The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilizations: A Comparative Research Based on a Study of the Ancient Mexican Religious, Sociological, and Calendrical SystemsNuttall, Zelia
Religion
The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilizations: A Comparative Research Based on a Study of the Ancient Mexican Religious, Sociological, and Calendrical Systems
According to various encyclopædias and general works of reference, Brahma
is said to have made the world in two parts, _i. e._, heaven and earth;
placed air between both and made the eight regions, fire and the eternal
waters. The mythical mountain Meru, on the summit of which the supreme
power is said to be enthroned in eternal majesty, is the traditional
paradise and is supposed to lie somewhere in the northwest of the
Himalayas. It is situated in the centre of the seven zones in which the
earth is divided, thence its name Meru=the Middle. The association of the
central mountain with divinity and eternal stability is further shown by
the statement that the sun, moon and stars circled about it and that it
supported the heaven.
As the natural complement to the above, I can cite the following evidences
of an all-pervading quadruplicate division and organization, as set forth
in an ancient manuscript which was brought from India by Count Angelo de
Gubernatis and exhibited in Florence in 1898, by Mr. Pullé, in an
extremely instructive series of native maps of India: 1. In the oldest
maps, the empire of India was represented as a disk, divided into a number
of concentric zones, in the centre of which arose the sacred mountain. 2.
These representations were, in several cases, accompanied by
representations of the swastika obviously representing quadruplicate
territorial division.
On Mount Meru itself there were four lakes respectively filled with milk,
butter, coagulated milk and sugar. Four great rivers flowed from the
mountain towards the cardinal points, namely, the Ganges, issuing from the
mouth of a cow, the Sita from the head of the elephant; the Bhadra from a
tiger or lion and the Chaksu from a horse. According to Buddhistic
mythology, the sacred mountain Meru, which constitutes the centre of the
world, is guarded by four hero “kings of demons.” Their names are as
follows: 1. Kubera or Vaisrānana, the god of wealth, who lives in the
north, whose attributes are the lance and banner, the rat which throws
forth jewels from its mouth. 2. Virūdhaka, who rules the south, and whose
attributes are the helmet in the form of an elephant’s head, and a long
sword. 3. Virūpāksha, the guardian of the west: attributes, the jewel and
the serpent. 4 Dhrtarāshtra, the ruler of the east: attribute, the
mandoline.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account