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owing to whose victory you are all advanced to exaltation / The God of Atmosphere , from her instruction , knew that it was the Supreme Being that had appeared to them . He at first communicated that information to the Gods of Fire and of Wind . As the Gods of Fire , Wind and Atmosphere , had approached to the adorable appearance , and had perceived it , and also as they had known , prior to the others , that it was indeed God that appeared to them , they seemed to be superior to the other Gods . As the God of the
Atmosphere had approached to the adorable appearance , and perceived'it , and also as he knew , prior to every one of them , that it was God that appeared to them , he seemed not only superior to everjj otber God , but also for that reason exalted above the Gods of-Fire and Wind .
u The foregoing- is a divine fi gu rative representation of the Supreme Being *; meaning-, that in one instance he shines at once over all the universe ^ like the illumination of lightning ; and in another , that he disappears as quick as the twinkling * of an eye . Again , it \ s represented of the
Supreme Being , that pure mind conceives , that it approaches to him as nearly as possible : throug-b the same pure mind , the pious man thinks of him , and consequently application of the mind to him is repeatedly used . That God , who alone
in reality has no resemblance , and to whom the mind cannot approach , is adorable by all living creatures ; be is therefore calLed c adorable . * He should , accordingly to the prescribed manner , be worshiped . All creatures revere the person who knows God , in the manner thus described . The
pupil now says , ' Tell me , O Spiritual Father , The Upanisliad , or the principal part of the Ved V The Spiritual Father makes this answer , I have told you the principal part of the Ve <] , which relates to God alone , and , indeed , told you the Upanishad , of which austere devotion , controul over the senses , performance of religious
rues , and the remaining' parts of the Ved , as well as those sciences that are derived from the Veds , are only the feet ; and ^ hose altar and support is truth / He , J * ho understands it as thus described , Jiaving- relieved himself from sin , acquires eternal and uuchangeable beatitude . "—* P . 3—6 .
The " Isliopanisliad" is another chapter of the Veds , strongly asserting , as the pious translator says , " that the sole regulator of the universe is but one , omnipresent , surpassing our powers of comprehension , abov e externa l sense , whose worship is the chief duty of mankind , and the sole cause of eternal beatitude . " In the Preface
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is obviated the objection t ^ iat the Puranas , &c . admitted expositions' of the Hindoo shasters or sacred books ; , inculcate " the worship of the several Gods and Goddesses / ' " They affirm frequently , " says the Reformer * 4 i that the directions to worship any ? figured beings are only applicab ) e 46 those who are incapable of elevatirYg their minds to the idea of an invisible
Supreme Being , in order that siich persons , by fixing their attention on those invented figures , may be able to restrain themselves from vicious temptations , and that those that are
competent for the worship of the invisible God should disregard the worship of idols . " The following description from the same part of this tract , might almost seem to be designed for certain Brahmins of Europe , and their disciples : u Many learned Brahmins are perfectly aware of the absurdity of idolatry , and are
well informed of the nature of the purer mode of divine worship . But as in the rites , ceremonies , and festivals of idolatry , they find the source of their comforts and fortune , they not only never fail to protect iflol worship from all attacks , but even advance and encourage it to the utmost of 1
their power , by keepingthe knowledge of their Scriptures concealed from the rest of the people . Their followers too , confiding- in these leaders , feel gratification in the idea ' of the Divine nature residing * iri a being- resembling themselves in birth , shape
and propensities ; and are naturally de-Jig-hted with a mode of worship agreeable to the senses , though destructive of moral principles , and the fruitful parent of prejudice and superstition . "—Pref , pp . ix . x . The zealous writer goes on to
controvert the liberal opinion of some Europeans that the Hindoos , regard their idols , as the Roman Catholics say they do their crucifixes and pictures , as mere helps to contemplation ; an opinion , he says , which very naturally arises out of " the extreme ab-1
surdity of pure , unqualified idolatry , * and under which , " flimsy and borrowed" as it is , he is glad to see the Hindoos willing to shelter their practices , inasmuch as sucha disposition shews that they are beginning to foe sensible of their folly . He declares * however ^ that " Hindoos of the present age , with a very few exceptions , ' are downright and gross idolaters . . ' u whatever Hindoo purchases tut
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Review . —Hindoo l / nitarianistn . 64 & £
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vol . xiv . 4 f
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1819, page 565, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1776/page/41/
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