DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.640#0045
XXXU
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
„
6. Gim&hit. A fat short red man, with four arms and an
elephant's head, sitting on a rat. His corpulency is a type of
Briimha, as the aggregate of all things. In one hand he holds
a bell, which is the pattern of a temple, and also points out that
this god banishes fear; in another he holds a serpent-weapon,
to show that he throws impediments in the way of the wicked ;
another grasps the hook by which elephants are guided, which
points out that he guides the mind; and with the other he forbids
fear. His elephant's head is a sign of the mystical sound Om, and
the trunk is the type of the instrument with which clarified butter
is poured on the fire at a sacrifice. The author of the Roodrii-
yamulii, from whom this is extracted, assigns no reason for
Giineshu's riding on a rat. Though he has been compared to
Janus, I find but two instances of coincidence betwixt them:
every act of worship (pooja) is preceded by an invocation to,
Guneshii*; and men in business paint his image over the doors
of their shops, or suspend it amongst their merchandize, to insure
prosperity. Gune'shii has been complimented as the god of
wisdom; but the Hindoo deity presiding over knowledge, or
wisdom, is Suriiswutee, a goddess. Giin&hu receives many
honours from the Hindoos, and is considered as bountiful in be-
stowing wisdom and other favours, though there are no temples
erected to his honour in Bengal. Those who adopt him as their
guardian deity, are called Ganiiputyus.
7. Kartikeyu is the Indian Mars, or commander in chief to the
gods. He has in some images one, and in others six faces; is of
a yellow colour; and rides on the peacock, an incarnation of
Indru. In one hand he holds a bow, and in the other an arrow.
He is worshipped as the giver of bodily strength.
8. Sooryii, (the sun.) I do not find the least resemblance
betwixt this Hindoo deity and Sol, either in their images or
history. The Hindoos, in a most indelicate fable respecting this
god, have described the twelve signs of the zodiac. Yiimu, the
* ' In the Roman sacrifices, the priest always mentioned first the name
of Janus.' Rennet i, p. 85.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
„
6. Gim&hit. A fat short red man, with four arms and an
elephant's head, sitting on a rat. His corpulency is a type of
Briimha, as the aggregate of all things. In one hand he holds
a bell, which is the pattern of a temple, and also points out that
this god banishes fear; in another he holds a serpent-weapon,
to show that he throws impediments in the way of the wicked ;
another grasps the hook by which elephants are guided, which
points out that he guides the mind; and with the other he forbids
fear. His elephant's head is a sign of the mystical sound Om, and
the trunk is the type of the instrument with which clarified butter
is poured on the fire at a sacrifice. The author of the Roodrii-
yamulii, from whom this is extracted, assigns no reason for
Giineshu's riding on a rat. Though he has been compared to
Janus, I find but two instances of coincidence betwixt them:
every act of worship (pooja) is preceded by an invocation to,
Guneshii*; and men in business paint his image over the doors
of their shops, or suspend it amongst their merchandize, to insure
prosperity. Gune'shii has been complimented as the god of
wisdom; but the Hindoo deity presiding over knowledge, or
wisdom, is Suriiswutee, a goddess. Giin&hu receives many
honours from the Hindoos, and is considered as bountiful in be-
stowing wisdom and other favours, though there are no temples
erected to his honour in Bengal. Those who adopt him as their
guardian deity, are called Ganiiputyus.
7. Kartikeyu is the Indian Mars, or commander in chief to the
gods. He has in some images one, and in others six faces; is of
a yellow colour; and rides on the peacock, an incarnation of
Indru. In one hand he holds a bow, and in the other an arrow.
He is worshipped as the giver of bodily strength.
8. Sooryii, (the sun.) I do not find the least resemblance
betwixt this Hindoo deity and Sol, either in their images or
history. The Hindoos, in a most indelicate fable respecting this
god, have described the twelve signs of the zodiac. Yiimu, the
* ' In the Roman sacrifices, the priest always mentioned first the name
of Janus.' Rennet i, p. 85.