318 Lieut. -Colonel Ton on the Religious Establishments ofMewar. 



who are interested in Apollo, appealed from the fiat of the high-priest to 

 the British adaxvlut, or court of justice. The royal grants of the Mogul 

 emperors were produced, which proved the right to lay in the high-priest, 

 though a long period of almost undisturbed authority had created a feeling of 

 independent control in the family of tlie priestess, which they desired might 

 continue. A compromise ensued, when the author was instrumental in 

 restoring harmony to the shrines of Apollo. 



The fifth, Yadu-Nat'h, " God of the Yadus," is the deified ancestor of 

 CniSHNA and the whole Yadu race. This image, now at Surat, formerly 

 adorned the shrine of Mahavan near Mat'hura, which was destroyed by 

 Mahmud. 



The sixth, Vitul-Nat'h, or Pandurang, was found in the Ganges at 

 Benares, Samvat 1572, from which we may judge of their habit of multiply- 

 ing divinities. 



The seventh, MudhunMohuna, " he who intoxicates with desire," the se- 

 ductive lover of Radha and the Gopis, has his rites performed by a female. 

 The present priestess of Mohuna is tiie mother of Damodka, the supreme 

 head of all who adore the Apollo of Vrij. 



I am not aware of the precise period of Balba Acharya, who thus col- 

 lected and distributed the seven images of Crishna now in Rajast'han ; but 

 he must have lived about the time of the last of the Lodi kings, at the 

 period of the conquest of India by the Moguls. The present pontiff, 

 Damodra, as before said, is his lineal descendant ; and whether in addressing 

 him verbally or by letter, he is styled Maharaja or ' great prince.' " Gosden- 

 ji Mahai-qja" is his common epithet. Gosden is a title more applicable to 

 the celibataire worshippers of Haui than of Heri — of Jupiter than of Apollo ; 

 signifying one who has obtained a mastery over his passions. It is alleged 

 that the Emperor Akber first bestowed this epithet on the high priest of 

 Crishna, whose rites attracted iiis regard. They were previously called 

 " Dikhit," " one who performs sacrifice," a name given to a very numerous 

 class of Brahmans. 



The Got?-a Acharya or genealogical creed of the high priest is as follows : 

 " Tylung Brahmin, Bhardhnaja gotra* Gura-cula,'\ Tyiiiri sac' ha ; i.e. Brah- 



* BhardhKoja was a celebrated founder of a sect in the early ages. 



f Giir is an epithet applied to Vrishpati, " Lord of the Bull," the Indian Jupiter, who is 

 called the Gi.V, preceptor or guardian of the gods. 



