large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_05_mitchell_64kb_51
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_05_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
There has been both accretion from without and evolution from within. The thirty three gods of the Vedas have been fantastically raised to three hundred and thirty millions. Siva, Durga, Rama, Krishna, Kali  unknown in ancient days  are now mighty divinities; Indra is almost entirely overlooked, and Varuna has been degraded from his lofty throne and turned into a regent of the waters. [Sidenote: New deities, rites, and customs. THERE HAS BEEN BOTH A CHRISIAN FROM WITHOUT AN EVOLUTION FROM WITHIN THE THIRTY THREE GODS OF THE WEDAS HAVE BEEN FANTASTICALLY RAISED TO THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY MILLIONS SIVA DULGA RAMA KUSHNA KALI UNKNOWN IN ANCIENT DAYS ARE NOW MIGHTY DIVINITIES INDRA IS ALMOST ENTIRELY OVERLOOKED AND VARUNA HAS BEEN DEGRADED FROM HIS LOFTY THRONE AND TURNED INTO A LEGIONT OF THE WATERS
ly upheld the proudest pretensions of the Brahman; and it has never relaxed the sternest restrictions of caste. We cannot wonder at the severe judgment pronounced on Hinduism by nearly every Western author. According to Macaulay, "all is hideous and grotesque and ignoble;" and the calmer De Tocqueville maintains that "Hinduism is perhaps the only system of belief that is worse than having no religion at all."[22] When a modern Hindu is asked what are the sacred books of his religion he generally answers: "The Vedas, the Sastras (that is, philosophical systems), and the Puranas." Some authorities add the Tantras. The modern form of Hinduism is exhibited chiefly in the eighteen Puranas, and an equal number of Upapuranas (minor Puranas).[23] [Sidenote: The Puranas.] When we compare the religion embodied in the Puranas with that of Vedic times we are startled at the magnitude of the change. The Pantheon is largely new; old deities have been superseded; other deities have taken their place. NLY TO ONE OR TWO THINGS HAS IT REMAINED INFLEXIBLY TRUE IT HAS STEADILY UPHELD THE PROUDEST PRETENSIONS OF THE BRAHMAN AND IT HAS NEVER RELAXED THE STERNEST RESPECTIONS OF CASTE WE CANNOT WONDER AT THE SEVERE JUDGMENT PRONOUNCED ON HIM BY NEARLY EVERY WESTERN AUTHOR ACCORDING TO MACAULAY ALL IS HIDEOUS AND GROSTIC AND IGNOBLE AND THE CALMER DE TOQUAL MAINTAINS THAT HYPTOISM IS PERHAPS THE ONLY SYSTEM OF BELIEF THAT IS WORSE THAN HAVING NO RELIGION AT ALL WHEN IMMODERN HINDU IS ASKED WHAT ARE THE SACRED BOOKS OF HIS RELIGION HE GENERALLY ANSWERS THE WEDAS THE SHASTRAS THAT IS PHILOSOPHICAL SYSTEMS AND THE PURANAS SOME AUTHORITIES ADDED TO CONTRAS THE MODERN FORM OF HINTOISM IS EXHIBITED CHIEFLY IN THE EIGHTEEN PURANAS AND AN EQUAL NUMBER OF UPUPURANAS MINOR PURANAS WHEN WE COMPARE THE RELIGION EMBODIED IN THE PURANAS WITH THAT OF WAITHIC TIMES WE ARE STARTLED AT THE MAGNITUDE OF THE CHANGE THE PANTHEON IS LARGELY NEW OLD DEITIES HAVE BEEN SUPERSEDED OTHER DEITIES HAVE TAKEN THEIR PLACE
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