THE
THIRTY SEVEN NATS AND THEIR WORSHIP
In Myanmar, when
speaking of Nats, we refer mainly to the 37 Nats introduced since the time of
King Anawrhata of Bagan. The way these 37 came about to be is interesting as
well as fascinating and with the passage of time there had been a lot of
evolvements, incorporation and corrections on these 37 with Hindu mythology,
but basically the number had remained.
Rites, rituals and
ceremonies are observed in connection with their cults. People tend to be
terrified by them or become strongly emotional on account of their legends.
These 37 are of the nether world which for some reason or the other are, in
scientific and spiritual reasoning, stopped in their metaphysical progress and
had remained in the wandering state as a spirit for an immeasurable amount of
time.
Basically or literally
speaking these 37 Nats are ghosts. But why had they, and only they occupied the
respects, acquired the sympathy and profound love and faith of the local people
is something, which a stranger must contemplate and find out to satisfy his
curiosity.
No exact definition can
be produced for them. But a scientific might well give a stimulating
forethought into these mysterious identities that had bewitched you, me and all
the Burmans alike (Thet tun, N)
If a Nat is likened to
a ghost in spiritual approach it is required firstly that the word
''Ghost" is defined in the most scientific terms.
Ghost:
It is that eerie thing which swishes around in the nigh with a few creaks and
groans, and which cause the hair on our heads to stand straight up, but it is
harmless. A ghost is just and etheric force which wanders about according to
the habits of its previous owner, until eventually that etheric force, that
ehteric double, is dissipated. A strong healthy person who is suddenly killed
by perhaps extreme violence, has a very strong etheric. If a person is being
attacked, then he or she focuses the etheric into a strong entity. If, then,
the Silver Cord is suddenly severed in that process which we call death, the
astral body goes off, the physical body decays, and the poor etheric becomes a
homeless, mindless, wandering waif. Throughout the whole life of the body, the
ehteric ha been modeled on that body, it is a habit pattern of the body. So if
the body was in the habit of going to a certain place, or thinking of certain
people, then the etheric will do likewise until perhaps during centuries the
power becomes dissipated, and eventually vanishes.
The etheric body is the
one which attends séances and gives the so-called ''messages'' from beyond the
grave. It is quite a tragedy really because people on Earth should realize that
when we leave this world we have other thinfs to do, and cannot always, and do
not want always, to get in touch with people left behind. The etheric, or
ghost, is a thing of no moment and should be disregarded. (Rampa, L.Dr.)
In our country
sorcerers try to bewitch victims by using the vivtims' clothes, mails, hairs
etc., which are full of the vibrant etheric force of the victims. The etheric currents
in the clothes of the victim get in touch with the victim and magnetize the
victim to yield to the commanding waves of the sorcerer. The victim thus
becomes enchanted and acts to the wishes of the enchanter.
Sometimes photographs
of the victims are used. When you are to be photographed and the cameraman
tells you to poise, you concentrate on the static grace of yourself and etheric
forces mobilize into a strong entity. This force is captured on the film.
In the same way the
kings of yore use to bury the entrails of executed criminals, with rituals of
royal order, under the entrances of city gates and at corners of city walls.
Here also the strong ehteric force of the victim is captivated from moving away
on account if the royal decree.
These then would be the
most approximate explain\nation if what a Nat is. None other than this approach
would be most effective in imparting the mysticism of the 37 Nats to strangers
(thet tun, N.)
The official list of
the 37 nats is not accurately chronological. It is, though, easy to
re-establish the other. Sir R. C. Temple suggested a classification of the Nats
with 5 historical cycles:
(1) The Duttahaung Cycle - founded by the Prome Kings 5 centuries
before our era. In this scenario the most popular of the Burmese legendary
nats, Mahagiri, leads another 6 characters.
(2) The Anawrhata cycle - Founded by the Pagan kings in
the 12th century, with 9 new nats amongst which the popular brothers
of Taunbyone were included. Taungbyone is still the place alon of the most popular
nat festivals.
(3) A Mixed Cycle - 11 new nats added from the regin of
Alaungsithu at Pagan up to the Shan dynasty of Pinya (15th century).
(4) The Tabinshwehti Cycle - Founded in the 16th century under
the Pegu dynaty and added 4 new nats.
(5) The Bayinnaugn Cycle - The Bayinnaung cycle of the Pegu dynasty
which was much shaken in the 17th century by continual violence
introduced 4 new nats.
Rodrigue,
Yves (author) of Nat-Pwe
With these foregoing
facts, the young aspiring tour guides would be able to introduce reasonably and
logically the mysterious identity of the 37 Nats of Myanmar.
ဆရာဦးမ်ဳိးသန္႔ထံမွ ကိုးကားေဖာ္ျပသည္။
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