Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purânic . have still another account * of the origin of Kartikeya :Siva emitted sparks of fire from his eyes, which, being throwninto the lake Saravana, became six infants, who were nursed bythe wives of the Rishis, who are seen in the sky as the Parvati saw these children, she was transported with theirbeauty, and embraced all of them together so forcibly that theirsix bodies became one ; while their six heads and twelve armsremained. Kartikeya is better known in South India under the nameof Subramanya. The Skanda Purana gives a full account ofhis war
Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purânic . have still another account * of the origin of Kartikeya :Siva emitted sparks of fire from his eyes, which, being throwninto the lake Saravana, became six infants, who were nursed bythe wives of the Rishis, who are seen in the sky as the Parvati saw these children, she was transported with theirbeauty, and embraced all of them together so forcibly that theirsix bodies became one ; while their six heads and twelve armsremained. Kartikeya is better known in South India under the nameof Subramanya. The Skanda Purana gives a full account ofhis war with Sura, and relates how he was sent by his father tointerrupt Dakshas sacrifice ; and how, at the instigation of thelatter, he was delayed on his journey by beautiful damsels, whoentertained him with dance and song. Hence it is the prac-tice for dancing girls who are attached to the pagodas, to bebetrothed and married to him ; and, though allowed to prostitutethemselves, cannot re-marry. * Garretts Classical Dictionary of 283 CHAPTER IX. THE PURANIC ACCOUNT OF THE CREATION. BEFORE passing on to the inferior deities, an account of thecreation will be given. It is not at all easy to give a consistentaccount from the Hindu Scriptures, because the imaginations ofthe writers seem to have run wild on this subject ; not havingany authority, each writer has written what seemed good tohimself. As in the accounts of the deities, the germs of whatoccupies a large space in the more recent, are found in theolder books. The following hymn from the Rig-Veda * describesthe primal condition of things before the creative power of theDeity was exercised :— There was neither aught nor naught, nor air, nor sky covered all ? Where rested all ? In watery gulf profound ?Nor death was then, nor deathlessness, nor change of night and One breathed calmly, self-sustained ; nought else beyond it lay. Gloom, hid in gloom, existed first—one sea, eluding One, a vo
Size: 1581px × 1581px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublisheretcetc, bookyear188
