854 
The Idolatry of 
rswA-^ Romans^ ufed to deny themfelves the ufe 
^^i^^^ of Venery, the firfl by caftrating them- 
^^^^^"^felvcs, the others by certain Drugs. 
Divers The "Jem diftinguifli betwixt Eunuchs 
ftytsof fffade hyGod^ and thofe made by Men, the 
Eumchs. i^Q. gj.^ believed to owe their Original to 
the Perfiam ; and among the Jews they 
had certain Perfons, called Impngentes^ 
becaufe they ufed to run againft Pofts and 
Doors, rather than to look upon a Wo- 
man. 
Rogeriui "* mentions another fort of ^ l,z.cm 
Brabmans, called Sau/iaz.ii^ who renounce 
all Worldly Pleafures, abftain from Wo- 
men, and even the Betel (tho generally 
ufed all over the Indies) eat but once a 
day, have no fix'd Habitations, ufe no- • 
thing but earthen Vefiels, and live upon 
Alms. The fundamental Rules of their 
Sedl being to withftand Lufi, jinge',\ Co- 
vetoufnefs, Pride^ the Pleafures of the 
World^ and Revenge. 
CHAP. III. 
Cofftefi hettvixf BvRmma, Viftnum Ixora, who is obliged to he a Mendicant 
twelve Tears. J Child produced out of the Blood of Vifinum^ occafiONS ^etv 
Differences. 
TH E Refidence of Ixora is upon the 
Silver Mount Calaja^ to the South 
of the famous Mountain Mahameru, being 
a raoft delicious Place, planted with all 
forts of Trees, that bear Fruit all the 
Year round. The Rofes and other Flow- 
ers fend forth a raoft odoriferous Scent, 
and the Pond at the Foot of the Mount 
isenclofed with pleafant Walks of Trees, 
that afford an agreeable Shade, whilft 
the Peacocks and divers other Birds en- 
tertain the Ear with their Harmonious 
Noife, as the Beautiful Women do the 
Eyes. The circumjacent Woods are in- 
habited by a certain People, called Mu- 
mv5 or Rix'vSj who avoiding the Conver- 
fation of others, fpend their time in 
offering daily Sacrifices to their God. 
It isobfervable, that thothefe Pagans 
are generally black themfelves, yet do 
they reprefent thefe Rix'vs to be of a fair 
Complexion, with long white Beards, 
and long Garments hanging crofswife, 
from about the Neck down over the 
Breaft. They are in fucheiteem among 
them, that they believe, that whom they 
blefs are bleffed, and whom they curfe 
arecurfed. 
Within the Mountain lives another 
Generation, call'd Jexaquinnera and 
^cndra^ who are free from all Troubles, 
fpend their Days in continual Contem- 
plations, Praifes and Prayers to God, 
Round about the Mountain ftand 7 Lad- 
ders, by which you afcend to a fpacious 
Plain, in the middle whereof is a Bell of 
Silver, and a fquare Table, furroundcd 
with nine precious Stones of divers Col- 
ours. Upon this Table lies a Silver Rofe 
called Tamara Pua, which contains two 
Women as bright and fair as a Pearl i 
one is called Brigaftru e, the Lcidy of 
the Mouthy the other Tarafiri^ i, e. the La- 
dy of the Tongue^ becaufe they praife 
God with the Mouth and Tongue. In. 
the Center of this Rofe is the Triangle^ 
(mentioned in the 1 fl Chap.) of Qmvelm- 
ga, which they fay is the permanent Re- 
fidence of God. 
JxoK^? being one time diverting himfelf 
in this Cajala or Paradife, with Pudcvs^ 
Pfiand Pixajos, let fall forae Words, in- 
timating him to be the greateH in all the 
World •, which Bramma and Fijlnum not 
able to brook, a Contell arofeabout the 
Precedency, to decide which Ixora told Contefl be- 
them, that which of the two could take ^^'^^ 
a full view of him from Head to Foot, '^"''S''^"^" 
fliould be accounted the Greatell. "^ftnufii, 
Bramma hereupon got upon his Bird 
Annam (whereof more anon) and pafied 
up into the Air, to get Sight of lxoYa\ 
Head, whilft t^ifinum transforming him- 
felf into a Hog, dug into the Ground, 
tocomeathis Feet: whilft he was thus 
employed, meeting with a moft poifo- 
nous Serpent, he was fo ftartled at it, 
that he defifted from his Enterprise, This 
Story is related more at large by feveraJ 
of the Malabar Poets. 
^ri«mw<? on the other hand, refolutein 
his Defigns, foared very high into the 
Air, when being met by three Flowers, 
they ask'd him Vi/hither he was a going ; 
he replied, to get fight of the Head of 
Ixora y they told him, his Labour was in 
vain^ by reafon of the vaft diftance, 
which made Bramma change his Refoluti- 
on : but at the fame time defired the 
Flowers to tell Ixora^ that he was pre- 
vented from coming fo high as his Head ^ 
by a fudden Giddinefs in his Brains, 
which 
