CHAPTER II.

HEROIC GODLINGS

Several stories, in addition to the legend of the Ramayana, are related of the birth of the god Hanuman. Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya, being childless, once performed a sacrifice with the hope of thereby obtaining male issue. On the completion of the ceremony a heavenly being rose out of the sacrificial fire and presented the king with a celestial preparation, called payas, which he directed the king to give to his wives if he desired a son. The king divided the divine gift among his three queens; but the share of one of them was snatched away by an eagle. It was dropped into the hands of Anjani, who was herself childless, and was practising austerities for the sake of obtaining a son. On partaking of the payas, Anjani conceived, and the son born to her was afterwards known as the god Hanuman.

Another story relates how Anjani was one of those persons who helped Indra in his evil designs on Ahalya, the wife of Gautama. She had on that account been cursed by Gautama, and threatened with the birth of a fatherless child. To prevent the curse from taking effect, Anjani buried herself in the ground as far as her waist, and began to observe religious austerities in the hope of propitiating Shiva. The latter was pleased with her devotion, and sent her a mantra through Narada, who was ordered to deliver it in her ear. Vayu, the god of wind, forced the mantra into her womb, and she conceived a son named Hanuman. This son had the form of a monkey, because, at the time of conception, Anjani happened to behold a monkey, named Keshi, on a neighbouring tree.

Hanuman is a chiranjiva, i.e., one of those seven [625] persons who are to live for ever and are therefore considered to be immortal. He is represented as possessed of miraculous strength, and his body is vajramaya, i.e., adamantine. When Sita was carried off by Ravana, it was he who crossed the sea and brought news about her to Rama. When Ahi and Mahi, two cousins of Ravana, carried off Rama and Lakshmana by magic and decided to offer them as victims to their favourite goddess Panoti, Hanuman entered the temple of Panoti, crushed her under his feet, and released Rama and Lakshmana. Hence he is known as the conqueror of Panoti. After the death of Ravana, Hanuman was left to guard the kingdom of Lanka, which was conferred by Rama on Bibhishana, the brother of Ravana. [626]

Hanuman is an incarnation of one of the eleven Rudras, [627] [628] is a brahmachari (i.e., one who has taken the vow of celibacy), a powerful and benevolent deity, and a giver of many blessings. At the same time, he is considered to be the master-deity of all bhuts, prets, pishachas, (ghosts, goblins, fiends), of dakans (witches), shakans, chudel, vantri, of the forty-nine virs (male fiends), of the fifty-two vetals, of yakshas and yakshinis and of all evil spirits in general, who are believed to obey his commands. [629] Vows are observed in honour of Hanuman if a person is possessed by a bhut or a pret, or if he is scared by a jhapat (sudden encounter) with a devil, or if he happens to step inadvertently within the kundalan [630] of an utar. Persons who are possessed by evil spirits are exorcised by the bhuvas by reciting the zanzira mantra in honour of Hanuman. [631]

Kali-Chaudas, i.e., the 14th day of dark half of Ashvin [632] is considered to be the most favourable day for practising the black art; and the god Hanuman is accordingly worshipped with much ceremony by bhuvas on that day.

All bhuts, prets and spirits are thus believed to obey the commands of the god Hanuman. In the course of a sadhana (i.e. the process of procuring the fulfilment of certain desires through the favour and by the agency of spirits) the latter are conjured in the name of Hanuman, so that the sadhana may not prove inefficacious. For this purpose the Hanuman raksha mantra is repeated one hundred and eight times before the image of the god, the devotee remaining standing all the time. A lamp of clarified butter is also lighted, and frankincense is burnt. The mantra runs as follows:--'Om namo Hanuman bala ghatapidam, panika rakhavala, lohaki kothadi, bajarka tala, deva-danava-kumar, nikal Hanuman asan, Mahadev basan, Hanuman hathela, bajarka khila.' It is neither pure Sanskrit, nor Gujarati, nor Hindustani, but roughly it means:--'Bow to the young Hanuman, the tormentor of ghata, the guardian of water, the iron-safe, the lock of vajra, the son of the gods and the demons. Take your seat, the receptacle of Mahadev, O stubborn god, O Nail of adamant.' After the repetition of the mantra, four nails are driven into the four corners of the seat of the votary, and it is believed that the sadhana is thus rendered sure of success. [633]

The god Hanuman is sometimes worshipped when a serious epidemic is to be warded off. The usual mode of propitiating him in such cases, and also in exorcising spirits, is to pour red lead and oil over his image, to make an offering of udad seeds (Phaseolus radiatus) and molasses, and to invest the image with a wreath of one hundred and eight flowers of ankada [634] or of as many leaves or berries of the same plant. [635]

The influence of the god is believed to be so powerful in some places that it is said that a bhut or a pishacha is at once exorcised from the body of a person who observes certain ceremonies there. In some places the mere sight of the image of the god has the same effect, and it is believed that ghosts shriek and fly from the bodies of possessed persons, if these visit the images of Hanuman. In Kodolia, about half a mile to the west of Lilapur in Gujarat, there is a temple of Hanuman where persons suffering from fever go on a Saturday, and take a meal before 2 p. m. at which time the god goes out to graze his cows. This proceeding is believed to work a cure in cases of fever and is called anagah. [636] A mere glance at the temple of Hanuman at Khandia and Saranghur, or of that image which is known as 'Bhid-bhanjan,' is sufficient to drive out evil spirits from the bodies of possessed persons. [637] The same virtue is attributed to the images of Hanuman at Bhurakhia, near Lathi and at Nariana, near Dhrangadhra, in Jhalavar, [638] Kathiawar.

There are certain peculiar conjunctions of planets, which if they appear in a person's horoscope, always bring him misfortunes. In such circumstances, the person is said to be under the influence of panoti. [639] Such influence lasts for a period varying from one year to seven years and a half. [640] When the planet Shani (Saturn) enters the 1st, 11th, or the 12th rashi in relation to a person, the latter is said to be affected by sadasati-panoti, i.e., panoti extending over seven years and a half. [641] The panoti enters the life of such a person with feet either of gold, silver, copper or iron: and in most cases the result is disastrous. If the panoti affects the head of a person, he loses his wits; if it affects the heart, it takes away his wealth; when it affects the feet, it brings bodily ailments. In order to counteract the evil effects of panoti, people worship Hanuman as the god who crushed the malignant goddess Panoti under his feet. On Saturdays red lead and oil, adad, molasses are offered to the image of the god. Frankincense is burnt, a lamp is lighted, and a wreath of ankada flowers is sometimes dedicated. [642] A fast is observed on such days; and sometimes the services of a Brahman are engaged to recite verses in honour of the god.

There is a belief that Hanuman cries out once in twelve years, and those men who happen to hear him are transformed into hijadas (eunuchs).

Oil which has been poured over the image of Hanuman and caught in a vessel is called naman. It is sometimes carried in a vatki (a small metal cup) and is burnt to produce anjan (i.e., soot used as collyrium). This anjan is believed to improve the eyesight, and to protect a person from the influence of evil spirits. There is a saying in Gujarati that 'Kali-chaudasno anjyo, ane koine na jay ganjio'. i.e., a person using anjan on Kalichaudas day cannot be foiled by anyone. [643]

Of the days of the week, Saturday is the most suitable for the worship of Hanuman. Of all offerings, that of red lead and oil is the most acceptable to him. When Hanuman was carrying the Drona mountain to the battlefield before Lanka, he was wounded in the leg by an arrow from Bharata, the brother of Rama. The wound was healed by the application of red lead and oil, and hence his predilection for these things. It is also said that after the death of Ravana and at the time of the coronation of Bibhishana, Rama distributed prizes to all his monkey followers, when nothing was left for Hanuman except red lead and oil.

Mostly Ankada flowers are used in worshipping Hanuman, but sometimes Karan flowers also are made to serve the purpose. The favourite dishes of Hanuman are malidda [644], churama [645] and vadan. [646] The usual naivedya is malidda of Savapati, i.e., of wheat weighing about six pounds and a quarter and vadan. [647]

Bhima the second of the Pandavas was begotten from Kunti by Vayu, the god of wind, and hence was called Vayusuta. From his childhood he was possessed of miraculous strength, and had a voracious appetite. Every day he consumed 12 kalashis [648] (or 192 maunds) of corn, and as much oil as is yielded by 13 ghanis. He also required a maund and a quarter of betelnuts after each dinner. These habits had procured him the name of Vrikodara, i.e., wolf-bellied. He played a very important part in the Great War, and on the last day of the battle smashed the thigh of Duryodhana with his ponderous mace. In his early days he killed several demons including Baka and Hidimba. [649]

Bhima never took food without first worshipping Mahadev. On one occasion no temple of Shiva could be found within easy distance, and in a rage, Bhima turned his bowl upside down and set it up as Mahadev. Such was the first installation of Bhimanath Mahadev revered to this day by all Hindus.

Once upon a time Bhima obstructed the stream of a river by laying himself across it, when the river rose to the banks and submerged a temple of Shiva near by. Shiva thereupon assumed the form of a lion and pretended to chase Parvati in the guise of a cow. Bhima, in his true Kshatriya spirit, instantly rose from the water in order to save the cow from the lion. But the latter gave Bhima a blow on the shoulder with one of his paws, and instantly transformed himself into a sage. After Bhima had fruitlessly searched for the lion for a long time, he was informed by the sage that it was he, Shiva, who had assumed the form of a lion in order to rouse him from his position across the river. Shiva then favoured him with a boon that the half of his body which had received the blow would be turned into vajra (adamant). On Bhima's request a further boon was granted to him that he should in future be able to digest as much as he could eat without suffering discomfort. Hence the proverb: Bhima khave shakuni aghe. [650]

It is said that Bhima once played at navateri (lit. nine and thirteen), i.e., he flung into the sky nine elephants with his right hand and thirteen with his left. The corpses of these animals were afterwards brought down to earth by Shukamuni to expiate king Janmejaya's sin of Brahmahatya (Brahman-slaughter).

In his whole life-time Bhima is said to have fasted only on one day, which happened to be the eleventh day of the bright half of Jyeshtha and is now called Bhima-agiaras. On this day people who desire to be cured of dyspepsia observe a strict fast, taking neither food nor water, and pass their hands over their bellies repeating the name of Bhima and also offer cocoanuts to his image. [651] On the night of Bhima-agiaras, persons who are anxious to obtain health, wealth and victory over their enemies, bathe the image of Bhima in water and panchamrit [652] and worship it according to the prescribed ceremonies. [653]

In some places there are vavs (or tanks) called Bhima-vavs which are said to have been formed by the strokes of Bhima, when playing gilli-danda. [654]

There are huge images of Bhima on Mount Palitana. [655] There are many places in different parts of India which possess such images and which are believed to have been visited by the Pandavas during their exile from Hastinapur. The Pandavas never attained the status of gods and there is no systematic form of worship for them.

Bhishma, the uncle of the Kauravas and the Pandavas, was an incarnation of one of the Ashtavasus [656] and was the son of king Shantanu by Ganga. The stories about Bhishma are chiefly derived from the Mahabharat, and need not be repeated here. He is not regarded as a god and does not receive systematic worship. [657]

A fast is observed on the eighth day of Magh, the anniversary of the death of Bhishma. A dora (a knotted piece of string) tied in the name of Bhishma is believed to cure fever. [658] The Yantra (a mystical formula or diagram) of Bhishma is sometimes drawn on a piece of paper, water is poured over it, and the water is offered to women in labour to drink, as likely to expedite delivery. Bhishma-worship is supposed to facilitate the observance of the Brahmacharya-vrat (the vow of celibacy) and to bestow heroism and learning. [659] Bhishma is credited with having composed the well-known poem, Bhishma-stavaraj, which recites the glory of Krishna and shows the way to attain salvation. [660]

There is a large temple of Ganpati near the eastern gates of Dhhank. It is said that this Ganpati informed a goldsmith, by appearing in a dream, that he was buried in a particular spot, and promised that a son would be born to him if he raised a temple in honour of the god. The goldsmith satisfied the wishes of the god and was soon relieved from the repeated taunt of the vanziapana (i.e., the barrenness of his wife). [661]

The following tradition is connected with a place, about a mile from Dhhank, called Dhhank-ni Fui. Dhhank was in ancient times a great city and was known as Preh Patan [662]. Once a bava (recluse), named Dhundhalimal, came to reside with his chela (disciple) in a cave on a neighbouring hill. Every day the chela went about the city begging alms for himself and his guru; but nobody except a poor kumbharan (a potter-woman) ever gave him anything. So the chela was obliged to cut and sell fuel in order to obtain means of subsistence, although he did not mention this fact to his guru. One day the guru noticed the growing baldness of his disciple and on being questioned about it, the latter had to admit his difficulties in earning a livelihood. The next day the bava decided to test the charity of the neighbourhood, and went on a begging round in person. He moved about the city from door to door, crying aloud alek alek, but nobody except the kumbhar woman offered him so much as a handful of flour. He then addressed the latter thus:--"Girl, this city is sinful and will shortly meet with destruction. Fly, therefore, instantly with your family and never turn your face towards the city in your flight". Having thus warned the only righteous person in the city, the bava returned to his cave where, after reciting an incantation in high exasperation, he pronounced a terrible curse for the destruction of the city 'Let Patan be buried and let maya [663] be reduced to mati (dust).' A whirlwind at once arose and destroyed the whole city. The kumbharan had already fled with her children; but she unfortunately happened to look back in her flight, in spite of the warning, and she and her children were all turned into stones. In this form she can be seen even to-day, with two of her children on her shoulders and leading the other two.

To the south of the same village on the banks of a small lake are situated the temples of Hinglaj Mata and Kamdev Mahadev. If there is a prospect of a drought in any year, the people of the village make an offering of lapsi to the former deity in order to bring about a fall of rain. About two miles from Dhhank there is a temple of Vikani, in whose honour vows are observed for the cure of fractured bones of men and animals. Brahmans are feasted at the temple of Hanuman at Timbo, four miles away from Dhhank. At a distance of about two khetarvas (fields) there is the shrine of Ashabi-pir where Mussalmans feast fakirs and other co-religionists of theirs. [664]

Besides the above there are the temples of Shankar Tapakeshwar Mahadev and Mungeshwar Mahadev near the hill mentioned in the paragraph above and the temples of Pipaleshwar Mahadev and Ramchandraji, to the south of Dhhank. There are also temples erected in honour of suttees known as Nomalmata, Hulmata, etc.

The river Vinu meets the Bhadar, at a place two miles to the east of Ganod, and the Moja also joins the Bhadar a little further to the east. Hence the spot is called Traveni (a confluence of three rivers) and is regarded as holy. The beautiful temple of Baraneshwar Mahadev is situated here. Vows for feasting a certain number of Brahmans, are observed in honour of this deity. [665]

The celebrated shrine of Husen-pir is situated in the vicinity of Ganod, and is much revered by the Khoja community, who hold a fair there on every Aso-sud-bij, i.e. the second day of the bright half of Ashvin. The fair lasts for seven or eight days, when Khojas from Bombay and even Zanzibar visit the place. A large building, the Khoja-khana, is set apart to the west of the shrine for the sabha (or meeting). The largest fair was held in samvat 1940 (1884 A.D.), when H. H. the Agashah paid a visit to the shrine. There is a large gathering of people at the place every bij day.

Husen-pir was a native of Kadi and a Saiyed by birth. In his youth, with his father's permission, he decided to remain unmarried, and took to travelling. In the course of his wanderings he halted for a week on the spot where his shrine stands at present, and was so charmed with the place, that he asked the owner of it, a Rabari, Almora by name, for permission to reside there always. The Pir was accompanied by two followers of the Mujavar fakir sect. The present Mujavar attendants at the shrine are descended from them, and stand in the 12th or the 15th degree of descent.

One evening (it was the 5th day of the dark half of Bhadrapad) the Pir accompanied by his two followers went to the Bhadar to offer the evening prayers. After the prayers were over, he told his followers that a flood was soon coming in the river, and asked both of them to leave him and return with their horses. One of them left the place as directed: but the other placed his head on the Pir's lap and was drowned along with his master in the flood, which came down as if in obedience to the Pir's words. Before dying the Pir granted a boon to the Mujavars that their line of descent would never fail for want of their heirs, and that their heirs would always be his attendants.

The same night the Pir informed the Khojas of Keshod and Kutiana that his corpse and that of his Mujavar follower lay unburied at a particular spot. The Khojas, accompanied by the Rabari Almora, visited the place in the morning and made ready to carry the corpses to Junagadh. They found to their astonishment that the corpses could not be removed. Almora then recollected the request of the Pir, and told the Khojas of his favourite place. The corpses were then carried to their present place of rest, and all efforts of the Khojas to proceed further proved unavailing. At that time there was a village called Keralun about a mile from the present site of Ganod. It is, however, uninhabited and in ruins and its site is now known as the timbo of Keralun. The Khojas erected a shrine over the place where the Pir was buried, and the tombs of his relatives were afterwards erected in the vicinity. Vows observed in honour of the Pir having proved fruitful in many cases, the Pir's fame spreads wider every day. The Gondal Durbar has granted a wadi (a piece of land) for the maintenance of the Mujavar family, who also receive the things that are offered to the Pir. The Khojas consider it a merit to dedicate a portion of their earnings to this Pir. People of all castes from Ganod offer one kori [666] at the time of the marriage of a girl at their house. The knots of the marriage-scarves of newly-wedded couples are untied here, and the ceremony of shaving children for the first time is also performed in the presence of the Pir. The usual offering to the Pir consists of churamu and kansar: some people, however, offer a goat or a ram and call it panechednariel. [667]

There is a hollow log of wood on the boundary of Lath, a sub-village of Gondal and a mile to the South of Ganod. Long ago a fakir, while accompanying a band of outlaws barvatias, was killed in a scuffle and was buried here. A babul tree grew over his tomb, and came to be known afterwards as Lakkad Pir (the wooden Pir). The tree after a time withered till its stem was reduced to a small log with a hole in the centre. People observe vows in honour of this Pir for the cure of cough and bronchitis in children. After recovery, the children are made to pass through this bakan or hole and an offering of kansar is made to the Pir. It is not only the Musalmans who observe vows in the Pir's honour: Hindus also have the same strong faith in him.

Nearly twelve miles from Vanod lies the temple of Bechra Mata, who is the patron goddess of the Pavaiya sect. A male buffalo is offered to her as a victim on the 15th day of the bright half of every month. Near the temple there is the holy kund of Mansarovar, the legend about which has already been related in these notes. [668]

The village of Dadvi possesses the shrine of Mangalsha Pir. Friday is the day for special worship of the Pir, when dainties and cocoanuts are offered, and a flag is hoisted. Frankincense is burnt every evening. [669] There is also a temple of Machho, the goddess of the Bharvads, who offer her lapsi and cocoanuts on every bij day. They also light a ghi lamp and lop off the ears of a goat or a ram, and offer the blood to the goddess.

In Kolki a bava of the Bharvad caste named Hado Bhagat is said to have set up the images of all the gods in a certain temple. It is believed that he possessed miraculous powers. His descendants do not sell goats to Kasais (butchers [670]).

There is a temple of Khodiar Mata in Chok. The goddess is worshipped by Atits, who offer her lapsi on every Dasara day. There is also a temple of Hanuman, where the Khakhis bring an offering to the god every Saturday. [671]

In the village of Mota Devalia are the temples of Bholanath, Mahadev and Pipaleshwar Mahadev. Both the deities are worshipped by Atits, who perform the ceremony with the usual materials of frankincense, a ghi-lamp, cooked food, and who also blow a conch. It is said about Pipaleshwar Mahadev that none can stay at night in the temple. Once a Brahman, who insisted on passing the night there, was hurled to a distance of two fields. There is also a temple of Swami-Narayan and three temples of Thakorji where the ceremony of worship is performed every morning and evening in the usual way with frankincense, a ghi lamp, and arati. The shrine of Nila-Pir on the village boundary is revered alike by Hindus and Musalmans. [672]

In the vicinity of Chhatrasa, there is a temple of Kishordas Hanuman. On Kali-Chaudas day the people of the village offer churamu and vadan to the god. The shrine of Gebalasha Pir is situated two miles away from Chhatrasa, on the boundary line between that village and Kalana. Sweet-balls, or sometimes only molasses, are offered to this Pir on the fulfilment of vows observed in his name. Near the village gates lies the shrine of Daudshah, of whom it is said that he deprives thieves of their eye-sight, if they try to enter Chhatrasa. In the Vishnu-mandir, annakut [673] is offered to Vishnu by the attendant priest, on the first day of the bright half of Kartik. [674]

A temple of Khodiar Mata surrounded by Pandari creepers is to be seen on the way from Mojidad to Sanka. The Thakor of Limbdi used to kill a goat before the goddess during the Navaratra holidays; but an offering of lapsi is now substituted for the goat. There is another temple of the same goddess on the way to Zabala where she is worshipped by the Bhadkava Durbar. The attendants at both places are Atits, and the usual offering consists of lapsi and khir. [675] At a place near the boundary-line between Mojidad and Ayarda, Swami-Narayan Bhagwan and Sahajanand Swami are said to have bathed in the company of Hanuman in the river Vansal. The Brahmacharis [676] of the Swami-Narayan sect hold a fair there and offer prayers to Hanuman on the 15th day of the dark half of Bhadrapad. [677]

Every marriage-procession on its way to and from the place of marriage has to offer a new earthen jar to such field-deities as Dadmokhodiar, Lalo, Hardas, etc. Failure to do so arouses the wrath of these deities and brings disasters to the married couple. The only form of worship in use for these deities is to apply red lead and oil to their images. Seven kinds of corn, viz. adad (phaseolus radiatus), mag (phaseolus mungo), kalathi, math, chana (gram), wheat and juvari are mixed and cooked together and the preparation which is called khichdi is offered to the deities at sunset. If the deities are not propitiated in this manner, they are believed to do harm to the people of the village. [678]

On a hill near the village of Patanvav there is a temple of Mataji, where a ghi lamp is kept constantly burning at the cost of the Gondal Durbar. In Patanvav itself there is a shrine of Ahaba Pir attended upon by a fakir. At the approach of the monsoons, all the villages offer lapsi to Mataji and churamu to the Pir. [679]

In Paj, near Sultanpur there is a shrine of Gebansha Pir surrounded by a number of babhul trees; and it is said that if a person were to cut any of the trees, he would meet with death or at least fall