Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

Jupiter was called the king Indru's names, Divus-Putee

has been engaged. His throne changes masters at the end of seventy-one yoogus of the gods. of heaven, and the Fulminator: and Vujree, are significant of similar offices.

5. Yumu.-The Indian Pluto, is a dark green man, clothed in red, with inflamed eyes; he sits upon a buffalo; has a crown on his head, and holds in his right hand a club with which he drives out the soul from the body, and punishes the wicked. This is the form of terror, as a 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. Besides this annual festival, he is worshipped on other occasions, and receives the homage of the Hindoos in their daily ablutions. There are several remarkable coincidences between Yumu and Pluto.

6. Guneshu.-A fat short red man, with four arms and an elephant's head, sitting on a rat; his corpulency is a type of Brumha, as the aggregate of all things. In one hand he holds a bell, which is the pattern of a temple, and also points out that this god banishes fear; in another he holds a serpentweapon, to show 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 mind; and with the other he forbids fear. His elephant's head is a sign of the mystical sound Om; and the trunk is the type of the instrument with which clarified butter is poured on the fire of a sacrifice. Every act of worship (pooja) is preceded by an invocation to Guneshu, and men in business paint his image over the doors of their shops, or suspend it amongst their merchandize, to insure prosperity. Guneshu has been complimented as the god of wisdom; but the Hindoo deity presiding over knowledge, or wisdom, is Suruswutee, a goddess. Guneshu receives many honours from the Hindoos, and is considered as bountiful in bestowing 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 Ganuputyus. Of this god the images are not quite all alike.

7. Kartikeyu-is the Indian Mars, or commander in chiefto the gods. He has in some images one, and in others six faces; is of a yellow colour, and rides on the peacock, an incarnation of Indru. In one hand he holds a bow, and in the other an arrow. He is worshipped as the giver of bodily strength.

8. Sooryu, (the sun).-The Hindoos, in a most indelicate fable respecting this god, have described the twelve signs of

the zodiac. Yumu, the regent of death, is his son, and Chayy, a shadow, the name of one of his wives. The image of Soo- ! ryu is that of a dark-red man; from his body issues a thousand streams of light; he has three eyes, and four arms; in each of two of his hands he holds a water-lily, with another he is bestowing a blessing, and with the last forbidding fear. He sits on a red lotus, in a chariot drawn by seven horses. Hé is painted red, to show that his glory is like flame; his three eyes represent the day, evening, and night; and his four arms indicate that in him are united Prukretee and Poorooshu, or matter and spirit. One lotus explains the nature of emancipation; and the other, upon which the rays of Sooryu are reflected, is a type of sound, and some Hindoo philosophers believe it to be eternal. The red lotus represents the earth;

his chariot the measure of time; and the seven horses the seven poetical measures of the vedus. The image of this god is never made, but the sun itself is worshipped daily; the Shalgramu is also his constant representative in the Brahminical worship. The disciples of this god are called Sourus.

9. Ugnee, the regent of fire, is 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 dawn; he holds a spear in his right hand, and a bead-roll in his left; from his body issues a thousand streams of glory, and he has seven flaming tongues. His corpulency points out that he grants the desires of his worshippers; the colour of his eye-brows, &c. represents the flame of the burnt-offering when it ascends of a copper-colour; at which time he who desires secular blessings offers his clarified butter; but he who desires emancipation, pours his offering on the fire when its colour is like that of the dawn. The goat teaches, that Ugnee devours all things; his spear, that he is almighty; and his bead-roll, that he is propitious. The rays of glory are to encourage the worshipper to expect that he shall obtain the greatest blessings from this god. Ugnee has neither temples nor images consecrated to him; but he has a service in the daily ceremonies of the Bramhuns; and one class of his worshippers, called Sagniku Bramhuns, preserve a perpetual fire, like the vestal virgins. There seems to be no order of females among the Hindoos resembling these virgins; but many Hindoo women, at the total wane of the moon, to fulfil a vow, watch for twenty-four hours over a lamp made with clarified butter, and prevent its being extinguished till the time for the appearance of the new moon. Ugnee presides over sacrifices, and is called the mouth of the gods.

[graphic][merged small][subsumed]

10. Puvunu, the god of the winds, and the messenger of the gods, is represented as a white man, sitting on a deer, holding in his right hand the hook, used by the driver of an elephant. He is painted white, to shew that he preserves life; the deer represents the swiftness of his flight; the elephant driver's hook explains his power over the body; he is worshipped daily; but has neither separate festival, image, nor temple.

11. Varoonu, the Indian Neptune, is a white man, sitting on a sea animal, having a serpent-weapon in his right hand. He is painted white, to shew that he satisfies the living; and he wields a terrific weapon, to point out, that he is approached with fear by the worshipper. His name is repeated in the daily worship of the bramhuns; but he has neither public festival nor temple.

12. Sumoodru, the sea, 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. Prithivee, the earth, is worshipped daily by the Hindoos. She is a form of Bhuguvutee, and may be called the Indian Ceres. The Hindoos have divided the earth into ten parts, and assigned a deity to each. These are, Indru, Ugnee, Yumu, Noiritu, Vuroonu, Vayoo, Kooveru, Eeshu, Brumha, and Ununtu.

14. The Heavenly Bodies.-Almost all heathen nations worship the heavenly bodies. Perhaps the evident influence which the sun and moon 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 becomes less surprising. Whatever may be the antiquity of the vedus, it is very plain, that the worship of the sun, moon, and other planets, is there inculcated; many of the forms of praise and petition in those books, are addressed to the heavenly bodies; and to this day the worship of all the planets in one service, and of different planets on separate occasions, has place among the Hindoos.

Ruvee, or Sooryu, the sun; Somu, the moon.-The Hindoo feasts are regulated by the revolutions of the moon ; but Somu is not greatly honoured in the Hindoo mythology, being esteemed a malignant planet; as is also called Mungulu, or Mars. Boodhu, or Mercury, is a fortunate planet; and so is Vrihusputee, or Jupiter, who is the preceptor of the gods. Shookru, or Venus, preceptor to the giants, is also a fortunate planet this god is represented as blind of one eye. Shunee, or Saturn, the son of Sooryu, an evil planet. Kahoo and Ke

« AnteriorContinuar »