1S37.] from, the Granthas of the Dadupanthi Sect. 481 



considered as good soldiers. The third class is that of the Bister- 

 dharis, who follow the occupations of ordinary life. A farther sub- 

 division exists in this sect, and the chief branches again form fifty- 

 two divisions, or thambas, the peculiarities of which have not been 

 ascertained. The Dadvpanthis burn their dead at dawn, but their 

 religious members not unfrequently enjoin that their bodies after 

 death shall be thrown into some field or some wilderness, to be de- 

 voured by the beasts and birds of prey ; as they say, that in a funeral 

 pile insect life is apt to be destroyed. 



" The Dadvpanthis are said to be very numerous in Mdrwdr and 

 AJmer : of the Ndga class alone the raja of Jaypur is reported to 

 entertain as soldiers more than 10,000. The chief place of worship 

 is at Naraina, where the bed of Dadu, and the collection of the texts 

 of the sect are preserved and worshipped. A small building on the 

 hill marks the place of his disappearance. A mela or fair is held 

 annually from the day of new moon to that of full moon in Phalgun, 

 (February- March,) at Naraina. The tenets of the sect are contained 

 in several Bhdshd works, in which it is said a vast number of passages 

 from the Kabir writings are inserted, and the general character of 

 which is certainly of a similar nature. The Dadupanthis maintain a 

 friendly intercourse with the followers of Kabi'k and are frequent 

 visitors at the Chaura, (at Benares.)" 



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