The Sun and the Serpent; A Contribution to the History of Serpent-Worship - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VIII 'HE civilization of Burmah, and other Indo Chinese countries, is ascribed by legend and by the native historians to invaders from India. And these are connected with the Naga people of Magadha, and of the north and west of India. The ancient navigators, too, who carried the Brahmanical and Buddhist religions, the worship of the Naga, and the Sanscrit or Pali language to Java, Sumatra," and even to distant Celebes, were Indian people. And they were, doubtless, descendants of those Asura dwellers in the ocean, which are mentioned in the Mahabharata, and have been already referred to. From Tamralipti, now Tamluk, and from other ports on the Bay of Bengal, adventurers, both military and mercantile, found their way to Burmah and the countries beyond. That many, if not most, of these were of Naga race is shown by the traditions which refer to them, and by the sculptured remains which they have left behind. We learn from the Maharajaweng that, before the birth of Buddha, Abhi raja left Kapilavastu and settled in Burmah; that he was succeeded by his son Kan Rajagyi; and that the dynasty was overthrown by invaders from Tsin.1 The king fled to Mal6, where he died, and his queen then married Daza raja, who came from India, and who founded the city of Pagan.2 The names of the River Irawadi (Iravati), of the country of Kambodia (Kamboja), and of several ancient cities in Burmah and Siam, are of Indian origin. And Nakhonvat, the name given to the great serpent temple in Kambodia, is but a corruption of Nagavati. It is possible that the Buddhist missionaries,. sent to these countries by Asoka, owed much of their success to the good offices of their countrymen, already settled there. The islands of the Indo-Chinese Archipelago appear to...