OF THE GODS-Kartikéyů.]

she rolled together, and made into the image of a child; with which she was so much The image pleased, that she infused life into it, and called it Hŭridra-Gŭnéshŭ.*

of this god is yellow, having the face of an elephant. He holds in one hand a rope; in another the spike used by the elephant driver; in another a round sweetmeat, and in another a rod.

The principal names of Ginéshú are: Gunéshů, or, the lord of the gunnŭ dévtas. †— Dwoimatoorů, the two-mothered.+- Ékü-düntü, the one toothed.-Hérumbů, he who resides near to Shivů.—Lũmbodŭrů, the long bellied.-Güjanün ŭ, the elephant-faced.

SECTION VIII.

Kartikeyů.

THIS is the god of war. He is represented sometimes with one and at other times with six faces; is of a yellow colour; rides on a peacock;§ and holds in his right hand an arrow, and in his left a bow.

The reason of the birth of Kartikéyŭ is thus told in the Koomaru-sŭmbhŭvů, one of the kavyŭs: Tarŭků, a giant, performed religious austerities till he obtained the blesHe commanded sing of Brimha, after which he oppressed both bramhuns and gods.

that the sun should shine only so far as was necessary to cause the water-lily to blos som; that the moon should shine in the day as well as in the night. He sent the god

Hŭridra is the name for turmerick.

These are the companions of Shivů.

One of Gunéshu's mothers was Doorga, and the other the female clephant whose head he wears.

After

Yumu to cut grass for his horses; commanded Půvĭmů to prevent the wind from blowing any stronger than the puff of a fan; and in a similar manner tyrannized over all the gods. At length Indru called a council in heaven, when the gods applied to Brumha; but the latter declared he was unable to reverse the blessing he had bestowed on Tarŭků; that their only hope was Kartikéyů, who should be the son of Shivă, and destroy the giant.-After some time the gods assembled again to consult respecting the marriage of Shivu, whose mind was entirely absorbed in religious austerities. long consultations, Kundurpŭ* was called, and all the gods began to flatter him in such a manner that he was filled with pride, and declared he could do every thing: he could conquer the mind even of the great god Shivů himself. That, says Indru, is the very thing we want you to do.' At this he appeared discouraged, but at length declared, that he would endeavour to fulfil his promise. He consulted his wife Rūtēē ; who reproved him for his temerity, but consented to accompany her husband. They set off, with Vusŭntu,† to mount Himalŭyŭ, where they found Shivă sitting under a roodrakshŭ tree, performing his devotions.

Previously to this, Himalŭyŭş had been to Shivu, and proposed that Doorga, his daughter, should wait upon him, that he might uninterruptedly go on with his religious austerities; which offer Shivй accepted. One day, after the arrival of Kündürpů and his party, Doorga, with her two companions Juya and Vijŭya, carried some flowers and a necklace to Shivu. In the moment of opening his eyes from his meditation, to receive the offering, Kundurpů let fly his arrow; and Shivu, smitten with love, awoke as from a dream, and asked who had dared to interrupt his devotions.-Looking towards the south he saw Kundŭrpů, when fire proceeded from the third eye in the centre of his forehead, and burnt Kundŭrpu to ashes. The enraged god left this place for another forest, and Doorga, seeing no prospect of being married to Shivů, returned

doos.

The god of love.

The spring. The Hindoo poets always unite love and spring together.

From the fruit of this tree necklaces are made, the wearing of which is a great act of merit among the Hin❤

§ The mountain of this name personified.

Through the blessing of Shivă to Ritée, Kundurpů was afterwards born in the family of Krishna, and took the name of Kamň-dévů, after which Rutee (then called Mayavůtěē) was again married to him.

home full of sorrow. She sought at last to obtain her object by the power of religious austerities, in which she persevered till Shivů was drawn from his devotions, when the marriage was consummated.

The Muhabharŭtŭ and Ramayănă contain accounts of the birth of Kartikéyŭ, the fruit of this marriage, but they are so indelicate that the reader, I doubt not, will excuse their omission.

On the last evening in the month Kartiků, a clay image of this god is worshipped,† and the next day thrown into the water. These ceremonies differ little from those at other festivals: but some images made on the occasion are not less than twenty-five cubits high ; that is, a whole tree is put into the ground, and worshipped as a god. The height of the image obliges the worshippers to fasten the offerings to the end of a long bamboo, in order to raise them to the mouth of the god. This fes tival is distinguished by much singing, music, dancing, and other accompaniments of Hindoo worship.

The image of Kartikéyň is also made and set up by the side of his mother Doorga, at the great festival of this goddess in the month Ashwinй; and each day, at the close of the worship of Doorga, that of her son is performed at considerable length. In the month Choitră also the worship of Kartikeyŭ accompanies that of his mother.-No bloody sacrifices are offered to this idol.

At the time when the above festival is held, some persons maket or purchase clay

When this goddess, says a kavyů shastrů, told her mother that she would perform austerities to obtain Shivů, her mother, alarmed, exclaimed-" Ooma! (Oh! mother!) how can you think of going into the forest to perform religious austerities? Stay and perform religious services at home, and you will obtain the god you desire. How can your tender form bear these severities. The Blower bears the weight of the bee, but if a bird pitch upon it, it breaks directly."

+ Vast numbers of these images are made; in some towns as many as 500. It is supposed that in Calcutta more than five thousand are made and worshipped.

He who makes an image for his own use is supposed to do an act of much greater merit than the person who purchases one.

images, which they place in their houses, and before which the officiating bramhun performs the appointed ceremonies, preceding which, a prayer is made for offspring. This is repeated sometimes on the anniversary of this day, for four years together. If the person, long disappointed, should, in these years, or soon after, happen to have a child, particularly a son, the whole is ascribed to Kartikeyů.* When persons have made a vow to Kartikeyů, they present offerings to this idol at the completion of the vow. These vows are sometimes made to obtain the health of a child, or a son: a woman, when she makes this vow, thus addresses the god: 'Oh! Kartikéyu, t'hakooru,† give me a son, and I will present to thee [here she mentions a number of offerings, as sweetmeats, fruits, &c.]—I do not want a female child.'

This vow may be made

When several women are

at any time, or place, without any previous ceremony. sitting together, another woman perhaps comes amongst them, and, in the course of conversation, asks the mistress of the house: Has your daughter-in-law any children yet?' She replies, in a plaintive manner, No-nothing but a girl.' Or, she answers altogether in the negative, adding, "I have again and again made vows to Kartikéyŭ, and even now I promise before you all, that if the god will give her a son, I will worship him in a most excellent manner, and my daughter-in-law will do it as long as she lives,'

There are no temples in Bengal dedicated to Kartikéyŭ, nor are any images of him kept in the houses of the Hindoos except during a festival.

The principal names of Kartikéyŭ are: Kartikéyů, or, he who was cherished by six females of the name of Krittika.‡-Müha-sénů, he who commands multitudes.

A part of the Mahabharůtů is sometimes recited to obtain offspring. The part thus read is a list of the ancestors of Hăree, (a name of Vishnoo). When a person wishes to have this ceremony performed, he employs a learned native to recite these verses, and another to examine, by a separate copy, whether the verses be read without mistake; if they be read improperly, no benefit will arise from the ceremony. If the person who seeks offspring be unable to attend himself during the ceremony, he engages some friend to hear the words in his stead. Some versce of praise, addressed to Shivă, are also occasionally read in the ears of a husband and wife who are anxious to obtain offspring.

A term of respect, meaning excellent.

Six stars, (belonging to ursa major) said to be the wives of six of the seven rishees. These females are called Krittika. They cherished Kartikeyů as soon as he was born in the forest of writing-reeds, and hence his name is a regular patronymic of Krittika, because they were as his mothers.

—Shŭranŭnů, the six-faced.—Skundu, he who afflicts the giants.-Ŭgnibhoo, he who arose from Ŭgnee.-Goohu, he who preserves his troops in war.-Tarukŭjit, he who conquered Tarŭkŭ.—Vishakhŭ, he who was born under the constellation of this name. -Shikhi-vahŭnů, he who rides on a peacock.-Shüktee-dhůru, he who wields the wea pon called shŭktee.-Koomarů, he who is perpetually young.*-Krounchŭ-darănů, he who destroyed the giant Krounchů.

It is said that Kartikéy ŭ was never married, but that Indru gave him a mistress named Déviséna. He has no separate heaven, nor has Gunéshŭ: they live with Shivă on mount Koilasů.

SECTION IX.

Ugnee.

THIS god is represented as a red corpulent man, with eyes, eye-brows, beard, and hair, of a tawny colour. He rides on a goat; wears a poita, and a necklace made with the fruits of eleocarpus ganitrus. From his body issue seven streams of glory, and in his right hand he holds a spear. He is the son of Kushyupů and Ŭditee.

Ugnee has his forms of worship, meditation, &c. like other gods, but is especially worshipped, under different names, at the time of a burnt-offering, when clarified butter is presented to him. The gods are said to have two mouths, viz. that of the bramhăn, and of fire (Ŭgnee).

At the full moon in the month Maghu, when danger from fire is considerable, some persons worship this god before the image of Brümha with the accustomed ceremonies, for three days. When any particular work is to be done by the agency of fire, as when a kiln of bricks is to be burnt, this god is worshipped; also when a trial by ordeal is to be performed.

Under sixteen years of age.