The Sacred City of the Hindus: An Account of Benares in Ancient and Modern Times |
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Page 37
... of monsters , of the linga and other indecent figures , and of a multitude of
grotesque , ill - shapen , and hideous objects . Some of them are wild parodies
on the animal kingdom , representing imaginary creatures made up in a variety
There ...
... of monsters , of the linga and other indecent figures , and of a multitude of
grotesque , ill - shapen , and hideous objects . Some of them are wild parodies
on the animal kingdom , representing imaginary creatures made up in a variety
There ...
Page 43
hundred thousand temples to the city , made this stipulation , that they were all to
be commenced and finished in one day . The plan hit upon was , to cut out on
blocks of stone a great many tiny carvings , each one representing a temple .
hundred thousand temples to the city , made this stipulation , that they were all to
be commenced and finished in one day . The plan hit upon was , to cut out on
blocks of stone a great many tiny carvings , each one representing a temple .
Page 46
These remarks are especially true of rigid and thorough Hindus , like the
Gangaputras , or " sons of the Ganges , ” who may be regarded as representing ,
in their own persons , the complete results of their strange religion . To speak
plainly ...
These remarks are especially true of rigid and thorough Hindus , like the
Gangaputras , or " sons of the Ganges , ” who may be regarded as representing ,
in their own persons , the complete results of their strange religion . To speak
plainly ...
Page 56
A few years ago a fanatic offered himself in sacrifice to Siva , the god of the well ,
when the authorities caused the passage to be closed ; but , on the priests
representing that their revenues would greatly suffer , were it to be kept
permanently ...
A few years ago a fanatic offered himself in sacrifice to Siva , the god of the well ,
when the authorities caused the passage to be closed ; but , on the priests
representing that their revenues would greatly suffer , were it to be kept
permanently ...
Page 59
The idol representing the Sun is seated in a chariot drawn by seven horses , and
is surrounded by a glory indicative of the rays of light which he emits from his
person in all directions . In a second corner is another shrine , in which is an
image ...
The idol representing the Sun is seated in a chariot drawn by seven horses , and
is surrounded by a glory indicative of the rays of light which he emits from his
person in all directions . In a second corner is another shrine , in which is an
image ...
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Common terms and phrases
already ancient antiquity appearance bank base become believe Benares Brahmans Buddha Buddhist building built called capitals carved centre century Christian considerable contains deities described direction discovered distance divine edifice enclosure entire erected existence extent face feet figure five formerly foundations four Ganges Ghát give goddess gods Government ground half hands head height held Hindu honour hundred idols images inches India interest king leading less miles Mohammedan monastery mosque native northern object observed offerings once original pass perhaps period persons pilgrims pillars portion position present probably Raja reason received referred regarded religion religious remains remarkable representing residence respecting river road ruins sacred Sárnáth seen shrine side situated Siva square stands statue stone structure supposed tank temple terrace thousand tower various wall worship
Popular passages
Page 6 - The traveller could scarcely make his way through the press of holy mendicants, and not less holy bulls. The broad and stately flights of steps which descended from these swarming haunts to the bathingplaces along the Ganges, were worn every day by the footsteps of an innumerable multitude of worshippers.
Page 6 - Commerce had as many pilgrims as religion. All along the shores of the venerable stream lay great fleets of vessels laden with rich merchandise. From the looms of Benares went forth the most delicate silks that adorned the balls of St. James's and of Versailles, and in the bazaars the muslins of Bengal and the sabres of Oude were mingled with the jewels of Golconda and the shawls of Cashmere.
Page 6 - The schools and temples drew crowds of pious Hindoos from every province where the Brahminical faith was known. Hundreds of devotees came thither every month to die : for it was believed that a peculiarly happy fate awaited the man who should pass from the sacred city « into the sacred river.YNor was superstition the only motive which allured strangers to that great metropolis.
Page 3 - When Babylon was struggling with Nineveh for supremacy, when Tyre was planting her colonies, when Athens was growing in strength, before Borne had become known, or Greece had contended with Persia, or Cyrus had added lustre to the Persian monarchy, or Nebuchadnezzar had captured Jerusalem, and the inhabitants of Judaea had been carried into captivity, she had already risen to greatness, if not to glory.
Page 41 - Moreover, it is of great importance to bear in mind, that, as a man can hardly be better than his religion, the nature of the Hindu partakes of the supposed nature of the gods whom he worships. And what is that nature? According to the traditions handed about amongst the natives, and constantly dwelt upon in their conversation, and referred to in their popular songs, which, perhaps, would be sufficient proof...
Page xxx - History of Bengal, p. 36. Elsewhere we read, that, " having broken the idols in above a thousand temples, he purified and consecrated the latter to the worship of the true God.
Page 188 - ... and an expression of sympathy with these holy mourners, would sufficiently comfort them, and give them an ostensible reason for returning to their usual employment. Accordingly, all the British functionaries went to the principal ghat, expressed their sorrow for the distress in which they saw them, but reasoned with them on the absurdity of punishing themselves for an act in which they had no share, and which they had done their utmost to prevent or to avenge.
Page 128 - But finding that brass instruments did not come up to the ideas which he had formed of accuracy, because of the smallness of their size, the want of divisions into minutes, the shaking and wearing of their axes, the displacement of the centres of the circles, and the shifting of the planes of the instruments, he concluded that the reason why the determinations of the ancients such as Hipparchus and Ptolemy proved inaccurate...
Page 5 - Benares, a city which in wealth, population, dignity, and sanctity was among the foremost of Asia. It was commonly believed that half a million of human beings was crowded into that labyrinth of lofty alleys, rich with shrines and minarets and balconies and carved oriels, to which the sacred apes clung by hundreds. The traveller could scarcely make his way through the press of holy mendicants and not less holy bulls.
Page xxxvi - For the sanctity of its inhabitants, of its temples and tanks, of its wells and streams, of the very soil that is trodden, of the very air that is breathed, and of everything in it and around it, Benares has been famed for thousands of years.
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Sacred City of the Hindus: An Account of Benares in Ancient and Modern Times |
| Author | Matthew Atmore Sherring |
| Contributor | Fitzedward Hall |
| Publisher | Trübner & Company, 1868 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | 26 Oct 2006 |
| Length | 388 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |