74 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XVI, 
influence have been at work—one pertaining to pure Hindu- 
ism, and the other, as pointed out by Sir R. G. Bhandarkar,! 
of exotic origin. The modern practice of sun worship by the 
devout Brahman may be traced back to Vedic times, and here 
the practice is part of the general pantheistic scheme. Planet- 
ary worship is probably a foreign importation—possibly of 
Magian origin, possibly influenced too by the Mithraic teaching 
that developed to such an extent in the west in the early centu- 
‘ries of the Christian era, and possibly also, to some extent 
affected by Manichaean practices. 
The connexion between Hindu practice and Mithraism is 
not very marked and probably is evidence only of parallel 
development, or it may, possibly, indicate some intercommuni- 
cation. Invoking the sun at dawn, noon and dusk ; libations 
to the planets; the association of particular colours an 
metals with them, etc., occur in both schemes Hindu and 
Mithraic art also have similarities and might be with some pro- 
fit compared—for example, certain of the attendants of Surya 
with the Mithraic Dadophori, the Indian Navagraha sculptures 
on lintels with the Bologna bas-relief, etc.,” the Mithraic Kronos 
with certain figures at Konarak, the Srisailam relief * with cer- 
tain Mithraic sculptures,* etc. 
For the connexion with Magianism there is more definite 
information.’ According to Varaha Mihira the (Indian) Ma- 
gas were worshippers of the Sun®; the Bhavishya Purana 
gives their history and refers to a Jarasasta (Zarathustra) as a 
son of the Sun, and there is a legend of a son of Krishna being 
cured of leprosy by these Magas;7 Albirtini says: * “ There are 
some Magians up to the present time in India, where they are 
called Maga”; an inscription of A.D. 1137 mentions them *; 
and there are traces of Maga Brahmans in India to-day. In 
his Castes and Sects of Bengal '!© Mr. Nagendra Nath Vasu traces 
the origin of these Magas and gives some account of their posi- 
tion and influence in India. The several legends he relates 
; apes a oe etc. Indian Antiquary XL, 191], 17 e¢ seq. 
: extes et mo i 7 
ete i fer numents figurés relatifs aux mystéres de 
8 Arch. Report, Southern Circle, 1917-1918, pl. xvib. 
+ Cumonr, Figs. 121, 150, 151, ete. 
é 5 See Sir R. G. BRANDARKAR Vaishnavism, Saivism & Minor Religious 
Systems. 
6 Brihat Samhita LX, 19. 
1 Cf. II Kings, 5. 
8 India I, 21. 
9 Epigraphica Indica ii, 330. 
10 Vol. ii, part iv. This is written in Bengali and I am indebted to Mr. 
Manmathanath Basu, B.A., for a translation of the pertinent sections. 
See also the Archaeological Survey of Mayurabhanja, vol. i, p. ii. seq. 
