232 SKETCH OF THE 



policy of Govind Sinh, and the bigotry of Aurangzeb, converted the 

 peaceful tenets of NXnak into a military code, and his speculative disciples 

 into the warlike nation of the Sikhs. It is not, however, in their politi- 

 cal capacity that we are now to consider them, but as the professors of a 

 peculiar form of faith, which branches into various sub-divisions, and is by 

 no means restricted to the Punjab. At the same time it is unnecessary 

 to detail the tenets and practices of the Sikhs, as that has been already 

 performed in a full and satisfactory manner. 



The Sikhs, or Nanak Shahis, are classed under seven distinctions, all 

 recognising Ncmak as their primitive instructor, and all professing to 

 follow his doctrines, but separated from each other by variations of 

 practice, or by a distinct and peculiar teacher. Of these the first is the 

 sect of the Uddsis. 



UDASIS. 



> 



These maybe regarded as the genuine disciples of JSdnak, professing, 

 as the name denotes, indifference to wordly vicissitudes. They are pure- 

 ly religious characters, devoting themselves to prayer and meditation, 

 and usually collected in Sangats, colleges or convents ; they also travel 

 about to places of pilgrimage, generally in parties of some strength. In- 

 dividuals of them are to be met with in most of the chief cities of Hin- 

 dustan, living under the patronage of some man of rank or property ; but 

 in all situations they profess poverty, although they never solicit alms ; 

 and although ascetics, they place no merit in wearing mean garments or 

 dispensing altogether with clothes. On the contrary, they are, in general, 

 well dressed, and, allowing the whiskers and beard to grow, are not unfre- 

 quently of a venerable and imposing appearance. Though usually prac- 

 tising celibacy, it does not appear to be a necessary condition amongst the 

 Sikhs to be found in the Gangetic provinces : they are usually the ministrant 



