Storia do Mogor 281.22.6

281.22.6

The ashes of which I speak are something extraordinary, and in spite of what I have just been saying, I will not set out all their virtues according to the belief of the Hindus. Yet I find some points so singular that I believe they will interest my readers. First of all, you must know that the Hindus in this country are divided into several sects, and that each sect has its sign or mark to distinguish it from the others. In short, this mark is applied on the forehead, on the arms, and on the abdomen, et cetera. They are just like, in that respect, to anti-Christ, of whom there is mention in the Apocalypse as bearing the mark of the Beast. In the same way these idolaters bear according to their different sects the mark of their beast, which is the Cow, an animal which they venerate so deeply that they believe the dung, the urine, the milk, the buttermilk, and the butter produced by it, when mixed together and drunk, to be sufficient to wipe away all sin. Thus it is on the pretended virtues and merits of this beast that they place all their reliance and confidence. This is the reason that they call the ashes which they obtain from its burnt dung 'holy ashes.' They use them in different ways, but here are the different devices and their names. These are impressed or marked upon them with the said ashes: Lalati [Lalati] I Ordepound [Ordhpund] V Tripound [Tripund] = Bandouki [Binduka] O