DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.614#0198
157
CHAPTEE XIII.
Dukga Kund Temple. — Bloody Sacrifices ; their meaning. — Sacred
Monkeys.—Legend of Durg and Durga.—A Devotee.—Durgd Kund
or Tank.—Kurukshetr Talao or Tank—The Lolarik Kuan or Well.—
Ancient Sculptures.
Oiste of the popular and most frequented temples in
Benares is that of Durga, wife of Mahadeva or Siva,
situated at the southern extremity of the city. Bloody
sacrifices are offered to the goddess in great abundance,
by persons wishing to obtain her aid in cases of sick-
ness, under the impression that she will accept the
life of an animal in exchange for the life of a human
being. Not that they have any notion whatever of
atonement effected thereby, or of the sacrifices having
any connexion with sin and its forgiveness; but their
simple idea is, that the goddess delights in blood,
that she takes pleasure in the sickness and death of
mankind, and that she can only be appeased, if ap-
peased at all, by an irrational creature being dedicated
to her, in the place of a rational one, whom she had
doomed to sickness or death. Sacrifices are also pre-
sented to her for all kinds of objects. For instance,
men out of employment will offer a kid to Durga,
in order that, through her, they may speedily obtain
CHAPTEE XIII.
Dukga Kund Temple. — Bloody Sacrifices ; their meaning. — Sacred
Monkeys.—Legend of Durg and Durga.—A Devotee.—Durgd Kund
or Tank.—Kurukshetr Talao or Tank—The Lolarik Kuan or Well.—
Ancient Sculptures.
Oiste of the popular and most frequented temples in
Benares is that of Durga, wife of Mahadeva or Siva,
situated at the southern extremity of the city. Bloody
sacrifices are offered to the goddess in great abundance,
by persons wishing to obtain her aid in cases of sick-
ness, under the impression that she will accept the
life of an animal in exchange for the life of a human
being. Not that they have any notion whatever of
atonement effected thereby, or of the sacrifices having
any connexion with sin and its forgiveness; but their
simple idea is, that the goddess delights in blood,
that she takes pleasure in the sickness and death of
mankind, and that she can only be appeased, if ap-
peased at all, by an irrational creature being dedicated
to her, in the place of a rational one, whom she had
doomed to sickness or death. Sacrifices are also pre-
sented to her for all kinds of objects. For instance,
men out of employment will offer a kid to Durga,
in order that, through her, they may speedily obtain