THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For JULY 1791.

ART. I. Sketches chiefly relating to the Hiflory, Religion, Learning, and Manners, of the Hindoos. With a concife Account of the prefent State of the Native Powers of Hindostan. 8vo. pp. 422. ts. Boards. Cadell. 1790.

WHA

HATEVER doubts may be entertained, concerning the political and commercial advantages which Great Britain derives from her intercourse with Eaftern nations, nothing can be more certain, than that this intercourfe is productive of great benefit not only to this country, but to Europe in general, by laying open extenfive fources of information refpecting language, antiquities, natural and civil hiftory, national customs and manners, philofophy, religion, and other fubjects. The effect of any other kinds of importation may be doubtful: but the importation of knowlege, from whatever quarter of the world it is brought, must always be valuable.

The author of these sketches has bestowed much pains in collecting, from authentic fources, a great variety of curious and interesting facts, refpecting the country of the East Indies; and he relates them in a manner which entitles him to the character of a judicious and elegant writer.

The work opens with a series of general reflections on the hiftory and religion of mankind; in which the author, with equal accuracy of reading and ftrength of judgment, traces the rife and progrefs of opinions on the fubject of religion; and fhews that, in the midst of all the different forms of fuperftition, and all the corruptions of pure religion, the belief and adoration of one Supreme Being have almoft univerfally prevailed. After giving an account of the fources from which he has derived his information, the author takes a brief view of the hiftory of Hindoftan, relates many curious particulars concerning its government, the cast, the customs, the religion, the mythology, and the worship, of the Hindoos, and of the learning, philofophy, and aftronomy, of the Brahmins; and he concludes. VOL. V.

S

with

with a sketch of the political state of the present native powers of Hindoftan. From the variety of interefting materials with which this valuable work abounds, we fhall make such a selection as may ferve to excite, without completely fatisfying, the curiofity of the reader.

The following account of the devotees in Hindoftan, affords aftonishing proofs of the power of superstition:

In every part of Hindostan we meet with numbers of devotees, diftinguished by various names, but not restricted to any caft. They become fuch from choice, and every Hindoo, except the Chandalah, [the outcaft,] is at liberty to adopt this mode of life.

Of all the numerous claffes of devotees, none are fo much refpected as the Saniaflies and Yogeys. They quit their relations, and every concern of this life, and wander about the country without any fixed abode.

"That a Saniaffy, or he It is faid, in their facred writings, who fhall devote himself to a folitary religious life, fhall have no other clothing, but what may be neceffary to cover his nakedness, nor any other worldly goods but a staff in his hand, and a pitcher to drink out of. That he fhall always meditate on the truths contained in the facred writings, but never argue on them. That his food fhall be confined to rice and other vegetables; that he fhall That he fhall look foreat but once a-day, and then fparingly. ward with defire to the feparation of the foul from the body, and be indifferent about heat, or cold, or hunger, or praise, or reproach, or any thing concerning this life; and that, unless he strictly follow thefe rules, and fubdue his paffions, he will only be more criminal, by embracing a ftate, the duties of which he could not perform, neglecting thofe he was born to preserve.

The precife diftinction between the Yogey and the Saniaffy is not known. The former in Sanfkrit, fignifies a devout perfon; the latter, one who had entirely forfaken this world. It is faid in the dialogues between Krishna and Arjoon, in the Mahabarat,

"Learn, fon of Pandoo, that what they call Sanias, or a forfaking of the world, is the fame with Yog, or the practice of devo

tion

"The man who is happy in his heart, at reft in his mind, and enlightened within, is a Yogey, or one devoted to God, of a godly fpirit, and obtaineth the immaterial nature of Brahm the Supreme."

"The man who keepeth the outward accidents from entering the mind, and his eyes fixed in contemplation between his brows; who maketh the breath pafs equally through his noftrils, who hath fet his heart upon falvation, and who is free from luft, fear, or anger, is forever bleffed in this life."

He cannot be a Yogey who in his actions hath not abandoned all views."

"The Yogey conftantly exercifeth the fpirit in private. He is of a fubdued mind, free from hope. He planteth his feat firmly on a fpot that is neither too high nor too low, and fitteth on the facred grafs that is called Koos, covered with a skin, or cloth.

There

There he, whofe bufinefs is the reftraining of his paffions, fhould fit, in the exercife of devotion, for the purification of his foul, keeping his head, his neck, and his body steady, without motion, his eyes fixed on the point of his nofe, looking at nothing elfe around. The Yogey of a fubdued mind, thus employed, in the exercife of devotion, is as a lamp ftanding in a place without wind, which waveth not."

"Supreme happinefs attendeth him whofe mind is thus at peace, whofe carnal affections and paffions are fubdued, and who is in God and free from fin."

"The man whofe mind is endued with devotion, beholdeth the fupreme foul in all things, and all things in the fupreme foul." "The Yogey who believeth in unity, and worshippeth me prefent in all things, dwelleth in me."

"This divine difcipline which is called Yog, is hard to be attained by him who hath not his foul in fubjection, but it may be acquired by him who taketh pains."

The Yogey is more exalted than the Japafivees, those zealots who harafs themfelves in performing penances."

"He is both a Yogey and a Saniafy who doeth that which he hath to do independent of the fruit thereof."

"Works are faid to be the means by which a man may acquire devotion, so reft is called the means for him who hath attained devotion."

"When the all-contemplative Saniafy is not engaged with objects of the fenfes, nor in works, then he is called one who hath attained devotion."

"The foul of the conquered placid fpirit, is the fame in heat and in cold, in pain and in pleasure, in honour and difgrace."

"The man whofe mind is replete with divine wisdom and learning, who ftandeth on the pinnacle, and hath fubdued his paffions, is faid to be devout*."

It is not improbable that fome of the paffages in the facred writings which were enigmatical, being understood literally by the ignorant, have given rife to thofe extravagant penances, with which fome of the devotees torture themselves. In one of the above quo tations they feem even to be condemned; the Yogey being faid to be more exalted than the Tapafivee, &c. I faw one of the latter, who having made a vow to keep his arms conftantly extended over his head, with his hands clafped together, they were become withered and immoveable. Not long ago, one of them finished meafuring the distance between Benares and Jaggernaut with his body, by alternately ftretching himself upon the ground and rifing; which, if he performed it as faithfully as he pretended, must have taken fome years to accomplish. Some make vows to keep their arms

• Bhagvat Geeta +. The above quotations, as well as others, are not taken in the exact order in which they follow in the work, but are selected from different parts, as they fuited the fubject treated of.'

+ See Monthly Rev. vol. lxxvi. p. 198. 295. S 2

croffed

croffed over their breafts for the rest of their days, others to keep their hands for ever shut, and their nails are fometimes feen growing through the back of their hand; fome are chained to a particular fpot, and others never lie down, but fleep leaning againft a

tree*.

There are frequent inftances of devotees and penitents throwing themselves under the wheels of the chariots + of Sheevah or Vishnou, when the idol is drawn out to celebrate the feast of a temple, and being thereby crushed to death: and not long fince we faw an account of the aged father of a numerous offspring, who devoted himself to the flames to appease the wrath of a divinity, who, as he imagined, had for fome time paft afflicted his family and neighbours with a mortal epidemical difeafe.

The Pandarams on the coaft of Coromandel are followers of Sheeval; they rub their faces and bodies with the athes of burnt cow-dung, and go about the towns and villages finging the praises of their God.

The Cary-patry-pandarams, are a fet of religions perfons, who make a vow never to fpeak; they go to the doors of houses and demand charity by ftriking their hands together. They take nothing but rice, which is given them ready prepared, and, if it be fufficient to fatisfy their hunger, they pafs the reft of the day fitting in the fhade, and scarcely looking at any object that may come before them.

The Tadinums go about begging, and finging the hiftory of the different incarnations of Vishnou. They beat a kind of tabor; and have hollow brafs rings round their ankles, which, being filled with small pebbles, make a confiderable noise as they walk along.'

Notwithstanding the fuperftition with which Hindostan abounds, our author fpeaks favourably of the fundamental principles and fpirit of the Hindoo religion :

If we, therefore, abstract our minds from the abuses, and inquire into the fpirit, of the Hindoo religion, we shall find that it inculcates the belief in one God only, without beginning and without end; nor can any thing be more fublime than their idea of the Supreme Being.'

In the dialogues between Krishna and Arjoon, Krishna fays: "I am the creator of all things, and all things proceed from me. Those who are endued with spiritual wisdom know this, and worship

me."

"I am the foul, which is in the bodies of all things. I am the beginning and the end. I am time; I am all-grafping death; and I am the refurrection. I am the feed of all things in nature, and there is not any thing animate or inanimate without me.

Philofophos eorum quos Gymnofophiftas vocant, ab exortu ad occafum perftare contuentes folem immobilibus oculis, ferventibus arenis

toto die alternis pedibus infiftere. Plin. lib. vii. cap. 2.'

Thefe chariots are more properly great moveable towers,

which require fome hundreds of men to draw them.'

"I am the mystic figure Oom*, the Reek, the Sam, and the Yayoor Veds. I am the witnefs, the comforter, the afylum, the friend. I am generation and diffolution: in me all things are repofited.

"The whole univerfe was spread abroad by me.

"The foolish are unacquainted with my fupreme and divine nature. They are of vain hope, of vain endeavours, and void of reafon; whilft those of true wifdom ferve me in their hearts, undiverted by other gods.

"Those who worship other gods, worship me. I am in the facrifice, in the fpices, in the invocation, in the fire, and in the victim."

Arjoon fays in reply: "Thou art the prime Creator-Eternal God! Thou art the Supreme! By thee the universe was spread abroad! Thou art Vayoo, the god of the winds; Agnee, the god of fire; Varoon, the god of the oceans, &c.

"Reverence be unto thee; again and again reverence, O thou, who art all in all! Great is thy power, and great thy glory! Thou art the father of all things; wherefore I bow down, and with my body proftrate on the ground, crave thy mercy. Lord, worthy to be adored! bear with me as a father with a fon; a friend with a friend; a lover with the beloved."

In fpeaking of ferving the Deity, Krishna fays;

"They who delighting in the welfare of all nature, ferve me in my incorruptible, ineffable, and invifible form; omnipotent, incom. prehenfible, ftanding on high, fixed, and immoveable, with fubdued paffions, and who are the fame in all things, shall come unto

me.

"Those whofe minds are attached to my invifible nature, have the greater labour, because an invifible path is difficult to corporeal beings. Place thy heart on me, and penetrate me with thy underftanding, and thou shalt hereafter enter unto me. But if thou fhould it be unable at once fted faftly to fix thy mind on me, endeavour to find me by means of conftant practice.

"He, my fervant, is dear to me, who is free from enmity; merciful, and exempt from pride and felfifhnefs; who is the fame in pain and in pleafure; patient of wrongs; contented; and whose mind is fixed on me alone.

"He is my beloved, of whom mankind is not afraid, and who is not afraid of mankind; who is unfolicitous about events; to whom praise and blame are as one, who is of little speech; who is pleased with whatever cometh to país; who has no particular home, and is of a steady mind."

In treating of good works, he fays:

"Both the desertion and practice of works, are the means of

Oom is faid to be a mystic word, or emblem, to fignify the Deity, and to be composed of Sanskrit roots, or letters; the first of which ftands for Creator; the fecond, Preferver; and third, Dekroyer. It is forbidden to be pronounced, except with extreme reverence.' Wilkins.

8 3

happiness,