mind the name of his Guru. One having become a Vaishnava should not see faults of (or in) others. He should not hear them with his ears. Even if he should see them with his eyes and hear them with his ears, still he should not consider anything of them in (his) mind. He understands or (says to himself) as follows:—I, who having fallen into this avidya (ignorance) in the form of máyá (delusion) see nothing but the faults; (but) there is not a particle of fault therein. He does not consider himself happy by the acquisition of anything. By hearing the Sástras of the duties of Grahasta doctrines from any one, he does not allow himself to be absorbed into the Lowkik and Vaidik. The moral precepts of the Sástras connected with the Pushti Márga should be freely heard and related. All other Sástras cause one to swerve from the Pushti Márga. This should be firmly believed in one's own mind."

Herein the Guru is assimilated to Sri Bhagván, and severe punishment threatened for evil acts towards the teacher.

The next extract is a laudation of Sri Gosáinji or Vithalnáthji, the son of Vallabháchárya. It is fulsome in its comparison, and is extracted from a manuscript in Brijabháshá, entitled Astákshar Tiká. Its evident object is distinctly to enhance the supremacy of the Mahárájas, by the commendation of their ancestors, whose qualities it is here insinuated they inherit. It runs thus:

"Behold! how is Sri Gosáinji. He is totally without desires; he is without wants; he is with desires fulfilled; he desires all virtues; he is possessed of all virtues; he is the very personification of the most excellent being (God); he is all incarnations; he is as beautiful as a million of Kándevas; he is possessed of the six virtues; he is the head of all those who appreciate sensual or intellectual pleasure, or poetry; he is desirous of fulfilling the wishes of his devotees. Such is Sri Gosáinji. Why should he want anything? He is himself the creator of the endless crores of worlds wherein his glory has diffused all over. He is the inspirer (or propeller) of the souls of all animated beings. He is praised by Brahma, Siva, Indra, and other gods. Such is Sri Gosáinji.”

We next take a passage from a commentary, in Brijabháshá, on a work called the "Chaturślocki Bhagvat," the • Vithalnáthji, son of Vallabháchárya. † Kandeva is god of love.

object of which is to exhibit the paramount importance of the Guru.

"Therefore in Kali Yuga there is no means of salvation similar to worship. Therefore when a man seeks protection of Sri Acháryaji* alone, all his wishes are fulfilled. We should regard our Guru as God, nay, even greater than God; for if God gets angry, the Guru-deva is able to save (one from the effects of God's anger); whereas if Guru is displeased nobody is able to save (one from the effects of the Guru's displeasure)."

The next extract also makes the Guru superior to Hari (god) himself, in his power of salvation, and ordains offerings and promulgates the idea of the Mahárájas being the manifest incarnation of the deity. It is from a work in Brijabháshá, entitled "Guru Seva, or Guru Worship."

"When Hari (god) is displeased (with any one) the Guru saves him (from the effects of Hari's displeasure). But when Guru is displeased with any one no one can save him (from the effects of the Guru's displeasure). Therefore a Vaishnava should serve the Guru with his body and money, and please the Guru.

"But the principal Gurus are Sri Acháryaji and Sri Gosáinji and the whole family called the Vallabha family. They are all Gurus as is mentioned in the Sarvottamji.

"Therefore God and the Guru are necessarily to be worshipped. If a man worships God he goes to Vyápi Vaikuntha.f But, by the worship of God, he goes to Vyápi Vaikuntha only when he worships the Guru. The worship of the Guru is to be performed in the same way as the worship of God.

"Offerings are to be made to the Guru. There is no particular quantity of offerings (ordained). You are to make such an offering as you feel inclined to make. But you are to reflect thus: 'In this world there are many kinds of creatures: of them all we are most fortunate that we have sought the protection of the illustrious Vallabhácháryaji, Sri Gosáinji, and their descendants, who are manifestly (incarnations of) God the excellent Being himself."

Here we have the manifestation of the Mahárájas in their extreme cupidity. In order that the offerings to them should be as unlimited as possible, it is not prescribed what they are The highest of heavens, Gouloka.

Vallabháchárya.

to be. It is also ordained that they should be worshipped, and the promised reward for this is the highest heaven, whereas the mere worship of God entitles only to an inferior paradise.

We come now to a most important series of extracts, which fully develope the entire doctrine of adulterine intercourse. These are evidently inculcated to satisfy the lewd propensities of a libidinous priesthood, who, under the shield of religion, avert the avenging hand of outraged manhood, which suffers the chastity of its females to be openly violated, and the sacred purity of home defiled. They may well ask, “are these my children ?" when the first form of adjuration that their religion demands is the Samarpan, the consecration of tan, man, and dhan, viz., "of body, organs of sense, life, heart, and other faculties, and wife, house, family, property, and self," to Krishna, or his representative, the Maháráj. The term tan implies the body in all its relations; man is the mind, with all its faculties and qualities; and dhan, as explained by the Mahárájas, signifies that the sectaries should place at their disposal sons, wives, daughters, and everything else before applying them to their own use.

The first passage we shall cite is from a commentary by Gokulnathji (in Sanskrit, called "Virchita Bhakti Siddhanta Vivruti") upon his grandfather's work called "Siddhanta Rahasya."

तस्मादादौ स्वोपभोगात्पूर्वमेव सर्ववस्तुपदेन भार्याीपूत्रादीनामपि समर्पणं कर्तव्यं विवाहानन्तरं स्वोपभोगे सर्वकार्ये सर्वकार्यनिमित्तं तत्कार्योपभोगिवस्तुसमर्पणं कार्य समर्पणं कृत्वा पश्चात्तानि तानि कार्याणि कर्तव्यानीत्यर्थः ॥

"Therefore in the beginning, even before ourselves enjoying, wives, sons, etc., should be made over; because of the expression, "Sarvavastu" (i.e. all things). After marriage, even before ourselves using her, [her (the wife's) offering should be made with the

view that she may become useful to ourselves. So likewise, even after the birth of a son, sons, etc., should also be made over]. On all occasions, and on account of all occasions, the thing to be used on that occasion should be made over. After making the things over, the different acts should be done."

This commentary thus enjoins on the sectaries total abnegation of self in behoof of the Maháráj. The next extract designates the Maháráj by the character which he is so ambitious to sustain among his deluded and outraged votaries. In Vithalesha-ratnavivarana :

"The Acharya is called Shrishá,' which is rendered by the commentator to mean the 'Priya,' or husband of many women. He is also described as 'the ocean of the Rás lilá,' and as one whose sole aim is the Rás lilá, which means amorous sports with many women."

A confirmation of this is found in a manuscript copy, in Brijabháshá, of Pushti Praváha Maryádá Tiká, by Hararáiji.

"It is stated in Pushti Márga that God abides in the houses of the Vaishnavas by the adulterine love which (I) now describe: as when we bring another's son to our house, and (or) when we keep another's husband in our house by any mode whatsoever, he is won over by excessive affection. If we serve by our body, mind, wealth, or by any other mode, then another's son or husband will remain with us. In the same way does God ever abide in our house in

We may ask how should God abide in these houses but by his conceptions in the progeny of the Vaishnava, through the medium of the Maháráj.

It would seem that the fatuity of the sect of the Vaishnavas has attained its culmination; for in the next extract, which is rather long, and of modern date, being published in Oct. 1860, by the Vaishnava Dharma Prasáraka Mandali (Society for the diffusion of the Vaishnava Religion), in a book printed in Gujarati, called "Swadharma Vardhak and Sanshaya Chhedak," that is to say, "Promoter of our religion and destroyer of doubt," the apology or explanation of "adulterine love” was

attempted. It was clearly understood by these sectaries that society was aroused, and that it was necessary to do something to allay the ferment. The extract commences at page 27 of No. 2, vol. i., and runs thus:

"In the above chapter it is stated that God himself has become, by parts, all the forms: consequently this whole universe is his spirit; consequently he is at play with his own spirit. With God, therefore, (the relation of) my-own-and-another's does not exist. All is his own. Consequently the sin of adultery does not affect Him. The sin of enjoying other people's things affects this world. With God nothing whatever is alien. God has therefore ordained the sin of adultery for this world. Now the ignorant say this: 'Should a daughter or a son propose to (her or his) father to become his wife, what sin and immorality are contained therein. How sinful, therefore, are those who entertain towards God the adulterine love.' Thus have they argued. Now the intelligent should consider this matter as follows: The gopis made the adulterine love with Sri Krishna, (is it to be maintained that) therefore they committed sin? Further, Mahadevaji and Rámachandraji married women of this world, namely, Párvatiji and Sitáji; and Sri Krishna married sixteen thousand princesses; (now) it would follow from the argument of these fools that they too acted improperly. If, as between God and this world, there has existed only the relation of father and children (as maintained by them), then Sri Krishna would not have married these maidens. But in God all relations abide. Both man and woman have sprung from God. Wherefore, with God, the two species of man and woman do not exist. Both these are the spirit of God. Consequently he is at play with his own spirit. In that no sin is incurred either by God or by (this) world. If any sin be committed (by such conduct) Sri Krishna would not have married the daughters of the kings. Thus (you) see how much contrary to the Sastras have they represented the subject, and confounded the ignorant.

"If there be any sin committed in entertaining the adulterine love towards God, then the most excellent Being would never have granted to the Vedas their request to entertain the adulterine love. The story is related by Brahmaji to Bhrigu Rishí in Brahád Váman Purán, which we now recount for the information of the people.

"Having heard the long offered prayers of the Vedas, the Lord spoke in a heavenly voice: 'Oh! you Traditions, I am pleased with