234 ON THE CHRONOLOGY 



Prithu began to beat and wound her. The earth, 

 afTuming the fhape of a cow, went to th# high 

 grounds of Mem, and there laid her complaint be- 

 fore the fupreme court, who rejected it ; as fhe ac- 

 knowledged, that lhe had refufed the common ne- 

 ceilaries of life, not only to mankind in general, but 

 to Prithu himfelf, whofe wife fhe was in a human 

 fhaue. Prithu and his defcendants were allowed 

 to beat and wound her in cafe of noncompliance 

 with the decree of the fupreme court. The earth 

 fubmitted reluctantly, and fince that time mankind 

 are continually beating and wounding her, with 

 ploughs, harrows, hoes, and other inltruments of 

 husbandry. We are told alfo, in more plain lan- 

 guage, that Prithu cut down whole forefts, levelled 

 the earth, planted orchards, and fowed fields with 

 all forts of ufeful feeds. From her hufband Pri- 

 thu, the earth was denominated Prithwi. 



Prithu was a religious prince, fond of agriculture, and 

 became a hufbandman ; which is to be underfrood 

 bv his quarrel with the earth. This induces me 

 to think, that he is the fame with Satyavrata, 

 or Noah, whofe mortal father is not mentioned in 

 the purdnas, at leaft mv Pundits have not been able 

 to iind it. His heavenly father was the Sun ; and 

 Satyavrata is declared alfo to be an incarnation 

 of Vishnu. Here I mult obferve, that at night, 

 and in the weft, the Sun is Vishnu : he is Bra'hma 

 in the eaft, and in the morning ; from noon to even- 

 ing he is Siva. 



XI. Prithu had five children. Vtjttasva, who be- 

 came fovereign over his four brothers, and had the 

 middle part of the kingdom to his own fhare ; 

 Huryacsha ruled over Prachi, or the eaft, and 

 built the town of Rdjgriha, now Raj-mehal ; Dhum- 

 racp/siia, who ruled in the fouth, as Vrica did 

 in the weft, and Dravina'sa in the north. 



XII. Vi'si- 



