THE HINDU Rii^LIGION. 77 



Deity itself. It cannot be dispensed with; while 

 the image of Durga' may be omitted entirely. The 

 Vaishtiavas use the sacred jar, which they mark 



with several crosses in this manner li...,,! . The 



Saivas mark the jar with a double triangle, thus 

 one triangle signifies Siva, uniting in him- 



self the three great attributes: the other triangle is 

 his consort, with the same character and attributes. 

 The worshippers of the Sacti, or female principle, 



mark tlie jar with this figure r./ . These marks 



are called jt7«^r« ; they are, in fact, hieroglyphic 

 characters; and there is a vast variety of them. 

 The above are only mentioned here, because of their 

 use in this Piija, and as they distinguish three 

 principal sects of the Hindus. 



This coincidence between the Hindu ceremonies 

 and the Egyptian figures, is remarkabl>^ striking. 

 They appear to me to explain each other: and we 

 can scarce doubt of the identity, wlien we consider 

 that this ceremony takes place at the autumnal 

 equinox, at which time the season of storms and 

 inundation is over, and they are supposed to have 

 been subdued, during the Sun's passage througli 

 the sio-ns Leo and Viro-o. 



On the Hu'li of the Krxous,* a?2d the Hilaria of 



the ilOMANS. 



The Romans celebrated the Hilaria at the vernal 

 Equinox, in honour of the Motlier of the Gods, 

 It was. a festival which was continued for seveiai 

 days, with great display of pomp and rejoicing: it 

 began the eighth day before tlie Caknds. of Ami 



