Glimpses of the Konkani Language at the Turn of the 16th Century - Vol 9

&

Prof. L, A. Rodrlgucr Corrcsponding Member of the

Institrtc

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Separata do iloletim <to

inrtituto }l"o.".r br"g"nga, No.14O- f984

Tlpogralla Rangel

-

Bactorii, Goa.

IX Religious concepts and rituals

W

hen in the l6th. c. the Portuguese missionaries landed in Goa with the apostolic zeal of implanting the Christian laith on the

soil of

the heathens, certainly they did nut exfBpt to face the local scholars, armed with a more subtle theology than that of their own religion.

The Vedic monotheism of Eka Deva (One God) with Epic Triad of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva could not b: conceived on the same lines of the Holy Trinitl' of One God and Three Persons. The dogmas and the misteries of the one, though apparently alike, would exclude$ those of the other. The ver)' concepi oi religion in the European sense of the word would widely differ, or rather be just a fraction of the Hindu religion, which comprehends the total range of spiritual and temporal manifestations of nature, while the former is confined to spiritual and moral values. revealed scripture of Hinduism, consisting of four metrical hymnals, namely Rig Veda, Yajur Vedu, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda, which gave expression to the cosmic religion of the Vedic Aryans who in the first Veda sang the hymns tc ask the protection of Heaven, to salute the dawn, to glorify the God in his victory over the demons of drought and darkness, to herald the coming of the rain, etc. ; in the second, the ceremonies of the sacrifice of Soma; in the third, the whole formulary of the sacrificial ceremonial; and in the fourth, the chants for protection against divine and

The Veda is t h e

astral evil influences and diseasr:s, imprecations against enemies, prayers

for habitual events of life, as journeys and games. Each of these four

1!J---

Vedas has three big distinct and chronological parts : Samhitas, part and the essenceof Vedas in metrical form; Brahmanas,

the earliest the second phase of the Vedic scripture, consisting of elaborate liturgical commentaries in prose with dogrnatic interpretation of the sacrifice, prayer, revealed word, and Vedic ritual and its symbolism; and Sutras, the third Vedic phase, having in view to abridge in concise formulae the lengttgand teclious treatises of Brahmanas on traditional, ritual, speculative and Sxegetic cases, in order nor to overcharge the memory. Further, there are Aranyakas, which are very ilodern supplements of the Brahmanas.

Then the Upanishads, which are philosophical systcms, " concerned .chiefly with a mystical interpretation of the vedic ritual and its relarauged as early 'tion to man and the universe ". This Vedic age period of roughly one in a B. c.

Later C. and c.700 B. as between c. 2500 .thousand years from c. 500 B. C. to c. A. D. 500 make appearance the two great [ndian epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana,with religious, philosophical, 'social, and political contents, Krishna and Rama, the mcst important and

Vishnu, b e i n g the respective heroes ; and the Bhagaval Gita, a religio-philosophical Sorg, constituting a part of the former .epic, sets forth the three basic and comple mentary paths of knowledge, selfless action and devotion to God. Finally, there are the Puranas, either dealing with metaphysical and'cosmological themes, such as origin bf the world, and evolution of time, or containing the genealogies of gods, sages .and kings, or narrating epic legends, among which the Bhagavata Purana c. A. D. 300-900 earned a great populartty ( Sources of Indian Tradition, Columbia University Press, New York, 1960 ; Histobe de la Litt|rature Inrlienne, by Albert Weber, trans. by Alfred Sadous, Paris, 1859 i The Heroi.c Age of India, by N. K. Sidhanta, London, 1929; The Religion of India, by Max Weber, trans. by Hans H. Gerth and Don Martindale, U.S.A., :958).

popular incarnations

of

The Christian padres had to acquaint themselves

with the Hindu relig-

ious concepts and rituals not only to refute them, as at that time theirs was the only true religion, but also to adopt and adapt the vernacular vocabulary for dhe Christian theology and liturgy. Accordingly, we find in the vocabularies compiled by the Jesuits, and to a lesser extent also in those ol Franciscans, a good deal of Hindu religious material. The following lists are not certainly exhaustive

:

'h

I.

DEITIES ,\'

l.

..Ishvor, Ishpor;'-God, Suprcme

" "

Being

.

Pormeshvor, pormeshpor " - God r, poromatma Poratma, - God

" Dev-god " ; .. Devi',-goddess

2.

3.

4.

5:

" Devnondon',, Devsut, Devpindd ,. Devdut, Devgonn

"

-

"-

Son of God

Angel

" Devkrupa " Divine grace; " Devachi okrunna " - Ire of God " Devosthan 'l House or temple of God " Devull " .- House of God ; Devlli- small ghapel of God

6,

t'Devchar, Giro, Mharu, Soitan,' - Deyil " Kall " Devil, author or time of death which poets have personified as a powerful giant whom even gods fear.

" Yemu " Judge who awards punishments in hell. " Yemdut, Yemzut " f4a13's minister or messenger "Zttt" Minister of yama who, aceording to the Hindu -Servant,

mythology, is the King of Hell.

" Yemkondd, Yempuri, yempur, Narkondd,,-fn66,s popular usage. in -hell "Zonvro'" -A fiend or demon who, according logy, takes souls to hell.

pit taken for

to the Hindu mytho-

" Bhasmasur " - A giant who, by placing his hands over any living being, turned it into ashes. (such a power was given to him by God

Mahadeva and thereafter he himserf was reduced to ashes by bis own power used by God Vishnu incarnated into witch Mqhini ) 'o

Koliprush, Koli"

" Mhoinsasur "

-Devil

who excites

quarrels

t

-Buffalo which, according to the Hindus, is the

horse

on which Death comes riding to fetch meq.

7. " Indra " lThe pre-eminent one God, gtorified in the Rig veda, who, by slaying the serpent demon vrita and spritting his belly, released

8-water, heat and light, and thus established the cosmic order which he placed under the rule of god Varuna. He wielded a weapon named vozr, that is, the thunderbolt).

" Indrapod, Indratva "

8.

" Brahma "

-

-

Kingdom and power of God Indra

The first deity of the Hindu Triad

of

Brahma,

Vishnu and Shiva; Lord of Creation lr

" - Son of Brahma, god of fights " Bbagvot - Denomination of Narod, Brahma's son 9. " Visttnnu " -God Vishnu, second deity of the Hindu Triad, God "

i

Narod

the Conservator

" Visttnnovi'n

Secret power of Vishnu

" Visttnnav " - Follower of God Vishnu " Govind, or Porbhrom " - A designation of God Vishnu " Ram " - An incarnation of Vishnu " Krusttnnu " Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu " Onokdudumbi - Designation of Vasudeva, Krishna's father " Rukumini " - Krishna's favourite spouse " Komollapoti " - Lord of lotus, which is one of the names of Krishna who was born of that flower

" Sokottu "

-

Monster killed by Krishna

" Srirong " - Lover of women, an epithet of Krishna " Viskorm, Visvkarmi " - An architect of Krishna, who could

build

in a moment any number of edifices he was ordered to.

" Oroza, Orozo " -- A denomination of Krishna " Ospoda " Denomination of Dushmoti, Krishna's nurse " Koustambu, Koustabu, Koustubu " - Jewel suspended on the

breast

of Lord Krishna.

" Motur '' - Land of birth of Krishna. " Meghaxam " - dn epithet of Krishna

" Krusttnnu Choritr " - Shri Krishnacharitrakatha, a konkani prose version of his Marathi poem by Krishnadas Shama, a pseudonym of Sha' maraja, native of Quelossim, Salcete, Goa, who composed the said poem in 1526, prior to the Portuguese occupation of Salcete in 1543.

-9 10. "Shiv " -* Thrrd deity of the Hindu Triad, Lord of Destruction " Mhaesh, Mhadev " - Great title under which God Shiva is worshipped; mha (great, Isha (Lcrd). A son born of Brahman's head, is,.placed over all other gods" (Albert Weber, op. cit.)

" Ambika, Bhovani, Gouri. IJma " Parvati, wife of Mhaesh, i.e. Shiva.

ti

" Belu "

:I

il

Sacred tree

designations

of the

Goddess

of God Shiva

" Kovilash "

" Ling "

li

-

-

Brahmins

);

- Kingdom of Mhaesh g1sas, symbol of Shiva, worshipped a holy medal that they wear on neck.

by Hindus

(

" Nondio, Nondi "- Calf worshipped by Hindus who believe it the bull of god Mhaesh.

Shivait

to

be

" Kubhetu o' - Treasure of god Mhaesh " Lambodhoru " - An epithet of Ganesha, son of Sbiva and parvati.

I l. " Odistt " Village god . Such gods are said to be not less than five, but could be rnore, god Santeri being always one ofthem; principal gods were five, besides others less important ones.

Kull devot " - Family god, penates " Vagospori " - An idol " Homeni " " Girdle for carrying an idol "

12. " Norkunzor Half-man aud half-elephant " Norshinv " - Half-man and half-lion, who is the

God of Hindus of

the village of Sancoale, Goa

II.

WEAPONS OF GODS

l. "Oyudhe"-weapon of

gods, such as four weapons of Lord Krishna, namely Shanku, Chakra, Padma and Gaza, wbich he held each in each of his four hands : Shanku-conch-shell ; Chakra-Discus, i.e. a hurling circular weapon withexternal edge sharpened; Padntd-weapon of foot's sole shape; Gada-weapon like sword.

2, " Forishu (Poroshu)" he drives out the misfortune.

2

Axe like weapon of god Ganesh, by which

103."Ganjiv"-\J4laeofthebowofwarusedbyArjuna'oneofthE five Pandavas of the Mahabharata.

4.

., Shudrken, Sbudrsen

III.

"

-

Designation of chokr, Krishna's weapon.

MARKS AND BRANDS

l. "Okhedu"- Rice flour mixed with turmeric and lime' used by Hindus on forehead ceremoniously.

" Gondkhedu "

-

Red coloured

rice with turmeric and lime to be used'

on the forehead with sandal powder'

"

Vermilion that Hindus use on the forehead'

"

Kukum

"

Sendur, Yugoll

-

forehead.

" - Vermilion, red lead used by Hindus on

the

..Ttikli',_BlackmarkthatHinduwomenPr]tontheforehead.

" Ttillo, ttillok " - Mark that Hindus put on the forehead' 2. ,,Machhu"-Mark that Hindus make on the left or right

side

of the body. ash that Hindus annoint on their forehead'

.,Biboti, Hiboti "

-Blessed 3. " Mudra " - Brand, i e. mark made by hot iron' ,, Srimudra ,, sandal mark with which Hindus bless their bodyon (vishnuait Brahmins perlorm such ritual by marking with sandal powder of an five spots, viz. one on forehead side, and two on each arm, by means iron brand. Occasionaly, Hindu prelate blesses the said Brahmins by marking the above spots with heated brand)' .. Toptnudra" mark that some ministers of Hindu Ieligion put -ldol's with heated iron brand on certain parts of body, stlch as shoulders, of Brahmins.

" Tigolli, Tivolli "

IV.

-

Iron brand

SACRED AND EPIC SCRIPTURE

sacred book)' There are four Vedas' (Yajutveda) and [Jtthorvonn namely, Rg (Rigved a), Xam (Samaveda), Aiur these six ( Atharvaveda ) ; out of four vedas were composed six sumurti; of

t. "Ved"-Veda (Hindu

-_

11

-were formed 18 Purona.s which were concised into 18 Parvas, and these l8 parvas were later concised into l0 named Das Moskond.

" Vedvasi " Priest of Hindu Brahmins (Vyas was the sage who arranged Vedas in present form : Vedvyasi,.

2.

" Parva "

'literature.

" Puranna"

-

Parvas

-

are

concise forms

of

ancient Hindu religious

One of l8 I{indu religious books

of

such name;

tale of

olden times, ancient legend. (Puranas are very old Hindu records which are ret'erred to ia Vedas as historical tales, and in Mahabharata as " ancient legendary lore" containing stories of gocts and history of ancient sages;

later on Purana was to deal with (l) evolution of the Universe from ths matter, (2) its re-creation in each aeon, (3) genealogies of divinities and sages, (4) and of royal families, and (5; the great ages ; the number of earlier Puranas was eighteen consisting oi 400,000 couplets in total, and each one between 10,000; and 80,000; but presently, though exist 18 puranas, the longest of them \Vishnu Purana) has only 7000 couplets, that is, large parts are lost, N. K. Sidhanta, op. cit.)

3. " Bhagvot " - Posm narrating the feats of Krishna.

"Gita"-A book of Hindu poems (abbreviated title of

the Bhagavad

Gita, a philosophical epizude of the great epic poem Mahabharata).

4. " Kurukhetra, Kurukshetra " - Battle of Kurukshetra between i("ur."", and Pandavas, narrated in Mahabharata.

5. " Kavrav " - Indian princes who fought with Pandavas a war

narrated in Mahabharata.

6. " Kirtti " -

Lord, a

de

signation of Arjuna, one

of the five Pandava

.brothers, and an expert archer.

7. "Khetrbhumika" - Battle field " Khetrvidhsz" Science of war " Khetrdhorm "

-Norms 8. " Duriodana "

and regulations of war, law of cavalry.

who led the Kauravas against their c.rusins the Pandavas in the war narrated in the epic Mahabharata.

-Duryodhana,

" )1sp1r4 "- Drona,

the military preceptor of the Kauravas and the Pantbe leader of Kauravas' army after Bhisma was killed by davas, who lrecame Arjuna in the battle.

l

12

--

as hero great Indian epic by Valmiki having " Ramayana " - The god Vishnu' Rama, an incarnation of of tb.e King of Lanka (Ceylonl' a person rrge "Ravonnu"_-Ravana, Rama's wife' Ramayana,who abducted Sita' .. Drunnagiri', _ A mountaio referred to in Ramayana

g.

10...pgvaddo,,_Scngofpraiseofdivineattributesormysteries,or of that of

il.

warriors'

^ the tale' Porosporu R ushi anni fhe personage of Shama' a Konkani version by Krishnadas

..porosporu"

Mochhelgonilha,

V.

-

RELIGIOUS PRAYERS

A homa'ge paid to God' [t is one of by Orchon consists in cleansing one's body Orchon, YottJon, puion, stovon' and body ; externaf worship by means of hands bathing ; Vondon"oo'i"t of laudation' oral is incensing the idol i Stovon Puiortinbathing, anointing and ,, Oradhan " - Devotion, Prayer prayers of Brahmins " Sondea " - A ceremony of prayer (A mental prayer found in ., Gavitri, Gaitri " - A Hindu

four

1. 'o Orchon" -

services:

Vedas ).

to

2. " Gouttanni " - A pilgrimage to river Ganges along with all 3. .,Ufaru, Vaddi" -Offering of cooked rice

idol.

tit-bits

Hindus.

4. ., Zopmall " - Rosary. String of threaded beads used by each under 5. ., podmason" - Sitting posture with legs crossed

opposite tigh.

VI.

RELIGIOUS SACRIFICES

1. t' Auti " 2. " Bolli " -

Pagan sacrifice

an animal' Sacrifice that Hindus perform by beheading sacrifice' Sacrifice with bloodshed' i e' animal

" Khetrpuja " " Khetr " - Place for the above sacrifices' Blood sacrifice for the idol' Vonni "

"

-

i

F..

*_ 3. "Hom"-

13

Fire sacrifice of Hindus

" Somprodao " - lmplements for fire sacrifice " Somida " - Aromatic wood used for sacrificial fire

4.

5.

" Khor, Vir " :'Pitambor "

- One who dies in war in honour of gods - silk red cloth such as that worn for performing

sacrifices.

6. "Devchoni"- Sacrificial food 7. "Dorbu"-A herb used for sacrifices 8, " Nebo angoitam " - To make a vow to. offer an animal to the idol " Nebo ditam " - To sacrifice an animal to the idol " Niveditam " -fs make an offering to the idol 9. "Ashvamed, Ashpamed" Horse-sacrifice which consists of a rite by which a king sets free a horse- in order to expand his realm.

10. " Pivon patr " The chalice ( eucharistic wine-cup ) with vrhich holy Mass is celebrated. This vocable is found in puranas, and no other vocable, more respectable and grave, has been found to express the meaning of chalice, and it has been approved by many Brahmin puranists who are versed in the matter; and the said Brahmins opine that tbe vocable pialto is not proper for "chalice", as it is a small and low size vessel used by low birth people in a low and not respectable language.

VI

I.

RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES

l. " Achar " - Religious ceremony. Achari- Minister of ceremonies, and, according to the Hindu tradition, Arjuna is the most celebrated ofsuch ministers. ...

" Kuruddi " A ball of rice used in certain Hindu ceremonies. " Bhott " - Hindu priest. purohit -Hindu family priesr " Gurou, Puzaro Sexton of the jdol

Qsls6sny of offering to the idol flowers, ornaments' jewels, incense, or other- external " Puja, Devpuja "

acts.

" Devorchon "

-

A service of religious

ce

remony

1+

-

**-

" Acharonn "

" Rongpuja " -

Qs1s66ny or service in the temple Ceremony of decorating the

idol with coloured

banana

leaves.

" Nirmallem, Nirmal, Nirmalia " after being offered to the idol.

2.

" Obixekh, Obixekhun "

also a ceremony to avert ill-omen.

3.

4.

-

-

Leaves of holy basil or flowers faded

Ceremonial ablution

of idol, king,

etc. ;

" Avorn "

"Bholli

- Meal of Hindus on fast " -A Hindu ceremony performed on the boundary of two

villages on the occasion of somc religious feasts-

5.

devil by charm, as a vizard does by

"

To summon tbe playing sarongi, a kind of fiddle. '' Montr" *A recitation of Hindus; an invocation to demon to heal a

"

Horaitam

wound or to cure a disease

;

a charm to avert evil, etc.

Offering of cooked rice and other things to the Devil. " Vodoitam " - f6 release or exorcise the possessed by evil spirit, crr the demoniac, by beating him wilh whips or sandals.

" Nebem "

-

" Virodibhogti " Worship of demons to God for enmity. " IJvallnnin Uvallitam " - To incense ; to conjure or exorcise by passing hand around with salt, linsey, etc. over the head of a person, and such a superstition is practised by }lindus in order to remove and expel the evil.

"Limbonn, Limbolonn"-A ceremony of waving at&d a five-wick tamp ; also wfaving around the hffid of a person leaves of bitter Neen-tree witb salt, chillies, etc. to remove an evil-eye.

6. "Khottkorm"-A Hindu ceremony on the death of father or -rnother.

" PloronnachQ sudchar " -Exequies, funeral rites " Mhall " - Dinner distributed in memory of the dead " Sari " - Ashes ; remains of cremated or buried corpse ., Srard, Srahard " Hindu funerary ceremony in honour of manes, with distribution of meals.

-

"Visi, Visolli'-Way behindthecompound by dead bodies for cremation.

which

Hindus carry

_-* " Pitrpokh "

Period of time when Hindus offer food for the dead.

-

" Ghashonn "

15

Remembrance of the dead person

-

7.

" Abuson " - Blessed food of Hindu dinner ; food forbidden by Shastras to eat ; a ceremony at the beginning of a Hindu dinner, which consists in taking a little water in the palm of hand and putting it into the mouth.

" Nitekorm- Nitenem " form before meals.

"Nived"-Offering

-

Daily rites and ceremonies that Hindus per-

to

of eatables

the domestic god, before@meal by

sal,ing: Deva tuka pavo nivedu uJaru-Oh God, I render you this offering of food.

8. " Molli " -

Ripe leaf

of ,. Kormol " tree, which is stuck to the idol answers ; stucking of leaves to the idol by the

with water to obtain oracular Hindu priest'for oracular answer. Also: holy ash which is ernnointed on people's forehead.

" Prosad 'n - Leaf of tree which is stfuck to the idol with water to ask to one's question ; oracle, that is, answ3r or advice obtained from the

answer

idol by the above procedure.

9. " Munz " -

of baptism which the. the bodyof aboy who bythis

Sacred thread ceremony-a kind

bhats do by tying the sacredthread across virtue turns frour heathen into brahmin or kshatriya.

" Xekeasutr " - Brahmin's thread 10. " Novann, Novem " - Harvest

festival ; a sweet dish made of new. rice, jaggery, cocoanut kernel, etc., served on the said festive day, and which one ears to renew himself with the new fruit.

11. " Novratram, services.

Novratam

"-

Novenas, i. e. nine night religious

12. " Sotti " -

Ceremony of the sixth day of child's birth, by performing certain rites, and distributing particular eatables. This ceremony is performed in honour of goddes ,Sotti, which is a form of Durga, deity of destruction.

13. " Xantipatt " - A Hindu ceremony of purification, or expiation.

14. o' Hostodok " Water that Hindus pour on the hand when they, -

ii

make a vow or swear

I I i

.

ttr

1615. "Prodokhenn"-A

ceremony consisting

in going round the

with veneration.

16. " Vrotobond " -

Ceremony of profession of astrologers's son.

vrII l. " Vcinkutth"-Celestial " "

BhuvVoinkutth "

-

paradise of God Vishnu

Terrestrial paradise, Eden

Omravoti " - Immortality, rvorld of immortals ; a city or land of God Indra, which, as per Hindu mythology, is perfect in everything.

" Brahapod " - Glory according to the Hindu theology. " Soyajota " - One of four degrees of beatitude or sacred er.rds of man which are : Solokta lsalokya t, Somipta (samipya), ), Svorupta {sarupya) and Sayajota (sayujya). The Hindu docirine of holy ends of rltan may be summed up as follows : ( I ) Rebirth to a new temporary life on earth : or temporary

rebirth in a paradise : 1a) in the world of God (salokya) or (b) near to God (samipya), or (c1 as an apctheosized God (sarupya): (21 Eternal admission

of the individual soul to the blissful presence of Vishnu

in Heaven; (3) Cessalion of individual existence and (a) emergence of the soul in the all-one (sayujya) or (b) submergence in nirvana. ( Max Weber, op. cit. p.22\.

of Brahman's heaven ; Brahman's heaven. " Viman, Viuhan " - Chair or palaaquin (litter) in which Hindns be. lieve that angels carry souls to paradise, and gods walk without being carried; choir o[ Saints who, as Hindus say, carry souls of the dead to Heaven. "

Sote lok

"

-

People

2. "Ovtar"-Appearance or form taken in incarnation which

is

attributed by the Hindus to their gods, who appear in the world taking one form or another in order to fight a war or slay a demon. About incarnation numerous stories are invented, specially concerning the god Vishnu, to whom ten incarnations are attributed of which nine have already taken place and oue is yet

to come about.

" Yatoyati " - Birth and rebirth of Hindu mythology according to which a person comes to and goes lton this world to the other and viceversa.

3. " Ostt, naikinni" - Eight nautch-girls who

charming songs.

bewitched

with their

__ " Bhavinn "

4,

-

t7

Haind-maid of Hindu God

" Bhirmot " a man or animal.

-

Sin that, according to Hindus, commits one who kills

" Goho hotea "

-

Mortal sin of killing a cow.

5. " Chintamonni " thinks'

A heavenly gem which gives one whatever he

tlr;r/"

" Chintamonni pavo " Light wooden shoes or slippers witha according to the Hindu rnythology, God can go wherever he imagines. i

- A holy stone that Hindus worship as God Vishnu 6. " Gonga " River Ganges which is a place of pilgrimages. " Yemuna " - A tributary of river Ganges

" Xalligram "

" Gongazoll " -'Water

of river Ganges

" Ponddarpur " Hindu holy city of Pandharpur " Bhagirati " A pilgrim place on river Ganges

-

" Tirth

-

Ganges.

Immersion in water

" Ogrodik "

-

;

Hindu holy water; a pitgrimage

to

river

Water with which idol is washed

7. " N{ulli" -Principal sorcerer of the village. (A

Hindu templeminister who perfcrrms a ceremony to devil seeking protection for fields by sprinkling them with blood of cocks whose heads are chopped, and with cooked rice witb cocoanut milk. Teot6nio R. de Souza, Medieval Goa, New Delhi, 1979, pp. 259 -260). kind of individuals who, disagreable imagine, after spending many years in contemplative life, mortifying body with ashes, and living on air, attain state of gods (like prophets in Bible).

"

Rishi, contemplative sage ; and unhappy with world, as poets

Rushi

"

"Soneas" -Ascetic l$e,soneashi-Yogi, pilgrim, hermit, Hindu as-

cetic Brahmin, religious mendicant. (Sannyasin-an ascetic who .'completely renounces this worldly life and devotes himself exclusively to spiritual selfrealization.

M anu S mr iti, 6.1 -3,8,25,3 3,42,87 -89 ),

-

"Sidu, Sidantu"-An ascetic or yogi, held the future.

3

I i

t*

as holy

man, who foretells

18

"Joishi, Jotishi"-Judicial astrologer who judges the influence of heavenly bodies on human affairs.

" Xastrkothnik " - Preacher of religion " Xastra druhit " - Enemy of religion, herctic Doctor in religion " Xastra provinn " " Xastra pallok

"-

-

Guardian of religion who leoks after its compliance

and gives punishments.

8.

" Vibhot, Vibhut "

throw into eir.

Ash or powder that Yogis put on people or

-

9.

" Tullos " -Native basil, which is an aromatic holy shrub venerated

by Hindus ( Ocynurn sanctum). " Vindavonn, Vrundavon " - Block or stand on which Hindus plant the holy basil r.tullos),

10. " fatok " "Jatokorthu" of a person's birth. l

l.

Star under which a person is born at a certain moment.

-

Horoscope, i.e. astrological calculation

" Osttmoshidhi "

-

at the

moment

The eight supernatural powers

12. " Ychhamonni, Ychhamoronni

vir "

desires death.

13. " Montrputr "-Son

- Man who dies when hc

begotten by means of montr (incantation) ac-

cording to Hindu belief.

" Vorputr "

-

Adopted son ( Zor-blessing

" Dhormputr "

-

)

Adopted son, foster son, god son.

" Posko, poskem " " Jesttu putr "

-

Reared child

-First

born son

14. " Novnagsosrobolti "

-

.

A very strong and valliant man, hrving the

strength of nine thousand elephants.

15. .. Pangull " - one of the four clouds or rains as per a Hindu belief.

16. ., Singasonn, sihasonn " - Altar of the idol ; royal chair or throne.

17

.

,, Kumbopachi

"

-

A place full Of worms where the Hindu souls are

tortured in the ncxt life, i.e. hell ".

18. " Sunod,

Sunid

"

-

Circurneision of Moslems.

19

-_

It is only in the nineteenh and twentieth centuries that first the

Europeans and then also the Indians have produced methodorogical wcrks on Hindu religion. But the portuguese padres happened to scratch its theorogy and rites already in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, thus being

to

$

be

rightly considered as the earriest Europeans to study the Hinduism. A galaxy" of such scholars, specialry Jesuit fathers and Franciscan friars, in their linguistic, literary and religious works, have described and discussed on Hindu religious themes, such as degrees of beatitude, incarnation, rebirth, asceticism, heaven, hell, prayers, cercmonies, sacrifices, etc.; but this treasure, to a great extent' is either lost or remained unpubrished, and therefore it is neither utilized nor known, and their authors buried in.the tombs of oblivion. seme of their manuscripts are scattered in different ribraries of the west; they are also in Goa, sometimes in a condition of criminal neglect.

In the above few pages I have tried to coilect some religios concepts and

rituals exclusively from their Konkani manuscript vocabularies ; next l intend to cull from the sane the Hindu social institutions and custo's.