cording to them, the names of the three islands are Suvarna, Rupavar, and Vajra. In the Harivansa we are told, that Vishnu, for the good of mankind, having assumed the shape of a boar, rescued the earth from the waters, and secured it on all sides. Upon it he made Meru of solid gold: towards the east he placed the Udaya mountain, with others. He made also Vaidurya, (Scotland,) Rajata, (England,) Canchana, (Ireland,) high and divine mountains. He then made the Chacravan, or Chacrainan, a very high mountain: (this is Pushcara, or Iceland, like a ring, or coit, as implied by the appellation of Chacra.) Like a shell, and abounding with shells, with a thousand peaks, is Rajata, or the silver peak; hence it is called Sancha-parvata, or the mountain of shells. The trees there are all white: the juice of the Parijata tree is like liquid gold. There is the Ghritadhara river, its waters like clarified butter. Prabhu, or Vishnu, made many rivers, called Varalasarita, or the streams of the boar; and these are the most holy. Thus he made a mountain, the name of which is omitted, but it is obviously Sweta, with a thousand peaks abounding with jewels; the Tamra, or Vaidurya, peak of copper; and a mountain of gold, Canchana, according to rule. are Under the name of Cshira, the White Island appears to be the Scheria of Homer, and other ancient writers. The word Cshira, in Sanscrit, signifies milk; but it appears that its original meaning was white, pure, clear, sheer. Skirr in the Edda signifies exactly the same thing; and Xiroi in Japanese signifies white also. Skeiras, skiras, skirra, in Greck, signified white, and for that reason it became the name of chalk, There were the skiroi theoi, the white gods, or the gods of Skerr, or Scheria, mentioned by Plutarch. The White Island is well known to the inhabitants of the Philippine Isles; who believe that it is the receptacle of good men after death. Lastly, the aborigines of Britain call it to this day Inis-Wen, or the White Island; the Inis-huna, or Inis Uina of Caledonian bards, who, by it, understand England, or at least the southern parts of it. Al-Fionn, in Galic, answers literally to Sweta-Saila, in Sanscrit, and to the Leucas-petra of Homer, or the white cliffs; and Britain is called Alvion by Ptolemy, and Albion by others. Yet it is doubtful whether Britain was thus called from the appearance of the country, or from a German tribe which probably invaded it under the command of Skirr, son of Niord; the Skirus, son of Neptune, mentioned by Hesychius: for Niord was Neptune among the Scandinavians. But, as this will be the subject of a separate paragraph, let us return to the White Island, the terrestrial moon, and amber-like, or Electris insula of Sotacus. The White Island is called also Chandra dwipa, or the island of Lunus; Somaparvata, or the mountain of the moon; Sasi-chanda, or the country of the moon. In the Puranas, the White Island is called Amritcara, which in an active sense signifies producing, making, amber; but, in a neuter sense, it implies that it is made of amber. This is then the original island called Electris; and Sotacus, as cited by Pliny, asserted, that amber was produced from certain trees in Britain. This idea of Sotacus originated probably from some ancient legend concerning the first appearance of Amrit in that island. The isle of the moon was called Electris, and so was the moon itself. Lohaguru, called also Swarnaguru, or gold like Aguru, is our succinum or amber. Lohaguru, or Lohagur, was also the name of amber in the west, where it was called Lugurium, Lygirion; according to Josephus, Lygurium, Lagurium, and corruptly Lyngurium, Lyncurium, &c. Hence all the western parts of Europe were called Leguria, or Lyguria, or the amber country. Sotacus, whom Pliny calls an ancient author, insisted that amber came from Britain, which of course is the original Electris, or amber island, and Liguria. The name of Lyguria, as belonging to Britain, or at least a part of it, was formerly used in that sense; for Himmlco says positively, that the inhabitants of Britain, and from the context it appears that they were aborigines, were Lygu rians. Their country was of course called Lloegyr or Lyguria. In France there is the river Liger or Ligeris, now called the Loire, by dropping the qui. escent letter g; which practice is pretty general; but more particularly affected by the Celtic language, its dialects, and the modern languages partly derived from them. On the highest grounds in Lloegyr was a city of that name, called afterwards Leger-Ceaster, Ligora-Ceaster, Legra-Ceaster. It is now called Leicester, for Leir-cester. The learned Somner says, that the river which runs by by it was formerly called Lear, by the same contraction; and it is probably the river Liar of the anonymous geographer. Mr. Somuer, if I be not mistaken, places the original town of Ligora near the source of the Lear, now the Soar, on the most elevated spot in England, and in the centre of the Chandra-Mandalam, or sacred road of Lunus, called also Electris, or Lohaguru, Lygguros, Lloegyr; and I believe that Lloer, the Welsh name of the moon, is derived from Lloegyr, by a similar process congenial to that language. Thus, from the Latin lucere, or lukere, the French have made luire. As Swetam is the residence of Vishnu, and of the Supreme Being also, for they are generally considered as one, it is called his Teja-sthan, or the place of the reful gence of Vishnu; or, in other words, his Ghrita-sthan; for teja and ghrita are synonymous, and signify refulgence, resplendence. It is true that Sweta is never called ghrita; yet it is declared to be ghrita, or a resplendent place or island. As cshira, Sweta, and ghrita, are synonymous terms, it is highly probable that England was called also Ghrita, or Creta; and indeed it is declared to be Ghrita, not as a proper name, but as an epithet This probably, and vanity also, induced the Greeks to attribute to their own Creta, whatever legends belonged to the other and original Creta. Thus Sweta is represented floating at random on the surface of the ocean, like Delos; and, in my humble opinion, it is the original Delos. Aλ® or Auλ✪, in Greek, Signified originally light, a lamp, respiendent, manifest, conspicuous as light itself. The learned and ingenious Mr. Bailly was of opinion that the primeval Delos did not belong to Greece, but to the Hyperboreans; and Lucian ridicules the idea of those who asserted that Delos was a mass detached from Trinacria, or Tri-cutadri. The Cretans asserted that Jupiter was born in their island. The Pauranics insist, that the manifestation of Vishnu, in the character of Crishna, happened in Swetam, on Tri-Cuta; and the two rams, mentioned in the legends of the Cretan Jupiter, are placed, by the author of the Vrihat-Catha, in Suvarnadwipa, or Ireland. In short, Sweta was called by the Greeks and Romans, Ulti ma Creta, or Leuce. The White Island was also denominated Rajata, Arjata, Rupa-vara, Raupya, or the Silver Island: to these names we must also add that of Tara or Tar, which implies the same thing. The name of the whole country is Tar-desa, or silver country, and it is represented as such; and though it be not mentioned under that name in any Sanscrit book, yet from the context it is certainly admissible. The Tin Islands were certainly within the tir of Swetam and of Cachha; from that circumstance they were probably denominated Cachha-tir. Thus they say in India, Jungle-terry (Jangal-teri), or districts within the tir, or on the borders of the jungles or woods. Hence the white-lead or tin that came from those islands, was called cassiteris by the Greeks; kaster in Suio-Gothic; castira in Chaldaic and Arabic. In India, at least in Sanscrit, tin is called tiram: tirtrapu and rangam are also other names for it; but rangam is generally used in the spoken dialects; and tir-trapu signifies the tin that comes from the tir or tiram, or extremities of the world. It is declared in the Puranas, that the White Island is incapable of decay, and is never involved in the destruction and ruin which happens at each renovation of the world; except the last, when every thing will be absorbed into the Supreme Being, who will remain alone. The White Island is also called the dwipa of Saca or Sacam, which is the same with Seaxum or Saxum, as it was pronounced by our ancestors; or, more properly, the White Island was part of Sacam, as it is positively declared in the Matsya and Varaha-puranas. From these two Puranas, it is put beyond doubt, that the British Isles are to be understood by Sacam: perhaps some adjacent parts of the continent are also to be included under this denomination. According to the context of the Puranas, the White Island was called Sacam from the Sacas, who conquered that island, and settled in it. Truly religious people transmigrate at once from Jambu, or India, into Sacam, or the British Isles in general; and, after remaining a long time there, they ulti mately go to Swetam, which is here re presented as the Ultima Creta-the wished-for goal, where they are to remain, with a divine body, in the presence of the Supreme Being; never to transmigrate again til the dissolution of the world. Besides, there are three pa, radises called Sweta, the celestial Sweta in the air, the terrestrial, and also the infernal one.The meaning of which is, that truly religious men go at once ing Sacam, the terrestrial Swetar; after wluch they are translated into the heaven of Vishnu, or Swetam the celestial, called the Go-locas. reckoning may be depended on. This places their permanent settlement in that part of the country exactly 1508 years before Christ. Though we cannot fix the time of the conquest of the White Island by the Sacas, yet we find it asserted in the Puranas, that they were in possession of it, at least of a great part of it, in the time of Crishna. Crishna lived 1370, B. C. and he was born probably 1429 before our era. He married at the age of twenty; and his son Samba was about twenty also, when eighteen families of Brahmens went from the White Island to India, and these were Sacas. This partial conquest is attested by the Pauranics: for the king of Indra-puri, whose daughter married the son of king Saca, was not a Saca or Saxon, but a native prince of the White Island. Swetam was denominated Sacam from the Sacas or Sacs, who conquered that island, and settled there. The fact of the Sacas being in possession of that island at an early period, is mentioned in this same Purana, called Varaba.— Bhagavan, or Vishnu, says, "6 every one of those who attach themselves to me, and die at the Coca mandala, go to Swetadwipa, or the White Island. The inhabitants of Saca-nandana-pura, on hear ing of this wonderful and miraculous account, renounced the world, and obtained mocsha, or eternal bliss. Thus ultimately the fish and the bird of prey were reunited to me. Thus I have related to you the wonderful story of king Saca. Whoever, like him, goes to the Cocamandala, obtains the eight Sidd'his." The king of the Sacas, being simply Nothing but conjecture has ever been called Saca, or Maha-Saca, implies, that advanced, conceruing the colonization of he was the first king of the Sacas in Swe- the British Isles. The opinion of the tam; otherwise he would have been monk of Cirencester is a mere surmise, called Saca-pati. There is no date af- and of course is of no weight, for he fixed to this legend; neither is there any could not have had more lights on this circumstance which might assist in fixing subject than we have. I acknowledge the time of the conquest of Swetam that he had the Roman itinerary, asby the Sacas. The Sacas are often cribed to Antoninus, in a more perfect. mentioned in the Puranas as a most state than we have it now; and we are powerful nation; their name is often much indebted to him for preserving that introduced, but in general terms only, part which relates to Great Britain: but and any thing material or interesting is seldom recorded of them. They are spoken of in terms by no means derogatory or disrespectful; though they are considered as heretics, and ranked of course among the impure tribes. They are represented as living originally in the Countries bordering on the Chacshu or Oxus. We find them afterwards spreading themselves into Persia; and in the Harivansa, section the 13th, we find that Raja Bahu was worsted by the Sacas, and the greatest part of his country taken from him by them. It was at that time, according to learned Pandits, that the Sacas began their emigrations towards the west; and this is certainly probable enough. Raja Babu, and his son Sagara, according to the genealogical scale prefixed to my essay on the chronology of the Ilindus, lived about 2000 years before the Chris. tian era. The Sacas, who lived to the north of the Danube, declared to Herodotus, that from their first settlement in that country to the invasion of Darius there were exactly 1000 years, neither more nor less. This shews that they did But speak at random, and that their can never believe that there ever were Memoirs of a certain Roman general, containing any thing about the first population and settlement of the British Isles. It was not customary among the Romans to notice such things: and these boasted memoirs are nothing more than the military roads through Britain, which he has preserved, and which we had be fore, but in a more imperfect condition. Should it appear hereafter, that the Phoacians were Goths, or Sacas, and that the island of Scheria is Britain, it may settle nearly the time of the first emigration of the Sacas, and other Gothic tribes, into the British Isles. The Pauranics consider the Romacas (Romaicoi in Greek) or Romans, and the Yavanas, as tribes of the same family with the Sacas, being alike descended from the cow Sabala. The name of the famous cow Adumbla, or Udumbla, seems to be derived from the Sanscrit D'habala, which signifies a white cow: in Greek, Damala is a heifer; and in Sanscrit, Udd'habala signifies the most excellent and perfect cow, the famous cow Camadhenu. The next legend from the Bhavishyapurana purana is most curious and interesting to us. It certainly tends to prove, not only an early connexion between the White Island and India, but also that there is a tribe of Brahmens in India, to this day, actually descended from a sacerdotal race, residing originally in the White Island. There can be no question about the genuineness of this legend, as it is well known to learned, and even unlearned, Brahmens in general. Learned men in India readily acknowledge, that the Brahmenical tribes are by no means native of that country; they came from the north, and entered India through the pass of Hari-dwar; and their first settlement was at Canya-cubja, or Canoge. They also acknowledge, that the light of revelation came from the west, and that the Vedas reside in the White Island in human shapes. This notion is openly avowed in their sacred books; as well as, that the fundamental mysteries of their religion are intimately connected with the White Island; and that the momen. tous events which took place in consequence of thein, either to create the world, or to bring on the regeneration of mankind, and show them the path to Heaven and eternal bliss, actually came to pass in the White Island, or its adjacent sea. However explicit this legend, and several others may appear, yet we are too well acquainted with the Pauranics to put any reliance upon them, and to consider them as sufficient authority. The White Island is the holy land of the Hindus, and to it they refer every thing; and they have made of it a sort of fairy land. Even the chalk with which they mark their foreheads must come from the White Island, no other would answer their purpose. Accordingly, they suppose that Vishnu, and several holy men brought numerous lumps of it at different tunes; and some of these, particularly that at Dwaraca, are as large as any county in England. Thus we see that the Magas, or Magi, extended from the White Island, in the west, to Persia, India, Aracan, and the Burman empire. Pliny says, that from the great resemblance of ceremonies in religious worship, and other practices among the Persians and Druids, one might be induced to believe, that Magia, or Magist, had passed from Britain into Persia. According to Lucian, the priests, not only of the Persians, but those of the Parthians, Bactrians, Chocasmians, Arians, Sace, or Saxons, and other barbarous nations, were equally called Magi. Indeed, all those nations were so many tribes descended from the Sacas. The sacred Vedas are declared in the Puranas, to have been found in the White Island by Narada, where they reside in human shapes. The Brahmens from Sacam, in return, accuse the others of ingratitude, and give to understand, that they imparted much more know➡ ledge than they choose to confess, and even communicated the Vedas. In the legendary tales of Crishna, Cansa, and Yudhishtira, we have the history of the Cretan Jupiter, Saturn and Minos: for Yudhishtira, was called D'harina-Raja, or the king of justice. Like Saturn, Cansa wanted to destroy the offspring of Vasudeva, and had already destroyed seven of his children; but the eighth, or young Crishna, was concealed, like Jupiter, in his infancy. Then we have the wars of the Titans, who were, according to some, descended from Cres: and Crishna waged a long war with the descendants of Curu, bis relations. Crishna at last killed Cansa; and died up the advanced age of one hundred and twenty-five years: Jupiter died at the age of one hundred and twenty, or, according to others, one hundred and twen ty-two years. Thus we have, in the true style of the Pauranics, the same actors, the same historical events, re-appearing at this renovation of the world, as came to pass, in more remote ages, under the elder Saturn. Hindus, Vishnu, or Jupiter, riding upon the cagle, left the White Island, in order to be born in a human shape in India, in the character of Crishna. It was also the opinion of the ancient Greeks, in couformity with the notions of the Hins dus, that Jupiter came from the islands of the blessed, which, according to Homer, were near the White Cliffs, at the western extremity of the world, as acknowledged by the ancients. The White Island is considered in the Puranas, as the abode of the mighty. Thus Ravana, anxious to signalize himself, is intro-` duced in the Ramayena, inquiring from Narada, in what part of the world the mighty ones dwelt, that he might go and fight them. The mighty, says Narada, live in the White Island. The most au cient inhabitants of Britain, in their ro mances, still call the White Island, Ynysy Cedeirn, the island of the mighty ones. The White Island is declared to be the abode of the gods, or Suraleyam. This would have been expressed, in the west, by the Gothic tribes, by As-burgh, in some of the dialects in that language. Another name for it would be As-gard; and we find that both were in use in that sense. As-gard is constantly used in the Edda; and As-burgh is the name of an ancient city, called, by Ptolemy, Asbur. gium, in the eastern parts of Europe; and the learned agree, that it is the same with As-gard. Isa, or Iswara, is the name of the Supreme Being, in Sanscrit. This word was pronounced Hesus, by the Gauls; Aise, by the Irish; and Galic tribes: As, and Esir, by the Goths; Esar, by the Etruscans; and Asios, also by them: and the Greeks used the latter term. Thus, probably, Is-puri, As-burgh, As-bury,* came to point out the west; and the western countries were denominated by the Greeks, Hesperia, &c. As it is the universal opinion of the Pauranics, and Bandd'hists, that the abode of Vishnu, and of the Supreme Being, is in the White Island, I shall not crowd passages here, from their sacred books, to illustrate this assertion. Hence it is that Vishnu is called repeatedly Sweta-dwipa-vasinau Nara-Narayanau, or Nara-Narayana, who resides in the White Island, (which is sometimes called emphatically, Dwipa, or the Island, by way of pre-eminence,) and Vishnu Dwipasthah-Nara, or the man who resides in the Island. Vishnu is introduced in the Brahma-vaivartta, section of the Crishna-Janma c'handa, saying, "In the White Island, the abode of justice, I shall return with portions of the gods and goddesses, to live among the Golocas, or shepherds, near Mat'hura. This shall most certainly happen, and nobody shall ever be able to prevent its taking place." All the Avataras, or principal emanations of Vishnu, ten in number, came originally from the White Island. This is also acknowledged by divines, according to this text from the same book and section: "There are many manifestations and forms of Bhagavan, O Muni: but the form which resides in the White Island, is the primitive one. Vishnu, says the author, recalling all his emanations into the White Island, went into the womb, in the house of Vasu-deva; and on this grand occasion, he recalled all his emanations. Rama and Nrisinha, are complete forms, O Muni; but Crishna, the most powerful king of the White Island, is the most perfect and complete of all Vishnu's Had Major Wilford in his eye, the Druidical Temples at Abury ?-EDITOR. MONTHLY MAG. No. 237, forms. For this purpose, Vishnu from Patala rejoins the body of Radhiceswara, the lord of Radha, he who dwells in the White Island with the famous snake Sesha, a portion of his essence.* The gods sent there portions of their own essences, to be consolidated in the per son of Crishna, who was going to be incarnated at Gocula." In the centre of the White Island resides Vishnu, at a place called Narayan pura, or the city of Narayana, called also Vairavati or Vairamati, for both may be used correctly. In the Padmapurana, section of the Uttara-chanda, is the following description of this place: "In the northern parts of the Toyambudhi, or sea of fresh water, in Swetadwipa, the Sanacadicas went to see Bhagavan or Vishnu. Their names are Sanaca, Sananda, Sanatana, Sanatacumara, Jata, Vodu, Pancha-sicha, all children of Brahma, and these, with many others, reside there, near Hari. The White Island is like the su-bhransu, or mild beams of a thousand moons; like shining jewels. Many Maha-Yogis, or great penitents, reside there, without fear or molestation. There is a beautiful garden of Parijatat and Chandana trees. There is the city Vairavati, or Vairamati, beautiful and full of jewels: the consorts of the gods reside there in houses shining like the morning sun. Its greatest ornament is a divine mandapa, or house, made of precious stones and amber, (Carpura,) and adorned with flowers. The Apsarasas reside there; and there is a throne supported by lions, and resplendent like fire, brilliant like the sun, &c. It consists of eight portions, like so many moons, placed like the petals of a flower. In the centre, within the calix, Janardanu, or the devourer of souls, is seated wite his insignia in human shapes. His clothes are like the foam of the White Sea when it is churned; and Devi, with a divine countenance, is on his left. Devout prayers and religious rites are the only means to obtain admission among the servants of Vishnu, and a seat at Vishnu-padam, at the feet of Vishnu, called also Paramapadam, or at the place of the most excellent feet." With regard to the religion of the At Abury was a temple in the form of a snake, made of six hundred great stones; and near it is Silbury Hill, perhaps Síve-bury Hill.-EDIT. A sort of Nycanthes. II Druids |