DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0059
Mythological Brahmanism. 47
manipulated by the Brahmans, was by them subtilized
and exaggerated. Hence the incarnations of Vishnu are
really descents (avatara) on earth of portions of the essence
of a divine person already possessing a material form (see
p. 63). These descents were undertaken, reasonably enough,
for preserving the world when in pressing emergencies, espe-
cially when its safety was imperilled by the malice of evil
demons; and they are of four kinds and degrees.
First, the full descent, as in Krishna, one of the heroes
of the Epic poem called Maha-bharata; secondly (though
chronologically anterior), the partial descent, consisting of
half the god's nature, as in Rama, hero of the other Epic
called Ramayana; thirdly, the quarter descent, as in Rama's
brother Bharata; fourthly, the eighth-part descent, as in
Rama's two other brothers, Lakshmana and Satrughna.
Distinct from these is the constant infusion of the divine
essence into ordinary men, animals, and inanimate objects.
It is well known that men whose lives have been made
remarkable by any peculiar circumstances, have been held
by the Hindus to be partial incarnations of the divine nature,
and have been worshipped accordingly.
A description of Vishnu's other incarnations will be given
hereafter (see the chapter on Vaishnavism). It will be sufficient
to note here that Krishna and Rama are the only two in-
carnations universally worshipped at the present day.
The other two members of the Indian triad, Brahma and
Siva, have no such human incarnations as those of Vishnu,
though the god Brahma is, as it were, humanized in his
representatives the priests, called Brahmans.
It is true that certain incarnations of both Brahma and
Siva are sometimes mentioned (as, for example, the form
of Siva called Vlrabhadra), and there are local manifesta-
tions of these deities and local descents of Siva in human
form. Moreover, Brahma and Siva resemble Vishnu in
having wives (called respectively Sarasvati and Parvatl), and
manipulated by the Brahmans, was by them subtilized
and exaggerated. Hence the incarnations of Vishnu are
really descents (avatara) on earth of portions of the essence
of a divine person already possessing a material form (see
p. 63). These descents were undertaken, reasonably enough,
for preserving the world when in pressing emergencies, espe-
cially when its safety was imperilled by the malice of evil
demons; and they are of four kinds and degrees.
First, the full descent, as in Krishna, one of the heroes
of the Epic poem called Maha-bharata; secondly (though
chronologically anterior), the partial descent, consisting of
half the god's nature, as in Rama, hero of the other Epic
called Ramayana; thirdly, the quarter descent, as in Rama's
brother Bharata; fourthly, the eighth-part descent, as in
Rama's two other brothers, Lakshmana and Satrughna.
Distinct from these is the constant infusion of the divine
essence into ordinary men, animals, and inanimate objects.
It is well known that men whose lives have been made
remarkable by any peculiar circumstances, have been held
by the Hindus to be partial incarnations of the divine nature,
and have been worshipped accordingly.
A description of Vishnu's other incarnations will be given
hereafter (see the chapter on Vaishnavism). It will be sufficient
to note here that Krishna and Rama are the only two in-
carnations universally worshipped at the present day.
The other two members of the Indian triad, Brahma and
Siva, have no such human incarnations as those of Vishnu,
though the god Brahma is, as it were, humanized in his
representatives the priests, called Brahmans.
It is true that certain incarnations of both Brahma and
Siva are sometimes mentioned (as, for example, the form
of Siva called Vlrabhadra), and there are local manifesta-
tions of these deities and local descents of Siva in human
form. Moreover, Brahma and Siva resemble Vishnu in
having wives (called respectively Sarasvati and Parvatl), and