________________
OF THE HINDUS.
Brahmanical order at least, still continues: professing alike to recognise implicitly the authority of the Vedas, the worshippers of Siva, or of VishŃl, and the maintainers of the Sánkhya or Nyáya doctrines, consider themselves, and even each other, as orthodox members of the Hindu community.
To the internal incongruities of the system, which did not affect its integral existence, others were, in time, superadded, that threatened to dissolve or destroy the whole: of this nature was the exclusive adoration of the old deities, or of new forms of them; and even it may be presumed, the introduction of new divinities. In all these respects, the Puráńas and
Tantras were especially instrumental, and they not only taught their followers to assert the unapproachable superiority of the gods they worshipped, but inspired them with feelings of animosity towards those
Thus in the Bhagavat:
भवव्रतधरा ये च ये च तान्समनुव्रताः ।
पाषण्डिनस्ते भवन्तु सच्छास्त्रपरिपन्थिन: ॥ Those who profess the worship of Brava, (Šiva,) and those who follow their doctrines, are lieretics and eneinies of the sacred Sastras,-- Again:
मुमुक्षवो घोररूपान्हित्वा भूतपतीनथ।।
नारायणकलाः शान्ता भजन्ति ह्यनसूयवः ॥ Those desirous of final emancipation, abandoning the hideous gods of the devils, pursue their devotions, calm, blameless, and being parts of NARAYANA. The Padma Purána is more personal towards VishŃU:
विष्णदर्शनमात्रेण शिवद्रोहः प्रजायते ॥ शिवद्रोहान्न सन्देहो नरकं याति दारुणम् । तस्मान्न विष्णुनामा ऽपि न वक्तव्यं कदाचन ॥
