THE ELEMENTS PERSONIFIED 553
of the sun, they say that the tamas-bimbam, or the disk tamas, obscures by its shadow the disk of the moon.
The quality rajas, characteristic of fire and represented under the form of Siva, is ascribed in a special manner to that deity by the Hindu poets; and although the name of Siva, which is most commonly used, signifies joy, the deity bears many other names which seem to show that he is no other than lire personified. Such, for instance,
is the name Jwala( the inflamed), under which he is well known.
I shall here relate a strange practice which seems to me to support the opinion I hold regarding the origin of the
Trimurti. Sometimes during the periods of excessive heat the Hindus suppose that Siva, from whom it emanates, is more than usually inflamed. Consequently, fearing lest he
should set everything on fire, they place over the head of his idol a vessel filled with water. In this vessel a little
hole is pierced, so that the water may, by falling on him drop by drop, refresh him and abate the burning heat that consumes him.
The quality satva, ascribed to Vishnu, applies also to water, which penetrates and insinuates itself into the earth, rendering it fertile; for the name of Vishnu signifies one who penetrates everywhere. Appu( water) is a common enough name for this deity; but the commonest of all is
Narayana, that is to say, one who moves upon the waters. Furthermore, the idea that the three principal divinities of India are the elements personified is admitted by a great number of Vishnavite Brahmins, and I am indebted to some of these for a portion of the arguments on which
I have based my own view. They have at the same time told me that they themselves regard all that is commonly
related on the frimnrti as mere fables; but as the disclosure of such a sentiment, which tends to nothing less than the undermining of one of the principal foundations of the popular religion, would stop the sources of their emoluments, and would at the same time expose them to public indignation, they are careful never to publish their private opinion on the matter.
This theory once admitted, it will be easy to find a very clear and natural meaning for certain expressions contained t3