Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c7.133

c7.133

Beside these great Hindu gods thus worshipped in a somewhat altered form, a number of lesser beneficent divinities are also worshipped upon special occasions, as for example *Gaṇa deviyō* (Gaṇēśa), *Bhūmi dēvi* (goddess of the earth, who alone remained by Buddha when all other gods fled in terror of Māra’s attack); minor deities (*dēvatavo*) and nature spirits, such as the guardians of the threshold and the door; spirits dwelling in trees, who should be propitiated before the tree is felled, and the like. The sun and moon are regularly spoken of as gods, but are not worshipped with offerings, though often invoked or mentioned with others in religious songs.