[44] वैशाख Váisákha, “the month in which the moon is full near the southern scale” (April-May); the first month in the Hindu calendar.—A. T.
[45] भाद्र bhadra, “the month when the moon is full near the wing of Pegasus” (August-September).—A. T.
[46] Vámana was so small, that in his journey, when he got to the side of a hole made by a cow’s foot, and which was filled with water, he thought it was a river, and entreated another Brahman to help him over it. On coming into Bali’s presence, he petitioned only for as much land as he could measure by three steps; and the king ordered his priest, notwithstanding his remonstrances, to read the usual formulas in making such a present. Vámana then placed one foot on India’s heaven, and the other on the earth; when lo! a third leg suddenly projected from his belly, and he asked for a place upon which he might rest his third foot. Bali then, by his wife’s advice, gave his head for Vámana to set his foot upon; Vámana next asked for a Dakshina, “a small present which accompanies a gift;” but Bali was unable to comply, as he had now lost every thing: in this dilemma he offered his life, which Vishnu declined taking, as he had promised Prahláda not to destroy any of his race. He therefore gave him his choice of ascending to heaven, taking with him five ignorant men; or descending to Patála, the world of the hydras, with five wise men. Bali chose the latter, as Vishnu promised to protect him against suffering punishment there for his crimes on earth.
(Ward on the Hindoos, vol. I. p. 7.)—D. S.
[47] परशु राम or “Ráma with an axe.” He was the son of the Muni Jamadagni, born at the commencement of the second or Tréta-yug.—A. T.
[48] This is the Rama-chandra, the son of Daśarat´ha, king of Ayodhya, or the modern Oude, and born at the close of the second age.—A. T.
[49] Sitá, the daughter of the king of Mithila (the modern Tirhut) was taken away by Rávána himself, who had come from Lanka to the Indian peninsula, in order to revenge so many Rakshasas, his relations, who had been destroyed by the bravery of Ráma. This hero, having allied himself with Hanuman and Sugriva, two chiefs of savage tribes, represented as monkeys, conquered with their assistance the island of Lanka, overthrew and slew in battle Rávaná, and recovered his wife. The narration of these events forms one of the most interesting parts of the Rámáyana, an ancient and sacred poem relating the history of Ráma-chandra.—A. T.
[50] The beginning of the Kali-yug, succeeding the Dvapar-yug, being fixed 3102 years B. C., Buddha would have appeared 3112 years B. C.—A. T.
[51] The author, if even no Zoroastrian, seems to allude here to Honover, “pure desire,” a general name for “the word of Ormuzd;” it existed before all the good and evil beings created by Ormuzd and by Ahriman; it was by pronouncing it that the first triumphed over the latter, and continued to extend and to protect the creation (Zend-Avesta, I. 2 P. pp. 85. 138. 140. 412. II. 347. 348. and elsewhere).—A. T.
[52] The Sri Bhagavat mentions the birth of this celebrated sage in the Satya Yog, in the heaven of Brahma, from whose mind he was born; the Kalika puranah gives an account of another birth in the Padma Kalpa, when his father’s name was Mitra Varúna, and his mother’s Kúmbha. The Ramáyana mentions him as priest to the kings of the solar race for many ages. This philosopher taught in substance the doctrines of the Vedanta school. He is said to have had ten thousand disciples.