. Ancient faiths embodied in ancient names; or, An attempt to trace the religious belief, sacred rites, and holy emblems of certain nations . grossignorance and degrading superstition common amongstthe masses who helieved, and the prophets andteachers who promulgated, stories of Seirim, Lihth,Devils, &c., and to show how foolish it would be fora rational theologian to accept such idle tales as theso-called inspired effusions of the only wise This is the name given in Hiudostan to the symbolwhich characterises the male creator. If we examinethe signification of the word by means of a
. Ancient faiths embodied in ancient names; or, An attempt to trace the religious belief, sacred rites, and holy emblems of certain nations . grossignorance and degrading superstition common amongstthe masses who helieved, and the prophets andteachers who promulgated, stories of Seirim, Lihth,Devils, &c., and to show how foolish it would be fora rational theologian to accept such idle tales as theso-called inspired effusions of the only wise This is the name given in Hiudostan to the symbolwhich characterises the male creator. If we examinethe signification of the word by means of a SanscritLexicon, we find that it is used as * a mark, spot, orsign, the phallus, Siva, nature, or the creative powerand the ^n-imary body. Associated with the wordstri, as in strilinga, it signifies the yoni, i. e., qu(Bfacit arrigere. The means by which the Linga, Sivaor Mahadeva are symbolised are obelises, pillars ofany shape, especially pyramids, upright stones, stumpsof trees, trees denuded of boughs, any high trees,especially palm trees, poles, &c. Sometimes it isrepresented by an union of four human heads, the Figure 221 whole bearing a cap as in Fig. 13, and by a pillar en-circled by a serpent as in Fig. 9. In some instancesSiva is represented as an ordinary man. The frequencywith which the Linga is asssociated with the cobra isvery great, and evidently symbolises the active con-dition of the thing signified. The pillar is often of ared colour, as this is supposed to signify the creativepower (Moors Hindoo Pantheon, p. 6), equivalentalso to Brahma, to the sun, and to fire, but the colouris not an essential part of the emblem, for in thegolden temple at Benares it is pure white. As far as I can learn from a study of MoorsHindoo Pantheon and the accounts of those who havebeen long resident in India, the symbol is regardedwith as great reverence, by men, women, and children,as is the cross in Papal Europe. Before it lampsare lighted in worship, and for it shrines are
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