Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

thitanga. Again, in place of the Darbha, or sacred grass of the Brahmans, the Pavitra, or purificatory instrument of sacrifice of the Magas, is said, by Vyasa, to be called Varsma, or (in another place,) Varsama. "A variety of other particulars are briefly mentioned, some of which are intelligible, others uncertain. A Maga must not touch a dead body, nor a woman at certain seasons; he should (not?) cast a dead dog on the earth, and should not die without worshipping the Sun. He should let his beard grow, travel on foot, cover his face in worshipping, and hold what is called the Púrnaka in the right hand, and the Sankha (conch-shell?) in the left; and he should worship the Sun at the three Sandhyas, and at the five festivals. Other details are too questionably particularized to be specified; but more than enough has been cited to establish the fact that the Bhavishya Purána intends, by Magas, the Mughs of the Persians, the Magi of the Greeks, and the Parsees of India. Thus, the rule of eating in silence, the covering of the mouth at worship, the prohibition of touching a corpse, or, at least, the impurity thereby contracted, are characteristic of the Parsee faith. A still more decisive indication is furnished by what is related of the Avyanga, which is, clearly, the sacred girdle of the Parsees, called, most commonly, Kusti or Kosti, but also Aiwyonghám, according to Anquetil du Perron, as quoted by Dr. John Wilson, in his notices of the Parsee religion. The latter also observes, almost in the words attributed to Vyasa: The Kusti bears some analogy to the Munja of the Brahmans.' According to him, the Kusti should be put on when the child has attained the age of seven years, seven months, and ten days, (which agrees well enough with our text); and the wickedness of not wearing it, and the consequences of such impiety, are similarly described in Zend and Pehlevi works. Unluckily, I have not, at present, the means of consulting Anquetil du Perron; or some other analogies might be traced. But there can be no doubt that another term which occurs in the Sanskrit text is identifiable in the Zend, and that the Varsma or Varsama of the Bhavishya Purána is the Barsam or Barsom of the Vendidad, -a bundle of twigs of the pomegranate, in place of the bundle of sacred grass used by the Brahmans, and equally an essential part of the apparatus employed in the worship of Fire, or oblations offered to that element, in both religions.

"It is evident, therefore, that the Bhavishya Purána, in the legend of Samba, has in view the introduction of the fire-worship of Iran; and it is curious to find so prompt an adoption by the Brahmans, and such a cordial tolerance of a foreign system of religious practices and belief. The only question that suggests itself concerns the period at which this took place, the time at which the Brahmans acknowledged the high-priests of the Sun as little inferior, in sanctity, to their own order; whether it followed the flight of the Parsees to Gujerat, in the beginning of the eighth century, or whether it occurred some few centuries earlier, when, we have reason to infer from numismatic evidence, Persian princes or satraps exercised authority on the north-west frontier of India. Either period would not be incompatible with the probable date of the Bhavishya Purana, which, in its actual form, cannot pretend to very remote antiquity. That the legend is of the more recent era is most likely; and this is confirmed by the circumstance of Samba's being fabled to have gone from Dwaraka, in Gujerat, to bring the Magas from their native country to India. That the Parsees ever made

their way into the Punjab is very questionable; and no traces are recorded of their presence on the banks of the Chandrabhaga; nor have we any notice of the remains of a temple of the Sun in that quarter, although, according to Colonel Wilford, there was a city of Sámba in the same direction."

Instead of "Nishkumbha", the preferable reading of MSS. seems to be Nikshubhá. Nor is Rijwahwa called by a second name, “Ŕiju”. For the castes in Saka-dwipa, see Vol. II., pp. 199, 200. It will there be learned, from one of my annotations, that, in lieu of "Mriga”,-the only reading known to Professor Wilson,-I found, in most of my copies, the undoubtedly correct 'Maga'.

P. LXV., 1. 3. Read Yudhishthira.

P. LXXXVI., 1. 18. See, for Hayagriva, Vol. V., p. 2, notes 1 and ¶. P. XC., 1. 12. For Kámákshyȧ read Kámákhya. And see Vol. V., p. 88, notes 2 and ***.

P. XCIX., 1. 22. Read beliefs.

P. CXV., 1. 1. I have corrected Professor Wilson's "Ratnagarbha Bhatta". Bhattacharya is a title which has been used, I believe, only in Lower Bengal; whereas the title of Bhatta, there unknown, seems to have been current in almost every other part of India.

P. CXV., 1. 3 ab infra. Instead of 'Chitsukha Yogin', Professor Wilson had, erroneously, "Chit-sukha-yoni."

For Chitsukha Muni, perhaps the same as Chitsukha Yogin, see my Sanskrit Catalogue, pp. 155 and 206.

P. 2, 1. 2. One of my MSS. here interpolates the following stanzas: विश्वेश्वरं विश्वसृजं वरेण्यं

P. 6, 1. 7.

विश्वं विशुद्धं वरदं वरिष्ठम् ।
अनादिमध्यान्तमलक्ष्यरूपं

faui faj fanfgå aðtsfæ 11

उत्पत्तिस्थितिसंहारमोक्षाणां चैककारणम् ।
नारायणमणीयांसं प्रणतोऽस्मि जगद्गुरुम् ॥

Instead of the five stanzas which, according to the text followed by the Translator, begin the work, three of my best MSS. give only the last of them, preceded by the following:

P 6, l. 16.

श्रीश्रीनिधानं गुणरत्नराजितं

पराशरं ब्रह्मसुधाम्बुधिं भजे |
हृद्यो हरेर्विष्णुपुराण कौस्तुभो
यस्मादभूद्व्यासविभुश्च विश्वदृक् ॥

"All the Hindu systems consider vegetable bodies as endowed with life." So, and correctly, remarks Professor Wilson, in his collected Works, Vol. III., p. 381. Charáchara, or the synonymo us sthavara and jangama, is, therefore, inaccurately rendered, in pp. 6, 47, 64, 149, 183, and elsewhere, "animate and inanimate", "sentient beings" and "unconscious", "conscious and unconscious beings", &c. &c. 'Loco

motive and fixed' would be better, since trees are considered to possess souls.

[blocks in formation]

P. 46, Il. 1, 2.

14 ab infra. Read Swayambhú.

The original is:

उत्पन्नः प्रोच्यते विद्वन्नित्य एवोपचारतः ।

The term here implies 'metaphorically'.

P. 55, notes, l. 5. Read Swayambhú.

P. 60, notes, 1. 2 ab infra. Read Sthúlamaya.

P. 65, note *. Also see Original Sanskrit Texts, Part I., pp. 50, 51 (2nd ed.).

P. 66, notes, 11. 3-5 ab infra. Dr. Muir translates, more correctly: "Every substance (vastu) is brought into the state of substance (vastuta) by its own inherent power." Original Sanskrit Texts, Part. I., p. 51 (2nd ed.).

P. 70, notes, 1. 7 ab infra. For the term mukhya, see Original Sanskrit Texts, Part I., p. 57, text and note 104 (2nd ed.).

P. 80, note, 1. 7 ab infra. For the term ambhamsi, see Original Sanskrit Texts, Part I., p. 24, note 36 (2nd ed.).

P. 84, 11. 13 et seq. For a similar passage, translated from the Taittiriyasamhita, see Original Sanskrit Texts, Part I., p. 16 (2nd ed.).

P. 85, notes, 1. 11. Instead of 'Shodaśin', the Translator had "Sorasi". Many errors of this stamp have been corrected silently.

P. 95, 1. 7. Professor Wilson had "Gaveduká", instead of 'Gavedhuká'; for which see Vol. V., p. 175, notes 3 and .

P. 95, notes, 1. 10. The udára is a wild grain, according to the com

mentators.

P. 95, notes, 1. 11. For the Professor's "Kodrava", I have put 'Koradúsha'. On this word the commentator Śridhara makes a remark which plainly evinces that he was not an inhabitant of Eastern India.

P. 96, l. 10. Where I have printed 'drop', the first edition had "dross". The error was typographical, the original word being bindu.

P. 98, notes, l. 4. "The city of the Gandharvas is, properly, Alaká,—on Mount Meru, the capital of Kubera." Professor Wilson, in Professor Johnson's Selections from the Mahabharata, p. 11.

P. 108, 1. 1. For the origin of the name Uttánapáda, see Original Sanskrit Texts, Part I., p. 72 (2nd ed.).

P. 109, 1. 4. Daksha's daughters by Prasúti furnish several of the Matris, according to divers enumerations of the members of this group. P. 111, notes, 1. 11. It is observable that we here have Daúdanaya, but Danda and Naya in p. 110.

P. 112, text and note *.

Raurava is one hell, and Naraka is another. See Vol. II., p. 214; p. 215, note ; and p. 216.

P. 114, 1. 13. The words "whose essence is the elements" scarcely render aright the original expression, bhúta-bhavana.

P. 116, ll. 4, 5. In Áswalayana's Grihya-sútra, IV., VIII., 19, we find the following names: Hara, Mrida, Sarva, Śiva, Bhava, Mahadeva, Ugra, Bhima, Pasupati, Rudra, Sankara, Íśána.

P. 117, 1. 2. For Ushá read Ushas. The latter is classical; the former,
Vaidik. Compare apsará and apsaras.

P. 117, l. 7 and note. According to the Mahabharata, Ádi-parvan,
$. 2589, Anila had two sons, Manojava and Avijnatagati. Which of
the two is the same as Hanumat is undecided. Can Anila be syn-
onymous with ĺśana? If not, there are two Manojavas with mothers
of the same name, Śivá.

P. 119, 1. 10. Instead of Gauri, some MSS. yield Bhútigaurí.

P. 119, ll. 23, 24. Dhaneswara is the term there rendered "the god of
riches"; and Kubera is not named in the original.

P. 129, 1. 9. Instead of my 'Sumeru', the former edition had “Meru”,
which I find in no MS.

-

P. 139, 1. 21. उपचारतः -a word often misapprehended by the
Translator, — here means 'metaphorically', not "who is not in need
of assistance". Further, :, rendered "the supreme god", is
explained as meaning 'lord of the great Ma', i. e., Lakshmi. The
original of the sentence is as follows:

प्रोच्यते परमेशो हि यः शुद्धोऽप्युपचारतः ।

प्रसीदतु स नो विष्णुरात्मा यः सर्वदेहिनाम् ॥

"May he who, though pure of connexion with all things, is, by a
figure of speech, called lord of the great Ma", &c.

P. 144, note *. My list of corrigenda, entirely overlooked by Professor
Müller, points out several gross typographical errors; and these he
has reproduced.

P. 147, note, last line. Ordinarily, at least, Ráhu is described as a Dá-
nava, or son of Danu.

P. 148, notes, 1. 7. Ráhu is generally considered to be the ascending
node; Ketu, the descending.

P. 152, 1. 4. Besides this Lakshmi, the text of the Vishnu-puráňa men-
tions another, of less note, daughter of Daksha, and wife of Dharma.
See the Index..

P. 152, 1. 7. The first edition had, for Niyati, Niryati,- an error of
the press.

[ocr errors]

P. 154, notes, 1. 14 ab infra. Agastya is a celebrated person in Hindu
legend. He is fabled to have prostrated the Vindhya mountain, as
well as to have drunk the ocean dry. The traditions of the South of
India ascribe to him a principal share in the formation of the Tamil
language and literature; and the general tenour of the legends relating
to him denotes his having been instrumental in the introduction of
the Hindu religion and civilization into the Peninsula." Professor
Wilson, in Professor Johnson's Selections from the Mahabharata, p. 51,
note 2.

P. 155, l. 7. Read Abhimanin.

P. 155, notes, l. 7.
finem.

P. 156, notes, l. 5.

Read Śankhapád. See Vol. II., p. 262, note †, ad

Pávaka, I think, is called parent of Kavyaváhana.

P. 156, note 2. See Vol. III., p. 166, note *.

P. 159, note, 1. 3. Instead of 'Ayushmat', the former edition had "Ayush-
manta", which is impossible.

P. 165, 1. 5.

P. 177, 1. 2.

P. 177, l. 8.

P. 177, I. 9.

The word "Madhuvana" is not in the original.
Variants of Slishti are Srishti and Sishti.

Aranya seems to be as common a reading as Anaranya.
For the patriarch Vairaja, see Vol. II, p. 86.

P. 178, I. 1. The original here not only names Pŕithu, but calls him by his patronym, Vainya.

P. 178, notes, 1. 12. The unwarrantable "Suvithi" stood, in the former edition, for my 'Swarvithi'.

P. 182, notes, l. 10 Read Bhramaras.

Pp. 187-191. For a passage on the milking of the Earth, see the Atharva-veda, VIII., X., 22-29,-especially, 24. I have to thank Dr. Muir for this reference.

P. 194, 1. 2. It would have been an improvement, for clearness, to put Samudra, instead of "ocean". Sagara, a well-known proper name, also means "ocean ".

VOL. II.

P. 5, last line. The original word for "region" is áyatana.

P. 7, ll. 3 and 19. Read Kesava.

P. 9, notes, l. 8 ab infra. Read by.

P. 21, notes, 1. 2. Professor Wilson had "Kakud" where I have substituted 'Kakubh'.

P. 22, 1. 3. For definitions of the Vasus and Rudras, see the Brihadáranyaka Upanishad, III., IX., 3, 4.

P. 29, 1. 3. On the number of the gods, see the Brihad-áranyaka Upanishad, III., IX., 1, 2

P. 29, notes, 1. 5. Read Sastradevatás.

P. 71, 1. 6. Simhika was half-sister of Viprachitti.

P. 85, ll. 4, 5. Soma, here called monarch of Brahmans, was, himself, a Kshattra, according to the Brihad-áranyaka Upanishad, I., IV., 11. For Vairaja, see Vol. III., p. 158, note ‡‡.

P. 86, 1. 5.

++

P. 100, l. 3. The Translator had "Medha" where I have put 'Medhas'. P. 105, notes, ll. 5, 6. Arhat is synonymous with Jina; Árhata, with Jaina. See Vol. V., p. 376, note †.

P. 112, note, l. 14. Instead of Kubera, we have Soma, in p. 240.

P. 117, 1. 8. The Gandhamádana mentioned in p. 122 is a different mountain.

P. 120, 1. 3. Burnouf considers the Sitȧ to be the same as the Sihoun. Introduction à l'Histoire du Bouddhisme Indien, Vol. I.,

p. 540. P. 120, note. The Sanskrit name of the Oxus seems, through the Chinese, to be Vakshu. And this form I have found, more than once, in MSS.

P. 121, notes, l. 10 ab infra. Read Śarayu.

[blocks in formation]

P. 137, notes, l. 10. Read

P. 143, notes, 1. 12 ab infra.

I.

Professor Wilson had "Sthaneswara" where I have put 'Sthanwiś wara'. This, the correct form, I learned from

« AnteriorContinuar »