1832.] Analysis of the Vishnu Purdna. 433 



from which he issues to separate, and arrange the constituent 

 portions of the world : the system is therefore perfectly conformable 

 to that anciently entertained as explained in the opening of Menu, 

 substituting Vishnu for Brahma. 



■ The third chapter contains the usual divisions of time, from the 

 twinkling of an eye to the period of a Kalpa ; the fourth, an account 

 of the Vardha Avatdra, whence the Vardha Kalpa, or actual great 

 period, derives iU appellation. In the 5th chapter we have the series of 

 creations, effected by Vishnu, amounting to nine, followed by a more 

 detailed account of the order in which the several classes of beings 

 sprang into existence, extending through the 6th and 7th chapters. 



The seventh chapter brings us to the creation of the chief charac- 

 ters of the Swayambhuva Manwantara, the account of whose family 

 is in part at least obviously an allegory. Swaj/ambhuva, the son of 

 the self-existent, is married to Satarupa, (the hundred or many-formed, 

 the great mother;) their children are two sons, Priyavrata (the lover 

 of devotion), and Uttanapada (where we are at fault), and two 

 daughters, Prasuti (child-bearing) and Akuti*, a name not admit- 

 ting an obvious allegorical etymology. It may be observed, that the 

 B'hdgavai adds a third daughter, Devahuti (invocation of the gods), 

 married to Kerdama (soil or sin) ; Akuti was married to Ruchi 

 (light), a Prajapati, but not included in the usual enumeration of 

 those sons of Brahma, unless he be the same with Marichi; their 

 offspring were Yajna (sacrifice), and Daksiiina (donation), who, 

 though brother and sister, were married and begot the twelve divinities 

 called Ydmas, a class whose character and office are not known. Pra- 

 suti was married to the Prajapati Daksha (ability or power) ; they 

 had twenty-four daughters, all emblematical, Sraddha, (faith,) Laksh- 

 mi, (prosperity,) Dhriti, (fortitude,) Tushti, (content,) PusiiTr, 

 (satiety,) Medha, (apprehension,) Kriy'a, (action, &c.) ; thirteen were 

 married to Dherm v, (equity ;) of the other eleven nine were mar- 

 ried to the nine Rishis, Swaha (oblation) was wedded to fire, and the 

 Collective Pitris or progenitors had Sraddhd, the funeral sacrifice, for 

 their spouse : their posterity are all of the same significant character, 

 as their appellations satisfactorily indicate. The Purdnas, in general, 

 follow this account of the first race of created beings, with some modi- 

 fications and additions : the B'hdgavat, as we shall hereafter see, has 

 supplied the most copious accessions, and has introduced into the series 



* However another reading often occurs, usually considered, it is true, an error 

 of the copyist, but possibly the right reading ; Aeiu'ti, invocation of the gods, 

 grayer, or sacrifice, 



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