of the world: to Vásudeva, the liberator of his worshippers:* to him whose essence is both single and manifold; who is both subtile and corporeal, indiscrete and discrete: to Vishnu, the cause of final emancipation. Glory to the supreme Vishnu, the cause They are ever combined with, and dependent upon, one another; and they are never for an instant separate; they never quit each other:" यथा प्राग्व्यापकः क्षेत्री सर्गादिषु गुणैर्युतः । तथा स संज्ञामायाति ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मिकाम् ॥ विष्णुत्वे ऽपि चोदासीनस्तिस्रो ऽवस्थाः स्वयंभुवः ॥ क्षणं वियोगो न ह्येषां न त्यजन्ति परस्परम् ॥ The notion is one common to all antiquity, although less philosophically conceived, or, perhaps, less distinctly expressed, in the passages which have come down to us. The τρεῖς ἀρχικὰς vлоσтάσεs of Plato are said, by Cudworth (I., 111.), upon the authority of Plotinus, to be an ancient doctrine, rahaιà dóğa. And he also observes: "For, since Orpheus, Pythagoras, and Plato, who, all of them, asserted a trinity of divine hypostases, unquestionably derived much of their doctrine from the Egyptians, it may be reasonably suspected, that these Egyptians did the like before them." As, however, the Grecian accounts and those of the Egyptians are much more perplexed and unsatisfactory than those of the Hindus, it is most probable that we find amongst them the doctrine in its most original, as well as most methodical and significant, form. 1 This address to Vishnu pursues the notion that he, as the supreme being, is one, whilst he is all. He is Avikára, not sub * The words "of his worshippers" are supplied from the commentary. of the creation, existence, and end of this world; who is the root of the world, and who consists of the world. 1 Having glorified him who is the support of all things; who is the smallest of the small;2 who is in all created things; the unchanged,* imperishable Puru ject to change: Sadaikarúpa, one invariable nature: he is the liberator (Tára), or he who bears mortals across the ocean of existence he is both single and manifold (Ekánekarúpa): and he is the indiscrete (Avyakta) cause of the world, as well as the discrete (Vyakta) effect; or the invisible cause and visible creation. 1 Jaganmaya, made up, or consisting substantially (), of the world. Maya is an affix denoting 'made' or 'consisting of'; as Káshthamaya, 'made of wood'. The world is, therefore, not regarded, by the Pauráńiks, as an emanation, or an illusion, but as consubstantial with its first cause. ', 2 Ańíyáṁsam ańíyasáṁ (amaicauai), ‘the most atomic of the atomic'; alluding to the atomic theory of the Nyaya or logical school. 3 'he Or Achyuta (a); a common name of Vishnu, from a privative, and Chyuta, fallen: according to our comment, who does not perish with created things'. The Mahábhárata interprets it, in one place, to mean 'he who is not distinct from final emancipation'; and, in another, to signify 'exempt from decay' (aus). A commentator on the Káśíkhańda of the Skanda Purána explains it 'he who never declines (or varies) from his own proper nature : ' स्वभावादप्रच्यवते ।। * In the original there is no term to which this corresponds. + स्वभावान्न प्रच्यवते । ? 1 2 shottama;1 who is one with true wisdom, as truly known; eternal and incorrupt;* and who is known, through false appearances, by the nature of visible objects: having bowed to Vishnu, the destroyer, 3 1 This is another common title of Vishnu, implying supreme, best (Uttama), spirit (Purusha), or male, or sacrifice, or, according to the Mahábh., Moksha Dharma, whatever sense Purusha may bear: पुरुषो यज्ञ इत्येवं यत्परं परिकीर्तितम् । 2 Paramarthatah (:), 'by or through the real object, or sense; through actual truth.' 3 Bhrántidarśanatah (fan:), 'false appearances,' in opposition to actual truth. 'By the nature of visible objects' (): Artha is explained by Driśya (), 'visible'; Swarúpena, by 'the nature of'. That is, visible objects are not what they seem to be, independent existences; they are essentially one with their original source; and knowledge of their true nature, or relation to Vishnu, is knowledge of Vishnu him * "Who is, essentially, one with intelligence, transcendent, and without spot:" ज्ञानस्वरूपमत्यन्तं निर्मलं परमार्थतः । Preferably: "Conceived of, by reason of erroneous apprehension, as a material form": तमेवार्थस्वरूपेण भ्रान्तिदर्शनतः स्थितम् । The commentary runs : अर्थस्वरूपेण दृश्यरूपेण दृष्टजीवभ्रान्तिज्ञानेन fæå gåan | The "erroneous apprehension" spoken of is here exस्थितं प्रतीतम् । plained as arising from the conception of the individual soul. In the Harivaṁśa, 11358, we find: पुरुषो यज्ञ इत्येवं यत्परं परिकीर्तितम् । यच्चान्यत्पुरुषाख्यं तु तत्सर्वं पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ “Purusha, that is to say, sacrifice, or whatever else is meant by purusha, -all that, known for highest (para), is called Purushottama.” The word is a karmadháraya compound, not a tatpurusha. and lord of creation and preservation; the ruler of the world; unborn, imperishable, undecaying:* I will relate to you that which was originally imparted by the great father of all (Brahmá†), in answer to the questions of Daksha and other venerable sages, and repeated by them to Purukutsa, a king who reigned on the banks of the Narmadá. It was next related by him to Saraswata, and by Sáraswata to me.' Who can describe him who is not to be apprehended by the senses: who is the best of all things; the supreme soul, self-existent: who is devoid of all the distinguishing characteristics of complexion, caste, or the like; and is exempt from birth, vicissitude, death, or decay: who is always, and alone: who exists everywhere, and in whom all things here exist; and who is, thence, named Vásudeva?? He is Brah self. This is not the doctrine of Máyá, or the influence of illusion, which alone, according to Vedánta idealism, constitutes belief in the existence of matter: a doctrine foreign to most of the Puránas, and first introduced amongst them, apparently, by the Bhagavata. 1 A different and more detailed account of the transmission of the Vishnu Purána is given in the last book, c. 8. 2 The ordinary derivation of Vasudeva has been noticed above (p. 2). Here it is derived from Vas, 'to dwell,' from Vishnu's abiding in all things, and all in him: ad aas च वसत्यच । The Mahabharata explains Vásu in the same manner, and Deva to signify radiant, shining: aå suetufa atu * Avyaya. Here and elsewhere the commentator gives aparinámin, "immutable", as its synonym. + Expressed by Abjayoni, "Lotos-born". Add "increase", riddhi. ma,' supreme, lord, eternal, unborn, imperishable, undecaying; of one essence; ever pure, as free from defects. He, that Brahma, was all things; comprehending in his own nature the indiscrete and discrete. He then existed in the forms of Purusha and of Kála. Purusha (spirit) is the first form of the supreme; next proceeded two other forms, the discrete and indiscrete; and Kála (time) was the last. These four-Pradhána (primary afa ¤âyây qudifa arg:1 gd za zîfxunfafa 2a: it arganसौ देवश्चेति वासुदेवः । ‘He causes all things to dwell in him; and he abides in all: whence he is named Vásu. Being resplendent as the sun, he is called Deva: and he who is both these is denominated Vasudeva.' See also b. VI., c. 5. 'The commentator argues, that Vasudeva must be the Brahma or supreme being of the Vedas, because the same circumstances * तदेव सर्वमेवैतद्व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपवत् । तथा पुरुषरूपेण कालरूपेण च स्थितम् ॥ "That Brahma, in its totality, has, essentially, the aspect of prakriti, both evolved and unevolved, and also the aspect of spirit, and the aspect of time. Spirit, O twice-born, is the leading aspect of the supreme Brahma. The next is a twofold aspect, viz., prakŕiti, both evolved and unevolved; and time is the last." It seems, therefore, not that prakriti, spirit, and time originated from Brahma, but that Brahma offers itself under these modes of apprehension. These modes are coessential with Brahma. The last line of the text cited above admitting of two interpretations, that has been chosen which harmonizes the doctrine of the writer of the Purána with the doctrine of his quotation in pp. 23-25, infra; for on that his own enunciation here undoubtedly is founded. Professor Wilson adopted the following reading of the first line of the verses in question: तदेतत्सर्वमेवासीद्व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपवत् । These words have the appearance of being a glossarial expansion of an etymology given in the Mahábhárata, or some similar work. The |