They  compose,  I  presume,  the  Trimurti^  which  ill-instructed
persons  have  represented  as  if  it  were  the  Christian  Trinity,
whereas  the  conceptions,  beyond  the  coincidence  of  mere  number,
are  very  different.  How  Siva  can  be  termed  the  same  as  Rudra,
except  in  so  far  as  conceptions  of  the  god  of  the  storm,  with
those  of  Agni  as  the  god  of  fire,  may  have  been  taken  up  into
the  more  metaphysical  conception  of  the  Destroyer  and  the
Restorer,  I  cannot  understand,  i^or  is  Vishnu  the  preserver  the
same,  except  in  name,  as  the  sun-god  of  the  older  hymns.  The
theory  of  his  avatars,  or  incarnations,  is  as  novel  as  his  change
of  rank,  or  more  so.  You  allow  this,  do  you  not?"  here  he
asked  Vidy&charya.  "  Why  no,"  answered  the  other,  "for  the
strides  of  Vishnu  across  the  earth  are  mentioned  in  the  Rig-
Veda,  and  this  must  refer  to  the  Avatar  as  a  dwarf;  and  again
in  the  Yajur-Veda  Vishnu  is  mentioned  in  the  form  of  a  boar,
which  is  the  Vaiiha  Avatar*."  "  But  how  far,"  resumed  Blan-
combe,  "  do  these  things  go  towards  establishing  what  you
suppose  ?  If  we  consider  the  Pauranic  legend  of  Vishnu's  step-
ping, we  find  that  he  stepped  only  twice,  there  being  no  room
left  for  a  third  stride:  whereas  in  the  Veda  it  is  said.  Thrice
did  Vishnu  stride.  The  legend  may  have  grown  out  of  the
text,  but  it  involves  a  different  conception.     The  Veda  probably

*  See  Vuhnu  Purdna,  end  of  ch.  i.  ch.  iv.  and  Pnfaee,  Golebrooke,  Vol.  i.
294  THREE  STAGES  OF  HINDUISM.
