CHAPTER XVI.
 

179
 

10 = dis, khendu.

did, Rdvana-slras.

11= Rudra, the destroyer of the

world.
Mahddeva, i.e. the  prince

of the angels.
tsvara.
akshauhint,  i.e.   the   army

Kuru had.

12  = surya,   because   there   are

twelve suns.
aditya.

arka, i.e. the sun.
rndsa, hhdnu.
sahasrdmsu.

13  = visva.
 

14  = manu,   the   lords   of   the

fourteen manvantaras.

15  1= tithi, i.e. the lunar days in

each half month.

16  = ashti, nripa, hhupa.

17  — aty ashti.

18  = dhriti.

19  = atidhriti.

20  = nakha, kriti.

21  = utkriti.
 

23

24

25
 

tattva, i.e. the twenty-
five things, through the
knowledge of which lib¬
eration is obtained.
 

As far as I have seen and heard of the Hindus, they
do not usually go beyond twenty-five with this kind
of numerical notation.

We shall now speak of certain strange manners and strang-e
customs of the Hindus.    The  strangeness of a thing andTuTtoms
evidently rests on the fact that it occurs but rarely, and mndus.
that we seldom have the opportunity of witnessing it. ^^^^^^s-
If such strangeness reaches a high degree, the thing
becomes a curiosity, or even something like a miracle,
which is no longer in accordance with the ordinary laws
of nature, and which seems chimerical as long as it has
not been witnessed.    Many Hindu customs differ from
those of our country and of our time to such a degree
as  to   appear   to   us   simply   monstrous.    One   might
almost think that they had intentionally changed them
into the  opposite, for our customs do  not resemble
theirs, but are the very reverse; and if ever a custom of
theirs resembles one of ours, it has certainly just the
opposite meaning.

They do not cut any of the hair of the body. Originally
they went naked in consequence of the heat, and by
not cutting the hair of the head they intended to pre¬
vent sunstroke.