a moral agent. of those who deny the responsibility of man as I am quite at a loss to conceive from what part of my writings this inference has been drawn, as I have not only never entertained such opinions myself, but have taken pains to explain the passage in the Ved on which this false doctrine is founded. In page 93* of the Preface to the Ishopanishad, I have said that, "the Vedant by declaring that God is everywhere, and every "thing is in God, means that nothing is absent from God, and "that nothing bears real existence except by the volition of "God." And again, in the same page I quoted the example of the most revered teachers of the Vedant doctrine, who, "although they declared their faith in the Omnipresent God, according "to the doctrines of the Vedant, assigned to every creature the "particular character and respect he was entitled to." 66 I omitted to notice the strange mode of argument which the learned Brahmun (at p. 29) has adopted in defence of idolatry. After acknowledging that the least deficiency in judgment renders man incapable of looking up to an Omnipresent Supreme Being, whereby he mistakes a created object for the great Creator, he insinuates that an erroneous notion in this respect is as likely to lead to eternal happiness, as a knowledge of truth. At l. 5, he says: "And although a person through "deficiency in judgment, should be unable to discover the real "nature of a thing, does it follow, that his error will prevent the "natural effect from appearing? When a man in a dream sees a "tiger, is he not in as much alarm as if he saw it in reality?" This mode of claiming for idol-worship a value equal to that of pure religion, which it can never be admitted to possess, may have succeeded in retaining some of his followers in the delusive dream, from which he is so anxious that they should not be awoke. But some of them have, I know, begun to inquire into the truth of those notions in which they have been instructed and these are not likely to mistake for true, the false analogy that is in above passage attempted to be drawn, nor will they See page 80 of this edition.-ED. believe that, however powerful may be the influence of imagination, even under false impressions, future happiness, which depends on God alone, can ever be ranked amongst its effects. Such enquirers will, I hope, at last become sensible that the system of dreaming recommended by the learned Brahmun, however essential to the interests of himself and of his caste, can bring to them no advantage, either substantial or eternal. As instances of the erroneous confidence which is placed in the repetition of the name of a god to effect purification from sins, noticed by me in p. 168,(*) I may quote the following passages. He who pronounces "Doorga" (the name of the goddess), though he constantly practise adultery, plunder others of their property, or commit the most heinous crimes, is freed from all sins.* A person pronouncing loudly, "reverence to Huri," even involuntarily, in the state of falling down, of slipping, of labouring under illness, or of sneezing, purifies himself from the foulest crimes.† He who contemplates the Ganges, while walking, sitting, sleeping, thinking of other things, awake, eating, breathing, and conversing, is delivered from sins.‡ The circumstances alluded to in p. 168(*) of this treatise, relative to the wicked conduct of their supposed deities, are perfectly familiar to every individual Hindoo. But those Europeans who are not acquainted with the particulars related of them, may perhaps feel a wish to be in possession of them. I, therefore, with a view to gratify their curiosity and to vindicate my assertion, beg to be allowed to mention a few instances in point, with the authorities on which they rest. As I have already noticed the debauchery of Krishna, and his gross sensuality, and that of his fellow deities, such as Siva and Bruhma, in the 147th, 148th, and 150th page(*) of my reply to * Vide Doorga nám Mahatmyu. † Vide Bháguvut. ‡ Vide Maha-Bharuth. (*) See pages 131, 132, 115, 116, 117, of this edition.-ED. the observations of Sunkar Sastri, instead of repeating them here, I refer my readers to that reply, and also to the tenth division of the Bhaguvut, to the Hury-Bunsu or last division of the Maha-Bharuth, and to the Nigums, as well as to the several Agums, which give a detailed account of their lewdness and debauchery. As to falsehood, their favourite deity Krishna is more conspicuous than the rest. Jura-Sundh, a powerful prince of Behar, having heard of the melancholy murder of his son-in-law perpetrated by Krishna, harassed, and at last drove him out of the place of his nativity (Muthoora) by frequent military expeditions. Krishna, in revenge, resolved to deprive that prince of his life by fraud, and in a most unjustifiable manner. To accomplish his object, he and his two cousins, Bheema and Urjoona, declared themselves to be Brahmuns, and in that disguise entered his palace; where finding him weakened by a religious fast, and surrounded only by his family and priests, they challenged him to fight a duel. He accordingly fought Bheema, the strongest of the three, who conquered and put him to death.-Vide Subha Purba or second Book of the Maha-Bharuth. Krishna again persuaded Yoodhisthir, his cousin, to give false evidence in order to accomplish the murder of Dron their spiritual father.- Vide Dron Purba, or seventh Book of the Maha-Bharuth. Vishnoo and others combined in a conspiracy against Buli, a mighty emperor; but finding his power irresistible, that deity was determined to ruin him by stratagem, and for that purpose appeared to him in the shape of a dwarf, begging alms. Notwithstanding Buli was warned of the intention of Vishnoo, yet, impressed with a high sense of generosity, he could not refuse a boon to a beggar; that a grateful deity in return not only deprived him of his whole empire, which he put himself in possession of by virtue of the boon of Buli, but also inflicted on him the disgrace of bondage and confinement in Patal.- Vide latter part of the Hurry-Bunsu, or last book of the Maha-Bharuth. When the battle of Coorookshetru was decided by the fatal 148 SECOND DEFENCE OF THE MONOTHEISTICAL SYSTEM &c. destruction of Doorjodhun, the remaining part of the army of his rival, Yoodhisthir, returned to the camp to rest during the night, under the personal care and protection of Mahadeva. That deity having, however, been cajoled by the flattery offered him by Uswathama, one of the friends of the unfortunate Doorjodhun, not only allowed him to destroy the whole army that was asleep under the confidence of his protection, but even assisted him with his sword to accomplish his bloody purpose.-Vide Sousuptik Purb, or eleventh book of the Maha-Bharuth. When the Usoors, at the churning of the ocean, gave the pitcher of the water of immortality in charge to Vishnoo, he betrayed his trust by delivering it to their step-brothers and enemies, the celestial gods.— Vide first book, or Adi Purb of the Maha-Bharuth. Instances like these might be multiplied beyond number : and crimes of a much deeper dye might easily be added to the list, were I not unwilling to stain these pages by making them the vehicle of such stories of immorality and vice. May God speedily purify the minds of my countrymen from the corruptness which such tales are too apt to produce, and lead their hearts to that pure morality, which is inseparable from the true worship of Him! |