EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



The illustration of Brahm, the androgynous creator of the Hindus, 

 " is a copy of an original drawing made by a learned Hindu pundit for 

 Wm. Simpson, Esq., of London, whilst he was in India studying its 

 mythology. It represents Brahm supreme, who in the act of creation 

 made himself double, /. e., male and female. In the original the cen- 

 tral part of the figure is occupied by the triad and the unit, but far too 

 grossly shown for reproduction here. They are replaced by the Crux 

 Ansata [a cross and circle representing the male and female elements 

 in nature]. The reader will notice the triad and the serpent in the 

 male hand, whilst in the female is to be seen a germinating seed, in- 

 dicative of the relative duties of father and mother. The whole stands 

 upon a lotus, the symbol of androgyneity. The technical word for this 

 incarnation is Arddha Nari" (Inman's " Ancient Faiths,") 



The illustration of the god Siva, nursed by his virgin- wife -mother, 

 Parvati, requires some explanation. The right hand of the virgin 

 makes the symbol of the yoni (female principle) with the forefinger 

 and thumb, the rest of the fingers typifying the triad. In the palm 

 and on the navel is a lozenge, emblematic of woman. In the infant's 

 hand is one of the many emblems of the linga (male principle), whilst 

 under his feet a lotus supports his body. The monkey is emblematic 

 of the carnal desire. The relationship existing between the mother 

 and child was of a twofold nature. The deities of the ancients were 

 usually androgynous, and thus each of the members of the Hindu triad 

 possessed two parts, a male half and a female half, which he inherited 

 from his androgynous parent Brahm, whose female principle brought 

 forth the three essences, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Thus each god 

 became the husband as well as the son of the divine female principle, 

 just as Virgo of the zodiac was both mother and wife of the sun-god 

 of the annual revolution, mother at his birth at the winter solstice and 

 wife at his ascension at the summer solstice. The female part or wife- 

 mother of Siva was the virgin goddess Parvati ; of Vishnu, Lakshmi ; 

 of Krishna, Devaki ; of Indra, Indranee ; of Horus, Isis ; etc. 



