from the Ancient Books of the Hindus, 379 



In the Uttara~charitra and other ancient books, we find many ftories con- 

 cerning Su'rya, fome of which have a mixture of aftrological allegory. 

 Once, it feems, he was performing ads of auftere devotion, in the cha- 

 racter of Tapana, or the Inflamer, when his confort Prabha\ or Bright- 

 nefs, unable to bear his intenfc heat, aflu'med the form of Ch'ha ya, or 

 Shade, and was impregnated by him: after a period of a hundred years, 

 when Gods and men, expecting a terrible offspring, were in the utmoft 

 confirmation, fhe was delivered of a male child, in a remote place, after- 

 wards called Arki-Jl'hdn, or Saurjjl'bdn, from Arci and Sauri, the patro- 

 nymicks of Arc a and Su'rya. He was the genius of the planet, which 

 the Latians called Saturn, and acquired among the Hindus the epithet of 

 Sani, and Sanaischara, or flow-moving. For twelve years, during his 

 education at Arci-fl'hdn, no rain fell; but a deftrudive wind blew conti- 

 nually, and the air glazed with tremendous meteors : a dreadful famine en- 

 fued, and the Devetas, together with the Daityas, implored the protection 

 and advice of Su'rya, who directed them to propitiate Sani by perform- 

 ing religious rites to Vishnu near the Pippal tree, which is an emblem of 

 Him; and afilircd them, that, in future ages, the malignant influence of the 

 planet fhould prevail only during its palTage through four figns of the Aja- 

 vii'bi, or Zodiack, The reign of Su'rya in Barbara continued long, but he 

 refigned his dominion to Sani, whofe government was tyrannical: all his 

 pious and prudent fubjects fled to the hilly countries bordering on the river 

 Nandd, while the irreligious and ram perifhed in the deferts of burning [and, 

 to which the baneful eyes of the tyrant reduced all the plains and meadows, 

 on which he looked. His father, returning to vifit his ancient realm and 

 feeing the defolation of the whole country, expelled Sani, and fen t for 

 another of his fons, named Aurva, who, being appointed fucceffor to his 

 brother, purified the 'land, recalled the holy men from the hills, and mads 



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