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Art III.—An Account of the Island of Bali

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2011

Extract

According to the Brahmândapunâna, where the world is created from an egg (anda), four beings come first into existence, through the penance performed by Brahmâ; two of these are Sananda and Sanatkumâra, and the other two are not named. Then, the heavens, the rivers, the sea, the mountains, plants, shrubs, time, etc., come into existence. He (Brahmâ) further creates the Devarsis (the divine Rĕsis), Marîchi, Mrĕgu, Anggira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Daksa, Atri, Wasista. It is not till he has done this that he creates the Paramesvara (the Supreme Lord; a name for Siva); the latter is at once regarded as Brahmâ's grandfather! He is called Bawa (nature); Sarwa (all); Îsa (lord); Bîma (the terrible one); Mahâdeva (the great god). His body consists (1) of Âditya-Sarâra i(sun-body); (2) Wesarîra (water-body); (3) Bâyusarîra; (4) Agnisarîra (fire-body); (5) Âkâsa (the higher invisible heaven); (6) Mahâpandita (the great Pandita); (7) Chandra (the moon); (8) Batara Guru (the teacher). He is therefore called Astatanu (with eight bodies). He must be worshipped through the Sâdaka (the full priest, or the performer of the ceremonies). Kalpa (form) and Darma (justice) are children of Brahmâ, sprung from his spirit. It is stated here from which parts of the body of Brahmâ the Devarsis came forth.

Type
Original Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1876

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References

page 65 note 1 Agnîndra, the lord of fire, points to the ancient religion of the Indians and Persians; both worshipped fire and the sun. See the Vedas and Zendavesta.

page 66 note 1 He.is here the Guru; the deity (Sira) appears in Java and Bali chiefly in this character.

page 71 note 1 Tandak, however, appears to be an Indian word; tandu is one of Siva's doorkeepers, and master of dancing and mimicry; tandaka is a. juggler; tîndara “dancing with violent gesticulation,” as executed by Siva and his followers.

page 71 note 1 Sûryakânta (beloved by the sun), a precious stone, often meaning crystal, but really said to have proceeded from the rays of the sun. The Balinese Sûryakânta are of crystal or glass, and will be formed of pusakas of Majapahit. The fact that this precious-stone is used for the Sûyasewana, i.e. the worship of the sun, is a further indication of the importance of this heavenly body. Another precious stone of fabulous origin is the Chandrakânta, proceeding from the condensed rays of the moon.

page 78 note 1 For the reader's convenience I will repeat the names: 1. Asvamedhayajnya, the horse-sacrifice; 2. Gomedhayajnya, the cow-sacrifice; 3. Manutsyayajnya, human sacrifice; 4. Râjasûyayajnya, the sacrifice of the universal prince (i.e. offered by him); 5. Devayajnya; 6. Rĕsiyajnya; 7. Mutayajnya; 8. Kauyasayajnya; 9. Râjabusanayajnya.

page 79 note 1 Guling buntut is the name for human sacrifices.

page 87 note 1 In the body are bâyu, wind; sabda, sound; and idêp, understanding, the faculty of learning, the three properties which the trisakti (or trimurti) form out of it.

page 92 note 1 According to Wilson, Tha is Siva; J, Kâma; Ha, Siva and Wishnu. See also Usana Bali, p. 328. These letters are called Panchâk śaia, the five (sacred) letters.

page 94 note 1 It has been said, however, that this custom did not come from India.

page 95 note 1 This is almost the only case in which a bow and arrow are used in Bali; with this exception, we only meet with their use in some dramatic representations, where they appear in accordance with the Indian myths.

page 96 note 1 According to Cericke's Javanese dictionary, which has reached me too late, hupachara means tokens of distinction and of honour, state-decorations, insignia, ceremony, pomp, splendour. This agrees with our explanation.

page 96 note 2 This water is as holy as that of the Ganges.

page 97 note 1 The mixed holy water is called toya pangêntas, and is especially purifying and a protection from danger; leaves of gold (mas pripi) and a costly gold ring (which the Pandita keeps) with a ruby are placed in it; and also flowers, balung-balung or ground sandal-wood; powdered rubies; whole rice (bija); cut flowers and leaves (samsam).

page 97 note 2 Comp. Pitâmbara, “with a yellow garment.”

page 100 note 1 A man of high rank in Nipal, Bhugtee Thapa, was followed into the fire by his two wives.—H. T. Prinsep, Transactions of the Marquess of Hastings, vol. i. p. 170, note.Google Scholar

page 101 note 1 See the report of the Dutch envoys to Gelgel, in Crawfurd, Ind. Arch, vol. ii. p. 244sqq.Google Scholar

page 105 note 1 Tendakking on this occasion does not permit another person to tandak also.

page 107 note 1 Tat, avam (for, in order to), names for the deity in the sacred writings in India, are also pronouns.

page 107 note 2 Gusti is in Sanskrit “assembly., meeting; conversation, discourse; family connexions, but especially the dependent or junior branches.”

page 107 note 3 Arya, it is true, is the name for a Wesya in India; but what does it mean ? The name Arya for the Xatriyas of Java, (and Bali) is to be read with a long â (ârya), and then means “one of the nation of the Aryans (an Indian, a Persian). According to Wilson: Arya, “a master, a man of the third tribe; adj. excellent; ârya, of a good family; respectable, venerable; apposite, proper; a master, an owner.”

page 112 note 1 He had correspondence with Gianyar at a time when Gianyar; allied with Badong, was at enmity with Karang-Assem; he therefore lost his position in Karang-Assem, and, together with his brother, was invited by the princes of Gianyar and Badong, received with much ceremony, and appointed to the office of domestic priest.

page 112 note 2 In general, the Brâhmana-geniten, descended from a Xatriya woman, seem to be sought after by the princes in the States governed by Xatriyas—and the Brâhmana mas, descended from a Wesya woman, where the Wesyas rule—on account of their connexion with these castes.

page 113 note 1 The sêmbah is not an ordinary token of courtesy in Bali. The upper castes only make it to the prince, and to the Padandas who are Guru loka. The reason of this is, that to the sêmbah is added an inward formula of reverence out of a Mantra or the Vedas; by making them to other persons of rank they would humble themselves too much.

page 114 note 1 The explanation formerly given (Tijdschrift voor N. I., Jaarg. 8, Deel 4) of Purwita, by means of purva and ita, thus falls to the ground.

page 115 note 1 Raffles, App. K., p. 238, says that the children of a priest by a woman of lower rank are called Bujangga, but this nowhere came to my knowledge. See below respecting the word Bujangga. In the Tijdschrift v. N. I., 7, 2, 172, subdivisions (Pomah, Anggana, etc.) of Brahmans are mentioned, whose existence I did not discover, in spite of my repeated inquiries.

page 118 note 1 Daha is also the name of an ancient people in India.