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XXIX. On the Srawacs or Jains. By Dr. Buch.ixax H.imiltox, 



M.R.A.S. 



Read December 2, 1826. 



In the districts of Bihar and Patna the Jains are called Srdwacs. The 

 number of this sect settled there is not great, amounting only to three hundred 

 and fifty families ; but they possess considerable wealth, having all engaged 

 in trade, and many of them with success. They have, therefore, seventeen 

 priests (yath); fifteen of whom constantly reside at Patna, and two at Bihar. 

 With the two latter I had several interviews, and they were abundantly com- 

 municative, the chief of them being a man of considerable learning. At 

 Pattia they declined all intercourse with me ; which, I am told, proceeded 

 from their being very shallow, and afraid of exposing their ignorance. A 

 Saryuriya-Brdhman, of the sect of Vishnu, named G&vinda, was brought 

 to me at Patna, as the only person there able and willing to give me 

 information relative to the Srdxvacs. He said that he had been employed to 

 instruct some of the Yatis in the Sanscrit language, which gave him an 

 opportunity of reading their books and knowing their customs. Finding 

 the employment profitable, he was, I believe, a principal means of keeping 

 the Yatis at a distance from me : he was, however, abundantly diligent in 

 procuring information. In travelling through the district I had also an 

 opportunity of conversing with a great many pilgrims, who had come from 

 Bundelkhund, and were visiting the holy places at Gaya, &c. From these 

 sources I collected some information respecting this sect, which I now ofter, 

 in addition to that which I have given in my account of Mysore.* 



Tlie circumstance by which I was most surprised was, that here the here- 

 ditary division into the four common tribes of Brdhjiians, Cshatriyas, Vaisyas, 

 and Siidras, is totally denied, although these names are, considered among 

 them as denoting distinctions of employment and rank. All the laity here 

 are therefore called Vaisyas, because they all trade ; but they assured me 



• Journey through Mysore, Canara, and Malabar, vol. iii. pp. 81-8i ; 410-142. 



