ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books "being Careful With the Goddess: Yoginis in Persian and Arabic Texts” "Being Careful with the Goddess: Yoginis in Persian and Arabic Texts” When the Italian traveler Pietro della Valle stopped at the western Indian city of Cambay in 1624, he took the opportunity to visit a temple outside of town which was the resort of many yogis.

He was fascinated with their appearance and practices, and he continually sought them out during his tour of western and southern India.

After describing them in detail in his memoirs, he added a long account of their practices: They have spiritual Exercises after their way, and also some exercise of Learning, but (by what I gather from a Book of theirs translated into Persian , and intitl'd, Damerdbigiaska , and, as the Translator saith, a rare piece) both their exercises of wit and their Learning consist onely in Arts of Divination, Secrets of Herbs, and other natural things, and also in Magick and Inchantments, whereunto they are much addicted, and boast of doing great wonders.

I include their spiritual exercises herein because, according to the aforesaid Book, they think that by the means of those exercises, Prayers, Fastings and the like superstitious things, they come to Revelations; which indeed are nothing else but correspondence with the Devil, who appears to and deludes them in sundry shapes, forewarning them sometimes of things to come.

Yea sometimes they have carnal commerce with him, not believing, or at least not professing, that 'tis the Devil; but that there are certain Immortal, Spiritual, Invisible Women, to the number of forty [ sic ], known to them and distinguisht by various forms, names and operations, whom they reverence as Deities, and adore in many places with strange worship. .

And of the Sciences of the Gioghi [jogi or yogi], and their spiritual exercises, especially of a curious way, rather superstitious than natural, of Divining by the breathing of a Man, wherein they have indeed many curious and subtle observations, which I upon tryal have found true, if any would know more, I refer him to the Book above mention'd, which I intend to carry with me for a Rarity into Italy ; and, if I shall find convenience, I shall one day gratifie the Curious with a sight of it in a Translation.[^1] Della Valle's account of a Persian text on yoga, containing techniques for summoning feminine deities, and for divination by observation of breathing, is a striking curiosity.