Vol. XXIV, No. 12 WASHINGTON 



December, 1913 



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RELIGIOUS PENANCES AND PUNISHMENTS 



SELF-INFLICTED BY THE HOLY 



MEN OF INDIA* 



By Rev. W. M. Zumbro 



HEAVEN is established on the air, 

 the air on the earth, the earth 

 on the waters, the waters on 

 truth, the truth on the mystic lore (of the 

 sacrifice), and that on Tap as! (penance 

 or self -mortification).! 



Four miles from Madura is the rock of 

 Tirupurankundram (Hill of the Holy 

 God Puran), sacred to the god Subrama- 

 niam. Here, twice a year, thousands of 

 worshipers from all over South India 

 gather for a religious festival. 



These festivals serve the triple purpose 

 of a camp-meeting, a country fair, and a 

 market ; for the Indian devotee combines 

 business with religion in an interesting 

 way. 



It is a gay throng that assembles, rich 

 in bright colors, fascinating in its varied 

 life and movement — the easy pose of the 

 village youth, the quaint charm of the 

 Indian maiden, the confused babel of 

 voices. Here is a little microcosm of the 

 great India. 



On the west the rock rises 500 feet 

 sheer above the plain on which it stands, 

 while it slopes away more gradually to- 



* In the preparation of this article the author 

 would acknowledge special indebtedness to 

 "Oman's Mystics, Saints, and Ascetics of 

 India" ; also to Farquhar's "Primer of Hin- 

 duism," A number of other books have also 

 been consulted. Acknowledgment is also made 

 to those who have been good enough to supply 

 photographs. 



t Artareya Brahmana, XI, 614, quoted on 

 page 243 in Hopkins' "Religions of India." 



ward the east. On the top of the rock 

 is a Mohammedan mosque and at the foot 

 is the temple of Subramaniam. 



It is two miles around the rock, and 

 every one going to the festival must needs 

 walk around the rock, always going from 

 left to right like the hands of a watch. 



the: religious ASCKTIC AND HIS 

 PENANCES 



These great religious assemblies would 

 never be complete without the religious 

 ascetic or Sadhu. Here one sees him 

 in full power, crowned with glory and 

 honor. 



In addition to the professional mendi- 

 cant, who sits quietly behind a cloth or 

 a skin spread on the ground to receive 

 the offerings of the faithful, there are 

 many serious ones, who have made a vow 

 to do some act of penance or self-torture 

 in honor of the God, or in return for 

 some favor, or to acquire merit, or for 

 some other reason. Burying one's self 

 in a standing position until only the head 

 remains above ground (see page 1281), 

 walking on iron spikes, dancing and carry- 

 ing a "kavadi' on the shoulder (see pages 

 1259 and 1278) or a heavy load on the 

 head (see page 1280), rolling in the dust 

 and heat around the rock (see page 

 1291), stooping over every few feet until 

 the fingers touch the ground — this latter 

 by women (see page 1296) — these are 

 some of the familiar forms of penance to 

 be seen here. 



