Pilgrimage, Book 5 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of India in Generall, and of the ancient Rites there obserued.
THe name of India, is now applied to all farre-distant countries, not in the extreme limits of Asia alone, but euen to whole America, through the errour of Columbus and his fellowes; who at their first arriuall in the Westerne world, thought that they had met with Ophir, and the Indian Regions of the East. But the Ancients also comprehended vnderunder this name a huge Tract of Land, no lesse in the iudgement of Alexanders followers, in his Easterne Inuasions, then the third part of the Earth; Ctefias accounted it one halfe of Asia. Ptolomey aPtol.lib.7.and other Geographers, did vsually diuide India by the Riuer Ganges, into two parts, one on this side Ganges, and the other beyond. Although heere we finde no lesse difficultie concerning Ganges, which the most account the same with Guenga, that falleth into the Gulfe of Bengala, which they also imagine to be that, which of the Ancients is called Sin…s Gangeticus: Other bMercat.tab.…muers.Magin. G…ag. G. Arthus bi…. Ind. Or.esteeme the Riuer Cantan (whereon Cantan chiefe Citie of one of the Chinian Prouinces, whereof we hauehave so lately taken our leaue) to be that Ganges: Of which minde are Mercator, Maginus, Gotardus Arthus, and their disciples. M. Paulus cM. Paulus lib.3.diuideth India into three parts, the Lesse, the Greater, which he calleth Malabar; and Aba…siae, betwixt them both. Dom. Niger dNig.Com. As.x.reckoneth the same number; the first, from the Riuer Indus (whence this name India flowed) vntounto Barius, hee calleth Caisarat: the second or middle, from thence to Caberis, Miniber: from thence Eastward to Ganges, he nameth Maabar, and all these on this side Ganges: beyond it placing Magin, or Mangi. Ptolomey maketh the Sinae, to be next beyond India extra Gangem, on which he abutteth them on the West: and therfore if Sinae be China, then are they by him placed quite beyond India: and therefore Mercater and Maginus esteeme Cathay to bee the Region of the Sinae.
It is our part to leaute this matter to the discussing and deciding of others, and to hold on our perambulation through this wide and spacious Region: first relating the generalities and antiquities thereof: and next proceeding from China (where we left) vntounto the next adioyning Nations, certainly reputed Indian, how vncertaine soeuer Ganges runneth, whether on this side, or beyond them: to which when we hauehave added our suruey of the Ilands adioning to the Continent of Asia, wee may end this Booke, and our promised Asian Discouery. VnderUnder the name of India, heere we comprehend all that Tract betweene Indus and the Persian Empire on the West, vntounto China Eastward, as it trendeth betwixt the Tartarian and the Indian Seas.
Semiramis first inuaded India, as Ninus her husband had done before to Bactria, but not with like successe. For although she had thought to hauehave encountred the Indian Elephants with her counterfeits made of Oxe-hides, sowed together in that shape, and stuffed with Hay: for which vse she caused three hundred thousand beasts to be slaine, which might both serue in the battell for shew, and before-hand to exercise her horse to such sights; and, if we beleeue eDiodor.Sic.lib.2.cap 5. Ex Ctesia.Antiquitie, mustered in her huge army no lesse then three millions of foot-men, and fiue hundred thousand of horse: Yet Stanrobates, at that time the Indian Monarch, brake her Forces, and chased her out of the field.
In these first times the Indians fCaelius Rhodig.lib.18.cap.31.are said to liue like the Scythians, without houses, Cities, Temples, in a wandering course with their Tents, liuing on the barke of the tree Tala, and wilde Venison, the skinnes whereof were their garments. In all India were no seruants, but all free-men. These things were altered by Bacchus or Dionysius, who made an Expedition hither, not so much with Armes, as with Arts. Hee taught them the vse of wine, oyle, and sacrificing: in memory whereof, Posteritie honored him for a god. Of this the Poets, and histories of Alexander, and others make much mention. So doth Suidas tell of one Brachman, that prescribed the Rites and Lawes of the Brachmanes: Solinus, of Hydaspes; and others, of Ganges, Hercules, and the rest, with much vncertaintie. The first certaine notice of those parts was by Alexanders inuasion and conquest, who yet pierced but a small way in this vast part of the world, except that little we hauehave of the Persians exploits in these parts. The gStrab.lib.15. S.Aurel, Victor.Romans were hindered by the Persians and Parthians, from passing hither with their armies, although their Ambassages be reported, both to Augustus, and long after to Antonius Pius.
Strabo in his fifteenth booke is large in this Indian subiect. He reporteth out of Aristohulus, that the Riuer Indus, by force of an Earthquake, changed his chanell; thereby a great part of the neighbour Region being turned into a desert. For in this, Indus is like vntounto Nilus, in that, without it, the Countrey would be a wildernesse, and therefore is also worshipped of the Inhabitants. It receiueth fifteene other Riuers into it. He mentioneth the Cathei not farre from thence, which after happily gaue name vntounto Cathay. To let passe the strange Creatures, which some ascribe to these parts, as Dragons of incredible bignesse, those great Apes, which by imitation of men in aray, made Alexanders Campe to arme themselues against so ridiculous au enemie.
The Indians are seuen sorts: hPlin.l.6.c.19. Ar.lib.8.The first in estimation, and fewest in number, were their Philosophers. These kept publike Acts once a yere before the King, and he which in his obseruations was found three times false, was condemned to perpetuall silence. The second sort were husband-men, which paid the King (the onelyonly owner of all the land) a fourth part of the encrease. The third was of shepheards and huntsmen, which wandered in Tents. The fourth Artificers. The fifth souldiers. The sixth Magistrates. The seuenth Courtiers, and those of his Priuy Counsell. If any woman killeth the King in his drunkennesse, she is rewarded with the marriage of his sonne and heire.
If any depriue another of a member, besides like for like, he loseth his hand; and, if it be an Artificer, his life. They strangle their …, that it may bee so offered whole to their Idols.
Of their Philosophers, or men learned and religious, the iBrachmanes.Brachmanes obtaine the first place, as being neerest in sect to the Greekes. These are after their manner Nazarites from the wombe. So soone as their mother is conceiued of them, there are learned men appointed which come to the mother, with songs, containing precepts of chastitie. As they grow in yeares they change their Masters. They hauehave their places of exercise in a groue nigh to the Citie, where they are busied in graue conferences. They eat no liuing creatures, nor hauehave vse of women; liue frugally, and lie vponupon skinnes. They will instruct such as will heare them, but their hearers must neither sneese, nor spit, nor speake. When they hauehave in this strict …oor so spent seuen and thirtie yeares, they may liue more at pleasure and libertie, in diet, habit, proper habitation, and the vse of gold, and marriage. They conceale their mysteries from their wiues, left they should blabbe them abroad. They esteeme this life as mans conception, but his death-day to be his birth-day vntounto that true and happy life, to him which hath beene rightly religious. They hold the world to be created, corruptible, round, ruled by the high GOD. Water they imagine to hauehave beene the beginning of making the world; and that besides the foure Elements, there is a fifth Nature, where of the Heauen and Starres consist. They in…reate of the immortalitie of the Soule, and of the torments in Hell, and many such like matters.
The kThe Indian Germanes.Germanes another Order of religious on learned men, are honored amongst them: especially such of them as liue in the woods, and of the woods, both for their diet of those wilde fruits, and their habit of the barkes of trees, not acquainted with Bacchus or Venus any more then with Ce…es. They speake not to the Kings, when they aske counsell of them, but by messengers; and doe pacifie the angrie gods, as is supposed, by their holinesse.
Next in honor to these, are certaine Mondi…nts, which liue of Rice and Barley, which any man at the first asking giueth them, together with entertainment into their houses. These professe skill in Physicke, and to remedie diseases, wounds, and sterilizie; very constant in labour and hardship. Others there are, Inchauters and Diuiners, Masters of ceremonies about the dead; which wander thorow townes and Cities. Some there are more ciuill and secular, in their life professing like pietie and holinesle. Women also are admitted vntounto the fellowship of their studies in this Philosophie, not to their beds. Aristobulus writeth, that he saw two of these Brachmanes, the one an old man shauen, the other yong with long haire, which sometimes resorted to the Market-place, and were honored as Counsellours, and freely tooke what they pleased, of any thing there to be sold, for their sustenance. They were annointed with Sesamine oyle, wherewith, and with hony, they tempered their bread. They were admitted to Alexanders table, where they gaue lessons of patience lPractise of prescribed patience.: and after going to a place not farre off, the old man lying downe with his face vpward, sustained the Sunne and showers terrible violence. The yonger standing on one foot, held in both his hands a peece of wood of three cubits lifted vp, and shifted feete, as the other was wearie: and so they continued eueryevery day. The yong man returned home afterward, but the old man followed the King, with whom hee changed his habit and life, for which, when as he was by some reproued, he answered that he had fulfilled the fortie yeares exercise, which he had vowed. Onesieritus saith, that Alexander, hearing of some religious Obseruants, which went naked, and exercised themselues to much hardship, and would mThe like stubbornnesse is yet in their Iogbies.not come to others, but would bid men, if they would hauehave any thing with them, to come to them; sent him vntounto them, who found fifteene of them twentie furlongs from the Citie, each of them obseruing his owne gesture of sitting, standing, or lying naked, and not stirring till Sun-setting, in that vnsupportable heate, at which time they returned into the Citie. Ca…anu… was one of them. Hee afterward followed Alexander into Persia, where beginning to be sicke, he caused a great pile or frame of wood to be made, wherein he placed himselfe in a golden chaire, and caused fire to be put to, in which he was voluntarily consumed, telling (if they tell true) that he would meete Alexander at Babylon, the place fatall to Alexanders death. This Caianus told Onesicritus of a golden world, where meale was as plentifull as dust, and fountaines streamed milke, hony, wine and oyle. Which Countrey, by men turned into wantonnesse, Iupiter altered and detained, imposing a life of hardnes and labour, which while men followed, they enioyed abundance; but now thar men begin to surfet and grow disobedient, there is danger of vniuersall destruction. When he had thus spoken, he bade him, if he would heare further, strippe himselfe, and lye naked vponupon these stones. But Mandanis, nArr. calleth him Dandanis.lib.7.another of them, reproued Calanus for his harshnesse, and, commending Alexander for his louelove to learning, said that they inured their bodies to labour for the confirmation of their mindes against passions. For his nakednes he alledged, that that was the best house which needed least furniture of houshold. He added that they searched the secrets of Nature, and that returning into the Citie, if they met with any carrying figges or grapes, they receiued of him gratis; if oyle, they powred it on them: and all mens houses and goods were open to them, euen to the parlors of their wiues. When they were entered, they imparted the wisdome of their sentences, as the other communicated his meats. If they feared any disease, they preuented the same with fire, as was now said of Calanus. Megasthenes reproueth this Calanus, as Alexanders trencher-Chaplaine, and commendeth Mandanis, saying, that when Alexanders messengers told him that he must come to the Sonne of Iupiter, with promise of rewards, if he came, otherwise menacing torture: he answered, that neither was he Iupiters sonne, nor did possesse any great part of the earth: as for himselfe, hee neither respected his gifts, nor feared his threatnings; for while he liued, India yeelded him sufficient; if he died, he should be freed from age, and exchange for a better and purer life. Whereupon he saith, Alexander both pardoned and praised him. Clitarchus reporteth also, that to the 'Brachmanes are opposed another Sect called Pramne, men full of subtiltie and contention, which derided the studies of others in Physiologie and Astronomie. He diuideth the Brachmanes into those of the mountaines, clothed in Deeres skinnes, which carried scrippes, full of rootes, and medicines, which they applied with certaine charmes to cure diseases: and the second sort hee calleth Gymnetae, those naked ones before mentioned (whereof it seemeth they were called Gymnosophistae) which had women amongst them, but not in carnall knowledge: the third he calleth Ciuill, which liued in Cities and Villages, wearing fine linnen, and apparelled in skinnes. Nicolans Damascenus saith, oNic. Damasc. Suetonius mentioneth this, in vita Augusti.cap.21.that at Antiochia he saw the Indian Embassadours, sent to Augustus from Porus, the King (as his letter contained) of six hundred Kings, with presents, among which was a female Viper of sixteene cubites (one of like bignesse Strabo saith he saw sent out of Egypt) and a Cray-fish of three cubits, and a Partrich bigger then a Vulture. Zarmonochagas, one of these Indian Philosophers, was one of the Embassadours, who at Athens burned himselfe, not moued thereto by aduersitie, but by prosperitie, which had in all things followed his desires, left in his succeeding age it might alter: and therefore entred the fire, annointed, naked, laughing. His Epitaph was: Heere lieth Zarmanochagas the Indian, of Bargosa, which according to his Countrey-custome, made himselfe immortall.
Suidas telleth of a Nation called Brachmanes, inhabiting an Iland in the sea, where Alexander erected a pillar, with inscription, that he had passed so farre. They liue an hundred and fiftie yeares, and hauehave neither bread, wine, flesh, nor mettals, nor houses, but liue of the fruits, and cleare water, and are very religious. Their wiues liue apart on the other side Ganges, to whom they passe in Iuly and August, and after fortie daies returne home againe. When the wife hath had two children, shee neither knoweth her husband after, nor any other man; which is obserued also, when in fiue yeares hee can raise no issue of her, he after abstaineth. These pIo. Boem.slay no beasts in sacrifice, but affirme that GOD better accepteth vnbloudie sacrifices of Prayer, and more delighteth in man, his owne Image.
Hyctaspes, qAm. Marcel.lib.23.the father of Darius, is reported to hauehave learned of the Indian Philosophers or Brachmanes both Aftronomie and Rites of Religion, with which he after instructed the Persian Mag…. None rArrian.lib.1.might sacrifice without one of these to direct him, who only among the Indians had skill of Diuination, and authoritie to sacrifice, and were free from other seruices.
The Indians are said to worship Iupiter, Ganges, and other Heroes of their Countrey. Some of the Indian Nations accounted it dishonorable (as they doe also at this day) for the wiues not to be burned with their deceased husbands. Thomas sDorotheus in vita Barthol. & Th…m.the Apostle preached the Gospell to the Indians, and so did Bartholomew also, and destroyed their Idols (which wrought great wonders amongst them) Astaroth, Beirith, and Waldath, as Abdias tPseudo Abdias. Bab.Epise.reporteth, who euen in this Historie may easily be conuinced to bee counterfeit, in ascribing the names and religions of the Grecians, Iuno, Neptune, Berecinthia, to the Indians; besides those vnchristian reuenges, in killing so many of their aduersaries, and olde Heathenish, new Popish Ceremonies, fathered on those Apostles.
To let passe that Abdias, a fit Bishop of that mystieall Babylon: uGen.di.lib.6.cap.26.Alexander ab Alexandro reckoneth among their gods the greatest trees (to cut which, was with them a capitall crime) and a Dragon, in honor of Liber Pater. Hercules they honoured in a Giant-like statue, whose daughter Pandaea, the Pandeans say, was their first Queene. These affirme, that in the hill Meros, which they account sacred to Iupiter, is a caue wherein Liber or Bacchus was nourished; from whence the fable grew, that hee was borne of Iupiters thigh; for so … signifieth. Some of the Indians (saith xSolin.cap.55.Solinus) kill no beasts, nor eat flesh; some liue only on fish. Some kill their parents and kinsfolkes, before age or sicknesse withereth them, and deuoure their flesh, an argument not of villany, but pietie amongst them. Their yPlin.l.7.c.2.Gymnosophists, from the Sunne-rising to the setting, fixe their eyes on the bright orbe of the Sunne, thence obseruing certaine secrets. Hereunto he addeth the tales of men with dogges heads; of others with one legge, and yet very swift of foot: of Pigmeis, of such as liue only by sent: of hoary infants; of some like Polyphemus, with one eye in their fore-head; of others with eares to the ground, wherein many of the old writers are Poets, and the moderne, Painters, as in many other monsters of men and beasts. We seeke credit with the wise, and not admiration of fooles.
The zAl.ab.Al.lib.4.cop.17.Indians neuer sacrificed, or saluted their Idols without dances. They were neuer rewarded with military honor or spoile, except they brought into the Campe an enemies head in their hand. They punished periury with the losse of fingers and toes; and such as deceiued their Clients, with perpetuall silence; and besides, they were disabled vntounto any Office. Their Lawes are not written; their contracts without seales, or witnesses.
In the hills, aLaur. Coruin.called Hemodi, Bacchus is said to hauehave erected pillars, to witnes his Conquest, as farre as that Easterne Ocean, as Hercules did in the West. He built the Citie Nysa, where he left his sicke and aged souldiers, which Alexander spared, bArrian.lib.5.and suffered to their owne libertie, for Dionisius or Baecchus his sake. And as Bacehus erected Pillars, so did Alexander Altars to the twelue chiefe gods, as high as towers, monuments of his farre trauels, where he obserued solemne games and sacrifices. He cArrian.lib.6.sacrificed also, not to his countrey gods alone, but to Hydaspis, Acesine, and Indus, Indian riuers, and to other gods, with other Rites and sacrifices, then he had before vsed: drowning a golden bowle in Indus, and another in the Ocean, in his Ethnicke superstition. To him did the Indian Magi (so doth Arrianns dArrian.lib.7.call their Brachmanes) say, that he was but as other men, sauing that he had lesse rest, and was more troublesome, and being dead, should enioy no more land, then would serue to couer his bodie. And eueryevery man (said they) stamping with their feet on the ground, hath so much as he treadeth on. Eusebius eEuseb.de praep. Euang. lib.6.cap.8.reciteth out of Bardesanes Syrus, that amongst the Indians, and Bactrians, were many thousand Brachmanes, which as well by tradition, as law, worshipped no Image, norate any quicke creature, dranke no wine nor beere, only attending on Diuine things: whereas the other Indians are very vicious, yea some hunt men, sacrifice, and deuoure them, and were as Idolaters.
Pliny besidee his relations of monsters in these parts, telleth of their Philosophers (called Gymnosophists like things to that, which is before mētioned of their beholding the Sunne from the rising to the setting, with fixed eyes, standing on the hot sands all day-long, on one foot by course. Tooth-ache, with other diseases of the head & eyes, spitting, and other sicknesses, are either exiles or strangers to the Indians. Tally saith, fTusc.quaest.lib.5.that in this naked plight these Philosophers endure the cold of Winter, and snowes of Caucasus, while they liue, and the burning fire at their end without any plaining. The Indian women also striue which shall be married to her husbands corpse, in a fiery chariot, riding with him into another world..
Philostratus in his large Legend of the life of Apollouius Tyanaeus, their Philosophicall Saint, relateth gPhil.l.2.c.4.his pilgrimage into India, to the Brachmanes, in which he came to Nysa, where was a Temple of Bacchus built by himselfe, planted about with Bayes, Vines, and Iuie, whose shady roofe couered the same. In the middest was an Image: all instruments belonging to the Vintage were there, some of gold, others of siluer hanged vp, sacred to Dionysius. He after hCap.9.came to Taxilla the Citie royall, where he found the Temple of the Sunne, and in it, the Iuory Image of Aiax, with golden statues of Alexander: and ouer-against the same, brazen Images of Porus. The walls of redde marble shined like fire, interlaid with gold, resembling lightning. The Mosaical floore pouldred with pearles. The King heere offered sacrifice to the Sunne. For the peppertrees, iLib.3.cap.1.which (he saith) are great, and abound with Apes, who gather the pepper for the Indians gratis, brought thereunto by a wile of the Indians, who first gather some, and lay it on heapes, and then goe away: at their returne, finding many the like heaps made by the aemulous Apes, I leaue it to the Authors authority, and Readers credulity: as that also which followeth of the Inhabitants of Paraca in these parts, who by eating a Dragons heart and liuer, attaine to vnderstand the language (if so I may terme it) of beasts. And if you maruell at this, kCap.3.that which followes will amaze you; of men which doe not, as the former, communicate with the nature of beasts, but of spirits, making themselues at their pleasure inuisible. Heere in a holy hill was a pit, whereof no man drinketh, by which the Indians binde their faith, as by the most solemne and inuiolable oath. In this pit was a fiery receptacle, where men were purged from their offences: and two tubs (of Whetstones, I should say) of raines and windes, the one being opened yeelding raines, and the other, windes.
In this place were many Indian, Grecian, and Egyptian statues, with their Rites obserued accordingly. This hill was reported the middle of India, and eueryevery noone-tide they sing Hymnes to the Sunne for that fire, borrowed (they say) from his beames. The Brachmanes sleepe on the ground, on hearbes strewed two cubits thicke, that by this eleuation they might more signifie their deuotion to the Sunne, whome they laud night and day. He found lCap.4.Iarchas their principall, with seuen associates, sitting on Thrones of Brasse. Iarchas could tell Apollonius his Name, Nation, and Aduentures, which had befallen him all his life. They annoint themselues, then wash in a fountaine, and after this, being crowned, enter the Temple in solemne Procession, with Daunces, smiting the ground with Roddes, wherewith the earth, like vntounto waues, did moue and rayse it selfe. Iarchas being asked by Apollonius, what he thought of himselfe and his companie, answered, That they were Gods, because they were good men: that he himselfe had sometime beene Ganges, and Apollonius before had beene an Aegyptian Mariner, an attendant which there waited on them had beene Palamedes, whose misfortunes we read of in the warres of Troy, thus in new bodies presenting themselues to the world. The world, he said, was a liuing creature, compounded of fiue Elements, with diuers other things of Pygmeys, which liued vnderunder the Earth, of Gryphons, &c. Thus much I thought to adde of Apollonius, because some vaine Philosophers hauehave impudently compared him to our Sauiour, that the Reader might parallel this Legend with the Gospell out of this darkenesse, the more to admire that more then admirable Light. And thus much out of Philostratus, of the Brachmanes. The Gymnosophists are by him placed, and by that name knowne, in Aegypt and Aethiopia, whither also Apollonius went to visit them.