buchanan’s journey through

^54

explain the doctrine of the Vedas; and the Sankara Bhafha, a commentary whichexplains the doctrine of the Sutras.

The Gurus of the Smartal feft feem to aft chiefly in an epifcopal capacity; thatis, as fuperintendants of the manners of their followers. They would not appear toperform any ceremony for the feet, which, as being followers of Siva, does notadmit of chakrantikam; and among the Smartal, it is the purohita who givesupadefa. ■ When a Smartal commits any fault, if the Guru or his deputy be near,he affembles ten learned men of the feet, and with their advice puniihes the delin-quent. If, however, the fault be of fucli a nature as to deferve excommunication,which is the higheft punifhment, the Guru mull for the purpofe aflemble a trima-tafteru, or council, compofed of the molt learned men of the three lefts, Smartal,A’ayngar, and Madual. Thefe councils may be held, and may punifh delinquents,without the. prefence of either Guru, or deputy. The faults that occafion a lofs ofcall, and for which no pardon can be given, are, I. Sexual intercourfe within theprohibited degree of confanguinity. II. Sexual intercourfe with' any prohibited call.III. Eating forbidden food, or drinking intoxicating liquors. IV. Stealing . V. Slayingof any animal of the cow kind, or of the human fpecies; but a Brahman is permittedto kill his enemy in battle, VI. Eating in company with perfons of another call, orof food dreffed by their impure hands. VII. Eating on board a fhip food that hasbeen dreflfed there. VIII. Omitting to perform the ceremonies' due to their deceafedparents. For fmaller offences, the Guru or his deputies punifh in various ways ; bycommanding pilgrimages, or falls; by fines; by holding burning flraw to the bodyof the delinquent, which is fometimes done with fuch feverity as to occafion death;by fhaving the head, fo as to occafion a temporary feparation from the caff; andby giving large draughts of. cow’s urine, which is fuppofed to have the power ofwaffling away fin. Ordeals are alfo in ufe; and a molt barbarous one is applied tothofe who, having had fexual intercourfe with a perfon of another caff, allege thatit was by miftake. If the criminal be a woman, melted lead is poured into her privateparts; if it be a man, a red hot iron is thruft up. Should they be innocent, it isfuppofed that they will not be injured. A male Brahman, however, even if married,may with impunity have conneftion with a dancing-girl, all of whom in this countryare dedicated to the fervice of fome temple.

The low caffs, that are followers of the Smartal Brahmans, feem to engage verylittle of the Guru’s attention. They occafionally give them holy water, and theallies of cow-dung to make the mark of Siva on their foreheads, and receive theircontributions; but they leave the punifhment of all their tranfgreflions againfl therules of caff to their own hereditary chiefs; at whofe defire, however, they reprimandand impofe fines on obftinate offenders. They feem to have no wifh to conftrainother caffs to any particular dogmas, or mode of worfhip: the only thing, they think,in which a Sudra ought to be inftrufted to believe, is, that the Brahmans are infinitelyhis fuperiors; and that the only means of gaining the favour of the gods is bygiving them charity. With regard to all fefts that refufe to acknowledge thefe grandHoftrines, and even among themfelves concerning points of faith, no men can bemore intolerant, nor violent.

If the fines impofed by a Guru appear to his council to be immoderate, they havethe power to reduce the amount. If any one offers charity, that, conlidering theman’s circumftances, the Guru thinks too fmall, he has no power to extort more; buthe may reprimand the perfon for his want of the great virtue of charity.

This