Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 138

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THE SEVEN PENITENTS
virtues beyond what they themselves choose to teach
mankind, and that this knowledge in itself gives them the
Anyhow, their name is undoubtedly
right to bear his name.
derived from Brahma's. The old writers call them Brah-
Brahmahas,' which some of the Latin
manahas,' or
Brachmanes.' The great difference
authors turned into
between their caste and all others is that a Brahmin only
becomes a Brahmin after the ceremony of the triple cord,
which will be described hereafter. Until this essential
ceremony has been performed he ranks only as a Sudra.
By mere birth he is no different from the rest of his race
and it is for this reason that he is called Dvija (Bis genitus,
or Twice-born).
His first birth only gives him his man-
hood, whereas the second raises him to the exalted rank
of Brahmin, and this by means of the ceremony of the
triple cord.
Indeed, two out of the seven famous Peni-
tents, who are supposed to have been the original founders
of the various sects of Brahmins of the present day, did
not originally belong to this caste at all but by reason of
the length and austerity of their term of penance, they
were rewarded by having their state of penitent Kshatriyas
changed to that of penitent Brahmins by the investiture
of the triple cord.
These seven Penitents, or Rishis, or
Munis, of Hindu history (I shall often refer to them in the
pages of the present work) are the most celebrated per-
and
'
'
'
;
;
sonages recognized by the people of India.
Their names
Bharadwaja, Gautama, Viswamitra,
Jamadagni, and Vasishta.
The last-named and Viswa-
mitra are those who were considered worthy of being
admitted into the high caste of Brahmins. These far-
famed Rishis must be of great antiquity, for they existed
even before the Vedas, which allude to them in several
places.
They were the favoured of the gods, and more
especially of Vishnu, who at the time of the Deluge made
them embark on a vessel which he piloted, and thereby
saved them from destruction. Even the gods were called
to account for having offended these holy men, who did
not hesitate to curse the deities who committed infamies.
The seven Penitents, after setting a virtuous example
on earth, were finally translated to heaven, where they
occupy a place amongst the most brilliant constellations.
are Kasyapa,
Atri,