Indian Antiquary Vol 31

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 38

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JANUARY, 1902.
The Mythology of the Kesar Saga.
General Notes. Ur to the present, when editing Ladakbi folklore of a non-Buddhistio character, I have made use of the terms Pre-Buddhistic' and Bonpo' indifferently, because I did not expect to meet with more than a single non-Baddhistic religion in Ladakh. Dr. Lanfer's latest publications of Bonpo MSS., however, make it advisable to separate Bonpo mythology from the mythology of Ladakhi folklore; because, although both of them may have much in common, there appear to be fundamental differences between them. In future, therefore, when speaking of the mythology embodied, for instance, in the Kesar Saga, I shall make use of the terrugLing-chos,' i. e., mythology of gLing.
The material, from which I draw my information on the gLing-chos, has increased a great deal since the first pablication in German of the first half of the Kesar Saga ; but I do not wish my ideas on the subject to be taken for more than a theory. At present, the existence of the gLing-chos can only be supposed for Ladakh ; but it may hereafter become evident that the same or similar systems of mythology were known in Tibet and many parts of Asia.
Sources of Information. (1) The Kegar Saga. It is related in four parts :(a) Prelude to the Kesar Saga, which tells tells of the creation of the world
and of the birth of the 18 agus. (6) First half of the Kesar Saga (Spring Myth), which tells of Kesar's birth
in g Ling, his wooing and marriage to 'aBruguma. () Second half of the Keser Saga (Winter Myth), which tells of Kesar's
journey to the north, the killing of the giant-devil, marriage of the devil's wife to Kesar and of 'a Bruguma's deliverance out of the hands of the
king of Hor, who had abducted her. (d) Kesar's Journey to China, which is a different version of the Winter
Myth, and tells of Kesar's marriage to the King of China's daughter. (2) The Ladakhi Marriage Ritual. This was publisbed ante, Vol. XXX., 1901,
pp. 131 ff. (3) Songs of the Nyopa on their way to the bride's house. (4) The drinking song, which is of a similar character to the marriage ritual, (5) The gLing-glu. This has entirely the character of a hymnal of the gLing-chos.
It is sang at the time of the Kesar Festival each spring. So far, the gLing-gla of only two villages has been collected, i. e., of Phyang and Khalatse. It will, perhaps, be easy to collect a large number of these songs, which appear to be of the greatest value for a proper understanding of the character of Kesar.
The Cosmology of the gLing-chos. In nearly all of the above-mentioned sources three large realms are spoken of. Compare : Spring Myth No. IV. 20, 23, 26; Marriage Ritual No. I. B. 1, 2, 3; gLing-glu of Khalatse No. XXVII.; gLing-glu of Phyang No. L.
1. Tang Iha, Hosven (lit., the upper gods' or 'gods above;' no etymology is wanted, because the word is colloquial Ladakhi). Of this realm we hear in Spriny Myth No. II. ; Winter Myth No. V. 8-19; g Ling-glu of Phyang No. V.; g Ling-glu of Khalatse No. XXI., No. XXVII. 1,2. From all these sources the following information can be drawn: A king reigns in sTang-lhe,