divided into twelve round parts. Sōōryŭ was enraged, and could not be pacified till his father-in-law informed him that his daughter, unable to bear the glory of his rays, had forsaken him. On enquiring where she was gone, the father said he had sent her back to him immediately on her arrival, but that where she now was he could not say. Sōōryŭ, by the power of dhyanŭ, perceived that Sŭvůrna had become a mare, and was gone into some forest. The story here becomes too obscene for insertion.-Sōōryŭ and Săvărna, in the forms of a horse and a mare, had two children, to whom they gave the names of Ushwinee and Koomarů. When Sōōryŭ returned to his palace, he asked his wife who this woman (Chaya) was. She gave him her history, and presented her to him as a wife; and from that time Chaya was acknowledged as Sõõryu's second wife.

There are no temples dedicated to Sōōryŭ in Bengal, The heaven of this god is called Sōōryů-loků. A race of Hindoo kings, distinguished as the descendants of the sun, once reigned in India; of which dynasty Ikshwakoo was the first king, and Ramŭ the sixty-sixth.

The following are the principal names of Sōōryů: Sōōră, or, he who dries up the earth.-Sōōryŭ, he who travels, he who sends men to their work.-Dwadŭshatma, he who assumes twelve forms1.—Divakŭrů, the maker of the day. -Bhaskŭrů, the creator of the light.-Vivuswŭt, the

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When the old Hindoo ascetics wished to ascertain a fact, they performed what is called dhyanů, viz. they shut their eyes, and began to meditate, when, it is said, the information they sought was revealed to them.

That is, the sons of a mare: these are now physicians to the gods.
Alluding to his progress through the twelve signs.

radiant.-Suptashwů, he who has seven horses in his chariot.-Vikŭrttŭnů, he who was made round by Vishwŭkurma in his lathe.-Urků, the maker of heat.-Mihirů, he who wets the earth'.-Pōōshŭnů, he who cherishes all.-Dyoomůnee, he who sparkles in the sky.-Turunee, the saviour. -Mitrů, the friend of the water-lily t.-Gruhŭpŭtee, the lord of the stars.-Sŭhusrangshoo, the thousand-rayed.— Ruvee, he who is to be praised.

SECT. VI.-Gunéshů,

THIS god is represented in the form of a fat short man, with a long belly, and an elephant's head". He has four hands; holding in one a shell, in another a chŭkrŭ, in another a club, and in the fourth a water-lily. He sits upon a rat. In an elephant's head are two projecting teeth, but in Gunéshu's only one, the other having been torn out by Vishnoo, when in the form of Purusoo-ramů he wished to have an interview with Shivů. Gŭnéshů, who stood as door-keeper, denied him entrance, upon which a battle ensued, and Părăsoo-ramů, beating him, tore out one of his teeth.

➤ The Sōōryŭ-shůtůkŭ says, the sun draws up the waters from the earth, and then lets them fall in showers again.

'At the rising of the sun this flower expands itself, and when the sun retires shuts up its leaves again.

Sir W. Jones calls Gunéshů the god of wisdom, and refers, as a proof of it, to his having an elephant's head. I cannot find, however, that this god is considered by any of the Hindoos as properly the god of wisdom; for though he is said to give knowledge to those who worship him to obtain it, that is what is ascribed also to other gods. The Hindoos in general, I believe, consider the elephant as a stupid animal, and it is a biting reproof to be called as stupid as an elephant.

The work called Günéshů-khundŭ contains a most indecent story respecting the birth of this god; which, however necessary to the history, is so extremely indelicate that it cannot possibly be given. It is mentioned in this story, that Doorga cursed the gods; so that they have ever since been childless, except by criminal amours with females not their own wives.

When it was known that Doorga had given birth to a son, Shunēē and the rest of the gods went to see the child. Shůnēē knew that if he looked upon the child it would be reduced to ashes; but Doorga took it as an insult that he should hang down his head, and refuse to look at her child. For some time he did not regard her reproofs; but at last, irritated, he looked upon Gunéshů, and its head was instantly consumed. The goddess, seeing her child headless, was overwhelmed with grief, and would have destroyed Shunēē; but Brumha prevented her, telling Shunee to bring the head of the first animal he should find lying with its head towards the north. He found an elephant in this situation, cut off its head, and fixed it upon Gănéshu, who then assumed the shape he at present wears. Doorga was but

This property is ascribed to Shunēē, (Saturn,) to point out, no doubt, the supposed baneful influence of this planet. This resembles the fable of Saturn's devouring all his male children. The Ramayănŭ contains a story respecting Dŭshŭrăt’hŭ and Shunēe, in which it is said, that Dushuruthu was once angry with this god for preventing the fall of rain in his kingdom: he ascended his chariot to make war with him, when Shunëë, by a single glance of his eyes, set the king's chariot on fire, and Důshŭrut'hu, in the most dreadful state of alarm, fell from the skies.

y One cause of this misfortune is said to be this: Doorga had laid her child to sleep with its head to the north, which is forbidden by the shastră. The Anhiku-tŭtwů declares, that if a person sleep with his head to the east, he will be rich; if to the south, he will have long life; if to the north, he will die; and if to the west, (except when on a journey,) he will have misfortunes.

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little soothed when she saw her son with an elephant's head to pacify her, Brumha said, that amongst the worship of all the gods that of Gunéshŭ should for ever bear the preference. In the beginning of every act of public worship therefore, certain ceremonies are constantly performed in honour of Gunéshů. Not only is Gunéshŭ thus honoured in religious ceremonies, but in almost all civil concerns he is particularly regarded: as, when a person is leaving his house to go a journey, he says, 'Oh! thou workperfecting Gunéshu, grant me success in my journey! Gu néshŭ! Günéshu! Günéshů!'-At the head of every letter, a salutation is made to Gunéshua. When a person begins to read a book he salutes Gunéshu; and shop-keepers and others paint the name or image of this god over the doors of their shops or houses, expecting from his favour protec-. tion and success.

No public festivals in honour of Gunéshŭ are held in Bengal. Many persons however choose him, as their guardian deity, and are hence called Ganŭpŭtyŭs.

At the full moon in the month Maghŭ, some persons; make or buy a clay image, and perform the worship of Gŭnéshů; when the officiating bramhun performs the ceremonies common in the Hindoo worship, presenting offerings to the idol. This god is also worshipped at considerable length at the commencement of a wedding, as well as when the bride is presented to the bridegroom. Great numbers, especially from the western and southern provinces, ce

It will occur to the reader, that in all sacrifices among the Romans prayers were first offered to Janus.

• Günéshŭ is famed as writing in a beautiful manner: so that when a person writes a fine hand, people say, "Ah! he writes like Gunéshů.' This' god is said to have first written the Mühabharütü from the mouth of Vyasüdévǎ

1ebrate the worship of Gůnéshů on the 4th of the new moon in Bhadru, when several individuals in each place subscribe and defray the expence. Many persons keep in their houses a small metal image of Gŭnéshů, place it by the side of the shalgramu, and worship it daily. At other times a burntoffering of clarified butter is presented to this idol Stone

images of Gunéshŭ are worshipped daily in the temples by the sides of the Ganges at Benares; but I cannot find that there are any temples dedicated to him in Bengal.

Gunéshů is also called Hŭridra-Gůnéshů. This name seems to have arisen out of the following story :-When Doorga was once preparing herself for bathing, she wiped off the turmerick, &c. with oil, and formed a kind of cake in her fingers. This she rolled together, and made into the image of a child; with which she was so much pleased, that she infused life into it, and called it Hŭridra-Gunéshů, The image of this god is yellow, having the face of an elephant. He holds in one hand a rope; in another the spike used by the elephant driver; in another a round sweetmeat, and in another a rod.

The principal names of Gŭnéshů are: Gůnéshů, or, the lord of the gunnŭ dévtas d.-Dwoimatoorů, the two-mothered-Eku-duntu, the one-toothed.-Hérůmbu, he who resides near to Shivů.-Lůmbodůrů, the long-bellied.Gujanŭnů, the elephant-faced.

b The Hindoos have a custom of cleaning their bodies by rubbing them all over with turmerick; and then, taking oil in their hands, wiping it off again, when it falls as a paste all round them.

Huridra is the name for turmerick.

d These are the companions of Shivů.

e

One of Guneshi's mothers was Doorga, and the other the female elephant whose head he wears.