The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

LECTURE II.
HISTORY OF INITIATION IN HINDOOSTAN.
INDIA is a very ancient nation ; derived, if its own
annals are deserving of credit, from the seven Eishis or
penitents, whose exemplary virtues elevated them to
a residence in the stars. These seven holy persons,
according to the Abbe Dubois, 1 were the seven sons of
Japhet, 2 who formed colonies in the neighbourhood of
Mount Caucasus, and from thence their posterity spread
over the vast continent of ancient India. 3 And Mr.
Maurice is of opinion that they proceeded thence to the
remotest regions of the west. These primitive inhabitants
practised the patriarchal religion, and, consequently,
worshipped the true God, until they were conquered and
subjected to the yoke by the idolatrous Cuthites, under
4
Rama, the victorious son of Cush ; and then the diluvian
Mysteries were introduced, with all the horrible rites
1
Description of India, pt. c. 6.
i.,
2 The Indian Records present us with this information, in language
"
It is related in the Padma-
very similar to our own Sacred Writings.
Pooraun, that Satyavrata, whose miraculous preservation from a
general deluge is told at large in the Matsya, had three sons, the
eldest of whom was named Jyapeti, or Lord of the Earth ; the others
were Charina and Sharma; which last words are in the vulgar dialects
usually pronounced Cham and Sham, as we frequently hear Kishn for
Chrishna. The royal patriarch, for such is his character in the
Pooraun, was particularly fond of Jyapeti, to whom he gave all the
regions to the north of Himalaya, or the Snowy Mountains, which
extend from sea to sea, and of which Caucasus is a part ; to Sharma
he allotted the countries to the south of those mountains ; but he
cursed Charma, because when the old monarch was accidentally
inebriated with strong liquor made of fermented rice, Charma laughed ;
and it was in consequence of his father's execration that he became a
slave to the slaves of his brothers." (Maur. Hist. Hind., vol. ii.. p. 45.)
3 It is highly probable, however, notwithstanding the authority in
the text, that the seven Rishis were the seven persons who were preserved
with Noah in the Ark.
4 Gen. x., 7.