he founder. His disciples
worship the divine ape, Hanuman[76] (conspicuous in both epics), as
well as R[=a]ma. They are called 'the liberated,' Avadh[=u]tas, but
whether because they are freed from caste-restrictions,[77] or from
the strict rules of eating enjoined by R[=a]m[=a]nuja, is doubtful.
R[=a]m[=a]nand himself had in turn twelve disciples. Of these the most
famaous is Kab[=i]r, whose followers, the Kab[=i]r Panth[=i]s (sect),
are widely spread, and of whom no less a person than N[=a]nak, the
Sikh, claimed to be a successor. But it will be more convenient to
describe the Sikhs hereafter. Of R[=a]m[=a]nand's other disciples that
founded sects may be mentioned Kil, whose sectaries, the Kh[=a]kis, of
Oude, unite successfully R[=a]ma-worship, Hanuman-worship, and Civaite
fashions (thus presenting a mixture like that of the southern
M[=a]dhvas, who unite the images of Civa and Vishnu). The R[=a]s
D[=a]sa sect, again, owes to its founder the black C[=a]lagr[=a]ma
pebble, an object of reverent awe, which gives rise to a sort of
sub-cult subsequently imitated by others.[78] Another widely-spread
sect which claim R[=a]m[=a]nand as their founder's teacher is that of
the D[=a]d[=u] Panth[=i]s. This branch also of the Ramaites we shall
more appropriately discuss under the head of deism (below). Finally,
we have to mention, as an outcome of the R[=a]m[=a]nand faith, the
modern R[=a]m[=a]yana, Ramcaritmanas, the new bible of the sect,
composed in the sixteenth century by Tulas[=i]d[=a]sa ('slave of
Vishnu'),the greatest of modern Hindu poets. What the Divine Song and
the Bh[=a]gavata Pur[=a]na are to the Krishnaite, the older (epic)
R[=a]m[=a]yana of V[=a]lm[=i]ki and Tulas[=i]d[=a]sa's new poem (of
the same name) are to the Ramaite.[79]

THE KRISHNAITES.

There are two great sects that worship Vishnu as especially manifested
in the human form of Krishna. But, as distinguished from the
philosophical Ramaite, the Krishnaite is not satisfied with a
declaration of faith in the man-god, and in fact his chief cult is of
the child-god Krishna, the B[=a]la Gop[=a]la or Infant Shepherd. This
recalls the older Krishna (of the Harivanca), whose sporting with the
milk-maids is a favorite topic in later Krishnaite literature. As a
formulated cult, consisting for the most part of observances based on
the mystic side of affection for the personal saver of man (the
_bhakti_ principle of 'devotion,' erotically expanded[80]), this
worshi