The Arizona sentinel., 1888-10-13
UGLY HINDOO GODS.
Where the Most RepuIsive Monsters Pc
 sible Are the HOliest.

Where the Most RepuIsive Monsters Pos sible Are the HOliest.
 One sees Brahma occasionally in the East pictured in heroic size on the
 walls of houses, or as an idol of wood or stone, occupying shed at one end of village with his wife Sarasvati.
 He is also, of course, to be seen in temples, but not often. Sarasvati is always represented as beautiful young woman presenting flower to her husband. Like our own mother Eve, she was created out of portion of her husbands body, although the Hindoos do not distinctly say a rib. When this happened Brahma was possessed of but one head. Beholding this lovely, newly-created companion, however, he at once became smitten with her charms. Sarasvati, being shamefaced maiden, modestly turned away to escape his gaze. At Brahma's wish to still behold her. a second head issued from his body. As the damsel skipped around to another posi- tion, third head appeared, and then fourth. At length, in her embar- rassment, Sarasvati sprang into the sky. Not to be outdone, however, Brahma instantly produced fifth head. This fifth head was subsequent ly struck off by another god in dis pute, which leaves him only four. The idol with the leopard-skin loin- cloth, the snakes about his head and back, and the trident in his hand, is Siva, the destroyer. He is one of the most familiar idols one sees in India. As you approach an Indian village, the first building by the roadside is apt to be a shed-like shrine, sheltering an idol of Siva about the size of a man. He is painted red, with blue neck, and sometimes garnished profusely with bits of gold or silver tinsel, pasted here and there about his figure. This bright paint and tinsil gives the idol rather cheap and tawdry ap- pearance, suggestive of a cheap show. One often sees this same Siva in the larger and more prosperous villages, plastered over with strips of tinsel so thickly as to be well nigh unrecogniza- ble.
 He is generally represented as she'd ding the blood of demon who has been interrupting the austerities of his worshipers. Sometimes, however, this idol is a fantastic character, half male and half female, supposed to illustrate the unity of the gods. At some shrines 1 have seen him sitting in garish state as a mendicant. In whatever form the idol appears there is always third eye in the middle of the forehead, cobra about his neck and another on his head.
 It is the followers of this idol, also who used to practice such terrible cruelties upon themselves, before the custom was prohibited by the British Government. As every body knows, fakirs by the hundred used to wander about India practicing austerities of the most revolting character. Some used to force iron hooks i1 the muscles of the back and hang suspended in mid air for days. Some would jump on sharp spikes or hold their limbs in one position till they withered; others would sit and gaze into the sun until they lost their sight. All these fanatics were the worshipers of this idol, and it is for annoying them while engaged in these practices that he is wreaking his vengeance on the demon. This idol figures more conspicuously in the religious life of the Hindoos to-day than any other. He is said to be known by a thousand different names, and to be worshiped in many forms.-Cor. Louisville Courier-,JournGt.