Storia do Mogor 279: Hindu Holy Places.

279

In this realm of India, although King Aurangzeb destroyed numerous temples, there does not thereby fail to be many left at different places, both in his empire and in the territories subject to the tributary princes. All of them are thronged with worshippers ; even those that are destroyed are still venerated by the Hindus and visited for the offering of alms. The Hindus assert that in the world there are seven principal places where it is possible to obtain what one has imagined and desired — that is to say, in cases where a person wishes to become emperor or king, wealthy, powerful, or to attain other positions of the same order. Now they ordinarily hold that on dying a person's soul is transferred according to the deeds he has done ; if he has done good, his soul will pass into some one of consideration or of wealth, and should the deceased have done evil, his soul will be sent into some animal — an elephant, camel, buffalo, cow, tiger, wolf, a bird, a snake, a fish, et cetera. Now, some great sinner, deserving of hell, may be anxious for delivery therefrom, and want to become an emperor or great noble, or whatever he fancies ; it can be done by sacrificing his An illustration plate with caption "XXXI. Muhammad Amin Khan, Son of Mir Jumlah." and binder instructions ("Vol. III.", "To face page 244."). No body text present. Output nothing. life by drowning himself in a river or in the tanks found near temples at the foot of the gates.
The principal temples referred to above are these — that is to say: 1. The first, Maya, to be found among the mountains of the north. 2. Matura (Mathura), which is near the city of Agrah. 3. Caxis (KashI), which is on the Ganges, in the city of Benares. 4. Canchis (Kanjl), in the Karnatik. 5. Evantica, in the mountains of Tartary. 6. Puris (Purl), on the borders of Cochin China. 7. Darahotis (? Gangotri), at the source of the Ganges, as they suppose it to be [451].
Bands of interested persons make these lengthy pilgrimages, enduring a thousand hardships on the way, only at the end to drown by their own choice, without considering where they are about to take up their abode.
The chief temples destroyed by King Aurangzeb within his kingdom were the following: 1. Maisa (? Mayapur), 2. Matura (Mathura), 3. Caxis (KashI), 4. Hajudia (Ajudhya), and an infinite number of others; but, not to tire the reader, I do not append their names.