Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-11


pies.
Power of Brahminism.
1t is only by contact with the crowds of
eager pilgrims and devotees which throng
the streets and temples of Benares that
one may realize the vital force which Brah-
minism exercises in India. Next to Mo-
hammedanism it is the Hvest and most in
fluential and practical of all religions. The
feyotee lives and breathes and feels his
faith. 1t enters every experience OF ms
career ii governs every act and, compared
with Brahuinism, Christianity Is perfume
tory ard exercises practically little control
over its believers. Yet Christianity mas
come here as 1t has entered all the other
sacred cities of India, and undef the very
shadow of the Hindu holy of holies, within
the circle that bounds the favored gate OF
heaven it has set Zip and maintained sew
eral of the most prosperous ana wen az
tended schools in India. Inc government.
has established a college of high standard
in n handsome gothic building, which
many consider the best in India And all
agree that it is an admirable INSTITUTION;
1t has about seven hundred stuoeh.s az a!.
aches modern sciences which contradict
every principle that the Brahmins propose.
There is also a school here for the 6ighef
education of women with about UD STU
dents. maintained by the Ma ,aaasyass,x We
Vizianagram, learned and progressiEe
Hindu prince who has large estates IN the
neighborhood. and there are several othea
distinctly modern institutions IN WHOSE
light Brahmanism cannot I've. The
growing and it is slowly decaylng. Inc
number of devotees and pilgrims VINO come
here is still enormous. but those VINO naN -
the best means of knowing declare that -
is smaller every year. su. ,. m''i it's sIgnifi-
canoe is great and so great that PROMINENT
Rrahmins have recently held cohleis .t
to consider what shall be done 10 proIecl
the faith and defend 1t against the Nts
ous assault of the school teachers, the ms
sionaries and the materlalists. ,hat
T. docs moi take them long to learn thal
the teachings of their priests 90 ~.
form To the conditions OF modern cNnH1a
tson and that their practices are not ap
moved by those who believe IN Houe. -
standards of morals. 1t IS diihcuit Iot a.. a..
educated man to adhere to or aceept IN
teachings of the Hindu priests while tneIi
nrsctices are absolutely repugnant 10 MIN,
Tse church therefore. if it may be caiiea
n church. must be reformed, and It's pTac-
tees must be revised. II the decay WINK"
Ia now going on is ever arrested.
Several religions have been born anu
bred and have died in Benares. Nedic,
Moslem, Buddhist. Brahmin nave Den
nursed and fiourished and have decayeo
within the same walls
Worship of Ganges.
II is impossible to ascertain when the
Gauges was first worshiped, when peo-
ple, began to build temples upon its banks
or when Benares first became saefeo'
Water was one of the first objects Wor-
SHIPPED; the fertilizing and life-giving IN
f,;ence of a stream was one OF the Htsl
phenomena of nature recognized Gansd'
the beautiful heroine of Hindu legend, rs
supposed to have lived at the source ol tae
waters to which her name is gwen anu .he
river is often represented as moving from
the head of silva. the chief deity OF the
Rrahmins. the most repulsve the most
cruel the most vicious of all the gods.
silva is at once the generator and the &C.
stroyer. He represents time. the sun, the
water fire and practically all the mysteries
OF nature and Benares is the center of his
influence and worship. The temple when
attracts the most pilgrims is dedicated 10
him. The well of knowledge, which is
in the court yard of the Golden Temple, Is
his chosen residence, and is resorted to by
every p;'~rim who drinks the putrid water
from Ia...e with which 1t is dipped up by
the attendant priest All around the Golden
Temple are ~ther temples and shrines dedi-
Gated TO other gods, but silva Is supreme,
and before his image is the kneeling bull,
the common symbol of Phallic worship as
represented in the legend of Europe
Siva.s hair is bunch of snakes, serpents
wound around his neck, arms, waist and
legs: crescent is stamped upon his fore
head. which was the chief symbol OF the
ancient cult of Arabia destroyed by Mo-
hamet as Auranzib. one of the mogul en-
perors, who. as told you in a letter from
Agra some time ago. WAS Mohammedan
fanatic. He came here in the middle of
his reign, DESTROYED half the Hindu temples
and upon the ruins of the oldest and the
finest shrine of silva erected mosque
which still stands and its slender min
arets almost pierce the sky.
This mosque was thrust into the most
sacred place of Hindu worship as an insult
to the Brahmins but the latter are more
tolerant, and though they are very largely
in the majority and control everything
here. they permit 1t to stand untouched.
but the wOrShiDers of Islam are conn elled
to enter 1t through a side door. This
however is due more to desire TO preserve
the peace and prevent collisions between
reason.
The great temple of silva, the Golden
Temple. Is not imposing. 1t is q small
building with q low dome in the center