22; [Greek text], M.; Sanskrit, castra; Hind., shastr, m.

Hindu religious books, Hindu law, Scripture, institutes of science (Shakespeare).

In proportion to the importance of the real existence of this word among the Gipsies must be the suspicion with which we regard it, when it depends, as in this instance, only on Borrow's assertion, who, in case of need, to supply a non-existing word, may have easily taken one from the Sanskrit."-- _Die Zigeuner_, vol.ii.
p.

224.
The word _shaster_ was given to me very distinctly by a Gipsy, who further volunteered the information, that it not only meant the Scriptures, but also any written book whatever, and somewhat marred the dignity of the sublime association of the Bible and Shaster, by adding that "any feller's bettin'-book on the race-ground was a _shasterni lil_, 'cos it's written." I have never heard of the evil eye among the lower orders of English, but among Gipsies a belief in it is as common as among Hindus, and both indicate it by the same word, _seer_ or _sihr_.

In India _sihr_, it is true, is applied to enchantment or magic in general, but in this case the whole may very well stand for a part.