Manchurian Books

He is not worshipped in any temple, having
lost this prerogative on account of his ambitious desire to find out
the Supreme Being. However, after repenting of his folly, it was
permitted that the Brahmins might celebrate some festivals in his
honour, called Poutsche.
"Vishnu, as the maintainer of the world, is represented in twenty-
one different forms:--Half fish half man, as tortoise, half lion
half man, Buddha, dwarf, etc. The wife of Vishnu is worshipped as
the goddess of fruitfulness, plenty, and beauty. The cow is
considered sacred to her.
"Shiva is the destroyer, revenger, and the conqueror of Death. He
has, therefore, a double character, beneficent or terrible; he
rewards or punishes. He is generally hideously represented,
entirely surrounded by lightning, with three eyes, the largest of
which is in the forehead; he has also eight arms, in each of which
he holds something.
"Although these three deities are equal, the religion of the Hindoos
is divided into only two sects--the worshippers of Vishnu and those
of Shiva.


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