582 Buchanan’s journey through

fociety, however, in this degenerate age, not being fufficiently charitable, nor quite fowilling to part with their money, as the noble call: of Brahmans could wilh, many orthat facred order have been obliged to betake themfelves to what they confider asunworthy employments, fuch as being governors and judges of cities, collectors ofrevenue, and accomptants; nay fome even condefcend to cultivate the earth by meansof Haves. Hence arifes the diftinction of Brahmans into Vaidika and Lokika, orLovadica ; the former of whom follow the proper duties of the call, while the Lokikadebafe themfelves by dedicating their labours to worldly affairs. The diverfity ofemployment, however, does not create an abfolute diftinction of caft ; the daughterof a Vaidika Brahman may marry a Lokika, and the fon of a Lokika may betakehimfelf to the occupations of a Vaidika Brahman ; but inftances of either circumftanceare not common. It is, however, not fo unufual for a poor Vaidika, to be tempted togive his daughter to a wealthy Lokika Brahman ; as for the fon of a Lokika Brah-man to acquire the character of a pure Vaidika. He is always confidered as a newman ; and feveral generations, devoted to ftudy and mortification, would be requiredto wafh away the ftain of ignoble birth, before the merits or learning of a Lokikafamily could enable them to procure a comfortable fubfiftence by charity.

The Brahmans are confidered as the priefts of the Hindus ; yet there are none,even of the loweft among the Lokika, who would intermarry with the families of theBrahmans that officiate in the temples of Viffinu and Siva: and in this country noBrahman officiates in any of the temples of the inferior gods, whofe altars are ftainedwith blood.

The higheft among the Brahmans are certain Vaidika, who by more than ufualmortification attain a large proportion of divine favour. They cut off their hair ; drefsin a yellow or red cloth ; eat but once a day ; abftain entirely from women ; and,relinquiffiing all the domeftic enjoyments of fociety, live in pagodas, or matams, thatis to fay convents, where they dedicate their time entirely to devotion, and the in-ftrudtion of thofe who are lefs pious, and who follow them as difciples. A Brahmanof this kind is called a Sannyafi, and mull be a man of learning, that is to fay, mullbe able to read Sanfcrit, and be acquainted with the dogmas of his particular fe£t.The number of Brahman Sannyafis is very fmall, and is chiefly confined to thofe whoare Gurus, Swamalus, or bifhops of the different feds, and who, in every thing re-lating to religion and caft, have a jurifdiction over all their inferiors. They alfo per-form certain ceremonies, fuch as Upadefa, and Chicranticum, which may be con-fidered as analogous to the confirmation granted by our prelates. They are fup-ported entirely by the contributions of their difciples ; but thefe are fo burthenfome,that a Guru feldom continues long in one place; for the contributions even of Madrasare not equal to fupply the wants of a Swamalu for more than one or two months.A hundred pagodas a day, 36I. 15s. $d. is as little, as can be decently offered to fucha perfonage. The Raja of Tanjore is faid to give his Guru 250 pagodas a day,(91I. j8s. 64d.), when that perfonage honours him with a vifit. The Gurus travel ingreat ftate, with elephants, horfes, palankeens, and an immenfe train of difciples, thelead of whom confiders himfelf as highly elevated above mankind by his fanctity.They generally travel at night, in order to avoid their Muffulman or European con-querors, who would not ffiow them that veneration, or rather adoration, to whichthey confider themfelves entitled ; and they have therefore been feldom feen by travel-lers. On the approach of a Guru to any place, every inhabitant of pure birth mullgo to meet him ; the lower claffes are not admitted to his prefence. The Guru, onbeing conduced to the principal temple, bellows Upadefa, or Chicranticum, on fuch