_Brahman, Maithil._--One of the five Panch-Gaur or northern divisions,
comprising the Brahmans of Bihar or Tirhut. There are some Maithil
Brahman families settled in Mandla, who were formerly in the service
of the Gond kings. They have the surname of Ojha, which is one of those
borne by the caste and signifies a soothsayer. The Maithil Brahmans are
said to have at one time practised magic. Mithila or Bihar has also,
from the earliest times, been famous for the cultivation of Sanskrit,
and the great lawgiver Yajnavalkya is described as a native of this
country. [429] The head of the subcaste is the Maharaja of Darbhanga,
to whom family disputes are sometimes referred for decision. The
Maithil Brahmans are said to be mainly Sakti worshippers. They eat
flesh and fish, but do not drink liquor or smoke tobacco. [430]