[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Histoire de la dernière révolution des États du Grand Mogol](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier) › [Travels in the Mogul Empire (Constable)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable) › 6.5 # Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 6.5 Travels in the Mogul Empire (Constable) 6.5 - **Language:** English ### [6.5.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5.1) I believe that extreme poverty, long fasts, and perpetual austerities count for something in the condition at which these men arrive. Our Friars and Hermits must not suppose that on these points they surpass the Jauguis or other Asiatic religionists. I can, for instances, appeal to the lives and fasts of the Armenians, Copts, Greeks, Nestorians, Jacobins, and Maronites; compared to these people our European devotees are mere novices, though it must be confessed, from what I have myself experienced, that the pains of hunger are not so sensibly felt in the Indies as in our colder climates. ### [6.5.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5.2) I have now to give an account of certain Fakires totally different from the Saints just described, but who also are extraordinary personages. They almost continually perambulate the country, make light of everything, affect to live without care, and to be possessed of most important secrets. The people imagine that these favoured beings are well acquainted with the art of making gold, and that they can prepare mercury in so admirable a manner that a grain or two swallowed every morning must restore a diseased body to vigorous health, and so strengthen the stomach that it may feed with avidity, and digest with ease. This is not all: when two of these good Jaugnis meet, and can be excited to a spirit of emulation, they make such a display of the power of Jauguism, that it may well be doubted if Simon Magus, with all his sorceries, ever performed more surprising feats. They tell any person his thoughts, cause the branch of a tree to blossom and to bear fruit within an hour, hatch an egg in their bosom in less than fifteen minutes, producing whatever bird may be demanded, and make it fly about the room, and execute many other prodigies that need not be enumerated. ### [6.5.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5.3) I regret that I cannot bear my testimony to the truth of all that people report of these conjurers. My Agah sent for one of these famous soothsayers, and promised to give him three hundred roupies (about an hundred and fifty crowns) if on the following day he would tell him, as he said he could do, what might then be passing in his mind, which he would previously write down in his presence to prevent any suspicion of unfair dealing on his own part. I engaged at the same time to present him with five-and-twenty roupies if he mentioned my thoughts; but the prophet did not again approach our house. On another occasion I was also disappointed in my expectation of the company of one of these egg-hatchers, to whom I had promised twenty roupies. Notwithstanding my diligence to pry into everything, I have never been so fortunate as to witness any marvellous performance; and whenever I happened to be present when a deed was done which excited the surprise of the spectators, it was generally my misfortune to examine and to question until I ascertained that the cause lay in some cheat or sleight of hand. I recollect detecting the gross deception of a fellow who pretended to find out, by the rolling of a cup, the person who had stolen my Agah's money. But there are Fakires of a much more comely appearance than those whom we have been considering, and their lives and devotion seem less extravagant. ### [6.5.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5.4) They walk the streets barefooted and bareheaded, girt with a scarf which hangs down to the knee, and wearing a white cloth which passes under the right arm and goes over the left shoulder in the form of a mantle, but they are without any under garment: their persons, however, are always well washed, and they appear cleanly in every respect. In general they walk two and two with a very modest demeanour, holding in one hand a small and fair three-footed earthen pot with two handles: they do not beg from shop to shop like many other Fakires, but enter freely into the houses of the Gentiles, where they meet with a hearty welcome and an hospitable reception, their presence being esteemed a blessing to the family. Heaven defend him who accuses them of any offence, although everybody knows what takes place between the sanctified visitors and the women of the house: this, however, is considered the custom of the country, and their sanctity is not the less on that account. I do not indeed attach much importance to their transactions with the females of the house: such practices we know are not confined to the Great Mogol's dominions; but what appears truly ridiculous is their impertinent comparison of themselves with our own clergy in the Indies. ### [6.5.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5.5) I have sometimes derived much amusement from their weakness and vanity: I used to address them with great ceremony, and apparently with the most profound respect, after which they immediately observed to one another: 'The Frangui knows who we are; he has resided many years in the Indies, and is well aware that we are the Padres of the Indoos.' But I dwell too long upon these heathen beggars, and shall proceed to notice the books of law and science. ### [6.5.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5.6) Do not be surprised if, notwithstanding my ignorance of Sanscrit (the language of the learned, and possibly that of the ancient Brahmens, as we may learn further on), I yet say something of books written in that tongue. My Agah, Danechmend-kan, partly from my solicitation and partly to gratify his own curiosity, took into his service one of the most celebrated Pendets in all the Indies, who had formerly belonged to the household of Dara, the eldest son of the King Chah-Jehan; and not only was this man my constant companion during a period of three years, but he also introduced me to the society of other learned Pendets, whom he attracted to the house. When weary of explaining to my Agah the recent discoveries of Harvey and Pecquet in anatomy, and of discoursing on the philosophy of Gassendi and Descartes, which I translated to him in Persian (for this was my principal employment for five or six years) we had generally recourse to our Pendet, who, in his turn, was called upon to reason in his own manner, and to communicate his fables; these he related with all imaginable gravity without ever smiling; but at length we became disgusted both with his tales and childish arguments. ### [6.5.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5.7) The Hindous then affirm that God, whom they call Achar, the Immovable or Immutable, has sent to them four books, to which they give the name of Beths, a word signifying science, because, according to them, these books comprehend all the sciences. The first of the books is named Atherbahed; the second Zagerbed; the third R\[...\]bed; and the fourth Samabed. These books enjoin that the people shall be divided, as in fact they are most effectually, into four tribes \[Tribus\]: first, the tribe of Brahmens, or interpreters of the law; secondly, the tribe of Quietterys, or warriors; thirdly, the tribe of Beseus, or merchants and tradesmen, commonly called Banyanes; and fourthly, the tribe of Seydra, or artisans and labourers. These different tribes are not permitted to intermarry, that is to say, a Brahmen is forbidden to marry a Quiettery, and the same injunction holds good in regard to the other tribes. The Gentiles believe in a doctrine similar to that of the Pythagoreans with regard to the transmigration of souls, and hold it illegal to kill or eat any animal ; an exception being made, however, in favour of a few of the second tribe, provided the flesh eaten be not that of the cow or peacock. For these two animals they feel a peculiar respect, particularly for the cow, imagining that it is by holding to a cow's tail they are to cross the river which separates this life from the next. ### [6.5.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5.8) Possibly their ancient legislators saw the shepherds of Egypt in a similar manner pass the river Nile, holding with the left hand the tail of a buffalo or ox, and carrying in the right a stick for the guidance of the animal ; or this superior regard for the cow may more probably be owing to her extraordinary usefulness, as being the animal which supplies them with milk and butter (a considerable part of their aliment), and which may be considered the source of husbandry, consequently the preserver of life itself. It ought likewise to be observed that owing to the great deficiency of pasture land in the Indies it is impossible to maintain large numbers of cattle ; the whole therefore would soon disappear if animal food were eaten in anything like the proportion in which it is consumed in France and England, and the country would thus remain uncultivated. The heat is so intense, and the ground so parched, during eight months of the year, that the beasts of the field, ready to die of hunger, feed on every kind of filth like so many swine. It was on account of the scarcity of cattle that Jehan-Guyre, at the request of the Brahmens, issued an edict to forbid the killing of beasts of pasture for a certain number of years ; and not long since they presented a similar petition to Aureng-Zebe, offering to him a considerable sum of money to ensure his compliance. ### [6.5.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5.9) They urged that the neglected and ruinous condition of many tracts of country during the last fifty or sixty years was attributable to the paucity and dearness of oxen. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.6.5) · Pramāṇa