The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c24.121

Language: English

v1.c24.121.1

The number of conversions cannot be ascertained with precision. Fr. Besse, after an examination of de Nobili's letters, records their number at 71 for this first period of his work, from 1607 to 1614¹. The letters of de Nobili and his companions often commemorate the virtues practised by these Christians, that recall to our mind those of the first Christians of Rome. Alexis Nayak is mentioned as an example of humility and Christian perfection ². His brother Vihuuada (Vihuvada) Nayaka preferred to be dismissed from the retinue of Kasturi Nayaka, a cousin of Muttu Virappa Nayaka, rather than mark his forehead with the sacred ashes as in former days ³. Another called Calistri (?) is shown as busy spreading the Christian faith among his old friends and always desirous of the palm of martyrdom ⁴. The craftsman we have mentioned above was offered great quantities of money to induce him to make several statues of idols; but he always refused them, preferring a life of poverty to contributing any more to the splendour of that cult ⁵. Fr. Buccerio, a companion of Fr. Fernandez, by whom he was later on influenced against Fr. de Nobili, wrote a brilliant apology for the converts of de Nobili. "I observed in that Christian community", says he, "two other things well worthy of the highest praise, and exceedingly rare in India, among those who wish to become Christians. I may speak from experience, for during my long apostolate the Lord sent me many to be instructed and baptised.

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Those who thus present themselves generally come to us either because of the interest they find in joining Christians of their caste, or because of the difficulties they experience in remaining pagans or Muhammadans, or because they hope to secure some temporal advantage, or for other interested motives. For these reasons they are often he cause of great difficulties to us. What can we give them? How are we to clothe or protect them? At the same time we must give them much instruction in order to teach them to purify their intention, and to make them understand that in our religion alone can they find salvation. But, on the other hand I observe that, in Fr. Roberto’s community, those new Christians have come with no other end in view than their salvation; also after having attended, during several months, the instructions of the Aiyer (de Nobili) and understood that our religion is the only true one, they asked to be baptised and to be made Christians, solely to please God and to save their soul. The Aiyer has never to give anything to his Christians; it is rather they who, on the day of their baptism, are wont to present the Aiyer with some little offerings for the use of his church, or for other similar purposes. We, on the contrary, are all our lifelong beset with cares and anxieties to find out how we may help our Christians, who are continually begging. Some of them have even come all the distance from Cape Comorin to this city, in order to approach me for some help.

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The second thing which I always tried, though in vain, to make both Christians and Pagans understand, is that our religion is no more the religion of the Portuguese than of any other nation; and that by becoming a Christian an Indian does not lose his honour or his caste, but rather keep all the honour he had, and adds to it the much greater glory of becoming an adopted son of God. But it is useless for us to speak to them in this way; we fail entirely to persuade them; for those who come to us are invariably regarded by Christians and Pagans as joining the caste of the Pranguis or Portuguese, or of that of the Paravas, according to the nature of the converts; and the Pagans look down upon us in the matter of caste, as being below everything. In consequence respectable Pagans, or even the Christians of St. Thomas, refuse to admit those converts into their houses or to their churches. Fr. Roberto has obtained totally different results. Hence, though both Christians and Pagans well know that the law he preaches is the same as that of the Portuguese (as is proved by the crosses and other pious objects which those Chrstians wear in place of the image of their gods), the Christians (of de Nobili) have the satisfaction of being assured that the Father is not a Prangui; and the Pagans, who have the same conviction, are appeased and have no difficulties in dealing with the Christians in all social or civil matters” ¹.