66 ORIGIN AND DECLINE OF THE 



inanifestations of the deity, I say, on becoming- 

 flesh, are more or less subjected to the infirmities, 

 and even the weakness of human nature, being cer- 

 tainly involved, in some measure, in the gloom of 

 mdya, or worldly illusion. In this case,, Yama is 

 always sure to find some taint of negative guilt, in 

 conseijucnce of which he can at least bring them to 

 death's door ; and it was found that Mand'av yah, in 

 his infancy, had destroyed a feeble and innocent 

 insect, by piercing him either with a needle or with a 

 blade of grass. This fatal needle was the only thing 

 that Christ ever possessed in this world; yet, how- 

 ever insignificant in itself, it was certainly a worldly 

 implement, and it prevented his admission into hea- 

 ven, according to Muselmam in India ; neither will 

 he ever be admitted till after his second manifesta- 

 tion, at the end of the world. Others say, that he 

 was admitted into the fourth only, instead of the 

 highest heaven, on that account. 



We read in the M-aha-Bliarata, that there was a 

 most holy and pious Brahmen called Mand'avyah, 

 who was making tapasya with his arms uplifted, ab- 

 sorbed in holy contemplation. Some loptr as, lifters 

 or thieves, placed themselves near him, with their 

 stolen goods, thinking to be safe ; but the King of 

 that place, who was in pursuit of them, ordered them 

 to be crucified, and as the holy man gave no answer, 

 he was numbered among them, and crucified with 

 the rest. In the night-time, all the Rishis, hearing 

 of his misfortune, flocked from all quarters, in the 

 shape of bu'ds, to comfort him. In the mean time 

 the thieves died on the cross ; but the holy man re- 

 mained meditating, without uttering a word, with 

 ]iis arms uplifted. The King hearing this, immedi- 

 ately saw that Mand'vyah was a Rlshi, and hastened 



