Major Tod, on an Inscription at Madhticarghar. 209 



For the existence of several tribes, extinct else in their martial capacity, 

 search ought to be made amongst the mercantile races of Rdjast'hdn ; 

 almost all of whom are of Riijaputra origin ; especially the numerous, or 

 innumerable, classes of the Jain laity. 



Amongst the eighty-four grand divisions* of the Vaisi/a, I find that of 

 Lcir : but I never had an opportunity to converse with one, to whom 1 could 

 apply for information as to the period of their renouncing arms and becoming 

 proselytes of the Jains. 



Sildra is another branch. An inscription (in the 1st vol. As. Res.) of a 

 prince of this tribe, gives his capital Tagara, his title Ari-cesari, or the 

 Lion of Aria,\ wliich, with Larike, seems to have formed the ancient 

 Balhara sovereignty ; and of the former part of which Aria-ke, Tagara, 

 and Callian (Calyuna), were the chief cities. 



In another list, Silura is given as of Prdmdra race.; probably another 

 mode of writihg Sildra ; and both from Ldr, with the distinctive prefix of 

 S'l for Su, meaning excellent. 



The Dahya and Juhya % were once celebrated on the Setlej, both now 

 extinct. These may be the Dahce of Alexander, and of the Parthian 

 kings.§ Sanlda is one of the few tribes, having still " a local habitation 

 and a name ;" its residence is in Mar'war,\\ at the bend of the Luni river ; 

 and its reputation for bravery is still very great. 



The Kheir and Mori branches were once renowned, Kheirdlu % and 



* Some of these have numerous shoots or families, (for tribes would be a misnomer). The 

 Osvidt for instance, most of whom follow the tenets of the Khartra gacliha sect oi -Jains, have 

 near eighteen hundred of these subdivisions. My own learned friend and Guru, Yatt Gya'na 

 CHANDRA, was high in rank amongst the disciples of the Pontiff of the Khartras, had upwards of 

 seventeen hundred names of families of his flock scattered over India, and piqued himself upon 

 his catalogue ; when a brother, from Guzzerat, added at once upwards of a hundred. He 

 renounced thenceforth the task of tracing their affiliations. 



f See note B. / 



; 1 believe I succeeded, just before I left India, in getting a work relative to this tribe, but 

 too late to examine it : it shall be deposited with the Society. 



J " The Arsacian King, Bardanes, conquered all, to the Sind river, which divides the Dahi 

 from the Arii." Lewis' Parthian Empire, p. 249. 



II Maru or Marubhli. 

 5 In Guzzerat. 



