from the- Ancient Books of the Hindus. 391 



divi, it has- retained among the Copts the appellation of Atfi or Atfu, and 

 was called Aphroditopolishy the Greeks: it is below Akhmim on the weflern 

 bank of the Nile, - 



' VI. Among the legends concerning the transformations of De'vi, or 

 'Mr*? w£Hu,'^j<5@-;.we find a wild agronomical tale in the Ndfatya Sanhita, or 

 hiftory of the Indian CASTORand Pollux. In one of her forms., it feems, 

 {he appeared as Prabha'., or Light, and ajjiimed the fhape of Afwini, or 

 a Mare, which is the firft of. the lunar manfions : the Sun approached her 

 in the form of a hbife, and he no fooner had touched her noftrils with his, 

 than (he conceived the twins, who, after their birth, were called Afwini- 

 cumdrau, .or the two Jons of Aswini'. Being left by their parents, who 

 knew their deftiny, they were adopted by Brahma', who intrufted them 

 to the care of his fon Dacsha ; and, under that fage preceptor, they learn- 

 ed the whole Ayurveda, or fyftem of medicine : in their early age they tra- 

 velled' 'over the world performing wonderful cures on Gods and men; and 

 they are generally painted on horfeback, in the forms of beautiful youths, 

 armed with javelins. At firft they refided on the Cula mountains near Col- 

 chis ; but Indr a, whom they had inftructed in the fcience of healing, gave 

 them a ftation in Egypt near the river Call, and their new abode was from 

 them called Afwi-Jl'hdn: as medicated baths were among their moft power- 

 ful remedies, we find near their feat a pool, named Abhimatada, ox granting 

 ■what is defired, and a place called Rupa-yauvana-fl bala, or the land of beau- 

 ty and youth. According to fome authorities, one of them had the name 

 of'AswiN, and the other of Cum a' r, one of Na'satya, the other of 

 Dasra ; but, by the better opinion, thofe appellations are to be ufed in the 

 dual number and applied to them both : they are alfo called Aswan a'sau, 

 or Aswacana'sau, becaufe their mother conceived them by her noftrils; 



