84
One of the Pleiades and generally regarded as the model of wifely excellence.
85
The Hindu year is divided into six seasons of two months each, spring, summer, rains, autumn, winter, and dews.
86
It was essential that the horse should wander free for a year before immolation, as a sign that his master’s paramount sovereignty was acknowledged by all neighbouring princes.
87
Called also Vidcha, later Tirabhukti, corrupted into the modern Tirhut, a province bounded on the west and east by the Gaudakí and Kauśikí rivers, on the south by the Ganges, and on the north by the skirts of the Himálayas.
88
The celebrated city of Benares. See Dr. Hall’s learned and exhaustive Monograph in the Sacred City of the Hindus, by the Rev. M. A. Sherring.
89
Kekaya is supposed to have been in the Panjáb. The name of the king was Aśvapati (Lord of Horses), father of Daśaratha’s wife Kaikeyí.
90
Surat.
91
Apparently in the west of India not far from the Indus.
92
“The Pravargya ceremony lasts for three days, and is always performed twice a day, in the forenoon and afternoon. It precedes the animal and Soma sacrifices. For without having undergone it, no one is allowed to take part in the solemn Soma feast prepared for the gods.” Haug’s Aitareya Bráhmaṇam. Vol. II. p. 41. note q.v.
93
Upasads. “The Gods said, Let us perform the burnt offerings called Upasads (i.e. besieging). For by means of an Upasad, i.e. besieging, they conquer a large (fortified) town.” — Ibid. p. 32.
94
The Soma plant, or Asclepias Acida. Its fermented juice was drunk in sacrifice by the priests and offered to the Gods who enjoyed the intoxicating draught.
95
“Tum in cærimoniarum intervallis Brachmanæ facundi, sollertes, crebros sermones de rerum causis instituebant, alter alterum vincendi cupidi. This public disputation in the assembly of Bráhmans on the nature of things, and the almost fraternal connexion between theology and philosophy deserves some notice; whereas the priests of some religions are generally but little inclined to show favour to philosophers, nay, sometimes persecute them with the most rancorous hatred, as we are taught both by history and experience.… This śloka is found in the MSS. of different recensions of the Rámáyan, and we have, therefore, the most trustworthy testimony to the antiquity of philosophy among the Indians.” Schlegel.
96
The Angas or appendices of the Vedas, pronunciation, prosody, grammar, ritual, astronomy, and explanation of obscurities.
97
In Sanskrit vilva, the Ægle Marmelos. “He who desires food and wishes to grow fat, ought to make his Yúpa (sacrificial post) of Bilva wood.” Haug’s Aítareya Bráhmanam. Vol. II. p. 73.
98
The Mimosa Catechu. “He who desires heaven ought to make his Yúpa of Khádira wood.” — Ibid.
99
The Butea Frondosa. “He who desires beauty and sacred knowledge ought to make his Yúpa of Paláśa wood.” — Ibid.
100
The Cardia Latifolia.
101
A kind of pine. The word means literally the tree of the Gods. Compare the Hebrew עצי יהוה “trees of the Lord.”
102
The Hindus call the constellation of Ursa Major the Seven Rishis or Saints.
103
A minute account of these ancient ceremonies would be out of place here. “Ágnishṭoma is the name of a sacrifice, or rather a series of offerings to fire for five days. It is the first and principal part of the Jyotishṭoma, one of the great sacrifices in which especially the juice of the Soma plant is offered for the purpose of obtaining Swarga or heaven.” Goldstücker’s Dictionary. “The Ágnishṭoma is Agni. It is called so because they (the gods) praised him with this Stoma. They called it so to hide the proper meaning of the word: for the gods like to hide the proper meaning of words.”
“On account of four classes of gods having praised Agni with four Stomas, the whole was called Chatushṭoma (containing four Stomas).”
“It (the Ágnishṭoma) is called Jyotishṭoma, for they praised Agni when he had risen up (to the sky) in the shape of a light (jyotis).”
“This (Ágnishṭoma) is a sacrificial performance which has no beginning and no end.” Haug’s Aitareya Bráhmaṇam.
The Atirátra, literally lasting through the night, is a division of the service of the Jyotishṭoma.
The Abhijit, the everywhere victorious, is the name of a sub-division of the great sacrifice of the Gavámanaya.
The Viśvajit, or the all-conquering, is a similar sub-division.
Áyus is the name of a service forming a division of the Abhiplava sacrifice.
The Aptoryám, is the seventh or last part of the Jyotishṭoma, for the performance of which it is not essentially necessary, but a voluntary sacrifice instituted for the attainment of a specific desire. The literal meaning of the word would be in conformity with the Prauḍhamanoramá, “a sacrifice which procures the attainment of the desired object.” Goldstücker’s Dictionary.
“The Ukthya is a slight modification of the Ágnishṭoma sacrifice. The noun to be supplied to it is kratu. It is a Soma sacrifice also, and one of the seven Saṇsthas or component parts of the Jyotishṭoma. Its name indicates its nature. For Ukthya means ‘what refers to the Uktha,’ which is an older name for Shástra, i.e. recitation of one of the Hotri priests at the time of the Soma libations. Thus this sacrifice is only a kind of supplement to the Ágnishṭoma.” Haug. Ai. B.
104
“Four classes of priests were required in India at the most solemn sacrifices. 1. The officiating priests, manual labourers, and acolytes, who had chiefly to prepare the sacrificial ground, to dress the altar, slay the victims, and pour out the libations. 2. The choristers, who chant the sacred hymns. 3. The reciters or readers, who repeat certain hymns. 4. The overseers or bishops, who watch and superintend the proceedings of the other priests, and ought to be familiar with all the Vedas. The formulas and verses to be muttered by the first class are contained in the Yajur-veda-sanhitá. The hymns to be sung by the second class are in the Sama-veda-sanhitá. The Atharva-veda is said to be intended for the Brahman or overseer, who is to watch the proceedings of the sacrifice, and to remedy any mistake that may occur. The hymns to be recited by the third class are contained in the Rigveda,” Chips from a German Workshop.
105
The Maruts are the winds, deified in the religion of the Veda like other mighty powers and phenomena of nature.
106
A Titan or fiend whose destruction has given Vishṇu one of his well-known titles, Mádhava.
107
The garden of Indra.
108
One of the most ancient and popular of the numerous names of Vishṇu. The word has been derived in several ways, and may mean he who moved on the (primordial) waters, or he who pervades or influences men or their thoughts.
109
The Horse-Sacrifice, just described.
110
To walk round an object keeping the right side towards it is a mark of great respect. The Sanskrit word for the observance is pradakshiṇá, from pra pro, and daksha right, Greek δεξίος, Latin dexter, Gaelic deas-il. A similar ceremony is observed by the Gaels.
“In the meantime she traced around him, with wavering steps, the propitiation, which some have thought has been derived from the Druidical mythology. It consists, as is well known, in the person who makes the deasil walking three times round the person who is the object of the ceremony, taking care to move according to the course of the sun.”
Scott. The Two Drovers.
111
The Amrit, the nectar of the Indian Gods.
112
Gandharvas (Southey’s Glendoveers) are celestial musicians inhabiting Indra’s heaven and forming the
orchestra at all the banquets of the principal deities.
113
Yakshas, demigods attendant especially on Kuvera, and employed by him in the care of his garden and treasures.
114
Kimpurushas, demigods attached also to the service of Kuvera, celestial musicians, represented like centaurs reversed with human figures and horses’ heads.
115
Siddhas, demigods or spirits of undefined attributes, occupying with the Vidyádharas the middle air or region between the earth and the sun.
Schlegel translates: “Divi, Sapientes, Fidicines, Præpetes, illustres Genii, Præconesque procrearunt natos, masculos, silvicolas; angues porro, Hippocephali Beati, Aligeri, Serpentesque frequentes alacriter generavere prolem innumerabilem.”
116
A mountain in the south of India.
117
The preceptor of the Gods and regent of the planet Jupiter.
118
The celestial architect, the Indian Hephæstus, Mulciber, or Vulcan.
119
The God of Fire.
120
Twin children of the Sun, the physicians of Swarga or Indra’s heaven.
121
The deity of the waters.
122
Parjanya, sometimes confounded with Indra.
123
The bird and vehicle of Vishṇu. He is generally represented as a being something between a man and a bird and considered as the sovereign of the feathered race. He may be compared with the Simurgh of the Persians, the ‘Anká of the Arabs, the Griffin of chivalry, the Phœnix of Egypt, and the bird that sits upon the ash Yggdrasil of the Edda.
124
This Canto will appear ridiculous to the European reader. But it should be remembered that the monkeys of an Indian forest, the “bough-deer” as the poets call them, are very different animals from the “turpissima bestia” that accompanies the itinerant organ-grinder or grins in the Zoological Gardens of London. Milton has made his hero, Satan, assume the forms of a cormorant, a toad, and a serpent, and I cannot see that this creation of semi-divine Vánars, or monkeys, is more ridiculous or undignified.
125
The consort of Indra, called also Śachí and Indráṇí.
126
The Michelia champaca. It bears a scented yellow blossom:
“The maid of India blest again to hold
In her full lap the Champac’s leaves of gold.”
Lallah Rookh.
127
Vibháṇdak, the father of Rishyaśring
128
A hemiśloka is wanting in Schlegel’s text, which he thus fills up in his Latin translation.
129
Rishyaśring, a Bráhman, had married Śántá who was of the Kshatriya or Warrior caste and an expiatory ceremony was necessary on account of this violation of the law.
130
“The poet no doubt intended to indicate the vernal equinox as the birthday of Ráma. For the month Chaitra is the first of the two months assigned to the spring; it corresponds with the latter half of March and the former half of April in our division of the year. Aditi, the mother of the Gods, is lady of the seventh lunar mansion which is called Punarvasu. The five planets and their positions in the Zodiac are thus enumerated by both commentators: the Sun in Aries, Mars in Capricorn, Saturn in Libra, Jupiter in Cancer, Venus in Pisces.… I leave to astronomers to examine whether the parts of the description agree with one another, and, if this be the case, thence to deduce the date. The Indians place the nativity of Ráma in the confines of the second age (tretá) and the third (dwápara): but it seems that this should be taken in an allegorical sense.… We may consider that the poet had an eye to the time in which, immediately before his own age, the aspects of the heavenly bodies were such as he has described.” Schlegel.
131
The regent of the planet Jupiter.
132
Indra = Jupiter Tonans.
133
“Pushya is the name of a month; but here it means the eighth mansion. The ninth is called Asleshá, or the snake. It is evident from this that Bharat, though his birth is mentioned before that of the twins, was the youngest of the four brothers and Ráma’s junior by eleven months.” Schlegel.
134
A fish, the Zodiacal sign Pisces.
135
One of the constellations, containing stars in the wing of Pegasus.
136
Ráma means the Delight (of the World); Bharat, the Supporter; Lakshmaṇ, the Auspicious; Śatrughna, the Slayer of Foes.
137
Schlegel, in the Indische Bibliothek, remarks that the proficiency of the Indians in this art early attracted the attention of Alexander’s successors, and natives of India were so long exclusively employed in this service that the name Indian was applied to any elephant-driver, to whatever country he might belong.
138
The story of this famous saint is given at sufficient length in Cantos LI-LV.
This saint has given his name to the district and city to the east of Benares. The original name, preserved in a land-grant on copper now in the Museum of the Benares College, has been Moslemized into Ghazeepore (the City of the Soldier-martyr).
139
The son of Kuśik is Viśvámitra.
140
At the recollection of their former enmity, to be described hereafter.
141
The Indian nectar or drink of the Gods.
142
Great joy, according to the Hindu belief, has this effect, not causing each particular hair to stand on end, but gently raising all the down upon the body.
143
The Rákshasas, giants, or fiends who are represented as disturbing the sacrifice, signify here, as often elsewhere, merely the savage tribes which placed themselves in hostile opposition to Bráhmanical institutions.
144
Consisting of horse, foot, chariots, and elephants.
145
“The Gandharvas, or heavenly bards, had originally a warlike character but were afterwards reduced to the office of celestial musicians cheering the banquets of the Gods. Dr. Kuhn has shown their identity with the Centaurs in name, origin and attributes.” Gorresio.
146
These mysterious animated weapons are enumerated in Cantos XXIX and XXX. Daksha was the son of Brahmá and one of the Prajápatis, Demiurgi, or secondary authors of creation.
147
Youths of the Kshatriya class used to leave unshorn the side locks of their hair. These were called Káka-paksha, or raven’s wings.
148
The Rákshas or giant Rávaṇ, king of Lanká.
149
“The meaning of Aśvins (from aśva a horse, Persian asp, Greek ἵππος, Latin equus, Welsh ech) is Horsemen. They were twin deities of whom frequent mention is made in the Vedas and the Indian myths. The Aśvins have much in common with the Dioscuri of Greece, and their mythical genealogy seems to indicate that their origin was astronomical. They were, perhaps, at first the morning star and evening star. They are said to be the children of the sun and the nymph Aśviní, who is one of the lunar asterisms personified. In the popular mythology they are regarded as the physicians of the Gods.” Gorresio.
150
The word Kumára (a young prince, a Childe) is also a proper name of Skanda or Kártikeya God of War, the son of Śiva and Umá. The babe was matured in the fire.
151
“At the rising of the sun as well as at noon certain observances, invocations, and prayers were prescribed which might under no circumstances be omitted. One of these observances was the recitation of the Sávitrí, a Vedic hymn to the Sun of wonderful beauty.” Gorresio.
152
Tripathaga, Three-path-go, flowing in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. See Canto XLV.
153
Tennyson’s “Indian Cama,” the God of Love, known also by many other names.
154
Umá, or Parvat
í, was daughter of Himálaya, Monarch of mountains, and wife of Śiva. See Kálidasa’s Kumára Sambhava, or Birth of the War-God.
155
Stháṇu. The Unmoving one, a name of Śiva.
156
“The practice of austerities, voluntary tortures, and mortifications was anciently universal in India, and was held by the Indians to be of immense efficacy. Hence they mortified themselves to expiate sins, to acquire merits, and to obtain superhuman gifts and powers; the Gods themselves sometimes exercised themselves in such austerities, either to raise themselves to greater power and grandeur, or to counteract the austerities of man which threatened to prevail over them and to deprive them of heaven.… Such austerities were called in India tapas (burning ardour, fervent devotion) and he who practised them tapasvin.” Gorresio.
157
The Bodiless one.
158
“A celebrated lake regarded in India as sacred. It lies in the lofty region between the northern highlands of the Himálayas and mount Kailása, the region of the sacred lakes. The poem, following the popular Indian belief, makes the river Sarayú (now Sarjú) flow from the Mánasa lake; the sources of the river are a little to the south about a day’s journey from the lake. See Lassen, Indische Alterthumshunde, page 34.” Gorresio. Manas means mind; mánasa, mental, mind-born.
159
Sarovar means best of lakes. This is another of the poet’s fanciful etymologies.
160
The confluence of two or more rivers is often a venerated and holy place. The most famous is Prayág or Allahabad, where the Sarasvatí by an underground course is believed to join the Jumna and the Ganges.
161
The botanical names of the trees mentioned in the text are Grislea Tormentosa, Shorea Robusta, Echites Antidysenterica, Bignonia Suaveolens, Œgle Marmelos, and Diospyrus Glutinosa. I have omitted the Kutaja (Echites) and the Tiṇḍuka (Diospyrus).
162
Here we meet with a fresh myth to account for the name of these regions. Malaja is probably a non-Aryan word signifying a hilly country: taken as a Sanskrit compound it means sprung from defilement. The word Karúsha appears to have a somewhat similar meaning.
163
“This is one of those indefinable mythic personages who are found in the ancient traditions of many nations, and in whom cosmogonical or astronomical notions are generally figured. Thus it is related of Agastya that the Vindhyan mountains prostrated themselves before him; and yet the same Agastya is believed to be regent of the star Canopus.” Gorresio.
The Sanskrit Epics Page 148
