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OF THE HINDUS.
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his fatigues and his faith, he was honoured by a visit from KRISHNA in person, who enjoined him to introduce the worship of Bálagopál, or Gopál Lál, and founded the faith which at present exists in so flourishing a condition. VALLABHA is supposed to have closed his career in a miracle: he had finally settled at Jethan Ber, at Benares, near which a Math still subsists, but at length, having accomplished his mission, he is said to have entered the Ganges at IIanumán Ghat, when, stooping into the water, he disappeared: a brilliant flame arose from the spot, and, in the presence of a host of spectators, he ascended to heaven, and was lost in the firmament.
The worship of KRISHNA as one with VISHNU and the universe dates evidently from the Mahabharat', and his more juvenile forms are brought pre-eminently to notice in the account of his infancy, contained in the Bhagavat, but neither of these works discriminates him from VISHNU, nor do they recommend his infantine or adolescent state to particular veneration. At the same time some hints may have been derived from them for the institution of this division of the
The well known passage in the Bhagavad Gita [XI, 26-30.], in which ARJUNA sees the universe in the mouth of KRISHNA, establishes this identity.
2 Particularly in the tenth book, which is appropriated to the life of KRISHNA. The same subject occupies a considerable portion of the Hari Vans section of the Mahábhárat, of the Pátála section of the Padma Purána, the fifth section of the Vishnu Purána, and the whole of the Adi Upapurána.
