The wife of SIVA is also known here under the name of SATTI; but in Sanskrit, SAKTI. "The festival of SACA was held for five days every year; during which time, servants commanded their masters, and wore a kind of royal garment, called Zogani."* The festival of the wife of Siva continues nine days, or rather nights, and is called Nava Ráttiri, i. e. nine nights: three of these, however, are for SARASVATIT, and the other six for SAKTI. On this occasion, those who have not been accustomed to eat flesh, or drink intoxicating liquors, do so freely. All restraints are now thrown off; and scenes of the most sickening kind wind up the ceremonies. No young female of respectable character will dare to shew herself in public. Servants assume the airs and practices of their masters; school-boys, dressed in gay apparel‡, go from house to house, to dance and sing songs in honour of SAKTI: gambling, fighting of cocks and of rams, with other rude and ludicrous performances, fill up this indecent festival. "SALAMBO, a goddess; the same as ASTARTE; eternally roaming up and down a mountain."§ Is it not rather striking, that the wife of Síva is also known by the name of SILAMBÚ; and that this name also signifies a mountain. Another of her names is PARVATI, meaning she who was born in a mountain. She is called daughter of the mountain; and sometimes the mountain nymph, who captivated Síva from a course of ascetic austerities. "The Babylonians and Assyrians worshipped what by the Greeks and Romans was termed aλλòs, or Priapus. The priaps were three hundred fathoms, or three hundred cubits, high; and by whom the priaps were erected there is much fable." || The Egyptians, most probably, meant the sun and moon. Some suppose OSIRIS to signify the efficient cause of things; and Isis, matter. OSIRIS was represented in a human form, in a posture not very decent, signifying his generative and nutritive faculty. This living image was the bull. The image of Isis, usually in the form of a woman, with cow's horns on her head." CALMET also says: "ASTARTE was the same as the Isis of Egypt; and again quoting JEROME, who in several places translated the name ASTARTE by PRIAPUS." In regard to the indecent object alluded to as being worshipped by the Assyrians, it is well known that the Hindús do the same thing. The * Universal History. One garment worn is called Shokkai. Ibid. VOL. I. + The wife of BRAHMA. § Universal History. Ibid. K lingam (priapus) in the Hindú temple of Sedambarem is supposed to have sprung from the earth of itself; and its foundation is believed to be in the lower world *. In regard to OSIRIS, it is more than probable that he, in his “posture, generative and nutritive faculties," was the same as the Síva of the Hindús. The bull was sacred to the former, and also to the latter. ISIS being represented with cow's horns, finds a parallel in Síva or his wife, with the crescent moon fixed on the head. In conclusion, whether we look at the corresponding traits of character in MOLOCH and KALI; in BAAL-PEOR and the CHIUN of Amos; at the mutual assumption of either sex by Síva and his partner; at the term Mother being applied to the latter, and also to the SUCCOTH-BENOTH (ASTARTE OF MYLITTA) of the Assyrian, Phoenician, and other nations; at the cow's horns (so called) of Assyria, and the crescent of India; at the young virgins who made a sacrifice of chastity to the SUCCOTH-BENOTH of antiquity, and to the consort of the oriental Síva; at the use made of the regular female votaries of both systems; at their mutual assumption, on certain occasions, of the male attire; at the lion, as belonging to the goddess of Assyria, and also to her of India; to the festival of SHACH or SACA, and that of SATTI or SAKTI, in regard to the lascivious way in which it was conducted, and the peculiar garments worn on that occasion; at the term SALAMBO being the name of the one goddess, and also of the other; at its true meaning, in reference to a mountain where they mutually dwelt; at the BAAL-PEOR of Assyria, the OSIRIS of Egypt, the Paλλos of the Greeks, the PRIAPUS of the Romans, and the LINGAM of the Hindús (worshipped now in the temples † of the East), we see some of the most striking coincidences, which never could have been the result of any thing but the identity of their origin. * BUCKINGHAM says, in his Travels in Mesopotamia, vol. II. p. 406, of some antiques he saw taken from the ruins of Babylon: "The larger antiques comprehended a figure in brass, embracing a large LINGAM between its knees, precisely in the style of the Hindú representation of that emblem." He mentions also, in another place, "The Indian figure of a man, with a painted bonnet, and beard, embracing the LINGAM," + In the Universal History, it is said of a temple in Egypt: "Near the temple was a lake, in the midst of which stood a stone altar; and every day, many people swam to the altar in the midst of the lake, to perform their devotions." This is ART. VII. A Transcript in Roman Characters, with a Translation, of a Manifesto in the Chinese Language, issued by the Triad Society. By the Rev. ROBERT MORRISON, D.D. F.R.S. M.R.A.S., &c. &c. Read 4th of April, 1829. IN the First Volume of the Transactions of the ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, page 240, will be found a brief sketch of the nature, constitution, and objects of the secret fraternity called the "Triad Society," written by the late Rev. Dr. MILNE, and communicated by Dr. MORRISON. The Manifesto, of which a copy is subjoined, appears to have been put forth on swearing in members of that Association. It was found in the English burial-ground at Macao, on the night of Sunday the 19th of October 1828. The original document was written with a pencil, on a sheet of paper about fifteen inches long and ten inches wide, and surrounded by a black line. Accompanying it were papers, with addresses to the shades of the monarchs of the late dynasty, and to the gods of the district; also, triangular flags, with superstitious invocations, &c. written on them. Members of this brotherhood, known to each other by secret signs, are said to pervade all parts of China, and to exist in almost every public office. ORIGINAL is a correct description of vast numbers of Hindu temples; and of the way in which men go to the stone altar in the middle of the tank in order to perform their devotions. "Sacrificed twice a day to Jupiter, in silence; to Juno, with great noise of minstrels and singing." U. H. Síva is worshipped in silence, except the tinkling of a bell; but AMMON (his wife), with a number of instruments, and a great noise. "The priests used to light up tapers to their images, and had their beards and heads close shaved." U. H. A small tuft is left on the heads of the priests of Síva, but all other parts of the body are shaved. 1st line. 2d Yang-yang Chung-kwo; Tang-tang Teen-chaou: 11900. 11900. 1664. 6832. 9850. 9850. 10095. 391. Tseen pang keae kung; 3d Hoo jin pa 4th ... 5th ... to; wan kwo lae chaou. 11583. 6832. 8857. 391. tsze hån nan Seaou 4095. 4693. 8124. 10312. 11248. 3204. 7883. 8881. Chaou ping, Mae ma; kaou tǎ hwa keaou Hing ping, ke cha; tseaou meĕ Ts-ng chaou. о their Edicts. Red-ink circles, such as those with which the Mandarins daub + These numbers refer to the Chinese characters in Morrison's Dictionary. The word Tsing, the title of the present dynasty, was abbreviated in the original. TRANSLATION. MAFIFESTO TO INVITE AN ARMY. 1st. Illustrious! illustrious! the Middle nation: This metaphor the Translator does not understand. "Arise," or "raise them." This character is written with a triangular flag erect on the top of the left corner. Literally, a fork—a weapon with two prongs. § The reigning Tartar dynasty is called Tsing. |