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HEOU
S IAC*
/Ki '':
?;>-
.-.
VIEW
OF THE
HISTORY, LITERATURE, and RELIGION

OF
THE HINDOOS:
INCLUDING
A MINUTE DESCRIPTION OF
AND
TRANSLATIONS FROM THEIR PRINCIPAL WORKS,
IN
TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
By the Rev. W. WARD,

ONE OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARIES AT SERAMPORE, BENGAL.
THE THIRD EDITION,

CAREFULLY ABRIDGED AND GREATLY IMPROVED.
LONDON:
Printed, by Order of the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society, for
BLACK, PARBURY, AND ALLEN, BOOKSELLERS TO THE

HON. EAST INDIA COMPANY, LEADENHALL-STREET;
By W. H.
Pearce, High-street, Birmingham,
1817.
WIEOl.
&JAC*
(=14-91
2.4431
tl;e
JWemorg
BIRMINGHAM
JOHN SUTCLIFF, of OLNEYj
The Rev. SAMUEL PEARCE,

The Rev.
of
of
AND
The Rev.
ANDREW FULLER,
op
KETTERING)
antJ to
The Rev. JOHN RYLAND, of BRISTOL;

The Rev.
JOHN FAWCETT,
of
HEPDEN-BRIDGE;
ANI>
The Rev.
ROBERT HALL,
of
LEICESTER
antr to
The Rev. WILLIAM CAREY,
AND ALL THE OTHER EUROPEAN AND OTHER

COLLEAGUES OF THE AUTHOR IN INDIA
THIS
WORK
IS
VERY AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED,
THE AUTHOR
Serampore, Junej
VOL.
I.
1815.
PRONUNCIATION OF HINDOO NAMES,
In endeavouring to give the sounds of Siingskritu words, the

author has adopted a method, which he hopes unites correctness
with simplicity, and avoids

been so
much complained
much of
that confusion
of on this subject.
only retain in his memory, that the short

the short o in son, or the
plate
in
Burton
ii
is
to be sounded as
the French
e",
as a in
and the ee as in sweet ; he may go through the whole
work with a pronunciation

derstand him.
vowel
which has
If the reader will
(u,)
so correct, that a
Hindoo would un-
At the beginning and end of a word, the inherent
has the soft sound of au.
ERRATA.
Vol.
I. p.
lxxxvi.
1.
9.
for " adorating," read
u adoring."
p. 9. 1. 7. for " eight," read " eighth."

p. 256. 1. 12. for " fled," read " fled away."
Vol. II. p. 138. 1. 3. for " Bristol Hot-wells, with all its gilt crutches,"
read " the
warm
waters at Bath, with
all
the gilt crutches."
CONTENTS
OF VOL.
I.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
X HE
Hindoo theology founded on the same philosophical notion
of the Greeks, that the Divine Spirit
from the Greek writers,
is
as that
the soul of the world, proved
from the Vedantu-Saru, A system of

Extract from the Shree-BhagiiAccount of the ceremony called yogii, by
iii.
i.
austerity founded on this system, v.

vutii
on
this subject, vi.
which the Divine
Spirit,
dwelling in matter, becomes purified, ex-
tracted from the Patiinjulu Durshunii and the Goriikshu-sunghita,
No
real yogees to
be found at present,
ix.
Absurdity
viii.
of these
Another class of Hindoos place their hopes

The great mass of the population adhere to
Conjectures on the origin of the Hindoo Mytho-
opinions and practices, x.
on devotion,
ibid.
ous ceremonies,
religi-
xii.
on images, as originating in moral darkness, and the depraibid. those of the Hindoos not representations of the One
God, xiv. nor of his perfections, ibid. nor of human virtues, xv.
nor of the objects of natural science, ibid. but
general the invention of kings, to please the multitude,
The doctrine of the
logy,
xiii.
vity of
men,
in
all
ibid.
East, that
God
in his abstract state is
unknown, and unconnected with
the object of worship the divine energy, subject to

union to matter, ibid. the creation of
xvii. Proofs that the divine energy
the object of
from the forms of the gods,
the modes of worship,
the universe, xvi.
passions, in consequence of
the gods
adoration,
xix.
its
first,
is
xviii.
the common
The
observations of the Hindoos on the
phenomena of
among the
divine energy the object of worship
nature, xx.
Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, &c. proved by quotations from various
The subjects
The ancient idolatry of
authors, xxi.
embraced by the Hindoo mythology,
this
xxii.
people confined to the primary elements,
the heavenly bodies, and aerial beings, ibid.
the succeeding
objects
of worship, Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shivfi, the creator, the preserver,
and destroyer,
nature, ibid.
ibid.
then
next the female deities, as the representatives of

sundry
deities,
connected with corrupt notions of
Divine Providence; and afterwards deified heroes, xxiv. The number

of the Hindoo gods, ibid. Benefits sought from different gods by their
worshippers, xxv.
Brumha
his
formallusions of these attributes

CONTENTS.
vi
Vishnoo the attributes

conjecture of Mr. Paterson's noticed, xxvii.
Shivii, and the attributes of his image remarks on the worship of the
Lingu resemblance between Bacchus and Shivii two other forms of
Shivii noticed, Kalii-Bhoiravu and Muha-Kalu, xxviii. Indrii, xxx.
Yumii,xxxi. Guneshu^xxxii. Kartikeyii,ibid. S66ryu,ibid. Ugnee,
xxxiii. Puvunii, xxxiv. Viiroonu, ibid. Siimoodru, ibid. Prit'hivee,.
ibid. The heavenly bodies, xxxv. Doorga, xxxvi. Kalee, xxxvii.
Liikshmee, xxxviii. Siiriiswutee, ibid. Sheetiila,
Muniisa, ibid.
Shtisht'hee, ibid. Krishnii, xxxix. Jugunnat'hu, Ramii,
Choitiinyu,
Vishvfu-kurma, ibid. Kamu-devii, ibid.-Siityu-Narayiinu, ibid. Punchaniinu, ibid. Dhurmti-t'hakooru, ibid. Kalooibid. Deified beings in strange shapes,
worship of human
beings, ibid. Worship of beasts, ibid. birds, xliv. trees, ibid.
xlv.books, ibid. stones, ibid. a log
Worship of rivers,
of wood, xlvi Remarks on this system of mythology, ibid. on the
use of idols in worship, ibid. Indelicacy of many of the Hindoo
images,
Corrupt effects of idol worship in this country,
especially after the festivals, xlix. The history of the gods and
ous pantomimes exceedingly increase these effects, Practices of the
vamacharees add to the general corruption, Reflections on this state
of things, ibid. causes of the popularity of the festivals,
remarks,
conjecture of Mr. Paterson's examined, xxvi.
of his image explained
ibid.'
xl.
xli.
xlii.
rayii,
xliii.
fish,
ibid.-
m.
xlvii.
xlviii.
religi-
1.
li.
lv.
with a view of correcting the false estimate made of the Hindoo character by the Rev. Mr. Maurice and others, ibid.
frauds,
use, lx.
Idolatry exciting to
setting up of gods a trade, ibid. Hindoo Templestheir

dedication of them, ibid. Images, of what materials made,
lix.
Periodical ceremoPriests, Ceremonies at temples,

into the
daily duties of a bramhiin, form of
Hindoo
the spiritual guide, lxv.Bathing, forms of
worship before the
lxvL Extract from the Ain Akbiiree,
meditation, repeating
note. forms of praise and prayer,
bramhiins,
vows, fasting, and
the names of the gods,
hospitality, digging pools, planting trees, rehearsing and hearing
the pooranus, &c. lxx. Burning widows, and burying them
note. number of these
an affecting relation by Captain Kemp,
atonements, and offerings
victims, lxxiv. Visiting sacred places,
lxxvi. Confession of faith
to the manes, lxxv. heavens and
Remarks on lxxix. Sum of the Hindoo
made by a bramhiin,
Remarks of the same bramhiin
system, lxxx. view of
Appearon the present state of religion among his countrymen,
lxi.
lxiii.
lxii.
lxiv.
nies, ibid.
initiation
ibid.
rites, ibid.
ibid,
idol,
ibid.
lxviii.
gifts to
lxix.
ibid.
alive, ibid.
ibid.
ibid.
hells,
ibid.
its effects,
it,
ibid.
ibid.
* In this Introduction, the author has gone over the whole of the
that he might supply a
number of omissions
an epitome of the whole.
in the
body of the work
Hindoo Pantheon,
and hence
it
forms

CONTENTS.
vii
ances in the streets, reminding the passenger of the different Hindoo
ceremonies, lxxxii.
This system incapable of producing moral
effects,
notwithstanding the doctrine of future rewards and punishments,
Errors inculcated the Hindoo writings respecting God,

Impure actions of the gods,
the gods counteracting
the government of the world, lxxxix. Irreverence of the
each other
people towards the gods, xc. Contrast betwixt Hindooism and Christeaches the
to God,
Hindoo system ascribes
bramhiin to despise the shoddrtt,
exhorts to the extinction of
every virtuous passion,
declares that sin removed by the
most
ceremony,
supplies prayers for the destruction of
enemies,
permits falsehood, and theft even from a slave,
in
lxxxiv.
lxxxv.
lxxxviii.
in
xci.
all sin
tianity, ibid.
xcii.
ibid.
trifling
is
ibid.
ibid.
xciii.
Works, said to raise men to heaven, not beneficial to others, ibid.

Remarks on the impurities and cruelties connected with this system,
Impossible to know the Hindoo idolatry, as it is, without initiaxciv.
The dispensations of Providence towards the Hindoos untion, xcv.
Happiness under the British

Misrepresentations of European writers noticed
Of
and reprehended, xcvii. Scripture testimony against idolatry,
folded by this state of things, xcvi.
government,
ibid.
ci.
the seceders, or heterodox Hindoos, the Joiniis, Bouddhus, Shikhs, and
the founders of these sects religious

Observations on the tenets of these seceders,
followers of Choitunyti
dicants,
ciii.
all
men-
civ.
BOOK
I.
OBJECTS OF WORSHIP.
CHAP.
I.
OF GOD.
PAGE.
The One God an object of
speculation only
not a single temple

1
CHAP.
II.
OF THE GODS.
Their number, three hundred and thirty millions,
Sect. I. Vishnoo.
Accounts of the ten incarnations,
10. Meaning of these
fables,
3.
Other incarnations,
11. Images of Vishnoo,
CONTENTS.
via
PAGE.
His
SECT.
11.
Mark
Shivu.
IS
His heaven,
wives, 13.
II.
Forms of this god,
The lingu, 15. Resembles

Form of this god as Mtiha-
14.
the phalli of the Greeks, 16.
Names and mark
Kalii, 17.
festivals
19
26.
particularly the
Bkumha. Account
VII.
He
37.
His names,
Other
Names
of
49
....,
His descent, 50.
Guneshu.
36
Account of a criminal
Heaven of Indru, 42.
heaven, in several stories, 43.
fables, 41.
god,
attempts to commit
35.
Scenes
of this god, ibid.
VI.
Form of this
intrigue, 38.
Soortu.
29.
30
to him, 31.
Indru. His image and festivals,
this god,
V.
Names,
heaven,
Heaven of Brumha,
in this
ditto,
Marriage of
rites, 26.
of the creation, 33.
Worship paid
incest, ibid.
IV.
Shivii's
Shivii's
and swinging
Fables respecting Shivu, 28.
Description of
ibid.
of the sect, 18.
siinyasee
Origin of these horrid
Shivii, 27.
III.
His names, ibid.
of his followers, 12.
His
festivals, 51.
Anecdotes
His names,
His image, 56.
55
Descent and
ship's. Names,
Kartikeyu. His image and
Wor-
birth, 57.
59
descent, 60.
Festivals, 62.
Names,
64
X.
Ugnee. His form and descent, 65. Festival, ibid. Names,

Puvunu. His birth, 67. A story respecting him, 68. His
impure character, 69. Names,
Vuroonu. His image and worship, 70. Fables, ibid. His
XI.
Yumu.
VIII.
IX.
heaven, 72.
His names,
His image and
of the dead, 75.

him, 76
XII.
82.
His palace,
Remarks on
Worshipped in a body,
" Host of Heaven."
ibid.
Fables respecting
Marriage, 83.
Names,
their worship,
Planets.
XIV.
Ruvee. His form and worship, 89.

Somu. His image and worship, 90.
XV.
XVI.
73
XIII.
89
Commits a rape,
Names,
90
91
92
93
95
98
99
planet,
Rahoo. His image, 100* Received
84
85
Mungull. His image, 92. An evil planet,

XVII. Boodhu. His form, 92. Account of his birth,
XVIII. Vrihlspltee. His image, 94. An auspicious planet, 95.
Names,
XIX. Shookru. His form, 95. A fable respecting his blindness,
96.
A propitious planet, ibid. A fable, ibid. Names,
XX. Shunee. His image, 99. An evil and much-dreaded
XXI.
69
His court as judge
festivals, 73.
His heaven, 82.
66
this
form ai the churn-
CONTENTS.
ix
PAGE.
ing of the sea, ibid.
cidence
Names, 101.
Unaccountable coin-
customs of different nations respecting an
in the
101. note
eclipse,
Ketoo.
XXII.
102
His image,
CHAP.
III.
OF THE GODDESSES.
Sect.
I.
Doorga.
Her
Reason of her name, a
descent, 103.
Festivals, 108.
fable, ibid.
Bloody
at her festival minutely described, ibid.

fices, 111.
Raja Raj-krishnu's at Calcutta, 117.

II.
The
ten
Dances, 114.
Offerings, 113.
image, 120.
Ceremonies
Image, 109.
sacri-
scene at
Drowning the
,^
422
Fables respecting this goddess,
Forms of Doorga. Story from the Markundeyu

and another from the Chiindee, relative to the
pooranii,
wars of Doorga, 123.
Names of
the ten forms,
III.
Singhu-vahinee, a form of Doorga.
IV.
Muhishu-murdinee.
And
128.
worship, 129.
Be-
worship,
nefits
V.
Her image,
129
attending
Her image and
129
it,
Juguddhatree.
Her image,
130.
popular festival
130
held in her honour,
VI.
Mooktu-keshee.
Her image,
131.
Her
festival,
and
the benefits promised to her worshippers,
VII.
VIII.
Tara. Her image and worship,

Chinnu-mustuka. Her image,
the benefits resulting from
IX.
X.
131
132
132.
Her worship, and

133
it,
Jugudgouree.
Her image and worship,

Vugulamookhee. Her festival, 134. Benefits resulting
from her worship,
XI.
Prutyungira.
134
Story respecting her,
136
Unnu-poorna. Her image, and festival,

XIII. Glneshu-jununee. Her image, 137. Regular and occasional festival,
Krishnu-krora.
XVI.
festival,
Vishalakshee. Offerings to this goddess,

Chundee. Her worship, and festivals, 141.
her,
XVII.
&
136
138
Her image, and
138.
The
history of this goddess,
XV.
134
Petitions addressed to this goddess, 135.
XII.
XIV.
128
138
140
Offerings to
Ill
XVIII. Other forms of Doorga of inferior note, .... 141, 144

XIX. Kalee. Her image, and anecdotes connected with it,
CONTENTS.
x
SECT.
PAGE.
Human
145.
Other horrid
sacrifices, 148.
singular fact, that thieves worship her, 151.
vals
Hindoo
dess by the
rajas, 156.
presents being
made
monthly
at
much honoured,
by kings, merchants, and
to it
even by Christians, 160.
to this god-
Image and temple
Kalee-ghatii described, 157. This image
XXI.
XXII.
Festi-
scene at Kalee-Shunkuru-Goshu's, at Calcutta,
The degree of honour formerly paid
154.
XX.
rites, 150.
Statement of the value of the

165
offerings,
Other forms of Kalee of inferior note,
166
Llksiimee. Her image, 169. Her descent and festivals,

Kojaguru-Lukshmee, another form of Lukshmee. Her
170
worship, and festival,
XXIII.
Suruswutee.
XXIV.
Sheetula.
during her
Her
171
descent, 172.
Indecencies practised
173
festival,
Her image,
Worshipped during the
174.
small-pox,
174
XXV. Munusa*. Her

XXVI.
Her
Shushtee.
image and descent, 176.
Her
festival,
six festivals described,
CHAP.
176
178
IV.
INFERIOR CELESTIAL BEINGS OBJECTS OF WORSHIP.

Sect.
I.
II.
Their conduct at the churning of the
Usooriis.
Story of Koombhu-kurnii, 186.
Rukshiisiis.
hurviis
ibid.
and Kinnurus, 187.
sea, a story,
The
184
Giind-
Vidya-dhurtis and Upsuriis,
Nayikas, 190. Yukshus, 191. Pishachus, Goodg-
hukiis, Siddhiis, Bhootus,
Chai units,
CHAP.
&c
102
V.
OF THE TERRESTRIAL GODS.

Sect.
I.
Krishnu. His birth, 193. Juvenile exploits, 194. His

image and festivals, 195. Image of Radha accompanies
Krishna's, 200.
Number of his
followers, ibid.
Stories
of Krishnu,
II.
Gopalu.
20(1
His image, 203.
story of this image found
203
in a field,
*
This goddess
is
honoured
as she
who
protects from serpents: but the author
assured, that, in the upper provinces, the serpent itself
Image
is
formed into a
circle, the
respecting this serpent-god
is,
head and
tail
is
of the serpent being joined.
that the earth rest*
on
his
i*
worshipped, and that the
thousand heads.
The legend
CONTENTS.
xi
PAGE.
ÊCT.
III.
Gopee-nat'hu.
celebrated image of him at Ugrii-
204
dweepu,
IV.
of his image, with the origin of
His temples, 207.
206.
V.
Form
Jugtjnnat'hu.
Bulu-ramu.
it,
208
Festivals,
His image generally accompanies Jugun210
nat'htt's,
VI.
Ramu.
His history, including
His image and

VII.
Choitunyu.
IX.
211.
218
festival,
His
223
Another mendicant-god,
Vishwu-kurmu. Form of his image and festival,

Kamu-devu. His image and festival, 225. A story
specting him, 226.
X.
war with Ravunu,
History of this mendicant god, 219.
festivals, 222.
VIII.
his
Sutyu-Narayunu.
224
re-
227
His names,
His image and worship,
CHAP.
227
VI.
TERRESTRIAL GODDESSES.
Sect.
I.
229
Seeta,
ibid.
Radha,
Rookminee, and Sutyu-bhama,
III.
IV. SOOBHUDRA,
II.
CHAP.
I.
LOWER ORDERS ONLY.
Punchanunu. Form of the image,
232.
A story respect233, note
ing him,
II.
Dhurmu-Thakooru. A form
and
III.
IV.
V.
of Shivti,235.
His image
235
festival,
236
Kaloo-rayu,
Kalu-bhoiruvu,
Worship
231
VII.
DEITIES WORSHIPPED BY THE

Sect.
230
237
to cure the itch
and scurvy,
CHAP.
ibid.
VI11.
WORSHIP OF BEINGS IN STRANGE SHAPES.

Sect.
I.
Urdhu Nareeshwuru.
in the pooranus, 239.
II.
HI.
Origin of this image, as related

211
Its festival,
242
Krishnu-Kalee,
Hlree Huru.
Form
of the image, 212.
counts in the pooranus of
its
origin,
Different ac-
242
CONTENTS.
ii
PAGE.
SECT.
CHAP.
IX.
WORSHIP OF HUMAN BEINGS.

Deified
men and ivomen

246.
Bramhuns,
especially
Daughters of bramhuns,
245.
A female, 247.
ibid.
religious
guides,
Wives of bramhuns,
Unutterable abominations practised, ibid*
CHAP. X.
WORSHIP OF BEASTS.
Sect.
I.
II.
The Cow,
249
Marriage of two given
The Monkey, (Hiinooman,) 251.
by the Raja of Nftdeeya, who spent 100,000 roopees on

Anecdotes of this god,
the ceremony, ibid.

III.
The Dog,
IV.
The Shackal,
V.
252
254
.
. . .
Other animals worshipped,
CHAP.
ibid.
ibid.
XI.
THE WORSHIP OF BIRDS.

Sect.
I.
Gurooru.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
His image and descent, 256.
specting him, 257.
story re-
His names,
25S
Uroonu,
Jutayoo,
259
ibid.
Shunkuru Chillu, or the Eagle

Khungunu, or the Wag Tail,
of Coromandel,
260
Other birds worshipped,
CHAP.
ibid.
ibid.
XII.
THE WORSHIP OF TREES.

I.
The TooUsce,
II.
Other sacred
Sect.
261
263
trees,
CHAP.
XIII.
THE WORSHIP OF RIVERS.

Sect.
I.
Gunga.
Her image, 264.
Festivals, 269.
272.
Descent, 265.
Worship, 268.
Attachment of the natives
to this river,
This attachment encouraged by the shastrus,
ibid. note.
Anxiety of the Hindoos
to die in sight of
CONTENTS.
xiii
PAGE.
Children and grown-up
drowned
Extracts from the poorantis, 276.
in
it,
Reflections,
Other deified
II.
persons
the Ganges, 274.

275.
. .
277
.*
rivers,
27S
CHAP. XIV.
THE WORSHIP OF
281
FISH.
CHAP. XV.
THE WORSHIP OF BOOKS.
282
CHAP. XVI.
THE WORSHIP OF STONES.
The Shalgramu*.
Reason of
Different kinds, 283.
its
deification,
284.
Constant representative of the gods in worship,
285.
Other stones worshipped,
CHAP.
280
XVII.
A LOG OF WOOD WORSHIPPED.

The Pedal.
it
One
The
Origin of
its
worship, 287.
Festival given in honour of
288
by the Raja of Nulu-danga,

of these stones,
by a
fall,
being split asunder, was lately shewn to the author.
internal appearance of this strongly indicates, that these stones are not, as has been
supposed, (see Asiatic Researches, vol.
vii. p. 240.)
the shell in the inside of this was the Argonauta
VOL.
I.
***
perforated stones, but petrified shells
Argo.May
8, 1815.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
HINDOO RELIGION.
1HE
whole system of Hindoo theology
is
founded upon the
doctrine that the Divine Spirit, as the soul of the universe, be-
comes,
in all
animate beings, united to matter j that
spirit is in-
sulated or individuated by particular portions of matter, which

it is
human
knowledge of
that the
liverance
objects,
soul
this,
in other words,
is,
leading
men
the only
means of being reunited to the divine nature

from matter may be obtained
There are two opinions among the Hindoos oh
philosophers maintaining, that

creatures
it is
one soul which
The
the same moment.

millions of forms,
as one
moon
some
united to sentient
Spirit, otherwise,
is
all
vedantft philosophers teach,
human
when one
from the ant
to
would obtain
that
God
it
at
exists in
Brumha, the grandfather of the gods,
seen at once in twenty different pans of water/
The agreement betwixt

is
this subject;
is
while others support a contrary opinion, and affirm, that
must be emanations from the Great
person obtained absorption into the divine nature,
phers
in the present
by separation from human intercourse, the practice of
state
souls
to seek complete de-
from the degrading and polluting influence of material
is
that this deliverance
new portions of
God himself
continually quitting, and joining itself to
matter a 5 that the
very remarkable
these opinions and those of the

:
'
Almost
all
Greek
philoso-
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
eternally opposite
vol.
I.
to
be two principles, which are
not only differing in their essence, but having no com-
ii
bodily austerities, and entire abstraction of
not obtained in one birth,

transmigration
mon
is
and
that, if
obtained.
till
This doctrine
taught in
many parts
of the Hindoo writings,
Durslmnus; which works, though almost
the
especially in
it is
mind
to be sought through every future
principle by which they can be united.
This was the doctrine
taught by Anaxagovas, and after him by Plato, and the whole Old Aca-
demy. This system,

system.
for the sake of perspicuity,
we will
call the Dualistic
Others were convinced, that nature consists of these two prin-
ciples; but finding themselves perplexed
by the
difficulty
with which
they saw the Dualistic system to be encumbered, that of supposing two
independent and opposite principles, they supposed both these to be
comprehended
in
one universe, and conceived them
To
some thought God
necessary and essential bond.
effect this,
were proposed
to
to
be united by a
two different hypotheses
have been eternally united to mat-
ter 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 inhabit-
ing mind.
This was the System of Emanation, commonly embraced by
the ancient barbaric philosophers, and afterwards admitted into the early
theogonies of the Greeks.
more
Others attempted to explain the subject
philosophically, and, to avoid the absurdity
to attend both the former systems, asserted that

efficient principle,
is
human mind with
the body, and
rational
and
connected with the universe, as the
as intimately
is
necessarily inherent in matter, that
of the original chaos.
which they conceived
God, the
a forming power, so originally and
it is
to
be conceived as a natural part
This system seems not only to have been received
by the Ionic philosophers, Thales and Anaximander but by the Pythagoreans, the followers of Heraclitus, and others. Zeno, determining to
innovate upon the doctrine of the Academy, and neither choosing to adopt
;
the Dualistic nor the Emanative System,

sis,
embraced
which, though not originally his own,
name of the
Stoical System.
we
infinite
by the
Unwilling to admit, on the one hand, two
opposite principles, both primary and independent,
and
the third hypothe-
shall distinguish
and both absolute
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
two principles from any common source, he confounded

essence, and maintained that they were so essentially united, that
to derive these
their
their nature
was one and the same.'
Enfield, p. 329, 330.
ON THE HINDOO RELIGION.

make known a method of
wholly speculative,
assist ascetics in
abstraction, to
obtaining deliverance from mortal birth.
Udwiiyaniindii, a siinyasee, and the compiler of
of the Vedantii,' says,
pervading
motion,
all
is
the
members of
is
all,
is
Every kind of matter
Brumhu
God
is
that which,
them
Brumhu
is
whole
therefore
without
life
therefore all life
life:
This
the soul of the world.
and
life
that which, pervading the
created cannot possess
creator, or
the Essence
are one:
life
the body, gives to
and motion to
life
these two are one.
which
'Brumhu and
called jeevii, life
universe, gives
iii
that
is
the
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
God
*
God
work
All things past, present,
an
in
infinite variety
and to come j
all
that
sky, &c. of every class and description j all this

is
world
affirms, that the
expanding himself
is
is
itself is
of forms:
in the earthy
Brumhu, who
Yet
the cause of all things, and the things themselves.'
universe
that
is
the work of
which
animated
is
God:
is
the
this
work, seems to affirm, that the
writer, in another part of this
The principle of life is Brumhu

work of Brumhu b , who directs
every thing, as the charioteer directs the chariot.

everlasting and unchangeable j the world,
which
is
Brumhu
is
work,
is
his
changeable.'
This work represents Brumhu, in his state of repose, as destitute of ideas or intelligence, and entirely separated
telligences.
ever
the
It describes this repose
may communicate
bosom of
deep sleep, in which there
of
from
it
all in-
to what-
the idea of undisturbed tranquillity
the unruffled ocean
faculties of the
by comparing
is
to
or to the rest enjoyed in a
an entire cessation even of the
mind.
Or, as some writers explain
it,
exists as
fire.
a2
an
effect, as heat is
an effect
iv
The V^dantu
'
writers add, that at certain revolutions of time,
Briimhu, awaking from
energy, and creates
the*
this repose, unites to
universe
himself his
ted to matter, they
become impressed, according to
with more or
of three qualities'4
less
gives rise to excellence of character

cites to anger, restlessness,
which leads to
character
is
own
that as soon as souls are uni-
which
2dly, with that
which ex-
and
3dly, that
worldly desire, &c.
inactivity, ignorance,
their destiny,
as 1st, with that
and such-like
errors.
The
formed, and the future destiny regulated, by the
preponderance of any one of these qualities.
Krishnii
is
repre-
sented in the Shree-Bhaguvutu-Geetu as teaching Urjoonu, that,

'
man who
the
those
is
born with divine destiny
number of
[here follow a
qualities,
who come
are distinguished
is
into life under the influence of the evil destiny,
by hypocrisy,
pride, presumption, harshness of
speech, and ignorance ; that divine destiny

tion into the divine nature j
the soul to mortal birth
The
endued with certain
excellent qualities j] that
and that the
is
for eternal absorp-
evil destiny confineth
e .'
soul then, by these writers,
from the source of happiness when
considered as separated
is
it
takes mortal birth, and as
remaining a miserable wanderer in various births and

it
regain
its
absorption,
purport
'
place in the divine essence.

is
states, till
devotee, sighing for
described as uttering his feelings in words to this
When
shall I
be delivered from
and obtain
this world,
God!'
c
When
Briimhu withdraws
succeeds ; when he employs
it,
his energy, the destruction of the
The
creation springs to birth.'
world
Ve'duntu.
sarii.
The
possession of
more or
to the balance of merit or
less
of any one of these qualities
demerit in the preceding birth.
is
owing
Many Hindoo
philosophers, however, have no idea of accountability as the cause of
reward or suffering
duce certain natural

disease,
they suppose that

effects,
all
which ripen
actions,
good and bad, pro-
in a future birth
as poverty,
and wickedness, or riches, health, and works of merit.
See Wilkinss translation of this work.
In consonance with these ideas, a system of devotion has been
men
formed, to enable
to emancipate themselves
fluence of material objects, and thus to prepare
In the
tion,
first
place, the devotee
Brumhu
is
knowledge of Brumhu.
God
is
for absorp-
knowsame
are the
and impels to worldly exertions,
says the writer of the
in-
'That error f which ex-
the soul of the world.
cites earthly desires,
stroyed,'
them
to acquire the right
God and matter
ledge of Brumhu, namely, that

that
is
from the
work already quoted,
is
de-
by the
The person possessed of these ideas of

Brumhu gnanee; and he who is
'
called 'the wise man,'
destitute of this
knowledge
considered as in a state of pitiable
is
ignorance, like an insect incrusted with matter.
Further to enable him to subdue his passions, and renounce

natural desires, he
all
counteract
intense meditation on
mind
in his
is
directed to retire
natural propensities
all his
Brumhu,
till
this principle, that,
from Brumhu, and
that, at the
'
from the world j tp
and to confine himself to
he has thoroughly established
seeing every thing proceeded
end of the four yoogiis, when the
universe shall be dissolved, every thing will be absorbed into
him
again, therefore
The
Brumhu
Vddantu-sarii says,
knowledge of Brumhu
is
is
every thing.'
There are four ways by which the
perfected:
which the person decides upon what

unchangeable in the world;
all
2dly,
1st,
is
By
By
that reflection, in
changeable and what
is
cultivating a distaste of
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
Brumhu
and
4thly,
By unwavering
faith in
the shastrus, added to the desire of absorption.'

f
Error here refers to the false idea, that a man's self and
different, as that 1
is
any thing different from
separate existence of
worldly desire.
J,
spirit.
spirit are
This idea of the
leads to the idea of mine, and thus to every

vi
Krishnii, in his conversation with Urjoonu,
makes
the perfec-
tion of religion to consist in subduing the passions, in perfect
abstraction from all objects of the
senses,
whole mind on Briimhu
few paragraphs from Wil-
A man
'
kins.
is
I extract a
and
in fixing the
wisdom, when he
said to be confirmed in
for-
saketh every desire which entereth into his heart, and of himself
is
happy and contented
in adversity, he
His mind
in himself.
happy and contented
is
The wisdom of
things,
without
is
that
man
his
'
members, and
is
cast
down by
them from
restrain
is
who,
established,
their
whom
for immortality/
moving
heart,
passions, carrieth
bark in the raging ocean.'
'
all
evil,
His
draw
in all
wonted purpose.'
pain and pleasure are the same,
The
called
in
neither grieve for the dead, nor for the living.'
wise man, to
is
the other.
confirmed, when, like the tortoise, he can
is
The wise
the
is
and having received good or
affection,
neither rejoiceth at the one, nor
wisdom
and he
Such a wise man
stranger to anxiety, fear, and anger.
a sage.
undisturbed
is
in prosperity,
which follGweth the
is
The
'
formed
of
dictates
away the reason, as the storm

The man whose passions enter
the
his
heart as waters run into the uns welling placid ocean, obtaineth
.*
Even at the hour of death, should he
mix with the incorporeal nature of Briimhu.
happiness
shall
who may be
happy
in his
self-delighted
own
is
bramhun
ox, and in the elephant
of dogs.'
no
self-satisfied,
The
are as the
<
in
him who
are fixed
in the dog,
and
of future pain.'
and stones, are the same.'

e
This
is
is
They put
'
To
eateth of
on
this
their trust
the feelings,
the yogee, gold, iron,
'The yogee constantly
exerciseth
who spent
his
and afterwards cohabited with Radha,
the
strange doctrine in the mouth of Krishnii,
youth in licentious amours
is
every where alike free
The enjoyments which proceed from
wombs
which
perfected in knowledge, in the
in Briimhu, the eternal, because he

fault.'
and who may be
Those whose minds
he
it,
The man
learned behold Briimhu
equality, gain eternity even in this world.
from
'
interest either in that
not done.'
alike in the reverend
flesh
and
soul, hath
done, or that which
.ihe
attain
'
wife of Ayanu-ghoshti, while he retained 1600 mistresses.

He
the spirit in private.
from hope, and
spirit} free
his
own
seat firmly
mind and
recluse, of a t subdued
is
He
from perception.
free
on a spot
vii
that
nor too low, and sitteth upon the sacred grass which
the restraining of his passions, should
is
fixed
on one object alone,
purification of his soul
is
called
There he, whose busi-
kooshu, covered with a skin and a cloth.

ness
planteth
undefiled, neither too high
is
sit,
with his mind
in the exercise of his devotion for the
keeping his head, neck, and body steady
without motion, his eyes fixed on the point of his nose, looking
at
no other place around.'
with
this devotion,
He who
'
The man whose mind
and looketh on
the supreme soul in

soul.'
and
all things,
having closed up
locked up his mind in his
own
all
all
breast,
is
endued
things alike, beholdeth
all
things in the supreme
the doors of his faculties,
and
fixed his spirit in his
head, standing firm in the exercise of devotion, repeateth in
Om
lence
the mystic sign of
Brumlm,
on
si-
his quitting
mortal frame, calling upon me, without doubt go the
this
journey of supreme happiness.'
me, who
mind,
worthy of
who
He my
servant
is
dear unto
unexpecting, just, and pure, impartial, free from dis-
is
traction of
is
shall,
an(l
my
who hath forsaken every enterprize. He

who neither requireth, nor findeth fault
love,
my servant,
neither lamenteth, nor coveteth ; and being
forsaken both good and evil fortune
who
is
hath
the same in friend-
ship and in hatred, in honour and dishonour, in cold and in heat,
who
in pain
and
things
to
spirit,
and pleased with whatever cometh to pass
no
in pleasure
whom
particular
praise
is
unsolicitous about the events of
who is of little
who owneth
' Wisdom is
mind.'
and blame are as one
home, and who
is
of a steady
exemption from attachments and affection for children, wife, and
home
a constant evenness of temper upon the arrival of every
event, whether longed for or not

ship paid to
me
alone
a constant and invariable wor-
worshipping in a private place ; and a
dislike to the society of man.'
A most singular ceremony, called yogu, is said to have been

formerly practised by ascetics to prepare them for absorption. I

viii
give an account of this ceremony from the
The yogee must
may be
this posture
the yogee
enjoined
and
and increase
that of learning to inhale
is
he
in doing which,
He must
water at intervals.
spot, at the
pilgrims, near an
culiarly pleasant to a
yogee
may be
next choose a seat on some sacred
sit
but
fixed
on
must be a
kooshu
secret one.
must
The
first
That
grass,. or the skin
he must not
sit
of
on wood, nor on
and head must be ex-
his back, neck,
and he must remain motionless, keeping
his nose.
the devotee
air
cloth
it
either
a tyger or a deer, or a blanket
on
repeat-
it
his throat, drinking
viitu tree, at
on which he must
actly erect
down
it
some place frequented by

image of an uncreated lingu, or in any place pe-
bottom of a
the earth, nor
The
to take a piece of cloth fifteen
is
up and taking
it
here
and discharge
cubits long and four fingers in breadth, and swallow
drawing
is
with his hands crossed behind him.
to hold his feet
his breath
various, but a particular one
to put his legs across in a sitting posture,
is
next act of austerity
edly,
its
he must then learn the proper posture for the cere-
strength}
:
part of the Pa-
by medicines (here de-
in the first place,
reduce the appetites of the body,
scribed)
mony
first
and the Gorukshii-siinghita
tiinjulu Durshimii,
his eyes
act of yogii consists of several parts
with his thumbs and fingers prevent the
from issuing through
and mouth, and
his eyes, ears, nostrils,
with his feet bind up the two other avenues of respiration.

This he
to practise
is
inspiration
and
by degrees
respiration.
he
till
He who
is
is
able to exist without
thus far perfected will be
able to subdue his passions, and to disrelish all the pleasures of
Should the mind,
the senses.
at
any time, be again entangled in
worldly attachments, the devotee must study the essential virtue
of things,
all}
as, that the
world
is
a dream
that
God
and thus bring back the mind to abstraction.
the all in
is
He
is
next to
meditate on his guardian deity according to the rules of the

shastrii.
After thus annihilating, as
world, he
is
and so to
settle this point as
then to
fix in his
it
were, the body and the
mind that he and Brumhu

never to lose sight of
it,
are one,
nor return

From
to earthly attachments.
this state of
The yogee who has
arises
attained this state of perfection
manner
in the following
emancipated
mind
while he
members become dead
all his
energy which
is
to action
becomes
confining
sits
the air within his body, and closing his eyes, by the
wisdom
complete
to every other bodily want.
becomes dead to food and
pleasure; he
ix
power of
he unites the
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

thus shaken
The
off,
he
is
basilar suture:
and the body being
reunited to the supreme soul
Vedantii-saru also pronounces in favour of an opinion of
the philosopher Shiinkuru, that the practice of ceremonies
be renounced by the person seeking absorption, in

sires respecting
From
some
whom
is
all
to
de-
himself are to be annihilated.
the preceding sketch, the reader will be able to form
idea of this system of
Hindoo theology, which
is
doubtless
now exist, who perform

down in the shastriis.
mendicants may be seen, who profess to aim
No
very ancient.
yogees, however,
these bodily austerities to the extent laid
A number
of
at abstraction of
mind, and contempt of the world
but they
are in general the greatest sensualists in the country.
Amongst
who
the learned, a few are to be found,
consider the
attainment of divine wisdom, as the only means of securing future beatitude
nections and
these persons either renounce
become pilgrims, or they remain
and ground their expectations

piness,
on
,n
As an apology
and for continuing
being
less gross
than those
for not practising severe austeri-
in a secular state, they
quote a sentence
For further remarks on absorption, and on those mendicants who
practise austerities leading to

178.
worldly con-
they have any) of future hap-
their speculative opinions
of the vulgar.
ties,
(if
all
in a secular state,
it,
the reader
197201.
VOL.
I.
is
referred to vol.
ii.
pp. 177,
x
of Jiinuku
forest
'
A man
but he
does not become a hermit by residing in a
Some
his passions.'
who even
a hermit,
is
in his
own
house subdues
of these persons despise the popular su-
perstition.
The
absurdity and impiety of the opinions
upon which
practices of these yogees are founded, need not be exposed
doctrine
which destroys
removes
all
that
is
the
must be condemned
and the absurdity of rejecting those ra-
which
at
once prove the beneficence of the
Creator, and contribute to the refinement of our nature,

flagrant, that the slightest notice of
as
the
accountability to the Creator, and
criminal in immorality,
by every good man

tional enjoyments
all
more than necessary
it
may
is
so
surely be considered
to the discharge of our duty to the in-
terests of Christian morals.
The author may however remark,
that he has
had many op-
portunities of witnessing the pernicious effects of the belief, that
man who
it is
God
evil
and good actions are both to be referred to him.
in
is
the author of every volition, and that
Hindoo,
perverted by these ideas, does not perceive the evil of ascribing
God
every villainous action to
though when the dreadful and
unavoidable result of this doctrine has been pointed out,

revolt
Under the influence of
from the conclusion.
that the
human
soul
is
and he
their turpitude,
God, the crimes of a malefactor lose

is
bewailed as a person
who
under unfortunate influence, or as one born with

It is also easy to perceive, that
efforts to fly
the question
me
the
from
:
'
evil,
God
where such a
has acted
evil destiny.
belief prevails, all
and to attain moral perfection, are out of
does every thing j'
every where, as a shadow the body,'
Hindoo accounts
many
this doctrine,
for
all
'
My evil destiny
is
the
follows
method by which
his evil propensities
and unjust
actions.
Another class of Hindoos place a greater reliance on devotion

than on divine knowledge.
different parts of the
Hindoo
They
derive their opinions
writings, and
from
from favourite book*
;
!
xi
of their own, as the Madhyii-bhashyu, Bhiiktee-rusamritu-sind-
One
hoo, &c.
of the sentiments of this sect
Shree-bhagiivutu
'
He who,
wisdom,
enters the path of
(practises religious austerities,)
hard at bruising the straw, but obtains only

their poets has a verse to this purport
obtains absorption
his devotion.'
true
thus given in the
is
renouncing the service of God,
He who dies
Vurahu, a poet belonging
ask not for the merit of works
1 leave all this to fate
actions
but
may be
nor do
thy devoted servant.'
not absorption.
near thee, as
my
endure the fruit of
Vilwu-mungulii,
himself to Vishnoo,
Some
lord and master.'
as his friends, or servants
on
his qualities.
my
another poet of
'
God!
I desire
of these persons ex-
in
offerings to his image,
name, or listening to
his
nor for fame j
ask for a distinct existence, and to be always
by bowing or making
by repeating
O God
through every transmigration, I
press attachment to their guardian deity in the
of devotion
is
to the court of Vik-
nor for riches
I refuse to
this I ask, that,
this sect, says, addressing
at Kasliee
but the cause of his emancipation
riim-adityu, says, personifying a person of this sect,

I
works
Another of
chaff.'
most familiar
acts
songs or prayers
by washing
its feet,
his praise, or meditating
These persons are mostly found among the
followers of Krishnii and Choitunyu.
Such a worshipper presents himself before the image of Krishnii,
and
says,
Oh, t'hakooru
thou art God, the maker of the
world, the saviour, the friend of the friendless

I
am
thy servant
save
me
!'
am
destitute
more fervent
Others,
in their
attachment, omitting the usual purifications and ablutions before
morning worship, hasten,

character under
image
is
god should be honoured
makes an
he
is
which they worship
it.
:
him
anoints
it,
and adorns
it
it
early in the
at the appointed
morning j
down
hours
with the utmost fondness.
b 2
necessary,
and he therefore
very careful too that the image should be laid
and raised up again, only
those
For instance, one man's

he imagines
as a child,
offering of sweetmeats to
all
image which belong to the
to the
that of the infant Krishnii
that the
pay
as soon as they rise, to
marks of respect and attention
to rest,
he bathes,
Songs
in
xii
common amongst
praise of Krishnu are very
sometimes an enthusiast
exhibits all the
sons reject
many
symptoms of
and
but they repeat the
common images
the
sect
These per-
superstitious frenzy.
of the Hindoo ceremonies
name of Krishnu, worship
this
the ground while singing, and
falls to
observe the national festivals to his honour.

are directed in their religious duties by the
of this god, and
Some
individuals
Hindoo writings
but the great body are enthusiasts, following the impulse of
own impure
feelings enkindled by their
them wander from
imaginations.
village to village, proclaiming the
Some of
name and
reciting the praises of Krishnu.
Those who reverence the philosophical
who
doctrine,
and those
thus adhere to devotion, form however but a very small
The great majority of the com-
Hindoo population.
part of the
munity are attached to the popular ceremonies, considering them
knowledge of God, or
as at least leading to the
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 religious du-
ties, as preparing a person for that state which leads to absorp-
Krishnu, in his address to Urjoonii, thus holds up the
tion.
value of religious practice
event equal whether

are so
'
Perform thy duty, and make the
terminate in good or
on account of the event of
abandoned
all
thought of the
from the chains of

ness 1
it
The miserable
evil.
Wise men, who have
of their actions, are freed
fruit
and go to the regions of eternal happi-
and others have attained perfection even by
Juniiku
birth-,
things.
Mr. Wilkins has thus translated
this
part of the Bhagtivutii
but the
fact
is,
that there
cause there
is
is
no
happiness
in the
no remaining individuality.
from every thing which

sal spirit,
distinct
is
The
Hindoo absorption, bespirit
being liberated
not spirit, and absorbed in the ocean of univer-
or deity, there can be no such thing as individual enjoyment.
The Hindoos
illustrate their idea
to air confined in a vessel, which,

lost in the vast
on
this subject,
when
by comparing the soul
the vessel breaks,
is
body of air which composes the atmosphere.
immediately

Wise men
works.
is
free
him a
call
from the idea of
reward of his actions
God
is
place
is
whose every undertaking

abandoneth a desire of a
always contented and independent,
to be obtained
The
the object of his works.

trines are
He
may be engaged
and although he
nothing.
he
pundit,
desire.
xiii
work, he as
in a
it
were doth
by him who maketh God alone
speculative and the practical doc-
but one, for both obtain the self-same end, and the
which
is
gained by the followers of the one
is
gained by the
The man who, performing the duties of

interest in them, placeth them upon Brumhu
followers of the other.

life,
and quitting
the supreme,
is
all
not tainted by sin
but remaineth, like the leaf
of the lotus, unaffected by the waters.

unable, at once, steadfastly to
find
me by means
art still unable,
If thou shouldest be
mind on me, endeavour
of constant practice.
follow
forming works for
thy
fix
me
me
my
in
to
If after practice thou
works supreme, for by per-
thou shalt obtain perfection.'
This brings us to the popular superstition of the Hindoos, of
which
I shall
now endeavour to
give a
summary
account, begin-
ning with their mythology.

It is very difficult, perhaps, to
speak decisively on the precise
origin of any of the Ancient Systems of Idolatry ; but not so

cult to trace
idolatry itself to certain natural causes,
prove, that the heathen deities
darkness and depravity of
owe
men
human
God
as too great or too spiri-
worship, chose such images as
their darkness or their passions suggested.
arisen out of circumstances
which
many
fact,
common
who, rejecting the doctrine of
the divine unity, and considering

tual to be the object of
their origin to the
diffi-
and to
common
Hence
idolatry has
to all heathen
nations
and another hereafter mentioned, will account for
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
It
is
different idolatrous nations.
not to be supposed that any of the images invented by the
xiv
heathen were intended to be representations of the
One God,
according to the ideas given of this adorable Being in the sacred

Scriptures
they are images of beings formed by the fancies of
men, who
by wisdom knew not God.'
'
that no heathen nation ever
made a
It is probable, indeed,
single idol in
one living and true God 3' and that
honour of ' the
worship to
direct
Him was
never offered by any heathens.
Nor
does
appear, from the various systems of idolatry, that
it
the heathen regarded the gods as intercessors with the
Supreme
among
the Hin-
Being.
doos,
It is certain that
who
no such idea
never worship the
the intercessions of others.

divine beings from
expected.
whom
It is true, I
One God,
The gods
exists
either directly or through
are regarded as the only
be dreaded, or good to be
evil is to
have heard the bramhiins often speak of
the worship of the gods as introducing the worshipper to a

greater 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
Such
represent the perfections of Deity.
the Hindoo system, would have said,
'
writers, in elucidating
Indrii is represented as full
of eyes k , to exhibit the divine omniscience

faces, to display the perfect
ten hands, to teach that

that the
idols.
on
Hindoos
When
idols,
nibal,
who
is
almighty.'
are never thus instructed
and Doorga with
It is
a fact, however,
by the forms of
their
the author once interrogated a learned bramhiin
this subject,
of his
God
Briimha with four
wisdom of God
he rejected this Christian explanation of the forms
and referred him to the image of Ravvinu, the can-
is
painted with a hundred arms, and ten heads K
The Hindoo
fable on this subject
is
so insufferably gross, that
it ca:
not be printed.
1
to
Thus Briareus, one of the monsters brought forth by the earth, is said
arras, with which he threw up to heaven the rocks
have had a hundred
from the sea shore against Jupiter.

It has
common
been
tions of the virtues,
As
of morals.
they have
some of
it
xv
too to represent the idols as personifica-
and as teaching, by hieroglyphics, a theory
respects the Hindoos, however, the fact
is,
that
for popular use, a system of morals to seek
still,
their idols are actually personifications of vice;
and the
formularies used before the images, so far from conveying any
moral sentiment, have the greatest possible tendency to corrupt

the
mind with
To
the love of riches and pleasure"1
the author
it
seems equally improbable, that the original
framers of idols designed to teach by
The
science.
them a system of
images, militates strongly against such an idea
have generally held idolatrous
also,
fore a
man would
idolatry.
sit
down
to
rites in
men
of science,
contempt
frame an image,
mind must have been
sciences, his
were the
natural
distance of time betwixt the formation of different
but be-
to teach the
enthusiastically attached to
Nor does it appear probable, that the Hindoo poets

who set up idol worship though we admit, that
first
many ideas on
descriptions,
this subject
and ethereal
were borrowed from their extravagant
visions.
The introduction of new idols

work of kings, who
seems, in most instances, to have been the
sought the
tion
gratification of the populace, rather
than their instruc-
and the exhibition of popular sentiments, rather than the
teaching of profound mysteries, or the principles of science.
It
appears from the Brumhu-voivurttu pooranii, that king Sooriit'hu first set
Lukshmee
up the image of Doorga
king Mungiilu, that of
Ushwii-piitee, that of Savitree, the wife of
Brumha;
king Sooyugnii, that of Radha, the mistress of Krishnii

yu-rut'hii,
king of Oojjunyinee, that of Kartikeyii
that of Sooryii
Rtim-
king Shivu,
and the sage Boudhayunii, that of Gun6shu.
The author imagines,
that the disclosure of real facts respect^
ing the Mythology of the Hindoos, would greatly tend to eluci-
m See Mr. Colebrooke's

his excellent
translation of
many
of these formularies, in
Essays on the Religious Ceremonies of the Hindoos, in the
vth and viith volumes of the Asiatic Researches.
xvi
date the origin of that of all
the Eastern nations
and he
here offers to the consideration of his readers a conjecture or two,

the fruit of his
own
The
enquiries.
philosophers of
all
these
nations conceived, that the Great Spirit remains for ever un-
known,
that he neither
comes within the thoughts nor the speech
have a discourse on
which Shwe'tii-ketoo enquired
this subject, in
of Boudhayunii respecting Briimhu
an impressive silence
on being
'
the sage answered
upon
called
Briimhu
know Briimhu," knows him
him
'
he answered,
this silence,
"
he
is
words, he
who
The
who says,
I know
"
says,
vdii declares, that
which has never been seen nor known.'
that
is
the Athenian
unknown
God.'
him by
for the reason of
undescribable : he
is
not
not," has obtained this knowledge.'
he
we
In the Chandogyu oopunishiid of the Rig vdii,
of men.
In other
The One God
is
never worshipped by the Hindoos as a mere spiritual being, but
always as united to matter, and before some image.
When
Briimhu resolved to
he looked upon
that which
create, according to the pooraniis n,

is
denominated by the Hindoo phi-
losophers delusion, or inanimate energy p, and became subject to
the three qualities (goonus) of which

leads to truth, and
(riyii;)
is
composed
it is
which
called siittu; that
and that which leads to sensuality,
created time,
nature,
that which
excites desires,
He now
(tiimu.)
and future consequences
the primary
elements ; the organs of sense, of action, and of intellect

n
The Shree-Bhaguvutu, &c.
verse was created from atoms
The Noiyayikus
;
he
declare, that the uni-
while the Meemangsukds, equally wise,
consequences of actions were the only things united to
affirm, that the

birth.
'
Or,' as the
inclination of the
word is explained by some Hindoo scholars, the

Godhead to diversify himself, by creating worlds.'
*
first
Sir
IV. Jones.
r It is
assumed
called delusion, or appearance, to shew, that

for an occasion,
be destroyed
and which, when that occasion
hence they say, that matter
subject to destruction.
is
is
is
something
served, will
from everlasting, but
It is called inanimate energy, as
forms of things, though the vivifying principle
it
is
God.
it
is
supplies the

next became the
xvii
form, or pattern, or the aggregate, of
first
life,
and individuated himself into separate portions 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 waters, a lotus ascended

from
his navel,
from which sprung Briimha, the
creator.
Shivii,
Vishnoo, and Briimha, are considered as the representations of

the three gooniis: Vishnoo of the suttii goonii, Briimha of the
We
and Shivii of the tiimu.
ruju,
the creation of Vishnot) and Shivii.
have no regular account of
Almost
all
the other
Hindoo
found to be derived from the three principal gods
deities are
Kamti-devu, Doorga\ Sooryu, Ugnee, Puvunu, Viiroonu,
Indrii,
Vishwu-kiirma, Suriiswiitee, Yiimu, &c. are the de-
Giiroorii,
scendants of Briimha;
Giineshu,
Ra-
Jugunnat'hii, Buluramu,
mii, Krishnii, Gopalu, Gopee-nat'hii, Valii-Gopalii, Choitunyii,
Siityu-Narayiinu,
kyii,
Shivu.
Thus,' as Sir
'
be surprised
ters
of
other,
Lukshmee, &c. are forms of Vishnoo
all
and
But
at finding,
the
Pagan
W.
Jones has observed,
not
male and female, melt into each
deities,
?'
'
It is
What
is
not the
the object of worship
One God,
pound being, the soul of the world inclosed
we must
on a close examination, that the charac-
the enquiry returns,
primeval energy, the
'
one or two.'
at last into
among the Hindoos
all
Karti-
Pimchanunii, Roodrii, Kalii-Bhoiruvu, &c. are forms of
prolific
but
in
this
com-
matter,
the
and vivifying principle dwelling in
animated existences^, or in other words the personification of
When the
following lines of
Pope were read
to Gopalii-turkaliinkaru,
a learned bramhtin, he started from his seat, begged for a copy of them,
and declared that the author must have been a Hindoo

*
Whose body Nature
Warms
Glows
is,
and God the soul
in the stars,
and blossoms
all life,
in the trees
extends through
Spreads undivided, operates unspent.'

I.
in the sun, refreshes in the breeze,
Lives through
VOL.
All are but parts of one stupendous whole,
all
extent,
xviii
whatever the disordered imaginations of the Hindoos have
God encompassing
buted to
this
energy
said to
is
have created the universe
displayed in the grandest of the forms
Hence the gods,
of worship.
and moon, as well as the
and therefore
assumes 8 ,
it
is
attri-
This
himself with delusion'.
this, as
the object
the heavens collectively, the sun
mighty
stars, the sea,
and ex-
rivers,
traordinary appearances in nature, receive the adorations of the
Hindoos 1
This energy
itself
has been personified and wor-
not only in the form of Bhuguviitee u , but, as
shipped,
it is
manifested equally in creation> in the government of the world,
and in the work of -destruction, in Briimha, Vishnoo, and Shivu.

The universe being full of the divine majesty, a deity has been
consecrated as the regent of every element
mass of
this
and, to complete
the branihun and the devout mendicant, as
Tuntriis teach, that after Briimhu had entered the world, he
The
folly,
divided himself into male and female.

9
'
It
seems a well-founded opinion, that the whole crowd of gods and
goddesses in ancient Rome, and modern Vanares, 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.'
and
herself,
gies of the
its plastic
Sir
W.
Jones.
'
Nature
powers, originating solely in the sovereign ener-
supreme creative source of
being, they (the Asiatics)
all
This supreme
absurdly dignified by the majestic denomination of God.
creative energy, diffused through nature, they distinguished by various
names
sometimes
it
was
Osiris, the fountain of
principle by which that
lific
was invigorated
Light, the Sun, the proit was the life-
sometimes
generating Fire, the divine offspring of the solar deity; and
sometimes called by an appellation consonant
World.
is
visibly of Chaldaic origin
medium of the Egyptians,
of
'
They
it
was
Soul of the
the primeval
and thence, through the
the Stoic philosophers doubtless had their doc-
the fiery soul of the world,' by which they supposed
be created, animated, and governed.'
to
the
The First Vivific Principle, emanating from
source of being,
trine
to
all
things
Maurice.
(the pagans) called the elementary fire Pitha, Vulcan,
Ugnee;
the solar light they denominated Osiris, Mithra, Sooryu, Apollo; and the
pervading
u
of
air,
or spirit, Cneph, Narayunu, Zeus, or Jupiter.'
Many Hindoos
this shuktee, or
Maurice.
are denominated shaktus, as devoted to the worship
energy.
It
is
remarkable,
also, that all the
goddesses
are called the energies of their lords> as well as matrees, or mothers.
xix
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 wor-
we
shipped by the Hindoos,
Indrii
is
of eyes
full
giant, has an
Doorga has
hundred arms
same
see the
hence Unimtii has a thousand heads
the
principle exhibited:
Briimha has four faces
and even Ravunii, the
ten,
formidable weapons 34 of the
gods too, have evidently the same allusion, as well as their
among which we
symbols and vehicles,

pent, the
&c.
The abominable
gradation to which
its rise
find the eagle y, the ser-
the elephant, the bull, the buffalo,
the tiger,
lion,
lingii
human
worship too, (the
last state
of de-
nature can be driven,) no doubt took
from the same doctrine.
Under the
influence of this doctrine, the philosophic
chose, as the objects of
energy displays
confined
its
itself
its
adoration, the forms in
this
with the greatest magnificence, and almost
worship to the primary elements, the heavenly
bodies, and aerial beings
became attached
the
great body of the
to this energy in
its
community
forms of preservation
persons of gloomy habits, as ascetics and yogees, adored
work of
mind
which
it
in the
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 j the second, the public streets, to adore the prolific
and the
last retired to
x Indrti's
thunder-bolt
form of a
for the celebration of
the Brumhastru, a
weapon wielded by the

weapon
gods, which infallibly destroys an enemy.

in the
power
gloomy caverns 2 ,
circle, continually
'
Vishnoo's chukra, a
vomiting flames.'
Maurice.
y * Vishnoo riding upon his Giirooru, or eagle,' says Maurice,' puts us

mind of the thunder-bearing eagle of the Grecian Jupiter.'
in
* The Scythians, the Druids, and other ancient nations, it is well

known, worshipped this energy in its destructive forms in gloomy 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.
c 2
xx
those horrid
rites,
which took
that the energetic principle
Thus the indwelling

supposed to display
is
principle
itself:
common
their rise in the
error,
the chief object of worship.
in the
in the boar, as an incarnation of
is
adored in whatever form
it is
cow, as a form of Bhugiivutee j
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 decla-
Simon Magus,
ration respecting
'
This
man
power
the great
is
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

sufficient that
Krishnu,
'
he be a god or a bramhiin.
and in him
who
ox and the elephant
it is
learned,' says
the Hindoo,
flood-tide
comes
when he
future events, &c.

praise,
same
or the energy of God.

obtains, as the fruit of
he confines to power
to kill others, to ride in the air
the
any other similar pheno-
mena of nature, recognizes it as God,

The blessing which he supposes a yogee
his religious austerities,
in the dog,
With which the
sees the force
into the Ganges, or
Upon
eateth of the flesh of dogs.'
principle
man
The
behold Brumhii alike in the reverend bramhiin, per-
fected in knowledge, in the
for a
'
power
on the back of a
to heal or
tiger, to foretel
Benevolent dispositions and actions procure
but not reverence. Howard would have obtain-
ed the encomiums of this people, and would have been compli-
mented on the exaltation he was
likely to
but nobody would have worshipped him

reserved for
men
-,
have in the next

this
honour
is
birth,
always
of pretended supernatural powers.
If these conjectures be just, they
may perhaps
afford a solution
of the difficulties attending the worship of the Egyptians a, the
* *
Taut, or Thoth, was the true Anubis of the Egyptians,
eight greater gods.
one.
of their
Thoth considers the cosmogony of Phoenicia
as
xxi
Scythians, the Greeks, the Persians, and other idolaters
of them
adoring, by sanguinary
tive forms,
orb b .
and others in
It is the
same
principle in
rites, this
forms,
its prolific
energetic principle that
worshipped
also
in the wonderful motions of the heavenly bodies, and

flicting
gods and the giants, shaking to
world
in the
warring elements
brute matter in which
it
its
and even
some
destruc-
and the solar
fire,
is
its
in the con-
centre
the solid
forms of
in all the
appears.
These ideas the author
offers 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

same
variety of opinions
ideas respecting the divine energy
almost
same
all
the ancient philosophers,
is
it
objects of worship should be seen
ject to those variations
have been
As the
held.
were held
in
common by
not wonderful that the
among
all
nations, sub-
and additions which might be expected
when man had abandoned
the doctrine of the divine unity, and
had resolved to worship every form and appearance of
this
energy.
The Hindoo mythology,
mixed
in its present
state, presents
us with gods of every possible shape, and for every possible purfounded on the doctrine which maintains two principles
By
or darkness, and spirit or intelligence.

stand the chaos, obscure and turbid
by the
in nature,
matter
the former, he would underlatter, the agitative
wind
or spirit, winch put that chaos in motion, and ranged in order the variou*
parts of the universe.'

b
In
high
this island
pillar, as half
wheel on
a man, with a face
his breast.
in Persia,
and the
Maurice.
of Albion, the image of the sun was placed upon an

full
He was worshipped
divinities of the East.
of rays of
in the
light,
and a flaming
same manner
as
Mithra
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
Jewish writers affirm, that

in
Ur
of the Chaldees.'
by the Sabian
e
Sees
their holy fire dedicated to Vesta.
was the god Abraham refused
Galtruchius.
idolaters.'
God
this
in clouds,
'
The sun became
Maurice.
and hears him
in the wind.'
The
to worship
the deity adored

xxii
pose, (even to cure the itch
but most of them appear to refer to
!J
the doctrine of the periodical creation and destruction of the
world d ,
the
appearances of nature c ,
the history of deified heroes s,
with the gods h ,
or
the
the heavenly bodies
wars of the giants
poetical
imagined wants of mankind'.
to the real or
cannot be doubted, from what has been published of the
It
the
be the most ancient of the Hindoo writings, that

primary elements, fire, air, water, earth, and space, with
the
heavenly bodies, and aerial beings, were
vdiis, said to
of worship
among
The worship of
the
first
objects
this people.
the primary elements possibly originated in the
doctrine of the vediis respecting the eternity of matter; for
priate
we
and called by appro-
find in these writings the elements deified,
names, as in the modern mythology of the Hindoos.
The worship of
the heavenly bodies
to the astronomical notions of the
may
probably be attributed
Hindoos
and, as the worship
of heathens has always been dictated by their fears 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
on
the
their destiny here
name
of Indrii
and hereafter.
is
found,
As Briimha and Shivu.
The
In the prayers of the
who was
vediis,
probably considered as a
deified elements, as Puvtinii, Vuroonii,
f Sooryti,
e
mighty and immediate influence
&c.
Chiindru, &c.
Ramii, who, in reference to his forest residence,
is
painted green,
and carries a bow and arrows.

h
Doorga, who has a giant at her
hand.
The author
will not
presume
feet,
and the head of another
to decide,
gods have reference to human contests, and as such are

real history disguised in fable
in
her
whether these wars of the

to
be regarded as
or whether images of this class have been
borrowed merely from the reveries of the poets.
Suruswutee, the goddess of learning; Unnu-poornu, the goddess of
plenty, &c.

personification of the heavens
his
name,
xxiii
Indrti, signifies the
glorious j and his body, covered with stars, might easily be sup-
posed to resemble
the spangled heavens.'
The worship of aerial

easily accounted for
is
beings,
under the general name of
from the proneness of mankind
stitious fears respecting invisible existences,
spirits,
to super-
and from the notion
found in the Hindoo writings, that every form of animated

existence has
its
tutelar divinity presiding over
These appear to have been the
first
therefore induce later
no way account for
in
government of the universe
a process for which this system
gods worshipped in India,
though such a system of mythology could

the existence and
it
made no
Hindoo theologians
which exhibited
provision.
to
This might
add three new gods,
under the characters of the Creator, the Preserver, and the
Destroyer,
Briimha, Vishnoo,
and
Shivii
exhibit each of these gods at his post,
would disgrace beings
absurdities that
divinity,
and the pooraniis
committing
faults
and
destitute of every spark of
and even of reason.
philosophical doctrine found in the Tiintriis, having refe-
rence to the supposed union of spirit and matter in the formation
of the world
has introduced an order of female deities
this people, at the
Of
this goddess,
doos
among
head of which stands Bhuguviitee, or Doorga
many forms
and indeed almost
all
are worshipped
among
the Hin-
the goddesses are only different
forms of Bhuguviitee, as the image of Prukritee, or nature.
Jiigiinnat'hu,
god of
Diseases also, and divisions of time, as well as places, have their
The god Bhugii, who

members of the body.
tutelar deities.
the
the lord of the world j Kooverii, the
is
blind of both eyes, presides over
Mr. Paterson thinks, that the mixed image of Huru-Gouree, in which

and Doorga are united in 011;: image, is intended to represent this
Shivii
union.
xxiv
riches
Kamii-deVii, the god of love; Kartikeyii, the god of war j
Yumti, the regent of death ; and Vishwu-kiirmii, 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.
Krishnil,
Ramu, and other
terrestrial gods, are evidently deified
HEROES.
These general remarks may probably account for the whole

system of Hindoo idolatry, without the absolute necessity of
admitting that this people borrowed their gods from their neigh-
That they borrowed some, or the features of some,
bours.
many striking
but, these
coincidences hereafter mentioned seem to indicate
coincidences
evidence of this fact
I shall
now
excepted,
we have found no
further
".
give some account of the gods found in the
doo Pantheon
11
as a very brief notice of
Hin-
what the reader has
to expect in this volume.
It
may be
necessary, however, to premise, that the
profess to have 330,000,000 of gods
the names of such a number; but they say, that

all his
human
Hindoos
not that they have even
God performs
works by the instrumentality of the gods, and that all

actions, as well as all the elements, have their tutelar
deities.
Images have been chosen

m Should
will find
to fix the
mind of the worshipper,
the reader, however, he inclined to pursue this suhject, he
much
many apparent resemblances

Roman mythology and that of the
ingenious conjecture, and
betwixt the Egyptian, Greek, and
Hindoos, in Mr. Paterson's essay already alluded
The Hindoos have no temple
like the
to.
Pantheon
palaces of some Hindoo rajas contains courts
filled
at
Rome
but the
with idols, each of
which has an establishment of priests, who daily perform the ceremonies

of worship.

and
attributes of
xxr
power and splendour, and various
fables,
having
been added in the forms of devotion and the addresses to the

gods,
these attributes are recognized, and the contents of
all
mind of
these fables rehearsed, to raise in the
the worshipper the
highest thoughts of the power of the idol.
He who
state,
approaches an
required to
is
god can save him
mind only one
idea,
that the
in this respect all the gods,
however
in his
and
seeking the happiness of a future
idol,
fix
But when a Hindoo
various their images, are equal.
any peculiar favour, he applies
to obtain
province
to
it is
entreats that he
who
but he
bestow
it
may be
thus, he
who
prays to Brumha,
him, in order to absorption
like
anxious that his members
is
anxious
god whose
to the
is
may
continue perfect,
and that he may enjoy the pleasures of the senses, worships

Indru
he
he
kind ;
he who
who is
who
who
seeks worldly prosperity, worships Liikshmeej
prays for a shining body, supplicates
he
who
devu or Swayumbhoovii
dom may
lence, addresses Prit'hivee
he
who
he
who
5
prays for long
he
on Oorvusee, a
seeks honour, prays to Yiignu
solicits
full
of wealth,
calls
celestial
he
who
on Pruchta
the favour of Shivii
who
he or she
is
he
life,
desires corpu-
prays that he
seeks beauty, prays to the Gundhurviis
houses
may
preserve
and the regents of space
his homestead, petitions Prit'hivee
calls
the glutton
a king intreats Sadhyii, that his king-
be free from sedition
a good wife,
the person
pants for a crown, applies to Vishwii-
addresses himself to Ushwinee-koomarii
who
Ugnee
anxious for strength, applies to Roodrii
prays to Uditee
man-
desires children, prays to the progenitors of
who
he
prays for
courtezan
he
who
anxious for store-
the seeker of wisdom,
who
seeks union and
happiness in the marriage state, addresses Doorga
wishes to destroy his enemy, supplicates Noiritii

anxious for strength of body, prays to Vayoo ; he
he
who
who is
he
who prays
on Kooverii
to be
he
preserved from obstruction in his
affairs, calls
who prays for

he who prays
enjoyment of earthly things,
for pleasure in the
addresses Chiindrii
vol.
1.
the merit of works, applies to the regent of verse ;
he
who
desires
freedom from worldly pas-
xxvi
sions,
who
he
asks for the completion of
Hence
Brumha.
it
appears, that
all
the
who
he
all his desires,
prays for absorption, and the person free from
worship
all desire,
Hindoo gods, except
Briimha, are considered as bestowing only temporal favours
and
doned, and
without either temples or images.
left
whole system
excites in the
Thus
the
mind of the worshipper only cupi-
and the love of pleasure
dity
has been already observed, that this god has been aban-
it
and to
this agrees
what
have
repeatedly heard from sensible bramhuns, that few if any per-
sons
now
attend the public festivals with a direct view to a
future state.
common
It is
as benevolent,
Hindoos to speak of some of
for the
and to
treat others as
their
malignant beings
as well as other gods, unites both these qualities
in
gods
Shivu,
one hand
he holds a dreadful weapon, and with two others he blesses a
Not one of
worshipper, and invites him to approach.
these
images, however, conveys the least idea of the moral attributes

of God.
1.
This god
Brumha.
may be
properly noticed
first,
as he
called the creator,
and the grandfather of gods and men
latter designation
he resembles Jupiter, as well as in the
wards his own daughter.
man
the
goonu
Briimha' s image
is
but the Chundee describes
with four faces

riiju
lasci-
conduct, having betrayed a criminal passion
viousness* of his
nor even made
p.
He
is
red, as a
is
in the
to-
never worshipped,
it
mark of
as that of a red
his being full of
he has four faces, to remind the worshipper
that the vtklus proceeded from his four mouths.
In one hand he
a string of beads, to shew that his power as creator was
has.
Hindoo women, and the lower orders, regard Punchanunti, DukshinuMunusa, Sheetula, Shush t'hec, as malignant- demons, and worship
them through fear, still praying to them for protection. The superior
rayii,
deities,
their
p
though arrayed with attributes of terror, are considered as using
power only
Brumha had
ment
for his lust.
in
favour of the worshipper.
five heads,
but Shivu deprived him of one, as a punisi

The pan of water
derived from his devotion.
in his left
things sprang from water,
points out, that all
much
xxvii
surprise, that this deity, so pre-eminent, should
poses, that, in
some remote
be
entirely-
Mr. Paterson sup-
and of worshippers.
destitute of a temple
hand
has excited
It
age, the worshippers of Shivu car-
on a contest with the followers of Briimha, and wholly
ried
This conjecture opens a
suppressed the worship of this god.
wide
of enquiry
field
but this gentleman does not adduce any
The
historical evidence of the fact.
story of Shivu' s cutting off
one of the heads of Briimha, and the existence of violent conten-
Hindoos
tions betwixt different sects of
scarcely be considered as establishing
at the present day,
it,
These contentions for supe-
appears not altogether improbable.
annually renewed at Huree-dwarii,
riority are
can
though the conjecture
Uyodhya, &e.
betwixt the Voishnuviis (Ramatus) and the followers of Shivu,,
which quarrels many perish^.
in
2.
Vishnoo.
This
the
is
image of a black man, with four
arms, sitting on Gurooru, a creature half-bird, half-man, and

holding in his hands the sacred
and a
which
club.
intended to
is
shell, the chiikru,
His colour (black)
is
that
of the
the lotus,
destroyer,
show, that Shivii and he are one
he
has four hands, as the representative of the male and female
powers
Vishnoo
the
is
wise to protect
is
of the nature of
raised
immersion
final
in the waters,
birth ;
all,
so
the chukrvi
the lotus
from the muddy
admiration of
human
(blown on days of rejoicing) implies that
shell
a friendly deity
is
to
emancipation,
soil,
and
expands
man
is
is
that, as
after rising
itself
to teach
that he
remind the worshipper

this
flower
is
by degrees from
above the surface to the
emancipated from the chains of
the club shews that he
Raja-Ramu, a learned shikh, employed
chastises
the wicked.
as a translator in the Serani*
pore printing-office, says, that about forty years ago, not
less
than 10,000
persons, and, about twenty years ago, 4 or 5,000 perished in these conat Huree-dwaru.
Another proof, added
Bouddhus, that the Hindoo is not free from the
tests
cution.
d 2
to
that respecting the
fiercest spirit of perse-
xxviii
Guroorii
is
Vishnoo
is
a portion of Shivu
body represents the
his
Hindoo incarnations
which forms he commands the worship
in
of the greatest division of the Hindoo population.
no temples nor
festivals in
a form of Vishnoo.
forms of
this
god are
with what
fact
him under
From
laid to sleep.
know
of
called the
is
this character
The shalgramu, a
and names.
During four months of the
said of
is
He
honour of Vishnoo.
Preserver, but the actions ascribed to
are referred to other forms

is
vedfx.
distinguished as being the source of most of the
stone,
year, all the
the agreement of this
Horus, Mr. Paterson gathers a resem-
blance betwixt Vishnoo and Horus, and supposes that the Hin-
doos derived their system from the Egyptian

also, that the fable
one
side,
and
of Vishnoo's lying
down
he conjectures,
to sleep, turning to
rising, refer to the increase, the greatest rise,
months agrees with
state of the river in these four

tion,
though the bramhuns
I consulted
and
The
the retiring of the waters of the Ganges, the Indian Nile.
this supposi-
were not aware that
ceremony had any connection with the Ganges.
this
Vishnoo
is
sometimes called the household god.
Shivu
3.
on a
wicked
a white
is
man
with
in another a deer,
five faces
and four arms, riding
In one hand he holds an axe, as the destroyer of the
bull.
deer, fleeing
from the
with another hand he

forbidding fear.
is
when
the
took refuge with Shivu
bestowing a blessing, and with the
Four of
sixty- four tuntriis,
alluding to a sacrifice,
sacrificial knife,
last
his faces are designed to point out the
and the other a
different timtru.
The
a form of Vishnoo, as the personification of religion
bull
is
four
its
compassion, and truth. In

god strongly reminds us of Vulcan and
feet are, religious austerities, purity,
some
particulars, this
Bacchus.
The few Hindoos
guardian deity, are called
in
Bengal who adopt Shivu as
soivyiis.
and Piinchanunu, very few temples
form of
Shivii
the lingii, Shivii

rate
air,
and none of
is
however
his
Except those of the

exist in
honour of any other
form riding on a
bull.
Before
daily worshipped under eight sepa-
names, answering to the sun, moon, wind,
and an
their
lingii
officiating priest at a sacrifice.
fire,
water, earth,
Mr. Paterson thinks,

were once
that there
fierce
contentions amongst the four prin-
and that as the soivyus
cipal sects,
xxix
worshippers of Briimha, so, in
its
first
prevailed against the
was subdued by
The filthy
turn, this sect
the followers of Vishnoo and of the female deities.
appearance of Shivii as a mendicant covered with ashes, and his

quarrels with Doorga, his wife, have given rise to several ludi-
This marriage excited the
crous stories found in the poorantis.
same
surprise as that betwixt
unaccountable event, unless
Venus and Vulcan, and seems an

it
was intended
to illustrate the
gross idea of the Tiintru writers respecting the origin of the

Shivii has three eyes like Jupiter,
universe.
and
like Bacchus,
like
bloated mendicant, accompanied by satyrs.

deer's skin
and Shivii
honour of
much
earth as a
Bacchus wore a
the lingii, also, strongly resembles the
worship of the phallus in honour of Bacchus.

festival in
tiger's skin
represented as holding a deer in his
is
The worship of
hand.
wears a
him wandered about when on
Shivii (see vol.
i.
p. 19.)
The
siinyasee*
appears to resemble
the orgies of Bacchus, especially in the behaviour of the
devotees
who
are said to have run
up and down the
streets
with their hair disheveled, and with lighted torches in their

In the months Voishakhii and Kartiku, the
hands.
lingii
worshipped daily in the numerous temples dedicated to

abomination throughout Bengal.
is
this
It is difficult to restrain one's
indignation at the shocking violation of every thing decent in
image; nor can
this
woman,
all
faithful to her
be ground of wonder, that a chaste
husband,
the millions of Hindoos,
with
filthy
mind with
r
it
when
is
scarcely to be found
among
their very temples are polluted
images, and their acts of worship tend to inflame the

licentious ideas 5
Another form of Shivii
most singular coincidence appears
to
exist here
is
that of
betwixt the
Hindoo and the Roman ceremonies. These siinyasees, though taken from
the lowest order, wear the poita as bramhuns during this festival.
Kennett, in his
Roman Antiquities, hook v. p. 305, says, respecting the shews

Though the exhibitors of these shews were private per-
after a funeral,
'
sons, yet during the time of the celebration, they
the highest rank

s
am
and
quality, having the
honour
to
were considered
wear the
as of
Praetexta.'
credibly informed, that a Hindoo, once on a visit at a temple
xxx
Kalu-Bhoiruvu, in which form he cut off Brumha's head, which
seen in one of his hands.
is
bhogu-vadees,
who wear
sect of mendicants, called yogii-
a large stone inserted through an inci-
sion in each ear, live at the temples of this god, and are some-
times seer, with a prostitute in one hand, and a pan of hot coals
in the other,
with each of which (the representatives of pleasure
and pain) they profess
god
this
is
'
stroyer.
Muha-kalu,
human
figure
bell
he
sword or
are broken
drawing behind him a
is
off,
veil,
and involves the whole universe
Muha
the hieroglyphic of the
of
things,)
all
Muha
is
and
Indru.
This
sacrificial
is
it
in a third,
the sacrificial
one undistinguished ruin.
In
consummation
Pruliiyu, (or grand
He
is
there deprived of his crescent,

his
dominion and powers
blowing the tremendous horn, which
is
all
created things.'
the king of heaven, and the infamous

:
he
is
painted as a
an elephant, with a thunder-bolt in one
yellow man, sitting on
hand, and a club in the other

All the attributes of his
He
axe
but with the two remaining
violator of the wife of his religious guide
a king.
Elephanla/
one hand he holds a
in
represented as trodden under foot by
announces the annihilation of
4.
in
as the de-
which extinguishes the sun,
and necklaces, to show that
no more;
are
Shivu
Kalee 1 , or Eternity.
trident,
and with a fourth he rings over
two other arms
has eight arms
in another, a
a basin of blood
which he appears
as represented in the caverns of
says Mr. Paterson,
Another form of
to be equally pleased.
that of Mitha-kalu, in
image
and, like Argus,
is full
of eyes.
are only the signs of his office as
has one annual festival, and
is
very famous in the
near Serampore, asked the officiating bramhun to give him a proof that
was able to converse with him. The bramhun entered the
the idol
temple, shutting the door after him, and the visitor, astonished at immediately hearing voices, interrogated the priest respecting
the visitor, determined to
temple door, and
whom
mistress of the officiating

*
This
is
it,
who solemnly
was Jugunnathii who was speaking; but

ascertain so interesting a fact, forced open the
affirmed from within, that
it
should he see, inquisitive reader, but the
bramhun ?
the famous image worshipped at Kalee-Ghatu, near Calcutta.

number of wars and
poorantis for the
intrigues in
xxxi
which he has
been engaged. His throne changes masters at the end of seventyone yoogus of the gods.
and the Fulminator:
Jupiter
was
king of heaven,
called the
names, Divus-piitee and Vujree,
Indrii's
are significant of similar offices.
Yumu, the Indian Pluto,
5.
red,
with inflamed eyes
he
is
head, and holds in his right
a dark-green man, clothed in
on a buffalo, has a crown on
sits
his
hand a club with which he drives
out the soul from the body, and punishes the wicked.
This
is
his form of terror, as king of the souls of the dead ; but he
is
also worshipped in
a form
less terrific,
which he
is
said to
assume
when he
passes a sentence of happiness on the meritorious.
side his
annual
festival,
he
is
Be-
worshipped on other occasions;
and receives the homage of the Hindoos in
their daily ablutions.
There are several remarkable coincidences between
Yumu
and
Pluto, as will be seen by comparing the fables respecting the
and those
latter
both
hand;
in vol.
i.
page 75. of
Grin horribly a ghastly
Yumu
the regent of funeral rites

is
work
ascribed to Pluto.
Yumu
the images of
Pluto had a rod in his
he holds in his
called Dundii-dhuru, because
is
hand the rod of punishment.

quies
this
smile.'
is
the shraddlm devu, or
and the institution of funeral obse-
The
dead, in going to
ment-hall, cross Voiturunee, the Indian styx u
Yumu's judgthe waters of
which, like those of Phlegethon, the fourth river of hell which
Yumu
the dead were obliged to cross, are said to be boiling hot.
has several assistants, like Minos,
There
actions.
83,
is
which seems
something in the story inserted in
vol.
human
i.
page
he could obtain no other goddess,
being so horrible and his habitation so gloomy.
Hindoos consider
the earth
a register of
to coincide with Pluto's being obliged to steal
his wife Proserpine, because
his visage
who keep
The
hell as situated at the southern extremity of
the Greeks and
Romans thought
it
was a large sub-
terraneous spot in the earth.
This river encircled the infernal regions nine times
encircles this hall six times.
Voitfirunee
xxxii
Gunhliu.
6.
man, with four arms and an
fat short red
elephant's head, sitting on a rat.
Briimha, as the aggregate of
which
bell,
show
is
a type of
In one hand he holds
the pattern of a temple, and also points out that
god banishes
this
to
is
His corpulency
all things.
fear
another he holds a serpent-weapon,
in
that he throws impediments in the
way of
the wicked
another grasps the hook by which elephants are guided, which

points out that he guides the
His elephant's head
fear.
the trunk
is
mind
and with the other he forbids
a sign of the mystical sound Om, and
the type of the instrument with which clarified butter
poured on the
is
is
yamulii, from
fire
The author of
at a sacrifice.
whom
this is
Giineshu's riding on a
the Roodrii-
extracted, assigns no reason for
Though he has been compared
rat.
to
Janus, I find but two instances of coincidence betwixt them

every act of worship (pooja)
Giineshu*; and
men
it
wisdom; but the Hindoo

is
image over the doors
amongst their merchandize,

complimented
Giineshu has been
prosperity.
preceded by an invocation to
in business paint his
of their shops, or suspend
wisdom,
is
as
to insure
god of
the
deity presiding over knowledge, or
Suruswutee, a goddess.
honours from the Hindoos, and
is
Giinshii
receives
many
considered as bountiful in be-
stowing wisdom and other favours, though there are no temples

erected to his honour in Bengal.
Those who adopt him
as their
guardian deity, are called Ganupiityiis.
Kartikeyu
7.
He
gods.
is
the Indian Mars, or
commander
in chief to the
-
has in some images one, and in others six faces;
is
of
a yellow colour; and rides on the peacock, an incarnation of
In one hand he holds a bow, and in the other an arrow.
Indrii.
He
is
8.
worshipped as the giver of bodily strength.
Sooryu, (the sun.)
do not
find the least resemblance
betwixt this Hindoo deity and Sol, either in their images or

history.
The Hindoos,
in a
most
indelicate fable respecting this
god, have described the twelve signs of the zodiac.

*
In the
of Janus.'
Roman
sacrifices, the priest
Kennett, p. 85.
always mentioned
Yumu,
first
the
the
name

regent of death,
one of
his son
is
and Chaya, a shadow, the name of
The image of
his wives*".
man, from whose body
Sdoryii
forbidding fear.
drawn by seven
glory
like flame
is
and night
He
He
horses.
on a red
lotus, in a chariot
show
that his
his three eyes represent the day, evening,
him are united

One lotus ex-
indicate, that in
prukritee and poorooshu, or matter and
spirit.
plains the nature of emancipation, (see Vishnoo-J
upon which the
rays of Sdoryii are reflected,
his chariot, the
and the other,
a type of sound,
is
which some Hindoo philosophers believe to be

lotus represents the earth
eternal.
The
measure of time
daily
this
god
never made, but the sun
is
the shalgramii
9.
is
red
and
worshipped
also his constant representative in the
The
bramhinical worship.
itself is
The
the seven horses, the seven poetical measures of the vedus.
image of
he
hands he
his
bestowing a blessing, and
is
sits
painted red, to
is
and his four arms
two of
in each of
holds a water-lily, with another he

last
that of a dark-red
is
issue a thousand streams of light
has three eyes, and four arms
with the
xxxiii
Ugnee, the regent of
disciples of this
fire, is
god
are called Sourus.
represented as a corpulent
man,
riding on a goat, with copper-coloured eye-brows, beard, hair,
and eyes
his belly
is
the colour of the
issue a thousand streams of glory,
colour, at
which time he who
clarified butter
on the
The goat
is
from
his
desires
who
when
it
ascends of a copper-
desires secular blessings offers his

desires emancipation,
pours his
when its colour is like that of

Ugnee devours all things his
the dawn.
but he
fire
body
and he has seven flaming
the colour of his eye-brows, &c. represents
the flame of the burnt-offering
he
he holds a spear
left
His corpulency points out, that he grants the
tongues.
of his worshippers
offering
dawn
and a bead-roll in his
in his right hand,
teaches, that
almighty ; and his bead-roll, that he
is
spear, that
propitious.
The
rays of glory are to encourage the worshipper to expect that he
The. pooraniis contain a fable respecting Sdoryii
almost literally corresponds with the
when
filthy story
the latter turned herself into a mare.
vol..
1.
and
his wife,
which
of Neptune and Ceres,
xxxiv
from
shall obtain the greatest blessings
Ugnee has
this god.
neither temples nor images consecrated to him, but has a service

in the daily ceremonies of the
shippers, called sagnikii
the vestal virgins

the
mouth of the
and one class of his wor-
He
presides over sacrifices, and
fire like
is
called
gods.
Puvunu, the god of the winds, and the messenger of the
10.
gods,
is
represented as a white
in his right
is
bramhuns
bramhuns, preserve a perpetual
man,
sitting
on a
deer, holding
hand the hook used by the driver of an elephant.
painted white, to shew that he preserves
presents the swiftness of his flight
power over the body.
explains his
The deer
life.
He
re-
the elephant driver's hook
He
is
worshipped
has neither separate festival, image, nor temple.
daily,
but
I can find
or no resemblance betwixt this god and Mercury.
little
Vuroonv, the Indian Neptune,
11.
is
a white man, sitting on
a sea animal, having a serpent- weapon in his right hand.
painted white, to shew that he

wields a
weapon,
terrific
satisfies
point out, that he
to
His name
with fear by the worshipper.
is
He
is
the living; and he

is
approached
repeated in the daily
worship of the bramhuns, but he has neither public festival nor

temple.
12.
Sumoodru, the sea,
is
worshipped by the Hindoos when
they visit the sea, as well as at the different festivals, and on the
sixth day after the birth of a child.
13. Prit'hivee, the earth, is
She
is
Ceres.
The Hindoos have
assigned a deity to each.
There seems
these virgins
fulfil
worshipped daily by the Hindoos.
a form of Bhuguviitee, and
to
but
may be
called the Indian
divided the earth into ten parts, and
These
are,
Indrii,
Ugnee, Yiimu,
be no order of females among the Hindoos resembling
many Hindoo women,
at the total
wane of the moon,
a vow, watch for twenty-four hours over a lamp made with
butter, and prevent
its
ance of the new moon.
being extinguished
till
to
clarified
the time for the appear-

Vayoo,
Viiroonu,
Noiritii,
Kooverii,
xxxv
Brumha,
Eeshii,
and
Uniintii.
The heavenly
14.
bodies.
a remarkable fact, that almost
It is
heathen nations have fallen into the worship of the heavenly
all
moon
Perhaps the evident influence which the sun and
bodies.
have over the seasons and the vegetable kingdom, might, in the
primeval ages, lead
men
to
make them
objects of worship
after
the introduction of judicial astrology, this species of idolatry be-
comes
less surprising.
v6dus,
it is
Whatever may be the antiquity of the
very plain, that the worship of the sun, moon, and
other planets
is
and petition
in those
there inculcated
books,
many
bodies ; and to this day the worship of

service,
among
and of
different planets
See the
do not perceive the
The Hindoo
Diana.
article Sooryil
least
is
and so
gods.
is
Booddhu d , or Mercury,
f
,
who
is
is
is
is
also
the preceptor of the

is
also a for-
represented as blind of one eye.
ShuneeS, or Saturn, the son of Sooryii, an evil planet.
and
Ke'too, the ascending
and descending nodes.
not honoured with temples,
When
ence,
is
hope or
images,
fear, respecting their
excited in the
Mun-
a fortunate planet;
or Venus, preceptor to the giants,
This god
tunate planet.
god and
not greatly honoured in the Hindoo
Vrihusputee e , or Jupiter,
Shookrii
the moon.
this
by the revolutions of
mythology, being esteemed a malignant planet, as

gulu c , or Mars.
Somu
agreement betwixt
feasts are regulated
moon, but Somu
the
the planets in one
all
on separate occasions, has place
the Hindoos.
Ruvee*, the sun.
We
of the forms of praise
addressed to the heavenly
are
The
Rahoo
planets are
or festivals in Bengal.
benign or malignant
mind of a Hindoo, he
is
influ-
drawn or driven
worship them.
to
From
first day of the week is named Riivec-varu, as

name from the Sun: day and varii are synonymous.
c Mungalu-varu, Tuesday.
Hence Somu-varii, Monday.
this
Sunday derives
b
god the
its
d Booddh-varii,
f
Wednesday.
Shookru-varti, Friday.
e2
Vrihtisputee-varu, Thursday.
Shunee-varu, Saturday.
:;:
xxxvi
The image of this goddess and
Doorga.
15.
two
in one or
both are described as fond of arms
Doorga
that of Minerva,
instances, exhibit a pretty strong resemblance
name from
derives her
and
remarkable, that
is
it
the giant
Doorgu,
whom
she
slew, as Pallas (Minerva) obtained hers from the giant Pallas,
whom
She resembles Minerva also as a god-
she destroyed.
dess difficult of access, which
Doorga.
Sir
W.
Jones says,
or Parviitee, she has
many
is
properties of the
her majestic deportment, high

the same
and we
banquets of the
One
find her
deities,
one signification of the name
As the mountain-born goddess,
'
spirit,
Mount
both on
in
eyes
some drawings,
to
Koilasu, and at the
uniformly the companion of her husband.
circumstance in the parallel
is
extremely singular
usually attended by her son Kartike'yu,
and
Olympian Juno
and general attributes are
his
own
who
rides
lion.
is
that, in
some of her temples, a
The image of
on a
that of a yellow female with ten arms, sitting
The weapons
she wields, the trident, the scimitar, the
bow, the serpent-
discus, the arrow, the spear, the club, the
weapon, the hook
is
robe seems to be spangled with
which must be added
peacock, without a rider, stands near her image.'
Doorga
she
on a peacock
for guiding an elephant,
and the axe, are to
point out, that with these ten arms and weapons she protects the
ten points.
She has one foot on Muheshii, a giant, to shew that
she subdues the enemies of her worshippers
and she
sits
on a
lion,
a form of Vishnoo, as the giver of success to her worship-
pers,
and as exciting fear in
their enemies.
The
quarrels of this
goddess with Shivu, her husband, strongly remind us of those

betwixt Jupiter and Juno, arising from the jealousy of the
The
festivals in
latter.
honour of Doorga and of Krishnii draw the
whole Hindoo population
to the temples, while those in
of other gods are comparatively neglected.
honour
Before the temples
of this goddess, thousands of victims are annually slaughtered,
and offered to her image.
She
Doorga, but, under other names,

vals,
and ceremonies have been
already observed,
is
also the
is
not merely honoured as
distinct temples, images, festi-
instituted.
Doorga, as has been
representative of matter in the
creation of the universe, and in this character she
is
called Prii-

kritee h
make
Her wars with
the giants also add to her fame, and
among
her extremely popular
by many, who take the name of
16.
the Hindoos
shaktiis'1 ,
western and southern provinces this sect
is
so great, that
a truly horrid figure
is
tongue hangs out

a giant's
it
her hair
with another she forbids
scull,
Her
designated, and she stands
keep him in subjection
numerous.
this is
another
seems necessary to
of this
disheveled
is
her
colour
is
fear,
and with the
that
by which time
upon her husband, the
last
is
destroyer, to
the time of the universal conflagra-
till
when, with the eye
in the centre of his forehead,
Her four arms
burn the universe.
two
adopted
guardian
she holds in one hand a scimitar, in another
bestowing a blessing.
tion,
is
The dark image
devote a few lines exclusively to her.
goddess
less
is
Though
Diana Taurica.
Kalee, the Indian
form of Doorga, her fame
is
she
as their
In Bengal, the greater number of bramhuns are shaktiis
deity.
in the
xxxvi*
he will
represent the four vediisj the
which
inspiring terror point out those portions of the vedu
relate to the destruction of
enemies and the government of the
world, and the other two allude to those parts of the vedu which
Her
belong to devotion.
disheveled hair represents the clouds,
Her
and intimates too that time has neither beginning nor end.
tongue
She exhibits
the representative of lightning.
is
Yet
gether the appearance of a drunken frantic fury.
goddess
whom
alto-
this is the
thousands adore, on whose altars thousands of
victims annually bleed, and whose temple at Kalee-ghatu, near

Calcutta,
temple,
is
it
the resort of Hindoos from
Kalee-ghatu
and not unfrequently from persons called
she
is
all
is
the protectress of thieves, and her image
a head without a body.
goddess, under the
temples
This
There are two things respecting Kalee which remind
us of Laverna
at
of India.
frequently receives presents from persons of
is said,
the highest rank,

Christians.
all parts
over Bengal.
been immolated on the
h Literally,
Another form of
name .of Siddheshwuree,
Human
altars of
the chief, or nature.
victims,
is
to
it is
this
be seen in clay
said,
have often
Kalee and Siddheshwuree.
Shaktu means energy.
xxxviii
17-
she
is
Lukshmee, the goddess of fortune,
Venus was
said to be born of the froth of the sea.
the gods were enamoured of her.
all
with a water-lily in her right hand
(in
-,)
At her
birth,
painted yellow,
is
which form she

but no blobdy
The Hindoos avoid
are offered to her.
money on
She
women
worshipped frequently by Hindoo

fices
the wife of Vishnoo
is
said to have been produced at the churning of the sea, as
all
is
sacri-
payments of
the Thursday, (Lukshmee- varii,) from the fear of
offending this goddess.
18. Siirtiswutee, the goddess of learning, another wife of Vish-
noo.
She
images she
is
seen holding a lute
colour
is
and in others as possessed of
hand and a book
three eyes, with a fan in one
Her
In some
painted white, and stands on the water-lily.
is
to point out, that she is the source of
lute reminds the worshipper that she
is
in the other.
wisdom
the
the author of melody
her three eyes represent the three vediis ; the book and pen obviously belong to her character as the goddess of learning.
no goddess
her.
Roman
in the
She has an annual
and worshipped
or Grecian pantheon
festival,
over Bengal.
all
who
I find
resembles
when clay images are set up,

Some of her worshippers, on
the last day of the festival, dance naked before the procession of
the image through the streets.
make an image of
to
draw the
Even
this goddess,
and
prostitutes, at this festival,

set
spectators to their brothels?
it
up near
On
merchants, and others, refuse to touch a pen
this
3
their houses,
day students,
for the
Hindoos
ascribe their ability to read, write, and even to speak, to the
favour of Suruswutee.
19. Sheetida, the goddess
with the small- pox, receives

of Hindoos,
dreadful.
among whom
This goddess
moval of cutaneous
20. Mimusa, the
who cools the body when afflic

many honours from the lower ord
the ravages of the small-pox are often
is
also
worshipped to procure the
re-
diseases.
queen of the snakes, or she who protects men

ON THE HINDOO
from
festivals held in
annual
The lower
fatal bite.
their
RELIGION.
honour of
crowd to the three
orders
this goddess.
She
21. Shusht'hee, the goddess of fecundity.
with
six
image
a
is
child
annual
celebrated chiefly
festivals,
that of a yellow
woman,
sitting
honoured
is
Her
by females.
on a
cat,
and nursing
though, in general, a rough stone, painted on the top,
and placed under a
tree, is the object
These may be considered as the
The
the Hindoos.
Ramii k
xxxix
worshipped.
celestial deities
worshipped by
terrestrial goddesses are, Seeta, the
Radha, the mistress of Krishnu
wife of
Rookminee and
Siit-
yii-bhama, the wives of Krishnii ; and Soobliudra, the sister of
Jugunnat'hu
1.
The
1
.
terrestrial
gods are the following
Krishnu resembles Apollo in his licentious intrigues
being a herdsman"
and an archer
serpent
in his love of
attained.
music
Krishnu's image
in his hand.
is
and
in the celebrity to
that of a black
sensual desires, and the flute designates
i.
which he
man, with a
fills
him
the
flute
mind with
as the author of
Apollo had in one hand a harp, and in the
The
other a shield of arrows.
Shree-Bhaguvutu
in the
in his
in his destroying a dreadful
His colour points out, that he
musical sounds.
vol.
history of Krishnu
is
chiefly
found
the outline of which will be seen in
Several festivals in honour of this god are
p. 193, &c.
held annually, at which times the greatest licentiousness prevails
among
all
ranks.
great proportion of the
Bengal are devoted
in
k
This goddess,
it is
said,
to
Krishnu".
Hindoo population
His intrigues with the
was dug out of the ground by king Juniiku,
when he was ploughing his field. A boy who was ploughed up out of
the ground among the Tuscans, gave rise to the order of Roman priests,
whose business
1
It does not
it
was
to divine
from appearances
in the
annual sacrifice.
appear that Jugunnat'hu was ever married.
m The pooranus contain a story of this god much resembling that of

Mercury's stealing a cow from Apollo. In the Hindoo fable, Brumha is
the thief.
D
Sometimes Hindoos are seen licking up the very dust of the place
xl
milk-maids, and especially with Radha, his favourite mistress,

are familiar
every Hindoo,
to
being incorporated into their
popular songs, and the image of Radha being placed by that of
Krishnu in many of the temples.

Krishnu
is
been erected
among
the milk-maids.
2.
title
Krishnu
names
to
to Gopee-nat'hii, the lord of
one of the ten incarnations of
is
The Rev. Mr. Maurice
Vishnoo.
several other
the rest to Gopalii, the herdsman
Valu-gopalii, the infant Gopalii
Krishnu
Under
worshipped, to which forms separate temples have
calls
him
the
amiable
!'
Jugimnafhii, another deified hero, complimented with the
He
is
honoured
but the car festival
is
the most
of lord of the world, a form of Vishnoo.
with several annual

popular.
festivals,
Imitations of his ponderous car abound in
the large towns in Bengal
many of
that in Orissa, connected with the
ancient temple erected in honour of this god, has crushed to
death hundreds of victims, perhaps thousands, and immolates a
number every
from
all
year.
This god receives the homage of pilgrims
parts of India, for
whose accommodation roads have
where the crowd are celebrating the praises of Krishna

conduct with the milk-maids
in the forest of
perty sometimes spend a day in the

*
and others are
In memory of Krishna's lewd
said to faint with joy on these occasions.
fields,
Vrindavunu, persons of pro-
and entertain
their friends.
Krishnu-vusoo gave to the temple of Jugunnat'hu, near Serampore,
an immense car, which could not cost

roopees.
He
also
less
added an allowance of
expenses of the worship of
this
idol.
than four or five thousand

six roopees a
day for the
Gouru-mulliku, a goldsmith of
Calcutta, who gave the interest of his mother's weight in gold to different
temples, added six roopees more to the daily offerings at this temple
but these two benefactors, perceiving that the bramhuns of the temple,
instead of expending these sums in offerings to the god, and in alms to
strangers, applied the greater part to their private use, reduced the six
roopees to one roopee four anas a day.
To
extort
more money from the
donors, the bramhuns of this temple, at two succeeding festivals, pre-
vented the car from proceeding to an adjoining temple in which the

donors were interested, pretending that the god was angry with them for
their parsimony,
and would not
go.
THE HINDOO RELIGION.

Such, however,
been cut, and lodging-houses erected.
among
great mortality
xli
the pilgrims, that a
is
the
Hindoo of property
always makes his will before he sets out on this journey, and
a most affecting farewel of his disconsolate relations.
takes
Southey's description p, in his

literally correct,
'
Curse of Kehama,' though not
conveys to the mind
much
of the horror which
a Christian spectator of the procession of the car cannot but
Mr. Paterson
finds in the
this
word Om.
Ramu, a
comes
monarch, and the hero of the Ramayunii,
deified
wretched devotion of
in for a considerable share of the
His history,
the Hindoos, especially in the western provinces.
found in Valmeekee's epic poem,
He
is
feel.
god, and his brother and
which are worshipped together, an hieroglyphic of the
sister,
mystical
3.
images of
adored as
and
festival,
is
daily
his friend
Hiinoomanu
bow and
on a throne, having Seeta on
his left
which temples he
in
arrows in his hands,

:
his brother
miinii holds a white umbrella over his head,
stands before
him
A thousand
Some
think that
He is conRamu was deified
pilgrims strain,
shoulder, breast, and thigh, with might and main,
To drag that sacred wain,

And scarce can draw along the enormous
Prone fall the frantic votaries
And, calling on the god,
load.
in its road,
Their self-devoted bodies there they lay
To pave
On
his chariot
way
Jugtinnat'h they call,
The ponderous
car
rolls on,
Through blood and bones

Groans
rise
unheard
and crushes
it
ploughs
all.
its
dreadful path
the dying cry,
And death and agony

Are trodden under foot by yon mad throng,
Who
vol.
I.
follow close, and thrust the deadly wheels along.'
Luksh-
and Hiinoomanu
as his servant with joined hands.
sidered as a beneficent deity.
Arm,
public.
has an annual
worshipped in the temples dedicated to him,
appears as a green man, with a

sitting
partly before the
the seventh Hindoo incarnation
and
his brother,
is
xlii
on account of a successful attack on Ceylon, when he was king
of Mut'hoora.
4.
Choitimyu,
e.
i.
the wise, a form of Krishnii
whose
sect of voiragees,
most famous temple

annual
5.
Bengal
in
festival is held,
at
is
He
He
exhibiting
all
manner of
Brumha
bow and arrow
image
is
not
he
groom anxious
This god
He
name
is
capable of
is
also said to be
has an annual festival, but his
nor does this festival
him by
command much
cele-
the bride and bride-
for offspring.
Sutyu Narmjunu.
the
who
painted as a beautiful youth, carrying
Petitions are addressed to
brity.
is
of flowers.
made
worshipped at
illusive edifices.
Kamu-devu, the Indian Cupid.
the son of
is
employs no Cyclops with one eye,
but has a workman named Mayii, a giant,
7-
parts
all
despise this sect.
the implements of each artificer being the
festival,
representative of the god.
idol
His
Ugrii-dweepu, where an
regarded as the Hindoo Vulcan.
an annual
the god of a
Viskwu-kurmu, the son of Brumha, as architect of the gods,
may be
6.
religious mendicant.
and to which crowds resort from
The bramhuns
of Bengal.
was a
leader
have not discovered the origin of
implies that he
is
the true Vishnoo.
He
is
this
wor-
shipped frequently in the houses of the rich, from the desire of

insuring prosperity.
8.
Punchammu, a form of Shivu, worshipped by the lower

who consider him as the destroyer of children. The
orders,
image used
as his representative
painted, and placed under the
9.
is
vutii
a misshapen stone, anointed,
and other
trees.
Dhurmii-f hakooru, another form of Shivu, held
in
much
the Same estimation as Piinchanunu.
10. Kaloo-rayii,
the
god of
forests,
another form of Shivu

He
xliii
bow and
painted as sitting on a tiger, and carrying a
is
arrows
is
worshipped by the wood-cutters in the
insure protection
from wild
beasts,
11. Deified Beings in strange shapes.
compound
deity
Urdhu-nareeshwuru.
and Doorga united
Shivii
is
forests, to
in
This
The
one body.
fable respecting this singular transformation will be found in

vol.
i.
p.
Religious worship
239.
is
Krishnu-
paid to this idol.
In this image of Krishnu and Kalee united in one body,,
Kalee.
vice itself
is
and worshipped.
personified
Another compound
Huree-Huru.
The worship paid
deity,
See
owe
to these idols appears to
stories in the pooraniis
but the original idea,
vol.
p.
i.
240.
Vishnoo and Shivu.

origin to
its
meant
to be con-
veyed by two of them, no doubt, was, that the Great Spirit and
matter are one.
12.
The worship of Human Beings. The Hindoos worship their

also bramhiins, and their wives and daughters
spiritual guides
and,
among
women
the vamacharees,
even prostitutes, are worshipped with

recorded. See vol.
13.
p.
i.
of the lowest cast, and
rites
too abominable to be
247.
The
The worship of Beasts.
cow, as a form of Bhugiivutee,
is
an object of worship, and receives the homage of the Hindoos
at
an annual festivals
has also been placed

ples to this
god
i
its
his
-,
he
Hunoomanu
is
is
used
in
bears
worship.
house in the morning,
Notwithstanding
p.
249.) Hunoomanu, the monkey,
this
till
some
places his
Tem-
image
is
even chosen by many as their guardian
The very dung of the cow
mine,
i.
the gods, as a form of Shivii.
are to be seen, and in
worshipped, daily
deity.
(see vol.
among
some resemblance
is
to Pan,
eaten as an atonement for
sin,
and
like
and, with
Hindoo does not carry any thing out of
he has rubbed his door-way with cow-dung.
reverence, the bullocks employed in carrying bur-
dens and at the plough, are used more cruelly by the Hindoos than any
other animals.
'
The Athenians and almost
a very great crime

to deserve death.'
to kill the ox,
all
other nations thought
it
insomuch that the offender was thought
Potter's Antiquities of Greece, vol.
i.
p. 217.
xliv
him owes his birth
to the
Hindoo
deities,
dog, the jackal,
also places
among
the
though they are not greatly honoured.

Guroorii, the carrier of Vishnoo, half
Worship of Birds.
14.
The
god of the winds.
and a number of other animals, have
a bird and half a mart, has received deification, as well as his

brother Uroonu, the charioteer of Vishnoo.
bird, the friend of
Jiitayoo, another
Ramii, receives divine honours ; as do the
eagle of Coromandel, (said to be an incarnation of Doorga,) the

wag-tail, the peacock, the goose, and the
owl
but the honours
they receive are not of the highest kind.
The Hindoos do not seem ever
Worship of Trees.
15.
to
have
consecrated groves, but several trees they esteem sacred. Toolusee,
a female raised to deity by Vishnoo, was cursed by Lukshmee,
his wife, in a
name
fit
of jealousy, and turned into the tree of this
which the Hindoos preserve with great care near
houses, erect pillars to

sacred,
and with the
repeat the
names of
its
latter
make
among
homage
leaves and
its
their
wood
the beads with which they
Several other trees
their guardian deities.
receive almost an equal
as a great sin
honour 1 , esteem
It is considered
(see p. 263.)
the Hindoos for any
member
of a family
to cut
down
many
a family have been ascribed to such an act of indiscretion.
trees planted
16. River worship.
by an ancestor, and the misfortunes of
The Hindoos not only
reverence
their
rivers,
but actually worship them, dividing them into male and
female
deities.
But Giinga,
their pooraniis,
and
appears to rank highest

to have descended
which event
is
(the Ganges,) both in their
in the superstitious
among the
poems,
customs of the natives,
She
river deities.
is
declared
from Vishnoo's heaven, the anniversary of
celebrated by particular festivities.
The most
extravagant things are related in the pooraniis respecting the
The heads
filled
of these pillars, which commonly open like a cup, are
with earth, and the plant
is
placed in them.
'
The Romans and
Grecians,' says Potter, ^consecrated certain trees to their gods.'

purifying nature of these waters
and several works have been
written to extol the saving properties of the
immense
are carried to
comes
Ganges s
Its waters
every thing they touch be-
crowds of Hindoos perform their worship on the
purified ;
daily, after purifying themselves in its
banks of the river
the sick are laid on
its
sight of this goddess

die within
distances
xlv
stream j
banks, expecting recovery from the mere
and
it is
reckoned a great calamity not to
Many
view of Gunga.
other rivers receive
the
honours of divine worship, as will be seen, in page 278.
17.
Even
Worship of Fish.
the finny tribes are honoured by
the Hindoos, though the worship paid to
them
is
of an inferior
nature.
The worship of Books
18.
The lower
is
very
common among
this people.
orders have such a profound respect for a book, that
On
they think every thing in such a form must be divine.
book
several occasions a
shipped with
converted into an image, and wor-
the forms used before the
most popular
idol.
The shalugramii, as a form of Vishmore frequently worshipped than any other idol in India 1
Worship of Stones.
19.
noo,
all
is
is
not excepting the lingii

next, and which
The
'
is
itself 5
The
also a stone.
to be placed
representatives of
Pun-
Giinga-vakya-vulee, &c.
The
shaliigramus are black stones, found in a part of the
river, within the limits of Nepal.
monly perforated
believe,
which perhaps ought
in
by Vishnoo
They
one or more places by worms,

in the
shape of a reptile.
or, as the
According
of perforations, and of spiral curves in each, the stone

contain Vishnoo in various characters.
Gundukee
are mostly round, and are com-
to the
is
Hindoos
number
supposed to
For example, such a stone per-
forated in one place only, with four spiral curves in the perforation, and
with marks resembling a cow's foot, and a long wreath of flowers, contains
In like manner stones are found in the Nur-
Lukshmee-Narayunii.
muda, which are considered
The shalugramu
with
steel,
is
found, upon
and scarcely at
vol vii. p. 240.
as types of Shivii,
all
trial,
and are called Vanu-Lingu.
not to be calcareous
effervesces with acids.'
it
strikes fire
Asiatic Researchest
xlvi
Many images
chanunii and other gods are shapeless stones.
of
markets are made of stone, and worshipped.
idols sold in the
The pedal with which
rice is cleansed
from
the husk has also been raised to godship by the Hindoos.
See
20.
vol.
i.
p.
log of wood.
287.
Such are the objects adored by the Hindoos.

deplorable state into which the
has once renounced the doctrine
Worship
is
of which
man
confessedly the highest act of reverence and
How
capable.
is
a philanthropic mind, to see
wood
log of
How
greatly
shocking then,
man
is
the
is
homage
afflicting to
prostrated before a beast, or a
when
this
millions
have repeatedly conversed with learned Hindoos on the use
of idols in worship
amount
to this.
the best account I have ever received
God
every where
is
spirituality perplexes the
mind.
To
this is allowed,
collect
the object of adoration, therefore, an image
and
is
drawn.
Hence,
in dedicating
come and dwell
in
it.
may
but his
fix the ideas
on
chosen; into which
image, by the power of incantations, the deity
to
how
the horror increased,
many
prostration of intellect respects
Such
mind continues to sink, after it

of the unity of God. Divine
an image, they
is
imagined to be
call
upon the god
have urged in reply, that
if this
were
the whole end to be answered, any image might do u , but that I
saw amongst them many

says,
God
has
To
sorts of idols.
made himself known
these various images to be made, that
and drawn to the love of worship
this the
in these forms,
bramhiin
and directed
men may be
fascinated
that none of these images
are intended to exhibit the natural perfections of God, but his

actions
when
incarnate
men continue
those who can attain
while
tion.'
an
This
is
They! admit
idol.
and that images are only necessary
in a rude state,
and
may
be laid aside by
to devotion by means of rational specula-
the best apology I have obtained for the worship
this
a pan of water
is
indeed often substituted for

of
Yet, surely, instead of elevating the mind, and carry-
idols.
ing
it
xlvii
to a
Being so glorious
sublime, and destroy
all
God, images debase a subject so
as
Him, who
reverence for
and
therefore highly offensive,
'
is
glorious in
Images of God are
holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders.'
makers and worshippers
their
justly expose themselves to the cutting reproof of Isaiah
whom
to
then will ye liken
him
God
or
what
likeness will ye
compare
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are
counted as the small dust of the balance
him
are as nothing, and are counted to

vanity.'
To
'
But
nations before
all
him
than nothing, and
less
that idols are not necessary, even to the rude and
ignorant, let the experience of every protestant
country bear
we find piety more elevated, or morals

more correct, even among individuals in the lowest orders of
society, than in our own land ?
witness.
Where
But what
shall
we
shall
when many of these

and when it is a
say,
strous personifications of vice

single virtuous idea
is
ever communicated by any of them
image of Kalee exhibits a female with inflamed
mon-
idols are
fact, that
not a
The
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-Kalee, exhibits Krishnu and Radha, his mistress, united

in
one body,
to conceal
Another image
carnation of
'
is
Radha's
the lingii
the great god
the winds by a female
of a female warrior
'
Shivii
monkey x
own head^ and
the offspring of the
The image of Doorga
and one form of
female so athirst for blood, that she

her
from her husband
infidelity
Another that of a monkey, an
is
this
goddess
upon two other
indecent that
Pan
deities in
is
that
mouth
distended,
is
This god-
an attitude so abominably
cannot be described:
it
is
that of a
represented as cutting off
the severed head, with the
seen devouring the blood streaming from the trunk.

dess stands
is
in-
god of
the
common form
said to have been the sou of Mercury.
of
xlviii
Kalee, standing on her husband Shivii, has a secret meaning,
known
well
to a
Hindoo, but which
so indelicate that even
is
they, licentious as they are, dare not
make
genuine meaning of the fable to which
it
it
according to the
Some of
belongs y.
the formulas used at the festival in honour of this goddess,

called the Shyama-p65ja, relate to things
the subject of description
they are more pernicious than
To
open gaze of the mob.
which can never become
but perhaps in this concealed state

if
this
painted, and exhibited to the
it
may be
added, that amidst
the numerous idols worshipped by the Hindoos, there

to represent any of the
mythology sinks
Romans
Virtues.
all
not one
In this respect, the Hindoo
below the European;
far
is
for the
Greeks and
adored Virtue, Truth, Piety, Chastity, Clemency, Mercy,
Justice, Faith,
Hope, and Liberty, and consecrated images and
temples to these
deities.
Among
the Hindoos, the
most inno-
cent part of the system, and that which existed in the purest,
ages,
was the worship of the primary elements, the adoration of
inanimate matter
The manifest
effect
of idolatry in this country, as held up to
thousands of Christian spectators,
is
an immersion into the
grossest moral darkness, and a universal corruption of manners.
The Hindoo
is
taught, that the image
is
really
God, and the
heaviest judgments are denounced against him, if he dare to
nothing more than the elements of
suspect that the image
is
which
The
it
is
composed.
Tuntru-sarii declares, that such an
unbeliever will sink into the regions of torment.
In the appre-
hensions of the people in general, therefore, the idols are real

deities
homage,
they occupy the place of God, and receive

all
the fear, all the service, and
HE so justly claims.
all
all
the
the honours which
The government of God
is
subverted, and
the moral effects arising from the knowledge of his perfections,
and
all
his claims
upon
his rational creatures, are completely lost.
Hindoos of the baser
sort
may be
seen whispering to each other
before this image, and dilating on that which

utter in an audible voice.
is
too filthy for them to

It
xlix
a fact too, that the festivals in honour of the gods have
is
the most pernicious
effects
During
on the minds of the people.
the ceremonies of worship before the image, the spectators are
mummery
very few, and these feel no interest whatever in the
going forward
visit
and were
not for those
who come
to pay a
of ceremony to the image, and to bring their offerings, the
temple would be as
days
it
little
crowded on
festival,
on common
as
but as soon as the well-known sound of the drum
is
heard, calling the people to the midnight orgies, the dance and
the song, whole multitudes assemble, and almost tread one
upon
another j and their joy keeps pace with the number of loose
women
present, and the broad obscenity of the songs.
Gopalii-
Turkkalunkarii, a pundit employed in the Serampore printing-
and a very respectable
office,
man among
were the
women
avowed
the Hindoos,
to a friend of mine, that the only attractives
on these occasions
of ill-fame, and the filthy songs and dances
that these songs were so abominable, that a
man
even amongst them, was ashamed of being present
of character,
that if ever
*,
he (Gopalii) remained, he concealed himself in a corner of the

temple.
He
added, that a song was scarcely tolerated which did
not contain the most marked allusions to unchastity j while those
which were so abominable that no person could repeat them out

of the temple, received the loudest plaudits 2
the very face of the idol
All this
nor does the thought,
seest me,' ever produce the slightest pause in these
done in
midnight
In open day, and in the most public streets of a large
revels.
town, I have seen
men
entirely naked,
effrontery before the idol, as
it
was
dancing with unblushing
carried in triumphant proces-
encouraged by the smiles and eager gaze of the bramhuns.
sion,
Yet
is
Thou God
sights even
worse than these, and such as can never be
described by the pen of a Christian writer, are exhibited on the

rivers
and in the public roads, to thousands of spectators,
Sometimes the Hindoos open a subscription
a grand act of worship in honour of some idol.

scribed on such an occasion,
*ongs and dancing-girls.
V V
I.
am
to defray the
at the
expense of
If 400 roopees be sub-
assured, that 300 wiJl be spent on the
Poorga
festival a , the
Hindoo
festivals in
most popular and most crowded of
all
What
the gods so powerful, as to produce general intoxication.
must be the
state of
morals in a country, when
and public shows,
stitutions
the
Bengal; and which closes with libations to
at
its
religious in-
which the whole population
is
present, thus sanctify vice, and carry the multitude into the very
gulph of depravity and ruin
There
creases
is
its
another feature in this system of idolatry, which inpernicious effects on the public manners
of these gods
is
The history
a highly coloured representation of their wars,
and licentious intrigues; which are held up
quarrels,
images, recitations) songs, and dances at the public
At the separate
in the
festivals.
which are accompanied with some-
recitations,
thing of our pantomime, these incredible and most indecent

fables are
made
still
more
common
in the
familiar to the people; so familiar
them
indeed, that allusions to
forms of speech.
are to be perceived in the
Many works
most
of a pernicious tendency
European languages are not very
hurtful, because they
are too scarce and expensive to be read by the poor; but the
authors of the Hindoo
mythology have taken
that the
care,
quarrels and revels of the gods and goddesses shall be held
up
to
the imitation of the whole community.
In some of these histories and pantomimes Shivii

sented as declaring to
Lukshmee,
that he
would
is
repre-
part with all the
merit of his works for the gratification of a criminal passion
Brihnha as burning with
lust
towards his own daughter
as living with the wife of another,
stealing his clothes,
and sending
regions of torment by causing
Krishna
murdering a washerman and
his friend Yoodhist'hiru to the
him
to utter a falsehood
Indru
and Chimdru are seen as the paramours of the wives of their

spiritual guides.
The author
But these
stories are so
has more than once been
filled
numerous
in the poo-
with alarm, as
tliis
idola-
trous procession has passed his house, lest his children should go to the
windows, and see the gross obscenity exhibited by the dancers.

raniis, that
The
seems unnecessary to drag more of them to light
it
thing to be deplored
that the
is,
were themselves monsters of
Painful as this
ing sect
among
provinces,
works
It
who,
not
is, it is
Hindoo
objects of worship
vice.
there
all:
is
a numerous and grow-
the Hindoos in Bengal, and perhaps in other
with the rules prescribed in the
in conformity
most abominable
called Tuntru, practise the
The
rites.
bramhims, and are called vama-
proselytes to this sect are chiefly
have given some account of them
in vol.
247. and
charees.
vol.
92. and should have declined blotting these pages with
ii.
p.
i.
p.
any further allusion to these unutterable abominations, had I not

omitted in those accounts an article which
which throws much additional
had prepared, and
on the practices of a
light
sect so
singularly corrupt.
The
rules of this sect are to be found
the Tuntriis
but particularly
more or
till
most
the
Hindoo wishes
Vdacharees,
Dukshinacharees, Vamacha-
Voishniivacharees, Shoivacharees,
sion,
most of
In these works the writers have
Yonee, and Unnikla-kulpu.
arranged a number of Hindoo sects as follows
rees, Siddhantacharees,
less in
Roodru-yamulu,
the Neelii,
in
and Koulacharees ; each rising
perfect sect
is
the Koulacharu.
in succes-
When
to enter into this sect, he sends for a person
has been already initiated, and
forms of
initiation
&c. begs
him
to
is
well acquainted with the
and presenting to him garments, ornaments,
become
places this disciple near
his religious guide.
him
the ceremonies of the sect

disciple spreads
who
some
for three days,
The
teacher then
and instructs him
initiation
are to be
performed ; and
sows a small quantity of barley, and two kinds of pease,
some
sprinkling water
upon
He
it.
parts of the ten ceremonies practised
declaration, that he has
in this
next proceeds to perform
by the regular Hin-
doos from the time of birth to that of marriage
makes a
in
at the close of which period, the
loose soil on the floor of the house in
which the ceremonies of
soil,
who
after
which he
from that period renounced all

is delivered from their
the ceremonies of the old religion, and
g a
Hi
yoke
and as a token of joy celebrates what
in the
fore,
day
what follows
called
is
the
All these ceremonies are to be performed
Vriridhee shraddhii.
is
to be
done in darkness
and there-
choosing the darkest part of the night, the seed sown in
the house having sprung up, the disciple and his spiritual
would not be too harsh
(it
to say infernal) guide enter the house,
with eight men, (vamacharees,) and eight females, (a dancinggirl,
a weaver's daughter,
woman,
woman
Each of
of a land-owner, and a milkmaid.)

to place
of ill-fame, a washer-
a barber's wife or daughter, a bramhiinee, the daughter
by
his side
The
disciple are to sit close to each other.

his disciple, that
the vamacharees is
one of the females, and the teacher and his
from henceforward he
teacher
now
informs
not to indulge shame,
is
nor dislike to any thing, nor prefer one plan to another, nor
regard ceremonial cleanness or uncleanness, nor cast
though he may
must be
fixed
on
his guardian deity:
an epicure nor an
and
the
and tha
mind
freely enjoy all the pleasures of sense, the
ascetic,
that
is,
he
is
neither to be
but to blend both in his character.,
to make the pleasures of sense, that is, wine and women>

medium of obtaining absorption into Brumha; since women
are the representatives of the wife of Cupid, and wine prevents
A pan of
man
the senses from going astray.
mixed with
spirits, is
placed near each
spirits,
and
or of water
woman
and
in
the centre another pan of spirits, different kinds of flesh, (of
which that of the cow makes a
part,) rice, 'fruits, &c.
and upon
each of the eight pans different branches of trees, and garlands

of red flowers are placed ;
red paint
all
formed into
the,
different colours.
called siddhee,
pans also are to be marked with
these are surrounded with eighty pounds of flour
is
next consecrated
which they chew the
pan of intoxicating beverage,

;
of which each partakes
panii leaf.
Next, before
all
after
the things
placed in the centre of the room, the spiritual guide rehearses

the
common
ceremonies of worship, addressing them to any one
of the female deities

this disciple.
and the
The
offerings,
who happens
vessels
to be the guardian deity of
from which the company are to drink,
are next consecrated
formed of earth, copper, brass,
these vessels
may be
silver, gold, or stone, the
cocoa-

nut, or a
human
skull
but the
much
guide then gives as
spiritual
latter is to
as a
liii
The
be preferred.
wine glass of
spirits to
each female, as the representative of the divine energy 5 and the
men
drink what they leave.
At
this
time the spiritual guide
were directed in
declares, that in the sutyii yoogii the people
by the
their religious duties
vdiis,
in the trtii
by the writings
of the learned, in the dwapiiru by the different pooranus, and, in

the kiilee yoogu, the tuntrus are the only proper guides to duty.
As
well pleased with this sentiment, each one of the
if
now
drinks
two more
The
glasses of the spirits.
company
disciple next
worships each male and female separately, applying to them the
names of Bhoiruvii and Bhoiruvee,

garments, ornaments, &c.
after
given to Shivfi and
titles
Doorga, and presents to each of them
spirits,
which the
meat-offerings,
spiritual guide offers
a burnt- sacrifice, with the flesh and other meat-offerings, pouring on them, as they burn, clarified butter
The
repeats the same ceremony.
the disciple also
eight females
now
anoint the
disciple by sprinkling upon him, with the branches which were
placed on the pan, spirits and water
and after mixing together
the whole of the spirits, or spirits and water, from all the pans,
the spiritual guide, with

disciple
whom
to
all
the branches, again sprinkles the
he declares that he has now, for the good of
commandment
of the
his soul, instructed
him, according to the
great god Shivu, in
all
of a vamacharee
urging him, in practising these ceremonies,
to keep his
death
mind on Shivu, and
at the close,
the ceremonies belonging to the profession
that he will be
mixed, repeating separate incantations.
he
mind
tion
after
During
his initiation
not to drink so as to appear intoxicated, or to cause his
is
to
he
tity,
happy
he causes him to drink the liquor thus
after
down
wander
may
still
but having habituated himself to a small quan-
take more,
however so
till
he
falls
down
in a state of intoxica-
as to rise again after a short interval
which he may continue drinking the nectar,
till
he
falls
completely overcome, and remains in this state of joy,
thinking upon his guardian deity.
Uviidhootu, that
is,
as one
who
He
is
now known
has renounced
all
as
an
secular affairs;
and receives a new name, perhaps Anundu-nat'hu, or the joyous.
liv
He
to drink spirits with all of the
is
constantly in a house of ill-fame

pleases,
and with
same
profession
The
all casts indiscriminately.
to offer a burnt-sacrifice
which the
after
spiritual
new
guests are dismissed with presents, and the

the night with an infamous female.
the
most debasing
have been guilty of
rites,
to sleep
next thing
disciple spends
These vamacharees adore
They
also
using the heads of persons
who
suicide, also
when
sitting
on a dead body,
and while naked and
in the presence of a
might seem impossible
to trace ceremonies gross as these to
principle except that of
moral depravity
system attempt to reconcile
The
ness.
reader
is
it
or annihilation,
therefore
aim
at the
object, not
It
any
but the authors of this
with the pursuit of future happi-
as
essential
and consider
their subju-
to final beatitude
accomplishment of
severe bodily austerities.
same
naked female.
aware that the regular Hindoo theologians
attribute all the vices to the passions,
gation,
is
guide and the
and carefully avoid offending a woman.
sex,
practise the
and to eat of every thing he
this object
The vamacharees
they
by means of
profess to seek the
by avoiding temptation, and starving the body,
but by blunting the edge of the passions with excessive indulgence.
They
profess
reminding them that
to
triumph over the regular Hindoos,
their ascetics are safe
while keeping a perpetual fast
only in forests, and
but that they subdue their pas-
sions in the very presence of temptation.
Thus, that which to the Hindoo should be divine worship,

the great source of impiety and corruption of manners
is
and,
instead of returning from his temple, or from religious services,
improved
in
knowledge, grieved for
his
moral
dcficiences,
and
anxious to cultivate a greater regard to the interests of morality
and
religion, his passions are inflamed,
such a degree,
that he
and
his
mind polluted
to
carries the pernicious lessons of the
temple, or the festival, into
all
the walks of private
life.
His
very religion becomes his greatest bane, and where he should
have drank of the water of

infallibly destroys him.
life,
he swallows the poison that
lv
In conversation with a learned bramhun, in the year 1813, he
acknowledged to the author,
that, at present, reverence for the
gods made no part of the attractions to the public
One man
festivals.
from disgrace,
celebrates a festival to preserve himself
another to procure the applauses of his countrymen, and a third
This bramhun instanced
for the sake of the songs, dances, &c.
made without any
cases of images being
At one
of the shastru.
reference to the rules
a Hindoo, having prepared an
place,
image, at an expense which he could not meet, permitted
be broken, and
the streets
its
another, who had been

and a
the image into the water
mous image, had
fastened
it
having made an enor-
to a cart, but
was permitted
on the
off,
rest of
what
have already
said, that
not devotion that leads the Hindoo to the temple, but a
is
licentious appetite
and to
afford another proof, that idolatry
always tends to sink, but never to

account of Kalee, (vol.
i.
respecting the execution of

tence of death,
Kalee
who
became
p. 153,) the reader will find a fact
two Hindoos, who, when under sen-
Roman
did not, as she
pundits
who
assisted
this fact, that I
me
In the
raise its votaries.
upon
Catholics, in pure revenge
was believed
to
have done
in this
work begged,
would assure the English
many
in
One of
other cases, protect them in the act of robbery.
this
motion of
first
and the
to lie in the street as a dead carcase.
I give these instances, to confirm

it
to
thus disappointed, threw
third,
the vehicle, the head of the idol had fallen
the image
it
head, arms, and legs to be trodden upon in
if I
the
mentioned
reader, that although
goddess assisted public robbers, she always informed them
that they
assist
must
them
suffer hereafter for their crimes,
though she did
in their perpetration.
The Reverend Mr. Maurice seems
astonished that a people so
mild, so benevolent, so benignant as the Hindoos,
Orme) shudder
ing Mr.
adopted so
humane
many bloody
these
relations to the
who
(quot-
at the very sight of blood,' should

rites.
But
men, and women
banks of the river
are these
too,
who drag
at all seasons,
and expose them to the heat and cold
have
Hindoos indeed so
their
dying
day and night,
in the last agonies of
hi
death, without remorse 5
who
assist
men to commit
encouraging them to swing with hooks

their
tongues and
self-murder,
in their backs, to pierce
themselves on naked knives, to
sides, to cast
bury themselves alive b throw themselves into rivers
cipices 11 ,
own
and under the ears of
by burying them
children,
hanging them up
alligators, or
crows before their
Ganges
their idols;
who
own
burn
from pre-
murder
their
throwing them to the
alive,
alive in trees for the ants
and
doors e , or by sacrificing them to the
amidst savage shouts, the heart-
alive,
broken widow, by the hands of her

of a deceased father f ;
who
who
own
son,
and with the corpse
every year butcher thousands of
Instances are not unfrequent, where persons afflicted with loath-
some and incurable
diseases,
have caused themselves
to
be buried
alive.'
Asiatic Researches, vol. vii. p. 257.
Mr. W. Carey, of Cutwa, in a letter to the author, dated the 4th of

November, 1814, says, Two or three days ago I witnessed a scene more
shocking than any I ever saw in this place
A poor weaver was brought
here, and cast into the water, with a pan of water tied round his waist
to make him sink
but providentially the river was shallow, and he was
taken out, after being in the water a day and a night. Hearing of the
c
'
circumstance,
went
to see him,
with rheumatic pains.
and found the poor man. only affected
had him brought
prevail on the unfeeling natives to carry
from an
officer of the police.
fortnight,
when he
What adds
this
will return
hope he
my
to
him up
house, but could not
till
procured an order
be restored
will
to health in
home, with some knowledge of the gospel.
to the horror of this narration,
is,
that the perpetrators of
intended murder were the mother and brother of
this
unfortunate
Hindoo.'
d
'
A very
singular practice prevails
inhabitants of Berar and Gondwiinii.
by such persons
in return for
among
Suicide
is
the lowest tribes of the
not unfrequently
boons solicited from
idols
and
vowed
to fulfil his
vow, the successful votary throws himself from a precipice named

Bhoiruvh, situated in the mountains between the Taptee and
rivers.
The annual
fair,
Kalti-
Nurmuda
held near that spot at the beginning of spring,
usually witnesses eight or ten victims of this superstition.'
Asiatic Re-
searches, vol. vii. p. 257.

e
fancy this
supposed to be
f
is
done when the child
afflicted
by some
is
born with bad omens, or
is
evil spirit.
At Benares and near Buxar numerous brick monuments have been
lvii
animals, at the call of superstition, covering themselves with
and carrying
their blood, consigning their carcases to the dogs,

their heads in
triumph through the
nignant Hindoos V
streets
Are these the
a people who have never erected a
school, an alms' -house, nor an hospital
want before
creatures to perish for
who
<
be-
charity-
suffer their fellow-
their very doors, refusing to
administer to their wants while living, or to inter their bodies,

to prevent their being devoured by vultures and jackals,
dead
who, when the power of the sword was in
impaled
and
alive, cut off the noses, the legs,
inflicted
and arms of
culprits
and
punishments exceeded only by those of the followers
of the mild, amiable, and benevolent Booddhii in the
empires
when
their hands,
who
Burman
very often, in their acts of pillage, murder
memory
erected to perpetuate the
women who have been
of
burnt alive
with the bodies of their deceased husbands.
Burmans are the followers of Booddhii,

in mankind a horror of shedding blood,
The following facts will show how much
well known, that the
s It is
whose principal aim was to excite
and of destroying animal

humanity there
is
life.
among a people
far exceeding the
care not to injure whatever contains

his friends in
single
Bengal
I will
'
town of Rangoon since
not exceed four years.
own eyes
now
my
Some of
relate
Hindoos
what has taken place
to
in this
residence in this country, which doe3

the criminals I saw executed with
the rest I saw immediately after execution.
in their
Mr. F. Carey thus writes
life.
my
One man had
melted lead poured down his throat, which immediately burst out from
the neck, and various parts of the body.
Four
.or five
persons, after
being nailed through their hands and feet to a scaffold, had

tongues cut out, then their mouths
ears cut
off,
and
slit
finally their bellies
crucified in the following
manner:
first
their
open from ear
to ear, then their
ripped open.
Six people were
their hands
and
were nailed to a
were then extracted with a blunt hook and in this
condition they were left to expire two died in the course of four days
scaffold
feet
their eyes
the rest were liberated, but died of mortification on the sixth or seventh
day.
Four persons were
crucified, viz. not nailed, but tied with their
hands and feet stretched out at

they were to remain
till
full
death
length, in an erect posture, in which
every thing they wished to eat was
ordered them, with a view to prolong their

like this, the legs
and
the expiration of three or four days
VOL.
I,
lives
and misery.
feet of the criminals begin to swell

;
some are said
In cases
and mortify at
to live in this state
Mii
the plundered, cutting off their limbs with the most cold-blooded
apathy, turning the house of the murdered into a disgusting
shambles
Some of these
no doubt,
cruelties,
arise out of the
religion of the Hindoos, and are the poisoned fruits of supersti-
than the
tion, rather
effects
of natural disposition
but
this is
equally true respecting the virtues which have been so lavishly
bestowed on
At the
this people.
of the shastrii, the Hindoo
call
gives water to the weary traveller during the
may perish
but he
door without pity or
at his
month Voishakhii
relief
from the
first
of the following month, no reward being attached to such an

act after these thirty days
He
have expired.
will
make
roads,
pools of water, and build lodging-houses for pilgrims and travellers
but he considers himself as making a good bargain with
the gods in
a
all
to holy places
for such acts of merit,
it
now,
is
made by Hindoos except
not
a few which lead
and had there been no future rewards held out
the kiilee-yoogu
does
It is a fact, that there is
these transactions.
road in the country
it
even these would not have existed. Before
was lawful
cows
to sacrifice
but the
man who
guilty of a crime as heinous as that of killing a
bramhun he may kill

reward him with heaven
however, and Doorga will
a buffalo,
for
it.
Hindoo, by any
direct act,
and expire at last from fatigue and mortification. Those

saw were liberated at the end of three or four days. Another
man had a large bamboo run through his belly, which put an immediate
for a fortnight,
which
end
to his existence.
Two
persons had their bellies ripped up, just
cient to admit of the. protrusion of a small part of the intestines

after being secured
were placed
by the hands and feet
at full stretch
and
with cords,
upon bamboo rafters, and set adrift in

down with the tide for public view. The
in an erect posture
the river, to float up and
number of those who have been beheaded
do not exactly recollect; but
they must be somewhere between twenty and thirty.

to death,
by applying the saw
until the
bowels gushed out.
cudgel.
These
during
my
my
suffi;
to the shoulder bone,
One woman was
are most of the punishments
stay in this place
absence, which
punishments were
One man was sawn
and sawing right down
beat to death with a large

I
have seen and heard of
but many other instances happened during
have not related.
inflicted, I shall only
As
for the crimes for
which these
add, the crimes of some deserved
death, some were of a trivial nature, and some of the victims were quite
innocent.'

should not destroy an insect, for he
even a
cow
fly
but
to perish
though
it
it is
is
no great crime
if
with hunger; and he beats
of
it
life
God
taught that
it
without mercy,
enough, that
it is
Briimhu
for the indwelling
inhabits
he should permit even his
be an incarnation of Bhugiivutee
he does not really deprive
lix
The Hindoo will utter falsewould knock down an ox, and will commit perjuries
no stroke but that of death.
feels
hoods that
so atrocious and disgusting, as to
the courts of justice
fill
who
with horror those
visit
but he will not violate his shastru by
swearing on the waters of the Ganges.
Idolatry
is
be found
often also the exciting cause of the most abomina-
Several instances are given in this
ble frauds.
in vol.
i.
p.
found under ground by the raja of Nudeeya, in
Indeed keeping gods
is
even a trade
only difficulty to be overcome,

the image.
To do
from village
hood
work
one will
122. and another respecting an image
this, the
among
vol.
the
i.
p.
203 h
Hindoos
the
that of exciting attention to
is
owner of the image frequently goes
to village, to call the attention of the neighbour-
he also persuades some one to proclaim, that he has been
warned
in a
dream
to perform
vows
to this image; or he repeats
to all he sees, that such and such cures have been performed
In the years 1807 and 1808, almost
it.
all
by
the sick and imagi-
nary sick Hindoos in the south of Bengal presented their offerings

to an
image
called Taruk-eshwurii, at a place bearing this
name.
The bramhiins owning this image became rich. This excited

the attention of some bramhiins near Nudeeya, who proclaimed
another image of Shivii, in their possession, to be
of Taruk-eshwurii
;
'
the brother
and the people of those parts flocked to
image as others had done
this
to the original one.
The author has devoted a volume of

h
'
Plutarch says, that Romulus,
when he
;
multitudes to the sacrifice.
h2
work
to the gods.
instituted^he Ludi Consualcs,
had discovered the altar

which discovery attracted great
to surprise the Sabine virgins, gave out, that he
of the god Consus hid under ground
this

lx
The
next article relates to the Hindoo temples,, none of which
appear to be distinguished for the elegance of their architecture

they are not the
They
are not constructed so as to hold a
worshippers,
who
the temple.
The room
are always
sufficiently spacious if
and the
for worship,
in barbarism
neither
any comparison with the temples of the Greeks or
will they bear
Romans'.
work of a people sunk
it
in
accommodated
which the
crowd of
in an area opposite
idol is placed is considered
hold the officiating priest, the utensils
offerings.
These temples answer none of the ends of a lecture room, nor

of a Christian temple.
Here the passions
are never raised to
heaven by sacred music, nor by the voices of a large and devout

congregation celebrating the praises of the Deity in the strains of
sacred poetry
here no devout feelings are awakened by the voice
of prayer and confession, nor are the great truths of religion explained, or enforced
upon the mind of an
eloquence of a public speaker
performed by the solitary priest with
and
attentive
crowd by the
the daily worship at the temple
is
the dulness, carelessness,
all
with a service always the
insipidity necessarily connected
same, repeated before an idol made of a cold stone, and in which

the priest has no interest whatever
semble before the temple,
it is
and when the crowd do
to enter
upon
orgies
as-
which destroy
every vestige of moral feeling, and excite to every outrage
upon
virtue.
The
dedication of a temple
We learn
is
a work of great ceremony k ,
if
from the Ain Akburee, however, that the entire revenues
of Orissa, for twelve years, were expended on erecting a temple to the

Maurice
sun.
k
Indian Antiquities.
Circumambulating a temple
is
an act of merit, raising the person
to
a place in the heaven of the god or goddess whose temple he thus walks
round.
At Benares
the devout do
it
daily.
If the circumambulator be
a learned man, he ^repeats the praise of the god as he
bows
to the
is
walking, and
image every time he arrives at the door of the temple.
ignorant merely walk round, and
make
the bow.
always kept towards the object circumambulated.
The
right
The
hand
is

man
the building belong to a
of wealth
presents to the bramhiins and others
who employs
person
wealth in
his
raised in the estimation of his
endows the temple,
by grants of
stowed,
is
it
manner
:
expended
wages
in
Many temples,
is
considerably
he frequently also
which
The annual produce of
land.
The
also very great.
is
countrymen
as well as raises
is
generally done
the land thus be-
to the officiating priest, in the
and in lighting and repairing the
daily offerings to the idol,
temple.
the expense incurred in
this
lxi
however, do not depend entirely on their
endowments: they receive considerable sums from occasional

offerings,
and from what
is
presented at festivals
temples are supported at an expense so
who
officiate at
trifling as to
a reader not acquainted with the forms of idolatry

dividuals
Some
astonish
many
in-
temples obtain only the offerings, the
many instances, to more than

Some few temples are, however, splen-
value of which does not amount, in
twenty shillings a year.

didly endowed, and
Where an
them.
many
families receive their maintenance
idol has
become very famous, and the
from
offerings
have amounted to a large sum, even kings have been anxious to

lay hold of such a source of revenue.
The images of
the gods
may be made of almost
as well as of wood, stone, clay, &c.
are
made of wood
or stone
close of a festival, are
and gold, are
silver,
stone
all
the metals,
Most of the permanent images
those which are destroyed at the
made of clay. Small images of brass,

not uncommon. . The sculpture of the
images resembles that of the Popish images of the 12th
century
those cast in brass, &c. exhibit a similar progress of
The cqnsecration of an image is accompanied with a

number of ceremonies, the most singular of which is that of
the arts.
conveying sight and
life to
the image, for which there are ap-
propriate formulas, with prayers, inviting the deity to

1
come and
In the year 1809, at the temple of Jiigunnat'hu, near Serampore, at
the car festival, about 570 roopees were presented to the idol, in vegetables, fruits, sweetmeats, garments,
and money.
females, and 150 shoodriis, were entertained daily

festival, the priests
About 150 bramhiins, 50

;
and, at the close of the
of the temple received 420 roopees.
lxii
dwell in
is
After this ceremony, the image becomes sacred,
it.
carefully guarded
triis
The
from every offensive approach.
making
contain directions for
and the forms of medi-
idols,
tation used in worship contain a description of each idol
many
but in
instances these forms are disregarded, and the proprietor,
though compelled
his
and
shas-
own
made of
those
to preserve the identity of the image, indulges
Some images
fancy.
use, are very large
Benares, which six
At the
but others,
a stone image of the lingii
men with
if for
temporary
to be seen at
is
joined hands can hardly grasp.
god of war, an image
festival of Kartikeyii, the
made
times
are very diminutive, especially
the precious metals
is
some-
Whatever may have been the
thirty cubits high.
case in other countries, idolatry in this has certainly not contri-
buted to carry the
Any
arts
of painting or sculpture to any perfection.
There
is
fined"1
temple, and perform the general
no order of bramhiins to
many
whom
the priesthood
his
own
offices in
which
qualified,
ii.
priests are
may perform
p. 16.)
There are
them
priest
on a regular allowance
families of the
same
(see
some
priests are re-
cast y such a person
called the joiners' priest, or the weavers' priest, &c.
all
In general, a family, able to bear the expense,
many
employed as
among
different
employed j but any bramhiin, properly
employs a
tion
con-
is
a shoddrii
choice of the indi-
the ceremonies attached to
tained by
hiins
priest.
he cannot repeat a single formula of the vdiis himself
without being guilty of the highest offence.
vol.
work of a
bramhiins employ others as priests
must employ a bramhiin, but he has

vidual
mar
bramhiin, properly qualified by rank and knowledge,
officiate in a
priests to the shdodrii s are not in
their brethren,
I insert a short extract
who
never
from Bryce's
'
fail to
'
high estima-
degrade the shoodrii
Sketch of the State of British
India,' in order to assure the author, that, as
wholly without foundation.
is
The bram-
it
respects Bengal,
The laws have always
it is
confined a certain
proportion of bramhiins to the service of the pagodas, to the education of

youth, and to study.' p. 57.
No
pains are spared in rendering accom-
plished those females, who, as the fascinating instruments of superstition,
are employed in the service of their temples.' p. 54.

in every stage
and
The
state of life.
general very small
fees of the priest are in
on some occasions,
at the dedication of a
temple, at the ceremonies for the dead

rich
man,
when performed
at the great festivals,
&c. the priest
Female
almost
liberal presents.
kiii
priests are
Hindoos; one or two instances are recorded
for a
receives very
unknown
in vol.
to
the
pp. 232,
i.
235.
The ceremonies
<laily,
at the temples are in
morning, noon, and evening,
sented to the idol
forms of petition and praise
commonly
during the presentation of
few
all
day
are never honoured with worship,

is
articles
in general
bow
to the
a post
sacrifices,
slaughter of animals.
edifices;
though they contain an
idol
image
is
same
Hindoos
individual.
as they pass the temple,
Where
the deity
is
whether
honoured by
erected in front of the temple, for the
No
assemblies can be formed in these
but on particular occasions the people are collected
before the door, and
honour of Vishnoo
be not too large
are,
lingi'i
accounted for by there being several of these temples
the doors be open or shut.
rest.
priest-
the
multitudes of these temples
erected in one spot belonging to the
bloody
flowers.,
of food, the
The doors of
the only person present.
temples are generally open
this
pre-
is
the services are short, consisting of a few
leaves, and (except to Shivii) a

is
most cases performed
which times food
at
The
sit
or stand tinder an awning.
are laid
down
a poor compliment
utensils
employed
The
idols in
to sleep in the day, if the

to
image
a god, that he wants
in the ceremonies at the temples
several dishes to hold the offerings, a
hand
bell, a
lamp,
jugs for holding water, an incense dish, a copper cup to receive

drink-offerings for
deceased ancestors and the gods, another
smaller one to pour from, a seat of kooshu grass for the priest,
a large metal plate used as a

these articles do not cost
owner wish them
to
be
bell,
and a conch or
more than twenty
shell.
costly.
Daily, weekly, monthly, and annual ceremonies abound

this people, to
All
shillings, unless the
whom may
among
truly be applied the remark of Paul
lxiv
to the Athenians, (Acts xvii. 22;) the festivals are noted in the
Hindoo almanacks, and are generally held at the full or total

wane of the moon. In the month of February, they have one
festival in
honour
of*
the goddess of learning, Siiriiswutee, which
In March three, in honour of Shivii,
continues one day.
Krishnu, and Gvmga.
In April two
one on the anniversary of
the birth of Ramii, and the other the horrid swinging festival.
In June two
one in honour of Giinga, and the other Jiigun-
nat'hii's car festival
the latter
the car returns to the temple.
is
again revived in July,
In August the cow
and the birth of Krishnu celebrated.

of deceased ancestors
held.
in
when
worshipped,
In September the
memory
commemorated, and the Doorga
festival
In October one, in honour of the goddess Riitiintee; and
November
On
is
is
all
another, in honour of Kartikeyii, the
these occasions the public offices are closed
god of war.
but
many
other holidays are kept by the Hindoos, which are not honoured
as public festivals.
The reader will find,
in vol. ii. p. 27.
of a bramhun; by which
it
the rules of his religion, he

religious ceremonies.
Tlie
an account of the daily duties
appears, that
if
he
strictly
conform to
must spend almost his whole time in

present race of bramhuns curtail these
ceremonies, especially those engaged in secular
affairs,
who spend
perhaps ten or twenty minuteu in the morning, after their ablutions, in repeating the usual
formulas before the lingu, or the
stone called the shaliigramu, or a pan of water.
Many, however,
name of their
content themselves with bathing, and repeating the
guardian deity.
The form
of initiation into the service of a person's guardian
him the name of this deity, and exThe ceremony of initiation

continually.
deity consists in giving
horting
is
him
to repeat
given in vol.
ii.
it
p. 38.
From
this time, the initiated
entitled to all the privileges of the
Hindoo
religion,
becomes
is
placed
under the protection of the gods, and receives the benediction of

his spiritual guide.
The Hindoos
are careful to conceal the
words

of
initiation,
and do not wish
lxv
to declare to strangers
what god
they have chosen for their guardian deity.
The
spiritual guide,
who
is
chosen by the person himself, re-
from the
ceives the highest reverence
worshipped by him as a god.
and
disciple,
is
sometimes
Disobedience to this guide
is
one
of the highest offences a Hindoo can commit, and his anger
When
dreaded more than that of the gods.
proaches him, he prostrates himself at his
on
places his foot
Hindoo
the
To
his head.
superstition reduce the people
They
wives.
is
in the
and the
priest
These
priests are no-
some of them plunder
and others violate the chastity of
are not distinguished
do they perform any

Bathing
all,
feet,
such a state of degradation does
torious for covetousness and impurity
the disciples of their
is
the disciple ap-
by any particular
their
dress, nor
of worship for their disciples.
offices
Ganges, or
some other sacred
in
river, or pool,
one of the most constant and necessary duties enjoined upon
the Hindoos
the bramhiins, after bathing, frequently complete
on the banks of the
their devotions
river
others
go home, and
repeat the requisite forms before the shalugramu, or a pan of

water.
The people
are taught that bathing
is
a religious cere-
They are
mony, by which they become purified from sin n
never directed to bathe to promote bodily health. In the act of
!
bathing, they pour out drink-offerings to deceased ancestors.
And
yet so far are the Hindoos from having any moral feelings, even
in their acts of purification, that
few men bathe
in a retired situation
the
majority choose those places to which the female bathers resort, and on
their acconnt remain in the
Many an
their ablutions.
water long beyond the time necessary for
infamous assignment
while they are thus washing away their
engage as cooks
to
sins.
is
made by looks, &c.

number of bramhiins
opulent families, to facilitate their licentious intrigues
that the bramhiins, proverbially known by the

name of cooking bramhuns, are treated with the greatest suspicion by
those who care for the chastity of their wives. Multitudes of bramhuns
this
is
become
so
common,
likewise are employed as priests to pi'ostitutes,
of religion in houses of ill-fame

.
ciple
from the religion of the Hindoos
VOL.
I.
and actually perform the
so completely absent
i
is
offices
the moral priu-
lxvi
To
be convinced
how
entirely the present race of
Hindoos are
influenced by the promises of salvation held out in their sacred
books on
to
what
this subject,
it is
only necessary for a person to attend
passing around him, viz. to the crowds bathing at the
is
landing-places of the Ganges
shoulders
to the shraddhus
formed on
its
of the river
banks
in
vessels
suspended from their
and other religious ceremonies per-
number of temples on both
to the
to the persons bearing the sacred
water into distant countries,
to so great a part
sides
of the Bengal population having
erected their habitations near the river
number of
to the
brick
landing-places, built as acts of holiness, to assist the people in
obtaining the favour of Giinga; to the houses erected for the

sick
by the
sides of the river
to the people bringing their sick
and laying them on bedsteads, or on the ground, by
relations,
them there, and to throw

immense crowds on the banks,
the side of the Ganges, waiting to burn

their ashes into the river
to the
moment
waiting for a junction of the planets, at which
plunge into the stream with the greatest eagerness;
to
they
the
people committing the images of their gods to the sacred stream,

at the close of their festivals
-,
and, finally, to the boats crowded
with passengers going to Sagiir island (Gunga-sagiiru) every

year
The forms of worship

Till lately, people
(poojaP) before the idol are particularly
used to throw themselves, or their children, to the
alligators at this place,
under the idea that dying
the jaws of an alligator,
at Giinga-sagurii, in
was the happiest of deaths.
This
is
now
pre-
vented by a guard of sepoys sent by government.

p
The Ain Akbiiree
monies.
says, the
ablutions, with the
to
'
sundhya and homu, he
east or the north, with his legs
hand a
Hindoos
divide pooja into sixteen cere-
After the devotee has performed his usual and indispensable
little
water and
be a proper preface
lows the worship of the

conch-shell.
sits
idol's
down, looking towards the

Then, taking in his
in front.
he sprinkles the
rice,
to the
idol,
and conceives
this act
commencement of his adoration. Next folThen succeeds the worship of the

flagon.
Last in order, a ceremony which consists in plastering the
bell with ashes of sandal-wood.

little rice,
drawn up
and wishes that
his
When
he has finished, he throws down a
god may be manifested.
These
various.

laid
down
common
in vol.
ii.
The
p. 64.
dress of a bramhiin
priest
who
lxvii
officiates
has the
must, however, be clean
it
he
has occasionally one or two bramhuns to assist him in presenting

the offerings.
duties are all comprised in the first of the sixteen ceremonies.
In
the
second, he prepares and places a table of metal, either gold, silver, or
copper, as a seat or throne for a deity.

into a vessel to
when a
wash
his feet
In
the third, he throws water
for in Hindoost'hanu
it Is
the custom, that,
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
water to rince
betel,
and
also the
custom for an inferior to bring
mouth with before meals.
his
rice are offered to the idol.
throne are carried to another spot
In the
In the
fifth,
to a superior
sandal, flowers,
sixth, the idol
and
his
then the worshipper takes in his right
hand a white conch-shell full of water, which he throws over the idol,
and wivh his left hand rings the bell. 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
In the eleventh,
In the ninth, he makes the tiluk upon the idol in twelve places.
tenth, he throws over the idol flowers or green leaves.
with perfumes. In the twelfth, he

a lamp with
In the thirteenth, he places before the idol trays of food, accord-
he fumigates
ghee.
lights
it
which are distributed among the by-standers, as the
ing to his ability
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 hte eight members touch the ground, namely, the
two knees, two hands, forehead, nose, and cheeks.
These kinds of pro-
In
In the
six-
teenth, he stands in the posture of a slave, with his hands uplifted,
and
stration are also

fifteenth,
performed
men
great
in Hindoost'hanu.
he makes a circuit around the idol several times.
asks permission to depart.'
make an image,
paint
as rice, fruits, &c.

priest,
to
it,
At some
of the great festivals, boys in play
and beg from house
When
all
house for the offerings,
to
things are ready,
and performs the ceremonies.
dren initiated into their idolatrous

these children discover what
is
the
Thus
rites.
some one becomes the

Hindoo chil-
early are the
If,
however, the parents of
going on, they forbid
children, that the god will be displeased.
If
it
it,
and warn the
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 will 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,
ceremonies performed in a regular way.

i
call
a bramhun, and have the
lxviii
Short forms of praise and prayer to the gods
are continually
used, and are supposed to promote very highly a person's spiritual interests.
Gunga
to
tree
The following is an example of praise addressed

goddess, the owl that lodges in the hollow of a
on thy banks,
whose palace
is
is
exalted beyond measure
from
far
of stately elephants, and
may have
quered enemies to serve him,
'
god
among
am
is
while the emperor,
the wives of a million of con-
Example of prayer
nothing.'
Praise
I leave
my
cause in
more prevalent with the
considered as
is
gods than prayer, as the gods are mightily pleased with
Some
vows to their supplications, and promise

god a handsome offering if he be propitious.
unite
to the
Another act of Hindoo devotion
an
Mr. Hastings,
idol.
the greatest sinner in the world ; but thou,
the gods, art the greatest saviour
thy hands/
though he may possess a million
thee,
is
flattery.
to present
meditation on the form of
in his prefatory letter to the Geeta, says,
the Rev. Mr. Maurice describes the bramhims as devoting a cer-.
Instead of hymns in honour of the gods, the Hindoos, at present, as
has been already noticed, introduce before the idol
Some bramhiins acknowledge,
songs.
his religion
any thing of a moral nature.
approaches God, prays,

spirit within me.'
'
me
Create in
'
Lead me not
beside filthy
little
Hindoo seeks
that not a single
real Christian,
in
when he
a clean heart, and renew a right
into temptation, but deliver
me from
Give me neither poverty nor riches.' * Guide me with thy

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
evil.'
'
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
me
me beauty, let me be praised, give me prosperity, give

me riches, give me long life, or, give me health, &c.' The
give
a son, give
eldest female of the house, throwing her

sitting
god! preserve these
have sorrow again

year,)
garment over her shoulder, and
on her hams, joining her hands, in the same manner, prays,
and then
my
children, and
son's wife
in our family, (referring to
ing, stretches her
some death
me; do thou
in the
:'
preceding
saying
this,
Sometimes a woman, after bath-
arms towards the sun, and says,
ill-treated
do not suffer us to
I will present offerings to thee every year
she prostrates herself before the image.
a one has
my
afflict her.
god of day
such
See! I supplicate thee
lxix
tain period of time to the contemplation of the deity, his attri-
butes, and the moral duties of
life.
divine attributes, nor to moral duty.
mind the form of
his
The
truth
is,
that in this
act of devotion there is not a vestige of reference to the
Hindoo
The Hindoo rehearses in

number of his
the god, his colour, the
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
The
shastriis.
Persons
merit.
oftener the
may be
name
is
repeated, the greater the
seen in the streets repeating these
either alone, or at work, or to a parrot
along, count the repetitions
by the beads of
names
others, as they
their necklace,
walk
which
they then hold in the hand.
great
among
number of
the Hindoos,
prescribed ceremonies, called vrutus, exist
which are practised with the hope of
obtaining some blessing
females chiefly attend to these cere-
monies.
Fasting
Some
is
another act of religious merit
fasts are
gious must often abstain from food.
an
among the Hindoos.

who is very reli-
extremely severe, and a Hindoo
act of preparation for
some
It is
commended, not
as
duty, calling for great attention
of mind, but as an instance of self-denial in honour of the gods,
which
is
One man may
very pleasing to them.
and the merit of the action
is
ing and employing another in
fast for another,
then transferred to the person paythis
work.
Gifts to bramhiins are highly meritorious, as
might be ex-
pected in a system exclusively formed for their exaltation
more
costly the gift, the
more valuable
without having touched or tasted food.'

an image, sometimes prays, O god fill
no more.'
'
the promissory note,
A poor roan,
me
the
in the
presence of
every day with food.
ask
lxx
drawn on heaven, and presented

ments to bramhuns
is
Hospitality to travellers
Hindoos, and
is
is
Giving entertain-
to the giver.
which procures heaven.
also another action
placed among- the duties of the
though the
practised to a considerable extent,
distinctions of cast destroy the feelings
which should give
So completely do these
cacy to this excellent law.
destroy every generous and benevolent feeling, that
tunate creatures perish in the sight of those
who
to relieve them, but
who
effi-
distinctions
many unforare well able
exonerate themselves from this duty,
by urging, that they are of another
cast
a bramhiin finds friends
every where, but the cast has sunk the afflicted shoodru to the
level of the beasts
when
a bramhiin
is
relieved,
however, he
much
not indebted to the benevolence of his countrymen, so
which they
to the dread
feel lest neglect
is
as
of a bramhiin should
bring upon them the wrath of the gods.
Digging
pools, planting trees for fruit or shade,
for pilgrims,
&c. are other duties
making
commanded by
roads
the shastrti,
and practised by the modern Hindoos.
Reading and rehearsing the pooraniis

Hindoos
as religious duties,
are prescribed to the
and many attend to them
at times
in a very expensive manner.
Other ceremonies contrary to every principle of benevolence
among
exist
this people,
one of which
is
to repeat certain for-
mulas, for the sake of injuring, removing, or destroying enemies.
Here
superstition
made an
is
auxiliary to the
most
diabolical
passions
But what
pile
shall
this too is
we
say of the murder of
an act of great
poor wretch, in her
last
piety.
widows on the funeral
The
moments, before she
priest assists the

falls
with the formulas given by the Hindoo legislators

plete this
most horrible of
all religious
wretched victim kindles the
fire
on the
pile,
and, to com-
customs, the son of this
in the very face of the
mother
lxxi
who gave him birth. Can there possibly be a greater outrage

on human nature ? Is there any thing like it in all the records
The North American
true, in the work
of the most wild and savage nations?

Indian proceeds with the utmost coolness,
of scalping and murder, but the victim

battle
here the victim
widow, her heart

of her youth
work by
an innocent
is
it is
his
is
enemy, taken
woman
mother
companion
fresh bleeding under the loss of the
the
murderer, her
who
the mild bramhiin,
own
child
in
dragged
the
to
dances, and shouts, and drowns
the cries of the family and the victim in the horrid sounds of the
Such
drum.
is
balm which
the
heart of the widow.
Nor
is
here poured into the broken
are these unheard of, unparalleled
murders, perpetrated in the night, in some impenetrable forest ;
but
in the presence of the
day:
and oh! horrible,
of these unfortunate
twelve months.
whole population of India,
most horrible
women,
it is
*,
and that some of these human
almost dead before they are touched by the flames s
It is certain, that in
many
cases the family do
the female from being thus
such are the
supposed, are immolated every
have heard that the son sometimes manifests
a great reluctance to the deed

sacrifices are
open
in
not less than/foe thousand
effects
drawn
much
into the flaming
to prevent
gulph
but
of superstition, and the influence of long-
established customs, joined to the disgrace and terrors of a state
of widowhood, that, in the
moments of grief and
first
for the loss of her husband, reason
widow
tion,
perishes
on the funeral
and dread.
is
pile, the
Many widows
distraction
overpowered, and the
victim of grief, supersti-
are buried alive with the corpses
of their husbands *.
r
The
from the
shastrii prescribes, that

pile.
he should do
Kennett, describing the
Roman
it
with his head turned
funeral, says,
'
The next
of blood performed the ceremony of lighting the pile, which they did
with a torch, turning their face
done out of necessity and not

*
These barbarous murderers
to death, the gods,
all
the while the other way, as if
it
was
willingly.'
say, that
when a woman
is
thus frightened
charmed with her devotion, have taken her before
she entered upon this holy aef.

*
The
following circumstance took place at Gondtil-para, about 20
lxxii
Voluntary suicide
among
not only practised to a dreadful extent
is
the Hindoos, but the shastrus positively
recommend the
miles N. of Calcutta, on the 18th of March, 1813, and was communicated

to the author
in his
by Capt. Kemp, an eye-witness.
own words
On Thursday
nat'hu, one of our best
was brought down
last, at
The
description
is
nearly
nine in the morning, Vishwu-
workmen, who had been
to the river side to expire
sick but a short time,
he was placed, as
is
cus-
tomary, on the bank, and a consultation held respecting the time he
would die
the astrologer predicted, that his dissolution was near at
The
hand.
sick
and there kept
man was
for
then immersed up to the middle in the river,
some time
but death not being so near as was pre-
dicted, he was again placed on the beach, extended at full length, and
exposed
a hot sun, where he continued the whole of the day, excepting
to
was supposed he was dying, when he was again

I visited him in the evening
he was
at those intervals
when
immersed
sacred stream.
in the
sensible, but
make
it
had not the power of utterance
he however was able to
signs with his hand, that he did not wish to drink the river water,
which they kept almost continually pouring

small shell.
He
remained
into his
in this situation
mouth by means of a
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.
His 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 determination 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 about 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 presence of her Creator uncalled for. Mrs. K. spoke both to the mother
but
all to
no purpose.
The mother
and the daughter a good
declared, that
it
deal,
was her daughter's
she was determined to " go the road her husband

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
choice,
who added, that
had gone."
to think
it
it
only possible that there might exist such a monster, but here
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
lxxiii
crime, and promise heaven to the self-murderer, provided he die

as well as persons of other
Nay, the bramhiins,
in the
Ganges
casts,
assist those
who
design thus to end
reader will find instances recorded in vol.
ii.
life,
of which the
pp. 113, 114, 117.
In some places of the Ganges, deemed peculiarly sacred and

efficacious,
infatuated
respectable
devotees very frequently drown them-
bramhun assured the author,

stay of only two months at Allahabad, he saw about
Lepers are sometimes burnt
sons drown themselves
selves.
and support of her old age

this child
consicn
could, without the
tliis
apparent emotion,
and herself continue an unmoved

At eight P. M. the corpse, accompanied
self-devoted victim, was conveyed to a place a
grounds, where
fifteen feet in
and was then
below our
little
repaired, to behold the perpetration of a crime which
I could scarcely believe possible to
The corpse was
alive with
alive to the tomb,
spectator of the horrid deed.
by
least
that in a
thirty per-
be committed by any human being.
on the earth by the river
laid
till
a circular grave of about
circumference and five or six feet deep was prepared
(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.
widow now came forward, and having circumambulated

times, calling out
Huree Bui
Huree Bui
the surrounding crowd, descended into

foot of the grave, to observe if
in theirs, there
in
which she was joined by
then approached within a
any reluctance appeared
nance, or sorrow in that of her relations

ceptible
it.
The young
the grave seven
in hers
in
her counte-
no alteration was per-
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

shoulders
left
arm, and reclining her head on his
the other hand she placed over her
finger erect,
which she moved
in
then deliberately put round them, two
purpose of stamping
it
own
head, with her fore-
a circular direction.
men
The
earth was
being in the grave for the
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
right hand, I
the finger of her
had an opportunity of observing whether any regret was
moved round in the same manner as at first,

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.'
manifested; but the finger
till
the earth closed the scene.
vol.
i.
lxxiv
own
their
consent, to purify themselves from disease in the next
Others throw themselves under the wheels of Jiigiin-
birth.
nat'hii's
ponderous
car,
and perish
Thousands perish
instantly.
annually by disease and want on idolatrous pilgrimages
notwithstanding the benevolent

pretty certain, that infanticide
is still
ii.
p.
127, ventured to
is
ii.
I have,
p. 123.)
a calculation respecting the
offer
who
probable number of persons
and
it
practised to a great extent
in various parts of Hindoost'hanii, (see vol.

in vol.
of Mr. Duncan,
efforts
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
age,
who have
repeatedly from
:
that of visit-
not visited one or more of these places, the
resort of pilgrims
pilgrims
is
There are few Hindoos grown up to mature
ing sacred places".
many spend
whole
their
lives in passing
one end of Hindo6st'hanu to the other as
nor are these pilgrimages confined to the lower orders,
householders and learned bramhiins are equally infatuated, and

think
river
in
famous
by the
u
more of these spots
necessary to visit one or
it
purification
others,
a phenomenon in nature; and in others a
idol, attracts the
rich,
Large sums are expended
Hindoos.
and by the poor
A journey to
their little all, in these journies, in
Benares, &c. and the performance of religious ceremo-
nies there, are actions in the highest repute for religious merit
the Hindoos.
remove
all
for the
In some instances, a
of the soul before death.
Many
amongst
sirkars in Calcutta indulge the hope, that they shall
the sins they
commit
in the service
of Europeans (which every
one knows are neither few nor small) by a journey to Benares, before
they die.
The Hindoo
pundits declare, that even Europeans, dying at
Benares, though they may have lived
all their
certainly obtain absorption into Briimhu.
couplet, in which Benares

all,
and destroys
is
compared
their desire of sin,
Hindoo learned men
days upon cow's

this subject,
a loose female,
two other instances,
all slfht
who
receives
The
Englishmen may partake of the

viz. if
believers in Giinga, or die at Jugunnat'hu-kshetrii.
the Hindoo heavens are
flesh, will
they quote a
by quenching their appetites.
also admit, that
blessings of their religion in
to
On
In
they become firm
all
'
other respects
against eaters of cow's flesh.
lxxv
the fees to the bramhuns, and in expenses at the sacred place.

I
have given an account of the ceremonies preparatory to the
pilgrimage, as well as of those which are performed
when
the
pilgrims arrive at the consecrated place ; to which are also added

particulars
of the most frequented of these haunts of super-
stition.
For the expiation of
ment are
many
sin,
different
methods of atone-
Hindoo writings
prescribed in the
many of which,
however, have fallen into disuse.
Lest the observance of

should
fail to
all
these acts of religious
homage
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 bramhuns, especially to their spiritual
guides
their relations also
body of a diseased person up to the middle

pour copiously of
To
make
this sacred
it
ceremony, almost
universally attended to, called the shraddhii, and
To make
man
expends not
they
spirit after death,
offerings of rice, &c. in a religious
frequently a rich
immerse the
Ganges, and
water into the dying man.
procure relief for the wandering

to
in the
less that
Guya,
on which very
3 or 400,000 roosupposed to be
at-
tended with the certain deliverance of the deceased from
all
pees.
sorrow x
The
an
to
'
this offering at
pooraniis teach, that after death the soul becomes united
aerial body,
Ah
!'
said a
and passes to the
Hindoo one day,
ing the catastrophe,
it is
Guya, who reaches the
seat of judgment,
place.'
Another Hindoo,
who
it is
into the
in
who
set out for
the presence of the
refused to afford pecuniary
help to his aged infirm parent, asked him,
why a person entered
where
in the hearing of the author, lament-
not every one, even of those
author, reproving a young bramhun,
reason
is
if this
marriage
was not the grand

he might have
state, that
a son, who, by offerings at Guya, might procure for him happiness after
death?
k2

lxxvi
tried
'
by Yiimu, the Indian Pluto, who decides upon

It,
however, remains in
shraddhii
is
performed, twelve months after death ;
this aerial vehicle,
future
its
destiny.
till
the last
when
it
passes into happiness or misery, according to the sentence of
Yiimu.
The same works
teach, that there are
many
places of happi-
ness for the devout, as well as of misery for the wicked
God
begins to reward in this
life
those
works of merit, and punishes the wicked here by various

tions
that indeed
all
that
who have performed

afflic-
present events,- prosperous or adverse, are
the rewards or punishments inevitably connected with merit or
demerit, either in a preceding birth, or in the pfesent
where merit preponderates, the person,
life
that
after expiating sin
by
death and by sufferings in hell, rises to a higher birth, or ascends

to the heaven of his guardian deity.
The
joys of the
Hindoo heavens
are represented as wholly
sensual, and the miseries of the wicked as consisting in corporal
punishment
mind by
the descriptions of the former disgust a chaste
their grossness,
by
feelings
and those given of the
hitter oflend the
their brutal literality.
Anxious to obtain the Confession of Faith of a Bramhun,
from
own
his
pen, I solicited this of a
man
of superior under-
standing, and 1 here give a translation of this article
'
God
is
invisible, independent, ever-living, glorious, uncor-
rupt, all-wise, the ever- blessed, the almighty
are indescribable, and past rinding out

ports
all,
destroys
none
there
is
from
birth, &c.
like
all,
him
he
is
created,
his perfections
he rules over
all,
silence
he
is
free
supall
from passion,
from increase and decrease, from fatigue, the
He
diminution, and lightness, and
He
and remains after the destruction of
need of refreshment, &c.
is
possesses the
the soul of
and then entered
power of
infinite
all.
into, all things, in
which he
lxxvii
two ways, untouched by matter, and receiving the
exists in
He now
of practice y.
assumes
visible forms,
The
engaging the minds of mankind.
fruits
for the sake of
gods are parts
different
of God, though his essence remains undiminished, as rays of
He
light leave the sun his undiminished splendour.
gods to perform those things
which
man was
and there are
why God
it
Some gods
incapable.
of
deities
still
are parts of other gods,
inferior powers.
If
he therefore governs by the gods,
be asked,
it
himself does not govern the world, the answer
might subject him to exposure, and he chooses
cealed
created the
government of the world of
in the
from the one God, possessing a portion of
who
his
is,
that
to be con-
are emanations
power
he
who
worships the gods as the one God, substantially worships God.
The gods
lest,
and
'
men in
who seek
are helpful to
not friendly to those
all
human
instead of attaining absorption, they should

rival
but they are
aifairs,
final absorption;
being jealous
become gods,
them.
Religious ceremonies procure a fund of merit to the per-
former, which raises
him
in every future birth,
and
at length
advances him to heaven, (where he enjoys happiness for a limited

period,) or carries
'
him towards
final absorption.
Happiness in actual enjoyment
works of preceding
births
is
the fruit of the meritorious
but very splendid acts of merit pro-
cure exaltation even in the birth in which they are performed.

So, the misery which a person
crimes in a former birth
punishment
ries
is
now
enduring,
is
the fruit of
enormous crimes however meet with

which they are committed.
The mise-
of a future state arise out of sins unremoved by former suf-
ferings
in the life in
an inanimate
state,
and that of
reptiles, are also called
Here an objection presses hard on the bramlmn,
Spirit, then, in matter, that sutlers, since
he answers, that the heart, though
it
unconscious matter, by
its
sorrow, and that this
the sufferer.
is
that
be inanimate, and,
nearness to
it is
matter cannot suffer.
spirit,
in
God, or
To
this
consequence,
becomes capable of joy and
Ixxviii
Absorption can be obtained only by quali-
states of suffering.
fications acquired
on earth; and
bitant of heaven
must be born on
to obtain this, even an inha-
earth.
person
may
sink to
earth again by crimes committed in heaven. 'The joys of heaven

arise only
to
heaven
'
from the
Every ceremony of the Hindoo
religion
by a general prayer for some good, or

without hope of reward
shastrii,
person raised
either
accompanied
gratification of the senses.
considered as a god.
is
is
is
done from pure devotion,
or from a principle of obedience to the
which has promised certain blessings on the performance
of such and such religious actions.
Various
at present
sacrifices are
is
commanded, but
the
most common one
the burnt-offering with clarified butter, &c.
performed to procure heaven.
The
It is
worship of the gods
speaking generally, followed by benefits in a future

prayers, praise, and offerings, please the gods.
is,
state, as the
Repeating 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,
sacred places, merits heaven.
of merit, and losing

torious,
life to
and when attended to
in
Gifts to the poor, and to persons
save another, are actions highly meri-
and procure for the person future happiness.
Fasting
is
an act of merit, as the person refuses food in devotion to the

gods.
Vows
to the gods procure heaven.
gods in songs,
is
Praise
offered to the
efficacious in procuring future happiness.
Vi-
siting holy places, a spiritual guide, a father or a mother, destroys

all
sin.
Compassion,
forbearance,
tenderness,
(regarding the
shedding of blood,) speaking truth, entertaining strangers, be-
coming 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.
Religious
are useful to subdue the passions, and raise the
These
austerities are
austerities
mind to a pure state.
rewarded either by heaven or absorption.'

Thus
far this bramhinical Confession of Faith.
lxxix
author has
Its
scarcely noticed the amazing efficacy ascribed to religious abstrac-
and the
tion,
austerities practiced
by anchorites, though the docan ascetic
trine of the vediis evidently favours
Indeed,
life.
retirement from the world and abstraction of mind, assisted by

bodily austerities,
titude
yet
is
way to final beawho continues in a
considered as the direct
not denied, but that a person
it is
secular state, may, by performing the duties of his religion, accelerate his approach, either in this or
destiny.
The yogee being thus
some future
exalted in the
birth, to divine
Hindoo system of
theology, and in consequence honoured by his countrymen,
become very common

dicant
embrace the
to
among an idle,
many inducements
those of a religious nature
has
effeminate, and dis-
to do which, indeed,
solute people, there are
it
of a religious men-
life
very different from
disappointments in
domestic occurrences, wandering propensities,
life,
illicit
disagreeable
connections,
and very often a wish to procure impunity in the commission of

flagrant crimes
there
is
z
,
many
induce
to
embrace such a
Perhaps
life.
not a single instance at present known, of a person's be-
coming an ascetic from the pure desire of absorption. 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.
have given in
account of nearly twenty orders of mendicants,

&c.) the followers of different deities
this
(vol.
ii.
work an
190,
p.
these are the scourge of
the country, though the legitimate offspring of this baneful superstition.
Nor need we now expect to see

down in the shastru
of a yogee as laid
was
realized
those
realized the description

:
this description
who have received the highest fame
never
as yogees,
were as corrupt, perhaps, as the present wretched imitators of

these austerities.
put
*
human
I
Many
actions are attributed to
have noticed
in vol.
ii.
p. 189 the fact, that
dicants are armed, and live by public plunder
quite as
dicants.
them which
nature to the blush.
many
many hordes of men-
but perhaps there are
secret robbers to be found in the garb of religious
Since this fact has become more generally known,
suffered the punishment of their crimes.
men-
many hare
Ixxx
The sum of the Hindoo
doctrine, then,
is
this
in bodies,
and partaking of the passions incident
matter,
purified
and
is
by
dwelling
spirit
to residence in
and numerous transmigrations,
austerities
at length re-obtains absorption into the divine nature.
Reli-
gious practice leads to better destiny, and divine destiny draws

the person to abstraction and religious austerities.
Such
is
the
Hindoo
tised at present.
religion
ablutions, repeating the
some
idol,
let
us examine
how far
The ceremonies most popular are

names of the gods, the
and visiting holy
places.
it is
prac-
the
daily
daily worship of
The works of merit
in
greatest estimation are, entertaining bramhims, building temples,
cutting pools, erecting landing-places to the Ganges, and ex-
pensive offerings to deceased ancestors.
The
strict
bramhuns
are distinguished
by a scrupulous regard
and a proud
to bathing, the daily worship of their guardian deity,
The voishniiviis
and converse much among each other on
contempt of the lower orders.

able,
more
are
soci-
their favourite
Krishnii, and the accidents connected with religious pilgrimages.
'
At
present,' says the
bramhiin whose confession of
been given in the preceding pages,

Hindoo population have abandoned
forms of
their religion.
peating the
They
'
regard
all conscientious
rise in the
at
to
the
re-
religious
noon, when,
a few labour
through the usual ceremonies, which occupy about

;
ceremony
for fear of being
reproached by their neighbours, they go and bathe
nutes
the rest either merely bathe, or hypocritically
fifteen
Among
This constitutes the whole of their daily practice.
many who spend

ridicule those
greater portion of time in religious ceremonies
have taken an
ass's
load of religion."
the time of
women
who employ a
" What you
" Faith you

!
eat.
these
bathing in conversation with others, or in gazing at the
and some are to be found who
mi-
make a few
of the signs used in worship, and then return home, and
nine parts, moreover, there are
has
morning without
name of god, and perform no
whatever till the time of bathing
faitji
nine parts in ten of the whole
are
become

very religious
a very holy man.
lxxxi
Rise, and go to your proper
Three-fourths of the single tenth part attend to the daily
work."
duties of their religion in the following
they repeat the
name
manner
of their guardian deity
when they rise,

make a reverential
:
in remembrance of their absent

wash themselves in the house, and pursue
motion with the head and hands

spiritual guide, then
their business
Should the wife or child have neglected
noon.
till
to prepare the flowers, &c. for worship, the master of the family
some such words
scolds his wife in
to maintain
punishment
in these things, that I
may
neglect, the father asks him, if he
time in play, careless
please himself, while he
He
please the gods.
and
" Why do
is
but that you
at death;
repeat the
If the son
pare for a future state."
much
is
may
pre-
to be reproved for such a
fatigue he undergoes to
unwilling to do the smallest
declares himself
assist
not ashamed to spend so
is
how much
trifle
to
ashamed of such a family,
no more.
desires to see their faces
it
labour
name of God, and
He
then gathers the
flowers himself, and going to the river side, takes
examines whether
not because you can answer for me, or
It is
me from
preserve
me
you
as these
some
be free from every impurity, lays
it
clay,
down,
taking a morsel with him into the water, immerses himself once,
and then rubs himself with the

earth
upon
clay, repeating this prayer,
thou bearest the weight of the sins of
thee, and grant
the river goddesses
me
He
deliverance."
Yumoona, Godavuree,
all
take
my
((
sins
then invites to him
Suruswiitee, Nurmiida,
Sindhoo, and Kaveree, that he may, in Gunga, have the merit of
bathing in them
all at
repeating,
" On such
moon, &c.
I (such
ga."
He
as these
then
once, and again immerses himself, after
a day of the month, on such a day of the
a one) bathe in the southwards-flowing Gun-
offers
up a prayer
for himself in
" Ubbuyu-chiirunu, praying
millions of his family, bathes in

again.
some such words
for final happiness for ten
Gunga:" and then immerses
Next, he repeats the day of the month, of the moon, &c.
and immerses himself, while he
utters,
" Let my guardian
be propitious j" and then ascends the bank, wiping

repeating the praises of Gunga, as,
"
his hair,
deity
and
Giinga, thou art the door
of heaven, thou art the watery image of religion, thou art the
vol.
i.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
lxxxri
garland round the head of Shivii
the very craw-fish in thee are
happy, while a king at a distance from thee

then
removal of
te
among which
sins,
his
Let us meditate on the adorable
may
it
light
He
guide our intellects."
He
miserable."
is
down, and repeats certain prayers
sits
sun for the
to the
the celebrated gayiitree,
is
of the divine Ruler, (Savitree
:)
next pours out drink-offerings to
Yiimii, to Briimha, Vishnoo, Roodrii, the eight 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
Now
satisfied.
he forms, with the clay
he had prepared, an image of the lingu, and worships
which
it;
act includes praise to one of the gods, prayers for preservation,
meditation on the form of the idol,

deity,
hymns on
home, and
some
the virtues of
and repetitions of the names of the gods.
He
then returns
repeats, if he has leisure, certain portions of one of
Before he begins to eat, he
the shastriis.
"
his guardian deity, saying,

after sitting,
I offer this
offers
up
his food to
food to such a god;" and
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 cere-
monies of the forenoon, and the name of some deity at considerable length.
When
he
retires to rest,
Pudmu-nabhii, a name of Vishnoo.

thousand carries these ceremonies a
As a person passes along the
he repeats the word
Perhaps one person in ten

little
streets
farther than this.'
and roads he
reminded of one or other of these ceremonies

his shop, repeating the
it
to his parrot b
This ceremony
in the streets
continually
sits
man in
his guardian deity, or teaching
or other per-
supposed to bring" great blessings both on the
is
the parrot obtains heaven, and so does
Numbers of Hindoos,
be seen
is
here
there go half a dozen voiragees,
teacher and the scholar

ter.
name of
particularly in a
its
mas-
morning and evening, may
walking about with parrots
in their hands,
and
re-
peating aloud to them,
'
Radha-Krishnu, Radha-Krishnu, Krishnu, Krish-
nu, Radha, Radha,' or
'
Shivu-Doorga,' or
employed
Kalee-turau.'
Some
are thus
six months, others twelve or eighteen, before the parrot has

sons,
making
journey to some holy place
their
Ixxxiii
here
passes a
person, carrying a basket on his head, containing rice, sweet-
meats, fruits, flowers, &c. an offering to 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

carcase before the
image of Kalee
there
left
sits
the blood and
a group of Hin-
doos, listening to three or four persons rehearsing and chanting

poetical versions of the pooranus
here
the trunk of a tree in a high wind
and
here comes a group of jaded wretches,
man
moving
manner, before the image of Doorga
in the front
his
(early in the
who have
and dancing
in boisterously singing filthy songs,
men and women, coming
sits
of his house reading one of the pooranus c
add
stalks, every day,
like
spent the night

in
an indecent
to this, the villagers,
dripping from the banks of the Ganges
and the reader has a tolerable view of the Hindoo

it
body
morning)
idolatry, as
along the streets and roads, and as
it
may be
recognized by any careless Observer.
The
reader will perceive, that in all these religious ceremonies
not a particle
bible,
is
found to interest or amend the heart
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
righteousness, that
good works
-j
men may be
so great a
The merit consists

number of times.
it
if
love of learning for
its
bow
all-
no pious assembly where
having repeated the name of a
read at a person's house, even though the
own sake
it,
is
he applies to learning, always does
When he
in
person himself should not understand
The
no domestic worship
Reading a book, or having
no family
thoroughly furnished unto
learnt his lesson.
god
instruction in
it
is
a most meritorious action.
unknown
in
Bengal: a Hindoo,
to obtain roopees
or heaven.
opens one of the shastrus, or even an accouut-book, he makes a
to the book.
shopkeeper, when he
uncertain
how
his favour
he should not rind himself in
the balance will
fall,
is
about to balance
makes a vow
his
books,
some god, that if by

debt, he will present to him some
to
offerings.
d
The women and
children take no share in the worship performed by
the master of the family.

vol.
ii.
It is not
supposed
p. 3G.
1
to belong to
them.
See
Ixxxiv
the village preacher
attempts each
'
morals to repress the vicious
No
no moral education
Here every thing
ful mind.
reproves each dull delay,

standard of
in
and religion may be implanted
principles of virtue
religion, ends (if
art,
and leads the way.'
allures to brighter worlds,
which the
in the youth-
that assumes the appearance of
you could forget
its
impurity) in an
unmeaning
ceremony, and leaves the heart cold as death to every moral
Hence the great bulk of the people have abandoned

The bramhun
principle.
every form and vestige of religious ceremony.
who communicated
this information, attributed this general dis-
regard of their religion to the kulee-yoogii j and consoled himself
with the
was an exact
idea, that this deplorable state of things
fulfilment of certain prophecies in the pooraniis.
Some
may
persons
plead,
The
doctrine of a state of future
rewards and punishments has always been supposed to have a

strong influence on public morals
this doctrine in their writings,
the Hindoos not only have
but are taught to consider every
symptom of
disease and misfortune of life as an undoubted
moral
and the
disease,
suing punishment
can
terrific
appearances of
this fail to
atoned
for,
every immoral taint
till
in
is
it
hells,
this perfection, the sinner
effect
obvious
of his destiny
a,
condemned
is
nothing more palpa-
loss
every Hindoo considers

j
cell.
of a roopee.
all his
it
The
actions as the
he laments perhaps his miserable
he resigns himself tp
in
must linger
most of the Hindoos, they do not weigh the
weight of a feather, compared with the

is
removed, every sin
and transmigrate through almost every form of
ble than that, with
reason
is
Great as these terrors are, there
matter.
further
impossible to be re-united to the Great
and that, to obtain
many
still
and the mind has obtained perfect abstraction from
material objects,
Spirit j
I will
and inform him, that the Hindoo writings
assist the objector,
that
close- pur-
produce a dread of vice, and
a desire to merit the favour of the Deity
declare,
its
fate,
but
without a struggle, like the malefactor
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
make men
sufferings, are sufficient to
lxxxv
virtuous.
Painful expe-
rience 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,
men
for ever, without
But
the
let
us
now
making a
may be
held up to
single convert.
advert to the pernicious errors inculcated in
Hindoo writings, and
to the vices
by the popular superstition
contains the following most extraordi-
The Bhuguviit-Geeta
nary description of
and miseries engendered
God
Sunjuyu.
'
and divine being Hiiree, having,
The mighty compound

raja, thus spoken, made
of many
many an up-
evident unto Urjoonii his supreme and heavenly form
a mouth and eye
weapon
raised
many
a heavenly ornament
adorned with
anointed with heavenly essence
thing
side
may
celestial
and chaplets
robes
covered with every marvellous
the eternal God, whose countenance

The glory and amazing splendour of
is
turned on every
this
mighty being
be likened to the sun rising at once into the heavens, with
a thousand times more than usual brightness. The son of

Pandoo then beheld within the body of the god of gods, stand-
ing together, the whole universe divided into
He was
its
vast variety.
overwhelmed with wonder, and every hair was
an end.
He bowed down
addressed
him with joined hands
his
raised
head before the god, and thus

Urjoonu. I behold,
god!
within thy breast, the deviis assembled, and every specific tribe
of beings.
all
I see
Briimha, that deity sitting on his lotus-throne j
the rishees and heavenly oorugus
on
I see thyself,
of infinite shape, formed with abundant arms, and
mouths, and eyes
but
and
can neither discover thy beginning, thy
middle,
nor again thy end.
universe
I see thee
all sides,
bellies,
form of the
universal lord,
with a crown, and armed with club and
chukru, a mass of glory, darting refulgent beams around.

thee, difficult to be seen, shining
surable, like the ardent
fire,
on
all sides
I see
with light immea-
or glorious sun.
see thee
of
!!
Jxxxvi
valour
infinite
flaming
The
fire
the sun
moon
and
thy eyes
universe,
mighty
spirit
hands sing forth thy
the three regions of the
Of the
countenance with troubled minds.

;
The
praise.
the adityus, the viisoos, and
good
bands,
celestial
some
whilst some, afraid, with joined
muhiirshees, holy bands, hail
and glorify thy name with adorating
thee,
all
The
praises.
roodriis,
those beings the world esteemeth
iishwinu, and koomarii, the miiroots and the ooshmiipas,
the gundhiirviis and yfikshiis, with the holy tribes of usooriis

all
possessed by
is
behold the wonders of thy awful
I see fly to thee for refuge
-,
mouth a
reflected glory
space between the heavens and the earth
thee alone, and every point around
thy
and the whole world shining with
stand gazing on thee, and
alike with
me, are
terrified to
all
alike
amazed
The
worlds,
behold thy wondrous form gigan-
many mouths and eyes j with many arms, and legs,

and breasts with many bellies, and with rows of dreadful teeth
tic
with
Thus
glory
as I see thee, touching the heavens,
and shining with such
of such various hues ; with widely-opened mouths, and
-,
me; my resolution
Having beholden
and gazed on thy countenance, emblem of
bright expanded eyes
me,
faileth
Vishnoo
thy dreadful teeth,
am
and
disturbed within
I find
no
rest
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 Dhritiirashtru, now, with all those rulers of the
time's last
land,
Bheeshmu, Dronii, the son of Sootu, and even the
fronts
of our army, seem to be precipitating themselves hastily into thy
mouths, discovering such frightful rows of teeth
whilst
some
appear to stick between thy teeth with their bodies sorely mangled e .'
should be observed, that this frightful description of
It
Supreme Being does not
the Hindoo
relate to
Kalee, drinking the blood of the giants j but

Krishnu.
who
it
the ferocious
is
the playful
thus shews his dreadful teeth, with the mangled
bodies of the family of Dhritiirashtru sticking between them.
No
question occurs so frequently in the Hindoo shastriis- as this
Wilkins's translation of the Bhiigtivutu-Geeta.
-<
"What
is
To know whether he
God?'
page has been written ; and
lxxxvii
exists or not,
page upon
has been agitated in
this question
every period of Hindoo history, wherever two or three pundits
happened to meet, with a

an uncertainty, which
tion,
him
'
The world by wisdom knew not
Some
God.'
pundits call
him
others conceive of
as
others have the idea that he exists like an in-
conceivably small atom
female
same time, with
once to the apostolic declara-
the invisible and ever-blessed
possessing form
sometimes he
male
is
at other times
sometimes both male and female, producing a world
by conjugal union
sometimes the elements assume his place,
and at other times he

of forms, or names,
St.
solicitude, but, at the
carries us at
is
Thus
a deified hero.
Paul, has been, from age to age,
men groping in the

and, after so many centuries, the
mined as ever What is God ?
(
Being, like
'
in
330,000,000
emphatical language of
in the
this nation,
Supreme
feeling after' the
region and shadow of death

question
as
is
much
;'
undeter-
One
day, in conversation with the Sungskritu head-piindit of
the College of Fort William,
wô
is
one of
on the subject of God,
own
truly learned in his
their books, the following parable
there existed a village of blind
amazing animal
called the
man,
In a
certain country
men, who had heard of an

of the shape of which,
elephant,
however, they could procure no

passed through the place
this
gave the author, from
shastriis,
One day an
idea.
elephant
the villagers crowded to the spot
where the animal was standing; and one of them seized

trunk, another his ear, another his
tail,
his
another one of his legs.
After thus endeavouring to gratify their curiosity, they returned
down
began to communi-
into the village,
and
cate their ideas
on the shape of the elephant
the
man who had
must be
his ear
the
like the
together,
body of the plantain
resemble a snake
to the villagers
seized his trunk said, he thought this animal
was of opinion,
man who had
must be
sitting
that he
was
laid hold of his tail

;
tree
he
like
touched
the winnowing
said,
and he who had caught
like a pillar.
who had
fan
he thought he must
his leg declared,
he
An old blind man of some judgment was
lxxxviii
who, though greatly perplexed
present,
in attempting to recon-
jarring notions, at length said
cile these
<
You have
been to
all
and what you report, therefore, cannot be
examine
this animal,
false
suppose, then, that the part resembling the plantain
must be
tree
be his ear
what you thought
his trunk 5
must be
must
similar to a fan
must be the
the part like a snake
-,
tail
and that
In this way the old man, uniting

made out something of the form of the
elephant.
Respecting God/ added the pundit, we are all blind
none of us have seen him those who wrote the shastriis, like
like a pillar
his leg.'
their conjectures,
all
'
the old blind
man, have
mankind
tures of
collected all the reasonings
idea of the nature of the divine Being
ment
and conjec-
It is
.'
in favour of the majesty, simplicity,
an
irresistible
the
most
The
doctrine of a plurality of gods, with their consequent in-
trigues, criminal amours, quarrels,
and stratagems
each other, has produced the most fatal
Can we expect a people
men.
Briimha was inflamed with

ter f
the
such a question started in Christian coun-
subject,
tries
on the
However mysterious
illiterate Christian.
we never hear
What is God
argu-
and truth of the Holy
Scriptures, that nothing of this uncertainty has been left
mind of
some
together, and have endeavoured to form
Vishnoo,
when
to be better than their
evil desires
incarnate
to counteract
on the minds of
effects
as
towards his
Bamiinu,
gods
own daugh-
deceived
king
Shivii's wife
was
constantly jealous on account of his amours, and charged
him
Biilee,
and deprived him of
with associating with the
The
shockingly indelicate
11
of a low cast at Cooch-Behar.
Vrihiisputee, the spiritual
committed a rape on
his eldest brother's wife'.
Sooryii ravished a virgin
own
Acts xvii.27.
*Mbid.
mother,
named Koontee
who
Yumu,
Indru
See Kalika pooranu.
'
Ibid.
k Ibid.
in a passion,
cursed him, and afflicted
is
guide of the
k
guilty of dishonouring the wife of his spiritual guide
kicked his
women
kingdoms.
story of Shivii and Mohinee, a female form of Vishnoo,
gods,
was
his
him with
See Mfihabhartittt.
Ibid.

a swelled leg, which to this day the
vouring
".
Ugnee was
virgins, the daughters of as
when
are constantly de-
inflamed with evil desires towards six
the presence of his wife".
Vayoo was cursed by
worms
many
was overawed by
sages ; but
Buliiramu was a great drunkard

making
Diikshii, for
He
they refused his embraces.
also charged with a
is
monkey p. When Vuroonii

own heaven, he was so smitten with the
in his
charms of Oorvushee, a courtezan,
that, after a
she was scarcely able to extricate herself from
long contest,
him 9.
and adulteries are so numerous, that
thefts, wars,,
Krishnii's
his
history seems to be one uninterrupted series of crimes r
images of Kalee, she

her husband
s.
is
that
we may be
faith,
is
able to judge
we
here
and
It
worthy of enquiry,
is
how
be the objects of
far they can
Let us open the Hindoo sacred
see the Creator
and the Preserver perpetually
Sometimes the Preserver
counteracting each other.

ing,
governed by these gods more wicked than men,
hope, and affection.
writings
whole
In the
and Suruswutee, the wives of Vish-
noo, were continually quarrelling 1

the world
represented as treading on the breast of
Lukshmee
how
crooked
his daughters
scandalous connection with a female
was walking
lxxxix
at other times the
Destroyer
is
tain occasion 11 , Shivii granted to the great
Ravunii, a blessing which set
is
preserving.
enemy of
destroy-
On
a cer-
the gods,
heavens in an uproar, and
all their
drove the 330,000,000 of gods into a state of desperation.
Brumha
created Koombhii-kurnu,
a monster larger than the
whole island of Lunkaj .but was obliged to doom him to an

almost perpetual sleep, to prevent his producing an universal
This god
famine.
to remove the
carnate
till
all
is
effects
often represented as bestowing a blessing,
of which Vishnoo
nay, these effects have not in
obliged to become incases been
removed
the gods have been dispossessed of their thrones, and
obliged to go a begging;
into confusion,
and
m See Muhabharutu.
Ibid.
pooranii.
vol.
is
some
I,
all
till all
human
affairs
have been thrown
the elements seized and turned against
u Ibid.
See the Vrihuddhuimu poorantt.
Ibid.
See the Shree-bhaguviitu.
See Ramayiinii.
See the Markundeyii

u
See the Ramayunu,
xc
When some
the Creator, the Preserver, and the Reproducer.

giant, blessed
by Briimha, has destroyed the
and Shivu have been applied
creation,
Vishnoo
but they have confessed that
to-j
they could do nothing for the tottering universe.
Reverence for the gods, especially among the poor, as might
be expected, does not exceed their merits

fact, that
Oh
The
yet
is
it
a shocking
language like the following should be used respecting
what the Hindoos suppose

the world
when
it
to be the Providence
which governs
thunders awfully, respectable Hindoos say,
the gods are giving us a bad day)' the lower orders say,
rascally
During a heavy
gods are dying.'
of respectable cast frequently says,
A man
clothes are all wet.'
gods are sending more
'
rain,
woman
Let the gods perish
my
of low cast says, 'These rascally
rain.'
In witnessing such a state of gross ignorance, on a subject of
moment to men, how forcibly do we feel the truth and

wisdom of the declaration of the Divine Author of the
infinite
the
Christian religion,
true God!'
the
mind of a
'
This
correct
is life
know
eternal, to
knowledge of the Divine
sincere Christian, is a treasure
in value all the riches of the earth
thee the only

perfections, in
which transcends
for instance,
how much
does
the doctrine of the Divine Unity tend to fix the hope and joy of
the Christian
many
but the poor Hindoo knows not, amongst so
whom
gods, upon
spirituality of the
to call, or in
whom
to trust.
In the
Divine Nature, united to omniscience and
omnipresence, the Christian finds a large
most sublime contemplations
field for
but the degraded
ing round his pantheon, sees beings that
fill
the purest and

idolater,
walk-
him only with
shame or terror he retires from the image of Kalee overwhelmed with horror, and from those of Radha-Krishnii with
:
confusion and contempt
How
effectual to
hensions of those
or
awaken the
who
else inflamed
fears
with concupiscence.
and excite the salutary appre-
neglect their best interests,
doctrine of the Divine Purity and Justice
-,
is
the scripture
but the wretched
Hindoo has the examples of the most corrupt beings, even
in his

How
gods, to lead him to perdition.
xci
necessary to the happiness
of a good man, are just ideas of the wisdom, and equity, and
beneficence, of providential dispensations
how
impossible
tion in adversity
Hindoo
for a
it is
How
of
many failings,
is
the reader has seen
to derive the smallest consola-
from the doctrine of the
government of the world.
shastriis respecting the
consoling to a person, sensible
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 extinc-
tion of every desire, qualify for deliverance
sincere Christian, with his
care
on
his Father,
who
is
from matter.
knowledge of God,
The
/ casteth all his
heaven ;' and the language of his
in
mind, invigorated by the living waters flowing from the fountain of eternal truth,
'
Though
is,
'
Thou
me with
shalt guide
me;
death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with
thy
The Hindoo writings

diffused
is
farther teach, that
body the chariot x j that

one and the same.
it is
By
stroyed, and. liability to
God
that
voice,
that he
is
that
the charioteer, and the
the highest attainment of
human
human
soul and Briimhu are
this doctrine alL accountability is de-
it
How
urged by the most sensible Hin-
moving cause of every action, however flagitious,

is an instrument upon which God plays what
man
tune he pleases.
fate, or
is^the Great Spirit
punishment rendered preposterous.
often has the author heard
is
to realize the fact, that the
doos, that the
it
through every form of animated matter
actions of every kind are his
wisdom
thy rod and
they comfort me.'
staff
which
thy counsel/
walk through the valley and even the shadow of
Another modification of
this doctrine is that
of
unchangeable destiny, embraced, without a dissentient
by
all
the Hindoos.
Thus the Deity on
sulted as the author of all crimes,
his throne
is
and men are emboldened
in-
to
rush forward in the swiftest career of iniquity.
The
sacred writings of the Hindoos encourage the
* See the V6danti-saru.
m. 2
bramhuns
xcii
to despise the great body of the people, and teach them, that the
To be
very sight and touch of a shoodrii renders them unclean.

contented in ignorance
is
the duty of a shoodru, as well as to
bramhun
drink with reverence and hope the water in which the
The
has dipped his foot.
by
almost exclusively confined to the bramhiins.
this religion, are
The shoodru
is
supposed to be born to evil destiny j and the only
hope he can indulge

grations he
may
that after a long succession of transmi-
is,
probably be born a bramhun.
I*he subjugation of the passions, so
Hindoo
The
much
upon
insisted
in the
shastrus, applies to all virtuous as well as vicious desires.
The person who

God,
and the hopes held forth
services too
is
divested of
even that of obtaining
all desire,
described as having arrived at the
is
love of parents, of children, &c.
ing to the Hindoo code
summit of
hence says Krishnu,
emption from attachment and
perfection.
an imperfection, accord-
is
'
Wisdom
is
affection for children, wife,
ex-
and
homey.'
These shastrus
ceremony
slightest
mise impunity
may be removed by
also teach, that sin

;
the
and thus, instead of reforming, they proSee different stories in vol.
in transgression.
i.
pp. 82, 272, 277.
The
y
At
ut'hurvii
the time a learned native was assisting the Rev. Mr. Carey in the
translation of the
as these
'
'
were
We are
We are
'This
vedu contains many prayers for the destruction
New Testament
translating,
dead, and our
life is hid,'
fools for Christ;'
is
into the Stingskritu, when such passages
Henceforth know
'
&e.
'
no man after the
am
flesh
;'
crucified to the world;'
We are made a spectacle,'
&c. he exclaimed,
pure vohageeism: Paul was a true Purttm-hftngsee.'
Yet the
divine principles upon which Paul trampled upon the world, and devoted
himself supremely to God, have no existence in the shastrus.
doo principle
is
mere stoicism
its
origin
is
The Hin-
either selfishness, or infatu-
ated ambition: but the principle of the apostle, was the love of Christ
who
died on a cross for his enemies
as he
ourselves,
it is
for
your sakes.'
' The love of

we are beside
himself says,
Christ, like an irresistible torrent, bears us away;'
<
If

of enemies
and gives a
list
xciit
of offerings proper to be presented
may be induced to assist in

passions
among the rest, the
the gratifi-
to Bhugiivutee, that she
cation of revengeful
is
make
to
worshipper
a paste image of a man, cut off
its
head, and offer
head to the goddess, with a burnt-sacrifice, &c.
this
reasonable to suppose, that

off the
ficed
head of
this
man
human
of paste
sacrifices
Is
not
it
preceded the cutting
and that one
man was
sacri-
and offered to the gods to induce them to destroy another?
In the Institutes of
tery, if the
a religious ceremony
motives
Munoo
female consent
j
man
is
allowed to commit adul-
to steal, for the sake of
performing
and to perjure himself, from benevolent
they also allow of lying, to preserve the
life
of a
bramhun, to appease an angry wife, or to please a mistress 2
What
is still
permitted to
slave!
worse, in this code a bramhun, in case of want,

not from the rich merely, but
steal,
It is a
common
sentiment
secular transactions lying
is
among
from
is
his
this people, that in
absolutely necessary ; and perjury
is
common, that it is impossible to rely upon the testimony of

Hindoo witnesses. The natives ridicule the idea of administerso
ing justice by oral testimony.
have given in
raised to
vol.
heaven by
ii.
their
have nothing to do with
p.
own
172, a few examples of persons
works, to shew that these works
But how
real morality.
shall
we
de-
scribe the unutterable abominations connected with the popular
life
it is
* If a man, by the impulse of lust, tell lies

to a woman, or if his own
would otherwise be lost, or all the goods of his house spoiled, or if
for the benefit of a
bramhun,
Halhed's Code of Gentoo Laws.
in
such
How
affairs falsehood is allowable.'
can we wonder that the Hindoos
when even in the rig-vedii, approached with profound reverence by so many Christian infidels, we find
monstrous exaggerations like the following ? ' Bh&rutii distributed in
should be so addicted to falsehood,
Mushnaru a hundred and seven thousand

with white tusks, and decked with gold.' *
millions of black elephants
Bhurutii, son of Dooshiintu, in Sachigoonii, at
sacred fire was lighted for

which a thousand bramhuns
shared a thousand millions of cows apiece.'
See Mr, Colebrooke's Essay,
xciv
The author has witnessed
superstition?
scenes which can be
clothed in no language, and has heard of other abominations

practised in the midst of religious rites, and in the presence of
the gods, which,
if
Christian world
they could be described, would
with disgust and horror.
darkness cover them
Men
till
fill
the whole
Let impenetrable
the judgment of the great day.'
are sufficiently corrupt
by nature, without any outward
excitements to evil in the public festivals
nor have
nor
civil
spiritual terrors, the
frowns of God and governors united, been
found
keep within
to
sufficient
iniquity
but what must
where the sacred
men
festivals,
restraint the overflowings
and the very forms of
to every species of vice
These
bitions excite universal attention,

ther,
is
of
be the moral state of that country,
festivals
religion, lead
and public exhi-
and absorb, for weeks toge-
almost the whole of the public conversation
and such
the enthusiasm with which they are hailed, that the whole
country seems to be thrown into a ferment

time,
business,
manner
are
every thing
is
sacrificed
health, property,
to
In
them.
this
the people prepared to receive impressions from
their national institutions.
to virtue, the effects
If these institutions were favourable
would be most happy
tion to their fascination,
but
in addi-
as,
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
and poor,
casts
all
old,
the learned and the ignorant,
and descriptions of people
into
rich
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

in the course
of this work, exhibited so
many
earth.
I have,
proofs of this fact,
that I will not again disgust the reader by going into the subject.
Suffice
it
to say, that fidelity to marriage
vows is almost unknown

among the Hindoos
xcv
the intercourse of the sexes approaches very
The husband almost inva-
near to that of the irrational animals.
riably lives in criminal intercourse during the pupilage of his in-
fant wife
and she,
in consequence,
principle,
Add
if
she becomes a widow, cannot marry, and
being destitute of a protector and of every moral
becomes a willing prey to the
to all this, the almost incredible
which annually
estimate of the
Aceldama.
fall in this
lascivious.
number of human victims

I
have ventured on an
number of Hindoos who annually
tims of the bramhinical religion ; (vol.

posed, that they cannot
amount
ii.
to less
perish, the vic-
and have sup-
p. 127,)
than 10,500
Every
additional information I obtain, and the opinions of the best in-
formed persons with
whom
opinion, that this estimate

greater,
however
is
difficult it
me
in the
too low, that the havock
is far
am
acquainted, confirm
may be
template a scene of horror whieh outdoes
name of
perpetrated in the
These
together.
Hindoos
by
religion
cruelties, together
feel for the
body
as a
mind
to bring the
all
to con-
has ever been
all that
the savage nations put
with the contempt which the
mere temporary
shell, cast off at
pleasure, and the disorganizing effects of the cast, render
exceedingly unfeeling and cruel
national provision for the destitute

perish before their
inhuman manner
relations,
burning
and
own
in
their leaving multitudes to
doors, unpitied and even unnoticed
which they burn the bodies of
their savage
them
of which their want of every
the
their deceased
triumph when spectators of a widow
in the flames of the funeral pile, are
But to know the Hindoo

wade through the filth of the
idolatry, as it
awful examples.
is,
thirty-six pooraniis
a person must
and other po-
he must read and hear the modern popular poems

and songs he must follow the bramhiin through his midnight
pular books
image of Kalee, and other goddesses or he

must accompany him to the nightly revels, the jatras, and listen
orgies, before the
to the filthy dialogues
which are rehearsed respecting Krishnii

and the daughters of the milkmen or he must watch him, at
-,
midnight, choking, with the
mud
and waters of the Ganges, a
xcvi
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
it is
burning the body before
and wash-
cold,
ing the blood from his hands in the sacred stream of the Ganges
or he must look at the bramhiin, hurrying the trembling half-
dead widow round the funeral
pile,
and throwing her,
like a log
of wood, by the side of the dead body of her husband, tying her,
and then holding her down with bamboo levers
till
the
deprived her of the power of rising and running away.
has followed the bramhiin through
have approached the threshold of
all
these horrors, he will only
temple of Moloch, and he
know
man must become a Hindoo
is,
has
this
will begin to be convinced, that to
as it
fire
After he
Hindoo
the
rather, he
idolatry,
must become
a bramhiin 5 for a poor shoodrii, by the very circumstances of his

degradation,
is
restrained
from many abominations which bram-
hiins alone are privileged to

this, let
him meditate on
this
And when he
commit.
system in
its effects
the afflicted or dying Hindoo, as described in vol.
and 176
on reading which description he
distress the
Hindoo
utters the loudest
has done
on the mind of
ii.
pp. 163, 164,
will perceive, that in
murmurs
against the gods,
and dies in the greatest perplexity and agitation of mind.
The
state of things serves to explain the mysterious dispen-
sations of Providence, in permitting the
long in darkness, and in causing them to
under
their
Mahometan
Hindoos
suffer so
The murder of
oppressors.
myriads of victims has armed heaven against them.

that
now,
in the midst of
to remain so
much
formerly
so
many
Let us hope
judgment, a gracious Providence has
remembered mercy, and placed them under

the British government, that they
the fostering care of
may enjoy a
happiness to which
they have been hitherto strangers.
If then this system of heathenism
knowledge of the divine
communicates no purifying
perfections, supplies
no one motive to
holiness while living, no comfort to the afflicted, no hope to the
dying
but on the contrary excites to every vice, and hardens
followers in the most flagrant crimes
how are we
its
to account for
ON THE HINDOO BELIGION.

the conduct of
its
Voltaire,
apologists, except in the recollection, that the
mankind have always been partial
sceptical part of
Gibbon,
Hume,
Roman
Even
Holy
dation of the
Wm.
Sir
idolatries
Scriptures (found in his Bible after his death)
was accustomed
same
hymns
we
spirit,
are
said, to please
image
his fine metrical translations
to every lover of verse d
known
almost
some Christian
in
is
In the
observe, that figures and allusions to the ancient
idolatries are retained in
and even
it
to study the shastriis with the
of a Hindoo god placed on his table

of idolatrous
strides
Jones, whose recommen-
has been so often and so deservedly quoted,

his pundit,
and many
having made large
in India are suspected of
towards heathenism.
to heathenism.
&c. have been often charged with a
strong partiality for the Grecian and
Europeans
xcvii
However wonderful
may be, it
heathenism
all
modern
writings.
this partiality
not
is
poetical compositions,
of professed Christians to
more extraordinary than
travagant lengths into which some learned

their expectations
the ex-
men have gone
in
from the antiquity of the Hindoo writings.
Mr. Halhed seems to prefer Hindooism to Christianity purely on

account of
its
boasted antiquity d
Dr.
Stiles, president
of Yale
d ' 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 incidentally served the cause of religion
but did he think the

tianity, that his
Hindoo gods
last possible direct service
accomplished mind was
Was
had been rendered
left at leisure for
hymns
said about personification, license of poetry,
not a worshipper of
to the
not this a violation even of the neutrality, and an of-
know what
fence, not only against the gospel, but against theism itself? I
may be
God hold
and soon but should

:
himself under a solemn obligation to abjure
tolerance of even poetical figures that can seriously seem, in any
all
to Chris-
way
whatever, to recognize the pagan divinities, or abominations, as the pro? What would Elijah have said
would have availed little to have
phets of Jehovah would have called them

to
such an employment of talents
told him, that these divinities
It
were only
personifications (with their ap-
propriate representative idols) of objects in nature, of elements, or of

abstractions.
He would
have sternly replied
prophets I destroyed, the same

*
Is
?'
And was not Baal, whose
See Foster s incomparable Essays.
Mr. Halhed an example of the amazing credulity of unbelievers
VOL.
I.
11
in
xcviii
College, in North America, formed such an enthusiastic expectation
from the amazing antiquity of the Hindoo writings, that he
him
actually wrote to Sir William Jones, to request
among
man
Adamic books. Had not
the Hindoos for the
been a zealous Christian,
tations
might have
him
led
it is
to search
this gentle-
likely his extravagant expec-
William to translate and
to ask Sir
send him a book two or three millions of years old, written in
some
kiilpu amidst the endless succession of worlds.
For some time, a very unjust and unhappy impression appeared

to
have been made on the public mind, by the encomiums passed
on the Hindoo
In the
writings.
place, they
first
were thus
ele-
vated in their antiquity beyond the Christian scriptures, the writings of Moses having been called the productions of yesterday,
compared with those of the bramhuns. The contents of these

books also were treated with the greatest reverence the primitive
;
religion of the Hindoos,
most sublime
said, revealed the
We were
taught to
the greatest distinction between the ancient and
modern re-
doctrines,
make
was
it
and inculcated a pure morality.
Hindoos
ligion of the
approve of
its
for the apologists for
Hindooism did not
Some
being judged of by present appearances.
persons endeavoured to persuade us, that the Hindoos were not

every case wherein the Holy Bible
*
Code of Gentoo Laws/ he
outdone
in
is
not concerned
When
he wrote his
hesitated to believe the Bible, because
it
was
chronology by the histories of the Chinese and Hindoos. With
sacred reverence he exclaims, at the close of his account of the four yoogus,
'
To
such antiquity the Mosaic creation
such ages the

another page,
some weight
life
'
of Methuselah
The
is
is
conscientious scruples of
in the scale
but as yesterday
no more than a span
of philosophy/
viz. 55,987,200,000,000 years, excited
Brydone
will
He
and
always be of
such sacred awe in the mind of this
how
strong his faith
holy writ' of the Hindoos, if he had happened to read
Ramayiinu the account of Ramu's army
amounted
to
says, in
If the age or reign of Brumha,
gentleman, what would have been his sensations, and

in the
!'
which,
this
in the
holy writ' says,
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
name of Mr. Halhed,
is
the
age of the sage Markundku

life
of Methuselah to this
What,
in the
This unbeliever in Moses became at
said, a fircn believer in Richard Brothers!
last, it if

God
because they maintained the unity of
idolaters,
they worshipped the works of their
though the number of
their
probable, that the unity of
own
xcix
gods was 330,000,000.
God
the philosophers of every age ; and that they wished
have generally concluded, that he
this
who
to be un-
it
One God, whether
before the image of Moloch, Jupiter, or Kalee
and
It is very
has been a sentiment amongst
derstood, that they worshipped the
idolater j
though
hands as God, and
they bowed
mankind
yet
worships an image
is
an
suppose they will continue to think so, unless, in
age of reason,
Now, however,
common
sense should be turned out of doors.
the world has had
some opportunity of
ing upon the claims of the Hindoo writings, both as

their antiquity,
and the value of
decid-
respects
it
Mr. Colebrooke's
their contents.
essay on the vedus, and his other important translations
Bhuguvut-Geeta, translated by Mr. Wilkins
-,
the
the translation of
the Ramayunii, several volumes of which have been printed
some valuable papers

translations
by
in
different
the Asiatic Researches
Siingskritu scholars
great body of light on this subject
and
j"
with other
have thrown a
this light is daily in-
creasing.
Many
an object appears beautiful when seen at a distance, and
through a mist j but when the fog has dispersed, and the person
has approached
it,
he smiles at the deception.
Such
case with these books, and this system of idolatry.

public, for
want of being more
not ascertain the point of time
is
the exact
Because the
familiar with the subject, could
when
the
Hindoo
shastrus
were
written, they therefore at once believed the assertions of the
bramhuns and
their
friends,
that their antiquity
was unfa-
thomable.
The Reverend Mr. Maurice has attempted to describe the

Hindoo ceremonies, which he never saw, in the most captivating
terms,
most
and has painted these

florid colours.
being in
itself
It
'
abominable
idolatries'
might have been expected,
in the
(idolatry
an act so degrading to man, and so dishonourable
n 2

fTRODUCTORY REMARKS
to God,) that a Christian divine
would have been shocked whi
If Mr. Maurice think there
writing in this manner.
come and join

huns
in crying
in the
dance before the idol ;
or
Huree bull Huree bal { ! while the
fire is
widow
or
naked, in the public
He
male and female.
old,
make
come and
street, in
seizing
or let
join in the dance,
moment.Seriously,
minister
Say, ye
who
should sights like these raise
or chill the blood of a Christian
the ardour of enthusiasm,
blush for
human
nature sunk in shame.
As a clergyman, Mr. Maurice should have known,

sanctifies
nothing
'
The
What
fifth
numbers two of the
by the bramhuns.
very
two following para-
will a sober Christian say to the
volume of the Indian
Mr. Forbes, of Stanmore-hill,
rarities,
them
that antiquity
hundred years old,
sinner, being an
be accursed.'
graphs, inserted in the
tion
young and
will find, that the sight will never
these holy bramhuns, these mild and innocent Hindoos,
blush for a
shall
stark
open day, before the image of
in the presence of thousands of spectators,
Doorga,
in his elegant
bells that
They
Antiquities
museum
have been used
are great curiosities,
soft
the cup of the lotos
and melodious.
&>
of Indian
in devo-
and one of
in particular appears to be of very high antiquity, in
much resembling
uncommonly
him
bram-
attend at the sacrificing of animals before the images of
Kalee and Doorga;
let
assist the
the limbs of the young and unfortunate Hindoo
him
some
is
thing in Hindooism to excite the most sublime ideas,
form
and the tune of
it is
could not avoid being
Sounds of triumph, which the bramhuns use when the fire of the
when they are choking a dying person
funeral pile begins to burn, and
with the water of the Ganges. These words literally mean, * call upon
Huree,' or repeat the name of Huree, viz. Krishnii. In their popular
use, they are like the English phrase, huzza! huzza/
s
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

admiration of the great merit of this
this opportunity of expressing his
singular
and masterly work.

ci
deeply affected with the sound of an instrument which had been

actually
I
employed to kindle the flame of that superstition, which
My
have attempted so extensively to unfold.
when
thoughts travelled back to the remote period,
transported
the
bramhun
religion blazed forth in all its splendour in the caverns of Ele-
phanta
I was, for a
of enthusiasm.
moment, entranced, and caught the ardour
tribe of venerable priests, arrayed in flowing
and decorated with high
stoles,
me
an
air fragrant
seemed assembled around
tiaras,
my
the mystic song of initiation vibrated in
Deity in the
fire
ear
I breathed
with the richest perfumes, and contemplated the

In another place:
that symbolized him.'
'
She
[the Hindoo religion] wears the similitude of a beautiful and
radiant
Cherub from Heaven, bearing on

on
the accents of pardon and peace, and

faction
The
and
his persuasive lips
his silken
wings bene-
blessing.'
sacred scriptures, of which this writer professes to be a
teacher, in every part,
mark
which God hateth.
idolatry as
Mr. Maurice
radiant cherub from heaven.'
How
the abominable thing
calls
this Christian minister will
reconcile his ideas of idolatry with those of his

in the great day of final account, I
a beautiful and
it,
Great Master
must leave
but I recom-
mend to him, and to all Europeans who think there is not much
harm in Hindooism, the perusal of the following passages from
the
'
word of the true and 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

thine
own
soul, entice thee secretly, saying,
other gods, which thou hast not
Let us go
is
as
and serve
known, thou, nor thy
fathers
(namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you,
nigh unto thee, or far
off
from
thee,
from the one end of the
earth even unto the other end of the earth j) thou shalt 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 shalt

upon him to put him
:
surely kill
to death,
him
thine
hand
shall
be
first
and afterwards the hand of
all

cii
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
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
xiii.
hear and fear, and shall
all Israel shall
do no more any such wickedness as
this is
among
you.' Deut.
quote this remarkable passage, not
because I think the Christian dispensation allows of punishing
with death, but to shew
idolaters
abhorrence of this
'
And
how marked
the divine
is
sin.
I will destroy
your high places, and cut down your
images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols,
and
my
the
man
soul shall abhor you.' Leviticus xxvi. 30.

that
the craftsmen, and putteth
it
Lord of Hosts, the God of
of Judah
man
-j
all
Israel,
Ye
have seen
all
the
Thus
'
all
the
the cities
and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no
dwelleth therein.
Because of
me
their
wickedness which they
to anger, in that they
neither they, ye, nor your fathers.
my
And
Deut. xxvii. 15.
burn incense, and to serve other gods,
all
the hands of
have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon
have committed to provoke
saying,
work of
in a secret place.
people shall answer and say, Amen.'

saith the
Cursed be
maketh any graven image, any graven or molten
image, an abomination unto the Lord, the
evil that I
whom
Howbeit,
they
went to
knew
I sent
not,
unto you
servants the prophets, rising early and sending them,
do not this abominable thing that
But
hate.
they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their
wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.

fury and mine anger
cities
was poured
Wherefore
and was kindled
of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem
wasted and desolate, as at
forth,
this day.'
Jeremiah
my
in the
and they are
xliv. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
God with idols ?" 2

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 lasci'
And what agreement hath
the temple of
viousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and
abominable
idolatries.'
fearful,
and un-
believing,
and the abominable, and murderers, and
whore-
Peter
iv. 3.
'
But the

mongers, and sorcerers, and
and
which burneth with
their part in the lake
which
idolaters,
ciii
have
all liars, shall

fire
and brimstone
the second death.' Rev. xxi. 3.
is
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 passages, a great degree of criminality
who
attached to the person
am
in
any way countenances
idolatry.
not ashamed to confess, that I fear more for the continu-
ance of the British power in India, from the encouragement
which Englishmen have given

world said to the
'
The Governor of
Moses,
in the
the
Israelites, in particular reference to idolatry,
walk contrary
If ye
Hindoos,
to the idolatry of the
than from any other quarter whatever.
me,
to
name of Jehovah,
countenance idolatry:
'
call
I will
walk contrary
to you.'
thus threatens the Jews,
they
if
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
prolong your days upon
it,
it
ye shall not
but shall utterly be destroyed.'
It
cannot be doubted, that in every case in which either a person,

or a nation, begins to think favourably of idolatry,
it
of departure in heart and practice from the living
God
among the Jews.

when truly known,
always so considered
thing in Hindooism,
man
can delight, or of which a benevolent

fully persuaded, that there will soon
subject,
and that
less ancient
this
There
in
is
is
:
mark
was
it
scarcely
which a learned
can approve
and
any
man
I am
be but one opinion on the
opinion will be, that the Hindoo system
than the Egyptian, and that
it is
the
is
most puerile,
IMPURE, AND BLOODY OF ANY SYSTEM OF IDOLATRY THAT WAS
EVER ESTABLISHED ON EARTH.
To
this description
of the Hindoo Mythology, the author has
added accounts of the principal Hindoo Seceders, including the

sects
founded by Booddhii, Rishiibhu-devu, Nanukii, and Choi-
tunyii.
All the founders of these sects appear to" have been religious
civ
mendicants, who, animated by excessive enthusiasm, have at-
tempted to carry certain points of the Hindoo system farther

than the regular
Hindoos,
and do not seem
to
which respect
those
particularly
Nanukii and Choitunyii were
severe mortifications.
less rigid,
have pressed the importance of religious
Booddhu and Rishiibhii-deVu evidently adhered,

Hindoo philosophers who were atheists
austerities.
the systems of those
Both
is
and possesses
eternal,
we
gives rise to what

tion
two or three
these systems are comprised in
the world
to
11
doctrines
in itself the energy
and resuscita-
call creation, preservation,
religion (Dhiirmu) regulates all states,
which
and
is
in fact
what
Christians call providence, connected with absolute predestination
the person
who
acquires the greatest portion of dhiirmii
becomes a personification of
religion, procures happiness
himself, and deserves the worship of others.

lent qualities, compassion
is
Amongst
for
all excel-
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,
feature of this system of atheism, that
it
is
a singular
has placed the sceptre
it
of universal government in an imagined being under the name

of Religion ; or, to speak more correctly, in the hands of two
beings, Religion and Irreligion,
who have
power of reward-
the
ing and punishing the virtuous and the vicious.
In short, these
heresiarchs have not promulgated a system of atheism, without
making some provision
way
and
virtuous, a
if
for the interests of morality in their
the idea of punishment alone
Bouddhu and a
niche of fame not
Joinii
much below
might
thousands
would make men
attain a place in the
who
believe in a First
Cause.
The
Keekutti
lished
sect. 3.
Shree-bhagiivutu mentions
;
Booddhu
and that Charvvakti, a celebrated
the real opinions of Booddhu.
as the son of
atheist,
Unjunu, of
embraced and pub-
See Shree.bhaguvutu, chap.
i.
THE
HINDOO MYTHOLOGY
BOOK
I.
OBJECTS OF WORSHIP.
CHAP.
I.
OF GOD.
IT
a painful reflection to every benevolent mind, that
is
not a single Hindoo temple, dedicated to the

to be found in all Hindoost'han; nor
in any form, addressed
trines respecting the
by
this
is
One God,
is
any act of worship,
people to God.
The doc-
Divine Nature are considered as mere
philosophical speculations, totally unconnected with reli-
gious services.
It is true, indeed, that the
of God.
One Brumhu,
Hindoos believe
without a second,'
is
in the unity
a phrase very
commonly used by them when conversing on

relate to the nature of God.
They believe
which
God
is
almighty, allwise,
subjects
also that
omnipresent, omniscient, &c.
and they frequently speak of him as embracing in his
government the happiness of the good, and the subjection

or punishment of the bad
performing any
act,
yet they have
no idea of God's
either of creadori or providence, ex-
cept through the gods; and thus are prevented

beneficial effects
VOL.
i.
which might have

b
all
the
ariseir out of their
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY.
notions of the divine perfections
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.
Perceiving, therefore, that the speculations of the
Hin-
doo philosophers on the divine nature have no place whatever in the religion of the country, I have placed these
dogmas
in the preceding volume.
CHAP.
II,
OF THE GODS.
X HE 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, Shivii, and Brtimha ; the ele-
ments ; and the three females, Doorga, Lukshmee, and
The
ruswutee.
all
Sii-
following pages will contain accounts of
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

a
another a shell, in the third a chukru , and in the fourth a
water-lily.
He
rides
on Guroorti, an animal half-bird
and half-man, and wears yellow garments.
An
iron instrnment of destruction like
awheel.
shastrus give accounts of ten appearances
The Hindoo
or incarnations of Vishnoo, in the character of the Pre-
which are
server ; nine of
The
first
is
the one God,
said to be past.
called the Mutsyti incarnation.
when he
Brumhu b,
resolves to recreate the universe
after a periodical destruction, first gives birth to
Brumha,
Vishnoo, and Shivti, to preside over the work of creation,

preservation, and destruction. After a periodical dissolution
of the universe, the four vdus remained in the waters.
order to enter
upon the work of
creation,
it
to obtain these books, for the instruction of
noo was therefore appointed

the deep
In
was necessary
Brumha. Vishv6diis from
up the
to bring
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 Kuchyiipu incarnation Vishnoo assumed the
form of a
tortoise,
his back, to render

this
and took the newly created earth upon

it
hour the earth
stable.
is
The Hindoos
believe that to
supported on the back of this tor-
toise.
The Vurahti
incarnation happened at one of the pe-
riodical destructions of the world,
the waters.
when
the earth sunk into
Vishnoo, the preserver, appearing in the
form of a boar (vurahu), descended into the waters, and

with his tusks drew up the earth.
What contemptible
ideas
on such a subject
&c. &c.
made
fast
The earth, with
on the back of a
from the deep by the tusks of a hog
all its
turtle, or
mountains,
drawn up
The reader will please to keep in mind that Briimhft means the one
God, and that Brttmha means the idol of that name.
.*>
B 2
The
fourth incarnation
called
is
other descendants of Dukshu, (the
Nuru-singhtK Among
first
man
that
Brumha
was Kushyupfi, a moonee, and his four wives,
created,)
From
Ditee, Gditee, Vinuta, and Kudroo.
the giants
from
ftditee, the
gods
from Vinuta, Gurooru
The
and from Kudroo, the hydras.
Ditee, sprang
giants
possessed
amazing strength, and amongst them two arose of
terrific
named Hirunyakshu and Hirunyti-kushipoo, both

of whom performed religious austerities many thousand
years to obtain immortality.
Brumha at length gave them
powers,
a blessing apparently equivalent to that which they desired.
He
promised, that no
common
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
conquered
this these giants
all
the kingdoms of the earth,
and even dethroned lndru, the king of heaven.

collecting
to provide
all
the gods, went to
some way of
Brumha, and
Indru,
intreated
deliverance, as the universe
him
which
he had created was destroyed. Brumha asked the gods,

how he could destroy those who had obtained his blessing ?
They obeyed, and informed this god of the miseries brought upon the universe
by these giants whom Brumha had blessed, Narayunu
and advised them
to
go to Vishnoo.
promised to destroy them, which he did
in the follow-
ing manner: Hiriinyti-kushipoo's son Prulhadu was constantly absent from
which
home performing
religious austerities,
became angry, and, tying a stone to his

body, threw him into the water ; but Vishnoo descended,
and liberated him. His father next threw him under the
at
his father
feet of an elephant
him on
its
but the elephant took him up, and put
He
back.
put his son into
it,
From
then built a house of sealing wax,
and
ntiru,
set
it
on
fire
man and
3
the
singbti,
wax melted, and
a lion.

fell
upon Prulhadu, but he received no
next gave him poison, but without
he
ried of trying to kill him,
server
*
Is
Vishnoo dwell
he then in
lion,
He
(
this pillar ?'
Hirunyu-kushipoo,
blow with his
?'
stick
'
said,
is
The
injury.
father
At length, wea-
effect.
'
Where
does your pre-
every where,' says Prulhadu.
Yes,' said the son.
I will kill him,'
when Vishnoo,
Then,' said
and gave the

in the
form
pillar
of half-
half-man, burst from the pillar; laid hold of Hirunyu-
kushipoo 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;
pings of the thatch,
proverb, that this place

killed
it
was done under the drop-
about which the Hindoos have a

is
out of the earth
he was not
by a man, but by a being half-man, half-lion
that the promise of
Brumha
to
so
him was not broken. Vish-
noo next destroyed Hirunyakshu. After the death of his

father, Prulhadu began to worship Vishnoo under the form
which he had assumed, and with

future fate of his father.
enquired into the
tears
Vishnoo assured him, that
as
he
had died by his hands, he would surely ascend to heaven.

Vishnoo was so pleased with the praises which Prulhadu
bestowed on him, that he began to dance, hanging the
entrails of
Hirunyu-kushipoo round
his neck.
dancing the earth began to move out of
Brumha and
near him.
all
its
ByVishnoo's
place, so that
the gods were frightened, but durst not go
However,
at the entreaties of
gave over dancing; the earth became
Prulhadu, Vishnoo
fixed,
and Vishnoo
gave Prulhadu this promise, that by his hands none of his

race should die.
The
fifth is
the
Vamunu
incarnation.
Prulhadu's grand-
son Bulee followed the steps of his great-grandfather, and
committed every kind of violence.

In contempt of the
gods, he made offerings in his own name.
He performed
the ushwume'dhu 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

applied for relief to Vishnoo,
giant
to accomplish
who promised
to destroy this
which he caused himself to be born of

Being exceed-
Uditee, the wife of Kushyiipu, the moonee.
ingly small in his person, he obtained the

i. e.
At a
the dwarf.
a great sacrifice, and

sent
him
name
certain period king Bulee
Vamunus
Vamunu,
of
was making
parents, being very poor,
to ask a gift of the king.
festival, to
It is
present gifts to bramhtins.
customary, at a
Vamunu was
small, that in his journey to the place of sacrifice,
he got to the side of a hole made by a cow's

which was filled with water, he thought it was a
entreated another
arrival,
latter
bramhun
he went to ask a
to help
him
Bulee.
gift of
over
so
when
foot,
and
river,
and
it.
On
his
The king was
so
pleased with him, on account of his diminutive form, that
he promised
tioned only for as

steps.
him whatever he should
to give
much
ask.
He
peti-
land as he could measure by three
Bulee pressed him to ask for more, intimating that
such a quantity was nothing; but
Vamunu
persisted,
and
the king ordered his priest to read the usual formulas in
The priest warned the king,

making such a present.
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. Vamunu then placed one
foot
On the earth, when,
lo
from
his belly,
and he asked
rest this third foot.
unable to
on Indru's heaven, and the other
fulfil
a third leg suddenly projected

for a place
upon which he might
Bulee, having nothing
his promise,
was
left,
full of anxiety.
and being
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
Vamunu
Vamunu
then asked for what
to set his foot upon.

is
He
did so; but
called dukshinu, a small
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY,

present which accompanies a
gift itself
produces no
what
do for dukshinu
to
him
advised
and without which the
gift,
Bulee knew not
fruit to the giver.

:
His wife
was gone.
his all
to give his life to
Vamunti
as dukshinu.
He
he had pro-
did this also; but the latter told him, that as
mised Prulhadu not to destroy any of his race, he would not

take his
life.
He
of ascending to
persons
therefore gave
him
his choice either
taking with him
heaven,
five
ignorant
or of descending to patulu, the world of the hy-
dras, with five wise
that as he had done
men d
much
Btilee chose the latter, but sard
mischief on earth, he was afraid
of going to patulu, lest he should there be punished for his

crimes.
Vamunti
told
him not
to fear, as
he would, in the
At the
form of Vishnoo, become his protector.
close, this
god, having restored every thing on earth to a state of

order and prosperity, returned to heaven.
The
the
is
sixth
name
is
appearance of Vishnoo
from the king
come very
in
is
The
thus related
occasion of this
The
kshutriyus,
to the lowest person of this cast,
corrupt.
Every one did
was without authority,

was
Purushop
the Purushoo-ramu. incarnation.
of an instrument of war.
all
as
were be-
he pleased, the king
order was destroyed, and the earth
the greatest confusion.
In these circumstances
the goddess Prit'hivee e went to Vishnoo, and prayed

relief.
Her
was incarnate
as the son of
Bhrigoo the sage.
for
was heard, and one part of Vishnoo
petition
Jumudugnee,
a descendant of
After twenty-one different defeats the
kshutriyus were exterminated by Purtishoo-ramu; but after

a lapse of years they again
became numerous
Crjoonu, a
d It is
a proverb among the Hindoos, that there is no pleasure in the
company of 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.
-
The earth
personified.
kshutriyu king with a thousand arms, overcame the greatest
monarchs, and made dreadful havock in the world

Ravttnti,
and
tied
him
to the heels of a horse
delivered him, and reconciled
them
he beat
but Briimha
One evening
again.
Urjoonu, being in the forest, took
in the rainy season,
He
refuge in the hut of Jumudiignee, the learned ascetic.
had with him 900,000 people; yet Jumudiignee entertained
them
how
many
Urjoonu, astonished, enquired of his people
all.
the sage, living in the forest, was able to entertain so
They could not tell; they saw nothing except a

cow which Br umha had given him ; but it was by her means
perhaps that he was able to entertain so many guests its
name was Kamti-dhenoo f In fact, when tlrjoonu was
to be entertained at the sage's house, this cow in a miraculous manner gave him all kinds of food, clothes, &e.
The king on his departure asked for the cow; but the sage
people?
refused
it
him, though he offered for
to
his
it
whole king-
made war on Jumudiignee ; and

though the cow gave an army to her master, he was unable
to cope with tfrjoonu, who destroyed both him and his
dom.
At
length, tlrjoonu
After the victory, however, Crjoonu could not find
army.
the cow, but went
home
Puriishoo-ramu,
disappointed.
hearing of the defeat and death of his father Jumudiignee,
went
to
complain to Shivu, on the mountain Koilasti; but
could not get access to him
till
he had knocked down the
gods Guneshu and Kartiku, Shivu's door-keepers.
Shivu
gave Purushoo-ramu. the instrument purushoo, and pro-
On
mised him the victory.

his mother,
pile of her
who was about
husband.
his return Purtishoo-ramu

to
throw herself on the funeral
After attending upon this ceremony,
Purushoo-ramu went to the residence of

killed
1
met
tfrjoonii,
and
him *.
That
is,
the
This story
cow which
is
yields every thing desired.
told variously
in the
poorantis
according to the

These
stityu
six incarnations are said to
yoogu
have taken place in the
There are no images respecting them made
h
.
for worship.
The
seventh incarnation
Ravunu
giant
is
that of Raniti to destroy the
for the history of
which see the Translation
of the Table of Contents of the Ramayunii, toward the close
of this volume.
to destroy
nation
The
is
The eight incarnation
Pmlumbu
is
that of Bultiramu,
and other giants.
This
latter incar-
said to have taken place in the dwapuru-yoogii.
ninth
is
the Booddhii incarnation, in which Vishnoo
appeared as Booddhu, to destroy the power of the giants.

In order to effect
by
this,
Booddhii produced among mankind
his preaching, &c. a disposition to universal scepticism 3
that having no longer any faith in the gods, the giants
them
cease to apply to
for those
become such dreadful scourges
might
powers by which they had
to
mankind. In
this appear-
ance the object of Vishnoo, the preserver, was accomplished
by
art,
without the necessity of war ; though the dreadful
alternative to
which he was driven
mankind
that of plunging
into a state of universal scepti-
cism, affords another proof
be governed
man.
if
of the
how
wretchedly the world would
every thing depended on the
The tenth
name
to accomplish his object,
incarnation
Kulkee
is
tJvutaru.
still
wisdom of
expected, under the
See translation from the
Kiilkee pooranti, in the second volume.
The appearance of Vishnoo, when he took the name of

Krishnu to destroy the giant Kungshu, is called the descent
Ramayiinu, Vushis'thu was the owner of this cow, and Vishwiimitru the
person who fought with the moonee to ohtain it.
h
These ravages of tyranny, and bloody contests, form a sad specimen
of the happiness of the Hindoo
ever had been such a period.
siHyti
yoogu, could
we
believe that there

10
of Vishnoo himself, and not an incarnation of this god.
There
and
are,
however, beside the preceding ten incarnations,
this of Krishnti,
nus,
all
many
others mentioned in the poora-
having their source in Vishnoo.-^-The Shree-bhagu-
vutu contains accounts of the following

certain gods,
and removed
Soo-yugnu. created
from the three worlds
distress
which she obtained absorption

his disciples,
Brumhu, by
Kupilu. taught his mother the knowledge of
Duttatreyu. delivered
all
by means of the ceremony called yogu, from
future birth, and obtained for
them absorption
Koormaru
declared the events that had happened in a former age;

that
is,
previous to the dissolution of things which preceded
his incarnation;
Nuru-Narayunu was such a perfect
that the courtezans, sent by the gods to allure

religious austerities, were unsuccessful
created a female on purpose to divert
ascetic
him from
his
Vishnoo himself
him from his devotions,
but her attempts were equally abortive
Prit'hoo opened
the bowels of the earth, and brought forth
treasures
its
Rishuvu was an incomparable yogee, who was worshipped

Huyugreevu
ascetics
by the purum-hungsus and other

was so great
a saint, that the
every time he breathed;
from
all
animals;
their enemies,
Hungsu
words of the vedu. were uttered
Huree
delivered his
disciples
whether among men or the
inferior
taught his disciples the mysteries of
yogu, and obtained absorption himself while performing

the ceremonies of a yogee;
Munoo's fame
worlds, and ascended even as far as
wunturee delivered
on
their
all
filled
the three
Sutyu-loku; Dhtin-
diseased persons from their disorders
mere remembrance of
water of immortality to the
his
name, and gave the
gods; Vyasti
vedus, was the author of the poorantis, &c.

the spiritual guide of 80,000 disciples,
knowledge of Brumhu,
anjcl
arranged the
Vibhoo was
whom
he taught the
the ceremonies of yogu;
Sdtyuse'nu cleared the earth of hypocrites and wicked per-

sons
by
11
Voikoont'hti created the heaven of Vishnoo known

name, and performed other wonders Ujitu
in-
this
structed the gods to churn the sea to obtain the water of
immortality, and did other things which distinguished

as an incarnation;
Mohunee was
giants from obtaining
the water of immortality at the
churning of the sea;
Narudii
Voishnuvti Tuntru.
The
pected
Sarvubhoumu
him
incarnate, to prevent the
revealed the
work
called
following incarnations are ex-
to dethrone the present Indru,
instate Btilee in his stead
Vishwuksnu
Shumbhoo, when he becomes
the king of heaven
mti-se'too to nourish the three worlds
and
as the friend of
;
Soodhama
Dhurto assist
Roodru-savurnee, the twelfth of the fourteen munoos;
Yoge"shwuru to place Divus-putee on the throne of Indru;
Vrihudbhanoo
nies.
are
The
to
make known many new
reader, however,
is
ceremo-
not to suppose that there
no other incarnations mentioned
books
religious
every hero, and every saint,
in these marvellous
is
complimented by
these writers as an incarnate deity.
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
modern Hindoos has converted into facts ; or many of

them may relate to common events here magnified into
of
miracles.
Stone images of Vishnoo are made for

shipped in the houses of those
sale,
who have chosen him
their guardian deity.
There are no public festivals
of this god, yet he
worshipped
sacrifice;
in the
is
form
and wor-
in
at the offering of a
of meditation used daily
C 2
for
honour
burnt
by the

12
bramhuns
and also
at
bloody
when c the
commencement
at the times
the
sacrifices
five gods' are
presented to him consist of
No
of each shraddhu.
The
offered to Vishnoo.
are
worshipped,
offerings
flowers, water, clarified
fruit,
butter, sweetmeats, cloth, ornaments, &c.
Many
choose Vishnoo for their guardian deity.
The
persons are called Voishniivus.
distinctive
These
mark of
this sect of Hindoos consists of two lines, rather oval,

drawn the whole length of the nose, and carried forward in
two
This mark
straight lines across the forehead.
mon to
the worshippers of
It is generally
all
made with the
com-
is
the different forms of Vishnoo.
clay of the
Ganges
3,
sometimes
with powder of sandel wood.
Vishnoo has a thousand names' , among which are the

1
following
Vishnoo
that
is,
all is
he who dwelt in the
of the devout.
all
ear,
&c.
or,
hair.
he who, in the form of Viratu,
or, the
the self-existent.
or,
or,
the god of
all
all
the
he who gave being
he
or,
is
who
has excellent
MudhooSwumbhoG,
husband of Lukshmee.
soodhtinu, the destroyer of

or,
viz.
light.
Brumha and Shivu
Madhuvu,
at the
Narayunti,
or, the destroyer of sorrow.
Rhisheekeshu,
Keshuvu,
members, and of
to himself, to
absorbed.
and he who dwells in the minds
Voikoont'hti,
Vishturu-shruva,
eye,
waters k
whom,
the being into
destruction of the world,
Mudhoo,
Doityaree,
a giant.
or,
the
enemy
of the
The meaning of the principal names of some of the gods is to be

in the comment upon the Umuru-koshu, by Bhiirutu-miilliku.
found
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 apruliiyu,
of water, Vishnoo
sits
when every
thing
is
reduced
to the element
on the snake Ununtu, which has 1000 heads.

giants.
Poondureekakshu, he
Govindti, the
whose eyes
or,
white lotus.
are like the
PitamUchyootu,
raiser of the earth.
or,
he who wears yellow garments.
vurii, or,
13
or,
Sharungce, he who possesses the

Vishwtikshenu, he whose
he who
the
quarters of the world. Junarddtmu,
sought. Pudmtiwicked, and, he of whom emancipation
the water
Vishwumhe whose navel
nabhu,
vuru,
the protector of the world. Koitubhujit,
he
the undecayable.
or,
horn bow.
soldiers
or,
or,
all
fill
afflicts
is
or,
is
like
lily.
or,
or,
who overcame
the giant Koitubhu.
Vishnoo has two wives
Lukshmee, the goddess of pros-
The
perity, and Suruswutee, the goddess of learning.
former was produced at the churning of the sea: Surus-
wutee
the daughter of Brumha.
is
Tlie following description of the heaven of Vishnoo
taken from the Muhabharutu.
koontTiu
111
is
entirely of gold,
in circumference.
The
All
pillars of this
its
and
all
buildings, are of precious stones.
the Ganges
One
fall
is
eighty thousand miles
edifices are
heaven, and
is
This heaven, called Voi-
composed of jewels.
the ornaments of the
The
chrystal waters of
from the higher heavens on the head of
of the Hindoo poets, in answer to the question,
noo assumed a wooden shape
Why
has Vish~
(alluding to the image of Jiigunnat'hu,)
in the
in his family have turned Vishnoo into wood
two wives, one of whom (the goddess of learning) is
constantly talking, and the other (the goddess of prosperity) never re-
'The troubles
says,
first
place, he has
mains
in
dwelling
one place
is
acknowledge that
especially
if
to increase his troubles,
in the water,
it is
and he rides on a
a great misfortune for a
he
sits
on a snake
his
bird.'
All the Hindoos
man
have two wives
to
both live in one house.
m The work called Kurmu-Vipaku

says, that the heavens of Vishnoo^
Brumha, and Shivu are upon three peaks of the mountain Soomtroo and,
;
that at the bottom of these peaks arc the heavens of twenty-one other gods.
14
Droovu, and from thence into the bunches of hair on the

heads of seven rishees ih this heaven, and from thence they
fall
and form a
river in
Vo
Here
koont'hu.
are also fine
pools of water, containing blue, red, and white water-lilies,
the flowers of
some of which contain one hundred
petals,
and others a thousand; gardens of nymph oe as, &c.

seat as glorious as the meridian sun, sitting
on
On
water-lilies,
Vishnoo, and on his right hand the goddess Lukshmee.
is
From
the body of Ltikshmee the fragrance of the lotus ex-
tends 800 miles. This goddess shines like a continued blaze

of lightning.
The
devurshees, rajtirshees, and supturshees
constantly celebrate the praise of Vishnoo and
The brumhurshees
and meditate on their divine forms.

chant the vedus.
The
glorified
noo, and constantly serve him.
Lukshmee,
voishnuvus approach Vish-
The gods"
are also fre-
quently employed in celebrating the praises of Vishnoo
and Guroom, the bird-god,
is
the door-keeper.
SECT. U.ShwiL
Shivu, the destroyer, has the second place among the
Hindoo
offices,
deities,
though in general,
in allusion
these three gods are classed thus
to
their
Brumha, Vish-
noo, Shivti.
This god
is
In the form of
represented in various ways.
meditation used daily by the bramhuns he
is
described as
a silver coloured man, with five faces; an additional eye
These gods are supposed
One
to
of the names of Shivu
be
is
visitors at Vishnoo's.
Trilochunii, viz. the three-eyed.
One
of the names of Jupiter was Trioculus, (Triophthalmos,) given him by the
Greeks, because he had three eyes.

in Troy, which, beside the usual
An image
of
this
two eyes, had a third
kind was set up
in the forehead.

a half-moon
and
arms
in
one hand he holds a purushoo
deer; with the third he
He
each forehead?.
grace
is
15
has
four
in the second a
bestowing a blessing, and with
the fourth he forbids fear: he
on a lotus % and wears a
sits
tyger-skin garment.
At other times Shiva
is
represented with one head, three
and two arms, riding on a
eyes,
with ashes,
bull, covered
naked, his eyes inflamed with intoxicating herbs r, having
hand a horn, and
in one
in the other a
Another image of Shivu
is
drum.
the lingu, a smooth black
stone almost in the form of a sugar-loaf, with a projection

at the base like the
mouth
of a spoon.
are several stories in the pooranus respecting the
There
which
origin of the lingu worship, three of
and actually inserted
in this
possible of their offensive parts
possible,
to
when
meet the public
At
eye.
as
It
with
all its
appears that
much
as
it is
much
wish that the
moon
for his share,
glory, in his forehead.
was formerly venerated by the Egyptians
this plant
now by
as
true I have
It is
the claiming of the sea, Shivu obtained the

it,
much
refined as
omitted them with some reluctance, because
and fixed
had translated,
but in correcting the
proofs, they appeared too gross, even

as
work, leaving out as
the Hindoos.
The sacred images
of the Tartars,
Japanese, and other nations are also frequently represented as placed
upon
r
is
it.
Bacchus, who appears
said to have
than a tyger's skin, which

followers, the siinyasees.
that of Bacchus
bear a pretty strong resemblance to Shivu,
is
the
The
to
have had no other covering
common garment
bloated image
oti
of Shivu, and of his
Shivu corresponds with
and though the Indian god did not intoxicate himself
with wine, yet his image

p< tually
to
wandered about naked, or
is
evidently that of a drunkard.
smoked intoxicating herbs.
Shivu per-
16
apologists for idolatry should be left without excuse, and that
know what those who wish to

Religion mean to leave in its stead.
the sincere Christian should
rob him of the Christian
From
these abominable stories, temples
have arisen in India, and a Shivu
them, and
lingti
innumerable
placed in each of
worshipped as a god
These temples,
many parts of Hindoost'han, are far
!
indeed, in Bengal and
more numerous than those dedicated

the
number
image,
any other idol
and
the daily worshippers of this scandalous
of
among
(even
to
the
Hindoo women,) who make the
image with the clay of the Ganges every morning and

evening,
is'
shippers of
beyond comparison
all
than the wor-
far greater
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 lingti:
Bacchus was
angry with the Athenians, because they despised his solemnities,
when they were
Boeotia into Attica
first
for
brought by Pegasus out of
which he
afflicted
grievous disease, that could have no cure,
till,
them with a
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
Athenians.
well
Phallica
The
known
to need recital.
farther information
extract
were yearly celebrated among the
story of Priapus
on
is
too indecent, and too
Should the reader wish for
this subject,
from Diodorus Siculus,
he
is
referred to
as given in the
Mr. Maurice's second volume of Indian Antiquities.

perusal of this extract
may help
an
Reverend
The
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
of their prominent features, are one.
some
;;
17
Beside the clay image of the lingu, there are two kinds
of black stone lingtis
The
temples 5.
Hindoo
in the
swuyumboo,
(the
self-
which has no beginning.
The
called
is
existent,) or tinadeeS that
second they
up
these are set
first
vanu-lingu, because Vanu, a king,
call
first
These stones
instituted the worship of this image.
are
brought from the neighbourhood of the river Gundhukee,
which
falls
into the
There
is
boy with three

stands erect
human
of
appearance.
stick,
His hair
he wears a necklace
and in the other the foot of a bedand makes a very
belly,
terrific
Shivu is called Mtiha-kalu, because he destroys
at last, in order to
Images
worshipped,
and a large turban of his own hair ; in one
by which the Hindoos mean, that
is
the image of a smoke-coloured
his teeth are very large
skulls,
he has a large
stead;
is
eyes, clothed in red garments.
hand he holds a
all
This
are
stone-cutters.
another form in which Shivu
Muha-kalu.
called
The images
Ganges near Patna.
made by Hindoo and Mtisulman
[of this
all is
absorbed in him
be reproduced".
form of Shivu are not made in Bengal
but a pan of water, or an unadee-lingu,
is
substituted,
before which bloody sacrifices are offered, and other cere*
It
is
remarkable, that a stone image, consecrated to Venus, bore a
strong resemblance to the lingu.
" from the top
to the
Of
this stone it is said, that it
bottom of an orbicular figure, a
little
was
broad beneath
the circumference was small, and sharpening towards the top like a sugar
The
loaf.
1
At
reason unknown."
the time of a great drought, the Hindoos, after performing
its
worship, throw very large quantities of water upon this unadee-lingti, in
order to induce Shivu to give them rain.
Some
say Saturn received his name, because he
the years he devoured.

children,
was
satisfied
with
Saturn was also represented as devouring his
and vomiting them up again.
13
monies performed, in the month Choitru,
Only a few persons perform

this image,
who
bloody
never offered to Shivu,
himself called a voishnuvu,
is
Except before
this worship.
sacrifices are
new moon.
at the
i.
e.
a worshipper of
Vishnoo, before whose image no animals are
whose
and
slain,
disciples profess never to eat animal food.
Under
different
names other images of Shivu
are
scribed in the shastrus ; but none of these images are

at present, nor
is
de-
made
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 these persons wear, is composed of three curved
lines like a half-moon, to which is added a round dot on
the nose.
It is
made
either with the clay of the Ganges,
or with sandal wool, or the ashes of cow-dung.
Worship
when
performed daily at the temples of the lingu;
is
offerings of various kinds are presented to this image.
If the temple belong to a shoodru, a
who
bramhun
is
employed,
and the daily offerThese ceremonies occupy a few minutes, or half
receives a small annual gratuity,
ings *.
an hour,
at the pleasure of the worshipper.
living in Bengal
employ bramhuns
at
Many
persons
Benares to perform
the worship of the lingu in temples which they have built

there.
Every
year, in the
month Phalgoonti, the Hindoos make
the image of Shivu, and worship

x
The
shastrus prohibit the
sented to Shivu
it
for
one day, throwing
bramhuns from receiving the
however, contrive to explain the words of the shastru

*A3
to
offerings pre-
The bramhuns,
the reason I have not discovered.

in
such a manner,
secure the greater part of the things presented to this idol.

This worship
the image the next day into the water.
and
in the night,
performed
19
The image worshipped
dancing, music, feasting, &c.
either that of Shivu. with five faces, or that with
In the month
Maghu
also a festival in
when
held for one day,

bull,
called
is
is
one face.
honour of Shivu
is
the image of this god sitting on a
with Parvutee on his knee,
of Shivu
is
accompanied with singing,
is
is
Huru-Gouree y
worshipped.
This form
In the month Choitru. an abominable festival in honour

of this god
the
name
celebrated
of sunyasees,
Some
cruelties.
for a
is
when many Hindoos, assuming
inflict
on themselves the greatest
of the chief sunyasees purify themselves
month previously
to these ceremonies,
by going to
some celebrated temple or image of Shivu, and there eating

only once a day, abstaining from certain gratifications, re-
name of Shivu, dancing
peating the
before his image, &c.
Other sunyasees perform these preparatory ceremonies for

and others
fifteen,
parties of
for only ten days
men and boys dance
during which time
in the streets,
having their
bodies covered with ashes, &c. and a long piece of false

hair
mixed with
A large
mud wrapped round
drum accompanies each
the head like a turban.
party,
making a horrid
din.
On
the
first
day of the
themselves from a
bamboo
these sunyasees cast
festival,
stage with three resting places,
the highest about twenty feet from the ground.

this height these persons cast
stuck in bags of straw.

posture, and
fall
down
when
These spikes
the person
falls
are laid in a reclining
they almost constantly
instead of entering his body.
H&ru
is
the
From
themselves on iron spikes
name of Shivu, and Gouree
D 2
There are instances
that of Doorga.
20
however of persons being

they are very rare.
and others wounded; hut
killed,
few years ago, a person
poorii, near Calcutta, cist himself
ing
which entered his
fish,
death.
He
same day
in clean-
and was the cause of his
side,
threw himself from the stage twice on the
the second time, (which was
Kidur-
at
on a knife used
fatal,) to gratify
In
some
villages, several
of these stages are erected, and as
many
as
prostitute with
whom
he
lived.
two or three
hundred people cast themselves on these spikes

of Shivu
make
in
one day,
The worshippers
in the presence of great crowds of people.
a great boast of the power of their god in
preserving his followers in circumstances of such danger.
The
next day
is
spent in idleness, the sunyasees lying
about Shivu's temple, and wandering about like persons

half drunk, or jaded with revelling.
a large
fire is
the burnt
On
the following day,
kindled opposite Shivu's temple
wood has been formed
and when
into a great heap, one of
the chief sunyasees, with a bunch of canes in his hand,

flattens the
walk across
the
heap a
little,
and walks over
it
with his feet
After him, the other sunyasees spread the
bare.
air
The
and
it,
at
dance upon
it,
and then
east the
fire
about,
embers into
each other-
next morning early the work of piercing the tongues
commences. In the year 1806 I went to Kaleecompany 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 instruand
sides
ghatu, in
ments of music y
pierce their tongues and
on
and
different articles to
Some
with tinkling rings
also spits, canes,

6 ides.
their ancles were dancing
and exhibiting indecent ges-
tures as they passed along, while others rent the air with the

sounds of their
As we entered the village where
filthy songs.
the temple of this great goddess

so great that
and
at last
we
21
is
crowds were
situated, the
could with difficulty get our vehicles along,
were completely blocked up.
We then alighted,
and went amongst the crowd. But who can describe a scene
Here, men of all ages, who intended to have
like this ?
their tongues pierced, or their sides bored,
were buying
garlands of flowers to hang round their necks, or

their heads;
the goddess
tie
round
above the heads of the crowd were seen no-
there, others were carrying their offerings to
thing but the feathers belonging to the grea^ drums, and

the instruments of torture which each victim was carrying
These wretched
in his hand.
their bodies,
and by streaks and dots of
some of the
chief
men
were
slaves of supersti ion
distinguished from others by the quantity of
mud
rubbed on
oil
all
over them
belonging to each company were
covered with ashes, or dressed in a most fantastic manner,

like the fool
among mountebanks.
some were dressed as

hat, to excite the crowd
sport,
on a
For the sake of low
English women and
soon as
we
others
As
to laugh at Europeans.
could force our way,
we proceeded
had
tem-
to the
ple of KaleC, where the crowd, inflamed to madness, almost
trampled upon one another, to obtain a sight of the
We went
up
to the door-way,
one of the owners of the
idol,
nions in broken English
mother."
My
friend, not
when
a bramhun,
addressed one of
" Money
much
my compa-
money
we
for
black
liking the looks of his black
mother, declared he should give her nothing.

spot
idol.
who was
From
this
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 Shivu.
The first man seemed
reluctant to hold out his tongue; but
the blacksmith, rubbing
it
with something like
flour,
and
having a piece of cloth betwixt his fingers, laid firm hold A
22
dragged
it
out, and, placing his lancet under
through, and
dle, pierced it
person, whose tongue

to cut
This
on a contrary
it
man seemed
tongue
to
we saw
in the
mid-
The next
cut, directed the blacksmith
side, as it
had been already cut twice.
go through the business of having his
with perfect sangfroid.
slit
it
the fellow go.
let
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. 1 could not help asking,
punishing these
men
for lying.
whether they were not
After seeing the operation
performed on one or two more, we went to another group,
where they were boring the
sides.
going this operation was a boy,
The first we saw underwho might be twelve or
who had been brought
thirteen years old, and
his elder brother to submit to this cruelty.
thither
was drawn through the skin on each
with
clarified butter
side,
with a kind of lancet having an eye like a needle.
did not flinch, but

his brother.
Kalee
why he
bored,
at a
hung by
asked a
did this
man who had
He
ness, or merit.
He
his hands over the shoulders of
time of dangerous
ing this vow
by
A thread rubbed
said,
just had his sides
he had made a vow to
illness,
a bye-stander added,
and was now performit
was an act of
Passing from this group,
we saw
holi-
man
dancing backwards and forwards with two canes run through

his sides as thick as a man's little finger.
Calcutta
we saw many with
In returning to
things of different thicknesses
thrust through their sides and tongues, and several with the
pointed handles of iron shovels, containing

their sides.
Into this
fire
Indian pitch, which for the
saw one man whose singular
much
his breast, arms,
fire,
sticking in
now and then they threw

moment blazed very high. I
mode of self-torture struck me
every
and other parts of his body, were
entirely covered with pins, as thick as nails or packing nee-

called vanu-phora
23
The person had made
dies.
This
a vow
to Shivti thus to pierce his body, praying the
is
remove some
Some
evil
god to
from him.
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 through their tongues, as living snakes,
bamboos, ramrods, &c.

the crowd
ples,
up
still
Others, to excite the attention of
more, procure images of houses, gods, tem-
&c. and placing them on a single bamboo, hold them
and put the bamboo through
in their hands,
tongues.
bamboo
their
In 1805, at Calcutta, a few base fellows made a

stage, placed a prostitute
through the
streets,
upon
it,
and carried her
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 person, and they went along dancing and making
Others put bamboos, ropes,
indecent gestures together.
canes, the stalk of a climbing plant, the long tube of the
hooka, &c. through their sides, and rubbing these things
with
oil,
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 inde-
These people pass through the
cent gestures.
these marks of self-torture
of idle people.
where these
They
are
streets with
upon them, followed by crowds

paid by the towns or villages
acts are performed,
and a levy
inhabitants to defray the expense.
On
is
made on the
the evening of this
day some simyasSes 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
ing these lamps
sit
all
*
all
night.
The
persons bear-
night in or near Shivu's temple,
Piercing with arrows.
24
occasionally calling
upon
god by
this
different
On
names.
the same evening, different parties of sunyasees hold conversations respecting Shivu in verse.
On
the following day, in the afternoon, the ceremony
called Churukti, or the swinging
back,
is
The
performed.
by hooks fastened
posts are erected in
place in the town or suburbs
they are generally fifteen,
In some places a kind
twenty, or twenty-five cubits high.
of worship
is
pigeons are
paid at the foot of the tree to Shivu,
In other parts,
let loose> or slain.
i.
when two
at his
temple
per-
is
which the crowd proceed
after
the
e. in
neighbourhood of Calcutta, the worship of Shivti
formed
in the
some open
to the
swinging posts, and commence the horrid work of torture.
The man who
is to
swing prostrates himself before the
and a person, with his dusty

the hooks are to be put.
him
tree,
makes a mark where
fingers,
Another person immediately gives
on the back, and pinches up the skin hard

thumb and fingers; while another thrusts the
a smart slap
with his
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
As he
feet.
He
is rising,
some water
is
then mounts on a man's back, or
man
gets
up on
his
thrown in his
face.
elevated in
some
is
other way; and the strings which are attached to the hooks
in his
back are tied to the rope
bamboo, and the rope

men, who, drawing
man
it
one end of the horizontal
end
at the other
down,
raise
is
held by several
up the end on which the
swings, and by their running round with the rope the
machine
is
turned.
man describes a circle

Some swing only a few mi*
more I have heard of men
In swinging, the
of about thirty feet diameter.

nutes, others half an hour or
who
at
continued swinging for hours.
of Bengal a piece of cloth
is
In the southern parts
wrapt round the body under**
;:

neath the hooks,
fall,
and be dashed to pieces
body
rests
wooden
eat
of these persons take the
and smoak while swinging, as though insenOthers take up
sible of the least pain.
and either
and the wretch
tear,
but the whole weight Of the
Some
on the hooks.
pipe,
should
lest the flesh
25
it
or throw
it
among
fruit in their
the crowd.
hands,
have heard
of a person's having a monkey's collar run into his hinder
% in which
round together.
parts
man
man and
state the
On
wood
preserve him, should the flesh of
Ms back
five
women
manner, with hooks through their backs and
for the flesh to tear,
It is
man
fell
from the post
whirling round with great rapidity
woman who was sell ng parched

man died the next day. At
the
years since, the swing
man who was upon
it,
fell,
as
not very
and the person to
are related of such persons perishing
years ago a
some
Oil
tear.
About the year 1800
thighs, at Kidurpooru near Calcutta.
mon
mouth, and swung
hooks run through their
stinyasees have
thighs as well as backs.

in this
in his
without any cloth round his body to
for a considerable time
swung
monkey whirled
one occasion, in the north of Bengal,
took a large piece of
occasions these
the
fall
on the
at
uncom-
instances
spot.
few
Kidurpooru, while
and, falling on a poor
rice, killed
her on the spot
a village near Bujbuj, some
and broke a man's
The
leg.
soon as he was loosed, ran to ano-
ther tree,was drawn up, and whirled round again, as though
nothing had happened.
have heard of one man's swing-
ing three times in one day on different trees

assured me, that he had seen four
and a bramhun
men swing on one
while swinging, this tree was carried round the
field
tree
by the
crowd.
On
the day of swinging, in
<
VOL.
I.
some
At Kidurpoorfc.
places, a sunyasee
is
20
laid before the
temple of Shivu as dead, and
carried to the place
afterwards
is
Here they
where they burn the dead.
read
many
'after
which the (supposed) dead sunyasee
incantations and perform
certain ceremonies,
when the/
arises,
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
things,
and other
rice,
which they make into a kind of frumenty,
place where they burn the dead.
with some burnt
Each day of
fish, to
in the
These things they
offer,
departed ghosts.
the festival the sunyasees worship the sun,
pouring water, flowers, &c. on a clay image of the
alligator,
repeating muntrus.
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
Choitru, instituted these rites,

cruelties here detailed
on
his
Vanu, in the month
number of the
own body, viz. he mounted
and
inflicted a
the swing, pierced his tongue and sides, danced on
threw himself on
spikes, &c.
interview with Shivu,
of
fire,
and promised
who surrounded his palace

to appear
need of his assistance.
Doorga
is
with a wait
whenever he should stand
Those who perform
in
these ceremo-
nies at present, expect that Shivu will bestow
some blessing
fire,
At length he obtained an
upon them
either in this life or in the next.
the wife of Shivu.
under other names,
as
This goddess
is
known
Bhuguvutee, Sutee, Parvutee,
&c
In one age Shivti was married to Sutee, the daughter of
27
king Dukshu, and in another to the same goddess under the
name
Himaluyu^
of Parvtitee, the daughter of the mountain
hence she
is
the mountain-goddess.
When Doorga
was performing
religious austerities to
obtain Shivu. in marriage, the latter was so
appeared to her, and enquired
She was ashamed

replied for her.
why
that
he
she was thus employed
but her attendants
to assign the reason,
He,
moved
in jest, reproved her, observing that
people performed religious austerities to obtain something

valuable
in the article of marriage they desired a
person of
a good family, but he (Shivu) had neither father nor

ther;
or
a rich person, but he had not a garment to
wear; or
When
handsome person, but he had three
eyes.
Shivu was about to be married to Parvutee, her
mother and the neighbours treated the god

lous
mo-
manner;
the neighbours cried out,
This image of gold,
this
in a very scurri-
"Ah!
ah! ahj
most beautiful damsel, the greatest
beauty in the three worlds, to be given in marriage to such
an
a fellow*
old fellow with three eyes; without teeth;
clothed in a tyger's skin
with snakes
human
covered with ashes
wearing a necklace of
skull in his
hand; with a
bull,
has inflamed eyes
and wanders about
thrown
b
this beautiful
like a
a bunch
filthy juta (viz.
of hair like a turban) twisted round his head

intoxicating drugs
incircled
human bones ; with a
rides
madman.
who chews
naked on a
Ah
they have
In
daughter into the riverM"
In allusion to the throwing of dead bodies into the river.
this
This resem-
been excited by the marriage of Venus to

and deformed Vulcan. Another very singular coincidence be-
bles the surprise said to have
the filthy
twixt the European idolatry and that of the Hindoos

story of Vulcan and Minerva,
is furnished by the
and that respecting Shivu and Mohinee as
given in the Marktindeyu pooranu
count of
its
but which
offensive nature.
E 2
have suppressed on ac-
23
manner the neighbours exclaimed
against
the marriage,
Narudu, who had excited the disturbance,

and the wedding was concluded.
till
A number
books of an
of stories are related in
interfered,
some of the Hindoo
inferior order, respecting the quarrels of
and Parvutee, occasioned by the

the jealousy of the
and
These quarrels resemble those
latter.
of Jupiter and Juno.
Shivu
revels of the former,
Other
stories
are told of Shivu's
descending to the earth in the form of a mendicant, for the
some one
preservation of
austerities,
Shivu
is
in distress
perform religious
to
&c,
said,
have destroyed Ktin-
in the pooranus, to
for interrupting
him
vious to his union with Doorga.
We
durpu (Cupid),
in his devotions, prefind,
however, the god
of love restored to existence, after a lapse of ages, under the
name
of
Pmdyoomu, when he
again obtained his wife Rutee.
After his marriage with the mountain-goddess, Shivu on a

certain occasion offended his father-in-law, king Dukshii,
by refusing
to
bow
to
him
the king was sitting.

jnvite
Shivu to a
To
sacrifice
as
he entered the
circle in
which
be revenged, Dukshii refused to
which he was about
gtitee, the king's daughter,
to perform,
however, was resolved to go,
though uninvited and forbidden by her husband. On her

arrival Dukshii poured a torrent of abuse on Shivu, which
affected Sutee so
much
that she died c .
When
Shivu heard
of the loss of his beloved wife, he created a monstrous

giant,
whom
he commanded
put an end to
his sacrifice.
to
go and destroy Piikshu, and
He speedily
accomplished
this
work, by cutting off the head of the king, and dispersing

the guests.
P
The gods,
in
compassion
to Dukshii, placed
all
on
In reference to this mark of strong attachment, a Hindoo widow burn-
ing with her husband on the funeral pile
is
called Sutee.

his decapitated
to his family
body the head of
29
and restored him
a goat,
and kingdom.
This god has a thousand names, among which are the

following: Shivu, or, the benefactor.
great god
Bhoot^shu, he
who
w hose
alms' dish
The pundits
ledged
throat
is
is
devti,
who
Kritti-
Shree-^
Kupalubhrit, he
beautiful f .
Smuru-huru, the destroyer of
who destroyed Tripoo-
give proofs from the shastrus, in which Shivii
be the greatest of the gods, or Muha-deva
to
death.
Oogrti, the furious-
skulR
Mriru, he
who conquers
Tripoorantuku, he
the god of love.
and
6
lord of the bhootus
Mrityoonjuyu, he
kuntu, he whose
is
adorned with a half-moon.
is
he who wears a skin.
vasa,
Chtindrushe-
Eeshwuru, the glorious god.
kuru, he whose forehead
purines.
Muheshwuru, the
is
acknow-
from muha, great,
god.
Bhootus are beings partly in human shape, though some of them have
Some have
the faces of horses, others of camels, others of monkeys, Sec.
the bodies of horses, and the faces of men.
Some have one
and some
Some have only one ear, and others only one eye. Shivii is attended
by a number of these bhootus, as Bacchus had a body of guards consisting
leg,
two.
of drunken satyrs, demons, nymphs, &c.

f
After
Shivii, to
preserve the earth from destruction, had drank the
poison which arose out of the sea,
water of immortality, he
of death.
fell
when
the gods churned
into a swoon,
and appeared
were exceedingly alarmed
All the gods
to
it
to obtain the
be at the point
the iisoorus
were
with triumph, under the expectation that one of the gods (even
tilled
Shivii himself)
was about
to expire,
The gods addressed Doorga, who
took Shivii in her arm, and began to repeat certain incantations to destroy
the effects of the poison
tions
were used
not destroy Shivu,
names
8
is
This
it left
This was the first time incantapower of poison. Though the poison did
Shivu revived.
to destroy the
a blue
mark on
his throat
and hence one of his
Neelu-kuntu, the blue-throated.

is
five heads,
Brumha's
skull.
Shivii in
and made an alms' dish of
a quarrel cut off one of Briimha's

it.
Britmha and other gods,
character of mendicants, are represented with an earthen pot in

yyhich contains their food.
This pot
is
called a kiimun-duloo.
in the
the* hand
SO
an iisooru.
ru,
Gunga
a bull
lord of the hills, he
The
who
wields the trident
Shurvu, he
the everlasting.
who
who
is
which
dwells on the
Gireeshu,
hills.
following account of the heaven of Shivu
is
situated
on mount
Koilasti,
is
St'hanoo,
every thing.
from the work called Krityu-tutwu.
lated
the goddess
Vrishu-dwuju, he whose standard
Shoolee, he
who caught
Gtinga-dhuru, he
his hair h .
in
trans-
is
This heaven,
and called Shivtipooru,
ornamented with many kinds of gems and precious things,
is
Here reside gods, danugundhurvus m , upsurus n, siddhus , charunusP, brum*
as pearls, coral, gold, silver, &c.
vus
liurshees^, devurshees
as Sunatunii,
and muhurshees 8 ; also other sages,
Sunutkoomaru, Sunundu, tfgustyu, Ongira,
Goutumu, Bhrigoo,
Pooliistyu, Pooltihu, Chitrii, Angirusu,
Purashuru, Bhurudwaju, Mrikundu, Marktindyu, Shoo-
nush^phu,
tJshtavukrti,
Dhoumy ti,
Valmeekee, Vushisht'hu,
These persons constantly perform the wor-
Doorvasa, &c.
ship of Shivu and Doorga, and the upsurtis are continually
employed
in singing, dancing,
and other
flowers of every season are always in
which
are,
tuguru
theyoothee 1, jatee", mullika*, malutee*y, doru z,
kuruveSru b ,
The
among
festivities.
bloom here
kulharu
kurnikaru d,
c
,
ke'shuru e,
In Gtinga's descent from heaven, Shivu caught her in the bnnch of
hair tied at the back of his head.

i
Shivu's conduct, on the day of his marriage with Parvutee, puts us in
The Indian god rode through Kamu-roopu on a
mind of Priapus.
naked, with the bride on

11
Here Shivu appears with Neptune's
he resembles the watery god

1
in
A particular kind of giants.

Gods who
and courtezans.
auriculatum.
Unknown.
Nymphaa
sceptre, though I cannot find that
any thing else.

m The heavenly
J. grandirlorum.
J.
Great sages.
zambae.
Taberna?.montana coronaria.
cvanea.
Dancers
choiristers.
act as servants to some of the other gods.
Divine sages.
Sacred sages.
bull,
his knee.
Pterpspermum acerifolium.
Jasminum
Gaetnera racemosa,
b
c
Nerium odorum.
Mimusups elengi.

poonnagu d
kii
drona e , gundhuraju f, sh^phalikas, chumpu-
bhoomee-chumpuku', nagu-kshuru k , mooch ukoondu
kanchunu
",
pioolee", jhintee
ktidumbu
tee^,
blow on these
and
amrti
,
shala^, talti z,
jiimveeru
diffuse their fragrance all over
The shade produced by
fruits
ingoodee
and
the parijatu tree
is
This mountain also produces the following
very cooling.
neelu-jhinteeP, ruktii-jhin-
Cool, odoriferous, and gentle winds always

flowers,
the mountain.
trees
rujuneegundhu 8, turku 1, turooluta u , pari-
jatu*, &c. &c.
sha
31
e
,
punusus, shreephulu , drakushwutTiu m, kupitt'hu", &c. A variety
goovakti
vutfci
hintalti b , ktirjooru c,
tumalu a,
11
of birds are constantly singing here, and repeating the names

of Doorga and Shivu, viz. the kaku.% shookuP, paravutu**,
tittiree
6ohu
z
,
chatuku 8 , chasli 1, bhasii", kokilu*,
Ganges (Mundakinec)
glide along in purling streams.
on
six seasons are uninterruptedly enjoyed

viz.
and
golden throne, adorned with jewels,
engaged
Rottlera tinctoria.
Nyctanthesarbor
rotunda.
sit
(rainy),
On
Shivu and Doorga,
"
ferrea.
Pterospermum
Linum trigynum.
Barleria ciliata.
Nauclea
suberifolia.
orientalis.
./Eschynomenesesban.
Ipomea quamoclit.
Phoenix
'
Erythrina
Borassus flabejlifomiis.
citron or lime tree.
/Egle marmelos.
Areca catechu.
florida.
Kempferia
m Bauhinia
p
The
Barleria
tuberose.
Phoenix paludosa.
Shorea
fulgens.
Diospyrus cordifolia.
Barleria cristata.
sylvestris.
Gardenia
Michelia champaca.
The
The
mountain,
sheetti (cold).
Phlomis zeylanica.
tristU.
Mesua
(several species).
cocrulea.
daty-
in conversation.
this
vusuntu (spring), greeshmu. (summer), vursha
shtirut (sultry), shishirti (dewy),
sarasiiy,
chukruvaku a, &^. &c. The waters of the heavenly
robusta.
Mangiferalndica.
Artocarpus
integrifolia.
Ficus Tndica.
Unknown.
n Feronia elephantium.
p The parrot.
The crow.
Ficus religiosa.
< The pigeon.
Coracias Indica.
The partridge.
The sparrow.
x
Y
* Unknown.
* The
The Indian cuckow.
The Siberian crane.
*
'
The grape
vine.
'
'
gallinule.
Anas casarca.
'
32
The
Shree-bhagtivutu. contains another description of the
heaven of Shivu:
Sixteen thousand miles
on mount Koilasu*,
resides this god, in a palace of gold,
adorned with jewels of
with
fruit, flowers
and
This palace
kinds.
all
forests, gardens, canals, trees laden
here,
of every fragrance.
is
with
The kulpu
surrounded
all
kinds of
tree also
grows
from which a person may obtain every kind of food
all
may
other things he
roodrakshu u forest,
under a
his wife Parvuiee.
The
extends 200 miles in
all
In the centre of a
desire.
tree,
Shivu frequently
sits
with
fragrance of the parijatti flowers
directions
here enjoyed at the same time.

filled
from the earth,
and
all
the seasons are
The winds blow
with the most refreshing odours.
softly,
At the extremities
of this heaven southwards and northwards Shivu has fixed
two
gates,
one of which
Mtiha-kalu.
number
constantly reside here,
Guneshu, the sons of
is
kept by Nundee, the other by
of gods and other celestial beings
among whom
are
Kartikeyu and
Shivti; also the female servants of
Doorga, Juya, and Vijuyar, eight nayikas, and sixty-four

yoginees, with bhootus, pishachus, Shivu's bull, and those
disciples of Shivti (shaktus)
The time
is
spent here
who have
obtained beatitude.
the festivities and abominations
of the other heavens.
Sonini, during his travels in
Greece and Turkey, made a journey into
ancient Macedonia, and paid a visit to mount Olympus, the ahode of the
gods.
It
was the middle of July when
this
excursion was made, and
although the heat was extreme towards the base of the mountain, as well
as in the plain, vast masses of
"
It
is
snow rendered the summit
inaccessible.
not astonishing," says Sonini, " that the Greeks have placed the
abode of the gods on an eminence which mortals cannot reach."
monks of the convent," who have succeeded them
The
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 cha-
mois and a few bears, there are hardly any quadrupeds to be seen beyond
the half of the height of Olympus.
Eleocarpus ganitru*.
Birds also scarcely pass this
limit.
THE HINDOO MTTHOLOGY.
33
SECTION UI.Brumha.
As has been already mentioned, Brumha, Vishnoo, and
Shivu derived their existence from the one Brumhu.
Hindoo pandits do not admit
The
these to be creatures, but
contend that they are emanations from, or parts
of,
the one
Brumhu.
Brumha
first
produced the waters, then the earth
next,
from his own mind, he caused a number of sages and four

females to be born
among
born the gods
the sages was Ktishyupu, the
From
and men.
father of the gods, giants,
from Ditee the giants
iMitee were
from Kudroo the
hydras; and from Vinuta, Gurooru and tJroonti.

creating these sages,
who were
of course bramhuns,
After
Brumha
caused a kshutriyu. to spring from his arms, a voishyu from

his thighs,
and a shoodru from
In this order, ac-
his feet.
cording to the pooranus, the whole creation arose.
Hindoo
The
shastrus, however, contain a variety of different
accounts on the subject of creation.
have thought
necessary to give this brief statement, as
it
it
seems connected
with the history of this god.
Brumha
gold colour
is
;
In one hand he holds a

duloo, or alms' dish.
muhu)
man
represented as a
with four faces, of a
dressed in white garments

stick,
He
of gods and mens.
the reigning superstition
is
riding on a goose.
and in the other a kumuncalled the grandfather (pita-
He
is
not
much
regarded in
nor does any one adopt him as
his guardian deity.
Jupiter was called the father and king of goda and men.
VOL.
I.
34
The
bramhtins, in their morning and evening worship,
repeat an incantation, containing a description of the image
of
Brumha >
honour of
flower
this god, presenting to
at the
noon they perform an
at
act of worship in
him sometimes
time of a burnt offering
presented to Brumha.
In the month Maghii,
moon, an earthen image of
this
god
a single
clarified butter is
at the full
worshipped, with
is
that of Shivu on his right hand, and that of Vishnoo on his
This
left.
festival lasts
are, the next day,
only one day, and the three gods
thrown into the
This worship
river.
accompanied with songs, dances, music, &c. as

festivals
but the worship of Brumha
celebrated by a
who
is
is
at all other
most frequently
number of young men of the baser
defray the expences by a subscription.
Bloody
sort,
sacri-
never offered to Brumha.
fices are
Brumha, notwithstanding the venerable name of grandfather, seems to be as lewd as any of the gods.
At the
time that intoxicating
giants,
to drink spirits, and
ness
spirits
were
first
made,
all
the gods,
gundhurvus, yukshus,kinnurus,&c.were accustomed
no blame was then attached
to
drunken-
but one day Brumha, in a state of intoxication, made
an attempt on the virtue of his own daughter, by which he

incurred the wrath of the gods.
Some time
afterwards,
Brumha
boasted in company, that he was as great a god as
Shivu.
Hearing what Brumha had been saying, the
latter,
inflamed with anger, was about to cut off one of Brumha's

heads, but was prevented by the intercessions of the as-
sembled gods.
Brumha complained
to
Doorga, who ap-
peased him by saying, that Shivu did not attempt to cut

off his
head because he aspired to be greater than he, but
because he (Brumha) had been guilty of a great crime in
endeavouring to seduce his daughter.
ned with
this answer,
Brumha was
sati-
but pronounced a curse on what-
upsura should hereafter drink
gundhurvii, or
ever god,
35
spirits.
The above
The Kashee-khundu of the Skunda pooBrumha lost one of his heads in the follow-
Muhabharutu.
ranu
says, that
ing manner
the substance of the story as related in the
is
this
god was one day asked by
in the presence of Krutoo,

greatest,
that he
Brumha, Vishnoo,
was
certain sages,
who was
a form of Vishnoo,
or Shivu
Brumha
entitled to this distinction.
affirmed
Krutoo, as a form
of Vishnoo, insisted that the superiority belonged to himself.
An
made
appeal was
to the vddus
On
declared in favour of Shivu.
Brumha was
filled
but those books
hearing this verdict,
with rage, and made
remarks upon Shivu
who, assuming the
Kalu-Bhoiruvti, appeared before
many
terrific
form of
Brumha and Krutoo,
receiving farther insults from Brumha, with his

off one of Brumha's five heads.
insulting
nails
and,
tore
Brumha was now thoroughly
humbled, and with joined hands acknowledged that he was
Thus
inferior to Shivti.
this quarrel betwixt the three
gods
was adjusted; and Shivu, the naked mendicant, was ac-
knowledged
Brumha
as
is
Muha-devu, the great god.
also charged with stealing several calves
from
the herd which Krishnu was feeding.
This god, assuming the appearance of a religious mendicant,
is
said to
have appeared many times on earth for
different purposes.
Stories to this effect are to be
found
in several of the pooranus.
The Muhabharutu contains the following description of

the heaven of Brumha
this heaven is 800 miles long, 400
broad, and -10 high. Narudu, when attempting to describe
:
f 2
35
this
task
it
heaven, declared himself utterly incompetent to the

that he could not
do
it
in
contained in a superior degree
two hundred years

all
that
that
was in the other
heavens; and that whatever existed in the creation of
Brumha on
earth,
from the smallest insect to the largest
was
to be
found here.
animal,-
scene in
the heaven
spiritual guide of the gods,
of Brumha
on a
Vrihusputee,
the
went to
particular occasion
the palace of his elder brother Ootut'hyu, and became en-
amoured of
his pregnant wife.
reproved him.
account
it
was born
When grown
The
child in the
womb
Vrihusputee cursed the child; on which

blind,
and called Deerghu-ttima c
Deerghu-tuma followed the steps of his

uncle, and from his criminal amours Goutumu and other
Hindoo saints were born. Deerghu-tuma was delivered
up,
from the curse of Vrihusputee by Yoodhist'hiru.

This god has many names, among which are the following
Brumha, or, he who multiplies [mankind]. Atmubhoo, the
s-elf-existent..
muhu,
Furumst'hee, the chief
the grandfather.
nant with gold.

ator.
Ubju-yonee, he who
is
he who subdues the
who
is
preg-
Dhata, the creator.
born from the water-lily. Droohinu>
giants.
Prujaputee, the lord of
all
Savitree-putee, the husband of Savitree.
From
deerghii, long
That
is,
the
Hirunyu-gtirbhu, he
Pita-
Loke"shu, the god of mankind, the cre-
Chtitoor-anunu, the four-faced.
creatures.
sacrificer d .
ttima, darkness.
bramhun he performed all the great sacrifices of

To every sacrifice a bramhun is necessary.
as the first
Hindoo law.
37
SECTION IV.Jndrw.
Indru
100 years of the gods;
person, from
own
and his reign
called the king of heaven,
is
to continue
among
after
said
is
which another
the gods, the giants, or men, by his
The
merit, raises himself to this eminence.
sacrifice
of a horse e one hundred times raises a person to the rank

of Indru.
The Shree-bhagtivutu gives the following list of

who have been or will be raised to the rank
the per-
sons
of the gods during the present kulpu
of king
Rochunu,
Htiree,
Sutyu-jit,Trishikhu, Vibhoo, Mantru-droomu, and Poortm-
dum,
To him will succeed Bulee,

Slmmbhoo, Voidhritu, Gundhu-dharna, Divus-
the present Indrti.
Shrootu,
putee, and Shoochee.
Indru
man,
is
on an
sitting
elephant called Oiravutu, with a thunderbolt in his right
handj and a
bow
The worship
in his left.
of Indru
is
He
has 1000 eyas.
celebrated annually, in
time, on the 14th of the lunar
month
Bhadrii.
tl*c
The
day
usual
ceremonies of worship are accompanied with singing, music,

In Bengal the greater
dancing, &c.
keep
this
festival are
women;
monies are performed by

one day,
This
ties, is
The
Mars.
after
festival,
officiating
which the image
which
celebrated
is
all
number
of those
whose names the
in
is
bramhuns.
over Bengal
It lasts
thrown into the
accompanied by the greatest
who
cere-
river.
festivi-
each one repeating
horse, on account of his usefulness in war,
was
it
sacrificed to
38
On
annually during fourteen years.
the day of worship,
a few blades of doorva grass are tied round the right
of a man, and the
the festival
is
Some
woman.
which contains fourteen knots,
this string,
cakes, &c.
of a
left
is
month
for a
Fourteen kinds of
over.
must be presented
fruits,
to the image.
arm
persons wear
after
fourteen
This worship
performed for the purpose of procuring riches, or a house,
or a son, or pleasure^ or a residence after death in Inum's
heaven
..
Indru
is
supposed to preside over the elements, so that in
times of drought prayers are addressed to
him
as the giver
of rain.
t
He
and
is
is
also
one of the ten guardian
said to preside in the east.
of any other god acceptable,
it is
deities of the earth,
To
render the worship
necessary that the worship
of these deities be previously performed,
viz.
of Indru,
Ugnee, Yumti, Noiritu, Vuroonu, Ptivunu, Eeshu, tJnuntu,
Kooveru, and
Bmmha
also that of
the five deities,' viz.
Sooryu, Guneshu, Shivti, Doorga, and Vishnoo

nine planets,
sptitee,
viz. Rtivee,
Sornu,
M ungulii, Boodhu, Vrihu-
Shookru, Shunee, Rahoo, and Ketoo.
quence of
this rule, a
formed to Indru.
stories respecting this
commencement
of every festival.
other writings contain a
king of the gods,
as particularly jealous lest
formance of sacred
In conse-
few ceremonies of worship are per-
at the
The pooranus and
and of the
who
is
number of
represented
any persons should, by the per-
austerities,
outdo him in religious merit,
and" thus obtain his kingdom.
To
from succeeding
he generally sends a capti-
in their object,
vating female from his
own
prevent these devotees
residence to draw away their
minds, and thus throw them down from the ladder of
relir

gious merit, and send them back again to a
among the delusive forms
tion
of earth.
life
But
his seducing the wife of his spiritual guide
related in the
is
Ramayunii
as follows
of gratifica-
which en-
that
on the character of
tails the greatest infamy
story
30
this
god
is,
Goutumu. This
:
'After receiv-
ing the highest honours from Prtimutee, the two descendants
of Rtighoo, having passed the night there, went towards
When
Mit'hila.
ful city of
!'
excellent
the sages beheld at a distance the beauti-
Raghuva, seeing a hermitage
hila,
asked the chief of sages,
this,
divine one
What
to hear
I desire
beautiful, of impenetrable shade,
is,
Vishwamitru, hearing these words,

answered the lotus-eyed Rainu
whose
solitary,
c
:
Excellent!
in a grove of Mit'-
solitary wilderness is
whose hermitage
and inhabited by
this
sages.'
in pleasing accents thus
Attend,
I will
inform thee
and in what manner
this hermitage,
is
Junuku, they joyfully exclaimed,
cursed by the great one in his wrath.
it
became
This was
Goutumu, adorned with

For many thousand years, O son
the sacred hermitage of the great

trees, flowers,
and
fruits.
of Rtighoo, did the sage remain here with fthulya, perform-
One
ing sacred austerities.
gone
far distant, the
day,
Ramu,
the sage being
king of heaven, acquainted with the
opportunity, and sick with impure desire, assuming the

habit of a sage f, thus addressed Uhtilya, 'The menstrual
season deserves regard 8 ,
That
is,
thou
the habit of Goutamii.
Alcmena, the wife of Aniphy trion,
This resembles Jupiter's seducing

in
her husband's absence, in the like-
ness of Amphytrion.
g
'According to the
menses
is
sliastrtis,
forbidden during the
first
All connubial intercourse
three of these days.
violation of this rule, on the first

tion with a female chundalii,
sixteen days from the appearance of the
reckoned the menstrual season.
day
is
The
is
by a
equal to that of a criminal connec-
on the second day equal
washerwoman, and on the third
guilt incurred
to the
to the
same act with
same act with a female shoodnt.'
40
This depraved woman,

Shukrti
afflicter
of enemies, knowing
in the disguise of a sage,
through wantonness
The
consented, he being king of the gods.
chief of the
gods having perpetrated his crime, she thus addressed him

6
O chief of gods, thou hast accomplished thy design, speediO sovereign of the gods, effectually
ly depart unobserved.
me from Goutumu.'
O beautiful one, 1 am
preserve thyself and

e
replied to tihulya,
will depart; forgive
much
Rarnu, with
my
wrath of Goutumu.
At
left
fully pleased
After this, he,
transgression/
caution
Indrti smiling
the hermitage, dreading the
saw Goutumu enter,
that instant he
resplendent with energy, and, through the power of sacred

austerities, invincible
even to the gods e wet with the waters
of the sacred teer'thti

butters, he
sacrificial
f
,
as the fire
saw him coming
moistened with
clarified
to the hermitage, laden with
wood, and the sacred kooshu.
Perceiving him,
The
Shukru was overwhelmed with sadness.
sage clothed
in virtue, beholding the profligate lord of the gods in the
disguise of a sage, in dreadful anger thus addressed

profligate wretch,
assuming
this crime: therefore
my
him
c
:
form thou hast perpetrated
become an eunuch.'
At the word of
the magnanimous and angry Goutumu, the thousand-eyed

god instantly became an eunuch. Deprived of manly energy,
and rendered an eunuch by the anger of the devout sage,
he, full of agonizing pain, was overcome with sorrow h .
A name
The Hindoos
of Indrti, signifying strength.

believe that the merit of works
is
such as to be sufficient
to raise a person higher than the gods themselves.

f
Teert'hfis are certain places
doos.
fi
Bathing
That
is,
in these places is
esteemed peculiarly sacred by the Hin-
reckoned highly meritorious.
the fire of the burnt offering.
h Other accounts say, that Goutumu imprinted a thousand female mark*

upon him as proofs of his crime, and that Indrti was so ashamed, that he
petitioned Goutumu to deliver him from his disgrace. The sage, therefore,
'
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY*
41
The great sage, having cursed him, pronounced a curse upon

(
Innumerable series of year, O sinful wretch,
his own wife
:
of depraved heart, thou, enduring excessive pain, abandoned,

lying constantly in ashes, invisible to
remain in this
When Ramu,
forest.
shall enter this dreadful forest, thou,
be cleansed from thy

tained
him without
Having,
creatures, shalt
beholding him, shalt
O stupid wretch,
selfish views, thou, filled
me
enter-
with joy, shalt
Having thus addressed

wicked woman, the illustrious Goutumu, the great
again approach
this
sin.
all
the son of Dushurut'hii,
without
fear.'
abandoned this hermitage, and performed austerities

on the pleasant top of Himuvut, frequented by the siddhtis
ascetic,
and charimlis
Indru.
c,
was also guilty of stealing a horse consecrated by
king Suguru,
who was about
to perform, for the hundredth
time, the sacrifice of this animal.
Indrii,
come
though king of the gods, has been frequently over-
in war:
Meghu.-nadu d , the son of
Ravuilti, the giant,
once overcame him, and tied him to the feet of his horse.
On
condition of releasing the king of the gods, Brtimha
conferred on Me*ghii-nadti the
conqueror of
Indrii.
He
name
Indrti-jit, that is,
the
was called Meghu-nadii because
he fought behind a cloud, (meghu;) and
this
enabled him to
overcome Indru, who, in the engagement, was unable to

sec him, though he had a thousand eyes.
Kushyupu, the sage, once performed
a great sacrifice, to
changed these marks into eyes, and hence Indru became the thousandeyed god.
c
Carey and Marshman's Translation of the Ramayimu,
This word signifies thunder.
VOL.
I.
vol.
i.
page 433.
42
which
all
feast,
saw 60,000 dwarf bramhuns trying
the gods were invited.
cow's footstep which was
on his way
Indrti,
with water, and had the
rilled
which they were
misfortune to laugh at these pigmies
so
make
incensed,
who
that they resolved to
at
new
Indru,
should conquer him, and take away his kingdom.
was so frightened
drti
to the
in vain to cross a
who could not get over a

Brumha to interfere who
;
In-
60,000 pigmy bramhuns,
at these
cow's footstep, that he entreated
him from
saved
and
their wrath,
continued him on his throne.
Desaiption of Umuraviitee, the residence of Indru, from

Muhabhariitu
This heaven was made by Vishwu-kurma,
the architect of the gods.
and 40 miles high

its
It is
its pillars
800 miles
are
It is
in circumference,
composed of diamonds
elevated seats, beds, &c. are of gold
of gold.
th-
so ornamented with
its
all
palaces are also
kinds of precious
all
stones, jasper, chrysolite, sapphire, emeralds, &c. &c. that

it
exceeds in splendour the brightness of twelve suns united.
It is
surrounded with gardens and
forests, containing
among
other trees the parijatu, the fragrance of the flowers of
which extends 800 miles, that
the whole heaven
is, fills
In the pleasure grounds are pools of water,
and cold in summer, abounding with

lilies,
fish,
warm
in winter
water-fowl, water-
the landing places of which are of gold.
&c.
All
kinds of trees and flowering shrubs abound in these gardens.
The winds
are
heat of the sun
most refreshing, never boisterous; and the

is
never oppressive.
Gods, sages, upsuras,
kinnurus, siddhtis, saddhytis, de>urshees, brumhurshees,

rajurshees,
Vrihtisputee,
Shookru, Shtinee, Boodhu, the
winds, clouds, Oiravtitu, (Indru's elephant,) and other celestial

e
beings, dwell in this heaven.

It is
a curious fact, that thoujrh
pooranus for
its
fragrance,
it
The
inhabitants are con-
this flower
has no scent at
is
:so
celebrated
in
the
all.
43
tmually entertained with songs, dances, music, and every
Neither sickness, sorrow, nor sudden
species of mirth.
death, are found in these regions, nor are

affected with
hunger or
thirst.
its
inhabitants
When the god Narudii was

king Yoodhist'hiru's,
sitting in
an assembly of princes
the latter
asked him whether he had ever seen so grand a
some
Narudti, after
scene before.
had beheld a scene
at
in Indru's heaven, of
which he then gave the above account

the place exceeded
all
his
he
hesitation, declared
more splendid
far
but confessed that
powers of description.
scene in Indru's heaven:
-On
a certain occasion an
assembly of the gods was held in this place, at which, beside

the gods, Narudti and the rishees, the
gunus, dukshtis,
While the courtezans were
gundhtirvus, &c. were present.
dancing, and the kinniirus singing, the whole assembly was

filled
To crown
with the highest pleasure.
gods caused a shower of flowers to
The king
of the gods, being the
age present,
first
his nose, gave
it
fall
their joys, the
on the assembly.
most distinguished person-
took up a flower, and, after holding
to a
bramhun.
it
to
The assembled gods laugh-
ing at the brumhtin for receiving what Indru had used, he
went home
to
become
in disgrace
a cat in the
Suddenly, and
became a
but cursed Indru, and doomed him
house of a person of the lowest
unknown
cat in the
to all,
he
fell
house of a hunter.
cast.
from heaven, and

After he had been
absent eight or ten days, Shuehee, his wife, became very

anxious, and sent messengers every where to enquire for her
husband.
The gods
also said
among
themselves,
'What
is
become of Indru?-A total silence reigns in his palace, nor

are we invited to. the dance and the usual festivities
What
!
can be the meaning of this
?'
All search was
the gods assembled to enquire where he was.
Shuehee in a
state of distraction, of
in vain
and
They .ound
whom Brumha enquired
44
Rrumha
respecting the lost god. At length
closed his
eyes-,
and by the power of meditation discovered that Indrti, having

offended a bramhun, had become a cat.
alarm, asked
go
to the
Brumha what
Shuchee,
she was to do.
He
full
of
told her to
house of the bramhun, and obtain his favour;
upon which her husband would be restored to her. Shuche obeyed the directions of Brumha, and went to the house
of the bramhun ; who was at length pleased with her attentions,
and ordered her to descend
to the earth,
house of the hunter, whose wife would

that her
husband might be restored
Assuming a human form, she went
tell
her what to do
to his throne in heaven.
house of the hun-
to the
and, looking at the cat, sat weeping.
ter,
and go to the
The
wife of the
hunter, struck with the divine form of Shuchee, enquired
with surprise
who
she was.
Shuchee
hesitated,
and ex-
pressed her doubts whether the hunter's wife would believe
her
if
who
she declared her real name. At length she confessed
she was, and, pointing to the cat, declared that that was
her husband, Indrti, the king of heaven.

petrified
nfter
The
hunter's wife,
with astonishment, stood speechless.
some
farther discourse, said, she
Shuchee,
had been informed
that she (the hunter's wife) alone could assist her in obtain-
ing the deliverance of her husband.

of reflection, this
woman
directed
After some
Shuchee
to
moments
perform the
Kalika-vrutu.
She obeyed; and poor
form of the
ascended to heaven, and resumed his place
among
cat,
the gods.
offend a
No
Indrti, quitting the
doubt he took care in future not to
bramhun.
Another scene hi the heaven of Indru, from the Shree-bhuguvutu.
On
a certain occasion, the heavenly courtezans
and others were dancing before the gods, when Indrti was
so charmed with the dancing and the person of Oorvtishee,
one of the courtezans, that he did not perceive when
his

spiritual
guide Vrihusputee entered the
assembly, and
him the usual honours.
neglected to pay
45
Vrihusputee
was so incensed at this, that he arose and left the assembly.
The
gods, perceiving the cause, in the utmost consterna-
went
tion f
to Indrti,
had passed.
The
and made him acquainted with what

gods to join him in
latter intreated the
seeking for the enraged Vrihusputee; but the spiritual guide
At
had, by the power of yogu, rendered himself invisible.
they found the angry gooroo in his
last
own house; and
the
gods, joining their petitions to those of Indrti, entreated that
Vrihusputee declared that
the offence might be forgiven.
he had for ever rejected
Indrti,
and that his resolution would
not be changed. Indrti, offended that for so small an offence
he should be so harshly treated, declared that he would
make no farther concessions, but seek another religious

The gods approved of his resolution, and advised
guide.
him to choose Vishwti-roopu, a giant with three heads.
In process of time, at the suggestion of his mother, Vishwuroopii
began a
sacrifice to
procure the increase of the power of
the giants, the natural enemies of the gods.

this, and,
Indru heard of
hurling his thunders on the head of the faithless
priest, destroyed
him
in
The
an instant.
father of
Vishwu-
roopu heard of his son's death, and, by the merit of a

fice,
gave birth to a giant, at the sight of
Brumha; who informed
to
whom
the king of the gods that this
giant could not be destroyed by
all
his thunders, unless
could persuade Dtidheechee, a sage, to renounce

give
him one
of his bones.
The
the power of yogu renounced
made
this
destroyed.
sacri-
Indrti fled
life,
he
and
sage consented, and by
life
when Vishwu-kurma
bone into a thunder-bolt, and the giant was
But immediately on his death, a
Hindoo considers the anger of
possible misfortune.
his spiritual
terrific
raon-
guide as the greatest
46
ster arose
from the body, to punish
Indr'u for his
bram-
Wherever the king of the gods fled, this monster

followed him with his mouth open, ready to swallow him
hunicide.
up,
Indrti took refuge in a place
till
where the monster
could not approach him ; however he sat down, and watched

the trembling culprit.
be alarmed
was
After some time the gods began to
there was no king in heaven, and every thing
complete disorder,
falling into
After consultation,
they raised to the throne of heaven, in his bodily state,
who had performed the sacrifice of a

one hundred times. When Nuhooshu enquired for
Nuhooshti,
chee,
the
queen of heaven, he found she was
He
parijatu forest.
horse
Shii-
the
in
sent for her; but she declared she
as he had a human and not a divine

The messengers remonstrated with her, but she
Brumha; who advised her to send word to the new
that she would live with him, if he would come
would not come,

body.
fled to
Indru,
and fetch her with an equipage superior to whatever

had been seen before in heaven. This message was conveyed to the new Indrti;
who
received
it
with
much
joy,
but took several days to consider in what way he should go

to fetch
home
the queen.
ried to her in the
At
last,
he resolved to be car-
arms of some of the principal sages.
As
the procession was moving along, the king, in his excessive

anxiety to arrive at the parijatu forest, kicked the sacred
lock of hair on the head of tT gustyu;
who became
filled
with rage, and, pronouncing a dreadful curse on the new

Indrti,
upon
threw him down, and he

a
mountain on the
earth.
fell,
in the
form of a snake,
Vishnoo, perceiving
that
one Indrti was kept a prisoner, and that another had been
cursed and sent
medy
down
to the earth, resolved to find a re-
for this evil, and, cursing the
monster who had im-
prisoned the former king of the gods> restored him to his
throne and kingdom.
47
Another scene in Indrus heaven, from the Muhabharutu.
Narudu one day

parijatu flower
of this flower
from the heaven of Indru.
filled
riidu first called
the whole place with
and offered the flower
he might dispose of
He
next went to Krishnu,
who
him with
received
to
as he chose.
it
great
Well, Narudu, you are come after a long ab-
respect
sence
what flower
is
garden,
Indru's
Krishnu. received
conversation,
it
that?'
grance?' said Narudu,
from
Na-
She recommended him
to her.
to Krishnu, that
it
fragrance
odours,
its
on Rookminee, one of Krishnu's wives,
give
The
him
called at Krishnu's, having with
'
it
and
is
Can't you
now
by
tell
the parijatu:
present
its fra-
brought
it
it
you/
to
with pleasure, and, after some further
Narudu
retired into another part of the
and watched Krishnu, to see to which of
his wives
house
he would
give this flower; that he might excite a quarrel in Krishnu's
and ultimately a war betwixt Krishnu and Indru.
family,
Krishnu, after Narudu had retired, went to Rookminee,
and gave the flower to her, warning her to keep

lest
of
secret,
it
Sutyu-bhama (another of Krishnu's wives) should hear
it.
As soon
as
Narudu saw
to
whom
Krishnu had given
the flower, he paid a visit to Sutyu-bhama,
him with
great attention.
After
the
first
who
received
compliments
were over, Narudu fetched a deep sigh, which Sutyu-
bhama
He seemed to
noticing, enquired the cause.
with reluctance, which made Sutyu-bhama

sitive.
He
anxiety was
degree, and she begged
he meant.
'
as the
answer
more inqui-
then acknowledged that his sorrow was on her
Her
account.
still
'
him
now
inflamed to the highest
to tell her
without delay what
have always considered you,' says Narudu,
most beloved wife of Krishnu; the fame of your
happiness has reached heaven itself

seen to-day,
suspect that this
Why?' asked Sutyurbhama most
is
but from what

all
mistake.'
anxiously.
'
have
Why
Narudu then

48
unfolded to her, in the most cautious manner, the story of

the flower
'
brought from heaven,' says he,
flower, (a flower
gave
it
sent
it
which
to Krishnu.
to
you
went
instead of that he
made no doubt but he would
was.
secretly to the
Sutyu-bhama
Where then
it.
'
Do
you not
1 perceived,' said
it
was not in
it
'
he,
'
when you
And do you
its
odours
see Krishnu, ask
around.
all
him
to let
!'
cious
a jewel;
he did not even
but secretly gave
it
was the
But,' says
you look
think then,' said Sutyu-bhama,
Narudti
it
f
speak to Krishna, or see his face any more

right/ said Narudti
to de-
the most delightful fra-
was from your body.'
his love
odours?'
its
declared that his body was offensive, and that

parijatu that diffused
is
power
his
perceive,' said he,
Sutyu-bhama,
grance, but I thought
it
asked what kind of flower this
Narudti declared that
scribe
c
?'
pre-
But
apartments of Rookhe present
else should
minee, and gave the flower to her.

to you
a parijatu
not to be obtained on earth.) and
is
whom
to
at
it.*
that I shall
i
You
are
let
you see so pre-
to
another.'
The
enraged Sutyu-bhama made the most solemn protestations

that she had done with Krishnu for ever.
her for her resolution, but hinted, that
if
Narudti praised
make
upon his
she ever did
up the matter with Krishnu, she should
insist
fetching one of the trees from heaven, and giving

Narudti, having thus
laid
the
quarrel betwixt Krishnu and his wife, and of a

lndrti,
angers.
to her.
war with
withdrew, and Sutyu-bhama retired to the house of
Some
days after this, Krishnu went to see
Sutyu-bhama, but could not

vants, they told
him
cause, he went to her,
A house set apart for an
reconciles himself to her.
find her
on asking the
ser-
some account retired

Not being able to discover the
and made use of every soothing
that she had on
to the house of anger.
it
foundation of a dreadful
angry wife, where she retires
till
her husband

expression; but in vain.
when,
feet,
many
At
from heaven, and plant
trees
engaged to
respects
at
her
consented to be
and
do,
sent
it
This he
in her garden.
Gtirooru.
to
Indru with his
but commissioned Gurooru in case of refusal to
him with war
threaten
he threw himself
last
entreaties, she
on condition that he should fetch one of the
reconciled,
that
after
49
and
if this
did not avail, to add,
Krishnu would come and trample on the body of his
queen, overturn his throne, and take the tree from him by
Neither the entreaties nor threats of Krishnu moved
force.
Indru
who, on the contrary, sent him a defiance.
Krish-
nu, on the return of Gurooru, collected his forces, and in-
Dreadful havoek was made on both sides.
vaded heaven.
All the heavens were in a state of frightful uproar; and

the gods, full of alarm, advised Indru to submit, as
would
weapon
called
Soodtirshunu,
wherever he- went.

for
At length Krishnu
certainly be overcome.
The gods
lie
let fly
which pursued the foe
again exhorted Indru to sue
peace, to prevent his immediate destruction
he at
length took this advice, and submitted to the enraged
Krishnu,
who
his jealous wife
The
or,
Sutyu-bhama.
following are
the glorious.
winds.
and appeased
carried off the tree in triumph,
some of the names of
Mtirootwan, he who
is
this
god
Indru,
surrounded by the
Paktishasunu,he who governs the gods with justice.
Pooroohootu, he who invited

performed by
king Pooroo. Poorundurti, he who destroys the dwellings
of
enemies. Jishnoo, the conqueror. Shukrti, he who
equal
every
Shutumunyoo, he who performed
hundred
Divusputee, the god of the heavens.
Gotrubhid, he who dipt the wings of the mountains'.
to a sacrifice
is
his
to
is
thing.
sacrifices.
It is said, that formerly the
into all parts of the earth,
VOL.
I.
mountains had wings, and that they flew
and crushed
to
atoms towns,
cities,
&ci

*0
who
Bujree, he
who
destroyed
Vritruha, he
Vrisha, the holy.
gods. Bularatee, the de-
wields the thunder-bolt

the
k.
giant Vritru.
Sooru-putee, the king of the
Hurihiiyu, he who drawn by

Numooehisoodunu, the destroyer of Ntimoochee,
Sunkrundunu, he who causes the wives
of
enemies
weep. Toorashat, he who
bear
Mghu-vahiinu, he who
on the
stroyer of Bulii, a giant.
is
yellow horses.
a giant.
his
to
is
things.
all
able to
rides
Suhusrakshu, he
who
clouds.
has a thousand eyes K
SECT. V.Sooryu.
This god
is
nitor of gods
said to be the son of
He
and men.
man, with three
eyes,
is
Kushyupu, the proge-
represented as a dark-red
and four arms
holds the water-lily; with another he

sing,
and with the other forbidding
water-lily,
is
fear.
in
two hands he
bestowing a bles-
He
sits
on a red
and rays of glory issue from his body.
The bramhuns
consider Sooryu. as one of the greatest of
the gods, because in glory he resembles the one Brumhti,
who
this
is
called
god
is
tejomuyu, or the glorious.
much
the gay utree, and
and
praise,
noticed
many
In the vedus also
the celebrated incantation called
of the forms of meditation, prayer,
used in the daily ceremonies of the bramhuns,
are addressed to him.
He
is
at present
worshipped daily
by the bramhuns, when flowers, water, &c. are
offered,
accompanied with incantations.

k
1
In this Indru resembles Jupiter Fulminator.
Mr. Wilkins considers
of file heavens.
m The Sun.
Indrii,
with his thousand eyes, as a deification
$1
a Sunday, at the rising of the sun, in any month, but
On
chiefly
month Maghu,
the
especially in
number of
women, perform the worship
persons,
of Sooryu:
shall
give an account of this worship in the words of a respected

friend.
'The sun
is
annually worshipped on the
The name
day in the month Maghu.

called
Dhurmu-bhaoo,
idolatry.
the
saw
it
far
once thus conducted
sisted of fruits, sweetmeats, pigeons,
pint and a half of water.
ap-
as to join in the
The
and
dawn of
at the
were carried into
offerings
the open field, and placed in a row.
was placed by each person's
women
though none are excluded,
Hindooized
morning a great number of
is
The ceremonies
vary in different places, but in this district the
and even Musulmans are so
Sun-
of this worship
or Sooryu-bhaoo.
pear to be the principal actors
first
offerings con-
kids.
small pot
about a
offering, containing
device
made of
a species of Millingtonia, intended to
a water-plant,
represent the sun,
was placed on the edge of the pot, and a small twig of the
mango-tree, with a few leaves on
in
England keep
it,
put into
The pot with
flowers.
it,
all its
as people
appendages
represented the sun perhaps as the vivifier of nature.
each offering also was placed (what shall
cense-altar, or censer called dhoonachce.
chafing-dish,
made
about a foot long.
It
resembled a
of copper, and stood upon a pedestal

It
contained coals of
fire,
Incense from time to time was thrown into

pitch of the salu-tree, called dhoona.
it,
also took their
and a kind of
principally the
Near each
was placed a lamp, which was kept burning
women
stations near the
all
offering
day.
The
offerings.
sun-rise they walked four times round the whole

offerings,
By
an in-
call it?)
At
row of
with the right hand towards them, and the smok-
ing dhoonachces placed on their heads; after which they re-
sumed
their stations again,
posture, fasting the whole
where they continued
in
an erect
day, occasionally throwing
H 2
53
Towards evening the
incense into the dhoonachee.
little
bramhun who attended

into the air
the ceremony threw the pigeons
which, being young, could not
fly
bramhun
The
perforated the ears of the kids with a
needle ; after which they were seized by the
About sun -set the
touched them.
and
far,
were scrambled for and carried away by the crowd.

officiating
up
the smoking dhoonachees, and
the rows of offerings.
first
person
offerers again
made
who
took up
three circuits round
After this the offerings and lighted
lamps were taken away by their respective owners, who

threw the lamps into a pool of water,'
Women
frequently
make
on condition that he give

to another, health, &c.
after bearing a son.
to
in
vow
to
Sooryu to worship him,

;
Some perform
This worship
by one woman alone;
more
to one, a son
is
to another, riches
these ceremonies
sometimes attended
at other times
by
five,
six,
or
company.
Sooryu and the other planets are frequently worshipped

This the Hindoos
in order to procure health.

fice to
the nine planets,
sacrifice,
when
call a sacri-
flowers, rice, water, a burnt-
&c. are offered to each of these planets separately.
It is said, that
two or three hundred years ago Muyooru-
bhtittu, a learned
Hindoo,
in order to obtain a cure for the
began to write a poem of one hundred Sungskritu

verses in praise of Sooryu; and that by the time lie had
These
finished the last verse he was restored to health.
leprosy,
verses have been
published under the
title
of Sodryu-
shutuku, the author at the close giving this account of his

cure.
Sometimes a sick person procures a bramhun
rehearse for
him a number
offering ^t the
same time
n
to
of verses in praise of Suoryu,
to this
god
rice, water,
Hibiscus rosa Sinensis.
and juva

flowers.
If the person be very
and a man of property,
ill,
he employs two or three bramhuns,
who
many
repeat as
as
This ceremony must be performed
a thousand verses.
standing in the sun
53
when
thousand verses are rehearsed,
the recitation occupies
more than
method of obtaining
relief
a day.
The
from sickness
origin of this
is
ascribed to
Shambu, the son of Krishnu, one of the most beautiful

youths in the three worlds,
who was
dream
directed in a
to
names of Sooryu then
repeat, twice a day, the twenty-one
revealed to him.
The persons who

god
this
never eat
sun
as their
till
name
receive the
of So5ryu,-and adopt
guardian deity, are called Sourus: they
they have worshipped the sun, and
On
entirely covered with clouds they fast.
is
many Sourus,
Hindoos belonging
as well as
when
a
the
Sunday
to other sects,
perform, in a more particular manner, the worship of this

idol
and on
this
day some of them
fast.
The Ramayunu contains the following story respecting

Hunoomanu, &c. In the war betwixt Ramu and
Ravunu, an arrow discharged by Puvunu pierced the body
of Lukshmunu
Ramu and all his friends were exceedingly
Sooryu,
alarmed for the

all
Lukshmunu. ; the physicians
of
life
their efforts in vain.
that
if
At
last
tried
one physician declared
four kinds of leaves could be brought from
mountain Gundhu.-madhu.nu, and applied
to the
the
wound,
Lukshmunu might probably be restored to health. The god

who had given this arrow to Ravunu had declared, that whoever was
if
wounded with
it
in the night should not recover,
a cure were not obtained before day-light.
when
the
wound was
inflicted,
but
to bring the leaves before morning.
ment
of his promise,
hejeaped into
It
was night
Hunoomanu engaged
To secure the fulfil-
the, air,
and alighted on
54
mount an
While in his
the
but searched
search,
in vain for the medicinal leaves.
Ravunu, who had heard what was
going forward, sent Sooryu. to

midnight.
arise
on the mountain
at
Hiinoomaiiu, in a rage, leaped up, and seizing
Sooryu's chariot wheels, placed the blazing god under his
ami and the mountain on
camp
of llamu
his head,
and carried them
to the
where the friends of Lukshmunu searched
out the plants, applied the leaves, and restored him to

health
after
which Hunoomanti permitted Sooryu
to
depart.
The former
Sooryu has two wives, Suvurna and Chaya.

is
the daughter of Vishwukurma.
After their marriage,
made an
Suvtirna, unable to bear the power of his rays,
image of herself; and, imparting

and
left
ther's
it
house
leaving her
life
to
called
it,
She then returned
with Sooryu.
it
Chaya
.,
to her fa-
but Vishwukurma reproved his daughter for
but
husband, and refused her an asylum;
promised that
she would return, he would diminish the
if
Suvurna resolved not
glory of Sooryu's rays.
to return,
and, assuming the form of a mare, fled into the forest of
Dunduku.
Chaya and Yumii,
Sooryu, could not agree

ya, she cursed
leg.
him
left
with
him, so that he ever since has had a swelled
Y umu, weeping, went

his leg,
whom Suvurna had
and Yumii one day beating Chato his father
Sooryu, shewed
and related what had happened
Sooryu began to suspect that this
woman
upon which
could not be
Suvurna, for no mother ever cursed her own son; and

did, the curse could not take effect.
He
ceeded to the house of his father-in-law,
if
she
immediately pro-
who
received
him
with 'great respect, but unperccived gave him a scat consisting of different sharp
weapons, by which he became
This woul means u.sli.daw.
Sooryu was enraged, and
divided into twelve round parts.
could not be pacified
till
55
his father-in-law informed
that his daughter, unable to bear the glory of his rays,
On
forsaken him.
had
enquiring where she was gone, the
he had sent her back to him immediately on her
father said
but that where she
arrival,
him
now was he could
not say.
Sooryu, by the power of dhyanuP, perceived that Suvtirna
had become a mare, and was gone into some
becomes too obscene
story here
The
forest.
Sooryu
for insertion.
and Suvtirna,
in the forms of a horse
and a mare, had two
children,
whom they gave

When Sooryu
names of ftshwinee
to
and Koomaru ^.
who
asked his wife
him her
the
returned to his palace, he
woman
this
and presented her to him
history,
She gave
(Chaya) was.
from that time Chaya was acknowledged
as a wife
as Sooryu's
and
second
wife.
There
Hindoo
no temples dedicated to Sodryti
are
The heaven
of this god
is
in Bengal.
called Sooryti-loku.
race of
kings, distinguished as the descendants of the sun,
once reigned in India; of which dynasty Ikshwakoo was the

first
The
or,
the sixty-sixth.
following are the principal names of Sooryu
he who
who
Ramu
king, and
dries
up the
men
sends
to
their
assumes twelve forms r
Bhasktiru,
p
When
the
the old
formed what
is
meditate, when,
Sooryu, he who
work. Dwadtishatma,
earth.
Divakuru, the
creator of
Hindoo
Sooru,
he
the
he
who
maker of the day.
light.
Vivuswut,
the
ascetics wished to ascertain a fact, they per-
called dhyanu, viz. they shut their eyes,

it is
travels,
said, the information they
and began
them.
,,
'
That
is,
the sons of a
mare
these are
now
to
sought was revealed to
phyvsicians to the gods.
Alluding to his progress through the twelve signs.

56
who has seven horses in his chaVikurttttnu, he who was made round by Vishwukurma
riot.
Mihiru, he who
ftrkti, the maker of heat.
in his lathe.
Pooshtmu, he who cherishes all. Dyoowets the earth
munee, he who sparkles in the sky. Turunee, the saviour.
radiant.-Suptashwu, he
lord of the stars.
the
Suhusrangshoo, the thousand-rayed.
Ruvee, he who
to be praised.
Mitrti, the friend of the water-lily
is
Grtihupiitee,
SECT. W.Guntshu.
This gdd
represented in the form of a fat short man,
is
with a long belly, and an elephant's head u

hands; holding in one
a shell, in
He
has four
another a chukru, in an-
other a club, and in the fourth a water-lily.
He
sits
upon a
In an elephant's head are two projecting teeth, but in
rat.
Gun^shu's only one, the other having been torn out by

Vishnoo, when in the form of Purusoo-ramu. he wished to
Guneshu, who stood
have an interview with Shivu.

door-keeper, denied
him
upon which
entrance,
as
a battle en-
sued, and- Purusoo-ramu, beating him, tore out one of his

teeth.
s
The
Sooryu-shutiiku says, the sun draws
and then
1
At
lets
fall in
Sir
W.
up
its
Jones
is
itself,
and when the sun
calls
Guneshu the god of wisdom, and

I
refers, as a
proof
cannot find, however, that
this
considered hy any of the Hindoos as properly the god of wisdom
for though
obtain
earth,
leaves again.
of it, to his having an elephant's head.
god
up the waters from the
showers again.
the rising of the sun this flower expands
retires shuts
u
them
it,
lie is
that
i*
said to give
what
is
knowledge
who worship him

gods.
The Hindoos
to those
ascribed also to other
general, I believe, consider the elephant as a stupid animal, and

biting reproof to be called as stupid as an elephant.
it is
to
in

The work
Gundshu-khundti contains a most inde-
called
cent story respecting the birth of this

necessary to the history,
is
cannot possibly be given.
god which, however

;
so extremely indelicate that

It is
Doorga cursed the gods;
that
57
mentioned
it
in this story,
so that they have ever since
been childless, except by criminal amours with females not

their
own
When
son,
wives.
it
was known that Doorga had given birth to a

rest of the gods went to see the child.
Shunee and the
Shunee knew
that
he looked upon the child
if
reduced to ashes; but Doorga took

should hang
down his
it
head, and refuse to look at her child.
For some time he did not regard her reproofs

irritated,
would be
it
an insult that he
as
he looked upon Guneshti, and
its
but at
last,
head was in-
consumed x The goddess, seeing her child headless y,

was overwhelmed with grief, and would have destroyed
stantly
Shunee; but Brumha prevented her,

the head of the
first
head towards the north.

ation, cut off its head,
assumed the shape he

x
This property
is
telling
Shunee
to bring
animal he should find lying with
He
found an elephant in
and fixed
it
its
this situ-
upon Gundshu, who then

Doorga was but
at present wears.
ascribed to Shunee, (Saturn,) to point out, no doubt,
the supposed baneful influence of this planet.
of Saturn's devouring
all his
This resembles the fable
The Ramayunii
male children.
story respecting Dushurut'hu and Shunee, in which
it is
contains a
said, that Dusliti-
rut'hii 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 Shtinee,
:
by a
single glance of his eyes, set the king's chariot
rfit'hu, in
One
the most dreadful state of alarm,
cause of this misfortune
child to sleep with
The
east,
its
head
north, he will die
and
if a
VOL.
I.
and Diishu-
Doorga had
laid her
forbidden by the shastru.
he will have long
the west, (except
have misfortunes.
is
fire,
skies.
person sleep with his head to the
if to the south,
if to
which
on
from the
said to be this
to the north,
Anhiku-tutwti declares, that
he will be rich;
is
fell
when on a
life; if to
the
journey,) he will
58
head
when
soothed
little
she saw her son with an elephant's
Brumha
to pacify her,
ship of
all
amongst the wor-
said, that
the gods that of Gun^shti should for ever bear
In the beginning of every act of public
the preference.
worship therefore, certain ceremonies are constantly per-
formed in honour of Guneshu 2
honoured
Not only
in religious ceremonies, but in almost all civil
concerns he
is
particularly regarded
as,
leaving his house to go a journey, he says,
perfecting Guneshu, grant
me
neshu! Gune'shu! Gune'shu

a salutation
to read a
Guneshu thus
is
is
made
book he
others paint the
to
!'
success in
At the head of every
Guneshu a
When
salutes Gune'shu;
name
when a person is
'Oh thou workmy journey Guletter,
a person begins
and shop-keepers and
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
Bengal.
Many persons however
Guneshu
are held in
choose him as their guar-
dian deity, and are hence called Ganuputyus.
moon
month Maghu, some persons

Gune'shu; when the officiating bramhun performs the ceremonies common in the Hindoo worship, presenting offerings
At
make
the full
or
buy a
This god
to the idol.
length at the
the bride
is
in the
clay image, and perform the worship of
is
also
commencement
It will
Guneshu
first
is
when
Great numbers,
and southern provinces, ce-
occur to the reader,, that in
prayers were
at considerable
of a wedding, as well as
presented to the bridegroom.
especially from the western

'
worshipped
all sacrifices
among
the
Romans
offered to Janus.
famed as writing
in
a beautiful manner
so that
when
person writes a fine hand, people say, ' Ah? he writes like Gtineshii.' This
god it said to have first written the Muhabharutii from the mouth of Vyasudevu,

lebrate the worship of
Gunshu on
the 4th of the
Bhadru, when several individuals
in
and defray the expence.
Many
it
offering of clarified butter
persons keep in their houses
daily.
is
new moon
each place subscribe
in
a small metal image of Guneshti, place
shalgramu, and worship
53
it
by the
side of the
At other times a burnttone
presented to this idol
images of Guneshti are worshipped daily in the temples by

the sides of the Ganges at Benares
there are any temples dedicated to
Gune'shu
is
also called
but
him
cannot find that
in Bengal.
Huridra-Guneshu.
This name
seems to have arisen out of the following story
Doorga was once preparing
When
herself for bathing, she
off the turmerick, &c. with oil,
in her fingers b .
wiped
and formed a kind of cake
This she rolled together, and made into the
image of a child ; with which she was so much pleased, that

she infused
The image
elephant.
life
into
it,
of this god
He
and called
is
it
Huridra-GuneshuS
yellow, having the face of an
holds in one hand a rope; in another the
spike used by the elephant driver;
in another a
round
Guneshu,
or, the
sweetmeat, and in another a rod.
The
principal
names of Guneshti
are
Dwoimatoorii, the two-motherEku-duntu, the one-toothed.Herumbu, he who

near
Shivu. Lumboduru, the
lord of the gunnti deVtas d .

ed*.
resides
to
long-bellied.
Gujanunti, the elephant-faced.

h
The Hindoos have
a custom of cleaning their bodies by rubbing them

and then, taking oil in their hands, wiping it off
over with turmerick
,all
again,
when
it falls
as a paste all
round them.
Hiiridra
These are the companions of Shivu.
is
the
name
for turmerick.
One of Gimeshft's mothers was Doorga, and

the other the female
phant whose head he wears.
ele-

60
SECTION
This
is
V1I.Kartik<fyu.
He
the god of war.
with one, and
colour; rides on a peacock f;
an arrow, and in his
The
is
represented sometimes
times with six faces;
at other
^nd holds
is
of a yellow
in his right
hand
a bow.
left
reason of the birth of Kartikeyu
Koomaru-sumbhuvti, one of the

performed religious austerities
kavytis:
till
is
thus told in the
Taruku,
a giant,
he obtained the blessing
of Brumha, after which he oppressed both bramhuns and
He commanded
gods.
was necessary
far as
that the
moon
He sent
the god
that the sun should shine only so
to cause the water-lily
to
blossom;
should shine in the day as well as in the night.
Yuma
manded Puvunu
comwind from blowing any
to cut grass for his horses
to prevent the
stronger than the puff of a fan; and in a similar manner
tyrannized over
heaven,
cil in
latter declared
all
the gods applied to
called a
Brumha
coun-
but the
he was unable to reverse the blessing he had
bestowed on Taruku
who
At length Indru
the gods.
when
that their only
hope was Kartikeyu,
should be the son of Shivu, and destroy the giant.
After some time the gods assembled again to consult respect-
ing the marriage of Shivu, whose mind was entirely absorbed

in religious
durpu.
was
After long consultations, Kiin-
austerities.
called,
and
such a manner that he was

could do every thing
the gods began to flatter
all
filled
we want you
in
with pride, and declared he
he could conquer the mind even of
the great god Shivu himself.

tiling
him
to do.'
At
Th ;t, 'says Indru,'

this
is
the very
he appeared discouraged,.
Juno's chariot was said to be drawn by peacocks.
The god of love.
61
but at length declared, that he would endeavour to
He
promise.
consulted his wife Rutee
for his temerity,
They
set off,
who
his
fulfil
reproved him
but consented to accompany her husband.
with Vtisuntu h , to mount Himaluyti, where
they found Shivti sitting under a roodrakshu
tree, per-
forming his devotions.
Previously to
this,
Himaluyu k had been
to Shivu,
and
proposed that Doorga, his daughter, should wait upon him,
on with
that he might uninterruptedly go
which
terities;
arrival of
Kundurpu and
his party,
his religious aus-
One
offer Shivti accepted.
day, after the
Doorga, with her two
companions Jtiya and Vijuya, carried some flowers and a

In the
necklace to Shivu.
his meditation, to receive
arrow
and Shivu, smitten with
dream, and asked

tions.
fire
moment of opening his

the offering, Kundurpu
who had
love,
awoke
eyes from
let fly his
as
from a
dared to interrupt his devo-
Looking towards the south he saw Kundurpu, when
proceeded from the third eye in the centre of his fore-
head, and burnt
Kundurpu
to ashes
The enraged god
p ace for another forest, and Doorga, seeing no
left this
prospect of being married to Shivti, returned

of sorrow.
power of
Shivti
She sought
at last to obtain
religious austerities
was drawn from
111
in
home
which she persevered
his devotions,
full
her object by the
when
till
the marriage
was consummated.
h
is
The
spring.
From
The Hindoo poets always
the fruit of this tree necklaces are made, the wearing of which
a great act of merit

x
unite love and spring together,
The mountain
among
of tliis
the Hindoos.
name
personified.
Through the blessing of Shivu to Rutee, Kundurpu was afterwards

born in the family of Krishnu, and took the name of Kanm-devu after'
which Rutee (then called MayaviiUe) was again married to him.
;
When
this
goddess, says a kavyu shastrii, told her mother that she
61
The Miihabharutu and Ramay unit contain
accounts of the
birth of Kartikeyu, the fruit of this marriage; but they are
so indelicate that the reader, 1 doubt not, will excuse their
omission.
On
month Kartiku, a
the last evening in the
of this god
is
worshipped", and the next day thrown into
These ceremonies
the water.
other festivals
clay image
from those
differ little
not less than twenty-five cubits high
that
is,
a whole tree
put into the ground, and worshipped as a god.
is
at
but some images made on the occasion are
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.
much
singing, music, dancing, and other accompaniments
This
festival is distinguished
by
Hindoo worship.
of
The image
side of his
dess in the
of Kartikeyu
mother Doorga,
also
is
made and
up by the
at the great festival of this
month Ashwinu
and each day,
the worship of Doorga, that of her son

siderable length.
set
is
god-
at the close of
performed
at
con-
In the month Choitrti also the worship
of Kartikeyu accompanies that of his mother.
No bloody
sacrifices are offered to this idol.
At the time when the above
woiU
ed
perform austerities
"Ooma! Ôh!
to obtain Shivu,
some persons
her mother, alarmed, exclaim-
mother!) how can you think of going into the forest
to perform religions austerities? Stay
home, and you
festival is held,
will obtain the
and perform
god you
desire.
religious services at
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."
n
Vast numbers of these images are made
supposed that
five
hundred.
are
made and worshipped.
It
is
in
in
some towns
as
many
as
Calcutta more than five thousand

make
or purchase clay images,
63
which they place
in their
bramhun performs
appointed ceremonies; preceding which a prayer is made
houses, and before which the officiating

the
This
for offspring.
is
repeated sometimes on the anniver-
sary of this day, for four years together. If the person, long
disappointed, should, in these years, or soon after, hap-
pen
to have a child, particularly a son, the
When
to Kartikeyui*.
persons have
whole
made
vow
kyti, they present offerings to this idol at the
of the vow.
These vows are sometimes made
health of a child, or a son
give
a
me a
number of
c
:
Oh
&c]
offerings, as sweetmeats, fruits,
This vow may be made
child.'
are sitting together, another
amongst them, and,
She
children yet?'
thing but a
girl.'
gative, adding, 'I
When
Or
do not
any time,
When
several
perhaps comes
manner, 'No, no-
she answers altogether in the ne-
have again and again made vows to Karfor his
part of the Muhabhariitu

is
at
Has your daughter-in-law any
greater merit than the person
The part thus read
woman
replies, in a plaintive
He who makes an image
this
in the course of the conversation, asks
the mistress of the house,
to obtain the
Kartike*yu t'hakooru%
or place, without any previous ceremony.
much
to Karti-
completion
son, and I will present to thee piere she mentions
want a female
women
ascribed
woman, when she makes
vow, thus addresses the god
is
is
own use is supposed

who purchases one.
to
do an act of
sometimes recited to ohtaLn offspring.
a list of the ancestors of Huree, (a name of Tishnoo.)
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 without mistake
improperly, no benefit will arise from the ceremony.
if
they be read
If the person
who
seeks offspring be unable to attend himself during the ceremony, he
engages some friend to hear the words in his stead.
Some
verses of
praise, addressed to Shivii, are also occasionally read in the ears of a hus-
band and wife who are anxious

*
A term of respect,
to obtain offspring.
meaning excellent.
(54
and even now
tike*yu,
god
lent manner,
she
promise before you
will give her a son, I will
my
and
worship him
that
all,
in a
daughter-in-law will do
if
the
most excelit
as
long as
lives.'
There are no temples
in
Bengal dedicated to Kartik^yu,
nor are any images of him kept in the houses of the Hindoos
except during a
The
festival.
names of Kartikyu
principal
he who was cherished by
are: Kartik^yu, or,
name of Krit-
six females of the
Muha-senti, he who commands multitudes. ShuSkundti, he who

the
Ugnibhoo, he who
from Ugnee. Goohu, he
who preserves
troops
war. Tarukujit, he who conquered Taruku. Vishakhti, he who was born under the
of
name. Shikhi-vahunu, he who
on a peacock. Shuktee-dhtiru, he who wields the weashuktee. Koomarti, he who
perpetually
pon
young Krounchu-dartinu, he who destroyed the giant
tika
ranunu, the
six-faced.
afflicts
gi-
arose
ants.
his
constellation
in
this
rides
called
s
is
Krounchu.
It
said that Kartikeyu
is
Indm
was never married, but that
gave him a mistress named DeVus^na.
separate heaven, nor has Gune*shu
He
has no
they live with Shivu
on mount Koilasu.
Six stars, (belonging to ursa ma'or) said to be the wives of six of the
seven rishees.
These females are called Krittika.
tikeyti as soon as
his
name
is
a regular patronymic of Krittika, because they were as his
mothers.
s
Under
They cherished Kar-
he was born in the forest of writing-reeds, and hence
sixteen years of age.
65
SECTION VUl.Ugnee.
This god is represented
as a red corpulent
man, with
a goat
eyes,
He rides
eye-brows, beard, and hair, of a tawny colour.
on
wears a poita, and a necklace made with the fruits
From
of eleocarpus ganitrus.
of glory, and in his right
son of Kushyupti and
his
body issue seven streams
He
hand he holds a spear.
is
the
tfditee.
ftgnee has his forms of worship, meditation, &c. like
other gods
names,
but
at the
ter is presented to
mouths,
viz. that
At the
especially worshipped, under different
is
time of a burnt-offering,
when
clarified
but-
are said to have
two
of the bramhun, and of
moon in
full
The gods
him.
fire
(ftgnee).
month Maghti, when danger from
the
the image of
some persons worship this god before

Brumha, with the accustomed ceremonies, for
three days.
When
fire is
considerable,
agency of
god
is
fire,
as
any particular work
when
worshipped
is
a kiln of bricks
also
when
atrial
to be
is
done by the
to be burnt, this
by ordeal
is
to
be per-
formed.
Some bramhuns
are distinguished
because they use sacred

this
element
is
fire
in
This
of the god ftgnee, and to
make
'
in
There may be some resemblance
I.
fire is
preserved in honour
religious ceremonies
more
preserving a perpetual
VOL,
by the name sagniku,
the ceremonies in which
used, from the time of birth to the burning
of the body after death.
meritorious 1
all
fire in
in this to the
custom of the Romans,
the temple of Vesta.
66
tignee, as one of the guardian deities of the earth,
shipped at the commencement of every

sides in the S.
festival.
is
wor-
He
pre-
E.
Bhrigoo, a sagniku. bramhun and a great sage, once cursed

his guardian deity tJgnee, because the latter
vered Bhrigoo's wife from the
had not
deli-
who
hands of a giant,
attempted to violate her chastity when she was in a state of
The
pregnancy.
however, sprang from her womb,
child,
and reduced the giant

to eat every thing,
Bhrigoo doomed the god
to ashes.
tignee appealed to the assembled gods,
and Brumha soothed him by promising, that whatever he

ate should
become pure,
one of the seven
rishees,
tfgnee was also once cursed by
who
turned him into cinders.
thjoonu, the brother of Yoodhisthiru, at the entreaty of

ftgnee, set fire to the forest Khundtivu, in order to cure
of a surfeit contracted in the following manner:

a king, entered
upon a
sacrifice
which occupied him twelve
months, during the whole of which time
been pouring on the

phant's trunk
at
fire,
in a
him
Murootu,
clarified butter
had
stream as thick as an ele-
length tJgnee could digest no more, and
he intreated IJrjoonu
burn
to
this forest, that
he might eat
the medicinal plants, and obtain his appetite again.
Swaha, the daughter of Kushyupu, was married to tignee.
Her name
is
repeated at the end of every incantation used
at a burnt-orTering, as well as in
The
reason of this honour
is
some other ceremonies.
attributed to Cgnee's uxori-
ousness.
The heaven
names
are
of this god
Vunhee,
or,
ter in the burnt-sacrifice
is
called ttgnee-loku.
he who receives the
(homu).
His principal
clarified
but-
Veetihotru, he who puri-
:;

those
fies
who perform
the hornu.
conquers (destroys) riches.
two
from rubbing
burns.
Ugnee, he
Dhununjuyii, he who
Kripeetuyonee, he who born

Jwulunu, he who
is
together.
sticks
to
67
whom
fuel
presented.
is
SECTION IX. Puvunii.

This
gods
11
is
the god of the winds, and the messenger of the
His mother Uditee,
is
it
said,
prayed to her hus-
band, that this son might be more powerful than Indrti

her request was granted ; but Indm, hearing of this, enter-
ed the
womb
of IJditee, and cut the foetus,
assumed forty-nine forms x
He
is
into seven
Thus Puvunii
and then each part into seven others.
parts,
first
meditated upon as a
white man, sitting on a deer, with a white flag in his right

hand.
Ptivunu has no separate public

nor temple.
he
is
worshipped, with the
every festival.
He
also offered to
is
huns
festival, neither
As one of the ten guardian

is
him
the
rest, at
deities of the earth,
commencement of
N. W. Water
said to preside in the
in the daily ceremonies of the
and, whenever a goat
is
can find no agreement betwixt
bram-
offered to any deity, a service
name
paid to Vayoo, another form and
is
image,
this
of Piivunu.
In
god and either Mercury or iEolus.
The forty-nine points. The Hindoos have 49 instead of 32 points

and the pooranus, 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
count for their peculiar properties.
K 2
story invented to ac-
(58
the work called tJdikurunu-mala, a burnt-sacrifice of the

flesh of goats y is ordered to
The
following story
bhaguvutu
On
is
be offered to
related of Ptivunu in the Shree-
a certain occasion
Soomeroo 2, and excited
this god.
his pride in
Narudu paid
a visit to
such a manner, that he
protested the god Ptivunu could not approach his summit.
Narudu
carried the
nu, and advised
news of Soomeroo's insolence
him
to Ptivu-
go and break down the summit of
to
Soomeroo; which, even to the depth of 800 miles below the

was of solid gold. Ptivunu went, and produced
surface,
such a tempest, that the earth trembled to
its
centre; and
the mountain god, terribly alarmed, invoked Gurooru,
came
to his relief, and, covering the
wings, secured
it
mountain with
from the wrath of Ptivunu.
who
his
For twelve
months, however, the storm raged so that the three worlds
were hastening
to prevail on
me'roo
to destruction.
Puvunu
to
The gods
compose the
desired
Narudu
difference with Soo-
instead of complying with which the mischievous
rishee went, and calling Ptivunu a fool for exciting such a
storm to no purpose, told him that as long
as
Gurooru pro-
tected the mountain with his wings, there was no hope
but
that, if
he would attack Soomeroo when Gurooru. was
carrying Vishnoo out on a journey, he might easily be re-
This opportunity soon occurred:
venged.
all
the gods
(330,000,000) were invited to Shivu's marriage with Parvute,
among whom were
poduyti
The
a
,
Ustu
goat,
it
b
,
will
the mountains Soomeroo, Trikuotu,
Vindhyu, Malyuvanti, Gftndhuma-dunu,
be remembered, was slain
Bacchus.
*
The mountain of this name
Mountains over which the sun
Behind which the sun
sets,
personified.
rises.
in
the sacrifices of

Chitrukootti, Muluyti, Nilu,
Moinaku
&c.
69
Vishnoo, rid-
ing on Gtirooru, also went to the marriage, and
vens were
flew to
tain,
empty.
left
all
the hea-
Seizing this opportunity,
Puvunu
Soomeroo, and, breaking the summit of the moun
hurled
Puvunu
it
is
into the sea^.
charged with an adulterous intercourse with
ftnjuna, the wife of Keshuree, a

this intercourse
monkey.
The
fruit of
was Hunoomanu.
Puvunu was once
inflamed with lust towards the hundred
daughters of Kooshunabhu, a rajurshee; and because they

refused his offers, he entered the body of each, and pro-
They were made straight

named Brumhu-duttu, to whom they were
duced a curvature of the spine.

again by a king
married.
The name
of the heaven of this god
names
principal
are:
Shwusiinu,
or,
is
Vayoo-loku.
he who
is
the giver of
SpHrshunu, the toucher.Vayoo, he who

Maturisrnva, he who gave mother sorrow
breath.
vels.
e.
his
shudushwa, he who
rides
who
Ashoogu,
carries
odours.
Marootii, without
moves
in the air.
whom
His
tra-
Pri-
on the deer. Gundhuvuhu, he

he who goes swiftly,
people die.
Puvunu,
Nubhiiswutti, he who
Prubhungjunu,
the purifier.
the breaker.
snowy range north of India, and others to

These and other
mountains are personified, and by the Hindoo poets arc designated as the
residence of the gods, and by poetical licence ranged among the inferior
c
Scone of these belong to the
the tropical range dividing south from north India.
gods.
d
Here
When
it
became the
island of Ceylon, (Liinka.)
Imlru cut him into forty-nine pieces
in the
womb.
70
SECTION X. Vuromu.
This
white
the god of the waters.
is
he
in his right
His image
called
name
is
repeated daily in the worship of the
but his image
is
never
made
for worship, nor
has he any public festival or temple in Bengal.

shipped however as
eartl>5
one of the guardian
name
ple repeat his
story of this
to this purport
all
is
wor-
of the
in Bengal,
and in times of drought peo-
to obtain rains.
god
is
contained in the
Pudmu
pooranii
Raviinu was once carrying an unadee-lingu
from Himaluyu
plish
He
deities
and also by those who farm the lakes
before they go out a fishing
painted
is
mukuru, with a rope f
hand.
Vtiroonu's
bramhtins
on a sea-animal
sits
to
Lunka h ,
his ambitious
in order that
he might accom-
schemes against the gods
for
it
was
the property of this stone, also called kamu'-lnigu, to grant
the worshipper
all
his desires, whatever they
might be.
Shivu, however, when permitting Ravunti to remove this

his
image to Lunka, made him promise, that wherever he
suffered
f
it
it
to touch the ground, there
This weapon
catches,
it
At
by the
called pashii,
and has
&c. learn the
the time of a drought,
use.
whomsoever
All the gods, gi-
of this weapon.
common
it is
for bramhtins to
sides of the Ganges, or any other river,
to this god.
should remain.
this property, that
binds so fast that he can never get loose.
ants, rakshtistts,
6
is
it
bramhim once informed me,
sit in
crowds
and address their prayers
that he
remembered when
Krishnu-Chundru, the raja of Nuvii-dweepu, gave presents to vast multitudes of bramhtins thus employed
Vuroonu sent a
h
and
that, in the
plentiful supply of rain,
Ceylon.
Kamii means
desire,
midst of their prayers,

When
the gods saw that
Lunka,
all
Ravunu was
carrying this stone to
the heavens were in a state of agitation: for the
gods knew, that
if
Ravunu could be permitted
plish his wishes, neither Indru nor any other
and applications made to

last resolved that
who would
accom-
to
god would
Council after council was held,
continue on his throne.
nu,
71
gods in vain.
different
Vuroonu should enter the
It
belly of
was
at
Ravu-
thereby be compelled to set the stone down,
while discharging his urine k .
Vuroonu accordingly entered
the belly of Ravunu, as he was carrying the lingu on his
head
and the
soon began to
latter
His belly swelled prodigiously
visit.
ever on his journey,
At
this
moment
till
at last
feel the effects of his

:
he proceeded Jiow-
he could wait no longer.
Indru, in the form of an old bramhun,
meeting him, Ravunu,
after asking
who he
was, and where
he was going, entreated him to hold the lingu for a short

time, promising to bestow
on him the greatest favours
which the bramhun consented, agreeing
Ravunu
an hour, but no longer.

detain
him
half that time
himself of Vuroonu.
to
to hold the stone
him he would not

and squatted on his hams to rid
told
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 sunk
world of the hydras, and the top

day
at
is
into the
said to be visible to this
Voidyu-nat'hu, a place in the zillah of Beerbhoom,
where the
river Khtirsoo
the urine of this
enemy
is
believed to have arisen from
of the gods
l
.
Ravunu, when he
Ravunu could not hold the lingu while in this act, as a person hereby
becomes unclean until he has bathed. This is the strict rule of the ahasfc
at present, however, should a person, in the midst of his worship, he

compelled to discharge urine, he does not bathe, but only changes his
trii
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 Nuvu-gtinga, viz.
the New Giinga.
1
72
arose,
and saw what had taken place, went home
full
of
some accounts add, that he went

and fought with the gods in the most furious manner.
rage and disappointment
The heaven
of this god, called Vuroonu-loku,
miles in circumference,
the divine architect.

water.
is
800
and was formed by Vishwukurma,
In the centre
is
a grand canal of pure
Vuroonti, and his queen Varoonee,
of diamonds; and around them the court,
Sumoodru, Gtinga, and other
river
sit
on a throne
among whom
are
gods and goddesses"
the twelve Adity us, and other deities \ the hydras ; Oiravtitu; the doityus; the danuvus,
&c.
The
pleasures of this
heaven consist in the gratification of the senses,
as in the
heavens of Indru and others.
There does not seem
vestige of any thing here, but
what would exactly meet the
to be a
wishes of a libertine.
scene in tlie heaven qf Vuroonu

Nimee, a king, invited
Vushisht'hu to preside as priest over the ceremonies at a
sacrifice
he was about to perform.
engaged
at that
some other
Vushisht'hu, being
time as priest to perform a sacrifice for
whom
king, from
he expected very large
presents, excused himself for the present

after using entreaty in vain,
when Nimee,
employed another sage as
priest.
Vtishisth'hu, having concluded the sacrifice in which he
Nimee ; but
hear-
ing that the king had employed another priest, was
filled
was engaged, proceeded
to the palace of
with rage, and pronounced a curse on the king, by which"
he was reduced to ashes.
Before the curse took
effect,
however, the king cursed Vushisht'hu, and reduced his
body
also to ashes.
Brumha,
m
Among
to enquire
The soul of Vushisht'hu ascended to

how he was to procure a body again.
these deities are included gods of wells, pools, lakes, basins,
whirlpools, &c.

Brumha
He
'
said,
Go
the gods
to
went, and obtained
his
body
73
Vuroonu. and Suoryu.'
in the following
manner
Sooryu, captivated with the sight of Oorvushee, a courtezan,

as she
was dancing
in Indrti's heaven, invited her to his
As she was going, Vuroonu. met her, and became

enamoured of her also. [Here the story becomes too filthy
house.
to be written.
From
the inflamed passions of thesu*
two gods, Cgustyu, an eminent
was born, and
ascetic,
Viishisht'hu, one of the most exalted of the
by Nimee, fearing they should lose
to
sacrifice
whom
employment here-
a young man,
name of Junukti; who became
wife of Ramu.
they gave the
The meaning of
This god
who
all
formed from the ashes
the father of Seeta, the
he
saints,
king thus to perish, at the close
after if they suffered the
0/ the
Hindoo
The priests who had been employed
new body.
obtained a
the
holds a rope.
watery tribes.
name Vuroonu
His image
flamed eyes
is
is
;
he who surrounds.
Yadusang-putee,
Pashee,
the lord of the
Cpptitee, the lord of waters.
SECTION XL
This god
is,
also called Prticheta, or the wise.
is
called the holy king,
umu.
who judges
the dea? ,.
that of a green man, with red garments ; inhaving a crown on his head, and a flower stuck
in his hair" 5 sitting
on a buflaloe, with a club in
his right
It is very common to sec 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
shastrus prescribe this practice,
and promise rewards to the person who

places in his hair flowers which have been presented to his
guardian
deity, or to any other god.
VOL
I,
74
His dreadful
hand.
teeth,
grim aspect, and
terrific
shape,
the inhabitants of the three worlds with terror.
fill
An
annual festival
held in honour of
is
Yumu
on the
second day of the moon's increase in the month Kartikti,
when an image
of clay
made, and worshipped with the
is
usual ceremonies for one day, and then thrown into the
No
river.
Yumu
bloody
is
festivals, as
He
also
sacrifices are offered to this
worshipped
at the
god.
commencement
of othe*
one of the ten guardian deities of the earth.
presides in the South.
Every day the Hindoos
mony
offer
water to
called tiirpunu, as well as annually
month tfgruhayunu, when they
the
Yumu,
in the cere-
on the 14th of
repeat several of his
names.
At the time of other
festivals the
Hindoos sometimes
make an image of the mother of Yumu, and worship

At other times children
tend to worship
On
the
first
in play
make
this image,
it.
and pre-
it.
month
of the
Kartikti, a curious
takes place in every part of Bengal:
ceremony
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
plantain or other tree
for a
month
very old woman,
some
stalks of the
they also plant other branches in
The
the midst of the pit.
morning
place being thus prepared, every
these girls, after putting on clean ap-
who
is
at the
Ue Hindoos the mother of Ytimti.
same time a great
scold,
is
called
by
and sprinkling their heads with the water of the
parel,
Ganges
this small pit, repeating
Each day they put

the person
who dug
to procure
from
and
an incantation.
a single kouree p in an earthen pot, and
end of the ceremony present the
at the
Yumu
to purify themselves, present flowers, &c. to
by the side of
ness,
75
Yumu
also that they
thirty kourees to
They perform
the pit.
this
ceremony
either husbands, or sons, or happi-
may escape punishment
after death.
have heard of some Hindoos, who, rejecting the wor-
ship of other gods, worship only

future state
is
to
Yumu;
alleging that their
be determined only by
Yumu, and
that
they have nothing therefore to hope or to fear from any

beside him.
Yumu
is
actions of men.
number
who bring
particular hell; or
Yumu's
them away.
see
Yumu
is
the earth r .
Shells
More than
<!
That
if
said to hold a court,
who keeps an account
assist
of the
of officers are also attached to
the dead to be judged.
ed persons have been wicked,
poor Hindoos,
is
and has a person to
as judge,
him, called Chitru-gooptu^,
the court,
He
judge of the dead.
which he presides
in
Yumu
If the deceas-
sends them to their
good, to some place of happiness.
at the
The
hour of death, sometimes fancy they
officers, in a frightful
said to reside at
shape, coming to fetch
Yumaluyu, on the south
side of
All souls, wherever the persons die, are sup-
from the Maldive islands, which pass for money in Bengal.

six thousand of these shells may be bought for a rcopee.
is,
he
who
paints in secret j or, he
who
writes the fates of
men
hi secret.
One Hindoo sometimes jokes with another, by asking him where

he
going, as he seems to be proceeding southwards.
<
is
L 2

posed to go to Yiimu in four hours and forty minutes
a dead
The
body cannot be burnt
till
that time have elapsed.
following account of Yumaluyu, and of Voiturunee,
the river to be crossed after death,
harutu:
After
is
taken from the Mtihab-
Brtimha had created the three worlds,
viz.
heaven, earth, and pattilu, he recollected that a place for
judgment, and
tlie
punishment of the wicked, was want-
for the
Vishwukurma, the
lie therefore called
ing,
gods, and gave
him
architect of
orders to prepare a very superb
Opposite the south door Vishwukurma made four
palace.
pits for the
punishment of the wicked.
were reserved
Three other doors
for the entrance of the good, that they
might
when they went to be

judged. Brumha, taking with him the gundhurvus, the
giants, &c. went to see the place, and gave it the name of
Stinjee-vunee. The gundhurvus asked Brumha to give
them this beautiful palace. Brumha asked them if they
not see the place of punishment
were willing to
the punishments on the wicked
inflict
which they replied
in the negative.
The
it
fill
to
form a vast trench around, and to
with water, which became the river Voiturunce.
Brumha
next ordered Ugnee to enter the river, and the
waters became hot.
judgment with a
Having thus surrounded the

swim
This, however, subjected the good to punishment
vent which
to a
it
across,
to pre-
was ordained, that the offering of a blac
bramhun should
person's passage easy 3 .
bout
hall of
river of boiling water, the creator ordered,
that after death each one should be obliged to
cow
to
Brumha
about to seize the place by force; to prevent which

ordered Vishwukurma
giants were next
It
cool the river, and render the
was
still
necessary, that
some
do not find that the Hindoos have any ferryman, like Charon, er
though they talk of crossing it by laying hold of
to cross this river \

one should occupy
Brumha
and judge the dead; and
this place,
assigned this
work
to
77
Yumu.
The Ramayunu. contains the following story about Yumu: Soon after Gtinga came down to the earth, Yumu was
very angry with the gods, as she left

his office of
judge;
him nothing
to
do in
the people, however sinful, through
all
His
her power ascending to heaven.
officers,
in a rage,
were about to give up their places, and leave him.
On
ap-
plying to Indrti, he advised him not to place his messengers in any situation where the wind, passing over Gtinga,
blew; for that
all
persons touched even by the wind of this
sacred river had
all
their sins
removed, and would go to
heaven 1 *
Many
other stories are to be found in the pooranus,
some of them supposed

been
tion.
at
by persons who have
to be related
Ytimaluyu: the two following are of
In a
other had
two persons of the same
certain village lived
name; one of
whom
many
had lived out his whole time, the
years to live.
his register, sent
this descrip-
Chitru-gooptu, examining
Yumu's messengers
whose appointed time was expired
On
but brought the wrong person.
to fetch the person
the messengers went,
re-examining his re-
cords, Chitru-gooptu found out the mistake,
and directed
the officers to hasten back with the soul before the relations
had burnt the body.
looked
the
tail
all
of the black
passage.
It
is
very
cow which they
common
taking hold of a cow's
it is
While
at
Ytimaluyu, this person
around, and saw, in one place, the punishments
in
offered in order to obtain a sate
Bengal for a herdsman
to cross a river
by
tail.
Whatever the Hindoos may think of Giinga's taking away their sin?,
acknowledged by all, that the inhabitants who live on the banks of
th? Gangp.s are the most corrupt and profligate of all the Hindoos.
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY
78
inflicted
on the wicked: Ytimu's
some, by casting them into
were chastising
officers
pits of ordure; others,
by throw-
ing them into the arms of a red hot image of a
by making
others,
mouths
immensely
their bellies
large,
as small as the eye of a needle; others,
them with red hot

pits filled
woman
and
their
by feeding
with devouring worms and insects, or with
tifications living in
';
by throwing them into
balls; others,
In other places he saw those
who had
fire.
mor-
practised severe
a state of the greatest magnificence
and women who had been burnt on the funeral
pile, sitting
As
with their husbands, enjoying the greatest delights.
he was coming away, he saw preparations making for the
some one
reception of
asked the messengers

gers replied that
it
in the highest style of grandeur,
who was
was
for
to enjoy this.
and
The messen-
one of his neighbours, a very
holy man, whose appointed time was nearly expired; and
who, in
fact,
died soon afterwards.
story very similar to this
named Btiluramu,
ago
at
of the voidyu cast,
ance, died
Before the
fire
and told
his friends of his
punishments of the wicked.
appear-
man
while the dead
having been carried

terrific sights
This man lived
by-
of the
fifteen years
journey to Ytimu's palace.
This instrument
Ravunii was carrying
is
oil
used for the punishment of adulterers.
Wh
Seeta by force, she reminded him, that for th
crime he would have to go into the burning arms of

death.
all
was lighted, however,
little
mistake to Yumaluyu, where he saw
some years
were collecting the wood and other materials
the body began to move, and in a
after this
lived
and was lying by the side of the Ganges, while
to burn the body.
arose,
who
This man, to
Choopee, near Nudeeya.
his relations
often related of a person
is
this
image
afl

The
79
following story was invented, no doubt, in order to
check excessive sorrow
bramhun had only one

was loved almost
deceased relations.
for
son,
who grew up
to distraction
manhood, and
to
by his parents x
This son,
however, died in his youth, and his wife was burnt with
on the funeral
The
pile.
father
rich
him
and mother were so over-
whelmed 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 foody, died, and,
for his merit,
was made one of Yumu's
This
officers.
man
was going one day to fetch the soul of some one from the
village
where he had once
lived,
and saw
former master
his
weeping by the side of the road for the loss of his son.
Assuming his old form, he raised up his master, nd endeavoured to comfort him, but in vain.
was become one of Yumu's
that he
He
then told him,
officers,
on account of
the merit he had obtained by serving him (the bramhun),
and eating of
his food;
and that now,
he would take him and shew him
to
remove
his sorrow,
The
his son.
old
got on his back, and the officer immediately carried

the residence of
man
him
to
Yumu, and shewed him his son and daugh-
ter-in-law in the greatest happiness, surrounded with every

delight, playing at chess.
tion for his parent,
exhorted to
it
by
transmigrations
The Hindoos
it
But the
He
his wife.
was very
in general carry their
affection in Europeans,
verse foreign countries
at
replied, that in
numerous
man might
attachment to children, especi-
They
who
all affec-
him, though
likely that this old
ally to sons, to the greatest excess.
want of
son, having lost
would not even look
are amazed at the supposed
leave their parents in order to tra-
some of them without the hope of ever seeing
them again.
y
It is a
bramhun.
very meritorious action for a shoodrii to eat the leavings of a
Hence a shoodru
than another person.
will serve a
bramhun
for rather less
wages
80
have been
his
son again and again.
The
old
man was
so
incensed, to see that his daughter-in-law had more affection
him than
for
grief, that
old
his
own
whom
son, for
he was dying with
The
he desired the constable to carry him back.
bramhunee would not
believe that her son's affections
were thus alienated from them

carried her also to see
the constable, therefore,
him; but she met with the same
treat-
They both immediately renounced their grief for a

who had lost all his filial affection, and resolved to
ment.
son
think no more about him.
Other
abound
stories
in the
pooranus respecting
Yuma,
some of which relate to disputes betwixt the messengers of

this god and those of some other god, about the soul of a
departed person, whether it shall be happy or miserable.
I insert
two of these
was a child of
stories:
When the sage Unimanduvyii
five years old,
a locust, and let
it fly
away.
he put a straw into the
employed
in performing religious austerities,
as a thief
by the
swer on his
guilty,
trial,
tail
of
In advanced years, while once
officers of justice, and, as
the king took
it
he was seized
he gave no an-
for granted that
and ordered him to be impaled.
he was
After he had been
impaled four years, his body had undergone no change,

and, though he appeared perfectly insensible to
jects,
he was evidently
alive.
The
human
ob-
king, being informed of
was
filled
with astonishment, and declared that he was
certainly
some
great ascetic, equal to one of the gods.
this,
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.
suffered to depart, and, after
straction
set
upon
some
was interrupted; though
The
sage was then
time, his religious abhis
his god, that neither impaling
mind had been so

him for four years,
nor breaking the stake within his body, had disturbed his

intense devotion.
On awaking
from
this state
what had been done to him, and that
81
he discovered
had suffered
lie
all
this from the hands of Yumti, for having pierced the locust
when he was a child. He was exceedingly angry with
Yumti
for
for a sin
such unrighteous judgment.
committed
a crime to impale
He
not bear.
age of
at the
To
punish a person
five years,
and
for so small
for four years, was what he could
him
then cursed Ytimu, and doomed him to be
born on earth, and to take the name of Vidoorti, the son of

a servant girl in the house of the
How
the administration of justice in the other world was
carried
on
after
does not relate.
man
mother of Vedu-vyasti.
Yumti assumed human
What an
birth, this story
excellent religion for a wicked
the criminal can punish his judge
tjjamilu
had committed the most enormous crimes, hay*
ing killed cows and bramhuns, drank spirits, and lived in

the practice of evil
name
all
was extremely
thirsty,
He
his days.
of one was Narayunti.
had four sons
and thus called to his son:
yunti, Narayunti, Narayunti, give
decease, the messengers of
came
the
me some
Yumti
Nara-
water.' After his
seized him, and were
about to drag him to a place pf punishment,

noo's messengers
In the hour of death IJjamilu
to rescue him.
when Vish-
furious battle
ensued, but Vishnoo's messengers were victorious, and carried off tjjamilti to Voikoontti, the
heaven of Vishnoo.
messengers of Ytimu, enraged, returned to

threw their clothes and staves at his
all
The
master,
and declared that
him no
longer, as they got nothing but
they did.
Yumti ordered Chitrii-gooptu,
they would serve

disgrace in
feet,
tjieir
the recorder, to examine his books.
He
did so, and re-
ported that this Ujamilti had been a most notorious sinner^
and that
it
was impossible
fhey were so numerous.
Vol
for him to reckon up his sins*,

Yumti hastened to Voikcjontu,
JH
$2
and demanded of Vishnoo an explanation of
Vishnoo reminded him, that however wicked
this
affair.
man
this
might have been, he had repeated the name Narayunu.

his last
if
moments; and
a man, either
when
that he
(Yumu) ought
certainly
name
the
go to heaven, though,
of Vishnoo, he
like tjjamilu, covered
with crimes, he had not a single meritorious deed

the balance against them.
versally maintained
when
hence,
This
is
urged in his
last
the doctrine that
is
to repeat the
is
brought down
names of
How
live in the
death; and that then,
till
of Krishnu, he should, without
How
culty, ascend to heaven.
is
certain
Hindoo shopkeeper
one day declared to the author, that he should

practice of adultery, lying, &c.
name
uni-
is
never exhorted to repentance, but
moments
gods, as his passport to heaven.
repeating the
to lay in
by the great body of the Hindoos:
a person in a dying situation
to the river side, he
in
know, that
laughing, or by accident, or in anger,
or even in derision, repeated
would
to
diffi-
shocking this sentiment!
dreadful this mistake
Description of the heaven of Yumu, from the Muhabharutu,

This heaven, formed by Vishwuktirma, is 800 miles in cir-
From hence
cumference.
are excluded the fear of enemies'9
and sorrow both of body and mind; the climate is miiul

and salubrious ; and each one is rewarded in kind, according
to his
works
thus he,
who
has given
receives a far greater quantity of the
he who has not been
liberal,
much away on
same things
will
earth,
in heaven
have other kinds of
happiness, and will see food, houses, lands, &c. but will
receive
nothing.
heaped up
All
kinds of excellent food are
into mountains
raised a great
z
.
To
number of Hindoo
this
kings,
here
heaven have been
whose names
This seems to be a heaven for gluttons!
are

The
Muhabhamtu.
given in the
are like those of Indrti-pooru
83
pleasures of this heaven
the senses are satiated with
gratifications as gross as the writer of this pooranti, the
licentious Vyasti, could
Yumti married
The
hun.
make them.
Vijtiyu, the daughter of Veerti, a
bram-
Bhuvishytit pooranti contains
the following
Ytimu was
so pleased with
story respecting this marriage
on account of her having performed the Boodhashtumee vrtitu, that he appeared to her, and offered her
this female,
She was alarmed
marriage.
sranger,
at the sight of this
When
and asked him who he was.
she found
was
it
Yumti, the judge of the dead, who was thus paying his
Yumti calmed
addresses to her, she was filled with terror.
her
fears,
would be
and permitted her to acquaint her brother; as he

of distress after her departure,
full
Her brother
in ignorance.
if
he were
old her she was certainly
left
mad:
husband
truly 1*
She however consented, and Ytimu conveyed her
to his
What,
to be married to Ytimti!
palace, but charged her never to
go
fine
to the southwards.
She suspected that there Ytimu had another

would not be
satisfied
till
favourite,
and
he had explained to her, that his
reasons for forbidding her to go southwards were, that

there the wicked were punished, and that she would not be
All these warnings,
able to bear so dreadful a sight.

ever,
were given in vain
while
how-
Ytimu was one day busy,
she took another female or two, and went southwards,

the cries of the
tion
to
mother
state
cause.
damned had
nearly terrified her
till
o distrac-
add to the horror of the scene, she saw her
in torments.
of the
She
On
her return, Yumti found her in a
greatest distress,
insisted
and soon discovered the
on Ytimu's delivering her mother that
Ytimu deher own bad conduct had
very day, or he should see her face no more.

clared this to be impossible
that
S4
brought her there, and that she could only be delivered,

according to the forms of the shastru, after suffering the
punishment due to her.

clamorous
till
Yumu
Vijuyti
became impatient and
told her, that if she could get the
merit of the Boodhastumee vrutu transferred to her by
eome
Yumu
one, she might deliver her mother*
informed her, that on earth a certain queen,
further
who had
per-
formed the Boodhashtumee vrutu, had been three days

the pains of child-birth; and that,
would be
delivered,
and would
she would perform a
from torments.
to her, the
Vijtiyu took this advice,
procured the deliverance of her mother from
Yumu's
king.
principal
names
are:
de-
and thus
hell.
Dhurmu-raju,
Pitriptitee, the lord of the ancients.
he who judges impartially.
queen
in return transfer the merits
who would immediately be
of this vrutti to her mother,

livered
if
which he described
certain ceremony,
in
or, the
holy
Siimuvurttee,
Pre'tu-rat, the lord of the dead.
Kritantu, the destroyer.-Ytimoona-bhrata, the brother of
Yumu-rat, the
Shumunu, he who
out
Yumus Yumu, he who
of the world. Kalu,
Dundudhuru, he who holds
the
punishment. Shraddhu-devu, the god
rod
he who
ceremonies paid
deceased
son
Vivuswut,
the shraddhu. Voivuswutu,
Yumoona*.
levels all.
b.
chief of the fourteen
takes
time.
of
of
the
the
share of
or
Sooryu. ntuku, he who

T
The
Yiimu has thirteen
river
eats his
ancestors; or,
to
kills,
\ timoona.
assistants, whose
nume* of this judge of the dead.
of
or puts an end to
life.
i
names are here given
as different
Worship of the "Host of Heaven."
SECT. XII. The
The
Hindoos,
85
like other idolatrous nations,
The
into the worship of the heavenly bodies.
have gone
planets, the
constellations, the signs of the zodiac, the stars in general,
the star Canopus
been
deified,
the star Kalu-poorooshu, &c. have
and are worshipped with appropriate fornrs of
some of them
petition, praise, &c.
at the festivals of other
The
gods, and o hers at different times.
worshipped separately
constellations are
at the births of children, as well as
at the anniversaries of these births
Some
all
till
the time of death.
persons suppose, that the worship of the elements
was the primitive
idolatry of the Hindoos,
the invention of later times.
It is plain,
and that of heroes

however, that the
vedus, supposed to be the most ancient of the

writings, countenance the worship of deified heroes.
Hindoo
These
books contain accounts of Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shivu, and
most of the other
deities.
paragraph in the Rig-vedu.
speaks of the gods choosing Indru to be their king,

they placed on
the vdu
(amongst
all
the gods none are charged with
greater crimes than Indrti,

spiritual guide
:)
who seduced
the wife of his
indeed from a variety of facts
probable, that to the vedus

tion of this
whom
a throne fancifully constructed with texts of
whole
fabric
we
it is
highly
are to attribute the founda-
of superstition.
These book;*
contain prayers to procure the destruction of enemies, as

well as encourage the burning of
widows
Galled by the Hindoos Ugustyii, the sage.
fire,
let these
alive d ,
which U
women, with bodies anointed with ghee,
eyes,
(coloured) with stibium and v;id of tears, enter the parent of water, that
they
may not be separated from
may be in union with

among women.' Rig-vHK.
their husbands,
excellent husbands, be sinless, aud be jewels
86
surely a far greater crime than any thing done in the pre-
sence of the images of Ramu. or Krislmti.
thing practised at present.

horrid worship of
of
fire
The
seems to have been as corrupt
idolatry, therefore,
as any-
not probable that the
Is it
Moloch was
ancient
really that of the
element
do not
find,
however, that the heavenly bodies ara
worshipped on the tops of houses, as appears to have been
among
the case
It is said
their idolatry.
all
whom
those nations from
the Jews learnt
of Manasseh, that
he worshipped
the host of heaven, and served them.* Josiah, the son of
Manasseh, put down

sun, and to the
that burnt incense unto Baal, to the
moon, and
By
of heaven.
all
to the planets,
the prophet Jeremiah
and to
God
all
the host
threatens, that
the people shall bring out the bones of the king of Judah,
of the princes, priests, prophets, and people; and adds,

c
And
and
they shall spread them before the sun, the moon,
all
the host of heaven,
shall not
upon the
God
whom
be gathered nor be buried

face of the earth.'
threatens to cut off
them
heaven upon the house-tops.'
By
'
they have served

;
they
they shall be for dung
the prophet Zephaniah,
that worship the host of
Stephen, in rehearsing the
history of the children of Israel before the Jewish council,

declares, that
God
formerly gave up their forefathers to
worship the host of heaven; and mentions among other

objects of worship the star of the god
Remphan.
This worship, which has been so general among heathen

nations, seems to have originated in judicial astrology, and
in the belief that the heavenly bodies have a great influ-
ence upon
supposed
human
evil
events.
Hindoos, whose birth under a
planet has been ascertained, are often filled
with melancholy;
some abandon themselves
to
despair,

careless of
S7
what becomes of an existence connected with
such omens.
The
reader will perceive, in reading the ac-
count of Saturn, to what a degree the Hindoos dread the

influence of this planet, especially at the time
when
it is
in
Against fears of this kind the prophet
a certain sign.
Jeremiah warned the Jews
'
Learn not the way of the hea-
then, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the
heathen are dismayed at them.'
SECT. XIII.-- The
Worship of the Nine Gruhiis', or

Planets,
At
the great festivals a small offering
the planets at once
is
presented to
all
but except on these occasions they are
never worshipped together.
They
are,
however, frequently
worshipped separately by the sick or unfortunate, who suppose themselves to be under the baneful influence of some
At these times the nine planets
planet.
one
after the other, in regular succession.
of the
consist
common
are worshipped,
The ceremonies
forms of worship before other
images, and close with a burnt-offering to each planet.
To
Sooryu are offered in the burnt-sacrifice small pieces
of the shrub urku f ; to Chundru, those of the pulashiis; to
Mars, those of the khudiri h ; to Mercury, those of the upamargu.
to Jupiter, those of the
ushwutt'hu k ; to Venus,
those of the ooroomburuj to Saturn, those of the

e
These stars are called

good and evil.
f
Asclepias gigantiae.
Mimosa catechu.
Ficu3 religiosa.
griih&s,
shumee
because they make known to people

\
*
J
Batea frondosa.
Achyranthes aspera.
Mimosa albtda.
SS
to Rahoo, blades of doorva grass; and to Ketoo, blades of
kooshti grass.
In honour of Soclryu. boiled rice, mixed with molasses,
burnt; milk
is
to be
mixed with the
rice offered to
is
Chan-
dra; with that to Mars, curds; with that to Mercury^ clarified
to Jupiter
butter:
mixed with
a goat,
The image
offered
fish; to Ke*too,
of Sooryu
moon,
to
blood from the ear of
rice.,
is
to
be a round piece of mixed
metal, twelve fingers in diameter

l.ke a half
frumenty j to Venus,
Saturn, various kinds of food;
alone; to
boiled rice
Rahoo, goat's flesh or
is
that of
Chandra
is
to
be
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

iron scymitar; that of
silver; that of Saturn,
an
Rahoo, an iron mukaru; and that of
Ketoo, an iron snake.
The
fees
accompanying the worship of
"the different pla-
nets are various: at that of Sooryu, a milch cow; of

dru, a shell
of Mars, a bul^
Chan-
of Mercury, a morsel of
gold; of Jupiter, a piece of cloth; of Venus, a horse; of

Saturn, a black cow
of JUhoo, a piece of iron
and of
Ke'too, a goat,
"When the
officiating
bramhiin performs the worship of
separate planets, he must put on vestments of divers colours,
and
offer different
kinds of flowers.

SECT. XIV.Riivee m
89
the Sun,
This god, the son of Ktishyupu, the sage, is painted red.

holds a water-lily in each hand, and rides in a chariot
He
drawn by seven yellow n horses.

Ruvee, as one of the planets,
The
great festivals.
is
worshipped only
Jyotish-ttitwu says, that
if
at the
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 property.
This god has been already noticed under the name of
Sooryu
account
but in that
omitted by mistake; and which
several
particulars
I insert here,
properly belong to another form of this idol.
Hindoos repeat
ing, the
bring the waters of
all
though they
While bath-
certain incantations, in order to
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

cred rivers, &c. in the heaven of Sooryu.
too the Hindoos
were
make
all
the sa-
After bathing
obeisance to this god in a
their
standing posture; the more devout draw up their joined
hands to the forehead, gaze
at the sun,
make
prostration
him, and then turn round seven times, repeating certain
to
forms of petition and praise.
up water
On
in their joined hands,
these occasions they hold
and then 'pour out a drink-
offering' to the sun.
When
1,1
Hence
the terrific being

Riivee-varu, or Sunday.
Not green,
VOL
I.
which sprung out of Shivu's
as
mentioned by Mr. Maurice.
90
bunch of
hair
Dukshu's
sacrifice, all the
went with
all
the bhootus, &c. to destroy
gods being present,
on So5ryu and knocked out
seized
this
his teeth:
monster
in
conse-
quence, at the time of worship, only soft things, as
now
&c. are
might
flour,
offered to this god, such as a toothless old
man
eat.
Sooryu
is
charged in the Muhabharutu with ravishing
Koontee, a virgin, from whence Ktirnnu, a giant, was born.
SECT. XV.Somu,or
The
image of
Somu
is
Chundrii, the
that of a white
is
man, drawn by
With
ten horses, or sitting on the water-lily.
hand he
Moon.
his right
giving a blessing, and in the other he holds a
club.
In the work called tJdhikurunu-mala, a
sacrifice is or-
dered to be performed to Somu, and the worshipper
promised a place in the heaven of
is
this god.
Hindoo ceremonies are regulated by the rising or

waxing or waning of the moon. The Jyotishtutwti says, 'If a person be born under the planet Somu, he
will possess elephants, horses, and
will have many friends
palanqueens be honourable and powerful will live upon
All the
setting, the
excellent food, rest
A race
of
Hindoo kings
Somu by Robinee"?,
Hence
on superb couches,
Somu-varii, or
&c,'
are said to have descended
from
and are called the children of the moon.
Monday.
The Hyades.

The
91
of these was Boodhti, and the forty-sixth
first
Yood-
hist'hiru.
This god on a certain occasion was forcibly carried away
by Gurooru, the bird on which Vishnoo
up
The
as well as
moon by
bring the
rides,
and delivered
become immortal
the gods, promised Gurooru that if he would
to the giants.
giants, anxious to
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 Cfroonu, by
doomed
to
become the
Gurooru soon
him trembling among the as-
slave of her sister.
seized the god, and placed
sembled giants; but while the
and prepare
which she had been
were gone to bathe,
latter
for partaking of the waters of immortality,
Indru. arrived
and delivered the captive, and thus disap-
pointed these implacable enemies of the gods.
Somu
is
charged with seducing the wife of Vrihusputee,
See p. 93.
his preceptor.
The
Somu, or, he from

whom the water of immortality springs. Himangshoo, he
whose beams are cooling. Chundru, he at whose rising
chief
names of
god
are:
Koomoodu-banduvu,
Vidhoo, he who
causes the gods
drink the water of
Soodhangshoo,
he whose
the water of
Oshudheeshu, the
of medicinal
Nishaputee, the of night.
he who was born from the waters. Joivatriku, the
preserver of men. Glou, he who
Mrigranku,
people rejoice.
Indoo,
this
the great.
the friend of the flower Koomoodu<*.

to
life.
rays are as
lord
life.
plants.
lord
ftbjii,
decreases.
Nymphcca
lotus.
After the rising of the
the Hindoos to expand.
N 2
moon
this flower is said
by
92
he on whose lap
are the ktilas
sits
a deer r
Dwijurajii,
Kulanidhee, he with whom

the chief of the bramhuns.
Nukshutreshti, the lord of the planets.
who illumines
the night.
SECT. XVLMiinguhV,
This god
Kslmpakurti, he
painted red
is
Mars.
on a sheep
rides
or
wears a red
necklace, and garments of the same colour; and has four
arms
one hand he holds a weapon called shuktee ; with
in
another he
fear;
and
is
giving a blessing
in the fourth
If a person
be
full of
with another forbidding
he holds a club.
be born under the planet Mungiilu, he will
anxious thoughts, be wounded with offensive
weapons, be imprisoned, be oppressed with fear from robbers,
fire,
name.'
&c.
and
will lose his
lands, trees, and
Jyotish-tutwu.
SECT. XVIL-Boodhii",
This god has four arms;
in
or Mercury.
one hand he holds the discus,
in another a club, in another a scymitar,

r
See a story of the birth of Boodhti
Ktila
which
*
it
is
in
and with the
the following page.
the one ICth part of the disk of the moon, viz. that quantity
increases or decreases in one day.
Mungulii-varn, or Tuesday.
who
good
Miingulu
is
travels; Kooju, the son of the earth;
also called
Ungaruku,
or,
he
and Lohitangu, the blood-
coloured.
u Boodhu-vaiu,. or
Wednesday.
The meaning of Boodhu
is,
the
wise

fourth
is
He
rides
93
on a
lion
of
is
a placid countenance; and wears yellow garments.
The
following
is
an account of the birth of Boodhu
On
a certain occasion Vrihusputee, the spiritual guide of the
made a
gods,
great feast, to
which he invited
Chundrti was present among the rest

tival, fell in love
knowing how
home he
all
the gods.
who, during the
with Tara, the wife of Vrihusputee.
fes-
Not
to accomplish his wishes, after his return
invited Vrihusputee to a sacrifice, begging
bring his wife with him.
him
to
Vrihusputee and his wife pro-
ceeded to the palace of Chundrti, but saw no preparations

for the sacrifice.
The former
this circumstance,
Chundrti told him that the
expressing his surprise at

sacrifice
was
unavoidably delayed, and advised him to return for a short
time to his devotions, leaving his wife
at his
house.
Vri-
husputee consented, and during his absence Chundrti disho-
noured the wife of his spiritual guide ;
who on
his return,
finding his wife pregnant, cursed Chundrti, and hurled

into the sea,
where he continued
him
like a cinder, leaving the
earth in darkness for two kulpus, or 864,000,000 years.
Vrihusputee compelled his wife to deliver herself, and, on

the birth
Brumha
rified,
of the child Boodhu, reduced her to ashes.
afterwards raised her from her ashes, and, thus pu-
Vrihusputee took her to his embraces again.
moodru, (the
sea,)
S&-
incensed at his son for this horrid crime
of dishonouring the wife of his divine teacher, disinherited
him.
Chundrti then applied to his
sister
Lukshmee x,
the
wife of Vishnoo, by whose power part of his sin was re-
He
is
also called Rouhineyti, the son of Rohinee,
and Soumyu, the son of
Somu.
x
Lukshmee was born,
gods.
like Chundrti, at the churning of the sea by the

94
moved, and he became
She
old.
also
light like the
applied
resolved to restore
in
Chundru
his
moon when
three days
behalf to Parvutee,
to heaven,
and
planted him in the forehead of her husband y;

thus ornamented, to a feast of the gods.
who
purpose
for this
who
went,
Vrihusputee, on
seeing Chundru again in heaven, was greatly incensed, and
could only be appeased by Brumha's ordaining, that the

lascivious
among
god should be excluded from heaven, and placed
the stars
and that the
sin
by which his glory had
been obscured should remain for

asked
Brumha
to
ever.
Chundru now
remove the 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 Boodhu, he
very fortunate, obtain an excellent wife,
&c.'
will
be
Jyotish-
tiitwii.
.
SECT. XVIII.- Vrihusputee*,
The image
painted yellow.
in one
or Jupiter.
of this god, the son of the sage tmgira,
He
sits
hand he holds
is
on the water-lily; has four arms
a roodrakshti bead-roll; in another
an alms' dish; in another a club; and with the fourth he
is
Vrihusputee is preceptor and priest to the gods ; in
whose palaces he explains the vdus, and performs a number of religious ceremonies.
placed a half moon.
In Shivu*s forehead
Vrikusputi-varu, or Thursday.
is
95
be born under the planet Vrihusputee, he
If a person
will be endowed with an amiable disposition
palaces, gardens, lands,
and
obtaining the affections of

will possess
much
drus,
born under
if
is,
will not
is
not wish to exalt those of his
is
possess
money, corn, &c.
honours
will increase
he
and, in short, will have
Kshtitriyus, Voishytis, and Shoo-
that Vrihtisputee
This god
his
this planet, will
happy ; but bramhtins

given
all,
religious merit
his wishes gratified.
all
be rich in
be prosperous and
be so fortunate
the reason
bramhun, and therefore does
own
cîst.
>Jyotish-tiitwu.
charged in the Mtihabharutu with deflower-
ing the wife of his eldest brother Ootut'hyti.
Names.
racharyu,
quent.^
gods a
Vrihtisputee, or, preceptor to the gods.
the priest of the
gods.
Gishputee,
Soo-
the elo-
Gooroo, the preceptor. Jeevti, he who revives the
Angirusu,
the son of tTngira.-Vachusputee, the
lord of words, viz. the eloquent.
SECT. XIX. Stiookrii*,
or the Planet Venus.
This god, the son of the sage Bhrigoo,

white;
sits
on the
is
dressed in
water-lily; has four hands: in one
he
holds a roodrakshu beadrroll; in another an alms' dish; in
another a club; and with the other
Shookru
He
a
is
That
is,
when
them
preceptor and officiating priest to the giants.
represented as blind of one eye
restores
b
is
is
the reason of which
the gods die in battle, Vrihusputee by incantations
to life.
Shookru-varu, or Friday.

69
is
thus related
When Vamunu went
solicit a present, Shookrti,
being
The king
giving liim any thing.
his
advice, the priest

las,
Shookrti,
disregarding his
was obliged to read the necessary formu-
and to pour out the water from a
gift.
to king Bulee, to
Btilee's preceptor, forbad
still
vessel, to ratify the
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
from
it
falling;
but Vamunu, aware of the device,
put a straw into the bason of water, which entered Shook-
m's
eye,
and gave him so much pain, that he leaped out of
the bason: the water then
'If a person
fell,
and the
gift
was
offered.
be born under the planet Shookm, he will
have the faculty of knowing things past, present, and future
will
emblem
have many wives
have a kingly umbrella, (the
of royalty;) and other kings will worship him; he
will possess elephants, horses, palanqueens, footmen, &c.'
Jyotish-tutwu.
Shookrti's daughter, Devujanee", was deeply in love with
one of her father's pupils, Kuchu, the son of Vrihusputee.

This youth had been sent by his father to learn from
One day
Shookrti an incantation for raising the dead.
Devujanee sent Kuchu
to bring
some
flowers to be used in
worship from a forest belonging to the giants.

to this,
Kuchu had been devoured
Previously
several times
by
diffe-
rent giants; but Shookrti by the above incantation had

restored
him
to life:
when he
tore
cannibals, and destroyed them.

to
open the
The
bellies of these
giants
now
resolved
make Shookm himself eat this boy; for which purpose

him in the forest, cut him into the smallest
they caught
c
Gathering flowers for the worship of the gods
the employment of young persons.
is
often at present

him up
pieces, boiled
the entertainment.
in spirits,
Kuchu
and invited Shookru to
not returning from the forest,
Devujanee wept much, and
told her father that she
certainly kill herself d if he did not bring
Shookru
that
at length,
he had eaten
this youth, so
fatal to himself.
boy continued in
would
back her
lover.
by the power of meditation, discovered

beloved by his daughter;
and he knew not how to bring him back to

attempt being
97
At
last,
life,
without the
however, while the
he restored him to
his belly,
and
life,
taught him the incantation for raising the dead; after which
Kuchu, tearing open Shookru's
belly,
immediately restored his teacher to
life.
came forth, and

Kuchu, having
obtained the knowledge of revivifying the dead, took leave

of his preceptor, and was about to return to his father
Vrihusputee,
her.
Kuchu
when Devujanee
insisted
upon
his
marrying
declined this honour, as she was the daughter
of his preceptor; at which she was so incensed that she
pronounced a curse upon him, by which he was doomed to

reap no advantage from
all
his learning.
In return
Kuchu
doomed her to marry a kshutriyu;

some time took effect, and she was
cursed DeVujanee, and
which curse
after
After DeVujanee had borne two
married to king Yujatee.
children, she discovered that the king maintained an
connection with a princess of the
by
whom
Shookru,
who pronounced
hair immediately
became
name
of Summisht'ha,
She appealed
he had three sons.
illicit
to her father
a curse on Yujatee;
grey, his teeth fell
when
from his head,
and he was seized with complete decrepitude.
Yujatee
remonstrated with his father-in-law, and asked him

should
live
with his daughter,
that he had brought old age
The Hindoo
I.
who
was yet young, seeing
upon him.
Shookru
replied,
children often resort to this threat to extort some favour
from their parents.
VOL.
who
his
98
upon him
that if he could persuade any one to take
might
curse, he
still
enjoy connubial
this
Yujatee
felicity.
returned home, and asked his eldest son by De>ujanee to

take this curse for a thousand years, and possess the king-
dom
which time he should become young
at the close of
kingdom
again, and continue in the
two
brother, and the
the
kingdom on these conditions
father, that
ever,
he cursed them
all.
but this son, his
Summisht'ha refused
eldest sons of
which so enraged the
The youngest
son,
how-
by Summisht'ha accepted the conditions, and instantly
became weak and decrepid ; when the
father
assumed his
former youth, and returned to the company of his wives.
Names.
Shookru,
of the giants.
or,
he who sorrows
at the destruction
Doityu-gooroo, preceptor
of
Ooshtina, the
to the giants.
Kavyti, the poet.
friend
the giants.
Bharguvu, the descendant of Bhrigoo.
SECTION XX. Shunee%

This god
four arms
e
dressed in black; rides on a vulture
in one he holds an arrow
Shunee-varii, or Saturday.
churii, vizi
f
is
or Saturn.
One
f
;
has
in another a javelin
of the names of Shimee
is
Shunoish-
he who travels slowly.
This god
is
represented as sitting on this bird, probably, to denote his
destructive power.
Saturn, in the Grecian system of idolatry, was repre-
The vultures in Bengal are highly

men and beasts, many of which
banks of rivers. It is astonishing how
sented as devouring his children.
useful in devouring the dead bodies of
are left in the roads and on the

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
illus-
otrating, in the most striking manner, the words of our Lord, " Where?
ever the carcase is, there will the vultures be gathered together." Matt.
xxiv. 28.

in another a
He
is
bow
and with the other
is
99
giving a blessing.
said to be the son of Sooryii by Chaya.
All the
Hindoos exceedingly dread the supposed baneful
number of ceremonies
of him are to be found in
influence of this god, and perforin a

to appease
Many
him.
stories
the writings of the Hindoos, such as that of his burning

the head of Gtineshu
in his descent
ill
his
oft'
burning Dushurut'hu's chariot
from heaven; his giving
rise to
bad harvests,
fortune, &c.
be born under the planet Shunee/ says the
If a person
Jyotisli-tutwu,
his son, wife,
he
will
be slandered, his riches dissipated,
and friends destroyed; he
with others; and endure
many
will live at variance
sufferings.'
arc under constant fear of bad fortune
Some
persons,
if
absent from
home
The Hindoos
from
this planet.
the time of his
at
appearance, return through fear, and others forsake their

business lest they should meet with misfortunes.
If
one
person persecute another, the latter sometimes takes

patiently, supposing
naturally springs
to arise
it
from the influence of
Hindoos believe that when Shunee

mansion, the most dreadful
when Ramu broke
the
bow
it
from the bad fortune which
evils
is
this
star.
The
in the ninth stellar
befal
mankind
Jience
of Shivu, which was the condi-
tion of obtaining Seeta in marriage,
and when the
eartli
sunk, and the waters of the seven seas were united in one,
Purushoo-ramu,
'
Ah
startled at the noise of the
some one has
laid
or fallen under the ninth of Shtinee.'
person
is
obstinate,
standcr says,
lias laid his
and
bow, exclaimed,
hold of the hood of the snake,
will not
At
present,
when
hearken to reason, a bye-
I suppose he has fallen upon Shunee, or he

hand upon the hood of the snake, viz. he is
embracing his own destruction.'

o 2
When Ramu
found that
100
some one had

exclaimed,
stolen SSe'ta, in the midst of his rage he
This person must have been born when Shtinee
was in the ninth mansion/
SECTION XXI.Rahoo\
This god, the son of Singhika,
rides
on a
painted black
is
lion; has four arms, in three of
he
which he holds
a scymitar, a spear, and a shield, and with the other hand

is
c
If a person
be born under the planet Rahoo,' says the
work already quoted,
his
wisdom,
riches,
and children will
be destroyed ; he will be exposed to many
and
afflictions,
be subject to his enemies.'
Rahoo was
originally a giant, but at the churning of the
sea he took his present
name and form
one of the heavenly bodies

described in the pooranus
;)
:
(that
is,
he became
which transformation
At
the time
churned the sea to obtain the water of
when
life,
is
thus
the gods
Sooryti (the
sun) and Chundrti (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.

his
head
but
Vishnoo immediately cut
off
after drinking the water of life, neither the
The ascending node.
We
are here reminded of Jupiter's deflowering Calisto, the daughter
of Lycaon, king of Arcadia.
It will
be remembered, that when her
dis-
grace became known, Juno turned her into a bear, which Jupiter after-
wards advanced into heaven, and made

major.
it
a constellation,
now
called Ursa
101
The head
head nor the trunk could perish.
taking the
name of Rahoo, and the trunk that of Ktoo, were placed

in the heavens as the ascending and descending nodes
and leave was granted, by way of revenge on Sooryu and
Rahoo should approach
Chundrii, that on certain occasions
make them
these gods, and
unclean, so that their bodies
The popular
should become thin and black.

ever,
is,
that, at the
opinion,
how-
time of an eclipse, Rahoo swallows the
sun and moon, and vomits them up again k .
Many
persons perform a number of ceremonies on these
occasions, as, those to the
deceased ancestors
ting
manes; pouring out water
to
repeating the names of the gods ; set-
up gods; making
The Jyotish-tutwu
now is attended with
other times. Nobody
offerings, &c.
declares, that performing these duties

benefits infinitely greater than at
must discharge the

they have
til
though
it
be
fasces or urine,
seen the
till
or eat any food, un-
sun or moon
the
after
their rising the next day.
eclipse,
He who
does
not observe this law, will have a million of hells in one.
Names.
Ttimu, the dark,
or,
he
who
is
possessed of a
great proportion of the quality of darkness.
k It
is
he
a most unaccountable coincidence in the notions of remote
nations, that the Chinese
and the Greenlanders,
should think that the sun or the
" As soon
Rahoo,
moon
is
as well as the
as they (the Chinese) perceive that the sun or
be darkened, they throw themselves on

heads against the earth.
Hindoos,
devoured at the time of an eclipse.
moon begins
to
and knock their forenoise of drums and cymbals is immediately
heard throughout the whole
their knees,
This
city.
is
the remains of an ancient
opinion entertained in China, that by such a horrid din they assisted the
suffering luminary,
tial
dragon."
custom
it
exists
and prevented
Crantz in
among
either from the
his
it
from being devoured by the
celes-
History of Greenland asserts, that a similar
this people,
who could
Hindoos or the Chinese.
certainly never have learut

102
who
swallows and afterwards vomits up the sun or moon.<
Swtirbhanoo, he
who
shines in the heavens.
the son of Singhika.
Vidhoontoodii,
Soinghike'yu,
he who
afflicts
the
moon.
SECTION XXILKttooK
Ketoo
immortal
is
became
the headless trunk of Rahoo, which
at the
churning of the
of a light green colour.
hand holds a
club,
He
This god
sea.
rides
painted
is
on a vulture;
and with the other
is
in
one
bestowing a
blessing.
The
Gods.
preceding
may be
order, as I have not

list
called the
I dare not say, that I
of them.
Hindoo Celestial
have given every deity of this
found any book containing an exact
could easily have enlarged the number, by
inserting accounts of other forms of these gods
would have swelled the work, without adding

1
The descending node.
but this
to its value,
CHAP.
303
HI.
OF THE GODDESSES.
SECT. l.T>oorga.
jN
those parts of
tlie
Hindoo shastrus which
production of the world, this goddess
first
or Bhuguvutee.
born in the house of Dukshti, one of the pro-
genitors of mankind, and called Stitee
under which name
she was married to Shivu, but renounced her
her father reproach her husband.

ance,
treat of the
spoken of as the
name of Prukritee
female power, under the
She was
is
we recognize her under
the
On
life
on hearing
her second appear-
name
of Parvtitee, the
daughter of Himaluyu a ; when she was again married to

Shivu, by
whom
she had two children, Kartikeyu. and
Gline*shu.
Doorga has had many
births to destroy the giants b .
reason of her being called Doorga
Kashee-khundu
On a
asked Kartikeyu,
Doorga.
why
is
The
thus given in the
certain occasion frgustyu, the sage>
Parvutee, his
mother, was called
Kartikeyu replied, that formerly a giant named
Doorgti, 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 Indru, Vayoo, Chiindru, Ytimu, tfgnee, Vu:
roonu, Koove'ru, Bulee, Eeshanti, Roodrti, Sooryu, the eight

Vlisoos, &c.
a
The mountain
Sir
W.
The wives
of the rishees were compelled to
of this name.
Jones, not improperly, considers
Doorga
Btrpng resemblance to Juno, as well as to Minerva.
as bearing a pretty
104
celebrate
his
heavens to
He
worshipped him.
.the
He
praises.
live in forests
sent
and
abolished
bramhuns, through
the gods from their
all
nod they came and
at his
all
him, forsook the reading of
fear of
the vedtis ; the rivers changed their courses
energy
and the
stars
terrified
retired
fire
from
lost its
sight
he
assumed the forms of the clouds, and gave rain whenever

he pleased} the earth through
and the
crease;
The gods
season.
(
He
fear gave
an abundant in-
yielded flowers and fruits out of
trees
Indru
at length applied to Shivu.
me
has dethroned
kingdom:' and thus
;'
Sooryu
said,
'
He
said,
has taken
my
the gods related their misfortunes.
all
Shivu, pitying their case, desired Parvtitee to go and destroy
She willingly accepting of the commission,
the giant.
calmed the
fears of the gods,
and
sent Kalti-ratree, a
first
female whose beauty bewitched the inhabitants of the three

worlds, to order the giant to restore things to their ancient
The
order.
of fury, sent
latter, full
hold of Kalti-ratree
reduced them to ashes.

giants,
Doordhuru
c
,
soldiers to lay
Doorgti then sent 30,000 other
who were such monsters
the surface of the earth.
some
by the breath of her mouth, she
but,
in size that they covered
Among them were
Doormookhu
d
,
Khuru
e
,
the following:
Shiru-panee f, Pashu-
Soorendru h, Dumunu , Hunoo k, Yugntihanee ,

Khurgu-roma m , Oograsyti n , D vu-kumptinu , &c. At
panees,
the sight of these giants, Kalti-ratree fled through the air

to Parvtitee,
and the giants followed her.
Doorgti, with
100,000,000 chariots, 200 urvoodus (or 120,000,000,000)

of elephants, 10,000,000 of swift-footed horses, and innu-
skull in the hand.
the gods.
Bullies.
m They whose hair
Difficult to catch.
human
They who make
is
Foul-montbed.
s
Of high cheekbones.
n Of
like scymitars.
the gods tremble.
Cruel.
Wielders of the pashu.
Holding a
Sovereigns of
Sacrifice-destroyers.
terrific
countenance.
merable
105
fight with Parvutee
on the moun-
As soon
Vindhu.
tain
went to
soldiers,
jumbhu
vikutantmu
pingakshu
8
,
krodhunu b , krunddnii c
11
muha-doondoo-bhinasikti m , oograsyu
hunu, meghu-ke'shu
mookhu
netm
deergu-dus-
shookum-
vrikaniinu q, singhasyu r,
p
?
pru-
bheemakshuy, kshoodru-manusti 2 , oolooku-
chundasyu*,
kunukasyu b , kakutoondti c , khuriintikhu d , deergu^
netrii a,
greevu
shiva-ruvu-muhotkutu 1, shookut-oondu
vi-
muhogm*,
muha-bhuyu e, jitantukti f, muha-vahoo%

muheedhum', doondoobhu k , doondoobhU
stinkriindunu d ,
dif-
mahajumbhu^,
lnuhishti",
utyoogrtiy, vigruhu 2 , kroorakshu 3,
muha-vuktrti
near, Parvutee
her assistance
to
called
kinds of beings, as jumbhuP,
ferent
ruvu
drew
as the giant
assumed 1000 arms, and
muhajunghu f,
shiroddhtiru 5,
k
vidyootjivhu' , ugninetmku.
1
shu m , dhoomunishwasu
n
,
rtiktu-vrinda-juva^
tapunti
dhodmrak-
shoorti-chundangshoo-tapuna
muhabheeshunu-mookhuP, &c. She also brought a number

of weapons out of her body, as usee ', chukrti r, bhooshoondee
p
guda *, moodguru u, tomurii x, bhindipalii y, purighu %
Malicious.
Of fear-exciting
Wrathful.
Wrathful.
"
countenance.
Causers of crying.
Death-conqivering.
With noses
*
Long-toothed.
Lion-faced.
like the jackal.
With
y Terrific-eyed.
Crow-faced.
*>
With breath
like
VOL.
I.
bills like
<j
Cruel-eyed.
h Lar." :-
Leopard-faced.
A hammer.
Terrible-faced.
b
Owl-eyed.
Long-necked.
Gold-faced.
Long-thighed.
like the ytiva flower.

*
With
Smoke-eyed.
p Of
the sun and moon.
*
Inflameis.
Giving pain to
scymitar.
a parrot.
9
bludgeon.
D\Uv..
>
With wrathful countenance.
Exciting terrors by making sounds
*.ftery-eraL
bludgeon or club.
arrow.
With eyes red
smoke.
horrid countenance.
Like buffaloes.
Large-armed.
hair like clouds.
Sharp-nailed.
Large-veined.
Causing to cry excessive!-,:
Little-minded.
tongues like liglrning.
With
Pig-faced.
eyes.
Warriors.
Noisy like the doondoobhee.
doondoobhee.
like the
Mountain-like.
In various ways malicious.
Of yellow
Exceedingly wrathful.
Fear-exciting.
faced.
Very malicious.
<i
'A
*
discus.
An iron crow.
A
r
hatcher.
short
106
koontu a, shulyu b , shuktee c, urdhu-chundru d , kshoorupru e,

narachu f, shileemookhu *, muhabhullu' , purushoo , bhi1
doorii
and murmubhedii
on Parvutee,
their arrows
The
troops of the giant poured
on the mountain Vindhu,
sitting
thick as the drops of rain in a storm; they even tore

trees, the
up the
who
mountains, &c. and hurled at the goddess;
however threw a weapon which carried 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 repelled, as well as two other instruments, a club and a
At
pike.
on
last
his breast
Parvutee seized Doorgti, and set her
The beings
fight.
issue from her
giant
(9,000,000)
whom
body then destroyed
Parvutee caused to
all
the soldiers of the
in return Doorgti. caused a dreadful
left foot
but he disengaged himself, and renewed the
to descend, the effect of
shower of
hail
which Parvutee counteracted by an
instrument called shoshunu"
He
peak of a mountain, threw
next, breaking off the
who cut it into

now assumed the
at Parvutee,
it
The
seven pieces by her arrows.
giant
shape of an elephant as large as a mountain, and approached

the goddess; but she tied his legs, and with her nails,
which were
him
like scymitars, tore
He
to pieces.
then
arose in the form of a buffalo, and with his horns cast

stones, trees,
trees
and mountains
at the goddess, tearing
by the breath of his
pierced
him with her
nostrils.
trident,
when
up the
The goddess
next
he reeled to and fro,
and, renouncing the form of the buffalo, assumed his ori-
A bearded
half-moon.
arrow.
k
b A javelin.
dart.
A weapon like a spade.
thtmlerbolt
which
dri S6
wp
Areryt&agspear.
full
of spikes*
liquids.
Another.
f
An
arrow like a
A small arrow. A round

A hatchet like a half-moon,
'
'
A bearded
arrow.
weapon

ginal
body
as a giant, with a
Going up
in each.
107
thousand arms, and weapons
him
to Parvutee, the goddess seized
by his thousand arms, and carried him into the air, from
whence she threw him down with dreadful force. Perceiving however that this had no effect, she pierced him in the
when the blood issued in streams

The gods were now filled
breast with an arrow;
from his mouth, and he expired.

with joy
Chundru, ttgnee, &c. obtained
Sooryti,
former splendour ; and
dethroned
thrones
sacrifices
its
by
this
all
giant,
the other deities,
their
who had been
immediately reascended their
bramhuns resumed the study of the vdiis j

were regularly performed, and every thing assumed
the
pristine state: the heavens rang with the praises of Par-
vutee, and the gods, in return for so signal a deliverance,
honoured her with the name of Doorga.
Muhishu, king of the
came the gods
in war,
giants, at a certain period over-
and reduced them to such a
state of
indigence, that they were seen wandering about the earth

like
common
beggars.
went
together, and they
Indrii, after a time, collected
body to Bnimha, and
in a
wards to Shivu, but met wi.h no redress.

applied to Vishnoo,
who was
At
them
after-
they
last
so enraged at beholding their
wretchedness, that streams of glory issued from his face>
from which sprang a female named Muha-maya (Doorga).

Streams of glory issued also from the faces of the other
gods, and entering
Muha-maya, she became a body of glory
resemb ing a mountain on
weapons to
fire.
this female, and,
ascended into the
The gods then gave
with a frightful scream^ she
air.
[The work Chundee,
in this place, contains a long ac-
count of the dreadful contest betwixt

giant,
their
Muha-maya and
which ended in the destruction of the
latter ]
this
TOE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY.

Muha-
After the victory the gods chanted the praises of
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 performed through the four yoogus; but that Soorutu,
a king,
in the
end of the dwapuru-yoogu, made known the
present form of worshipping the goddess, and celebrated
month
these orgies in the

s tin tee,
Choitrii
Soorutu offered a very great
or spring festival.)
number of
(hence called the Va-
and buffaloes
goats, sheep,
to
Doorga
believing,
according to the shastru, that he should enjoy happiness in
heaven as many years as there were hairs upon the different

animals offered.
much
After his death, however, his case excited
discussion in the court of
cided, that
many animals, and
from
suffer death
place,
who
at length de-
though Soorutu had much merit, he had de-
stroyed the iives of
and
Ytimu
that he
must be born
these beasts assembled in one
all
when he should immediately be advanced
Others interpret
to heaven.
this passage of the shastru as
meaning,
that the king was to assume in succession the forms of
these beasts, and be put to death in
could ascend to heaven.
In the tre'tu-yoogu
to have performed the worship of
Ashwinu.
and from him
it is
called the Sharu-deeya, or
This
most popular of
shall
now
autumnal
the
it
n
;
Ramu
in the
is
said
month
festival.
month Ashwinu,
the
the annual festivals held in Bengal,
attempt to describe.
pended upon
"
all
Doorga
continued in this month, and
celebrated in
festival,
all
each form before he
all
Immense sums
are
business throughout the country
In the city of Calcutta alone,
it is
exis
supposed, upon a moderate calcu-

and universal
laid aside for several days,
tiousness prevail.
men and
learned
109
festivity
and licen-
short time before the festival, the.
employed
sirkars
Calcutta almost
in
home; some of them enjoy a holiday
universally return
of
several weeks.
The image
hands
is
of
Doorga has ten arms.
a spear, with
which she
Muhishu; with one of the
left
pent, and the hair of the giant,
Her
biting.
and
rilled
leans a
lion,
giant.
all
In one of her right

piercing the giant
she holds the
tail
The images
of a ser-
whose breast the serpent
is
stretched behind her head,
Against her
with different instruments of war.
leg
right
other hands are
is
and against her
left
the above
of Lukshmee, Stiruswutee, Kartike'yu,
and Guneshu, are very frequently made and placed by the

side of this goddess.
On
the 9th day of the decrease of the
when
begins,
by the
moon
the ceremony called sunkulpti
officiating
bramh tin's taking
rice,
and a blade of kooshu
fruits,
grass,) reading
Doorga
On
is
After this,
worshipped before a pan of water with the accus-
formularies.
the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th,
lation, that half
About
sesa-
an incan-
and promising that on the succeeding days such a
tation,
person will perform the worship of Doorga.
tomed
performed,
into his joined hands a
metal kosha, (which contains water, flowers,
mum,
this festival
is
a million sterling
is
Hth, and 15 th days of
expended annually on
this festival.
years ago (1811) Kundurpu-goorii, a kaist'ho, expended in

this worship 38,000 pounds, and spent 12,500 pounds annually as long as
fifty
he lived
in the
sirkars.
same manner.
who direct the business of Europeans are commonly

The proper name is Mootsuddec, or Moohuree.
Natives
called
llO
the moon, the same ceremonies are performed before the
pan of water; and, with some

ings, continued
On
what
trifling variations in
the offer-
on the 16th, 17 th, 18th, 19th, and 20th.
the 21st day of the moon, at the close of the worship,

is
caHed tidhivasu
is
This also
performed.
minary ceremony, and consists in taking
is
a preli-
rice, fruits,
&c.
and touching with them a pan of water, and afterwards the

forehead of the image, at intervals repeating incantations.
On
hun
for
the 22d, early in the morning, the officiating bram-
consecrates the image, placing

it
in the temple,
it
on the spot prepared
and repeating the proper formulas.
After this the principal ceremonies before the image begin.

First, the business of giving eyes
and
life
to the images
performed; when they become objects of worship.
fore-fingers of his right
In this
bramhun touches with the
curious ceremony, the officiating
two
is
hand the
breast, the
two cheeks,
the eyes, and the forehead of the image.
When
these places he says, 'Let the soul of
Doorga long con-
tinue in happiness in this image.'

leaf of the vilwii tree, rubs
holds
it
over a burning lamp
which he takes a
little
and touches the eyes,

place
left in
till it
on the
filling
After this, he takes a
with
it
he touches
clarified butter,
and
be covered with soot; of
stalk of another vilwii leaf,
up with the soot a small white
the pupil of the eye.
The worship
of Gune*shii and other gods
is
now
per-
formed; then that of the demi-goddesses, the companions

of
Doorga
in her wars,
who
are represented
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
pal worship, that of Doorga.
hun
Ill
which succeeds the princi-
Firs>i,p
bram-
officiating
performs dhyanu; in which, sitting before the image,
he closes his eyes, and repeats the proper formulas, me-
on the form of the goddess, and repeating to
ditating
c
himself,
present to the goddess
&c. [here he goes over

animals,' &c.
gess,
come
He
here,
all
then
these flowers, fruits,
all
the offerings;] 1 slay
calls the
come here;
all
goddess, saying,
my
god-
The
worship.'
these
Take up
stay here, stay here.
thine abode here, and receive
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
other, while the incantation
Ten
repeated.
is
it
out into an-
with a spoon from one vessel, and pouring
or fifteen
blades of doorvu. grass, a yuva flower, sandal powder, rice,
&c. are then offered with an incantation, and laid at the

feet of
Doorga.
curds, sugar,
wash the mouth

Then water to wash the
Next follows water
and a lighted lamp.
mouth, and to bathe; then
cloth,
to
or garments;
then
jewels, or ornaments for the feet, arms, fingers, nose, ears,
&c. with sandal wood, and red or white lead ; then flowers
of different kinds, one at a time, with a separate incantation for each flower; also a vilwu leaf, with
wood put upon
of sandal
cessively
it.
Then
two handfuls of flowers of
different kinds;
wards incense, a lighted lamp, and meat

close, the
some powder
are offered thrice sucafter-
At the
offerings.
bramhun walks round the image seven
times,
repeating forms of petition and praise.
Now
the bloody sacrifices are offered.
a sheep or a goat, as
officiating
bramhun,
is
If the animal
always the case on the
after
bathing
it
first
be
day, the
either in the river or
113
in the house, puts his left
horns and foreheac

in which he offers
up
ear,
may
He
by placing upon
it
is
goddess, I
heaven to
killed
is
head.
its
is
its
The
consecrated
and writing on
it
given to the disciples of Doorga.
bramhun next puts
officiating
its
then reads an incantation in
flowers, red lead, &c.
the incantation which
live in thy
and puts flowers, and sprinkles water, on
instrument with which the animal
The
forehead, marks
to the goddess thus:
sacrifice this goat? to thee, that I
the end of ten years.'
its
red lead, and reads an incantation,
<e$i
it,
hand on
on the neck of the animal, and,
the instrument of death
him with a
after presenting
flower as a blessing^, then into the hand of the person ap-
who
pointed to slay the animal,
smith
The
but sometimes a bramhun.
",
genera
is
the black-
ly
assistants put the
goat's neck into an upright post, excavated at the top so as
to admit the neck betwixt
on one
its
two
sides; the
side of the post, and the head
earthen vessel containing a plantain

tain leaf; after
body remaining
An
on the other.
placed upon a plan-
is
which the blacksmith cuts
off the
head
at
one
blow, and another person holds up the body, and drains out
the blood upon the plantain in the bason.
who
performs the
Doorga
to
If the person
does not intend to offer the flesh
the slayer cuts only a small morsel from the
neck, and puts

p
sacrifice
it
on the plantain ; when some one
carries
it,
Only male animals are offered.
common among
i It is
the Hindoos for a superior to give a blessing
while presenting a flower.

r
The Hindoos covet
the honour of cutting off the head of an animal
dexterously at the time of these sacrifices.
they drive the blacksmith away
in
nounced vengeance on the person who

one blow
Ins son
If
it
disgrace.
be not done at one blow,
The
shastrus have de-
shall fail to cut off the
will die, or the goddess of fortune
head at
(Lukshmee)
will
forsake him.
s
This
is
rarely or never done at present.
animal, however, which
may
not be offered.
There are no
parts of the
113
and the head, and places them before the image, putting on
the head a lighted lamp.
After
the animals have been
all
thus killed, and some of the flesh and the heads carried
bramhim repeats certain

and presents them to the god-
before the image, the officiating

prayers over these offerings,
which
dess, with the blood
fell
on the plantains: then,
taking the blood from the bason, he puts

leaf,
and cuts
goddesses
who
it
it
into four parts, presenting
on a plantain
it
to the four
attend upon Doorga.
Offerings of rice, plantains, sugar, sweetmeats, sour milk,

curds, pulse of different sorts, limes, fruits, &c. are next
Now
presented with prayers.
who
repeated by the priest,
the names of
Doorga
are
afterwards presents campho-
rated water to the goddess; then betle-nut, limes, spices,
&c. made into what
number
is
called
panu 1
After repeating a
of forms of praise, this part of the service closes
with the prostration of the officiating bramhtin before the

idol.
Next, food
is
presented with
many
goddess; which food consists of what

fried fruits,
fried fish
and
flesh,
is
prayers to the
called khechurti u,
About four
&c.
in the
afternoon, large quantities of food are presented to the
goddess; amongst which are, prepared greens of three or

four kinds; prepared peas of three or four kinds;
fruits,
sweet potatoes,
&c;
fried fish,
mixed with
fried
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,
fifteen or sixteen sorts of
sweetmeats,
offered with separate prayers
after
two or three
&c;
all
which water,
sorts;
which are
betle, &c.
are presented.
*
Chewed by
almost
A common
dish in Bengal,
all
the natives.
made of
pease, spices, clarified butter, &e.
VOL.
I.
vice, boiled
up with turmeric,
114
The bramhuns
are entertained either with sweetmeats,
or prepared food, by the person at
ship
is
whose house the wor-
performed: some of them are expressly invited, and
The food which has

been presented to the goddess, being considered almost as
others attend to see the ceremonies.
ambrosia,
of
whom
is
given to the guests with a sparing hand;
home
(mothers) beg to take a morsel
children, or relatives, of diseases.
Food
is
some
to cure their
also sent to the
neighbours, and persons of inferior cast carry away great

quantities*.
In the evening the officiating bramhun waves a brass

candlestick, or
lamp with
five lights,
before the goddess,
repeating incantations ; afterwards a shell with water in
and then a piece of
cloth.
At night the temple
is
it,
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 day,
number of
many
prostitutes, richly dressed
rich
men engage
and almost covered
with ornaments, to dance and sing before the
idol.
The
songs are exceedingly obscene; the dances highly indecent;
and the dress of the dancing women no
less so; their cloth-
name of a
some are thrown loose, hanging
During the dances, the doors are shut
ing being so fine as scarcely to deserve the

covering.
down
x
The
tresses of
to the waist.
In some places a family or several families of bramhuns are sup-
ported by the revenues attached to a temple, and by the offerings presented to the idol.
wait on those
At the time of a
who come
to
make
festival the
heads of these families
offerings to the idol,
and present them
with betle, sweetmeats, fruits, water, &c. according to their quality.
115
who are carewomen thus dance
to keep out the crowd, as well as Europeans,

Six, seven, or eight
fully excluded.
Rich
for about four hours.
by music,
together, assisted
spectators, when remarkably pleased with a part of the
much
song, throw to the singer as

teen roopees;
women make
able
beside
which,
as four, eight, or six-
who engage
those
these
them presents of garments, and of consider-
The
sums of money.
sons of the rich natives are
highly pleased with these dances.
On
the second day, the worship and sacrifices are
the same as on the
goddess, called the great snanu,
attended with more
is
In this ceremony the priest
ceremonies.
earth said to have been thrown
hog, and, mixing
up by
the goddess, to be used as soap.
first
brings
Then
it
with prayers to
in succession earth
from before the door of the king, or lord of the

before that of a courtezan
some
the teeth of a wild
with water, presents
it
much
except that the bathing of the
first,
soil;
from
from the side of the Ganges
earth raised by ants; and, lastly, earth from any river side,
not the Ganges,
presented with the same ceremonies.
is
After this, turmeric, fruits, and spices; the water of the
cocoa-nut, and of the water melon; the juice of the sugar

cane; honey, clarified butter, sour milk^ milk, cow's urine,
cow-dung, sugar,
presented
While the
treacle,
succession,
in
officiating
monies, he revolves
gifts to assist the
presents
different
with the
or, if
again,
of
oil,
bramhun is going through these

in his mind that he is making
goddess in bathing.
unable to obtain
At the
are closed
are
after this the
this, the
cere-
these
close,
he
water
water of the
and then the water of some other
The bathing ceremonies

the loins.
sorts
necessary formulas.
some water of the Ganges, and
of four seas ;
Ganges
and
river.
by a present of cloth
for
In the evening, or else in the night, according
q 2
116
to the conjunction of the stars, worship

in
which only one bloody
Widows
cases none.
fast
again performed,
is
sacrifice is offered
on
and in some
this day, particularly a
widow
with children; the latter deriving great benefits from the

meritorious actions of the mother.
On
the third day, the goddess
but the offerings and

offered only
on
this day.
worshipped only once*
is
many;
are
sacrifices
me, he had seen one hundred and eight buffaloes
by one Hindoo
at this festival: the
number
some of the Hindoo kings

are in general
sixteen roopees each.
it is
htin puts red lead

a piece of
The
thousand animals on
only are sacrificed; and they
None
slain
on
its
of the Hindoos eat the sacri-
shoemakers 2
after
five to
Each animal
which the
officiating
is
bram-
horns, and, with a red string, ties
wool smeared with red lead on the forepart of the
father of the present king of Nudeeya, at one of these festival?,
offered a great
number of goats and sheep to Doorga.

number eacli day, continued it
one, and, doubling the
On
Formerly
young and very tame, costing from
ficed buffaloes, except the
bathed before
killed a
The males
sacrificed
slain in the
whole country must therefore be very great.

these occasions y.
are
buffaloes
respectable native once told
He began
with
for sixteen days.
the last day he killed 33,708, and in the whole he slaughtered 65,535
animals.
He
loaded boats with the bodies, and sent them to the neigh-
bouring bramhuns; but they could not devour them fast enough, and great
numbers were thrown away. Let no one, after

ples of the bramhuns about destroying animal
this, tell us
life,
of the scru-
and eating animal
food.
z
In some places the tame hog
who, among other
At
the
is
offered to
Doorga by
the lowest casts,
offerings, present spirituous liquors to the goddess.
end of the ceremonies, these persons cook and eat the
the spirits, and then, in a state of intoxication, the

together, and
flesh,
drink
men and women dance
commit the greatest indecencies. No bramhtin, on pain of

and indeed all bramhuns, who
losing cast, can assist at these ceremonies
perform ceremonies for persons of low
cast, sink in society.
117
breast; he also puts a piece of cloth coloured over with tur-
meric on his back, and a necklace of vilwu leaves on his
The
neck, repeating prayers during these actions.
mony
cere-
of cutting off the heads of the buffaloes, and present-
ing them
to
the
goddess,
similar
is
those already
to
described respecting the sacrifice of goats and sheep.
After the beasts are

poor, daub their bodies
all slain,
all
the multitude, rich and
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 pre-
sents a burnt-offering, and gives to the goddess a
sum
of
money, commonly about four roopees: some indeed give

one hundred, and others as much as a thousand roopees;
which
at length return into
the hands of the officiating
bramhun.
In the year 1806,
was present
at the
worship of this
goddess, as performed at the house of Raja Raj-Krishnu at

Calcutta.
on four
The
buildings where the festival was held were
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 vast heaps of

before
and
it.
all
kinds of offerings
In the two side rooms were the native guests,
in the area
groups of Hindoo dancing women, finely
dressed, singing, and dancing with sleepy steps, surrounded
with Europeans
One
or
who were
sitting
on chairs and couches.
two groups of Musulman men-singers entertained

118
the company at intervals with Hindoost'hanee songs, an<
Before two o'clock the place was cleared
ludicrous tricks.
of the dancing
selves;
and of
girls,
and almost
all
the Europeans except our-
the lights were extinguished, except
all
in front of the goddess
when the doors of the area were
thrown open, and a vast crowd of natives rushed

treading one
on long caps
might be about
small space only being
left
area
When
wedged together
pavement of heads
to present the appearance of a solid
as
;
immediately before the image
motions of the singers,
sets of singers
The
like sugar loaves.
cubits long and thirty wide.
fifty
the crowd had sat down, they were so
sisting of
almost
upon another; among whom were the vocal
singers, having
for the
in,
were present on
who
Four
stood up.
all
this occasion, the first
con-
bramhuns, the next of bankers, the next of
voishnuvlis, and
the last of weavers
their guests with filthy songs,
a
;
who
entertained
and danced in indecent
atti-
tudes before the goddess, holding up their hands, turning
round, putting forward their heads towards the image,

every
now and
then bending their bodies, and almost tear-
The whole
ing their throats with their vociferations.

scene produced on
horror.
tures
The
the
dress
my mind
sensations of the greatest
of the singers
their
indecent ges-
abominable nature of the songs
darkness of the place
drum
with the
the
horrid
the
the lateness of the hour
din of their miserable
reflection that I
was stand-
ing 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

selves believed they
Distinguished
among
God
of heaven, while they them-
were performing an act of merit
the natives by the
Bhuvanundu, Nitaee, and Lukshmee.
name of Huroo-t'hakooru,
119
my mind
which time can
this place, a
specimen of the
excited ideas and feelings in
never obliterate.
would have given, in
songs sung before the image, but found them so
broad obscenity that
of
full
could not copy a single line.
All
those actions, which a sense of decency keeps out of the

are here detailed, sung,
most indecent English songs,

laughed
ballad-singer in
correction,
house of
performing the meritorious
for
wretched idolaters
for three days,
to the
and
poor
The
singing
from about two o'clock
in the
is
conti-
morning
nine.
till
The
is
England would be sent
and flogged,
actions of these
nued
without the least sense of shame.
at,
next morning, between eight and nine, a short time
spent in worship, but no bloody sacrifices are offered.
Amongst
other ceremonies at this time the officiating bram-
hun, in the presence of the family, dismisses the goddess,

repeating these words
my
'
goddess
I have, to the best
Now
worshipped thee.
ability,
go
leaving this blessing, that thou wilt return the next year
after
which the
priest
some of
set
it.
this water,
When
pan of water ; and then takes
is
some even shed
thus dismissed, the
put a roopee and some betle in
women go
its
The reader
to the image,
hand, strew some tur-
and rub the dust of
its
feet
on
their
own
On
their retiring, the
will recollect that the festivals of
Bacchus and Cybele
foreheads and those of their friends.

b
women
In the afternoon the
tears.
mistress of the house and other
its feet,
and sprinkles himself and the company
the goddess
up a cry
meric at
immerses a looking-glass, the repre-
sentative of the goddess, in a
with
of
to thy residence,
were equally noted
for the indecencies practised
both in their words and actions.
by the worshippers,
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY".
120
crowd assemble, with

oil,
and sour milk
their bodies
and, bringing out the image, place
a stage, to which they fasten

their shoulders to the water.
tre of
daubed with turme
it
with cords, and carry
It is
it
on
it
on
here placed in the cen-
two boats lashed together, and
with people,
filled
among whom are dancers, musicians, singers, &c. At this

time, in many instances, men dance stark naked on the
boat before many thousands assembled, who only laugh at
Perhaps in one place on the river
this gross indecency.
twenty or thirty images will be exhibited
at once,
while the
banks are crowded with spectators rich and poor, old and
young,
ny
is
all
intoxicated with the scene
down
that of letting
ornaments, into the
c
.
The
the image, with
last
ceremo-
all its tinsil
and
river.
The women
of the house to which the temple belongs

room from whence the goddess has just been
taken, and place a pan of water upon the spot where the
go
to the
image stood, and put upon the top of the pan a branch of
the
mango
After the goddess has been drowned, the
tree.
crowd return
to the
temple ; and the
officiating bramhtin,
taking his place by the side of the pan of water, dips the
e
In a
memorandum
of
marks, made one evening

afternoon
we came
more than 2000
in
my
own, dated Sept. 2G, 1803,
in the course of a
journey
'
I find these re-
About
five in the
The people of about twenty villages,

number, including women and children, were assemto Bulargiir.
bled to throw their images into the river, this being the termination of
the
Doorga
festival.
observed that one of the men standing before the

and making indecent gestures, was naked. As the
idol in a boat, dancing
boat passed along, he was gazed at by the

this
mob nor
;
could I perceive that
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.
have seen the ame abominations exhibited before our own
house at Serampore.'
121
branch of the mango tree into the water, and sprinkles a
the people, repeating incantations; and thus blessing the
people they are dismissed,
bour
when each one
clasps his neigh-
Adjourning to their own houses, they
in his arms.
partake of sweetmeats, and
made with hemp
of an intoxicating beverage
leaves.
In a vast number of instances
this festival is thus closed
with scenes of the most shame-
ful intoxication:
it
almost
the Hindoos in Bengal think
all
duty to indulge to a certain degree in drinking this
liquor at this festival.
Presents to the bramhuns 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
he be
still
if
These presents consist
poorer, on the last day.
of gold and silver female ornaments, silk and cloth gar-
ments, brass and other metal dishes, basons, &c.
Some
persons expend the greatest sums on the dances and other

exhibitions, and others in feasting
and giving presents to
bramhuns.
Some
classes of
Hindoos, especially those who are the
disciples of Vishnoo,
ga,
do not
though they celebrate
offer
bloody sacrifices to Door-
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 Choitm a number of Hindoos hold a

val to this goddess, after the
Many Hindoos
VOL.
I.
festi-
example of king Soorutu.
are initiated into the rites
by which
this
122
goddess becomes their guardian deity
and
as she is c
image of the divine energy, her

Shaktus ; a,word signifying energy.
sidered as the
called
Images of Doorga, made of gold,
disciples are
silver, brass,
&c. are
preserved by many, and worshipped daily.
In the year 1808, a bramhun of Calcutta,
who had
cele-
brated the worship of Doorga, pretended that he had seen

the goddess in a dream;
who had
not descend into the river
son to her
lifted.
miracle,
declared that she would
he had
sacrificed his eldest
and that when the people went to convey the
image to the
be
till
river, it
was found so heavy that
could not
it
Vast crowds of people flocked to see
many
of
whom made
this
new
offerings to this terror-inspir-
ing 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
tion of
of the Tuntrus contains an account of an incarna-
Doorga
in the form of a jackal, in order to carry the
child Krishnu over the river
from king Ktingsu.
Some
Yumoono, when he was
flying
of the heterodox Hindoos, called
vamacharees, feed the jackal daily, by placing the offerings

in a corner of the house, or near their dwellings,
calling the goddess (in the
to
form of some one of these animals)
come and partake of them.
when
the jackals
for food,
and then
come out of
As
this is
done
at the
hour
their lurking places to seek
one of these animals sometimes 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

worshipped, sometimes alone, and at others with the images
of
Doorga and Shmushanu-Kalee.
Some Hindoos bow
to

the jackal;
if it
pass by a person on his
left, it
123
is
a fortu-
nate omen.
The cow
is
regarded by the Hindoos as a form of Doorga,
and called Bhuguvutee.
This goddess has a thousand names, among which are
Gouree,
Hoimuvtitee, the
Kalee, the
daughter of Himaluyti. Eeshwuree, the goddess. Shiva,
wife of Shiva.
of good. Bhuvanee,
the
she who amidst
mungula, she who

Katyayunee,
or, the
daughter of the sage Katyu.
the yellow coloured.
black.
the
giver
blesses
all.
from eating even leaves.-
religious austerities abstained

Parvlitee, the daughter of the
destroyed the giant

the terrible.
mountain.
Doorga, she who

Chundika,
Doorgu ; the inaccewible.
frmbika, the mother of the universe.
SECT. II. The

This goddess
is
in order to destroy
The
Stirvu-
tfpurna,
ten
said to have
two
giants,
Forms of Doorga.
assumed ten
forms
Shoombhu and Nishoombhu.
following account of these wars
the Markunde^yu pooranu:
different
At the
is
translated from
close of the treta yoogu,
these two giants performed religious austerities for 10,000

the merit of which actions
years;
brought Shivu. from
heaven e , who discovered that by these works of extraordinary devotion they sought to obtain the blessing of immor-
Shivu reasoned long with them, and endeavoured
tality.
It
is
maxim of
austerities the gods
the Hindoo religion, that by performing

become subject to the withes of men.
R 2
religious
124
to persuade them, though in vain, to ask for any other
blessing short of immortality.
Being denied, they entered
upon more
which they continued
severe
austerities,
another thousand years
when
for
Shivu. again appeared, but
refused to grant what they asked for.
They now suspended
themselves with their heads downwards over a slow

till
the blood streamed from their heads
thus for 800 years,
till
fire,
and continued
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
Agreeably to the advice of Indru, Kun-
remedy there was.
durpu (Cupid), with Rumbha and Tilottuma, the most

beautiful of the elestial courtezans, were sent to
minds of these giants with sensual

letting fly his arrow,
awaking from
desires
wounded them both
their absorption,
upon which,
and seeing two beautiful
women, they were taken in the snare, and abandoned

devotions. With these women they lived 5000 years,
which they began
the
fill
and Kundurpu,
their
after
to think of the folly of thus renouncing
their hopes of immortality for the sake of sensual gratifications.
They suspected
vance of Indru's
that this
must have been a
contri-
and driving the courtezans back to
heaven, renewed their devotions, cutting the flesh ofT their

bones, and making burnt-offerings of
it
to
they continued for another thousand years,

entire skeletons,
upon them
when
till
Shivti again appeared,
this blessing
that in riches
Shivu; which
they became
and bestowed
and strength they
should excel the gods.
Being thus exalted above the gods, they soon began

After various success on both
to make war with them.
sides, the giants
were every where victorious;
till
Indru

and
125
the gods, reduced to the most deplorable state of
all
Brumha and
Vishnoo but they referred them to Shivu who also declared that he could do nothing for them. When, however,
wretchedness, solicited the interference of
;
him
they reminded
that through his blessing they had been
ruined/he advised them to perform religious

Doorga.
They
did so
and
after
austerities to
some time the goddess
appeared, gave them her blessing, and immediately, dis-
guised like a
common
female carrying a pitcher of water,
passed the assembled gods.

chanting
they were
praise
This female asked them whose
While she uttered these

c
They
The new goddess then disap-
words, she assumed her proper form, and replied,

are celebrating
my
praise/
mount Himaluyti, where Chundu and

Shoombhu and Nishoombhu's messengers,
peared, and ascended
Mundu, two
resided.
As
of
these messengers wandered on the mountain,
they saw the goddess, and were exceedingly struck with
her charms, which they described to their masters

advised
if
them
to
engage the affections of
they gave her
all
this female,
and
even
the glorious things which they had
Shoom-
obtained in plundering the heavens of the gods.
bhu
sent Shoogreevu, a messenger, to the goddess, to in-
form 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
riches, offerings, &c. should be her's, if she
him.
The goddess
replied, that this offer
but she had resolved, that the person
must
first
was very
whom
these
to
liberal;
she married
conquer her in war, and destroy her pride.
Shoogreevu, unwilling to return unsuccessful,

for a favourable
answer
to conquer her in war,
an authoritative
whom
all
would come
pressed
promising that he would engage
and subdue her pride
strain,
still
Did she know
and asked in
his master, before
none of the inhabitants of the three worlds had been
126
able to stand, whether gods, hydras, or
men
How
could she, a female, think of resisting his offers
the
If his
master had ordered him, he would have compelled her to
go into
She
his presence immediately.'
said all this
was
very correct, but that she had taken her resolution, and
exhorted hjin, therefore, to persuade his master 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 Shoombhti was
with rage, and
filled
without making any reply, called for Dhoomlochunu, his
commander
in chief,
and gave him orders
to
luyu, and seize a certain goddess, (giving

directions,)
and bring her to him ; and
rescue her, utterly to destroy them.

to
if
go to Hima-
him
The commander went
Himaluyu, and acquainting the goddess with
orders, she, smiling, invited
him
particular
any attempted to
to execute
his master's
them
but,
the approach of this hero, she set up a dreadful roar, (as
usual
among
the
on
is
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
shoombhu,
infuriated, sent
tidings.
Shoombhu. and Ni-
Chundu and Mtindu, who, on
ascending the mountain, perceived a female sitting on an

ass,
laughing; but on seeing them she became
and drew to her
them
time, devouring
by the
like fruit.
hair, cut off his head, and,
drank the blood.
full of rage,
ten, twenty, or thirty of their
army
at a
She next seized Mtindu,

holding
it
over her mouth,
Chundu, on seeing the other commander
destroyed in this manner, came to close quarters with the
goddess
but she, mounted on a
dispatching
his army,
rest.
him
as she
lion,
sprang on him, and
had done Mundti, devoured part of
and drank the blood of the greater part of the
The two
giants no sooner heard this alarming news,
than they resolved to go themselves, and engage the furious

goddess
for
which purpose they collected
127
all their forces,
an infinite number of giants, and marched to Himaluyu.

The gods looked down with astonishment on this army of
giants, and all the goddesses descended to help Muha-maya
(Doorga), who however soon destroyed the giants. Ruktuveejij,
the principal
shoombhu, seeing
goddess in person
commander under Shoombhu and Ni-
men
his
all
destroyed, encountered the
but though she
from every drop of blood which
filled
him with wounds,
to the
fell
ground arose a
thousand giants equal in strength to Ruktu-veejti himself f ;
hence innumerable enemies surrounded Doorga, and the

gods were
filled
with alarm at this amazing sight.
length Chundee, a goddess
who had
engagement, promised that
if
and drink
blood before
his
At
assisted Kalee in the
she would open her mouth,

it
fell
on the ground, she
(Chundee) would engage the giant, and destroy the whole

Kalee consented, and
of his strangely-formed offspring.
commander and his army were soon dispatched.

Shoombhu and Nishoombhu, in a state of desperation, next
engaged the goddess in single combat, Shoombhu making
this
the
first
dreadful,
killed,
made.
onset.
The
on both
and Kalee
battle
sides,
till
down
sat
was dreadful, inconceivably

both the giants wer
at last
to feed
on the carnage she had
The gods and goddesses then chanted
the praises
of the celestial heroine, and she in return bestowed a blessing on each.
After the destruction of these enemies of the gods, the
sun (Sooryu) shone resplendently forth
blew salubriously
their thrones
the air
the wind (Vayoo)

the gods ascended
the hydras attended to the duties of their
religion without fear
became pure
the sages performed their devotions
This arose from a blessing given by Brumha.
123
without interruption
and the people
at large
were restore(
to happiness.
The Chundee,
these forms of
a part of the Markunddyu. pooranti, places
Doorga
in the following order: First, as
Doorga, she received the messenger of the giants
Dushubhoojae, she destroyed part of

Singh tt-vahinee
5. as
army;
she fought with Ruktu-veeju;
11
Muhishu-murdinee
buffalo
their
',
she slew
Jiiguddhatree
Shoombhu,
in the
2. as
3. as
4.
as
form of a
she overcame the army of
the giants; 6. as Kalee , she destroyed Ruktu-veeju; 7- as

Mooktu-ke'shee m , she again overcame the army of the
1
giants; 8. as Tara n, she killed
mustiika
she killed
she was praised by
all
Shoombhu; 9. as ChinntiNishoombhu; 10. as Jugudgouree p,

the gods.
Such of the above forms

festivals,
will
as are
honoured by separate
be noticed hereafter under their different
names.
SECT. Ul.Singhu-vahinee*.
This goddess with yellow garments is represented
sitting on a lion. She has four hands ; in one a sword ;
anotner a spear
with a third
is
as*
in
forbidding fear, and with
the fourth bestowing a blessing.
Many
people
make
this
image, and worship
it
in the day
h Sitting on a lion.
Destroyer of the bufHaving ten arms.
k Mother of the world.
The
falo, [viz. of Shoombhu in this form.]
n Saviour.
m With flowing hair.
Headless.
* The
black.
yellow.
She who
sits
upon a
lion.

time,
on the 9th of the increase of the moon,
month they
in
whatever
month Ashwinti
please, but in general in the
or Choitrti, for two or three days.
129
The
ceremonies, in-
cluding bloody sacrifices, are almost entirely the same as
Sometimes
those before the im;ige of Doorga.

celebrates this worship at his
times several persons,

unite in
who
own
a rich
man
expense, and at other
expect heaven as their reward,
it.
Some Hindoos keep
images of
in their houses
made
following forms of Doorga,
the
all
of gold, silver, brass,
copper, crystal, stone, or mixed metal, and worship
them
daily.
SECT. lV.Muhishu-murdinee*.
This
is
the image of a yellow
woman,
having either six or ten arms.
sitting
on a
lion
In her hands are seen a
conch, a discus, a club, a water-lily, a shield, a large spear,
and the
Some
tail
of a snake.
persons
make
this image,
and worship
accustomed ceremonies, including bloody
it
with the
sacrifices,
on the
9th of the month Choitrti.
The
Tuntrti-saru declares, that those
who worship
this
goddess will obtain present riches and future happiness.
Many
of the regular Hindoos, as well as
sects, receive the initiatory rites of this
tire
her as their guardian deity.

*
VOL.
I.
She who destroyed Mtihishu, a giant.

S
heterodox
goddess, and adopt
SECT.
TJHI8
sitting
is
on a
woman, dressed
and
in red,
In her four hands she holds a conch 1 , a
lion.
discus, a club,
V.Jtiguddhatree*.
and a
water-lily.
very popular festival in honour of this goddess
is
held
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 frequently expended on these
in the
occasions, especially in the illuminations, dances, songs,
entertaining of bramhuns, &c. as

fifty
many
ns
one hundred and
persons being employed as singers and dancers, beside
others
who
sing verses from the Chtindee, the Krishnu-
mungulu, the Ramayunu, &c.
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

thi# the
way
to
heaven; the venerable bramhuns smiling with
complacency on these works of

gods.
The
call
merit, so acceptable to the
benefits expected from this worship are, the
fruit of meritorious actions, riches, the gratification of every
desire,
These four things are comHindoo shastrus, as promised by
and future happiness.
monly mentioned
in the
the gods to their worshippers.
The mother of the world.
This shell
is
blown
at the times of worship,
and
at other festivals.
131
SECT. Vl.Mooktu-k4shee*.
This
the
is
image of a naked woman, painted blue,
standing on the breast of Shivu, and having four arms
upper right arm

blessing
left
is
the
placed in the posture of bestowing a
with the other she
is
forbidding fear, and in her
hands she holds a sword and a helmet.
The
nies
goddess
festival of this
decrease of the
moon
in the
is
are like those before the
bloody
sacrifices are very
held on the 14th of the
month Maghu
the ceremo-
image of Kalee, but the
numerous.
Spirituous liquors
hour
are privately presented to the goddess, at a late
night, or rather early in the morning.
shastrus allow of this practice, yet
honourable.
Some
it
is
of the
far
at
Hindoo
from being
have been credibly informed, that numbers
of bramhtins, 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, preceded by lighted torches, dancing to the sound of music, and singing indecent songs.
Some
hugging one another; others
are
intoxicated
fall
down
their hands, dancing
and singing alone.
The
among
The benefits promised
this
up
purer Hin-
doos stand gazing at a considerable distance,

should be dragged
are riches
quite
others lose their way, and go along lifting
lest
they
crowd of drunken bramhtins.
to the worshippers of this goddess
now, and heaven hereafter.
Very many persons are
initiated into the rites
goddess as their guardian deity.

u
Of flowing
s
hair.
of this
132
SECT. VII. Tara*.

This
woman, with four arms,
the image of a black
is
standing on the breast of Shivti
in one
hand she holds a
sword; in another a giant's head; with the others she
bestowing a blessing, and forbidding
The worship
of Tara
is
performed in the night, in
rent months, at the total
and
reported, that even
immolated
diffe-
wane of the moon, before the
image of Siddheshwuree; when bloody

it is
is
fear.
human
sacrifices are offered,
beings were formerly
in secret to this ferocious deity;
who
is
consi-
dered by the Hindoos as soon incensed, 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
Almost
all
the disciples of this goddess are from
the heterodox
many
Tara being considered
Hindoos
are
life.
among
of them, however, are learned men,

as the patroness of learning.
Some
supposed 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 learned man.
SECT. VlILCliimiu-mustuka*.
This
is
the image of a naked yellow
head half severed from her

*
The deliverer.
The Ttintrus give
body
y
The
woman, with her
wearing a necklace of
headless.
the following explanation of this monstrous feature
133
She
and standing on the body of Shiva.
skulls,
is
sur-
rounded with dead bodies; has a scymitar in one hand; a

giant's skull in another;
fear,
and with two others
forbidding
is
and bestowing a blessing.
This image
is
not
made
at present,
may
but the worship
be celebrated before the images of any other female deities.
Those who
receive the initiatory rites of this goddess wor-
ship her daily before the shalgramu, or water, or flowers, or
an incantation written on a metal dish a
She promises her
disciples riches, learning, or absorption
Some
riches.
lest, in
death
in the
fit
but principally
people are afraid of becoming her disciples,
of anger, she should bring
upon them
a violent
c
.
image of this goddess
any of the giants

tiika actually Cut
At a certain time, not being able to procure
for her prey, to satisfy her thirst of blood,
her
own
spout up into her mouth.
with
this description
Chinnu-mus-
throat, that the blood issuing thence

I
have seen a picture of
and at Chachra,
this
might
image, agreeing
such an image may be
in Jessore,
seen at present, the half-severed head resting on the
left
hand of the
goddess, and streams of blood falling into her mouth.

a
Before any one of these things, the worship of any of the gods
be performed
b
but the shalgramu
is
person can receive only one blessing at a time from his god.
Hindoos, however, relate a story of a blind man,
who put
was then
*
The
The
a trick on his
guardian deity, by obtaining three blessings from him at once

that he might see
may
mostly preferred.
he asked
his child eat from off a golden dish every day.
He
childless.
following story, current
among
the Hindoos, I give as a proof of
the dread in which they live of some of their deities
had received the
A bramhun
initiating incantation of this goddess, to avoid
who
dying an
unnatural death, used to confine himself to his house; where, however,
a hatchet, hung up
he
lay asleep.
for bacrihcing animals, fell
upon and
killed
him
as
134
SECT. IX.JugMgouree*.
This
and a
8th,
the whole length figure of a yellow
is
four arms
She
water-lily.
is
mostly worshipped on the 7th,
and 9th of the increase of the moon
few persons learn the
SECT.
The
woman, with
holding in her hands a conch, a discus, a club,
image of
in
Very
Maghti.
initiatory rites of this goddess.
X. VugulamooMiee*.
this deity is never
made
though she
is
sometimes worshipped on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of the
moon
in Maghti, before a
The
pan of water, or some other pro-
bramhun,
in yellow gar-
ments, presents yellow flowers, flesh, fish,
and spirituous
per substitute.
officiating
liquors, to her: the animals sacrificed are not
This goddess
is
numerous.
frequently worshipped in the hope of
procuring the removal, the injury, or the destruction, of

enemies, or whatever else the worshipper desires
He
sometimes the wife of another.

can please the goddess by presents, or
will
be disposed to grant him even
ceremonies be not performed in

rules laid
down
in the shastrti,
flattery, or
on
ing, for her sake, certain cruelties
which
makes no doubt,
by
strict
is
he
inflict-
his body, that she
this last favour.
it is
if
If the
conformity to the
believed that the wor-
shipper will be deprived of reason, or of speech, or that
some other dreadful calamity

d
The
yellow.
will befal him.
Of fear-exciting
countenance.
135
In the burnt-sacrifice presented to this goddess, turmeric,

oil,
and
The Hindoos
form the principal ingredients.
salt,
believe that after performing the proper ceremonies for the
destruction of an enemy, the goddess soon complies with

the prayers of the worshipper.
Shoodrus, of course, em-
ploy bramhiins in thus attempting to
Particular forms of praise and of peti-
murderous wishes.
tion, referring in
accomplish their
many
cases to the injury or destruction of
enemies, addressed to this goddess, are contained in the
Tuntru-saru.
SECT. Xl.Prutyungira (
The image
iu the night
of this idol
is
never made, but
is
whenever a person chooses, which
worshipped
is,
generally,
when he wants to injure or destroy another. The officiatbramhun dressed in red, and wearing a roodrakshu
necklace, offers, among other things, red flowers, spirituous
The flesh of crows, or cats,
liquors, and bloody sacrifices.
or of some other animal, after having been dipped in spiriing
tuous liquors, sometimes makes a part of the burnt-offerings; the worshippers believing that the flesh of the enemy,
for
whose injury these ceremonies
on
his
body
are performed, will swell
as the sacrificed flesh does
on the
Parti-
fire.
cular forms of praise are also repeated before this image to
accomplish the destruction of enemies.
cimen
(
:
enemies
away
Oh
Prutyungira, mother
Kill
kill
Reduce them
Devour them
here give a spe-
to ashes
Devour them
Drink, drink their blood
Destroy, destroy
my
Drive them
Cut them
in
two
Destroy them root and branch
The well-proportioned.
'

With thy
thunder-bolt, spear, scymitar, discus, or rope,
destroy them.
story to the following purport
the Hindoos
is
very current
among
Jafur-alee-kha, the nabob of Moorshudubad,
was much attached to Ramu-kantu, his Hindoo treasurer;

who was at enmity with Kalee-shunktiru, a very learned
Hindoo, and a great worshipper of the female deities. The
latter, to effect
the destruction of Ramu-kantu, began to
He
worship the goddess Prutyiingira.

the ceremonies long, before
had not performed
Ramu-kantu became
sick,
and
was made known to him and the nabob, that KaleSshunkum was thus employed. The nabob, full of rage,
it
ordered that Kalee-shunku.ru should
him
but he
and began
fled before the
be brought before
messengers could seize him,
to perform these ceremonies for the destruction
of the nabob.
servant, mistaken for Kalee-shunkuru,
was, however, seized; but he bribed the messengers, that

they might protract his journey as
much
the nabob died.
They
as possible.
did so, and the day before they arrived at
Moorshudubad
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
with the utmost eagerness
stories
villagers
in
England
tell
stories
while sitting round the winter's
and surprise,
as
current amongst
the
them
fire.
SECT. XII. Unnu-poorna*.

This image may be made standing, or
ter-lily
R
in the right
She who
fills
hand is
with food
sitting
On the wa-
a spoon, like that with
from unnu, food, and poornu,
which the
full.
:
'

Hindoos
boiling rice, and in the other a rice dish
stir their
Shivu, as a naked mendicant,
asking
137
is
standing before the image
relief.
The worship
paid to this form of
Doorga
is
performed
on the 7th, 8th, and 9th days of the moon's increase
in the
month Chqitru bloody sacrifices, fish, and spirituous

liquors are among the offerings,
tmnu-poorna being the
guardian deity of many of the Hindoos, (who have a pro:
verb amongst them, that a sincere disciple of this goddess
never wants
festival,
accompanied with music, dancing,
and every thing
very great festivities take place at this
rice,)
Hindoo
rising in a morning, before his eyes are well
name
open, repeats the
tmnu-poorna
'
of this goddess
be well fed that day.

your house
is
one, in liberality,
When
tmnti-podrna
is
like
shall
one Hindoo wishes to comhe says,
liberality,
as full of riches as that of
SECT.
Oh
tmnu-poorna
(
Such a
tmnu-poorna/
XIII.-
Gun^shu-jununee
This name Doorga assumed

is
'
he speak of another when absent, he says,
or, if
she
and hopes, that through her favour he
pliment another on his riches or

Sir,
songs,
filthy
else calculated to deprave the heart.
h
.
after the birth of
Gun^shu
here represented as sitting on the water-lily, dressed
in red,
and supporting with one arm the infant Gune'shu
at the breast, while the other
hand
rests
infant.
VOL.
X.
The mother of Giineshu.
on the knee of the
138
small festival in honour of this goddess
month
in the
ftgrtihayunii or Phalgoonu,
and 9th of the increase of the moon.
is
celebratec
on the 7th, 8th,
Some
years ago, at
Gooptee-para, a village about forty miles north of Calcutta,

a great festival was held in honour of Guneshu-jununee,
when
fifty
thousand roopees or more were expended.
bramhuns of the
expenses
five
village
collected
some gave one thousand,
thousand roopees
money
to
others two,
The
defray the
and others
and crowds came two or three days
journey to be present.
The
dancing, singing, music, &c.
began a month before the principal day of worship
all
the
were entertained, and more than two thousand
visitors
animals were slain.
SECT. XLV.Krishnu-krvra
This
is
an image of Doorga giving suck to Krishnu, to
destroy the poison which he had received in a quarrel with
Kaleeyu, a hydra.
A
8th,
festival in
honour of
goddess
this
is
held on the 7th,
and 9th of the increase of the moon, in the day,
in the
month Maghti.
The
history of this idol
is
thus related
In the west of
Hindoost'han a stone image was once found in a pool
no information could be obtained to what

a
Brumhucharee
of theTuntrus.
the river
referred
them
and
related, until
to the following story in
one
In the neighbourhood of Vrinda-vtinu, by
Yumoona, Soubhuree,
performed religious
it
austerities.
a sage, for a long time
One
day, while in the
She who holds Krishnu in her arms.
139
midst of his devotions, he saw a shukoolu and some other

playing together;
fish
pleased,
till
Gurooru, the king
of the birds,
up the shukoolu
the water, and snatched
was much
sight he
with which
descended into
The
fish.
sage,
unable to punish Gurooru, pronounced a curse upon this
who should
bird-god, or any other bird,
destroy the fish in this spot
and
hereafter
this curse
come
to
was afterwards
the means of preserving the king of the hydras from the
Multiyu was the resort of
many
serpents,
The mountain
who daily collect-
wrath of Guroorti in the following manner.
ed a number of frogs, &c. and presented them to Gurooru,

At
to conciliate him, and to prevent his devouring them.
last
Kaleeyu, the king of the hydras,
commanded his subthem
jects to give the frogs to him, promising to protect
from Gurooru
but the
on
latter
his
food, attacked and overcame Kaleeyu;
arrival, finding
amused Gurooru. by rehearsing some
feated,
no one understood but himself

deep place of the
retreat into a
not follow
him
till
no
who, though deverses
which
he had made good his
river,
where Gurooru durst

In conse-
for fear of the curse of the sage.
quence of the serpent's remaining in
this spot, the poison
proceeding from his body had destroyed
all
the trees, water
&c. for two miles round, and whoever drank of the water
About
died.
this
time Krishnu 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 drave
him out of the
place.
Kaleeyu,
full
of fear,
asked where he was to go, for that Gurooru would certainly kill
k
him.
These
Krishnu, putting his foot on his head, assured
verses,
it
is
said,
now compose one of
Fingulu.
T 2
the kavyiis called
THE HINltoO MYTHOLOGY.
140
him
that
when Gurooru
would not destroy him.

some; the
mark of
discovered the
The
waters
life
he
now became whole-
trees gained their verdure;
cows were restored to
his foot,
and the boys and
but the pain arising from the
poison in the wounds which Kaleeyu had given to Krishnu
was
He therefore
intolerable.
who made
prayed to Doorga,
him suck the milk from her own
breast,
by which he was
immediately restored to health.
SECT.
clay image of
XV. VislialaksheeK
this
goddess
a village in Burdwan, which

resort for pilgrims.
is
is set up at Shye'nuhatee,
become a place of great
Vast multitudes of buffaloes, sheep,
goats, &c. are offered at different times to this goddess, not
unfrequently for the destruction of enemies

goats are offered every day, and
man
it
sacrifices
were offered to
affirmed, have
is
it is
sheep and
said that formerly
this goddess.
Many
hu-
persons,
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
persons receive the
name
mad
yet
some
of Vishalakshee as their guardian
deity.
SECT. XVI. Chiindee.

Images of
in
Bengal
this
but
form of Doorga are not made at present

goddess is worshipped by many of the
this
bramhuns, &c. before a metal cup containing the water of

1
Of large
or beautiful eyes.
m The
wrathful.
'

This worship
the Ganges.
new
enters a
celebrated daily, or at the
is
change of the moon, or when the sun
full or
time of the
on the 9th of the moon.
sign, or
The Kaliku-pooranu.
directs that birds, tortoises, alliga-
tors, fish, buffaloes, bulls, he-goats,
rhinoceroses, antelopes, guanas,
offered to this goddess.
offerer's
one,
my
enemy,
O consort
Chundika
of
fire
enemy who has done me
the
by an animal
sphng
eat,
Women
own
when
effect the destruction of
goddess, of horrid form,
lions,
tygers,
body, be
following horrid incantation
addressed to the goddess Chilndee,
animal in order to
is
The
ichneumons, wild boars,
rein-deer,
men, and blood drawn from the
is
HI
destroy him,
eat,
an
offering
an enemy
6
:
devour such a
Salutation to
fire
This
now personated
Muhamaree Sphng
mischief,
devour.
sometimes make a vow to Chtindee to engage
her to restore their children to health, or to obtain some

If a
other favour.
vow has been made,
The
person recover in whose name such a

his neighbours ascribe
it
to Chtindee.
exploits of this goddess are celebrated in a
poem
written by the poet Kiinkunu, and recited on various occasions,
under the name of Chundee-ganu, or Chtindee-yatra.
SECT. XVII. Other Forms

Kamakhya n
This goddess
is
of Door ga.
worshipped daily by per-
sons of property before a pan of water, or some other

substitute
moon
in
and also by many shaktus on the 8th of the
both quarters.
n
Those who worship her monthly,
She who
is
called desire.
142
generally present
some
particular request in favour of
At the Doorga
selves or families.
expense.
few persons receive the
goddess, and
is
a great
at
initiatory rites of this
worship her as their guardian deity.
Vindhyu-vasinee
on a
sitting
goddess
festival this
worshipped with many ceremonies and
also
them
lion,
This
the image of a yellow female,
is
with either four or eight arms
she
is
worshipped in the month Voishakhu, on the 9th, or on the

7th, 8th, or 9th of the increase of the
she
is
is
worshipped
The
daily.
moon
Benares
at
destruction of several giants
ascribed to this goddess.
Mungiilu-Chiindikav.
This
is
the image
of a yellow
female, sitting on three skulls, clothed in red; having in her

right
She
hand a hook, and

is
in her left a roodrakshti bead-roll.
mostly worshipped by females, or rather by bram-
huns employed by them,
in
distress in their families
consequence of some particular
when
they
make
vow
goddess to worship her a certain number of times

will deliver
them.
Even
to the
if
she
the wives of Mustilmans some-
times send offerings to the house of a bramhun, to be presented to her with prayers.
festival is
KumilU-kaminee*,
on the
left
In the
month Poushu a small
held in honour of this goddess.
This
is
the image of a female sitting
water-lily, swallowing an elephant, while
hand she
is
pulling
it
out of her throat
She who dwelt on mount Vindhyn.
The
with the
She
is
wor-
fervent benefactress.
She who
This image
sits
on the water-lily.
is
said to
owe
its
rise to a vision at sea ascribed to
Shreemuntu, a merchant, the particulars of which are related in the
Kuvee-kunkantk
143
shipped on the 8th of Voishakhti, with the usual ceremonies
and
festivities.
Raju-rajeshwiiree*.
ting
Bmmha,
of
This
on a throne, the three
She
Vishnoo, and Shivu.
represented as
is
which
is
sit-
on the heads
rest
worshipped on the
and 9th of Voishakhti, with the ceremonies com-
7th, 8th,
mon
goddess
feet of
to all the female deities to
whom
bloody
sacrifices are
offered.
Yoogadya
arms.
is
represented as sitting on a lion, having ten
honour of
festival in
this
goddess
is
held on the
day of Voishakhti, at Ksheeru, a village in Burdwan,
last
where many animals are skin, and large quantities of spirituous liquors offered
is
the goddess at the time of worship
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
am
sacrifices, I
offered to this goddess.
So
that the water of the pool, in
thrown immediately
of blood.
a
little
informed, were formerly
numerous
after decapitation,
These bodies
time after the
are the sacrifices,
which the dead bodies are
becomes the colour
are taken out of the pool again in
sacrifice.
The
disciples of this
god-
dess are very numerous.
Kuroonamuyee".
In some places the image of this godup 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
dess
is
set
of distress, and
many
receive the initiatory rites
she becomes their guardian deity.
The goddess who governs Brumha, Vishnoo, and

She who existed before the yoogus.
The compassionate.
Shivu.
by which
144
SECT. XVIII. Other Form* ofDoorga.

Tripoora x,
Pruchunda \
Jiiya
u
,
DeVii-sena x,
Twuritay,
Chundagra
Nitya z,
Dhooma-vutee vy
Swudha y ,
tJbhuya m ,
Swalia z,
Prustabinee
a
,
Juyu-doorga
Shoolinee
Sutee
n
,
Gouree
Shantee
Toostee
,
,
Muha-lukshmee d,
Pudma p,
Poostee c,
Shree-vidya %
Shuchee q ,
Dhritee
Medha
Atmu-deVta %
Tripoora-soondtiree
Vunu-de"vee
Savitree
s,
Chundu-nayika
h
,
Vijuya
d
,
Koolii-deVta f,
&c. &c.
All these goddesses are worshipped at the festivals of
Doorga,
as well as at other times, before the proper repre-
sentative of a god, as water, the shalgramti, &c. but their
images are not
now made
Many
in Bengal.
persons receive
the initiatory rites of these deities, and pay their devotions

daily to the particular goddess
their guardian deity.
Bloody
whom
they have chosen as
sacrifices, fish,
and spirituous
She who governs the three worlds, heaven, earth, and the world of
z
* She who speedily executes her will.
The everlasting.
c She
b The destroyer of the giant Doorgii.
The praise-worthy.
the hydras.
*
d The great goddess of fortune.

who wields the weapon of this name.
f
* The goddess
The learned.
The beauty of the three worlds.
h The destroyer of the giant Chundu.
The wrathful.
of forests.
m She who
k The furious.
She who is the colour of smoke.
n
p She who
The
wife
The
yellow.
fear.
of
Shivn.
removes
r The wise.
She who tells the truth of all.
sits on the water-lily.
x
* The victorious.
The cause of all.
Ditto.
The celestial
x
* The
* She who presides over the manes.
Ditto.
heroine.
c
d The patient.
b Ditto.
e The
The nourisher.
comforter.
f She who presides over the generations of men.
goddess of souls.
>
'
tt

The
liquors, are presented to these goddesses.
are worshipped
when
rice is
first
145
last sixteen
given to a child, at the
investiture with the poita, at the time of marriage,
general at
all
and in
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 Bhoiriivee, viz. the terrific; and temples consecrated to Bhoimvu. and Bhoiruvee
are erected at
doo pilgrims.
many
of the holy places visited by the
When
Hin-
a person performs any of the cere-
monies of Hindoo worship
at these places,
he must
flrs%
on
pain of meeting with some misfortune, worship these two

deities.
SECT. XIX.Kalee.
This goddess may
guvutee,
or
also
Doorga,
image of Kalee,
be considered
as a
form of Bhu-
According to the Chundee, the
at present
worshipped in Bengal, had
its
origin in the story of Ruktu-veeju, already inserted in page
127.
Kalee was so overjoyed at the victory she had ob-
tained over this giant, that she danced

to
its
till
the earth shook
foundation; and Shivu, at the intercession of the
gods, was compelled to go to the spot to persuade her to
He saw no other way, however, of prevailing, than

by throwing himself among the dead bodies of the slain.
desist.
When
the goddess saw that she was dancing on her hus-
band, 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.
vol.
1.
146
frr\m
The Udhyatmu Ramayunus gives another story from
Ramu,
which the image of Kalee may have originated
when he returned home with Seeta from the destruction of
:
Ravunu, began to boast of his achievements before his
who smiled, and said, ' You rejoice because you have
but what would you say
killed a Ravunu with ten heads
to a Ravunu with 1000 heads?' c Destroy him/ said
Rurnu. Seeta, again smiling, advised him to stay at home
but he, collecting all the monkies, the giants, and his own
soldiers together, with Seeta, Lukshmunu, Shtitrughnu,
wife';
and Bhunitu, immediately departed
meet
this
Shutu-dweepu. to
for
new Ravunu sending Hunoomanu

;
before to dis-
cover the residence of this thousand-headed monster, and
Hunoomanu, after a
Ramu, who soon after
bring a description of his person.

little
play with him, returned to
attacked the giant
but he, looking forward, beheld Ramu's
army as so many children ; and discharged three arrows, one

of which sent all the monkies to Kishkindha, their place of
residence; another sent
and the third sent

tal.
all
all
the giants to Lunka, (Ceylon;)
the soldiers to tJyodhya, Ramu's capi-
Ramu, thunderstruck
being thus
at
moment, and thinking that
all
once annihilated, began to weep
when
alone in a
left
his adherents
had been
at
Seeta, laughing at
her husband, immediately assumed the
terrific
form of
Kalee, and furiously attacked this thousand-headed Ra-
vunu.
The
conflict lasted ten years,
killed the giant, drank his blood,
toss about the limbs of his body.
earth to
its
centre, so that all
applied to Shivu
s
but she
at
length
and began to dance and
Her dancing shook
the gods,
filled
the
with alarm,
but he declared that he almost despaired
There are four Ramayunus, one written by Valmeekee, another by

Udbooru and the Udhyatraii
Vyasu-dvii, and two others, called the
Ramayunus but the

work of Valmeekee.
;
others are in
little
estimation compared with the

of calming her passions, for she was
mised, however, to do
mad
14T
with joy; he pro-
and seeing no other
from a
that could be expected
all
some time,
in so desperate a case; but, pausing for
god
alternative, he, in the presence of the
assembled gods, threw himself among the dead bodies under
Brumha
her feet.
dess
what
thou doing
art
and
called to the goddess,

?
said,
O god-
Dost thou not see that thou
art
trampling on thy husband?' She stooped, and saw Shivu
under her
feet
and was so ashamed, that she stood
and threw out her tongue to an uncommon length
h
.
still,
By
means Shivu saved the universe; and Seeta, again

assuming her proper form, went home with Ramu and his
this
brothers.
In the images commonly worshipped, Kalee
is
repre-
sented as a very black female, with four arms; having in
one hand a scymitar, and in another the head of a giant,

which she holds by the hair
another hand
fear.
She wears two dead bodies
lace of skulls;
is
for ear-rings,
forbidding
and a neck-
and her tongue hangs down to her chin. The
hands of several giants are hung

loins,
spread open
is
bestowing a blessing; and with the other she
and her
tresses
down
fall
as a girdle
round her
to her heels.
Having
drank the blood of the giants she has slain in combat, her
eye-brows are bloody, and the blood
down her
is
falling in a
stream
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
'.
When the Hindoo women are shocked or ashamed at any thing, they
put out their tongues, as a mode of expressing their feelings.
11
The image
of Minerva,
ing goddess, exciting terror

gon.
Sir
W.
it
:
will
be recollected, was that of a threaten-
on her shield she bore the head of a gor.
Jonea considers Kalee as the Proserpine of the Greeks.
U 2
148
This deity
is
equal in ferocity to any of the preceding
forms of Doorga.
In the Kalika pooranu
amongst other animals,
out,
men
are pointed
as proper for sacrifice.
It is
here said that the blood of a tyger pleases the goddess for
one hundred years, and the blood of
But by the
a man, a thousand.
she
is
pleased 100,000 years
a lion, a rein-deer, or
sacrifice of
1 insert
three men,
two or three extracts
from the Sanguinary Chapter of the Kalika pooranu

a
human
at a
'Let
victim be sacrificed at a place of holy worship, or
cemetery where dead bodies are buried.
Let the obla-
tion be performed in the part of the cemetery called heru-
Now
ku, or at a temple of Kamakshya, or on a mountain.

attend to the
mode
in the east division,

is
The human
which
is
victim
is
to be
sacred to Bhoiruvu
be presented in the south division, which
to
upon
as the place of skulls sacred to
blood
is
to
immolated
the head
is
be presented in the west division, which
Having immolated a human
minated herukii.
looked
Bhoiruvu; and the

is
deno-
victim, with
all
the requisite ceremonies at a cemetery, or holy place,
let
the sacrificcr be cautious not to cast his eyes
The
upon
it.
victim must be a person of good appearance, and be
prepared 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.
ing the victim to face the north,
let
Then
caus-
the sacrificer worship
the several deities presiding over the different parts of the
himself by his name.
workup be then paid to the

Let him worship Brumha
victim's rhundru,
cave of Brumha, cavity in the skull,
victim's
body
let
the
i.
e.
under the spot where the sutura coronalis and

meet.
Let him worship the earth in
shipping the king of serpents,

following incantation
(
:
let
best of
his nose,
victim
in the
sagittalis
&c.
Wor-
him pronounce the
men
most auspi-

cious
who
thou
and most exquisite
friends
and
my
sons,
cattle,
as death
is
me
save me,
and kindred; preto
it,
and
all
unavoidable, part with (thy organs
Bestow upon me,
doing an act of benevolence.
most auspicious
the deities,
all
the ministers belonging
the state,
of) life,
an assemblage of
bestow thy protection on
my
thy devoted; save

serve
art
149
the bliss which
obtained by the most
is
austere devotion, by acts of charity, and performance of

lent
most auspicious
terrors,
chiis,
and
supreme
attain
at the
same time,
May
bliss thyself.
me
keep
most excel-
thy auspices,
secure from rakshtisus, pisha-
serpents, bad princes, enemies,
and other
thy last
being inevitable, charm Bhuguvutee in

moments by copious streams of blood spouting
from the
arteries of thy fleshly neck.
evils; and, death
done,
O my
children
the victim
'
When
is
this
has been
even as myself, and
the guardian deities of the ten quarters take place in
him
then
Brumha and
tim
and be he ever so great a sinner, he becomes pure from
sin;
all
and when pure,
the other deities assemble in the vic-
his blood
changes to ambrosia, and he
gains the love of Muhadevee, the goddess of the yogu

nidru,
(i.
e.
the tranquil repose of the
tion of ideas,)
who
the very universe
is
mind from an
abstrac-
the goddess of the whole universe,
itself.
He
does not return for a consi-
human form, but becomes a

and is much respected by me
derable length of time in the
gunu devtas,
The victim who is impure from sin, or ordure and
Kamakshya will not even hear named. The blind,
ruler of the
myself.
urine,
the crippled, the aged, the sick, the afflicted with ulcers, the
hermaphrodite, the imperfectly formed, the scarred, the

timid, the leprous, the dwarfish,
muha
and the perpetrator of
patiiku, (heinous offences, such as slaying a
bram-
hiin, drinking spirits, stealing gold, or defiling a spiritual
teacher's bed,)
one under twelve years of age, one who
is
150
impure from the death of a kinsman, &c. one who

impure from the death of
which impurity
muha gooroo, (father and

one whole year
lasts for
these
sacrificed
Let not a bramhun or a chundalti be
texts.
nor a prince, nor that which has been already
presented to a bramhun, or a deity

prince
nor one
severally
though rendered
are unfit subjects for immolation, even
pure by sacred
is
mother,)
who
nor the offspring of a
has conquered in battle
nor the
off-
spring of a bramhun, or of a kshutriyu; nor a childless
brother
is
nor a father ; nor a learned person ; nor one
unwilling; nor the maternal uncle of the sacrificer.
day previous to a human
who
The
the victim be pre-
sacrifice, let
pared by the text manushtiiku and three devee gundhu

shuktus, and the texts
wadmngu, and by touching
his
head
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.
severed head of a
human
of prosperity and long
and
if it
victim smile,
life
speak, whatever
it
If the
indicates increase
to the sacrificer, without doubt

says will
it
come
to pass.'
This work further lays down directions for a person's
drawing blood from himself, and offering

repeating the following incantation
lusion
Hail
fulfillest
my
all.
May
it
to the goddess,
Hail
goddess of the universe
the desires of
the blood of
c
:
supreme de-
Hail
presume
thou who
to offer thee
body; and wilt thou deign to accept
it,
and be propitious towards me/
A person's
cutting off his
own
the goddess as a burnt-sacrifice,
ing this infernal deity
c
:
flesh,
is
Grant me,
proportion to the fervency with which
my own
flesh,
and presenting
it
to
another method of pleas-
goddess
bliss, in
present thee with
invoking thee to be propitious
to
me.
151
Salutation to thee again and again, under the mysterious

1
syllables ting, ting.
person's burning his body, by applying the burning
wick of a lamp to
On
is
it,
also very acceptable to Kalee, &c.
this occasion this incantation
is
used
e
:
Hail
Salutation to thee, under the syllables ting, ting.

I
goddess *
To
thee
present this auspicious luminary, fed with the flesh of
my
body, enlightening
It is
around, and exposing to light
all
inward recesses of
also the
my soulV
observed in this work, that the head or the blood of
an animal, in
its
simple
state,
forms a proper offering to a
goddess, but that flesh must be presented as a burnt-offering.
Other Ttintrus 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
poverty.
am
credibly informed, that very
Bengal eat cow's
in
commit a great crime, and sink into

flesh, and, after
to an idol, drink spirits,
acknowledge
many bramhuns
they have been offered
though none of them
will publicly
it.
Thieves frequently pay their devotions to Kalee, and to

all
whom
the goddesses to
bloody
under the hope of carrying on their villainous designs with

security and success
agree to plunder a house;

k
gang of ten persons, perhaps,
who meet
together in a dark
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 Sungskritii words, as he
has done
1
One
it
merely to preserve uniformity throughout the work.
of Jupiter's names,
plunder was offered
to him.
it
is
well known, was Praedator, because
152
night, under a tree where an image of Sidd^shwuree
placed
and bring to the spot spirituous
One
other offerings.
liquors, fish,
is
and
of the company, a bramhun, goes
through the ceremonies of worship

bloody
sacrifice is offered,
which
is
at the close of
which a
and the instrument worshipped
to cut through the wall of the house
at
which
time the following incantation from the Choru-punchashika

is
read
'
Sindhukatee
name
(the
formed by the goddess Vishaee
of the instrument)
Kalee commanded thee
to cut a passage into the house, to cut through stones^
bones, bricks, wood, the earth, and mountains, and, through

the blessing of ftnadya m to make a way by cutting the
,
earth from the house of the Malinee to that of Vidya",
and that the
,n
brought out should be carried away
soil
by the wind.
Haree-jhee and
Chamunda have given
name of Kalee, which means, without beginning.
n Soomliiru, the son
of Goonii-sindhoo, raja of Kanchee-pooru, was over-
come by the charms of Vidya, the daughter of Veerii-singhu, the raja of

Burdwan. For the purposes of courtship he concealed himself at the
house of a flower-seller (Malinee) near the palace of Veeru-singhu, and
began
to
pay
his devotions to the
goddess Kalee
who gave him
this in-
and the instrument Sindhukatee, that he might cut his way to

one. One night, however, Soondurtt was caught in the palace,
cantation,
his fair
and seized as a
tion,
As he was
thief.
he composed
fifty
led from prison to the place of execu-
verses in praise of the raja's daughter, which
verses have since received the
name of Choru-punchashika.
The Hin-
doos add, that when they were about to execute Soondtiru, the cords by
which he was bound miraculously burst asunder, and the executioners

fell
senseless to the ground
in
consequence, the execution was post-
poned, and the next night Kaiee appeared to Veeru-singhft in a dream,
and directed him
to
marry
his
daughter to Soondurii who was not a

;
thief,
but the son of the raja of Kanchee-pooru, a very proper person to become
his son-in-law.
The marriage was soon
after celebrated in the
most
splendid manner.
The Hindoos
Haree
cast
was once honoured
with an interview by the goddess Kamakshya,
who
delivered to her a
say, that a female of the
variety of incantations,
lous, as well as brutal
now used by
the lowest casts for the most ridicu-
and wicked purposes.

and
this blessing',
(KalSe) has given the
com-
After the reading of this incantation, the thievelf
mand.'
down to
and when
sit
and drink the things that have been
eat
nearly
round
firmly
Kam ikshya
153
their
off red;
they gird their garments
intoxicated,
rub their bodies well with
loins,
oil,
daub their eyes with lamp-black, and repeat an incantation

to enable
spot:
them
to see in the dark
when they
and thus proceed to the
cut a hole through the wall, plunder the
house, and sometimes murder the inhabitants.
Some
time ago, two Hindoos were executed at Calcutta

Before they entered
for robbery.
upon
work of
their
plunder, they worshipped Kale", and offered prayers before
her image, that they might be protected by the goddess in

the act of thieving.
It so
these disciples in the lurch
happened, that the goddess

;
left
they were detected, tried, and
While under sentence of death,

a native Catholic, in the same place and circumstances, was
visited by a Roman Catholic priest to prepare him for death.
These Hindoos now reflected, that as Kalee had not prosentenced to be hanged.
tected them, notwithstanding they had paid their devotions

to her, there could be
after death
cast:
no hope that she v/ould save them
they might as well, therefore, renounce their
which resolution they communicated to
prisoner,
who
procured for
priest, translated into the
them
their fellow-
a prayer from the Catholic
Bengalee language.
saw a copy
of this prayer in the hands of the native Catholic
me
this account.
upon Kalee, died
These men
at last, out of
in the faith of the Virgin
Catholics, after the execution,
them;
faiib,
made
as these persons, they said,
and renounced
their cast,
from
Mary
i.
and the
a grand funeral for
embraced the Catholic

conviction.
Agum-vageeshti, a learned Hindoo, about

VOL.
who gave
pure revenge
five
hundred
154
years ago, formed the image of Kalee according to the pre-
ceding description, and worshipped

for this
purpose the darkest nights in the month ; he made
up the image, worshipped

the same night. At present the
and
monthly, choosing
it
set
and destroyed
it,
greater
it,
on
number of the
worshippers of Kalee hold a festival to her honour on the

last
moon
night of the decrease of the
and
tiku,
call it
Shyama p
the
in the
month Kar-
festival.
few persons celebrate the worship of Kalee
moon
in Kartikti
before a picture of this goddess, drawn on a
This
reeds seven or eight feet long.
and on the fourth the picture
days,
at the ful
the ceremonies of which are performed

stiff
mat of
festival lasts
is
three
thrown into the
river.
Some
the decrease of the moon, in the

rich
one night on the 14th of
also worship Kalee for
men do
month Magliu; and
on the
so monthly,
night of the
last
while others worship this goddess in the
month
a few
moon
Jyoisht'hti,
when it is called the Phulu-huree festival, on account

the many mangoes, jak fruits, &c. offered to her.
few years ago,
ghoshu,
went
to the
at Calcutta, at the
house of Kalee-shunkuru-
Shyama festival, to
The buildings where
time of the
see the animals sacrificed to Kalee.
the worship was performed
with an area in the middle.
of
were raised on four
The image was
north end, with the face to the south
sides,
placed at the
and the two side
rooms, and one of the end rooms opposite the image, were
filled
with spectators
to sacrifice,
in the area
were the animals devoted
and also the executioner, with Kalee- shunkuru,
A name
of Kalee, meaning black.
155
a few attendants, and about twenty persons to throw the
animal down, and hold

cut
The
off.
and
last
of
it
goats were sacrificed
first,
then the buffaloes,
In order to secure the
two or three rams.
all
head was
in the post, while the
animals, ropes were fastened round their legs
then thrown down, and the neck

fastened into the ground, and
they were
placed in a piece of
made open
the space betwixt the prongs of a fork.
wood
at the top like
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
oy an attendant, (dancing as he went,) the blood running
down him on
all
sides,
into the presence of the goddess.
Kalee-shunktiru; at the close, went
up
to the executioner,
took him in his arms, and gave him several presents of
The heads and blood
cloth, &c.
of the animals, as well as
different meat-offerings, are presented with incantations as
which
a feast to the goddess \ after
on a prepared
altar
of sand.
clarified butter is
Never did
see
burnt
men
so
eagerly enter into the shedding of blood, nor do I think
any butchers could slaughter animals more expertly.

place
swam with
literally
blood.
The
bleating
The
of the
animals, the numbers slain, and the ferocity of the people
employed, actually made

midnight,
The
filled
gifts
to
me
unwell; and I returned about
with horror and indignation.
bramhuns and guests
at this festival are
numerous, and in some instances very expensive.
The
bramhuns, and then the family and other guests, are entertained,
when
the spirituous liquors which have been pre-
sented to the goddess are drank privately by those

in the secret.
The
festival closes
before the goddess.
who
are
with the dances and songs
156
The
at the
may form an idea how much idolatry prevailed

time when the Hindoo monarchy flourished, from
reader
the following circumstance, which belongs to a

period,
when
Hindoo
the
almost extinct.
Raja
immediate successors,
orders to
all
Krishnu-ehundru-rayu, and his two
month Kartiku, annually gave
in the
whom
they had a nominal
festival,
and threatened every
the people over
authority to keep the
offender with the
modern
authority in Hindoost'hanu. was
Shyama
severest penalties on non-compliance.
In consequence of these orders, in more than ten thousand
houses, in one night, in the zil'ah of Krishnu-nuguru, the
worship of
this
goddess was celebrated.
The number
of
animals destroyed cou'd not be less than ten thousand.
The
officiating
bramhuns, especially those who perform
religious ceremonies for shoodrtis, were greatly perplexed,
as a single
bramhun had
to perform the ceremonies of wor-
ship at two hundred houses, situated in different villages,

in
one night.
fifteen or
All the joiners, b rbers, or blacksmiths, in
twenty villages,
to incur the disgrace
many
in
bramhuns
officiating priest, the
which
instances have but one
in general
arises
being unwilling
from performing religious
services for shoodrtis.
Eeshanu-chundrti-rayu, the grandson of Krishnu-chtindru-rayu, in certain years, presented to Kalee eighty thou-
sand pounds weight of sweetmeats, the same quantity of

sugar, a thousand
women's cloth garments, the same number
of women's China silk garments, a thousand offerings, in-
cluding
rice, plantains, peas,
&c. and immolated a thou-
sand buffaloes, a thousand goats, and the same number of

sheep; which altogether could not cost less than ten thou-
sand roopees, while the other expenses amounted to scarcely

less
than twenty thousand.
To
raja sold the greater part of his
defray these expenses, this
patrimony; and in
this
and

other idolatrous customs he and other
expended almost the whole of their
157
Hindoo
have
rajas
estates.
Raja Ram-Krishnu also expended very large sums of
money upon
image of
He
the worship of Kalee.
goddess at Vurahu-nugurii
this
up a stone
set
on which occa-
He
said to have spent a lack of roopees.
sion he
is
endowed
this
image with such a large revenue, that
also
at pre-
sent five hundred persons are maintained 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 lacks of roopees annually into the
Company's
Kalee
is
treasury.
the guardian deity of very
lees, especially of the
At Kal'e-ghatu, near Calcutta,

this goddess,
f
'
whom
many
of the Benga-
bramhuns.
(in the
is
a celebrated image of
opinion of the Hindoos)
Asia, and the whole world worshippeth.'
an account of this temple from a bramhun
whom
to Kalee-ghatu for the purpose, I here lay
it
readers
all
Having obtained
I
before
sent
my
The temple consists of one room, with a large pavement

it.
The image is a large black stone, to which a
around
horrid face, partly cut and partly painted, has been given
there are neither arms nor legs, a cloth covering
lower part which should be the body.
temple
is
the
In front of the
a very large building capable of seating two hun-
dred people
temple,
all
in which,
many bramhuns
and on the pavement around the

daily sit reading the
work on the wars of Kalee
Chundee, a
on some days as many as a
thousand bramhuns may be seen thus employed.
Beyond
158
this building, in front of the image, the animals for sacri-
Not fewer than
are slain.
fice
four thousand persons
assemble on particular occasions at this temple, especially
Shyama and Doorga
at the
festivals; and, twice a
week,
on the Ch^tula^ market days, two thousand people or more

visit this place,
is
multitudes of
whom (my
informer says, not
At these times
than a thousand) present offerings.
less
common
for a
Hindoo
it
go up to the temple, and, pre-
to
senting himself at the door with joined hands, to address
himself thus to the idol
c
:
Oh
mother
the market for such and such a purpose.

success, I will
standing near,
and
so,
am
If
going to
thou grant
me
on the next market day present offerings to
thee to the amount of
so
if
Or he
says to another person
See, brother, I have promised to mother
accomplish
she will
my
wishes in the
market
About nine
o'clock each day, the
bramhun who
performs the duties at the temple, and

offerings of the day, after cleaning
puts on
it
who
in turn
receives the
and bathing the image,
the garlands of flowers and other ornaments,
sweeps the temple, and then throws open the doors, calling
out,
Victory to the great Kalee
'
Kalee
!'
changes
These compliments on
at pleasure.
Victory to the great

different
mornings he
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
performed, which occupies about an hour; after which
and women
<i
An
It
men
are seen bringing their offerings to the idol,
which continue
the day.
is
to be presented during the greater part of
Some merely
present them, without asking for
adjoining village.
is
said that formerly, especially in times of scarcity,
men were
sold at this market.
numbers of

any blessing
any other
these persons take away a few flowers, or
of what they have offered, as something
trifle
that will secure the
good of the family
kind, and eat
it,
to the temple
or wear
as these
thou wilt deliver
me
c
:
is
Others
Oh
presented to the image, in

!
goddess
mother Kalee
out of such or such a trouble, or
bestow such or such a blessing,
[here the petitioner repeats the
bloody
visitors
and take
to present to their friends.
a vow, while the offering
some such words

wilt
Other
in their hair.
it
leave part of the offerings there,
away the other part
If
and friends on a
the house of such a person beg any thing of this
visit at
make
159
I will present to thee
names of
all
the offerings or
Disputes arise almost daily in the
sacrifices].'
temple betwixt the worshippers and the priests respecting

the offerings, and not unfrequently a violent scramble takes
place for the meat-offerings in the presence of the goddess
herself : the officiating
these offerings
sir
?'
to
bramhun
which the worshipper
is
to have
replies,
'
Oh
our family priest always receives these things.
must
presence of the goddess, saying to him,

at the
them home for him.' Or a man bringing

procures a bramhun to go and tell a lie in the
carry
offerings
Sir, the
bramhuns
temple of Kalee are such notorious cheats, that of
a few flowers
all
goddess, she will probably get nothing but
I give to the
;
and they are so rapacious that
get these offerings out of their hands
hun
Who
'
says,
:'
1 shall
on which
carries the offerings to the temple,
this
never
bram-
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

to the
bramhun who has
extricated
and, giving part
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.
160
roots, fruits, milk, curds, clarified butter, flesh, spirituous
liquors 8 (in a concealed form), sweetmeats, &c. &c.

nerally about
250 pounds of
much.
particular times twice or thrice as
much
as
as
bramhtin
is
sells
cooked
rice are
own
necessary for his
family, the officiating
the rest of the offerings to devout visitors or
sacrifice is offered, the offerer either
for his trouble, or gives
slayer
also
but at
daily,
After reserving
neighbours, and gives away what he cannot
bloody
Ge-
receives
When
sell.
up the slaughtered animal.
Of
a fee.
bramhun keeps what he
this flesh the
pleases,
and
pays the priest
sells
The
officiating
the rest to
bramhuns, shoodms, Portuguese, and persons from
all
parts of the neighbourhood *.
The
daily offerings to this
On
numerous.
days when
able, not less than three

rice,
goddess are astonishingly
the weather
is
very unfavour-
hundred and twenty pounds of
twenty-four of sugar, forty of sweetmeats, twelve of
clarified butter, ten of flour, ten quarts of milk, a
peck of
pease, eight hundred plantains, and other things, (the price
of which
may amount
and eight or ten goats
to about five shillings,) are offered,
On common
sacrificed.
these things three times the quantity

vals, or
when
a rich
man comes
forty times this quanti'y;

buffaloes,
and
It
is
all
to worship, ten, twenty, or
and
as
and a thousand goats are
many
as forty or
fifty
slain.
Raja Nuvu-Krishnti, of Calcutta, about

*
days, of
at great festi-
fifty
years ago,
number of grown up persons in this

Bramhuns may be seen in front of the temple,
noon day and religious mendicants walking about,
affirmed that the greater
village drink spirits.
drinking spirits at
naked, without the least sense of shame.

*
that
The women belonging to the temj le have become such good cooks,
it is not uncommon for persons to pay for a dinner from their hands,
preferring
it
to
any thing they could get elsewhere.

when on
less
a visit to Kalee-ghatu, expended,
161
it is
not
said,
than 100,000 roopees on the worship of this goddess.
Amongst
the
was a gold necklace valued
offerings
at
10,000 roopees, and, beside other ornaments, a rich bed,

silver plates,
and basons
dishes,
sweetmeats, and other
food sufficient for the entertainment of a thousand persons
and
trifling
presents of
money
to near
two thousand of the
poor.
About twenty
years ago Juyu-Narayunti-Ghoshalu, of
Kiddurpooru, near Calcutta, expended 25,000 roopees at

this place:
when he
sacrificed twenty-five buffaloes,
hundred and eight goats, and
five
the goddess four silver arms, two gold eyes, and
and
silver
one
sheep; and presented to
many gold
ornaments.
About ten
years ago, a merchant from the east of Bengal
expended 5,000 roopees 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
expended on
this idol
about four thousand roopees, 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-mohunu, a bramhun of Calcutta,
expended ten thousand roopees
in
the worship
of this
goddess ; but, being a voishnuvu, he did not offer any bloody

sacrifices.
The Hindoos,
worship
it
seems, are not the only persons
this black stone
times of Europeans, or their native mistresses, going to

VOL.
I.
who
have received accounts several
this
162
temple, and expending thousands of roopees in offerings.
The bramhun with whom I wrote this account declares,

that when he was a student at Vtirisha, near Kalee-ghatti,
he several times saw the wives of Europeans come in palanqucens with offerings ; though
suppose these ladies were
But the proprietors of the temple positively assured this bramhun, (as he says,) that very frequently European men presented offerings, soliciting some
born in India.
favour at the hands" of the goddess; and that very 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 roopees x
I confess that I
very
hope
reluctantly insert these accounts, because I should
they mostly originate in wilful misrepresentation on the

part of the
bramhuns of the temple,
or in mistake.
sup-
pose some Portuguese (who also go by the name Saheb)
may
present offerings, and pray to this goddess
source of misinformation
supplied with
money by
hence one
the mistresses of Europeans are

their retainers,
worship not un frequently passes
off,
and hence the
with many a triumph
over degraded Christianity, as the worship of such a Euro-
pean
and many Europeans, who go
for curiosity to see
the temple and the image, inconsiderately or wantonly give
presents to the clamorous and greedy bramhuns,
claim
it
as
an offering to their goddess.
who
pro-
Actions the most
innocent, (even going to view the image,) are construed by

these ignorant idolaters into an approval of idolatry.
u Silver hands,
by rich men
x It is
and gold tongues and
to this goddess.
Such
is
eyes are
made
the presents
the stupidity of idolaters.
probable, that the real worshipper
servant of this gentleman's
among
m this
instance was a head-
though the expense might be defrayed by
the master. Without thinking of the guilt of such conduct, I have
known
frequent instances of Europeans making presents to their servants for the
avowed purpose of idol worship.

European who was
lately there, says
a drawing of the image,
163
my informant,
when he departed gave
to
make
the officiat-
ing bramhun a gold mohiir, and this present was probably

enrolled
among
the gifts to the temple.
It is further affirmed, that
many Musulmans
hundred) present offerings to Kalee
monthly
(four or five
so strangely
has the veneration for this image seized the minds of the
natives
tutes,
And
from
temple
all
it is
some pray
It is
may
uncommon for
not
visit their
to Kalee, that if she
Such
'
would restore you
crease his wealth, [or
all
pray for
paramour
remove sickness from him
names of what she intends
or
make
or increase his attach-
follow
these offerings
vows.'
If thou wilt in-
made
you are
now go and perform my
him successful in such a concern

ment to me, that he may always
present to thee
'
to health, I
offerings
a female sometimes thus prays for her
mother Kalee
ill
a loose female to say to
would present her with such and such

recovered; and I must
and
houses of
her paramour, after his recovery from sickness,
vows
prosti-
for the health of their paramours,
others that great numbers
fame.
number of
added, that an equal
parts of Bengal, pay their devotions at this
my
[liere
to give].'
advice] I will
she repeats the
When
she returns
home she takes off all her ornaments, laying them

her vow be either fulfilled or abandoned.
aside
till
Merchants y and tradesmen present offerings to Kalee

once, twice, or thrice a year, to obtain success in their
concerns
at this
many
rich
men
(thirty or forty) place
bramhuns
temple to worship the goddess, to walk round the
Hindoo merchants engaged in foreign commerce, after the successful

in which they had property, frequently present thank-
voyage of a ship
offerings to this goddess.
Y 2

164
temple, and read the Chundee, daily in their names;

others place bramhtins here for these purposes, for two or
months
three
in the year
sepoys from
Hin-
parts of
all
doost'hanu resort to this temple as often as they can obtain

leave of absence;
mothers present
offerings, praying for
the recovery of their children, and promising to bring the

restored child in their arms
vows
z
;
or, that it shall
when
if
temple;
at the
make vows
her with a month's wages,

situation
come
famous temple are
and
fears, the
servants in
she will raise them to such a
drawing people to
as endless as the superstitious
hopes
crimes and the wants of the worshippers.
Goats are devoted to Kalee, and kept,

a long time,
to the goddess to present
in a word, the occasions of
this
to fulfil their
be invested with the poita a , or pass
through some other ceremony

search of employment
they
till
in
some
cases, for
the owner be able to meet the other ex-
penses attending the offerings and worship. These animals

are called the goats of Kalee.
The
Kalee-ghuttu
village of
greater part of
(or
Kalee-ghatu) owes the
present population to this temple
its
from
which near two hundred persons derive their subsistence,

exclusive of the proprietors, who amount to about thirty
Some
families.
proprietors have a day in turn, others half
whom
a day, and others two or three hours; to
The
hair of
some children
is
not cut at
others only separate a lock of the child's
large hillock of
have been
human
fulfilled, is
all till
liair,
tying
the
it
vow be
up
in
all
fulfilled
a bunch.
hair, collected at the times of shaving
the
when vows
formed near the temple.
a A bramhtin once assured me, that he had seen not less than three
hundred boys invested with the poita in one day at this place; on which
occasion many bloody sacrifices were offered. The concourse of people
was immense.

165
offerings presented in the portion of time thus apportioned
All these families have
belong.
In the
month Maghu,
become
a festival
is
rich.
held in various places
of Bengal in honour of Ghatoo, the god
who
blotches on the skin
at Kalee-ghatu. is
very great.
but the assembly
At the time of swinging
concourse of people
presides over
in Choitrti also, the
See
at this place is also very large.
the account of Shivu.
here add a rough account of what
idol
monthly
is
expended on
Rs.
30
Buffaloes slain, (5)
Goats
ditto, (1000)
Sheep
ditto, (30)
--
--------
Rice, (200 cwt.)-
--
and Curds,
800
40
Sugar, (11 cwt.)
700
500
------------------------------------233
-------
50
Evening
60
offerings,
90
offerings,
Dressed food,
80
Travelling Expenses,
Alms given
to the poor
00
360
Plantains, (25,000)
Fees,
P.
00
00
00
440
105
Sweetmeats, (22 cwt.)
Meat
As.
200
Salt, Spices, Pease, Fish, &c.
Clarified Butter,
MJk
this
00
00
00
00
300
by
visitors,
200
Extraordinaries from rich men, and at festivals, 3000

Sa. Rs.
6000
Seventy-two Thousand Roopees annually, or Nine Thousand Pounds sterling.
166
SECT. XX.^- Other Forms

Chamunda h
This
Kalee, except that
image, which
Cham tin da
giants' heads in her hands,

is
of Kalee, %c.
is
and
is
similar to that of
represented with two
on a dead body,
as sitting
The goddess
seldom or never made.
is
worshipped
at
the festival of Doorga, on three different days.
Shmilshanu-Kalee
When
this
image
made, other
is
those of the giants,
figures are introduced, as
Shoombhu
and Nishoombhu, of jackals, dead bodies, &c.
These
giants are represented as sitting on elephants, throwing
arrows at the goddess; while the latter
husband, and aiming blows
is
standing on her
them with a sword.
at
The
ceremonies of worship are like those performed in honour

of Kalee
moon
is
in
the worship begins at the total
Maghu, and continues
carried to the greatest pitch
wane of the
for three nights.

:
Revelling
some of the worshippers,
and not unfrequently the sons of rich men, dance before

the image naked, ( glorying in their shame.' A few Hindoos adopt this goddess as their guardian deity.
Maniivu-Kalee d
Another form of Kalee, whose image
resembles except in the colour, which
it
worship
of the
is
moon
hereafter,
Hindoos.
is
blue.
The
celebrated on the fifteenth night of the decrease
the present
Maghu:
heaven. Such
in
A whole
fruit, diversion;
and
are the ideas of the poor deluded
village
sometimes joins to defray the
She who seized Chimdii and Mimdii, two giants.
This name denotes, that Kalee dwells in the place of burning the
dead, and presides over cemeteries.

a
Viz. in the form of man.
Shmiishanu means a cemetery.

man
expense, at other times a rich
bloody
bears
1G7
alone.
it
Many
and a great shew made, espe-
with illuminations ; to which are added dancing, sing-
cially
ing, music, &c.
Phulu-huree e
This
form of Kalee
that of a black
is
female, with four arms, standing on the breast of Shivu.
She
is
month
worshipped
at the total
wane of the moon
in the
Jyoisht'hu, or in any other month, at the pleasure
The
of the worshipper.
and
numerous, especially
offerings are
of fruits
The day
after the worship, the
buffaloes, goats,
and sheep,
image
is
are
sacrificed.
thrown into the
river.
Bhudru-Kalee f
An image
similar to that of Kalee
worship also resembles that which
The image
is
some
in
is
the
paid to that goddess.
places preserved, and worshipped
daily.
Oogru-chunda
moon
is
worshipped
month Kartiku
in the
in
at the total
some places
wane of the
temples made
of clay are erected in honour of this goddess, in which she
worshipped either daily or monthly.
is
Anundii-muyee h
on a throne
to
A black female, with four arms,
whom
number of temples
containing stone or clay images of the goddess.
worshipped daily
also
on fortunate days,
sitting
are dedicated,
She
is
at the pleasure
of her numerous disciples'; as well as at the great festivals
of Doorga, Kalee, &c.
when bloody
sacrifices
are offered
to her.
She who receives much
The
joyful.
fruit.
The
beneficent.
The
furious.
168
HIS
[E
Nuvil-putrika
,OGY.
These nine goddesses
are worshipped at
the great festivals, but with the greatest shew at that of
Doorga ; when these
Doorga
assistants of
by
a plantain
by a huridra"
a vilwu
kti'i;
Kuchwee-roopa, by a ktichwee
Jiayuntee,
Darimee, by a darimu
Manuka, by a manu
dhanyti s
Rumbha,
Huridra,
Vilwaroopa, by
Ushoka, by an usho-
and Dhanyti-roopa, by a
r
;
Bheemu-chiindee 1
Benares
at
by a juyuntee"
wars are
in her
represented by nine branches of different trees
especially
water, or
in
This image
made and worshipped
is
Bengal also the goddess
worshipped,
is
on a Tuesday, before another image, or a pan of
some appointed representative of an
Upiira-jita".
There
this goddess, nor
times of sickness she
when forms
is
no public
her image
is
set
idol.
festival in
honour of
up for worship
but in
worshipped before the shalgramu,
is
from the Tuntms are addressed
of praise
to her.
Vimiila x
A stone image
of this idol
worshipped in
is
one of the temples erected in Orissa, near the famous tem-
Bloody
ple of Jugtinnat'hu.
goddess;
but as this place

L
offerings are
Bengal
made
at the festivals of
Siddh&hwiiree ^.
The
in secret.
In
She who
purifies.
Vimula
also
is
Musa
villages in
worshipped in
seshan.
Jonesia asoca.
Bengal one, and

1
paradisaica.
jfllschynomene
i
sacred to Vishnoo, these
Doorga and Kalee.
many
k
nine goddesses.
m Curcuma longa.
p Punica granatum.
Coriandrum sativum.

is
Arum
'
esculentum.
iEgle marmelos.
Arum macrorhyzon.
The terrific.
The unconquerable.
She who fulfils the wishes of her worshippers.
*

some
in
169
large villages several of these images are set up.
They are in general made of clay but some are of stone.

The image is commonly the property of one family, who
;
worship her every day
others in the village worship her
when they choose but all the g'fts and offerings come to
the person who owns the image. If a child have a fever,
the parents worship the goddess that it may recover, and
;
promise to present various offerings to her

If a
tious.
woman want
worship the goddess in her name;
seeking employment,
the
him
ried,
if
she be propi-
a son, she procures a bramhtin to
he
prays
another person be
if
goddess to favour
a koolinti bramhtin wish his daughter to be mar-
if
he intercedes with the goddess, and promises to
On all
celebrate her worship if she be favourable.
occasions
of particular distress or want, the people resort to these
Thieves also wor-
images with their presents and vows.

ship Siddheshwtiree, that they
may be favoured with her
smiles and be protected in thieving
Honest and poor
people also worship this image to obtain protection from
An
thieves.
annual festival
wuree on the same
held in honour of Siddhesh-
is
Shyama
clay as the
festival.
SECT. XXl.-Lukshmee
Is called the
and
sits
goddess of prosperity
on the
pashti, (a rope,)
she
is
painted yellow,
water-lily, holding in her right
and in the
left
hand the
a necklace.
z The
goddess Laverna, it is well known, was the protectress of thieves,
who, from her, were named Laverniones, and who worshipped her, that
their designs and intrigues might be successful
her image was a head
:
without a body.
VOL.
I.
170
Vishnoo
is
said to have obtained this goddess at
churning of the sea
a
;
which time
at
the
the gods were so
all
charmed with her beauty that they desired to possess

and Shiva was entirely overcome by his passion. The
remember something
der will
of Venus,
her,
rea-
similar to this in the account
who is also said to have sprang from the froth of

whom, on being presented to the] gods, they
the sea; and

all
desired to marry.
The worship
of
Lukshmee
celebrated in five different
is
months, viz. in Bhadrti, on the

crease of the
full
moon,
moon,
in the
evening
in the
Thursday of the
first
morning
in
the decrease of the moon, in the night
Ashwinu,
on the
in Kartiku,
;
at the
day of
last
on the
in-
last
day in
Poushu, in the morning; and in Choitru, on the first

Thursday of the increase of the moon, either in the day or
The ceremonies are performed before a basket used
night.
as a corn-measure, painted red
measure with
of flowers
cling
it
then cover
it
the worshippers
and put round
rice in the husk,
with a white cloth
with a number of small
The
the usual ceremonies, varying but
those at the worship of Vishnoo, in the

or mistress of the house.
Bramhuns
and, encir-
No
bloody
it
officiating
name
this
fill
a garland
shells, place before
containing red paint, a comb, &c.
hun performs
it
box
bram-
little
from
of the master
sacrifices are offered.
are entertained rather liberally at this festival
but on the day of worship no alms must be given to the

poor, (except cooked food,) nor any
goddess,
who
have taken up her abode
be angry
money
lost
lest this
supposed to preside over wealth, and to
is
at the
worshipper's house, should
her riches being wasted.
at
This worship
is
She
is
celebrated in almost every

also called the
Hindoo family
daughter of Bhrigoo.

five
times a year; the frequency of which
dered
when
at,
it is
of prosperity.
'Lukshmee
is
considered that
If a
gone
the rice
At the
if
say,
he be sinking
after the festival, the
corn-measure, and preserve

:
;'
The morning
ship
Hindoos
rich, the
house
won-
the goddess
Lukshmee has forsaken him.' If

abuse another, they call him Lukshmee-chara b
into poverty, they say,
they wish to
not to be
is
Lukshmee is
man be growing
to abide at his
171
close
is
for
it
women
take up the
some future time of wor-
used in worship during the whole year.
of the festival,
if
family
a female of the
remember any stories respecting Lukshmee, she relates

them; and the rest of the family, joined by two or three
neighbouring females, sit around and hear. In some places
number of persons subscribe towards the expense of

making an image of Lukshmee, and worship it on any of
the days before-mentioned.
Names.
Lukshmee,
or,
the goddess of fortunate signs;
Pudma, she
Shree, she
Pudmaluya, she who dwells on the water-lily ;
who who
holds in her hand the water-lily
whom all
take refuge
in
Huree-priya, the wife of Huree.
SECT. XXII. Kojaguru-Liikshmee c

This form of Lukshmee
worshipped
is
at the full
moon
Ashwinu, in the evening, before a corn-measure, sur-
in
b In the
provincial dialect it is Liikhee-chara, that is, luckless ; thus
forming an extraordinary coincidence of sound and meaning in languages
so extremely different.
c
The
shastriis
have commanded that each Hindoo
during the night of the
full
moon
honour of this goddess; and from
in
shall
Ashwinu, when a
this
circumstance
z 2
this
remain awake
festival
name
is
is
held in
derived.
MYTHOLOGY.
rounded by four plantain
trees
though some persons wor-
ship this goddess before an image of

sacrifices
The
are offered.
Lukshmee.
Bloody
worshippers invariably drink
the water of the cocoa-nut at this festival
and numbers
keep awake the whole night, listening to the
filthy songs,
and the horrid din of Hindoo music.
SECT. XXllI.Suruswiitee.
This
is
Brum-
the goddess of learning, the daughter of
She
ha, and the wife of Vishnoo.
woman, standing on the
is
water-lily,
and playing on a
lute.
On
the 5th day of the increase of the moon, in
the worship
of this
goddess
is
or a pen, inkstand, and book
Maghu,
performed before her image,

the latter articles are sup-
posed to form a proper substitute for the goddess, who

called Vagvadinee, the eloquent.
The image
is
is
placed on
a table, either at the west or south side of the house. After
bramhun has read the formulas and presented the offerings,' each worshipper whose name has been
the officiating
read in the service takes flowers in his hands, and, repeat-
ing a prayer, presents them to the goddess
after
which
follow gifts to the bramhuns, and a feast.
Every Hindoo who
is
able to read and write endeavours
to celebrate the worship of this goddess
wan
val.
said to
is
the raja of Burd-
expend 15,000 roopees annually
at this festi-
In every Hindoo college, the students
festival
with great joy
many
are guilty of every indecency.
of
keep the
them dance naked, and

The day
after the festival, the
image
173
carried in proces-
is
sion 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
among
observing
music, bearing
many
To
this
to resort to their
and connect with
day the Hindoos neither read nor write e, though
They
they will do any other secular business.
once during the day, and those

fish abstain
from
The Hindoos
on
it
who
are
believe, that
and
to read
write.
ther read nor write,
eat only
accustomed to eat
this day.
from
this
goddess they derive
and powers of eloquence f,
their learning
ability
quite
men
induce young
draws the attention of the crowd d
On
men
shocking insult on
low merriment which corrupts the mind and
that
all
it
this
prostitutes keep this feast,
public decency.
houses,
triumphing in
at
dancing, playing on
&c. two or three young
flags,
mob
naked, the
was exceedingly shocked
who were
the crowd,
insist
as well as their
Some
of those
upon
it,
who
can nei-
that they ought to
worship her, as they derive their powers of speech from

d
In the year 1808, I saw a group of performers reciting the Rania-
yunii in the street

prostitutes, who
was, that
would
it
also
and on enquiry
had subscribed
to
found
it
was before the door of some
bear the expense.
The
reason assigned
would be an act of merit, helping them in another world and

draw men into whoredom. Offerings are sometimes brought
;
home, and shared by a prostitute with her paramour; like the harlot,
the
met
my
e
Book of Proverbs, who

in the street,
vows.'
The
Prov.
'
is
represented as saying to the young
have peace-offerings with
me
man
this
day have
it is
the
command
in
she
payed
vii. 14.
only reason I can find for this
is,
of the
shastru.
f
Of an
eloquent
man
the Hindoos say,
Suruswtitee
sits
on his tongue.'
IE
hers. Others
HINDOO MYTHOLOGY.
however complain, c Suruswutee has bestowed
nothing on us
why should we perform her worship?'
The image
of Surtiswutee
is
sometimes painted blue,
and placed in temples; when she
called Neelti-Surus-
is
wutee.
Names.
rutee, she
bestows
Bramhee,
who
or, the
presides over words
power of speech;
the
Brumha
daughter of
;
Bha-
Bhasha, she
Surtiswutee,
she
through the curse of a bramhun was turned into a
who
who
river.
SECT. XXlV.Sheetula h
Is painted as a yellow
woman
sitting
on the
dressed in red, and giving suck to an infant.
water-lily,
Before this
image, or a pan of water, the worship of this goddess
performed, in any part of the year
Bloody
image
sacrifices are
is
but in general on the
and 9th of the increase of the moon,
7th, 8th,
time.
not offered.
On
day
in the
the 10th the
thrown into the water.
is
This goddess
from the
is
also
evil effects
worshipped to obtain preservation
of the small-pox.
In the months
Choitrti
and Voishakhu the Hindoos inoculate those of their
children
who
st
Of
this fact
about to
kill
are
two years old ; on which occasion the mo-
they give the example of Ravunu, who,
when Ramu was
him, procured a reprieve, by flattering his adversary
Ravunu should be spared, sent SuruswQtee

and caused him to say provoking things to Ramu.
the gods, afraid lest

throat,
h
Or, she who cools the body at the time of the small-pox.
but
into his

bramhun' presents
culating
and prayers to
offerings
175
this
goddess in the name of the child, promising for the parents,

that
she be kind to the child, they will present to her
if
certain offerings, &c. as soon as
which have been
it
recovered.
is
bramhun
close of the ceremony, the
offered in the hair of the child, telling the
parents that the goddess will be favourable
When
forms the operation.
to
pay
for
it)
and then per-
the child becomes affected
with the disease, the family priest
enough
At the
places the flowers
(if
the parents be rich
comes to the house every day, and
repeats certain forms of prayer and praise to Sheetula; after
recovery she
dangerously
is
again worshipped.
is
ill, it
carried to an
If the
child
become
image of Sheetula, and
bathed in the water which has been offered to this goddess,
some of which
is
given
to drink.
it
Beggars of different descriptions procure a stone, gild a

small part of
it,
and carry
the praises of Sheetula.
it
from place to place, singing
These mendicants sometimes pro-
claim in a village, that Sheetula has appeared to one of
them
in a dream,
tress of
and ordered, that in
this village the
mis-
each house shall beg at three, four, or more doors,
and take whatever
is
given her, and eat
bouring garden or forest
k
.
The most
it
in
some neigh-
dreadful misfortunes
being threatened in case of disobedience, the affrighted
women beg from
door to door, and
fulfil
the supposed
com-
mands of the goddess.
The
regular Hindoo doctors (voidyti) do not inoculate, but a lower
order of bramhuns called doivtignus,or astrologers.

k This
is
a trick to extort some part of the alms from these deluded
176
SECT.
This goddess, the
Jtirutkaru, a sage,
is
XXV.-Mmw
1
.
Vasookee m , and the wife of
sister of
queen of the snakes, and
called the
worshipped to obtain preservation from their

represented
sitting
as
on the
water-lily,
bite.
She
clothed
is
is
with
snakes.
In the month Jyoist'hu, on the 10th of the increase of

the
moon
on the 5ih of the moon's increase and de-
also
crease in Ashwinu. and Shravunu, as well as on the last day
of Shravunu, this goddess

last occasions, the
is
On
worshipped.
phorbia before the house, and worship them.

the worship
is
the three
worshippers plant branches of the Eu-
celebrated with the greatest
In Shravunu
shew
on which
occasion an image, or some branches of the same tree, or
a pan of water surrounded with snakes
placed as the object of worship

thirty
in
thousand people assemble
some
made
of clay,
places,
and amidst
is
twenty or
singing,
dancing, music, &c. some persons play with snakes of dif-
them
when the
The
extracted.
ferent kinds, particularly the cobra capello, suffering

to bite them.
This play, however, ends
venomous fangs have not been

cast called Mai,
who
fess great regard for
carefully
fatally
play with snakes for a livelihood, pro-
Munusa.
the Hindoos do not kindle a
On
fire,
the days of the festival,
alleging that one of the
names of Munusa is t^rundhuna, 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
Or, Miinusa-devee
m The king of the
the goddess
serpents.
own
or an adjoining vil-
who possesses
pleasure in herself.

lage;
the
which they
name
offer, in
177
a field in the neighbourhood, in
of Muniisa, but without an image.
After thus
offering rice, milk, curds, sugar, &c. to the goddess, they
them on the spot
eat
and
this act of holiness, they "say,
preserves their children from the bite of snakes, as well as
themselves on their way to heaven.
assists the parents
song founded upon the following story concludes the

whole
Chandu, 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
whom,
of
and
the eldest son, Lukindurii,
retired to
by a
to enter
it
to avoid the fate
made an
iron house,
yet Mtinusa caused the snake
crevice,
Tukshuku
which destroyed Lukindurii 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 Chandu; but he continued obsti-
Munusa was no goddess. She appeared

and commanded them to persuade him
worship and, after much entreaty, to pacify
nate, declaring that
to people in dreams,
to celebrate her
the goddess, he was induced to comply
would present the
but declared he
offerings only with the left
hand"; and,
turning back his head, he threw a flower at her image with

the
Munusa, however, was so
hand.
left
pleased, that she
restored his seven sons; and from this circumstance, the
worship of
this
goddess has since been very
much
cele-
brated.
When
swine
the worship
is
performed before an image, sheep,
and buffaloes are offered to Munusa,
goats,
and even
The hand used
Among
the
in
washing after
Egyptians swine,
stools.
it
Bacchus.
VOL.
I.
A a
is
well known, were offered to
178
When
Hindoo has been bitten by a snake, the persons

who pretend to cure him read different incantations cona
taining the
names of Miinusa.
If one- or
have died by the bite of snakes,
village
become alarmed, and
two persons
all
in a
the inhabitants
celebrate the worship of Miinusa.
SECT. XXVI. Shushtee*

Is a yellow
woman
Hindoos regard her
sitting
on a
cat,
nursing a child.
The
as the protectress of their children.
Six annual festivals are held in honour of this goddess,

viz. in Jyoisht'hu, Bhadrti,
Choitru
Ashwinu, Maghti, and two
in
on the 6th of the increase of the moon, and on
the last day but one of the month.
The worship
celebrated in Jyoisht'hu
bramhunee, or an
officiating
is
performed by a
bramhun, under the vutu
time of this worship, every
woman
tree**,
At the
or under a branch of this tree planted in the house.
of the village, dressed in
her best clothes, with her face painted, her ornaments on,
and her body anointed with

under the
tree,
of which the officiating
monies.
The
oil,
goes to the place of worship
taking in her hand an offering
over each
bramhun performs the usual
offerings are sent to the
house of the
cere-
officiat-
ing bramhun, or distributed amongst the eager by-standers.
Among others who

ings, are
each of
women who have
whom
sits
down
She
Ficus Indica.
some of these
offer-
not been blessed with children
pensively
among
worshipped on the sixth lunar day.
is
are eager to obtain
the crowd, and
179
opens the end of her garment to receive what the assembled
when the giver says,

'May the blessing of Shushtee be upon you, and next
with a child in your arms.'
year may you bring offerings
mothers are eager enough to bestow
The receiver adds with eagerness,

blessing, I will
Ah
she bestow this
if
celebrate her worship;
my
keep
will
This
vows, and bring offerings every year/
festival is
called Arunyu-shtishtee, because the worshippers are di
rected to walk in
some
on
forest
this day,
with fans in
their hands.
In those houses where the daughter
not
left
is
married, but has
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 doorva

grass,
The
a garment, &c.
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 a dead man, for throwing away a flower which has
been offered to Shushtee.
The worship
in the
month Bhadru. does not
the preceding, except in
its
from
differ
being performed by the river
side, or at a pool of water, before the stick
which
round in churning butter, upon which a fan

the midst of the worship the
is
women make
is
whirled
placed.
little
In
paste
images of children, and, placing them on leaves of the
kuntukee tree r , present them to the goddess, and afterwards

r
Artecarpus
integrifolia.
A a 2
180
throw them into the

shushtee s
The Ashwinu.
shushtee,
This
river.
festival is qalled
Chapura-
is
festival,
distinguished by the
in almost every particular the
name Doorga-
same
as the pre-
ceding.
At the Maghu
called
festival,
women, on the night preceding,

rice
and pulse
boil a large quantity of
mixing with the
for offerings;
ing, a kind of kidney beans
morning they bathe very
Sheetula-shushtee, the
latter, in boil-
and varttakoos 1
early,
The next
and on their return go
through the ceremonies of worship in the house, before

the two stones with which they grind their spices; and
upon which they throw a yellow

lead.
The worship
noon they
eat
is
cloth,
smeared with red
finished before ten o'clock,
what the goddess has
left,
i.
e,
and
at
every thing
they gave her.
The two
the last
festivals in
Choitru are held on the 6th, and on
day but one of the month: on the 6th, in the
morning, either before a branch of the vutu, the shalgramti,
some proper representative of an image; and at the close

of the month, in the evening, before an image of Shivu.
On the 6th the worshippers eat the bud of the Euphorbia
or
inclosed in a plantain
and
at the latter festival
during the day, and after worship eat some

barley flour mixed with curds or water.
sweetmeats.
These
festivals
are called
and Neelu-shushtee.
In allusion to the making of these images.
The
fruit of
solanum meloDgena.
fruit,
they fast
and some
Rich persons eat

Cshoku-shushtSe*

Another
festival is
held in honour of this goddess in
parts of Bengal, in the
some
month tJgruhayunu,
The worship
Huree-shushtee.
181
is
called
celebrated before a clay
pot, filled with water, having six spouts.
In addition to
have
all
these times of worship, females
by death, worship
lost all their children
every
month
beside which, after a child
is six
who
goddess
this
days old,
every father, to preserve the child, performs the worship of

the goddess, while the officiating
tations
bramhun
and on the 21st day of the
presents offerings to the goddess with her
bramhun reads the
the officiating
these ceremonies takes place
branch of the vutu
in
own
prayers.
the
are
mother
hands, while
The
evening,
tree, fastened in the
two stones with which spices
reads the incan-
child's age, the
first
before
of
house floor; the
ground being placed
against the wall in the inside of the house, covered with a
The husband,
piece of cloth.
at the close, asks the bles-
sing of the goddess on the child, promising to present to
her a number of offerings
one days
when
the child shall be twenty-
Before the door the family place the skull
old.
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
The head remains
month
also they spread a yellow cloth.

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
bramhun, accompany her

the vutu. tree, which
the goddess
is
to a stone placed at the foot of
supposed to be the representative of
around which 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,
182
on condition that the goddess bless her
The mother
worship her every year.
child, that she will
distributes the sweet-
meats, &c. that have been offered to the idol
This
females present.
the
festival is called ekooshiya".
Shushtee has no temples in Bengal

sentative, a
among
her
common
repre-
rough stone, smeared with red paint, about
large as a man's head,
commonly placed
is
as
at the root of
the sacred vtitu; to which passengers, especially
women,
pay a degree of reverence.
vows to
In
fulfilling particular
Shushtee, some worshippers surround the vtitu tree with

artificial lamps
vows by building an
garlands of flowers, and great numbers of
made
of clay
others
fulfil
their
earthen or brick seat around one of these trees.
female
of property, as a thank-offering after child-birth, presents
by the hands of a bramhun a child made of curds, which

the
bramhun never
Bloody
devour.
sacrifices of bullocks, goats, sheep,
times of tame
these
fails to
latter
hogs, are offered to Shushtee".
some persons
offerings
call
and some-
For receiving
the goddess a
cannibal.
At the
Shushtee,
close of the different festivals held in

it is
common
pany with marvellous
women
honour of
to entertain the
com-
stories relating to this goddess.
The
for
wives of some of the lower casts beg for a share of the

offerings at the doors of the bramhlins.
Shushtee
rides
on a
cat
hence the Hindoos, especially
mothers, avoid hurting this animal, lest the goddess should
revenge herself on their children.
From
6kooshti, twenty-one.
CHAP.
183
IV.
INFERIOR CELESTIAL BEINGS, OBJECTS OF

WORSHIP.
1 HESE
usooriis
are
beings are either the enemies of the gods, as the
and rakshusus ; or their companions ; or those who
employed
as
dancers,
heavens of the gods.
singers,
They
or musicians
in the
are worshipped at the great
but have no separate images.
festivals,
SECT. I. The
These enemies
Usoorus, or Giants.
of the gods are the offspring of
Kush-
yupu, 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 pooranus.
Kartika, and Doorga, are distinguished

deities for their conflicts
a giant,
is
Indru, Vishnoo,
among
with these beings a
the Hindoo
King Vulee,
worshipped by the Hindoos on their birth-days,
with the same forms as are used in the worship of the

gods.
Jupiter was represented as aiming the thunder in his right hand
Doorga
hand against an usooru under her feet.
against a giant under his feet:
is
aiming the spear in her right
184
Story of the churning of the sea by the gods and usoorus.
The most
rancorous hatred has always existed betwixt the
and the gods, although half-brothers; the former
usoortis
having been excluded by the gods from succeeding to the

throne of heaven
and dreadful
conflicts
betwixt them with various success,

to
were carried on
both parties sought
till
become immortal. The giants performed the most severe
religious austerities, addressing their prayers alternately to
Vishnoo, Shivu, and
The
ful.
Brumha ; but were
the churning of the sea of milk
M uhabharutu
length in the
which story
and other works
took mount Munduru, placed
first
ping round
as the
always unsuccess-
gods, however, at last obtained this blessing at
it
it
is
:
related at
The
in the sea,
and wrap-
the serpent Vasookee, began to whirl
milk-men do the
staff in
making
butter.
gods
round
it
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
that you, giants as
tail
you
The gods and
?'
are,
6
:
How
is
first
the
the
gem Koustoobhti
Parijatu many jewels
afterward the
the
and
tree
then poison.
Full of alarm at
gods applied to Muha-deVti
to save the world
and
arose from the churned sea to
horse Oochoishruva
sight, the
said Vishnoo,
have taken hold of Vasookee's
goddess Lukshmee
this
it,'
the giants then changed places
the elephant Oiravutu.
reward their labours
upon
to lay hold of the head;
which he thus addressed them
(Shivti)
who,
from destruction, drank up the poison,
and received no other injury than a blue mark on

throat b .
his
Next came up the water of immortality; when
the 330,000,000 gods, and the usoorus without number,
took their stand on each side, each claiming the mighty
Hence
this
god
is
called Neelu- kantti, the blue-throated.

Vishnoo proposed to divide
boon.
it
185
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

fema'e; with which the giants were so charmed, that they
totally forgot the nectar.
One
of them, however, having
changed his shape, mixed with the gods, and, drinking of the
water of life, became immortal; but Vishnoo, being informed
of this circumstance by Sodryu and Chundru, (the sun and
The head and
moon,) cut off the head of the giant.
trunk,
being thus immortalized, were made the ascending and

descending nodes, under the names Rahoo and Ktoo.
SECT. II. The
Many
stories respecting the
Rakshusus.
wars of the rakshusus, or
cannibals, with the gods, are contained in the pooraniis
and other shastrus, and several

parts of this work.
They
be found in different
will
are represented as
assuming
at
pleasure the different shapes of horses, tygers, lions, buffaloes,
&c.
arms c
some have
a hundred heads, and others as
many
In the Hindoo writings Malee, Soomalee, Ra-
vunu, Koombhu-kurnu, Vibheeshunu,
and others, are distinguished
as
soon as born, these giants are
They devour
their enemies.
s tid
Ctikayii,
As
to arrive at maturity.
All the rakshusus are bram-
and are said to dwell in the
htins,
lndrti-jit,
renowned rakshusus.
S.
W.
corner of the
earth.
Some of the
giants of the Grecian mythology,
had a hundred arms.
VOL.
I.
B b
it
will
be remembered,
186
Noiritu, a rakshiisu,'
is
one of the ten guardian
the earth, and presides in the S.

is
worshipped
W.
man, having
He is
at all the great festivals.
the form of meditation used by the

in his right
hand a
Story of Koombhu-kurnu.
deities of
In this eharacter he
represented in
bramhuns
as a black
scimitar.
Immediately
this cannibal stretched his arms,
after his birth,
which were
in proportion
to his body,
and gathered into his mouth every thing within
his reach.
At one time he seized
belonging to
sages,
Indm
five
hundred courtezans
at another the wives of
one hundred
Brumha
and cows and bramhtins without number.
at length threatened to destroy
him, unless he contented
him with less, as he would presently eat up the earth. He

now became more moderate, and began to perform the
most severe austerities in honour of Brumha; which he
continued for ten thousand years. The gods trembled on
their thrones, lest Koombhu-kurnu, obtaining the blessing
of Brumha, and especially the bless ng of immortality,
should swallow up every thing, gods and men.
They
appealed to Brumha, and persuaded Suruswutee, the goddess of learning, to enter into
him
to ask this blessing, that
Koombhu-kurnu, and
excite
he should continue to sleep
day and night; which request Brumha granted, and sent
The
Koombhu-kurnu however persuaded Brumha to
change his destiny who now ordered that he should sleep
the voracious rakshiisu to enjoy his everlasting sleep.
friends of
uninterruptedly six months, but on the last day of the sixth
should awake
during half of which day he should fight
with and conquer Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shivu,. and during

the other half be permitted to devour as
At one meal he devoured

sheep, ten
six
thousand goats,
much
as
he chose.
thousand cows, ten thousand

five
hundred
buffaloes,
five
thousand deer, and drank four thousand hogsheads of

with other things in proportion.
spirits,
187
After
he was
all,
angry with his brother Ravunu, for not giving him enough
to
satisfy
His house
nature.
is
declared to have been
twenty or thirty thousand miles long, and his bed the
whole length of the house.

yunu,
'
Lunka
eight hundred miles in
is
then was the place for this bed?'

tion put
room
by a person
to the
itself,
where
have heard this ques-
bramhuns, who, unable to find
Koombu-kurnii's bed, were laughed
for
Rama-
says the
circumference
by the
at
shoodrus, their disciples.
The
Giindhurvus and Kinnurus are celestial choiristers,
male and female.
The
The Vidya-dhurus
Upsuriis are also
their beauty
latter
have horses' heads d
to captivate the
male and female dancers.
are
minds of
religious devotees,
from those works of merit which were
them the thrones of

mentioned
as
The
female dancers, greatly celebrated^ for
down
they have been frequently sent
all
and draw them
likely
to procure
Eight of the upsuriis are
the gods.
beyond
to earth
others beautiful
Oorvvushee,
Mentika, Rumbha, Punchu-choora, Tilottuma, Ghritachee,
Boodbooda, and Mishru-keshee.
The
five first
of these
are the mistresses of the gods, and keep houses of ill-fame

in the heaven of Indru.
When
any one of the gods
visits
the king of heaven, he generally spends some time with one

or
more of these courtezans.

Story respecting the son of Indru and an
certain occasion,
many
entertainment at the palace of Indru.

d Some
who here
idea
may be formed
Upsum.
On a
of the gods were invited to an
In the midst of the
of the taste of the early Hindoo poets,
represent heavenly music as coming from beings with the
mouths of horses
Bb

dance, Gundhurvu-senu, the son of Indru, was fascinated
with the charms of one of the upsuras
and behaved so in-
commanded him
delicately, that his father
the earth in the form of an ass.
to descend to
All the gods joined the
son in endeavouring to appease the angry father
who ulti-
mately directed that Gundhurvu-sC'nu should be an ass in

the day, and a
man
when Dhara,
that
in the night
the king,
recover his place in heaven.

curse, Gundhiirvu-senii
he promised his son too,
shouM burn him, he should

With this modification of the
sunk to the earth, and alighted in
the form of an ass near a pond at
Dhara-nugum.
day the fallen son of Indru remained in
pond
and in the night,
in that of a
In the
form near the
this
man, he wandered
from place to place to appease his hunger.
One day
bramhun came to this pond to bathe when Gundhurvtisna told him that he was the son of Indru, and requested
him to speak to king Dharu, to give him his daughter in
marriage. The bramhun consented; but on speaking to
;
the king, the latter refused to believe that he was Indru's

son, unless he himself had
The next day

courtiers,
and held a conversation with the ass ; who related
his history,
still
some conversation with him.
the king went, with his counsellors and
and the cause of his degradation
refused assent, unless he performed
this the ass
consented
and
in
some
but the king

miracle.
one night raised a
iron forty miles square, and six high.
The
To
fort of
next day the
king, seeing the fort finished, was obliged to consent, and to
appoint the day of marriage.
He
invited bramhuns, kings,
and other guests without number, to the wedding ; and, on

the day appointed, with dancing, songs, and a most splendid
shew, (the bride being adorned witli jewels and the richest
attire,)
they marched to the iron fort to give the beautiful
daughter of king Dharu in marriage to the

country weddings are celebrated in the day.
ass.
When
In that
all
was

ready, they sent a
the pond ; who,
bramhun
to call
189
Gundhurvu-snu from
elated in the highest degree,
having bathed,
accompanied the bramhun to the assembly. Hearing music

and songs, Gundhurvu-sC'nu could not refrain from giving
them an
tune
ass's
but the guests, hearing the braying
of the ass, were filled with sorrow
speak their minds to the king
some were
afraid to
but they could not help
whispering and laughing one amongst another, covering
mouths with
their
king,
king,
is
their garments
others muttered to the
Indru
this the son of
you have found an excellent bridegroom

arly
happy
c
6
don't delay the
wedding ;
in
doing good
of a camel being married to an ass,
looking upon the camel, said,
form
Bless
'
me what a sweet voice
'
when
me what
!
and the camel, hearing the voice of the
Bless
improper; we never saw so glorious a wedding;
is
we have heard
ass,
monarch
you are peculi-
having to give your daughter in marriage to
in
the son of Indru

delay
O great
the
a fine
ass, said
The bramhuns continued
In that wedding, however, the bride and bridegroom were
equal; but in this marriage, that such a bride should have
such a bridegroom
said,
'O
shell
is
is
truly wonderful
is
blown
but thou hast no need of
this
at the
a miserable thing
The females
his head.
that," (alluding to
cried out,
'O mother
time of marriage to have an ass
What
'
What
he give such an angelic
will
female in marriage to an ass
down
Other bramhuns
king, at other weddings, as a sign of joy, the sacred
the braying of the ass.)
what
!'
The king, ashamed, held
At length Gundhurvu-sC'nu began to conhim to the
verse with the king in Sungskritu, and to urge
fulfilment of his promise; reminding him, 'that
'
there was
more meritorious than speaking truth, (putting the
king in mind of his promise;) that the body was merely a
no
act
garment, and that wise
men
never estimate the worth of a
person by the clothes be wears
moreover, he was in this
190
shape from the curse of his father, and during the night he
should assume the hody of a man.
Indrti there could be
no doubt.'
Of his being the son of

The minds of the guests
were now changed, and they confessed, that though he had

the outside of an ass, he was unquestionably the son of
Indrii
for
it
him
was never known that an
The
Sangskritu.
By
in marriage.
night drew on,
ass could speak
king, therefore, gave his daughter to
the time the guests were dismissed
when Gundhurvu-senu. assumed
the form of
a handsome man, and, having dressed himself, respectfully
went into the presence of the king.
All the people, seeing
so fine a man, and recollecting that in the
become an
morning he would
The king
both pleased and sorrowful.
ass, felt
brought the bride in great state to the palace, and the next
day gave her servants^ camels, jewels, &c. and dismissed the
guests with
many
presents.
Dhara, however, in the midst
of his other cares, could not but
sand contrivances, he said to himself,

the son of
Indm
therefore
burn
'
After a thou-
Gundhurvu-s^nu
therefore he can never die
casts off his ass's body,
and
this body,
the shape of a man.'
it lies
Gund-
anxious that
feel
hurvu-senti should throw off his ass's body.
like a
at night
dead body
is
he
I will
and thus keep him constantly in
Accordingly, one night, he caused
the ass's body to be burnt,
when
Gundhurvu-senu ap-
peared in his presence, told him that
now
the curse was
removed, and that he should immediately ascend to heaven.

After saying this he withdrew, and the king saw
him no
more.
Nayikas.
These
are female
companions of Doorga, and
are worshipped at the festivals of this goddess.
them have a preeminence over the
rest.
The
Eight of
Tuntrti-
shastrus declare, that these females visit the worshippers

either as their wives, or as mothers
and declare to them

how
may
they
obtain heaven
or, as sisters,
191
bring to them
any female they choose, and reveal whatever they desire to
know
the
He who
of the present or future.
wishes to obtain
company of a Nayika must worship her
and repeat her name
at night in a
fifteen, or thirty days.
name
to repeat her
he wishes
till
On
the last night he
must continue
she appears to him, and asks what
She remains with him during the
for.
departs the next morning, leaving with

large
thrice a day,
cemetery for seven, or
night,
and
him presents
to a
amount ; which, however, he must expend the next
day, or they will
all
evaporate.
If the worshipper wishes to
go to any place in the three worlds, the Nayika takes him
moment.
thither in a
If after cohabiting with
one of the
Nayikas, he cohabit with any other female, the Nayika
immediately destroys him.

of
since, is
Antindu-chundru, a bramhun
Veeru-bhoomee, who died only a few years

said to have obtained the fruit of his worshipping
Soopoom
in
the Nayikas.
The Yukshus
riches,
men.
and
are the servants of Kooverti, the
god of
through the world preserving the wealth of

number of stories, not worth detailing, principally
fly
referring to their wars or intrigues, are contained in the

poorantis. In the form of meditation, Koove'ru
as a white
is
man, having a hammer
worshipped
at all
is
described
in his right hand.
He
at the festival of the
goddess Lukshmee, and

the other great festivals; but has no separate feast,
The Ramayunu relates that Koov^ru,

by prayer to Brumha, accompanied with religious austerities, obtained Lunka, (Ceylon ;) the very mire of whose
image, nor temple.
streets is gold.
him.
Brumha
Here he reigned
also gave to
this
till
Raviinu dispossessed
god the chariot Poosh-
puku ; which had the property of expansion, and of going

wherever the charioteer wished.
From Lunka, Kooveru
192
went
to
mount
Koilasu, where he
is
supposed to be
at
present.
Pwhachus.
These
messengers of the gods guard the
sacred places; the resort of pilgrims.

said to guard the streams of the
Sixty thousand are
Ganges from the approach
of the profane.
The
Goodghiikus, the Siddhits, the Bhootus, and the
Clianmus.
These
are beings of inferior orders, residing
with the gods as servants.
There
are several other orders of females, as the
nees, Dakinees,
Pre'tinees,
attendants.
festivals.
who
Kakinees,
wait
Yogi-
Shakhinees, Bhootinees, and
upon Doorga or Shivu,
as
their
All these also are worshipped at the great
CHAP.
193
V.
OF THE TERRESTRIAL GODS.
x HE Hindoo
celestial goddesses, it will
be seen, are very
There are no more indeed than three which can be
few.
considered as really distinct, and as holding a distinguished
among
Hindoo deities these are Doorga,

Siiruswutee, and Lukshmee. Many of the others are
different forms of Doorga
and Muntisa, Shushtee, and
Sheet ula, would have been placed among the terrestrial
place
this class of
goddesses, but they do not seem to have had an earthly

origin.
gods,
now proceed
some of whom
any of the
to give
are
an account of the
terrestrial
worshipped with more shew than
celestial deities.
SECT. l.Krishnu*.
According
to the Shree-Bhaguvutti, Muhabharutli,
and
other works, this god, a form of Vishnoo, was incarnate to

destroy kings Shishoo-palu and Kungsu, and a
number of
giants.
Krishnu was born
at
Mut'hoora ; his
father's
name was
Vusoo-de'vu, a kshtitriyu, and his mother's DeVukee ; but
Ktingsu seeking to destroy him when an infant, his father
VOL.
I.
The black.
C C
194
Vunda-vunu, and concealed him
fled to
Ntindu, a voishy u.
hence he
house of
in the
sometimes called the son of
is
Nundti.
Many
stories are recorded of
in his infancy
Krishnu
pooranus
in the
he deprived a giant of her breath, who had
poisoned her breasts before she gave him suck

after
he destroyed a carriage against which he hurt
when
wife,
laid
by his nurse
when looking
door to sleep
at the
into his
mouth one
soon
his foot,
Nundu's
day, had a surprising
view of the three worlds, with Brtimha, Vishnoo, and Shivu.

sitting
on
their thrones
up mount Govurdhunu
at the
age of eight years he took
in his arms, and held
and
brella over the heads of the villagers
it
as
um-
an
their cattle during
a dreadful storm, with which the angry king of heaven was
overwhelming them
also of boys
stolen
and
he created
number
of cattle, and
replace those which Brtimha had
girls, to
from Vrinda-vunu
he
destroyed a large hydra,
which had poisoned the waters of the Yiimoona;
he
seduced the wife of Ayunu-ghoshu, a voishy u, and sported

with 16,000 milk-maids in the wilderness of Vrindu;
he
next assumed four arms, destroyed Kungsu, and placed
Kungsu's father on the throne;
in various quarrels, and had to
dable enemies
after this
he was engaged
combat with many formi-
which induced him
to build a fort at
ruka, where he resided, and married two wives
Dwa-
he next
joined the family of Yoodhisht'hiru in their war with the race
of Dooryodhunu
closed his
It
child,
*
life
and,
lastly,
destroyed Shishoo-palu.
He
with an act worthy of such a character, by
is common for a Hindoo nurse to offer

when she happens to be on a visit.
the breast to a neighbour's
Mothers frequently lay their infants exposed
sleep, after rubbing their breasts with
oil.
to the rays
of the sun t
'

destroying his whole progeny
and was
11
195
at length himself
accidentally killed by an arrow, while sitting under a tree.
It is
very possible,
recorded in the
any
if
many
that
discovered,
life
real
Hindoo
history could be
facts
would be found
of these
Hindoo king of
of a
this
name
facts have been embellished by the Asiatic poets
have elevated the hero into a god.
The images
which
of this
and blood-stained hero are now worshipped by
lascivious
the Hindoos with an enthusiasm, which transforms

into the very
This god
to his
on
they
till
them
image of Krishnu. himself.
is
represented as a black man, holding a flute
mouth with both hands
his mistress
Radha stands
his left.
On the
8th of the moon's decrease in the
an annual
The
festival is
held in the night, to celebrate the
posterity of Krishnu, say several pooranus,
curse of a bramhun
month Bhadru,
but as
all
votaries, this of destroying his
were destroyed by the
events are ascribed to Krishnu by his
own
family
is
the character of this god, even
So
referred to his agency.
among
who hope
infamous
is
salvation
through him, that Vilwu-miingiilu, a blind poet, wrote the
those
for
following verse, which certainly contains the severest possible censure of

this profligate deity
'
Oh
Krishnu thou who didst destroy thy own offspring;

!
Thou who
didst renounce (Seeta) the spotless daughter of Zunukii, in the
wilderness
Thou who
Who
didst cast
would
think,
down
on thee,
to
if
hades Viilee, who had given thee his
all
thou wert not the deliverer from death
?'
In exact agreement with this Sungskritti verse, was the declaration
made
before several persons in
company
in the year 1812,
by Ram-nat'hu,
the second Sungskritu pundit in the College of Fort-William ; who, speaking of the universal profligacy of manners in Calcutta, declared, that
i
every house contained a Krishnu.
c c 2

On
birth of this god.
The
day
this
the worshippers fast'
all
regular Hindoos, and the disciples of the Gosaees f,
sometimes
differ a
day or two in celebrating
this
feast.
After the ceremonies of worship are concluded, the worshippers assemble before the temple near a hole cut in the
ground, into which have been thrown water,

turmeric, and earth
another, and throw

into
Music,
it.
accompany these
and seize
them
first
into this hole
dancing,
which, dancing through the
merriment
streets, the
songs,
&c.
at the close of
crowd go to some
wash themselves
pool, or to the river, and
curds,
and others jump
singing obscene
acts of rude
oil,
one person and then
and thus the
festivity ends.
In the month Shravunu another festival

of Krishnu, called Jhoolunu-yatras.
the increase of the
moon
On
is
held in honour
the 11th night of
this festival begins;
when a
chair
or throne, containing the image^ being suspended from the
room
ceiling of an adjoining
in the temple,
the proprietor
begins to swing the image, and other bramhtin guests
continue
At ten o'clock the god
at pleasure.
it
his usual place,
when
is
taken to
the different forms of worship are
repeated, amidst the offering of flowers, incense, sweetmeats,

fruits,
and other acts of adoration.
During the celebration
of worship in the house, the crowd out of doors sing, dance,
In a Hindoo
himself with
and
oil,
fast,
the person abstains, for three days, from anointing
from connubial intercourse, from
eats only once a day.
paid to have
'
At
afflicted his soul
merriment go together.
fish,
every thing fried,
the time of a Jewish fast, the person
:'
is
but among the Hindoos fasting and
The Jewish
fast
was connected with moral
sentiment: the Hindoos fast as an act of mere ceremonial purity.

f
The Gosaees
are the religious leaders of a large portion of the wor-
shippers of Krishnu.
*
The swinging
Gosaee
festival.
is
a term of respect equivalent to
Sir.
197
and make a horrid discord with barbarous instruments of

music, connecting with the whole every kind of indecency.
At twelve
o'clock the
owner of the image entertains a great

After eating and drinking, they
multitude of bramlmns.
c
up to play youths, dressed so as to represent Krishnti and his mistress Radha, dance together ; and
the festivities are thus continued till the crowd retire at
literally
:'
rise
Some keep
day-light.
this feast for five nights,
on the eleventh 5 and others
for three nights,
beginning
beginning on
the thirteenth.
On
moon
the 15th of the increase of the
Kartiku, another festival
is
held during three nights, to
celebrate the revels of this impure
Each
the Rasu.
It is called
month
in the
god with the milk-maids.
night, after the ceremonies in
the temple are closed, the crowd carry the image out with
much
and dancing; and place
noise, music, singing,
brick building in the street, which
is
open on
has one highly elevated sitting place.

annually
gilt,
this occasion
is
this
placed as the object of adoration,

officiating
close of the festival, the clay images are
Round
the building in the street booths are erected,
an English
Here
fair.
fathers
children by the hand, or carrying
is
At the
bramhun.
thrown into the river.
with sweetmeats, playthings, and other
This
is
but a very small gold image, about the
and afterwards given to the
and
This building
ornamented, and grandly illuminated for
size of a breast-pin,
filled
in a
Sixteen small images of Krishnti. are necessary
festival.
on
it
all sides,
the
way
in
which
all
articles, as at
and mothers, leading their
them on
their hips'
come
Hindoos carry their children a child is

The same custom appears
:
rarely seen in a person's arras, as in Europe.
to have existed among the Jews

Ye shall be borne upon her
be dandled upon her knees.' Isaiah lxvi. 12.
:
'
sides,
and
198
Thieves and gamblers are very busy
for fairings.
upon the whole
times'; and
European
it
is
at these
amazing how much a
here reminded of an English race-ground.
is
At these times
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 k

bait to corrupting
amusements
Bengal the Hindoo
in
is
at
is
once called to what
divine worship and to a licentious festival

ing, but that worship
In England the
merely a horse-race
but
he considers
no one imagin-
and adultery may be performed in
About four or five in the morning the

the god back to the temple ; and then retire to
the same hour.
crowd carry
cure their hoarseness and rest their wearied bodies.
On
the fourth morning, having brought the god home,
after the usual ceremonies, they sing
of the actions of Krishnu
songs in celebration
and continue them from ten
till
In the year 1810, on account of the depredations of preceding years,
the magistrate of Serampore forbad the erection of booths and all games
in consequence. f of which an expense of near four
at this festival
:
hundred roopees, incurred in performing the ceremonies of worship, fell

upon the owner of the image of Krishnu, who would otherwise have
received as much from the proprietors of the booths and gaming shops.
k Illuminations, fireworks,
and the gilding of
their temples, give a
very shewy 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
At the time of the Rasii festival, I have seen a scene

illuminated and adorned, that the whole seemed enchantment
highly pleasant.
so gaily
every native, as he approached the god, threw himself on the ground

with the most profound reverence, and muttered his praise with rapture
Could I have forgotten that these
as he mingled in the delighted crowd.
people were perpetrating a dreadful crime, and

festivals
were connected with the greatest impurities,
highly gratified.
that
these
I should
nightly
have been

Many come
twelve or one o'clock in the day.
present various offerings to the god
defrayed either by rich natives,
festival are
who
to hear,
which a grand
The expenses
bramhuns.
to the
feast is given
after
199
of this
or from the
revenues of the temples.
At the
swinging
moon
moon
full
festival,
is
in
Phalgoonti, the Dolti
held.
Fifteen
another
days before the full
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"
the
at
passengers, either with their hands or through a syringe.
On
the night before the full
worship are performed;
at the
moon, the ceremonies of

of which,
close
having
besmeared themselves with red powder, they carry the god
from
his
house to some distance, amidst the sounds of
A bamboo, with
music, dancing, fireworks, singing, &c.

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
carrying back the image to the temple.
morning they bathe the god,

worship him, rocking him in
him red powder.
set
him on
this chair,
At twelve o'clock
straw,
Very early
a chair,
in the
and then
and throwing upon
at
noon these
cere-
monies are repeated with greater splendour; when many
All these festivals are intended to represent the obscene acts or play
of Krishnu.
Europe.
This
am
is
the play of swinging
told that
on
common
to
young
folks in
this occasion, in various places in
Hin-
many families sit up all night, swinging by the light of the

They suspend a cord betwixt two trees, and while some are
doost'hanii,
moon.
swinging, others are singing impure songs, and others dancing.
m This powder
sappan wood.
is
made with
the roots of wild ginger, coloured with
Other ingredients are added
to
make
superior kind*.
200
offerings are presented, and the bramhuns entertained.

About four the festival closes by another repetition of the
The god is then washed, anointed,
same ceremonies.
clothed, and put into the temple
him
some
for
time, and
Besides these
many
is
where food remains before
then given to the bramhuns.
other festivals less popular are held
in the course of the year.
Many
small black stones, having images of Krishnu
in them, are to be found in the houses of the
which
different
The
Krishnu.
numerous
and
names
Hindoos
to
are given, but they are all forms of
temples dedicated to Krishnu are very

it is
a scandalous fact that the image of
Radha, his mistress, always accompanies that of Krishnu,
and not those of his wives Rookminee and Sutyu-bhama.
Many persons may
be heard in the
streets,
in their shops, repeating to themselves
names of Radha and Krishnu,
as
and when
sitting
and to parrots the
works of merit.
Panto-
mimical entertainments are frequently represented, in which

the lewd actions of this god are exhibited.
Six parts out of ten of the whole Hindoo population of
Bengal are supposed to be the disciples of

far greater part of these,
this god.
The
however, are of the lower orders,
and but few of them bramhuns".
The mark on
their fore-
heads consists of two straight lines from the tip of the nose
to the back of the head.
A story
related
this
n
of Krishnu.
The death of Shishoo-palu
is
thus
quarrel arose at a sacrifice between Krishnu and
monarch, respecting the point of precedency, which
The
greater part of the bramhtins are disciple* of the female deities,
(Shaktus.)

Shishoo-palu. would not resign to Krishnu
he,
who
shall I be preceded
pasture, and has

?'
(
:
What
!'
by the son of a cowherd
has eaten with a cow-keeper,
tions
20l
been guilty of
Krishnu restrained
all
who
says
one
has led cows to
manner of abomina-
his rage for
some time; but
at
length became exceedingly angry, and cut off his head at
one blow.
It
was prophesied of Shishoo-palu, that as soon
he saw the person by whose hands he should
as
his
four arms would
fall
and
off;
this
happened the moment he saw Krishnu
is
two of
die,
said to have
meeting of
at the
the kings at this sacrifice.
Another story,
On
a certain
occasion the lascivious
Krishnu heard, that king Dundee possessed a horse, which

every
night
assumed the form
Krishnu asked
and
fled
for this horse
of
a beautiful
female.
but the king refused him,
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.
war commenced, which continued
with the utmost fury,
till
to rage
the horse, assuming the shape of
a kinnuree, ascended to heaven, the period of the curse
under which
it
lay being expired.
Krishnu ruining
deliberate falsehood.
his friend
In
by urging him to declare a
the war betwixt the
family of
Dooryodhunu and the Panduvus, Dronacharjyu was so

mighty a warrior that the Panduvus had no hope of success, unless they could cut him off ; to accomplish which,
Krishnu contrived to throw Dronacharjyu off his guard, by
causing
it
to be reported
Ushwutt'hama was
killed.
through the army, that his son
The
father refused to believe
the report, unless Yoodhist'hiru. would say
Krishnu pressed Yoodhist'hirti

vol.
i.
Dd
to tell this
lie,
was
it
as
it
true.
would
202
and, in cases of extremity,
insure success to their affairs
the shastrti had declared
lawful to employ falsehood.
Yoodhist'hirli at
it
positively refused, but
first
persuaded by the entreaties of

others
who
told
him
Krishnti,
was
at length
Urjoonu, and
the assertion would not be a
lie,
as
an elephant of Dooryodhunu's, of the same name, had
Dronacharjyu was so over-
actually been killed in battle.
come when he was thus brought to believe the news, that

tJrjoonu soon dispatched him which completely changed
;
On
the face of the battle.
account of this falsehood,
Yoodhist'hiru, in going to heaven, was terrified by a sight
of the torments of hell.

this
go
lie,
Where did Krishnu, the
Theft and murder committed by Krishnu.
was going
to
When Krishnu
Mut'hoora to destroy Kungsu,
proached the city he

dress,
felt
round
tied
Bulu-ramu,
dressed
loins
All
his
are
and said to
going to
we cannot go
as
he ap-
ashamed of the meanness of
which consisted only of some shreds of
ropes,
father of
this
sent his brother to a washerman,
his
sacrifice
in this condition/
his
cloth, like
brother
elegantly
Krishnu then
who however would
not
part with the clothes in his possession, as they belonged to
king Kungsu.
Krishnu
killed the
quarrel ensued, in the midst of which
washerman, and carried
These freebooters next went

laces;
to a shop,
and
off the clothes.
stole
two neck-
and afterwards seized some sandal-wood, which a
woman was
deformed
taking to the palace of
but, to reward her, Krishnu pulled her straight,
her more beautiful than the upsuras.
Kungsu
and made
The woman asked

who should
Krishnu, since he had made her so beautiful,
marry her.
united.
became
Krishnu asked
She
said, to
his mistress.
her, to
himself;
whom
and
she wished to be
from that time she
SECT. II. Gopalu

This
resting
is
He
an image of Krishnu in his childhood.
on one knee, with
some sweetmeats from

This infant god
of Krishnu
20.1
is
his mother.
worshipped
honour
at the festivals in
the ceremonies are
is
hand extended, craving
his right
the
same, though the
formulas are different.
Those who preserve

this
god
day,
or
the
stone, or brass, or other images of
many
in their houses, as
initiating
incantation
of
them every
do, worship
Many
whenever they choose.
Gopalu
as
persons receive
their
guardian
deity.
Gireeshu-chundru, the raja of Nudeeya, in the year

1807, had two dreams, in which the god Gopalu appeared
to him,
and told him, that in a certain place in Nudeeya, a
beautiful image of
The
raja paid
him was buried deep
no attention
to his
in
dreams,
the ground.
till
the god
appeared to him a third time, telling him the same thing
when he consulted his principal servants, who

to dig up the image; but none was found.
after,
Gopalu appeared again, and
sent labourers
few nights
told the raja that he
was to
be found in such a place, describing the spot in a more parti-
The raja again sent his servants, who found

The greatest rejoicings took place at Nudeeya
cular manner.
the image.
on
this
occasion
learned bramhuns were called
vast concourse of people collected
and a
from the surrounding
country to behold this miraculously discovered god, and to
The cowherd.
D d 2
204
witness his installation, at which four thousand roopee
were expended
spot,
and the god placed
very famous
it is
a temple was
in
afterwards erected on the
This image
it.
the offerings presented to
said, to less
now become
than two hundred roopees monthly.
Another image of the infant
made of stone
gopalu,
is
do not amount,
it
many, and worshipped
or metal,
Krishnu,
is
called
Balu-
kept in the houses of

the festivals in
daily, as well as at
honour of Krishnu.
SECT. HI. Gopee-mfhu*.

This
image
is
is
In some places the
another form of Krishnu.
worshipped every day, as well as
at the festivals
in honour of Krishnu.
A celebrated image
where an annual
of this god
festival
is
is set
held,
up
at
tigru-dweepu,
on the 11th and
five
following days of the decrease of the moon, in Choitru.
The origin of this image is so recent, that the story is

Two religious mendicants, since
known to every Hindoo
become famous among the followers of Krishnu, Choitunyu
:
and Nityanundti, sent their disciple Ghoshu-t'hakooru,
who
did not relish an austere
directed
him
life,
to
Ugru-dweepu, and
to take a certain stone with him,
an image of Gopee-nat'hu, which he should
and
worship.
guides
Ghoshu-t'hakooru
took the stone on his head
set
obeyed
his
set
up
it
and make
up
there
spiritual
as a god,
the gift of Choitunyu and Nityanundu, and began to
The god of the
milk-maids.

worship
him
The god soon appeared
public daily.
it in
205
to
and revealed a number of secret things
in dreams,
Ogru-dweepu became
very famous.
One night a stranger came to the temple at
a very late hour, when no one was awake to give him
so that by degrees Gopee-nat'hu of
The god
refreshment.
himself, however, in the form of
Ghoshu-t'hakooru, took an ornament from his ancle, and
purchased some food for the stranger at an adjoining shop.
In the morning there was a great noise in the town

about
this
when
ornament,
shopkeeper
the
and
the
stranger declared these facts, so creditable to the bene-
volence of the god
and from
of Gopee-nat'hu spread
still
this circumstance the
wider.
fame
After the death of
Ghoshu-t'hakooru, the god appeared to his successor, and

directed
tion of
him
to perform the funeral rites
which
present the offering to the manes

grass, the rice,
in the celebra-
was contrived that the god himself should
it
for
when
the kooshti
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 great shout, declaring that the god himself
had presented the

is
said, this
offering to the
god brings
manes.
At
present,
it
in not less than 25,000 roopees
annually to his owner.
At the above-mentioned
festival,
it
is
supposed that
tfgru-dweepu; among
100,000 people assemble each day
at
whom are great multitudes
women, who accompany
the religious mendicants.

his mistresses are
of lewd
Filthy songs about Krishnu and
sung by the crowd, and
cent diversions practised.
all
manner of inde-
Different casts eat together here.
After the death of Ghoshu-t'hakooru, the
image
into the. hands of the raja, or lord of the soil;
who
fell
sent
20(5
bramhuns
to
perform the ceremonies before the imagey
and receive the

once seized
offerings.
this
image
Raja Nuvu-krishnu, of Calcutta,
for a debt of three lacks of roopees,
due to him from the owner, raja Krishnti-chundru-rayu.
The
latter afterwards
but not
till
exactly like
regained the image by a suit at law
Niivu-krishnu had made another Gopee-nat'hu.

it.
All this has arisen out of a stone given by two mendicants to one of their companions
Who can avoid
feeling
a mingled sensation of disgust and pity, while he beholds
such multitudes, the abject slaves of a superstition so

degrading ?
SECT. lV.Jiigunnafhu\
The
arms
the
image of
this
god has no
and only stumps of
legs,
the head and eyes are very large.
r
:
bramhuns adorn him with
silver or
At the
festivals
golden hands.
Krishnu, in some period of Hindoo history, was accidentally killed

rot
by
ftngudli, a
under the tree where
ever, collected the
who left the body to

Some pious person, how-
hunter
it fell.
bones of Krishnu, and placed them in a
box; where they remained till Indm-dhoomnu, a king, who

was performing religious austerities to obtain some favour
The
The Athenians placed
lord of the world, from jugiit, the world, and nat'hu, lord.
statues at their doors to drive
which they called Hermae, from Mercury.

hands nor
feet,
away
thieves,
These images had neither
and hence Mercury was called Cyllenius, and by contrac-
tion Cyllius, from Kullos, viz. without
hands or
feet.
207
of Vishnoo, was directed by the latter to form the image of

Jugunnat'hti, and put into
its
belly these bones of Krishnu,
by which means he should obtain the fruit of his religious

Indru-dhoomnu enquired who should make
austerities.
this image; and was commanded to pray to Vishwti-kurmu
8
He
did so, and obtained his request
at the
same time declared, that
if
but Vishwti-kurmu
any one disturbed him
while preparing the image, he would leave

finished state.
He
it
in an
un-
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
king, after waiting fifteen days, went to the spot; on which
Vishwti-kurmu desisted from the work, and

without hands or
feet.
The king was
certed; but on praying to
the image famous in
its
high
up of
this
much
Brumha, he promised
to
image
all
the gods to be present at
Brumha
himself acted as
This
completely established the fame of Jugunnat'hti.

is
said to lie in a pool near the present temple, at
Jugunnat'hu-kshdtrti in Orissa,
the English by the
name
Hindoo holy
found in the account of the
places, the resort of pilgrims.
Jugunnat'hti has
as
commonly known among

The
of Jugunnat'hu's pagoda.
particulars of this place will be
men
make
and gave eyes and a soul to the god, which
priest,
image
god
discon-
present shape.
Indru-dhoomnu now invited

the setting
very
the
left
many temples
in Bengal, built
by rich
works of merit, and endowed either with lands,
villages, or
money.
The worship
of this god
is
performed
every morning and evening; at which
in these temples
times people come to see the god, or prostrate themselves
The
architect of the gods.
208
before him.
During the
god has partaken of the
when
the temple
is
intervals of worship,
offerings,
shut up
till
he
laid
is
any other god, but shoodrus cannot
to offer only dried rice".
Jugtinnat'hu
is
bramhtins ; a
little is
god
At the
offered to
by passengers and others, who

it
of the
festivals in
Bengal in honour of
the Snanti-yatra, and the Rut'hti-yatra.
Snanti-yatra, in the
on a
temple.
is
by the bramhtins and their
month
the world, wrapped in a cloth,
a seat
they are permitted
given to the poor.
There are two annual

this
of those shopkeepers that have bought
it
tl
rice to this or
The food which
either eaten
families at the temples, or
purchase
after
to sleep 1,
the next hour of worship.
Bramhtins may make offerings of boiled

to
and
down
is
Jyoisht'hti, this lord of
carried out
large terrace built in an
and placed in
open place near the
Here the bramhtins, surrounded by an immense
concourse of spectators, bathe the god by pouring water on

his head, during the reading of incantations.
at the close of the
The people
ceremony make obeisance, some by
lift-
ing 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
wipe
after the
The images of the gods in all

down to sleep at least,
laid down and lifted up again.
*
are laid
The bramhtins do not
meats,
fruit,
shoodrus.
The bramhtins then

and carry him back to the
death of this body.
this creator of the world,
the
all
Hindoo temples,
at certain hours,
those that are small enough to be
eat the boiled rice of the shoodrtis.
Sweet-
the water of the Ganges, &c. are things received from
Yet there are a few bramhuns who refuse even sweetmeats
and water from the hands of shoodrus.

temple;
after
formed before
is
209
which the ceremonies of worship
him with
are per-
This snanu, however,
great shew.
not confined to Jugunnat'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
seven, or nine months old.
On
mony of
feeding the child, they bathe
Krishnu partook of
tions.
when
time
they are
six,
this day, before the cereit,
repeating incanta-
his first rice at the full
moon
Jyoist'hu; in commemoration of which, this sn mu-yatra
in
is
performed annually by the worshippers of any separate form

of Vishnoo.
About seventeen days

or car festival
held.
is
moon
and
is
car, the
The
worship are performed.

near Serampore
in
snanu-yatra,
in the
on the
Asharhu, the Ru'thu.
Before the god
temple to be placed on the
thirty
the
after
second of the increase of the
is
taken out of the
usual ceremonies of
image
car belonging to the
form of a tapering tower, between
forty cubits high.
horses, and one coachman,
has sixteen wheels, two
It
all
of wood.
Jugunnat'hu, his
brother Bulu-ramu, and their sister Soobhiidra, are drawn
up by ropes
tied
round the neck, and seated on benches in
an elevated part of the carriage

side
waves a
tail
The crowd draw
of the
cow
the carriage by
shouts, as the carriage proceeds,
tance of a mile.
when
a servant
on each
of Tartary, called a ehamurii*.
Being arrived
means of a hawser
may be heard
at the
their
at the dis-
appointed 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.
The
chamiiru
is
a necessary appendage to royalty among the Hin-
doos.
VOL.
I.
At Serampore, Jugun-
E e
210
and
nat'hti,
vullubhu y
and
his brother
sister, visit
the god Radha-
and here the wives of bramhtins, who are never
who seldom leave home, come to look

The car stands empty during this time,
seen at shews, and

at Jugiinnat'hu.
and the crowd
flock to gaze at the indecent figures 2, alluding
which
to the abominations of the gods,
Temporary shops
it.
are painted all over
where the
are erected near the place
car stands, like booths
on a race-ground a
of eight days, the god
is
At the end
again drawn up by the neck,
placed in the car, and carried back to the place from whence
he came ; but the crowd

carriage
drawn
is
not quite so great as
is
Many
out.
when
the
recent instances might be
collected of persons, diseased or in distress, casting themselves
under the wheels of
this
ponderous
and being
car,
crushed to death.
This
festival is
intended to celebrate the diversions of
Krishnu and the milkmaids, with
whom
he used to ride out
in his chariot.
SECT. V.Biilu-ramu\
This god was cotemporary with Krishnu.
His image^
painted white, almost always goes with that of Juguny Another form of Krishnu.
The name
intimates that this god
is
the
paramour of Radha.
*
Romans
The
i.
27.
spirit of
gambling
is
very prevalent at
this festival.
credibly informed,, that, a year or two ago, at Serampore, a
have beeu
man
sold his wife for a slave, in order to supply himself with
gaming.
b
He who
pursues pleasure, or bestows
it,
in his
own
actually
money
'*'
strength.
for

though in a few temples
nat'hu,
worship of Jugunnat'hti, and

service
it is
set
up
211
alone.
At the
also at that of Krishnti, a short
performed in the name of Bulu-ramu, whose
is
image also sometimes accompanies that of Krishnu.
Some
place the image of Re'vutee by the side of her husband.
From
the sutyu to the kulee-yoogti this female, the daughter
of king Revutii, remained unmarried
asked Brumha, to
marriage
The
king, at length,
he should give his daughter in
Brtimha recommended Bulu-ramu, who saw her
when ploughing.
for the first time
immense
whom
stature,
(it
is
Notwithstanding her
said her stature reached as high as
a sound ascends in clapping the hands seven times,) Bulu-
ramu married her; and
to
bring
down her monstrous
height, he fastened a plough-share to her shoulders.
SECT. VLRamii.
The
following history of this god forms a brief table of
contents of the
among
Ramay tinu e,
an epic poem,
much
celebrated
the Hindoos.
At a
certain period, king Dushu-rut'hu,
having been
cherished with great affection by his wife Ke'koiyee
mised her whatever she should ask.
would
c
avail herself of his
pro-
She told him that she
promises on some future occa-
This old maid must have been 3,888,000 years old at the time of her
marriage,
if
we
The happy,
date her birth from the beginning of the sutyu-yoogti.

or he
who makes happy.
have omitted the long table of contents of
first edition,
thinking
translation
issuing from the
is
now published
*
f
,
in
it
unnecessary, as the
England.
Serampore
Ed.~\
Dushu-rut'hu had 250 wives.
e 2
this
work
Ramay unii
press.
inserted in the
with an English
[The second edition
is
212
sion
and when
Ramu was
called to the coadjutorship
by
the voice of the people, and to which Dushu-rtit'hu gladly

assented, Kdkoiyee reminded the king of his promise
at the instigation of a
deformed and revengeful female
whom Ramu had formerly beaten, she

Ramu might be exiled to a distant forest
cetic,
petitioned
to live as
and that Bhurutu her son might be
The king
stead.
readily submitted,
him Seeta and
reluctantly complied.
and went into the
his brother
soon died of grief for
Ramu
after
and
slave,
that
an as-
installed in his
Ramu
forest,
Lukshmunu.
however
taking with
Dushu-rut'hu
which a shoe of Ramu's
was placed on the throne, Bhurutu refusing the crown.
When
in the forest, Soorpti-nukha
%,
the sister of Ravunti,
who reigned at Ltinka, (Ceylon,) proposed marriage

Ramu, who sent her to Lukshmunu ; he sent her again
Ramu; Ramu sending her back to Lukshmunu, the
a giant
to
to
latter cut off
her nose
on
this she fled to her brothers
Khuru and Dooshunti, who immediately made war upon

Ramu Ramu, however, destroyed them, as well as their
;
army of 14,000
giants, (rakshusus.)
Ravunti, on hearing of
these events, requested Mureeehu, another giant, to go to

the residence of
tempt
Ramu
Ramu
to pursue
chii consented,
in the
form of a beautiful deer, and
him, while he stole Seeta.
and Ramu,
at the
pursued the flying deer, leaving

family.
When
Maree-
urgent request of Seeta,
Lukshmunu
to guard his
Mareechu, in the form of the deer, was
set up a loud cry like the voice of Ramti

which greatly alarmed Seeta, who prevailed on Lukshmunu
While Seeta was thus
to follow her beloved husband.
wounded, he
left alone,
Ravunu
carried her off in triumph.
then describes the grief of
for
A name
Ramu
and
The poem
his brother for the
given to her on account of her having nails like a Hindoo fan
winnowing corn.

loss of Seeta.
Ravunu,
in taking
213
away Seeta, was met by
Jutayoo, a vulture, formerly the friend of Dushu-rut'hu.
This bird endeavoured to deliver Seeta by fighting with
Ravunu; but being unsuccessful, Seeta directed him to

inform Ramu, that Ravunu was carrying her away. Ramu
in his search for Seeta
as it
had delivered
met with
this bird,
received in fighting with Ravunu.
now went forward

giant
in pursuit of
Kubundhu, whom they
diately
which, as soon
this account, died of the
Ramu
wounds
it
had
and his brother
Ravunu, and met with the
destroyed.
This giant imme-
assumed another body, and informed
Ramu
that he
had formerly lived in the heaven of Indru, but had been

cursed, and sent
further informed
down to take the body of

Ramu, that two brothers,
a rakshusti.
He
(monkies,) Soo-
greevu and Balee, were in a state of warfare, Balee having

seduced his brother's wife
he therefore advised
Ramu
to
destroy Balee, and contract an alliance with Soogreevu, by
whose means he should obtain Seeta.

Ramu took this
and having destroyed Balee h , restored Soogreevu
advice,
to
his
kingdom.
To
prove his gratitude to
Ramu, Soo-
greevu collected his army of monkies, and sent them to

seek for Seeta.
The monkies who went southward met
Sumpatee, a vulture without wings, brother to Jutayoo,
who informed them that he had seen Seeta at Lunka,

(Ceylon.)
Hunooman, one of Soogreevu's generals, immediately leaped
across
the
sea,
(five
hundred miles
,)
to
Liinka, where he found Seeta in a garden belonging to
Ravunu ;
to
whom he
Ramu
in return, sent
h
gave a ring from Ramu, while she,

a jewel from her hair.
Ramu, compared with Krishnu,
is
Hunooman
a pure character; yet
we
see
him
here, without provocation, destroy the rightful heir to a throne, and set
up one who had seduced the wife of his brother.

1
No
one can doubt the propriety of making a spy of a monkey who
can leap 500 miles at once.
214
then began to destroy one of Ravtinu's gardens
who sen.
who were
kill Hunooman, but he destroyed those

Ravunu then sent his son trkshuyu against the misRavunu
chievous monkey; but he also was destroyed.
who
seized
Indrujit,
Hunooman,
next sent his eldest son
people to
sent.
and bringing him before

attendants to set
key, with his burning

set all
Lunka on
his father, the king ordered his
to his tail
fire
tail,
fire
when
mon-
the enraged
leaped from house to house, and
after finishing
which he came
to
Seeta, and complained that he could not extinguish the

fire
upon
his
had kindled on his
that
and he, raising
it,
on
face
arrived at
all
He
it
him.
at
she directed him to spit
to his face for this purpose, set
then complained, that when he
home with such
would laugh
that
fire.
tail
a black face, all the
monkeys
Seeta, to comfort him, assured him,
the other monkies should have black faces also;
and when Hunooman came amongst his

that, according to the
faces as well as himself.
found
friends, he
promise of SeSta, they had
all
black
After hearing the account brought
Ramu and Lukshmunu, with Soogreevti

army of monkeys, proceeded to invade Lunka.
They tore up the mountains, trees, and other large sub-
by Hunooman,
and
his
stances,
and cast them into the sea to form a bridge
k
;
k Ramii's bridge.
See the map of Hindoost'han.

Ramii was at a loss
army across the sea to Liinka. He fasted, and prayed to
Saguru for three days, and was angry with the god for not appearing to
him. He therefore ordered Lukshmunu to fire an arrow, and carry away
the god's umbrella. He did so, and the arrow, carrying away the um-
how
to lead his
even as far as patalii. The god, aroused from his

Ramii arrived by the sea side, and I have not known
then directed Ramii to apply to king Ntilu, to whom he had
brella, penetrated
sleep, exclaimed,
it?'
He
Is
given a blessing, that whatever he threw into the sea should become
buoyant.
At
the
command of Nulu,
the
monkeys
ing mountains, and cast them into the sea.
mountains on
his
head at once, each 64 miles
tore
up the neighbour-
Hunooman brought
in
circumference
three
and one
215
which, however, Ravunu was constantly employed in break-
Vibheeshunu,
ing down.
that
his landing,
up
that Seeta should be given
perceiving
brother,
Ravunti's
Rimu would make good
recommended
but his brother, unable to
bear this advice, quarrelled with Vibheeshunu;

over to
Ramu, and
him
advised
who came
to throw into the sea a
temple and image of Shivu, assuring him, that as Ravunu
was a worshipper of Shivu, he would not destroy the tem-
Ramu
ple and image of his god.
followed this advice,
soon made good his landing, and began the war with
Ravunu.
many
After
Koombhti-
giants had been killed,
kurnu, a monstrous giant, 2,400 cubits high, and 1,600
Ravunu, engaged
thick, brother to
He began the
Some
Ramu
and the monkeys.
combat by seizing and devouring
his enemies.
of them, as soon as they entered his mouth,
out at his nostrils and ears, and escaped.
monkeys
fled
but Ramu. with his arrows
arms, then his legs.
voured to devour
a mortal
wound
all
Still
The
first
came
terrified
cut off his
he waddled round, and endea-
within his reach,
in the neck.
Next
till
after
He
Ramu gave him

Koombhukurnu,
Ramu, and,
by the power of enchantment, carried him down to patalii j
where Hunooman went in search of him, and, while Muheeravtinu was there, instructing Indrujit how to prostrate
Indrujit engaged in the contest.
seized
himself before an image of the goddess Bhudru-kalee,
Hunooman
cut off his head, and rescued
Ravunu himself
flicts,
entered the combat
Ramu.
At length
but after many con-
finding himself very weak, he resolved to restore
Seeta, and put an end to the war.
but while
Ravunu was on
thought \%thin himself,
To
this
Ramu
consented;
the point of bringing See"ta, he
If I
do
this,
every one will charge
on each shoulder, equally large together with one under each arm, one
\
in
each paw, and one on
his tail.
All these mountains being thrown into
the sea, and becoming buoyant, a complete bridge was formed.
"
216
me
with cowardice
shall I, a giant, refuse to fight
combat was again renewed, and Ravunu was
mu
then obtained his wife
but as a
Ra-
slain K
of her innocence
trial
while in the hands of Ravunu, he compelled her to pass
through a
fiery
ordeal
He
which she did unhurt.
returned to Cyodhya, and mounted the throne.
then
however, some person objected to Ramu, that
After this,
it
was not
proper for him to receive Seeta, after she had been in keep-
He
ing of a giant.
1
therefore sent her into the forest to
The engagement betwixt Ramu and Ravunu lasted seven days Ramu
:
cut off the ten heads of Ravunu a hundred times, but they were always
miraculously restored.
Ramu
then discharged an arrow which had these
it became a thousand; if it enbecame an innumerable multitude.

Ravunu at the sight of this arrow was filled with fear, and would have
fled but recollecting that Shivu had once given him an arrow that was
to rescue him in a time of extreme peril, he discharged it, and destroyed
Ramu's terrible arrow. Still however he was full of fear, for whichever
way he turned, he saw Ramu he shut his eyes, but still he saw him in his
mind. At length, perceiving no way of escape, he began to flatter Ramu;
who was so softened, that he declared he would never destroy Ravunu.
The gods, alarmed lest Ravunu should be spared, excited him to reproach
Ramu; who, indignant at such conduct, let fly an arrow which pierced
properties, that if
tered the
it
went
into the air,
body of an enemy,
it
Ravunh's body, proceeded through the earth into the regions below, and
having there bathed, returned in the form of a goose, and again entered
the quiver in
its
original shape.
The gods were
vunu, that they durst not begin to rejoice

in whispers they
&c.
When
it
till
so
much
in fear of
Ra-
they were sure he was dead
asked each other, 'Is he dead?'
'
Is
he really dead?'
was known that he was certainly dead, the gods, Ramu, the
monkeys, and the bears,
all
began
to dance.
Mundwduree,
the chief
wife of Ravunu, and mother of Indiujit, after the death of her husband,
went to Ramu, weeping.
Ramu, not knowing who she was, gave her this

become a widow. Finding his mistake,
blessing, that she should never
(having just killed her husband,) he ordered
throw wood into the

as long as the
widow.
To
fire
body of the husband
this day, therefore,
and every time a Hindoo puts

says,
Hunooman
continually to
according to a proverb among th^ Hindoos, that

is
burning, a
Hunooman keeps
woman
his fingers in his ears
he hears the bones of Ravunu burning.
is
not called a
laying logs on the
fire
and hears a sound, he
217
Valmeekee, the writer of the Ramaytinti, where she was
Luvu and Kooshti
delivered of two sons,
whom
the latter of
was afterwards stolen by the god Ptinchanunti, when
Valmeekee, to comfort the mother, took a blade of kooshti

grass,
and secretly made a child so much
like Kooshti, that
from her own son.
In a short time,
know
Seeta did not
it
however, Punchanunti, not being able to destroy a child of
Ramu's, restored Kooshti, and Valmeekee caused the two

boys to become one.
Before his death Ramti performed
the sacrifice of a horse m
and Seeta and her two sons,
and Kooshti, were restored to him
Ltivti
but Ramti wishing
Seeta again to pass through a fiery ordeal, she entered the

fire
but the goddess Prtit'hivee n, (Seeta's mother,) opened
her mouth, and received her into

poorooshti, the angel of death,
wish
patalii.
went
for a secret conference.
At length Kalu-
to Ramti, expressing a
Ramti promised that while
he was present no one should be admitted, and placed

Lukshmtinti
at the
door to keep out
all
intruders
but while
Ramti and Kalti-poorooshti were closeted, Doorvasa, the

sage, arrived,
and demanded an interview with Ramti. This
sage was so very passionate, that every one dreaded contradicting
him
Ltikshmunti, therefore, through
and announced his
in
rejected his brother,
arrival.
who
in a
fear,
went
Ramti, for this offence,
paroxysm of
grief
drowned
himself in the sacred river StirtiyoG, and went to heaven.
Ramti afterwards put an end
to his life in the
same manner.
Luvti and Kooshti succeeded him.
m 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 history, which are not to be found
Valmeekee'g Ramayunfe but they may be seen in the Bengalee trans-
in
lation.
VOL.
I.
F f
218
The image
of Ramu.
is
painted green
he
represented
is
on a throne, or on Hunooman, the monkey, with
as sitting
He
a crown upon his head.
holds in one hand a bow, in
another an arrow, and has a bundle of arrows slung at his

back.
The worship
Krishnu
paid to
him
of the same kind as that to
is
but the formulas are
the increase of the
moon
was born, an annual

clay images
festival
On
different.
in Choitru,
is
are worshipped.
held,
the ninth of
Ramu
on which day
when
The dolu
multitudes of
festival
also
observed in honour of this god on this day, which
is
is
also
kept as a fast; when Ramu's three brothers, Bhurutu,
Lukshmunu, and Shutrughnu

images of the
also a
tivals
first
and
last are
are worshipped, but
At other
never made.
few ceremonies in honour of
Ramu
the
fes-
are per-
formed.
The
Ramu
On the
birth of
incarnations.
forms the seventh of the Hindoo

birth-day of this god
merchants in general begin their new

the time of death,
many Hindoos
the
Hindoo
year's accounts.
write the
name
of
At
Ramu
on the breast and forehead of the dying person, with earth

taken from the banks of the Ganges and hence these per;
sons after death, instead of being dragged to Yumti to be
judged, immediately ascend to heaven.

ples of
who
Ramu become
Ramahoots, a
Many of the
class of
disci-
mendicants
impress on different parts of their bodies Ramu's
name, and the

forehead
of
figure
Ramu's
of his foot.
followers
very
The mark on
much
the
resembles a
trident.
The gods on
fall, as
this
at the birth of
day are said to have caused a shower of flowers to
Minerva
it is
said to have rained gold.
219
Temples containing the images of Ramu, Lukshmunu,

Hunooman are erected in manv parts of Bengal ;
Seeta, and
and the worship of
Ramu
performed in them
daily.
SECT. VII. Choitunyu*.

This
is
the image of an almost naked mendicant, painted
Some
yellow.
Hindoo
the
The
first,
of the Hindoos believe, that amongst
incarnations there are four principal
all
ones.
in the stityu-yoogu, called the Shooklu-vurnu.
incarnation, was that of tfoiuntu; that in the treta, the
ruktu-varnu s , was the incarnation of Kopilu-deVti; that in

the dwapurti-yoogu, the Krishnu-vurnu.
the kulee-yoogu, called peetu-vurnu
u
,
and the
last, in
that of Choitunyu.
According to the disciples of Choittinyu, the founder of

this sect, ftdwoitu, a voidiku bramhtin, lived
pooru. about
was born
father
400 years ago.

Nudeeya, a
at
little
before Choitunyu.
was a rarheeyvi bramhun.
name was Shuchee ;
His
Choitunyu's father, Ju-
gunnat'hu-Mishru, a voidiku bramhun, lived

his wife's
Shanti-
at
Nityanundu, another leader,
Nudeeya
at
their first son,
Vishwtimb-
The mother
when Choitunyu was born the
huru, embraced the profession of a dundee.
was advanced
in
years
child continued three days without taking the breast, and
the parents, not thinking

basket,
hung
i The wise.
The yellow.
There are
it
'
still
appear unlikely
on a
The
it
would
tree near the
white.
The
live,
putting
house
x
.
blood-coloured.
At
*
it
into a
this
time
The
black.
many instances of children being exposed. If a child

an astrologer, who perhaps
to live, the parents consult
gives but small hopes of the child's recovery.
Ff 2
Voiragees and other men-

220
tMwoitii before-mentioned,
who had heard
having some suspicions that
it
of this bi rth,
might be the incarnation 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
Krishnu
Huree, Krishnu
Krishnu, Krishnu, Huree, Huree
Huree,
Huree, Ramu,
Huree, Ramu, Ramu, Ramu, Huree, Huree.'
After the
mother had received
was taken
this incantation, the child
down, and immediately began to draw the breast.

Choittinyu
made
a great progress in learning
at sixteen
he married Vishnoo-priya, and continued in a secular

till
forty-four,
when he was persuaded by
state
ftdwoitu and
other dtindees then at his house, to renounce his poita,
and become a mendicant
mother and
wife,
upon which, forsaking
crime that a person upon

should embrace a
From
giving to
tion,
life
whom
and
and continuing to
call
began to form a new
them voishnuvus.
who make a merit of
life
Persons of other casts
the river.
sect,
He
exhort-
to visit the different
possessing no worldly attachments, som
times hang up a child in a pot in a tree
down
was thought a
such a family depended
followers the preceding initiatory incanta-
ed them to renounce a secular
dicants,
it
of mendicity.
this period Choittinyu

all his
His family was
he went to Benares.
reduced to great distress indeed;
his
or, putting it in
may do
it,
a pot,
let it float
but these the most
frequently. Mr. Carey's journal, dated in July, 1794, contains the follow-
ing paragraph
a basket hung
'
One
day, as Mr.
in a tree, in
Thomas and
remained, bat the rest had been devoured by
Accounts, vol.
i.
p. 183.
Company's Government,
were riding
out,
a regulation
ants.'
is
we saw
the skull
See Baptist Mission
now prohibited by
made for that purpose.
This practice
in
which an infant had been exposed
the
Hon
:;

holy places on pilgrimage
221
to eat with all casts
who should
name of
receive the preceding incantation; to repeat the
Vishnoo, using the bead-roll made with the stalk of basil.
He
widows might marry
further taught that
but forbad
the eating of fish or flesh, and the worship of the deities to
whom
bloody
sacrifices are offered, as well as all
nion with those
He
who make
these sacrifices.
went to Jugunnat'hu-kshetru
assuming
six
commu-
arms, received
in Orissa,
He
many honours.
and there
exhorted
Odwoitu and Nityanundu to labour in making proselytes

but directed Nityanundu to enter into a secular state ?: he
did so, and took
up
Khurdu, near Calcutta.
his residence at
Choitunyti wrote to his two principal disciples from Orissa,

again exhorting them to labour in gaining proselytes
few or none joined them
and from
himself was never more heard

raised
families,
of.
yet
this time Choitunyti
Cdwoitti and Nityanundu
whose descendants
live
at
Shantipooru,
Vagna-para, and Khurdu to this day, where they are be-
come
leaders of the sect
all
other Gosaees z acknowledging
the descendants of these two families as their superiors,
and prostrating themselves before them.

at present are
men
of large fortunes
the images originally set
at
These Gosaees
whose houses are
up by the male descendant of
Choitunyu, by Nityanundu, and
tJdwoitti.
Crowds
are
almost constantly arriving at these places with offerings

besides which, the Gosaees derive a large revenue from
marriages, to superintend which they have agents distri-
who are allowed a sixth

sum that from both parties amounts to
shillings.
They also dissolve marriages at the
buted throughout the country,

part of the fee ; a
about six
t Perceiving his aversion to a life of mendicity.

*
Distant branches of the same families.
-222
When
pleasure of the parties, on receiving the same fees.
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.
women
At
Calcutta, nearly
the
all
of ill-fame profess the religion of Choitunyu before
may be
their death, that they
funeral rites
entitled to
some
have no relations
who
own them,
will
of
sort
as almost all these persons die intestate,
and
the Gosaees obtain
their effects.
The
anniversaries of the deaths of the original founders
of the sect are observed as
One
festivals.
of the whole
fifth
Hindoo population of Bengal
are supposed to be followers of Choitunyu,
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 Vishnoo have
embraced the tenets of Choitunyu; but many of the

ples of the latter live in a secular state, and
disci-
some of them
are possessed of large property.
Persons of this descrip-
tion frequently entertain a great
number of voiragees
their houses
when,
as
at
an act of great merit, they prostrate
themselves before these wanderers, wash, and lick the dust

of their feet, and devour their orts.
to the feasts
in
and
fasts of the
Hindoo
They pay no
attention
calendar, except those
honour of Krishnti.
The images most
regarded
among
this sect are those of
Choittinyu and Nityantindu, set up at thnbika, in the district
of Burdvvan.
223
About a hundred years ago, another man rose up in

as the leader of a sect, whose dress, of many
Bengal
colours,
is
said to
scarcely carry
be so heavy that two or three people can

This and his string of beads are preserv-
it.
ed as relics at Ghoshparu, where he continued
and died
at the
five years,
house of Ramu-Shurunu-Palu, a shdodm
of the Sud-gopu. cast, to
whom
he communicated his super-
natural powers; and who, after the death of this mendicant,
began to teach the doctrine of a constant incarnation, and
God
that
He
then dwelt in him.
persuaded many that he
could cure the leprosy, and other diseases; and preached

the doctrines of Choitunyti, imitating
for
him
in conforming,
many of the superstitions of the

gave a new initiating incantation to his
convenience sake, to
Hindoos.
He
followers*,
who, of whatever
also
Vast multitudes joined
Hindoos
this
cast, ate together privately.
man, both Mlisulmans and
and carried him presents, eating together once
or twice a year.
By
means, from a state of deep
this
now
poverty he became rich, and his son
number of Ramu-Shumnu's
son Doolalti
lives in affluence.
disciples adhere to his
others follow Shivu-Ramti and
of the old man's disciples,
who pretend
some others
to have received
the power of their master to cure diseases, &c.
Though
part of the father's followers have thus apostatized, Doolalii
pretends that he has
The following is a
great
thee.
Lord
I
now 20,000
translation of this incantation
at thy pleasure I go
am ever
disciples.
with thee
and return
save,
not a
great Lord.'
l
:
sinless
moment am
Lord,
I without
224
SECT. VllLFishwu-kurma*
son of Brumha, and architect of the gods
Is the
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
He
wrists.
presides over the arts, manufactures, &c.
The worship
four times
of this god
in the
a year,
Choitru, or Bhadru, by
is
performed once, twice, or
month tJgruhayunu, Poushu,
all artificers,
to obtain success in
The ceremonies may be performed
business.
either in the
day or night, before any implements of trade. The joiners

set
up
their mallet, chisel, saw, hatchet, &c. as the repre-
Weavers choose
sentative of this god.
their shuttle, &c.
putting them into the hole in the earth wherein they place
their feet
god on
when they
sit at
work.
The
this occasion.
The
razor
is
the barber's
potter, after a month's fast,
adopts and worships the wheel with which he

pots.
Masons choose
their trowel;
..turns his
washermen take the
beetle or stamper, their smoothing irons, &c. as their god;
hammer and bellows ; the farmer

The shoemaker chooses
and bows down to them: and thus,
blacksmiths worship their
his plough; spinsters their wheel.
his awl
and
amongst
all
knife,
the artificers, each one chooses the principal
tool or instrument with
which he works, and makes
god, or the representative of Vishwu-kurma c .

b Vishwii, the
e
world
kurraii,
The
it
cere-
work.
This worship affords another 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
belonging
all
good, these persons are taught to worship the tools
to their trades, as the
cause of their temporal happiness.
conduct seems to be reproved in the
first
Thi
chapter of the book of Habak-

29,5
ability the
monies are not long; but according to their
At the
worshippers provide as good a feast as possible.

close of the festival,
of pleasure
the crowd form themselves into parties
some go upon the
and playing on
r'ver in boats, singing songs,
different instruments of
music
others
sit
in
companies, smoke, and relate the news of the village;

spend
others
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 tn -
chanic
are
arts,
the shilpu shastrus, a part of the original veda,
more properly considered
now
not
are
describe,
it is
said, the
SECT. IX.
if
He
Kamu-dôu,
they
all
the Indian Cupid d .
of this god, the son of
is
Hindoo gods.
Brumha,
beautiful youth, holding in his hands a

flowers.
These works
they really exist
proper shape and dimensions of
the various images of the
The image
as their source*
read in Bengal,
is
that of a
bow and arrow
of
always supposed to be accompanied by his
wife Riitee e , by spring personified, the cuckoo, the
ming-bee, and gentle breezes
and
is
hum-
represented as wan-
dering through the three worlds.

kuk,
They
sacrifice unto their net,
because by them their portion

A
Kamu,
From
desire
is fat,
and burn incense unto
and
stroyed.
I.
dvu, god.
Rumti, to play, or to give pleasure.
It is said that the
of love found Rtttee in the house of Shumburu, a giant,
VOL.
their drag
their meat plenteous.'
Q S
whom
god
he de-
'226
The image
of
Kamu-devu
is
made
never
on the 13th of the increase of the moon

annual
when
festival is held,
father's
husband
petitions
for the
time,
first
and
for children,
an
At the time of marriage,
and when a wife leaves her
god
in Choitru.
the ceremonies of worship are
performed before the shalgramti.
this
in Bengal, but
house to go to her
addressed to
are
for happiness in the marriage
state.
The pooranu and

respecting
abound with
shastrus
kavyti
Kamu-dvu, one of which
Kaliku pooranu
The
god of
here give from the
most beautiful
love, the
creature in the three worlds, with
stories
whom
every one was
pleased, immediately after his creation solicited the
mands of Brttmha who assured him,

wound with love the
that, with his five
arrows, he should
bitants of the three worlds

ject
that
all
com-
hearts of the inha-
beings should be sub-
Brumha, Vishnoo,
to his sway, not excepting even
and Shivti; and that through him the universe should be

peopled.
himself,
Sundhya.
Kundtirpu
discharged his arrow at
first
who became enamoured
of his
own
Brumha
daughter,
Mureechee, and the other sons of Brumha, "also
smitten by his arrows, were inflamed with unlawful desires
toward their
sister.
thou inflamed with
Brumha was
Shivti said to
towards
lust
Brumha,
thy
own
What
art
daughter?'
covered with shame, and, from the perspira-
tion which issued from
his body, tJgnishwuta
and other
mankind , to the number of 149,000, were

Brumha, full of rage against Kundtirpu, cursed
him, and declared that he should be burnt to ashes by the
progenitors of
born.
fire
from the eye of Shivti
but on his intercessions pro-
In performing the ceremony called
pouring out drink-offerings to
all
tiirpunii,
seven names are used in
these ancestors.

;
:

mised, that
would
when
Names.
he
Shivti should be married to Doorga,
him
restore to
227
his body.
Mudiinti, or he
who
intoxicates with love
Marti, he who
Mun-mut'hu, he who agitates the mind
wounds with love ; Prudyoomnu, he who overcomes all
Kundurpu, he
Meenu-kettinu, he whose flag is a fish
;
who
tinungu,
;
bloats the
destitute
mind with
of body;
who
chushurli, he
Ramu,
desire
he
the creator of desire;
has five arrows
Smuru, he
who
is
Ptin-
who inShumburu;
flames; Shumburaree, the enemy of the giant

Miinusiju, he who born the heart; Koosoomeshoo, he whose arrows
he who
born only
the mind; Pooshpu-dhunwa, he whose
bow
made of flowers; Rutee-putee, the husband of
Rutee; Mukuru-dhwuju, he whose
the animal
in
is
are
flowers
ftnunytiju,
in
is
is
flag
Mukurii ;Atmubhoo, he who
is
is
self-created.
SECT. X.Siityu-Narayiinu.
This
a
is
a form of Vishnoo, but the image
pan of water
This god
is
is
worshipped several times in the year, in the
houses of the richer Hindoos, when

the village are invited.
red,
never made
is
the substitute.
The
all
the
bramhuns
in
object of worship, painted
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
eg
228
The sweetmeats
stories in praise of this god.
the guests, especially to the

riches, recovery
bramhuns
are given to
the acquisition of
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
the names of
paid to
some
idols not
only different forms
and the worship
gods contains
the principal deities of this description
all
worshipped in Bengal.
is
terrestrial
is
am
aware, however, that worship
mentioned here
of the deities
whose
but these are
history
is
given,
merely an appendage to the ceremonies
at the great festivals.

CHAP.
229
VI.
TERRESTRIAL GODDESSE9.
SECT. 1. Seeta.
This
jewels
it
woman, covered with
is
always accompanies and
is
worshipped with that
of her husband.
Seeta was the daughter of king
Her
was Mit'hila.
will
Junuku a, whose
capital
history, after her marriage with Ramti,
be found in the account of that god b
SECT. II.Radha.
Radha was
the wife of Ayunu-ghoshu, a cowherd of
Gokoolu, where Krishnu. in his youth resided
Shivu gave to Janiikti a
lift it,
bow
Seeta to sweep the room daily
bow
so heavy that a thousand
and which the father placed
with her
left
in
in a separate
king saw her thus move the bow, and,

loss to
whom
he came
he should give
Seeta.
filled
with her right.
could not
to lift
up the
One day the
with astonishment, was at a
daughter in marriage.
to this resolution, that
bow, should obtain

b
this
it
men
room, and commanded
doing which she used
hand, and sweep under
through
After some time,
whoever should be able
to
break
this
Udhyatmu-Ramayunii.
While Seeta was detained
at
Lunka, she was fed with ambrosia
twelve months by Indru, as she would not eat
That Ravunti could not destroy her
virtue,
is
in the
for
house of a giant.
thus accounted for by the
230
Vuraee, a procuress, he seduced Radha, and led her into

the forest near the river
till
Krishnu
left
Y umoona, where they continued
her to begin the war with
K tings u.
This mistress of Krishnu has been deified with her para-
Her image
mour.
is set
up
in temples with different
forms
of Krishnu, and worshipped at the festivals of this god.
The
act of looking
by the shastrus
to
upon hese images together,
particular act of
he wishes to express his abhorrence, he exclaims,

Krishnu
Many
!'
declared
be an act of peculiar merit
Hindoo be charged with any
If a
is
persons repeat
Ramii! Ramu!
which
Radha-
RamuP
on such occasions, but no one says Seeta-Ramu ; yet when
name
Krishna's
is
to be repeated, they always join to
it
that
of his mistress Radha.
Hindoo learned men has written a work (the

Radha-ttintru) to prove that Radha was an incarnation of
One
of the
Bhugtivutee
and
this
opinion
is
quoted by the Hindoos of
the present day to cover this abominable transaction.
SECT.
These
III.
are the
most distinguished wives of Krishnu, but
their images are never
pooranus
This giant
honoured them
:
from
his ten
for
another,
made, Krishnu being always associ-
had before seized the wives of the gods, and dishis niece, the wife of king
and one day he dishonoured
which crime Koov6ru cursed him, and caused
Nolti
mitigated
Rookminee and Sutyii-bhama.
it
heads at once.
By
with the proviso, however, that

should be renewed in
fire to
proceed
the entreaty of Briimha, this curse was
full force.
if
he ever defiled the wife of
Ibid,

ated with
At the
Radha
his mistress,
festivals of Krishnii,
231
and not with his lawful wives.
however, these
women
are
wor-
shipped, as well as six other wives of this god, viz. Jarnbubutee,
Mitruvinda, Lugtinujitee, Lukshmuna, Kalindee,
and Bhudra; but Rookminee and Sutyu-bhama are the
most distinguished.
SECT. lV.Soobhudra.
This
sister of
Jugunnat'hu.
is
worshipped
at the
same
time with her brother, and placed with him in the temples
dedicated to his honour.
232
CHAP.
VII.
DEITIES WORSHIPPED BY THE
LOWER ORDERS
ONLY.
SECT. I.Punchanunu*
form of Shivu.
Is a
it
the image has five faces, and in each
Some
face three eyes.
worship
persons
make
a clay image, and
with the usual forms, adding bloody
sacrifices
whi3e others worship Punchanunu before a stone placed
underneath the vutti b, ushwut'ht'hii

stone
is
or koolii d trees. This
painted red at the top, and anointed with
oil
e
.
Offerings of flowers, fruits, water, sweetmeats, and fried
peas accompany the worship, and sometimes bloody sacrifices.
In almost every village this worship
beneath some one of these
trees.
is
performed
In some villages several
of these shapeless stones f are to be seen thus anointed, and
consecrated to the worship of this god.
In other places
Punchanunu are placed in houses, or

and old women, called dyasinees&, devote them-
the clay images of
under trees;
a
The
five-faced.
Ficus Indica.
Ficus religiosa.
Zi/yplius jujuba.
The
statue of the
god Terminus was either a square stone, or a log
of wood; which the Romans usually perfumed
with ointments, and
crowned with garlands.

f The representative
The Arabians are said
of the goddess Passinuntia was a shapeless stone.

to
have worshipped a stone without the form or
shape of a deity.
It is
probable that thege dvasiuees resemble the priestesses of Cybele.

selves t his service
23S
they sweep the inside of the clay-
temple, and repeat the ceremonies of worship for others

constantly remaining near the image, and receiving
Not more than one woman

one idol, unless she admit a pupil, who expects
her.
These women, either married or widows,
ings and presents.
all offer-
upon
waits
to succ
ed
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
ehanunu
some
places in Bengal, where images of
are in great celebrity for
Pun-
bestowing the blessing
of children, and other favours on the worshippers.
The Hindoo women
and are
are terrified at this god,
exceedingly afraid lest their children should, in play, injure

the stone under the trees.
*
The
Some
therefore
warn
their chil-
who died in
who was supposed to be
late Jugtinnat'liu-Turkku-Pfinchantinii,
1807, at the advanced age of 112, and
the year
the most
learned Hindoo in Bengal, used to relate the following anecdote of him-
Till he was twenty years old he was exceedingly ungovernable,

and refused to apply to his studies. One day his parents rebuked him
self:
very sharply for his conduct, aud he wandered to a neighbouring village,
where he hid himself in the viitu tree, under which was a very celebrated
image of Piinchanunu. 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 person arrived whose livelihood depended
on
this
image, he discovered his god was gone
the village distracted,
about the
lost
god.
and the
village
was very soon
He
returned into
all in
an uproar
In the midst of this confusion, the parents of Jtigiin*
to search for their son; when a

crowd declared that he had seen a young man sitting in Punchanunu's tree, but what was become of the god he could not say. The
runaway at length appeared, and the suspicions of all the villagers fell
upon him, as the stealer of Piinchanunu. After some time he confessed
the fact, pointed out the place where he had thrown the stone, and added
nat'hu-Tnrkku-Punchanunu arrived
man
in the
VOL.
I.
H h
534
dren against going near these stones, by declaring that
Punchanunti
them,
will assuredly kill
if
they touch or play
with his image.
Children in
this god,
mouthy tear
at the
supposed
child,
of epilepsy are supposed to be seized by
fits
and thrown into a
'
and
it,
the village in this wickedness.

his
The
life.'
asks the
your child has cast dust on
the ringleader of
is
they foam
name, who answers, through the
am Punchanunti
image, kicked
till
The mother
their hair, &c.
spirit his
evil
state of frenzy,
dyasinee
called,
my
the children of
I will certainly take
now
is
all
who
away
comforts the
weeping and alarmed family, and addresses the god thus

e
Punchanunti
thy worshippers
pray thee restore this child; these are
but a child
and
it is
not
proper for thee to be ingry with such paltry offenders.
If
the offender
is
thou restore the child, the parents will

thee,
fail
and present to thee many
to render the
sacrifice a goat to
If this
offerings.'
should
god propitious, they take the child to the
image, before which they
sit
down, and
offer the
most ex-
cessive 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 Puncha-
nunti has cured the child, they present to
him
offerings
according to their ability.

moreover that he had discharged
his urine
on the god.
All hands were
up in amazement at this atrocious crime, and ev^ry one present

pronounced his death as certain for Punchanunu would certainly reOur young hero was himself terriblyvenge such a daring insult.
lifted
affrighted,
and from that hour
sat
he became the most learned man
government
in
India for
month, and used

difficult cases.
to give
many
down
in
so sedulously to his studies, that
Bengal.
He was employed
by the
years, at a salary of 300 roopees per
advice on the subject of the Hindoo law in
all
235
SECT. II. Dhurmii Thakooru.

Another form
of Shivti.
becomes the representative of
black stone of any shape
this god.
The worshippers
paint the part designated as the forehead, and place
under a
tree
silver eyes,
it
it
others place the stone in the house, and give
and anoint
with
it
oil,
and worship
it.
Almost
every village has one of these idols.
festival in
honour of
this
god
is
observed by some of
the lower orders in Voishaku, in the day.
The ceremonies
are like those at the swinging festival, with the addition of
number of which
bloody
sacrifices, the greater
At
time devotees swing on hooks ; perforate their sides
this
with cords
fire,
it
up
in their
hands
walk upon thorns ; and
throw themselves upon spikes, keeping a severe
who assemble
The
fast.
to see these feats of self-torture> are
entertained with singing, music, and dancing.
14th day, a great feast

offerings,
upon
pierce their tongues with spits ; walk
and take
people
are goats.
is
held,
On
when people bring
and giving them to the
officiating
request him to present them to the idol, to
fulfil
the
their
bramhiin,
a vow; or
with petitions to the god for some particular favour, as the

birth of a child, recovery from
sickness, or
any other
blessing.
Wherever
this idol is placed in a
a dyasinee attends
upon
house, a
woman
and repeats the
it,
daily
called
cere-
monies.
At two
villages in Bengal,
the worship of this god
from a great distance.
is
Poosooree and Rayu-kalee,
constantly attended by crowds
If a
woman's
eldest child die, she
23(5
makes a vow before witnesses, that she

hair for
two years; and th >;t then, going
villages, she will cut
it
will not cut
and present an offering to the
off,
Some
god, provided he will preserve her second child.
women,
an acknowledgment of a favour, or to beg a
as
young child
blessing, take a
wet
in their
arms ; and putting on
clothes, ptoce an earthen pot full of burning coals
some
cloth*
on
their heads
and
sitting before the
supplicating posture, continue for
some time
cense, throwing Indian pitch into the
poor
her
one of these
to
man sometimes
pan of
upon
god
in a
offering in-
coals.
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
bamboo which he
god from door
carries the
lays
to door as a
on his shoulder,
shew; while another
plays on a rude instrument of music, and joins in sinking
the praises of Dhurmu-t'hakooru.
handful of
rice,
which has been
yellow
is
sitting
arrow, and in his
A
in
lll.Kaloo-rayu.
another form of Shivu
man
givi
offered to the god.
SECT.
This
Householders
and the beggars present in retain a flower
the image
is
that of a
on a tyger, holding in his right hand an
left
a bow.
up clay images of this god

straw houses, and worship them at pleasure. The woodfew of the lower orders
set
cutters in the Eastern, Western, and Southern forests of
Bengal, in order to obtain protection from wild beasts,
adopt a peculiar
mode
of worshipping this idol.
The

head-boatman
raises elevations of earth three or four inches
upon which he places

among other ceremonies,
high, and about three feet square

balls of clay, painted red; and,
offers rice,
237
and the water of the Ganges
flowers, fruits,
carried from the river Hooglee, keeping a fast
the
god
then directs him in a dream where to cut wood free from
There
danger.
is
no authority
for this
worship in the
shastrus.
Dukshina-rayu
is
another god worshipped in the same
manner, and by the same
class of persons.
SECT. lV.Kalu-Bhoiriivu.
naked
Shivu, smeared with ashes; having three eyes;
riding on a dog; and holding in one hand a horn, and in
the other a drum.

is
worshipped
In several places in Bengal this image
daily.
Shivu, under this name,
is
regent of Kashee, (Benares.)
All persons dying at Benares are intitled to a place in
Shivu's heaven; but

shastrti
grinds
if
him between two
SECT. V.
The
any one violate the laws of the
during his residence there, Kalii-Bhoiruvu at death

mill-stones.
Worship
goddess Sheetula
females whenever their

itch; and the
to cure the Itch
is
worshipped by the Hindoo
families
god Ghtoo
and Scurvy.
(a
are
afflicted
with
black boiling pot)
is
the
wor-
238
shipped to remove the scurvy or any kind of blotches or

the skin.
In the preceding sections of this work, the god Prit'hivee, regent of the earth, should have
no separate worship, but

his
name
as the
at all the great festivals.
Household God; he
enters a
new
been noticed
he has
certain formulas are repeated in
is
Vishnoo
is
revered
worshipped when a person
house, or at any other time to procure the
removal of family misfortunes.
Doorga should have
been mentioned
Goddess
also as the Village
she
is
wor-
shipped by the villagers in the month Asharhu, before a

jar of water,
when bloody
festival is also
sacrifices are offered.
of Vishnoo, lndrii, Koovr u, and
sons pay the
owner
is
An
held in each village in Asharhu, in
first
annual
honour
Lukshmee when the perThe land;
instalment of their rents.
at the expense.
rw%..
J
CHAP.
239
VIII.
WORSHIP OF BEINGS IN STRANGE SHAPES.
SECT.
XiERE
Urdhu-nareeshwilril
h
.
Shivu and Doorga are united in one body, white
and yellow.
The
Lingu pooranii
lived
I.
origin of this
Shivu
image
and Doorga
is
thus given in the
after their marriage
on mount Koilasu, where Doorga kept the house,
cooked, and nursed her two children, Gtineshu and Kartiku
and Shivu supported the family
On
as a mendicant.
a certain occasion, Shivti, having one day
smoked
intoxi-
cating herbs to excess, was unable to go his daily rounds.
Doorga informed him that

that the family had eaten
there
was nothing
in the house;
half of what was collected the
day before, and that Guneshu's rat and Kartiku's peacock
had devoured the

his hut,
rest.
After
much
altercation, Shivu. left
and Doorga, to avoid perishing
for want,
her father's, taking her children with her.
Narudu met
her,
On
where Shivti would ask
for alms.
also,
h Urdhti, half; naree,
Narudu
woman
joy,
way
the food
at length
his wife
and relieved his hunger;
eeshwurii, a
name of Shivu.
Gtineshu rides on a rat, and Kartiku on a peacock.
One
all
pursuaded him to return to
Doorga received him with
the
to
She did so; and Shivu
in vain for a handful of rice.
meeting Shivu
went
and advised her to assume the form of the
goddess ftnnu-poorna k , and lay an embargo on
begged
of the forms of Doorga, as the regent of food.
240
which so pleased the

in his
oH
mendicant, that in pressing her
arms both bodies became one.
In the Radha-tuntru
assumed
this
Brumhu,
in
form
it
is
said, that Shiv u
in order to prove that
whom
and Doorga
Shivu
the one
is
both the male and female powers are
united.
In one of the smaller Hindoo poems, a different account

of the origin of this image
is
given
Shivu, finding
it
very
procure a subsistence by the alms which he
difficult to
daily collected, especially as
Gune*shu a very large
Doorga had ten mouths, and
belly, agreed
with his wife, that they
should assume one body, which would be supported with

less labour.
Notwi
hstancling this
apparently cl^se union of Shivu
and Doorga, the Shivopa-khyanu, a poem, contains a

in
which Doorga
in a
fit
is
story,
represented as quarrelling with Shivu
of jealousy, on account of his begging in that part
of Shivti-pooru
where the women of ill-fame
another occasion, as related in the Ramayunu,

quarrel took place betwixt
Shivu.
live.
On
a dreadful
and Doorga, because
Pttrushoo-ramu. had beaten Kartiku and GunC*shu, the two
sons of Doorga.
Another account of these quarrels
both in the Ramayunu and the Muhabharutu

efforts to destroy
Ravunti proving abortive,
in
of the protection afforded the giant by Shivii,
whom
is
given
Ramu's
consequence
all
the gods
Ravunti had oppressed joined Ramti in supplications
to Shiva
slain, the
and on the seventh day, when Ravunti was to be

gods resolved to be present
to join them,
when Doorga
1
and Shivti was about
interfered,
Shivu's heaven.
and asked him how
;;
241
he could witness the destruction of his own disciple
who had
disciple,
stood praying to
weather, surrounded with four
him
fires
all
that
day in the sultry
who had continued
his devotions in the chilling cold, standing in the water
and had persevered
in his supplications, standing
head in the midst of torrents of rain ?
upon
volley of abuse
be remembered
shall
his
Here she poured a
Shivti, as a withered old fellow
smoaked intoxicating herbs

dwelt in cemeteries
on
who
covered himself with ashes
a beggar
whose name would never
and dost thou think/ said she,
be present at such a sight V
that I
Shivu could no longer
smother his resentment, but reproached her in the severest

terms, reminding her that she was only a
nothing
and indeed that she did not
woman, and knew

woman, for
act like
she was continually wandering from place to place; en-
gaged
in
wars; was a drunkard; spent her time with
degraded beings
killed giants,
the skulls round her neck.
drank their blood, and hung
Doorga was enraged
to
mad-
ness 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
He
did so, and so pleased the goddess by his
flatteries, that
she was at length brought to consent to the
Ravtinii.
destruction of Ravunti.
At the new
moon
in
month,
or full
moon r
or
on the 8th or 14th of the
any month, or on the
last
day of any calendar
in the day, the usual ceremonies of
performed before
this disgusting
into the water the succeeding day.
and offered
VOL.
i.
to the goddess.
i i
is
The formulas
used iu the worship of Doorga, not of Shivti.

slain
worship are
image, which
thrown
are those
Animals are

24$
SECT. ll.Krishnu-Kalee.
This scandalous image
total
wane of the moon m
Of
all
is
worshipped annually
the
at
in Kartikti, in the night.
the milkmaids that used to collect around him,
Krishna was most charmed with Radha, the wife of Ayanughoshu.
When
of Aytinu-gho
the attachment was
saw them toge
formed, the sister
first
her,
and informed her
brother of the circumstance; at which
Radha became very
much
-;hu
alarmed, assured Krishna that her sister-in-law had
seen her with him, and that her husband would certainly
destroy her.
Krishna commanded her not
to fear, adding,
her husband came, he would assume the form of KaleeT,
if
and she should be found
husband and others

and joined her
When
in the act of worship.
arrived, they
her
found her thus employed,
in her devotions.
Could
it
be believed that
such an abominable instance of adultery and treachery
would be made the subject of worship?

images are made from
this
story,
'Radha,
Ayunu-ghoshu,
Bloody
Krishna has begun
yet so
viz.
it is.
Four
Krishnu-Kalee,
and Kootila, Ayanu's
shippers of Krishna are ashamed,

ttis, if
sister.
image; but the wor-
when asked by
to drink blood
the shak-
SECT. lll.Huree-Hurv.
Here
body
Vishnoo (Huree) and Shiva (Ham) appear in one
the former
is
black,
image has four arms and two

>
and the
very proper time for such a worship.
shine on such deeds.
latter white.
The
feet.
Let neither sun nor moon

The
origin of this
pooranti
image
Lukshmee
thus recorded in the Vishnoo
is
and Doorga were once
ther in the presence of Shivti,

that her
243
sitting toge-
when Lukshmee contended
husband (Vishnoo) was greater than Shivti
Lukshmee
Doorga
as firmly denied.
must be
greatest, since Shivti
said,
which
her husband
In the
had worshipped him.
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

the Kashee-khundu, a part of the
this
image
Skundu
is
given in
pooranti.
On a
when Vishnoo and Shivu were conversing
certain occasion,
together, Shivti requested Vishnoo to assume the beautiful
female form which he had formerly done at the churning of
when Shivu, overpowered
the sea: to which he consented;
with desire, pursued the flying beauty,

fatigue, she hid herself
form of Vishnoo.
behind a
Shivti,
tree,
till,
overcome with
and reassumed the
however, embraced Vishnoo with
such eagerness, that the bodies of both became one n
The worship
pleases.
served
of this image takes place whenever any one
Stone images in some places are continually pre-
and
in others a clay
and afterwards committed
one
is
made, and worshipped,
to the river.
Raja Krishnti-chundru-rayu expended

sand roopees
While
expended in
n
fifty
at the consecration of a stone
Huru, which may be

deeya.
this
this
still
raja
worship
The reader need
seen at Gunga-vasti, near

lived,
yet,
nymph
excessively in love with a son of
fifty
I i
villages
how much this story in its

who is said to have
Salmacis,
Mercury by
Nu-
roopees were daily
though a number of
not be informed
nation resembles that of the
or sixty thou-
image of Huree-
his sister
Venus.
termifallen
244
have been bequeathed to the god, the expense of the daily
now than formerly. Few

Bengal, however, can now boast of a temple at
worship and offerings

places in
which
fifty
is
less
roopees are daily expended
No
bloody sacri-
fices are offered to this image.
However shocked
a professed Christian
may be
at reading
such accounts, and however revolting to every feel'ng of
modesty and decency these
stories
may
be, the
Hindoo
philosophers have thought proper to perpetuate them, and

in this
image to personify
bow down
to this
This expense
peas,
salt, oil,
is
image
as to a deity
The bramhuns
also
worthy of adoration.
incurred in the meat-offerings, consisting of rice,
ghee, butter, sugar, sweetmeats, fruits of different kinds,
herbs, spices, betle nuts, &c.
other things
lust itself.
and
in the
in the offerings
About ten bramhuns and fourteen shoddrus

vice of this image.
of cloth, metal vessels, and
wages of the bramhuns and shoddrus employed.

constantly attend on the ser-
CHAP.
24;
IX.
WORSHIP OF HUMAN BEINGS.
Deified
ALL
Men and Women.
the bramhuns, but especially the religious guides,
(gooroo,) are objects of worship
among
The
have divine honours paid to them.

the estimation of the disciple,
the Hindoos, and

spiritual guide, in
is literally
a god.
When-
ever he approaches, the disciple prostrates himself in the
dust before him, and never

leave.
He
feet of his
final
gooroo
happiness.
and
the claims of the

I
his presence without
relies entirely
upon
his blessing for
have heard some Hindoos speak with
comparative contempt of
any one,
in
sits
drinks the water with which he has washed the
all
bramhuns
other ways of salvation.

to deity
When
have been disputed by
have seen the poor besotted shSodru. prostrate
himself at the feet of the nearest bramhun, and, raising his
'You are my god.' At

the bramhun has perhaps
head, and closing his hands, say,

the same time the character of
been notorious
The
till
for every vice.
shastrus declare that the daughters of bramhuns,
they are eight years old, are objects of worship, as forms
of the goddess Bhtiguvutee

these girls daily.
The
and some persons worship
worshipper, taking the daughter of
Doing reverence to the very feet of superiors prevailed among the

Hence the woman washed the feet of Christ, and wiped them
Jews.
with the hair of her head.
Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel,
246
some neighbouring bramhun, and placing her on

performs the ceremonies of worship
in
to her flowers, paint, water, garlands

rich
man,
offerings of cloth
p,
some of the female
ship of
of
bramhuns
repeating before
them, and
This
is
closes the
At the wor-
to
them.
worshipped occasionally
are also
A man
as an act of great merit.

invites ten, twenty, or
He
girl.
deities also, the daughters of
bramhuns have divine honours paid
The wives
incense, and, if a
and ornaments.
whole by prostrating himself before the
a seat,
which he presents
of property sometimes
one hundred of these females, and
them forms of
prayer, praise, &c. worships
at the close entertains
them with the
offerings.
frequently done at Benares
On the
14th of the decrease of the
moon
the time of the Savitree vrutu, the
in
Shravimu,
at
wives of bramhuns
very generally worship their husbands.
The
worshipper,
having placed a seat for her husband, and presented him

with new garments, entreats him to be seated, and puts
round
his
She then anoints
neck a garland of flowers.
his
body with fragrant ointments, and performs before him the

various ceremonies which belong to the worship of the
In presenting the offerings she says, regarding her
gods.
husband
may
as a
long
widow.'
form of Vishnoo,
live in the
'
Oh
husband, grant that
marriage state, and never become a
The husband then
partakes of the offerings, and
him
the wife having walked round
The
either three or seven
ceremony
is
given in the Brumhu-voivurttu pooranu, but the story
is
times, the service ends.
origin of this
too long for insertion.
Both the Greeks and Romans,
it
is
well known, used to adorn then;
images with garlands at the time of worship.

Many
of
247
tuntms, and particularly the
the
Roodru-
yamulu, the Yonee-tuntru, and the Neelu-ttintru, contain

directions respecting a
most extraordinary and shocking
mode
is
of worship, which
understood in a concealed man-
name of Chukru.
ner amongst the Hindoos by the
who
shastriis direct, that the person
this
ceremony must
first,
he must take
own
his
in the night, choose a
If the person
the object of worship.
wife;
and
These
wishes to perform
woman
as
be a dukshinacharee,
a vamacharee, the
if
daughter of a dancer, a kupalee, a washerman, a barber, a
clmndalu, or of a Musulman, or a prostitute; and place

her on a seat, or mat
and then bring broiled
fish, flesh,
fried peas, rice, spirituous liquors, sweetmeats, flowers,
other offerings
purified by the repeating of incantations.
who
^r
naked.
sirs
3r
Here things
-fl?
To
this succeeds
******
the worship of the guardian deity

female,
and
which, as well as the female, must be
and
after this, that of the
3K?
^r
<9r
too abominable to enter the ears
*fr
of man, and
impossible to be revealed to a Christian public9 are contained

in the directions of the shastru.
who opened
to
me
The learned bramhun

made several efforts
these abominations,
paused and began againand then paused againbefore

he could mention the shocking indecencies prescribed by
his
own
shastrus.
As the object of worship
is
a living person, she partakes
of the offerings, even of the spirituous liquors

flesh,
though
it
and of the
The
should be that of the cow.
refuse
is
eaten by the persons present, however different their casts
nor must any one refuse to partake of the offerings.

spirituous liquors
must be drank by measure
The
and the com-
pany while eating must put food into each other's mouths.
248
The
priest then
this female in a
in the presence of all
manner which decency
behaves
men-
many
times
tioned; after which the persons present repeat
the
name
abominable
The
of
:
towards
forbids to be
some god, performing actions unutterably

this most diabolical business closes.
and here
benefits promised to the worshippers are riches, absorp-
tion in
Brumhu, &c.
At present the persons committing these abominations

(vamacharees) are becoming more and more numerous and
;
in proportion as they increase, the ceremonies are
more indecent.
They
these practices
are
bramhuns and
are performed in secret
more and
but that
becoming very frequent among the
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
incantations of the shastrus.
all
the
minute rules and
CHAP.
249
X,
THE WORSHIP OF BEASTS,
SECT.
JjRtJMHA
time
the
created the
bramhuns
L The Cow.
bramhuns and the cow
to read the formulas,
at the
same
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
The cow is
Brumha
destroy their sins.
gods, and
is
by eating
declared by
clarified
called the
butter
mother of the
to be a proper object of
worship.
The
shastru appoints that the images of the gods shall
be anointed with milk, curds,
clarified butter,
and cows' urine, whereby they become

and
all
cow-dung,
from impurity
unclean places are purified with cow-dung.
many bramhuns do not go out

till
free
Indeed
of the house in a morning,
the door-way has been rubbed with cow-dung.
The cow was

this day, or
created on the
first
of Voishakhu, and on
on the second of the moon
in Jyoisht'hu, she is
No image is used, but the worship

performed in the cow-house before a jar of water. The
ceremonies are the same as those before the images of the
worshipped annually.
is
gods
the prayers are necessarily peculiar to the object
worshipped.
vol.
i.
The
bramhun,
k k
officiating
at the close of
the
<250
service, reads the
whole of the Chundee, a poem relating to
On
the wars of Doorga.
men
the 13th of Phalgoonu, the milk-
paint the horns and hoofs of their cattle yellow, and
bathe them in the
river.
worship the cow daily
Persons
strict in their
after bathing, they
her feet, and feed her with fresh grass, saying,

vutee
eat
;'
religion
throw flowers
at
O Bhugti-
'
and then walk round her three or seven times,
making obeisance.
If
you speak among Hindoos of eating the
men, carmen, and farmers, beat the cow
yet milk-
and many starve
to death in the cold weather, rather than be at the
Thus is the cow at once a

burden and a goddess. Some of the poor liiink
expense of giving them food a

beast of
themselves happy
if
they can support a cow, as by serving
this animal they expect

sell
as unmercifully as
a carrier of coals beats his ass in England
them
cows,
flesh of
they immediately raise their hands to their ears
reward in a future
state.
If a
man
his cow, the shastrus threaten him with the torments
of hell during as
her body.
If
many thousand
years as there are hairs
any one neglect to burn cow-dung, &c.
cow-house, whereby smoke
is
raised,
on
in the
and the musquitoes
preven ed from hurting the cows, he will descend into the

hell of musquitoes
bramhun
is
and
gad-flies.
The
an act of great merit.
The dung
of the
cow
is
gift of a
cow
to a
gathered and dried as fuel
more value for

their dung than for their milk; for the Bengal cow gives
very little milk indeed, compared with the European cow.
amongst the Hindoos.
Some cows
are of
In the year 1812, a bramh&n was convicted before the magistrate of

in calf, andoffering this
Serampore, of stealing from a relative a cow
gftdew for
sale to a butcher.
251
SECT. II. The Monkey.
The
black-faced monkey,
Hunooman b
the son of the
god Pavunu, by Onjuna, a female monkey c,
is
believed to
be an incarnation of Shivu.
The Hindoos worship Hunooman on

obtain long
bestow, as he
set
up
alone,
life,
is
which they suppose
immortal.
and
their birth-day to
this
monkey can
In some temples his image
is
Ramu and Seeta,

of Ramu is always
in others with that of
and worshipped
daily.
The worship
preceded by a few ceremonies in honour of Hunooman.
Stone images of
some of his
Hunooman
disciples,
per of this animal
are kept in the houses
and worshipped
is
of
The worship-
daily.
promised every gratification he can
desire.
Many Hindoos
receive the initiating incantation
by which
monkey becomes their guardian deity. The mark which

these disciples make on their foreheads is the same as that
made by the followers of Shivu.
this
About twenty
years ago, Eeshwuru-chundrii, the raja of
Niideeya, spent 100,000 roopees in marrying two monkeys d ,

h
his
e
Hfmooman broke his cheek-bone by a fall from

name is derived from hunoo, the cheek bone.
There
is
nothing too
filthy for idolatry
pays his addresses to a monkey, as Jupiter
the sun's orbit
and
here the god of the winds

is
said to have done to a
swan.
d
now
At
this
time none of these monkeys were to be seen about Niideeya
they are so numerous that they devour almost
all
orchards, as the inhabitants are afraid of hurting them.
K k 2
the fruit of the
252
when
the parade
all
common
at
Hindoo marriages was ex-
In the marriage procession were seen elephants,
hibited.
camels, horses richly caparisoned, palanqueens, lamps, and
flambeaus
the male
monkey was
fastened in a fine palan-
men
queen, having a crown upon his head, with
by
him
his side to fan
girls in carriages
Hindoo music
every kind of
display of fireworks,
standing
then followed singing and dancing

a grand
Dancing, music, singing, and
&c.
every degree of low mirth, were exhibited at the bride-
At the time of
groom's palace for twelve days together.
the marriage ceremony, learned bramhuns were employed

in reading the formulas
Amongst men
from the shastrus
of sense the performance of the ceremo-
nies of worship before the
image of
with a degree of disgrace.
between two bramhuns, one of
Hindoo
this
monkey
attended
is
have heard of a quarrel
whom
to repeat the ceremonies of
was paid by a rich
Hindoo worship before
Hunooman, d lily, at his house: amidst the

* Thou
refuse of bramhuns thou
the image of
quarrel the other said,
gainest a subsistence by worshipping a monkey.'
Stories of this god.
sun, thinking
it
When Hunooman
a ripe fruit,
first
of the god of day, and seized his chariot
Hunooman would
saw the rising
he leaped up to the residence

:
Indrti fearing
swallow the glorious luminary, wijh his
thunderbolt smote him to the earth, where he lay
His
distracted
enraged
mother applied
to his father
at the loss of his son, retired into
chasm, and bound up the wind,
began
now
to perish.
Brumha
both
Puvunu, who,
an inaccessible
men and gods
Briimha, Vishnoo, Shivu, and other gods
Puvunu but he refused them the privilege

unless they would make Hunooman immortal.
petitioned
of breathing,
till
lifeless.
then bestowed on
Hunooman
the water of
life,
and
men and gods the vital air. When ten

Hunooman was possessed of immense strength.
Ptivunu restored to
years old,
He
brought a stone, from a mountain, sixteen or twenty
miles in circumference, and threw
where a number of sages were

water, so that the sages,
it
After a few struggles
to sink.
Hunooman
the waters retired

to take
up water
Opening
and following
He
sink.
down with closed
and when the sages put out
it,
them
their
hands
were again disappointed.
saw the water had sunk exceeding-
again closed their eyes, and sat down.
again flung in the stone, and the sages began to
continued to repeat these
frolics, till the sages,
discovering the culprit, took away his
monkey now began
sagacious
eyes
next took out the stone, and
for worship, they
their eyes, they
Hunooman
This raised the
closed their eyes in the
they regained the land, and again sat

to their work.
into a pool of water
at worship.
who had
began
act of meditation,
ly;
253
fruits,
&c.
from the
forest,
agility, every act of menial service.
blessed him, and assured
strength.
to flatter the sages
him
that,
The
brought
and performed, with

After three years they
when he should
see
Ramu upon mount Rishyumooku, he should obtain twice

On a certain occasion Hunooman
his former strength.
was resolved to put the strength of Bheemu

was reputed
his
tail,
to
he threw
it
across the path.
stride across a person's body, or
requested
Hunooman
then
not
lift
it
to take
up
even his shadow,

his tail
up
this
ment, he began
ed on
him
At
last
Bheemu
but found, giant as he was, he could
monkey's
to praise
tail.
Overcome with astonish-
Hunooman, and
to promise that
their expected
Bheemu
but he complain-
out of his way; he tried at the end, and
at the middle,
lift
he
As the Hindoos never
ed he was grown old and could not.

stooped to
to trial, as
be so tremendous a giant: and lengthening
at length prevail-
he would help the Panduvus in
war with Dooryodhunu.
254
SECT. III. The Dog

Carries Kalu-Bhoiruvu, a form of Shivti, and therefore
receives the worship of the
worshipped 6
Hindoos
in the
that
his master
there
who pay their devodisciples.

Though the
and become
his
thus placed amongst the objects of worship, he
is
mentioned
every offering which he approaches

to the gods,
is
Miihabharutu as an unclean animal
the
in
is
many
are
west of Hindoost'hanu,
tions to the dog,
dog
Hindoos whenever
have heard also
and every one who
is
rendered unacceptable
touclies
him must
purify
himself by bathing.
SECT. IV. The Stockal
The
Tiintrus mention an incarnation of
Doorga
in the
form of the shackal, when she carried the child Krishnu

over the
Yumoona,
in his flight
from king Kungsu.
All
the worshippers of the female deities adore the shackal as a
form of
this goddess, especially the vamacharee's,
him
sent offerings to
offerings
on a clean place
who
pre-
lays
the
Every worshipper
daily.
in his house,
come and partake of them. As this

when the shackals leave their lurking
and
is
the god to
calls
done
places,
at the
hour
one of these
animals sometimes comes and eats the food in the presence

of the worshipper
is
this will
not appear wonderful
when
it
considered, that the same animal finds food placed for
him in this place every

Doorga and other deities,
The
dog,
it
will
day.
In temples dedicated
a stone image of the shackal
be remembered, was consecrated
to
Mars.
to
is

265
When
placed on a pedestal, and daily worshipped.

shackal passes a Hindoo, he must
on the
left
hand,
SECT.
The
the
bow
to
it
and
it is
a most lucky circumstance.
V.
Other Animals worshipped.
if it
pass
elephant, the lion, the bull, the buffalo, the rat,
deer, the goat, &c.
of the gods
whom
Indru, Doorga, Shivu,
Brumha.
are
worshipped
they respectively
at
carry,
the festivals
that
is,
of
Yumu, Gundshu, Puvunu, and
256
CHAP.
XI.
THE WORSHIP OF BIRDS
SECT. I.Giirooru\
1 HIS
god, with the head and wings of a bird b, and the
rest of his
birds,
body
and the
carrier
called the king of the
of Vishnoo.
Vinuta, the wife of
the progenitor of gods and men, laid an egg c,
Kushy upu,
and became the mother of
Guroom was
sky
were
all
man,
is
like that of a
this
till
the other animals were terrified at
like lightning; the
his wings,
mountains
fled
fire.
it
as
touched the
him
his eyes
with the wind of
and the rays which issued from
four quarters of the world on
As soon
bird-god.
born, his body expanded
The
his
body
set the
affrighted gods
sought the help of tfgnee, conceiving that Gurooru must
be an incarnation of the god of
fire.
In consequence of a dispute betwixt Vinuta, the mother

of Giirooru, and Kudroo, the mother of the serpents, re-
specting the colour of the horse procured at the churning

of the sea, a continual enmity has subsisted betwixt the
Some suppose Gurooru
to
be a large species of vulture, and others
the gigantic crane.

b Guroojtfi in some degree resembles Mercury, viz. in his having wings,
and being the messenger of Vishnoo, as Mercury was of Jupiter.
c
Jupiter
is
said to have been
shape of a goose
and that she
enamoured of the goddess Nemesis
laid
in the
an egg, from which was born Helena.

descendants of these females
and Gurooru once obtained
permission from one of the gods to devour
he could find
~
is
The
257
all
the serpents
d
.
story of Gurooru's
becoming the
thus related in the Muhabharutu:
above dispute having
laid a wager,
His
mother
sister
in the
loser,
was
and the
ser-
and being the
reduced to a state of servitude to her
Vishnoo
carrier of
become immortal, promised to liberate his

mother on condition that Gurooru should bring Chundru,
pents, wishing to
(the
moon ;) whose
bright parts, the Hindoos say, are
he asked
his
She advised him
mother for some food.
to the sea shore,
filled
Before Gurooru departed,
with the water of immortality.
to
go
and gather up whatever he could see; but
conjured him to beware of eating a bramhun: adding,

'
Should you
at
any time
a burning heat in your
feel
stomach, be sure you have eaten a bramhun/

structed,
he began his journey
at his
flight
Thus
in-
the three
worlds were agitated like the sea at the great deluge.
Passing by a country inhabited by fishermen, he at one

inspiration
animals
drew
but,
in houses, trees, cattle,
among
bramhun, who caused such an
intolerable burning in his
bowels, that Gurooru, unable to bear

est haste, for
him
men, and other
the inhabitants swallowed, one was a
to
come
out.
it,
called, in the great-
The bramhun
refused,
unless his wife, a fisherman's daughter, might accompany
him to which Gurooru consented. Pursuing his journey,

Gurooru met his father Kushyupti, 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
When
the Hindoos
lie
down
to sleep, they repeat the
roortt three times, to obtain protection
VOL,
I.
ll
from snake*.
name of
Gft-
258
Gurooru with one 'claw seized the elephant, with

the other the tortoise, and perched with them on a tree
sixty.
eight hundred miles high
but the tree was unable to bear
the ponderous weight, and unhappily thousands of
bramhuns were then worshipping on one of

Trembling
bough
lest
its
pigmy
branches.
he should destroy any of them, he took the
in his beak, continuing to hold the elephant
and flew to a mountain
tortoise in his claws,
in
and
an unin-
habited country, where he finished his repast on the tortoise
Gurooru, having surmounted astonishing
and elephant.
dangers, at last seized the moon, and concealed
wing
gods,
all
of
under his
whom, however, except Vishnoo, he overcame
and even he was so severely put
came
it
but on his return was attacked by Indrti and other
to terms with
to
it
in the contest, that
he
Gurooru, who was made immortal, and
promised a higher seat than Vishnoo, while Gurooru on his
became the carrier of Vishnoo. Since this time Vishnoo rides on Gurooru while the latter, in the shape of a
part
flag, sits at
Gurooru
different
the top of Vishnoo's car.
is
worshipped
at the great festivals before the
images of Vishnoo
worship.
His image
is
various forms of Vishnoo;
name
and some persons receive his
as their guardian deity,
Guroom's two
sons,
as a trial of strength,
Sumpatee were burnt
but has no separate time of
placed in the temples dedicated to
and repeat
Sumpatee and
up
off.
to the
daily.
Jtitayoo, once flew,
sun
Gurooru
it
but the wings of
resides in
Kooshu-
dweepu, one of the seven islands into which the Hindoos

divide the earth.
Names,
thers.
Guroomut,
Gurooru,
or,
he who
is
clothed with fea-
he who swallows [serpents, and throws
259
of
Tarkshyu, from Turkshyii, the
Gurooru. Voinut^yu, from Vinuta. Khugeshwurii, the
of the feathered
Nagantuku, the destroyer of
of Vishthe
Vishnoo-rut'hu, the
of the colour of
noo. Soopurnu, he whose
Punnuga-shumi, the devourer of the
up
their bones.]
father
lord
tribes.
serpents, (nagtis.)
carrier
feathers are
serpents.
gold.
SECT. II. Uroonu,
The
elder brother of Gurooru,
yu, the sun
and
is
the charioteer of Sooras
of this god
is
at the festivals of other gods.
that of a
is
worshipped with his master, as well
man without
The image
thighs.
SECT. III.Jutayoo.
This bird
is
the friend of Ramti, and
the same festival with him.
ceding account of
is
Doorga, and
whenever
it
kite.
is
worshipped at
mentioned in the pre-
Chillu, or
tlie
Eagle of Coromandel
the white-headed kite,
bramhunee
is
is
Ramu.
SECT. lV.ShunkuriL
This
He
It
is
commonly
called
the
considered as an incarnation of
reverenced by the Hindoos,
passes them.
l12
who bow
to
it
260
SECT. V.
Is considered as a
Mzag-tail,
Khunjiinii, or the
form of Vishnoo, on account of the
mark on its throat, supposed to resemble the shalgramti.

The Hindoos honour it in the same manner as they do the
eagle of Coromandel.
SECT.
The
Other Birds worshipped.
VI.
peacock, the goose, and the owl e, are worshipped
at the festivals of Kartiku,
Brumha, and Lukshmee.
e 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 performance 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 npon a house, the wife, or a child, or some
other person belonging to the master of the house, will die, or some other
calamity will befal him within a year afterwards.

house, or
its
To
value in money, must be .given to bramhuns
prevent
;
this,
the
or a peace-offer-
ing of an extraordinary 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
deities of the quarters of the universe
the guardian
must then be worshipped, 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 Mrityoonjuyu is Repeated. The oblation, called the muha-vyadhee homu, is to
be performed at the commencement, or at the end of this ceremony.
Oblations of clarified butter, at each of which the gayitree
are then to be
made to Vishnoo, the nine
planets,
is
repeated,
Udbhootu,and the house-
hold gods which being done, the bramhuns must be entertained with cla;
rified 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
5
bramhuns, and the benediction received from them.'
CHAP.
261
XII.
THE WORSHIP OF TREES.
TREES
are worshipped
particular gods
of Vishnoo,
by the Hindoos
ushwutu and
the
as the
The devout
and the vilwu that of Shivu.
Hindoos worship them, water

their houses, &c.
who
females,
are-
may not lose

months. The female
the merit of watering
it
never seen
compound,
in the streets, plant a sacred tree within the
that they
them near
their roots, plant
The Hindoo
forms of
vutu. are representatives
in the sultry
sh5odrus, to honour the wives of
bramhuns, carry water to these
trees,
and on a fortunate
day make offerings to them.
SECT.
The Hindoos
I.- The Toolusee\
have no public
festival in
honour of
this
plant; but they occasionally prostrate themselves before
repeating a form of prayer or praise

also in the
power of
its
leaves to cure diseases, and use
with incantations to expel the poison of serpents.

plant
it
also before their houses,
the place around
it
and in the morning cleanse
Throughout the month
it.
Voishakhu they suspend a large pot over
let
Basil,
the water drop
Ocimum
cred to Venus.
it
They
with water and cow-dung ; and in the
evening place a lamp near
and
it,
they have great faith
upon
it
it filled
with water,
through a small hole.
gratiisimum, and O. sanctum.
The myrtle was
sa.

26*2
Whenever any
of these plants die,
it is
considered a sacred
duty to commit them to the river ; and when a person

brought to the river side to
die, his relations plant a
of the toolusee near the dying man's head.

at the
top,
is
erected by
deposit earth, and set the

pillars
is
branch
A pillar, hollow
many Hindoos, in which they

They walk round these
plant.
and bow to the plant; which actions are declared by
the shastrtis to be very meritorious.
The
in the
origin of the worship of the Toolusee
is
thus related
Vishnoo pooranu, and in the Tooltisee-Mahatmu
Toolusee, a female, was engaged for a long time in

gious austerities;
and
at length
asked this blessing of
Vishnoo, that she might become his wife.

Vishnoo's wife,
hearing
this,
reli-
cursed
changed her into a Toolusee plant b
the
Lukshmee,
woman, and
but Vishnoo pro-
mised, that he would assume the form of the shalgramu,
and always continue with her.
The Hindoos,
therefore,
continually keep one leaf of the toolusee under and another
upon the shalgramu.

b
Apollo changed the youth Cyparissus into a cypress tree.
was changed
into a laurel.
Daphne

SECT. II. Other
The
kee
b,
ushwuttu c,
vilwu
h
,
viitu
and nimbu
2C3
sacred Trees.
vukoolu e, huritukee
trees receive divine
amiilu-
honours from
the Hindoos, and are set apart with the same ceremonies as
are
common
up of an image of the gods.
at the setting
These ceremonies take place
either at the time of planting
the tree, or after the person has watered and nourished
An
some time.
who
individual
for
it
consecrates an ushwuttu
or a vutu, considering these trees as continuing to flourish
many
years, says,
this tree, I
may
Oh
Vishnoo
continue as
tree shall remain
grant that, for planting
many
years in heaven as this
growing in the earth
!'
The person
ex-
pects too, that as he has set apart this tree to afford shade
to his
fettow creatures,
so
death he will not be
after
scorched by excessive heat in his journey to
Yumu,
the
regent of death.
Ficus religiosa.
This and other trees are never injured, nor cut
down, nor burnt by devout Hindoos.
was once informed by a bramhtin,
that his grand father planted one of these trees near his house, which has
now spread
persons may
its
branches so widelv, that, as
stand under
It
and so much
family, that they do not suffer
its
my
informant affirmed, 2000
is this
tree reverenced
withered branches to be burnt.
Ficus Indica, vulgarly called the banyan tree.
Mimusops
Phillanthus emblica.
elengi.
Melia azodaracta.
Terminalia citrina.
iEgle raarmelos.
by
his
264
CHAP.
XIII.
THE WORSHIP OF RIVERS.
RlVERS
worship
are to be placed
The worship
sons, as laid
festivals.
among
the objects of
of these rivers
down
is
performed
in the shastru,
and
Hindoo
Nudu and Nudee.
they are of both genders,
at
at auspicious sea-
some of the
great
Certain places also of these rivers are peculiarly
sacred, and
draw to them great numbers of devotees \ as,

; the union of the Ganges, the
the source of the Ganges
Yumoona, and
the Suruswutee at Pruyagu
the branching
of this united river into three streams at Triv^nee
the
place where the Ganges disembogues itself into the sea, &c.
Their waters are used for food, bathing, medicine, religious

ceremonies, &c. and formerly
when
Hindoo king was
crowned, they were poured upon his head as a part of his

consecration
SECT. l^-Gunga.
This goddess
is
woman, wearing
a crown, sitting on the sea animal Muktiru, and having in
The
notion of certain rivers being sacred, seems to have prevailed
amongst other heathen nations.
Hence Naaman,
the Syrian, said,
not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than

Israel ?
1
It
is
May
I not
wash
in
all
'
Are
the waters of
them and be clean ?
ascertained, that there are six places of this name, five of which
are situated on the river Ulukanunda.
See Asiatic Researches,
vol. xi.
26S
left the lute.

She
though
some
mount
Himavut,
of
the daughter of
her Tight hand a water-lily, and in her

is
called
the pooranus declare that she was produced from the sweat
of Vishnoo's foot, which
Brumha caught and
preserved in
his alms' dish.
The
Beeshmu was one day performing

Ganges, when the goddess
with him, and, in order to persuade him to a
grandfather of
religious austerities near the
in love
fell
He
union, went and sat upon his right knee.
told her
that the left knee was the proper place for the wife, and
the right for the son: that therefore she should not become
his,
whose name was Santtinoo.

Gunga had been married some time,
leave him ? but consented to stay, on con-
but be united to his son
After Santtinoo and
she was about to

dition that she
might
When
child was born, she threw
the
first
kill
all
her children at their birth.

it
into the river,
As she was destroying
and so on to the seventh inclusive.
the eighth, Santtinoo forbad her, in consequence of which

the child was saved, but she abandoned her paramour.
The whole
of this was to
fulfil
curse pronounced by
Vishnoo on the eight gods named Cshtti-vusoo.
The Ramayunu, Mtihabharutu, and

a part of the
Skundu
the Gtinga-khundu,
pooranti, give long accounts of the
descent of Giinga from heaven
Sugurti, a
king, having
no children, entered upon a long course of austere devotions; in the midst of
which Bhrigoo appeared to him, and
promised, that from the eldest queen should be born sixty
thousand children, and from the 'other only a single child.

After some time, the queen was delivered
which the king

fruit
in
of a pumpkin
anger dashed to the ground, when the
wis broken, and, to his astonishment, he saw children
rising
from
vol.
I.
it
and, calling sixty thousand nurses, put each
Mm
266
child into a pari of milk.
The
they called tmgshooman.
After these sons were grown up,
other wife had a son,
whom
the king resolved to perform once more the sacrifice of a
horse before his death, and committed the victim to the
The person who performs
care of his sixty thousand sons.
one hundred times, succeeds to the throne of
this sacrifice
On
heaven.
this
this occasion the reigning Indru.
being Sugurii's hundredth
taking
therefore,
eifect,
was alarmed,
To
sacrifice.
prevent
its
he descended to the earth, and
assuming another form, privately carried
which he placed in patalu, near
off the
horse,
The
to Kupilu, a sage.
sixty thousand sons, after searching throughout the earth
in vain, began to dig into patalu c,
where they found the
horse standing by the side of Kupilu,

his devotions.
Incensed
posed to be the
thief,
at the old
who was absorbed
whom
man,
they sup-
they began to beat him; when, awak-
ing from his abstraction of mind, he reduced them
The king
ashes.
sons
for a long time heard
all
no more of
to
his
but at length Narudu informed him of the catas-
He
trophe.
sage,
in
who
then sent his son tJngshooman down to the
delivered
up the
horse, and informed the king,
that if he could bring the goddess Giinga from heaven
The king
d
,
his sons
might be restored
sacrifice,
and placing tJngshooman on the throne, took up
to him.
offered the
his residence in a forest as a hermit, where he died.
shooman,
in his turn,
making
cessor, died also in a forest.
no children
e
The Hindoo
sons of Suguru.
enough
d
it is
Dwileepu
tJng-
his suc-
Dwileepu had two wives, but
he therefore abdicated the throne, and emwriters say, that the seven seas
Some accounts add,
to contain the earth
Or, as
his son
were thus formed by the
that not finding a place large
which they thus dug up
they devoured
it
explained, if he could perform the funeral rites for these
sixty thousand persons with the efficacious waters of the Ganges, they
would be delivered from the curse, and ascend
to heaven.

bracing the
life
267
of a hermit, sought of the gods a son, and
Shivu promised
the deliverance of the sons of Stiguru.
him, that by means of his two queens a son should be born.
These women
lived together,
youngest had a son,
and
however, was only a mass of
some time the
after
whom they called
Bhugeerut'hu e ; who,
Though
flesh.
at the sight of such a child, they preserved
moved
greatly
it,
and in time
it grew up to manhood.
One day ttshtu-vukru, a moonee,
who was hump-backed, and wriggled in walking, called to
see these females when Bhugeerut'hu, in rising to salute
;
the sage, trembled and wriggled in such a manner, that
Ushtu-vukru, thinking he was mocking him,
said,
canst not help wriggling thus, be a perfect child
thou
mocking me, be
art
became
perfect,
destroyed.'
tions
thou
but
if
The boy immediately
and the sage gave him his blessing.
Bhugeerut'hu was grown up, he addressed

different
If
When
his prayers to
gods for the restoration of his sixty thousand rela-
but
in vain
at length
Brumha, moved by
his piety,
gave him a single drop of the water, and Vishnoo giving
him a
had
which he blew, Gunga followed him.
shell
to fall
the earth should be crushed by her
lest
Shivti, standing
tain
moon
but
at
fall
wherefore
on mount Himavut, caught Gunga
bunch of matted
time
As she
from heaven to earth, Bhugeerut'hu was afraid
hair,
in his
and detained her there for some
length suffered one drop to
fall
on the moun-
and from thence, on the tenth of the increase of the

in Jyoisht'hu, the goddess
touched the earth, and
which ever way Bhugeerut'hu went blowing the conch,

there
Gunga
followed him.
Several very curious circumstances happened to
late
This story
is
so extremely indelicate, that
it.
Mm
it is
Gunga
impossible to trans-
268
as she passed along.
sage, and
washed away
In one place she ran near Jtinhoo, a

his mendicant's dish, the flowers for
worship, &c. upon which he, in anger, took her up, and
At the
swallowed her.
ever,
the sage let her pass out at his thigh, on which
Gunga
account
On
how-
intreaties of Bhugeerut'liii,
received the
they went,
till
name
Gunga
of Janhuvee.
asked Bhtigeerut'hu where
these sixty thousand relations were
He
liver.
whom
she was to de-
being unable to inform her, she, to make sure
of their deliverance, at the entrance of the sea, divided herself into
one hundred streams f and ran down into patalu;

,-
where, as soon as the waters of

they were
delivered
from
Gunga touched
the
curse,
their ashes,
and ascended in
chariots to heaven.
When Gunga
was brought from heaven, the gods,
-con-
scious that their sins also needed washing away, petitioned
Brumha on the subject, who soothed them by promising

thai? Gunga should remain in heaven, and descend to earth
This goddess, therefore was called Mundakinee in
also.
heaven,
Gunga on
earth,
and Bhoguvutee
in patalii.
All casts worship Gtinga, yet most of the ceremonies at
the time of the daily ablutions, with the exception of
forms of praise to this goddess, are in the
and other gods.

banks of
The Hindoos
ame
particularly
some
of Shivu
choose the
this river for their worship, as the merit of
works
performed here, according to the promise of the shastrus*,

*
The mouths of the Ganges.
He who
from the river

heaven.
thinks upon Gunga, though he

t
At the
the time,
is
delivered from
hour of death,
if
may be 800
all sin,
and
miles distant
is
entitled to
a person think upon Gunga, he will
obtain a place in the heaven of Shivu.
If a person, according to the
re-
269
becomes exceedingly augmented. In Voishakhu, Jyoisht'hu,

Kartikti,
and Maghu, the merit
months; and
at the full
of the moon, and at

is
moon
first,
wane
its total
months
in these
In every month, on the
enhanced.
greater than in other
is
also,
sixth,
is still
more
and eleventh
bathing in
Gunga
much recommended.
On
the third of the
moon
in
Voishakhu, a few Hindoos
perform the ceremonies of worship by the side of the
under the expectation that the benefits

such
is
On
will
river,
be undecayable:
the promise of the smritee shastrus.
the 10th of the moon's increase in Jyoisht'hu, in the
forenoon, the Dtishuhura festival
is
held, in
tion of Gunga' s descent to the earth.
commemora-
Crowds of people
assemble from the different towns and villages near the

especially at
river,
bringing
their
the most sacred places of the river,
offerings
of
fruit,
rice,
flowers,
cloth,
sweetmeats, &c. and hang garlands of flowers across the
even where
river,
it
is
bathed, the officiating

river
very wide.
After the people have
bramhun ascends the banks of the
with them; and after repeating sungkulpu
before
him
places
',
a jar of water, and sitting with his face to the
gulations of the shastru, be going to bathe in
Gunga, and die on the road,

had actually bathed.
There are 3,500,000 holy places belonging to Gunga: the person who
looks at Gunga, or bathes in this river, will obtain all the fruit which
he
shall obtain the
arises
from visiting
same
all
benefits as though he
these 3,500,000 holy places. If a person
been guiltv of killing cows, bramhfins, his

&c. touch the waters of Gunga, desiring
trooroo, or
in his
who
of drinking
has
spirits,
mind the remission of
these sins, they will be forgiven. By bathing in Gunga, accompanied

with prayer, a person will remove at once the sins of thousands of births.'
Gunga- Vakyu- Vulee.

h
An
incantation, at the time of repeating
to attend to certain ceremonies.
which the person promises
270
north or east, performs what
is
called ghutu-st'hapunu
After this, the bramhtin performs other ceremonies, as asunu
shoodhee k , ungu-nyasu
dig-viindhunu
the five gods
11
kurangti-nyasu
bhoot-shoodhee m ,
bhodt-otsarunu, &c. then the worship of
of the nine planets; of the regents of the ten
To
quarters, &c.
this succeeds meditation,
&c;
manusuP,
may be
the priest next presents the offerings, which
sixty-
or eighteen, or sixteen, or ten, or five, or merely
four,
To
flowers and water, according to the person's ability.
these offerings, the worshipper

fied
butter,
and
barley-flour.
must add sesamum, clariThe officiating bramhuu
Muheshwuru%
next performs the worship of Narayunu,
Brtimha, Sooryti, Bhugeemt'hu, and Himaluyu; then the
worship of the inhabitants of the waters, as the

the
tortoises,
snails
water-snakes,
the
frogs,
fish,
the
the leeches, the
the mukurus, the shell-fish, the porpoises, &c.
The ceremonies performed
jar of water
is
at the setting
up of an image.
Here the
the image, before which the worship of any of the gods
may be performed.
k Purifying the seat.
posed.
all
Ceremonies accompanied with motions of

five
elements of which the body
Binding the ten quarters,
to defile the worship.
over
m Purifying the
the fingers.
to
prevent evil
Driving away the
the ceremonies in the mind.
spirits
is
com^
from arriving
p
evil spirits.
Going
Shivu.
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 serpents*, there

The crocodile t 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 !)
Now prostrate o'er her pompous ruins mourns
A monkey-god
},
prodigious to be told
Strikes the beholder's eye with burnished gold
See Gurooru.
The Hindoos throw
their children to the alligators.
Hunooinan.

The
offerings, after
having been presented to the inhabi-
tants of the waters, are
thrown into the Ganges. Ten lamps
of clarified butter are then lighted up, and
bramhuns
to the houses of
nies
the other offer-
the fee
bramhuns.
At the
is
presented to the
and the offerings sent
are entertained,
close of these ceremo-
the people perform obeisance to Gunga, and then
Great multitudes assemble on the banks of the
depart.
river
all
After this, the names of certain gods are
ings presented.
repeated, with forms of praise

priest, the
271
on these occasions, and expect much both
and hereafter from

on his head ten
If a person, placing
this act of worship.
fruits of
in this life
any 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
domestic 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.
Per-
sons escaping dangers on water present offerings to Gunga,

as well as to
Vuroonu, the Indian Neptune
having escaped the dangers of the

fice to
sea,
as mariners,
used to
offer a sacri-
Venus.
On
To
the
thirteenth
of the decrease of the
godship here blue Triton's scaly herd,
The
river progeny
is
there preferr'd
||
Through towns Diana's power neglected
Where
to her
lies,
dogs aspiring temples rise
And
should you leeks or onions eat, no time

Would expiate the sacrilegious crime.
Religious nations sure, and blest abodes,
Where every orchard
is
o'errun with gods
U See the account above.
!'
See a preceding article.
moon
in
272
Choitru, the people descend into the water, and with their
hands joined immerse themselves
after
which the
officiat-
ing bramhun reads a portion of the shastru, describing the

benefits arising
from
The people
this act of bathing.
re-
peat after the priest certain significant words, as the day of

the month, the
name
themse ves again.
of Vishnoo, &c. and then immerse
Gifts
and money are
of rice, fruits,
bramhuns, and the
offered to the poor, the
priest.
On
this
occasion groups of ten or twelve persons stand in the water

in one spot, for
These groups
along the
moon
whom
one bramhun reads the formulas.
are to be seen extending themselves very far
river.
At the moment of the conjunction of the

its decrease) with the star Shu-
(on the thirteenth of
ttibhisha, this
festival is called the
posed to be very great
When
over.
falls
there
is
the people fast
moment
till
sup-
is
the bathing
is
a conjunction as above, and the day
on a Saturday, the
Varoonee 3
The
Great Varoonee.
merit arising from bathing at this lucky
festival is called the Great,
Great
The pooranus declare, that the sight, the name, or the

Gunga 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 Gtinga has blestouch of
sings in
it
of which no imagination can conceive.
So much is this river reverenced among the Hindoos,

many bramhuns will not cook upon it, nor throw saliva
Some
into it, nor wash themselves nor their clothes in it
that
At
the time of many of the festivals, the sides of the Ganges, in
places, are gaily illuminated
stalks,
'
&c. or put
and
lights fastened
in earthen pots, are iloated
down
many
on boards, plantain
the stream.
In the work called Vahneekee-moonee, amongst many other forms of
praise to be offered to
Gunga, is the following
goddess, the owl that

2?3
persons perform a journey of five or six months to bathe in
Gunga,
to perform the rites for deceased relations,
and
The water
medicinal uses.
of this river
is
to
and
carry this water to place in their houses, for religious
used also in the
English courts of justice to swear upon, as the koran
is
New Testament to Christians;
given to Musulmans, and the
but many of the most respectable Hindoos refuse to comply
method of making
with this
them
shastrus forbid
the Ganges
the shalgramu, or a bramhun.
that their
alleging
oath,
in these cases to touch the water of
When
such
cases occur in the courts, the judges very candidly permit
the person,
way
of good character, to give his evidence in a
if
consistent with his peculiar prejudices, as, after bath-
and standing with his face
ing, &c.
Hindoo
courts formerly admitted a person's evidence with-
out an oath; and
when a cause could not be determined by
evidence thus given, they resorted to the ordeal.
uncommon
make
this
for
call
whom
Gunga
audacious
to
one Hindoo to say to another,
It is
e
lie,
he
is
engage to do what
to witness
have said ; but
The
I
If a person utter a
it.'
not
Will you
engagement on the banks of Qunga?'
other replies,
not
The
to the east.
can-
most
while near or upon the Ganges, the person
speaking says,
Are you not
afraid of utter-
ing such a falsehood in the presence of Gunga?'
third
person perhaps adds, as a continuation of the reproach

*
Not he
he has been guilty of discharging his urine into
Gunga, even
at Pruyagu.'
lodges in the hollow of a tree on thy banks
while the emperor, whose palace
is
far
is
exalted beyond measure
from thee, though he may possess
a million of stately elephants, and may have the wives of millions of cons
quered 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
"waters of the Ganges.
VOL.
I.
N n
constrained to
make
oath on the
274
Morning and evening the Hindoos
visit
and look
river to remove the sins of the night or of the day
sick they smear their bodies with the sediment,
near the river for a

cover, and others die
at this
;
when
and remain
month perhaps. Some of course rea Hindoo says, that those who have
:
a steady faith and an unwavering mind, recover ; the rest

perish.
The Hindoos
are extremely anxious to die in the sight of
the Ganges, that their sins

last
A person
moments.
may be washed away
in his last agonies
dragged from his bed and friends, and
is
in their
frequently
carried,
in
the
coldest or in the hottest weather, from whatever distance,

to the river side
where he
covering day and night
death upon him, he
is
and drenched with

also put into his
to repeat,
he expires
till
Leaves of the
mouth
some
Voitumnee, the
with the pains of
tooliisee plant are
call upon him

names of Ramu, Huree,
In some cases the family
incantations, and
river over
which the
ried after leaving the body.
man
and his relations
for him, the
Narayunu, Brumha, Gtinga, &c.

priest repeats
a poor man, without a
placed up to the middle in the water,
it.
and repeat
lies, if
The
makes an
offering to
soul, they say, is fer-
relations of the dying
spread the sediment of the river on his forehead or
breast,
ment
and afterwards with the finger write on
the
name of some
deity.
and not by the
his house,
this sedi-
If a person should die in
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,
memory becomes infamous. The conduct of Raja

Nuvu-krishnu. of Nudeeya, who died in his bed-room about
his
the year 1800,
is
still
mentioned
as a subject of reproach,
because he refused to be carried to the river before death.

6
Ah Ah
!
!'
say the superstitious,
when
a neighbour at the
275
point of death delays the fatal journey to the river,

will die like
Dead
he
Raja Nuvu-Krishnu.'
bodies are brought by their relations to be burnt
when they cannot bring the whole body,

uncommon for them to bring a single bone and cast
near this river; and

it is
not
into the river x, under the
it
hope that
it
will help the soul
of the deceased.
women, long dismake an offering to
In the eastern parts of Bengal, married
appointed in their hopes of children,
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
the river as an offering

relation or religious
life
of the child.
women
for such
but
to cast the
it is
first
said, that at
child into
present
some
mendicant stands ready to preserve the
The mother cannot
person adopts and provides for
made on the tenth of
moon
the
take
it
again, but this
These
it.
offerings are
in Jyoisht'hu,
and on the
13th of Choitrti.
Some
persons even drown themselves in the Ganges, not
doubting but they shall immediately ascend to heaven.
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
the salvation of the deceased.
Gunga, supposing that
The work
this will
secure
called Kriya-yogiisaru contains
A bramhun, who had been guilty of the

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 Gunga, the bramhun sprang to life, and was ascend-
the following curious story
greatest crimes,
ing to heaven,
when
the messenger of Yumii, the judge of the dead, seiz-
ed him, as a great sinner.
and pleaded,
At this time Narayiinu's messengers
that the sins of this
interfered,
man, since one of hU bones had touched
K n 2
2?6
The
shastr u. encourages this y.
It is a sin
for a
but an act of merit in a shoodru or a diindee,
bramhun,
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 degraded for seven successive
births
or have committed the five sins, each of which
is
muha-patukuj should he have eaten the food which

has been touched by a woman in her courses ; Or have c oivcalled
stantly spoken falsely
or have stolen gold, jewels, &c\fl
should he have killed the wife of his friend ; or have injured
bramhuns, or
roumvu
friends, or his mother, &c.
which doom a man
ted the sins
or have
commit-
to the hell called Muha-r
or have committed those sins for which the
sengers of
Yumu
constantly beat a person
or have
mescom-
mitted multitudes of sins in childhood, youth, and old age

,
Gunga
person bathe in
if this
Gunga, were
all
at
an auspicious period,
all
The appeal was made to Vishnoo, who

The bramhiin immediately went to
done away.
decided in the bramhiin's favour.

heaven.
y
The
Skiindu pooranu declares, that by dying in the Ganges, a person
will obtain absorption into
from
Shivii, that
Brumhh.
whoever dies
in
The same work
contains a promise
Giinga shall obtain a place in his heaven.
The Bhtivishyu pooranft affirms, that
if
a worm, or an insect, or a grass-
hopper, or any tree growing by the side of Giinga, die in the river,
obtain absorption into Brumhu.
it
will
The Brumhu pooranu says, that whether
a person renounce life in Giinga, praying for any particular benefit, or die
by accident, or whether he
If he purposely renounce
happiness
'
if
covering
he will enjoy absorption, or the highest
he die by accident, he will
mansion with bones for
for cords
possess his senses or not, he will be happy.
life,
its
rafters
still
attain heaven.
and beams
with muscles and blood for mortar

filled
Miinoo says,
with nerves and tendons
with skin for
its
outward
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
fully quit.'
its
occupier always cheer-

these sins will be removed
the heaven of
he
afterwards
shall
man who
bramhun learned
will
be put in
presents a lack of
in the four vedtis
and
happiness, and
this
ail
be re-born on the earth, he will be possessed of every
g>od quality, enjoy. all kinds of happiness, be very

able,
ascend and dwell at the right hand of
After he has enjoyed
Vishnoo.
be admitted into
will also
Brumha, the Pumm-hungsee
possession of the merits of the
red cows to a
277
He who
&c.
doomed
shall
to the hell called
be born an
doubt any part of
honour-
this, will
Koombhee-paku,
If a person, in the presence of Gtinga,
ass.
be
and afterwards
on
the anniversary of her arrival on the earth, and according to

the rules prescribed in the shastrus, present to the bramhiins
all
whole
villages,
he
will obtain the fruits that arise
other offerings, from
holy places, &c.
and multitudes of
body
his
glorious than the sun
sacrifices,
all
he
will
from
from
visiting all the
be a million times more
will obtain a million of virgins,
carriages, palanqueens, &c. covered with
jewels; he will dwell for ages in heaven, enjoying

pleasures in
company with
his father
as
many
its
particles of
dust as are contained in the land thus given away to the
bramhuns,
for so
many
years will the giver dwell in happi-
ness in Vishnoo-'s heaven.'
Every
real Christian
must be deeply
affected
the deplorable effects of this superstition.
on viewing
Except that part
of the rig-v^du which countenances the burning of

alive,
no writers ever gave birth
of misery than those

river.
to a
women
more extensive degree
who have made
the Ganges a sacred
Thousands, yea millions of people are annually
drawn from
their
homes and peaceful
labours, several times
in the year, to visit different holy places of this river, at a
great expense of time, and
money spent
in
making
offerings
to the goddess; expensive journeys are undertaken
by vast
278
multitudes to obtain the water 2 of this river, (some
two or three months' journey
come
for this purpose,) or to carry
the sick, the dying, the dead, or the bones of the dead, to
its
What
banks.
posed to
all
the sick and dying suffer by being ex-
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
bramhun will then see, that instead of Gunga's having
removed the
them a
sins of her worshippers, she has increased
million-fold.
SECT. II. Otlier
The
deified Rivers.
Godavuree, the Nurmuda, the Kave'ree, the Atreyee,
the Ktirutoya, the Bahooda, the Gomtitee, the Suruyoo, the
Giindukee, the Varahee, the Churmun-wutee, the Shiitudroo, the Vipasha, the
Shonu a,
Goutumee, the Kiirmunasha, the
the Oiravutee, the Chundrtibhaga, the Vitusta, the
SindhOo, the Bhudra-vtikasha, the Punusa, the DeVika, the

Tamrupiirnee, the Toongubhudra, the Krishna, the Ve'truvutee, the Bhoiruvu, the Brumhli-pootru b, the Voittirunee,
and many other
rivers,
are
mentioned in
the
Hindoo
shastriis as sacred.
At the
full
moon
in Asharhu,
many thousand Hindoos
assemble at Prutapti-guru, a place to the west of Lucknow,

*
Many thousands
perish by the dysentery, and others through want, in
these journies.
This
is
a male river.
h Ditto.

and bathe
279
in the Godaviiree, or in the remains of
it,
(for
at this season of the year this river is nearly dried up.)
On
meet
the last day of Choitru, a large assembly of Hindoos

at
Moduphum-pooru, about
sixteen miles from Patna,
where the Giindakee, the Suruyoo, and the Ganges meet b
The assembly remains
eight days, and a large fair
held on
is
the spot, at which horses, camels, and other beasts, and

also children, are
bought and sold
from ten to twelve roopees
On
the
many
as
the price of a
that of a girl
boy
is
is less.
same day a large concourse of Hindoos, some say

women, assemble at Cyodhya,
as 20,000, principally
to bathe in the Suruyoo.
On
moon
the 14th of the decrease of the
in Phalgoonti,
an equal number of people are said to meet on the banks of

the Suruyoo at Buhurum-ghatu, near
do not bathe in the
river,
Lucknow
the water of which
is
but they
very filthy,
but in a sacred pool adjoining.
On
moon
moon
the banks of the
Yumoona, on the second of the

on the eighth of the decrease of the
in Bhadru, vast crowds of Hindoos assemble in dif-
in Kartiku, and
ferent places to bathe.
The Brumhu-pootru
receives the
eighth of the increase of the
ame honours on the
moon in
Choitru.
At a place
There are several causes why particular places of these
esteemed peculiarly sacred.
Some of
these causes are
rivers are
given in the
and others arise from tradition. One instance of the latter

occurs respecting Voidyvnatee, a place near Serampore, where Nimaee, a
religious mendicant, performed his devotions, and where at present, at a
shastrtis,
conjunction of particular stars, multitudes assemble to bathe.
580
three days' journey from Dacca, 50 or 60,000 people assemble,
and
sacrifice pigeons, sheep,
into the river.
by
their mothers,
home by
day the
and goats, casting them
Children are also cast into the river here
but are generally rescued and carried

Superstitious people say, that on this
strangers.
river gradually swells so as to
then gradually sinks to
The Voiturunee,
its
fill
banks, and
its
usual level.
among
in Orissa, is also placed
the
sacred rivers, and on the thirteenth of the decrease of the
moon
of Hindoos,
in Choitru, great multitudes
(six
or
seven hundred thousand,) assemble at Yaju-pooru, near the
temple of Jugunnat'hu, and bathe in
Many
other rivers receive the
this river.
same honours c ; and
could have greatly enlarged this account, in detailing their

fabulous histories, and in noticing the superstitious cere-
monies of
this
deluded people on their banks
but what
have here inserted, and the preceding account of Gunga,
must
suffice.
See Asiatic Researches.
CHAP.
XIV.
THE WORSHIP OF
VlSHNOO,
281
FISH.
having been incarnate in the form of a
fish, is
worshipped on certain 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
am
honour of this goddess,
informed, however, that female Hindoos, residing
on the banks of the Pudmu, on the 5th of the

the
moon
they
in
Maghu,
first arrive
VOL,
h.
actually worship the Ilishu fish,
when
in the river, with the usual ceremonies,
after that partake of
health.
increase of
them without the
and
fear of injuring their
THE HINDOO IVfYTHOLOGY
982
CHAP. XV.
THE WORSHIP OF BOOKS.
1 HE
Hindoos have
deified their shastrus, which,
ferent occasions, they worship with the
an
on
dif-
same ceremonies
anointing the book with perfumes, and adorning
idol,
as
it
with garlands.
At the reading of any part of the vedus, the Chundee,

and other works, the book to be read is always addressed as
an
At such times the worshipper thus prays
idol.
book
(
:
Oh book
!
learning
When
thou
art the
to the
goddess of learning, bestow
upon me.'
an individual employs a bramhun to recite to his
Ramayunu, Shreeworship of the work
family and neighbours the Muhabharutu,
bhaguvutu, or any other pooranu, the

recited
is
performed on the
ble length,
cital is also
At the
many
first
and
last
days at considera-
offerings being presented
each day's re-
preceded by a short service paid to the book.
festival in
one of the shastrus
honour of the goddess Suruswutee any

is
adopted and worshipped, joined with
the pen and inkstand.
The
followers of Vishnoo, and especially the mendicant
voiragees, pay a
still
greater reverence than the regular
These books
Hindoos
to the books they esteem sacred.
relate to
the amours of Krishnti, or to the mendicants
Choitunyu and Nityanundu.
A book placed
bramhun,
is
on a golden throne, and presented to a
a very meritorious
gift.

2S3
CHAP. XVI.
THE WORSHIP OF STONES.
The Shalgramu*.
1 HIS
is
the
aetites,
or eagle-stone, of which there
great variety, and to which
the ancients.
When
to a bramhtin
who was
him what
it
and added,
many
virtues
were ascribed by
shewed a picture of the eagle-stone

sitting with
c
was, he exclaimed
(jocularly,)
Oh
me, without informing
This
then,
saved, as they have the shalgramu
is
the shalgramu V
Englishmen
will
be
amongst them/
This stone, black, hollow, and nearly round,
brought from mount Gundukee, in Napaul.

that in this
is
is
said to be
It is
added,
mountain there are multitudes of insects which
perforate the masses of stone, so that pieces fall into the

river
Gundtiku
in the shape of the shalgramu,
they are taken with nets.

as a watch.
They
Common
from whence
ones are about as large
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 Lukshmee-Narayunti, Rughoonat'hu,
From
sharfi
and gramii, which indicates that this stone makes the

it is preserved, as the Muhabharutu is said to
place excellent in which
purify the places in which
it is
read
hence bramhuns are forbidden to
enter a village where the Muhabharutu
nounced unclean.
O 2
is
not found, as such place
is
pro-
2S4
Lukshmee, Jiinardunu, Vamiinu, Damoduru b, &c.
These
worshipped under their different

sometimes sold for as much as two
different shalgramtis are
names.
The
is
first
The Hindoos have
thousand roopees.
a notion, that who-
ever keeps in his house this celebrated stone, and a shell

called dukshina-vurtu c, can never
become poor; but
that
the very day in which any one parts with one of them, he
Almost every respectable
will begin to sink into poverty.
bramhun keeps a shalgramu, as do some shoodrus. The

bramhun who does not keep one is reproached by his
neighbours.
The
why
reason
this stone has
in the Shree-bhaguvtitu
been deified
is
thus given
Vishnoo created the nine planets
men. Shunee (Saturn) commenced his reign by proposing to Brumha, that he should
first come under his influence for twelve years.
Brumha
referred him to Vishnoo, but this god, equally averse to be
to preside over the fates of
brought under the dreaded influence of

planet, desired Saturn to call
this inauspicious
upon him the next
and
day,
The next
immediately assumed the form of a mountain.
day Saturn was not able to find Vishnoo, but discovering

that he had united himself to
The Hindoos
mount Gundiikee, he entered
say, that this last shalgramu requires large offerings of
food to he presented to
it;
and that a bramhun, who had begged one of
them, and neglected to feed
it
sufficiently,
was brought
having swept away nearly his whole family by death.
Though
to ruin, this
Many
god
stories of
a single grain of rice
was
never known to be eaten by an image, yet the Hindoos firmly believe
this
this
and
kind are related of
this stone.
similar stories, against all the evidence of their senses for
years together.
Gopalu, a learned bramhun employed in the Serampore
printing-office, declared that one of these stones
house by a relation,
c
shell, the
hundreds of
who
had been placed
attributed his family misfortunes to
convolutions of which turn to the right.
to hold a shell of this
kind in
his hand.
its
in his
powers.
Vishnoo
is
said

the mountain in the form of a
He
continued thus to
for twelve years,
afflict
worm
285
called vujru-keetu c .
the mountain-formed Vishnoo
when Vishnoo assumed
and commanded that the stones of
his proper shape,
mountain should be
this
worshipped, and should become proper representatives of

himself; adding, that each should have twenty-one marks
in
it,
similar to those
on his body, and that
its
name should
be shalgramu.
The worship
of any of the gods
the shalgramu, and
of some god.
It
claims no national festival, but
near the image worshipped, and
wash the
first
The shalgramu
of the Hindoos.
is
also
worshipped daily
they
stone, reading the formulas
and then
ing, incense, light,

bell
is
bathe
first
offer
and water,
the offerings, after remaining be-
a short time, are eaten by the family.
which a
placed
after
repeating incantations
it
is
receives the devotions
flowers, white lead, incense, light, sweetmeats,
fore
before
morning ablutions
by the bramhuns,
or
may be performed
often adopted as the representative
it is
and sweetmeats are
In the even-
offered,
preceding
rung, and a shell blown; and the whole
is
closed by the priest's prostrating himself before the stone.
During the month Voishakhu, bramhuns suspend a pan of

water every day over the shalgramu, and, through a small
hole at the bottom, let the water
during this month, which
This water
is
is
fall
it,
to preserve
want of
rain, a
cool
one of the hottest in the year.
bramhun
in
When
Burning the god
way of obtaining
c
the country
is
some instances places
the shalgramu in the burning sun, and sits
peating incantations.
to be a sure
it
caught in another pan placed beneath, and
drank in the evening as holy water.

in great
on
rain.
Literally, the thunder-bolt
down by
in the
worm.
sun
it,
re-
is said,
286
Some
when
persons,
sick,
employ a bramhun to present
toolusee plant, sprinkled with red
leaves of the
single
A hun-
powder, to the shalgramu, repeating incantations.

dred thousand leaves are sometimes presented.
that the sick
man
offered.
When
is
is
Hindoo
bramhun shews him

of which
It is said,
gradually recovers as every additional leaf

is
at the point of death, a
the marks of the shalgramu, the sight
said to secure the soul a safe passage to Vish-
noo's heaven.
In a work called Shalgramu-nirnuyu an account

of the proper names
benefits
arising
of the different
from their worship
is
given
shalgramtis;
the
the kinds of shal-
gramtis proper to be kept by persons in a secular state, and

also
by the
religious.
separate room, or house, or a particular spot in the
room where the family
Some
dwell,
is
assigned to this god.
persons keep one, others ten, others a hundred, and
some even
as
many
The shalgramu
as a
is
thousand of these stones.
rendered impure by the touch of a
shoodru d , 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
commits
it
shalgramu be broken
to the river.
but trafficking in images
[The shalgramu
itself
all
is
cantations.
off,
sell
the owner
these stones,
dishonourable.
the only stone deriving
other stones worshipped are
made
its
deity from
sacred by in-
For an account of them, see a succeeding
relative to the
is
The bramhuns
So are
Hindoo images.]
all
other images that have been consecrated.
article
287
CHAP. XVII.
WOOD WORSHIPPED.
A LOG OF
The Pedal
This
a rough piece of wood, (termed dhenkee,) gene-
is
rally 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.
person stands at the farthest end, and with his feet presses
it
down, which
it
fall
set
up
The
on the
at
raises
rice, or
up the head
brick-ends.
after
One
which he
lets
of these pedals
is
almost every house in country places.
origin of this worship
guide, being called
upon
is
thus given
religious
to give the initiating incantation
to one of his disciples,
commanded him
word dhenkee, dhe'nkee.
Narudu, the god of the dhenkee,
to
repeat the
pleased with the disciple, visited him, riding on a pedal,
and gave him
as a blessing another incantation,
by which
he immediately became perfect, and ascended to heaven.
The
pedal
is
worshipped
at the
time of marriage, of in-
vestiture with the poita, of giving the first rice to a child,
and
at
any other particular time of rejoicing.
The women
worshipped in the month
are the worshippers.
It
Voishakhu by
of females, not excepting the wives
all casts
is
also
of the most learned bramhuns;
who
consecrate
it
by put-
-28S
ting 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,
Mu-
hndru-deVu-rayu, spent three hundred thousand roopees

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.
END OF VOL.
W. H. Pbauce,
I.
Printer, High-street, Birmingham.
.-*.
4%4.
=tt
-;;?
:'-r*'4'; v--
,?
"?

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HEOU

HISTORY, LITERATURE, and RELIGION

TRANSLATIONS FROM THEIR PRINCIPAL WORKS,

By the Rev. W. WARD,

THE THIRD EDITION,

BLACK, PARBURY, AND ALLEN, BOOKSELLERS TO THE

Pearce, High-street, Birmingham,

The Rev. SAMUEL PEARCE,

The Rev. JOHN RYLAND, of BRISTOL;

The Rev. WILLIAM CAREY,

AND ALL THE OTHER EUROPEAN AND OTHER

VERY AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED,

PRONUNCIATION OF HINDOO NAMES,

In endeavouring to give the sounds of Siingskritu words, the

with simplicity, and avoids

only retain in his memory, that the short

and the ee as in sweet ; he may go through the whole

work with a pronunciation

If the reader will

Hindoo would un-

At the beginning and end of a word, the inherent

has the soft sound of au.

for " adorating," read

p. 9. 1. 7. for " eight," read " eighth."

read " the

waters at Bath, with

the gilt crutches."

Hindoo theology founded on the same philosophical notion

of the Greeks, that the Divine Spirit

from the Greek writers,

the soul of the world, proved

from the Vedantu-Saru, A system of

austerity founded on this system, v.

this subject, vi.

which the Divine

dwelling in matter, becomes purified, ex-

tracted from the Patiinjulu Durshunii and the Goriikshu-sunghita,

Another class of Hindoos place their hopes

opinions and practices, x.

in his abstract state is

unknown, and unconnected with

the object of worship the divine energy, subject to

the universe, xvi.

observations of the Hindoos on the

divine energy the object of worship

Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, &c. proved by quotations from various

embraced by the Hindoo mythology,

people confined to the primary elements,

the heavenly bodies, and aerial beings, ibid.

of worship, Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shivfi, the creator, the preserver,

next the female deities, as the representatives of

connected with corrupt notions of

Divine Providence; and afterwards deified heroes, xxiv. The number

formallusions of these attributes

Vishnoo the attributes

of his image explained

setting up of gods a trade, ibid. Hindoo Templestheir

Periodical ceremoPriests, Ceremonies at temples,

an epitome of the whole.

body of the work

ances in the streets, reminding the passenger of the different Hindoo

This system incapable of producing moral