Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 547

RENUNCIATION OF LAND AND GOLD
507
and the landed properties that a man can acquire in the
course of his life, the possession of a whole kingdom not
They had so completely severed themselves
excepted.
from the temporal blessings of this world, and had showed
themselves so entirely disinterested, that their exhortations
and example sometimes induced even kings to leave their
dominions in contempt for the pomp and circumstance by
which they were surrounded, and to join with them in
leading an ascetic life in the jungle. Hindu books mention
with approbation several cases of this sort. These anchorite
princes sometimes outdid the Vanaprasthas themselves in
and the latter, far from showing
fervour and austerity
themselves jealous, as a reward for such great zeal granted
the princes the signal favour of allowing them to become
penitent Brahmins, thus enrolling them in their own
;
caste.
By
the desire of gold the Vanaprasthas understood not
metal alone, but also all the honours and luxuries of
life which can be procured with money, such as lucrative
employments, valuable household goods, fine houses, rich
apparel, dainty fare, &c.
They displayed a complete aver-
this
sion
from
all
these false blessings.
The furniture
of their
huts was confined to a few brass and earthenware vessels.
They considered themselves passing rich when they possessed
a few cows to furnish the milk which formed their chief
and it was the gift of one of these animals that
diet
pleased them most. Hindu books relate extravagant
For instance,
stories about the cows of these ascetics.
one of them furnished not only the milk but all the victuals
necessary for an entire army K A neighbouring prince
heard of this wonderful beast, and conceived the plan of
carrying her off by force from the Vanaprastha, who had
received her from the gods as a reward for his great piety
but the cow, as brave as she was fruitful, charged the prince's
army and completely routed it
As these devotees lived very frugally, their expenditure
was but small. The offerings brought to them by their
numerous admirers were not only sufficient to keep them
in food, but also placed them in a position to make doles
;
;
!
1
This
is
the cow
Kamadhewu mentioned
in a previous chapter.
Ed.