And the Wise Woman smiled to herself in the growing dusk. “The ignorant are incapable of receiving knowledge,” was what she said. IV DEVI--GODDESS! A young unmarried girl is by some in Bengal called _Kumari_--Princess, and when married, _Devi_--Goddess. I was musing on this, and all it told of the feeling of a Nation, and of the true beauty of that feeling at its best, when an old Prime-Minister friend of mine in a Native State came to invite me to a Ceremony. It is known how I love all things primitive and individual, and my orthodox Hindu friends are very good to me in remembering this. “But of course I will come,” I promised. “What is it this time?” “The worship of young girls,” said he. There was the idea again, the central idea in all Hindu thought in relation to women.... The worship of the _Life-Bringer_. It was very simple, as all such Ceremonies are, and free from all manner of false shame or conventionality. There was remembrance of the Creator; for the creature--the gentle little girls, such babies all of them--there were garlands of gay flowers, feastings and anointings with perfume of rose-leaves. There was also towards them in the manner of these kindly elders who had long looked on the face of Nature, a pretty dignity and reverence which could not fail to beautify the fact of Creation whenever it should draw nigh. Not long after, the youngest Bride in the household--she is but ten years of age--had a joy-making on her own account. She worshipped the Aged. They came in happy groups, the same who had so lately blessed her--toothless grandmother, great-aunt, cousins’ Mother, wife of Mother-in-Law’s Spiritual Guide--each had a name of her own in the dictionary of relationships. She received them charmingly, standing at the head of the Zenana stairs--the baby-hostess! falling at the feet (_parnam_) of those to whom she owed this courtesy, saluting others with joined hands raised to forehead (_numuscar_), and each made answer “Blessings,” hand on the child’s head. Then they sat in rows on little mats along the floor, and ate sweets and vegetables off green plantain leaves, their hostess waiting on them. This little exchange of religious obligation is all the etiquette, and makes all the social amenities known among orthodox women in India. It is hard to convey the idea, state the fact as one may, but the Hindu woman acknowledges no claims save those of religion. No social, no communal claims. Her worship of the Gods, of her husband, her children, they are all the same, part of her religion, and they make her life.