Next to the Maháráj himself, his wife (vahuji) and daughter (betiji) receive homage in the zanána-kháná from his female devotees. The Maháráj can be otherwise worshipped at all hours of the day; that is to say, in the intervals of the worship of the idol, at which times his presence is required adjacent to the image of the god. It is at these times of his separate worship in his own residence that females are presented with the facile opportunity of showing their appreciation of the high honour of the selection he has made of them by throwing gulál, pressing their hands, or projecting on their breasts the yellow liquid extract of flowers. Up to eight or nine o'clock every morning the Maháráj is engaged in performing ablutions and saying prayers, the rest of the day being whiled away at meals, in conversation, in repose, and in pleasure. After his meals, he seeks the privacy of his bedroom, which adjoins the zanána-kháná, and except on any urgent business-for instance, that of attending the worship of the idol-he does not leave this apartment until three or four o'clock in the afternoon. During the Utthápan period of worship, which begins at two p.m., the wives and daughters of the Vaishnavas visit the wife and daughters of the Maháráj in the zanána-kháná, from whence some of them proceed with presents of fruits, milk (in silver goblets), and other things, to the Maháráj's bedroom; and the most fortunate of them, according to their notions, comes out purer than before. If, while the Maháráj is in the sitting-room speaking to his followers, a female happens to come to the temple with her present of fruits, or whatever else it may be, he immediately retires into the zanána-kháná, and there accepts the present from her, and ministers to her lust. The dust on which the Maháráj has walked is eaten by the votaries. Even his very wooden shoes are worshipped, as is also his gádi or seat. His feet are champooed, he is decorated with precious ornaments, he is frequently bathed by his votaries in saffron and milk: money and many precious articles are presented at his feet with humiliating prostrations, and the worship is directed not only to the Mahárájas personally but to their very pictures. In the morning, when the Maháráj is at his ablutions, a number of Vaishnavas collect at a short distance; and as he stands up to wipe his body, one of the Vaishnavas, or ministers of the temple, approaches him with reverence, takes into a vessel the water dropping from his dhotar (the cloth covering the lower part of his body). This dirty impure water is esteemed to be of high virtue, and is distributed among all present at the temple, who drink it with feelings of pride and satisfaction! What remains is reserved for some hours for the purification of absent Vaishnavas. The remnants of the Maharaj's meals, called juhtan, are preserved, being considered very precious, and can be had on a formal application by any Vaishnavas who desire to eat them. In private banquets and caste feasts, given with the Maháráj's permission, these impure remnants are first served, and are eaten as though they were ambrosia ! The pán-sopári (leaf and betelnut) which the Maháráj throws out after chewing, is called ogár, and is collected and preserved to be distributed to males and females, who take a great pleasure in chewing it over again. In the month of Shrávan, the Maháráj takes delight in sitting on the hindolá (a sort of swing), when his male and female followers move it backwards and forwards with their hands. This privilege of swinging his Holiness is purchased with presents to him. At the time of the Holi holidays (the saturnalia of the Hindus), the Maháráj stands in front of the temple and permits his followers to hail him with gulál (red powder). Some of the Mahárájas on these occasions throw the gulál in return on some especial favourite female worshipper, and indulge publicly in acts of impropriety and indecency. The other occupations and amusements of the Mahárájas consist in social intercourse, in riding about and driving in their carriages, and in talking of the amorous sports of Krishna. In the intervals of their official priestly duties, they have recourse to every variety of amusement and pleasure; and not a few of them rejoice exceedingly in displaying indecent pictures to their female devotees, to excite them to amorous sports. The Mahárájas also undertake the settlement of caste disputes; they are usually solicited to be arbitrators in cases where the right of property is contested, and generally they subtly contrive that but very little of it shall come into the possession of the litigants. They are very great epicures, and consummate judges of every species of delicacy and good living, several of them indulging excessively in intoxicating drugs, such as bháng and opium. In the evening they are usually invited to the houses of the wealthy Vaishnavas, whither they resort sumptuously attired, and fragrant with attar of roses and other luscious perfumes, in order that they may be the more attractive to those with whom they come in contact. Their visits are always of a semi-religious character; and therefore, upon these occasions, wives and daughters of the Vaishnavas whom a Maháráj thus honours by visiting, entertain him with the songs which may be cha-, racterised as the psalmody of their religion. Ten or twenty minutes after he has taken his seat, all the members and friends of the family join in applying to him odoriferous stuffs, in offering him wreaths of flowers, in waving a light round him, in presenting him with money, and in prostrating themselves at his feet. "The hymns, or sacred songs of a sect, are generally the most fervid exposition of their religious feelings. The hymns sung by the women of the Vallabháchárya sect, in honour of the Mahárájas and in their presence, are certainly no exception to this general rule. They are passionate with all the passions of the East, erotic pantings for fruition of a lover. who is also a god. As it is said of the gopis in the Vishnu Purána, 'every instant without Krishna they count a myriad of years, and, forbidden by fathers, husbands, brothers, they go forth at night to sport with Krishna, the object of their love,' so these hymns, sung at this day by the wives and daughters of the Vallabhácháryans to their Mahárájas, express the most unbridled desire, the most impatient longing, for the enjoyments of adulterine love."* These females yield themselves unhesitatingly to the ignoble task of exciting the gross passions of these priests, for whose pleasure, and to stimulate whose lusts, they, upon these visits, and also on festive occasions, sing songs which we quote as specimens of the lascivious poetry in which the Mahárájas find pleasure. મોહન મલપતા ધેર માયા રે 11 પડયું મારે નંદના કુંવર સાથે ૬ી જન કેહવું હોય તે કેહે પાનુ રે છાંનુ રે || રે || વાહળા મારા હ્રદય કમળ વચ્ચે રહેજો રે || [TRANSLATION OF THE ABOVE.] Mohan merrily came to [my] house, With pearls [by throwing them over him] I welcomed him; My beloved one looked with an affectionate eye: O sister! of this husband my heart is enamoured; [To marry] the son of Nanda I am destined; And how can I now conceal it? Let the wicked say what they may, Darling! let my heart be thy dwelling place. * Judgment of Sir Joseph Arnould. સ્મૃતીને ઉલટ ઘણો માવે મારે અંગે || આપણ સરવે સાંભળી લેશું | ૫ || [TRANSLATION OF THE ABOVE.] An excitement, extreme and great, in my body is created; To pay my homage to him, daily I will go. 3 As to the connectionship, that of the Sávalya* is the only true one, [And] all others appear to be but imperfect. 4 He who tells may tell, we will permit to do so, And to them [with indifference] we shall listen. 5 પરદેરા જાસ્ત્રોતો વલભકુળ વેહેલા માવજો જો ।। તેથી તન મન લીધાં અમારાં હરીજો || પહેરા॰ || ૩ || સુને સ્માપના ચરણની ઈછા ઘણીજો || પરદેશ॰ || ૪ || વેલા આવશો તો દાસી થરા રાજી ને || ૫ || * An appellation of Krishna. |