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JOURNAL

OF

THE ASIATIC SOCIETY.

No. 38.-February, 1835.

I. Some Account of a Sect of Hindu Schismatics in Western India, calling themselves Rámsanèhí, or Friends of God. By Capt. G. E. WESTMACOTT, Asst. to the Gov. Gen's Agent, N. E. Frontier.

OF THE MAHANT OR RELIGIOUS SUPERIORS OF THE ORDer. RÁMCHARAN, the founder of the Rámsanèhís, was a Rámávat Byrágí, born A. D. 1719*, at Sorahchasen, a village in the principality of Jypur. The precise period, nor the causes, which led him to abjure the religion of his fathers, do not appear: but he steadily denounced idol-worship, and suffered on this account great persecution from the Brahmans. On quitting the place of his nativity in 1750, he wandered over the country, and eventually repaired to Bhilwara, in the Udípur territory, where after a residence of two years, Bhím Singh, prince of that state, and father of the present Rána, was urged by the priests to harass him to a degree which compelled him to abandon the town.

The then chief of Shahpura, who also bore the name of Bhím Singh, compassionating his misfortunes, offered the wanderer an asylum at his court, and prepared a suitable escort to attend him : the sage, while he availed himself of the courtesy, humbly excused himself from accepting the elephants and equipage sent for his conveyance, and arrived at Shahpura on foot, in the year 1767; but he does not seem to have settled there permanently until two years later, from which time, it may be proper to date the institution of the sect. Rámcharan expired in the month of April, 1798, in the seventy-ninth year of his age, and his corpse was reduced to ashes in the great temple at Shahpura.

* A. Samvat 1776.

K

Sadha Rám, Governor of Bhilwára, a Bania of the Deopura tribe, was one of Rámcharan's bitterest enemies: he on one occasion dispatched a Singí* to Shahpura to put the schismatic to death; but the latter, who probably got information of his purpose, bent his head low as the man entered, and told him to perform the service on which he was deputed, but to remember that as the Almighty alone bestowed life, man could not destroy it, without the Divine permission. The hired assassin trembled at what he took for preternatural foresight in his intended victim, fell at his feet, and asked forgiveness.

Rámcharan composed 36,250 Sabd or hymns, each containing from five to eleven verses: thirty-two letters go to each aslok, which give the above total. He was succeeded in the spiritual directorship by Rámjan, one of his twelve Chèla or disciples. This person was born at the village of Sirsin, embraced the new doctrine in 1768, and died at Shahpura in 1809, after a reign of 12 years, 2 months and 6 days. He composed 18,000 Sabd.

The third hierarch, Dulha Rám, became a Rámsanèhí, A. D. 1776, and died in 1824: he wrote ten thousand Sabd, and about four thousand sakí, or epic poems, in praise of men eminent for virtue not only of his own faith, but among Hindus, Muhammedans, and others.

Chatra Dás was converted at the early age of twelve years, ascended the thronet in 1824, and died in 1831. He is said to have written 1000 Sabd, but would not permit their being committed to paper.

Nárayan Dás, the fourth in descent from Rámcharan, now fills the chair of spiritual director.

On the demise of a Mahant, an assembly of the priests and laity is convened at Shahpura to elect a successor, who is chosen with reference alone to his wisdom and virtues. He is installed on the thirteenth day after the office falls vacant, on which occasion the Byrágís entertain the entire Hindú population of the town with a banquet of sweetmeats at the temple within the city-walls, known by the name of Rammerít.

The only difference between the garb of the Mahant and that of the priests consists in the quality of the cloth, which is made of cotton of

* Singí. A particular cast of Hindus, so called in Rájwára from their conducting a number of their own, and of the Mahesri and Suruogí tribes of Banias, to noted places of pilgrimage, free of all expence. The word is evidently a corruption from Sangi a companion.

+ Gaddi is the term invariably applied to the cushion of the superior and Maharaj (mighty prince), the only title by which he is addressed and spoken of by the Rámsanèhís. They approach him with profound obeisance, reverently touch his foot, and lay their foreheads to the marble on which he is seated. ✦ Merf signifies an upper-roomed house in the language of Rájwára.

rather a finer texture than theirs: their diet is the same, and consists of dry cakes of coarse wheat flour without any kind of seasoning. The superior resides at Shahpura, the chief place of their religion, but occasionally leaves it for a period of one or two months, wandering over the country to mortify his body and accustom it to endure fatigue.

Religion.

The Rámsanèhís believe in the unity and omnipotence of God, whom they regard as the Author of creation, preservation, and destruction; nor so far as I could learn, do they hold his nature and attributes to differ materially from the doctrine professed by ourselves. They call the Supreme Being, Rám; he is the source of all good, and the averter of evil, and as none can fathom his decrees, resignation to them is implicitly enjoined. Man is pronounced incapable of any exertion of himself: whatever comes to pass is accomplished through the Divine Agency; and as God alone is the bestower of rewards and punishments, the Rámsanèhís are instructed to be constant in his worship, in the morning, at noon and night, and always to ask his blessing before going to meals. The soul is believed to be an emanation from the Divine spirit, which takes flight to heaven on the dissolution of the human frame; and they inculcate, if a person commit sin, who has enjoyed the advantages of education and is versed in the scriptures, no future act however exemplary can procure his remission from punishment, but in the case of an illiterate man, that he may by study, devotion and repentance obtain absolution of his crimes.

The formation and worship of idols is expressly prohibited. The Rámsanèhís pass the Hindu gods unnoticed, and no sort of images or symbols of idolatry are admitted into their temples. When I pointedly asked Nárayan Dás his opinion of idol-worship, he replied in verse:- As to lave the body in the ocean is equivalent to bathing in all the rivers of earth, since they flow into the great deep; and to irrigate the roots of a tree is sufficient without further waste to nourish and bring forth its leaves, its flowers, and its fruits; so to worship the omnipotent God, does away the necessity of addressing all inferior deities.'

The Mahant said it was a mistake to suppose the doctrine of the sect was new-it had in fact existed in the world from a very remote period, though shorn of its purity by admixture with debasing superstitions and false tenets, engrafted upon it from time to time by the ignorant and designing. Men were born in every age who held sound principles of belief, but persecution compelled them to recant their opinions, or to take refuge in the wilds. It was reserved for

Rámcharan to frame a code from the most approved writings of Hindu law-givers to avoid giving a shock to the prejudices of the people he desired to convert, he wisely took the Shástras for his guide, culling that which was good, and rejecting all that he deemed mischievous-and he called those who adopted his opinions Rámsanèhí, friends or servants of God.

The Mahant readily engaged to furnish me with a complete collection of their sacred writings; but as there was but one copy in the temple, I succeeded in bringing away with me only a few selections, of which I subjoin a translation. The head of each page is inscribed with the holy name of Rám, used by the society as an initial title of respect, corresponding with the Alif (Allah) of the Musalmans, and Srí of the Hindús, and signifying, that an author solicits the blessing of God on commencing a work, and invokes success on the undertaking.

The Mahant wrote the first Sabd in an elegant hand, the rest were transcribed by the priests in a corresponding style of beauty, and red ink-marks are introduced in the commencement and end of each couplet. The religious works of the Rámsanèhís are written in the Deva Nágarí character, and chiefly in the Hindí language, with an admixture of Rájwára provincialisms-but there are also a great many Sanskrit and some Panjabí verses, and Arabic and Persian words likewise find a place.

Of the Priests.

Priests are called either Byrágí or Sádh, and are divided into three classes, the two last of which, denominated Bedehí and Mohaní, I shall notice presently. They are enjoined to study the holy writings, and to disclaim all merit in their works: to observe celibacy, chastity, humility, abstinence, and contentment to put a restraint upon the tongue : to sleep little to accustom the body to hardships and fatigue and to exercise charity, liberality, and mercy. Anger, brawls, avarice, selfishness, usury, gaming, lying, theft, lust, hypocrisy, and all kinds of luxuries are strongly denounced.

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Priests are commanded never to look at their face in a glass, nor to use snuff, perfumes, or ornaments, as such things savour of vanity. To go bare-footed, and on no account to ride on any kind of conveyance: never to destroy any thing animate, nor to live in solitude, nor to ask or receive money. Dancing, music, and other frivolous amusements are forbidden, and to taste of tobacco, opium, and all intoxicating drugs and spirits.

They are not permitted to prepare medicines, but do not object to receive them in time of sickness at the hand of a stranger.

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