The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-10-23

wished to marry her but not being able to ac4
c6mplish the object until the elder was disposed
OF. he deceived the Rishi Uddakala as to Akabai,s
beauty and excellencies, which induced him to
marry her, while he espoused the woman of his
choice. The followers Of this divinity form
one of the twofold divisions of Hindoo society
the Vishnuvites
SIyA.-This destroyer of mankind is seen as
silver colored man, with five heads and eight
hands, IN six OF which are severally skull, a
deer, tre, an axe, a rosary, and an elephant rod,
while the seventh is open in the attitude of
blessing, and the last Of protecting. He has
third eye in his forehead, with perpendicular
corners, earrings of snakes, and collar Of
skulls. At the end of each series of the four
lyoogas, silva browns, and then remodels the
earth his name being more properly the new
modeller, or reprodacer. One form in which
this deity is worshipped is as the Rngu,a, which
the classical reader viii understand when saw
that it resembles the phalli Of the Greeks. II
| is exposed to public view the country over
silva has vast number of worshppers, some Of
whom deem him superior to Brahms himself
One of his consorts is the sanguinary KaIee,
another is the more pacific Doorga, of both of
whom we shall speak before concluding the
chapter. The disciples of this deity are entitled
| Strides.
| This triad has given birth to great number
of additional deities, some of whom are held in
scarcely less reverence than the original OF
these three hundred and thirty millions of diriai-
ties, will notice but n few of the more promi-
nent.
! Ganesa is the elder son of silva and Paryuti.
With his elephant face, big belly, and four
hands, he presents strange and repulsive APP
pearance. But for all this, no deity is more
often named than he Being esteemed the
| ork-perfector, or, one who can place and re-
move obstacles, he is always invoked at the
commencement Of any undertaking or enter
prise. Before journey, writing letter, study
ing book, and the like, Ganesa is upon the
! lips OF the traveller or student. This eminent
position was given to him as compensation for
the stranTe head he wears, which was put upon
his shoulders when he lost his own, in infancy,
| by look of the celestial Shunee.
| Subramunman, the Hindoo Mars, &c, special
guardian of the Brahminical order, is represented
with six faces, twelve arms, riding on pea
cock, and holding in his hands seyerally bow,
an arrow, conch, a circle, a sword, a rope, a
trident, acknowledgment, fire, dart, cres-
cent-shaped weapon, and a DRUM He is spe-
cially worshipped at Secandar Mali, near Madura
rrichendoor, Pyney, Tirueragaram, and all the
hill country.
Doorga, who combines the characteristics of
Minerva, Pallas, and Juno, is one of the wives
of silva. Her original name was Parvuti, but,
| having, by display of extraordinary valor, de-
feated giant named Doorga, she was thence
forth dignitied with the name of her conquered
foe. This monster is supposed by some to be
a personifcation of Vice, and Doorga, of Virtue;
while the struggle typifed the action and reac-
| ton of good and evil in the world The festival
in honor of this goddess, celebrated in the
| month OF September, has no superior for magni-
tcence OF entertainment and imposing appear
ance in the country. At the celebration of one
festival, wealthy Hindoo has been known to
give $4,000 lbs. of sweetmeats, 10000 lbs. o
sugar, 700 suits of cloth garments 1000 suits
| of silk, 1000 offerings of rice, plantains and
| other fruits In the single city Of Calcutta, it
is supposed that half a million pounds sterling
are annually expended on the Doorga festival
alone .'..
Kalec, another of Siva's wives, is the Moloch
of the land Her appearance indicates her
character. She is represented rs standing with
one foot upon the chest of her husband, silva,
whom she has thrown down in a fit of anger;
her tongue, dyed with blood, is protruding from
| her mouth; she is adorned with skulls and the
hands of her slain enemies are suspended from
her grdle The blood of n tiger delights her
| for ten years of human being for one thou
sand years. If any of her worshippers draw the
blood from his own person, and offer it her, she
will be in raptures of joy; but if he cut out
piece OF flesh for urnt-offering, her delight is
beyond bounds. But though thus sanguinary
and malevolent, Kalee is one of the favorite
deities among the Hindoos The Swinging
Festival and other observances, to be alluded to
in detail hereafter, are in her honor-beinc
designed to avert her wrath, or secure her bles-
sing. She is the especial friend of thieves and
murderers, who invoke her blessing before
entering upon their deeds of violence and
death. =.
Laichmi, the goddess of fortune, is the wife
of Vishnu, before alluded to. Painted yellow.
she sits upon an expanded water-ly, holding in
two hands the lotus, while the others are en-
ployed in protecting and blessing. She is wor-
shipped in a manner the opposite of the fendish
Kalee.
Sarasrati, patroness of learning and music,
is wife Of Brahma. Dressed in white raiment
with garland of diamonds, she holds in her
four hands a part of the Vedas, string of
crystals, musical instrument; while, with the
fourth, she seems to be illustrating some pro-
blem. She is the peaceable Minerva of Greece
| and Rome, nventress of the fine and useful arts
Fest ais i'll her honor are largely attended by
those especially who need her peculiar bles-
sings.
Mammalian is the Indian cupid the "beauti-
full son of Brahma, who bears the five fowery
arrows which inAame with love the inhabitants
of the three worlds" He is represented, ALE
goricaly, as conveyed by females so united as
to form the body of an elephant-thus express
sing the illusion which he causes-and as hay
ing his culver at his back, and in his hand his
bow of sugar-cane, with a string composed of
honey bees, and arrows of flowers. ~.
To these may be added Hndru, king of heaven,
with his thousand eyes, thunderbot in his
right hand, and bow in his left; Soory,t, with
his red face and three eyes, and four arms,
whose followers never eat until they have seen
the sun, and fast if he be obscured by clouds:
Paruna, god of the winds and messenger of
the celestials; Vuroona, god of the waters;
Yu'nu, judge of the dead, who sends to hell or
heaven as the case demands: and scores of