Forlong - Rivers of Life
Forlong - Rivers of Life Forlong - Rivers of Life
xvi Preface. devices to render apparent to the multitude, what they longed to discern of the unseen and the limitless. So early Christians put crosses on the ancient stones, and built their churches on sites endeared to Pagans by the worship of ages, just as Hindus had before acted in regard to Budhists, and they to Vedantists, and so on for untold time. The hallowed associations connected with old names and emblems, rites and fête days, were always esteemed by reformers as the best means of furthering their schemes— usually the best interests of their fellows. It was found that the revered name and symbol best comforted the miserable, gave strength to the ignorant and aided greatly him who was striving to associate himself with the divine; and this we call "Religion.” Before leaving Southern India, the writer had. many opportunities of seeing and studying the faiths and shrines of all the Eastern coast of India from Tamulian Madras to the northern limits of that ancient Āndhra nation now and for a millenium known only as the Telagu, Telingāna or country of the Tri-Lingas. And no region is more interesting, whether we consider the intense energy of the people so long manifested in colonization, or their very ancient lineage and for northern possessions. It was Āndhras in their ancient Turano-Kusite or Mero-opian stage, who stemmed the advancement of Sanskrit-Aryans at the northern fortress of Kāl-linga; for this (our Kalinjar) long looked down watchfully upon the new Aryan possessions—once probably theirs, in the valley of the Jamuna or Jumna, which river was also more anciently known as the Kāl-linga—a significant name which the reader haa yet to become familiar with. 1 The Āndhras would then as now truly merit the Vedik designation 2 of “Followers of Sisna-Deva,” the Priapian orLingam God, for they c1aiIned his Triune sway from three great shrines embracing the whole breadth and half the length of all India. When they lost control of these shrines they substituted others, and in lieu of Northern and much of Southern India expended their surplus energies in colonizing trans-oceanik countries. It was they and theirs who founded the old Talain Taling or Tra-ling Kingdom of Barma, and who principally pressed their Indian civilization, arts, faiths and symbolims on Barma, Siam and Kambodia, and, by the help of their Tamil brethren, on all the Indian Archipelago. To trace their age and probable deeds we must dig even below those wondrous old temples buried in the primeval forests of Siam, Kambodia, Java, Bâli, &c., 3 and learn how they but followed here in the footstep of those far 1 Cf. Wilson’s Vishnu Purâna, Hall’s ed., iv. 203. Pliny’s Nat. Hist., vi. 22, and our vol. II 472-480. 2 Rig Veda, vii. 25, 5; x. 99, 3, on which see Dr. Muir’s Sans. Texts. 3 Cf. vol. i. pp. 113-117, and other parts.
Preface. xvii more ancient Turano-Bâli or Bâal worshippers, who had also left their South Indian and Ceylonese homes—by no means their cradle—to bear in mythologic times a wondrous civilization into Celebes and Sunda groups, nay onwards into Oceana and the Amerikas. War, followed by civil duties, called the writer to this Eastern side of the Indian Ocean, where, during nearly seven yars, he had ample opportunity of practically acquainting himself with the purest Budhism that anywhere exists nationally. Here also he had to study his first Turanian language, the character of which was, however, found to be in close approximation to that with which he bad been so familiar in Telingâna. All trans-Indian languages have here borrowed, though the Lingam worshipers had long ago been driven away except from the seaports— hateful no doubt from their social and. comparatively recent caste pretensions—yet lower Barma. still markedly showed their ancient influence. The faith of the great Prophet of Budha—Gayâ had long been one, the practices of which the writer had anxiously desired to study for it crosses the student's path in all research concerning Hinduism or the Neo-Braâhmanism which it had developed, as well as that earlier Hermaik and then Vedik Brahmanism from which it had sprung as a reforming and conquering faith. It seemed a vain hope to thoroughly master Budhism without a personal acquaintance with it as a living faith and here—throughout Barma, Siam and their coasts—it was working under numerous and much respected leaders; perhaps the least worldly of priesthoods, with a fervor and purity far beyond that manifested by the vastly more numerous Budhists of China and Japan. The Barmese had indeed looked upon Ceylon as a sort of Myamu, Eden or Paradise, where was concentrated all that they held lovely and pure in faith— “a divine gem,” as they said, “in a wicked world;” but being long an appanage of idolatrous lndia and then of “white Kalas who neither fear gods nor devils” it had then (thirty years ago) fallen from its lofty pedestal and the high priests of the Irawady were learning to themselves and seek for no aid from India beyond an occasional relic of their Master. From the straits of Malâka to the northern capital of the Barmese Monarch, and from the forest-clad shores of Arakān and the hills where dwell the wild dark Khyens, to over many of the mountains of the red Karen and of the little known Shān tribes, all of whom are practically Nature and Nat or Fetish worshipers, the writer sought a knowledge of present and past faiths. Almost every shrine and sacred mountain spot within or near our own borders was visited, and. priests and people freely dwelt amongst as in their Khymmga and Ziyâts, where the most friendly intercourse
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xvi<br />
Preface.<br />
devices to render apparent to the multitude, what they longed to discern <strong>of</strong> the unseen<br />
and the limitless. So early Christians put crosses on the ancient stones, and built<br />
their churches on sites endeared to Pagans by the worship <strong>of</strong> ages, just as Hindus had<br />
before acted in regard to Budhists, and they to Vedantists, and so on for untold time.<br />
The hallowed associations connected with old names and emblems, rites and fête days,<br />
were always esteemed by reformers as the best means <strong>of</strong> furthering their schemes—<br />
usually the best interests <strong>of</strong> their fellows. It was found that the revered name and<br />
symbol best comforted the miserable, gave strength to the ignorant and aided greatly<br />
him who was striving to associate himself with the divine; and this we call "Religion.”<br />
Before leaving Southern India, the writer had. many opportunities <strong>of</strong> seeing and<br />
studying the faiths and shrines <strong>of</strong> all the Eastern coast <strong>of</strong> India from Tamulian<br />
Madras to the northern limits <strong>of</strong> that ancient Āndhra nation now and for a millenium<br />
known only as the Telagu, Telingāna or country <strong>of</strong> the Tri-Lingas. And no region is<br />
more interesting, whether we consider the intense energy <strong>of</strong> the people so long manifested<br />
in colonization, or their very ancient lineage and for northern possessions. It<br />
was Āndhras in their ancient Turano-Kusite or Mero-opian stage, who stemmed the<br />
advancement <strong>of</strong> Sanskrit-Aryans at the northern fortress <strong>of</strong> Kāl-linga; for this (our<br />
Kalinjar) long looked down watchfully upon the new Aryan possessions—once probably<br />
theirs, in the valley <strong>of</strong> the Jamuna or Jumna, which river was also more anciently known<br />
as the Kāl-linga—a significant name which the reader haa yet to become familiar with. 1<br />
The Āndhras would then as now truly merit the Vedik designation 2 <strong>of</strong> “Followers <strong>of</strong><br />
Sisna-Deva,” the Priapian orLingam God, for they c1aiIned his Triune sway from three<br />
great shrines embracing the whole breadth and half the length <strong>of</strong> all India. When they<br />
lost control <strong>of</strong> these shrines they substituted others, and in lieu <strong>of</strong> Northern and much <strong>of</strong><br />
Southern India expended their surplus energies in colonizing trans-oceanik countries.<br />
It was they and theirs who founded the old Talain Taling or Tra-ling Kingdom <strong>of</strong><br />
Barma, and who principally pressed their Indian civilization, arts, faiths and symbolims<br />
on Barma, Siam and Kambodia, and, by the help <strong>of</strong> their Tamil brethren, on all the<br />
Indian Archipelago. To trace their age and probable deeds we must dig even below<br />
those wondrous old temples buried in the primeval forests <strong>of</strong> Siam, Kambodia, Java,<br />
Bâli, &c., 3 and learn how they but followed here in the footstep <strong>of</strong> those far<br />
1<br />
Cf. Wilson’s Vishnu Purâna, Hall’s ed., iv. 203. Pliny’s Nat. Hist., vi. 22, and our vol. II<br />
472-480.<br />
2<br />
Rig Veda, vii. 25, 5; x. 99, 3, on which see Dr. Muir’s Sans. Texts.<br />
3<br />
Cf. vol. i. pp. 113-117, and other parts.
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