I9I0.] HOPKINS— MAGIC OBSERVANCES IN HINDU EPIC. 29 



the Vedas, 3.150.28. Gods who " steal the sacrifice " are begotten 

 by Tapas, and are fifteen in number (3X5), one group having 

 Mitra-names, 3.220.iof. (Subhima, Atibhima, Bhima, Bhimabala, 

 Abala ; Sumitra, Mitravat, °jiia, °vardhana, °dharman; Surapravira, 

 Vira, Suresa, Suvarcas, Surahantar).^ A pecuHar way of dotting 

 earth with sacrifices is often alkided to in the epic. It is by casting 

 a SamI stick as far as it will go, and building an altar where it 

 falls, over and over again, samyaksepena (ayajat), 3.90.5, etc. 



The general distinction made by the epic between the worship 

 of gods and Manes is that the gods are honored with flowers and 

 water and the Manes with roots and fruits, the former being arcitah, 

 revered, and the latter being tarpitdh, pleased, 3.156.6. Every sacri- 

 fice is identified with Prajapati, as food, and the year, 3.200.38. 



But besides the regular sacrifices and the substitutions for them" 

 there is evidence (cf. 8.40.33, the Mantra of the Atharva to ofifset 

 scorpion poison) that the use of the "Atharva Veda crammed full 

 of wizardry " was familiar enough. The application of the art 

 of magic was according to circumstances. Against one who used 

 bad magic the use of bad magic was permissible ; otherwise not. 

 The difference between good and bad ("straight and crooked") 

 magic was recognized and practiced both in the use of legitimate and 

 illegitimate sacrifices and in the application of magic weapons and 

 the like (magic clouds of dust, showers of blood, frightful shapes 

 and noises) to defeat a foe. The Mantra sufficiently potent con- 

 verted the ordinary weapon into a magical dart, a boomerang or 

 thunderbolt, with which a good and true Aryan might fight the 

 powers of darkness and any sinful knights who relied on such 

 powers. Ethically, the rule was "magic is sinful; but if employed 

 against the good the good may in turn use it." The same rule, in 

 short, as obtained in the matter of curses. If cursed not it was 

 sinful to curse ; if cursed, it was silly not to curse back and the 

 worse the curse the better the curser. Cf. 12. 100.5; i03-27f. 



^ Foreign influence may be suspected in the Mitra-named " sacrifice- 

 stealers." The others are native devils, to whom one offers sacrifice " out- 

 side the ahar." The idea is Vedic. The last name in the text is paraphrased, 

 suranamapi hantaram, "slayer of gods." Suresa (Agni) is a proper enough 

 name of a (good) god! 



"Compare also atharvana arivinasana, "foe-slaying," 8.90.4; Kritya 

 atharvangiras'i 'vogra, "like an Atharvan rite, horrible," 8.91.48; 9.17.44. 



