Abu

An early Egyptian god of light, and a city sacred to the ithyphallic Khnum (or Kneph), known to Greeks as Elephant is—not from elephas “elephant,” or elaphos “deer,” but from Elaphas, an Osirian god of light, or of the sun to which special libations were offered at Abu, Ab was a name of Osiris, and his hieroglyph was the phallus (see Kneph). [£b was also the elephant in Egyptian; like the Hebrew, and Tamil, Hab.—En. | Abu. Arabuda. A celebrated mountain, lofty and detached from the Araveli range, in the Sirohi state of Rajputana, where we lived for four summers. It has played an important part in the religious history of India, and is still claimed by Hindus, who have shrines on the heights, and by Buddhists and Jains, whose shrines are in the valleys: round these still flourish more ancient non-Aryan cults, at little white shrines (of Adhar-dev i, Durga, etc.) seen on the hill-sides. We have often seen sacrifices of goats, and cocks, to the ancient Amba (Sivi) called Bhavani, The famous Jaina shrines in the Vale of Delvada (or Dilwara), “the place of temples,” still contain cells for Devi-Amba, who is always curiously a ociated with Neminath, the 21st or 22nd Jain Tirthankara; and nim i, like amba, is an euphemism for the mul (pudendum), and also means, “ winking one, eye, gem, sign, or mark.” Amba’s cell occupies the S.W. corner, or place of honor in Jaina Vast up a las; and beside it is Adi-nath’s beautiful shrine, where stands a colo al black image of Nemi-natha. For the old Turanian tribes of India (as seen also from the Euphrates to the Seine) have always loved a black image, like those of the Madonna, or of Osiris. It is evident that Jainas have built at Abu on the holy sites of ancient nature worshipers. The existing Jaina temples (elaborately sculptured) were erected by rich merchants. The chief one was built by Vimalsa of Patan (older Anhil-wad a) of Gujerat, about 1030 a.c. “ He could purchase armies, and overturn kingdoms.” The second in importance is that of Vastupal and Tej-pal—Jaina ministers of the Raja Vidaval (1197- 1247 a.c.). These are carefully described by Mr James Fergu on and others. They approach the Buddhist Vihara style. The second is dedicated to Adi-nath (the “ Ancient of Days”), in his bull incarnation as the Tirthankara named Rishiba-natha. In the first are ten marble elephants (his sawdri); and, in the entrance lobby, are statues of Vimalsa, and of his nephew, on horseback: they are of alabaster, and stand before a chau-mukh, or “‘four-faced,” image of Paris-nath.