160 On the Creed, Ctistojns and Literature of the Jungams. [Jan. 



Knowing the deserved odium that attaches to the Tantras, Biamins 

 assert that tliese consti- ute tlie Jang.im system. But were this the case 

 how does it happen that the Tantra volumes are found only in the pos- 

 session of Braniins ? The fact is that both parties read tlie Tantras 

 from motives of curiosity just as a protestant might read the Koran 

 without in any point adopting the Mahomedan faith. The J ngams 

 honestly avow, and vindicate all they do, they have no motive for con- 

 cealment. The Bramin acts on an opposite principle and assures us 

 that the Jangams are a depraved and senseless set of hercticks, who obey 

 the levelling principles of the Tantras, and pay honour to the vilest 

 castes. But two widely different principles govern them. The licen- 

 tious Tantricas reject caste because it is an ordained rule of society : he 

 degrades all men to the brutish level. The Jangam is no leveller: he 

 indeed desires to abolish caste: but by raising from the lowest grade 

 those whose faith shews them to be good men. Indeed the imputations 

 made against them are very similar to the infamous stories circulated 

 among ourselves, in older days against ihe Puritans, the Quakers and 

 Moravians,* and investigation has shewn them to be equally false. 



It is to be observed that no instance is known of a Vira Saiva' acting 

 on the principles laid down in the Tantras. To excuse their aptness 

 to read these abominations tliev allege that the Tantras belong to their 

 creed because they describe Siva as the great deity, and countenance, 

 as Basava does, the abolition of caste. These are but slender apologies, 

 for such an imitation of the evil example set them by Bramins.f 



In con( hiding these remarks on their literature, we may add that 

 the Jangams have no objection to read and study any part of the Bha- 

 gavat or other braminical books only they refuse to accept them as 

 divine and authoritative. 



* SeeSoutheys Life of Wesley, vol, 1. p. 359. 



T The Minda Jangaraas or Bachelors are spoken of in various passaf»es of the Linga- 

 dhari poems. Thej- are conft'S«ed to be libertines but are devout.* They have inter- 

 views with (Vesias) courtezans who are likewise devout ! ! 



The following is the received opinion. The Jangams are entirely forbidden to have 

 intercourse with prostitutes : but among the earliest proselytes were some unmarried 

 men, who were permitted by Basava to have intercourse with courtezans who, belonged 

 to the sect. These men were called Minda Jangams or libortiaes, and in the present 

 age there are none ; for all are bound either to marriage or to virtuous celibacj'-. 

 That Basava permitted this is only a theory, and rests on no proof. 



In the western districts there are prostitutes who are called Basvinis, and are said 

 to be thus devoted by their parents, on their lives being in danger through illness in 

 infancy. Some of these are, as I am inforiaed, daughters of Jangams : but all are not 

 so : being children of Hindus of other castes. I have heard of some Jangams in similar 

 cases attempting to remove a child's illness by giving it a braminical name, w ith a view- 

 to appease some god or goddess, whose displeasure is imagined to have caused diseases 



These statements certainly shew the purity of the creed not to be so complete as its 

 devotees assert. 



