Page:Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian.djvu/155

136 lOOOf horsemen, 700 elephants keep watch and ward in ** procinct of war." For among the more civilized Indian com- munities life is spent in a great variety of separate occupations. Some till the soil, some are soldiers, some traders ; the noblest and richest take part in the direction of state affairs, adminis- ter justice, and sit in council with the kings. A fifth class devotes itself to the philosophy pre- valent in the country, which almost assumes the form of a religion, and the members always put an end to their life by a voluntary death on a burning funeral pile.;]; In addition to these classes there is one half-wild, which is constantly engaged in a task of immense labour, beyond the power of words to describe — that of hunting and junction with diJSerent peoples." (H. H. Wilson in VisivMi Furdna, Ist ed. pp.185, 187 note, and 188.) As Tri-Kalinga thus corresponds with the great province ofTeling&na, it seems probable that the name of Teling^a may be only a slightly contracted form of Tri-KalingAna, or ' the Three t LA. miU, — V. L LXX. mill. X Lncian, in his satirical piece on the death of Peregrines (cap. 25), refers to this practice : — " But what is the motive which prompts this man (Peregrines) to fling himself into the flames ? God knows it is simply that he may show off how he can endure pain as do the Brachmans, to whom it pleased Theagends to liken him, just as if India had not her own crop of fools and vain-glorious persons. But let him bjr all means imitate the Brachmans, for, as Onesi- kritos informs us, who was the pilot of Alexander's fleet and saw Kalanos burned, they do not immolate themselves by leaping into the flames, but when the pyre is made they stand close beside it perfectly motionless, and suffer themselves to be gently broiled; then decorously ascend- ing the pile they are burned to death, and never swerve, even ever so little, from their recumbent position." Digitized by Google