WORSHIP OF KANDARÁ ALIAS MANGALA.
Argument. Deification and Adoration of the Rákshasí for her good
Services to Mankind.
Vasishtha continued:—The Rákshasí thus continued in her devotion, and
remained on friendly terms with the successive rulers of the Kiráta
country, who kept supplying her with her rations. (The Rákshasí
maneater was turned to Rákshiní or preserver of men).
2. She continued by the power of her perfection in the practice of yoga
meditation, to prevent all portents, to ward off all dread and danger of
demons, and remove the diseases of the people. (All these were done by
the Rákshasí vidyá now lost, and by supernatural powers gained by yoga).
3. In the course of many years of her meditation, she used to come out
of her cell at certain intervals, and call at the head quarters, for her
capture of the collection of living creatures kept for her victims. (Man
slaughter was not blamable on the part of the cannibal Rákshasí, though
practising the yoga; nor was the eating of animal flesh reprehensible in
Vasishtha himself, who had been a flesh eating yogi. (See Uttara Ráma
Charita)).
4. The practice continues still to be observed by the princes of the
place, who conduct the animals to be sacrificed to her departed ghost on
the hill; as none can be negligent to repay the good services of his
benefactor. (Hence the prevalence of the practice of offering sacrifices
to the names of ancestors and deified heroes and heroines, and even of
demons for their past good services).
5. At last she became defunct in her meditation, and ceased since long
to appear to the habitations of men, and lend her aid in removing their
diseases, dangers and difficulties. (The good genius of the place left
it at last).
6. The people then dedicated a high temple to her memory, and placed in
it a statue of hers, under the title of Kandará—caverner _alias_ Mangalá
deví—the auspicious goddess. (The whole legend of the Kandará of
Kirátas, alludes to the account of Mangalá Chandí _alias_ Kalika
deví—the black and voracious goddess of the Hindus).
7. Since then it is the custom of the chiefs of the tribe, to consecrate
a newly made statue in honor of the Kandará deví—the goddess of the
valley, after the former one is disfigured and dilapidated. (The
Kirántis are said to continue in their idolatry to this day,
notwithstanding the conversion of their fellow hill tribes to
Mahomedanism, except the Kafers—another hill tribe of the Himalayas who
are idolators still).
8. Any prince of the place, who out of his vileness, fails to consecrate
the statue of the Kandará goddess, brings out of his own perverseness,
great calamities to visit his people. (This sort of retributive justice
is expressed in the adage “rájadoshat rájya nashta”:—“And for the king’s
offence the people died.” Pope’s Homer’s Iliad I).
9. By worshipping her, man obtains the fruits of all his desires; and by
neglecting it, he exposes himself to all sorts of evils and calamities;
as effects of the pleasure and displeasure of the goddess to her
votaries or otherwise. (The two clauses are instances of affirmative and
negative enthymemes coupled together as _anvaya vyatirekí_. The first
enthymeme of the antecedent and consequent is affirmative _anvayí_, and
the other a _vyatirekí_ or negative one). Gloss.
10. The goddess is still worshipped by dying and ailing people with
offerings, for remedy of their illness and securing her blessings; and
she in her turn distributes her rewards among them, that worship her
either in her statue or picture. (Raxá Kálí is worshipped in statue, but
Mongla Chandí is worshipped in a _ghata_ or potful of water).
11. She is the bestower of all blessings to young babes, and weak calves
and cows; while she kills the hardy and proud that deserve their death.
She is the goddess of intelligence and favours the intelligent, and
presides for ever in the realm of the Kiráta people. (Vasishtha being a
theist, reviles like a Vaishnava, the black goddess as a Rákshasí, which
a Kaula cannot countenance).