THE LAWS OF MENU, SON OF BRAHMA'. 1. MENU sat reclined, with his attention fixed on CHAP. one object, the Supreme GOD; when the divine Sages. approached him, and, after mutual salutations in due form, delivered the following address: 2. Deign, sovereign ruler, to apprize us of the sa- 'cred laws in their order, as they must be followed by all the four classes, and by each of them, in their 4. HE, whose powers were measureless, being thus requested by the great Sages, whose thoughts were profound, saluted them all with reverence, and gave them a comprehensive answer, saying: Be it heard! 5. This universe existed only in the first divine idea yet unexpanded, as if involved in darkness, impercep- 6. Then the sole self-existing power, himself undis- cerned, but making this world discernible, with five ⚫ elements and other principles of nature, appeared with 7. HE, whom the mind alone can perceive, whose 8. HE, having willed to produce various beings from • thence is named Na'ra'yana, or moving on the waters. 11. From THAT WHICH IS, the first cause, not the object of sense, existing every where in substance, not existing to our perception, without beginning or end, 12. In that egg the great power sat inactive a whole year of the Creator, at the close of which, by his thought alone, he caused the egg to divide itself; 13. And from its two divisions he framed the heaven ' above and the earth beneath in the midst he placed 6 14. From the supreme soul he drew forth Mind, 'immaterial; and before mind, or the reasoning power, 15. And, before them both, he produced the great principles immensely operative, consciousness and the five perceptions, He framed all creatures; 17. And since the minutest particles of visible na ture have a dependence on those six emanations from GOD, the wise have accordingly given the name of 's'aríra or depending on six, that is, the ten organs on 18. Thence proceed the great elements, endued with 19. This universe, therefore, is compacted from the 'minute portions of those seven divine and active prin- 6 6 20. Among them each succeeding element acquires the quality of the preceding; and, in as many degrees 21. HE too first assigned to all creatures distinct names, distinct acts, and distinct occupations; as they 22. HE, the supreme Ruler, created an assemblage of inferior Deities, with divine attributes and pure 'souls; and a number of Genii exquisitely delicate; 23. From fire, from air, and from the sun he milk- CHAP. 24 He gave being to time and the divisions of time, 25. To devotion, speech, complacency, desire, and 'wrath, and to the creation, which shall presently be 26. For the sake of distinguishing actions, He 'made a total difference between right and wrong, and 27. With very minute transformable portions, call- 'ed mátrás, of the five elements, all this perceptible 28. And in whatever occupation the supreme Lord 'first employed any vital soul, to that occupation the 29. Whatever quality, noxious or innocent, harsh or mild, unjust or just, false or true, He conferred |