162 Oti the Creed^ Customs and Literature of the Jangams. [Jan. 



Thus we see that they look upon their leader as a divinity: imitat- 

 ing the Bramins who have exalted their heroes, Krishna, Rama and 

 Hanuman, into gods on earth. 



The vague manner in which these names are used produces some 

 inconsistency. Thus Basava is actually Siva : vastly superior to the 

 mere Siva or Jupiter who is the spouse of Parvati : and yet is sent on 

 earth hy him. He is born as Basava, then appears as Allama, is adored 

 as Daxina Murti : and then we have interviews between these person- 

 ages, whereat Basava offers adoration to Ahama. 



It is observable that Basava's wife Gangamba, is never supposed tebe 

 a goddess : nor does she receive any homage. 



Sancar Achari, the great theologian of the Smartas having declared 

 that ONENESS with the Deity is the great object, the Jangam replies 

 that this union is attainable in this life, and that every true Jangam 

 has attained it. Moreover he asserts that his mortal body is a mere 

 member of the image he wears. For, says he, " what am I in the 

 hands of the God who dwells on my breast? / am earth, he is spirit ! 

 I am hut a part of Mm. We find similar language among ^ some 

 philosophers of Greece and Rome. Thus Livy (lib. xxi. 5,) says 

 Vidit enim quod videndum fu'it appendicem animi esse corpus, nihil" 

 que esse in eo magnum. In fact the Bramin looks upon the body as 

 all in all ; the Jangam does not. Yet the regard in which they hold 

 the yoga sastram, which wholly depends upon the hodihj frame, and 

 pretends to spiritualize it, is a manifest inconsistency, and forms an 

 additional proof that all the Hindu systems of devotion in their highest 

 nights betray the weakness and blindness of unassisted human nature. 



Though this creed utterly condemns all worship paid to Siva and 

 his spouse Parvati (Jupiter and Juno), still these personages and their 

 attendants (Nandi, Bhringi and others) are familiarly introduced in 

 the Jangam poems. This odd inconsistency is analogous to that we 

 meet with in Addison, Prior, and the French school of English poets : 

 ■who introduce Jupiter, Venus, Cupid and Mars, as if they really believ- 

 ed the existence of those deuii-gods. When questioned on such a half 

 belief in the Hindoo theogony, the reply made by a Jangam is not 

 satisfactory. He does not look upon such poetical machinery as in- 

 consistent with his creed. For, says he, all of these are very possibly 

 gods or powers of various degrees of might, and we are not bound to 

 believe a word of the stories regarding them. We adore " Sada Siva" 

 (the ever blessed) alone, who is known under the name Basv Esa 

 (the lord Basava) or Allama Prabhu (Lord Allama) who came on 

 earth to found the Vira Saiva faith, or rather to restore it to primi- 

 tive purity. 



