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tion presides over generation ; as a symbol of which he rides on a 

 white bull. Can we doubt that the loves and feasts of Jupiter 

 Genitor, (not forgetting the white bull of Europa) and his extraor- 

 dinary title of Lapis, for which no satisfactory reason is commonly 

 given, have a connection with the Indian philosophy and my- 

 thology ? 



" Obelisks and pillars, of whatever shape, are symbols of Ma- 

 hadeva; as are more especially pyramids, and any thing conical. 

 Hence the custard-apple, or ramphul, as lately mentioned in the 

 gardens at Surat, from its conical form, takes a religious character, 

 and is appropriated to Siva. Mahadeva is Fire ; the conical or 

 pyramidal shape is the natural form of fire; hence applied to its 

 representative, and symbolized by a triangle apex upwards. 



" To Siva is given three eyes, probably to denote his view of 

 the three divisions of time, the past, the present, and the future. 

 A crescent on his forehead pourtrays the measure of time by the 

 phases of the moon. A serpent forms a necklace, to denote ;he 

 measure of time by 3'ears. A second necklace* formed of human 

 skulls, marks the lapse and revolution of ages, and the extinction 

 and succession of the generations of mankind. He holds a trident,, 

 to shew that the three great attributes are in him assembled and 

 united ; in another hand is a kind of rattle, called damaru, shaped 

 like an hour-glass; and I am inclined to think it really was at first 

 imtended as such, since it agrees with the character of the deity ; 

 and a sand gheri is mentioned in the Sastra,. as one of the modes 

 of measuring time. In the hieroglyphic of Maha Pralaya, or. 

 «rand consummation of all things, when Time itself shall be no 



