_The Original Religion and Worship of the_ Banians _and_ Persees, _with
all their Castes and Tribes._
This large part of the World which is governed by the _Great Mogul_, is
inhabited by these three sort of People, _Banians_, _Moor-men_ or
_Rashpoots_, and _Persees_; the several Religions or Worships of the
first and last, _viz._ the _Banians_ and _Persees_, I shall here give
you an account of; but for the _Moors_ or _Rashpoots_, they have little
esteem for any Religion in particular, and being for the most part
Souldiers, are of the _Great Moguls_ Religion, which is partly
_Mahometan_, I shall therefore begin with the _Banians_, who believe in
one God, and that he created the World out of nothing, and that after
this manner; first he having the four Elements of Air, Earth, Fire, and
Water for a ground-work, by some great Cane or such like instrument,
blew upon the waters, which arose into a bubble of a round form like an
Egg, which spreading itself made the Firmament so clear and transparent,
which now compasseth the World about; after this there remaining true
liquid substance in the Earth, God made of both these together a thing
round like a Ball, which is called the lower World; the more solid part
became Earth, the liquid Sea, both which making one Globe, he by a great
noise or huming sound placed them in the midst of the Firmament, there
he created the Sun and Moon to distinguish times and seasons, and the
four Elements which were before mixed, were now separated and assigned
to their several places, and discharged their several offices; the Air
filled up the empty parts, the Fire nourished with heat, the Earth and
Sea brought forth their living creatures, and then was the World
created; and as it had its beginning from four Elements, so it was
measured by four points, _East_, _West_, _North_ and _South_, and was to
be continued for four Ages, to be peopled by four _Casts_ or sorts of
men, who were to be married by four sorts of women appointed for them.
The World being made, Man was likewise made out of the Earth, God
putting him into life, and he worshipping his Creator; Woman was
likewise made and given to him as a companion; the first mans name was
_Pourous_, and the womans name was _Parcoutee_, and they lived together
as man and wife, feeding on the fruits of the earth, not destroying any
living Creature.
These two had four sons called _Brammon_, _Cuttery_, _Shuddery_, and
_Wyse_, who were of different and distinct nature from each other, for
_Brammon_ was of an earthly constitution, and therefore Melancholly;
_Cuttery_ fiery, and therefore Martial; _Shuddery_ flegmatick, and
therefore Peaceable; _Wyse_ airey, and therefore full of contrivances
and inventions. _Brammon_ being melancholly and ingenious, God gave him
knowledge, and appointed him to impart his Laws, and therefore gave him
a Book containing the form of Divine Worship and Religion; _Cuttery_
being Martial, had power to govern Kingdoms, and therefore had a Sword
given him; _Shuddery_ being mild and conversable, it was thought fit
that he should be a Merchant and Traffick, and therefore had a pair of
Ballances and a bag of Weights hung at his girdle; and _Wyse_ being
airey, was appointed for a Mechanick or Handicrafts man, and therefore
had a bag of several sorts of tools.
These were the first men, and these their qualities, (according to the
_Banian_ tradition) that peopled the Earth; _Pourous_ and _Parcoutee_
had no daughters, because the sons should go elsewhere to find them
wives, which were made for them, and placed at the four winds; the four
sons being grown up to mans age, were commanded to travel; And,
First, _Brammon_ with his Book in his hand took his journey towards the
rising of the Sun in the East; for the place where they were born, and
their Parents created, was in the Middle or Navel of the world, the Sun
at Noon-day casting no shadow. _Brammon_ taking his journey, as is said,
towards the East, arrived at a goodly Mountain, before which was a
Valley, through which there passed a Brook; in the descent of which
there appeared a Woman a drinking. This Woman was of black hair, yellow
Complexion, of an indifferent size, and a modest aspect, and indeed in
every thing made, as if made for her beholder; who being naked, and
seeing her to be so, was more bashful than the Woman, who first brake
silence, by questioning the cause of his coming thither.
_Brammon_ hearing her spake, and that in his own Language, thus reply’d,
_That the great God, who made all things had sent him thither_: The
Woman seeing his Book, asked the use of it; whereupon he opening it,
shewed her the Contents thereof; and after some other discourse the
consented to be married to him, according to the form prescribed in that
book; which being done, they lay together, and had many children, who
peopled the East part of the world: this Womans name was _Savatree_.
_Cuttery_ the 2d. Brother, was sent upon the same account to the West
part of the world, and taking his sword in his hand, he advanced on his
journey; but not meeting with any adventure or occasion to make use
thereof, he was much troubled; desiring above all things, that he might
meet with some people whereon he might exercise his courage: thus
impatiently did he proceed on his journey, till he arrived near a high
Mountain, where he might behold a Personage who was walking with a
Martial pace, and coming nearer, found to be a Woman armed with a weapon
call’d a Chuckery: They were no sooner met, but they encountred, and set
upon one another; but though he expected a sudden conquest, yet was he
deceived therein, for his adversary held him in play all that day, till
night parted them. The next day also they wholly spent in fight; he
gained no advantage over his female enemy, only at the cloze of the day,
he had the fortune to cut her weapon in two; but the night coming on,
she escaped from him, without any further damage.
The next day she was provided with Bow and Arrows, and then had a great
advantage over him, because she could wound him at a distance, and he
could not hurt her without a close fight; he being sensible of this
odds, clozed with her, and by main strength threw her down, holding her
by the hair of the head; when having a perfect view of her beauties,
instead of an enemy, he became a lover of this beautiful object; and
that he might gain her affections, he threw by his weapons, and applyed
himself to her in fair speeches, to which she was attentive; and he at
length became so prevalent, that they at present plighted troths to one
another, and of enemies, not only at that instant became friends; but in
short time after, living together, and Nature dictating to them what
must be done for the procreation of their like, they tasted the fruit of
Loves garden, and had many children, who peopled the West part of the
World; this Womans name was _Toddicastree_.
_Chuddery_ the 3d. Son, who was the Merchant-man, was sent to the North
with his ballance and weights, and he after much travel happened on a
place where he found Pearls, and a Rock or Mine of Diamonds; and
believing them (by reason of their great luster in the dark) of some
extraordinary value, took some of them with him, and special notice of
the place, that he might find it again; and so proceeding on his
journey, came to the place where was the Woman that was to be his Wife,
who was wandring by the side of a Wood; she, seeing him, became fearful;
but he coming to her, and giving her good words, won upon her to stay
and receive him into her company; and after an account of his journey,
which she concluded was purposely designed to her, because they
understood one anothers speech, he bestowed some of his Pearls and
Diamonds upon her; in time they proving the comforts of the conjoyned
state, had several children, who peopled the North part of the World,
and became Merchant-men: he afterwards travelling with them, shewed them
the rock of Diamonds; this Womans name was _Visagundah_.
_Wyse_, the 4th. and youngest of the Brethren, went also to the South
parts of the World, and carried his tools with him, whereby he was able
to build a house, or perform any other piece of work needful for the use
of man; he was forced to pass over seven Seas, at each place making a
Vessel, and leaving it behind him: the last Sea was called
_Pashurbatee_, and brought him to a Land called _Derpe_, where he built
him a house to live in, which he did with much content, till the Woman
appointed for him came thither to behold the same: She was very amiable
and white, and her hair was powdred with _Saunders_ and other _Odours_:
She first spake to him, demanding _how he came thither_; He answered
her, _that the Almighty had sent him, and he had taken great pains by
coming over seven Seas to wait on her_: She was displeased with his
discourse and house, telling him _that she needed him not_; and
notwithstanding all his perswasions, left him: he afterwards met her
walking in the Woods; but could not prevail with her to continue with
him; but left him much troubled. After this, he being in a profound
melancholy, walking abroad, came to a parcel of trees, under which he
placed himself, and there prayed to his Creator, _that he might not lose
his labour, in coming so far to find a Woman that would not converse
with him_: To this prayer he had answer, _that his request should be
granted, on condition, that for the future he would erect Images, and
adore, and worship them under green trees_: To this he consented, and at
the next meeting he gained the good will of this Woman who was named
_Jejunnogundah_, so that she became his wife, by whom he had several
children that peopled the South.
These Four Brethren being thus dispersed at the 4 several parts of the
earth, and having peopled the same, were all desirous of returning to
their own Country from whence they came, to see their Father and Mother,
and recount their several adventures to them, and to that end, leaving
their children behind, they and their wives travelled so long, till they
came to the place; where they were first joyfully received of their
Parents; and then of each other; there they likewise had several other
children, begetting several generations, that all the world might be
instructed in their several qualities, by _Brammon_ in matters of
Religion, by _Cuttery_ in Rule and Governments, by _Shuddery_ in
Traffick and Merchandize, and by _Wyse_ in matters of Handicrafts; of
which four Casts the world consisteth, every one of them living in his
several quality, keeping his tribe free from confusion or interfeering;
and thus the world was peopled: but in time, multitude begat difference,
and disorder, and mischief, and every person disagreed with the other,
every one producing new and various differences, as well in matters of
Religion and Worship, as in all other affairs, when the Almighty for the
wickedness of mankind sent a flood which came and destroyed all the
Creatures of the earth; and this according to the tradition of the
_Banians_, was the first Age of the world.
This world of Creatures being destroyed, others were made in this
manner: The Almighty first made out of the earth these three Creatures,
_Breman_, _Vistney_ and _Ruddery_, and gave great power to them; to
_Breman_ he gave the power of making Creatures, because say the
_Banians_, as great persons do not their work but by Deputies, so
neither was it fit that God should be servile to his Creatures, but give
to them their being by his Instruments. To the second, which was
_Vistney_, he gave charge to preserve the Creatures: But to the third,
which was _Ruddery_, he gave power to destroy them, because he knew they
would be wicked, and deserve Judgments. _Breman_ was to be taken up to
Heaven in conclusion of the second age. _Vistney_ was to live as long
again as _Breman_, and _Ruddery_ was to continue three times as long,
and then he should destroy all the world, which should be the great day
of Judgement.
_Breman_ according to the power given him, produced man and Woman out of
his own bowels, who being instructed by him gave worship to God, and
reverence to him: the man was by him named _Mamaw_, and the Woman
_Ceterrupa_; they were sent to the _East_, and there they had three sons
and three daughters, who were sent severally to the _West_, _North_ and
_South_, which were peopled by them: thus man being made by _Breman_,
_Vistney_ provided things necessary for them, and _Ruddery_ dispersed
afflictions, sicknesses and death, as men did deserve them.
It was now necessary say the _Banians_, that the Law should be given,
according to which they should live; and therefore _Breman_ being called
up into a Mountain, the Almighty gave him out of a cloud a book, which
the _Banians_ call the _Shaster_, wherein was written their Lawes; this
book consisted of three Tracts.
The first, whereof contained their Moral Law, and an Explication or
Appropriation of the precepts to every several Tribe and Cast.
The second, was their Ceremonial Law.
The third, distinguished them into Casts or Tribes, with peculiar
observations for each Cast and Tribe.
The first Tract of the Moral Law contained eight commandements.
1. That they should kill no living Creature, because like man it had a
soul.
2. That they should make a Covenant with their five senses: the Eyes not
to see evil things, the Ears not to hear evil things, the Tongue not to
speak evil, the Pallat not to taste, as wine or flesh, the hands not to
touch any thing defiled.
3. That they should duly observe the times of devotion in washing,
worship, _&c._