He taught, that the védus were eternal; that Vishnoo was not their author, but the first who chanted them; that they contained the rule of duty, and that whatever was forbidden in them was evil; that human actions produced consequences in a future state; that all the events of life were regulated by the actions committed in a preceding birth; that God himself was subject in his government to the merit and demerit of works; that is, he could do nothing for or against his creatures but according to their works; that the gods have no visible form, but are to be worshipped in the prayers or incantations of the védus; that the way to procure emancipation was by first performing the duties of a brămhachare; then those of a secular son, and then those of a hermit, performing constantly the sacrifices prescribed in the védus; and that future happiness consisted in possessing uninterrupted eternal joy.

per

SECTION XLIV.

Prújapúlee.

The Shivu-dhărmă, Bayйvēеyй, and the Kopilă oopu-pooranus contain partial accounts of this sage, who is described as a very old man, with a grey beard, dressed as a mendicant. His father Průt'hoo dwelt on the banks of the Réva, the son at Hingoola, where, though a sage, he lived a secular life, and reared a family.

Průjapătee taught, that God was invisible, though possessed of form, and dwelt in unapproachable light or glory, as the gods who dwell in the sun are not seen except in the rays of glory proceeding from that luminary; that final happiness could only be obtained by those who possessed a fixed mind, and practised uninterrupted devotion; that the souls of the wicked left the body by the vents in the lower extremities; those of the pious by the eyes, or by the openings in the head; and those of perfect yogees from the suture of the head; that final beatitude consisted in absorption into the Great Spirit.

SECTION LXV.

Nareejunghů.

In the Skundi poorani, and the Năndee-bhashitй, this sage is described as a very old man, in the dress of a yogee. A place at Benares has been named after his father Joigeeshuvvu, who is said to have lived there as an ascetic.

born at Hingoola, but resided at Benares.

Nareejungho was

He taught, that God was visible; that the merit and demerit of works were inseparably interwoven with a person's fate; that from ceremonies arose desire; from desire, anger; from anger, intoxication of mind; from intoxication, forgetfulness; from forgetfulness, the destruction of wisdom; and from the latter, death, in one of its eight forms, viz. disgrace, banishment, &c. He traced time from moments up to the four yoogus; described the sins which produced the different transmigrations; laid down seven modes of ascertaining truth; taught that God produced the universe by his command, and united the fates of men to works of merit and demerit; and that by a progression, through ceremonies, the devotee would arrive at perfect abstraction, and then obtain absorption.

SECTION LXVI.

Chyounů.

The Dévee-bhagůvătă and the Pădmů poorană give something of the history of this sage, describing him as a young man, in the dress of a mendicant, living on the banks of the Yumoona. Boudhayunŭ was his father; his mother's name was Kubeerdhanee-Chyvůně seems to have entertained atheistical opinions. He taught, that the world had no creator; that sound alone was God; that the védo was eternal, and contained its own evidence within itself; that happiness and misery arose out of the conduct of mankind; that the primary elements were eternal; that the fate of men arose out of works having no beginning; that there were three states proper for men, that of the student, the housholder, and the hermit; that the four Gg

degrees of happiness belonging to a future state were to be obtained by the performance of religious ceremonies; that this happiness followed the renunciation of works and their fruit.-Chyvinй was the author of a law treatise known by his name; of the Yogu-sunghita, and of the Acharŭ-kŭdůmbů.

SECTION XLVII.

Bhargйvü.

This sage, the son of Bhrigoo, and one of the smritee writers, for assisting the giants, was devoured by Shivu, and afterwards discharged with his urine, when he assumed the name of Shookracharyŭ, and became preceptor to the giants. He was born in Kétoomalu beyond Himaluyu, where he practised his devotions, living on chaff.

SECTION XLVIII.

Rishyashringa.

The pouranic writers have given a filthy account of the birth of this sage, and placed deer's horns on his head. Notwithstanding this approach to the brutal shape, he is said to have married Shanta, the daughter of king Lomu-padů; and to have written one of the smritees: he embraced the opinions of the Patŭnjălă school. His father, Vibhanduku, was learned in the samů védů.

SECTION XLIX.

Skatyayйnů.

The Muhabharătă and Půdmŭ poorană describe this sage as an old man, of dark complexion, habited as a yogee. His opinions were the same as those of Pütunjulee: he taught his disciples to devote body, mind, speech, and their whole existence to God; continually repeating his name, celebrating his praise, listening to descriptions of his qualities, and preserving entire devotion to him.

SECTION L.

Moitrayйnēeyй.

A fragment of the history of this sage, the son of Mitrayŭnů, I have found in the Skundu and Doorvasŭ-ooktú pooranus, where he is described as a young man, in the dress of a yogee. His opinions were similar to those of the Voishéshiki school. Kashukrishnŭ, one of his disciple, is mentioned as the author of a very ancient Sungskrită grammar. The sage himself wrote one of the smritees.

sex.

SECTION LI.

Shoonй-shephů.

Three works, the Vayйvēey pooranů, the Shree-bhagůvětů, and the Mõhabharătă, contain fragments respecting this sage, whose father, Toombooroo, was a celebrated musician. Niyйtee, his mother, became famous by the instructions she gave to her Shoon-shéphi was once on the point of being offered as a human sacrifice, but was saved by Vishwamitrů.-He taught the doctrines of the Memangsa school; to which he added, that material things underwent no real change; that birth and death were only appearances. He recommended the life of a hermit after the age of 50, and declared that, after completing in a forest the devotions of such a state, a person would obtain emancipation. He further taught, that God did not so entirely place man under the influence of works, as that he should not be able to change his destiny.

SECTION LII.

Yugnu-parshwй.

This ascetic is described in three pooranŭs as a young man, of light complexion, in the dress of a mendicant. His father Sakyayŭnŭ was a celebrated philosopher; his mother's name Soomutee. He was born on the banks of the Nŭrmuda, where the wani-lingus are found; but lived at Hüridwarů, where he collected a number of dis

ciples, and directed their attention to what was of constant obligation; to what was obligatory in certain circumstances, and what might be obtained from certain religi ous actions; he described the effects of the different qualities born with man, and the way of drawing a man born with bad qualities into the path of truth; he maintained that God was invisible, indescribable; that in fact the védú was God; that God formed creatures in an inseparable union with their future destiny; that absorption consisted in the enjoyment of perpetual happiness; and that the person who, by works, raised his mind, and fixed it supremelyon God, would obtain absorption. He wrote one of the smritees, and a work called Teert'hu-Nirnŏyú.

SECTION LIII.

Karshnajinee,

Another of the smritee writers, noticed in the pooranŭs as a mendicant, taught, that God was a material being, dwelling at the extremity of his works, and giving rise to the universe by his own will; that religious ceremonies and austerities led to future happiness. Many of the opinions of Karshnajinee were like those of the Noiyayikǎ sect. Some medical information, especially relating to the pulse, is said to

have been given by this philosopher.

SECTION LIV.

Voijúcapů.

This sage, descended from Unjira, is placed among the mendicants known by the name of Párůmhungsus; like them he wore no clothes, nor conversed with men. His opinions were similar to those of the Védantă sect *

While this sheet was going through the press, the learned Hindoo who was assisting in the work, and who belonged to the védantŭ sect, was taken ill: the author visited him, and in conversation, when the custom of the Hindoos of offering a goat to Kalēē, to obtain recovery from sickness, was mentioned, he expressed his ab. horrence of taking away one life under the hope of restoring another-he added, that he knew he must shake off this body to-day, or to-morrow, or the next day; that he must go through his sin-procured measure of sufferings; that though he was aware that he was culpable, he could not suppose that a few confessions could influence God in his judgment towards him; that in fact, he would lay no burden upon God—he would repeat his name that he would not omit-and then, leave the rest to God.