158 On the Crcedy Customs and Literature 'of the Jangams. [Jan. 



the linga and thus to become one witli the deity. This favouritp theory 

 is in its ulteiior consequences destructive of moral responsibility, for 

 if men become the deity, he of course is sinless, and they are accord- 

 ingly absolved from sin. 



It must be acknowledged that we no where find Basava inculcating 

 this doctrine. It certainly forms the concluding lecture of the Lila : 

 but tliat is a work not pretending to authority, but recording the opinions 

 received in the national philosophy. This shews what pitiable igno- 

 rance Hinduism is in its highest flights. For they all acknowledge 

 the yoga sdsfram to be the great means of obtaining oneness with 

 God. 



It is cle;ir tliat the Jangams are inconsistent enough in their belief: 

 for while th<n' condemn the Bnunins as misrepresenting the truth, they 

 are fond of perusing tlie various saiva legends wherein of course Siva 

 and Parvati are the deities, and there is no mention of Basava or his 

 disciples the J-mg^ims. 



The most popular of these poems are the C.ilahasti mahatmyam, 

 or legend concerning the pagoda at Calahasti : the Bhallana Charitrai^ 

 wherein a king gains a blessing by m.iking a present of his wife to 

 Siva who visits him in the guise of a Jangam ! and who thf^reupon 

 as usual, carries both of them to Cailasa ! the Vira Bhadra Vijayam, 

 the Bhanumad Vijayam, the Madhura Puran also called Halasya 

 Mahatmyara or Socca Natha Lila (a highflying Aradhya work), the 

 Bhanumad Vijayam, and a few more saivite legends. 



They sometimes claim the poet Vemana as preaching their creed, 

 but though he evidently held the Bramins in detestation, and sh'iws a 

 partiality to the tenets of Basava, he does not embrace the Vira Saiva 

 tenets. The insulting manner in which he speaks of the female sex 

 furnishes another proof that he could not be a Vira Saiva. He also 

 speaks of future transmigrations : but the Jangams believe transmigra- 

 tion to have terminated. 



But these remarks on their literature cannot be concluded without a 

 few observations on 



The Tantras. 



Bramins frequently allege that the Jangams are a depraved sect, 

 who are guided by the Tantras or heretical books. But we should not 

 incautiously believe this. The Jangams are in all respects opposed to 

 licentiousness, which is the main spring of the Tantras. The Jangams 

 came from the west. The Tantricas from the north. The Jangams 

 adore the linga and abhor Maia the goddess of Delusion (Venus or 

 Cali, as Devi), who is expressly the goddess (Yoni, or Bhaga Malini) of 



