bunch of hair went with all the bhōōtus, &c. to destroy Důkshu's sacrifice, all the gods being present, this monster seized on Sōōryŭ and knocked out his teeth: in consequence, at the time of worship, only soft things, as flour, &c. are now offered to this god, such as a toothless old man might eat.

Sōōryŭ is charged in the Muhabharůtů with ravishing Koontee, a virgin, from whence Kŭrnnŭ, a giant, was born.

SECT. XV.-Somu, or Chundru, the Moon.

THE image of Somŭ is that of a white man, drawn by ten horses, or sitting on the water-lily. With his right hand he is giving a blessing, and in the other he holds a club.

In the work called Udhikŭrůnů-mala, a sacrifice is ordered to be performed to Somů, and the worshipper is promised a place in the heaven of this god.

All the Hindoo ceremonies are regulated by the rising or setting, the waxing or waning of the moon. The Jyotishtutwŭ says, 'If a person be born under the planet Somů, he will have many friends; will possess elephants, horses, and palanqueens; be honourable and powerful; will live upon excellent food, rest on superb couches, &c.'

A race of Hindoo kings are said to have descended from Somu by Rohinee, and are called the children of the moon.

• Hence Somu-varů, or Mouday.

P The Hyades.

The first of these was Boodhu, and the forty-sixth Yoodhist❜hirů.

This god on a certain occasion was forcibly carried away by Guroorů, the bird on which Vishnoo rides, and delivered up to the giants. The giants, anxious to become immortal as well as the gods, promised Gŭroorů that if he would bring the moon by force, so that they might drink the nectar supposed to exist in the bright parts of that planet, they would deliver his mother from the curse pronounced against her by her son troonů, by which she had been doomed to become the slave of her sister. Gŭroorů soon seized the god, and placed him trembling among the assembled giants; but while the latter were gone to bathe, and prepare for partaking of the waters of immortality, Indru arrived and delivered the captive, and thus disappointed these implacable enemies of the gods.

Somu is charged with seducing the wife of Vrihŭsputee, his preceptor. See p. 93.

The chief names of this god are: Somů, or, he from whom the water of immortality springs.-Himangshoo, he whose beams are cooling.-Chundrů, he at whose rising people rejoice.-Indoo, the great.—Koomoodŭ-bandŭvů, the friend of the flower Koomoodů .-Vidhoo, he who causes the gods to drink the water of life.-Soodhangshoo, he whose rays are as the water of life.-Oshudheeshů, the lord of medicinal plants.-Nishapŭtee, the lord of night.— Ubju, he who was born from the waters.-Joivatriků, the preserver of men.-Glou, he who decreases.-Mrigranků,

• Nymphaea lotus. After the rising of the moon this flower is said by the Hindoos to expand.

he on whose lap sits a deer'.-Kulanidhee, he with whom are the kŭlass.-Dwijŭraju, the chief of the bramhŭns.— Nukshůtréshů, the lord of the planets.-Kshŭpakŭrů, he who illumines the night.

SECT. XVI.-Mungulut, or Mars.

THIS god is painted red; rides on a sheep; wears a red necklace, and garments of the same colour; and has four arms: in one hand he holds a weapon called shuktee; with another he is giving a blessing; with another forbidding fear; and in the fourth he holds a club.

"If a person be born under the planet Măngůlů, he will be full of anxious thoughts, be wounded with offensive weapons, be imprisoned, be oppressed with fear from robbers, fire, &c. and will lose his lands, trees, and good name.'-Jyotish-tŭtwů.

SECT. XVII.-Boodhu", or Mercury.

THIS god has four arms; in one hand he holds the discus, in another a club, in another a scymitar, and with the

See a story of the birth of Boodhŭ in the following page.

* Kula is the one 16th part of the disk of the moon, viz. that quantity which it increases or decreases in one day.

Müngülü-vară, or Tuesday. Müngülü is also called Ungarǎků, or, he who travels; Koojů, the son of the earth; and Lohitangů, the bloodcoloured.

u

Boodhů-varů, or Wednesday. The meaning of Boodhŭ is, the wise.

fourth is bestowing a blessing. He rides on a lion; is of a placid countenance; and wears yellow garments.

The following is an account of the birth of Boodhŭ:-On a certain occasion Vrihŭsputee, the spiritual guide of the gods, made a great feast, to which he invited all the gods. Chundrŭ was present among the rest; who, during the festival, fell in love with Tara, the wife of Vrihŭspătee. Not knowing how to accomplish his wishes, after his return home he invited Vrihŭsputee to a sacrifice, begging him to bring his wife with him. Vrihŭsputee and his wife proceeded to the palace of Chundrů, but saw no preparations for the sacrifice. The former expressing his surprise at this circumstance, Chundrů told him that the sacrifice was unavoidably delayed, and advised him to return for a short time to his devotions, leaving his wife at his house. Vrihŭsputee consented, and during his absence Chundrů dishonoured the wife of his spiritual guide; who on his return, finding his wife pregnant, cursed Chundrů, and hurled him into the sea, where he continued like a cinder, leaving the earth in darkness for two kŭlpůs, or 864,000,000 years. Vrihŭsputee compelled his wife to deliver herself, and, on the birth of the child Boodhů, reduced her to ashes. Brumha afterwards raised her from her ashes, and, thus purified, Vrihůsputee took her to his embraces again. Sŭmoodrů, (the sea,) incensed at his son for this horrid crime of dishonouring the wife of his divine teacher, disinherited him. Chundrů then applied to his sister Lukshmēē, the wife of Vishnoo, by whose power part of his sin was re

He is also called Rouhinéyů, the son of Rohinëë, and Soumyŭ, the son of Somů.

* Lükshmee was born, like Chundrů, at the churning of the sea by the gods.

moved, and he became light like the moon when three days old. She also applied in his behalf to Parvutēē, who resolved to restore Chundrů to heaven, and for this purpose planted him in the forehead of her husband'; who went, thus ornamented, to a feast of the gods. Vrihuspŭtee, on seeing Chundru again in heaven, was greatly incensed, and could only be appeased by Brumha's ordaining, that the lascivious god should be excluded from heaven, and placed among the stars; and that the sin by which his glory had been obscured should remain for ever. Chundrů now asked Brumha to remove the vomiting of blood, with which he had been seized since his fall from heaven; who directed him, as a certain cure, to hold a deer on his knees.

'If a person be born under the planet Boodhů, he will be very fortunate, obtain an excellent wife, &c.'-Jyotishtŭtuů.

SECT. XVIII.-Vrihŭsputee2, or Jupiter.

THE image of this god, the son of the sage Ungira, is painted yellow. He sits on the water-lily; has four arms; in one hand he holds a roodrakshŭ bead-roll; in another an alms' dish; in another a club; and with the fourth he is bestowing a blessing.

Vrihŭsputee is preceptor and priest to the gods; in whose palaces he explains the védŭs, and performs a number of religious ceremonies.