270 SKETCH OF THE SIKHS; 



Brahma', and attack that worship of idols, which few of these defend, 

 except upon the ground of these figures, before which they bend, being 

 symbolical representations of the attributes of an all powerful divinity; 

 but it proceeds, at once, to subvert the foundation of the whole system. 

 Wherever the religion of Guru' Govind. prevails, the institutions of 

 Brahma must fall. The admission of proselytes, the abolition of the 

 distinctions of cast, the eating of all kinds of flesh, except that of cows, 

 the forin' of religious worship, and the general devotion of all Sijihs to 

 arms, are ordinances altogether irreconcileable with Hindu mythology, 

 aiid^have rendered the religion of the Sikhs as obnoxious to the Brahmens, 

 and higher tribes ot the. Hindus, as it is popular with the lower orders of 

 that numerous class of mankind, ., . . _ .... . i ,, 



After this rapid sketch of the general charaCler of the religion of the 

 Sikhs, I shall take a more detailed view of its origin, progress^ tenets and 

 forms„ 



t.: ' " ^ . 



'A Sikh author,* whom I have followed in several parts of this sketch, 

 is very particular in stating the causes of the origin of the religion of 

 Na'nac ; he describes the different Tugas, or ages of the world, stated 

 in the Hindu mythology. The Cali Tug, which is the .present, is that in 

 which it was written that the human race would become completely de- 

 praved: '*'*' Discord," says'the author, speaking o^ the Cali Tug , " will 

 " riseinthe world, sin prevail/and the' universe become wicked; cast will ■ 

 " contend with cast ; and, like bamboos in friftion, consume each other to 

 *^^" embers. The Vedas, or scriptures/' he adds, " will be held in disre- 

 ^^ piit8j for they shall not be understood, and the darkness of ignorance 



■^ B'hai Guru' P^'sB'jiAiE', '. '::'., bv. ''■■:. 



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