Dravidian Gods in Modern Hinduism 1 39 



we are in the region of speculation. It seems quite probable that 

 the reason is the same as that which leads to human sacrifices, or 

 to the burying of wife, weapons, etc., with a dead man. The 

 spirits of these things will be needed in the future world. So 

 with the Dravidian sacrifices, the god is the spirit of some one 

 who has lived on earth, and the spirit of the sacrifice is needed to 

 be of some service in the spirit realm, as the body would be of 

 service on earth. 



There is, however, another feature of the worship which does 

 not yield to such an explanation, and that is the sacrificial meal. 

 In the case of the milder goddesses this is a very constant feature. 

 This sacrificial meal is usually a time of merrymaking and good 

 fellowship. As already pointed out in the discussion of totem- 

 ism,^^ this feast probably originated in the idea common among 

 all primitive people, that eating together cements friendship. It 

 is peace and friendship with the goddess which are desired. 



In some way, it is thought, the goddess also is partaking. In 

 some of the sterner forms of worship the pujari eats in the name 

 of the goddess, and as in every case it is the attendants of the god- 

 dess who have the right to eat what is offered to her, it may be 

 considered that they too eat in her name. I do not see, however, 

 sufficient reason for rejecting the explanation commonly given 

 by the people, that the goddess takes the spiritual part of the food 

 or its essence or spiritual strength. One of the chief features of 

 the ceremonies for the dead is the placing of food on the grave 

 of the departed for his spirit. The spirit world is very real to 

 the Dravidian, and as he believes the air to be full of spirits with 

 all kinds of powers, he would see no difficulty in the food also 

 having a spiritual essence which these spirits utilize. 



Origin of Dravidian Gods. The Puranic legends which have 

 been related in connection with the Dravidian gods make them 

 out to be incarnations of the Hindu Saktis.*^ The Hindu Sakti 



*5 See page 124. 



4^ Ziegenbalg, Genealogy of South Indian Gods, Madras, 1869, pp. 146, 

 147, says that the story told him by a Brahman was that the local goddesses 

 existed at first in the abode of the gods, and originated from Parasakti, 

 another name for Durga. They became proud and arrogant, and so were 



