the existing state of things many of his own ideas upon questions of religion, morality, and law. Nevertheless, however much the minuter parts of the picture presented to us in this book are to be attributed to the imagination of the legislator, and however much it may be necessary to soften down the particular features of the landscape, still, taken as a whole, it furnishes us with a very valuable representation of the early condition of the Hindu people. And its importance will be enhanced, when it is remembered that the natives of India at the present day regard it not only as the oldest, but as the most sacred text after the Vedas, and that it still furnishes the basis of Hindu jurisprudence.

The original work is entirely wanting in arrangement, and the preceding extracts have been selected from various parts so as to give the cream of the whole with as much continuity and connexion as the subject would admit. The reader must understand that the most remarkable feature in Hindu society, as depicted in the Institutes, is the division of the people into four classes or castes 1st, The Sacerdotal; 2d, The Military; 3d, The Commercial; 4th, The Servile. The first three classes, though by no means equal, were admitted into one common pale, and called by the common name of twice-born." With reference to them alone were these Institutes composed, the 4th class being in that state of degradation which would seem to indicate that they were the aborigines of the soil, subject to a conquering race. As to the 1st, or Sacerdotal Class, the Brahmans who formed it were held to be the chief of all human beings; they were even superior to the king, and their lives and property were protected by the most stringent laws. They were to divide their lives into four quarters (or orders), living for the first quarter as students with their preceptors; for the second, as householders with their families; for the third, as anchorites in the woods; for the fourth, as religious mendicants, wandering from house to house, and emaciating their bodies by mortification and austerity. As to the 2d, or Military Class, although much inferior in rank to the Sacerdotal, they enjoyed great privileges, and, inasmuch as the king and his ministers were taken from their body, must have been practically the most powerful. As to the 3d, or Commercial,

they were not held in much esteem, their duties being to keep cattle, till the ground, and engage in trade. The 4th, or Servile Class, were excluded from all political and religious privileges; and although it does not appear that they were the slaves of the state like those of Europe, their only duties were made to consist in serving the other three classes.

Mr. Elphinstone notices two great peculiarities in the society thus constituted: 1st, the little importance attached to the direction of public worship and religious ceremonies by the Brahmans; 2dly, the strictness with which all the actions of the Brahmans are regulated, as if living in a convent, and not scattered over a vast tract of country, without head or council or ecclesiastical government.

The annexed translation is partly founded upon that of Sir William Jones; but although, in some passages, the words of that distinguished oriental scholar have been followed, it has been thought desirable to introduce many alterations in the present

version.

TRANSLATION.

ORIGIN OF THE FOUR CLASSES, AND GENERAL VIEW OF THEIR DUTIES. 1. For the sake of the preservation of all this creation, the Supreme in glory assigned separate duties to those who sprang respectively from his mouth, his arm, his thigh, and his foot.

2. To Brahmans he assigned the duties of teaching, of reading, of sacrificing, of assisting at sacrifices, of giving, and (if indigent) of receiving.

3. The (duties) of a Kshatriya are, in brief, the defence of the people, giving, sacrificing, reading, freedom from attachment to sensual pleasures.

4. To the Vaishya (he assigned the duties of) keeping cattle, giving, sacrificing, reading, trading, lending money at interest, and agriculture.

5. To the Shudra, the Supreme Ruler appointed one single duty, the service of these (other) classes ungrudgingly.

6. Of created things, the most excellent are those which are animated; of the animated, those endued with intellectual life;

K K

of the intelligent, mankind; and of men, Brahmans (or the sacerdotal class).

7. Of Brahmans, those who are learned (in the ritual); of the learned, those whose minds are acquainted with their duty; of those who are acquainted with their duty, such as perform it; of such as perform it, those who have acquaintance with the Supreme Spirit.

8. The seniority of Brahmans (or priests) is from sacred learning; of Kshatriyas (or soldiers) from valour; of Vaishyas (or merchants and husbandmen) from (abundance of) grain and money; of Shūdras (or slaves) from priority of birth alone.

9. The Brahman, the Kshatriya, and the Vaishya are the three twice-born classes (their sacred birth taking place at their investiture with the sacred thread); but the fourth class, or Shudra, is once-born (as being excluded from investiture with the thread); there is no fifth class (except those which are mixed and impure).

the first, or SACERDOTAL CLASS (OR BRAHMANS). Duties of the Brahman in the first Order (Ashrama) or Quarter of his Life, as a Brahmachārī, or Student of Religion, subject to his Guru or Preceptor.

10. Learning, having approached a Brahman, said to him, "I am thy divine treasure, preserve me, deliver me not to a scorner; so (preserved) I shall become supremely strong.

11. But communicate me to that student who will be a careful guardian of the treasure, and whom thou shalt know to be pure, self-governed, and a Brahmachārī.”

12. Where virtue and worldly means (sufficient to secure it) are not found, or diligent attention proportioned (to the holiness of the subject), in that soil divine knowledge must not be sown, like good seed on barren land.

13. A teacher of the Veda should be willing to die with his learning rather than sow it in sterile soil, even though he be in grievous distress.

14. A Brahman who is the causer of spiritual birth, the teacher of proper duties, even though a child, becomes by right the father of an old man.

15. A man is not therefore aged because his head is gray; him surely the gods consider as aged, who, though young, is well read in Scripture.

16. As an elephant made of wood, as an antelope made of leather, so is an unread Brahman; these three (merely) bear the

name.

17. These (following) rules must a Brahmachārī observe, whilst dwelling with his preceptor, keeping all his passions under controul, for the sake of increasing his habitual devotion.

18. When commanded by his preceptor, and even when he has received no command, let him always be diligent in reading and in friendly offices toward his teacher.

19. A teacher, a father, a mother, and an elder brother, are not to be treated with disrespect, especially by a Brahman, even though he be much irritated.

20. That trouble which a mother and father undergo in rearing their children is a debt which cannot be repaid even in hundreds of years.

21. Let a man constantly do what may please these (his parents), and on all occasions what may please his preceptor; when these three are satisfied, his whole course of devotion is accomplished.

22. Obedience to these three is called the highest devotion, and without their approbation he must perform no other duty. 23. Of (the youth) who habitually greets and constantly reveres the aged, four things obtain increase-life, knowledge, fame, strength.

24. As a man who digs deep with a spade comes to a spring of water, so he who is diligent in serving (his preceptor) attains the knowledge which lies in his teacher's mind.

25. Even from poison nectar may be taken, even from a child gentleness of speech: a believer in Scripture may receive a good lesson even from a man of the lowest class.

26. Therefore the highest virtue, learning, purity, gentleness of speech, and various liberal arts should be collected by him from all quarters.

which run wild among

ravishing objects of sense, a wise man should apply diligent care, like a charioteer in managing (restive) steeds.

28. Desire is never satisfied with the enjoyment of desired objects, as the fire (is not appeased) by clarified butter, it only blazes more vehemently.

29. By addiction to his sensual organs a man undoubtedly incurs guilt; but having kept them in subjection, he thence attains heavenly bliss.

30. Neither the Vedas, nor almsgiving, nor sacrifices, nor strict observances, nor pious austerities, ever lead that man to heavenly felicity who is inwardly depraved.

31. Having kept all his organs of sense under controul, and obtained command over his heart also, he will accomplish every object, even though he reduce not his body by religious austerities.

32. But when one among all his organs gives way, by that single defect his knowledge of divine truth passes away, as water leaks through (a single crack in) a leathern vessel.

33. He whose discourse and heart are pure and ever perfectly guarded, attains all the fruit acquired by a complete course of studying the Veda.

34. Let a Brahman constantly shrink from worldly honour as he would poison, and rather always earnestly desire disrespect as he would nectar.

35. For though scorned he may sleep with pleasure; with pleasure may he awake; with pleasure may he pass through this life; but the scorner utterly perishes.

36. The Brahman who thus without deviation passes the time of his studentship, ascends (after death) to the most exalted regions, and is not again subject to birth in this lower world.

Duties of the Brahman in the second order or quarter of his life, as a Grihastha, or Householder.

37. Let a Brahman, having dwelt with a preceptor for the first quarter of his life, pass the second quarter of life in his own house, as a married man.

38. With no injury to animated beings, or with as little injury