OF THE HINBUS. S3 



the centre is a perpendicular streak of red, made with red Sanders, or Roll, 

 a preparation of Turmeric and Lime ; they have also patches of Gopichandana^ 

 with a central red streak on the breast, and each upper arm : the marks are 

 supposed to represent the Sankli, Chalcra, Gadd, and Padma,* or Shell, Dis- 

 cus, Club, and Lotus, which Vishnu bears in his four hands, whilst the cen-i 

 tral streak is Sri, or Lakshm!:! Some have these objects carved on 

 wooden stamps, with which they impress the emblems on their bodies, and 

 others carry their devotion so far as to have the parts cicatrized with heated 

 metallic models of the objects they propose to represent, but this is not 

 regarded as a creditable practice :t besides these marks, they wear a 



* The Vaishnava is thus described in the Bliakta Mdld, the text is probably that of the BM' 

 gavat— 



" Tliey who bear the Tulasi round the neck, the rosary of Lotus seeds, have the shell and discus 

 impressed upon their upper arm, and the upright streak along the centre of the forehead, they are 

 Vaishnavas, and sanctify the world." 



f The efficacy of these marks is very great : we are told in the Kdsi KhanS, that Yama 

 directs his ministers to avoid such as bear them, and the same work observes, that no sin can exist 

 in the individuals who make use of them, be they of whatever caste. 



X The Vrihat Naradiya Purdha sentences every Brahman adopting the practice to endless 

 degradation, and even to the infernal regions. 



The reason also occurs— -^IffW^ ff^2(T ^^^^^JT^rf^^r I ^T ^(^JTrt^fTT TTSf^f 

 f^^ ^"^^"^ ^'^'^ \ \ The body of a Brahman is the abode of all the Gods, if that is con. 

 sumed, where shall we abide ? It appears, however, that stamping the mark with a hot iron, is 

 commonly in use in the Dekhin. A similar practice seems to have been known to some of the 

 early Christians, and baptizing with fire, was stamping the cross on the forehead with a hot iion. 



K 



