another nature from that Visibility; it is invisible and eternal. He who is thus called invisible and incorruptible, is even he who is called the Supreme abode; which men having once obtained, they never more return to earth: THAT IS MY MANSION. That Supreme being is to be obtained by him who worshipeth no other gods. In him is included all nature; by him all things are spread abroad.” "I will now speak to thee," says Kreeshna, "of that time in which, should a devout man die, he will never return; and of that time in which, dying, he shall return again upon the earth." He then, thrö the symbolism of another astronomical fact, sets forth the perfection and imperfection of the soul, with accompanying rewards and penalties. "Those holy men who are acquainted with Brahm, departing this life in the fiery light of day, in the bright season of the moon, within the six month's of the sun's northern course, go unto him; but those who depart in the gloomy night of the moon's dark season, and whilst the sun is yet within the southern path of his journey, ascend for a while into the regions of the moon, and again return to mortal birth. These two, light and darkness, are esteemed the world's eternal ways: he who walketh in the former path [light] returneth not; whilst he who walketh in the latter [darkness] cometh back again upon the earth. A Yogee who is acquainted with these two paths of action will never be perplexed; wherefore, O Arjoon! be thou at all times employed in devotion. The fruit of this surpasseth all the rewards of virtue pointed out in the Veds, in worshipings, in mortifications, and even in the gifts of charity. The devout Yogee who knoweth all this, shall obtain a supreme and prior place."

The ninth Lecture, on the Chief of Secrets and Prince of Science,' which Kreeshna calls, a 'sovereign mystery, sublime and immaculate,' I will quote almost entire, on account of its extraordinary sublimity and beauty.

"The whole world was spread abroad by me in my invisible form. All things are dependent on me, I am not dependent on them; and all things are not dependent on me [that is, there are certain qualities inherent in matter, which act from their own nature, without my interference; the next passage explains the paradox.] Behold my divine connection! My creative spirit is the keeper of all things, not the dependant. Understand that all things rest in me, as the mighty air, which passeth everywhere, resteth for ever in the ætherial space. At the end of the period Kalp [of the same meaning as Yoog-literally formation], all things, O Son of Koontee, return into my primordial source; and at the beginning of another Kalp, I create them all again. I plant myself on my own nature, and create again and again, this assemblage of beings, the whole, from the power of nature, without power. Those works confine not me, because I am like one sitting aloof, uninterested in those works. By my supervision, nature produceth both the moveable and immovable. It is from this source, O Arjoon! that the universe resolveth.

"The foolish, being unacquainted with my supreme and divine nature, as Lord

This is equivalent to the Theological view of Evil as arising out of the essential limitation of finite beings, adopted by Augustin, Wolffius, Polhill, Edwards, Williams, Payne,

and others.

of all things, despise me in this human form, trusting to the evil, diabolic, and deceitful principle within them. They are of vain hope, of vain endeavors, of vain wisdom, and void of reason; whilst men of great minds, trusting to their divine natures, discover that I am before all things and incorruptible; and serve me with their hearts undiverted by other gods.

I am

"Men of rigid and laborious lives come before me humbly bowing down, for ever glorifying my name; and they are constantly employed in my service; but others serve me, worshiping me, whose face is turned on all sides, with the worship of wisdom, unitedly, separately, in various shapes. I am the sacrifice; I am the worship; I am the spices; I am the invocation; I am the ceremony to the manes of the ancestors; I am the provisions; I am the fire, and I am the victim; I am the father and the mother of this world, the grandsire, and the preserver. I am the Holy One, worthy to be known;-the mystic figure Om [God]; the Reeg, the Sam, and Yajoor Veds. I am the journey of the good; the comforter; the creator; the witness; the resting place; the asylum and the friend. generation and dissolution; the place where all things are reposited; and the inexhaustible seed of all nature. I am sunshine, and I am rain; I now draw in, and now let forth. I am Death and Immortality. I am entity and non-entity." It is cheering to see the value Kreeshna sets upon the human soul, and the sublime dignity with which he invests it. For whilst he declares that men are led astray by lust and anger, which darken the soul so that it cannot see or act, yet he affirms that these things are as clouds passing before the mid-day sun, which when they are withdrawn reveal its original and divine glory. What he says about men of great minds, who relying upon their divine natures discover God's attributes and perfections, receives confirmation from the history of great and enduring persons. I cannot call to mind one man who comes down to us thrö the fires of the ages, bearing his Title Deeds to Immortality in his hands, who has not made this discovery of God's nature, and built the entire architecture of his thought upon it, The little logical men, who deal alone with the dead body of Thought, may go on with their demonstrations, and prove that what the highest and mightiest of the Sons of Men understand by the Spiritual Life is inanity and emptiness, but it is an ungrateful and thankless service; and is falsified by the experience of all the gifted and cultivated of mankind. Logic and metaphysic may throw a scaffolding of laws around the mind, and help us to scale its heights and explore its depths, but the mystic nature of man remains, escaping all formularies, baffling all solutions. And until we can bring ourselves to believe that the Soul really is, and that it is capable of a divine union with the universal soul, we can experience nothing of the profound realities. A pure receptive nature is essential to spiritual illumination. Doubt, denial, and intellectual antagonism, are the foes of the spirit; and altho I would not join in the insane cry against the intellect--but believe that a brave and loyal use of it will conduct the struggler to the regions of God's truth at last,-yet, as Kreeshna, says, 'he who has faith hath wisdom.' I am of course here speaking of an enlightened and not of a superstitious faith, for the latter is as much the foe of truth, as the former is the friend of it. And by an enlightened faith I mean that trustful reliance upon the Supreme Being which springs from an investigation

of his nature and attributes, and results in the union of man's soul with him. For this is the highest form and issue of Faith; and according to the Indians, whatever sinks below this is evanescent, and hath but a transient reward. Thus Kreeshna says, in continuation of his discourse, "The followers of the three Veds, who drink of the juice of the Som, m being purified of their offences, address me in sacrifices, and petition for heaven. These obtain the regions of Eendra, ” the prince of celestial beings, in which they feast on celestial food and divine enjoyments; and when they have partaken of that spacious heaven for awhile in proportion to their virtues, they sink again into this mortal life, as soon as their stock of virtue is expended.

"I accept and enjoy the holy offerings of the humble soul, who in his worship presenteth leaves and flowers and fruit and water unto me. Whatever thou doest, O Arjoon! whatever thou eatest, whatever thou sacrificest, whatever thou givest, whatever thou shalt be zealous about, make each an offering unto me. Thou shalt thus be delivered with good and evil fruits, and with the bonds of works.

I am the same to all mankind; there is not one who is worthy of my love or hatred. They who serve me with adoration, I am in them and they in me.

"If one whose ways are ever so evil, serve me alone, he is as respectable as the just man; he is altogether well employed; he soon becometh of a virtuous spirit, and obtaineth eternal happiness. Recollect, O Son of Koontee, that my servant doth not perish. Those even who may be of the womb of sin; women [who are doomed to transmigration until they are born into the nature of a Brahmin]; the tribes of Visya and Soodra,-shall go the supreme journey, if they take sanctuary with me; how much more my holy servants the Brahmins and the Rajarishees." Thus is salvation offered to all the world; to the Jews first, and then to the Gentiles.'

In the tenth Lecture, on the 'Diversity of the Divine Nature,' Kreeshna announces himself thus:

...

"I am the soul which standeth in the bodies of all beings. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all things. ... Amongst the faculties I am mind; and amongst animals I am reason. Amongst teachers I am their chief Vreehaspatee [teacher of the Dews] ... Amongst floods, I am the ocean. I am the monosyllable amongst words, [Oм; a word emblematic of the Deity, forbidden to be pronounced, but in silence.] I am amongst worships, the Yap or silent worship; and amongst immovables, the mountain Heemalay.... Amongst purifiers I am the air; amongst rivers I am Ganga. Amongst frauds I am

m The name of a creeper, the juice of which is commanded to be drunk at the conclusion of a sacrifice, by the person for whom, and at whose expense, it is performed, and by the Brahmins who officiate at the altar. It is singular that this Moonplant juice, which induces a peculiar intoxication, should have been used by a people amongst whom intoxicating wine or toddy was prohibited from the first ages.

n

A personification of the visible heavens, or the power of the Almighty over the clements. He is the sprinkler of the rain, the roller of the thunder, and the director of the winds. He is represented with a thousand eyes, grasping the thunderbolt.

...

gaming; • and of all things glorious, I am the glory. I am also never failing Time; the preserver whose face is turned on all sides. I am all-grasping death; and I am the resurrection of those who are about to be. Amongt rulers I am

...

the rod, and amongst those who seek for conquest, I am policy. Amongst the secret, I am silence; amongst the wise, I am wisdom. There is nothing, either animate or inanimate, without me. My divine distinctions are without end, and the many I have mentioned are by way of example. But what, O Arjoon! has thou to do with this manifold wisdom? I planted this whole universe with a single portion, AND STOOD STILL."

The eleventh Lecture is entitled 'Display of the Divine Nature in the Form of the Universe.' Arjoon desires to behold the hidden majesty of Kreeshna, who opens his pupil's eyes, and reveals himself in his 'million divine forms, of various species, and diverse shapes and colors '-'the eternal God, whose countenance is turned on every side.' The Son of Pandoo then beheld within the body of the God of gods, standing together, the whole universe divided forth into its vast variety. Overwhelmed with wonder, every hair raised on end at the glory and amazing splendor of this mighty being, he bowed his head, and with joined hands, thus addressed him :

"I behold, O God! within thy breast the Dews assembled, and every specific tribe of Beings. I see Brahma, that Deity sitting on his Lotus throne; all the Reeshees (saints) and heavenly Ooragas (sacred serpents). I see thyself on all sides, of infinite shape, formed with abundant arms, and bodies, and mouths, and eyes; but I can neither discover thy beginning, thy middle, nor thine end, O Universal Lord, form of the Universe! I see thee with a crown, and armed with club and sword, a mass of glory, darting refulgent beams around. I see thee difficult to be seen, shining on all sides with light immeasurable, like the ardent fire or glorious sun. Thou art the Supreme Being, incorruptible, worthy to be known! Thou art prime supporter of the universal orb... the sun and moon thy eyes; thy mouth a flaming fire, and the whole world shining with thy reflected glory. The space between the heavens and the earth is possessed by thee alone, and every point around: the three regions of the Universe, O Mighty Spirit! behold the wonders of thy awful countenance with troubled minds. Of the celestial bands, some I see fly to thee for refuge; whilst some afraid, with joined hands, sing forth thy praise. The Maharishees [Great saints, of whom there are seven, produced by Brahma at the creation], holy bands, hail thee and glorify thy name with adorating praises. The Roodras [eleven distinctions of Seev, or Fate], the Adeetyas, [offsprings of Adeetee that may not be cut off, emblems of the sun for each month of the year], the Vasoor [eight of the first beings created by Brahma], and all those beings the world esteemeth good... the Gandharvs and the Yakshas, with the holy tribes of Soors, all stand gazing on thee, and all alike amazed. I know not which way I turn! I find no peace! Have mercy, then O God of gods! thou mansion of the universe As the rapid

...

• A sentiment of this kind expressed by Mr. Emerson quite shocked' our modern saints.

The

response

streams of full flowing rivers roll on to meet the ocean's bed, even so these heroes (assembled before thee on the battle field) of the human race, rush on towards thy flaming mouths. As troops of insects, with increasing speed, seek their own destruction in the flaming fire; even so these people, with swelling fury, seek their own destruction. The whole world is filled with thy glory. Reverence be unto thee, thou most exalted! Deign to make known unto me who is this God of awful figure. I am anxious to learn thy source, and ignorant of what thy presence here portendeth." "I am of Kreeshna reminds one of the language of Joshua. Time, the destroyer of mankind, matured, come hither to seize at once all these who stand before us. Except thyself [THYSELF, should include his brothers, who were also saved], not one of all these warriors, destined against us in these numerous ranks, shall live. Wherefore, arise! seek honor and renown! defeat the foe, and enjoy the full grown kingdom. They are already as it were, destroyed by me." Then Arjoon shouts, "Ottreesheekes! the universe rejoices because of thy renown, and is filled with zeal for thy service. The Evil spirits are terrified and flee on all sides; whilst the holy tribes bow down in adoration before thee. Thou knowest all things, and art worthy to be known. By thee, O infinite Form, the universe was spread abroad. Thou art before all gods, greater than Brahma, the ancient Pooroosh. Thou art Vayoo, the god of wind; Agnee, the god of fire; Varoon, the god of oceans; Sasanka, the moon; Prajapatee, the god of nations; and Prapeeta-maha, the mighty ancestor. Reverence! reverence! be unto thee a thousand times repeated. Again and again, reverence be unto thee. O thou, who art all in all! Infinite is thy power and glory. Thou includest all things, therefore thou art all things. There is none like unto thee; where then in the three worlds is there one above thee? Wherefore I bow down; and with my body prostrate upon the ground crave thy mercy, Lord! worthy to be adored; for thou should'st bear with me even as a father with his son, a friend with his friend, and a lover with his beloved."

...

Kreeshna then reassumes his natural form and assuages the fears of his pupil. The import of the vision is thus suggested by Kreeshna at the close. "Thou hast beheld this my marvelous shape, so very difficult to be seen, which even the Dews (angels) are constantly anxious to behold. But I am not to be seen as thou hast seen me, even by the assistance of the Veds, by mortifications, by sacrifices, by charitable gifts; but I am to be seen, to be known in truth, and to be obtained, by means of worship offered up to me alone by him who livest amongst all men without hatred."

The twelfth Lecture, 'Of serving the Deity in his visible and invisible Forms,' is a sort of summary of the previous lectures, and is essentially Christian in its character. Arjoon asks who know their duty best? those who worship Kreeshna as he now is; or those who serve him in his invisible, incorruptible nature? Here are the words of the God in reply :

"Those who having placed their minds in me, serve me with constant zeal, and are endued with steady faith, are esteemed the best devoted. They too, who delighting in the welfare of all nature, serve me in my incorruptible, ineffable, and