(      228     )
 

CHAPTER  XXI.

DESCRIPTION OF EARTH AND HEAVEN ACCORDING TO TIIE
EELIGIOUS VIEWS OF THE HINDUS, BASKD UPON
THEIR   TRADITIONAL   LITERATUKE.
 

Onthe
seven
earths.
Page 112.
 

Differences
in the
sequence of
the earths
explained as
resulting
from the
co[)iousness
of the
language.
 

The people of whom we have spoken in the preceding
chapter think that the earths are seven like seven
covers one above the other, and the upper one they
divide into seven parts, differing from our astronomers,
who divide it into /cAt/xara, and from the Persians, who
divide it into ICishvar. We shall afterwards give a clear
explanation of their theories derived from the first
authorities of their religious law, to expose the matter
to fair criticism. If something in it appears strange to
us, so as to require a commentary, or if we perceive some
coincidence with others, even if both parties missed the
mark, we shall simply put the case before the reader,
not with the intention of attacking or reviling the
Hindus, but solely in order to sharpen the minds of
those who study these theories.

They do not differ among themselves as to the num¬
ber of earths nor as to the number of the parts of the
upper earth, but they differ regarding their names and
th^- order of these names. I am inclined to derive this
difference from the great verbosity of their language, for
they call one and the same thing by a multitude of names.
For instance, they call the sun by a thousand different
names according to their own statement, just as the
Arabs call the lion by nearly as many. Some of these
names are original, while others are derived from the
changing conditions of his life or his actions aud facul¬
ties. The Hindus and their like boast of this copious¬
ness, whilst in reality it is one of the greatest faults of