DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.641#0186
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY. 179
sure, from the popular idolatry, instead of producing any
good effects, drew men away from the practice of all the so-
cial duties included in the second table, 'Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself;' and left the mind a prey to pride,
moroseness, and ignorance. It should also be observed that
many of these austerities were both senseless and cruel in
the extreme : one tupushwee is represented as hanging for
hundreds of years with his head downwards; another, as
living on leaves; another, on air; another, as surroundiug
himself with four fires, and enduring intolerable heat and
thirst; another, as standing up to the neck in water; Val-
meekii, it is said, stood in one posture, repeating the name
of Ramti, till the white ants (termes bellicosus) surrounded
his body with a case of earth, and devoured the flesh from
his bones.
These tiipushwees are supposed to have been the authors
of the most ancient of the Hindoo writings; in some of
which, it is admitted, sentiments are to be found which do
honour to human nature. But it is equally certain that
these sages were very little affected by these sentiments; and
perhaps the same might be said of almost all the heathen
philosophers. Vushisht'hu inflicted on himself incredible
acts of severity; but in the midst of his devotions he became
attached to a heavenly courtezan, and cohabited with her
5,000 years i>. Purashuru, an ascetic, violated the daughter
of a fisherman, who was ferrying him over a river; from
which intercourse sprang the famous Vyasti, the author of
the Muhabhariitu 9. The father of Rishyu-shringu coha-
bited with a deer, and his son had deer's hornsr. Kupilu,
an ascetic, reduced king Sagiiru's 60,000 sons to ashes, be-
cause they mistook him for a horse-stealers; Brigoo, in a
* Muhabhariitu. % Ibid. » Ramayunu. ■ Slfiliabliavutu.
sure, from the popular idolatry, instead of producing any
good effects, drew men away from the practice of all the so-
cial duties included in the second table, 'Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself;' and left the mind a prey to pride,
moroseness, and ignorance. It should also be observed that
many of these austerities were both senseless and cruel in
the extreme : one tupushwee is represented as hanging for
hundreds of years with his head downwards; another, as
living on leaves; another, on air; another, as surroundiug
himself with four fires, and enduring intolerable heat and
thirst; another, as standing up to the neck in water; Val-
meekii, it is said, stood in one posture, repeating the name
of Ramti, till the white ants (termes bellicosus) surrounded
his body with a case of earth, and devoured the flesh from
his bones.
These tiipushwees are supposed to have been the authors
of the most ancient of the Hindoo writings; in some of
which, it is admitted, sentiments are to be found which do
honour to human nature. But it is equally certain that
these sages were very little affected by these sentiments; and
perhaps the same might be said of almost all the heathen
philosophers. Vushisht'hu inflicted on himself incredible
acts of severity; but in the midst of his devotions he became
attached to a heavenly courtezan, and cohabited with her
5,000 years i>. Purashuru, an ascetic, violated the daughter
of a fisherman, who was ferrying him over a river; from
which intercourse sprang the famous Vyasti, the author of
the Muhabhariitu 9. The father of Rishyu-shringu coha-
bited with a deer, and his son had deer's hornsr. Kupilu,
an ascetic, reduced king Sagiiru's 60,000 sons to ashes, be-
cause they mistook him for a horse-stealers; Brigoo, in a
* Muhabhariitu. % Ibid. » Ramayunu. ■ Slfiliabliavutu.