a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第72节

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These　matters　concerning　（I。E。　the　power　and　greatness　of）　the　kingdom　of　Bisnaga；　though　it　may　seem　to　you　that　I　have　exaggerated；　yet　the　people　of　this　country　assert　them　to　have　been　even　more　notable＇647＇　in　times　past；　and　greater　than　they　now　are。

And　in　this　kingdom　of　Bisnaga　there　is　a　class　of　men；　natives　of　the　country；　namely　Brahmans；　who　the　most　part　of　them　never　kill　or　eat　any　live　thing；　and　these　are　the　best　that　there　are　amongst　them。　They　are　honest　men；　given　to　merchandise；　very　acute　and　of　much　talent；　very　good　at　accounts；　lean　men　and　well…formed；　but　little　fit　for　hard　work。　By　these　and　by　the　duties　they　undertake　the　kingdom　is　carried　on。　They　believe　that　there　are　Three　Persons　and　only　One　God；　and　they　call　the　Persons　of　the　Most　Holy　Trinity　〃TRICEBEMCA。〃　There　is　another　class　who　are　Canarese　who　have　pagodas　in　which　are　（images　of？）　monkeys；　and　cows；　and　buffaloes；　and　devils；　to　whom　they　pay　much　honour；　and　these　idols　and　monkeys　which　they　adore　they　say　that　in　former　times　this　land　belonged　all　to　the　monkeys；　and　that　in　those　days　they　could　speak。　They　have　books　full　of　fine　stories　of　chivalry；　and　many　foolish　tales　about　their　idols；　such　as　it　is　out　of　reason　for　men　to　believe。　But　because　of　this；　neither　in　the　kingdom　of　Bisnaga　nor　in　all　the　land　of　the　heathen　are　any　monkeys　killed；　and　there　are　so　many　in　this　country　that　they　cover　the　mountains。　There　is　another　class　of　men　called　Telumgalle；＇648＇　when　these　die　their　wives　are　buried　alive　with　them。

The　King　of　Bisnaga　is　a　Brahman；＇649＇　every　day　he　hears　the　preaching　of　a　learned　Brahman；　who　never　married　nor　ever　touched　a　woman。　He　urges　in　his　preaching　（obedience　to）　the　commandments　of　God；　that　is　to　say；　that　one　must　not　kill　any　living　thing；　nor　take　anything　belonging　to　another；　and　as　with　these　so　with　the　rest　of　the　commandments。　These　people　have　such　devotion　to　cows　that　they　kiss　them　every　day；　some　they　say　even　on　the　rump　　a　thing　I　do　not　assert　for　their　honour　　and　with　the　droppings　of　these　cows　they　absolve　themselves　from　their　sins　as　if　with　holy　water。　They　have　for　a　commandment　to　confess　their　sins　to　the　Brahman　priests；　but　they　do　not　do　it；　except　only　those　who　are　very　religious　（AMIGUOS　DE　DIOS）。　They　give　in　excuse　that　they　feel　a　shame　to　confess　themselves　to　another　man；　and　say　that　it　is　sufficient　to　confess　themselves　alone　after　approaching　God；　for　he　who　does　not　do　so　does　not　acquire　grace；　thus　they　fulfil　the　command　in　one　way　or　another。　But　they　do　it　so　seldom　（in　reality）　that　they　（may　be　said　to）　neglect　this　command　to　confess。

This　kingdom　of　Bisnaga　is　all　heathen。　The　women　have　the　custom　of　burning　themselves　when　their　husbands　die；　and　hold　it　an　honour　to　do　so。　When　therefore　their　husbands　die　they　mourn　with　their　relations　and　those　of　their　husbands；　but　they　hold　that　the　wife　who　weeps　beyond　measure　has　no　desire　to　go　in　search　of　her　husband；　and　the　mourning　finished　their　relations　speak　to　them；　advising　them　to　burn　themselves　and　not　to　dishonour　their　generation。　After　that；　it　is　said；　they　place　the　dead　man　on　a　bed　with　a　canopy　of　branches　and　covered　with　flowers；　and　they　put　the　woman　on　the　back　of　a　worthless　horse；　and　she　goes　after　them　with　many　jewels　on　her；　and　covered　with　roses；　she　carries　a　mirror　in　her　hand　and　in　the　other　a　branch　of　flowers；　and　（she　goes　accompanied　by）　many　kinds　of　music；　and　his　relations　（go　with　her）　with　much　pleasure。　A　man　goes　also　playing　on　a　small　drum；　and　he　sings　songs　to　her　telling　her　that　she　is　going　to　join　her　husband；　and　she　answers　also　in　singing　that　so　she　will　do。　As　soon　as　she　arrives　at　the　place　where　they　are　always　burned　she　waits　with　the　musicians　till　her　husband　is　burned；　whose　body　they　place　in　a　very　large　pit　that　has　been　made　ready　for　it；　covered　with　much　firewood。　Before　they　light　the　fire　his　mother　or　his　nearest　relative　takes　a　vessel　of　water　on　the　head　and　a　firebrand　in　the　hand；　and　goes　three　times　round　the　pit；　and　at　each　round　makes　a　hole　in　the　pot；　and　when　these　three　rounds　are　done　breaks　the　pot；　which　is　small；　and　throws　the　torch　into　the　pit。　Then　they　apply　the　fire；　and　when　the　body　is　burned　comes　the　wife　with　all　the　feasters　and　washes　her　feet；　and　then　a　Brahman　performs　over　her　certain　ceremonies　according　to　their　law；　and　when　he　has　finished　doing　this；　she　draws　off　with　her　own　hand　all　the　jewels　that　she　wears；　and　divides　them　among　her　female　relatives；　and　if　she　has　sons　she　commends　them　to　her　most　honoured　relatives。　When　they　have　taken　off　all　she　has　on；　even　her　good　clothes；　they　put　on　her　some　common　yellow　cloths；　and　her　relatives　take　her　hand　and　she　takes　a　branch　in　the　other；　and　goes　singing　and　running　to　the　pit　where　the　fire　is；　and　then　mounts　on　some　steps　which　are　made　high　up　by　the　pit。　Before　they　do　this　they　go　three　times　round　the　fire；　and　then　she　mounts　the　steps　and　holds　in　front　of　her　a　mat　that　prevents　her　from　seeing　the　fire。　They　throw　into　the　fire　a　cloth　containing　rice；　and　another　in　which　they　carry　betel　leaves；　and　her　comb　and　mirror　with　which　she　adorned　herself；　saying　that　all　these　are　needed　to　adorn　herself　by　her　husband's　side。　Finally　she　takes　leave　of　all；　and　puts　a　pot　of　oil　on　her　head；　and　casts　herself　into　the　fire　with　such　courage　that　it　is　a　thing　of　wonder；　and　as　soon　as　she　throws　herself　in；　the　relatives　are　ready　with　firewood　and　quickly　cover　her　with　it；　and　after　this　is　done　they　all　raise　loud　lamentations。　When　a　captain　dies；　however　many　wives　he　has　they　all　burn　themselves；　and　when　the　King　dies　they　do　the　same。　This　is　the　custom　throughout　all　the　country　of　the　heathen；　except　with　that　caste　of　people　called　Telugas；　amongst　whom　the　wives　are　buried　alive　with　their　husbands　when　they　die。　These　go　with　much　pleasure　to　the　pit；　inside　of　which　are　made　two　seats　of　earth；　one　for　him　and　one　for　her；　and　they　place　each　one　on　his　own　seat　and　cover　them　in　little　by　little　till　they　are　covered　up；　and　so　the　wife　dies　with　the　husband。


CHAPTER　23


Of　the　ceremonies　practised　at　the　death　of　Brahmans。

When　a　Brahman　is　sick；　before　he　dies；　they　send　to　call　the　learned　Brahmans　who　are　his　priests；　so　that　they　should　come　to　pray；　and　console　the　sick　man；　and　they　talk　to　him　of　the　affairs　of　his　soul；　and　what　he　must　do　to　save　it；　bidding　him　spend　money　in　alms。　After　this　ceremony　is　over　they　make　the　Brahman　priests　shave　the　sick　man's　head；　and　after　the　shaving　they　bid　them　wash　it；　and　after　the　washing　it　is　their　custom　to　bring　into　their　houses　a　cow　with　a　calf；　　there　are　very　few　Brahmans；　however　poor　they　be；　who　do　not　have　one　to　live　in　their　house；　　which　cow；　when　they　have　finished　washing　the　man's　head；　they　take　a　turban　and　tie　it　to　its　neck　and　put　the　end　of　the　turban　into　the　hand　of　the　sick　man；　and　he　gives　it　and　the　calf　in　alms　for　his　soul　to　those　priests　who　perform　these　ceremonies。　On　that　day　he　gives　alms　according　to　his　position；　and　gives　to　eat　to　some　Brahmans　who　are　invited　and　who　come　there　for　the　purpose。　They　believe　that　when　these　ceremonies　are　made　for　the　sick　man；　if　he　is　to　live　he　is　soon　cured　of　his　infirmity；　and　if　not　that　he　soon　dies。

After　the　death　of　the　sick　man　they　have　the　ground　washed　upon　which　he　lay；　and　after　the　washing　they　take　cow…dung　and　spread　it　over　the　ground；　and　place　the　body　on　the　top　of　this　dung。　They　hold　that　a　sick　man　who　dies　on　a　cot；　or　on　anything　so…ever　except　only　on　the　ground；　commits　a　mortal　sin。　As　soon　as　the　body　is　laid　on　the　ground　they　make　for　it　a　bier　covered　with　boughs　of　the　fig…tree；　and　before　they　place　the　body　on　the　bier　they　wash　it　well　with　pure　water；　and　anoint　it　with　sandal…wood　（oil）；　and　they　place　by　the　body　branches　of　sweet　basil　and　cover　it　with　a　new　cloth；　and　so　place　it　in　the　bier。　Then　one　of　his　relatives　takes　the　bier　on　one　side；　and　they　call　three　other　Brahmans　whosoever　they　may　be　to　aid　them　to　lift　it；　and　so　they　carry　it　to　the　place　where　they　are　to　burn　it；　accompanied　by　many　Brahmans　who　go　singing　in　front　of　the　corpse。　In　front　of　all　goes　his　son；　if　he　has　one；　or　next　younger　brother　or　nearest　relative；　with　fire　in　the　hand　for　the　burning。　As　soon　as　they　arrive　at　the　place　where　they　have　to　burn　the　body；　they　scatter　money　according　to　their　ability；　and　then　put　the　fire　to　it；　and　they　wait　there　till　the　whole　body　is　consumed；　and　then　all　go　and　wash　their　bodies　in　a　tank　and　afterwards　return　each　one　to　his　house。　The　son　or　brother　or　relation　who　put　the　fire　is　obliged　to　sleep　on　the　ground　where　the　man　died　for　nine　nights；　and　after　the　lapse　of　nine　days　from　the　death　come　the　priests　and　learned　men　and　they　command　to　shave　the　head　of　this　man。　During　these　nine　days；　they　feed　the　poor　and　they　give　them　the　dead　man's　clothes；　and　they　give　the　cot　with　its　bed　in　alms　to　the　priests；　with　some　money　in　addition；　if　he　is　a　rich　man　they　give　gardens　and　other　things　in　alms　to　many　Brahmans。　When　ten　days　are　finished；　and　the