THE

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

OR

THE LIGHT OF TRUTH

THE

SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA

OB THE

LIGHT OF TRUTH

A >*omtkly Jou rnal devoted to Beliyion, Pkiloeophy, Literature, Science, do.
COMMENCED ON THE QUEEN'S COMMEMORATION DAT, 1897.

VOLUME vm.

APRIL, 1907 -MARCH, 1906.

INDEX TO VOLUME VIII

Astrology. .. Belief in, by a Porohita ... ... ... ... ... 65

DftgftTctgitft...The teachings of — Applied to life by ft Devotee ... ... 161

Cftmeoe from Tamil Literature by f. If.- Nallaswami Pillai, Eaq.

B.A., B.L... 17

Death before Death by B. 8. Bubramanian, Eaq., Colombo ... ... 2

Death. ..The function of — in the economy of nature by A. 8. Madaliftr

Eaq. ... 276

Diary of Ananda Range Pillai.. .The Private, A Beview... ... ...164

Diet in relation to Health, by Sydney H. Beard, Eaq. ... ... ... 814

Drevida Maha Bftahyom by J. M. Nallaswami Pillai, Eaq. B,A., B.L. ...33, 48

Eaat and West by R. 8. Ved&chalam Pillai, Esq ... ... ... 295

Eduction among Orthodox Hindus by Mrs. Annie Besant ... ... 360

Olympae in the unknown by a Dreamer ... ... ... 43

Happineas by Prof. K. T. Ramaswami ... ... ... ... 57

Hindu Charities by the Editor ... ... ... ... ... 851

History of the Suffix Kal by Pandit D. Savariroyan Eaq., M. B. A. S. ... 271
Honey as food by Dr. C. 8. Carr, M. D. ... ... ... ... 824

Idolatry in Chriatianity by a Hindu ... ... ... ... ... 154

Image Worship by Tamby Rajah Eeq, Colombo ... ... ... 69

Immortality by A. 8. Mudaliar Eaq ... ... ... ... ... 191

In the Bay— a poem by T. B- K. ... ... ... ... 192

India and the Apostle Thomas by F. A., D’Crua ... . . ... 247

Instances in Tamil of a Rale of Telugu Q rammer by T. Virabadra

Mudaliar Esq, JI.A., B.L. ... 117
Last Message from Dr. O. U. Pope, M.A.D.D. ... ... ... 827

Madura Tamil Sangam- ••Sixth anniversary by the Editor ... ... 182

Mahatmas of the Theosophical Society Krishna Sastry" ... ... 49

Matalaya for Saint Thayumanavar in Triehioopoly by the Editor ... 227

Meditation by K. 8. Anantanarayanan Esq., B.A. ... ... ... 20

Mendicancy in India by C. D. NayerEsq ... ••• ••• ... 128

Monetary system of Sooth India by Messrs. T. M Rangacharl and T.

Desikacbari ... 221

Music. ..a oure for mental diseases, by Dr. Emmet C. Dent ... ... 61

My School.. .a poem ... ... ••• ••• •••

Notes. ..general, agricultural, Sientifio, etc. ... 28, 186, 178, 209 248,

B48A869

INDEX.

jfftboDKl Ed u o&ti on jo Be ri 1 bj 5. K* ... . j*. ... 198

Oniflii ^ r6iuddy by Dp* J ones ... ••* ... •** 298

Oriental Research. ..A rew Journal lor, by V. V. Ramanan, M.A., F.Z.S. ... 80

Oriental side to the University by the Editor ... ... ... ... 368

Ourselves by tbe Editor ... ... ... 14 868

Personality of Qod -aooording to Saiva Siddbanta Philosophy by J. M.

Nallsswami Pillay Esq, B.A., B.L.... 78
Piety. ..Mistaken notions of--as a source of evil by “ Krishna Sastri" ... 142
Pope... Rev. Dr. G- U.— His life and times by J. M. Nallaswami Pillay Esq.

B. A., B.L .... 888

Rtnlidev*...an example of perfeot unselfishness and devotion by Sara-

dananda ... 169

Reflections of my childhood by a Poetic Child ... ... ... 102

Religion and Ethics. ..(Noted of a lecture by Mrs. Annie Besant) ... 284

Reviews by the Editor ... ... 22,68,172,211, 244 4 826

Sacred Sports of Siva (a translation of Tiruvilayadel into EngHah) by tbe

Editor 12

Saiva Siddbanta Movement... ... ... ... w „ 225 4 290

Soenes from Modern Life by T. N. Vsideswar Esq ... ... ... 822

Self-sacrifice by “ Krishna Sastri" ... ... ... ... ... 15

Serpent Worship in India by M. Jivaratnam EBq, B.A. ... ... 99

Siddbanta Gnann Ratnavali...a catechism of Saiva Siddbanta Philosophy

by the Editor ... 1, 12

Sikhism... What— did for the Sikhs by B- Lakahminamyana, B.A. ... 187
8jva Linga... Inner meaning of— by A. Raogaswami Iyer Esq ... 25 4 87
Sociologist... Reflexions of a—, by A. S. Mudaliar Esq ... ... ... 66

-tool’s Uprise by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, M.A.D.D. ... ... ...828

Theosophy-.fBeMttiqg Sin of--,, by Devadatta... ... ... ... 167

' l ^iravuntbiar...a digest by R. S, Subramaniam Esq., Colombo ... ... 175

Todas... their origin and u (fieri ties by M- Jivaratnam, Esq, B.A.,... 88,128,

145,215 4 281

Two New Worlds ..A Review by tyr. A. JL Coomaraawami, D.So. ... 308
tlnity in diversity by ja Dreamer ... ... ... ... 110

Viyn Sambita by A. Ringaswami Iyer Eeq. ... ... ... ...41,72

Tedadrisadasa Mudaliar... A great man of Travanoore ... ... ... 171

Will and its Power by Prof. g. V. Rangasami .. ... .118,195

What sltaU weeat.by Dr. C.B. Rama Row, M.D. ... ... ...289

ty>manhood ..The Hin^u i^eal of, by T, Ramakrishna Pillai, Eaq., B,A ,... 208

THE

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

OK

The Light of Truth.

A Monthly Journal, Devoted to Religion, Philosophy, Literature, Science, dc.

Commanocd on tho Qomb’i Commemoration Day. 1897

Yoi.YHI APRIL 1907. No. 1.

Ourselves.

We have completed our Seventh year and with this month we
commence our Eighth. As was usual in the first six years, we
continued to do useful work during our Seventh, and the extent
and importance of our work will be known to any casual reader
who may chance to glance over the table of concents. We paid
equal attention to Translations and original articles and occasionally
drew freely from great books and well-conducted Magazines. Iu
our last \ olume we have begun translation of Vayu Samhita — a
very valuable work from Sanskrit and a critical review of Dravida
Maha Uhashyam, Inner Meaning of Sivaliuga Ac. Our articles have
always been of merit and importance, and the contributors, experts
in their subjects. We know South India has been but ill-represented
till now, at least so far as its literature and religion are concerned
and it is on this account that we give preference to articles written
on topics concerning South India and South Indian subjects But
we also deal with all subjects akin to Religious iu general os well as
other subjects such as literature, scieuce and philosophy. On the
whole we believe we have done what lay iu our power to make the
Journal a reallv useful and interesting one. It isgratifi ing to note
that our work in this field has evoked much appreciation and
interest from many eminent scholars of the West and even from
Christian Missionaries.

We take this opportunity of appealing to the Public for their
kind patronage and help. If each reader will fiud one new subscri-
ber, the Magazine will be able to extend its power of usefulness.

In conclusion we pray to the Almighty for the long life and
prosperity to our Patrons, Hie Highne** the Maharaja of Travaneore
and Sreeman Vedadriaadoua MndaHar Aeergal and hope that the
kmd patronage extended by them to us in past years will ever
continue. We have aUo to thank our subscribeis for their prompt
payments and our contributors for their ready contributions and
to hope that they will continue to do so this year also.

THE EDITOR.

2

SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA.

DEATH BEFORE DEATH.

by R. S. SUBRAMANJAM Esq., Colombo.

To start with a paradox in the investigation and study of
spiritual truths is indeed settingup a blind while labouring for
sight through the mist. ‘Death before death’ is an apparent
absurdity and perhaps the lenient critic would assign ‘premature
death’ as its possible significance, death being associated with
sunken eyes, wrinkled face and withered frame consequent on old
age. A better and deeper meaning comes to light in closer exami-
nation. Leaving aside the mystery that is generally attributed to
life and death,, we may, without going far wrong, define, according
to the first impressions we form of them, life as the manifestation
of energy or activity, and death as the cessation of it On seeing
a beast of prey, for instance, lying across the road, tie first test
we would adopt is to observe whether there is motion of any kind
in it, whether it moves its limbs or wags its tail or ears- Failing
to notice any, we would keep ourselves at a safe distance and shout
or pelt or priok, to observe whether it responds to these stimuli. Jf
response is received, we conclude, it is alive; if none that it is dead.
So then, the two elements that constitute life are, the manifestation
of activity and the response to external stimulus and the absence
of these is death. Knowing as we do, that any external stimulus
should take the form of either sound, touch, form, taste or smell,
aud that these should enter by the five portals, — the external senses,
and pass through the inner gates of Manas, &c. (the Anthakkaranas),
we may, by an extension of the meaning of death, call that state in
which one though alive is not attracted by the object of_ sense,
death ; likewise that state in which the senses themselves fail to
draw him away, as deatli ; that state too in which the inanas and its
colleagues cease to function as death- : Death before death* is
then a state in life, where the normal activity of the senses and the
mind ceases — a state beyond the sense-world and the thought- world.
This is, in brief, the explanation of the startling paradox ‘death
before deat h .

DEATH BEFORE DEATH.

8

The following stanza of St. Thayumanavar aptly describes the
subject matter of this paper.*

giA ipiTir LosQ&crgu tAanaQiutairQ
****?*$?> /_ L uQ C? trOflr

we, su£ii>%G‘j Lcatflu>rr i—Loif afttns Gi rt_

&g>\ t&* 0 <FS 6 ariL/L _ Geer

G*i pQ fin /f ai/7 l^s^Qlo/t iflii d a fgirtidOmirtVib

a (gj^Srar Qua qrrp S6>u> G ei>r uu>
msup ^iDSMTustrsiS^uQ Genmj lc« uTaart—Gu>r
a/7@#33T*9*iff ^ sard dii
Qiui*itiT(GT£@*rfl Q\ussr jQptrifi G jit i JpQu>

U4€$lrt*itTG$L-. £

<**• Lorriii Seer p & dkr ear (Vf8r Oq/ct anBf% C?r»

(L/irOfijraru,®,®^ QpypQf

&ian 3 $<rarQ /Ddrfiujn g) <* LfjpuDeyms QtuarQsrrGarr
G ^L-ffioJ rpptrQ Oeua ir

04 lO«.t«w i_ eujSemftBi OjgiusjGui
Qp.Gnr LDtun esrii ^G lo. > — 3)

Father, mother, kindred, wife and child, all these are
like the gathering at the mart, no doubt about this.

Life favoured with ruby-laid palaces, mansions

terraces and fonr-classed-armies, jugglery like
The body, pot of filth, habited by the mind-worm, given to
deceit, envy and avarice, is delightless dream
By knowing thus and considering times of weal and woe as one
And plunging, I-hood destroyed, in the ocean of Thy

Grace, which pervades as one, where night or day is not
Without clearing the mind, why do I whirl, 0 Bliss of Lustroaa
Beaut) , 0 God of Intelligence, unsearchable Reality
that indwells my heart.

A brief survey of the world around us is indispensable for thia
study as the whole fabric should rest on this basis. The world,,
though one of ups and downB is after all a disappointment and sorrow.
The lowest man, the man of the world, thinks, ho finds pleasure and

*dnn ? vQ*L-® LDff0_5LOfl' IL)V 0LfiO>lt r |M*(a

precrQstLt—tflcirjSj' reSuufiuv p jsraDLoajfpidq}
sttLarQ siL. (Sa3iQ&t-L®fBvri ey Guam

mir drQsC^L— anruirif.^ QpdrG*t«*r& Q*inl<— a Gi*r . (Tiruvdehakam

4

S1DDHANTA DEEMKA.

pleasure alone, as he ignores, his disappointments in the full blaze of
sense-enjoyments; the highest man, the spiritual man, looks through
the eyes of the spirit and finds Peace and Plenty, Beauty and
Happiness, but the middle man sees the world in its true colours,
duality all round, pleasure and pain, good and evil, riches and
poverty. With a better mind and heart than those of the lowest
man. he sympathises with the poor and the needy. The wails of
widows, the tears of orphans, the sobs and sighs of the distressed
appeal effectively to his heart and set hint a thinking; he quails at
the picture of misery, disappointment and sorrow that meets his
eyes at every turn. Millions he sees homeless and helpless, millions
forced to life-long fast, millions of the deaf, the dumb and the
maimed; little helpless orphans that lie like strewn leaves on road
sides knocking at death s door. In such a state of dejection and
sorrow for his brothers and sisters, his heart is ready for the seed
of spirituality; he enquires into the cause of thepe varying states of
life in the world, into the misery that envelopes each soul and
knows the unerring and universal Law of Justice that is behind.
Thoughts of his own miserable state now flash through his mind ,
thoughts of innumerable births he must have had and of the cause
that is operating on him, haunt him. He fully realises the utter
futility of his kith and kin, much less of his possessions, in contri-
buting to his happiness: he sees that his numberless fathers, mothers
and children of his past births had done nothing, and that those of
this life can do nothing to help him out* The impermanency and
unreality of his wealth and other possessions induce him to seek for
something real and there dawns in him a discrimination between
what is real and unreal§. He appeals to the Lord of all to take him
away from this world of delusion and bondage.^ Hate for the tilings
of the world dominates liis mind and he even despises his oivu
bodyl. Sick of the world lie is terror-stricken to be born again.
Birih must end, he resolves and sings with St. Manic kavasagar,

*~nli^.sarfi fi/rar fiqfrQai&uiuua 18.

§ jfiri^tcirearpjir fiarteaQujir(n ) a,ir , 2 .

firywirenrsuir erasr&Q&asr&Q&ajev IQ, uL.if«r^.r/r Quit ji 18 .

• firry hit aroiir Quireirteaunr fiavr 1 , u ir uuyeSI 18.

DEATH HEFOHE DEATH.

0

Grafts was I, shrub was I, worm, tree
full many a kind of beast, bird, snake,

Stone, man and demon ’midst Thy hosts I served
The form of mighty Asuras, asceties, gods I bore
Within these immobile and mobile forms of life
In every species born, weary I’ve grown, great Lord.

&(£Qiir*mu> uo 26 - 31 .

In floods from sorrow’s pouring clouds that rise, Thy loving ones
Sinking have Beized the raft of Thy blest foot and risen to heaven
Whirl’d amid troubled sea, where women billows dash and lustB
Sea Monster wounds, I sink Master, I Thee my Refuge make.

With this change of life, our hero tnms a new leaf, he has set
his foot on the ladder of spirituality, which should be remembered,
is firmly planted in Vairagya, non-attachinent to the things of the
world * Having spurned all his erstwhile rare possessions of pride,
he is in search of that one Reality, hungering after that Bliss alone.
Bnt he is not oat of the woods yet, as now and then lie is caught in
the traps of traitors, be is deceived by the mischievous senses — the
Gmanendriag. The eyes draw him away to gaze at a lovely object
before he can check them, the ears want to hear the sweet tnasic
of charming maid^and so ou.§ The senses accustomed to run in
particular grooves from immemorial past, cannot bear to be denied
their wonted food — the objects of senses. They become turbulent
running from corner to comer in search of pleasure. They assembled
in serious conclave and decry the purpose of the aspirant as foolish
and profitless. They press him to reconsider his decision, without
wasting time which can be advantageeusly employed in the enjoy-
ment of the world, they seem to be very sympathetic to our hero
and try a thousand and one ways to pull him down from the ladder.
This is the activity or life of the senses. Many have so fallen
through the delusive admonitions of the traitorous senses. No traitor
in the world is so harmful and destructive as the five felons in man,
who not only delude him to forego his spiritual heritage but usurp

* St. John* V. 25.

§ ulL Qua 4r.

G

SlDi>HANTA~DEEPlKA

hU power and got complete mastery over Jiim so that lie is lost in
their maze * Fully alive to the glory of his goal, a glimpse of which
he catches now and then through the thicket of the senses, the
mind and its attendants Kama, desire Ac., he persists in his path
and clinging to the glorious feet of the Lord, thus exclaims, terror
stricken

suit u$Q 6$rr sbut & pd p it e> iQfi2sor uSir&gi Qsugi strings

j&uSGa) QaV£ULS aju$Qj/r ! Siilidar6ar& $l<ia»;'e8)<sii Qtctuuzuipi
■SfroH&tr&Q&ujQu'T en'Sevi ^2 s^uulLQi— sir (^a9^ejSQ2ozrtuffuDsirjp&r
tg(nijs'j:tr@ QtLuretfieS ® uaaflQtu »n fidesr GijvarsuirfifilQuj.

(fnLfierwsuir 5)

While through the gates of the (senses) five, the objects-hunters
came and dragged me, half-fried (me) in
The fierce fire of lust and ate, (me) alive, my heart
moved by pain, I melted and forgetting myself
Like a motherless orphan wandered and suffered, 0 radiant
ruby, more gracious than a mother !

Lord of the Golden Hall ! O Supreme Being, 0 Sea of Wisdom !

In this frame of mind, the aspirant endeavours to admonish, in
return, the senses. O eye, the beauty you admire to-day, fades
to-morrow, what will yon then admire, O ear, the music you relish
now, ceases the next moment, what music then ? Will you go with
me to see the neverfading Beauty, to hear the* unending music, to
taste the tasteless Taste ? Thus one by one, the impermanence erf
the things of the world is shown to the senses and their course is
turned within. The five portals are blocked and guarded and the
usurpers are dethroned and subjected, they are now at his beck
and call. And this is the death of the senses.

The power that grows unconsciously within, now enables the
aspirant to fight out the rest of the battle with renewed vigour.
It is said that those who control the senses achieve a conquest
Unparal lei led.

He who with firmness ’curb the five restrains
Is seed fer soil of yonder happy plains*

&pptrtrQu(&mijD. 4. Dr. Pope’s translation.

/T#*LD SwiwuU^^. 1 0/TljlDlT 6BTQ1IT /iji&QpiS) ®«DLO 6.

DEATH BE POKE DEATH.

7

Yet there is the possibility of a slip for though our hero has
left the objective world, left the world of the senses, there still
stands unvanguislied the arch-fiend, the traitor of traitors, who can
raise the world from their ashes, who can create his own objects of
desire and traverse the whole universe in no time, the felon who lias
been collecting forces all the while the battle was raging on in the
outer-skirts— it is the mind- To one who has watched the vagaries
of the mind, the tremendous world within will be quite apparent-
how it whirls round,and round wanders hither and thither, how it
constructs palaces and mansions and lives in them, how it enjoya by
itself every pleasure it needs. This world of thought is the curee
of man, it is here all the subtle forces work together and form his
character ; even his physical form is the outcome of this thought-
world. It is even here the demons of lust (kama) jealousy, avarice
and the like reign. Clothing others with one’s thoughts and sitting
in judgment over others are the most common of evils and they are
the Bliarpest weapons one wields for self-destruction. Forbear
judgment on others, avoid assigning motives to other’s acts, desist,
iron ransacking your neighbours pockets, theu your character is
well formed. It should bo known that such evils even though
thought of, have their effects on you. Beware o* the thoughts if
you would progress one should not be deluded by the thought that
his thoughts are hidden and do no harm ; thoughts are indelibly-
engraven and they mould his being.

The worlds we have left behind are in the sphere of the mind
in a subjective form : a veritable forest to be cut down and cleared.
The miud is a pivot, is a inaster-key; one may open with it the
doors of Heaven or Hell as he chooses-* Turn the miud within,
you reach Heaven; allow it to run out, yon resell Hell. One who
lias outwardly abandoned the objects of sense but clings to them in
the mind cannot progress in this path ; there is the likelihood of his
slipping down to the world again. Therefore such thoughts should
at once be suppressed-^ An attempt in that direction causes, as in
the case of the senses, a rebellion within which cam ot he quelled
without requisitioning the help of an iron WHl. The turbulenco

fntLj cirar'sur ■•-in mcj^eS 15 .

$ pniftBircar&i ^mtrQtijgu a, 1 1 .

8

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

of the mind entirely depends upon Desire which is at the bottom
and the bit and bridle to be applied to the former should be used
for the latter too. Desire being controlled, the inind ceases to
agitate, consequently thought, word, and deed in their turn die of
themselves.* Desire is the root of all evil, it is the cause of all
bondage.

i/ii Qu (Ttjtastr pjppuiuS eosuii) u @Q^ave/ ldot fVecifSiair gho

(2 & dsu(jj/u$ ei sppjfisj QslLi £ 3 n ii£i (y> $ fgl d air 6sr

QtfgQP *<,v<*.<r*QpbGuiriLij l Q atrG*mu>up'£ S/Du 0 iQ #rr
Ca * - , Q£' A AQb^ t->Q£ : 50uc <tu irQ u> iStriraDaoSarQ fl r f b Q piu^Qpeas Qi—/r.

{pniLlLDt OTA/f.)

Oaught in the storm of desire, like light cotton
while the mind wanders

Perdition results : by this too is caused loss of
knowledge leant and heard, loss of

Yearning-for-Mukti and company of the (-rood ; such stand,
alas, identified with the senses and tangled in the
miseries of Sainsara

0, the Most High of full-lustr© and flowing Grace ! is
there God to one without uncovetousness.

Know the Reality from tho Unreality by discrimination (viveka)
and abandon the object of sense through non-attachment (vairagya)
and continue that state of mind for the extinction of all desires.
The effect of desire on the mind is best seen in dreams, when the
mind has its full play unchecked by any role of ethics. It creates
every object of desire. One desire that cropped up in the morning
or the day before and already forgotten, is reproduced in the statu
of dream, as it was lying potentially all the while. It is within
the experince of all that their wished-for objects appear in dreams
and they possess them with joy but they wake up only to laugh at
their own folly. Even in the waking state, desires do their func-
tion but owing to its subtlety, it remains unseen. SelHlmess, anger,
jealousy and the like are the medium through which they work and
the evil thoughts generated by them constitute the activity or’ the
life of the mind. For the punlication ot thoughts, thon, desire for
the things of the world should be rooted out and replaced by desire

* I’.’u 29.

DEATH BEFORE DEATH.

9

lor Um things of the spirit. With this taming of the channel
inward, god ward, the mind and the senses torn too.

Let us pause here to survey the spiritual heights already
scaled by the aspirant. Unlike the worldly-minded, who are
canght in the storm of selfishness, tossed hither and thither on the
waves of Knvy, Pride and Avarice, and dashed on the rock of
Impatience, Disappointment and Sorrow, oor hero rests comfortably
in the calm of selfless Love, rocks in the swings of Kindness,
Humility and Beneficence and fortifies himself with the barricades
of Patience, contentment and Happiness- Instead of the oppression
of the mind and the narrowness of thought caused by dark motives
of selfishness, our hero experiences delightful freedom and lightness
through expansive Love. In the place of the unbearable writhing
under the burden ef his own thoughts, our hero swings heartily in
the thought of the Lord. While the wordly-minded acquire wealth
by addition to their possessions, piling gold upon gold, diamond
upon diamond and yet are unhappy, oar hero gains his wealth by a
process of subtraction, throwing overboard gold and diamond’,
father and mother, kith and kin, thought by thought nntil the
thought of the Lord dominates, and he is perfectly happy. That
destructive and baneful habit in tbe ordinary man, of clothing others
with bis own thought, of picking holes on other’s coats and of trying
to remove the mote in other’s eyes, is replaced by a cruel judgment
on himself, on his own acts and on his own thought, while again the
worldly-minded go seeking for help, every help comes to our hero
in time, and he knowB, it ruuat corns as the Law of Righteousness
is nnerring. Peace of mind is his posession and love bis gift; his
look charms the world; his internal Peace throws out a lustre of
sublimity. He cannot be harmed by any one, he is envy-proof,
m».liee-proof . His atmosphere being hallowed by the waves of the
spirit, no arrows of evil thoughts directed against him can find their
way to him: they come and fall down blunted, unable to withstand
the resistance of the waves; they fall down as the arrows of Visva-
mitbra fell down before Vasishta.

Tbe only way for she purification of the mind is to witness its.
work every moment. Ask what is my mind doing now ? If yoa
2

10

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

find it engaged in building up a castle, pull it down and bring it
back to its corner. If you find it shooting arrows of malice or envy,
curb it as it digs yonr own grave. By persistent application of this
method alone, can the mind be conquered. St. Thayunianavar
addresses his mind thus.*

« tr trrujQ V-l i* 7 pm jr»erit><rn aj/rszoaiL/ui V

Garr irau9 pic y 0 @Qfir*argri£iiGu>trir S^GiuirGsQeuiriu

umr^^2esrs QsrrrigiQ&roBr Q zuevgbQstor (T^iLun iLi^Gacr ^G l-.

(uirujuL/eS — 50 )

Come 0 mind ! pack up all thy improprieties and from here
Enquire (for Truth.) Oft art thou whirling and considerest not
My thousand advices against thy evil nature, O Perishing one
See thou ! I’ll kill thee with the axe of Holy Grace: I’ll conquer thee.

Once or twice in a day during the calm h<purs of the morning
or night-fall, one should sit in judgment over hie mifld, reviewing
the doings of the whole day and censure the mind for afay mis-
behaviour. By a repetition of this process, one v^ill be able to
witness the thoughts as they occur and check them then and there.
Perseverance in ,his will rr dt in the complete annihilation of the
tendencies, Samara.-, <Ii#t rai-o such thoughts. With deni res
checked, tendencies destf /ec the mind attains the Peace sought
for.

Now our hero c.m be thrown in the midst of gaieties, in the
midst of worldly revelry ; none of these will attract him; he is the
spoon which knows not the taste of the dainty dish. And this is
the death of the mind ; there is a higher stage of this death • hich
will follow.

The characteristic of the mind is to grasp at anything, but as
its channel and that of the senses have been turned inward, it
cannot grasp at the things of the world. It now flies to the Holy
Lord in good earnest, it sticks fast to Him. The senses of the
aspirant pine after the Lord, his only thought is aboui, Him, his
only desire is to possess Him. Thus sings St. Maniccavasagar.

* u/tiuul/cS 49. g&lbssrajfluj 1,

DEATH BEFORE DEATH.

11

m-p(ap*o**jirmGanm(SL~ gyrffQ&dm-Gt^ar Qu~Q*>ei*Qt~«ir
*fxym>a iLnrarQsLiBitrQt_ar <c deaf! turn toy m>

<*L jpaaforr (^Grotr XLppQs

mp(*pd}<iir i&mru><2uirt9is@i js@« Gmism r®a,(?«r. fi(^uLjtiuueo 3.*

Nor friends, nor kin I seek, no city I desire, no name I crave,

No learned oneB I seek, and henceforth lessons to be conned suffice
Thou dancer in Knttalam dwelling blissful, Thy resounding feet
I’ll seek; that as the cow yearns for its calf, tny longing soul may melt.

The yearning for Him with melting heart, tearfnl eyes and
shivering frame, if experienced in the life of any, that man is truly
blessed. That marks the intensity of the Love whioh then holds
sway. Masters of different religions have testified to it and their
ecstatic utterances while in that mood, will melt even a stony heart.
Saints Maniocavksagar, Thayumanavar and others, have left on
record how they pined for the Lord and how all should pine for
Him.

Q »*(5©*«(*5ar(650©i/(75© iSarjM & Qion^m ^

*4(lfiu>(ip£:4Q£/r(yp f friJD <s* p <k. £1 * eb p fid

Q#d*fi(iuir ptm qQ meafl ^s^dairsQ^ ^eS/rSeSirfi^u
Hd<££puQp*rjf)Qsrrik>Geiir Q&gfQuj itenir ifi«afiea>ujui^«m it id p.

Hemnrd@uufi£i 8$

In bliss dissolv,d soul melted utterly, with every gesture meet
Laughter and tears, homage of hand and lip with every mystic dance
To see with joyous thri 1 !, that Sacred Form like ruddy evening sky
When shall I pass, in mystic union joined with Him ,my faultless Gem.

As a result of this strong and sincere yearning, the aspirant ijpes
the Lord in everything; the whole world is to him an emblem of
God. His mind cannot now nee onething from the other, the
differences have disappeared and in the. insect that crawls, in the
birds that fly, in the atone and iu the beast, he adores the Lord-

Queama&suGbrair ^obt euor s n ssr Qwfidvirn dQseor jpu> Quifitueueersir
ess rfUuGuGBT & tr 68anutiB)(GB)eir*/r

Q car air easeuasr^rr QestBQgppsiKSsrs irsssflan udQ&ea sS uSJ&n&ujejiir sit gbbR
uj6\> suebr <x rrQ est even) it s a n emu d>

* Cf also @(£uuneBrut.u^jfdsu> 1. uC.if-tarppt'T Quit &> 5-
® suit L pauupjp, -O'Tssr *rr udsr nvJteu 1. ereardQaaJ dQfujev^

S eietneStetf^iii

12

SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA

a mr car war a (rear aQppaieirairrm a ifliG! prrtiQ# x&ciu s fsaj&jfiraiT a*r
LD^iuaiorsireor at-Jiaiy^aftpip

iDtaaesatuarairwia aiff6&ajiT6vcartn&(2tufi£>u> euo&cua)/p/rarar&r
evQaTBT meorp'gierr trQ&sr.

$(v}fEiT6ydm ua&euiTLiSseitr-fitg&jmSaa/u) 7 *
Ceases here all differentiation, which is the function of the
mind, and this is the death proper, of the mind. Even the aspirant
is astonished at the death of the mind which was waging war
against him before, like a formidable enemy.

jfQGeirQujtT jratniutDr eurrcaip u>/r*3@e/ »

Quir^Genrr^. ujneoB^aau OunQiLUafl jp
LC0OL7 QpiupGsoGL-ir aiirdr tonG jrir QudjpGpGgr
c9@ia.ir i it-ffs>pipQpe»cBt-.(2u>ii airGoaQar.

fiirtfwrer&ir srappaiaiStn. 9.

0 Mind, that is gone and hid while I am in union with that Being
Who is Bliss enshrined in the temple of Grace

Art thou, the illusion-less hare's horn, or sky lotus or the mirage,

1 see not, (my) darkness left, where thou abideSt.

Aliankara (I’hood) is the next veil to be consumed by the fire
of Wisdom. This is the last possession of our hero to be abandoned.
Many of the sharp and irritating points of I’hood have been un-
consciously rounded, while our hero was achieving liis conquest in
the plains below. ‘I did it,’ 'I want it,’ ‘I said so.’ *1 should lead’
&c, have long ago bade farewell to him. Perhaps what now assert
themselves, are, ‘I strive for Bliss, ‘I am good, ‘1 attain Bliss’ &c,
a very light shade of the T. Even this should be exchanged
for % ‘the Lord does* ‘the Lord is,’ ‘the Lord wills’.* This done, the
battle is over. ‘And this is the death of the ‘I’.

Those who go up the ladder so far can hardly be distinguished
from ordinary mad-men, they have the simplicity of children and
the selflessness of the demoniacs-
i_j it eiQ^rr<S QuiuiriSlppir uirtireinuiQaj€ijr Spu^/Qaj

#oiiO@0/7W?uj/r .pfriLfUiiresrajir urnunua 143$

‘ Unless ye become like little children, ye shall not enter the
kingdom of Heaven says another Master (St. Mathew 18 3.)

*P n iquinearQir Quit 0s*fiuj«>Ly 7- ^emfQiu etpi us 8
$Cf iilso pujsSecn ado 'j .

DEATH BEFORE DEATH.

18

St MauiccavasagAr prays to tlie Lord for a Loon, namely, .to make
liiru die as a maniac in the eyes of tlie world.

A>0®

iD.iptMTpQpr © u>ire$*Qar ■*• or Lo«nf 8wr,s5

Qnr ppar3anrp2*r SSAQpai<ii > ui

pjpi&earjpem- QurQa^Qtmjpdmti* #ira^U v d >■

b^Aepmui 3

Melting at the thought of the Excellent, Father, Master’s feet
And in rapturous mood, uttering the pioiuptings of tlie mind,

From land to land rambling, that men may say ‘A madman this’
And speak their fancies, O’ when shall I pass.*

Tips state of Bliss is called Thariya. Here Atm a stands in its
knowledge-form, isolated from the senses and the mind : it is know-
ing oneself without speech and thought, (*.es>animr«bpi 0 jfu>mu>

iff* j p*). A state to be and to become, unqnalifiable yet attainable.
Tlie more one describes this state the farther is he from the Truth.

£b r u>£«« Qtur^sepatm^'xpfmtQmeaflmttuCj
urr srir MpgiraruiQ. utrir <su<r r»Q#<r

upjtsQa>*iil utriQpQfipnmip QairmA
p$f}Asmtr^rBtr(&fiirfir {pvt jjjirerirp^L-iaQunujtjpi 58)

If, without differentiating nor once bestowing thought,
without seeing the light witliin (as object)

One establishes himself in it, discerning as it is — Will it not come
The flood of Bliss, springing and overflowing the banks
rising and pervading the ten quarters.

He is lost in the flood of Blixi; what remains is tlie Ocean jn
which the drop fell. To say he attained Bliss is an error, for there
is no Hie’ in that state, nor can the Gnani say ‘I attuned Bliss’ as
the T is dead. Nirwana, Hoaven, Moksha, these are different
names for That. It is Oneness, Bliss, these again are relative ideas,
therefore — Silence

* Foi every hymn of Thiruvasagam quoted, except this, I have given the
translation of Dr. Pope. I must say with all deference tq tlie learned translator,
I have been obliged to attempt a translation of this hymn just to bring out the
spirit of it, as he has apparently twisted the meaning and makes the Saint
court Death to avoid the discordant sayings of the people ; besides ptf. (?«j
tftserA JB in the text should not be rendered ‘Thy servant thinks' as he has
done, ns it cannot be the combination of i ujm 4 tfftnip/, which when

combined would read j/^.'JtutireefidurA ^ or jp(f G uedttem A pi .

14

SIDtfHANTA DEEPIKA

iSmfisiiraj ^ytaarmOan^nttari ^

t 0es>pu9G**ut*'i M JP mttmGqp* (yiHT&ar

£^K>jP&jw rt ymBtr ffij£(£u>ir6BrQ&ri tm &t—irfn&*irrt—i2
$ss>pa> C ( ar i^'ieeruiSfii S^S^sOQm 09 fi&sQCSmQm-

,£*«/: o<r«#W onjoudoror. 2.

To become tlie nndiminiahing Fulness, to fall on and plunge in
The Bow of the flood of spotless Wisdom-Bliss and become dissolved in
And thereby effect the non-appearance of l’hood
Thou showdst the way by quibbles nod didst grant the sharp

radiant Sword of Silence

Separated from Thee, 0 Lord, here I can’t remain, 1 can t remain.

or 0*r®0,rf«9r»irar 0«e/>afW«r Osrif^fu

H*£**eF u Qut&ijpik

***** mt*4 pr OeraeTMT

*mt&t»rdr Qp&&fr3'Z> tOorear^^Oit. ^mrQnj^ii 90 .

Sorrowless is he, who is

A

Casteless, onqualiBable, non -lowly
Who is withont harmful object -attachment, bereft
of all self-seeking desires
Who is homeless, childless and wifeless
And such is worthy of comparison to Para Siva,
the Giver of Freedom.

To call this incomparable state of Bliss, death, is a lie; to
name this Life of All -knowledge, death, is utter ignorance; to call
this state of self luminosity, death, is blindness. It is the Life in
life, an Eternal Life of lasting Bliss and knowledge; Yet, it is death
as the I "hood has vanished.

My brothers, ‘one ounce of practice is worth more than tons
of tall talk’ . One who has experienced the death of the mind in his
life teaches more by his silence than another who speaks volumes.
If among you there is such a one, I bow down before him ; if
among the Buddhiils I come across such a conqueror oE self I adore
him ; if a Christian has ascended such spiritual heights I sit at his
feet. Religions and creeds are nothing if one cannot live a spiritual
life. Mere knowledge developes only one’s Ahankara.

Should we not be able to boldly affirm, when asked*

DEATH BEFORE DEATH,

15

Do any hearts beat faster, Do any faces brighten,

To hear yoor footsteps on the stair, To meet yon, gTeet yon anywhere
Are any happier to-day, Through words they have heard yon say
Life were not worth tiie living, If no one were the tatter
For having met yon on the way , And known the suns) line of yonr stay*

Therefore should we not all, from this moment seriously con*
aider the life we lead, should we not make this li&ll a Ik ly place for
practising oar spiritual ideals, should we not infuse in o our being
a selflett*Love for all, so that, with the Grace of the lord, we may,
with conviction each of us exclaim,

mt — JS&r Cf tar at jp nff/pfl gain $m

Qmoidl maMQLLGsmfcSiSG**

(jpL_*<g»«riLMr«r u Vu>/r«r » p &pjjtsn* Qptf.(HGu>.

— LI jjit (irsvtT u^LiuLfmS 12

Even while walking, running or standing, while
lying devoid of other desires
Or sitting evenly, in hearing of the Gracious,
my mind will be engrossed
And I, in the cradle of Mindless-Perfection, will lie

crouched, and the sleep of Highest EliaB will enshroud me.

Self 8aoriflee.

by KRISHNA SASTRI Esq.

I'he word Self-Sacrifice is a mis-nomer. There is no equivalent
for the word in Indian vernaculars. From this fact however it does
not follow that the Hindu never had a conception of the virtues
indicated by the term. They understood the significance of things
tatter and hence their conception of acts constituting the so-called
virtue of Self-Sacrifice was much more ennobling than the petty
and not very rational view, entertained by other people

When a man suffers for another and sacrifices his own comforts,
the Hindu believes that there is only a glorification of one’s Self ;
but no sacrifice of it which is as reprehensible and ignoble as
suicide. A man’s self is ihe most easily expansible thing, and filled

* From & letter of Swami Narayana from Port said. 11-8-1908.

16

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

with sympathy; it grows in dimensions and takes the whole sentient
existence within its fold.

When yon are moved by the distress of another, you realise
your one-ness with that person. When one individual works for
the good of another, there is a flowing of life from one to another :
but there is no self-sacrifice, for the happiness of another person is
felt as one’s own .

The poor mother who stints herself in order that the babe at
her breast may live is not. sacrificing her Self, for the little one is
but the compliment of her Self which will not feel itself to be com-
plete without the dear thing.

Have you ever felt for a weak person suffering injury at the
hands of a stronger one ? If you have, then verily has your self
thrilled with a life which woald expand it out of its incasement.

When yon feel for the oppressed, for the down-trodden and
espouse their cause against tyrannysing might, it may be that yon
individually suffer, but the stimulus for the combat comes from a
sense of the enlarging of your Self. The self expands and the
individual’s concerns extend over a wider 6eld. One sympathises
with others besides oneself. Here indeed the individual becomes
a larger being with his range of susceptibilities and his capacity
for happiness being enlarged.

Whenithe philanthropist goes to places of pestilence and disease
and works to alleviate suffering, sacrificing all conveniences and
undergoing trouble himself, he is in no way sacrificing his self ;
but he is only helping it to assert itself to the fullest extent. He
cannot feel happy amidst pleasure and ease when the cause of the
suffering people requires his aid. He is in his element when he is
fighting against suffering and misery. It may turn out that his
individual efforts do not avail or what is wox'se that disease and
death claim him as their victim. But what does it matter to him ?
His feeling of self is so all-embracing that the prospect of death
does not frighten him in the least.

Nothing good, nothing ennobling can come out of the stifling
of the self in Man. In every act jf surrender of the individual
happiness, there is really an assertion of a larger self.

Cameos from Tamil Literature.

I

KAHTOGAI NEITHAL 2.

The following piece gives with many appropriate similes a
beautiful picture of the evening which is the time when women
sorrow after their departed lovers. The beauty of the evening and
the longing and joy it excites in nature is contrasted with the blasted
love and broken life of the sorrowing women.

eBard^ipsr udimjdir Ain ajnmu
umgpdiQ aj jp Guire»uu(i)&i—ir «a > Gen
eSmm L&qff GmiSlun tsPpu>Quno) eSf^dfAur
Satofdmna a»u£iQ’-inA> Aiomfiiafi Giuirpjrd
& estruirujd) QappGunp «%ari<ira)ai<i hup
picLfMifi a Qurpp’bBDfirtLijfi) ujj

(T^jpitueJUsiTdr umsnQuira) apeostuaS tpn Lfpmipd
&jp&Ai£lid> ($pd>(2ur»d &@u>lS uSndfhi Qu ear u
upataipuD uiriuLfdrar d m pen a^iia ufisua&p
mm pian eSf^uoQun® iamjpiSmp t-j(§fjr
taffAifidmJr uivtbxwrsr Qmrenn
Aiifiiudpmmr QjrfinQmnmr euviriji
Qmk?d Qrevmitp Q&i-dimaidpenp
AinmSmtp wmad^aSn Qutrfi tpd (*jdi

ante* 1 UITBJ pjS*JfUT

u>nto> Qtudru>^)if ic*tdiQG<tm(S b .

Engulfing the day that was brought forth to lighten the bread
world, with its many rays, the snn disappeared beyond the HIIIb :
And darkness came, black as the color of Vishnu.

And just as it were to give it rout with its light, came tho
beautiful moon.

The lotus closed its petals as tired maids close their ejes.

The trees drooped in sleep, as when the learned drop their
heads at praise of self.

The bushes show their white bndS as though laughing.

The bees hum tunes as from a smalt bamboo flute
The birds think of their yonng ones and 1 fly to their nesve*
a

The cows longing after calves reach the village.

And beasts flee to their rendezvous.

And Brahmans prepare for their evening duties,

And girls tire their hearths and light the lamp

And so the evening comes 1

Lo ! how fools call this evening beautiful !

They know not it is the time for beautiful women to part from life.

IF.

KALITOGAI NEITHAL 3.

As will bo evident from the many pieces already translated
from Kalitogai, the author in describing nature, and through his
dramatis personne, takes occasion to convey to the readers the
highest expressions of the ethical sentiment and to read nature
like this and preach it woul4 be the highest Art.

To love mankind, to seek their welfare, .and to relieve the
distressed and the needy, not to compass evil and become hateful,
not to stab people in the dark, and not to despise and glory over
the fallen are some of the many lessons conveyed in this piece,
besides the beautiful description and sentiments contained therein.
^f(7rjie.iT&jg amL&iuaearp Q^V)Asirearuj^ Osnuujirsar
iLfiupp&j Qear^tFLoQuT p bduuiu
« Sew « i_/f a

utQfisjS fipdr «vf! Hmenunj a Qev/r^suSear
uSjtuugj Qar(Q0ib(2uf p Lf&Qeias jpt i_jpu>irfl&

Giruuai Qargi&ihQuirdr utJrQic&ieoir uS’beed^iiiup
<2#irppQi*ir&) Q&Js0lL iSempjpjS QumS^s
tBirp{Sestri\ i ot-Kisp w/r&vw

Si-fipiisA a giQurr $b QpLL@mi(nj sQuhtIbo ^

c_«r «r sz/Qsrr&N r_wsnr pat/r gitoasr pptfg itu Quit Q f$«rsdr
Qatar &rLDir «sP pCSmrAS d s'SessrQ jj/rOA Q&mp. tuned Quit
a)a)&)puilj^.0ipira)ir ujujitulSiu c vipirQ^jir^
uj/rfcwif, wjlip Girpmxftsipiyerr sSi—Q^AQ^j
(SutrirQfl /rtotijf/g ip mmjru u <rQt-<*rerf) *® a hht<3u/t
l )mr<Q (r^pQjooir tusareiSu otipdQu-r-,

CAMEOS FROM TAMIL LITERATURE.

10

i&frlrvt , sifirpej jnearpatrslar ^/rsri/SuwQffimrsmr

Qa if £ *2 fifT it Lf aai€srf€M4mm Ca'wQj/rairfi Jtsmpuuir sir Quit p

*u ±jip(*Kn m^Cjairmns <m0iu wmj» Quit-,

The aun is disappearing over the Western Hills,

And darkness coines stealing on little by little.

As the mental darkness of the hatefnl man, void of love, and
virtue and good acts.

The trees love their dash, as the mind of a man who induced
by dife poverty seeks alms,

And close their leaves, as the miser who at sight of him closes
his heart and conceals himself.

So the evening comes I as the terrible avenger comes laughing
on the last day in the fiery firmament with the crescent moons fpr
his teeth, to take away all his victims.

Oh evening ! Didst thon go to me who am sorrowing for the
company of ray lover who stab my heart, with him to plnqgema
deeper in sorrow, a9 the cruel hunter who shoots at the deer ifhi c h
is carried down helpless by the flood.

O evening ! Didst thou go to me, choosing the time when my
loveless lover had left me, to stifl increase my nnbearable pain,
like unto the man wfio despises the foe fallen in battle and laughs at
them for their defeat !

Oh evening! Didst thon go to me, at a time when my lover'
and support has not come to assuage my sorrow, to further disturb
my mind, already seared with pain, like unto the man who disturb*
with a spear a reeking wound !

So bewails my lady

The departed lver reappears bringing joy with him. Ahd 7o,
the evening which causes this unbearable "pain, VAniWwfc "ilito
utter d irkness, as by the appearance of a friendly Fowef to saVe
and succour a king harr^sed by his enemies in his' weakest
moment the enemies are completely annihilated.

J. M. N.

to

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

Meditation.

BT

K. S. ANANTHANARAYANAN Esq, B.A.

of patent Light Culture , Tinnevelly.

The modern world has now began to open its eyes to the claims
of the higher faculties of man. It has now satisfied itself that the
pursuits after material greatness alone will not give happiness. The
Westerif oould cot be made to understand the grand powers of the
mind when it is at work with itself. He saw the powerful outer
nature and his ambition was to be intimately acquainted with her
and be her master. He direoted all his energy accordingly and
the result is indeed grand and beautiful. He wrung out from
Nature all her subtle torces and made them all his slaves. But
what is the use of your having giant servants, if your house is
miserable. The Westerner could not naturally feel happy, for
happiness is from within and not -from without. This he never
understood ; and could not do so, for so fondly he had expected
happiness from his portion as a 'master of the world and from
the idea of having everything bn Earth yield service to him,
that ho could not torn hie mind from th«nj- Repeatedly have sages
reiterated; the truth of Happiness cannot be sought, • cannot be
foundiin other places than within ourselves. Even that Saviour
Jesns, the great Jesns has spoken to them the self same truth and
told, them that in the etillpaas of solitude they should listen to the
still small voice that at random speaks and . that they would. surely
find: the thing they sought for.

But the time was not come, they would not draw their attention
to the fact until at last they had found that the happiness they
dreamt of was yet receding, illusive like the horizon. Sybil-like,
the happiness yet sank far away. They saw this at last and when
the East sent its ancient philosophy amidst the-thus-bewildered
westerner it is not curious that they should at last return from
their wild goose chase and ask where then is happiness 1 Where
then is that still small voice about which our Saviour had spoken
nineteen centuries ago ? How can we gain that ?

Yes 1 dear brother of the west and may I venture to say re-
dee med prodigal who has wasted his substance and retnmed home

MEDITATION.

21

repentant. The bliss which you ore seeking is even now with you
end within you* Tarn yoar thoughts inward end bend your energies
inward. In short e communion with yourself, is the rarest way to
reel happiness.

You will perhaps now say that each words have often been
heard and they are vague and seem to be meaningless- You will
like to be shown the way to attain that happiness-

This leads to an explanation of meditation and how it is to be

done- Meditation is deep fixed thinking of an object that yea
have chosen. It ia to the mind what light and air are to thepbnts.
If we would know mind we need only to diaire, desire and desire.
The intensity of desire isjiot needed to induce mind to answer oar
desire, bat to induce us to put aside our false conception concerning
Mind, and our capacity for understanding Mind- There is nothing
in the universe that can step in between Mind and the Soul which
desire to enter into communion with it. The deep thinking is pre-
ceded by concentration. You withdraw yoarself from all extra*
neons influences and fix your attetion upon a chosen object. There
are some methods for thus withdrawing from the external world.
One is what given below.

Seek a solitary place for your practice of Meditifcation, or at
least a place much rewired from public bustle and activity. Then
according to some schools certain postures are prescribed. But
the natural posture of lying down seems to be without danger of
provoking certain psychic centres into alarming activity. Then
breathe slowly in and out with interval- You must have some
object for meditation. Subjects are chosen according to each
person s likes and turn of mind. Save virtue, if the person has
more powers to conceive of material objects, the 6gnre of the
Lord must be conceived. He muakconcentrate upon this when he
has attained perfect ease in his posture and breath goes in and out
without his noticing it. This concentration deepens gradually into
Meditation. This practice gradually brings himself in communion
with higher conciousness- It is in this state of communion that
sages have experienced Happiness.

22

S1DDHANTA PEEPIKA.

Reviews and Notes.

It is with pleasure we welcome this new monthly Journal.
The new Reformer, It starts with high aspirations and noble ideals.

Madras. In the various domains of religion, social

economics and politics and other questions it appeals for a freer
and nobler atmosphere, void of selfishness and greed, untrammelled
by the fetters of tradition and prejudice, and animated solely by
the. desire to elevate and ennoble mankind. There is more
selfishness in the world than is apparent and many a good movement
ig sacrificed at the altar of their base selfishness. There is more
hypocrisy than a sincere desire to help mankind. And India
is in a transition where it must tend to good or bad There is
a danger in following Western ideals themselves, and there are not
wanting a few like Andrew Carnegie to strike the warning note.
To baae life altogether on a material basis without references to
high ethical considerations is the weakest point in the civilization
of Europe, and there were not wanting a few who scoffed at
Mr. P. Ramanathan when be pointed out the dangers of following
the European trend in social economics. These is danger in the air
and there are weakness in our own social fabric, and it is well that
this should be pointed out to us off and on without fear or favour.
We know the editor to be a mail of great earnestness and power
and we wish him god Bpeed in the noble task he has set before
himself at considerable sacrifice to himself.

In regard to the contents, it is varied and interesting. That
if, cannot be better is due more to the paucity of cultured men
among those who have devoted themselves heart and soul to study of
special subjects and their Investigation. We are glad to note that
a premier place is given to the article of Mr. J. M. Nallaswami
Pillai on the Personality of God according to the Saiva Siddhanta.
Saivaiam is the oldest religion and it is progressive and its canon has
always been as stated by St. TJmapathi Sivacharya that whatever
old is not trne and whatever new is not necessarily false. The
other articles of interest are 'Rome under the Gracchi — an analogy,
by Mr, Wadia, M.A. ‘The Power of forgiveness, by Col. T. F-
Dowden, 'India in transition’ by Mr. Wadia, ‘agriculture — nature
preaching by Dew&q Bahadur R. Ragoonatha Row, Women as
makers of Japan* by Mr. Rama Row, the Japanese glass expert,
and ‘the widow marriage convention by Mr. R. Nilakant B.A. L L.B.
There are interesting editorial ncies, literary notices and topics
from periodicals. We wish the venture every success.

• REVIEWS AND NOTES.

28

We give below from the excellent address delivered by Mr. K.

Sesliu Iyer B.A. at the Salem College Union,
smacular Studies. t h e portion in which he dwelt on the import-
ance of Vernacular studies. The whole speech was full of sense
and wholesome advice, and we commend his remarks in reference
to the Vernacular Btudies in particular. But we do not agree with
him in his remark that the critical study of classics like Raraayana,
Silappadikaram <fcc.. will be of no use in acquiring that command
of the language which is required for addressing the people and
influencing them. The greatest orators of Brittain like Burke,
Bright and Gladstone have neither spoken had Bngfish nor bad
grammar. On the other hand, they were the greatest classical
scholars and their speeches have become classical. We have heard
hundreds of speeches from our Indians, in English and in Vernacu-
lar and we have been better impressed when they spoke in the
Vernaculars- And they wane not illiterate people-. The classics
mentioned above if only properly studied and used will give to any
one B speech that richness, simplictty and ok^steness and directness
which is all important iu the function of an orator. The remedy
lies in a better and deeper method of study khan heretofore.

CULTIVATION OF THE VERNACULAR

Scholastic ideals in this country, while being favourable to Scholarship in
English have been unfavourable to the cultivation of that particular kiSfl of
scholarship in the vernacular languages, most required in the pinul conditions
of the country. Tou can reach the less fortunate of your poorer oountiymen
and appeal to them, only by talking to them in their Own language. Jjt jg fer
them that you desire to work. It is through them and by them that you can
hope to elevate your oountty. AH yoer labours in this behalf will be absolu-
tely fruitless unless you can talk to the great mass of your countrymen in the
language most familiar to therm A great dtoad of discussion has bean.' spoused
regarding the methods by which the Vernacular languages may be cultivated
with advantage so that tney may serve as efficient means of popular instroc- .
lion — a subject just now of the utmost importance in the service of you r
country. The academical system now in vogue is not ealoukted to promote
that kind of scholarship which alone will enable you to acquire a permanent
bold of your own countrymen. You ought to acquire that facility in the use of
the language ua will tbubto sou to Bpaak intelligently to the masaeoof the
people, oempnsqd qf coolies, fanners and artisans, ana thereby educate them
to higher level of hivitisation. ttn had thus akmeoatt you hope to do real and
abiding service to yotir country. But the kind of scholarship encouraged by
the university authorities the critical study of class ical works like Kambar&ma-
yanam, hv Am-ti a taman ■ , Bilap pedikarmra etq., is not likely te help yon to
acquire that command over the language as to make it an efficient and powerful
instrument of mass education. The vernacular langmge requires to be culti-
vated in a new spirit. In facta new and papules style of writing and speaking
has to be evolved which oan only be successfully achieved Ly greater freedom
frein gramuktiusi. forma and ru le s a n d- the stan da r ds

established by past writers. 80 far as we could judge from present conditions,
the present generation has not 'displayed any derive to or any capacity for
achieving success in this direction. The proper development of the vernacular
language is thus a problem for the younger generation to solve. To a groat
extent your country will lepend upon the maimer in which you will solve
this problem.

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

24

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Retired High Court Judge of Travancore.

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VAYi: SAMHITA.

41

12:1 <fc 124,. Anywhere in the world, none can be seen to equal
Hitn, much lead to be superior to Him. His great Sakti is called,
in the Sruti, by the names of Swabhavaki (Natural), Gnana, Bala and
Kriya. By these Saktis this world is made- There is no Pathi for
Him, no characteristic marks and overlord.

125. He is the canse of all causes, and is Himself tlieir Supreme
Governor. He has no generator, and from nowhere is He generated.

126. Similarly there are no Mala. Maya and other thingB in
Him, which are the hetus (reasons) for birth (Jamna). He the one
is hid in all and is everywhere enveloped.

127. Ho. is tho Antarntma (Inner-Being) of Sarvabhootas
(entire existent tilings). He is called the Superintendent nf Righte-
oosneH. He resides in all creatures. He is the Witness. He is
pure consciousness and is Nirguna.

128. He is the One controller of many inert and dependent
Atmas. He, as one transforms one seed into many, according as
occasion requires-

129- Those MumukshuB who discern Him as resting in their
own Atmas, to them alono is vouchsafed eternal happiness and
to none else.

1:50. This Lord is the Nitya of all Nityas and is chetana of all
chetanas. He, the one, Himself having no desires, fulfils the desires
of the Many.

131- Him attainable by fvtukhya and Yoga — Him the ultimate
cause — knowing Him as the Pathi of the Worli, the Pasu is freed
from all pasns.

130. God is Nitya and souls too are Nifcyas. God is chetana and souls too
are chetanOM. But God is the Nitya of these Nityas, and chetana *f these
chetanas. The souls though Nityus, have to pees through so many bodies and
though they are chetanas, their chetanas undergo so many changes in their
Jagra, Swapna, Sushupthi, Thuriyam and Atheethaavasthas, Kevala, Sakala
and Bu ddh a states. Before the Lord, the souls may be thought to possess no
chetanam as our Acharya says; jfaL‘&udQ<sifir jpnQic.

42

132. He is the maker and discerner of the world. He is self-
existent. He is consciousness. He is the producer of time. He
is the Lord of Pradliana (matter as explained by the Sankhya) and
K&hetragna (soul ) He is the master of gunas and is the deliverer
from Pasa.

133. He in the former time, produced Brahma and Himself
inculcated to him the Vedas. I propitiate that Siva by knowing
whom and by the grace of whose Intellect, I desire to leave this
Samsara by becoming a Mumukshu.

134. Him, Nishkala (void of parts) Nishkviya (void of action),
Santa (peaceful), Niravadya (blameless), niranjana (stainless). Him,
the Supreme bridge of Immortality — as is the tire after consuming
the wood.

135. When men are able to roll the Sky as if it wore a skin,
then there will be an end of misery without knowing Siva.

136 to 140. Oh Maharishis " By the might of Tapas and the
grace of the Lord, this sin destroying and meritorious knowledge,
fit for the Afcyasrarais, the most secret in the Vedantas, given out
in former kalpas, was attained by me from the mouth of Brahma by
the prominence of my good fortune. This most supreme knowledge
should not be taught to persons that possess no peace at their
hearts — nor should it be inculcated to an undutiful son, and never
to a disobedient disciple. These Arthas (meanings) when imparted
to a hipi-souled person will shine with full radiance, when ho has
intense love to God and love to his guru as is to God.

(141 ) Then, in brief, listen to me, Siva is beyond Prakvithi
and Purusha. He produces everything at the time of creation and
takes them bvck at the time of destruction. Ora.

Thus ends the 4th chapter in the 1st part of the Vayusamluta.

135. All the ur^-brahmm&nas are unanimous in reading the word “ Siva”
and ncn6 has the word “ Deva” Haradatta and Appaya Deekshita read only
“ Siva.” Will cot this Buffice to determine the correct reading?

t::

CHAPTER V.

1. Tho Riahis : — “ AH things originate in time and ail things
decay in time. There is nothing anywhere that is not dependant
on time.

2. Existing wherein (time), this universe, the region of the
ever-recurring round of Satnsara, revolves, like a wheel, bearing
on it the stamp of Sarga (evolution) and Samhara (involution).

3. Whose bounds, Brahma, Visbnu, Rudra and similarly all
Devae and ABurasare powerless to overstep.

4. Which wears out all creatures apportioning itself into the
Past, the Present, and the Future, and exists at its will and pleasure
ns a Dreadful Suzerain Lord.

5. Who 19 this venerable Time? Ib he subject to anyone? How
cava one be above his control? Tell me this. Oh far-seeing Lord.

b. Vayu says: — This one denoted by the name Time, which
is a personification of the component parts kalah, kahshta, Nimisha
etc., is the grand splendour of Mahesvara-

7. This, insurmountable by all mobile and immobile things, is
of the form of God's command— a power guiding the Universe.

8. His minutest power (amsarusa mnyisakti) proceeding out
of Him, has imbedded in this time even as are (tbe rays of) fire in
an iron (ball).

y. The universe is therefore under the sway of Time, but
time is not under the universe. This Time is under the control of
Siva but Siva is not under the control of time.

!0. Since the irresistible Tejas of God (Sarvaj is established
in tiuie — therefore the great boundary of time is incapable of being
transgressed.

IX- Who can overstep Time by the keenness of his intellect?
None can get over the effect of Time.

ft. The next chapter defines Kalah, Kahshta, Nimisha and others, “Thejo
Miihes sraram Pu»m” is the text in the original.

7. Niyogaroopam Isaeva” is the text In ths original.

8. Here the author ve>-,v carefully avoids confounding time and oaktbj
Time is Jadn while Sakthi is.cbit'.

44

1-2. He that rules the entire world l>y .subjugating it to his
power (literally under one umbrella) — He too cannot step beyond
fame even as is the ocean cannot pass the bounds of its shore.

13. Those who subdue the world by the suppression of their

senses — even thev cannot subdue time, but time subdues them all.

* *

14. Doctors in medicine conversant in the lore of the healing
arts, and skilful in the preparation of elixirs reputed as possessing
the virtue of prolonging life to an indefinite period, they too cannot
escape death. For Time is inconquerable.

15. A man, because of his possessing wealth, beauty, conduct,
power and all other tilings, thinks one, and Time does another with a
strong (hand).

16. Isvara unites and disunites all beings with things desirable
and detestable with un-thought of upheavals and pitfalls.

17. When one man is afflicted with misery, then another man
is blessed with happiness. Oh, wonderful is this incomprehensi-
ble Time !

18. He who is a (blooming) youth becomes {a decrepit) old
man. He who is stiong becomes weak. He who is rolling on wealth
becomes penniless. Strange is the perverseness of time!

19. Neither high-birtli, nor conduct, nor might nor learning
can avail for accomplishing a thing if time be hindrance (i.e. 1 e
not favourable).

20. On them who are waited upon (by attend juts) with en-
chanting strains of vocal and instrumental Music — and on them who
are helpless and are depending on others for their Aery sustenance
eating the food of others, Time acts alike.

21. Life -invigorating-elixirs and well-prepared-medicines be-
come fruitless if not administered in Time. They themselves
when offered in Time at once produce the desired effect.

-2. None dies except in Time, nor one is born except in Time,
neither one matures except in Time- No one attains pleasure or
pain except in Time and nothing indeed takes place except in Time.

12. Tliis refers to external (physical and brutal) force

Id. This refers to internal (mental uni subtle) force.

If). Time anticipates the desires of men.

lfi. Here time is eulogised as Isvaia. l*y way of personihe jtion.

45

- : L In lime the cool breeze wafts — lu Time min renche*
reservoir*. In Time ure crops raised, ami in Time lives the living
world.

24. Thus he who truly comprehends the true nature of Time
transcends Time and discerns the Lord who is above Tune.

V5. Him who has ueitiier Time, nor bandha {•‘ondage) nor

mnkthi (liberation), who is neither Purmsha, uor rakrithi nor

■ ■ — — \

25. There is perhaps a little bit of exaggeration in this description of Time.
The function of time, as is well described in the (Jhinthyx Agamtt, is simply to \
help the tioul to bring about the Malaparipako — (fruition of the bout's inherent
Mala) in the threefold divisions of post, present and future. “ Bhootho
Bh&vya Bhavishyatcha tridhu roopo Bhaveth Punuha Malanam Fs ripakartham
Kahlatatvasy* Sambhavaha'’ The Siddhanta savavuli describes the function of
time thuB : “ (Kahlo Bbootha Bhavath Vibhavi Yikruiho Jathuha — Purathresi-
thussakthaya ksbiprachiradi Boddbru kalanath Pumsaha kshiputhyaditbaha.”

“ Time divided into the past, present and future, seizeB on the knowing Boul
and influenced by Isa’s bakthi, fructifies tbe Souls inherent Mala. Indeed
Time (Kahla) is so called because it seizes on all “ Kalanath sarva boothanam
sakablaha Pankirtbithaha” and being a grand reckoner it is termed kahla.

" Kahlaha kalayatham Aham." &rikrishna in his Sivohain-posture proclaims
'• Kuhlosmi Lokakshaya krith pravruddho Lokan Sarnahartbum iho pravrutha-
ha" “ I am here Time for the purpose of destroying tbe world." This seizure,
as we have said, is for the purpose of the Soul’s M&laparipaka. One aspect of
Time, which we call death, is but a sleep akin to our daily sushupthi, and is
denoted by tbe names pralayu, laya ksbaya, rurithi and Bamhruthi, Dhwamsa,
Bhangah etc. It is a relief from the necessary burden of Deha, Indriva and
Karan as — a temporary rest serving the double purpose of repose for the already
wearied soul and a renewal and gathering in of fresh vigour and strength for
the morrow's work. Our Acharyas endorse tbe very same opinion. “Samharas-
cha Jivanom Samoara VyapaiaKhinnanam susbupthivath Visranthi Hethuthaya
Na Nairgbrunyupadakah (Srikanta). “ Niranthura Duhkamaya Sams&nt
chirathara parivruthi Sruntbanam Jivanam kanebit kalain Viksbepa Vigama
Sam ollasadatmanandanubha vena Visranthim Sampadavithu kamuha Rudraba"
(Appaya Dikebita.)

<£ Jt£ui$?<aruuir fltro)'

numguMQLjp (^<p?a9Q«t/r*9*s4£)

<_ earsjsv Vo'S a/evC p Qmer

Q s < t t&p l_ u n x* vi# sQ&r xo-.i — ear eurr .

Indeed all Agamas assert this. Mrigendra— “Bhavinani Visramnyeivam
Mayayascha Parossivaha. Akolayva Swadruk Sakthya Swapam bristyei
pravarthathe."

Christian theology has invested death with gloom and horror thus divorcing
it from its state as a normal condition in evolution picturing it as final, hopeless
and penal, presenting it as the outcome of the wrath of an irritated Deity, the
punishment for sin as well as the bar to all reformation, the entranoe to a
judgment irrevocable and eternal. If there be no evolution or gradual mitiga-
tion in Hell, existence there would serve no useful purpose for each individual
lost and it does not stand to reason to suppose that they would be maintained
in existence to endure an aimless useless misery for eternity, unproductive of

46

the world — To that wonderful formed Siva, the Paramesvara, — to
Him is this obeisance.

any good. Nor does the belief in a Purgatory, as the Romish Church would
have us believe, explain it, there being hell existence for many even after that.
Death is but one of the many aspects of evolution, an outcome of God’s Love
and the Agamos do assert that death is but an institute of Love. As men of
physic ii science, we see and know that there has been, and is, evolution in this
world and in the starry spheres which on all sides surround us. Should w«
then, contrary to all analogy, reason and justice, hold that evolution is partial
and truncated so fur as spiritual realm alone is concerned. Indeed all evolution
is for the perfection of soul — not for dead and inanimate matter. We who
believe ‘in a Mind in the Universe and a Sou! within the sum of things’ cannot
hold otherwise Nor is evolution a relentless ever-grinding wheel. “ Some far-
off Divine element to which the whole creation moves." So sings the poet. The
whole is an outcome of Divine Love. ‘ $,«n‘j)LjQurr(Lp H-uSirjr uoeortir ei
tyarmpuSiuS&ir uSqis p tyeeretsp" Ba y 8 Thayumanavar.

Deaths' true name is therefore ‘onward’. “What hurts it ua here if planets
arise and die ? What need we care for the shrinking sun, the sqandered energy,
Uie omen of Moon’s frozen peace? if man's soul grows, it matters no more
how many solar systems she wears out than how many coats. “VasaiUBijeerna-
niyatha Vihaya Anyuni gruhnathi Naroparani" as the Gita says. Nevertheless
to correspond with this expansion without U6, there must bo an expansion
within. Aud what is birth and death if not the preparation, and befitting of
the soul for that far-off espousal — an esposal of which earth’s brief encounter
with some spirit, quickly deal-, may he the pecursory Omen,

gnarQsiLi— niirumi, ^suuxtar&iru^^. (Thiruvachakam)

“ J»«ar?(60T«DlUlL/li> Jl Ilf loot (2 p /f jprar

^sssr^etr tr.T&rrjrpmpp ut&i pnetc

par m p'SsvuulL.i—J oar aLtn s

^SeosutBr^^er.” (Apparswamigal )

Death may not perhaps be an unmixed joy, as life itself is not; but that need
not blind us to its own intrinsic merit as a helping factor. Time affects all
except the Panchukrithya kartha. There is no exception to this rule. The
next chapter explains this vividly. It cannot affect Kuhla-kahla. For in Sivu
there is no Mala, no Maya and no Karma. Na Sivasyanavo bandbaha kiinno
Mftyeyu Eva Va. In former ages there flourished in ludia a certain set of
thinkers known as Kahla Vudis. They considered Time as God. The Swetus-
vatara refers to them as “ K&hlum thathanye Parimuhyamanahu ” “People
are deluded into the belief that time is God," and defines God as“ Jna Kahla
kahlo Guni Sarvavidyaha" “Sentient possessor of attributes Kahla Kahla" and
describes Him as presiding over it and other intermediate causes. “Kchlatma-

yaktham Adhithishtathi Ekaha" There is a reproduction of their theory

in the von- 1st chapter of the Mah&bharata.

“ Kahla moolaiu idan sarvam Bhavabliavow Sukha Sukhou. Kahlassru-
iathi Bhoothoni Kahl&ssamha'rathepr&jaha. Samharantham pi-ajaha kahlain
kahla samayathe punaha, Kahlo Vikruthe Bhavan Sarvanlokam Subhasuban.
Kahlaha, Bamkshipathe sarvaha Praja visrujathe Punaha. K&hlassaptheshu
Jagarthi Kah iohi Dur&thi kramaha " etc. AU this has its root in Time. Time
qteateB being and time destroys. Time pacifies all. Time disposes everything
good and bad and all world. Time is always awake when all are in sleep.
Tim* ir indeed anfoansgreBsable."

Thus ends the 5th chapter in the first part of Vayu Samhita in Sivapurana.

47

CHAPTER VI.

Tlie Rishis ask — (1) By what unit is the measurement of life-
time devised. What again is the furthermost limit of time whose-
form is number.”

2. Vayu says: Here they say that the measure called
Nimishs is the primary mode of calculating life-time. Santhi
Atkeethakala is the limit of this time which is formed of number.

3. The striking of the lashes of the eye (i. e. twinkling) is
called Nimisha. Fifteen of such Nimishas is called Kahshta

4* Thirty Kalistahs make one kalali. Thirty Kalahs make
one Muhoortlia- Thirty Muhoorthas form one ‘day and night’
(Ahorathra).

5. By means of thirty snch “dayR and night'’ is formed a Masa
of two pakehas — called krishnapaksha and Fcklapaksha which form
a night and day respectively for the Pitris-

6. Six such months form one Ayana and a Varsha contains
two Ayanas. By the unit of measurement of time resorted to in
this world, this is called a year (abda or Varsha) tor men.

7. It is the opinion of the Sastras that this (year) forms •
*day and night’ of the Dovas, the Dakshinayanam forming the
night and the Ufcharayanam forming the day.

8. Just as is the case for men, thirty such d*iys and nights form
a month for the Gods (Devas). A year too for the Devasis formed
of twelve such months.

9. Three hundred and sixty human years form one single
year for the Devas.

10. The computation of Yugas are made by the measurement
of the Devas’ duration. Poets know of four yugas in Bharath varsha.

11. The first is called krita, then comes Treta and then
follow the Dwapara and Kaliyugas.

9. Ten years for the Deni form one year for the Septartahie and ten yean of
the Septa riahia form one year for Dhrnya (Vide Llnga-pnnma.)

1-2. Four thousand (Deva) years form a Kritha Yu gw ; Four
hundred years form itssandhya; a similar four hundred forming the
SftndhyamBft.

13. The years of the other three yugas are formed by sub-
tracting a thousand years from the years of their previous yugas
respectively, a hundretl years being subtracted for the Saudhyn*
and their amsas from the Sandhyas and their amsas respectively
of the previous yugas.

14 Thus a ohathuryuga contains in all twelve thousand
years. A thousand such ciiathuryugas form a Kalpa.

15. Seventy one chathuryugas form one Manvantluira. In
one Kalpa the revolutions of 14 Manus are completed.

16. In this natural order Kalpas and manvantaras with
hundreds and thousands of prajas have come and gone.

17- A detailed account of them is not possible to give passing
beyond the rea^h of thought and number.

18. A Kalpa is a day-time for Brahma, bom of Avyaktha.
A thousand such Kalpas form a year for Brahma.

19. Fight thousand such Varshasisa Yugam for Brahma,
Eight thousand Yugas is a Savana for the lotus-born Brahma.

20. Nine thousand suoii Savanas elapsing away, there comes
the death of the great Brahma.

21 . In a day of his, fourteeu Indras pass away. Four hundred
and twenty Indr.is succumb in his month.

UU Thus Kritha contain in aU 4600 years.

13. The Treta contains 3000 years and each of its Sandbya and Saadhyamsa
contains 3oo years in all 36oo years. The Dw&para contains 2ooo years and each
of its Kandhyr. and Amsa contains 2oo years (24oo years in all) The Kaliynga
contains looo years and each of its Saudhya and Amsa contains loo years* (l2oo
years in til). 3 ■

15. 994 chn thnryujrve form the duration of 14 Manns and in a Kalpa, consist.
Umt ef 1 Opo 14 m anna die. .The 14 manna are respectively, Swayamba

Hwaroohisha. Uthama, Tltnmnan, Baivutha, Chakshasha Yaivosvatha, Soorya Savarni
Daksha savarni, Brahma savarni. Dharma savarni, Rndra savarni, BouOhya (Daiva
Utiinu),ai:d Bhowthya (Iudra Savarni^

The 14 Indus ard:-~H»ri, VipMchit, Snsanthi, Sipi, Vibha alias Vasu or
Havi, Manojavm, Purandam or Qjasvi. Mahabali, Adbatha, Saathi, Yrisha,
Ki‘haonama, Divaspathi, and Sndha:

DR A. VIDA MAHA BASHYAM.

38

Beyond these come, Purasha tatva (25) composed of Vidya
(26), Bagam (27), Niyati (28), Time (29), Eala (80), which five aro
derived from Asuddha Maya (31). Beyond them come Suddha
Vidya (32), Ishwaram (33), Sadakkiam (84), Binda or Sakti (35)
and Nad&m or Siva (36) ; (Vide table at p 244 Vol I.)

All tliHse proceed from Suddlia Maya, the original Maya

called kadilai or Kundalin Sakti, which is so highly spiritualized

and fine and powerful as to be identified with the Chit-Sakti of

the Lord Himself. As these evolve, they form different worlds

and they have their resolution. Various Powers and Principalities

preside directly over these different worlds; and the lowest world is

our present one, proceeding from the gross Mulaprakriti, intended

for the class of souls called Sakalar, who comprise from Brahma

and other Gods to men and sentient beingB in this earth. This

world is called the Guna world , Mulaprakriti consisting of the three

gunas, Satva, Rajas and Tamas, the worlds above being Nirguna.

The Gods who preside over this world are the three Deities Brahma,

Vishnu and Rudra, and they are Saguna, as also the various SouTs

of this world. No doubt these mighty Gods have highly perfected

material bodies composed more of Pure Satva Guna than other

elements* Still they have a material clothing just as any other

„ , * man. But the Supreme God of this School is

Saguna. and Nirguna. r

not o aguna but transcends guna, and hence

called Gunatitan and Nirguna. Tlie terms Saguna and Nirguna
being translated personal and impersonal usually, have caused
endless confusion. The meanings of the words Saguna and
Nirguna are themselves interpreted variously by different Schools,
and Christian writers are not all agreed about the meaning of the
word. Psrsnti'al. We hare however fixed the meaning of the words
p ^ ^ Saguna and Nirguna, as enveloped in

Impersonal matter and therefore limited, and as transcen-

ding matter, therefore, absolute and Limitless.
We accept Emerson's definition of Personality; who says it
signifies True Being, (Sat) both concrete and Spiritual. It
alone is Original Being. It is sot. limited. Personality is that
universal element tjiat pervades every human soul aiul which

Personal and
Impersonal.

34

is at once its continent and fount of Being. Distinction from
others and limitation by tliein results from individuality (Ahankara
or Anava) not Personality (Sat). Personality pertains to the
substance of the Soul and individuality to its fdrni. Another
Christian writer (Rev. J. Ivorach) points out that tl»e absolute and
unconditioned Being is Personal, is not a contradiction in terms,
such as a round square but that it will be true as when we say a
white or Crimson Square. “"When we speak of the absolute we
speak of it as a predicate of Pure Being ; we simply mean that
absolute Personal Being is and must be self-conscious, rational and
ethical; must answer to the idea of spirit. Why may not the
absolute Being be self-conscious ? To deny this to Him would be
to deny to Him one of the perfections which even finite beings
may have.’’ &t. Meikandan stated this truth long ago, in the
following words.

“When tiie soul unites itself to God and feels His Aral,
God covers it with His Supreme Bliss and becomes one with it.
Will He not know with the soul what is understood, by the soul
itself?" (XI. 1-6-)

And our St*- Tirumular states it in similar terms.
islrvur jfitp&Qp i&ty&Qjrjb jg&Bssr

pra r j&iuirM i9ssriB& iliit jr j$QjhQ p

“That day I knew my God, the same was not understood by the
Devae. The Bright effulgence lighting the inside of my body
and apub it is said does not know. Who else can know ? ”

Sivagnana Yogi notefa Wider Sutra 7, this supreme knowledge
of God has to be distinguished from the limited and relative ccn-
BcioosnaaB of the smul called or objective consciousness,

and when statement* are made of God that he is not conscious, it is
to be understood only as negativing this kind of or objee*.

tive conseiousnefeSk as nothing, is objective to God*

God Can therefore be Nirgnna and PersoHaK And we can
therefore appreciate Professor Max Moiler’sdifficrnfcy when he tries

35

to understand the God spoken of in the Svftasv&tara, Deva in the
passage quoted below, he snya, is the nearest approach to our own
idea of s Personal God, tl.oogh without the background which
Vedanta always retains for it, and that it seems At first Contradictory
the existence of a God, a Lord, a Creator, a Ruler, and at the same
time, the eivideuce of a super 'personal Brahmas.

“He is the One God hidden in all beings, - all pervading, darva
Bh n tad i antaratma, watching over all works, dwelling in all beings,
the witness, the perceiver, the only one, Nirguna.' 1

“He is the one Ruler of many who seem to act bnt really do
not act." “He is the eternal among eternals, the thinker among
thinkers, who though one fulfils the desires of mapy."

“ The sun does not shine there, por the moon and the stars,
nor the^e lightnings, and much less this fire, When he shines
everything shines after him , by His light all this is lightened. "

“ H« makes all, he knows all, the self -caused, the knower, the
time of time, who assumes qualities and knows every thing, the
Master of Nature and Man, the Lord of the three Ounat, the cause
of the bondage, the existence and the liberation of the World. 1 ’
(VL 4. io 16).

[n another place III, 15 and id Ac, the gender changes
frequently passing from the masculine to the nent-er. Of course
some try to interpret that the seer in one half of the , verse
contemplated the Impersonal Nirguna Brahman and in the
other half the Sagvna Brahman, Isa or Iswara or Siva. This will
die ridicules*. Lnj. Thibaut had pointed Out, that th* author pf tte
Vedanta Sutra* does not contemplate distinction of a Sagppa

and N^rguna God, ootihat any djatifift+pn did not exist at the
time; but if the .author spoke of G,od, it wuapf jthp Highest One, and
oot at oop time of the High#* God (in SqtnA,) and of the lower God
(ip ; tho 2od.Sptra). If -he sppkeof Gnd ap the creator Ac of this
world, it was only of the , Highest Gpd apd not of a S*gqn» God
Hence it has to be noted in connection with the Haft postulated by
the 1st Sutra of Sivagnansbhoda, JJe is iiotpne with the Trinity but
one above them and the commentator quotes various verses from th e

36

Devaram and Tirnvachakam, in which God is spoken of as

Lord of the Trinity, and who became the three* and where
people who mistake Him for One of the Trinity are admonished in
strong terms. We have treated of this at length iD our article on
'some aspects of the Godhead in Vol. II of the Siddhantn Deepika.
We have also pointed oat that the Siddhanti addresses God
as He She, and It, in all the forms of speech available to
him, and that God is neither Male nor female nor neuter, ‘Ouwir,
^essr jyft90iogp;l) QupfStu *> O^ntb/S." Praise be to the Lord who
assumes the nature of male, female and neuter. '

Quests njtr^fS) U ^fdQiuriiiu i9p4gQsir s>f)Qfr

mB an gaps lcahv ^ jj © $ ptismtju, ( ?6u(rpQ,

“ Was Male, Female, and neuter,

Was Heaven with gleaming lights and Earth
And was none of these, — Tiruvachakam.

God is accordingly addressed as Siva, Sivah and Sivam, Sankara,
Sankari, and Sankaram, Deva, Devi and Devam, without any change
of Personality in the consciousness of the devotee.

Sivagnana Yogi refers to the sloka 13 in Appaya Dikshita 8
Sivatatva viveka and the commentary thereon in which the God’s
nature as Gunatita is folly described.

In .the second Sutra, the topics discussed are the relation of
God to the world, the question of the evolntion and resolution of the
world and how it is brought abont. As in the previous Sntra it
was mentioned that God created the wo»*ld Ac, .the questions arise
as to hdty Relinks himself to the world, whence the world is created
and by what power, and how and why souls are bom and reborn.
In connection with these questions, the nature of ‘advaita,’ the
nature of Karma and Maya Malas. and the nature of God’s Chit
and Sakti are discussed by the commentator. In regard to the first
question, we have not got the full commentary of Sivagnana Yogi,
bat reference made to his views on this question as they are set otit
in his commentary of the sixth Sutra.

37

The text postulates that God is one with the souls, (AMieta)
and different from the souls (Beth*) and one -and-diffe rent (Betha-
l>etha) uj jtQaruntL.'' Of coarse it is felt at once that

this postulate contains a contradiction and a puzzle- But is there no
means of getting rid of this contradiction, and getting a clearer
understanding of the subject. The usual similes given by the
various Schools, are such as gold and ornament Qut tirutaSQuir 0t(2u
#u5 and light and darkness {&)<$* QrfQutritQufti) &c, and it will be
seen at once no reconciliation is possible with these Betha and
Abetha Schools. But St. Meikandan rejects these similes and gives
others instead, in which a reconciliation is possible. His similes are
body and mind jfQujti) (including the simile

of vowel and consonant), the snn or light and the eye * war
<?l r«* Gu?u> t the soul or mind and the eye

L/«r«* Gufn Gujim). In all these instances, though a
difference in substance may be felt, an identity is also perceived.
These objects cannot be separated, one is not the other, aod yet one
could not exist or act without the other. The union here is not like
that of any union or relation that we know of two material objects*
in the world, but is that of two substances in different planes like
mind and body and yet coming into union and oneness. And
we know how Dr. Bain got puzzled over this unique union, and felt
the contradiction that existed on the conjunction of matter the
extended, and mind the nnextended and complained that there was
not even a single analogy to illustrate this union. And wo refer
our readers to our article "on ‘vowels and consonants’ or Mind and
Body in Vol II. p. 1-3.

It was the merit of St. Meikandan to fully illustrate and
illuminate the subject- for the first time, and the greatest distinction
of his philosophy consists in the peculiar view of ndrnitom postula-
ted by him, differing from all the views of the different s-choola,
and vet harmonising them all, so as to make it an universal
system pf philosophy. We strictly follow the Vedic Texts “Ekam-
e vadvitiyara Brahma,” ‘Ekameva Rudranadh vitiyaya tasteh,” and
say God is one and only one w.thoufc a second, hut not so as to deny
the existence of other substances besides God in relation, but just

38

4s we can say there is only the letter A, and no other -letters like
consonants. We have stated how this view was nothing new, in a
sense, but this philosophy should have existed front the vet*y begin-
ning of the Tamil language when they named vowels and consonants
as m-uSit sLi-e-, or a-*Sf QanL, meaning mind and body.

As the commentator points out, the word was taken by all the

Advaitmi. Schools as implying the negation of two things
taking the &m*>La and u>jpi*tm>QunQm of the
negative prefix, and it was St. Meik&ndau who brings out the
jnar&>u>j non -difference that existed between two distinct

things- The question did not arise as to the existence of snbstunces
and as to how many of them; but they arose in connection with
tlie Mahavakya texts, 'Aham Brahmasmi,’ ‘•Tatvanjasi" “Vignauam
Brahman ’ which are postulates regarding the individual sonl or self
and God, in the first and second and third persons, I am god. Thou
art God. He is God. ' And says the commentator.

w pQp*>?£BTQujn j)*fr<fi?Qu>oirg2ni> Q.an p

jp ‘Mgi £!u<7©»r®>*y/ er-ii, **&Qdr

(5 par, a-ia, &ir&sirp&’ w-i, L^dufifS SpQfii

(ip p&Suj Loairpm aQiu&a'isfisGsiLi—piifi Sr gp Qsnar^j jp
SQujari-i^i ^Q^Q-in (Y^air aaS atr , ^Q^Quirq^dr tL'pQwp ptQfjtr qyait i&e hjitmi
aoru> adrpiio eiQfipptrseSdr

SI&dMO* tpp(j$Qpet r ?*@iu &ihu*0 c&G f^Qpestn «(?,*> uj

jgvtj> Q*n iliQu a qO or .ji jpaBHT i _$.Qan ao m

“‘If you ask what then is the meaning of the word Advaitam
I will show how Saiv4 Siddhantis explain it. On hearing the great
texts called Mahavakya ‘Tatvamasi, <4 c. which are used in the three
persons, we see that tl ese sentences 6peak of ‘That, as one sabstanee
and ‘Thou’ as another, and enquire, how one can become the oilier,
the answer is given to remove this doubt, by staving how me can be
the other and what relation subsists between these two , and the word
Advaitam is used to express this peculiar relation.”

1 he word does not moan one or uou-existenee of two or more,
but is used to express the peculiar relation that exists -between two
distinct things and .which can become one and we had long ago
called attention to this meaning in oar very first work, and before

39

we had any chance of seeing this lnmiaou* exposition of Sivags&na
Yogi, and we observed, Vide Sivagnanabotham p. 17.

“Though in all these cftses, an identity ii perceived, a difference in substance
is also felt. It is this relation which could not be easily postulated in words,
lint which may perhaps be conceived, and which is seen as two (Dvaitam) and
at the same time as not two (Advaitam); it is this relation which is called
Adnaitam, * a unity in duality,’ and the philosophy whioh postulates It the
“ Advaita philosophy.''

Of all tlie mass of Vedic and theosopliic literature that haa
come into existence daring the last H or 3 decades, there are none
tliat equal the writings of Profeseor Xante for real insight into the
nature of Hindu Philosophy, and critioal acumen. And his srunramiy
added at the end of the first pada of the -first adhyaya of His
translation of the Bralrtna Svtras is a most betwrtiful and original
oue. Wonderful as it may seem, both Sivagnana Yogi and Xante
exactly propound the non questions and give the same answer*
He shows how there are texts in the Upanishads which support the
dualistic and monistio view, and the mainstay pf the monists asq
the Maha Vakya texts and these texts are the great stumbling
block in the path of dualists, and he shows that their interpretation
cannot hear an examination, because the texts evidently do not
admit of it» and all that they eay is simply beside the mark.,'

“ What iq to be done P Thera are doubtless a few texts in the Veda which suppqrt
tbh Pentbmttife Views. Wort however sapper* the T heist I c principles. fist Mbq
as PaatbefMio teste are net explained, the pro porn tina. that the Vedas do set iettob
Pantheism cannot be accepted. Again, the adjustment and interpretation of these
phop s i tafl by the Theittt Cannot be accepted beoattas of their being farfetched and
forced. But we do not eee how tke few Pantheistic teats come ip the way of Ttaism
because we believe that though they be interpreted as the Pantheists a*i, yet they
support Theitn, Hew on* this be t r ’ A*d he proceeds to show bow this am only fee
understood in the light of Yoga. After instancing the various forms of. Bhakti,
(fchariyti and itriya), he mrys, “ But there is a special feature of such adoration— a
featnre not included in any of these. It Is the ecstatic condition, of the Spirit, a
condition which can neither be explained nor understood without an illustration,
bet the reader realise the lore w mother has fcw her child. A mother -or hdr child
sometimes experiences a Starts of mind, an indescribable state. That which gjefci-
Of theta expresses car. alone convey an idea of their feelings when they are in fhe
ecstatic oeudltittta The another directly addresses (the child thus, *Qh my pitosuf
gold, Oh, my soul, Oh my life, can lest yon op ” SiQtuaqr

tJnder these circnmatancee, the mbther forgets that her body is different
from that bf her ekfld, which e* peri an res the same feeling. Such an tdmfcfy is the farm
of the eostatic ooadition of -the -mind. This is a special feature of adoration. This sort
of nstklic identity the Ybg*s ful. Hebbein the Veda and in the Upanifehada, the Panthe-
istic doctrine sf the identity of Vbe hnnm spirit and the Bopmns Spirit, ifmmmt
ted ii tnm ntiaUd in this way. Again the Brehma Bstn-pf Bodareyana does not inculcate
it." And be rap fortes further below. “ The ehpt ttahl b feature iff As Indian
VedKnU is its rojOgnitioh-of spirit pewet, us it iaaxpUioed fa the Vega Sntrea wfeMt
systematically lay down the following propositions. That the Supreme Spirit, or God

4 0

m related fa the human Spirit, that the buutau spirit lias very great pofentuil powers
aad that of certain methods of living be adopted, it cun call out its powers and become
aetualy able to know the past and the future, and chat the spirit disenthralled from tW
flesh is ultimately absorbed in out sense into the Supreme Spirit- T 10 Yoga system is
properl v the back bone of the Vedanta. 1

And we had pointed out in another place, Yol. II, page 1 99*
that the Yoga pada » not merely the back bone of Vedanta, but
it is Vedanta itself.

It is not well understood that the word upanishad really means the same thing
as ‘Yog**. Yogs- means the Sadana required for bringing the Soul and God in
Union; and the Upanishad is also the teaching of the Sadana whereby man comes
nearer and nearer to God, by destroying the bonds that bind him. The root mean*
>*>g (npn-ne&r, ni-quite, sad -to perish) is hit off to a nicety in the famous line in
Tiruvaohakam. “ The House of God," 7th verse, Qrdr jp Qedr Jpl -Sr ppu auirdiG
OpiLii £>(5 ftui & qdtQTp lo, " nearer and nearer to Thee I drew, waring
away atom by atom, Till I was one with Thu.” And in the passage we quote below
(ohAndog 1-1-10) and in several others, the word Upanishad is UBed as a synonym
for Yoga. And this derivation really explains the scope of an Upanishad. a mis-
understanding of which has led to no end of confusion. The Siddhanti takes the
upanishad as the text-book of the Yoga Pada or School."

The higher stage or Pada being the Guanapada, the words,
Upanishad, Vedanta, Yoga, Saha-Marga or Sohamarga or Hamaa
Marga are all synonymous; and as Vedanta strictly means, Yoga,
the words, Vedanta and Siddanta are contrasted, Siddhanta mean-
ing the Gnana marga or Pada. thongh it embraces all the remaining
padas, Chariya, Kriva. and Yoga. The practice involved in the
Mahavakya texts is this Spliam Bavana, or Sivoham Havana, and
when this practice isimatured, the soul stands in complete allegiance
to the Supreme one, renouncing all idea of self and self action,
then can the soul say “ I am all the world,” u/r(?cv&/mQ«OTU 6 B#«r. 2 V
— Sivagnanabotlmm 2 1-4) “ In me everything originated, in me

everything established, in me everything merges. That Becond-
less-Brhman am I ” (Kairal tip. 21.)

As Professor Kunbe speaks of the potential power of man by
calling out which, he can become one with God, Rivagnana Yogi,
dwells at great length) and too frequently on this special characte-
ristic or power of man whereby man oan be said to become.Uod ;
and this power is the power of the soul to become that to which it ie
United, jqgtsjjpeutrpto, in the language of St. Meikandsn, oarreppm
amem user pea in the language of St. Arul Nandi Sivacharya, and
atrQpamjBUjpjiiair pfpdtaSiuiiuaaj Sppe« in the language of St.
Tha} umanavar and this power is likened to that of the crystal or
Mirror.

THE

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

OR

The Light of Truth.

A Monthly Journal, Devoted to Religion, Philosophy, Literature, Science, do

Commtttotd on the Qumb'i Commemoration Day. 1087

Yol. Till MAY 1907. No. 2

The Inner Meaning of Siva Linga.

Continued from page 368 of Vol . VII.

When we speak of God as Light, we mean that He is ohaitanya
and we have shown that this light is the linga of the heart lotos
and the Linga Sooktha texts in the Vedas clearly explain this— -
Here are the texts.

Nidhftna pathayn namaha — Nidhanapath&nthikaya namaha,

Oordhvaya namaha — Oordhava Lin gay a namaba
Hiranyaya namaha — Hiisnya Lingaya h&m&he,

Sararnaya namaha — Snvarna Lingaya namaha,

Divyaya namaha Divya Lingaya namaha,

Bhavaya Tmmaha Bhava Lingaya namaha,

Sar vayanamaba Savva Lingaya namaha,

Siraya namaha Siva Lingaya namaha,

Jvalaya namaha Jwala Lingaya namaha,

Atmflys namaha Atma Lingaya namaha.

Paranxaya namaha Pamma Lingaya namaha,

Sthath Somaaya Sooryaiya Sarvalingagnnv athahpayathe Pahnimontma
Pavithram.”

Here the Linga is called Oordhva-linga, because as a pillar of fire
it climbs upwards. It is Hiranya, because it Has the appea ranee of
molten gold. It is Suvarna because of its shining appearance. It
is Divya Linga because it stands as the Emblem, oi Divinity. It i*

20

SIUDUANTA DTEPIKA.

Siva linga because it represents Siva. It is called jwala Lings
because of its sparkling nature. It is called Atma linga because
it rest 9 as the liuga of tho heart lotas of man. It is called
Paraina linga because it symbolises “Infinity and Eternity.'’
A phallus cannot be termed Jvala, Iliranya, Parania, Suvarna,
Divya and Atma. Maharshi Bodhayana in his Mahanyasa etc., uses
these Mantras as the Anga of Sri Rudram.” There are also
khila riks to describe the nature of Linga- The khila Hiks are as
authoritative as the riks themselves if we give credit to Manu who
says

" Swadyayam Srahvayeth Pithre Dharma S&stram Chaivahi, Akhayabna neethi
hasahmscba Puranani Khilanieha.”

One should recite the Vedas, tlie dhavmas, tho Akhyanaa, the
Ithihasas, the Puranas and khilas during Sraddhas. The riks are :

“ Satyam Parana Paramam Nithyam Tath Sthanuroopam, TKadeva Lingakaram
“ Brahma Viahnoorajasabaddha Vyrah Madhya Thayor Drisyatha Jahthft Y«dah.”
True, Gre.it, Eternal. This unchanging form. This alone is the
Bhape Linga. Brahma and Vishnu were quarrelling and there arose
in their midst a great fire.

The Upabrahmanas thus describe the Linga The vidyesvara
Samhita.

“ Adow Brahmatva Bndhyartham Nishknlam Lingani uthitham y&didiim Niahkalam
Sthatnbham Mama Brahmatva Bodhakam Linga Lakshana yukthathvath nazna
)ingam Baavoth idem."

In the beginning for a conception of the Absolute Brahmam
the Nishkala Linga arose. Let this Nishkala (void of parts being a
huge pillar) pillar, which proclaims “My Brahmatva stand as my
mark or sign or symbol because it possesses the characteristics
necessary for symbolising eternal Brahm.”

" Mahanaloethamba Vibhishanah kruthirbabhoova Than madhya thale sa nishkalaha
kimotliath Adbuthuhkaram itbyoochuscha Parasparam Atheendriyam idam Stham-
bhai-.i Agniroopam kimathitham. AsyordhvamapicbadhaacLia A v^yorlakahya
niovahi," " Yath pHnauthambha roopena swahvirasam Aham pura." "Auadbj'an-
thcraidum st ham ba.ri .Vnumathram Bhavishyathi Daro-anarth.'m bijjgatham Pooja*
hi put hr, ;_.v' " Purasthath e'.hambha roopena Paachath Roopena char -

bhako^r.”

Be. the h .nkala, became a dreadful huge pillar of fire in the
midst of Brahma and Vishnu. “Wnat is this wonderful form /
\7hy arose this huge pillar of fire which is inconceivable to all our
senses ? Let as try to find out its top and bottom.” So fpoke the

THE INNER MEANING OF SIVA LINGA.

57

two among themselves. The Lord says " Did I not appear formerly
in the form of a pillar ?” (Note here that the author says that the
Lord Himself became a pillar or took the form of a pillar, not that
his generative organ was fonnd there. “ Ahatn stambha roopena
Avirasam. ” I appeared in the form of a stambha.) This Beginning
less and Endless iSthamba Pillar will dwindle into an atom bo that
the world may gaze at it and worship it. “First as a pillar and then
as a figure (roopa) did I appear'*. Another Samhita Says:

“ Makft JralB m&y&m ghoram sthambha bbootham Jr ga thrive yaayanthem Wo
mad yam chi No Mool&miha drisyothe Nopam&n&m pr&mauam Va Tbojaso Vwtha5 B
ryasa, Brabma Viahnoo Prakupithou Liugam p&ramapaayatbam, Jr&lalingam
Samadranthe Jvalantham iwena tbcjaaa.” Idam Jvahluh may am lingam kaeyaa

yath ithiohintbya thou.” “ Ling* moortblm Maha Jvaiahmalah Samvrutha-

maryayam, Lingaeya madhye Rnchiram chandrauekhixa Vigraham, Madhye Lingam
Mabagburum Mahubclh.ru mbhaai Stbitbam.”

In the three worlds this terrible form of a huge flame settled as a
pillar whose top, middle and bottom are unknown. It has no
similitude It is immeasurable. “Let us see the Grand Lingam
of flame which is of itself shining amidst the Ocean.” Thus said
Brahma and Vishnu. This endless Linga form studded with streams
of flaming beams. Within that Linga is the figure adorned with the
crescent moon. In the midst of the vast Ocean this High terrible
Linga ’ — These are upabrahihanas of the text in the Ambasyapare
portion of the Mahopanisliad.

“Ambasyupare Nahkasya Priflhte M ahathamaheey a a Sakrens Jyothigamahi ganonu-
prsviahtaha, Nainam oordb&7am Nathiryamcha Na madhye parijagrabhath Na
thasyesekeuchana Thaaya nama Mabath yeeas” Na aandrose Thistathi roopamaaya
Na C'hukibuGba Pavyathikascha nainam Hrida maneeaha Manasuh bhiklupthaha
yaci>am Vidnramrnthasthe Bharanthi.”

His top, middle and bottom are not known. His form is not
cognizable to our eyes. No man has seen it with his eyes. He is
graspea by the Mind. His name is the “Great Glory.’’

The Agamasays “Jyothisthamblia kritlusinrnthani “Tadroopam
sookshma roopena Jyothiroopamitlii smrutliam ” and the Vayu
•Samhita says “ Jvalalingasya Deekshine ukaraschothare bhage
makarasthasya rnadhyatliaha. ” The Jyotlii is represented in the
form of a pillar. That fonn being sublie is called jyothi roopa.

Thw flaming Linga is formed of Prana vh. ,A rests to its right Bide,
U in the left and M in the middle.

a 8

SID0HANTA DEEPIKA

Thia jyothi is the Eternal Brahmam “ jyothir jvalathi Brahma
lamwm ” " Aham Visvam Bhuvanamapyabhavahm Snvarua

jyotheehi.’’ “jyothi sparkles. I am therefore Brahm.” I have
become the entire world. 1 am the shining jyothi.”

It ia thi 9 jyothi that Yogis in their Samadhi states and Yideha
Mnkthi Avasthas realise and become one with It. It is on realising
this jyothi that the sonl never returns.

“ Araath Sareerahth Samathaya Paxatn Jyothirupa sampadyathe Na Sa puiouravar*
thathe, Na Sa Punarahrarthathe”

So says the chandogya. “ By ascending from this body aud attain-
ing the Grand jyothi. He never returns, He never returns ”

The Brahma Soothra Krith in his 6nal sootra “ Anavruthis
sabdath Anavrnthissabdath” refers to this jyothi. By jyothi we
must only take the thick cluster of the fiery beams; at least we
must so imagine it. As so many other things of the world this
jyothi is a word of the physical world. Only this :'s symbolically
used for Brahmain. The common jyothi or Light removes dark-
ness. The Paramjyothi or God removes Agnana, the root of evil.
The Brihadaranyaka gives out this prayer. “ Asathoma Rathgamaya
Thamaso ma jyothirgamaya Mruthyorma Amrutham Gamaya.”
From Asat lead us to Rat. From darkness (ignorance) lead us to
Light (God) and from death lead us to Immortality.” The Siddhanta
Saravali in the very first address to God says ‘‘Sivakhyam Aknlaro
jyothihi Prapadye Dhiyah” — I contemplate on that formless jyothi
which is denoted by the name Siva. This jyothi form is not the
form of a man or a wOrnan. It is of the form of “Fire.” It is
Deepasikhakrnthi or of the shape of the flame of a lamp (Vanni-
sikhakahram). The jyothiroopara does not stand for the lastrous
figure of a man or a woman. We also think that Siva-Sakthi is in
the heart. Brit we dare say that this figure is imbedded within
that linga form. The linga form is called Sakalanishkala. The
Sakala forms are only products of this Nishkala form. Lingasya
Madhye Ruchiram Chandrasekhara Vigraham. The figure of ,the
Lord as possessing the crescent' moon on the head is within the
Linga. 'Therefore the Linga form alone is denoted by the term
jynthiroopam ^arill-iiot the figure of a nvvu or a woman. In our

THE INNER MEANING OF SIVA LING A.

30

ordinary Siva-deekshas, any one who has the Sauiaya deeksha
performed to him or any one who is initiated with the Sripanchak-
akara mantra can know how the disciple is required when perform,
ing karanyaaa to hold both the palms of Ids hands in the form
of a lotna bod which is formed by the joining of the palms
of the hands with a hollow inside so that the fingers of the one
hand join with the fingers of the other hand ; how the palms
are then separated as if to show the blowing of the petals
and how the Sivah-sana is pointed by the thumb in the
middle of the palm and how again in the Anganyasa the Sivah
sana is pointed by the thumb in the place near the heart i.e. the
chest, bow Sivamoorthy is there contemplated. These are all too
many plain things. Again those who have had the cariosity to
look at the “ Lingadharana ceremony of the Veera Saivas, whether
they are done according to the Panditha achara or the Basavachara,
can see that the Linga is tied round the neck and is made
to hang touching the heart. Arnhdliya Acharyne like the Soma-
natha AradhyB and Panditha aradhya have written treatises regar-
ding the suspending of the Linga. The mantras and tantras used
on the occasion all describe the linga a part of the lotus. The
Linga thns suspended has nothing to do with the phallns. Is the
heart the place for suspending the phallns? Even the great
Yagnavalkya when initiating Gargi into the secret of yoga says
“ Athav* pkrimathman»m F&ramana-,d& Vigraham, Gnroopadea&th Vigneyam
Pornaham Krishna Pingalam Brahma Brahmapare Gorgi Daharabjekha mad by ©u©
Abbyahaath lamprapa ©van thi Yoginaathvamcha that ha kora”

The Brahma pura is the heart. The heart lotus is the place of
Brahmam. Having thus established the jyothiroopnm as the Linga
of the heart-lotas, it is our purpose now to show what this jyothi is.
In onr quotation from the Vayu Samhita we said that to the right
side of the flaming linga rests A, to the left side U and M rests in
the middle and the Nada rests in the top of the Lings. Now we all
know that the combination of A, U, M, and Nada constitutes Pranava
In the ELamsopanibhad we learnt that when the Hamsa merges
himself in Nada that state is called Thuriyatheetham. Yadah
Hamso Nade Vileenobhavathi Thath Thuriyatheethftra. In the
Sootha samhita “Gnana nalile Maha kande Pranavena prabodhithe

30

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

and in the Jsvara gita we learn (Omkara bodhitham tatvam”) and
Aghora Siva himself says “(Akaradi mahthrah thraya Yukthena
Pranavena — jyotJiiroopam samsthapya)" and in our quotation

from poojastava we said “Hridpadmakhya Sivalilaye Visuddha

manasah samsthapya Nahrfathmana Lingam thatcha etc." What
connection then is there between the jyotlti the Pranava or the
Nada and the linga. All upanishads, the Taithriya, the Chandogya,
the Mandookya, the Prasna, the IS w etas vat ar a. the Atharva sikha,
the Atharvasiras and the kaivalya upanishad are unanimous in
dihCnbing the efficacy of the Pranava Dhyana. ‘‘ The body and
soul are like the understicks of the sacrificial Arani while the
Pranava is the upperstick and the fire that is ignited consumes all
pasas. “ Atmanain Aranim kvithva-Swadeham Aranim krithva-
Pranavam chotharahranim Dliyana nirmathanah bhyasalith Palisam
Dalmthi Pandithaha. ’ The Atharva 9ikha, which forms the essence
of all the Vedas as the Soot-ha Samhita and the Vayusamhita assert,
thus says

“ Prahn&m munasi Baba karunair Nahdalmthe Paramathmani samprathishtapya
Dbyayitha Isanam”

and it begins with describing the matliras of Pranava A, U, M and
Ardhamatra. This Ardhamathra is the final mahtra. (YahvaBane
asya chatlmrthyardha matrah sa Omkara.” The Vayu Samhita
thus describes the import of this portion of the Atharvasikha
Upanishad.

“ Ardhtf matrahthmako nahdaha erooyatbe Linga Moordhani.”

This ardliainathra is formed of Bindu and Nada. What is Nada
and what is Bindu? TheSvayambhu Agama says

“ Srisbti kabletbn kutilaha kundalyahkahraye stbithaha. Tan madhye Jnanamntb-
pannam Thadroopam Nahdamuchnyatbe."

In the beginning of creation the kutila (Pranava) stands in the
form of kundali, a sleeping serpent with its coils folded. In it
Bprang a sound (Nalida) and Bindu is kundalini itself.

S'j Uimlnnth’ manthavyassaiva kundalinee matliah "

The word kutila itself means '‘curved The Agacnas assert that
tlie two primary modes of pranava are Bindu and Nada. Of these
Bindu lias the form of a cypher and the Nada tho form of a slick
or pillar. ' Prat h an am Bindu Samyuktham Dwitheeyam Daiidam

THE INKER MEANING OF SIVA LINGA.

SI

ITehya&be.' Tlie Vayu Samhita asserts that Bindu is of crescent
form and Nada has the shape of the flame of a lamp.

“ArdhA Chandrahlcrithir Binda Nahdo deepuikliahkrithihj.”

The form of the Binda is ■ and of the Nahda is—- or again the
Binda is O a cypher or dot ‘ while the shape of Nahda is a long
line. Sometimes the serpent is viewed as sleeping. 'Than its coils
will be folded- At that time it is in the form of a circle, or when
it is disturbed a little, its coils are a little unfolded; t .en the shape
is a semi-circle or ardhachandrahkrathi. The conjunction of Bindu
and Nahda is formed like or like O — or like ft . The two
joining together is called Ardha mahtra. While A, U and M
have diatinct sounds, the Ardha mahtra has a subtle sound.
Hence it is called Anahatha. Hence this ardliamatra is called
MownaVsharam or the Silent Letter or as it is callod by Saint
Thirumool&r wc«u) Saint Pattanathar characterises it ss

Gu*<rp LciQrib and Qsjtlt—/rp vimaCo.

Now we all know that the symbol a. is called Pillayar-ehtfli
and is written at the beginning of any Tamil or Grantha work. All
of us (Tamils) have been in the habit of writing such a symbol at
the commencement of any letter, but alae even here the western
influence has made itself felt. We are gradually losing our Pranava.
People ignorant of the meaning of this symbol have come to view
it with disfavour to designate it as a sectarian symbol and in its
place to substitute for which we have no warrant- We have
authorities requiring us to sound Lhe Pranava or to contemplate on
the Pranava at the commencement of any holy act but we have yet
to find authority for the use of the novel . This simply shows
that these people have lost the Pranava and that they are far-
removed from the Pranava. We will be very glad if these people
can cite authorities for the use of or for the pranava being void
of Ardhamatra or for the ardhamahtra not being like a. Bush
is the perverseness of man 1 If the Pillayar-shuli is augmented
with the A, U, and AT, then the whole figure is the shape of
of Ganesa — the head of an Elephant with one tusk. This

also determines the correctness of the South Indian Alphabets 1
For instance consider the vowels snd consonants of tho Tamil
language* We place dots over the consonant* but we do not do so

SB

SIPDHANTA DEE PIKA

in the case of vowels. Why is this? We know that the vowels are
called or life letters and that the conson&nta are

called Qix> u&iuQfjjg) or body letters. We also know

that without the help of the vowel or n*S/r the consonants or
caAnot sound. The relation between the vowels and consonants
is like the relation which subsists between Atma and Deha. One is
not derivable from the otlrer. The consonants are not products of
the vowels even as the Doha (body) is not a product ef Atma (soul.)
Still the consonants depend upon the vowels for their sound. There
will be no consonant without the help of the vowels. The vowels
partake of the nature of Nada. The consonants partake of the
nature of Bindu. Nada is one which has its own Bound ; this Nada
<£oe0 not depend upon any other for its sound. But what is Bindu ?
The Bindu, though it lias its own Mahtra or Sound, depends
upon the Nada for the very existence. The Nada is life and the
Bindu is body. It is to show that the Bindu ip body or that

WO place dots over the consonants. The dots represent the Binds.
The vowels need no such signs. Hence we do not use them in the
case of vowels. In the Siva-linga itself the pee La is called Biadu
while the pillar is Nada. Hence the Vathula Agama says u Linga
peeta prakahrena karmasadahkhya Lakshanam Nahdam Lin garni-
thi jueyam Binduh Peefcam udahrutham Nahda Binduyutjt»am roopam
karma sadakyam uchyathe,” The karma Badakhya is siva-linga.
The peetam is Bindu and the Linga is Nadam. The combi-
nation of Nads and Bindu is karmaroopam. The Vidyesvara
Sam hits says '‘Bindu. Nadatmakam Sarvam jagath sthavara
jangamatm Bindus sakthi Sivo Nahda Sivasaktbyahthmakam
jagsth Nkdahdharam idam Bindu Bindvahdharam idam jagath.
jagadadharabhoothouhi BinduNadow VyavastJikhou.’* The Gnana
Siddhi says Gnanenathu kriyothpannam Thadroopain Bindu
ruehyathe. The entire world is formed of Bindu and Nada.
Kudu is Sakthi and Nada is Siva. The whole world is Sivasakthi
rimyam. The Bindu is dependant upon Nada. The World is
deftttadatot upon Bindu. Therefore Nada and Bindu are the Adharaj
(SokMfMttn) of the world mobile and immobile things.

(To be continued.)

A. RENUASWAMI iybr.

The -Todas: Their Origin and Affinities.

1 — Their Antiquity and Importance.

The study of savage life is of immense importance to the
student of modern science. Apart from the peculiar interest that
civilised man finds in the doings of his lxalf -naked brother who
claims estate with the fowl and the brute of the dark regions of the
liabitable world, the study is of great value on account of the light
it throws on the growth and development of human institutions.
The study of the Negroes find the Australian savages, the non-
co-operative esquimaux, and the perfectly peaceful Bodos, Dhimals
and the Kocchs and other tribes of nomadic, warlike and industrial
dispositions with their varied beliefs and customs have been of
immense help in solving many a knotty problem in Religion and
iSociology. Among other countries India too has been long noted
for- its several ‘-'aboriginal” tribes with primitive beliefs and
singular habits and customs, chiefly among whom may be placed the
Toda tribe— a people of peculiar interest to the student of South
Indian Antiquities and we propose to study in these pages their
curious life and devote our attention to the inquiry as to their origin,
their probable affinities and migration to their present abode.

The Todas are .a tribe of people who inhabit the Western and
South Western plateaus of the Nilgiri Hills in Southern India.
They are considered to be the oldest living inhabitants of these
hills of whom the 4 other tribes i e. the Kotas, the Kurumbas, the
Irulas and the Bodagas are known to have immigrated into the
Nilgiris one by one long after the Toda Settlement.

Our knowledge of these tribes dates only from the time of the
discovery and settlement of the Nilgiris by the Europeans. From
the account of Baikie* it appears that these hills were first entered
by the Europeans in 18T4 when, it is said, that two members of the
survey department, penetrated into the remotest parts of the
plateau. They are said to have prepared a report of their discovery
and sketches of the regions visited by them and fowarded them
for the information of the Government of Madras- But there ar»

• The “Neilgharries" by B. Baikie Eaqr. M.D. edited by W. H. Smoult 18fi7^

2

others who are of opinion that the discovery of these hills was a
mere matter of chance. According to them it was in the attempt
of tracing and pursuing a gang of tobacco smugglers who periodi-
cally ravaged the cultivations of the adjacent plains and found a
Bafe retreat and storing place in the caves of these hills, that two
civilians of the Madras Service accidentally came upon them in
1819- But, whoever may have been the original discoverers it can
be held to be tolerably certain that Sullivan, the Collector of
Coimbatore, ascended the hills in 1820 and built the first house
which subsequently became the nucleus of the present town of
Ootacamund. It was only subsequently that the attention of
the early settlers were attracted by the singular habits and
manners of the tribes of the hills and any attempt was made to
study their peculiarities. It was found that the hills were then
inhabited by five different kinds of people- These were the Todas,
the Kotas, the Kurumbas, the Indus and the Badagas. Of these the
last mentioned, as their name itself implies (Badagas — Tadagas —
Northeners) were comparatively recent immigrants from the adjoin-
ing Canarese countries in the North and Coorg. It is reported that
driven by persecution, conquest and famine in their native country,
they found a safe abode in the Nilgiris and finding the soil of the
hills fertile and fit for cultivation and the owners — the Todas —
peaceful, unmolesting and willing to permit their settlement in
return to their agreement to pay certain nominal rental for land,
settled there permanently in largo numbers. The settlement must
have taken place, as History tells ns, only at the time of the gr eat
political confusion in Mysore and the Canara country immediately
preceding or almost simultaneous with the timo of the appearance
of Hyder Ali on the scene. The highly ritualistic saivism and the
lingayat worship of these people and the fact that their emigration
drew the attention of Hyder to these hills lend support to this
view. They form to this day a large portion of the agricultural
population of the hills and thrive comparatively better than the rest
of the hill people. But from the hiscoric or scientific stand-point,
they are of little interest to the antiquarian, as they can hardlv be
regarded as one of the primitive or “aboriginal” tribes of tiie hills

THE TODAS: THEIR ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES. 85

except possessing a relative interest in Laving contributed tlieir
share in influencing the rite9 and institutions of ihe Toda people-

The Kotas are believed to rank next to the Todas in priority
of occupation of these Hills. They are as a class ruost til thy in
their habits, but turn out more useful work than any other tribe by
applying themselves to a variety of handi-crafts including agricul-
ture, carpentry’, basket-making, pottery and leather curing. They
perform all menial offices required by the Todas and Budagas and
occasionally act as Barbers and Washermen. So far as we have
known, they seem to be the only tribe on the hills who have
any acquaintance with the working of metals, gold, silver, copper
and iron, and in this respect they seem to enjoy the good will of
the othei* tribes, especially the Todas by supplying them with
ornaments of a quaint and rudimentary type. One curious thing
is they know the act of soldering in silver. They also act as
musicians on important occasions such as the funeral ceremonies
of the Todas. The part played by the Kotas in the, funerals of the
Todas i9 to be carefully borne in mind as it is important, in tracing
the origin and development of one of the most impressive rites of
the curious Toda people.

The Kotas as a class are very awkward-looking and their habit
of eating carrion in opposition to the generally pnre vegetarian life
of the Todas, renders them very repulsive iu the eyes of the
stranger. It is therefore not very surprising that not much
attention is generally devoted to the study of their habits and
character and that students interest themselves so little about them.
According to Shortt “the Kota lungnage seems to-be a vulgar
dialect of canarese, hiving the same Tamil roots, but differently
pronounced without the guttural or pectoral expression of the
Todas- They are believed to be descended from some of the low
caste tribes of yore who sought refuge on these hills from persecu-
tion practised on them by the invaders of India- Thus they have
been occupying these hills from time immemorial : they did not
precede, but were the first aumng the other tribes who followed the
Todas and formed settlements on them." In confirmation o* this
last statement it is found that they acknowledge the Todas as lords

SID D HA NT A DEE PIKA

of the soil, pay the tribute demanded by them and hold the boat
lands and have also the privilege of selecting the best whenever
they wish to extend their holdings. Their principal occupation
which must be taken to be only the working in metals, their idola-
trous religion with the offering of sacrifices at a recognised place
of worship, their simple marriage rites and their partiality for
monogamy, their habit of burning their dead, their language, mode
of life and their addiction to drink and carrion all seem to indicate
they must have been a fallen race — outcasts like the Pariahs of the
adjoining Tamil and Canarese country who must have escaped into
these hills to save themselves from the rigour of caste -persecution.
It is also possible that originally they must have come to the hills
in quest of Gold as we know that numerous traces of workings and
oarthern mounds are still visible in several parts of the hills not very
far from their settlements which bears strong testimony to the fact
that serious attempts have been made in the past in quest of the
precious metal.

The two other tribes who claim notice as having long establi-
shed themselves on parts of these hills subsequent to the Todas and
Kotas are the Kurumbas and lrulas. The former confine themselves
to the middle belts of the hills and tho intermediate slopes, while
the latter are found scattered into small communities occupying
the lower slopes and jungles that skirt the base of the Nilgiris and
as such cannot strictly be regarded as one of the hill tribes. The
Kurumbas of the hills generally officiate as priests to the Badagas
who will not do any tiring without the presence of a Kurumba*
Important occasions such as setting the first plough, sowing the first
handful of seed and gathering the first sheaves or when the field
is blighted, their cattle attacked with murrain or themseh es «ick,
the Badagas generally send for them without whom it is believed
these important occupations cannot be begun or their misfortunes
averted. They. are supposed to be versed in tho use of herbs and
skilled in sorcery and witchcraft The Kurumbas are believed to
be the remnants of a class of nomadic shepherds of the ancient
Tatni 1 land who at tho time of thoir gradual absorption into the
groat Chula Kingdom retreated in small communities into bills and

THE TODAS: THEIR ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES.

37

jangles where they are found to exist in a preearious state even at
the present day. The Irulas as the name signifies, are a dark race of
people, who practise a rude system of agriculture l>ut more often live
on banting. They are as a tribe not very remarkable for anything
and are not recognised by the other hill tribes as inhabitants of the
Nilgris and consequently have no relation or dealings with them.
They do not recognise the Todas as lords and pay tribute to them ;
but this may be due to their sphere of activity being far removed
from that of the Todas and the absence of any necessity for the two
tribes to come together.

Thus we see that among the few tribes that have frntu time to
time settled on the Nilgiris, the Todas occupy a pre-etninfut position
— a fact which is important in the comparative study of the Tribes
of the Nilgiris as well as in the inquiry as to the origin and antiqni-
ty of the Toda people. The Kotas, the Kurumbas and the Badagas
recognise them as lords of the soil and pay tribute to them down to
the present day. It is also on record that in acquiring the present
settlement of Ootacamund compensation had to be paid by the
British Government to the Todas as owners of the land. The other
tribes also more or less vaguely remember the time when they
ascended and settled on the Hills and their common testimony
coupled with the indifference shown by the Todas themselves to-
wards the prehistoric interesting relics of the Hills — the Cairns and
Cromlechs-bear witness to the truth that the Todas muBt be
regarded if not the most ancient at least the earliest of the existing
settlers of the bine mountains- Besides their inter-tribal-relationu
it is reported, that at the time of the first survey and settlement of
the bills, the plateau was found to be divided into five territorial
subdivisions known as, Todauad, Kotanaad, etc. It is difficult, to
find out at this distance of time what might have been the guiding
principles which led to the above subdivision ; bnt from one of
those names viz, Todanaad (—Todas abode) a possible suggestion
may be advanced that originally the distribution ought to have
been undertaken by the Todas themselves so as to particularly
designate the portion of the plateau appointed to be their hafita
tion- The absenco of the names of other tribes in the subdivision

J

38

SIDDHANTA DEEPIIvA.

might be taken to indicate that the division of tlie land ought
to have taken place at a time far anterior to the arrival of the Kotas
and the Hadagas on the scene. It is therefore not nnsafe to con-
clude that the Todas are the earliest living settlers on the hills.

Ever since the discovery of the Nilgiris the study of the Todas
has exercised a most potent and fascinating influence upon several
winters. Various scientists and visitors were drawn to these hills
not simply on account of the salubrious climate but more on account
of the strange interesting tribe of the Todas who people them.
There have been several causes for the strange fascination
which this primitive tribe exercised upon the civilised inquirer.
There is something in tlie stalwart manly appearance of the race,
their attractive physical type, acquiline nose and hazel eyes
to awaken one’s curiosity and not unreasonably suggest one of
their Roman likeness and Ethiopian cast. Besides^ their mode
t of life is diametrically, opposed to that of their neighbours —
the Kotas, the Kurnmbas and the Badagas, Their primitive
simplicity,- their pastoral life and their commonly vegetarian diet
have nothing in common with the life of their neighbours. Their
habitation, theii dress and mode of living, their periodical migration
from place to place along with their wives, children, cattle and all
their belongings and the veneration with which they regard the
buffalo do not find a parallel in any other hill tribe. Their highly
.impressive funeral ceremonies, and the sacrifice of buffaloes, the
part that the bow and the arrow play in such rites, their custom of
burning their dead and tlieir conception of religion with the
importance attached to the bell, the dairy and the milkman, as the
deity, the temple and the priest respectively and the exclusion of
women from all religious worship — all have special and distinctive
features of tlieir own and mark out the Toda tribe as extremely
originaT in their conception. And above all their curious system of
marriage and tlie prevalence of polyandry and infanticide amongst
them invest them with a peculiar interest and it is no wonder why
*o much has come to be written about tliig singular tribe and their
interesting manners and customs.

Though much has boen written about the Toda people by

THE TODAS: THEIR ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES H9

scientists, missionaries and travellers wlvosa curiosity has been
excited by them, it mast be observed that their results in general
are not of such a thorongh-going character as to answer the
requirements of a modern student who does not want to satisfy
himself by merely noting their peculiar habits and curious customs
but want3 to enter deeper into the origin and development of such
beliefs and customs and study the light they throw upon the
antiquities of Southern India. The general trend of a host of
writers including Breeks, Shortt, Metz, Marshall, Pope, Caldwell,
Rivers &o., is only in the directions cf describing the complex rite*
and oeremonies, the dairy, priests and their daily life. A largo
portion is generally allotted to their impressive funeral ceremonies
and dances known as the green and dry funerals. Except some
solitary instances the great majority of these writers never trouble
themselves to trace the origin and development of their customs.
But it almost strikes a reader as inexplicably strange as to how
these writers have been so very ready and profuse in advancing
6trange and fantastic theories as to the origin of the people them-
selves apart from furnishing any kind of explanation as to the
existence of widely divergent and sometimes totally foreign rites,
beliefs and customs among the Todas. Thus one writer finds a
Celtic element in the Toda people ami places them in the Celtic
shores of Europe. Another is much attracted by the Roman nose
and the toga of the people and takes them along with him to the
shores of the Mediterancan. A third who is rather scriptur&lly
, inclined finds much similarity between them and the Hebrews and
is inclined to identify them with one of the lost ten tribes of Israel.
“There is.” exclaims Colonel Marshall “ much of the blameless
Ethiopian about them; something of the Jew and of the Chaldean
in their appearance.” While Captain Harkness winds up a long
description of the tribe with the astonished and bewildered query
"who may this people be ?” On the other hand a few writers who
have devoted themselves more ultimately to study their language
and customs have in their way given them a South Indian and a
Dravidian origin. The Rev. Dr Pope— now the distinguished
Tamil Professor of Balliol College, Oxford — interested himself in

40

SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA

the study of the Toda language as early as 1870 and his views
embodied in his Toda Grammar lead one to suppose that he would
ascribe to them a Canarese origin. But Dr. Caldwell who made a
comparative study of the South Indian languages and attempted to
unify their different branches and draw the generalizations govern-
ing them expressed his opinion that the Todas were a Dravidian
people and their language an uncultivated dialect of the Dravidian
family and most allied to Tamil. Quite recently (1906) Mr. Rivers
of the Royal Geographical Society who has just issued a volume on
the Todas which is intended to supercede all the previous publica-
tions on the subject discusses at length the question of the origin
and affinities of the Toda people and gives a theory of his own which
finds a connection between the Todas and the people of Malabar
and suggests an original home in and migration from the Malayalam
country.

In the midst of such strange, fantastic and divergent theories
as to the origin of this interesting people it not unnaturally occurs
to one to examine how so many writers could have gone astray and
committed themselves to the expression or views which do not agree
in the least with the prevailing modes of belief and customs of the
surrounding countries and which do not offer satisfactory explana-
tions for the existence of several strange elements among the Todas
themselves. It must be borne in mind that the study of savage or
aboriginal life is always beset with several difficulties and in the
case of the Todas the difficulties are much more numerous. A
knowledge of the people, language, manners and customs of the
surrounding countries as well as an intimate acquaintance with
their ancient history and primitive developments should be of
absolute importance in the study of problems connected with any
savage race. Information regarding the vanishing traditions and
long forgotten folklore often render unexpected service in restoring
the lost links in the chain of pre-historic events. Besides these
a full acquaintance with the ancient literature of the country
together with a historical knowledge of the philological modifica-
tions of the language and its dialects, living and dead are of
immense help in discovering the affinities of a race and its ancient

THE TOD AS: THEIR ORI0IN AND AFFINITIES.

«

history. It will be seen that a largo majority of writers had few or
none of these qualifications and being most of then) Europeans and
foreigners to the soil have had their manifest limitations which
have stood in the way of doing justice to their attempts. They
were, all of them, open to the disadvantages of not previously know*
ing the traditions, language, literature, manners and customs of the
Dravidian countries around and in their endeavour to study * the
origin and affinities of the Todas were equal ^rangers to them as
well as the history and people of the surrounding districts. Hence
it was that they began to search for the cradle of the Todas in
Egypt, the Levant, Chaldea and other far distant shores. But a
few who have understood their limitations and have assiduously
applied themselves to render themselves qualified for the 1 investiga-
tion of the problems have arrived at conclusions more or less
accurate* but which still require to be refined and perfected in the
light of more recent discoveries in tbo fields of philology and the
ancient literature of the country.

It is unnecessary to establish the importance of a study of the
origin and racial affinities of these people in the manner suggested
above and by examining the tenability or otherwise of the diverse
conflicting theories that have been started by several writers. The
Toda9 by tliemBelve^ are a very interesting people and any amount
of pains taken on ti e r hehalf and their institutions and complex
rituals will be immensely worth the subject Besides the problem
is not without iis reciprocal importance. The value of a study of
aboriginal life is peculiarly interesting and important in throwing
light in general upon the nature of primitive man’s society, his
ideas, aspirations and beliefs. And it serves to a great extent as a
correct clue for tr-cing the origin uud development of later day
complications in human society, fci ite and religion. The study of
the Todas wno seem to have ! r; nched off from the main race st a
time when they wore advanced only so far as the pastoral stage of
civilization and who pre^rve many of the ancient beliefs and
customs of the race stereotyped down to the present day, though
affected to a small extent by the inroads of neighbouring tribes o l
a comparatively more advanced civilization^ is specially interestirg-
a

42

SIDDHANTA DEEP1EA

and particularly more valuable in affording help to understanding
the knotty race problems of South India. In fact the conBtruotion
of the ancient history of the country is bo inextricably intermingled
with the feuds, traditions and customs of the different races who
fought for supremacy for ages in the past that unless the several
branohes of the races are defined with more or less clearness, it
would almost be an impossible task. The most important viz., the
Dravidian ve. the Aryan race question, the period of the indepen-
dent sway and existence of the r&ces and the probable time and
manner of the admixture of the two elements and the gradual
absorption of the former by the latter will not fail to be of great
value to any student of ancient history. If the examination of the
origin and the racial affinities of the Toda people with the help of
the study and records of past writers on the subject, will throw
even the least light on the original life and manners of a section at
least of the South Indian people and if their mutual kinship in
remote ages can be established by the examination of the tradi-
tions, beliefs, customs, institutions and the language of the Todas
and the parallels suggested by them, it will be possible to draw a
highly interesting picture of the pareut race in remote antiquity
struggling to build up a civilization amidst primeval Burronndings
and difficulties and in its inventive efforts to lay the foundation of a
distinct and complex nationality of its own.

M. JIVABATNAM, B. A-

.{To he continued.)

DIET AND MORALS.

“ It all depends on what one eats.” says Bishop Fallows of
Chicago. “ You can make a person good or bad, nervous cr steady
r.s a pendulum, honest, or dishonest, dull or clever, simply by seek-
ing the right kind of diet.

“If every child were scientifically fed we would have no moral
baseness, no mental depravity, no spiritual ignorance.

‘‘A child that is fed improperly will live improperly. Virtue
an ho £ ed into a growing child, and by the same reasoning vice
■an be fed into children through their stomachs .’’ — The Vegetarian
tlagazine.

k Glimpse into the Unknown.

A DREAM.

The day waa rather too hot tor the season and it was 4 o'clock
in the after>noon when I rose from my easy chair, on which 1 had
divided my time between an inclination to sleep and a few Sanskrit
books which I took up by tnrna in a drowsy mood and laid aside.
There was a feeling of heaviness in the atmosphere of the room
which made me sick of being shat np and I longed to go out into
the open air.

I walked along the dusty lanes, nnmindfnl of the traffic,
poveaeed of an absent-mindedness which made me oblivions to the
noisy preparations that were being made for the celebration of
Maha Siwtrulri.

In my town there is an old temple of Siva and on this night of
the year, a grand feast is to be celebrated with great pomp in
honour of the Deity. Thousands of people from the surrounding
villages of the district go to this town and this festival is a stirring
incident in their rather monotonous lives. In the noise and
the crowd, they for a night at least rise above themselves and
forget the petty worries and strifes of their lives- A supreme joy
<*eems to fill them on this night. This is an oasis in their life's
desert and their parched lives drink to their heart's content of this
bliss.

I was not, however, in a mood to participate in the happiness
of this kind. The sight of the crowd filled me with a spirit of
world — weariness and 1 felt a strange impulse which would drive
me away from the turmoil and uproar of life. My spirit waa
troubled and I was tilled with a strange yearning to know the
meaning and purpose of life. My heart burnt with a desire to
unravel the mystery of Buffering and of death. So I took myself
away from the crowd. I walked straight along the high road,
through an avenue of trees till I came to the bank of the river. I
c roved the bridge and went into the adjoining grove of trees.

This grove is a jungle in a miniature. There are trees of
various sorts in it; as well as a few Bilva trees, sacred unto Siva,
interspersed here and there- Almost in the centre of the grove.

44

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

near a Bilva tree in a spot of cleared ground. Under the tree is a
crude temple -like erection about three feet in height. Within thi
is a linga, an emblem of Siva.

There are wild and weird stories current about this temple and
the imago in it. The oldest inhabitants of the town have heard
from their great grand-fathers that there was an Aghori who lived
in the grove. He practised the greatest renunciation and his one
aim in life was to develop the utmost disrelish for it. He wrecked
not what he ate. He fed upon even the carrion that he obtained
from the adjoining burning-ground. His conduct was however in
perfect contrast to his horrible life. He was as simple as a child
and hurt not the meanest of living beings. Once a God took in-
terest in him and brought him this formless linga to be worshipped
by him.

Others said that when this town came into existance and the
place near the grove was set apart for the burning-ground, Tama,
the God of death ordered hiB emissaries to establish the linga on
the spot to serve as the object of worship for the spirits of darkness
that inhabit the burning-ground.

There were others who believed that Rudra himself had
assumed the form of this linga. The God who wore skulls and
roamed over burning-grounds, marshalling the forces of destruction
appeared to eyes of flesh in the form of a stone.

This was in every way a dreaded place, on account of the
beliefs that were entertained abont it, and on account also of actual
facts known about it. The grove in which this temple -like struc-
ture was situated was on the out-skirts of the town and because of
its vicinity to the burning-ground it was supposed to be the haunt
of devils and no one would venture near it after it was dark.
There was many an occasion past the midnight when people as they
passed along the road in their carts heard the noise of the revelry
and feasting of the devils. People of a sceptical turn of mind,
however, who never had the benefit of the actual experience,
supposed it to be the noise of a band of dacoits rejoicing and
offering their worship to the God after a good night’s work. This
was one view, but it did not in the least, disturb the belief about

A GLIMPSE INTO THE UNKNOWN.

46

the devils, though on several mornings subsequent to such an
experience of the travellers there were reports of daring robberies
from the surrounding villages. In fact so profound was the belief
that the place was haunted that not even the whole police force of
the town would venture to invade the sanctity of the devil-haunt in
response to the wishes of the sceptically minded-people- Such was
the spot and such were the associations connected with it. But the
absent -minded uess that possessed me and the sense of world-weari-
ness that overcame my feelings were so strong that these thoughts
about the place did not weigh with me. I was indifferent as to
what became of me and I seated myself opposite to the linga reclin-
ing against a block of stone that lay near.

The sun had 6et and the twilight was past. The grove was
being shrouded in darkness all around me except for a bright Btar
here and a bright star there that peeped at mu through the spaces
in the thick foliage of the trees The night advanced and the veil
of darkness became thicker. I did not think of going home ; for it
was my habit to fast and keep awake during tae Sivarafcri, both of
which I could do here as well as at home. Further I had long
thought that in darkness and amidst snch surroundings, Nature
conveyed to the mind very forcibly an idea of the fearful aspect
of God. So, I resolved to remain here on this lovely spot during
the night and meditate on Maha Kala.

As I sat reclining on the stone several thoughts came crowding

in upon my mind. I recollected the exquisite poetry of Kalidasa

which I was reading in the after-noon. The wonderful scenery of

the Himalaya seemed bo pass before my mind’s eye.

Proud mountain — king I hie diadem of mow
Dime not the beauty of Lie gems below.

******

Oft, when the gleaming! of hie mountain brae*

Flash through the clouds and tint as they pass,

Those glories mock the hues ef closing day,

And heaven's bright wantons hail their hour of play ;

Try, ere the time, the magic of their glance,

And deck their beauty for the twilight dance.

******

Far spread the wilds where eager hunters roam,

Tracking the lion to his dreary home.

******

46

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

list I breathing from each cave, Himalaya lead*

The glorious hymn with all his whispering reeds,

Till heavenly minstrels raise their voice in song,

And swell his music as it floats along.

***** *

Yet bath he caves within whose inmost oells
In tranquil rest the meeky darkness dwells.

And, like the night-bird, spreads the brooding wing
Safe in the shelter of the mountain king,"

I reflected upon the beauty of the mountain-maiden Parvati,
which inspired the poet to sing : —

•♦Now beauty’s prime, that craves no artful aid,

Ripened the loveliness of that young maid
That needs no wine to fire the captive heart,

The bow of Love without his flowery dart.

There was a glory beaming from her face,

'With Love’s own light, and evary youthful grace ;

Ne’er had the painter’s skilful hand portrayed
A lovelier picture than that gentle maid ;

Ne'er sun-kissed 13y more divinely fair
Unclosed her beauty to the morning air.

* * * * * «

'When the Almighty Maker first began
The marvellous beauty of that child to plan,

In full fair symmetry each rounded limb
Grew neatly fashioned and approved by him :

The rest was faultless, for the Artist's care
Formed eaoh young charm excellently fair,

As if his moulding hand would fain express
The visible type of perfect loveliness,"*

From thie exquisite description of beauty, tbe mind wandered
•way to the God of the burning-grounds “with hie coat of hide with
blood-drops streaming,” on whose ‘heart the funeral ashes rest’—
the strange bride-groom who when he went te espouse Urns was
followed by the dreadful Kali with

"The skulls that decked her rattling in the wind.

Like the dark raok that sends across tbe sky
With herald lightning and tha crane’s shrill cry."*

Here apparently there was an anamoly. It most have been
the strangest freak of fancy that had thrust the Austere God into a
region of poetry. 1 1 appeared to be an inconsistency to introduce
the Great Lord into a love story even to suit the purpose of the gods.
Thoughts of this nature troubled the mind sorely until I oould no'
longer keep the nocturnal vigil. I was weighed down with tbopght
And the intensity of it added to the weariness of the body, I felt a

* From Griffith's translation of Kumar* Sa mb bar a.

A GLIMPSE INTO THE UNKNOWN.

foaling of sleepiness creeping upon no and I wu toon fast asleep.
The sleep «m not, however, quite undisturbed, for when I awoke I
recollected that I bad dreamt a wondrous dreoxp.

Ai I loot consciousness of the things around me, I seemed to
wake np into another world of i entities. The silent grove tranw
formed Itoeif into- a scene of activity and bustle. At a distance
from me, I seemed to hear the blowing of conches an i e confused
noise which indicated that a number of corpses were being borne Ur
the burning-ground. The noise grew louder as the prooetrion came
nearer. But, lo I when I looked at the biers, I found that- these
were not dead bodies stretched on them; but beings of an ethereal
nature were sitting on them with joyfal countenances and lak^nf
great effulgence around their heads. I enquired of the weird-
looking bearers as to the nature of the beings borne by them.
Their answer rang in a strange voice that they were spirits who harl
obtained a release from the world and who were going to. higher
planes to learn the lessons which lives in those regions had to touch
them. The vision passed away.

Then after an interval I beard a most pitiful sound as though »
thousand throats were giving vent to their feelings of sorrow in
moons. I wondered whence each a doleful noise eould proceed ;
end a chill ran through my frame. 1 cast a bewild e re d lack
around me and stood' stupified. Bat I had not to remain long in
suspense for a Being as radiant aa the day appeared before dm and
amid that the noise was due to the pitiful cries of the spirits whose
Me* hod come to descend to the earth. They would fain rsnssi in
the higher regions and grieved deeply to enter into bondage in
obedience to the divine law. The jarring noise finally oeaeed.

Now my ears were treated to the moat soul -bewitching music.
It was hhavenly and transcended in power, anything that aan be
prodneed on the earth. My whole frame thrilled with * n*w
life. As the music penetrated into me, I foil that a stow
understanding wu dawning upon me. . I felt that I re^Mndtfh'to
this music, nay that I was a chord in a myriad chords that vfttafcd
to prodooo this grand, harmony. As this experience wnehbenb to
cease, I heard a voice proclaim »faatr JbsHsww woe thie f fortous
music.

46

. 31 PD SANTA DEE PIKA’.

Hardly an instant passed after this when I beheld a Goddess
of heavenly beauty There was a bright halo around Her head and
on Her countenance She wore a benign look. At the sight of Her I
was overcome by a feeling of reverence and I fell prostrate at Her
feet which scarcely seemed to touch the earth. I begged of Her to
tell me who She was and wherefore I was favoured with Her divine
presence. She answered that She was Durga, the Mother of living
beings. The thought l How was it then that She was considered the
Slayer of Her children crossed my mind and I was about to give
utterance to it, when She answered me saying "I slay not Souls, —
but only break up the effete forms to help the evolving souls with
in” and the vision vanished.

Next appeared the form of a Holy Ascetic from Whose eounte-
nftftoe radiated a calm that stilled all perturbing emotions which
welled up in the' heart- Nature herself appeared to become
tranquil at His appearance. The sight of this Divine Personage was
most elevating and I felt uplifted above the senses. A serenity —
a most exalted calm heralded His approach ; land in the sanctity of
His presence, I felt as though I stood on the highest summit and
from there surveyed the hills and the valleyB* of life. I no longer
looked through the gateways ; but from the house-top. Now was
everything clear, as I was filled with enlightenment. This was the
God of the burning-grounds. The senses though they are the gate-
ways of knowledge, still they are not broad enough for all tho
knowledge to pass throngh them. When these gateways are passed
the soul stands at the threshold of knowledge. So. one has to
transcend the sense-world to visit the Realm of Wisdom. The plane
of Maha Kala represents the stage where the senses cease to exist
as Buch and their attractions are burnt up. But as nothing can
really be destroyed, there is only a transformation, throngh the
apparent gateway of destruction, of the senses into higher faculties
wherewith the soul functions for the purpose of further develop-
ment on the higher planes. And verily this great God appears at
the termination of the soul’s existence in every plane, to fill it with
enlightenment and help its transit to the higher.

Such were the visions which the flashes of sleep’s kaleidoscope
presented. When I awoke before the morning twilight, I was
resting before the small temple with the God in it and there were
signs that I had not been there alone through the night. The
robbers did not forget to pay their devotions to their God on the
holy Sivaratri

“ A DREAMER;’

Th« MihAtmu of tho Thootophioal Society.

TM reouut as ramble that Me been going on among certain
distinguished pereens of the Theosophical Society, for the Priaident-
■hip ie not of much interest to the general public- They are not
effected whether Mr*. Besant it at the head of the Theosophiats or
tome other person, but they are in to rented in- a question which, the
indecent squabble for the coveted distinction among the Theosophic
leaders raises. This question relates to the existence of the
Mabstgisa who arc supposed to be behind the Society and guide ite
activities.

Col. Oleott in a communication to the members of the Society,
dated the 18th January 1907, said “Probably on aecount of the
possibility of my life closing at any time, the two Mahatmas who
are known to be behind the Theosophical Movement, and the
personal Instructors of H. P. B , and myself, have visited ms
several times lately (in the presence of witnesses, being plainly
visible, audible and tangible to all), with the objeet of giviug me
some final instructions about things that they wished me to do, while
I am still in my physioal body.”

This is a statement by the venerable founder regarding the
visits of his Masters.

Mrs. Besant in the funeral oration, thus refers to the visits of

- the Masters to Col. Oleott "This morning came from their far-off

Ashramas in the Snowy Himalayas, his own Master, wearing tho

Rajput form, with that other gentlest one in form of Kashmiri

Brahmans, and yet one other, Egyptian-born, who bad had him

also in charge, and They, with his dearest friend, H. P. B., came to

fetch him to rest with Them in Their home far north.” Here is an
•

unmistakable declaration by Mrs. Besant that the masters paid visits
in their phyrieal bodies.

Mrs. Ruasak, the lady who was attending upon the Colonel^ in
Replying to- remarks that the phenomena were not genuine and
authentic, .thus describes a visit by a Master * He (Col. Oleott.)
was usually toe weak to r*se from his bed unassisted, but when he
jtuw hie Master, he sprapg from hiB bed, knelt bef° re Him and
elaepiqg Ids arms arpund His feet kissed them- A moment later Le

60

STDDHANTA DEEP1KA

wonld have fallen on his side from weakness, but the Blessed One
tenderly put His arms around him and placed hint once more upon
his bed. Later whon the doctor came he was mush distressed to
find Crenel Olcotts heart badly dilated, which condition had not
existed earlier, and insisted that his patient must have been ont of
bed for he showed signs of great physical exertion, and was in a
cold perspiration from weakness.’* In the above extracts, we have
a clour statement of the manifestations of the Mahatmas. The
genuineness and authenticity of these phenomena are ipiesfioned by
the aspirants to the Presidency of the Theosnphical Society. These
do so firstly on the ground that the psychic experiences of an
individual must not be forced upon others; secondly because the
manifestations might have been brought about by evil-spirits or
black-magicians and thirdly on the score that the answers given by
the ‘’apparitions” did not bear signs of 'wisdom. These objections
appear to be extremely silly, when one renjerubers the -fact 'that the
Advat phenomena during the time of Madam Blavatsky, raised no
such remarks from the same people. These people were never
troubled by ecruples of this sort at that time. It was in lh'35. that
there was the so-called exposure of the occult phenomena at Adyar.
There was a mass of literature produced in connection with it.
The whole body of the Theosophists then protested tbat they had
perfect confidence in the aut henticity and genuineness ©ii the
phenomena and in the innocence of Madam l>h.\ aisky, in the face of
thp pronouncement of Dr.. Hodgson of the Psychical Research
Society that the whole affair was due to trickery And that it was
Monsetiir Coulomb among others tlui.t personated the Mahatmas ia
the phenomenal appearances and helped in the miraculous receipt
and despatch of letters, from and to, the Mahatmas.

Mr. Bertram Keightley, 'one of the oldest members new left in
the Society’ did not think it necessary to trouble himself about the
truth of such occurrences then. In fact, he with others whe are
now very much disturbed in mind as to the genuine -ness and
authenticity of the 'visions and orders’ kept silent then and by
such a conduct allowed the world to be deceived. One woald
think that these peoplo are trying to reject the ‘apparitions* ratigr
too late in the day. In doing so they ignore the fact that "the

THE MAHATMAS OF THIS THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

SI

Society by its past history is irretrievably associated with the
Mahatmas nnd that the integrity of it must stand or fail with the
question concerning tl.jii existence- Mr. Bertram Keightley has
no doubt, however, to the existence of the Masters of Wisdom
and As to the interest they rake in the Theosooliicul Movement. He
acu.'d even have ns be.itve that he is as sure of their existence as
he u. of his own. W e have no doubt that it does one good to believe
in the existence of the Masters of Wiadom : bat what proof has
Mr. Keightley as to their existence f It was at the mandate of his
late old grandmother H. P. 14, that he along with some other
credulous gentlemen subscribed to a faith in a hierarchy of Mighty
Ones who make penance on the snow-clad peaks of the far-off
Himalayas. Win n, in the days of H. P. B that Mr. Keightley was
supplied with reasons for believing in the existence of the Musters
as firmly as in his own existence? An ungrateful and dishonest
servant in collusion with the Badris, as the Theoscphists would
have it, gave oat that the phenomenal appearances of the Mahatmas
iu those days were due to the kindly rendered help of her respect-
able husband Monseuir Coulomb.

It may be that the allegations of Madam Coulomb were not
true. Bat it seems inexplicable why the people who with one voice
stood by H. P. B. in thc^e days shonld thus fall ont now when a
temptation in the form of the Presidentship is hetd out to them.

Mr. Keightley very seriously suggests that the manifestations
might have been due to some mighty brother of the Shadow. Now
who are ..he brothers of the Shadow ? This doubting Thoiaas while
ovt! uiux’ous as to there being no psychic tyranny set up in the
bo-ijtj , himself suffers from a morbid weakness— a helpless
craving for a belief in ghosts.

Another suggestion made is that Col Olcott being :i a weak
state of mind was at the mercy of any suggestion during the time
these occurrences are said to have taken place. Any one who saw
Col. Oleott on the last day* of the convention and heard him read a
few lines of the inaognral address delivered in America when the
Society was founded, will not have the slightest doubt as to believing
that the Colonel was in fall possession of his intellectual powers

52

SIDDHANTA deepika

fiia countenance beaming with joy on account of the consciousness
of having done his best in this life, his usual sense of humour arid
the ntter absence of any sign of fear at the prospect of death,
could not have characterised a man whose mind vas wandering.
One can be sure that his mind was in a better i-rate of uenlth than
the minds of those who were filled with the audition of wielding
the Theosophic Sceptre. Further on this point we have the
testimony of the Doctor and that of the persons who tended him
-during his illness.

To make a suggestion of this sort seems to be worse than
saying honestly and boldly like Dr. Hodgson that Col. Oicott was &
dupe of Madam Blavataky. An overt accusation is always better
for it can be more easily rebutted ; but a covert attack in the form
of an insinnstion is more dangerous, for it cannot bo so easily met.
How, who was it, that made the suggestions with the desire of
imposing upon the Colonel? The past history of Mrs. Be s ant ought
to protect her from any such attack upon her' integrity and honesty
of purpose. The explanation that the manifestations were due to
black-magicians or devils must be rejected, for even if interven-
tions from such a source were possible, such beings could not have
dared to meddle with persons of such high character and spirituality
as Col. Oicott and Mrs- Besant. Who got up the apparitions? Even
granting that there was a Coulomb at the present time on the
premises of the T. S. ; any such feat could not have been perform-
ed without the connivance of Mrs. Besant and Mrs. Russak, the
Colonel’s private secretary and the nurse who was in attendance
upon him.

The question with which we are concerned is not whether the
manifestations were due to the Masters of Wisdom or to powers of
Evil, but whether there were really such manifestations or not.
The statement that Col. Oicott was in a weak state of inind
is not true. The only other alternative is to regard t he *
Col. Oicott and Mrs. Besant deliberately with the intention of
deceiving the members of the T. S. and the general public,
gave oat that there were such occurrences when in reality there
were none at all. .Is the brotherhood consisting of over-conscien-

THE MAHATMAS OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

M

tioaB people like Mars. Keightley, Meed end Upendranath Beau
prepared to acept such an alternative? Will they come out
and boldly avow before the public that they were only dupe*
of one of the Founders via:— H. P. B., and that it was only a
oomnde ration for the feelings of the surviving Founder that kept
their months gagged and prevented them from thanking openly
Dr. Hodgson for the exposure of the frauds perpetrated by the
* 1 arch charlatan.”

The Mahatmas and the T. S. are organically related to each
-other. References to the Masters is so common in Theosophic&l
literature that as Sir 8. Subrahmanya Aiy&r observes "any hesitation
in making allusions to them in communications intended for the
members of the Society almost incompatible with a true belief in
some of the essential teachiugs of Theosophy ; and Mrs. Besant
does not exaggerate the case when she says '< Wrench the T. S.
away from the Masters and it dies. ’ It can be shown that Messrs.
Sinnet, Keightley and Upendranath — the champiuns of individual
freedom in matters of Theosophical belief and action, who want to
fight against the Spectre of Psychic tyranny which their self-interest
has raised, one and all, at one time or another have not only been
victims of such a tyranny themselves , but have also been guilty of
exercising it towards credulous and weak minded people. Mr.
Sinnet who is now anxious that members when voting should not be
under an impression that “ the intervention of the Masters had
been generally recognised as authentic,” had no scruples himself
when he hnrled down letters from Master K. II* in his “ Occult
World * over the heads of deluded and weak-brained people.
Mr Keightley would crush innocent wavering sceptics with his
weighty assertion that he holioves in the existence of Masters aa
much as be believes in his own. The General Secretary of the
Indian Section cannot be exompted from being guilty of perpetuat-
ing a psychic tyranny himself, either. In his last official report to
the President he offers his sincere thanks to the mighty ones for the
providential escape of Col. Olcott from the serious accident and
concludes it with an appeal 4 that the Lords of Wisdom may shed
Tbeir Gracious Light on you in every crisis and holp you to steer
the Holy Bhrk safely to its haven. ’

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

Then turning our attention to Mr. Mead, we read in the
Pamphlet concerning the Judge (the late President of the American
Section] case, the following :

11 In the September nnmber of the Theosophiet Colonel Olcott,
cancelling his resignation, mentioned that under datj of April 20th
Mr. Judge had sent him ‘‘a transcript of a message lie had also
received for roe from a Master." This startled the London workers,
as it made them think that they had unwittingly acted against the
Master's will, and G-. R. S. Mead wrote to Colonel Olcott : “ The

order you quote from is quite sufficient, and if we had the ghost of
a& idea of the existence of such an order the resolutions passed
would have been different.’ *

From the above references it is clear that all the people that
now wish to reject the manifestations, have at some time or other
not only expressed their belief in the Muhalinas, but also in the
possibility of their sending letters to their chelas. The idea of
attributing the manifestations to brothers of the Shadow is born of
the ambition to wield the Theosophie Sceptre. The world is not
concerned as to who turns out to be lucky enough to wield the
destinies of the Theosophical Society ; but it is entitled to call upon
people who proclaim before it a belief in the Mahatmas to fay
before it the reasons for such a belief. What is the belief which
these truth-loving people entertain towards the occult phenomena
of H- P. D / Were they due to fraud? A Society however ’useful
it may be as an agent for spreading knowledge in matters spiritual,
if it is mixed up with dishonesty, the sooner it sees its end tiie
better for mankind.

KRISHNA SASTRI.

Quoted in a letter publiahed in the Theosopuist of May 1967, page G37.

Belief in Astrology.

The most learned of men cau Le stupid enough with respect
to certain thing*. It looks as though the different part* of a man*
brain are set apart for different item* of Lis activities. A man
maj be the greatest of logicians but with regard to some questions
he may take up a perfectly idiotic attitude ; a circumstance which
can be explained only by supposing that the particular channels of
thought have not been watered by his mental energy. This may
be due to a sort of mental atrophy, certain department* of the
thought-factory, being deserted by workmen, they are silent and
no work is turned out in them. In no other way it i* possible to
account for a belief in superstitions like Astrology among thinking
men.

It is suggested that the stars and the planets influence the
constitutions and the live* of men, the whole universe being an
organism and the heavenly bodies and mankind being organically
related to each other. Now this position is perfectly tenable- The
vibrations which my goose-quill produces on the paper-pad are
communicated to the table aud thence to the air around. The
vibrations then journeying on the aerial vehicle may no doQbfr
in a certain way affect the thought-vibrations in the brain of the
Editor of the Siddhanta Deepika, who is some miles away from me.
This is scientific. So, I am sure, he will forgive me for the sugges-
tion that his thoughts may in a certain fashion and to some
■ extent may be modified by the movements of my goose-quill.
But how to estimate the effect produced by the vibrations of my
goose-quill upon the mental constitution of a ntan at the antipodes ?
Now if this is not possible it must be infinitely mere impossible
to dream of discovering the influence of the Snn, the Moon, the
g tn-r* and the planets upon men’s lives. So we see “True Astrology
:$ true/’ as a clever lady Theosophist said " but there is no Risbi
now who has the vision to read the influence of the celestial sphere*
on our lives" Oh, a thousand pities, that we have fallen on such evil
days in the Kali Yuga.

It stands to reason to say that the planets among other
things contribute towards determining mans destiny; but it U

66

SIDDHANTA D-EEPIKA.

incontrovertible also to say that it is impossible to know any thing
of snch an influence.

Again, while it has a show of reason to talk of the influence
which the heavenly bodies exert upon men, it is clearly against the
teachings of Hinduism as to a man’s moral responsibility and
individual freedom which enables hitn to shape his own destiny, to
say that influence from any sou i ce should fix his destiny unaltera-
bly. Unless we assume that the events in a man’s life are tixed
once for all, there ib no roem for astrological predictions. A belief
in Astrology may be consistent with a gross and debasing fatalism,
but it is entirely at variance with the highly philosophical doctrine
of Karma

The results cf one's past actions operate as tendencies for the
fruition of good or bad reeults in one's life. The trend of the
fulfilment and a man's past deeds is like the enrrent of a stream.
Its direction is not immutably traced out by an inexorable Law.
The current has its original impetus and any modification of its
course depends upon the obstacles on the . path of its course and
the contribution it receives to swell its vslume from the heavens
above. So, verily, is the Soul; it has its impetus received from
previous births and the course of its progress depends largely on
hew it applies its energy guided by the light of its own free-will
to the events it has to face. It farther becomes stronger to meet
obstacles on its path of development, the more *it responds to
the Divine Will.

The oraving for knowing what will happen in the future is born
qf an ignorance of the aablime laws of the working of the Soul ’s
evolution. There may be tendencies in the hatching ; but the
Soul holds in its hands the power to modify or even annihilate the
results of its past deeds. The belief in Astrology is born in the
want of self-reliance of weak-hearted men. and the insincerity of
superior knowledge trading upon the credulity of ignorance must
have fabricated the bundle of superstitions wrongly passing current
under the pompons name of the science of the stars;

The best explanation that can he given for the fact of even
sensible men — men otherwise intelligent being under the trammels
Of Bach a superstition » that they do not allow the light of their
reason to fall npon it. This superstition lurks in a dark comer of
their brains and the radiance of their Souls does not illuminate the
region where the little monster is sheltered.

A PUSOHITA.

Happiiitoi.

The dawn of civilisation — psychic civilisation — is just now
entering the West which remained hitherto in gross colossal ignor-
ance and it is now being awakened by a close touch with the Eastern
thought and advanced philosophy.

The Westerner ha9 begun to question : — What is life’s end-?
Is it power / Is it position or rank ? Is it amassing of wealth t Is it
the intellectual greatness ? Is it social influence or is it the search
after true happiness — eternal happiness ?

When he ponders over all these, he sees many struggling to
achieve this— happiness -by outside means, by revelling in oarnal
joys, by rigidly following the path of fame, and by hoarding rioheB;
•and they are being convinced of the utter -uselessness of their
efforts to attain the ever coveted happiness.

Happiness is not and cannot be found by any external path bat
from within. Unless you understand, Who you are, What you are,
Where yon came from, Where you go, and What relation you bear
to the universe and to the great power ruling over all things, you
cannot analyse of what ‘ happiness” is made.

All forces in nature — finer or spiritual —operate in absolute
serenity in the grand etheriai world of life ; and life consists of the
struggle of beings to conquer the vale of darkness and pass out into
the beautiful arena of etheriai light. Man will ever he groping in
darkness, so long as he is carried by the external senses. He i3 at
their mercy. They can leave him to listen to Reason, or they can
drag him on and on into the i~ud mercilessly. This is the real
plight of man in this world. What is it duo to ? It 19 nothing bat
the result of the violation of Naturals laws and the lack of ability
to control the senses. Can it be warded ? If so, How It is only
by subjecting himself to the dictates of Reason, right knowledge
and experience of the wise of yore.

Ancient Yogi Philosophy has taught us that the end and aim of
man s life is happiness. Every one of us daily pray to our Creator
or rather eur 'Self to give u* happiness. Reader you are not an
exception to this ; you are also one among the roany that prays for

58 SIPDHANTA DEEP1KA

happiness. This prayer does not come from some single soul that
is Bored and disappointed, whose desires are ungratified or whose
hopes are unfulfilled’; hut it is tire prayer of many. The world
around us openly confesses ita own unsatisfied hunger and its own
unallayed thirst. This strange and sympathetic Confession is heard
all around us ; in short, it is an universal complaint.

Wherever you go, you find men hewing out cisterns, broken
oisterns, which can hold no water’ and from which they turn them-
selves around, in weariness, disgust, despondency and despair, with
an aching void, in their disappointed heart. This is true in the case
of all those who pursue happinsss and look for it, where it cannot
be found in this world.

Generally, men fix their aspirations on diverse subjects* some
more earthly, and some less— some in themselves good, and some
evil ; but the longed-for-satisfaction never comes ; or supposing it
be theirs for a moment, alas! it soon dissolves and passes away like
the empty bubble on the shining surface of water.

Reader ! 'you live in a vain creation of your own imagination
ever anticipating that the morrow will be better than to-day, you
have been running Siter a showy form, which lias ever cleverly
eluded your grasp. You look back on days and years gone by, and
in vain compare ; but lo ! you are as far off as ever from the happi-
ness that you longed for. It has not come to you.

You feel to your utmost sorrow that the definition wJucIi 1ms
been given of ‘happiness’ is only too true : — '-happiness is the keen
to-morrow of the mind.’’ • You neither found it out in the past nor
at present but you think von can find it ift the future. Thus
disappointed for the first thirty or forty years of yonr life and still
willing to be beguiled you fondly fancy it is before you and it will
be your own. Here, my reader! you are thoroughly mistaken.
Now your case ia like that of a man in the story, who, very eager
to find out the spot from which the arch of the rainbow projected
and anticipating lhat there he would discover rich bars of ruddy
gold, made this the ideal of his daily fancy and at last, though often
baffled, reached the very place where the tempting radiant beams
touched the ground, bnt at the same time reached the termination

HAPPINESS.

Jf*

cf his life and felt as he stretched out his hands to grasp the golden
rainbow, that he was grasping the very icy outstretched hands of
death. Dear Reader ! it is thus that many a person’s life is spent in
vam. You walk in a vain show, and disquiet yourself in vain;
perhaps you are heaping up riches or attaining to honor and at the
same time confessing in your inmost heart that these do not satisfy;
perhaps cultivating literature; or pursuing art ; perhaps you are
living what is called ‘a gay life ; yet you are ever obliged, to adopt
as your own experience the learned words of the eloquent Broling-
broke “l have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world and know
their futility, and do nob regret their loss.” Thus yonr eyes are
not satisfied with seeing, your ears with hearing : nor your other
senses with their respectives and so at last there comes the end. ;
and from the solemnities of your deathbed, you look back upon the
experience of many vain years, you confess that you found nothing
in the world worth living, for that ‘all was vanity, maya or illnsion’
and most things ‘vexation of spirit.'

Then my friend ! you can ask me “ where can I find eternal
happiness’ Since life is but the school of the mind, intelligence,
the will and the soul, Eternal Happiness can be sought by the right
care and culture of the souler forces latent in you. Happiness is
nothing but inner joy or the immeasurable soul bliss within thy
‘Self, which you can every now and then enjoy even in this mortal
frame through proper relaxation of mind and body. While such is
the case, why don't you do it ? It is very easy. Commence to
rommune with thy Self and that will in time bear its fruit in love,
gentleness, patience, sympathy, hope and lastly Happiness.

K. T. RAMASAMT,

"J f.ijjht f/ttlturr. Tt»ntr*Uy.

SID-DHAN’TA DEEPIKA

A New Journal for Oriental Research.

A rather novel departure in the world of Indological Journalism
has of late been initiated by Dr. Tliibaut and Mr. Ganganatha Jha
both of whom have commenced as a joint-undertaking the editing
of a quarterly, since the commencement of this year. The name of
the quarterly is ‘‘Indian Thought,’’ which, as the editors say in the
foreword affixed to the January number, and which we might say
has been begun quite worthy of the learned and accomplished
reputation of the editors, “is meant to bring out the translation into
English of important Sanskrit works,’’ and ‘ original papers dealing
with Indian Literature in its various branches and antiquities.” It
is further meant to meet the needs of many persons who “while
interested in the remarkable ancient philosophical literature of
India, are yet unable to consult the original texts.” In effect, the
Journal is intended to serve at once the purposes of a review of
oriental research, and a repertory of translations of philosophical
works of acknowledged standing and authority. Help in the former
is of course a desideratum in India, as none of the existing Journals
systematically records or summarises the results of the research in
various lines of Oriental activity in different parts of the world.
But to subserve the latter purpose there are. already two serials
extant in India — the Pandit of Benares, and the Bibliotheca Indica
of Calcutta — in which translations of Sanskrit Philosophical classics
are occasionally attempted. But the ‘Indian Thought,’ judging by
fhe two translations commenced in the January Number, seems to
have a substantial programme in view especially with reference to
the leading works on Sankara’s system of Vedanta, and this is
matter for high praise. The editors say that “ while the translation
of philosophical works will constitute the larger part of the matter
of Indian Thought, works belonging to other departments —
Dharmashastra, Rhetorics (Alankara) Grammar, Astronomy, etc. —
will not be excluded.* Iu the current number an article giving a
historical survey of Indian Astronomy is written by Dr. Thibaut,
who says that he will deal with the subject at greater length than
h.s somewhat sketchy abstract in the “Grundriss der Indo- Arise hen

A NETV JOURNAL I'OB ORIENTAL RESEARCH.

61

Fbilologie und Alterthuuiskmide,” written iu German and in which
ha liu had to observe certain limitations of space. The number
concludes with a review of Hillebrandt's Yedic Mythology, Yol III.
which to far from being a dry re view” is a regular dissertation
corering tome fifteen pages on the subject of the methods of
research in the field of Vedic Mythology, in the con rse of which
warm tributes of praise are paid to the achiereme As of Prof,
MacOonnel and Prof. Oldenberg in this particular branch of
Indology. The two translations to which we made re ference above
are Sriharslia's Kandana-Khanda-Khadya (the sweets of refutation)
a famous and important Vedanta treatise emphasising the negative
or the sceptical side of the system, and Yidyaranya’s Vivarana-
prameya-sangraha (a summary of the topics of the 'Education’),
which is a most authoritative exposition of that aspect of Vedanta
theory which is associated with Sankaracharya’s name. So mnch
for the contents and scope of the opening number of ‘Indian Thought'
which makes its appearance under such promising auspices.

The place of honour should be given to Germany as the
country in which oriental activity has now reached the acme of
specialisation ; next come Russia and Anstro-Hungary, though the
United States of Amerioa and England deserve special mention.
And in their own way, Holland, Belgium, Denmark and Italy are
doing good work, but in India specialization is still in the making.

V. V. RAMANAN, M.A., FZ.S.

WHESE MUSIC IS USED TO CURE MENTAL DISEASES.

Many authorities on mental diseases hold the opinion that in some oases
music has the power ol curing mtUucholia and kindred ailments, though it has
been left to Dr. Emmett C. Dent, of the Manhattan State Hospital on Ward's
Island, to put this theory to tho test.

The writer recently visited that big hospital for tbs insane, which had at
the tune upwards of 6,000 patients suffering from some kind of mental trouble,
and learned many particulars of interest regarding the experiments with music
lately earned out by Dr. Dent.

The well-known authority on insanity was enthusiastic over the success of
his musical tests, and declared emphatically that be had cured many cases of
madness through the medium of music properly administered, while in nearly
all cases the patients were benefitted by the strains of a piano or a band.

62

SIDDHAN'TA DEEPIKA.

.* ^ beautiful voice or violin solo will make a woman suffering from madness
weep’’ said Dr. Pent, “while it will have no effect whatever upon an insane
man. In mv experiments with music as a cure for insanity I have confined
myself to the women patients, for I have learned that they are the ones most
beuefittcd b_v vocal or instrumental strains.

‘•Some time ago I carried out an experiment which was not without interest
1 had about 100 patients, men and women, assembled in one of the rooms here,
and at a given signal a band, which I had also introduced, burst into a loud
patriotic march. The effect on the different patients was surprising. Some
became violent, seme shouted wildly, and some marched round in time to the
music. Others danced and laughed, a few sang, while upon many the strains
apparently had no effect whatever. The experiment was not a success, and 1
saw at once that music, to be of any benefit at all. must be administered in
careful doses."

Dr. Dent then tried the effect of music on a young girl who for several
months bad been suffering from acute melancholia. Both instrumental and
vocal musio were tried, and from the first the strains had a remarkable effect
upon her. The “music cure,” as Dr. Dent calls it, was administered every day
for about a fortnight, and during that time the patient steadily . improved, until
at last she threw off her cloak of melancholy and her reason was fully restored.
She has never bad any return of her speedy recovery entirely tomuBic properly
administered.

In one instance, in which a lady of refined tastes had become imbued with
the deepest melancholy, touched with some slight religious mania, the playing
of mournful music and the singing of doleful songs had the worst possible effect
upon her and considerably increased her malady. Then the opposite extreme
was tried; the music played was of the brightest and most inspiriting kind,
while the songs were decidedly “ comic" and amusing.

The result was astonishing. The lady cheered up wonderfully, danced to
the catchy music and joined in the choruses of the popular songs until, tempo-
rarily at all events, she forgot her melancholy and became bright and cheerful.
"When the music ceased her low spirits returned, but the treatinent-was persisted
in for a couple of months, at the end of which time she had fully recovered her
former good spirits and was discharged as cured.

In the report of his experiments with music as a cure for insanity Dr. Dent
said: “ It must be remembered that the majority of our patients have never
had the advantages of an ordinary education, much less those of a musical one,
but in the face of this handicap I feel justified in saying that many of our
patients have recovered as a direct result of the musical treatment. Of course,
other treatment is rot suspended while this is going on. The patients have, in
addition to their regular treatment, all sorts of outdoor games and exercises,
while a few patients who are able to play the piano or sing are encouraged to
go on with their improvement in this direction.

“ I have found the human voice to be most effective in getting good results
from this method of treatment. We arrange to have a good singer come to
the hospital on a certain day, and the general enjoyment this gives is beyond
estimation."

Insane people, it may be added, are just as critical in regard to the quality
of music as those who are possessed of a full mental capacity, and their disease
can be aggravated by incorrect playing ot singing, just as it can be soothed
and benefited by perfection to touch and expression. — T- B .

Reviews

iht Indian M agatine and Review. (March). A summary of a lecture on
Sericulture and iu revival in India by Mr. Fakir (.'hand is published in the
Magazine. J etude L> Westbrook con: i i bates a metrical rendering of Mahimna
Stotro, a hymn addressed to Siva. There is an interesting article on the ideals
of the Kindergarten. The Magazine winds up with an interesting Story "the
Spirit of the Tianya by Mrs. Karim Kan

The Grail. (March). The whole Magazine is as it were a collection of
Prose poems. They are so full of poetry and beauty that they strike home into
oue'e soul and awaken therein a consciousness that there is Divinity filling and
permeating all things.

The Path. (March) We have received the first number of this new bright
little Magazine devoted to Science, Religion and Philosophy, published iu Sofia,
Bulgaria and edited by Mr. Bophroning Kickoff. It is printed in Greek. We
wish the Magazine every success.

Prabuddha Ttharata. (February and March). The Magazine begins with
an instalment of Sri Kamakrishna’s teachings. They bear the stamp, like the
rest of the great Master’s teachings, of profound observation.

The occasional notes are full of thought and supgeetiveness.

Sister ftivedita in her article "The Master as I saw him” relates certain
incidents in the life of Swami Vivekananda* “ Divinity in Humanity” is the
title of so interesting little article by Eric Hammond. The Magazine is quite
full of good matter for reading and information-

The Brahmai adm. (March) contains an instalment of the translation of
Sn Ramanujas commentary on Bhagavad Gita. Sister Nivedita in the article
“Benares and the Home of Service” appeals for help for ‘the Ramakriahna
Homs of Service' in Benares. The editorial is am interesting article on 'Bushido
and the Vedanta.'

The Vtveka • 'hintamani. (January — April). We call our readers'

attention to the Journal edited by the able Tamil Scholar Mr. C. V. Swaminatha
Ivor It la one of our instructive exchanges and has as usual an interesting
collection of article*. We are very sorry to learn that he sustained a great loss
by the collapse of Mewt-s. Arbuthnot A Co and that he could not pull on with
hit Journal for some .months.

Lovers of truth nod sympathisers will, we think, come forward and help him
in this time of ciisf -t* by subscribing to his Journal.

The Vxt taiui iuJ Magazine. (March and April). It is a bright Magazine
that place; rich anti healthy food before its readers. The number which is now
before us confirm* interesting articles such as the influence of Music, the Bible
a* a Divine Revelation, The Plague by Dr. S. S. Tug. An open letter to cigarett
smokers by a Ma.»tr: t .f Arts, Decline of Vegetarianism in Ceylon by Dr. A. K.
Coomaratiwanu, < a:i - * tract from the Humane Review) and others.

The Editor wishes to increase the size of the Magazine. Wo wish oar
>-oiitem|x>r' , J’v every success.

The Trained Teacher. (March) We heartlv welcome this new visitor to
mir table. Ttiaa high class Tamil monthly for Teacbere very ably edited by
Mr. C. tt. NamaaiVhya Mudaliar, a fellow of the Madura Tamil Sangam and
Tamil Pandit of the S. P. G. High School, Vepery, Madras. It contains many
interesting articles to teachers.

The Attrolopic.il Magazine. (May) This month’s issue opens with highly
interesting articles such as the Shilling Astrologers, The Inaugural address
by the Editor read before the opening if the Astrological Association in Rangoon
Solar Eclipses, Karma Vibhaga, Astrological Lectures, Is the earth flat.
Astrology and Reincarnation, P.unganodh* and others. It he a been doing most
valuable services.

SrUDHAN'TA DfcEHKA.

61

TheArya. The January no. is now before us. It opens with interesting
articles such us “ Our work as teaoners by V. Kamanujara Pillsi bu., L.T.,
Air. Tilak’s “ Arctic Home.” a oritlcism by S. Ranmawami Iyer b.a., b .tl
Tho Eravallers of Cochin by L. K. Anantha Krishna Iyer B. a. lt., Happiness
by M. 8. Elia Tamby, and an Extract from the Review of Reviews.

The Hindu Sprllual Magazine. (April) This is an interesting number.
It contains articles such as the Aim and Scop© of Hindu Spiritualism!
A remarkable supernatural occurrence, A Thrilling Case of Obsession, Psychic
clairvoyance, The Challenge of a Spirit to unbelievers below, Miss M^tohlar’s
Experiences of Heaven and others.

WE are deeply indebted to tho kimincsjrof the Editors for tbo following Journals.
1. The Theosophioal Review, Loudtfh. 2. The Herald of the Golden Age!
Paignton. 8. The Abkari, London. 4. The Indian Magazine and Review
London. 6. The CoBnobium, February 07. Stozione, Switseriurd. 0. The Path!
Sofia, Bulgaria. 7. The Vegetarian Magazine, Chicago. 8. The Grail, West-
wood. Mass. 9- The Book Review, Chigpgo. 10. The World Advanco fought
Portland, Oregon. 11 The Arya, madras. 12. The Aryan, Kumbakonam*
13. The Astrological Magazine, Madras. 14. The Brahmavadin, Madras. 15. Tho
Central Hindu College Magazine, Feb. 07. Beuorea. 10. The Hindu Spiritual
Magasine. Calcntte. 17. The Industrial India, Calcutta. 18. Mahabodhi and The
United Buddhist World, Colombo, 19. Tb« Mysore Review, Mysore. 90 The New
Reformer, Madras. 21. The Prabuddha Bharata, Mayavati, Himalayas 22 The
Prasnothara, Benares. 23. The Hen Tamil, Madura. 24. The Tfaeosophist Moy 07
Adyar: 25. The Trained Toaoher, Madras. 28. The Viraanand Magasine, Partab-
garh. 27. The Viveko Chbitamani, . Madras. 28. The Viyavasaya Deeoika
Boidapet. 2Q. The Indian Nation, Calcutta. 80. The Hindu Aryan Jaffna 31
The Weekly. Chronicle, Sylhet, Assam.

NOTICE.

I should liko to call attention to th* - fact, which seems to have been generally
forgotten, namely, that the mtinued existence of the Transactions depends entirely
on the financial support given by members of the Society. Unless during the nest
few months the sales of this volume show that members are taking a greater internet
in the publication than they have hitherto done it will have to be discontinued
The Publishers should at any rate feel that they can ooont on t io support of the
Lodges— were every Lodge librury to purchase a copy it would go far toward#
making the undertaking a success.

KATE SPINK.

THE ANTISEPTIC AGE.

Antiseptio underclothes, antiseptic shoes.

Antiseptic furniture, antiseptio boose,

Antiseptio poodle dogs, antiseptio kids.

Antiseptic overcoats, antiseptio lids,

Antiseptio carriages, antiseptio oars,

Antiseptic smokable, antiseptio bars,

Antiseptio tableware: antiseptic meats,

Antiseptic houses on antiseptio streets,

Antiseptic Bosp to use, antiseptio tubs,

Antiseptio water for antiseptio seruhs,

Antiseptio I, O'. U’8, antiseptio cash,

Antiseptio boarding with antiseptio hash,

Antiseptio notions are getting pretty rife,

Everybody’s leading the .itiseptio W*-TA< Vsgtkrrizn

ERRATA ; For lev* in lino 8, page 19 Volume VIE, read hu.

THE

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

OB

The Light of Truth.

A Monthly Journal, Devoted to Religion, Philosophy, Literature, Science, Ac

Comnwnead on the Qn»n’» Oowanmorattoi Day. 1897

Yol VIII JDUP 1907. No. 3

Reflexions of a Sociologist.

INTRODUCTION.

I wish to be of setne use to my feUowmen : and feel a tempta-
tion to pat down here the thoughts that arise in me. I claim to be
a Sociologist because I feel and seek to labour for the betterment
of my race. My Reflexions portray me, my studies, my observations
and my experiences. -Reader, take me, with all my imperfections
if you please.

THE NATURE OF THE UNIVERSE.

Bound by the law of substance — of the indestructibility of
matter and the conservation of energy — the universe, as a whole,
appears to us to be eternal. And Astronomy tells us that the more
it pierces into the wide heavens the more worlds break upon its
vision. In fact, it is driven to exclaim in wonder that the
universe is bound! ess.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE HUMAN MIND.

If life is the outcome of the co-operation and reciprocal action
of chemical and physical forces : Mind is the child of the functional
activities of the bodily organs. From the electron to the protist,
from the protwt to the amoeba, from the amoeba to the ape, anet
from 'the ape to the orator or the philosopher — natural evoWiws
has had an unbroken career.

66

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

GOD-

All the ecstasies and aspirations of the soul— all the dreams and
hopes of a fuller, fairer life — constitute our God. And could there
be a god higher and grander ?

THE SOUL.

I deny the existence of a soul substratum : but I assert the
existence of the feeling, thiking, aspfring soul— mind.

IMMORTALITY.

The faculties and powers — the soul— of man perish at death
with the particles that compose his body. But the law of causation
cannot be suspended. Onr thoughts and deeds live on in all the
countless tendencies and forces that are to be. Our predecessors
live in us and we die only to live in those that succeed us.

THE BASIS OF RELIGION.

* »

It is Humanity that has begot us, that has nursed us, that has
trained and educated us, and that has given us all the riches and
joys of life- Are we not in duty bound to consecrate this life,
however humble aud unknown, for the health and happiness of our
race ? To revere and love and strive to realize this ethical ideal
in life is to be truly pious.

THE BASIS OF ETHICS-

No fear of an angry god, no threat of an everlasting hell and
no promise of an eternal heaven, makes a man just and true. But
make him think and feel what anguish, what misery and what
suffering he brings to another by his selfish crimes : and make him
think and feel what joys and riches he produces for another by his
just and generous acts. We shall so broadbase ethics on the higher
feelings of man. With the refinement of human feelings there will
be less of selfishness and more of love and justice — more of
sociality, of morality.

THE HERO.

The loveliest picture in the world is that which represents a
hero who is brave enough to stand against a world, rich enough to
have fortune under his feet, and glorious enough to want nothing
from others.

REFLEXIONS OF A SOCIOLOGIST.

67

PLAIN LIVING

A work congenial and useful : rice and cnrry just enough for
hunger : clothes and shoes just enongh Iot body : a cottage just
enough for shelter : a small provision just enough for contingencies
— are quite enough for man's short journey on earth.

A WISH.

If I could see the Almighty I would shout to Him at the top of
my voice : 0, please make me a nameless, friendless, moneyless
philosopher, rather than make me a high placed bandit, a gigantic
land -shark, a swollen money-kiDg.

THE MEAN.

In plenitude of love, a wiseman lets an unfortunate wretch
take as much delight as possible from speaking ill of him. To
speak or hear ill of others affords great pleasure to a mean fellow.
Vultures prefer to feed upon carrion, because it is in their nature
to he dirty, and they prefer it to clean meat.

CRIMES.

All crimes are but mistakes. And all mistakes are due to
ignorance of our relation to the Universe, of the Laws of Nature.
With the disappearance of this ignorance, all vices, all crimes, all
mistakes vanish.

’ TRUE TO NATURE.

If I err, let me say so. If I correct my error, let me be
content with the correction. Let me not trouble myself about how
I seem to others. I live in others as others live in me. If I a.m
sane and robust, that must suffice me.

A STURDY MANHOOD.

With thonght to foresee and to provide for the changes and
chances of life, with prudence to avoid unnecessary evil, with a
nobility to be uncompromisingly just, to part with all, to Jose all, if
need be, with a magnanimity to understand and sympathise with
the wants and ways of men and women, with, a courage to rise
superior to the malignant lies and the mischievous pranks of our* -
fellows, with a generosity to forget and forgive personal wrojgs.

68

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

with a will to dare and defy a world for the principle that is in ns,
and with a supreme joy to play with the passing concerns of life as
though they were things of indifference— we attain a rich and
Btnrdy manhood.

THE MAJESTY OF THE BRAVE MAN.

It is wisdom to fortify yourself against the worst that your
brother-men may do unto you. They can at worst beggar you,
defame you, torture you, and cast you out. What is there that is
intolerable in all this ? The intolerable cannot exist in the very
nature of things. The intolerable puts an end to itself. Yon live
because things are tolerable enough to let you live. Want, infamy
and pain cannot go beyond death. Death puts a 6nish to them all.
When want and torture go beyond endurance, Nature, in her pro-
vidence, puts out the sensations. People may outcast you, your
person: but who can cast out the force .and beauty of your
thoughts and deeds from the memory of those who have ceme under
their influence ? No shame can disfigure a brave and thoughtful
soul. All the fires of the auto-da-fa cannot consume one brave
thought. The man may go : the thought lives. A brave man
is a brave thought. Knights may go : Knightliness remains.
Thinkers may go : thought remains. If you are robust enough,

you can joyously laugh at neglect and infamy. The brave man
is too great for rewards and penalties : gifts cannot tempt him:
gibbets cannot terrify him. The world is too small for his
thought. Neither fire. nor sword can touch him. Neither shame
nor honour can reach him- He is high above the world, like
a God. By his side all the hosts of money-kings and Society
gods look pitiably small. He lives and loves and labours
not for the plaudits of a showy world but for the satisfaction of his
own soul. If he does not seem fair to a passing crown : he is
supremely content that he is rich and fair in liis own eyes.

A. S, MUDAL1AR.

Image Worship.

Christian Missionaries from the west regard the idol worship
of the Hindus as baaed on ignorance and superstition. They have
not ceased hurling upon them thunderbolts of criticism since their
advent to the sacred land of India for the propagation of the gospel
of Christ. Devoid of any knowledge of the Sacred Hindu scriptures
which enforce idol worship on Bound metaphysical principles, they
are labouring under the misconception of Hindu method of worship
though western scholars of high Oriental repute have honestly
expressed their appreciation of their form of worship. For divers
other reasons, they hold that image should form an indispensable
nucleus in the adoration of the Supreme. But the Christians persist
in their denunciations of the Hindu religion with a view of
obliterating it from the face of India and for which they are
imported to this country. They at the sacrifice of their homely
comforts have emerged forth from the land of antipodes to proclaim
the good tidings in this land of Bharata Bhumi wherefrom wise
men learned in the scriptures tempt the deep ocean to convey the
wonderful message of Vedanta. Has it escaped their (Christians’)
vision that India is the birth place of religions from which other
religions of the world sprang. Max Muller the distinguished
Oriental Scholar in his lecture to the Civil Service Students at the
University of Oxford, on the subject of “what can India teach us, ’
sounds the trumpet note that for everything in science, religion,
philosophy we must with veneration look to India.

It is strange to observe that the Christians with the co- opera-
tion of a few converted Indians, have attempted to foist upon the
fundamental principles of Hindu worship peculiar and unwarrant-
ed construction which is calculated to dispel the authentic view so
far strictly entertained by them. Their ceaseless efforts have been
to implant the Christian worship in this land of religions.

A learned Christian lecturer of the west after a careful and
" critical study of the oriental mind says that the Bastern mine, is

i

70

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

tenacious of its inheritances and that their watchword is faith. It
is laudable that an honest Christian has exposed an honest interpre-
tation of the Indian religion.

The Hindus profess a faith as ancient as the Vedas and they
are fast bound to this established and thoroughly tried faith that it
would be considered a sacrilego to meddle with it, with the ultimate
object of supplanting a religion incompatible with and contrary to
their tenets of old.

The potent argument often urged by the Christians is to the
effect that Christianity wakes men from the torpor of barbarism
and infuses into their minds new principles of thought unknown and
unheard of. It raises them from the depth of ignorance to the
height of knowledge. In the west, Christianity is said to have
played an immense part in perfecting states and principalities and it
cannot be disputed that it did influence and not surprisingly because
the materialistic ideas that are now inundating the Western
Societies act as a bar to the growth and advancement of Christia-
nity in a miraculous manner. It cannot therefore be conceived
that Christianity is the only civilising and nationalising religion on
the face of the globe and no state reaches the zenith of its power
except through the influence of Christianity. The moral precepts
and doctrines that compose a religion are the only necessary
elements for moulding np nations and individuals.

I shall now divide the subject into 3 different sections:

(1) the absolute necessity of imageworship

(2) the potent effect it produces on the minds of the

worshippers

(3) devoted attachment leads to the ultimate goal.

Firstly the images are absolutely necessary for innocent and
untutored minds which cannot form an abstract idea of Godhead.
Lord Macaulay confirms the view that the illiterate require
object forms for intuitive perceptions and they could hardly con-
ceive things ic tbeir real shape without a mental picture being oresen-
fced to them, in dark ages men were like small children that things
were percieved in their particular aspect because their mental
susceptibilities were in an incipient and undeveloped stage that they

IMAGE W0B8HI?.

71

were able to take hold of a particular object. In civilised countries
whero science and philosophy have shaped thier minds for wider
perceptions of things, they are enabled to form an abstract idea pf
God. From particular ideas, the general idea is formed. That is the
order of succession conceiving things in their particular shape is
more easy and well adapted to the mind than in a generalised form
which bewilders the ordinary mind.

Image worship is the stepping stone which will finally lead to
the realisation of the unknowable. We read in Hindu Books, that
God assumed human shape to emancipate mankind from the
tyranny of sin. The images that are now worshipped by the
Hindus have been modelled after that fashion. This antiquated
form of worship has a firmer and more palpable hold over them
than the kind of worship now cnrrent in civilized countries.
Materialism has taken the place of spiritualism and holds its sway
in civilized societies.

Secondly the impression of the image in its concrete form npon
the unlettered minds of the worshippers becomes firmly fixed and
produces a wonderful transformation in them, assuredly atmosphere
of holiness pervades over them and their mind solely thinks of the
image — the (human) representation of the Godhead. Whenever they
enter a holy shrine, their very presence within the abode of the
Holy One makes them holy and draws them in closer union with the
Divine. As a testimony to the wonderful impression the symbol of
Godhead has effected on them, a river of tears roll down their
cheeks stealthily and they are no longer merged in the meshes and
.thorns of the world. Many a aide stricken soul in its pathetic
appeal to the image where the Divine energy concentrates itself,
has found peace and rest.

Thirdly devoted attachment to the symbolic representation of
the one invisible finally leads to the ultimate goal, the fountain of
eternal bliss. There is no religion higher than truth and in our
religion the divine truth has been revealed to many earnestly seek-
ing devotees who are still (found in thousands in the Loly plains of
Chidambaram and other famous shrines. Thus witnessing the
mysterious workings of tho Great One, we should not allow ourselves

i

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

72

to tie exercised by the enticing words of Christianity — a religion
as exotic and unsuitable to our soil. Bat implicit and unflinching
faith with nrofound respect for traditions will not only crown our
efforts with unbounded success, but will preserve the prestige of
a great national religion.

Manikkavasakar and other great Saints, of whom we read in
the Puranas as having flourished during the 14th century, were idol
worshippers, but their firm and unswerving attachment to the
religion they have embraced, held them in direct communion with
God and in the ripeness they were absorbed in complete union
with Him. The holy utterances that fell from their lips in praise
and glorification of the Godhead stand as living and speaking
witness of this aryan religion.

There is indeed but few poems in any language that can
surpass Tiruvasakam or the holy word of Manikkavasakar in pro-
fundity of thought, in earnestness of purpose or in that simple
childlike trust in frhich the struggling human bouI, with its burdens
of intellectual and moral puzzles finally finds its shelter. What
characterises India is her religious ferment and intense thirst for
knowledge. She possesses in an extraordinary degree all the
possible materials to train np the spiritual Bide of man for the
final emancipation from this mundane existence. Let ns therefore
pray that our religion, a religion of religions may thrive and be a
living religion-

“ Be good at the depths of you, and you will discover that
those who surround you will be good even to the sama depths.’ ’
— Maeterlinck.

Personality of God Aooarding to flklwa Biddhanta

Philosophy.

Bt Ma. J. M. NALLA0WAMI FIIMl BX, BX.

»—

It will be interesting to note that it wee about 12 yean age ww
brought out our first work in English on the Bairs Biddhanta
Philosophy from Tirupattur, and we hare continued to work hard at
it ere r since, and our translations of Riragnanabodhaxn, EtivagnSns-
siddhiar, Tirurarutpayan, along with our contributions to .the
Biddhanta Dteptka, during the last ten years, and Dr. G- IT. Popes
Tiruvachakom form the only bibliography on the subject ip English.
And we are glad to note that, within the last few years, considera-
ble interest in the subject has been awakened, and several European
missionaries have made a special study of the subject, and hare
discussed it before missionary societies and in the public press.
We quote the latest opinion from the Christian College Mags tine
Vol. XX, 9, from the pen of Rev. W. Goudie. .

“ There is no school of thought and no system of faith or
worship that comes to ns with anything like the claims of the Bairs
Biddhanta."

“ This system possesses the merits of great antiquity^ In the
religious world, the Saiva system is heir to all that is most anoient
in South India; it is a religion of the Tamil peopfe, by the side of
which every other form is of comparatively foreign origin.’*

“ In the largeness of its following, as well u»in reg&rd to the-
antiquity of some of its elements, the Saiva Siddhahta is, beyond
any other form, the religion of the Tamil people and ought to be
studied by all Tamil missionaries.’'

“ We have, however, left the greatest distinction of this system
till the last. As a system of religious thought, as an expression of
faith and life, the Saiva Biddhanta is by far the best that South
India possesses. Indeed, it would not be rash to include the whole
of India, and to maintain that, judged by its instrinaic merits, the
Saiva Siddhanta represents the high water mark of Indian thought
and Indian life, apart, of cour-e, from the influences of Christian
Evangel-”

74

SIDDHANTA DEEPIK.A.

And we had remarked in our introduction to ‘Tiruvarutpayan
or 'Light of Grace:* “And there can be no doubt that we have in
these works the brightest and largest gems picked out from the
diamond mines of the Sanskrit Vedantic works, washed and polished
and arranged in the most beautiful and symmetrical way in the
diadem of Indian thought.

Through want of active propaganda, by means of lectures and
conferences, the subject is not properly brought to the notice of the
English-educated public, and appreciated by them, as it deserves to
be ; and we are therefore much obliged to the editor for being
allowed to contribute a paper on the subject*

Despite tbe opinion of a few European and Indian scholars,
who would trace Saiva Siddhanta to a purely South Indian source,
we have all along been holding that Saiva Siddhanta is nothing bnt
the ancient Hinduism in its purest and noblest aspects ; and it is not
a new religion nor a new philosophy, and it can be traced from the
earlist Vedas and Upaniahads. We do not hear of any one introdu-
cing Saivism at any time into India, and the majority of Hindus have
r«mained Sajvites from before the days of the Mahabharata.

The ideal of tliQ Highest God has, from the beginning, been
centred round the person of Rudra or Siva, and in the Rig Voda
we find Him described as the” Lord of Sacrifices and Prayers,” and
we find this maintained, in the days of Valmiki, when beliefs in
other deities were slowly gaining ground.

Consistently with this position in the Rig Veda, the Vajur Veda
declares that; “Ther is only one Rudra, They don't allow a second,”
,Eka-eva-Rudro Nadvitiyaya thasteh/ (ptkanda 8.6.10). rt He who
is one is called Rudra,' 1 “ Ya Eko Rudra Uchyati.” And St.
Tirtuunlar declares accordingly * psverrmQary a&§pu>

“ God is only one.’’ “Siddhanta declares there is God
alone without a second.”

The first mantra, it will be noted, is not so well known as the
mantra “ Ekamevadvitiyam Brahma,” occurring in an Upaniehad of
the Sazna Veda ; and Max Muller has shewn that the use of such
words as Rudra, Hara, Siva, to denote the Highest God jp muck

PERSONALITY OF GOD.

75

more earlier than the uee of each words as ‘Brahman,’ ‘Atman’ and
* Paramatman'; and in fact, these words do not occur in the Rig
Veda at all to denote Ihe Highest God. And we may also point ont
that the word ‘Nadtitiyam’ securing in the Yajur Veda is certainly
a mere ancient and original form of the word than ‘advitiyam/
which has been obtained by the elision of the letter *n ■

And Bt. Meikandan comments on this mantra in the following

u $mQpmpfi ^tkQpmrmr gmQpufi, u*mira

qmQpmpt urfjgQ jrQ fcrsr sir ymjBmqpii

QsQftejQpmgftti

* The Vedic text means there is only one Supreme Being
without a second. And this one is the Lord. Yon who say ‘there
is one', is the Pasu bound np in Pasa. The word ‘second-less
means that, beside God, nothing else will exist, as when we say that
there will be no other letters (consonants) when the vowel is not.”

No consonant sounds can possibly be formed unless the vowel
eonnd is ottered at the same time; and this will justify us in stating
that vowel is alone, without a second; and yet the vowel is not the
consonant nor the consonant the vowel. When we utter the conso-
nant sound (Qu>u cq£ # g) or a-*-w PQgjfi) the vowel and consonant
is linked in a peculiar, inseparable and eternal manner. This is *he
link or relation between our own human body and the mind (a_i_e»

. or Q.cij and a_«Sir). And from anology we say there is a similar
link between God and the world (including souls). And this link or
relation is called in the Baiva Siddliahta ‘the advaita and the
philosophy postulating this peculiar link between God and man is
called the ‘Advaita Siddhanta philosophy/

But how does the (me link himself to the many, and become
the many, and divide himself among the many as it were. St. Tiru-
mular postulates ^ar p»ek 7m r g)ir**r© 4 mar @cwt vqot.” This
division of Him is brought about, because He is also Grace or Love.
His second is His Sakti. He is one with His Sakti or Love.

J

76

SIDDHANTA DEEPXKA

jftjfLjus &tu(ipu> QjrtisrQt—CB rur J yjf)s3*iffr
jftifQu S«uui(r®/^n r (5 lAjSi^miirir
jfdfQu&euw**u pnQWf&iptSer
.jfarQu&aajir aJu>irifi(^i/fiQ-0’.

“ The ignorant say Love and God are different.

None know that Love and God is the Bame.

When they know that Love and God is the same.

They reBt in God as Love. ”

And accordingly, also, St- Maikandan postulates his second
Sutra, in which he declares that God is one and different from the
world and souls, as He is one with His Agna-Sakti, which is all
Power, all Intelligence, and all Will and all Love. And in the last
argument he shows that as God is Pure Intelligence, this oneness or
anion with the world or omnipresence is possible. If He was not
intelligent, but material or Jadam, this cannot be possible.

As such, Savagnanabotham contains the shortest definition of God
as Siva-Sat or Chit-Sat or Sat-Chit. Sat denotes God as pure Being
in which aspect He can never reach us; Chit or Aral or Love denotes
His aspect in which he can reach us and we can know him. Sat is
the Sun, which we can never comprehend. Chit is the Light, one ray
of which is enough to remove our darkness and enlighten ns; and
but for which one ray of light, we can never know the Sun.

All other conceptions of God follow from this essentisl defini-
tion of God as' Sat Chit’ and, if true, must conform to it. If not, they
must be rejected as false.

From the fact that. He is intelligent, it follows also that God can
will and apt.

*jjBa$eireiij}.Q&Qpdrafl& ^ cbh — tSsor^trearie/r^ih,

tVsKsu ^/rarfi^enQaiaOaarteffdt

ojfiffQtrarQpgirar jpjBpLflgmeQfUjfl,

•Bsujpatresr u>a> puLS&r^rr <ej)«r u>(^eSi^eiQifisDiuQajAmnru>.

“ The form of this Sakti is unlimited Intelligence.

If asked whether supreme Will and power are also found in
this Intelligence,

We answer yea. Wherever there is intelligence there is will
and power,

As such Power- and Will will also be manifested ly this Chit
Fakti."

PERSONALITY OF GOD.

77

And He wills to create the worlds and creates them, and
resolves them, and reproduces them again and again. He could not
do this purposelessly or out of His mens whim and pleasure; and, as
we know, He is all love, He cooJd do it only out oi snoh love, to help
to lift op the erring and ignorant sonls, by giving them thoir bodies
«ad senses, so that they themselves may will and act, and taste the
bitter fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, and be chastened
and purified by suffering and sorrow, and learn to submit their will
to the will of the BUpreme.

And in his Kamira Sitmbava declares : —

“ No selfish want e'er prompts a deed of mine :

Do not the forms— “eight varied forms — I wear
The truth of this to all world -declare.”

And those eight forms he mentions in his invocation in Sakon-

Isa 1 preserve yon ! He who is revealed,

In these eight forms by man perceptible. —

Water of all creation's works the first ;

The fire that bears on high the Sacrifice,

Pr e s e nted with solemnity to Heaves ;

The pr i e d the holy offerer of Gifts ;

The Bun and Moon those two majestic orbs.

Sternal Marshal lers of day and night.

The Subtle Ether , vehicle of so and,

Diffused throughout the boundless universe,

The earth, by sages oalled the place of birth,

Of all material essences and things,

And air which giveth life to all that breathe/'

St. Appar has the following verse

M(*jLDir€i

Q*jwirar<&) QiujShfai *irpjpiu>irQ
tyir/f&a-ur&u

O*0/5%vi unuSmtyQ siriartu"S

SS/rLfai ^esn.ujL^ Sear pmiirQ p.

78

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

♦•As Earth, Fire Air and Ejaman (of sacrifice), as Moon, the
iiuu and AJcas, aa Aahtamurthi, as goodness and evil, as male and
female, himself, the form of every form, as yesterday and to-day
and to-morrow, my Lord with the braided hair stands supreme- 9

St. M&nickavachaka has the following verse : —

£e Q®0u LjMjff rS«rc9#L0L/ fmitLHJsGotoeir

i&)<S ft ama>m^tuiTtuu Ljamii jpA*r<ym
ujtQpmar ppaQ$$(Tfjaj£p(su>
ue)m*S£Jr pwtrG f<r Ggysstsiri—irQier.

Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Sky, the Sun and Moon ,

The sentient man, these eight forms, He pervades

The seven worlds, Ten quarters, He the One

And Many, He stands so, let us sing.

He pervadeB these eight forms ; they form His eight bodies and
henoe Siva is called Ashtamurti- By this is established His antar-
yamitvam or Omnipresence, or Immanence in all nature, as He is
Chit. But he is beyond ail these forms and beyond all nature and
man.

The famous passage in the 7th Brahmana of the 3rd chapter in
the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad deals with God being immanent in
nature and in man.

Beginning with the verse, ‘yasya prithivi sareera, &c.’ # * He
who dwells in the earth, and within or different from the earth,
whom the earth does not know, whose body (sarira) the earth is, and
who rules the earth within. He is thy Atma, the ruler within, the
immortal," and giving similar statements regarding water, air, fire,
Ac * * it ends with " He who dwells in Vignana (soul) and within
or different from Vignana, whom Vignana does not know, whose
body Vignana is, who rules Vignana within, He is thy Atma, the
ruler within, immortal.

.that God is different from all nature and man is farther
brought out by the famous ‘Noli, Neti verse of this same Upani*
6had (3-9-26) which Paranjoti Munivar translates and expands in
the following lines : — -

I'ERSONALITF OF GOD.

79

Jfmltoiaf i&Qjt* lumenier l fardtyJljs>iS£ffdr t

Mfmmmjfmt* QurfltumtiGmijp Lf€»m^»a.mmtD^tSm

(2u ^mtmm •feam.uar j&Sm p iSflpif&mifk&QuQjrit

\jr ^ttmd^mmtbsr tSij *8)fiu«nm)rmrmj*Liij>*>(2jT
"God Snndara who is described as ‘not this, not this, ”

“The sages declare. He is not the five elements, no' the senses
nor sensations, nor the andakaranaa, nor the soul ;

He is the deceitfnl 'nothing which the Vedas fail *o discover.’ *

The Supreme is adored as the Creator, Hara : as . protector,
Samkara ; as destroyer, or producer, Budra ; and sb Bliss- giver,
Siva. God is called (w—rg—r^vsir) as possessing eight attributes
and they are as follow: — Self-dependence, Purity, Self-knowledge,
Omniscience being ever free from Sin, Supreme Graoioasneas,
unlimited Bliss.

Then follow questions whether God shonld be said to prsno—
form or no form, whether He should be regarded as Saguna or
Nirguua Personal or Impersonal, and so on.

In regard to the question of form or no form, the Siddhaata is
positive that God is neither Rupi nor Arupi nor Bnparupi. “ fi»w
JK5«K5*f« 90fu>iimim r * ‘God is neither Rape ner
Arupa, neither soul nor matter.’’ It recognises that all Rapa and
Arupa are forms only of matter which is objective to our senses, and
God can never be objective to ns, and cannot possess any of these
material forms or bodies. The nature of matter is to limit and God
is the illimitable and can never be fonnd by any material forma.
Some would say God is Arupi, not realizing that matter is also
formless as air, and nothing is gained by calling Him Arupi. The fact
to be clearly borne in mind is that God cannot be objective to us, and
p o—o lie material form.

Bat if it is pointed oat that Saiva Siddhanta religion recognises
forms of God and His appearances and acts, it is answered that these
forma of His are not materials but are purely spiritual forms formed
of His great love and grace, and to be perceived not by the human
mind hut with the divine grace, *J ) taim «•(?«> jfm+rjmr o/ovwA'

St. Arulnanthi says: —

an

sidi>hanta dekpika.

ptftpj}4Q*iraML- Qparrp& (tp^eSpifi
kuq(2 ldgsR uj jpsyej <f aar^i—ir ^0a/(rp a iirarGuirfi
J&gSjHBfl tfuiuut QupStyii Q*ui9tu &ek jnipu>
s$isa>*fi sysSlerraSar a^strlw.

"All these forms of His are assumed out of His supreme grace for
destroying our evil bodies.” And how this is possible is shown in the
following: —

M As He does not possess the defect as an object of perception,
and as He is possessed of absolute intelligence and power, as He is
not possessed of likes and dislikes, the Nirmala God can assume any
form out of His grace. And these forms are described in the follow-
ing verse. His form is Love; His attributes and knowledge are Love.
His five functions are. Love; His organs like arms, feet Ac., and His
ornament like the crescent moon, Ac., are also Love. These things
are- assumed by the Nirmala God, not for His own benefit but for
the benefit of mankind.” With which compare the following verse
from the Taitraya Upanishad.—

" His head is surely Love ; joy His right wing; delight
His left,

Bliss is His self. Brahman whereon He rests.

The following beautiful hymn from St. Appar, and the texi
from the Manduka Upanishad may also be read; —

etamuut^. mjf ««Rr^(e^ui pireiflth a &Q
i£tL)itearpptrcm curiremt— turner wnQs-vor fletieonesr
gtAt^mi—tuarit&ar^ 9Q5* w*>«ue$r
OTsv«»«r e»(i*sufpu> aSeosS
iuuutfi.ujirar jfQjmfQoieT j/qisu ear tar pptar
r m tariff 4 mtTsif u pitoMii»

$uuiQ.uxir fyeum](TK aidr east i past

Qsvoftoapsu QararQpQffiii GtrilQt—irgapQjs

“The lord with tlie braided hair lives in the Kanchi burial
ground, with His beautiful Uma with pencilled eyebrows. He by
no sin. He is not one of the mortals, and is not to be compared
with juay of them. He has no place, and is incomparable unless we
can with Hi*, grace as our eye perceive Him, His form and nature,
none can. punt Him, iu His real form and naturev”

PERSONALITY OP O OD.

81

This Atm* is not attainable by explanation nor yet by mental
grasp, nor by hearing many times. By him whom He choose* — by him
is He obtained. For him, God His proper form reveals. (Mandate**

3, 2, 3 ) It is to be noted also that the various forms in the temple
are mere earthly symbols, necessary in our view for the ordinary
human mind to grasp and follow the divine ideals, until the soul has
advanced to a very high stage indeed. A missionary friend of oar*
wrote to say that as regards the use of symbolism, he found it
necessary for the educated people, bnt as regards its salutary effect
on the illiterate people, he felt not convinced: This opinion will be

found opposed to the common current of opinion on the subject, but
yet it is true, in so far as it postulates the necessity of the use of
symbols even as regards highly educated people.

And we regard the various conceptions of God, as He, she and
it, as also conceptions derived from material forms, and as such not
appertaining to Qis real essence, but the form* *re necessary for
our own easy conception of God:

*Qummg*)mm’*t)iL>r6iu iSpisiHaireSIleir , uair00 eSmt^Q aSjjmweSmr
Qumir^mrsSK^njfftui Qup/S\uer Qutrpfl

“ He is male, female and neuter, earth and heave* and
none of these.”

“ Praise be to Him who is female and male and- neuter.”

Farther, the words Saguna and Nirgxma are usually translated
as personal and impersonal , and we have often pointed out how
vaguely and loosely these words Are used, and protested against
translation. We will first consider the words Saguna and Nirguna.
’It literally means “with guna,” and “without guna." One school of
people would interpret it as meaning 'with good qualities,’ and
'without bed qualities,’ and that this is absard is seen from the fact
that the two words are made to mean the same tning. The
word 'Guna/ however, does not mean any good or bad quality, but
ie a technical word as used by the Sankhya and Vedoofc* school*
and as occurring in the Upanishads, Gita, etc. It means the three
gunaa, Satva, Rajas, Tamas, the qualities of Prakriti or Pradhan*. or
matt e r ; and as saoh itxe words would mean ' with material qualities”
or 'without material qualities / St. Tiru molar uses the phra-v

a

j

BlDlrHANTA DEEFIK/L

iii jin^f)ff n^wf gniiMn. ’ bo that no mi l t ake may be
made 0f the word Nirgunam heelf.

*trj&*Qu*i£l ***Qwmr

. f&M9Wp

QfiPP vQfjjdviTu

i&rijj$)<Su> 4jr«0*ar ur^« ftfiuQut.

So also the Gita speaks of 'Thraigunyo Nirgunaha,' and it stands
to reason that God cannot be 'Saguna,’ clothed in matter or material
qualities, and mast be therefore non-material, Nirgnna. The
Supreme God is, therefore, described in the Upanishads and Gita
and Sivagnanabotham as Nirgnna and not as Saguna, as in the
following passages s-r

‘ This one God is hidin every bhuta pervading all, the inner
Alma of every aty^, Inspector of all deeds (spectator) in whom
eveiything dwells (supporter), the witness, the pore Intelligence
and Nirgtuta Seirig; the lswara of Iswaras, the Maheswara, the
God Shpreine of’Gods, the king of kings, the supreme of supreme,
the 'Isa' of the universe. (SvetaB) 'Beginninglens, Nirgnna, Para-
matman, Imperishable, though seated in the body, 0 Kaunteya
worketh nor is soiled (Gita 13-31.) — Note Ramenujah explains
Nirguna as destitute of satva and other qualities.

" Will not the Lord, who is Nirguna , Nirmala, Eternal Happi-
ness, Tatparam (transcending all things) and beyond comparison
and appears to the soul when it gets rid of its tatvas such as akas
etc. Will not He appear as a far transcending wonder and an
inseparable light of its understanding.’’ (Sivagnanabotham ix. 2. a )
But certain deities are stated to be Saguna, as being clothed with
pure Satvaor Ruj&sa or Tamasa, and they should not be Confounded
with.rhe Turiya murti or the Fourth, the' chain rtha, the supreme
Brahman ; these Saguna beings are merely certain souls from
among Sakalars wielding very- high powers and possessing still
material bodies*

“ Shantam ihivam advaitam chaturthcAii” Ram&tapini up.

The word Nirgnna is the same as the word ‘gunatita, ‘beyond
guna or matter.’ The word, therefore, implies non material and
V-ofd-e pure chit. Christian missionaries need hot, therefore, shy ~
ills word, and they should certainly drop the word ‘ Saguna,

personality op god.

which technically meant material. From (he passages quoted above,
especially from the verse from Sivugnanabotham . it will be seen
that God i* called ‘Nirguna,’ Intelligence and Rationality and
Consciousness,’ not denied to Him. This is made further clear in
the following verses from St. MaikancLu and St. Tirnmular.

tjstoiri) Searl p tSmpwjpssr jpemiru

Gu*ml*»uj pftrsS'imip QuirpiS^/es — csa>r*j
S-drerr pfidf • (^dBpmp

■lW *pp*p «/r(J«wv. Q> *jpj*.

When the soul becoming one with God and feels Him, He
becomes the Supreme Bliss as God becomes one with the soul. So
understanding Him, will he not know ? with the soul what is under-
stood by the bouI.”

nuar/Si pdrQ p iSqsQot p flstm
Purser jS ip fir pf /Stuff) uttud/Qem'r
Kszear pSi jp order a.aSfdSdfp

pfsor/Sutreor iStahesr njfj jSenr(Jf .

That day I knew my God, the same was not understood by the
Gods. The bright effulgence lighting the inside of my son! an d
body, it is said does not know ( Who else can know ?

Of course, it is also said in these works that God ‘cannot know’

1 rn.fi tun Lcifhuir a^earjrtTu>pmiir’ and it is pointed out by Sivagnana
Swann gal in bis Dravifla id aha Baahya that this only means that
God’s consciousness is not like the consciousness of the individual
man, which is limited, and cannot become oonscioos unless it
forgets, and can only understand in relation (change is essential to
dhnSoiousness— Bain). This human consciousness is oalled miLQfmim/.
God does not possess this limited His consciousness is

what transcends all limitation and all relation and is absolute, as in
Has Akundakaru, there is no distinction of this and that, there is
nothing out of Him l QufdBstdr ci/«9sw,

Coming to the question of God being personal or impersonal,
we are not quite sure in what sense our Indian writers use these
words, bnt they mostly take it as meaning Saguna and Nirguna.
There is some difference of opinion as regards the connotation of
the word among European writers. Some use it as implying it-
dividaality and limitation; others use it as not meaning individuality

§4

8IDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

and this is the more prevalent and cultured opinion. W take
the following definitions from a vocabulary of Philosophy.

Person : A being intelligent and free, every spiritual and moral
agent, every cause which is in possession of responsibility and cons*
ciousneas, is a person. In this sense, God considered as a creating
cause is a person.

“ The intimate relation of God, as Being, to all His attributes
and to all his essence, constitutes the divine personality ; which for
God is His entire Being. God only exists for Himself, in a manner
infinite and absolute. God has relation entirely to Himself ; for
there is no being ont of Him to which he can have relation is
altogether internal. The divine consciousness or personality
embraces all that is in God, all of which He is the reason. ' Person
as applied to Deity, expresses the definite and certain truth that
God is a living being , and not a dead material energy.’

Emerson says that personality signifies true being (Sat) both
concrete and spiritual. It alone is original being. It is not limited.
It in that universal element that pervades every human soul and
which is at once its continent and fount of being. Distinction from
others and limitation by them results from individuality. (Ahankara
or Anava) not personality (Sat.) Personality pertains to the subs*
t&nce of the soul, and individuality to its form Another Christian
writer (Rev. J. Iveracb) points out that the absolute and uncondi-
tioned Being is Personal is not a contradiction in terms, such as a
.round square, but that it will bo true as when we say a white or
crimson square. " When we speak of the absolute, we speak of it
as a predicate of pure being ; we simply mean that the absolote
Personal Being is and must be self -consciousness ; rational and
ethical, muBt answer to the idea of Bpirit. Why may not the
absolute Being be i self-conscious t To deny this to Him wonld be to
deny to Him one of the perfections which even finite beings can
possess.”

St. Meikanda and St. Tinuzmlar bad stated the question
long ago, as we had shown. This self -consciousness, t/evif

»od QppvQpsmi pis, as we have shown above, is not to be
confounded with the limited of the soul.

PERSONALITY OF GOD.

85

A* it is, personality clearly means Set end Chit. And neither
8egnna nor Nirguna. Personality is opposed to Achit or Jade or
irrational matter and relates to the substance. Saguna and
Nirguna to the form, either as individual or otherwise — God
can never become individualised as man, woman or brute, the
limitation of the latter class of beings arising from its union with
matter or Guna (Saguna). From this view, impersonal would clearly
mean irrational, unintelligent and material, and we don’t believe
any Indian writer would desire to use this word in relation to the
Deity, if they only understood its signification.

From the statement that God is Nirguna and not Sagans, it
follows that God can neither have birth nor death. This is one of
the central doctrines of Saiva Siddhanba, and in this respect it
differs from all the existing forms of faith, whether Hindu or other-
wise, except, perhaps, Muhammadanism and the Unitarian form of
Christianity.

iSpuiSsS tS|j5^5SSBr mrwmm

<$PulSv$ ajwa/TS(g uSawu ii

jf>j£>UL$e8 jerfep p Qpts(\gtJ)er QjirQfjri*

U) fiUlStS WiryjIT

The unborn, with the braided hair, supreme grace, the undying,
bestowing bliss on all, O thou worship ! If worshipped, thy Maya
will vanish without doubt.

Of course, it must stand to reason that our soul itself is neither
horn nor can it die. What is born or what dies is the material body
formed of May& or Guna- These repeated births and deaths occur
on account of the peculiar link subsisting between the soul and
matter; and therefore, the souls comprising all Sakalan are o ailed
Saguna. The same peculiar link does not subsist between God and
matter, and hence, He is Nirguna. So it is. God can neither be
born in vhe womb nor die. This peculiar doctrine of Saiva
Siddhanta is what should elevate it to the highest rank of philoso-
phy; and the latest discoveries in science could not shake its found-
ation.

One other feature of Suva .iiddhanta, in regard to the God-
head, wo will mention, before we close this pepar. And that is, that

88

SID DH A NT A DEEPIKA.

ilie supreme Brahman of this school called Siva or Sivam ii not to be
oonfonaded with the Hindu Trinity. God is peculiarly denoted by th*
words Sivam, Sankara, Sambhn, Rndra (he who removes sorrow) as
they express the most spiritual nature of God as Love and all j
beneficent. And that this is no sectarian conception of the Deity and
t huf. the God of the Saiva Siddhantis ia the universal God of all the'
nations and all religions i$ finally brought out by St. Arulnanthi Siva
Chariar in his very first verse in Sivagnana Siddhiar.

jffHum mi futupGptiriQti w*j QaegS

fgfjStu fi QpmM-ppriu Qaipirsmimatitir QjSaS pipit
«k>0enr«Br utarafiiuuitaicQajtr t—uugtjQj
Qf jSQtuir y$)uj<r pi tSarp Qtauarup. Qatiraflaoaiuuir li.

Let me place on my head, the feet of Siva who stands as the
goal of each o£ the six forms of religion, and who stands in the
-various forms conceived of by the various internal schools of Siva
faith, and yet stands beyond the conception of all Vedas and
Agamas, and fills all intelligences with His love, and becomes my
Heavenly Father and Mother and fills one and all inseparably.

To sum up, according to true Vedanta Siddhanta Philosophy,
God is Sat Chit, An&nda, not material nor enveloped in matter,
Nirgusa and Personal, ever blissful and all LovO &Ad all Him acts
anchaa creation. &o„ are prompted by suoh Love. He is neither
He, she or it, nor has He any material Rapa or Arnpa, and He can
reveal. His grace and majesty to those who love Him. He cannot
be -bora nor can He die and as such, indeed, He is the Pure and
Absolute and Infinite- Being able to lift up humanity wallowing in
the bonis of . mala, maya, and karma. To know Him as our true
Heavenly Father add Mother and love Him as suoh is the only
panacea for all the evils of erring mankind. -~rh» Nett Reformer.

To them that love God: all things .work together for good.
The soul cannot be hurt but though thy erring body.

The Inner Meaning of Siva Linga

{Continued from paqe 32 of Veil. FIJI.)

Thus the Linga being Nada partakes of the nature of o.aSif and
the Peeta being Binda partakes of the natnre of QmiLi, The relation
between linga and peeta is exactly the same as that between f
and Qt&iuQi-'Qfjij} ? What is the relation between the
and Tholkappiar, that sage who

flourished 7000 years before Panini describes this in the Satras
*Q*oiLM9m&iud mi* fQldit'S £mjpru> and Qt£<i>a£«ar mi iflajjpuSirQptmrjp
SU»(3 mj and Nachinarkiniyar, the commentator, likens this to
the undifferentiated condition of salt and water, and of finger and
finger. Observes he "Qpdkm&mrp Qj&Mj/trm Qu>ib(p*rard Gp-i «.« 9r
lS«t mmd^g^Otoekfyr ^/uiQfiOBpdiu i9pd(gQio«m(^d

jrdQmfdt^drmedi m~uLf i(§u> Qu rmt Qmietki •pajwmj
QmgnJbjftmmtmi eBs&u> Sm&pQuuma <2mi(*?»j dppgpid

Qup&*''

The vowel hae 1 matin and the consonant has half matra.
The vowel and the consonant both combined should have 1 + $ or
matras. Bnt the matra actually obtained is only one — not
/one and a half.’ Hence the commentator says
are $eirQ puirii 4pps0u>.'

The matra for is one and matra for • is also one, though
« (the consonant) has half mahtra. Bat has the vowel become
the consonant ? Yes in a sense it has become the consonant and yet
remains distinct as the in * remains distinct from d. This is the
relation of God and Soul in mnktbi. This is the view of tue author
of the V edantha Sutras when he says that God alone has the power
of crartion and not the sool, who can only enjoy Divine Bliss..
(f £hoga matra Samya Lingath" (the 4th pada) m-idudiSfirem m.pu+
&frvm w^tSipjrgptfi Qm>trgpumt» $«■ r/SggdCm ' ujfijjp

(Siddhiar.)

SIDDHAKTA BEflKA.

fl8

This is the view of the Upanishads when they proclaim "that
a person intent on the dnlceb sounds of a vina liears nothing but
the sound of Vina’’ etc. This is also the view of the Gitacharya when
he says “such a man never dies in me.” Such an advaitic* union is
proclaimed by I he union of Linga and peeta or of Nada and Bindu
or of e_i iSlir and Qlouj. Wo said tliat Nada has its sound and Hindu
produces shape. 'Nada (sound) produces Bindu (shape)’ is a scientifi-
cally demonstrable truth So every sound is represented in a shape.
The first distinct sound is only =» or Akahra. The next sound is
only @ ikahram and the next sound is only a. ukahram. Of coarse
we "leave the long vowels out of consideration. The @ is er

and ««y -t- e_ is 9 . The sequence or order is in the formation
of sounds. But where is the order in the pronunciation of
the characters A, B, C, D, or in Aliph. Be, 8 e, The ? In pronounc-
ing our Hindu letters, we give them certain shapes. These shapes
are formed as we pronounce them. Thus the shape of jy or A is
what is formed in the pronunciation of the sound c$y. So is @ and
so is e_. Of course the characters of the present day alphabet are
not what Tholkappiar gives in his immortal Grammar. The Siva-
gainas assert that from the bottom of the evolving Bindu tatva
Ambika Saktlii is produced, from her issue three sakthies Vama,
Jyeshta and Rowdri. Vamah iB of the form of a slumber-
ing serpent. Jyeshta is dandakara or a line. Rowdri has the
shape of two horns Qq (or brackets) — (Qa/riiq). A combination of
these Sakthies produces the letter Akahara or the primary sound.
In Akahra Rowdri Saktbi is the head, Vamah the face, Ambika the
hands, Jyeshta the long body. Of course the Bindu and Nada are
the tatvas, out of which these 3 kalahs of Pranava are formed. Thus
according to the Agamas, every alphabet, vowel or consonant, is
formed out of one or more of the Nava Sakthis, Varna* Jyesta etc.,
that evolve out of Bindu and Nada, the Bindu being a dot or a star
or zero and the Nada being a line. The Pranava which comprises
within itself the entire alphabets of 51 letters is the only letter in
which the entire 9 sakthis conjointly play their part in producing
its shape. Kalidasa thus describes the truth “Vyomethi Bindu rithi
Nadaithi Indurekha roopethi Vakbhava thanoorithi Mathruketh
Nishyandamahna sukhabodha Sudhaswaroepam Vid/othase Manasi
Bhagyavatham Jananam.” The Vyomais the sky or Akas. The
Bind.u is 'he Star, the Nada is the form of linear lightning: the

# Saint Arulnandisivam defines Advaitam as “qear//r>i±j Stir- pa tiraif)^* 3
(iSw> epasrty & ir * aatL^irsn ld&) ji'tiT "«ar® 'jSeir(f>/sn low ’ (®(3 t * 1 ' 7 ’

(3)0uo°o^i.)

J

INNER MEANING OF SIVA LINGA. BO

Indnrekha is the vanoos shapes of the waxing and waning moon,
the Vakhhava thauu is the body produced oat of the Yaks (apeecfc)
Vaikari Madhyama, Pasyanthi, Sookshma and Su-Sookshma which
are but products of Kutila or Kundalini which is a comp oun d
of A, U, M, Hindu and Nada. Of these 5 Vaks the Susookyhifln
is Gnanaroopa and the Sookshma is the originator of the 3 Vain
Pasyanthi, M adhyama and Vaikari. The pasyanthi is Nirvikalpa
(changeless) and Madhyama is Savikalpa (changing) and Vaikari
is Srothra Visliaya or the audible sound.

Vaikari is the grossest and it- is caused by the ndana Vayn attd
Prana Vsyu. The Madhyama Vak is not audible. It rests in the
throat but still the Will cognizes it. It is generated by the Prase
Yayn and not by the Udana. The Pasyanthi Vak is an undifferen-
tiated condition of the various sounds or rather their substrate itj T
These 5 kalahs (subtle) guide the f> sthoola kalaha Nivruthi,
Prathishta Vidya, Santhi and Santhiatheetha. There is thus here
an attempt, to connect the heavenly regions with the inner organisms
of the human body. A link is forged between astronomy and
physiology both of them finally merging in tbe Divine Philosophy
of Oneness. The Agama says ‘Siva Sthithassarvajanthoonam
Aksharan&m Akahravath’ Just as the letter (sound) Jr (A) stands
among the letters (sounds), so Siva stands with reference to all the
souls- In the Devarahymn the immanence of the Loid is described
as QatyfeQQtAQfj irQiun * £tvLur£i y just as the vowel induoep
the consonant; and sago Thiruvalluvar says
m*£) -JMtusmQpppQ and says the sage Thay umanavar
<JurQ#oej«^ttp0u)/r©.

The above explanations are necessary in view of the fact that
the Pranava is the chief or Tharaka Mantra the efficacy of whose
dhyaua is so gloriously described in all the upanishads and Agamas.
We alluded to the Tamil alphabet's in as much as the vowels and
consonants therein are characterised e_«S/r and Q'jhli and as the •
phonet-ic order is complete there, for instance there are short w and
^ but in Sanskrit we have only long «r and long 9 and we cannot
conceive of long <r and long $ without the short sr and shorty,
just as we cannot have a lone & without the short 4 r. In other
respects the rules mentioned in the Panini’s grammar may equally
apply. Thus it is clear that all the shapes of the sounds have their
origin from the Divine Kutila whose Kalahs are the nine Sakthfa
that they are derived only from the Nada and Bmdu which coin*'
stitute tbe Ardha mahlra of the Pranava. This Ardba matrsris
the entire Siva linga, the peeta representing theDindu and the Ling«*

90

SIDDHANTA DEPIKA.

the NckU’ In the succeeding pages we will describe how the Siva
lings i* tte shape or Yanthra of the sound Pranava. Only when
Understand the relation between the Linga and Peeta or the
eutSir and qr the vowels and consonants, we can have a concep-
tion q£ the Pranava Linga being characterised as the symbol of the
Bivinity. Elqe mere assertion that the Pranava is all and that the
Linga i$ aU will be a conundrum.

The same sacred books current in the South and in the North
d es cribe the Prabha or £)( 5 &iit@ of the divine forms and the
shapes of Ganesa and Linga as pranava. We see no actual
in the. shapes of Ganesa and Linga as sculptured in the
Ifotth %qd South. The long story of Ganesa as the offspring of
two pranava knhjaras (elephant) Siva and Sakthi (Nada and Biudu)
is found in, the Skandapurana. Of course any northern edition of
thq iw. m%y be compared with that in the south. The Agamas
giye lucid explanations of the shapes of Alphabets from A to Ba.
The 51 Aksharas are the forms of Rndras- These Aksharas are
the needs of the Lotus of Kutila. “ Panchasath rudra roopasthn —
Bftnchasath Bija garbhitham,” so say the Agama and the Vayn
Qamhitha. We are told in the Santhana Agama that these Agamas
were taught in the mutts that were once situated on the banks of
thq Ganges* These mutts were known by the names of Mandahna-
kahlisa in the middle and Ahmardakee, Golaki, Ranabhadra and
Pnshpagiri on the 4 sides. This shows that the alphabet as it
prevailed in the South was also extent in the north for a long time
and, th^t. the. men in the North lost them with the influx of time
and subject to tho influence of various marauding, nations snch as
the Greeks, the Scythians, the Huns, the Mughals and Afghans etc.
an at the' present day they are fast losing the pronunciation and
nay the very language itself.

Anyhow we see that the Nada and Bindu form part and parcel
of the Holy Pranava. These two constitute Ardhamatra. The
Siva Bh&rmottara says “ Athavahnya Prakahrena Brahma Vishnu
Mahesvara kramath Mahthra Samuddhistah Tathparaachah
rd.hamahtrayah'’ and the Vayn Samhitha says “ Evaro Thisrubhire
vaithath Mahthrabhirakhilam Tridha Abhidaya Sivathmahnam
Bhodhayathy ardha mahthraya *’ Thus the Ardhamatra is above
the three matras A, U and M. The Atharva Sikha explicitly
speaks of Ardhamatra and its connection with Nada. The 27th
chapter of the second part of Vayu Samhitha treats of this Atharva^
sikha and the rising of the Mahaiinga.

INNER. MEANING OF SIVA LING A.

to

The Chapter begin* llms.

“ Kvatneva vivadobhooth Brahma Yislmoparasparam
Thitsyordarpalipaharahya prabodhayaeha Devayoh
Madhve Huinahhliirabhavatli Lingam Aisvaram Adbhutham
Jvnhlah inahla SabasrahUyam Apregneyani Anoupamam
Krbaya Vriddlii VinirmukihaTn Adi Madvanta Varjitham
Thasya J cabin Sahas rone Brahma Vishnoo Vimohithou- ’

Brabtaa and Vishnu began to fight. To put down their pride
and to eligiiten them, a grand 1 ingam aroso amidst them, a
wonderful lingam symbolising Isvara, shining with thousands ©i
fiery beams, an immeasurable, and unrivalled form void of decay
and growth, as well as beginning, middle and end. Brahma and
Ymhnu were quite stunned with the multitudes of fiery-beami*.

“Pranipatbva Kimahthmedam ithyaohinthayathnm Tada
Athabhir&bhavutk ti.athra Sa nahdaiu Saluda lakshanara
Duuthyekaksharam Brahma Brahmanaea prathipahdakam
Tadapyavid ithaumbhava: h Ghathurdheikam Thaclaksharam,
A-u-to efhi tlmmatJirabhihi parastlia^hcliardha inahtraya
Thathrnhkahro Si itlio bhage tliuda lingasva Dakshine
Ukahrascliothare Tad van Makahrasthasya Madhyathaha
Ardhamahtrahtlimako Naiidahn Srooy athe Linga MoordhanI
Vibhakthepi thatha Thasmin FrOuave Paramakshare
Vibhagarthamclia Thou I)evow nakimehith avajagrnafchuhu
Vedathmana thadavyaktho Prana vo Vikruthim gathaha
Thathraka.ro Rik abhavatb Ukahvo yajuravyayaha
Makalirassahma sanjaktho Nahdasthvatharvanee Srufcliilii.’’

Then they prostrated before it and began to muse about ifcn
nature. But they could not. Then the Mantra, the on© Akskara,
Onkara, which depicts the Supreme Brahm. with Nada, the
primary essence of sound, took shape. That too was not under-
stood by Brahma and Vishnu, their minds being overpowered by
Rajas and Tanias- Then that word divided itself into 4 divisions,
vi£.. A, U , M, and the Ardhamatra beyond them. Then the Matra
leant towards the right side of tlie Linga, U leant towards the
left side, while M leant towards the middle. The Nada which is
called Ardhamatra, went to the top of the. Linga. Even when this
Great Word Pranava thus divided itself, still they could not
understand. . Then the Pranava changed itself into Veda. A
became Rik, U became Yajas, and M became Sanaa, the Nada
became the Atharvana;

92

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

Eik apaathapayamasa Sarnasathvartham Atmanalia
Bajo Gunflshu Bmhinahnam AloorthishvHhdyam Kriyftsvapi
Srishtim lokeshu Prithvim Tutbveshvahthmanam Avvayam
Kalahdavani nivruthinicha sadyam Brabinasupanchasu
Ling* bhageuhvado bh again Beejakhyamkahruna Tbrayc
Cbatbusb ahasbti Gunaisvaryam Bowdhdhaiu yathaniuihdisbu
T&ditbam Arthair Das>abbir Vynptham Visvarn Richa jagath,’'

Then Rik stood up and began to dwell upon its import in brief.
Of the gunas Rajas; among moorthis Brahma ; of actions creation;
of worlds earth; of tatvas Atina tatva ; of K.ilahdvas Nivruthi; of 5
mantras sadyojatha mantra; of the portions of Linga the bottom ;
of the 3 causes the seed ; of the Aniina and other prosperi-
ties prosperi ies which pertain to Bnddhi ; in this manner by
means of these ten kinds, the Rik pervades the universe."

“ Athopasthapayahmasa Swsrcham Dasa Yidharo Yajuhu
Satvam guneshu Vishnumcba Moortbishvadyam Kriyasvapi
Sthitliim lokeshvanfcharikahain Vidyam thathveshucha tbrishu
Kftlahdkvasucha Pratishtanicha Vabniam Bmlniasu Punchasu
Madhyanthu Linga Bhageshu yonimcha Thnsliu Hethushu
Pmbkruthuincha thuthaiavaryam Thasmath Visvain yajurmayani/’

Then the Yajus established its own ten kinds. Of Gunas Satva; of
Moorthis Vishnu, of action Sthithi or Protection; of worlds the
Authariksha; of tatvas Vidya tatva; of kaladlivas Pratishta ; of the
5 mantras Vamadeva mantra; of the Linga portions the middle part
of the three causes the yoni (uterus) ; of the prosperities the
prosperities which pertain to Prakruthi ; in this way the universe is
Yajurmaya.’ 1

11 Thathopasfchapayahmasui Samahrtbam Daaadhatbroanaha
Tamo guneshvatho Rudram Moorthim Adyam kriyasucha
Samhruthim Thrishu lokeshu Swargam Tatveshvatka Sivaha
Vidya kaUhsvaghoramcha Brahma Brahraasn panchasu
Lingabhageshu Peetordlivam Beejinum kahrauathraye
Powrusbumcba thatkaisvaryam lfcham Sahmnab thatham jagath . ,r

Then stood up the Sama-veda and dwelt upon its own; ten
divisions. Of gunas Thamas; of Moorthis Rudra ; of aetions
Samhara (dissolution) ; of worlds Swarga ; of tatvas Sfva tatva ;
of k,.lahs Vidya kala; of 5 mantras the Aghora mantra; of the
portions of Linga the upper part of the Peeta ; of the three causes
the Beeji (the man); of the prosperities the prosperities of Purnsha
tatva ; Thus the Sana Veda pervades this universe.

Alharvaha nairgunyam artbam paramam Atmanaha
Thatbo Mahesvaram Sakshan Moorthishvapi Sadasivam
Kviyasu Nishkriyasyapi Sivasya paramahthmanaha
Bboothanugi-abanarachaiva muchyanthe yena janthavaha
Lokeshvapi yatho Yacho nivruth.. manasab aaha
Tadhoordhvam unmana lokahth Soma lokamalowkikani
Somaa sahomayab yathru Nithyp’^* uivadatheisvaraba

INNER -MEANING OF SIVA LING A,

Todhoordhvarn unmanalokatb vainpmptho na nivarthatbs
Kvnthimcha Santhyatheethamcha V'yapikatn Yaikalasvapi
Tathpurushara thaLbesanam Brahma Brahmasu panchamu
Moordhanaraapi ling&sya nada bhageshvanuthamam
Tathravah ya samahradliyaha Kevulo Nishkalas sivaha
Tath vesh vapi Tboda Bindor Nadatb Sakthesthuthahapara
TbaihvathApi.paratn Tathvam Athathvam paramarthathuha
Karaneshu thra vatheethahth Mubvuh Viskshobha k&branahth
Ananth^th Suddba Vidyayub paraafchathcha Mahesvarahtb
Sarva vtdyesviirahdeesath s&p&rasthathcha Sudasivntb
Sarva Mantra Thanor Devath Sakthitraya aamanvitbath
Pane ha vaktbrahddasabujabth Sahkshath sakala niahkalath
Tasmatb Apiparahth Bindor Ardbendoscha Tathaba parabth
Tatbparath Nirodheeaatli Nahdahkhyathcha thatba parabth
Tathabaparath suahumnesahth Brahma randresv&rodapi
TathaparfuyabsBakthescha purasthoth eiva thathvathaba
Paraniaio kahranam Sabkehath Swavam Nisbkahranam aivam
Kahranahnahmcha Dbathrara Dhyahtbaram Dbyeyam avy&yant
Paramabkahsa madhyostharu Paramathmoparistbicham
Sarvaiavaryoun saropannam Sarvesvamm Aneesvaram
Aiavaryaschapi Mabyeyath Asuddbath mftnuabadikhath
Apnrocba pamththyajyath Aviguddhadhvagocharath
Tath parabth suddha viJyadyuh umnanabntbath Parathporath
Paramain paramaiavaryam unmanadyatuanadicha
Apahramapamhdinam nissahiuyahthisayam athham
Itham Arthairdasa vidhairivamubthftrvanee snatbibi
Yastnatb Gareeyasee thasmath via vain vyaptbam Atbarvannb."

Then the Atharva Veda dwelt npon its own import. Nirgnna
(of gnna*); of Moorthis Mahesvara and Sadasiva ; of actions of tbe
Para m atm a, Siva who is void of any action (nishkriyah) the
Anugraha (Blessing) function l>v which all souls are liberated,
among Lokas (worlds) the Somaloka where the Lord with Uma
ever rests, the abode without reacliing which the speech along
with the Mind has returned, which is (therefore) beyond the
Unmana loka, reaching which one will never return; of Kal&s
the Santhi, Santhi Acheetha and Vvapiba, of the 5 mantras the
tathpurusha and Isana Mantras ; of the portions in the Linga the
top of the Linga which is the portion for Nnda where the Lord
Siva who is simply Nixhkalah is to be contemplated; of the tatvas,
that Tatva which transcends tbe Bindu, Nad a and kutila and
beyond that tatvam which is really no tatva; of the causes, itself
transcending tiie three causes being simply tbe agitator of Maya,
transcending Anantha and tbe Suddhaviclya, transcending the
Mahesvara, the Lord of all Vidyesvaras, transcending even
Sadasiva, whose body is formed simply of Mantras, in whom restB
the three Sakthis Icha, Gnana and Kriya, who has five heads and
ten hands who is the Sakai a-nishkaia transcending Bindu, Ardha-
chandra, nirodi, Nada and Nadantha, transcending snsbumneta and
Brahmarand resa, transcendirg even the Sakthi tatva and Siva tatva,

SIDDJTANTA DEErTIvA

&4

He is himself the causeless cause, Siva.m, the grand cause, the resort
of all causes, the unifier of all causes and the one to he contem-
plated upon, the Lord in the midst of chidakasa, the Lord transcen-
ding all Atmas ; (of prosperities') possessing all aishvarvas
(omniscience and other 7 qualities) being Sarvesvara and having
no Isvara for Him, transcending the prosperities of Asuddha Maya
the prosperities of men, transcending the lower prosperities and all
the higher prosperities of Suddhadhvas, transcending the prosperities
oE Suddhavidya and Humana, which possess (lie beginningless Aisli-
varyas which are limitless, the like of which cannot be found
anywhere, the transcendental aishvaryas which “are ever existent ”
Thus the Atharva demonstrated its ten divisions by which it
pervades the universe-”

Rig Vedsiha putiarahcibim juligrritli roopntn miiyoeiiyntiic
VerftilianiatmaUiathvasva nitJivama,sniyabKiilliny«kaI)ii
Yajur Vcdovadath tlialli vath yvajniahvasllia inuyodivatlic
Uhogyahthniaiia parinathsih YidyaliYidy;< li yatlio tnayi
SalimHchalia aushupt)ivn khvam wain -sarviini liKiyuebyatlie
Mamahrtliena sivcnodani Tbalimstacna bliidvcy^itlic
Ath<jrvabaha Thuicoyabkliyiuu Thiireevatliyci.lm mcvnrhn
Mayabbhidccyatlie tbaarnatii A<lhv;iht.hectli:i padusniyukuni
Adhvathmakaintlia Tlirimalam Siva Vidyalitluna Sanijiiitliam
Thathraigunyani Thraycesalidyum (iaiiiHodliviiiuchu pnclaisliitinha m
AdUvatheethani Thnr»'L’ysiliklivam Nirvobiinm paronium padam
Tadatlieethamcba Nairgunyath Adhvanosya Yisodbakam
DvayO Pramapako uado Aalidalint liasclia tnnilaliHnnakalifl.

Thnsmahn mamalirthna swabtliantbryath Priullr-ma Purantesvaraha
Yadasthi Vasthu Thatb survam “lira Prahdbauva yogatliaha
Samastham Vvastbaninpicba Pnmi valutbom pracba kslmthe
Sarvartha Yacbakain Thasmath Ekani lirahiiiaitlia daksbaram
Thenomithi jagatb kritsnam kuruthe I’ratlianuiin sivaha
Sivo va Pranavohiesha Prana vo va eiva sniriil halia
Vahcbya Vachakayorbhedo nalitb vantlmiii Yidvathe kvnchitli

Again Rig Veda Says: “By me is denoted the waking state. I am

therefore the appellation for ever of Atiiia tatva. Similarly the
Yajur Veda Says ‘‘By me. is denoted the Swapna avasthn (dreaming
state), as the Vidya tatva which transforms itself into Bhogya
(things consumable) rests in me ; The Sama Says “ By me is
announced the state of Sushupthi and this is explained by the Siva
tatva.” The Atharva V eda says. “I announce tiie state of Turiya
and Tuviyathita. Therefore I am the condition that transcends
all adhvas. The three bold divisions of At.ma, Vidyaand Siva tatvas,
which are the regions of the three malas (Anava, Karma, and Maya),
comprise all Adhvas in them. They are of Three Gunas, capable of
being accomplished by (a knowledge of) t lie Trayec (Rik, Yajus and
Sama) and capable of being tested or purified by the persons
desirous of padas (berths). The state of Turiya which trans-
cends the Adhvas is the blissful groat condition (of the mukta.)
thing void of Thrigunas- it is furthor bsyoad and is the purifier of

INNER MEANING OF SIVA LING A,

adhvas. The Nada is the lintk that connects both i-e. the Jidlua
*»n<l the state beyond and Nudantha is luy own' sphere. -Therefore
iny state which is independent is preeminently supreme. Whatever
*mli S tance there is in the world, that substance by the conjunction
of grin** p«oclaiins the meaning of Prauava either in its entirety
or separateness. Therefore the Aksliara (ciiaractei) and one
Mantra (J.U is designator}' or explanatory of all things. Therefore
t.ne Lord Siva creates the entire world by uttering tli word 'Om.”
Kira is Pranava and Pranava is Siva. There is not much difference
between a definition and a thing defined.

ArtliAiaetham Avijtmliya rajasabhaddha Vyrayo
Yuvayo PwthibwIJmy* Madlive Lingum UpasthitliRin
Iiram Omitlii Maiim Prahuryadibokthamatharranah
Kucho ynjitornaliv oumari aakhascbanyaasaliasrH Ba.hu
Vedeabvevam Srayatn Yalfthraivyakr.liamitbyaVRdatliRvapi
bWepnanabboothami vatbuth lhabbyabn nurlhynva eeeyatha
ThuvoKthathra Prahodnava Thamopacayanayacha
I .in (fppi Mmlritliani Sarvain vatba Vadairudabrutbam
Tliaddhrusn a Modritham Lin^-p PraBadatb LingiDasthada
Prasanthi. niannww lVvow jnabuddhuw aambabhoovathu
Tliatho Ji'pjrasya Lin^athvam Linginopicba Lingitham
l.ir.gc Vittvasya jAgnihaba Yiaealialh Swahtbmanorapi
I'thp-jtlil.him VilnyamcliMva yahthathmyamcho Shadadbvaoaitm
Tbatb'xba pnrtttharum‘Dhssm& Dhulnnaranthavncb* Pnorushaun
Nimthamibaranm Brab rr a Nishkalam Hivam I a vara m
Paau p«a* mayaayaaya prapanchasya Rada pavhim

Not knowing this meaning both of you are fighting with each
other. For enlightenment of yon both this Liuga arose in your
midst. Therefore the wise denote me hy the syllable Om, aa
Atlmrvana Veda just now explained to you.

Though the Riks, the Yajus, Samas along with their multitude*
of branches spoke with their own mouths still they did not Inst for
a long time in their minds. All seemed to them like phantoms
in dream. Then for their enlightenment and the dispelling of their
( internal darkness, all the truth proclaimed by the Vedas were
engraved or imprinted in the Linga. Seeing the above truth
marked in the Liuga, by the Grace of the Lord, whose symbol »
Linga, the two were enlightened. Hence the Lingathvam, state
of being a linga, for the Linga— which means symbol or Mark
( 4 ft*»—uj/reru>). As the Linga bears the marks of all troths
mentioned by the 4 Vedas, i.e. as all the truths are marked or
symbolised by this: symbol, this is called symbol or Linga. Similarly
the lmgitha of the Lord who is denoted by the Linga. As the
Lord is the resort of all the truths symbolized by the form of the
Liuga, He is called Lingi — literally one denoted by Linga. This
Linga depicts or inculcates the projection or creation, of . the entire
universe composed of pasn (non 'material soul) and pasa (material)

98

SIDDHAXTA DEEPIKA.

;ts well as their dissolution and of the true condition of the
Shahidvahs. Beyond that is the Nislikala of tlie Lord. ,

Thus it is clear that the Siva linga is Pranava engraved or
sculptured. Siva liuga is the yanthru, or tlie shape for Pranava.
The Vidyesvara Samhita says:

“ J.ingaimmclia krnmani Vakshye yathavath Srumitha Dwijaho, TliudeVa lings m
prathamain Pimavam Sarva k&hniikam, Sookstimani t'rnimva roopumhi Sookfhma-
roup&mthn Nishkalim . Svahiethallikhithum Lingam Suddbaprovava manthn.kam
yanthru lingam sainuhlikhya PratisLita vahanamchureth, Biudo uadamayam Lingam
Sthavaram jangamcliavath.”

I will now describe tlie order of the Linga. Listen to it. That alono
is the Prime Linga which is Pranava, the fiddlier of ail desires.
Tlie Pranava form is subtle and this subtle form is Nislikala. Tlie
linga wiittcn by one's hand is the pure Pranava Mantra. By
imprinting the yantra Linga one should perforin pratishta etc.
This linga of Bindu and Nada is all the mobile and immobile things.

The same Samhita asserts.

“Pranavam Dhvani lingamthn Nada .lingnm Svoyambhnvaha Bindu lingamthu
yanthram syahth ” and it defines Pranava thuB : —

“Akahrascba ukaraacha Makahrascha thathahapnram

Bindu nadaynthain Toddhi sabdukahla kalahddh vutbam

Pranava (sound) is the Nada Linga of the self eristent Lord.
Tlie Bindu Linga is yanthra or shape of the Pranava and Pranava
is formed of A, U, M, and beyond these is the one formed of Bindu
and Nada ”

Sr^bhumichanii yogindra Lingavirbhnva lakshanam Pure kalpe Mahokahle
Pnuaune Loka Visrutbe Ayudhyatlmm Mahahthinahnow Brahmavishnu
parasparam Thayonnahnam Nirakarfchum Than raadhye Paramesvaraha.
Nishkala sthambha rooperta avaroopam Samadarsayath, Thatha sva linga
diinuliathvahth Stbambhatho nishkalam Bivahu Svalingam Dareayahmaaa
Jag&thara Hitha Xahmyayah Tadaprabhruthi lokeshu NishkaJam lingam
Aiavaram.”

Again it says: •

Yadidam Niahkalnm stambham Mamabrahroatva bodbnkam Linga Lakslina
yukthafcbvath Mama Lingam Bhavefch idum Lingam Oinkara mantrena Be ram
Pauchaksharenatha Svayamevahi Saddravyair l’ratliiaL luhpyam Poraimpi."

Oh Yogindra, I now desire to hear of the appearance of linga- lie
«aya .• When Brahma and Vishnu were fighting in former times,
for dispelling their delusion the Lord himself appeared before
them in the form of a huge pillar, void of parts. As it was marked
*‘ith,H'S mark it became Linga. For the purpose of doing good to
the world, He exhibited his own mark. Thenceforward the
Nishkala forms the Divine symbol.

The entire Kailasa Samhita is a treatise on Pranava :

4 ' ft k M ^ s^ B cbftQi ^okahr otha Mftkahraacha tr&y&m krftm&hth. Thisro Mlhtni
avunkyath* Ardbema htra thathopram Ardkamahtrah Mahesani Bindu Nada
B w aroopmt«.

INNER WEANING OF SIVA LINGA

vd

A, then U and M — these three in their order are called the three
Mahtros. Beyond these is the Ardhamahtra— oh Maheauni (Par rati)
the Bindu and Nada constitute Ardhamahtra.

Akahraathu Mabathbeejam mjassrasbta cbathurmukha nkaljm Prnkruiliir
Jonihi Batram palayitha Hari Makahra purusbo Brjee Trvmaas&mburako Hare
Brndur Mahan varo Devasthirobhavn udabrutba Nadaasaduaiva Proktho Sarranu
grahaka Pmbba Nada moordbam S&mcbintbya Parahth p&iutharasuvaha.

The letter A is Mahat (mind), Bija (Semen Virile), Rajas
Brahma, the creator, the four faced. The letter TT is Prakruthi,
Yoni (matrix) Sat v am, Hari, the sustainer. The letter A is Purunha,
Beejee (the agent or Man) Thamas and Hara the destroyer. The
Bindu is Mahesvara, Deva, the TJiirobhaTA. , The Nadn is Sadasira
is the Anograha-doer. In the Sammit of Nada Lord Siva is to be
contemplate d-

The Samhita gives six interpretations or rather modes of
viewing or understanding Pranava. “Manthro yanbhram Devatacha
Prapancho Gurnrevacha Sishyascha Shat pndurthanam Eshain
Arthani Srunu priye,’’ The six modes are Mautra, Yantra, Dev at a,
Prapancha, Guru and Sishya — Listen to their meanings.

Pancha vnrna Bamashtisyahth Mantra poorvam adabbruthnha Sa era
janthratbam praptho V&kshye than mandala kr&mam jantbrwmtbu Devatha
roopatn Devata viavaroopiuee Vinvaroopo guru proktho Biahyo gum Vapua-
tnruthaba. "

The combination of 5 letters is called Mantra. The same obtains a
shape or yanthra. I will describe them. The Yaulhra or shape is
the form of Devata. The Devata is in the world. The Guru is
Visvaroopi. The disciple is the body of Guru.

Hridpundareekam Virajam Viaokatn Visa dam Pa ram Ast&pathram koaais-
dyatn karnikopari Sobhitbam. Adbara aakthi mahrabhya Thritbathvanta
inayam padam Vicbintbva M&dhyastbastbasya D&h&ram Vyoma Bhavayeth
Omitbyekbakebaram Brahma Vyahhar&n Matun Tvayab Baba.

Within the Heart lotuB of eight petals shining with Ressraa and
Karnika and upon a seat formed of Adharasakti to the end of
Atma Vidya and Sivatatvas — the Lord with Hi» Sakthi is to he
contemplated by uttering the mantra Om.

Lord Sabramanya thus initiates the great Sivadvaithin Yarns-
deva, who is mentioned in the Aithareya upanishad and in the
Brahma soothra ‘‘Sastra, Dhrushtyathoopadeso V amadevadivatli.

The Lord says :

“ P'-»novartha Parignaoaroopam thath VuUmnbbluiL Tadiai Shad
Vtdharthaikyaparijnanena Buvralha Pratbamo mantra roopssytb DviihwTO
yanthra Bbahrithaha Dsva thartbaba Thru theayartha Pmaeeelartfc* tbatba
param ehatburtha Panohamortbaayaib Qanuoopt ' Itmtefati manta
siabyatma rcoportho shadsrtbs Pari Wrtbi thaba.^

98

BID DH ANT A DERP1KA.

“I will in detii.il describe the meaning of Pranava in six ways
or inodes of -interpretation. The 1st interpretation is Mantra; the
2nd interpretation is } an thru ; tlie 3rd interpretation is Devatah;
the 4th interpretation is prapancha; the 5th is Gnru (teacher) and the
6tli is Sishya (Disciple). TJiese are the six interpretations for tiio
Pranava.

Thathra mantra Swaroopam the Vadami muni snththama. — “Ahdjaawaro
uapchannisclta Pavarganthastbathapara Bindu imhdowcha pancharnah
Proktbft Vedairnachsinyatha Ethath samashtiroopohi Vedadissamudahnnhaha
Nadasaarva samnshbi syuth Bindvadyam yachathushtayam VyaBbtiroopena
samaiddham Pnu.ave Siva Vachtike.

Oil groat Hislii, I will describe the nature of the Mantra. The
primary sound A, the 5th sound U, then the last sound in the
pnvftrga (labials) i.e. M and the bindu and Nada — these are denoted
by the Vedas as constituents, of Pranava. A combined form of
these 5 sounds is called the source of Vedas. The Nada is called
Samashtipranava of all the various component parts, while Bindu,
M, U and A, are called Vy.tslitipranava of the Pranava which
designates Siva. ’

Ydntbru voojmm sranu prahjna Siva Lingam Thadevahi Sarvadhastbath
Likheth Pectam tiiadoordvam prathamatn ovarum uvarnamcha thadoordbvasitham
Pavargantbam tbadoordhvagam. Tbanmaetha kastham Bindumcba tbadoordhvam
Nadamahlikheth. Evum ynuthmin sninah likhyn Pranavenoiva Veahtayeth. Tadnth
theuaiva Nabdcna Bhimlvabamidavaaahnakam.”

Oh wise one ! listeu to the form of the yanthra. That is only Siva-
linga. At the bottom of all, the peeta must be written, above it
should be written the first sound A, the letter U should be written
above it. 'Then M should go above that; on the top of that the
Bindu and above it should be written the Nada. Thus writing the
yaUthra it must be encompassed also with Pranava and must cleave
it asunder by means of the previously described Nada. The figure
thus formed will give Siva linga.”

\To be continued.)

A. RENGASWAMI IYER,

Serpent Worship m India.

Of the numerous variety of objects that have Btruck the
primitive Indian mind with a sense of awe-inspiring wonderment
and led in time to active propitiation and worship, the serpent
seems to have demanded a large attention. All worship grew out
of fear and is born of man’s terror of the great and mysterious
natural agencies by which he is surrounded. We know the
anthropomorphic tendency which seems innate in the human mind,
in its dealings with the unknown has led the primitive Aryans to
frequently personify the more obvious natural forces. Of these the
most important is the Sun, the author of light and heat, which has
been personified and deified under many names. In the Rig Veda we
read of the Storm-myth, the Sun-And-Dawn-Mythetc. f which led to
the introduction of the gods Varnna, Surya, Indra, Agni and others.
The worship of fire, sometimes allied to sun-worship, sometimes
different from it represents the deification of another natural force.
Similarly other objects in nature, grand, solemn and awe-inspiring
such as large rivers, lofty mountains, deep springs, gigantic trees
and frightful and dangerous animals have been reverenced and
worshipped by primitive man mainly with a view to ensure his
safety from the terrible evils they may inflict- It is thnB the
serpent in India seems to have come in for a share of the early
Indian’s worship. “ The serpent tribe is perhaps more numerous
in India than in any other country, and the most poisonous varieties
seem to have congregated there. The openness of the dwellings
imperatively demanded by the climate and the vast numbers of
people sleeping in the open air, in groves, forests, gardens etc.,
give them chances of which they make but too good use, swarming
in the gardens and seeking shelter in the houses during the rainy
season. As a consequence death from snake-bite almost equals an
epidemic/’ No wonder then the crude uncivilised Indian of the
early ages was horrified at the sight of the venomous reptile and
hastened to adopt the common resource then available, namely, of
raising it to the dignity of a deity and propitiating it by the offering
of prayer and sacrifices much in the same way in which the fire-god t

100

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

the son-god and the storm -god were reverenced. It was thus the
fear of the poisonoae fang of the hooded snake that raised it to the
level of the deity in the Indian mind and led the way for its
introduction into his complex mythology and daily worship as well
as into the shrines and temples of Hinduism.

The relics of this once powerful cult of Serpent worship are
found to exist at the present day in several parts of India, while
the actual worship itself is still surviving in parts of the country
among certain classes of people. Though it is hard to find now-a-
days in the large and important towns and cities any sign of a
festival exclusively devoted to-the serpent, it is in small villages,
hamlets and up-country places that we perceive the lingering
worship in full force to-day. It is needless to say that every one
would have observed an Indian village contain invariably a temple
either big dr small, a bathing ghat very often attached to the river
or the village tank and a meeting place or village platform erected
of stones and square in size with one or two sacred trees planted
therein which keeps the platform shady throughout the day.
These square platforms are found to exist sometimes near the
temple., but invariably in the vicinity of the river or the tank,
^hese platforms are the common uhofficial meeting places and form
an important factor in the Indian village life. For it is here that
the village servants can find the headman ip the mornings and take
his directions, the ploughmen will find their land-lord, the village
priests perform their morning and evening ablutions, and the village
school-master airs his grievances. It is here algo that the village
scandal takes its birth and shape. In such a place, at the foot of
the trees planted therein, you will invariably find number of stone
images planted, some of them new and some worn out with age.
^he kindly ladies of the villages who go to the tank qr river
anoint these stcunes with oil and wash them with milk and water.

If you examine what these stones represent yon will find the image
qf serpents carved out in the pi, sometimes a single serpent — -the
deadly cobra with its hood fnlly expanded— and sometimes double
serpents twisting together and serpents with five heads etc. Such
stone images of serpents are by no means restricted to one place.
TLsbo stones are ; also found at times single, but very often

serpent Worship in India.

101

collected together in large numbers, planted at the sides of

the tanks and the stone steps of the bathing place in rivers.

Wherever there is a pi pal tree or a pip&l and a morgossa. there

also yon am sure to 6nd several stone images of serpents planted

all round the trunk of the trees. Besides, at the entrance to ever?

•

temple, on the stone pillars and walls, at the portico and in fact at
every nook and corner of a Hindu shrine she images of serpents are
to be seen. In the massive wooden cars belonging to these temples
as well as in the several wooden vdhanas, the serpent’s image is
found to be carved. Even in these isolated places the serpent
receives its due honours of anointment and oblation.

It may be said that there are two different kinds of offering
Worship te the serpent. Although both of them are mainly direct-
ed towards one object — viz, the serpent, still in the aim of such
worship as well as in the mode or manner of performing the worship
they materially differ from one another. 1 hey are (1). the worship
of the image of the serpent and (2) that of the live serpent. In the
case of the worship of the image, the serpent is no longer consider-
ed aa a fearful aod awe-inspiring object, although it is certain that
this form of worship might have been the natural development of ages
of the adoration of the living reptile which mu6t of Course be tl>6
direct result of man'B fear and horror towards it. It is well known
how the conception of the deity as an all-powerful benign agency,
ready to help and save mankind is altogether a later development
in the evolution of the idea of God. The serpent is here regarded
as the symbol of the creative power, the regenerative force — alto-
gether a peaceful agency, due propitiation of which is necessary
for man if he wants to be blessed With peace and plenty, with
offsprings and their virtue. It is not known how the serpent came
to be invested with such a conception, but it is certain chat the idea
has taken such a strong root in the Indian mind that matrons and
maidens regard the serpent even to this day as a sacred object of
worship to save them from the curse of barrenness.

The first kind of worship, therefore, finds great favour with thd
gentler sex. Wherever the images of serpents are found, near the
rivers a-nd the temples, troops of beautiful maidens can Le

102

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

seen in the mornings after their bath, pouring water over the images,
washing them with milk and presenting the usual offerings of
cocoanut etc. They are enjoined to continue the worship for a
period of 40 days. Every day they are to go round the images as
well as the trees under which they are placed a certain fixed
number of times with flowers in their hands which they drop one
by one before or on the image, each time they complete one round.
It is devoutly believed that the result of the worship will be the
presentation of an offspring within another year. And if by chance
any lady is blessed with a child, she immediately takes care to set
up a stone image of a serpent and thus adds one more to the already
existing number of images. The same worship has been gradually
developed into an important sacrifice and a complicated system of
rites with authorised rules (mantras) has grown round it. The
Nagapuja , as it is called, has received holy sanction and is now per-
formed in lieu of the Aswamedha and the Puthrakameshti of the
vedic period. A golden image of the hooded cobra, aB the king of
the serpents, is fashioned, offerings are made to it by both the
husband and the wife in strict accordance with the rules, under the
supervision of a sanskrit priest, and finally when the ceremony is
over the golden image is presented to the priest. This puja is like-
wise performed with the same object of obtaining children; but
being more costly in its nature generally obtains only among the
more wealthy classes.

The other kind of snake worship in which the living serpent is
adored persists even at this date and is comparatively rarer in the
Southern parts of India than the Northern. It is found to exist all
over the West Coast and especially in Malabar. ‘They (the Nagas,)
Bays Zenaide A. Ragozin, in his Vedic India, “ play an important
part, too, in modern Hinduism, which has instituted a yearly festi-
val in honour, not of mythical serpents, but of the real, live snakes,
which do not appear to strike this apathetic people with a loathing
and terror at all proportionate to the havoc they play with human
life. This festival, which comes round towards the end of July, is
of a. decidedly propitiatory character. Pilgrims flock to the Naga-
shrines which abound in certain districts ; the cities teem with

SERPENT WORSHIP IN INDIA.

lot

make -charm era, whose weird charges eagerly crawl around the
pans with milk placed at intervals on the ground in all the principal
thoroughfares, before the admiring eyes of a devout and festive
throng.’ In some parts, the earthem mounds and holes which form
the usual habitations of these venomous creatures are sought for
and offerings like milk, eggs, fresh-killed chicken, rats and animal
blood are left near their months so that their crawling inmates may
satisfy their appetite in leisure. This kind of propitiation is cer-
tainly the outcome of horror for the envenomed double-tongued
reptile. It is also said that in certain old houses and dwellings
there are to be found snakes — often cobraB — and the inhabitants
regard them in the light of guardian angels and would not molest
them for all the world, bnt would worship and reverence them in
the same manner believing the safety and weal of the family to
depend upon those of the household-snake {'A%earuuiru>Li). It is
also believed that the cobra is the highest class of the serpent and
is called the Brahmin serpent and as such is regarded as incapable
of inflicting any want-on injury upon others.

There are certain curious stories of snakes found current in
the folk-lore of the country. Aged snakes of a certain variety are
supposed to contain in their heads a priceless gem of dazzling
brilliancy called the Nagardtna which is endowed with several
virtues. The serpent is represented as leaving it on the ground
and searching its prey in the light thrown out by the gem and again
swallowing it back. Several legends and adventures have grown
round this philosopher’s stone and the attempts to discover and take
possession of it. Holy temples and sacred shrines are supposed to
be the habitation of some virtuous serpent and it would be amount-
ing to sacrilege to attempt to kill or remove them, as the holiness
of the temple is attributed to the presence of the monster. Again
they are represented as exhibiting a motherly tenderness and
solicitude towards the orphan children cast away m the fore**t and
bringing them up with an incredible amount of care and kindness-
Thus, one folk-song speaks of the beneficent hood that screens the
countenance of the forlorn infant from the heat of the sun and
another makes mention of the babe fed by milk procured by the
wood -serpent and lulled to sleep by its sweet lullaby. There have

104

8tDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

been several heroes and demi-gods figuring in the annals of the
country thus miraculously brought up in their infancy. But, though
a great deal should be dismissed as mere poetic imagery and idle
fancy, yet there is no doubt that a glimpse is obtained into the
attitude of the people who came to regard the serpent as an
emblem of kindness and beneficence.

There is one more point to be considered in connection with
the serpent in India and it is the examination of the origin of the
adoration of the venomous reptile with reference to the early races
that settled in India. The interesting question whether the serpent
was primarily the symbol of the Aryan or Dravidian races is dis-
cussed by Zenaide A. Ragozin in his Vedic India and the following
extract from his valuable work will be read with interest. “ The
most essential feature of it (Dravidian religion) is the worship of
the Earth, in the form of both god and goddeBs, as the giver and
maintainor of life, and the adoration of the snake as the Earth-god’s
special emblem. The snake-god or king of snakes is the wise and
.gigantic serpent Shesh — a name Which casts a singularly vivid side-
light bn one of the many puzzles with which the Rig Veda still
teems. In several of those passages in which the priestly poets
exhaust their ingenuity inventing abusive epithets for their Dasyu
foes, they call them with scathing contempt, Shishna-devas, literally:
‘whose God is Shishna or Shesh.* The inference suggests itBelf
almost irresistibly, and moreover leads us to suspect that many a
passage wherein serpents and dragon-monsters are mentioned, may
have a more direct and realistic meaning than waB hitherto supposed.
Thus, with regard to the ever-recurring battle between Indra and
Ahi, ‘the serpent,’ invaluably ending with the Aryan champion- god's
victory, we cannot help asking ourselves: have we really always to
do with a nature-myth ? is the battle only an incident of the
atmospherio drama and is the Serpent always and inevitably a cloud-
serpent? By the light of later ethnologic^ studies, another and even
simpler interpretation lies temptingly near: may not the serpent
sometimes personate the serpent-god of the snake-worshippers — the
Shishna-dvoas — and the battle between the Aryan champion .god
Aud the D&syu sacred emblem thus resolve itself into a poetical ver-
sion of the long race-strife? It is oertain, at all events that, in the

SEBPENT W0B8HTP IN INDIA*

100

enthusiasm abd novelty of recent discovery, the mythical interpre-
tation has been greatly overdone, and jnst as the word ‘Dasyn’ which
was at first declared to designate only the demons (of darkness,
drought or winter) whom the bright deva# fought is proved to apply
quite ae often to earthly human foes; so the cloud-serpent of the
uncompromising myth theory may very well turn out to be, quite
frequently, an allegorical presentation of the object of those foes’
superstitious adoration. * * * Be that as it may, it is certain that
snake -worship, utterly un-Aryan as it is, made a profound impres-
sion on the white invaders, so muoh so, that in the course of time,
an Aryan snake-god— Ariaka — was invented; an impression plainly
discernible, too, in the prominent place given to the Nagas (snakes
and snake-people, half human, half serpentine in form and possessed
of supernatural wisdom) in the later classical poetry. ” From this
it is dear that the author of Vedic India would have us believe that
the serpent is primarily the Dravidian symbol and that the Aryans
only borrowed it. In another place also he says that, “it is worthy
of notice.- 1st that temples dedicated to serpents are not found in
the North of India; 2nd that the priests of sach temples are
never Brahmans, bnt belong to the lowest castes. Indeed the old
Aryan spirit is so much alive still in the noble castes that they hold
the serpent to be of evil omen and a Brahman if he happens to see
one in the morning, will give np for that day whatever work or
errand he may have on hand.”

Before proceeding to examine the reasonableness or other-
wise of this theory of Mr. Kagozin’s, we shall see what is the posi-
tion accorded to the serpent in the mythologies, puranas, classical
and maedieval literatures of both the races — Aryan and Dravidian.
In the Aryan cosmogony as sketched ont in the several puranas it
is explained that the earth is borne on the head of an immense
serpent called Adweaha and the phenomenon of earthquake is attri-
buted tp the bearer of the universe changing shoulders. Next in
the myth relating to the Karma avatar of Vishnu — decidedly an
Aryan story — the serpent Vasuki is said to have lent its service*

, for -the churning of the Amrita. Again in the story of Siva s destruc-
tion of Tiripura it is likewise a serpent that served him as the
string for his bow- In these three ancient myths whioh are unquee-

BIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

100

tionably of Aryan origin, the serpent plays no mean part, — in fact
bat for its help the Aryan Gods themselves would have heen power-
less. In later times the snake becomes the important ornament of
God Siva and is elevated to the inseparable companionship of the
deity. It is also associated with the phallic emblem of linga under
which that god is worshipped. The parallel holds good in Vaishna-
vism also, and the serpent serves as mattress for Vishnu. The
ceremony called Nagapuja which we have already described is
essentially an Aryan ceremony as it finds a place among Aryan rites
and the rules prescribed for its performance form part of the
Sanskrit mantras. The Great War tells ns that the serpent was the
emblem of one of the most powerful races of kings in the North of
India called the Kurus and their representative, Duriyodana, appears
in battle with the sign of the snake in his flag. Who were the
Nagaa ? One of the rishis, Kasyapa married two sisters. The elder
Kadru became the mother of a thousand Nagas (snakes). Were
these Dravidians and their story of Dravidian origin ? In later
Sanskrit literature the snake appears again (of. Nagananda) and we
perceive none of the so called loathsomeness of the Aryans towards
the reptile. In fact, at every stage of development of Aryan
religion, mythology and literature the serpent is nowhere forgotten,
but is assigned a clear and correspondingly important position
which becomes more and more difficult to ignore.

On the other hand, early Dravidian literature which was
assiduously cultivated in the South, independent of Aryan influence,
for centuries before even Sanskrit attained to any literary grace (as
is now fully believed by numerous oriental scholars and Philologists)
does not contain any mention of the serpent whatever, either
favourable or unfavourable. In fact the serpent is conspicuous by
its absence from early Dravidian annals. The religion and forms
of worship that obtain at present among the Dravidian races as
well as the mythology now current among them are not of
indigenous growth, but wholly borrowed from the Aryans; and
consequently it is useless to expect to glean anything from them as
regards the Dravidian s attitude towards the serpent. The early _
Dravidian gods mentioned in their literature are Muruga and Rudra,
the former, their favourite war-god and the latter, as supposed by

SERPENT WORSHIP IN INpIA.

M

to***, their “terrible storm-god. ” The serpent is nowhere mentioned
m aa a cces sory to these gods? nnlike the Aryan Sira and Vishnn;
nor is any mention found of independent serpent worship. Even
the relies of dembn worship, now found here and there, which are
in all probability, the surviving remains of Dravidian barbarism, do
not give a place to the adoration of the serpent m an y form, either
alive or its image. The powerful Dravidian Sovereigns who.
established independent kingdoms in the South — namely the
Pandyas, the Oholaa and the Cheras— had none of them the serpent
as their royal emblem. The Fish and the Tiger were the celebrated
emblems of the pure Dravidian kings and it would be more
reasonable and appropriate to regard the Fish as the sacred and
venerated emblem of the ^vliole Dravidian race instead of the
serpent. If the Dravidians were Earth-worshippers and if the
serpent were regarded by them as the symbol of the earth, as Mr.
Kagozin represents, would it be possible to conceive that one and
all of the numerous branches of the Dravidian stock neglected the
serpent and oven ignored it from their religion, worship, literature
and regal emblem f

How then does Mr. Ragozin seem to be so very positive in
holding that serpent worship is essentially a Dravidian feature t
In the midst of over-whelming evidences as to the gradual growth
of the importance of the serpent in Aryan religion, mythology and
literature and in the absence of any mention whatever of the
serpent iu the Dravidian records, it is more than difficult to believe
that the learned author of the Vtdic India may be altogether right
in his conclusions. The fact seems to be that the write* perceived
a number of evidences jointly conclusive of an early connection
having existed between the Dravidians of India and the Shumiro-
Accads of the first Babylonian empire — connections for the most
part of maritime intercourse, established and strengthened by sub-
sequent discoveries in the fields of Philology and Craniology.
And hence in his anxiety and enthusiasm to find other traces of
connection and supply the missing links he imposed the serpent-
worship upon the Dravidians and thus managed to discover one
more strong evidence of an e-rly Bravido-Accadian connection.

100

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

He bos nowhere tried to prove that the Dravidians regarded the
Berpetit sacred as an emblem of the Earth; but has merely assumed
that, in as much as other evidences point unmistakably towards an
early connection having existed between the two races, the most
sacred symbol of the Accadians must also be taken as Buch of the
early Dravidians. Accordingly he writes: "But even more convincing
is the common sacred symbol — the serpent, the emblem of the wor-
ship of Earth, with its mystery, its wealth and its forces. The Accadian
sunreme god Eft was worshipped at his holiest shrine at Eridhu under
the form of a serpent and as Eridhu was thfe centre form which the
first Chaldean civilisation started and spread, so the serpent-symbol
was accepted as that of the race and its religion.” This only goes to
prove that the serpent was regarded as a sacred symbol by the
Shumiro-Accads, but does not help us to saddle the very symbol
upon the Dravidians, who, as shown above, only seem to have borrow-
ed, late in their social development, the worship of the serpent from
their Aryan conquerors along with their religion, social systems,
sacrifices and cerenonies.

Bat the most important point in Mr. Ragozin’n argument is the
frequent mention in the Rig Veda, of names denoting serpents used
by th 9 early Aryans as invectives and epithets of abuse levelled
against their Dasyu foes. Numerous battles are mentioned as having
taken place between the Aryan gods — notably Indra — and the
Berpent, invariably terminating with the Aryan god’s victory. As
the Dasyus and the serpent are mentioned in the same breath, the
writer easily takes the latter to be the god, — symbol or emblem —
of the former and accordingly interprets one such epithet, Shishna-
devas, to mean ‘whose god is the serpent.’ And the whole thing is
invested with a garb of allegorical presentation 60 as to suit the
general conclusion, his comfortable inference, that the Dasyus were
the Dravidians, the serpent, their god, and that the symbol, as a
figure of speech, stands for the worshippers. It must be confessed that
it is impossible to conceive of a more ingenious interpretation which
is farther from the truth and which lands us at once on a region of
insurmountable difficulties- First of all, if the early Aryans regarded
the iQrpent with a foeling of loathsomo abhorrence, as represented

BERPENT WORSHIP IN INDIA.

IOC

above, bow comes it then that the very object of fclic*ir loathsomeness
is given an important place in their cosmogony, religion and Put-anna
and raised to the .status of an important functionary and a sacred
attribute of their gods through all the stages of the development of
their faith? If the Aryans borrowed the serpent and its worship
from the Dravidians, surely it is inconceivable how the repulsive and
nncanny reptile and one of their foes, once the object of their
hatred) could have been elevated to a place of honour and reverence
a* a holy object. These difficulties can never be satisfactorily explain-
ed so long as we accept Mr. Ragozin'a explanation. Besides, lie has
failed to establish the correctness of his interpretation — namely that
the Dosyas were Snake worshippers — by not referring to any passage
in the Rig Veda where the rites of the Dasyus are explicitly Bet forth
or any acount is given of their propititi&n of the serpent. In the
absence of any Btich confirmatory evidence it is difficult to agree with
the author of the Vedtc India as regards the origin of snake-
worship in India. But, is no simpler and easier explanation possible?
The Aryans in their advance into the Punjab encountered two
different kinds of foes. They Had to fight their way equally with
the Dasyus and the serpents. The Dasyus attacked them and
checked their progress at every step, while the venomous reptiles
molested them and carried death into their camps. They had to
fight for the land witn the one and for security with the other. So
they engaged in a strife w ith the both. With the Dasyus they fought
as well as their gods fought. They routed and subjected them ard
in time even absorbed them into their own fold. But with the
serpent they had no longer to deal with a human enemy, and neither
intimidation nor coercion nqj^her absorbtion nor conquest was
possible. First they invoked their gods and requested them to fight
the serpent-foes. There are accounts in the Rig of the Aryan-god’s
battle with the serpent-god — Shishna-deva — and the triumphs of
the former, just aB there are accounts of their conflicts with the
Dasyus and their victories. In the one case the Aryans fought with
human foes ; while in the other the Aryan-gods battled, not with
mere reptiles (serpents)— for it would be derogatory for gods to
engage in strife with mere reptiles— but with the god3 of Mia

110

SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA.

serpent 9, an idea perfectly natural to the Aryan mind that makes
gods of the elements, the snn, the moon and other natural forces.
But they soon perceived that there would be practically no end of
their sti'ife with these foes and that they would have to contend
with them as long as they stayed in the country. They fought
with them and found their trouble was not over. The only other
alternative left to them was to approach them, not with arms and
weapons, but with prayers and sacrifices and accordingly a place
was given to them in their pantheon The serpents were observed
to issue forth from holes in the earth and it was thought that the
interior of the earth must be their abode where a big serpent — tlie
god of all serpents — must reside. Hence the serpent was easily
made the Bymbol of the Earth. They further thought that, as the
earth was fiat, the lower world, the nether region, should ba
peopled by serpents and that the earth itself be balanced on the
head of a monster serpent. Thus in the Aryan cosmogony Adi*
Sosha/—the serpent-god, came to have a distinct place. This simpler
explanation seems to us to explain the facts more easily apd fully
and does not lead us to find impossible allegories and figures of
speech in the narratives of a primitive folk. There is no doubt the
importance of adoring the serpent, which had its beginnings in the
feelings of fear and horror in the Aryan mind and in the primitive
instinct of self preservation was thus recognised aud the serpent
was inseparably bound up with the growth of Hinduism- in all the
stages of which we find it occupying places of growing pre-eminence
aud importance.

The other difficulties raised by the same writer, viz., that
temples dedicated to serpents are not found in the North of India
and that the priests of such temples are never Brahmans but belong
to the lower castes, are not of great consequence as they are merely
of a negative character. First, we doubt if there are anywhere in
India, temples as such, specially dedicated lo the serpent. In fact
stone images of serpents are found all over India wherever there is
a Hindu temple, Sivite or Vaishnavite. And the worship pf these,
images, especially by the gentler sex, obtains throughout the whole
of this ancient land, irrespective of the caste or creed of the

SERPENT WORSHIP IN INDIA.

Ill

votaries. The worship of tlie live serpent is found to exist with full
force even to-day in parts of the Bombay Presidency and in Malabar
in Southern India. In the latter country, every household n»a its
sacred mound — the abode of serpents — and the propitiation of
the reptile * ith the offerings of millc and broth is celebrated with
great fervour and reverence. And when we remember the story
of the reclamation of Malabar by Parasurama and ti e amount of
Aryan influence that was brought to bear npon the co intry and its
people, we can easily understand how the cnrious worship still
survives there. Priests are nowhere employed fov worshipping
the serpent except in the ceremony called Nagapuja in which only
an Aryan priest can officiate and repeat the Sanskrit mantras.
Lastly, the superstitions dread of the serpent as an evil omen is
shared alike by all classes of people in India and cannot easily be
assigned to the credit of any one race, Aryan cr Dravidian. It is
therefore almost impossible, with the weight of a long array of
evidences to the contrary and with unmistakable traces of the
growing importauce of the serpent recognised by the early Aryans
and with the total absence of its mention in early Dravidian records,
to accept the conclusion of the author of Vedic India, that the
serpent was the sacred symbol of the Dravidians and its worship
was adopted by the Aryans. And if our discourse tends to make
anything clear, it is quite the contrary.

Bach then in brief outline is the origin and development of
serpent worship in India. But th'A adoption of the serpent was by
no means restricted to the Indian continent. In the early ages,
every nation in every part of the globe seem to have devoted their
attention to this curions reptile-worship. “ The Japanese who
formerly reverenced the water-snake as a god, have traditions of
the Creator appearing to man in the shape of a serpent. The
Ophites, a sect of the Gnostics, styled themselves Naaseni, or
'Followers of the serpent and it is stated that they kept a tame
serpent in a chest or sacred aTk, ont of which it was induced to
emerge during the celebration of their mystic rites. The temples
of j$jscnlapias at Alexandria and at Epidaurus had each a living
serpent, carefully tended by the temple devotees. This was the

112

SIDDHaNTA dee pika.

Agathodaemon or ‘good genius* of Egyptian worship and it is
supposed to have been the hooded snake. ‘The ancient Agatho-
dsemon, in the form of his congener the cobra, still haunts the
precincts of the Hindu temples, as of old the shrines of Isis, and
issues from his hole at the sound of a fife to accept the oblation of
milk from the Attendant priest’ (Kings Gnostics, p. 218). The
sacred snake war also conspicuous in the Greek mysteries. Serpen-
tine emblems occur repeatedly in the early art of W. Europe, aS*d
the snake is a prominent feature of European mythology. The
worship of the snake has long been a characteristic of the religious
rites of the North American Indians.’ *

M. JIVA RATNAM*.

THE

8IDDHANTA DEEPIKA

OR

The Light of Truth.

A 'Monthly Journal, Devoted to ReU-gion, Philosophy, Literature, Science, dc

Oommanotd on tha Queen 'a Commemoration Day, 1897

Yol YIII JULY 1907. No. 4

Will and its Power.

BY

PROFESSOR S. V. RENGASAJJI.

Latent Light Culture, Tinnevelly Bridge.

Slowly out of the ruins of the past— like a youug fern frond
uncurling oat of its brown litter the wonderful and mystical truths
of Occultism, the buried and forgotton treasure of India are now
transforming, in the modern light, into scientific truths and princi-
ples.

I see a new life arise with the twentieth century and that
inventive, enterprising, and far-seeing nation — the Americans-have
began to get glimpses of our Vedas, Shastras and Pnranas and are
trying to put into practical use what we have muddled and thrown
into our homes as useless, blinded by the materialistic views of the
so-called civilisation of the present day.

Man is born good and it is only his surroundings that mould
his character in his future life. Even a spoiled character can best
be transformed into one of supreme excellence by the aid of the
* Will.’ Now by developing this will, man can, not only control
his moral nature to any extent, but also bring into action or realise
very extraordinary states of mind, that is, faculties, talents o: 1

114

SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA.

abilities which he has never dreamt of to be within his power of
realisation. Yet the stupendous power has been never grasped
fully, by any, from the beginning of the time to the present day — not
even by the rishis, sages and fakirs of Ind except by a very selec-
ted and gifted few. All that man thinks as mystic, supernatural
and. superhuman and that which lies in an invisible world is within
him and in his reach. The key that will unlock this mystery is
nothing but his Will.

It has been repeatedly said and written by various men that it
is marvellously good and desirable to have a strong mind and that
one has simply to assert his will to gain anything. But unfortu-
nately the * how to do it ’ has hitherto been a myBtery, as what was
known to the adepts of India were hitherto jealously guarded with
the proverbial Indian mystification.

We shall, as far as possible and consistent with the ties we
have formed, try to put the practical side of the question in thi*
short article.

Now when yon enter the realm of practice, to control or
strengthen the will, the first thing you have to do is to develop
Attention and Interest. We shall now treat of Attention and
Interest aB it gradually leads to the development of will. The
popular belief is that Interest is a special, heaven-sent gift and
not one that can be acquired by human efforts- Interest cannot
be created in one unless one strictly adheres to the social precept
“ listen politely and patiently.” Such an enforced action delibe-
rately trains you to acquire a shrewed intelligence. This enforced
fixing of your mind is nothiug but fore -thought. This in turn
leads to attention and a firm determination. Gradually this atten-
tion develops interest in you. Attention is closely allied to memory.
Without “ memorise” the matter we gather from continued atten-
tion will vanish. At times, whether we will or no, the memory of
various actions and scenes are thrust upon us incessantly ; and the
want of concentration and strong will to resist unwelcome thoughts
compel you to view the case in its various moods. Though yon
have sufficient timp to deliberate upon it, yet the ^recurrence of the
thing at every turn you take, makes you give it a worth and impor-
tance however trivial and unimportant it is. This is the gist of the

WILL AND ITS POWER.

ii»

power and effect of suggestion and a great secret of the trade. Yon
know pretty well that one of the important sources of BncceBS to
any business is continued advertisement. By the continued appea-
ranee of any matter in a newspaper or magazine, you are forced to
read what it is and yonr successive readings create a desire in you
to try the efficacy of the thing advertised. Thus without actually
knowing or being in need of a thing, you go in to invest an
amount in the purchase of the thing and the advertiser is no doubt
by your purchase benefited though the tiling bought is of no imme-
diate nse to you.

Thus in the same way that pernicious habits ai^p cultivated in.
our young men and they become as the usual phrase goes “ as
second nature.’’ These habits by a mere effort of the Will can'
best be set aside and peace of mind and even of body obtained.
The power of the mind acts beautifully even on the physical body
of which we shall treat in extenao in another .place.

The great drawback with the general public is that they
ignore the easy manuals on the impression that a mere collection of
rudiments osnnot have much in it. They forget that out of snail
that great things arise. Just a little attention before a thing
is attempted, eases evory burden and lightens every toil. As fore-
thinking is the initiatory stage of hypnotism, tliat hypnotism can be
successfully used to train the attention of persons habitnally in-
attentive, though fore-thinking is in itself sufficient as both hypno-
tism and forethinking are gradual persnasion of the nervons system
yet the former acts more forcibly, impresses and creates a deep-
rooted idea.

Even in such an advanced Btate when the effects of hypnotism
are widely known, many suffer from various causes of ill-health
pertaining to the nervous system which coold be set aside by mere
effort of the will or by the aid of the hypnotic operator. Under
such circumstances it is always advisable to accustom any snoh
moral invalid to being hypnotised or willed a few times into a calm
self controlled state.

(7b be Continued.)

1)6

SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA.

Unity in Diversity.

Of a fin© morning when the birds aro warbliug on the trees,
when the glories of coloured clouds and the bright sky are mir-
rored forth in a sparkling and gushiug stream as it leaps down a
hill, I stand in a valley, amidst shrubs and trees and as I view the
beautiful panorama of life my being thrills with pleasure and my
bouI is filled with happiness ineffable. The sight bewitches the
eyes, the music of the birds delights the ear and the scent of a
thousand forest flowers and herbs pleases the sense of smell beyond
measure. In this exercise of the senses arises an elevation of Being,
aiid man’s Soul communes with the Soul of the flowers, the birds
and the bright sky.

The whole existence is one. The lovely flower that charms
the eye ; the trees with their leaves and the earth covered with
grass — all fill the bouI with a sense of expansiveness. Have you
ever stood on a precipice and looked at the beautiful valleys below
and the glories of the sky above ? If you have, then verily, the
soul has experienced the fact of its permeating all objects of its
vision.

The life of the bird that warbles its melody on the tree, the
life of the green branch wafted by the breeze, that of the earth
and that of the sky is from one reservoir. In each is a crest of
the wave from the ever-surging waters of the Universal Life.

Forms change, life puts on new shapes. There is no destruc-
tion of the- shapes — the vehicles of life. Old forms are burnt up and
new ones are ushered into existence. In the grand factory of
Nature, there is a constant mutation of the worn-out vehicles iuto
new forms of beauty. The burning ground is but the gateway of
life from one set of forms into another.

DREAMER.

Instances in Tamil of a Rale of Teiuga Grammar and
a Misreading in the Current Tamil Matrionlation Text.

To shew the intimate connection between Telagu and ancient
Tamil we shall quote a rule of Telugu Grammar and exemplify it
by name roue illustrations in Tamil while the instances in Telugu
itoelf of the rnle are very few and far between. The Telngn role
of Grammar we are referring to is as follows*

i £^"3, - S^gUoOOBiO eHiiOzX* 2.9"^

£0*0. Sr. JX'p - - ZjOTS.

(Venkiah’s Grammar, article 92 p. 42.

(In Q«e<?^, QuirtwQr, Qu«iQp, and other words the initial
consonant is optionally dropped as (fled) may become asQ*

and QutiQj (obtained) may become qiQp and QunarQir (was
elegant) may become As farther examples compare also

(you) ; (I) &c.

The rnle is clearly laid down in Telngu Grammar but we
believe the illustrations in Telugu are not so numerous as in Tamil
though in the grammar of the latter the attention of the Tamil
stndent is not drawn to the Dravidian peculiarity so far as we are
aware. We now proceed to illustrate the Telugu rule by Tamil
words.

i an* *) these words have the same meaning (9>jbpu> but the

) first pair i *«* and begin with consonants and

the initial consonant being optionally removable, we have «£* having
the same n y^ning <^ppio. So u dwit and Jf&ir have the same mean-
ing, flower.

Cf. jfe&iTMStrifiiiffi LoTe<)irj9ir&sirp/5iT&>,

rirn-a yuatgu i^)lj/tQ Q&tuptrp&tir eflffi) O«0iTerfis6jr

*>0OjtTtL> aT farSehr/D/SuX-i*) easu:tBsea)M'JJ QuxLujqQgt.

sir m**±jjTT stanza 180.)

So again and e-ear&vpii have the same meaning 'to

think’ and <y>*& and (erown of the head.) as in

118

SIDDHANTA DEPIKA

QpdsTL- 0 peer /Bevlet'LpeeTQ <09 -^sr^&rrr
eQ 6 SrgV<B£Lp-uSlfi&l 9 -'-c 2 £lfT 8 i(e & LDpfQlUTLDUlT

laargfiiiEisi^-LD&nf S s^.Ap^eopp'r^rr Qljjp/ldt jpiQpeesrQi

^€BTgpidil&liS-fi€BT jQQdJtT giltE&Grt /B'rarTLOSinjrJ-ippLoCo IT.

(^0<s(?. | 5.r«rosiAUT/f stanza 2 : 36)

Qu)Lj& : <fr i /r Q&Qg£ujs£tu€irQurr i i)Q&iTL-iJ

Qp&&uSijb Qpir'Spfii— Qpipiki^Q Speer ji
£/ £&■ p (GO) £5®/sw«rfi»a/^r (i p&p
(^>)e_«^^O ( 5 / i i 50^ i ®ir r Oarrsfl^a) (Ju/tj^Colo,

(«* 45 L;/r/rawtD p. 386 .)

Consider again the following pairs ^UL/Jey=^uL/jra/ (both
meaning «_u«/rir£i) iurrjpi=^jpi } tuirafl =<gerfl, => iunteer=^^m
sGtoa^jfmai (assembly) = ®/«sr©<g=a_ew ®(5 (dry up) as itx

pitaopms jrsTjbjpj m&sr /fihuGaajujp ^

0p/F ^uS^i-'LJ (.«©«»■ ) *

Van 3U3©<?;2/

/£ l!(? L—irteosiJ.T&iur £eer(n^'6er(^/5uu/£liu' &c.

il 0 i m e&$ 6 BlT££ &GST pii'-JCOp $TU}- (g«5 rrStp/bSipp
gjretif£aB)iTpp'Sn—T(Lpiy- QiU.TuSeuQi^eeBBraariuj
eoii-erfi.'Sanirppi—euir'Zear&err Q gQ^LSreSl&iSu/b^i
i/?si^eaj-p i §teS2eerQuj^p.es)juuQp^rrQL02re9iujb(os

{jdtTFfaG&rr gosu stanza 151 .)

ueesrabaVem er&ir jput ufT^enffeuii i p fewest jQeb&ujjeirar

u>em ta^ sir err (gp muff! LDSBrenrep.LStnnQeur euirsseiDirApaeo

^anrasen^sFrr^iemuareOir Qu>TenffGB&aigruueS!Quj/r£(9ja>eari&iTd
(rffmikia'Seir^erTp QuirsQtLji/Eeo^QeL^emi—i @6U«©«.7l$l(3uj.

(j@ 0 «<?s/ra»a/ 235 )

£rtp«JO= jytpeo (fire), «MT®T)es JfcBT&) (fire) q 63 sr®R>fl*J/ni QLr 0 (ii_/Oa^£luS),iD
tf«riu jTpGB>y}ipnQeQGer (ta>MUOBL-ULJL-sou> gj)jriru>.Tiuesiru>.)

tz)awr<S= j^awO (Q^®^) Compare the Tamil saying
*srrpjp sjptuLj ^m^_u ^3

‘u>«*^LS«rf!iL(/r«)«M0* < ^ti iSpeijjuC’eDua &«m(B»&l(lf(S^J>S(9*r ,

■uirem(S^^t3nr<S> t iuni€ 0 >Smj^ieD£, (ho^v).

INSTANCES, IN TAMIL OF A RULE OF TELUGU GRAMMAR. 119

ffiparfRiljS Qv(5i§}tB>ira>ek*~>i£ift
QeoQpp $ trfgwjjT&m «/elo r ms srSerrewfft-w

tUQgppxp Q putt$ gnat uHcrj*. (£@Q*/&eB*rist±)

QioeotQajeoir&GB&a Q'Tf^Bs^n^Sar l8g&it piptriiQ &

Q&OmSiU Q^6U<B<£^eD<BSQujOr Jjr^(2/aor^)n£jiiK^nrlbir
Q&rcoeQiu ^te^Ourcfiacir firfuj r^aorQ pest
t^ivitf&iiSnrQ^/rwj^^ Q&rrewwsQstTmmiQprafaarfB uoop<9lww<7i_

( lt ti>a>Tifim/nrir ^0sfl®^ih stanza 48.)
So (*®*£)

(Oair^asasfi)

GDzeurraj eru&u/Qurre o m^fSatn^Qaj £tSfmrdr
msnoejns<fi(jb l etr&pjpi!D LCTtftri^j Q^iin-j^iuireo
8ieu7iut-6u$BurQu>tt)tTL£nlj Qufnwrr^T

Qu)Li&iiT&aiai(2 au_(bl Qu>'Lj£ a estut Qtpn p(^Q\u
(^d^&mujQutn-L^ 2-«g j 1-su^j awiL//E$«t>/r stanza 6.)

fieafiatmoKTii u>r£:r&ai£lQiuQLJinu

UtfTF^rjp J$J(TLJLJ&*0 J^fCf& £Q! La § T6U

jfQffifitxr Quqytma-VjreoT Lptne# QntrmpnQiu. (Do. stanza 8.)
&u>ir^jfior &aDu>ppco** jf«ou>pfeo t (to cook), io(jpe0=

Qsngapu^ggupL), s^^drQ (y>n=^ssi(i (Wj> r, £ < /b®«* 6&r

P&— io<_ &sii>, i^ewr0^«=s_«>ff ( ff < £7, csriflear/resj^aanf.

Now on tha same principle we can understand the cognate
nature and identity of similar words occurring in Tamil and Telngu.
The Tamil word f«^ (swim) is on the above principle the same
as & (swim) in Telngu, the soft consonant • in Tamil ISiji is
represented by the ^D^drenr in s/i, which from the above conside-
ration we believe most possess the same ; and the initial consonant
in Tamil has disappeared in the corresponding Telngn word
m £i under the principle in question.

Again we believe the same principle is in operation in tha
Telngu word Cm, © (to-day) which has in Tamil assumed the form
jp. The or in Tamil is preserved in the half circle in

C?», ©, the jn in Tamil has changed into 9 in Telugn like &**#<=■

120

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

® (Telugu) te. (both Tamil). Then the initial consonant

disappearing on the principle under consideration, we have
crar jpi which has become jy as f, sr and c are inter*
changeable.

From the above examples and the principle underlying them
we are led to believe that Tamil both modern and anoient has not
been investigated deeply even to the extent that Telugu has been
examined into by its grammarians and that for the purpose a deep
study of Telugu is essential to the right understanding of Tamil.
In the pairs of Tamil equivalents we have above pointed out, confu-
sion is likely to arise in our mind as to whether mirtfiirifi or
is the rightword nnless we remember the principle contained in the
Teluga rulo above quoted.

We may also quote further instances as in ‘jgns &■= a_« see

'QpgSuti Qia^./b^LD'-LD^Qui.'SBsrL^ajQp

LD ljt A c., (j©0&©&/r«Da/ stanza 147). Also note &j.re£=

(tank) see p&Gna-eiJrTeBirttrQ&n ensu stanza 131. Also compare
JFLDUJW = ^fLDiUlb (^0e£!^UJ.Ti_«l^J/r<53ariB */f? Ulfhuir&&LULJl_GOU> st anz a 86.)
So also «S)OTfflj0=g)6v®0 (to shine). We need not be surprised at
the change of en into <w as the principle of 'eoenQiunirQu^’ applies
also to Dravidian languages.

Iu the same way we believe the Telugu Prosody throws a flood
of light on the extremely difficult and complicated problem of
Tamil ancient and modern metres. We have showed in one of
the previous articles how the Telugu rule of non-elision of final
at the end of a line before the initial vowel of the next line has
helped ns in understanding many an'ancient metre which owing to
an ignorance of the non-elision of e. as understood by the Telugu
Grammarian has led our people to disorganise several sacred poeti-
cal lines so as to render them wholly unreadable to us.

We cannot but conclude this article without drawing at-
tention to a characteristic metrical mistake that has oocurred in the
University Tamil Text of this year. We would not have thought
flt to expose it here if it had not occurred in so venerable a u£&u>
as that of £45*>futuirpjpiuu$sut of Lord Satnbanda, The stanza
containing the error is as follows.

INSTANCES IN TAMIL OF A RULE OF TELUGU GRAMMAR. 121

Mufrcmy u«S« 0 tpecaur q^oduxli rarut/sir

^rmuaiLj^o rf«Oi_C?uj niis/0T^jji0^f
U}~*irurruj 6 UU.«U 0 (?tf Ld'BssQ l_r jrpi

Qpm u/faj afon_fffiu<F <2#wau>eo2u>7LLj_M(ir f * ^(Traosuuj.f (? , 2 ).

\

(^ 0 ®a^T i i?jyuu ) @*_i‘. stanza 4.)

In the above (J^af/u, we take exception to the reading of the
underlined word wifiutru in the 8 rd line. This reading is adopted
even by a commentator of the Tamil Text and as far as we are
aware the reading is not suspected by any Pandit who has taught
it to the Matriculation student. We have referred to the p*Qpmp
and um*Qpes>f> editions in both of which the reading is n>ifiu»u
and not umfi u mL i. That the reading is not a printer’s devil but
appears to have been invented as an improvement upon the present
edition will be apparent from the consideration that in the whole
verse the form of the verb need is u$aj as in sirsku<riu t (Spdrurv,
uftirutriLj except in this single instance and the editors of the Matri-
culation text thought that in conformity with the form of the verb
in the other parts of the verse this verb mast sIbo be miPu't'u and
not teifiiuaiu. But in this change in bo important a book as Gpirjn*
no attention has been paid to the metre. The principle deeply
underlying the construction of and which is amply

corroborated by the painstaking Telagu Prosodisn viz, that <2itf eS
p&iimrujaD* arfBeuirSoj eElentEjs/nij as ‘uifiuraj’ is wholly inadmissible in
Tamil or what may be called Dravidian Vriitahs has been thoroughly
overlooked. If this principle is remembered our Lord’s verse would
, not have been distorted in this manner in the belief of improving the
present editions. To prove our position we have simply to invoke the
aid of Telagu Prosody which would clearly prove the word to be n
misreading and shew the existing reading to be correct. Even with
regard to the meaning of the line according to the existing
reading we see no difficulty and no necessity for a change.

i&TttiijrriLJ^u>(TeBruniu6ufi}Q)eo uiuijp, *UiJeo 0 <?«=»tp«afle 6 Tf 6 Br 9-iSup
LDtrQuifS=w[raDae^GsrQu>QeOjB, u>* s&efrQ> go uirtuu

Gujbp) tWSAMarQ pir fpun^&i t scacflfiwiwff ii t Q petsumu^ (uoifiQuj jp<£j

@&"°i *®** 6 %»™ tojra*sfcor Gu>tra<&paT w'wigj) Qpxi&Gtp
2

J

122

SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA.

^L— purr tfimurruj^ ^ p’fcenLjessrasar itfarrsetr umij&ifd
,cj)6i), Q&imau>ei&i£rrLL(£^p'Ti£GnirQLD(T&(& / aeir, jy«\)0ti= y aauQuppj ^0
eosuujirjpj .

Here evidently some difficulty is felt with regard to the mean-
ing of the LoQas&r as it would ordinarily mean that

monkeys jump into tanks. It need not necessarily be so, for
QurrSpa^ir does not necessarily mean thakl have^ntered into the city
but might as well mean the oity towards which I go or near which
I go. So ui^rruiu u>(Baaar does not necessarily mean that monkeys
actually jump into water which of course is not true but it means
the iLQssar near which or on the banks of which the monkeys jump
out of fear for the scampering deer. So mar j^ea^tuuQunQp a?©
does not mean tne house into which I have entered hut the QuujQit
&& ti> simply shews the nearness of the agent to the house. We
are therefore unable to find any reason for the uncalled for change
in the present existing editions and what wo deplore is the change
again renders the line unmetrical and grossly violates a well
established principle of VrittahB whioh has been carefully followed
by ancient as well as modern poets for several thousands of
years.

T. YIRABADRA MUDALIAR, B.A., B.L.

THE TEST OF A MAN.

Not by the measure of his deed

Does life make trial of mans strength;

Not by his wisdom, nor his creed,

Or yet by his compassion’s length.

Not by his span of worldly power.

Nor even what his worth might dare;

But ’prisoned in his darkest hour.

By ho* much he can bravely bear!”

— Bible Bevieie.

The Tod as: Their Origin and Affinities: II.

(Continued, from page 42 Vol. VIII. of the Siddhanta Deepika )
THEIR LIFE AND MANNERS.

As the examination of the problems connected with the Todaa
and their origin naturally involves a previous knowledge of the
carious life and manners of the people themselves and as the in-
vestigation into their racial affinities, which will form the main
theme of the succeeding chapters, cannot be easily followed without
an idea of the customs, manners and ceremonies of the Toda people
and their development, we propose to give a short account of their
life and manners in this chapter, reserving the description of their
complicated rites and ceremonies to the next. It may be mentioned
here that any account of the Todas, in the face of the large mass
of literature that has already grown round them, may be considered
superfluous, but as a great deal should be held to fall into the
category of mere description without any special end or aim in view,
sometimes controversial and entering into minute details of little
scientific worth, it becomes necessary to group together facts of
real importance so as to obtain a clue into their social and religious
evolution.

The Todas, whose correct name is Thothtivara apparently a
derivative of Thoravar — (From Tamil Thoram a herd) — are a pasto-
ral race now inhabiting the higher plateaus of the Nilgiri hils. It is
not known whether this name was originally assumed by themselves
or was applied to them by any of their neighbours. All that we
know for certain is that they are called by this name (Thothnvars)
from the 10th century on wards, their earliest date as yet known to
us, and are known to be living on the Nilgiris. They are divided
into five cub-divisions, namely: 1 Peiki, r i. Pekkan, 3 Todi 4. Kuttan
and 5. Kenna, who are reported not to intermarry with one another
and whose social habits and customs differ to a small extent in some
minor points. But they have no objection to move socially with
each other and all the tribes freely interdine. There is nothing
among them like the caste distinctions of the Hindus ; and it may
be supposed that the five sub-divisions only represent that they

134

SIDDHANTA DEEPIEa.

severally owe tlieir descent to five different ancestors, whose names
still survive ae designations of the five tribes. According to the
Census of 1901, the population of the Todas is estimated at 805, of
which 451 are males and 354 females.

In physical appearance the Todas (males) are very preposseB-
ing, tall in stature, well-proportioned and partake the features of
the Caucasian type. Their heads, not unlike those of the Hindus,
are Blightly elongated and their forehead narrow and receding. A
thick growth of eyebrows, which generally tend to approach each
other, lines the moderately large intelligent eyeB, ranging in colour
from hazel to brown. The long, large and wellformed nose, gene-
rally aquiline in form, is a particular feature of attraction. Their
principal characteristic is the development of the hairy system.
The face is covered with a thick, close growth of hair and mous-
tache, whiskers and be&rdB are all fully worn. The head is entirely
covered with black hair which is worn in a peculiar fashion,
combed smoothly around from the crown and cropped evenly in
line with the eye 1 rows and suggesting a natural Bkull-cap. Their
limbs are well-developed and their general carriage and deportment
graceful. Their average complexion cannot be called dark, but
ranges from brown to a dull copper hue.

The Toda women are generally tall and good looking in appea-
rance and have a smooth delicate skin and light complexion. Their
nose is more aquiline than the male’s. They have long hair, which
parted in the centre after the common Hindu fashion, is carefully
combed and left hanging free on both Bides over the shoulders and
the back in masses of fine flowing curls. It is a favourite occupa-
tion of the maidens to engage themselves in twisting their hair into
long ringletB or curls. Tho process is extremely simple. After a
preliminary combing the hair is divided into several portions each
of the thickness of the forefinger and then twisted on a long piece
of thin bamboo (or at times round their fingers) and kept in that
position for sometime. In this way their whole hair is twisted into
carls whioh really possess an attractive appearance. They never
as a rule wear their hair in knots or plaited masses as the women of
the plains do. The Toda females like the males; are self-possessed

TEE TODAfl: THE IE ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES:

12 5

to a degree end readily enter into conversation with strangers.
Their attractive beauty and comeliness have been much talked about
by tourists and writers. “ Some of the young women/' says Dr.
Thurston, “ with their hair dressed in glossy ringlets, bright, glis-
tening eyes and white teeth are distinctly good-looking.” Even
though several of them do certainly possess charms in person and
fine features, the women sb a class cannot be regarded as strikingly
handsome or approaching to any degree of perfection in beauty.
Tatooing is most common among them and the chest, hands, legs
and feet are often covered with marks sometimes in double rows
and sometimes in a semicircle.

The costume of the Todas of both bbxob is peculiar and deser-
ves attention. One would suppose that the climatic conditions of
the hills they occupy would have compelled them to adopt a form
of clothing which would serve to protect them from the severity of
the cold. But, strangely enough their knowledge as to clothing is
rudimentary and it is learnt on good authority, and the Todas
themselves bear testimony to the fact, that the people went about
half-naked for ages together with only a covering of leaves around
the waist This covering has in time given place to a substantial
piece of cloth called the kuvn worn between the legs and fastened
at both ends to a string tied round the waist. In addition to this
the Toda of to-day is Been wrapt in a thick cotton mantle or outer-
gaixnent (jrutkuli) with red and blue stripes woven into it, “ which
reaches from the shoulders to the knees, hanging in graceful folds,
with one end flung over the left shoulder” and thus forming a most
simple and elegant attire. It would appear that this outer mantle
was for long commonly held to be the Indian counterpart of the
classical Roman toga and a fanciful theory accordingly grew round
this supposed resemblance, that the Todas were of Roman origin.
This, along with the casual remark of Calonel Ross King, that
“ the general contour of the head and the cast of countenance are
rather such as we are laccustomed to associate with the ancient
Roman/’ misled many a writer into the belief that the Romans with
their tegas had some how really found an asylum on the Nilgiris of
Southern India. When we try to understand scientifiosdly the
gradual development of tid Toda costume and when we know for

126

SIDDHANTA DEPIKA

certain that for ages together the Todas had no cotton mantle
whatever but only adopted it recently, borrowing it very probably
from the comparatively more civilised neighbouring tribes, we need
not say that the fanciful theory of their Roman genesis, at once
falls to the ground. That the Todas, both males and females do
not, even to this day, know how to wear their dress as the people
of the plains do, but simply wrap themselves up in it and hold the
ends in their hands, is another proof that the toga is not their own
but only borrowed from others, the proper use of which they have
not yet mastered.

Unlike the Hindus of the plains the men wear no kind of
covering on the head and their feet are bare. Still, with their
unturbaned head, bearded face, a classically elegant mantle thrown
over the shoulders and half round the body, with a long staff in the
right hand and a non-chalant air of perfect independence, the
Todas, even to day do certainly present an amount of attraction that
distinguishes the tribe from the other hill-men and renders them
interesting to a degree.

The females are clothed in a much simpler style. A small
piece of dirty linen, probably a portion of a torn putkuli, worn
round the waist is the only garment they have when inside “ their
odorous’' huts; but they throw over them a fuller mantle when
issuing forth to accost the strangers who visit them or when sitting
together in little groups, basking in the friendly sunshine and
holding a tete-a-tete. It would appear that the Toda females are
never particular to conceal their naked charms and it is even
reported that formerly when every household could not afford to
have more than one putkuli at a time, the inmates never stirred out,
but kept themselves within their huts in all their nakedness, the
only garment being taken out by the man or woman whe had busi-
ness outside. The women exhibit great liking for wearing orna-
ments which consist of rudimentary brass and silver rings, brace-
lets made of grass beads, necklets formed by stringing together
Arcot two-anna pieces, chains and bunches of cowide shells,

( Cypraea moneta) and charms of plaited hair and blaok thread. It
seems the shells apd charms are the o ily relics of their primitive

THE TODAB: THEIR ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES:

127

ornaments, all the rest, viz, the rings! metallic bracelets, etc. being
undoubtedly introduced by the Kotas and the Badagas, the former
as already stated, being skilled workmen in metals from early times.

There is a curious tradition that lingers round the peculiarities
of the Toda costume and certain other strange habits and connects
the tribe with the Pandavas — the heroes of The Great War. It is
reported that the Toda women were in ancient times the followers
of the princess Dropadi the common consort of the Pandava bro-
thers. An episode in the Mahabarata relates how, on one occasion,
Duryodhana endeavoured to outrage the modesty o' the maiden
Dropadi by disfiguring her hair and stripping her of aer garments.
The outraged princess is said to have taken a vow tint unless and
until her tormentor was sufficiently punished and Bhe was avenged
to her satisfaction, she will not deck her hair again nor clothe
herself properly as became a maiden of her rank. The Pandava
brothers, too, are said to have vowed not to cover their heads nor
shave themselves until such time as they regained their lost domi-
nions. The Toda women say they never adorn their hair, but let
them fall loosely, nor take to clothing themselves merely out of
love and respect for their princess whose memory and example
they perpetuate. The men also affirm that they are walking in the
footsteps of their illustrious masters, the Pandavas. Whatever
truth there may be in this tradition, there is no doubt that it is
ingeniously constructed and as the examination of the traditions
of the Todas will receive fuller attention later on, we simply men-
tion this here and proceed.

In their personal habits, the Todas are very dirty and the
approach of one of them can be readily scented even from a dis-
tance. Though there is plenty of water available near their dwel-
lings they yet seem to indulge in the luxury of a bath only rarely,
the climatic conditions of the hills rendering it more uncomfortable
than unnecessary- They have a practice of anointing, their bodies
with melted batter which they freely apply to their heads, arms
and chest and as this soon becomes rancid they give out a very
disagreeable odour. Their mantles have been characterised as
* odorous,’' and they are never destined to Bee the water, being
worn ho long as they last and thrown ont when no longer service-
able. The dirt and the batter that accnmulate on their putkuli
attract a large number of flies and their person and dwellings are
always infested with a swarm of inseots.

M. JTVARATNAM, B-A.

(7b be Continued.)

128

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

Mendicancy in India

by C. D. NAYAR, Esq.

To those who have studied the Indian Society in all its varied
aspects, the one fact that will naturally puzzle them is the existence
of mendicancy to a great extent. Western Nations have often
expressed surprise at the prevalence of mendicancy in India.
Feeding of the poor is a peculiar trait in the system of the Hindu
Charity, and Hindu philosophy upholds the system. There is a
mistaken impression among many that begging followed from desti-
tution and poverty. In an Agricultural country like India where
the population is supported by Agricultural Industry and where a
Bystem of joint family obtains, there is not much scope for the
growth of destitution and poverty. It is true that in Western
countries begging is considered to be a result of pauperism ; but in
India where the people in strict pursuance of the tenets of their
religion, “ ate, walked and slept Religion," it is no matter for sur-
prise that begging should exist almost as an institution. It will
thus be seen that in India begging has a sort of spiritual origin,
and is not usually followed as a profession. Hindu Sastras tell us
the accounts of many philosophers who despised the pleasures of
the world and took to begging. Even God Siva of the Hindu
Trinity is said to have taken to begging as a reparation for Borne
of his sins. I have often noticed the Bhikshu, who begged from
door to door, being revered and adored by tne orthodox Hindus ;
and it is even believed that he conferred a favour on him of whom
he begs alms by so doing. To give almB is, according to the
teachings of the Hindu religion, a very meritorious act. This
accounts for the large number of pilgrimB and Sanyastns we come
across in India. Of coarse, this feeling has also given rise to a
class of sham mendicants who go about the country parts in dis-
guise and make a dishonest living at the expense of credulous
Hindus. These are the so-called professional mendicants who have
become a nuisance to society at large and they deserve no charity—
in their case it will only be oharity misplaced. It must be on
account of the instanoe of this class of professional mendicants who „
pester every one by their importunate requests that the Western

MENDICANCY IN INDIA.

120

Nations are led to doubt the sincerity of 6ven the religious mendi-
cants who, as a rule, ‘ want little below ’ and who have no other
desire than to pass their days in prayer? and meditation. There
are many kinds of religious mendicants and of these the GoaiUna
form an important class on account of their great piety and their
otter disregard for every thing wordly. To me the Goaain has
always appeared to be the very ideal of perfect hnmanity. Some
are under the impression that the general run of the Goaai^n afe
immoral : this ie not a fact. The Goaains generally spend their life
as mere nomads. They travel from one place to another carrying
.with them all their worldly goods which consists of torn cloths and
one or two oooking vessels- I propose in this article to give a
short account of these Goeaiv# in illustration of my foregoing
re mi arks on mendicancy in India.

The Gota ina, as a set of religious medicants, owe their exis-
to nee to Sri Sankara Acliarya, the great Sooth Indian Reformer
who was born in a small! village named Kalady in the Kunnattur
Taluk in Travaucore. Sankara Acharya lived a Sanyasin through-
out his life. Regarding the chief events of his personal history we
know very little : It has been mentioned that it was he who

brought about this system of renouncing wordly life and living the
life of an Ascetic. “ His philosophy — baaed as it is entirely ou the
fundamental axioms of the eternal revelation, the Smti or the pri-
mitive Wisdom — religion as Buddha from a different point of view
had before based His .-finds itself in the middle ground bet-

ween the too exuberantly veiled metaphysics of the orthodox
Brahmins and those of the Gautama, which, stripped in their exotio
garb of every ' soul-vivifying hope, tranoendental aspiration and
symbol appear in their cold wisdom like oryitaline icicles the
skeletons of the primeval truths of Esoteric Philosophy.*' The
above is the teaching of Sri-Sankara in a nut-ahell as it were, and
we have a clear illustration of the same in the life of a Gososa
which term, according to an old writer, has been defined to bo_*
corruption Gonoomt which literally means Maattr of tk* Potion*,
It is an undoubted fact that the - Gceotn is possessed of saffiqient
self-control as to resist all attacks of wordly temptations. There
8

130

BIDDHANTA DEE PIKA.

are some Gosains who tfsually go about the streets calling out at
the top of their voices Sitha Ram — Ram Sitha (this is their univer-
sal prayer) and I am not one of those who appreciate the ways of
this class of Goiains. There are others who are the real Gosaine
and they form but a microscopic minority. You can know the real
Gosains by sight — their faces would show the unmistakable Bigns
of piety and wisdom. Tradition has it that Sri Sankara Achavya
founded this sect of mendicants in the ninth century A. D, lfe
had four prominent disciples — Nira Thrithi Acharya, Sringa Rishi,
Prithivi Acharya and Padma Acharya. The first of these disciples
Nira Thrithi Acharya had three disciples — Giri, Sagra and Parvata^
The second disciple had another three disciples — Puri, Saraswatlii
and Bharathi. The third disciple lmd two who were known as
Thirth and Asrama. And the fourth had two viz.. Yana and
Amaya. Thus there were four chief disciples who in their turn
had tdn disciples, and all of them were practically nnder the direc-
tions of their principal Guru Sri Sankara. These latter ten disci-
ples were known as the ten and each of these founded a sect after
them. The four principal disciples were nominated by Sri Sankara
Acharya to each of the four following monasteries... one at Bhadri-
nath in the North, the second at Jaganatb in the East, the third at
Sringeri in the South and the fourth at Dwarakai in the West — lie
founded in different parts of India. This is known as the “ Cenobi-
tic System '* established by Sri Sankara and it plays an important
part in the origin of the Qosain*. The “ Ten ” to which allusion
has already been made in this article acted as supreme directors in
all matters connected with the internal administration of the mutts
or monasteries which are now presided over by a Guru or Mahant
as he is called. The title has nothing extraordinary about it, for,
the Guru or Mahant is only a title which testifies to one s seniority
in regard to his piety, his devotion to religious habits and other
attendant virtues that go to make up the life of a holy Sanyasin.
This is a peculiarly enviable position that cannot be attained by
age or money. ^The seniority of a Mahant is gauged by the depth
of his knowledge iu Esoteric philosophy. A Mahant has complete
Control over his disciples under him and has the right to expel any

MENDICANCY IN INDIA.

131

one of them from the Matt for proven misbehaviour. These disci-
ples it is that in after years blossom themselves into Gosatn*. While
in the Mutt, that iBto say during the stage of incubation, they are
made to live under certain prescribed rules, which is done with a
view to create in them a feeling of supreme contempt for all worldly
pleasures.

The usual rule is— and it has been established by custom— that
any one may become a Gosain, be he Brahmin, Kshatriya, Yaisya,
or Sudra No distinction of sects is observed, both males and
females being admitted into the order. In the case of minors,
permission should be obtained from their parents. There have
been many instances in which small children were offered to tho
Mntt to be brought up as G<wat««. The form of initiation being to
secure the permission of the Mahant or Gnrn of the particular
Mutt. The remaining portion of the initiation is to be completed
by the disciples who, on Becnring permission of the Mahant or
Guru, get the head of the man clean shaven — a clean shaven head
( munninam ) is one of the emblems of a Sanyasin — and gives him a
bath. The man is then made to prostrate before the Guru who in
his turn blesses him : forthwith the man is metamorphogised into a
Gojotn. There is another difficulty : he has to remain a Qosaui on
probation for a time. During that period he is kept under close
surveillance and the feast misbehaviour on his part is dealt with
severely. He is made to undergo starvation and all other sorts of
miseries that usually be set the path of a wandering pilgrim. Thus
after spending an year or two in the Mntt on probation, he has to
pass through certain ordeals of an.insignificant nature. At the end
of the probation period, a ceremony called Bijanhom ceremony is
to be performed. It is this ceremony that gives him the finishing
touch. One other important fact that has to be noticed in this
connection is their dress. Both the males and females are made
to dress similarly, a head-gear, a waist coat and a cloth respec-
tively. This similarity of dress is an express injunction of Sankara
Acharja and no one dare break it. Thns far, we have given an
account of the Gosains and we believe it gives a fairly good idea of
the institution of mendicancy in India. All Gosanw have an innate

132

SIDDHAXTA DEEPIKA.

respect for Sn Sankara Acharya. As enjoined by the great Refor-
mer fcbey observe no distinctions, of caste. They have no worldly
cares and they go about the country preaching religion and ethics
to the great lay people. In this respect they are generally conir
pared to the great wanderers of the Upanishadic and Buddhist
sages. Some of the Mutts, it is true, do not fulfill all the objects
with which they have been established ; but most of them are true
to their faith. By way of concluding we might point out that true
Gosains are those who prove to us the utter hollowness of wealth
and whose position a David Hemsley of Marie Corieli’s creation
might well envy . — The Mysore Review.

Notes and News.

THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MADURA "’TAMIL SANGAM

This anniversary was held in the Setupati High School Hall
on 24th May under the Presidency of Mr. * Dakshinamurti Dora-
Rajah. B. A. B. L, and brother of H. H. the Maharajah of Pudu-
cottali. There was not such a large concourse of Pandits as in the
last year, but there was a fairly large audience of the outside public.
The report was read by the Secretary and it disclosed that there were
only 2 new members admitted during the year and the Sangam lost
2 members by death, namely that of Mr. Muthuraiualingam Pillai
B. A. of Trevandrum College and the far fanned N- Kadiraivel
Pillai avl of Jaffna. Botli have been cut off in the prime of their
life, and the loss to the Tamil nation is simply irreparable. The
report also discloses that there were 8 students in the Sentamil
Kalasalai, a small number considering the considerable expense
entailed by the establishment. We think steps should bo taken to
induce a larger number to join the boarding school. The library
received considerable addition both in printed books ana manus-
cripts, and it was utilized by the public considerably, the number
having gone up to 11925. The Fress had turned out a considerable
amount of work and the monthly journal Sentamil had been kept up
to its marks. There are two classes of examinations conducted by
the Sangam, onefor Pandit clasn and another for students and
H is not sufficiently known that very valuable prizes are offered to

NEWS AND NOTES.

m

successful students taking first place. One Mr. Veukatngami N attar
of Tanjur District distinguiaed himself by obtaining the gold brace-
let offered for the Pandit Examination and S. Kandasatni Pillai
headed the list of Bala Pandita Examination Exn and got a gold
medal of the value of 70 Rs. One Chidambara Iyer and Sobra-
maniya Desiker obtained the two prizes offered for the Pravesa
Pandita Examination of the valne of Rs. 50 and 30 respectively.
One other student in the Bala Pandita Examination and six in
the Entrance examination were succesful besides and were
awarded certificates. In the University examination there were
217 candidates fer the examination and of whom 52 were
successful, the prizes being taken by Atmanadan of Trichinopoly
and Davoodshaw of Kumbakonam in the F. A. Examination and G.
Kamalambal of Salem College in Matriculation. The nniqne
success of this young lady was a matter for pleasant congratulation
and the audience greeted her success with cheers. The President
has been good enough to add Rs. 10 to the female prize of Rs. 30 in
order to award a gold medal. In regard to new publications, a
second edition with large additions of ' Pannnl Tirattn ’ hag been
published and Villiputtarar’s Bharatnm has been carefully collated
from a large number of Mss and edited and published also. And 20
forms of the Tamil Lexicon of Kaderaivel pillai has also been prin-
ted. H. H. the Maharajah of Puducott&h was the most munificent
donor. His annnal contribution of Rs. 10C0 and monthly donation of
Re. 50 having been duly received and the thanks of the Sangam
were duly expressed by the President and others for Ins mnnificense.
The otherjlonations received were not considerable, as also the list
of paying members, and an earnest appeal was made both by Mr.
Nallaswami Pillai B.A. B.L., and the President of the meeting for
greater holp and enconragement. The accounts of the Sangam were
for the first time audited monthly by the Asst. Secretary and the
annual andit was carried ont by Mr. Ponnnswami Pillai avl., of
Ambasamndram. The expenditure was in excess of the receipts,
10488 and 0977 and the President founder has advanced as usual
Rs. 1200 to carry on the work forward- The report was adopted on
the motion of Pandit Pichi Ibrahim Pnlavar avl. of Trichinopoly and

134

SIDLHANTA DEEFIKA

J. M. Nallaswami Pillai avl. of Salem. On the morning of the 25t'h
May , the business meeting was held and the rules relating to the
constitution of the Sangam which were drafted by Mr. J. M. Nalla-
swami Pillai and approved by the committee appointed for the
purpose in the last year meeting was adopted by the meeting with
slight alterations and on the motion of Mr. P. Narayana Iyer it was
resolved to register the Society also. A managing committee of 9
members including the President founder whom it was resolved to
retain as Life President and 2 Secretaries and Mr. Ponnusami Pillai
was elected as auditor. Bach member has now to pay compulsoiily
Rs. 6 per annum, and he will get a copy of the Sentamil, and such of
the Sangam Publications as are priced one Rupee and below free.
Seeing that the Sangam is now placed on a very sound and sure basis,
it is hoped that it will attract a large number of members. The
President announced also that the Swadeshi Steamship Co., of Tuti-
corin have resolved to pay one per cent of their net earnings to the
Sangam Funds every month. The evening of 25th and the morning
of 26th May were devoted to the reading of Papers, none of which
were however up to the mark except that of Nachinarkiniyar by
Swaminatha Iyer.

The following is the list of Papers read.

]. Abstention from killing by P. S- Subramania Iyer avl.

2. Vidyadanain by Abdul Kadir Rowther avl, of Elayangudi.

3. Perseverance by Srinivasa Iyengar avl.

4. ‘Tamil’ by Maharal Kartikey* Mudaliar avl.

(In this paper is noted the various derivations given for the
word Tamil by others and the author’s own suggestion
that it is to be derived from the root m/rurJa meaning
‘Sun.’)

5. ‘Apvu’ by Karai Sivachidambaram Iyer avl.

6. ‘Tiruvilayadal Puranam’ in Venba metre by Palanivelu

Pillai avl,

7. ‘Nachinarkiniyar’ by S. SwAminatha Iyer avl.

and another Paper by Pandit Narayana Iyer avl of Tanjore.

President Founder is to be congratulated on so much good
work turned out by Sangam and it is to be earnestly hoped that the
public will do their duty towards ghe Smgam.

NEWS AND NOTES.

135

In an article in a recent number o£ the InJton World, Sister
Nivedita writea : —

Every industry created, every factory established, however
insignificant it may appear in itself, is a school of manhood, an
academy where shrewdness and responsibility and integrity are to
be studied in the lesson book of experience, an ashrama where
yontig souls may ascend the first steps of the ladder towards rishi -
hood

So far from there being anv colour of truth in the statement
that India had been hopelessly divided and sub-divided for
thousands of years, the very reverse is the ease. We do not regard
the garden as divided against itself, because the flowers in it are of
many different hues. Nor is India divided. She haB, on the con-
trary, unfathomed depths of potentiality for common civic organi-
sation, for united corporate action. But she mast understand that
she has this power. Eho must look at her own strength. She
must learn to believe in herself. The power of steam is not a whit
greater to-day, though it drives the railway engine and tho ship,
than it was of old, when it merely made the cover rattle over the
pot where tho rice was cooking. Steam is not more powerful than
it was. But fuat i has recognised its 'pouter. Similarly, we may stand
paralysed in all our strength for ages, all for want of knowing that
we had that strength. After we have faced the fact, there still
remains the problem of how to control and use it. And long vision
is not given in this kind to any of us. Only now and then, for hard
prayer and struggle, do the mists blow to one side a little, letting
' us for a moment, catch glimpse of the mountain path. Yet, with-
out recognition of our strength, there can be no possible question
of using it. Without right thought, there cannot possibly be right

action. To us, then, the recognition; to ns, the thought,...

We are working comrades because we are Indians, children, of
a single roof tree, dwellers among one bamboo clump. Our task is
one, the rebuilding of Heroic India. To this every nerve and

muscle of us tingle in response We are one ! We have not

to become one ! We are one ! Our sole need is to learn to
demonstrate our unity.

186

8IDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

For a considerable time there has been a peculiar connection
between Hindustan and Java-dwipa, or the Ialand of Java (Dutch
East -Indies).

Centuries ago the Hindus introduced there their literature,
cult and civilisation with bo much success that up to the present,
in the remotest village, every body knows and loves the great
heroes of Aryavarta ; Sri Rama, Krishna and Arjuna are the great
examples and ideals

According to Javanese tradition, a Hindu named Aji Saka,
came to the island of Java in the year 78 A. D. He was gifted with
superhuman powers, and liberated the natives from the hands of
their cannibal king. He established political and social institutions
for the greater welfare of the people, provided them with the code
of Manu and translated for them the Ramayana and the Maha-
bharata.

After a three years’ reign he abdicated in favor of the last
king's son.

(Compare Raffles’ History of Java).

From this date the Javanese still count their years, beginning
with 78 A. D. (gali vahana era.) C. H. C. Magazine.

1 know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable
ability of a man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavour. It is
something to be able to paint a particular picture or to carve a
statue, and so make a few objects beautiful, but it is far more glori-
ous to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through
which we look, which morally we can do.- -Thoreau.

Sixty-eight of every hundred newspapers of the world are
printed in the English language.

Mrs. Annie Besant has been elected President of the Theoso-
phioal Society by an overwhelming majority.

God never made the world for an apothe
oal laboratory, but for a temple. — Zb. Crane x

VATU SAMHITA.

49

22. In a year of Iris pa6s away five thousand and forty Indras.
In his life- time decay five lacs and forty thousand Indras.

23. This Brahma succumbs in a day of Vishnu. Vishnu dies
in a day of Rudra. Rudra passes away in a Jay of Mahesvara and
MaheBvara falls in a day of Sadasiva.

24 to 26. Similarly Sadasiva too passes away in the Lord
Siva’s Day. Then Kalatma reigns at the command of Siva. Oh
Dwijas, that duration of time in which Srishti takes placet is called
Paramesvara Abas (Day). A similar duration in which Laya takes
place is called Par&mesa-Rathri (night).

27. That which is called Srishti is called day and Pralaya
is called night. To Him there is neither day nor night. One
should bear this in mind.

28 to 29. This usage of night and day . as applied to Siva is
only a secondary application (upachara and not mukhya) only
adooted in the language of the world for its own benefit. All
Prajas, Prajapathies, Moorthies. Suras and Asnras, Indriyas, Indri-
yarthas (objects of sense), the five Mahabhoothas, the thanmathras,
the Bhootliadi, Bhuddhi, their presiding deities all these exist in
this day of Paramesa and all of them cease to exist in the Night.
At the end of this night there agaiu is the projection of the
universe.

24 to 26. Sadasiva is the presiding deity of Santhi otheetha Italah chakra
and with this ends Time, as stated in the 1st verse.

28 and 29. Vide verses 17 to 19 in chapter 8 of the Bhagavad-gita, where
also similar ideas of night and day occur.

“ Sah&k/ayuga paryantham Abaryath Bxahmano Vidubn. Bath rim
yugasahasiahntham. The Ahoratbra Vi do janaha. Avyakthath Vyakthayaa-
sarvaha Prabhavanthyaharagnine, Bathryagame Praleeyanthe Thathraiva vyak-
tha Bamgnike. Bhoothagramaha Sa evayam Bhoothva Bhoothva Praleeyathe,
Bathryagame Avasaha Partha Prabhavanthyaharagame." Thay say that a
thoosana yagas forms a day for Brahma and a similar duration is a Right for
him. In the beginning of day all are mads manifest from the Avjakths and in
the beginning of night all are absorbed in that same ^vyaktba etc.

V 7

60

30. ObeisHnce to that Great Sankara who is the Presiding
Lord of the World and whose Sakthi cannot be transgressed by
the power of Karma and Kahla, and to whom this all is subject.

80. In the Vidyesvara Samhita (17th chapter) we learn that the Kah la-
chakra stands above the region of the Panchakarthas, Bratima, Vishnu, Rudra,
Mahesvara and Sadasiva. This kahla or kahl&tma is said to ride over a buffalo
which iB defined thus :

«* Mahisham Dharmam Asthaya sarvam kahlena yunjathi. Asathyascha
Asuchischaiva Himsachaiva Nirgranah. Asathyadi chathushpadaba sarvam
saha kamaroopadhruk, Nahsthikya Lakshmeer Dussango Veda babya D warns*
gada krodhassnghaha krishna vamo Malm mahisha vesha van."

Riding over a buffalo, he causes all things to be overtaken by time. The
four feet of this buffalo are Asathya (untruth) Asuchi (unclean* ness), Himsa
(inflicting of pain) Nirghruna (merciless ness). The whole figure is the personi-
fication of Desire (kamaroopa). It has the charm of Atluesin (Nasthikya).
Its contact is with "Iniquity." Its sound is that of the out-ca6t Books expelled
from the Society of the Vedas. It has a companion in “Anger". Its color is
Blaok. Worshippers of Siva devoted to the cardinal virtues of Truth etc,
transcend this wheel of Time (said to ride over such a buffalo)." Adharma
mahisha jroodam kahla chakram Tharanthithe Sathyadi Dharma yukiha ye siva
pooja paraschaye." Here a Vrishabha (bull) is presented. It is said to stand
before the abode of Siva. Here is a description of that Vrishabha.

“ Thadoordhvam Vrishabha Dharmaha Brahmacharya swarocpa Dbmk.
Satbyadipadayukthasthu Sivalokagrathaha Sthithaba kahama Srungaba sama
BrothroVeda Dwani Vibhoosbithaha. Ahsthikya chakshuhu Nisvasaguru buddhi
manah Vrishaha. Tham kriya Vrishabham Dharmam Kablatheetho adhithish-
tathi." Above that is a bull which is Dharma, which has the body of Brahma-
charya. Its four feet are Sathya (Truth), Suchi (Purity,) Ahirusa (non-inflic-
tion of pain) and Anirghruna (Mercy); such a bull stands before the abode of
Siva. Its horns are ksh&rna (Forbearance or Patience.) Its ears are Sama
(tranquillity of mind or peace) It has the sweet tone of the Veda dhwani. Its
eyes are Asthikya (Theism or Belief-in-God). Its breath is Guru aud its mind
is Right Discernment (Aparoksha gnana). The Lord who eternally transcends
Time (Kahlathitha) presides over this bull of Dharma.” L ke the Vayu Samhita
it also says that the life-.time of Brahma is a day of Vishnu, the life time of this
Vishnu is a day of Rudra and so on. Above the range of the Moorthies,
Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesa and Sadasiva, there is neither day nor night
neither birth nor death. "Brahma Vishnu Mahesanam Swaswayurdinamucli-
yathe. Tadocrdhvam Na dinam Na rathrihi Na janma Maranadikam" Such a
Lord is Siva associated with parasakthi. "Parasakthya s&mayukthaha thath
relva paramesvar&ho. Srishtisthithischa Sam bar aba Thirobavopyanugraha.
Panchaknthya Pravinosou Satchidananda Vigrahaha.” He is the doer of the
P&nch&krithyaB.

Compare this with the dhyana sloka of Vrishabha in the Sivagamas.

" Vrisho Vrishakrithihi Trayaksho Sivaikagatha mahnasaha Sakshath Dhanna
Svaroopamcha suidha spatika nirmalaha Adharabhootho Vijneyaha Theekshna
srungi Mah a h ala ha ” Vrisha is of the form of a Bull possessing three eyes, ever
devoted to Siva. An impersonation of Dharma, spotlessly white as the crystal
— a substratum of all, possessing sharp horns r nd mighty in strength."

Cf. The popular story of the ovji throw of yama said to ride over a buffalo
by Siva riding over a bull for the purpose of saving His devotee Markandeya.

The next chapter treats about the creation (Srishti) which was
spoken of as the Day in the last 3 verses of this chapter.

Thus ends ihe 6th chapter in the (at part of the Vayn Samhita
in Siva-purana.

CHAPTER VIT.

1. Rishis ask : — How does that Paramesvara play by creating
and destroying (literally by arranging and removing) this entire
universe by means of His Agna Sakthi ?

2. What is it that is primarily produced ? By what is this
all extended (spread). By what big-bellied one is this again
devoured ?

3. Vayn says: — '‘Sakthi transcending the Santhi-Atheetha
pada was first produced. Thence Maya and thence Avyaktha were
prodnced in their order, from the mighty Siva associated with
Sakthi/’

4. From this (Kundalini) Sakthi arose Santhiatheetha pada.
Thence Santhi-pada. Thence arose Yidyapada. Thence Pra-
thishta pada arose.

5. From the Pratislita pada arose Nivrutha pada. Thus is
told, in brief, the Srishti influenced by Isvara.

6. This (Srishti) is the unrolling in the natural gradation
from high to low of these (Kalahs) and the Samhara is the rolling
in of them in the reverse order from low to high.

1. The entire panchakrithya is a play for the Lord. Vide Brahma Sutra
“Lokavathtbu Leela Kaivalyam’’ (Ilnd Adhyaya 1st pada 9th Adhikaruna
33rd Sutra.)

3. By sakthi non-sentient Parigrahasakthi Kundalini, known by the
several names of Bindu, Kundalini, Suddha Maya, Parah, r&ravagisvari, Kutiia
or Pranava or Omkara, is meant, as distinct from the Swabhaviki Chit Sakthi,
a Dharma of the Lord Himself, known by the names Adi, Icha, Onana and
Kr iyah. Vide the Swetasvatara Mantra r * Parashsya Sakthir Vividhaiva
Srooyethe Swabhaviki Gnnna Bala Kriyacha.” Kundaline Maya and Avyaktha
are the three sources respectively of the 5 sivatatvas, the 6 other vidyat&tvas
and the 24 Atmatatv&s.

3. Srikanta yogi, the learned commentator, thus describes it "Sakthi-
mathas sivasya samkochavastha Pral&yaha vikasarastha ershtirithi.” The
unrolling of Siva’s Sakthi is srishti and the rolling in is Pralava.

52

7. From this (Sakthi) the 5 padas (Santhi Atheetha etc.) are
evolved. These cover the whole range of creation, since with
these 5 Kalahs the entire universe is pervaded. That which is
called Avynkta is presided by Atma.

8. It is also approved that it creates tatvas from Maliat to
Visesha (Prakrithi to Prithvi). But the act of creation here does
not belong to Avyaktha or the Atma (soul), for

9. Prakrithi is non-sentient and Poruslia is Agna (not
being ommiscient), and Pradhana and Paramanus and other things
are all non-eentient.

10. We. know that, as a matter of fact, none but persons
possessing discrimination is capable of action. This world expects
(requires) a Kartha (a creator) as it is Karya (an effect — a necessary
result of a cause) and a (harmonious) wliolfe of parts (as the body
is).

11. Therefore an Omnipotent, Omniscient and Free Agent,
having no beginning and end and one in whom there are all per-
fections, — Mahadeva and Mahesvara alone is the Kartha (creator)
of this world.

7. Hence Atma is called Pancba vimsa the 2dth Principle as presiding
over the 24 Atma tatvas. The 24 lowest tatvas alone are cognized by the soul.
They alone as Sthoola tatvas stand, as it were, before his eye, that is in the 2nd
and 8rd persons us things capable of demonstration, being in the form of Deha,
Indriya, Karanas, Bkuvan&s and Bhogas and Annamayadi 5 Kosbas. The other
tatvas are not so. The vidya tatvas are subtle tatvas associated with it, (ant ha.
vanga) for devoloping the soul's Icha, Qnana and Kriya bound by Mala. The
subtler tatvas 5 in number bring about a union of the 7 vidya tatvas with the
bouI. The 5 tatvas are above the Boul.the 7 tatvas are along with the soul and
the 24 tatvas are beneath the soul. Thus the soul cognises the 24 tatvas, they
alone being within the grasp of the Icha, Gnana and Kriya furctionB of the soul.
The 24 ere called Bhogva kunda, the 7 are called Bhokthru kanda and the 5 are
called the Prerakanda. Hence the Pasu Sastras (sciences the highest principle
postulated wherein is reducible to the condition of Pasu) treat of the 24 lower
tatvas and its cognizer the soul. The sankhya, the yoga, the Mimninsa, the
Pancharatre and the Mayavada Schools all recognize these grosser 24 tatvas
alone. Of course the other 12 tatvas are as clearly stated in the SruthieB and
their Upabrahmanas as the lower 24 tatvas. The Saiya, the Linga, the
Koorma, the Brahmanda purana and Devibhagavata, and sages like Kalidasa
and others mention them in as clear a manner \s possible, and the innumerable
temples are clear maps drawn in richest colors to depict such tatvas.

12 to 13. The Parinamft (transformation) of the Pradhana
and the pravrithi (volitional engagement or propensity or applica-
tion) of the Parasha-all these take pl&ce at the command of this
Sathya Yratha. Thus this unfailing conclusion rests in the minds
of the truly groat man. A man of little learning does not resort
to this sort of argument.

14. Within the deration that this creation is started and then
ite d insolation is effected, a hundred years of Brahma. elapse.

15. The life- time of Brahma, born of Avyaktha, is termed
Param. A moiety of that duration is called Parardha.

16 to 17. At the close of two parardhas, when pralaya sets in
Avyaktha, absorbing within itself all its products (the .Vikrithis)
rest in Atma.

18 to 20. When the Avyaktha, with all its Vikrithis, thus rests
in Atma, both Pradliana and Parasha appear in their own colors
(without the oue being influenced by the other)., Thamas and
Satva ganas attain a state of equilibrium, without the one prepon-
derating over the other and both becoming tlmB intertwined with
each other (literally becoming the w hoof and warp of the one fabric
of Prakrithi). In such a stale, of equality when Thamas is no more
known as Thamas and Satva as Satva, and not a trace of air, water

13. S&thya Vratha as applied to the Supreme Being means One whose
Law or Design can never be altered. Swslpa chethana meacB a fool, a man of
little learning or a man who has learned to argue a little. “ A little philosophy
inclineth man's mind to atheism ; but depth in philosophy bringeth men's
minds about to religion" Bacon.

15. A parardha contains 100,000,000,000,000,000 years.

17 to 20. (Compare) the Mandukya upanishad “Adrushtom Avyavaharyam
A grab yam Alaksbanam Achinthyam Avyapadeayam Aikatmya prathyayasaram
Prap&nchopaBamam santham Bivan) Advaitam chathurthaxn Many an the aa
Atm* sa v.jneyaha” and “Yada thamas than nadiva narathri nasannaohasat
siva eva kevalaha, Tadaksharam Tbath saviturvarenyam prajnache Tbasmath
p&asrutha purani (swetasvatara). “Na asath asitb no sad asith na aharahnith
narattnrabsith Tbada andha thama asith (Big Yeda.)

They thinlr of the unseen, unspoken of, ungrasped, un definable, unthought
of, culminating in the unity of atma the resort of- all world peaceful of Siva,
non-dual, the 4th principle. He is the atma. He is to be known” When
there was neither day nor night neither sath nor asath, then there wae only
one Siva from Him sprouted pragna’ : Ho sath, no asath, No day, no night.
Everything was in utter darkness."

54

(and other bhoothas as well) can be guessed, everything is indistin-
guishable. (Na prajnayatha). When the whole world is thus
indistinguishable (Aprjnathe jagathyasmin) i.e., becomes unknown,
then there was only One Mahesvara (roaming about) in that limitless
expanse of Night.

21. At the dawn of this night, Mahesvara in conjunction with
Maya, enters both pradhana and prakrithi and agitates them. Then
by the command of the Lord as before Srishti (creation) takes place
from Avyaktha, which is tne source and end of all Bhoothas.

22. Obeisance to the Lord who is different from all worlds —
He in whose sakthi’s minutest particle the entire everything is
imbedded. Him whom the cognisers of Adhvas know as the Lord
of all Adhvas.

Aaith idam Thamo Shoot ham Aprs jn at ham Alakshunam A pra tha r ky am Anirdes
jam praaaptham iva Barvathaha” Manus mrithi.

Mahapralayakuhlethu Ethadasith Thamomayam prasupthamivachatharkyam
aprajnatham ulakshanam” (Mathsya purS'na.)

Iavarauachethanaha kart ha pure shah a keranam siv&ha, Vishnurbrahma sasee
■uryo sakro Devaaoha Sanvayaha srajyathe grasyathe ohaiva Thamobhootham idam
yada Aprajnutham jagath sarvam Tada Hi Eko Mshesvaraha.” (Santhi parva.)

When Vishnu Brahma, Son, Moon, Stars, etc, are engulfed in darkness, and are
not traceable along with the world then there was one Mahesvara.

21. “Dhatha yatha poorvam Akalpayath" The Lord creates again as before
‘So says the Srathi. The Revered Asvalayana in the beginning of his Dharma
Sastra begins with “Adow idam Abhooth Barvam” and explains that Lord Siva
presides over the extreme Thamas (Darkness Maya) and that this Maya creates
everything being agitated by Siva. “Sacha S&mkshobitha Sakthihi Sivena Pari-
Wumhitah” and then in detail describes the creation of Mahat, Ahamkara inorganic
aabstanoes and Brahma eta sentient souls, Says he in the 7th chapter, Sisrnkahareka
Evagre Samasinas Rivas way am, Dhroshtva guna mayim May am sookshmaroopam
Apakaroth Thsyahthsduthmakam Vishnu m Srnshtva palam Divoukasam.” Desirous
of creating the world, only one Siva was, He glanced at Maya with the inherent
Gtmaa. He formed a subtle form oat of it. By means of this mays. He created
Vishnu protector of the Devas,— Viahna who is himself of the form of Maya” The
breaker of this dork night is Siva as the Swetasv&tara clearly asserts it. “Prajnacha
Thasmath Prasrntha Purani” Knowledge or Intelligence (light) sprang from Siva.
8n Krishna in the Gita says “ Thamevaohadyhm Parasha in Prapadye yathaha
pmvrathehi Prasrathah Purani” I adore that PrimcBval Lord from whom this
ancient creation proceeds.*'

s . ^ vene “ 1°°^ by our Brikanta T 'gi in his Bhashyu on the Vedanta

65

The latter portion of the verse rnus thus in tbo original.
“ Adhvanecn Adhvapathim Adhvavidovadanthi, Thasmai namaha
Sakalaloka Yilakahanaya.” This is a mantra of the Big Veda with
which each manavaka (student) is made to pray to the spiritual
Guardian at the time of upanayana. The mantra itseif reads thus :
Adhvauam Adhvapathe Sreshtasyadvanahapahram A iiya” and the
npanishads too have “So Advanoha pa ram apnothi T Jiad Yishnoha
Pa ram am Pa dam.’’

In the slokas 9 to 13 it is asserted that the world is a product
of God. The sloka itself runs thus “ Ithi iyam Sasvathi Nishta
Satham manasi Yarthathe Nachainam pakshamahsrithya Yarthathe
Swalpachethanaha 1 '. It can be satisfactorily proved that the
tendency of the humanity of all ages and climes has been to know
God from His Works. The belief in a Designor, in an architect
has been so universal as to almost amount to a Proof an intuitional
reality. So thought the ancient Egypthm, the Chaldean, the
Assyrian, the Hebrew, the ancient Aztec, the Chinese and bo taught

Plato and Aristotle, Confucius and Zoroaster, Jesus and Mahommed.

/

1 A mansion presupposes an architect, a painting an artist, a statue
a sculptor.’ We need not say that the Yedae, the oldest and truest
of religious records on the face of the earth, reiterates this in most
emphatic language. In this connection we request our readers to
go through the 10th Mandala of the Big Yeda and we are tempted
to quote below some passages from the Yajur Yeda and it will be
for impartial men to say whether they are not inclined to endorse
every word of that Veteran Philologist and oriental scholar — the late
Prof. Max Muller who in one of his lastest works says ‘Indeed we
find many hymnB in tho Vedas which bring home to our mind the
conviction that Monotheism is their fundamental doctrine.”

1 Iaanem Asya Jagathaha, Savardrussm Twain Havamahi. We adore Thee,
the Iaana (Euler) of this world, the seer of Heaven.

2. D hatha dadathu Eayiw Ia&no Jaguthaha pathihi. May the Iaana, the Lord
of the world, grant us.

3. Bhoopathaye swaha, Bhuvanapathaye, Bhoothanam pathaye rwaha. Oblation
to the Lord of the world, to the Lord of the universe and to the Lord of all Beings.

4. Naha Isanaha jagathaha path! Ieo Dhatha idam Visvam Bhuvanam

J a jana, ‘‘lBftna, the Lord of the world, the Lord produced this entire universe.

J

56

6. Bhuvauasya pathe yasya the upatigrahaha sarmn yacha. Oh Lord of the
universe, bestow as bliss. TLy Mansions ore above.

8. Idam divyam nabhaha Divyasya naha Dehi Isanaha. Oh Lord Isana, Ruler
of this wonderfal firmament, grant as Heaven.

Bhoothaeya jathaha Pathireka Asith, sa Dadhara Prithivim. One path! for all
beings. He produced this earth.

8- Yaha pranatho Nimishatho Mohitva Ekaha Raja Jagatho Babhoova One
Lord, who from his breath and twiukling produced this all, is the Lord. (This
shows that the Lord produces everything without an effort on His part.)

9. Ya Ise Asya Dwipada chathnshpadaha kasmai Devaya Havisha Vidhema,
He Who rules this iour legged and two legged beings. To Him is this oblation.

10. Ya Athmada Balada yaaya Yisve upasathe Prasisham yasya Devaha. He
who is the giver of life and strength. Him whom all world seek and propitiate.

11 Yasya chaya Amrutham yasya Mruthyuhu, Kasmai Devaya Havisha Vidhema
Oblation to Him whose shadow is Immortality under whose control is mrithyn.

12. Yasya ime Himavanthaha Mahithva yasya Samudram Rasaya Saha Ahuhu
“He whose glory the Himalayas and the oceans proclaim” so say the wise.

13. 4 Yena dyou, ugra prithvioha, dhrude yena suvaha sthambhitham, yena
N&ksha yaha Antharikshe Rajasaha Vi m an aha Kaam&i Devaya Havisha Vidhem» )
By whom this firmament, the fierce world, this heaven, this atmosphere, this all is
established to Him is the oblation.

14. “Aauhu Ekaha Kasmai Devaya Havisha Vidhema” One Life to Him is the
oblation.

15. Yo Deveshu Adhidevo Eka Asith Kasmai devaya Havisha Vidhema. He
who is the one Deva for all devas. To Him is the oblation.

16. Janitha yo prithivyaha yo Vam Divam Saihya Dharmo Jajana yaschapa
chandrah Brihatheehi Jajana kasmai Devaya Havisha Vidhema” “He who is the
producer of this world. He who produced for you the sky — He the Sathya Dharma
(eternally righteous), He who produced the waters and the Moon to Him is the
oblation -

17. Ya imavisa Bfauvanani Juhvath Niahasada Pitha Naha Param Ekarn

Ahuhu yo na pitha Jauitho yo Vidhatfaa Jajana yo devanam namada Eka Eva

Tham He who produced this world. . He who sits as the father of us, Him

they call the "Great. He is our father. He is our producer. He is our disposer. He
is the giver of names and forms to Gods. He is the One.

18. Yasmin idam Bhnvanam Adhisritham Visvakarmahi Ajanishta Devaha

Visvathahachakshu Visvatho Mukho Visvutho Hastha utha Visvathaspath Sambahu-

bhyam Namathi Dyava Bhoomim Janayan Deva Ekaha” In whom this

world rests. He, the creator of the world. That God produced this world.
Throughout the universe is His eye throughout the universe is His hand and
throughout the universe is His foot. To Him I bow with my hand. Before Him
I oroetrate. One lord created this Heaven and Earth.

THE

S1DDHANTA DEEPIKA

OR

The Light of Troth.

A Monthly Journal, devoted to Religion, Philotophy, Literature, Science, etc.

Commenced on the Queen's Commemoration Day, 1897

Yol. YHI AUGUST 1907. No. 9

What Sikhism did for the Sikhs.

It is aii ever recarring truth that a reform in religion precedes
the regeneration, physical as well as moral of any people as cause
precedes effect. The religious teaching, when fresh, and has not
yet become a mere routine work, Beams to act npon the mind of
man as-a force that develops all his till then dormant faculties. The
scattered tribes of Arabia, with no cohesion whatever, living a
wandering nomadic life, had no sooner heard the soal- stirring,
teaching of Mohammed, than were they transformed, into a united
nation and so great was the strength they got that in the coarse of
a single century they conquerred the greater part of Asia and
Europe and shook Christendom to its very centre. They themsel-
ves were astonished at the work they were able to accomplish and
they could attribute their success to no external help bnt to the
divine strength of their prophet’s teachings.

This power of regeneration possessed by a religion awakening
is no less strongly boruo out by the rise of the Sikh nation. The
peasantry of Panjab, weak ns the surrounding peeplo and not muck
more intelligent than they ''were, in the course of two and a half
centuries, transformed into one of the most forward nations that

188

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

India has seen. What was the cause for this transformation?
Nothing, bat the seeds of religion or rather reform sown about the
first quarter of the sixteenth century.

Nanack, the founder, dissatisfied with the corruption that was
eating into the bowels of Hinduism and pained by the religions
persecution of the Mohammedan, wandered all over Northern India,
Arabia and Persia to hit at a reform which, while purged of the
grossness of the popnlar Hinduism, should also calm the persecu-
ting nature of the Mohammedan. His object in other words was
to bring purity and fellowship into a land which internally sinking
in corruption was being torn up by religious animosities. He soon
returned and taught the people, 1. that there was no nse in the wor-
ship of idols, 2. that one should try to lead a pure moral life and 3.
that the religious viewB of every man should be tolerated. The
whole teaching of Nanack has for its object no more than the en-
forcing of these three points.

He did not want to start a new religion, neither had he the
remotest idea that the humble peasants would one day, by the
power of his religion, become one of the most warlike nations in all
India. Reformation and amelioration were his objects. Afraid
lest his followers should become a class of narrow sectarians, he
chose as his successor, not his son who showed recluse tendencies
but Angad, one of his humble followers. Again it is to prevent them
from becoming a narrow seot that the third Guru separates the
BikhB from the Oodasis a monastic sect founded by the son of Nanack.
So far the tenor of Sikh life is purely religious and peaceful but with
the advent of the fifth Guru Arjun, Sikhism sees the dawn of a new
era.

Arjun with the object of closely knitting together the scattered
and loosely cemented Sikhs, did three things. He built the sacred
pity of Amritsar, compiled the sayings of the previous Gurus into a
book called the ‘ Adigranth ' and lastly organised the people politi-
cally by reducing into systematic payments the customary offerings,
the Sikiu Vere wont to pay. The Sikhs had now therefore a
central place where they could meet, a sacred book on which to
base thai$ belief and, finally a political organisation which knit
them to eaoh other uuo to .their Guru.

WHAT SIKHISM DID FOR THE SIKHS.

199

Up to this time there is no difference between the Sikhs and
the other religions Beets that abounded everywhere in Hindustan.
With the advent of the next gum Harigovind *we find that the
Sikhs are being gradually separated more and more from the sur-
rounding people- Military organisation is being gradually intro-
duced among them and the persecution, inflicted by the Mogul on
their Gurus, Arjun, Harigovind and afterwards still more severely
on Govindeingh and Banda, makes the Sikhs draw themselves more
and more aloof from the hated Mohamedans. This tendenoy to
separation is fully taken advantage of by the tenth and the last
Guru, Govind singh.

Smarting under the persecutions of the Mnssalman and afraid
that if the siklis were left without any external symbols and cere-
monies, they might in course of time, be merged in the ocean of
the Hindns, Govind wanted to so organise them that, instead of
being lost in the other Hindu sects, they would fight with the hated
Musalman and either overthrow Islam or at least secure for them-
selves freedom of worship. Hereafter it is for their religion that
they wage war with the persecuting Moslem and it is through these
wars originating in religious differences and hatred that they finally
achieve their political emancipation.

It is this last Guru that turned the current of Sikh enterprise
and stamped on their religion a clear and unmistakable political
character aud as euch his reforms demand a more than pasting
notice. Govind in his reforms had two ends in view (1) to separate
the Sikhs, by external marks and social customs, from the inane
and homogeneous mass of the Hindus and (2) to infnBe into them a
spirit of warlike opposition to the persecuting Mohammedan. To
gain the firet object he introduced the ceremony of initiation by
which alone one could become a Sikh, gave them social customs,
external marks and ceremonies different fiom those of the Hindus
and finally abolished the caste distinction. So far, for the work of
separation, but for attaining his second object he wanted to make
the SikhB a body of soldiers full of military spirit with religions
zeal to direct it. Their name was changed from the humble appel-
lation Sikh to Singh , the name of the monarch of the foreat.

140

8IPDHANTA DEEPIKA.

Every Sikh now a Singh had to carry with him some weapon or
dther. Then follow the two teachings that influenced the Sikh
religion most. It-was declared that every Sikh family should fur-
nish half of its male members to the army of the Khalsa, t be
common-wealth of the sikh nation and that loss of life or property,
incurred in tho work of increasing and maintaining the glory of
their religion, was not to be lamented. These various reforms,
while separating on the one hand the Sikhs from the Hindus, and
rais’ng, on the other, a spirit of opposition to the Moslem, had also
another effect no less important, viz, that of uniting the Sikhs one
to tho other by the closest bonds possible. It is this close tie that
enabled the Sikh nation to survive, and victoriously, the persecution
that the Mogul could direct against it. The Sikhs, with Guru and
without Guru, in the days of success as in those of defeat, stood
together unflinchingly, a rock of granite to the surging waves that
beat against it remorselessly which instead of itself breaking, broke,
ultimately, the waves that lashed against it.

Thus Guru Govind converted the Sikhs into a warrior nation
full of religious zeal. Matters were in this Btate when Banda took
up the work.

He was a stem and moody warrior, who was not loved but
respected for his military prowess. With* a revenging spirit ho
fought the Mogul valiantly and long for eight years till in 1716 he
was put to a cruel death by Feruk Seer.

Now the Sikhs were left without a gum or a leader, but the
work for which a leader was necessary had been once for all
accomplished by Guru Govind and Banda. They had stamped on
the sikh nation a character from which it never hereafter swerves.
The nation henceforth lias to proceed direct with shut eyes, it may
be, to the goal pointed out to it by the last of their Gurus, and the
result which the small nation achieved in a generation and a half
from this time shows the manner in which it aquitted itself after
the dispensation of the Gurus stopped.

A body of humble peasants about 1500 A, D, when the
reforming Nanack.the founder of their religion, came to them; then

^HAT SIKHISM DID FOR THE SIKHS, 141

a sect of religious followers, undistingnishable from the thousand
and one sects, that lifted np their heads in those troubled times, half
a century later, — the Sikhs were finally converted into one of the
greatest fighting nations. The zeal which their religion infused
into them was such that in the course of a generation and a half,
they achieved for themselves both political and religious emancipa-
tion. So great is the force and life which a vigorous religion infuses
into its followers.

K. LAKSHMINARAYANA.

FOLLOW THY STAR.

Follow thy star !

What, though the mists of doubt and grief may rise
To dim thy weary eyes !

What, though the waves of strife and sin may heat
Around thy stumbling feet !

Follow thy star.

Still in the night, though thy weak bark may roll.

Its light will comfort and direct thy soul.

Follow thy Btar!

That star which shines within thy breaking heort
When all thy joys depart ;

That Btar that lives within thy bosom’s core
When loved frieds are no more

Follow thy star 1

That star that cheers thee on shy homeward road,

That star that' leads thee to the Throne of God !

FRANCIS GEORGE SCOTT
F.'om the Herald of the Golden Age.

142

SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA.

Mistaken notions of Piety as a Source of Evil.

It is unfortunate that religion should be the source of so
much humbug and insincerity as is actually the case. When man
strives to make religion to be something other than the living out
of the natural qualities and an exercise of the faculties inherent
in the human nature .then it happens that the race instead of leading
a straightforward course of life strays away into innumerable swer-
vings from the right path of proper conduct. This arises from the
fact that the very attempt involves an unnatural course of action.

In an evil hoar, it seems to have occurred to man that salvation
lies in the stifling of the senses. The senses are there at the
mandate of Him Who is the Author of all existence. To proclaim
their destruction is therefore against the divine dispensation. They
are neither to be stifled nor 'stunted in their growth; but they are
to be developed and educated to the fullest extent they are capable
of. In their full development and rights exercise is life properly
lived.

Pleasure, on analysis, is Bimply the agreeable excitement
consequent on the exercise of a faculty. Mere living itself is often
said to be a pleasure, because life implies an exercise of the facul-
ties. So, salvation, the highest form of happiness can arise only from
the exercise of the powers given to man by God; but not from a stifl-
ing thereof.

The recluses of old, in their foolishness, thought that the
natural way in which men lived was sinful aud took to their austere
practices. In many a case, nature, revolting against the unnatural
restraint, asserted itself, and where it was not strong enough to assert
itself, the Soul, deprived of the aliment that would develop its civic
virtues, led an owlish existence and was of no service to the children
of light who loved the free air.

It is the most unhappy and mischievous idea ever fabricated by
the human imagination, that celibacy isa necessary condition to
bring about spiritual progress. Ancient Iqdia with all her acuteness
° f intellect, and in spite of the fact that many a sage, that shed his

MISTAKEN 3 NOTIONS OF PIETY AS A SOfeRCE OF EVIL. US

lastre on her, enjoyed oonjugal bliss, cannot be spared of the charge
of having subscribed to this erroneous belief. There were however
several Riahis that led the life of Vana-prosthas with their spouses.
This offers a redeeming feature in the history of the world’s striving
after Spirituality. The wise men of Ancient India were great lov-
ers of nature. They loved the forest, the forest-streams and tbe
trees fragrant with their blossoms and resonant with the music of
the birds. They loved the deer and roamed over the lovely forest
tracts with as much zest as their innocent Sylvan companions.
They sang the praises of the rising Sun' the twilight and the glori-
ous sky. If woman was proscribed on the scene, it must have been
only through short sightedness. Man is not complete without the
woman; and what is more glorious than a vision of man and woman
on a Bceue of Nature’s perfection.

Christianity cannot claim the monopoly of having introduced,
into religious thought, the idea of woman being the mother of evij,
but the notion seems to have haunted the imagination of the adher-
ents of the other religions as well.

A rigid oarrying out of a wrong idea with a good motive is one
kind of evil, but a constant show of observance with a view to affect
piety, when there is a failure to act up to the professed rules of con-
duct, is a procedure which has a bad moral effect on those who are
guilty of it.

The abominable institution of the Hindu dancing-girls was at
its inception a pious blunder. In the beginning, a few maidens
might have thought, in a pious frenzy, that no human beings were
good enough to be their lords and might have iu all probability
really found that such a fancy answered their emotional cravings.
But flesh and blood remain under the influence of Buch extra-
ordinary fancies only under abnormal conditions; and when the con-
ditions cease to exist, the influence ceases to hold Bway and human
nature becomes itself onoe again. The individuals, who originally
gave rise to the institution, might have been X)eva-dasis in the true
sense, but, as time advanced, the conservative instinct of men wanted
to keep up the institution, though there were no women who would
devote themselves to the service of God. The form of the instita-

144

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

tion remained, though the spirit had fled. The forced restraint to
lead an unnatural life of oelibacy, under a belief that it was pious,
must have first resulted in occasional acts of prostitution secretly,
until public opinion, probably conniving at the conduct in the earliest
stages, oame to look upon immorality in the end as the legitimate
oonduot of the hand-maidens of God.

The innumerable ceremonies of the Hindu ritual as performed
at the present time are so many examples of sham. Even the
purohiU, who superintend the performance, do not understand the
meaning of the mantras they utter and much less the rationale of
the ritual. In the ceremonies, Gods are invited and they are offered
several things, as for example, water to wash their feet, seats to sit
upon, clothes to dress themselves with, flowers, sandal paste and
other sundry presents. Of these, the heavenly beings receive only
certain things and in the place of the rest receive rice dyed in
saffron This subtitution in the ceremonies' is essentially an act of
dishonesty inasmuch as the ooloured rice takes the place of the
really valuable things such as cows and gold. There can be no
doubt that the performance of such meaningless ritual encourages
a form of mental dishonesty.

True religion does not dictate an unnatural course of conduct.
It does not oonsist in the suppression of the instincts of man. God
does not require that one should offer him gold and has no weakness
for any particular language or form of worship.

KRISHNA SASTRI.

The higher the wisdom tho more incomprehensible it becomes
to ignorance .— Herbert Spencer.

Resolve to perform that which you ought; perform that which
you have resolved .— Benjamin Franklin.

ReaA is a fine Medicine. Let your stomachs rest, ye dispeptics,

hrt y our brains rest, you wearied and worried men of business.—
CWfaL '

The Tod&s: Their Origin and Affinities. III.

( Continued from page 127 Vinl. VU1. of the Siddhanta Deepika.)

The diet of the Todas is quite unlike what we generally 6nd
among the savage tribes of the world. Taylor and Lord Avebury
have given us pictnres of savage races addicted, more or less to
cannibalism, that we have come to regard the savage synonymous
with at least habitual meat-eating, tif not anything worse. The
Todas present a strange contrast to our generally accepted notions of
savage diet. Living, as they do in the hill regions, where cultiva-
tion is rendered more difficult by the nature of the soil and climate
apart from their ignorance of the art which leaves it out of the
question — and where game of every sort is easily obtainable, one
would naturally suppose the hardy Todas to entertain a, confirmed
partiality for a meat diet. But nothing of the kind. As a tribe
they must be regarded as only vegetarians and their simple diet
consists of millet, parched grains, and such roots, herbs and fruits
as the forests produce. It is even said that in ancient times they
lived merely on the milk of the buffalo, curds and ghee. Even now
milk and ghee form their principal diet with rice, wheat, barley and
other grains which they can easily obtain from the market. Accusto-
med long to a natural diet of fruits and raw grains, until recently they
were perfectly innocent of the art of cooking and the fireplace in
their dwellings is no donbt a recent innovation. Meat is not altoge-
ther prohibited and the Bambav stag (Cerous unicolor) is the only
flesh they are allowed to eat. In the absence of weapons of any
kind or hunting propensity in the race in general, along with the
difficulty of obtaining it, it must be supposed that the stag is only
au occassional luxury in their food which seldom falls to tne lot of
the majority of the race- The wiiter has met several aged Todas
who have never in their life tasted the sambar meat. Besides, they
perform a kind of sacrifice in which a young buffallo calf is killed in
a lonely forest and its meat partaken after Boms kind of primitive
cooking in fire, according to some strict rites. They keep this
matter a profound secret and the women and the young are strictly

138

S1D1>HANTA DEEPIKA

excluded from tlie ceremony. But as this is done more as a religious
necessity than as a means of satisfying their hunger, it cannot be
said that the Todas are habitual meat-eaters; for in all sacrifices, as
in the case of early Aryans, also, it is the exception that forms the
rule and a certain amount of license is generally permitted. Besides,
the utmost mystery that shrouds the whole thing would seem to indi-
cate their desire to conceal from public notice a newly-adopted
practice. In their funeral ceremonies usually several large buffallo-
es are sacrificed; but the carcasses are never touched by the Todas,
being mostly offered as fee to the kotas who officiate as musicians
on these occassions. Exepting the stag, which they seem to have
indulged in more frequently in ancient times than now, the Todas
exhibit a natural aversion to any other kind of animal food and it
is therefore not unreasonable to regard them as a tribe of vegetari-
an savages, — a novel denomination altogether! But, how did the
Toda happen to b jeome a vegetarian? there* have been, no doubt,
peaceful savages in the world; but certain ceremonies, which will
be described more fully in the succeeding chapter, draw our atten-
tion to the fact that in early ages they carried about them bows
and arrows and regarded them as very important weapons, facls
which unmistakably indicate that they must have originally belon-
ged to a race of hunters or fighting men. These weapons have now
fallen into disuse so much bo that they figure only as relics in impor-
tant ceremonies. Formerly, as every other savage, the Toda musk
have been a meat-eater hunting and feasting on the animals of the
forest untill by degrees, after a process of selection and rejection,
he came to regard the sambar as a delicacy. He seems to owe his
conversion to vegetarianism to so^e strong influence in later times;
for it never happens that organic changes in the personahiiabite of
barbarous tribes are worked from within. It is doubtful to decide
to what potent outside influence the Todas owe their reformation.
Whether it may be due directly or indirectly to the Buddhistic
movement of pre-Christian days, for which, however, there Beems
to be no evidence, or what is more probable, to the latter influence
of Lingayatism carried with them by the Badagas to th« Nil gins -
about the 13th or 14th century, which seems to have also success*
fully counteracted the baneful influences of the filthy Kotas oi

THE TODAS: THEIR ORIGIN' AND AFFINITIES.

149

theae people, there can be no donbt that it has powerfully acted op
the Todae in reforming and civilising them in the matter of their
diet. That) they seem to have given up the animal diet in due
course ; but the memory of the delicious stag still haunting them,
they made provision for it as an exception and the sambar is the
only flesh they are now permitted to take.

The Todas are now addicted to drink, chew tobacco and smoke
cigars. Visitors are often troubled for the weed and snuff, and
whoever carries with him a little of both becomes the honoured
guest of the Toda females, who are likely to excel the males in
their use. On market days the Todas may be Been walking miles
together and going to Ootacamund to stock themselves with
tobacco for a whole week. It is no doubt to be ascribed to the
influence of modern civilisation and the effect of European contact
is well set ont by Dr. Thurston in the following extract, “ Fact it
undoubtedly is, notwithstanding Col. Marshall s phrenological belief
that the necessity for stimulants is a property of the brae hy cephalic
head, that the dolichocephalic Toda displays a marked partiality for
gin, port, bottled beer and arrack and will willingly drink neat
brandy in a mug ; and the silver coinB given with cheroots as a
bribe to induce subjects to come and have their measurements re-
corded at my impoverished laboratory, were expended entirely on
drink in the bazaar. Bnt I have never seen a Toda, as I have
repeatedly seen Kotas and Badagas, staggering homeward from the
drink shops in the bazaar in a disgusting state of brawling
intoxication, or in fact, much the worse for drink.’ In the matter
of taste, the Todasi resemble other primitive savages. Utter stran-
gers to the art of cooking, they are ignorant of the rich variety and
delicate combination of tastes that give a relish to the human palate,
and the only articles that please them are sweets and sugarpaddings.
It is pretty common for the visitor to see his inamg immediately in-
vested in jaggery cakes which the noisy women and children
partake in groups, with all the signs of infinite satisfaction. Salt
forms only an occasional condiment in their food, and though they
Beem to have known its use for a long time, it has been regarded
more as a necessity for tlieir cattle than for themselves.

140

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

The daily occupation of the Todas consists in tending their
cattle, attending to the daily operations and building or repairing
their huts. After their day’s meal, which is generally taken at
about noon, the males usually go out with their herds of buffaloes
to the nearest valleys covered with pasture, and spend the livelong
day in watching the animals graze. They carry with them no
weapons of offence or defence except a long bamboo staff which
they use in climbing the sloping hills as well as managing their
cattle. Some of them are also to be seen issuing in the mornings
with the milk pails in their hands to supply their customers with
milk, while a few older men go out to the neighbouring Badaga
villages to collect the rent or tribute, the goodoo as it is called, due
to them as masters of the soil. The rent thus collected is in the
Bhape of grain and it is worth noticing the altercation that ensues
the appearance of a Toda before the hamlet of a Badaga, in which
the latter invents all kinds of excuses to put off payment, while the
former puts on a determined front and insists on immediate satis-
faction of liis immemorial rights. Youthful and hardy Todas some-
times seek adventure in the forests and return home laden with
spoils of honey etc., while the more responsible members of the
family go to the distant market- places to fetch their ordinary
necessaries of life. Old and decrepit men who cannot apply them-
selves to any active pursuit, generally sit in the sunshine near their
huts and muse on their past. During the monsoon season when it
Tains incessantly, the men, women and children are confined to
their huts much to the dislike of both the sexes. The moment the
males of a family disperse on their various avocations the Toda
women wrap themselvos up in their ptitkulis, come out of their huts
to breathe the outside air of purity and freedom and .enjoy them-
selves as best as they could. They have their own politics and
scandals to talk together in whioh they freely indulge ; and the
moment they catch a glimpse of any visitor approaching them from
a distance, they join together and piepare themselves to offer him
a fitting reception. On nearer approach, boys, women and children
accost him with the welcoming salutes of salaam, salaam, and con-
duct him to the vqry threshold of their dwellings. The children

TEE TPPAS : THEIR ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES.

141

•lowly begin to ask for presents and the women and girls follow up
the lead and offer to entertain yon with a song. Yoar consenl
being taken for granted, they seat themselves in a row and begin
to drone oat a monotone, in which there is neither articulation nor
modulation and which soon displeases the hearer. Their singing is
more like the humming of bees and there is no possibility of
m aki n g either head or tail out of it. Their so- caller song ended,
they invite you to see the inside of their huts, which yon politely
decline. They wish to be rewarded for their song and no Booner
do you empty your purse than they turn their backs to you and
mind their own business. The women have no legitimate share of
duty, and all they are expected to do seems to be tetching water
from the neighbouring pools, curling their hair and embroidering
their clothes. The men should be considered as generally lazy and
indolent in habits, because very often they allow their buffaloes to
graze by themselves and they themselves lazily Bpend their time
somewhere sitting uuconsious and supremely indifferent to every-
thing passing around them- They never apply themselves to any
kind of usef al work, depending entirely upon their cattle for their
subsistence. When this only source fails they go about begging
for grains in the Badaga villages. Thus their life is entirely a
pastoral one and no amount of pers nation or force will ever effcot a
change in their occupation.

In their social and domestic habits the Todas appear to lead a
peaceful and happy life and no kind of strife or petty jealousies
tend to darken their domestic felioity. Apparently a peaceful
people whose wants are few and whose desires are not inordinately
kindled, their relation among themselves is of a very friendly
character and on important ceremonial occasions all of them con-
gregate and freely fraternise with one another. In times of diffi-
culties they co-operate together and mutual assistance is ungrud-
gingly offered. Though divided into five classes they still conduct
themselves as of one family and the loving and friendly salutes
exchanged when Todas of different places meet together sufficiently
testify to tha cordial relations existing among them. The writer
has not heard of any case of excommunication in the tribe. The

142

StDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

women also contribute towards maintaining the friendly relations
£nd parents love their children with great affection.

But disputes sometimes occur among them but they never as a
rule have recourse to the law courts ; for they are poor and would
not understand the complicated procedure obtaining therein.
Among themselves a primitive kind of patriarchal government exists
which decides all kinds of disputes arising in the tribe. Questions
of right and wrong are settled by arbitration or by a Council of
five, whose decision in all matters is final. Penalties are imposed
in the shape of a fine of one or two buffaloes ; but it is very rarely
that there arises any necessity for the Council to meet. Besides,
the Todas have also a head-man who seems to have some sort of
influence over the whole tribe in general. But it is supposed that
the institutions of a headman and the Council are not of primitive
origin, but only copied by the Todas from the comparatively more
advanced neighbouring tribes.

M. JIVARATNAM, B. A.

(To be Continued.)

The world about us is a great vineyard and the thoughts we
think are the seeds we plant. Every seed will bear fruit after its
kind. If we sow the seed of the thorn and the thistle, we reap
thorns and thistles ; if we sow the Beed of kind thoughts, words and
deeds, we shall reap accordingly, as we have sown, “for whatsoever
a man soweth that shall he also reap . — Chat Brodie Patterson.

The Best Policy . Be honest with yourself, whatever the
temptation. Say nothing to others that you do not think, and play
no tricks with yonr own mind. Of all the evil spirits abroad at
this hour in the world, insincerity is the most dangerous*

Tht Teachings of the Bagavai GiU Applied to Life.

The Bhagavadgita is essentially a work that preaches the
different dh&rmas which the different aspects of life involve. All
oar duties have only one end in view. Religion is not a thing that
can be relegated to reclnsee and to observances that have no direct
bearing on life. If a man shirks his duty in one sphere of life, the
particular dereliction of duty will certainly tell upon his activities in
every other sphere of life. A man who does not discharge his duly
in his domestic relations, certainly fails to discharge the duty, he
owes to God. If religion has a bearing on life, an occasional re-
ference to the Devas does not answer the purpose. The fear of
God most modify every petty detail of life. The spirit which
would actuate men in their dealings must be similar to that which
would make a Christian ask himself " What would Jesus do, nnder
the circumB ances? ' Religion is a reality which must leaven all
our actions* It cannot be divorced from any form of human acti-
vity. It has application to the home to the Society and to the State;
It bears on the relation of one individual to another and it most be
the guiding and shaping factor of every form of social intercourse.
Every Bocial institution and custom has to be judged in the light of
the teachings of religion. The king whsn he walks in the fear of
God roles properly and the subjects discharge their functions as
citizens properly when they are righteous. Nay, more than all
this, religion has application to the dealings of one state with
another and to warfare. Dishonesty receives no sanctification
when made use of in international diplomacy and in the strategy of
warfare. So the application of religion to life is absolute.

In the present degraded condition of India when the Social
institutions are in a rotten condition and the observance of religion
has degenerated into hypocrisy, if the attention of the people can
be drawn to religion and the priceless teachings of the Gita, a
rapid advance will be made in progress.

In these days of false prophets when every deluded individual
points ont his own short cut to progress, it is a great consolation to
have a work on religion whose language is clear and unmistakable.

144

SIDDHANTA DEEl’lKA.

questions of Social amelioration when the mind is confused
there being an apparent conflict of duties, when there is a dark
foreboding of failure overtaking one’s attempts, the message of Sri
Krishna comes to one through the long vista of years in no unmis-
takable voice and strengthens the wavering heart and braces up
the devotee to fight against tremendous odds.

What is the teaching of the Blessed Lord with reference
to matters religious, sooial &c, that affect modern India? What is
the iuspiration we can draw from the “Song Celestial ” in our hour
of degradation and distress ? The key-note of his message is the
same now as when he urged upon the warrior-prince, Arjuna to
fight viz-, that every one must do his dharma. Arjuna is a perfect
tvpe of mair. He had to fight in response to the call of duty, against
kinsmen and preceptors. Beholding his dear relatives arranged in
battle-array eager to fight, his limbs becamo languid, his body
trembled, the hair stood on end, the skin burnt and the mighty
warrior was unable to stand any longer and the Gandiva slipped
from the life-less hands. There was no desire for victory.

“ Of what use would sovereignty be to us, 0. Govinda, or
even enjoyments or even life, since they for whose sake, sovereignty,
enjoyments and pleasures are desired by us, are where arrayed for
battle ready to give up life and wealth viz., preceptors, sires sons,
and grandsires, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-
in-law and kinsmen; I wish not to slay these though tlioy slay
me, 0 Slayer of Madhu, even for the Sake of the sovereignty of
the three worlds, what then for the sake of this earth’’’

The warrior having thus become despondent and unnerved,
Sri Krishna preached to him Yoga and braced him for the fight ;
for a vision of the spiritual verities alone can enable a man to
sacrifice all that is dear to him and perform his dharma which tc
the eyes of flesh looks repellent and forebodes evil. The attentioi
of the disoiple was for a while drawn away from the situetion anc
the Blessed Lord discoursed to him on the most holy Yoga philo
sophy. The teachings therein inculcated will solve manv a pro
Hem that the regeneration of India offers.

THE TEACHINGS OF THE I3AGAVAD GITA APPLIED TO LIFE. 158

For more than over a thousand years, India has been in deep
sleep. The teeming millions lost faith in themselves and in their
destiny as a nation. In this loss of faith lay the seeds of degenera*
iion; for the loss of faith in one’s capacity to workont one’s own good
implies a loss of faith in God himself. But there are however signs
of an awakening and India shall take her appointed place as the
spiritual leader of the nations. Before she can take her appointed
place to which her past history qualifies her in a peculiar way she
rncst become perfect herself. Will her children, the despised
among the nations, help in her rejuvenation ? What sacrifices are
not worthy of the act ? Relatives, comforts of the world, one’s own
•elf must not be dearer than the holy cause. The inspiration that has
oome and the new spirit of hope that has arisen as the result of the
awakening will not be iu vain if the central note of the teachings
of the (jita viz, that every man must do his dharma, is applied to
every problem that presents itself.

A DEVOTEE.

(To be continued.) '

THE ONE LOVE.

Great is a love that stirs a human heart
To live beyond all others and apart;

A love that is nob shallow, is not small;

Is not for one or two, but is for all ;

Love that can wound love, for its higher need ;

Love that can leave love, though the hoart may bleed •,
Love that can lose love, family, and friend.

Yet steadfast live, all-loving to the end ;1
A love that asks no answer, that can live
Moved by one burning, deathless aim — to give.

Such love, that only asks what path be trod
Is love, itself, is Love that is of God !

— Emerson College Magazine.

Errors, like straws, upon the surface flow,

He who would search for pearls must dive below. — Dryden,

s

154

BIDDQANTA DEEPIKA.

Idolatry in Christianity.

According to the pious Christian, the heathen has no claim to
what is good. He is the favoured child of the Devil and all his acts
are inspired by the old time-honoured enemy of the Hebrew God
viz Satan. Acting under such a belief, the Christian Missionary
thinks it to be a duty imposed on him by God to free the Hindu
from all his religious practices and modes of worship. The average
exponent of the Christian Gospel is no more philosophical than the
Hebrew prophet Moses who revealed the wishes of Jevoha to his
chosen people-the Israelites.

He has imbibed with his religion all the narrowness, rigidity of
mind and want of sympathy for the views of others which charac-
terised the old Hebrew nation. He believes that the stupid Hindu
worshipper only requires to be sufficiently jeered at to be made to
give up the worship of stocks and stones. Bqt at times the Padri's
ire is rqaBCd and then the poor pagan who is supposed to believe
that the blooks of stones are the gods of heaven is threatened with
the everlasting hell-fire.

Now this question of idolatry requires to be examined a little
closely. The Hindu makes Bgures of men and women and other ob-
jects out of metal or stone and offers worship to them. One may be
sure that even the most idiotic Hindu does not believe that the image
in itself is actually a god. If he should honestly and really believe
so, it only follows that his intellect is an abnormally low stage of
development but no moral responsibility can attach to such a state of
mind. It would appear that the eourse of action open to others is to
leave him to such a form of worship until his experience should raise
him above it or point out to him that the conception he entertains is
wrong. But to revile and carse him is utter folly and stupidity.
The case on hand is one that ought to excite pity but not hatred.

"Whatever might have been the o:igin of idolatry and what-
ever might have been the views of the hypothetical savage as to the
fetish he worshipped, it cannot be seriously contended that' the
Hindu at any time known to history regarded the image worshipped
os being actually a god. He certainly believes that in some manner

1D0LATRF IN CHRISTIANITY.

155

the figure used in worship is the image of a god or that tho parti-
cular god who is invoked pervades the image. Tho Hindu though
idolatrous is not a savage ; bat intellectually is as mach advanced
as his reviler. Tho most ignorant Hindu if questioned about his
worship of idols, will readily answer that the idols are only tho
several images of God. The Hindu believes in millions of Dovas
or the bright ones, but these correspond only to the angels of the
Christian heaven. It is mere ignorance on the part of tho mission-
ary if he should think that because of a belief in innumerable
Dovas, the Hindu believes that there are a number of Supreme Gods.

The Bible forbids idol-worship thus : —

Exodus Chapter XX.

“ 3. Thou shall have no othor gods before me.

4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any
likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth
beneath, or that is in the water under the earth :

5. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.*
for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of
the fathers upon the children unto the third and foarth generation
of them that hate me ;

6. And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me,
and keep my commandments.

23. Ye shall not make with me god3 of silver, iidtthor shall ye
make unto yon gods of gold.

24. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto mo, and shall
sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy sheep, and thine oxen
in all the places where I record my name I will come unto thee and
I will bless thee.’’

Chapter XXII.

“20. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only,
he shall be utterly destroyed.”

The verse last quoted and the one quoted first show that the
Hebrew hatred for idols arose from their hatred of the gods of the
other tribes. Jehova’s assertion that he is a jealous God, only
brings to light tho extreme narrowness characteristic of the tribe

13G

blDDIlANTA MEEF1KA.

as well as tho fact that the Jews viewed every question of religion
the point of view of their tribe. It is indeed very amusing to
see llie Lord putting himself on a level with gods made of silver and
gold and growing jealous of the worship offered to them. The
worship of silver and gold gods is forbidden ; but everything asso-
ciated with the worship of idols and which is reprehensible is com-
mendable to this strange God of the Jews. His appetite for oxen
and sheep is as keen as that of Baal or Moloch.

Now idolatry is simply a worship of images. The common-
place objection of the missionary is that an image degrades tho
fcnipromo Being. But it may be observed that it is not only a
material imago that degrades the infinite God, but also a mental
imago. When a Christian speaks of God as ‘the Father in heaven’
he does call up an image in his mind. It is impossible not to call
up images in the mind, when God is spoken of as being kind, merci-
ful, forgiving or jealous. Evidently, when one talks of God as
being, an angry or jealous Being, images of jealous or angry men
are pictured before tho minds oyo. A conception of Juhova
according to tho attributes ascribed to Him in the Bible must
necessarily call up a most grotesque image in one's mind. Tho
manufacture of such an idol is not different from tho heuimr of

o

one out of stone or carving one of wood. Worship of the personal
God is only a refined form of idolatry, and Christianity being
purely a worship of the personal God, is merely an idolatry of a
subtler form. If the grossor form of idolatry is held to bo repre-
hensible, the more refinod form cannot escape condemnation
altogether.

It may be said with reference to tho worship of the Hindu,
Unit there is in fact no worship of tlic imago on hand, but only
of the ulea which the image symbolises. A certain image repre-
sents tho infinity of tho God-head and another the mercifulness
of the Supreme Being. Now it is the ever-loving care of God
for his creatures, that is sought to he represented in tho figure
of a mother suckling a child and at another time tho fierce and
retributive aspect in ai. image invoking fear. Ouo image represents
the lovely aspect of tho Deity and another the aspect of peace and
cni'U transcending nil loveliness.* And the Hindu passes on from a

T1IE BESETTING BIN OF THEOSOITIY.

157

worship of God with attributes to the worship of the absolute
Brahman of whom nothing can be predicated*

The genesis of the Christian hatred for idolatry is to be traced
iu the tribal jealously of the Hebrews. The Jews hated idols
because they liatod the god of the other tribeB whoso idolatry in all
probability grew out of their love for art. When the modern
missionary rages furiously against the idolatry or more correctly
speaking the idea-ivorship of the Hindus*, he only manifests the
narrowness of mind and the want of sympathy for another’s religion
which is his inheritance from tho Hebrews!

A HINDU.

The Besetting Sin of Theosophy.

The influenco which the Theosophical teachings liavo exerted
upon modern philosophical and religious thought is bo great that
it is necessary to consider what effect they have produced on their
adherents and society in general. It teems to bo a law of natnre
lh.it every lorm of goodness develops a corresponding form of evil.
In fact the more sublime the offort of mau at righteous conduct,
the greater is tho chance of fall ; and the measuro of degradation*
also seems to bo greater iu u coi responding degree. It will be
very profitable to know what the special nature of the ovil is, which
Theosophical metaphysics and Theosophical ethics arc the source of.

Tho first object of tho Society is to form a nucleus of the
} universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race,
creed, sex, caste or colour. The only condition for membership
insisted on is tho unconditional acceptance of this doctrine of
Universal Brotherhood. If therefore a member of the Society^
guilty of a breach of tho observance of this rule of conduct, ho
deserves to be forthwith expelled from the Society. We may take
it, that tho Society requires inot only a mere profession of belief in
the doctrine, but an actual observance of it in practice. What is
the meauing of this unvcrsal brotherhood of lium&mty ? It means
u recognition that all human beings, to whatever mce they may
belong, whether they are men or women and whatever religioj

J

166

SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA.

they may profess, are capable of attaining tho same level
spiritually and morally. This necessitates a surrender of race-pride
and all special claims to heaven by virtue of belonging to a parti-
cular Teligion or caste. Now, how is this Brotherhood manifested in
the Theosophists? It is a fact, too Well known to require any proof,
that the white man can never renounce his sense of racial superio-
rity. The Western Theosophists and the Eastern Theosopnists
have not aB yet come to very close quartei's. They still continue
to live in different worlds as it were. It therefore, remains to be
seen, what amicable result will be produced by the interaction
of the sense of the innate superiority of the white man and
the exclusive spirit of the Hindu. It is not intended to suggest
that the Hindu is altogether incapable of rising above his
exclusiveness. In a moment of spiritual exaltation, he may rise
above conventionalities. The whole Hindu community ought to
take pride in the fact, that it was the members of the highest
caste that bore the dead body of the revered founder of the
Society to the funeral pyre. But such actions are only the
unconscious result of the revolt of the human nature against un-
natural and stupid restraints. But the Hindu nature, with its
morbid avidity for exclusiveness, does not long sustain its effoi-ts at
cosmopolitanism. Tbe Adyar Head Quarters is the hot-bed of caste
prejudices. The statement does not require to be proved; for it
would be amounting to a want of a due sense of honeBty, if ever the
inmates bf the time-honoured haunt of the Mahatmas should think of
-denying the charge. It would further appear that the caste preju-
dices have been sanctified by a certain class of Tneosophic teachings.
The ideas about the human auras are made use of by tbe orthodox
Brahman members to lend sanction and justify the caste tyrannies.
The Brahman has a pure auric zone about him and the Panchma an
impure one — not to speak of the various gradations of purity and
impurity in the anras; and it works against the final good of the
Universe or Brahman if the aura of the twice-born should inter-
mingle with the aura of the low-caste man. The sophistry of the
Theosophical teachings, as interpreted and expounded by oriental
/. ingenuity, have taken under theii safe protection many a supersti-
tion which would have long been dead, had not Theosophy invaded

j

TilE BESETTING SIN OF THEOSOPHY.

150

India — in its ambition for a world wide Empire. Now a profession o£
Universal Brotherhood by the Hindn who does not want to give up
his caste prejudices, is c»_ tainly a form of dishonesty. The
Panchama is not treated as a younger brother, who requires to be
helped by those of higher development but as a walking embodi-
ment of plague whose very touch contaminates. The life-long
labours of the venerable founder of the Theosopkical Society at
the amelioration of the condition of the down-trodden classes have
not brought the Adyar Brahman even a millimetre nearer in sympa-
thy towards the despised Pariah. So the pretensions of universal
brotherhood must continue to be a sham as long as the present
attitude of the high caste Theosopliict continues towards the low-
caste members of the Society- The scene presented by the annual
convention-festival of the Society is but a parable enacted to prove
the unwillingness of the members to carry out in practice their
vaunted ideal of the nniversal brotherhood of humanity. The
casto barriers remain as insuperable as ever, aud a special anxiety
is evinced lest the sense of an overflowing love for one’s brother
should lead to a breach of any descipline as to eating or bathiDg.
It would look as though the Hindu thought that spirituality was
either centered in one’s stomach or hovered abont one’s skin. The
great ambition of the Theosophist seems to consist in a discovery of
man’s relation to his lunar jritris and matters of a similar sort.
He seetns to suffer from a helpless craving for spiritual things. It
seems to fasten itself on him just as a craving for tobacco or alcohol
does. An indulgence in spiritual talk seems to act as a sedative
aud soothe his troubled feelings; and like all sedatives it wrecks
the brain and renders it unfit to discharge its normal functions.
The constant dwelling of the mind on ideas not translated into
practice makes it acquire a habit of mental insincerity

Tlie third object of the Society viz. — To investigate the unex-
plained laws of nature and the powers latent in man, lias also been
a fruitful source of this form of evil. That, under tlie guise of
psychical investigation, a great deal of objectionable practices are
had recourse to is a fact known to all; and spiritnalistic phenomena,
wherever they have been examined, have been proved to be due to
the credulity of the persons imposed upon. There may be spirits,

SlDDHANTA deefika.

J

160

^.nd, for a certainty, there may be powers latent in the human soul;
bat, unfortunately, men have always sliown a weakness for deceiv-
ing their followmen, when they have embarked on a voyage of
phychic discovery. Theosophists have not proved themselves to be
exceptions to this general fact of observation, in spite of their
motto, “ There is no religion higher than Truth.’'

An examination of the question of tho Mahatmas and the
speculation of the Theosophists on matters supernatural will lead
one to doubt their sincerity. The Mabatmic affair is now a matter of
history and fresh light has been thrown on it in connexion with the
recent wrangle about the Presidentship of the Society consequent
on the death of the late President Founder. In the clays of Madam
Blavatsky, the Mahatmas appeared to 'several dozens’ of cholas,
dropped letters from the ceilings of rooms, on one occasion even
flung a Phoenix Almanac and Diary at the head of some one ‘with
some force as if from the sky overhead, in 4 her presence and indeed
so great was their solicitude for the Theosophic Priestess that they
would descend from their Himalayan heights to attend to the repair
of a broken saucer which she dearly loved. They appeared io
visions and in their astral bodies as well as in gross material bodies
while awake, to suit the convenience of their discipies. Such was
the state of matters in the days previous to the trouble with the
coulombs. Then in the interval, up to the fime of the illness of the
President Founder, the Mahatmas seem to have fought shy of the
idle gaze of the adherents of Theosophy. The Theosophic litera-
ture of the interval does not record the excursions of the elder
brothers of Humanity into the work-a-day world. When an
account of the visits of the Mahatmas to Col. Olcott was published,
there was an outbnrst|of doubt and suspicion as to the genuineness
and authenticity of the manifestations from the members themselves.
And it is a significant fact that those who had now misgivings, viz.
Messrs. Bertram Keightley, Upend ran at-h Basu and G. R. S- Mead
do not figure in the lists of persons who bore testimony to the
genuineness and authenticity of the phenomena which were exposed
by Madam Coulomb. The doubting consciences of these gentlemen
seem to have been dormant all the time. Their passive acquiesance
^mounted to an acceptance before the world of the veracity of such

TII1S RESETTING SIN OE TIIEOSOHIY.

161

occnrencos. It would be of immense advantage, if these people would
state their views on the Mabatmie usurpation of the functions of the
postal authorities and such tricks as repairing broken Baucers &c.
Thero has been fraud perpetrated in the name of the Mahatmas;
and once no less a person than Mr. William Q. Judge, a late Presi-
dent of the American section had to be expelled in connection with
letters alleged to havo been received from the Mahatmas. There
has been immorality ; and Mr. Loadbeater the redoubtable pilgrim
into the astral planes has been accused of corrupting youthful per-
sons. These facts make one wish that the Theosophists hod never
set about their researches into these supernatural matter's.

The speculations of the 'diief exponents of Theosophy about
the denizens of tire different planes, the forms and colours with
which the thoughts and auras are said to clothe themselves, all boar
on their face the stamp of the improbable. And the climax of in-
sincerity is roached when the exponents claim but to bo tho month-
pieces of tho Mahatmas. Some may really bo the victims of strong
hallucination, but the temptation is so great and human nature so
vain that many a person must only be deceiving others when pro-
pounding such teachings with authority.

What is the result of objectionable practices, unvevifiablo
speculations and attempts at unattainable ideals, which Theosophy
has taken upou itself to work at and teach to the world, seemingly
in all earnestness and sincerity ? One thing is certain, viz, that all
these exercise a slow but potent influence upon society not only
upon the chosen members of the federation but upon those who are
outside their precincts as well. Now insincerity in conduct is tho
disease that threatens the life of the Society and it behoves tho
Theosophists to devote their attention to cultivate integrity in
conduct before t-rying~to dis;overthe psychic powers latent in man.

DEVA DATTA.

4

102

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

liE FLEXIONS ON MY CHILDHOOD.

When sorrows koou assail our life
And bito the heart in numbing strife,
Childhood’s remembrance waking oft
Wraps the soul in ploasuro soft
Thou golden morn of man’s sad day,

Childhood, hast thou so spod away ?

Pull pleased wast thou to be with mo
When quite I could not value thee ;

Scarce I begin to feel thy charm
When thou art too far for my arm!

Upon thy fast receding face,

Through miny a year’s thick 'mug haze,

J still look back in swcot despair,

And still I find you still moro fair.

Images of our infancy.

Tho village, friends and grassy lea —

Such powerful charm about those hangs
As soothes tho rage of mental pangs.

Sivganga with its gravol bold.

Where groy grassod Naturo soems grown old,

Whore Hushing grovos aro scarcely seen,

Dawns on mo like a fairy scene.

imagination dwells with joy

Upon those walks I did onjoy,

When ovniug mild doscouded fair

On tho fantastic landscape there,

* »

When locked in Friendship’s sweet embrace
1 seemed ulovo tho human race ;

No or heart tho mortal ribs beneath
Had boat iudcod so very Llithe.

Upon the plain whoso stern expanse,

REFLEXIONS ON MY CHILDHOOD.

lftl

In treeless grandeur fills the glance.

We oft let loose our childish gloo
That was at school so long not froc,

And sported wild in eostacy
Till twilight sot in on tho lea.

Oh, for the happiness sublime

That swelled my little heart that timo !

When 7-ephyres meek in kisses sweet
Did round my reeking forehead flit.

Behind tho grove, whose stunted trees,

In gravel rude quite ill at ease,

Shooting their roots far deeper down
To meet the rock’s still harder frown,

With piteously disfigured charms
Spread in despair their shrunken arms,

The mighty shrine of learning see '

Repose in solemn majesty,

Whose turrets soaring to the sky,

Give Bilent silent promise to lift you high
To wisdom’s realm celestial.

My early days shp does recall
When I possessed that happy heart
That never knew a piercing smart

The very pains I then endured

The loathsome rod that sternly cured

My folly and companion rule

All turn to pleasure when reviewed.

Those days were mine, that childish world
Where guile no blighting wings unfurled,

And happ’ueSB flowed one placid stream,

Now seems a distant joyful dream.

THE POETIC CHILD.

HIJMjIIAnTA DEEI’IKA

The Private Diary of Ananda Ranga Pillai. *

Vol. T. (*. 730-1740.)

Tho Government of Madras issued about two years ago a trans-
Jation in English of the first volume of tlio Tamil diary kept by
Ananda llanga Pillai wlio was attached to the French Court at
Pondicherry during the early years of the Eighteenth century. It
may, indeed, be a surprise to many that a nalivc belonging to a race
that has not exhibited 11113 ' signs of historical instinct had been the
regular chronicler of events extending over quarter of a century
during the troublous times of Lho French supremacy in India. The
Government of Madras became awaro of the existence ’of the diary
in 1S ( J2 through Lieut-General H. Macleod who was then Her
liriltanio Majesty's Consular Agent at Pondicherry and the adminis-
tration which was then presided over by Lord Wenlock readily
took up the suggestion made by Prof. G. W. Forrest, the Director-
General of Imperial Records, and ordered to have the diary trans-
lated into English. The transcribing work was commenced in 1 8112
under tho control of the Consul. It was found after some time that
the copy from which tho transcription was inado was not the original
diary written by Ranga Pillai, but only a coyly in tho possession of
M. Montbrun. A 11 attempt was tlieroforo made to discover the
original diary itself which resulted in obtaining Vol. I and ]I by tho
Madras Government and tho last volume by the French authorities.
It was then found that the diary was not a continuous record of the
period embraced but had several breaks here and there which
amounted in all to two years. It is believed that theso breaks
represent lost volumes.

It is strange tho existence of the diuiywas not known for nioro
than a century after it was written. The representatives of lho
family of Ranga Pillai do not seem to have attached any special
value to this possession and for nearly a century the diary lay

*The Private Diary of Ananda Ranga Pillai Dubasli to J. L\ Dupleix,
Governor of Poudielierry — a record of matters political, historical, social and
personal from 1736 to 1761. Vol. I. Government Press Madias, R*. 8 or 4s. 0d.

THE PRIVATE DIARY OF ANANDA RANGA PILLAI.

m

nncared for in tlicir house. In 1846 it was first unearthed by
M. Gallois Montbrun who took a deep interest in old vernacular
writings and began at once to take extracts from it. The copy
which is now preserved in the National Library at Paris is believed
to have been made by M. Ariel. The first attempt at translation
was made in 1870 when M. Laude rendered into French the account
of the seige of Pondicherry iu 1748 by Admiral Boscawen, In
18e>9 Prof. Julien Vinson who is now the Professor o' the Living
Oriental Languages at Paris brought out a translatio i of portions
of the diary which he amplified later on and issued under the title
of Lcs Francois daus l bide. Even this was not complete but con-
tained only extracts of what appeared to him interesting items.
The present publication is therefore the first and the fullest trans-
lation of the diary and apparently no pains have been spared to give
the public an accurate and at the same time a complete rendering
into English of this precious historic fragment.

Ananda Ranga Pillai, the author of the dairy, was born in 1709
inPorambur, a village afow miles to the north of Madras. His father
who was carrying on business as a merchant at Madras emigrated to
Pondicherry in 1 7 16 with his family with a view to improve his busi-
ness undor the French. He continued there with varying success
and when ho died in 1726 M. Levoir, the then French Governor
employed his son Ranga Pillai to continue his father s work under
his Government. The young merchant soon fell into the good gra-
ces of the Governor who resolved to appoint him as the native head
of the French factory at Porto Novo Meanwhile Ranga Pillai
himself established trading posts at his own coast which greatly
facilitated tho increase of the French trade. Both M. Dumas
and M. Dupleix who succeeded as Governors of Pondicherry Beem to
have entertained a good opinion of Ranga Pillai. The confidence
of the authorities in him increased as he advanced in years and his
rapid rise to power dates from the time when Dupleix assumed office
as Governor of Pondicherry. In 1747 Ranga Pillai was formally
appointed Courtier or Chief Dttbcuh to the French Court. In those
days the title Dubash signified ore who was versed in two languages
probablv an interpreter and that of Courtier, chief native agent for

166

SIDDIIANTA DEEriEA.

the French. Throughout his life he was held in good esteem by
the French authorities in token of which he received titles of honour
from time to time. Soon after the downfall of Dupleix (1754)
Ranga Pillai'e power and influence began to decline though he still
continued to be looked upon by the people as their head. He seems
to have been finally removed from office by Governor Loyrit in 1756
and died on the 12th of January 1761 — four days before the historic
event of the surrender of Pondicherry to Col. Coote.

The diary begins from the 6th of September 1736 and from
the preamble we gather the objects of the diarist in keeping the
record. I proceed to chronicle what I hear with my ears ; what I
see with my eyes the arrivals and departures of ships and whatsoever
wonderful or novel takes place.” A love of veracity and curiosity
seems to have led the diarist to keep this record and wo notice with
pleasure he keeps us to his determination of being accurate even at
the risk of rendering his diary often qnlively and monotonous.
Taken as a whole it is a curious medley of affairs near and remote
— events of social, political, historical, and personal importance.
Appointments of Governors and administrators, their transfer and
recall, deliberations of the Governor in Council, and issue of pro-
clamations; state functions and dinners; arrivals of ships and
despatches from Home ; signing of contracts and embarking of
cargo to foreign ports ; firing of salutes and reception of visitors
with due ceremony ; caste feuds, family-quarrels and happenings in
the town together with character-sketches of individuals ; personal
meditations and reflection, have supplied matter for the diarist, and
as he proceeds to record one or other of these with a
directness and clearness which render his pictures vivid and
attractive we get an insight into the peculiar administration of
Pondicherry in the flourishing days of the French East India Com-
pany and its forgotten power and influence in the East. Of the
principal historical events that crowd in this volume may be
mentioned the permission given by the Nawab of Arcot to the
French to establish a mint for the issue of French Coins (1736); the
acquisition of Karikal ; the depradations of the Mahrattas and the
fall of Trichinopoly and its subsequent cession io the Nizam ; and

TELE PRIVATE DIARY OF ANARDA RANGA PILLAR

187

the murders of the Nawab of Arcofc and his son. An account is
also given of the invasion of Nadir Shah and the capture of Delhi,
from which we learn that his original name was TahmaspQuli Khan
and thAt in order to commemorate his victory over the Emperor of
Delhi he caused, in suppression of all previous currency, coins to be
issued in his name which were not circular but pointed at one end.
Mention is also made of Minakshi Animal, the last Queen of the
Naiok dynasty that ruled over Trichinopoly, who gallantly resisted
the attacks of Chanda Sahib, but was finally vanquished in 1738 and
thrown into prison where she ended her days.

The opinions of the diarist about the many notabilities of the
day with whom he came into contact are always expressed with
characteristic boldness and directness which not infrequently
sarprises the reader. His following panegyric on M. Dupleix, the
Governor of Pondicherry v. ill be read with interest.” '‘His (Dnpleix)
method of doing things is not known to any one, because none else
is possessed of the quick mind with which he is gifted. In patience
he has no equal He lias peculiar skill in carrying out his plans
and designs ; in the management of affairs, and in governing $ in
fitting his advice to time and persons ; in maintaining at all times
an even countenance; in doing things through proper agents; in
addressing them in appropriate terms ; and in assuming a bearing at
once dignified and courteous towards all* * * * * Owing to these
qualities, he has acquired such a reputation as to make all people
say that he is the master, and that others are useless individuals.
Because God has favoured him with unswerving resolution, and
because he is threatened with danger the inhabitants are confident
and fearless; and are even able to defy the people of towns opposed
to them. This is solely due to the skill and administrative ability
of the Governor. If he did not occupy this position, and if the
danger had occurred in the times of his predecessors, the inhabitants
of this city would be a handred times more disturbed and terrified
than the followers of the invader : such is the general opinion re-
garding M. Dupleix. Besides this, if his courage, character, bear-
ing, greatness of mind and skill in the battle field were put to the
tost, he could be compared only "with the Emperor Aurangzeb and
Louis XIV, and not with any other monarch.”

168

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

The social picture of the times as reflected in the pages of tlio
volume before us cannot be said to bo of great interest. In fact
it is subordinated to the political and historical and is given only so
far as it concerned the French Government. It will add to the
knowledge of the South Indian Sociologists and antiquarians to
know that the caste factions known as the “Right and the Left
Hand Factions of Southern India,” which pnfvoked much contro-
versy in recent times, were then in full swing and even went so far
as to threaten the public peace and force the French Government
to issue the following proclamation dated the 31st July 1741.

“Whereas it has been represented to us that the men of tho
right-hand caste object to chettis and other sectarians of tho left-
hand entering the town by the Madras street, either on horseback,
or in palanquins; and whereas they urge, on the ground of longstan-
ding custom of the country that this privilege should be reserved to
them alone, we, the members of the Supreme Council of Pondichery
hereby pronounce that the claim of the right-hand caste to the
exclusive use of this road cannot bo admitted. It is the emphatic
declaration of His Majesty that this town, shall be free to all its
inhabitants, irrespective of caste or creed; that there shall be no
bar or restriction in the case of any particular sect; and that all
•hall be allowed unrestrained enjoyment of the streets so long as
the laws of the state are not infringed. The new Madras street has
been thrown open to the public as a highway, iu order that the left-
hand oaste may share the benefit of it equally with the right-hand.
We therefore give publicity to the order authorising the f reepassage
of all traders and chetties along the Vazudavur or Madras roads, on
horseback or iu palanquins- Men of all castes, right-hand or left-
hand, are hereby informed that they can, after entering the town-
gates, repair to their respective streets by either of the roads
running on the right or the left of the town-wall. Whoever,
whether of tlio higher classes or not, contravenes this ordor, shall
be deemed guilty of disturbing tho public poaco and shall bo liablo
to the penalty attaching to that offence.”

£xoepb here and there the volnme abounds with much useless
information and before attempting to say any final word ou tho
diary we shall proceed to examine tho second volume which has
reoontly been published.

SENEX.

RANT! DEV A — AN EXAMPLE OF PERFECT UNSELFISH-
NESS AND DEVOTION.

BY SWAM I SARADANANDA.

(A story from the Bhagalat IX. 21 )

(Introduction : — Tho book of Job in tho Christian Bible contains
a solitary example of man's love for righteousness and trust in God.
The Puranas of the Hindus, abound with such noble examples; but
while tho formor is extolled so much by students uml preachers of
religion, the latter have been uniformly noglecled. Wo offor here
a specimen from tho Bhagavat, to enable the reader to judge
for himself its oxcollenco. It is a free rendering of tho story,
but we may assure him that nothing has been inserted, which is not
in tho original.)

In the glorious days of old India, whon men loved to know and
walk in the ways of the Lord, thoro lived a patriarch, whose virtues
were extolled in heaven and oarth. Ho was a king and had a
large family and retinue, but he thought ho would uevor be anxious
for their support and maintenance. For was it not truo that all
the necossaries of life would bo brought to his door, if he trusted
in the Lord and served his fcllow-boings, looking upon them all as
tho veritable image of Ilari, tho Lord of tho Universe.'* And
strangely enough, food, clothing, and all that ho uoeded used to
couie to him, though ho uevor toiled liko other moil. Tho king was
Unite satisfied with what he obtainod by depending upon tho Lord,
and shared his benefits with all around him. His hospitality was
famous and never would he say nay, to uuyone, who came to him
for food or drink, however low his Casio might bo. For them, tho
sympathy of the good king know no bounds. Ho tried in every
way to supply their wv.iits and felt grieved when he had not the
power to do so. Thus years rolled on and tho king was glad to
think that tho Lord ilari, had made hiui tho refugu of tho destitute
and needy.

But thoro came a timo when tho king liiinsulf was in want, and
his dopoudants. It was indeed a period of great trial for him, but

170

SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA.

Lo continued relie\ing the distress and misery of the poor, us for-
merly, and placed his entire confidence in the Lord. The scarcity
grew worse, but he would not think of feeding himself and those
that he called his own, before he had satisfied the hunger of the
poor, who came for his help. Thus, many a day, the virtuous king
had to go witnout food, but was contented, tliat by depriving him-
self he could serve his suffering fellow-beings.

The pressure grew harder still and there came a day when he
found he had nothing lo offer to the strangers who came to his door
nor anything with which to feed himself and family ! Nothing came
to him, even though he depeuded on the Lord more than ever ! So
he with all liis relations fasted day after day, but never did he
disbelieve in the. power and righteousness of Hari ! Forty -eight days
had thus passed without any food or drink, when a pot of porridge,
made of flour, milk and ghee was brought to him. The king and
his people could hardly move by that time, so much overcome wero
they with hunger, thirst, and weakness of body occasioned by their
fast. As they were going to take their meal, in came a hungry
Brahmana who wanted some food. The king - leceiving him with
respect as the image of Ilari, gave him a part of the porridge.
When the Brahmana ' went away satisfied, in came a Sudra and
begged for food. So the king satisfied him with a portion of the
remainder of the porridge. Then entered a Ohandala accompanied
by dogs, and told the king that he and his dogs had not any food
for days. The king gave him a hearty welcome, and saluting him
and his dogs as Ilari, offered him the rest of the porridge. Then
there was nothing left for the starving king and his family, except-
ing a little drink. At this juncture, a man of oven a lower caste
than a Chandala, entered and asked the king for a drink, as ho was
dying of thirst. The noble king seeing him quite tired out and
thirsty, addressed him in these sweet words : “1 desired not of tho
Lord, the greatness which comes by the attainment of the eight-
fold powers, nor do 1 pray Him that I may not be born again ; my
one prayer to Him is, that I may over feel the pain of others, as if
I wore residing within their bodies and that I may have tho power
of relieving their pain and making them happy’ ! Thus saying, the
king gave him the drink, and remarked that his own fatigue, h'unge

li AN TIDE V A.

171

thirst;, and tho nnrest ami despondency of his mind, had nil dis-
appeared, when giving driuk to one, who needed it so badly !

Now the rnlers of the different spheres who could shower
wealth and power on him who worshipped them, and the greatest of
them all, the creative principle of Yishnu, Maya, tho mistress of
this universe, appeared before the devoted king and told him to
worship them allj that he might attain tbe riches of this world, and
so become free of the want9 from which lie had been suffering so
acutely. The king saluted them all as the different forms of Ilavi,
his only beloved, but askod for nothing, as he had no desire for
things of this world, evon though he had suffered from the want
of them. He placed his heart on Ilari, loving and worshipping
llim without any thought of selfish gain. So Maya, the queen of
the world, and her attendants, disappeared like a dream, finding
him thus determined not to worship her for what she had to offer.

Through the great love which he had for liis fellow-beings this
noble king Rantidova became a Yogi, and realised llari, the One
Indivisible Ocean of Knowledge, Existence, and Bliss, the Soul of
all souls, knowing Whom, one attains to everlasting blessedness,
becoming free from all wants and doubts. As a result of tho
exemplary life of this great king, liis followers also devoted them-
selves to tho worship of Narayana and ultimately became Yogis. —
Th « Prahuddha Bharat*.

THE PASSING AWAY OF A GREAT MAN OF
TRAVANCORE.

We are deeply grieved to hear of the death of Sriman Yeda-
driaadasa Mudaliar Avergal, Retired Judge of the Travaneore High
Court and. a much respected resident of Trivandram. He lived np
to a very old age, having been 88 at tho time of his death. His
Highness tlto Maharajah entertained great regard for the grand old
man. He led a very pious and charitable life and was a true Saiva
Suhllianu. lie was one of our Patrons and was helping a good,
deal our Journal which is solely devoted to tho exposition of
Dravidian Philosophy and Literature. May his soul rest in iSivam.

172

SIDDHANTA DEETIKA.

Reviews and Notes.

Devaram and Tix’U-
mmaitimttu.

Mr. Kanchi Nagalingam Mudaliar the publisher of Meikanda
Saatram and other works has to be congratula-
ted on his bringing oat a boautiful edition of
Rri Sundara Mnrti Nayanar’s Devara Hymns
and of Tirnmurai Tirattu. Each Hymn is followed by a brief
summary of the incidents in the life of the Saint connected there-
with, other incidents of importance connected with the particular
place where the Hymn was composed and it contains also directions
as regards distance &c from the important station on the Railway
lines. The first volume contains also Sri AvunagirinatliarB
jlP under each stahun. The Volume of contains

100 Selected Hymns from the Devaram; the whole of Tiruvachakam,
and of Tiruvisaippa and selections of othor Tirumurais. Those
Hymns which are a peronnial source of joy .and inspiration to tho
Tamil people are printed in vei’y good type and in the very best of
paper, and the Volumes ougltt to be welcomed by all lovers of these
beautiful Sacred Hymns.

M. Edward Charles describes in the Childrens page of the
Quiver the Tsar’s presfent-to the French Nation,

( t |, e * \vorld^ A ^ m was a ma P France made of precious

stones, valued at a Quarter of million
sterling. It is said to be one of tho most wonderful maps in the
world. It is forty inches square. It is a blazing, scintillating ex-
pance of gems, every ono of which came from the mines of Russia.
The ground work is polished Jasper, the 87 departments are so arran-
ged that the colours never clash, the sealboard is of a whitish grey
marble. The cities -and towns of Franco are represented by stones
of a special class : Paris is a ruby, Lille is a diamond, Havre
emerald, Bordeaux Aquamarine, Nantes Beryl, Lyons tourmaline,
Ronon a sapphire, cherboury an alexandrite. The names are in solid
gold, the rivers in polished platinum. Some of the gems are so rare
as to be priceless.

HE VIEWS AND N0TE8.

173

The Sister Nivedita sailed for Europe in the second week of
August,

M An inclement monarch and an illiterate monk ” says a cele~

brated Persian sage, ‘*are the two worst eneraias of a country and

religion.’

flie Government of India have offered half a dozen scholarships
of £150 a year, tenable at Birmingham and Manchester Universities
for the stndy of Commerciol subjects.

Acknowledgement *. — We beg to acknowledge with thanks the
receipt of the following journals.

1. “The Theosophical Review” London; 2. “ The Coenobinm”
Lugano; 8. “The Indian Magazine and Review’* London; 4. “The
Herald of the Golden Age” Paignton; 5. c The Abkari” London;
6. “The Grail” New York; 7. The “Light of Truth ” (June 07)
Chicago; 8. “The World’s Advance Thought” (March 07) Portland;
9. The 'Vegetarian Magazine" (August 07) Chicago; 10. The
“Health Record” London; 11. The “Path,” Sophia, Bulgaria; 12.
The “ Theosophist” Adyar; 13. The “Dawn” Calcutta; 14. The
Theosophy in India*’ Benares; 15. The Mahabodhi Journal” Colombo;
16. The “Prabuddha Bharatha” May&vathi, Himalayas; 17. The
“Hindu Organ" Jaffna ; 18. “ The “ Industrial India” Calcutta;
19. The “Vikekachintamani” Madras; 20. “ The Brahmavadin,”
Madras; 21. The “Astrological Magazine*' Madras; 22. Tho
‘‘Crescent” Coimbatore; 7.3. The “Indian Nation Calcutta; 24. The
“Sen Tamil” Madura; 25. The Brahma Guana Patrika” Tiruvalur;
2o\ The “Hindu Spiritual Magazine” Calcutta; 27. The Indian
Journal of Education (May 07) Madras; 28. The “Virzanand Maga-
zine " Partahgarh; 29- The “Tamil Zenana Magazine; 30. The “New
Reformer” Madras; 31. The “Mysore Review, Mysore; 82. The
“Bharatha” Rajnhmundry; 33. The “Tiained Teacher” Madras.

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178

8IDDSANTA DESPIKA.

been whirling till then in the ocean of sorrow — births and deaths.
His prayer was granted ; be was shown the deceptive nature of
the body and its organs ; of the world outside and the inner long-
ings that kept him bound ; and the true nature of Atma and Sivain ;
he was further initiated how to be in constant communion with
Sivam in order to destroy the tendencies developed from the past ;
and finally this treatise was uttered to him as a gnide in case he
fell off from his experience. Tbo one, who thus had the benefit of
this teaching was His Holiness Alndaiya Devar of Tiruvisaloor ;
and it is Baid to have been delivered in the year 1070 of the Sali-
vahana Era, equivalent to 1147 A. C.— Accordingly, the book is
757 years old.

Unlike the other books of this class, Timvunthiar is exclusively

a science of experience, a way to spiritual corn-
Nrttmre of tho book. .....

mnnton, intended as it was, for the ripened
■buls who thirst after the Holy Presence. Thu circumstances
connected with its delivery shows beyond doubt that it was meant
to be a Btaff to lean on, when the feet slip from spiritual experience
owing to the powerful impressions of wordly experience which
night Btifl. lurk within. To expect then a disquisition of tho
doctrines of the Suddha Advaita Siddhanta Philosophy in this work
is a mis-o&lculation, though tho copious commontary of Sivapra-
kasanar affords much information in that respect. Tho text is in
form and expression very emphatic and impressive, and sticks in
the mind almost unconsciously. A digest of such a work cannot
hut be brief, briefer than the brief text. What are put forward in
45 verses have been classified nnder 17 headings, but explanations,
chiefly from the commentary, have been added to recapitulate what
was taught in the class-lecturos on the subject by Mr. II. Tiruvilau-
gaiu. This digest is attempted not on the presumption of scholarly
attainments or spiritnal qualifications, but in a brotherly spirit, to
present an opportunity for all concerned, to repeat what was heard,

correctly grasped, it may be thought over, known nml
utilised for higher ends.

Hie meaning of a .mfiutri (Unthiar) is a real puzzle. Dr. Pope

— m hifl introduction to tho chapter of e^/iJSuuinr in

Tiruvachak&m says, “ Tamil Scholars give differ-

TIRUFUNTHIATt.

177

cnt interpretations of the word Unthiyar. It seems to mean the
players at a game resembling battledoor and shuttlecock. The
word Unthi is, I imagine, ased for the shuttlecock or ball which
the players cause to fly aloft/’ Unbhiyar means the players at
the game called Unthi as well aa a treatise or book connected
with the play but what this play is we are net told in any of the
Unthiyar or its commentaries except that it is a play among women.
A game of the following description is said to hare been indulged
in by girls in ancle ut times. Three holes are made on the earth
side by side, (the two at the ends obliquely) and connected to one
another at the bottom by a tvymel ; the hole in the middle is made,
on purpose, considerably smaller than the other two, which are
tilled with sand when the play commences. Two girls now take
their scats at the onds opposite each other : the hole in the middle
is covered by a small piece of clo'th; one girl deals a blow with the
fist on the sand in the hole at her end and the other trios to catch
the cloth which shoots in the air, pushed up by the air in the
tunnel. If she fails to catch she loses the game, and will have to
start the play from her end, until the other loses. It would appear
that when the play is going on, they Bing songs with the refraia
(Unthipara). It will be an interesting discovery if ballads
or pastorals with such refrain can be traced at the present day
among the popular songs. Very probably the first two lines wore
repeated by the girl who gives the play and the last, by the other.
Any how would then mean * spring and fly from •-*£— to

spring or shoot up. If this 19 the game referred to, Dr. Pope would
be right in his inference that the game might resemble battledoor and
’ shuttlecock, though there is the shuttlecock in some form and no
battledoor. The only other meaning known is s i-u> + $ + up, 'fly
thy evils’. This subject may be left here for further investigation.

Now vO proceed with the digest —

n i 3# ,

1. *That one, the absolute, the all conscious, the Blissful

i o * I

e,iti.i. (=Ti.c Lord, space, different from the nmueablc and name-
Go ' 1 ’* less, the consort of Grace and Wisdom, the

•Tbc uuinljcTc imiiciilc iln- suiimas wlicu iwriiculur reference i* miwle ax above.

178

SJDMIANTA DEEFIKA.

3 8 ,V3 r.

golden sharo, the thief, tho master wLo enslaves ub,

3 ° II 24

the Witness, pervades all unsullied, shines iu eight
forms.

The Lord as ouo is the energising spirit in the Universe, not
bouud by any limitations or imperfections, hut as pure Intelligence
leaving nothing to bo known, as Ho is knowledge itsolf. Pure Bliss
fur beyond the bodily experience, extending and uutaiuted
like space ; He is not a * thing * within the limited sphere of the
senses, to bo named or described, much less is Ho a non-entity as
tho sky-flower or hare’s horn. In Him is the Power (Sakti) of
G^ace and wisdom inseparably bound as consort, Grace to lift up
the bound souls, and wisdom to illumine the darkness (A nava.)
He is the golden share in man's hands which misuses for sowing
thistles — a price-less boon, indispensable for hiselevation, but which
he turns for his destruction ; He, the thief, lurks in the soul from
the past, undetected, who will rob it of all possessions — Karma s
(deeds), Vasanas (impressions) and agnana (ignorance), and as
master, have undor subjection tbe thus emptied soul, showering on
it godly possessions instead; the Witness, in whose presence evolu-
tion and involution takes place, the Unaffected and the Unchanging ;
He pervades like space, everything material and immaterial ; the
Life of life, the Life, and like space is unaffected by the thunder,
and lightning oE evolution &c. Eight a.’e His forms: Earth,
Water, Fire, Air, Ether, the Sun, the Moon and Atma (soul), these,
His body, and Ho, the life.

4 , 7

2. That knowledge is not to be known, unsearchable is It,

15 . .19

Pathi Unimaginable, a rarity for thought ; looked

incomprehenbible. 11

for, disappears.

That Intelligence or wisdom (the Lord) is of a nature different
from objective knowledge obtained by tbe knower (Gnathru) from
ihe knowable (Gneya)-by the subject from the object, what thus
comeB under the perception of the subject cannot but be “ Jada
insentient and consequently, limited and perishable. The instru-
ments of knowledge which the “ knower uses for the examination
of the “kuownble ” are but <f Jads," whether perceived by the five

TlttUVUNTHIAB.

170

senses or projected in the imagination from the acquired ideas, all
are but 1 Jada’; from the rude sense objects to the most abstract
thoughts or imaginations extends the little fold of “Jada” — ail
evanescent and changing. The labours of the painter, the poet
and the intellectual philosopher are but in vain. How shocking to
lo&rn that; but the seers of Truth who transcend this little
sphere of * Jada 1 know the vanity of this all. Hence is it said,
that the Lord, the Chaitanya-lnteliigence cannot be known by the
senses or thought. He is in the subject as the subject ; to search
for him outside in order to know Him as object, separate from the
knower, is a wild goose cba&>. The foolish shepherd having the
lamb on the shoulders, searches for it in caves and caverns, grieves,
sighs and sobs.

J 3

3. Where search cefcses is the abode of Sivam. It is where

26 SO

pathi realisable. Natham and Prana blend — Not a place nameable
but attainable under direction.

\

Ho is therefore above search, nnme and form ; though un-
searchable and unknowable, he is attainable only to be ‘ discerned ’
and realised under the guidance of the seers.

Where the Atma sees as subjective-knowledge, the never-
changing, motionless perfect Wisdom (the Lord), losing the idea
of its Union with Buch Wisdom, there is Sivam established. There
too, where natham (essence of sound) which is seated in the Mula
dhara and Prana (Vital air) seated in the Navel-centre, coursing up
together blend in the Sahasrara (the thousand petalled lotus) —
the crown of the spinal column. Such is the conception of the
Inconceivable Nirgnna Sivam.

4 1

Pmb bound (This Pasu), the heir to Freedom, knows

-o U M 3 9. 4 0.

’ by attention, ever is-

The Atma, the bound soul, is spirit because it knows ; it knows
things with the aid of the Karanas (organs) one by one; it tends
towards one thing and then returns from it to take up another ; this
method of knowing is peculiar to Pasu and is called
knowledge by attention as opposed to the Pure Iutelligence-Sntta
Chaitanya of the Pathi. Pasu is the Intelligence that 'knows ’

180

SIDDIIANTA DEEPIKA.

u>j8oj and Pathi is the Intelligence that ' makos known ’ jyrfdUd®
to'Seii the source of wisdom. Pasu is the power of sight and Pathi,
the sun. Pasu never exists by itself, its nature is to cling to some-
thing and become that (&/rir ifipafftneareariMirp eo ) ; in bondage it
identifies itself with the bonds, in Freedom, with the Lord ; it is
the iron between two magnets the nearer the one, the farther from
the other. It is like a crystal reflecting ary colour brought before
it; in darkness it is dark, in light it is light. Nor does it ceaso to
exist ; it exists in bondage as well in Freedom; it ever is : it is
doubtless bound but bound to be free.

Pasu literally, what is bound, is from the past under bond—
Karana Avasta the darkness, Anava. In that state of

(=causai states.) unconciousness, it is devoid of the Vidyatatvas
(powers of knowledge) kalai, Viddhai &G. which evolve from Asud-
dha Maya, and are associated with it to work out its path, hence
this state of unconsciousness, unassociated with Kalai &c. is called
Kevala Avasta, state of aloneness, (unconscious-aloneness as oppo-
sed to conscious aloneness) — state of dissociation. This veil of utter
darkness is lifted a bit at the time of projection (srishti) by the
Grace of the Lord with the instruments of Kalai and Viddbai ; that
state of meagre-intelligence, the state in which we are now in, is
Sakala Avasta, the state with Kalai Ac. the state of association.
The third state is when the soul attains Divine grace by gradual
preparation — when it is free from all bondage — -this is called Sutta
Avasta, state of Purity. To explain the above states of the soul by
comparison; the eye with the power of sight is in utter darkness
iu the night, unablo to see, that is Kevala ; when a candle is lighted,
the eye is able to see certain things close by, though not all — that
is sakala, the eye which was able to see only one thing at a time in
the candle light, sees at daybreak all, the darkness vanishes and
the candle is thrown away —this is suttam. These three states aro
called Karana avastas — causal states.

5. The root of worldliness is I-making Desire. Doubt and
, , Delusion habituated to the 1 dual throne ’and tho

rasam (=bond). 43 °

ramifications of Maya, (cosmic matter ) this has
ever been iu bondage.

TIBT7TUNTHIAB.

1B1

Anava.

The idea of Pasn, the bound soul, presupposes a bond or bonds
— Paaam. Anava, tbat which tends to I-making,
the darkness that coTers the soul from the past,
the cause of Agnana or Avidya has been mentioned before. It is
the Mulamala — original evil or causal evil, or sahaj&mala, innate
taint, which prompts the idea of separateness and self -conceit and
causes Desire (mogha) It is Anava that blinds one from realising
himself and the Lord, it is subtle and permeates one’s deeds, words/
thoughts, motives and what not.

Karma.

Blinded by anava and foduced by Mogha, the souls in their
scramble for pleasure commit deeds, good and
evil. If good is to cause happiness, and anil,
misery to souls, and if there is the deep rooted Mogha in the heart
of each soul longing for ‘ happiness * it would follow that good and
evil are bound by self sacrifice and self assertion respectively,
which again are centred in Anava — the one being a subjection and
the other an assertion of Anava. Here then is the secret of the
Law of actions and reactions — the Law of Karma, good, deeds
causing good and evil deeds, evil, to the doer. Until the complete
snbjagation of Anava — 'which state is called Malapari pagam
maturity of evil) — pleasure and pain force upon the soul as results
or reactions of its good and evil deeds. This Law of causes and
effects which connects us to the hoary-past, shapes our present and
fntore and is the regulator of births and deaths-— a just and noble
Law, the pride of the Sanatana Dharma and the bed-rock of Bud-
dhism, revealed in the wild woods of*India, Karma then is another
bond of the sonl.

The third bond is mayo— cosmic matter, that primordial subs-
tance out of which the insentient universe, — the
JadaprapanchBm, is evolved. This maya- is Con-
sidered in its two states — the asnttamaya and the Prakriti maya —
the one subtler than the other ; the evolution of these aod of the
‘ tatvas * in their proper order is, though very interesting in itself,
too large a subject for treatment here, suffice it to say that maya
supplies to all souls, body, organs, worlds and enjoyments (fwi ar
SSTLJAISB QuS SU>) and causes dcnbt and delusion to those under it

182

SI DDK ANT A DEKPIKA

clutches. The last two, karma and maya are said to bo AganLlmka-
mala— incidental taints.

Thus we see that I-making and desire born of anava, pleasure
and pain born of karma and doubt and delusion born of maya
drown the soul in the ocean of sorrow, in the whirl of samasara —
births and deaths. Intoxicated with maya, they mistake phantoms
for Reality, Asat for sat. Though maya is the material cause of
Sat Asat (=ReaUty- the Universe it is Asat, in relation to the soul,

Uuroaiity). sat, which knows and acts ; in its turn the soul
is Asat in relation to God, without whom it cannot know. In fact,
Pasu partakes of the nature of both Pathi and Pasam and is bonce
called satasat.

2 . *

G. To cease from the pursuit, to turn all organs direct to

2 G IH _

Path to Freedom. Intelligence, to forget not His Grace but to bo

so

in constant communion, this is the path to
«o

Freedom, Hasten, Hasten.

It was told how the soul pursues the phantoms of the world,
through its intoxication of Maya ; the mind and the senses trained
to ‘ run out ’ after them from the immemorial past have tightened
the chains of Karma and Maya. Useless, is this pursuit. Now the
only way open is to halt, retrace and to run in, turning the mind
towards Chaitanya ; to givo up tho roots of evil and to look for tho
seed of Freedom ; with' careful restraint not to turn back or to tho
sides, to run straight towards the resonance of tho Holy feet, to
fix all thoughts on Him ; to rouse the sleeping dame His Grace and
to loan on her without remission, this is tho path to Freedom. Tho
Great seers, Yogis have thus worked up, unattached to anything.

7

Way of Love. 7. No sooner melts the heart, than one with

Him.

The Path to Freedom is two-fold. To hear tho holy mime
“ Panohakshara ” of the Lord who assumed form for our sake, to
sob the truth underlying such name as shown by Him and to unite
with Him in tho manner Ho unifies by instructing about His etornni

TlHUVUffTHlAB.

181

Presence, melts the soul like heated wax and in its great Love is
cctatie and one with Him. this is the path of Lore. The import-
ance of cultivating the heart over the intellect, oF fooling over
thought is evident here. The knowledge of ehastras or the grasp
of the abstract troths is of little avail if the heart cannot pine for
Him who is in the heart and lose itself in pinmg. The ecstacy of
spiritual Love breaks all shackles and ends in tho complete union
of the Lover and the Beloved.

S s s

8. Through the Pedestal Regions, divert the Prana and
raise to the podestalless higher abode and blend

Wny of concentration. — .j 3

with the liatham ; the True wisdom you partake
a a

and attain the Fourth stage.

The 6econd is the patlejof concentration, there are said to bo
six nerve-centres or plexuses in the spinal column, called Atluira
b} T our masters ; they are store-houses of energy, the seats, supports

or pedestals of certain cods or functionaries of

At^ara**.

the Lord. About the lower cud of tho spinal
column is the sacral plexus trianpu’ar in form, uiuhuliara — the
basic-pedestal, which is the seat of Pranava, god Vignoswara.
Between this region and the navel is Swjuliishtiina, square iu form
the seat of Brahma The third is the navel region, mauipuragam,
crescent form, seat of Vishnu. The fourth is tho region of the
heart, Aiuikatham, triangular in form, seat of Kudra ; the fifth is
the region of the throat, Visutti, hexagon in form, sent of Malios-
wara; the sixth is the region betwixt the brows, Anjgna, circular
io ferm, seat of Sathasivam. Along the sides of the spiual column
run the Ida and Pingala nerve-cu;T6Tits through which Prana acts;
iu Lho centre is h hollow canal calbd Snshumna which is closed at
the bottom.

Now as a preliminary st< p, tho mind is trained to concentrato
on tho forms of 4he deities mentioned before, established on the
mx pedestals ; when this proves successful, tue Prana is checked
and concentrated on the basic pedestal ; the coiled up energy
Kuiidalini — natham, is rou-vd which forces up its way through tho
susbomna camil touching the different centres. When it reaches

181

SIDDITANTA DEEPIKA.

the Brahma ran dra — Sandramandala or the thousand petalled
lotu?, — which is the brain centre, Prana and iNatha blend and the
soul is lost in the clrifcakasa. This is the honey of wisdom in the
body — to mcrgo one’s mind in the Great mind, one’s soul in tlie
groit soul, perfect Bliss of tho Fourth states sayujya, is here.

It should be noted that the concentration on tho deities in the
Atharas is Athara yoga whereas seeing the
Atma iu its aloneness is Nirathara Yoga.

10 .- 10
9, Discriminate c the five ’ iroin Intelligence, unattached to

i o

their ramifications, Unslumbering, discerning be, —

1 1 3 8

established in discernment and Wisdom, Even in

3 2 **-

wakefulness the highest bliss of Turiya you experi-

3 3

Niratliara Yoga.

ence, the sense-enjoyments becoming those

3 2

other, such are the true recluses.

The soul is said to be functioning in the Athiiras in different

states or Avastns. Without entering into de-
KHalavaata. . , ,

tails, it may be mentiouea here that when the

soul is Anjgna, the region betwixt tho brows, it has under its power

35 tatvas, and is in the waking state- Jagrat. When the soul

descends to the throat region it functions witfh 25 tatvas , Gnanon-

driyss and Karmendriyas having been left in tho Anjgna — this

is dreaming stafe-swapna. When, iu tho heart, it has only 3

tatvas, — chitt.i, prnna and Ullam ; it is then in sound sleep —

sushupti. Perhaps under ordinary circumstances, one has no

experience beyond this Avasta, for, tho fourth, Turiyav.rrta is

caused when tho soul is functioning wiih Prana and Uilain alone in

the navel-regions, tliis is experienced, when for instance, one

receives a sudden shock — the breath stops and ho is thrown into

unconsciousness ; when ho recovers he parses from Turiya to

Bushupti, Swr.pna and Jagrat. The fifth, Turiyathitlia, is experi

euced when the soul is in the mulathara, leaving Prana in the navel

—this precedes death. Thcso states are called '(£* cpir&>aj£a>p)

Kilalavaihthai beings effects of Kevalavasta.

TlliU VUNTI11 Alt.

185

The next set of Avastas that requires mention hero is

Ninmalavastai (Sex meow dewj) tho effects of
NiumnKvnsts _ ' ,

Suttavasthni already referred to : Ic covers the

states of wisdom, from the spiritual down to the nounday glory-

known as fh' Thasakariyam p&ssirtfliLim — tho hen results/ To know

that tbo the soul is functioning; in the oater and the inner senses is

Ninmala J.igrat; to know oneself by the exercises of the anthakka-

ranas, inner senses, is Ninmala swapna; to leave off the exercises of

the anthakkaranas and to unite with unmoved mini!, desireless of

enjoyments is Ninmala sushupti; to break off from this unmoved

mind too and be shiumg in spiritual alooeness is Niutnalu-Ttrriya ;

to be lost in Sivanautham, Godly Bliss, is Ninmala Turiyathitbam.

The above avasUs, though imperfectly explained here would
mark the pioyrcsa of the soul in i is spiritual growth. To discri-,
uiinate tho f:vc bhutas (ruJiumuls) and the other Tatvas from the
sou), to break off nil attachments to the forms of v rnuya uud to
isolate oiKSoIt from nil Lim Karons, without fulling into the sleep
of lvevala Lut discerning, respl.ndent in the glowing couciousness,
is Niiiithara yoga, and to be firmly established in tho cliait.mya
l.isiug separateness such as subject and object, is the Highest yoga,
the guana yoga; expressions such as Giad&n met Crsnds,
u Vau£j3r6tar .c, tueavanmeo c-oxr jr but mean this subjective union, the
spiritual Establishment.

To such as have passed beyond I-making, kevalakoriya Jagrafc
is Sutta Kariya Ninmala Tiiriyn, Even the ordinary walking stato
is one of spiritual Discernment — the AVidoin and Bli-s experi-
enced in the ‘ alone become ’ state, brocks through the walls of the
inner and the ourer senses and flows around,, so that what is touch-
ed, smelt, tasted, seen or heard is that spirit. Even the previous
impressions of sense enjoy monis become spiritual, ruich arc the
real yogis, the renounced, who whirl not in worldiinesa but staud
umte os the tongueless belt.

10. Should differentiation cease and the whole universe be

i 7

absorbed in you cud you in Him, the unattached

186

6IDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

« 7

Intelligence, then loosens all this Evil ; whatever

3 0

path you tread, no matter, know the witness, the
Inner-Life,

Tlie nature of the mind is to differenti-ite one thing from the
other to be able to know it, this is its or knowledge by

■Differentiation- attention; ideas of relativity such as up and

cause of bondage. down, heat aud cold, in and out are the contri-

butors to objective knowledge (which has no place in the realm of
the spirit) and are the cause of bondage. Therefor e to hold the
mifid stable in the sfcato of undifferentiation, to identify oneself
with/ the Universe, discerning the Eternal Presence of the Lord
there and to give oneself up to Him is to cause ths cessation of
bondage. The Lord, the witness of the uuiverse being discerned,
it matters little in what station of life, one conducts himself.

11. Agency giveu up and individuality destroyed, lhe

19 3 7

Lord shiues and He acts, uo sooner I-making ctascs

e 9

than flows That : in that Experience where 0, is ‘ 1/

When notions of 'I do’ ‘I manage’ &c. die away and even
the ‘ I ’ is given up ; it is the Lord who takes the

Karthritvam. . .

place; He acts in the. Sanctified soul aud He is
there, for He is ever ready to fill the Soul with His Being tho
moment I-hood is subjugated. The Karmas done in such yoga
produce no offect. Karmas bind the doer-the Karta, but here tho
Soul has given up its agcncy-Karthritvam — and the Kartha is
really the Lord, who cannot be bound. Tho soul has really dis-
appeared mysteriously where O, is that which has been crying
‘1’ and 4 Mine’ from the beginningless time.

That stage in the spiritual growth where the f I ’ is surrendered
to the Lord is called Malaparipagam — Maturity

Malapanpagaiu. 0

of the Anavamala.

12 To you who have offered, yourself, He offers Himself,

1 4 1

absorbs you in Him, Makes you Himself, you become

TlRUVUNTHIAB.

187

Satgarudarama,

S&ktinipadam.

3 4

one with the Highest of Bliss Brahmasakti, the

14 4J

sleeping dame ; Endless riches ! Immeasurable

<9 4

Ambrosia ! Unspeakable That.

That Brahmasakti, His Grace, that lifted the soul from the
depths of Kevala and is eternally present in it as the source of
Energy, will aod knowledge, though unknown and unrecognised
by conceited soul, shines forth when the 1 -making is dying gradu-
ally and the Lord as Guru appears to instruct
the pilgrim 6oul in the Truth. That is, the
soul is said to have Satgurudarsana following

Malaparipagam (icteu/flu/rau)), and the Guru by his Diksha*
initiation-rouses the apparently sleeping dame the sakti which over
laps the soul; this is called saktinipadam (#pP/ 8 uit 0 im). Hence-
forth the soul is in incessant union with Grace.
Thus, to one who gave himself up to the lord-
He gives Himself in return ; in other words, when the f I* is lost He
reigns instead and experience of being one with that Gracious Lord
is incomparable, unspeakable, it is like itself.

13< They who thus realise are the rich in the Highest wis-

i s

dom, they stand alone unattached, and are lost in

st

ecstacy (of Wisdom).

The Great ones who have thus realised the Bliss of Oneness
are in possession of a wealth, incomparable; the Highest wealth
not of perishable and transient a nature but of Imperishable and
Lasting wisdom. A 11 the wealth of the world can have no charm
for thorn ; they, no more, but That Ocean of Wisdom.

i *

14. He, who led you from the corner to the courtyard is

Great, the Lord of the righteous. That absolute,

unknowable by any, came in ‘ Form He became

5

your master.

The soul which was used to dwell in the corners of the senses
and take delight in sense-eojoymeuts, is
The Lord ae Gnru. •j 3r0U gj 1 t to the front yard, the space of Bliss, to

stand isolated from its previous companions. The one who accom-

188

SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA.

plishes this feat of mercy is the Great Lord, who comes to the soul
in the human form, in the fulness of time. He is the Lord of those
who walk in the path of Righteousness.

This doctrine that the Lord Himself comes down in mercy
to instruct a qualified soul is indeed life-giving ; Ho comes when
the soul has attained the poise-of-t tenfold actions (^<^eS8sarQujiruui)

and the maturity of -evil — the

Iruvmaioppu. fj ra ^ a stage in the progress of the soul where
pressed between good aud evil, it sees both with an equal eye and
relinquishes them as causes of bondage-a preparatory step to tho
second, ueou/fluiraii ; He comes in tho twinkle of an eye assuming
hamau form. Is this not au imperfection in this perfect Being?
Rather it is the manifestation of His Grace, He, the Gracious Lord )
who vivifies the invisible and the visible, pervades through aud
through and yet remains unsullied, takes form when needed for
soul's salvation ; no limitation can be imposed by the form ou tho
Eternally-Free, suttachaitanya. Further, are not forms assumed
by Yogis and Sittas, without lo3iug their individual consciousness ?
How much more then, can the Yogi of Yogis, the Sitto. of Sittaa
exorcise this power : a clear undersiandiug of tho ‘ Forms ’ of God
in tho Nishkala, sakalanishkala and sukala will wipe olf all doubts,
ou this point. If the Lord came not in sakala how could we have
been blessed with tho Vedas and the AgamaB.

The Lord instructs the souls according to their devlopment.

The Vigniinakalar , those souls who are bouud
only by Anava are instructed by ‘intuition':
tho Pralaydkalar who have Anava and Karma are shown the form
of tho Mnrthi; and we, th esahalar, bound by Anava, Karma and
Maya aro instructed by Himself appearing as Guru in human form.

15 To those who have thus exhausted all Karma by the

Grace of the visible master, no longing after sense-

ss a « * * 7

pleasure, no birth and death, no bondage, sorrow or

delusion.

Karmamala ( the bond of action) which leads to births and
Throe dtuwa of deaths is threefold. First tho store of past
Karmas which have to mature in tho future,

Three kinds of souls.

TIHUVTJNTHIA1L

189

called sanchita Karmas, literally, accumulated actions; secondly,
those actions which bear froit in the present birth called pT&T&bdhu
Karmas what has commenced : — and lastly agamika Karma — those
actions dooe in this birth that are to mature in the future—
impending actions, a critical study of this law of Karma ie
worthwhile attempting— -how an act affects the Karmas, what
changes take place in the dispositions and tendencies, how the
resalts redound on the doer and soch other points require extensive
treatment which cannot be undertaken here. A mind that has
attained Qiutuig, and views with dispassion good and evil

deeds, cannot, of course, be affected by their results, pleasure and
pain; add to this, the relinquishment of Karthritvam-Agency, born
of u> ecu .'flu its ‘J o, the soul has soared to a height far beyond the
atmosphere of Karma, dropping the burden of K&rthritvam which
alone pressed it down all the while. Thus ends Agamika Karma.
At the meeting with the Guru, the surrender of Agency is even
confirmed by His graceful look and the sanchita Karma is set on
fire. Bnt while the body lasts Prarabdha Karma goes on; even
here the sanctified sonl is free from its influences as the Lord is
there and He acts as already stated. It is needless to state such
grert-ones of Realisation are free from impressions of sense enjoy-
ments, have no longing to the trivialities they have trampled under
foot, and have attained the abode of Bliss from which there is no
return ; Birth and death, sorrow and delusion are things of the
past, dead even in their recollection.

86

16. Who see her (Pasu) as the possessed and Him (Pathi)

» as the ghost are seers true, others Bee not. He

4 0

becomes this one through His mercy, this can't become

4 *

That : assume not egotism.

The relation of the soul to God has been a subject of contro-
versy from a very long time, different schools
of philosophy have sprung up, but the truth
„ seers find the harmony among them. Throe relations are thinkable ;

they are two, they are one, they are not , — the last, namely that
• Wllibh denies the existence of both soul and God may be dispensed

J

8IDDHANTA DEEPIKA,

100

with. Leave I hat blind child for the present, whispering in his
ear that the invisible is the reality and not the visible. If they

are two no freedom or bliss of realisation xs possible. If one, the

soul should not have meagre intelligence as opposed to Infinite
intelligence and $an have no sorrow. If there is wo sorrow hut
that the soul fancies it, whenoe is this delusive fancy ? If that is
bom of maya, it would follow that the soul which is really God is
subject to maya. If the rouI, sorrow, and the universe in which
this sorrow is experienced is all delusion, who is thus deluded ?
It cannot be God who is sutta chaitanya ; else it would be like
hiding the sun in darkness.

What then is this relation ? the same relation as exists bet-
ween a ghost-ridden person and the Ghost, not
Sattadwaita. one> no t fc w0 but non-dual, adwaita. In that
state of possession, the person acts in one respect, in another res-
pect he does not act. The ghost is all in that persoD in one
respect ; yet it is not all in another respect.

This is the real relation that exists between the soul and God ;
the same is the relation between Pasam and Pasu. They are
treated as Tripatharta for the purpose of differentiation, to enable
the mind to form a conception, they exist in this adwaita relation
eternally. This relation should also be borne in mind when one
speaks of Pathi, Pasu, Pasam as Sat, Satasat and Asat. There is as
much truth ip, the statement. ‘ I am BrahmaQ ’ as there is in the
statement ' the gho9t-ridden is the ghost.’ To assume further is
Auava, and oreates the difficulties above mentioned.

[in mukti, the soul does not become God bat God becomes the
soul, taking his place and filling and covering him, and possessing
him as a ghost possesses a man. Where the I-ness stood before in
Bhandam, there is a void now in mukti and this void is filled by
God. The soul does not get converted into God, but where tho
coul stood before, Sivam stands there in all His Glory, tho soul's
individuality having been destroyed ]

3 1

17. Embracing other chaff-like religions lose not thy life.

Those words hear not, The followers of this,

46

discern the Truth.

Tho warning is givon that a clear undorstandiug of tho Truth
alone will lead the bou! to tho abode of Bliss, while ignorance end
dull understanding will keep it still fettered. Waste not time and
life in hearing other doctrines, this doctrine of the sutta adwaita is
The Truth and its followers alone discern tho Truth.

Here ends this science of Wisdom, the guide to spiritual
Experience and thus have I understood .

IMMOBTA.ULITY.

J01

IMMORTALITY.

A NOTE.

'J'llAT fine saying of Epicurus must comfort us while wo are lace to
face with death. ‘ Death does not concern u-», for whon we
are, death is not, and when death is, we are not/ But we are not all
intellect : we have also the emotional side to our nature. Hence
we weep over the dead. Does death pat a finish to us as it seems
to ? If there is life, there must bo death also. And if there is
death, there must be life also. But what is life and death bat
different manifestation of the same power ? Movement.

There is considerable confusion in the people’s mind as
regards the idea of Immortality. When they crave for immortality
do they seek denthlossness for the body or the soul ? But the body
perishes before our very eyes. S<>, is it for the soul ? Can the
soul be without the body ? Can you think of it without form,
colour or extension ? But what is the soul ? The soul is not a unity
but a unification. The soul of man is his sonsations, impulses, and
motor ideas. As Goethe says: ‘I am a commonwealth of in-

herited tendencies and ideas/ Our ancestors live in us though
dead. And we, onr thoughts and acts, would live in the coming
race as influences and tendencies.

According to Owen “ Philosophy does not recognise an
immortal entity, mental principle, or soul.” Hegel calls the desire
for the continued existence of the individual as this “ambitious
craving of egoism ”

O, when will it go ? — “ the illusion of the thought ‘ I am’.”
The individual man may go : but there shall bo the same songs
and tho same enjoyments: and cannot lie bo genorous enough to
hi* satisfied with the thought of the continuance of the beauties and
tlm pleasures ? Ho may not be present in the same body at the
banquet, of life. Would he not bo thoughtful enough to be in-
different as to the body in which he should appear and partake of
tho banquet? Would he not bo bravo and unselfish enough to
acqiiicseo in Nature’s plan? Would he not ho thoughtful enough to
understand, the beauty ami the glory of the sacrifice of the indi-
vidual for the progress of the race

A. S. MUDALIAR.

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

I

IN THE BAY.

Ocean's whelming tide.

Foaming floating wide,

Weltering with winter’s spray.

Flows, like the silent breath
Of soft and peaceful Death,

Into this warm and clear bay.

Silence as of starry night
Or of cold star’s livid light.

Sleeps upon this sunlit chase ;

Only the flowing wave
So mournfully doth lave
The out-stretched mountain base.

Come, love this calm cool eve.

When the billows lightly heave j.

Come clasped in the folds of the breeze.
With the warmth of day.

And the salt sea bay,

To the shades of these whisperiDg trees.

II

TO THE MORNING STAR.

Maiden or star whose spangled sheen
Sprinkles from the heavens serene
Flakes of dewy light.

Float supremely by
Across the smiling sky,

Above the sileut shades of night.

In shape ethereally bright,

In the hues of morning dight.

Like bird upon the wing.

Over mountains bare,

And ice cold glare.

And the crater’s hollow ring !

TflB NOON -DAY QU1KT.

Shake music from your singing robe.

Each time you wing nrouud the globe,

In Bwoetest symphony,

Till fold on fold of choric song
Follow an thou Hoats’t along,

And bear us on the wings of ocstacy !

Ill

THE NOON DAY QUIET,

In the noon-tide's stilled repose,

In the norni-day's pause and qnict,
Like a dreamer deep asleep.

What dost thou world ?

All the songs of dawn are hushed.

All tho flowers of morn have drooped.
And the sun himself reclines
Ou a show-cloud's silver lines.

In the noun-tide's stilled repost*.

In the noon-day's pause and quiet.
Like a dreamer deep asleep,
What dost thou world ?

It’s long, too long before sweet Eve,
Queen of sunset and of stars.

In a cool shade’s fountain how,

»Sings her song of love ;

So iu tho noon tide’s stilled repose,

In the nuou day’s pause and quiet.
Like a dreamer deep asleep,

What dost thou world T

104 SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA.

THE WORLD'S REPLY.

Poised as bird upon the wing,

And resting between flight and song,

I am throbbing with the life of morn,

And quickening to the song of Eve.

The world may seem to pause and pine,

The world may seem to cease and stop,

But ’tis in hours of calm and peace
Old worlds are dead, new worlds are born.

So poised as bird upon the wing,

And resting between flight and song,

I ain throbbing with the life of morn,

And quickening to the song of Eve.

If life wore all a ceaseless flutter.

No rest from labour, no pause from work,
The bird that sailed the morning sky
Could scarcely sing in starlit eve.

So in the noon tide’s stilled repose,

Iu tho noon-day’s pause and quiet,
Like a dreamer deep asleep,

I breathe with silent breath.

WILL AND ITS POWER

1M

WILL AND ITS POWER.

(Continued from page 115 of Volume VI 11.)

JT ha« been experimentally proved that if one determinedly wills

that an image, an idea or a thought conceived must recur
or return at a certain future time, it returns correct and true to the
time fixed. This especially can be easily tested by having an aim
in view when one goes to sleep. When you wake up the first idea
that comes across, is the particular one you wished to have.

This kind of recurrence can greatly be- facilitated by resol v-
ing to begin a task, with a little fore thought or fore-thinking
process. This leads us to think that there is some magic virtue in
sloop and it is known to preserve culture and ripen our mental
activities. The time-honored saying “ sleep over tho resolve and
night brings counsel ” proves this.

This is a kind of Auto Eypnoeie. Hero it may bo remarked
that this sleep need not necessarily bo a hypnotic one. Horo ordi-
nary sleep also works on similar lines, but its powers aro limited ;
whereas the hypnotic sleep has unlimited powers and possibilities
vested in itself.

Tbo Awakening of the will is a very interesting feature
in the life of man. All life is purposeful and equally important.
£vcry man has his own aims, ambitions and aspirations, and no
mao is ushered into existence whoso work is not born with him.
There is always work and tools in him to work withal, but some
never care to utilize them in their life. They always fail in what-
ever they undertake, not because of their incapacity to suoceed,
but because of their indifference. They are duly paid for their
negligence some time or other in life.

Not so tho man who succeeds*— the man of iofluece, or power
11c has an important aim in lifo; he possesses the aptitude and
perseverance to attain his goal, and the main secret of success lies
in the fact that he ia ready to avail himself of tho opportunities
which present themselvos on his way. This is tbo man of will .
He comprehends what is good and what is wrong. The more
h« learns of things ia general, the more he aspires knowledge and,

196

SIDD1IANTA DEEl’KAl.

the more ho understands how to selec hings, that bring success
and the secret lies in the nature of ‘choice ' too and upon that
depends his success or failure.

The main key to every individual is his own thought force.
Thought is the emanation of mind at work. The working of tko
human mind is the most marvellous activity known. The belief or
tho thought which one cherishes about oneself determines the
nature of one's activities. He who cares to attain success in life,
should first assume that he can do things- He must not be dis-
couraged by failures. There is really no such thing as shame
resulting in an honest attempt. His failure not only brings him
knowledge but also experience, which repays him for his effort
sometimes more richly than would have been the case had he suc-
ceeded in obtaining that which he aimed at. Every success is
more or less the overcoming of failures. The noble Jesus taught
the world that all things are possible to him that believeth. Belie-
ving what ? Believing in “ oneself " This believing in oneself of one's
own powers i3 termed self confidence. A person who lacks self
confidence, can with all safety develop it through the will. In
the cultivation of self confidence, it is a good plan to affirm to one-
self “I can”, which is easily done by holding the idea and pictur-
ing within oneself that one is powerful enough to do anything and
everything.

A persistent affirmation that you do possess the qualities which
are requisite for your success, and that you can develop them to
their utmost capacity, aids wonderfully in acquiring the desired
possession. If you lack courage or if you are a coward in some
part of your nature, gradually begin to brace up your weak point
by daily mental exercise based upon sound and systematic princi-
ples of science. Like an actor assume the part you would play with
all the strength of your inner being, until you actually live his life
and are surrounded by his atmosphere. ,

Experienced actors tell us that they feel the characters they
impersonate ; that if they act the part of noble and heroic souls,
they actually feel the noble impulses and the strong current of
heroism assumed. Cn the other hand 'when they are playing a mean
contemptible part they feel mean and debased.

WILL AND ITS PUWEK

197

»

From the above you wee that there is everything in assum*
nig firmly oml persistently the part you wish to play in life.
Resolve and believe that you are noble, vigorous and strong.
Never for an instant allow yourself to think that you are weak
mean and contemptible. When you continue exercising on the
mental lines suggested above, after a time you will fee' your self in
its full power within you and that will in its course retr n the mental
attitude as a permanent factor in your life. When I look about
me what do I see ? I see the great mass of people discontented
with their present regime of life, and I cannot but help appreciating
the necessity for a change in the mental state. The real cause of
this depraved condition is the lack of knowledge on the part of the
average individual as to the right method of controlling his mental
machine.

There is need today for intelligent, thoughtful consideration of
the great questions that crowd upon us for attention and solution.
A man is of the greatest value to the race when .he becomes a
centralised individual, fully developed in himself and equal to
assuming his own responsibilities.

As is well said in the beautiful words of Ridpath — the
historian, “ when liberty is born man’s limbs are unbound ; he
straightway begins to flourish, to triumph, to be glorious. Then
indeed be sends up the green and blossoming trees of his ambition.
He grows in freedom, Jiifl philanthropy expands, his nature rises to
a noble stature, he springs forward to grasp the great substance,
the shadow of which he has seen in his dreams. What men want,
what they Deed, what they hunger for, what they will one day have
the courage to demand, is a freer manhood and more knowledge and
intelligence. The right of free thought, free enquiry, snd free
speech to all men, everywhere, is as clear as the noonday and
bounteous as the air and sea.”

What do you think is the basis for attaining this much coveted
liberty? It is nothing but a firm determination and the mighty

secret of the power of the will.

The Latent Light Culture 1
Tiitnevelly Bridge, }

S. V. RANGASAMI.

1!)8

STDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

National Education in Bengal.

Tlit* report of the public meeting held in the Town Hall, Calcutta,
and the statement of the schemes of study adopted by the National
Council of Education, Bengal have just now been published. It
was the maniGcent donations of Babu Kishone Rai Chondry and
others, which largely contributed to the practical undertaking of
tho question of National Education in Bengal. The National
Council of Education, according to the statement of its founders,
is not antagonistic to the existing system of University Educa-
tion. Though their objects and aims are similar, tho former is not
merely a slavish imitation of Calcutta or any other India Univer-
sity, that follows a uniform method of imparting education to those
who receive instructions in various Colleges and Schools under their
supervision. The memorandum of the association points out that
the object of the association is to impart education, both literary
and technical on national lines . — They attach greater importance
to the study of the literature, history and philosophy of the country
and to incorporate the best oriental ideals of life and thought and
assimilate the best ideals of the West. Their object is also to pro-
mote the Btudy of arts and sciences calculated to develop the
material resources of the country and satisfy their pressing want.
In spite of the great benefits received from the existing system* of
University education, it has been found to be defective and the
national council of education is of opinion that the time has come for
its modification and reform. The field of educational work is not
exhausted and thei-e is ample scope for trying new systems- The
council disavows rivalry and unhealthy competition while it has no
pretence to originality. It declaims to utilise the existing institutions
as it rightly fears there are not likely to adopt its scheme. It is
rather premature to say that it will produce any satisfactory results
but its claims for a fair trial deserve the attention of cvervone
interested in the cause of education in the country and its success
will be keenly watched and its working will be subjected to the^
scrutiny and unsparing criticisms of its friends and foes.

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN BENGAL.

190

While the necessity for tho technical education is admit Led by
fill' Uurudoa Uonnerji m the only possible solution for th-> br**rd
problem, it does not overlook to provide for liberal education. Its
re-oin-ccs appear to bo not great and its scheme in complete with
regard to technical education ; bnt it hopos sorno satisfactory ar-
rangements will bo undo through tho co-operation of tho Bengal
Technical Institute. It proposos to make vernacular tho medium
u! instruction and English is only to bo studied as a second language ;
English is a very difficult language for a foreigner to master, its
idioms and structure so widely different from tho vernaculars of
tho country, a study of which taxes much our onergy and burdens
our memory ; acquisition of kDOwlodgo through thAt medium
will not be easy or speedy. So vernacular is recommended as tho
direct means of communicating knowledge in the earlier stages,
lightening tho labour of acquiring it. Japan which is an object
lesson to Asia translated important works on physical science',
economics etc., in tho vernacular of their country. Though her
students go to Europo and study iu the acadamies of tbo vest, they
assimilate tho best ideals of Amorica and Europe and impart
instructions to the youths in thoir Universities, iu their mother
touguc in which they cau more easily understand. Suitable* text
books are prepared by the Japancso in their language and tho
Bengal Council of Education, perhaps, wants to follow in their foot
steps. Uuliko the University Commission of Lord Curzon they
place a very high value to tho study of vernaculars by giving to it
a prominent place. Ono of tho objects of the Council is the
enforcement- .of str ict discipline. We are now-a-daya tired of hearing
the laxity of discipline from responsible men who ought to know
better — wo ourselves set a high value to the formation of character.
Nobody can ignore reverenco to elders, obedience to constituted
authority. It- will not produce desired effect if thu severity of
puiii-hiucMts be very great mid out of proportion to tho crime.
Tho training of young men under alien teachers who have little
sympathy with the students who come in contact with them and
who want to stifle independent thinking and love of iiAtivc land
will Dot help towards the formation of character and dovclopcment
i

300

SIDDIIAKTA D-Eiil’IKA.

of habits. Such unwonted cruelty as wholesale expulsion and
indiscriminate punishment as that of the ltajahmundry College
students wbendo'vt. dues not blush to inflict is likely to engender and
increase the racial animosity. Hindu students are generally well-
behavod and many educationists have borne testimony to their
conduct and character. It is important to develop the powers
of observation and self help and freo-thinking. However essential
the acquisition of knowledge may be these qualities form no
insignificant ingrodiont in the building up of national and indivi-
dual .character. It appears that one of the objects' is religious
teaching in schools and colleges. The national council itself
anticipates much difference of opinion. It is impossible in a
country like India which is composed of hoteroge neons and incon-
gruous elements to adjust the balance between the claiments of
rival roligioos bodies and thore is no hope that numerous sects will
come to any prudont compromise : the tendency of the day is to
favour the secular education and to leave interminable controversy
of religion to priests and fanatics. It is necessary for the council to
take into serious consideration the religious controversies which
are likoly to ariso, if religious education be introduced into college
and hamper the work.of the college. However pioas may be the
ardent wish of tho zealots, God is not near us and future state of
happiness is only a vision ,of the fanatic. It is better that such
questions aro loft sevorely alone and the student attends to his
legitimate work. Fostering the religious sentiment and the open-
ing of the way to the land of promise must be left to the special
pleading of the Achariars and Mutathipathees. It is for the clergy
to give training in their doctrines, to remove the darkness of the
stunted souls, but the institutions which are to impart education
would have satisfactorily fulfilled the function, if they have trained
the body, developed tho mind and formed the characte- of these
that come under their influence; denominational or any kind of
religious teaching is not likely to find a satisfactory solution
by adjustment of rival religious claims. At present it is
better for the school to be content with the purely secular and
moral education, divorced of religious education. Though all are

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN BENGAL.

201

not agreed and widely differ with regard to religious opinion/all
have accepted the fundamental principles of moral truths, principles
which nro common to humanity and the necessity of inculcating in
the eud those principles which go to build and develop the charac-
ter. It is not enough to sharpeu tlicir wit alone and the students
ought to bo taught also to make the best use of their faculties. A
graduated syllabus of moral and civic education must find a place
in the curriculam of schools and the invaluable opportunities must
be utilised during the most impressionable periods of life for moral
ends. Upon that the future up-buildiug of the nation depends.

The course of study that is prescribed does not differ much
from the curriculum of the University. Almost the subjects are
the same as those that are taught iu the Calcutta University but
prominence is given to the study of Indian History, philosophy and
literature. The study of Public administration as illustrated by
the History, theory and present organisation of England and other
European and Asiatic states has not found a place. Sociology
which i9 a subject recently introduced in the English Universities
ought to find a place in a curriculam of studies. Ethnology and
comparative study of social Institutions is much encouraged in
acadatnies and advanced universities. The question which occupies
the attention and careful consideration is the future careers of those
who have received their training in the Institutions founded by
and affiliated to the National University. Government service
will bo shut to those who have not received the hall-mark of
University Education or passed through the ordeals of a competi-
tive examination. Naturally the council expects that the new
movement will be received with favour by the Zamindars of Bengal
and perhaps by some of the important Native states, like Hydrabad,
Mysore and Travancore. If the native states are induced to recog-
nise the Council, there will be ample field for those who are turned
out by it. If not we cannot vouchsafe much for the future of the
institution. It confers no degrees. Legal professions and Govt,
service are out of question. The attraction for the Institutions will
not be great in spite of scholarships and fellowships offered to the
students. Brilliant young men -with high aspirations will not care

202

8IDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

for these institutions and naturally the number which seok admission
cannot be very great at preseot Even skilled labourers turned out
by these institutions will not be much benefitted unless capital is
supplied to start industries iu which they have earned distinction
us Htudonts. There well bo scope for these students who are
turned out by this institution, in agriculture, manufacture,
commerce if landlords aud capitalists hire their skilled labour,
Tbo Public Examinations are not altogether discouraged, there uro
three examinations corresponding to the Matriculation, First Arts
and B. A. Dcgreo examinations. The Council is to be congratulat-
ed for securing au cfficiont staff of teachers who have won high
academical distinctions in Indiau or European Universities. Many
of them with considerable self-sacrifice have joined the institution

actuated l»y pure philanthropic motives with the desire of serving

«

tboir motherland. It is impossible in the limited space afforded to
a magazino writer to enter into detail discussion of so vast ami
important a subject as that of National Education and tu do full
justice to it. Only the tnaiu points have been touched and wo huvo
not dwelt i t. length to give a full criticism to the subject as u
deserves. Wc shall keenly watch the progress' of the institution
and for the present., we shall bo content with wishing hearty success
to it.

S. K.

Tt»e.Hindu Ideal of Womanhood. aw*

— — — *: 0 ;—

[by T. Rama Kbisunju]

The greatest of the South Indian poets says: “The Woman
that worships not God, but her husband, when such an one says,
‘let there bo rain,’ it descends.” Here is a religion given to the
woman to follow, a faith to observe, quite in accordance with tho
genius of the nation, which in each of its component parts and
states of life requires in the matter of religion an individuality
and specialty to faithfully follow and take pride in. Milton's
ideal has a close resemblance when he speaks of Adam and Eve :

“ He- for Go u only , she for God in him.”

Such is the belief instilled into every Hindu girl before she
becomes a wife, and a wife sho should become. Marriage is
binding ou her, and no woman is said to fulfil the conditions of tho
ideal, until and u:;Iy.-u> she- goes through the marriage rites and
performs her duties as umrriod woman. And marriage is a sacra-
ment, a nnion sanctified in the presence of God before the sacrificial
fire, and not a civil contractual relationship.

Tho first and most important commandment which the Hindu
woman is bound to obey is : “ Thoa shx.lt have not others as lord

but thy husband.” She shall not marry another, cither while ho
lives or nfler, if her lot bo cast with an unworthy husband, she
must bow to the inevitable. If the husband by accident becomes
permanently maimed or M.bjoct to some loathsome disease, the
partner of his joys and wo -s as well must cheerfully accept tho
new condition in the spirit of the teaching of her religion. If the
husband predecease the wife, she must face the new situation with
a courageous heart and remain to pray day and night for the
repose of his soul or it unable to bear the pang of separation, she
wishes to wilfully ascond the funeral pyre to be consumed to
ashes with her dead husband, religion allows her to do so. But
such an extreme, step was purely voluntary, and never was mode
compulsory. The writer of “ Indian affairs” in the Trine* has
missed his mark when he wrote of the “ wretched woman” occa-
sionally seeking in death an escape from present affliction and a

201

SIDDHANTA DEEPiKA.

miserable widowhood.” “ Miserable widowhood ” I Bat ask the
widow, who cheerfully bears her condition, and she will give
another answer.

Voluntary immolation on the funeral pyre of the husband was of
frequent occurrence before Lord William Bentincks’ suppression
of it; it is of rare occurrence now, no doubt, on account of the act.
In olden times the tendencies of thought and feeling gave an
impetus to the doing of such deeds. Those times were more
romantic, and influenced the minds of women more readily than
times modern, when thoughts and feelings have changed according
to the altered circumstances of the country, and women think it
more noble to live and endure, and serve better their departed
husbands according to the ideal set before them. The exemplary
life which the late Queen Victoria led had the cordial approval of
her Indian subjects, and it enhanced their admiration for her, and
the women of India regarded her more as one of them than of the
people of the far-off island, whose modes of life they have become
familiar with from those of them sojourning in this land.

This devotion to the departed husbands is not confined to the
widow only. It is expected in the wife, even in circumstances of
nnuatural conduct on the part of tho liviug husband. He may spurn
her, care not for her ; still she should not only bow to her lord
without a demur, but be loyal to him.. Said the South Indian
poet : “ If the husband shonld act so as to be the laughing stock of
everyone, the woman nobly born kuows no other than him to whom
she was wedded.”

As to Nalayani, the good and faithful wife of her leper
husband, what difficulties she sufferred, what trials she went
through in tending him affectionately and guarding him with the
utmost vigilance, denying comfort and rest to her wearied body^
aro they not related in the songs of very tonguo in the land ?
Although the daughter of a king, she performed her wifely
duties without the least disgust, and took a noble pride m
doing „this humble service to her lord in sickness. Thus,
loyalty consists in being true and faithful to tho husband,
and remaining spotless and untarn'shod to receive back the sullied

THE HINDU IDEAL OF WOMANHOOD. 206

but penitent husband, who comes to her after all the bitter
experiences of life to find at home peace of mind and rest to the.
conscience; aye, in l>ei»g faithful to him after he is gone,
and guarding his name most zealously. The story of the Sonth In-
dian woman who was extremely keen about the good name of her
departed husband may not be familiar to English readers, and I
make no apology for recounting it here. A thousand years ago
in deadly battle between two powerful kings of Southern India,
some of the soldiers of the rooted army came running from the
battlefield to take refuge in their homes. “ What became of my
son who went to fight with yon ? ” said the mother to one of them.
“ He was in thickest of the fight,” replied the soldier, •* but I do
not know whether he fell or ran away.” The mother concluded
that her son must either have fallen on the field of battle or run
away to some other place of safety, for fear of being chided at
home by the mother for cowardice, and disowned by her if he
returned. Then, taking a Bharp knife, she ran to the field of
battle, determined to cot away her breast if she did not find him
there dead or mortally wounded, in which case he mnBt have
run away with the rest. She was certain that in that case the
son’s cowardice must have been acquired from the milk which he
sucked from that breast, and not inherited from her brave
husband. At last sbe was overjoyed to find the worthy son of her
husband lying dead on the field of battle gored with wounds, and
her husband’s name preserved from eternal stain. Such is the
spirit of jlevotion of the Indian woman to her husband, and a
Dutch writer, Dr. Van Limburg Brewer, has indeed caught the
’ spirit of the Hindu ideal in his romance of “Akbar ” better than
the writer of the Times article. When the suggestion was made
to the heroine Ir&vati to bestow her affections on Akber’s sou
Prince Selim, afterwards better known as Emperor Jehangir, when
she had clear proofs of her husband’s faithlessness, the brave
Hindu girl made answer : “ Our women know nothing of tempta-

tions of greatness where duty and honour are concerned, and to
their husband they remain faithful, even if their love is repaid by
treachery. There are no bounds to the loyalty of a woman to her
husband ; and you know, though you may consider it only tho

1

200

S1DDHANTA DKKPIKA.

consequence of superstition or exaggerated feeling, with whnt
grilling enthusiasm they will throw theuisolvcs on the burning pyre
that consumes the bculy of their dead husbands. You must luivn
heard of our holy legends and heroic traditions, which describe
the devotion of a wife to one unworthy of hoc. Doubtless the
touching adventures of Daraayaoti must have coine to your year:-*.
Well, as far as in me lies, 1 will be another Damayanti. Sid ha lies
dosertod me, but when he awakes from this enchantment he will
roturn another Nala, and find me pure from any spot, ar.d acknow-
ledge that I knew bolter thau he how to watch over the honour of
his name.’’

If any condition of life be considered low or miserable, it is
because the poetry of it has not been written. It is Emerson thufc
wroto in this strain. And how could poetry bo written unless there
is the living reality to draw the inspiration from ? In truth, there
is no condition of lifo in God’s world that is iow or miserable.
The meanness or the misery is not in the life, but in him who lives
that life, who, by importing higher thought? anil nobler pas-
sions iuto that life, makes it really divine. If you wish to know
what that life is, go to the land, to the homes of the women
who bear their pleasures with calmness and their difficulties
with fortitude and diguity, bear them sing of the sorrows of Daina-
yunti and Chandramati, the trials of Nalayani ar.d the troubles of
Savithri, and note with what evident satisfaction , t nd prid.- w omen
similarly placed bear their coudjtiou.

The next great condition in that ideal is implicit obedience to
the husband. She must obey the husband in whutewr lie com-
mands her to do. If he enquires her to taste o' iV.c forbidden
poison which brings on death, she is bound to obey for disobedience
brings all woo and sin into the home — her little world. Woman
is born to serve and not to rule; to obey, and u<u to co.nuv.13t! ; to
be dependent, and not to be independent of the husband. Dike
the tender creeper, entwining the mighty tree t<» beautify it, with
its flowers, and omitting fragrance all round, she is born to shine
in the household, to add dignity ar.d grace to life, and give
perfume to the ideal household ; to assist rhe husband, to make life

Til K HINDU IDKAL OF WOMANHOOD.

207

pleasant, and make a little heaven of his home. To be obedient is
to be good To be obedient is to be chaste. To be obedient is to
be divine. She must, resign herself entirely to tho will of her hus-
band, for it is better to serve in heaven than reign in hell.

Such is the Hindu ideal of womanhood ; and well was it under-
stood by u Hindu girl when a Brahmin preceptor asked his pupils
as to their future nmhitions in life.

" I wish to marry tho king," said one of thorn and shine os n
queen among the daughters of tho land." Another, more intel-
lectual, perhaps, than the rest of her sisters, answered ; u I wish to
marry the Minister of the conntry, and lie a true helpmate to him
in governing the people wisely and well. ” A third : " I wish to be
the wife of the general of the army, to put on his srmonr when he
takes leave of me to go to the field of battle, and receive him back
with pride and pleasure when he returns homo crowned with
success." But the little heroinp, when her turn came, answered :
“ I wish to be the good wife at home, to bo the queen of ply house,
the friend and counseller of my husband, and the general of my
little household troops." In this short answer is sninmed up the
poet’s ideal of

“A perfect wonmo, nobly planned.

To warn, to comfort, and command.”

Supposing an up-to-date English girl wont asked aliout her
ambition in life how different would l>e her answer ! She would
like to become a Member of Parliament, and a Sonior wrangler,
or an accomplished athlete. It is this tendency in modern life that
made *‘Rita"deplore. "The intrusion of women into every active
or intellectual sphere lias broken down much of the reserve and
reverence of sex for sex. They hail each other equals, and often
rivals. But they uo longer seem to feel that imperalivo noed of
each other which leads to marriage; »« fact, marriage is becoming
a tatooed institution and maternity an evasion, instead of ao obli
gutiou. " I'lii.s, it true, rcveuls an awkward -t:it«: of thing?. Why,
it the woman were to work wvli man in the sphere which is logiti-

208

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

mately his, the world would be richer in its thoughts, in its stock of
knowledge, and richer in material acquirement^ But Oh ! how
much poorer would it be in the softer and sweoter side of its life !
There would be less of passion and feeling, less of romance and
poetry. Chivalry would be gone, sentiment divorced altogether
from the world, and the prosaic dullness of life laid bare in all
its dryness; and perhaps another kind of chivalry forced into
existence, where women would go forth armed with the bow and
the arrow, or the sword, or even the modern pistol, to avenge
the wrong done to weak men. Science would then try hard to find
ways and means for women to bring forth children free from the
burden of pregnancy and the pains of travail. Then the bearded
lady of Barnum’s would be no more a freak of nature, but a common
enough sight, for women to found and argument upon for
poaching on maa’s reserves, exciting no wonder or surprise ;
and women would be found vying with men in lecture rooms and
University halls, in the councils of the Empire, and even on the
battle-fields of the world. But I do not wish to look on this picture*
which is given to my subject, but only look on that picture the
Hindu ideal of womanhood. The Hindu marriage system has its
dark spots, no doubt, notably that part of it which allows man to
marry another wife when his wife begets no children or when she
dies. Even here mau has admitted himself to be the inferior to
the woman, and has ranked himself with a lower order of the
human kind. He took care to keep her highest. He expects from
her a higher order of human virtue, purity, and love and to this
high and hard ideal set up, our women in all ages have willingly
bowed . — The Nineteenth Century.

NOTES AND REVIEWS OF MAGAZINES.

30®

NOTES AND REVIEWS OF MAGAZINES.

Curious pecuniary consequences of weather sre mentioned

Consequences of wet
weather in London.

in the Grand Magazine by T. C. Bridges. A
wet week Bends up the takings of tobacconists
ten or fifteen per cent; but it also fills the

restaurants and helps umbrella and mackintosh dealers.

Generally, however, the public will not. go shopping in bad
weather. A wet day in the season is estimated to mean a loss of
£ 90,000 to W est End shops in London. A thunder storm may easily
cost a butcher in a large way of business from £ 10 to £ 15, lamb and
pork being especially sensitive to electric disturbances. A single
day's fog in London costs from £7,000 to £8,000 in gas alone.

The tubes however profit by fog, along with the chemists, whose
takings are sometimes increased by a fog cent per cent. Mr. Bridges
estimates that the storm that wrecked Galveston developed power
that would have driven every steam engine in the world for years,
and the most ordinary summer thunder storm wastes enough electric
energy to work all the dynomos in the United Kingdom. The valve
of an average flash of lightning is pat down at £280 sterling.

There is urgent need of a simple and reliable test for
ascertaining the Purity of Water. An analytical
1 ° ^Wate^T^ ° f chemist gives the following directions, which are
readily understood and can be applied by any
person of ordinary intelligence : “ Fill a clean bottle three fourths

full of water to be tested, and dissolve in the water half a tea-
spoonful of the purest loaf sugar, or granulated will answer ; cork
the bottle and place it in a warm spot for two days ; if at the end
of this period the water becomes cloudy or milky, it is unfit for
house-hold use. If, on the other band, it remains clear and fresh
looking, the probabilities are that it is at least approximately pure
and fit for all domestic purposes.

This is a useful litlle compilation by Mr. B. Suryan&ray&ua Rao f

Thfl Astrological
Aluuuioc fur 1007.

b.a., M. £. A. s., Editor of the Astrological Maga-
zine, Madras. Being in a sense the first of its kind
to directly address itself to English-knowiug

210

ST nnn ANT A DEEPIKA.

Hindus 1 1 1 nt »re anxious to know the planetary positions on
any given d»y in theyoar, it ought to succeed and find a ready sale.
It would considerably add to the wider utility of this compilation if
the author could give in subsequent editions the ayandmsa for the
year us well as the Right Ascension and Declination, and the Celes-
tial Latitudo aud Longitude of etich planet for each day of the year.
The Nakshatrn padas which he gives for each planet is no doubt of
considerable value in casting the Savumsa-chakra but for the benefit
of those who wish to construct Triimamsa-chokrtu, or to determine
Grah<i sphuta accurate to a degree, the celestial longitude noeds
to be giveu in bhdga*, kalm, and rekalas, and we desire to commend
this point all the more to tho kind attention of Mr- Suryanaruyana
ltao, in the interests of all students of astrology, as tho absence of
meutiou of the celestial longitude of the planets in degrees, minutes
and seconds in the extant vernacular Almanacs is a great stumbling
block to many who uro ignorant of the Siddhanta portion of the
celestial science. In this connexion we may point out to our
readers that many of the almanac-compilers in the vernaculars base
their calculations upon the methods inculcated in the Graha-lnghava
and are therefore hardly accurate as pointed out so ably by Ketkav
in his Jijotir-yanitam, though we ftiar that tho planetary positions and
other calculations which aro derived from the latter work are
not os accurate as could be desired. Again the table of "houses’*
which forms a distinguishing feature of the annuttls of "Fadkiel"
and ‘'Raphael" in Eugland, is in great request in Hindu lloroscopy
jJso. It is true that the western table of "houses" is quite
different from that of our own, as the middle points of our bhnv **
constitute tho starting points of theirs ; in other words our bh'ava-
ftandhis arc really their bhthn-wiadhyat. For the construction of the
Uhdva-chnkru in Hindu astrology the presence of a complete table
of "houses" with reference to each degree of the Lagna, for all the
akvkamsas of this Presidency is quite essential, aud it behoves Mr.
Suryanarayana llao to give the vernacular almanac publishers a
lead in this direction by supplying that much-needed information
in thu future editions of liis valuable Lphciueris. Ou account

NOTES AND REVIEWS OF MAGAZINES. *11

of I ho ignorance evinced by the generality of astrologers in differen-
tiating between graha-nphnia »nd bhava-sphuta, since indeed they
regard the Biei -chakra and Bh&oa-ckakra to be practically
identical their prediction of phalams goes wrong in a number of
instances, and consequently brings a noble science into undeserved
contempt. Lastly we weald offer it as a suggestion to Mr.
SftryanAr&yana Kao that the aspects, for the time being, of each
planet to the rest, might be embodied in the Almanac from day
to day, to enable students and practitioners of astrology to study
the configurations in natal horoscopes, when they are affected
by graka-chAra. e.g. in the matter of conjunctions, oppositions,
transits, occupations and so on. The improvements we have
suggested would, we are painfully conscious, tax the energies
of our author who work* single-handed in his field, and, with it,
should necessarily raise the price of the Ephameris, but they ought
to be effecto'l at any cost if only in the interests of the educated
Biadu public which is daily growing more and inore alive to the
profound value of astrology as a Science of production. But we
hope at the same time that the English Nautical Almanac and the
French Connaieance de Tempt will be positive helps to him in the
achievement of this object. In fine we wish Mr. Sfiryau&r&yatia Kao
every success in hia noble labours in the cause of the Gelestiul
science of which he is such an ardent and intelligent expouent.

“ Sol. "

REVIEWS.

The Dawn (Sep. 07). The number before us keeps up the
usual standard of excellence of the magazine. The contents are
varied and highly interesting.

The opening article is on the Jat Sikhs of the Punjab, The
article on the Trade of Bengal. A field for Swadeshi enterprise
points out that trade would offer a province of employment for the
educated Indian. The articles — A Bengali, Principal in the
University of Nalanda and ‘The bouses we live in '* arc important
from a historical point of view. Swadeshi in India and America :
A parallel from history, we would commend to the notice of the
moderate politicians of Mad-as.

212

*IDD11ANTA DEEP1KA.

Self-interest and the instinct for self-preservation are virtues
cff which the Christian nations of Europe are not destitute. Nay
more than this, they would stifle the life of other nations, if such a
procedure would conduce to their good. This is borne out by the
conduct of England towards the colonies when they were under
her kind care and the policy which she followed when the founda-
tions of the British Empire were laid in India. The commercial
policy pursued by England to develop her own industries at the
expense of those of other people cannot but be called iniquitous.

The British nation, growing jealous of the rising industries of
the colonies tried to stifle them by various acts of Legislation.
This was what they did to their own people. Such was their
selfishness. The reply which the colonists gave to such acts was a
boycott of British goods and an organised ( determination to
encourage their own manufactures. The American boycott followed
close upon the heels of England's attempt to stifle the colonial
industries. This is a clear lesson to the despised Asiatics. They
are despised and looked down upon everywhere. If the sense of
self-respect is not utterly dead in them and if they mean to live and
assert themselves in the world, without going to the wall, they must
declare a relentless boycott of foreign articles, the importation of
which, kill indigenous industries.

‘ On the borders of the Santhal Country' shows what an
interesting ethnological museum India is bound to bo if her
various peoples are studied. All over the land, tribeB of people
are found, the remnants of former races that inhabited the country,
who though manifest no signs of high degree of civilisation, have
still held their own against people of a superior order.

The Magazine contains an account of the meeting of the students
of the Bengal National College to express their appreciation of the
services of Sri jut Ariyanda Chose, their late Principal. The few
words which the great Nationalist spoke to the young men contain
a message and call for duty fur the young men all over India.

The New Reformer (Sepr. 07) contains good articles. The
Editor attacks the question. “ Why do I live ?" Col. T. F. Dowden
writes upon ‘The foundation of co-operation \ An European
graduate contributes his ‘Reflections on a Teonysonian common
place. Mr. Ramakrishna Rau sermouises to men of this somewhat
ungodly work-a-day world to bond their minds godward. Professor
R. R. Bhagawat addresses rather a lengthy epistle to ‘all the
Vegetarian Brahmans of India’. It lacks directness and one is sure
to be lost in its lengthy and crooked avcuues. If tho now reformers

NOTES AND BEVIEW8 OF MAGAZINES.

SIS

are to aft about their work of rectification in each a confused
manner, we fear the prospect for reform cannot be very cheering
The Editorial notes are no donbt edifying ; but one is amoBing to an
extent which cannot be surpassed in the history of editorial notes.

" Sow that xoe have the British rule over us and that the country
ts peaceful, it is high time that tee devote our attention to Social
Reform and other internal matters concerning Hindu m riety. ** This
note smacks somewhat of sleep in the Editorial cha r. What need
now, after a century and half of the firm establishment of British
Empire on the holy Jambudvipa, for an announcement that the
trnth'loTTog white Gandharvas keep peace and maintain order
among the ever-warning and confusion-loving hosts of Darkness ?
It is high time, indeed for the Reforms to wake np to the actualities
of the situation ! Is the statement that peace is the best fosterer
of reform Bnd progress, however, to be taken withont any reserrationf
The history of the world’s progress does not bear ont that the most
peaceful periods in a nation’s life are roost conducive to progress.
Change in its very nature implies strife with the old order of
things. Peace may bring in its train evil effects. It may send a
people to sleep. Amidst ease and comfort, the inertia of men
becomes great and an avei sion may arise to progress which
involves an active effort. And peace may be of two kinds. A
people may enjoy peace, which is the result of a people’s own
exertions. In the maintenance of such a peace, the energies of the
people have their full exercise. There is however another kind of
peace enforced and maintained by an external agency. Such a
peace does not exercise and educate the energies of a nation. It
tnay tend to emasculation. It may stultify every faculty
which is the precious inheritance of man. It is not necessarily
suggested that the peace, the people of India enjoy at
present is of such a nature. Bat it is a notorious fact that
the Hindus evince a wonderful aptitude for multiplying caste-
distinction and inventing queer social evils and fostering most
stupid institutions now under the aegis of peace as they did under
the threatening cloud of the persecution of the devastating and
anarchy -loving Moghul and perhaps to a greater degree.

Indeed so great the immobility of men, laden as they are with
ignorance and prejudice and such the obstinacy with which they
turn their backs against the goal of progress, that the heart of Ik
reformer is at times male bitter enough to pray for plague,
pestilence and aoarchy if those divine agencies would only clear
men’s vision and make them look heaven-ward.

214

SlDDHANTA DEEHIKA.

Theosophy in India (Sept. 1907) As usual confcnins important
articles of interest in “ notes and news ’ we find an account of the
controversy between Mrs. Besant, the present President of the
Tbeosophical Society and M«. A. P. Sinnet the late Vice-President.
This disaffection among the leading Lights of Theosophy is not
creditable. Whether this is due to “occult influences ” as the
wise folk would have it, or to disappointment consequent on the
failure^*) clutch the Presidential sceptre, the sight presented by
the wrangling of the chelas of the mahatmas does not become even
young children.

The Theosophist (Sep 1907). The reprint of Col. Olcott's lecture
on * Human spirits and elementaries is concluded in this number.
Mr. P. T. Srinivasa Aiyangar concludes his learned article on
“the Soience of the Emotions". Mr. W. A. Myers contributes on
“Prom chaos to cosmos.” Mr. Upendranath Basu contributes his
•hare to the controversy that was started in connection with
Mrs. Besant’a article on the “ Basis of the T. S which has also
inspired a contribution from Mr Rungaswami Aiyar on the subject
of “The Theosophical Society and Ethical Codes”.

The Theosophical Review {Sept. 1907}. Contains articles on
subjects which will greatly interest those who make such subjects,
the province of their Study. The articles are highly interesting
and of great literary value.

The Hindu Spiritual Magazine (August 1907.) Mr. Shishir
Kumar Ghose creates quite a world of ghosts for his readers. His
attempts to throw light on the world of spirits is very praiseworthy.
Apart from the question of entertaining a belief in spirits, an
attempt to investigate the spirit-world deserves encouragement.

The Mysore Review (August 1907). Opens with an article on
the Pasteur Institute of Southern India. The article contains a
detailed and very instructive aocount of the Pasteur treatment of
Hydrophobia. The article deserves a careful perusal. An instal-
ment of the translation of Chanikya Arthasastm is published. The
Magazine contains two good stories, viz, Satyananda and Kohiuoor
in addition to other articles on Indian Unrest and the question of
the loyalty of India for the British Raj. The Magazine is full of
interesting matter.

Viryanand Magazine (Sept. 1907) Contains several interesting
articles. Among thorn ‘ the fountain head of religion ’ and * Swami
Layanand and his work ’ deserve special attention.

The Indian Magazine and Review (Sept. 1907). Has an article
on * Industries in Ancient India’. There are also other articles on
industrial topics.

THE

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

OK

Tlie Light of Truth.

A Uvi<th!ji Jvmmnl, <lcrot«l to Religion, Philonophy, Literehm, Bciemet* fc.,

Coauuaotd w thl Queen's Commsm oration D m.j, 1897.

Vol. VIII OCTOBER 1907. No. 7

---- ■— =-■■— • = • = i

THE TO DAS : THEIR ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES IV.

(Continued from, page 150 of Volume VIII.)

The abodes or dwelling places of the Todas constitute another
particular feature of attraction. Unlike other people, they are not
a race of town or even village dwellers; and they are averse to the
idea of congregating together in large numbers at any one place.
Their hamlets which do not generally comprise of more than five
buildings or huts are few and far between and are scattered all
over the plateau. The distance between one Toda village and
another sometimes exceeds ten miles and almost ae a rule ia never
less than five miles apart. Consequently it becomes a difficult affair
to the visitor to go round all the Toda hamlets in the Nilgiria,
unless he is prepared to traverse long distances at a stretch. But
still, in the interests of science, numerous visitors may be seen
trudging far over the vacant hills to the west of Ootacamand and
reach remote regions like the Mookoorty Peak and Pykara, where
the only sounds that break the monotony of the bleak wildernea
are the roar of the water-falls and the welcoming words of the
Toda maidens. In such remote and lonely places the Toda delights
to fix his habitation ; and it would appear that a passion for loneli-
ness characterised by life in small communities of never more than
twenty five or thirty members in a place, hus grown to be a distin-
guishing trait in the Toda race. Otherwise it would be impoanble

S1DDHANTA DEEPIKA.

216

with ft population of lew* than a thousand, to account for the
existence of hundreds of villages or M undos, nearly 40 per cent
of which are generally uninhabited. These latter are occupied in
rotation, and when pasture for their cattle fails in any one locality,
the Todas move, with all their belongings and family to a 'more
fertile region where they have in anticipation, already built them-
selves huts for living. Thus, it will be seen, that in order to
facilitate their periodical migrations they have provided themselves
with duplicate and at times even with triplicate munis in different
localities which they occupy in different parts of the year.

It is interesting to trace the origin and meaning of tho word
mttnd by which the petite villages or hamlets of the Todas are
known. It is, no donbt, a relic of the ancient names applied by ihe
Todas themselves to their settlements from the time of their occu-
pation of the hills. For, it would not be quite scientific and reason-
able to suppose that their language, though uncultivated, would
have been so far deficient as to contain ho word by which to
designate their homes and led them to borrow a term from an alien
vocabulary. So the word mand should be taken to be only of Toda
origin ; aud a large number of writers have regarded it as such.
But, of late, it has become the fashion with a few to substitute it by
perhaps the more intelligible, but certainly the less euphonious and
inaccurate term of “ Marts.’’ We have no authority to accept the
latter term as correct, especially as it does not satisfy a philological
examination. Besides- the writer has questioned quite a iavge num-
ber of Todas as to the correctness of the expression and in all cases
without exception the word mand was the invariable answer while
to many “marts” appeared strange and intelligible. European
writers generally exhibit great inability to catch and reproduce
exactly the pronounciaiion of oriental names; nnd when we know
the tendency of the indolent Toda is more to throw the accent on
the beginning of the'word almost swallowing the final syllables, we
can easily qndergtand how his peculiar, low and rapid expression
has played tricks with the helpless foreigner and led him to put
down as ’* mart * what is actually “’mand.” An examination of the
original and root meaning of the terra will make it amply clear. In the
Dra vidian languages tne word mand can be traced back to the pri-
mary roof mun of verbal significance. In Tamil the root mun {ldost)
means generally to gather, to collect, etc. By the addition of differ-
ent suffixes to this root a large number of words have been form-
ed in which the original sense of the root has been preserved and
developed. As a few instances of nouns thus derived from thfs root
he mentioned the words mannan (u>w7w«r), manathn (l cetr&) t -
*c&ipatha\ (uworueos} manm (loaajp), mandat etc. The root

The ToDAS : THEIR origin and AFFINITIES. 217

«WifI **<« a verb by itself and the other verba developed oat of it are
•untmu <* ) mnndtt {is d»>) etc. It will thus be seen that in alb

these derivatives the original meaning of the root recurs sometimes
restricted and sometimes amplified in significance and application,
but never lost altogether. Examined in this light, the Toda word
maml signify ing their village, appears to be nothing more than a cor*
rupted form of the Tamil word manru (tosor^p,) or mandat [wient#),
1 he former term means a collection of peoples or society and is even
now in use throughout the Tamil country, its meaning being specia-
li^ed and applied to the village assembly while the latter, as is well
fcuowu, denotes a collection or herd of cattle. Old Tamil literature
abounds with numerous illustration of the comparatively more com-
mon use of the first word in ancient times, but as it is considered
to be out i f place ho re we refrain from quoting any. Thvn^ the
Toda word m and must be held to stand for one or both of these
terms ; and when wo know that a Toda village or hamlet comprises
uot only of lints for people to dwell in bat also invariably of an
enclosure or c;U.tle-peu for the accommodation of their buffaloes, and
when we consider the importance and sacredness attached by the Toda
to his cattle, we have no hesitation in laying down the corrected
form of expression as juand and not as “Mart." It ib the preeminence
attached to his pastoral life that has led the matter of -fact Toda to
christen his picturesque home by the happy term, mand , — a term
which is so full of meaning and significance and which serves as a
uot unworthy index to fathom the deeper characteristic of the race.
As a curious and striking similarity we may point ont here how the
early Aryans also in their pastoral stage of development were
careful enough to designate their patriarchal households by the no
leas pregnant expression of < t oihraa (Sans. lit=cattle pens) which
term has wonderfully survived the ages and stands today as a po-
tent factor in distinguishing the various branches of the Aryan
race.

If the denomination of their village is happy, the situation of
tlieso villages and the sites on which they are built should bo con-
sidered happier still. Before one knows their secrets of site selec-
tion it will be difficult to guess rightly whether ono can expect a
Toda Maud in any locality. The writer has had singular experience
of frequenting a particular side of Ootacamund for over six months
without ever Tn the least suspecting the existence of a m and in the
neighbourhood, until one day, by chance, he stumbled upon it. His
surprise was the greater when he found that it stood on a most wel-
come spot. For the Todas always build their hamlets in beautiful
places and romantic regions. The severity of the monsoon has
taught them to prefer the leeward slopes of the hills to the windward

210 *

siddhanta deepika.

? \nd this natural protection from wind and weal-lie r affords an excel -
ent condition for the growth of luxuriant vegetation which generally
forms a romantic back-ground to set off the simple dwellings of this
simple folk. A well-laid-ont lawn iq front, -covered with the soft
greensward, with enough of opening to admit the glowing, friendly
rays of the glorious sunshine, serves the purpose of natural drawing-
room for the happy inmates to sit and bask and sing together. Close
by, a happy valley covered with rich pasture affords food for their
herds while a babbling brook of crystal water that runs not very far
from the locality completes the picture. A little removed from the
group of dwellings, on a raised ground and. in the midst of dense foli-
age scrupulously clean and neat in its surroundings, stands in its isola-
ted splendour and religious veneration the temple of the hamlet —
which is as well the dairy and the residence of the priest — the mauds
are thus situated, with rare exceptions, in well-selected picturesque
spots where woodland, streamlet and hiwn combine to render (ho
scene romantic and attractive. To add to* the beamy, the Sun
with his golden rays gilds the whole landscape; and over all tlio air,
a selemu stillness reigns. The shola that surrounds the maud is
sometimes so thick as to completely hide it from public view; and
the Toda himself, for fear of the witchcraft of ‘the Kurumbas, would
prefer to dwell in comparative seclusion. Though it generally
becomes therefore, somewhat difficult to discover a, Toda inand, yet
in most cases the natural beauty of a locality and the condition of
surrounding lulls would serve us not very erring guides to hit upon
it with tolerable certainty.

The interesting question whether, thq Toda is, in this selection
of locality, guided by any innate, so use of the pisturesqwo and beau-
tiful in nature has been raised by several writer aud, so far as we
know, mostly answered in the negative. It lias been said by some
that whatever his appreciation of the beauties of nature, he has
never been, as yet known to express his feelings of appreciation or
point them out in any manner whatsoever. One writer disqualifies
him, on phrenological grounds, for any kind of intelligent discerning
of the beautiful. So his fondness for the attractive and lovely in
nature has been ascribed to a chapter of accidents. 13uf it is quite
apparent that instinct or something in the Toda drives him often to
some selected spots which the civilised and cultivated amongst us
would term as beautiful, picturesque and romantic. Ti ne he cannot
give expression to these feelings. But the same innate something,
born along with him, also makes him abhor and detest what is ob-
jectionable, ugly and ill to look at. The same quality is found to
exist also among “civilised ’ races who have raised themselves fur
above the level of the savage. The difference between the two

TIIE TOD AS : TIIEIB 01(101 K AND AF1-TN1TIE8

210

would teem to lie only in the ability or inability lo give expression
to thoughts and feelings that lovely scenes suggest in the human
miud. The difficulty is therefore one of speech, or language ; and
when we know that the relation of a savage to a civilised being in
t ho matter of language is exactly like that of a child to an adult,
v/bat diflicnlty is there in ascribing t O' the simple Tod a the same
feelings and instincts common to humanity which strike similar
chords and produce similar notes at the variegated appearances of
Natuie ? Again if wo analyse the promptings iu the Tod a mind that
draw him irresistibly towards the sublime and the beautiful we will
lit the bottom, perceive, that considerations of usefulness have been
a prominent factor in leading him to gather round his alode, the
crystal stream, the green valley, the bright sun iu nature, dense
foliage and making him dwell in a sweet smelling arboreal fresh-
ness. It it utility therefore that awakens his instinct of love for the
beautiful and not mere idle fancy or blind chance. We know even
among civilised nations utility forms even to day the basis for aes-
thetics- and there are still schools of art with a large following
which favour the utilitarian theory of beanty. Taking these into
qpueide ration, it will he only just to give the Todu what he de-
iservcM, and wo need not grudge to find in him tliesame feelings and
emotion of sensibility, though in a somewhat ruder and lesser
degree, which beauties in nature evoke in all mankind.

M. JIVAKATNAM.

(To be continue^)

Tho Problem of life is rightly to adjust the prose to the
poetry ; the sordid to the spiritual ; the common and selfish to the
high and beneficent, forgetting not that these last nro incomparably
the most precious.

George R. Pock.

Material well-being, indispensable though it is, can never be
anything but tho foundation of true national greatness and happi-
ness. If wy build nothing upon this foundation, then our national
life will bo as meaningless and empty as a house whore only tho
foundation has been laid.

Theodoro Roosevelt.

820

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

THE MONETARY SYSTEM OF SOUTH INDIA.

BY Messis. T. M. RANGACHAR1 AND T. DESlKACUARl.

To ti’ace the growth and development of the Monetary System
in South India we have to go back to the days of the Paudyas and
the Cholas. Their coinage was mainly in copper and silver. Flat thin
rectangular pieces in silver have been found both in Tinnevelly
and Madura, bearing the impression of Buddhistic devices “punc-
hed on them with a seal or seals. The appearance on their revarso
of a symbol which forms the characteristic feature of che rectangular
copper coins of Madura aud Tinnevelly points to t lie obvious in-
ference that the coinage iu both the metals is attributable to tbe
same power, though the punchinarked silver coins must be assigned
to an earlier age than that of the die-struck copper coins.

Similar coins in silver have been found in all parts of India.
“They have been discovered among the ashe^ of the men who
constructed the primitive tombs known as kulis (or kistaevens) of the
south and unearthed from the ruins of buried cities in excavating
the head waters of tne Ganges Canal. In all parts, from the
Sundavbans of the Ganges to the frontiers of Afghanistan they turn
up from time to time.” And more recently they have been report-
ed to be among the finds of the excavations, in tbe ruined city of
Anuradhapura in Ceylon,

From their occurrence over such a wide area and in such great
number one might suppose that there was some uniform standard or
unit of currency adopted everywhere in* India In the imperfect
state of our knowledge of the ancient Indian Monetary System no
definite statement can be made about what exactly led to this appa-
rent uniformity in the size and the devices of these coins. Wo can
do no more than indicate tlu nature of the speculation on the sub-
ject leaving further research to throw more light on so obscure a
topic.

The suggestion has often been put forward that the silver coins
wore the puma (ancient-eldling) which formed the silver represen-
tative of the primitive seminal exponent^of value named the kalanju
approximately equal to 45 or 50 grains. There is no doubt a cer-
tain relation between the weights and measures and the money of a
country and the suggestiorf “ that the monetary system of S. India
is of indigenous origin based on rude seminal and testaceous expo-
nents of value, which have been exchanged for definite metallic
counters.’’ has much to recommend it. but having regard to the
varyiug weights of Jiese silver pieces, it canuot be asserted beyond
a doubt, that they represented the silver kalanju

THE MONETARY SYSTEM OF SOUTH INDIA.

221

Another theory proceed* on the hypothesis that the Drav*
dians borrowed the Phoenecian unit of the Dniclmm weighing 5 7
grains, which tallies with the weight of the pmichuiarkod specimens
obtained in northon India. For many centuries before the Christian
era it is c-ertai n that Dravidum merchants had developed such a
degree of maritime and commercial enterprise ns to tempt, them to
undertake voyages across the seas to distant countries, and it is
belioved by some scholars that it was they, who, becoming acquaint
ted with an alphabetic writing derived from tbe Preseineti-
Accadiaiis north of the Euphrates valley, brought the script to
India, being tlins the first to introduce the art of waiting into India.
Such an adventurous people were not slow to introduce into their
country, a metrical standard with which they became acquainted
ill their foreign transactions. u As the I’hoeneciaus had penetra-
ted everywhere establishing with their accustomed enterprise their
factories on almost every coast they soon discovered the metallic
wealth of the laud aud began to work for the first time the veins of
silver which had lain for ages unsuspected in the mountains.” The
silver plates from Tarahisli were imported into India by the Phoe-
necians to buy Indian gold and in such transactions they must
have adopted their own unit of the Drachma. It were not strange
then that copying the example, the Tamils cut the silver sheets
into small pieces, weighing approximately as much as the Phcenecian
unit and had the same passed as measures of value easily resolvable
into a given quantity of gold. In course of time the silver pieces
would come to be stamped with some authoritative mark or marks
aud with the change of the ruling power or the receptiou of a prince
into the donations of another sovereign or through other causes, va-
rious seals would be imprinted on the same piece, in some instances
oue seal being superimposed over the other. This origin of the
punch t marked silver coins at once explains the uniformity in size
and the occurrence over such a wide area as from the Himalayas to
Cape Comorin of the silver coins in question. 'They are supposed
to have been the Karshcu current at the time of Buddha, aud the
period of their currency synchronises with the palmy days of the
Phcenecian trade, six or seven centuries before the Christian era.

In a communication to the Royal Asiatic Society by Captain
T. B. Jervis of the Engineer Corps in 1835 that talented Engineer
essays to establish a relation between the Ma&ot* or 3fasha which
is the basis of the tola and seer with the weight of a pound ae de-
duced fro.n a primitive universal standard, viz. a pendulum vibra-
ting seconds, one half of which roughly is the primitive cubit. “This
pendulam cubed, and multiplied “ into the weight of a cubic inch
of distilled water each, 0. inch weighing 552.984 grains Troy.

222

S1DDIIANTA bEEPllvA.

Divided into 48 or 28 parts furnishes an explanation of all the
weights of whatever kind whether money or gross weight throughout
the world in all ages.* 1 3y a manipulation of the figures which it is
needless here to reproduce, it is demonstrated that ancient Hun or
Fttn, and a tenth of it ihe /awamwere both multiples or sub-multi-
ptes of the Muaaa of 1> and odd grains each Hun being also half of
the Drachma of 109 grains.

Neither the weights of the punch marked silver coin*,
nor those of the silver pieces of the period of the Cliola ascendancy
famish any clno-as to the correctness of any of these theories.
The coins of Itaja Hup weigh 90 grains : those of Uttmna Chola 85
grains and those of Knlolhwnga 70 grains.

We possess in the South ludian Inscriptions a fairly accarate
record of the weights and measures current in the period after the
9th century a. d. during which the Choi as suddenly .rose into
prominence and wore for a time supreme in Southern India.

An inscription from Mauunalapurani (the seven pagoaas) of the
illustrious Ko Raja raja Raja Kesari Varman, relating to a con-
tract for the new division of their lands by tho cilizens of the town
provides as follows.- —

‘ Among those who are without land and are over the age of
sixteen— from- those who are engaged in trade half a Karan jn of
gold (pon), from tho«o who work for hire one eighth of a pon and
for each turn as ploughman {? three -eights of a (pon) shall be
taken at the end of the year. From those who do not submit to this
contract further twenty five Karanjus of gold shall be taken be-
sides a fine. In an inscription of the Virupakshoswara Temple at
Vombatu near Velur in the North Arcot District the value of pro-
porty is calculated throughout in Knla prumanas or Kulas of gold
(pou) and in panas and it is recorded that. 242 Knla pramanas of
gold and 4\\ f(n panag arc equal to Kovais of gold and b.llSpaiuu.

In the Kauchipnratn inscriptions of Madirai Konda Ko-Para-
kesarivarman, we find the penalty for a person not carrying out a
charitable obligation was the payment of “ one maujadi of gold
dady to the king who is then ruling’ or “ one eighth of a pon daily
paid in Court” one “ Kunri of gold daily in Court.” In another ins-
cription of the 3rd year of Ko Raja kesarivarman from the samo
place it is recorded that the villagers of Manalur pledged them,
■elves to furnish oil for a lamp from the interest of a sum of money
received from the Royal Treasury said to be “ eighteen Karanjus
ten Manjadis and one Knnri of gold.”

Iu the Raja Raja inscriptions of Tanjore the weight of the
jewels presented to the Temple is exprsseed in Karan ju manjapi
and Kunri according to standard weights uu.de of stone and pre-

j

TH ,: : MONETARY SYSTEM OF SOUTH INDIA.

228

served in the shrine of the god Adavattan, also called Dakshina
Meru Vitaukar, Silver aeeins to have been also weighed in Kalan-
j'is and Manjadi and rated just in the same way as gold and the
precious stoues and pearls. Copper seems to have been weighed
palaa, a copper water pot (kata) Ceing recorded as weighing three
thousand eighty thr^e pal a#.

From other inscriptions we find that the gold kasa was half a
madurantaka madai, that on akkam was 1/12 of a kasa.

The purchasing power of a Kasi\ is found to be 2 kalams of
p vddy. or 3 sheep or 1200 plantains or 7/20 Kalanju of gold.

Besides the maddai , the Kasa, the Kt.vai and the akkam refe-
rence is found to another term, signifying token or a weight, if not
a coin, as in the instance of a payment of so many Kanam a day
into court as a fine.

Whether there was any c(efraite ratio between the value of
gold and silver, or whether the value of gold fluctuated with that
of any other commodity and was determined in silver are matters
upon which it would be rash to ha 2 ard eten a conjecture.

The only Pandyan gold coin known to ns is 'a tiny piece ascriba-
ble to “Sundara Pandya” bet it is impossible to locate the age of
the monarch who issued the coin. The period of Chola ascendancy
has examples of the coins of Raja Raja Chola in gold,- and gold
coins of more than one denomination in the Chola Ghalnkyan
period.

Side l<y side with coins pr tokens is the precious metals, tho
Paniyans possessed a currency in copper, which comprised die struck
coins unlike the punchmarked silver adverted to already. They
resolve themselves into two varieties, rectangular coins which bear
Buddhistic devices and a later variety of coins which are round and
bt&r Vishnu vite or Sivite emblems.

The former or the Budddhist coins occur at least in five denomi-
nations, the smallest weighing 3J grains while the heaviest coins
weigh 144 grains, the intermediate weights are 40,60 and 86 grains.

Writing about the economic conditions in Bnddhist India Pro-
fessor Rhys Davids makes the following observations whieh are
instructive in the investigation of this copper coinage. " The older
system of traffic by Marter had entirely passed away never to
return. The later system of a currency of standard and token coins
issued and regulated by -Government authority had not yet arisen.
Transactions were carried on, values estimated, and bargains
struck in terms of the Kahopana, % square copper coin weighing about
140 g ib, and guaranteed as to weight and fineness by panchmr.rka

224

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

by private individuals. Whether these punclnnarks aro tokens of
merchants or of guilds or simply of the bullion dealer is not
certain”. These observations are of interest, relating as they do to
the coin occurring in N- India and based on the examination of the
Buddhist records unconnected with the Tamils who by the geograp-
hical position of their country had for over twenty centuries
maintained their political independence in the southernmost
portion of the Peninsula. It is remarkable that as in the silvea
pnnchmarked coins, the size, weight, and devices resemble very
much those of the coins occurring in portions of India remote from
the Tamil Kingdom and having nothing in common except perhaps
the religion of Buddha.

With the change in the shape of the old variety and the in-
troduction of the symbols of a different faith the pvaclicelof issuii g
« Kahapanaa ” of 144 grains was discontinued. The Monetary
System seems to have been remodelled, and henceforth no silver
coins were probably issued and coins in copper of various denomi-
nations judging by the weights of specimens now available were put
in circulation The average weights of the various sizes are 58,
3*0, 14 and .7.1/2 grains.

The change from the square coinage of the Buddhist period to
the later rouud coinage with Vishnavite and Sivite emblems anu the
adoption of an apparently different standard of weight must have
keen brought about by causes that cannot solely be looked for in the
revival of the Puranic faith in India. In the early centuries of the
Christian era, there was a large influx of foreign merchants and a
considerable ^quantity of Homan aureu and dinaru must have been
imported byHhern into India for purpose of merchandise. Small
copper coins were also locally minted by a colony or colonies of
foreigners and it is not improbable that the change in the shape
and weight of the coins of the * Tamil Kings had seme sort of
connection with their intercourse with Rome.

Of the copper coins of the period of the Chola ascendancy the
moet numerous are the copper kasus of Raja Raja which occur in
three varieties, the largest of them weighing 90 grains. The coins
of the Chola Ghalukyan period present yet a further change in the
weights of the largest specimens which on an average weigh 74 grs

, ^ he evident from an examination of the weights of the
vainoua copper coins found in S. India that the task of arriving at
uniforn standard for them is by no means a safe or easy one.
Various faotors are "calculated to introduce confusion in any specu-
lation bearing on the matter, not the least of which are the discre-
pancies in the weights of the coins of the several denominations, -

SAIVA SIDDHANTA MOVEMENT.

225

viewed from the standpoint of any of the various theories put
forward to explain and fix the primitive unit of curreucy. The
mention of a JTusu, a panam or a Pon in Tamil literature and
inscriptions is of little import as connoting the idea of any definite
value as the use of words of similar significance viz, the purana and
a war ana and ftyranya in ancient Sanskrit and Pali literature, with
reference to he coins and tokens in the precious metals.

SAIVA SIDDL1ANTA MOVEMENT.

We gladly publish the following extract from a letter received
from a valued contributor.

“ I am entirely at one with you in desiring that the Siddhanta
Shastras should all be translated into English, and further desire
that an exposition of the Siddhanta and much of the Siddhanta
literature should be given to the English-knowing people not one
beyond the seas but in India and Ceylon also. So that it may maky
headway in minds already prepared for it by the Kevala Advaita
Vedanta.

You will be glad to know that I am engaged in writing a paper
entitled some thoughts on Thaynmanavar trying to bring out the
Siddhanta as ho taught and when the paper is completed, Thayuma-
navar will be portrayed as the latest exponent of Siddhanta, prea-
ching the quintessence cf Vedanta. I am delivering it as lectures
before the Vivekanunta- Society iu a series.

The erroneous impression that is in the minds of many that the
Siddliantists are ritualists alone, favouring caste barriers etc must
be removed without delay and the nobility and the universality or
the Siddhanta should be proclaimed, and with this object I am
writing another paper eutitled Religion and Society, endeavouring
at the same time to show to our be got ted Siddliantists that certain
laws and customs must change with time while the object is uoe
lost sight of. Take, for iustauce, the custom that Shastras should be
read by those only who received Dikxha . It is indeed a good
principle that has been enforced from ancient times when ever'y
child when he attained the discretionary age received his Dilctha
but now the Dikaha a boy receives at that age is, A, B, C, and in
the majority of cases people do not receive their Diksha. The edu-
cated lot imbued with Western ideas begin, with the missionaries,
their attack on the Puranas as if they were our Shastras proper and
to such if you only tell that t.*ey cannot learn Shastras without
Dik&ha, they lose that opportunity of being converted to onr Faith.

226

STDDDANTA DEETTKA.

If, on the contrary, you put into their hands tho Rivagnanabolhain
and teach them, just as you would any hook on science er Logic,
they will see the unassailable position of the Riddhanta and feel
their mistake. If at this stage it is said to them that all book-
knowledge is useless and for proper Sntana the daily dyuva which
is embodied in the Sandyavandana is essential and that it shoirhl
be received at the hands of a recognised Guru who traces his
spiritual lineage from the Lord Himself, the great Preceptor and
through that channel of lineage Hows his grace to mankind. Hu
sees all that and runs in search of a Guru. Don’t } ou think that
such a conversion is possible and we should aim at it by 1 giving up
some of our conservative ideas. T he re , are several momentous
questions affectiug our Religion and race that engage my thoughts
often, but alas my circumstances are against mo. Look again what
our conservatism has brought on ns. Where are the t?8 .Agamas
now ? How many are still extant, who knows? The priestcraft is
Buch a formidable enemy of Religion that it preserves the Karma-
kanda and allows the Gnanakauta to rot in the minds of priests aiul
in the ola books. Cannot endeavour be made lo bringthem to light.
Will no light enter into the mutants.

You will be glad to know the work we are doing in the
Yivekananta Society. There is growing a library on Religious and
Philosophic literature. We have weekly classes on Sivagnnna-
botham and if you will only picture i o yourself a Hall with four
tables arranged lengthwise in a row in the middle, around which
not less than 15 souls are seated every Thursday ovening with their
notebooks and pencil in hand, looking earnestly towards the
Chairman, whom you might have heard of, Mr. R. C. Knilsisa,
Pillai Mndaliar, for instructions on Si\ aguanabothani. Don’t you
think that this is the sort of teaching suited to the present age and
can you mention to me a place anywhere in India (nowhere else
in Ceylon I know) whore such systematic study is conducted. This
is only a part of onr work. My earnest desire is that all the ilgauias
should be collected and deposited in this Library, to he edited and
published as facilities present themselves. It is indeed a huge task
and still it must be done if our religion is to be taught to our people.

1 am afraid I have made this letter too long, I was interested
in the Riddhanta Conference you had at Chidambaram hist year
hat practical good came out of it I long ,o know. I was expecting
full report of the Proceedings in the Riddhanta Deepika but was
isappointed.

A VATALAYA FOH ST. THAY b MAN AVAR.

227

A MATALAYA FOR ST. THAYUMANAVAR.

It will gladden the heart* of all our readers to know that a
Matalaya is to be built, at once in the s.'icred city of Trichinopoly
for oar beloved Saint. Who has not heard his name and the lovely and
ma]estic strains of his song and hearing them, hns not risen purer
and loftier in mind? He has endeared himself to one and all liy liis
simple life and high aspirations. And it is a sign of the spiritual
awakening of the people that they are trying to show proper honour
to the great ones of cur ancients, so that the object of the memorial
must commend itself to all onr people, and it must be gratifying
also to them that the memorial is associated with the name
of our learned leader, Mr. J. M. Nnllasami Pillai. We entreat
one and all to nwociate himself in body and in spirit with this
memorial by con’r iWing their mite. All communications should be
addressed to the Honorary Secretary Mr. T, P. RamalingBin Pillai
Kurrjitapadam Book Depot, Teppasulam. We publish below a
bri*»f report of the proceedings connected with the laying-in-
foundation ceremonv.

w

It may be said with troth that no other writings are so well
known and so widely read by all classes of people in the Tamil
Country than the Sacred Hymns of snint Thaynnmnavar. And
except a small shrine near Ramnad no other shrines exist to com-
memorate hia name. Trichinopoly is well known to be his birth
place, as also the place where lie attained his Gnanam and it
occurred to a few that no time should be lost to perpetuate his
memory in his own birth* place. A piece of ground has been
acquired in the inner square of the Rock Fort Temple adjoining
the splendid Hall of the fe’aiva Sidhantha R&bha which is nearing
completion and Mr. J. M. Nallasami Pillai, District Munsiff of
Cuddalore performed the ceremony of laying-in-foundation this day
(Rap 15) at 12 A.M amidst a large concourse of people. After tho
singing of the sacred Devara hymn* and the performance of Puja.
the foundation stonb was laid. In declaring it well and truly laid,
Mr. Nallasami Pillai said that it was the merit of St., Thayumana-
var that he was the first to make known boldly the universal and
eclectic character of the Saiva Sidhantha Religion and Philosophy
and preached the gospel of the Vedantha Sidhantha Samarasa and
Sanmargha and so appealed to all classes and creeds thai> today
hia writings are read by all and loved by all. His was a noble life;
amidst the temptation of pomp and power, he preserved his saintly
life ; and for the last 400 years o** so, he has exercised greater in-
fluence on the Tamil people than any other great poet. It is fitting
therefore that the people of Trichinopoly should be the first to

228

STDDHANTA DEE TIIC A.

Commemorate his name. He praised the earnest efforts oF a ha nd
of young men who have undertaken the ta*k aldy seconded by
M. R. ltv. Ramasaini Chettiar. the talented Trustee ot Tiiiru vanai •
kovil and the soul of every good movement in Trichinopoly.
Mr. Nallasami Filial concluded with an earnest appeal to those
present to help to complete the building as soon as possible. At the
close of the proceedings a group photo was also taken.

The following address was read on the occasion as wel^
a s the memorial verse.

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A MATALaYA FOR ST. THAYCMANAVAfc.

229

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THE

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

OR

The Light of Truth.

A Monthly Journal, devoted, to Religion, Philosophy, Literature, Science, fyc.,

C ouwww d O* the Queen's Commemoration Day, 1897.

Vol. VIII NOVEMBER 1007 No 8

gagg gggg ~ ~ - ■ ■ - - II

THE TODAS : THEIR ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES. V.

(Continued, from page 219 of Volume VIII.)

The mands that are generally situated in such well-selected
picturesque spots usually comprise five (5) buildings or huts, three
of which are used as dwellings , one as a dairy or temple and the other
for sheltering the calves at night. Besides there is also a fuel or
sk circular enclosure built of stones within which the buffaloes are
kept at night. This enclosure is genei-ally surrounded by a low wall
of loose stones and is provided with an entrance guarded by powerful
wooden stakes, so that the cattle may not stray away. The calf-
house is a small thatched shed without any mark of stability and
intended only to afford a temporary shelter from wind and weather
fco the young ones until they become strong enough to join their
’parents in the common tuel. Excepting these, the dwelling huts
and the dairy are generally more solidly built) and their plan of
construction is quits uniform throughout the Nilgiris, wherever
the Todas have settled. With the solitary exception of the house
of a Toda headman pointed out to the writer in what is called the
Governor Shola to the wejt of Ootacamund, — a house which bears
*11 the marks of the higher civilisation of the advanced town.folk,
■up© run posed upon the primitive notions of an ancient hill -t ribs—
with brickwalls, windows, doorways, frames and all, in right mo-
dern fashion, together with dimunitive dimensions and dark cham-
bers, all the huts of the Todas are of one pattern throughout

232

SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA.

and are constructed of the same materials. In general appea-
rance these dwelling huts resemble small hay-stakes in groups of
three or four. An excellent miniature is kept in the Ethnological
Section of the Madras Museum, and those who cannot see the ori-
ginal can forma no less accurate idea of a Todahut from this speci-
men. Shortt, in his Tribes on the Neilgheiries, which is perhaps the
earliest aud the most accurate account of the Toda people,
writes:— “Theso huts are dwellings forming a peculiar kind of oval
pent-shaped construction, usually 10 feet high, 18 feet long, and 9
feet broad. The entrance or doorway into this building measures
32 inches in height and 18 in width and is not provided with any
door or gate; but the enti’ance is closed by means of a solid slab or
plank of wood from 4 to G inches thick, and of sufficient dimensions
to entirely block up the entrance. This sliding door is iuside the
hut, and so arranged and fixed on two stout stakes buried in the
earth and standing to the height of 2 1/2 to 3 feet, as to be easily
moved to and fro. There are no other opening or outlets of any
kind either for the oscape of smoke or for the free ingress or
egress of atmospheric air. The door itself is of such small dimen-
sions, that to effect an entrance, one has to g© down on all fours
and even then much wrigglingtis necessary before an entrance
can bo effected. The houses are neat in appearance, and are built
of bamboo closely laid together, fastened with rattan, and covered
with thatch, which renders them water-tight. Each building has
an end walling before and behind, composed of solid blocks of
wood and the sides are covered in by the pent-roofing which
slopes down to tho ground. The front wall or planking contains
the entrance or door-way. The inside oE a hut is from 8 to 15
feet square and is sufficiently high in the middle to admit of a tall
man moving about with comfort. On one side there is a raised
platform or pial formed of clay, about 2 feet high and covered with
aanabre or bufEaloe skins, or sometimes with a mat. This platform
is used as a sleeping placo. On the opposite sido is a fireplace- and
a slight elevation on which the cooking ntex.sils are placed. IuT
this part of the building faggots of firewood are seen piled up from
floor to roof and secured iu their placo by loops of rattan. Here

THE TODAS: TIIEIil ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES.

233

also tlio rieeponnder or pestle is fixed. The mortor is formed by a
hole dug in the ground 7 to 9 inches deep and rendered hard by con-
stant use. The other household goods consist of 3 or 4 brass di-
shes or plates, several bamboo measures, and sometimes a hatchet.
In one hut I found an old table knife, two empty beer bottles and
a broken goglefc. .Each hut or dwelling is snrronuded by an en-
closure or wall formed of loose stones piled op 2 to 3 feet high and
includes a space or yard measuring 1 3 by 10 feet ”

Tho above description is fairly complete by itself and does
not require much by way of snpplement. Only the dimensions of
the hats given therein would seem to be mnch larger than what
are actually found to be the case now-a-days. It i9 rare to find at
present any hut 18 feet long. It is in such capacious dwellings
the Todns* live and multiply, and not infrequently yon can see a single
hut providing accommodation for a whole family consisting of sevo-
ral members, — brothers, sisters, sons, daughters Jpid a brood of
children! It is no doubt a matter for wonder how so many persons
manage to find room in such a limited area and escape suffocation
withal. During the day time, except in foul weather or the mon-
soon season, the men, women and children do not confine them-
selves to their huts, but wander about freely in the open air. It is
ouly during the nights the huts are packed to their ntmost capa-
city, and the inmates must necessarily huddle themselves together
without regard of age or sex. Originally the raised platforms in-
side the bats should have been mount for sleeping places; but when
the family is fast multiplying and the inmates are growing in num-
ber, accomodation grows less and every available inch is turned to
account- It is thus the housing question of the Toda is, every day,
tending to become a most pressing problem; and elsewhere we
point out how this difficulty along with several others of a more
serious nature worked its way to seek romedv, for a complex socio-
logical problem, in the relentless expedient of infanticide. Some-
times, even these small dwellings are divided by a solid partition
in the middle into twe smaller huts with separate openings for each,
for the residence of two different families, and the second opening
is more generally made in out of the sides of the hub.

234

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

It will he useful to consider here whether this peculiar system
of house-building is original to tlie Toda or whether any influences
have been at work in developing the system. The only people,
who, if at all, could have exercised any kind ot‘ influence over the
Toda in the matter of house-building are the Kotas and the Bada-
gas. The dwellings of the former are so very unlike those of the
Tod as and so graceless and unsystematic as not to lead one to
entertain e ven the least suspicion of any manner of influence.
Besides, the Todas have always an eye for utility and will not copy
or adopt anything alien unless convinced of its comparative
superiority. The inferior structures of the Kotas would never
have produced any impression upon them. Nor did the Badaga
method of construction, which was in every way decidedly superior
to the Todas, work any change in their primitive methods of house
construction. It must also he remembered that the Todas were
the earliest settlers on the hills and as such, had developed their
methods long before the arrival of the other tribes. They had,
therefore, not much to copy from the latter arrivals who, in their
turn, began to make fresh alterations and improvements demanded
by the new conditions of soil and climate, on the methods brought
with them from their original homes. Excepting the single ins-
tance mentioned above, — which must more correctly be ascribed to
the recent influence of modern settle] s — the example of tho
Badagas does not seem to have produced any change in the Toda
Mouse-construction. Tt is therefore not unreasohable to suppose
that each of these three people — the Todas, the Kotas aud the
Badagas — brought with them severally from their original homes,
wherever those may be, their own peculiar independent systems of
house-building which underwent development and modifications in
their own lines according as the climate and surroundings of the
adopted soil forced them. Thus the Todas would seem, at the
beginning, to have brought with them a national system of
constructing dwellings or huts, a system in which an ignorance
of the art of makiag bricks or rais.ng a durfble wall with the help
of natural or artificial stones, a partiality to give a rounded appea-
rauce to their dwellings helplessness to tide over the difficulty of

THE TODAS : THELR ORIGIN AND AFFINITIES.

235

providing suitable openings such as windows and doors and above
all an utter want of artifice to provide themselves with high and
roomy abodes, even in a place where there is no lack of space — all
these characteristics would stand out most conspicuously and not
unreasonably suggest one of their possibly having been once a race
of cave-dwellers. Taking them to be of such a race or perhaps a
little advanced in the arc of providing shelter for themselves, it is
easy to trace the further developments in their art soon after
their settlement on the Nilgiris. The first and foremost thing that
would have drawn their attention would be the severity of tire cold.
Whether originally they knew any thiug of the rudiments of the
art of honse -building or not, the climate of the regions they settled
in» as well as the monsoon, would have driven them to the impera-
tive necessity of seeking shelter or providing themselves with some
kind of abode. It is again to obviate the difficulty of cold blasts
that they seom to have taken care to leave no other openiug except
a doorway and that too so small as to render exit or entry an
extremely uncomfortable operation. Finding their devices answer
well their requirements, and the interior always warm and cosy
they kept up to their method and the different ev stems of the
subsequent settlers failed to produce any effect upon them. The
difficulty the Todas generally experience in repaying or building
huts and their commonly indolent nature are also forces to be
reckoned with. It is therefore not wrong to hold that the Toda
method of constructing dwellings is peculiarly their own and is the
natural outcome of the influence of environment uppn a simple
folk in a low stage of civilisation, who were not advanced even so
far as to know the use of metals. That they have not borrowed in
the art of house bnilding, anything from other people with whom
they came in contact is also sufficiently clear.

The dairy or temple of the village is, in all respects, a building
similar to the dwelling huts, composed of the same materials, but
perhaps a little larger in dimensions and situated a little removed
from them. It usually contains two compartments, separated by a
centre planking, the outer one of which is the dwelling place of
the palal (dairy man) who is aiso the prieBfc of the temple. The

2)6

SIDDHANTA DEF1IKA.

inner apartment is the veal dairy or temple and contains the ghee,
jnilk and cards that are daily produced. These are kept in separate
vessels generally made of big bamboo tubes. It is there: also the
bells, the sacred objects of the Tod as are linng up on the side of
the hut. There is a halo of sacredness pervading about the dairy
in the mind of the Toda. The place itself on which it stands is
held to be consecrated ground, and strangers are never permitted
to approach it for fear of incurring the displeasure of the deity
presiding therein. Females are strictly excluded from it, and the
only persons who are free to go near it are the boys and youths of
the family. Tiie person of the palal is inviolable and ho is prohibi-
ted from having anything to do with the other Todas or even
strangers. Even speech is not permitted to him. The milk pails
within the dairy are also sacred articles; but the bells are the most
sacred of all, which are attached to the necks of certain chosen
buffaloes once a year and worshipped. But as the ceremonies con-
nected with the initiation of the palal kaoalal, and the worship of
the bells will be fully described later on, we have only to speak
here of the construction of the dairy. There is no raised platform
inside, the ground being level, and a firo place at one end is per-
haps required for the dairy operations. There is also an outer
protecting wall round the building, an! the environs are’kept scrupu-
lously clean. Sometimes, one or twe plants loaded with sweet-smelling
flowers fill the air with fine fragrance and add to the veneration and
sacredness of the temple and the locality on which it Btands.

Mention has already been made of the stone enclosures or
cattlepens situated near the dwelling houses in a mand. These are
generally of such dimensions as to hold completely the herd be-
longing to a hamlet- A hollow is scooped out of the earth some-
what in the form of a large circle and the extremities are lined

with loose stones and boulders bo as to form a sufficiently high
barricade into which the herd is driven in aud the entrance
blocked by powerful wooden beams. The whole night they are kept
within andassoou asit is morning they are let outand taken to graze. _

M. JIVAKATNAM.

(To be continued)

MV SCHOOL.

237

Hail to thee, parent of the mind !

Thou Bani s sacred power, hail !

Whatever in me is refined,

What noble motives fill my sail,

A deathless spring whence bliBa doth flow,
Unto thy bounty all I owe.

Thou, moulder of my inner frame !

Wert never, thou a structure cold
Of lifeless clay so reared. I claim
Thou art in truth a being souled,

A being of unbounded might,

Destined the darksome maze to light.

Thy turrets high as learning rise.

And chide the changing summer sky ;

The bending coward they despise
Stern emblems they of liberty ;

Higher and higher they bid me climb
And scorn the world of sin and crim.\

Thy mighty spirit lives in thco
And gives thy front its dignity,

That silent lessons taught by thee
Seem solemn mandates of the high,

When thoughts all hushed, the open miud
Reposes to thy power resigned.

When, like the wand ’ring summer cloud, —
In learning's vast and pathless vale.

At random I enchanted roved,

And listened to the pausing gale
That lisped romances undefined,

Thou wert the pilot c 1‘ my mind.

MY SCHOOL.

The lovely nymph, sweet Poetry
Of thought’s bright rainbow born,

Her sprightly face I knew through thee,

Nor ever more have felt forlorn;

She oft did meet me in that vale
And soothe me with her charming tale.

Her dwelling is the golden bower
The gilded clouds of evening make ;

Her voice is in the vernal shower
That bids the drowsy greenwood wake ;

On lightning’s wings through storm and rain
She flashes to her fairy reign.

E’er since I knew, her life has be^n
A journey in the fairy land :

The darkest storms though biting keen,
Have still snng hope at her command,
In wild yet Bolenm harmony,

Nor howled me into misery.

One other gift I owe to thee,

O blessed nurse of infant soul,

And nor didst thou that gavest me
Tho fount whence soft delight doth roll,
Forget the Censor’s grave control,

Lest honeyed rills should drown my soul.

Still, like the dawn whose golden light
Enlivens the benighted East,

Shine on a world of sonls, their night
Dispel and give them heavenly feast,
That they more near to Him may grow
From whom did ones their being flow.

“ Poetic Child”

WHAT SHALL WE EAT.

280

WHAT SHALL WE EAT ?*

By. C. B. Rama Rao, M. D, Assistant Professor in
Madras Medical College.

Foods consist of four Proximate principles : Proteids, Carbo-
hydrates, Fats and Inorganic Salts, and water.

*

The Fats can be derived either from she animal or the vegeta-
ble kingdom, but the Carbohydrates and organic Salts are derivable
almost entirely from the vegetable kingdom. This latter fact was
brought heme to our minds, when sailors, in the early part of the
last century, died in large numbers of Scurvy, a disease produced
by a want in the system of organic Salts, such as the citrates, the
tartrates and the malates, which are derived from fresh vegetables
and are necessary to enable the organism to carry on those in-
cessant changes essential to life, and collectively termed metabolism.
It is obvious, therefore, that a man subsisting on vegetable food alone
can derive from it all the nourishment he needs h whereas a man living
on flesh foods alone cannot maintaiu his body for any length of thna
without resorting to vegetable food.

Is Man n Carnivorous Animal ? '

From the study of the teeth and the stomach of man, attempts
have been made to prove that he was destined to live on mixed
food consisting of animal and vegetable substances. But more
carefal scrutiny shows that the !%pe of teeth and organs in man is
the same as that of the vegetarian anthropoid apes and mon-
keys, which in the scale of complexity of structure, come nearest
to man.

7 he Hindu's Definition of “ Vegetarianism . ,r

If I were asked to define Vegetarianism, I would say that it is
a method of living which deprecates the killing of animals.

We, in India, go even farther. Our reiupte ancestors were
flesh-eaters, bat as religion and spirituality developed, they recog-
nised that flesh food was uncongenial and degrading. The upper
classes in the North gave up flesh, bnt not fish. Those in the south,
who number hundreds of thousands, eschew flesh, fish, and even

* Note from a lcotare delivered at Dnblin in Jane h tt, under the aaepioea of

the Iriisli Veiretarinn Society.

240

SIDDHANTA DEEPIlvA.

eggs, although they use milk and its products, such as butter,
butter-milk, cream &c.

Settling the Question of Cruelty Done to Balls, Cows
and Calves by the Users of Milk.

The moral responsibility felt by the users of milk towards the
animal that gives it is shown by the special care aud attention which
the cow and the calf receive in the humblest Hindu dwelling?.
They are cleaned, fed and otherwise looked after better than the
pet race-horse in the stable of an aristocrat.

Are Animal Products Necessary for Man?

It is altogether another question whether these by-products
are absolutely necessary. Both physiology aud the experience of
India prove that they are not. The peasant and the cultivator,
though not prohibited by religion from using animal food, yet, as a
matter of fact, in ninety-nine case? out of every hundred, live on
vegetarian food almost from year’s end to year’s end. Firstly, they
are not partial to animal food, and, secondly, they cannot afford it,
as it is much more costly to buy flesh than to buy flour or grain.
These cultivators are too poor to buy milk and butter. It is a
luxury reserved for festive occasions. Cheap vegetable oils, such
as the Gingili oil and Cocoanut oil, supply them with fat.

The Natural Physiological Balance of Food Elements.

Jnst as Nature supplies the vital element of oxvgen in a dilute
condition in the atmosphere, so we 6nd the proteid of food diluted
witha varying but large proportion of starch in the numerous ce-
reals or grains.

Does Vegetarian Diet support the Mental Powers?

It cannot be contended that animal food does not make men
more intelligent than does a vegetable diet, for the Brahmins of
South India, who do not even use eggs ; haveishown themselves not
a poor rnartch for the Europeans.

Cambridge University records that in spite of great religious,
social and pecuniary disadvantages, a number of strict vegetarians
from India have acquitted themselves creditably, while several
have become Senior W ranglera.

WHAT SHALL WE EAT.

341

I liAve witnessed a Pandit go through the performance
of seven simaltaneoas mental acts and, there are other and even
more startling kinds of mental processes, degrees of concentration
and clearness of mental activity which can be shown by scores of
Indian scholars who do not know a word of any European language.
This is an example of intellect reared on vegetarian fare. I wish I
were competent to show you at least a glimpse of the thoughts, rea-
sonings and deductions in the region of philosophy, in which English
and Semi an thinkers, like Monier Williams and Sir Edwin Arnold,
say Indians excel. Those who are spiritually inclined will find
abundant food for reflection aud assimilation in the Sacred Books
of the East, expounding the Unitarian Philosophy of Sankara, or
the Dualism of Kaminga — both of which are vegetarian.

Vegetarian Diet ami Physical Powers.

It may be said that Vegetarian food, though, sufficient and
efficient for intellectual purposes, is not equal to developing the
muscle- This doubt where it shall exist, is easily expelled by wat-
ching the phenomenal strength of elephants, who can, by their
trunks uproot trees which require dozens of men to lift. What
animal can lift the weights carried by the grass-eating camel? What
carnivorous animal can excel in swiftness or elegance, the lightning-
like flashes of the stag ? Thinking of men themselves, are not most
farmers, at least in India vegetarians? Does not the Brahmin youth
in school games and athletic sports often take the first or second
place in a crowd of mixed competitors? Has not the Madras U. C.
Cricket team, chiefly composed of Hindoos, given a beating several
times to the English team in their own national game? I could go
on multiplying instances, bat the few cited ought to be enongh to
convince any unprejudiced mind.

Take your stand opposite a butchers shop, and then quickly
pass on and contrast the appearance of this and a fruiterer s shop.
You cannot escape the goro and filth, the grease and hideousness
of the one, nor fail to be attracted by the pleasant flavour, and the
delicate and the sweet aroma of the fruits which greet yon; and
even if you are naturally morose, they send a wave of pleasant and
exhilarating sensations which seem intended by Nature to raise and
purify our minds.

242

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

We next pass to the kitchen. Nay, we need not even enter it.
A joint is being roasted and the penetrating and sickening odour
is enough to give a headache even to a flesh-eater. Contrast this
with the smells and sight of a vegetarian kitchen.

Objections Raised Against Vegetarianism.

It is said that in the Arctic Zone vegetable cannot be pro-
duced, Surely if men can live there, vegetables can grow there.
Man wraps himself in the woollen clothing and has artificial heart
at the fireside. Glass houses artificially heated can surely grow
green vegetables and grains, and wheat flour Ac can be carried
there and stored for years. This keeping property of dry grains,
without its undergoing putrefaction, is yet an additional proof that
Nature intends that we should live on grains.

It is said that a purely vegetarian diet is indigestible. Do all
people in India suffer from indigestion, or does dyspepsia bulk
more largely in the hospital registers in India than in Europe? It
is one of those gratuitous epithets flung carelessly by the uncritical
mind.

It may be that some flesh-eaters, adopting a vegetarian diet,
may suffer to a slight extent, but the human organism is so consti-
tuted that it can adapt itself to any surroundings, otherwise how
can you explain the fact that the hundred and odd Indian students
who were born and bred in places where the thermometer stands
in the shade higher than bipod heat throughout the great part of
the year, are able to stand the Scottish winter as well as the Scotch-
men themselves? The excess of heat can only scorch tlio surface
and darken Lhe skin, bat it cannot, alter human nature.

Thre'e Dentists for 5,( 0,000 Inhabitants !

In investigating diet, it would be interesting to enquire how it
is that the teeth of moil here are so often and so widely diseased,
while the vegetarian Indians suffer so little from bad toetli.
Madras, for instance, with her 500,000 inhabitants supports but
three dentists, while hero one soems to be necessary for every lane
I think the use of animal food is partly the cause of it.

Effect of a Flesh Diet on the Craving for Stimulants.

I must also raise my voice against flesh eating, because a.flosh
-diet tends to create an appetite for liquor which is a poison and not
a drink. Water is consequently despised by the flesh-eater, as waS
shown by tho deck-attendant, who replied, when I asked for water*
“ Gentlemen don't drink water,”

— The Herald of Health.

THE V4NI VILASA SABHA OF TIRUPAPULIYbR. 348

THE VANI VILASA 6ABHA OF TIRUPAPULIYUR.

The 3rd Anniversary Celebration.

The third anniversary of this useful institution was celebrated
with great eclat on 13th Oct last under the presidency of
Mr. J. M. Nallaswami Pillai. Avl. The Hall of Gnaniar Matam
was crowded and among them were present Mr. V. Sankariah
Naida, Zemindar, Rao Bahadur M. Arnmngam Pillai, Dy. Collector
Rao Bahadur Mariappa Moodaliar, District Registi-ar, Mr. Abraham
Pandithar of Tanjore. Mr. Sabroyalu Reddiar. Municipal (Chair-
man, Mr, Ponnus»nii Mudaliar, English Head Clerk of the Collec-
tor s office, and other leading Vakils and citizens. The proceedings
were begun by the chanting of Devara Hymns and then the report
was read by the Secretary Mr. Kuppusanri Chettiar, which
disclosed a most satisfactory record of progress. There were 57
meetiugs held during the year which meant that there was a lecture
in every week of the year. The subjects chosen for the lectures
were cosmopolitan in their nature, comprising both religions,
moral and industrial themes. The Society possesses a library consis-
ting of 415 Volumes and is subscribing lor a number of Tamil and
English Magazines. The society collected about 215 Rsin the Bhape
of subscriptions and the expenditure was slightly in excess of receipts,
which showed in what direction the improvement was necessary.
At the anniversary meeting, Mr. Venkatasami Mndaliar, Huzur
Sherishtadar of Tinnevelly gave expression to a “few thoughts on
English and Tamil" and pleaded strongly for a greater interchange
of thoughts between the Pandits of the east and Pandits of the west.
Mr. Tillaiu*yagam Mndaliar of Chidambaram, an young and
earnest student of Tamil and Tamil philosophy spoke on Bhakti,
in a few well chosen sentences. Pandit Ganapathi Sastrigal lectured
on ‘the existence of God.’ The most interesting lecture of the
evening was the one given by the Head of the Gnaniar Matam, in
which the Society is located, on Dravida Vedam. As the time was
limited he could not do full justioe to the subject and the lec-
ture so far as it went ’ ’as replete with considerable learning. The
cha.irmn.n in concluding the proceedings, made a few remarks on
each of the subjects discussed ftt the meeting, and showed by the

244

SlDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

incident of the miracle performed by saints Gnanasftmbantha and
Appar at Vedaraniam. how the Devaram Hymns etc earned the
title of Veda, and how the actual miracle performed by these
acharyas in throwing open the door of learning and religion
enshrined in the Sanskrit Vedas called i£>eax> (concealed) in Tamil, to
the masses at large was a greater one than the mere opening of two
tiny gates; and it was by these they were able to stem the tide of
atheistic creeds like those of Bnddhism and jainism and drive
them out of the country altogether. He congratulated the Society
on the good work shown by it, and praised in fitting terms, the
Gnaniar, Srila Sri, Siva Shanmuka Meignana Sivachaiya Swamigal,
who is the soul oE this movement- He appealed to the public also
to support the Society with adequate funds to enable it to extend
its usefulness to its fullest extent. The Vivekananda Society of
Colombo is carrying on a systematic study of Siddhanta Sastras, and
the Vani Vilasa Sabha is doing equally good work by means of its
public lectures, and we wish the other associations in the Tamil
land will emulate them and show greater enthusiasm in their work.

REVIEWS.

The Tamilian Antiquary :

This is the first publication of the Tamilian Archaslogical Society
founded some years ago and the publication is rather a belated
one. We can very well appreciate the regret of the Secretaries
but it is to be hoped that they will 6how greater promptitude in
their future publications. It is to be hoped also that they will put
some more life into the Society by arranging series of lectures in
different parts of the Presidency and by arranging for meetings of
the Society itself.

The present number contains interesting series of original
articles relating to Tamilian antiquity and literature. Our old
friend Pandit D. Savariroyan contributes a paper on the Bharata
land or Dravidian India, and Mr. V. J. Tamby Pillai a paper on „
the Solar and Lunar races of India. The Pandit haa added notes
on the relations of the Pandavas and the Tamilian kings’ and ‘on
the etymology of the words Chera and Kerala. Students desirous

REVIEW?.

346

of acquainting themselves with the existing rather scanty materials
relating to Tamilian antiqnity will find them collected in these
papers together with the conclusions arrived at by these writers, and
we hope other students might be indncod to work in the same Geld
which is a thoroughly new one. Mr. K. G. flesh a Iyer of Tre-
v and mm . a noted Tamil Scholar has contributed a translation of
ode no 2 from the Purananurn. The Poem refers to r acient Chera
King Peram Chotru Udiyan Cheralathan so called for his having
fed the contending forces of the Mahabharata War. Mr Kesha Iyer
after pointing oat bow ancient this poem most be, remarks, that the
Tamil poem exhibits an aptness of language and a Btyle, perfect
for grace, terseness and suggestiveneas that cannot possibly be re
produced in a translation. To appreciate them and to realise the
excellence attained by Tamil poetries even in that remote age the
reader should go to the original itself.

The number before us is very valuable, and we hope
the future numbers would be made as interesting. The publi-
cation is wholly in English and is priced 8 as. And it can be had of
the Secretaries, Pandit D. Savariroyan M R. A. S. Trichinopoly
or Mr. T. Bhaktavatsalam B.A. Pur&sapakam, Madras

Brikantae Bashya on the Brahma sutras in Tamil.

By Kan Vast S. Ssnthinalha Iyer of Tiruparankundrum.

Part I Price Re 2.

It is with great pleasure we welcome this publication. Our
readers know that the English Translation of this most important
and earliest of the Bhashyas has been published and completed
in our pages. And oar venerable Pandit lias been working hard
over this Tamil Translation for a long time and we are glad that it
the Tamil Translation has seen the light of the day. This Bashya is
of paramount importance to all SaivaSiddhantis, and of the greatest
authority. Our S&ntana Achariy as have all made use of it and a study
of it will show at once the antiqnity and importance of our Saiva Re-
ligion and philosophy. The first part before ns contains 184 pages
nearly the whole o 1 it is taken up by an elaborate and learned
nlrodnotion by the Transistor. There is a note on the Bashya-
charyaSri Hilakanta, and in the npakramanika of the Upanishad

246

SIDDHANTA DEEPlKA.

there is an exhaustive collection of upanishad texts on the various
topics discussed iu the Bashya together with an enquiry into then-
meaning and interpretation. Then there is another introduction to the
Brahma Sutras themselves followed by a summary of the contents of
the various Adhyayas, Padas and adikaranas. Then is commenced
the translation of the Bashya itself, with extracts from Appajadi-
kshitas Sivarkamani Deepika, and foot notes. We hope the publica-
tion will be largely patronized as it deserves to be, to enable the
translator to bring out the other parts as soon as possible. Our people

owe a deep debt of gratitude to the Venerable Translator for the
enormous labour and learning which he has bestowed on this great
work.

KUMANA CHARITP.AM.

By M. ft. Kandaaami Kaviroyer of Madura ,

4

Most people are familiar with the story of King Kutnana and
the popular lines Qsn£\u rSuiSS-o but few know

that the story is to be found in the poems of Purananuru itself,
which is not merely a well of Tamil undefiled but is at the same time
a store house of ancient classical history. Several of these histories
in the Purananuru have come into popular tradition
and the present story is one of such; and for the pathetic nature of
the story, and the nobility and liberality of King Kumana, and the
greatness of the Poet Peruntalai Chattannr, the story is the unsur-
passed. The Pura-naunru contains stories of other Poets such as
Kabila who acted as arbiters of contending Kings, but there is
greater romance incroduced in the story of Kumana than in any
other. The present work had the honor of being read
at the anniversary of the Madura Tamil Sangam and ef having had
the approval of the assembled Pandits, uuder the Presidency of
Malta Mahopadhyaya V. Swaminatha Iyer. It contains a
learned introduction by Mr. S. Saminatha Iyer, Secretary of the
Madura Sangam in English, and there is also one in Tamil by Mr.
M. S. Subramauiya Kaviroyer of Tinnevelly Hindu College The
book is priced at 8 as. and should become popular. It is in Tamil
verae and give the whole story of King Kumana as gathered from the
existing verses in Purananuru and popular tradition and is embellish-
ed with beautiful ideas and thoughts by this gifted poet of Madura,
the verses are smooth and flowing and intelligible to the ordinary
reader too; and it iB poetry like this and Koinbi Viruttam that are
wanted for popular reading and recreation. And we only wish that
more books like this are published from time to time.

India and the Apostle Thomas- *

JT IB NOW NEARLY TWO YEARS SINCE THAT VERY INTERESTING AND

valuable production, “ India and the Apostle Thomas” by Dr.
Medlycott, vnachod tlio Indian Press. Most favourable wore tbc
notices which appeared then, welcoming this great work. Wo
have however abstained till now from offering any comments on
Dr. Medlycctt’s book, as, claiming as we- have always done, to
possess in onr midst the toinb of this Blessed Apostle, our object
naturally was to see first bow far the mass of historical and tradi-
tional evidence so industriously collected and critically examined
by Dr. Medlycott and the conclusions arrived at by the learned
author, would be contested or disputed by thoso who approached
the subject with an open mind, or even with prejudice. • It is
gratifying to note that so far we have not seen any objection raised
which can be said to bo of sufficient weight to shake the evidonco
brought forward by Dr. Medlycott in support of the traditional
belief that St. Thomas did visit India and preach the Gospol
here, and that lie waB martyred in Southern India and was buried
at Mylapore.

The maiu thing was to collect evidcnco to establish tho
connection of the Apostle with /«//<«, that is India proper as wo
known it now, and Southern India in particular, sinco there has
been much speculation os to tho couutry the ancient writers
relorred to as India. Even after tho publication of his book, Dr.
Modlycott had himself to come forward and answer a “Critic"
who raised certain issues as to this point in tho columns of the The
F' tivtiner of Bombay. Dr. Modlycott pointed oat that tho principle
ho followed was to tako tho term “ Judin”, when mentioned in tho
r.wOvds i, acted by him, to refer to India proper, unloss clear and
brhicieut ovuleuco was brought to show that the reference was to

• I'iiie critiqno originally ’-ritten for and published in The Co.fhtu.ic Rigutcr of
Sun Tiio-.i", r}it' oivmi of tho Diocnn which claims to possess the oripiml Wmb of
tho Apostle Thomas is now re-published, with such modifiiAtionn os scorned necessary,
in lay prcsuiiL journal, iu ~hc hope that it may lead it* further research among
Llr:i s-idiaii sources liVclv tc throw morr *ig’r:l oa this n fii'-crceimc’ subject.

24ft

KIDDI1 ANTA DEEPIKA.

Bomo other country to which the writer applied the term for want
of better geographical knowledge. Accordingly when evidence of
this nature was found in the case of certain alleged Apostles of
India, Dr. Medlycott argued that the Apostolic men referred to
had not preached the Faith in India. Until, therefore, similar
evidence can be produced to show that some other place was
meant, the term “ India”, used in the large mass of documents
referred to by Dr. Medlycott in his book in proof of St. Thomas’
connection with India, must be taken to refer to India proper.

A little before Dr. Medlycott published his book, the Preface
to which is dated May 1905, an article appeared in the Journal of
the Royal Asiatic Society for April of that year on “St. Thomas
and Gondophernes” by J. F. Fleet, j. c. s. (Retd,), rn. d., c. i. £ .
The writer here summed up the results of an investigation under-
taken by Mr. Philipps in the Indian Antiquary from Western
sources of information, and supplemented Mr, Philipps’ work by
an examination of an item obtained from Eastern sources in the
way of corroboration of the Western tradition.

Mr. Fleet briefiy summarised the earlier traditional state-
ments given by Mr. Philipps, such as those of St. Ephraem
(a. d. 300-378;, Eusebius (Bishop of Caesarea Palaestiuae
(a. d. 315-310), the statement made by the Clementine Recogni-
tions (about a . d. 210) and the foller tradition found iu the Acts
of St. Thomas, as specially pointing to the fact that a Christian
tradition, current in Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Asia Minor, and all
those parts as far as Italy, and connecting St. Thomas with
Parthia and “ India”, und with two Indian kings, whom it
specifically names, is traceable back to, at any rate, the third or
fourth century of the Christian era, and perhaps to the second
quarter of the third century. As, however, the Christian tradi-
tion taken in its details and in its external bearings woaid seem to
require corroboration of 6ome kind or other from external sources,
Mr. Fleet pointed out that the required corroboration has been
found in coins which from 1834 onwards have been obtained from
lieghram in the vicinity of Kabul, from Pathankot in the Gurdas-
pur district of the Punjab on the North-east of Amritsar, from

IX m A AND THE APOSTLE THOMAS.

249

Kandahar, and from various places in Sindh and Seiaten. But
again as these coins arc Dot dated and there was further wanted
an opigraphic record which should present a date in some era
capable of being recognised as a date of Gondophernes and adapt*
able to the tradition, it has happened, as Mr. Fleet remarks, that
this desideratum was at length supplied bj the discovery io, or
alxmt, 1857 of what is known as the Takht-i-Bahi inscription,
which is now in the Lahore Museum. We need cot pursue the
investigation undertaken by Mr. Fleet in connection with these
coins and the inscription, as Dr. Medlycott himself deals exhaus-
tively with them in the first chapter of his book. Suffice it to
note that it is satisfactory to find that so well-koown an authority
on the ancient history and antiquities of India, as Mr. Fleet, should
have also arrived at the conclusion that tho evidence so far is strongly
suggestive of the fact that there is an actual basis for the
tradition in historical reality, and that St. Thomas did proceed to
the East, and did visit the courts of two kings reigning there, of
whom one was the Gudnphara-Gondophernes of the Takht-i-Bahi
inscription and the coins, who judging from the wide range of the
localities from which the coins were obtained, Mr. Fleet remarks,
was evidently a powerful ruler of an extensive territory, which
included as a part of it, much more of India than simply a portion
of tho Peshawar district. As to tho other Mr. Fleet thinks that
tho suggestion made by M. Sylvain Levi to take the name Maz-
dai, mentioned in tho Acts of St. Thomas as the King in whose
dominions he brought his apostolic labours to a close by receiving
the martyrs' crown, as a transformation of a Hindu name, made on
Iranian soil aod under Mazdeau influences, and arrived at
through the forms Bazodeo, Bazdeo, Bazodeo, Bazdeo, which
occur in Greek legends on coins, and to identify the person with
the King Vasudeva of Mathura, a successor of Kanishka, as not
uu reasonable. But be admits that it is not a matter of the same
certainty as in the case of King Gondopliares, and that it is
possible that other conclusions might be formed in respect of the
name Mazdai, cither by means of Persian history, or legend, or in
any other way. In fact Dr. Medlyoott puts forward a more
reasonable suggestion and we shall refer to it later on.

250

S! DIM l ANT A DKKP1KA.

Thos while admitting that there is an actual basm in
historical reality i : or the tradition regarding St. Thomas’ connec-
tion with India, Mr. Fleet would, however, limit the tr:>rfvi>-:Vd
by St. Thomas to Northern India. Now, Mr. Fleet promises his
investigation by stating that whereas the Christian tradition
represents St. Thomas the Apostle as. the Missionary to India and
Parthia, by the term “ India” we are not necessarily to understand
simply the country which we now call India; that ns used by-
ancient writers the term denoted the wholo of the South-eastern
part of Asia, on the south of the Himalaya Mountains, and on the
east of a line running from about the centre of the Hindukush down
along or close on the west of the Snlaiman Range to strike the coast
of the Arabian Sea on the west of the mouths of tho Indus; that it
thus included our India, with Burma, Siam, Cochin-China, tho Malay
Peninsula, and the islands of the Indian Archipelago, and with
also that portion of Afghanistan, which lies between Kabul and
Peshawar. And yet with regard to the India which is mentioned
in the fuller tradition abstracted by him Mr. Fleet says it might
easily have been a territory of which the principal components lay
in Afghanistan and Belnchistan and which embraced in our India
only the Punjab strictly so called and tho western parts of Sindh.
It is not surprising therefore to find, with reference to the state-
ments which assert that the place at which St. Thomas was
martyred was called Kalamina and that the traditions of tho
Christians of the Malabar Coast p 1 oco the scene of the martyrdom
at Mylapore, that Mr. Fleet should remark that with these matters
we are not here concerned beyond noting the point that there is
no evidence at all that ihe place where St. Thomas was martyred
was anywhere in Southern India, that any statement to that effect
cannot be traced back beyond the Middle Ages and that all the
real indications point in quite another direction.

It is not clear, however, why, if, as Mr. Fleet says, the term
India as nsed by ancient writers included so wide an area as to
take in Burma, Siam and other Eastern tracts, he should, in connec-
tion with the tradition relating to St. ’Thomas, wish to limit the term

I NOT A AND THE APOSTLE THOMAS.

25 L

to the North- 'Western portion of the tract described, to the exclusion
of Sou thorn India, wliich local traditions so strongly connect
with St. Thomas. Wo certainly find it difficult to understand
Mr. Fleet’s bia3 here, except that it ib derived from accepting
Mr. Philipps’ conclusions.

Mr. Philipps’ bias, judging from a perusal of his articles in the
huli-an Antiquary of January and April 1903, would seem to go
further, lor he limits the tracts visited by St. Thomas only to “an
* India’ which included the Indus Valley, but nothing to the East
or South gf it.” Why not? “Because”, Mr. Philipps would
apparently answer, “there is no evidence”. Now, both Mr.
Philipps and Mr. Fleet have admitted the historical value of the
Act3 of St. Thomas, at any rate so far at least as they relate to the
movements of the Apostle. On page 6 of the Indian Antiquary
for January 1903, Mr. Philipps, while summarizing the movements
of St. Thomas, quotes the words from the Seventh Act where St.
Thomas is eaid to have preached “throughout all India” and
makes the comment that “this might imply a number of years”.
Is not this a strange suggestion to moke ? Why should words
clearly indicating place and extent have any reference to or imply
time or period ? If then, as Mr. Fleet admits, the term “India” as
used by ancient writers, included so wide a tract as we have seen,
and the Acts of St. Thomas say that the Apostle preached
“ throughout all India’’, Whp,t further evidence do we want to show
that Southern India was very possibly included in his Apostolate,
or how can we exclude Southern India in face of this evidence and
in spite of the persistent local traditions connecting St. Thomas
with it ? Besides, in this connection, it is related in the Acts that
the General who, having heard of St. Thomas’ preaching
“ throughout all India”, came to him in a cart drawn " by cattle”,
and Dr. Medlycott points out *how travelling in a bullock-cart is
characteristic of Southern India, whereas if the incident occurred
in the North, where Gondophares’ Kingdom was situated, the
horse would have been introduced on the scene and the General
would have been mounted on a steed. Gondophares, for instance,
is figured on his coins riding a horse, not seated in a cart drawn by
oxen. Further, the fret of Mygdonia using the palki or palanquin

262

S1DDHANTA LERPIKA.

when going to see the Apostle is also specially peculiar to South-
ern India. Other incidents which strengthen the local colouring
given besides those mentioned are also noticed by Dr. Medlycott.
The incidents which do not appear to bo peculiar to Southern India
mentioned by Mr. Philipps appear to ns to be relatively unimpor-
tant. In fact, Mr. Philipps himself says that “we cannot lay
any particular stress upon them in any direction”.

Again, in connection with the name of the King of India by
whose orders St. Thomas was martyred, wo referred to the fact
that Mr. Fleet, while accepting for the present M. Levi’s sugges-
tion to take the name Mazdai as a transformation of a Hindu
name, made on Iranian soil and under Mazdeau influences, and
arrived at through the forms Bazodeo, Bazdeo, Biizodeo, Biizdeo,
which occur in Greek legends or coins, and to identify the person
with the King Vasudeva of Mathura, a successor of Kanishka, as
not unreasonable, was content in consequence to accept also the
conclusion that St. Thomas’ labours were probably confined to
Northern India. We noted, however, that Mr. Fleet admitted
that the suggestion to identify King Mazdai of the Acts with King
Vasudeva of Mathura was not a matter of the same certainty as in
tho case of King Gondophares, and that it was possible that other
conclusions might be formed in respect of the name Mazdai, either
by means of Persian history, or legend, pr in any other way. Dr.
Medlycott in his critical examination of’ tho Acts of St. Thomas in
the Appendix to the volume under notice does, in fact, suggest
what appears to us a very reasonable solution ; and we are
surprised to find our contemporary, The Examiner , of Bombay, in
its otherwise excellent review of Dr. Medlycott’a work remark,
with reference to Mr. Philipps’ conclusions, that Mazdai is
unmistakably a Parthian or Persian name, and that therefore tho
king could not have belonged to Southern India, that Dr.
Medlycott does not threw much light on the Mazdai question, that
lie simply rejects the name as not being the King’s true name, but
a foreign and later invention, and that this may be likely enough
and perhaps the only solution. Our contemporary has evidently^
overlooked the Appendix in which Dr. Medlycott specially deals

INDIA AND THK Al'OSTLE THOMA8.

258

with the quest? on, and deals .with it particularly with reference to
M. Sylvain Levi's theory in regard to the name. Dr. Medly-
cott admits that Mazdai is thoroughly a Persian name, but
docs not reject it because it cannot be the true form of the
King’s name, a a he contends for a more reasonable derivation
of that name than that arrived at by M. Levi. Dr. Modlyeott
shows how far-fetcliod M. Levi’s attempt to derive the Dame
Mazdai (Latin Misdeux) from Vasudera is, and suggests that it is
more likely derived from Mahadtva . He points out that, not only
in the North, but also in the South, Indian kings were in the habit
of incorporating the epithet of the divinity with their own names )
and instances the fact of one of the rulers of the Warangal
dynasty bearing the Dame of Mahadtva. A glance at Sewell’s
Dynasties of Southern India shows how common it was for the
Kings of several of the South Indian dynasties to not only affix
but also prefix tho term Dev a to their names, and that the name
Mahade va itself occurs also amoDg tbe rulers of other dynasties of
Southern India, such as Orissa, Vijayanagar and the Yadavas of
Dev agin. It would appear by no means unreasonable therefore
to conclude that the true name of the King who was responsible
for the martyrdom of St. Thomas was very probably Mahadeva,
which would be popularly contracted into Mahdto. “Now”
remarks Dr. Modlyeott, “ if the name Mahadeo be passed through
Iranian mouths, it will probably assume the form of * Masdeo ’ ;
owing to similarity 01 sound with the Iranian name Mazdai, the
sibilant would be introduced, and the outcome of Mahadeo or
Madeo would be Masdeo, and would appear in Syriac as Mazdai”

Before we follow the general outline of Dr. Medlyoott’s work,
wc may note in passing that, of the different forms of the name of
the IndiaD King found in the Acts of St. Thomas, the coins and
the Takht-i-Bahi inscription, Mr. Fleet uses the form ‘ Gondopher*
lies' generally, and cites other forms only when literal quotation is
necessary, while Dr. Medlycott prefers to use the form ‘ Gondo-
phares In any case it is not of much moment which form is used.

1 Tne Acts of Thomas/ tho oldest record on the subject, form
part of a class of writings known us the “ Apocryphal Acts of the

2W

8IDDHANTA DEKl'IKA.

Apostles.” These writings have of late claimed the attention of
eoveral scholars both in England and in Germany. Although the
Acts have come down to us with interpolations intended to support
the gnostic heresies which prevailed in the early days of
Christianity, the discoveries made in recent years have made it
possible to test the statements contained in them in the light of
actual history. Thus Dr. Modlycott found the ground for a
critical handling of the ‘Acts of Thomas.’ already prepared for him;
and an elaborate Appendix to his book has been devoted to a
•critical analysis' of those Acts, the author’s purposo being to show
that the principal events narrated in them are based upon
historical reality. The tradition as gathered from the Acts is that
the Apostle Thomas, much against his will and inclination, had to
undertake the work of preaching the Gospel to the Indians; and
that to induce him to obey the maudate ho had received, our Lord
appeared to him in person and sold him to Habban, a miuister of
King Gortdophares of the Indians, who ‘had boon sent to Syria in
search of a competent builder, able to undertake tho construction
of a palace for his sovereign. Thomas in his company left by sea
for India > which was reached after a rapid passage. Both proceed-
ed to the eburt, where Thomas was presented to the king, and
undertook tho erection of the building. Several other incidents
are narrated regarding the Apostle mixed up with much fabulous
matter and it is this that recent research has helped tho investigator
to sift from reliable history. In the second half of tho story
Thomas is in the dominions of an Indian King, named in the Syriac
text Mazdai. It was iu this country that he brought his apostolic
labours to a close by receiving the martyr's crown.

Dr. Medlycott begins his work by a thorough investigation of
the evidence furnishod by the coins and the inscription wo liavo
already referred to as confirming the first portion of tho tradition
recited in the Acts connecting the Apostle with King Goudophurcs.
He then proceeds to a close examination of all tho aviiabio
records supplied by the East and West. To collect and
bring these togethor naturally involved long and patient research.

testimonies of St. Ephracm and other Syrian writers, of tho
Liturgical books and Calendars of Che Syrian Church f of the

J

INDIA AND THE APOSTLE TIIOMA3.

255

Fathers of th<5 Western Church, of the Calendars, Sacraxnentaries
and MartvrologieB of the same Church, and the witness of the Greek
and Abyssinian Churches are all laid under contribution and fully
discussed. The evidence, much of which is additional to that cited
by Mr. Philipps and Mr. Fleet, all go to confirm the truth of the tra-
dition that St. Thomas did suffer martyrdom in India, that is India
as wo know it now; and, as we have already seen, there are no
reasonable grounds for excluding Southern India from the scene of
St Thomas' labours and matyrdom. It follows then, as remarked by
Dr. Medlycott, that his tomb, if at all, onght to be found in India.
A long chain of witnesses extending from tho sixth century to the
landing of the Portuguese on the shores of India is accordingly
produced, attesting to the fact that the tomb was really at Mylaporo.
And yet the fact that the tomb of St. Thomas mast naturally be
found within the limits of India proper, which in itself, as Dr.
Medlycott, remarks, is an historical aphoriem, has met with the
strongest opposition ever since tho Portuguese announced tho
discovery of his tomb at My 1 spore. This opposition, the learned
author adds came first and chiefly from quarters which must cause
an impartial historian, who patiently investigates the whole history
of the case, to consider the same as being rather the outcome of
odium theolngicum, than the result of insufficient historical evidence.
A plausible excuse for the general feeling of scepticism created by
these writers was, in part. Dr. Medlycott thinks, offered by the
want of previous historical knowledge shown by tho Portuguese
authorities and writers in India who claimed to have discovered
the body, or tho eDtire remains of the Apostle, coupled with other
uncritical details; and once the opposite view arising at first from
the doubt regarding tho t^mb, was taken up and ruthlessly explo-
ited, it was extended to the preaching of the Gospel by the
Apostle within the geographical limits of India itself and a widely
extending prejudice was formed. It is ODly iu more recent times,
when men, indifferent to that odium , or guided by their familiarity
with, or their long researches in India, approached the subject,
that they came gradually, says Dr. Medlycott, to admit tho Apostle's
mission to Indiu, and to consider the stroug historical claim of
Mylaporo to be tho possible sue of his martyrdom and burial as
not unfounded. 2

SI DD HAST A DEE PIKA.

25fl

Accordingly after setting forth the available evidence for the
Indian Apostolate, the author brings forward such evidence as uphold
for Mylapore the claim to the tomb. St. Gregory, Bishop of Tours in
his “In gloria Martyrum ”, a work which he revised in 500, shortly
before his death, recording the testimony of one Theodore who visited
the tomb in India, writes : — “ Thomas the Apostle, according to the
narrative of his martyrdom, is stated to have suffered in India.
His holy remains (rxirptis), after a long interval of time, were
removed to the city of Edessa in Syria and there inter red. In that
part of India where they first rested stand a monastery and a
church of striking dimensions, elaborately adorned at)d designed.
This, Theodore, who had been to the place, narrated to us”. Dr.
Medlycott points out that the evidence hero clearly implies the
existence of a narrative or acts of the martyrdom of the Apostle
which declares that he suffered martyrdom in India, the existence
of the first tomb of the Apostle, a church of largo dimensions
covering the Indian tomb, a monastery, adjacent the monks of
which no doubt conducted the services at the shrine, the further
knowledge that after the remains of the Apostle had remained
buried in India for a long time they were thence removed to
Edessa, and finally that they were buried anew at Edessa. As
Dr. Medlycott . remarks, these facts embrace all and even more
than is necessary to establish the fact of the early knowledge of
the existence of the Indian tomb of the Apostlo. They are
confirmed by later evidences, and even in the description of a
festival connected with the shrine given by St. Gregory, there arc
mauy dttails of the. seasons and customs which are character-
istically Indian and fit the local conditions especially of .Southern
India. The record of the next visit to the tomb in India is found
in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where King Alfred is reported to
have sent in 883 an embassy to Home and also to Sr. Thomas iu
India in fulfilment of a vow made at t,Lc time lie was besieged by
the heathen Danes. Emiucnt modern writers of English history
are quoted as regarding tbe iucident as au ascertained fact of
history and not us legend. It is further supported by tho early
chroniclers, whoso works have come down to us. Marco Polo and
knar John of Monte Corvino appear to have both vitited the

J

INDIA AND TIIE APOKTLE THOMAS

257

Tomb alwmt the sn me time in 1292 or 1293 and their testimonies
an* brought forward Although the name of the town is not
mciitiomal by the witnesses referred to, there seems no reason to
doubt that tho little town, where the body lay, was Mylaporo,
wi.ich alone, in all India, has sill along claimed to possess tho
original tomb of the Apostle. Dr. Mcdlycott is somewhat in error
in staling that Jlylapore was subscqnently named San Thome by
the Portuguese. Mr. Philipps made the same mistake. This is
not the case. It is only the eastern part of Mylaporo which
includes tho shrine that has boon named San Thome ; and even
now Mylaporo is taken to include San Thome and tho Bishop of
the Diocese is styled “ Bishop of San Thome de Meliapur.”

The further witnesses brought forward are the Blessed Odcric
of Pordenonc ( 1324 - 1325 ), Bishop John de Marignolli ( 1349 ),
Nicolo de Conti 11425 - 1430 ), Ann’, sou of Mathou, a Nestorian
writer ( 1340 ) and certain Nestorian bishops, who writing-in ( 1504 )
to the CatKnlirua of the East, speak of “ the housos of St. Thomaa
in a city on the sea t amed Meliapnr”. This brings the record of
tho Indian Shrine of the Apostle down to tho arrival of tho
Portuguese in India, and shows that tho tradition wor by no means
invented by them ; that it was not only locally believed in, but that
it was known and testified to from the sixth century onwards by
travellers from tho West.

Dr. Modlycutt then goes intu further historical and traditional
evidence regarding thy Apostle, attesting to the fact that hia
remains were at a very early period removed from India to Edcssa;
that during the life of St. Ephraem there existed a church at
that place named after the Apostle, holding the relics* of which St.
Ephraem speaks iu tho hymns quoted in the earlier chapter by
Dr. iledlycott ; that some years later another and a larger church
in tho same city was completed iu honour of the Apostlo described
a» the ‘ Great Church,’ or the ‘ Basilica ’ ; and that to this church
tho relics m.-re removed with great pomp and ceremony. Dr.
Mediycott shows how some writers have confused the second remo-
val uf the relics with the first, also the new church with the older
one, aud in consequence have made out that the translation of tho

258

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

relics from India took place at a latter date ; whereas the second
church was completed after Sr. Ephraem’s death which occnrred
in June 373, and the second removal of the relics took place in the
year 394. The evidence adduced goes further to show that the
relics of St Thomas remained at Edes3a until the city was sacked
and destroyed by the rising Moslem power, and that some of the
surviving Christian inhabitants recovered the relics of the Apostle
from tho ruins of the church and transferred them for safety to an
island off tho Coast — that of Chios. The stone, which covered the
remains there and bore the name of the Apostle and bust engraved
and is now in the Cathedral of Ortona, attests to the genuine-
ness of the relics. From Chios the relics were removed to Ortona
in 1258. While at Ortona, tho relics underwent another vicissi-
tude. Tho.Turks sacked the town in 1566 and burnt and destroyed
the churches, including that of the Apostle, whose shrine was
exploded by gunpowder. Although the stone forming the altar
slab was burst and that of chalcedony brought from Chios was
fraettared by tho explosion, the sacred bones of the Apostle with
the relics of other saints were most providentially preserved intact.
The head of the Apostle, which was first missed, was found upon
further search crushed under the weight of a portion of the frac-
tured altar stone. It was revereutly picked np and the skull was
reconstructed so thoroughly that no part was found missing. The
<*acred relics now repose in a bronze urn placed beneath a marble
altar, and the head of the Apostle is placed in a silver bust and is
exposed to public veneration on the celebration of tho feast. The
slab of chalcedony marble, which was brought over from Chios and
wss fractured by the Turks is also preserved in the church.

In connection with the first removal from India, Dr. Medlycott
points out that there were two traditions : one that the relics or
boues were removed from India in the Apostolic age, and the other,
that the removal took place at a much later period, probably
towards the middle of the third century after the date of the war
waged against the Persians by the Emperor Alexander. On general
grounds Dr. Medlycott is inclined to accept the later date as the ..
more probable of the two, because, as he further explains in the
Appendix, it fits in better with surrounding data and with the

INDIA AND THE APOSTLE THOMAS.

250

re-opening of. tho trad© root© to India via the Euphrates* Besides
by the successful termination of the war, the way would have been
paved lor such removal. Dr. Medlycott also points ont the error
into which some writers had fallen of supposing that the whole and
entire body and not merely the relics or bones were removed from
India to Edcasa at that, very early date, and of their drawing the
consequent inference that the Apostle’s body could not have been
in India if it were buried at Edessa.

Dr. Medlycott also adduces further evidence upholding the
martyrdom of St. Thomas, and effectively disposes of the old
fable started by Heracleon and put forward by certain modern
writers that St. Thomas did not snffer a martyr’s death.
The different versions of the martyrdom of the Apostle are also
set forth and examined. The narrative, 'according to the Syriac
version of the Act# of the Apostles, is that the King, Mazdai,
ordered Thomas to be brought up for judgment, and questioned
him as to whence he came and who was bis master. The King
hesitated what sentence be would pass, or rather how he should
compass his death without causing popular excitement, “ because he
was afraid of the great multitude that was there, for many believed
in our Lord and even some of the nobles”. So Mazdai took him ont
of town to a distance of about half a mile and delivered him to
the guard under a prince with the order, "Go up on this mountain
and stab him”. On arriving at the spot the Apostle asked to be
allowed to pray, and this was granted at the request of Vizam, the
King's son, one of the two last converts. Arising from his prayer,
Thomas bid the soldiers approach and said, “ Fulfil the will of him
who sent vou ”. “And the soldiers came and struck him all

tt

together, and he fell down and died”. The Greek version and the
Latin be Miraculis generally agree with the Syriac text, but tho
Latin Paxsio has a different account. In this version the death of
the Apostle occurs at a much earlier period, and wds occasioned by
the king forcing the Apostle to adore the idol in the temple. V\ hen
at the Apostle’s prayer and bidding the idol was destroyed, the
priest of the temple, raising a sword transfixed the Apostle, saying,
‘I will avenge the insult to my God’. The local version of the
martyrdom prevailing on the Coromandel Coast as given by Marco

SI UDH.X.S'TA UKEP1KA.

280

Polo and Bishop John do Marignolli is that St. .Thomas while
praying in the wood was accidentally shot by an arrow aimed at a
peacock. Dr. Medlycott is inclined to believe that this version
was got up by the inhabitants of Mylapore to avert tbo dishonour
that would fall on their town and people did they openly avow to
the stranger that the Apostle had been done to death by their
forefathers. Yet another version of the story, as related by
Linschoten, is that, owing to the miracle performed by St. Thomas
of removing a lug of wood which fell into the mouth of the haven
of the town of Mylapore and blocked the traffic, whereby many
conversions were made, the Brahmins became his great enemies
and sought to bring about his death, which in the end they
accomplished by persuading some of the people to stah him on his
back while praying in the Church. The same narrator states that
this incident is found painted and set up in many places and
churches in India iu memory of the event. The old Liturgical
Books and murtyrologies of the Nestorian, Laliu and Greek
Churches however all testify to the fact that the Apostle Thomas
won a martyr’s crown by being pierced by a lance.

Here Dr. Medlycott takes the opportunity of challenging a
statement made by Mr. W. R. Philipps in The Indian Antiquary
of April 1903, that the learned Orientalist Assemani deemed the
Indian relics of St. Thomas a Nestorian fabrication. Dr. Medly-
cott points out that the statement is misleading, since Asscmani in
the fourth volume of his learned work, Bibliotheca Orientalis, Rome,
1728, covers ten folio pages with his proofs in defence of the
Indian Apostolate of Thomas, which he establishes on the autho-
rity of the Fathers in reply to Besnago's cavillings; and further
adduces evidence from the Liturgical Books of the Syrian Churches
including the Nestorian section, and of Syrian writers, both in
proof of his Apostolate as well as of his martyrdom in India. But
the corjws or bones, as Asscmani points out, having been trans-
ferred from India to Edessa, and Syrian, Greek nr.d Latin writers
having, from the fourth century, written of the body of Timmas as
having been removed ‘ to Edessa of Mesopotamia’, what Assemani
really denies is that the body was found by the Portuguese in'
India ; and quite rightly, adds Dr. Medlycott, because the Port u*

JXD1A AND THE A POsTLK THOMAS.

261

pnesc on arriving in India, unaware of the historical data now
available regarding the remain* of the Apostle, assumed that the
tomb at Mylapore yet held the entire remains. An admission made
by Mr. Philipps in the paragraph previous to the one containing
the statement challenged, »ppears however to have escaped Dr.
Medlycott’s notice. Mr Philipps says that the constant tradition
of the Church seems to have been that the bodv ’ as taken to
Edessa, that St. Ephraemi as quoted by him, seems i;> imply that
part of the body had been left in India; and yet Mr. Philipps, in
the following paragraph of his article, makes the unqualified
statement that Asseumui deemed the Indian relic# of St. Thomas
a Nestor iaD fabrication, whereas as shown above all that Assemani
denied was that the body was found by the Portuguese on their
arrival in India. Eesidos this certainly does Dot imply that ho
believed that no portion of the remains of the Apostle was left
behind in India. As we have seen St. Ephraem implies that
part of the body was left behind in India, and as a fact the relics
held at the Cathedral of San Thome consist of the fragment of a
rib and of the extreme point of a lance.

Dr. Modlycott then refers to the tradition universally accep-
ted by the St. Thomas Christians of the West Coast, that St.
Thomas landed on the Malabar Coast at Kodangnlar v Cranganore),
that s*ven Churches were established, that the Apostle then passed
from Malabar to the Coromandel Coast, where he suffered martyr-
dom, and that at some subsequent period a violent persecution
raged against the Christians on the Coromandel Coast, compelling
many of them to take refuge among their brethren on the West
Coast, where they settled down. Dr. Medlycott layB special stress
on this tradition in support of the claim of Mylapore to hold the
tomb of the Apostle, llo is thoroughly convinced even quite apart
from all the evidence previously adduced that if the claim of Myia-
poro to be the place of the martyrdom and of the burial of Apostle
was not based on undeniable fact, the Christians of Malabar would
never have acknowledged their neighbours 1 claim to hold the tomb
of the Apostle, neither would they ever be indaced to frequent it
by way of pilgrimage. Farther had this been a case of fictitious
c laim put foith to secure public notoriety aud importance, they

262

SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA.

vroulcl, Dr. Medlycott adds, as probably have any way, set up one
for themselves and would have certainly ignored the claim of the
former.

After quoting St. Francis 'Xavier in support of the existence of
the belief among the Christians of the island of Socotra at the tame
of his visit that the Apostle landed on the Malabar Coast, and St-
John Chrysostom and the Gospel of the XII Apostles, recently recover-
ed from different Coptic papyrus and other texts and compiled
probably not later than in the second century, in support of the
tradition that St Thomas had visited nearly the whole of the inha-
bited world in the course of his Apostolic career, Dr. Mcdlycott
sums up the traditional record of the Apostle as follows : — ■

(1) He would have preached through the whole of that tract of
country lying south of the Caspian Sea — the ‘ Mare Hyrcanum' of
his days east of the mountain range of Armenia and of the Tigris,
down to Karmania in Southern Persia.

*

(2) It would be during this first Apostolic tour that he came in
contact with the north western corner of India at Goodopharea*
court.

(3) After the demise of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when according
to ecclesiastical tradition, the second dispersion of the Apostles took
place, St. Thomas would have commenced his second Apostolic tour.
Probably from Palestine he travelled . into Northern Africa and
thence, preaching through Ethiopia, he passed on to Socotra, where
he must have stayed some time to establish the faith. Going thenco
he would have landed on the West Coast of India.

(4) From Malabar the Apostle would find no difficulty in crossing
over to the Coromandel Coast.

(5) It would be on the Coromandel Coast that he ended his
Apostolic labours, and this is upheld by the joint traditions of the
Coromandel and Malabar coasts.

It is indeed interesting to see how the various traditions
regarding the Apostle mutually hang together ; and Dr. Medlycott
naturally remarks, how unreasonable it is to suppose that traditions^

INDIA AND THE APOSTLE THOMAS.

converging firm various points mutually self supporting, can be the
outcome of legendary imaginings. It is for those, he adds, who
contest them to prove that they are inconsistent with any known
facts, and consequently baseless. Until then, he rightly contends,
they hold the field.

As regards the name Calamina, which is mentioned in some of
the writings as the place in India where the Apostle Thomas was
martyred, there has been much speculation. Dr. Medlycott takes
occasion to refer to the article on The connection of St. Thomas t nth
India by Mr. Philipps, which appeared in The Indian Antiquary of
1903, and which we have already alluded to, because, as he says,
vague hints were thrown out &Dd 'speculation’ indulged in to the
effect that * Caramana our modern Karman in southern Persia,
might represent Calamina. Mr. Philipps held that ‘ from a geogra-
phical, an ethnical, and indeed as it seems to me, from every point
of view the site of the Apostle’s tomb ought to be looked for in
that quarter rather than in Southern India. Dr. Medlycott, on the
other hand, contends that Calamina never had a geographical
existence, that the name does not appear in any of the older writ-
ings treating of the Apostle while where it is mentioned, it ia
added that it is situated in India. India, then, and India proper
we should say, considering also the evidence already adduced, is
the country where we should look for the tomb of St. Thomas.
Wbat place is there in India, askd Dr. Medlycott, other than
Mylapore, which has ever set forth a claim to it ? Decidedly none :
in no other part of India, nor elsewhere, has such a claim been
raised — that of Edessa was for a second tomb where the sacred
remains rested after removal from India. Why, then, should there
be any objection to its being placed in Southern India, and topo-
graphically at Mylapore, especially as Mr. Philipps himself admits,

' there is nothing iuherently improbable in such a supposition’? As
to ‘ Carmana * or Carmania of old, now Karman, Dr. Medlycott fur-
ther points out that the Nestorians who had churches, priests and
Christians in that part of Persia down to past the middle of the
seventh century, must certainly have known if at any time it held
the Apostle ’s tomb ; that a claim so much nearer home would not
have been overlooked by them; and they certainly would not have
3

SIDDHANTA DEBl’fKA.

264

como to India to search for it. ' Quotations arc give* trom a letter
of tho Nostorain patriarch, Jesuab, A. D. GoO-oOO, addressed to
Simoon, Bishop of Kavardsliir, the Metropolitan of Persia at the
lime, to show how groundless the suggestion put forward by
Mr. Philipps is. Dr. Medlycott adds however : “Wo owe it in
fairnoas to the writer of the paper to add that having received
from us a copy of the above passagos, ho reproduced them by way
of rectification in a Note published in the Indian Antiquary, 1004,
page 31, under the heading Miscellanea. This phase of the ques-
tion may now be considered closed".

Dr. Modlyoott himself goes further into the subject. He observes
that tho name does not appear in any of the older authoutic
writings treating of the Apostle. It appears first in a group of
mostly anonymous writings in Greek, which give a brief summary
of tho doings, preachings and deaths of the Apostles. From this
class of writing the supposed authors, Sophronius, a friend oE St.
Jerome, Hippolytus, Dorotheas acid another are quoted as men-
tioning Calamina in India as the place of St. Thomas’s martyrdom.
From those writings again the name appears to have boon taken up
by some Syrian writers, and to have made its way into the lator
Martyrologies.

Dr. Ma-clcanc in his Manual of the. Administration of the Madras
Presidency , Vol.III — Glossary , undor Saint Thomas , Bays that in the
Pascal Chronicle is a fragment of a work by Bishop Dorotheas, born
A. D. 254, in which he relates the acts and journeys of the Apostles,
and Bays that the Apostle Thomas, after having preached the
Gospel to the Partheans, Modes, Persians, Germanians, an agricul-
tural people of Porsia montionod by Herodotus, Bactrians and
Magi, Buffered martyrdom at Calamina, a town in India ; and that
Bt. Hippolytus, Bishop of Portus, who flourished about A.D. 220,
has a memorandum to the same effect ; while St. Jerome, A.D. 300,
speaks of the mission of St- Thomas to India as a fact universally
believed in his time, and mentions Calamina as the town which was
the place of his death. Dr. Macleane adds that Calamina is supposed
to bo Mylaporo and that the statements of later European travel-
lers to India indicate the uudimioirhed strength of the traditionary

INDIA AND THE APOSTLE THOMAS.

265

belief and the existence of a Christian Church and community on
the spot keoping it alive. Dr. Macleane elsewhere says that
Calamina is the medieval Latin name for Mylapore and suggests
that it may be a corruption of Coromandel.

From the foregoing it would seem that Calamina i 9 mentioned
as early as in writings of the third and fourth centuries ; but
apparently the same Dorotheas and Hippolytna are quoted by Dr.
Modlycott from a class of undated and UDaathentic writings, while
fct. Jerome here is evidently made to do duty for Sophronius,
whose Bhort accounts of the Apostles in Greek are appended to St.
Jerome’s book De viris ‘illmtribus . Sophronias isreferred toby Dr.
Medlycott, with the remark that the authenticity of tbe manuscript
discovered by Erasmus, whence these additions have come iDto
Jerome’s text, has not only been questioned but openly denied ;
but that it has lately been re-discovered (in 1896) at Zurich, and
is a MS of the thirteenth century; that it is the same from which
Erasmus had published the Greek extracts in 1516; that tbe MS.
does not bear the name of Sophronius; that this the first editor,
Erasmus, mutt have by conjecture suggested, as one Sophronius, a
friend of the Doctor, had translated into Greek some of his
writings. Accordingly, Dr. Medlycott would not place the origin of
the word ' Calamina ’ earlier than the middle of the seventh
century, the date of tbe earliest authentic records that of Jesuab,
A. D. 650-660, where Calamina is mentioned. He is inclined to
regard the name as fictitious, and ventures on a suggestion as to
how it did get connected with the Apostle in the minds of tho
writers referred to, as tbe place of his martyrdom in India.
Dr. Medlycott thinks that Calamina is probably a compound of the
word kxlah , the name of a port, the existence of which in the
vicinity of Ind*a is historically beyond a doubt, and elmina which
iu Syriac denotes a port. This may be so ; but without regarding
the name as fictitious there seems nothing unreasonable in the
suggestion that Calamina might not unlikely be a corruption from
»omo other well-known uamo such as Coro'.nanJel, or the latter
might be a corruption from tLo former. Neither is it unlikely that
b«rb tfiv-vc an* con-notions from a still older name. One critic,

RTDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

2M

The Examiner of Bombay, suggested that possibly Cftlamtna is tho
name of the “country of theCholas” iu which My lapore now stands ;
or, in view of the many names in this district beginning with
the syllable Ml or cal , it is possible that Mylapore or the neigh-
bouring city of Madras wag then called Calamina, or something
easily corruptible by ear and transliteration into Calamina ; or
it may be a foreign rendering of the “port of the Cholas”, or else
a curruption of Karamical or rather we should say Karutnanal (black
sand). This is the name of a small village on the coast north of
Madras, which is habitually pronounced and written Coromandel
by European residents at Madras, and from which, as Bishop
Caldwell suggested in the first edition of his Dravidian Grammar,
European traders might have taken this familiar name as applying
to the Eastern Coast of the Peninsula of India. Bishop Caldwell,
however, in his second edition, has given up this suggestion and
has accepted that given in Hobson Jobson by Col. Yule and Dr,
Burnwell, that the name is in fact Chorqmandala m., the Realm of
Chora, this being the Tamil form of the very ancient title of the
Tamil Kings who reigned at Tanjore. The name also occurs in the
forms Cholamandalam or Solamandalam on the great Temple
inscription of Tanjore (11th century), and in an inscription of A. D.
1 101 at a temple dedicated to Variihaswami near the Seven Pagodas.
It was already suggested in the columns of the Catholic Register a few
years ago that Calamina is evidently the Greek rendering of the Dra-
vidian Cholamandalam ■ and itdoes not seem unreasonable to suppose,
aswas suggested by The Examiner, that Calamina, as mentioned by
the old writers, was originally meant for the district or coast in
which the town (Mailapur), where the Apostle was martyred, is
situated. There is also the suggestion that, on account of the erosion
of the coast in these parts, a portion of the town of Mylapore nuw
lies submerged under the sea, the San Thome Cathedral containing
the tomb of tho Apostle being now right on the coast. Supposing,
as The Examiner remarks, the town was once called Calamina, or
something equivalent to it, it might be possible to account for the
loss of this ancient name by the destruction of the place which
boro it, and for the growth of a new name on that site which still
remains. Judging, however, from rll that ha< been said we tlunk

INDIA AND THE APOSTLE THOMAS.

267

it more likely that Calamina and Coromandel are both derived
from the same source Choramandala or Cholamandalam, the land
of the Chora* or Cholas, and that Calamina referred originally to
the tract of country lying along the East Coast, on which Myla-
pore is situated, although snbseqoent writers might have taken it
for the name of the town itself where St. Thomas was martyred.

As to Mylapore, assuming that the writers who mention Cala-
mine had taken the latter to be the name of the town in India where
the Apostle died and was baried. Dr Medlycott arrived at the
conclusion that they were mistaken as to the name, and has accord-
ingly entered into the further enquiry as to whether there is any
mention in ancient Geography of the town Mylapore, where the tomb
of the Apostle, from the evidence produced by him, is known to
exist. From what we have said above the further investigation
seems hardly necessary, since Calamina might easily have been
meant for the tract of country in which Mylapore is situated. How-
ever, to pursue the investigation, Dr. Medlycott tries to identify it
with Ptolemy's Manarpha or Maliarpha. Of the different texts
examined by the author the latter form preponderates, and Dr. Med-
lycott argues that the form Maliarpha contains the two essential
ingredients of the name Maliapur, which would be the form known
or reported to the Greek geographers A Greek desinence, as
customary in such cases, has been introduced, so in place of pur or
phur (which may represent a more ancient form of pronunciation)
we have the Greek termination pha ; nor has the sound r of the
Indian name disappeared, for it has passed to the preceding syllable
of the word. He adds that if we take into consideration the inac-
curate reproduction of Indian names in Ptolemy's present text, it is
almost a surprise that so much of the native sound of the name
is yet retained. It must be admitted that the name, Mylapore, is
not mentioned by other writers until about the fifteenth century,
but the use of the name Calamina for the coast or tract of country
might account for the non-mention of the town situated therein, un-
til later writers became more precise. The fact, however, that the
maps illustrating Ptolemy's geography place Maliarpha where the
present Mylapore would be sho^n is much in favour of Dr. Modly-

268

SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA.

oott’e view. The same identification was suggested previously by
ITAnville, the French geographer of the eighteenth century
( Geographic Ancienne Abregee , Paris, 1 788 ) ; as also by Paulinas
,i Sto. Bartholomeo, the Carmelite missionary of the West Coast
( India Oriental*# Christiana, Bomae, 1794).

Referring to recent Anglo-Indian authorities we find that Hun-
ter in the Imperial Gazetteer of India states that the name Mylapur
is spelt variously — Mayilapuram, or Peacock town j Malaipwam,
or Mount Town ; Meliapur, Mirapur (by the Portuguese) ; and
Meelapor in the Tohfatal Majohudin; that it has been suggested
that it is the Malifattan of Rashid-nd-din, but that more recent inqni-
rors favour the identification of Negapatam with Malifattan. Dr-
Macieane in his Manual of the Administration of the Madras Presi-
dency gives the derivation of Mylapore from mayil, Tamil for poa-
cock, and pura, Sanscrit for city, with reference, according to the
Brahmins, to the tradition that Parvaty worshipped her husband
Shiva in the form of a peacock. According to the local Christian
tradition the Dame would seem to be similarly derived, but with
reference to the story ascribing the death of St. Thomas to an
arrow aimed at one of the peacocks which were about him while
praying in the wood and testifying to the fact that peaoocks were
plentiful in the locality then.

In an earlier paragraph we pointed qut that Dr. Medlycott
had fallen into the error of stating that Mylapore was subse-
quently named San Thome by the Portuguese and that Mr. Philipps
had niado the same mistake, while only the eastern part of My la-
pore which includes the shrine has been so named. We find with
surprise the same mistake occurring in an official publication like
Hunter’s Imperial Gazetteer , from which we have just quoted.
Against Mylapur , “ (Mailapur or Saint Thome f is entered, ami
lower down it is stated that the shrine, regarded as the tomb of
the Apostle, was visited by several travellers in the 13th and 14th
centuries, and that it attracted the Portuguese to the spot, and
gave the Portuguese name to it. Dr. Macleanc in the Madras
Manual more correctly says that San Thome forms the extreme
north-eastern part nf Mylapore ami that the natives have n“

J

I SOI A AND THIS APOSTLE THOMAS.

MM

> parat" name for it. Ah we said, oven now Mylapore ig taken to
include San Thome and the Bishop of the Diocese is styled " Bishop
of San Thome de Meliapnr.” A still more serious mistake in
Hunter’s Imperial Gazetteer occurs under Saint Thome against
which " (Malaipur, Mylapore) — Suburb of Madras City” is entered,
with the additional information : " Known as Little Mount, where
according to tradition, 8t. Thomas, the Apostle of India, was
martyred, and on which stands a Roman Catholic Church”. How
Lttile Mount, which is 6 miles to the S. S. W. of Fort St. Georgo
and is in the Sydapet taluk of the Chingleput district, got mixed
up with San Thome in the mind of the official who gave Sir
William Hunter the information for his Gatetteer, is inexplicable.

The closing Chapters of Dr. Medlycott’s book are devoted to
an examination of the claims put forward from time to time by
ancient and modern writers on behalf of certain alleged Apostles
of India in opposition to the claim of the Apostle Thomas to be the
first who conveyed the light of the Gospel to India. As we remark-
ed at the beginning Dr. Medlyoott argues that as there is
clear and sufficient evidence, which he produces, to show that the
references to India, when made in connection with the alioged
apostles of India, were to some other country to which the writers
applied the term for want of better geographical knowledge, the
apostolic men referred to had not preached the Faith in India.
Besides, it is proved that there were already Christians at the
places visited by some of them.

To sum up, the weight of evidence and probability would seem
plainly to support the following conclusions

(1) that St. Thomas did visit and preach the Gospel in India,
that is India as we know it now ;

(2; tnat, as the Acts of St. Thomas state that the Apostle
preached u throughout all India”, aud as Mr. Fleet Bays the term
“ India ” as used by ancient writers included the whole of the south-
eastern part of Asia on the south of the Himalaya Mountains
so as to take in Burma and Siam, Cochin-China, the Malay Penin-
sula and the Indian Archipelago, there is no reason to exclude

•m

eiDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

Sou! horn India in the face of this fact and in spite of the persistent
local traditions and other evidence connecting St. Thomas with

iu ;

(3) that the Apostle did visit the Courts of two Kings reigning
in India, one of whom may be taken for certainty to be Gondopka-
res , while the other mentioned in the Acts as Mazdai may more
reasonably be identified with Mahadeva, a name common enough
among Kings of the South Indian dynasties, than with Vasudeva
of Mathura;

(4) that the Apostle was martyred in Southern India and was
buried at Mylapore ;

(5) that his remains were at a very early period removed
from India to Edessa, thence to Chios and finally to Ortona, where
they now repose ;

(61 that, as appears from St. Ephraein, at the original remo-
val part of the remains were left behind in India, and the relics
still preserved in an ancient reliquary in the Cathedral at San
Thome are evidently fragments of what remained in the tomb.

After all we have said we feel we have not done justice to so

scholarly and interesting a work as Dr. Medlycott’s . A work

so full of research deserves to be more widely known, especially in

scientific qnarters, and yet it was with surprise that we found Dr.

Grierson, in his article on " Modern Hinduism and its debt to the

Nestorians”, in so recent a number of the Journal of the Royal

Asiatic Society as that of April last, refer to Mr. Philippa’s articles,

in the Indian Antiquary of 1903, on The connection of St. Thomas

the Apostle with India , as the latest researches on the subject.

Probably through some oversight on the part of the publishers Dr.

Medlycott's work has not been communicated to the Royal Asiatic

Societv

«•

F. A. D’Cacz,

Late Superintendent,

General Records,

Govt : Secretariat, Madras?

THE

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

OR

The Light of Truth.

A Monthly Journal, devoted to Religion, Philosophy, Literature, Science, <$V.,

Commenced on the Queen’s Commemoration Day, 1897.

Vol. VIII. DECEMBER 1007. No. 0.

THE HISTORY OF THE SUFFIX KAL (««).

“ Grammatical gender has been/’ says Dr. Caldwell, ‘‘more
fully and systematically developed in the Dravidian tongues than
in perhaps any other languages in the worid.’’ As in pronouns,
there is the same development of gender in the verbs also, which,
in the Indo-European languages, is ignored. It is a unique refine-
ment of the Tamilian tongues. It ia remarkable that the gender
denoting terminations n, l, r , d, and a are found in several other
languages. In some Caucasian dialects n and l are used as mas-
culine and feminine terminations respectively as in Tamil. Some
of the Teutonic tongue's fortn their plural, as in Tamil, by the

m

addition of r to the singular : the plural of child was childer in Old
English. The suffix d (du-euphonic) of the Tamil neuter isingular
is very common in the Indo-European tongues: compare the .Eng-
lish that, it, what (neuter of who); the Latin Mud, id, quod ; the
Sanskrit tyat, etat, yet, with the Tamil ad-u, id-u ed- it. The Latin
neuter plural ends in a, as a rule, as in Tamil.

These are gender-denoting suffixes. There is another suffix
in Tamil used as the sign of plnrality: that is kal (aar). Such as
nouns of Hijher Caste (a_iu/j§2a«v) or Lower Caste (jt/fi&asr),
which cannot take the gender-denoting terminations form their
plural by adding kal with their singular forms. Though kal is now

272

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

having a meaning of multitude and added to a word of singular
•number in order to give it a plural moaning. So the words ma(k)kal
‘‘men" literally, “man-assembly” ma(/c)-fcal, ‘-animals,’ lit- “ani-
mal-mass,’ maram-kal “trees” lit. “ tree-collections’’ etc, were ori-
ginally compouud words formed of maga (u>*;-man p^kal (Wr)-maxs
etc. Aud leal, like most terminations, is the remnant of some word
which was used in general to express the underlying idea of
multitudes and there is little doiibt that tne word expressing this
idea is kalum (scrub), meaning gathering or collection. Kalarn is
now used in the following sense : (1) ^/hpnsmb, “ a thrashing floor,”
or “ a place where grains are gathered.” (2)l(?_/r 'iaoiT ii>, a field of
battle, or *• a place where armies are gathered,’’ (3) Q^ir(t£^ib “ a
place where cattle are shut up.’

Though the root of kalam is now lost in Tamil, roots identical
with it are found in the Aryan family of tongues. Compare the
Sanskrit kal, “ to count,” the .English cull, “to pick” — ,and the
Latiu coll-igo “ to bind,” or, “connect.” It is.no matter of surprise
that the Toots of the words common to both families Tamilian and
Aryan lost in one, are to be found in another. We shall exemplify
this by one or two illustrations. Prof : Sayce says, “ words like
our door , the Latin forts, the Greek durg,, the Sanskrit Dwaram

m

cannot be traced to any root, that is to say a group of cognate
words, has either never existed or else so utterly forgotton and lost
that we can no longer tell what common type they may have re-
presented. ' If European linguists apply to the Tamilian lan-
guage, it will readily lend them the key for their ‘ doors” which
the Aryan tongues have lost. The supposed lost root of these words
is well preserved yet in Tamil. It is tira (Qp) “to open*’ pro-
nounced vulgarly tona.

From these wo clearly gee, how among the Tamilian and
Aryan languages words and roots are tied and twisted together
and, how Iho^voot lost in one branch is found in the oilier. If
European philologists study the Tamil language, one of the oldest,

THE HISTORY OF THE SUFFIX KAL.

978

richest end most refined of tongues, as well as they have done
Sanskrit a new light will be thrown on the comparative science and
we may insist and state that a thorough study of Tamil will profit
an etymological lexicographer as well as a philologist.

Prof : Seshagiri 6 astriar holds another theory. He states in
his philology that kal is a modified form vat (arf) a plural suffix,
and that it was originally used with the higher caste noons and
then came to be used with lower caste ones According to him
maram-kal, “trees," erudu-kal , *'0x60” Ac., were once maram-var,
erudurvar Ac. It seems rather strange. It is not necessary for ns
to discuss here whether hal is a modification of oar or not; for there
is no snch suffix as oar iu the Tamil tongue. Dr. Stev&u’s opinion
of leal to be an elided form of Sanskrit sakala may seem to onr
readers more appropriate than Mr. Sastriar’s, though the one is as
incorrect as the other. There is nothing to hesitate that the
particle hal is an elided form of kalarn “collection” “gathering” as
already explained of.

Let us now enter into the history of this Buffix kal. It is an
ancient plural denoting particle, even perhaps, older than ar and
a, the plural formative suffixes. It in capable of being traced back
to an early period in the history of the language. The antiqaity
of this particle “ kal" can be easily established by its occurrence
throughout almost all the Tamilian tongues either .Eastern or
Western. In Telugn and modern Canarese this particle is “ kalu,
as those dialects do not generally allow a consonant at the end of
words. Batin Malayalam and in ancient Canarese it is kal as in
Tamil- It will not be astonishing if we find traces of this much
used particle, one portion of it being nsed by one dialect and ano-
ther portion by another member of the same family. Even in
colloqni.pl Tamil such occurrences are not uncommon. The illiterate
peasants Bay tl nanga and 1 ■ ninga for “nangal, <k we, and ^ningal,
“yon” and “avargal “ they ’Ms vulgarly said ‘ aval; in the former
the last portion of “ kkl and in the latter the first portion are left.

274

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

We observe the same in other cognate dialects. The correspon-
ding plural suffix of (Tam.) “ kal or (Can- ) “ kalu is ‘ lu’ in Telugu
and in Tula ; there the first part of particle is omitted, yet in Borne
instances the suffix * kal’ is fully exhibited in Telugu. The plural
of ‘guru’ is ‘ gurukalu’. Most of the nouns ending in ‘ mu’ in
“Telugu, as “maramu “tree, ‘Kolamu “ tank,” “valamu “beauty,”
etc. have their plural as marankulu, “ kolankulu, and valan-
kulu &c., modified from the corresponding Tamil maram-kal
“ trees” kulam-kal “ tanks”' and polam-kal, “beauties. It is obvious
that “kulu in those words is a modification of “kal or “kalu. But
the Telugu grammarians, without a full study of the parent tongue
erroneously analized these words, distributing them as “maranku
ulu etc., in which they thought “ulu was the plural suffix and the
remaining parts “ maranku etc were stems in singular. But ub
there were already separate singular forma as “maram, “kolam
etc. the inorganic addition of “ku to the singular became optional
(vide. Prof. Seshagiri Sastriar’s “notes on Aryan and Dravidian
Philology,” Introduction pp. xii — xiv)

As the Telugn people or otherwise as they are called Vadugar
“The northern Tamils” were for many a century, in early ages, the
most powerful and prominent people and the ruling race in North-
ern India, they influenced the barbarous tongues of the neigh-
bouring countries as well os the Northern Mountainous tracts,
with their vocabularies and civilization. We, thus, see that many
dialects of Tibetan Family possess the Telugu plural Buffix ‘‘lu,
especially those of the North-Eastern frontier.

On tfet other hand, the Gond and Brahmi, as well aB the
Western tongues of the Tamilian Family, i.e., the Hun-
garian, Finnish etc., takes, as plural suffix “k, “ka, or “ak, the
other portion of “kal t omitting the last part, in contrast to Telugu,
Tula etc. Thus the plural form of the Hungarian “haz “house, ” is
* hazak ; the plural form of n&i, “dog” is naik in Gond, As the
Tolugu language influenced the neighbouring tongues of other

THE FUNCTION OF DEATH IN THE ECONOMY OF NATURE. 275

family, bo we see that the western branches of the Tamilian Family
influenced the other neighbouring tongues “belonging to the Tura^
nian Family as the Lappish etc. with their vocabularies and
civilization.

Even the Armenian tongue, one of the Aryan family, which
had much contact with the Tamilian tongue in its Native -Ell am had
participated its plural denoting particle just like many other voca-
bularies, viz. the plural of tu “thou/' is tuk “you.’’ And in new
Persian and in Turkish, though both of different families, we see
the Tamilian “kal some or other way modified and used.

These incidences prove not only the very antiquity of the
particle “kal, the elided form of “kalam “collection” or “gathering’*
but also the importance and influence played by ' the early Tami-
Uh.h r in the ancient world. It is high time that we should begin
the study of comparative science of the language which will throw
new light in the world’s history.

Pandit D SAVARIROYAN M.R.A.S.

2. Desire for the companionship of the good, love for the
virtues of others, revenue for spiritual teachers, diligence in
acquiring wisdom, love for their own wives, fear of the world’s
blame, reverence for Siva, self-restraint, freedom from the
acquaintance with evil men-wherever men dwell endowed with
virtues like these, they are ’always reverenced. — Bhartrihart.

276

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

THE FUNCTION OF DEATH IN THE ECONOMY

OF NATURE.

Your dear one is gone— a sense of loneliness comes upon yon.
You see Death before you. You find it all a chaos. You are lost in
the gloom of pain. Heart-piercing agony rushes through you, dim
and fast. The world smells a temb. Death is deaf and loud. The
sense of parting, of loss, of desolation, submerges you in its ebb
and flow. Through darkness and despair, death thunders for its
victim. You Tesign your dear one, and beat your breast and tear
your hair. You have yielded one of the richest of your heart.
World becomes dull: business a pain. The knife of pain is deep in
your heart. Your love is made infinitely sweet by the thought of
an irrevocable loss. Where Love is gone — where heart weeps tears
of blood — there life bespeaks a grave of dead, dark despair. Love
breaks away; lips tremble with broken sighs: and heart is riven
with sorest pangs. But know you not that sweet meeting succeeds
Bad parting? Who can quench the words of an afflicted heart? And
who can blow out into vapid air the sparks of truth? Where is
your beloved one, — a seraph-winged soul? Know you not that soul
sweeps through all eternities? From the storm of sense a life de-
parts. You weep and bleed for being left behind. The beauty
and the light, the characteristics and the deeds, of your beloved
one, pass from a seeming chaos of death into the holiest of dreams.
The splendours of your dear one rise and spread. Through the
thunder and darkness of death, you fall to understand the light and
musio of your loved one. Gloom fills you — but light fills your love.
Discordant is the note of your heart — but musio is the life of your
dear one. Sweet is the music of an ever advancing soul. Life is a
lyre, the possibilities a music. No subtle devise this to beguile
sorrow but a melodious and a marvellous truth- Life is full of
possibilities and for ever. Why are you heavy with sorrow, so sel-
fish ? And why not seek the joy divine /

Death is the law of nature and the duty of life. To discharge
an obligation is to be at peace with a fact of nature. Death is
inevitable. As sure as there is a beginning, as sure there is an
ending. As sure as there is becoming there is dissolution.
Death does not put the extinguisher upon hope. Every fibre of
the human heart thrills with the anticipation of a life of a better
type. The mind of man ever thirsts for every possibility of every "
hope. From the depth and void of death the light of hope peeps
forth through a dark and gloomy future. In her providence Na-

THE FUNCTION OP DEATH IN THE ECONOMY OF NATURE. 277

tare ha* made Death necessary. And in his prudence, man should
make a choice of the necessity, A cheerful compliance I with ne-
cessity is wisdom. A reasoned consonance with the Inevitable is an
enduring peace.

Be and do what you will, your elements will be scattered. Live
when, where and how yon will, death will mark you down. It may
be now, or a century hence : it may be here, or somewhere else.* it
may be in this way or any other manner : but what is that to yon?
The fact of death is there. What should I stay for? To do good?
Where is doing good without being good? Can you not become
good and thus do good by paying your tribute to nature ? tit is
blind talk to say that we do good to another. If we but refrain
from doing an injury to another, it is doing good. There is no Buch
thing as doing good, positive. The negation of evil is what you call
good.

Who can escape death? The loudest orators, the deepest phi-
losophers, the bravest heroes, the most widely-read scholars, the
most knowing ones, the best and loveliest of our race, have all
dropped into oblivion. Men who were enormously swollen with
conceit; men who merrily passed through every selfish crime; men
who claimed and reserved to themselves all honour; men who have
withered the heart and hushed the voice of their fellowmen —
have all been dissipated into nothing. Men who with a heartless
jealousy and with a miser's greed, grudged any the least due
to others, and coveted and sought to poBseBs every good thing of
tiie world, they are all gone. Their place knows them not. The
most shining ones, tho most beautiful ones, have all passed away.
Kven those conceited asses which played many a silly prank, which
arrogated to themselves all wisdbm, have all been kicked down.
Snch is the frailty of life. And such is the ridiculous foolery of an
idle conceit.

A molecule grows and dies : a continent grows and dies. Look
at the rise and fall of nations. This is the law of natnre. And who
can break it? Nature begins, ends and renews the world. If the
world lives and dies, and gives place to a new, then how can yon,
an infinitesimal part thereof, refuse obedience to the Government
of Natnre. We live to die: and we die to live. This is the fact of
existence. Every atom, every being, is connected with every other
in mntnal harmony. Through an infinite succession of change, every
part of every component being, liveB and dies, to make something
else in the universe.

This whole universe will live and die, and change into some
other universe. No thin g can ever be completely lost. This is the

278

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

law of nature. When such is the fact, where is the reason in the
^rrief for the dead? I will allow a tender tear for the memory of
the dearly beloved one, but I will put down excessive grief and
undue wailing to morbid sentimentalism. Nor do I see humanity in
a heart dried of all emotion. Man is not all intellect, bat he is
largely emotional. Where intellect aDd emotion blend into one
harmonionB music, there is the blessing of a high, rational being.
What though my prattling child sinks at last into a mass of pulse-
less? What though my charmer falls down thoughtless, speechless
and motionless? I saw my charmers in my child and wife. But I see
them no more. But what was the condition of my relationship with
them? Was I not under the charms of my mortals? Did I make
friends with the immortals? And why grieve, then, when they have
flown away from my horizon? Talk not of a short life. A life of vir-
the is long enongh even for a mortal's time. Talk not of falling
into annihilation. Nothing can produce nothing. Something must
have come out of something.

*‘Our deeds follow us from afar. And what we have been
makes us what we are.’’ And after death we shall be what we have
now been. We don’t know what life is. Science has not yet wrested
from nature the secret of life. But this we know that life has not
come out of nothing: and will not go down into nothing. No force-
no energy — shall be lost — is the decree of nature. Matter and force
have all along been evolving improvements through many and va-
rious conditions. And yet the conservancy of energy is maintained.
And yet matter remains just the same in the Bum total. Such is
the Providence of Nature. After all matter and force may not at
all be different in kind but different shades \)f one and the same
Bubstance in varying conditions. Well, let this stand here. In the
beneficence of Nature, something dies to put forth a new life.
Death does not stop porgress but leads mortals to new glories and
fresh possibilities. Death lays aside the old form of a life and
clothes it with a fresh and starts it on new lines with new condi-
tions. Such is the Function of Death in the .Economy of Nature.
Why mark the presence of death with all that is hideous and
gloomy? Drunk with sorrow, we miscall our bright and generous
Mother a derk devil. Death — a Mother? Yes, I am born of some-
thing dead. Something else will be born of my dead self. It is
death which has produced me and it is death which shall produce
some new being ont of the present I. If there is mystery in the
birth of my I, there is mystery in the death of my I.

Through a series of changes my I is born: and if it comes to
face death it is not that it has dissipated into nothing aa it seems.

THE FUNCTION OF DEATH IN THE ECONOMY OF NATURE. 279

How can it? What has come from afar will go far, far away the
seeming close of its career to-day. Death charms as into a sleep,
and life means our weary restless hoars- And what is this I ? A
group of form, sensation, perception, discrimination and conscious-
ness, touched by a peculiar tone of characteristics, which reveal
themselves as an individual in a fleeting personality. And when
this individual bound down by laws as certain and unerring at
those which govern the whole cosmos, dies or rathe? pauses a
while to begin his career fresh with the experiences that he or
she gained, it is not that he or she is done up, bat pa& es on from
height to height- Matter or energy never dies but changes from
one condition to another. Life never dies. but changes and passes
into a new life. Our past experiences reveal themselves in ns as
conscience. And our present ones will be the memory of the future.
Death sums np the Past in the Present, and brings up the sum of
good and evil tendencies (which is the soul) of the (present to the
fresh possibilities of the Future. So we see Death performing a
uoUe function in the evolution of all that is.

The whole universe stands decreed to the conditions of ' birth,
growth, decline and death. In the death of one lies the birth of
another. The “loss here is a “ gain” somewhere. In the death of
an error lies the birth of a truth.

Death is a powerful educationist. Death warns ns against onr
cleaving to transitory things, breaks our morbid attachment to
fleeting relations, educates us out of our silly conceit, of our stupid
arrogance, and of our foolish pranks and selfish crimes. Death
presents life m its true colors. Death Btands above all human
power, all human learning, all lrtman beauty and all human glory.
In the light of Death, life, however pretentious, looks poor and
pitiable. What though you cover a continent with yonr title-deeds
• — or an oceau with your commerce? What though you make a
mint of money, or command the world’s market, or live in all the
circumstances of a mighty potentate? Death will take you away.
And v. ho can obstruct it in its duty? You grow conceited and look
down upon struggling ones, because you have made a set speech
in the council, because you have read a lesson to the senate, be-
cause you have writen a learned judgment from on the Dench,
because you are a successful this or that. But death laughs at
you all the while for all your petty pranks and shows you at last
how small you have been though so pretentious.

Death reveals the hollowness of self-seeking. Death shows
self a fleeting phantom, and counts its seekings a mistake. We

280

8IDDHANTA DEEF1EA.

want money, but we would not allow another have any part of it.
Nay, we would grow rich and powerful with the blood of otherB.
We want to make a name: but we will not allow another to make
one for himself. We would do all to kill him in his reputation. So
on with all the coveted things of' the world. No learning is a gua-
rantee against self seeking of a most savage type. Such i« the
strength and mischief of self-seeking. Cannibalism we pretest
against. But there is yet cannibalism amongst us in a different
form, but worse and more subtle . Cannibalism you can see face to
face in the race for wealth and i woman, for food and drink, for
shelter and conveyance, for name and fame, for power and glory.
But even savage sell-seeking comes at last within the reach and
grasp of Death. The rich grow vain and heartless; the poor mean
and insolent : the “ learned ” swell with conceit; intolerance, pre-
judice and barbaric seltishness. But life is fleeting. Death blan-
ches the arrogance of power and the conceit of learning, into a
puff .of smoke or into a handful of dust.

Even those Jugglers who live a devil aud talk aud write a
bible, who to secure and further their own selfish ends, seek lo
hush even the voice of an angel, who in the name of a (rod of
whose praise they are loud, would crucify that very God if he
should appear just now in fleBh and blood, — oven these Jugglers
who are having a good time of it by throwing dust into the eyea of
the multitude, — even these Jugglers of so many forms and types,...
even these cannot outwit death. No hypocrisy however subtle, no
rascality however keen and successful, can evade death. Death
masters everything in nature from the countless sands to the starry
hosts. Why, even the loudest fame dwindles at last into a solemn
Bilence of a oblivion; even the most extensive wealth spends itself
into vapid air: even the most resplendent glory sinks at last into a
void of gloom. Death stands at the end of each and all. We covet
this, and hate that. We grow our pretensions: we stunt our sym-
pathies. We seek a fleeting pleasure and spill blood from the
heart of another. But when death knocks at our door, where is our
boasted learning? where is our vaunted power ? where 's the
strength of woman villainy ? Wheie is that lovely form of flesh and
muscle we have adored ? No gold can bribe, no honour can charm
Death into silence. But then. Because death is so stubborn death
is not to be feared as an enemy. W e must rise and go forward to
bid Death welcome. Death, even when threatening, is extremely
kind. Death robs us of all fear. The very thought of death trans-
ports me with joy. Standing by the side of Death I count every ^
dreaded object a sham and every coveted one a trash. I care not
for what the world gives me and what it takes away from me* I

THE FLNCTION OF DEATH IN THE ECONOMY OF NATURE. 281

see m me no craven fear, no selfish sorrow. It is all joy where the
thought of death is.

Death is comfonnded with pain. Bat nothing can be farther from
truth. Where death is not, pain is. Where pain is, death is not.
This is the truth of it. Death it no sensation — but a suspension of
sensation. Where unconsciousness sets in, pain beats a hasty re-
treat. Ignorant of nature’s laws, we are broken to pieces and
ground to dust: Knowing them, we win an empire of joyous peace.

Death is a joy! Why, you see before you a trouble, and you
look to death for comfort. And death comforts you and gives you
peace. Well, death tells you that even this large seeming tronble
shall pass away. And then. You come to rate yourself very high
by reason of some accidental advantage which yon happen to pos-
sess over others* Then death comes to you and tells that this ad-
vantage or privilege of which yon liave grown treasonably proud
and by which you have grown foolishly contemptuous towards
others, is not to endnre for ever, that this also shall pass away, and
that you shall soon be the feast .oE worms. Death gives us.- en-
lightenment, if we only know how to learn lesson from it. Death
tells us that we are all one, in as much as we are all bound to it.
Thus death breaks our sense of separateness. The death of sepa-
rateness heralds the birth of joy. Where there is no separateness,
there is no ignorance : and where there is no ignorance,
there is no attachment ; where there is no attachment, there
is no hate: and where there is no hate, there is joy. Death
breaks our narrow separateness,— only to give us a larger vision of
the united whole.

All flesh is grass. No chancellor, no statesman, no millionaire,
but is flesh. From a prince to a pauper, from a fool to a wiseman,
every one passes away before our very eyes like a vanishing ghost.
Death wraps our senses up in sweet oblivion of all our mortal con-
cerns.

Why break our hearts because we are to die, ae though we
are to grieve because we were not bom ten centuries ago. We
appear only to disappear. And we disappear only to re-appear.
\Ve rise to fall. And we fall only to rise again. We gain to lose.
Ani we lose only to recover it Beauty blooms only to wither. And
who knows from withered fragments u fresh beauty may not bloom
with an increased brilliancy /

Talk and write what you will about " Annihilation. But there
is hope throbbing and pulsating in all. Nature wants a balance.
And death works for it* The concerns of life are trauscient: yet

282

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

we are so restless. Self-conceit takes myriad shapes, hears a thou-
sand names, and does countless mean things- If nothing else, death
gives us peaco. If life is a constant parting, Dea.jh, at worst, takes
up to a place where there can be no parting. But death counts
life a scaffold, and progress an edifice.

Right or wrong, it is truth to us which is in accord with our
hearts. And the hope of a better life is an instinct written deeply
in the heart of man. Far down in our hearts we hear the gentle
whisper of a beautiful hope that nothing on earth should go to
naught.

Behind and before you and me there is Necessity. And Ne-
cessity acts in certain sequence. No theory spun of barren words
is thisl But a fact! Fear Nature ? No— Never. Nature shall take me
as a mother to her arms, and awake me back with a life-and-death
call! Pain of loss, of separation, may howl But death sheds beauty
and deep softness over life. Words are breath. Escape from
illusive fancies unto truth. Death is death no more: but rich with
the suggestions of beauty, of hope. Come what may: I am safe in
the hands of Nature. Nature has brought me* up. I resign my
future unto Her. Her will shall be done. She has given me being
and when She through death demands it, I will deliver it up with a
resignation that is sweet and with a piety that is true. Let Her set
up my I in whatever form, in whatever condition she may choose.
To those who trust to Her She vouchsafes joy.

When death, the confidant of nature comes to us, let pain and
despair go. Whatever shape death may assume, let us stand
straight in her presence and lift her veil, and wo will behold higher
forms and grander ends.

In the embrace of Hope let the dead sleep. Hope puts a star
of thought in the night of grief. Let us swear obedience to the
Will of the Inevitable. Let us do the Bidding of the Environment.
Only then, and not till then, can you understand the Function of
Death in the Economy of Nature. Only then, and not till then, can
dark despair cease eating us up. Only then, and not till then, will
Hope sing in all silence her hearts’ melody on the air's soft stream.
Away Despair! Thy wild dance maddens ine! Let Hope be my stay,
my minister. Let naught ruffle my peace !

Think of the eternity of Time! Think of the immensity of
Space! Which record will tell our story, aye, the story of even this
planet? What fraction of space, what part of time, goes to the
formation and duration of a mortal ? How many planets could
not Time and Space survive! How little and short is man ! What

THE FUNCTION OF DEATH IN THE ECONOMY OF NATURE. 383

shadows we are — and what shadows our relations and cencems are!
He who is at peace with Death’ is a King of Kings, a Lord o£
Lords- No fear, no want, no pain, can assail such a Soul of Beauty
and Joy, With the hopes of Death I count a world s word an
empty sound : and a world's little passing pomps an idle show. Im-
bued with the di.untlessness of Death I defy every storm of Care,
of Pain, of Hate. In the ligntof Death how small the victories,
how tame the terrors of life look! Looking to Death, I am content
to live a quiet and peaceful life — content to fashion a beauteous
character out of every circumstance — content to let my life remain
unknown, unrecognised and untold.

Under the reign of Law, not evil but good shall fall at last^
far off — at last, to all. All action all suffering, shall bear at last,
their fruit ana flower. Hope touches the world with living flame
and emits rays of Happiness. Death and Peace shall meet at last.
By a serieB of operation death works out undying peace. Paradox
as this may appear, this nevertheless contains large truth- We
creep along the labyrinths just to climb the rocks: we pass through
death to immortality. In truth, our aspirations bear us on bo faT as
to place within our grasp the highest joy that we are capable of
enduring. In truth, we laugh at sorrow and mock pain with, smiles,
when Hope demands from Nature her fairest star.

A S. MUDALIAR.

If you would be a man, speak what you think to day in words
as hard as cannon ballsr and to morrow speak what to morrow
thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you
said to day.

R. W. Emerson.

Carve the face from within, not dress it from without. For
whoever would be fairer, illumination must begin in the soul ; the
face catches the glow only from that side-

W. C. Gannett.

It is what yon are, not where you are. If a young man has
the right stuff in him. he need not fear where he lives or does his
business Many a large man has expanded in a small place.

Edward Bok

294

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

RELIGION AND ETHICS.

(Notes of a Lecture by Mrs . Besant.)

There was a time in Europe a few centuries ago, when the
prevailing idea was that faith was everything and conduct matter-
ed little; a man was judged by what he believed and not by what
he was. This idea was carried so far that Melancthon is reported
to have said that “heresy is worse when eaten off a golden dish’'
that is to say, the herosy of a good man is more harmful than that
of an evil one, because his conduct recommends the heresy. Be-
lief was then of so much importance that men were burned alive for
believing wrongly and everything turned on questions of dogma
and doctrine. Now we find exactly the opposite view; people are
apt to think it does not matter what a man believes if he acts
rightly, he is to be judged by action, not belief ; conduct is all-
important, and belief matters very little. This is the result of the
reaction from the former position. It does matter profoundly what
a man believes; not because his salvation depends upon it, he is
just as safe whether he believes one thing or another, but because
his character is the result of his thought; no one who recognises
the enormous importance and effect of thought can ever say it
does not matter what a man believes. Religious beliefs, both past
and present, very much influence ethical ideas, the rules on which
conduct is based, and you cannot leave out the influence of thought
with regard to conduct any more than with regard to other things.
Man is created by thought, as a man thinks, so he is. If this is
true it cannot be a matter of indifference* wb at are our beliefs —
whether we think rightly or wrongly of the Supreme Life, and of
our own lives, whether we think that we are living one great life,
with many births or deaths, or believe that a man is born and dies
once only, and that all his future depends on it. These things all
bear on ethics.

Let us see how far historically religious and ethical systems
have been conjoined. It is sometimes said that the ethical system
grows out of the religious and its sanction is a religious one. But
this is not universally true. The morality taught by Confucius,
for example, had not a religions basis, so far as we can see. His
morality was based on the idea of utility to society and appealed
to the moral instinct rather than to the religious sanction ; not to
the will of God, but to its own inherent rightness, depending on
reason. So we find he lays down various great principles of
conduct appealing to the reason. One of these is characteristic of
his habit of thought^ and is somewhat in conflict with the teaching

RELIGION AND ETHICS

385

of most of tJie great teachers of the world. (»n this point the
Western mind would be more inclined to agree with Confucius. It
is a fundamental principle in all religions that we should return good
for evil. But Confucius dealt with this in a very common-sense
way; ho said, recompense good with good, but evil with jWf ice.
Kow that is a very fine thought, and is true with regard to the
judge, tbe statesman and the magistrate. In the Sermon on the
Mount there are some beautiful moral precepts as for instance, * if
a man take away thy coat, give to him . thy cloak also;” a high,
noble morality, but not the morality for the State. If a judge were
to take his cloak and give it to the thief, every one would cry out
against him, and he would be removed from his position. It is true
that evil can only be cured by the opposite good. So Lao-Tze
said: — “the miser I will treat with liberality, the liar with truth,
the cruel with kindness, and thnB all will become good.” But in
dealing with social matters, it is necessary to have the rule of
Confucius, and to recompense evil with justice. Ccnfucius stood
alone on this point, perhaps because he, unlike most of the great
spiritual teachers, was concerned with social order rather than
with individual ethics.

One of the modern schools of morality takes utility as its basts,
and builds upon that its maxim of “the greatest happiness for the
greatest number.” ft is a noble system of ethics, and does not
lack purity and nobility, but it lacks inspiration and motive power.
The rule that the right is that which brings the greatest happiness
to the greatest number is imperfect, because it does not include all.
What about the minority ? Is that to be trampled down to secure
the good of the majority? There is something lacking in the theory
that takes this principle as its basis. Right is that which bring
about perfect happiness for every sentient being. But even sup-
posing the principle of the utilitarian to be satisfactory, there would
still be something needed to make it binding. It is binding on the
unselfish man ; when you say to him that he should sacrifice himself
for his country, the man who is highly evolved, intellectually and
morally, will answer to it and will say at once that it is quite true.
But it will not appeal to the selfish or undeveloped man who could
not answer to the thonght that t he good of the whole is more than
the good of the part. He would Bay “what has posterity done for
me. that I should trouble abont posterity?” — a manifestly unanswe-
rable question.

William Kingdon Clifford has put this matter on a strong
foundation, though not quite complete. He says that tbe human
race is a unity, and one generation grows out of another; whatever

236

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

the present has a literature, philosophy, and so on, has come from
Jhe past, and since all we have is a legacy from the past, we are
bound to increase it and make it richer for those who will come
after. But when you are dealing with people in general, you
want something more than that, for a nation is made up of selfish
and brutal people as well as the noble and highly evolved; and
something imperative is needed that will appeal to every one, both
the educated and uneducated. This cannot be found outside reli-
gion, and on the nature of the belief will depend the nature of the
ethics. In Prance an attempt was made to carry out the teaching
of morality without religion; religion was put entirely on one side,
except in religious orders, and duty to the country was put forward
as the basis of morality; but this was not found t.o lead to high
patriotism or purity of life, nor did it produce a binding sense of
unity; and the nation went to pieces under attack. Human nature
was too strong and something more was needed than an appeal to
ethics.

The foundation of religion is the One Life, the only sure foun-
dation we can have. There is but one life. ‘the same in every one;
we are leaves of one tree. By the fact of this common life an
injury done to one is an injury to all; injury to your neighbour is
injury to yourself, and there is no hope of escape from the effect,
any more than a man could expect to escape the punishment for a
crime by changing his coat. The unity of the Self is the funda-
mental truth on which both ethics and religion are based. From
the standpoint of religion the strength of this belief lies in the fact
that you do not want any external proof of the existence of the
Self. Proof comes as you realise yourself. Realising the One
Self, the identity of the Self in God and in man, religion becomes
self-poised. The true basis of ethics is that we have a moral duty
towards all creatures not only towards man, and it is here that the
fulness comes in which is lacking in the utilitarian system. You
can then no longer talk about the majority for the minority is also
part or the one life, and yon canuob leave out from the circle of
that life even the meanest creature. Universal happiness is the
object of the universe, and not the most trivial life can be excluded.
The utilitarian is right in his object, but he does not recognise the
fact that happiness and divine life are identical, and that every
happiness short of divine bliss is impermanent, and does not satisfy
the demand for true happiness which is found in unity with itself
and with others. Happiness is the one thing we are all seeking ;
it is the inevitable goal, because the Self is bliss, and it must find
in every being the realisation of itself. This idea is found in
Hinduism ; the aim of the philosophy is to put an end to pain and

RELIGION AND ETHICS

287

to find pence. And as the Upanishat puts it, a man might as soon
try to roll up the ether as leather, as to escape misery without the
knowledge of God.

The next question is, bow will religions beliefs affect funda-
mental laws f What is l ight and what is wrong ? To a man who
believes in an extra cosmic God, who created the world at a particu-
lar moment of time, the world is outside God, not. part of Himself, it
does not share His inherent nature. Laws are imposed upon it by
the will of God, from outside, and must be obeyed like the laws of
a king or parliament, which are imperative because the rnler is
recognised as supreme , they are artificial and carry with them the
idea of reward and punishment. According to this view of God and
nature, there is no common factor between them, nothing which
makes happiness the inherent result of good, and misery the inherent
result of evil. The religions based on the idea of reward and
punishment are always marked with this atmo c 'phere of artificiality.
Take the articles of the Church of England, to which every clergy
man is supposed to subscribe. According to these every man is
born sinful, because of Adam’s sin, and is therefore an object of
God’s wrath and condemnation, by reason of his birth, which he
does not choose ; and the penalty is everlasting punishment. But
this was felt to be too horrible, and so a scheme was made by which
it. might be avoided. By baptism the child was made a child of
God instead of a child of wrath, and the imputed sin of Adam
was balanced by the imputed virtue of Christ — beliefs which are
utterly untrue, but necessary if the primary statement is admitted.
The result was a false idea of rightness and confusion of mind ;
right came to mean that which God commands, there was no
criterion outside His will. It was impossible to argne from what
was seen in the world around to the mind of God, for the evil man
became rich, the good man was poor and unfortunate. Christians
then fell back upon an authoritative book ; but hete ihere are the
difficulties of translations, MSS.- etc ; a standpoint of right and
wrong based npon a book most always be unreliable. Bnt if the
world is the expression of the Divine Life, that, in which God Him-
self is immanent, then the laws of nature are the expression of the
Divino Nature; there is no question of reward and punishment, but
of inevitable sequence. Fire barns, and if a hand is pat into the
fire, the burning of the hand is not a pnnishment, but a natural
result. Ignorance may ptu its hand into the fire, and may learn
by it, and it is the same with all the laws of nature ; the results are
all beneficial, bringing increase of knowledge; by every experience
we learn the nature of 1 if'e .

288

8IDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

Seeing the world as the expression of the Divine Life, and its
laws as the expression of Divine Law, we see evolution as the object
of life, tlie right is then that which is in harmony with evolution,
and wrong is whatever goes against it- Right is the nature of the
part expressing itself harmoniously in all activities ; it is an ever-
growing harmonv, an unfolding thing, not something laid down
once for all. Right and wrong are therefore relative terms, not
absolute, and the right of the savage is not that of the civilised
man. That which the undeveloped man may do because it gives
him fresh knowledge, may not be done by one who is more
developed, because for him it would mean a going backward. So
we gradually come to see in the world the purpose of God enfolding
and the perfection of the divine harmony shaping for itself forms
of ever richer and more splendid beauty, always going onwards,
never backwards. Then we have a standard which we can apply
to conduct everywhere and always, making it an inspiration to a
man, no matter at how low a stage he may be, to go forward a
little, and to realise that he is working with humanity and with
divinity.

This implies another doctrine, the continuity of life ; here
religions come in with their doctrines. Science has reached the
continuity of matter, but not of life, and so it finds itself
face to face with difficulties ; the recognition of the continuity
or life is necessary for light understanding When Christianity
gave up the teaching of the pre existence of the soul, and
put in its place the most unphilosophical doctrine that every
new body had a new soul created for it, and that that soul, upon
leaving the body, would go straight to heaven or to hell ; it adopted
a test of a very peculiar kind, making a man’s whole future depend
on the way in which 1 e lived this one life. Hence arose the
importance of works. For you cannot turn an entirely undeveloped
man into a genius, and when he comes to die he will still be a very
poor creature, and will have to live life after life before thore is
ally very marked difference. If you take a child born of an evil
type and with an evil character, you can do very little with that
child in one short life. You can plant a little seed of good, but
you cannot change tho natnre, the criminal will remain a criminal,
and what is to become of him after death ? To meet these difficul-
ties were devised the doctrines of justification bv faith, the vicarious
atonement, and t e imputation of the righteousness of Christ to the
sinner. To-day wo have the reaction from all this. Cuno:i Farrar
was once speaking to a navvy who was not leading a good life, anch
to.d him he would go to hell if he wonld go to hell if he did not

RELIGION AND ETHICS.

mend Lis ways. The man answered, ** Mister, do you mean to tell
me that after sticking me here in the mud, God is going to stick
me in hell fire ?” Rough words, hut true; and they ma-ln such an
impression, that Canon Farrar began to reconsider his beliefs.

All these false doctrines and the consequent confusion of
thought, had their influence on the character of those who believed
them, right and wrong became confused, and the whole idea of
evolution by means of effort fell into the background. Once
convince men that by believing in Jesus they can escape the con-
sequences of evil, and you have struck at the very foundations of
morality, as may be seen in the low morality of Christendom at the
present day, as compared with that of the Eastern religions. This
is very marked here in India, where we have all religions and can
compare them; it is very striking to observe how much lower is
the morality of those religions which do not teach Karma and
Re incarnation than of those which hold these beliefs-

Religious doctrines have thus a very great influence on ethics,
for wrong beliefs bring wrong conduct in their train, and by taking
away the principles of the unity of life and the inviolability of law
you take away the very foundation of right, and therefore of all
ethical systems. So, while never blaming a man for wrong belief,
we should always try to enlighten him, knowing that the wrong
belief will come ont eventually in wrong conduct. In this way we
may keep the balance between the idea of the all-importance of
belief, and the reaction against that, which says that if a man is
good, everything is all right if a man is good, but we must also
remember that the truer the thought, the greater the goodness,
and that by training onr tnought and our belief, we may lay the
foundations of a good and noble life . — From Theosophy in India .

Men at some time are masters of their fates :

The fault, is not iu our stars,

But in ourselves, that we are underlings.

Cowards die many times before their deaths ;
The valiant never taste of death but once
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard.

It Beems to me most strange that men should fear :
Seeing that death, a necessary end.

Will come when it will come.

SIPDIIANTA DEEFIKA.

290

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE SAIVA SI DD HA NT A MOVEMENT.

THE OTHER FIDE.

An extract of a letter was published in the October issue of
this journal. I beg to couimeut on it.

I am not one of those bigoted men who blindly believe that
whatever the mind chooses to read, nor one of those narrow-minded
men who think that there should be nothing which could not be
graced by their, mind. I am one of those who believe in the fitness
of things, that a new-born babe must be fed with milk, and that an
infant should not be permitted to steer an air-ship.

The Saiva Siddhauta is undoubtedly a universal religion, but
it has a thousand grades suited to the thousand grades of spiritual
development, just as a language has books for abecedarians as well
as for savants. I believe many of us are not following the Dharmas
of even the lowest of the four well-known padas. Some of us have
been matriculated by our Gurus (given the Sauiaya Deeksha), but
we do not behave in a way worthy of Matriculates of that angust
University of Saiva Siddhanta, and if the syndicate were powerful
many of us might have been struck off th rolls. Basides our
adhartna ways we commit the very serions offence of abusing it by
writing original theses to qualify for the D.Sc. degiee, and what is
worse we try to upset the most important principles of the univer-
sity and to adopt methods practised by mercenary universities
which hesitate to confer degrees on horses only. I got my early
education in a Mission School, and in my twelfth yearl had occasion
to wish that all Mission Schools should be extirpated. But it took
me several years to get out of their ways of thinking which had
-stolen into me. So, 1 was now and then doing religious preaching
attempting proselytising and xtwlyiny Sivagnanalodham and even
Tiruvachakam. I found that 1 could never understand these books
that I was like a curious boor who stole into an observatory to
enjoy the sublime happiness of observing heavenly bodies but
found he was only iu a maze and the only qualification he had in
common with the astronomer was the presence in the observatory
and that too with the difference that his entrance was stealthy. I
am now fully convinced that this curiosity is a folly, these are
western ways and very sinful. It is a folly because they are
incomprehensible and can be of no use to me in that we.y. Our
creator Brahma did not know the meaning of the first sound uttered
before every Veda Sloka (Vide Kcmdapuranam stanza 121 4). Are
v:e the people to understand bivagnauabodhsun ? The Tillaivalan-

THE 8AIVA SIDDHANTA MOVEMENT.

291

tbanar who were adored by Sundarar did not know the mewing
of Tiruvacli&kain and were told that the meaning was oar
Lord N»te*a. (Bat now it is believed to be understood by
Mlechchae of a Mlechcha religion, and translated by them.
Of course, we cannot question them, only we should not approach
the translation.) The four great Risliis beggeu of Parameswara to
teach them the Guana Pada. They were blessed with a gracious
amile indicating the presence of ignorance in them of the very
nature of Guana (Vide Kanda P. St. 421). Can there be a greater
error than to think of understanding such supreme trutlis, under-
standing them like “any book on Science or Logic.” We can
understand Tiruvachakam and Sivapnanabodham as much as an
infant can understand Differential Calculus wherein the curves are
taken to be nothing more than scribbles it makes on the ground.

I think our felly has reached its zenith, and it is time for it to
begin to sink. Even among missionaries, Catholics do not allow
everyone indiscriminately to read the Bible ; and once when a
Bishop showed me with a sardonic smile the sentence in the intro-
duction in a certain edition of the Sivagnana Siddhiar purporting
that whoever rends it without having obtained certain Deekshas
and other qualifications is doomed to hell, and asked me if he was
also so destined, I told him it was a serious affair, religious
knowledge was meant to guide us in our acts, when these qualifica-
tions were not possessed misunderstanding was assured leading the
reader to wrong acts and hence to hell ; 1 also brought home to
him the truth by referring to the way of Catholics. Kivagnana-
bodham may Le considered as the symbol of God (cp. Kanda P. st.
1126). Do you think -any .ore who takes up the study of the book
after going through the prescribed preliminary course will dare to
associate it with Logic and Science? One part of the letter proves
the error in the other part.

My humble opinion then is that at least in religion we most
not adopt western ways. If we want to understand religion, we
can get enough from our usual Gurus who are specially authorised
to teach religion, and then we may be directed by them to the
Paranas, which our correspondent for reasons known to him alone
excludes from shastra 9 . Kasipanupadesacn which was enough for
the sons of that great. Rishi cannot be too short for us. When we
see that we have practised all those teachings, we shall certainly
get more light, and we may ask for more, not till then*. In fact,

• “In Senator Fogazzaro’s novel, “The Saint’’ a group of students for the
ministry come to the hero for help in some theological difficulties. The Saint

tells them to go home and live according to what they already know to be

right before hoping for more light.” Great Thoughts.

292

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

the thirst which drives us not real thirst, it is the religious counter-
part of the thirst for liquor also taught by Westerners.

A philosopher says, “ Religious truth cannot, therefore, be
imparted, as has sometimes been supposed, by an intellectual
medium of verbal exposition and theological demonstration. Being
an affair of the feelings a method must be sought adapted to
heighten the intensity of these.” We must therefore heighten
the emotions by studying the lives of Saints in Periapuranam and
the infinite grace of our Lord in Tiruvilayadal Puranam, and by
reciting poems like Devaram and Tiruvachakam, taking special care
to get holy men to guide us in them, and all the while aiming at
good thoughts and good deeds not at knowing for its own sake.
Besides it is against the traditions of our religion to throw broad
cast high spiritual truths aud to work like the S. P. C- K. and the
S. P. Gr- We must always remember that we cannot replace even
an iota in our religious principles which are all eternal.

“DHARMA.**

(We regard with great respect the views given expression to
by our correspondent but we are bound to confess that we do not
altogether agree with him. Our friend evidently confuses theology
or Philosophy and Religion with Religious Practice, and it is
possible to reason out Religion as far as the human mind can
reach ; and that is what all such philosophical works aim at,
whether Hindu or non-Hindu- And even Catholics have written
about the theory of Religion abundantly and we have ourselves
published such contributions from Rev. Father G. Bartoli. And we
feel convinced that such truths are not confined to the Saiva Religion
but is the common property of all mankind. Of course we fully
recognize the importance of the preliminary requests of a sound
moral character and conduct, and study of such works as our friend
advises, and we have pointed out that these studies will be sufficient
even as the last course. We hope to refer to this : object again at
length. Ed.)

The Limitation and suppression of the liquor traffic forms one
of the most important probloins in modern society. Thousands
and thousands of homes have been broken up, caused by the
traffic in intoxicants- This lamentable social corruption is trace-
able in large degree to the legalised saloons.

Judge Ben B. Lindsay.

ONIONS AS A REMEDY.

293

ONIONS AS A REMEDY.

"Dr. Jones, of New Brunswick, N. J. p contributes an article to
the “Wisconsin Medical Recorder,’ on the treatment of pneumonia
This doctor says a great many sensible things about the treatment
of this formidable disease, and I wish every doctor in the land
could read it and be influenced by it.

Among other things, the doctor refers to the use of onionB in
the treatment of pneumonia says : ‘‘Just as soon as there is a chill,
with pain in the lungB and difficulty of breathing, slice raw onions
quite thin, place them in a muslin bag large enough to cover the
chest, warm the bag over a hot stone until heated thorough, then
apply over the chest next to the skin. Two bags should be made,
so ae to have two poultices, and change them every hour or as soon
ae they lose their heat.

This poultice will always relieve the pain and difficulty of
breathing. If it is used as directed, it can be depended on, nor
only in pneumonia, but in congestion of the lungs and cronp or
sudden colds in young children.

«* Onions have a very sensitive organism. They are a powerful
absorbent to all morbid matter that they come in contact with. In
the northern part of England, during the Cholera epidemic, it
puzzled the sanitary inspectors. Why one house in a row of
infected houses escaped infection, At last some one noticed a net
of onions hanging in the fortunate house, which, upon examination,
proved to have become diseased.

“ Care should be taken never to eat an onion that shows
symptoms of decay, for no one can tell what may have caused the
decay. An onion, boiled or roasted, eaten before bedtime, will
keep the stomach sweet and clean and give a good night’s Bleep.’
This ^8 rav excellent advice. Sensible persons can do this without
the assistance of a physician ; and no doubt a great many lives
would be saved if they shouV do so.

Many physicians would even oppose the use of a poultice of
any kind in pneumonia, as is shown by an accident which the doctor
relates farther on in his article.

" As I am writing this article a letter lies on my table from a
lady in Boston, > ho had pner ucuia and used the above ouiou

294

SIDDHANTA DEEITKA.

poultice and cared herself; after her family doctor had diagnosed
her case pneumonia, cliarged her five dollars for the visit and left her
some medicin.* that did her no good. He told her, “We don’t use
warm applications over the chest ; that day has gone by.' The
lady writes me that an old uucle of her husband practised 50 years
in Connecticut and never lost a case of pneumonia, and lie-used
the onion as directed above

Dr. Jones is an old man, grown grey in the practice of medi-
cine. He grndnated long before most of the smart ales who are
now practicing medicine were old enough to attend kindergarten.

The doctor has learned the value of such a harmless remedy
as onions in the treatment of the very dangerous disease,
pneumonia.

Of course, this sort of treatment will not suit the average
doctor. He is thinking all the while of his disease germ killers, his
vital stimulants, and all that sort of thing. To descend to such
homely advice as making an onion poultice, or even ordering one,
is beneath the dignity of the modern high-headed doctor. I wish
there were more doctors like Dr. Eli (r. Jones, of New Jersey.
That family is to be congratulated wbo cun command the services
of such a sensible physician. He has not only saved disease, but
saved them much unnecessary expense.*’

I believe in the religion of Love — love for everybody and for
everything— the rich and the poor— the well and the afflicted — the
week and the strong — the old and the young — for man and for beast.
I believe it were better to praise the honest living than to eulogize
the dishonest dead — better to pluck a blossom from the breast of
Nature and pin it with affectionate touch to the tattered coat of
some forlorn, unfortunate, than to lay a wealth of hot house bloom
upon some rogue’s luxurious casket. — /. B . Smith.

We than the Lord, for work, that hinds our days
Ints an ordered plan and keeps own ways
Attuned to system ; grasps our scattering powers
And welds then who strength; takes fragrant hours
And weaves them into fabrics strong and fair.

W. K. Maxwell.

Vayu Samhita.

19 Bhoothesbn Rhoothcshn charnthi Pravishtaba Sa Boothanam Adhipa

thfhi. He mores within all beings. He is the Lord at aU beings

20. Yo Rndro agnow yo Apsn ya Oehadishu yo Rndro Visva bhnvana vivesa
Thaamsi Rndraya namo Asathn. One Budre who is wittin fire, within waters, within
the creepers, within the whole nniverse-to Him is this obeisance.

21. “Yo bhoothanam Adhipathihi Rudreha" One Rudra is the Loi d of all beings.

22. Bhoopathe Bhnvana Paths Hahatho bhoothasya pathe. Lor of the world,
of the whole universe and of the entire beings.

23. Ekahapnrasthath va idem Babhoova yatho babhoova Lhuvanasya gopa
yamapyetbi Bhnvsnam Samps rayai Sa no HaFir grntbam iha santhu Deraha” He
the one was before. He who became all, from Him all protectors of the world came
To Him let thiB Havis ghee of ours go.

Tf we turn to the npanishods, we find many of'these mantras repeated a
number of times. The Taithriya Mahopanishads assert: — “Yathaha Prasootha
jageth&ba prasoorhihi, Yath oshadhibhipnrushan vivesa bhoothani charucharuni
At ha ha pa ram Nanyath Aniyasamhi, Paratpuram yau Hahatho mahactham Visvam
pnranam Thamasahaparasthath iahtapoortham bahndha jatham Jayamam Yisvam

bihharthi Bhuvanaeya nabhihi Sa no bandhnr Janitha sa vidhatha sa otha pro

thascha vibhu prajaau” From whom was born this world. Who entered into all
bhoothas, chaws and acharas. There is none minuter than Hun, no one greater
than Him. He sustains all this past, present and future generating things. He is
remoter than the remote, greater than the great. His abode is beyond darkness.
He is intertwined in all beings. He is oar relation. He is our father, onr disposer.
Isanassarva Vidyanam IsvarasBarvabhoothanam Brahmadhipathir Brahmanodhi-
pathir Brahma Sivome Asthn Sadasivom” Sadusiva is the lord of all sciences, of all
beings. Lord of the Vedas and Lord of Brahma, He is the Br&hm. Let Him be
Siva to as.

"Isa sarvasya jagathaha prabhu P.inathi Yisvabhuk’’ Isa, the Master of alj
the worlds, the devourer of everything is pleased, in the Taithiriya Aranyaka
namaskaram or obeisance is only required to be offered to the Great God and He - s
described as the Bhootapathi as the Protector of all beings “ Yasmai namasthath
chiro dharma Moordhauam Brahmothara Hanuhu yagnodhara Vishnnr hridoyam

aamvatsaraha prajananam Twam bboothanam Adhipathirasi Twain bhootha

nu in Sreshtoai nainalia the namo nainaba Sarvamthe namaha” and in the na m akaa
we see that the Lord is described as the pathi of all.

Again the upanishads proclaim " Bheeshasmath Vathapavathe Bheeshodetbj
Booryaha. Bheeshasmath Agnischa Indrascha, Mrithynr dhavathi Panchamaha’
BhnyathagniBthapathe Bhayuth thapathi Sooryaha etc.” Through fear of Him the
wind blows, the fire burns, the sun shines, Through fear of Him death overtakes
‘Kartharam Isam\ Isa, the creator, and Ethasmath jayathe prano manaasarvendri.
yanicha’ from Him arc produced tne pranas, the mind, and all indriyas. “Atma va

y. 8.

58

idam Eka eva Agra Asith Sa Eakshatha Lokannn srujn. itlii Sa [man Lokan Asiujath
Atma alone has bo6n before. Ho desired “Let mo create tho world.” He created
the world. The Taithiriya upanishad Bbriguvalli thus arrives at Brahm the cuuse
from the product world. 'What is Brahm’ ‘:Yathova imani Bhoothani jayanthc
yena jathani jeevanthi yathprayanthy abhisamvisantlii. Tad vijijuasasva thath
brahmethi.” From whom was born all these bhoothas by whom they are sustained
in whom are they made to resolve, know that as “Brahm” When the 'Brahma-
vadins began to enquire into the nature of God, His works played not a little part
“Kim Karanam Brahma Kuthasma jatha jivamakena Kvacha snmprathishtnha
Adhiehtithaha kena sukethareshu varthamahe” What is Brahm the cause. When
have wo been born. By whom are we living. In whom are wc k estublished. By
whom are we directed to enjoy pleasure or endure pain?

In tho Atharva Sikha upanishad God, the cause of all, is thus arrived at from His
works “ Sarvam idam Brahma Vishnu Rudra Indrassamprasooyanthe sitrvanicha
Bhoothani saha bhoothaihi na karanam karananam dhatha dhayatha karnnanthu
dhyoyaha sarvaisvarya sampannaha Btimbhurakasa Madhye” Whence all this
Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Indra and others are born along with bhoothas. The cause
of causes is never born. This cause is Sambhu, the fountain of Bliss, resting in
Akasa. Bhagavan Veda Vyasa when determining Brahma defined Him as the
source of all. “ Atha Atho Brahma Jijnasa Janmadyasya yathaha.” Then know
Brahm. Whenco all this are produced. The Bivag’uanabodham similarly arrives at
God from His works “Stripura napumsakadithvath Jagathaha karya darsanath
asthi kartha” Tho world, a medley of He, she and It, is a product. Therefore
there is a producer. Tho Mrigendra “Athopalabhya Dohadi Vasthu Karyatva
Dharmakam kartharam osya janeemo Visishtamanumanathaha.” When we come to
know that things like world, body etc are products, wo have to arrive at a creator
by means of anumana (inference).

The Parakhye says: “Athosthi Buddh>man kaschit Isvarassam&vnsthithaha
Jagajjanma Sthithi Dwamsa Thirobliava Vimnkthidaha.” Therefore there is a
sentient Being, an Is vara, who does tho functions of Janma, Sthitlii, Dwamsa,
Thirobhava and Mukthi.

Oar Acliarya Srimath Arulnandi sivam sings thus: —

Qi—ft0j£iQajar (jpeOAQine^eonuD — &)0(jp€s>iD&ii jj,- Sjn&Qucr

lorrpcvirQ &> fguoiar 90a/ar Qa»aor®u >: — Sri Kannndayavallu]
following in the wake of our Acharya observes ©uswgjjaaro^uj/r
djudpi#, Gu/iuSuj&darj&u

9 irrmsfifirQa,iT 0 ai gp«mL-*fcBt£sirCJ® jpreDniraar(yiu>irs<Tfiii>iT(i > > ' — That
prince of moralists, Thiruvalluvar, otherwise known a9 ' ( QumL>
njirQtsirifluLieoaur ” (ono whose word is ever an undeniable truth)'

5 9

has carvod in letters of gold “«#J Susmitir QpfpQp
Similarly the Gitacliarya Sri Krishna, in his Sivoham Posture,
says “Ahara kritsnasva Jagathaha prabhava pralayaha’’ —

Mayadhyakshena prakrithihi Sooyathe sa Characharam’’ and the
disciple Arjuna who was blessed with divine vision, lisps out'* Pit-
hasi Lokasyacharachara-*ya’ Thou art the father of this world of
mobile and immobile things'’ —

We see that the language employed in these Yedic chants is
at once bold, healthy and convincing and is couched in a way that
admits of no two interpretations. The healthy minds of the old Rishis
discerned nothing but beauty and order and purpose in the univer-
se. They saw the finger of God in everything. To them the power
and intelligence of God were already revealed in His works. In their
arguments 4 1 Whence have we come and whence this world ’ the uni-
verse composed of things which they saw and heard were not myths,
were not so many forms of optical illusions, so many series of vain
inexplicable and unintelligible phantasmagoria, as some of the later
Vedantins are inclined to believe. They saw themselves, above, and
around and they began to reason, and in tbeir reasoning they never
lost themselves in the meshes of vain speculations and in the labyri-
uths of spurious imaginings and in the whirlpools of verbal quibblings.
Introspection and argulnenfc are the two modes of arriving at the
Ultimate Reality and both were"availed of by the ancient Rishis.
With a clear vision of the 4 Aham-asmi” — I am-, it became very easy
for them to arrive at the oversOul, the soul of souls, and divine into
the why of things. In His Eternal Mind every thing existed. Be-
fore the Eternal Now every thing should have been in existence
and nothing can be said to be New to Him. It is in this sense that
the universe composed of mind and matter can be and is, Baid to be
co-eval with. Him. But they should have come only out of his
Eternal Mind. Therefore He is the creator. In Him the univer-
se exists. Hence He is Visradhika. He exists in the universe
Hence He is Yisvantharyami. The shapes and forms of all things
composing His body as well, He is called Visvaroopi — since God can

60

never bo divorsed from the universe, we see a beafciful reconcili-
ation between Monotheism and the higher pantheism which is so
gloriously set forth in the Antharyami Brahmana of the Brihadara-
nyaka upanishad. Nearly all samhitas, Brahmanas and Upanishads
reiterate these 3 aspects of the Lord and it is these aspects that
are referred to in the Detaram “u>«w<6OT)4> eSsjsr^S tofewtqic/r©.,'”
“LDrirGsreob sw eSearaere>>ieo mSswi^msiiSso” toes* em&ppn ear eSeae: ear&ppneir
flQuxreitfifiireai” and in the «L.a)Qa&iru>rr&, GauQpQ” of Sri

Arnlnandisivam. Thus ends chapter Vll. of the first part of the
Vayu Samhita.

CHAPTER VIII.

Vayu says: — By the command of Isvara the Vikaras (changes)
beginning from Buddhi and ending with earth are produced from
Avyaktha presided over by purusha.

2. Then from these vikaras (changes) are generated the three
moorthis Rudra, Vishnu and Brahma being the (doers) of the
three functions -which the world is subject to.

1. Purusha is the soul resting in the Purushatatva above the range of
Avyaktha which is agais a product from kalah one of the five sheathes of the
soul, the 4 others being Kahla Vidya Riga and IJiyathi.

2. In its pristine condition, the soul is Nirguna^i.e.) void of the thiigunas
Satva, Rajas and Thamas. But when it descends to the states of Brahma
Vishnu, and Rudra it is clothed with the Prakritic qualities. Thus Brahma,
has a form composed of Rajas, Vishnu of Satva and Rudra of Thamas. Any
amount of word paintings and rhetoric cannot alter this. We know there have
been strenuous efforts, worthy of a better cause, to depict Narayana us Aprab-
krutha (i.e.) above Prakrithi. Words such as these “ Aprahkrutha Divya
Mangala Vigraha” are constantly dinned into our ears. Of course we agree
with such persons if the term Aprakkrutha is applied by them to the soul
resting in the body of Narayana, for the bouI, be it Vyashti or Saraasht , collec-
tive or individual, as the Panchavimsa or the 25th principle is indeed Apra-
krutha. But the application of the term aprakkrutha to the so called
divya Mangala Vigraha or form, if persisted in, then we are quite
unwilling to follow their lead. What on earth could they hope to do if at-
tempts are mode to extol names and forms of matter to that pitch of glory to
which they are not, as of right entitled ! The soul is not a product of
matter or Pr&kruthi. Any fineness of th e Material thing cannot display the
grandeur and beauty of the soul, tye thinking essence. Therefore we strongly
object to the application of terms such as Aprakrutba to forms, be they
Vishnu’s or Rudra’s or Brahma’s or Indra’s or any other Devn’s. If we open

61

(3 & 4) Mahesvara blesses them with powers to pervade "this
world-po vers which cannot be interfered with anywhere*— with ere?
shining matchless wisdom, with the prosperities of anima and others;
with the exercising of the functions of creation, protection and dis-
solution and with supreme authority.

5. During certain kalp&s, when their minds are stupified, the
Lord endows every one of the three with only one function,

6. Then only one of the three generates the other two. Tjins
every one being born from the others is sustained by the others.

7 . At one place Brahma, at other Vishnn, while at the third
Rudra obtains supremacy (i.e. is praised). Therefore amongst them
none surpasses the other as regards position or rank or prosperities.

8. They who betake themselves onto an impetuous and tor.
bulent wrangling of extolling one to the exclusion of others by
saying "This is superior to that and that is not” do verily be-
come diabolical spirits and goblins.

9. The great God M&hesvara transcends the three gnnas. He
has 4 vyoohas. He is all and he is the snbstratam of all. He is
the cause of the uprising of Sakthi.

the pages of the puranas especially of the Bhagayatha and Vishnupurana we
find that Vishnu's form is described there as a product of Prakrithi (be it
understood that we do not object to the application of the term Aprahkrntha
to bouI). The Bhagavatha, like th,. Baiva and Koorma Puranas says that the
form of Vishnu is Prakritic (i.e.) not Aprahkrutha which some in their seal at-
tempt to make out. For instance in the Atritapucharya, the Bishi Atri per-
formed penance to catch a glimpse of that sole Lord of the universe, (ya e/a
Jagatbisvam). At the end of the penance, there appeared, says the Purana, not
one but three persons. The Bishi got puczled and be is pertinently made to
put the question “ Eko Mayeha Bhagavan Vibudha Praahanaschiththekritho
Prajonanaya Kutbarn nu yooyam” " only one Lord is propitiated by me but
why the necessity for 3 persons at the same time." The answer is" Satvam
Bajas thama ithi Prakrutlier gunah Thairynktho para purusho Ekaihasva-
dhaththe Sthithyadaye Hari Virnichi Harethi Samjna Sreyamsi tbathra
Khalu Satva thanor Nrunamsyu.” 8atva Bajas and T ha mas are the
S gunas formed of Prakrithi. Only one assumes three aspects, clad in these
gunas of Brahma, Vishnu and Budra for purposes of three functions creation,
sustention and abaorption. Thus it is plain that the term Aprakrotha cannot
be applied to the forms of the Thiimoortb’s-The Satva, Bajas and Thamo gu-
nas here mentioned are the sub-gunas of %va; s i mi la r ly the other two gunas
are each sub-divided into 8 gunas.

62

10. Such a creation out of mere pastime or play — a projection
o* Prakrithi which is the range of the three kinds of Atma and of
the union of Purasha are established in one who is the Sole Isvara
(i.e. is possible only in God) •

1 1. He who transcends all, who isNithya, who isNishkala and
is Paramesvara — He alone Is the Substratum. The inner controller
and the governor.

12. Therefore Mahesvara the Prakrithi, Purusha, Sadasiva }
Rudra, Vishnu and Brahma all these have Siva as their soul.

13 & 14. First from the Pradhana arose Buddhi, known also
as khyathi, Mathi and Mahan. Mahath being agitated became three
Ahamkaras the Satvika or Thaijasa, the Rajasa or Vaikarika, the
Thamasa or the Bhoothadi. From the Ahamkai as arose the Bhoo-
tbas, the Thanmatras and the Indriyas.

15, 1 6 & 17 . The ears, the skin, the eye, the I tongue, these
5 organs of understanding (gnanendrias) and mind are considered
to be of shining nature. The Ahamkara which produces them is
shining and this Ahamkara is consequently styled Thaijasa. (per-
taining to thejas) The mouth, hands, feet, arms and genitals, these
are karmendrias, organs of action. As they are senses of action
(i.e.) capable being acted upon or influenced (by the senses of under-
standing and thus liable to change or Vikara) — the Ahamkara
which produces them is called Vaikarika (capable of modification).
During the projection of the vaikarika Ahamkara the gnanendrias
severally or conjointly with the mind play their part with the
karmendrias severally or conjointly. Thus along with its one
Guna Rajas it is influenced by the gnenendriyas and mind which
are satvik in nature.) Therefore it is Baid that Satva and Rajas are
both combined in the Rajasa Ahamkar?. Its composition is there-
fore two fold.

15, 16, A 17, K&rmendriyas snob^as hands and feet can do their functions
only with the aid of one or more of fc* gnanendriyas and mind. Hence this
Ahank&ra is ubhayatmaka,

18 & 19 From the Ahamkara pertaining to Thamas are
produced the 3hoothaa and Thanmatras. It is called Bhootad
Bince it is the source of all Bhoothas. The Bhoothad is of the na-
ture of sound tanmatra. From it is produced Akasa. From Akasa
is produced sparsa tanmatra (touch). From the mahtra of touch
is produced the air (Vayu). From Vayu is produced the Roopa
(tanmatra) (form). From roopa (tanmatra) is produced Thejas
(Agni). From thejas is produced Rasa tanmatra (taste). From
(the mahtra of) taste (rasa) is produced water. From water is pro-
duced (the mahtra of) smell or (Sabda tanmatra), from (the
matra of smell is produced the earth. And from the Bhootahs are
produced the other mobile and immobile things.

20, The Tatvas from Afahath to Earth generate the Mundane
egg (Anda) as they are influenced by the (sentient) Purusha with
the materials of Avyaktha.

21. When all necessary organs are supplied within that egg
(i e.) (foetus) then from that embryo comes ont a fully developed
kshetragna with the appellation of Brahma.

18, 19, The tatva Ahamkara is so called because it developes a mistaken
notion of ah&mbhava nr Atmata in the body which is noa-sentient (Ayam
Anantmani Debe manasi Atmanohain Buddhim Kurvathe S&h&kritbaya
Ahamkara uchyathe” It b an account of this that the soul mistakes himself
into body etc. The tanm&htras are influenced of sabda sparsa Roopa, Rasa and
Oandha-what is meant by saying th St sabda produces akasa and sparsa (touch
produces skin, while the real fact seems to point out the reverse. The fact to be
remembered is that they are tanmatras, they are sabda tanmatras and sparsa
taumatras and they are not simple sabda and sparsa but are their tanmatras
The thanraatras themselves are not sound, touch etc. They are snbtle Bhoothas
which undergo composition-to use a language of chemistry. The intermediate
Btage of the Bliootas before they actually develop into Bhootas is called Thanma-
tra A.astha. The substances themselves in that intermediate state are called
thanmatras. The milk, before it is transformed into curd, undergoes a chemical
process during which it is neither milk nor curd, Sabda Thanmstra is so called
because thereby the sabda is enabled to be caused not because that it actually produ-
ces Sabda or that it is itself Sabda. The Sparsa tamnstra is so called because
thereby touch becomes possible no* because that it is touch or that :t causes touch.
So it is with the other tanmatras. The term thanmatra itself explains it. The
tanmatras are called Avisealias-and the Bhoothas are called Viseshas “Ksheerasya
d&dnaBchn Madhya parinama-vath sookshma bhootlia Viaeehah Thanmahtrah”

20. For purposes of producing an erabrayo. the purusha the agent is mentioned
aad Avayatha is of course the spot wherin sum embryo is formed.

t)4

22 He is the first embodied being and he is denoted pu usha.
He is the primo-genitor of all beings. He the Brahma was at the
beginning of time.

22. Devas, Riahis and pifcria are the three classes of beings to whom pouri ige
of water are enjoined. The Pitria are the givers, from father to son of, bodies. Ths
Rjshis are the givers from gurn to disciple of knowledge The DevaB ore the givers
of fruits to souls for their karma. In fact they correspond to be guardian angels of
the Christian mythology. These are the 3 kinds of beings which claim our respect-But
the ultimate progenitor of these three is Brahma, who is Deva, Rishi and Pitha
in one and the same person Hence he is called Pithamaha. Just compare this with
the Hebrew Mythology which admits of a first parent in respect of mankind in the
person of Adam. The Jewish Mythology or for the matter of that the Christian My-
thology; which adopts it in full, gives no cine whatever, implied or expressed, to that
first parent of the host of angels and archangels, great and small, of various temper
aments and culture, mental and spiritual, whose existence seems to be a necessary
article of faith among the Christians We should in vain ransack the whole of tby
Bible from beginning to end including the old and new testaments for an illumin-
ation on this point. But turn to the pages of the Rigveda or the other 3 Vedas in-
cluding the Upanishadic portions or for the matter of that to the puranas or even
to the smrithie of the law givers and the grihya and Dh&rma Sootras: Do we not
find references to the Devaa,, Pitris and Bishisand are W9 not enjoined to offer our
turpanae daily to them ? Is not the name of Brahma, qnr dear great-grand father
in its literal sense, venerated with all the respect due to our grand sire. How
mangled and garbled are the adaptations of the Hebrews and that how imperfectly
and incompletely! Brahma, onr grand Bire, is called kshetragna and he is denoted
the first embodied being as well. The question may naturally arise whether there
are not other embodied beings above Brahma. 1 n the common parlance Brahma
is said te have sprung from the lotns of Vishnu’s Navel from the seed of Rudra.
Are not Vishnu and Rndra embodied beings ? Again Brahmah is called Kshetragna.
what is meant by kshetragna? The first point to be carefully remembered in
this connection is that Brahma is styled the Being whose organs are fully
developed in the embryo or foetus? Where is the foetus or whose is the garbha?
Vishnu is said to be reclining on a serpent over the waters and the embryo is
said to be formed within his belly: says the Manusmrithi “ So Abhidhyaya
Sareerath Swath sisrukshur Vividha prajah. Apa eva sararjadow Thasu
Veeryam Apahsrujath. Thadandam abhavath Haimam Sahasramsa sama
prabham Thasmin Jagne svyam Brahma Sarvaloka Pithamahaha.” From His
own body he secreted a setae n virile and sprinkled it in the waters. It became
an embryo. Within that Brahma, the father of all worns came out,” The vasish-
ta Lainga says “ Rudra samgnasya Devasya Roope Moortihi Prajayathe-Then
a kshiptham Rase Veeryam P tramoorthy abhimaninu Thath Andam Abha-
vath Haimam Sahasrarkasama prahbam" In the above quotation we see that
Rudra sprinkled his semen on the waters. That developed into an embryo
and out came Brahma with full doveloped organs. Ine Ahpas or waters are
called the productions, of Nara (fire) and Nara is fire as in Vaisvanara.
Again Nara is Rudra and apas Vishnu “ Ahpo Nahrah itbi Proktha Ahpova-
Narasoonavahu” “ Ahpo Nahrah Naro Rudraha’, “Narassabkahahth Siva Ma-
thaha.” Says the sruthi “Andam Hiranmay^jn Madhya Rudrasya Veeryahth
pratkamam Samba bhoova-thathra Brahma Jathaha.” From Rudra's Semen
originally an embryo developed. Therefrom Brahma was born" Whose is
the embryo? Who acted the part of a woman? Vishnu is the woman the whole
waters denote the avyaktha. Vishnh becomas one with the Avyaktha by his

THE

SIDOH ANTA DEEPIKA

OE

The Light of Truth.

A Monthly Journal , devoted to Religion, Philosophy, Literature, Science, Sfc.,

Comntenoed on tka Quean's Commemoration Day, 1897.

Vol. VIII. el^NU7IRV 1908. No. lO.

EAST AND WEST.

(A Lecture delivered by Pandit R. 8. Vedachalam.)

Man is a social being. The very earliest records of man dis-
tinctly show that he lived in the midst of those who were related
to him by flesh and blood. In the oldest hieroglyphic writings of
Egypt, in the cuneiform inscriptions found in the ruins of Chaldea
and in the preserved traditions of the Aryans, the Dravidians and
the Chinese, we never find him as an isolated individual thrown up
by accident on this earth aud moping like a stupid bird on the lonely
branch of a forest tree, but as a spirited and cheerful being
enjoying the company of his parents and sons, brothers and sisters,
and friends and relations. Thus, to associate oneself with the beings
of kindred nature, has from time immemorial, been the strongest
instructive element in the character of man.

And, as a consequent result of this social function, a healthy
interchange of thought increased with the gradual increase of time
and evoked in man all the latent powers of his intellect. This
naturally led to what we call civilisation which, in an appreciable
degree, bas drawn together the scattered tribes, clans, and commu-
nities into one organic whole. What is civilisation but that which
brings into one main current the different channels of thought
which the different classes of people have given rise to ? What is
civilisation but that potent force which breaks through the barriers

290

SIDDHANTA DEEPIK,\

of once nseful bat now useless social and religious ideas that kept
one people from an other people and one nation irom an other
nation? And, what is civilisation but that beneficial influence nnder
which everybody feels the power of his independent thought
getting stronger and stronger with the accretions of other thoughts
of other people ? Civilisation consists not, as is conceived by some of
our young men, in the vain embellishment of fashionable dress and
the unpleasant affectation of manners, but in the natural simplicity
of thinking and the moral purity of heart. There and there aloue
does the secret of civilisation lie hidden.

Now, then, the modern civilisation, the rare product of this inborn
social desire has brought the two great nations, the eastern and the
western into closer union and intimacy than they were in ancient
times. The characteristics of the physical, intellectual and moral
and religious lives of the two nations, the steady growth of their
civilisation and the influence which the one exerted upon the other
whenever there occurred any chance of their intercourse, constitute
an interesting study of the historian. But, ns this study of the
past is highly nseful in stimulating the efforts of the present and
future generations to better their conditions of life, it is also of great
importance that every one of ns should at least have a tolerable
acquaintance with it.

To begin first, with the physical conditions of the two nations
as they were in ancient times. Though very little is known of their
lives io the Pre-historic ages, yet the few mentions made of them in
the old Tamil and Greek literatures at the dawn of the historic
period enable us to form a faint picture of their situations in anti-
quity. But, our observations with regard to the western nations
are primarily confined to the Semitics, the Greeks and the Romans,
for, at that remote period, others in the west were savages that
were plunged in barbarism. Here, again, «n India oar attention
chiefly occupies itself with the Dravidians of the south, for our
knowledge of the Aryan relations with the westerns has no evidence
from historic sources, except as based upon philological grounds.

The oldest reference to the intercourse of the west with the
east is to be found in the Hebrew Bible, in the ninth and tenth
chapters of the first book of the Kings. Nine hundred and ninety
two years before Christ, i-e , two thousand and nine hundred years
ago, King Solomon of Jerusalem sent his navy to Ophir which was at
that time a thriving seaport in the east. And his merchants
brought from thence plenty of almug and ahalim trees, spices,
precious Btones, gold and silver, ivory, apes and peacocks. And

EAST AND WEST.

m

the nam' S mentioned, in the Hebrew Bible for some of these
articles sre, algum, ahalim, karpion, koph, tukhim, etc. The
H 1 mi. Mr. Twintleton and ether scholars of recent times, having been
rendered unable to trace these words to Hebrew origin, sought to
find out their source elsewhere. At last. Dr. Caldwell, one of
the gifted scholars of the Dravidian languages, derived them from
anugam, ah dam. karuva, kapi and thogai, four of which except
kapi belong to Tamil. And in accepting this view of Dr. Caldwell
Professor Max Muller wrote : " If this etymology be right it
would be an important confirmation of the antiquity of the Tamilic
languages spoken in India before the advent of the Aryan tribes.”
Even after this grand discovery had been made, the seaport
Ophir fiom whence these articles were .exported to Jerusalem,
puzzled the philologists so much that they were all left in the end
in an uncertain attitude as to the exact identification of it with some
place in India- “ Of these articles ” says Prof. Max Muller in
attempting to seek for its identification, “ivory, gold and apes are
indigenous in India, though of oourae they might have been found
in other countries likewise. Not so the algum tree, at least if inter-
preters are right in taking algum or almug for sandal wood, or the
peacock. Sandal wood as pointed out before, U peculiar to India,
and so is the peacock. That the peacock was exported from India
to Babylon is shown by one of Pali Jatak&B. ” From this it will
be manifest that the seaport which exported these articles to the
west cannot be sought for other than in India. And the pure Tamil
names of these exported Indian products also clearly point out
that Ophir cannot bat be some seaport town situated in South
India, the geographical position of which affords an easy means of
access to foreign nations who c«>me by sea. Under this impression I
whs, for the last few years, making inquiries in this direction and
fortunately for me, I was ultimately led to identify the port Ophir
with Uvari, at present, a small -illage near Tuticorin. That the ports
Korkei, Kumari and Uvari of the ancient Pandian Kingdom and
Kavirippompattinam of the powerful chola country had been centres
of great commercial activity where trade with foreign nations was
carried on, on a very extensive scale, is vividly brought before our
mind by the descriptions in the old Tamil epic Silappadikaram End
in the still older lyrics Paitinappaliti and Agauanuro. How
hospitably were the foreigners received by oar forefathers, how
peacefully and honestly was the trade going on between them and
now ably were the exports and imports managed by the offioers
appointed by the Tamil kings for the purpose, themselves from
an interesting theme of study, but limit of time prevents me from
entering into details* I wish all the earnest students of Tamil
had better refer to Silappadikaram and Fatbuppattu especially.

SIDDHANTA DEltPIKV

Here, it must be borne in mind that this early intermingling
of the two nations determines the degree of civPisation which
they had attained in ancient days, that it still remains the creative
dement in shaping the lives of the two people and developing their
productive powers to an unlimited extent, and that it will ever
serve to explain the most intricate points in the history of their
mental, moral and religious ideas, which have been incorrectly
interpreted apd studied by many a historian without being able to
recognise the hidden key to their easy solution. Now, it helps me
very much to explain to you iu the succeeding portions of this
lecture the formation of our Indian life in the past, present and
future.

Again, this intercourse of the two nations which had moat
probably taken its rise thousand years before the Christian Era did
not stop therewith, but it continued onward without interruption.
In tho subsequent epochs we find the civilisation of the one people
highly spoken of by the other. “ Herodotus, the father of Greek
history, lived in the fifth century before Christ; and although he
never visited India, he gives accounts of the Hind ns from reports
which are valuable, although he mixes them np with legends and
stories, and often confounds the customs of the Hindus with those
of the uncivilised aborigines who still inhabited large tracts in India.
Herodotu^ tells us that the Indians were the greatest nation of the
age, that they were divided into various tribes and spoke different
tongues, that they procured great quantities of gold in their country,
that India abounded in quadrupeds and birds larger than any other
country, and produced wild trees which bore cotton from which
the Indians made their clothing.**

Again, we know of the splendid accounts of the North India
given by Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador who came to India in
the fourth century before Christ and lived in tbe court of the great
monarch Chandragupta.

Again, we find the great and zealous Buddhist King Asoka
sending in tbe third century B. C. Missionaries to Syria , Macedon
and Egypt to preach there the moral religion of Buddha.

Again, we see at the beginning of the Christian Era the
Tamilians going forth as far as Italy. “ The ancient Dravidians”
says Mr. R. C. Dutt, an able historian of ancient India, appear to
have had a civilisation of their own before Aryan civilisation was
imported into their land. We have said something of the Pandyas ~
who founded their Kingdom in the extreme south many centuries

$A6T AND WE8T.

299

before the Christian Era. Strabo speaks of hh ambassador from
King Pandian .to Augustus, and it is conjectured that the ambas-
sador was from the Pandya conntry. At the time of the Piriplup,
the Pandya Kingdom included the Malabar coast; and from the
frequent mention of this country by classical writers, we know
that the Pandya Kingdom was sufficiently civilised, in the centuries
immediately before and after the Christian Era, to carry on a brisk
trade with the western nations.”

Besides these references of a historical character to an early
intercourse of the two narions there are also frequent allusions to it
in some of our old classical works. That wine and other intoxi-
cating liquors were imported into India by the Bactrian Greeks or
Yavanas, that machines were constructed end great architectural
works were carried on under their supervision, that the body-
guards of the Indian princes and maid servants of the royal house-
hold were mainly composed of Yavana youths and girls, are all
clearly indicated in the old Tamil Classics and in such Sanscrit
works aa Sakuntala of Kalidasa.

“(L/a/er/r, msk mtnk fitmraiDip (? p pei
QutrasrQaiu Qpifi mir,en,u>

fpavQulfup. losefiir lo(Suu u>Q tp&p/B
pats KM# Qp*Qf(§u>P Qtuir 'BQturreirLD/T p."
u u>9fS eSSsv^Q) u»a g itlLi—s &ibu>(i}u>

Qsit eievqhu) tusvenr p
pav\—iB ip 6 $%v <^n p LcQu>n®ah.Lp.d
Otirenripafi fSnjpj&nj <*«ak«a//r Q&ujsfcSxi

Qa/sratfi&eir e_u9 jpaj/sfi & Qp&j^io
Q«uu>l/^0 »>lL®l£ tpvi OajriO/Euj Qpai^nMipai
j^LLLjtS ipsu (2ai£iu$ tp&i tpeu s> itr&p

p u> Lj 6V) ® 8 str it ei> lusuas it p/r li-uQpp Quit j&Quj”

These few quotations taken from the old Tamil Classics are
sufficient to substantiate my statement with regard to the prom-
inent part played by the Greeks in the ancient Indian life. The
two mixed together so intimately that the physical life of India
had been largely coloured by the civilisation of the West, while
the West itself was simultaneously receiving the intellectual and
religious impress of the Indian thought.

At tbiB point our inquiry shifts to the second item and oar
considerations are brought to bear upon the much interesting
question of the intellectual life of the two people. To me it seems

300

SIDDHANfa DEEPIKA.

that the East and the West present two aspects of the human mind.
While the predominant tendency of the West is to view the outward
nature of the universe and draw instructive lessons from it, that of
•the East is to study its inward essence and become itself eternally
unified wirh the indescribable bliss of that, vital principle of Love.
By this I do not mean to say that the West was absolutely foreign
to all the intellectual processes of the human mind, nor is it my
intention to speak that the Indians were practical fools who had
forgotten themselves in their amazing flights of sublime thoughts
into the unknown regions of mystic spirit. All thst I wish to
impress upon your mind is that the two nations were placed under
two different circnmsrances of which one was more conducive to a
wholesome growth of intellect than the other. It must not be over-
looked, in this respect, that the position of the two countries, the
variation of climate and other environments had much to do in
influencing the mental make-up of the two people. And, therefore,
it is that the one was much attached to the physical universe,
while the other occupied themselves with intellectual problems.
Even at the present day wheo questions oir the existence of an
underlying principle oF unlimited intelligence and the secret
relation in which ic stands to matter and individual souls are being
discussed with ardour and sincerity on rational and indisputable
grounds, we find it very difficult for European scholars of
scientific culture to sever themselves from gross materialism.

But of com se it is undeniable from what we gather in the old
Greek and Hebrew literatures in the shape of evidences, that
germs of moral and religious ideas lay imbedded in the life of the
early day Greeks and other nations of the West, but Bn impartial
comparison of the oriental and occidental literatures discloses the
fact that not only the amount of intellectual work done in the East
far outweighs that of the West blit also the system and order into
which the different lines of Indian speculation were brought, rises
into greater prominence by the side of the unsystematic and dis-
ordered fragments of Western thought which have not yet assumed
definite and conclusive form. Even when surrounded by all
material comforts that engage the attention of man, theie are
moments in which the workings of his mind do not stop with them
but go on sounding into the mysteries of the universe and bring
back with them the stray experiences which they have acquired.
Only such stray and unsettled thoughts are found in the oldest
writings of the Western nations. E v en the later writers and
renowned philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle have not left us
any decisive and perfect form of their thought work. Bat with

EAST AND WEST.

801

the intellectual savants of India the matter was otherwise. Long,
long before the dawu of real historic period they had thought out
and solved to their extreme satisfaction all the important problems
of metaphysics and brought them into an orderly »nd systematic
whole They never placed us in suspense and uncertainty as to their
exact opinion of a particular system of thought. You will be pleased
to hear this marked difference between the East and the West
expressed by a veteran European scholar who spent his whole life-
time in studying the monumental works of the two countries and
did greater Bervice to the two than any body else, by bringing
them to a better understanding of each other and to a mutual
appreciation of their merits. I allude to the late Professr Max
Muller, who in his great last work — The six systems of Indian Philo-
Bophy -dwelling on the subject I have just dealt with, writes that “The
mere tenets of each of the six systems of Indian Philosophy are
by this time well-known, or easily accessible, I should say, than
even thoee of the leading Philosophers of Greece or of modem
Europe. Every one of the opinions at which the originators of
the six principal schools of Indian Philosophy arrived has been
handed down to us in the form of short aphorisms or sntras, so as
to leave but little room for uncertainty as to the exaob position
which each of these philosophers occupied on the great battle field
of thought. We know what an enormous amount of labour bad to
be spent and is still being spent in order to ascertain the exact viewB
of Plato and Aristotle, nay, even of Kant and Hegel on some of
the most important questions of their systems of philosophy*
There are even living philosophers whose words often leave ns in
doubt as to what they mean, whether they are materialists or
idealists, monists or dualists, theists or atheists. Hindu philo-
sophers seldom leave us in doubt on snch important points, and
they certainly never shrink from the consequences of their
theories ”

Here, while I agTee with this view of Prof. Max Muller, it seems
to me from the tone in which he spoke that he meant as if the
philosophers of the West had consciously concealed their definite
opinions on the ultimate problems of the universe, for fear of losing
their life if they were made public. If that were his idea, I most
respectfully differ from him. From what has been said in the
preceding portion of this lecture, it will be clear to yon that the
ancient philosophers of the west had left behind them their indefinite
and inconclusive fragments of thought, not on account of their
perilous situation but on account of their imperfect knowledge of
final truths and of consequent lack of Belf-reliaDce. Inasmuch as

302

SIDDHA NT A DEEPIKA.

they had just begun to reflect upon the inner life of the universe
only after coming into contact with the Bast and imbued with
the tenor of its thought, and as they had not before any such heritage
of thought all pf their own to guide them into the tangled maze of the
wild spiritual region into which they now entered with firm and
independent footsteps, they returned from their bold excursions
with what they had gleaned and left them to posterity with a
real sincerity of purpose and with great expectations of the future.

Yet to bring this fact into still clearer light, I shall proceed
to compare the oldest condition of the Western thought with that
of the Eastern. Opening the History of Philosophy by Dr. Windle-
band, you will find it stated at the very beginning of the
introductory chapter that “If by science we understand that
independent and self-conscious work of intelligence which seeks
knowledge methodically for its own sake, then it is among the
Greeks, and the Greeks of the sixth century B. C. that we first find
such a Bcience, — aside from some tendencies among the peoples of
the Orient, those of China and India particularly, only recently
disclosed.” Leaving out of consideration other points mentioned
in these lines, we come to know the most important truth that the
Greeks had no soience of thought prior to the sixth century before
the Christian Era. I call your special attention to the sixth
century before the Christian Era — the sixth century when the
efforts of the Greeks had just commenced to strike root into the
fertile soil of intellect, here, in India, Baghavan Gautama Buddha
was preaching hi9 finished moral religion to the masses, here the diff-
erent lines of philosophic activity which had been steadily devel-
oping some hundred centuries before Christ, now, converged to the
vertical point of crowning success in the ideal religion of Buddha,
here the renowned six systems of philosophy Sankhya and Yoga,
Nyaya and Viseshika, Mimamaa Bna Vedanta now assumed definite
and systematic shape. While this sixth century before the
Christian Era marks the daybreak of Greek philosophy, it was
already the brightest noon in which the Indian intellect shone forth
in all its splendour and glory.

After seeing this remarkable difference in the degree of intel-
lectual development of the two nations, after seeing the early and
continual blending of these two from the remotest past, does it, not
follow as a necessary oonolusion that the Western thought was to
an unlimited extent influenced by the intellect of the East ? Does
it not follow that the account that Pythagoras the profound Greek
philosopher was much influenced by Eastern ideas, is a veritable

EAST AND WEST.

308

truth ? Some would say that Pythagoras borrowed all his learning
from the ancient. Hindu Philosophers But in agreement with the
arguments of Prof. Max Muller set forth against such an assumption,
it is my opinion that so great a thinker as Pythagoras did nq£
borrow his ideas from the Hindu sages but that he was to a
marvellous extent influenced by their characteristic lines of thought.
If this also is denied, then from where did he learn * the doctrine of
the transmigration of souls aud the doctrine of final beatitude’ ?
From where did he learn ‘his ascetic observances an . prohibition
to eat flesh and beans’ ? And from where did he acquire the
knowledge of the elementary principles of Geometry except from
the ancient Sulva Sutras, his notion of the virtues of numbers and
his idea of the five elements except from the Sankhya philosophy of
Kapila? Is it not strange that these ideas which boar the stamp of
the great intellectual achievements of enlightened and by-gone ages
and which are quite foreign to the whole region of Western thought
took their rise in the Greek soil at the very dawn of human
introspection ?

For many hundred years before the sixth century
B. C., Sages of India had been interesting themselves in the
discussions of profound psychic and philosophic problems as is
manifest from the dialogues in the Kena, Chhandogya, Brihad
Aranyaka, Svetaevatara, Kauahitaki and other upanishads; whereas,
in the West, preceding centuries had been a perfect dark blank
from which not even a glimpse of thought was forthcoming. And
in the subsequent epochs too, nothing as a systematised whole
appeared in the west which would bear comparison with the works
of Tiruvalluv&r and Nakkirar, Nilukanta and Sankara. All through
the ancient periods of the west, the one thing which stands in strong
relief is the knowledge which they possessed of the physical world.
“That in very early times kings and nobles and sages in India
should ” says Prof. Max Mailer “have been absorbed in philosophical
questions seems no doubt strange to us, because the energies of the
people of Europe, as far back as we know anything about them,
have always been divided between practical and intellectual pursuits
the former, in ancient times, considerably preponderating over the
latter ” Does Dot this just declaration of an European scholar
receive it corroboration in the accounts given by the Greek ambas-
sador who came to India in the fourth century B. C. " They live,”
writes Megasthenes speakirg of the ancient Indian Sages, “ in a
simple style, and lie on beds of rushes or skina. They abstain from
animal food and sexnal pleasures, and spend their time in listening
to serious discourse and in imparting their knowledge to Bitch as
2

304

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

will listen to them.” These overwhelming evidences obtained both
from internal and external sources establish, beyond ^11 doubt, that
the intellectual development of the East had attained its zenith many
oeoturies prior to the appearance of western thought, that, as these
two nations had mingled together from the remotest past, the one
received the influence of the other and that Pythagoras, Socrates,
Plato, Aristotle and other succeeding thinkers of the west were
greatly indebted to the Sages of India, for the spiritual knowledge
they had acquired, though not borrowed, from them.

Now coming to consider the third and the last point the moral
and religious life of the two nations. Although in all countries the
social relations in which the primitive people had stood to each
other necessitated the outgrowth of moral principles quite
independently of religious considerations, yet in the succeeding
periods of human history we find them associated with religion.
ThiB association has, iu later days, become such au intimate one
that the moral ideas have come to be viewed upon as part and parcel
of religion. It seems to me that this intimate union of the two had
been very effective in so far as it tended to bring the emotional
and practical sides of humau mind into harmony. But for this
salutary union, the adherents of ancient religions would have gone
astray and brought about many evil and wicked results on the
subsequent generations. All the religious people think it their
incumbent duty to lead a virtuous life and to guide their fellow
beings into just and honest ways.

When studied in the light of Indian philosophy, this combi-
nation of religious and moral principles becomes all the more
necessary for the amelioration of mankjnd;-bnt when it is studied
from the standpoint of Western thought the separation between them
becomes wider and wider till the degradation of humanity is
Complete.

The moral ideas that merge in a religion become one with
it in significance and colour. The more bright the religion, the
more bright do its morals become and the more dull the one the
more dull the others too become. Take, for instance, that a
peculiar religion teaches that those who do not believe in its dogmas
should be put to death, for their lives are useless and they can never
attain to salvation according to its own standpoint. Well, what do
you think about the moral conception of its votaries? Probably, to
slay the unbelievers would be their high moral conceptibn. And
1 believe they would not hesitate to accomplish their ohject, if

EAST AND WENT.

306

opportunity favours them and nothing stands in their way; Now,
is not that religion responsible for their inhuman action which
is justified by that startling religious teaching ?

Again, suppose that another religion inculcates the worship of
one particular god bat prohibits not either of drinking or killing
animals and eating the flesh thereof. What would be the standard
of morality iu the dyes of its followers f Of course, there would be
bloodshed of poor and innocent animals and Bacchanalian revels
of wine and whisky which present a sight at once loathsome snd
nauseous by the side of which pretended worship of that particular
deity and church-going-policy observed with diligent punctuality.
This mode of conduct will be deemed by them as a high moral
principle.

Seeing, therefore, thRt the moral ideas depend for their refine-
ment on the virtue and dignity of their religious dogmas, Mr.
Gorham observes that "It is, in fact, clear that only as religion is-
purified and uplifted by ethical impulses dees it become a civilising
force."

Well, let us see whether the Wedteru religions have tn then
that high moral tone which is necessary for the guidance of their
adherents. Ab is seen from the preliminary portion of this lecture,
even in the dim past ages it was the Western that had brought into
India wine and other intoxicating liquors, as is the custom now-a-
days. We do not find iu the whole range of old occidental
literature a single allusion either to the vegetarian diet or to the-
prohibition of animal slaughter.

Whether of man or of animals killing is always associated with
a cruel heart It is inconceivable how kindly feelings can exist by
the side of ernei and selfish thoughts intent upon slaying innocent
animals in order to gorge their flesh. It is inconceivable hew
thia unbridled running after the gratification of nnusnal desire*
and animal appetites can lead to the purification of the tainted
Soulu It is further inconceivable how the religion whose object
it is to lift np the soul from the clammy quagmire^ of passions
and rank ignorance, can itself sink it into intoxication and
butchery. There is not a single religion in Europe which enforces
the repression of animal desires or prohibits flesh-eating and
killing. Accustomed to actions of an apathetic character, to feelings
tutored to survey the whole animal kingdom from a selfish point of
view, to pleasures derived from low ana degraded type of oarnal

306

8IDDHANTA DEEP1KA.

•onroes, pepfe of Enrope could not be brought to refrain themselves
from terrible revenge and bloody battles which have set their
mark upon that country in fifteen centuries of blood and fire.

You, now, clearly see that the practical experiences of the west-
ern people are not much better than their theoretical principles
of religion. It is not my purpose here to disapprove at one clean
eweep even of the meritorious items of moral instructions conveyed
in the sacred scriptures of Christianity. From a comparative
study of the older and later days literatures on Religion, 1 am
foroed into the oonviction that the pnrer atmosphere by which the
grand personality of Jeans Christ found itself surrounded, was
much impregnated with the genial influence of the Indian sages.
It has been already pointed out to you that the Pythagorean
system of philosophy wliich had beguu to enlighten the understand-
ings of the Westerns, long before the birth of Christ, received its
light from the oriental seat of learning and civilisation. It is, there-
fore, no wonder that the religion of Christ is found impressed
with the moral ideas of our saints and sages. Yet, in spite of so
muoh influence exercised by the Eastern people over the minds of
the Western through the personal means of Pythagoras, Socrates,
Plato, Christ and others, the pure self-interest and barbaric actions
of the West have still continued to remain deep-rooted in the
minds of the main portion of its population.

Now the purifying process of the tainted souls as enforced by
the philosophy and religion of India is based npon supreme kind-
ness of heart and plain innocence of mind. Do thou good to all,
never injure even the hair of a Being whether it be man or beast ;
always keep thou thine intellect perfectly clear and free from all
contamination of passions or inebriation. If this serene discipline
of mind be strenuously pursued, it will kindle in man the divine
spark of love ioto a resplendent flame of ineffable bliss, and will fuse
the unlimited and limited Beings of thought-power into an intangible
luminary of an incomprehensible nature. Because, in the religion
and philosophy of India, God is conceived to be infinite Love; he
is the infinite embodiment of infinite Love. Uncovering the thick
crust accumulated by the degenerating posterity, you will find this
highest conception of the supreme Being and the means of its
realization gleaming at the bottom pf all sacred literatures of ancient
India. To bring home to your mind this subject of great
spiritual consequence, let me quote, here, a saying of saint Tirumular
who existed some thousand and three hundred years ago.

KA8T ANT) WEBT.

307

“ &iQfiSasm0{^s&uirjSdi9itr

•*«*<? U&miLDIT fiujl 0U>/9dcOflr/f

u&mjinirmj pujB (*)iA * piSiir

jffwOu®

“ The ignorant say that Love and God are two things ;

But no one knoweth that Love itself is God,

After one hath known that Love itBelf is God,

lie becometh one with Love, one with God.”

Now you F .ee that the blending of the moral and religions
principles gains considerable importance when viewed from the
oldest teachings of ail Hindu Scriptures. The West also, having its
mental vision opened to see this important truth common to
religion and ethics, approaches nearer and nearer to its full
realization.

Let us hope for the day when the two great nations the Eastern
and the Western levelling the predominant characteristics of their
lives, will cultivate the fruitful religion of spiritual wisdom.

Let us ardently await the beneficent stage of thought into
which the individual interests of the West will melt, giving rise to
equity and brotherhood in its stead.

Let ns earnestly pray for the time in which the thoughtful
sons of India awakening from groBS materialism into which they
are just entering to court fictitious rest, will apply themselves once
more to work on the spiritual plane, joining hands with their
brethren of the West .to. equalise their life-movements on such a
peaceful and happy ground.

TWO NEW WORLDS.*

(By E. E- Fournier d* Albe.)

« They that know the Day of Brahman to endure for a thou-
sand ages, and the Night thereof to endure for a thousand ages
are the knowers of night and day' 7 (Bhagavad-gita).

The author of this small but interesting and important volume
endeavours to show that the visible universe as known to us, is but
one in a chain of similar universes contained one within the other,
and differing only in the size of their elementary constituent parti-
cles. The atoms of one universe are the suns of the next finer
universe; the electrons are its planets; the next universe below
ours in the scale of sizes may be called the infra- world ; the next
above, the supra- world; these are the two new worlds referred to in
the title, but they may of course be an infinite series in both direc-
tions. The units of time and length in these several universes are
changed in the same proportions; thus the units of length and
time in the infra-world are reduced 10 times, leaving velocity un-
altered, for one infra-centimetre per infra-feecond exactly equals one
centimetre per second. The relativity of time and space, even from
the point of view of physical science is clearly brought out. These
conceptions are indeed not things outside of ourselves, but part of
our mental machinery only, by which we perceive things apart,
and without which no conception of plurality would be possible.

The author proceeds in a series of clearly presented argu-
ments to sketch the conditions prevailing in the infra-universe,
where each of our atoms is a sun, and each of our electrons
a planet. The infra- universe is so small that its ‘starry heavens'
appear to us as a minute microscopic speck; yet there is no
reason to suppose that life, not unlike our own may not exist
upon its planets, for size is a purely relative affair ! An infra-
year is what we call a thousand billionth of a second. The
life of our sun, estimated at 50 or 100 of million of our years,
would amount to about a ten-millionth of a second on the
snpra* world scale. And so the relation of universe to universe
is sketched out, presenting to the mind an infinity, not omy of
the physical universe as known to us, but of orders of universes
larger and smaller, and as the scheme is elaborated in detail.

The chief interest of this work to us seems to be in the
psychological deductions which can be drawn, and at which the
author hints not obscurely. Just as Indian thinkers, by pure ^

• Longmans Green, London, 1907, price 3-6.

TWO NEW WORLDS.

thinking, intuitively perceived the fundamental postulate of true
philosophy, viz., the entire subjectivity of time, space and
causality, and Western science in the person of Kant reached
the same result by the other way, of abstract reasoning an<J

scientific proof, so here we have a physical illustration in

exact scientific terms, of the Hindu conceptions of enormous
distances and times obtaining’ in other spheres than ours. For

example, a kaljta is a period of 4320 millions of oar years,

at the end of which the world is resolved into its constituent
elements: — an approximation of at least the same order ss that
taken by the author of our book (p. 32) viz. 2000 million years
as the life of the solar system.* The kalpa is spoken of ss
a day of Brahma, of which thirty form a month, and of these
months 12 a year, and 100 of these years the period of his life
(as a conditioned Iswara or personal God) : — words that our
author almost echoes, when he says that “ there must be a
supra- world — a world of a higher scale inhabited by beings
for whom a trillion years are ss a day, and the sun’s life-period
the shortest measurable interval of time” 1

The author does not hesitate to consider the relation of
'soul’ to the infinite series of physical universes: certainly the
possibilities are strange enough. For example, onr visible
universe, represents to supra-man an object some £ sapra-inch in
diameter.** It contains about 1000 million stars, or about as
many stars aB the lowliest organism known to ns contains
atoms. For anght we know it may be an organism ”. Is there
a cosmic soul forming the sum total of the individual cons-
ciousness manifesting in the universe, and concerning which
supra-man may speculate as we speculate concerning the soul
of an amoeba t The^e can be no doubt that spiritual evolu-
tion consists in the expansion of consciousness (release from the
bonds of personality) ; .have we then to attain consciousness on
a, to us, cosmic scale, only to be * born ’ as an ’ amoeba ’ in
a supra-world ? Here is suggested a physical parallel to the
idea of ** progressive emancipation ” by the devayana, the “ path
of the gods’; it is probably interesting only as such a parallel
For after all we have so far been dealing only with physical
universe, of which ours is the pattern. From a Vedantic point
of view, of course, all these worlds are part of the samsara,
and we as Atman, are incarnate in them all though conscious only
of our individual atmau in each. And we do not really know,
speaking iu the terms so far used, into what world we are

•I do not, of oouim, lay any itna upon the actual numbers, only upon
tlie identity of idea, arrived at independently and by quite different processes.

3l0 8IDDHANTA DEEP1KA

born at death. “ We may be landed in some otlier link of the
ohain of worlds, or in an entirely different kind of world."
For observe and this our author, who is no crude materialist,
expressly indicates the existence of this infinite series of phy-
sical universes does not preclude the existence of other kinds
of universe - * other worlds ’ or ‘lokas’ , with the conditions of
which we have at present little in common. Of these also
more knowledge maybe possible in the future; for, “ In taking
control of nature, man has lost many spiritual gifts once
possessed by his ancestors. Clairvoyance and telepathy were
once almost universal. They have been deliberately atrophied
in order to fit man for the conqaest of nature. The human
mind not only requires delicate senses and perceptions; it also
requires certain blindnesses and insensibilities. Some sensibilities
have been crusted over. Man has become a crustacean as
regards some of his faculties. These have become ‘occult/
When they are once more required, they will again come
forth. They are beginning to come forth even now.”

The author anticipates an enormous increase in man’s
control of nature; and then what follows P A greater and
greater control of the means of existence, with no more
consideration for its meaning and goal than the present would
be a growing nightmare, from which the evidence of the
re-acquisition of lost spiritual faculties is the promise of deliverance.
When the bulk of knowledge increases to ten and fifty fold the
present, “ when activities have to be spread over geological periods
instead of lifetimes, man will, in order to cope with them, either
have to prolong his life, or find a new way of permanently recording
his experiences- Both ends may possibly be accomplished by a
thinning of the veil which divides embodied man from the accumu-
lated intelligence of his ancestors, vho poured forth by the million
every year into that unknown realm of existence with which the
human race, for good reasons of its own, has severed almost all
conscious connection-’’ This may be taken to refer not only
to communication with spirits of departed human beings ; but of
intuition, the method of genius. One cannot but believe that
all knowledge is really an absolute thing, and that man in his
progress, rather discovers than creates it. What are we to think
of the mathematical genius, who gives without a moment’s reflection
the (correct) answer to questions involving enormously difficult
mathematical calculations, say the cube root of some very large
number? and of the similar phenomena of genius in other branches
of knowledge T It is more than possible that intuition of this sort.

TWO NKW WITOLDS.

311

belonging to the imaginative or real side of man which is not
fettered by eonduiong of time, space, etc, is a higher and more endu-
ring, and ultimately mere certain faculty than reason; though
now requiring to be checked and controlled by that very person
iraelf, which is bound up with, and alone can be said to understand,
this phenomenal world.

To return to the main thesis of the volume, it may appear that
the conception of an infinity of material am verses lacks a unifying
principle and presses upon the mind with all the weight
of an incubus. Where is that unifying principle upon which wo
may rely to deliver us from die intolerable complexity of phenomena?
The true answer has been given in India long ago. It may be
summarised in the compound word, brahma-atma-aikyam, “ nnity
of the Brahman and the atman All consciousness is really one;
and it is upon that consciousness that phenomena in all their
complexity depend. The same answer was given by Plato when he
perceived the world as idea, and by Kant, when he perceived
the world a9 Will. Our author’s position is the same. “ I prefer/'
he says “ to look upon material phenomena, as symbols of meDtal
phenomena ” That it should be necessary to ask at all where there
can be found an unifying principle such as we have spoken of,
“ shows how a mechanical view of natural phenomena has obscured
our appreciation of the realities underlying all human understand-
ing. Atoms, electrons, material objects generally are not realities.
They are our conceptions of realities which affect our sensorium,
constructed in our minds from materials supplied by our paHt
experiences. Our experiences are the only realities of which we
have definite evidence, and these are finally resolvable into
senautions and memories of sensations. By an act of faith wo
extend our own sphere of sensations to inclnde spheres which we
perceive to be similar, and we thus are enabled to see with other
person's eves and remember with other person’s memories. By
another act of faith we postulate an ‘object’ behind a bundle of
permanent or recurring sensations. These sensations are the symbol
of that object, the signs by which it reveals its presence to us.
No doubt, the object contains pome ultimate reality but what that
ultimate reality may be, what the rest of its properties are, we can
only faintly guess We have only one key. In ourselves we can
observe both the inner reality of a thing and its external and visible
symbol

Thus our author speaks almost in the terms of Indian philo-
sophy. An extract from Professor Deussen’s “Philosophy of the
U } tail i shads ” will emphasize the identify of the point of view “If

SIS

SIDDHAKTA DEDPlKAf.

ever a general solution is reached of the great riddle, which
presents itself to the philosopher in the nature of thin^b all the more
clearly the further onr knowledge extends, the key can only be found
where alone the secret of nature lies open to us from within, that
is to say, tn our innermost self. It was here that for the first
time the original thinkers of the Upanishads • to their immortal
honour fouud it when they recognized our atman, our inmost indivi-
dual being, as the Brahman’ the inmost being of universal nature
and all her phenomena

Materialism in Western science has been a passing phase ;
it belongs already to the last generation. For the accumulation
of faots does but give the opportunity for wider and wider generali-
sations, of whioh the last and most fundamental consists in the
reduction of all variety to that one unifying principle bv which,
when known, all is known. Thus Western thought is progressing
extraordinarily fast in the direction cf Indian idealism. At the
same time there is in the West a growing appreciation of the ideals
of Indian pivilizatiou. I do not doubt that within a hundred years
the culture of India will be valued in the west as that of Greece
is to day ; her achievements in philosophy, literature, science and art
cannot ultimately be ignored* but must take their right place in the
scheme of .human culture and civilization.

Meanwhile, very much the reverse is true of English education-
al ideals and methods in India. The subject is too wide to
enter upon here, but ia relation to science, it may be said that it is
absurd to think that teaching the facts of science* in a superstitious
and realistic manner, is offering intellectual emancipation to
a country that evolved a truly scientific; theory of the universe so
long ago, and in whose daily life the philosophical point of view is
taken a matter of course. Scientific facts ure of extraordinary
use from an utilitarian point of view : they may also, properly
treated, be a means of culture and the very means of salvation from
the ' intolerable complexity ’ of the phenomena which at first it
seems to intensify. I Bay c may,’ because although science may
speak of inert atoms and eloctrons as realities, without troubling
about the ultimate reality behind them, yet that is going only half-
way on the road which, leads to intellectual emancipation. *‘Our
next step in the exploration of the uoiverse must be to get at its
inner soul and meaning”. No .hint of these in the teaching of
scienoe in India ! But the idea is an integral element in Indian
culture ; and only those can truly serve India who come to fulfil,
not to destroy -her - culture. Science will not serve her, if she is to.
give up philosophy in exchange for it.

TWO NBW WORLDS.

as

Meanwliil»* India must take her plaoe again amongst the
wrieurific peoples, not as a follower, but again as a leader. India
is » congeries of little nod great peoples, united by one historical
tradition and national sentiment; may not all these contribute to
the scientific picture of the world which mankind is making for
its lxjlioof? The value and vitality of the culture of. many so*
called lesser peoples has been surprisingly demonstrated of late in
Europe, And the volnme under notice is an illustration of the
vitality of their intellectual life; and of their easeutialness in the
scheme of civilization ; for imagination as necessaiy in science as
in art, ib in smoke strong amongst the Kelts and it is accordingly
not surprising to hud that its author is an Irishman) and this year
President of the P&n-Koltic Congress held in Edinburgh.

Dr. A. K. COOMARASWAMY, D. Sc.,

One of the greatest men of acience has passed away in the
Right Honourable Sir William Thomson Lo#d Kelvin at the ripe
old age of eigty-three. He was born at Belfast in 182 1 , When
ten years old, he entered Glasgow University and after a distin-
guished career, went to Cambridge where he graduated as eeoond
W rangier and first Smith's Prizeman. Amongst his most famous
inventions are his Electrometer* his standa r d compass, his sounding
machine, his log, his hot and cold tap, the mirror, galvanometer
and his Electric sapplymeter. For more than 00 years the world
of applied science was enriched by his discoveries and his brilliant
inventions. His published works cover a wide field and show the
range and penetration of his great intellect. His strongest claim
to the gratitnde of India is his gencroos appreciation of the great
work and the epoch making disoovenes of Dr» Bose.

« * « •

Educate yonr heart till it loves to practioe the golden rale ;
strengthen your will while it can be relied upon ; see a Bight, and
smooth ways lie before yon.

* * * *

Nobody will come to help yoo, if yon put yourself forwerd as
a leader ... kill self first if yon want to succeed.

Swami Vivekonanda.

814

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

DIET IN RELATION TO HEALTH.

A LECTUBE DELIVERED BEFORE THE PSYCHO-THERA-PEUTIC
BOC1BTY, ON NOVEMBER 18,' 1907-

Bt StDffBY H. Bbabd

{President of the Order of the Golden Age).

The subject of Diet in relation to Health is worthy of earnest
study and consideration on the part of every thoughtful member
of the community, for it is most intimately connected with onr
physical and mental well-being, and with that of onr children and
onr race.

This living temple whicn we inhabit — the physical instrument
which we psychic beings nse in order to do onr work and gain our
experience on the physical plane — is continually being created and
re-built. We are told by scientific authorities, who are supposed
to know all about snch things, that every cell in the human body is
displaced and renewed once a year. And as this process of conti-
nuous reconstruction is the result of the provision and incorporation
of material appropriate for the purpose, it must be obvious to every
intelligent mind that a wise selection of such material is a matter
of very consideradle importance.

We do not expect to get our villas or mansions well built if
defective bricks and mortar and cheap timber are employed.
Erections so constituted are commonly known as examples of
“ jerry building, ’’ and every sensible person whp decides to have a
house constructed ' for himself is careful to specify exactly what
materials shall be used, so as to ensure good quality and proper
quantity. And yet, although we show such care about the building
of these temporary inanimat 3 dwellings, that we can easily part
with if we find them in any way defective, few of ns take any
trouble about the building of that living tabernacle which is our
permanent earthly habitation, and from the defects of which we
cannot as readily escape.

The Science of Dietetics, which may also be termed <c the Art
of body-bnilding,” has been much neglected in the past both by
the general public and the medical profession. Most of ns have
been brought up entirely in the dark, as it were, concerning this
matter ; and it is in consequence of such prevalent neglect and
ignorance that our hospitals, asylums, and prisons are overcrowded,
and that abundant evidences of physical deterioration are every-
where apparent around us— which statement I hope presently to
prove to yonr satisfaction by the log: 3 of indisputable facts.

DIET IN RELATION TO HEALTH.

816

A POPULAR AWAKENING.

Bat in these days of increasing enlightenment, of spiritual
awakening, and of realisation on the par; of many progressive souls'
that sickness is preventable, that effects have causes, and that
Nature's laws cannot be transgressed with impunity, a general
spirit of uneasiness and anxious inquiry is becoming noticeable.
The more intelligent members of the community are beginning to
think about the Food Question. They are getting tired of taking
pills and drugs, and of paying doctors bills without getting much
benefit, to say nothing of expending large sums for the privilege of
being operated upon for appendicitis.

In all sections of society individual protest is now being made
against the coarse and unhygienic dietetic habits of our forefathers
and our contemporaries. Thousands are beginning to recognise
the fact that pare and vital food makes pure and healthy blood,
that pure blood and strong vitality give immunity from disease, and
that it is unbecoming for an artistic, cultured aud spiritually
minded soul to allow his or her body to be perpetually used as a
grave for the mortal remains of slaughtered animals.

Before proceeding further I should like to ask your indul-
gence as members of the Psycho-Therapeutic Society if I lay very
considerable emphasis upon the absolute necessity of dietetic
amendment in all cases of sickness in which natural and hygienic
law has been violated. I do so, not because I undervalue mental,
magnetic, and psychic treatment, but because I am convinced that
the root causes of hnman malady mnst be removed if permanent
improvement in health is to be secnred. I have personally proved
and witnessed the helpful efficacy of psycho-therapeutics, and,
therefore, I fully recognise the value of the work of this Society,
and wish yon great success and the Divine blessing upon your
efforts to relieve pain and sorrow. But I have come here at the
invitation of your Committee to place certain facts before you
concerning Dietetics in relation to Heath, and this being my
position, I trust von will not take it amiss if I Btrongly urge the
claims of our modern Food Reform Movement, and ask for your
earnest consideration of the same.

FLESH FOOO UNNATURAL.

Flesh food is unnatural for man. Our greatest anatomists and
naturalists, including Baron Cnviar, professors William Lawrence,

P R.S-, Sir Charles Bell, F.R.S., Sir Richard Owen, John Ray,
F.R.S., Pierre Gassendi, and Dr. Pouchet, are unanimous in stating
that our physical Btucture is that of a fruit-eating creature, and
Baron Cuvier goes bo far as to say that “ Man resembles the
frugivorous animals in everything and the carnivorous in nothing.

316

SIDDHANTA DEEPlKA.

Without going too much into details, I may stj^te that all the
Carnivora have large livers and a short intestinal canal, so as to
enable them to digest flesh before it has timo to decompose ; whilst
Man has a comparatively small liver and long intestines, like the
anthropoid apos, who are all fruit eaters in their natural state.
Consequently, when a human being consumes any portion of the
dead body of an animal he does so at the risk of suffering from
septic intestinal inflammation, caused by putrefactive ferments
being generated in his digestive apparatus. Such inflammation
used to be called by its right name a few years ago but now it is
fashionable to iabel it “ appendicitis ” because it generally takes
place in tbe cajcum (a kind of sharp corner in the intestinal passage
where obstruction often happens), which is situated close to the
much maligned but generally innocent, “appendix,” and therefore
involves it in the inflamed state that arises.

It is a fact that the digestive apparatus of the higher apes is
almost indistinguishable from that of man, and that their physical
structure is virtually identical, lienee Linnaeus classifies man as
being at the head of the anthropoid mammals.

To eat the flesh of slaughtered animals is therefore contrary
to our Creator’s intention and purpose — and this view of the
matter is confirmed by reference to the uttorances of the world's
most truly inspired prophets in every age. Amongst those leaders
of human thought who have practised or advocated total abstention
from flesh food I may mention Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, Soc-
rates, Buddha, Seneca, Hypatia, Plutarch, and Daniel ; the first
Christian Apostles (and, doubtless, their Master and Lord), the
Christian Fathers. Tertulliau, Origen, ‘Chrysostom, Clement, and
others — Milton, Isaac Newton, Newman, Franklin, Wesley Swen-
denborg, Tolstoi, and General Booth. I might also mention a
crowd of more modern witnesses, including a large number of
physicians, eminent churchmen and journalists, the latest accessions
to the list being our present Pope, tho Rev. R. J. Campbell, and
Dean Wilberforce.

As members of this Society you will, I am sure, realise the
importance of our living in harmony with Natural Law, aud will be
well aware how inevitably penalty overtakes those who transgress
against the physical laws of their being. Let me, then, ask you to
reflect concerning the vast amount of pain and sickness we see on
every hand around us, to 'remember that such must have a funda-
mental cause, aud to endeavour to trace our disease to its true
source in those physical dietetio git* which are at present ao
prevalent amongst os.

DIET IN RELATION TO HEALTH.

817

MEAT UNNECESSARY.

Flesh-food ia unnecessary. Any remarks concerning this point
may well appear to be superfluous, but as the time-honoured*
delusion still exists in some minds, that health and strength cannot
be maintained without a liberal supply of butcher’s meat, I feel
that I ought to remind you that, the Roman and Spartan armies
won their victories on a bloodless diet ; that the Japanese, who
appear to be able to ontmarch and outfight anybody if necessary,
have been non-carnivorons for many centuries ; that many of our
most famous athletes are vegetarians ; and that the chief long-
distance athletic records are held by them.

Concerning the longevity of abstainers from flesh food let me
say that last year a meeting was held in London and was addressed
by a number of ocrogenarian and nonagenarian food reformers,
who astonished their audience by their vigour and by their
enthusiastic advocacy of simple living and a dietary of flesblesa
food. And, more wonderful still, I hold in my hand some photo-
graphs of a man (Capt. Diamond, of San Francisco) who has
abstained from flesh food for over 80 years, and who is now, at the
age of 111 years active, vigorous, and healthy. At the age of
197 he was boring, cycling, and teaching physical culture to a
class of young men, and a doctor who examined him last year
declared that he Baw no reason why he should not go on living for
au indefinite period to come.

Experiments recently conducted in the American Universities
at Yale and Harvard, by Professor Chittenden and Fisher ; in
London by Dr. Josiah Oldfield ; and in Brussels by the University
authorities, have proved that abstainers from flesh, if properly fed
on fruits, cereals, and milk, have superior health, stamina, and
endurance- The results of these experiments are corroborated by
the experiences of thousands of reliable witneaws of all ages who
engage in every form of mental and manual toil.

FOOD THAT IS INJURIOUS.

Flesh food is injurious, and the chief cause of human malady,
for the sample reasons that it quickly decomposes and petrifies, that
it is heavily impregnated with uric acid and other toxico waste
products, even when animals are healthy, and that it is only too
frequently infected with disease. The human body under normal
conditions generates about three grains of uric acid per day , tnis
would appear to be the normal amount that can be eliminated, and
you can easily judge how de’^erioua flesh must be, and how prone
to develop uric-acid diseases, such as Oout, Rheumatism, Calculus,
Bright s aisoaso, etc., when 1 tel) you that a pound of lean beef

818

SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA.

contains about 14 grains of uric acid, a pound of liver 19 grains,
and a pound of sweetbread nearly 70 grains. Need we wonder
4hat about halt the people we meet are suffering from some form of
uric acid accumulation and poisoning ?

More than 50 per cent, of the cattle of Great Britain are
tubercolouB — or, in other >>ords, 14 consumptive. In fact, the
British delegate to the International Meat Trade Congress, held
this year at Hamburg, declared that if the tuberculous cattle of
the United Kingdom were to be compulsorily slaughtered, u it
would practically mean extermination of our herds.”

The recent Royal Commission on Tuberculosis declared that
this disease in the human subject is often the direct result of
introduction into the human body of tbe bacillus of bovine
tuberculosis, and that “ the milk coming from consumptive cows
ought not to be used as human food at all.” From this Resolution
we can easily draw the conclusion that the flesh of consumptive
cows is equally as dangerous, seeing that the inner part of a joint of
meat never reaches boiling point, and that the bacillus can survive
a temperature of boiling water, even if. subjected to it. Onr
policy as a nation in multiplying hospitals for consumptives, while
no effort is made by the State to prohibit the eating of the bodies
of consumptive animals, resembles that of the man who picked up
apples with one hand whilst he threw them down with the other.
We isolate our human consumptive patients — and wisely so, for the
disease is very contagious — and then we eat up the Bub-human
ones, and yet consider ourselves sane.

Let me also remind yon that the animals who are slaughtered
and sold for food without any adequate inspection — in fact, without
any inspection at all outside onr great cities — suffer from anthrax,
swine fever, pluropneumonia, sheep-scab, foot and mouth disease,
and infestation by parasites of various kinds ; and that snch
undesirable material for body-building often produces dire results
in those who are so unwise as to consume it and to give it to their
children. Let me also draw your attention to the fact that onr
worst disease, Cancer, has increased in extent and frequency in
exact proportion to the increase of the meat consumed in tbis
country ; and that at the present time one woman in every eight,
and one man in every twelve, past thirty-five years of age, mast
expect to die of Cancer if such are flesh-consumers. The amount
ot Cancer in each country is in exact proportion to the amount of
flesh consumed by the inhabitants, as is shown in the statistics
contained in that comprehensive book that was published last year
by the Hon. Rollo Russell, entitled “ Strength and Diet in Relation
to the Life of Nations." Many of our most eminent Cancer

J

DIET IN RELATION TO HEALTH.

819

specialist*, amongst whom I may mention Dr. Alexander Maraden,
Dr. Roger 'Williams, and Dr. Robert Bell have expressed the
opinion that flesh eating is one of the chief causes of Cancer, and
every year this conviction is gaining ground amongst our most
progressive medical men.

My own stndy, observation, and experience, have convinced
me that the cure for Cancer will be fonnd in its prevention— by
simpler natural, and hygienic living and abundant exercise , that
the disease is the resnlt of blood poisoning arisio * from the
accumulation iu the system of partially decomposed ai.imal tissue ;
and that unless the nuseemly habit of eating the deal bodies and
internal organs of our fellow-creatnres is abandoned we shall

continue to be afflicted with this terrible penalty for
doing.

wrong-

THE CHIEF CAUSE OF DIPSOMANIA.

Flesh food is the chief cause of Dipeomanta. In countries where
carnal diet is not habitual the Drink Problem is virtually unknown.
Fruitarian drunkards are conspicuous by their non-existence, and it
has been demonstrated, in the Inebriate Homes of the Salvation
Army and elsewhere, that the worst dipsomaniacs can be
speedily cared by a well-selected and nutritions fruitarian

When men are properly nonrished upon non inflammatory diet,
that is rich in proteid and nerve and tissne -building snbstance —
such as nuts of all kinds, and their products ; cereal foods
(wheatmeal, oatmeal, macaroni, rice, etc.) ; legumes (haricots,
lentils, and peas) ; fruits of every sort ; and dairy produce (cheese,
milk, and eggs), they do not crave for strong drink, nor are they
in danger of taking alcohol to excess.

The carnivorous habit involves the brutalisation and degradation
of thousands of men, women, and boys through their employment
in most revolting forms of work (viz. butchery and offal cleaning,
etc ). It also brings upon their posterity abnormal evil and
homicidal tendencies, thus inflicting upon society in general much
suffering and loss. Rucli influences must be inimical to the health
of mankind, and as human solidarity is an un gainsay able fact, the
innocent are made to ?nffer with the gnilty.

Let me also remind you that the adoption of a natural and
fleshless dietary will create an immensely increased demand for
agricultural labour. The land will support about eight tunes as
many men when devoted to the production of fruit, cereals and
market garden produce, as it will when used for bovicmture.
Thus the alarmiDg evils of rural depopulation and the overcrowding

320

SIDDIIANTA DEEPLTCA.

of cities will be rendered possible of alleviation. “ Back io tbo
land” is the only real remedy for the sorrows of bluftidom and for
our racial deterioration, and a national Food Reformation is
essential as a preliminary step to this.

THE CRUELTY INVOLVED.

Before concluding I must ask you to boar with me if I mention
the appalling amount of pain and cruelty that is inflicted upon
animals in order to meet the demand for flesh food; and that ,
seeing the suffering which is involved in the flesh traffic is inflicted
needlessly, it is hut reasonable to expect that Nemesis in somo
form will overtake those who are responsible in the matter.

Death by violence in its most brutal forms (unmitigated by
pity, alleviation, or mercy) is meted out to at least a million large
animals every day in what are called Christian countries — and this,
after the infliction of untold suffering in cattle trains and cattle
boats- Such violation of tfie spirit of Humaneness and of the Law
of Love towards one’s fellow-creatures may reasonably he expected
to bring a terrible Karin ic retribution upon those who are
accessories, beforo and after the fact, to such ruthless exploitation ;
and this is actually taking place before our very eyes. Those who
live by the knifo only too often perish by the knife, as is illustrated
by the two million surgical operations that were performed in this
Metropolis alone last year. I venture to hold the conviction,
and to affirm that, had tho people of this country boen living a
simple and natural life and subsisting upon the fruits of the earth
instead of upon the products of the shambles, most of these opera-
tions would have been unnecessary, and many homes would liavo
been saved from the dark cloud of sorrow and from visitation by
the Angel of Death. One very prevalent malady alone is sufficient
as an example. I refer to Appendicitis, which has been declared
by the highest medical authorities in Franco, America, and
elsewhere to he the direct result of flesh eating. Jt is caused by
the decomposition of annual tissue in the human intestine, and
is a complaint from which fruitarians are practically immune.

PERSONAL TESTIMONY.

I affirm, without four of contradiction, that the carnivorous liahit
is highly detrimental, both to individuals and the State, and I hold
strong convictions on this matter, because 1 speak from long
personal experience and observation of the deleterious effects of
our conventional diet, and of the benefits that result of living
upon wisely chosen fruit and cereal food combined with dairy
produce. When I retired from my profession twenty years ago
I was a prematurely old man, and a physical wreck through
attempting to live upon our conventional meat and white bread

DIET IN RELATION TO HEALTH.

821

diet., whilst undergoing great mental strain. I was too nervous to
mount a horse, was obliged to wear glasses for double astigmatism,
and was too weak to walk a mile without fatigue — and I failed to
recuperate. But thirteen years ago 1 became a total abstainer
from flesh food and adopted a natural dietary, with the result that
I now feel many years younger instead of older. I have not had a
day’s real illness during this time, although I have done the mental
work of half a dozen men ; I have not worn spectacles for the past
eight years, and atn now able to ride twenty miles without
dismounting, and to play 60 or 80 games of tennis withonb undue
fatigue. Similar benefits have accrued to my family, and for ten
yeai sour doctors’s hill amounted to 5s- only, that Bum being
expended on behalf of one of the servants. I have also seen scores
of men and women find improved health from adopting a similar
course, and I have witnessed many die a premature death through
failing to amend their diotetic ways.

In view of these facts, which I could multiply ad libitum if
time permitted let me appeal to each one of you to lend your
influence to the great Food Reform Movement which is now
spreading all over the globe, and thas to hasten the time when
human pain and sorrow will be reduced to a minimum. Let me
urge yon to make tliis important change in your daily habits, not
only for the sake of others and for the sake of the groaning animal
creation (that can only thus be emancipated from human tyranny
and cruelty), but for your own sakes, and in order that you may
more speedily reach those higher physical, mental, and spiritual
planes that are awaiting us all. You will find purity in diet a
great aid to self-culture, and to the attainment of physical and
mental efficiency. And you will also find that furtherance of
the Food Reformation on your part will be a most direct and
practical way of preventing human suffering, of increasing human
happiness, and of helping to emancipate our race from
many of the physical and social evils and limitations which now
afflict us.

STAMPS ! STAMPS V. .STAMPS !H

Parties willing to exchange used Postage stamps of Indian
Native states, African colonies, Australian colonies. South
American states and all places of the Globe should apply to the
undersigned. Sure Reply. Correspondence invited. Picture Post
cards are also exchanged. Used post-cards or envelopes with
pressed stamps are also wanted. Register all letters containing
stamps, and write your address clearly to.

“ Philatelist” care of Manager,

u The Siddhanta Deepika,*'

Madras N. C. S. India

832

SIDDHANTA DEEP T KA.

SCENES FROM MODERN LIFE.

(BY T. N. VA1DESWAR.)

SCENE I.

Krishna.— Dorai Babu, liow long do you intend stoppiug away
from work ? Why should you not join your journal again ? Go to
Madras— the quiet presidency town— take your junior with yon,
and put him to school— yon joining your office : or raking up a job
in the local Court.

Dorai Babu.— Dear Brother, I won’t take up any calling here.
Neither would I lead a servile life hereafter. I must have some
independent work to attend to ; and the best I could do for it
is to be at the head of a journal or to set up a business. I
can’t accept a 15 or 50 Rs. post, and be at the mercy of a raw
Civilian, Knowing nothing of the country or its manners and
worth.

Krishna. — Well, Dorai Babu, you may establish a paper and be
its Editor, for you know inll well about journalistic work. But
you are too outspoken for the work : You won’t care for the

favouV er frown of a European Sahib and— which is worse — yon
will allow your pen to run riot on his misdeeds. Theie will be
the Seditious Section 124 — A to look after you always, if you
write what you think true. If you do not commit to paper what
you think juBt, you are a traitor to your country, and profession.
So don't take up that job now. Please wait for it till the
dawn of Democracy., Your idea is, indeed, commendable : let it
be one of the nature of an industry, so that there may be a chance
for many to live by your cause.

Dorai Babu. — No, brother : there is nothing to be afraid of in
sedition. Naw a days the air is surcharged with sedition, defama-
tion, and other tions , and the majority of cases in the Chief
Magistrate’s Court is seditious ; so much so that the section, it
seems, lias almost lost its vigour and vitality. It could be seen for
the last few months there were few cases other than that of sedi-
tiouists, and as a sequence we have a new enactment “ The Sedi-
tious Meetings Act.’’ Another thing— if I am sent to the lock-up.

I go thero on behalf of the popular and national cause, which ns
you know is not degrading or disgraceful. If a whole nation is
to be profited at the incai*ceration of one or few why should not
they do so ? As to business — it is a quiet-going concern free from
t‘ie troubles and turmoils of a like nature. I will, according to
your advice, for the present, set up a business— a Weaving Fac-
tory, whereby many could earn a living, and I would be doing -
something for the country’s cause, bv encouraging Swadeshi enter-
prise.

J

SCENE? FROM MODERN LIFE.

828

SCENE II.

•

Krishna- — Swadeshi ? Yon young fellow ! how is it, yon always
touch at something fiery and dangerous ? Know you not that it is
the talk of Swadeshi, and its concomitant, L/ycott, that has created
so much of the hallaballoo and fuss in Bengal, that it has driven
them to danger and despair ? It is what has made every Bengali
home a scene of martyrdom : it is the sound of which that every
whiteman dreams and dreads. Don't you know the various towns in
Bengal proper and Curzouised-Bengal that have been punished for
the innocent acts of the young in the matter of Swadeshi ? Don t
you know that now and then innocent school boys there are in-
carcerated for no serious fault other than that of Swadeshi or
Boycott ?

Dorai Babn — Yes, my Boy : Pray do not rnsh into fury all on a
sodden. Let reason guide you, me aod everybody else. It did
create much fuss and more Bnbstantial good to the Indian com-
munity at large : It has not driven anybody to danger or despair ;

bat it has steered the Indian Industry right across the troublous
sea of Foreign Competition which was wind-bound till the formation
of such a propaganda. It has caused a severe strain to the nerves
of several mills in Lancashire and elsewhere, and has decreased the
importation into India of foreign goods by hundreds of thousand
yards at the onset itself. True it is that a few Bengali home has
become a scene of martyrdom ; but arc they any the least sorry
for it ? No ; they work with redoubled joy and vigour, and each
and every man wants to be incarcerated, only if it is in the advan-
cing tide towards India’s good. What if a few suffer imprisonment
for the good of a whole country and a sacred nation ? I know the
incidents of Cmzoned-JJeiigal, Faller-Rey ime, the Risley circular
for school boys, and all that : but only tbink that every act of the
divine dispensation — as the venerable and venerated martyr Lala
Lajpnt Rai remarked while in the fort of Mandalay — is to shape
onr destiny to something good and noble. You see that Bengal in
spite of all its reverses and mishaps is persistently insisting in
agitation, and the sister provinces are following suit. Every
aggressive and oppressive enactment of the Bureaucracy is pooh
poohed, in constitutional manner, with due deference to autho-
rity and o. der, and the aim is again fixed at the goal. They know
that constitutional agitation has paved the way for the attain-
ment of Self Government from the rnlers of the land who domineer
over them. She would not retain from constitutional agitation
the birth-right and privilege of every free born British subject—
and she shall not turn her back till she finds herself in terrafirma —
the aspired goal— the Autonomy.

“ The Mysore Review

824

SIDDHANTA DEEPiKA.

HONEY AS A FOOD.

Dr. C. S. Carr, M.D., Associate Editor of ‘‘The Health" writes
as follows : —

“ I am often asked to prescribe food for people who are
desirous of getting fat. There are a great number of lean, lank of
cadaverous people who want nothing so much as to put on a little
extra flesh,” “ what shall we eat ?" they are all asking.

Although I never encourage the idea of people wanting to
make themselves fat or lean by the selection of food simply, yet
if I were going to prescribe a food with the specific purpose of
fattening, it would be honey.

Honey is very nutritious and is especially rich in fat forming
materials. It is an Ideal 'winter food, and has an admirable effect
upon the mucus membranes of the respiratory tract. It is not
only an exceilant preventive to colds, but has a remedial effect
when a cold has been required. It is laxative in its effect, and is
rich in heat making, flesh-forming ingredients.

Under the the Pure food law goes into active operation it is
very unsafe to buy strained honey.

There are so many imitations and adulterations of strained
honey that the honey had better be bought in the comb.

In eating honey-comb, a little care should be taken not to
swallow too much wax. Beeswax is also absolutely indigestable,
and there is slight danger of forming a wax ball in the stomach,
This danger, of course, is very remote, but still sufficient to take
into account. It would be advisable, therefore, to buy the honey
in the comb and strain it yourself. If not, in eating the honey a
little care should be used to avoid swallowing the comb.

Thanks to the Pure Food law, however, we will soon be able to
buy strained honey or any other canned or bottled food, with
a reasonable assurance that we are getting what we are paying
for.”

WANTED

The following old numbers of the $iddani'a Deepika. Vol i. Nos.
2, 5-7, 12. ii. 8, 9, 11. iii. 4 iv. 4 . vii. 2 & 3. Gentlemen who
are willing to dispose them of. are requested to write to the "
Manager, The Siddhanta Deepika, Choolai, MADRAS, N. C.

OUR TABLE.

826

OUR TABLE.

The Open Coxirt. The January, 1C08, number of this interest-
ing magazine lies before us. The number opens with a fine frontis-
piece “ The Trial of Galileo Galilei," with a good account of
Galileo Galilei the greatest son of Italy, born at Pisa February
Id, 1564 and inventor of Thermoscope, Telescope etc., by
its talented editor Dr. Paul Oarus. In the course of the article the
Editor puts forth as follows : — te Galilei was a naturalist, an
investigator, a thinker. He did not care to fight the battles of
Free thought. He was not a leader, not a partisan, yet-he was too
earnest to simply ignore the religious question and leave to others
the problem of Harmonizing the faots of experiance with the
Bible, and it was this attitude of conciliation which led him into
grievous entanglement. ’

n On January 8, 1642, Galilei died in his villa at Arcetri.
His body was first buried in the chapel of the Novitiate at Florence,
but finally in 1737, was removed to the church of the high cross
(Santa croce) where a beautiful monument has been erected in his
honour. The Books of Galilei remained in the index for over two
oenturies and were struck out only in 1835 in silent recognition,
that his condemnation should henceforth he regarded as an error.
The following is the list of its many excellent articles : — The
Present Religious crisis ; The Religion of Humanity and its high
Priestess ; Cryptic Legends and Their Significance ; Napolean and
the Pope ; Napolean and Henry IV ; and the changing content of
Sin.

“ The Extract. 1 ' January, 1908. We have to acknowledge the
first number of this new monthly review, published by ‘ The Latent
Light Culture' Tinnevelly Bridge, and Edited by Professor T. R.
Sanjivi. In the course of its opening article, the editor says : our
aims in launching out this magazine are to put forth iu a consoli-
dated form, the best thought of the past and present ages ; to
compare the theories of both the Eastern and Western thinkers ;
to present lessons for the highest psychic and spirutual develop-
ment of man to discuss occultism in all its branches, to compare
the relations that exist between Eastern mantras etc., and western
Hypnotism, suggestion etc, and to make out a Rational system for
the quicker evolution of the ‘ Soul ’ The issue under review also
contains a good number of Bhorfc articles such as, The God in
Man ; The significance of the universality of Mind, Vedanta and
what it teaches ; Life and its end and many others. We heartily wish
our young contemporary every success.

823

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

Bala Bharala or Youno India— February, 1908. We
thank the publishers for sending us some of thfcir numbers.
It is published by Messrs. Goodwin and Co , Mylapore,
Madras at Re. 1 as. 8 per annum. The present number nnder
review contains many excellent articles such as Patriotism, The
Story of Nanda or the Path to Liberty, The Way to Perfection,
The National Movement in India etc. The magazine has for its
motto "Awake, Arise, and stop not till the goal is reached *
We wish the “ Young India” every success.

We heartily thank the Editors and Managers of the following
Journals for sending ub their valuable periodicals

1. The Theosopbical Review, London 2. " The Cronobium”

• Villa conza’ Suisse, Lugano, 8. " Culture Expanola,” Madrid 4.

u Universal Republic, ’* Portland 5. “ The Open Court” Chicago
6. “ The Mazdaznan,’’ Chicago, 7. “ The Vegetarian Magazine 1 ”

Chicago, 8. The Indian Magazine, London, 9. “ The Herald of

the Golden Age,” Paignton, 10. The Abkari, London, II. The
Harlinger of Light” Melbourne, 12. " Journal of Man,” Chicago, 18.
The Health Record, London, 14. The Theosophist, Adyar, 15.
The Prasnottara, Benares, 1 A. The Hindu Spirutual Magazine,
Calcutta, 17. The Extract, Tinnevelly, 18. The New Reformer,
Madras, 19. The Brahmavadin, Madras, 20. The Astrological
Magazine, Madras, 21. The Sen Tamil, Madura, 22. The Bala
Bharata, Madras, 28. The Vivekachintamani, Madras, 24. The
Tamil Zenana Magazine, Madras, 25. ' The Tamilagam/ Tanjore,

26. The Cresoent, Coimbatore, 27. "The Patriot,” Bombay, « 28.

* The Indian Nation,’ Calcutta, 29. ** The Trained Teacher,”

Madras, 30 “ The Hindu Organ,” Jaffna, 31. " The Maha

Bodhi Journal ” Colombo, 32. “ The Industrial India, ’ Calcutta,
33. " The Grail,” New York, 34. V The Path,” Sofia, Bulgaria.

# * * *

Flies cannot be destroyed by killing them, for they multiply
too rapidly. Flies lay 200 eggs on the average, and according to
oarefnl observation one fly will produce on six generations one
hundred millions, «. e., 128 with 14 ciphers. The surest way is to
kill the larval with crude coal oil when they are hatching on
manure heaps “ Pharmace centralhalle.”

* * * *

A failure will teach more than success, if it be regarded in the
light of a high ideal.

THE

S1DDHANTA DEEPffiA

OB TH M

LIGHT OF TRUTH

A Monthly Journal daootad to BeUgion, PkUooopky, Literature, Science, At.
COMMENCED ON TH1E QU KBITS COMMEMORATION DAY, 1897-

Vol- Yin.] FEBRUARY 1908- [No. 11

THE LAST MESSAGE
PROM REV. DR. G. U. POPE, M.A., D.D.

In forwarding as a copy of his last Sermon preached in
Belliol College Chapel on May 26, 1907, with all best Christmas
wishes, Dr. Pope wrote to os as follows in his Autograph which
will interest ail Indian lovers of thia old Tamil veteran Scholar
and Savant.

26 Walton Bell Road,

Oxford, Dec. 85, 1907.

My dear friend,

In the heart of this my last sermon, lie truths that harmonise
with all that is best in Tiruvachagam and Siva-nyanaza (Siva-
guanabodham) .

I am very old. May the Father bleat yon and yours.

Ever trnly your friend

G. U. POPE.

We print below hia sermon in full : —

328

SIDDIIANTA DEEI'IKA.

THE SOUL’S UP-RISE.

‘ [ trill arise and go to my Father.' — St. Luke, XV. 18-

When we consider carefully the words of our text, we perceive
at once, that, like many other sayings in Holy Scripture, it is
capable of an application as wide as human experience extends.
This sentence expresses, in its utmost simplicity, the feeling of
every one, who, awaking from the dream of selfish foliy, is dis-
satisfied with himself, and longs for that union with the Infinite
Love which alone can satisfy the smd of man.— -It is the utterance
of one who is struggling to be free to realize the ideal of his true
personality. — With his whole being he now at length chooses the
right, and starts np, determined to act at once upon the new Divine
impulse. This is REPENTANCE, which strives to find its way back
again to the Father, from whom perverted self-will and sin
separate the soul. To this does the Gospel of Christ ever invite
us all, in its eternal proclamation, ‘ repent ye, for the Kingdom
of Heaven is at hand. —

The words, as uttered by the ‘ Prodigal when he has ‘ come
to himself,’ must be considered in connexion with, and as anti-
thetic to, what he had said in effect some time before. In fact
we have before us at once the history of a * Paradise Lost, ’and
of a ‘ Paradise Regained.’

On that former occasion, when he had strangely gone out of
himself \ — lost sight of his ideal personality, — mid was possessed
with the spirit of absolute wayward seUishrfess, he had petulantly
said to his Father, ‘ give ina the portion of goods that falleth to
me,’ thereby making a strange and utterly unjustifiable claim to
independence ; and had followed up the words by gathering
together all that his Father had given him, and going away ar,
once from home and Father, to a country far off where he J.ad
plunged into vice, wasted his substance, and was now in absolute
destitution, — helpless, friendless, and perishing. The prodigal
was ‘ lost and 1 dead,’ for this ‘ developed selfishness is moral
suicide.’

We are surely intended to see in this wiiat sin , in its essence ,
is. It has its root in heartless selfishness ; it is going away from
the Heavenly Father ; it is seeking for the. gratification of man’s
own instincts, without any reference to the Will of the Father in
Heaven, or thought of what is due to men on earth. It was this
concentrated selfishness that had brought the ‘ Prodigal’ into that
state of degradation from whence he was now resolved to * arise' -
and return.

THE SOUL'S UP RISE.

329

We cannot help pausing here to consider the contrast between
the 'iniociny SELFISHNESS of sin, as here manifested, and the ««-
xjH'aliaiife COVIN (rlvl N UN ESS of the Father ; who at ouce, without
complaint or reproof, divides his substance, gives the ‘Prodigalwhat
he >usWs for, anti interposes no obstacle to his departure. Indeed
throughout the parable it is very remarkable that the Father is
not represented as angry with his unnatural son, or disposed to
punish him. With far-seeing wisdom he simply leaves him to reap
what he sows, and to learn from experience that ‘the way of the
transgressor is liard. His reception of the returning ‘ Prodigal’
too is a marvellous picture of infinite love. If w thne that the
Beloved Son of <}*>d resale to a sinful world 0>e Father in Heaven I
This tender, nnmediated, spontaneous love of the Father is shown
in every part of the parable. He sees his son, while yet very far
off , rune to receive him, lavishes upon liiun every spocies of
kindness, and ends with ‘ this my son was dead and is alive again,
was lost and is found ! It is the triumph of Divine Love over
human selfishness.

I sometimes venture to think that our methods of treating the
questions of sin and conversion are too much mingled up with what
seems to be a harsh and repellent idea of oar All Loving Father
in Heaven. Crude legal ideas, more consonant with chose of
Imperial Rome, and of ancient Judaism, than of Jeans of
Nazareth, are current among many. We are apt to forget His
‘ comfortable words’ : 1 Come unto Me all ye that are weary and
heavy laden, and I will give you rest ; ’ ‘ My yoke is easy ; and
My burden is light.’ We are certainly bound not to minify trans-
gression, or to make light of sin ; but we might, perhaps, do
more to make the return to the Father easy and gladsome. The
thought of the rejoicing sympathy oF all in Heaven with the
re uruing penitent might ofteuer be presented to troubled minds !
This parable might help us to think that always, if we arise, just as
we are, and take a single step towards our Father, who knows all,—
there and then,

4 All Heaven is ready to resound
The dead’s alive, the lost is found !'—

Every species of dogmatic mystery is too often interposed
between the returning soul and the loving God.

It certainly seems here as if the well beloved Son of the
Father would have us know an'* feel, that no troubled sonl ever,
anywhere, says, ‘ I will arise and go to my Father,' but another
Voice is beard : ‘I will arise hnd go to my ton. And we have
to lenember, that even the faintest aspiration after God is the

880

SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA.

result oE an Inspiration from Him. Every effort, however faint
and feeble to arise and return to Him is itself divine. The Holy
Spirit oE God is ever waiting to descend into every opened heart.
We are in danger oE fergettiug the glorious truth that Christ has
promised us the aid of the Comforter to lead us into * all Truth,’
and to impart, to us all needful strength. Whitsunday prepares for
Trinity 1 He has said, * If ye being evil know how to give good
gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which
is in Heaven give His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.’ Why
do we not simply, evermore claim the promise ? In the Holy
Gospel are given unto us, not creeds to be recited, catechisms to
be learned, and articles to be signed , but ' many exceeding great
and precious PROMISES, that by them we may BECOME PAR-
TAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the
corruption that is in the World through lust ’ Our efforts to
return to our Father would be more vigorous, and more successful,
if by faith we realized tbe abundance and sufficiency of the
promised help.

‘Great poets and seers of our time,— “-Wordsworth, Browning,
and Tennyson, — are full of this optimistic feeling, though, it may
be, they do not always trace it to its source. To those who
believe in the Divine Incarnation , in the Divine Immanence, in the
abiding Gift of the Divine Spirit , and in the perpetual up-rise of
Humanity in the Divine Christ , nothing appears impossible. * All
things are ours, for we are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.’ LET US
ONLY, HERE AND NOW, ARISE !

Again, I cannot help feeling sure when considering the misery
which the selfishness of siu brought -pon the ‘ Prodigal’, and the
love which crowned his return, that there is a mystical and
designed correspondence, or rather an antithesis between his
history, and that of the Divine Author of the parable, i the well-
beloved Son’ of the Heavenly Father.

Christ, in whom there was no sin, is to ns the unique pattern of
an ABSOLUTELY UNSELFISH LIFE. Entering into the world
He says : ‘ lo, I come to do Thy Will. O God.* He came down, ‘ not
to do His own If ill, but the Will of the Father that sent, Him.’
Contrasted with the ‘ Prodigals’ sinful selfishness is the eii tire self-
renunciation oj the Blessed Redeemer. ’He ‘emptied Himself of
all but Love to live and. die, in order to rescue man from the
bondage and degradation of sin. To all Humanity He is the
everlasting pattern of the life of PERFECT LOVE. The privations,
labours, and sufferings of Christ/ which culminated in the agony'
of Gethsemane and the death on the Cross, 'were, when viewed in
-me light, the result of sin,— but NOT HIS OWN ! They are the

THE SOUL'S UP RISE.

381

remedy, and destruction of all sin. It is as an august EXEMPLAR
that He is chiefly to be regarded ae the Savionr of the world from
sin. He reveal* to us, in word and deed, the Will of the Divine
Father, nnto whose loving arms He invites ns arising to return.

At this period of the Christian Year, when we bring to a
close the senes of services by which we have commemorated the
earthly history of our Lord and Master, ws are especially con-
fronted by this view of His mission We see Him coming from
the Heavenly home, and descending into the lowest depths of
humiliation and suffering. Again He arises and returns to the
Father, not to acknowledge His own transgressions, for He is the

* Spotless Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world* ;
but to plead for transgressors, whom He is nor, ashamed to call
His brethren, — before the Father,— to Whom He is the Way,
regarding Whom He is the TRUTH, and in Whom He is the LIFE.
His whole career on earth-— -His descent, and Hig ascent alike — is
presented to ns by St. Paul as a parable. W ith Him we are to die,
crncifying the flesh with its affections and lusts ; and with Him
we are to arise, partakers of His resurrection, and return to the
Father, as sharers of the eternal Life which He lives with God.

* He is the first-born among many brethren ' It may even he said
that the Father in this parable does not represent solely the
Father in Heaven, but also the incarnation of that Father's
Divinity : the mystic union of God and man in Christ.

The Father in the parable treads the same toilsome path by
which the ‘ Prodigal’ returns* It is a scene of qnite earthly ex-
perience. The hand that grasps that of the returning penitent is
a Human hand, and the arms ^hat embrace Him are Human arms.

* He that hath seen Me hath Been the Father.’ So in the parable
the loving Father meetB His returning 6on, as we believe that the
eternal Father in the man Christ Jesns, meets penitent Humanity.
The whole is a mystic picture of Divine love incarnate. The
' Prodigal’ was lost , was dead ! The 1 Good Shepherd* finds him.
The 1 Resurrection and the Life’ restores him to the -Eternal life
of Love.

In the practical application of this parable I suppose that
there arises naturally in most minds the thought that the

* Prodigal V case is to be regarded as somewhat exceptional. It
very rarely happens, we say, that a son sins thus flagrantly against
the law of -Nature : 1 is thy servant a dog that he should do this ?*
It certainly appears, at first sight, to be a picture of quite abnormal
depravity- Yet, when duly 3 onsidered, is it not a faithful repre-
sentation of very much of ordinary human life ? In the prime and
vigour of youth we naturally arise, full of eager aspirations, and

332

SlDDHANTA DEEP1KA.

onr crv is ‘ give me my full sharp of earth s blessings, — of success,
material eirjovment, intellectual triumphs, — all that Humanity can
aspire to on earth.’ Like the Springtide of the year, we are full of
the anticipation of the coining blessedness , — nor is this in itself at
all evil. All nature, — what is sometimes termed the ‘ Cosmic
Process.’ seems to say to each ore of us, ‘ Sursum Cor,’ Lift up thy
heart ; and I see nothing in Religion that forbids, or even dis-
courages, the most energetic, hopeful striving after the very best
things tliat Human life affords.

The evil is. when we seek these things by wrong methods,
and exclusively for ourselves, and regard them as ends of exist-
ence ; when wo forget that, as all good things are from God, so
they are all to be used for HU glory. It is selfishness, and alien-
ation from God, that makes our ambitions evil Alas t how very
prone we are to forget Him in the midst of onr dreams, and fervid
aspirations ! Men often say that religious devotion is a thing
more especially adapted to later years, and almost out of place in
youth. With him of old. we say, * Rejoice, O young man, in thy
youth,’ and there we are apt to stop. But there are other
grand words, of the same wise man, of the olden time : * When

1 teas yet young or ever 1 went abroad , 1 desired wisdom openly in
my prayer 1 prayed for her before the temple and will seek her out ,
even to the end. I directed my soul unto her , and found her in
pureness. The Lord hath given me a tongue for my revmrd, and
l will praise Him therewith

Is there not apt to be a surrender of the whole heart in
youth to the objects of our merely selfish ambition, which thus
degenerates into that love of the world, and what the world can
give, which is altogether antagonistic to the love of the Father
in Heaven ? Grosser offences against morality, many, perhaps
most, may escape, and so come to pride themselves like the
Pharisee, or the elder brother in this parable, that they are 1 not
as other men’ : but, what is to be said of life without the thought,
— without the LO VE,— of God ? Very many moral persons, when we
come to examine narrowly, are practically without God in the
world ; and have gone in thonght and affection very far away
from Him ; and paiu, remorse, and famine of the sonl must
assuredly result. There is a restlessness, a feverishness, which,
pervades the age in which we live, and which we are all apt to
share. Do we not often see people aronnd us absorbed in lower
porsnits, and sinking into a condition of which the misery of the
‘ Prodigal is a faithful type, the abject misery of a Bonl without
God. Have we not all great need to take heed to Ourselves ?
For, what is Human life from which all thonght of the blessed-

J

TtlE SOUL’S UP RISE.

358

new of communion with the Father in Heaven is excluded ?
Sorely the remedy fer this is the awakening in ns by any discipline,
however severe, of a higher sense of the purpose ot life. If we
are to find rest to our souls it uiuBt be by ‘ coming to ourselves
by arising ; and, with all the concentrated energy of the Divinely
inspired Will, going back to the Father ! Yes, ‘ I WILL arise’ is what
we must say. For power to arise is what wo must pray The true
up-rise of man is in these religious ideas, God taking the place of
the world , Heaven of earth , and Divine Love mastering the sordid
selfishness man.

Another point, which I can hardly do more than indicate*
is that the repentance of the ‘ Prodigal’ was the blessed result,
the foreseen result, of his self*eutailed suffering. The thooglit
may perhaps occur to us that the Father conld have prevented
(and we should almost, say ought to have prevented) the ‘ Pro-
digal’s’ departure, j that he was bound to refuse and rebuke the
selfish request, to restrain the mad impulse, and so prevent the
evil. Why, men are heard to say, does God permit sin and pain
in His world ? But man is responsible for his acts, learns by his
failures, and if he fall, for a time, into the lowest depths, it may
be that this is in his case the only way in which his infatuated,
selfish soul can be brought to say, ‘ I will arise and go to my
Father.’ Thrice blessed are they, if there be such, whose f et
have never strayed from the Father s home ; but we do see that
there is a pathway, steep* rugged, and toilsome it may be, must
be, for all, from the lowest depths to the. highest heights ; and, if
we strive to climb, we shall always meot a loving Father in the way.
The part of the history in which ‘ the elder brother is introduced,
is very necessary to make this clearer to us. His account of
himself is, * neither at any time transgressed I thy command.' We
cannot help feeling that he is deceiving himself ; but if his self-
estimate were accepted as true, it could only be accounted for by
the absence of temptation and struggle, while we plainly see that
the result was not favourable to the growth e£ filial reverence, or of
fraternal sympathy. Most of us would regard the elder brother
as really farther lrom auy high moral standard than the ‘ Prodigal
himself. There are , in fact , in the j taxable two ‘ Prodigals /
though of different types. The elder son was so near to the Father ,
and yet so very far from him 1 A really good moral character
seems rlways to imply a struggle against sin, and a victory over it.
It may comfort us, when we feel in what slippery paths it is
appointed ns to walk, that it is thus the Father teaches and trains
ns. ‘We fall to rise, are baffled to fight better.’ To him that
overcometh, it is said, ‘ will I give to sit on My throne. It is usual

884

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

tc dwell upon suffering as simply punishment ; and it is true, that
the transgression of moral law brings suffering ; but I prefer to
think that the real punishment of sin is chiefly to be sought in its
naturally degrading effect upon the sinner s own character. One
who gives way to sin becomes a slave, descends lower and lower in
the moral scale, and goes further and further away from God.
What husks he feeds upon ! Remission of sin is release from this
slavery. So, when the * Prodigal’ had learnt by bitter suffering
that sinful indulgence cannot satisfy the soul, freed by that suffer-
ing, he asserted his will and said, ‘ I will arise and, go to my
Father !’ God’s c^ief instrument in convincing souls of the evil of
sin, arid so freeing them from its yoke, is the suffering it entails. As
John the Baptist was the forerunner of the Christ, so ofttimes
affliction, anguish of spirit, troubles, and disappointments , prepare
the way for the coming of the HOLY GHOST. * Blessed are they
that mourn, for they shall be comforted.’ There is nothing
vindictive in the punishment thus permitted. It is in mercy and in
compassion only that men are visited by these chastenings. David
was the prototype of the ' Prodigal .’ and his sweetest songs were
sung after his fall and rise again. There is always a terrible, most
perplexing, problem of pain and evil ; but these are necessary to
afford scope for the exercise of our WILL. So much we can discern.
If there were no EVIL, it is hard to see how there could be any moral
GOOD mi the world !

One thing more is seen in the history. When the ‘ Prodigal’
arose to return, he resolved to say, what suffering had taught him
to feel, that he had sinned, was no more worthy to dwell as a son
in the Father s house ; but he a’so thought of asking to be
admitted there as a hired servant. Yet, when the Father’s arms
were around him, this last petition his lips refused to utter ! The
thought of merely servile obedience, of paid service, could not
exist in the Other’s presence, and the emphatic words, * this my
son,’ must have prevented their utterance. There is a certain
aspect in whioh even sinoere religion may appear to be akin to
servility and selfishness. • Doth Job serve God for nought T
True, we look to religion for consolation amid the sorrows of life ;
and we are encouraged to hope for eternal blessedness as the
saints’ reward ; but no less the words, * I will ARISE,’ must ever
be present to our minds- The greatest blessing that true religion
hnngs is in the ELEVATION of the moral character. The aim' of
the religion of Christ is to bring us to God ,-to make us partakers
of the Vwxne nature. In vain do we profess to be Christ’s diaoiples,
if we are not persistently striving (however unattainable it may
seem) to become what Christ commands us to be, * perfect even as

THE SOUL’S Ur-RISE.

335

<mr Father in Heaven in 'perfect !’ It is our calling to be ‘eons of
God and we must maintain, one may say, the august family
tradition, hyalite worthy of our vocation- We are told that*
‘ though it does not yet appear what we shall be, ire shall be like
Him, nee Him us Hein.' The promise is that infinite love shall
transform us, and raise us to unknown heights of blessedness.
This is the goal of the godly life. My brethren, let us all then
over strive ‘ to AK1SK and go to our Father,’ to our Father as
revealed in the Son, by the gift of the Holy Ghost. There is no
complete salvation on earth, but we may continually ARISE and
go from strength to strength, drawing nearer and ever nearer to
our God.

Does it not seem that to every godly man, who throughout
his life humbly and patiently strives to rise above himself, setting
the Divine Christ before him as a pattern; seeking to attain
newness of life through His Grace, the words of our text might be
the last utterance of his dying lips ? While friends around are
sadly waiting for the hour of his departure, mystic gladness fills
his failing heart. The struggle of life is wellnigh over, 4 it is
finished,’ the fight is won. and, as lie closes his weary eyes, he
say«, ‘ I will arise and go to my Father ’ ;and oh ! what tongue
sludl describe, what heart can conceive, the rapture with which he
finds himself, at last, in the Father's arms, received into the
eternal communion of the blessed in his Father’s house, and hears
Him say, amid the joyful acclaim of the innumerable hosts of the
perfected just, ‘ this my son was dead, and is alive again, was lost
and is found.’

O where is thy victory, 0 Death, wheve is thy

sting ?'

THE LATE REV. G. U. POPE, Ml, D-D.

“ A STUDENT OF TAMIL.”

It is with the deepest sorrow, we record the passing away of
this great Tamil Scholar, 1 Missionary and Saint on the l2lh /'bbruary
of this year. The nows cauie upon us as a surprise, as we had
just a few weeks before, received his autograph letter and Christ-
mas greetings, which is published elsewhere in this number.
Though we had never set our eyes upon him, his name was familiar
to us as to most Tamil students from our youth, as Poppayya: , but
since the publication of Sivagnanabotham, we have in close
correspondence, and we feel his loss most as that of a personal
friend. But the loss to the Tamil land and literature is immense.
He loved the Tamil people and their literature. He was the
greatest living scholar, among the living or the dead and in spi*e
of the vast amount of work actually accomplished, lie was still
projecting and engaged in other work till the last days of his
life. “ Paramori I have copied, translated and finished lexicon :
but I cannot get the old commentary! My Tanjore Mss differs
widely from Subbaroyaclietli s.’ So lie wrote to us. He was
engaged in revising the kural and he wrote to sav that he could
double its value to Tamil Students. He had undertaken also the
bringing out of a big Dictionary.

His Magnum Opus was of course his translation of Tiruvacha-
kam. When we were in Chidambaram during the last Ariuha
week, we attended various assemblies where these sacred Hvmus
were chanted, and Dr. Pope’s name was mentioned and remember-
ed with love and reverence and so we wrote to him also in our
very last letter to him. And his name is certain to go down to
posterity connected with this sacred work. He was engaged in
this work from before 1897, and on 20th Octpber, 1900, he wrote,
"I am now comparatively free ; for my great- work is entirely out of
my hands, and commands a good degree of approbation ; but
will have no sale to speak of in Europe. Copies will he sent
to all the universities, great institutions and a certain number of
distinguished literary men. This will answer my purpose, which
is to show conclusively that men must understand systems before
they attack them, and that missicnaries especially have much to
learn in regard to- South Indian religion ; and my book will enable
all Europeans who desire it to acquire this knowledge. . . .

i

A STUDENT OF TAMIL.

887

“ Of course I have my own convictions as you and my other
valued Tamil friends have their9 ; but in what I have written I
have confined myself to such literary criticism as yonrself may, in
the main, agree with. Had I taken a different line, I might have
secured much more support here from a certain section of the
community.” He was auxious abont the pecuniary aspect of
this publication, and he wrote. *• I shall not derive any pecuniary
profit whatsoever from the book, thougii Scholars like Max
Mnller have been abundantly enriched as a reward for their
Sanscrit studies Tamil should not be the Mudevi (&>Qpe 8) of liter*
utu re. ’ And we are sorry, to say that in spite of what we
ourselves, and the publishers of this magazine did in this matter,
his edition was not all sold and he must have been pat to considerable
loss, and onr belief that our Tamil people have not been snffici*
ently grateful to him we give below the following extracts from
his letter.

“ I am exceedingly delighted with the admirable likeness of
yourself which is iu my study and my friends are always duly
introduced to it

“ ft strikes me that my 4 kural ’ and Naladiyar might with
profit be reproduced in India in a much cheaper form. Give me
your views on this subject. 1 will hope to send you a list of my
publications, and a sketch of my life, as yoa ask, soon. Whenever
I die “ A student of Tamil” will be inscribed on my monument/’

“ I cannot close this letter without saying how much I am
indebted to you for kindly sympathy, and for real assistance in
your published writings which you will see I have more than once
referred to in my book. I always read with interest and profit the
‘ Light of Truth’ Deepika.’

< Z am carefully examining your Translations in ‘ Light of
Truth.* ”

Next April, 24th will be his 80th birth day, and he dated his
Tiruviichakam on his 88th bi.thdny, and we cannot do befctc* than
quote his almost pathetic words with which he records his life a
work.

*• I date this on my eightieth, birthday 54th April 1900. I
find, by reference that my first Tamil lesson Vas in 1857. This

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

88P

ends, I suppose, a long life of devotion to Tamil studies. Jt is not
without deep emotion that I thus bring to a close my life's literary
work.

* : Rome years ago, when this publication was hardly projected,
the writer was walking with the late master of Balliol College in
the quadrangle. The conversation turned upon Tamil legends,
poetry and philosophy. At length, during a pause in the conver-
sation, the master said in a quick way peculiar to him 4 you must
print it.’ To this the natural answer was, * master’ ! ‘ I have no
patent of immortality, and the work would take very long.’ I can
see him as he turned round— -while the moonlight fell upon his
white hair and kindly face — and laid his hand upon my shoulder
saying, ‘ To have a great work in progress is the way to live long.
You will live till you finish’ I certainly did not think so then,
though the words have often come to my mind as a prophecy,
encouraging me when weary ; and they have been fulfilled while he
has passed out of eight.” Not only did he live to finish this great
work, but he has lived usefully for several years beyond it. Ho was
honoured by the English Universities and Societies for his Tamil
learning, while our own University ignored him. The last great
honour that was done to him was when in the last year, the Indian
Secretary The Rt. Hon’ble John Morley presented him with a gold
medal and eulogised him in fitting terms*

The readers of this magazine will be familiar with many of his
miscellaneous writings, 1 The Poets of the Tamil land,’ ‘Translations
from the Pnrananuru,' and ‘ Puroporjl Venbamalai’ and ‘ Stories
from the Peria-Furan.

The Secret of his success lay, as some of his old Sawerpuram
Students have told me, is his indomitable will and earnestness of
purpose and thoroughness in carrying out whatever he undertook,
whether as a teacher, preacher or writer. He was saintly in his
character and life and as one old Pandit put it if lie was born in
the old days, he would have been catalogued with the fi3 saints.
His services to the Saivite Religion and Siddhanta Philosophy are
incalculable, as he was the first to bring its importance
to the light of the English-speaking world. May his soul rest
in Sivam.

A STUDENT OF TAMIL.

839

REV. DR. G. u. POPE.

From (he Daily Poet of Bangalore, Dated the ( 28th January, 1882.)

We are reminded by the announcement of a meeting to be
held this afternoon in the Gubbon Hall of the rapidly approaching
departure from Bangalore of the Rev. Dr. Pope, a gentleman who,
as edncationist, scholar, and priest, has long occupied a position of
the highest eminence in onr midst-, and whose reputation as an
Orientalist, earned by his learned labours in this country, precedes
him to his native land. Dr, Pope has well nigh completed the
forty 'third ijear of his residence in India, a period which has
witnessed the marvellous development of British influence in tbe
country whose history he has told so well. In the very month in
which he landed, April 1839, Kandahar fell l*efore our victorious
arms ; and the country trembled on the verge of the '* war decade.”
The prophetic clouds which overhung our destinies in L'entral
Asia inspired the hopes of the enemies of our rule ; and •* the air
was filled with predictions that British power would be shattered in
the ooming storm, and that Brahma and Muhammad, Gotama
Buddha and Guru Govind, would be avenged on the followers of
the Nazarene.*’ Tharawadi the T heehaw of those days, was in the
flush of that insolent tyranny which culminated a few months later
in the expulsion of oar Resident from the oourt of Amarapura.
The intrigues of tbe Pandey Ministry rendered Khatmanda the
centre of a conspiracy against the British raj ; and with the death
of Bunjeet Singh began the series of revolutions which left the
Sikh dominions prostrate at our feet. The aspect of affairs beyond
our frontiers may scarcely be less threatening now than they were
then. Dr. Pope departs, as he arrived, in the midst of a conspiracy
in Nipal and threatening demonstrations in Burmah : and, though
the Punjab is peaceful the territories beyond are not lesB full * of
menace than they were on the eve of the Russian advance on Khiva
and the withdrawal of our envoy from Berat. But, if the external
complications of Indian politics still survive, what language could
we use to depict the changes which have been accomplished within
the country itself, since the veteran missionary who now leaves
us landed on our Bhores, a lad of nineteen years ?

When Mr. G. U- Pope' arrived At Madras, it was as a Mission-
ary connected with the Wesleyan Methodist Society; and, after
having officiated for a short time as pastor of the English congre-
gation worshipping in the chapel in Popham’s Broadway, he was
transferred to Cnddalore, and engaged in distinctively missionary
work* Ind 1841, religions conviction led him to join the Obnrch
of England, with a view to seeking holy orders ; and he was sent

siddhaxta deepika.

840

to Sawyerpuram as a catechist, and ordained by Bishop Spencer in
164S. Here lie became the founder of the Sawyorpimun Mission-
ary College, an institution in which nearly two hundred young
Shanars were trained to be schoolmasters, catechists, and pastors.
After continuous labour at this post till 181-9, lie went to England
on furlough, and travelled all lover the country advocating the
cause of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. He re-
turned to India in March 1851, and was stationed in Tanjore,
where, his health giving way, in 1857, he resigned his connection
with the S. P. G., and found, in the learned leisure” of a school-
master’s life, what we venture to describe as his most appropriate
sphere.

On withdrawing from tho mission, lie established a Grammar
School at Ootacamund, attracted by the delightful climate of that
sanitarium and induced to believe that it afforded a promising site
for an institution which offered to the sons of gentlemen the
advantages of a pre-University education. In this hope he was
not disappointed ; and the people of Ooty still cherish towards him
a warm and friendly interest, and- remember him with the grati-
tude due to one who thoroughly identified himself with the place as
a public teacher and an earnest pastor. In addition to his scho-
lastic duties, he held the offices of Sunday morning lecturer at
St. Stephen’s Church, and Chaplain to the European Prison. He
established in Ootacamund the Ootacamund Grammar School and
College ’ which was one of the first public Schools in the Kingdom.

In it were educated many of the sons of the highest officials in India,
who in the present day are holding positions of trust and confidence
in the highest ranks of the service of Government. This School
was closed in Christmas 1870.

It was in January I87I, that Dr. Pope came to Bangalore aa
Principal of the Bishop Cotton School This institution, when he
took charge of it, was merely tho germ of what it has become
under his fostering care. Mr. Reynolds, its first master, and the
Rev. Mr. Dubois, who came from the Diocesan School in Bombay
and presided over it for about a year prior to his appointment 2.3
Head-master of Bishop Corrie’s G rammar School in Madi as, were
gentlemen possessing some recommendations, but scarcely qualified
to advance the status of a school in which Dr. Pope discerned the
potential elements of a successful seminary of the higher educa-
tion. It was not long ere he saw his way to develope the Grammar
School into a College ; and the Principal became the Warden.
Within a few months of his arrival — in August of the tame year —
he found an outlet for his energy and ability as preacher and
pastor, in the charge of All Saints’ Church, where lie has ministered ^
gratuitously ever since. In 1878, the Bishop invited him to under-

A STUDENT OF TAMIL.

341

take Hie uddiiional duty of Chaplain of the Fort Church : and these
varied offices lie has continued to conduct to the satisfuctiitn ot
all who have al tended on his ministrations or received their educa-
tion at Ji is hands.

It is only possible, within the limits of a newspaper article, to
indicate h) f the titles of his princ pal works the current of Dr.
Pope s literary activity. For the sake of convenience, we shall
arrange these under thre e heads— linguistic, historical, and theo-
logical. It is as one of the most, learned of Draridian scholars that
Dr. Pope is most widely known beyond the sphere of his educa-
tional and clerical avocations. His “ Tamil Grammar,” used in
every Vernacular “diool, was subsequently expanded into “ A
Second Tamil Grammar,” and this again iuto “ A Third," including
the '* Nannnl ” Most young civilians in Madras are familiarly
acquainted with the “ Handbook of Tamil,” with key, now in its
fourth edition. Some knowledge of Dr Pope’s command of the
dialects of Southern India may be derived from his translation of
the “ Sermon on the Mount, ’ into four Dravidian languages ; and a
singular example of linguistic ingenuity and research is afforded
by 1 iis “Toda Grammar”— the only one ever published — which
formed an appendix to Colonel Marshall’s “ History of the Todas,’’
and threw a flood of unsuspected light on the dialect of this strange
tribe. Under the same division may be placed his articles on
w Cural’* in the Indian Antiquary. Nor must we omit to mention
the sound and accurate learning displayed in his series of editions
of the Latin text-books prescribed by the Madras University i
which have made the study of the language of European
scholarship a source of pleasure and delight to many an awakening
mind.

Dr- Pope’s historical works include his “History of India” for
the use of schools and colleges, which has passed through two
editions, and has earned wide spread popularity, and the warm en-
comiums of the Press. It is to his laborious enterprise and
indefatigable energy that the reading public of the present day
owe their knowledge of the work of the Abbe Dubois, the Mysore
missionary, on the cliararte rs, manners, and customs of the people
of India. The manuscript is in French, in two massive volumes,
written by the Abbe himself, and was purchased by the East India
Company in 1806 for two thousand pagodas, and translated and
published in English ten years later. Dr. Pope’s edition appeared
in Madras in 1862, and contains a photograph of the Abbe taken
from an oil painting in the Madras Literary Institute. The work
relates chiefly to Southern India, but has been described as ■' the
most comprehensive and minute account extant in any European
language of the manners of- the Hindoos.” Under the head of Dr.

342

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

Pope’s purely religious publications must be placed Itis volume of
sermons, “ Many and Great Dangers,' 1 and various pamphlets,
addresses, and sermons.

Dr. Pope has been intimately connected, during the whole of
its career, with the Madras University, of which he was appointed
a Fellow in 1859 ; and the record of his labours as a working mem-
ber of that body is too voluminous for insertion here. In 1864, he
received from the Archbishop of Canterbury the degree of Doctor
of Divinity, as a recognition of his learning, and chiefly of his
contributions to Tamil scholarship He was elected a member of
the Leipsic Oriental Society in 1870, the same year in which that
honour was conferred on Dr. Lightfoot, now Bishop of Durham ;
and two years later he became a member of the Royal Asiatic
Society. We cannot doubt that still higher attestation of his merits
is yet to come and that his declining years will be brightened by
further intellectual triumphs.

It is as an educationist that to-day’s meeting proposes to
honour him ; and it is perhaps in that capacity that he will be
longest and most lovingly remembered in ‘Bangalore. During his
career in Ootacamund he trained for professional work many
youths who are now holding good positions in this country, and
even at home, as officers in the army, barristers, medical men,
engineers, and in other honourable posts , and we hope for equally
tangible results from his labours here. But itis not by such
tangible results that the work of a true teacher can be adequately
tested. It is the formation of character, the inspiration with noble
desires, the thousandfold influences of the daily intercourse of a
master wir,h his pupils, which constitute tl\e*onlv satisfactory proof
of true educational work ; and it is in the grateful memories of
those who owe to him moral motives and a liberal culture that Dr.
Pope has built for himself a “ monumeut more durable than
brass.” As a Churchman, he has been a staunch upholdei of
High Church theories, while ever ready to concede the amplest
liberty to those whose views differ from his own. His pulpit
addresses and his speeches on religious subjects at clerical con-
ferences and elsewhere have been distinguished by a forcible
and fluent style, tempered by logical discrimination and a correct
taste. The preacher, like the poet, is born, not made ; and the
P opes are a family of preachers. Apart from his ecclesiastital
associations, he will be long remembered of his active co-opera-
tion in every public undertaking of a laudable oharacter ; and,
though our own relations with him are of brief duration and of
comparatively distant kind, we cannot but. regret the departure of
one who never grudged advice and aid to any good work.

NOTES.

The following interest article on the later work of Dr. J. C.
_ _ x Bose appears in the Pall Mall Gazette over

Soientiat. initial C. W. 5., which, as IB well

known, are those of Dr. Saleeby, one of the
best known of the English popular scientists : —

Notable at the present day amongst those who see how puny
and artificial and cramping are the accepted barriers between the
sciences is an Indian physicist, Professor Jagadis Chandra Bose of
the University of Calcutta who belongs, appropriately enough, to
the race which declared, ages before Western Europe had a written
language at all, that " the Real is One, ’ as the Rig-Veda has it.
Seven years ago, Dr. Bose began the inquiries into response in the
living and the not living, which he has now carried now a long
stage further in his book, “ Comparrtive Electro-Physiology” just
published by Messrs, Longmans, Green and Go. The general pur>
port of Dr. Bose’s former work was to show that the reactions
formerly thought to be peculiar to the living muscular tissue of
animals are in large measures to de detected in vegetable tissues,
and also in inorganic matter strips of tin, and what not. Living
matter, animal or vegetable is matter, and displays molecular reac-
tions similar to those involved in, for instance, the fatigue of a
razor which, as Dr. Bose seems to have Bhown, is probably more
than analogous to the fatigue of a nerve. By means of the most
delicate apparatus, which is stricrly self-recording Dr. Bose has
been able to oonfirm and extend his inquiries latterly in a very
remarkable fashion, and it is interesting to learn that he is
about to discuss some of bis results before the psychologists in
Germany.

The physiologist endeavours to ascertain the exact behaviour
of living matter in various conditions and under various stimuli. No
one, I fancy, will be so foolish as to question th&t there are specific
reactions aependent upon or involved in the state which we call
life ; a living nerve reacts otherwise than a dead nerve. Bat it
evident that, if solid matter in general has its own architecture,
its own inter-molecular relations upon which its solidity depends
as compared with the state of a liquid or a gas the physiologist can
scarcely expect to make real pragress until he knows what reac-
tions his material will display simply in virtue of tho fact that it
is solid matter.

•44

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

Guided alone by the prime idea of the unity of Mature, Dr
Bose has been able to show not merely that
Dr. Bose’s Discoveries living vegetable tissues behave under stimula-
tion in a fashion exactly parallel to that of

animal tissues but even that in many plants fibres of peculiar con-
ductivity and sensitivity can be isolated, which it seemB perfectly
legitimate to call vegetable nerves. The phrase will not seem so
preposterous to those who are aware of the recent trend of physio-
logical botany, the discovery of oertain special senses in the
plant, and even of special sense organs, such as the photo sensitive
Btructnres, which are now called ocelli or little eyes.

Space remains for the merest indication of the manner in
which these new researches extend towards and indeed actually
invade, the domain of physiological psychology. Dr. Bose has
found that a nerve like a muscle alters in length under stimula-
tion, and has succeeded in making the nerve record its own
changes both photographically (by moving a spot of light directed
upon sensitive paper) and mechanically (by moving a lever writing-
npon smoked glass). Further he has contributed largely to the
question of the consumption of energy in nervous action, since he
can measure precisely the quantity of “ dose” of electrical energy
adminkstered to the nerve, and then can ascertain, in some
measures, what beoome of it. These remarks give no idea of the
quantity, and but an imperfect notion of the quality, or Dr. Bose’s
work. I have, for instance, been able to make no allusion to his
work on the action of drugs and of alcohol in special. One may
merely note, in conclusion that these researches, which began
with the study of response in strips of tin and the like, have led.
onwards to the domain even of psychology itself, not from any
determination of the worker, who had no idea at first, of the
direction in which he would be led — Indian Review

J

NOTES.

846

III a recent number of a Japanese journal, Mr. T. Kalajama

u , . w _ described a prooess for the manufacture of a

Ftaat." vegetable milk, the properties of which

would render it highly suitable for use in

tropical countries- The preparation is obtained from a well-known
member of the leguminous family of plant (namely, the soja beann),
which is a very popular article of food amongst the Chinese*
The beans are drat of all softened by soaking; and are then pressed
and boiled in water. The resultant liquid is exactly similar to
cows” milk in appearance, but it is entirely different in its com-
position. This soja been milk contains 92*5 per cent, water 3 02
per oent. proteine, 2.13 per cent, fat, 0.03 per cent, fibre, 1.89 per
cent, non-nitrogenoua substances, and 0,41 per cent. ash. Kalajama
added some sugar and a little phosphate of potassium (in order to
prevent tbe elimination of the albumen), and then boiled the
mixture down till a substance like condensed milk was obtained.

“ This condensed vegetable milk” is of a yellowish colour, and ha ft
a very pleasant taste, hardly to be distingniahed from that of real
cows* milk. However, it still retains the aroma of the Boja bean.
It is recommended as a cheap and good substitute for condensed
cows’ milk.

A chat with a hardy Breton fisherman brought forth thi novel

cure for sea-sickness. While the oldman told
▲ core for fle**«ioknei a. of the storms that he had been through^ the

narrow escapes he had had, and the long

journeys he had taken, he was iuterrupted by the question, " And
sea-sickness ? Were yon ever sick f” “ Never, replied thd old
man, “ and I’ll tell you the reason if you like to hear — I never
went on any Bhip without taking a little mirror in my pocket. As
Boon as I felt the sickness coming on I looked steadily in the
glass, all symptoms pasted away. I got the cure from my father ^
and I never knew it to fail." The reipt is easily tried, and if it
does not convince the sceptical, there is the consolation that ua

loss need be entailed by giving it a chance.

846

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA

In Greab Britain the mangel wurzel crop, under favourable

conditions, is one of the most valuable that a

Mangel Wurzel in farmer can grow. The roots are largely fed
India ‘ to milch cattle. In this country mangels have

been grown for many years in certain of the Bengal jails, and
the Beeds has been sown at different times in the cold season up to
the end of February, when with good manuring and irrigation it
has produced a crop of roots in the hot weather months, when
whole some vegetables are ordinarily not obtainable. In 1906,
mangel wurzel seed was distributed by the Agricultural Depart-
ment to different parts of Bengal, and they grow successfully in
most places.

Mangel wurzel rootB do best ie a rich loam or clayey loam
soil. They will not do well in poor or light soil, unless heavily
manured. The ground mnst be thoroughly and deeply cultivated,
and the soil reduced to a fine state of tilth, that is a clean an fine
seed bed must be prepared. The yield of the crop depen a very
largely on the manuring given. A heavy application of well-rotted

cowdung is recemmendhd, and the addition of 2 to 4 maunds
(mannd 82 27 lbs.) of common salt per acre may also be tried. If
farmyard manure is not available, artificialmanures to supply
nitrogen, phospates and potash should be applied.

TEA FLOWERS.

The buds of the tea plants, collected a few days before they
expand, and dried, yield an infusion of very pleasant taste and
agreeable odour ; they contain about 2.1 per cent, of caffiene, 2.65
per cent, of ash and 1 0 per cent, of Moisture. The Sepals bear
on their upper surface numerous one— called hairs directed toward
the apex, and exhibit in the mesophyi a wide layer of scleranchy-
matous cells, varying greatly in size to shape, but simila~ to those
found in the leaf. These characters allow of the identification of
the buds. — E. Perrot and A. Goris, Bull des Sci. Pharm.

The grandest train in the world is said to be the Kaiser a*

If cost 1,000,000 dollars and took three years to build. In the
twelve sumptuous saloons are two nursery coaches, a gymnasium
music-room drawing-room, furnished with oil paintings and statuary^
The treasure -room with its two safes, is burglar-proof.

j

NOTES.

847

An interesting addition to the “Memoirs of the Department
of Agriculture in India'* is a volume on the

Indian Cotton*. Indian Cottons, by Mr. G. A. Gamie, Econo-
mic Botanist to the Government of Bombay.
The author holds that the parent of all the eztsting varieties of
Indian aotton is the Rozi of Gujarat, “ the most widely distributed
wild and cultivated cotton in the old world." One of the objects
of the memoir is to Bet forth a classification of the Indian
cottons, and to assist iq this attempt a great number of beautiful
illustrations of the varieties of cotton are given.

Readers of the weekly list of the Indian Patent Office will

observer the announcement with interest that
Fenwinej'DTOito. Angammal. wife of Rama Swaru Thevan, re-

sidin at Thirumalnnpollum Village, Coimba-
tore Taluq, Coimbatore District, has applied for a patent for a
newly designed tea ter pump for agricultural purposes, As the inven-
tion is only in the application stage, no details are yet known to
the publio, bnt the incident is a sign of progress in a Presidency to
which the term benighted no longer applies. If the patent is com-
pleted, we Bhall endeavour to give our readers farther details of
the invention.

The action of lime as a fertilising agent is perhaps not

geue rally well understood, and nnder those
Lime “/L„£ rtlli * lDa ’ conditions harm frequently follows its indis-
** criminate application. Lime mast be looked

upon as a plant food, since it enters into the composition of every
form of vegetable life, but there sre few soils whieh do not contain
this constituent (in some form) in sufficient quantity for the needs
of the plat ns growing upon them. Is is seldom then that lime needs
to be added to the soil as a simple manure, but it is in its influence
as an indirect fertilizing agent that its greatest value lies. All
soils contain animal and vegetable matter in various stages of
decay. This decay is necessary before the contained elements of
plant rood are rendered available for use. Lime in its caustic
condition, is one of the most powerful agents of decomposition, and
an application of it to sour land, where organic matter doeB no* 1

148

SID0HANTA DEEPIKA.

readily decay, often workB wonders* On heavy lands, also, the
action of lime is an important aid to fertility causing the soil to
become friable, and thereby giving free access to air and
water.

A new company under the name of the Peninsular Iron
Works, Ld., has been lately started and
peninsular Iron Works, registered in Bombay with a capital of

Rs. 2,00,000, divided into 4000 shares of
Rs. 56 each, with power to increase. The board of directors
includes some well-known persons of sound business capacity, and
their object is to establish a large and well conducted iron foundry *
for which there seems to be a good field. For this purpose, they
have acquired from Mr. Essaji Tajbhoy has iron works, factory
and appurtenances with all their stock in trade.

Mr. Aristide Charatte has discovered a method of prodncing
very beautiful diamonds by passing a power'
M*kii. g of Diamonds, ful electric current through a liqnid sulphate

of black carbon. Another French savant
now claims to have discovered a means of converting the mineral
corundum, which is only worth about two francs per carat, into
rubies and sapphires of a market value equal to thiry francs per
carat, by a simple process. A month’s exposure to the action of
radium turned yellow corundum into 1 ' a fine clear ruby," while the

red varieties became amethyst, the violet sapphire, and the blue
topaz.

Paper making in Japan has been very active for the past year
or so. New companies have been formed, and

***Japan. g ° onea enlarged. Most Japanese Mills use
steam for motive power, and nearly all the
machinery used is of American mahe.

NOTES.

849

WOUNDED VEGETABLES FEVERISH.

Unci* Sam's scientists at Washington as carefully and tenderly
look after their plants and vegetables as does any well-trained
none the patient committed to her care.

In this connection may be recited some interesting and cnrione
experiments made at the Capital. It is ascertained that when
plants are wounded their respiration increases, and that at the
time their temperature perceptibly rises, as if a kind of fever had
been produced by the wound.

In recent experiments, a thermo electric apparatus, capable of
registering a change of one -fonr- hundredths of a degree, was em.
ployed. When a potato was wounded, the fever manifested itself
by an elevation of temperature which was greatest at the end of
24 hours, when it began slowly to decline •

An onion similarly treated acquired an increase of tempera-
tare many times greater than that shown by the potato, and the
fever, instead of being oonfined to the neighbourhood of the wound,
affected the entire onion. In fact, the onion proved to be more
readily effected in tW way than any other vegetable experimented
with. The rise of temperature is caused by increased absorption
of oxygen— Health Culture.

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diamonds etc for dealers and manufacturing jewellers, Be. 28-8, or
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Sample packet Ceylon hand-made lace (embroidery) Bi. 16-8.

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WANTED

The following; numbers of the SIDDHANTA DEBPIKA,
VoU. Nos 2, 5-7, & 12. li 8, 9 & 11. iii 4. iv 4. vii 2 & 8.
Gentlemen who are willing to disqose them of, are requested to
write to The Manager, SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA, MADRAS. N.C-

STAMPS! STAMPS!! STAMPS/!!

Parties willing to exchange used Postage stamps of Indian
Native States, African Colonids, Australian Colonies, South Ameri-
can States and all parts of the Globe, should apply te the under
signed. Sure Beply. Correspordence invited. Used post-cards
and envelopes with pressed stamps are wanted. Pic-ure Postcards-
are also exchanged. Register ail letters containing stamps, and
write your address clearly.

“Philatelist” care of Manager,
“Siddhanta Dee pika,”

Madras. N. C,

INTRODUCTION

TO

SIDDHANTA GNANA RATNAVAH.

* Siddhanta ” means u true end, 1 ’ and tie Saiva Philosophy is
so called, because it establishes the true end, or the oi .y truth- It
is also called the “ Vedanta Siddhanta” Philosophy, that is — to use
the words of its most prominent modern champion— “ the knower
and embracer of the true end of the Vedas, viz., the true meaning
that God is 8 ivam or Love.” The ackno vledged hooks of the
system are the Vedas and Agamas or Tantras , The relative value
of the Vedas and Agamas has bpen set forth as follows The
Vedas are general and given out for all, the Agamas are special
and revealed for the benefit of the blessed and they contain the
essential truths of the Veda and the Vedanta." The teaching of all
holy books are condensed and systematised here.

The twelve Sutras which form the basis of the modern syste-
matic exposition were taken from the Rvnrava A gama i and were
translated into Tamil about 1200 A- D. by Meikanda Deva. Tbe
authoritative works “ Sivagnana Bodham,” “ Sivagnana Siddhiar/’
and “ Siva Prakasam,” which are based directly upon the Sutras
were all written between abont 1200 to 1300 A.D.

The Saiva Siddhanta postulates three great entities, known as
(1) Pati, (2) Pasu, (3) Pasam, respectively — The Lord, The Soul,
and the Bond or Matter^ and on the correct unfolding of the sigm-

* Thia woB compiled in Tamil by Mr. S. Paivanna Mudaliur of Tinne ,- elly

3

S1DDHANTA GNANA RATNAVALI.

ficance of these three words the whole system depends. The
allegory likens the soul to a beast, bound by the rope, matter,
which keeps it in bondage from its true master, Siva. These
three entities are eternal, and eternally connected with each other.
The doctrine that treats of these three entities is termed as
S&iva Siddhanta Philosophy.

The present catechism is written in easy prose style with a
view to be understood by young men and beginners as the works
in existence are too difficult for them.

This work is divided into nine chapters. They are : —

1. On Pramana or Proof.

2. On Tatvas or component parts of body and bouI.

3. Poduviyal efr General.

4. On Pati or Lord God

5. On Pasn or Soul

6. On Pasa, bond or matter

7. On Sadana or mode of attaining an end or bliss

8. On Anubhava or experience

9. On Mukti or Moksha-

SIDDHANTA GNANA RATNAVALI.

FIRST LESSON.

Chapter I.

ON PROOF.

1 Q What is Pramana ?

A Proof or measure.

2 Q What is the instrument of proof ?

A Intelligence of toe Soul.

3 Q How many kinds of Pramana are there ?

A Three kinds.

4 Q What are they ?

A 1. (Katchi pramanam) proof by perception.

2. (Anumanapramanam) proof by inference.

3. (Agamia pramanam) proof by Agamaa or the word of

God.

5 Q What is Katchi pramanam or proof ly perception ?

A To know an object by oar senses.

Example : Mountain, Earth, Sea are objects presented
to our mind through our Benses.

6 Q What is Anumana pramanam or proof by inference ?

A To infer an unknown thing by what we have seen.

Example : To infer that there is fire within a house by
seeing the smoke coming out of a house.

7 Q What is Again iap ram an a or proof by Agamas ?

A To kno v by the words of God revealed in our Sacred
Vedas and Agamas.

Example : To know that there is Mahameru, Hell»
Heaven &c.

8. Q How can we measure the objects of the world ?

A By numbers, weighing, measuring rod.

9. Q What is Arnvayara ?

A Agreement.

4

S1DDUANTA GNANA RATN AVALI.

10 Q What is Vetliiregaiii ?

A Negation, or Difference.

11 Q How many kinds of katchi or perception are there /

A They are of 8 kinds.

12 Q What are they ?

A Perception without, difference, Perception with differ-
ence, perception with doubt, wrong Perception, Per-
ception, by mind, Perception through external senses,
perception by yoga or psychical practices, Percep-
tion by experience.

]3 Q How many kinds of inference are there ?

A Two kinds.

14 Q What are they ?

A Subjective inference or Introspection and objective infer-
ence.

15 Q Vedas, how many ?

A Four.

16 Q What are they ?

A Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, AtharvA Veda.

Sub-Vedas : Aynr Veda (medicine), Thanur Veda
(Archery), Ghandarva Veda and Artha Veda.

17 & lS. Q How many Siva Agamas are there ?

A 28. Viz.

1. Kamikam 10- Suppirabetham 19. Chandragnanam

2. Yogajam 11. Vijayam 20. Mukavimbam

3. Chinthiara 12. Nischuvasam 21. Purorjeethara

4. Karanam 13. Swayambuvum 22. Ililitlmtn

5. Achitham 14. Analam 23. Chittam

6. Theeptham la. Veeram 24. Santhanam

7. Sooksliinnatn 16. Rowravam 25. Saruvokthain

8. Sak&scluram i>, Magudam 26. Paramechuram

9. Anjuman 18. Vimalam 27. Kiranam

28. Vathulam

19 Q Are there any more Agamas ?

A There are others such as Yana See. They cannot be con-
sidered os Siva Agamas.

SIDDHANTA GNANA RATNAVALI

2 0 Q Wli&t is tlie difference between Vedas and Agamas ?

A Vedas are general Science bat Agams* are special science
relating to S&ivisin.

21 Q What is Vedanta ?

A They are the Upaniahads that deal with the rational aspect
of the Vdas.

22 Q What is Siddhanta ?

A They are the rational or gnanamargu of the Againas.

23 Q What does Siddhanta mean ?

A The true end. The ultimate goal.

24 & 25 Q How many Vedangams are there /

A Six, viz Mantras, Vyakaranam (Grammar) Nikandn
(Dictionary), Santhopicliitham (Logic; Nirnthau
(commentary) and Sothidam (astrology).

26 Q Are there Siddhanta Sastrae in Tamil ?

A Yes.

2? Q How many ?

A Fourteen.

28 Q Name them ?

A 1. Tirnvonthiar, 2. Tirnkalitrupadiar, 8. Sivagnanabotham,
4. Sivagnana Siddhiar, 5. Irupaliirapathu, 6. Unmai-
vilakkam, 7. Sivaprakasam, 8. Tiruv&rutpayan, 9.
Vinavenba, 10 Potripatrodai, 1 . Kodaikavi, lj.
Nenchuvidnthuthn, 13. Unmainerivilakam, 14. San-

karpani rakaranam .

29 Q Of these, which is the revealed original work

A Sivagnanabotham.
dO Q Which is the secondary work f
A Sivaguanasiddhiar.

31 Q What are the allied works or works based on the above ?
A Sivaprakasam Ac.

32 Q Who is the aathor of Sivagnanabotham 7

A Meikanda Devar of Tiravennainallnr, (The original text is
from the A gams and hence revealed.)

33 Q Who is the aathor o f Siddhiar and Irapairnpathn ?

A Arnlnandi Sivaebariar of Tirntnvaiyar.

6 SIDDHANTA GNANA RATNAVAU.

3 1 Q Who wrote Sivaprabasara ?

A Umapathi Sivachariar of Kotravankudi.

35 Q Who is the author of Tiruvunthiar ?

A Uyyavanthadevanayanar of Tiruviyalur.

36 Q Who wrote Tirukalitrupadiyar ?

A Uyyavanthadevanayanar of Tirukadavur.

37 Q Who is the author of Unmaivilakkara ?

A Manavasagamkadanthadevanayanar of Tiruvathigai.

38 Q How many of the Siddantha Sastras were written by

Umapathi Sivachariar ?

A Sivaprakasam and seven other works.

39 Q Are there any other works besides these fourteen ?

A Yes. There are many others such as Tatvavilakkam, Thoka.
larubotham, Tatvaprakasam &c.

CHAPTER II.

ON TaTVAS

(OR COMPONENT PARTS OF BODY AND SOUL).

40 Q What is Tatvam ?

A Real objects or an ever-existent entity.

41 Q How many kinds are there ?

A Atma tatvam, Vidyatatvam, Sivatatvam.

42 Q How many kinds of Atmatatvam are there ?

A Twenty-four, they are : —

1. Prithuvi (Earth)

2. Appu (Water)

3. Theyu (Fire)

4. Vayu (Air)

b. Akae (Ether)

Nos. 1 5 are five bhootag or elements.

SID0HANTA GNANA BATNAVALI.

6. Srottiram (Ear)

7. Tuvakku (Skin)

8. Satchn (Eyes)

9. Singuvai (Month)
lQ. Aakiranatn (Nose)

Noe. 6 — 10 are five organs of Sense.

11. Sabdam (Sound)

12. Sparisum (Touch)

13. Rupa (Sight)

1 4. Rasa (Taste)

15. Gandam (Smell)

Nos. ll — 15 are five senses or lamnatraa.

16. Yakku (Mouth)

17. Padain (Foot)

18. Pani (Hand)

19. Payoru (Auub)

29. Upaththam (Genitals)

Nos. 16 — 20 are five organs of action or movement.

21. Manas (Mind)

22. Buc^dhi (Reason)

23. Ahankaramj(Self -assertion)

Chittam (Thinking faculty)

Nos. 21—24 are four Andakaranag or internal senses.
43 <5 How many are Vidyatatvam t
A They are Beven in number, viz.

1. Kalam (Time)

2. Niyati (Destiny-Law of Karma)

3. Kalai (Learning)

4. Viddhai (Knowledge)

5. Aragam (Desire)

6. Pnrndan (Egoism)

7. Maya (Non-ego, cosmic matter).

6 SIDDHANTA GNANA RATNAVALI.

44 Q How many are Sivatatva ?

A Five, viz.

1. Suddha Viddhai (Pure knowledge -Ninmalagnana)

2. Eswaram (Pure action)

3. yadakkiam (Eternal light and bliss)

4. Sakti (Divine Power)

5. Sivam (Love)

45 Q How many internal organs are tliere ?

A The above said thirty-six.

46 Q flow many are the external organs ?

A Sixty, They are : —

1. Hair,

2. Bones

3. External skin

4. Blood vessels

5. Flesh

Nos. 1 — 5 are produced from Prithvi (Earth).

6. Fluid water

7. Blood

8. Semen

9. Marrow

10. Fat

Nos. 6 — 10 are produced from Appu (Water)
tl. Hanger

12. Sleep

13. Fear

14. Cohabitation

15. Laziness

Nos. 11 — 15 are produced from They a (Fire)

16. Running

17. Walking
13. Standing

19. Staying

20. Lying

Nos. 16 — 20- are produced from Vayu (Air)

THE SACRED SPORTS OF SIVA.

INTRODUCTION.

Those who read the title may reasonably raise the question :
Is sporting reconcilable with the divine attributes of God ?" It
will not take long for us to solve it by merely saying “ we cannot
have an insight into the purposes of God.” Suoh an answer is as
easy to be given as it is sure to be slighted. If Divine actions
cannot be understood, they should have no place on this earth. If
by man, God’s actions cannot be interpreted' to what purpose are
those actions done at all ? Not capable of being interpreted God’s
actions would become purposeless and therefore vain. But it is
man's actions that are so. Even the sports of God are purposive.
They are useful.. This is one of the main points of difference
between man’s sports and the sports of God. It may not be given
to us to understand fully or to interpret thoroughly the actions
done under divine influence but it is no reason why we should rnsh
into the conclusion that the sport of God is the work of human
fancy. Doubtless, the human mind has shaped it in. its own way
in describing it later on, but the main outlines which can neces-
sarily fall within the creation of man are still discernible.
Although the events described may seem to be commonplace,
there is atill running an undercurrent which course the human
intelligence seeks in vain to retard, and whose purpose it vainly
attempts to understand. To a careful thinker, however, many of
such subtle ideas are on the surface. It is not at all desirable to
prejudice the minds of our reulors by presenting here any inter-

2

THE SACRED SPORTS OF SIVA.

pretations of out own and fchaa not to give them room to think.
We choose therefore, simply to present the miracles or the divine
sports as thev were performed, and we reserve all our remarks to
the close of the book.

It may not perhaps be out of place here to say a few words
regarding the probable dates of the various performances of Siva.
The sports of Siva at Madura are regarded to have been sixty-four
in number but some of them are not properly speaking sports and
some others have been performed by a great devotee of Siva, Jnana
Sambantha, The majority of them, however, are of Siva and are
ascrib&ble to different dates ranging between the prehistoric era
and the most recent days of the seventh century. The prominent
Tamil work which contains a record of these sports is the Tiru-
vilyadarpuranam composed about the sixteenth century by Paran-
joti Mnnivar of Madura. There is a tradition that work was com-
posed at the instance of Ativirarama Pandya, a Pandyan King
whose time has been 6xed to have been the sixteenth century
This Tamil work is. professedly a translation from the Sanskrit
Halasya Mahatmya. The Sanskrit work could assuredly not have
been composed before the 8th or 9 tb centnry for it records events
of the 7 th century. The original for all kinds of works bearing on
the Sacred sports is only the inscriptions at the temple of Madura
and some manuscripts on the same subject. It is unnecessary as
we have already said to waste much time over our introduction
but let us straightway proceed to the narration of the I10I7 stories.

THE SACRED AMUSEMENTS OF SIVA.

I. THE EEMOVAL OF THE CHIME OF INDflA.

lndra the king of celestials was engaged in attending to the
dancers of his paradise, when his guru (spiritual preceptor)
Brahaspati came to se« him ; and lndra was so very absorbed in this
pastime that he did not pay proper attention to the guru nor rise to
salute him. Brahaspati departed in great anger ; and in conse-
quence of Iodra B indifferent attitude to his, guru, he had to lose
all his prosperity and before that the sympathy of las guru.
Having no longer his former preceptor, lndra took a three-headed
giant, ( curnra ) for his preceptor, but inducing him to make a sacri-
fice (yaga), he learned bitterly that the new guru purposed to
destroy the gods and favour his clan. Therefore lndra killed him
whereby he incurred the sin of Brahma-hatti (crime of killing a
brahman.) The father oi the giant wonld not allow this act to go
unrevsnged. He made a y again, from which Vridhrasura came
forth, whom he ordered to kill lndra immediately : the latter

struck the giant, but finding that he could not kill him, hid himself
in a lotos flower. He then went to Brahma and enquired why he
could not kill the asura ; and was told that his weapon had become
powerless ; but he was directed to a place where an old Brahmin
named Tatichi had long been performing penance, and was advised
to take his shoulder-bone, which would suffice for the object in
view ; since it was moulded of a good number of powerful weapons
that were entrusted to him The old Brahmin gladly gave up his
life and lndra, taking his shoulder-bone by its aid killed the asura,
hereby the sin of Brahmah&tti was doubled ; and in consequence of
its burden, lndra again concealed himself in a lotos flower.

The celestials were now left without their king, and Nacushan ,
an earthly monarch, who in order to arrive at the dignity had per-
formed a hundred yagas, became entitled to take the place of lndra.
Accordingly lie sent word to Indrani, the perpetual consort of the
king of heaven, that lie was coming, directing her to prepare to
receive him. On this message being communicated, she went in
consternation to the guru, Brahaspati, to ask his advice, who
directed her to sanction the coming of Nacushan in the palanquin
of lndra, according to custom borne by the Beven riahis. While
Nacushan was thus going, owing to his hnrry, he exclaimed to the
risliis, “ Sarpa sarpa * ; which means both quick and a serpent.
The rishts being displeased, put down the palanquin, and pro-

4

THE SACRED SPORTS OF SIVA.

nonnced on him a curse, “ ' hat he should become a serpeut’ ; ;
in which shape he fell down again to the earth. A Conncil being
held of Brahaspati , Agaatiyar , and other sages, it was recommended
that Indra in order to the removal of his sin, should go down to
the earth, visit the sacred places, and bathe in the rivers. 'Phis he
did, without finding relief till he came to a certain forest of tili
( Kadamba ) trees, where suddenly he found his burden removed.
Being surprised at this, he commanded search to be made around,
when a lin 4 am, the emblem of Siva was found under a tili tree, to
which he made puja , and so great was his joy that even his speech
became confased. As it was a forest, there were no flowers with
which to make garlands ; bnt on looking he saw a tank with lotos
flowers of which he made garlands and from this use of its
flowers the tank obtained the name of Pottamarai or the Golden-
lotos.

II. THE REMOVAL OF THE CURSE ON THE WHITE ELEPHANT.

Durvasa-rishi was once worshipping the said image in the Tili-
vanam, when he took lota $ flowers and, after presenting it to the
God, carried it with him to Indra s paradise, who was then riding on
his white elephant, and going to encounter the giants. He respect-
fully gave it to Indra, who laid it on the head of the elephant
between its tusks bnt the animal threw it down, and trampled it
under foot. For doing so Durvaaa pronounced on it a curse, to
the effect, That it should become a wild elephant of the woods’;
bnt as the animal implored mercy, the period was limited to a
hundred years- Inconsequence, while the elephant was in the
tili forest, it one day poured water over the lingam , which on
encmiry, learning the nature of the case, told the elephant to place
anlndra-lingam at Airavatliam Having done so, a messenger
came to recall it to Indra’a abode , and the proposition being
declined on the plea of worshipping at this place, another mes-
senger was sent in obedience to which recall, the elephant went and
again became the vahan, or vehicle, of Indra.

1IL DISCOVERY OF THE GOD TO MORTALS ; BUILDING THE TOWN
OF MADURA ; AND REIGN OF THE FIRST KING.

In the time of Kulasegara-Pandyan. who mled in Manavur, a
merchant named Tanan-ahayen, in the course of his journeys on
commercial business was benighted in a forest of Kadamba trees ;
and being unable to proceed further took up hiw abode at the foot
of one of them. He was surprised at the sight of an unusual'
splendour ; and going to look, was favoured by the God with the

THE SACKED SPORTS OF SIVA.

6

view, because be had been very virtuous in a former birth. As it
«u Monday, the gods were performing homage and anointing the
image, as though it had been the night of Siva. The merchant
bathed iu the tank and worshipped ; when the gods had disappear-
ed, he saw the stone image only ; and next day went and told the
King aforesaid what he had seen. The God also appeared to the
King the following niglu by a vision, in the form of a religious
ascetic, and comm inded him to build a temple in the aforesaid
wilderness- The king finding the vision and the statement of the
merchant to accord, went to the place and hod the forest cleared.
Being uncertain how to build the temple and town, lie had another
vision which the God appeared and gave instructions , in obedience
to which, workmen were employed, and a temple was built with
seven enclosures, having a king's street, Brahmin’s street and also
streets for the other castes, and for the temple servants ; also
choultries, mandapams, tanks and the like. The whole being
splendidly finished, with a palace also for the king on the North-East
quarter, an embarrassment arose as to how those numerous buildings
could all be purified preparatory to residence at once, so as to ensure
an entrance on an auspicious day ; the difficulty the God Siva was
pleased to remove by causing Ganga, abiding in the hair on his
head to pour forth copious streams on the whole place: and the god
waa pleased to give it the name of Mathura (or sweetness), and he
then disappeared. The King placed guards at the four cardinal
points of the city, who were all four of them deities. Afterwards
a son was born to him, named Malay a-Dhwaj an, who on the -King s
death succeeded to the throne.

IV. INCARNATION OF MINATCHI, THE GODDESS OF THE TEMPLE.

M&l&yadhwaja-Pandyan although he had many wives, the chief
of them being Kanjana-malai, daughter of the Chola King, yet
had no child. In consequence he offered ninety-nine asvcamedha
sacrifices, when fndra, becoming alarmed, (since another sacrifice,
would entitle the King to the Indra’s throne ) appeared to him and
** Why do you give yourself this trouble ? Perform the
appointed sacrifice for obtaining a child before the temple of the
God Sica, and you will have your wish granted." While the King
was making this sacrifice, a female of three years old, covered
with ornaments, was born from the flame of the sacrifice. The
King took up the child, und gave it into the hands of his Queen
Kanjana-Malai . On her applying the infant to her breast im-
mediately milk for its nourishment first manifested itseif. While
bringing up the child it was found that she had three breasts, on
which the foster-pi. ants being afflicted, the voice of the god was

G THE SACRED SPORTS OF SIVA.

heard from heaven, bidding them give the child the same educa-
tion as lor a man, and adding, that when her appointed husband
should come, then one of the breasts would disappear : when Bhe
was grown up they had her formally installed on the throne, and
then Malaya-Dhwajan died.

Having performed, in becoming manner, the funeral rites for
her foster parent, and worshipped in the temple, she afterwards
ruled the kingdom in a proper manner.

V. MARRIAGE OP MINATCHI WITH SIVA BY THE NAME OP

SUNDARESVARA,

When the above woman, Tadathakai (or Invincible,) was
ruling, her foster-mothor represented to her the propriety of
marriage, to which she replied, that she would assemble an array
and go to fight with neighbouring Kings, in order to discover
among them her destined husband. Accordingly her minister,
named Sumathi, assembled a very large army, with which she
went and conquered all the neighbouring Kings. She next con-
quered Indra, and then proceeded to attack Kailasa (the abode of
Siva) in front of which she was met by Narada , (the messenger
of the God.) whom she forced to retreat. He went and reported
the same to Siva who smiling a little, arose and went forth. As
soon as he appeared, the before mentioned sign occurred, at which
the amazon, being ashamed, dropped her weapons, and the minister
said, “ This is to be your husband.’’ The god told her to return
to Madura , where he dwelt, and on Monday he would come to
marry her ; desiring all preparations ‘to be made. All was
arranged accordingly ; and the Gods, superior and inferior, came
bringing presents. She was seated beside the god on the marriage
— throne, when Vishnu joined their hands, and afterwards the
marriage ceremony was performed, amidst the praises and adora-
tions of the rishis and others present.

The God. then had a new stone image made for the pagoda, as
became a King ; and afterwards ruled over Madura by the name
of Sundara-Pandyan.

VI. GOD’S DANCE IN THE SILVER IIaLL.

A *ter *^e carriage, the Gods, rishis, and others who were
assembled were about to bo feasted, preparatory to which they all
bathed in the Pottauiarai-tanlc, (the tank of the Golden lotus) when
certain of the rishis said, “ Unless we see the God danco we will

THE SACKED SPORTS OF SIVA.

7

noteat.” The God replied, “How can yon expect to see one dance,
whose form is that of the seven superior and seven inferior worlds,
and whose members are the places most famous for their shrines
and temples Bat, as this place is chief of all, since you wish it,
you shall see me dance. ’ Accordingly the God danced in silver
temple, while the Gods, rishis and the numerous other attendents,
joined the chorns and chanted his praises.

VII. THE IN8ATLABLE DWARF KUNDOTHARAN.

After the marriage feast was over, the Mayor of the Palace
came and said to the goddess, “ Out of the vast quantity of food
which you have prepared scarcely one part out of a thousand has
been consumed : what are we to do with the rest ?” The goddess
went to enquire of hei husband, who said, “ It is true, that being
a queen, you have prepared so much food, but there are several
of my retinue as yet unfed.' Whereupon calling a dwarf, named
Kundotharan, he directed food to be given ; saying, that when he
should be satisfied, others would follow. He then put within
him TZadamugagni (a great fire said to govern the sea). A large
pit was dug to receive the various eatables. The dwarf was
emaciated with hunger and fasting ; and consumed mountains of

E repared food bo rapidly, that the eye could not follow him. All
erog gone, he consumed the unprepared materials for food,
and still complained of hunger. On this the goddess enquired of
her husband what was to be done, Baying. ‘‘ It is thus that you
fulfil your character of the final destroyer of all things.” At this
the god smiled with complacency, only complaining that so many
of his hungry followers were Btill left without food.

VIII. GANG A, AT THE COMMAND OF THE GOD, PRODUCED THE

RIVER VAIGAI.

As the hunger of the dwarf was yet unappeased, the god.
commanded the Earth (a goddess) to supply him. Accordingly
fonr holes or pits appeared, out of which food spontaneously arose ;
and the dwarf ate till his body was swollen. He then complained
of thirst ; and having drawn all the water contained in the wells
and tanks, he still complained of thirst. On this the god com-
manded the goddess tianga (in his hair) to supply water. She
replied, “ You ouce called me before, and I will come again if
you only grant the privilege that whosoever bathes in my waters
shall be purified from sin which being conceded, she brought a
most plentiful supply* of water in the shape of the river I aigai

B

THE SACRED SPORTS OF SIVA.

and the dwarf took it all np very easily And now, both hunger
and thirst being satisfied, he returned to. iiis duty in the retinae
of the god.

IX THE GOD BROUGHT THE SEVEN SEAS TOGETHER

INTO ONE PLACE.

•

Among the ri*his who came to greet the god was
Gauthama , wholwent to pay his respects to Kartjana-malai, queen
dowager : she asked him which was the most excellent penance ?
He replied, “ there were three: one consisting in silently con-
templating the deity, one in repeating prayers, and one in going
about and bathing in all the sacred rivers; ot which three, the
last was the most excellent : but that since it was attended with
much trouble to visit all the rivers, and since all the rivers run
into the sea, if she bathed in the sea, the effect would be the
Bame.’’ On this she announced to her adopted daughter her in-
tention of bathing in the sea, and the daughter, unwilling to part
with her foster-mother, toid her own husband ; who said, To
bathe in one sea is a trifle ; 1 will bring all the seven seas together
to one place, and she may bathe there.” Accordingly, much to
the astonishment of the people, the seven seas (of ghee, honey,
milk, &c.) came rushing together into one tank, still retaining their
respective colors, and appearing distinct, or unmingled.

X. RECALLING MALAYADHWAJA FROM THE DEAD, AND TRANS-
LATION OF KANJANA-JtXLAI.

On the banks of the said tank the god made a flower garden ,
and when there one day, said to his wife, u Why does not yonr
foster-mother bathe ?” On this being reported the elder lady
enquired of learned men the most meritorious mode of bathing.
They replied, “It must be either by taking held of the hand of a
husband, or of a child, or of a cow's tail. ” On this reply being
given she became greatly afflicted, having neither husband, nor
child. Her foster-daughter reported this grief to the god, who,
by an act of volition, brought back Malaya-dhwaj a- F andian from
the paradise of IndraJ and the shade, cn coming, presented his
respects to the god. Kanjana-malai hearing of the arrival of her
former husband, came adorned with jewels, and both bathed in the
tank; after which they saw the god, and a heavenly chariot appeared
in which both husband and wife were together carried above the
worlds and the paradise of Indr a } safe into the heaven of Siva.

SIDDHANTA ON AN A BATNAVALI.

21. Kama or Sexual love

22. Krodha or anper

28. Lopa or avarice

24. Math a or pride

25. Machary a or envy

Noa- 21— *5 are produced from Akas (ether)

26. Prana-inhaled and exhaled air

27. A puna-downward air or flatus

•28. Udanu-air going upwards fro® the foot to the head

29. Vyana-regnlating air that circulates

30. Samaria-gastric juice

81. Naga-cansing congJiing, sneezing Ac,

82. Koorcna-giving vitality to the eye

33. Krihara-causing laziness and yawnings.

34. Devadatta -cause of twinkling and laughing
85. Dhananjaya, vital air that fattens.

Nos. 26 — 35 are ten vital airs.

36 . Idaikala, the canal which passes from the end of

the spinal colnmn to the head through the left
nostril.

37. Pingala, ditto through the right nostil.

38. Snshnmna, the canal which pauses straight
through the six centres, anus, private part,
navel, heart, uvula, and forehead.

89 . Kandhari, the canal dividing itself into 7 pass-
ages for 7 kinds of natham or sound being pro-
duced and located in the neck.

40. Att.i ) n .

41. Siknvai ) P 1

ic nprves.

tl pl“3»

44. Knkn. whicli connects the navel and the generic

organ.

4*5. iSankini, which occnpv the organs of generation.
Nos. 86 — 45 arn dasr nadir, or blood-vessels.

10

SIDDHANTA GNVNA RAVNAVALI.

4 C. Vachana, speech
47. Gamana, going
4 8 Dhana, giving
49. Visarga, discharge
50 Ananda, carnal pleasure.

Nos. 46 — 50 are five actions of Karmendriyas. or the organs
of action.

ol. Sooknmai, sound in the navel

52. Pisant.i, sound produced in the throat

53. Madyama, sound formed within the throat

54. Vikari, articulate sound from the tongue or month.

Nos- 51 — 54 are four articulate sounds.

55. Satva (goodness)

50 Rajas (wickedness)

57- Thamas (ignorance)

Nos. 56 — 57 three gunaa or qualities.

58. Pntra-Vedanai
55 Ulaga-vedanai
6<9. Artha vedar.ai

Nos. 58 — 60 these three are Ishanatirayam.

47 Q What is the total number of internal and external organs ?
A Ninety -six as above pointed out.

48 Q What is meant by ‘ adhwa ?

A Marga or path. They are of 6 kinds, viz.

1. Man tram

2. Padham

3. Varnam

4. Plmvanam

5. Tatvam

6. Kalai

49 Q What are the five-fold functions of God ?

A 1. Srishti (creation)

SfDDHANTA GNANA RATNAVALI.

11

2. Sthithi (preservation)

3. Samhara (resolution)

4. Tronbhava (obscuration^

5- Anugraha ' blessing with Parasivagnana)

50 Q W hat are the three tenses ?

A Past, present and future.

51 A What are the three regions ? ■

A Lunar regions (Chandramandalam)

Solar region (Snrynmandalnm)

Fire i*egion (Agnimandalam)

52 Q What are the three avasta# or States of a Soul’s existence t

I. Kevala avasta (the State of the Soul in its original,
nnevolved and undeveloped state i. e.
thuriyalhitha amasta).

2- Salcala avasta comprising Jagra avasta — waking
state, Stcopnaoeoefo-clTeRmhig state, nukupti
avasta- -state of dead sleep, thuriyavasta
state of the soul breathing in bodies in
which concioosnes* is not yet developed.

3. Sntta avasta (the state of the Jivanmnkta)

53 Q What are the five kalais f

A 1. Nivirti kalai

2. Pratishta kalai

3. Vidya kalai

4. Santhi kalai

5. Santiatita kalai

54 Q What are the five kosams *

A 1 . Annamayakosam

2. Pranamayakosam

3. Manomayakosam

4. Ghanamayakosam

5. Anandamayakosam

12

SIDDHANTA GNANA RATNAVALI.

55 Q What are the four kinds of births ?

A 1. Andasam-(boi*n of eggs)

2. Swedasam-(born of perspiration)

3. Uppisam-iborn of earth)

4. Sarayusam-(born of womb)

56’ Q What are the 7 kinds of beings ? [iSx^&sen).

A 1. Angels

2. Men

3. Beasts
4- Birds

5. Pish living in water

6 Reptiles crawling in Earth
7. Immoveables.

57 Q Name the 3 persons

A 1. First person, as I, We,

2. Second person, as you

3. Third person, as he, she, it and they

58 Q What are the f> sources ? (^.sniru))

A 1. Moolatharam (anus)

2. Swathithanam (genitals)

3. Manipuragam (navel)

4 . Anakatham (heart)

5. Visatti

6. Agnnai (face)

THE SACRED SPORTS CF STVA.

XI. TI1E INCARNATION OF SUBRAM ANYAN TN THE FORM OF

UKRAMA--PANDJAN.

9

One day 'he aforesaid TadatJia-ka* came to her husband, and
said, 14 ^ on have assembled the seven seas, and have procnred the
beatification of my reputed parents ; but now it occurs to me that
it is not worthy after your reign that the Pantlian race should become
extinct through want of issue.” The god, whose height and
depth Brahma and Fi*hnu could not discover, reflecting that he
had caused his wife (P at rati) to become incarnate in the person of
Thadatha-kai , ard had now himself reigned a long lime as
Sundere* rarer , considered it was not right to leave the Pandtan
race without offspring ; and by a simple volition he prodnced in
due time the 1'irt.h of his son Suttra manyan, in the form of a child
bearing the resemblance of Siva : which event occurred on Mon-
day, in the TiruvutJiirai-nakshatram , when the planet Jupiter was in
the most fortunate station of a good boose, (astrological term) ;
while the four vedns were chanted, and musical instruments
sounded, and the demi gods showered down flowers. On hearing
the news all kings and j>eople came and made congratulations on
the twenty gave presents to the town, and, according to the Vedas,
cast the fluid's nativity (horoscope) , gave the child the name of
Ukrama- Pandtan , and the child was afterwards instructed in all
suitable aci omplishinents bv Viha la-bay av an (Brihaspati) the

preceptor of the gods. When the son came to years of discretion,
the father, hearing the fame of his great acquirements and excel-
lent temper, fold his ministers it was time to have him installed,
or anointed as king, to which counsel they agreed, and were very
joyful.

XII. THE GOl) SUN DARKS? A RAH GETS HIS SON MARRIED, AND
FURNISHES HIM WITH THREE WEAPONS.

The father besides gave orders to his ministers to procure his
son a suitable wife of equal nobility ; and Kanti mat hi. the daughter
of a king named S<ano.-sekarau, of the race of the Sun, who ruled
in the town of Manavur , was selected. The same night, the god
appeared in vision to Snma-sekaran , and commanded him to give
his daughter in marriage to tlie son of the king ruling in Madura.
Soma sekarun the next day, astonished and delighted, set out for
Madura with his daughter and a great retinue ; and was met on the
road by the ministers pf Sundaresvarar that were going towards
Manavur, who d manded his daughter in marriage for the son of
rheir king ; to which he glad agreed • and after coming to
Madura ■ the ceremony was performed with great splendor j while

JO

THE SACRED SPORTS «F SIVA.

the Sara and Sera kind's, gods, demi gods, and innumerable others,
were in attendance, with all usual accompaniments : and great
presents, extensive dower, and largesses were bestowed. After
the marriage ceremony the father gave the son, the spear, the
discus, the ball ; and said, “ Indran , Maha-mern, and the sea, are
your foes : with the spear, you shall overcome the sea ; with the
ball, you shall conqner Maha meru ; and with the discus, subdue
Indran. He then charged the ministers to take care of his son as
the apple of their eye ; and enjoined his son to follow the advice of
his ministers, and to break no old custom. He then gave the new
married pair his blessing ; and mounting, with Tadafhakai, an
aerial car. while his attendants became changed into the form of
the celestials of Kailasa , he ascended to his own paradise. The
son ruled according to the law of Mamt afterwards.

XIII. VARUNAN IS COMPELLED TO RETTRE BY THE CASTING OF THE

SPEAR (OR JAVELIN).

*

XTkrama Pandian made a great sacrifice of ninety -six
aswamedha yaaams , at which Indran becoming jealous, sin^e his
rule was endangered, went to the king of the sea, Varunan , and
asked him to destroy that country. Accordingly the sea suddenly
came with great noise in the middle of the night to the gates of
Madura , when the king, Ukrama Pandian, was awakened by Siva,
in the guise of a religious ascetic, informing him of the circnm
stance, and attendant dangers ; the king, being astonished and
without presence of mind, was urged by the vision to lose no time,
but employ the vel, as he had been directed ; and accordingly he
went and cast the spear (or javelin) at the ■sea,* which immediately
lost its force, and retired, because Vatunan recognised the weapon
of his superior. The king then went to the temple, adoring the
god, promised that as far as the sen hod come, so much land
would be given to the temple : and thus he righteously
governed) the kingdom.

XIV. DKRAMA-PANDIAN STRIKES OFF INDR AN’S CROWN.

While XTkrama Pandian reigned, it happened, hv the evil
influence of the nine planets, that there was no rain ; and
consequent by a great drought occurred in the Pandian. Sora. and
Sera kingdoms. On which deficiency, these three kings went and
consulted the sage Agastyar , residing on the great mountain called
Pothiya, who told them of the evil influence of the planets,
and advised them to go and worship Svn dares rarar on a Monday.

StDDHANTA GHANA RATNAVALI.

11

2. Sthithi (preservation)

3. Samhara (resolution)

4. Tronbhava (obscurationl

5. Antigraha 'blessing with Parasivagnana)

50 Q W bat are tbe three tenses ?

A Past, present and future.

51 A What are the three region* ?

A Lnnar regions (Chandramandalam)

Solar region (Snrynmandalam)

Fire region (Agnimandalam)

52 Q What, are tbe three avastas or States of a Soul s existence f

I . Kevala avasta (the State of the Soul in it* original,
nnevolved and undeveloped state i. e.
thuriyathitha avasta).

2- Sakala avasta comprising Jagra avasta — waking
state, /Swapnaotwefa-dreaining state, sushvpt*
avasta — state of dead sleep, thunyavasta
state of the soul breathing in bodies ill
which conciousnees is not yet developed.

3. Sntta avasta (the state of the Jivanniokta)

53 Q What are the five kalai* ?

A 1. Nivirti kalni

2. Pratisbta kalai
8. Vidya kalai

4. Santhi kalai

5. Santiatita kalai

54 Q What are the five kosams f
A 1 . Annamayakosam

2. Pranamays koaam

3. Manomayakoaatn

4. Gnanamayakosam

5. Anandaroayakoaam

19

BIDDHANTA GNANA RATNAVALT.

What are the four kinds of births ? {Q fttrppKi*^)

55 Q

A 1. Andasam-(born of eggs)

2. Swedasam- (born of perspiration)

3. Uppisam-(,born of earth)

4. Sarayusam*(born of womb)

56 Q What are the 7 kinds of beings ? (dtpui-isaar),

A 1. Angels

2. Men

3. Beasts

4. Birds

5. Pish living in water

6 Reptiles crawling in Earth
7. Immoveables.

57 Q Name the 3 persons

4

A 1. First person, as I. We,

2. Second person, as yon

3. Third person, as he, she, it and they

58 Q What are the f> sources ? (jmiririb)

A 1 . Moolatharam (an ns)

2. Swathithanam (genitals)

3. Maniparagam (navel)

4 . Anakatham (heart)

5. Visatti

6. Agnnai (face)

DRAVIDA MAHA BASHYAM.

Soya Professor Henry Drummond : —

“ All men are mirrors . — That is the first law on which this
formula (of sanctification or corruption) is based. Ono of the aptesfc
description of a human being is that he is a mirror*”

This illustration is to be originally found in the Upanishads
and Gita.

u As a metal disk (mirror) tarnished by dust shines bright
again after it has been cleansed, so is the one incarnate person
satisfied and freed from grief after he has seen the real nature of
himself." “ Aud when by the real nature of himself, he sees as
by a lamp, the real uature of the Brahman, then having known
the unborn eternal God who transcends all tatvas, he is freed from
all pasa.” (Svetas up. ii. 14, lo )

“ From meditating (abliidyanatli) on Him, from joining (yoja-
nath) Him, from becoming (tatvabhavat) one with him, there is
farther cessation of all rnaya in the end.” (Svetas op. i. 10, )

“ As a flame is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dmt, as
an embryo is wrapped by the womb, so this (soul) is enveloped
by it (desire).* Gita. iii. 38,

And St. Meikandan lias this stanza (via- 3. a.)

UfBsd\p($ub*a ilSua u&R iiHaQur eSiQfii up

pme&pCSui AttUbta pan* — ummfip/ijfiu

Qu jilju L jfoSasr (3*u jpemri jt QufiJQui iLiur Quju&sHm

Qu*JuQuJ(Tfjtl~® p empsUlAtL O Qaijp.

“ The soul, who after reflecting that the knowledge derived
from the senses is only material, like the colours reflected on a mirror
and that these colour-likd sensations are different from itself, and
after perceiving next false knowledge as false, understands the
Troth will become the servant of God, who is different from such
A sa t '~

The principle of this receives its exposition in the Sankhya
and in the Yoga Sutras, by means of this illustration of mirror
ami colours.

D. 6

42

Though it (soul) be unassociated, still there <*s a tin going
(reflectionally) through non-discriinination, for there is not a real
tinge in that which is anassociated (with tincture or anything else),
still there is, as it were, a tinge j hence the tinge is treated as simply
a reflection, by those who discriminate the tinge from the soul
which it delusively seetns to belong to.

“ As is the case with the Hibiscus and the ciystal there is not
a tinge, but a fancy that there is such.” Sankliya aphorism, vi. 27 ^
28. Grarbe’s translation.

In the words of Professor Max Muller, this is how the subject
is treated in the Yoga Sutras.

»* Now if we ask what is the result of all this, we are told in
Sntra 41, that a man who has put an end to all the motions and
emotions of his mind, obtains v\ith regard to all objects of his senses
conformation grounded on them, or steadiheBS and consubstanti-
ation, the idea being that the mind is modified or changed by the
objects perceived («g yjp (I. 4l.) As a crystal when

placed near a red flower, becomes really red to onr eyes, in the
same way the mind is tinged by the objects perceived.” (Six
Systems, p. 453).

This principle of mind identifying itself with the objects
perceived, is stated in the following passages of the Upanishad also.

“ Now a man is like this or that, according as he acts and
according as he behaves and so will lie be. A man of good acts will
become good, a man of bad acts bad. He becomes pure by pure
deeds, bad by bad deeds.

“ As is his desire, so is his will ; and as is his will, so his deed.
Whatever deeds he doeB, that he will reap 1 .”

'! To whatever object man's own miud is attached, to that he
goes strenuously with his deed.

“ He who desires the Atman, being Brahman, he goes to
Brahman-That atma is indeed Brahman." (Brihadar, IV. iv. 5, & 6).

The familiar statement of it in Sanscrit is * yat Bhavani tat
Bhavati' and the following passage occurs in the Mah^bharata

43

(Santi Pwrva.ccc 32) yadrisaisannivasate, yadrisamschopa sevateh,
yadrigachechcha bluivi^am tadric bhavati Purushah. “ A person
becomes like those with whom he dwells and like those whom he
reverences, and like to what he wishes to be/'

Herbert Spencer calls this union as one of absolute identity.
And this is almost the language used by St. Meikandan, * jfgj
*#*>/

As the Upanishad writers, Sankbyans, and Togins, and
Siddhantis stato this principle and base on it their scheme of
Salvation, so does also Professor Henry Drummond in his remark,
able address entitled “ The Changed Life,” based on the text from
St. Panl.

“ Wo, all, with nnveiled face, reflecting, as a mirror, the glory
of the Lord, are transformed into the same image, from glory to
glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.’*

He paraphrases the sentence as follows, “ We all reflecting
as a mirror the character of Christ are transformed into the same
image from charactei to character — from a poor character to a
better one, from a better one to one a little better still, from that
to one still more complete, until by slow degrees the perfect
image is attained. Here the solution of the problem of sanctifica-
tion is compressed into a sentence, reflect the character of Christ,
and you will become like Christ,” or as we will say, reflect the
image of God in yourself, and yon will become God like, or God.

Bat how is the poor character to be made better and better,
or the reflecting image clearer and clearer ? It is by cleansing
the mirror (soul) freer and freer from dirt, and bringing it more
and more in line with the effulgent light, that this can be effected,
and when the mirror is absolutely perfect and nearest, the light
shines brightest, and so ovei powers the mirror, that the mirror is
lost to view, and the glory and Light of the Lord is felt. For,
observes the leaned Profassor truly, “ What yon are conscious of
is the ‘ glory of the Lord.’ And what the world is conscious of, if
the result be a trne one, is also the glory of the Lord . In looking
at a mirror* one does not see the mirror or think of it* but only of

44

what it reflects. Fox' a mirror never culls attention to itself —
except when there are flaws in it.” These flaws are the colours of
the Siddhanti who compares them to the maya or body. In union
with the body, it is the body alone that is cognised, and not the
mirror-like soul. In union wish God, the Glory and Light alone is
perceived and not the mirror like soul either ! and the Piofessor
declares, “ All men are mirrors — that is the Brat law on which this
formula (of sanctification or corruption) is based. One of the
aptest descriptions of a human being is that he is a mirror, ’ and we
must beg onr readers to go through the whole pamphlet to note
how beautifully he draws out this parallel.

He notes the second principle which governs this proce«,
namely, the law of assimilation or identification. “ This law of
assimilation is the second, and by far the most impressive truth
which underlies the formula of santification— the truth that men
are not only mirrors, but that these mirrors, so far from being
mere reflectors of the fleeting things they see, transfer into “their
own inmost substance and hold in permanent preservation the
things that they reflect. No one can know how the soul can hold
these things. No one knows how the miracle is done. No pheno-
menon in nature, no process in chemistry, no chapter in Necro-
mancy can even help us to begin to understand this amazing opera-
tion. For think of it, the past is not only focrssed there in a man s
soul, it is there. How could it be reflected from there if it were
not there ? All things he has ever se3n, known, felt believed of
the surrounding world, are now within him, have become part of
him, in part are him — he has Veen changed into their image."

Tlio Professor instances from Darwin, how in the working
oat of this principle of association and assimilation or identity in
the lmtnan and animal evolution, persons ever associated with pigs
get piggy faces, and with horses horsey faces. In tlio case of a
husband and wife when they have been perfectly loving, it has been
found to effect a complete assimilation of their features. Such
is the power of the human mind, both a demerit, and a merit ; i^
can lower itself to the very depths of the brute, or it can rise to

45

the very height of God hood. This law is spoken of in oor teyt booki
;is the law of ‘ Garuda f hviitmra. The writer of the book bpiri-
tual Law in the natural world’ (Purdy Publishing Co-, Chicago)
obser\es that, ‘all who have made a study of the cause of all
things have become bo at one with it, as to have causing power,
for it is an invariable rule, that tve become like what we study *n
are closely associated with,. We become so like people, with whom
wo live constantly that often the expression of face and sound
of voice grow similar, and even the features grow alike. Some-
times a child will look more like its nurse than its mother" And
Hie whole book is an exposition of this principle, and it holds out
as a Sadana for spiritual elevation, that a man should firmly
believe that there is no world, no untruth, no sin, no sickness, nc
death and he is a child of God, that there is only His Truth, Power
Love and Presence iu this universe and nothing .but this, that he
is not material but spiritual and lie is? the reflection of God, the
image and likeness of God, and then he can truly conquer sicknest
and death, and become truly the Son of God. *1 his is exactly the
Sohambavana or Sivohambavaua. Aud the following verse of fit.
Arulnanthi Sivacharya sums up the whole teacliing.

Aehei _«fi«neu a jecQeogpQesieifi p

a L$ucQf> xn&PeuQtuQeaGBd

Qpr essrip-Q^*)® Qpsr p pesos pmftm&tAatp atouuiQai
Q&tr&Qu>&fru uaedisji Q jrsar jpatdp Qmiftemfl

LD«v®*Oerrfiv'«uf «

uareM—iAenpa^Ltijp ns ^(SanOatek jf

LjseS&eto Q&r&etijeuQu urmtapempd srQear.

(ix. 7)

“ Bay ‘ I am not the world,’ and separate from it. Say also ‘ I
am not the unknowable srpreme one. Then unite with Him in-
dissolubly by loving Him in all humility, and practice so ham ( ]
am He’). Then will He appear to yon as your self. Your mats
will all cease, just as the poison is removed by garudathyana, anc

46

yon will become pare. So it is, the old Vedas teach as
to practise this mantra ‘ A ham Brahmu&mi,' * I am He.

As this right knowledge of difference and non-difference of
ourselves with God and the universe’’ is essential for oar Salva-
tion, Srikanta discusses these questions in his Bashya on tho
Sutras II, i. 2l to 23. and we quote the whole of these passages
and he quotes and beautifully reconciles the numerous betha
srntia with the Mahavakya texts.

The Bntrakara raises and refutes an objection to the foregoing
theory : —

(Jtva) being mentioned (to be one with ) the other, there follows

an incongruity such ae neglecting what is good. (II. *. 21).

(Objection) ^Because in the words “ That thou art,” and
“ This A’tman is Brahmau,”'Jiva, the effect, is mentioned as one
with Brahman, tbs' cause, it has been shown that they are not
distinot from each other. In that case it would follow that the
all-knowing and alUpervading Paramesvara undoes the universe for
His own good and creates it for His own evil. Then it may be
asked, how is it that Isvara, who is all- knowing and of unfailing
will, and who knows that the pain of jiva who is no other than
Himself is His own pain, engages in the creation of the universe,
which as leading to samsara is an evil, and does not abstain from
creation for His own good. Accordingly once it is proved that
Jiva and Paramesvara are one, there follows this incongruity, that
Paramesvara, though all-knowing, is guilty of a want of sense in
so far as He abstains from what is good to himself and engages in
what conduces to His own evil. Wherefore it does not stand to
reason that Jiva and Isvara, the cause and the effect, are one.

(Answer) : — In reply we say as follows :

But (the Cause is) superior, because of the mention of a
distinction, (11. i. 22),

Though the cause and the effect are one, the Cause is dec-
lared in the S’rnti to be superior to the effect, to the sentient and
insentient universe, in such passages as the following :

47

11 Superior to the mmerse is Rudra the Mighty Sage.’’

So a distinction is also made between Jiva and Paraines vara
in the following passages :

“ But he who controls both, knowledge and ignorance, is
another.’’

"The one God rules the perishable (Pradhana) and Atman."

“Thinking that Atman is different from the Mover (the
Lord).”

“ Two birds, inseparable friends, cling to the same tree."

“ Two Brahmans ought to be known, the superior and the
inferior."

" There are two, one knowing, the other not-knowing ; both
unborn ; one strong, the other weak.”

“ He is the eternal among eternals, the sentient among the
sentient."

“ Having entered within, He is the Ruler of the creatures-"

** Know then Prakriti is Maya, and the great Lord the
Mayin.’

“ From that the Mayin sends forth all this ; in that the other
is bound up through that Maya."

“ When he Bees the other, the Lord, contended... then his
grief passes away.”

“ He is the masief qf nature and of man, the lord of the three
qualities.”

“ Of these creatures (pasus), the Pasupati is the Lord."

Wherefore quite superior to the universe is Brahman, other-
wise called Siva.

( Objection ) i — By establishing non-duality in II. i. 15, and
duality in II. i. 22, you have only proved duality-and-nonduality of
Brahman and the universe.

{Answer) : — No ; we do not establish that sort of Visishta-
dvaita which takes the form of duality-and-nonduality. We are
not the advocates of an absolute distinction between Brahman anc
the universe as between a pot and a cloth, because of its opposi

48

tion to the srnti declaring that they are not quite •distinct from
each other. Neither are we the advocates of an absolute identity
as of the mother-o’ -pearl and silver one of them being illusory ;
for, it is opposed to thu sruti which points to a difference in the
inherent attributes of Brahman and the universe. Nor do we
hold to duality-and-nondnality, which is opposed to the nature of
things. On the other hand, we maintain that tho unity of the
conditioned Bralunan— as the cause aud the effect— i9 like that of
tho body and the embodied, or like that of the substance and its
attribute. By unity of Brahman and the universe, we mean their
inseparability like that of clay and the pot as cause and effect., or
like that of the substance and its attribute. A pot, indeed, is not
seen apart from clay, nor is the blue-lotus seen apart from tho
colour blue. Similarly, apart from Brahman, no potentiality of the
universe can exist; nor is Brahman over known apart from His
potentiality of the universe just as fire is nob seen apart from its
heat. Whatever is not known apart from something else,“ the
former must ever be conditioned by the latter, and this latter is
naturally one with the former,

Wherefore Brahman who is in no way separable from the
universe is said to be one with the other. And there is a natural
distinction between the two ; so that the supreme Brahman is ever
higher than the universe- As to their distinction as the cause aud
the effect, it has been already explained in II. i- 9. Wherefore
this theory is quite unopposed to the Srutis declaring distinction as
well as non-distinction-

And as in the case of stone etc ; it is iucongr\ions , (II, 23,)

(Objection) : — Under all conditions, Jiva and 1’s’vara are one,
because of the s’rutis declaring non-dur.lity,

(Answer) : — No, because of an incongruity. Jiva and Is’vara
cannot be identical, because, like the insentient sfcone* timber,
grass, etc., the jiva also is, ou account of ignorance etc, said to
belong to quite a distinct class from the I^vara who is possessed of'
such attributes as omniscience. Therefore Is’vara is a distinct

J

VAYU SAMHITA.

reclining posture.* He is one with the Moolaprakrithi. Rudra's Semen was
sprinkled in his Matrix and an embryo was formed with the result ttat
Brahma is the full developed child. Buys the Lai nga thus 11 Prokruthiethvam
Raman Kudnha Thvayi th.ith Vecryam ubith&cu-Twannabbi pankajabth w
Jahtha Paucbavaicthra Piihuxuuhaha" “Thou tvrfc Prakrutbi, Kudra
is Purusha-In you his semen was deposited. From your n<.vel-lotus
arose Brahma,” Says Vishnu himself “Mama yonow a&nie jpiktham
Thadveeryam Kahlapary&yatli Himnmayam Akoopare yonyar andam
Ajayatha “ In my matrix was deposited the Bezuen of Rudra. That in the course
of time in my matrix developed intoau embryo" Thus we see that Brahma
was produced us a full-organed child. Here Vishnu is one with Avyaktha.
That is explained by his reclining posture. Are the b&Dds and feet found in
Avyaktha or Prakirti. ? Vak Pani Pada are products, of Ahamkaras.
They are the Vikruthis or vikaras, that is, they are changes of Parkruthi-
So the hands and feet and other organs are not existent in Pra-
kruthi or if they exist they exist only potentially. They ere notin a deve-
loped state Hence Vishnu whose sphere is Avyaktha or Moots prakrutbi has
no developed organs. The vnru ha pur ana says that Vishnu takes all his forms
from the tatva calledManus fof course Vikruth:) and rests in Pr&kruthi at
other times “ (Pmkru this tho Babhoova ha). Pr&kruthi eanDot be called Vik-
ruthi at the same time. It may be asked, does not the form of Vishnu disclose
hands etc? The Yog&Nidra of Vishnu represents a stage in which he is ODewitli-
mindor spirit that represents uThureeys Avastha where bodily organs have no
counterpart to play »nd wLeie the mind alone is at constant work. The Rudia’a
and Vishnu's bodies are of subtler mould but Brahm’s is a fully developed
one for The process of vikaraB are complete only with earth of whose nature is the
anda of Brahma Heuce be is callel the first embodied being. Further
his is the first gross body alike to oure. There are doubtless innumer-
able souls above the range of Avyaktha. They are clothed
with maya aud kutila. The bodies of Mantra Maheswarss and Anu-
Badasivas are merely Soundlike (ie) Mantra maya and Binduin&ya. The
Agamas do not explicitly give them shapes possesing hands and feet etc.
Their soulaare enveloped with Maya etc, only for the removal of their Anava.
The grossest tatvus hands and feet are not to be found in Vidya and Siva-
tatvas which are far above the Anandainayakosa, whereas hands and feet
are found only io annamaya kesa. As to Brahma being called kBhetragna: —
The word kshetragna is a technical teim and it is applied alike to the
Vyashtijiva (Individual soul) as to'the Samashti jiva (collective soul,). God
is Kshetragnapathi. “ Pradhana Ksnetragna Pathir Gunesa.’’ Bo Bays the
Bvetasvatara. Here Pradhana stands for P;akrithi and kshetragna stands for
soul and Pathi stands for God -technically bo to speak. Kshetgrana means one
that cognises Kshetra. The word itself is its explanation. The word
“ Kshetragna" is au emphatic assertion of the existence of a nonmaterial soul
in thp material body apart from the body and Indriyas and Karanas. Heuce
theLlnga purana eays “ Chathurvimaathi tatvani Ivahetra sabdena
soorayaha Prabhu Kshetragna aubdena Bhoktbaram Puruaham TLatha-
Kshetm Kshetra vidah vet he roope thasya avayam buvaha-Nakimchithoha
Bivadanyath ithi Prahurmaneeshinaha.” Learned persons denote the 24 tatvaa
as Kshetra and they allude to the Purusha the enjoyer by the term
Kshetragna- Both the Kshetra and the Kshetragna form the body of that
self exis tent Lord. So Bay she wise “ There is nothing apart from Biv*"—
Again it hqy “ Vadanthyavktha Sabdena Prakruthim thu psram thatha-
Katbayanthi Gna sabdena Purusham Guna Bhoginam" By the term Vyaktha
are denoted the 23 tatvas and Prakritbi is ealled Avyaktha. The Purusha

V9 -

66

23. Within his mind, fixed upon the Lord, arose the un-
rivalled comprehensive faculty, indicative of the marks of G-nana
(wisdom), aDd Vairagya (non-attachment) which induces one to
strive after the (nonperishing), prosperities of righteousness.

24. All his desires are supplied to him at once from Avyaktha
as he has really controlled the Trigunas and is dependant upon
the Lord.

25. He is present in the three worlds by dividing himself
into 3 portions. By these 3 portions he creates, sustains and dis-
solves prajalis.

26. In his Brahmahood (Virat) he is the fourfaced one. In
his Kahlahood he is the yama. In his Purushahood he has thousand
heads. These are the 3 states of his existence.

27. In his state as Brahma there is an uprising of the Satva
and Baja Gunas. In his aspect as Kahla of the Raja and Thamo-
gunas. In his aspect as Vishnu (Purusha) he has the sole
Satvaguna.

28. As Brahma he creates worlds, as Kahla he destroys them
and as Purasha he is udahsina (mere onlooker). Thns these three
are his functicns.

who enjoys the gunas is termed Qua (i.e.) Kshetragna. In the Bhagavath
gita we learn that the body is called Kshetra.

Idam sari ram kowntheya kshetrum ithi abhideflyathe. Ethatheyo Veththi
Tham prahuhu kshetra gnam ithi Thadvidha" and }Uo '*Mahabhoothanyah»mkaharo
Bnddhi raTyakthamevacha-Indriyani Dasaikamohoha Puncha chendriya gocharah — ”
Thns the 24 tatvas are called the kshetra and the nonmaterial sentient soul opart
from the body which knows how to differentiate itself from the body is denoted
khetragna, The word kshetragna brings home to onr mind two things (ie) the kshetra
ard its cogniser. From the word we see that two things mcst be co-existent else the
word kshetragna will be a misnomer. Iherefore that conscious thing which being
in the body, Indrya end kuranue distinguishes itself by the well-known rule of
“Nethi** “I am not body, I am not Indriya, I aim not prana, lam not mind, etc is the
kshetragna. Thns the word itself argues the existence of the soul.

In the Lakshmi tantra the following verse occurs “Sa eva Vahsudevoyam
Noonam 'kshetragna Sabditha" That great Vas-idevd, is indeed denoted by tho term
kshetragna.- Saint Umapathy sivam calls out a verse from Sivagamas for his Sata-
ratnasangraha-a work of very rare merit-The verse runs thus “Samsahree Vishayee
Broktha kshetri. Kshetrgna evucha Sarieree chethi Badhdhatraa Sakalasthrochyate
Budhaihi” The verse gives the synonyms of soul. Just as we cannot call God as
samsari, Vishayi, Bhoktha, so we cannot call God aj kshetragna and it is a tern
applicable on'y to soul. Hero the ksbetrgna wtth the fully developed o-gnns is
called Brahma. So th<3 kshetragna can be without organs too or with subtle organs "
as in the case of Xaray&na In the nirgnnn state it has a coating of Purushatatva,

67

29. As he is thus divided three folijjie is nailed the Thriguna
and as he is separated fourfold he is called Cliathurvyooha.

30. Being the original deva he is called the Ahdi Dots,
having had no beginning he is called Aja. Since he protects all
prajas he is called Prajapathi.

81. The golden Me ru forms the bag which surrounds the
embryo of this high sou led being. All the Oceans are the waters
of the faetus, (garbhodaka). The covering skins of the embryo
are mountains.

32. In the interior of the embryo lie th6se worlds and ,this
universe with the Sun, moon, stars, planet along with air is esta-
blished there.

33—35. This embryo or egg is surrounded by ten fold
waters, which are surrounded by ten fold Thejas which is surround-
ed by tenfold air and which lb encompassed by ten times akasa.
'1 he Akasa is enclosed by the Bhoothadi which is surrounded by
Mahath which is in its tarn engulfed by Avyaktha. This
embryo is thus surrounded by 7 Avaranss produced from Prakrithi.

36. Similarly 8 prakrithis surround this. Thus everyone
sustains the other and is also sustained by the other. Thus one
becomes the substratum of the other which is in its turn supported
by another substratum.

37. Just as a tortoise at one time projects its limbs outwards
and at other time contracts them, mi is the Avyaktha projects the
other Vikrnthis and at other times absorbs them. Ail things
are produced from Avyaktha in the order of high to low.

£8, — 40. When pralaya sets in all these are absorbed in the
reverse order of low to high. The Gunas in their seasonable times
are either equal or iuequal. When equal that state is called lays
and when ineqoal it is sriehti. Then is tire birth of Bra hma ,
This is the huge egg or embryo. This embryo or egg is oalled
the kahetra of Brahma who is called the Kshetragna.

89. Brahma has 4 Vyoohaa Hixanyag&rbha. Ka h l a, Parasha and Virafc. Of than
H iranyagorbaa is identical with Brahma himsalf to powar, wiadont etc. Heace
according to acme, Brahma said to poa sees 3 Vyoohas.

08

41. Thus myriads of eggs of like nature abound in the
middle, top and bottom of the Pradhana which is present every-
where.

42. In every one of such eggs are produced Brahma, Hari
and Hara out of Pradhana before . the presence of Sambu the
fountain of bliss.

43. Mahesvara is beyond Avyaktha. The mundane egg is
from Avyaktha. Within that egg is produced Brahma and these
worlds are his workmanship.

44. Unwittingly I dwelt npon tne primary creation from
pradhana and the final absorption therein — actions which are done
out of mere play,

45. That great pradhana which is held an um availed cause of
the * birth'' of Prakrithi is but (the production) of that beginn-
ingless, middleless and endless Semen united with the crimson blood

bv the Parasha.

*

46. In the beginning the Lord brings into existence 8 vikaras
(Vikruthis) which can cause the multiplying of the world a progeny,
as they are of productive nature and there is a preponderance of
Rajo Guna in them. •

45. The color of Maya is said to bo blood-rod. There by crimson blood is meant
only Maya which is the mother of all worlds including Prakrithi. The Semen
referred to is peahaps the mighty Parasha's presiding that Maya. This Parasha is
known as Ananthesa in Sivagamas. Indeed he is the Presiding deity of Maya,
oompare also the following Verses from Bbagavadgito. “ Mama Yonir Mahath
Brahm Th&smin Garbham Dadhami Aham — Sambhavas-Sarva bhootihanam
Thatho Bhavathi Bharat ha Sarva Yonishu kowntheya Moorthayassambhavanthi
yah Thnsahm Brahma Mahath Youirah&mBeejaprada pitba” My matrix is the
great Brahm (here Avyaktha) I imprequate it and Oh Bharat a, the birth of
all beings is oot of that— Oh Soa of Kautlii where all forms are produced from
their Sonroes-— (matrixes) for all of them Brahm (literally great) Avyaktha (or
Prakrithi to use a word after of the femine gender) is the great Matrix and I am
the father that bestows the Beed or Bemen.

40. The 8 Vfkaras are : “ Bhoomiraponalo Yaya Kham Mano Bnddhirevacha —
Ahamkahra itheeyamme Bhinna Prakruthi rashtadha” Earth, water, fire, air
ether, mind, intellect and Aharakara, these are the 8 divisions of Prakrithi. Apre-
ponderenoe of Rajas is neceBBary for the multiplying of progeny. Satva and
Thamas are not qualities which can bring about tne pravruthi— “ Rajo Ragath-
makam Yiddhi Thrishna Banga Samuthbhavam Satvahth Samjahyrthe Gnanam
Rajaso Lokha evacha” “ Prakasamcha Pravuruthimcha Mohamevaoha Pandava."
Desire is essential for progeny.

69

47. AH those causes which are imbedded iu Prakrithi (during
pralaja) are again brought to play (during creation) and are
retained (till re-absorption) by the mere will of M&heevara whftse*
splendours are beyond the range of Prakrithi.

Thus ends the Sth chapter in the 1st part of the Yayusamhita
which treats of the creation of worlds-

CHAPTER IX.

1. The Rishis said : — Tell os, in detail, of all the Manvan-
tharas, the various kalpas and of all the intermediate creations
occurring in them as well as the secondary creations. (Prati-
saiga).

1 . Sarga, Visarga and A van thorn Sarga are the names given to varioos kinds of
creation. Sarga is the name applied to the creation by God of all the material and
non-material things. Visarga is a term applied to that fortn of creation which is
attributed to Brahma of the Thrimoortbis and the term Avanthara Sarga is
applied to the creation of worlds by Pmjapachis and othen. (Of course at times
these terms are also used indiscriminately.) We read in the Bhagavatha *• Bhoota
matrendriya Dhiyarn Janma Sarga udahrutha— Brahmano guna Vuishamyath
Visarga Powmsha Sramthaha.” The creation of the tatvas, Bboothaa, Thamnshtras,
Indriyus and Antakaranas is Sarga while Panchikaranas, the creation of the
Ahamkara into 3, the creation from earth of all other solid substances such as tbe
bones, gold, silver, iron, etc., from water of blood, milk etc., from Vayn of 10 vayus
prana etc., according to tbe inequality of Satva and other gunas is called
Visarga. The Avanthara Sarga* are creations by devas, Bishis. Pitris, men,
animals etc., as agents ofjGod. Thus the making of a table, the manufacture of a
cloth etc., by a man may be called Avantara Sarga. In the Viahnnporana, we
read as follows

“ Brahma Dokshadaya kala Tathaivokhilajantbavaha--- Vibhoothayo Harerethe
Jagathaesrishti Hothava— f?udrukalanthakadyascha Samasthoachaiva Janthava -
Chathurvidhaschathesarvo Janardana Vibhoothaya’’-— Viabnur Manvadayakala-
thathaiva. Akhila Janthava Vibhoothayo Horeretha Jagetha Srishti Hethcva”—
Brahma, Daksha, and all other beings are the agents of God for purposes of oreation ;
also Vishnu, Manu and others, all beingB and Time are agents for Sthithi. (Vide also
notes to the very first qloka. of Vayussmhita). But here a question arisee-
wjere then is the supremacy of the Lord in being accredited as the creator ? To
remove this doubt Bhagavan Badaray anu introduces the Sutras “ Ttadabhidhya-
nadova Thu Tallingathsa'* and “Samgna moorthy klipthia-thu Thrivmth knrvatha
upadeeath” and Srikantayogi commenting on the latter Sutra ebserves “Poorvam
Akasadinam Bhoothanam saha Sadasivadibhiradhistathrubhihi Parumesvara
duthpatbthirabhihitha. Theahu Jatheshu thatho Devanam namaroopadi klipthi
Thasmath J£va Moolakahranahdntha Anyasmath ithi Bandeha." We learnt that
an d other hhoothaSsare bom along with their presiding deities Sadasiva and
others from Paramesvara. Here a question arises whether the Gods and othen are
generated'' direotly from Him or from others. The conclusion arrived at by him is
that God alone is the direvt cause of everything, Vishnu may be the cause of

70

2. V&ya said »Parardha is the term applied to tjiat duration
of Brahma, which is obtained by the recurring of vast numbers of
a ag^e> There is also another duration for Brahma which is of a
similar nature. At the end of this period, there is creation
again.

3. In each and every one of this .First born Biahma's day-
time are completed the revolutions of 14 blessed Manus*

4. Having no beginning and having no end and not capable
of being completely understood these manvantharas and kalpas
cannot be spoken of in detail.

5. Even if recounted, of what immediate use, is that to you
or to me. I do not therefore think it worth while to make any
special mention of it.

Brahma, Rudra of Vishnu and Maheawara of Rudra and Sadasiva of Mahesa— The
immediate cause may vary according to the rank. Bat God cannot be the simple
remote eaase of these beings. He is also their direct caase for the simple
reason that God does not leave the Paachakartas to their fate but resides in them
also to produce others.

God produces Sadaeiva and though Mahesvara is born from Sadasiva, God is
with Sadasiva in producing Mahesvara ; Mahesvara may prodace Rudra but God is
with Mahesvara to prodace Rudra. God is thus not merely the remote cause bat is
the immediate cause as well. Hence observes Srikanta yogi “ Thatha sakshath
Brahmanasthaththath K&r&na roopath tliath thath Karyothpath thirithi Nirnaya"--*
Therefore the conclusion is that “ that effect is produced from that caiiBe from
Brahm which also forms the immediate cause of the effects. Therefore the trnth
of the very first Sutra that God is the author of everything (even for the steam-
engine, the balloon and the wireless telegraphy), cannot be assailed. Bhrigu made
experiments with Anna, Prana, Manas, Vignana and Anundakosas and rejected
them ultimately and found out that these cannot be causes. The Brahmavadins
of the Sevetaavat&ra upanishad began their question “ Kim Kahram Brahma’*
(which is Brahm, the canse of all) and doubted if “ Kaia, Svabhavo, niyathir,
yadrucha, Bhoothani, yoni, Purusha ithi chinthyam”— i.e., if time, the Svabbava
(pariuama of Prakrith is so called) niyathi, Bhoothas Purusha tatva can become
the grand cause— -and then conoluded “ Samyoga Esham nathu Atma bhavath-*-
Atmahi Anisa Sakha Dukha Hetho”— meither collectively nor individually these
inanimate objects can display the nature of Atma, (the Soul which distinguishes
itself from body, Indriya, Karanas etc.), by any amount of processes, ohemical or
physical, (however great the activities of electricity, magnetism and Radium may be)
---nor can this Atma, which is itself undergoing pain and pleasure, be the cause —
however much people may honestly believe that these pleasures and pains do not
affect the Soul (whom else and what for ?) in spite of the assertions of -the Vedas
that the Soul is Sthoola bhuk, Praviviktha-bhuk and Ananda-ohnk in the three
states Jagra, Swapnaand sushupthi, and however much they believe that this soul
is a particle of Gcd, as sparks are of fire, an image of God or is God itself.

2. Brahma is called the Parardhadvaya-jivi, one who lives for two pursrdiiis.

The world is certainly not 6000 years old and fortunately the modern editions
of the Bible do not bear the dates in their margins.

71

6. (Certain it is) that in each and everyone of these myriads
of kalpas there are also Sriahtia and pratisrishtis, (creations —
absorptions and re-creations) on a smaller scale.

7. & 8 . Even in this kalpa, oh best among Dwijtu, which goes by
the name of Varaha there are 14 manna, seven being known by the
names of Svayambhn etc., and seven by Savanna. Now is the time
of the 7th manu called Vaivasvata.

0. It mast be understood by men of wisdom that the dura-
tions of creation and absorption are more or less equal.

10. — 13. When at the end of the previous kalpa, the destroy-
ing winds began to blow and all the trees and forests were up-
rooted, and when the fire consumed the three worlds, as if they
were blades of grasB, and when the rains began to ponr in and
when the waters of the oceans ever-flooding their banks submerged
the whole world and all the qaarbers of the globe were engulfed in
one. sheet of water, the waters spreading all over with rapid suc-
cessions of armlike waves and when these pralaya waters began
to dance terribly, Brahma, with the appellation of Narayanai — was
slumbering peacefully reclining on these waters.

14. At day break, all the Devas and Siddhas inhabiting the
Janaloka with their palms of hands folded together and reciting the
mantra ‘ 4 Ahpo N&hra ithi Proktha Apovai Narasoonava — Ayanam
thasyathayagmath'Thena Narayana Smrntha.” (The waters are

7 & 8. The seven different lord* of day times are themselves the lords of their
respective nights with the seven different appellations known as savarnis and doing
the seven diffrent fnnetiens.

9. Here follows a description of the Varoha (boar) the name by which the
present cycle is known.

10. — 13. In reckoning ages the Hindu sages always begin from the end of a
pralaya. We can talk of the commencement or end of time only relatively i.e., in
connect! >n with tome other previous event. Ro when the Hindu Sages talk of the
creation of the world they assume the previous absorption of the same and begin its
commencement tkarefrom. Assuming then that a Pralaya had set in, the first point
for os to considei is that only Akasa was in eristenoe. In “ creation again of this
world, Vayn should be generated from Akasa. Prom Vayu the Thejas and from
The jag the waters and from the waters the earth. This is the order. This order is
well preserved in the present case. First the wiuds began to blow, then the fire
began to consume, then the water began to ponr in nnd lastly most be prodnoed the
earth. It is for tho producticn of the earth that Brahma took the form of a boar.

72

called Naras for the waters are offsprings of NarafSre— These
waters forming his abode, ay ana, he is styled Narayana — waked
him the Lord of the Gods who was sleeping the sleep of Sivayoga.

14. Here Brahma is said to have become Narayana. It is the boast of some
misguided people that the term Narayana is applicable only to Vishnu. We need
not argue about this here. Suffioe it to say that several Upobramanae do apply
the term to Brahma. Of course we do not deny that it is a term mostly applied to
Vishnu but at times the term is applicable to Brahma, also. Here is a text of
the Koorma purana “ Ekarnove thada Tbasmin Naahte Sthavora Jangame— 1’bada
Samubhavath Brahma Sahasrakshassahasrapath Brahma Narayanakhyasthu
Sushvapa Salile Tada.”

Here Brahma is known by the name of Narayana on account of the face that
the waters are known as Nara and that he had the waters or Naras as his abode—
Even the Vishnu purana says “ Brahma Narayanakhyoaou Sasarja Bhagavan yatha
Prajassasarja Bhagavan Brahma Narayatmaka Narujanakbyo Bh&gavaa Brahma
lokopithamaha." It cannot here be said that Brahma was called Narayana because
he arose from t le navel of Vishnu or because Vishnu known as Narayana was
immanoulai him ub may be interpreted from the words “Brahma Narayanatmaka” in
the Virhnupurana— The appellation Narayana was applied to Brahma as was applied
to Vishnu because of his having the waters (Naras) as his (Ayana) abode— The Siva,
Koorma, Lainga, and Vishnu puranas f r plain it so. Asvalayana too explains it so
in his Dharma Sastra." Thasmatb Andath Abhooth . Srashta Siva tins chathnra-
nanaha— Sarva lokasyanirmahtha Brahma Visvasrnjam pathihi— Saclwpsu
Bayan&deva Sivatma Swechchvya Chiraru---Narayanakhyam Abhajath Sakthi-
roopaha Prajapathihi--*" Manusmrithi, Vasiahta, Lainga and other works
explicitly state that a Being is called Narayana because of his having the
Naras (waters) as his abode (ayana), of course all these discussions are of no
material value except aB exposing the hollowness of their arguments based
upon blind bigotry. Persons bent upon discussing broad principles do not
care about names. Brahma’s age consists of two Parardhas. One Parardha
is already gone. He is now in his other p&rardha i.e. He is now in his
third muhoortba of the 2nd yama of his day time of the 1st day of the 1st
Paksha of the 1st month of the 1st year of his 2nd parardha. The beginning
of the 1st part of his life-time was called Brahma-kalpa. The end of that
first Parardha was known by the name of Padma-kalpa when the entire
universe came from the navel-lake of Vishnu in his form as Aniruddha. The
present cycle in his 2nd parardha is known by the name of Sweta Varaha kalpa,
as Vishnu is said to have taken the form of a Boar.' 1

" Yadadhardhamayushasthasya Parardhamabhideeyathe Poorvaha

e rr&rdho Apakrantha Aparodva pravarthathe--:Poorvasyadon parardhasya
rahmonama mahan Abhooth-kalpo yathrabhavath Brahma Sabda Brahmethi-
yam Viduhu Thasyaivanthechakalpobhooth yampadmamabhichakshathe,
yath.Havi nabhi Sarasa Asithloka Saroruham Ayamthu Kathithaha-kalpo
Dwithiyasyapi Bharatha Varahaithi Vikhyathoyathraaith Sookaro Herihi.”

The yoga nidra, whether it lie of Brahma in his aspect as Narayana, or of
Vishnu, in his Narayana stage, is not simple sleep. It is a state in which
the mighty Being is in contemplation upon the Absolute Paramesvara. Hanes
itiB called Siva-yoga-a sort of communion with Siva. “ Anthassathasmin
Salua Asthe Ananthaa&no hari yoga nidra maelithaksha Stbooya rpano
Janalayaihi (Bhagavatha) vide also the text “ Ksbeerarnave Amruthamiva
Bayanamyoga nidraya (Chapter II. of Vaytiaamhita i).

THE

SIDDHANTA DEEPIA

OR THE

LIGHT OF TRUTH

A monthly Journal devoted to Religion, Philosophy , Literature, Science, tte.
COMMENCED ON THE QUEEN’S COMMEMORATION DAT, 1897.

Vol. VIII.] MARCH 1908 No. 12.

HINDU CHARITIES.

This question ia one of those in which the 30 years rule would
seem to be a failure, for the agitation for reform has been long and
vain so far as the South Indian people are concerned, and we have
becotfifc almost despairing and despondent. We recommended
once that th6 masses should sign a monster petition containing
only a few lines intimating that we desired the amendment of the
Act XX of 18d3. And news comes to us of the proposal of Dr.
Rash Behary Ghose and we are glad that leave had been given to
introduce a bill. As the learned Doctor says it is so modest that the
opponents themselves should be ashamed to oppose it, and that it will
meet with the wishes ojE the ardent reformers goes without saying.
The opposition has all .along arisen in Northern India, and if any
now, this could be silenced, and the bill should become law, and one
of the worst blots in the administration of the country would in some
measure be wiped out. We would advise our South Indian country to
send up memorials from different parts of the country backing up
the very small measure proposed by the Hon’ble Doctor and we
hope we will have soon to congratulate him on his success.

NO NEW OBLIGATION..

At the meeting of the Viceroy's Council on Friday last in moving for leave to
introduce the Bill to give greater facilities to the public for colling for and inspect-
ing accounts of Public Charities, tho Hon’ble Dr. ltoshbebary Ghose said : My Lord,
the Bill I am going to introduce to-day may be said to be a companion measure to
the Code of Civil Procedure whicl was pussed ou Friday last - . It embodies a proposal
which was made by me as a member of the Simla Committee with which my
colleagues expressed their sympathy though they did not seo their way to accept it,
until it had been fully discussed by the leaders of the communities likely to bo
affected by my proposal. It who however, circulated as part of the report and I am
glad to my having obtained a very considerable measure of support. I did not. how-
ever, move any amendment at the lat. meeting of the Council when the Coda of Civil

852

SIDDHANTA DEEriKA.

Procedure Bill was taken into consideration bec-nse it was thonpflt desirable tliat n
fnrtbor opportunity should be given to the communities interested in the qnestiou
of discussing the proposal and this is my reason tor embodying it in u separate

mu.

NO DRASTIC MEASURE.

My Ilon'ble Colleague the Tikka Sahib spoke of my proposal the other day os a
very modest proposal and so it is ; for I do not suggest uuy drmtic reforms as 1 wish
anxiously to avoid anything wearing even the slightest semblance of interference
with our religious institutions, I am not, therefore going to invite the Council to
take away any tingle rijht of privilege however much liable to nbuB’ now possessed
by the heads of our religious and charitable institutions or to interfere in the
slightest degree with their management. All that 1 ask is that the public, who are
the real beneGc.iaries, should be able to obtain under proper safeguards an ins[>ec-
tion of the trust accounts. In making Ibis modest demand I nm not imposing any
new obligation on the trustees for they are clreody bound under the law to keep
proper accounts of the trust property.

DUTY OF A TRUSTEE.

The first and primary duty of a trustee, euys a distinguished English Judge,
haring money in bia hands to be received and to be paid is that an uccoant of hia
receipts and paymont should be kept to be produced to those interested in the ac-
count when it is properly demanded. In the case in which these remarks wero
made the trustees urged that they were illiterate men and could not keep accounts,
but His Lordship answered that it is the first duty of a trustee, if he cannot keep
accounts, to provide some one who can. And this obligation lias been recognised by
the Indian Legislature in Act XX of 1893, Section 13 of which enacts that tt shall
be the duty of every trustee, Manager and Superintendent of a mosque, temple or
religious establishment to which the provisions of the act shall apply to keep regular
accounts of his receipts and disbursements, in respect of endowments and expense
of such moBque, temple or other religious establishment. These accounts,
however, are not open to the inspection of the public ; though when b sr.it is insti-
tuted, the Court may direct the accounts of the trust to be taken in the ordinary
way. The Bill thus merely provides a cheap and expeditious method of obtaining
that which can be obtained even now, but only by the cumbrous, dilatory and
expensive process of what is known in this country as a regular Bait, Then again,
it is not always easy to ascertain whether a breach of trust has been committed by
the trustee which would reuder him liable to removal, unless the accounts of
the trust property are available to the reluters and the inability to obtain inspec-
tion. I know, from my professional experience it is a serious embarrassment in the
way of persou desirous of instituting a suit against u dishonest trustee. To the
possible objection that this right may be used for some indirect or other impro]>er
purpose, 1 would answer that any abase of the kind is sufficiently guarded against
by requiring os a condition precedent to the makiug of m y such application the
consent of the Advocato-Geueral cr some officer epecially empowered in that bolialf
by the Local Government. There is nothing therefore in this Bill to create sus-
picion or to excite alarm except possibly in the minds of those who creep mid
intrude and climb into tho fold faithless to their vows and to the rules of their
order. My Lord I am aware it is never safe to prophesy till you know. But in the
present instance 1 may venture to affirm without much rashness that this very
modest Bill vvill not give rise to any heated controversy. On this point I have no
misgiving whatever; 1 am absolutely certain that it will be welcomed by every honest
trustee and will not be opposed even by questionable occupants of tho guddee. For
they most know that secrecy always engenders suspicion uad.distruLt except, and it
is not unimportant exception, in the case of any officir.1 despatch ">r resolution.
They mnst know also that they cannot oppose this Bill without rendering them-
selves open tc the suspicion that they are unfaithful stewards, a dishonour to their
order and a reproach to the community to whit U they belong.

J

862

SIDDHANTA DEEriKA.

Procedure Bill was taken into consideration bec-nse it was thought desirable that n
fnrlbor opportunity should be given to the communities interested in the question
of discussing the proposal and this is my reason for embodying it in a separate

Hill.

NO DRASTIC MEASURE.

My Hon’ble Colleague the Tikka Sahib spoke of my proposal the other day os a
vory modest proposal and so it is ; for 1 do not suggest any drmtie reforms as 1 wish
anxiously to avoid anything wearing even the slightest semblance of interference
with our religious institutions, I am not, therefore going to invite the Council to
take away any single right of privilege however much liable to ahus^ now possessed
by the heads of our religious aud charitable institutions or to interfere in the
slightest degree with their management, All that 1 ask is that the public, who arc
the real benelnnaries, should be able to obtain under proper safeguards on ius|>ec-
tion of the irust accounts. In moking this modest demand ] am not im|iosi«ig any
new obligation on the trustees for they are already bouud under the law to keep
proper accounts of the trust property.

DUTY OP A TRUSTEE.

The first and primary duty of a trustee, says a distinguished English Judge,
having money in bis hands to be received and to be paid is that an account of his
receipts aud payment should be kept to be produced to those interested in the ac-
count when it is properly demanded. lathe case in which these remarks wero
made the trustees urged that they were illiterate men Dnd could not keep accounts,
but His Lordship answered that it is the first duty of a trustee, if lie cannot keep
accounts, to provide some one who can. And this obligation has been recognised by
the Indian Legislature in Act XX of 1893, Section 13 of which enacts that Tt shall
be the duty of every trustee, Manager and Superintendent of a mosque, temple or
religious establishment to which the provisions of the act shall apply to keep regular
accounts of 1 ub receipts and disbursements, in respect of endowments and expense
of such mosque, temple or other religious establishment. These accounts,
however, are not open to the inspection of the public ; though when u sr.it is insti-
tuted, the Court may direct the accounts of the trust to bo takeu in the ordinary
wav. The Bill thus merely provides a cheap and expeditious method of obtaining
that which can be obtained even now, but only by the cumbrous, dilatory end
expensive process of what is known in t Lis country us a regular suit. Then again,
it is not always easy to ascertain whether a breach of trust has been committed by
the trustee which wonld render him liable to removal, unless the accounts of
the trust property are available to the relators and the inability to obtain inspec-
tion. I know, from my professional experience it is a serious embarrassment in the
way of persou desirous of instituting a suit against a dishonest trustee. To the
possible objection that this right may be used for some indirect or other improper
purpose, 1 would answer that any abase of the kind is sufficiently guarded against
by requiring os a condition precedent to the makiug of ury such application the
consent of the Advocate-General cr some officer specially empowered iu that behalf
by the Local Government. There is nothing therefore in this Bill to create sus-
picion or to excite alarm except possibly in the minds of those who creep aud
intrude and climb into the fold faithless to their vowb and to the rules of their
order. My Lord I am swore it is never safe to prophesy till von know. But in the
present instance 1 may venture to affirm without much rashness that this very
modest Bill will not give rise to any heated controversy. On this point I have uo
misgiving whatever; 1 am absolutely certuin that it will be welcomed by every honest
trustee and will not be opposed even by questionable occupants of the gnddee. For
they must know that secrecy always engenders suspicion und a disti-ui.t except, and it
is not unimportant exception, in the case of any official despatch T resolution.
They must know also that they cannot oppose this Bill without rendering them-
selves open tc the suspicion that they are unfaithful stewards, a dishonour to their
order aud a reproach to the community to whi< h they belong.

HINDU CHARITIES

858

AEDEXT REFORMERS.

My only fear is that this measure might not satisfy tho more ardent reformers
who iiutist upon a thoroughly effective supervision over religions bonscs, as I gather
from some of the representations which have been made to tho Lcgisi itive Depart-
ment and also to mu personally by public bodies as well ns by leadi' g men from
various parts of tho ooontry, in which they point ont that the emaucii jtion of Hindu
and Mabornedan religious endowments from an effective control whi':h was carried
ont by Act XX of 1863 during Lord Lawrence's administration, under influence which
I need not discuss, was a measure of very oonbtfol wisdom. 1 repeat, my modest
Bill would hardly satisfy these reformers, of one thing, however I am certain, I sm
confident that tho heads of religions can have no ground whatever of complaint.
They can have no ground whatever of complaint against a measure which docs not
impose any new daty on them or interfere in any way with their rights and
privileges. They cun have no ground of complaint whatever agaimt a, measure
which by allowing their accounts to be inspected by tho public, sobjeet to
clearly defined restrictions, is likely to bring buck the confidence of tho
people which some of them I fear have forfeited Ly their misconduct. And
this reminds mo tlist moity of theso heads f<dly approve of the proposal
contained iu this Bill. For they are men who scrupulously ooserve their
vows, men who have nothing to feu r from a law which without impairing their
legitimate authority is only intended to check breaches of trust by thoso who
ought to illustrate in their lives and conversation tie great law of sacrifice,
and the example of those holy mca will 1 hope Btrve ta a guide to their weaker
brethrtu.

AN ORIENTAL SIDE TO THE UNIVERSITY.

DEGREE IN ORIENTAL LEARNING.

A distinguished European friend of ours once observed to ua
in connection with the Congress that Indians should agitato and
agitato for the next thirty years before they can achieve their
object and we did not then at once perceive that this was a lesson
which had to be gathered from the Political History of England
itself in regari to tho various reforms projected and oarried out,
like the Reform bill movement* Anti-corn law movement, &c.
However in regard to the question before us. it was just above a
decade ago, the proposal to add an oriental side to the University
was made by Dr. David Duncan and Sir S. Subramania Iyer, and
it was left to the Hoa'ble V. Krishnasawmi Iyer to achieve success
in what those old veterans failed and we heartily congratulate him
accordingly. Those whose heart was in Ihe cause of the improve-
ment of the oriental languages and those whose concern it was to
provide proper teachers in the oriental languages felt that the
time was ripe when something should be done and we are glad that
the Udiversity has sanctioned the proposals brought forward by
the llon blo gentlemen. Wo have discussed the question from every

point of view by the articles commenced from our very first num-
ber in the first Volume and it is unnecessary to go over the whole
ground. That a correct knowledge of English was an essential
requisite from the candidates who sought the new distinction, we
insisted on from the beginning. But the condition that the candi-
dates should obtain 50 per cent, of the marks in the Matriculation
Examination is one which we think will tend and diminish the
members who will seek the honor. No such condition is insisted on
for even an honour’s course, and we should like this condition to
be modified if possible. And after all the emoluments these better
men will derive will be very small as compared with those who
enter other courses of study. And in this connection we have to
point out the great work the Madura Tamil Rangam under its dis
tinguished President, P. Pandithoraisami Tlievar aveigal has been
doing and the Examinations instituted by it are already popular.
We only hope that the committee appointed to draw up courses of
Study will take proper advice and succeed in drawing up a syllabus
which will meet all the requirements of the case.

At a meeting of the Senate of Madras held on the 6th March 1908,
the Hon’ble Mr. Kxishnaswami Iyer on the question of instituting a degree
in Oriental Learning made a lengthy speech, in the course of wflich he
pointed out the v&riouB stages through which this subject was carried The
original proposal that emanated from him (the speaker) was a degree in favour
of a Doctorate in Oriental Learning. The Committee of the Senate were not
prepared to institute a degree of Doctorate. There remained the larger ques-
tion involved in the suggestion that was submitted to the Senate and that wag
whether anything was required to be done on the part of the University for
the purpose of encouraging Oriental Learning and those members of this
Senate at the time the regulations were under discussions would remember
that at that time, one of the points that had been strongly pressed on the
attention of the University was inefficiency of the present teaching staff with
reference to Oriental Languages, their inefficiency from the modem point of
view, not with reference to the ability to stuif the minds of the students, with a
certain quantity of knowledge of a particular kind but their inefficiency for the
purpose of imparting that knowledge in accordance with modern ideas of
scholarship. Having regard to that aspect, it wits considered that some
endeavour should be made to improve such class of persons. It was further
thought that a class of pandits, munshis and maulvis over the country was
fast dying out, and although it was not in the power of the University to make
any special arrangement for the resuscitation of that class and the strengthen-
ing of the body still it was the duty of the University to do something for the
upkeep of that class if not for its permanent improvement. Sum a deter-
mination resulted in the framing of the proposition in his name now before the
Senate. The object of the proposition was to give Borne encouragement to
those profess oos of Oriental Learning in this country known as pundits
munshis and Maulvis, in order ihnt they might have the hal? mark of the
University in the eyes of the public to new men of better intellectual and social
status than wur accorded to them at present and in that way to encourage
that class in that branch of learning. It was also desired that by that impetus
to have a class of men, who were necessar, for the new courses that the Uni-

AN ORIENTAL SIDE TO THE UNIVERSITY. 865

verbuy bad embarked upon under the new regulations. Having regard to
the institutions of tha. honour course and the specialisation of courses, it was
found necessary to provide a class which was to be* acknowledged on ail handa
to be prefeetly competent to deal with the instruction and tbe course which*has
to be m ai n tained. Tbe Committee therefore recognised that the University
should institute examinations for conferring the titles in Oriental Learnii g.
Is was thought expedient to change the word degree to the word title. The
next question was whether this title was to be conferred upon the person who
had graduated according to the present University course or was it to be
distinct in itself. There were great difficulties, in putting this title on the top
of one degree examination, for, if that was done it should be practically
creating a degree for which few would compete and it would practically remain
a dead letter in the statutes of the University. It was therefore necessary to
provide for an examination which sboul i qualify a person for a title primarily
to test the capacity of the candidate in Oriental Languages having regard to
the modern m ethods of scholarship which ought to be applied to the study of
eaefc languages. It would therefore be seen that the rule which the Committee
lad fiaiaed for consideration by the Senate contemplated the granting of title
for a pass in tbe English Branch of tne Matriculation examination which in its
operation, would render a knowledge of English essential up to Matriculation
standard. The Committee only felt its obligation to Bee thut some step for-
ward was taken in this direction in order that the great want that existed
might be attempted to be supplied. Whether they should adequately supply
by tbe present proposition being carried or whether Boine other scheme, which
might be hereafter adumbrated was one w hich the Senate need not enter upon
now. A comparison had been made with reference to the attempt made in
Punjab, in tbe matter of promoting Oriental Learning and that the Punjab
experiment was considered to be a failure. Bat it should be remembered
that tbe PuDjab University sought to impart, in the vernacular
language of the country Science, Mathematics, Philosophy, English being tbe
optional language that a person might stndyor not. It would be noted that
the essential condition of success in such an experiment was of a doubtful
nature. But he would not say that that experiment was not worth making.
It «u stated in a newspaper report that that experiment proved a failure in
Punjab but he did not know how fat the Madras University would be justified
in accepting newspaper's report. If would be found that the University Com-
mission reported with an equal difference of opinion an to the success or other-
wise of such an experiment. They pointed out that one essential condition of
mnrnnn was the existence of a sufficient number of text books or even transla-
tions which imparted knowledge of tbe Sciences in European languages in the
Vernaculars. What was proposed at present courses ana its aims did not con-
flict with any aim or courses that the University instituted or proposed to
inatltote hereafter when the new examinations would come into force. The
proposition therefore deserved careful consideration on the part of the Senate
and it therefore recommended the following resolutions: —

(1) >■ “ That it is desirable to institute courses of study and examinr.tions
foe titles in Oriental learning to be conferred by the University.

(2) That nq person shall be allowed to enter upon the courBCB unless he
has passed tbe English Division of the Matriculation examination, and obtained
not teas than fifty per cent, of the marks assigned.

( 8 ) That before entering upon a coarse for the title examination he shall
also have passed a preliminary examination in the Oriental language or langu-
ages selected.

856

SIDDHAtfTA DEEPIKA

(4) That the course of study for the title examination be no fr l o ss than four
years.

m (5) That except in the ease of Sanskrit, the candidate for the title^ exa-
mination shall bring up two languages, one priucipai and the other subsidiary.

(6) That in the case of Sanskrit and of the principal language whit re
two languages are brought up, the examination shall be similar in subjects
to, and not less difficult than, the honours examination in Branch 6 or 8.

(7) That the institution of titles examinations as above will render the
institution of a Doctorate in Oriental learning unnecessary at present/’

Ur. fihabha then moved the following amendment : —

< “ That on a consideration of the Committee’s Report on the question of insti-

tuting a degree in Oriont&l Learning the Senate resolves that Government may
l»e required : —

(1) To institute examinations to be conducted by tho Commissioner for Gov-
ernment examinations for tho titles of Pandit, Munshi and Muulvi ;

(2) To make provision for the training of Pundits, Munsliis and Uautvis in a
Government institution, which may, for the purposes of supervisiou and control, be
a part of the Teachers’ College ;

(3) To prescribe the F. A. examination or the Intermediate examination, with
optional group Branch IV., as a qualifying test for admission to such institution :

(4) To prescribe a course of three years duration after passing tho F. A. or
Intermediate examination in Branch IV. for the Title examinations ;

(5) To charge no fees for the course of studies for the Title examinations and

to provide a limited number of scholarships of Rs. 10 to Rs. 15 for those who desiro
to go through the course.” 4

In doing so, Mr. Bhabha said that ell were agreed as to the necessity of Leep-
ing on a class cf Pundits. They were now in a transition state and pundits were iu
possession of sterss of high traditional learning handed to them by tbo ancestors,
without having any notion or attempt at philological study. The question was
whether it was the University that should give them the title or tho Government.
It. seemed to him that the best coarse would be that the Government should insti-
tute title examination to test the attainment of pundits in a particular language only
and which would not be a test of a liberal culture. It seomedj to him that tho
only true way of improving tho scholarship in the vernacular languages was to equip
the best Colleges with European scholars trained in Modern lingnistic methods as
Chief Professors like Dr. Bhuler, Dr. Kiethoru, Dr. Multi’. They might bo given
Indian assistance, who had taken M. A. Degree in Sanskrit, or Tamil, Telugu or
CanareBR. Tho present Class of pundits had a main store house of Traditional
knowledge which they acquired in a crude way and they could como across men
repeating Verses after verses in Sanskrit but could not give an abstract of Buch
verses in thoir own language.

The Hon’ble Mr P. S. Siv;i6wami Iyer also spoke in support of tbe resolu-
tion and against the amendment of Mr. Bhabha. The only main point of differ-
ence between Mr. Bhabha and Mr, Krishnasawmi Iyer was as to the means to
be adopted to achieve that result. While the Hon’ble Mr. Krishuaswami Iyer’s
proposal was that the examination for the purpose of testing pundit’s attain-
ments should be held by the University and titles should be conferred by that
University but the essence of Mr. Bhubha 'a amendment was that the examina-
tions could be held by the Government. The question was whether it was not
within the Province of the University to take steps for the encouragement of
Oriental learning of the type cultivated by the Pundits and Maul vis. That it
was within the province of the University to stimulate the cultivation of the
Oriental learning could not be gainsaid nor did the Universities’ A'-t restrict
the efforts of the University in the encouragement of Oriental learning. The
University was bound to promote learning in all forms and there was no
objection whatever under the statutes by which they were guided against

AN ORIENTAL 8IDE TO THE UNIVERSITY

867

taking measures for the encouragement of Oriental learning. It could not
therefore be said that the mensures which they might adopt for the encour-
agement of the Orientnl learning would be outside the Province of the Uni-
versity. The proposition before the Senate did not pretend to exhaust all
means that might be adopted to promote Oriental learning but the conferring
of titles ns a result of examinations was certainly one of the means of encourage-
ment. As regards the objection that by granting titles the University wo aid be
granting marks of distinction or appreciation to any person, who had not gone
through a coarse of liberal culture the speaker observed that he could not under-
stand the- distinction between titles and degrees apart from the names. He saw no
objection to the conferring of titles which was supposed to be a lower mark of
distinction than degrees, lie did not agree with Mr. Bhabha that pandits who had
gone through a profound study of saatros for a considerable number of years and
specialised in several branches of studyi coaid be regamod as having gone through
a course of liberal culture. Ho had ltad intimate acquaintance, with many a
pundit, and he wished to suy that the assertion thut a person who had studied a
subject uncritically or merely cultivated hiB powers of memory or received treasures
of knowledge from Ids father, and he had no claim to scholarship was a libel against
a class of people. He had no experience of pandits in Mysore. Bat he should be
sorry to see that a puudit would not give a summary in Kansrese of what he knew
iu Sanskrit. He knew European scholars to whom po usages were handed for inter-
pretation and they failed in simple cases. To say that a pandit was not able to give
the purport of a slokah and to assume that scholarship of that kind was possessed
by European scholars did as much injustice to the pundit as it overpraised the
European scholar. With regard to many a pundit, whom be had known in point of
dilect'e skill or intellectual study many of them were far superior to the products of
the Universities. He was willing to admit that there were defects in the pundits
and one defect was the assumption on their pert that the knowledge contained in
the sastras was superior to all other knowledge, and he was also willing to admit
that a certain amount of Scientific knowledge from outside und a disposition to
infuse a spirit of historical enquiry would improve the class of pnndlts consider-
ably. The question was, did the pundits os u class deserve to be perpetuated and
encouraged. If there are readily available a class of men who combined European
scholarship tlie Senate should not consider it neoessory to entertain the present pro-
posal but it seemed to him that it would be a very long time indeed before they
conlii find men who combined in themselves the critical spirit and the comparative
methods of European schoisrsh'p with the real profundity of the Pundit and Maalvi,
Till that state of things arrived were they to let the pandit die out for want of
encouragement. He thought it was not wise to do so.

Mr. Bh abba's amendment having been loot the Hon'ble Mr. Krishnaswami
Iyer's proposition was carriod by a majority.

359

SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

OURSELVES.

We beg leave to solicit your kind attention to the
fact, that the Siddhanta Deepika, which lias been considered by
many competent reviewers to be a most valuable contribntion to
the journalistic literatnre of Southern India, lias now completed its
eighth year of existence and that it has done during the past eight
years such useful work as any journal of its kind may be proud of.
It is the only periodical that deals with questions of Tamil langu-
age and literature, and expounds and advocates the philosophy of
Saiva Siddhanta. The Saiva Siddhanta has in breadth, depth or
acuteness few rivals in the whole range of philosophical thought
and it has been aptly described by a great European Orientalist as
‘ the choicest product of the Dravidian intellect. The devotional
poetry of the Tamils has a matchless beauty of its own which is
vaiuly sought elsewhore, and even the other departments of Tamil
literature which present a picture faithful and interesting of the
social habits and custom, the modes of thought and susceptibilities,
the bthical ideal and intellectual standard of 4 a people who were
one of the earliest civilised on earth, deserve to be studied even
moie than the remains of Sanskrit literature. No student of
Siddhanta in special or the world s philosophical thought in general,
of Tamil letters in particular or of comparative literature in gene-
ral can fail to be profited by a perusal of any number of the
Siddhanta Deepika.

Annually millions of rupees are spent by the Christians o f
England and America to spread the Chritian teachings. Copies of
the English Bible and Christian and anti-Baduhist tracts are freely
distributed all over the world. Translations of the Bible are also
distributed among the different Asiatic races. In manifold ways
the Christian Tract Society and the Bible Society are helping to
disseminate the teachings of Christ. The poorest Christian contri-
butes liberally for the extension of his faith. The Salvation
Army although composed mostly of people socially inferior, yet by
an exhibition of the spirit of self-abnegation, is able to carry
on their work in many lands. There is activity in every otner
community of religious workers except the Saivites. This is a
blemish which must be removed.

But a Journal like ours which, by its learned and scholarly
character, can interest only the few can hardly hope to gain the
support of the many ; and we are anxious thac, in the interests of
religious study and Hindu revival in India, such measui 3s should
be taken as will enable ns to inspire vitality into the Journal and
thus ensure for it self sustaining permanence. For this purpose as
well ps for improving the literary status of the magazine in many

NOTES.

m

directions, it is necessary that its clientage should widen. Shall
oar constituents enable ns to achieve our object by supplying ta
at least one subscriber each. We believe our demand is not an
extravagant one.

From the next volume No IX, we make the following offe r
to onr Subscribers. The rate of Annual Subscription for the
Siddhant-a Deepika will be reduced to Ra. 3 if they procure one
more subscriber in addition to his own and remit in advance the
whole year's Subscription for both viz. Rs. 6. For the rest the
usual rate of Rs. 4 per annum will be charged. For students also
half the concession rates will be allowed.

This method not only profits the subscribers bnb also increases
our circulation. It is earnestly hoped that our present constituents
will help us by procuring us one more subscriber each.

THE PUBLISHER.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

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The Editorial aud Business officer’s of the 4 Indian Age.

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OLD BROAD STREET, LONDON, E. C.

860

BIDDHANTA DEEPIKA.

EDUCATION AMONG ORTHODOX HINDUS.

W© have often said in this journal that there is no need to
increase the stream of Indian charity, but only to turn its ferti-
lising currents into more wisely chosen channels than those in
which it at present flows In pursuance of this idea, when I was
last in Southern India. I wrote to His Holiness Rhri Shankara-
»charya of the Shringeri Matt, asking him if he would not use his
immense influence over orthodox Hindus to induce them to help
the Colleges and Schools in which Hinduism is being tanght to the
rising generation, born into that religion. I print below the
promising answer received, with the earnest hope that good results
may follow.

ANNIE BESANT.

SRINGERI JAGADGURU’S MATT,

CAMP AYYAMPOLIEM.

30th M arch, 1 908.

MADAM,

I am directed by His Holiness to communicate to you the
following ; Your letter of the 4th instant, was duly read out in the
presence of His Holiness by Mr. V. S. Srinivasa Sastryal, and His
Holiness was very much pleased to hear of your deep interest in
the spread of Hinduism. His Holiness is ever bent on doing all
that is possible for the resuscitation of Sanskrit literature and for
tha spread of the noble Aryan religion. Such being the case, His
Holiness was very much pleased to hear in detail all about the
Central Hindu College, its half-yearly religious examination, its
Pathashala, and its Ayurvedic Dispensary * His Holiness was
pleased to hear of the patriotic undertaking of some of the Coim-
batore gentlemen and to express to thorn his full sympathy with
their object. Hindu religious education is now much neglected in
all schools, and boys naturally lose theii hold on their religion
and grow up atheistic in their tendencies. The current in this
direction is very Btrong, and any attempt to retard its flow should
be certainly welcomed.

As you suggest, the Nattucottai Chetties and Marwaris can do
much in the field of education if they are persuaded to take to
it. His Holiuess is mucb touched by your appeal, and no opportu-
nity would be lost to impress on these communities the desirability
of their turniug attention to this important subject.

Regarding yonr proposal to visit His Holineas, he . would bo
glad to see you at any time.

Yours sincerely,

T. KUNTHA.

Agent.