The Captive Ladie/Notes

(a) The water-lily called by the Sanscrit Poets "The Bride of the Sun."

(b) The Moon.

(c) A musical instrument.---The Indian Poet's lyre.

(d) There is a class of people in India, whose profession resembles that of the Troubadours. They are called Bhâts.

(e) The Indian God of love, unlike his European name-sake, is a full-grown youth and not a baby.

(f) The "Feast of Victory"---or, as it is called in Sanscrit, the "Raj Shooïo Jugum" is described at great length in the Second Book of the far-famed "Mohabarut." It was celebrated by the most powerful monarchs whose claims to superiority over the whole country admitted of no dispute. The celebration of this Feast was an assertion of Universal supremacy, and, in many cases, led to the most disastrous consequences, as it often combined different kingdoms to crush the pride of the aspirant to the honour of celebrating it. There are very few instances of the successful celebration of this Feast, recorded in Indian History or, rather, Mythology. Those of Dasurutha, the father of Rama, King of Oude, and Jadasteer, the famous Pandû Prince, are the only ones which occur to me at present.

(g) Ceylon.

(h) The Hindus have no regularly constructed theatres. All their Dramatic performances are displayed in the open air under awnings put up for the occasion.---This will, no doubt, remind the classical reader of the ancient Roman custom.---​Vide: Lucret: iv. 73. vi. 108. Plin. xix, 1-6, xxxvi. 15-24. For farther information see Sir W. Jones' Preface to "Sacontola" and Wilson's Hindu-theatre.

(i) This refers to the "gambols" of the god Krishna with the milk-maids, which have furnished almost all the Indian dialects with innumerable lyrical Dramas acted during the celebration of the Festivals in honour of the numerous gods and goddesses who compose the Hindu Pantheon.

(k) Vindabonum, the favourite haunt of Krishna, stands on the banks of the Jumna and is still looked upon as a holy place.

(l) This is the subject of the "Tchandi,"---a poem which is ascribed to the god Sheva.

(m) The giant Nisumba drove away Indra (the "Monarch of the sky"---the Indian Jupiter) from heaven.

(n) The goddess Doorga---the martial consort of the poetic author of the "Tchandi."

(o) The ancient warriors of Hindustan used to challenge their enemies by blowing conch-shells,---sanscriticè, "Sancha-dhunnee."

(p) This is the subject of the Ramayana of Valmiki. The abduction of Seeta---the Indian Helen, and wife of Rama---by Ravena King of Ceylon. Seeta was taken away from the forest where Rama resided during his banishment from his kingdom. The consequence is well known.

(q) Rama is said to have thrown a bridge across the arm of the sea which separates Ceylon from the Continent.

(r) This is the subject of the well-known "Mohabarat" of Vyasa.—"The Mahabharat details the dissensions of the Pan​dava and Kaurava Princes, who were cousins by birth, and rival competitors for the throne of Hastenapûr. The latter were at first successful, and compelled the former to secrete themselves for a season, until they contracted an alliance with a powerful Prince in the Panjâb, when a part of the kingdom was transferred to them. Subsequently this was lost by the Pandavas at dice, and they were driven into exile, from which they emerged to assert their rights in arms. All the Princes of India took part with one or other of the contending kinsmen, and a series of battles ensued at Kuru Kshetra, the modern Tahnesar; which ended in the destruction of Daryodhana and the other Kaurava Princes, and the elevation of Yudhishthira, the elder of the Pandava brothers, to the supreme sovereignty over India." Wilson. As. Res. xvii. 609.

Though the "Tchandi," the "Ramayana" and the "Mahabarut" have not escaped the Dramatist, yet they are oftener recited by Pundits than subjected to scenic representation.

(s) A holy Bramin---something like a "seraphic doctor" amongst the Hindus. "Brim" is the name of the Deity.

(t) The Hindu Olympus.

(u) Judasteer---one of the Pandû Princes, celebrated the "Raj shooïo Jugum" Vid: Mohabarut lib. ii.

(v) This refers to the conclusion of the ceremony, when all present were expected to prostrate themselves and acknowledge the supremacy of their royal host.

(w) The goddess of Poetry.

(x) Delhi. See note (a) Canto II.

(a) Husteena—Delhi. It is often confounded with Indraput built by the Pandû Princes, Vid: Mahobarut lib. I. (latter part.)

(b) Mahammed of Ghizni was a fierce bigot.

(c) Sittar, a musical instrument.

(d) Ferdousi. The Chaucer of Persia;—author of the "Shahnameh."—He was contemporary with Mohammed.

(e) Eblis—the angel of Hell.

(f) Rocnabad—Mosellay.
"Kenara ab rocnabad o gûl gushtè mosellay ra" as sung by Hafiz.

(g) Husteena was the birth-place of the Pandû and Curû Princes of war-like notoriety.

(h) The Mirage is not unknown in India. Elphinstone, in describing his passage through the Great Desert, says, "On the 25th November, we marched twenty-seven miles to two wells in the Desert.—In the way we saw a most magnificent mirage." "Historical and descriptive account of British India." Vol. III 201.

(i) This is the goddess Cali.—"She (Cali) is black, with four arms, wearing two dead bodies as ear-rings,—a neck-lace of skulls, and the hands of several slaughtered giants round her waist as a girdle." &c. British India—Vol. II. There are some inaccuracies in this description, Cali does not "wear two dead bodies as ear-rings." I have in my description omitted the circumstance of her having "four arms."

(k) This is the god Sheva—the third person of the Hindu-triad. ​The Hindus believe that the impression of a lotus adorns the hood of the Cobra de Capella on account of its having been trodden upon by the god Krishna. Sheva is always represented as under the influence of Bang—an intoxicating stuff.

(l) Like Neptune Sheva wears a trident called in Sanscrit "Trisulum."

(m) The River Ganges is fabled to be on the head of Sheva whence she issues into three streams—one flowing through Heaven, and the other two through the Earth and Hell respectively.

(n) Sri---or Lutchmee—the goddess of Fortune, Plenty and Beauty. The three worthies---Cali, Sheva and Sri---are supposed to be the guardian deities of royal families.—-I have, in introducing them here, availed myself of the popular belief, common amongst all heathens, that when misfortune is about to befall a family, its Penates desert it.

(o) The God of Fire.

(p) Sheva, in his character as Destroyer.

(q) "It was in those days a custom of the Hindus, that whatever Raja was twice worsted by the Mussulmen, should be, by that disgrace, rendered unfit for further command, Jeipal in compliance to this custom, having raised his son to the government, ordered a funeral pile to be prepared, upon which he sacrificed himself to his gods." Dow's Ferishta, Vol. I. 45. (Third Edition).