The author of this book affirms he has seen a great number of Srivaras and their followers. From them he knew _Meher chand_, a _Lúnú_, in the year 1056 of the Hejira (1646 A. D.), in Dotárah, which is under the dominion of Jodpur Márawár, he found also Síva rama, a Pujári, in Mírta, which place belongs to Marawar, and one named _Jagna_, a Banian, in Ráwel Pandi: he was adorned with all the good qualities of Jatis. When he saw a bird in the hands of a fowler, he bought it of him and set it free. This sect do whatever they can for the liberation of living beings. Many of them are rájas in several places and countries. When one brings a goat which he has bought somewhere, and is disposed to kill it, they come from their shops and buy the animal at a high price; thus it has been seen that, having assembled from all hands a great number of sheep, they appointed a person to take care of them. It is said, that in Guzerat lived a Banian who was a Jati; one day, a Muselman Durvish sat down before his shop, and having picked vermin from his coat, was about to kill it; the Banian interposed; the Durvish said: “If thou wilt give me something, I may spare it;” the Banian offered a _pie_;[373] the other wanted more and more, until the bargain closed with the sum of one hundred rupees, which the Banian paid for the liberation of the offensive insect. Hafiz Shirázi says:
“Avoid hurting any living animal, and do whatever thou likest, For in my book of laws there is no crime but this.”
[369] More correctly Yatis. See note, p. 195. This section appears to apply more properly to the _Jainas_, that is, to one of the great divisions of the followers of Buddha. The Jainas are subdivided into a great number of tribes and religious sects, a long series of which is enumerated in the work quoted by Lieut.-Col. Miles (p. 351-363).
[370] In the note, p. 195, are mentioned the _Jatis_, or _Yatis_, also called _Sévras_ among the Jainas of Guzerat and Marwar. According to the same authority (Transact. R. A. S., vol. III. p. 344), these are distinguished from the _Sravakas_, as the laity of the Jainas are called in that country. According to Major de la Maine (work quoted, vol. I. p. 413), the Sravacs are the only considerable part of the earlier Jains or Arhats. “Sravakas,” says Doctor Buchanan Hamilton (_ibid._, p. 531), “is the name given to the Jains in the districts of Bahar and Patna.” The three authors just quoted agree in stating that the priests of the Sravakas are called Yatis. The Dabistan reads سريوره, _Srivarah_, which may be correct श्री वर “the elect of happiness.”