94 



c 



VIII. — Translation of a Mahratta Document "Account of 

 the Tribes of Mahratta Bramins. No. 851 of the Mackenzie 

 MSS.—See Madras Journal vol viii 76— 77 J Mark 19 

 or 93c 1 . By C. P. Brown, Esq. 



There are five classes of Bramins among the Mahratta 

 Bramins, called Pancha Dravidas — viz. Cannadi, Tatwaji, 

 Telagas, Aravas, and Guzerati. 



The Mahratta bramins are a tribe well known as good 

 soldiers. The Tatwajis intermarry with them ; some adhere 

 to the Bhagavat sect; others are Smartas; some are Gosavis 

 who read the tales of Krishna ; some read the Sastras and 

 Vedas, setting themselves up for (Vaidicas) Religieux ; 

 these adhere to the Bug Vedam ; and [they consider them* 

 selves to be] of the Viswamitra (gotram) stock, or the Causica 

 stock. The Desastha bramins are of the Mahratta race ; but 

 they have left the Mahratta country and roamed elsewhere 

 for a subsistence, therefore they are called (Desasthas) foreign- 

 ers ; but they are all of; the original caste. 



Some of them take service as sepoys ; others as menials ; 

 some live as Religieux reading the Sastra and Veda. Some 

 read the Big Veda; others the Yajur Veda; some are 

 (mirasidars) landholders and hold the offices of desahi, desa- 

 pandya, desamukhi, Kulkarni, Sahucar (clerks and money- 

 changers) as it may happen. Some are worshippers of 

 Krishna (literally, readers of the tale of Hari,) and are styled 

 Gosavi (Goseyns). On the banks of the Godaveri there is a 

 town named Paithana, where a Desasthi named Bamadass 

 dwelt, founder of a sect whence he is called a Gosavi ; having 

 been a long time engaged in performing religious austerities, 

 these at last gained him the favor of Iswara (Siva). This 



