DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.640#0170
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY. 53
flowers. If the person be very ill, and a man of property,
he employs two or three bramhtins, who repeat as many as
a thousand verses. This ceremony must be performed
standing in the sun: when a thousand verses are rehearsed,
the recitation occupies more than a day. The origin of this
method of obtaining relief from sickness is ascribed to
Shambu, the son of Krishnu, one of the most beautiful
youths in the three worlds, who was directed in a dream to
repeat, twice a day, the twenty-one names of Sooryu then
revealed to him.
The persons who receive the name of Sooryu, and adopt
this god as their guardian deity, are called Sourus: they
never eat till they have worshipped the sun, and when the
sun is entirely covered with clouds they fast. On a Sunday
many Sourus, as well as Hindoos belonging to other sects,
perform, in a more particular manner, the worship of this
idol; and on this day some of them fast.
The Ramayunu contains the following story respecting
So5ryu, Hunoomanu, &c. In the war betwixt Rami! and
Ravunfi, an arrow discharged by Puvunii pierced the body
of Lukshmuuu : Ramu and all his friends were exceedingly
alarmed for the life of Liikshmunu; the physicians tried
all their efforts in vain. At last one physician declared
that if four kinds of leaves could be brought from the
mountain Gundhu-madhunii, and applied to the wound,
•Lukshmunu might probably be restored to health. The god
who had given this arrow to Ravunu had declared, that who-
ever was wounded with it in the night should not recover,
if, a cure were not obtained before day-light. It was night
when the wound was inflicted, but Hunoomanu engaged
to bring the leaves before morning. To secure the fulfil-
irtent of his promise, he leaped into the air, and alighted on
flowers. If the person be very ill, and a man of property,
he employs two or three bramhtins, who repeat as many as
a thousand verses. This ceremony must be performed
standing in the sun: when a thousand verses are rehearsed,
the recitation occupies more than a day. The origin of this
method of obtaining relief from sickness is ascribed to
Shambu, the son of Krishnu, one of the most beautiful
youths in the three worlds, who was directed in a dream to
repeat, twice a day, the twenty-one names of Sooryu then
revealed to him.
The persons who receive the name of Sooryu, and adopt
this god as their guardian deity, are called Sourus: they
never eat till they have worshipped the sun, and when the
sun is entirely covered with clouds they fast. On a Sunday
many Sourus, as well as Hindoos belonging to other sects,
perform, in a more particular manner, the worship of this
idol; and on this day some of them fast.
The Ramayunu contains the following story respecting
So5ryu, Hunoomanu, &c. In the war betwixt Rami! and
Ravunfi, an arrow discharged by Puvunii pierced the body
of Lukshmuuu : Ramu and all his friends were exceedingly
alarmed for the life of Liikshmunu; the physicians tried
all their efforts in vain. At last one physician declared
that if four kinds of leaves could be brought from the
mountain Gundhu-madhunii, and applied to the wound,
•Lukshmunu might probably be restored to health. The god
who had given this arrow to Ravunu had declared, that who-
ever was wounded with it in the night should not recover,
if, a cure were not obtained before day-light. It was night
when the wound was inflicted, but Hunoomanu engaged
to bring the leaves before morning. To secure the fulfil-
irtent of his promise, he leaped into the air, and alighted on