In the course of more than 30 years as a missionary among the people of India, Abbe Dubois found ample opportunity to observe and record Hindu practices. His first manuscript on Hindu religion and sociology, written in French, was completed in 1806. This comprehensive, annotated translation of Dubois's 1815 thorough revision of his work was completed by Henry K. Beauchamp in 1897 and revised in 1905. It offers a rare glimpse of a little-known culture, and is a unique historical document of anthropological interest.
The first of three parts begins with a finely delineated view of Indian society, including commentary on the origin, divisions, and "advantages" of the caste system; the mythical origin of the Brahmins; descriptions of gurus or Hindu priests; and an explanation of the ceremonies of the Brahmins and other castes. Part II describes the four states of Brahminical life. It features discussions of the rules of conduct and etiquette; external and internal defilements; marriages between Brahmins and other Hindus; fasting; religious tolerance; Hindu ornaments; Brahmin wives and rules of conduct for married women; conditions of widowhood and funeral ceremonies; and samples of Hindu fables, tales, and poetry.
The final part considers, among other topics, the Hindu religion, including its feasts, temples, principal gods, and worship of animals and inanimate objects; the administration of civil and criminal justice; and the Hindu military system. Six appendices-with supplementary information on distinctions of caste, rules of conduct, and other topics-conclude this monumental work, a certain source of fascination for students, scholars, and anyone intrigued by Indian life and culture.