Cyclopedia universal history - embracing the most complete and recent presentation of the subject in two principal parts or divisions of more than six thousand pages (1895) (14780025691)

Identifier: cyclopediauniver1950ridp (find matches)

Title: Cyclopedia universal history : embracing the most complete and recent presentation of the subject in two principal parts or divisions of more than six thousand pages

Year: 1895 (1890s)

Authors: Ridpath, John Clark, 1840-1900

Subjects: World history Ethnology World history

Publisher: Boston : Balch Bros.

Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries

Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

Text Appearing Before Image:

of years with her husbandafter they had both gone to Brahma. 672 GREAT RACES OF MANKIND. For the credit of humanity, the systemwas never obligatory. The sacrifice wasvoluntary; but the superstitious despot-ism over the mind of the victim wassufficient to enforce it with more energythan might have beenexpected even of civilauthority. India is full of dev-otees. In every popu-lous district and evenin waste places the trav-eler will find them. The from sin or impurity rests upon the soulof India like a pall. The space of achapter would not be sufficient to enu-merate all the forms of bodily degrada-tion and mutilation which the depravedingenuity of the devotees has inventedwherewith to mortify themselves andprepare for happiness hereafter. Onesuperstitious wretch will sit starv-ing in the dirt, or will take onlyso much food as barely to feedthe fire of life. Such emaciationand wretchedness are not to beseen otherwhere in the world.Another stands andrepeats senselessmutterinsfs out of the

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INDIAN DEVOTEES,—JoGE idea is similar to that which in the Mid-dle Ages drove the monks Usages and self- . , . inflicted torture and anchoritcs into isola- of the devotees. , ■ j , --pi, „ tion and poverty. I henotion that the mortification of the bodyis meritorious as a means of salvation sacred books. A third goes about witha living snake drawn through a slit inhis tongue. Another hangs a weightto some bodily organ until it is drawnout of all semblance to nature. Anotherthrusts an arrow or a sword through his THE INDICA NS. —RELIGION. 673 ily distortionis efficaciouagainst sin. limbs, and still another holds up hishands with nails and spikes driventhrough them. The distortion of the body into someBelief that bod- horrible and repulsive formis thought to be most effi-cacious. Many devoteestake a strange ^=^^^- attitude andhold it by foiceof will untilthe freedomof the givenorgans is de-stroyed. Somewill hold up anarm straightabove the headfor days andweeks andmonths, until it

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1895

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