J21 
HINDOOSTAN. 
Feet. A female attendant of Cali lays a protecting hand 
upon her; while, with her uplifted fword in the other, ihe 
aims a blow to lame the giant. This hand is caught in 
the critical moment by an attendant of the Yam-rajah, 
who, according to the legend, is initantly run through by 
Cali; when all clofe upon the giant, and cut him in 
pieces. The title borne by Cali in this enterprife, was 
D’urgar, or Durgati Nafimi, “ the remover of difficulties.” 
CASTS or TRIBES of the HINDOO PRIESTS 
and PEOPLE. 
The permanent reparation of the people into cajis and 
clajfes , with hereditary profeffions affigned to each, is 
among the mod: remarkable inflitutions of Hindooltan. 
The four original casts or tribes are, the Brahmin, or 
Rrachmana ; tile Khatri, or, according to the Sanikrit, 
C/hatriga ; the Vhyfe, or Vaifya-, and the Soodera, or 
Sudra. Thel'e are now feparated into two parties, or fefts ; 
the one called the Viffinu-Bukht or fed, and the other 
the Siva-Bukht or feci ; that is, the followers of Vilhnu, 
and the followers of Siva. The former diftinguiffied 
themfelves by painting the forehead with a horizontal 
line or band; and the latter with a perpendicular one. 
Befide thefe four cajis, there is an adventitious tribe or 
call:, called in the Sanikrit Chandalas, and on the coafl 
of Coromandel Pariars ; who are employed in the meaneft 
offices, and have no reftridtions with regard to diet. Their 
number, compared with that of any other caft, is incon- 
fiderable, and feems evidently to confift of thofe perfons 
that have been expelled their calls, which is a punilhment 
inflided for certain offences. Were a Hindoo of an}' of 
the other calls to touch a Chandala, even by accident, he 
mult bathe himfelf, and change his raiment. He would 
refrain from the produdions of the earth, if he knew 
that they had been cultivated by a Chandala. A Chandala 
cannot enter a temple, or be pfefent at any religious ce-' 
remony. He has no rank in fociety, and cannot ferve in 
any public employment. Hence the punilhment of ex- 
puljion, which is l'uppofed in its confequences to extend 
even to another life, becomes more terrible than that of 
death. 
Mr. Colebrooke, in the fifth volume of the Afiatic 
Refearches, has favoured the public with a literal trans¬ 
lation, from the Sanikrit, of the origin of thefe caffs ; 
which he Hates to be as follows -.—“ In the firjl creation 
by Brahma, Brahmanas proceeded, with the Veda, from 
the mouth of Brahma. From his arms Cffiatriyas (Kha- 
tris) fprung; fo from his thigh, Vaifyas: from his foot 
Sudras, were produced •. all with their females. The 
Lord of creation, viewing them, laid “ What fhali be your 
occupations ?” They replied, “ We are not our own 
mailers, O God! command us what to undertake.” 
“ Viewing and comparing their labours, he made the 
firft tribe fuperior over the whole. As the firff had great 
inclination for the divine fciences, (Brahmeveda,) there¬ 
fore he was Brahmana. The protector from ill (Clhate) 
was Cfhatrya; him whofe profeffion (Vefa) confilts in 
-commerce, which promotes fuccefs in war, for the pro- 
tedion of himfelf and of mankind ; and in hulbandry, 
and attendance on cattle, called Vail'ya. The other Ihould 
voluntarily ferve the three preceding tribes, and therefore 
he became a Sudra: he Ihould humble himfelf at their 
feet.” 
According to this original inftitution, thebounden duty 
of the Brahmin is peace, felf-reftraint, patience, reditude, 
devotion, and learning. The duties of the Khatri are, 
magnanimity, glory, generofity, and princely condud. 
The duty of the Vhyfe is, to cultivate the land, to tend 
the cattle, to buy and fell, and in all things uphold fair 
dealing. The duty of the Sudra is, fervitude, and fidelity 
to all his employers. 
“ A man being contented with his own particular lot 
and fituation obtaineth perfedion.—A man by following 
the duties which are appointed by his birth, deeth no 
wrong.—A man’s own calling ought not to be forfaken.” 
Vol. X. No. 646. 
“ Only the Brahmins may read the Vedas ; the Khatries 
may hear them read ; but the other caffs may only hear 
the Sajiras, or Commentaries on the Vedas.”—Thus, in 
common language, in Hindooltan, the four original caffs 
are termed the Jacerdotal, the military , the commercial, and 
the fir vile. 
The inviolability of a Brahmin prieft, is a fixed prin¬ 
ciple among the Hindoos ; and to deprive him of life, 
either by dired violence, or by earning his death in any 
mode, is a crime which admits of no expiation. Ail 
Brahmins are not priefts ; yet all prieits are Brahmins. 
Thole who are not of the order of the prieffhood, whe¬ 
ther followers of Vilhnu or of Siva, may ferve, but not 
in menial offices. They often ad as fecretaries, and 
fuperintendants, to perfons of high rank ; and as factors 
to bankers and merchants. There are iaffances of Brah¬ 
mins being prime minifters, not only to Hindoo princes, 
but even to Mohammedans ; being preferred for their 
literary knowledge, complacency of manners, and rigid 
application. The firft inftance of the kind is recorded 
by Ferilhta, in the following words: “It is univerfally 
allowed, that ICangoh, in. 1350, was the firft Brahmin 
who accepted an office in the iervice of a Kulfuiman 
prince. Before him, the Brahmins never condefcended 
to engage in. public affairs, but palled their lives in the 
duties of religion, and ftudy of the iciences ; indifferent 
to fortune, and efteeming the fervice of princes as hurtful 
to virtue, and hazardous to their eternal welfare. If, as 
phyficians, aftronomers, moralifts, or hiftorians, they 
fometirnes affociated with the rich or powerful, they yet 
would never wear the chain of fervitude on their necks, 
though courted by gifts and high favours. However, 
fince Kangoh’s acceptance of employment, the direfiion 
of finance has been committed generally to Brahmins, by 
all the princes of the Deccan.” 
Some of the Brahmins are known to bear arms; but. 
none of thefe can be admitted into the prieffhood; and, 
in their appearance, they are only diftinguiffied from the 
other Hindoos by the mark on their forehead. They 
abftain from animal food; and meet with relpecl from 
the other caffs, though not in fo great a degree as the 
priefts. But thofe who are of the prieffhood, confine 
their attention to the performance of religious ceremonies, 
to the fervice of the temples, to ftudy, and to the edu¬ 
cation of youth. 
The priefts never carry weapons of any kind, nor is it 
admiffible to employ them, even in their own defence. 
They are patiently to f'ubinit to violence, and leave it to 
God and the laws to avenge them. Yet they claim a 
pre-eminence in rank, even to their princes, or rajahs ; 
becaufe they are chiefly of the feoond, or Khatri, caff. 
Some of the princes are however Brahmins ; which always 
adds to their rel'pedlability and dignity. A rajah will 
receive, and tafte with refpeCl, the food prepared by a 
Brahmin, but a Brahmin dare not eat of any thing that 
may have been touched by one of another caft. In the 
adminiftration of juftice, the punilhment of a Brahmin 
/or any crime is milder, and in general of a lefs difgraceful 
nature, than that of any other caft for the fame offence ; 
and they have defeended to the moft minute circumftances, 
in order to preferve that deference and refpedt which 
they have eftablifhed as their due : and on which the 
following rules are founded : 
“ If a Brahmin commit a crime deferring of a capital 
punilhment, the magiftrate ffiall, to prevent his committing 
a fimilar crime in future, lentence him to perpetual im- 
prilonment.—There is no crime in the world fo great as 
that of murdering a Brahmin; and therefore no magif¬ 
trate fhali ever defire the death of a Brahmin, or cut off 
one of his limbs. 
“ Whatever orders fuch Brahmins as are Pundits lhail 
deliver to the Ryuts from the Saftra, the Ryuts fhali ac¬ 
knowledge and obey. 
“ If a Sudra give much, and frequent, moleftation to 3. 
Brahmin, the magiftrate ffiall put him to death. 
I i ' “If 
