There was a pious Kais-th king, named Bisha-mithra, who wanted to be a Brahmun. As it is only in the power of Krishno to make him a priest, he determines to please him in spending his time in “toposhia,” prayer. Leaving his kingdom, riches, friends, and sundering the ties of relationship, he entered into a forest, and there, among the wild beasts, spent centuries in unceasing prayer. As self-torture is regarded very essential to propitiate some gods, this king used to kindle fires round his seat in the summer, and in winter immerse his body up to the neck in water, offering prayer to Krishno. His meal was, at the early part of his retired life, once a day, afterwards once a week, and even that consisted only of wild fruit. Year after year passed away, witnessing the mistaken piety of this king. At last pity awoke in the breast of Krishno, and he descended from his _goluck_, heaven, to bless the pious devotee. “Borung boorno,”--“Ask a boon, child,”--the god said. “Thy devotion, faith, and prayer have reached me. Now I have come to bless thee; tell me, what dost thou want?” The king, thus addressed, replied, “Object of universal adoration! If my tears, fasting, and prayers are so successful as to find a place in thy consideration, will not my heart’s desires, also, meet thy approbation? Yes, Lord, it is in thy power to cause a lame man to climb to the summit of mountains, a pigmy to reach the moon, and a babe to cross the unbounded ‘seven oceans,’ by swimming. What is unknown to thee? Art thou not the Inspector of all hearts? If thy servant has been commanded to reveal to thee his wants, he would then say that neither the aim for absolute lordship over the world, nor the desirable combination of long life and health, has made him to devote these tedious years in prayer and abstinence. What he earnestly wished for, is the life, the caste, the privilege of a Brahmun.” “Be still, child,” the Krishno replied; “ask for a home in my _goluck_, and it will be granted thee. But to make thee a Brahmun, in this thy present life, is impracticable. But I would meet thy demands partially. Henceforth thou shalt be a Rhēēsēē, not Monēē (a title of a Brahmun saint), write sacred books for the edification of thy castes, and have the discipline, not the caste, of Brahmun.” I hope this instance will clearly show to the reader the strength of the castes as it is in India. A man after losing his caste, for small offences, can regain it by undergoing some penances; but he cannot by any means whatever purchase a higher caste, or regain his own if he is guilty of some heavy crime. By heavy crime I do not mean anything more than the violation of ordinances and the restrictions pertaining to the caste system.