DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.641#0127
120 THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY.
sacred by ten persons having been buried alive there. I
am informed, that many persons visit the place every Mon-
day afternoon for worship; and that once or twice a year
large crowds assemble here, and at another similar place
near the city. There is great reason to fear that this prac-
tice is very common in these parts. At Allahabad many
drown themselves every year; and at Vrinda-vunii many are
buried alive or drowned every year, probably every month.'
The Hindoos relate that there existed formerly at Kshee-
ru, a village near Nudeeya, an instrument called kuruvut,
which was used by devotees to cut off their own heads.
The instrument was made in the shape of a half moon, with
a sharp edge, and was placed at the back of the neck, hav-
ing chains fastened at the two extremities. The infatuated
devotee, placing his feet on the stirrups, gave a violent
jerk, and severed his head from his body.
SECT. XXX.—Persons casting tJwmselves from Precipices,
$c.
Another way in which the Hindoo shastrus allow a per-
son to renounce life, is by throwing himself from a moun-
tain, or some other eminence. Bengal is a perfect plain;
and I have not learnt how far this permission of the shastrii
is acted upon in the mountainous parts of Hindoost'-
hanii.
sacred by ten persons having been buried alive there. I
am informed, that many persons visit the place every Mon-
day afternoon for worship; and that once or twice a year
large crowds assemble here, and at another similar place
near the city. There is great reason to fear that this prac-
tice is very common in these parts. At Allahabad many
drown themselves every year; and at Vrinda-vunii many are
buried alive or drowned every year, probably every month.'
The Hindoos relate that there existed formerly at Kshee-
ru, a village near Nudeeya, an instrument called kuruvut,
which was used by devotees to cut off their own heads.
The instrument was made in the shape of a half moon, with
a sharp edge, and was placed at the back of the neck, hav-
ing chains fastened at the two extremities. The infatuated
devotee, placing his feet on the stirrups, gave a violent
jerk, and severed his head from his body.
SECT. XXX.—Persons casting tJwmselves from Precipices,
$c.
Another way in which the Hindoo shastrus allow a per-
son to renounce life, is by throwing himself from a moun-
tain, or some other eminence. Bengal is a perfect plain;
and I have not learnt how far this permission of the shastrii
is acted upon in the mountainous parts of Hindoost'-
hanii.