Chapter BOYA to BRANDY COORTEE, -COATEE of B by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

Dryden, Aurungzebe, iii. 3.

1688.—“The public worship of the pagods was tolerated at Goa, and the sect of the Brachmans daily increased in power, because these Pagan priests had bribed the Portuguese officers.”—Dryden, Life of Xavier.

1714.—“The Dervis at first made some scruple of violating his promise to the dying brachman.”—The Spectator, No. 578.

BRAHMINY BULL, s. A bull devoted to Siva and let loose; generally found frequenting Hindu bazars, and fattened by the run of the Bunyas’ shops. The term is sometimes used more generally (Brahminy bull, -ox, or -cow) to denote the humped Indian ox as a species.

1872.—“He could stop a huge Bramini bull, when running in fury, by catching hold of its horns.”—Govinda Samanta, i. 85.

[1889.—“Herbert Edwards made his mark as a writer of the Brahminee Bull Letters in the Delhi Gazette.”—Calcutta Rev., app. xxii.]

BRAHMINY BUTTER, s. This seems to have been an old name for Ghee (q.v.). In MS. “Acct. Charges, Dieting, &c., at Fort St. David for Nov.—Jany., 1746-47,” in India Office, we find:

“Butter .…	Pagodas	2	2	0
Brahminy do.	„	1	34	0.”

BRAHMINY DUCK, s. The common Anglo-Indian name of the handsome bird Casarca rutila (Pallas), or ‘Ruddy Shieldrake’; constantly seen on the sandy shores of the Gangetic rivers in single pairs, the pair almost always at some distance apart. The Hindi name is chakwa, and the chakwa-chakwi (male and female of the species) afford a common-place comparison in Hindi literature for faithful lovers and spouses. “The Hindus have a legend that two lovers for their indiscretion were transformed into Brahminy Ducks, that they are condemned to pass the night apart from each other, on opposite banks of the river, and that all night long each, in its turn, asks its mate if it shall come across, but the question is always met by a negative—“Chakwa, shall I come?” “No, Chakwi.” “Chakwi, shall I come?” “No, Chakwa.” —(Jerdon.) The same author says the bird is occasionally killed in England.

BRAHMINY KITE, s. The Milvus Pondicerianus of Jerdon, Haliastur Indus, Boddaert. The name is given because the bird is regarded with some reverence by the Hindus as sacred to Vishnu. It is found throughout India.

c. 1328.—“There is also in this India a certain bird, big, like a Kite, having a white head and belly, but all red above, which boldly snatches fish out of the hands of fishermen and other people, and indeed [these birds] go on just like dogs.”—Friar Jordanus, 36.

1673.—“… ’tis Sacrilege with them to kill a Cow or Calf; but highly piacular to shoot a Kite, dedicated to the Brachmins, for which Money will hardly pacify.”—Fryer, 33.

[1813.—“We had a still bolder and more ravenous enemy in the hawks and brahminee kites.”—Forbes, Or. Mem., 2nd ed., ii. 162.]

BRAHMO-SOMÁJ, s. The Bengali pronunciation of Skt. Brahma Samaja, ‘assembly of Brahmists’; Brahma being the Supreme Being according to the Indian philosophic systems. The reform of Hinduism so called was begun by Ram Mohun Roy (Rama Mohana Rai) in 1830. Professor A. Weber has shown that it does not constitute an independent Indian movement, but is derived from European Theism. [Also see Monier-Williams, Brahmanism, 486.]

1876.—“The Brahmo Somaj, or Theistic Church of India, is an experiment hitherto unique in religious history.”—Collet, Brahmo Year-book, 5.

BRANDUL, s. ‘Backstay,’ in Sea H. Port. brandal (Roebuck).