RELIGIOUS SECTS OF THE HINDUS. 213 



These mythological fancies have been principally disseminated by 

 the Purdnas, in all which Prakriti, or Maya, bears a prominent part. The 

 aggregate of the whole is given in the Brahma Vaivartta Purdna, one 

 section of which, the Prakriti Khanda, is devoted to the subject, and in 

 which the legends relating to the principal modifications of the female 

 principle are narrated. 



According to this authority, Brahma, or the supreme being, having 

 determined to create the universe by his super-human power, became two- 

 fold, the right half becoming a male, the left half a female, which was 

 Prakriti. She was of one nature with Brahma. She was illusion, eternal 

 and without end : as is the soul, so is its active energy ; as the faculty of 

 burning is in fire.* In another passage it is said, that Krishna, who is 

 in this work identified with the Supreme, being alone invested with the 



This, my Prakriti, is inherently eight-fold, or earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, indivi- 

 duality." 



So also the Kurma Purdna (Chapter 12). 



His Energy, being the universal form of all the world, is called Maya, for so does the Lord the 

 best of males and endowed will illusion cause it to revolve. That Sakti, of which the essence is 

 illusion, is omnifont! and eternal, and constantly displays the universal shape of Mahesa. 





He, by the power of Yoga, became himself in the act of creation two-fold, the right half was 

 the male, the left was called Prakriti. 



H 1 



