CHRISTIAN RELIGION IN INDIA. 41 



mankind ; and, in a scriptural sense, this serpent was 

 the type of the Saviour of the world. 



The pot-maker used to make figures of clay of all 

 sorts, to amuse his grandson, who soon learned to 

 imitate them; but he endued them with Vift. His 

 mother carried him one day to a place full of ser- 

 pents, telling him " go and play with them ; they 

 are your relations :" the child went and played with 

 them, without fear, and without receiving the least 

 injury. These two particulais are never omitted by 

 the narrators. 



About that time Vicrama'ditya, the Emperor of 

 India, was made veiy uneasy, by general rumours, 

 that the old prophecies were accomplished in the 

 person of a child born of a virgin, and who would 

 conquer India, and all the world. He sent emissaries 

 every where to inquire into the truth of this extraor- 

 dinary event, and find out this heaven-born child. 

 They soon returned, and informed him, that it was 

 but too true, and that the child was then in his fifth 

 year. Vicuama'ditya immediately raised a larg-e 

 army in order to destroy the child, and his adherents, 

 in case he should have any. He advanced with all 

 possible speed, and found the child surrounded with 

 mnumerable figures of soldiers, horses, and elephants. 

 These the child endued with life, and attacked Vi* 

 crama'ditya, who was defeated, and left on the 

 field of battle, mortall}^ wounded by the hand of 

 young Sa'liva'hana.* The dying monarch only 

 begged of his conqueror, that he would allow his 

 own period to be equally current all over India 

 with his. This the child granted, and then cut off 



— ■ ■ ' • ■ I 1 1 III m il . . 



See Asial. Eesearch, Vol. IX. p. 118, 120. 



