DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.640#0102
ON THE HINDOO RELIGION. lxxxix
a swelled leg, which to this day the worms are constantly de-
vouring"1.—Ugnee was inflamed with evil desires towards six
virgins, the daughters of as many sages; but was overawed {by
the presence of his wife".—Buluraniu was a great drunkard".—
Vayoo was cursed by Dukshii, for making his daughters crooked
when they refused his embraces. He is also charged with a
scandalous connection with a female monkey p.—When Viiroonu
was walking in his own heaven, he was so smitten with the
charms of Oorvfishee, a courtezan, that, after a long contest,
she was scarcely able to extricate herself from himi.—Krishnus
thefts, wars, and adulteries are so numerous, that his whole
history seems to be one uninterrupted series of crimesr.—In the
images of Kalee, she is represented as treading on the breast of
her husbands.—Liikshmee and Suruswiitee, the wives of Vish-
noo, were continually quarrelling1!—It is worthy of enquiry,
how the world is governed by these gods more wicked than men,
that we may be able to judge how far they can be the objects of
faith, hope, and affection. Let us open the Hindoo sacred
writings : here we see the Creator and the Preserver perpetually
counteracting each other. Sometimes the Preserver is destroy-
ing, and at other times the Destroyer is preserving. On a cer-
tain occasion", Shivii granted to the great enemy of the gods,
Ravfinu, a blessing which set all their heavens in an uproar, and
drove the 330,000,000 of gods into a state of desperation.
Briimha created Koombhu-kurnu, a monster larger than the
whole island of Liinka; but was obliged to doom him to an
almost perpetual sleep, to prevent his producing an universal
ramine. This god is often represented as bestowing a blessing,
to remove the effects of which Vishnoo is obliged to become in-
carnate : nay, these effects have not in some cases been removed
till all the gods have been dispossessed of their thrones, and
obliged to go a begging; till all human affairs have been thrown
into confusion, and all the elements seized and turned against
m See MohabhartttB. " Ibid. ° Ibid. r See Ramayunii.
« Ibid. > See the Shree-bhagtivltS. * See the Markundejii
pooranti. ' See the Vrihuddhuraiii pooranii. * See the Ramaytinti.
VOL. I. m
a swelled leg, which to this day the worms are constantly de-
vouring"1.—Ugnee was inflamed with evil desires towards six
virgins, the daughters of as many sages; but was overawed {by
the presence of his wife".—Buluraniu was a great drunkard".—
Vayoo was cursed by Dukshii, for making his daughters crooked
when they refused his embraces. He is also charged with a
scandalous connection with a female monkey p.—When Viiroonu
was walking in his own heaven, he was so smitten with the
charms of Oorvfishee, a courtezan, that, after a long contest,
she was scarcely able to extricate herself from himi.—Krishnus
thefts, wars, and adulteries are so numerous, that his whole
history seems to be one uninterrupted series of crimesr.—In the
images of Kalee, she is represented as treading on the breast of
her husbands.—Liikshmee and Suruswiitee, the wives of Vish-
noo, were continually quarrelling1!—It is worthy of enquiry,
how the world is governed by these gods more wicked than men,
that we may be able to judge how far they can be the objects of
faith, hope, and affection. Let us open the Hindoo sacred
writings : here we see the Creator and the Preserver perpetually
counteracting each other. Sometimes the Preserver is destroy-
ing, and at other times the Destroyer is preserving. On a cer-
tain occasion", Shivii granted to the great enemy of the gods,
Ravfinu, a blessing which set all their heavens in an uproar, and
drove the 330,000,000 of gods into a state of desperation.
Briimha created Koombhu-kurnu, a monster larger than the
whole island of Liinka; but was obliged to doom him to an
almost perpetual sleep, to prevent his producing an universal
ramine. This god is often represented as bestowing a blessing,
to remove the effects of which Vishnoo is obliged to become in-
carnate : nay, these effects have not in some cases been removed
till all the gods have been dispossessed of their thrones, and
obliged to go a begging; till all human affairs have been thrown
into confusion, and all the elements seized and turned against
m See MohabhartttB. " Ibid. ° Ibid. r See Ramayunii.
« Ibid. > See the Shree-bhagtivltS. * See the Markundejii
pooranti. ' See the Vrihuddhuraiii pooranii. * See the Ramaytinti.
VOL. I. m