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tions, and is the ascetic who is solely occupied with the investigation of BRAHMA, or spirit, and who is equally indifferent to pleasure or pain, insensible of heat or cold, and incapable of satiety or want*.
Agreeably to this definition, individuals are sometimes met with who pretend to have attained such a degree of perfection: in proof of it they go naked in all weathers, never speak, and never indicate any natural want: what is brought to them as alms or food, by any person, is received by the attendants, whom their supposed sanctity or a confederation of interest attaches to them, and by these attandants they are fed and served on all occasions, as if they were as helpless as infants. It may be supposed that, not unfrequently, there is much knavery in this helplessness, but there are many Hindus whose simple enthusiasm induces them honestly to practice such self-denial, and there is little risk in the attempt, as the credulity of their countrymen, or rather countrywomen, will in most places take care that their wants are amply supplied. These devotees are usually included amongst the Saiva ascetics; but it may be doubted whether the classification is correct.
RELIGIOUS SECTS
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[जातरूपवेरो निर्द्वन्द्वो निराग्रहस्तत्त्वब्रह्ममार्गे सम्यक्सम्पन्नः शुद्धमानसः प्राणसंधारणार्थ यथोक्तकाले भैक्षमाचरन्लाभालाभौ समौ क्रत्वा शून्यागारदेवगृह तृण कूट वल्मीकवृक्ष मूलकुलालशालाग्निहोत्रनदीपुलिनगिरिकुह र कन्द र कोटर निकरस्थ एड लेष्वनिकेतवासी निष्प्रयत्नो निर्मम: शुक्लध्यानपरायणो ऽध्यात्मनिष्ठः शुभाशुभकर्मनिर्मूलनाय संन्यासेन देहत्यागं करोति यः स एव परमहंसो नाम || Jivanmuktiviveka (Weber, Catal. p. 195) quoted in the Sabdakalpadruma s. v. Paramahansah. See also Weber, Ind. Stud. II, 77. 78. 173-6.]
