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OF THE HINDUS.
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legends are current amongst the MÁDHWAS, founded on this view of the creation, in which BRAHMÁ and śrva and other divinities are described as springing from his mind, his forehead, his sides, and other parts of his body. They also receive the legends of the Vaishnava Puranas, of the birth of BRAHMÁ from the Lotus, of the navel of VISHŃU, and of Rudra from the tears shed by Brahms on being unable to comprehend the mystery of creation.
The modes in which devotion to VISHŃU is to be expressed are declared to be three, Ankana, Námakarana, and Bhajana, or marking the body with his symbols', giving his names to children, and other ob
her demands were not agreeable to the divine law, replied that he could not be her consort, unless she granted her third eye to him. The goddess was pleased with his prudence, and adorned him with her third eye. So soon as Siva was possessed of that, he immediately destroyed her by a glance of the flaming eye, and revived Brahma and Vishnû, and of her ashes made three goddesses, Saraswatee, Latchmi, and Paravatee, and united one of them to each of the Trimoortee."
(Account of the Marda Gooroos.- Asiatic Annual Register, 1801.)
This legend is probably peculiar to the place where it was obtained, but the ideas and the notions adverted to in the text appear to have been misunderstood by Dr. BUCHANAN, who observes, that the Mardas believe in the generation of the gods, in a literal sense, thinking Visuấu to be the Father of BRAMÁ, and BRAILMÁ the Father of Siva. - Mysore, Vol. I, 14.
Especially with a hot iron, which practice they defend by a text from the VEDAS. Whose body is not cauterised, does not obtain liberation. waganga act Ha l l [Sarvad. S. p. 64.] To which, however, Sankaracharya objects, that Tapta does not
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