the ken of present or future beings. The attributes ascribed to Vishnu in some of these passages are such that, if the latter stood alone in the Rig-Veda, they might lead us to suppose that he was regarded by the Vedic Rishis as the chief of all the gods. But Indra is associated with Vishnu even in some of those texts in which the latter is most highly magnified: nay, in one place, the power by which Vishnu takes his three strides is described as being derived from Indra; in another text, Vishnu is represented as celebrating Indra's praise; whilst in another verse, Vishnu is said to have been generated by Soma. It is also a fact that the hymns and verses which are dedicated to the praises of Indra, Agni, etc., are extremely numerous, whilst the entire hymns and separate verses in which Vishnu is celebrated are much fewer . . . Vishnu is introduced as the subject of laudation among a crowd of other divinities, from which he is there in no way distinguished as being in any respect superior. From this fact we may conclude that he was regarded by those writers as on a footing of equality with the other deities. Further, the Rig-Veda contains numerous texts in which the Rishis ascribe to Indra, Varuna, and other gods, the same high and awful attributes and functions which are spoken of in other hymns as belonging to Vishnu. . . . If then we look to the large number of texts in which some of the other gods are celebrated, and to the comparatively small number of those in which Vishnu is exclusively or prominently magnified, we shall come to the conclusion that the latter deity occupied a somewhat subordinate place in the estimation and affections of the ancient Rishis." [**]

Amongst the thousand names of Vishnu, the following,

in addition to those already given, are most commonly known:--

Madhusudana, the destroyer of Madhu; and Kaitabhajit, the conqueror of Kaitabha. These were two demons who issued from Vishnu's ear as he lay asleep on the serpent Sesha at the end of a Kalpa, [**] and were about to destroy Brahma, as he sat on the lotus which sprang from Vishnu's navel, when this deity slew them, and hence obtained these names

Vaikunthanath, "The Lord of Paradise."

Kesava, "He who has excellent hair."

Madhava, "Made of honey; or a descendant of Madhu."

Swayambhu, "The self-existent one."

Pitamvara, "He who wears yellow garments."

Janarddana, "He who causes the people to worship."

Vishvamvara, "The protector of the world."

Hari, "The saviour; " lit. he who takes possession of.

Ananta, "The endless."

Damodara, "Bound with a rope."

Mukunda, "The deliverer."

Purusha, "The man," or "The spirit."

Purushottama, "The supreme man or spirit."