March, 1873.] MISCELLANEA. 99 does it reveal itself to those who use it ?” inquired the king. “ In eight,” replied the disciple, adding as follows “ Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, speaking, and walking are our corporeal faculties ; but there is yet another faculty in us and throughout us, which includes in itself the three worlds, and comprehends all things in the small space of our bodies. This faculty is called nature by wise men, and soul by fools.” The king then became converted ; and having sent for Tatno, by the advice of Poloti, embraced the religion of Fo, whose mysteries were fully explained to him by the saint.—Asiatic Journal, vol. xxi, 1826. EXTRACTS FROM SHERRING’S ‘CASTES.’* KAYA8TH8. The Writer caste comes somewhere at the head of the S'udras, or between them and the Vais'yas. Nothing is known decisively respecting its origin ; and although disputation on the subject seems to have been unbounded, no satisfactory result has been arrived at. The Kayasths themselves affirm that their common ancestor, on the father’s side, was a BrAhman ; and therefore lay claim to a high position among Indian castes. But the BrAhmans repudiate the connection, and deny their right to the claim, giving them the rank of S'udras merely. Wilson, in his Glossary, states that they sprang from a Kshatriya father and a Vais'ya mother, but gives no authority for the assertion. According to the Padam PurAna, they derive their origin, like the superior castes, from BrAhma, the first deity of the Hindu Triad. The BrAhmans assent to this ; but add that it was from the feet of BrAhma, the least honourable part, from which they imagine all the S'udra castes have proceeded. The Kayasths as a body trace their descent from one Chitrgupt, though none can show who he was, or in what epoch he existed. They regard him as a species of divinity, who after this life will summon them before him, and dispense justice upon them accord¬ ing to their actions, sending the good to heaven and the wicked to hell. The Jatimala says that the Kayasths are true S'udras. Manu, however (X. 6), states that they are the offspring of a BrAhman father and a S'udra mother. With so many different authorities it is impossible to affirm which is correct. In point of education, intelligence, and enter¬ prise, this caste occupies deservedly a high posi¬ tion. A large number of Government officials in Indian courts of law, and of waqils, or barristers, belong to it ; and in fact it supplies writers and accountants to all classes of the community, official and non-official. Thus it comes to pass that the influence and importance of the Kayasths are felt in every direction, and are hardly equalled in pro¬ portion to their numbers by any other caste, not excepting even the Brahmanical. As revenue officers, expounders of law, keepers of registers of property, and so forth, they are extensively employ¬ ed ; indeed they regard such duties as theirs by special birthright, while other persons who may discharge them are, in their estimation, interlopers. These views are rudely dealt with by the liberal Government of India, which shows no respect to persons or castes, and selects for its servants the best qualified individuals. Nevertheless the Kay¬ asths adhere to the notion in spite of the difficulty of defending it. The proportion of men able to read and write in this caste is, I believe, greater than in any other, excepting the BrAhmans. They are eager in the pursuit of knowledge, and send their sons in large numbers both to the Government and missionary colleges and schools in all parts of the country. I understand that a considerable number of the women of this tribe can read ; and that it is esteem¬ ed a shame for any man of the caste not to be able to do so. In regard to their position in Bengal, Mr. Campbell, in his “ Ethnology of India,” makes the following observations :—“ In Bengal,” he says, “ tbe Kaits seem to rank next, or nearly next, to the BrAhmans, and form an aristocratic class. They have extensive proprietary rights in the land, and also, I believe, cultivate a good deal. Of the minis¬ terial places in the public offices they have the larger share. In the educational institutions and higher professions of Calcutta, they are, I believe, quite equal to the BrAhmans, all qualities taken together ; though some detailed information of different classes, as shown by the educational tests, would be very interesting. Among the native pleaders of the High Court, most of the ablest men are either BrAhmans or Kaits ; perhaps the ablest of all, at this moment (1866), is a Kait.” Speaking of the Kayasths in Hindustan Proper, in contradis¬ tinction to Bengal and other parts of India, his remarks are of value. “ Somehow there has sprung up this special Writer class, which among Hindus has not only rivalled the BrAhmans, but in Hindus¬ tan may be said to have almost wholly ousted them from secular literate work, and under our Govern¬ ment is rapidly ousting the Mahomedans also. Very sharp and clever these Kaits certainly are.”
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