54 
E. T. Atkinson— Notes on the history 
[No. 1, 
snccession with milk, curds, ghi, honey and sugar : cold and hot water 
being used alternately between each bathing. Each bathing has its ap¬ 
propriate invocation, prayer and offering which are in all respects the 
same as those prescribed in the plains.* Another form of worship is the 
^ jap ’ or recitation of the one hundred and eight names of Siva, such as 
Rudra, Isana, Hara, Pasupati, &c. These are counted off on a rosary 
made of the seeds of the rudraksha {Abrus precatorius). As a rule, 
however, few remember this litany and the worshipper is satisfied by re¬ 
peating a single name as often as he cares, thus “ Om sivdya 07td^ or “ Otn 
maliddeo ” is the favourite ejaculation of the ^ jap ’ in Kumaon though 
one occasionally hears from pilgrims from the plains ‘ Har, Har Mahddeo, 
bam Maliddeo.’ The leaves of the bel (MJgle marmelos) and the flowers 
of the datura {Batura alba), the kapur nali or kapur nai (Hedychium 
spicatum), the jdti or jai {Murraya exotica?) and the rose are specially 
sacred to S'iva and form a part of the argha or offerings made during his 
worship. There can be no doubt but that the present system of S'aiva 
worship though popular and universal is of modern origin, and on this 
point we may cite the testimony of Professor Wilson :f—“ Notwithstanding 
the reputed sanctity of the S'ivardtri, it is evidently sectarial and compara¬ 
tively modern, as well as a merely local institution, and consequently 
offers no points of analogy to the practices of antiquity. It is said in the 
Kalpa Bruma that two of the mantras are from the Rig Veda, but they 
are not cited, and it may be well doubted if any of the Vedas recognise 
any such worship of S'iva. The great authorities for it are the Puranas, 
and the Tantras ; the former—^the S'aiva, Lainga, Padma, Matsya and 
Vayu—are quoted chiefly for the general enunciations of the efficacy of 
the rite, and the great rewards attending its performance : the latter for 
the mantras : the use of mystical formulae, of mysterious letters and syl¬ 
lables, and the practice of Nydsa and other absurd gesticulations being 
derived mostly, if not exclusively, from them; as the Isdna Saiphitd, the 
S'iva Bahasya, the Budra Ydmala, Mantra-mahodadhi and other Tantrika 
works. The age of these compositions is unquestionably not very remote, 
and the ceremonies for which they are the only authorities can have no 
claims to be considered as parts of the primitive system. This does not 
impair the popularity of the rite, and the importance attached to it is 
evinced by the copious details which are given by the compilers of the 
Tithi-Tattwa and Kalpa Bruma regarding it and by the manner in which 
it is observed in all parts of India.” 
* See Wilson, II., 214 : the prayers there given are paraphrased in the Vdrshika 
fustaka. 
t Ibid., 219. 
