Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists

Eye-Saint (Kan-Appan)his horror to see that the image had been defiled withflesh and dirty water! He rolled in grief before thelingam, asking the Great God whyhe had allowed thispollution of his shrine, for the offerings acceptable to Shivaare pure water and fresh flowers ;it is said that there isgreater merit in laying a single flower before the godthan in offeringmuch gold. For this Brahman priestthe slaying of creatures was a hideous crime, the eatingof flesh an utter abomination, the touch of a man s mouthhorrible pollution, and he looked on the savage woodlandhunters as a lower order of creation. He reflected, however, that he must not delay to carry out his own customary service, so he cleansed the image carefully anddid his worship according to the Vedic rite as usual, sangthe appointed hymn, circumambulated the shrine, andreturned to his abode.For some days this alternation of service of the imagetook place, the Brahman offering pure water and flowersin the morning, the hunter bringing flesh at night. Meanwhile Sturdy s father arrived, thinking his son possessed,and strove to reason with the young convert; but it wasin vain, and they could but return to their village andleave him alone.The Brahman could not bear this state of things for long;passionately he called on Shiva to protect his image fromthis daily desecration. One night the god appeared tohim, saying: "Thatof which thou dost make complaintand welcome to me. He who offers fleshis acceptableand water from his mouth is an ignorant hunter of thewoods who knows no sacred lore. But regard not him,regard his motive alone his ; rough frame is filled withlove of me, that very ignorance is his knowledge ofmyself. His offerings, abominable in thy eyes, are pureu 305