DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0311
CASTE IN RELATION TO RELIGION
the members of the Arya Samaj, would justify the prohi-
bition against her slaughter solely on the score of her
economic usefulness. But the vast majority regard her as
being, if not divine, at all events sacred. 1 he Amawas
of every month is set apart as the cattle’s day of rest.
The Brahmani buli, let loose after a death, like the scape-
goat of the Jews, with the weight of the dead man’fe
sins upon him, is allowed to wander where he will, and
feed where he will. Many pious Hindus keep a cow in
the house, and place her where the master of the house
will see her when he wakes. The killing of a cow, even
if accidental, involves the severest caste penalties.
Every Hindu, however primitive his other beliefs may
be, has the conception of a supreme per-
25. The worship sonal god, who is called Parameshwar.1
of Parameshwar According to the Puranic metaphysic,
Parameshwar is the universal spirit when
manifested as a person, who, according as he is actuated
by apathy, activity, or goodness, becomes one of the
three divine individualities, Brahma, Siva, or Vishnu.
Clearly, the professed Saiva or Vaishnava has no real
place for this deity in his cosmogony, and would proba-
bly explain his presence there by saying that he icus
Siva or Vishnu. But the philosophical explanation of
him means little or nothing to the ordinary Hindu. He
simply regards Parameshwar as a god above all other
gods, the ultimate creator of the universe, who takes
pleasure in good and abhors evil; but as being also much
too exalted to take any active interest in the affairs of his
followers. Siva, Vishnu, and all the rest of the heavenly
host may be subordinate to him; but they are of much
more practical importance, because they can and will ren-
der assistance to their petitioners. As an Indian friend
recently put it to me, the difference between Parameshwar
and other gods is the difference between the King Empe-
ror and the district officers. But howevet* indeterminate
the Hindu’s idea of Parameshwar may be, it rnakes of him
at bottom a monotheist, or at the least a henotheist.
1 Also Ishwar, Bhagwan, or Narayan.
29 7
the members of the Arya Samaj, would justify the prohi-
bition against her slaughter solely on the score of her
economic usefulness. But the vast majority regard her as
being, if not divine, at all events sacred. 1 he Amawas
of every month is set apart as the cattle’s day of rest.
The Brahmani buli, let loose after a death, like the scape-
goat of the Jews, with the weight of the dead man’fe
sins upon him, is allowed to wander where he will, and
feed where he will. Many pious Hindus keep a cow in
the house, and place her where the master of the house
will see her when he wakes. The killing of a cow, even
if accidental, involves the severest caste penalties.
Every Hindu, however primitive his other beliefs may
be, has the conception of a supreme per-
25. The worship sonal god, who is called Parameshwar.1
of Parameshwar According to the Puranic metaphysic,
Parameshwar is the universal spirit when
manifested as a person, who, according as he is actuated
by apathy, activity, or goodness, becomes one of the
three divine individualities, Brahma, Siva, or Vishnu.
Clearly, the professed Saiva or Vaishnava has no real
place for this deity in his cosmogony, and would proba-
bly explain his presence there by saying that he icus
Siva or Vishnu. But the philosophical explanation of
him means little or nothing to the ordinary Hindu. He
simply regards Parameshwar as a god above all other
gods, the ultimate creator of the universe, who takes
pleasure in good and abhors evil; but as being also much
too exalted to take any active interest in the affairs of his
followers. Siva, Vishnu, and all the rest of the heavenly
host may be subordinate to him; but they are of much
more practical importance, because they can and will ren-
der assistance to their petitioners. As an Indian friend
recently put it to me, the difference between Parameshwar
and other gods is the difference between the King Empe-
ror and the district officers. But howevet* indeterminate
the Hindu’s idea of Parameshwar may be, it rnakes of him
at bottom a monotheist, or at the least a henotheist.
1 Also Ishwar, Bhagwan, or Narayan.
29 7