Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/283

 RELIGION OP BALI. 239 duism. Such, however, I am informed, do exist in other parts of the island. The Brahmins are treated with great respect, and contrary to the practice of India, which places the magistracy in the hands of the military class, are entrusted with the administration of justice, civil and criminal. The princes and chiefs are usually of the military order, but this is not in- variable, for the princes of the family of Karang- asam, the most powerful in the island, and who, of late years, conquered the neighbouring Maha- medan island of Lombok, are of the mercantile or- der, a fact which shows, that the institution of the casts is not tenaciously adhered to. The Brahmans, in external appearance, are easily distinguished from the inferior classes, for the former wear the hair long, and tie it in a knot at the back of the head, as in India, while the latter invariably crop it short ; neither they, how- ever, nor the other twice- born casts, wear the diS" tinguishing thread of the superior orders. In conformity to their profession of being sectaries of Siwa, the Balinese pay their principal adoration to Mahadewa, whom they generally designate Prama Siwa, or the Lord Siwa, but he is known to them also by many of the epithets under which he is recognized in India, such as Kala, Anta-pati, Nilakanta, Jagat-nata, &c. In their solemn in- vocations, the Balinese frequently prefix to hisf