example of the man who rejects all outward ceremonies, and worships God only in the mind.

'Many pronounce sin an evil, and yet love it; but the devout reject sin, and apply to the concerns of a future state. To obtain wealth, some worship Shivů, others steal, and others endure the greatest burdens; but not an atom of this wealth accompanies them into eternity: while those works of merit, which would accompany and save them, are totally neglected. The Musulman judge sits on the seat of justice, and, repeating the name of God, and counting his beads, receives bribes, and sells justice; the bramhun puts on his poita, when he eats surrounds himself with a ring to keep off the unclean, and performs daily ablutions, but lives in sin:-all the ceremonies practised by these persons are profitless.' Nanuku.

Urjoonŭ says, p. 406, that God is not compelled to grant blessings by any works of merit-devotion alone has this power over God.

Nanŭků, in p. 543, defends those who eat flesh, proving that all eat flesh, even the child supported by his mother's milk, and that all men live more or less by injustice; that even herbs obtained by unlawful gains are forbidden food. In the 609th page, he gives an account of the punishments inflicted in different hells by Yumů, the Indian Pluto, on those who have neglected a devout life.

CHAP. V.

ACCOUNT OF THE FOLLOWERS OF CHOITUNYU.

IN another part of this work we have given, amongst the gods, an account of Choitŭnyŭ, and of the origin of the sect to which he gave rise. We shall therefore now merely notice the principles, numbers, and moral state of this sect.

Choitŭnyu, though he rejected the institution of the cast, does not appear to have introduced any new doctrines among his followers. He adopted as the object of worship one of the Hindoo gods, Krishnŭ, under the form of Huree; and gave his disciples an initiatory incantation containing this name. He declared, that most of the ceremonies of the Hindoos were unprofitable; but inculcated repetitions of the name of Hŭree; bowing and presenting offerings to his image; as well as devotion of mind to this god, under the characters of servant, friend, &c.-He taught that there was no merit in pilgrimages to sacred places, but that journies in search of the devout and wise were not improper. His attachment to Huree, to the exclusion of the other gods, had no reference to the doctrine of the unity of God; he admitted the Hindoo mythology, but taught his disciples to devote themselves only to Huree. The other ceremonies of the Hindoos, he did not reject as errors; but declared, that in the kůlee yoogŭ they were not necessary. He taught, that the devout worshipper of Huree would obtain heaven by his devotion.

Choitŭnyu did not leave any works behind him, though he was acquainted with the Sungskritŭ language; the doctrines that have since been given in writing, as the tenets of the sect, are said to have been delivered orally by him ; and the writers belonging to this sect have endeavoured to prove, that they are derived from the works venerated by the Hindoos.

In the article to which we have already referred, (vol. i. p. 219,) the reader will find an account of Choitŭnyu's two coadjutors, Udwoitŭ and Nityanŭndu. Both these survived Choitŭnyŭ, and helped to establish the sect, of which they acknowledged Choitůnyŭ to have been the founder.

After the death of these leaders, Rõõpu-Goswamēē, Sunatună-Goswamēē, his brother, and Jeevu-Goswamēē, formed the doctrines of Choitunyŭ into a system. These men were all learned in the Hindoo shastrus; the two former were men of some distinction. Their principal writings are the Hŭree-bhŭktee-vilasă, à commentary on the Shreebhagŭvătă, another on the tenth chapter of the Shrēē-bhagŭvůtů, a Sungskritŭ grammar, a poem in honour of Krishnu, a work on poetical allusions, a poetical life of Choitunyů, &c.

During the lives of these writers, or soon after their decease, many persons of influence joined this sect, and increased the number of Choitŭnyu's followers very considerably; but the persons most honoured were the descendants of Udwoitŭ and Nityanŭndů: Choitŭnyŭ left no family. Some persons consider Choitůnyŭ as a full incarnation of Vishnoo, Udwoitů as Shivă, and Nityanŭndă as Bŭlu-ramů, the brother of Krishnu.

At present, the great leaders of this sect are the heads of the families of Udwoitŭ and Nityanŭndů, who live at Shantee-poorů and Khŭrdăhă", though collateral branches of these families in different places have collected a number of disciples. They are known by the general name Gosaee, (Goswamēē.)

These leaders, however, though at the head of a sect which disregards cast, are as tenacious of these distinctions as the most rigid of the regular Hindoos: they do not eat with their own disciples, and are careful to marry amongst families professing the ancient religion.

The disciples of Choitŭnyŭ are initiated, as well as married, by the gosaees, to whom fees are given. These gosaees honour the festivals sacred to Krishnů, or Huree, and crowds of disciples assemble on these occasions to enjoy the festivities.

A number of insignificant temples and images, dedicated to this deified mendicant, are scattered up and down in various places in Bengal. It is supposed, that out of sixteen Hindoos in Bengal, five will be found to be of this sect; but many, I am informed, are persons of the very lowest description as it respects moral character, even as many as three in five.

The majority of the followers of Choitŭnyŭ subsist either wholly or in part as public mendicants; and amongst these, numbers of thieves are to be found. It has lately been ascertained, that persons of this description are very numerous: they assume the profession of a voiragēē, or

u This place is about three miles south-east of Serampore.

religious mendicant, and receive the reverence of the people as persons eminent for sanctity, but are in reality common robbers. They do not all appear to subsist by mendicity; many of them make necklaces, twine, &c. merely that they may appear to their neighbours as persons subsisting by a lawful profession.

The sect of Choitŭnyŭ is increasing daily; as it opens a door to the practice of mendicity, encourages an indiscriminate and most licentious mixture of the sexes, and emancipates from the yoke of the cast, without incurring the disgrace usually following that event.

The following works are very popular amongst this sect:-Krishnŭ-kēērttŭnů, by Govindu-dasŭ, and Vidyapătee. Choitŭnyă-măngŭlů, the history of Choitŭnyŭ, in verse, by Lochŭnů, a voishnŭvů. Pashůndu-důlŭnů, a work in favour of the voishnŭvů, by Radha-madhŭvů. Choitŭnyu-chŭritamritů, by Krishnů-dasă. This is a work in defence of Choitůnyů, partly in Sungskritŭ and partly in Bengalee. Voishnŭvă-bŭrdhůnů, by Doivŭkēē-nŭndŭnů. Choitůnyŭ-bhagŭvůtů, by Vrinda-vůnů-dasă. Mănŭ-shikshya, by Nŭrottŭmů. Ragă-mŭyŭ-konů, a work on subduing the passions, by Rõõpu-goswamēē. Růsůmŭyŭkŭlika, on devotedness to Krishnŭ, by Sănatănă, a voishnŭvů. Prémů-bhuktee-chůndrika, by T'hakooru-goswamēē.