ble' (III. 37. 21). Their
name means literally 'blessed' or 'successful,' and probably, like the
seers, Rishis, they are the departed fathers in spiritual form. These
latter form various classes. There are not only the 'great seers,' and
the still greater '_brahma_-seers,' and the 'god-seers,' but there are
even 'devil-seers,' and 'king-seers,' these being spirits of priests
of royal lineages.[37] The evil spirits, like the gods, are sometimes
grouped in threes. In a blessing one cries out: "Farewell (_svasti
gacchahy an[=a]mayam_); I entreat the Vasus, Rudras, [=A]dityas,
Marut-hosts and the All-gods to protect thee, together with the
S[=a]dhyas; safety be to thee from all the evil beings that live in
air, earth, and heaven, and from all others that dog thy path."[38] In
XII. 166. 61 ff. the devils fall to earth, mountains, water, and other
places. According to I. 19. 29. it is not long since the Asuras were
driven to take refuge in earth and salt water.[39]

These creatures have every kind of miraculous power, whether they be
good or bad. Hanuman, famed in both epics, the divine monkey, with
whom is associated the divine 'king of bears' J[=a]mbavan (III. 280.
23), can grow greater than mortal eye can see (III. 150. 9). He is
still worshipped as a great god in South India. As an illustration of
epic spiritism the case of Ilvala may be taken. This devil,
_d[=a]iteya_, had a trick of cooking his embodied younger brother, and
giving him to saints to eat. One saint, supposing the flesh to be
mutton (here is saintly meat-eating!), devours the dainty viand; upon
which the devil 'calls' his brother, who is obliged to come, whether
eaten or not, and in coming bursts the saint that has eaten him (iii.
96). This is folk-lore; but what religion does not folk-lore contain!
So, personified Fate holds its own as an inscrutable power, mightier
than others.[40] There is another touch of primitive religious feeling
which reminds one of the usage in Iceland, where, if a stranger knocks
at the door and the one within asks 'who is there?' the guest answers,
'God.' So in the epic it is said that 'every guest is god Indra'
(_Parjanyo nn[=a]nusa[.m]caran_, iii. 200. 123. In the epic Parjanya,
the rain-god, and Indra are the same). Of popular old tales of
religious bearing may be mentioned the retention and elaboration of
the Brahmanic deluge-story, with Manu as Noah (iii. 187); the Acvins'
feats in rejuvenating (iii. 123); the combats of the