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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[Nov. 1, 1872
stroyed the yoke of caste,--to have preached one who was a middle-sized, thin, and plain looking God, and in short, to have made so considerable person, about my own age, with a mild and diffiapproaches to the truth, that I could not but hope dent expression of countenance, but nothing about he inight be an appointed instrument to prepare him indicative of any extraordinary talent. I the way for the Gospel.
Beated him on a chair at my right hand, and offered " While I was listening with much interest to two more to the Thakur and his son, of which, howMr. Williamson's account of this man, six persons ever, they did not avail themselves without first caine to the tent, four in the dress of peasants or placing their hands under the feet of their spiritual banians, one, a young man, with a large white guide, and then pressing them reverently to their turban, and the quilted lebada of a Koli, but clean foreheads. Others of the principal disciples, to the and decent, with a handsome sword and shield, and number of 20 or 30, seated themselves on the ground, other marks of rustic wealth; and the sixth, an and several of my own Musalman servants, who old Musalman, with a white beard, and pretty much seemed much interested in what was going on, the appearance, dress, and manner of an ancient thrust in their faces at the door, or ranged themserving-man. After offering some sugar and sweet- selves behind me. After the usual mutual complimeats as their nazar, and, as usual sitting down on
ments, I said that I had heard much good of him, the ground, one of the peasants began, to my ex
and the good doctrine which he preached among Ceciling surprise and delight, Pandit Swami the poor people of Gujarat, and that I greatly desired Narayan sends his salâm,' and proceeded to say his acquaintance; that I regretted that I knew that the person whom I so much desired to see was Hindustani so imperfectly, but that I should be in the neighbourhood, and asked permission to call very glad, so far as my knowledge of the language on me next day. I, of course, returned a favour- allowed, and by the interpretation of friends, to able answer, and stated with truth, that I greatly learn what he believed on religious matters, and to desired his acquaintance, and had heard much good
tell him what I myself believed, and that if he of him. I asked if they were his disciples, and
would come and see ine at Kairah where we was auswered in the affirmative. The first spokes
should have more leisure, I would have a tent inan told me that the young man now in company
pitched for him and treat him like a brother. I was the eldest son of a Koli Thakur, whose father said this because I was very earnestly desirous of was one of the Pandit's great friends, that he was getting him a copy of the scriptures, of which I had himself a Rajput and rayat, that the old man in none with me, in the Nagari character, and pereuadgreen was a Musalman sipahi in the Thakur's ser- ing him to read them; and because I had some vice, and sent to attend on his young master. He further hopes of inducing him to go with me to added, that though of different castes, they were Bombay, where I hoped that by conciliatory treatall disciples of Swami Narayan, and taught to ment, and the conversations to which I might regard each other as brethren. They concluded introduce him with the Church Missionary Society by asking me when I was to go next day, and ap- established in that neighbourhood, I might do him pointed, in their teacher's name, that he would more good than I could otherwise hope to do. 1 visit inc at Nariad in the forenoon ; they then took saw that both he and, still more, his disciples, were leave, I having first embraced the Thakur, and sent highly pleased by the invitation which I gave him, my salâm both to his father and his Guru."
but he said, in reply, that his life was one of very March 26, 1825 (Nariad).-" About 11 o'clock, I little leisure, that he had 5,000 disciples now attendhad the expected visit from Swâni Narayan, to my | ing on his preaching in the neighbouring villages, interview with whom I had looked forward with an and nearly 50,000 in different parts of Gujarat, that anxiety and eagerness which, if he had known it, a great number of these were to assemble together would perhaps have flattered him. He came in a in the course of next week, on occasion of his sornewhat different style from all which I had ex- brother's son coming of age to receive the brahmapected, having with him near 200 horsemen, mostly nical string, but that if I staid long enough in thọ well armed with matchlocks and swords, and seve- neighbourhood to allow him to get this engageral of them with coats of mail and spears. Besides ment over, he would gladly come again to see me. them he had a large rabble on foot, with bows and In the meantime,' I said, have you any objecarrows....
|tion to communicate some part of your doctrine The armed men who attended Swami Narayan now?' It was evidently what he came to do, and were under the authority, as it appeared, of a vener- his disciples very visibly exulted in the opportunity able old man, of large stature, with a long gray of his, perhaps, converting me. He began, indeed, beard and most voluminous turban, the father of well, professing to believe in one only God, the the young Thakur who had called on me the day maker of all things in heaven and earth, who filled before. He cams into the room first, and after the all space, upheld and governed all things, and, more usual embrace, introduced the holy man himself l particularly, dwelt in the hearts of those who dili
• Heber, Journal (4to ed.) Vol. II. pp. 143-44.
