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OF THE HINDUS.
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than the name of the teacher, and a shorter streak of red upon the forehead: in one respect indeed there is an important distinction between these and the Rámánandi ascetics, and the teachers of the Malúk Dásis appear to be of the secular order, Grihasthas, or house-holders, whilst the others are all coenobites: the doctrines, however, are essentially the same: VISHNU, as RÁMA, is the object of their practical adoration, and their principles partake of the spirit of quietism, which pervades these sects: their chief authority is the Bhagavad Gitá, and they read some small Sanskrit tracts, containing the praise of Ráma: they have also some Hindi Sakhis, and Vishnu Padas attributed to their founder, as also a work in the same language, entitled the Dasratan: the followers of this sect are said to be numerous in particular districts, especially amongst the trading and servile classes, to the former of which the founder belonged'.
The principal establishment of the Malúk Dásís is at Kara Manikpur, the birth-place of the founder, and still occupied by his descendants2; the present Mahant
A verse attributed to MALÚK DÁS is so generally current, as to have become proverbial, it is unnecessary to point out its resemblance to Christian texts:
अजगर करे न चाकरी पंछी करे न काम । दास मलूका यों कहे सब का दाता राम ॥
"The snake performs no service, the bird discharges no duty. MALÚK DAS declares, RAM is the giver of all." [Roebuck's Proverbs, II, 1, 36.]
There is some variety in the accounts here, MATHURA NÁTH says, the Tomb is at Kara; Puráň Dás asserts, that it is at
