power; while, on the other hand, the Vaishnavas may have reverted to the primitive worship of the female principle, retaining a remembrance of the early serpent associations in the use of the _Sesha_, the heavenly naga with seven heads[194] figured on the Amravati sculptures. It is possible, however, that there may be another ground of opposition between the followers of Vishnu and Siva. Mr. Fergusson points out that, notwithstanding the peculiarly Phallic symbolism of the latter deity, “the worship of Siva is too severe, too stern for the softer emotions of love, and all his temples are quite free from any allusion to it.” It is far different with the Vaishnavas, whose temples “are full of sexual feelings generally expressed in the grossest terms.”[195] Siva, in fact, is specially a god of intellect, typified by his being three-eyed, and although terrible as the resistless destroyer, yet the recreator of all things in perfect wisdom;[196] while Vishnu has relation rather to the lower type of wisdom which was distinctive of the Assyrians, among ancient peoples, and which has so curious a connection with the female principle. Hence the _shell_ or _conch_ is peculiar to Vishnu, while the _linga_ belongs to Siva.[197] Gautama combined the simpler feminine phase of religion with the more masculine intellectual type, symbolising this union by the lingam and other analogous emblems. The followers of Siva have, however, adopted the combined symbol in the place of the linga alone, thus approaching more nearly than the Vaishnavas to the idea of the founder of modern Buddhism. Gautama himself, nevertheless, was most probably only the restorer of an older faith, according to which perfect wisdom was to be found only in the typical combination of the male and female principles in nature. The real explanation of the connection between Buddhism and Siva-ism has perhaps, however, yet to be given[198]. The worship of the serpent-god is not unknown, even at the present day, in the very stronghold of Siva-ism,[199] reminding us of the early spread of Buddhism among Naga tribes. In the “crescent surmounted by a pinnacle similar to the pointed end of a spear,” which decorates the roofs of the Tibetan monasteries,[200] we undoubtedly have a reproduction of the so-called trident of Siva. This instrument is given also to _Sani_, the Hindu Saturn, who is represented as encompassed by two serpents,[201] and hence the pillar symbol of this primeval deity we may well suppose to be reproduced in the linga of the Indian Phallic god.[202] But the pillar symbol is not wanting to Buddhism itself. The columns said to have been raised by Asoka have a reference to the pillars of Seth. The remains of an ancient pillar supposed to be a Buddhist _Lat_ is still to be seen at Benares,[203] the word _Lat_ being merely another form of the name _Tet_, _Set_, or _Sat_, given to the Phœnician Semitic or deity. In the central pillar of the so-called Druidical circles we have