The immoralities of the Mahárájas were proved before the Supreme (now High) Court of Bombay in the year 1862. Dr. John Wilson, who (in the words of Sir Joseph Arnould), "has studied the subject with that comprehensive range of thought-the result of varied erudition-which has made his name a foremost one among the living orientalists of Europe," says in his testimony as follows:

"The sect of Vallabháchárya is a new sect, inasmuch as it has selected the god Krishna in one of his aspects-that of his adolescence, and raised him to supremacy in that aspect. It is a new sect, in as far as it has established the Pushti-márga, or way of enjoyment, in a natural and carnal sense. The sect is new in its objects, and new in its methods. The god Krishna is worshipped by its members in the form of images, and in the form of the persons of their gurus, the so-called Mahárájas. The Maháráj is considered by a great many of his followers as an incarnation of God, as god incarnate according to Hindu notions, which are peculiar on that subject. The Vallabhácháryans hold that Vallabháchárya and his official descendants are incarnations of the god Krishna, without holding that there is a complete embodiment of him in any one of them. According to Hindu notions, there have occurred nine incarnations of Vishņu, the last of them being that of Buddha. The orthodox Hindus do not believe in any incarnations which are said to have taken place between the time of Buddha and the present day. The Vallabhácháryans, on the contrary, hold that Vallabháchárya and his descendants are incarnations of Krishna. They view the Maháráj as intermediate between themselves and the god Krishna, in the sense of being entitled to have his dicta received as equal to those of Krishna himself. . . . Tan, man, and dhan (in the formula of Vallabháchárya initiation) are used in an all-comprehensive sense -tan, embracing the body in all its members and functions; man, referring to mind in all the mental powers and faculties; and dhan, comprehending all property and possessions, which have to be placed at the disposal of the god through the Maháráj, according to the doctrines of the sect. I have seen passages in works published by the Mahárájas of the sect, according to which the sectaries should make over their sons, wives, daughters, and every thing else before applying them to their own use.'

We shall not dwell longer upon this subject than to recite

an extract from the judgment of Sir Mathew Sausse, in the Maháráj Libel Case :

"It appears abundantly from works of recognised authority written by other Mahárájas, and from existing popular belief in the Vallabháchárya sect, that Vallabháchárya is believed to have been an incarnation of the god Krishna, and that the Mahárájas, as descendants of Vallabháchárya, have claimed and received from their followers the like character of incarnation of that god, by hereditary succession. The Mahárájas have been sedulous in identifying themselves with the god Krishna by means of their own writings and teachings and by the similarity of ceremonies of worship and addresses which they require to be offered to themselves by their followers. All songs connected with the god Krishna, which were brought before us, were of an amorous character, and it appeared that songs of a corrupting and licentious tendency, both in idea and expression, are sung by young females to the Mahárájas, upon festive occasions, in which they are identified with the god in his most licentious aspect. In these songs, as well as in stories, both written and traditional, which latter are treated as of a religious character in the sect, the subject of sexual intercourse is most prominent. Adultery is made familiar to the minds of all: it is nowhere discouraged or denounced; but, on the contrary, in some of the stories, those persons who have committed that great moral and social offence are commended; and, in one of them, the actors are awarded the highest position in the heaven of the Vaishnavas, although for some attention paid on one occasion to the clearing of a temple of the god. The love and subserviency inculcated by the Hindu religion to be due in a spiritual sense to the Supreme Being, has been by those corrupt teachings materialised, and to a large extent transferred to those who claim to be his living incarnations. It is said to be ceremonially effected by a mystic rite, or dedication of 'mind,' 'property,' and 'body,' (or man, dhan, and tan), which is made in childhood by males, but by females in the ceremony of marriage; and a popular belief appears to exist to a considerable extent, that this dedication confers upon the Mahárájas absolute rights over the 'minds,' 'properties,' and 'bodies' of their followers. The Mahárájas, however, appear, upon the evidence, to have undoubtedly availed themselves of the existence of those impressions to gratify licentious propensities and a love of gain. These doctrines and practices are opposed to what we know of the original principles of the ancient Hindu religion, which are said to be found in the Vedas."

The observations we have been induced to make result from the impressions we have received in treating the subject; and we feel confident that our readers will concur with us in denouncing the flagrant abuses we have pointed out, and help us to hold them up to the indignation of the world. We sincerely hope that this public exposure of gross social evils will tend to their ultimate and speedy abatement.

CHAPTER IX.

OPPRESSIVE EXACTIONS OF THE MAHARAJAS.

SINCE the Mahárájas exercise such unlimited spiritual authority over their adherents, it follows that they should possess considerable temporal influence and power. Great personal respect is paid to them; they are invited to sumptuous entertainments by their votaries, are constantly in the receipt of valuable and choice presents, are consulted upon most matters of importance, and their sway over society is consequently great. When a rumour reaches a town that a Maháráj is approaching, a large throng of his devoted followers go forth to meet him, and, forming themselves into a procession, he enters the town with great pomp and jubilation. The most influential and rich members of the sect think it no degradation to perform the most menial offices in his service.

Whoever displeases a Maháráj incurs the penalty of excommunication, which is thus carried into effect: The Maháráj presses the most influential persons belonging to the sect to interfere in the matter, and a meeting is convened, at which the conduct of the offending Vaishnava is discussed. As, in all such cases, the voice of the wealthy and powerful preponderates; and as these have already been privately solicited and won over by the Maháráj, the issue is never doubtful. The person who has incurred the displeasure of the Maháráj has no alternative but to endure all the pains and penalties of excommunication, or to make the most abject submission, and atone by the offer of costly bribes. Any one who resists the

imposition of a tax which the Maháráj desires to levy is punished in a lighter way, although one equally powerful in its consequences, for he is prohibited from worshipping the image, or the Maháráj, until he submit. It thus happens that even the rich and influential are often kept soliciting pardon, and fasting, at the door of the dwelling of the Maháráj, for they may not take even food or water until they have paid their adoration to the image and to the Maháráj, which they are not permitted to do until they have submitted to the imposition.

"After the Europeans and Pársis, the Gujarati community engross the largest portion of the commerce of Bombay. They include Bháttiás, Márwádis, Lowánás, and others. They may be characterised generally as a community of shopkeepers, and have always shown an instinctive aptitude for commerce. By far the larger portion of this trading community acknowledge the Mahárájas for their spiritual guides. Our whole Kapad Bazár, cloth market, is almost exclusively monopolized by the devout Vaishnavas. They deal also very extensively in cotton, opium, sugar, spices, gold, silver, and in almost every important article of trade. The Mahárájas, taking advantage of the commercial character of their worshippers, have secured to themselves a permanent source of income, by imposing a tax upon every article or commodity in which their votaries are trading. How such a tax came to be imposed upon them is easily learnt from a little brochure published ten years ago by the special authority of Jivanji Maháráj, which furnishes information regarding the amount and nature of the tax that goes to him. It appears from this that, in 1811, when Gokulnathji Maháráj, the ancestor of Jivanji, came to Bombay, all the Vaishnavas of the island of Bombay, collecting in a body, requested His Holiness to settle permanently with his family for the purification of their souls ;' offering, at the same time, to build a temple for him, and to