II IND 
the pervading (and being tile foul of) all nature; fupre- 
macy in dignity ; the Sovereign controul of all events.” 
From the foregoing paflfages we dif'cover no tendency to 
idolatry, or even a notion of falfe gods; which we (hall 
hereafter confirm by our extracts from the Vedas ; and, as 
their authority is unimpeachable, fo the evidence they 
afford in behalf of the true religion is not to be denied. 
It is therefore to the baneful influence of the priefls, who 
degraded the divine attributes of the Deity into fubordi- 
nate gods, and into genii or demons of various vifible 
forms, and preferibed to them numberlefs rites and cere¬ 
monies with which an ignorant and infatuated people 
were ready enough to conform, that we. are to attribute 
the idolatry of the Hindoos. That this abomination arofe 
out of the difputes between the priefts and feed s of Vifhnu 
and Siva for pre-eminence, appears pretty certain ; and 
yet it is curious to remark, that, wherever the intereftS of 
thefe priefts appear to’have been combined for the inereafe 
• of offerings, they would (title ail animofity, and league 
together for their mutual advantage. A ftrpriger proof 
of this faft cannot be given than what is afforded by the 
prieftcraft of the Hindoo temple of Jagan-Nath, com¬ 
monly called Jagarnavt. This pagoda is a famous refort 
for pilgrims of all fe£ts; and it has been fo contrived as 
to be revered by all. It is become a converging point, 
mod eligibly fituated for the purpofe near Chilka Lake in 
the Bay of Bengal, and province of Oriffa, where all 
the contending parties unite in harmony with each other. 
What fnould. be the fecret fpring of this concurrence of 
fentiment in feels, otherwife fo irreconcilable to each 
other ? The wonder will ceafe when we come to reflect 
that the principal idol of this temple exhibits a form fo 
extraordinary, that its figure refembles nothing “ in the 
heavens above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters 
tinder the earth.” 
This idol is fo contrived, that while it manifefts the 
triad, it can, by tranfpofing or fluffing the two outfide 
figures, one of which is named Jagan-Nath, and the other 
Bal-Ram, give pre-eminence either to Viflmu or to Siva, 
as the worth ip of the devotees might occafionally require ; 
keeping Subhadra, the female principle or Sadi, in the 
centre. It was undoubtedly a mafter-ftroke of policy, in 
the founders of this temple, to prefent, as an objeft of 
worfliip, the perfonification of the triliteral fymbol, which 
is held in reverence alike by all the fedtaries ; and'at the 
fame time to give it a title by which each feet might apply 
to the objedt of its own particular adoration. The inten¬ 
tion of the foundation'was evidently to render the temple 
. a place of pilgrimage open to all feels alike, and to draw 
an immenfc revenue from the multifarious refort of devo¬ 
tees w’ith their offerings. The ornaments and apparel 
with which they at different times cover the image con¬ 
ceal the real figure from the multitude', and give it an 
air of myftery, which they knew would ftrongly operate 
upon weak and fuperltitious minds. Jagan-Nath and 
Bal-Ram have both the fame form, to fhow their iden¬ 
tity in the triad ; and their faces have the refpedtive co¬ 
lours of Vifhnu and Siva. This triliteral idol, in the un¬ 
attired ltate, is fliown in the annexed Engraving. This 
temple is made the rallying point for the three great fedts. 
It is upon this principle, that Jagan Nath and Bal-Ram 
appear fometimes with the attributes of Ganefa, to fhow 
that it is one and the fame Deity who is worfhipped un¬ 
der fo 'many names and forms. The eyes of the idol Ja¬ 
gan-Nath are formed of two brilliant carbuncles, or ori¬ 
ental rubies; thofe of Bal-Ram are two large coftly 
diamonds; thofe of Subhadra are two tranfparent. ori¬ 
ental topazes of the moft refplendent yellow. Thus, on 
entering the temple, the eyes of thefe triliteral gods ap^ 
pear to dart fire and flame in every direction, and in every 
degree of luftre ; which is artificially affifted by the rays 
of the fun falling upon them through apertures conftrudted 
for that purpole ; and by the gems having no opaque or 
folid body behind them, but admitting the rays of light 
to pafs entirely through the folid heads of the idols- 
lOSTAN, 119 
When the Vaifhnavas feparated themfelves from the S ii- 
vas, they introduced a new fymbol of the Sun, under the 
name of Cri/hna, as a contrail to the horrid rites of Cali, 
which had difgnfted them. Crilhna, being an incarnation 
of Vifhnu, is depicted with the fame charafteriftic com¬ 
plexion of dark azure, to identify the Deity in the fym¬ 
bol. ,Hence, in the foregoing idol, Chriihna, as Paramef- 
wa'ra, is Jagan-Nath, or Lord of the Univerfe; his half 
brother is Bal-Ram, (a terreflriai appearance of Siva,) 
and Subhadra is a form of the goddefs Devi. 
The Earth is perfbnified by a Cow, the cow of plenty; 
and, as the planets were confidered by the Hindoos to be fo 
many habitable Earths, it was natural to deferibe them 
by the fame hieroglyphic ; and as the Sun directs their 
motions, furnifhes them with light, and cherifhes them 
with his genial heat, Crifhna, the fymbol of the Sun, was 
pourtrayed an a herdfman, on the banks of the Yamuna, 
where he obtained a great victory over- the ferpent Caly'a 
Naga, which had poifoned the air, and deftroyed the herds 
in that region. This allegory may be explained upon 
the fame principle as the expofitiori given of the deftrudeion- 
of the ferpent Python by the arrows of Apollo. I; is the 
Sun which, by the powerful action cf its beams, purifies the 
air, and dilperfes tlic noxious vapours cf the atmofphere. 
Next to Crifhna, they hold in moft reverential efteein 
the god Carticeya, which is the fuppofe-d Mars of India. He' 
is reprefented as a warrior with fix faces : he is armed 
with arrows and fpears, and appears riding upon a pea¬ 
cock. The worfliip of Carticeya takes place on the* but 
day of Cartica, as preparatory to military expeditions, 
which ought to commence, according to Menu, in the 
month Agrahayana, the Sun being, thought more propiti¬ 
ous at that period for fuch undertakings. 
The god Indra, is the Emblem of the Vifible Heavens ; 
and is deferibed, like Argus, covered with numerous eyes. 
To account for this extraordinary appearance, the Hin¬ 
doo legend flutes, that Indra, having feen the beautiful 
wife of a certain Rifhi, was anxious to be more intimate 
with her; but the watchful hufband prevented the inter- 
c'ourfe, by arriving juft in time to favc the honour of his' 
wife. The enraged faint uttered an imprecation, and 
vviflied that the god might be covered ail over with repre-- 
fentations of the thing which had been the object of his de- 
fires ; the curfe took immediate effedt. The god, full of 
fhame, repented ; and, by his entreaties, at laft prevailed, 
on the holy man to mitigate the curfe, by changing the 
marks of his fhame to as many eyes. The rainbow is the 
bow of Indra. The water-fpout is the trunk of his ele¬ 
phant ; thunder, lightning, and rain, and every pheno¬ 
menon of the atmof'pliere, belong to the department of 
this god. His heaven is a manfion of fenfual delights, 
and enjoyment. 
The Hindoos have eight reprefentations of female 
figures, of which each is a Sadi, or female power, with 
the fame attributes and vehicle ; Mahel’wari is the Sadti of 
Mahefa, or Siva; Brahmi, or Brahmani, of Brahma; 
Marayani, of Narayena ; Aitidri, of Indra; Caumari, of 
Carticeya ; Varahi, of Vifhnu, in the Varaha Avatar ; Na- 
rafinhi, of Vifhnu, in the Narafinha Avatar-, and Apara- 
jita, a form of Bhavani, the female principle. 
The image of the goddefs Anna Puma Devi, is repre- 
fented fitting on a throne. She is of a ruddy complexion, 
attired in a robe of various dies, with a crefcent on her 
forehead; the is the goddefs of plenty, and is bent by 
the weight of her full breafts; Bhava, or Siva, as a child, 
is playing before her, with a crefcent on his forehead ; 
flie looks at him with pleafure, and fatisfies his hunger ; 
all good is united in her; her other names are Annada, 
Bhavani, and Bhagavati. 
Varcona, is the god of the feas and waters, and is gene¬ 
rally reprefented as riding on a crocodile. 
Vayvo, is the god of the winds, and rides on an antelope, 
with a Libre in his right hand. 
Agny, is tiie god of fire; has four arms, and rides on a 
ram. 
The 
