Intermediate Sudra Castes.—The following nine castes, though lower in rank than the foregoing, are still within the pale of respectability:—(1) Vaishnav, followers of the reformed Vishnuvite religion introduced by Chaitanya. This is a religious sect rather than a caste, although it has come to be popularly regarded in the latter light. It is now divided into the following six classes:—(1) Sanjogí, (2) Bairágí, (3) Sáhibí, (4) Darvesh, (5) Sáin, and (6) Bául. The first of these are generally prosperous men engaged in trade, and living with their wives and families. They are subdivided into four sects, called Rámát, Nimát, Mádhaváchárjya, and Srí Sampradáya. The other classes of Vaishnavs are ascetics and religious mendicants. The Rámáts and Nimáts are Bráhmans by birth; and although the basis of the faith taught by Chaitanya was the religious equality of man, they have now gradually hardened themselves into a caste, and will not intermarry or eat with the others, each forming a separate community. I reproduce an interesting account of the Vaishnavs from a report by Mr. W. H. Verner, Census Report of 1872, p. 189:[1]—‘When used to designate a caste, the words Vaishnav and Bairágí have come to have the same meaning. But the word Bairágí literally means one free from the control of the passions, while Vaishnav simply means a follower of Vishnu. In this sense Hindus of all castes are found who call themselves Vaishnavs; and it is in this sense of a disciple or worshipper of Vishnu that the word is used to denote a great sect of Hindus as opposed to the Sáktas. But when used to denote a caste, its meaning is much restricted, and it becomes identical with Bairági. The caste claims Chaitanya, who lived at the end of the fifteenth and beginning of the sixteenth century, as its founder. He was assisted by Adwaitánand and Nityánand; and these three men are called the prabhus, or leaders of the caste. There were six principal disciples (chhátra) of Chaitanya, eight bards (kabiráj), and sixty-four principal mendicants (ádi-mahanta), and these are all held in honour. The Gosáins of Sántipur, in the Nadiyá District, are the descendants of Adwaitánand, and those of Khardah, near Barrackpur, of Nityánand. Apparently the descendants of the leaders, disciples, bards, and principal mendicants already referred to are Gosáins; and it is among these Gosáins that the spiritual teachers of the Vaishnavs or Bairágís are found. The special character of the doctrine of Chaitanya is comprised in the one word bhakti,—devotion
- ↑ See also my ‘Orissa,’ vol. i. 106-101.
