Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 677

WORSHIP PAID TO ANIMALS
637
a countencance so formed that he might always be looking
heavenwards l so forgets his sublime origin as to dare to bow
It is almost incredible that human
the knee to animals
,
!
beings should so debase themselves. But we must not
lament over facts without inquiring into their causes. The
worship of animals becomes more comprehensible when
one considers the foundations on which all idolatrous
namely, self-interest and fear. In the
religions are based
eyes of a heathen anything that can be useful to him seems
and this feeling is much
worthy of being worshipped
Thus
stronger in regard to anything that can harm him.
the Egyptians, though they were so highly cultivated in the
arts and sciences, worshipped the bull Apis, the ibis, the
crocodile, beetles, snakes, &c, on account either of the good
they hoped for or of the harm they feared from them. As
for the Hindus, they appear to be firmly convinced that as
all living creatures are either useful or hurtful to man, it is
better to worship them all, paying them more or less atten-
tion in proportion to the advantages they offer or the fear
which their qualities inspire. First on their list of sacred
creatures are the monkey, the bull, the bird called garuda,
and snakes.
;
;
The Monkey, or Hanuman.
reverence in which the monkey
is held by
The great
Hindus is no doubt due to its likeness to man, both in its
outward appearance and in many of its habits. Perhaps
also its thievish and destructive propensities may be partly
accountable for the consideration which it enjoys. At any
rate Hindu books are full of marvellous tales of monkeys.
In my remarks in the preceding chapter on Rama I have
already described some of the deeds of valour wrought by
Indeed, the
this hero at the head of his army of monkeys.
greater part of the Ramayana, the favourite epic of the
Hindus,
is
devoted to the achievements
of these valiant
monkey soldiers and their illustrious general.
The cult of the monkey Hanuman extends over the whole
The followers of Vishnu are specially devoted to
of India.
1
Os homini sublime dedit, caelumque tueri
ad sidera tollere vultus.
Jussit, et erectos
Ovid, Metamorphoses,
i.
85
sq.
Dubois.