76 Wilber Theodore Elmore 



CHAPTER IX 

 The Dravidian Gods in Hindu Legends 



In addition to the stories of the local origin of Dravidian dei- 

 ties, there are many legends connecting them with the Hindu 

 pantheon. The original legend is usually found in the Puranas, 

 but in every case it has been changed and added to in order that 

 the Dravidian gods may be given a place in it. These are the 

 stories which are told by the horn-blowers and story-tellers at 



died from snake bite. Verabramham, the carpenter's son, at once raised 

 him from the dead. Later some of the villagers were bringing out a dead 

 man to bury him. Verabramham approached the procession and asked what 

 they were doing. Upon being told, he said, " No, he is not dead. He is 

 alive," and immediately the dead man arose and taking up his bier walked 

 away. One day as he was going on a journey a rain came on and he 

 stopped for a short time. After the rain was over it was discovered that 

 no water had fallen near where he had stood. Another day as Verabram- 

 ham and his disciple were going to Kandipullayyapuram they met a widow 

 who had lost a son, and Verabramham had compassion on her and restored 

 her son to life. Many other such acts are said to have been performed by 

 him. 



At last Verabramham died, but on the third day he arose from the grave, 

 and appeared to his disciple and to others. He told them of a coming judg- 

 ment, of punishment and rewards, and promising to come again in the 

 form of a beggar, he went to heaven and left them. 



The followers of Verabramham made an image of him, and the worship 

 has spread to several villages. The worship takes place on Friday, and 

 anyone, irrespective of caste, may officiate. The worship consists in placing 

 various offerings before the idol, but none of the offerings are of blood. 

 Then there are prayers and hymns much after the Christian fashion. 



It is not difficult to trace the origin of this god. It is simply an adapta- 

 tion of some Christian teaching which the founders had heard. E. R. 

 Clough in While Sewing Sandals, p. 117, tells of this worship, but none of 

 these stories are mentioned. Many of the first Madigas who became 

 Christians were first worshipers of Verabramham. In 1909, when on tour 

 in the Darsi Taluq with Mr. J. A. Curtis, the priest of Verabramham 

 in Madavaram gave me the image and much of the paraphernalia, and 

 turned the temple into a school house. The image is now in the museum 

 in Rochester Theological Seminary. In a land so hospitable as India to 

 all new ideas, provided they come within the pale of Hinduism, it is 

 surprising that more such gods have not arisen. 



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