DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0058
46 Mythological Brakmanism.
determine the point. He undertook to put all three gods to a severe
test. He went first to Brahma, and omitted all obeisance. The god's
anger blazed forth, but he was at length pacified. Next he went to
the abode of Siva, and omitted to return the god's salutation. The
irascible god was enraged, his eyes flashed fire, and he raised his
Trident weapon to destroy the sage. But the god's wife, Parvati, in-
terceded for him. Lastly, Bhrigu went to the heaven of Vishnu, whom
he found asleep. To try his forbearance, he gave the god a good kick
on his breast, which awoke him. Instead of showing anger, Vishnu
asked Bhrigu's pardon for not having greeted him on his first arrival.
Then he declared he was highly honoured by the sage's blow. It had
imprinted an indelible mark of good fortune on his breast. He trusted
the sage's foot was not hurt, and began to rub it gently. ' This,' said
Bhrigu,' is the mightiest god; he overpowers his enemies by the most
potent of all weapons—gentleness and generosity.'
These three gods differ from, and are superior to, all other
divine and human organisms, in that they are not subject to
transmigrations. They are beings who have attained the
highest condition possible, short of absorption into Brahma.
And of these three, Vishnu, the Pervader and Preserver of
all nature, is the most human, as he is also the most humane,
in his character, attributes, and sympathies, and therefore the
most popular. He has four arms, symbolical of the power
he exerts in the deliverance of his worshippers. Portions of
his divine nature have descended in earthly incarnations to
deliver the earth in times of danger and emergency. They
are still continually descending in good men and living
teachers.
Whether, in fact, Vishnu be connected with light, with heat,
with air, or with water, it is evident that his function is that of
a divine Pervader, infusing his essence for special purposes
into created things, animate and inanimate; for example, into
stones, such as the black Salagrama; into rivers, such as the
Ganges; into trees and plants, such as the Tulasi; into
animals, such as a fish, a tortoise, a boar; and lastly, into
men.
And here be it noted that the idea of incarnation, like
every other idea in religion, morality, and science, when
determine the point. He undertook to put all three gods to a severe
test. He went first to Brahma, and omitted all obeisance. The god's
anger blazed forth, but he was at length pacified. Next he went to
the abode of Siva, and omitted to return the god's salutation. The
irascible god was enraged, his eyes flashed fire, and he raised his
Trident weapon to destroy the sage. But the god's wife, Parvati, in-
terceded for him. Lastly, Bhrigu went to the heaven of Vishnu, whom
he found asleep. To try his forbearance, he gave the god a good kick
on his breast, which awoke him. Instead of showing anger, Vishnu
asked Bhrigu's pardon for not having greeted him on his first arrival.
Then he declared he was highly honoured by the sage's blow. It had
imprinted an indelible mark of good fortune on his breast. He trusted
the sage's foot was not hurt, and began to rub it gently. ' This,' said
Bhrigu,' is the mightiest god; he overpowers his enemies by the most
potent of all weapons—gentleness and generosity.'
These three gods differ from, and are superior to, all other
divine and human organisms, in that they are not subject to
transmigrations. They are beings who have attained the
highest condition possible, short of absorption into Brahma.
And of these three, Vishnu, the Pervader and Preserver of
all nature, is the most human, as he is also the most humane,
in his character, attributes, and sympathies, and therefore the
most popular. He has four arms, symbolical of the power
he exerts in the deliverance of his worshippers. Portions of
his divine nature have descended in earthly incarnations to
deliver the earth in times of danger and emergency. They
are still continually descending in good men and living
teachers.
Whether, in fact, Vishnu be connected with light, with heat,
with air, or with water, it is evident that his function is that of
a divine Pervader, infusing his essence for special purposes
into created things, animate and inanimate; for example, into
stones, such as the black Salagrama; into rivers, such as the
Ganges; into trees and plants, such as the Tulasi; into
animals, such as a fish, a tortoise, a boar; and lastly, into
men.
And here be it noted that the idea of incarnation, like
every other idea in religion, morality, and science, when