THE HINDU RELIGION". 71 



nares, in Anna Pu'rn a' Dtvi, the Hindu God- 

 dess of Abundance, whose name is derived from 

 Aima (food), and Piini'd (abundant); let us regu- 

 larly weigh each coniecturc mentioned by Ovid, 

 rejecting only the local story of the deiiicd sister of 

 Dido, and we shall find none that is inapplicable 

 to the Hindu goddess. 1st. The Diaxa of the 

 Romans was represented with a crescent on her 

 forehead; it was her characteristic mark. The 

 Hindu goddess, as being the consort of SiVa or 

 Ca'l, is decorated in like manner; this may ac- 

 count for her being considered as the iVioon. 2dly. 

 The attributes of Themis, whether she is consi- 

 dered as Ceres, which was the supposition of 

 Clemens o^ Ale.vmulria, in his description of her 

 obscene mysteries; or as the goddess of justice, 

 piety, and virtue, as described by Diodorus Si- 

 CULUS, are equally applicable to Anna Pu'rxa' 

 De'vi; the conformity of her name and office to 

 the attributes of Ceres is strikingly apparent. But, 

 if Themis is justice, piety, and virtue personified, 

 the character will equally suit the consort of the 

 god of justice, Vrisha Tswara, and the lord of 

 the sacred bull, D her ma Raja'. 3dly. That she 

 was lo, the daughter of Ixachus, \iiuler the form 

 of a cow, is a supposition which will not be found 

 inapplicable to Anna Pu'rn a' De'vI, when it is 

 known that the Earth, symbolized as a cow of 

 plenty, is one of the forms of the Hindu goddess. 

 4thly. That she was the daughter of Atlas, jMaia, 

 who was beloved by Jupiter, is a conjecture for 

 which a foundation may be traced in the Hindu 

 goddess. Might not the name of Maya or Maha 

 Maya (the beloved consort of Siva) have given 

 rise to this conjecture; the Hindu term being ap- 

 plied to signify the motlicr, the great mother ! 

 5thl3\ The image of Anna Pu'rna' is represented 

 sitting on a throne, giving food, with a golden ladle, 



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