Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-31
Iuf tlf " NAN'lAilAi
Customs Of the Hindus.

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All the religious books Of the llindus are
called /" shasters," and they are 50 numer-
Gus that an entire human lifetime would be
insufficient to read them. They are written
in Sanscrit, dead language, which is de-
scribed as being very copious, perfect in its
construction, and exquisitely refined. The
IIindus are a religious pcope-their gods, ac-
oording to the shasters, numbering three
hundred and thirty millions. These gods
are not acting together for the good Of man'
kind, bht fght and quarrel, and commit
crimes Of frightful description. Images are
made in various forms, as horrid and unnat-
ural as can be conceived, as objects of wor-
ship. Kali and SILVA, are two prominent
deities, the latter being husband Of the for
mer.
The Shasters teach that the souls Of the
departed are divided into five classes. The
first re-unite with the eternal spirit, and lose
their identity The second are admitted 10
the various heavens Of the gods. The third
are sent to places Of torment. The fourth
again become the offspring Of human pa
reuts, and the fifth become birds, beasts and
insects Hence should Hindu swallow or
inhale an insect he might possibly swallow
his own father-an event which is guarded
against by one sect, who wear sort Of
strainor over the mouth.
Perhaps there is no one point in which
Christianity has more direct influence upon
community than in the character and stand
ing Of the female sex. The Hindu female,
at the age of twelve or thirteen years, must
leave her home, TO be the wife Of a man she
has never seen. The Shasters teach that
woman has no other God on the earth than
her husband She must serve him with all
her might, obeying him in all things, see no
defects in his character, aud give him no
cause for disquiet. She must never eat till
be is satisfied, and if he dies, she must never
marry again To females, then, is the gos-
pei glad tidings Of great joy"
With the Iliudus there is no progress in
life, no change Of customs. The fashion of
hlt1nf hA ANi lA'AAfAAr ot id''if tAht VI ha'ieo-
tions, is the same now as thousands of years
ago. An Englishman, wishing TO make
somcimprovements, tried to substitute wheel
barrows for the baskets in which the natives
carry burdens on their heads. In his pres
ence they used Them and admitted that they
were preferable to baskets. He returned
one day unexpectedly, after a short absence,
and, 10, all his laborers were carrying wheel
barrows, filled with earth on their heads '
They could not be induced 10 violate the Gus
toms of their ancestors.
One rite for the repose Of the departed is
performed by consecrating male calf, with
various ceremonies Of dedication, TO SILVA,
and then allowing him to run at large. The
yagrant calves are so many religious mendi-
cants. Being obliged to provide for them
selves, they become very cunning and impu-
dent The deluded inhabitants dare not
molest them, and so they prowl. and grow
fat, and after life Of ease and plenty, die Of
old age These are the sacred cattle Of India
Who can but wish success to Christianity
even If it were only for this life its benefits
are to be received and the overthrow of
idolatry its only object.