HVK Archives: The origin of holy places
The origin of holy places - The Statesman
Mihir Mukherjee
()
6 May 1997
Title : The origin of holy places
Author : Mihir Mukherjee
Publication : The Statesman
Date : May 6, 1997
In the beginning, the world - most of it covered with "cusha" (long grass) lay
waiting for Mahadeva and his consort, Parvati, to take charge. They gambolled from
place to place in different incarnations, creating legends - several of which are
contained in the Scanda-purana and Visva-sarapracasa, or declaration of what is
most excellent in the world - which have an evident relation to the origin of
Semi-ramis, the Syrian dove Ninus and the building of Niniveh, Hierapolis and
Mecca.
More than 200 years ago, a study of the Hindu scriptures, sacred Hebrew books,
Greek and Jewish mythologies and writings by Roman and Arab historians led
Lieutenant Francis Wilford, an English scholar, to the conclusion that in ancient
times Hinduism was the practice in all of the Middle East right up to Egypt and in
parts of central Asia beyond the Caspian Sea. This conclusion resulted in an
article - "A dissertation on Semiramis, the origin of Mecca & c. from the Hindu
Sacred Books", which was published in the Asiatic Researches of the Asiatic
Society of Calcutta in 1795.
According to one legend, Mahadeva and Parvati quit their divine abode on Kailasa
and journeyed north to the Nishada mountains, where they were received by devatas
and a retinue of celestial nymphs. Mahadeva was only too apparently stuck by the
beauty of some of the apsaras and the indignant Parvati reproached him. Mahadeva
tried to pacify her but in vain.
She fled to Cushadwip in the Vahni-vyapta mountains where in the hollow trunk of a
"sami" tree she performed tapasya for nine years, fire sprining from her
enveloping the mountain range and terrifying men and beast. But mindful that her
devotion should cause no distress, Parvati confined the sacred flame in the "sami"
tree and was henceforth called Sami-Rama. The flame so confined is fed by "arani"
or the cubic wood of the sami tree and so Arani is considered the mother of fire.
Later, Mahadeva and Parvati were reconciled and the tree is believed to bestow
wealth and corn to devotees, that its worship fulfils one's desires.
Soon after, they visited Purushotma in Utkal-desa or Orissa and were surprised to
see an uninhabited land covered with long grass. Assuming the form of doves,
Mahadeva and Parvati performed tapasya and set fire to the grass and the land was
filled with people who then worshipped them under the titles of Capteswara and
Captesi or Iswara and Isi.
In fact the entire universe was covered with long grass which Mahadeva and Parvati
resolved to destroy. They returned to Cushadwip, where the Mlechhas or impure
tribes, and the Yavanas lived. Mahadeva decided to bestow "mocsha" or eternal
bliss on them and directed his consort, who is also called Mahabhaga, to go to
Vahnisthan on the borders of Cushadwip to meditate so as to destroy the long
grass. Assuming the name Anayasa at Vahnisthan, Parvati created a conflagration
that not only razed the long grass but the Yavanas and Mlechha as well. And in
the course of time four great tribes came to Cushadwip and formed a powerful
nation.
But they too deviated from the path of rectitude, became like the Mlechhas and the
Yavanas and re-entering Cushadwip they laid waste the whole country. The four
tribes then begged Anayasa to protect them from the Yavanas and dwell among them.
She agreed and the spat she chose as her abode is called Mahabhagasthan.
Meanwhile, Mahadeva was at Mocshasthan bestowing deliverance on all who came to
worship him. It is a most holy place and there Mahadeva laid aside the shape of
Capteswara and assumed that of Mocshewara. Among his first votaries was
Sthavarapati, who went to Agniparvatas, or the fire mountains in Vahnisthan, and
defeated the forces of Samirama. She was later given command over Vahnisthan.
Another legend, according to Lieutenant Wilford, gives a clue to the origin of
Ninus. One day, a naked Mahadeva saw several munis (sages) praying and he insulted
them. They cursed him and his linga or phallus fell to the ground. Mahadeva then
traversed the world bewailing his misfortune and Parvati, too, joined him in his
mourning. This is what the Greek mythologists call the wandering of Damater and
the lamentations of Bacchus.
The gods and men were alarmed. They went in search of the linga and having found
it they cut it into 31 pieces, each portion soon becoming a perfect linga. Some
were carried to heaven and some left on earth. One of the lingas was erected on
the banks of the Cumudvati or Euphrates under the name Baleswara-linga or the
linga of the Iswara, the infant, who is similar to Jupiter Puer of the Western
mythologies. Mahadeva was born again as Baleswara and later threw off his
childlike appearance and became a man under the title of Lileswara, who gives
pleasure and delight. He reigned over gods and men with the strictest adherence to
justice and equity, conquered many distant countries, destroying the wicked. But
he was indifferent to females, which alarmed his subjects. Lileswara endeavoured
to please them but his embraces were fruitless. This is termed Aschalana in
Sanskrit and the place where this happened was called Aschalanasthan.
At last Samirama came to Aschalanasthan and married Lileswara and became known as
Lileswari. The couple selected a delightful grove by the side of a river near
Cusushadwip as their place of abode, which was known as Lilasthan. Samirama, it is
argued, is obviously the Semiramis of the Western mythologists. The Roman
historian Diodorous Siculus informs us that she was born at Ascalon and the
Puranas say her first appearance in Syria was, at Aschalanasthan or the place
where Lilesa or Ninus had Aschalana. The defeat of Semiramis by Staurobates is
recorded in the Puranas for Staurobates is obviously Sthavarapati.
Some scholars believe Mocshasthan is the present Mecca the word Mocsha pronounced
in the vulgar dialect as Moca, and the author of Dabistan says the ancient name of
Mecca was Maca. It was called Maco Raba or Moca the Great by Ptolemy, the Greek
geographer, and there is a medal of Antonius Pins with this legend "MOK, IEP,
AXT, ATTO", which means Moca, the holy, the inviolable and using her own laws.
Lieutenant Wilford believed this was applicable only to Mecca or Mocshasthan,
which the Puranas describe as a most holy place. Arab historians also confirm this
legend. The place was identified to be situated a great way westward from India
and not far from Egypt. It is declared in the Puranas that Capteswara and his
consort Captesi, in the shape of two doves, remained there for some time and Arab
authors mention that in the time of Prophet Mohammed there were, in the temple of
Mecca, two piegeons carved in wood. These were of course removed. Besides, stones
were worshipped all over Arabia in remote times. There was an Egyptian god of
time, called Horus, which is interpreted as Hara, another name for Mahadeva.
Lieutenant Wilford says: "We cannot but suppose that the sthan of Mahabhanga is
the ancient town of Mabog in Syria, which the Greeks called Hierapolis or the holy
city." It was a place of great antiquity and there was a famous temple dedicated
to the Syrian goddess, who had a golden dove on her head. There is mention of
Mabog by Pliny, the Roman historian. The temple of Mabog was frequented by all
nations, including pilgrims from India. Mabog or Hierapolis was also called Ninus
or Ninivesh and Diodorus Siculus and Ctesias assert that there was a town called
Niniveh near the Euphrates.
As to the erection of a Baleswara-linga on the banks of the Cumudvati or
Euphrates, it is confirmed by Siculus that Semiramis brought an obelisk from the
mountains of Armenia and erected it in the most conspicuous part of Babylon. The
Jews in the Talmud allude to something of this kind.
The next place of worship of Anayasa Devi or the goddess Anaias or Alcida of
Western mythology, who was synonymous with Sakti Devi, was the burning spring of
naptha. Hindu pilgrims would visit the place at least 200 years ago and called it
Jualamuchi or the flaming mouth. It was part of Vahnisthan, which included all the
mountainous country with volcanoes from Phrygia to Herat and present day
Azerbaijan is identified as Vahnisthan proper. The Jualamuchi is the designation
of the springs of naptha near Baku. It is stated that there were Hindus on the
banks of the Nila (Nile) in the country Misr (Egypt) and at Baku and Astrakhan,
who worshipped the Volga under the name of Suryamuchi-Ganga. Indeed, the names and
titles of most of the Babylonian deities are pure Sanskrit and many are still
worshipped in India or at least their legends are to be found in the Puranas.
Back
Top
|
