semblance existing between the Egyptian and Hindu mythologies, which has been unfolded by many writers, illustrates the fact of an interchange of religious light; and that these extremes of the known world should thus have met remarkably confirms the views of lleeren just adduced (see further, I'richard, Fyyptian MythAoyy, p. 227-301 ; Maurice, Indian Antiquities, iii, 56-124; Bun- sen, God in History, bk. iii, ch. ii). The annexed figures
Krishna trampling upon the Serpent. were copied by Sonnerat from scul|)tnres in one of the oldest of the Hindu pagodas. No Vishnuite of distinc- tion, Sonnerat tcUs us, is without these images in his house, either of gold, silver, or copper (see also Prichard's F'lypt. Myth. p. 261). For a glowing description of Krish- na's person, see the Piu-dna in Maurice, Hindost. ii,363.
2. On the supposition of the oneness of oiu- race there is no reason to exclude the Hindu from an original par- ticipation in the patriarchal knowledge of the promised Redeemer, as transmitted by Noah and his family. Sue- tonius (Vespas. iv) and Tacitus (/list.x, 4, 13) unite in the thought of" an ancient and permanent belief having spread itself over the whole East" to this effect. (See farther Gray's Connection, i, chap, xxv ; Hengstenberg, C/;m^o?o5ry,iv, Appendix ii; Tholuck, Le^re r.d.Siinde, p. 220-229 ; Stolberg's Religions Geschichte i, Beilage iv ; Fabcr's P>-oph.Piss. i, 57-114; Faber's Horm Mosaicce, i, ch. iii.) All Hindu traditions connected with the or- igin of their religion and their people point but one way, and that to the recognised birthplace of our race — the lofty watershed from which in every direction hu- man faiths and mythologies have flowed forth. (See Jlax Midler on the relations of the Veda and Zend-Aves- ta, Chips, 1, 81-86.) Though these traditions in them- selves may be as inconsequential as falling stars, still they reflect a light kindred with that which shines forth from fixed stars in the firmament of true faith. Krish- na, as seen in the monuments of the Hindu, stands a striking exponent of primeval traditions, that, having sprung from the promise of the Garden, have more or less modified most distant and varied mythologies. He is a crude though riot inartistic painting of a hope pre- served to us in the Word of God, but otherwise hope- lessly lost. He is one of a brotherhood that embraces an Apollo triumphant over the python ; a Hercides, burj'ing the immortal and burning out the mortal heads
KRISHNA
165
KRISHNA
of the hydra; a Sigurd, a descendant of Odin, slaying tlic serpent Fafnir, and rescuing priceless treasure; a Thor, styled " the eldest of the sous of God," who, in his contest with the serpent, thougli brought upon his knee, yet bruised his enemy's head witli the mace and finally slew him ; an Oshanderbegha, predicted by Zoroaster, who contends twenty long years with a malignant dx- mon, whom he eventually conquers ; and even the less re- nowned Algonquin conqueror Blichabo, destroying with his dart the shining prince of serpents who tiooded tlie earth with the waters of a lake. For other instances, considt the authorities referred to- immediately above, and Brinton's j\fijtlis of tite New Work/, p. IIG, with his
Serpent bituig Krishna's heel.
interpretations. On the other hand, IMajor Bloor states that among a numerous collection of pictures and images of Krishna he had not one original in which the ser- pent is represented as biting Krishna's foot (^Ilindii Pan- theon), For an account of this, see above.
3. It is not to be questioned that India was a field of evangelical effort not long after the death of Christ, whicli, taken in connection with the generally accepted view that Krishnaism is of comparatively recent origin, suggests that its more palpable features of resemblance have been more or less directly derived from the Scrip- tures themselves. If doubt be cast upon the extent of country comprehended under the temi India in this con- nection, it is to be borne in mind that those parts of the world which arc supposed by some to be confounded with India proper maintained by trade thus early a live- ly intercourse with India, and could thus furnish a chan- nel for the propagation of Christianity throughout the field where Krishnaism subsequently prevailed.
According to Eusebius, " Pantaenus was constituted a herald of the (iospcl of Christ to the nations of the East, and advanced even as far as India." He found himself anticipated by some who were acquainted with the Gos- pel of Matthew, to whom Bartholomew, one of the apos- tles, had preached, leaving with them the same Gosjiel in Hebrew which was preserved until his time {Eccles. JJlst. bk. V, eh. x ; see Jerome, Cutal. Script, cap. xxxvi ; and for comparison of their views consult Mosheim,
Commentaries, cent, ii, sec. ii, note 1 ; see also Neander, CJi. Hist., Clark's ed., i, 112). Tradition tells us that St. Thomas preached to the Indians, which is confirmed by Gregory of Nazianzum. Jerome, however, makes the field of labor to have been Ethiopia. There seems to bo little doubt that copies both of the apocryphal and of the genuine Gospels circulated early through portions of Southern India. Silly miracles, resembling those of the former almost to the letter, have been incorporated into the sacred writings of Krishnaism. Theophilus, surnamed Indicus, visited India as a missionary in the time of Constantino, and found Christianity already planted and flourishing, tliough isolated from Christian- ity at large. Both Bardesanes and Maui, horesiarchs of the early Church, in tlieir travels came into close and prolonged contact with Buddhism, from which they drew much of the virus that they strove to infuse into Chris- tian belief. The former of them certainly visited India as early as the latter part of the '2d century (see Kurtz, Hist. ofCh. p. 109, sec. 50; Neander, ii, 198).' Weber and Lassen agree in this respect in their interpretation of a passage of the Mahabharata, that at an early period in the historj^ of the Church three Erahmans visited some community of Christians either in Alexandria, Asia Mi- nor, or I'arthia, and that on their return they ''were en- abled to introduce improvements into the hereditary creed, and more especially to make the worship of Krish- na the most prominent feature of their system." See farther llaxAv>-ick,Christ, i, 24t)-258, 284-293 ; Carwithen, Brahminical Reliyion, p. 98-104, 320-322 ; Faber's Pro- phetical Dissertation,'\,(i\\ Origin of Pagan /rfo/. bk. vi, chap, vi ; Treatise on three lJi.<iii'US(iti(ius, Ijk. i, chaji. vi ; Wuttke, Geschichte des Heidenthums, ii, 339 ; also author- ities referred to by Hardwick, /. c. See India, Modern,