Of Saiva mendicants and ascetic orders, Dandis or staff-bearers, occnpy a place of pre-eminence. They worship Lord Siva in his form C of Bhairava, the 'Terrible' and profess to adore N!rguna and Niranjana, the deity devoid of attribute or passion. A sub-section of this Order are the Dandi Dasnamis or Dandi of ten-names, sed from their assuming one of the names of Sankara's four disciples and six of their pupils. (4 & •) D It is customary to consider the two religious orders of Dandis and Dasnamis as forming but one division. The classification is not, in every instance, correct but the practices of the two are, in many instances, blended and both denominations are accurately applicable to the same individual('). The Dandis, properly so-called, are the legitimate repreentatives E of the fourth Asrama, or mendicant life, into which the Hindu, according to the instructions of his inspired legislators, is to enter, after passing through the previous stages of student, householder and hermit. Adopting, as a general guide, the rules laid down in the original works, the Dandi is distinguished (5 &6 ) by carrying a small Dand, • F or wand, with several processes or projections from it, and a piece of cloth dyed with ;ed ochre in which the Brahmanical cord is supposed to be enshrined, att'ached to it. They develop within themseleves a complete detachment from the things of enjoyment either of this world or the next. Many Brahmans, even Pandits, or learned G (!) l.L.R. 10 Mad. 375, (l) l.L.R. 27 Mad. 435. (3) I.L.R. 33 Mad. 265. (4) H.H. Wilson, M. A. F.R.S. : 'Hindu Religions'-The Society for the Resuscitation of Indian Literature, Calcutta, 1899. (5) H.H. Wilson, M.A. F.R.S.: 'Religious Sects of the Hindus', Trubner & Co., London, 1861, pp. 191-205. H (6) Dr. J. N. Bhattacharjee : 'Hindu Castes and Sects' : Thacker, Spink & Co. Calcutta, 1896, pt. 2' Ch. III to V, pp. 374-387.
