474 ON MOUNT CAUCASUS. 



MOCH, for fuch is his name in Hebrew, implies that he 

 ^vas confecrated to God, and for ever devoted to his 

 fervice. 



Capi LA or Capila-muni, that is to fay, Capila the 

 filent contemplator, is gencrajly found making tapafya 

 af. the mouths of rivers. Though found at feveral 

 places at the fame tinie, he is but one. Near Hardwar 

 is Caplla-Jlhdn^ where he made his firft appearance. His 

 father and mother were exceedingly happy when he 

 ■was born ; as they conceived him to be a gift, and alfo 

 an incarnation of Vishnu, the preferving power; and 

 they hoped, that he would preferve and comfort them. 

 There at Capila-Jihan, he was confulted by his mother 

 the devout Dkvahuti, daughter of Sv/ayambhuva, 

 about the furefl and bed method to obtain Mocjha or re- 

 union to the Supreme Being. The exhortation's of 

 Capila, and his wife admonitions, are related in th^ 

 Bhagavat and oihtr Purcinas. Devahuti withdrew af- 

 terwards to the forefts on the banks of the Bindu-Saro- 

 vara lake, from wliich ilfues the Gangesj and is impro- 

 perly called Ma?i Sarovara. There Ihe performed ta~ 

 pafyas for a long time, and was ultimately reunited to 

 thic Supreme Being, never to be born again. 



In that country, on the banks of the Chinab, in the 

 hills, was performed that famous facrifice, which occa- 

 fioned the death of Abfl, according to the Scanda-pu- 

 rd?ia: an account of which, from the Hindu lacred 

 bor)ks, I beg leave to lay before the Society, as, mofl; 

 probably, 1 (hall not have an opportunity to refame 

 this fubjed hereafter. 



There iiad fuhfifted, for a long time, fome anirnofity 

 l?etween Buahma and Maha'-de'va in their mortal 

 fhapc.>; and the hitter on account of his bad conduft, 

 u'hich i> fuliy defcnbed in the Pufdnas, had, it appears, 

 given much unealinefs to Swayambhuva and S^ta- 

 rupa'. For he was libidinous, going about (lark naked, 



with 



