160 ESSAY OS 



the son of the damsel could not be admitted to 

 share with his relatives, or even to remain in their 

 communion. He was, however, honouralily dis- 

 missed, with his mother, after they ha^l given him 

 a suitable education, and rich presents ; and they 

 advised him to shift for himself, anct to set up a 

 new religion, as he could not be considered as a 

 member of the old one, on account of his strange 

 birth, or rather conception. When advanced in 

 years, he wished to see his paternal relations and 

 India; and to persuade them to conform to his new 

 doctrine; but he died in his way thither, at Aleiiina, 

 near Candahdr. This Medina is Ghazni, called em- 

 phatically the second Medina, from the great number 

 of holy men entombed there: and it is obvious, 

 that the Huidus have confounded Muhammed with 

 Sultax-^Iaiimood, whose sumptuous Mausoleum is 

 close to that city. Thus we see, that the account 

 they give of Muhammed is a mere rhapsody, 

 retaining some of the principal features of the his- 

 tory of Ishma'el, Ha'gar, Muhammed himself, 

 and Sultan Mahmood. 



This Samvat, or era, of Maiia'biiat, was early in- 

 troduced into India, and the Hi?idus were obliged 

 to use it, as they do now in all their civil trans- 

 actions; and thus Muhammed became at least a 

 Sambatica or Santica. According to the rules laid 

 down by the learned in India, Mohammed is cer- 

 tainly a '^^cr/ and \Saceszvara, and is entitled to the 

 epithet of Vicrama. He is a 'Saca, or mighty 

 chief; and, like other \Sacas, he killed his millions : 

 he is "Sacesxcara^ or the ruler of a sacred period, 

 still in use in India. For these reasons, the 

 Pandits who assisted Abul-Fazil, did not scruple 

 to bestow the title of Vicramaditya upon him; 

 and even to consider him as the real worthy 

 of that name; and in order to make the era, or 

 at least the time of Vicramaditya's appearance, 



