1 The Hindu objects
2 of worship.
3 Hoanim in,
4 Tho Jamna.
5 The Ganges,
6 Th2 enw,
7 Th: Dartimabh
8 42, HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
9 missiles; his ornaments are war tactics; his eyes are yellow; he is girt with
10 the garland of victory and he rides ona bull, ;
11 The Hindus, pacific both by creed and habit, seem to have taken their
12 notions of the Deity from the ave inspired in their minds by things grand or
13 uncommon in the universe, by anything terrifying or strikingly beautiful and
14 attractive, or by anything eminently useful. This accounts for their worship
15 of the sun, the moon, the stars and other heavenly bodies, of animals, birds,
16 trees and rivers. Brahmins are fed in honour of Surajdevat«, and people
17 abstain from eating salt, or from setting milk to make butter, on Sundays.
18 The pious Hindu, while bathing in the sunlight, invariably throws a handful
19 of water in the direction of the sun to cool and refresh the god. ‘The lion, the
20 king of the forest, is worshipped; so are serpents. The elephant, which
21 possesses a gigantic form, is worshipped; but the camel, in spite of its size, 1s
22 denied this honour, apparently because it does not possess the bulk, or
23 the magnificence and grace which form the principal features of its massive,
24 dark-skinned brother. The beautiful peacock is an object of reverence, and
25 its plumes form fans for gods and kings alike. The pzpal and bor trees are
26 worshipped owing to their great size and the shade they afford to travellers.
27 Their roots are supplied with water, which is supposed to quench infallibly
28 the thirst of departed relatives and friends in the world unseen. The monkey
29 is worshipped under the name of Hanimdn. Hanzé in Sanskrit means cheek-
30 bone. The monkey falling from the sun’s orbit broke his cheek-bone, and
31 was called Hantiimdan, or the monkey-god. He is immortal and can give long
32 life to men, hence he is worshipped on birthdays.
33 The larger rivers of India are the objects of great veneration. With
34 the ancient Aryans the Scindhus was “ the far-famed bestower of wealth.”
35 With the modern Hindus, Jamnaji, or Lady Jamna, and Gangamai, or
36 Mother Ganges, represented as female deities, are the chief objects of
37 adoration. Brahmins are fed in honour of the Lady Jamna. The Purdénas
38 are loud in their praises of Mother Ganges. She is believed to have her source
39 in heaven, whither her waters finally return, after purifying the souls of men
40 upon earth, Her mercies and gifts are boundless, and her virtues and good
41 attributes beyond conception. Bathe in her waters, and all your sins, however
42 heinous, are washed away. Touch them and you are purified. Meditate on
43 them, from however great a distance, and you are sure to obtain instant relief
44 from your trouble. The very sight, the very name, the very thought of
45 “Ganga,” carries with it incalculable blessings. Itis meritorious to die within
46 sight of the Ganges. Sick persons are taken to its banks, that they may
47 breathe their last by the holy stream and thereby pave the way toheayen. It
48 is the great repository of the bones of the dead. From great distances the
49 bones of Hindus are carried to the river and thrown into the holy waters for
50 the benefit of the souls of the dead. The annual fair of Hardwar is held on
51 - banks during the first fortnight of April, when thousands of votaries flock
52 oo ae parts of India to bathe in the sacred stream and wash away their sins.
53 eine: oot : = ones of wh profoundest veneration, and the Dhartimai, or
54 scailewcd ta a nee in onoure spas When a cow is milked the first stream
55 medicine Ae ke ground as an offering to the goddess. Before wine or
56 aken, a few drops are sprinkled on the ground in her honour.
57 The custom seems to have been the same among the ancient Persians, as
58 the following couplet of the celebrated poet, Hafiz of Shiraz, shews :— :
59 CEs WLAs dese Lord wD sf]
60 SU Be py wey add aS 3 OY 5)
61 you partake of wine throw a handfu
62 0 harm can result from a sin which b
63 “ Wh
64 ns lon the ground,
65 enefits others,”
66 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh J i eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com