t4o 



interval, they get it done every time they see their Guru. 

 There is with Madhvas no restriction as to the age at 

 which the ceremony should be performed. Even a new- 

 born babe, after the pollution period of ten days, must 

 receive the mark of the chakra, if the Guru should turn 

 up. Boys before the upanayanam, and girls before 

 marriage, are branded with the chakra on the abdomen 

 just above the navel. The copper or brass branding 

 instruments (mudras) are not heated to a very high 

 temperature, but sufficient to singe the skin, and leave 

 a deep black mark in the case of adults, and a light 

 mark in that of young people and babies. In some 

 cases, disciples, who are afraid of being hurt, bribe the 

 person who heats the instruments ; but, as a rule, the 

 Guru regulates the temperature so as to suit the indi- 

 vidual. If, for example, the disciple is a strong, well- 

 built man, the instruments are well heated, and, if he is 

 a weakling, they are allowed to cool somewhat before 

 their application. If the operator has to deal with 

 babies, he presses the instrument against a wet rag- 

 before applying it to the infant's skin. Some Matathi- 

 pathis (head priests of the mutt) are, it is said, inclined 

 to be vindictive, and to make a very hot application of 

 the instruments if the disciple has not paid the fee 

 (gurukanika) to his satisfaction. The fee is not fixed in 

 the case of Sri Vaishnavas, whereas Madhvas are 

 expected to pay from one to three months' income for 

 being branded. Failure to pay is punished with ex- 

 communication on some pretext or other. The area of 

 skin branded generally peels oft within a week, leaving 

 a pale mark of the mudra, which either disappears in a 

 few months, or persists throughout life. Madhvas should 

 stamp mudras with gopi paste* daily on various parts of 

 the body. The names of these mudras are chakra, 

 chank or sankha, gatha (the weapon of war used by 

 Bhima, one of the Pandavas), padma (lotus), and 

 Narayana. The chakra is stamped thrice on the abdo- 

 men above the navel, twice on the right flank, twice 

 on the right side of the chest above the nipple, twice 

 on the right arm, once on the right temple, once on 



* Properly gopi chandira/n, a paste made of white kaolin mixed with 

 sandalwood. 



