the Chief Justice prevailed against his Puisne in recording a verdict for the plaintiff for Rs. 5 damages. We regret because, as was to have been expected, the plaintiff's party, as we learn from the Bombay Times, tried to take advantage of it by announcing that he had gained the victory, explaining the nominal nature of the damages by suggesting that the judges took pity upon the defendant's poverty, and that the award was made in reference to his condition. But fortunately the bazaar was too shrewd to swallow such a transparent falsehood, and all classes of the natives have understood the decision properly. Those of the plaintiff's friends who had prepared sweetmeats to distribute as soon as the decision in his favour, upon which they counted as certain, should be given, were too crest-fallen to assume the airs of a fictitious triumph.—Samáchár Hindustani, Lucknow, May 17, 1862.

XX.-The Ceylon Times.

We recently received from Bombay a copy of the proceedings in the libel case tried in the Supreme Court of that city, in which Jadunáthji Brizrattanji, Maháráj or high priest of the sects of Bhattias, Banians, Brahmins, was the plaintiff, and the proprietor and publisher of a Gujarati newspaper at Bombay called the Satya Prakash were the defendants. The libel complained of was to the effect that the Mahárájás of these sects inculcated doctrines opposed to the Shastras of the Hindus, and that this Jadunáthji in particular was, under the cloak of religion, guilty of the grossest immoralities with the females of his sect.

In the plea of justification as filed by the defendants, it is declared that the leaders of the said sect assert that they are the incarnations of the gods Brahma and Krishna, and are themselves gods, and are and ought to be worshipped, implicity obeyed, and served as gods by the members of the said sect, with all the minds, bodies, and properties of such sectaries, and that the neglect of any such to perform the said worship, implicit obedience and service, is a sin of the gravest character, and that it is the duty of the female members in particular of the sect to love the said leaders with unhallowed love, and to perform worship in implicit obedience and service with their bodies whensoever called upon or required by any of the said leaders so to do; albeit such female members are, or may be, unmarried maidens, or wives of other men, and in no wise married or betrothed in marriage to the said leaders. The plea goes on to allege that adultery and fornication are by the religious books of the sect encouraged and commended, and that the surest way of procuring eternal happiness is by acquiescence in such practices. Horribly disgusting as these statements may sound in our ears, they are mild enough compared with the awful disclosures made in open court and reported in the volume before us.

We have no desire to do more than record our utter detestation of such practices as those which, under the pretence of religion of any kind, appear to have prevailed in and about Bombay. With such a code of religious morality, the

natives of India must remain debased to the level of the brutes. Until they be utterly purged of these iniquities they must not talk about equal rights and social advancement. We are, however, glad to find that there is a small band of reformers at work amongst them; and we tender our cordial acknowledgments to the Editor who, having braved the hostility of his countrymen, has boldly proclaimed the truth at all hazards.-Ceylon Times, June 24, 1862.

XXI.-People's Friend.

The libel case brought forward in the Supreme Court of Bombay by Maharaj Brizrattanji, one of the gurus of the Vallabháchárya sect, against the editor of the Satya Prákash newspaper, has at last been decided in favour of the defendant with costs. The case pended in the above Court for several months and excited great interest among the native community. Its particulars are these:— The defendant, who seems to be a member of the Soodhar Lele or reforming party of the natives, and edits the Satya Prákash, a Gujaráti newspaper, disclosed in one of his articles the indecent and immoral practices of the Vallabhácháryan gurus, and accused the plaintiff (one of those gurus) of adulterous conduct towards his female disciples. The plaintiff instituted this law suit against him, and the defendant pleaded that what he had stated in the article was correct. Many rich and influential bankers and merchants gave their evidence in favour of one side or the other, and the Judges came to the conclusion that the abuses brought to light were such as deserved a public denouncement. On the technical plea of not guilty they awarded Rs. 5 as damages to the plaintiff, but acquitted the defendant of the higher charge of defamation and libel, and awarded to him costs of the defence. The plaintiff is said to be intending to appeal to the Privy Council. We trust that on reading this case, the Vám-márgis, who notoriously surpass the Vallabhácháryan priests in their immoralities, will feel ashamed of themselves, and mind their religion's charter, and that many more Hindu reformers will be encouraged to denounce publicly the defects which they may observe in the manners, customs, and rites of their countrymen.—People's Friend, Etawah, May 23, 1862.

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 Bháttiá 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 Maharajas 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 Maharajas 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 Mahárájás 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.

VIII.-The Samshir Báhdur.

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.