416 On Egypt and the Nile 



Avemus : the word Vdrdnasl may be taken, as fome Brdhmens have con- 

 jetftured, from the names of two rivulets Varuna and Asz, between which, 

 the town (lands ; but more learned grammarians deduce it from vara, or 

 moji excellent, and anus., or water, whence come Vardnasi, an epithet of 

 Gangd, and Varanasi (formed by Pa'niki's rule) of the city raifed on her 

 bank. To proceed : Brahma' offered Ripunjaya the dominion of the 

 whole earth, with Cdfi for his metropolis, directing him to collect the fcat- 

 tered remains of the human race, and to aid them in forming new fe t de- 

 ments ; telling him, that his name mould thenceforth be Divo'da'sa, or 

 Servant of Heaven* The wife prince was unwilling to accept fo burden- 

 fome an office, and propofed as the condition of his acceptance, that the 

 glory, which: he was to acquire, mould be exclufively his own,, and that 

 no Bevata- mould remain in his capital: Brahma', not without re- 

 luctance, aiTe'ntedj and even Maha'de'va* with his attendants, left their 

 favourite abode r at Cd/i, and retired to the Mandara hills near the fource of 

 the Ganges. The reign of Divodas began with acts of power, which 

 alarmed the Gods ; [hjs depofed the Sun and Moon from their feats, and 

 appointed Other regents^ o£ them, making alfo a new fort of (ire : but- the 

 inhabitants,; of Cafe were happy under his virtuous government. The dei- 

 ties, however,, were jealous ; and Maha'de'va, impatient to revifit his 

 beloved city, prevailed on them to aflume different (hapes, in order to fe- 

 duce the king and his people. De'vi v tempted them, without fuccefs, in 

 •the forms of fixty four Ydginis, or female anachorets : the twelve A'dityas t 

 ox Suns, undertook to corrupt them; but, aihamed of their failure, remain- 

 ed in the holy town : next appeared Gane'sa, commiffioned by his father 

 'Maha'pe'ya,; in the garb of an aftronomer, attended by others of his 

 profeffion, and afiifted by thirty-fix Vaindyacis or Ganifis, who were his 

 female descendants 4 and by their help he began to change the difpofitiom 



