PRONUNCIATION OF HINDOO NAMES.

In endeavouring to give the sounds of Sungskritů words, the author has adopted a method, which he hopes unites correctness with simplicity, and avoids much of that confusion which has been so much complained of on this subject. If the reader will only retain in his memory, that the short ŭ is to be sounded as the short o in son, or the u in Burton; the French é, as a in plate; and the ēē as in sweet; he may go through the whole work with a pronunciation so correct, that a Hindoo would understand him. At the beginning and end of a word, the inherent vowel (u) has the soft sound of au.

ERRATA.

Vol. I. p. lxxxvi. 1. 9. for "adorating," read" adoring."

p. 9. 1. 7. for "eight," read " eighth."

p. 256. 1. 12. for "fled," read " fled away."

Vol. II. p. 138. 1. 3. for "Bristol Hot-wells, with all its gilt crutches," read "the warm waters at Bath, with all the gilt crutches."

*

CONTENTS

OF VOL. I.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

THE Hindoo theology founded on the same philosophical notion as that

of the Greeks, that the Divine Spirit is the soul of the world, proved

from the Greek writers, i.—from the Védantů-Sarů, iii.—A system of

austerity founded on this system, v.-Extract from the Shree-Bhagu-

vůtů on this subject, vi.-Account of the ceremony called yogů, by

which the Divine Spirit, dwelling in matter, becomes purified, ex-

tracted from the Patŭnjůlů Dŭrshănă and the Gorŭkshŭ-sŭnghita, viii.

-No real yogēēs to be found at present, ix.-Absurdity of these

opinions and practices, x.-Another class of Hindoos place their hopes

on devotion, ibid.—The great mass of the population adhere to religi-

ous ceremonies, xii.--Conjectures on the origin of the Hindoo Mytho-

logy, xiii.—on images, as originating in moral darkness, and the depra-

vity of men, ibid.-those of the Hindoos not representations of the One

God, xiv.-nor of his perfections, ibid.-nor of human virtues, xv.—

nor of the objects of natural science, ibid.—but in general the inven-

tion of kings, to please the multitude, ibid.—The doctrine of all the

East, that God in his abstract state is unknown, and unconnected with

the universe, xvi.-the object of worship the divine energy, subject to

passions, in consequence of its union to matter, ibid.-the creation of

the gods first, xvii.-Proofs that the divine energy is the object of

adoration, from the forms of the gods, xviii.—the modes of worship,

xix.-the common observations of the Hindoos on the phenomena of

nature, xx.-The divine energy the object of worship among the

Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, &c. proved by quotations from various

authors, xxi.—The subjects embraced by the Hindoo mythology, xxii.

-The ancient idolatry of this people confined to the primary elements,

the heavenly bodies, and aërial beings, ibid.—the succeeding objects

of worship, Brumha, Vishnoo, and Shivů, the creator, the preserver,

and destroyer, ibid.-next the female deities, as the representatives of

nature, ibid.—then sundry deities, connected with corrupt notions of

Divine Providence; and afterwards deified heroes, xxiv.-The number

of the Hindoo gods, ibid.-Benefits sought from different gods by their

worshippers, xxv.-Brůmha-his form-allusions of these attributes-

conjecture of Mr. Paterson's examined, xxvi.-Vishnoo-the attributes

of his image explained-conjecture of Mr. Paterson's noticed, xxvii.—

Shivů, and the attributes of his image—remarks on the worship of the

Lingu―resemblance between Bacchus and Shivu-two other forms of

Shivů noticed, Kalŭ-Bhoirůvů and Muha-Kalů, xxviii.-Indrů, xxx.—

Yümů, xxxi.-Günéshu, xxxii.-Kartikéyü, ibid.-Sõõryü,ibid.-Ugnee,.

xxxiii.—Půvănů, xxxiv.—Vüroonă, ibid.—Sŭmoodrů, ibid.—Priť’hivēē,

ibid.—The heavenly bodies, xxxv.~Doorga, xxxvi.—Kalēē, xxxvii.—

Lükshmee, xxxviii.—Sürůswütēō, ibid.-Shêétůla, ibid.—Mŭnúsa, ibid.

-Shusht'hee, ibid.-Krishnů, xxxix.-Jŭgŭnnat'hů, xl.-Ramů, xli.—

Choitůnyů, xlii.—Vishwů-kŭrma, ibid.—Kamŭ-dévů, ibid.—Sütyů-Na-

rayŭnů, ibid.-Půnchanůnů, ibid.-Dhurmu-t'hakoorů, ibid.-Kaloo-

rayŭ, ibid.—Deified beings in strange shapes, xliii.-worship of human

beings, ibid.—Worship of beasts, ibid.—birds, xliv.-trees, ibid.—

Worship of rivers, ibid.—fish, xlv.-books, ibid.-stones, ibid.—a log

of wood, xlvi.—Remarks on this system of mythology, ibid.—on the

use of idols in worship, ibid.-Indelicacy of many of the Hindoo

images, xlvii.-Corrupt effects of idol worship in this country, xlviii.

-especially after the festivals, xlix.-The history of the gods and religi-

ous pantomimes exceedingly increase these effects, 1.-Practices of the

vamacharees add to the general corruption, li.-Reflections on this state

of things, ibid.-causes of the popularity of the festivals, lv.-remarks,

with a view of correcting the false estimate made of the Hindoo cha-

racter by the Rev. Mr. Maurice and others, ibid.-Idolatry exciting.to

frauds, lix.-setting up of gods a trade, ibid.-Hindoo Temples-their

use, Ix.-dedication of them, ibid.—Images, of what materials made,

lxi.-Priests, lxii.-Ceremonies at temples, lxiii.-Periodical ceremo-

nies, ibid.--daily duties of a bramhůn, lxiv.-form of initiation into the

Hindoo rites, ibid.—the spiritual guide, lxv.—Bathing, ibid.—forms of

worship before the idol, lxvi.—Extract from the Ain Akbŭree, ibid.

note.-forms of praise and prayer, lxviii.—meditation, ibid.—repeating

the names of the gods, Ixix.-vows, fasting, and gifts to bramhŭns,

ibid.-hospitality, digging pools, planting trees, rehearsing and hearing

the pooranus, &c. lxx.--Burning widows, and burying them alive, ibid.

-an affecting relation by Captain Kemp, ibid. note.-number of these

victims, lxxiv.—Visiting sacred places, ibid.—atonements, and offerings

to the manes, lxxv.-heavens and hells, lxxvi.-Confession of faith

made by a bramhăn, ibid.—Remarks on it, lxxix.--Sum of the Hindoo

system, lxxx.-view of its effects, ibid.--Remarks of the same bramhun

on the present state of religion among his countrymen, ibid.—Appear-

In this Introduction, the author has gone over the whole of the Hindoo Pantheon,
that he might supply a number of omissions in the body of the work; aud hence it forms
an epitome of the whole.