4S0 Extract und Translation of a Chapter [Jwb, 



IV. — Translation of one of the Granthas, or sacred books, of the Dadu- 

 panthi Sect. By Lieut. G. R. Siddons, 1st Light Cav., second in 

 command 3rd Local Horse, Neemuch. 



We cannot preface Lieut. Siddon's specimen of the contents of 

 the Dadupanthi Manual better than by extracting Professor Wilson's 

 account of this curious sect of anti-idolatrists, from the sixteenth 

 volume Of the Asiatic Researches. Dr. Wilson had intended to have 

 given a translation of a few passages, but his manuscript "was unfor- 

 tunately mislaid. His notice of the sect was chiefly obtained from Lieut. - 

 Col. Smith, and partly from verbal information at Benares where the 

 elder branch of the same dissenters, the Kabirpanthis, have a prin- 

 cipal establishment. Lieut. Siddons has enjoyed the advantage of 

 collecting his materials at the head-quarters of the sect. 



" The Dadupanthi is one of the indirect ramifications of the Rdmd- 

 nandi stock, and is always included amongst the Vishnava schisms : its 

 founder is said to have been a pupil of one of the Kabirpanthi teach- 

 ers, and to be the fifth in descent from Ramanand ;, viz. 1, Kabir ; 

 2, Kamdl ; 3, Jamdl ; 4, Bimal ; 5, Buddhan ; 6, Dadu. The worship 

 is addressed to Rama, but it is restricted to thejapa, or repetition of 

 his name, and the Rama intended is the deity as negatively describ- 

 ed in the Veddnta theology : temples and images are prohibited. 



" Dadu was a cotton- cleaner by profession : he was born at Ahme- 

 dabad, but in his twelfth year removed to Sambher in Ajmer : he 

 thence travelled to Kalydnpur, and next removed to Naraina, in his 

 thirty-seventh year, a place four kos from Sambher, and twenty from 

 Jaypur. When here he was admonished, by a voice from heaven, to 

 addict himself to a religious life, and he accordingly retired to Bahe- 

 rana mountain, five kos from Naraina ; where after some time he 

 disappeared, and no traces of him could be found. His followers 

 believed he was absorbed into the deity. If the list of his religious 

 descent be accurate, he flourished about the year 1 600, at the end of 

 Akbbr's reign, or in the beginning of that of Jehangir. The fol- 

 lowers of Dadu wear no peculiar frontal mark nor mdld, but carry 

 a rosary, and are further distinguished by a peculiar sort of cap, — a 

 round white cap according to some, but according to others one with 

 four corners, and a flap hanging down behind ; which it is essential 

 that each man should manufacture for himself. 



" The Dadupanthis are of three classes : the Virafctas, who are 

 religious characters, who go bare-headed, and have but one garment 

 and one water-pot. The Ndgas who carry arms, which they are willing 

 to exercise for hire, and amongst the Hindu princes they hare been 



