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than those of Khitai; the Kshatriyan code of honor remaining from
their Hyrkanian origins deplores direct lies, and most Vendhyan
deception consists of the "truth not told", or the careful shading of
words to give impressions, without actually lying. Spying, per se, is not
considered treachery; the Vendhyans themselves know it goes on, and
it makes the sharing of a secret all that more meaningful in Vendhya.
"The whole truth is a gift for your dearest friend alone," says the
Vendhyan proverb.
Vendhyans worship their own pantheon of gods. There are many
holy men among the Vendhyans who travel from village to village,
demonstrating their mystic power to the gathering crowds and
performing strange feats for all to view. The villagers pay what they
can for these miracles as a sign of respect for both the men and the
gods they represent. They believe some holy men to be nature spirits,
who walk among men to inspect the human domain.
The Vendhyans worship both the Elder Gods of the Earth and
Heavens and the Gods of the Other Worlds. Foremost of these is the
god Asura, who teaches that all beings reincarnate, and that the
purpose of life is the paying of the karmic debt against the soul. Each
evil act extends the cycle of reincarnation; each good act shortens it.
Other gods include Hanuman, whose children are the great apes of
the jungle, Ganesha, the great elephant god, and Kali, who drinks
human blood and feeds on living hearts.
One of the most disturbing customs of the Vendhyans is the
requirement that noble women must be burned alive on their
husbands' funeral pyres to demonstrate their devotion to their
husbands in death as well as life. Vendhyans are allowed many wives,
but only the first wife is required to engage in this practice. Vendhyan
women may also take many husbands, particularly those in lower
castes. Vendhyan Sage
Demon-god Asura
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