Storia do Mogor 251: CHAPTER IV · WHAT THE HINDUS SAY ABOUT THIS WORLD
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 251
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CHAPTER IV · WHAT THE HINDUS SAY ABOUT THIS WORLD
251.1
The Hindus suppose there are fourteen worlds — that is, seven above and six below this earth ; the one in which we live makes the fourteenth. They state their position in the following manner [108]. The lowest of all is, they say, Hell ; the next above is another world called Magadalam (Mahatala) ; the next is Saladaland (Sutala) ; then Backchadaland (? Gabhastimat), which is a world of quicksilver, and they also assert it to be the world of snakes. The one which comes next is Chuduland (? Nitala), and above it is Vedeland (Vitala) ; then between it and our earth is Adaland (Atala). Next comes our terrestrial world, within which, they say, are seven seas, one of salt water, one of melted sugar, one of toddy-spirit, one of butter, one of curds, and one of milk. In this last, according to them, dwells their Vishnu, and there a very beautiful serpent with five heads forms his bed. Finally, they say there is one more sea, the last of all, which is of very pure and crystal-like water.
251.2
Below the terrestrial world is Air, then Zoarcan (Swargam), where all those who in this world have sacrificed to the gods enjoy every sort of delight. Not to be deprived of what they consider the greatest of all delights, they have there a great number of courtesans. Yet they overlook the fact that they have already said that in this region dwells the king of the gods, called Vendirem (Devendram). Above Swarga lies Magalogan (Mahalokam) — that is, ' Great World ' — where Vendirem (Devendra) and the other three hundred and thirty millions of gods dwell divided into two kinds, one called gods and the other giants ; and these wage perpetual war against each other. Above the world just spoken of there is, they say, Genelogam (Jana-lokam), which signifies ' World of Giants,' in which place there are many such, of all degrees. After this comes Tabalagam (Tapa-lokam), which means in effect ' World of Penitents,' where dwell all those who have been ascetics in this world. The last of the fourteen worlds is called Satialogaoii (Satyaloka), signifying the 'World of Verity.' There, as they say, are to be found Brahma and his devotees, all of whom change into or become absorbed into him, and become, as it may be said, the god Brahma himself.
251.3
If you ask the time fixed for this transubstantiation, they tell you it is in this terrestrial world, when the Brahman who turns monk cuts in two the thread they all wear round the body, and removes the long lock of hair usually worn at the back of the head as proof of their high caste. When by the removal of this sign of rank they have denoted their adoption of an ascetic life, they take in the right hand a bambu staff as tall as themselves, either of eight, nine, ten, or fourteen knots, and in the left hand a kind of pot, copper or earthen. Then they tie round their waist a piece of yellow cloth, pronouncing the words 'Agam Brahma' — that is, 'I am the very god Brahma.' The Brahmans present at this ceremonial prostrate themselves and worship the man as God. The Brahman women bring a kind of tart or cake which they lay before the new-made god. The latter, as a proof of asceticism, must not during that night eat of any other food. These men are the haughtiest of all the people in this country. At death they say they go to Brahma's world.
251.4
Here is their account of their fourteen imaginary worlds, said by them to be placed one upon the other in a mountain of very fine gold of twenty-four carats. They call this mountain Magameru Paravadam (Maha Meru Parvatam) — that is, 'Very Great Mountain.' They hold that it is sustained by an elephant, which rests in turn on a tortoise, and it, again, upon a snake, called Sexen (Sesham). If you ask them how that snake keeps its place with such a great weight upon it, they reply that they do not know, because [109], up to the present, their books make no mention of that, referring only to what is above it. In the books it is, however, stated as an unquestionable fact that, when an earthquake visits us, it is nothing but the snake moving the world off one shoulder on to the other to rest himself of his burden. They also say that the same snake causes eclipses.