Thou adorest a stone, and in the worship of Kali makest a circle for Ganesh.[1]
Thou watchest at night so that men may think thou hast entered on God's service ;
With thy feet dost thou dance, but thy heart meditateth evil—
O sinner, thy dancing is wicked—
Thou sittest on a deer-skin, and carriest a rosary of sweet basil ;
Thou puttest a showy tilak on thy forehead ;
In thy heart is falsehood, though thou wearest a necklace[2] on thy neck.
O sinner, thou repeatest not God's name.
All that man s worship is vain, and he is blind
Who hath not recognized the Supreme God.
Saith Beni, meditate on God by the guru's instruction ;
Without a true guru the way is not found.
RAMANAND
A short account of Ramanuj appears to be necessary to explain the doctrines of Ramanand, and the progress of Hindu religious reform in India. Swami Ramanuj[3] flourished in the eleventh century of the Christian era. He was born in the village of Bhutnagari, also called Perumbhudur, south-east of Kanchipur, the modern Kanjeveram, in the
- ↑ According to the Tantar Shāstar, there must be four circles for Kāli's attendant divinities, Ganesh, Kshetarpāl, Bhairav, and Yogini.
- ↑ Rudrākhan, the Sanskrit rudrāksh. A necklace made of the berries of the eleocarpus. This is generally worn by the worshippers of Shiv. It is the followers of Vishnu who carry rosaries of sweet basil.
- ↑ The author is indebted to Mr. L. Rice of Bangalore for some valuable notes on the life of Rāmānuj.
