of a million, some being celibate clergy, some householders.

In contrast to Vishnuism the following points are characteristic of
orthodox Brahmanism (Cankara's Vedantism): The orthodox believe that
there is one spirit in three forms, co-eternal impersonal
essences--being, knowledge, and joy. When it wills it becomes
personal, exists in the object, knows, rejoices, associating itself
with illusion. In this state it has three corporeal forms, causal,
subtile, gross. With the causal body (identified with illusion,
ignorance) it becomes the Supreme Lord, that is, the totality of
dreamless human spirits. With the subtile form it becomes the golden
seed, or thread-spirit (dreaming spirits); with the gross form it
becomes V[=i]r[=a]j, V[=a]icv[=a]nara, the waking spirit. The lowest
state is that of being wide awake. The personal god (Brahm[=a],
Vishnu, Civa, of the sectaries) is this it as influenced by the three
qualities, _rajas, sattva, tamas_ (passion, truth, and ignorance),
respectively. Three essences, three corporeal forms, and three
qualities constitute, therefore, the threefold trinity of the
orthodox, who are called Sm[=a]rtas, they that 'hold to
tradition.'[88] What the sectary rejects, namely, the scriptures (Veda
and Upanishads, etc.) and the caste system, that the orthodox retains;
what the sectary holds, namely, R[=a]m[=a]nuja's qualified
non-duality, and absolute godhead in Civa or Krishna, that the
orthodox rejects (although he may receive the sectary's god into his
pantheon). Some of the sects still keep respect for caste, excusing
their respect on the ground that "it is well enough for God to ignore
social distinctions, but not for man." But caste-distinctions are
generally ignored, or there is positive hate of the Brahman. In
antithesis to the orthodox, the sectaries all hold one other important
tenet. From the idea of _bhakti_, faith or devotion, was developed
that of love for Krishna, and then (as an indication of devotion) the
confession of the name of the Lord as a means of grace. Hence, on the
one hand, the meaningless repetition of the sect's special _kirttan_
or liturgies, and _mantra,_ or religious formula; the devotion,
demanded by the priest, of _man, tan, dhan_ (mind, body,[89] and
property); and finally, the whole theory of death-bed confessions.
Sinner or heretic, if one die at last with Krishna's name upon the
lips he will be saved.[90]

Of the sub-divisions of the sub-sects that we have de