DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14696#0854
774
Modifications in the shape
also in Indian1 religion. The Greeks, therefore, who took lightning
to be made of the same fiery substance as the sun2, might well
acquiesce in a lotiform thunderbolt. Moreover, the sky-god's older
weapon, the double axe of immemorial sanctity, had been combined
in most intimate union with the three-petalled lily3. Small wonder
that its successor, the classical kerannos, retained at least a trace of
the former affinity4.
which was still wrapped in darkness' (H. Brugsch op. cit. i. 121, citing A. E. Mariette
Denderah Paris 1880 1, 55, a). Another text at Denderah says: 'The sun, which was
from the beginning, rises like a hawk from the midst of its lotos-bud. When the doors of
its leaves open in sapphire-coloured brilliance, it has divided the night from the day' (H.
Brugsch op. cit. i. 103. citing his Geographische Inschriften altdgyptischer Denkmdler
Leipzig 1884 p. 764 no. 55). Many monuments show the hawk, the embodiment of Horos
[supra i. 241, 341), supported on a lotos (Goodyear op. cit. p. 6 f. pis. 1, 5; 5, 5—7 ; 43,
3, 9 ; cp. 44, 2, 6), Thothmes iii is portrayed presenting lotos-flowers and geese to a
hawk-headed Ra at Amada (Goodyear op. cit. p. 6 pi. 1, 8). Amenophis iii similarly
presents lotos-flowers to Amen (supra i. 347) at Thebes (Goodyear op. cit. p. 6 pi. 1, 6).
The third member of the Memphitic triad, Nefer-Tem, a god of the rising sun, was from
the earliest times connected with tiie lotos. In the text of Unas, a king of the fifth
dynasty, the dead ruler is compared (392 ff. ed. Maspero) to a lotos at the nostrils of the
Great Sekhem, and it is said : ' Unas hath risen like Nefer-Te?n from the lotus to the
nostrils of Ra, and he goeth forth from the horizon on each day, and the gods are sancti-
fied by the sight of him ' (E. A. Wallis Budge op. cit. i. 520 f). Nefer-Tem is commonly
represented with a lotos-flower on his head (Lanzone op. cit. p. 385 ff. pis. 147 and 148,
A. Erman A Handbook of Egyptian Religion p. 76 fig. 52).
1 In India the lotos seems to have borne much the same character as in Egypt, though
its significance is less readily perceived (on its decorative usage see A. Griinwedel
Buddhist Art in India trans. A. C. Gibson, rev. J. Burgess London 1901 p. 19 f.).
While Vishnu was musing on his mission, a lotos with the brilliance of a thousand
suns sprang from his navel, and in the midst of this lotos appeared Brahma (Bhdgavata-
Purdna 3. 20. 16). Hence Brahma is enthroned on a lotos and holds a lotos in his hand
(Vishnu-Pur&na 4. 1). Vishna too has a lotos in one of his four hands (W. J. Wilkins
Hindu Mythology Calcutta 1882 p. 102) ; and the rosary of the Vishnu-devotee maybe
made of lotos-seeds (E. W. Hopkins The Religions of India Boston etc. 1895 p. 502 n. 3).
Krishna had the mark of a lotos beneath each foot : he decorated himself with the flower,
waving a rose lotos in his hand and having a blue lotos attached to his ear (Bhdgavata-
Purdna 10. 23. 22, 10. 30. 25, 10. 32. 2, 10. 35. 16). Sarasvati, the wife of Brahma or—
according to the Vishnuites in Bengal—of Vishnu, sits upon a lotos (E. W. Hopkins op. cit.
p. 451) or appears in the middle of a lotos-wreath (W. J. Wilkins op. cit. p. 92). (^'ri or
Lakshml, the bride of Vishnu, first emerged from the troubled waters of ocean and landed
with a lotos in her hand : since that time the lotos has been one of her attributes (C. Joret
Les Plantes dans Vantiquiti et an ?noyen dge Paris 1904 i. 2. 527 f.). The blue lotos is
one of the arrows of Kama, god of love (id. ib. p. 528).
Vishnu is commonly regarded as a solar god. But this is doubtful (H. Oldenberg La
Religion du Veda trans. V. Henry Paris 1903 p. 190 ff.). With his solarity stands or falls
that of Brahma, and that of Vishnu's avatar Krishna.
2 Supra i. 578 n. 3, 777 n. 4, ii. n.
3 S?/pra p. 524 ft.
4 Cp. the relation of Perun to the iris (J. Grimm Teutonic Mythology trans. J. S.
Stallybrass London 1882 i. 183 : ' The South Slavs call the iris perunik, Perun's flower,'
etc.).
J. Grimm op. cit. 1882 i. 183, 1883 iii. 1191, 1888 iv. 1346, 1672, 1790 n. 1, and H.
Modifications in the shape
also in Indian1 religion. The Greeks, therefore, who took lightning
to be made of the same fiery substance as the sun2, might well
acquiesce in a lotiform thunderbolt. Moreover, the sky-god's older
weapon, the double axe of immemorial sanctity, had been combined
in most intimate union with the three-petalled lily3. Small wonder
that its successor, the classical kerannos, retained at least a trace of
the former affinity4.
which was still wrapped in darkness' (H. Brugsch op. cit. i. 121, citing A. E. Mariette
Denderah Paris 1880 1, 55, a). Another text at Denderah says: 'The sun, which was
from the beginning, rises like a hawk from the midst of its lotos-bud. When the doors of
its leaves open in sapphire-coloured brilliance, it has divided the night from the day' (H.
Brugsch op. cit. i. 103. citing his Geographische Inschriften altdgyptischer Denkmdler
Leipzig 1884 p. 764 no. 55). Many monuments show the hawk, the embodiment of Horos
[supra i. 241, 341), supported on a lotos (Goodyear op. cit. p. 6 f. pis. 1, 5; 5, 5—7 ; 43,
3, 9 ; cp. 44, 2, 6), Thothmes iii is portrayed presenting lotos-flowers and geese to a
hawk-headed Ra at Amada (Goodyear op. cit. p. 6 pi. 1, 8). Amenophis iii similarly
presents lotos-flowers to Amen (supra i. 347) at Thebes (Goodyear op. cit. p. 6 pi. 1, 6).
The third member of the Memphitic triad, Nefer-Tem, a god of the rising sun, was from
the earliest times connected with tiie lotos. In the text of Unas, a king of the fifth
dynasty, the dead ruler is compared (392 ff. ed. Maspero) to a lotos at the nostrils of the
Great Sekhem, and it is said : ' Unas hath risen like Nefer-Te?n from the lotus to the
nostrils of Ra, and he goeth forth from the horizon on each day, and the gods are sancti-
fied by the sight of him ' (E. A. Wallis Budge op. cit. i. 520 f). Nefer-Tem is commonly
represented with a lotos-flower on his head (Lanzone op. cit. p. 385 ff. pis. 147 and 148,
A. Erman A Handbook of Egyptian Religion p. 76 fig. 52).
1 In India the lotos seems to have borne much the same character as in Egypt, though
its significance is less readily perceived (on its decorative usage see A. Griinwedel
Buddhist Art in India trans. A. C. Gibson, rev. J. Burgess London 1901 p. 19 f.).
While Vishnu was musing on his mission, a lotos with the brilliance of a thousand
suns sprang from his navel, and in the midst of this lotos appeared Brahma (Bhdgavata-
Purdna 3. 20. 16). Hence Brahma is enthroned on a lotos and holds a lotos in his hand
(Vishnu-Pur&na 4. 1). Vishna too has a lotos in one of his four hands (W. J. Wilkins
Hindu Mythology Calcutta 1882 p. 102) ; and the rosary of the Vishnu-devotee maybe
made of lotos-seeds (E. W. Hopkins The Religions of India Boston etc. 1895 p. 502 n. 3).
Krishna had the mark of a lotos beneath each foot : he decorated himself with the flower,
waving a rose lotos in his hand and having a blue lotos attached to his ear (Bhdgavata-
Purdna 10. 23. 22, 10. 30. 25, 10. 32. 2, 10. 35. 16). Sarasvati, the wife of Brahma or—
according to the Vishnuites in Bengal—of Vishnu, sits upon a lotos (E. W. Hopkins op. cit.
p. 451) or appears in the middle of a lotos-wreath (W. J. Wilkins op. cit. p. 92). (^'ri or
Lakshml, the bride of Vishnu, first emerged from the troubled waters of ocean and landed
with a lotos in her hand : since that time the lotos has been one of her attributes (C. Joret
Les Plantes dans Vantiquiti et an ?noyen dge Paris 1904 i. 2. 527 f.). The blue lotos is
one of the arrows of Kama, god of love (id. ib. p. 528).
Vishnu is commonly regarded as a solar god. But this is doubtful (H. Oldenberg La
Religion du Veda trans. V. Henry Paris 1903 p. 190 ff.). With his solarity stands or falls
that of Brahma, and that of Vishnu's avatar Krishna.
2 Supra i. 578 n. 3, 777 n. 4, ii. n.
3 S?/pra p. 524 ft.
4 Cp. the relation of Perun to the iris (J. Grimm Teutonic Mythology trans. J. S.
Stallybrass London 1882 i. 183 : ' The South Slavs call the iris perunik, Perun's flower,'
etc.).
J. Grimm op. cit. 1882 i. 183, 1883 iii. 1191, 1888 iv. 1346, 1672, 1790 n. 1, and H.