Indian Antiquary Vol 12

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 96

84
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1883.
Khan's uncle Khubilai," whose bravery was so the Burkhan Radnasa mbova" with famous, when marching once against the Merkit | the phrase :alighted before a tree which was on his route,
Um naga yoh yagi sookha. and having prayed there made a vow if he re- To drive away clouds recourse is had to the turned victorious to go and hang ribbons upon above-named gods and also to Khonjin it. Having secured a victory he in fact return- boddissad o, with the formula :ed and danced round the tree with his troops. Um yada nagara chilchil polpol tsookha. Ghazan, we are told, was much pleased with Khorijin Boddissado is also appealed this anecdote, and said if his ancestors had not to to cause storm winds with the phrase :been so pious, God would not have made them Um ghom ghom dam dam pat pat pungh kings of the earth, and he proceeded to dance
pungh tsookha. himself.So
These appeals and formulæ are doubtOne of the oldest practices prevalent in the less largely inspired by Lamaism. They are East, and which is closely bound up with accompanied by ceremonies which are much Shamanism, is that of weather conjuring. more clearly Shamanistic. We are told the Marco Polo says that during the three months Tarnis or prayers are accompanied by the of every year that the Khân resided at dipping of certain stones in water in a bowl, Shangtu; if it happened to be bad weather the water and the stones being thrown in the there were certain crafty enchanters and direction of the quarter of the sky whence the astrologers in his train, who were such adepts rain is to come. If a storm of wind is rein necromancy and the diabolic arts, that they quired then sand or dust is similarly thrown."
quired then sand or dust is sim were able to prevent any cloud or storm The stone used in weather-conjuring is jade, from passing over the spot on which the Em- called yéda or jeda by the Kalmuks, and peror's palace stood." This practice of weather- the weather-conjuring itself is called jedaconjuring, Pallas says, is called Sadda Barina mishi, the Kalmuks call the conjurors jidaji.
Bergmann tells us they generally practise not only profess to foretell the kind of weather their art when it is clear that rain is coming. which is impending, but also to control rain If they fail they declare that their efforts or clouds, fog or wind. They also profess to are counteracted by those of other magicians, be able to counteract the effects of similar con- or that the heat is too great for the rain to juring. The chief mode of weather-conjuring overcome it." Pallas says they also make much is by means of mystical formula (tarni) which of a stone sometimes found in the ground and at are to be addressed with a believing heart other times in animals. This when put in the and deep devotion by the weather conjuror water causes it to bubble and boil, and being (saaduchi) to certain gods. To bring rain accompanied by certain tarni or formals cause the formula must be addressed to the god rain to fall." The chief method used in their Ochirbani. The following is the formula ordinary prognostications by the Shamans is for this purpose -
the famous one of prophesying from the marks Um khum sungni nagarasa gangpuk tsookha. upon the burnt shoulder-blades of sheep. The
To cause clouds to rise the address must be process was described long ago by Rubruquis, to Mansushiri Burkhan with the wbo tells us that when on one occasion he went formula :
to Mangu Khản's palace he met coming away a Um sarva gharma karem laalik tsookha. servant (quidam famulus) bearing some shoul.
To bring fog the following formula is ad. der-blades of sheep burnt as black as charcoal, dressed to the Burkhan Nagansana: and when he inquired what this meant he was Um zarchu ningwo rūh rewok.
told that Mangu never did anything without To create a cool breeze recourse is had to consulting such bones, nor did he even allow any
• Really his great uncle Kutluk Khan, who is called Kubilai by the Persian writers.
* D'Ohsson, vol. IV, pp. 313-314. # Op. cit. vol. I, pp. 291-292.
** The Jhini Budaha Ratnasambhava; so, Mansushiri is Maijusri; and Nagasena is NAgåsena.-ED. I.A.
* Dharanis. .. Pallas, 8aml. Hist. Nach. vol. II, pp. 348-349.
* D'Ohason, vol. II, pp. 615-616. Bergmann, Nom. Streif., vol. II, p. 183.**
1. e. the bezoar. . "Pallas, Op. cit. vol. II, p. 439.
I