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SEPTEMBER, 1884.]
ORIGIN OF THE VAISHNAVAS.
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a different rule among themselves. These the forefathers of the Vaishnavas were mostly latter do not shave their heads, and, if asked, other caste people, especially Buddhists." they say, “Are our females to bend their heads Here my grandfather ended, and I said: to barbers as well as to Achâryas P" This is “How do you account then for the Veda similar to the Malayan saying, when he is ques- honour, the hôma observance, the shaving of tioned why he blackens his teeth, “Should the hair of the widows, eating in rows, &c., we have white teeth like dogs." But let us observed among our Vadakalai Vaishnava see among whom this custom prevails now, and friends," and he added as follows:in olden times. It is now in vogue among the “Bear in mind that the original Vaishnavas low castes, and was very prevalent among the were all one, without any distinction of TeńkaBuddhists and Jains, and these sects may have lais and Vadakalais, as they now stand. By supplied the bulk of the original converts. my former arguments, all of which apply now
When a Southern Brâhman goes to the north more to the Tenkalais than Vadakalais, we see to travel, he is apt to be asked whether he that the original Vaishnavas had several nondoes not wash himself in sacred rivers and Brâhmanik rites, and the Tenkalai Vaishnavas tanks, and sully the waters. Srivaishnavas still retain the same. Ved å ntad dvikar was have been observed doing so, and the northern born about the close of the 15th century, and in Hindå at once concludes that every Brahman
the former half of the 16th century made great from the south does so. But it is only the changes in Vaishnavism. He perceived several Vaishnavas that do so, and are asked to do so flaws in his religion which separated it from by their religious codes. All other Brahmans Brahmanism. The Veda and hôma, the warp wash only with lifted water, and never sully and woof of the Brahmaṇik religion, he found tanks or sacred rivers. This custom is one the absent in the then Vaishnavism. He boldly Srivaishṇavas have brought with them from taught his followers the defects, and remedied the low castes from which they originated, and them by introducing several Brahmaņik rites which they still retain. The practice, in small in place of non-Brahmaṇik ones,-.g., he exvillages, of both sexes washing themselves at changed the Tiruvdymoli for the Vedas. Now the village tank is one of the most disgusting Vadakalai Vaishnavas no longer read the former peculiarities of the low castes in Southern as the sacred book, but as one more purely Indis.
literary than religious. Hômas were introduced ; The Tenkalai Vaishnavas, especially in the widows were compelled to shave their hair; Chingleput and North Årkat districts, which and Brâhmaṇik marriage rites were introduced. are the cradle of their religion, marry in the Of course some liked the change, and joined it. presence of some Vaishnava god. The rites These were named Vadakalai, the division are short, and have almost no Brahmaņik giving preference to Sanskrit mantras-from element in them. If the man is poor he may Vadamoli, & Tamil word, meaning Sanskrit. take water in the presence of the god, and The original sect, from their preference for accept the hand of the bride, and the marriage Tamil mantras,-Tenmoli, meaning Tamil, ceremony is complete; a practice which speaks were thenceforward called Tenkalsis. These two for itself when we see that poor people of low sects are the bitterest enemies to each other. caste in modern days do the same.
Whether the Vedas or the Tiruvdymoli should The Tenkalai Vaishnavas have no hômas in be repeated first in Vaishṇava temples is the their ceremonies, which is almost the same as main cause of dispate between these sects, which saying that the back-bone of the Brahmanik every year feeds well the barristers and vakils religion is absent. Sometimes rice is mea- in every law court of the Madras Presidency. sured out to the temple priest, who is ordered Broken heads, stoppage of processione, murder to prepare meals to feed a couple of Srivai. and other crimes arise from these religious shṇavas. This also is a practice which we see disputes among them." among the lowest castes of modern times.
Here ends my grandfather's story. It has taken me several years of contempla- I have given his views in the hope that some tion to arrive at the numerous features above one more learned may take it ap, and do more noted, and to be convinced beyond doubt that! justice to the subject.
