174 SKETCH OF THE 



once a day only, which he deposits in the small clay pot that he carries 

 always with him : he should live alone, and near to, but not within a city ; 

 but this rule is rarely observed, and in general the DaMis are found in 

 cities collected like other mendicants in Maths* The Dandi has no par- 

 ticular time or mode of worship, but spends his time in meditation, or in 

 practices corresponding with those of the Yoga, and in the study of the 

 Ved&nta works, especially according to the comments of Sankaracharya. 

 As that teacher was an incarnation of SivA,t the Dan&is reverence that 



* These are all founded on the following texts of Menu. 



" His hair, nails and beard being clipped, bearing with him a dish, a staff, and a water-pot, let 

 him wander about continually without giving pain to any being." 52. 



" Only once a day let him demand food, let him not habituate himself to eat much at a time, 

 for an anchorite habituated to eat much, becomes inclined to sensual gratification. 55. 



" At the time when the smoke of kitchen fires has ceased, when the pestle lies motionless, 

 when the burning charcoal is extinguished, when people have eaten and when dishes are removed, 

 that is, late in the day, let the Sanyasi always beg food. 



" For missing it let him not be sorrowful, nor for gaining it, let him be glad, let him care only 

 for a sufficiency to support life, but let him not be anxious about his utensils. 57, Menu 6. 



f This character is given to him in the Sanhara Vijaya of Madhava Acharya ; his followers 

 in the Dekhin assert that Siva's descent as Sankara, was foretold in the Skanda Purdna : a pro- 

 phecy which, if found in that work, will assist to fix its date, but the passage has not been met with. 



