LieuL-Colonel Tod on the Religious Estahlislmients of Mewar. 279 



not, with much more of their mythology, be derived from the Hindu 

 pantheon ; whether that pantheon was originally erected on the Indus or 

 the Ganges, or the more central scene of early civilization, the banks of 

 the Oxus. The bull was offered to Mithras by the Persian, and opposed 

 as it now appears to Hindu faith, he formerly bled on the altars of the Sun-god 

 (Bal-iswara), on which not only the Buld-ddn* {offering of the bull) was 

 made, but human sacrifices.! We do not learn that the Egyptian priesthood 

 presented the kindred of Apis to Osiris, but as they were not prohibited 

 from eating beef, they may have done so. These mythological analogies in 

 ancient idolatrous worship can scarcely be deemed fortuitous ; but as the 

 subject will be resumed in describing the festival of Iswara and Isa (Osiris 

 and Tsis) at Udyapur, we shall not pursue it further at present. 



The shrine of Eklinga is situated in a defile about six miles north of 

 Udyapur. The hills towering around it on all sides are of the primitive for- 

 mation, and their scarped summits are clustered with honeycombs.^ There are 

 abundant small springs of water which keep verdant numerous shrubs, the 



* " In this sacrifice four altars are erected, for offering the flesh to the four gods, Lacshmi- 

 Narayana, U'mia-Mecheswar, Brimha, and Anunta. The nine planets, and Prit'hu, or the 

 earth, witli her ten guardian-deities, are worshipped. Five Vilum, five Khiidiru, five Piilashii, 

 and five Vdumbiiru posts are to be erected, and a bull tied to each post. Clarified butter is 

 burnt on the altar, and pieces of the flesh of the slaughtered animals placed thereon. This 

 sacrifice was very common." — Ward nn the Religion of the Hindus, vol. ii. p. 263. 



f First a covered altar is to be prepared, sixteen posts are then to be erected of various 

 woods ; a golden image of a man, and an iron one of a goat, with golden images of Vishnu and 

 Lacshmi, a silver one of Siva, with a golden bull, and a silver one of Garuda (the eagle) are 

 placed upon the altar. Animals, as goats, sheep, &c., are tied to the posts, and to one oi 

 them, of the wood of the mimosa, is to be tied the human victim. Fire is to be kindled b\' 

 means of a burning glass. The sacrificing priest (hota) strews the grass called d'htib or 

 immortal, round the sacred fire. Then follows the burnt sacrifice to the ten guardian deities of 

 the earth — to the nine planets, and to the Hindu Triad, to each of whom clarified butter is 

 poured on the sacred fire one thousand times. Another burnt-sacrifice, to the sixty-four inferior 

 gods follows, which is succeeded by the sacrifice and offering of all the other animals tied to the 

 posts. The human sacrifice concludes ; the sacrificing priest offering pieces of the flesh of the 

 victim to each god as he circumambulates the altar. Il/id. 260. 



X This is to be taken in its literal sense ; the economy of the bee being displayed in the 

 formation of extensive colonies, which inhabit large masses of black comb adhering to the sum- 

 mits of the rocks. According to the legends of these tracts they were called in as auxiliaries on 

 Maliommedan invasions, and are said to have thrown the enemy more than once into confusion. 



