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the metacarpal bones, and completely perforate the hand. The Urddhabahus are solitary mendicants, as are all of this description, and never have any fixed abode: they subsist upon alms; many of them go naked, but some wear a wrapper stained with ochre; they usually assume the Saiva marks, and twist their hair so as to project from the forehead, in imitation of the Jatá of SIVA.
The Akáśmukhis1 hold up their faces to the sky, till the muscles of the back of the neck become contracted, and retain it in that position: they wear the Jatá, and allow the beard and whiskers to grow, smearing the body with ashes: some wear coloured garments: they subsist upon alms.
The Nakhis are of a similar description with the two preceding, but their personal characteristic is of a less extravagant nature, being confined to the length of their finger nails, which they never cut: they also live by begging, and wear the Saiva marks.
OF THE HINDUS.
GÚDARAS.
The Gudaras are so named from a pan of metal which they carry about with them, and in which they have a small fire, for the purpose of burning scented woods at the houses of the persons from whom they receive alms. These alms they do not solicit further than by repeating the word Alakh, expressive of the
Ákás, the sky, and Mukha, the face.
A, the negative prefix, and Lakshma, a mark, a distinction.
