The opening of Chapter 22
Festivals continued—Adoration of the sword: its Scythic
origin—The Dasahra, or military festival: its Scythic
origin—Torans or triumphal arcs—Ganesa of the Rajputs and
Janus of the Romans—Worship of arms: of the magic brand of
Mewar, compared with the enchanted sword, Tyrfing, of the
Edda—Birth of Kumara, the Rajput Mars, compared with the
Roman divinity—Birth of Ganga: her analogy to
Pallas—Adoration of the moon—Worship of Lakshmi, or
Fortune; of Yama, or Pluto—Diwali, or festival of lamps,
in Arabia, in China, in Egypt, and in India—Annakuta and
Jaljatra—Festivals sacred to the Ceres and Neptune of the
Hindus—Festival of the autumnal equinox—Reflections on the
universal worship of the elements, Fire, Light,
Water—Festival sacred to Mithras or Vishnu, as the sun—The
Phallus: its etymology—Rajput doctrine of the
Triad—Symbols Vishnu, as the sun-god: his messenger
Garuda, the eagle: his charioteer Aruna, or the dawn—Sons
of Aruna—Fable analogous to that of Icarus—Rites of Vishnu
on the vernal equinox and summer solstice—Dolayatra, or
festival of the ark, compared with the ark of Osiris, and
Argonautic expedition of the Greeks—Etymology of
Argonaut—Ethiopia the Lanka of the Hindus—Their sea-king,
Sagara—Rama, or Ramesa, chief of the Cushite races of
India—Ramesa of the Rajputs and Rameses of Egypt
compared—Reflections 679