The groups of words remaining to be noticed are those connected with the Hindu religion, and with the demon-worship or spirit-worship, which was the earliest form which the religious sentiment took among the Malay tribes.[35] After the conversion of the Malays to the faith of Muhammad, the traditions of Hinduism were gradually confused with the aboriginal superstitions, and neither have been entirely obliterated by the cult which superseded them. The belief in the power of malignant spirits to cause misfortune, sickness, and death is still strong among the Malays, whose pawangs or medicine-men claim to be able to propitiate demons by spells, prayers, and offerings. These men frequently invoke benevolent spirits by the names of Rama, Vishnu, and other Hindu deities, in complete ignorance that they are Hindu,[36] to counteract the evil influences of malevolent demons. Practices of this sort prevail most generally in places remote from Arab influence.
The Malays did not altogether discard the theological terms of Hinduism when they adopted a new religion. For instance, puâsa,[37] abstinence, fasting (Sansk. upavâsa), is used to express the annual fast of the Muhammadans during the month Ramzan. Heaven and hell also retain their Sanskrit names.
The following are some of the principal theological terms which have passed from Sanskrit into Malay:—
| English. | Malay. | Sanskrit. | Other Languages. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Religion | âgâma | âgama (sacred science)[38] | J., S. Mak., Bu., and D. agama. |
Spiritual guide | gûrû | guru | J., S. Mak., Bu., and D. guru. |
Praise, adoration | puji, puja | pûj (to honour) pûjâ (worshipping) | J. and S. puji, puja; Bat. and Mak. puji; D.mampuji; to invoke. |
Religious penance | tâpa | tapas | J., S., Mak., D., and Bu. tapa. |
| Heaven | sûrga | svarga | J. suwarga; S. surga. |
| Hell | nâraka, patâla | naraka, pâtâla | J., S., Mak., and D. naraka; S. patala. |
Fast, abstinence | puâsa | upavâsa | J., S., Mak., D., and Bis. puasa; Bat.puaso. |
Supernatural power | saḳtî | çakti (strength, power) | J. and S. sakti. |
Meritorious service, merit | baḳtî | bhakti (worship, devotion) | J. and S. bakti. |
Sacred formula, charm, spell | mantrâ | mantra | J. and S. mantra. |
| Incense | dûpa | dhûpa | J., S., Mak., Bu., and D. dupa; Bat. daupa; Tag.dupa-an, censer. |
Incense (made of eight ingredients) | istanggi | ashṭaka (a collection of eight things) | S. istanggi; Mak. satanggi. |
Censer (a bamboo split at one end, and opened out so as to form areceptacle) | sangka | çaṅkha (conchshell used for libations) | |
| Trumpet | sangkakala | çaṅkha (conchshell used for blowing as a horn), kala(time) | |
Protection, blessing, or invocation to secure protection | sempana | sampanna | |
Sati, self-sacrifice on the tomb of a lord or husband | bela | velâ (sudden death?) | J. and Bat. bela. |
Recluse, devotee | biku | bhikshu (a religious mendicant) | Kw. wiku; Siam. phiku, a devotee, beggar. |
Mystic words prefixed to prayers and invocations | Om, hong[39] | om (a mystic word prefacing all prayers); hum (a mystic syllableused in incantations) | J. hong. |
Sacrifice, burnt-offering | hûmum | homa (sacrifice) | |
DEITIES, &c. | |||
| A god | batâra | avatâra (descent) | J., S., Bat., and Mak. batara; Bis. batala,idol. |
Minor deity | dêwa, dêwâta | deva, devatâ | J. and S. dewa, dewata; Mak. dewa,rewata; D. dewa; Bis. dia, idol; Bat.debata; Bu. dewata. |
Do. (female) | dêwî | devî | J., S., and Mak. dewi. |
Names supposed by Malays to belong to powerful spirits ordemons | Brahma | Brahma (one of the three principal Hindu deities) | |
| Bisnû | Vishnu (one of the three principal Hindu deities) | ||
Srî Râma | Râma (the hero of the Râmâyana) | ||
| Ranjûna | Arjuna (the third son of Pandu) | ||
| Barûna | Varuṇa(the deity of the waters) | S. Baruna. | |
| Mahêswâra | Maheçvara | ||
| Handûman | Hanumant (the monkey chief in the Râmâyana) | ||
| Mahareshî | Maharshi (a sage of a pre-eminent class) | ||
Supernatural beings | Indrâ | Indra (king of heaven) | Kw. Endra; S. Indra. |
| Chandrâ | Chandra (the moon) | J. and S. Chandra. | |
Nymph, goddess | Bidyâdârî | Vidyâdharî (a female demi-god) | J. Widadari; Mak. Bidadari. |
DEMONS, &c. | |||
| Demon | jana, janu | jana (creature, demon) | |
Malignant spirit | bôta | bhûta | J. and S. buta; Mak. bota. |
Name of a particular demon | pancha-maha-bôta | panchan (five); bhûta (element); the five elements according tothe Hindus are earth, fire, water, air, and æther | |
A kind of demon | bôga | bhoga (a snake) | |
Name of a particular demon | bûjangga | bhujaṃga (a snake) | J. bujongga; S. bujangga. |
An evil spirit | rakshâsa | râkshasa | J. and S. raksasa. |
Ghost, goblin | hantû | hantu (death) | J. antu; Bat. and S. hantu; D. hantu,corpse. |
Spectre (which haunts the scene of a murder or suddendeath) | bâdei | vadha (killing, murder) | |
A female who chants incantations | bîdû, bidûan | vidhavâ (a widow) | Bat. biduwan. |
Spell to cause death | permâya | pramaya (death) | Bat. parangmayo. |
| A demon | danâwa | dânava | J. danawa. |
A daitya or demon | ditya | daitya | Kw. ditya. |
A supernatural monster | gargâsi | karkaça (cruel), or perhaps, from ugra, very strong,terrible, cruel | J. gargasi, a large bird |
| Magic | sastarâ | çâstra (science, learning) | |
Magician, sorcerer | sastarâwan | çâstravant (skilled in the holy writings) | |
A remarkable instance of the extent to which the Malay language has been enriched by Aryan terms is to be found in their national or racial name. The origin of the word Malayu (the native word from which we obtain our “Malay”) has been made the subject of some discussion by several authors. Some are disposed to trace it to the Sanskrit word malaya, while others prefer to regard it as a purely native word. These views are summarised in the following extract from the introduction to the Malay Grammar of the Abbé Favre:—
“Some authors, and particularly Dr. Leyden, whose authority in this matter is of great weight, derive the word malayu from the Tamil malé, which means ‘mountain,’ whence malaya, ‘chain of mountains,’ a word applied in Sanskrit to the Western Ghauts.
“Marsden asserts that this opinion, being founded upon a mere resemblance of sound between the Sanskrit word malaya and the name of the Malay people, is not sufficient to justify this derivation.[40]
“Nevertheless the opinion of Dr. Leyden has continued to command belief, and has been regarded as not altogether unfounded by M. Louis de Backer, who has recently published a work on the Indian Archipelago.[41]
“Another theory, which has the support of Werndly,[42] is so far simple and rational that it seeks the etymology of this word in the traditions of the Malays and in books written by themselves. Thus, in a work which has the greatest authority among them, and which is entitled Sulālates-salātin, or Sejārat malāyu, the following passage occurs:—
“‘There is in the island of Sumatra an ancient kingdom called Palembang, opposite to the island of Banka; a river flows there which is still called Tatang, into the upper portion of which another river falls, after having watered the spurs of the mountain Maha Meru (which Malay princes claim as the cradle of their origin); the tributary is called Melayu, or Malayu.’ The meaning of this word is ‘to flow quickly’ or ‘rapidly,’ from layu, which in Javanese as well as in the dialect of Palembang signifies ‘swift, rapid;’ it has become laju, melaju, in Malay by the conversion of ي into ج, a change which is by no means rare in Malay, as it may be seen in يهوري and جهوري,[43] from the Sanskrit ayuta and yodi, and in جوري jehudi, from the Arabic جوت yehudi, &c.