655
This man'fays, that the Brahmans are feparated into two great divifions; oneof which occupies the countries toward the fouth, and the dtfier the countries towardthe north. He holds in great contempt thofe from Kali or Benares, as being menfrom the north; and would not even admit them to the honour of eating in his houfe.Thefe Brahmans, he fays, eat fifh, offer bloody facrifices, and commit other fimilarabominations. The northern Brahmans are, however, at lead; as proud as thofe from thefouth, and allege feveral reafons for holding them in contempt; among which the mollurgent is, that the women of the fouthern Brahmans are allowed to appear in public.
None of the fouthern Brahmans can, without lofing caft, tafte animal food, ordrink fpirituous liquors; and they look upon the fmoking of tobacco as difgraceful.All thofe who have been married are burned after their death, and their wives oughtto accompany them on the pile; but this cuftom has fallen Very much into difufe,and inftances of it are extremely rare; whereas in Bengal it' ftill continues to becommon. A woman can on no account take a fecond hufband; and, unlefs Hie ismarried before the figns or puberty appear, fhe is ever afterwards ccffifidered asimpure. They are not at all confined, and qan be divorced for no other caufe thanadultery. When a Brahman divorces his wife, he performs the fame ceremonies forher, as if die had died. "
Although all the fouthern. Brahmans can eat together, yet they are divided intonations, that never intermarry ; and, although they have long been living intermixed,they generally retain in their families the language of the country from whence theyoriginally came.
. Each nation has its Vaidika, who fubfift by charity, and dedicate their lives toftudy and devotion; its Lokika, who follow, worldly purfuits; and its Numbi, orprieds who officiate in temples, and debafe themfelves by receiving monthly wages,and by performing menial duties to the idols. The Lokika and Vaidika may inter-marry ; but in accepting, of his daughter for a wife, a poor Vaidika does honourto the greateft officer of government; and Hill more in giving him a daughter inmarriage. The Lokika are never admitted to become Sannyafis; this, however, isnot confidered as arifing from any invincible rule of caft, but only from their want ofthe proper qualifications.
Each nation again is divided into the feels of Smartal, A’ayngar, or Sri Vaiffinavam,and Madual; but in one nation one fed is more prevalent than in another. A dif-ference of feel does not properly conftitute a difference of caft ; as the fon. of a Smartalmay become a worfhipper of Viffinu; and, on the contrary, an A’ayngar may be-come a follower of the Sringa-giri college; but fuch changes are not common. TheSmartal and Madual eat together, and intermarry, although the one w r orffiips Siva•and the other Viffinu; and on fuch occafions the woman always adopts the religion ofher hufband, which feems to be a proof of a great degradation of the fex, who are-not confidered as worthy to form an opinion of their own on a point of this impor-tance. The Sri Vaiffinavam or A’ayngar will not marry, nor eat with a Madual,although they both worffiip Viffinu; and ftill lefs will they have any communicationwith a Smartal; which ariies, however, not from any'difference in caft, but from ahatred to the doctrines entertained by thefe feds. ’
The Brahmans of every nation are divided into certain families, called gotrams;and a man and woman of the fame family never marry together. The connedion ofgotram is entirely in the male line; and the Brahmans who fpeak Engliffi tranflateit by our word coufin, and fometimes by brother, or, what is analogous to it, by* ■ the