The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Religion
The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Iran -- Religion; Religions
[378] The Hindus have twelve _ádityas_, that is, “forms of
the sun:” these appear to represent him as distinct in each
month of the year.
[379] कला a digit, or 16th part of the moon’s diameter.
[380] नक्षत्र The Pauránic and popular enumeration of those
mansions, or constellations is twenty-seven; Abhijit, the
twenty-seventh, being considered as formed of portions of
the two contiguous asterisms, and not distinct from
them.――(_Wilson’s Dict._)
[381] अष्ट दिशाः These eight cardinal points have each their
regent, viz.:
पूर्व its regent is Indra, इन्द्रः
पश्चिम ―― Varuna, वरुणः
दक्षिण ―― Yama, यमः
उत्तर ―― Kuvéra, कुवेरः
Between S. and E. the regent is अग्नि or वड्निः
―― S. and W. ―― नैरॄतः
―― N. and W. ―― वायुः
―― N. and E. ―― ईशानः
[382] भैरव “the formidable,” a name of Síva, but more
especially an inferior manifestation or form of the deity,
eight of which are called by the common name _Bhái ravas_,
and have each a particular name, all alluding to terrific
properties of mind or body.
[383] The edit. of Calcutta adds to Chamunda _Set mantra_.
[384] These are personified energies of the Gods, called
Mátris, viz.: क्यलक, कालञ्जरी, कौमारी, वैष्णवी, बाभ्रवी,
चमुण्डा, भवानी, पार्वती.
[385] I cannot hope to have restored every name of the
Persian text to its correct original form.
[386] If the seven Richis, who are supposed to abide in the
constellation of the Great Bear, are meant, their names
differ very much from those commonly given, which are as
follows: Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulustya, Kratu, and
Vás ishta.
[387] _Bang_ is an inebriating, maddening draught, made of
hemp-leaves, henbane, opium, or masloe.――(_Richardson’s
Dict._)
[388] Black is the color of the Sunnites. This supports
Professor Wilson’s _Statement_, agreeing with the Dabistan
(see _As. Trans._, N. S. p. 75), that the Madárián are
Sunnites. But, considering the descent of their founder, and
the concurring account of several Asiatic authors, we may be
disposed to denominate them Shiâhs, or Jsmámiahs, although
the latter have adopted green as the distinguishing color of
their sect, which is also that of the followers of the
prophet.
[389] One _seer_ = 2 lbs. 6 oz.; French weight, 933.005
grammes; 40 seers make a _maund_; one maund, in English Troy
weight is 100 lbs.; French grammes, 27,320.182――(_Useful
Tables_, edited by James Princep, Esq., Part I. p. 63).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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