DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.640#0096
ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. Ixxxiii
sons, making their journey to some holy place—here passes a
person, carrying a basket on his head, containing rice, sweet-
meats, fruits, flowers, &c. an offering to his guardian deity—
here comes a man with a chaplet of red flowers round his head,
and the head of a goat in his band, having left the blood and
carcase before the image of Kalee—there sits a group of Hin-
doos, listening to three or four persons rehearsing and chanting
poetical versions of the pooranus—here sits a man in the front
of his house reading one of the pooranusc, moving his body like
the trunk of a tree in a high wind—and (early in the morning)
here comes a group of jaded wretches, who have spent the night
in boisterously singing filthy songs, and dancing in an indecent
manner, before the image of Doorga—add to this, the villagers,
men and women, coming dripping from the banks of the Ganges
—and the reader has a tolerable view of the Hindoo idolatry, as
it stalks, every day, along the streets and roads., and as it may be
recognized by any careless observer.
The reader will perceive, that in all these religious ceremonies
not a particle is found to interest or amend the heart j no family
bible, ' profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in
righteousness, that men may be thoroughly furnished unto all
good works j' no domestic worship dj no pious assembly where
learnt his lesson. The merit consists in having repeated the name of a
god so great a number of times.
e Beading a book, or having it read at a person's house, even though the
person himself should not understand it, is a most meritorious action.
The love of learning for its own sake is unknown in Bengal: a Hindoo,
if he applies to learning, always does it to obtain roopees—or heaven.
When he opens one of the shastrus, or even an account-book, he makes a
bow to the book. A shopkeeper, when he is about to balance his books,
uncertain how the balance will fall, makes a vow to some god, that if by
his favour he should not find himself in debt, he will present to him some
offerings.
d The women and children take no share in the worship performed by
the master of the family. It is not supposed to belong to them. See
vol. ji. p. 36.
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sons, making their journey to some holy place—here passes a
person, carrying a basket on his head, containing rice, sweet-
meats, fruits, flowers, &c. an offering to his guardian deity—
here comes a man with a chaplet of red flowers round his head,
and the head of a goat in his band, having left the blood and
carcase before the image of Kalee—there sits a group of Hin-
doos, listening to three or four persons rehearsing and chanting
poetical versions of the pooranus—here sits a man in the front
of his house reading one of the pooranusc, moving his body like
the trunk of a tree in a high wind—and (early in the morning)
here comes a group of jaded wretches, who have spent the night
in boisterously singing filthy songs, and dancing in an indecent
manner, before the image of Doorga—add to this, the villagers,
men and women, coming dripping from the banks of the Ganges
—and the reader has a tolerable view of the Hindoo idolatry, as
it stalks, every day, along the streets and roads., and as it may be
recognized by any careless observer.
The reader will perceive, that in all these religious ceremonies
not a particle is found to interest or amend the heart j no family
bible, ' profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in
righteousness, that men may be thoroughly furnished unto all
good works j' no domestic worship dj no pious assembly where
learnt his lesson. The merit consists in having repeated the name of a
god so great a number of times.
e Beading a book, or having it read at a person's house, even though the
person himself should not understand it, is a most meritorious action.
The love of learning for its own sake is unknown in Bengal: a Hindoo,
if he applies to learning, always does it to obtain roopees—or heaven.
When he opens one of the shastrus, or even an account-book, he makes a
bow to the book. A shopkeeper, when he is about to balance his books,
uncertain how the balance will fall, makes a vow to some god, that if by
his favour he should not find himself in debt, he will present to him some
offerings.
d The women and children take no share in the worship performed by
the master of the family. It is not supposed to belong to them. See
vol. ji. p. 36.
12