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SEPTEMBER, 1895.)
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temple at Puravari was thus patronized to spite the foreign Saiva temple of Rajendra-Cholesvara, not far from it. But it is always unwise to attribute motives, and we may, therefore, be content with recording the fact that on the 7th of Idavam 336 M. E., Vira-Ravivarman ruled peacefully over all South Travancore, his affairs in Nanjinad being administered by a triumvirate, Kerala Santôsha Pallavaraiyan, 61 probably in command of the local forces, if we may judge from his title, and Govindan Vikraman and Anantan Sakrapani, in charge of the civil administration. His ministers of state at the capital were, as we have already seen, the loyal chieftaing, Pullalan Aiyan, Chingan Rangan, Nârâ yanan 'Sankaran, and Kôdai Dávan. It is also worth noting, in passing, the part played by Araiyan Pasitangi and others, representing the village of Talakkudi; for it is remarkable that the people of TA]akkudi had the right to execute, and in a manner to ratify, the royal grant. The reservation as to minor charges and deductions, appearing in this inscription but absent in the former, would point to certain cesses, levied by village associations, on lands falling within their union. There is a word in this inscription which I do not quite understand, viz., tiruchénidai, though from the context it may be safely taken to signify some kind of daily offering in Vaishṇava temples.
(To be continued.)
NOTES ON THE SPIRIT BASIS OF BELIEF AND CUSTOM.
BY J. M. CAMPBELL, C.I.E., LC.S.
(Continued from p. 231.) Honey. - Honey is believed to have power over spirits, because honey is one of the earliest foods, yields an intoxicating drink, has many healing virtues, and prevents corruption. Old honey is a cure for cough, wind and bile. It also increases strength and virility.27 Honey is used by the Hindus for washing their household gods.29 The Dekhan Brahman father drops honey into the mouth of his newborn child. Among higher class Hindus, especially among Brahmaņs, when a child is born, honey is dropped into its mouth from a gold spoon or ring 29 Among Dekhan Hindus, when the bridegroom comes to the bride's house, honey and curds are given him to sip. This honey-sipping is calied madhuparka ; its apparent object is to scare evil from the bridegroom.80 Honey is considered by the Hindus a great cleanser and purifier. It is also the food of their gods.31 In Bengal, the Brâhman bride has part of her body anointed with honey.32 How highly the early Hindus valued honey appears - from the hymn, "Let the winds pour down honey, the rivers pour down honey, may our plants be sweet. May the night bring honey, and the dawn and the sky above the earth be full of honey."93 This intense longing is probably for honey-ale, madhu, or mead. In Africa, an intoxicating drink is made from honey.34 The Feloops of West Africa make a strong liquor out of honey,35 and the Hottentots are fond of honey beer.36 Mead made from honey was the favourite drink of the Norsemen. In England, honey-suckle still keeps off witchcraft.37
Horns. -The horns of certain animals are believed to scare fiends. Also horns are used as weapons both of attack and of defence, and as weapons are worshipful. Further, the horn is a light giver: classic lanterns were made of plates of horn.38 The hart's horn is very largely used as a medicine in Western India. In the Konkan, it is a
- Pallavaraiyan, meaning the king of the Pallavas, is an old military title. It was sometimes conferred also on men of letters a special mark of royal favour, e.g., on the author of the Periyapurdnam. 28 Pandit Narzinha's Nighanturaja, p. 165.
Information from Mr. P. B. Joshi. » Information from Mr. P. B. Joshi.
% Information from Mr. P. B. Joshi. 31 Maurice's Indian Antiquities, Vol. V. p. 190.
82 Colebrooke's Miscellaneous Essays, Vol. I. p. 208. B Rig Ved in Mar Müller's Hibbert Lectures, P. 200 (1878). Dr. Livingstone's Travels in South Africa, p. 296. 35 Park's Trarels, Vol. I. p. 7.
* Hahn's Touni Goam, p. 38. 57 Brand's Popular Antiquities, Vol. III. p. 54.
* Smith's Greek and Roman Antiquities, Vol. II. p. 6.
