100 iESSAY 'ON THE 



" only means to obtain admission among tlie servants of Vishnu, and a 

 " seat at Vishnu-padam, at the feet of Vishnu, called also Parama-padam, 

 «« or at the place of the most excellent feet/' 



In Asia and the eastern parts of Europe, Britain was considered as 

 the land of spirits, and the abode of the Deity. In Britain they proba- 

 bly placed it farther to the west, in America. In this manner the sa- 

 vages of America place this land of spirits still further to the westward, 

 and as if it were in Asia. The gods and other spirits are fond of pri- 

 vacy, and do not like the vicinity of mankind. Accordingly we find in the 

 Padma-purdiia, se61:ion of Pdtdia, that our White Island is only the 

 abode of an eminent, yet subaltern form of Vishnu and the Supreme 

 Being, in opposition to the other Purdnas : and that the great and real 

 White Island, called Mahd-Rajata-bhumi, or Mahd-Sweta-hhumi, the 

 great silver, or white land, is beyond our White Island, and the moun- 

 tains of Ldcdldca. An impenetrable darkness, with a chaos-like confu- 

 sion of the elements, prevails beyond the mountains of Ldcdldca, which 

 determine the world, according to the general opinion of the Paurdn'icas; 

 whilst some insist, that it is a perfe6l vacuum. When CrTshna, with Ar- 

 JUNA, searched into every dwipa, for the children of his spiritual guide, 

 and asked them in vain from Yama, who declared that they were not with 

 him, he went into Pushcara-dzvipa, or Iceland, to Brahma', who told 

 him, that they were probably with the original Vishnu, whose abode was 

 beyond the mountains of Ldcdldca, in darkness and among waters, 

 Crishna, in his self moving car, advanced toward Suvarna-bhumi or 

 the land of gold, and striking the mountains with his chacra or coit, open- 

 ed an immense passage through them, which exists to this day, as every 

 body knows. This is a very common expression in the Purdnas, and of 



