252 Mr. Trant's Account of the Sauds. 



BhawAni Das gave me a copy of the Poth't, or religious book of the 

 Sauds, written in a kind of verse in the Thenth Hindi * dialect ; and he 

 fully explained to me the leading points of their religion. That book I 

 have now the honour to present to the Royal Asiatic Society. 



The Sauds utterly reject and abhor all kinds of idolatry ; and the Ganges 

 is considered by them not to be a sacred object ; although the converts are 

 made chiefly, if not entirely, from among the Hindus, whom they resemble 

 in outward appearance. 



Their name for God is Satcara ; and Saud, the appellation of the sect, 

 means, they say, " servant of God."t They are pure Deists, and their 

 form of worship is most simple, as I have already stated. The Sauds 

 resemble the Quakers, or Society of Friends, in England, in their customs, 

 in a remarkable degree. 



Ornaments and gay apparel of every kind are strictly prohibited. Their 

 dress is always white. They never make any obeisance or salutation. 

 They will not take an oath ; and they are exempted in the courts of justice ; 

 their asseveration, like that of the Quakers, being considered equivalent. 



The Sauds profess to abstain from all luxuries ; such as tobacco, betel, 

 opium, and wine. They never have exhibitions of dancing. All violence 

 to man or beast is forbidden ; but, in self-defence, resistance is allowable. 

 Industry is strongly enjoined. 



The Sauds, like the Quakers, take great care of their poor and infirm 

 people. To receive assistance out of the sect or tribe would be reckoned 

 disgraceful, and render the offender liable to excommunication. 



All parade of worship is forbidden. Private prayer is commended. 

 Alms should be unostentatious : they are not to be given that they should 

 be seen of men. The due regulation of the tongue is a principal duty. 



The chief seats of the Saud sect are Delhi, Agra, Jayapur, and Farruh- 

 lidbud ; but tliere are several of the sect scattered over other parts of the 

 country. An annual meeting takes place at one or other of the cities 

 above-mentioned, at which the concerns of the sect are settled. In Fatruk- 

 kdbdd, the number was about three thousand. 



* Genuine or pure Hindi, unmixed with Persian or Arabic. The mixed dialect is Hin- 

 dustani — H.T.C. 



t Probably the word may be Sddh (Sanscrit, Sidhu), signifying pinus. — H.T.C. 



