It may be right to mention in this place, that many of the reasons given for the institution of particular rites were received from the chief of the Rámsanèhís, to whom I made three visits: he usually delivered himself in Sanskrit verse, which he afterwards explained in the local dialect, for the instruction of his hearers.

It was a maxim of Rámcharan that woman and gold in the present vicious state of society were the principal sources of mischief in the world, he therefore enacted a strict ordinance for priests to shun both of them. The founder, a married man without a family, set the example of putting away his wife; and this sacrifice, with the desertion of one's children, are essential to obtain admission to the order: but the families of these Byrágís are, I believe, in all cases comfortably provided for. So strictly is the rule of continence enforced, that a priest is only permitted to converse with females on matters connected with religion; the smallest approach to levity would involve the dismissal of the culprit. Dulha Rám, the third Hierarch, was affianced at the time he became a Rámsanèhí, and of course broke troth and cast away the kangna or thread bound round a bridegroom's wrist; hence his name Dulha or the Bridegroom. A Turan*, representing a bunch of flowers in stone, is suspended under the porchway of his shrine at Shahpura, in commemoration of the circumstance.

Gold is supposed to beget avarice, and to accept of it destroys the integrity of all previous acts of piety and virtue. I combatted its interdiction on the plea that the misuse, as of every thing else, was to be guarded against, but that it was capable of working much good -and inquired if women were thought so ill of, why the sect admitted female converts. "The touch of gold,” said Náráyan Dás, "is a lure to sin, and marriage is prohibited to ecclesiastics (not to the laity), because the cares of a family would interfere materially with their holy meditations. The heart should be fixed on one alone (God), he who places his affections on any thing mortal, ceases to be a Byrágí.” It is related, in example of the little value set on lucre by the Rámsanèhís, that a man presented Dulha Rám on some occasion with a philosopher's stone, which the sage received in silence and cast into a well. The author of the gift, indignant at the contempt shown to his offering, preferred a complaint to the Rája of Shahpura, who asked the superior the motive of his conduct. The man having acknowledged he bestowed away the stone, the Mahant inquired how he could

* It is usual among Rájpúts of all ranks, at the time of a wedding, for the father of the bride to suspend a bunch of flowers made of silk or wood, called turan, at his porchway, which the bridegroom strikes with the handle of a whip or stick before he enters to bear away the bride.

in reason complain of the loss of what did not belong to him." Your motive," said Dulha Rám, “in presenting the stone was to tempt me to evil; but I covet not gold, nor is the transmutation of metals fitting employment for a mendicant: take ye twenty rupees and begone."

A Byrágí, convicted of receiving money, is branded on the forehead with a metal coin, heated for the purpose, and ejected from the community. Yet this interdiction, however strict, must be regarded as nominal, since lay followers receive money for the use of the order— and two Banias of the sect residing in Shahpura are appointed expressly to receive remittances, lend out money, and carry on trade on account of the holy fraternity.

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A woman may become a priestess, as in the instance of Sarúp, a devoted adherent of Rámcharan, by abandoning her husband and offspring, and by conforming strictly to chastity and other statutes. males are forbidden under pain of chastisement and excommunication, to approach places of worship after dusk, as they form the residence of the priesthood: it is considered prudent to guard them from temptation, although they are supposed to have acquired absolute controul over the passions and all unlawful desires, before they are admitted to the sect. The sexes sit apart in the temples, and never sing together.

In regard of the injunction to sleep little, and to follow habits of industry, they say there is enough of sleep in the grave, life is evanescent, and of too much value to be passed in repose; and by wasting the precious hours in slumber, man degrades himself to an equality with the brute. Their aliment is poor, and taken sparingly, because abstinence induces watchfulness, while a surfeit of food and sleep make the soul heavy. Priests reside away from the habitations of man, as the turmoil of cities would interrupt their meditations; but they are at the same time commanded to live together, to correct the foibles and relieve the gloom of each other. “A solitary lamp," added the chief, "however brilliant, casteth a shadow beneath it-place another lamp in the apartment, and the darkness of both is dissipated."

The priest changes his name on admission to the order, to denote he enters on a new state of life, and the hair of his face and head (with exception to a small tuft on the crown) is shaved close; there are several barbers on the establishment, whose business it is to perform this office; they are wealthy, and receive occasionally valuable presents. I heard of a Charan, who, in a fit of liberality, presented five hundred rupees to one of them. The only covering worn by the Sádh is a cotton cloth, of coarse texture, seven feet and a half long, with a small piece for a waistband, and another for a percolater, water being always strained before it is used for culinary or other purposes, to guard

against the destruction of animalculæ. The sheet is coloured with Gírú, a kind of red-ochre, emblematical of humility; they add a second in the winter season, and sometimes a third, when if warmth be not obtained, they throw off all clothing, to mortify feeling, disdaining, as they express it, to be overcome by the wintry elements. This sheet is brought over the head, and forms its only covering; but woollen cloth of similar dimensions is sometimes substituted for cotton in the cold months. They all go bare-footed, and never ride on any description of animal or wheeled conveyance.

A perpendicular mark of white clay, called Sirí, imprinted on the forehead, is a distinguishing symbol of the sect, denoting belief in the unity of God, and they have a rosary of small beads used in prayer about their necks. Metal utensils are proscribed. The Sádh drink from wooden goblets, and eat off stone, china, and earthen-ware; the latter, it is well known, are forbidden to orthodox Hindus. They abstain from animal food, and what is singular, considering the extraordinary anxiety shewn to provide for the safety of insects, partake of nothing unsubdued by fire, fruits and vegetables not excepted. They have no objection to touch the element, but refrain from preparing their own food: thus it should seem, however fearful themselves, to incur the deadly sin of robbing a creature of life, they do not view the act in others with the same antipathy. Even the most loathsome vermin are held sacred; whenever a Rámsanèhí kindles a light, he covers it with a shade, and lamps are excluded from the temples from an apprehension they may lure insects to destruction. Influenced by a similar feeling, the priests look on the ground before they walk, and never move out of doors, except on very urgent business, during four months of the year, or from the middle of Asarh* to the middle of Kartik. The insect population being most active in the wet months, they fear to crush them under foot in passing through the rank vegetation, and should they be on a journey, halt without reference to situation, till the season is over.

The total number of Sádh, so far as I could ascertain from inquiry in various quarters, does not exceed eight hundred. No census has ever been taken: they are dispersed over the country frequently at a great distance from Shahpura, and never attend the festival of Phúl Dol together, so it is obviously impossible to arrive at a correct estimate. The number at Shahpura constantly varies, and about a hundred are sometimes met with in the temple at one time; the visitors who come to make their respects to the superior, to consult him and receive his blessing, usually remain for three days, and give place to others.

* July, August, September, and October.

The priests may be considered wealthy, their few wants considered, and the laity subscribe liberally to their support. Two of them visit the town of Shahpura daily, to collect ready-dressed victuals from lay members of the community and Hindus of the better class, who contribute readily to fill their wallets. They do not accept food from other sects, and the custom is observed, it should seem, as an act of humility, certainly not from an avaricious motive. The fraternity make their evening repast off these offerings, and purchase materials for a simple breakfast, the only other meal, out of their own coffers. Rámcharan had twelve pupils or disciples, called Chèla, whom he selected from the priesthood, filling up vacancies as they occurred, from the most virtuous of the elders, and this custom is continued by his successors. They are called the" Baruh Thumbe ke Sadh," or disciples of the twelve pillars. The middle hall of the temple where the Mahant sits, and prayers are read, being supported by that number of columns, three on a side, beneath which the disciples range themselves. The openings between the columns are hung with cotton cloths, dyed with Gírú, let down at night to exclude the air, and here the priests take their repose; the pavement of the hall is elevated above the outer terrace, and is the only part of the structure laid with mats, and dry grass is spread upon the terrace in the winter, the only time of year such a luxury is permitted, to serve as a cushion to the laity and visiters who are not admitted inside.

The twelve do not reside permanently at Shahpura, but four or five are always found there at one time. One of them denominated Kotwal acts as steward of the grain and medicines deposited in the temple, and distributes a daily allowance of food to the inmates; nothing can be taken from the store without the Mahant's order; it is also the duty of the Kotwal to summon the priests to midnight prayer.

Another of the body called Kapradár-keeper of the wardrobe-has charge of various kinds of clothes presented by the laity and strangers for the use of the brotherhood: these include coarse cottons, blankets, and other woollens, but no coloured or rich stuffs are accepted. The cloths supply the Sádh with raiment, and when cast off, are bestowed in charity; and some of the brotherhood are constantly employed preparing dresses for the poor. The same individual keeps the vessels of the refectory.

A third fills the office of censor, and maintains strict watch over the manners and moral conduct of the fraternity. A fourth teaches the priesthood to read, and a fifth instructs them in writing.

Another is appointed to teach reading and writing to men of all persuasions who apply to him, while a seventh, usually selected for his

age and saturnine temper, instructs females in the same acquire

ments.

The remaining five, with three disciples chosen indifferently from among those mentioned above, form a council of eight, appointed by the Mahant, to investigate into offences and infringements of the rules of the order. The elder ecclesiastics have usually several disciples, who are byrágís, and in event of the absence of a member filling an office in the establishment at Shahpura, a trust-worthy follower offici, ates as his deputy.

Of the Priests called Bedehi and Móhaní.

Bedehí, compounded of two words be, without, and deh, body, implies that the persons so denominated are dead to all corporeal feeling, and accordingly they go stark naked.

The Mohaní, as the term indicates, feign insensibility and unconsciousness of all that passes around them. Priests who have not sufficient command over their tongues become "Mohaní," not for life, but a period of years; and when they have brought their hasty tempers into complete subjection, they resume the use of speech. They repeat "Rám, Rám," the watch-word of the sect, in acknowledgment of a salutation, and permit themselves to converse and answer questions on subjects strictly confined to their religion. With exception to the particulars noted, the Bedehí and Mohaní differ in no respect from the other priests.

The hungry, be their creed what it may, are never sent away empty from the temple, and the ragged are provided with suitable raiment. During Chyt, Bysakh, and Jeth, or from the middle of March to the middle of June, the hottest period of the year, the mahant stations a brahman*, with water-carriers at a distance of two miles from Sháhpura, on the different roads leading to the city, to minister to the wants of the thirsty traveller. And all the cattle of the town receive a certain allowance of fodder and water during the above season from the same bountiful source.

It will be seen, that the doctrine of the Rámsanèhís inculcates the mortification of the passions, with entire abstraction from the world, and the renunciation of all its pleasures and enjoyments. The two sins held in most abhorrence are incontinence and avarice, and are never forgiven. The dress of the priesthood is kept scrupulously neat and clean, and changed, I believe, every day, or second day, and

It is barely necessary to mention, that a brahman is chosen, because Hindus of inferior caste, and I might include foreigners, are gratified to accept the beverage from his hand, while they might hesitate to take it from a man of low tribe,

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