Storia do Mogor 281.23
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 281.23
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281.23.1
Afterwards the ashes are rubbed on the arms while they say, Tolbairevem (Tol Bhairavam)—that is, 'I invoke the god Bayrevu (Bhairava).' He is depicted with a very black face, and he is also feared beyond measure, because they hold that when he enters anyone's body he cannot be ejected again. For this reason he is accepted as the god of Force. When they put the ashes on their elbows they say, Tandon manicanken ranacancan—that is, 'On my wrists and elbows be Rancancan.' But it would take too long to tell the story of this false god. It is enough to state that they consider he was engendered by their supreme god who dwelt with Vishnu disguised as a woman. From this union issued the beautiful divinity invoked in marking the wrists and elbows, their object being to obtain promptly what they desire.
281.23.2
They also put some of the ashes on the stomach and say, 'Mailastaren benarem' (Mulasthanam Subrahmanya) — that is, 'May Subrahmanya be on my stomach.' This so-called divinity is surnamed Aremocouet (aru-mukham), and has one face in front and two on each side, making altogether five, and a sixth one on his stomach, as they assert, with which he governs the five other [faces], and he is made all of fire. They place some of these ashes on their loins while invoking Vishnu in his capacity of god of procreation. Farther on will be found the infamous things, the crimes, and the tergiversations that they attribute to this so-called god. While applying some of the ashes to the knees, they utter the same invocation, wet their hands a little, and take a taste of some of this unction on their tongue.
281.23.3
The Bandouki (Binduka) is the sign and mark of the Zaina (Jain) sect, people who reject the ablutions and bathings in rivers affected by the Brahmans. As the bases of salvation they adopt charity and penance, but these they expound very imperfectly, for those virtues are applied to none but insects. They accept, however, all the books and fables of the other Hindus. Out of all the idols they worship only Dadinata (Adinatha) and a certain Pitamber (Pitambara), whom they hold to be a divinity apart. He was the founder of this sect nearly thirteen hundred years ago. These people also mark themselves very often [71] with the tripound (tripund) above the other sign, as a testimony that although they are of this caste (Jains), they still believe in all the other false gods, having even a special reliance upon Amahedou (Mahadeva).
281.23.4
After enumerating all these characters, with all these ill-understood enigmas and peculiarities, may I not designate them the Signs of the Beast? For the Scripture tells us there are three kinds of beast. That is to say, one is really a beast, just as is the cow. Secondly, the devil is represented as a beast, and, finally, the same name is given to Antichrist. These characteristics, as it seems to me, agree admirably well with those marks I speak of. They who use them worship idols, and are the enemies of Jesus Christ; again, they are the sign of the demon, for by it he recognises those who are his. And, lastly, they are the Sign of the Beast, since they are, purely and simply, the excrement of a cow. Superius quae vernacula lingua explicare non libuit, ne rudes scandalizarentur, docti viri mihi auctores fuerunt ut latina apud doctos explicarem, quippe qui videant et judicent quantae haec signa sint abominationis. Dicam igitur quod illi qui talem sectam sequuntur, hoc signum deferunt in memoriam dei Vishenou qui nullibi poterat relinquere suam uxorem neque domi, neque stantem, neque sedentem in terra, sed multum diffidebat de illa, sive ob suam ipsius zelotypiam, sive ob mulieris inconstantiam, quare coactus erat illam in capite sedentem gestare, ita ut verenda caput tangerent quod V caractere representatur.
281.23.5
Quando vero menstruum tempus aderat, ex isto infami loco spurcitiae sanguineae in caput et frontem Vishenou defluebant, quod per medianum punctum significatur, bestialis certe devotio et caracter. Quibus addam quod Dea illa versa est in ventum, et sedit in arbore pipli, cuius folia ut dicunt representant membrum genitale muliebre, et est quasi populus nostra, et quam dicatam habent Deo Vishenou, quem dicunt in ea esse, et haec causa propter quam tam gentiles quam Christiani Jesuitici illam pro ceremoniis matrimonii praecipuis admittant, id est quia figuram matrimonii representat, in ea enim adstant Vishenou et eius uxor Savatri, Savatri quidem fertilis, et Vishenou generis humani conservator et auctor. Quae supradicta omnia apud Christianos penitus exstinxerant qui illos antea regebant Capucini in Pondicherry: nunc autem ut novos sibi discipulos et proselitas concilient, alia incedunt via et gentilizare a Deo cogunt, ut eos qui ad Ecclesiam sine predicto caractere veniunt, illis in ipsa ecclesia supra frontem adhibeant; unde schisma oritur inter antiquos et novos eorum Christianos, quorum primi folia abhorrent, alii approbant: primi [signum] abhorrent, et tamen per vim eo insigniri coguntur; alii approbant et caeteros missionarios tamquam minus peritos despiciunt.
281.23.6
Gentiles vero ex hoc superbientes criminantur quod precedentes patres qui hanc rexerunt ecclesiam, non erant docti sed omnino rudes, et propterea superstitionis suae ritus gentilicios despiciebant, nunc autem quando venerunt docti illorum patres Jesuitae, iam ut sanctos et venerabiles recipiunt, et exercent ita ut iam sperent fore ut non multum post tempus religionem suam tamquam veram et ad salutem necessariam profiteantur.
281.23.7
As I have already spoken of Vishnu, it will not be out of place to describe him more minutely. They say he came from the belly of their [blank in text], and make of him the second person of their false Trinity and the preserver of the human race. They add that to work unceasingly at this preservation he married Savati (Savitri) or Parvati (Parvati); that he metamorphosed himself several times into a woman, once into a whale, once into a tortoise; that at another time he assumed the shape of a boar; that he made himself into a half lion half man, then became a dwarf, then a man taking the name Ram. They relate that in heaven he poisoned himself, that he returned to human shape to rest from his labours and to amuse himself. They also call him Crochenou (Krishna), a barbarous word to which these poor people themselves can hardly give a meaning, since they interpret it in many ways. He is addicted to every sort of vice; he is a parricide, an adulterer, raises quarrels and dissension everywhere, and is a great thief. Finally, this so-called god fled into a river to hide, and there changed himself into a fish and was caught by a fisherman. What strange blindness of the human mind! Of what is it not capable when it is blinded, or, rather, has been left to itself unenlightened by the Light from on high! But I must go on with my story.
281.23.8
Now I come to the burials of these idolatrous Christians, which are not less full of superstitious observances than are all their other ceremonials. As soon as anyone has passed away, some betel is put into his mouth, and his teeth are smeared with some juice of that leaf. The body is washed from head to foot with a solution of cow-dung, and the tripound (tripund) sect mark is made. Following the custom of the Sajuas (Saivas), they make for the dead man a throne, called in the Malabar tongue a pare (padai). It is constructed out of the canes of a wood they call paxarambou (pdr-karumbu), which is nothing more nor less than the sugar-cane. The body is wrapped in the best cloth of cotton or of silk that they can procure; and the throne is decorated on the outside with many mirrors, to which are added cut cucumbers attached by little pieces of betel, some stalks of rice in the ear, and at the four corners some banana plants. The corpse is placed in this sort of shrine seated as in a chair, and in this equipment is carried in triumph on men's shoulders to the sound of trumpets, just as one might do to some holy man's relics.
281.23.9
With regard to these ridiculous interments, I knew a Malabar macou (mukkava), or boatman, who, in terror of being buried in this way, sent, when at the point of death, to have the measure taken of the Capuchin tombs, in order to be buried like a Christian. To this the Jesuits were opposed, and the poor man died eight or ten days afterwards, still claiming to be buried as a Christian. In the end the Jesuits granted the request, but consent was forced from them. Some time afterwards a man named André, broker to the French Company, died. His relations and Monsieur le Gouverneur (F. Martin) pressed for his burial in the fortress. To this the Jesuits would never consent, because they wanted liberty to bury him like a Hindu. I know not if they carried out all the ceremonial above described, but they had a night procession. In this the body was carried ; there were drums and trumpets, followed by a number of matchlock-men, who from time to time fired off their pieces. After them came a throne like that described above, fashioned like a pagoda, and adorned with mirrors, et cetera. Next came the cross, along with the Jesuit fathers and Monsieur Appiany. The body was in a palanquin, preceded by several persons driving away the night flies (? mosquitoes) with handkerchiefs and cloths ; others walked beside the palanquin and fanned the deceased. This funeral pomp struck one as rather more of a nuptial display than anything else.