Essays Lectures on Religion of Hindu Vol 02

Author(s): H H Wilson
Publisher: Trubner and Company London

Page 38

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tence, but tradition places it half-way between Mount Sambhu, and the Pasupati Wood, where the remains of buildings are aften dug up. Both BUCHANAN and KIRKPATRICK advert to the legend of MANJU's drying up the valley of Nepal, and express themselves satisfied that it is founded on the fact of the valley having once been an extensive lake. Manju has a number of synonymes in the Trikánda, as MANJUŚRI, MANJU Ghosha, MANJUBHADRA, KUMára, the youth or prince; Nila, the dark-complexioned; VÁDiRÁJ, the King of controversy; KhaóGi, wearing a sword; DAŃdi carrying a staff; SikháduARA, having a lock of hair on the crown of his head; SINHAKELÍ, who sports with a Lion; and SÁRDÚLAVÁLLANA, who rides on a Tiger: some of these epithets are, of course, not to be understood literally, but their general tendency is to assign to Manju the character of a Military Legislator, one whose most convincing argument was the edge of his sword.
The religion introduced by MANJU and his disciples was, possibly, that of pure Buddhism, either in the Swábhávika or diswarya form; but whence were the Brahmanical grafts derived? It is not extraordinary that we should have SIVA, or VISHNU, or GANESA, or perhaps even HANUMÁN, admitted to some degree of reverence, for there is nothing in the Bauddha doctrines negative of the existence of such beings, and the popularity of the legends relating to them with the whole Hindu people recommended them to the favour and adoption of their neighbours; but the sakta