272 



Account of tlie Basava Puran, 



[Oct. 



sidered Purva Saiva or braminical; such as the storj of Bhallana, that of 

 " Chennappa the savage," and a few others ; which are given not only in 

 the Basava Puran but likewise in the Sn Calahasti Mahatmyam^ in the 

 Vaijayanti Vilasam, the Vira Bhadra. Vijayam^ the Raja Sehhara Cha- 

 ritra^ and some otber Canarese and Telugu books, not written by Jangams 

 but by Brarains ; and accordingly dedicated not to Basava but to Ganesa 

 or Rama. 



These legends, again, are distinct from those (now wholly obsolete) 

 ■which are given in the Siva Puran and Linga Puran : of these a sum- 

 mary may bs seen in the preface to Professor Wilson's translation of the 

 Vishnu Puran. Here, as also in his " Two Lectures" (lately re-printed 

 at Madras*), the learned professor points out that " the v?ise look upon 

 " the outward emblem as nothing ; and contemplate in their minds the 

 " invisible inscrutable type ; which is Siva himself. Whatever may have 

 " been the origin of this form of worship in India, the notions upon 

 *' which it was founded, according to the impure fancies of European 

 " writers are not to be traced in even the Saiva Puranas." 



The Siddhdnta Sekharam^ the Siva Siddhanta Tantram^ and the 

 Suprahhed Agamam do indeed describe the lingam ; but these are bra- 

 minical treatises of modern days, written in Sanscrit. In the Tantras^ of 

 which an outline may be seen in Professor Wilson's Two Lectures (as 

 also in my former essay), there is not the slightest allusion to the lingam. 

 In the books now to be described, all the legends inculcate devotion to 

 this image of Siva : but regarding the image, or its origin, there is not 

 a single syllable. 



The Purva Saiva being the ancient or braminical creed, offers homage 

 to the image placed in a pagoda or in any sacred situation. The Jan- 

 gama or Vira Saiva is the modern anti-braminical creed,")* wherein each 

 individual wears the image. The ancient form directs pilgrimage, pen- 

 ance and sacrifice: the modern substitutes (Guru, Linga, Jangam) 

 devotion to the teacher, adoration of the image, and benevolence to 

 the fellow worshipper. The older form admits of caste, and considers 

 Bramins as sacred. The modern rejects caste, and certainly teaches no 

 veneration for Bramins. In the modern creed every homage is paid to 

 Basava, and paid exclusively to him as Siva : paving no regard to Par- 

 vati, to Ganesa, to Nandi, or any other attendant on Siva : in the older 

 or braminical system (such as is taught in the Calahasti Mahatmyam 



* On sale at the Athpnaemn Librarv. 

 + Opposing the braminical superstitious as vehemently as the JFaliabi creed opposes 

 the older Musulmau sects. 



