Catalogue and Hand-book of the Archaeological Collections in the Indian Museum, Part 2

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order of the trustees, 1883

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Page 336 - He felt not delight, being alone. He wished another, and instantly became such. He caused his own self to fall in twain, and thus became husband and wife. He approached her, and thus were human beings produced.
Page 92 - ... abroad ; in order that pure religion may last long and be perpetuated, in order that it may continue to be for the good and happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, to the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men...
Page 336 - In these passages it is not unlikely that reference is made to the primitive tradition of the origin of mankind, but there is also a figurative representation of the first indication of wish or will in the Supreme Being. Being devoid of all qualities whatever, he was alone, until he permitted the wish to be multiplied, to be generated within himself. This wish being put into action, it is said, became united with its parent, and then created beings were produced. Thus this first manifestation of...
Page 348 - He is then to be revealed in the sky, seated on a white horse, with a drawn sword blazing like a comet...
Page 249 - Vishnu appeared in the form of a tortoise in the Satya-yuga, or first age, to recover some things of value which had been lost in the deluge. In the form of a tortoise he placed himself at the bottom of the sea of milk, and made his back the base or pivot of the mountain Mandara. The gods and demons twisted the great serpent Vasuki round the mountain, and, dividing into two parties, each took an end of the snake as a rope, and thus churned the sea until they recovered the desired objects. These were...
Page 336 - BRAHMA, whilst a vast variety of inferior beings of malevolent character and formidable aspect receive the worship of the multitude. The bride of SIVA however, in one or other of her many and varied forms, is by far the most popular emblem in Bengal and along the Ganges. The worship of the female principle, as distinct from the divinity, appears to have originated in the literal interpretation of the metaphorical language of the Vedas, in which the will or purpose to create the universe is represented...
Page 337 - Prakriti, is defined to be of eternal existence and independent origin, distinct from the supreme spirit, productive, though no production, and the plastic origin of all things, including even the gods. Hence Prakriti has come to be regarded as the mother of gods and men, whilst as one with matter, the source of error, it is again identified with Maya, or delusion, and as co-existent with the supreme as his Sakti, his personified energy or his bride.
Page 336 - Darkness there was; [for] this universe was enveloped with darkness, and was undistinguishable [like fluids mixed in] waters: but that mass, which was covered by the husk, was [at length] produced by the power of contemplation. First desire was formed in his mind: and that became the original productive seed; which the wise, recognising it by the intellect in their hearts, distinguish, in nonentity, as the bond of entity.
Page 348 - The black or dark coloured.' This is the most popular of all the later deities, and has obtained such preeminence, that his votaries look upon him not simply as an incarnation, but as a perfect manifestation of Vishnu. When Krishna is thus exalted to the full godhead, his elder brother, Bala-rama takes his place as the eighth Avatara. See Krishna and Bala-rama, 9.

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