THE HINDU RELIGIO^^ 65 



Both in the Padma and Gariida we find the 

 serpent Cdlnja, whom Crishna slew in his cliild- 

 hood, among the Deities " worshipped on this 

 *' day ; as the Piifhian snake, according to Clemens, 

 " was adored with Apollo at Delphi'' 



Perhaps this adventure of Crishxa with the 

 Caliya Naga, may be traced on our sphere, for we 

 find there Serpentarius on the banks of the heavenly 

 Yamuna, the milky way, contending as it were 

 with an enormous serpent, which he grasps with 

 both his hands. 



The identity of the Apollo Nomios andCRisnxA 

 is obvious : both are inventors of the liute ; and 

 Crishxa is disappointed by Tu LAS I in the same 

 manner as Apollo was deluded by Daphne, each 

 nymph being changed to a tree ; hence the Tulasi is 

 sacred to Crishna, as the Laurus was to Apollo. 



The story of Na'reda visiting the numerous 

 chambers of Crishna's seraglio, and findingCRiSH- 

 na every where, appears to allude to the universality 

 of the Sun's appearance at the time of the Equinoxes, 

 there being then no part of the Earth where he is not 

 visible in tlie course of the twenty-four hours. 



The Demons, sent to destroy Crishna, are per- 

 haps no more than the monsters of the sky, which 

 allegorically may be said to attempt in vain to ob- 

 struct his progress through the Heavens. 



Many of the playful adventures of Crishna's 

 childhood are possibly mere poetical embellish- 

 ments to complete the picture. 



Perhaps the character of Crishna should be re- 

 g-arded in a two-fold light ; in one as the svmbol of 

 Vol. VIIL ^ F 



