«ECTS OF HINDOOS. 



portion of the Puranic Iiillory, is common to them with 

 the orthodox Hindoos. Formerly powerful and widely 

 difleminated, this feft is fuppofed to have fufFered great 

 diminution from the extenfion of the modern herefy of 

 Buddha. And at prefent its more opulent members are 

 faid to find it convenient to refume the orthodox perfuafioii, 

 which may be done without much difficulty, and mult 

 greatly tend to a diminution of its members and refpec- 

 tabihty. 



Several of the fefts noticed in the articles of this work 

 named after them, are defcribed as diftinguilhed by marks 

 on their foreheads, arms, and brealts. The forehead mark 

 is the chief diftinftion, and when horizontal or parallel with 

 the eye-brows, it is underllood to defignate a Saiva, while 

 a Vailhnava is recognized by its perpendicularity. One, 

 two, or three of thefe lines, red, white, or yellow, accom- 

 panied by circlets and dots, differing in pofition and colour, 

 together with many other fymbols and hieroglyphics, afford 

 an infinite variety of indications of the feftarial bias of the 

 individual fo decorated. M''hen convenient, and no efpecial 

 objeftioB exills, it is faid to be held neceli'ary, that thefe 

 marks be daily renewed ; and, of courfe, by the hand of a 

 Brahman. One of that tribe cannot perform his daily 

 facrifices, ablutions, &c. without the completion or con- 

 templation of this dillinftion ; and it is held irreverent in 

 one of an inferior tribe to approach a holy man, or to aflc 

 his blefling, without, or in view to, this feftarial decora- 

 tion. The fecond plate of the Hindoo Pantheon contains 

 fome fcores of thele myfterious fymbols. To that work, 

 page 400, &c. we refer fuch of our readers as defire far- 

 ther information on this point, for a curious variety of the 

 diftinguifhing marks, and a full explanation of their fedlarial 

 application. 



Another feft, who worfliip fire, or its perfonification in 

 Agni its regent, is noticed under the article Sagnika, 

 (which fee). This is referrible to the grand divifion 

 Saiva, Agni being of that line of parentage. See Pa- 



VAKA. 



Having, under the article Philosophy of the Hindoos, 

 given the names of the principal fefts, or fchools ; and re- 

 ferred for a brief explanation of the feveral doftrines to the 

 articles of this work, under which they are refpeftively no- 

 ticed, we (hall not, in this place, ofter any thing farther 

 thereon. For fome of the particulars of this article wc are 

 indebted to Mr. Colebrooke's Eflay on the Reliirious Cere- 

 monies of the Hindoos, in the ninth volume of the Afiatic 

 Refearches, and to the Hindoo Pantheon. 



From what precedes it will appear, that an individual of 

 cither of the four civil tribes may fcleft his own theological 

 feft : a Brahman, or a Sudra, is at liberty to choofc what 

 form of worfhip he may think proper, and to what deity he 

 will offer it ; obferving, of courfe, due confillency and con- 

 formity with the ritual. He may thus, without offence, be- 

 yond incurring fome difpleafure, perhaps, from his (launcher 

 family, and Guru, or paltor, change from a Lingi to a 

 Yonija, or allociate one with the other ; or from a Saura to 

 a Ganapatya ; or he may combine all, and more ; and, feeing 

 all in Krifhna, become a Bhagavata ; he may, without incur- 

 ring fin, or, as the idea is better underilood in Europe, witli- 

 out lofing C(iJ]e, turn from a Saiva to a Vaifhnava. All llieie 

 arc vei.ial, and admit of cafy expiation. He is llill under 

 tlie fpiritual dominion of the fame prielthood, and while he 

 obivrves the ordained feafts and fads, performs pilgrimages, 

 i« liberal in alms, and conforms to the externals that ferve 

 to rivet the mental chains forged for him by the Brahmans, 

 all is well. He may alfo ftudy, and, under certain limita- 

 tions, believe and profefs, whichever philofophical doftrines 

 lie prefers. It would not, perhaps, be thought decorous in a 



Vol. XXXn. 



Brahman, efpecially if he were a prielt, to make an oilcn- 

 tatious difplay of the doftrines of a free-thinking founder, 

 whofe tenets border on a denial of the exiftence of the my- 

 thological beings, reverence to whom ia the bafe on which 

 refts the fpiritual fanftity of his own tribe. But there arc 

 ftill many individuals among the Brahmans who think deep- 

 ly; and who, in reafoning on tlie grolTucfs and abfurdity of 

 their mythological legends, cannot but rejeft them. See 

 Vedanta. 



It is in the civil diftinftions that the Hindoo law is fo 

 guarded againil innovation. Here every poflible care has 

 been taken to keep the tribes apart ; and fexual intercourfe, 

 the principal apprehended caufe of confufion, is regulated 

 and legitimated with great precifion. Thefe regulations vary 

 in minute particulars in different uibes and countries, but 

 agree pretty nearly in the main point of degrading the off- 

 fpriug of forbidden intercourfe. Such degradation does not, 

 however, nccefiarily refult. Rich delinquents can arert im- 

 mediate ecclefiaftical cenfure ; and the lapfe is foon forgot- 

 ten. With the poor fuch things are of lefs moment ; ex- 

 citing perhaps httle elfe than the pafiing fcandal of the 

 neighbourhood ; unlefs in cafes where the Brahmanical 

 dignity or purity may be implicated in a manner too grofs 

 or notorious to be overlooked. Fornication or adultery be- 

 tween a male Sudra and a Brahmani would be deemed of this 

 nature. So would eating or drinking together of individual* 

 of remote or different tribes. But the latter, if not fre- 

 quent or wilful, admit of expiation ; expenfive and vexatioui 

 in proportion to the wealth of the offenders, and the degree 

 of enormity in the offence. 



Some writers have told us of the eafe with which the Hin- 

 doos, and even the Brahmans, feem to change their religion : 

 <• with as much facility," fay they, " as their garments." 

 The theological change of fed-, as above noticed, is not at- 

 tended with much difficulty : they are ftill Hindoos, and 

 can find priells of their new perfuafion, who will afford them 

 the confolations and benefits of rehgion, fuch as they are. 

 But the work of converfion altogether from that religion, and 

 liberation from the trammels of prieftcratt, have ever bee», 

 and ever will be found, a talk of much greater difficulty : to 

 be accomplilhed only by the potency of continued perfuafion, 

 fuperadded to the aid of example in the preceptors. 



In concluding this article on the leftarial divifion> of the 

 Hindoos, we may obferve that there is (Irong realon to be- 

 lieve many of them to be of modern origin. The Veda, the 

 fcripture of the Hindoos, affords no authority for fuch ex- 

 travagancies as worfhipping deified heroes, female powers or 

 indecent fymbols, or avataras. See Vkda. 



We fhall here fubjoin a brief account of Saniaify, omitted 

 in its proper place. Saniaffy denotes an order of Hindoo 

 mendicants, who arrive at this diftinftion by divers arts of 

 perfevering penance and fuppofed piety. Wc are not aware 

 of any material diltinftion between this defcription of fainU, 

 and thofe called Yogi and Yati by different fefts. IntheGita, 

 as tranflated by Mr. Wilkins, Krifhna declares him to be both 

 a Yogi and a Saniaffy, who performeth that which he hath 

 to do independent of the fruit thereof. Saniaffy, or a for. 

 faking of the world, is declared to be the fame with Yogi, 

 or the pradtice of devotion. He who can bear up againil 

 the violence produced from lull and anger in this mort.il life, 

 is properly employed, and a happy m.in. The nun who u 

 happy in his heart, at rell in his mind, and enlighlemd with- 

 in, ia a Yogi, or one devoted to God, .and of a godly fpirit. 

 The loul of the placid, conquered Ipirit, is the lame in heal 

 and cold, in pain and pleafure, in honour and difgracc. To 

 the Yogi, gold, iron, .ind (tones are the fame. The man it 

 diftinguilhed wlwfe refolution, whethir amon^ll hit com- 

 panions and friends, or in the midll of hit eDcmiei ; with ihofe 



X *H0 



