64 ORIGIN AND DECLINE OF THE 



ingly ; and among them a thief, who being pursued 

 by the officers of justice, claimed his protection, 

 which he readily granted, and was really crucified in 

 his room. He then ascended into heaven, and took 

 the thief along with him. 



Tliis circumstance is otherwise related in the above 

 Purau'as. A numerous banditti had taken shelter 

 near the holy man, thinking themselves safe : but 

 the officers of justice arriving, they were seized, and 

 immediately crucified. The bol}^ man was supposed 

 to be a thief, numbered among them, and crucified 

 also. He did not open liis mouth, but lemained ab- 

 sorbed in holy contemplation, inwardly repeating 

 sacred names, with his arms extended, and uplifted. 



Whilst on the cross, all the Rishis crowded from 

 all parts of the world, in the shape of birds, to see 

 him, and comfort him. A certain thief, who was 

 also covered with leprosy, and, in consequence of it, 

 deprived of the use of his limbs, was accidentally 

 dropped at the foot of the cross, wrapped up like a 

 child in his swaddling clothes. The man, aftei' re- 

 maining there some time, was perfectly cured ; and, 

 being irradiated, repented, lived to a good old age, 

 and obtained eternal bliss. A thick darkness over- 

 spread the face of the world ; and the animated 

 creation was in the utmost distress, and consterna- 

 tion. The holy man, being afterwards taken down 

 from the cross, descendedin to hell, and there encoun- 

 tered, and overcame, death, or Yama. Then a ge- 

 neral renovation of the world took place, under 

 the inspection of Buaiima. The holy man, from his 

 having been crucified, was ever since called Sulas- 

 THA, QV the cross-borne, which is synonymous with 



