ZEN 



inftrument, and as the method of ufing it may beunderftood 

 fufficiently from what we have faid of the zenith-feftor, 

 from which it differs only in the fmall range of its fcale, it 

 will be unneceffary to give any further explanation of either 

 its adjiiftmenls or praftical apphcation. 



Other Iiiftrumtiils.—'&eMei the zenith-feftors and zenith- 

 micrometers, which we have above defcribed, there are other 

 inftruments, which may be ufed as fubftitutes for thefe, at 

 the fame time that they may be ufed for their own refpedive 

 purpofes. Of thefe, the tranfit-circles of large dimenfions, 

 particularly thofe which move with their pivots fupported 

 by ftone piers, claim our principal notice. As the pro- 

 feffed ufe of thefe circles is to afcertain both right afcenfions 

 and declinations at the fame time, and as zenith-diftances are 

 only complements of altitudes taken in any latitude, it is 

 obvious, that thofe inftruments that meafure altitudes accu- 

 rately, at all elevations, will alfo meafure zcnith-diflances, or 

 their complements ; and in faft, the divifions are now num- 

 bered in fuch way, that altitudes and zenith-diftances are 

 read alternately in the reverfed pofitions. Of this defciip- 

 tion is the excellent circle of Mr. Groombridge at Black- 

 heath ; but the large circle at Greenwich, not having a 

 plumb-line or level ufed, nor being capable of reverfion, is 

 not of the fame clafs ; though a very fuperior inftrument 

 for its own purpofe of meafuring polar diftances from the 

 exaft polar point, without any reference to latitude, altitude, 

 or zenith-diftance. 



We have alfo before us an 1 8-inch tranfit-circle with a 

 35-feet telefcope, very lately made by Mr. Thomas Jones, 

 of Charing-Crofs ; the axis of which is fupported by a caft- 

 iron frame, that very conveniently admits of meafures being 

 taken in or near the zenith, as well as in any other degree of 

 elevation. This inftrument comprifes many new and ufeful 

 contrivances, but they cannot be defcribed under this 

 head, confiftently with our general plan of dividing our 

 fubjefts. 



Zenith is a word ufed by feme writers to exprefs 

 the firft appearance of the menfes in young women. 



ZENKABAD, in Geography, a town of the Arabina 

 Irak ; 22 miles S. of Sherban. 



ZENKOV, a town of Ruffia, in the government of 

 Tchernigov ; 140 miles S.E. of Tchernigov. N. lat. 50°. 

 E. long. 34° 14'. 



ZENN, a river of Franconia, which runs into the Red- 

 nitz, near Vacha, in the margravate of Anfpach. 

 Zenn. See Langenzenn. 



ZENN A R, the name of a myftical thread worn by 

 Brahmans, and by many individuals of other tribes of Hin- 

 doos. So prolix and minute are the authors of the Ordi- 

 nances of the Hindoos, that rules for almoft every occur- 

 rence of hfe, however trifling, have been laid down. Not 

 that any thing connedted vi'ith the zennar has been deemed 

 trifling by thofe who ordained it, by thofe who wear it, or 

 thofe who revere it. On the contrary, the individuals to be 

 fo diftinguiflied, the mode of manufafturing the facred 

 article, and its inveititure, with many particulars, have occu- 

 pied the attention of lawgivers, and are attended to with 

 great refpecl by their obedient followers. 



Brahmans afFeft to confider the zennar as of highly myf- 

 terious and facred import, and do not confider an individual 

 as fully a member of his tribe until he have affumed this 

 holy emblem. A Brahman fhould be inverted with it at the 

 age of eight years, by the hands of his father, who, with 

 bis Guru, or fpiritual preceptor, twifts that firft put on. 

 A Kftietriya receives it at eleven, from a Brahman. A 

 Vaifya at twelve years of age. A Sudra is on no account 

 permitted to wear it. A defcription of thefe four grand 



10 



ZEN 



divifions, comprifing the whole race, will be found under 

 Sects of Hindoos. 



The zennar muit be made by a Brahman : it is compofed 

 of three threads, each meafuring ninety-fix hands, twifted 

 together, and folded into three ; then twifl;ed again fo as 

 to confift of nine threads : thefe are again folded into three 

 without twifting, and each end faftened with a knot. It 

 is put over the left ftioulder next the Ikin, and hangs down 

 the right thigh as low as the fingers can reach. Of thefe 

 cords a Brahman wears four ; the other privileged tribes but 

 three. Some writers call this the Brahmanical, or prieftly, 

 or facerdotal thread ; but not, it would appear, in ftrift 

 correftnefs ; it not being confined to the prieftly tribe, but 

 worn, as we have feen, by three out of the four fefts of 

 Hindoos. 



In the Inftitutes of Menu (fee Menu), c. i i. v. 36. the 

 revered legiflator ordains, that " in the eighth year from 

 the conception of a Brahman, in the eleventh from that of 

 a Kfhetriya, and in the twelfth from that of a Vaifya, let 

 the father invell the child with the mark of his clafs." 



The two next verfes allow, on particular occafions, the 

 aflTumption of the facrificial thread, as it is often called, in 

 the fifth, fixth, or eighth years refpeftively ; or it may, in 

 like manner, be delayed until the individual be double the 

 age mentioned in verfe 36. " After that, all youths of thefe 

 three claffes, who have not been invefl:ed at the proper time, 

 become outcafts, degraded from the Gayatri, and contemned 

 by the virtuous," v. 39. Of the Gayatri, fee under our 

 article O'm. 



In ancient books, the three firft claffes, from being thus 

 invefted with this facrificial thread, are called twice lorn ; a 

 regeneration being effeAed by this myftical fecond birth. 

 But it has been thought, that in later times, the Brahman 

 only has the advantage of being thus born again. The term 

 t-wice born is very common ; a third birth is foraetimes men- 

 tioned : this, we believe, is at the deceafe, or the burning 

 of the body. " The firft birth is from a natural mother ; 

 the fecond, from the ligation of the zone ; the third, from 

 the due performance of the facrifice : fuch are the births of 

 him who is ufually called twice born, according to a text in 

 the Veda. Among them, his divine birth is that which is 

 diftinguilhed by the ligation of the zone and facrificial 

 cord; and in that the Gayatri is his mother." Menu, ii. 

 169, 170. 



This cord is never taken off; even when fleeping and 

 bathing, it is worn and difpofcd of in a particular manner. 

 When worn out, it is committed to the water with due and 

 appropriate ceremony, and another is as duly put on. It 

 is feen on the moft ancient of Hindoo fculptures, and on 

 many of the figures ; for inftance, in the cavern temple at 

 Elephanta. ( See Mahakala. ) It has feveral other names ; 

 among them Janwi, or Jahnuvi, Maurvi, &c. The latter is 

 applied to the cord of the military tribe, being made from 

 the leaves of a fpecies of liyacinth, called murva, of which 

 bow-ftrings are alfo made : the Brahman's cord is made of 

 cotton. The name Jahnuvi given to this facred, triple, myf- 

 tical, regenerating thread, has been derived from Jahnu, an 

 afcetic, who, in a very extravagant way, gave a fecond birth 

 to the equally facred, triple, myftical, regenerating river 

 Ganga (the Ganges), which is hence called Jahnuvi. Of 

 this we have taken fome notice under Jahnu ; and of the 

 triple union ot the Ganga, and other facred rivers, under 

 Thiveni. 



Brahmans, and their enthufiaftic followers, are very myf- 

 tical concerning regeneration, and have divers modes of effetl- 

 ing the fecond birth, in cafes where the purity derived from 

 the ligation of the zone, or inveftiture with the facrificial 



thread, 



