Indian Antiquary Vol 19

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 81

FEBRUARY, 1890.]
MISCELLANEA.
73
this can hardly be, for we find that when Albê růni wishes to give Sanskrit words correctly in certain lista, he does so, so that we have ja
,Saragena شور سین ,Mathura ماتر ,Bhadra
Jean Pañchala, bo Magadha, and so on. We are thus driven to the conclusion that the other words also were designedly originally written as they have been handed down to us, and that they were transcribed by Albêrûni as they were pronounced incorrectly pronounced be it observed, -by the Pandits who read to him : just as at the present day a Pandit, when speaking colloquially, pronounces his Sanskrit words in colloquial fashion, though when occasion arises he can, and does, pronounce them in the full traditional manner. We thus have a valuable exhibition of words in Albêrani's Indica of the pronunciation of North-Western India in the first half of the eleventh century after Christ.
I think that the value of the Persian or Arabic language for this purpose has been much under-estimated. The Muhammadans who conquered India long after Albêrûni's date, cared little for the rules of Panini, but were com. pelled by the necessities of their surroundinge to record the language of the people among whom they dwelt in the character most familiar to themselves. Even the greatest Hindú vernacular authors of India were tied down by tradi. tion, and were compelled to spell many words, not as they were pronounced, but as tradition ordered them. We trace this compulsion up to the very earliest times. ---up to the time of the North. Western inscriptions of Asöka; but Musalman writers had no respect for these traditions, and spelled words phonetically as they struck their ears. It is this which makes, as I have elsewhere pointed out, works like the Padmawat of Malik Muhammad written 1610 A.D.) of such priceless value. It is in Hindi, written in the Persian character, and though unfortunately the vowels are often doubtful, we have in it an absolutely correct representation of the consonantal system of the language as then existing To give an example, while Malik Muhammad's Hinda contemporaries wrote apsaras, he gives the correct pronunciation vouched for by the Prakrit grammarians and wrote rol. It is to these Muham. madan writers that we must look for the correct representation of the pronunciation of the oonsonants of the mediaeval Indian dialects. For this reason, an analysis of the Indian dialects as represented by Alberoni, and especially an altogether admirable scientific analysis, such as
that offered by Dr. Sachau, is of great value to all students of the history of this country.
(d) M. Winternitz on Snake Worship The first part of the 18th volume of the Mit. theilungen der anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien (Vienna Anthropological Society) contains the first instalment of an important article by Dr. Moriz Winternitz on the serpent-cult. Taking for his text the sarpabali of India, be commences with general observations on the universal character of this cultus. The uncanny eye of the snake was early observed. He was the most sharp-sighted of animals (Evdepkiotatov To wov), and from dépkomat, to see,' we find formed the word opákov. Hence came the superstitions about its powers of fascination and its wisdom: "Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." At an early stage we find serpents connected with magic. The Hebrew for snake,' nakhash, appears at the head of a series of denominatives signifying *to enchant,'' to prophesy.' He is, especially as a white snake (kvétabhujanga), continually exhi. bited as the teacher of the language of birds and beasts. The Oracle at Delphi owed its inspiration to a dragon, and Helen and Cassandra learned the speech of birds from serpents. The fact that the colours of snakes correspond to their habitats gave rise to the origin of the theory that a serpent is the genius loci, while the metallic glister of several of them easily suggested the many legends of the snakes as mountain-spirits and treasure-guardians. Both in Asia and America are they believed to carry a precious jewel in the head." The way of a serpent on a rock" was one of the four things which were too hard for King Solomon, and the rapid shooting motion of these creatures over mountain rocks readily gave rise to the idea of winged eerpents or dragons. The power of casting its slough was another source of wonder, and the serpent is regarded as ever renewing its youth. Moreover, we find persons transformed by inagic into snakes, who issue from their skins in their proper forms. If the skins can then be seized and burnt the magic is counteracted, and the enchanted person does not go back to his transformation. But the most striking point of all about snakes is their terrible poison. As an Indian proverb says, "No one honours him who does no harm, be he ever so great. Men worship the snake, but not Garuda, the slayer of the snake." While, however, he was considered an evil spirit on this account, on the other side there grew up the faith that the being who brings disease and death must also know how to cure and to bring to life. Hence we find the snake in manifold relation with the