HINDOOSTAN. 
fcribe them as identically one. The Saivas, on the con¬ 
trary, infift, that this Omphalic rifing is meant as the em¬ 
blem of the Ling ; hence Siva’s title of Arghanath, and 
in the Agama, Argha-Ifa , both meaning the Lord of the 
facred Veflel ' Arglia. Viihnu is alto reprefented in the 
tenth Avatar as the deftroying power, thus afcribing to 
him tire attribute of Siva. 
All the lefts, however, appear to believe in the ten vi¬ 
able manifeftations of Viihnu upon the earth. He is fup- 
pofed to have afiumed a vifible form nine feveral times 
fince the creation; the lail of thefe about five thoufand 
years ago; and he is expefted once more to appear in 
the world, for the tenth and laft time. Thefe mariifefta- 
tions took place in the following order: 
Firft, when lie afiumed the figure of a filh, in order to 
recover, from the bottom of the ocean, the books of the 
facred law, which had been ilolen by a giant or demon, 
while Brahma ilept. 
Second, when he took on him the form of a tortoifc, 
for the purpofe of removing the mountain Mairoo, and 
upfetting it in the fea of milk, to enable the Daivers to 
obtain from it the potion of immortality which, in that 
ftate, it was thenceforward to yield. 
Third, when he became a wild boar, in order to tear 
up the foundations of the earth, that he might reach the 
feet of Siva. 
Fourth, when he was born into the world as a prince, 
and took the name of Rama ; in this Rate, he encoun¬ 
tered the great giant of Yail-Lunga, or Ceylon. This 
giant or demon is reprefented with ten heads and twenty 
arms ; but neither the wifdom nor the ftrength which theie 
allegorically indicate could prevent the final extirpation 
of his race from that ifiand. Viflmu’s image as Rama is 
always attended by another of an ape, vhofe numerous 
tribe was cf efientinl fervice to him in the accomplifli- 
ment cf this exploit. 
Fifth, when he was again born as a warrior. His fa¬ 
ther, on this occafion, was a celebrated prophet; and his 
mother one of the tutelary intelligences. The object of 
this appearance, was the annihilation of fevcn arbitrary, 
ufurping, and cruel, monarchs. _ 
Sixth, when in the form and character of a prieft, he 
extirpated the religions of the two nations called the Poo- 
liver and Saumauner; and propagated his own worlhip 
throughout India. 
Seventh, when in the form of a being, half lion and 
half human, he tore out the entrails and drank the blood 
of the mighty, but cruel, giant Eeraunien. 
Eighth, when he appeared as a dwarf Brahmin ; and, by 
ftratagem, wrefting the government of the world out of 
the hands of the giant Bailee, he trod that monfter into 
the earth. 
Ninth, when he was born as an infant, in the houfe of 
a ftiepherd, who educated him; after which he performed 
great exploits under the name of Criflina. 
The tenth and lalt vifible manifeftation has not yet 
been made ; but it is to be exhibited under the form of 
an immenfe animal, partly horfe, and partly elephant 5 as 
a fymbol of the power and might with which he will pro¬ 
ceed to judge the earth, and punifn the wicked. This 
figure is finely fculptured in many of his temples; and 
may be feen moll: curioufiy carved in one of the Hin¬ 
doo pillars or columns, in our article Architecture, 
vol. ii. p. 67, Plate II. 
In the mean while the worfhippers of Siva, in order to 
gain a firm footing among the votaries of pleafure, who 
are always the molt numerous, introduced the doctrines 
of the eternity of matter. In order to reconcile the ap¬ 
parent contradiction of afilgning the attribute of creation 
to the principle of dejlrutlion, they aft’erted, that the dill'o- 
lution and deftruftion of bodies was not real, with re- 
fpeft to matter, which was iitdeftruftible itfelf, although 
its modifications were in a conftant fuccefiion of muta¬ 
tion ; that the power which continually operates thefe 
changes, mutt neccfiarily unite in itfelf the attributes of 
creation and apparent deftruction; that this power, and 
Vol. X. No. 64.6. 
matter, are two diftinft and co-exiftent principles in na¬ 
ture ; the one agent, the other patient; the one male, the 
other female ; and that creation was the effeCt of the myf- 
tic union of thefe fexual principles. The hieroglyphic* 
of this myttical union was worfhipped under a variety of 
names; and thus the attribute of creation was wrefted 
from Brahma, by the followers of Siva, to adorn and cha¬ 
racterize their favourite deity. 
This voluptuous fymbol feemsTo have been a popular 
worlhip,‘for a great length of time. Two lefts, however, 
fprang out of it: the one perfonified the whole univerfe, 
and the difpenfations of providence in the regulation, 
thereof, into a goddefs; this feft retained the female fym¬ 
bol only, and denominated themfelves Sadia, as worlhip- 
pers of the SaQi, or female influence exclusively, which 
they called Pracriti ; and which we, from the Latin, term 
Nature. 
The other feft infilled, that there,was but one eternal 
firft caule ; that every thing exifting, derived its exiftence 
from the foie energy of that firft caule, ( Niranjcn.) Hence 
arofe the tribe of Deifts in India. 
In order to exprefs their ideas of the abfolute indepen¬ 
dence of this fupreme power upon any extra co-operation, 
they took for their fymbol the male parts,, unconneftcd 
with that of the female. A third feft now arofe, to re¬ 
concile the idea of the unity of the godhead with that of 
the exiftence of matter and fpirit; they, therefore, con¬ 
tended, that the union of thofe two principles was fo 
myfterioufly intimate as to form but one being, which they 
reprefented by a figure half male and half female, and 
denominated Hara-Gauri, and Ardhanari Ifwara. It is 
poflible that the grofs idea of obfcenity was not origi¬ 
nally attached to thefe fymbols ; and it is likely, that the 
inventors themfelves might not have forefeen the diforders 
which this worlhip was to occafion amongft their follow¬ 
ers. Obfcene mirth became the principal feature of the 
popular fuperftition, intermingled with libidinous rites 
and bloody facrifices. It was now .that the lingam , or 
figure exhibiting the contaft of the fexes, too grofs to 
delcribe, became the favourite and diftinguilhing inligma 
of the votaries of Siva; and in fuch high veneration was 
this dilgufting image held, that it foon found a place both 
within and without the temples of Siva; wliilit his priefts 
cauled the figure to be call in miniature, and fold among 
their followers, in fmall‘cafes of gold, filver, or brafs, ac¬ 
cording to themeans of the purchafers ; wdio on certain 
feftivals ftill wear them expofed around their necks or 
arms.—See Kinderley’s Hindoo Literature. 
Thefe fcandalous fabrications of the priefts, working 
upon the ignorance and fimplicity of their votaries, too 
obvioufly fliow the road by which idol-worlbip, with ail 
its abominations, found its way fo univerfilly among this 
extraordinary people. For, that it was not fo in their ear¬ 
lier days, or at the primeval formation of their mytho¬ 
logy, may be feen from their own record of the univer- 
fal deluge, as recounted in the Bhagavct, from which it is 
literally tranflated by fir William Jones; and forms the 
firft Purana, entitled Matfya , when Viihnu made his firft: 
vifible manifeftation on the earth, in the form of a fifii. 
“ Defiring the prel’ervation of herds, and of Brahmans, 
of genii and virtuous men, of the Vedas, of law, and of 
precious things, the lord of the univerfe a flumes many- 
bodily fhapes; but, though he pervades, like the air, a 
variety of beings, yet he is himfclf unvaried, fince he has 
no quality fubjeft to change. At the clofe of the laft 
Calf-a, or renovation of the earth, there was a general de- 
ftruftion occafioned by the deep of Brahma; whence his 
creatures in ’ different worlds were drowned in a vaft 
ocean. Brahma, being inclined to dumber, defiring re- 
pole after a lapfe of ages, the ftrong demon Hayagriva 
came near him,- arid ftole the Vedas which had flowed 
from his lips. When Heri, the preferver of the univerfe, 
dil’covered this deed of the prince of Danavas, he took 
the fnape of a minute fifii, called fa'/hari. A holy king, 
named Satyavrata, then reigned ; a fervant of the fpirit 
which moved on the waves, and fo devout, that water was 
H h hi* 
