And as they account Cancer the ascendant sign of the world, it is therefore likely that the ancient Hindú philosophers represented this constellation[42] under the figure of the Kurma, or “tortoise;” also by the Matsya, or “fish,” is meant the constellation Hút, or “Pisces.”
The third was the Baráh, or “boar Avátar,” when a Rakshas, named Karanyáksha, having taken away the earth and carried it under the water, Vishnu, on the sixteenth of Chet in the Shakl Pacheh,[43] or “bright half of the moon,” assumed the form of a boar, slew the demon with his tusks and brought out the earth.
The fourth was the Narsinha, or “man-lion Avátar.” There was a Rakshas named Kiranya Kashípú, whose son, Prahláda, worshipped Vishnu, and as his father persecuted him on that account, Vishnu, therefore, on the fourteenth of Baisakh,[44] in the Shakl Pacha, or “bright half of the moon,” having assumed the form of the Narsingh, whose head and claws were those of a lion joined to a human body, slew the demon Kiranya Kashipú.
The fifth was the Vá-mana, or “dwarf Avatar.” When the Rakshas, Bali daitya, through his religious exercises and austerities had become lord of the three worlds, that is, of all above the earth and below it and the heavens, so that the angels were hard pressed and deprived of their power; Vishnu, therefore, on the twelfth of Bhadun[45] in the Shakl Pachah, descended in the Vámanah Avátár, and coming into the presence of Bali, requested as much of the earth as he could traverse in three steps: to this Bali consented, although Sukra, or “the planet Venus,” the director and guardian of the demons, exhorted him not to grant the request, saying: “This is Vishnu, who will deceive thee.” Bali replied: “If he come to me as a suitor, what can answer my purpose better?” Vishnu, on this, included the whole earth in one step, the heavens in the second, and in the third, rising up to his navel, said to Bali, “Whither can I pass?” Bali, on this, presented his head; on which Vishnu, who saw this, having placed his foot, sent Bali[46] below the earth, where he has ever since continued to reign with sovereign power, during many hundred thousands of years. It is to be noted, that Vá-mana means a dwarf, as he was a diminutive Brahman.
The sixth Avátar was Paras u Rama.[47] The Chatri, or “military caste,” having become evil doers, in consequence of this, Vishnu, on the seventh of Bhadun, in the Shakl pachah, or “bright half of the moon,” assumed the Avátar of Parasúram, who was of the seed of the Brahmans. In this incarnation he exterminated the Chettri class so utterly, that he even ripped open their females and slew the fœtus. According to the Hindus, Parasuram is always living; they call him Chirangivah, or “long-lived.”
The seventh is the Ram Avátar:[48] when the tyranny of the Rakshas Rávana, sovereign of the demons, had exceeded all bounds, Vishnu, on the ninth of Chet in the Shaklpachah, becoming incarnate in Rama, who was of the Chettri caste, overthrew at that time Rávána, chief of the demons of Lanka, (Ceylon). Now Lanka is a fort built of golden ingots, situated in the midst of the salt ocean. He also recovered Sita,[49] the wife of Rama, who had had been taken away by the Rokshas, which is a name given by the Hindoos to a frightful demon.
The eighth was the Krishn Avátar. When Vishnu, in the Dwapar-Jog, on the eighth of Bhádún, in the Kishn pachah, having assumed the Avátar of Krishna, slew Kansá. Krishna was also of the Chettri or “military caste.”
The ninth was the Budh avatar. When ten years only of the Dwapar-Jog remained,[50] Vishnu, in order to destroy the demons and evil genii, the causers of night, assumed the Avátar of Buddha, on the third of Baisakh, in the Shakl pacheh.
The tenth Avátar is to occur at the expiration of the Kali-jug, for the purpose of destroying the Mlechas, or “enemies of the Hindoos.” The Kalki Avátar is to take place on the third of Bhádún, in the Shakl Pachah, in the city of Sumbul, in the house of a Brahman named Jasa. Kalki is also to be of the Brahman caste. He will destroy the corruptions of the world, and all the Mlechas, that is, Muhammedans, Christians, Jews, and such like, are to be entirely extirpated: after which the Satyog, or “golden age,” is to return.
They moreover maintain, that the contingently-existing inhabitants and beings of earth are unable to penetrate into the presence of the necessarily-existing sovereign, and that the essence of the Creator is too exalted for any created beings to attain to an acquaintance with it, notwithstanding the high knowledge and piety with which they may be adorned: it therefore seemed necessary to the Almighty God to descend from the majesty of abstractedness and absolute existence, and exhibit himself in the various species of angels, animals, man, and such like, so as to enable them to attain to some knowledge of himself. They therefore assert, that for the purpose of satisfying the wishes of his faithful servants, and tranquillizing their minds, he has vouchsafed to manifest himself in this abode, which manifestation they call an Avátar and hold this to be no degradation to his essence. This tenet has been thus interpreted by Shidosh, the son of Anosh: According to the Súfís, the first wisdom is the knowledge of God, and of the universal soul, his life; and in this place they have expatiated upon the attributes of the Almighty; thus by Brahma they mean his creative power; and by the old age of Brahma is implied his perfection: philosophers also call the first intelligence, the intellectual Adam, and the universal soul, the intellectual Eve. The sage Sunai has said: