ORIENTAL SERIES.

36
AVATARA.
nothing but the ocean could contain it. Manu then recognised
its divinity, and worshipped the deity Vislmu thus incarnate.
The god apprised Manu of the approaching cataclysm, and "bade
him prepare for it. When it came, Manu embarked in a ship
with the -Bishis, and with the seeds of all existing things.
Vishnu then appeared as the fish, with a most stupendous horn.
The ship was bound to this horn with the great serpent as with
a rope, and was secured in safety until the waters had subsided.
The Bhagavata Purawa introduces a new feature. In one of
the nights of Brahma, and during his repose, the earth and the
other worlds were submerged in the ocean. Then the demon
Haya-grlva drew near, and carried off the Yeda which had
issued from Brahma's mouth. To recover the Veda thus lost,
Vishnu assumed the form of a fish, and saved Manu as above >
related. But this PuraT&a adds, that the fish instructed Manu
and the jRisltis in " the true doctrine of the soul of the eternal
Brahma;" and, when Brahma awoke at the end of this dissolution
of the universe, Vishnu slew Haya-griva and restored
the Yeda to Brahma,
2. Kurma. 'The tortoise.' The germ of this Avatara is found
in the Satapatha Brahma^a, as above noticed. In its later and
developed form, Vishnu appeared in the form of a tortoise in
the Satya-yuga, or first age, to recover some things of value
which, had been lost in the deluge. In the form of a tortoise
he placed himself at the bottom of the sea of -milk,, and made
his back the base or pivot of the mountain Mandara. The gods
and demons twisted the great serpent Vasuki round the moun-
tain, and, dividing into two parties, each took an end of the
snake as a rope, and thus churned the sea until they recovered
the desired objects. These jvere (i.) Amn'ta, the water of
life; (2.) Dhanwantari, the physician of the gods and bearer of
the cup of Amn'ta ; (3.) Lakshml, goddess of fortune and
beauty, and consort of Vislmu ; (4.) Sura, goddess of wine ;
(5.) Chandra, the moon; (6.) Eambha, a nymph, and pattern
of a lovely and amiable woman; (7.) UchchaiA-sravas, a won-
derful and model horse ; (8.) Kaustubha, a celebrated jewel ;
(9.) Parijata, a celestial tree; (10.) Surabhi, the cow of plenty;
(n.) Airavata, a wonderful model elephant; (12.) Sankha, a
shell, the conch of victory; (13.) Dhanus, a famous bow; and
(14.) Visha, poison.