U "' RELIGIOUS SECTS 



separate worship of Krishna, either in his own person, or that of the infantine 

 forms in which he is now so pre-eminently venerated in many parts of India, 

 nor are the names of Rama and Sita, of Lakshmana or Hanuman, once par- 

 ticularised, as enjoying any portion of distinct and specific adoration. 



The Saha sects are the SaivaSy Raudras, Ugras, Bhdktas, Jangamas, and 

 Pdsiipatas. Their tenets are so blended in the discussion, that it is not possible 

 to separate them, beyond the conjectural discrimination which may be derived 

 from their appellations : the text specifies merely their characteristic marks : 

 thus the Saivas wore the impression of the Linga on both arms ; the Raudras 

 had a Trisula, or trident, stamped on the forehead ; the Ugras had the Da- 

 maru, or drum of Siva on their arms, and the Bhdktas an impression of the 

 Linga on the forehead — the Jangamas carried a figure of the Linga on the 

 head, and the Pa5w^<2/<25 imprinted the same object on the forehead, breast, 

 navel, and arms. Of these sects, the Saivas are not now any one particular 

 class — nor are the Raudras^ Ugras, or Bhdktas, any longer distinct societies : 

 the Jangamas remain, but they are chiefly confined to the south of India, and 

 although a Pdsupata, or worshipper of Siva as Pasupati, may be occasionally 

 encountered, yet this has merged into other sects, and particularly into that 

 of the Kdnp'hata Jogis : the authorities cited by these sects, according to 

 Ananda Girt, were the Siva Gitd, Siva Sanhitd, Siva Rahasya and Rudra 

 Ydmala Tantra: the various classes o? Jogis are never alluded to, and the work 

 asserts, what is generally admitted as a fact, that the Dandis, and Dasndmi 

 Gosains originated with Sankara Acharya. 



Worshippers of Brahma, or Hiranyagarbha, are also introduced by 

 Ananda Girt, whom now it might be difficult to meet with : exclusive ador- 

 ers of this deity, and temples dedicated to him, do not now occur perhaps in 

 any part of India ; at the same time it is an error to suppose that public 

 homage is never paid to him. Beahma is particularly reverenced at Pokher, 



