66 Yogesa Chandra Sastree, Exhibition of an image of Jvara. [July, 



Pandit Yogesa Chandra Sastree exhibited an image of Jvara (the 

 god of fever). 



This is the image of Jvara (god of fever). This deity is cora- 

 monly known in India by the name of Jvarasura and is worshipped by 

 the Hindus when epidemic fever sets about in the country. 



This image, like that of Manju Nath, a Buddhist deity which I 

 exhibited here before, has got three heads, having three eyes on each, 

 six arms ; but it differs from that deity in respect of its legs which 

 are three in number. In three of its right hands there are — an 

 arrow in the first, a battle-axe in the second, and a mace in the third. 

 In the three left hands there are — a bow in the first, a rope in the 

 second, and a pitcher in the third. 



The use of these weapons, as it is generally known, is that when 

 a person falls a victim to Jvara, he (gvara) binds him (victim) with his 

 rope and beats him with his mace and cuts the victim's veins with his 

 axe, after which he takes away the victim's blood in his pitcher. If the 

 person try to run away he (Jvara) shoots him with his arrow. 



As to the origin of this deity it is stated in most of the Purans and 

 in Charah, S^usrat and other works of the Hindu medical science, that 

 Jvara originated from the breath of Budra who was angry at having 

 been insulted by Daksha, the father-in-law of SHva. 



This version of the origin of Jvara may be considered irrational 

 and unscientific at the first sight ; but if carefully considered it would 

 appear that the scientific and most rational explanation is involved in 

 the very conception of it. Jvara is commonly defined by all the 

 nosologists to be the heat of the body caused by irascible state of 

 the three humours, viz., wind, bile and phlegm. Moreover, every 

 one, when angry, conceives heat in his body, which also is a sort of 

 (Jvara or fever). Hence it is obvious that the primary cause of Jvara 

 fever) is anger as has been stated in the Purans. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Totemism among the Khonds — By J. E. Friend-Pereira, B.A. 

 Communicated by the Anthropological Secretary. 



2. On a new Scirpus from Beluchistan and certain of its allies, — By 

 J. R. Drummond, B.A., I.C.S. 



