path of activity" that we have "become malignant, vicious and perverse. ."* This is the true meaning of the Kaliyuga— and it is a mournful meaning. MR. LALSHANKAR UMIASHANKAR.-I know little of the mystery of Yugas-but I know that we had an association, at Ahmedabad, of more than 200 members, all pledged not to celebrate the marriage of their sons before a certain age; but only a few kept the pledge, while several broke it and said that their caste members in the association being few, they were unable to keep it. H. H. THE THAKORE SAHIB OF MORVI.-I am bound to say, in our part of the country, the evil is as growing as anywhere else. I think there are not, and cannot be, in these days of civilization, two opinions as to the enormity of the evil, and that it ought to be put a stop to. A HINDU SOCIAL REFORM MISSIONARY.-Then why does not your Highness put a stop to it in your own territory? MR. NAVALRAM LAKSHMIRAM.—That is a consummation devoutly to be wished. His Highness's example will produce a wholesome effect in Gujarat, where generally all classes give away their daughters in marriage before they have completed their seventh year. In Kattyawar the marriageable age is a little higher, and the Rajputs also form a noteworthy exception in many respects. BABU K. C BHATTACHARJI.—I am Head Master of the Zilla School, Noakhally, and I can say that, generally, the seeking of a bridegroom begins with the girl's stepping into the 7th or 8th year of her age. The feelings of the educated guardians in all communities are against the custom; but no one is, in his own case, prepared yet to put up with the social ignominy attaching to the departure from a deep-rooted and time-honoured custom enjoined by the Shastras. * Muir's Sanscrit Texts, Vol. I p. 63 (2nd Edition.) DIWAN BAHADUR MANIBHAI JASBHAI.-Generally Hindu parents do not keep their daughters unmarried beyond the age of twelve years; for education has as yet made very little progress. RAO SAHIB V. N. MANDLIK.—I say it, with all submission, that there is no royal road to these things any more than to others. People must try to be, to live what they preach. It is a slow painful process-but what is higher education, I should like to know, if it will not prepare men for lives of self-sacrifice and noble self-abnegation? SIRDAR JAYASING RAO, REGENT OF KOLAHPUR.-And I say it with all submission, that the educated classes, though fully feeling the evil, have not the moral courage to take action in the matter. THE HON'BLE MR. DAYARAM JETHMUL.*-The truth is education cannot help you much. In the first place, it will take a long time before education can effect a regular upheaval in society. In the second place, if there are some highly educated men who are thoroughly convinced of the evils arising from early marriage, they are powerless to prevent such marriage taking place in their families, either because they have elders. who manage their affairs, or for fear that, owing to the prevalence of the custom of early marriages among persons of position, suitable matches will not be procurable if the children are allowed to grow up; or because of the necessity they may be under, owing to limited pecuniary means, of getting presents on accouut of their sons to transfer them to their growing daughters. Supposing none of these obstacles exists, an educated man may set an example by postponing the marriage of his son or daughter, but the example is at the best of a negative character àud will hardly act on others. Every one wants the custom to be created-for every one wants the whole of his community to follow a certain line of conduct. Voluntary effort can, therefore, achieve but little. * Now unfortunately no more. A HINDU SOCIAL REFORM MISSIONARY.-It is instructive to notice that, while educated men are doing next to nothing to check the evil, it is ramifying in several directions. Have any of you, gentlemen, read a small manual called "Coorg Civil Law" published in 1871? The Chief Commissioner of Coorg refers to it, and says that within the last 40 years, child marriages, which were unknown before, have come into vogue, and that the Coorgs have not been "superior to the temptation of following the example set by the Brahmins, Rajputs and other caste races, who have come to settle among them in increasing numbers." These caste races ought therefore to realise their heavy responsibility, and effect some reform. MR. BAJABA RAMCHANDRA PRADHAN.-There is no doubt that any reform adopted by the higher castes will be taken up by the lower and less educated classes of the people. MR. SHANTARAM NARAYAN.-Most certainly. The lower classes of course regulate their social procedure by the example of the higher classes. I can mention non-Brahmin communities among whom widow-marriage was allowed and practised formerly, but who within living memory declared themselves against the custon. KUMAR P. BHUSHANA DEVA, RAJA OF NALDANGA.-In Bengal, society is led by rich men of the upper classes, the mass of the people following in their wake. The priests and the pandits watch which way the wind blows, and shape their opinions accordingly. RAO SAHIB S. H. CHIPLONKAR.—I too do not deny that the larger and more predominant easte almost invariably sets the fashion, and thus the contagion spreads. But I maintain that this system of marriage is least prevalent amongst the Brahmins as compared with the non-Brahminical sections of the Hindu community, and that therefore the Brahmins are no way responsible for it. Mr. N. C. BISWAS.-It is only low-caste Hindus that countenance it in Bengal, and I am happy to say this abominable custom does not now-a-days suit the taste of the upper ten of the Hindu community. R. S. VISHRAM RAMJI GHOLLAY.-I cannot understand this at all. Among our Brahmins some girls above the of age twelve are found unmarried, but as a rule the Brahmins are bound, so to say, to get their girls married before this age. The girls of high-caste Mahrattas-called Mahrattas properhowever do remain unmarried in very many instances till twenty or more years. PANDIT GATTULAL-A caste can't be a high caste, Rao Sahib, if it defers the marriage of its girls to such an age The Shastras say: "A girl is called Gauri in the 8th year of her age, a Rohini in the 9th year, a Kanya in the 10th year, and after that a Rajasvala, that is, one having the menses. The menses are found in women in their 11th or 12th year. If the flower does not disclose itself, still it exists within. One goes to the Nak world by giving a Gauri in marriage, to the Vaikunth by giving a Rohini, to the Brahma world by giving a Kanya, and to the Raurav hell, by gïving a Rajasvala.” All these high-caste people that you speak of, Rao Sahib, will go to this place. A HINDU DEMOCRITUS.-Yes, most certainly, unless they give gold to Brahmins. When the doughty Parasurama, 'after having thrice seven times cleared the world of Kshatrias and conquered the whole earth' went to Vasishtha, Agastya, and Kasyapa, and inquired what the best penance was for deeds of violence, their reply was: 'gifts of cows, land and especially gold to Brahmins.' Why 'especially gold ?'-asked Parasurama and they said: "The purifying power of gold, oh Parasurama, is very great. Those who bestow it, bestow the gods.' 'How so' asked again the puzzled son of Jamadagni. 'Know oh Brahmin hero', was the rejoinder, 'know that Agni (Fire) com prehends all the gods, and gold is of the essence of Agni.'* So Parasurama gave gold and was cleansed of all sin. The Panditji ought therefore to make this important qualification, for Brahmins, as he knows, hold, as it were, the keys of all transmigrations. As Bhisma is made to say in the Mahabharata: "The prowess of Brahmins can destroy even the gods......They can turn what is not divine into what is divine and the converse; and can, in anger, create other worlds with their guardians. They are the gods of the gods and the cause of the cause. An ignorant Brahmin is a god, whilst a learned. Brahmin is yet more a god, like the full ocean.t I bow with 'bated breath' to the Brahmins-for by their favour the Himalaya stands and the Ganga flows, and I suppose even the British rule also. A HINDU HERACLITUS.-No profane banter, please. I say woe unto those who have corrupted our Shastras in this fashion. RAM SHASTRI.-There is no corruption at all. I can quote at least fourteen authorities to prove that the girl who sees the menses in her father's house, before marriage, is impure, and her father is guilty of bhorunmahatya-that is fœticide. Such a girl is rightly considered to be a Vrishali or Shudra female. RAO SAHIB VISHRAM R. GHOLLAY.-Do you mean to say all pure Maharatta girls married late are Shudras? Pray, Shastriji, remember this is insulting language. I cannot stand it. MR. VENKUT RANGO KATTI.-But, Rao Sahib, Ram Shastri tells the truth. The reason assigned for not marrying a girl under six is that Soma, Gandharva and Agni claim her each for two years from her birth. To get her married between six and eight is the very best, between nine and ten, a middling * Mahabharata Anusasanaparva 3960--4183 Muir's Sanskrit Texts Vol. 1 (2nd Edition) p. 461. + Ibid 7164-7181 Muir I-473, |