houses, or on the side of a sacred stream, providing, in the latter case, extempore emblems kneaded out of the mud or clay of the river's bed."* "There are no teachers of ancient repute except Śankaráchárya, and his doctrines are too philosophical and speculative to have made him popular."+ DANDIS. "The Dandi is distinguished by carrying a small Dand, or wand, with several processes or projections from it, and a piece of cloth dyed with red ochre, in which the Brahmanical cord is supposed to be enshrined, attached to it: he shaves his hair and beard, wears only a cloth round his loins, and subsists upon food obtained ready-dressed from the houses of the Brahmans once a day only, which he deposits in the small clay pot that he carries always with him. The Dandí has no particular time or mode of worship, but spends his time in meditation, or in practices corresponding with those of the Yoga, and in the study of the Vedanta works, especially according to the comments of Sankaráchárya.”‡ YOGIS, OR JOGIS. "The term Jogi, or Yogi, is properly applicable to the followers of the Yoga or Pátanjala school of philosophy, which, amongst other tenets, maintained the practicability of acquiring, even in life, entire command over elementary matter by means of certain ascetic practices." § "According to standard authorities, the perfect fulfilment of the rites which the Yogi has to accomplish requires a protracted existence and repeated births, and it is declared to be unattainable in the present, or Kali, age. The attempt is therefore prohibited, and the Yoga is proscribed in modern times. This inhibition is, however, disregarded, and the H. H. Wilson's Works, vol. i. p. 191. + Ibid, p. 190. individuals who are the subjects of our enquiry, endeavour to attain the superhuman powers which the performance of the Yoga is supposed to confer. They especially practise the various gesticulations and postures of which it consists, and labour assiduously to suppress their breath and fix their thoughts until the effect does somewhat realise expectation, and the brain, in a state of over-wrought excitement, bodies forth a host of crude and wild conceptions, and 'gives to airy nothings a local habitation and a name."" "Some who have commenced their career in this line have carried the practice to several hours' duration, at which time they have described themselves as becoming perfectly exhausted, with strange objects passing before them, and sparks of fire flashing in their eyes."* JANGAMS. "One of the forms in which the Linga worship appears is that of the Lingayats, Lingavants, or Jangamas, the essential characteristic of which is wearing the emblem on some part of the dress or person. The type is of a small size, made of copper or silver, and is commonly worn suspended in a case round the neck, or sometimes tied in the turban. In common with the Saivas generally, the Jangamas smear their foreheads with vibhuti or ashes, and wear necklaces, and carry rosaries, made of the Rudraksha seed. The clerical members of the sect usually stain their garments with red ochre."+ PARAMAHANSAS. "The Paramahansa is the ascetic who is solely occupied with the investigation of Brahmá, or spirit, and who is equally indifferent to pleasure or pain, insensible of heat or cold, and incapable of satiety or want. Agreeably to this definition, individuals are sometimes met with who pretend to have * H. H. Wilson's Works, vol. i. p. 207-8. † Ibid, p. 224-25. attained such a degree of perfection; in proof of which they go naked in all weathers, never speak, and never indicate any natural want: what is brought to them as alms or food, by any person, is received by the attendants, whom their supposed sanctity, or a confederation of interest, attaches to them; and by these attendants they are fed and served on all occasions, as if they were as helpless as infants."* ŚÁKTAS. "The worshippers of the Sakti, the power or energy of the divine nature in action, are exceedingly numerous amongst all classes of Hindus. This active energy is, agreeably to the spirit of the mythological system, personified, and the form with which it is invested, considered as the especial object of veneration, depends upon the bias entertained by the individuals towards the adoration of Vishnu or Śiva. In the former case the personified Sakti is termed Lakshmi or Máhá Lakshmi, and in the latter, Párvatí, Bhavání, or Durgá. Even Sarasvati enjoys some portion of homage, much more than her lord, Brahmá; whilst a vast variety of inferior beings of malevolent character and formidable aspect receive the worship of the multitude."+ "The worship of the female principle, as distinct from the divinity, appears to have originated in the literal interpretation of the metaphorical language of the Vedas, in which the will or purpose to create the universe is represented as originating from the creator, and co-existent with him as his bride, and part of himself."+ "Another set of notions of some antiquity which contributed to form the character of the Sakti, whether general or particular, were derived from the Sánkhya philosophy. In this system, nature, Prakriti, or Múla Prakriti, is defined to be of eternal existence and independent origin, distinct from the supreme spirit, productive though no production, * H. H. Wilson's Works, vol. i. p. 231-32. † Ibid, p. 240-41. + Ibid, p. 241. and the plastic origin of all things, including even the gods. Hence Prakriti has come to be regarded as the mother of gods and men, whilst, as one with matter, the source of error, it is again identified with Máyá, or delusion; and as coexistent with the supreme as his Śakti, his personified energy, or his bride."* "These mythological fancies have been principally disseminated by the Puránas, in all which Prakriti, or Máyá, bears a prominent part. The aggregate of the whole is given in the Brahma Vaivartta Purána.”† . DAKSHINIS. "When the worship of any goddess is performed in a public manner, and agreeably to the Vaidik or Puránic ritual, it does not comprehend the impure practices which are attributed to a different division of the adorers of Sakti, and which are particularly prescribed to the followers of this system. In this form it is termed the Dakshina, or righthand form of worship. The only observance that can be supposed to form an exception to the general character of this mode is the Bali, an offering of blood, in which rite a number of helpless animals, usually kids, are annually decapitated. In some cases life is offered without shedding blood, when the more barbarous practice is adopted of pummelling with the fists the poor animal to death: at other times blood only is offered without injury to life."‡ VAMIS. "The Vámis mean the left-hand worshippers, or those who adopt a ritual contrary to that which is usual, and to what indeed they dare publicly avow." "The worship of the Vámácháris is derived from a portion of the Tantras." "The object of the worship is, by the reverence of Devi or Sakti, who is one with Siva, to obtain supernatural powers in this * H. H. Wilson's Works, vol. i. p. 243. + Ibid, p. 244. + Ibid, p. 250-1. life, and to be identified after death with Śiva and Sakti. According to the immediate object of the worshipper is the particular form of worship; but all the forms require the use of some or all of the five Makáras, Mánsa, Matsya, Madya, Maithuna, and Mudrá, flesh, fish, wine, women, and certain mystical gesticulations."* "In this, and many of the observances practised, solitude is enjoined; but all the principal ceremonies comprehend the worship of Sakti, and require for that purpose the presence of a female as the living representative and the type of the goddess. This worship is mostly celebrated in a mixed society, the men of which represent Bhairavas or Viras, and the women Bhairavís and Náyikás. The Sakti is personated by a naked female, to whom meat and wine are offered, and then distributed amongst the assistants, the recitation of various Mantras and texts, and the performance of the Mudrá, or gesticulations with the fingers, accompanying the different stages of the ceremony; and it is terminated with the most scandalous orgies amongst the votaries. The ceremony is entitled the Sri Chakra, or Púrnábhisheka, the Ring, or Fall Initiation." "The occurrence of these impurities is certainly countenanced by the texts, which the sects regard as authorities, and by a very general belief of their occurrence. The members of the sect are enjoined secrecy, which, indeed, it might be supposed they would observe on their own account; and consequently, will not acknowledge their participation in such scenes."+ KANCHALYAS. "The worship is that of Śakti, and the practices are similar to those of the Kaulas or Vámácháris. It is said to be distinguished by one peculiar rite, the object of which is to confound all the ties of female alliance, and to enforce not H. H. Wilson's Works, vol. i. p. 254-56. + Ibid, p. 257-8. |