gheri is mentioned, in the Sastra, as one of the modes of measuring time, and of ascertaining the length of a gheri.

In the hieroglyphic of the Mahá Pralaya, (or grand consummation of all things, when time itself shall be no more,) he is represented as trodden under foot by MAHA' CA'LI', or Eternity.

He is there deprived of his crescent, trident, and necklaces, to shew that his dominion and powers are no more. He is blowing the tremendous horn, which announces the annihilation of all created things.

MAHA' CA'LI', black and dreadful, is encompassed by symbols of destruction: two of her hands seem employed in the work of death: of the other two, one appears pointing downwards, alluding to the universal havoc which surrounds her: while the other, pointing upwards, seems to promise the regeneration of nature, by a new creation.

When the Sun begins his southern declination, the night of the Gods begins: that is, when their supposed abode, Méru, (the north pole) begins to be involved in a night of six months: and, as this period may be considered as a type of Maha Pralaya, the worship of MAHA' CA'LI' is celebrated at the commencement thereof.

MAHA' CA'LI' is represented without a crescent, (the artificial measure of time,) because it is unnecessary to her character as the hieroglyphic of eternity. But the belief of the Hindus in successive destructions and renovations of the Universe, accounts for her wearing a Mund Málá, or necklace of skulls, as emblematical of those revolutions.

MAHA' CA'L, as represented in the caverns of Elephanta, had eight arms. In one hand he holds a human figure; in another a sword, or sacrificial axe; in a third he holds a basin of blood; and with a fourth he rings over it the sacrificial bell: two other arms are broken off; but with the two remaining he is drawing behind him a veil, which extinguishes the sun, and involves the whole Universe in one undistinguished ruin. One of the titles of this tremendous Deity is BHAIRAVA, the horrific, but his principal designation is CA'L AGNI RUDRA.

If the contemplation of the grand consummation of all created things struck the mind of the initiated Bráhmen with awe; the uninformed mass of people would not be less affected with the dreadful appearance and implacable character of this Deity. To appease and reconcile so tremendous a Being would naturally become an object of the greatest necessity and anxiety; the personified metaphor of all-devouring time, presented to their eyes a divinity delighting in blood and slaughter; the zeal of worshippers encreased in proportion to their terrors. The unenlightened mind dwells with disturbed and anxious attention upon horrors of its own creation; and superstition takes its form and colour from the objects which excite it: hence arose those bloody rites, those consecrated cruelties, and those astonishing penances, which not only obtained in India, but pervaded almost every part of the ancient world. Thus a new superstition was grafted upon the old, as much adapted, by its vain terrors, to degrade the human mind, as the former had been to corrupt it.

If it was intended to instruct mankind in the hieroglyphic language of former ages, and to shew them how absolutely necessary it was, to make a sacrifice of their vices and depraved appetites, before they could render themselves acceptable to the Deity, could any way be more natural than to typify

those vices by animals whose propensities are analogous to them; and by the allegorical slaughter of them before the altar of the Deity, to denote the sacrifice required. To the uninformed multitude such an hieroglyphic would seem to prescribe the actual sacrifice of the animal. The emblematical apparatus of CA'L and CA'LI' would confirm them in the error; and when once the idea was admitted, that the blood of animals was acceptable to the Deity, fanaticism would soon demand human victims. Humiliation and presents appease earthly princes; but the divinity of fanaticism was supposed to require more costly offerings, and the severest mortifications which inventive zeal could suggest; a false pride, and vain ambition of displaying superior sanctity, excited an emulation amongst the deluded zealots, which steeled the heart against pain, and supported the sufferers under all their self-inflicted torments. This artificial insensibility acquired the reputation of inspired fortitude; and the admiration of ignorant multitudes repaid the fanatic for his voluntary tortures.

Such were the disorders which arose out of the worship of emblematical Deities.

The doctrines of the Saivas seem to have extended themselves over the greatest portion of mankind; they spread amongst remote nations, who were ignorant of the origin and meaning of the rites they adopted: and this ignorance may be considered as the cause of the mixture and confusion of images and ideas which characterised the mythology of the ancient Greeks and Romans.

In fact, foreign nations could only copy the outward signs and ceremonies: they could not be admitted beyond the threshold of the temple: the adytum was impenetrable to them. CA'L and CA'LI assumed various names: CA'L became CRONOS, MOLOCH, SATURN, DIS, PLUTO, and TYPHON; CA'LI' became HECATE, PROSERPINE, and DIANA, who was worshipped with bloody sacrifices at Tauris. It was to the barbarians that the Greeks were referred, by their own writers, to learn and understand the names and origin of their Deities.

SI'VA, in his character of the Creative Power, became the ZEUS TRIOPHTHALMOS, JUPITER, and OSIRIS; his consort, BHAVA'NI', became JUNO, VENUS, CYBELE, RHEA, the Syrian Goddess, the armed P'ALLAS, ISIS, CERES, and ANNA PERENNA. This multiplication of Deities arose from the ignorance of foreign nations as to the source of the superstition which they adopted, and the original meaning of the symbols; they supplied their want of information by fables congenial to their own national character and manners: hence arose those contradictions, which made their mythology a labyrinth of confusion.

When the Saivas intended to ascribe particularly, to the object of their worship, the benefits arising from any operation of nature, they decorated the image with suitable emblems, and assigned to the Deity a corresponding title.

For instance, S'ANCARA, (which signifies the be nefactor,) is a title of one of those forms of SIVA or CA'L. To him the gratitude of the Saivas attributed the blessings which are derived from the waters of the Ganges, which rolls its fertilizing stream through various countries, bestowing life and happiness on millions of created beings.

They therefore adorned the image of CA'L with emblems applicable to the mountain whence that stupendous river flows.

As this beneficial stream makes its way from the tops of that mountain through the creepers and underwood, which seem to obstruct its passage to the plains, it is represented to flow from the head of the Deity, through his jaťá, or clotted hair: and as tigers, elephants, and serpents, infest the skirts of the mountains, he is surrounded with serpents, his lower clothing is the skin of the elephant, and he is seated on that of the tiger. He is likewise called NI'L-CANTHA (blue neck), from the appearance which the clouds assume when arrested in their course by the overtopping summit of the mountain.

He has likewise the title of Giri I's' WARA, Oor lord of mountains; and this union of the attributes of SI'VA with those of the mountain, is more distinctly pointed out in his marriage with PA'RVATI', a derivative from parvat, a mountain.

As the image of SI'VA, in this character, was an object of local veneration, its worship was probably confined to the banks of the Ganges. Had it reached the nations of Europe, he would have been considered as a distinct and separate divinity, and ranked amongst the river Gods. This symbol is admitted by the Vaishnavas: but in order to ascribe this inestimable gift to VISHNU, and to assert his superiority over SI'VA, they insist that the river first flowed out of Vaicunt'ha (the heaven of VISHNU), from the feet of VISHNU; that when it had descended upon the mountain Cailás, it was received by SI'VA, and placed on his head amongst his plaited locks.

On JAGAN-NA'TH, &c.

The temple of JAGAN-NA'TH is a famous resort for pilgrims of all sects, for it is revered by all, it is a converging point where all the contending parties unite in harmony with each other. What is the