The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

42
HISTORY OF INITIATION
thronged with priests and hierophants, arrayed in gorgeous
vestments, and crowned with mitres and tiaras of
burnished gold. 86 With eyes rivetted on the altar, he
was taught to expect the descent of the deity in the
bright pyramidal fire that blazed upon it. 87 The sudden
sound of the shell or trumpet, 88 to which the hollow
caverns reverberated in long and continued echoes; the
expansion of the folding doors the ; brilliant display so
unexpectedly exhibited before him the instantaneous
;
prostration of the priests, and the profound silence which
followed this ceremony, filled the mind of the aspirant
with admiration, and lighted up the holy fervour of devotion
in his heart so ; that, in the moment of enthusiasm,
he could almost persuade himself that he actually beheld
the expected descent of the great Brahma seated on
the lotos, with his four heads89 and bearing in his hands
86 The riches of many of these temples is incredible. The pillars
were covered with plates of gold, intermixed with precious stones.
(Maur. Ind. Ant, vol. iii., p. 368.) The images were of gold and
silver, and many thousands were often found in the same temple. (Ib.
p. 369. And when Mahmed broke in pieces the idol of Sunmaut, to
his astonishment he found the hollow body full of " diamonds, rubies,
and pearls, of a water so pure, and of a magnitude so uncommon,
that the beholders were filled with surprise and admiration." (Ib. p.
373.) The idol of Krishna in the temple at Mattra had two -great
rubies in the place of eyes and the floor of the hallowed ;
temple at
Naugracut was covered with plates of gold. (Mandeslo. Travels, p.
21.) The principal idol in the Pagoda at Benares was decorated with
chains of precious stones, some being rubies, others pearls, and
others emeralds. (Voyage de Tavernier, torn, iv., p. 151.) In somo
of the Pagodas, the ears of the monstrous idols were gilded and full
of jewels, their teeth and eyes of gold. (Purch. Pilgr., vol. i., p.
579.) And the priests were as proud of these trophies, as if they
were their own personal property.
87 " God is in the fire of the altar." (Bhagvat Geeta, p. 54.)
88
Vid. 1 Thess. iv., 16, where the Judge of all the world is represented
as descending to the sound of the eternal trumpet.
89 The four heads of Brahma represent equally the four elements,
and the four quarters of the globe. The history of the production of
these four heads is somewhat curious, and I therefore introduce it
here from the Matsya Purana, in Fab. Pag. Idol., vol. i., p. 319.
" When Brahma assumed a mortal shape, he was pleased to manifest
himself in Cashmir. Here one half of his body sprang from the other,
which yet experienced no diminution; and out of the severed moiety,
he framed a woman, denominated Iva and Satarupa. Her beauty was
such as to excite the love of the god but ; deeming her his daughter,
he was ashamed to own his passion. During this conflict between
shame and love he remained motionless,, with his eyes fixed upon her.