G E N T O O S. 



there is a very remarkable rcfcmblance ; though we are 

 unable to trace any conneftion that ever fjibllfted between 

 them. 



The religion of the Hindoos fcems to be much too com- 

 plex to have been, as fir W. Jones fuppofes, the oldcft fyftem 

 of polythcifm and idolatry. It is evidently a relincment on 

 fomething much more fimple, and this feems to have been 

 tlie fyilem of the " Sammanes," whom the Greek writers 

 mention as a fedl; of philofophers in India, oppofed to the 

 " Brachmancs," and to be the fame with thofe who are now 

 called " Schamans" in Siberia. See Samaxcans. 



Nothing can be more humiliating than the fituation to 

 which the Hindoo inftitutions reduce the female fex. Ac- 

 cording to the Vcdas, the fouls of women, as well as thofe 

 of all individuals of the inferior cafts, are condemned to con- 

 tinual tranfmigrations, till tlier are regenerated in the bodies 

 of men. The fame unfavourable charafter is amply juftihed 

 by the reprefentations that occur in the " Inftitutes of 

 Menu," and the "Code of Gentoo laws." Such being, 

 in the opinion of the Hindoo law-givers, the natural character 

 of women, it is no wonder that little regard is paid to their 

 evidence in courts of juftice ; nor can we be iurprifed, that 

 the birth of a female is no caufe of rejoicing in a Hindoo 

 family. In per fed agreement with fuch degrading ideas of 

 the female cliarafler, the women muft always be under the 

 abfolute controul of men ; nor has the fubjeftiou of tlie 

 wife to her hufband any bounds. As women are treated in 

 this difrefpeiSlful manner, and confidered as unqualified to 

 read their facred books, they are in general very ignorant, fo 

 that few of them can either read or write. 



The devotion of the Hindoos is fuppofed to comprife all 

 other duties ; but their devotion confifts in the frequent repe- 

 tition of the names and attributes of God. The firll thing in 

 their prayer'is to pronounce the word ouni, then excluding all 

 fenfible objefts, even forbearing to breatlie, and to think 

 only on God. This kind of prayer ferves for the pardon of 

 fin and puriiication. This word oiim, on the pronunciation 

 of which fo much is fuppofed to depend, fignilies, according 

 to fir W. Jones, Brahma, Vichnou, and Seva, or the three 

 powers of creation, prefervation, and deftruftion. This 

 myllical word, he conceives, may be the Egyptian on, coin- 

 monlv fuppofed to m.ean the fun, and by the ancient idolaters 

 thefolar fire. The religion of the Hindoos confifls princi- 

 pally in oblations to the gods, /. e. to the inferior deities, and 

 ta the m.anes of their anceftors ; and thefe oblations are ac- 

 companied with many frivolous ceremonies. Moreover, a 

 great part of their religion connils in the aufterities to which 

 they fubjeft themfelves. Among other things, all fermented 

 or fpirituous liquors are forbidden, and they fubniit to va- 

 rious reftriclions with regard to their food. To a genuine 

 Hindoo nothing appears more heinous than the killing, and 

 much more the eating of any thing that had life. The 

 Hi.idoosare much devoted to pilgrimages for the purpofe of 

 bathing in diilant rivers ; and they generally prefer the Gan- 

 ges. In thefe pilgrimages, they praclile finguhr aufterities. 

 Their falls in honour of different deities are ot long duration, 

 and are very llriftly obferved ; and they are thought to have 

 fingalar eihcacy in effacing all fins. See FAQUiUtw 



It is not uncommon with the Hindoos to devote them- 

 felves to certain and very painful death, under the influence 

 of their wretclied fuperllition. They throw themfelves on 

 the laro-e iron hooks that arc faftened to the wheels of the 

 carriages, which carry the images of ther deities in procef- 

 fion. Oiiiers lie fpi-awling on the groiuid for the wheels 

 to pafs over them, and ciudi them to death. But the 

 moil affciSing inftances of involuntary death are thofe of 

 the Hindoo women, who burn themfelves alive with the 



i 



bodies of their deceafed huftands. In this way of termi- 

 nating life they indulge the hope of attaining the fame 

 flate of happinefs with them after death. This is deemed 

 a kind of religious duty, though it is not regarded as of 

 univerfal obligation. On the death.s of perfons of high 

 rank and celebrity, thefe viftims of fuperftition, voluntary, 

 or involuntary, are fometimes very numerous. At the 

 death of a king of Tanjore, no lefs than 300 of his con- 

 cubines leaped into the iiames, and 4C0 burned themfelves at 

 the funeral of a naique, of Madura. (Maurice's Ind. 

 Antiq. vol. ii. p. 165.) The Hindoo religion, which has 

 been extolled as the mildeft of all rehgions, formerly en- 

 joined and countetianced human facriliees ; and fir William 

 Jones fays, that the ancient folemn facrilice of the Hindoos 

 was that of a man, a bull, and a horfe. Among other 

 fuperftitious notions and pra£tices prevalent among the 

 Hindoos, we may mention their exceffive veneration for 

 the cow, and alfo for the elements of fire and water. Pi-- 

 nances of a Angular and fevere nature were enjoined for 

 killing cows without malice ; and if liiis crime was n-iali- 

 cioufly committed, it admitted of no expiation whatever. 

 Mr, AVilkins informs us, (Sketches relating to the hiftory, 

 &c. of the Hindoos, vol. i. p. 234.) that the Bramins are 

 enjoined to light a fire at certain times, and that it muft be 

 produced by the friction of two pieces of wood of a par- 

 ticular kind ; that with a fire thus procured their facrifices • • 

 are burned, the nuptial altar flames, and the funeral pile is 1 

 kindled. Their veneration for water, cfpecially that of the 

 Ganges, has already been mentioned ; and perions chuic to 

 die in rivers from an idea, that the foul paffng throu;^h 

 the water, as it leaves the body, is purged frum its iu.- 

 piirities. 



The Hindoo religion is little, if at all, mor3-unexception- 

 able tlian the ancient Egyptian, with regard to the ex-.rava- 

 gance and indecency of many of its ceremt.nies. Irrltances 

 occur at their pagodas, which we have already noticed 

 under the article BR/.CHr.tANS, and which it is needlefs here 

 to repeat. (See alfo Pagoda.) Charms are alfo held in efti- 

 mation among the Hindoos ; a regard to them is authorized 

 by their facred books, and the prjAice of incantation is 

 profeiied by their learned Bramins. From a veneration for 

 the elements of fire and water, and an opinion of their pof- 

 feffing fomewhat of divinity, they have been deemed proper 

 tefts of guilt, or of innocence. Hence has jjroceeded the 

 trial by Ordeal; which fee. With regard to the Hindoo 

 doftrine of a future ftate, Mr. Dow fays, that rr.en firil 

 atone for their crimes in heil, where they remain for a fpace 

 of time proportioned to the degree of their iniquities ; then 1 

 they rife to heaven, to be rewarded for their virtues, and 

 thence they will i-eturn to the world to re-aniniate other 

 bodies. The more learned Bramins, he fays, affirms that 

 the heU which is mentioned in the " Bsdang" is only in- 

 tended as a bug-bear to the vulgar ; agreeably to the doc- 

 trine of the Greek philo!ophers. On the other hand, Mr, 

 Plolwell, contrary to all other accounts, wh.ich reprefent 

 future pimifirraent as in all cafes fiiiite, lays, that whofoevcr 

 ftiall free hirafelf by violence from this mortal body, iliall 

 te plunged in " Onderah" for ever. According to another 

 account of the religion of Malabar, tliey who deftroy them- 

 felves go neither to heaven nor hell, but ttroll about, and 

 become what are called " Spirits," under the pov.er of the 

 chief of the devils. Sometimes they enter into men, and 

 then they become demoniacs, and go about naked and mad, 

 to difturb the neigiibourhood, eating (iraf^ and rau' fltfli. 

 According to the Indians, fays p. D.lla Valle, fome very 

 wicked men become devils. To conclude our account of 

 the Hindoos, or Geocoos, we obferve, that notv.itlillaudiug 



the 



