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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(MAY, 1889.
his consort. Parvati, being female, of course menstruates (!), and periodically a red spot appears on the cloth worn by the image. Whenever this happens the temple is closed for three days and no worship allowed in it. In the works of
Ravivarman Tampi, a celebrated Travancore poet of the beginning of this century, is to be found an allusion to this in some of his very elegant
Madras.
SUNKUNI WARIYAR.
BOOK NOTICE. THE LITE 0 HIURN-TSIANO; by SAMUEL BRAL, B.A., | account of the political divisions of the countries
D.C.L. Trübner's Oriental Series. London ; Trüb. ner and Co. 1888. Post 8vo. 1 pp. IIIVIi., 218.
through which he passed, with many notices of A most valuable addition has recently been
the then rulers of them, and of their predecessors. made to Trübner's Oriental Series, in the shape
And this it is that makes his writings so valuable; of the Rev. Samuel Beal's Translation of the supplying, as they do, so much historical and Life of Hiron-Tsiang, which supplements his geographical information regarding a period for translation of the Travels of Hiuen-Tsiang, which the epigraphical remains are not as full as published in 1884 under the title of Buddhist might be wished. Records of the Western World, and completes Within the limits of this notice, it is imposthe English version of all regarding India that sible to give any account of the details of the was noted by the Chinese pilgrim during his visit book. But it contains one curious and interesting to that oountry in the period of his absence from episode, not included in the Travels, which may be China from A.D. 630 to 645. Mr. Beal's three briefly quoted here, as shewing the existence volumes now cover in English the same ground then, as until comparatively recent times, as M. Stanislas Julien's French translation of the practice of human sacrifice by the published some thirty years ago; and, being devotees of Durga. Having left Ayodhya, brought up to date by notes and comments, are Hiuen-Tsiang, with about eighty fellow-pasindispensable to everyone who is concerned with sengers, was travelling by boat down the the ancient history of India, religious or political. Ganges on his way to Hayamukha. The boat The present volume also contains, in the Intro- was captured by pirates, whose custom it was duction, a brief résumé of I-tsing's notices of every year, in the autumn-which season it then forty-three other Chinese pilgrims, most of whom was,-to kill a man of good form and comely visited India, belonging to the period A.D. 627 features, and to offer his flesh and blood to their to 665. It ought to have contained, but does not goddess, Durg&, in order to procure good fortune. do so, an index, similar to that provided with the From among their captives they selected Hiuentwo volumes of the Travels; the absence of an Tsiang himself, as the most suitable for their index much impairs the utility of such a book as purpose, on account of his distinguished bearing. this.
and his bodily strength and appearance. The The Travels were written by Hiuen-Tsiang, sacrificial ground was prepared ; an altar, beand edited by the Shaman Pien Ki. The Life smeared with mud, was erected; Hiuen-Tsiang was written in the first instance by Hwui Li, one was bound on it; and the sacrifice was just about of Hiuen-Tsiang's disciples, and was afterwards to be performed; when the ceremony was stayed enlarged and completed by Yen-thsong at the by a mighty typhoon that suddenly barst from request of Hwui Li's disciples. For his share of the four quarters, smiting down the trees, stirring the work, Yen-thsong consulted other texts and up clouds of sand, and lashing the waves of the authorities, besides the writings of Hiuen-Tsiang river into fury. This fortunate interposition of himself. And thus the Life, which includes, in the powers of nature,- -regarded, of course, by the addition to an account of Hiuen-Tsiang's early pirates as a miraculous intervention in favour of years and his life after his return to China, a a person who must consequently be of great sanc. more or less full epitome of all the information tity and importance-led to explanations which given in his own larger work, corroborates and naturally ended in the repentance and forgiveness explains the latter in many important details. of the pirates, and their conversion to Buddhism The chief object of Hiuen-Tsiang in visiting India as lay-worshippers. This brief account shews the was to study Buddhism as practised there, and interesting nature of the episode. But it must be to collect, and take back to China, as many read in full in Mr. Beal's translation, in order to Buddhist and other writings as he could procure. understand all its details, and to appreciate the The object of his labours, therefore, was primarily dramatic vigour of the language in which the religious. But his work contains also a very full ) narrative is given by Hiuen-Triang.
