— XSIT
INTRODUCTION.
drawn from among them, who receive good pay change of religion is and live well under European masters. the only means of escape open to them, and they have little
stable servants
.
A
reason to be faithful to their present creed. The census returns more than 130,000 members of reli^ gious orders. But this is a great exaggeration, as is clearly which besides forms a curious illustration instance, shown in one of the caste system. When we read that there are upwards of 40,000 Goshalns, we should remember that only very few of
The Goshain, or these belong to the religious orders at all. member of the distinct religious order instituted by Shankardcharya to maintain the cultus of Mahadeo, is enrolled by the adoption of another Goshdin from some one of the pure Hindu castes. From the moment of his adoption he loses his old caste altogether and acquires a new one, among the essential duties of which is celibacy. As long as he remains chaste there is no difficulty, and he continues to be considered one of those orders whose renunciation of the world has released them from the bonds of caste. But breaches of the rules are frequent, and when a Goshain takes a wife and settles down with his family to agriculture, it is Neither clear that he no longer belongs to the religious order. can he return to any ordinary caste, for his adoption constituted a real new birth annihilating his former position. He remains therefore a Goshain by name, and adds a new caste to the society. Secular Goshalns are exceedingly common, and it may safely be said that at least three-fourths of the religious mendicants returned' under that denomination are really common villagers, holding a somewhat undefined position in a new caste not contemplated in the original framework of the system. The religious Goshdins resemble monks in other particulars besides celibacy living in small societies in monasteries apart from the community, possessing frequently considerable wealth in land, dealing in asafcetida where chartreuse is unknown, and enjoying in a comfortable life a fair compensation for their inability to marry. The influence exercised by members of the religious orders, which it would be difficult to over-estimate, depends in no way on the peculiar sectarian dogmas they may hold, but solely on the real or supposed austerity of their lives and exceptional austerity, combined with learning or genius, elevates a man to a position far above the purest caste or the highest |worldly rank. Mahant Jaggiwan Das of Kotwa, who taught the worship of the pure name and instituted the sect of Sattnamis, had for his disciples the greatest rajas of Oudh, none of whom would have ventured to be seated in his presence or to treat him otherwise
