COMMENTS OF THE BOMBAY VERNACULAR PRESS ON THE IMMORAL PRACTICES OF THE MAHARAJAS. I.-The Bombay Sámáchar. A special general meeting of the respectable and sensible persons of the Bhattia caste was assembled, and, after consultation, it was resolved that the authority which their Mahárájas exercise over them, is, on many occasions, improper and pernicious; and, in consequence of this, their money is wasted, and insult is offered to their understanding, and a blot is cast on the respectablity of their family. Therefore these persons came to the resolution that as much as much as possible the Hindus should not ask the opinion of the Mahárájas on any subject, and that females, after they have arrived at the age of puberty, should not be permitted to pay darshna (divine homage) to the Mahárájas in their temple. It is not necessary for us to say that if the authority of their Mahárájas be not undermined at present, they will have the more to repent hereafter, when their money is wasted and a stain cast on the reputation of their family."--21st December, 1855, II.-The Jám-e Jamshed. In this manner sensible and right thinking Hindus have seen their error, though late, and have made fit and proper arrangements with respect to it. They have called a meeting of their own caste men, and have arrived at this resolution :that in no case unconnected with matters of religion they should ask the opinion of their religious preceptors, as they on many occasions exercise over them improper authority, and cause them to commit acts which reflect shame on the reputation of their families; and that after a certain hour of the day they should not permit their females to pay darshana (divine honours) to their religious preceptors in their temples. Thus very often they gave to their religious preceptors, with great willingness, permission to destroy the reputation of their families, and thought it an act of holiness, sufficient to carry their progeny to the seventh generation in heaven. But all this folly has spontaneously now been made public. The meaning of our words is simply this-that they should be backward in respecting the notoriously immoral, the honor destroying, and the unrighteous as well as improper commands of their preceptors of religion.-25th December, 1855. III.-The Samáchár Darpan. Much discussion is now raging regarding the improper conduct of the Mahárájas of the Hindus, and many complaints have been made to us in respect to it; also several communications have reached us, wherein more is written than the improper conduct of the Mahárájas. If the Mahárájas, not dreading God, commit evil acts, they ought to be punished. The more the people advance in civilization the more tyrannical their acts will appear; and the Hindus will not now believe, as they formerly did, the tyrannical acts of the Mahárájas as the commands of God. At present their knowledge has held a torch before them by its light they emerge from darkness into day. Therefore they will not now approve the acts of the Mahárájas, and will not see their families dishonoured.-29th November, 1855. IV.-The Bombay Chábúk. The Gosáinji Mahárájas of the Vaishnavas of this place, instead of giving religious instructions, carry on debaucherous practices on their followers. This appears nothing, looking on them with the eyes of a savage man; but thinking justly it appears a wicked practice. These Mahárájas appear totally divine to the Hindus, but their acts seem extremely base, and their heart full of sin, and their conduct out of the way of social arrangements, and their practices opposed to religion. Their followers expose the vices of their religious guides with respect to all this. Oh S'iva! S'iva! that aged matrons like their (Mahárájas) mothers, young women like their sisters, and maidens like their daughters, who come to touch the feet of these true religious guides in their temples, who come to pay darshana (divine homage) to these godly Mahárájas, who repair to pay darshana, believing them to be God-that they should be made victims of carnal intercourse by the Mahárájas, instead of giving them religious instructions. Fie! Fie! upon this incarnation, oh! damned (burnt) your Vaishnava religion.-21st June, 1859. V.-The Rást Goflár. "You Maharajas! cease to fine, to excommunicate and to interfere in the private domestic affairs of your followers. You will sometimes be involved in trouble instead of gaining any benefit in the shape of money; and you and your creed shall fall into dust by this (interference). Hindu Mahárájas! many young men of your class are immersed in debauchery; withhold your hand from that, otherwise you will have to taste its fruits sooner or later. Hindu Mahárájas! keep yourselves aloof from all tyranny, immorality; give religious instructions and moral admonition to your followers, and endeavour to act accord ing to those religious instructions, that thereby you may gain glory in this world, and a good place in another world. Otherwise, if you continue to conduct yourselves as you do at present, nothing but repentance and sorrow, shall you have at last. Be assured of this.-6th June, 1858. VI.-The Satya Prakásh. Oh! then why do not the Vaishnavas select a single and honest Maháráj, and drive out the other Mahárájas from their holy office? Why wanted foppish, proud, tyrannical, and adulterous Mahárájas in the holy office of religious preceptors! Oh Vaishnavas; how long will you suffer oppression? How long will you be dragged under the restraint and awe of tyrannical Mahárájas? Oh! reflect, reflect, and devise means whereby your own reputation and that of the creed of Vallabháchárya may be preserved.—20th March, 1859. VII.—The Apektyár. The temple of the Hindu Mahárájas is proved a brothel; their private dwelling the home of a corrupt and disrespectable family; their eyes wanton licentiousness; their senses the seat of wicked appetites (desires); every pore of their body unrighteousness, uncleanliness, dirtiness; and, in short, they have been found incarnations of devils, and possessed of the qualities of Satan, instead of the incarnation of God.-22nd June, 1859. The religious preceptors ought so to conduct themselves as to do good to their followers, and ought not to possess a desire of riches and women. Instead of that, the present Mahárájas become guilty of great sins by committing debauchery with the females of their followers. Again, the Mahárájas ought to treat alike their rich and poor followers; instead of which they cause the poor people to be whipped with cords, and allow rich persons to make darshana by admitting them beforehand.-10th September, 1858. IX.-The Dost-e Hinda. The cause of all this is that the Mahárájas are defective. They are themselves immoral, themselves avaricious, themselves partial, themselves ignorant, and perpetually sunk in pleasures; whereby many of their sensible Vaishnava followers are greatly disgusted, and, owing to the cowardice of the headmen of the Hindu caste, are obliged to remain in slavery.-21st April, 1861. X.-The Sudharma Bodhak. Oh God! how much iniquity happens on this earth! Several religious guides (who are known by the name of Mahárájas), under the name of religion, and under the pretence of religion, plunder the estates and properties of simple people, (and) by committing adultery with their sisters, daughters, and wives, pollute their modesty. Oh God! is there no one on this earth to punish these religious preceptors! How much guilt, how much immorality, that the properties of men should be plundered in the broad light of day! Not only property is plundered, but the chastity of people's wives is robbed, and adultery committed with them in a manner as to make it known to all. Oh! other criminals are punished in this world, but how do these religious impostors escape punishment! Oh God! how this iniquity can last in Thy reign!"—20th January, 1861. XI.-The Pahrejagár. When the king (Maháráj) contemplates on his riches, what words can describe his joy! A gentle fragrant cool breeze blows; wreaths of flowers are scattered around; melodious sounds of the cymbals of the Gopis (females) fall on the ears; rich clothes lie on the body; and the Gopis and Gope (Maháráj) sport with each other. How can the poor have a chance of redress in such a temple! If the king were to acquire large stores of wealth, even then the poor shall never receive benefit at his hands.-18th December, 1855. XII.-The Pársi Reformer. In this manner these Mahárájas, claiming to be your spiritual guides, enjoy your young daughters (and) sisters, destroy your domestic comfort, and stain your character. Therefore (you) Vaishnavas! should keep anxiety about it, and, as the "reformed party" of your caste, have used their prudence to shun these refuges, it behoves you to be on your guard. It is a credit to you to keep off your females from these debaucherous (Mahárájas), and to observe the dictates of religion with prudence.-29th May, 1861. XIII.-The Khojá Dosta. Most of the simple and ignorant female devotees are entrapped into this religious snare, and, giving money to the Mahárájas, practise adultery with them. But these immoral creatures, the Mahárájas, are not content with this, and they many a time use violence on the tender body of the maidens (of their devotees), the instances of which are not uncommon. Such are these Mahárájas-the pretended preceptors of religion-and their acts.-25th August, 1861. XIV. The Vruta Sár. Should the temple of the Mahárájas be a place of religious topics and admoni tions, or that of dancing of prostitutes? Does it become the Maháráj to encourage a prostitute?. ponder upon these questions. It is necessary for them to devote their attention to these questions. They should (also) pay attention to the present state of the Mahárájas. The Mahárájas act according to their own fancy, (and) it is necessary to give a check to this at once. If the Gujaráti (people) pay proper attention to the conduct of the Mahárájas, their gurus themselves will act in consonance with their duties. If, however, any Mahárája do not behave properly, he must be expelled (from his holy office).—25th August, 1859. XV.-The Dhuma Ketu. AN ANECDOTE.-Some old gentlemen, assembling in one place, were discussing as to who is happy in Bombay; when one of them decided that in Mumbássur (i.e., the town of Bombay) there are two happy beings: one, the Maháráj of the Baniás, and the other, the (stallion) buffaloe of Banáppá the milkman.—14th September, 1855. XVI.-The Prabhakar. On this account, the Bháttiá Maháráj has created a disturbance about the Chappan Bhoga, and what will the meeting of the Brahmans do (to him) when his mind is absorbed into the jingling of the foot-ornaments of the Gopis (female devotees) attending his temple. He thought that if the income of the Brahmans, which was all in the hands of his Bháttiá devotees, be stopped, they (the Brahmans) themselves would be compelled to side with him.-16th September, 1855. XVII.-The Parbhodaya. Not only are their bodies and wealth dedicated to the service of these Mahárájas, but their daughters, sisters, and wives, with their persons, are dedicated to these debaucherous religious preceptors. We feel much pain and shame at seeing this. That there are such blind religious guides (the calves of kine) amongst mankind is a disgrace. The authority of the Mahárájas is exercised over their followers without any restraint.-August, 1859. XVIII.-The Dnyánodaya. The Gujarati people are very pious: so much so, that some (of them) touch the feet of their gurus (spiritual guides), some touch their body with their hands, and when the Mahárájas—their gurus-wash their body, they (the devotees) drink |