Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XXII. Heathenism and Christianity—The Religion of the Hindoos—Caste—The Brahmins—Their Tyranny—Superstition—The Influence of Christianity—Keshub-Chunder-Sen, the Indian Reformer—His faith and Influence
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IS 219.2 Story of an Emigrant.
heaven, and whoever wishes success in anything must fete
the Brahmins and wash their feet. Whoever bequeathes land
or other valuable property to the Brahmins on his death-bed
immediately receives forgiveness of sins and the greatest
bliss in heaven. To drink the water in which a Brahmin
has washed his feet and to lick the dust from under a
Brahmin’s feet are works of great merit for the life which is to
come. No one but a Brahmin is allowed to give religious
O o
instruction, and all offerings to the gods must be brought to
the Brahmin, because 110 ceremony will avail anything
unless it is accompanied by an offering to them. Therefore a
multitude of ceremonies have been introduced by the
Brahmins in order that their coffers may be well filled. I will
name a few of those ceremonies which relate to everybody’s
life and death, and which cannot, therefore, be neglected.
As soon as a mother knows she has conceived, a Brahmin
must be sent for to read certain formulas; when the child is
born a Brahmin must be called for the same purpose, also
when it is a week, six months, two years and eight years
old, and again when the young people are to be married ; in
all cases of sickness, at the death-bed, at the cremation of
the body, and every month the first year after a person’s
death; and at each one of these visits the Brahmin is entitled
to money or other gifts. Also if a family is subject to any
misfortune the Brahmin must be called to conjure the evil
powers; if a bird of prey alights 011 the roof, the owner of
the house must call a Brahmin to purify the house by his
blessing; when he moves into a new house the Brahmin must
bless it beforehand; when a man dies on an unlucky day his
son must pay the Brahmin money to ward off a similar
ca-1 mity from him ; when a well is dug a Brahmin must bless
ic before its water can be used; during eclipses of the sun
and the moon everybody sends gifts to the Brahmins; at
every chance of the moon the Brahmin is entitled to gifts as
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