1^6 



The A7itiquilies of the 



[No. 32, 



mah, two persons of the Hindu Trinity, are the Ionic or Hellenic re- 

 presentations of Ramah the grandson of Ham, one of the ancestors 

 of the Hindus, while his brother Sheha is also remembered in their 

 Trinity as Seva. The word Vish-JsTu contains the remembrance of 

 Nu or Noah, and is the same, I imagine, with Sisuthrus, the Chalde- 

 an name of Noah. The Avatar of the Tortoise obviously refers to 

 the preservation of the Patriarch in the ark at the Deluge. In the 

 Greek Mythology the remembrance of Noah is preserved in Saturn 

 and Neptune. I am not aware that Sir AVilliam Jones in comparing 

 the gods of India with those of Greece has drawn a parallel between 

 Vishnu and Neptune, I shall therefore point out some affinities sub- 

 sisting between them. 



Kurma^ the Tortoise Avatar of Vishnu, I conceive to be Crormis 

 the son of Neptune, and Narayan, a name of Vishnu, means " Moving 

 on the waters." 



Several of the Avatars of Vishnu resemble the transformations of 

 Neptune. 



Matsya or the fish Avatar of Vishnu I believe to be the same as 

 the Avatar of Neptune into a dolphin, to obtain the favours of Am- 

 phitrite. 



Kalkee, the Avatar of Vishnu into a horse, reminds us of Neptune 

 becoming a horse to enjoy the company of Ceres. 



The amours of Vishnu as the naked Buddha Avatara, strongly 

 resemble those of Neptune. 



The third Avatar of Vishnu as Varaha the Boar, has a resemblance 

 to the transformation of Neptune into a Ram to deceive Theophane. 



I have a few more words to add respecting the Ionic remembrance 

 of Ham in E^jypt and India. The colossal statues of Memnon or 

 Ammon in Egypt, sitting and upright, are remarkably similar to those 

 of Buddha or Jaina, in whose names of 

 God A U M a 

 Got A U M a 

 G A U M Ilia 

 Maha A M U N ee (of Tibet) i. e. 



The great Amun or Ammon, or Ham, the expression of both Hin- 

 dus and Egyptians is maintained. The common Tamul name of God, 

 Saumy^ contains the holy name Aum. 



The studious manner in which the Egyptians and Hindus h*ave pre- 

 served the names of the progenitors of their race, in the names of kings 



