Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-01
INDIA'S DEITlES.
Many Names Given for the Same
ldealisms.


of the countless attrac tions India offers
none are greater than her rich stores of
4..s "a ana uauItlon. oriental scholars
have nnlolded for us that Hindu religion
in Il dim and Shadowy past cuntenteu it
self with generating some OF natures
more impressive phenomena. Space, the
starry armament and the light of day
under the poetic ma mes Of Arditi, Narina
ANA MiIta--rfUNideu the sacred triad of
thus archaic worship; but with the march
of centuries there came an added rou of
deities, of which Brdhma himself WAS
chief. According TO some writers, his
TWO brothers. Vdshnu and SILVIA Were
cataliy powerful. the former as preserver
q; BrahIna's creations. the latter as de-
less metamorphoScS and appears i'll the
sacred books under n" fewer than 1.oo1
different names. jIc remains the most
r~'pu"r deity among the llndus. who be-
lieve his final ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. of a
this last change he is thought to be rest
inc in a sed nt milk. with a serpent for
his pillow. The River Ganges is sup
lr'Se'i to Ssue from his right loot.
The god SILVA also figures in Hindu my
thulc2y und"r l.co different names. and
is invariably represented in some re
pellant form. Idols show him at one
t.me with hvC iac"s. at another with
three eyes. while a third will represent
him with 4 necklace Of skulls, thick,
matted hair ana horn projecting from
temple of the island Of Elephants is
sacred to this god. Around the raid god
'" - hay" gathered countless ira
ditions, among which are those of his
constant CONNECTS with his thunderbolts.
van. Iaya. The Wind god; Shushna. the
parcucr, AMI hhi. the conilner. The aim
OF this last-named god is to confine and
dr., up the r:vtrs and seas. Much homage
IL I,.lid 10 lndra by the, other gods, ac-
coriing to the RigVedas. he being head
OF TIL" heaven of the gods. He appears to
the Hindu dcitcs. ANY ideal light that
the sacred writings would wish hum to be
viewed in must fell when one reads of the
HYMNS put in his mouth by the mystic
scrihcs IT ~ natural outcome Of In
dia's climate that Indra should entcr
largely into her scheme of legend JUST
as Apollo ana Raldur tho Morse sun. pro-
wide 50 much mythical harm in cooler
regions. 50 does lrdla in the land OF
parching pL'ins and scorchng rays. a
Hindu hrid" IS not greeted with pretty
wishes that thc sun should light her PATH
tnc shimmrring r,indrop, lndras precious
G f is i Inc hI"SH bIG inyoked on the head
Among IL" arts that Indra is supposed
to delight in are those Of music and
dancing. The sacred books relate how
hosts Of beautiful damsels, called Aspara-
son, fill his heavenly courts. Tradit on
gives them Il dwelling place on earth az
wen as in heaven. their Office being to
tude It was hard on these lovely being
that. should they succeed in their arIs.
they should immediately be tnrn"d to pill
i IIrs Of !, stone; II is part Of the Rrahmn
the vina to mankind, the god Nareda
showing thrm how it was played and
tehching them the sacred hymns that
called down the thricc-blcescd rain and
yelled the blazing skies with cloud To
the god krishna music has a special con :,
Srcr.,inn his traditional 'companions on
elrth DeinE The Gopig-shcpher desscs
Who drew gIZcles after them when they
| sang to the vinas All sorts of pretty tradi-
| IONS gather round this god In connection
| with rnt'sic Its soothing virtues, how
| over. did no: ovcrrulc his ruder qualities
| Tor he 2iofied in war and was guilty of
| mHny ipdtvidull mLsSIcrcs. Ills war
| f'rS wpcn dying were always laid on
| arrows. dart upward in order to the last
| ;hIt they should bc goadcd into consci-
| BUSINESS and listen to long addresses from
| liolv Incn on tho transmigraton OF souls
| With the passing of tho ages Buddha an
| pcitrs on tn" scenes of Hindu belief and
| mEth.-The London Lady