DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.641#0050
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY. 43
by all the Hindoos ; who say, he would certainly have gone
to hell, if his wife had not burnt herself with him.—Since
this event Cbhuyu-churiinu died at Muttra; and his widow,
taking his clog and stick, renounced life at Calcutta, on a
funeral pile prepared for the purpose.
At present, the office of spiritual guide is often heredi-
tary, and of course is frequently in the hands of persons
really disqualified. Neither do the modern Hindoos pay
much regard to the qualifications of their teachers: these
guides too are equally careless respecting their disciples;
they give the incantation, and receive in return reverence
and presents. To become a religious guide it is only
necessary to be a bramhtin, and be acquainted with the
incantations. In many cases, indeed, the wives of bram-
huns become gooroos to their own children, as well as to
others, both male and female. It is considered as a happy
circumstance to receive the form of initiation from a
mother. Among the followers of Choitunyu, some shoo-
drus are gooroos.
The business of a religious guide is very profitable.
Some obtain a thousand disciples ; and all are ambitious of
guiding the rich. Upon a moderate calculation, the gooroo
of a thousand disciples receives in presents much more than
a thousand roopees annually. A poor man generally gives
his gooroo a roopee a year, or if he visit him twice a year,
two roopees. One or two of the Gosaees, descendants of
Choitunyu, have two or three thousand disciples.
Instances of disputes between a spiritual guide and a
disciple are not uncommon; in which case the former does
not fail to curse such a disobedient disciple in terms like
these: ' May your posterity perish.' ' May all your wealth
g 2
by all the Hindoos ; who say, he would certainly have gone
to hell, if his wife had not burnt herself with him.—Since
this event Cbhuyu-churiinu died at Muttra; and his widow,
taking his clog and stick, renounced life at Calcutta, on a
funeral pile prepared for the purpose.
At present, the office of spiritual guide is often heredi-
tary, and of course is frequently in the hands of persons
really disqualified. Neither do the modern Hindoos pay
much regard to the qualifications of their teachers: these
guides too are equally careless respecting their disciples;
they give the incantation, and receive in return reverence
and presents. To become a religious guide it is only
necessary to be a bramhtin, and be acquainted with the
incantations. In many cases, indeed, the wives of bram-
huns become gooroos to their own children, as well as to
others, both male and female. It is considered as a happy
circumstance to receive the form of initiation from a
mother. Among the followers of Choitunyu, some shoo-
drus are gooroos.
The business of a religious guide is very profitable.
Some obtain a thousand disciples ; and all are ambitious of
guiding the rich. Upon a moderate calculation, the gooroo
of a thousand disciples receives in presents much more than
a thousand roopees annually. A poor man generally gives
his gooroo a roopee a year, or if he visit him twice a year,
two roopees. One or two of the Gosaees, descendants of
Choitunyu, have two or three thousand disciples.
Instances of disputes between a spiritual guide and a
disciple are not uncommon; in which case the former does
not fail to curse such a disobedient disciple in terms like
these: ' May your posterity perish.' ' May all your wealth
g 2