28Si ACCOUNT OF 



The heavens and earth in general, including Mah6- 

 AfSni and Bhiwana, are supposed never to have been 

 created, and to be eternal; but this portion of the 

 earth, Arya or Bliarata, is liable to destruction and 

 renovation. It is destroyed by a poisonous wind, 

 that kills every thing; after which a shower of fire 

 consumes the whole Cdnda. It is again restored by 

 a shower of butter, followed by one of milk, and that 

 by one of the juice of sugar-cane. Men and animals 

 then come from the other five Candas of the earth, 

 and inhabit the new A'rya or Bharatacanda. The 

 books of the A'rhatas mention many Dwipas^ sur- 

 rounding Mahd-Meni, of which the one we inhabit 

 is called Jambu Dwipa. People from this can go as 

 far as Manushottara, a mountain in the middle of 

 P ushcara-Dxvipa, between which and Jambii-Dwipa 

 are two seas, and an island named Dhatuci. Jambu- 

 Dwipa is divided into six Ccmdas, and not into nine, 

 as is done by the Brdhmens who follow the Vedas. 

 r.The inhabitants of five of the Candas are called 

 '^Mlechlias or barbarians. A'rya or Bharatacanda is 

 divided into fifty-six Desas or provinces * as is done 

 by the other Brdhmens. As Arabia and China form 

 two of these Desas, A'rya would seem to include all 

 the world, that was tolerably known to ±he Arhatas, 

 who composed the books of this sect. 



Every animal, from Indra down to the meanest 

 insect, or the most wicked Racsha, has existed from 

 all eternity ; and will continue to undergo changes, 

 from a higher to a lower rank, or from a lower to a 

 higher dignit}', according to the nature of its actions, 

 till at length it becomes perfect, and obtains a place 

 among the Sidd'has. ASudra nmst be born as one of 

 the three higher casts, before he can hope for this 

 exemption from evil ; but, in order to become 3.Brdh^ 



* Perhaps the 56 Antara-dwipas are meant. H. T. C. 



