YOGI ON A BED OF SPIKES 1913

Identifier: indianmythlegend00inmack Title: Indian myth and legend Year: 1913 (1910s) Authors: Mackenzie, Donald Alexander, 1873-1936 Subjects: Hindu mythology Publisher: London, Gresham Contributing Library: Indiana University Digitizing Sponsor: Indiana University

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Text Appearing Before Image: heirsway over kings and nobles. The holy men are nolonger the humble servants of generous patrons; they arethe human representatives of the all-controlling deities.Verily, there are two kinds of gods; for the gods them-selves, assuredly, are gods, and those priests who havestudied and teach Vedic lore, are the human gods. The offerings to the deities are consecrated by thefeeding of priests? Even the gods become dependent upon the priests,who provided them by offering sacrifices with the foodthey required, and also with the Soma which gave themlength of years. Indra could not combat against theAsuras without the assistance of the priests who chantedformulas to ensure victory; it was, therefore, due to thepower exercised, in the first place, by the priests that thedrought demon was overcome and rain fell in abundance. Priests might also accumulate in heaven credit balances 1 I Kings, X, 22. ^Satafiatha Brahmana, translated by Proiessor Eggeling, Part I, p. 374 {SacredBooks ofihe East).

Text Appearing After Image: A YOGI ON A BED OF SPIKES An example of present-day austerities VEDIC AGE DEVELOPMENTS 85 of Celestial power by undergoing penances for long periods.A heavy debt was also due to them by the gods for theirsacrificial offerings. When a Brahman desired to exercisehis accumulated power, he might even depose the deities,who were therefore placed under compulsion to fulfil hisdemands; his Celestial credit might exceed the payingpossibilities of the supreme Powers. In the sacred talesBrahmans were credited with performing rigid penancesfor centuries. In the fourth Veda, the Atharva-veda^ the revival ofbelief in formulas Is emphasized. This book, which didnot receive recognition as an inspired work at first, is inthe main a collection of metrical charms of great antiquity.Many resemble closely those which have been collectedby folk-lorlsts during late years in the Scottish Highlandsand elsewhere throughout Europe. The Rigveda hymnsreveal the religious beliefs and aspirations of the advancedth

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