363.

XXVI,
D

A DISSERTATION on SEMIRAMIS, -

The origin of Mecca, &c. from the HINDU S AcRED Books.

By Lieut. FRANCIS WILFORD.

*

N the Scnda-purna, and Viva-tra-pracsa, or declaration of what is

mot excellent in the world, we find the following legends, which have an
evident relation to the origin of Semiramis, the Syrian dove, Ninus, and the
building of Niniveh, Hierapolis and Mecca, &c.

Mah A-DE v A and his conort PA'Rv ATY, with a view to do good to
mankind, quitted their divine abode on Cailaa, and proceeding towards the
north, alighted on the ummit of the Nihada mountains, where they found
the Devditas ready to receive them, with a numerous retinue of celetial
Nymphs, and heavenly Quiriters. MAHA-deva was o truck with the
beauty of ome of the Aparas, and his looks were o expreive of his in
ternal raptures, that Parvati unable to conceal her indignation, uttered
the mot virulent reproaches againt him. Concious of the impropriety of
his behaviour, MAHA-Dev A ued every endeavour to pacify her; he hum
bled himelf; he praied her and addreed her by the flattering appellation of
* Maha'-bha(g a but to no purpoe. She fled into Cua-daip on the
mountains of Pahmi-vyipta, and eating herelf in the hollow trunk of a
Sami tree, performed Tapa;4 (or autere devotion) for the pace of nine
years ; when fire pringing from her, 'pervaded with rapid violence the whole
range of mountains, in o much, that men and animals were terrified, and
- X X 2
364 A Dissert ATIon on SEMIRAM is,

fled with the utmot precipitation. De'v1, unwilling that her devotion
hould prove a caue of ditres to the animal creation, recalled the acred
flame, and confined it in the Sami tree. She made the hollow of that tree
her place of abode and dalliance; and hence he is called SAM1'-RA'MA, or
he who dallies in the Sami tree.

The fugitives returning, performed the Puja in adoration of her, with

ongs in her praie. The flame confined in the Sami tree till remains in
it; and the Devts are highly delighted with the fire, which is lighted
from the Arant' (or cubic wood of that tree). The Aran is the mother of
fire and is produced from the Sami tree. From that time, this acred tree
gives an increae of virtue, and betows wealth and corn. In the month of
Awina or Cooar, the tenth of the firt fifteen days of the moon is kept holy,
and Puj is made to SAM1'-RA'MA and to the Sami tree; and thoe who
perform it, obtain the objet of their defires. This acred rite I have
hitherto kept concealed from the world, ays MAHA"-De'v A, but now I
make it known, for the good of mankind; and whooever performs it, will
be vitorious over his enemies, for the pace of one year.

DURING thee tranations W1 sve swa RA-MAH 4-oxa, or CAs'1-PAT1

(that is to ay MAHA-deva, the lord of the world and overeign of Ci or
Benares) viited the country of PURushot AMA, in Utcola-dea or Oria;
which he was urprized to find overpread with long gras, and without inhabi
tants. He reolved to detroy the long gras, and for this purpoe, auming the
diminutive hape of a dove, with an angry countenance, commenced the
performance of Tapa; his conort Devi' alo transformed herelf into a
bird of the ame pecies; and from that time they were known to mankind,
and worhipped under the titles of CApo Teswara and Capote's', or
 *~

THE origin of Meega, &c. ." 365

Iswara and Isi in the hape of a dove, They et fire to the Cuha or long
gras, and the country became like Windra-van, (near Muttra), and was oon
filled with inhabitants. The pot where they performed their Tapaj, is
called to this day Capta-t'hali, or the place of the dove. It is a celebrated
place of worhip, and, as I am informed, about five cos from jaganntha,

AL Most the whole univere was likewie at this time overpread with
long gras, and to detroy it, MAHA"-Dev A, with his conort, reolved to
travel round the world. They according proceeded into Cuha-duip, which
they found thinly inhabited by a few Mlch'Aas or impure tribes ; and the
ravanas, who concealed their booty in the gras which covered the coun
try. - -

MAHA"-Dev A took compaion on them, and confidering their ufferings in

this inhopitable country as a ort of Tapayd, he reolved to betow Mocha,
or eternal blis on them : for this purpoe he aumed the charater and
countenance of Mocshe swara or Iswara who betows Meha; and
direted his conort CApo TE st', who is alo called Maha-bhaga", to go
to Vahni-fl'han, on the borders of Cuha-duipa, there to make Tapaya, in
order to detroy the long gras. Accordingly he went into Vahni-t'hn;
and that he might effect it without trouble to herelf, he aumed another
form from which circumtance he was named Anaya'sa. In this cha
rater he eated herelf on a beautiful hill, and there made Tapaya for many
days. At lat fire prung from her devotion, and its prefiding power tand
ing before her, he directed him to detroy the Cuha; when the hills were
oon in a blaze, and the 2 avanas and other Mlech'as obtaining Mffa,
were reunited to the upreme being, without labour or effect on their part;
that is ay, they were involved in the general conflagration and detroyed.
366 A Disse RTATION on SEMIRAM is,

when the gras was conumed, ANA'y A's a' ordered the clouds to g
ther, and pour their waters on the land, which was oon overflowed. The
waters then retired, and the four great tribes came into Cuha-duip, where
they oon formed a powerful nation, and became rich and happy. After the
conflagration, all orts of metals and precious tones were found throughout
the country. The countenance of ANAY'AsA'-Dev1 is that of fire, and a
mot divine form it is.

The inhabitants oon after deviating from the paths of retitude, became
like the Mlech'ia; and the ravanas re-entered Cuha-duip, plundering, and
laying wate the whole country. The four tribes applied to ANA YAs A,
offered praies to her, and requeted he would protet them againt the
ravanas, and dwell among them. Maha-bha'GA' aented, and the pot,
which he choe for her abode, is called Mah-bhg-t'bn, or the place of
MAHA-BH A GA . . .

In the mean time, MAHA'-deva was at Mcha-t'hn, or Meha,

betowing Meha on all who came to worhip there. It is a mot holy place,
and there MAHA'-Dev A. laid afide the countenance and hape of Capo
TE'swar.A, and aumed that of Moc's he war.A.

Among the firt votaries of MAHA-DE'va, who repaired to Mcha-hn,

was V1'r AseNA, the on of Guhyaca. He had been making Tapaya for
a long time, in honor of MAHA-Dev A, who at lat appeared to him, and
made him king over St'hvaras, or the immoveable part of the creation:
hence he was called ST'HAva RA-PAT 1 ; and the hills, trees, plants and
graes of every kind were ordered to obey him. His native country was
near the ea; and he began his reign with repreing the wicked, and in
 THE or 1GIN or Mecca, &c. 367

fiting on all his ubjets walking in the paths of jutice and retitude. In
order to make his overeignty acknowledged throughout the world, he put
himelf at the head of a numerous army; and directing his coure towards
the north, he arrived at Mcha-t'hn, where he performed the Puj in honor
of Mocshe swar A, according to the rites precribed in the acred books.
From Mcka, he advanced towards the Agni-prvatas, or fire mountains in
Wahni'hn; but they refued to meet him with preents, and to pay tribute
to him. Incened at their inolence, STHAvAR-PAT I reolved to detroy
them ; the officers on the part of SAM1'-RAMA', the overeign of Vahni
f'An, aembled all their troops, and met the army of ST'havak-pati 5
but, after a bloody conflit, they were put to flight.

SAMI-RA"MA amazed, enquired, who this new conqueror was ; and oon
reflected, that he could never have prevailed againt her, without a boon from
Maha-deva, obtained by the means of what is called Ugra-Tapayd, or a
Tapaj performed with fervor, earnetnes of defire and anger. She had a
conference with ST'HAvAR-PATI, and as he was, through his Tapayd,
become a on of MAHA"-DE'v A, he told him, he conidered him in that
light, and would allow him to command over all the hills, trees and plants
in Pahni'6n. The hills then humbled themelves before STh A var
PATI and paid tribute to him.

The origin of NINUs is thus related in the ame acred books. One day,
as MAHA'-Dev A was rambling over the earth, naked, and with a large club
in his hand, he chanced to pas near the pot, where everal Muni's were per
forming their devotions. MAHA deva laughed at them, inulted them in
the mot provoking and indecent terms, and let his expreions hould not be
forcible enough, he accompanied the whole with ignificant figns, and ge
368, A Dssf.F.T. At Ion on SEM IRAM ts,

tures. The offended Mani; cured him, and the Linga or Phallus fell to the
ground. MAHA'-DE'v A, in this tate of mutilation, travelled over the world,
bewailing his misfortune. His conort too, hearing of this accident, gave
herelf up to grief, and ran after him in a tate of ditration, repeating
mournful ongs. This is what the Greek mythologits called, the wander
ings of DAMATER, and the lamentations of Bacchus. *"

The world being thus deprived of its vivifying principle ; generation and
vegetation were at a tand; Gods and men were alarmed, but having dicover
ed the caue of it, they all went in earch of the acred Linga ; and at lat
found it grown to an immene ize, and endowed with life and motion.

HAVING worhipped the acred pledge, they cut it, with hatchets, into
one and thirty pieces, which Polypus like, oon became perfet Lingas.
The Devatar left one and twenty of them on earth ; carried nine into heaven,
and removed one into the inferior regions, for the benefit of the inhabitants
of the three worlds. One of thee Lingas was erected on the banks of the
Cumud-vat, or Euphrates, under the name of BA Leswa RA-L ING A, or the
Linga of Iswa RA the infant, who eems to anwer to the Jupiter Puer
of the wetern mythologits: To atisfy Devi, and retore all things to their
former fituation, Ma HA-Deva was born again in the charater of BALE s
war A, or Iswara the infant. Bale'swara, who foters, and preerves all,
though a child, was of uncommon trength; be had a beautiful countenance;
his manners were mot engaging ; and his only wih was to pleae every body
in which he ucceeded effectually ; but his ubjets waited with impatience,
till he came to the age of maturity, that he might bles them with an heir to
his virtues. BA Leswa RA, to pleae them, threw off his childlike appear
ance, and uddenly became a man, under the title of Li'LE'swara, or
*
 THE ORIGIN of MeccA, &c. 369

Iswa R A, who gives pleaure and delight. He then began to reign over Gods
and men, with the trictet adherence to jutice and equity ; his ubjects were
happy, and the women beheld with extacy his noble and manly appearance.
With the view of doing good to mankind, he put himelf at the head of a
powerful army, and conquered many ditant countries, detroying the wicked,
and all oppreors, he had the happines of his ubjets, and of mankind in
general, o much at heart, that he entirely neglected every other puruit. His
indifference for the female ex alarmed his ubjects; he endeavoured to pleae
them ; but his embraces were fruitie. This is termed Ac'balana in San
erit; and the place where this happened was in conequence denominated
Ac'Aalend'An. The Apara, or celetial nymphs, tried in vain the effect
of their charms. At lat SAM1'-RA'MA came to Ac'halanaft'hn ; and retir
ing into a olitary place in its vicinity, chanted her own metamorphoes, and
thoe of Littwara, who happening to pas by, was o delighted with the
weetnes of her voice, that he went to her, and enquired who he was. She
related to him, how they went together into Utcolada in the characters of
tic CA Fr Eswa's A, and CApo Tes 1 : adding you appeared then as

Mocsi. EswARA, and I became ANAY As A; you are now Li'l Eswar A, and
I am SAM TRAMA', but I hall be oon L I LEswART. Li'LE"sw ARA, be
ing under the influence of MA'YA, or worldly illuion, did not recolle&t any
of thee tranactions; but upecting that the peron, he WaS peaking to,
might be a manifetation of PA'RVATI', he thought it advieable to marry
her ; and having obtained her conent, he eized her hand, and led her to the
performance of the nuptial ceremony, to the univeral atisfaction of his
ubjets. Gods and men. met to olemnize this happy union and the cele
tial nymphs, and heavenly quiriters graced it with their preence. Thus
SAM1'-RAMA and LILE'sw ARA commenced their reign, to the general
atisfaction of mankind, who were happy under their virtuous adminitration.
M
37o . . . A Disse Rration on

From that period, the three worlds began to know and worhip Lile's-
waRA, who after he had conquered the univere returned into Cuha-duipa.
L1 LE'swar A, having married SAM1'-RA'MA", lived contantly with her,
and followed her wherever he choe to go; in whatever puruits and patimes
he delighted, in thee alone he took pleaure: thus they travelled over hills
and though forets to ditant countries; but at lat returned to Cuha-duip;
and SAM1'-r A'MA'eeing a delightful grove, near the Hradancit, (or deep wa
ter) with a mall river of the ame name, expreed a wih, that he would fix
the place of their reidence in this beautiful pot, there to pend their days in
pleaure.

This place became famous afterwards, under the name of Lila-dnor the
place of delight. The water of the Hradancit is very limpid, and abounds
with Camala flowers, or red Lotos.

SAM1'-RA'MA is obviouly the SemiRAM1s of the wetern mythologits;

whoe appellation is derived from the Sankrit SAM1'-RA MEs 1 or I's
(Iis) dallying in the Sami, or Fire tree. The title of SAM1'-RAMEs is
not to be found in the Purns; but it is more grammatical, than the other;
and it is abolutely neceary to uppoe the word Isi or Esi" in compoi
tion, in order tc make it intelligible.

Diodorus Siculus (*) informs us, that he was born at Acalon: the
Purdns, that her firt appearance in Syria, was at Ac'balana-t'bn, or the
place, where Lile's A or NINUs had Achalana.

* Dioponus Siculus, Lib. 3d Cap. ad,

 rhE ORIGIN on Mecca, &c. 371

The defeat of SeMIRAMrs, by St Aurobates is recorded in the Purns,

with till more extravagant circumtances; for STAuroBATEs is obviouly
ST'ha v ARA-PATI or ST HA war A-PATI, as it is more generally pro
nounced. -

The places of worhip mentioned in the above legends are Mha or

Mha-'bn, A'hala-t'hn or A'balana-t'bn, two places of the name of
Lila-/l'Ain, or Lla-t'bn, Anyi-dvi-ubdin and Mab-bhgft'An. :

The Brhmens in the wetern parts of India init that Mha-!'hn is

the preent town of Mecca. The word Mha is always pronounced in the
vulgar dialets, either Mdca, or Mucta; and the author of the Dabjian ays
its ancient name was Maca: we find it called Maco Raha by ProLEMY, or
Moca the great, or illutrious. Guy PATIN mentions a medal of Anto
NInus Pius with this legend MOK. IEP. AXT. ATT.O." which he very
properly tranlates Moca, acra, inviolabilis, ais utens legibu. Moca
the holy, the inviolable, and uing her own laws. This in my humble opi
nion, is applicable only to Mecca, or Mghahn, which the Purnt
decribe as a mot holy place. The Arabian authors unanimouly confirm
the truth of the above legend; and it is ridiculous to apply it to an obcure,
and inignificant place in Arabia Petrea called alo Maca. It may be objeted,
that it does not appear, that Mecca was ever a Roman colony: I do not be
lieve it ever was, but at the ame time it is poible, that ome connetion
for commercial purpoes might have exited between the rulers of Mecca
and the Romans in Egypt. The learned are not ignorant, that the Romans
boated a little too much of their progres in Arabia; and even medals were
truck with no other view, apparently, but to impoe on the multitude at
Rome. It is unfortunate, that we do not meet in the Purns, with the
M 2.
372 - A Disse RTAt 1 on on

neceiry data to acertain, beyond doubt, the fituation of Moft. From

the particulars contained in them, however, it appears to have been ituated
a great way to the wetward, with repect to India, and not far from Egypt
and Ethiopia, as has been hewn in a former diertation on thee countries,
in the third volume of the Aiatick Reearches.

IT is declared in the Purns, that CApo TEswAR A, and his conort

CApo Tes I, in the hape of two doves, remained there for ome time; and
Arabian authors inform us, that in the time of MoHAMMED, there was in
the temple of Mecca, a pigeon carved in wood, and another above this, to
detroy which, MoHAMMED lifted Al 1 upon his houlders. Thee pigeons
were mot probably, placed there, in commemoration of the arrival of MA
HA*-Deva, and Devi, in the hape of two doves.

The worhip of the dove eems to have been peculiar to India, Araia,
Syria, and Ayria. We read of SeMIRAM is being fed by doves in the deert,
and of her vanihing at lat from the fight of men in the hape of a dove;
and according to the Purns CA Pote's 1, or the dove was but a manifeta-;
tion of SAM1'-RA'MA.

The dove eems to have been in former times, the device of the Ayrian,
as the eagle was of the Roman, empire; for we read in Isaias and the
inhabitants of this country hall ay in that day, uch was our expectation!
behold, whither we wanted to fly for help, from the face of the dove;
but how could we have ecaped. -

I HAve adhered chiefly to the tranlation of TRE Mellius, which ap

- i.
* -

-- * Isaias, Cap. xx in fine.

 THE or IGIN of Mecca, &c. 373

pears the mot literal, and to be more expreive of the idea, which the pro
phet wihed to convey to the jews, who wanted to fly to Egypt and Ethiopia,
to avoid falling into the hands of the Ayrians; but were to be diappointed
by the fall of thee two empires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -

. . . . .. .. . . . ."

All commentators have unanimouly undertood Ayria by the Dove,

and have tranlated the above paage accordingly. CAP o TE 's 1, or the Ayrian
Dove, was alo mentioned in a ong current in thee countries, and which
eems to refer to ome misfortune, that had befallen the Ayrians. The

56th Palm is directed to be ung to the tune of that ong, which was
known to every body; and for this purpoe the firt vere, as uual is inerted.
The dove of dilant countries is now truck dumb.

TH il, further infit, that the black flone in the wall of the Caaa,
is no other, thin the Liga or Phallus of MAHA:-DE v A ; and that, when
the Caala was rebuilt by MoHAMMED (as they affirm it to have been,) it
was placed in the wall out of contempt; but the new converted pilgrims,
would not give up the worhip of the black tone, and finitrous portents
forced the miniters of the new religion to connive at it. Arabian authors
alo inform us that tones were worhipped all over Arabia, particularly at
Mecca; and Al-Shah Rest ANI (a) ays, that the temple at Mecca was de
dicated to Zonal or Kvevun, who is the ame with SATURN. The
author of the Dalilan declares poitively, that the Hejar al awad, or the
*ackon was, the image of Kyevus. Though thee accounts omewhat
differ from thoe in the Purns, yet they hew, that this black tone was
the object of an idolatrous worhip from the mot remote times. - -

- * : . . . . . * Sass's Koran. - . * * *
374 A Diss ERTATION on SEMIRAM is,

THE Muulmans, in order to palliate their idolatry towards it, have con
trived other legends. KY evu N is the CHYun of Scripture, alo called
REMPHAN, which is interpreted the God of Time. If o, Chyun, or
KYEv UN, mut be MAHAT-DE'v A, called alo MAHA-cA. LA, a denomina
tion of the ame import with REMP HAN: the Egyptians called HoRus, the
lord of time; and HoRUs is the ame with HARA, or MAHA -Dev A. *.

The reaon of this tradition is, that the Sabians, who worhipped the
even planets, eem to have confidered SATURN as the lord of time, on ac
count of the length of its periodical revolution, and it appears from the
Labian, that ome ancient tribes in Peria had contrived a cycle of years
coniting of the revolution of Saruks repeatedly multiplied by itelf.

Asc'HALA-st'HA'N or A'balana-,'hn is obviouly Acalon ; there SE

MIRAM is was born, according to DiopoRUs Siculus, or according to the
Purnf there he made her firt appearance.

Maha-bha's A"-stHAN is the t'hn, or place of SAM1'-RAMA, in

the characters of MAHA'-BHA'GA', or the great and properous goddes:
this implies alo that he betowed greatnes and properity on her votaries.

We cannot but uppoe, that the dn of Maha"-sha'ca is the an

cient town of Mabog, called now Menbigz and Menbig; the Greeks called it -

Hierapolis, or the holy city. It was a place of great antiquity, and there
was a famous temple dedicated to the Syrian goddes, whoe tatute of gold
was placed in the center, between the of Jupiter and Juno. It had 2
s
---
-----------

3 Sce Diertation on Egypt, &c. in the third volume of the Aiatick Reearches,
 The on 161N or Mecca, &c. 375

golden Dove on its head; hence ome uppoed it was deigned for SEMIRAMIs.
and it was twice every year carried to the ea fide in proceion. This tatue
was obviouly that of the great goddes or MAHA"-BHA Ga-De'vi's.
whoe hitory is intimately conneted with that of the Dove in the wetern
mythologits, as well as in the Purn.

AN ancient author thus relates her origin dicitur et Euphrati, fluvio

ovum picis Columba adedie dies plurimos, et excluie Deam benignam
et miericordem hominibus ad bonam vitam. It is related that a Dove
hatched the egg of a fih, near the Euphrates, and that after many days
of incubation came forth the Goddes, merciful and propitious to men, on
whom he betows eternal blit. Others aid, that fihes rolled an egg
on the dry land, where it was hatched by a Dove, after which appeared the
Syrian goddes.

Her origin is thus related in the Purnr; the ravanas having for a
long time vexed the inhabitants of Cuha-duip; they at lat applied for pro
te&tion to MAHA-bha GA-devi, who had already appeared in that coun
try in the chara&ers of SAMI-RAMA and Capo TE's or I's 1, in ths
hape of a Dove; they requeted alo that he would vouchafe to reide
amongt them. The merciful goddes granted their requet; and the place
where he made her abode, was called the bn, or place of MAHA
zha'GA'. -

The Syrian name of Mabog is obviouly derived from Manx- HA'G *.

this contration is not uncommon in the wetern dialects derived from the

- -

* Lucius AM ralsus ap Mackin's

376, A Diss ERTATION ON SE MIRAM is,

Sankrit, and Hchiu, informs us, that the Greeks pronounced the Hindu
word Mah great, Mai. Maog is mentioned by PL 1 NY, where we read
Magog, but Mr. DANville hews that it hould be Malg, I conclude from
ome manucript copies. This is alo confirmed by its preent name which
is to this day Manbig or Manbg. We find it alo called Banbukeb (B2p3oza
Bambyce), and in N1 EBU HR's travels it is called Bombche, I uppoe for
Bombche or Momigz: but this is equally corrupted from Ma'abhg; in
the ame manner we ay Bombay for Momba, and what is called in India
Bambu or Pambu, is called Mambu in Tibet.

* The temple of Mabeg was frequented by all nations, and amongt them
Were pilgrims from India, according to Luci AN, as cited by the authors of

the ancient univeral hitory. *

MABog or Hieropolis was called alo Old Ninus or Nuive, according to

Ammianus Marcellinus and PHILost; Arus; and there is no mitake
in Diodorus Siculus and Crestas, when they affrt, that there was a
a town called Ninive', near the Euphrate. Scripture alo eems to place
Ninive? thereabout, for it is aid th.t Rezen was between Niniveh and Calach.
And the ituation of Rezen, called alo Rsina by ancient authors, and Razain
by the moderns, is well known, as well as that of Calach on the banks of
the Lycus now the Zab, to the eatward of the Tigri, Niniveh of coure,
mut have been to the wetward of thee two places, and falls where the Old
Ninus is pointed out by AMMIANUs PHILos TAT Us, &c.
.. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . ... . ... . . .
t Two places of that name are mentioned in the Purns under the name
of Lila'Bn, the A'An or place of Li'l E's A or NINUs. There can be no
doubt in my humble opinion, of their identity, for SAM1'-RAMA' is obvi
 THE ORIGIN of Mecca, &c.- 377
ouly SEMIRAM is: NINUs was the on of Belus, and according to the
Purns, Lile's A prung from BA'le'swar A or BALESA; for both de
nominations, being perfectly ynonimous, are indifferently ued in the Purans.

Ninive on the Tigri, eems to be the hn of Li'le's A, where he laid

aide the hape and countenance of BA'le's A, and affumed that of Li'le'sa.
The other place of Li LE's A, which SAM1'-RAMA, delighted with the

beauty of the pot, choe for the place of her reidence, is Hierapolis, called
alo Ninus or Niniveb; hence we find her tatue in the temple of MAHA'-
BHA'GA'. It is aid to have been ituated near a deep pool, or mall lake,
called from that circumtance Hradancita; and the pool near the temple of
Hierapolis was decribed to be two hundred fathoms deep. SAM1'-RA"MA
is repreented in a mot amiable light in the Purnds, as well as her conort
L1 LEsw A R A or LI LE's A.

STEPH ANUs of Byzantium ays, that Ninus lived at a place called Telant,
previous
by to hisauthor:
any other building -
Ninive!, but this place I believe is not mentioned
r - - -

. . . . ,
-
\

Ninus is with good reaon uppoed to be the Assur of cripture, who

built Ninive; and Assur is obviouly the Iswara of the Purnas with
the title of Lile'swara, Li'lesa, or Ninus. The word Iswa RA,
though generally applied to deities, is alo given in the Purns to Kings;
it ignifies Lord and Sovereign. -

- ** -

With rept to the montrous origin of BA'le'sa, and the thirty-one

Phalli; my Pandi, who is an atronomer, upects it to be an attempt to
reconcile the coure of the moon to that of the un, by dividing the ynodical
Z z -
378 A DissERTATron on SEMIRAM1s,

revolution into thirty-one parts, which may repreent alo three hundred and
ten years. As this corretion is now diued, he could give me no further
information concerning it. To the event related is acribed the origin of the
Linga or Phallus, and of its worhip: it is aid to have happened on the banks
of the Cumud-wati or Euphrates, and the firt Phallus under the name of
Balftwara-Linga, was erected on its banks. This is confirmed by Diodorus
S1 cu LUs, who ays, that SEMI RAM1s brought an Obelik from the mountains
of Armenia, and erected it in the mot conpicuous part of Babylon. It was
150 feet high, and is reckoned, by the ame author, as one of the even
wonders of the world (a). The jews in their Talmud allude to omething
of this kind; peaking of the different orts of earths, of which the body of
ADAM was formed, they ay that the earth which compoed his generative
parts, was brought from Babylonia.

THE next place of worhip is the "hn of ANAyas A*-DE'v1': this is

obviouly the Tw 7% Awaas (Heiron t Anaias) of STRABo, or the temple of the
goddes ANAIA or ANA I As, with its burning pring of NAPHT HA. They
2TC upon a hillock called Corcura by the ancients, and now known by the

name of Corcoor, it is near Kerkook, and to the eatward of the Tigris, to

this day it is viited by pilgrims from India, and I have been fortu
Inate enough to meet with four or five, who had paid their devotions at this
holy place. I conulted them eparately, and their accounts were as atisfac
tory as could be expe&ted. They call it jul-muc'hi, or the flaming mouth.

This conflagration is minutely decribed by Diodorus Siculus (b),

who ays that in former times a monter called AlcidA, who vomited flames,
-
---

a). Dion. Sic, lib. 3. cap. 4. (b). Diop. Sic. lib. 4, cap. 5.
 THE or IGIN of Mecca, &c. * 379

appeared in Phrygia ; hence preading along mount Taurus, the conflagra

tion burnt down all the woods, as far as India, then with a retrograde coure
wept the forets of mount Liban, and extended as far as Egypt and Africa :
at lat a top was put to it by MINE R v A. - - - -

THE Phrygians remembered well this conflagration, and the flood which
followed it; but as they could not conceive, that it could originate from a
benevolent Goddes, they transformed her into a monter called Alcida.
Alcida however is an old Greek word, imploying trength and power, and is
therefore ynonimous with Sc or Sat-devi, the principal form of SAM1'-
RA MAT, and other manifetations of the female power of nature.
* -

- f
- -

INDEED the names and titles of mot of the Babylonian deities are pure
Sancrit; and many of them are worhipped to this day in India, or at leat
their legends are to be found in the Purnas.

Thus SEMIRAM1s is derived from SAM1'-RA'Me's" or SAMI-RAMA,

and SAM1'-RAMA-DE vi'.

MILITT a from Militia-Devi, becaue he brings people togetherconnulaJ.

SHAck A or Saca is from the Sancrit Sa-dvi, pronounced Sc in

the vulgar dialects: it implies trength and power.

SLAMBA or SALAMBo is from Sarwmb, often pronounced Salwamba :

it ignifies the mother of all; and he is the Magna Mater of the wetern
mythologits.
Z z 2
38e A D1 ss ERTATI on on SEMIRAM Is,

- Devi is called alo Antargati or Antargatd, becaue he reides within the

body, or in the heart, and thereby gives tren gth and courage. This is the God
des of Vitory in India, and they have no other: it is declared in the Purnas,
that he was called ANTR Ast'H1 (a title of the ame import with the former)
in the forets of Vihla-van on the banks of the river T.ama in Chndra
dutp: from Antrahi the old Britons, or rather the Romans, made Andraffe.
. . .i -

. . The Babylonian Goddes was called alo the Queen of Heaven; and to this
day a form of Devi, with the title of Sverga-rdni-dv, or Devi, Queen
of Heaven, is worhipped in India. -

--- :* ~ *
-

RHEA is from Hriy-dvi, or the bahful or modet Goddes.

s - *

... RAK R is from Rcwara ; a name of LUN us, from one of his favourite
wives called RA ca: it ignifies alo the full crb of the Moon.

NAbo or Nebo is IswaRA with the title of Nava or Naba, the celetial.
...

NARG AL is from Anargalewara, that is, he who is independant.

s'-'. . -

AD RAM-MELEcH is from A4%arm-ewara s for I's w ARA, and MELECH in

in the Chaldaean language, are ynonimous.
--

AD'HARME's war A is thus called, becaue he punihes thoe, who deviate

from the paths of jutice and retitude.

ANAM-MElech is from Anam-wara, or I'swara, who though above

all, behaves to all with meeknes and affability.
 ... The or 191N of Mecca, &c, ". 381

- NIMRod is from Nima-Rudra, becaue Rudra or MAHA-DE'v A gave

him half of his own trength. a * * * *

VAHN 1-st'HA'N called alo Agni-t'hn, is aid in ome Purns to be in

Cuha-duip, and in others to be on the borders of it. It includes all the
mountainous country, from Phrygia to Herat. Vahni-'bn and Agni'bn
are denominations of the ame import, and ignify the country or eat of fire,
from the numerous Volcanoes and burning prings, which are to be found all
along this extenive range of mountains. The preent Azar-Baja'n is part
of it, and may be called Vani t'hn proper. Azar, in the old Perian, fig
nifies fire, and Bjn a mine or pring. This information was given to me
by Mr. DUN cAN, Reident of Benares, who was o kind as to conult on this
ubjet with Mehdi-Ali-KHAN, one of the Aumils of the Zemindary of Be
mares. He is a native of Khorain, and well acquainted with the antiquities of
his own country, and of Iran in general. According to him the principal Bjn,
or pring of fire, is at a place called Baut-Cubeb (a) in Azar-Bjn. Vahni
Jhn is called alo Vahni-vypta, from the immene quantity of fire colle&ted
in that country. There are many places of worhip remaining throughout
Iran, till reorted to by devout pilgrims. The principal are Balk and the
Pyratum near Herat. Hingldz or Ancloje near the ea, and about eighty
miles from the mouth of the Indus : it is now deerted ; but there remain
twenty-four temples of BHAvA'N I. This place however is eldom viited
on account of the difficulties attending the journey to it.

GANG AT-waz near Congo on the Perian Gulph ; another place of pil
grimage, where are many caves with prings in the mountains.

(2) It i. vulgarly called Baku,

 382 A Disserration on SEMIRAM1s,

The hn of Calyna-Rya and Gvinda-Rya, two incarnations of Vish

NU, is in the centre of Buora on the banks of the Euphrater, and there are
two tatues carefully concealed from the fight of the Muulmans.

ANA YA'sa'-Devi"-st'HA'N has been already mentioned, and the great

jul-muc'hi is the deignation of the prings of Naphtha near Baku.

THERE is alo another Hindu place of worhip at Baharein (El Katif), and
another at Atrachan where the few Hindus, who live there, worhip the Vol.
ga, under the name of Srya-muc'hi-Ganga ; the legends relating to this fa
mous river are to be found in the Purns, and confirm the information of the
pilgrims, who have viited thee holy places. There are till many Hindus
dipered through that immene country; they are unknown to the Muul
mans, and they pas for Guebris, as they call them here, or Paris. There is
now at Benares a Brahmen of the name of DE'v1'-DA's, who is a native of
Mched; he was introduced lately to my acquaintance by Mr. Duncan,
and he informed me, that it was uppoed, there were about 2000 families of
Hindus in Khoraan ; that they called themelves Hindi ; and are known to
the Muulmans of the country, under that appellation.

This, in my opinion, accounts for the whole country to the outh of the
- Capian ea, from Khoraan and Arrokhage, as far as the Black Sea, being cal
led India by the ancients, and its inhabitants in various places Sindi: It is
implicitly confirmed by the Purns, in which it is aid that the Srya
muchi-Gng or Volga, falls into the Sea of Sind. The Hindus near
Baku and at Airachan call it the new ea, becaue they ay it did not exit
formerly. They have legends about it, which however, my learned friend
VIDHYA-NATH could not find in the Purns.
 . The ORIGIN of Mecca, &c. 383

Aecord ING to the pilgrims I have conulted, there are about twenty or
thirty families of Hindus at Balk, and Eusebius informs us, that there were
Hindus in BAct RIANA, in his time. There are as many families at Gn
gwz or Congo , about one hundred at Bura ; and a few at Babareins
Thee informed Purn-puri a ryi, and famous traveller, called alo UrdAwa-.
bbu becaue he always keeps his hands elevated above his head, that formerly
they correponded and traded with other Hindus on the banks of the river
Nl, in the country of Mir ; and that they had once a houe or factory at
Cairo; but that on account of the oppreion of the Turks and the roving
Arabs, there had been no intercoure between them for everal generations.
There are no Hindus at Andydevi or Corcoor, but they compute a large
number in the vicinity of Baku and Derbend. The Shroff at Smkh; are
Banyans or Hindus according to the Ditionary of Commerce, and of Trevoux,
as cited in the French Encyclopedy (a).

THE Cubnf, who live near Derbend, are Hindus, as my friend PURANA
Puri was told, at Baku and Atrachan, in his way to Mocow; and their
Brahmens are aid to be very learned ; but as he very properly oberved, this
ought to be undertood relatively on a comparion with the other Hindus in
Peria who are extremely ignorant.

- His relation is in a great meaure confirmed by STRAHLENBERG, who

calls them Cuba and Cubatzin, and ays that they live near Derbend and are a
ditinct people, uppoed to be jew, and to peak till the Hebrew language.

The Sankrit charaters might eaily be mitaken for the black Hebrew

(a) ad voccm Cheraffi.

384. A Disse RTATION on SEM 1 RAM1's,

letters by uperficial obervers or perons little converant in ubjects of this

nature. ". . . . . . . . . . .. . . ." -

THE Aran, figuratively called the daughter of the SAM1' tree, and the
mother of fire, is a cubic piece of wood about five inches in diameter, with a
mall hole in the upper part. A tick of the ame ort of wood is placed in

this cavity, and put in motion by a tring held by two men, or fixed to a bow.
The frition oon produces fire, which is ued for all religious purpoes, and
alo for dreing food. Every Brahmen ought to have an Aran ; and when
they cannot procure one from the SAM1' tree which is rather carce in this
part of India, they make it with the wood of the Avatt'ha or Pippala tree.
This is alo a acred tree and they ditinguih two pecies of it, the Pippala
called in the vulgar diale&ts Pipal and the Chalat-Palaha. The leaves of this
lat are larger, but the fruit is maller and not o numerous as in the former
pecies. It is called Chalat-palaia from the tremulous motion of its leaves:
it is very common in the hills, and the vulgar name for it is Popala, from
which I uppoe is derived the Latin word Populus ; for it is certainly the
trembling Poplar or Apen tree.

The fetival of SEMIRAM is falls always on the tenth day of the Lunar
month of Awina, which this year coincided with the fourth of O&#ober. On
this day lamps are lighted in the evening under the Sam tree; offerings are
made of rice and flowers, and ometimes trong liquors ; the votaries fing
the praie of SAM1'-RA'MA-Dev1 and the Sami tree, and having worhip
ped them, carry away ome of the leaves of the tree, and earth from the roots,
which they keep carefully in their houes, till the return of the fetival of SE
MIRAM is in the cnuing year. - -