," and five oodoomburfl" posts are to be erected, and a bull tied to each post. Before the burning of the flesh, clarified butter is burnt on one altar, and afterwards small pieces of the flesh of the slaughtered animals on the four altars. The succeeding ceremonies are common to all burnt-sacrifices. This sacrifice Avas formerly- very common. The Pudmu-pooi-anu and Muhabharutu contain accounts of a great sacrifice of a bull performed by Rftntee-ddvii. The sacrifixie of a Horse, (IfshwU-m^dhU.) — The animal must be of one colour,'' without blemish, of good signs, young and well- formed. On an auspicious day^ the sacrificer must touch the head of the horse with clay from the Ganges, sa.ndal wood, a pebble, rice not cleansed from the husk, leaves of doorva grass,' flowers, fruits, curds, clarified butter, red lead, a shell, lamp-black, turmeric, mustard, gold, silver, metal, a lamp, a looking-glass, and other things, repeating the prescribed formulas. The horse is next bathed with water, in which has been immprsed a ball compo- sed of the bark of different trees, and spices ; and afterwards superbly caparisoned. The god Indru is then invoked by a number of prayers, and invited to come and preserve the horse, which is about to be let loose. A paper is next fastened on the forehead of the horse, con- taing an inscription in Sungskritti to the following purpoi't : ' I liberate this horse, having devoted it to be sacrificed Whoever ha.s strength to detain it, let him detain it'. I will come and deliver it. They who are unable to detain it, will let it go, and must come to the sacrifice, bringing tribute.' The horse is then liberated, and mns at liberty for twelve months, followed by servants belonging to the sacrificer. At the close of the year, he is brought and bound ; and at the time appointed, a proper place is chosen and cleansed, and an altar of earth, walled round with bricks, sixteen cubits square, and one cubit high, is built, with a roof over it resting on posts. At the east end a hole is made, and lined with bricks, to contain the fire ; or a small teiTace of sand may be raised on the altar for receiving the fire. Under the roof is suspended a canopy, with elegant curtains on all sides. A rope is fastened round the " iEgle marmelos. " Mimosa catechu. •> Butea frondosa. p Ficus glomerata. 1 A white horse is preferred. ' Agrostis linearis. • The poorantts give accounts of dreadful wars both among gods and men to obtain this horse. SACRIFICE OF A HORSE. 209 posts of the altar ; also branches of the mango tree, tails of the cow of Tartary, bells, and garlands of flowers. Tlie sacrificer then, accompanied with presents, and the reading of different formulas, appoints to their different work in the sacrifice, the acfaaryu, the sttdusyii, the bruraha,' the hota," and the oodgata, the latter of whom repeats portions of the Samu-v^dti, sitting on the altar. Twenty-one posts, eighteen cubits and ten fingers high, are fixed in the ground ; six of vilwu, six of the khudirti, six of pulashu, one of piyalu,' and two of dc^vti-daroo." Each post is to have eight points at the top, to be covered with painted cloth, and encircled with garlands. The six piilashu posts are to be put into the ground with their heads bent towards the altar. The horse is to be tied to one of the khtidirii posts ; and thirty animals and birds for sacrifice to the other posts. All these animals and birds are to be purified by sprinkling water on their faces, and by repeating incantations. A silver image of Gurooru with gold feathers, and sixteen gold bricks, are then to be brought ; after which the sacrificer and his wife are to wash the feet of the horse, and caparison him afresh. A fan of deer's skin is provided to blow the coals ; also some kooshu grass, with piles of thin twigs of the fig or the pnlashii tree ; a large pestle and mortar for bruising the rice ; a bowl made of the fig-tree for holding the holy water ; a wooden spoon to stir the boiling rice ; another large one with two holes in the bowl to pour the clarified butter on the fire ; another kind of spoon to pour the boiled rice on the fire ; a pan of water, having on its top some branches, fruits, and flowers, with the image of a man painted on it, and smeared over with curds, fee; round the neck of the pan a piece of new cloth is to be tied, and five articles, viz., gold, silver, a pearl, a coral, and a gem, put into the pan ; five smaller pans of water are also to be placed near the othei", ornamented without in the same manner. The horae is then killed by the hota, who divides the flesh into pieces, and casts it on the fire, adding clarified butter, and repeating the formulas. When the serum is put on the fire, the sacrificer and his wife are to sit upon the altar, and receive the fumes. The other animals are to be next sacrificed, amidst the repeating of incantations. These sacrifices are offered to Briimha, Vishnoo, Shivfi, and the ten guardian deities of the earth. At the close of these ceremonies, the hota casts a small quantity of curds on the fire towards the north-east ; sprinkles a little water on the face of the sacrificer and his wife ; bathes them by pouring upon them water from the large pan, repeating incantations ; and marks their foreheads, shoulders, throats, and breasts with the ashes from the burnt curds.'^ This sacrifice was performed by many of the ' He must sit within a cubit of the fire « In this sacrifice sixteen hotasi are employed. ' Chironjia sapida. '^ Pine, or fij-. t The manners of the Hindoos'at the tiitic this sacrifice used to be olTerud, nnist have been very different from what they are now : a Hindoo female of rank never appears at present in a public assembly, permitting another man to mark her forehead with paint, &c. 27 210 SACRIFICE OF AN ASS AND AT THE BIRTH OF A SON, &C. Hindoo kings, as mentioned in several poorantis. He who per- formed one hundred was entitled to the throne of Indrti, the king of the gods. The sacrifice of an Ass. — The sacrifice is to be performed by a dnndee, or other religious mendicant, as an atonement for some fault, by which he has lost his station as a devotee. After the fire is prepared, Noiritu is worshipped : the sacrificer then anoints the ass with turmeric, bathes it, and ties it to a vilwS post ; and afterwards purifies it by repeating incantations and sprinkling it with water. A burnt-sacrifice with clarified butter is then offered to the ten guardian deities of the earth ; and the ceremonies by which a person is created a diindee are repeated. Tlie relapsed mendicant is now placed near the altar ; the ass is slain, and its flesh offered to Noiritu in the burnt-sacrifice ; after which the staff is put into the hand of the diSndee, who addresses petitions to the god IJgnee, and to the dundees who are present. He next performs the sacrifice^ thinking on Brfimha, and then closes the whole by dismissing IJgnee ; or, in other words, he quenches the fire by pouring curds upon it. This sacrifice is supposed to be effectual to all spiritual purposes, but it does not restore the dundee to his rank among the same class of mendicants. Sacrifice at the birth of a Son. — A father, on first visiting his son, is commanded to take a piece of gold in his hand ; and with fire produced by rubbing two pieces of wood together, to offer a sacrifice to Brumha, and then anoint the forehead of the child with the clarified butter left on the fingers at the close of the sacrifice. The mother must sit near the altar, and receive the scent of the offerings, having the child in her arms. To secure the strength of the child, clarified butter and curds must be burnt, and prayers repeated. The father must also bind a string of seven 01' nine threads, and five blades of d5orva grass, round the wrist of the child ; and sprinkle water on its foi-ehead with blades of kooshu grass. He must also present oil and betle to ten or twelve married females, and entertain them at his house. This ceremony is never performed at present. Sacrifice after Death. — The sagnika bramhiSns, who burn the bodies of the dead with the fire kindled at their birth, are directed to make this sacrifice. First, a burnt-offering is made with clarified butter ; then the corpse, being washed, is laid upon the altar, and the person officiating puts some of the clarified butter to the mouth of the decea,sed ; after which the fire is made to surround the body, and a prayer is repeated, that all the sins collected in this body may be destroyed by this fire, and the person obtain an excellent heaven. Sacrifice to the nine Planets. — Most of the formulas in the preceding sacrifices are used in this. The only differences belong OTHER SACRIFICES — BURNT OFFERINGS. 211 to the wood and food burnt, to tlie images of the planets, the dress of the priests, and to the fees presented at the close of the cere- rnonj'. This sacrifice is made to remove the supposed baneful in- fluence of an evil planet. The author once witnessed this ceremony at Calcutta. Other sacrifices. — Beside these, many other sacrifices are men- tioned in the Hindoo writings ; I select the names of a few. — Raju-sooyu, ofifered by the^kshiitriyu kings to atone for the sin of destroying men in war.— TJgnishtomn, a sacrifice to IJgnee. — Jyo- tishtomti, to obtain a glorious body ; and Ayooshtomu, to obtain long life. — Stirptignii, to destroy snakes. — Mtiha-vrutu, to obtain the heaven of Brumha. At the close of this sacrifice, a bramhiin and his wife ar« brought out, worshipped, feasted, and loaded with presents. — Poundureekti, performed with the flowers of the water- lily^dipped in clarified buttei', in order to obtain Vishnoo's .heaven. ^Utiratru, performed in the last stages of the night, to the god Briimha. — Vishwu-jatil, to obtain universal conquest. — Oindrii- dtidhee, performed with curds, made from milk taken from the cow wliile *he calf is kept at a distance with a twig of the pulashti tree ; the whey to be given to a horse. — Pruja-yagu, performed by a king for the good of his subjects. — Ritoo-yagu, attended to for six years, the ' time being varied according to the six seasons. — Survvu-dukshinti ; so called because the fees to the ofiiciating bramhtins, at the close of the sacrifice, amount to the whole pro- perty of the sacrificer.'- — Nuvushus-yshtee, a sacrifice with first fruits to obtain good harvests. Sect. V. — Burnt-Offerings, (HnrnH-f' This is a particular part of the sacrifice called yugnix, but at present it is often performed separately. The things offered are clarified butter, sesamum, flowers, boiled rice, rice boiled in milk and sweetened with honey, doorvu-gfass, vilwti leaves, and the tender branches, half a span long, of the ushwuttti'hft,'' the doomvtiru,* the pulashu/ the akundu,' the shumee,^ and the khudii.-u,'' trees. Clari- fied butter alone is sufficient, but any or all of these things may be added.' " One of the gifts proper to be presented to bramhuns is a person's wliole property ! See a succeeding article, DanQ. Hete the fee at the close of a saorifioe is a ■person's all ! Such is the rapacity of these priests of idolatry. i" From hoo, to offer by fire. <■ Ficus religiosa. ^ Ficus racemosa. i- Butea frondosa. »' Asolepias gigantea. s Mimosa albida. ii Mimosa catechu. ' The fiesh of goats mij be used in the homli ; but it is not customary at present. 212 BLOODY SACRIFICES. Tlie person who wishes to perform this ceremony, provides a bramhun acquainted with the usual forms, and on the day before the service observes a fast. The next day he rises early and bathes, performing in the morning bis usual worship : then coming home, he begins the ceremony in the presence of his friends, with the assistance of the bramhun whom he has chosen. First he sits down, either in the house or before the door, with his face towards the east, and makes a square altar of four cubits with clean dry sand ; upon which, with a blade of kooshti-grass, he writes the proper incantation. He then takes a little straw in each hand, lights that in his left-, and throws the other away. He re- peats this action again, and then laying down the wisp of light- ed straw on the altar, repeating ^incantations, lays upon it the wood, and worships the god ugnee, (fire.) Having already provided clarified butter, and placed twigs, half a span long, by hi& side, betakes up one of them at a time, and, dipping it in the clarified butter, lays it on the fire, repeating a prayer. He may offer either eight twigs, twenty-eight, one hundred and eight, two hundred and eight, or three huadred and eight, and so on till he be satisfied, or till he think the gods have had clarified butter enough.'' At the close, he puts or pours upon the fire, plantains, the leaves of the piper betle, and sour milk. He does this, as they say, to cool the earth, which, being a goddess, is supposed to have sustained some liarmby the heat of the fire. Finally, he makes presents,, and entertains bramhtins. Sect. VI. — Bloody Sacrifices, (Bitlee-dan'U\) The reader will have observed, that for the burnt-sacrifices; animals were slain, and offered on the altar. In these sacrifices (Bialee-danu) animals are slain, but the flesh is offered i-aw, and not burnt on the altar : this is the difference between the two sacrifices. Among the things proper for sacrifice are men, buffaloes, goats, sheep, horses, camels, deer, fish, and birds of various kinds. At present only buffaloes, goats, and sheep are offered. When an animal (for example, a goat) is sacrificed, the follow- ing forms are used. — First, the animal is bathed either with or in water; and then brought before the idol; when the officiating bramhun paints its horns red, and whispers an incantation in its right ear; after which, taking the right ear of the goat in his left hand, with a blade of kooshu grass he sprinkles the head of the animal with water, and repeats many incantations : the goat is then worshipped, and fed with the offerings ; after which, it is led out, '' The god Ugnee was once surfeited witli clarified butter, and ta relieve him UrjoouS burnt a whole forest containing medicinal plants. 1 From Baiee, a sacrifice, and da, to give. The shastriis include all offerings under the name bfilee ; but at present this term is confined to the oiJering of the flesh of animals. BATHING, AND CEREMONIES ACCOMPANYING IT. 213 and fastened to the stake. The instrument of death is next brought, bathed, smeared with red lead during the repetiton of an incantation, worshipped, and made to touch a burning lamp, that its edge may not be blunted by the power of any incantation. The officiating bramhtin next puts the instrument and a flower into the hand of the slayer, (perhaps the blacksmith,) who places the flower in his hair, and prostrates himself before the idol. Then laying down the weapon, he binds his cloth firmly round his loins, and waits at the post, in the excavation of which the neck of the goat is to be placed, till the bramhun has anointed the post with red lead, and placed a saucer containing a plantain to catch the blood. The goat's neck is now fastened in the excavation of the post, with its head on one side and the body on the other. One man pulls its head by the cord round its neck, which has been smeared with red lead, and another pulls the body. The officiating bramhtin sprinkles the neck with water, and divides the hair on the neck ; after which he goes into the presence of the idol, and offers a cloud of incense ; and then he and all present, putting their loose garment around their necks, rise, and stand before the idol with joined hands : and while they remain in this Attitude, the executioner, at one blow," strikes off the head. The man who holds the body suspends it over the dish containing the plantain, and the blood runs into it ; after which he lays- the body down. The officiating bramhiin pours some water on the head, which another person holds in his hand, and afterwards places it before the idol, fastening it on each side with two sticks put into the ground to prevent its moving. The slayer then going to the body, cuts a morsel of the flesh from the neck, and casts it among the blood preserved in the disli, which is now carried and placed before the idol. The doors are then tslmt ; a light made with clarified butter is placed on the head, and the head is offered to the idol with appropriate prayers. The whole of the blood is next offered, and afterwards divided into four parts and offered, which closes the ceremony. Sect. VII. — Bathing, (Snanijb)." Bathing, as an act of purification, always precedes and some- times follows other ceremonies. It may be performed by poUring " A person in the east of Bengal, who waf accustomed to lay aside part of his monthly savings to purchase offerings for the annual worship of Doorga, was exceed- ingly alarmed during the festival one year, when the person who was to cut off the head of the sacrifice (a buffalo) failed to sever the head from the body at one blow. Leaving the sacrifice struggling and half killed, he went up to the image, and with joined hands cried out, ' Oh ! mother ! why art thou displeased with me ? What have I done?' His female relations came into the temple, and wept before the image in the most bitter manner. The spectators began to reason upon this dreadful circum- stance, imputing the failure in slaughtering the buffalo to different causes according to their fancies. One opinion, among the rest, was, that the owner of the image was in no fault, but that the goddess was angry because the officiating bramhun had let fall saliva upon the offerings while reading the formulas. " From shua, to purify or bathe. 214 DRINK OFFERINGS TO THE GODS AND DECEASED ANCESTORS. water on the body in or out of doorSj or by immersing the body in a pool or river. A bramhiin bathes in the following manner : — he first rubs liis body witli oil, and takes with him to the river a towel, a brass cup called a kosha, flowers, leaves of the vilwii tree, and a few seeds of sesamum. Some take along with them a little I'ice, a plantain or two, and sweetmeats. Arriving at the river side, the bramhun, hanging a towel round his neck, makes a bow, or prostrates himself before the river ; then rising rubs his foreliead with the water, and offers praise to Giinga. If he has omitted his morning duties, he performs them now. After this he makes a clay image of the lingii : then descends into the water, and immerses himself twice, having his face towards the north or east. Rising, he invokes some god, and, with his forefinger making circles in the water, prays, that all the holy places of the river may surround him at once, or rather that all the fruit arising from bathing in them may be enjoyed by him. He again immerses himself twice, and, rising, cleanses his body, rubbing himself with his towel. He then comes up out of the water, wipes his body, and repeats many forms of prayer or praise. This is what properly belongs to bathing ; but it is succeeded by repeating the common forms of worship, for which the person made preparations in bringing his kosha, flowers, leaves, sesamum, making the lingii, &c. Bathing, in cases of sickness, may be performed without immersing the head in water, by rubbing the arms, legs, and forehead, with a wet cloth ; or by changing the clothes ;° or by sprinkling the body with water, and repeating an incanta- tion or two ; or by covering the body with the ashes of cow-dung; Sect. VIII. — Drink-Offerings to the Gods mid deceased Ancestors (mrpUnii).' The Hindoos, at the time of bathing, present water daily to the gods, the sages, j'tikshus, nagus, giindhurvas, tipsuras, iisoorus, vidyadhtirtis, pishachtis, siddus, and to their deceased ancestors.'' This they call turpiinu ; which should ^be performed three times a day : those who use the kosha take up water in it, putting in sesamum, repeating the proper formulas, and then pouring out the water into the river or pool where they are bathing. Those who ° A Hindoo considers those clothes defiled in which he has heen. employed in secular concerns. p From Tripu, to satisfy. 1 Seeds of sesamum are also presented to deceased ancestor.^, and, among the gods, to Yumii, the regent of death. CEREMONIES OF WORSHIP. 215 perform, this ceremony without the kosha, take up water with their hands, and, repeating a prayer, present it to the gods, by pouring it out from the ends of the fingers ; to parents, by letting it fall bcr twixt the fingers and thumb of the right hand ; and to the sages, by pouring the water out at their wrists. For those who have died in a state of extreme poverty, and have no one to perform the ceremonies for the repose of the soul, instead of pouring it out of the hands, they offer the libation by wringing the cloth with which they bathe. If the person bathe in any other water, and not in the Ganges, he cannot use sesamum, but performs the cere- mony with water alone. Sect. IX. — The Ceremonies of Worship, (Pooja.) The following ceremonies in the presence of the idol are what the Hindoos call pooja. — Previously to entering on this act of idolatry, the person bathes ; returning home,' he washes his feet, spreads a blanket or some other proper thing to sit upon, and then sits down before the idol, having the articles necessary for worship before him : a kosha, or metal bason, and a koshee, or smaller one ; a small wooden stand, a metal plate, an iron stand to hold five lamps, a censor, a brass stand with a small shell placed on it, a metal plate on which to place flowers, a metal bowl into which the water and flowers are thrown after they have been presented to the idol, a metal jug for holding water, a metal platfe to be used as a bell ; a shell, or sacred conch,' which sounds like a horn; with a number of dishes, cups, and other utensils for holding rice, paint, incense, betle, water, milk, butter, curds, sweetmeats, flowers, clarified butter, &c. Having all these articles ready,* the worshipper takes water from the kosha with the koshee, and let- ting it fall into his right hand, drinks it ; he then takes a drop more, and then a drop more, repeatiiig incantations. After this with the finger and thumbs of his right hand he touches his mouth, nose, eyes, ears, navel, breast, shoulders, and the crown of his head, repeating certain forms. He then washes his hands, makes a number of motions with his fingers, and strikes the earth with his left heel three times, repeating incantations, When this is done, he flirts the first finger and thumb of his right hand, waving his hand towards the ten divisions of the earth ; closes his eyes, and repeats incantations to purify his mind, his body, the place where he sits, as well as the offer- ' These ceremonies are frequently performed by the river side.. " Both men and women, on entering a temple, often blow the conch or ring the bell, to entertain the god. ' In general when the wnruhipis performed in the house, a braniluin's wife, against the arrival of her husbsnd from bathing, sets in proper order all the articles used in worship ; - flowers, water, uiensils, &c. 2Jfi CEREMONIES OF WORSHIP. ings about to be presented, (which it is supposed may have become unclean, by having been seen or touched by a cat, a dog, a shackal, a shoodru, or a Musiilman.) Next, he takes a flower, which he lays on his left hand, and, putting his right hand upon it, revolves in his mind the form of the god he is worshipping. He then lays the flower on his head, and, joining his hands together, closes his eyes, thinks upon the form of the god, that he has a nose, eyes, four arms, four heads, &c. and then recites the outward forms of worship in his mind. He now presents the offerings ; first, a square piece of gold or silver, as a seat for the god, inviting him to come and sit down, or visit him ; and then, asking the god if he be happy, repeats for him, ' Very happy.' After this, he presents water to wash the feet ; takes up water with the koshee, and pours it into the metal bowl ; and presents at once rice, a vilwu leaf, eight blades of doorva grass, paint, and water, with incantations. He then presents water to wash the mouth, curds, sugar, honey ; then water to wash the mouth again, and water to bathe in, with prayers ; then cloth, jewels, gold, silver, ornaments, bedsteads, cur- tains, a bed, pillow, cloth, printed cloth ; clothes for men, women, or children ; shoes, brass drinking cups, candlesticks, and what- ever would be proper presents to the bramhiins." After this paint, either red or white, is presented on a flower ; then eight or ten flowers ; leaves of the vilwu tree ; a necklace of flowers ; incense of three kinds, and a lighted lamp, with incantations. After the bloody sacrifices, the offerings are presented, comprising rice, split peas, different kinds of peas, shaddocks, pomegranates, pine-apples, netted custard-apples, another species of custard-apples, bread fruit or jakiis, mangoes, water-melons, cucumbers, plantains, oranges, ginger, cocoanuts, almonds, raisins," guavas, dates, jambtis, jujubes, wood-apples, melons, sugar-canes, radishes, sweet-potatoes, kdsoora," water, milk, curds, another sort of curds, cream, butter, sour-milk, clarified butter, sugar, sugar-candy, &c. &c. After presenting the offerings, the person repeats the name of a god for some time, and then prostrates himself, (the spectators doing the same ;) putting the cloth round his neck, and joining his hands, he offers praise to the god, and prostrates himself again. The dinner follows, consist- ing of fried greens, and several other dishes made up of kidney, beans, varttakee,' cocoanuts, &c. fried together ; split peas, and several kinds of fried herbs or fruits ; four kinds of fish ; boiled and fried goats' flesh, vension, and turtle ; different fruits prepared with treacle ; rice and milk boiled with sugar ; things prepared " It must not be supposed that all these articles are presented daily hy the Hin- doos, This account describes what is performed at fe.stivals. In the daily worahii), flowers, leaves, sacred grass, a little rice, &c. are presented. « These and several other articles are imported from foreign countries ; and though they have been prepared by the hands of the unclean, yet the Hindoos make no difficulty in presenting them to their gods, and afterwards eating them. y The root of scirpus majumus ' Solanum molongena. MEDITATION — REPEATING THE NAMES OF THE GODS. 217 with pounded rice ; curds, sweetmeats, &c. Tils' fish, flesh, fried greens, and every thing of this kind is eaten with boiled rice. A dish called k^chooree, consisting of rice, split peas, clarified butter, turmeric, and spices, boiled together, is also presented ; and then water to drink. With every article of food a separate prayer is oiFered. Water is next presented to wash the mouth, and a straw to pick the teeth, with praj'ers ; then the burnt-offering is made, and a present of money given. At last ' the person pros- trates himself before the object of worship, and then retires to feast on the offerings with other bramhuns. This is a detail of the form of worship on a large scale, at which time it occupies the officiating bramhun two hours. Sect. X. — Meditation (BhyanU.") In this act of devotion, the worshipper (of Shivit for instance) closes his eyes, places his arms before him, and repeating the names of the god, ruminates thus : — ' His colour is like a mountain of silver; his body shines like the moon ; he has four arms; in one hand he holds an axe, in another a deer, with another bestows a blessing, and with the other forbids fear ; he has five faces, and in each face three eyes ; he sits on the water-lily ; the gods surround him, and celebrate his praise ; he is clothed with the skin of a tiger ; he was before the world ; he is the creator of the world ; be removes fear from every living creature.' While he meditates on tbe offerings, he proceeds thus : — ' Oh ! god, 1 give thee all these excellent things ;' (recounting in his mind the names of all the offerings, one by one.) Both these forms of meditation are constantly used at the time of worship, (pooja.) Many things are related in the pooranus respecting the meditation known to ascetics, who, by the power of dhyanti, discovered things the most secret. Sect. XI. — Repeating the Names of the Qods, (JUpH,)} The Hindoos believe that tbe repetition of the name of God is an. act of adoration ; some add that the name of God is like fire, by which all their sins are consumed : hence repeating the names of the idols is a popular ceremony among the Hindoos. In this act the worshipper, taking a string of beads, repeats- the name of his guardian deity, or that of any other god ; counting by his beads 10, !i8, 108, 208, and so on, adding to every 108 not » From dhyoi, to think. ^ To speak.' 28 218 FORMS OF PRAISE TO THE GODS. less than one hundred more. This act is not efficacious, howevei', unless the person keep his mind fixed on the form of the idol. Many secular persons perform jupu without beads, hy counting their fingers. It is said that a person obtains whatever he seeks by persever- in.£f in this act of adoration. If he be desirous of a wife, or of children, or of money, (say a lac of rupees ;) or seek recovery from sickness, or relief from misfortune ; he begins to repeat the name of his god, and believes that he soon becomes subject to his wishes. Jupii makes an essential part of the daily worship of a Hindoo : some mendicants continue it day and night, year after year, except when eating, sleeping, bathing, &c. The Tttntru-sarii contains the following account of the consecration of the bead-roll : — The person sits down on the floor of his house, and taking some green, red, black, yellow, and white paint, draws a water-lily on the floor, upon which he places a small brass dish ; and upon this, nine leaves of the ushwut'hii tree, and upon the leaves a string of beads, cow's urine, cow-dung, sour-milk, milk, and clarified butter, mixing them together, and repeating an incantation : he then places honey, sugar, sour-milk, milk, and clarified butter, upon the bead-roll, repeating another incantation ; then some red lead and spices ; and then, with incantations, he gives the bead-roll a soul, (pranu,) and according to the usual forms worships it, and offers a burnt-offeiing to the god whose name he intends to repeat with this string of beads. Sect. XII. — Forms of Praise to the Gods, (SiH'vU.) Forms of praise to the gods constitute a part of the daily worship of the Hindoos. They spring not from emotions of gratitude, but are repeated as acts of merit, to draw down favours on the obsequious worshipper. — In this act, the person draws his upper garment round his neck, joins his hand in a supplicating manner, and repeats the forms of praise with a loud voice. Examples : — ' Oh ! Shivii ! thou art able to do every thing ! Thou art the preserver of all ! Tliou art the fountain of life !' — To Kartiku : ' Thou art the god of gods ; therefore I come to thee, to enquire how I may repeat the praise of Sheetula, that she may remove swellings on the body.' — To Sheetula : ' I salute Sheetula, the goddess, for she can remove the fear of boils.' The Hindoos say, that by praise a person may obtain from the gods (who are fond of flattery) whatever he desires. The forms are taken from the shastrtis, though on some occasions, a person may recite words of his own invention. FORMS OF PRAYER TO THE GODS — PETITIONS fcc. 219 Sect. XIII. — Forms of Prayer to the Gods, (KUuHch'tc.) These prayers are principally found in the Tuntras ; a few in the pooranus. They relate to the welfare of the petitioner here and hereafter ; and are given by a spiritual guide to his disciple. Uxamples: — '0 ! Hunooman ! when I go eastward, do thou preserve me ! ! son of Puvunu ! when I proceed southward, do thou keep me ! ! beloved son of K^shuree ;" when I go westward, do thou preserve me. ! Kamtignu I"" keep me from danger when I go northward. ! Saguru-pariigu'' save me when I descend. 0! burner of Lunka ! (Ceylon,) deliver me from all danger. 0! counsellor of Soogreevii ! preserve my head.' In this manner the person addresses petitions to this monkey-god, as for his head, so for the preservation of every member of his body, from the fore- head to the toes. He who repeats this form twelve times beneath the urku tree, will obtain long life, be the strongest man on earth, and the god- dess of fortune will never forsake his dwelling. If he repeat this kuvuchu seven times, at midnight, standing in water, he will be able to drive away from his body every kind of disease : if at any time, in any place, he will obtain beauty, eloquence, wisdom, strength, victoi'y, patience, and be free from fear and disease. If any one bind this kuvuchu (as a charm^ on his arm, he will obtain every desire of his heart. Sect. XIV. — Petitions and Vows, (KamMnii a/nd ManikiU.) The Hindoos are continually resorting to their gods for parti- cular favours : if a person wish for a son,^ or any other blessing, he takes rice, plantains, and sweetmeats^ and goes to some idol ; and after worshipping it, and presenting offerings, asks the god to bless him with a son. This petition is called kamunti ; after putting up which he vows, that if the god grant his request, he K^shuree was married to the mother of Hnnooman, (if marriages take place among monkies,) and Hanooman was the illegitimate son of Puvunu. ^ This monkey-god is called by this name, as the destroyer of evil desire ; from kamu, desire, and htin, to destroy. ^ Sagurii, sea, parugu, the crosser ; alluding to his leaping across the sea to Ceylon. f Not only the Hindoos, but the Mnsulmans also are much attached to charms. I once saw a Musulman woman dropping slips of paper into the river, and, upon inquiry, found that they contained some sacred words, and that the woman was presenting these papers to the river-saint, Khajakh^jur, in hopes of obtaining relief from sickness, service, or the like. B The Hindoos in general never pray for daughters, because they do not bring much honour to the family : they are expensive, and they can do nothing for the family when the father is dead ; whereas a son preserves his father's memorj-, performs the cerempnies for the repose cf his soul, and nourishes the family by hia labours. 220 vows. will offer to him two goats, or present him with two loads'' of sweetmeats : this vow is called manunu. In this manner the Hindoo asks for different blessings from his god ; such as to become the servant of some European, or to have sickness removed, or for rictes, a house, a wife, or for a son to be married. A woman prays for a husband who is absent. A mother prays that her sick child may recover. Thus the poor Hindoo carries his property to dumb idols, and knows nothing of the happiness of casting all his cares on that glorious Being, ' who careth for him.' The vows made at such times are various. One promises to sacrifice a goat, a sheep, or a buffalo ; another to present sweetmeats, or cloth, ornaments, money, rice, a house, a necklace, one hundred water-lilies, one thousand toolusee leaves, or a grand supper. All these offerings come to the bramhiins.' If the god do not grant the requests and regard the vows made at these times, the worshipper sometimes vents his rage in angry expressions ; or, if the image be in bis own house, he dashes it to pieces. Such an enraged worshipper sometimes says, ' Oh ! ■thou forsaken of the goddess Fortune, thou blind god ; thou canst look upon others, but art blind to me.' ' The gods are djdng,' says another, ' otherwise my five children would not have died ; they have eaten my five children at once.' ' After having worshipped this god HO faithfully, and presented so many offerings, this is the shameful manner in which I am requited.' Words like these are common ; but this is in times when the passions of the worshippers are touched by the death of a child, or by some dreadful misfortune : and those who treat the gods so roughly are generally of the lower orders. Sect XV.— Fows, (VrUtU.) Certain ceremonies, performed at stated times, frequently by females, are called by the name vrutu. The following is an example of one of these cerernonies : — At the fifth of the increase of the moon, in the month Maghii, what is called the PQnchtimee- Vrutu is performed. 0^ the day before the commencement of this ceremony, the woman who is to perform it, eats food without salt, and only once in the day ; refi-ains fi'om anointing her body with oil ; eats rice that has not been made wet in cleansing ; and puts •■ That is, as vav^ch as a man can carry, at twice in the way the bearers carry water ; who put a bambpo yoke on the shoillder, and suspend a jar o£ water from each end of the bamboo, i The shastru has declared that no gifts are to be received from the hands of shSodrSs, except land or virgins. If, however, a bramhSn have received a forbidden gift, he is directed to offer it to Vishnoo, and then distribute it among bramhiins, repeating, for the removal of hia sin, the gayfltree one hundred and eight times, or more. vows. 221 on new apparel. The following morning she bathes ; after which the officiating bramhun arrives at her house, and the things necessary for the worship are brought : as, a new earthen jar, rice, sweetmeats, a new poita, a piece of new cloth, clarified butter, fruits, flowers, &c. The woman presents to the officiating bramhun, who sits in the house on a mat made of kooshu-grass, with his face towards the north or east, a piece of new cloth ; and putting a cloth over her shoulders, and joining her hands, informs him that she intends to perform this vrutu every month for six years, and prays him to become her representative in this work. She then rises, and the bramhun, taking the shalgramti, places it before him, and performs the worship of 'Vishnoo and Liikshmee. In the third and fourth years, on the day preceding and on the day of the worship, she eats rice not made wet in cleansing ; the next year, on these days. Duly fruits ; the following year, on these two days, she fasts. On the last day, (at which time the six years expire,) the officiating bramhuns attend, to whom she says, 'I have now finished the six years' vriitu I promised : I pray you to perform another vrutii.' She then gives to each a piece of cloth, a poita, and some betle-nut ; and putting a cloth round her neck, and joining her hands, begs them to perform the necessary ceremonies. Placing the slialgramu before them, they then per- form the worship of of Shivxi, Sooryu, Gttn^shii, Vishnoo, and Door- ga ; in which offerings are made of cloth, sweetmeats, &c. Next they worship the woman's spiritual guide ; in which, amongst other things, an oflPering is made of a bamboo plate, having on it a num- ber of articles, and among the rest a piece of cloth. To this suc- ceeds the worship of Vishnoo, Lukshmee, and the officiating priests. A priest next prepares an altar four cubits square, by spreading sand upon the ground. At three of the corners he fixes three pieces of wood, lights some straw, and then worships the fire ; next he boils rice, and, with clarified butter, presents the burnt-oifering. The female now puts a bamboo plate on her head, and walks round the fire seven times ; then, standing still, she says, ' O ! tJgnee ! I call thee to witness, that I have performed this vrutii six years.' She says the same to the sun, the shalgramu, and to the bramhuns. Next she gives a fee, and distributes the gifts to the priests and bramhuns. The bamboo plate which she placed on her head is laid up in the house, and the whole closes with a gr-and dinner to the bramhuns and others. This is the form of a vrutti on a large scale. The Hindoos have, it is said, two or three hundred cere^ monies called by this name. Savitree-vrUtU. In this ceremony the wife of a Hindoo, in the month Asharhu, worships her husband : she first presents to him a new garment, hangs a garland of flowers round his neck, rubs his body with red lead and ointments ; and while he sits on a stool, worships him, by presenting different offerings to him repeating incantations, and praying that she may never be separat- 222 FASTING. ed from him as her husband, nor ever become a widow. After a number of other services paid to him, among which she makes him partake of a good dinner, she walks round him seven times, and then retires. Adiirii-singhasunii-vrutii is observed every day in Voishakhu for one year. During the thirty days, thirty women, the wives of bramhuns, are entertained ; a different female each day. When the bramhtinee arrives, a seat is given her on the porch, and the mistress of the house washes her feet, fans her, anoints her head with oil, combs her hair, ornaments her forehead with paint, anoints her body with perfumes, and employs a female barber to paint the edges of her feet. After this she conducts her into the house, where she is fed with all the dainties the house can aiford, and dismissed with a gift of kourees. On the last of the thirty days, in addition to this entertainment, a piece of cloth is presented to a brarahunee. The benefit expected from this vrutii is, that the female who thus honours the wives of bramhuns shall be highly honoured by her husband in another birth. It would be easy to multiply examples, for almost every Hindoo female performs one or another of these vrutiis :'' but this will be sufficient to give the reader an idea of these ceremonies ; from the merit of which some expect heaven, others children, others riches, others preservation from sickness, &c. — The vrtlttis are a very lucrative source of profit to the bramhiins. Sect. XVI. — Fasting, {Oopiovasii.) Fasting is another work of merit among the Hindoos. A common fast is conducted in the following manner : — The person abstains on the preceding day from rubbing his body with oil, and from eating, except once in the former part of the day. The next day he eats nothing ; and on the following day he eats once, worships some god, and entertains one or more bramhuns. If a person be unable to fast to such a degree, he is permitted to take a little milk on the second day ; if he be very weak, he may add fruit, curds, sweetmeats, &c. Some Hindoos fast on the 11th' of the increase, and the 12th of the decrease of the moon in every month; on the II th in '' Vrutua are jincouditional vows to perform certain religious ceremonies ; but what is called miinnnu (see a preceding article) is a conditional vow, promising to pre- sent offerings on condition that the god bestow such or such a benefit. 1 Widows keep this fast so strictly, that if a widow were dying, and a draught of water would prolong life, her friends would scarcely give it. GIFTS. 223 Shravunn, Bhadru, and Kartiku ;" on the 12th in Shravunu ; on the 14th of the decrease of the moon in Phalgoonu ;" on the 9th in Choitrii f on the 8th in Bhadru ;" and on the 8th in Ashwinu.'* In this month many natives of Hindoost'han fast on the first nine days of the moon, in honour of Doorga ; and observe, as they saj^, a total abstinencej even from water. Fasts precede some of the festivals' : after the death of parents, Hindoos fast three days ; after that of a husband, a wife fasts three days ; before offering an atone-' ment, a fast is observed ; the day any pilgi'im arrives at a holy place he fasts ; in fulfilling vows, the Hindoos keep many fasts ; some persons enter into a resolution to fast every other daj^, and persevere in this for years. Some renounce rice altogether, and keep a perpetual fast, living on milk, fruits, &c. Others (pilgrims) offer a certain fruit to some idol, and renounce this kind of fruit, promising never to eat of it again to the end of life. The gods, it is said, delight t& see their followers renounce anything as an act of devotion or attachment to them. This person presents to bramhuns fruit thus renounced, on the aniversaiy of the day on which he renounced it. — Another custom, bearing a similarity to fasting, also prevails among the Hindoos : — In the months Asharhu, Shi'avanu, Bhadru, and Ashwintt, many renounce certain articles of diet, and others omit to be shaved, as acts of devotion to the gods. The blessing expected from fasting is, that the person will ascend to the heaven of that god in whose name he observes the fast. Sect. XVIL— Gifts, {Dan^J) Presents to learned bramhuns; to thoseless learned ; to unlearn- ed bramhuns ; to one whose father was a bramhun, but his mother a sboodru ; and alms to the poor, are called by the name of danu. The things which may be presented are, whatever may be eaten, or worn, or is in use among Hindoos. These are the common gifts, but the shastrus have pointed out extraordinary gifts : a daughter in >» Oa the first of these days Vinhnoo goes to sleep ; on the second he turns to the other side ; and on the third he awakes. " The occasion of this fast is thus related : — On a certain occasion, Doorga asked Shivu what would please him most, and be a work of the greatest merit. He replied, to hold a fast in his name on the 14th of the wane of the moon in Phalgoonu. " The birth-day of RamiJ. p Krishnu's birth-day. 1 The time of the Doorga festival, ' From da, to give. 224 GIFTS. marriage without receiving a fee ;' a pool of water;' a shalgi'amii ; a house containing food, clothes, &c. for twelve months ; gold ; cows ; elephants ; horses ; palankeens ; a road ; a copy of a poo- ranu ; a mountain of gold," silver, brass, rice, or other articles ; land ;" a person's whole pi-operty ; yea, even his life. There are three ways of presenting a gift ; one in which the person worships the receiver; another in which he gives as an act of benevolence ; and the last, in which the giver prays for some blessing on presenting his gift. If a shoodrix wish to present a gift to a bramhun, he bathes, and carries it fasting : on arriving in the presence of the bramhiin, he sprinkles the gift with water, repeating an incantation that it may be thereby purified, and then presents it with such words as these : ' Sir, I have presented to you this gift : let me have your blessing, that I may obtain heaven, or, that my father may obtain heaven, or that it may be imputed to me as an act of merit.' If a man present land to bramhiins, he will obtain heaven; if a cow, he will after death ride on a cow across the river Voitilranee ; if Water, after death he will find refreshing water in his journey to Yiimaluyu, (the residence of Yumti, the regent of death) ; if a house » The generality of tUe respectable Hindoos say, that receiving a fee for a davighter is like selling flesh ; yet the lower orders of bramhiins commonly receive money on giving a daughter in marriage.. Formerly the Hindoo rajas assisted the bramhuns by giving them money for the expenses of their vreddings. A story is re- lated of a raja, who was intreated by a bramhun to bestow a gift upon him for the expenses of his marriage. The raja ordered him to put a garland round the neck of the first woman he met, and let her become his wife. The bramhun went out, and met the raja's mother returning from bathing. When about to put the garland round her neck, she demanded the reason of this strange conduct ; which the bramhun ex- plained. The old lady told him to wait, and she would bring about what he wanted. She sat at the door of the palace, and compelled her sou to come and invite her in. She replied, that she was become the wife of such a bramhun, and that she must go with her new husband. The raja, thunderstruck, called for the bramhSn, gave him a thousand rupees towards his wedding, and brought his mother into the house again. t Pools are dug every year ip all parts of Bengal, and offered to all creatures, ac- companied with a number of ceremonies. 1 The height of these mountain-gifts is given in the Pooshkurfi-khundil of the Pndmu-pooranu. It must not be supposed that they are very large ; but it is neces- sary that figures of trees, deer, &c. should be seen on them. In one of the smritees is an account of a prostitute, who offered a mountain of gold. About the year 1794, Chunooghoshu, a kaist'hij of Midnapore, gave to the bramhiins ■ an artificial mountain of gold. A little before this, Gopalu-krishnu, a voidyiS of Rajn-uuguru, presented to the bramhuns three mountains, one of gold, another of rice, and another of the seeds of sesamum. " It is very common for rich land-owners to make presents of land to bramhuns. At a shraddhfi for a father or a mother, a piece of land, or its value in money, is in- variably given to bramhiins, unless the person be poor. Many of the Hindoo rajas sought out poor bramhiins, and gave them grants of land. A story is related of Keerttee-chilndrn, raja of Burdwan, who once found a poor fatherless boy, the eon of a bramhiin, tending cattle : he gave him a village, with as much land as he could run over without stopping ; and disinherited the shoodrH who had dared to employ the son of a bramhun in so mean an occupation. The same raja ordered a man to be cut in pieces, for refusing to restore to a bramhun a grant of land which the former had bought in a lot offered for sale. ENTERTAINING BRAMHUNS — VARIOUS WORKS OF MERIT. 225 to bi-amhuns, he will obtain a palace in heaven ; if an umbrella to a bramhtin, he will not suffer, in another world, from the rays of the sun ; if shoes, in his 'waj' to heaven he will not suffer from the heat of the ground ; if perfumes to brambuns, he will never, after death, receive an offensive smell ; if medicine to the blind, be will be delivered from darkness hereafter ; if a daughter to a bramhun, without a fee, he will gain as much as if he had given the whole world, Sect. XVIII. — Entertaining BramhiPna. As might be expected in a system formed by bramhuns, honour- ing them with a feast is represented as an act of the highest merit. At the close of all religious ceremonies, bramhtins are entertained ; private individuals, during particular holidays, make a feast for one or more bramh&ns ; a person on his birth-day, on the anniver- sary of the day in which received the initiating incantation, or at the full moon, or at any feast, entertains bramhnns. During the whole of the month Voishakhu, it is very meritorious to give feasts to bramhtins. Sect. XIX. — Various Works of Merit. The Hindoo lawgivers have established several customs, which, if separated from idolatry, would be worthy of the highest commendation : they promise to the obedient the greatest rewards in a future state. Among these we may place hospitality to strangers.^ The traveller, when he wishes to rest for the night, goes to a house, and says, ' I am ■fitit'hee' ; i. e., I am to be entertained at your house. The master or mistress of the house, if of a hospitable dis- position, gives him water to wash his feet, a seat, tobacco, water to drink, &c. After these refreshments, they give him fire-wood, a new earthen pot to cook in,'' rice, split peas, oil, spices, &,c. The next morning he departs, somtimes without saying any thing, and at other times he takes leave." In the I Munoo says, ' No guest must be dismissed in the evening by a house-keeper : he is sent by the returning sun, and whether he come in fit season or unseasonably, he must not sojourn in the house without entertainment. Let not himself eat any delicate food, without asking his guest to partake of it : the satisfaction of a guest will as- suredly bring the housekeeper, wealth, reputation, long life, and a place in heaven.' ' Almost eveiy Hindoo is either constantly or occasionally his own cook. • The Hindoos have no word for ' thank you' in their common language, and gratitude itself appears to constitute no part of their virtues. The greatest benefits eonferred very rarely meet with even the least acknowledgment. I have known 29 22G HOSPITALITY TO STEANGEKS— DIG GING POOLS. houses of the poor or the covetous, a stranger meets with worse entertainment. Not unfrequently the mistress of the house execuses herself to a person wishing to become a guest, and among other things alleges, that there are none but women and children at home. It is not very uncommon for a traveller to go to several houses, and to bo refused at all. This is partly owing to fear, that the stranger may plunder the house in the night. Where persons have porches at the outside of their houses, they have less fear, as the stranger is then kept at a distance. This hospitalitj' to strangers is indeed sometimes abused by a thief, who robs the house and de- camps. Yet if a person refuse to entertain a stranger, the shastru declares that all the sins of the guest become his, and his works of merit become the guest's. The traveller sometimes murmurs on going away, exclaiming that the people of this village are so- depraved, that they refuse a handful of rice to a traveller. If a family are unable through poverty to entertain a guest, the sliastru orders that they shall beg for his relief. The stranger after eating must take nothing uncooked from the house. A person of the name of Goluku-Chiandru-Rayu, of Serampore, formerly sirkar to the Danish East India Company, has particularly distinguished himself in the present day, as the most eminent Hindoo in Bengal for liberality to strangers. Upon an average, two hundred travellers or mendicants were formerly fed daily at and from bis house ; and it is said that he expended in this manner fifty thousand rupees annually. Another work of charity is the digging of pools by the side of public roads, to supply the thirsty traveller with water. The cutting of these ponds, and building flights of steps in order to descend into them, is in many cases very expensive .• four thousand rupees are frequently expended in one pond, including the expense attending the setting it apart to the use of the public ; at which time an assembly of bramhuns is collected, and certain formulas from the shastriis read by a priest ; among which, in the name of the offerer, he says, ' I offer this pond of water to quench the thirst of mankind.' At the close of the ceremony, a feast is given to the assembled bramlitins, who are also dismissed with presents.. European physicians perform tlie most extraordinary cures on the bodies of the natives gratuitously, without a solitary instance occurring of a single individual returning to acknowledge the favour. Amongst the higher orders of Hindoos, how- ever, the master of a house sometimes says to a guest on his departure, ' You will excuse all inattention ;' and the guest replies, ' Oh I sir, you are of a distinguished cilste ! What shall I say in return for the manner in which I have been entertained ? Such food ! such a bed ! But this is like yourself. No one entertains a guest as you do. May Ltikshraee (the goddess of riches) ever dwell in your house. ' I suppose, that in all eastern countries it is a cnstom for guests to be thus entertained at private houses. The address of our Lord to his disciples seems to- intimate that such was the case among the Jews :- " And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy ; and there abide till ye go thence. And whosoever shall not receive you, when yc depart out of that house, &o.' PLANTING TREES, &0. — ANECDOTES. 227 It is unlawful for the owner ever afterwards to appropriate this ponglito his own private use. If the water be very clear and sweet, the offerer is complimented as a person with whose merits the gods are pleased. A person of Burdwan, of the name of Ramti-paliii, is mentioned as having prepared as many as a hundred pools in different places, and given them for public use. Persons inhabiting villages where water was scarce, used to petition this public benefactor to cut a pQal^JEor them ; and, after obtaining leave of the raja, he bestowed upon them this necessary blessing.' h The planting of trees to afford shade to travellers is another act of merit among the Hindoos, and, in a hot climate like tliis, deserves to be classed among actions that are commendable. Some trees also are considered as sacred, and the planting of them is therefore deemed a religious act The trees thus planted are generally the iishwtit'hu," the vutu,* vilwu,' ushoku,'' vnkoolu,^ pltikshu,^ oodoomburu," shingshttpa,* tumalu,' jeevu-pootree,"" &c. At the time of planting these trees, no religious ceremony takes place ; but when they are dedicated' to public or sacred uses, the ceremony called prutisht'ha is perfprnied- The person who plants one ushwut'hu," one nimbti," two chumpuku,"' three nag^kdshwuru,'' seven talu,' and nine cocoanut trees, and devotes them with their fruit, shade, &c. to public uses, is promised heaven. About twenty years ago, a landowner of Patu-diihu, about fourteen miles from Calcutta, planted an orchard by a public road, placed a person to keep it, and dedicated it to the use of travellers of all descriptions ; who are permitted to enter it, and take as much fruit as they can eat on the spot. Krishnti-vnsoo, of Calcutta, made a road' from Kutiiku to the temple of Jugunnat'hu, in Oris^, and planted a double row of fruit trees on the sides of this road for the use of pilgrims going to the temple. The pilgrims cook their food, sleep under the shade of these trees, and eat the fruit which they yield. He also cut a large pool near the temple, to supply these pilgrims with watep. Raja Sookhu-mtiyu, of Calcutta, who died in the year 1811, left 100,000 rupees to be appropriated to the repairs and improvement of the road to the temple of Jttgunnat'hu, in Orissa," and to assist pilgrims going there in paying the tax to Government; In some parts, in the sultry months Voishakhu and Jyoisht'hu, * Gutting wells made q, man famous in patriarchal times : a well, said to be ITaCBb's well, existed in Samaria at the odmijiencement of the Christian era. Johij iv. 6, 12. " Ficus religiosa. * Ficus Indica. " .^gle mavmelos. f Jonesia jjsooa. « Mimusops elengi. i> Fjous vpnosa. ' Ficus glomerata. ■' Dalbergia Sisso. 1 XanthochymUs piotorius. "> Unascertained. ? Fieus religiosa. " M-elia, ftzadirachta, P Miohelia champaoa. ■! Mesua ferea. ' Boraasus flabelUf or»i«!. • There are very few good public road^in Beugal, ■228 READING AND HEARING THE POORANUS. ricli Hindoos, as an act of merit, erect sheds by the public roads, and supply travellers gratis with water and other refreshments. For the comfort of travellers, lodging-houses are erected by opulent Hindoos on the side of public roads, in some of which travellers are supplied with refreshments gratis. Sect. XX. — Reading and hearing PooranUs. At the close of most of the pooranus, the writers affirm, that it is an act of the greatest mei'it, extinguishing all sin, for the people to read these works, or hear them read. Those principally recited.in Bengal, as an act of merit, are the Muhabharutti, the Shree-bhaguvutu, the Kaliku pooranti, the Ootkulii and Kalee- khtindus.' Some auspicious day, in the month Kartikfi, Maghii, or Voi- shakhiX, is chosen, on the day preceding which the bramhnns are entertained. A shed, covered with thatch and open on all sides, is prepared, sufficiently large, if the ceremony be on a grand scale, to accommodate four or five thousand people. At one end, a place rather elevated is prepared for the person who is to read ; and the other end, if tliere be a portico to the house, is enclosed by a cur- tain, from whence the women hear, and peep through the crevices. Mats are spread for the people to sit on, the bramhtins in one place, and the kayiSst'hus in another," and the shoodriis in another. On the appointed day all take their places : the people, on entering, make prostration to the shalgramu and to the bramhtins. The person at whose expense this is performed, after bathing, enters the assembly, acquaints the pilndits with his design, and asks leave to choose those who are to read ; to each of whom he pre- sents a piece of cloth, directing him what to do. The reader (Pat'hukii) sits on the elevated seat ; below him, on the right and left, sit the examiners, (Dharukus) ; and before him theSudusyus, who decide upon the exactness of the copy. Two persons (Shrotas) sit in front, and in the name of the householder hear it read. Before the recitation begins, a bramhun in his name presents a garland of flowers, and some white paint, to theshalgramti ; places very thick garlands on the neck, arms, and head of the reader, and anoints his breast and forehead with white paint ; and afterwards places garlands round the necks of the bramhuns and some of the ' The two last works are parts of the SkiSndu pooranii, " When a kaynst'hfi has a pooranu read at his own house, before the recital commences the officiating bramhfin worships the book, the author, and the person whose actions are celebrated- iu this work. Flowers, rice, a burn^-offering, &c, are presented to th« book, and tq the persons worshipped. SACRED REHEARSALS. 229 sh5odrtis. The Pat'Imkii then (about nine or ten o'clock in the fore- noon) beings to read one of these pooranus aloud. The first day they sit about an hour ; but on the succeeding days they begin at seven and continue till twelve ; and in the afternoon meet again, when the meaning of what was read in the forenoon in Siingskritu is to be given in Bengalee, by the Kut'huku, or speaker ; who takes the seat of the Pat'hukii, placing the shalgramu upon a stand before him. At times the passions of the multitude are greatly moved ; when some one perhaps presents the reader with a piece of money. The whole is closed at dusk, when the people retire, and converse upon what they have heard. This method is pursued from day to day till the book is finished. The recitation of the Muhabhai'titu occupies four months, of the Shree-bhaguvtlta about one. Some persons entertain the guests on the last day instead of the first, dismissing the bramhuns with presents. It is said, that not less than 100,000 rupees have been sometimes expended by rich men at such recitals. The person who causes these books to be read, is promised great future rewards. Sect, XXI. — Sacred Rehearsals, (GeetU.') The Hindoos, as an act of merit, employ persons to sing those parts of their shasti-us, which contain the history of their gods. These songs have been composed in the Bengalee from the following, among other shastriis : the Chiindee, Rama- yunu, the Muhabharutu, the Shree-bhaguvutu, the Gtinga-vakyu- vulee, the Kaliku, Pudmii, and Shivu pooranus, and the Kashee- khundu. The names of the songs are : Kalee-keertunu, Unnuda- mungulu, Krishnu-mtingulu, Gtinga-bhuktee-turunginee, Kiivee- kunkanti, Muniisa-mungttlu. Huree-sungkeertunti, Peerdr-ganu, Dhtipdr-ganti. As a specimen of the manner in which this singing is conduct- ed, I insert an account of the performance called Kuvee-kunkunti. — Sometimes a rich man bears the expense, and at others half a dozen persons join in it. If the former, he has the rehearsal in his own yard ; and if several unite, it is done in some suitable place in the village, after the place has been swept, and an av/ning put over it. Eight or ten singers of any caste, attended by four or five musi- cians are employed. Upon the ancles of all the singer.s are loose brass rings, which make a gingling noise : in the left hand is held a brush made from the tail of the cow of Tartary ; and in the right, round flat pieces of metal, which by being shook, make a gingling noise. The drum continues to beat till all the people « From goi, aing, 2.30 ]1ANGING LAMPS IN THE AIU — FAMILY MISFORTUNES. liave taken their places ; after which the chief singer steps forth, and after a short preface begins to sing, moving his feet, waving liis hands, and now and then dancing. The softer music also play.s at intervals, and the other singers take parts, waving the cow- tails, and dancing with a slow motion. When the passions of the hearers are affected, some throw small pieces of money at the feet of the principal singer. The performance continues during the day for nearly six hours, and is renewed again at night. These rehearsals are in some instances continued a month : each day a new song is chosen. The inferior singers receive about eight-pence a day each ; and for this trifle sing till they are black in the face, and become quite hoarse. The performance being out of doors, is very unfavourable to vocal efforts, and the exertions of the singers are in consequence very painful. The gifts to those singers who excel, often increase the allowance considerably ; and at the time of their dismission, the performers have garments, &c. presented to them. A feast to the bramhuns concludes the re- hearsal. Sometimes women are employed, though not frequently. The hearing of these songs, however filthy some of them may be, is considered as an act of religious merit. Sect. XXII. — Hcrniginrj LctTnps in the Air. In the month Kartiktt, the Hindoos suspend lamps in the air on bamboos, in honour of the gods, and in obedience to the shastrtis. J cannot learn any other origin of this custom than this, that as the offerings of lamps to particular gods is considered as an act of merit, so this offering to all the gods, during the auspicious month Kartikti, is supposed to procure many benefits to the giver. Sect. XXIII; — Method of preventing Family Misfortunes. If a Hindoo die on an unlucky day, the shastrns declare that not only the whole race of such a person, but the very trees of his garden will perish. To prevent these direful effects, a ceremony called Pooshkura-shantee is performed in the night, by the river side, or in some plain ; where two bramhtins sit on an altar, and worship the nine planets, also Yurau, Chitru-gooptix, Pooshkuru-poorooshti/ and the shalgrami^ ; and afterwards offer a sacrifice. One of the bramhtins then makes the images of Ytimu 1 YSmii is the judge of the dead ; Chitru-gooptn i,9 his recorder ; and PooshkSrS poorooshil, a kind of inferior deity, who resides with Tjimti. CEREMONY FOE REMOVING EVILS FROM BAD OMENS. 231 and Pooshkuru-pooroosh'u ; one with cow-dung, and the other with paste made of rice. To these images he imparts souls, worships the knife, slays a fish, and offers it in two parts, with some blood, to the cow-dung aiid paste images. The person who performs this ceremony then dismisses the two bramhtins with fees, and avoids seeing their faces any more on that night. Sect. XXIV. — Geremony for removing the Evils following had Omens. If a thunder-bolt fall on a house; if a vulture, or hargilla (the gigantic crane,) alight on it ; or if shackals or owls lodge iu it ; or if a shackal howl in the yard in the day-time, some evil will befall the persons living iu this house. To prevent this, the cere- monj'' called TJdbhootti-shantee is pei'formed ; which comprises the worship of Brilmha and other gods, the burnt-sacrifice, repeating the name of a certain deity, &c. Sect. XXV. — Ceremo7iies perforoned while sitting on a dead Body In the former edition of this work, I inserted a pretty long account of a number of strange ceremonies, principally drawn from the tiintrtts, and known under the name of Sadhtinti. One of these rites is performed while sitting on a dead body ; and the whole are practised under the supervstitious notion that the wor- shipper will obtain an interview with his guardian deity, and be empowered to work miracles. The late Eamti-Krishnu, raja of Natorii, employed the greater part of his time in repeating the name of his guardian deity, and in other gloomy and intoxicating rites. The princess who had adopted him, and who had become his spiritual guide, was offend- ed on perceiving his turn of mind. A little before his death, he performed the 8htivu-sadhunu, and his house steward, a brarahtin, provided for him a dead body and other necessary articles ; and it is affirmed, that while the raja was sitting on the dead body, -(which was placed in the temple ofKalee, built by the raja at Natorii,') he was thrown from it to the river Narudii, a distance of about half a mile. After a long search, the raja was found on this spot in a state of insensibility, and in a few days after he died. I give this story as it was related to me by two or three bramhiins. That the raja performed the Shtivu-sadhunu is very probable. » The raja ia said to liave endowed this temple with lands, &o. of the annual value of 100,00t) rupees. 232 CEREMONIES FOR REMOVING OR DESTROYING ENEMIES. Sect. XXVI. — Cereinonies for removing, subduing, or destroying Enemies. The tiintru sliastriis, and even the v^diis, have laid down the forms of an act of worship to remove an enemy to a distance, to bring him into subjection, or to destroy him. This worship is ad- dressed to the yoginees, or other inferior deities, before a female image made of cow-dung, or a pan of water, on a Tuesday or Satur- day, at the darkest hour of the night. Many incantations are re- peated, and some bloody sacrifices offered. The worshipper ex- pects, that by the power of these incantations his enemy will be seized with some dreadful disease, and will thus perish by the un- seen hand of the yogineas If a person hear that his enemy is performing these ceremonies for his destruction, he pays another person to perform similar rites, to prevent any evil arising to him. The Hindoos have also a great variety of incantations, which are supposed to possess the same power as charms in Europe." For destroying the cattle or goods of an enemy, incantations are used ; as well as to hinder cows from calving, milk from yielding butter, &c. Another incantation is used to extract ftsh bones from the tliroat. They have incantations also for almost everj'- disease ; as, the head-ache, tooth-ache, fevei", dysenterj^, leprosy, madness, burns, scalds, eruptions on the skin, &c. In the tooth-ache they are taught to imagine, that by the power of the incantation a small grub is ex- tracted from the tooth. An incantation is repeated to make a tree grow in the belly of an enemy, as well as to obtain preservation from snakes, tigers, witches, ghosts, and all other destructive things ; and to drive away serpents, or wild beasts. If any one has been robbed, he prevails upon a person to read an incantation to discover the thief If any one, who has power to injure another, be offended, the Hindoos read an incantation to appease him. If a person has a trial depending in a court of justice, he reads an in- cantation while putting on his turban, that he may gain his cause. The caste of Hindoos who keep snakes for a show, repeat incanta- tions that they may handle these snakes without harm. Other in- cautious are mentioned, by which a person is able to conceal him- self, when in the act of doing any thing requiring secrecy. Sect. XXVI I.' — Impure Orgies, with Flesh, spirituous Liquors, &c. (Pdornabhish^ciC.) Some of the worshippers of the female deities assume the pro- fession of briimhucliarees ; among whom the ceremony called poornabhish^kti is known, and which is performed in the night, in ■ Some incantations mnst be read every day, others preserve their power three, and some eight days ; but no incantation will keep good longer than eight days, yi^ith- out beinc; re*d afresh. IMPURE OEGIES, WITH FLE^H, SiC. ^38 a secret manner, at the house of the person who understands the formulas. He who wishes to be initiated into these rites, raises an altar of earth in the house appointed, and scatters some peas on it, which sprout out by the time the altar is used. On the day pre- ceding the rites, he performs the vriddhee-shraddhti in the name of his deceased ancestors ; and during the whole of the following night, repeats the name of the goddess to be worshipped, rehearses her praise, eats flesh, drinks spirits,, &c. On the following day, he takes to the house appointed some ilesh, (of any animal,) spirituous liquors, rice, fish, and many other offerings ; with nine females of different castes, (one of which must be a bram- hiin's daughter,) and nine men, (brumhucharefs ;) with one female for the priest, and another for himself. The priest next takes nine pans of water, and places on them branches of different trees, and sets up some plantain trunks around them ; after which the person to be initiated presents a garment to the priest, and intreats him to anoint him. The priest then offers to the goddess, an intoxicating beverage made with the leaves of hemp ; of which all present, both women and men partake. He next rubs on the foreheads of the persons present some red lead, and worships the goddess, the guardian deity of the person to be initiated, making the latter repeat it ; and worships the men and women who are present, presenting to each a piece of cloth and other offerings. Next the priest gives to the women spirituous liquors, in cups made of the cocoanut, or Of human skulls. What they leave is taken out of the cups, mixed together, and given to the men. The women then arise one by one, and, dipping the branches into the pans of water, sprinkle the person to be initiated, repeating incan- tations. This action is repeated by the priest, who changes the naitlie of the disciple, and gives him one expTessive of the state into which he is entering, as, Antindu-nat'hn, i. e., the lord of joy. If after this the disciple should become a religious mendicant, he is called a Yyuktavti-dhootu : if he continue in a secular state, he is called a Gooptavu-dhootu.'' . All the persons present continue repeating the names of their guardian deities, and at intervals partake of the offerings, without considering the distinctions of caste, or the unlawfulrless of the food. After midnight, acts of obscenity are perpetrated so abominable, that the bramhtin who gave me this account could only repeat them in part." After this, the' priest worships one or more females, the daughters of bramhuns, and sacrifices, a goat to Bhuguvutee. The initia,ted then offers a ^ The first of these two names implies, that the person makes no secret of his being in the order into which he is initiated. He theifefore becomes a religious piendicant, and publicly drinks and smokes intoxicating herbs. The latter, after initiation, continues in a secular state, and drinks spirituous liquors in secret. " Rarau-nat'hii, the second Snbgskritu piindit in the college, informed a friend of mine, that he once watched one of these groups unobserved, when spirits were pon red ou the head of a' naked woman, ' while another drank them as they ran from her body. 30 234 IMPURE ORGIES. present of money to the priest, and to the females and males present. The remainder of the night is spent in eating, drinking spirits, and repeating the names of diffei'ent deities. These abom- inable ceremonies are enjoined in most of the tiintru shastrtis. The bramhiin who gave me this account had procured it from a briimhucharee, by pretending tliat he wished to perform these rites. In the year 1809, Trikonu-goswamee, a vyuktavu-dhootu died at Kalee-ghatti, in the following manner : — Three days before his death he dug a grave near his hut, in a place sun-ounded by three vilwu trees, which he himself had planted. In the evening he placed a lamp in the grave, in which he made an offering of flesh, greens, rice, &c. to the shackals, repeating it the next evening. The following day he obtained from a rich native ten rupees worth of spirituous liquors, and invited a number of mendicants, who sat drinking with him till twelve at noon, when he asked among the spectators at what hour it would be full moon ; being informed, he went and sat in his grave, and continued diinking liquors. Just before the time for the full moon, he turned his head towards the temple of Kalee, and informed the spectators that he had come to Kalee-ghatu with the hope of seeing the goddess, not the image in the temple. He had frequently been urged by different persons to visit the temple ; but though he had not assigned a reason for his omission, he now asked, what he was to go and see there : — a temple ? He could see that where he was. A piece of stone made into a face, or the silver hands ? He could see stones and silver any where else. He wished to see the ,goddess herself; but he had not, in this body, obtained the sight. .However, he had still a mouth and a tongue, and he would again call upon her. He then called out aloud, twice, ' Kalee ! Kalee !' and almost immediately died ; — probably from excessive intoxi- cation. The spectators, though Hindoos, (who in general despise a drunkard,) considered this man as a great saint, who had foreseen his own death when in health : he had not less than four hundred disciples. The persons who haA^e gone through the ceremony of Poornab- hishdku conceal this fact as much as possible, as the drinking of spirits is disgraceful. They renounce all the ceremonies of the otherHindoos,' as far as they can do it without incurring disgrace and loss of caste. Two bramlmns, who sat with me when I was finishing this account, assured me, that the drinking of spirits was now so com- mon, that out of sixteen Hindoos, tAvo drank spirits in secret, and about one in sixteen in public.'' Several of the Plindoo rajas, who * They offer, or pretend to offer, these spirits to the idols, and then the drinking, 1 or drinking to excess, is no crime in the opinion of these brSmhiicharees. Amongst the regular Hindoos, the eating of flesh is a crime, but eating flesh that has been offered to an image is an innocent action. EXTRACTS FROM THE SHASTRUS ON BURNING OF WIDOWS ALIVE. ;g35 had received tbe initiating incantations of the female deities, are said to have given themselves up to the greatest excesses in drinkr ing spirits. -Sect, XXVIII. — Burning of Widows alive. The following and other passages from the Hindoo shastriis have no doubt given rise to tliis singularly shocking practice. ' Fire, let these women, with bodies anointed with clarified butter, eyes (coloured) with stibium, and void of tears, enter thee, the parent of water, that they may not be separated from their husbands, but may be in union with excellent husbands, be sinless, and jewels among women. — Big-vedU. ' There are 35,000,000 hairs on the human body. The wonian who ascends the pile with her husband, will remain so many years in heaven. — As the snake-catcher draws the serpent from its hole, so she, rescuing her husband, (from hell,) rejoices with him. — The woman who expires on the funeral pile with her husband, purifies the family of her mother, her fiither and her husband. — If the husband be a bramhunicide, an ungrateful person, or a muderer of his friend, the wife by burning with him purges away his sins. — There i.s no virtue greater than a virtu^ ous° woman's burning herself with her husband. — No other efiectual duty is known for virtuous women, at any time after the death of their lords, except casting themselves into the same fire. — ^As long as a woman, in her successive transmigrations, shall decline burning herself, like a faithful wife, on the same fire with her deceased lord, so long shall she not be exempted from spring- ing again to life in the body of some female animal.' — Ungird. 'If a woman who had despised her husband, and had done what was contrary to his mind, should (even) from mercenary motives, as fear, or a suspension of the reasoning powers, die with her husband, she shali be pui'ged from all (crimes,)' — M'SAabharUtU. ' Though he have sunk to a region of torment, be restrained in dreadful bonds, have reached the place of anguish, be seized by the imps of Yumu, be exhausted of strength, and afflicted and tortured for his crimes ; still, as a serpent-catcher unerringly drags a serpent from his hole, so does she draw her husband from hell, and ascend with him to heaven by the power of devotion. — If the ' The terms Sadhwee and SStee, here rendered virtuous, are thus explained by ■Hareetn :— ^' commiserating with her husband in trouble, rejoicing in his joys, neglect- ing herself when he is gone from home, and dying at his death." In the MStshyfi , pooraniS it is said, ' By the favour of a chaste woman (Sadhwee) the universe is preserv- ed, oa which account she is to be regarded by kings and people as a goddess.' 236 CEREMONIES PRECEDING THE IMMOLATION. ■wife be within one day's journey of the place whei-e the hnsband died, and signify her wish to burn with him, the burning of his corpse shall be delayed till her arrival.— If the husband die on the third day of the wife's menstrual discharge, and she desire to burn with him, the burning of his corpse shall be delayed one day to accommodate her.' — Vyasit. ' If the husband be out of the country when he dies, let the virtuous wife take his slippers, (or any thing else which belongs to his dress,) and binding them (or it) on her breast, after purification, enter a separate fire.' — Brumhu pooranit. ' A bramhunee cannot burn herself on a separ-ate pile.' OoutumU. — ' But this is an eminent virtue in another woman.' Ooshiina. ' A woman with a young child, pregnant, doubtful whether she is pregnant or not, or menstruous, cannot ascend the pile. Vrihun-nariideeyti pooranU. — The Vishnoo pooranu adds, ' or lately brought to bed, (within 20 or 30 days,) cannot,' &c. I do not find, that it is common for women to reveal their intention of being burnt with their husbands while both parties are in health. A few, however, avow this in confidence to their husbands, and there may be circumstances in the family which may lead to the expectation of such an event. In some families, for several generations, the widow invariably perishes at the death of her husband ; and thus established custom exacts this self- immolation from every woman, who has been so unhappy as to have become united to such a family. How shocking to the female herself, had she Christian feelings, to know that such a death awaits her ! How shocking to the son, had he the feelings of a man, to know that he is doomed to perpetrate so horrible a matricide ! When the husband is directed by the physician to be carried to the river side, there being then no hopes of his recovery, the wife declares her resolution to be burnt with him.' In this case, she is treated with great respect by her neighbours, who bring her deli- cate food, &c., and when the husband is dead, she again declares her resolution to be burnt with his body. Having broken a small, branch from the mangoe tree, she takes it with her, and proceeds to the body, where she sits down. The barber then paints the sides of her feet red ; after which she bathes, and puts on new clothes. During these preparations, the drum beats a certain sound, by which it is known, that a widow is about to be burnt with the corpse of her husband. On hearing this all the village assembles. The son, or if there be no son, a relation, or the head man of the village f Dying in the .sigW of the Ganges is not considered as ahsolutely necessary, however, if a woman perish with the dead body ; and sometimes a wife forbids the removal of her sick husband, assuring her friends, that she means to be burnt, and thus make the salvation of her husband certain without the help of Gitnga, CEREMONIES PRECEDING THE IMMOLATION. 237 provides the articles necessary for the ceremony. A hole is first dug in the ground, round which stakes are driven into the earth, and thick green stakes laid across to form a kind of bed ; and upon these are laid, in abundance, dry faggots, hemp, clarified butter, pitch, &c. The ofiiciating bramhtin now causes the widow to re- peat the formulas, in which she prays, that ' as long as fourteen Indriis reign, or as many years as there are hairs on her head, she may abide in heaven with her husband ; that the heavenly dancers during this time may wait on her and her husband ; and that by this act of merit all the ancestors of her father, mother, and hus- band, may ascend to heaven.' She now presents her ornaments to her friends, ties some red cotton on both wrists, puts two new combs in her hair, paints her forehead, and takes into the end of the cloth that she wears some parched rice and kourees. While this is going forward, the dead body is anointed with clarified butter and bathed, prayers are repeated over it, and it is dressed in new clothes. The son next takes a handful of boiled rice, prepared for the purpose, and, repeating an incantation, offers it in the name of his deceased father. Ropes and another piece of cloth are spread upon the wood, and the dead body is then laid upon the pile. The widow next walks round the funeral pile seven times, strewing parched rice and kourees as she goes, which some of the spectators endeavour to catch, under the idea that they will cure diseases.^ The widow now ascends the fatal pile, or rather throws herself down upon it by the side of the dead body. A few female ornaments having been laid over her, the ropes are drawn over the bodies which are tied together, and faggots placed upon them. The son then, averting his head, puts fire to the face of his father, and at the same moment several persons light the pile at different sides, when women, relations, &c. set tip a cry : more faggots are now thrown xipon the pile with haste, and two bamboo levers are brought over the whole, to hold down the bodies and the pile.'" Several persons are employed in holding down these levers, and others in throwing water upon them, that they may not be scorched. While the fire is burning, more clarified butter, pitch, and faggots, are thrown into it, till the bodies are consumed. It may take about two hours before the whole is burnt, but I conceive the woman must be dead in a few minutes after the fire has been kindled. At the close, each of the persons who have been employed, takes up a burning stick and throws it on the remaining fire. The bones, &c. that may be left, are cast into the Ganges. The place where the bodies have been burnt is plentifully washed with water ; after which the son of the deceased makes two balls of boiled rice, and, with an incan- K Motliers hang the kourees round the necks of sick children. li A person sometimes takes one of these bamhobs, after the bodies are burnt, - and, making a bow and arrow with it, repeats incantations over it. He then makes an image of some enemy with clay, and lets fly the arrow into this image. The per- son whose image is thus pierced is said to be immediately seized with a pain in his breast. £38 AFFECTING EELATIONS OF THE PRACTICE. tation, oifers them in the name of his father and, mother, and lays them on the spot where they were burnt. The persons who have been engaged in burning the bodies now bathe ; and each One, taking up water in his hands three times, ahd repeating incanta- tions, pours out drink-offerings to the deceased. The son binds upon his loins, in coming up out of the water, a shred of new cloth ; which he wears, if a bramhiin, ten days. After this the family re- turn home, or remain till evening ; or, if the burning has taken place in the evening, till the next morning. Before entering the house, they touch a piece of hot iron, and also fire. This is done as a charm against evil spirits. Soon after my ari-ival in Bengal, I was an eye-witness to two instances of the burning of widows to death : — on the latter occa- sion two women were burnt together ; one of them appeared to possess great resolution, but the other was almost dead with fear. In the year 1812, I saw another widow burnt to death at SoondurQ- poorti, a distance of about three miles from Serampore ; and in the month of November, 1812, the wife of Ramu-nidhee, a banker, of Serampore,was burnt alive with the dead body of her husband, not half a mile from the Mission-house. These facts respecting the murder of the helpless widow as a religious ceremony are indeed so notori- ous, that the most careless traveller may convince himself, if he take the least notice of what is doing on the banks of the river. The natives do not attempt to hide these murders, but rather glory in them as proofs of the divine nature of their religion. The facts here- after inserted have been voluntarily given to me by respectable natives, most of whom were eye-witnesses of what they here testify. Several years ago, Ram-Nat'hil, the second Sungskritu pundit in the College of Fort-William, saw thirteen women burn them- selves with one Mooktua-ramu, of Oola, near Shantee-pooru. After the pile, which was very large, had been set on fire, a quantity of pitch being previously thrown into it to make it bum the fiercer, another of this man's wives came, and insisted on burning : while she was repeating the formulas, however, her resolution failed, and she wished to escape ; but her son, perceiving this, pushed her into the fire, which had been kindled on the sloping bank of the river, and the poor woman, to save herself, caught hold of another woman, a wife also of tlie deceased, and puUed her into the fire, where they both perished. About the year J 789, tJbhuyu-churunu, a bramhiin, saw four women burnt with Eamu-kantu, a kooleenu brarahun, at Vasii- dijroonee, near Kalee-ghatii. Three of these women were already surrounded by the flames when the fourth arrived. She insisted on being burnt with them : accordingly, after going rapidly through the preparatory ceremonies, (the bramhiins in the mean time bring- ing a large quantity of combustible materials,) some fresh wood was Jaid near the fire alreiady kindled, upon which this infatuated female AFFECTING EELATIOHS OF THE PEACTICE, 239 threw Kerself; In a moment faggots, oil, pitch, &c. were thrown upon her, and, amidst the shoufes 6i" the mob, she expired. Ramu-Huree, a bramhun, had three wives living at Khiirtidnh, near Calcutta, at the time of his death, about the year 1802. One of them was deranged"; with another he had never cohabited, and by the other he had one son. The latter had' agreed with her hus- band, that, whenever he should die, she would burn with him ; and he promised her, that if he died at Patna, where his employer lived, the body should be sent down to Khiiriiduh. This woman touched her husband's body at the time of this agreeneent, as a solemn rati- fication'' of what she said.' After some time this man died at Patna, and a friend fastened the body in a box, and sent it down on a boat. As soon as it arriyed at Khtirudfth, the news was sent to his rela- tions. The wife who had made the agreement failed in her resolu- tion, and sat in the house weeping. Her son, who was grown to manhood, ordered her repeatedly, in the most brutal manner, to pro- ceed to the funeral pile ; and reminded her, that it was through her that his father's body had been brought so far : but she refused, and still remained weeping. While this was going forward, the derang- ed wife, hearing that her husband was dead, and that his body had arrived at the landing-place, instantly_ declared that she would burn with him. The people endeavoured to terrify her, and divert her from her purpose ; but she persisted in affirming that she would positively burn. She came to the housSjand poured the most bitter reproaches on the wife who was unwillaag to die. This poor de- ranged wretch had a chain on her leg : a spectator proposed to take it ofi", and lead her to the funeral pile ; and the third wife arriving, she was led with this deranged woman to the body : the wood and other articles for the funeral pile were prepared, and a large crowd had assembled by the river side. As soon as the deranged wife saw the dead body, which was very much disfigured, and exceedingly •> The Hindoos also make oath while touching one of the shastrils, or the shal- gramS, or a cow, or fire, or the toolusee, or a roodnakshtt string of beads, or rice. When made before a bramhun, or in a temple, or by laying the hand on the head of a son, an oath is ratified, • The Hindoos relate a number, of stories reapeeting women who promised their husbands to burn with them, but afterwards shrank from the task. A story of this kind is related of a man named GopalH-bharS, who pretended to die, in order to try the faithfulness of his wife. As soon as she thought he was really dead, she declared she would not die on his funeral pile ; when the (supposed) dead mau arose, and upbraided her for her insincerity. Another story is related of Shjimbhoo-ramii, of Araohya, in Burdwan, who had three wives, but was most attached to the youngest. This woman had promised her husband to burn with him after his death, and he had in consequence behaved with the greatest coolness towards his other wives, and had heaped all his wealth on this favoui-ite. A person suggested doubts respecting the sincerity of this woman's declaration. To try her, on a certain occasion, when absent from home, her husband sent a relation to say he was dead, and to urge her to go to the spot to be burnt with him. As soon as she heard the tidings, instead of proceeding to the spot where the body was supposed to be waiting, she locked up all the jewels, &c. her husband had given her, and set her husband's relations at defiance. In a few hours the (dead) husband arrived, degraded this wife, and for the future became more attached to the other two. 240 AFFECTING EELATIONS OF THE PHACTICE. offensive, she declared it was not her husband ; that in fact they were going to burn her with a dead cow. She poured curses on them all, and protested she would not burn with a dead cow.'' The other female, who had never touched her husband, except at the marriage ceremony, was then bound to this putrid carcase, and de- voured by the liames. Abovit the year 1796, the following most shocking and atrocious murder, under the name of stQaii-muriinu,' was perpetrated at Mujil- poorii, about a day's journey south from Calcutta. Bancha-ramii, a bramhiin of the above place dying, his wife at a late hour went to be burnt with the body : all the previous ceremonies were per- formed ; 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 brush- wood. 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 drown or hang herself She pleaded for 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 he would die, or she should. Unable to presuade her to hang or drown herself, the son and others present then tied her hands and feet, and threw her on the funeral pile, where she quickly perished. Gopee-nat'hti, a bramhttn employed in the Serampore Printing- office, was informed by his nephew, that in the year J 799, he saw thirty-seven females burnt alive with the remains of Untintu-ramti, a bramhtin of Bagna-para, near Ntideeya. This kooleenu bramhian had more than a hundred wives. At the first kindling of the fire, only three of them were present ; but the fire was kept burning three days ! When one or more arrived, the ceremonies were performed, and they threw themselves on the blazing fire ! On the first day, three were burnt ; on the second fifteen ; and on the third nineteen ! Among these, some were forty years old, and others as young as sixteen. The three first had lived with this bramhun ; the others had seldom seen him. From one family he had married four sisters ; two of these were among the slaughtered victims. In the year 1812, a kooleenri bramhtin, who had married twenty- five women, died at Choona-khalee. Thirteen died during his life- '' In the month of January, 1813, a poor deranged woman was burnt alive with the corpse of Jier bnsband, KSghoo-nat'hu, a brambun, at Biijura-poorii, in the zillah of Krishnn-nagurS. ' SSha, with ; marSnfl, death. AFFECTING RELATIONS OF THE PEACTICE. 241 time ; the remaining twelve perished with him on the funeral pile, leaving thirty children to deplore the fatal effects of this horrid system. Some years ago, a kooleenn bramhiin, of considerable property, died at Sookhttchtiru, three miles east of Serampore. He had mar- ried moi-e than forty women, eighteen of whom perished on the funeral pUe. On this occasion a fire extending ten or twelve yards in length was prepared, into which they threw themselves, leaving more than forty children. About the year 1802, the wife of a man of property of the writer caste was burnt at Kashee-poorn, in the suburbs of Calcutta. The bramhun who witnessed this scene informed me, that when he went to the spot, he saw a vast crowd of people assembled ; and amongst the rest the above female, a girl about fourteen years old, and another female, of a different caste, who had cohabited with the deceased. The girl addressed herself to the mistress of her hus- band, and asked her what she did there : it was true, her husband had never loved her, nor had he for one day since their marriage lived with her ; yet she was now resolved to enjoy his company after death. She added, (continuing her address to the mistress of her husband,) ' If, however, you wiU accompany him, come, let us burn together ; if not, arise and depart.' She then asked the woman what her husband had bequeathed to her, and was answered that he had given her twenty -five rupees, and some clothes. To this the wife of the deceased added twenty-five more. After this conversa- tion, the bramhuns hastened the ceremonies ; her friends entreated her to eat some sweetmeats, but she declined it, and declared that she would eat nothing but that which she came to eat, (fire.) At this time the clouds gathered thick, and there was the appearance of heavy rain : some persons urged delay till the rain was over ; but she requested them to hasten the business, for she was ready. A bramhun now arrived, and entreated- the favour of this woman to forgive a debt due to her husband, for which his brother was in con- finement. She forgave it, leaving a written order behind her, to which she affixed her mark. After the ceremonies by the side of the river, and near the pile, were concluded, she laid herself down on the pile, placing one arm under the head of the deceased, and the other over his breast, and they were thus tied together. At the time of lighting the pile, the rain fell in torrents, and the fire was so partially lighted, that during half an hour it only singed her clothes and her hair. This devoted female, however, remained in the same posture on the pile till the rain ceased, when, in a few seconds, the fire devoured her. It was reported that she had cohabited with others, but she denied it before she ascended the pile. An English clergyman, now deceased, once related to me two scenes to which he had been an eye-witness ;-»-one was that of a 3i ,242 AFFECTING RELATIONS OF THE PRACTICE. young woman, who appeared to possess the most perfect serenity of mind during ever}^ part of tlie preparatory ceremonies : calm and placid, she acted as though unconscious of the least danger; she smiled at some, gave presents to others, and walked round the funeral pile, and laid herself down by the dead body, with as much composure as though slie had been about to take rest at night. The other scene was very different ; the woman, middle-aged and corpulent, appeared to go through the business with extreme reluc- tance and agitation ; the bramhiins watched her, followed her closely, held her up, and led her round the funeral pile, and seemed to feel uneasy till they had tied her fast to the dead body, and had brought the faggots and bamboo levers over her. This clergy- man added, that he saw one of this woman's arms move, as in convulsive motions, for some time after the pile was lighted. The Hindoos say, that it is a proof the woman was a great sinner, if any part of her body is seen to move after the pile has been lighted ; and, on the contrary, if she is not seen to move, they exclaim, ' Ah ! what a perfect creature she was ! What a blessed suhu-mti- runti was her's!' A respectable native once told me, that he had heard of a woman's shrieking dreadfully after she was laid on the pile, which, however, did not save her life.™ Instances of children of eight or ten years of age thus devoting themselves are not uncommon. About the year J 804, a child eight years old was burnt with the dead body of Htiree-nat'hti, bramhtin of Elo, near Calcutta. At the time the news arrived of the death of this child's husband, she was playing with other children at a neighboui''s house. Having just before been severely chastised by her aunt, and having formerly suffered much from her, she resolved to burn with the dead body, in order to avoid similar treatment in future ; nor could her relations induce her to alter lier resohition. She said she would enter the fire, but would not go back to her aunt. As soon as she was laid on the pile, she appeared to die, (no doubt from fear,) even before the fire touched lier. The Hindoos say, it is often the case, that the female who is really Sadhwee, is united to her husband immediately on hearing the news of his death, without the delay of the fire. — Another in- stance of the same kind occurred in the year 1802, at Vurisha, near Calcutta ; a child, eight years old, was burnt with her husband. Before she went to the funeral pile, she was compelled to put her hand upon some burning coals, and hold it there for some time, to convince her friends that she should not shrink at the sight of the fire. — About the year 1794, a girl, fifteen years old, who had been delivered of her first child about three weeks, was burnt with her husband, Devee-chiirunQ, a bi-amhun of Miiniramu-pooru, near " 1 am credibly informed, that on the banka of the Bromhfi-pootrS, the Hindoos do not lay faggots on the bodies, nor are bamboos used as levers to hold them down ; but the widow lies on the pile with her arms round her husband, and fire is kindled beneath them. AFFECTING RELATIONS OF THE rRACTICE. 243! Barrack-pooru. Her friends remonstrated with her, and did all except (what they ought to have done) use force. When they urged the situation of the infant she would leave, she begged they would not disturb her mind with such things : it was only a female child, and therefore the leaving it was of less conse- quence. After she had mounted the pile, she sat up, and assured the officiating bramhiin she then recollected, that in a former birth he was her father. Women eighty years old and upwards sometimes burn with their husbands. About the year 1791, Gopalu-nayalunkaru, a very learned brarahtin, died at Niideeya. He was supposed to. have been one hundred years old at the time of his death ; his wife about eighty. She was almost in a state of second childhood, yet her gray hairs availed, nothing against this most abominable custom. — ^A similar instance occurred about the year 1809, at Shantee- poorii, when the wife of Ramu-chundrti-viisoo, a kaynsfhti., at the age of eighty or eighty-five, was burnt with the corpse of her husband. Mrityoonjuyu, the first Siingskritii pundit in the College of Fort- William, once saw a bramhtinee at Eungu-poorti, who had escaped from the pile. She was carried away by a mat-maker, from whom she eloped, and afterwards lived with a Miisulmaii gi-oom. — About the year 1804, a woman who had lived with a man as his wife, burnt herself with his body at Kalee-ghatii, near Calcutta. — Some 3'ears ago, a sepoy from the upper provinces died at Khiddiru-poorti, near Calcutta. The woman who had cohabited with him went to the head land-owner, and requested him to provide the materials for burning her with the dead body. He did so, and this adulteress entered the flames, and was consumed with the dead body of her paramour. In Orissa, the defenceless widow is compelled to cast hei-self into a pit of fire. If, on the death of a raja, his wife burn herself with him, his concubines are seized, and by beating, dragging, binding, and other forcible methods, are compelled to throw them- selves into the pit, where they are all destroyed together. On this, subject I beg leave to insert a letter drawn up by Prirushoo-ramii, a learned bramhtin : — ' Shree Purushoo-ramu writes : I have myself seen the wives of one of the rajas ofOorisya burn with their husband. These are the particulars : — after the death of raja Gopee-nat'hti- d^vti, the head-queen, of her own accord, being prepared to be burnt with the body, a pit was dug, and quantities of wood piled up in it, upon which the corpse was laid, and upon this more faggots : when the fire blazed with the greatest fury, the liead- queen cast herself into the flames and perished. The two other wives of the raja were unwilling to follow this example ; but they were seized by force, and thrown into the pit, and consumed. Thist happened about the year 1793.' 244 WIDOWS OF WEAVERS BURIED ALIYE, The widows of the yogees, a description of weavers, are some- times buried alive with their deceased husbands. If the person have died near the Ganges, the grave is dug by the side of the rivei", at the bottom of which they spread a new cloth, and on it lay the dead body. The widow then bathes, puts on new clothes, and paints her feet ; and after various ceremonies, descends int» the pit that is to swallow her up : in this living tomb she sits down, and places the head of her deceased husband on her knee, having a lamp near her. The priest (not a bramhun) sits by the side of the grave, and repeats certain ceremonies, while the friends of the deceased walk round the grave several times, repeat- ing ' Huree bul ! Huree bixl !' (that is, literally, ' Repeat the name of Huree ;' but in its common use it is equivalent to ' Huzza 1 Huzza !'). The friends (if rich) cast into the grave garments, sweetmeats, sandal wood, rupees, milk, curds, clarified butter, or something of this kind ; and the widow directs a few trifles to be given to her friends or children. The son also casts a new garment into the grave, with flowers, sandal wood, &c. after which earth is carefully thrown all round the widow, till it has arisen as high as her shoulders, when the relations throw earth in as fast as possible, till they have raised a mound of earth on the grave ; when they tread it down with their feet, and thus bury the miserable wretch alive. They place on the grave sandal wood, rice, curds, a lamp, &c. and then, walking round the grave three times, return home. -Among the voishnuvus also are instances of widows being buried alive with the dead bodies of their husbands. — On enquiring among the bramhuns, and other Hindoos em- ployed in the Serampore printing-ofiice, I found that these murders were much more frequently practised than I had supposed : almost every one had seen widows thus buried alive, or had heard of them from undoubted authority. I could easily increase the number of these accounts so as to form a volume ; but I am not anxious to swell this work with more facts of this nature : these are sufficient to fill the mind of the benevolent with the deepest compassion for the miserable victims of this shocking superstition. The Hindoo shastriis permit a woman to alter her resolution, even on the funeral pile, and command such a person to observe a .severe fast as an atonement. This fast, however, may be commut- ed by gifts to bramhiins. The Vishnoo pooranii directs such a female to become a brumhucharee ; which profession obliges the person to abstain from every pleasure, from chewing betel or other exhilirating herbs, from anointing herself with oil," &;c. Notwith- = This anointing is called iibHsligkn : when oil is applied to the crown of the head, and reaches to all the limbs, it is called ttbhyfinga. There seems to be a strong affinity betwixt the Jewish and Hindoo methods of anointing in this respect : ' It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments.' REFLECTIONS ON THE STATE OF MIND OF THE WIDOW, 245 standing this provision of the shastru, T am informed that at pre- sent a widow, if she go to the dead body, declaring that she will , be burnt with it, is never permitted to retui-n : or, should such a case occur, she is delivered up to persons of the lowest caste to do what they will with her ; she never goes back to her relations. The desire of Hindoo women to die with their husbands, and the calmness of many in going through the ceremonies which pre- cede this terrible death, are circumstances almost, if not altogether, unparalleled. It is another proof of the amazing power which this superstition has over the minds of its votaries." Among other cir- cumstances which urge them to this dreadful deed, we may rank the following : — First, the v^diis, and other shastrus, recommend it, and promise the widow that she shall deliver her husband from hell, and enjoy a long happiness with him in heaven ; secondly, long custom has familiarised their minds to the deed ; thirdly, by this act they escape the disgrace of widowhood, and their names are recorded among the honorable of their families j"" fourthly, they avoid being starved and ill-treated by their relations ; and lastly, the Hindoos treat the idea of death with comparative indif- ference, as being only changing one body for another, as the snake changes his skin. If they considered death as introducing a per- son into an unalterable state of existence, and God, the judge, as requiring purity of heart, no doubt these ideas would make them weigh well a step pregnant with such momentous conseq-uences, The conduct of the bramhuns Jit the burning of widows is so unfeeling, that those who have represented them to the world as the mildest and most amiable of men, need only attend on one of these occasions to convince them, that they have greatly imposed on mankind. Where a family of bramhuns suppose that the burn- ing of a mother, or their brother's or uncle's wife, or any other female of the family, is necessary to support the credit of the family, the woman knows she must go, and that her death is expected- She is aware also, that if she should not burn, she will be treated with the greatest cruelty, and continually reproached, as having entailed disgrace on the family. The bramhun who has greatly assisted me in this work, has very seriously assured me, that he believed violence was seldom used to compel a woman to ascend the pile ; nay, that after she has declared her resolution, her friends "• Such a widow reflects thus : 'It ia right that the wife leave .the world with her husband ; a son can never be to a mother what a husband is to a wife ; the extinction of life is the work of a minute ; by strangling, by drowning, how soon does the soul leave the body : there are no terrors then in the funeral pile, and I shall at once enter on happiness : what multitudes have died in this manner before me ; and if I live, J have nothing but sorrow to expect.' p It is common at Benares to set up, by the side of the river, stone monuments to the memory of widows who have been burnt with the bodies of deceased husbands. Persons coming from bathing bow to these stones, and sprinkle water on them, repeat- ing the words Sfltee, SStee, i. e., chaste. 246 AND ON THE CONDUCT OF THE BRAMHUNS. — ^NUMBERS BURNT. use various arguments to discover whether she be likely to per- . severe or not ; (for if she go to the water side, and there refuse to burn, they consider it an indelible disgrace on the family ;) that it is not uncommon for them to demand a proof of her resolution, by obliging her to hold her finger in the fire ; if she be able to endure this, they conclude they are safe, and that she will not alter her resolution. If, however, she should flinch at the sight of the pile, &c. they remain deaf to whatever she says ; they hurry her through the preparatory ceremonies, attend closely upon her, and go- through tlie work of murder in the most determined manner. Some years ago, two attempts were made, under the immediate superintendanceaf Dr. Carey, to ascertain the number of widows burnt alive within a given time. The first attempt was intended to ascertain the number thus burnt within thirty miles of Calcutta, during one year, viz. in 1803. Persons, selected for the purpose, were sent from place to place through that extent, to enquire of the people of each town or village how many had been burnt with- in the year. The return made a total of FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY-EIGHT. Yet very few places east or west of the river Hoogly were visited. To ascertain this matter with greater exact- ness, ten persons were, in the year 180i, stationed in tlae diiferent places within the above-mentioned extent of country ; each per- son's station was marked out, and he continued on the watch for six months, taking account of every instance of a widow^s being burnt which came under his observation. Monthly reports were sent in ; and the result, though less than the preceding year's re- port, made the number between TWO AND THREE HUNDRED for the year ! — If within so small a space several hundred widows were burnt alive in one year, HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF THESE WIDOWS MUST BE MURDERED IN A YEAR— IN SO EXTENSIVE A COUNTRY AS HINDOOST'HAN !- So that, in fact, the funeral pile devours more than war itself! How truly shocking ! Nothing equal to it exists in the whole work of human cruelty ! What a tragic history would a complete detail of these burnings make ! Sect. XXIX. — Voluntary Suicide, (Kainyit-Muritn'U.') A NUMBER of expressions in several shastrus countenance the practice of voluntary suicide ;* and some of the smritees, and pooranijs, lay down rules for KamyG-muriinii ; declaring it, however, 1 It will easily occur to a person familiar with the Holy Scriptures, what a great diflFerence there is betwixt the commands of these Scriptures respecting the widow and tae orphan, and the Hindoo shastrfis. In the former the Divine Being declares him- self to be ' the father of the fatherless, the husband of the widow.' ' From karnu, desire, and mSriluS, death. " Many modern works in the English language give too much countenance to this dreadful crime. What is it that unites nominal Ohristians and Heathens in so many points of doctrine and practice ? Munoo says, ' A mansion infested by age and by sorrow let its occupier always cheerfully quit.' Mr. Hume says, ' Whenever pain or sorrow VOLUNTARY SUICIDE — DROWNING IN THE GANGES. 247 a crime in a bramhun ; but meritorious in a shoodrti. The person is directed first to offer an atonement for all his sins, by making a present of gold to bramhuns, and honoring them with a feast ; afterwards, putting on new apparel and adorning himself with gar- lands of flowers, he is accompanied to the i-iver by a band of music. If he has any property, he gives it to whom he pleases . then, sitting down by the side of the river, he repeats the name of his idol, and proclaims, that he is now about to renounce his life in this place in order to obtain such or such a benefit. After this, he and his friends proceed on a boat, and fastening pans of water to his body, he plunges into the stream. The spectators cry out, ' Hiiree bul ! Huree bul !' Huzza ! Huzza ! and then retire. Some- times a person of property kindly interferes, and ofiers to relieve the wants of the victim if he will abstain from drowning himself; but the deluded man replies that he wants nothing, as he is going to heaven ! When a person is afflicted with a supposed incurable distempei", or is in distress, or despised, it is common for him to form the re- solution of parting with life in the Ganges ; or the crime is com- mitted after a vow, at the time of making which the person prayed for some favour in the next birth, as riches, freedom from sorrow, &c. Sick persons sometimes abstain from food for several days while sitting near the river,, that life may thus depart from them in sight of the holy stream : but the greater number drown them- selves in the presence of the relations ; and instances are mention- ed, in which persons in the act of self-murder have been forcibly pushed back into the stream by their own offspring ! There are different places of the Ganges where it is considered as most desira- ble for persons thus to murder themselves, and in some cases auspi- cious days are chosen on which to perform this work of religious inerit ; but a person's drowning himself in any part of the river is supposed to be followed with immediate happiness. At Saguru island it is accounted an auspicious sign if the person is speedily seized by a shark, or an alligator ; but his future happiness is sup- posed to be very doubtful if he should remain long in the water before he is drowned. The British Government, for some years past, has sent a guard of sepoys to prevent persons from murder- ing themselves and their children at this junction of the Ganges with the sea, at the annual festivals held in this place,' so far overcome my patience, as to make me tired of life, I may conclude that I am recalled from my station in the plainest and most express terms. Where is the crime of turning a few ounces of blood from their natural channel ?' Tliese are the opinions of Milnoo and Hume. The Christian system, in every part, teaches us to say, ' All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.' In England, where the idea prevails that self-murder excludes from the hope of mercy in the next world, suicides are very common. What then must they be in a country containing so much unrelieved distress as this, and where the inhabitants are persuaded, that self-murder iu the Ganges is the very road to future happiness ? ' In the year 1806, at this place,. I saw a bramhSnee (dripping with wet and 248 SHOCKING INSTANCES OF DROWNING. Some years ago, as Shivti-Shiromunee," a bramhun, was re- turning from bathing with Kashefi-nat'hii, another bramhun, at Shantee-poorti, they saw a poor old man sitting on the bank of the river, and asked him what he was doing there. He replied, that he was destitute of friends, and was about to renounce his life in the Ganges. Kashee-nat'hu urged him not to delay then, if he was come to die ; — but the man seemed to hesitate, and replied, that it was very cold. The bramhun (hinting to his companion that he wished to see the sport before he returned home) reproached the poor trembling wretch for his cowardice, and seizing his hand, dragged him to the edge of the bank; where he made him sit down, rubbed over him the purifying day of the river, and ordered him to repeat the proper incantations. While he was thus, with his eyes closed, repeating these forms, he slipped down, and Sunk into the water, which was very deep, and perished ! About the year 1790, a young man of the order of dundees took up his abode at Kakshalee, a village near Nudeeya, for a few months, and began to grow very corpulent. Eeflecting that a person of his order was bound to a life of moi'tification, and feeling his passions grow stronger and stronger, he resolved to renounce his life in the Ganges. He requested his friends to assist him in this act of self-murder, and they supplied him with a boat, some cord, and two water pans. He then proceeded on the boat into the middle of the stream, and, filling the pans with water, fastened one to his neck, and the other round his loins, and in this manner descended into the water — to rise no more ! in the presence of a great multitude of applauding spectators. A few 3'ears after this another dundee, while suffering under a fever, renounced his life in the Ganges at Nudeeya ; and nearly at the same time, a dundee at Ariyadiih, about four miles from Calcutta, in a state of indisposition, refusing all medical aid, (in which indeed he acted according to the rules of his order,) cast himself into the river from a boat, and thus renounced life. Gunga-dhuru-shastree, a learned bramhiin, informed me, that in the year 1806 he spent near two months at Pruyagu, during which time he saw about thirty persons drown themselves ! Almost every day he saw or heard of one or more siinyasees who thus terminated their existence ; and several instanses occurred in which a man and his wife, having no children, drowned themselves together, praying for some blessings in the next birth. A friend, in a letter written in the year 1813, says, ' The circumstance which you heard me relate of the poor leper, took shivering with cold) who had just been prevented by the sepoys from drowning herself ;— and during my continuance there I heard of several mothers who had been prevented from murdering their children. " This man related the fact to me himself. to BURNING A LEPER — BURIAL ALIVE OF TEN PERSONS. 249 place at Futwa, a little more than a year ago. On hearing the people of my boat declare that a man was going to be drowned, I looked out, and saw the poor creature, who had been deprived by disease of his fingers and toes, but who in other respects appeared healthy, eating very heartily in the presence of his friends. The bank being high, I could not leave the boat till we had proceeded to a considerable distance from the place where the man sat. As I was running towards the spot, I heard the people on the top of the boat call out, " He is drowned ! he is drowned !" His atten- dants, Vho appeared to be his relatives, had assisted him to descend the bank ; but whether they pushed him in, or whether he went into the water of his own accord, I cannot tell. He made great efforts to resist the stream, and reach the side, and struggled much before he sunk. — I endeavoured to impress on the spectators the heinousness of this crime ; but they smiled at my concern, and said, ' they had only complied with the wishes of the deceased, who had been deprived by disease of his hands and feet.' Another friend, in a letter written at Cutwa, in the year 1812, says, ' Last week I witnessed the burning of a leper. A pit about ten cubits in depth was dug, and a fire placed at the bottom of it. The poor man rolled himself into it, but instantly on feeling the fire begged to be taken out, and struggled hard for that purpose. His mother and sister, however, thrust him in again ; and thus, a man who to all appearance might have survived several years, was cruelly burnt to death. I find that the practice is ' not uncommon in these parts.* This poor wretch died with the notion, that by thus purifying his body in the fire, he should receive a happy transmigration into a healthful body : whereas, if he had died by the disease, he would, after four births, have appeared on earth again as a leper. Mr. C in a letter from Agra, dated in the ' year 1812, sa3^s, 'I went out a few mornings ago, and came to an enclosed place, which, on enquiry, I found had been rendered sacred by tea per- sons having been buried alive there. I am informed, that many persons visit the place every Monday afternoon for worship ; and that once or twice a year large crowds assemble here, and at another similar place near the city. There is great reason to fear that this practice is very common in these parts. At Allahabad many drown themselves every year ; and at Vrinda- vunu many are buried alive or drowned every year, probably every month.' The Hindoos relate that there existed formerly at Ksheern, a village near Nixdeeya, an instrument called knrixviit, which was used by devotees to cut off" their own heads. The instrument was made in the shape of a half moon, with a sharp edge, and was placed at the back of the neck, having chains fastened at the two 32 250 PERSONS CASTING THEMSELVES PROM PRECIPICES, feC. — DYING extremities. The infatuated devotee, placing his feet on the stirrups, gave a violent jerk, and severed his head from his body. Sect. XXX, — Persons casting theTnselves from Precipices, &c. Another way in which the Hindoo shastrus allow a person to renounce life, is by throwing himself from a mountain, or some other eminence. Bengal is a perfect plain ; and I have not learnt how far this permission of the shastru is acted upon in the mountainous parts of Hindoost'hanu. Sect. XXXI. — Dying under the Wheels of JUgUnnat'hio's Car. Amongst the immense multitudes assembled at the drawing of this car, are numbers afflicted with diseases, and others involved in woi'ldly troubles, or worn out with age and neglect. It often happens that such persons, after offering up a prayer to the idol, that they may obtain happiness or riches in the next birth, cast themselves under the wheels of the car, and are instantly crushed to death. Great numbers of these cars are to be seen in Bengal ; and every year, in some place or other, persons thus destroy them- selves. At Jugunnat'hu-kshdtru, in Orissa, several perish annual- ly. Many are accidentally thrown down by the pressure of the crowd, and are crushed to death. The victims who devote them- selves to death in these forms have an entire confidence that they shall, by this meritorious act of self-murder, attain to happiness, I beg leave here to insex't the following extract of a letter from an officer to a friend, to confirm the facts related in this and the two preceding sections : ' I have known a woman, whose courage failed her on the pile, bludgeoned by her own dear kind- red.' This I have told the author of ' The Vindication of the Hin- doos.' — :I have taken a Gentoo out of the Ganges : I perceived him at night, and called out to the boat-men. — ' Sir, he is gone ; he be- longs to God.' ' Yes, but take him up, and God wiU get him here- after.' We got him up at the last gasp : I gave him some brandy, and called it physic. ' Sir, my caste is gone !' ' No, it is physic' ' It is not that, Sir ! but my family will never receive me. I am an outcaste !' ' What ! for saving your life ?' ' Yes.' ' Never mind such a family.' — I let above one hundred men out of limbo at UNDER THE WHEELS OF JUGUNNATHUS CAR — INFANTICIDE. 251 Jugunnat'liu : there were a thousand dead and dying ; — all in limbo starving, to extort money from them." Sect. XXSIl.--^Infanticide. The people in some parts of India, particularly the inhabitants of Orissa, and of the eastern parts of Bengal, frequently offer their children to the goddess Gxinga. The following reason is assigned for this practice : — When a woman has been long married, and has no children, it is common for the man, or his wife, or both of them, to make a vow to the goddess Gunga, that if she will bestow the blessing of children upon them, they will devote the first-born to her. If after this vow they have children, the eldest is nourish- ed till a proper age, which may be three, four, or more years, according to circumstances, when, on a particular day appointed for bathing in any holy part of the river, they take the child with them, and offer it to this goddess : the child is encouraged to go farther and farther into the water till it is carried away by the stream, or is pushed off by its inhuman parents. Sometimes a stranger seizes the child, and brings it up ; but it is abandoned by ils parents from the moment it floats in the water, and if no one be found more humane than they, it infallibly perishes. The prin- cipal places in Bengal where this species of murder is practised, are, Gunga-Saguru, where the river Hoogly disembogues itself into the sea ; Voidyuvatee, a town about fourteen miles to the north of Calcutta ; Trivdnee, Nudeeya, L'hakdtih and Pruyagu. The following shocking custom appears to prevail principailly in the northern districts of Bengal. If an infant refuse the mother's breast, and decline in health, it is said to be under the influence of some malignant spirit. Such a child is sometimes put into a basket, and hung up in a tree where this evil spirit is supposed to reside. It is generally destroyed by ants, or birds of prey ; but sometimes perishes by neglect, though fed and clothed daily. If it should not be dead at the expiration of three days, the mother receives it home again, and nurses it : but this seldom happens. The late Mr. Thomas, a Missionaiy, once saved and restored to its mother, an infant which had fallen out of a basket, at Bholahatu, near Malda, at the moment a jackal was running away with it. As this gen- tleman and Mr. Carey were afterwards passing under the same tree, they found a basket hanging in the branches containing the skele- ton of another infant, which had been devoured by ants. The custom is unknown in many places, but, it is to be feared, is too common in others. In the north western parts of Hindoost'hann, the horrid prac- tice of sacrificing female children as soon as born, has been known " I have not the authority of this gentleman for inserting this extract : but I rely on his known benevolence to excuse the freedom I have thus taken. 252 INFANTICIDE. from time immemorial. The Hindoos ascribe this custom to a pro- phecy delivered by a bramhun to Dweepti-singhu, a raju-pootu king, that his race would lose the sovereignty through one of his female posterity. Another opinion is, that this shocking practice has arisen out of the law of marriage, which obliges the bride's father to pay almost divine honours to the bridegroom :'' hence per- sons of high caste, unwilling thus to humble themselves for the sake of a daughter, destroy the infant. In the Punjab, and neighbour- ing districts, to a great extent, a caste of Sikhs, andtheRaju-pootns, as well as many of the bramhtins and other castes, murder their female children as soon as born. I have made particular enquiry into the extent of these murders ; but as the crime is perpetrated in secret, have not been able to procure very exact information. A gentleman, whose information on Indian customs is very correct, informs me, that this practice was, if it is not at present, universal among all the raju-poots, who, he supposes, destroy all their daugh- ters : he expresses his fears, that, notwithstanding their promises to .the Government of Bombay, made in consequence of the veiy benevolent exertions of Mr. Duncan, the practice is almost gene- rally continued. He adds, the custom prevails in the Punjab, in Malwa, Joud-pooru, Jesselmei-e, Guzerat, Kutch, and perhaps Sind, if not in other provinces. A friend at Ludhana, in a letter written in the year 1812, says, ' The horrible custom of murdering female infants is very common among the raju-pootus. One of these fellows had been induced, by the tears of his wife, to spare the life of a daughter born to him. The girl grew up, and had arrived at the age of thirteen ; but, un- fortunately for her, had not been demanded in marriage by any one. The raju-pootu began to apprehend the danger of her bring- ing a disgrace upon the family, and resolved to prevent it by put- ting the girl to death. Shortly after forming this atrocious design, he either overheard, or pretended to have overheard, some of his neighbours speak of his daughter in a way that tended to increase his fears ; when, becoming outrageous, he rushed upon the poor girl, and cut her head off. The native magistrate confined him for a year, and seized all his property. But this was only because the girl was marriageable ; infants are murdered with perfect impunity.' ' The Jatus, a people who abound in these parts,' says a friend, in a letter from Agra, dated May, 1812, ' destroy their female children as soon as born ; but being now afraid of the English, they remove their pregnant women before the time of delivery into the district of the raja of Ehtirutupooru, that they may there commit these horrid murders with impunity. ' Oh ! the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty ! In these parts y At the time oE marriage, the girl's fatlier, taking boUl uf tlie knee of the boy, TTorahips him, by i.rebuutiug ofl'crings uf rice, flowers, paint, &c., and I'rouiising to give him his daughter. ASCETICS DEVOURED IN FORESTS BY WILD BEASTS. '253 there are not many women burned with their husbands, and when they do bura, they are not held down with bamboos, but left to themselves and the fire ; but if any one run away or jump out, they cut her down with a sword, and throw her into the fire again. This was done at a flight of steps just by, a little before the English took this place ; since which time I have not heard of any such events occurring.' Sect. XXXlII.-^Ascetics devoured in Forests by Wild Beasts. Beside the dreadful waste of human life in practising super- stitious austerities, great numbers of Hindoo devotees, who visit forests as an act of seclusion from the world, perish by wild beasts. The author, when on a visit to Saguru island in the year 1806, was informed by a yogee that six of his companions had been de- voured there by tigers in the three preceding months ; that while absent in the forest gathering sticks, he heard their cries, and look- ing over the wall of the temple-yard in which they lived, he saw the tigers dragging them by the neck into the forest. Other forests infested by wild beasts are visited by these yogees, many of whom are devoured every j'ear. Numbers of secular persons too, drawn to the annual festivals celebrated in these forests, fall victims to the tigers. Sect. XXXIV. — Perishing in Cold Regions. The Hindoos have a way to heaven without dying. If the' person who wishes to go this way to heaven, through repeating certain incantations, survive the cold, he at last arrives at Hima- liiyu, the residence of Shivu. Such a person is said ' to go the great journey.' Yoodhist'hiru, according to the^pooranus, went this way to heaven ; but his companions Bheemu, Urjoonu, Nukool-S, Suhu- d^vu, and Droupudee, perished by the cold on the mountain. This forms another method in which the Hindoos may meritoriously put a period to their existence. It is also one of the Hindoo atone- ments for great offences. It is difficult to form an estimate of the number of Hindoos who perish annually, the victims of superstition ; and the author fears any reasonable conjecture would appear to many as highly exaggerated, and intended to prejudice the public mind against the Hindoos as idolaters. He Avishes to feel and avow a just ab- horrence of idolatry, and to deplore it as one of the greatest scourges ever employed by a Being, terrible in anger, to punish natioiis who have rejected the direct and simple means which na- ture and conscience sup))]y of knowing himself ; but he would use no unfair means of rendeiing even idolatry detestable : and Avith this assurance; hemow enters on as correct a conjecture res- 25-4 NUMBER OF VICTIMS OF HINDU SUPEKSTITION, &C. pecting the number of victims annually sacrificed on the altars of the Indian gods, as he is able : Widows burnt alive on the funeral pile, in Hindoost'hanS, 5,000 Pilgrims perishing on the roads and at sacred places," ... 4,000 Persons drowning themselves in the Ganges, or buried or burnt alive, . . 500 Children immolated, including the daughters of the raju-pootiSs, 600 Sick persons whose death is hastened on the banks of the Ganges,? 500 Total, ..10,500 Supposing there to be five thousand towns and large villages in Hindoost'hanu, and that one widow is burnt from each of these places in one year, no less a number than five thousand hel/pless widows are annucdly burnt alive in this countiy ; but if we are guided by the calculation made at Calcutta (see p. 24C) it will appear, that at least two widows in every large village must be murdered annually, including all the large towns in the same ratio. If so, instead of five thousand murders, the number must be doubled ; and it will appear that ten thousand widows perish on the. funeral file in the short period of twelve months. Nor is this havoc like the irregular return of war ; on the contrary, it is as certain and as fatal as the march of death itself. Tlie second calculation will not appear exaggerated, I am persuaded, when we consider the testimony of Dj-. Buchanan, added ' ' Buddruch in Orissa, May 30th, 1806. We know that we are approaching Jug- gernaut (and yet 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 bodics-e€ pilgrims, perhaps 3,000 in number, who have come from various parts of Northern ludi^. Some old persons are among them, who wish to die at Jug- gernaut. Numbers-sf pilgrims die on the road ; and their bodies generally remain un- buried. On a plain by the river, near the pilgrim's caravansera at this i)laee, there are more than a hundred skulls. The dogs, jackals, and vultures, seem to live here on human prey, ' Juggernaut, 1 UK Junt. I have seen Juggernaut. The scene at Buddruck is but the vestibule to Juggernaut. No record of ancient or modern history can give, 1 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 the Golgotha, where the dead bodies are usnally cast forth, and where dogs and vultures are ever seen. ' Juggernatit, 2].st June. I have beheld another distressing scene this morning at the place of skulls ; a poor woman lying dead, or nearly dead, and her two children by her, looking at the dogs and vultures which were near. The people passed by with- out noticing the children. I asked them where was their home. They said, ' they had no home but where their mother was.' 0, there is no pity at Juggernaut ! no tenderness of heart in Moloch's kingdom.' — Buchanan's Researches in India. A person who has lived several years near the temple of Jilgtinnat'hii, in Orissa, in a letter to the author, says, 'I cannot pronounce on the numbers who annually perish at JiigHnnat'hS, and on their way thither : in some years they do not amount to more than 200 perhaps, but in others they may ex3eed 2,000.' « A gentleman, whose opinion is of great weight, says, ' I belisve this estimate is far below the truth." CEEEMONIES ON VISITING HOLY PLACES. ' 255 to that of an officer inserted in page 252 of this volume ; to which I could add, that of many respectable natives. — By fevers, by the dysentery, and other diseases arising from exposure to the night air, and the privations of a long journey, crowds are carried off in a few days : sometimes numbers involuntarily fall under the wheels of the monstrous car of Jtigtinnat'hti : five or six hundred persons, principally women, I am infoi-med, were crushed to death before the temple of Jilgunnat'hu, in the year 1810, by the mere pressure of the crowd. The reader must consider that these sacred places, the resort of pilgrims, are spread all over Hindoost'hanu, and that pilgrims travel to them from distances requiring journeys of three, four, and five months. In the opinion of every person to whom I have shewn the manuscript, the other calculations fall far below the real fact. But if these calculations are not beyond the truth, what a horrible view do they present of the effects of superstition. Since the commencement of the bramhinical system, millions of victims have been immolated on the altars of its gods ; and, notwithstand- ing the influence of Europeans, the whole of Hindoost'hanu may be termed ' a field of blood unto this day,' I must leave it to the pen of the future historian and poet to give these scenes that just colouring which will harrow up the soul of future generations : I must leave to them the description of these legitimate murders^ perpetrated at the command and in the presence of the high-priests of idolatry; who, by the magic-spell of superstition, have been able to draw men to quit their homes, and travel on foot a thousand miles, for the sake of beholding an idol cut out of the trunk of a, neighbouring tree, or dug from an adjoin- ing quarry ; — to prevail on men to commit murders to supply human victims for the altars of religion ; — on mothers to butcher their own children ; — on friends to force diseased relations into the arms of death, while struggling to extricate themselves; — on children to apply the lighted torch to the pile that is to devour the living mother, who has fed them from her breasts, and dandled them on her knees. To crown the whole, these priests of idolatry have persuaded men to worship them as gods, to lick the dust of their feet, and even to cut off lumps of their own flesh,* their own heads," as offerings to the gods. Sect. XXXV. — Ceremonies performed on visiting Holy Places. The founders of the Hindoo religion have taught that certain places (Teert'hii-st'han-fi*) are peculiarly sacred ; that the perform- l> See p. 93. ' See p. 249. * The place where persons obtain salvation ; from tree, salvation, and st'han'ii, place. 25G CEREMONIES ON VISITING HOLY PLACES. ance of religious rites at these places is attended with peculiar merit, and followed by extraordinary benefits. The source and confluence of sacred rivers ; places where any of the phenomena of nature have been discovered; or where particular images have been set up by the gods themselves ;" or where some god or great saint has resided ; or where distinguished religious actions have been performed have been pronounced sacred. Excited by the miraculous accounts inserted in the shastrus, multitudes visit these places ; others reside there for a time ; and some spend tlie last stages of life at a holy place, to make sure of heaven after death. Eich men not unfrequenty erect temples and cut pools at these places, for the benefit. of their souls. When a person resolves to visit any one of these places, he fixes upon an auspicious day, and, two days preceding the commence- ment of his journey, has his head shaved; the next day he fasts ; the following day he performs the shraddhii of the three preceding generations of his family on both sides, and then leaves his house. If a person act according to the shastru, he observes the following rules : First, till he returns to his own house, he eats rice whicli has not been wet in cleansing, and that only once a day ; he ab- stains from anointing his body with oil, and from eating fish. If he ride in a palanqueen, or in a boat, be loses half the benefits of his pilgrimage : if he walk on foot, he obtains the full fruit. The last day of his journey he fasts. On his arrival at the sacred spot, he has his whole body shaved ;' after which he bathes, and per- forms the sbraddhu. It is necessary that he stay seven days at least at the holy place ; he may continue as much longer as he pleases. Every day during his stay he bathes, pays his devotions to the images, sits before them and repeats their names, and worships them, presenting such offerings as he can afford. In bathing he makes kooshu grass images for his relations, and bathes them. The benefit arising to relations will be as one to eight, compared wiCh that of the person bathing at the holy place. When he is about to return, he obtains some of the offerings whicli have been presented to the idol or idols, and brings them home to give to his friends and neighbours. These consist of sweetmeats, flowers, tooliisee leaves, the ashes of cow-dung, &c. After celebrating the shraddhii, he entertains the bramhuns, and presents them with oil, fish, and all those things from which he abstained. Having done this, he returns to his former course of living. The I'eward promised to the pilgrim is, that he shall ascend to the heaven of that god who pre- sides at the holy place he has visited. " At Benares, SliivS is said to have set up with his own hands an image of the lingil. f If it be a woman, she has only the breadth of two fingers of her hair behind cut ofif, If a widow, her whole head is shaved. PSINCIPAL HOLY PLACES IN HINDOOST'HANU. 257 The following are some of the principal places in Hindoost'- hanu to which persons go on pilgrimage : — OUya, rendered famous as the place where Vishnoo destroyed a giant. To procure the salvation of deceased relations, crowds of Hindoos perform the shraddhn here ; on whom Government levies a tax. Rich Hindoos have expended immense sums at this place, Kashee, (Benares.) To this place multitudes of Hindoos go on pilgrimage ; the ceremonies of religion, when performed at the difterent holy places in this city, are supposed to be very efficacious. It is the greatest seat of Hindoo learning in Hindoost'haml. Many Hindoos spend their last days here, under the expectation, that dying here secures a place in Shivii's heaven. To prove that a man dying in the very act of sin at this place obtains happiness, the Hindoos relate, amongst other stories, one respecting a man who died in a pan of hot spirits, into which he accidentally fell while carrying on an intrigue with the wife of a liquor merchant. Shivii is said to have come to this man in his last moments, and, whispering the name of Brumha in his ear, to have sent him to heaven. Even Englishmen, the Hindoos allow, may go to heaven from Kashee, and they relate a story of an Englishman who had a gi-eat desire to die at this place. After his arrival there, he gave money to his head Hindoo servant to build a temple, and perform the different ceremonies required ; and in a short time afterwards obtained his desire, and died at Kashee." I suppress the name of my countryman from a sense of shame. Prv^yagii, (Allahabad.) The Hindoos suppose that the Ganges, the Ytimoona, and the Suruswutee, three sacred rivers, unite their streams here. Many persons from all parts of India bathe at this place, and many choose a voluntary death here. Government levies a tax on the pilgrims. He who has visited Guya, Kashee, and Priiyagu, flattered himself that he is possessed of extraordinary religious merits. JugUnnat'k'H-ksh'titrti, (in Orissa.) Several temples and pools attract the attention of pilgrims at this place ; but the great god Jugiinnat'hu is the most famous object of attention to pilgrims, who come from all parts of India at the times of the thirteen annual festivals held in honour of this wooden god. AU castes eat together here, the rise of which custom is variously accounted for. The' Hindoos say, that 200,000 people assemble at this place at the time of drawing the car ; when five or six people are said to throw themselves under the wheels of the car every year, as a certain means of obtaining salvation. When I asked a bramhun in what way such persons expected salvation, he said, that generally the person who thus ihrew away his life was in a state of misfortune ; and that he thought, as he sacrificed his life through his faith in Jtigunnat'hu, this god would certainly Bave him, — The pilgrims to 33 258 PRINCIPAL HOLY PLAGES IN HINDOOST'HANU. this place, especially at the time of the above festival, endure the greatest hardships ; some from the fatigues of a long journey, others from the want of necessaiy suppoi't, or from being exposed to bad weather. Multitudes perish on the roads, very often by the dysentery ; and some parts of the sea-shore at this holy place may be properly termed Golgotha, the number of skulls and dead bodies are so great. In no part of India, perhaps, are the horrors of this superstition so deeply felt as on this spot : its victims are almost countless. Every third year they make a new image, when a bramhun removes the original bones of Krishnu,^ from the belly of the old image to that of the new one. On this occasion, he covers his eyes lest he should be struck dead for looking at such sacred relics.'' After this, we may be sure, the common people do not wish to see Krishna's bones. It is a well-authenticated fact, that at this place a number of females of infamous character are employed to dance and sing before the god. They live in separate houses, not at the temple. Persons going to see Jugunnat'hti are often guilty of criminal actions with these females." Multitudes take loose women with them, never suspecting that Juguiinat'hu will be offended at their bringing a prostitute into his presence ; or that whoredom is incon- sistent with that worship from whicli they expect salvation, and to obtain which some of them make a journey of four months. Before this place fell into thehands of the English, the king, a Mahratta chief, exacted tolls from pilgrims for passing through his territories to Jugunnat'hu. At one place the toll was not less than one pound, nine shillings for each foot-passenger, if he had so much property with him. When a Bengalee raja used to go, he was accompanied by one or two thousand people, for every one of whom he was obliged to pay the toll. The Honorable Company's Government levies a tax of from one to six rupees on each passen- ger. For several years after the conquest of Kutukii by the English, this tax was not levied ; when myriads of pilgrims thronged to this place, and thousands, it is said, perished from disease, want, &c. Some persons, on leaving this holy place, deposit with the bramhtins of the temple one or two hundred rupees, with the in- terest of which the bramhtins are to purchase rice, and present it daily to Jiigunnat'hii, and afterwards to dundees or bramhiins. K The tradition is, that king Endra-dyooma, by the direction of Vishuoo, placed the bones of Krishnil, who had been accidentally killed by a hunter, iu the belly of the image of JugSnnat'hil. ■> The raja of Eurdwan, Keertee-Chandrfi, e.xpended, it is said, twelve lacs of rupees in a journey to JugSnuat'hn, and in bribing the bramhuns to permit hira to see these bones. For the sight of the bones he paid two lacs of rupees ; but he died in six months afterwards -/oj- his temerity. ' The officiating bramhuns there continually Ijve in adulterous connection with them. PRINCIPAL HOLY PLACES IN HINDOOST'hANI;. 259 Deeds of gift are also made to Jugunnat'hii all over Hindoost'hantl, which are received by agents in every large town, and paid to the Mtit'hu-dharees'' at Jugunnafhii-kshutrti ; who by this means (though professing themselves to be mendicants) have become some of the richest merchants in India. RameshwUrw, (Ramiseram.) This place forms the southern boundary of the bramhinical religion. It is famous for containing a temple said to have been erected by Ramu on his i-eturn from the destruction of the gaint Kavunu. None but wandering men- dicants visit it. CkicndrU-shek'Uru, a mountain near Chittagong, on which stands a temple of the lingu. Over the surface of a pool of water inflammable air is said to be perceived, from the fire of which pil- grims kindle their burnt-offerings. The water oozes from one side of the rock, and as it falls below, the pilgrims stand to receive the purifying stream. GUnga-SagUrii, (Sagurti-island.) At this place the Ganges runs into the sea ; and this circumstance, it is supposed, giyes an efficacy to the waters. Vast crowds of Hindoos visit thig island twice in the year, and perform religious ceremonies for the good of themselves and ancestors : some are guilty of self-murder, in which they are assisted by a number of alligators which visit this spot : the infant is cast into the jaws of this voracious animal by its in- fatuated mother ; and thus the religion of Brumha transforms the mother into a monster, and tears asunder the tenderest ties of nature. — Ruins and pools still exist on the island, which prove that, though now the haunt of wild beasts, it was once inhabited. Uyodhya, (Oude,) the ancient capital of Ramti, situated by the river Buruyoo, is still inhabited. The pilgrims are generally Rainats. Mit'hila, (Tirhoot,) the birth-place of Seeta, and the capital of her father Jiinuku, is resorted to by pilgrims ; as well as Mut'hoora, the birth-place of Krishnu ; and Vri/nda-vtmH, the scene of the revels of this licentious deity, whose followers visit many sacred retreats, the resort of Krishnu and the milkmaids. Gokoola, the place where Krishnu was educated, is also visited by pilgrims, who are shewn the various spots which have been con- secrated by the gambols of their favourite god. The forest of NovmishU,, near Lucknow, is celebrated as the place where Sootu, the sage, i:ead the poorantis to 60,000 disciples. Voidyunafha, a place in Birboora, contains a celebrated image called Ramu-lingu. Some pilgrims, afflicted with incurable dis- tempers, fast here till they die : others make vows, sometimes in k These Milfhu-clharees are found at every holy place. One person presides OTer the house, which ie the common resort of pilgrims, who are eatertaiued there. 260 CEREMONIES AT DEATH. some such -words as these : — ' Oh ! Voidyiinat'hUj give me a wife, and I will bring a pan of water from the Ganges and bathe thee ;' or, ' I will present thee a mnn of milk, for frumenty.' At Vakr^shiuUrii, another place in Birboom, an image of the sage "Ushtavtikru is set up, where several warm springs attract the attention of devotees, who bathe in their waters, not to heal their bodies, but their souls. Kooroo-kshatr'U, a place near Delhi, where the dreadful battle betwixt Yoodist'hirti and Dooryodhunti was fought. Here Purushoo-ramu also is said to have filled five pools with the blood of the ksh^triyus, from which he offered a libation to his deceased father.' Hingoola, a cave or excavated rock on the sea-shore. Offerings are presented to the regents of the place on a stone in the cave. EkamrU-kanUnu, a place on the borders of Orissa, containing 6,000 temples dedicated to Shivu. Not less than 70 or 8,000 people are said to visit this place at the drawing of the car of Jngunnat'hu when aU castes eat together. Huree-dwarU, (from Hriree, a name of Yishnoo, and dwarii, a door,) or the mouth from which the Ganges issues. An account of this place, inserted in the 6th volume of the Asiatic Researches, declares, that 2,500,000 people assembled here at a festival in 1796. Kanchee, a town in Telinga, divided into two parts, Shivu- Kanchee and Vishnoo-Kanchee. At a festival held here in the month Choitru, the disciples of Shivii and Vishnoo quarrel, and often murder one another. Multitudes of other places in India are venerated and visited by pilgrims. When I was writing this account, on describing- Bristol Hot-wells, with all its gilt crutches hanging in the pump- room, to the learned bramhiin who assisted me, he confessed that it would make a famous holy place, and attract immense crowds of pilgrims. It is a deplorable circumstance, that such a waste of time, of life, and of propert}', should be incurred, through the fatal deception, that the sight of a holy place will be accepted by the Judge of heaven and earth, instead of repentance and conversion, instead of a contrite heart and a holy life. Sect. XXXVI. — Ceremonies at Death. A SICK person, after his removal to the banks of the Ganges, if he possess sufficient strength, directs quantities of food, garments, • To satisfy his revenge. There is nothing revolting to the feclinss of the Hindoos in this dreadful act of revenge : which has made Kooroo-kshutru a holy place. When a Hindoo ij describing a dreadful quarrel, he says, ' It was a perfect Koorook- shtttrS.' RITES FOR THE REPOSE OF THE SOUL. 261 &c.. to be presented to the bramhiins. That he may not be comr pelled to cross Voitururieej whose waters are hot, on his way to the seat of judgment, he presents to a bramhun a black cow. When about to expire, the relations place the body up to the navel in the rivei-, and direct the dying man to call aloud on the gods, and assist him in doing so. The burning of the body is one of the first ceremonies which the Hindoos perform for the help of the dead in a future state. If this ceremony have not been attended to, the shi-addh^, ttirpunti, &c. cannot be performed. If a person be unable to provide wood, cloth, clarified butter, rice, water pans, and other things, beside the fee to the priest, he must beg among his neighbours. If the body be thrown into the river, or burnt, without the accustomed ceremo- niesj (as is sometimes the case,) the ceremonies may be performed over an image of the deceased made of kooshtt grass. Immediately after death, the attendants lay out the body on a sheet, placing two pieces of wood under the head and feet ; after which they anoint the corpse with clarified butter, bathe it with the water of the Ganges, put round the loins a new garment, and another over the left shoulder, and then draw the sheet on which the body lies over the whole. The heir-at-law next bathes himself, puts on new garments, and boils some rice, a ball of which and a lighted brand he puts to the mouth of the deceased, repeating in- cantations. The pile having been prepared, he sets fire to it, and occasionally throws on it clarified butter and other combustibles. When the body is consumed, he washes the ashes into the river ; the attendants bathe, and, presenting a drink-offering to the de- ceased, return home : before they enter the house, however, each one touches fire, and chews some bitter leaves, to signify that part- ing with relations by death is an unpleasant task. Sect. X-XXVII. — Rites for the Repose of the Soul, (ShraddhU.) The Hindoo shastrns teach, that after death the soul becomes prdtu," viz : takes a body about the size of a person's thumb, and remains in the custody of Yumij, the judge of the dead. At the time of receiving punishment, the body becomes enlarged, and is made capable of enduring sorrow. The performance of the shraddhn delivers the deceased, at the end of a year, from this state, and translates him to the heaven of the Pitrees, where he enjoys the reward of his meritorious actions ; and afterwards, in another body, enters into that state which the nature of his former actions assign to him. If the shraddhti be not performed, the deceased remains jn the prdtii state, and cannot enter another body. We are here ™ A departed ghost. 262 EITES FOR THE REPOSE OF THE SOUL. strongly reminded of the 325tli and six following lines of Virgil, in the 6th book of his JiJneid, as well as of the 28th Ode of the 1st book of Horace. The offerings made in a person's name, after his decease, and the ceremonies which take place on the occasion, are called hi.s shraddhii, which the Hindoos are very anxious to perform in a becoming manner. The son who performs these rites obtains great merit : and the deceased is hereby satisfied," and, by gifts to the bramhuns in his name, obtains heaven. There are three shraddhus for the dead : one, eleven days after death ; another, every month ; and another at the close of a year after a person's decease. During the ten" days of mourning, the relations hold a family council, and consult on the means of performing the shraddhti ; on the last of these days, after making an offering for the dead by the side of the rivei-, they are shaved. This offering consists of boiled rice, sugar, curds, sweetmeats, milk, plantains, &c. made into ten balls, and presented with prayers. The next day, after bathing," the family prepare an open place for the ceremonies. If it be the shraddhti of a rich man, all the learned Hindoos and respectable people of the neighbouring vil- lages are invited. The company being seated under an awning, the sons and the other relations of the deceased, dressed in new garments, place themselves in the midst of the company with their faces eastward, having near them sixteen different gifts, as brass cups, candlesticks, umbrellas, shoes, &c. Next are brought seeds of sesamum, a small piece of gold, and another of a different metal, wrapt up in new cloths. The son of the deceased now puts a piece of new cloth across his neck, and offers an atonement for the sin of having killed insects in sweeping the room, in cooking, grinding spices, "and in moving the water jar; then follows an offering to the sun ; then, rising, and bringing his hands forward in a supplicating posture, he solicits leave from the company to make the offering ; after wliich he offers the sesamum, gold, and metal, for the happiness of the deceased ; takes the kosha, and sprinkles the sixteen gifts with water ; then, placing a flower on each, and repeating prayers, he offers them in the presence of the shalgramu, one by one, in the name of the deceased, that he may obtain lieaven. The son after this, if in circumstances sufficiently affluent, presents large gifts to the bramhuns, as elephants, horses, " MSnoo says, ' What sort of oblation, giveu duly to the manes, is capable of satisfying them for a long time, or for eternity, I will now declare, without omission.' " Bramhuns are unclean for ten days after the death of a relation ; kshfitriyiis, twelve ; voishyus, fifteen ; and shoOdrHs, thirty. p At the time of bathing, the person who will perform the shraddhS, purifies himself by putting water, seeds, fruits, &c. in parts of the trunks of four ])lantain trees, repeating incantations. He sends some of this water home to purify the family. KITES FOE THE REPOSE OF THE SOUL. 263 palanqueens, boats, &c. the receiving of which, however, is not honorable. A bramhun then marks the foreheads of all present with sandal powder, and puts ronnd the neck of each a gai'land of flowers. To the tigrudanee'' bramhtins and others are now given, amidst much confusion among the receivers, the sesamum, the morsel of gold, the metal, a large bason full of kourees, and a couch or two, as well as the sixteen different , gifts ; after which the assembly breaks up. The son then goes into the house, and placing a bramhun and his wife on a seat, covers them with oi'na- ments, worships them, and, adding a large present of money, dismisses them. After this, the son of the deceased requests five bramhiins, of some note for learning, to offer a male calf ; in doing which they take two cloths each, four poitas, four betle-nuts, and some kourees, provided for the purpose, and go with the company to a spot where an altar has been prepared, one cubit high, and four cubits square. Four of the bramhuns sit on the four sides of the altar, and there worship certain gods, aud offer a burnt-sacrifice. Near the altar are placed the shalgramu, four female calves, a male calfj and a vilwu post. Tlie fifth bramhun reads certain parts of a pooranti, to drive away evil spirits. The female calves are tied to four vilwii posts, and the male calf to a post called vrishu post.' To the necks of the female calves four small slender baskets are suspended, in which are placed, among other things, a comb, and the iron instrument with which the Hindoo women paint their eyebrows black. A sheet of metal is placed under the belly of the male calf ; on the back a sheet of copper : the hoofs are covered with silver, and the horns with gold, if the shraddhix be performed by a rich man. ' On the hips of the male calf, marks of Shivu's trident are impressed with a hot iron. After this, the son of the deceased washes the tail of the male calf, and with the same water presents a drink-offering to his deceased ancestors ; and afterwards marries the male calf to the four female calves, repeating many formulas, in which they are recommended to cultivate love and mutual sympathy. The son next liberates the female calves, forbidding any one to detain them, or partake of their milk in future. In liberating the male calf he says, ' I have given thee these four wives ;' live with them. Thou art the living image of Ytimu ; thou goest upon four legs. Devour not the corn 1 Bramhiins who receive the first gifts at shraddhus are called by this name. ■• Vrishu is the name for a bull, A rough image of one of these animals is carved in the middle of the post, which is afterwards set up in a public road till it r»ts or falls down. It is often full of rough carved figures. A good one costs about four rupees. » If by a poor man, imitations of these things are used. • Here the Hindoos marry cattle ! In another part of this work the reader will find an account of the marriage of munkies ! ! 264 EITKS FOR THE EEPOSE OF THE SOUL. of others, go not near a cow in calf, &c.' The female calves are generally taken by bramhrins :-" the male calf is let loose, to go where he pleases." To this succeeds what is peculiarly termed the shraddhu. The river side, or the cow-house, or some retired place, is chosen ; after cleansing which, they collect all kinds of eatables, cloth, sesamum, flowers, &c. and place them in dishes made of the excavated trunks of the plantain tree. The son then washes his feet, and sits with his face towards the east, with a shalgramu before him, and repeats many incan tations to purify himself ; he then worships the shalgramu ; presents to his deceased parent the seven dishes placed to the east, repeating various incantations ; and worships Giinga, Vi.shnoo, and the household gods, adding an offering to the ancestors of the king, as an acknowledgment for using the king's land at worship. He then, turning his face to the south, reads many incantations, and with iive, seven, or nine blades of kooshu grass, makes the image of a brarahian, which he places on a plantain before him ; then with joined hands he repeats before this image many incantations, to the following purport : ' Before thee, bramhtin, I perform my father's shraddhu. '>' Be next offers to his deceased parent, on a plantain-trunlc dish, seven blades of kooshu and seven of doorva grass, flowers, dry rice, cloth, red paint, and a brass lamp. He next cleanses the place before him with his hands, and scattering upon it a few blades of kooshu grass, presents other offerings to his deceased father, repeating many incantations, which contain the names of the offerings, and an invitation to the deceased father to partake of them. From what remians of these offerings the son makes two balls, the smallest of which is offered in the name of those of the family who have not received the benefits of the shraddhu, and the other he presents to his deceased father, and then lays it on some kooshu grass as before, and worships it, presenting flowers, water, &c. He now places both hands open against a lamp which. is burning, as though he were warming himself ; after which he prostrates himself to the sun, and presents a fee of from one rupee to five to the officiating bramhun ; salutes all the bramhiins present, and makes prostrations to the shalgramu, which he afterwards sends into the house. All the offerings are sent to the houses of bramhuns. The family now return home, where an entertainment is provided, both for bramhuns and others, consisting principally ^ Yet the receiving of these aud other gifts at shraddhtls is supposed to disgrace a person. » These bulls wander about, and are treated by the Hindoos with great respect. No one can claim any redress for the injury they do, aud no Hindoo dare destroy them. In large towns they are often mischievous. The English call them bramhunee bulls. y The shastrn directs that a living bramhuu shall be chosen ; but a grass bramhun is generally substituted. felTES FOR THE EEPOSE OF THE SOUL. 265 of sweetmeats, milk, curds, sugar^ cakes, &c. The bramhrins eat in an enclosed spot, the unin\rited bramlmns near the house, and the poor in the street or road. At the close of the en- tertainment, if the person making the shraddhu be rich, he gives presents to all those who are not guests, whether bramhtins or the pool-, and thus dismisses them. The next morning he dismisses the learned bramhiins with presents : to the most learned he gives five rupees perhaps^ and to those less learned one. The bramhiins who were invited are also dismissed with presents. About one o'clock a feast is provided for the relations, who are dismiissed the next morning with presents of money, cloth, &c., and on this day another dinner is provided for nearer relations. At the close of the shraddhu a number of mendicant musicians play on certain instruments of music, and sing verses celebrating the revels of Krishnii ; they are often dismissed with large presents. The next day the family return to their accustomed diet ; but the sons, for twelve months after the decease of the father, must refuse every gratification, and cook with their own hands, or eat what has been prepared by a wife, or some near relation dwelling in the house. Gunga-Govindii-Singhu, a person of the writer caste, head- servant to Mr. Hastings, expended, it is said, 1,200,000 rupees at his mother's shraddhu ; and Eaja Nuvu-Krishnfi of Calcutta, nearly as much in the shraddhu for his mother. This expense was principally incurred in presents to the bramhuns, such as bedsteads, at two or three hundred rupees each ; water pitchers of silver and gold, some wortli a thousand, and others two thousand rupees ; dishes of silver and gold, at five hundred, two hundred, and one hundred; silver and gold cups and lamp-stands, at two hundred, one hundred, &c. ; covered bowls for betle-nut,.and gold and silver water jugs, at from five hundred down to one hundred ; and cloths at ten or fifteen rupees a piece. Vast crowds of mendicants" and poor people fill the roads at the time of a large shraddhti for two or three days together, each of whom obtains a rupee, or half a rupee; sometimes nothing. The lower orders expend three hundred, two hundred, or one hundred rupees at a shraddhu. Many persons reduce themselves to beggary to procure the name of having made a gi-eat shraddhu. If a man delay this ceremony, the priest urges him repeatedly to what he calls his duty. According to the Hindoo law, a person cannot inherit an estate who has not performed the shraddhu. The monthly shraddhu for the first year after the death of the parent, is upon a very small scale, and the expense is from ten rupees to twelve annas. " Some of the iriendicants come journios of four or five days. 34 266 PURIFICATIONS — ATONEMENTS FOR OFFENCES. Beside these, there are other shraddhtis for deceased ancestors, as, in every month at the total wane of the moon ; on the last fifteen, or ten, or five days of the moon in Bhadrn ; once during the first fifteen days of the moon in Ugruhaytinn ; and again in the same months,'' in Poushti," and Maghia,'' on the eighth of the wane of the moon ; in Voishakhu° and Shravunu,' on any of the first fifteen days of the moon. At some of these times aU Hindoos perform this ceremony ; at other times only a few persons. The expense is trifling, as scarcely any persons are entertained at them. Sect. XXXVIII. — Purifications. A Hindoo becomes unclean by var'ious circumstances, during which he is interdicted almost every religious ceremony, and for- bidden to shave or cut his nails. In the act of purification the person shaves the head, bathes, and puts on clean apparel. A Hindoo becomes unclean after the death of persons related to him by birth. If a child die before he has teeth, the familj'- bathe immediately, and become clean ; or if a child die before its ears are bored, the family remain unclean one night. If a woman miscarry, the family become impure for ten days. After a birth, all the members of the family in a direct line become unclean. A woman in her courses is unclean for three days ; but on the fifth day, after bathing, she may again perform religious ceremonies. Every person is considered as in some measure unclean while in a state of sickness, and from some religious services a sick person is wholly excluded. A bramhun becomes unclean by the touch of a shoodru, a dog, a Miisiilman, a barbarian, &c. and all casts, by touching a woman in her courses, a dead body, ordure, urine, the food of other castes, &c. Sect. XXXIX. — AtoTiements for Offences. The ancient Hindoo laws on this subject are very numerous, and in many instances very severe and unjust. By these laws the whole property of the country was put into a state of requisition •> In this shraddhif, the flesh of cows -was formerly offered in sacrifice. In the kaiee-yogS this is forbidden, and that of deer or goats is substituted. " This shraddhii is performed principally with herbs. * In this shraddhii bread is chiefly used. » Barley is the principal thing used in this shraddhjl. At this time the Hindoo women scatter the husks of barley in the public roads, in imitation it ia said of the mother of Efighoo-nnndfinfi, compiler of a number of the smritees. The newly descended rain is the principal article in this shraddhfl. ATONEMENTS FOE OFFENCES. 267 by the bramli'fins. At present, very few offences expose a person to the penalties of the canon law : among these, however, are the killing a bramhtin, a religious mendicant^ or a woman ; striking a bramhun ; killing a cow. Slight atonements are also offered by some when labouring under certain diseases, and for unintentional offences. I here insert some extracts from the work on atonements called Prayfishchittu-Nirntiyitt. — There are nine sorts of sins requiring atonements : 1. Jatee-bhrtingshu-kuru, in which is included the eat- ing of onions, defrauding relations, &c. 2. Shunkiiree-kuruniS, viz., sodomy. 3. XJpatree-kiirunfi, which includes receiving presents from barbarians ; bramhuns, entering into trade ; and bramhiins serving shSodrus.^ 4. Mulavuhu, in which is included destroying insects ; eating fruit which has lain near a person who has drank spirits ; ex- cessive grief for a trifling loss ; and stealing wood, fruit, or flowers. 5. Prukeernnttku, which includes various offences against the caste. 6. Oopfipatuku, v The following is the law respecting this atonement :— The oEfeuder, for three days, is to eat, each day, only twenty-six mouthfnla of rice, clarified bxitter, milk, &o. boiled together ; for the next three days he must eat in the evening twenty-two mouthfuls ; for the next three days he is to ask lor nothing, and, unless spontaneously given him, to eat nothing. If any food be given him, it must be twenty-four mouth- fuls of the same kind of food as mentioned above ; for the next three days he must eat nothing. If he abstain from food on those days in which he is allowed to take food if given to him, he does not commit a fault. If a xiersou be unable to fast so long, he may make a commutation by fasting six days. If a person be not able to fast six days, he may be exempted, on making an oifering of a cow and calf ; or, in o.ise of inability to do this, he may offer three kahunus of kourees. ATONEMtJNTS JFOS OFFENCES. 269 stand when they stand ', and eat the dust , which they thvow up with their feet. At night, after putting the cows in tlie stall, he must how to them, and then sit upright, cross-legged, and watch them all night. If one of the herd be sick, or have met with any misfortune, he must expose his own life for its preservation. He must not seek the preservation of his own life from the scorching sun, the chilling cold, the pelting rain, or the driving storm, till he have secured the herd. If the cows be feeding on another person's ground, he is not to drive them away, nor inform the owner. He must not prevent the calf from sucking, though the cow should not have been milked. After the person has thus gone through this atonement without fault, he must offer to a learned bramhiin ten cows and a bull. If this be beyond his ability, he must give up all he has. If an offender be unable to go through all his penance, he must, besides the above fee, offer seventeen new-milch cows. If he be poor, he may offer sixty-six kahunias of kourees '' This is the atonement, if the cow was wilfully killed by a bramhun. If accidentally killed, the offender must go through half the penance, and offer one cow. Besides offering the atonement, the person who has wilfully or accidentally killed a cow, must give to the owner another cow equally good. If he cannot give such a cow, he must give a proper price, to be ascertained by five respectable neigh- boiu's. If a bramhun castrate ahull, he must offer the six month's atonement as for killing a bramhtin's cow. If a cow die acciden- tally in the field, it is taken for granted that it was not properly taken caro of, and an atonement must be offered. Such a person, must have his head shaved ; bathe three times a day ; wear a cow's skin with the horns, hoofs, &c. on it ; follow the herd ; watch the- herd by night, &c. If the animal died at night in the cow-house, and the keeper was permitted to go home, instead of watching over the cattle, the atonement must be offered by the owner. If in consequence of the falling of a bell from a cow's ear' the cow die, the owner must offer half of the prajapHtyu atonement. If a Hin- doo sell a cow to a barbarian, he must eat only one mouthful in the morning for four days, and for the next four days four mouth- fuls each day in the evening. If the buyer kill and eat the cow, the person who disposed of the animal must offer the same- atonement as a bramhun for killing a cow. > If, however, part of the herd be lying down, and part be standing, he must do: as the greater number do. If the number lying down and the number standing be; equal, he must do that which is most painful to himself ; o£ course he must stand. k In the work called Prayuahchittu-viv^ku it is declared, that if a person be un- able to pay this fine, he must beg for twelve years, and whatever he is able to procure, , he must give as a commutation for the atonement. At the present period, persons- may be seen, having the head shaved, makinga noise like the lowing of a cow ; having a rope, with which cow's are tied by the leg, in the hand, &c. begging for this avowed purpose : yet most of these persons make this a contrivance to obtain money. • Hung there like an ear-ring, or ornament, but with the intention of keeping the herd together' by the soimd. 270' ATONEMENTS FOR OFFENCES. If a man kill a horse, he must make an offering of cloth to a brarnhfin." If an elephant, he must give to the bramhilns five blue bulls. If an ass, a goat, or a sheep, a male calf, one year old, must be given to a bramhun. If a goose, a peacock, a white heron, or a hawk, he must give a cow to a bramhun. If a tiger, a milch cow. If a camel, or a buffalo, he must forfeit a riituku of gold. If a hog, he must present to a bramhun a pitcher of clarified butter. If a parrot, a calf, one year old. If a snake, an axe for cutting wood. If a cat, a guano, an ichneumon, or a frog, he must for three days partake of nothing but milk. If any one of these offences have been done repeatedlj', the offender must offer a fourth of the prajaputyu atonement. If a person have killed a thousand larger insects, he must offer the same atonement as for accidentally killing a shoodru. For killing a few small insects, the person mustrepeat an incantation, while squeezing his nose with hisfingers. If abramhfiu, ignorantly, have intercourse once with the wife of a chandalu, he must offer the prajaputyu atonement during twelve years. If done wilfully, he must renounce life as the expia- tion of his sin. If done repeatedly, the offence cannot be expiated. If a bramhun have improper intercourse with a virgin, or with his own daughter, or with his son's wife, he musl become an eunuch, and renounce life. If a person of any other caste commit such sin, he must renounce life by the toosh-anultt atonement". ^ The atonements for killing horsea and other animals, as well as insects, are alike to all the castes. Shoolupanee, a pttndit, however, maintains, that in all these cases a shoodru, a female, a child, and an aged person, are to offer only one half of the atonement. ■ In the work called praySshchittS-viveki!, the method in which this person must renounce life is thus related :— After shaving his head, bathing, &e. he must cover himself with chaff, and, lying down, the fire must be kindled at hia feet ; and in this way, by slow degrees, he must give up his life to expiate his crime. In another work, the following story is related respecting this method of expiating sin : — In former times, it was common for very learned pundita, to go from kingdom to kingdom, challeng- ing each king to bring forth his pundits, to hold disputations on the subjects contain- ed in the shastrils. Oodfiyilnaoharyu had, in this manner, obtained the victory over all the pSndits in the world. He was also the great instrument in overcoming the bouddhSs, and in re-establishing the practice of the v^diis ; but in arming the kings against the bouddhus he had been instrumental in destroying many bouddhil bram- hfins. Towarda the close of his life he went to JHgSnnat'hSk-kah^trtl ; but when he arrived at the temple, the door shut of itself against him, and he sat at the door, sorrow- ful, and keeping a fast. In the midst of his fast the god appeared to him in a dream, and told him, he had been guilty of killing many bramhilns ; he could not, therefore, see his face : he must renounce life by offeringthe toosh-anijlil atonement. Ooduyuna- charyil was angiy with Jiigunnat'hil, and pronounced a curse upon him, telling him, that in some future period, when he should be destroyed by the bouddhtis, he would remember his benefactor. This pundit soon afterwards, however, obeyed the com- mand of Jiigunnat'hil. When he had been several days suffering in the chaff-fire, and his lower parts were burnt, Sh&nkuracharyii called on him, and challenged him to dispute. Oodilyilnacharyn declined it, on account of the pain which he endured ; but ShiJnkiJracharyS promised to cure the burnt parts, and told him, that after the dispute was over, he might offer the atonement. OodiSyfinacharyu ridiculed him for pretend- ing to dispute with him, since he had not sense to judge in a case so obvious : half his body was burnt already ; and yet he (ShiinkiiracharyS) advised him to have the burnt parts restored, in order to dispute with him, in which case ho would have to endure these sufferings twice over. ShfinkSracharyti, being thus overcome at the commencement, retired. The other continued the atonement, and thus expiated his sin of killing the bouddhfi bramhuna. ATONEMENTS FOE 0I*FENCES. 271 If a shoodru live -with a bramhunee of bad character, he must renounce life by casting himself into a large fire. If a shoodru live with a bramhunee of unsullied character, he must tie straw round the different parts of his body, and cast himself into the fire. The woman must be placed on an ass, and led round the city, and then dismissed, never to return. If a voishyu com- mit the same offence with a bramhiinee, or a female kshtitriyu, he must renounce life, tying kooshu grass round his limbs, and then throwing himself into the fire. If a person defile the bed of his mother-in-law, he must put a red hot piece of stone or iron into his mouth, and become an eunuch. If any person have unnatural connec- tion Avith a cow, he must repeat the prajapiityu atonement four times. If a person marry his paternal or maternal niece, he must perform the chandrayunu atonement, and the marriage becomes void, though the maintenance of this woman for life will fall upon the offender. [For marrying within the degrees of consanguinity, many different atonements are ordered, according to the nearness of relationship.] If a bramhun eat'without having on his poita, he must repeat the gaytitree 100 times, and partake of nothing that day but the urine of cows. If a person eat cow's flesh unknowingly, he must offer the prajaputyu atonement. If he have repeatedly eaten cow's flesh, he must perform the chandrayunu vrutu, and forfeit. a bull and a cow. If a person eat the flesh of elephants, horses, camels, .snakes, or dogs, he must continue offering the prajaputyu atonement during twelve months. If a bramhiin drink spirits, he must again undergo investiture with the poita. If a bramhtin repeatedly eat onions, he must perform the chandra-yunti vriitii, and be again invested with the poita. If a person drink the milk of a .cow, before the expiration of ten days after she has calved, he must fast two days. If any man drink the milk of sheep or buffaloes, he must fast two nights. Ifabramhun eat once with a person whose father was a shoodru and his mother a bramhunee, he must perform the chandrayunu vrutu or make an offering of eight cows and their calves, or 22^ kahunus of kourees. If a bramhtin eat the food, or semen, or urine, or ordure of a voishyu, he must perform the prajaputyu vrutti ; or perform the other things prescribed instead of this atonement. If any person be compelled to eat the boiled rice of a chandalu, he must fast twelve days ; but this may be commuted by giving to a bramhun five cows with their calves, or 15 kahunus of kourees. If the rice be unboiled, the eater must fast three days. If a bramhun unknowingly drink water from the pitcher with which a chandalu draws water from his well, he must fast three nights, and the next day he must eat cow-dung, cow's urine, milk, clarified butter, and curds, mixed toge- 272 ATONEMENTS FOR OiTENGEg. ther." If lie do this designedly, the atonement must be doubled. If a bramhun drink water from, or bathe in, a pool dug by a chandalu, he must eat cow-dung, cow's urine, milk, curds, and clarified butter, mixed together. If a dog touch a brarahun while he has food in hisjiand, the latter must fast one day. If a chandalit touch a bramhnn before he have washed his hands and mouth after eating, tlie latter must fast three days, and repeat the gayutree a thousand times. If a chandalu or mel^chchti break a bramhun's polta, the bramhun must ofter the miaha-santupiinu atonement'' twice. " A person, having finished the ceremonies of an atonement, must lay a handful of grass before a cow ; which if she eat, it is a proof that the sin, of the offender is removed. If she refuse it, the atonement must be offered again. '' If sins be not expiated by the necessary atonements, the offend- ers will descend into hell ; from whence, after expiation, thej' will again arise, perhaps, to human birth, iu consequence of some frag- ment of merit which they possessed in the preceding birth ; but they will continue to wear the marks of the sin in which they died.' Such persons must offer the proper atonements, when these " In proportion to the quantity of cow-dung, lie must take twice as much urine, four times as much milk, eight times as much clarified butter, and of curds the same as clarified butter. p In this atonement the pei'son must mix water steeped iu kooshS grass, milk, curds, clarified butter, cow-dung, and cow's uriue together, and eat them, and the day after he must fast. 9 Some years ago, a rich Hindoo of Calcutta, who had committed many sins, thought it necessary to expiate them by an atonement. He invited learned natives from Nildeeya to ascertain the proper atonement, which he afterwards offered ; but when he came to finish the ceremony by giving grass to the cow, she v/ould not receive it. This excited the greatest anxiety, and several pundits were consulted, to ascertain whether .the law for the ceremony bad been properly laid down. They all affirmed that it had ; but on Jugannat'hii-tiirku-piinehanilmi being interrogated, he declared, that the commutation, instead of three, should have been five kahuniis of kourees for each cow. Upon this information the increased sum was paid ; the cow then ate the grass, and the offender's sin was known to be expiated ! Several other anecdotes of this kind are iu circulation among the natives. — There is a remarkable coincidence betwixt this story and that related of Apis, the ox worshipped by the Egyptians, of whom it is said, that he took food from those that came to con.sult him ; but that he refused to eat from the hands of Germanicus Csesar, who died not long after. ' Munoo says, ' A stealer of gold from a bramhiin has whitlows on his nails ; a drinker of spirits, black teeth; the slayer of a bramhun, a marasmus. The violater of his gooroo's bed shall be a deformed wretch.— For sinful acts mostly corporeal, a man shall assume after death a vegetable or mineral form ; for acts mostly verbal, the form of a bird or a beast ; for acts mostly mental, the lowest of human conditions. — The slayer of a bramhiin must enter, according to the circumstances of his crime, the body of a dog, a boar, an ass, a camel, a bull, a goat, a sheep, a steg, a bird, a chandalii, or a puccassa. — A priest, who has drank spirtiuous liquors,shall migrate into the form of a Bmaller or larger worm ot insect, of a moth, of a fly feed^ig on ordure, or of some ravenous animaK — He who steals the gold of a priest, shall pWs a thousand times into the bodies of spiders, of snakes and camelions, of crocodiles and other aquatic mon- sters, or of mischievous blood-sucking dostious.- -lie who violates the bed of his natural ATONEMENTS FOR OFFENCES, 273 sins will be removed. If such a diseased person die without hav- ing offered the atonement, the funeral rites must he refused. Should any one burn his body, he must perform the chandrayiinu vriitu. If a person weep for the death of a self-murderer, or for a per- son killed by a cow, or by a bramh-Hn, he or she must off«r an atonement. If a woman repent after ascending the funeral pile, or after resolving to renounce life in any way allowed by the shastrfii he or she must perform the prajapfitti vrfltu. For expiating the sin of falsehood, a person must repeat the name of Vishnoo once.' To preserve the life of a bramhiin, and to appease an angry wife, falsehood may be spoken innocently. When there are many offenders in his kingdom, who are un- able to offer the proper atonements, a king must perform the chandrayuna vrutii ; by which he will obtain the pardon of the sins of these subjects, and deliver his kingdom from the effects of sin remaining unexpiated.' or spiritual father, migrates a hundred times into the forms of grasses, of shrubs with crowded stems, or of creeping and twining plants, of vidtures and other oarnirorous animals, and other beasts with sharp teeth, or of tigers, and other crciel brutes They who hurt any sentient beings, are bom eats and other eaters of raw flesh ; they who taste what ought not to be tasted, maggots or small ilies; they who steal ordinary things, devoiirers of each other ; they who embrace v'ery low women, become restless ghosts. — If a man Steal grain in the husk, he shall be born a rat ; if a yellow mixed metal, a gander ; if water, a plava, or diver ; if honey, a great stinging gnat; if milk, a crow ; if expressed |uice, a dog ; if clarified butter, an ichneumon. — If exquisite perfumes, a muBkrat ; if potherbs, a peacock ; if dressed grain in any of its various forms, a porcupine ; if raw grain, a hedgehhg. — If a deer or an elephant, he shall be bom a, wolf ; if a horse, a tiger ; if robts or fruit, an ape ; if a woman, a bear; if water from a jar, the bird chataca; if carriages, a camel; if small cattle, a. goat. — Women, who have committed similar thefts, incur a similar taint, and shall be paired with those male beasts in the form of their females. —As far as vital souls, addicted to sensuality, indulge themselves in forbidden plea> sures, even to the same degree shall the acuteness of tireir senses be, raised in their future bodies, that they may endure analogous pains. — They shall first have a sensa- tion of agony in TamisrS, or utter darkness, and in other seats of horror ; in Usipii- triSvunu, or the sword-leaved forest ; and in different places of binding fast and of rending. — Multifarious tortures await them : they shall be mangled by ravens and o-ft-h; shall swallow cakes boiling hot ; shall work over inflamed sands, and shall feel the pangs of being baked like the vessel of a potter.— They shall assume the forms of beasts continually miserable, and suffer alternate afflictions from extremities of cold and of heat, surrounded witb terrors of various kinds, — More than once shall they lie in different wombs, and, after agonizing births, be condemned to severe captivity and to servile attendance on creatures like themselves.— Then shall follow separations from kindred and friends ; forced residence with the wicked ; painful gains and ruinous losses of wealth ; friendships hardly acquired, and at length changed into enmities. — Old age without resource ; diseases atteaded with anguish ; pangs of innumerable sorts, and, lastly, unconquerable death.' » On the other hand, it is a common saying among the Hindoos, derived from some of their shastrils, that if a person utter a lie, his family, for fourteen generations, will successively fall into hell. * I have heard a native Christian, when preaoEiug to his countrymen, mention this atonement, to illustrate the fact of God's having given his Son as an atonement for sins committfed in his earthly kingdom. 35 274 EXTRACTS FROM THE KUEMU-VIPAKU AND THE UONEE POORAnS BOOK IV. DOCTEINES OF THE HINDOO KELIGION. The reader is refeiTed to another part of this work for the speculative theories of the Hindoo Mythology. The author has begun these theories where they appear to be interwoven with the popular superstition. CHAP. I. OF THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS. After death, the person is conveyed by the messengers of Yumu through the air to the place of judgment. After receiving his sentence, he wanders about the earth for twelve months, as an aerial being or ghost ; and theii takes a body suited to his future condition, wliether he ascend to the gods, or suffer in a new body, or be hurled into some hell. This is the doctrine of several pooranus ; others maintain, that immediately after death and judg- ment, the person suffers the pains of hell, and removes his sin by suffering ; and then returns to the earth in some bodily form. I add a few particulars respecting the transmigration of souls from the work called Kiiirmtt-vipaku : — He who destroys a sacrifice will be punished in hell ; he will afterwards be born again, and remain a fish for three years ; and then ascend to human birth, but will be afflicted with a continual flux. He who kills an enemy subdued in war, will be cast into the hell Krilktichu ; after which he will become a bull, a deer, a tiger, a bitch, a fish, a man : in the last state he will die of the palsy. He who eats excellent food without giving any to others, will be punished in hell 30,000 years, and then be born a musk- rat ; then a deer ; then a man whose body emits an offensive smell, and who prefers bad to excellent food. The man who refuses to his father and mother the food they desire, will be punished in hell, and afterwards be born a crow ; then a man. In the latter birth he will not relish any kind of food. The stealer of a water-pan will be born an alligator, and then a man of a monstrous size. The person who has lived with a woman of superior caste, will endure torments in hell during seventy-one yoogtis of the gods : after this, in another hell, he will continue burning like a blade of grass for 100,000 years. He will next be born a worm, and after this ascend to human birth ; but his body will be filled with disease. The stealer of rice will sink into ON THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS. 275 hell ; will afterwards be born and continue eighteen years a crow ; then a heron for twelve years ; then a diseased man. He who kills an animal, not designing it for sacrifice, will, in the form of a turtle, be punished in hell ; then be born a bull, and then a man afflicted with an incurable distemper. He who kills an animal by holding its breath, or laughs at a pooranu at the time of its recital, will, after enduring infernal torments, be born a snake ; then a tiger, a cow, a white heron, a crow, and a man having an asthma. He who steal alms will sink into hell, and afterwards be born a blind man, afflicted with a consumption. A beautiful woman who despises her husband, will suffer in hell a variety of torments ; she will then be born a female, and, losing her husband very soon after marriage, will long suffer the miseries of widowhood. The TJgnee pooranti says, that a person who loses human birth, passes thi'ough 8,000,000 births among the inferior creatures befoi'e he can again obtain human birbh : of which he remains 2,100,000 births among the immoveable parts of creation, as stones, trees, «fec. ; 900,000 among the water tribes ; 1,000,000 among insects, worms, &c. ; 1,000,000 among the birds ; and 3,000,000 among the beasts. In the ascending scale, if his works be suitable, he continues 400,000 births among the lower castes of men ; during 100 births among bramhuns ; and after this he may obtain absorption in Brumliu. Whether the doctrine of the metempsychosis originated with the politician or the philosopher, its influence on the state of society might form an intei-esting subject of enquiry. As far as I have been able to trace its influence, it appears to have tho most unhappy effects upon the present race of Hindoos. All their sins are considered as necessary consequences of actions done in a former life, on which account they seldom charge their consciences witli guilt for committing them. If a Hindoo be attacked with some disease, or fall into peculiar misfortunes, he immediately traces the cause to the sins of a former birth ; and, instead of using measures to extricate himself, he sits down in despair, thinking that these things are inseparably attached to his birth, and that he can get rid of them only with life itself. In a religious view, this doctrine is very pernicious : the Christian is taxight, that every thing depends upon the present state, and he there- fore ' works out his salvation with fear and trembling ;' but the Hindoo, like all other men, being always disposed to procrastinate in religion, finds this disposition greatly encouraged, by the hope that a future birth will be more favourable to him ; that he shall be born to better fortunes, be rich, or be placed in happier cir- cumstances for pursuing the concerns of religion. The next birth, in the mouth of a Hindoo, is the same as ' to-morrow' in the mouth of a nominal Christian, 276 CONVERSATIONS KESPECTINQ TRANSMIGRATION. The faith of the Hindoos in the doctrine of the transmigration of souls often appeal's in their conversation, especially when either prosperous or adverse circumstances have arisen in a family; When a person is in deep sorrow for the loss of a child, and is addressed by another on the subject, the former perhaps utters her grief in some such words as these : — ' What have I done, that I am thus grievously afflicted ? When I examine my life from my child- hood, I cannot see that I have done any harm. Why then does God thus afflict me ? Why did he give me a child ? Why did he take it away ?' — She next vents her grief in a torrent of abuse on Yumu : — ' Oh ! Ytimti ! What did I do to thee ? I am sure I never injured thee. Thou knewest that I had none else : I am in this world like a blind creature ; this child was my staff, — and thou hast taken him away. O thou wicked Yumu ! — I will put a wisp of fire in thy face. — I will flog thee with the bi'oom. — My breast is rent with grief Another female now joins her, and says, ' Oh ! sister ! What ! is your child gone ? Ah ! Ah I Ah ! — that vile Yiimu — he is full of injustice. If I could see him, I would cut him into a thousand pieces. He has taken all mine ; but he has left you one.° Ah ! if I were stone, I should split into pieces ; but I am earth — only flesh and blood, and therefore I am sunk into nothing. But why do I thus complain ? I am not singular ; every one's house is plundered.' Another person now comes in, and says, ' Whj' do you blame Ynmu ? What fault has he done ? In former births you must have committed many crimes ; otherwise I cannot see why you should suffer in this dreadful manner : you have done nothing but works of merit in this birth. You must have injured some one's child in a former birth, and now yours is taken fi-om you. Ytimti has done nothing wrong. He is justice itself. He never errs. Nor ought you to think it extraordinary that a per- son dies. It is more extraordinary that a peason desires to live. If you confine a bird in a cage, though you cherish him with the greatest care, if the door be open he flies away. But though there are nine openings in the body by which the soul may make its escape, and though the person be suffering the deepest distress, yet the soul is not willing to depart ; — this desire of life is more won- derful than death itself — When the soul has taken its flight, then, why should you think it such an extraordinary thing ? You are suffering for the sins of many former births ; which sins, like a shadow, will pursue you, go where you will, and assume whatever shape you may, till they be expiated by suffering. If this were not so, why is it that a good man suffera, while a wicked man is raised to the pinnacle of prosperity ? If men sufiered only for the » The Hindoo women are eKoessively fond of -their children. When a mother pays her reapecta to an aged female, she presents her child to receive her blessing, and says, ' Mother !— give my child your hlessing.' The old woman says, 'Live, live, as many years as there are hairs on my head.' When a mother takes her child into company, to prevent its being hurt by a witch, she rubs its forehead with earth thrown up by worms, or with the end of a lamp-wick, and spits on its breast. CONVERSATIONS KESPBCTING TRANSMIGRATION. 277 sins of this life, the good would have nothing but happiness, and the wicked nothing but sorrow.' '" Sometimes the docti'ine of transmigration appears in the conversation of widows, when they are talking over their sorrows one amongst another. One begins the conversation, by addressing one of the company, recently become a widow, in some such words as these : — ' Ah ! why is so much trouble fallen upon you ? You have continually performed works of merit. I have observed, that from your childhood you have been very religious.'" Another replies, — ' How you talk ! What ! do you think she is suffering for sins committed in this birth ?' The widow addressed now adds : — ' Ah ! my sorrows are indescribable. I am now suffering for the sins of many births ; the sins of birth after birth, birth after birth, are fallen upon me. If the sins of numerous births had not beein cast upon me, would my husband (a lac of lives in one) have been taken from me ? O God, do not bring upon my worst enemy the misery which I endure. What had I done against God, and what against him, (her husband, ) that I suffer thus ? 1 must have injured him in a former birth, and therefore he was married to me on purpose to bring-upon me the sorrows of widowhood. He was born in one womb, and I in another ; we wei'e perfect strangers ; fate brought us together, and I began to flatter myself that I should long enjoy the blessings of a mamed state, when he was seized with, sickness, and, without making the least provision for me, has left me to crouch and fawn for a handful of rice. When waiting upon him in his last moments he did not say, ' I leave you this or that ; you will not be destitute :' but, shutting up my food and garments, he has thus abandoned me. He ' he was my greatest enemy. ' if I meet him in a future state, I'll certainly revenge myself. Instead of putting fire into his mouth after death, if I had known that he would have served me thus, I would have put fire in his mouth while living. I entr^'at the gods, that in the next birth I may be a man, and he my wife, and that I ms,y bring upon him €2?actly what he has brought upon me ; and that this may be continued through numerous births. Vile enemy. — .' Continuing her address to a married woman, she says : — ' See ! you have two meals a day, ^ I have heard it urged, in proof of the reality of successive births, that if a child had not drawn the breast in .a former birth, it waujdnot, as soon as born, cling to the breast, and know how to suck. A person before whom this argument was once urged, asked how this was to be accounted for When the person arose from the state of a fish to human birth ? " When a Hindoo f?male child shews her attachment to i:eligion^_ .she ^a^hers vilwii leaves and flowers, and making an image of the lingfi, attempts to "worship it; or she sits down attentively, and watches others while they perform the ceremonies of worship ; or she goes to a festival, and assists the females in niaking the necessary pre- parations. When she is grown to maturity, she performs different ceremonies to ob- tain the blessing of a good husband. Alter marriage she worships ShivH and other gods, and prays that her husband may love her, and live long, so that she may not endure the hardships of widowhood. When she becomes a mother, she daily bows to the gods, repeats theii' names, and prays that they wHl bless her child. 2T8 CONVEESATIONS RESPECTING THANSMIGBATIOlSr. while I have but one ; you have all manner of ornaments, and I am naked ; you are invited to all the feasts ;* you can eat of all kinds of delicacies, but I must live on the meanest food ; I must fast twice a month ; — " there is no end of my sorrows.' If a person die an untimely death, it is attributed to crimes committed in a former state of existence. A person born blind, is _supposed to have destroyed the eyes of some one in a former birth. A few neighbours sitting together, as a person afflicted with an in- curable distemper passes along, observe, 'Ah! no doubt, that man was guilty in a former birth of such or such a crime, and now the consequences appear in his present state.' The prosperity of persons, especially if they have suddenly risen from poverty to affluence, frequently gives rise to remarks on the merits of such persons in a former birth : ' See,' says one, ' such a person was poor, and is now worth so many lacs of rupees. He must have performed acts of extraordinary merit in former births, or he could not have so suddenly risen to such a state of affluence.' When conversing on this subject with a Hindoo, he instanced the case of Ramtt-Huree-Vishwasii, late of Khurdah : — ' He was so poor,' said he, ' that he was indebted to others for a place to lodge in. After a few years of service with a European, he obtained a fortune of thirty lacs of rupees. He bought an estate ; ei-ected a number of temples to ShiviS, and then went to Kashee, (Benares,) where he died in a very short time. Such an auspicious life and death' can only be attributed to some wonderful acts of devotion or liberality in former births.' A very learned man is complimented with having given learn- ing to others in a former birth. When the Hindoos see any of the animals used cruelly, especi- ally cows, they exclaim: — 'Ah! how many sins must that crea- ture have committed in a former birth !' They say the same if they see a dog eating ordure. When they see a dog riding with his master in his palanqueen, they say, ' True, thou art born a dog, but some good works have made thy fate tolerable.' The pooranus and other shastriis promise deliverance from future birth upon the performance of different religious ceremonies. 4 A widow can take no share in marriage ceremonies, &o. She is not even per- mitted to touch the bride. " This fast is kept by widows on the eleventh of the increase and decrease of the moon in every month ; and is observed so strictly among the higher castes, that notwithstanding a widow has eaten only once on the preoediug day, she does not touch the least aliment, not even a drop of water, on this day. t Every one who dies i»t KashSS becomes a god, JUDGMENT OF MEN AFTER DEATH. 279 CHAP. II. JUDGMENT OF MEN AFTER DEATH. [From the Ptldmu pooranj}.] At the extremity of the earth southwards, floating on the waters, is Snngyumunee, the residence of Ytimu, the judge of the dead, and of his recorder Chitru-gooptu, and his messengers. Yumu has fou]' arms, is of a dark colour, with eyes like the petal of the water-lily ; in his hands he holds a shell, a discus, a club, and a lotus ; he rides on Gurooru ; wears a golden poita, and pearl ear- rings ; and has a crown on his head, and a garland of flowers round his neck. Chitru-gooptii, the recorder, and Yiimii's attendants, appear in the most pleasing forms. Those who perfoim works of merit are led to Yumu's palace along the most excellent roads, in some parts of which the heavenly courtezans are seen dancing or singing ; and gods, gandhurvtis, &c. are heard chanting the praises of other gods ; in others, showers of flowers are falling from heaven ; in other parts are houses con- taining cooling water, and excellent food • pools of water covered with nymphceas ; and trees, afibrding fragrance by their blossoms and shade by their leaves. The gods are seen to pass on horses or elephants, with white umbrellas carried over them ; or in palan- queens or chariots, fanned with the chamtirus of the gods ; while the d^vursheeS are chanting their praises as they pass along. Some, by the glory issuing from their bodies, illumine the ten quarters of the world. Yiimu receives the good with much afiection, and, feasting them with excellent food, thus addresses them: — ' Ye are truly meritorious in your deeds ; ye are wise ; by the power of your merits ascend to an excellent heaven. He who, born in the world, performs meritorious actions, he is my father, brother, and friend.' The wicked have 688,000 miles to travel to the palace of 4- Yumu, to receive judgment. In some places they pass over a pavement of fire ; in others, the earth in which their feet sink is burning hot ; or they pass over burning sands, or over stones with sharp edges, or burning hot ; sometimes showers of sharp instruments, and at others showers of burning cinders, or scalding water, or stones fall upon them ; burning winds scorch their bodies ; every now and then they fall into concealed wells full 280 JUDGMENT OF MEN AFTER DEATH. of darkness, or pass through narrow passages filled with stones, in which serpents lie concealed ; sometimes the road is filled with thick darkness ; at other times they pass through the branches of trees, the leaves of which are full of thorns ; again they walk over broken pots, or over hard clods of earth, bones, putrifying flesh, thorns, or sharp spikes ; they meet tigers, jackals, rhinoceroses, elephants, terrible giants, &c. ; and in some parts they are scorched in the sun without obtaining the least shade. They travel naked ; their hair is in disorder ; their throat, lips, &c. are parched ; they are covered with blood, or dirt ; some wail and shriek as they pass along ; others are weeping ; others have horror depicted on their countenances ; some are dragged along by leathern thongs tied round their necks, waists, or hands ; others by cords passed through holes bored in their noses ; others by the hail', the ears, the neck, or the heels ; and others are carried, having their heads and legs tied together. On arriving at the palace, they behold Yumtt 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 is 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 ; the noise of the drawing of his breath is greater than the' roaring of a tempest ; his teeth are exceedingly long, and his nails like the fan for winnowing corn. In his right hand he holds an iron club ; his garment is an animal's skin ; and he rides on a terrific buffalo. Ghitru-gooptiS also appears as a terrible monster, and makes a noise like a warrior when about to rush to battle. Sounds terrible as thunder are heard, ordering punishments to be inflicted on the offenders. At length Yiimu orders the criminals into his presence, and thus addresses them : — ' Did you not know that I am placed above all, to award happiness to .the good, and punishment to the wicked ? Knowing this, have you lived in sin ; Have you never heard that there are different hells for the punish- ment of the wicked ; Have you never given your minds to religion ? To-day, with your own eyes, you shall see the punishment of the wicked. — From yoogii to yoogu stay in these hells ! — You have pleased yourselves in sinful practices : endure now the torments due to these sins. "What will weeping avail V Ytimu next directs ChitriSgooptu to examime into the offences of the criminals, who now demand the names of the witnesses : let such, say they, appear, and give their evidence in our presence. Yiimu smiling, though full of rage, commands Sooryu,* Chiindrix,'' Ptivunu,' TJgnee,'' Akashti,^ Prit'hiveS,"" Vuroonu," Tit'hee," Dinu,» Eatree,' Pratu-kalti,' Sundhya-kalu,* and Dhurmti,' to appear against the prisoners ; who, hearing the evidence, are struck dumb, B The sun. i" The moon. ' Wind. k pj^g^ i ^ther. ^ Earth, n Water. ° A lunar-day. p Day. t Night. ' Morning. = Evening, t A representative of Yunafi. All the elements, and the divisions of time, are thus called upon to witness against the prisoners. DIFFERENT KINDS OF HAPPINESS. 281 and remain trembling and stupified with fear. Yumu, then gnash- ing his teeth, beats tlie prisoners with his iron club till they roai' with anguish ; after which he drives them to different hells. CHAP. III. OF FUTURE HAPPINESS. The shastrtts teach that there are four kinds of happiness after death : 1. That possessed in the heaven of the gods ;" — 2. That when the person is deified ; — 3. That which arises from dwelling in the presence of the gods" ;— and, 4. In absorption.^ In- the three first, the person is subject to future birth, but not in the last. The three first are obtained by works ; the last by divine wisdom. Tiie descriptions which the pooraniis give of the heavens of the gods are truly in the ea.stern style : all things, even the beds pf the gods, are made of gold and precious stones. All the plea- sures of these heavens are exactly what we should expect in a sys- tem formed by uninspired and unrenewed men : like the paradise of Mahomet, they are houses of ill-fame, rather than places of re- wards for ' the pure in heart.' Here aU tlie vicious passions are personified, or rather deified : — the quarrels and licentious intrigues of the gods fill these places with perpetual uproai', while their im- purities are described with the same literality and gross detail, as similar things are talked of among these idolaters on earth. It would be a flagrant insult to compare these heavens with the place which our Saviour went to prepare for his disciples >? but the serious enquirer after truth will be struck with this additional proof, that the Christian religion is ' worthy of all acceptation.' I here subjoin an account of the heaven of Koov^ru, the god of riches, from the Muhabharutu : — It is eight hundred miles long, and five hundred and sixty bi'oad. The wind, perfumed with ten " The Meemangsfl writers have decided, tliat there is no separate- place of future happiness ; that whether a person enjoy happiness, or endure misery, the wliole is confined to the present life. The pooranns, on the other hand, declare, that there are many places of happiness and misery, and that persons go to these places after death.- " All raised to heaven are not permitted to approach the god in whose heaven they reside. This privilege belongs only to fa\;ourites. y The v^dantfi shastrfis teach, that wherever a person possessing divine wisdom dies, he is immediately received into the divine nature, as "air, escaping from a vessel ■F/hen broken, immediately mixes with the surrounding air. The pooranus, however, teach, that the soul of such a person ascends to God inhabiting a certain place, and is. there absorbed into the divine nature. ' John xiv, 2. 36- 282 DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN. thousand odours, blows in soft breezes ; and the place, in every part adorned with gold and jewels, displays a glory like that pro- duced by the rays of the full moon. Here are also canals of the purest water filled with fish, water-fowl, water-lilies, &c. with flights of steps made of gold ; with forests and gardens in which Xoov^ru and his couitezans divert themselves. In the treasury of this god are immense heaps of jewels, gold, silver, &c. from which the gods and goddesses supply themselves with ornaments. Koo- vdrii sits on a throne glorious as the meridian sun, and reposes on a bed equally splendid. He is surrounded by different gods, among whom are Shivu, Doorga, Shivu's bull, his servants Niindee, Miiha-kalti, Shtinkoo, Kurnii, &c. and by a thousand goddesses, or concubines, shining like the lightning, and adorned with loads of jewels ; by the titans, by Ravunu, Vibheeshonu, and' other rak- shtisus, the pishachtis, the gundhtirvus, the kinnurtis, the upstiras, the vidyadhurtts, the mountain gods, &c. Before this assembly, the upstiras dance ; the kinnuriis, (with horses' mouths,) and the giindhiirvus, sing and play on heavenly instruments. All the pleasures of the other h eavens are to be found here. The following are esteemed works of merit, capable of raising a person to celestial happiness : — Honoring, entertaining, serving, and giving gifts to bramlmns : the more learned the bramhun,the greater the merit. Worshipping and repeating the names of the gods, and particularly that of a person's guardian deity ; visiting or residing at holy places, and performing the accustomed religious ceremonies there ; performing the shraddhii for deceased ancestors ; bathing in the Ganges and other sacred rivers ; offering sacrifices ; building temples ; cutting roads and pools ; planting trees, especially sacred trees ; making and setting up images ; repeating the gaytitree, and other parts of the v^dus ; reading the v^du and other shastriis, or hearing them read ; honoring and serving a spiritual guide ; hos- pitality to guests, especially to bramhuns ; fasting, particularly at times directed by the shastrus ; burning with a deceased husband ; parting with life in sacred places. King Sooi'ut'hu was raised to the heaven of Indrti for perform- ing the sacrifice of a horse." King Trishunkoo obtained heaven by the power of the merits which Vitshisht'hti, a bramhun, trans- ferred to him.*" Umbureeshti, a king, was about to perform a human sacrifice, in order to obtain heaven ; but when going to slay the victim, through the interference of Vishwaraitru, a bramhun, his sacrifice was accepted of the gods, though the victim was not slain,'= and the king ascended to the heaven of Indrti.'' King In- » Sliree-bhagttvtitii '■ Ibid. « He repeated an ir Ke fire. ^ Shree-bhagSvutS. « He repeated an incantation given by Vinhwamitrfi, which destroyed th« power of the fire. WOHKS OF MERIT ENTITLING TO HEAVEN. 283 dru-dyoomnu, by performing austerities, offering sacrifices, and presenting gifts to bramlmns, obtained the power of going to heaven whenever he chose.' Beside these ' works of merit,' performed by Hindoos ^undor the hope of obtaining a heaven of sensual pleasures after death, there are a number of other actions pei-formed by them, supposed to be meritorious in their nature, but which, in the opinion of a Christian, deserve punishment, even in this life : — The Hindoo widow, burning with the dead body of her husband, is promised a residence in heaven during the reigns of fourteen Indrfis ; yet no Christian doubts whether these are real murders or not. The deaths of vast multitudes of Hindoos are procured or hastened annually by immersing a part of the body, in a state of dangerous sickness, in the Ganges, and by pouring large quantities of this water into the body of the djdng person : yet the Hindoos think it a work of great merit. Many persons voluntarily renounce life in the Ganges, under the hope of obtaining immediate entrance into heaven ; and yet a jury of Englishmen would pronounce it self- murder. Infatuated mothers devote their children to this sacred river, not doubting but they are sending them to heaven ; yet we, feel certain that every such infant is murdered. Many of the prac- tices in the presence of the Hindoo idols^ in the very midst of wor- ship, are so dreadfully obscene, that I am persuaded even a Billingsgate mob would not suffer the actors to escape without some marks of their disapprobation ; and yet the Hindoos except nothing less than heaven for these works of merit. A great num- bei' of the Hindoo modern saints live in a state of perpetual intoxi- cation ; and call this stupefaction, which arises from smoking in- toxicating herbs, _/ia;iwg' the inind on God. Nor do the briamhu- chareSs, who follow the rules of the Tuntru shastrtis, and practise unutterable abominations,' under what they call the forms of reli- gion, ever doubt whether these acts are meritorious, and capable of raising the person to heaven or not. Even women of the town have worship performed by bramhuns in brothels, from which they expect rewards in a future state : so completely absent from the Hindoo mind is the Christian idea of purity of heart, and of the necessity of this in order to approach God. The Hindoos profess to have a great reliance upon the merit of their works, though they do not depend upon any one ceremony to procure future happiness : one Hindoo travels to the south, another to the north, to obtain some salvation-giving charm : but after all, he listens to any new nostrum with as much eagerness as ' Muhabharatu. ' Though the author has drawn away the veil from some of the scenes, yet the Christian public must give him credit renpecting the rest; for they are so intolt r^ibly gi-oss, that they cannot be fully dragged into public view. 284 CONVERSATIONS RESPECTING THE STATE OF THE DEAD. though he had hitherto done nothing towards obtaining heaven.^ As a person's continuance in heaven depends on the quantity of his meritj this may be another reason why the Hindoo performs so many diffei'ent works to obtain the same thing. After the death of a Hindoo who has been particularly diligent in practising the ceremonies of his religion, his neighbours speak of him with much respect : one person perhaps asks another, ' Who has been burnt at the landing place to-day ?' The other answers : — ' Such an one : he was an excellent character ; he assisted others"; he was very strict in performing his daily ablutions ; he visited such and such holy places ; he was very generous to bramhuns and to strangers ; he venerated the gods, &c. No doubt he will obtain a place in heaven.' When a person dies who has not been liberal to bramhuns, nor expended any thing in the ceremonies of his religion^ his neighbours doom him to hell v/ithout ceremony. When a neighbour mentions him, the- person to whom he speaks affects perhaps to be alarmed that the sound of such a y)erson's name has entered his ear; and, to remove the' evil effects of such a circumstance, he repeats the names of several gods in some such form as this : — ' Ah ! Ah ! — Muhabharutii ! Muhabharutii ! Muhabharutii ! — Doorga ! Doorga ! Doorga ! I must fast to-day, I fancy, for hearing this vile person's name repeated.' If the person has lived in all manner of impurity, and, in the language of Scripture, ' has drank iniquity like water/ and yet has performed the popular ceremonies with a degree of regularity, he is spoken of witli respect ; for it is a principle of the Hindoo i-eligion, that good words absolutely atone for bad ones."" Not- withstanding it is common for survivors to speak in high terms of the future state of those who were zealous idolaters, it is a doctrine repeatedly inculcated in the Hindoo shastrtis, that those who have not overcome theii' passions, (pure and impure,) though they may have performed the usual ceremonies of their religion, cannot obtain celestial happiness. The doors of heaven are there- fore shut against the great bulk of the people : they have neither performed splendid religious actions, nor subdued their passions, nor fixed their minds pn God, nor performed sevei-e religious aus- terities. The sh65d]-ti, also, having no inheritance in the vddixs, is placed in far worse circumstances than the bramhiin. Heaven was made for bramhuns, as well as the eai-th ; and in general a Hindoo must be raised to bramhinical birth before he can raise his eyes towards heaven as his home.' Very few therefore indulge the hope E The Hindoos have as great a propensity to embrace new theories of religion as any other heathens whatever, where the caste does not interfere. h Nominal Christians little imagine how heathenish many of their religious aiotions are. ' How different the spirit of the true religion :— ' To the poor is the gospel preach- ed.— Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is tfe&iiugdom of heaven,' DOCTRINE CONCERNING ABSORPTION. 285 of heaven.'' On the contrary, when at the point of death, almost every Hindoo is in a state of the most perplexing anxiety, like mariners in a storm when the vessel has become wholly unmanage- able. Such a wretched Hindoo, in these moments, is often heard giving vent to his grief and fears in the midst of his relatives, as he lies by the Ganges. If he be advanced in years, they endea- vour to comfort him by reminding him, that he could not expect to have lived much longer ; that he leaves a numerous family in com- fortable circumstances ; and further, that his merits will certainly raise him to heaven. The dying man however, finds no comfort in the merit of his works, but gives utterance to excessive grief in some such language- as this : — ' I ! what meritorious deeds have I performed 1 — I have done nothingbut sin. — Ah ! where shall I go ? — Into what hell shall I be plunged ? — What shall I do 1 — How long shall I continue in hell ? — What hope can I have of going to heaven ? — Here I have been suffering for sin ; and now I must renew my sufferings ! — How many birtEs must I pass through ? — Where will my sorrows terminate ?' — As a forlorn and miserable hope, he calls upon his friends to give him their blessing, that Gunga may receive him , and he takes leave of them in the utmost per- turbation of mind. A. Hindoo knows nothing of that hope which is ' as an anchor to the soul, both sure and stedfast.' When I urged upon a bramhun with whom I was in conversa- tion, that the shastrus made large promises' to those who repeated the name of a god, or bathed in sacred rivers, or visited holy places, &c. I was told by a learned bramhiin, that the same shastrus de- clared, that these promises were only made to allure men to the performance of their duty, and were not meant to be literally ful- filled." Absorption. — God, as sepai-ated from matter, the Hindoos con- template as a being reposing in his own happiness, destitute of ideas ; as infinite placidity ; as an unrufiled sea of bliss ; as being perfectly abstracted, and void of consciousness. They therefore deem it the height of perfection to be like this being. Hence Krishnu, in his discourse to IJrjoonii,"' praises the man ' who forsaketh every desire that entereth into his heart ; who is happy k As all other ways of obtaining heaven are rendered so difficult to the poor, this is one reason which reconciles a Hindoo widow to the funeral pile ; as by this act she is quite certain of obtaining future happiness both for herself, her husband, and several generations of her ancestors. ' He who bathes in the Ganges at an auspicious junction of certain planets, is assured that by this act he delivers himseU and 3,000,000 of ancestors from hell. >" What a contrast is this to the doctrine of the gospel !— ' Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath : that by two immutable tilings, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.' — Heb. vi. 17, 18. " Bhagavutn Qeeta, 286 METHOD OF OBTAINING ABSORPTION. of himself ; who is without affection ; who rejoiceth not eitlier in good or evil ; who, like the tortoise, can restrain his members from their wonted purpose ; to whom pleasure and pain, gold, iron, and stones are the same/ ' The learned,' adds Krishnri, ' behold Briimhii alike in the reverend bramhtin, perfected in knowledge ; in the ox, and in the elephant ; in the dog, and in him who eateth of the flesh of dogs ' The person whose very nature, say they, is absorbed in divine meditation ; whose life is like a sweet sleep, unconscious and undisturbed ; who does not even desire God, and who is thus changed into the image of the ever-blessed ; obtains absorption into Brumhu." The ceremonies leading to absorption are called by the name of tupushya, and the person performing them a tiipilshwee. For- saking the world ; retiring to a forest ; fasting, living on roots, fruits. &c. remaining in certain postures ; exposure to all the incle- mencies of the weather, &c. — these, and many other austere pi-actices, are prescribed, to subdue the passions, to fix the mind, habituate it to meditation, and fill it with that serenity and indifference to the world, which is to prepare it for absorption, and place it beyond the reach of future birth. The reader will easily perceive, that this part of the Hindoo religion, separated, as it confessedly was in some measure, from the popular idolatry, instead of producing any good effects, drew men away from the practice of all the social duties included in the second t&ble, ' Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ;' and left the mind a prey to pride, moroseness, and ignorance. It should also be observed that many of these austerities were both senseless and cruel in the extreme : one tiipushwee is represented as hang- ing for hundreds of years with his head downwards ; another, as living on leaves ; another, on air ; another, as surrounding himself with four fires, and enduring intolerable heat and thirst ; another, as standing up to the neck in water ; Valmeeku, it is said, stood in one posture, repeating the name of Ramu, till the white ants (termed belli cosus) surrounded his body with a case of earth, and devoured the flesh from his bones. These tnpushwees are supposed to have been the authors of the most ancient of the Hindoo wiitings ; in some of which, it is admitted, sentiments are to be found which do honor to human nature. But it is equally certain that these sages were very little affected by these sentiments ; and perhaps the same might be " Some of the followers of Vishiioo (voishnfivSs) are not pleased with the idea of absorption, or of losing a distinct and conscious state of existence. They are represented as praying : — ' Vishnoo ! we do not wish for absorption ; but for a state of happiness in which we shall for ever see and serve thee as our lord ; in which thou wilt continue as our beloved master, and we as thy servants.' Agreeably to this prayer, they believe that devoted voishniivHs after death will be freed from future birth, and remain for over near Vishnoo in the heaven of this god. METHOD OF OBTAINING ABSORPTION. 287 said of almost all the heathen philosophers. Viishisht'hii inflicted on himself incredible acts of severity; but in the midst of his devotions he became attached to a heavenly courtezan, and cohabit- ed with her 5,000 years.^. Purashiiru, an ascetic, violated the daughter of a fisherman, who was ferrying him over a river ; from which intercoui'se sprang the famous Vyasii, the author of the Mtthabharntu." The father of Rishyu-shringu cohabited with a deer, and his son had deer's horns.' Kupilii, an ascetic, reduced king Sagitru's 60,000 sons to ashes, because they mistook him for a horse-stealer.' Brigoo, in a fit of passion, kicked the god Vishnoo on the breast.' Richeeku, for the sake of a subsistence, sold his son for a human sacrifice." Doorvasa, a sage, was so addicted to anger, that he was a terror both to gods and men." Ourvvu, another sage, in a fit of anger, destroyed the whole race of Hoihuyu with fire from his mouth ;'' and Doorvasa did the same to the whole posterity of Krishnii.' Javalee, an ascetic, stands charged with stealing cow's flesh at a sacrifice : when the beef was sought for, the saint, to avoid detection, turned it into onions ; and hence onions are forbidden to the Hindoos.^ The pooraniis, indeed, abound with accounts of the crimes of these saints, so famous for their religious austerities : anger and lust seem to have been their predominant vices. As it respects the modern devotees, none of them expect absorption : they content themselves with performing the popular ceremonies, and thus fall under the censures of Krishnu, who says, ' Numbers prefer a transient enjoyment of heaven to eternal absorption.' It is true, now and then a poor wretch is seen naked, covered with ashes, and his hair clotted with dirt, whose vacant, brutish looks indicate that he is approaching a state of complete abstraction, and that he may soon hope to enter into this pei'fect state, viz., to live in a world full of wonders, without a single passion left to be affected by them. Yet even this abstraction, or contempt of the world, if it can deserve such a name, is brought on by shunning the presence of man, and continually smoking intoxi- cating herbs. p MuhabharSta. 1 Ibid. ' RamayfinS. ■ Mah t Shree-bhagSvatu. » Ramayuna. " Ibid. y KamaySnS. ^ Shree-BhagavSta. » Ibid. 288 EXTRACTS FROM THE SHREE-BHAgCvCtU. CHAP. IV. OF FUTURE PUNISHMENTS. The Shree-bhaguvutti contains the following account of the punishments endured in different hells : — The person guilty of adultery or fornication, the thief, and the stealer of children, are to be cast into the hell Tamisrii, and continually famished and beaten. He who defrauds others, is to be cast into a hell of dark- ness. The proud person, who also neglects the ceremonies of reli- gion, is to be tormented by the animals Rooroo. The glutton, who has also been guilty of destroying animals, is to be thrown into a hell of boiling oil. He who disregards the vddu and bramhiins, is to be punished in a hell of burning metal for 3,500,000 years. He who injures a man of a superior order, is to be torn by swine. The unmerciful are to be tormented by snakes, flies, deer, birds, lice, wasps, &c. The bramhtin, bramhttnee, brumhiacharee, voishytt, or king, who drinks spirits, shall be thrown into pans of liquid fire. He who despises a religious devotee, shall be punished by sticking fast in mud with his head downwards. He who kills a man, and offers him to the gods : and he who devours any animal, without having slain it in sacrifice ; are to be fed on flesh and blood. He who betrays and afterwards destroys a person, is to be pierced with spears and arrows. The person who causes sorrow to others, is to be bitten by snakes with five heads. He who is inhospitable to guests, must have his eyes torn out by vultures and other ravenous birds. The covetous are to be fed with impure substances. He who cohabits with a woman of another caste, or a virgin, or the wife of another man, is to be inclosed in the arms of an iron female image made red hot. The person who professes different religions, and is familiar with all castes,is to be punished by being continually cast down from lofty trees. The bramhtin who commits adultery with the wife of a bramhtin, is to be fed with blood. Highway robbers, those who burn houses, or poison others, are to be bitten by dogs with enormous teeth. False-witnesses are to be cast from rocks 800 miles high.* I here insert the names of some of the Hindoo hells : — Tamis- ru, or the hell of darkness ; tJndhu-tamisru, the hell of great dark- ness ; Rourtivu, a hell full of animals called Rooroo ; Mtiha-rouru- vu, a similar but more dreadful hell ; Koombhee-pakvi, a hell of boiling oil ; Kalu-Sootru, a hell of burning copper ; Usipiitrti-vunti •■ It is to be understood, that punishments in hell may be prevented in many cases by offering the appointed atonement. Punishment by the magistrate is also consi- dered as an atonement, exempting the culprit from sufferings in a future state. What good news this would he to English malefactors who die hy the hands of the execu- tioners — if they could believe it. NAMES AND NATURE OF HINDOO HELLS. 280 a wilderness in wliich criminals are punished by the thorns of the talu-tree ; Shookrii-mookhii, a hell where criminals are bitten by animals haying the faces of swine ; Undhu-koopu, a hell dark and full of reptiles ; Krimee-bhojunii, where criminals become worms feeding on ordure ; Sundungshu, where sinners are burnt with hot iron ; Tuptti-shSormee, in Avhich adulterers are tormented in the enibraces of a red hot -iron female image; Vujnl-kuntuku-shal- miilee, where men are thrown on trees full of dreadful thorns ; VoituriSnee, a river full of filth ; Pooyodu, a similar hell ; Pranii-niro- dhu, where sinners are pierced with arrows ; Vishusunu, where they are beaten with clubs, &c. ; Lala-bhiikshu, where they are fed with saliva, &C; ; Sharix-m^yadiinu, in which dogs continually bite the wicked ; Uvee-chimuyti, where false witnesses are thrown headlong upon a hard pavement ; Patunu, where sinners are pinch- ed with hot tongs ; Ksharu-kurddumti, where, they, are hurled into mire ; Rnkshyogunu-bhojunti, where cannibals feed)on the flesh of sinners ; Shooltiprot'lm, where the wicked are punished by spears , and birds of pi^ey ; Dundu-sh56ku, where snakes with many heads bite and devour sinners ; Uvtitii-niroJhunii, where offenders are pjinished in darkness with the fear of the approach of wild beasts ; Uptirya-vfirtunu, where the eyes of sinners are picked out by birds of prey ; and Soochee-mookhu, where sinners are pricked with needles. Beside these, the Shree-bhagiivutu says, there are 100,000 hells, in which different kinds of torments are inflicted on criminals, according to the d irections of the shastrtis, and the nature of their guilt. The Hindoos in general manifest great fear of future punish- ment. Sometimes, after committing a dreadful sin, these fears are expressed to a friend in some such words as these ;—' I have com- mitted a shocking crime, and I must endure great and long-con- tinued torments : but what can I do ? There is no remedy now.' Sometimes these fears are so great that they drive a man to per- form many works of merit, particularly works of atonement. If the offender be rich, they extort large sums of money from him, which are expended in gifts to bramhuns, or in religious ceremonies. If he be poor, he bathes in the Ganges with more constancy, or goes on pilgrimage to different holy places. The Hindoos consider some sins as sending whole generations to hell. A false witness is to suffer future torments, and with him fourteen generations of his family ; the man who swears by the waters of the Ganges involves ' himself and family in the same sufferings." If a Hindoo at the time of worship put a stalk of doorva grass on the lingu, he and seven generations sink into hell. Emancipation of the wicked, a story, from the MuhabharUt'ti. — Eavunii at one time had conquered the throe worlds, heaven, earth, "= I have heard a Hindoo say, that such a. person not only incurs all this future misery, but that the hand that touches the sacred water becomes white. This person said he had seen several Hindoos who bore this mark of the wrath of the gods. 37 290 I'ABLE RESPECTING HINDOO HELLS. and jjatalil ; and, as is said of Alexander, he sighed that theve were no more worlds to conquer. When meditating where he should go next, the world of misery came into his mind ; and he immediately resolved to pay a visit to Yumiii. Before his arrival, it was an- nounced that Ravuntt was coming : Ytimn, filled with fear, sent word, that he had already suirrendered to him, and was become his vassal. Ravunti, however, pushed forward, and found Yurnu all submission. The conqueror, before his return, resolved to visit the place of the damned : but on his arrival, he was petrified with horror at the cries of the miserable wretches ; and, reflecting on what he saw, said, ' I have conquered the three worlds, and there remains nothing which my prowess has not performed. It will be a glorious thing for me to set all these wretches at liberty.' — He immediately attempted to comfort the suiFerers, by assuring them that he would not depart without accomplishing their deliverance. A transient gleam of hope visited the regions of despair. Eavunti then commanded 'the spirits from the fiery deep/ and, with his twenty arms, began to drag them up ; but as fast as he landed them on the side, they fell in again : still he continued his efforts, till he saw that they were unavailing, and that he could not reverse the decree which had fixed them in misery. Acknowledging his disappointment to the poor prisoners, he left them, and returned to Liinka, (Ceylon.) PREPARATORY DUTIES OF A MENDICANT. 291 BOOK ST. HINDOO SAINTS, OR MENDICANTS. The Hindoo shastrus have described four different states (aslirumu) into which it is proper for each bramhtim to enter, viz : Briimhtichai'yn," GrihiSst'hu,'' Vanu-prust'hu,'= and Brumhti-gnanee j* and it appears to have been the design of the founders of the Hin- doo religion, that these orders should be suited to the four dis- tinguishing periods in the life of man. While the youth continues in a state of instruction, he is called a Brnmhncharee, and the daily- duties of this state are laid down for him ; after marriage he be- comes a Grihust'hti, and performs the several duties of civil life as a householder ; at the age of fifty he renounces the world, and enters a forest ; and lastly, by the power of religious austerities, he becomes perfectly insensible to all human things, and is absorbed in divine meditation. The duties of a bramhun student are laid down at large by Munoo and other writers. When the youth is about to leave this state, and to enter on the duties of a householder, he takes a staffs in his hand, and pretends to leave the house, and go into a forest, to read the v^dtts, and to obtain his food by begging : — but the parents stop him, saying, ' Oh ! child, return ; thou shalt not go into the wilderness : we will supply thee with alms. Besides, become a householder, marry, and perform the duties of a Grihust'- hti.' From the first to the twelfth day, the face of the boy is not to be seen by any shoodru, nor is he to see the face of a person of this caste." He bathes early in the morning with a clotla over his face as he passes through the streets, one person going before and another behind him ; and if a shoodru should approach they direct him to pass another way, as a Brnmhucharee is going to bathe. He must eat only once a day ; abstain from flesh, fish, &c. ; and perforin the proper ceremonies three times a day. On the twelfth day, with his staff" in his hand, he bathes, and casts his staff' into the stream, repeating incantations, intimating that he renounces the state of the Brumhncharee, and becomes a Grihust'hu. On this day some persons, for the sake of obtaining a few rupees, permit their son to receive alms from the hands of a female shoodru, who, from that time, calls this child the son of her alms. Having no ^ A student. ^ A householder. ■: A hermit ; from vfiufi, a forest, and prtist'hiS, going. ^ A person possessed of divine knowledge. « It is a shocking circumstance, and proclaims the true origin of the Hindoo reli- gion, that it seeks all occasions to degrade and wound the feelings of the shoodri!. How different the Holy Scriptures : ' Honour all men.' 292 PKEPARATOEY DUTIES OF A MENDICANT. son of her own, she visits the child, and takes him as a visitor to her own house, where she feasts and clothes him. I have heard of very large sums being given to the child of a bramhiin, when he has' thus become the son of a person's alms. 1 can find no other reason for this practice, than that a woman without children is pleased even with such a son ; especially as he is the offspring of a bramhun. In a short time after the child has thus i-esolved to enter the state of a Grihust'hu, he is generally married. The duties assigned to him by the shastrus as a householder are, the daily- offerings to the manes, and of clarified butter in the burnt-offer- ing; the daily worship of the shalgramti, and the cow; the raising of ofifepring ; his daily business; the feeling of strangers; the hearing of the shastrus, bathing, repeating the names of the gods, the worship of the god,s, &c. The next state is called Vanu-prust'hu, or, that of a hermit ; for which order Munoo gives the following directions :— ' When the father of a family perceives his muscles become flaccid, and his hair grey, and sees the child of his child, let him then seek refuge in a forest. Abandoning all food eaten in towns, and all his household utensils, let him repair to the lonely wood, committing the care of his wife to her sons, or accompanied by her, if she choose to attend him. Let him take up his consecrated fire,' and all his domestic implements of making oblations to it, and, departing fi'om the town to the forest, let him dwell in it with complete power over his organs of sense and of action. With many sorts of pure food, such as holy sages used to eat ; with green herbs, roots, and fruit ; let him perform the five great sacraments, introducing them with due ceremonies. Let him wear a black antelope's hide, or a vesture of bark; let him bathe evening and morning j let him suffer the hairs of his head, his beard, and his nails to grow continually. From such food as he may eat, let him, to the utmost of his power, make offerings and give alms ; and with presents of water, roots, and fruit, let him honour those who visit his hei-mitage. Let him be constantly engaged in reading the v^dus ; patient of all extre- mities, universally benevolent, with a mind intent on the Supreme Being ; a perpetual giver, but no receiver of gifts ; with tender affection for all animated bodies. Let him slide backwards and forwards on the ground ; or let him stand a whole day on tip-toe ; or let him continue in motion rising and sitting alternately : but at sunrise, at noon, and at sunset, let him go to the waters and bathe. In the best season, let him sit exposed to five fires ; four blazing around him, with the sun above : in the rains, let him stand un- covered, without even a mantle, and where the clouds pour the heaviest showers : in the cold season, let him wear humid vesture ; and let him increase by degrees the austerity of his devotion. Then, having reposited his holy fires, as the law directs, in his mind, let him live without external fire, without a mansion, AvhoUy silent, feeding on roots and fruit. Or the hermit may bring food from a REMABKS ON THE PRESENT STATE OP MENDICITY. 293 town, having received it in a basket of leaves, in liis naked hand, or in a potsherd ; and then let him swallow eight mouthfuls. A bramhiin, becoming void of sorrow and fear, and having shuffled off" his body by any of those modes which gi*eat sages practised, rises to exaltation in the divine essence.' The reader is not to expect any such ascetics now, if they ever did exist. There are, however, man}?^ things among the religious mendicants of the present day which remind us of the descriptions of a tupushwee in the shastrus. To suggest the idea of their hav- ing subdued their passions, some are almost naked, or entirely so ; or to point out that they belong to the sect of ascetics who lived in forests, they wear tigers' skins ; some keep the arm in an erect posture, and permit their nails to grow till they resemble the claws of a bird, of prey. Yet these persons renounce the world, because it has frowned upon them, or because the state of a religious beggar in a warm climate is preferred by an idle people to that of the lowest order of day-labourers. When I asked a learned bramhttn, whether there were not some instances of persons, from religious motives, renouncing the world and becoming mendicants, he said, there might be, but he did not know of a single instance. These mendicants, so far from havingsubdued their passions, fre- quently curse those who refuse to give them food ; many are common thieves ; almost all live in an unchaste state ; and others are almost continually drunk by smoking intoxicating drugs. They are total strangers to real purity of heart, and righteousness of life. They dread to kill an insect, to reproach a bramhun, or to neglect a cere- mony ; but their impure thoughts, or unjust actions, never disturb their peace. Indeed some of the most exalted of the Hindoo saints, as has been already shewn, burned with rage so as to become a terror to all who approached them ; and their impurities, as record- ed in the pooranias, are too offensive ever to reach a European ear. Even the god Shivii, one of the greatest tixpushwees of all the Hin- doo ascetics, was once so captivated, says the Miihabharutu, with the charms of the goddess Mohinee, that he declared he would part with the merit of all bis I'eligious austerities for a single gratiliea- tion of his impure desires. tj' In some parts of the upper provinces, these mendicants unite in bodies, and become public plunderers, the iuhahitants of whole villages abandoning their houses on their approach. They gene- rally live in a mixed intercourse of the sexes, though few women are to be seen among theni ; they nearly approach the gypsies in Europe in the grossness of their manners, but far exceed them in the fflthiness of their outward appearance. Sometimes two or three thousand, though more frequently two or three hundred, 294 ACCOUNT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MENDICANTS. are seen in bodies, having leaders to guide them/ Many are armed with swords and spears, and all have some weapons. They carry with them images of the shalgramti, and stone images of Krishnu, which they worship once a day, as devoutly as thieves can be supposed to do. They are not likely to feel any remorse on account of their crimes when bowing before the image of the lascivious Krishnti. I here subjoin a brief account of the different orders of religious mendicants, as they exist at the present day : — VoishnUvUs or Voiragees. — All the followers of Vishnoo are called Voishnuvus. The term voiragee denotes a person destitute of passions. Most of the mendicant voiragees are the followers of Choitttnjra, and have what are called Gosaees at their head. Persons of this sect take new wives (voiraginees) from among the female disciples of the Gosaees : these are generally unchaste women, who enter into this order when their youth is fled. The Gosaees have a form of marriage peculiar to themselves,^ the principal ceremony in which is an exchange of necklaces by the bi'ide and bridegroom, and the alteration of the bride's name : she generally wanders from place to place with her new husband. Some of these female disciples become procuresses, and others beg for their food as the followers of Choitunyfi. Many wandering voiragees sing the praises of Krishnii and Choitunyu before the doors of persons where they beg ; a few continue in a secular state, rear and sell calves, or lend mony on exorbitant interest.'' The voiragee mendicants are much more social in their manners than any other tribe of Hindoo wanderers ; they generally remain in towns, and mix with the inhabitants. The voiragees contend as strongly with the followers of the deities who receive bloody offer- ings, as a Christian could do against idolatry.' SUnyasees. — These mendicant worshippers of Shivti are very numerous in Bengal, but are not much honoured by their country- men. They smear their bodies with the ashes of cow-dung, wear a narrow cloth tied with a rope round their loins, and throw a cloth, dyed red, over their bodies. The artificial hair worn by some of f At a particular junction of the heavenly bodies, sometimes as many as twenty thousand Sunyasees and an equal number of Voiragees meet at Hfiridwaru, and fight, to determine who shall descend and bathe in GiSnga first. The Sunyasees say, ' Gunga descended from the bunch of hair on the head of our god Shivti ; therefore we will bathe first.' The Voiragees reply, 'Gunga descended from the foot of our god Vishnoo, therefore the right to bathe first is ours.' s The better sort of Hindoos consider these marriages as convenient methods of committing adultery. ii As much as 75 per cent, is given in some cases ; but 36 per cent, is commonly given. i When I once asked a learned native respecting the many disputes and differences in religion among the Hindoos, he laid, ' True, we need not complain of others ; the uproar is in our own house.' ACCOUNT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MENDICANTS. 295 these persons reaches down to their feet, and is often clotted with dirt till it adheres together like a rope. Some tie the teeth of swine, as ornaments, on their arms, and others travel naked. The respectable siinyasees profess to live in a state of celibacy, eating neither flesh nor fish, nor anointing their bodies with oil. Ramata. — This class of mendicants, worshippers of Ramu, is formed of persons born in the western provinces of Hindoost'hanti. With a rope or an iron chain they tie a shred of cloth very close round their loins ; rub their bodies with the ashes of cow-dung, and wander to holy places in large companies, many of them armed with spears, swords, fee. They do not individually beg, but quarter themselves in a body on rich men. The Ramatus make fires in the night, and sleep near them in the open air. They smoke intoxica- ting herbs to great excess. Nimatu. — Aaother kind of devotees, having a different spiri- tual head from the Ramatus. In dress, ceremonies, &c. they are the same, Naga. — These persons are in almost every respect the same as the Ramattts, expect in the mark on the forehead. ** NanUlm-'pijmt'hees. — A description of mendicants, followers of Nantikti, though this order was founded by a Shikh named Soot'hara. Yadoo-p'Wnthee. — A tribe of mendicants founded by a man named Yadoo. Scarcely any of them are to be seen in Bengal, but, many wander up and down in the Punjab. KiiveeTU-pii/nt'hees. — Kuveerii, a Musulman, was the founder of this order of mendicants : they renounce secular affairs, worship Ramu, and live on alms ; they pretend to desire neither the merit of works, nor riches, nor future happiness ; but, practising the cere- monies of their sect, leave the present and future to God. Sukee-ihavti. — These mendicants, born in the western provin- ces, and composed of bramhuns and other castes, are followers of Krishnn ; and though men, put on the dress and ornaments, and assume the manners of women, pi'ofessing the same attachment to Krishnu as the milk-maids are said to have had when Krishna was on earth. They paint and adorn with flowers an image of Eo-ishnu, and dancing around it, in imitation of the milk-maids, worship it daily. / Khela/nta-yogee. — These mendicants profess to have made a vow to imitate Shivfi in dress and manners : many of them fasten artificial snakes round their foreheads ; put strings of human bones round their necks ; wear the skins of tigers, or go naked ; and smear their bodies with ashes. 296 ACCOUNT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MENDICANTS. YiongHm'ii. These followers of Shivu wander about, ringing a bell, and asking alms. Very few are to be seen in Bengal. Kanu-pata-yogee. Other followers of Shivu ; *who subsist on alms, and are particularly distinguished for wearing in their ears a large stone or shell. The ShUrevUres, who are regarded as Bouddhiis, profess to be extremely anxious to avoid destroying animal life, even in its most diminutive forms ; hence they carry besoms with them to sweep the road, lest they should tread on an insect. Ughoru-piint'hee. These mendicants, born in the western parts of Hindoost'hanu, wander about naked or nearly so, carrying in the left hand a human skull containing urine and ordure, and a pan of burning coals in the right. If these marks of self-denial do not extort the alms they expect, they profess to eat the ordure out of the skull, in the presence of the persons from whom they are begging. BrumhUcharees. The three superior castes may enter into ^his order, the members of which subsist by begging ; reside at *temples, or holy places ; wear red clothes ; and bind round the arms and neck, and suspend from the ears, strings made of the seeds of grapes. They have the head shaved, though they some- times wear a beard. In outward appearance, the principal differ- ence betwixt a brumhticharee and a dtindee lies in the former hav- ing no staff in his hand. The time of one of these mendicants is principally occupied in repeating the name of his guardian deity, and counting the repetitions by his mala. All the briXmhucharees drink spirits, smoke and eat intoxicating drugs, and reject no kind of food. DUndee. This name is given because these devotees receive a staff (dundti) when they first enter this order. The bramhuns, on meeting with a person of this order, prostrate themselves before him. The dtindee shaves his head and beard every four month.s, wears a narrow cloth round his loins, and another loose red cloth over his body ; abstains from fish, flesh, oil, common salt, and rice which has been welted in cleansing. He^ travels with a staff in one hand, and an alms'-dish in the other. The principal cei"e- monies to which this order attend are, repeating the name of Vish- noo, bathing once a day, and with closed eyes meditating (manusu'') on the attributes of Vishnoo. This last act is done by the side of the river. When about to bathe, they besmear themselves all over with the earth washed by the waves of the Ganges. The diindee does not beg his food, nor cook witli his own hands ; but is a guest at the houses of bramhuns. If a householder hear that a dundee is come into the village, he goes to him and invites him 1= In performing this ceremony, Vishwamitru spent 1,000 years without breathing. DIFFERENT KINDS OP MENDICANTS. 297 to become his guest. A dtindee blesses a person who is prostrate at his feet, by pronouncing the name of Narayunu. When he passes through a vills^^ge, all the people come to their doors to stare at him, so seldom are these people seen in Bengal. As soon as a person becomes a diindee, he is freed from mortal birth, and is said to become Vishnoo, and after death to obtain absorption in Brumhu. Some bramhuns, on the approach of death, enter into the order, for the sake of enjoying happiness without any further transmi- gi-ations. The dundies do not burn, but bury their dead, repeat- ing incantations. Oordhoo-vahoo. These persons belong to the order of Sunya- sees. To fulfil a vow to Vishnoo,' they hold up tlie right arm till it cannot be brought into its natural position again." For the first few days of raising the arm into this posture the pain is great. Some make a vow to hold up the arm till death, and others to hold it up for certain number of years. The longer it is held up, the greater merit. When a person wishes to bring the arm to its former position, he anoints the joints with clarified butter ; and in about two months, by degrees, the arm obtains its former position, and in time become as strong as before. When this vow is fulfilled, the worship of Vishnoo is performed, and a fee given to the head priest of the sunyasees. It is supposed, that on the road from Jugiinnafhu's temple in Orissa to Benares, not less than two hundred of these mendicants may be seen. Mounee. These devotees enter into a vow of perpetual silence. They generally reside on the banks of the Ganges, and subsist on milk, sugar, fruits, roots, sweetmeats, and water. They go almost naked, besmearing their bodies with the ashes of cow-dung. The people supply them with food in considerable abundance as an act of merit ; or their disciples collect food by begging. They should eat only once a day. P'&rU'm-h'SMgsii. A few persons are to be seen at holy places who call themselves by this name, but they do not come up to the description of the shastru. They pretend to be destitute of all regard to visible objects ; they go naked ; have no apparent in- tercourse with human beings ; remain speechless ; ask for nothing and yet subsist on alms; eat any thing given them ; disregard all outward purifications ; and wear their beard and the hair of their head, unless some one take compassion on them and pay' the bar- ber. These persons affirm, that they have attained to that state of perfection which the shastrtis require, viz., that their minds do not wander after worldly things, and that they live in a state of pleasure : but this abstraction and joy arise only from the fumes of drugs or spirits, by which all the other passions are overcome. i have seen such persons at Kalee-ghatu, near Calcutta. Instead > The directions respecting this vow are contained in the smriteS shastrjls. ■n Until the arm has become stiff, they tie it up in the night. 38 298 A SCENE AT GUNGA-SAGURU. of dwelling in forests according to the directions of the sbastrii, they remain at these places, in order to attract notice, and to ob- tain voluntary alms. The pundit with whom I wrojig this, acknow- leged that pride was the reigning principle in these modern pui'um- hungsTis. MUka-poorooshu and Siddhu-poorooshH. The most distin- guished Hindoo saints have had the former name assigned to them which signifies, The Great. Siddhu-poorooshu implies, that this person has obtained an interview with his guardian deity, and that he can do whatever miracle he pleases. When I enquired of a koolinn bramhun with whom I was sitting, whether any modern Hindoo sought to obtain an interview with his guardian deity, he affirmed there were such persons. Asking him for particulars, he mentioned his own uncle. I asked him what his uncle did to obtain this interview ? He said, from the age of fifteen he had been repeating the name of his guardian deity. He did not abide in the house, but mostly staid at a temple of Shivu in the neighbourhood. He had never married ; sought no earthly happiness ; ate any where, and, obtaining a bed of straw, sought nothing better. His whole waking time,_ day and night, was spent in repeating the name of his god. When the uncle was asked by this nephew what he had obtained, he shook his head : but apologized for not having been blessed with the interview he expected, by declaring that he was not free from fear ; that when he was sitting in a solitary place repeating the name of his god, he was afraid, and durst not remain there. In January, 1806, the author visited what the natives call Gunga-Sagiiru, (Saguru island.) Near two huts made of heavj' logs of dried wood on the sands, he found two voiragees who had embraced the principle of perfect abstraction from all sublunary things. They were natives of the upper provinces. These huts were pretty strong, and might be a tolerable defence against the tigers. At their front, a broad heap of sand was raised, upon which they had kindled a fire, and before which one of the voiragees sat on a deer's skin, squeezing the leaf of an intoxicating plant called ganja, which he afterwards smoked. This man had a poita on ; his hair tied in a large bunch at the top of his head ; a rope round his waist, upon which was tied a piece of the bark of the plantain tree, which in part only covered his nakedness; and a shred of cloth also tied round his head ; except which he was perfectly naked. We entered into conversation with this man, who professed to be a worshipper of Ramii. He declaimed against a worldly state : told us we were in a state of constant agitation ; but that he, indifferent to all these things, was full of joy : if he had food, it was well; if not, he contented himself with the name of Ramii. When asked what he proposed to himself by this mode of life, he professed that he had neither desires nor hopes ; and A SCENE. AT GUNGA-SAGURU. 299 that he did not become a yogee to expiate sin. He gave us, from a hole in the sand before his hut, some tolerably sweet water, for which we ofFespd him a reward : but he declined accepting it, unless we would leave it on the spot ; he would not move a step to obtain it. I endeavoured to convince him, that his love of ganja was a proof that all passion was not extinct in him ; but he tried to ward off this attack by professing indifference even towards this indulgence. After this, when a rupee was given to him, he asked what he could do with it ; and would not touch it in the giver's presence, who threw it down for him on the deer's skin upon which he sat. From these huts we went to a neighbouring temple, which contained a stone image of Kopilii, the sage. Here we found two mendicants from the upper provinces, one, of them a young man, an Oordhu-vahoo, who had held up his left arm till it was become stiff. They were both covered with ashes ; their hair clotted with dirt, and tied in a bunch at the top of the head ; and were without any covering except the bark of some tree, and a shred of cloth drawn up betwixt the legs. At a distance, they could scarcely be distinguished as men : and it appeared almost impossible for human beings to manifest a greater disregard of the body. We asked the young man, how long he had held up his arrh in this manner ? He said, ' for three years.' To the question whether it produced any pain, he replied, that, as far as his body was concerned, it did so for the first six months. The nails of this hand were grown long like the claws of a bird of prey. In his hut we saw two bead-rolls made of the stalk of the basil, a deer's skin, the horns of a deer, some embers, a piece of sacking, &c. — When asked why he em- braced this manner of life, his -reply implied an indifference to future rewards ; he seemed scarcely willing to confess that he had any connections, father or mother, and reluctantly mentioned the place of his birth. Kaspecting his food he manifested the same indifference, though we discovered in one of the temples a large quantity of corn, clarified butter, spices, fee The other pilgrim was less communicative, but more intent on his devotions : he had a separate hut, and, as though all desire of human society and friend- ship was extinguished, these persons, the only human beings in this part of the forest, seemed to have no connection with each other. At a distance from the temple we saw a wild hog, and on the sand, in several places, fresh marks of the feet of a large tiger. The young man informed us, with perfect indifference, that during the three preceding months six persons had been taken away by tigers ; and added, in the same tone, that the human body was the natural food of the tiger, and that such a death was no mark of the divine displeasure. We asked him, whether he did not think it a fortunate circumstance, however, that while so many of his com- panions had been devoured by tigers, he was spared : he did not appear to feel this sentiment,butsaid that they would take him also. 300 A REMARKABLE ACCOUNT OF A YOGEE. After rising in the morning, as we learnt from the young yogee, each of these ascetics repeats the name of some god, using his bead-roll ; he then performs the ceremonies of worship before some representative of an idol ; then bathes and goes through the ceremonies (siindhya) ordained by the shastrti to be performed three times a day ; then he prepares the offerings, worships his idol, and again, repeats its name for sometime. At mid-day he eats ; then returns to the repetitions of the name of his god till the evening sundhya ; and after this he continues repeating the name of the idol till he falls asleep. The following story is universally credited among the Hindoos in the neighbourhood of Calcutta : — Some years ago, a European, with his Hindoo clerk, Varanushee-ghoshu, of Calcutta,' and other servants, passed through the Sunderbunds. One day, as this European was walking in the forest, he saw something which appeared to be a human being, standing in a hole in the earth. He asked the clerk what this could be ; who affirmed that it was a man. The European went up, and beat this lump of animated clay till the blood came ; but it did not appear that the person was conscious of the least pain — he uttered no cries, nor manifested the least sensibility. The European was overwhelmed with astonishment, and asked what it could mean. The clerk said, he had learnt from his shastrus, that there existed such men, called yogees, who were destitute of passions, and were incapable of pain. After hearing this account, the European ordered the clerk to take the man home. He did so, and kept him some time at his house : when fed, he would eat, and, at proper times, would sleep, and attend to the necessary functions of life ;. but he took no interest in any thing. At length the clei'k, wearied with keeping him, sent him to the house of his spiritual teacher at Khurdri. Here some lewd fellows put fire into his hands ; placed a prostitute by his side, and played a number of tricks with him, but without making the least impression on him. The teacher was soon tired of his guest, and sent him to Benares. On the way, when the boat one evening lay to for. the night, this yogee went on shore, and, while he was walking by the side of the river, an- other religious mendicant, with a smiling countenance, met him : they embraced each other, and — (as is said) — were seen no more. I have endeavoured to ascertain the probable number of Hin- doos who embrace a life of mendicity ; and am informed, that scarcely less than an eighth part of the whole population abandon their proper employments, and live as religious mendicants by begging. Supposing that there are sixteen millions of Hindoos in Bengal and Behar, and that each mendicant reqmres only one rupee monthly for his support, it will appear, that not less than 2,000,000 rupees, or 250,000 pounds sterling, are thus devoured an- nually by persons, the great majority of whom are well able to EEFLECTIONS ON THE NUMBER OF MENDICANT HINDOOS. 301 support themselves by manual labour. What a heavy tax this must be on the industrious, the great body of whom among the Hindoos are comparatively poor ! When we add to this, the baneful effects of this system on the morals of the mendicants themselves, as well as on the public man- ners, every benevolent mind must exceedingly deplore such a state of things. These beggars are not frowned upon like those who have nothing but their misery to plead for them ; but are privileg- ed and insolent harpies, boldly demanding the contributions of the abject and superstitious Hindoos. Their indolent habits too, and the filthy songs they sing, lead to every species of impurity, and to perpetual acts of private plunder. Many of the more enlightened Hindoos, especially the bram- huns, hold these mendicants in the utmost contempt, and would consider their being compelled to work as a great blessing confer- red upon the country. On the other hand, some persons of pro- perty ti-eat them with the greatest reverence, and sometimes invite a number of them to their houses, drink the water with which they have washed their feet, and, at the end of the entertainment, eat of the refuse from the plate of each. Gttnga-Govindu-Singhu, a person of the writer caste, who was patronized by Mr. Hastings, and who realized a princely fortune, carried his attachment to the Voiragoe mendicants to the greatest lengths. He sometimes gave a feast to three or four thousand, and performed the lowest offices of service to these his guests : he also provided that persons of this description should, after his death, be constantly entertained, re- ceive presents, have medical attendance when sick, &c. at all the temples which he erected and dedicated to the different forms of Krishnii. 302 THE SOIVUS AND VOISHNUVUS. BOOK YI; HINDOO RELIGIOUS SECTS. CHAP. I. ACCOUNT OF THE EEGULAE HINDOO SECTS. There are three piincipal sects among the regular Hindoos, the Soivus, the Voishnuviis, and the Shaktns. The Soivus receive the initiatory rites by which Shivu be- comes their guardian deity ; they imprint on their faces and bodies the marks by which this sect is distinguished," and profess the most devoted regard to this god, trusting in him for protection, &c. Their daily worship is performed before an image of the lingB, either at home or by the side of a river, using those forms and offerings which are peculiar to the sect. They have no festivals, but once in the year they keep a fast in honour of Shivu, which is accompanied by the worship of this god at the temples of the lingii. In the month Voishakhti they present to this idol the leaves of the vilwu, a favourite tree sacred to Shivti, and pour libations of milk on the lingii. Some Soivus, at this auspicious season, plant shrubs near the lingti, and sit before it repeating the name of Shivtt. It is an act of great merit among this sect to repeat the name of their idol, with a necklace made of tlie seeds of the roodrakshti ; as well as to visit Benares, (Kashee,) a place sacred to Shivu. The persons belonging to this sect are principally bramhttns ; but the Soivus are not numerous in Bengal. Mendicant Soivus are very rarely seen : these persons cover themselves with ashes, wear large neck- laces made of roodrakshti seeds, and wander to Benares and other places sacred to this god. The Voishnikriis observe the rites, and receive the distinguish- ing mark"" of their sect, regarding Vishnoo in all his forms (as Ramti, Krishnii, Jiigunnat'hu, &c. (Ssc.) as their protector. They reject all animal food, even fish, and wear only white garments. Nearly one half of the Hindoo populatioii of Bengal are Voishntivils, composed principally of the lower orders : great numbers are religious mendi- cants. Almost all the Hindoos in the province of Orissa are Voish- ntivus. The followers of Choitunyti, having the Gosaees at their head, continue a distinct branch of this sect. The distinguishing vice of this sect is impurity, as might be expected from the charac- ter of Krishnu, their favourite deity, and from the obscene nature of the festivals held in his honour. The Shree-bhagiivutu is the « See p. 12. * See p. 8. THE SHAKTUS — ACCOUNT OF THE BOUDDHUS. SOS book which the few bramhuns to be found among the Voiahnuvus read : those less learned read a number of books written in Ben- galee, all relating to the actions of Krishnti or Choitunyn. The ShaktHs are the worshippers of Bhiiguvfttee, (Doorga,) in- cluding all the forms of this goddess. They have their peculiar rites, marks on their bodies, formulas, priests, and festivals. The generality of those who join this sect are bramhtins In their out- ward dress the Shakttis resemble the Soivus ; but the latter in their principles approach nearest to the Voishnuviis, especially in their mutual objection to the destruction of animal life. None of the Sbaktiis embrace a life of mendicitj'. They derive the principles of their sect, and the forms used in their religious ceremonies, from the Tuntrus, by which works spirituous liquors are placed among the proper offerings to Bhugtivutee ; and numbers of her wor- shippers, oifering libations to the goddess, drink to intoxication. The 7amacharees belong to this sect. Beside these three principal sects among the Hindoos, the shastrus mention two others, the worshippers of the sun (Sourus) and of Gundshii (Ganiiputyus.) Very few Hindoos, however, in the province of Bengal, are to be found, who have chosen these gods as their guardian deities. The religious mendicants of the same sect differ so much from each other in dress and certain ceremonies, that they might be supposed to belong to different sects ; but any remarks on these shades of difference are rendered unnecessary by the preceding chapter. I shall therefore proceed immediately to notice the three most important schisms among the Hindoos, those excited by Boodhu, Nanuku, and Choitiinyu. CHAP. II. ACCOUNT OF THEj' BOUDDHUS. It is a question not perhaps completely decided, whether the religion of Booddhu, now spread over the Burman empire, Siam, Ceylon, Japan,' Cochin-China, and the greater part of China itself,'' " KaBmpfer says, on the authority of the Japanese historians, that the Bouddhil doctrine was carried into Japan about the year 63. — See page gfg •> The Abbe Grosier (Book vii. v. ii. p. 312) gives the following account of the doctrine of Fo, in which the principles of BooiJdiiu are clearly to be distinguished : — ■ ' Nothing is the beginning and end of every thing that exists : from nothing our first parents derived their existence, and to nothing they returned after their death. All beings are the same, their only difference consists in their figure and qualities. A man, a lion, or any other animal may be formed of the same metal; if these different pieces are afterwards melted, they wUl irnmediately lose their figure and qualities, and together form only one substance Suchi s the case with all^beings, whether animate 30-i BOUDDHUS SIMILAR TO THE FOLLOWERS OF FO. be not in reality the ancient religion of India, and the bramhinical superstition the invention of later times, and raised to predomi- nancy by the superior influence of the bramhnns with the princes of Hindoost'hanu. The author, however, declines entering on this subject, made so difficult by the want of authentic historical evidence. It is certain, that amongst the six schools of philosophy formerly famous among the Hindoos, two of them inculcated doctrines respecting the First Cause of things that were decidedly atheistical, or such as the followers of Booddhu maintain at this day ; and it is indisputable, according to the Hindoo writings, that these two sects were numerous before the appearance of Booddhu. About 700 years before the commencement of the Christian era, Veeru-Vahoo, of the race of Goutumti, a person attached to one of these sects, destroyed his sovereign Bodhumtillii, and im- mediately seized the throne of Delhi. This king, and his three immediate successors, reigned one hundred and eight years. Miihe^-ptitee, or the lord of the earth, was the name of the third of these monarchs ; and as most of the writers on this subject agree in placing the era of Booddhu in the sixth century B. C, it seems reasonable to suppose, that Booddhii was the son or near relation of Miaheepiitee. If not connected with this family, why should the family name of this race, GoutnmTi,be one of the most common names of Booddhu? As the capital of the most powerful of the Hindoo monarchs of this period was in South Behar, if Booddhu was not the son of one of the Mugudhu kings, it is possible he belonged to some branch of the family reigning at Benares, which was probably then a separate kingdom. In the Temee J^tij, a history of one of the incarnations of Booddhii, he is said to have been the son of a king of Benares, and to have persevered in choosing the life of an ascetic against every possible artifice and persuasion of his loyal parents. The author has been favoured with a translation of this work, by Mr. F. Carey, of or inanimate ; thougli different in shape and qualities, they are still the same thing sprung from the same begiuuing, which is nothing. This universal principle is ex- tremely pure, exempt from all change, exceedingly subtle and simple : it remains con- tinually in a state of rest ; has neither virtue, power, nor intelligence : besides, its essence consists in being free from action, without knowledge and without desires. To obtain happiness, we must endeavour by continual meditation, and frequent victories over ourselves, to acquire a likeness to this principle; and to obtain that end, we must accustom ourselves to do nothing, will nothing, feel nothing, desire nothing. When we have attained to this state of happy insensibility, we have nothing more to do with virtue or vice, punishments or rewards, providence or the immortality of the soul. The whole of holiness consists in ceasing to exist, in being confounded with nothing ; the nearer man approaches to the nature of a stone or log, the nearer he is to perfection ■ in a word, it is in indolence and immobility, in the cessation of all desires and bodily motion, in the annihilation and suspension of all the faculties both of body and soul that all virtue and happiness consist. The moment that man arrives at this degi-ee of perfection, he has no longer occasion to dread changes, futurity, or transmigrations, beoav(se he h*th ceaaed to exist, and is become perfectly like the god Fq.' RISE OF BOUDDHISM. 305 Rangoon.and has added it at the close of this account. If then it be admitted, that Booddlm was a person of royal descent, that he chose an ascetic life," and embraced a system of philosophy already prevalent in India,|;he other scenes of the drama require no assistance from conjecture : he became the patron and iddl of the sect which from this time became distinguished by his name ; he also received the support of the reigning monarchs, who were attached to him not only by holding the same philosophical opinions, but by the ties of bloOd. This sect being thus established by Muhee-p-gtee, the eleven Bouddhu monarchs who succeeded him, and who rdgned 291 years, may reasonably be supposed to have done what the bram- hiins charge them with, to have obliterated the religion of their opponents. It is certain, however, that the learned adherents of the bratn- hinical religion did not remain silent spectators of what they deemed the triumph of atheism.* They contended with their equally learned opponents, and this dispute, as is manifest by the tendency of many of the works still read by the Hindoos, called forth all the talents of both sides ; challenges to conduct the con- troversy in the presence of kings and learned assemblies were given and accepted : but here, as in iniiumerable other instances, the arm of power prevailed ; and as long as the reigning monarchs were Bouddhiis, the bramhuns were obliged to confine themselves to verbal contentions. At length Dhoornndhftru, of the race of Mfiyooru, destroyed Adityfi, the last Bouddhu king, and assumed the sovereignty ; and it is probable that from this time (B. C. about 300 years) we are to date the commencement of the persecutions of the Bouddhtis.' " The disposition manifeeted by all superstitious nations to honoitir dud even to deify men remarkable tor outwari austerity, is particularly observable amongst the Hindoos. They suppose that such a saint is a divine oracle, or the visible repre- sentative of the deity ; they implicitly receive his doctrines, and pay him those honors which they conceive are' due ' to gods come down in the likeness of men.' This attachment to eminent ascetics naturally springs out of the Hindoo system ; jtnd to this, the author conjectures, we are to attribute the origin and prevalence of the thuee 6KEAT SCHISMS among the Hindoos, of Booddhit, of NanUhti, and of ChcdtUnyU, all of whom appear to have been religious mendicants. * A story respecting these times is still current among the Noiyayiku sect : — The wife of the last Bouddhtt monarch but one was a disciple of Vishnoo, and called day and night upon. God,. complaining against the Bouddhus as having exterminated his worship, and all traces of a deity : at length Vishnoo, by a voice from heaven, assured her, that he would appear in the forms of two learned men, BhSttu and Oodtfyiina- charjyii, and restore his worship. Another story related by the same sect is, that OodiiyiinachariyS, unable to turn the Bouddhus by argument, proposed that himself and any number of this sect should cast themselves from a neighbouring mountain ; the Bouddhus in the act of falling crying out, 'There is no God,' and Ooduyfina- charjyiS, ' God exists.' The challenge was accepted : the BouddhQs perished, and their opponent fell unhurt. « in opposition to this, it is said, ' If the conjectures of Sir William Jones, relative 39 306 PERSECUTION OF THE BOUDDHUS. One or two facts tend to prove, that the bramhuns were not much more mild and tolerant than other persecutors : — though a number of JoiwHs are scattered up and down in various parts of Hindoost'hanu, scarcely a vestige of the Bouddhii superstition is to be found, and all its adherents are seen in the adjoining coun- tries. — The fact respecting these persecutions is, howevei-, placed beyond all doubt by the Prayushchittii-vivdku, a Hindoo work on atonements ; from which we learn, that Oodftynnacharjyti, a learned bramhun, and a fierce combatant against the Bouddhtis, actually burnt himself to death on a chaff-fire, (kooshiianultt,) as an atone- ment for the sin of having excited the Hindoo kings to put to death many Bouddhii bramhuns. To avoid the malice of their enemies, therefore, the Bouddhtis emigrated to the neighbouring countries, and gave to the unciviliz- ed inhabitants those doctrines, for which they had been unsuccess- fully contending on the plains of Hindoost'hanu. We have no authentic documents to prove how long this per- secution lasted ; but it is a pretty current opinion among the most learned Btirmans, that the religion of Booddhti was introduced into that country about 450 years after his death. According to this statement, (admitting that the persecution began with Dhoorun- dhuru,.) it will appear to have continued 183 years. There is a tradition among the Cingalese, that one of the kings of Hindoost'hanri, immediately after Booddhn's death,^ collected together five hundred learned ascetics, and persuaded them to write down on palmyra leaves, from the mouth of one of Booddhii's principal disciples, all the doctrines taught by Booddhu in his life- time. The Cingalese admit that they received their religion from the hands of a stranger ; and it is probable that it was propagated in the Bilrman empire soon after its reception in Ceylon, that is, about 450 years after Booddhti's death. The Burmans believe, that six hundred and fifty years after that event, iu the reign of Muha- moonee, Booddhti-ghoshu, a bramhtin, was deputed to Ceylon, to copy the work Vishooddhimargu, which includes all the Jatus, or his- tories of the incarnations of Booddhu : and it is fabled, that the iron stile with w hich he copied this work, was given him by a heavenly mes- senger ; though others will have itthatBodhee-sntwiigave it to him. These Jatus are said to have amounted to five hundred and fifty books ; some of which are, however, lost. A work called the to the inscriptions found at Mougheer, and on the pillar at Biiddal, be well founded, then the governing power on the banks of the Ganges, as late as about the time of the birth of Christ, was of the sect of Bouddha.' — Asiatic Researches, vol. vi. p. 165; f A native of Ceylon assured the author, that the Cingalese considered it to he about 2,500 years since the death of Goutilmii. Mr. Felix Carey informed him, on the authority of the BHrman history, that in 181.3 it was 2,357 years since the birth of this god. In an account published in the Asiatic Researches, vol. vi. p. 265, it is said, that in 1?93, Booddha had been deified 2,362 years. THEIR SHASTR0S AND BOCTKTNES. 307 Ten Jahls is now the best known, and is held in the highest vene- ration. 'I"he names of these Jatus are, T^mee, Junttku, Soobrirnu- i-amu, Ndmee, Mulioshtifc'ha, Bhooridiittij, Ch iindu-koomaru, Narfidu Vidoorti and V^stintura. # Since the above period, many Bttrmans have translated and commented on these writings. In a woi-k entitled ' The Great History of the Biirman and Pegu kings,' it is recorded, that during the T'hioora-kshtitriyu dynasty, not less than fifty-five translations were made, and as many comments written on these books. But the Burmans are believed to possess works of greater antiquity than these Jatus, on history, poetry, medicine, astronomy, gram- mar, &c whether borrowed from the Sungskritii, or the produc- tions of the Bouddhu set, time must disclose.^ It is a singular circumstance, that the Bouddh^s should have chosen for their hero, like the Hindoos for Vishnoo, ten incarna- tions ; and still more singular, that they should have designated the histories of these incarnations hy the names of ten Hindoo The Bouddhus do not believe in a First Cause : they consider matter as eternal ; that every portion of animated existence has in itself its own rise, tendencj', and destiny ; that the condition of creatures on earth is regulated by works of merit and demerit : that works of merit not only raise individuals to happiness, but, ais they prevail, raise the world itself to prosperity ; while, on the other hand, when vice ia predominant, the world degenerates till the universe itself is dissolved. They suppose, however, that there is always some superior deity, who has attained to this elevation by leligious merit ; but they do not regard him as the governor of the world. To the present grand period, comprehending all the time included in a ktilpti, they assign five deities, four of whom have already appeared, including Goutumu, or Booddhu, whose ex- altation continues five thousand years, 2,356 of which had expired A. D. 1814(. After the expiration of the 5,000 years, another saint will obtain the ascendancy, and be deified. Six hundred millions of saints are said to be canonized with each deity, though it is admitted that Booddhu took only 24,000 devotees to heaven with him. The lowest state of existence is in hell ; the next, is thafin the forms of brutes : both these are states of punishment. The next ascent is to that of man, which is probationary. The next includes many degrees of honour and happiness up to demi-gods, &c. which are states of reward for works of merit. The ascent to superior deity is from the state of man. B Some idea of their advance in science may be gathered from an interesting ac- count of the Religion and Literature of the Burmans, inserted in the 6th vol. of the Asiatic Besearches, by Dr. F. Buchanan. 308 THEIR SHASTEUS AND DOCTRINES. The Bouddhtis are taught, that there are four supei'lor heavens which are not destroyed at the end of a ktilpu ; that below these, there are twelve other heavens, followed by six inferior heavens ; after which follows the earth ; then the world of snakes ; and then thii'ty-two chief hells; to which are to be added, one hun- dred and twenty hells of milder torments. The highest state of glory is absorption. The person who is .unchangeable in his resolution ; who has obtained the knowledge of things past, present, and to come through one ktilpii ; who can make himself invisible ; go where he pleases ; and who has attained to complete abstraction, will enjoy absorption.'' Those who perform works of merit, are admitted to the heavens of the different gods, or are made kings or great men on earth ; and those who are wicked, are born in the forms of different animals, or consigned to different hells. The happiness of these heavens is described as entirely sensual. The Bouddhtis believe, that at the end of a kulpu the universe is destroyed. To convey some idea of the extent of this period, the illiterate Cingalese use this comparison : ' If a man were to ascend a mountain nine miles high, and to renew these journies once in. every hundred years, till tlie mountain were worn down by his feet to an atom, the time required to do this would be nothing to the fourth part of a ktilpu.' Booddhii, before his exaltation, taught his followers, that after his ascent, the remains of his body, his doctrine, or an assembly of his disciples, were to be held in equal reverence with himself When a Cingalese, therefore, approaches an image of Booddhii, he says, ' I take refuge in Booddhu ; I take refuge in his doctrine ; I take refuge in his followers.' There are five commands given to the common Bouddhus : the first foi'hids the destruction of animal life ; the second forbids theft ; the third, adultery ; the fourth, falsehood ; the fifth, the use of spirituous liquors. There are other commands for superior classes, or devotees, which forbid dancing, songs, music festivals, perfumes, elegant dresses, elevated seats, &c. Among works of the highest merit, one is the feeding of a hungiy infirm tiger with a person's own flesh- The temples erected in honor of Booddhu', in the Btirman ^ The Hindoo idea of absorption is, that the soul is received into the divine es- sence : but as the Bouddhils reject the doctrine of a separate Supreme Spirit, it is difficult to say what are their ideas of absorption. Dr. Buchanan says, (Asiatic Re- searches, vol. vi. p. 180.) Nirvana .'iuxplies (that is, among the Bfirmana) exemption from all the miseries incident to humanity, but by no means annihilation. i When the author asked a Join& why, since the object of their worship was neither creator uor preserver, they honored hiia as God, he was answered, that it was an act of homage to exalted merit. THEIR TEMPLES AND WORSHIP. 309 emph'e, are of various sizes and forms, as quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, or octagonal. Those of a round spiral form can be erected only by the king, or by persons high in office. An elevated spot is prefeiTed for the erection of these edifices ; but where such an elevation cannot be found, the building is erected upon the second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth ten-ace. These piles are generally of solid brick work, but some are filled up with earth or rubbish ; lime-stone is seldom used, generally earth or brick-dust. Those who can aflbrd it have their temples gilt all over, which gives them a grand appearance. A coating of black lacker being laid upon the plaister, the gold-leaf firmly adheres. An umbrella made of iron, and gilt, is fixed on the tops of the temples, round the border of which some persons suspend bells ; the sound of these bells, when the wind puts them in motion, has a pleasing effect. Bells of various sizes ai'e sometimes hung near a temple, which the people ring to give notice of their arrival. Images of lions, and monsters of various descriptions, facing the four quarters, or on each side of the gate-ways, are to be seen attached to most temples. ' ■' Within the vicinity of a temple, houses of charity for strangers are erected, in which images of liooddhii are placed. Umbrellas and stone pots, in imitation of those used by Qouttimti as a mendicant, are also placed near tewples. The temples of Booddhti in Ceylon are veiy large, some of them capable of containing 3,000 people. Many of them have verandahs all round. The hall containing the image is very spacious. The priests worship at the temples daily, or ought to do so. The worship consists in presenting flowers, incense, rice, betle-nut, &c. repeating certain prayers. The priest cleanses the temple, preserves the lights, and receives the offerings. A worshipper may present his own offeiings, if he is acquainted with the formulas The five commands are repeated by a priest twice a day to the people, who stand up and repeat them after him. Temples are built by individuals, or the inhabitants of a village, as works of merit. Several festivals precede the opening of a temple, as, at laying the foundation ; at setting up the image ; at fixing the umbrella ; at the purification ; and at the consecration. These feasts are sometimes continued four or five days, when musicians and dancing girls are employed, various pantomimical representations are exhibited^ and a great concourse of people enter- tained. Offerings of various kinds are presented to Booddhu and the priests.. The latter make a discourse to the assembly on the virtue of building temples, grounding their address on some apothegm of the saint. Booddhu, as seen in many temples, appears seated upon a 310 • THEIR COLLEGES. throne placed on elephants, or encircled by an hydra ; or in the habit of a king, accompanied by his attendants. In most of the modern images, however, he is represented in a sitting posture, with his legs folded, his right hand resting upon his right thigh, and his left upon his lap : a yellow cloth is cast over his left shoulder, which envelopes his right arm. His hair is generally in a curling state, like that of an African ; his ears are long, as though distended ' by heavy ear-rings. The image is generally placed in the centre of the temple, under a small arch prepai-ed for the purpose, or under a small porch of wood, neatly gilt. Images of celestial attendants, male and female, are frequently placed in front of the image. In some places the image of Jeevunukurii, a mendicant, who had 400,000 disciples, and who foretold the deificatioYi of Booddhu, is to be seen, in an erect posture, having four mendicants behind him with begging dishes in their hands, and Soom^dhti, a form of Booddhu, lying prostrate before him, in a posture of reverence. It appears evident from their writings, that the ancient reli- gion of the Burmans consisted principally in religious austerities. When a person becomes initiated into the priesthood, he immedi- ately renounces the secular state, lives on alms, and abstains from food after the sun has passed the meridian. The ancient writings of the Burmans mention an order of female priests ; but it is likely that these were only female mendicants. Priests are forbidden to maiTy ; they are to live by mendicity ; are to possess only tln-ee garments, a begging dish, a girdle, a razor, a needle, and a cloth to strain the water which they drink, that they may not devour insects. The priests are the schoolmasters, and teach gratuitously as a work of merit, the children being maintained at home by their parents. If a priest finds a pupil to be of quick parts, he persuades the parents to make him a priest ; but if a boy wish to embrace a secular life after he has been some time in the college, he is at liberty to do so. Boys of five years of age and upwards are admitted into the Biirman seminaries (koiyooms) as students. At their initiation, the parents generally give a feast, which continues for three or four days ; Muha-veera passed through twenty-seven hirths in the forms of gods, men, and reptiles, before he obtained unchangeable emancipation. " The shw^tumbfirtis (that is, those who wear white clothes) keep » brush of woollen threads ; the dignmbSrtis have one made of peacock's feathers. ° There is a similarity betwixt some of these feasts and one or two of those ob- served by the bouddhfis. See p. 312. 334 FESTIVALS. On the oth of the increase of the moon, the jointis have a monthly festival in honour of Muha-veerti ; to whom they present j&ve books, five pens, five inkstands, five leaves used as paper, and five articles of every other ofiering. On the 11th of the increase of the moon, another festival is held in honor of Munusu-vrCtee, a joinu anchorite ; when the person who supplies the expense ob- serves a vow of silence for a day and a night. In honor of the other twenty-two leaders of the joinu sect, annual festivals are held on the anniversary of the birth of each. Once a year, which may be celebrated in any month, the jointis have another festival called Vishu-vuyirmanu. In the month Bhadru, all the joinus in one town sit for eight days, and hear the Kulpu-sootru read by one of their principal mendicants, who explains as he reads. On the day before the commencement of this festival, the book is richly adorned, and carried in procession on the head of a boy sitting in a palanqueen ; the joinus, on horseback and in palanqueens, following with music and dancing. In the house, the book is placed on a throne, while the company stand before it with joined hands ; they afterward sit for some time, and listen to devout songs in praise of their devotees and of religion. Part of the day is kept as a fast, but it closes with an entertainment. Ofierings are also presented to the book and to the reader, and during the reading, the audience occasionally manifest their attention by repeating the sound jee, jee. After the birth of a child, a secular joinu carries it to the temple, which he circumambulates, bows to the god, repeats certain prayers, and then carries the child to the spiritual guide, who repeats an incantation in its ear. This is followed by a feast. In a joinu mendicant's last sickness, a disciple repeats a certain prayer to him, and rehearses the praises of the joinu mendicants. After his death, with his body are burnt the brush with which he swept the road or his seat, that he might not destroy animal life, his staff, his beggar's bag, and a lump of wheaten paste. When a person dies, or a child is born, the family cannot visit a temple for eleven days ; nor does the spiritual guide, nor any relation, visit their house for three days. On the twelfth day a feast is held. There are five sects of joinus, but the difference between them is trifling. The Digtimburus wear no clothes, and their images of Rishubhu-ddvu are also naked. The other sects are, the T^ru- ptint'hees, the Dhooriyas, the Loonkas, and the Bouddhtis. It may not be uninteresting to see what the bramhuns have said of these atheistical sets, with whom they once carried on the SECTS — BRAMHINICAL ACCOUNT OF THE JOINUS. 335 fiercest religious controversy ever known in India, and whom they aftei-wards drove from the field with weapons dipped in blood. And I here give a few extracts from the Kashee-khiindu of the Skundu poorann, the Prubodhu-chundroduyti, the Vidwiinmodn-ttirnngi- nee, and the Booddhti poorann. These sects are said by the bramhuns to have taken their rise from Virochtinii, whose conversion is attributed/ to a declaration made by Brtimha before Indru and Virochiinu, to the following purpoi-t : — One day Indru and Yirochunti asked Brumha, ' What the mind was, and what the body ?' Brumha, who was in a state of profound meditation, having his eyes shut, laid his hand on his breast. At this time a bason of water stood before Brumha, and his image, in this posture, was reflected upon the water. Viroch- tinu concluded, from this conduct of Brumha, that he intended to say, that the body was every thing. Indrii conceived, that this was not his meaning, but that he meant to convey the idea, that the body was like the shadow on the water ; but that within (intimated by laying his hand on his breast) there was an immaterial spirit, and that this was Brtimhu. The next person who was the accidental cause of the spread of the doctrines of atheism, says the Shree-bhaguvutti, was Rishubhu- ddvu, through whose devotions three kings became atheists, (see p. 326.) Next, the bramhuns speak of Vishnoo as incarnate to overturn the kingdom of Divo-dasu, a king of Kashee, who sought to prevent the gods from receiving any praise or petitions from men. Vishnoo spread atheism to such an extent, that Divo-dasti, offended at the progress of impiety, renounced his kingdom, became an ascetic, and shortly after ascended to heaven. The Ptldmu-pooranu' speaks of an ascetic named Digfimburfi, (not the disciple of Muha-veeru,) an incarnation of Shivti, who promoted the tenets of atheism. The next person who appeared was Booddhti, the son of tJjinu', who was born in the district of Magudhu ; respecting whom I subjoin the translation of an extract from the Booddhu pooranti : — ' I have heard,' says the anonymous author of this work, ' that, at a certain period, Bhtiguvanu, (Booddhu,) being incarnate for the purpose of performing many glorious things, was giving lessons on religion, attended by 12,000 religious mendicants, and 32,000 bodhee-sutwiis, or bouddhtis, in the garden of Inat'hu-pindiidu, in p See the Rig-vddfi and the Yogtt-vashisht'hu Eamayiirifl. t See the Pooshkfiril-khfindS of that work. ' The Shree-bhaguvutii calls him the son of Cjinft, but the Booddhfi pooraniS, as the reader will perceive from what follows, says his father's name was ShooddhodfinS, and his mother's Maya-d^vee. 336 EXTRACT FROM THE BOODDHU POORANU. the forest of Jetree, at Shravttstee ; when, about twelve o'clock at night, a ray of glojy issued from his turban, which said — ' Praise to ShakyQ-singhu, the sage, eminent for intelligence, a luminary dissipating darkness, resplendent, a holy flame, with a beautiful body, and a subdued mind, &c.' Hearing this, the religious mendicants, bowing, with joined hands, humbly requested of Booddhu, that he would acquaint them with the words which had been revealed by the glory proceeding from the turban. Booddhti informed the mendicants, that Sh^tukdtoo", of the race of the gods, formerly descended in a chariot from the heaven of Gtin^shti, and was born in the family of a bouddhu, to instruct mankind in the true doctrine. After descending from his chariot to the earth, he ascended a superb throne, in a palace miraculously prepared ; from whence he declared to the attending gods, that he should be born in the womb of a bouddhu female, and continue twelve years in his mother's womb. The gods reflected among themselves, that almost all families had some fault in them, wliich rendered it improper for Booddhu to be born in these families ; but that the race of Shakyu- singhti, being in possession of sixty-four distinguished qualities, was pure ; that at Kupiliivusoo lived Shooddhodtinu possessed of twelve distinguislied qualities. Booddhti consented, and directed the attending gods to be born in such and such families ; and, being born, to go and teach mankind the one hundred and eight religious ceremonies.' He then dismissed the gods, that they might assume human birth, and departed him- self to do the same ; that he might make known the bouddhti doctrine to Moitr^yabhidhu, who should teach it to the world. Accordingly, Booddhu, in the month Voishakhti, at the full of the moon, under the constellation Pooshya, entered, by the right side, the womb of Maya-d^vee ; and, at the end of twelve years, while she was amusing herself in the grove Ltimbinee, she was seized'with the pains of child-birth, and was delivered of a son, who, immediately on his birth, looked towards the ten quarters of the world, and measured ten paces with his feet." At the end of seven days from the time of the birth, Maya-d^vee died, and went to an excellent heaven. All the gods, and other celestial beings, moonees, rishees, &c. came to pay their honors to the god who had been born in the house of Shooddhodunu ; they calculated his nativity, the fortunate and unfortunate signs ; pronounced it an excellent birth, and declared that this divine person would live till he. was eighty years old. The sage Usitakshyu informed Shooddhodunti, that his son would shortly leave his house, and become a religious mendicant, in order to learn the bouddhu doctrine,^ and teach it to others^ From this the sage gathered, = Another name for Booddhti. ' Ceremonies peculiar to the bouddhtia. " To signify that his doctrine should be extended through the world. » He was to gather this doctrine from books and from learned men. EXTRACT FEOM THE BOODDHU POORANU. 337 that his son wd,s a god, and fell down and worshipped him. At Jength the celestial guests were dismissed with much praise and respect ; and the father, accompanied hy his son, and the rest of the family, having entered the tentple of a goddess, a,nd repeated the usual rites, covered his son with ornaments, while the sylvan gods presented him with flowers. ' The hoy Booddhu, taking 10,000 other boys with him, went to school, and began to instruct his master, wiho was filled with astonishment at the amazing extent of his knowledge. Unable to answer his diSerent questions, he evaded them, and begged him to take his place among the boys ; 33,000 ofw'hom, beside Booddhu^s 10,000, were taught at this school : but Booddhfi neglected his school exercises, and began to teach these 42,000 boys the bouddhti doctrines ; who all, in due time, became bouddhus. After leaving school, Boodhtt went to Kooshee, under a tree in which place he took up his abode, and entered on religious austerities/ The next account of Booddha, is that he married Gopai, the daughter of Shakshyu, and retained 84,000 concubines ; but he' was principally attached to Gopa. — The gods one evening appeared to the father of Gopa in a dream, and apprized hirn^ that his son-in- law would soon leave his house, and become a siinyasee. On another occasion, the fathet and Gopa had each a dteam, in which they beheld Booddhii, having on a fed garment, and a staif in his hand, going on pilgrimagie. When the king awoke, he placed guards round the palace, and entreated him not to depart ; pro- mising him all he desired, even his kingdom, and reminding him, that he was too young to became an anchorite. Booddhti, perceiv- ing that it was in vain to hope for the king's consent, retired to his apartments; and his father placed more guards round thepalace. The gods, however, sent a beaivy sleep on all the guards ; and this incarnate person, on his arjival at the outside of the palace, mount- ed his horse, and fled to the distance of forty-eight miles : when he dismissed his servant, and the gods' who had giccompanied him ;, stript himself of all his ornaments ; shaved his head ; clothed himself with the red garments which had been presented to him by some god ; and thus assumed the garb of a sunyasee. His old apparel the gods took to heaven, where they became objects of worship. BooddhtE in his pilgrimage met three hundred disciples of Shravtikn, of Voishalee, with whom he discussed at great length the bouddbu doctrine^ which they ultimately embraced. He afterwards converted 700 disciples of a person named Eamu ; and then visited Guya, where, sitting down by the Noirunjee, he prac- tised religious austerities. Maya-d^vee, seeing her son inflicting the greatest cruelties on himself, full of concern, descended to earth, and expostulated 43 338 EXTRACT FROM THE BOODDHU POORANU. ■with him, reminding him, that he was her only son, the son of a king, and that by. these severities ' he would certainly destroy himself. Booddhu, aroused from his intense meditation by the voice of his mother, addressed much praise to her ; with which she was so much pleased, that she presented to him a parijatu flower, which she had brought from heaven, and then departed. He now recommenced his religious austerities, and continued them for six years, exposing himself to the scorching sun, the pelting rain, the parching wind, and the severest cold. The children of the neighbouring town came to the spot, and played every kind of trick with him, putting sticks up his nose, into his ears, and mouth ; but nothing could awake him from his intense abstraction. Thfr gods filled with admiration at his unparalleled devotion, des- cended and worshipped him ; but a person, named Numoochee, visited Booddhu, and upbraided him for his austerities, asking him why he thus reduced his body to a skeleton ; why he brought upon himself so much sorrow? — reminding him, that his death was near, and that it was wise so to act as to secure happiness in a future state ;' that he was the son of a king ; that he ought to seek riches, to enable him to make gifts, and present offerings to the gods, which were meritorious actions, and would be rewarded by coiTesponding fruits ; but that at present he was bearing sufferings without any hope of reward. Booddhii's medi- tation was broken by this language, and he replied, ' Oh ! wicked friend, dost thou not know what I am doing 1 1 am performing, yogu, in doing which, it is necessary first to perfect the body hy austerities, to purify the blood, the flesh, the bones, the heart, and the mind. Death is better than continuance in a body so vile that meritorious actions will not proceed from it. I will subdue my evil desires, indispositioii to religious services, hunger and thirst, disposition to conversation, covetousness, falsehood, sorrow, &c. ; as an unbaked pot melts in the water, so will I, by yogu, subdue or dissolve all these.' Nilmoochee, hearing this reply, departed. At the close of the six years' yogu, Booddhu arose, and went to an adjoining village to obtain refreshments ; after which, walking seven times round a sacred tree, and making a seat of the grass, he sat down under the tree, and made the following vow : ' On this seat may my body, blood, and bones, become dry ; though life depart, I will never abandon this yogu called sum5'tik-sumbodhee.' The attending gods, hearing these resolutions of Booddhu, were filled with astonishment, and taking offerings, worshipped him as a god. Booddhti taught, add the bramhuns, that the universe was eternal, and had no creator ; and that all creatures were uninter- ruptedly passing from death to life : he also protested against the destruction of animal life, whether for food or sacrifice. He was y By perfoTDiing acts of charity, and tlieceremonies of religion, instead of injuring his body by austerities. EXTRACT FROM THE BOODDHU POOEANU. 339 much attached to astrological speculations, and wrote a work on astrology. The same Hindoo works infoi-m us, that these seceders were divided into six sects, embracing , the doctrines published by DigiJmburu, Virochtinu, Vishnoo, Booddhu, and Shakshyu-singhu. — The founders of these sects were, Charvvaku, .Madhyumiku, Yogacharu, Soutrantikti, Voibhashikti, and Niraviirunu.— Digtim- buru taught, that the being who survives all, and of whom nothing can be known, is God; that the universe, is coniposed of four elements only, earth, water, fire, and air ; and that there is no such thing as vacuum ; that the earth is eternal, and has no cre- ator ; and that the highest act of virtue is to abstain from doing injury to sentient creatures. Muha-veeru enlarged Digiimburu's work, and gave it the name of IJrihiintanoo-shasunti. Charvvaku, following Virochunfi, declared that man was not possessed of spirit, and that there was no future state. Madhytimiku started the opinion, that the vacuum which : remains at the general destruction of the universe is God. YogachaiTi taught, that the mind can only be occupied by one object at, once. Soutrantikti taught the Platonic doctrine, that in forming ideas the images qf . things are impressed on the mind : he also held, that the mind can only embrace one object at once. Voibhashikti was of .opinion, that all visible objects are perishable ; and that sensible objects are not imprinted on the mind, but are understood through the senses. The last of these sages, Niravttrunii, taught, that what others call the soul is only something similar to light, diffused through the body, which is capable of depression or extension, and which dies with it. These philosophers wrote the following works : — the doctrines of Vrihtlspiitee ; philosophical mysteries ; a treatise on logic ; a work on astrology ; another to prove the folly of religious distinc- tions and ceremonies ; and a history of the Bouddhtl philosophers. The following are some of the opinions of this sect% as charged upon them in the works mentioned at the head of this article : — There is no such God as the common notions on this subject would point out ; no heaven separate from present happiness ; no hell separate from present sufferings ; neither works of merit nor de- merit. There are no such beings as creator, preserver, and des- troyer. The world is eternal ; it exists from itself, and decays of itself, as parents give birth to children, as an earthen vessel is pro- duced by the potter, as the centipede arises from cow-dung, blades of corn from seed, and as insects from fruit : nature gives birth to every thing. Material things arise out of the four elements of earth, fire, water, and air. All visible objects are subject to decay. Man does not possess an immortal spirit. Spiritual giiides are un- 2 The atheiatical part of theae tenets ought aot, perhaps, to be charged, ia their full extent, on all the jointis and bouddhne, > 340 MR. colebrooke's observations on the joinu's. neeessa-ry. The highest virtue consists in refraining from injuring sentient creatures. Supreme happiness consists in being free. Every species of pleasure may be called heaven. Absorption is re- 'alized in death. The entire absence of desire or affection is the ^highest state of happiness : as a person is afflicted for the death even of a bird he has reared, while other birds die unnoticed. Death is the same to Brumha and to a fly. To feed the hungry ; to give medicine to the sick ; to remove fear from others ; to be compas- sionate to all ; to instruct the ignorant ; to exercise the five senses, the five members, the faculty of reason, and the understanding, are acts of virtue. There is no merit in cutting trees, or in killing animals, for religious ceremonies ; in mixing blood and earth to rub upon the body, nor in burning linseeds and clarified butter. A fine form, superior strength, a large family, a good disposition, a tender h^art, and decision of mind, are the chief good. The five first of these philosophers taught, add the bramhians, that the union of the four elements gave I'ise to animal life, or motion : as the union of certain ingredients produces a medicine capable of remov- ing disease ; or as several colours mixed together produce a colour different from any simple colour ; or as the jliice of a sour fruit put into milk diffuses sourness throughout the whole. T shall conclude this account, with an extract from Mr. Cole- brooke's excellent ' Observations on the Sect of the Jointis,' insert- ed ii^ the ninth volume of the Asiatic Researches, in which he points ,out many striking similarities in the leading features of the systems embi'aced by the orthodox Hindoos and the seceders. ' It appears, from the concurrent result of aU the enquiries which have been made, that the joinus constitute a sect of Hindoos, .differing, indeed, from the rest, in some very important tenets ; but foUowipg, in other respects, a similar practice, and maintaining like opinions and observances. The essential character of the Hindoo institi^tions, is the distribution of the people into four great tribes. Thi.$ is considered by themselves to be the marked point, which separates them from ml^ch'htis, or barbariafis.. The jointts, it is found, admit the same division into four tribes, ;ind '!perforni like religipug ceremonies, termed sungskartis, from the birth of a male to his marriage. They observe similar fasts, and "practise, ^till n^ore strictly, the received maxims for refraining from injury to any sentient being. 'They appear to recognise, as subordinate deities, spme, if not all, of the gods of the prevailing sect ; but do not worship, in particular, the five principal gods of those sects, or aijy one ot them by preference ; nor address prayers. Or perform sacrifice, to the sup, or to fire ; and they differ from the rest of the Hindoos, in assigning the highest place to certain deified saints, who, according to their creed, have successively become superior gods.. Another, .point, in which they materially disagree, ,^s the rejection of the_r^dtis, the ,4? vine authority of which they MR. COLEBROOKE's OBSERVAIIONS ON THE JOINC'S. 541 -deny ; condemning, at the same time, the practice of sacrifices, and the other ceremonies, which the followers of the vddns perform, to obtain specific promised consequences in this world, or in the next. In this respect, the jointis resemble the bouddhus orsougii- ttis ; who equally deny the divine authority of the vedtis ; and who similariy worship certain pre-eminent saints, a:dmitting likewise, as subordinate deities, nearly the whole pantheon of *the orthodox Hindoos. They differ, indeed, in regard to the his- tory of the personages whom they have deified ; and it may be hence concluded, that they have had distinct founders : but the ■origina,l notion seems to have been the same. In fact, this remark- able tenet, from which the joinus and bouddhus derive their inost conspicuous peculiarities, is not entirely unknown to the orthoiiox Hindoos. The followers of the vddus, according to the theology which is explained in the vddant&, considering the human soul as a portion of the divine and universal mind, believe, .that it is capa- ble of perfect union with "the divine essence : a.nd the writers on the vddantti not only aflSrm, that this union arid identity are attained through a knowledge of God, as by them tauglit ; but have hinted, that by such means the particular soul becomes God, even to the actual attainment of supremacy.' So far the followers of the v^dtis do not virtually disagree with the jointis and bouddhus. But they have not, like those sects, framed a mythologj'^ upon the supposed history of the persons, who have successively attained divinity : nor have they taken these for the objects of national worship. All three sects agree in their belief of transmigration. But the joinus are distinguished from the rest by their admission of no opinions, as they themselves affirm, which are not founded on perception, or on proof drawn from that, or from testimony. It does not, how- ever, appear, that they really withhold belief from pretended reve- lations : and the doctrines, which characterise the sect, are not confined to a single tenet ; but form an assemblage of mythological and metaphysical ideas found among other sects, joined to many visionary fantastic notions of their own. Their belief in the eternity of matter, and perpetuity of the world, is common to the Sankhya philosophy, from which it was perhaps immediately taken. Their description of the world has much analogy to that which is given in the pooraniis, or Indian theogonies ;'' but the scheme has been rendered still more extravagant; Their precaution to avoid injur- ing any being is a practice inculcated in the orthodox religion, but " VrihSd-arSnySktt Oopfinisliiid. * According tocMr. Colebrooke, the joinfis suppose, that the world lesembleg a spindle resting on the half of another ; or three cups, of which the lowest is inverted, and the uppermost meets at its circumference the middle one. They conceive the setting and rising of stars and planets to be caused by mount SoomSroo ; and suppose three times the period of a planet's appearance to be requisite for it to pass round SoomSroo, and return to the ]daee whence it emerges. Accordingly, they allot two suns, as matiy moons, and an equal number of each planet, star, and constellation, to JfimbS-dweepS'; and imagine that these appear, on alternate days, south and north of SoomSroo, 342 NANUKU AND OTHER SHIKH LEADEES. which has been carried by them to a ludicrous extreme. In their notions of the soul, and of its union with body, and of retribution for good and evil, some analogy is likewise observable. ' If it be admitted, that the bouddhtis are originally a sect of Hindoos, it may be next questioned whether that, or any of the religious systems now established, be the most ancient. I have on a former occasion" indicated the notions, which I entei'tain on this point. According to the hypothesis which I then hinted, the earliest Indian sect, of which we have any present distinct know- ledge, is that of the followers of the practical v^dus, who worship- ped the sun, fire, and the elements ; and who believed the efficacy of sacrifices, for the accomplishment of present and of future pur- poses. It may be supposed, that the refined doctrine of the v^dantees, or followers of the theological and argumentative part of the vddus, is of later date : and it does not seem improbable, that the sects of joinu and of Boodd'hu are still more modern. But I apprehend, that the voishnuvus, meaning particularly the worshippers of Ramu and of Krishnii, may be subsequent to those sects, and that the soivyus also are of more recent date.' CHAP. IV. ACCOUNT OF THE SHIKHS'. The founder of this sect was FarvUk-H, a Hindoo of the kshutriytt caste, born in the year 1469, at Raibho^dee-Tuluwundee, a village in the district of Majha, in the Punjab. Sir John Malcolm has related'' a number of particulars respect- ing the life and travels of Nanukti ; the substance of which is, that he discovered an early attachment to a devout life, which his father found it impossible to counteract ; and at length became famous as a prophet : according to Bhaee-Gooroo-Vtilee, author of the Gnanu-Rutnavulee, a work in the Shikh dialect, he travelled to all the sacred places of the Hindoos and Mnsulmans, and even to Mecca. In these journies, as the author is informed by a learned Shikh employed in the Serampore printing-office, he obtain- ed many disciples ; and at the time of his death, which happened when he was advanced in years, left not less than 100,000 persons in difierent countries who were attached to him as their religi,ous guide, <= Asiatic Researches, vol. viii. p. iTL > The followers of Nanilku are sometimes called Gooroo-mookhS?, ' from the mouth of the teacher ;' but generally Shikhs, from Shishyfi, a disciple. >> In his ' iSketoh of the Hindoos,' Asiatic Researches, vol. xi. NANUKO AND OTHER SHIKH LEADERS. 343 Nanfiku appears to have resembled Choitunyti, and many other Hindoos "who have been celebrated for their attachment to forms of devotion, in preference to barren speculations and religious shows. He maintained the doctrine of the divine unity, which, it is probable, he learned from the Mtisulman mendicants, with whom he was very familiar : further, that God dwells in the devout, and that this divine inhabitation renders the ascetic an object of rever- ence and even of worship ; and that hence it became a duty to seek the society of devout mendicants. The other two points most in- sisted upon by him were, devout attachment to the deity, and a harmless behaviour towards all creatures. — To promote the spirit of devotion, Nanuku composed a number of sacred hymns in praise of the Deity, which have a place in the Adee-Griint'hu ; in which work repeating the names of God is enjoined on the Shikhs. This reformer dealt very mildly with the two systems which he rejected,- those of the Hindoos and Musulnians, and in conse- quence he left many customs indifferent : he however dissuaded his disciples from expecting any benefit from the worship of idols, and other ceremonies connected with the Hindoo mythology. Nantiku had two sons, Shree-chundru and Liikshmee-dasu. His family now resides at D^hura, by the river Eavee, where Nanukii died ; and from whence, as the Shikhs say, he ascended to heaven in his bodily state, his garments only being found after his death. His disciples took these garments, and burnt thetn instead of the body; but Sir John Malcolm says, thiat a small piece of one of his garments" is still exhibited at the temple dedicated to this mendi- cant at Ddhtira, where the objects of worship are the Shikh shas- trus. Images of Nanuku are never made, though paintings of him are to be seen in many places. Nanuku, before his death, passing by his own relations, ap- pointed Ungudu, a favourite disciple to succeed him. This mendi- cant, at his death, appointed IJmuru-dasti, one of his disciples, to fill up his station; to him succeeded Ramii-dasu, and after him, in suc- cession, Urjoonui Huree-Govindii, Huree-Rayti, Hiiree-Krishnu, and Tdg-bahadur. The person who presided last over the Shikhs, was Gooroo Govindu-Singhu. -*&' TJrjoonu compiled the Adee-Grnnt'hu, or, 'The first Book,' from the writings^ of his four predecessors, Nanuku, Ungudu, TJmaru-dasu, and TJrjoonu. Ramii-dasu enlarged and improved it by his own additions and comments ; and some small portions have been subsequently added by thirteen persons, the last of whom was a female disciple named Meerabaee. ' This small piece, however, is, I suspect, 200 lbs. weight, as a cloak of this kind, which NanukiS is said to have left on his pilgrimage, was restored to his relations after his death, and placed in this temple. 3i4> PARTICULARS KEGABDING CERTAIN SHIKH LEADERS. ' Umuru-dasu,' says Sir John Malcolm, ' was distinguisbed for his activity in preaching the tenets of Nantikn, and was very successful in obtaining converts and followers, by the aid of wbom he established some temporal power ; he built Koojurawal, and separated from the regular Shikhs the oodasee sect, which was founded by Shree-Chnndru, the son of Naniiku, and was probably considered, at that period, as heretical.' Eamu-dasti, the son of TJmtiru-dasu, is celebrated for ' the improvements he made at Umritti-suru, which was for some time called Kam-poorti, or Ramdas-pooru. He added much to the population ofthij city, and formed a famous reservoir of water, which he called tJmritu-suru, or the water of immortality !' This pool has become the resort of the Shikhs from all parts, and has given its own name and sanctity to this city, now called Umritn- surn. Thus each of the ten leaders of the Shikhs added to the number and power of the sect, till, under Govindu-siughti, they became a formidable nation. This man was a political leader rather than a religious guide, and he introduced a number of accommodating rules into the system of his predecessors, to meet the circumstances of a people who were to acquire and support their independence by the sword. Those who wisb to become acquainted witb the political events which have elevated a sect of mendicants into a powerful nation, will be highly gratified by a perusal of Sir John Malcolm's very interesting sketch. I shall merely add, from this article, a paragraph respecting the national council of this people ; — ' When a Gooroo-muta, or great national council, is called, (as it always is, or ought to be, when any imminent danger threatens the country, or any large e^edition is to be undertaken,) all the Shikh chiefs assemble at tf mritii-suru. The jissembly, which is called the Gooroo-muta, is convened by the IJkalees ;* and when the chiefs * ' The TJkalees, or worshippers of the Eternal, (UkaM-poorooshS,) under the double character of fanatic priests and desperate soldiers, have usurped the sole direction of all religious affairs at Umritfi-snrS, and are consequently leading men in a council which is held at that sacred place, and which deliberates imder all the inQueuce of religious enthusiasm. Agreeably to the historians of that nation, they were first founded by Gooroo-Govindn, whose institutes, as it has been before stated, they most zealously defended against the ianovations of the voiragee Btindfl. They wear bUie chequered clothes, and bangles or bracelets of steel round their wrists, initiate converts, and have almost the sole direction of the religious ceremonies at Umritu- sfiriS, where they reside, 'and of which they deem themselves the defenders, and consequently never desire to quit it unless in cases of great extremity. This order of shikhs have a place, or Boonga, on the bank of the sacred reservoir of Umritfi-sSru, \^ere they generally Tesort : they are individually possessed of property, though they affect poverty, and subsist upon charity ; wbich, however, since their numbers have increased, they generalljr extort, by accusing the principal chiefs of crimes, imposing fines upon them, and, m the event of their refusing to pay, preventing them from performing their ablutions, or going through any of their religious ceremonies at Umrittt-siSrS.' — Asiatic lieseanhei, vol, xi. THE SHIKH SHASTRUS. 345 meet upon this solemn occasion, it is concluded that all private animosities cease, and that every man sacrifices his personal feelings at the shrine of the general good ; and, actuated by principles of pure patriotism, thinks of nothing but the interests of the religion, and common-wealth, to which he belongs.— ^When the chiefs and principal leaders are seated, the Adee-Grunt'hu and Dushuma-Padshahee-Grunt'ha^ are placed before them. They all bend their heads before these scriptures, and exclaim, ' Wah ! Gooroo jeeda Khalsa ! — Wah ! Gooroo jeekee phut^ !' 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 Nantiku, to eat and to give to others to eat, next receive the salutation of the assembly ; who then jise, and the IJkalees pray aloud, while the musicians play. The TJka- lees, 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 asidejin token of their general and complete union in one cause. The Ukalees then exclaim, ' Sirdars ! (chiefs) this is a Gooroomutal* on which prayers are again said aloud. The chiefs after this sit closer, and say to each other, ' The sacred grUnifhU is betwixt us : let us swear by our scripture to forget all internal disputes, and to be united.' This moment of religious fervor, and ardent patriotism, is taken to reconcile all animosities. They then proceed to consi- der the danger with which they are threatened, to settle the best plans for averting it, and to choose the generals who are to lead their armies against, the common enemy. The first Gooroomtita was assembled by Gooroo-Govindii, and the latest was called in 1805, when the British army pursued Holkar into the Punjab.' The Shikhs pay the same reverence to their shastrus which they formerly paid to their religious leaders. These books are placed in their temples and worshipped,^ and in some places are read twice or thrice a day, by an officiating priest called a grunt'hee ; who, before he begins to read, bathes, puts on clean apparel, sweeps the the place where the book is to be worshipped, and covers it with a mat ; places a stool on the mat ; spreads a cloth on the stool, and on this cloth puts the book or books : (the book is always wrapt up in a cloth, either plain or gilt, according to the ability of the owner :) the cloths (which are several when it belongs to a rich man) are next taken off with much reverence ; incense is burnt ; « The words Dushuma Padshaliee-Griint'liil mean, ' The tenth leader's hook,' ir the work written during the presidency of the tenth leader, Govindu-singhif. f The well-informed Shikh attempts to justify the outward appearance of worship, by saying, that he does this, that the lower orders may regard the contents of these books. 4i 840 tHB SHIKH SHISTKUS. red powder sprinkled, and g-arlands of flowers laid upon the book, to which the person makes a bow.^ The grunt'hee reads aloiid, and those present who are able, join him in singing, or rather chaunting the poetical parts of what is read. The grunt'hee receives fees or presents, beside the offerings made at the times of worship ; and lands are somtimes given to temples, as well as to the officiat- ing grunt'hees. Those who have leisure and opportunity, read portions of these books daily, and repeat certain words, in the form of petition, four times a day. They who have not these books, repeat the name of Nanukn or Govindti-singhu, or address prayers to one of these leaders once or twice a day. This daily worship is performed either in the dwelling house, or in a separate place devoted to reli- gious uses. A Shikh never opens a copy of his shastriis without fivst bowing to the book. The doctrine of these two books respecting God is, that he is an invisible spirit, and is to be conceived of as being active and passive, with and without qualities. They contain the histories of the Hindoo incarnations, and inculcate the doctrine of the Hindoos respecting Briimha, Vishnoo, Shivii, the creator, th& preserver, and the destroyer ; and in different parts of these works ai-e to be found forms of praise to Narayunii, who is, however, revered as the one God. There are three things which these works particularly com- mend, as, a disposition to serve Naraytinti ;^devotion, expressed in repeating the names of Naraytinu, in meditating on. these names, and in praising Naraytinti ; — and union with devout persons. Govindii-singhu's work contains forms of praise to Na- raytinri, whose chief name in this book is tJkalti-poorooshti, or the everlasting. They advise Shikhs to seek absorption in God, rather than the happiness enjoyed in inferior heavens, from whence the soul descends to enter on a succession of births. The performance of the ceremonies presci-ibed in their books, is the Shikh way to final beatitude. These books further teach, that the sorrows experienced in the different transmigrations of the soul, are the fruit of sin ; that as long as the soul is confined in the body, it is in chains ; and that whether the chains be of gold or of iron, it is still a prisoner, and enduring punishments. They also believe in the existence of the Hindoo king of death, Yumti, and iri the punishments he inflicts. Govindil-singhtt set up the worship of Doorga, and offered bloody sacrifices at her festivals ; but he did not direct his disciples to worship any other deity, though the work written by him con- tains accounts of other deities. The worship of this goddess is at present seldom performed before an image ; but if an old image B When the person performs each of these ceremonies, he repeats an incantation, taken from the shastrii ; or, if he be ignorant of the proi^er prayer, he says, 'Oh! Gooroo.' DIFFERENT SECTS AND FORM OF INITIATION. 347 have existed in ,any place from time immemorial,' the ShikhS wor- ship it. In general, however, they pile a number of weapons to- gether, as the representative of Doorga. These people are divided into two great sects, one of which adheres to Nantikn, and the other to Govindu-singhti ; yet both these chiefs are venerated by all the Shikhs. — The disciples of Nannkti are called khoolasas, and have less of a warlike disposition than those of Govindu-singhu, who are called khalsas. In the Piinjab, the khalsas are most numerous. A chief, to prove , thfe courage of a khalsa, sometimes seizes him, and threatens him with punishment if he will not shave his beard. Should he refuse, he beats him ; if this does not change his purpose, he proceeds as though he were about to kUl him. If he resolve to part with life rather than with his hair, he sets him at liberty, as a good khalsa. When a person wishes to become a Shikh, he makes known his intentidn to some grunt'hee, or to any person learned in their shastrtis; and if he wish to become a khalsa, he permits his hair to grow. "When his hair has grown a month or two, he goes again to the, griint'hee, who prepares the nectar, by stirring a kiiife in a bowl' of water, repeating incantations : a person present joins the hands of the new disciple, into which the grtint'h'ee pours some of this water of life, of which he drinks five times, and afterwards rubs a little on his eyes. While he recieives this water, he tiSplea.'te, five times, Wah! Goofoo jeeda Khalsa !—Wa,h f &obrob jeeda phUteh !^ The grnnt'hee next demands his name ; which, if insignificant in sound or meaning, is changed for another, and the word singhu' added. After this, a meat-Ofifering is prepared, called kiira prusaduy composed of clarified butter, flour, sugar, milk, and various kinds of fruits, mixeid, and baked on the fire. The griint'hee now wor- ships the book, and presents to it some of the meat-ofi'eririg ; the rest of which is offered to Ukalu-poorooshii, in the name of Nanukti, accompanied with a prayer to Ctovindn^singhu, that his blessing may rest upon this person now becoming a Shikh. At the close of these ceremonies, the food is distributed among the spectators of everjr caste ; and the grfint'hee addresses a short discourse to the disciple respecting the religion of the Shikhs, and teaches him an incantation by repeating it in his presence till it be learnt, or else he givfes it him in writing. The Shikhs pay great reverence to the initiatory incantation, but less to their spiritual guides than the Hindoos. Women are made Shikhs in the same manner as men; the only difference in the form is, that when the nectar is prepared for women, it is stirred with the back instead of the edge Of the knife. When a Mtisnlman become^ a Shikh, he is forbidden in the strpngest manner to eat beef. i" WaTt, an exclaujation of admiration ; Oooroo, spiritual teacher ;jeSda, an hononra- tile epithet ; Khalsa, deliverance, or emancipation from the chains connected with a bodily state; and yM/eAjVietpry or glory. 3 is FESTIVALS AND OTHER CEREMONIES. The Shikhs have a number of festivals, but they are all celebrated in a similar manner ; the difference consists principally in the degree of splendour attached to them : among other festivals are, the anniversaries of the birth and death ofNanuku; and monthly ceremonies when the sun enters a new sign. In The name of these mendicants intimates, that they are sinless. " Before the time of NauStkH, the people of the PKnjab, of high caste, used to destroy all their female children after preserving the first-born. NanJfktf forbad this to all his disciples, on pain of excommunication. The practice stiU exists in the FUnjab amongst those who follow the Hindoo religion. Some of the descendants of NanSkS too, who do not profess the religion of their ancestor, perpetrate these murders. DOCTRINES OF NANUKU AND OTHER SHIKH LEADERS. 849 The Shikhs have schools for the. instruction of children, at the places consecrated to Nanukti, and in villages belonging to different chiefs : the grfint'hees also teach the meaning of their sacred books to individuals who desire it ; and even shoodrus are permitted to explain these books to others. The division of men into castes exists among the Shikhs in sMne measure ; but the Shikh bramhiins, kshutriyus, voishyus, and shoodrus (if of one sect") eat together. The poita is not much re- garded, especially by the regular Shikhs. In the article of marriage, however, the caste is very strictly regarded. The Shikhs eat the flesh of wild fowl, and wild hogs ; and the lower orders eat tame fowls. House-fed hogs are forbidden. Spirits are not forbidden, and many indulge to excess ; but their fevourite beverage is bhtingu.'' I am informed, that there are at present as many as a hundred chiefs possessing separate districts in the Punjab ; that Runjeit- singhu, the most powerful, can bring 100,000 soldiers into the field, and that his revenues amount to near two crores of rupees annually. Each petty chief is the judge in his own domain ; and he appoints village magistrates, wJtio hear the evidence of witnesses, or the advice of four of five persons who may be present. The admi- nistration of justice is, however, but ill attended to. The Shikhs punish thieves by hanging them, or cutting them to pieces. They have jails, but no written, civU, or criminal laws. Doctrines taught by NanHkH, and other Shikh Leaders: Extracted from the Adee-GrKnt'htf. "Ongudu, according to the commentary on this work, is repre- sented as asking Nanuku respecting the Deity ; to which the sage replies : — ' He is truth, the creator and governor of all things, omnipresent, free from fear and from enemies, immortal, from ever- lasting, self-existent. He is the truth ; he existed in this form be- fore the foundation of the world, and he remains the same while the world exists, and after it shall be destroyed : he is to be known by means of a spiritual guide.' ' Absorption in God is not to be obtained by ceremonial puri- fications, nor by observing perpetual silence, nor by excessive in- dulgence, nor by learning.' ' In what way then,' asks the disciple, ' is delusion to be destroyed, and truth to be obtained f 'By observ- That is, all the followers of Nan«kfi cat together, as do all those who follow GovindS-singhfi. p The leayeg of hemp, hruised with certain spices, and mixed with water, mate a very strong and intoxicating beverage, called bhiingil, or siddhee. 350 DOCTRINES OF NANUKU AND OTHES SHIKH LEADERS. ing the divine commands, without being diverted by the sorrows or pleasures of the present state.' The disciple continues, ' What are the commands of God, and how far do they extend ?' Nantiku replies, ' His command brought the universe into existence : this is one command, but beyond this I cannot describe his authority. By his command all animals came into existence, the gi-eat and the small, the excellent and the degraded ; by his command joy and sorrow were assigned to all, and by the same power future happiness was prepared for the good ; birth, and death, and all things were appointed by him, and without his command nothing takes place. He who obeys God must be humble.' The disciple next enquires, ' If a person praise the commands of God, will he derive any advantage from thence?' Nantiku replies, ' If any one can sing the praise of his commands, let him do it ; he who cannot, let him understand these commands, and without pride let him think upon them. Let him who sings these praises, acknowledge his own insignificance and dependance on God ; he will praise his excellent qualities and his power. Let him, from other shastrtis also, if he be able, select forms of praise, and use them.' To the end of the Jupu-jee, Nanuku goes on to describe the divine properties, and the works of God, together with the effects of devotion on the mind. In one place, in reply to a question res- pecting offerings, he directs, as the most acceptable offerings, morning praise to God, and the presentation of the body to him. He promises the person who does this, the divine favour, and future absorption. ' He who serves God, the fountain of aU good, wiU obtain his blessing. God is served, by listening to his excellencies, by meditating on them, and by celebrating their praise ; the method of which is to be obtained from a spiritual guide, who is above all the gods, and who is in fact God himself Nanukfi says, that pilgrimages and other devout actions may be good, if performed to please God ; but that pilgrims must not seek their own profit in them, since every thing depends on the motive. When asked, whether life might be prolonged by per- forming ceremonies, Nanttku declared, that every ceremony would fee followed by a succession of births, if union to God were over- looked. ' Hearing the praise of God is followed by every degree of exaltation, subject to future birth,' even to the dignity of the gods. God is praised by Chitru-Gooptu and by all the gods, by all the nymphs, and by all beings. He himself, as well as all his works, are infinite. Meditating on God is followed by unspeakable II NanukS does not seem to have said much respecting the nature of future hap. piness in heaven, nor to have acknowledged the Hindoo heavens : he taught, however, that there was a heaven where persons enjoy sensual happiness for a limited time,' subject to future transmigrations. DOCTRINES OF NANUKU AND OTHER SHIKH LEADERS, 351 gain, even by absorption in God, which absorption also includes the whole of such a person's friends. ' God has created innumerable worlds. The period of creation is not laid down in any writing ; it is known only to God. The Hindoos place Kuchchupti under the earth, to support it, and the Mtisulmans, a cow — ^but Nanukti says, the earth and all worlds are upheld by Eeligion,' the mother of which being is Compassionj who dwells with Contentment.' In reply to a question from a disciple, respecting the value cif outward ceremonies, Nanukti, without altogether I'tejecting the effi- cacy of ceremonies, recommended mental worship as of greater im- portance, adding, that this was agreeable to the v^dtis. Nanukui in the same work, rejects all the ornaments and trappings of mendicantSj and says, virtue is the best ornament toi; a pilgrim : he objects to separate religious societies, and recomr miends his followers to unite themselves to the whole human race. He further says, that the best victory is that which a man obtains over his own passions. ' To the Eeing who is unchangeable ap-d eternal do obeisance. Let wisdom be ypur food : let compassion prepare it. Nature is the mother of the world ; Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shi vu are her sons, who rule under the direction of God : he sees them, but remains himself concealed. From the four primary elements, and day and night, sprang the universe. God, the invisible, d-wells. in truth. A thousand tongues can never complete his praise, nor is the power to worship him inherent in man ; it is the gift of God. The knowledge of God is more than 8,11 ceremonies, and fills the soul with joy. He who is ashamed of sin, is happy ; he who performs works of merit, shall obtain happiness.' The above is an epitome of the contents of the Jupu- Jee, whicl^ chapter of the Adee-Grfint'hu is dii'ected to be read or repeated daily by every Shikh, either before or after bathing. If a person cannot read or repeat the whole, he is directed to read five verses. It is not to be supposed^ however, that all Shikhs preserve in their houses even so much as this chapter of the Adee-Grunt'hu. Some, if is true, commit to memory the whole of this chapter; and a few Shikhs are to be found, who can repeat more than a third part ot the Adee-Grunt'hi\ a, thick volume in folio. Others commit to memory a similar quantity of Govindu-singhu's ^o'rk. In the -iSd page of the Adee-Grunt'hti, Nanukfi compares the body to a field, the mind to the husbandman, th& praises of God to seed; and absorption in God he deems the fruit. ' This sentiment approaches towards the joinS doctrine,' that EcligioU and Irreligion are the only governors of the world. 352 DOCTRINES OF NANIJKU AND OTHER SHIKH LEADERS. Urjoonu, in the 50tli page, says, ' The place where the devout sit becomes purified and is made excellent.' In the 53d page he thus exalts the spiritual guide, (Nantiku :) ' The sight of him brings all the benefits which arise from visiting every holy place, and delivers from all future birth.' TJmuru-das'u, in the 59th page, praises the devout mendicant, by declaring, that though he be of the lowest rank in life, people will praise him to the neglect even of the gods. Nanukii, in the 69th page, replies to those who value them- selves on their birth, by placing him who is under the influence of wicked principles, on a level with a basket-maker, (i. e., a person of low caste) ; the cruel, with a butcher ; the slanderer, with a sweeper ; the wrathful, with a chundalti. ' Such a man, though he surround himself during his meals with a fence,' lest he should be defiled, deceives himself, as he in fact eats with a basket-maker, a butcher, sweeper, or a chtindalu. Speaking truth is the best puri- fier of the body; good works, the best fence ; and repeating the name of God, the best ablution : excellence of character is confined to him who preserves himself from evil.' Euvee-dasii, a shoe-maker, but a celebrated devotee, says, in the 'roth page of this work, that the di^erence betwixt God and animal life is similar to that betwixt gold and golden ornaments, betwixt water and its waves. ' Whatever thou hast, wife, riches, yea, thy own body, give it to God.' Urjoowti, p. 74. ' Compassion is the true mosque ; righteousness, the ti'ue seat for worship ; bashfulness the true circumcision ; holiness, the true fasting; proper conduct, the true pilgrimage to Mecca; speaking truth, the true kulma, or gayntree ; excellent conduct, the true praise of God : these form the true Mtisiilman. Injustice com- mitted by a Mustilman, is eating swine's flesh, and in a Hindoo, eating beef : such a sinner can neither be saved by the peers, nor by the gods.' — Rantikii,, p. 87. Nannkti, in the 213th page, holds up compassion as the cotton, contentment as the threads, truth the weaving of the threads, and the subjection of the passions the knots, of the true poita, which never breaks nor becomes soiled. He who wears this poita, is blessed. Again : — ' If touching the dead make a person unclean, as all we eat is dead, men must always be unclean ; but as evil desire alone defiles the mind, so does falsehood, the tongue ; lust, the eyes ; and listening to defamation, the ears : he who is thus defiled, becomes the prey of Ynmix, the king of death. « An allusion to the practice of the Hindoos, who sometimes draw a ring round Ihem as they sit to cat. DOCTRINES OF NANUKU AND OTHER SHIKH LEADEES. 853 Whatsoever makes a man forget God, renders him unclean Birth and death are not the causes of uncleanness ; for these events proceed from God.' Nanukii further taught, that the person wl^o worships God with outward things only, is in an error ; that a pure body is tho true v^dti ; the mind, the true sacrificial garment ; wisdom, the true poita ; meditation oh God, the proper vessel for worship ; and the only true prayer, that in which the worshippers desire to bo incessantly employed in repeating the name of God. He who ob- serves these rules, will obtain absorption. Nanuku reproves men for presenting different essences to God, and anointing their bodies with them after worship ; recom- mending rather the name of God as the incense, and regarding the mind as the stone on which it is ground, and good works as another essence mixed with the former : he adds, that purifying the vessels of worship is useless, the purification of the mind being the only essential requisite. Urjoonti, in the 224th page, says, that the 330,000,000 of gods, including Brtimha, Vishnoo, and Shivti, are all subject to God. ' The devout are truly excellent, of whatever caste, or how- ever poor." NamjUJeS,. — 'The devout, however poor, never ask God for riches.' Ritvee-dasii. — Nantiku, in p. 409, makes the following quotaton from Kuveeru, a mendicant, who wi'ote several small pieces still extant : — ' He who merely studies the v^dii, repeats the gayutree, and wears the poita, is not the honorable person ; the devout alone are to be honored.' In page 501, IJrjoonu commends the example of the man who rejects all outward ceremonies, and worships God only in the mind. ' Many pi'onounce sin an evil, and yet love it ; hut the de- vout reject sin, and apply to the concerns of a future state. To obtain wealth, some worship Shivfi, others steal, and others endure the greatest burdens ; but not an atom of this we^Itih accompanies them into eternity : while those works of m^it, which would « To excite in the minds of his followers the love of devotion, Nanukn, viMle living, was accustomed to relate the following story :-- Jiinnka, the king, the father of Seeta, was very devout, and had merited heaven^ tint at the time of death he declared to Yiimn, that he was resolved to go to heaven >y the way of hell. Yumn informed him, that he had no sins to expiate by saffeptig, and that such a course was unusual. Jfintikii, however, insisted on seeing this place on his way to heaven : and his request was complied with. On his sijiival at the infernal regions, his presence evidently assuaged the torments of the x Wicked ; and the criminals entreated him to remain among them, at least duripg a short period. He begged to be excused, but entreated Yilmfi to oblige him by liberating these miserable wretches. Yfimn declared, that till their sins were expiiAed, no power could emancipate them. Jnnuku then transfer- red to them the merit of an hour's devotion, and a general, goal delivery was the immediate consequence. Such was the power and merit of devotion ! Naniikn, at the close of this story, used to add, that remembrance of Qod aud pious feelings were beyond all cereiuonies efficacious, 45 SS-t DOCTRINES OF THE FOLLOWERS OF OHOITUNYU. accompany and save them, are totally neglected. The Musulman judge sits on the seat of justice, and, repeating the name of God, and counting his beads, receives bribes, and sells justice ; the bramhun puts on his poita, when he eats surrounds himself with a ring to to keep off the unclean, and performs daily ablutions, but lives in, sin : — all the ceremonies practised by these persons are profitless.' Urjoonii says, p, 406, that God is not compelled to grant bless- ings by any works of merit — devotion alone has this power over God. Nanuku, in p. 543, defends those who eat flesh, proving that all eat flesh, even the child supported by his mother's milk, and that all men live more or less by injustice ; that even herbs ob- tained by unlawful gains are forbidden food. In the 609th page, lie gives an account of the punishments inflicted in diflerent hells by Yumu, the Indian Pluto, on those who have neglected a devout life. CHAP. V. ACCOUNT OF THE FOLLOWERS OF OHOITUNYU. In another part of this work we have given, amongst the gods, an account of Choitunyfi, and of the origin of the sect to which he gave rise. We shall therefore now merely notice the principles, numbers, and moral state of this sect. Choitunyu, though he rejected the institution of the caste, does not appear to have introduced any new doctrines among his fol- lowers. He adopted as the object of worship one of the Hindoo gods, Krishnu, under the form of Huree ; and gave his disciples an initiatory incantation containing this name. He declared, that most of the ceremonies of the Hindoos were unprofitable ; but iij- culcated repetitions of the name of Huree; bowing and presenting offerings to his image ; {« well as devotion of mind to this god, under the characters of servant, friend, &c. — He taught that there was no merit in pilgrimages to sacred places, but that journies in search of the devout and wise were not improper. His attachment to Hiiree, to the exclusion of the other gods, had no reference to the doctrine of the unity of God ; he admitted the Hindoo mytho- logy, but taught his disciples to devote themselves only to Huree. The other ceremonies of the Hindoos, he did not reject as errors ; but declared, that in the ktilee yoogS they were not necessary. He taught, that the devout worshipper of Huree would obtain heaven by his devotion. ACCOUNT OF THEIR LEADERS,' 355 Choitunytt did not leave any works behind him, though he was acquainted with the Siingskritu language ; the doctrines that have since been given in writing, as the tenets of the sect, are said to have been delivered orally by him ; and the writers belonging tb this sect have endeavoured to prove, that they are derived from the works venerated by the Hindoos. In the article to which we have already referred, (page 134,) the reader will find an account of Choittinyu's two coadjutors, Ud- woitu and Nityanundu. Both these survived Choittinyu, and helped to establish the sect, of which they acknowledged Choittinyfi to have been the founder. After the death of these leaders, Roopu-Goswamee, Sunatttntt- Goswamee, his brother, and Jeevti Goswamee, formed the doctrines of Choitunyti into a system. These men were all learned in the Hindoo shastrus ; the two former were men of some distinction. Their principal writings are the Huree-bhtiktee-vilasTi, a commen- tary on the Shree-bhaguvutu, another on the tenth chapter of the Shree-bhaguvutu, a Siingskritu grammar, a poem in honor of Krish- nti, a work on poetical allusions, a poetical life of Choitunyu, &c. During the lives of these writers, or soon after their decease, many persons of influence joined this sect, and increased the number of Choitunyu's followers veiy considerably ; but the persons most honored were the descendants of Udwoitu and Nityantindu : Choittinyu left no family. Some persons consider Choitunyu as a full incarnation of Vishnoo, Udwoitti as Shivu, and Nityanundti as Biilu-ramu, the brother of Krishnu. At present^ the great leaders of this sect are the heads of the families of Udwoitu and Nityantindu, who live at Shantee-poorti and KhurduhTx", though collateral branches of these families in different places have collected a number of disciples. They are known by the general name Gosaee, (Goswamee.) These leaders, however, though at the head of a sect which disregards caste, are as tenacious of these distinctions as the most ricid of the regular Hindoos : they do not eat with their own dis- ciples, and are careful to marry amongst families professing the ancient religion. The disciples of Choitunyu are initiated, as well as married, by the gosaees, to whom fees are given. These gosaees. honor the festivals sacred to Krishntt, or Huree, and crowds of disciples as- semble on these occasions to enjoy the festivities. A number of insignificant temples and images, dedicated to this deified mendicant, are scattered up aiid down in various places » This place is about three miles south-eaat of SeKimpore,. 356 THEIR PROGRKSSIVE INCREASE. in Bengal. It is supposed, that out of sixteen Hindoos in Bengal, five will be found to be of this sect ; but many, I am informed, are pei'sons of the very lowest description as it respects moral chai-acter, even as many as three in five. The majority of the followers of Choitunyu subsist either wholly or in part as public mendicants ; and amongst these, num- bers of thieves are to be found. It has lately been ascertained, that persons of this description are very numerous ; they assume the profession of a voiragee, or religious mendicant, and receive the reverence of the people as persons eminent for sanctity, but are in reality common robbers. They do not all appear to subsist b}' mendicity ; many of them make necklaces, twine, &c. merely that they may appear to their neighbours as persons subsisting by a lawfal profession. The sect of Choitiinyu is increasing daily ; as it opens a door to the practice of mendicity, encourages an indiscriminate and most licentious mixture of the sexes, and emancipates from the yoke of the caste, without incurring the disgrace usually following that event. The following works are very popular amongst this sect: — ■ Krishnu-keerttunu, by Govindu-dasu, and Vidyaputee. Choitunyu- miangulu, the history of Choitunyii, in verse, by Lochtinu, a voish- uuvii. Pashiindu-dulunu, a work in favour of the voishniivu, by Radha-madhtivu. Choitunyii-churitamritu, by Krishnu-dasii. This is a work in defence of Choitunyu, partly in Stingskritri and partly in Bengalee. Voishnuvu-burdhtinu, by Doivtikee-nundtinu. Choitiinyu-bhaguvutu, by Vrinda-viinti-dasu. Munti-shikshya, by Niarottumii. Eagfi-muyu-konu, a work on subduing the passions, by Roopu-goswamie. Rusumuyu-kulika, on devotedness to Krishnii, by Sunatunii, a voishnuvu. Premu-bhtiktee-chtindrika, ' by T'hakoor.ii-goswamee. CHAP. VI. ACCOUNT OF ALL THE HINDOO SECTS. Extracted from tlie Vidwfinmodu-Turunginee, a work by ChiriSnjeevu. This work begins with the following invocation to Doorga : ■ — ' May she who removes the darkness of the mind, who is reveal- ed from everlasting, who, though invisible, exists in the earth, who enlightens the ignorant, whose forehead is adorned with the crescent, the fixed rays of whose body resemble the lightning, whose body is like the clouds — descend into my mind.' ACCOUNT OF ALL HINDOO SECTS^ 357 [Then follows aii account of the author's family ; after which the author introduces the reader to the court of Dukshii, king of Gouru, where the priest of the king, and a number of learned men, are assembled in the presence of the monarch.] In the first place, the master of tbe ceremonies announces to the monarch the approach of a Voishniivti, in the following words : — ' May it please your Majesty, the person now approach- ing wears the mark of his sect, extending from the tip of his nose to the centre of his head ; has the representations of the weapons of Vishnoo impressed on his body ; is clothed in yellow garments, and wears a necklace of tooliisee beads ; he has purified his body by bathing, &c. and repeats the name Huree, Huree, as he comes.' The voishntivu now approaches the king, and says, ' May Vishnoo enter thy mind ; he on whom Shivti and all the gods, sitting as yogees, meditate; he who dwells in Voikoont'hii; he who fills the uni- verse, but remains invisible ; and whose body resembles that of Brtimha.' — Saying this, he takes his seat in the assembly. The master of the ceremonies, seeing a Shoivu approaching, mentions him to the king in these words : — ' The excellent person who is now coming, has his hair bound up as a turban round his head ; is girt round the wai.st with a tiger's skin ; is covered with ashes ; and his head, neck, and arms, are surrounded with roodrak- shii bead-rolls. The shoivii, entering the presence of the king, pro- nounces the following blessing : — ' May Shtinkiaru, who instructs the world ; whose praises are celebrated in the vedus, the tuntrus and the pooranus ; who is the object of meditation to the yogee ; who directs the gods in the work of creation ; who, though invisi- ble, for the preservation of the world becomes visible ; who medi- tates on his own qualities — may he preserve thee.' After which, he takes his place in the assembly. 4 The ptindit next announces a Shaktix, thus : — ' He who now approaches, comes like the full moon, with a jtiva flower in his hair, a garland of miillika flowers encircling his neck ; a crescent, the mark of his sect, on his forehead ; he comes meditating on Doorga.' The shaktii -then addresses the king : — ' May she, on whom Htiree, Huru, and Brumha depend in the work of preservation, destruction, and creation ; she who destroys the fear of future birth ; who saves the three worlds ; who destroys the enemies, and fulfils the desires, of her disciples — may this goddess preserve thee.' After this, he sits down. The same person next announces a Hui"ee-Hura-dwoitu-vadee : — ' He who now advances, is adorned with a tooliisee necklace, is covered with ashes, meditates on Huree-HiiiTi, and invites others, for the sake of their salvation, to become the disciples of this god;' He thus blesses the king : — ' May both Shunktii-ix and Vishnoo dwell in thy heai't, the half of whom is engaged in the devotions 358 ACCOUNT OF ALL HINDOO SECTS. of a yogee, and near^ the other half sits Lukshmee ; he who encircles himself with IJuuntu, (the king of serpents,) who I'ides on Gtiiooru — may he, entering thy mind, preserve thee.' Saying this, he sits down. A Noiyayikii and a Voishdshikn, coming hand in hand, are thus announced : — ' These come viewing this assembly with the utmost contempt, the goddess of learning dancing on their tongues.' They then salute the king: — 'May God preserve thee ; he who, taking the forms of Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shivtt, creates, preserves, and destroys the world ; he who influences all to good and evil ; he whose will, whose work, and whose wisdom, are irresistible ; he who exists as separate from animal life, and who is fulness itself.' The next person introduced is a Meemangsuku, who is thus described : — ' This man approaches with the marks of vows and of a sacrificer upon him, teaching his disciples the forms of religion.' He thus blesses the monarch: — 'May your Majesty always be engaged in religious services, which raised Indrii to his throne, Sooryti to be monarch over the hosts of heaven ; and the merit of which indeed, descending to thee from a former birth, has now raised thee to a kingly throne.' Having pronounced this blessing, he sits down. The master of the ceremonies next introduces a Vedantee thus : — ' This person comes as one who has renounced all pleasure ; his apparel is painted with earth from the mountains, and in his hand he holds a diindee's staff ; having ascended the vessel which is to carry him across the ocean of this world, he approaches as though he were coming to preserve from destruction this whole assembly.' Addressing the king, the Vedantee says, ' May the glorious Being, who is wisdom and joy, who is omnipresent, the only one, the everlasting, who is free from passion, in whom the univei'se exists as the shadow of the sun in the water," may he give thee tlie knowledge, that thou art the same with him. Hav- ing said this, he sits down. The next persons announced, are a follower of the Sankhyvi, and another of the Pattinjiilu school. They are thus described : — ' These come with bodies bulky towards the head, and lean at the extremities ;>' professing similar sentiments, and meditating on realities.' Being introduced, he of the Sankhyu sect thus addresses the monarch : — ' May nature, (unaffected by spirits as the water- lily by the water,) by whom, beginning with greatness, the universe was made, prosper thee.' The Pattinjulu thus blesses the ^ That is, visible objects are false images of Him wbo alone is truth, and through the want of the knowledge of whom, men act as though they had a distinct existence. 1 Caused by hanging with the head downwards, as an act of religious austerity. ACCOUNT OF ALL HINDOO SECTS. 359 king: — 'May the king pursue pleasure communicated by the vein through which the soul of the yogeOj ascending to the basilar suture, from thence escapes from the body, and obtains final deliverance.' He then sits down. A Pouranikii next approaches, and is thus described : — ' Here comes a person full of words, with a mind fixed on God, instruct- ing others in religious duty.' He thus addresses the king.: — 'May Naraytinu preserve thee ; he who in the form of a fish brought up the vddus ; who in that of a boar, saved the earth ; in that of a tortoise, supports the universe ; in that of a liouj destroyed a giartt ; in that of a dwarf, carried Vamiinu down to Patalu ; in that of PilriXshoo-Ramu, destroyed the kshtitriyus ; in the form of Ramii, destroyed Ravnnti ; in that ofBtilu-Eamu, called Rohinee mother ; in that of Booddhii, declared the slaughter of animals in sacrifice to be unlawful ; and who, in that of Kulkee, at the end of the iron age, will destroy the wicked, and restore the golden age.' He then takes his place in the assembly. A Jyotishu next approaches the assembly, and is thus an- nounced : — ' Here comes a person acquainted with the fates of men, who can declare things past, present, and to come ; and who meditates on the nine planets.' Addressing the king, he says, ' May Sooryfi make thee glorious like himself ; may Chiindru make thee a dispenser of joy like himself; may Mtingulu bestow a blessing on thee ; may Booddhti give thee wisdom ; may Vrihus- putee endow thee with learning; may Sookru give thee the knowledge of verse; may Shtinee destroy thy incapacity; may Rahoo remove the wickedness of thy heart ; may Kdtoo erect for thee the standai'd of victory.' He then takes his seat. Next a professor of the Ayoor-v^du draws near, who is thus described : — ' Behold a voidyu ; who by his medical knowledge removes the miseries of mankind ; who gives joy to a patient, as the full moon to the spectators : he comes as the afilicter of afiliction.' He thus blesses the king : — ' May the king possess faith in the virtues of medicine, which renders the person emaciated by disease beautiful as a heavenly courtezan.' He sits down. The next person introduced is a grammarian, who is mentioned as repeating the Ktilapu, (a grammar ;) and is jinnounced as the very image of Muha-d^vu, an incarnation of TJnuntu. He thus blesses the king : — ' May thy glory, king be published through, the world; be thou the helper of all'; sitting on a firm seat, practise religion ; compose differences.' He then retires to the circle, and sits amongst the learned men. An TJlunkai-u professor now appears, and is thus introduced : — ' Here comes a man forming prose and verse with great ingenuity, causing his words to dance as he walks.' He thus blesses the 360 ACCOUNT OF ALL HINDOO SECTS. king ; — ' Mayest thou spend thy days in the joy arising from pleasant conversation ; conversation embracing anjorous, heroic, tender, ludicrous, disgusting, wonderful, terrific, and wrathful subjects.' He also takes his place. An atheist approaches next, and is thus announced : — ' Afraid of destroying life, here comes one who sweeps the ground on which he treads ; and who has plucked off the hair from his head.' He thus blesses the king : — ' Mayest thou never be drawn aside by the words of deceivers, who worship the gods, and excite to religious ceremonies by the hopes of future rewards ; who promise heaven to the sacrificers of animals ; who talk of objects invisible.'^ Hearing these words of the atheist, all the assembly rise up, saying, ' Oh ! thou wicked one ! — Who art thou ? — Whence comest thou f The unbeliever replies : — ' I am the sinner ; ye are the holy, ye who fruitlessly destroy the lives of sentient beings !' The Meeraangsukn replies : — ' The animals which I destroy in sacrifice' obtain heaven ; the gods are pleased with sacrifices ; the sacrificer likewise obtains his desire : that destruction of life there- fore which is commanded by the shastriis, is not criminal.' Unbeliever. Shocking ! What words are these ! Where is heaven ? Where are the gods ? Where are your pleasures and sor- rows after death ? M. Dost thou vilify the doctrines of the vddus and pooranus ? Unbeliever. Shall we believe the words of the deceitful v^dus and pooranus, which tell us of things which uo eye has ever seen ? M. If there be neither works of merit nor demerit, how is the existence of happiness and misery to be accounted for ? Unbeliever. Where are thy works ? Who has seen them, or imitated them * And if thou sayest, ' My sorrow or joy is the fruit of actions done in former births,' I affirm, that such births never existed ; and that as it respects joy and sorrow, they depart and return like the streams of a river. It is true, however, that the world is deceitful. V^dantikU. Oh ! thou atheist, in affirming that the world is deceitful, thou hast pronounced justly ; but then thou oughtest to acknowledge that there is one everliving and true God: for if there be no truth, there can be no falsehood wearing the appear- ance of truth. Unbeliever. Well, thy opinions resemble mine : but who is that Brtimhu of whom thou speakest ? ACCOtTNT OF ALL THE HINDOO SECTS, 861 V. He remains in a state of inactivity ; is invisible ; desti- tute of qualities ; omnipresent ; glorious ; the ever-blessed ; indes- cribable, and unsearchable. Unbeliever. If, as thou confessest, the world, is false, what necessity for Brtimhu, a God invisible and inactive ? Where is the utility of such a being ? The v^dantee, hearing this, remained silent. Perceiving the vddantee's silence, the whole assembly directed its attention to the Noiyayikti pundit, who, filled with pride, thus began : — ' What sayest thou ? Why dost thou attack others, when thou hast no system of thine own ? People laugh at the man who, without per- ceiving his own error, charges with error the opinions of otl\ers : he is like the blind man who reproves another on account of the speck in his eyes.' Unbeliever. This man appears to be ingenious at objections: however, hear me. The Madyumiku philosopher says, that at the dissolution of the universe only vacuum remains ; the Yogacharti contends, that two ideas cannot exist at once in the mind, the first being destroyed by the second ; the Soutrantiku says, that ideas are the images of things ; the Voivashikti, that aU material things are frail ; the Digumviirus affirm, that the soul is commen- surate with the body ; the Charvvaktis, that man is composed only of body. I have described the opinions of these six sects, which are all thus summed up : — ^there is no heaven, no transmigration, no hell, no works of merit or demerit, no governor of the world, no creator, no preserver, no destroyer ; no legitimate evidence of the truth of things but that of the senses ; after death, there is neither joy nor sorrow. All these errors [of the popular belief] arise out of the ignoronce of men. Forbearing to destroy animal life is the most excellent of virtues. Sin and pain are synonymous ; mooktee, or deliverance, is nothing more than being independant of others; heaven consists in bodily comforts in this life; a religious teacher is therefore unnecessary. The if oii/ctj/'iM (laughing) replies, -If no evidence but that of the senses is ,to be regarded, why, when you are from home, does not your wife deem herself a .widow ? Unbeliever. We know that we shall never see the dead again ; for we see the lifeless body,: but we have hope of seeing a person return from a foreign country. , N. Be it so, but the fact is placed in a state of uncertainty, and why do you not pronounce upon his death ? Unbeliever. I can be assured of his existence by a written communication from him, 46 3G2 ACCdUNT OF ALL TEE HINDOO SECTS. JV. Well, then the evidence arising from sound is admittecl : and indeed if the evidence of words be net regarded, all human intercourse is at an end, and men must preserve perpetual silence. But though thou rejectest the evidence of speech, thou art pleased with excellent words, and displeased with evil speech. The unbeliever was put to silence for a short time by these observations ; at length he said. Well, I admit, for argument's sake, that we must receive the evidence arising from inference and from sound : — but why must we admit the existence of a God ! iV. From the works of creation we are constrained to infer that God exists. If you say there is no God, from whence arose creation ? Unbeliever. Why art thou concerned about finding a creator for the world 1 Does not a father beget a son, and an artificer, ac- cording to his ability, produce every kind of utensil? iV". True, we see every thing produced by human ingenuity ; but how do the trees grow in a forest, where no human footsteps can be traced ? Unbeliever. The trees of the forest spring from themselves as insects and worms from a hot-bed. JSf. Then the child may be bom without a father. Unbeliever. Some animals are born by the union of the sexes, as men, beasts, birds, &c. Other things are produced by the union of seeds with water or with the earth, as trees, &c. Seeds fall from the trees, and, mixing with the earth, receive rain from the clouds, and vegetate. Thus nature, in various ways, gives existence to her difierent productions. If. True, I see you ascribe to nature the origin of things ; but as there is a necessity for the trees of a garden to receive water by the hands of the gardener, so the trees of a forest, I see, are dependent on the agency of the clouds. But I wish to know what you mean by nature ; is it something inherent in living substances, or distinct from them ? If you say it is inherent, then it will appear that substances can form themselves ; if you afiirm, that it is distinct you contradict your own principles, for you maintain that nothing exists distinct from matter; or if you say, that there is something beside matter, which is capable of all things, then know, that this is what we call God. Therefore you cannot maintain that there is any thing distinct from the body. Unbeliever. You affirm then, that there is one God, who is from and to everlasting, separate from matter. Almighty, the creator of all. I affirm, that nature is Almighty, infinite, and separate from matter. ACCOUNT OF AI.L THE HINDOO SECTS. "^ SG8 The MiyayikU. Excellent ! Excellent ! You make an endless number of works, and the creators numberless. I affirm, that numberless works have one creator. I leave you (unbeliever) to judge which is the most excellent of these opinions. To express your opinion requires as many letters as to express mine ; you call the creator nature, and I call him God : — what do you gain then in rejecting a God ? Unbeliever, (a little abashed.) Well, for the sake of the argu- ment, I acknowledge that there is a God ; but why is he to be eternal ; The N'oiyayikU. If he be not eternal, then he must have a creator and a destroyer. If you deny his eternity, then I ask, who is his creator and destroyer ? — and thus, without end, some being, who is from everlasting, must be sought ; or you must fix. on some one having this pi'operty, and then he shall become God. [Hearing this, the unbeliever remained silent, and the Noiyayikti continued :] God, laying hold of religion and irreligion,' created the world ; seeing happiness and misery in the world, we form this opinion. If there be neither heaven nor hell, why do you go to the temples to worship ; and why sweep the road, lest you should injure living creatures ? If there be nothing to, be desired or feared, there can be neither desire nor fear : yet we see, that desire and fear have great power over men ; therefore we conclude, that in the future state there is a heaven and a hell. You must ' also admit, that the soul at death assumes another body, in order to partake of the joys or sorrows of this future state, since the animal soul without a body is incapable of suffering ; for the same reason it must also be admitted, that the soul migrates through various bodies. Further, what is thus made evident by inference, is agreeable to the divine writings, and to all that has been written by those whose opinions agree with the v^dus : the truth of the shastrtis is confirmed by the correctness of their astronomical calculations. [The Bouddhu, involved in incoiTCct judgment, and ignorance of God, was overcome, and] the Noiyayiku thus triumph-^ ed: 'The existence of God is proved! He is lord of all; — he presides over the work of creation, preservation, and destruction ; he is everlasting ; — he is all wise ; — he is the author of salvation, — Through his compassion, these proofs of his existence and authority have been established.' CONCLUDING REMARKS. The author cannot close this work, without soliciting the attention of the reader to one or two remarks :— ' That is, aUachitig to human eusteuce vice and pain, virtue and happinesi. 361 OBJECT OF WOESHIP THE SAME THROUGHOUT It will appear, on a perusal of this volume, that the object of ■worship among all the Hindoos, and even among all the seceders from the orthodox opinions, is the same. They believe, that there is one God : so completely abstracted in his own essence however, that, in this state, he is emphatically ' the Unknown,' and is consequently neither the object of worship, of hope, nor of fear; — that he is even destitute of intelligence, and remains in a state of profound repose ; — that at times this Being assumes what is called his energy" ; — that when united to energy, he is possessed of qualities, and creates worlds ; which qualities are impressed, more or less, on every form of existence. Next God becomes individuated, and takes possession of every form of matter : it is the same God, as Krishuii says, ' which is seen in the reverend bramhun perfected in knowledge, in the dog, and in him who eateth of the flesh of dogs.' Amongst the regular Hindoos, the beings supposed to possess most of this energy, or in whom the presiding deity eminently dwells, are the gods, the giants, the b'ramhuns, and devout ascetics : amongst the heterodox sects, ascetics are almost exclusively considered a« the favoured deposi- taries of the divine energy. In the preface to this volume, the author has mentioned these notions as being entertained by the regular Hindoos ; and he re- states them now merely to shew, that this ' indwelling scheme' is the prominent feature of all the systems of paganism throughout the east. It will be seen, from the four last chapters of this volume, that the founder of the joinu sect, as well as Bouddhii, Nanuku, and Ohoitunyii, owe their whole success to this notion ; they would never have been venerated while living, nor deified when dead, if they had not been considered as possessing a large share of the divine energy. A people whose minds are filled with the idea, that it is God who pervades every thing, and who now manifests a greater portion of himself in one form, and then in another, have easily been imposed upon by pretended saints, especially by those who made a great display of austere devotion. So incessantly is this idea present with the Hindoos, that many wander away a whole life in search of a man in whom God pre-eminently dwells ; and though supernatural powers are most sought after, yet abstrac- tion of mind, inofl^ensiveness, and a few other passive virtues, are with some as highly esteemed as powers to perform the most wonderful miraeles. Thus, — it is God who is souglit for amongst the creatures, as persons search out and cautiously approach an ob- ject in the dark ; while the astonished and half-affiighted spectator exclaims, as he gazes on the imagined deity, 'There ! behold he is there !' and prostrates himself before him. Even in the most re- « This energy, it is said, exists separate from BrifmhS, in his abstract slate ;i» emothered emhers ; and is, like liimstlf, eternal. ' " INDIA, TARTAEY, CHINA, JAPAN &C. 3C5 markable appearances in nature, the indwelling deity is recognized, without searching at all for any natural causes of the phenomenon. In the 7th volume of the Asiatic Researches, p. '381, Captain JVloor has given an extraordinary account of an hereditary living deity ; to which the author begs leave to refer, as affording a strik- ing illustration of the fact he here wishes to establish. Amongst the mendicant orders, deities claiming similar powers, though somewhat inferior to the Chinchoor Deo, described by Captain Moor, are frequently to be seen, each strutting his hour upon the stage, and then sinking into everlasting obliviofl like common mortals. The Grand Lama is another hereditary living deity, before wliom millions prostrate therhselves. When Captain Turner was on his embassy to this deity, to gratify his votaiies he made an olfering, he says, to the deceased Teshoo Lama ; and in addressing the same deity, who had entered the body of an infant eighteen months old, he said to the child — ' The Governor-General, on re- ceiving the news of his [your] decease in China, was overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, and continued to lament his [your] absence from the world, until the cloud that had overcast the ha^jpiness of this nation was dispelled hy his [your] re-appearance.' Captain Turner, speaking of the religion of Tibet, says, ' It seems to be the scliismatical offspring of the religion of the Hindoos, deriving its origin from one of the followers of that faith, a disciple of Bouddhti, who first broached the doctrine which how prevails over the wide extent of Tartary. It is reported to have i-eceived its earliest admission in that part of Tibet bordering upon India, (which from hence became the seat of tlie sovereign Lamas ;)to have traversed over Mantchieux Tartary, and to have been ulti- mately disseminated over China and Japan. Though it differs from the Hindoo in many of its outward forms, yet it still bears a very close affinity with the religion of Brumha, in many important particidars. The principal idol in the temples of Tibet is Mtiha-Moonee,'' the Booddhu of Bengal ; who is worshipped tinder these and various other epithets throughout the great extent of Tartary, and among all nations to the eastward of the Brilmhu- pootra. Ip the wide-extended space over which this faith prevails, the same object of veneration is acknowledged under numerous titles : among others, he is styled Godtimti or Goutumii, in Assam and Ava ; ShumiinU; in Siam ; Amida Buth, in Japan ; Fohi, in China ; Booddhu aiid Shakhfi-Moonee,in Bengal and Hindoosfhaifiii ; a.id DhCirmu-Bajii and Muha-Moonee, in Bootan and Tibet.' Ksempfer, in his history of Japan, declares that Bouddhism began generally to spread throughout that countrj' in the year of I" The great philosopher. 366 OBJECT OF WORSHIP THE SAME THROUGHOUT Christ 518 : — and that Booddhii and Fo are the same person, is at present, I presume, no longer the subject of doubt. Although the notions of the followers of Zoroaster may be in- volved in much ob&curity, it is certain, that the worship of fire has been preserved among this people age after age ; nor can it be doubted, but that this worship has an immediate reference to the Hindoo ideas of the divine and prolific energy giving existence to the universe. Enfield, in his History of Philosophy, vol. i. p. 43. says, ' Though our information concerning the history of philosophy among the Persians, in the ages pi'ior to the time of Zoroaster, is very imperfect, it is certain, from the united testimony of the Greeks and Arabians, that long before that time the Magi existed as a body, and were the ofiicial guardians of religion and learning. The religion which they taught, consisted in the worship of the sun or fire, a practice which prevailed among the Assyrians, Chaldeans, and among other eastern nations. The name under which the Persians worshipped the sun, or rather the invisible deity, whom they supposed to be, in a peculiar manner, resident in this luminary, was Mithras.' Herodotus and Strabo ' relate, that the Persians sacrificed horses to the sun.'° ' Whilst the multitude were con- tented with a sensible object of devotion, the Magi, and those whom they instructed in the mysteries of religion, considered the sun and fire merely as visible symbols of the animating principle of the uni- verse.' ' Besides Mithi-as, [the sun,] the Persians worshipped, under opposite characters, Oromasdes and Arimanius ; the former as the author of all good, the latter as the author of all evil.' This wa.s changed ' into the worship of two spiritual beings, the one the author of good, the other of evil.^ The system which supposes two such principles in nature, seems to have been held by the Persian Magi before the time of Zoroaster ; but how far they supposed them dependent upon the Supreme Divinity, does not appear.' Plutarch, on the authority of Theopompus, says, 'It is the opinion of the Magi, that at last the evil principle shall perish, and men shall live in hap^ piness ; the God who directs these things taking his repose for a time, which, though it may seem long to man, is but short.'' ' Sharistan, an Arabian writer, gives the following account of the doctrine of Zerdusht or Zoroaster : — ' Zerdusht affirmed light and darkness, " It is highly probable, that the Hiadoo SshwHmddhu, or sacrifice of the horse, was adopted from the Persians, and incorporated, in early times, into the brani- fainical system. One great source of the confusion in which we find every system of mythology involved is, doubtless this borrowing system. * Is not this a mistaken representation of the JoiuiS doctrine, that religion and irreligion govern the world ; or that the evil necessarily connected with the residence of spirit in matter, tends to misery and dissolution, while virtue, or the victory of spirit over matter, produces pleasure and prosperity ? The .loinfis say, that the pre- valence of vice reduces the vigour of all created substances, and finally dissolves the universe, while virtue has an effect directly the reverse. " Here is a remarkable agreement with the Hindoo doctrine of the day and night of Brtlmha, or the periodical destruction and creation of the universe. INDIA, TARTAEY, CHINA, JAPAN &C. 367 Zezdan and Ahreman, to be two contrary principles, which were the origin of every thing subsisting in the world ; the forms of nature being produced from the combination of these principles : but maintained, that the existence of darkness is not to be referred to the one supreme Deity, who is without companion or equal ; but must be considered as the unavoidable consequence of his determination to create the world, in which light can no more subsist without darkness, than a visible body can exist without its shadow.^ Thus the same notions of the great First Cause and the origin of things appear to prevail, in some modification or other, all over India, Tartary, China, Japan, the Burman empire, Siam, and the Indian Isles. The divine energy, dwelling in the gods, or in living ascetics, is adored over all these immense regions ; — ■ and in union with this notion, all these people embrace the doctrine of transmigration, and the efficacy of religious austerities to restore these emanations of the deity, dwelling in matter, to the Great Spirit fi-om which they issued. The author is aware, that these facts open a wide field for investigation, and for most interesting reflection ; but having already exceeded the limits he had prescribed to himself, he now closes this work, after reminding the reader, and thereby entreating the exercise of his candour, that it has been composed amidst avocations which left to it only the remnants of his time. ' This surely resembles the Hindoo uotion, of God's encompassing himself witb delusion in the creation of the world. GLOSSARY. A. Acharyu, from a, prep, and chura, to go. Achumunii, from a, prep, and chum, to drink. Adee-Grunt'hu, from adee, first, and grunt'hti, a bpok. Adityti, a name of the sun, who is called the son of TJditee. Adni'u-Singhastinti-vrutu, from adriixi, honour, Singhasunu, a throne, and vrutii, a vow. Aeen-Ukburee, from aeen, a law, and Ukburu, the name of a well-known emperor. Agumu-Vageeshu from agumfi, the name of one of the Tuntrus, vak, a word, and eeshu, lord ; the god of speech, a name of Vrihusputee. Altiyu, a dwelling, from a, jjrep. and lee, to dissolve. Angirfisii, the son of 'Ungirtis. Anhiku, from tihtin, a day, the ceremonies or food of the day. Anundu-Nat'hti, the lord of joy, from anundti, joy, and. nat'hti, a lord. Anundu-Miiyee, from aniindu, joy. Ariinyu-Shusht'hee, from urtinyu, a forest, and Shiisht'-hee, the name of a goddess. ^ Asharhti ; this month is named from the stellar mansion "Usbarha. Ashrumii, from a, prep, and shrumu, labour. Ashwinu ; this month is named from the stellar mansion. Ushwinee, the name of a mare. Ashoogti from ashoo, speed, and gum, to go. Asunu, from as, to sit. Atma, from a, augmentative, and ut, to move continually. Atmu-Ddvuta, from atmti, self, and d^vuta, a god, a guardian deity. Atmu-Bboo, from atmti, self, and bhoo, existence. Ayooshtomti, from ayoos, life-time, and stomu, a sacrifice. Ayfinu-Goshu, the husband of Radha, the favourite mistress of Krishnoo. B. Bady'ukaiTx, from badyn, music, and kree to do. Balu-Gopalu, from balu, a child, go, a cow, and \)A\i, a feedet. Bamttnu, small. Bancha-Ramti, from bancha, desire, and Kamu. Bhaee-Gooroo-Vulee, from bhaee, a hrotter, and gooifot*, a teacher. Bhagfivtitu, from Bhfiguvut, divine. BharguvU; the son of Bhrigoo. 47 S70 GLOSSARY. Bharutu-Vurshu, from Bhurutu, and rSrslifi, a placef^ Bhasha, a dialect, from bhash, to speak. Bhashyu, from Bhasha, a tongue. Bhasktiru, from bhas, light, and kree, to do. Bheemu Chtindee, from bheemu, terrific, and chundee, furious. Bhfigtivutee, from bhogu, to endure or enjoy. Bhoiruvu, the fear-exciting, from bhuyu, fear. Bhoiruvee, the wife of Bhoiruvu. Bhoirftveechuki-fi ; Bhoiruvee is a name of Doorga, and chfikru signifies a circle. Bhoo-Koilasu, from bhoo, the earth, and Koilasu, the name of a mountain. Bhoo-Loku, from bh65, the earth, and loku, a world. Bhoot^shu, from bhootu, great, and eeshu, a lord. Bhootfi, the primary elements, from bhoo, to be. Bhootti-Shooddhee ; bhootu signifies the four elements, and shood- dhee, purification. Bhoovtin^shu, from bhoovunu, the world, and eeshu, lord. Bhoovu-lokii, from bhoovu, the sky, and lokfi, a world. Bhudrfi-Kalee, from bhfidnS, goodness, and Kalee, a goddess. Bhtiguviitee, the wife of Bhugtivan. Bhuguvtit-Geeta, from Bhtiguvut, divine, and geeta, a hymn. Bhfiktee-Biisamritu-Sindhoo, from bhuktee, devotion, rtisu, juice, Cmritix, the water of life, and sindhoo, the sea. BhTlvaniindu, from bhilvu, the world, and anundii, joy. Bhuvanee, from Bhuvu, a name of Shivu. Bhuvishyu, from bhoo, to be. Boodhashtumee, from Boodhti, Mercuryj and ^shtumee, the eighth lunar day. Boodboodn, a bubble. Boodhu, the sage of this name. Booddhu-Sutwu, from booddhee, the understanding, and sfitwu, the quality leading to truth. Bouddhu, from Booddhti : he who acknowledges as God only bixd- dhee, or the understanding. Boudhti-saria, the essence of the Booddu philosophy. Bramhee, from Brfimha. Bramhtinee, the wife of a bramh'un. Bramhiinu, he who knows BrumhB, from Brupahu. Briimha, from vrih, to increase. Brtimhastrfi, from Briimha, and ■fistrn, a weapon. Briimhotturfi, from brumhun, and ooturti, belonging to. Brumhu, from vrih, to increase. Brumhficharee, from Brumhti, and chfir, to move. Brumhucharyti, the profession of a Brumhticharee. Brumhu-DutthiJ, from Brumh'S, and duttti, given. ; i Brtimhu-Pootrtt ; pootrti means a son. Brfimhti-Gnanee, from Brumhti, and gnanee, the wise. Brumhtirshee, from BrSmhu, and risheCj a sage, GLOSSARY. 871 Br&mhu-Voivurttii, from Brumhu, and voivurtu, manifestation. Bujree, from bujrti, a weapon, a thunderbolt., Bnlaratee, from btilu, strength, and uratee, an enemy, Biilee, from btilu, strength. Bulu-Ramu, from bulii, strength, and Eamu. Burgfi-bheema, from burgl, a company, and bheema, the tenific. Bustrii-Hurunu, from vustrti, clothes, and hiirunn, to steal. c Calcutta, from Kalika, (Kalee) and ut, to move. Chamunda, from charoo, gp|od, and mtindu, a head. Chamuru, a fan made of the hair of the cow of Tartary. Chandalti, a low caste of shoodrus, from chundti, furious, and nlu, to go. Chandti, from chundru, the moon. ChapurS-Shusht'hee, from chapura, to press, and Shusht'hee, the name of a goddess. Charvvaku, from charoo, insinuating, and vak, a word. Charunii, from chur, to go. Chasakoivurtu ; chasa signifies a cultivator of the ground, and koivurtti, a fisherman. Chaya, a shadow, from cha, a covering, or disappearance. Chinnu-MtLstuka, from chinnu, cut off, and mustukti, a head. Chirun-Jeevu, from chirn, a long period, and jeevu, life. '' Chitrfi-Gooptu, from chitrti, to write, and gooptu, hidden. Chitrukootu, from chitru, speckled, and kootu, the peak of a hill or mountain. Choitini, the name of a month ; from Chitra, a lunar mansion. Choitunyti, from chdtunti, the living. Choora-Ktirtinti, from choora, the bunch ofhaironthe crown of the head, and kree, to do. Chorti-Punchashika, from chorii, to steal, and punchashu, fifty. Chtilu, to go, from chul, to go. Chukrii, a round weapon, from chtik, to return a blow, to rebound. Chundep, from chundu, furious. Chundika, from chundu, furious. Chtindee-Mundupii, from chundee, the goddess, Chundee and mtindupu, a house. Chfindogra, from chtindu, furious, and oogru, wrathful. Chfindi-jka, the rays of the moon, Chundrti, from chtid, to shine. Chnndru-Shekhtiru, from chtindrii, the moon, and shdkhfiru, a mountain peak. Chundru-Rayu, from chundrn, the moon, and raya, a title. Chundru-Prfibhoo ; the last word signifies lord, Chundu, furious, from chud, to rage. Chtindu-Nayika, from.chuadu, furious, and nayika, a female attend- ant on Doorga, GLOSSARY. Churmtikaru, from cliurmun, skin, and kree, to do. Churtiku, from chur, to go. Chixrunu, that on which a person goes, from chur, to go. Chufcoor-Antinu, from chtitoor, four, and anunu, a face. Danti, from da, to give. Danti-Khtindti, from danu, a gift, and khiindii, a piece. Danuvfi, the sons of Dunoo. Darinee, from dree, to tear or crack. Dasti, a slave. Data, a giver, from da, to give. Dajrxi-Bhagu, from dayu, an inheritance, and bhagti, share. Dayii-Tuttwu ; tiittwn means exactitude, or truth. B^hu, from dih, to collect or increase. D^valuyu, from d^vti, a god, and aluyu, a house. D^vee, the feminine of d^vti, a god. D^votttiru, from d^vu, and ooturu, belonging to. Ddvu, from div, to play. Ddvu-Duttn, from D^vu, a god, and duttu, given. D^vu-Sentt, from devti, a god, and s^na, a soldier. Ddvtijanee, from devti, a god, and jaya, a wife. Devtirshee, from ddvti, a god, and rishee, a sage. Ddvtikee, the daughter of D^vukti. Deepika, a light. Dhanyti-Eoopa, from dhanti, rice, and roopu, form. Dharuku, from dhree, to hold. Dhariina, from dhree, to hold. Dhoomaviitee from dhoomru, smoke. Dhoomrolochunu, fi-om dhoomrti, smoke, and lochunn, the eye. Dhova, from dbav, to cleanse. Dhritee, from dhree, to sustain. Dhiinunjuyu, from dhunii, riches, and jee, to conquer. Dhurmu-sitoo from dhurmfi, religion, and setoo, a bridge, or dam. Dhurmti-T'hakooru, from dhnrmti, religion, and t^hakoorti, a lord. Dhurmu-Kajti, from dhtirmii, and rajun, king, Dhurmu-Bhanoo, from dhtirmii, religion, and bhanoo, splendour. Dhyanti, from dhyoi, to think. Digumbtirti, from dish, a point of the compass, and timburu, cloth. Dig-Vijuyti, from dish, the quai-ters of the earth, and vijuyii conquest. Ditee, the wife of Dukshfi. Divakfiru, from diva, day, and kurfi, from kree, to do, Divus-putee, from dib, heaven, and plitee, lord. Doityti, the sons of Ditee. Doityaree, from doityii, a giant, and ftree, an enemy. Doifcyu-Gooroo, from doityti, a giant, andgooroo, a teacher. GLOSSARY. 373 Doivugntt, from doivu, fate, and gna, to know. Doln, from dool, to swing. Doolalu, from doorlubhti, obtained with pain. Doorga, difficult of a;ccess, from door, 'prep. and gftm, to go. Dooryodhunti, from door, ^'I'ep- and yodMnti, war. Doshtt, from doosliti, evil. Dootee-Sumbodhu, from dootee, a female messenger, and stimbodhij, a call. Droohinu, from drooh, to injure. Dronacharyti, from dronti, a measure of capacity, and acharyu, a teacher. Drtivyfi-Goonti, from drfivyu, a thing, and goonti, a quality. Druvyti, a thing. Dtikshu, clever, from diiksh, to act quickly. Diikshinacharee, from dukshinu, the right (hand), and acharin, acting. Dundavut.from dundu, a walking-stick ; to fall in a straight pos- ture like a stick, at the foot of a bramhtin. Dundu-Dhuru, from dtindu, a staff, and dhree, to hold, Dundee, from dtindu, a staff. Dtlndu-Shooku, from diingshu, to bite. Durpunti, from drip, to shine. Durshttnu, from drish, to see. Dtishu-Bhooju, from dtishun, ten, and bhooju, an arm. Dtishu-Koomaru, from dtishun, ten, and koomarti, a son. Dtishti-Dik-Palu : palti signifies the cherishing of a person. Dtishuma-Padshahee-grtiat'hu, from dtishumu, the tenth badshah, and grtint'hti, a book. Dushtihura, from dtishun, ten, and hree, to take away. Dtishti-Rtit'hu, from dushtin, ten, and rut'hti, a chariot. Dtittatr^yu, fi-om Dtittu, a gift, and atr^yti, from TJtree, a sage. Dwadushatmu, from dwadushti, twelve, and atmiin, form. Dwaptirti, from dwa, the second, and ptirti, after. i)weepu, an island, from dwee, two, and ap, water. Dwiju-rajti, from dwiju, twice-born, and rajti. Dwoimatoorti, from dwee, two, and matree, a mother. Dyoomunee, ftom div, the sky, and mtinee, a precious stone. E. Eeshwti, the glorious, from eesh, to be grand. l^kamrii-Kaniintij from ^ku, one, amru, a mango tree, and kantinti a forest. Ekti-Dtintti, from ^fi, one, and duntu, a tooth. Eeshti, the glorious. Eeshwfirti,' the same. Eeshwtiree, the feminine of eeshwtirti. S74< GLOSSARY. Ganti, a song, from goi, to sing. Ganiiputyu, from gunn, a company, and putee, a lord. Gaytitree, from goi, to sing. Geesh-Pufcee, from gir, a word, and ptitee, a lord. Geeta, from goi, to sing. Geetti, from goi, to sing. Ghatii, a flight of steps, from gliiitt, to move. Ghee, from gritu, clarified butter. Ghoshix, from goosh, to sound. Gritachee, a heavenly courtezan, from ghrita, clarified butter, and ■finch, to worship. Gireeshti, from giree, a mountain, and eeshti, a lord. Glou, from gioi, to be sad, or to fade. Gnanee, from gna, wisdom. Gnanii, from gna, to know. Gnanu-Rtitnavulee, from gnanu, wisdom, rtitna, a precious stone, and av&lee, a train. Goohu, a secret place, from! gooh, to hide or cover Goohyu, from goohyu, requiring to be concealed. Go-m^dhu, from go, a cow, and m^dhti, flesh. Goonti, a quality, from goonu, to advise. Goonu-Sindhooj from goonu, qualities, and sindhoo, the sea. Gooroo-Prfisadu, from gooroo, a teacher, and prusadu, a favour, grace. Gopalu, from go, a cow, and palu, a nourishing. Gopee-Nat'hti, from goopee, the wife of a milkman, and nat'hn, a lord. Gooptavu-Dhootu, from gooptu, concealed, and 'uvudhootu, to re- nounce. Gooptee-Para, from gooptu, hidden, and para, a division, of a town. Gooroo, a teacher, from gree to make known. Gooroo-Mookhee, from gooroo, a teacher, and mookhee, belonging to the mouth. Gooroomutu, from gooroo, a teach ei*. Gorukshu, from go, a cow, and rtiksh, to save. Gosht'hu-Yatra, from gosht'hii, a cow-pen, and yatra, to go. Goswamee, from go, a cow, and swamin, a master. Gotrtibhid, from gotru, a mountain, and bhid, to divide. Gouree, white, or light yellow ; from gouru. Govindu, from go, a cow, and vid, to share out. Grihust'hu, from grihu, a house, and st'ha, to remain, Grihust'hu-Dhurmu, from ghrihust'hu, situated in a house, and dhurmu, religion. Gruhii-Putee, from gruhii, a planet, and putee, a lord. Grunt'hee, from grunt'htt, a book, Guju-Duntti, from guju, an elephant, and dfintii, a tooth. Gundhu-Yunik, from gundhu, spices, and vunik, a tradesman. GLOSSARY. 375 Gundhurvu, from gau^, a song, and dh'Srm'fi, a person's own pro- fession. Gundhuvuhn, from gundlin, a scent, and vtih, to carry. Gundhu-Dhama, from gfindu, a scent, and dhama, a place. Gunuku, from giSnti, to couflt. Gun^shii, from gtinri, a company, and eeshu, a lord. Gun^shu-Juniinee, the mother of Gundshti ; from jnnu, birth. Gunga, from gum, to go. Gtinga-vakyavfilee, from Takya, a word, and abulee, a train. Gunga-Vasu, from vasti, a residence. Gtingadhnru-Shastree ; he who knows the shastrii, is called shastree, Gungadhtirii, from Gtinga, and dhiirti, to hold. Gujannnii, from gujO., an elephant, and antinti, the face. Gnrbhadhanti, from g&rbhn, the womb, and adhanu, to hold. Gtirooru, from gtiroot, a wing. Gflrootmut, from gnroot, a wing. H. H^twabhasu, from hdtoo, a cause, and abhast(, an appearance, a semblance. Himangshoo, from himu, cold, and tingshoo, rays of light. Himalixyu, from himt[, cold, and aluyti, a house. Himiivut, from himti, cold. Htirfinyii-gurbhii, from hiranyti, gold, and gurblra, the womb. Hirunyakashn, from hirunyti, gold, and ukshee, an eye. Hirtinyu-Kvishipoo, from hirunyu, gold, and kushipoo, a sheath. Hitopnd^shu, from hitu, good, and ooptid^shu, teaching. Hoimuviitee, from himtivtit. Homu, from hoo, to offer. Hota, he who directs the homu^ or bumt-ofiering, from hoo. Hungshu, a duck. Htingsii-Dootu, from hungsu, goose, and dootti, a messenger. Hunooman, from htinoo, the cheek. Huree-Vulti ; the last word is the imperative of vfiltt, to speak. Huree-Dwaru ; dwaru signifies a door. Hnree-Hurfi ; both words are derived from three, to take away. Hnree-Priya ; priya signifies beloved. Huridra, from hurit, light yellow. Hurihuyn, from h&it, light yellowj and hflyu, a horse. Hrirn-Gouree, from Hnrti (Shivu), and Gouree, the light yellow, Htiru-Nat'hti, from Htiru, the name of Shivu, and Nat'htt, a lord. Htiyfi-Greevti, from huytt, a horse, and greevtt, the back of the neck. Indoo, from id, to be glorious, or refulgent. Indru, from id, to be glorious. Indru-Dyoomnu ; the last word signifies riches. 376 GLOSSARY. Indiu-jit ; from jee, to conquer. Ishtii, from ish, to desire. J. Jagtirunu, from jagree, to be awake. Jaliku, from jalii, a net. Jambuvutee, from Jambuvan^ the name of a certain bear. Janhuvee, from jtinhoo, a sage. Jatee, a kind, from jun, to be born. Jatu-Kurmn, from jatti, born, and kurmttn, an action. Jeevti, life, from jeev, to live. Jishnoo, from jee, to conquer. Joinu, from jinu, to conquer or excel. Joivatrikti, from jeev, to live. Jiigiidgouree, from gtigut, the world, and gounl, light yellow. Juguddhatree, from jtigut, the world, anddhatree, an upholder. Jtigudeeshu, from jrigtit, the world, and eeshu, lord. Jngunnat'hu, from jugut, the world, and nat'hii, a lord. Jiigunnafhti-ksh^trn, from jtigut, the world, nathil, a lord, and kshdtru, a place. Julpu, to speak, from jiilp, to speak. Jumidaru, from jiiniin, land, and darn, an ownerd Jumudugnee, from jnmut, terrific, and ngnee, fire. Junarddiinu, from jtinu, a person, and iirddunu, a giving distress* Junhoo, from ha, to abandon, (viz. the world). Jtiniim^juyti, from junti, a man, and 6jj to tremble. Jnnfikn, from jiin, to be produced. Jnpu, to speak inaudibly, from jup, to muttei'. Jurutkaroo, from jree, to be withered, and kree, to do. Juru-Bhurutu, from jnrti, decrepitude. Jushoda, from jushtis, fame, and da, to give. Jutayoo, from juta, a bunch of hair, and ayoo, life-time. Jtiya, from jee, victory, Juyu-Doorga, from jnyn, victory^ Juyuntee, from jee, to conquer. Jwala-Mookhee, from jwala, a flame, aud mookhu, a face. Jwtilunu, from jwTilu,.to enkindle. Jyoisht'hu, from jydsht'ha, a planet. Jyotish-stomu, from jyotish, lightj and stomn, the whole. Jyotish, from jyot, to shine. K. Kahinee, a tale, from Knt'hii, to speak. Kaliyu-Dumnnti, from kaliyu, the name of a sitake, and dumtinu, subduction. Kalee, the black, from kalu, time. Kalfi-Bhoirtivfi, from kalif, time, and bhoiruvu, the terrific. GLOSSARY. S77 Kalti-Poorooshti, from kulti; black, and poorooshfi, a male. Kalti-Ratree, from kalti, dark, and ratree, night. JKalfi-Sootru, from kalil, time, and sootru, a thread. Kaliytt, fi'om ktilti, to move. Kamil-ddva, from kamu, desire, and ddvti, from div, to play. Kamfi-dh(^noo, from kamil, desire, and dhdnoo, a milch-cow. Kamu-Roopfi, from kamu, desire, and i-oopfi, form. Kamakhya, from kamti, desire, and akhya, an appellation. Kamttnii, the heart's desire, from ktim, to desire. Kandti, an arrow, or a chapter. Kanti-Phata-Yogee, compounded of kanu, the ear, phata, slit, and yogee, an ascetic. Kartik^yS, from krittika, the name of a planet. Kashee, from kash, to appear. KavytS, from kflvee, a poet. Kayfist'hu, from kayu, the body, and st'ha, to be situated. Keshftree, from kdshtiru, a mane. Keerttinu, from kreet, to produce harmony. Keertee-Chnndru, from keertee, fame. Kdtoo, a sign, from kit, to dwell. Kdshuvu, from keshtl, the hair. Khdchuru, from khfi, the sky, and churii, going. Khilndu, a piece, from chud, to break. Khtlg&hwaru,compounded of khtigti,a bird,and'^^shwtirti,greatriess. Kinnttru, from king, what ? and ntiru, a man. Koilashu, from k^lus, in water, to shine. Kojaguru-Lukshmee, from knh, who, and jagtee, to awake. Koitiibhujit ; jit, signifies victory. KoojtL, from koo, the earth, and jun, to be produced. Koolu-Ddviita, from koolu, race, and d^vfita, a god. Kooleenti, from kooln, a race. Koombhtikaru, from koombhti, an earthen jar, and kree, to do. JCoombhu-Kurnu, from koombhti a jar, and kurnu, the ear. Koomaru, a boy, from koomarti, to play. Koomarti, from koo, evil, and mree, to beat. Koombhee-Paku, from koombhu, a pot, and pakQ, ripe. Koont'hu, a groan, from koont'h, to groan. Koomoodti-Banduvu, from koomobdu, a lotus, and bundhoo, a friend. Koosoomdshoo, from koosoomti, a flower, and ishoo, an arrow. Kosha, from koosh, to issue, to identify. Kooshti, to lie down. Kooshee, a small kosha. Kooshtinabhu, from kooshti, sacred -grass, and nabhee, the navel. Koovdru, from koov, to cover. Koulacharee, from kooln, a race, and chur, to act, preceded by the iprep. a. Koumoodee, brightness, from koomoodu, a nymphsea. Koutooku-Survnswfi, from koutooku, play, and stirvfiswn, a per- son's all. 48 378 GLOSSARY. Krimee-Bliojuntf, from krimee, aa insect, and bhojunu, to eat. Kripeetuyonee ; yonee, a birth-place. Krishnu, from krish, to draw. Krishnii-Krora ; krorii signifie.s the side. Krittivasa, from krittee, the skin, and vasus, a garment. Kritantu, from kritu, done, and flntii, end. Krya, work, fi-om kree, to do. Krodhagarfi, from krodhu, anger, and agaru, a house, Krounchu-Darunti, a proper name, and dree, to tear. Ksharu-Kurddhumu, from ksharii, ashes, and kiirddhumti, mud. Ksheeru, milk, from kshiir, to ooze out. Kshupakurfi, fi-om i:shupa, night, and kree, to make. Kshufayii, from kshfitti, a wound, and troi, to save. Kubundhti, headless, from kin, the head, and budh, to kill. Kuchu, hair, fromkuch, to bind. Kuchyupti, a proper name ; pa, means to drink. Kulee, from knlti, to reckon. Kulee-Yoogu, from kul, to enumerate, and yoogii, a period of time. Kttlkee, from kulee, time, and koi, to subdue. Kulpti, fi-om klipu, to contrive. Knlpti-Sootru, from kulpti, time, and sootru, a thread. Kulunku-Bunjiinu, from kulunku,, a blot, and bnnjtinfi, a breaking. Kumul^kaminee, from kumultl, the water lily, and kamti, desire. Kiinadu, from kunu, an atom, and ud, to eat. Kundurpii, from kiing, Brfimha, and drip, to domineer. Kupalubrit, from kupalu, the forehead or fate, and bhree, to hold. Kurangfinyasu, from,ktiru, hand, tingu, a part, and nyasu, to place. KiSrmttkaru, from kurmun, work, and kree to do. Kuroonamtiyee, from kflroona, pity. Ktirmti-Vipaku, from kree, to work, and pak, to ripen. Kut'huku, a speaker, from kut'h, to speak. Kuvuchu, from vuchu, a word. Kuviraju, from kuvee, a poet, and rajun, a king. Leelamritu, from leela, play, and umrita, nectar. Lingu, from lig, to move. Lohitangu, from lohitu, blood red, and ungii, the body. Lok^shii, from lokii, men, and eeshu, greatness. Lokti, from looch, to see. Ltikshmee-Chara ; the latter word means deserted. Lfikshmunu, the beautiful, from Lukshmix, a fortunate sign. Lumbodurti, from lumbu, long, and oodurfi, the belly. M. Madhuvu, from ma, the goddess Lukshumee, and dhtivft, husband. Magfidhti, from Mugudhti, the name of a country. GLOSSARY. 379 Mala, a necklace. Malakaru, from mala, a necklace, and kree, to make. Malinee, from mala, a necklace. Malytivanu, from mala, a necklace. Manii-Btinghu, from manu, honour, and bungliu, destruction. Maniinu, from man, to decide. Mantiau-Kalee, from mtinfis, mind. Marootii, from mree, to kill. Marti, from mree, to kill. Matrika-Nyasli, from matrika, a mother, and nyasii, to place. Maturishwa, wind. Mayavfitegj from maya, delusion. M^dha, apprehension, or conception, from m^dh, to be apt to learn. MeSmangsa, from man, to judge. Mdghti-Nadu, from m^ghu, a cloud, and nadti, a sound. M^ghfi-Nat'hti, from m^ghil, a cloud, and nat'hu, a lord. Mdghu-Vahtinn ; vahunfi, a vehicle. M^nii-Kdttinii, from meenti, a fish, and k^tunfi, a flag. Mihim, from mihu, to water. Mishru-K^shee, from mish, to mix, and kdshti, hair. Mitrti, a friend, from mid, love. Mitrtivinda, from mitru, a friend, and vid, to obtain. Modnku, from mood, to rejoice. Mohinee, from mooh, to be infatuated. Mohfi, from moohu, confusion or stupefaction. Moogdhiibodhti, from moogdhfi, stupidly ignorant, and bodhS, knowledge. Mooktu-K^shee, from mooktti, spread out, k^shu, hair. Mooktii-Eamu ; mooktfl, liberation. Moolu, a root. Moomookshootwu, from mooch, to liberate. Mounee, he who subjects himself to voluntary silence. Mriganku, from mrig^, a deer, and tinku, a mark. Mritfi-Sunj§evinee; sunjeevinee means to restore to life. Mrityoo, from mree, death. Mrityoonjiinu, from myrtyoo, death, and jee, to overcome. Mfidhoo-S56dunn, from sood, to destroy. Miidhyuddshee, from mudhyu, midst, and ddshin, belonging to a country. Mfidunti-Mohunu, from mudunii, desire, and mooh, to be infatuated. Mtiha-Ddvu, from muhut, great, and div, to play. Muha-Kalu, from muhut, great, and kalfi, time. Mubamaree, from miihnt, great, and mree, to kill. Mttha-Patuku, from mfihtit, and patuku, from put, to throw down Miiha-Poorooshu, from mtihut, great, and poorooshti, a male. Mnha-Rouruvu, from rooroo, an insect. Muha-Rut'hee, from mtihiit, great, and rtit'hu, a chariot. Muha-Prdmti, from mtihtit, great, and prdmtin, love. Mtiha-S^nu, from mtihCt, great, and s^na, soldier. 380 GLOSSARY. Mtihatmu, from muhut, great, and atmfin, spirit. Muha-Vrutti ; vrQtti is a ceremony to be performed according to a vow. Muha-Vyadhee, from muhut, great, and vyadhee, sickness. Miiha-Vidya, from muhut, great, and vidya, learning. Mtihendrfi, from muhflt, great, and Indra, the king of heaven. Mflhdshti, from muhtit, great, and eeshu, glorious. Muh^shwur'H, from muhut, great, and eeshwuru, glorious. Muhishu-Murdineij from muhishu, a buffaloj and murdu, to destroy. Muhdshwui-u, from mtihut, great, and eeshwurtl, lord. Muhuttranii, from mtihut, great, and tranti, salvation. Mtikshti, from mooch, to liberate. Mukurfi-Dwuju, from mukfiru, a water animal, and dwuju, a flag. MuU-fi, strong, from mtil, to hold. Mulugrahee, from mulu, filth, and grahin, receiving. Mundodiiree, from mundu, small, and oodiiiTi, the belly. Mtingulu-Chundika, from mungiilu, good, and chtindika, wrathful. Mungulu-VarB, from mungulu, good, and varu, a day. Mfin-M&t'hii, from miinu, mind, and munt, to grieve. Mtintru, from mutr, to repeat in the piind. Muntru-Droomu, from mfinun, to meditate, and droomu, a tree. Mtinusa, from muntis, mind. Mfinusiju, from mtinii, mind, and junu, birth. Munwunturfi, from Munoo, a sage, and unturu, another, or a limit. Muroot, from mree, to kill. Murtiipora, from murti, a dead body, and poora, to burn. Nagantuku, from nagu, a serpent, and untiiku, the end, Namu-Kuriinu, from namtin, a name, and kree, to make. Naree, from nuril, a man. Kayika, from nee, to obtain. Neelu-Purvuta, from neelu, blue, and purvutu, a mountain, NSetee, from nee, to obtain. Neelu, dark blue. Neelii-Kuntu, from neelu, dark blue, and kuntti, fhe throat. Nidanii, a first cause, from nee, prej). and da, to give. Nidhee, from nee, 'pre'p. and dha, to place. Nigruhu-St'hanti, nigruhu signifies disfavour, and st'hanii, place. Nigumunu, a sure decision, from nee, pre^. and gum to move. Nimittu, a cause. Nirakarii, from nir, frep. and akaru, form. Nirnujrn, from nir, prep, and nee, to obtain. Nirooktu, from nir, prep, and ooktu, spoken. Nirvanee, from nirvanu, liberation. Nisha-Putee, from nisha, night, and putee, lord. GLOSSARY. 381 Nishkrfinifin3,.a going forth, from nir, 'prep. and krum, to step. Nitytl, constant, everlasting. Nityantindti, from nityu, constant, and anundu, joy. Niyumu, a resolution. Noiyayiktl, a follower of the Nyayu philosophy. Nouka-Khundti, from nouka, a boat, and khtindil, a part. Nree-M^dhu, from nree, a man, and mddhfi, flesh. Nrisinghti, from nree, a man, and singliG, a lion. Nubhtiswflt, from nubht(s, the sky. Ntikshtitrdshii, from nnkshutrn, a planet, and eeshu, a lord. Ntilu-Danga, from niilu, a reed, and danga, a place. Nfilfi-Chumpoo, from ntiln, the name of a king, and chtimp65, a particular kind of composition in which the same subject is maintained in all the varieties of prose and verse. Ntimoochee-Soodtinu, a proper name joined to sood, to kill. Numuskarii, a reverential mode of obeisance : from nilmiis, a bow, and kree, to make. Nftrfi, man, from nree, to do right. Ntfrmuda, from niSrmu, sport or entertainment, and da, to give. Nnrii-Singhti, from nnru, man^ and singhti, excellent. Mfivu-Pntrika, from ntivii, nine, and putrfi, leaves. Nfivu-Rutnu, from nQvu, nine, and rutnu, a jewel. Nyasil, a deposit, from nee, fref. and us, to thTow. NyayS, justice, from nee, fre'p. and uy, to move. OodahurunTi, from oot, a preposition indicating that the action has an upward direction, and ahtirtinti, a collecting. Oochoishrava, from oochchois, great^ and shroo, to hear. Oodasee ; oot, 'pre.'p. and asu, to sit. Oodd&hti, from oot, ft&p. and d^shfi, to seek. Ooduyfi, to arise, from oot, fre,f. and uyu, to go. Oodgata, from oot, jorep. and goi, to sing. Oogru-Chiinda, from oogru, fear-exciting, and clitindu, wrathful. Oindru-Dudhee, from Indi-ti, and dudhee, curds. Oojjulti-Neelmiineej from oojjulu, splendour, neelu, blue, and mtinee, a jewel. Ookttt, spoken, from vtich, to speak. Oopangfi, from oopfl, a preposition importing resemblance in an inferior degree, and fingu, a part. OopasuniS, from oopn, and us, to throw, preceded by the prep. a. 0©pn-Patuku, from oopil, fre'p. and put, to throw down. Oopficharu-Chtilfi, from oopu, prep, churti, to move, and chfilii, a pretence. Oopunuyu, from oopti, and nee, to take. Oopuntiyfinti, from oopu, and nuyiinfi, an obtaining Oopuputee, from oopu, and ptitee, lord, 382 GLOSSARY, OopiSrutee, from oopu, and rum, to play. Oopusungharu, from oopu, and sungharu, destruction. Oordhu-Vahoo, from oordhti, high, and vahoo, arm. Oosha-HiiiTinii ; hurunii means stealing. Ooshmiipa, from oosbmun, Heat, and pa, to drink. Oshudheeshu, from oshudhee, medicine, and eesbuj a lord. Ootut'hj'U, from oot, j^rep. and tut'hyu, just. Pachuku, he -who cooks ; from puch, to cook. Paku-Shasunii, from pakii, a giant, and shas to govern. Parijatu-Hurunu, from parijatn, a particular flower, and hurtinu, to steal. Pa.rvutee, the daughter of purvutii, a mountain. Pat'hiiku, he who reads, from put'h, to read. Patiinti, from put, to throw down. Patunjulu, from the sage Putunjulee ; which word is made up of piit, to throw down, and unjulee, joined hands. This conjunc- tion teaches us, that people fell before him for instruction with joined hands. Peetamvtiru, from peetii, yellow, and umburil, cloth. Phultihtiree, from phulu, fruit, and rhee, to steal. Phtilu, fruit. Pingulti, variegated. Pingulu-Nagu, from pingulu, brownish yellow, and nagii, a serpent. Pita-Muhu, from pitree, father, and muhtit, great. Pitree-M^dhti, from pitree forefathers, and medhii, flesh. Poita, from oopii, and veetii, pure. Pooja, from pooju, to honour or serve. Poojuku, a worshipper. Poondtireekakshu, from poondureeku, a water-lily, and ukshee, an eye. Pooranu, from pree, to fill. Pooree, a house, a palace. Poornabhish^kti, from poornii, and iibhishdku, to anoint. Poornabhishiktii, from poornu, full, and tibhishiktu, anointed. Poorohitii, from pooruis, to go before, and hitu, good. PooroohoStu, from pooroo, fulness, and hoo, to call. Poorooshu, a male, from pree, to fill or nourish. Poorii, a town. Poorunduru, from pooro, a house, and dree, to cut. Poorushchiirunu, from poorfl, before, and chtirunti, practice. Pooranii, old. Pooshkura-Shantee, from pooshkijrvi, the evil fortune attending a person who shall die when an unlucky day, an unlucky Ifinar day, and an evil planet all unite, and shantee, to pacify or produce peace. GLOSSARY. 383 Poorvuvtifc, from poorvu, a cause, and v5t. Pooshpavtilee, from pooshpu, a flower, and avtilee, a row. Pooshpu-Dhtinwa, from pooshpu, a flower, and dhiinwu, a bow. Pooshpuku, from pooshp, to expand. 'Pooahtee, from poosh, to cherish. Pooshtinu, from poosh, to cherish. Poottina-Budhfi ; budhu means to kill. Ponranik, a follower of the pooi'anus. Prajapiityu, the work of a prfljaputee. Pi-anayamu, from prantf, life, and ayamu, a coming. Pramanikfl, from prumanu, proof. Pranii-Nirodhu, from pranu, life, and nirodhu, to stop. Pratu-Kalu, from pratnr, morning, and kalii, time. Prdtu-raj ; pr^tu is a ghost, and raj signifies raja. Prit'hivee, from Prithoo, a king who first formed towns, raised the arts, &c. Prityahuru, from prtitee, a preposition indicating that the action is r'eturned or reflected, and ahilru, to take. Prtibhungjunn, from prii, pref. and bhunjii, to break. Pr&chunda, from pi'u, prep, and chtindu, wrathful. Prudhanu, chief. Prudyoomnu, from pru, prep, and dyoomnu, riches. Prtijaputeej from prtija, subjects? and putee, a lord. Pruja-Yagu, from pruja, subjects, and yagn, a sacrifice. Prfikashu ;' kashfi means light. Prukritee, from pru, prep, and kree, to do. Prulhadji, from prfi, prep, and alhadu, joy. Prultijru, from lee, to absorb. Prumanu, from pru, prep, and ma, to measure. Prumdyti, the subject known, from pru, prep, and ma, to mea- sure. Prumutee, from pru, prep, and mutee, understanding. Prtistavinee, from pru, prep, and stoo, to praise. Prutigna, from prutee, and gna, to know. Prutukshti, from prutee, prep, and ukshee, the eye. Prfiyojnnu, from pru, a preposition which adds intensity to the meaning, and yooj, to join. Pudai-t'hfi, from ptidu, a word, and iirt'liu, an object. Pndmalnya, from pudmti, the water-lily, and alfiyu, residence. Pudmu-Nabhu, from pudmti, a water-lily, and nabhee, the navel. Pudmu-Prubhoo, from pudmfi, a water-lily, and prubhoo, a lord. Pudyavillee, from ptidya, prose, and aviilee, a row, or range. Piidung, from pudu, a place. Pttddhutee, a road, from pudu, the foot, and htin, to smite. Pukshudhuru-Mishrii, from pukshu, a lunar half month, and dhtiru, to hold. Punchangu, from pfinch'fin, five, and nngfi, the body. Pfinchukfi, from ptinchtin, five. Punchu-Choora, from ptinchu, five, or much, and choora, a crest. 384 GLOSSARY. Ptinchumee-VriltiS, from ptinchfi, five, and vrfitti, the ceremonies connected with a vow. Punchu-Rutnii, from piinchu, five, and rutnu, a precious stone. Punchtishuru, from punchfi, five, and shurfi, an arrow. Punchaniinu, from punchfl, five, and anfinn, face. Pnnjab, from ptinchu, five, and ap, water. PiinniigashunTl, from pnnntign, a serpent, and nshu, to eat. Piint'hee, from pnt'hn, a way. Pnrivrittee, from puree, 'prep. and vrittee, existence. Purfim-Eshwurti, from ptirfim, excellent, and eeshwCrn, God, or simply, the glorious. Piirumanundii, from piirumu, excellent, and aniindu, joy; Ptirumart'hti, from purumii, excellent, and iirt'hfi, an object. PfirBm-Hungshu, from punim, excellent, and tingshu, a goose. Pflrfishoo-Rarnu ; ptirtishoo, a weapon. Puvtinii, froift poo, to purify. E. Radha, the favourite mistress of Krishnu, from radh, to accomplish. Radha-VuUubhfi ; vnlltibhu, beloved. Ragii, passion, from rfinj, to colour. Raja,. light. Raj-tiirunginee, from rajfin, a king, and turiingineej a river. Rajtt-Pootu, from rajQn, a king, and pooti-u, a s'on. Rajfi-Yogn, from rajun, a king, and yogti, abstraction. Rajnraj, king of kings. Rajn-Raj^shwiiree, from raju-raj, king of kings, and eeshw^ree, a goddess. Rajilrshee, from rajun, a king, and rishee, a sage. Raju-sooyii, from rajtin, a king, and s56, birth. Ramii, from rum, play, or to please. Ramayunti, from Ramtt, and uytinS, to go. Ramu-Shfii-iinti-Palu, from Ramu-Shilrfinu, and palu, a title. Rarheeyu, from RarhS, a country. Rasu-Munchunu ; munchil, a stage. Ravfinii, from roo, to kill. Rhisheekdshu, from rhisheekti, the organs, and eeshu, a lord. Rig-Vedfi, from rich, an incantation, and vedu, from vid, know- ledge. Rishubhu-Ddvfi ; rishfibhu, signifies excellent. Rishyadee-nyasii, from rishee, a sage, adee, the first, and nyasfi, to place. Rishyu-Shring-S, from rishyti, a deer, and shringfi, horns. Ritoopfimii, from ritoo, a season, and purnfi, a leaf Ritoo-Yagu, from ritoo, seasoli; andytyfi^ worship with sacrifices. Rochunfi, from rooch, love. Roodrakshii, from Roodrtt, a name of Shivn, and tikshu, an eye. GLOSSATIY. 385 Roodru, from rood, to cry. Rookminee, from Rookmu (gold), the name of a king. Rujo-goonu, from rttnj, colour, or love, and goonti, a quality. Rujtt, dust, from rtinj, to colour. RujiSku, from riinj, to colour. Eukshitti, preserved, from rukshu, to preserve. Rukshogtinu-Bhojunu ; bhojanfi, to eat. Ruktii-veeju, from ruktti, blood, and veeju, seed. Rtisii, a savour. Riit'hti-Yootupu-Yootiipu, from rut'hti, a chariot, and yootupu, a chief; repeated, it signifies chief of chiefs. Rtituntee, from rtit, to speak. Rutee, from rum, to play. Rutee-Putee, fi'om R^tee, the name of the wife of Cupid, and ptitee, a lord. Sadhyu, from sadh, to perfect. Sagniku, from sii, with, and tignee, fii'e. Sah^b, a title of respect. Samanyutodrishtiing, from Samanyu, equal, and drishtu, seem Sankhyu, a sect of philosophers, from stinkhya, clear knowledge. Sarvu-bhoiXmu, from sfirvu, all, and bhoomee, land. Saru, the essence of any thing, from sree, to go. • Sdna, an army. Sdvukti, from s^vu, to serve. Seemuntonnuyunfl, from simfintti, the place on the head where the- hair divides, and oonniiyunu, a raising up.* Shakha, a branch, from shakh, to overspread. Shaktabhishdku, from shaktu, a worshipper of the divine energy, and tibhish^ku, to anoint. Shaktu, from shuktee, energy. Shantee, from shfim, quiet. Shantee-Pooru, from shantee, peace, and poorti, a tO'Wn. Shariideeya, from shurSdu, the clear sky, season, Shastrti, from shas, to rule. Sheetula, cold. Shdshtivut, from sheshu, the end. Sheetulti-patee, from sheetiilu, cold, and patee, a mat, from put, to move. Shikh, from shishyti, a disciple. Shikhee-Vahunti, from shikhee, the name^ of a peacock, and- vahunu, a vehicle. * During the marriage ceremony, the bridegroom first pulls the veil over the faee of the bride, and then turning it up again draws a line with red lead down the oenlb'e of her forehead. To this ceremony this word alludes. 49 386 GLOSSARY. Sliiksha, to learn. Shilpu, an art.. Shira, a fibre. Shiromtinee, from shirus, the head, and munee, a jewel. Shishoo-Palti-Btidhu ; budhu signifies to kill. Shivopakhyanu, from Shivti, oopu, jore/?. and akhyanu, to speak. Shivu, the good. Shmtishanu-Kalee, from shmrishanu, a cemetery. ShoUiS, from shila, a stone. Shoivacharee, fi'om Shivii, and acharin, practice. Slioochee, the pure, from shooch, to purify. Shooddhee, pure. Shooklti-Vurnti, from shooklu white, and viirnu, colour. Sh65lu, a weapon. ShoSlinee, from shulu, a lance. ShoonyiS-Vadpe, from shoonyii, a vacuum, and vadee, a speaker. Shoshiinti, from shoosh, to dry, Shraddhti, from shruddha, firm faith. Shree-Shoilti, from shree, excellent, and shoilii, a mountain. Shree-Vidya, from sliree, excellent, and vidya, knowledge. Shree-Kunt-hii, from shree, excellent, and kiintu, the throat. Shree, a title which signifies excellence or greatness. Shree-Ramtt-PooiTi, from shree, excellent, Ramii, the name of a god, and poorti, town. Shrootti, what has been heard, from shroo, to hear. Shroutu, from shrootee, the v^dxi. Shrota, from shroo, to hear. Shrotriyu, from shrootti, the vddu. Shrtiddha, firm faith, from shrut, faith, and dha, to hold. Shtibdti, sound. Shtiktee, from shuk, to be able. Shfiktee-Dhuru, from shtiktee, an iron spear, and dhiiru, to hold. Shumbararee, from Shtimbttru, a giant, and tiree, an enemy. Shtimtinti, from shum, equal. Shiinkti-Vtinik, from shtinku, a shell, and viinik, a tradesman. Shtinkurti, from silting, good, and kree, to do. Shtiranftnti, from shush, six, and antinti, face. Shtireerti, from shree, injure. Shust'hee, she who is worshipped on the sixth (shusht'hti) day. Shtitti-Roopa, from shutii, an hundred, and roopa, form. Shtitrughnti, from shiitroo, an enemy, and htin, to kill. Shtitumunyoo, from shtitii, a hundred, and mtitiyoo, a sacrifice. Shtitukti, a hundred. Shutu-Dweepti, from shtitti, a hundred, and Dweepti, an island. Shtivu-Sadhtinu, from shtivia, a dead body, and sadhtinii, to perfect. Shw^tti, white. Shw(^tu-Giree, from shw^tti, white, and giree, a mountain. Shwustinn, from shwus, to go. Shyaraa, black. GLOSSARY. 387 Siddhantacharee, from siddhantu, ascertamedj and acliai'in, practice. Siddh&hwuree, from siddhu, to perfect, and eeshwtiree, a goddess. Siddhee, from sidh, perfect. Siddhtij to perfect. Siddhu-mnntru, from siddhti, accomplished, and muntrii, an in- cantation. Siddhantu, from siddhn, proved, and untti, end. Sindhukatee, from sindhia, to cut a passage, and krit, to cut. Singhu, a lion, fi-om hings, to injure. Singhu-Vahinee, from singhu, a lion, and vtih, a vehicle. Smuru, from smree, to remember. Smuru-Hura, from smuru, Cupid, and rhee, to destroy. SnaniS, from sna, to purify. Soivyu, the disciples of Shivu. - Soinghikeyu, the son of Singhika. Soobhtidra, from soo, beautiful, and bhudra, good. Soodhangshoo, from shoodha, the water of life, and ungshoo, rays of light. Soodhanidhee, from soodha, the water of life, and nidhee, a treasure. Sookhii-Muyu, from sookhu, happiness, and muyu, fulness. Soogreevti, from soo, beautiful, and greeva, the back of the neck. Sooksmti, very small. Soomalee, from soo, goad, and mala, a necklace. Soom^roo, from soo, good, and m^roo, a boundary mark. Soonduru, beautiful. Soopudmu, from soo, good, and pudmu, a water-lily. Soopumii, from soo, good, and purnu, a leaf. Sooracharyu, from soorti, the gods, and acharyti, a teacher. Soorpu-Nukha, from s65rpu, a hand winnowing fan, and niikhu, the finger nails. Sooru-Putee, from soorti, the gods, and putee, lord; Sootru, to stitch. Sootrudharu, from sootru, a cord, and dhree, to hold, Soovtirnti-Vunik, from soovurnu, gold, and vtinik, a tradesman. Soumyu, the son of Somu. Souru, the disciples of Sooryu. Spui;shunu, from sprish, to touch. St'hanoo, st'ha, to stay. Sudantindu, from snda, always, and anundu, joy. Sud-Gopu, from sut, good, and, gop, cow-keeper. Siidiishyu, by-standers at a council, whose business it is to notice and correct mistakes. Sugurti, from su, with, ,and guru, poison. Suhoktee, from suhu, with, and ooktee, a word. Suhusrangshoo, from suhusrn, a thousand, and ungshoo, rays of light. Suhusrakshu, from sithusrSj a thousand, and ttkshee, the eye. Sumadhee, from sting, prep, and adhanu, a receptacle. Sumasoktee, from sumasti, to compound, and ooktee, a word. 388 GLOSSARY, Sumuvurttee, from siSmti, equal, and vrit, presence. Sunjeevunee, from sting, fvep. and jiv, life. Stingksliiptu-Saru, from siingkshiptu, abridged, and saru, essence, S&igyumu, sting, -prep, and ytim, to cease. Stingskaru, from sung, ftep. and kree, to do. Stingskritti, from sting, frep. and kree, to do. Stindhya, from snng, prep, and dlioi, to remember. Stingkeertunti, from sting, prep, and keerttinti, to speak aloud. Sunghita, from sung, prep, and hitti, to collect. Stinkeernti, from sting, prep, and keernu, thrown about. Sunkrundunu, from sting, prep, and krtindtinti, to crj'. Stinyasee, from sung, prep, and nyaati, to renounce. Supttirsliee, from stiptti, seven, and rishee, a sage. Stiptashwti, from stiptu, seven, and tisbwu, a horse. Supttiswura, from stiptti, seven, and swurti, sound. Stirptignu, from stirptt, a serpent, and htin, to destroy. Survti-Bhootti-kshuj'ti, from stirvti, all, bhootti, souls, and kshee, a decay. Stirvvfi, all. ■Stirvvu-Dtikshinii, from stirvvti, all, and dtikshina, a fee at dis- mission. Stirvvu-Mtingulti, from stirvti, all, and mtingtilu, good. Stiteeku, from sii, substituted for stihu, with, and teeka, a com- mentar3^ Stitprtitipukshti, from sut, right, and prutiptikshti, an enemy. Sut-ktirmia, from stit, good, and kurmun, to work. Sutwti-goonti, from stitwu, good, and goonti, quality. Sntee, from sut, pure, Sutyu-Narayunti, from sutyti, true, and Naraytinu. Stityu-jit, from sutyti, true, and jee, to conquer. Stityti-yoogti, from stityu, true, and yoogti, a definite time. Stivurna, from sti, one, and vtirnti, kind. Stivytibhicharu, from stihu, with, and vyubhicharii, wrong practice. Swaha, presentment of oblations. Swurnukarti, from swtirnti, gold, and kree, to make. Swtiryogu, from swur, heaven, and yogti, a sacrifice. Swaytim-bhoovu, from swfiyting, itself, and bhoo, existence. Swtidha, presentment of oblations. Swumbhoo, from shting, prosperity, and bhoo, existence. Swtirbhanoo, from swtir, heaven, and bha, light. T. Tamisrti, the hell of darkness, from ttimisrti, darkness. Tarukeshwtiru, from tarukti, a saviour, and eeshwurti, a god. GLOSSARY. 389 Tarfiku-jit, from Tartiku, and jee, victory. Tdjomtiyu, from tdjus, glory, and mtiyu, fulness. Tdjii, glory, from tij, to sharpen. Teeka, from teek, tojadge. TejQsh-Chundru, from t^jus, glory, and chtindrti, the moon. T'hakooru, honourable. T'hakooranee, from t'hakooru, a lord. Tilottuma, from tilu, dark spots on the skin, and oottumu, excellent. Toijilsu, from tejus, brightness. Toilukaru, from tilu, oil, and kree, to make. Toorashat, a name of Indru. Toostee, from toosh, to please. Trdta*-Yoogu, from tree, three, and, yoogti, a definite period of time, Trikootu, from tree, three, and kootu, a mountain peak. TripoorantiSku, from tree, three, pooru, a house, and ■fint'fiku, a destroyer. Tripoora, from tree, three, and pooi-fi, a town. Tripoora-Soonduree ; soonduree, beautiful. Trishikhu, for tree, three, and shikha, the ascending flame. Trivenee, from tree, three, and vdnee, a stream. Tumu-goonix, from tumtis, darkness, and goonti, quality. Tiimti, from tumus, darkness. Tunmatru, from tut, that, and matra, only. Tuntru, from ttintrti, to hold. Tupusya, fi-om tttpiis, religious austerities. Tuptn-Shoormee, from tuptu, hot, and shooi-mee, an image of iron. Turkalunkarti, from tttrku, the name of the nyanti durshtinu, and ulunkaru, an ornament. Turku, from turkti, to infer. Turunee, from tree, to save. Tiirpunu, from trip, to satisfy. Turtinginee ; tiirungu signifies the swell of water. Ttitee, from tunu, particulars. Tuttwu, from tut, that, truth. Twftrita, from twSru, quickly. TJ. ■gbhivadunii, to bow, from ubhee, prep, and vud, to salute. Ubtistoo, from u, priv. and bustoo, a thing. ■tfbhnytt-Churunu, from ti, bhuyu, fear, and churanu, feet. ]D'bju, from up, water, and junu, birth. ■Ubju-Yonee, from ubjti, the water-lily, and yonee, a birth-place, as water is the birth-place of fish. * The four yoogSs are numbered according to tie quantity of religion in each j thus the aiftyS hasfour parts, the trto, three, the dwapSftt, two, and the kttlee, one, 390 GLOSSARY. Ubyungu, from u, and byungix, crooked. ychyootu, from u, and chj'ootu, to ooze. TTdbhootiS, wonderful. Udhikaree, from iidhee, ^5?ep. and kree, to do. Udhyatmu, from udliee, prep, and atmun, spirit. ■Udwoitti, from ti, and dwee, two. ■Q'dwiteeyti from u, priv. and dwiteeyu, the second. "Pdwfiyantindu, from ii, priv. dwoi, two, and anuadu, joy. tjghoru-Piint'hees, from IJghoru, a name of Shivii, and ptint'hiS, a way. tignibhod, from ugnee, fire, and blioo, existence. iPgnanti, from ti, priv. and gnanii, knowledge. TJgnihotree, from ugnee, fire, and hotree, a sacrificial priest, ■^gnishtomu, from ugnee, fire, and stoo, praise. Ugru-DweepQ., fi-om ugrfi, before, and dweepu, an island, ttgrudanee, from ugrii, before, and da, to give, ■pjitu, from ti, and jitti, victory. tjjitti-Nat'hti, from ujitu, and nafhu, lord, tjkalee, a follower of the tJkalti, Poorooshn. ■pkalu-Poorooshti, the being who is not subject to time, from ukalu, without time, and poorooshti, a male. Ukroorti-Stingbadu, from ti, priv. kroorfi, cruel, and stingbadti, a ^ report. ■UkshuyS, from ti, and kshee, to decay, ■pitikananda, from tiltiku, light, and anundti, joy. ipiunkarti, from tilting, proper, and kree, to do. ttmritu-Siirti, from timritn, the water of life, and stirtis, a pool. ■Umtiravutee, from iiratiru, immortal. "Umvoodti, from timvoo, water, and da, to give, ■^nadee, ti, and adee, first. TJnadya, from un, and adya, beginning. TPndhu-K5opti, from nndhu, dark, and koopii, a well. tjngti, members, or body. ■pngu-nyasu, from iXngti, the body, and nyasti, placing, ■pngshooman, from ungshoo, glory. 'C'ujtinti, a black powder applied to the eye-lids. 'C'nntida-Ktilpu, from unnu, food, da, to give, and kilp, to be able or ^ capable. "Unimittti, from tl, priv. and nimittn, a cause. ■pnnti-Poorna, from unnu, food, and poornti, full. ID'nntimuyri, from tinnti, food. ■Unnii-Prashunti, from linnti, food, and prashtinu^ feeding. tjnoo-Pattikti, from tinoo, small, and patukii, sin. "B'nungti, from ti, and tingti, body, ■pnttiku, from tintti, the end, and kree, to do. ttntintu, from ti, and ■fintti, the end. trnunyuju, from ti, iinyii, other, and jtinti, to be born. ■ppatree-Kurtinti, from ti, patru, a worthy person, and kree, to do. ■^poorvuta, from n, priv. and poorvti, unprecedented. GLOSSARY. 391 Up-Piitee, from up, water, and putee, a lard. Uprttdlianti, from u, priv. and priidhanti, chief. . Qpstira, from up, water, and sree, to go. Upunhootee, from iipu, prep, and knoo, to steal. Upnrajita, from u, and pnrajita, to conquer. Upura-Vurtunu, from, u, pura, prep, and avurtunu, to go in a, circle. Upiirna, from u, and purnu, leaves. tJrdliu-Narisliwuru, from urdhu, half, naree, woman, and eeshwuru, a god. TO'rdhu-Rut'hee, from, urdhu, half and rut'hee, a chai-ioteei-. yrdhu-shloku, from urdhu, half, and shlokti, a verse. Uroonu, the dawn. IJrt'hubh^du, from' urthu, meaning, and bh^du, separation, ■^rundhfina, from u, and rnndhunfi, to cook. Ushoka, from u, and shooch, sorrow. IJshtfi-Vfisoo, from ushtn, eight, and Vusoo, a sort of gods. trshtfl-Vukru, from fishtfi, eight, and vukru, crooked. ID'see-Putrfi-Vanu, from fisee, a scymitar, pfitra, leaves, and vfinn, ^ forest. Ushwu-sdnn, from ushwfi, a horse, and sdna, a soldier. Ushwinee-Koomaru, from ushwinee, a mare, and koomaru, a child. Ushwflmddhu, frem ushwii, a horse, and m^dhu, flesh. tJsiddhee, from fi, priv. and siddhee, completion. 'C'soorUj from a^ priv. and soorfi, a name applied to the gods. lUshtu, eight. tJstnngu, from ustfin, eight, and ttngtt, the body. 'D'sfimprugnatti, from u, priv. and sumpftignatu, completely in- ^ formed. Usut, from fi, priv. and sfit, entity. Utee-Patnkfi, from titee, excessive, and patukfi, sin. ■ptee-Rafhee, from ntee, very gr.eat, 'and rut'hee, a charioteer. Utikayfi, from fitee, great, and kayfi, the body. ■Qtiratru, from ntee, beyond, and ratree, night. "Gtishuj'oktee, from utishfiyu, exceeding, and ooktee, a word, ■ytit'hee, from ut, to move, perpetually ; a guest, a stranger. TJvudhoStfi/rom fivu, prep., and dhoo, to renounce. XJvfitaru, from uvu, to descend, and tree, to save. "□"vutfi-Nirodhunu, from fivutfi, a hole in the ground, and niroodh, to close, ■gyodhya, from 6, and yoodh, war. ■CySnn, from uyu, to move. Vachtisputee, from vach, a word, and pfitee, a lord. Vagvadinee, from vach, a word,- and vudu, to speak. Vak-Chulu, from vak, a word, and, chulu, to deceive.. 392 GLOSSARY. Vakya-Vulee, from vakyiS, a woi'd, and avulee, a i-ow. Valmeekee, from vSlmeekti, a kind of ants. Valu-Gopalri, from valu, a child, go, cow, and, palu, to cherish. Vamacharee, from vam, the left hand, and acharin, practice. Vamunii ; little. Vanu-Prust'hii, from viinu, a forest, and priist'ha, to go. Varoonee, from Vfiroonfi, a constellation. Vastoo-Poorooshu, from vastoo, a house, and poorooshu, male. Vasuvfi-Dutta, from Vasuvu, a name of Indru, and dutta, given. Vasfivn-Poojyfi, from Vasfivu, a name of Indru, and pooj, worship. Vayoo, from va, to go. Vddacharpe, from vdd'S, and acharin, practice. Vddantee, he who follows the vddantn. Vddantu, the end or last part of the v^du. V^dfi, from vid, knowledge. Veeju-Muntra, from veeju, seed, and mfintru, an incantation. Veejfi-Gtinitu, from veeju, a seed, and g-unitfi, a calculation. Veeru-Singhu, from veeru, strength, and singhu, excellent. Veerfi-Bh56mee, fi-om veera, strong, and bhoomee, land, Veeru-vahoo, from yeerfi, strength, and vahoo, the arm. Yeetihotrfi, from veetu, to place, and hotrfi, sacrificial things. Vibhavunfi, from vee, prep, and bhavunfi, thoughtfulness. Vibheeshtinfi, from bheesh, terrific. Vibhoo, from vee, prep, and bh56, birth. Vichitruveeryfi, from vichitrfi, variegated, and veeryti, semen. Vidhee, command, from vidh, to legislate. Vidyadhurfi, from vidya, learning, and dhree, to hold. Vidwunmodfi-Tcirfinginee, from vidwfit, a learned man, modfi, pleasure, and tflrfingu, a wave. Vidhoontoodii, from vidhoo, the moon, and tood, to bite. Vidya-Pfitee, from vidya, learning, and putee, lord. Vijfiya, from vee, jprep. and jee, to' overcome. Vikrum-Adityci, from vikrfimfi, power, and adityu, a name given to the sun. VikfirttunS, from vee, prep, and kfirtfinfi, to cut. Vilwu-Roopa, from vilwfi, a fruit, and rdopn, form. Vimiila, from vee, prep, and mfilu, filth. Vindhyii-Vasinee ; vindhyfi, the name of a mountain, and v&u, to reside. Viratfi, great, from vee, prep, and raj, light. Viroodhti, from vee, prep, and roodh, to prevent. Vishnoo, fi'om vish, to overspread. Vishwatma, from vishwfi, all, and atmfin, spirit. Vishfiyu, an object. Vishwu-Kfirma, from vishwn, the world, and kurmu, work. Vishwfiksdnu, from vishoo, on four sides, unch, to go, and sdna, a soldier. Vishwfimbhfiio, from vishwfi, the world, and bhree, to cherish. Vishwfi-Mitru, from vishwn, the world, and fimitru, not a friend. GLOSSARY. 393 Vishwfi-Jata, from vishwfi, the tforld, and jatfi, born. Vishfisunfi, from vee, js^ep. and shfis, to destroy. Vitrfiha, from Vitru, a giant, and hfin, to destroy. Vitfinda, dispute, from vee, prep, and tfid, to smite or punish. Vivahfi, from vee, prep, and vfih, to procure. Vivdkfi, discrimination. Vivfirfcfi, fi'om vee, prep, and vrit, to exist. Vivfirfinfi, from vee, prep, and vree, to skreen. Voidikfi, from vddfi, knowledge. Voidyti, from vid, knowledge. Voidyfi-Vatee ; vatee signifies a house. Voikariku, from vikarfi, a change. Voiragee, from vee, prep, and ragfi, passion. Voishakhfi, from the planet vishakha. Voishnfivti, disciples of Vishnoo. Voishnuvacharee, from voishntivti and acharin. Voishdshiku, from vish^shu, a particular. Voitfirfinee, from vee, prep, and tree, to cross over. Vriddhee-Shraddhn, from vriddhee, great. Vriddhee, great. VrihSspfitee, from vrihut, great, and pfitee, lord. Vrihfidbhanoo, from vrihilt, great, and bhanoo, gloiy. Vrihufc, great. Vrihuddhurmfi pooranfi, from vrihut, great, and dhurmu, religion. Vrihtin-Narudeeyu, from vrihut, great. Vrinda-Vunu, from vrinda, thick, and vtinfi, a forest. Vrishu-Dwtijfi, from vrishu, a bull, and dwujti, a flag. Vrisha, from vrishfin, to cause the rain to fall. Vrittee, from vrit, to exist. Vfijree, from vfijrfi, a weapon. Vujru-keetu, from vujrti, a weapon, and keetu, a worm. Vajru-Kfiatfiku-ShalmiXlee from vfijrS, a weapon, kuntflku, a thorn, and shalmulee, a tree. Vfikasoorfi-Budhti, from vfikfi, a proper name, iisoorfi, a grant, and budhfi, to kill. Vukrdshwfirfi, from vfikrfi, crooked, and eeshwfirfi, a god. Vunu-Ddvee, from vunfi, a forest, and devee, a goddess. Vurnfi-Sanktirfi, from vurnu, caste or profession, and sankSffi, mixed. Yyakhyfi, known, or proclaimed. Vyaktirnno, from vee, prep, a, prep, and kree, to do. Vj'fiktavn-Dhootfi, from vyfiktfi, known, ■fivu, prep, and dhoo, to renounce. Vyfingjm, ridicule, from vee, prep, and iinju, to be produced. Vyasoktu, from VyasS, and ooktfi, spoken. Y Yadnsang-pfitee, from yadtis, a water animal, and pfitee, lord. Yoodhisht'hirfi, from yooddh, war, and st'hiru, firm. 50 394 GLOSSARY. Yogacharfi, from yogfi, aud acharfi, practice. Yoogadya, from yoogti, and adya, the first. Yogee, a person, practising the duties called yogu. Yeg^shwuru, from yogu, and eeshwmfi, a god. Yoginee, a female yogee. Yogfi, the practice of abstraction of mind. Yogn-Bhogii-Vadee, from yogu, abstraction, bhogu, enjoyment, and vodti, to utter. Yogii-Nidrfi, from yogfi, abstraction, and nidra, sleep. Yonee, the place or element of birth. Yorti-Bangala, from yorti, a pair. Yfignu, from ytfju, worship of burnt -sacrifices. Yugnuha, from yflgnti, a sacrifice, and hun, to destroy. YumalfiyS, from Yumu, and alfiy^, a dwelling. Ytimoona-Bhrata, from Yumoona, a river, and bhrata, a brother, Yiimu, he who is free from the influence of the passions. Yumti-Eat, from yttmii, and raj. Ytlngilm'S, a goer. INDEX. Absorption.... into Brfimha attained by dying in the Ganges, 170, after death, 281 and ib. note, defined 285, how ob- tained 286, how understood by the Booddhtis 308 and ib. note, taught by the Shikh shastrus 346, 349. See Tupusya. Abstraction. . .o{ religious mendicants produced by drugs, 293. Accounts of merchants opened on birth-day of Ramu, 134?. AeharyU, ...an order of priests who teach the v^dns, 186. Adee-CrrUnt'hfl...sajcred hymns of Nanuku 343, compiled by 'tfrjoo- nu, ib. doctrines of the Shikhs from the, 349 — 353^ Adulterers. ...Instrument used for punishment of, 48 note. Alligators children of Hindoos thrown to, 167, note, at GiSnga Saguru, 259. Jltar of the Hindoos how made, 205, note. Ancestors daily duties to deceased, 192, ttirpfinn ceremony, 214, and shraddhus for them, 266. Animals. sacrificed largely to Doorga, 69, 72, their blood, &c., a proper offering to a goddess, 93, slain and offered to Urdhu-nareeshwuTO, 148, when worshipped, 157, for sacrifices slaughtered under roofs before temples, 179, offered in bui-nt and bloody sacrifices, 204— 212, atonements for killing certain, 270, used cruelly traced to sins of a former birth, 278. See Beasts. Offerings. Sacrifices. Anointing resemblance between the Jewish and Hindoo me- thods of, 244, note. Arabians worshippers of stones, 143. Architect of the gods, Vishwu-Kurmfl, 12T, note. 137. Arts presided over by the god Vishwu-Kurmti, J37. Artificers woi'ship VishwS-Kurmu for success in business, 137. Ascetics perform tupusya or bodily austerities, 203, dbyanfl for ascertaining a fact, 34, note, 217, perish by wild beasts, 253, why deified 305, note, joinu chiefs generally gloomy, 329, reverence to, taught by Nanuku, 343. See Mendicants. ^.s/iarM..... ..festival when and why celebrated, 191. Ashrttnli, the four different states into which bramhilns' enter, 291. AshwinU festival when and why celebrated, 191. Ass how and by whom tobe sacrificed, 210. Atonement.... ioT offences in perishing by cold, 253, for offenCeS why demanded, 266, of what kinds, 267—273. Ay>steritie8,,„ electa of, on a mendicant, 291, of the Burmans, 310. See Absorption.- Mendicants. Tupiisya. 396 INDEX. Bacehua resembled to Shivu, 10, Doorga's festival compared to that of, 73, note. Banks merit of worshipping on, of Gauges, 166. Banycvn 7Ve«.. worshipped as that of VntiS, 162. Bathing incantation for drawing holy waters into Soorytt'a heaven while, 55, of Doorga called Snann, 71, waters of sacred rivers used for, 163, in Gnnga when recommended, 166, its benefits, 166 — 168, notes, ceremonies performed by a poorohitu for a man of property, 185, in the Ganges on what day meritorious 190, daily, 193, ceremonies for, 213, in sickness, 214, in Uraritti-Sftrii held sacred by the Shikhs, 34,8. Bead'Toll how consecrated, 218. Beauts the cow, ISit, monkey, (Hunooman) 155, dog, jackal and other animals worshipped, 157, ascetics devour- ed by wild, 253. Beggars worshippers of Sheetiila, 108. See Mendicants. Bdls suspended round the border of umbrellas fixed on tops of Booddhti temples, 309. Benares. See Kashee. BhadrU..., festival when and why celebrated, 191. Bhootiis ...a sort of demons, 18, note. Bhrigoo the father of Shookrn or Venus, 59. BhUgiivUtee . . .a. name of D56rga on her first appearance, 64, Kalee, a form of, 89. Radha an incarnation of, 142, daughters of bramhuns worshipped as forms of, 151, revered by the Shaktus, 303. BklrngXi a favorite Shikh beverage,349, of what made, i6. note. Birds Gtirooru, 158. Uroonu, 159, Jutayoo, Shunkuru Chillu or Eagle of Coromandel, Khtinjiinti or Wag- tail and others, worshipped, 160, of unlucky omen when pei'ched on a Hindu's house, how to be expiated, 160, note. Birth proof of reality of a successive, 277, note, promise of deliverance from future, 278, in what kinds of happiness a person is subject to it, 281. See Transmigration. Birth-day Hiinooman why worshipped by Hindus on their, 155. Blindness....... ])ersoji born with, supposed to have destroyed the eyes of some one in a former birth, 278. Blood of an animal a proper offering to a goddess, 93. Bloody Sacri- fices See Sacrifices. Booddh'ti or Mercwry. ...his form, birth, influences, 58, son of king Muhee- putee, 304. Gouttimn, a common name of, ib., chose an ascetic life, ib.,\\hy deified, 305, bis inc)ir- INDEX. 397 nations and doctrines, 306, teachings of, before ex- altation, 308, how revered by the Cingalese, ib., temples in Ceylon and Burmah, 309, festivals of, 309, 311, image, 310, priests, ift.. Colleges, ib., Bur- man account of incarnation of, 3 1 2 — 325, account from the Booddhtt pooranu of, 335 — 340. BooddhUs the same as the followers of Fo, 303, note, disbelieve a First Cause, 304. 307, rise of Booddhism, ib., persecuted by the Bramhiins, 305, 306, their emi- gration from Hindoostan, 306, religion when taken into Burmah and Ceylon, ib., their doctrines, 307, 308, rewards and punishments, 307, commands to the common, 308, temples and worship, 309, festi- vals, 309 — 311, priests, 310, burn their dead, 312, deities, ib. Booddhism.... rise of, 304, Books ; deified, and the Hindu shastrtis when and how wor- shipped, 173. See Shastras. Bones of persons burnt at a distance from the Ganges cast into it, 169, note, of a Siitee cast into it, 237, of Krishnu in the belly of Jtigunnathti's image, note, 258. Bramhims prohibited from receiving offerings to Shiva, 12, families of, supported by Boorga temple revenues and offerings, 70, note, drinking spirits before Ka- iee's temple, 98, note, Raksli&siis are all, 144, ofier boiled rice to Jtigunnafhii or any other god, 128, Gosaees enemies of, 136, worshipped with their wives and daughters, 151, if in trouble considered sinful, 170, forbidden to enter a village where the Muhabharatu is not found, 174, note, worship the Shalgramu stone, 175, may perform ceremonies of religion, 185, becoming priests to Shoodrus des- pised, 186, daily duties of, 193 — 197, their ceremo- nies for bathing, 214, gifts of what kind made to, 224, entertained, 225, their conduct at a Stitee, 245, called Ggrndanee receive first gifts at shraddhns, 263, when unclean, 266, atonement for murder of, 2( 8, ofiences of, how to be atoned, 268 — 273, prp- strate themselves before a dundee mendicant, 296. Bra/mhanee... the wife of a bramhtin, 222, "bulls why so called and how treated, 264, note, atonement for murder of' a, 268. Breast offered by a Hindoo nurse to aneighbour's child, 119, note. Briimha the creator, 21, his form, worship and character ib., heaven, 22, names, 23, SurtiswutSe daughter of, 106, a name given to a class of priests supplying wood for burnt offerings, 187. 398 INDEX. BrltmhU the one God, 1, dying in the Ganges secures ab- sorption into, 170, note, absorption how obtained into, 286. BrUmhticha- rees worshippers of female deities performing orgies with flesh, spirituous liquors, &c., 232, expect heaven for their works, 283, an order of mendicants, 296. Brfimhii-poot- tU a river, how worshipped ; children cast in it, 172. Batee-danH ceremonies for bloody sacrifices, 212. Bull how to be sacrificed, 208, called bramhunee, how treated, 264, note. 5«Zft-ram&....a brother of Jugtinnat'hii drawn in his car, 128, his image : married to Kevutee, 129. Burial alive often persons at Agra, 249. Burmah Booddhii religion when introduced into, 306, tem- ples of Booddhtt in, 309. Burmans translators and commentators of the Booddhu Jatus, 307, possess works of antiquity on various subjects, ib. religion of, composed of austerities : their priests, 310, colleges, 311, burn then- dead, 312. See Booddhus. Burning of widows alive with their husbands authorized by the Shastrtis, 235, of a leper in the Kamyii-murii- nii ceremony, 249, of dead bodies by Hindoos how performed, 261, of the dead byjthe Burmans, 312, by the jointis, 329, by the Shikhs, 348. See Sutee. Burnt Offer- ings See Ofierings. Burnt Sacri- fices See Sacrifices. Butter clarified used in burnt offerings, 154. Cannibals or B^akshUsUs.. horn giants, 114. Canopus... —a star called Ugtistyti by the Hindoos, 52, note. Car of Jugunnat'hti described, 128, diseased or distressed persons crushed beneath it, 129, ceremonies for de- dication of a, 181, dying under wheels of Jngfin- nat'hti's, 250—257. Castes origin of, 21, of all descriptions worship Gunga, 165, have their own priests, 186, of all kinds eat together at J&gunnat'hu-kshutru, 257, atonement for offences of certain, 271, do not exist among the Booddhus 312, joinus divided into the four Hin- doo, 329, among the Shikhs, 349, and followers of Choitunyu, 355. See Sects. Cat ...a personification of the goddess Shushtee, 112. Cattle'-- marriage of, 263, INDEX. 399 Celestial Bevnga.See Celestial Gods. Celestial Oods.ot inferior note worshipped, 113, the Usoorus or giants, ib., the Rakshushfis or Cannibals, 114, Giin- dhfirvfis and Kinnfirus or choristers : Vidya-dhfi- rfis and TJpsttriis or dancers, 115, Nayikas, com- panions of Doorga, 117, Ynkshus or servants of Koov^rii, 118, Pishachfis messengers of the gods : Goodghiik-as, Siddhees, &c., ib. ffocJ- deases very few ; the distinguished are Doorga, Suruswii- tee and Lukshmee, 119. — See Planets. Cemeteries presided over by Shmushanu Kalee, 102, note. Ceremonies.. -Ai Doorg^'s festival, 68, of Snanii to her, 71, to Kalee, 91 — 99, to Lukshmti performed before a basket, 105, to Shtishtee for children, 11 1, of Hindoos cele- brated with fireworks, &c., at night, 122 note, at worship of Vishnii-kfirmfi before implements of trade, 137, of Bramhtin's wives walking round their husbands, 152, of Chukrn, ib., before Hfinoo- man considered disgraceful by sensible men, 156, of expiation on perching of unclean birds on allin- doo's housBj 160, note of water and cow-dung to the toolfisee plant, 161, waters of sacred rivers used for, 163, to Gunga performed in the name of Shivfi, 165, at the DushTitifira festival, 166, for dedica- tion of temples, 180, of religion may be performed by bramhuns, 185, on what lunar days merito- rious, 190, description of weekly, monthly and daily, 190 — -192, for initiation into the Hindoo religion, 199, of a disciple to his gooroo, 200, for religious austerities, 20-3, for btirnt sacrifices, 204, burnt offerings, 211, bloody sacrifices, 2 1 2, bathing, 214, tfirptinfi ib., pooja, 215, dhyanfi, jtipQ, 217, Sttfvu, 218, Kuvuchfi, Kamfinfi and Manfinu, 219, Vriitfi, 220, Oopfivasa, 222, Danu, 223, for enter- taining bramhans, 225, for reading and hearing the pooranfis, 228, for sacred rehearsals, 229, for removing evils from bad omens, 231, while sitting on a dead body, ib., for removing, subduing or destroying enemies, 232, of burning widows alive, 235—246, of voluntary suicide, 246—249, of infan- ticide, 251, 252, on visiting holy places, 255 — 259, at death, 260, for repose of the soul, 261, for puri- fications, 266, for atonement of offence.s, ih., lead- ing to absorption, 286, of the Joinfis, 329 — 331, of the Shikhs, 34G— 348. Ce^/Zow oriU'n-/OT.origin of name of, 43, note. Ramii's bridge to, 132, note. Booddhti religion when carried into, 306, his temples in, 309. 400 INDEX. Gha/miiru an appendage to royalty among the Hindus^ 129, note. Chandalii intercourse between a Bramhun and the wife of a, how to be atoned, 270, atonement when bram- hrins take food, water, &c., from a, 271. Okay a a wife of Sooryti, 34, mother of Shunee or Saturn, 61. CAar^is... ...... trusted b}' Hindoos and Musselmen, 219, note. Children excessive attachment of Hindoos to their, 49, note, of the Moon descended from Somti, 56, Chundee invoked for restoring health to, 87, Shnshtee pro- tectress of, 110, how carried 121, unlikely to live hung in a basket to a tree, 185, note, when seized with epilepsy cured by Ptinchanfinu, 144, thrown to alligators, i67, note, cast into the river Brumhu- pootril, 172, burnt with a Sutee, 242, fondled ex- cessively, 276, note, attachment to religion of Hindoo female, how exhibited, 177, note, festival by Jointis on birth of, 334, murder by Shikhs of female, 348, note, their ceremonies at birth of, 348. See Infanticide. ChinnU-mtta- tttka her image and worship, 82- Chriatians honor Kalee with presents, 100. Ohitrti-gooptU.the recorder of Qumii, judge of the dead, 279. Choristers called Gundhiirvfis, and Kinnurtis with horses heads, 115. ChoitrU festival when and why celebrated, 192.. ChoitUnytt a mendicant god, 134, married to JVishnoo-prtLya, 135, his festivals, 136, another mendicant god in Bengal in form of, 137, Shoodrti gooroos and Voiragee mendicants followers of, 202, his disciples, a branch of the Voishntivus, 302, their doctrines, 354, leaders 355, works, ib., and daily increase, 356. — See Gosaees. ChUndee his image, worship, 87, invoked for restoring children to health, ib., a work on the wars of Kalee, 97, read at the ceremony of worshiping the cow, 154. ChimdrU She- kUrU a mountain near Chittagong containing inflammable air for kindling burnt offerings of pilgrims, 259. ChUkrtJi, an abominable ceremony described, 152. Chli/ndrU a planet called Somii or the moon, 56. Chingalese Boodhfi's doctrines how transmitted to the, 306, approach to an image of Booddhfi by, 308. CiviUzation... taught to mankind by Eishubhn-d^vfi the Joinu founder, 327. Clay images generally thrown into the water, 183, how made, 184. INDEX. 401 Clothes^...- of a Hindoo employed in secular concerns impure, 214, note. Cocoanut water drunk at the festival of Kojagurti Lukshmee, 106. Cold i2e3r'ions..practice of perishing in, 253. Colleges students how admitted into the Btirman, 3 1 0, rules for their observance, ib., when received into the priesthood, 311, how built, ib. Conch.. a shell blown at worship and festivals, 80, note, by men and women on entering a temple, 215, note. Conversation..oi Hindoos regarding the transmigration of souls, 276, among widows on talking over their sorrows, 277, respecting the state of the dead, 284. Coohs Women at temple of Kalee at Kalee-ghatu good, 99, note. Coronation... .W&ters of sacred rivers formerly used for, 163, Cow regarded as a form ofDoorga, 76, why created by Brumha, 154, under what form and how worship- ped, ib., ill-used, ib., punishment for sale of, ih., daily duties to the, 192, atonement for killing a, 268, used cruelly, attributed to sins of a former birth, 278. Cow-dung how used, 154, punishment for neglect to butn, in cow-house, 155. Creation by Brumha, 21. Cumd known as Kundurpu destroyed by Shivtf, 18, called Kamu-d^vri, 138. Cybele and Bacchus' festival compared toDoorga's, 73, note.- priestesses of, resembled to dyasinees of Puncha- nunu, 143, note, opening of temple of, resembled. to that of Vishnoo, 188, note. Dances ...of prostitutes before Doorga, 71. Dancers known as Vidya-dhtirus and Upstirfis, 115. Danu... ceremony for presenting gifts, 223, of what kind, 224. Daughters.. ...of bramhtins till what age worshipped, 151, why never prayed for by Hindoos, 219, note, destroyed by Kajpoots, 252. Days what lunar, considered foi-tunate, 190, for religious ceremonies at festivals, bathing, and shraddu, ib. Dead Ynmu, judge of the, 47, Kalee as Shmushanfl-Kalee dwells in the place of burning of the, 1.02, bodies and bones brought to be burnt near the Ganges, 169, ceremonies while sitting on a dead body, 231,' for burning the, 261, how conversed on by Hin- doos, 284, burnt by the Bilrmans, 312, by the Joinfis, 329,, by the Shikhs, 348.— See Burning. Death .„ name of Ramii written on a person at time of, 134, at Benares entitles to Shivu's heaven, 146, heaven 51 402 INDEX. obtained at, on thinking of Gunga, 166, note, anxiety of Hindoos to die in sight of the Ganges, 169, marks of Shalgramu shown at, 175, Sacrifice and fasts after, 21-0, 223. under the wheels of Jugnnnat'hu's car, 250, ceremonies, 260, untimely attributed to crimes in a former state of exist- ence, 278.— See Happines. Infanticide. Judgment. Suicide. Deepu-mala... a, gresit Shilch festival for bathing in the Umritu- Suru pool, 348. Deities future happiness of becoming, 281, of the Booddhus, 307, 312. — See Celestial Beings. Celestial and Terrestrial Gods. Gods. Goddesses. Human Beings. Planets. Devotees of modern days do not expect absorption, 287, ab- straction of certain, how produced, ib. — See Men- dicants. DMnkee a name of the pedal, 176. DhUrmii T'ha- hoorCt a form of Shivfi : hisimage, 144, festival, 145. Dhyanu performed by old Hindoo ascetics to ascertain a fact, 34, note, ceremony of meditation described, 217. Disciple his duties to his gooroo, 200. Diet what articles of, renounced as a fast, 223. Diseases persons crushed beneath Jugunnat'hu's car with, 120, 250, cured by toolusee leaves, 161, attributed to crimes of a former birth, 278. Distress the goddess Siddheshwuree invoked in times of want and, 104. Doctrine of a constant incarnation taught by a mendicant god, 137, of the transmigration of souls explained, 274, extracts from the Kurmti vipaku, ib., and Ugnee- pooranu thereon, 275, of judgment of men after death, 279, 280. of future happiness, 281, 287. of absorption, 285, of future punishments, 289, 290, of the Booddhus similar to followers of Fo, 303, 307, 308, 335, of Eishtibhu-ddvu the Joinfi founder, 327, of the Joints, 329, 330, 340. of Nanuktl, 343, 349—353, of the Shikhs, 346, and their leaders, 349—353, of the followers of Choittinyu, 354, of Zoroaster, 366, 367.— See Schism. Dog worshipped in the form of Kalfi-Bhoiruvn and men- tioned as unclean in the MuhabharutS, 157, touch- ing a bramhun how to be atoned, 272. DoivUgnUs. . . .inoculators for small pox, 108. Dolu a swinging festival in honor of Krishnu, 122, observ- ed also in honor of Eamti, 134. Doorga ...wife of Shivu, 17, mother of Gundshn, 36, of Karti- ke'yu, 39, her descent, name, &c,, 64, resembled to INDEX. 403 Juno aud Minerva, 04, note, festivals, image, 67, ceremonies, 68, sacrifices, 69, offerings, 70, dances to, 71, bathing or snanii of, ib., worship at Eaja Raj Krishnu's at Calcutta of, 72, drowning of, 74, fables, 75, names, 76, forms and wars of, 76, 79. inferior forms of, 87 — 89, known as the village goddess, 146, Chundee-Mundupii temples dedicated to, 178, consecration of image of, 184, worshipped by the Shikhs, 346. Drink Offer- ings to the gods and deceased ancestors, 214. Drought prayers offered by bramhuns at the side of the Ganges or other rivers at time of, 44, note. Drowning of Doorga, 74, in the Ganges encouraged by the Shastriis, 170, benefits attained, 170, note, called Kamyu^murtinu, 246. Drugs used by religious mendicants for producing abstrac- tion, 293. Dundee if in troubl-e or distempered, meritorious, 170, en- gages in the sacrifice of the ass, 210, an order of mendicants using a staff, 296, their appearance, dress, duties, &c., ib., blesses those at his feet, 297, absorbed at death into Brttmhu, ib. Dukshina- rayU worshipped similar to Kalu-rayii, 146. Dukshina- prUtti a shell kept with the Shalgramii stone to prevent poverty, 174. i)ftsAjiAftra....a festival in honor ofGiinga's descent to the earth how celebrated, 166, when called the Great Varoo- nee, 168. Dyasinees old women, devotees of Punchannnu, 143, resembled to priestesses of Cybele, 143, note, attend on image of DhtLrmu T'hakooru, 145. Sagle of Coro- 7nandel...,„See Shunkurii-Chillii. Earth Prithivee, regent of the, 146, Dnshuhura festival held in honor of Gunga's descent to, 166, described by the Joinns, 329. Eclipse coincidence in customs of different nations respect- ing an, 62, note. Ekamra Ka- murU a place on the borders of Orissa containing 6,000 temples, where all castes eat together, 260. Elephant a synonym of stupidity with Hindoos, 35, note. Enemies. ceremonies for removing, subduing or destroying, 232. j&wg^KsAmeTi,.. all owed by Hindoos to go to heaven from Kashee, 257, 404 INDEX. Entertavn- ment of bramhuns, 225. Epilepsy cured in children by Punchanfinii, 144. Estate cannot be inherited without performing the shrad- dhii, 265. Estimate of the number of victims of Hindoo superstition, 254. Evils following bad omens how to be removed, 231. Falsehood taunted by the Hindoos in Gnnga's name, 169, expia- tion for sin of, 273, punished in future generations of a family, 289. family... daily ceremonies by whom performed on death in a bramhun's, 192, misfortunes how to be prevented, 230, conversation on the transmigration of souls, 276. Fast of the Hindoo compared to the Jewish, 120, note, on what days observed, 190, ceremonies for a, 222, kept strictly by widows, 278, note. Fees to priests how regulated, 186, taken by bramhtins on marriage of daughters, 224, note. Feet .....of bramhfins revered by their disciples, 151, resem- bled to the Jews, 151, note. Fefmale how worshipped at the ChiiknS ceremonyj 152, per- forms the Vrtitn or vow ceremonies, 220, of in- famous character employed to dance and sing before Jugunnat'hu, 258. Festivals none in honor of Vishnoo, 8, of Shivii particularly the Sunyasee and swinging, 12, 15. .oflndrfi, 23, of Sooryfi, 32, of Gnn^shti, 36, of Kartik^yu, 39, of Ugfiee, 41, of Yamu, 46, offerings made to the planets at, 54, of Doorga, 67, of Bacchus and Cybele compared to Doorga' s, 73, note, of Juguddhatree, 80, of MooktiX-K^shee, 81, of Unnti-poorna, 84, of Gfin&hujtinfinee, 85, of Krishnn-Krora,i6.,of Chun- dee, 87, of Kalee, 95, of Lukshmee, 105, of KajagfirS- Lukshmee, 106, of Sua-uswiitee, 107, of Mfinusa, 109, of Shfishtee, 110, Usoorfis and Rakshilsfis worshipped at, 113, of Krishnil, 120, of Gopee- nat'hn, and Ugree-dweepfi, 126, of Jugunnat'htt, 128, of Choitiinytl, 136, of Vishwil-Kurmfi, 137, of Kama-ddv«, 138, of Dhurmti.T'hakooru, 145, of Udrhfi-nareeshwura, 148, of Gfirooru the bu'd-god, 169, of Dushuhtira or Gunga's descent to the Earth, 166, of the pedal, 176, of certain deities held an- nually, 191, of Voishakh-8, Jyoishtha, AsharhiS, Shravunu, Bhadru, Ashwinti, ib., Kartiku, TJgru- bayunti, Pousbfi, Maghrl, Phalgoonu, Choitra when celebrated, 192. fasts precede, 223, of Booddhu, 309, 311, of the Joinus, 338, 331., of the Shikhs, 848. INDEX. 405 J^ire Ugnee invoked when works are done by agency of, 41. used by Sagnikil brambfins, ib. First Cause. ..not believed in by the Booddhns, 307. Fish ...worship of Vishnoo as incarnation of a, 173, adorod in honor of Gfinga, 167, 173, called Ilishfi when and by whom worshipped, 173. Flesh— .orgies by brttmh-ficharees, 232, of certain kinds when eaten, how to be expiated, 271, eaten by Shikhs, 349. Flowers offered to the gods how used by Hindoos, 46, note. for worship of the gods gathered by young per- sons, 40, note, showered on birth of Kamti, 134, note. Fo : followers of, similar to those of Booddhii, 303. Food waters of sacred rivers used for, 163, of certain kinds when eaten, how to be expiated, 271, of what sort rejected by Voishnnvus, 302. Forms — of Doorga, 79, note. 87 — 89, of Kalee of inferior note, 102. Fuel- ...cow-dung used by Hindoos as, 155. Future /Stoie.. expected by the poor for supporting the Cow, 154, contemned by Joinu sunyasees, 329. See Doctrine. Transmigration. Ganges, profligacy of inhabitants on banks of, 48, note, her image and marriage, 163, descent, 164, why called Janhiivee, 165, mouths of, 165, note, by what names known in heaven, earth and patolfi, ib., her worship, ife., festival, 166, how revered, 168, attach- ment of natives to the, ib., encouraged by the Shastrfis, 168, note, their anxiety to die in sight of the, 169, children and grown up persons drowned in the, 170, Vishnoo-mundiril temples erected by the side of the, 178, bones of a Sutee cast into the, 237, children oiTered to the, 251, fight between Siin5'asee and Voiragee mendicants for bathing first in, 294, note. — See Rivers. Gambling prevalent at the Car festival of Jfigfinnat'hfi, 129, note. .Ganja leaves smoked by Voiragee mendicants, 298. , (?a»ftpttfytis...worshippers of GiSndshfi, 30, » Hindoo sect, 303. Garlands used for adorning images, 151, by Greeks and Ro- mans, 151, note, of flowers hung across . Gtinga at the Dushuhiira festival, 166, put by the priest on the image during worship, 181. GeetU a ceremony for sacred rehearsals of the Shastrtis, 229. ' Ghe'too.., a god presiding over btotches of the skin and scurvy, 101, 146. ' Giants or TJsoorus, 113, their conduct at the churning of the sea, ib. 406 INDEX. Gifts to learned Bramhfins on what lunar days meritorious, 190, cannot be received from a shoodrti by bram- huns, 220, note, of what kind to be made, 223, how to be presented, 224>, to be offered by a Shoodru, ih., at shraddhtis first given to ugrudanee bram- huns, 263. Godavuree where Hindoos bathe in the, 172. God unity of, how far recognized by Hindoos, 1, main- tained by Nanuku, 348, absorption into, 285, how believed by the Shikhs, 346. Gods of the Hindoos: 2, Vishnoo, ib., Shivii, 9, Btumha, 21, Indrii, 23, Sooryu, 31, Gun^shu, 35, Kartikdyu, 37, Ugnee, 40, "Pnvunti, 42, Vuroonu, 43, Yumu, 46, trick for three blessings at once by a blind man on his, 82, note, dreaded by Hindoos, ib., note. — worshipped by the lower orders : Pun- chanunu, 143, Dhurmu-T'hakooru, 144, Kaloo- Rayu, 145, Kalu-Bhoiruvii, 146, Sheetiila, Ghdtoo, ib., cow called mother of, 154, daily duties to the, 192, turpiinu ceremony to the, 214, repeating names of the, 217, forms of praise and prayer to, 218, 219. future happiness in the heaven of the, 281, and ib., notes. — in strange shapes: TJrdhfi-nareeshwurti, 147, Krishnii-Kalee, 148, Huree-Hurn, 149, Joinus revere Hindoo, 329. See Celestial and Terrestrial Gods. Celestial Beings. Human Beings. Planets. Goddesses Doorga, 64, Singhu-vahinee, 79, Muhishu-murdinee 80, Jiaguddhatree, ib., Mooktii K^shee, 81, Tara, ib., Chinnu-mtistuka, Jugiidgouree, 82, Vngulamooktee, Prutytingira, 83, Unnupoornti, 84, Gtin^shu-junu- nee, 85, Krishnti-Krora, ib., Vishalakshee, 86, Chundee, 87, of inferior note as forms of Doorga, 87 — 89, inferior forms of Kalee, 89, 102. Lukshmee, 105, Kojaguru-Lukshmee, 106, Suruswuteg, ib., Sheetiila, 107, Mtinusa, 108. Shushtee, 110. See Celestial and Terrestrial Goddesses. Planets. Rivers. Gooroos bramhun religious guides worshipped, 151, ini- tiating incantation received from, 199, qualifi- cations of, ib., duties of a disciple to his, 201, anecdote of a dying, 202, office hereditary, ib., disputes between disciple and assistant, 203, Shrii- vunu-B^ligolu principal residence of the Joinil, 329. Gooroo Govin- dfi Singha..ihe last Shikh leader, 344, more political than reli- gious, ib. Gooroo-7nti,ta.. the national council of the Shikhs, when and by whom convened, 344. Gopee-nathtt...si. form of Krishnu, 125, a celebrated image of him at IJgrti-dweepti, ib., festival, ib. INDEX. 407 Oopalib his image, 125, how and by whom found, ih. Gosaees leaders of the worshippers of Krishnn, 120, note, suc- cessors of Choitunyu, 136, 355. revenue derived at marriages by, 'i6.,at the head of mendicant voiragees, 294, marriage peculiar to, ib. — See Choitftnyti. GoutUmii... ...a common name of Booddha, 304. Gratitude not a virtue with Hindoos, 225, note. Grtihus or stars ; why so called, 54, note. — See Planets. Gunga See Ganges. Gitnga- SagU- r& an island visited by pilgrims for its waters, 259. GUndhHrvits.. .celestial choristers, 115. GUndhUrvU- Senti a son of Indru : encounters an Upsura, 116. G^MTi-esfca. ...... his form and descent, 35, honored in religious and civil concerns, 36, festivals, worship, ib., first writer of the Muhabharutu, ib:, note, names, 37- GUneshH-ju- nllnee her image and festival, 85. GUroorU his image and descent, 158, the carrier of Vishnoo, ib., protector from snakes, ib., note, names, 159. GUya. a place of pilgrimage where the shraddhu for der ceased relatives is performed, 257. Hair Flowers offered to gods placed by Hindoos behind the head in tuft of, 46, note, of women devoted to Dh-firmu T'hakooru on death of eldest child, 146, of Khalsa Shikhs allowed to a:row when initiated, 347. Happiness. ...after death of four kinds, and how obtained, 281, of the heavens of the gods, ib., by what works merit- ed, 282, 283, conversations on the state of the dead in, 284, difficult to be obtained by the Shoodrii and Hindoos generally, ife., degrees among Bood- dhfis of, 307. — See Heaven. Health Sooryu invoked for, 33. Heaven of Vishnoo, 9, of Shivu, 19, 20, of Briimha, 22, of Indrti, 26, of Sooryu, 34, invocation for bringing waters into it while bathing, 55, Kartikdyu has no separate, 40, of Ugnee, 41, of Puvunfi, 43, of Voru- nu, 45, how to be merited, 51, of Ytimu, ib., of Shivfi attained on dying at Benares, 14C, by thinking on Gunga at death, 166, note, by drowning in the Ganges, 1 69, by planting certain number of trees, 227, by perishing in cold regions, 253, awarded by Yfimti to the good, 279, of the gods and Koov^ru 281, what kind of works entitles to, 282, 283. difficult of attainment by the Shoodru and Hindoos generally, 284, of the Booddhus, 308, of the Jointis, 40S INDEX. 330, their daily practice representing certain, ib., note, of Nantiku, 350, note. Hells of different kinds for the wicked, 280, 288, illiberal persons doomed to, 284. names and nature of vari- ous, 288, attempt to emancipate the wicked by Ravunfi from, 289, of the Booddhns, 307, 308. Hermce ...compared to image of Jfigannat'hn, 127 note. Hermit life led by Rishubhu-d^vu, 327. Hi/ngoola Offerings by pilgrims to the regents of the cave of, 260. Himavvit a mountain, 163, the parent of Gtinga,'163. Hindoos attached immensely to the river Ganges, 168, and encouraged by the shastrils, ih. note, their anxiety to die in sight of it, 169, their own cooks, 225 note, annually perishing as victims of superstition, 254. how influenced by doctrine of transmigration of souls, 275. generally indulge no hope of heaven and troubled at death, 285, Joinus approach to the orthodox, 329. Holy PZacea....ceremonies on visiting Teert'hti-st'hanti or, 255. where to be found, 256. names of the principal, 257, why visited by pilgrims, 257 — 260. HomU ceremonies for burnt offerings, 211. Honor,.. formerly paid to Kalee by Hindoo Rajas, 96. Horse... sacrifice by RamQ of a, 133, meritorious, 133 note, how to be sacrificed, 208. Hospitality ...to strangers, meritorious, 225. Hota a class of priests how employed, 187. Host of Hea- ven worshipped, 52, their origin, 53. — See Planets. Houses of Burman priests how built, SIX. Human Be- ings consisting of bramhSns or religious guides, 151, their daughters, and wives, how worshipped, ih., a female how adored as Chfiki-ti, 152, sacrificed, 205. jy&JiooTrwMr... the monkey god; his adventures to recover Seeta, 131, an incarnation of Shivfl, 155, his image, des- cent, worship, ih., mamage of two monkeys cele^ brated by Raja of Nudeeya, ih., stories of, 156. Htiree a form of Krishnti worshipped by followers of Choi- tun3rtf, 354. HiiT0e-d'warXi.\h& mouth of the Ganges, why visited, 260. irure5-fitir&..appears in one body as Vishnoo and Shiv8, 149. origin of image, ih. Husbands wives of bramhfins worship their, 152, adored in the Savitree Vrutu ceremony, 221. Idol Books worshipped as an, 173, ceremonies for dedica- tion and setting up of an, 181, worship rejected by Nanttkfi, 343. See Images. INDEX. 409 Illummations of different kinds to be seen in Gung^'s festivals on the river, 168, note. Image ofKalee at Kalee-ghatu near Calcutta, 97, honored by kings, merchants, 99, and even by Christians, 100, Substitute for Suruswiitee's, 106, of Gopalu how found, 125, of Jtiguunat'hu compared to Her- mce, 127, note, adorned with garlands, 151, note. ! of gods anointed with milk, &c., 154, ceremonies at setting up of an, 166, dishonorable to trade in, 176, of inferior deities put under trees, 179, of what made, 182, consecration of, 183, how deified 184, trial of godship of, 185, of Booddhii how approach- ed by the Cingalese, 308, of monsters in temples of Booddhu, 310, of Gomuteshwuru-swamee 331, note, of Naniiku never made, 343. JmmortoJi<2/...confiicts between the Usooriis and the gods for, 113, water of, 114. Incantations.. when first used by the gods for destroying effects of poison, 19 note, while bathing for drawing holy waters into Sooryu's heaven, 55, used for destroying cattle, goods &c. and for diseases, 232. Incarnations.ofYisimoo, 2. 7. 173, of Brumha 22,ofD66rga, a jackal, 75, birth, of RaviSnu seventh of the Hindoo, 134, four principal, ib. doctrine of a constant, taught bj' a mendicant god in Bengal, 137, Radha proved to be Bhtigflvfitee's, 142, Hunooman one of Shivti's, 155, of Booddhfi contained in the Jattis, 306, their number and designation, ib., 307. of Booddhu by the Burmans, 312 — 325, of Rishubhn- ddvii the founder of the Jointis, 326, of Parshwti- nat'hu a Joinu leader, 327, of the Hindoos in the Shikh shastrus, 346. Indru his form, worship &c., 23, stories of, 24, heaven, 26, names, 31. Infomts exposed by mothers to rays of the sun to sleep, 119 note, how destroyed, 251. 252, cast to alligators by pilgrims in Gunga-Sagfiru, 259. — See Infanti- cide. Infanticide... yvhere and by what people practised, 251, 252 car- 1 ried on by the Rajpoots and Jatus, 252, promised heaven, 28.3. Initiation into the Hindoo religion, 199, of the Shikhs, 347. of the disciples of Choitnnyu, 355. Insects atonement for killing, 270. Itch Sheetula worshipped for removal, »f, 146. 52 410 INDEX. Jackal an incarnation of Doorga, 75, by whom worshipped, 167, passing on a Hindoo's left hand unlucky ib. JatUs the histories of Booddhti's incarnations, 306, their number, ib. work of the ten jattis highly revered, 307, their names, ib. translated by the Btirmans ib. Temee Jatfi account of Booddhu's incarnation, 312—325. Jeevii,nukii7'ti,.ima.ge of the mendicant, why placed near Booddhtiin temples, 310. Janhit'ee a name why given to Ramu, 160. JhoolunU-yat' ra a swinging festival in honor of Krishnti, 121. JoinUs where found, 326, rise of, ib. Rishubhii-ddvti their founder, ib. successive leaders ofj 327, incarnation of Parshwfi-nat'hii a leader of the, ib. Muha-veerQ last of the Joinu yojees, 328, mendicant chiefs of the, where located, 329, doctrines and ceremonies of, 329, 330. their heaven, 3;30, daily duties, 331, 332. festivals, 333, sects, 334, Bramhinical ac- count of the, 334, Mr. Colebrooke's observations on, 340—342. Judgment of men after death by Yumti, 279. 280, witnesses against criminals at the, 280 note, of the wicked to different hells, 280. JUgUdgouree.. imsige and worship of, 82. Juguddhatree. her image and festival, 80. JUganfiat'hU. .iorm of image: origin, 127, temples, ib. festivals,] 28, Ddvulii temples sacred to, 257. worshipped by pil- grims, ib., bones of Krishnti in belly of, 258, note. See Car. Jugtmnat'httr KshiitrU. ...in Oi'issa, where pilgrims resort to worship Jfio-Sn- nat'hti, 257. J&gUnnat'hG, Turkkn-Plm- chanUnu.... ...a learned Hindoo and stealer of Punchanunii's imao-e 144 note, temple how endowed 182. description of car of, ] 28, dying under its wheels 250, 257. Juno resembled to Doorga, 64 note, JiinUkU the father of Seeta. Jupiter or Vri- hOspnteS worshipped as a planet 58, compared to Shivii as three-eyed, 90 note, resembled to Kalee, 93 note. JtipQ, ceremony for repeating the names of the gods 217. JnrUtkarU a sage; husband of Muntisa 108. Jutayoo a bird god ; friend of Ramu 160. Jutus a people in Agra destroying female children 352. Jyoisht'ha festival when and why celebrated 191. INDEX. 411 Kalee her image ; anecdotes of it, 90, human sacrifices and other horrid rites to, 91, 92, worshipped by thieves, 93, resembled to Jupiter, 93, note, festivals, 95, honored formerly by Hindoo Eajahg, 96, image at Kalee-ghatti described, 97, adored by kings, mer- chants, &c., 99, and Christians, IQO, value of monthly offerings to, 102, inferior forms of, ib., Chundee-mtindipS temples dedicated to, J 78 KalihUpoora- nii recited in Bengal, 228. Kaloo-RayU...a, form of Shivii, 145, his image, ih. worshipped by woodcutters, 146. KalU - Bhoi- ruvii... a naked Shivii, 146, his name as regent of Kashee, (Benares) ih. worshipped as a dog, 157, KatnUTiu. a ceremony for petitioning a god, 219- KamXi-devU-.the Indian Cupid, 138, his image and festival, ih. story of, 139, names, ih. Kamti-Ling!i,.See XJnadee-Liugu. KamyU - Mii- rttnfi,..., a suicide by drowning in the Ganges, 246, 247, instances of, 248, burning a leper, 249, burial alive of ten persons, ib. See Suicide. Kam&-pMa....yogee mendicants of Shivu, how distinguished, 296. KaTichee a town in Telinga famous for quarrels and murders between Vishnoo and Shivjl disciples, 260. Kartikeyti his form, descent, 37, worship, festivals, 39, names, 40, never married, ih. Kartikvi, ... ....festival when and why celebrated, 192. Kashee (Be- nares) Shivtf under name of Kalu-Bhoiruvfi regent of, 257, persons entitled to his heaven on dying in, ih. why resorted to by pilgrims, ib, a great seat of Hindoo learning, i6. deification of every one dying at, 278 note, merit of Soivyfis visiting, 302. Ketoo the descending mode, 62, note. 114, a planet, 63, image of, ih. Khalsas Shikh warlike disciples of Govindhfi-Singhu in the* Punjab, 347. Khechttrti a common dish in Bengal; how composed, 70, note. Khelantayogee.a, class of mendicants imitating Shivu, 295, their dress ib. Khoolasas Shikh disciples of NanUkd, 347. KhUnjUnU ..,ih.Q "Wa,gtail bird ; a form of ShivK, 160. Kh\irsoo a river whose waters are never drunk bj' Hindoos,^ 44, note. Kings ...honor Kalee, 99, may atone for sins of subjects, 273, temples erected by the Booddhfl , £01. 412 INDEX. KinnUrus celestial choristers with horses heads, 115. KoilasU heaven of Shivu, 19. Koiyooms See Colleges. KojagUrU,- Luksh'mBe....a, form of Lukshmee 106. her worship and festival, i6. Koomhhii-kur- nVb a famous rakshiisti, 115. Koomoodn a flower expanding at rising of the moon, 56, note. Koovdr'u the god of riches served by Yukshus, 118, his forms, ih. and heaven, 281. Kooroo -haliTiir trU a place near Delhi visited by pilgrims, 260. Kooshti,- dwee- pO, the residence of Guroortt, the bird god, 159. Kosha and Koshee copper cups used by bramhuns in their daily duties 196. Kouree shells from the Maldives passed for money, 46, note. dropped by a Siitee used as a charm, 237. Krishnu his birth and juvenile exploits, 119, image and festi- vals, 120, posterity of, destroyed bjr a bramhtin's curse, 120, note, image of Radha always accom- panies that of, 123, ifollowers, ib., stories of, 124, Rasu-mtinchu temples designed for image of, ih., bones of, in the belly of Jugiannat'hti, 258, note, pil- grims visit birth-place, &c., of, 259, Sukee-bhavti mendicants worship, 295'. Krishna -Ka- lee origin name of, 149. Krishna Kro- ra her image, festival and history, 85. Krittika a patronymic of Kartik^yu, 40, note. Kudroo ...mother of serpents, 158. enmity between her and descendants of Gtiroorti, ih. Kulpti, Booddhii belief of universe being destroyed at end of a, 308, defined by the Cingalese, ih. Kii,lpii,-sootrtt..ii work containing the Jointi doctrines, 329. festival for reading it, 334. KUvUchu a ceremony for prayer to the gods, 219. KUruvM an instrument used by devotees for cutting off their heads, 249. KushyWpXk the father of Ruvee or the Sun, 55, of the Usoorfis, 113, of Gtirooru a bird god, 158, KuveerVh-pUnt'- hees an order of mendicants founded by Kuveeru, a Mus- selman, renouncing secular affairs, 295. Lamps suspended in the air in. honor of the gods, 230. Land.-.- presented as gifts to bramhuns, 224 note, secures heaven, 224, INDEX. 413 Laverna resembled to Siddh^sliwuree as protectress of thieves, 104, note. Learning patronised by the goddess Tara, 82, Suruswntee god- dess of, 206, Kashee the greatest seat of Hindoo, 257, of others in a former birth evidence of a man being learned, 278. Life destroyed by the JoinnSj 331. LingU ...an image of ShivulO, resembled Phalli of the Greeks, ih., of two kinds, 11, Mnndiru temples dedicated to the, 177, Shivu worshipped daily before the, 192, Soivyus adore the, 302. — See Unadee-Lingu. Va- n'Q-Lingti. Liquids Shashunn, an instrument for drying up, 66, note. Liquor consumed at the Chtikru ceremony by measure, 152, orgies by briimhuchareps with spirituous, 232, used by the Shaktus in worshipping Bhfiguviitee, 303. Lotus a plant venerated by the Hindoos, 10. Lukahrriee her image, worship, festival, 105, names, 106. LuJc8hmtinU....Si brother of RamiS, 134. Lanka or Cey- lon why so called, 43, note, Ramus bridge over the sea to, 132, note. See Ceylon. Lust personified in the god Huree-Huru, 150. Maghfi a festival when and why celebrated. 192. Mai ....a caste playing with snakes, devoted, to Munusa, 109. Manufactures.Yishwa-'k&rmiaTpresides over, 137. ManttnU a ceremony for making vows, 219. MarvUsU ceremony for meditating on Vishnoo's attributes by diindee mendicants, 296. Ma/rlcet... Kalee invoked on going to, 97. Marks ofHunooman's disciples similar to those of Shivu's, 155. Mo/rriage of Shivu, 17, Kartikdyu never married, 40, of Yumu, 51, of Biilu-ramu to Revtitee, 129, of Choitiinyu, -135, of widows taught by him,ii&. superintended and dissolved byGosaeesl36,Kamti-ddvti adored at, of two monkeys by the Rajah of Nudeeya, 155, of the Gunga to Santunoo, 163, pedal worshipped at 176, of cattle, 263 note, atonement for certain kinds of, 271, ceremonies cannot be performed by a widow, 278 note, of Gosaees, 294, forbidden to Booddhii priests, 310, of Rishubhu-ddvu, 326, Joinu ceremonies of, 329, of Shikhs similar to Hin- doos, 348, caste strictly regarded by them in, 349. Mars or Mii/a- gUlU,,, a plai^et worshipped, 55. 414 INDEX. Matter Eternity of, believed by Booddhijs, 307. Medicine waters of sacred rivers used for, 163. Meditation.... See Dljyanu. Mendicants or Saints their four different states and duties, 291, 292, present vicious state, 293, account of twenty kinds of, 294 — 298, stories at Gunga Saguru island of certain, 298, 299, of a yogee in the Sunderbunds, 300, number who live as, ib. how treated by the Hindoos, 301, Soivyus rarely seen, 302, among Voishniivus, ib. of the different sects, 303, female Booddhti priests supposed to be, 310, priests live as, ih, chiefs of the Joinus where located 329, Jointi's constrained to be, ib. names and duties of their yogeis, 332, 333. among the Shikhs, 348, follow- ers of Choitunyu chiefly, 356. Merchants honor Kalee with presents, 101, open accounts on Ramu's birth-day, 134. Mercury or Booddhti.. -SI, planet, 57, resembled to the bird god Gurooru, 158. See Booddhu. Merit ....of hospitality to strangers, 225, of digging pools, 226, of planting trees, 227, of cutting roads, ib., of hear- ing and reading the pooranus, 228, of visiting holy places, 256, of persons in a former birth traced to present prosperity, 278, works of, conduct to Yiimu's palace, 279, of the good how rewarded, ib., of what kinds entitles to celestial happiness, 282, 283, doctrine of, held by Booddhus, 307, their works, 308, Joinfl belief in works of, 330. See Works. Metal of which images are made, 182. Metempsychosis.origm of doctrine of, 275, its unhappy effects on the Hindoos, ib. See Transmigration. Milk. of the cow how used for burnt offerings, 154. Minerva resembled to Doorga, 64, note. Ramu's Ijirth likened to that of, 134, note. Misfortun^es... Yishnoo revered for removing, 146, in a family how to be prevented, 230. MooJctUK^shee her form ; festival celebrated with liquor ; benefits promised to worshippers, 81. Moon or SomU a planet, worshipped 56, who called children of the, ib., Krishnu Kalee adored, at wane of, 148, waters of immortality said to fill its bright parts, 158. Monkey See Hnnooman. Jlfo7iwme7if«...of stone erected by the river side at Benares to Sutees, 245, note. MounM devootees peculiar for perpetual silence, 297, their dress, &c., ih. , INDEX. 415 Mountain of gold, rice, fee, presented as gifts, 224, note. Mahabharii.tii,.&cst written by Gfln^shti from mouth of Vyasud^vH, 36, note, dog mentioned as unclean in, 157. puri- fies the place -where read, 174, notej recited in Bengal, 228. Miiha-Kaltt...a, form of Shivii, 11. il!/aA&-nta2/a....known as Doorga, 66. Muha-pooroo- ahfjb a name of distinguished Hindoo saints, 298, MSLha-pute9....a. king, father of Booddhu, 304. Mltha-l}eSrU....the last of Jointi yogees, 327, his incarnation, ib. early life, 328, becomes an ascetic, ib, encounter with bramhuns, ib. his disciples, 329, festival, 333. MtihAshXir inurdi7iSe....heT image and worship, 80. M&ngnlU or Mars ...form and evil influences of, 57. MunUsa her image, descent and festival, 108, queen of snakes, 109. Music of heaven represented as coming from horses months, 115, note. Mussuknen... honor Kalee, 100, becoming Shikhs forbidden to eat-= beef, 347. MUthn-dha- rees a class of mendicants found at holy places, 259. Naiyihas female companions of Doorga, 117, their duty, ib. Names.:. of gods repeated in tfaejuvii ceremony, 217. NanuTcu ..founder of the Shikh sect, 342, his birth, travels, &c., ib., attached to forms of devotion, 343, family and death, ib., successors, ib., their works, 344, doctrines of, 343, 349—353. See Shikhs. NantbkOi pUnt- 'hees mendicant followers of Nanuku, 295. NarayHnU revered as the one God by the Shikhs, 346. Naya devotees similar to the Kamutus, except in marks on the forehead, 295. Neelii-kfJi,ntn....oj: blue throated ; a name of Shivu, 19, note. Nvmatu.— devotees similar to the Kamutus in dress, &c., 295, have a different spiritual head, ib. Nityanandfi...a, disciple of Choitunyu, 136. Nodes...... Eahoo and Kdtoo described as the ascending and descending, 114. Noirita a rakshnsu, 114, one of the ten guardian deities of the earth ib., his worship, ib. Noimiahu a forest near Lucknow celebrated for reading the pooranns to 60,000 disciples by the sage Sootii, 259. Nttda & Nu- des the guides of sacred rivers, 163. 416 INDEX. Oath ....how taken by the Hindoos on refusal to swear on water of the Ganges, 168, on what made and how ratified, 239. Offences atoned in perishing by cold, 253, atonement why demanded for, 266, of what kinds to be expiated, ■ 267— 273. See Punishment. Offerings of what kind made to Doorga, 70, numerously pre- sented to Kalee, 99, their monthly value, 102, of swine to Munusa, 109, to Juguinnat'hu, 128, clari- fied butter used in burnt, 154, to Gtinga, 166, on escaping from dangers on water, 167, burnt, 211, how given, 212, in a person's name after decease called Shraddhii, 262, not made by the Jointis to the Shraddhu, 329. See Ceremonies. Gifts. Sa- crifices, Offspring Kartik^yu propitiated for, 39. Omen ceremony for removing evils from bad, 231, expiation when birds of unlucky, perch on a Hindoo's house, 160, note. Onions why forbidden to the Hindoos, 287. OodttyHna- charjyii... ...a. learned bramhSn and persecutor of the Booddhus, 306. OopHvasU ceremony for fasting, how conducted, 222. Oordhoo.vahdd.svuLiysisee mendicants famed for holding up the right arm in one position, 297. Ordeal when resorted to, 168. Orgies of impurity with flesh, spirituous liquors, &c., by briimhucharees, 232. Pantb chewed by natives of what composed, 70 note. Parijata a tree in Indru's heaven reputed for fragrant flowers, 26. Par8hwtt-nat'hU.& Joinu leader, 327, his incarnation, ib. Parvutee a name of Doorga, 17. 64. Passions not overcome disentitles to celestial happiness, 284, subdued how shown by ascetics, 293. Pedal when worshipped, 176. See Trees. Wood. Petitions how offered, 219. See Vows. Phalgoonti a festival when and why celebrated, 192. Phallus. resembled to theLingu, 10. PMiosojj/ters... of the Hindoos little affected by the sense of honor found in their writings, 287. Pilgrims Names of places visited by, 257 — 259, with incurable distempers fast in Voidyunat'hii till death, 259. Pilgrimage Principal places of Hindoo, 257. See Holy Places. Pishachiis messengers of the gods guarding sacred places, 118. Planets worshipped in a body and separately, 54, sacrifices to, ih., 210, images of, ih., fees for worship 55, INDKX 417 Somu or Chundra, the moon, 56, Mungulu or Mars, 57, Booddhfi or Mei'cury, ib., Vrihusputee or Jupiterj 58, Shookru or Venus, 59, Shtinee or Saturn, 61, Rahoo, 62, K^too, 63. Points story of the forty-nine, 42, note. Poison power of, how first destroyed by incantation, 19, note, of serpents expelled by the toolusee plant, 161. Poita Pedal worshipped at investiture of the, 176. Polygamy not prohibited by the Booddhus, 312. Pooja^.. ceremonies how to be performed, 215, Dhyann used during, 217- See "Worship. Pools ceremonies for consecrating, 181, of water given as gifts, 224, merit of digging, 226. Poornabhishe- ku,.„ performed as orgies with flesh, spirituous liquors &c. by brumhucharees, 232. PooranUs.. ...Book when worshipped at recital of any of the, 173, when read attended by Sudtishyu priests, 186, ceremonies for hearing and reading the, 228. Poorohittt an order of priests, 185, ceremonies performed by, ib. fees, 186, qualifications of a, ib., how rewarded, ih. Posterity of Krishnu destroyed by a bramhun's curse, 120,note. Potters ...the principal god-makers, 184. PoUshtt a festival when and why celebrated, 192. Pougan Burman Koiyooms to be seen in the ancient city of, 311. Poverty.-' prevented by keeping the shalgramu stone, 174. Praise offered to the gods in the Stiivu ceremony, 218, re- peated to certain distinguished names of Joinu yogeas 332. Prayer offered to the gods in the Kuvuchu ceremony 219. Precipices. Life renounced by Hindoos in falling from, 249. Priests the Poorohitti 185. Acharyu, Sudushyti 186. Brumha, Hota &c., 187. their employments 185 — 187, dress of 187, orders of Booddhu, 310. forbidden to marry,' ih., their life, ib., are schoolmasters, ih., students when called as, 311. precepts to them ib., houses ih., investiture ih., of the Shiks called Grunt'hee 345. Prithivee regent of the earth and worshipped at all great festivals, 146. Proserpine compared to Kalee, 91, note. Prosperity.... Lukshmee the goddess of, 105, conversation of Hin- doos on the transmigration of souls in, 276. attri- buted to merit in a former birth ib. Prosiifiites. ...celebrate Suruswutee's festival, 107, profess religion . of Choitunyii, 136, expect heaven, 283. ^ Prukritee a name of Doorga on first appearance, 64. PrXtthivee. mother of Seeta, 133. 53 418 INDEK. PriUidht']ia....-js ceremouj" for dedicating trees, 227. P('(>i?2/«'n.(//>a.. why invoked, 83, forms of petition to, ib, story res- pecting her, 84. PruyagU union of the rivers Gunga, Yumoonaand Surtiswiitee where pilgrims chose a voluntary death, 257. Punchcmiimu.a, form of Shivfi, 144, image ik, how worshipped, ib., propitiated when children are seized with epilepsy, ib., story of his image being stolen, 144, note. Pttms/imewi... doctrine of future, 288, in diSerent hells, ib. their names and nature, ib. prevented by atonement, 288 note, dreaded by Hindoos, 289, Raviinn's at- tempt to emancipate the wicked from, i6. Booddhu states of, 307, of the wicked, 308, by the Joinus. — See Hells. Purifications .how conducted and when necessary, 266. Punirn-hung- sU mendicants hold no human intei'course, 297, their peculiarities, dress, &c., ib. PUvanu,.. his birth, festival, 42, adultery, heaven, names, 43, father of Hunooman, 155. Quarrel between D65rga and Shi vu, 147, 148, Sunyasee and Voiragee mendicants for bathing first in the Ganges, 294, note. Radka mistress of Krishna, 120, 141, image accompanies Krishnu's, 123, 141, wife of Ayunti-ghoshu a cow- herd, 141, an incarnation of Bhtigtivfitee, 142. Rahoo his image and influences, 62, when received his form, ib., interposes in an eclipse, ib., names, 63, the ascending node, 62, note, 144. Rain Vuriinu propitiated for, 84, how obtained by theShal- gramn stone, 175. Rajahs honor Kalee, 96. iia^'a^sootos... destroy their daughters, 252, murder infants, ib, RakshiisXis or Gannibals...their forms, 144, names of the distinguished, ib. all bramhtins, ib. Ramahoots.... mendic&nt followers of Ramn, 134, their marks, ib. SamayuTOft... Number of, and by whom composed, 90 note, history of Ramfi table of contents of, 130, Valmeekee writer of, 133. RameshwurU (Raiiiiseram).yfhy famous as a place of pilgrimage, 259, visited by wandering mendicants, ib. Ramvi his history, 130, war with Ravnnti, 130 — 133, bridge of, to Lunka, 132 note, his death, 133, image and festi- val, 134, worshipped by Rarantti mendicants, 295. IXDEX. 419 Ramttta mendicants worshipping Ramu, 295, where born, ib., their dress, ib., smoke intoxicating herbs excessively, ib. Ra/mu ShttrU- nii, Paelu. . .a successor to certain mendicant god, 137, taught the doctrine of a constant incarnation, ib. Rasti a festival of Krishnu, 121, its indecent celebration, 122. RavUnti a giant who reigned at Liinka (Ceylon), 130, his wars with Ramu for Seeta, 131, death, 133 note, visits Yumtt to emancipate the wicked from hell, 290. RavUee. wife of Bnlu-ramti, 129. -KedPowf^/ -..thrown at passengers in the Dolti festival, of what composed, 122, note. -Re/resAmeni... supplied by road-ways to travellers, meritorious, 228. Religion attachment of Hindoo female children to, 277, note. of Booddhu the most ancient in India, 304. R&ligious Austerities. Se& Ascetics. Mendicants. Tupusya. Rent paid as first instalment in villages at certain festivals, 146. Rishnbhu-de- vU a Hindoo, the founder of the Jointt sect, 326, his birth, incarnations and marriage, ib., titles, 327, doctrines, ih. was a hermit, ib. his disciples, ib. successors, ib. See Jointis. Rivers waters of the Khursoo never drunk by Hindoos, 44, note, dead toolusee plants committed to, 161, of both genders worshipped, 163, Gunga, ib. its wor- ship,, ife. certain places of it held sacred, ib. other deified, 171, 172. See Ganges. Roads... cut and planted with fruit trees for travellers, meri- torious, 227. Roodraksha... necklaces worn by Hindoos, 38 note, when used by Soivyus, meritorious, 30S. ^ooAminee. ...a wife of Krishnti, 142, worshipped at his festivals, ib. RUtee wife of Kamti-ddvu, the Indian Cupid, 138. Rtit'ha the car festival of Jugunnat'hn, described, 128. RUvee (the Sun) his fox'm, worship, influences, 55, called Sooryu, ih. commits a rape, ib. Sacrifice., Bramhuns necessary to every, 23, note, of blood to Doorga and Krishnu Kalee, 69, 148. of men to Kalee, 91, of ahorse, meritorious, 133, note, to the river Briimhu-pootru, 172. rules for burnt, 204. proofs from the shastrfe of hunaan, 305, rpcent instances 420 INDEX. of the practice, 207 of a bull, horse, 208, an ass ; at birth of a son, 210, after death, ib., to the nine planets, &c., ib., 211. bloody, 212 — See Infanticide. Offerings. Suicide. Sutee. Sadhvjee ceremony of burning widows alive with their hus- bands, 235. — See Sutee. Sagniku bramhtlns use fii'e, 41. Saints ....of the Hindoos live in perpetual intoxication, 283, famed for austerities notorious for vice, ib. of the Jointis spread over th e universe, 330. See Mendican ts. Salmacis a nymph resembled to Huree-Hurii, 149, note. SantUnoo married to the river Gunga, 163. Saturn resembled to Shivti, 11, note. toShunee, 36. 61, note, 8avitree-vru- tU a ceremony of wives worshipping husbands, 221. Schools where held for educating Shikh children, 349. Schoolmasters.iim.ong the Booddlms are priests, 310. Schism of Booddhu regarding a First Cause, &c. 304. 339, of the Joinus respecting a Creator, 329. 340, of Choitunyu, 354. — See Doctrine. Sculpture on stone images in what state found, 183. Scurvy. Ghdtoo worshipped for removal of, 146. Sea churned by the Usoorns or giants, 113, formation of the seven seas, 164, note. Sects of the Hindoos ; the Soivfis, Voishnnvus, 302, Shak- ttis, 303, Sourus, Ganuputyus, ib. Booddhtis, 303. 335, Joinus, 326, how divided, 334, Bramhinical account and Mr. Colebrooke's observations regard- ing them, 334, 340-342, Shikhs, 342, followers of Choitunyu called Gosaees, 354, account of all the Hindoo, 356—363. Seeta wife of Ramfi, 130, her history, ib. adventures of Hunooman for her recovery, 131, image, 141, pil- grims resort to Mit'hila the birth-place of, 259. Servants ofKoovdru called Yukshiis, 118, inferior celestial beings with gods as, ib. Sesamum seeds used in the tiirpunu ceremony, 214. Shakttis followers ofDoorga, 75, a Hindoo sect worshipping Bhuguvntee, 303, their marks, &c., ib., generally bramhtins, ib., resemble the Soiviis in dress, ib., not mendicants, ib., ceremonies, ib., use spirituous liquors, ib. ShalgramVii....^ept between toolusee leaves, 161, the ostites or eagle stone of various kinds, 174, brought from mount Gtindukee, ib., called by different names, ib., why deified, ib., representative of the gods, 176, polluted by a Shoodru'e touch, 176, Vishnoo worshipped daily before, 192. See Lingti. Stones. INDEX. 421 ShastrUs ......deified and worshipped, 273, where read or sung in temples, 179, ceremonies, for singing, 229, allure to duty by promises of reward, 285, of the Bood- dhiis in what contained, 307, revered by the Shikhs, 345.— See Books. Sheds erected for travellers by public roads, meritorious, 228. Sheetula.. .... -her imsLge, 107, invoked for preventing small pox, 108, worshipped by beggars, ib. adored by Hindoo females when itch afflicts the family, ib. image of, made of silver, 182. Shikhs Nanukti founder of the, 342, other leaders, 343, gi-ew powerful under Govindti-Singhfi, 344, their na- tional council when called, ib. shastrSs, 345, divi- sions, 347, initiation, 347, festivals, 348, ceremonies, ib. schools 349, castes, ib. number of chiefs among, ib. doctrines, 349—353. Shivu his forms and worship, 9, 10, 187, festivals, J 2, mar- riage, 1 7, names, 18, heaven, 19, image made of quicksilver, 183, worshipped by sunyasees, 294. Shiva-poorU.. .heaven of Shivu, 148, note. ShmUshanU- Kiilee a form of Kalee presiding over cemeteries, 102. ShoodrU eating leavings of a bramhun meritorious, 49, note. cannot offer boiled rice to Jtlgunnat'hu, 128, if in trouble or distempered, meritorious, 170, touching a shalgramu, impure, 176, ceremonies, 199, how to present gifts to bramhuns, 224, attains heaven with difficulty, 284. ShoohrUorVe- t nus his form, 59, preceptor and priest to the giants ib., his blindness, ib., names, 61. Shoolee.. ...an instrument for impaling criminals, 314, note. 8 hraddhu...... on certain lunar day, meritorious, 190, to be repeated monthly, 191, observed by few, 193, for deceased relations by pilgrims at Gtiya, 257, rites for repose of the soul, 261, of three kinds, 262, how performed 262 — 266, for deceased ancestors, 266, Joinus do not present offerings to, 329. See Ceremonies. Offerings. Sacrifices. jyAora. .......... a ceremony for trying thegodship of images, 185. Shree bhagii- vUtU recited inBengal,228,read by voishnuvfibramh'ans303. ShoshttnH, an instrument for drying up liquids, 66, note. JShramti/rM. ....festival when and why celebrated, 191. ShravUmH-B^- ligolU the principal residence of the Joinu gooroos, 329. ShUnee. resembled to Saturn, 36, 61 note, his form, 61, evil influences, ib. image made of iron, 182. 422 INDEX. ShunkitrU- Chillu or Eagle of Coromandel, 160, called tlie bramhuiiej kite, ib. an incarnation of Doorga, ib. Sh'Urevures. ...mendicants known as Booddhfls avoiding the des- truction of animal life, 296. ShUsktee her image, 110, protectress of children, ib., festivals, ib. Shyaraa a festival of Kalee, 95, held monthly by certain Hin- doos, 191. Sickness Toolfisee leaves offered to Shalgramfi to recover from, 175, bathing in, 214, prayers on a Joinu mendicant's, 334. SiddMshwU- ree a form of Kalee worshipped by thieves, 104. SiddhU Chitk- rH-poqja a great Joinu festival, 333, how celebrated, ib. SiddhH-poo- roosktt a name why given to Hindoo saints, 298. Sindhiikatee...a,n instrument used by thieves for cutting through stones, &c., 94. Singhu-vahi- nee a form of Doorga, 79, image and worship, ib. SiTis-- of men how destroyed, 154, of what kind forgiven by bathing in Gfinga, 166, note; 168 — 170, how punished in different hells^ 288, of some kind send generations to hell, 289, among Hindoos and Bood- dhfls called mortal, 320. — See Hells. Punishment. Transmigi'ation. Sirkars. who called, 67, note. Skvn...... Ghetoo invoked for removal of scurvy or blotches of, 146. Skiim,d'ii-poo- ranU recited in parts in Bengal, 228. Sleep,.. position in, 36 note, images of gods how laid to, 128 note. Small Poa;.....Sheetfila worshipped for preventing, 188. Snakes— Mtiniisa invoked to protect from bite of, 108, repeti- tion of Guroorfi's name protection from, 158, in- cantation for handling, 232. SnanH ...ceremonies, 213, 214. of a bramhiSn, 214. — See Bath- ing. Snan/ti-yatra..ha,ihhxg festival of Jtigunnat'hiS, 128. Soivytis worship Shivii, 11, marks and customs, 302, a Hindoo sect, ib. adore the lingn, ib. have no festivals, ib. principally bramhfins, ib. object to destroy animal life, 303. Soma (the Moon) image, worship, influences, names, 56. iXDEX. 423 Soii... Sacrifice at birth of a, 210. (S'o?igrs.... ....... Indecency of, before Doorga, 73, of the Shastrus, how sung, 229. Soobhudra a sister of Jugfinnat'hu drawn in his car, 128. 142. Soomeroo... -a, mountain, how transformed into island of Ceylon, 43. Soorya his descent, form, worship, 31, festivals, 32, invoked for health, &c., 33, anecdotes, ib. heaven, names, 34, worshipped as Rtivee or the Sun, 55, father of Shunee or Saturn, 61, Uroonu charioteer of, 159. Sddryti,-loku....heai.ven of Sooryti, 34. Sorrow '.Conversation on transmigration of souls by widows in, 277. Souls in what time go to Yiimu after death, 47, Shraddhu for repose of, 261, why performed, 262. — See Doc- trine. Shraddhu. Transmigration. SourtLS worship Sooryti, 33, their customs, ib. a Hindoo sect adoring the Sun, 303. Spirit.-. ... •••Conditions of, believed by the Jointis, 330. Spirits drunk by bramhuns before Kalee's temple, 98, note, commonly by Hindoos in secret, 234, note, when taken by bramhuns how to be atoned, 271, used by Shikhs, 349.— See Liquor. Spiritual Guide See Gooroo. Spirituous Li- quor See Liquor. Stone* ...worshipped as Punchaniinu, 143, by the Arabians, ib., Dhiirmu T'hakooru represented as a black, 144, worship of the Shalgramu and other, 174. 176, images of gods and goddesses, 183. StUva a ceremony for praising the gods, 218. Strangers merit of hospitality to, 225. — See Travellers. SudtishyU priests regulating ceremonies, 186, engaged at festi- vals and reading of the pooranns, ib. Suicidx called Kamyu-Murunii, 246, by drowning in tbe Ganges, 247, of a leper and burial of ten persons at Agra, 249, in falling from precipices, 250, dying under wheels of Jfigiinnat'hu's car, ib. by pilgrims at Giinga Saguru, 259, promised heaven, 283. — See Drowning. Sfitee. Sukee-bhavU....&Ti. order of mendicant bramhuns and other castes, 295, followers of Krishnu assuming the manners of women, ih. Sti/nghika the father of Rahoo, 62. Stvngytiminee.the residence of Yfimti, judge of the dead where situated, 279. S^ln or Ruvee..& planet, 55, worshipped by the Sourils, 303. 42-t INDEX. Sunjee-vUnee. .Ynm^'a judgment seat, 47. SUnyasees devotees atShivu's festivals, 12, mendicants worship- ping Shivu, 294, their dress, ib. fight between them and voiragees for bathing first in G^nga, ib. note, practices of Joinii, 329. — See Ascetics. Mendi- cants. jSupersfiiioTi... Number of Hindoos annually perishing as victims of, 254. jSftrftswut^e, ..her descent, 106, wife of Vishn56, ib- indecencies at her festival, 107, names, ib. Shastrils how worship- ped at festival of, 173. SUriiyoo-- a river where Hindoos bathe, 172. Sutee wife of Doorga, 17, term applied to widows burning themselves with their husbands, 18, note. Doorga when named, 64, authorised by the Shastriis, 235, ceremonies preceding, 236, instances of, 238, chil- dren burnt with, 242, permitted to alter resolution of being burnt, 244, calmness of a, 245, conduct of bramhuns at a, ib., number burnt, 246, promised heaven, 283, why reconciled to funeral pile, 285, note. SUtyU-bhama.a, wife of Krishnti, 142, worshipped at his festival, ib. SUtyU - Nara- yunU image and worship of, 139. SUvurna a wife of Sqpryfi, 34. Swaha ...married to Ugnee, 41. Swine offered to Muntisa, 109. Swinging festival in honor of Shivu, 15. Tara ,..her image and worship, 81, patroness of learning, 82. Tax levied by Government on pilgrims to Giiya and Prti- yagti, 257, to Jugtinnat'hu-kshutru in Orissa, 258. Teert'hXis ... ...sacred bathing places of Hindoos, 25, note. Teert'lva-stlia- nli, or holy places, 255, ceremonies on visiting, ib. Teeth cleaned with a stick by a bramhtin, when unlawful, 194, note. T^mee-Jafti... .a BiSrman account of Booddhtt's incarnations, 312 — 325. Temples none to the One God. 1, or to Sooryu, 34, or Gii- ndshtl, 37, or Kartikdytl, 40, of Kalee at Kalee- ghatu near Calcutta, 97, none to Shushtee, 112, to Krishnti numerous, 123, of Jugunnat'hti, 127, of Kamti, 134, of Doorga contain images of the jackal 157, called Mfindirtt, D^oolfi, Pfinchii-i-titnu, Vish- noo mtlndirti, &c. described, 177 — 199, built in a square, 179, by whom generally erected, ib. dedi- cation of, 180, how endowed, 181, what kind of, worship in Shivti and Vishnoo, 187, 188, of Bood- INDEX. 425 dhii in Bfirman empire, 309, by whom built, ib. of the Joinfis, 331, note, of Nanukfi at D^htira where portion of his garment is kept, 343, of the Shikhs, 348, of Choitanyti, 355. — See Ceremonies. Pooja. Worship. Terminus a Roman god worshipped with oily matter like Pfin- chanSnS, 143, note. Terrestrial Gods Krishnfi, Gopalii, Gope-nat'ht!, 125, J.!•' ■..""« -^.