This subject cannot be altogether omitted and shall be cursorily touched upon. In what relates to man, somewhat has already been set down. In distinguishing the finer shades observable in the measure of divergence in the dispositions of men in this region of the globe, investigation points to little discovery. Judges of character, generally, when considering the Hindu people, incline to the ancient opinion that each of them is a presentment of the race contained in the individual. One, from the eminence of his virtues will be beyond price; another will be dear at the basest coin. If regarded with the eyes of impartiality, the sincerely devout of this country are unlike the seekers of God in other lands and in warring with interior spiritual foes that wear the guise of friends, they are rarely to be matched. Their knowledge of affairs, capacity in execution, recklessness of valour, fidelity, especially in times of difficulty, their devoted attachment and disinterested service, and other eminent good qualities are beyond measure great. And yet there are many obdurate and pitiless spirits, devoid of gentle courtesy who for the merest trifle will rise to the shedding of blood, and marvellous are the tales told of these ravening fiends in the guise of angels.
The Hindu philosophers reckon four states of auspiciousness which they term varṇa.* 1. Bráhmaṇa. 2. Kshatriya vulgarly, Khatrí. 3. Vaiśya vulgarly Bais. 4. ´Súdra, vulgarly súdra. Other than these are termed Mlechchha. At the creation of the world the first of these classes was produced from the mouth of Brahma, a brief account of whom has already been given: the second, from his arms; the third, from his thigh and the fourth from his feet; the fifth from the cow Kámadhenu,* the name of Mlechcha being employed to designate them.
The Brahmans have six recognised duties. 1. The study of the Vedas and other sciences. 2. The instruction of others (in the sacred texts). 3. The performance of the Jag, that is oblation of money and kind to the Devatas. 4. Inciting others to the same. 5. Giving presents. 6. Receiving presents.
Of these six the Kshatriya must perfom three, 1. Perusing the holy texts. 2. The performance of the Jag. 3. Giving presents. Further they must, 1. minister to Brahmans. 2. Control the administration of worldly government and receive the reward thereof. 3. Protect religion. 4. Exact fines for delinquency and observe adequate measure therein. 5. Punish in proportion to the offence. 6. Amass wealth and duly expend it. 7. Supervise the management of elephants, horses, and cattle and the functions of ministerial subordinates. 8. Levy war on due occasion. 9. Never ask an alms. 10. Favour the meritorious and the like.
The Vaiśya also must perform the same three duties of the Brahman, and in addition must occupy himself in: 1. Service. 2. Agriculture. 3. Trade. 4. The care of cattle. 5. The carrying of loads.
From birth to the time of investiture with the sacred thread, these ten duties may be performed by all the three castes above-mentioned.
The Súdra is incapable of any other privilege than to serve these three castes,* wear their cast-off garments and eat their leavings. He may be a painter, goldsmith, blacksmith, carpenter, and trade in salt, honey, milk, butter-milk, clarified butter and grain.
Those of the fifth class, are reckoned as beyond the pale of religion, like infidels, Jews and the like. By the inter-marriages of these, sixteen other classes are formed. The son of Brahman parents is acknowledged as a Brahman. If the mother be a Kshatriya, (the father being a Brahman) the progeny is called Múrdhavaśikta. If the mother be a Vaiśya, the son is named Ambaṣṭha,* and if a Súdra girl, Nisháda. If the father and mother are both Kshatriya, the progeny is Kshatriya. If the mother be a Brahman, (and the father a Kshatriya) the son is called Súta. If the mother be a Vaiśya, the son is Máhiṣya. If the mother be a Súdra, the progeny is Ugra. If both parents be Vaiśya, the progeny is Vaiśya. If the mother be a Brahman, (which is illicit) the progeny is Vaideha but if she be a Kshatriya, which also is regarded as improper, he is Mágadha. From the Vaiśya by a Súdra mother is produced a Karaṇa. When both parents are Súdra, the progeny is Súdra. If the mother be a Brahman, the progeny is Chaṇḍála. If she be a Kshatriya, it is called Cḥattá.* From a Súdra by a Vaiśya girl is produced the Ayogava.
In the same away still further ramifications are formed, each with different customs and modes of worship and each with infinite distinctions of habitation, profession, and rank of ancestry that defy computation.
The Brahmans, in regard to the study of the Vedas, are of four classes, and each occupies himself with the perusal of a special sacred work.* There are twenty ways of reading the Ṛigveda; the Yajurveda has eighty-six; the Sámaveda, one thousand, and the Atharvaveda, five, and their several disciples fall into distinct categories. There may be also ten distinctions of Brahmans, according to their occupations. 1. Deva. 2. Muni. 3. Dvi-ja. 4. Rájá. 5. Vaiśya. 6. Súdra. 7. Biḍálaka. 8. Paśu. 9. Mlechchha. 10. Chánḍála.
The first named perform the Hom* for themselves, not for others, and give presents, but do not receive them, and learn, but do not teach. The second perform the Hom for others as well as for themselves and receive gifts and teach. The third class* have twelve distinctive notes. The six aforesaid and 7. Meekness. 8. Restraint of the five senses from things unlawful. 9. Unshrinking from austerities. 10. Attachment to the precepts of the Vedas. 11. Taking no life. 12. Attributing the possession of nothing to themselves. The fourth class perform the same offices as the Kshatriya. The fifth, those of the Vaiśya. The sixth, those of the Súdra. The seventh class have the characteristic of cats,* go from door to door and mix with high and low. The eighth, like brutes* know not good from evil. The ninth follow the practices of the Mlechchhas (barbarians or non-Aryans), and the tenth are low outcasts and eat carrion.
The Kshatriya form two races, the Súrajbanśí (Solar dynasty) and the Somabanśí (Lunar dynasty). The first mentioned are descendants of the Sun. It is said that by the volition of Brahma, Maríchi* was created, who begot Kaśyapa (Muni), from whom the Sun (Vivasván or Súrya) sprung. From him was produced Vaivaswata from whose nose Ikshwáku came forth by a sneeze and from him the succeeding generations proceeded. Three princes of this race ruled the world and extended their dominion over the seven climes. These were Rájá Sagara,* Rájá Khaṭwánga, and Rájá Raghu.
The second race is descended from the Moon. From Brahma was born Atri, from whose right eye came forth the Moon (Soma) who begot Mercury (Budha) and from him proceeded the succeeding generations. Two princes of this race held universal sway, namely, Rájá Yudhísthira and Rájá Satánika. There are more than five hundred tribes of the Kshatriyas of whom fifty-two are preeminently distinguished and twelve are of considerable importance. At the present day, no trace of the true Kshatriya exists. Some of their descendants, abandoning the profession of arms, have taken to other occupations and this class is known to the world by this name. Another body of them adopting the sword as their calling are designated Rájpúts, and are divided into thousands of septs. I record the names of a few of the most renowned, that are now in His Majesty's service.
1. The Ráṭhor; there are several tribes of this clan in service. They number sixty thousand cavalry* and two hundred thousand infantry. 2. The Chauhán are divided into several* branches, viz., Súngira, Khíchí, Deora, Háḍá, and Narbán. The troops of the clan number fifty thousand cavalry and two hundred thousand infantry. 3. The Paṅnwár. In ancient times, of this tribe was the royal dynasty in Hindustán, and it numbered many clansmen. At the present time their force consists of twelve thousand cavalry and sixty thousand foot. 4. The Jádoṅn. Fifty-thousand cavalry and two hundred thousand foot. 5. Bháṭi. 6. Járejah. 7. Janúhah, to which clan the Khánzádahs of Mewát belong. 7. Gehlót. Twenty thousand cavalry and three hundred thousand foot. 8. Sesodia. 9. Chandráwat. 10. The Kachhwáhah, who are celebrated among the Rájpúts, and number twenty thousand cavalry, and one hundred thousand infantry. 11. The Solankhi. Thirty thousand cavalry and one hundred thousand infantry. 12. Parihára. 13. Toṇwar, for a time the sovereignty of this country rested in this tribe. They number ten thousand horse and twenty five thousand foot. 14. Baḍgújar. Ten thousand horse, and forty thousand foot. Each of these tribes claims an ancestry traced back to hundreds of thousands of years, a source of splendid pride to the intelligent judgment and is indeed a theme far above the level of an idle tale to distract the mind.
The Vaiśya and the Súdra are in the same way divided into numerous branches. For instance, there is one caste of the Vaiśyas called Banik, more commonly termed Baniyá, (grain-merchant). The Persians name them Baḳḳál and of these there are eighty-four divisions.
There are besides troops of astonishing sorcerers, cunning jugglers, wonder-working magicians, and conjurers of such sleight of hand, performing such extraordinary feats that not the vulgar alone, but the acutest minds are deceived into a belief in their miraculous powers. For instance, one of them will say in broad day-light to one of the spectators: “I have just returned from heaven, and having there been assured of your honour and probity, I entrust my wife to your care.” Then placing her in his charge, he takes a coil of rope of untanned hide, one end of which he holds in his hand, and flings the coil to such a height that the other end becomes invisible. By means of this he mounts up and is lost to sight. After a little time his limbs one after the other come falling from above, upon which the woman, after their national rite, burns herself in presence of the spectators and is consumed to ashes. In a brief space of time, the man himself reappears and claims his charge. The spectators relate to him what has happened which he affects to disbelieve, and hastening to the house of the person to whom he had entrusted her, calls to his wife from the door. She comes forth, giving thanks for his safety, and leaves the spectators in bewilderment. Again he will cut a man up into forty pieces, and cover him over with a sheet. Then at his summons, the man will appear unhurt and answer for his reality.*
Or, he will place some grains of mustard seed in the palm of his hand, and by some incantation, will make it straight way shoot and bear leaves and fruit. In the same way they will produce mangos and melons out of season. In short, the marvels of their sorceries, and snake-charming and the like, are beyond expression.