176 THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY.

formed the usual ceremonies of their religion, cannot obtain
celestial happiness. The doors of heaven are therefore
shut against the great bulk of the people: they have
neither performed splendid religious actions, nor subdued
their passions, nor fixed their minds on God, nor performed
severe religious austerities. The shoodru, also, having no
inheritance in the vediis, is placed in far worse circum-
stances than the bramhiin. Heaven was made for bram-
huns, as well as the earth; and in general a Hindoo must
be raised to bramhinical birth before he can raise his eyes
towards heaven as his home'. Very few therefore indulge
the hope of heavenk. On the contrary, when at the point
of death, almost every Hindoo is in a state of the most per-
plexing anxiety, like mariners -in a storm when the vessel
has become wholly unmanageable. Such a wretched Hin-
doo, in these moments, is often heard giving vent to his
grief and fears in the midst of his relatives, as he lies by
the Ganges. If he be advanced in years, they endeavour
to comfort him by reminding him, that he could not expect
to have lived much longer; that he leaves a numerous
family in comfortable circumstances; and further, that his
merits will certainly raise him to heaven. The dying man,
however, finds no comfort in the merit of his works, but
gives utterance to excessive grief in some such language as
this :—f I! what meritorious deeds have I performed ?—I
have done nothing but sin.—Ah ! where shall I go ?—Into
what hell shall I be plunged ?—What shall I do ?—How

1 How different the spirit of the true religion 8—* To the poor is the

gospel preached.-----Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their's is the

kingdom of heaven.*

k As all other ways of obtaining heaven are rendered so difficult to the
poor, this is one reason which reconciles a Hindoo widow to the funeral
pile; as by this act she is quite certain of obtaining future happiness both
for herself, her husband, and several generations of her ancestors.