INTRODUCTION Ii , MD. Then Visnu became the object of worship in the first part and Dura in the second part of the 11th century. In the second plate of Dharmapala (12th century) “Varaharup Narayana” (Vispu) alone is mentioned. It may be assumed that Vaisnavism superceded Sivaism and Saktism between the lith and 12th centuries and eventually became the State religion. | There are grounds for supposing that the worship of Siva is a very early Indian cult and existed in the country long before the arrival of the Aryan immigrants. Recent excavations at the ancient sites of Mohenjo-daro and Harapps have shown that the lndus Valley was inhabited by a pre-Aryan race some thousand years before the Aryan invasion of India. They were worshippers of the Mother Goddess and Phallic symbols, typified by the linga, which is associated now with the worship of Siva. It is quite probable that the Aryan settlers, who entered India about 1000 years afterwards, had to fight against the primi- tive beliefs and cults practised by the inhabitants of the Indus Valley and had eventually to reconcile them with those of their own. It is pro- bably for this reason that we find traces of such primitive cults and beliefs in the Atharva Veda later corrupted into the Tantric form of Hinduism and in the later phase of Buddhism. Thus, in the course of time, the cult of the Mother Goddess and Phallic symbols became not only the religion of the masses but also of the priests and learned men. The interming- lings of different tribes and races in later years gradually resulted in a fusion of such cults with the tribal practices and beliefs. | It is admitted that Assam is regarded, even at the present time, as the land of magic, sorcery and necromancy. A very large number of Assamese puthis of incantations and charms, which are still in use as a means of treatment of diseases by spells and charms, testifies to this belief. There is no doubt that these represent, in part at least, the most popular beliefs based on the teachings of the Atharva Veda and Tantric form of religion current among the masses. The spirit, which they breathe in the spells and charms, is of a pre-historic age and connected, no doubt, with the cult of the Mother Goddess and Phallus worship of the inhabitants of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa. we know that the Tantric form prescribes various ceremonies, prayers and incantations. It enjoins bloody sacrifices which include among the victims also human beings. The Kalika Purana mentions a human being of spotless body and unblemished character as the best object of immolation. Sir E. A. 1see “The Indus Civilisation"---by Dr. E. Mackay : Chap. vill. ? [bid, p. 41.
- The indus Civilisation-by Dr. E. Mackay, p. 98.
Recent excavations at Chanhu-Daro conducted by Dr. Mackay have revealed an earlier civilization, The mother goddess cult was present at Chanhu•Daro also. (see the Statesman of date 14, 36, . 15).
