17] 



descents to the lower world were very frequent, and appear to have 

 had some connection with the zodiacal constellations ; for we find the 

 incarnation at one time taking place as a man, at another as a fish, at 

 another as a lion, and so on. 



The most ancient of the Avataras was probably the incarnation of 

 Krishna, the Indian Hercules, who was mentioned in the Vedic writings 

 as " Krishna, the son of Devaki," and in whose honour festivals were 

 kept, at a very early period, similar to those connected with the cultus 

 of Bacchus. Megasthenes found the worship of Krishna prevailing 

 along the shores of the Ganges at the beginning of the third century 

 before our era, and described it as the worship of Hercules. This 

 incarnate offspring of the ancient sun-god, Vishnu, was said to have 

 been born at Mathura, a place situated between Delhi and Agra, and 

 to have acted the part of a saviour of the world and a mediator between 

 the gods and men. Soon after his birth his life was sought by the 

 reigning tyrant, Kamsa, who feared for the safety of his throne, which 

 necessitated the removal of Krishna to a place of safety. Arriving at 

 manhood, this young divinity slew the serpent Kaliya, and sported with 

 the Gopis, or female cowherds, among whom he had been brought up. 

 He was fond of wine, Bacchanalian revels, and sensualities, though 

 considered to be immaculately holy, and resigned to his fate, which was 

 to suffer death in order to relieve the earth of the burden of a proud 

 race. For this purpose he was incarnated in the womb of his mother, 

 Devaki, and for this purpose he lived and died. 



In the mountainous regions away from the Ganges the cultus of Siva 

 was the more prevalent, Vishnu being considered of secondary import- 

 ance ; but, as sects gradually were formed out of the ancient religion, 

 one party preferring this deity and another that, an attempt was made, 

 which eventually proved successful, to re-unite the various religious 

 parties and re-instate the principal gods in their original places. The 

 ancient orthodoxy was brought into sympathy with the new religion in a 

 very curious manner, by making Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva a trinity of 

 essences or attributes of the supreme Brahm, each a supreme god in 

 itself, and each equal with the others in importance ; Brahma being 

 specially the creator, Vishnu the redeemer or preserver, and Siva the 

 destroyer. At times Krishna was added to the new trinity as a fourth 

 figure ; but this was an innovation which found little favour, inasmuch 

 as Vishnu and Krishna were the same god, the one but the incarnation 

 of the other. Thus the old idea of Prajapeti, or Brahma, with the three 

 divine energies Agni (fire), Vayu (air), and Surya (the sun) were 

 revived in a manner as a new trinity of essences of the supreme deity, 

 under other names ; and the arrangement thus concluded has continued 

 in use to this day with the orthodox Hindus. We find, therefore, that, 



