﻿A SECT COMMONLY DENOMINATED NUTS. 453 



in Sir VVilliam Jones's translation of the ordinances 

 of (Menu) Mimoo, cliapter loth, article i::0, '21, -iS, 

 and ^23, their origin is clearly pointed, out, which the 

 following extract nil) shew. " Those wiiom tiie 

 twice-born lieget on women of equal classes, but 

 who perform not the proper ceremonies of assuming 

 the thread, and the like, people denominated Pra- 

 tyas, or excluded from the Gayatri. 



*' 21. — From such an outcast Brahmen springs, a 

 son of a sinful nature, who, in different countries, 

 is named a Bhurjacantaca, an Avantya, a Vatadhana, 

 a Pushpadha, and a Saic.l-a. 



" 22. — From such an outcast Cshatriya comes a 

 son called a Thalia, a Malla, a Nich.hivi, a Nata, a 

 Carana, a C'hasa, and a Dravira. 



" 23. — From such an outcast Paisya is born a son, 

 called Sudhanwan, Chary a, Viganman, Maitra, and 

 ■ Satwata." 



From the above word, Maitra, may, I imagine, be 

 d<?duced the origin of the name generally applied to 

 sweepers, and j)eople of that description, and thjt 

 the common derivation of it from the Persian word*, 

 Mihtur, a prince, may possibly be an error. It may 

 be necessary to mention here, that I have in general 

 endeavoured to follow^ Air. Gilchrist's orthography 

 in writing the H'mdoostanee words. 



The Fanchpecree'l', ov Budeea, being considered 



appertaining 



* The word Muh or mi/j, seems an importa-nt radical in many lan- 

 guages, disguised no doubt under other forms as ma, mu, mai, which 

 last may be rather corruptions easily accounted for. Muha, muhta^ 

 muhra, m'lhy mihtiir, Sec. are all Oriental words denoting superiority, 

 graf/dcur, command, &c. which may often be misapplied to inferior 

 situations, either as derisive or conciliating terms ; the origin therefore 

 of maitra and ?n'ihuiry may still be the same. M'lh applied to the 

 Moon, especially with the addition of /fl^-light, clearly expresses the 

 great.X\'^x. among the smaller lights or Stars \ M:hr in both Persian 

 and Sh?2skrtt applies to the Suk, and in my opinion signifies the great 

 otiey on etymological principles, that cannot be very obscure to any 

 well informed Orier.taiist. 



+ This appellation may have a reference to their division into five 



raceSf 



