139 
18/7.] G. S. Leonard —The Mythic History of the God Viraj. 
from whom the other Manus had descended.” That “ He the Great Brah¬ 
ma” divided his person in twain and became half male, and half female. 
This female was severally called by the names of Savitri, S'atarupa, Gaya- 
tri, and Brahmani. That “ the soul of the world, i. e. Brahma passed a 
long time with her and in process of time begat Manu, who is likewise 
called Svayambhuva and also Viraj the first male.” And that he on his 
turn produced fourteen others Manu, Svarochisva, &c., who had the patrony¬ 
mics of Vairajas or Svayambhuvas given to them. I omit giving the 
other accounts relating to the creation in this Purana, as they coincide in 
almost every particular, except in the gradation of persons, with the account 
given by Manu. 
The third chapter of the S'rishti Khanda of the Padma Purana also 
corroborates the account given in the Matsya Purana, with regard to the 
identity of Viraj with Svayambhuva Manu springing from Brahma, and 
taking S'atarupa to wife. Thus Brahma then produced from his essence 
Svayambhuva Manu identical with himself, who became king for the pre¬ 
servation of the universe, and begot a sinless girl named S'atarupa, whom 
Svayambhuva took as his wife.” In this Purana Brahma himself is said 
to have produced the other Manus, viz., Brigu, Pulastya, Pulaha, &c., and 
not through Svayambhuva Manu as stated in the Institutes or the Mats}- a 
Purana. But there is no mention here by whom he begot them. It 
mentions, however, of Brahma’s creation of another supernatural being 
before that of the Manus, who was called Eudra, and who was as brilliant 
as the midday sun, and had a formidable and bulky body, half male and 
half female. This person can be no other than Viraj, though he did not 
propagate the Manus as his race. Eudra is another name for S'iva, who is 
acknowledged by the S'ivites as Viraj in the Eudrayamala Tantra. In the 
Vishnu Purana, Vishnu is said to be the first purusha or spirit, who with 
association with pradhana matter, becomes male and female for the creation 
of the world in the egg. This Vishnu, says Wilson, is the same as the 
Brahma of Manu which can never be the fact, as it is the popular belief, 
supported by the best authorities that Vishnu is identical with Viraj. 
The great epic Mahabharata presents us with two striking instances of 
the manifestations of Virat and Visvarupa in the person of Krishna, who 
had given himself out to be an incarnation of Narayana, Vishnu, or Viraj. 
In chapter 130 of the Udyoga Parva, he is mentioned to have assumed the 
first form, in order to intimidate the haughty usurper Duryodhana, who 
had plotted to arrest his person. “ Think not oh ! foolish prince,” said he, 
“ that I am alone :—the Suns, furies, Vasus and Eishis all accompany me. 
Thus saying he laughed aloud when lo ! unnumbered spirits like flashes 
of lightning issued forth from his refulgent body. Brahma appeared as 
burning on his forehead, and the Eudras shone forth from within his breast. 
