1832] Analysis of the Vishnu Pur ana. 441 



story is told in the usual strain, yet there is this peculiarity, that 

 Krishna is never considered as one and the same with Hari ; he is 

 only an Ansdvatara or an incarnate portion of Vishnu ; not a very 

 distinguished one either, being only one of Vishnu's hairs (B. v. 

 chapter 1.) plucked off by himself at the prayers of the gods, to 

 become incarnate in the conception of Devaki, to be born for the pur- 

 pose of alleviating the distresses of the earth. 



The subsequent occurrences are related conformably to the tenor 

 of the B'hdgavat, and very differently, therefore, from that of the 

 Bhdrat ; the war with Jarasandha particularly, and the adventures 

 of Kala Yavana : it also includes what may be supposed to typify 

 some hostile struggles between the followers of Siva and Vishnu, 

 in the personal conflict between Krishna, and the former, as taking 

 part respectively with Aniruddha and Banasura. 



From the 34th chapter of this section, we learn that there have 

 been spurious Krishnas amongst the Hindus, and Paundraka, the 

 king of Benares, is described as usurping the title of Vasudeva : he is 

 encountered by the legitimate possessor of the name, defeated and 

 slain: his son continues the war with the aid of Sankara or the Saivas, 

 and it should appear at first with some success, so as to endanger 

 Dwdrakd) the capital of Krishna : the allies however are repelled, 

 and the holy city Kasi burnt by the relentless discus of the victor ; 

 the legend seems to delineate, though darkly, actual occurrences. 



This book terminates with the destruction of the Yddavas ; Krish- 

 na's being shot through mistake by a forester, and his ascent to heaven. 



The last book of the Vishnu Purdna, after describing the divisions 

 of time into Kalpas, &c. expatiates on the various pangs that flesh is 

 heir to, and directs mankind to the only remedy for them, faith in 

 Vishnu as the Supreme. 



The general character of the Vishnu Purdna will be readily con- 

 ceived from this sketch of its contents : it is a sectarial work, but of 

 a much more sober character than such works generally possess, and 

 appropriates to legend and panegyric, a comparatively insignificant 

 portion of its contents : the geographical and astronomical systems to 

 be found in it, are of the usually absurd complexion, but they are 

 more succinctly and perspicuously described than perhaps in any other 

 Purdnas : the same may be said of the genealogies, and the fourth 

 book, may be regarded as a valuable epitome of the ancient history of 

 the Hindus. 



The date of the compilation, it has already been observed, may be 

 inferred to be as low as the middle of the tenth century : there are no 



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