The ancient and medieval architecture of India: a study of Indo-Aryan civilisation

THE ALLEGORY

OF THE

DAWN-MAIDEN

97

is

proved bythe allegory of the

Churning of the

Ocean, an

ancient Indo-Aryan myth, the

meaning of

which has long

beenamystery

toOrientalscholars. Itis

reallyavivid

picture

ofthe

dawnandsunriseintheHimMayas,

whichwereevidently

the

cradle ofone branch of the

Indo-Aryanfamily;withKail^sa,

the great snow-capped peak of

Siva, and Mount

Mandara,

Vishnu's abode, in

the back-

ground. TheDevas,thepowers

oflight,combinewiththeAsuras,

thepowersofdarkness,to churn

the cosmic ocean for the

nectar

of

life

and immortality. They

useforachurning-stickVishnu's

mountain, Mandara, and for a

rope the serpent Ananta,

or

Eternity(theMilkyWay),

which

encirclestheearth. Afteralong

churning, fire and poisonous

smoke (the first glow upon the

mountains before

dawn,andthe

gathering

together of the mists

and clouds in the valleys) ob-

scure the sky, and the Devas

are disheartened.

Siva drinks

the poison

and becomes

"

blue-

throated," i.e. thecrimson glowon his snowypeak gradually

turns to

dazzling white

and

the mountain

slopes below

the

snow-linebecomeviolet-blue. Atthesametime Lakshmt,the

dawn,appears, seated onthe Brahmilotus, bringingwithher

health, dance

andsong, happiness and

prosperity, and

thejar

of nectar which Indra, the rain-god, pouring his refreshing

7

Fig.41.--MiniatureVishnuShrinefoundat

Sarnath.