Lieut. -Colonel Tod on the Religious E8tabUshme7Hs of Mkvar. C81 



Harita, whose benediction obtained for the Gehlote Uajpi'it tlie sovereignty 

 of Chitore, when successively driven from Saurdsh.tra by tiie Parthians, and 

 from Edur by tlie Bhils. 



The priests of Eklinga are termed Gosaen or GosTvdmi, which signifies 

 " control over the senses !"* The distinguishing mark of the fliith of Siva is 

 the crescent on the forehead -.t the hair is braided and forms a tiara round 

 the head, and with its folds a chaplet of the lotus seed is often entwined. 

 They smear the body with ashes, and use garments dyed of an orange hue. 

 They bury their dead frequently in a sitting posture, and erect tumuli over 

 them, which are generally conical in form.t It is far from uncommon to 

 have priestesses officiating in the temple of Siva. There is a numerous class 

 of Gosaens who have adopted celibacy, and who yet follow secular employ- 

 ments both in commerce and arms. Tiie mercantile Gosaens are amongst 

 the richest individuals in India, and there are several at Udyapur who enjoy 

 high favour, and who were found very useful when the Mahrattas demanded 

 a war-contribution, as their privileged character did not prevent their being 

 offered and taken as hostages for its payment. Tiie Gosaens who profess 

 arms, partake of the character of the knights of St. John of Jerusalem. 

 They live in monasteries scattered over the country, possess lands, and beg, 

 or serve for pay when called upon. As defensive soldiers they are good. 

 SivA, their patron, is the god of war, and like him they make great use of 

 intoxicating herbs, and even of spirituous liquors. In Mewar tiiey can 

 always muster many hundreds of the Kanfera Jogi, or " split-ear ascetic," so 

 called from tlie habit of piercing the ear and placing therein a ring of the 

 conch-shell, whicli is their battle-trumpet. Both Brahmans and Rajputs, 

 and even Gujurs, can belong to tiiis order, a particular account of whose 

 internal discipline and economy could not fail to be interesting. The poet 

 Chand gives an animated description of the body-guard § of the King of 

 Canouj, which was composed of these monastic warriors. 



* This word is compounded of go, the senses, and saen or sxrami. lord or master. 



f Siva is represented witli three ej'es. Hence his title of Trinilra and Tri-locliu)i, the 

 Tri-opthalmic Jupiter of the Greeks. From the fire of the central eye of Siva is to proceed 

 Pralaya, or the final destruction of the universe. 



% I have seen a cemetery of these, each of very small dimensions, which may be described as 

 so many conc-ntric rings of earth, diminishing to the apex, crowned with a cj'lindrical stone 

 pillar. One of the disciples of Siva was performing rites to the manes, strewing leaves of an 

 evergreen and sprinkling water over the graves. 



§ For a minute description of this, vide "Transactions of the Roi/al Asiatic Society," vol. i.p. iI7. 



Vol. if. 2 O 



