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 Sakti, 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 Śakti, 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 Vámís 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 Śakti, 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 Siva and Śakti. 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 Śakti, 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 Śakti 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 Śri Chakra, or Párnábhisheka, the Ring, or Full 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."+

KANCHALYA'S.

"The worship is that of Sakti, 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. 259-60.

+ Ibid, p. 257-8.

only a community of women amongst the votaries, but disregard even to natural restraints. On occasions of worship, the female votaries are said to deposit their upper vests in a box in charge of the Guru. At the close of the usual rites, the male worshippers take each a vest from the box, and the female to whom the garment appertains, be she ever so nearly of kin to him, is the partner for the time of his licentious pleasures."*

* H. H. Wilson's Works, p. 263.

CHAPTER III.

ORIGIN OF THE SECT OF MAHARAJAS.

THE Vaishnavas, or worshippers of Vishnu, are, as we have seen, sub-divided into a multiplicity of sects, some of which are absolute ascetics, and others of a bold and inquiring spirit; but the opulent, the luxurious, and the indolent, in the large mass of society, and especially females, attach themselves to the worship of Krishna, adored under this name, and his mistress Rádhá, either conjointly or singly, by the names of Vishnu and Lakshmi. But there is a still more popular form of the worship of the divinity than this, although its legends are much interwoven with those of the

others. This is the worship

of the Bála Gopála, or Bála Krishna, the infant Krishṇa, a worship widely diffused throughout all ranks of Indian society, and which was first promulgated by the founder of the sect under the name of Rudra Sampradaya. The name of the instituter of this sect was Vallabháchárya, whose history we shall proceed to relate, remarking merely that the heresy itself is possibly better known from the title of its teachers, as the religion of the Gokulastha Gosáins.

Bála Krishna.

In tracing it, however, to its spring-head and source, we shall find that the first teacher of the philosophical tenets upon which the present doctrines of the sect are founded was Vishnu Svámi, who was a commentator on the texts of the Vedas. He was followed in his teaching by Dnána Deva, who was succeeded by Keśáváchárya, and he by Hirálál, who had six sons, the most distinguished of whom was Śrídhar, who, after a time, was succeeded by Bilava Mangala, who strengthened the sect. Bilava Mangala was succeeded, but how soon is not known, by Vallabháchárya, who was the second son of Lakshman Bhatt, a Tailingá Brahman. This Lakshman Bhatt was descended from a Brahman named Nárayan Bhatt, dwelling in a village called Kánkrava, and was the fourth in direct descent from him. He lived somewhere about the commencement of the sixteenth century, but the particulars of the exact period are not preserved. He promulgated the idea, which the people in their monstrous credulity and ignorance put entire faith in, that he had been promised by Krishna that he should have three sons, and that his second son should succeed him as the incarnation of himself, the god. His wife's name was Elmágár, and the first son of the marriage was Ráma Krishna.

After the birth of this child, Lakshman Bhatt, taking his family with him, went on a pilgrimage by the route of Alláhabád to Benares, where, after dwelling some time, a violent dispute took place between the Mussulmáns and the Sannyasis, which resulted in a bloody conflict. Lakshman Bhatt, apprehensive for the safety of his family, fled away with them. In the course of their flight through the country they eventually arrived at a wild spot called Champáraṇya. The terror of the flight, combined with the wild savageness of the country through which they were fleeing, had the effect upon the intimidated Elmágár of accelerating labour, she being at the time pregnant with her second child; and in