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OF THE HINDUS.
205
The chief practices and designations of the Dandis, as generally characteristic of them, have been already adverted to, but a great variety prevails in the details'. Their philosophical tenets in the main are those of the Vedánta system, as taught by SANKARA and his disciples; but they generally superadd the practice of the Yoga, as taught by the followers of PATANJALI, and many of them have latterly adopted the doctrines of the Tantras. Besides SANKARA, the different orders of Dandis bold in high veneration the Muni DATTÁTREYA, the son of Atri and Anasúvá. By virtue of a boon bestowed upon ATRI or, according to one legend, on his wife by the three deities BrahmA, VISIŃt, and Sia, that sage had three sons, Soma, DATTA, and DURVÁsAS, who were severally portions of the deities themselves?. DATTA, or DATTÁTREYA, was eminent for his practice of the Yoga, and hence is held in high estimation by the Jogís, of whom we are next to speak, whilst, as an incarnation of a portion of VISHŃU, he is likewise venerated by the Vaishnavas.
YOGÍS or JOGÍS. The Dandís are to the Saiva sects what the followers of RÁMÁNUJA are to those of the Vaishnava
A specimen of the independent but scarcely orthodox Dandi is presented in the well known personage Puráň Gir, of whom Mr. Duncan published an account in the 5th volume of the Asiatic Researches.
? Bhagaval, Book IV, [1, 15. 33.] and Márkanieya Purana, Chapter XVI, [1:1 ff. XVII, 11. Vishnu Pur. p. 83.]
