age of the third Calpa, or from A. M. 2400 to A. M. 2700. Vyasu, the author of the Mahabharat, was born in the third age of the first Calpa, which ended A. M. 900. But the author of the Sanscrit poem, which bears his name, could not have written more than fourteen centuries before the Christian era; because the history of Moses is engrafted on that of Enoch.

Mr. Bentley proceeds to explain the Menwantaras; although he very candidly confesses that he considers them inexplicable. And, as he understands them, they most certainly are so. For, supposing the Menwantara to have been increased by Meya 1728000 years, in lieu of two days, he naturally enough concludes that it must have been the Maha, or great Menwantara. He therefore tells us, that "we are now in the seventh Menwantara, which was the same when Meya wrote." Whereas the one commenced A. M. 420; the other A. M. 5067, or after 5143 years of 360 days.

He then proceeds with his information, as follows: "Swayambhuva, or Adam, who was born in the first Menwantara, lived down to the end of the fourteenth, which I have extracted from the Streebhagavat, and from which some rational idea may be formed respecting the duration of the Puranic Menwantara, now generally confounded with the periods of the same name belonging to

Meya's system, in which we are now no further advanced, than the seventh Menwantara; and which was the same when he wrote, long before the time of Vyasu." I have already observed, that the Antara of a Menu formed a great Menwantara; and, therefore, the terms are frequently used as synonymous with each other. Swayambhuva, or Adam, was of course created at the commencement of the first Menwantara: and, as all the Menus, save Noah, were born before his death, many of the Puranas and legends record that Swayambhuva ruled during the first Menu or Menwantara, and remained on earth until the fourteenth Menu, or the commencement of the Antara, or Menwantara of Noah, the fourteenth Menu. That he lived until the end of that Menwantara will not be found in any authentic record. European authors seem to suppose that the Antara of one Menu ended when that of the next began: whereas, the age of a patriarch averaging 857 years, it is termed his Antara; and placing them in succession, the sum of their years is eleven thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight. Whereas the utmost limits allotted by the Hebrews and Hindus, for their rule, do not exceed two thousand and seven, or from the birth of Swayambhuva to the death of Vaivaswat. The Antara of Adam commenced A. M. 1, and lasted on the average computation 857 years; that of

Seth commenced A. M. 131, and continued for a like number of years; and so on, with the whole of the fourteen Menus. Mr. Bentley is very correct, in saying "we are now in the seventh Menwantara." For 857 x 65142 years of 360 days; consequently, the seventh Menwantara commenced a. M. 5067, and will last for 857 prophetic years of 360 days, or until the end of the Padma creation. But he makes a very bold assertion, when he adds, "which was the same when Meya wrote, long before the time of Vyasu." Meya is admitted, without controversy, by every Hindu, to have flourished during the seventh puranic Menwantara, which commenced A. M. 420, and concluded A. M. 490, or 71 x 6, i. e. 426 years, of 360 days, when the sixth Menwantara ended. Whether Meya was the actual name of the postdiluvian author, or whether he assumed that name from the great antediluvian astronomer is immaterial. It is well known that the most ancient Hebrew, Chaldean, and Arabian authors suppose Seth to have been the first organiser of Astronomy, and Enoch* to have brought it to the most perfect form which it assumed in the old world. And here we see Meya during the time of Vasisht'ha† organizing

* Vide note, p. 112.

t Sons of the first-created.

Astronomy, and Parasa bringing it to perfection: not to the perfection which it assumed afterwards, in Babylon, but to a regulated system; which the Chaldeans carry back to A. M. 463, or thereabouts, dating their improved system from A. M. 1776. I do not recollect the date of the Hindu improved system but it is certain, that the Surya Siddhanta, in its present improved state, was taken from the system of Meya of the antediluvian world. For of the six Anges, or bodies of learning, Astronomy is the fifth of the Vedengars; as it is said to have been delivered by Surya and other divine personages; as such it is called the Surya Siddhanta of Meya; who, I believe, was no other than Icshwacu of the Solar dynasty. For the Hindus record of that prince, that which the Hebrews record of Enos, that he was well skilled in Natural Philosophy and Astronomy: and the Chinese ascribe the cycle of 60 years to the same prince, under the name of Whang-li; to whom, it is nearly certain, the planet Venus was consecrated. For the regent of that planet is named Sucræ, or Usanas, a male deity, believed to have been a sage of infinite learning.

To return to Mr. Bentley; who, after very gravely assuring us "that we are now in the seventh Menwantara, which was the same when Meya wrote, long before the time of Vyasu," gives

us the names not only of the six Menus, that presided over the Menwantaras that are past, but of the one which we are now in, and of the seven that are to come; as follows:

1 Menwantara Swoyombhooho, i. e. Swayambhuva. .. Swarocheeso,

2

i. e. Swarochisha.

12

Nothing can be more contrary to nature, than to insist that we are actually now living in the seventh Menwantara, under the rule of Vaivaswata; and that the seven Menwantaras, which were to be ruled by the family of Sabornæ, or Atri, had actually passed, if they had not been contemporary princes. The names are misplaced: in other respects, I believe the Table to be very correct; with the exception of the last prince