I 
MYSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR. 
305 
tli rough various other lives, as an animal, or as a person of some of CHAPTER 
the low casts, till at last he becomes a Brahman , and has another 
opportunity by his good works of gaining heaven. a,&c * 
Sringa-giri , south from Ryder Nagar, is by this person considered 
as the chief throne of the Brahmans. There God assumed the form 
of a Brahman named Sankara A chary a, and, having become a San- 
nydsi, established his Mata , or college, at the place at which there 
has ever since been a succession of Sannydsis , who are the Gurus of 
the order, and are called Swamalus. In different places of India 
these have established agents, or deputies, who are also Sannydsis y 
and assume the title of Swamalu. Originally these agents were all 
sent from the college at Sringa-giri ; but now, although they ac- 
knowledge the superiority of the representative of Sankara Achdrya, 
they all educate young men in their own Matas, or colleges, and 
from among them appoint their successors. In the chief college at 
Sringa-giri there are many disciples, who are all of Vaidikci families, 
who never marry, and who are carefully educated in such learning 
as the Brahmans possess. They are called Brahma Chdris; and from 
among them the Guru , when he is about to die, selects the one 
that appears to him most deserving, and reveals to him the Upadesa 
peculiar to his rank, by which the favourite becomes his successor. 
The inferior Swamalus (properly Swdmydlu) educate in a similar 
manner their successors. Should the Sringa-giri Szvamalu die with- 
out appointing a successor, the deputies or agents assemble, and 
select from among the Brahma Chdris the most deserving person, 
and, revealing to him the Upadesa, constitute him their chief. Till 
he is on the point of death, a Swamalu is very unwilling to deliver 
the Upadesa to a successor; as, immediately on getting possession of 
it, his power becomes equal to his own ; and if he should recover, 
the new Swamalu might remove to another college, and act inde- 
pendent of his authority. 
Besides the Vedas, and eighteen Purdnas supposed to have been 
written by Vydsa , which are common to all Brahmans , the Smartai 
Yol I. Rr 
