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A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History and Literature - John Dowson, 1820 - Complete Book

English

The city is described in the Ramayawa as of vast extent and of great magnificence, with seven broad moats and seven stupendous walls of stone and metal. It is said to have been built of gold by Viswa-karma for the residence of Kuvera, from whom it was taken by RavaTia. The Bhagavata Pura?ia represents that the island was originally the summit of Mount Meru, which was broken off by the god of the wind and hurled into the sea. 2. Name of one of the AS'akinis or evil spirits attendant on >S'iVa and Devi. LATA. A country comprising Kandesh and part of Guze- rat about the IMhye river. It is also called Lar, and is the Aaoiy.71 of Ptolemy. LArYAYANA. Author of a Siltra work. It has been printed in the Bibliotheca Indica. LAY A. One of the twin sons of Rama and Sita. He reigned at /Sravasti. See Rama. LAVAiVA. A Rakshasa, son of Madhu by Kumbhinasi, the sister of RaA^a/za and daughter of Yisravas. He inherited from his father an invincible trident which had been presented to him by ^iva. He was surprised without his weapon and killed by /S'atru-glina. Lava?^a was king of Mathura and >Satru-ghna succeeded him. LIKHITA. Author of a Dharma-sastra or code of law. LiLAYATL ' Charming.' The fanciful title of that chapter of Bhaskara's Siddlianta-siromam which treats of arithmetic and geometry. It has been translated by Colebrooke and Dr. Taylor, and the text has been printed. LINGA, LINGAM. The male organ. The phallus. The symbol under which iS^iva is universally worshipped. It is of comparatively modern introduction and is unknown to the Yedas, but it receives distinct notice in the Maha-bharata. " The emblem — a plain column of stone, or sometimes a cone of plastic mud — suggests no offensive ideas. The people call it ^iva or Maha-deva, and there's an end." In the /Siva Purawa, and in the Nandi Upa-pura?ia, /S^iva is made to say, " I am 178 LINGA—LINGA PURANA. omnipresent, but I am especially in twelve forms and places." These are the twelve great Lingas, which are as follow : — 1. Soma-ndtha. 'Lord of the moon.' At Somnath Pattan, a city which still remains in Guzerat. This was the celebrated " idol " destroyed by Mahmiid of GhaznI. 2. MallikdrJuTia ov Srl-saila. 'The mountain of SrV On a mountain near the river Krishwa. 3. Makd-kdla, Mahd-kdleswara. At TJjjain. Upon the capture of TJjjain in the reign of Altamsh, 1231 A.D., this deity of stone Avas carried to Delhi and there broken up. 4. Omkdra. This is also said to have been at TJjjain, but it is probably the shrine of Mahadeva at Omkara Mandhatta, on the JSTarmada. 5. Amareswara. ' God of gods.' This is also placed at TJjjain. 6. Vaidya-ndtha. ' Lord of physicians.' At Deogarh in Bengal. The temple is still in being, and is a celebrated place of pil- grimage. 7. Bdmesa oi Bdmeswara. ' Lord of Kama.' On the island of Ramisseram, between the continent and Ceylon. This Lingam, whose name signifies ' Rama's lord,' is fabled to have been set up by Rama. The temple is still in tolerable re23air, and is one of the most magnificent in India. 8. Bhlma Sankara. In DakinT. This is in all probability the same with Bhimeswara, a Lingam worshipped at Dracharam, in the Rajamahendrl (Rajamundry) district, and there venerated as one of the twelve. 9. Visweswara. 'Lord of all.' At Benares. It has been for many centuries the chief object of worship) at Benares. Also called Jyotir-lingam. 10. Trijamhaka, Tryaksha. ' Tri-ocular. ' On the banks of the Gomati. 11. Gaiitamesa. ' Lord of Gautama.' 12. Keddresa, Keddni-ndtha. In the Himalaya. The deity is represented as a shapeless mass of rock. jSTaga-natha or Naga-niithesa and Yameswara are other names, probably of Xo. 6 and No. 11. LINGA PURAiVA. " Where IVIaheswara (5iva), present in the Agni Linga, explained (the objects of life), virtue, wealth, pleasure, and final liberation, at the end of the Agni K(dpa, that Pura?ia, consisting of 11,000 stanzas, was called the Linga by LOHA-MUKHAS—LOKA. 179 Brahma Iiimself." The work conforms accurately enough to this description. " Although the Linga holds a prominent place in this PuraTia, the spirit of the worship is as little influenced by the character of the type as can well be imagined. There is nothing like the phallic orgies of antiquity : it is all mystical and spiritual. The work has preserved, apparently, some iS'aiva legends of an early date, but the greater part is ritual and mysti- cism of comparatively recent introduction." — Wihon. It is not likely that this Pura^za is earlier than the eighth or ninth cen- tury. This Purawa has been lithographed in Bombay. LOHA-MUKHAS. 'Iron-faced men.' Described in the Maha-bharata as swift, one-footed, undecaying, strong men-eaters. LOKA. A world, a division of the universe. In general the tri-loka or three worlds are heaven, earth, and hell. Another classification enumerates seven, exclusive of the infernal regions, also seven in number which are classed under Patala. The upper worlds are : — (i.) Bhur-loka, the earth. (2.) Bhuvar-loka, the space between the earth and the sun, the region of the Munis, Siddhas, &c. (3.) Swar-loka, the heaven of Indra, be- tween the sun and the polar star. (4.) Mahar-loka, the usual abode of Bh?'/gu and other saints, who are supposed to be co- existent with Brahma. During the conflagration of these lower worlds the saints ascend to the next, or (5.) Jana-loka, which is described as the abode of Brahma's sons, Sanaka, Sananda, and Sanat-kumara. Above this is the (6.) Tapar loka, where the deities called Vairagis reside. (7.) Satya-loka or Brahma- loka, is the abode of Brahma, and translation to this world exempts beings from further birth. The first three worlds are destroyed at the end of each kalpa, or day of Brahma; the last three at the end of his life, or of a hundred of his years ; the fourth loka is equally permanent, but is uninliabitable from heat at the time the first three are burning. Another enumeration calls the seven worlds earth, sky, heaven, middle region, place of birth, mansion of the blest, and abode of truth ; placing the sons of Brahma in the sixth division, and stating the fifth, or Jana-loka, to be that where animals destroyed in the general conflagration are born again. The Sankhya and Yedanta schools of philosophy recognise eight lokas or regions of material exist- ence : — (i.) Brahma-loka, the world of the superior deities; (2.) Pitn'-loka, that of the Pitris, jRishis, and Prajapatis; (3.) i8o LOKALOKA—LOMA-HARSHANA, Soma-loka, of the moon and planets; (4.) Indra-loka, of tlie inferior deities; (5.) Gandliarva-loka, of heavenly spirits ; (6.) Kakshasa-loka, of the Rakshasas ; (7.) Yaksha-loka, of the Yakshas ; (8.) Pi^acha-loka, of the Pisachas or imps and fiends. LOKALOKA. ' A world and no world,' A fabnlous belt of mountains bounding the outermost of the seven seas and di\dding the visible world from the regions of darkness. It is " ten thousand yojanas in breadth, and as many in height, and beyond it perpetual darkness invests the mountains all around, which darkness is again encompassed by the shell of an egg." It is called also Chakra-vac^a or Chakra-vala. LOKA-PALAS. Supporters or guardians of the world. The guardian deities who preside over the eight points of the compass, id, the four cardinal and four intermediate points of the compass : — (i.) Indra, east ; (2.) Agni, south-east ; (3.) Yama, south ; (4.) Smya, south-west ; (5.) YaruTza, west ; (6.) Yayu, north-west; (7.) Kuvera, north; (8.) Soma, north-east. Nirr/ti is by some substituted for No. 4, and P7'ithivl or iS'iva, especially in his form Isana, for Xo. 8. Each of these guardian deities has an elephant who takes part in the defence and protection of the quarter, and these eight elephants are themselves called Loka-palas : — (i.) Indra's elephant at the east is Airavata. He is also called Abhra-matanga, ' elephant of the clouds ; ' Arka- sodara, ' brother of the sun ; ' jN^aga-malla, ' the fighting ele- phant;' Sada-dana, 'always in rut;' Madambara, 'covered with ichor.' His wife's name is Abhramu. (2.) Agni's elephant at the south-east is Pu?zf/arika and his female Kapila. (3.) Yama's at the south is Yamana and his female Pingala. (4.) Surya's at the south-west is Kumuda and his female is Anupama. (5.) Yaruwa's at the west is Anjana, Avhose female is Anjanavati. (6.) A^ayu's at the north-west is Pushpa-danta, whose female is *S'ubha-dantI. (7.) Kuvera's at the north is Sarva-bliauma ; and (8.) Soma's elephant at the north-east is Su-pratika.