Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 19.djvu/929

* VAISHNAVAS. 793 VALCKENAER. due in succession some of the reform movements of more recent times. The Northern School ( Vadiigalis) linUl to the "monkey doctrine,' while the Soutlicrn Sdiool (Tenyahiis) atlect the "eat doctrine.' The former doctrine holds that Ood saves the sinner as a monkey does its young, by allowing the young to embrace it and be carried to safety. The cat doctrine is Calvinistic, aftirming that God saves as does a cat, by picking uji the kitten without concur- rence or effort on the kitten's part. The Ten- galais are the more numcrmis and have a theo- logical literature written in Tamil. But the great difference between Krishnaites and Ramaitcs is moral and intellectual. The Krishnaite aishnavas, with few exceptions, such as that of the high-caste JIadhva sect, are as epicurean and licentious in practice as they are unphilosophical in intellect. What literature they possess is small, apart from erotic poetry. On the other hand, the Rama schools have elabo- rated complete theological systems, and, gener- ally speaking, they are morally above reproach, ilost Ramaites hold that the deity is not without qualities, and in logical conclusion they main- tain that Rama as Vishnu has a heaven of pure delight in which the believer will lead a pure but joyful existence, not being absorbed into the divine essence. In consequence of the moral tone of the Rama Vaishnavas, it is from them rather than from the Krishnaites that the later re- formers draw their inspiration. Such reformers were in no sense themselves Vaishnavas, but rather deists and unitarians who are unsectarian. Kabir, one of the <lisciples of Ramanand, founded the sect of the Kabir Panthis, which still has a large following in Xorthern India, but unites Rama and the divine monkey, Hanuman (q.v. ), in one common worship. A purel.v deistie sect also claiming Ramanand as the teacher of their founder is that of the Dadu Panthis. The litera- ture of the modern Vaishnava sects is best rep- resented by the Rnmcaritmniias of Tulasidasa, the greatest of modern Hindu poets, and by the Premsagar or 'ocean of love.' an erotic-religions poem of the Vallabha sect. For the older litera- ture, see the article Vishxu. It remains onl}' to be said of the Vaishnavas that some of the sub-sects worship almost ex- clusively the 'female side of Vishnu,' in the form of his wife, Lakshmi. or in that of Sita, the wife of Rama. The Vaishnavas have several famous festivals, the chief being that of the Rath Ydha in Bengal, in which au image of the god is car- ried in a procession, the Junmaxtami or birthday festival of the Child Krishna at Benares, and the Riis Ydha or dance festival, commemorating the dancing of Krishna with the Gopis, his mis- tresses. The general sign of all Vaishnavas con- sists of two perpendicular marks on the forehead. They revere as symbols the Tnlasi-plant and the salagrama stone, a white pebble; the veneration for this latter as a symbol, however, is of recent origin. Consult: Wilson, tSlietch of the Religious Sects of Hindus (edited by Eost, London. 1862) : Williams, Brnhmnnisni and Hinduism, or Reli- (lious Thouciht a tid Life in India (3d ed.,ib.,1887) ; Barth, Religions of India (ib., 1881) ; Hopkins. Religions of India (Boston. 189.5). VAISYA, vl'shya (.Skt. rriiHyn. from vii, people). The third or agricultural and business class in the constitution of the early community of India. See (.'astk. VALAAM, vA-liim' (Finnish V alamo). A small island in the northern part of Lake Ladoga (((.v. ) Northwestern Russia. It is very pieture-sque and surrounded by numerous islets. On its southern end is the famous Valaam Mon- astery of the Transfiguration, which attracts nu- merous pilgrims. VALAIS, va'lA' (Ger. M'allis). A southern canton of Switzerland, bounded by the cantons of Bern and Vaud on the north. I'li. Ticinu, and Italy on the east, Italy on the south, and France on the west (Map: Switzerland, B 2). Area, 2027 square miles. It consists of the valley of the Rhone and a number of lateral valleys along its tribiitaries, inclosed by the Bernese Alps on the north and the Valais Alps on the south. Valais abounds in glaciers which occupy about one-fifth of its area. The highest point is the Dufour Peak on iMonte Rosa, over 15,000 feet. 'alais contains many kinds of minerals, prin- cipally lead, gold, iron, anthracite, marble, and limestone. Most of these minerals are worked. The canton is chiefly pastoral, vineyards and orchards being found only in the deep valleys. The wines of Valais are well known. The chief manufactures of the canton are soap, glass, sugar, and dynamite. The Constitution of Valais provides for a legislative assembly (Grand Vonseil) elected directly at the rate of one mem- ber for every 1000 inhabitants. The capital is Sion (q.v.). Population, in I'.tOO. lU.l.iS. almost en- tirely Roman Catholic. The French-speaking inhabitants, who form about two-thirds of the population, inhabit the western part of the can- ton and the German-speaking the eastern. The valley of the Upper Rhone, the Vallis Pwnina of the Romans, was conquered by the Romans in B.C. 57, and later incorporated with Rhoetia. On the dissolution of the Roman Em- pire the region was occupied by the Burgundians, whose rule was supplanted by that of the Franks. After the disruption of the Frankish realm, at the close of the ninth century, it formed part of the Kingdom of Transjnrane liurgundy and then of the Kingdom of Aries. Later the bishops of Sion and the counts of Savoy held sway in Western or Lower Valais, contending with each other for dominion, while L'pper Valais was colonized by Germans, who founded a number of independent comnuuiities or 'tithings.' Finally, in the fifteentli century. Upper Valais, after join- ing the Swiss Confederation, secured control of Lower Valais. which was ruled as a subject terri- tory. In 1708 the whole region became part of the Helvetic Reiiulilic. In 1802 Valais was made an independent republic by Napoleon, who an- nexed it in ISIO to France as the Department of Sinijilon. It was freed in I8I4, and in 1815 was constituted a canton of the Swiss Confederation. It took part in the Le.a_gue of Sarnen as well as in the Sonderbund. VALCKENAER. viil'kcniir. Lodewi.tk Kas- PAR (1715-85). An eminent Dutch classical scholar, born at Leeuwarden. and educated at Franeker and Lcyden. In 1741 he became professor of Greek at Franeker, and twenty- five years later was called to Lcyden. He is known for his editions of Furipides's Phecnissw (4th ed., 2 vols., 1824) and his Hippo-