The myth about some talismans is mysterious because they are believed to possess spirits which sometimes show themselves to people in the house or the neighbourhood. The said talismans are Guman Thong and Ruk-Yom which both could bring good luck to your business and add charm to their owners while providing protection in case of danger. Guman Thong has been a very popular talisman in the Thai society. Nowadays we can see the statues of Guman Thong placed in many stores because the storekeepers believe that he could help increase customers in their stores and he could also bring good luck to the owner.
The myth of GumanThong first appeared in the classic Thai literature, Khun Chang Khun Paen. Khun Paen the protagonist of the story discovered that Boa Klee, one of his wives planned to poison him. He therefore, murdered her and took the unborn foetus from his wife's womb and decided to turn his dead son into a GumanThong. Khun Paen burnt the dead foetus to make the body smaller, covered it with gold leaves, and wrapped him up with a sheet. Besides the legendary Fafeun sword and Si Mohk horse, Guman Thong was one of the occult science that Khun Paen tried to create all his life.
Guman Thong was very significant to Khun Paen personally because Guman Thong is also his son. In addition, Guman Thong was a baby spirit and could travel with Khun Paen everywhere unlike the other sacred elements possessed by Khun Paen. Guman Thong can be classified as a sacred talisman since Ayutthaya era and it still gained the same high respect to this day. Yet, we cannot create Guman Thong in the same way that Khun Paen did in the past because it is deemed illegal and immoral.
The Traditional Way of Creating Guman Thong That Ceased Nowadays
According to ancient arcane knowledge book, the boys who died in their mothers' wombs on Saturday or Tuesday would be grilled until dry, then lacquered and covered with gold leaves. This is the way to make one of the best talismans in olden time. Later on, the ancient clergymen found that the traditional way of creating Guman Thong was complicated and probably illegal and immoral. They, therefore modified the process; made it less elaborate but still maintained its magical power by using special materials with mystical power in themselves such as salt lick, soil from graves, clay from caves, and bone ashes from corpses that died on Saturday and were cremated on Tuesday. The clergymen would recite an incantation over these materials to create the most powerful Guman Thong to protect and watch their houses, increase interest in trade, and add charm to the owners.
In the traditional way of making Guman Thong, the clergyman would bring the magic dagger with him and recite the incantation while he was delivering Guman Thong from his mother's womb: "Sitti deacho sitti jittung maha pooto mason tanung". When he was out, the clergyman would talk to him: "My boy, I love you and I want you to be my son. Come live with me, I will raise you up and you'll be happy." The clergyman would pretend that he was talking to Guman Thong and the boy also stood up and talked to him too as if he was alive. Then the clergyman would cut the umbilical cord.
Guman Thong's body had to be grilled in the temple compound. The clergyman needed to cover the ceiling of the temple with a white sheet, set lacquered sticks on four directions, put a holy white string seven rounds, and put a cabalistic writing, Mongkul Praputtachao on the ceiling. A three-legged stand tripod and a beam to put the baby were made of wood from the trees called cassia nodosa. The boy?s body had to be grilled in this area. The clergyman would have to be careful not to burn the body and complete the ceremony before the sun rises and he had to recite the incantation: "Suwanno Piyagumaro mahapooto mahittigo suppatisasu wattigo suppakamaesu kowaro suppachananung hateuyya mahatecho pawattigo ratanataya nupawaena ratanataya tedsa taewanung ittipalaena gumaro jamahittigo," which means: "Guman Thong, with your great power, you can travel to every place; into houses, into minds. You travel around with the power of the Triple Gems and mighty power of gods. You shall be great and powerful Guman Thong." Then, the clergyman would put out the fire and again recite the incantation: "Katjihe mahapooto samasudso sataewago karohi pito wajamaena sumpunnaena pasittiya." After that, the clergyman would lacquer all over the boy's body.
After the ceremony, the clergyman would invite the baby by saying: ?Guman Thong, now you are Guman Thong. From now on please stay with me. I will bring you up with happiness, toys, food, and sweet. If I have something for you to help, please do it for me too.? The clergymen who could create Guman Thong must be a genius and had to be a specialist in this field, if not they would inevitably be cursed and be destroyed by the black magic spells.
The Legend of Guman Thong - The Ferocious Killers
According to ancient arcane knowledge, there are two kinds of Guman Thong. One is wild, ferocious and can destroy enemy, and the other is able to add charm and bring fortune. The first kind of Guman Thong is a ferocious type. This type of Guman Thong is consisted of four kinds namely Guman Thong Pretmun, Guman Thong Pretdub, Guman Thong Pretkong, and Guman Thong Pretsoon. They can be called "Pret Puti Ngan" or "Guman Pretprab". People use them only to destroy or murder their enemies. According to ancient legend creating this kind of Guman Thong, the clergyman had to invite ghost who died in unnatural death or evil spirits to inhabit in the statue of Guman Thong. These four kinds of fierce some Guman Thong have his own ways to destroy the enemy. Guman Thong Pretsoon has a power to drive people crazy. Guman Thong Pretkong and Guman Thong Pretmun are very good in protecting property; they will kill strangers who invade the house. The only thing that can subdue Guman Thong Pretmun is Wou Tanoo, a kind of wood used in carrying a dead body. Yet Guman Thong Pretkong's power is much stronger than Guman Thong Pretmun because the former is able to conquest Wou Tanoo. Moreover Guman Thong Pretkong is able to chase after the enemy everywhere but Guman Thong Pretmun can only exercise his power within his sphere. Perhaps the only weapon that can stop Guman Thong Pretkong is a copper Wou Tanoo or Kway Tanoo.
Guman Thong Pretkong therefore is an outstanding black spirit which you can hardly find anything to conquest him. Guman Thong Pretdub is a cold-blooded killer who can cut the enemy's throat as fast as a professional killer. Guman Thong the ferocious killers are still popular among people who believed in black magic occult. Therefore, this killer type is often obscure from the public knowledge and not known to the ordinary talisman collectors.
The type of Guman Thong that we can find in general is not the fierce type unlike the killer Guman Thong type. This kind of subtle Guman Thong can be termed as a valuable Guman Thong in bringing good luck, adding charms, increasing advantage in business, and most importantly does not cause harm to the owner. Another kind of Guman Thong that is specifically used to watch the house, store, and invite customers does not have any particular name. Generally the owner of Guman Thong will name his talisman himself such as Udomdat, Udomlap, and Udomchoke.
We can find many people worshiping this kind of good and subtle Guman Thong because they are not fierce and could add charm to its owner. In the past Guman Thong in this category created by Luang Phor Tae from Wat SamNgam are considered very powerful and good in this respect. Nowadays they are usually created by Luang Phor Yaem who is the direct disciple of Luang Phor Tae.
Guman Thong who could add charm cannot hurt anyone because their hearts are filled with Metta. They have their special power to protect the house, inviting customers, and bring good luck to the householder. They do not have any evil power to hurt or destroy others like the Guman Thong killer type. The clergymen merely create these good Guman Thong to encourage merchants who have good deeds and want something to hold to. Therefore this kind of Guman Thong is the most popular talisman in these days.
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