I9I0.] HOPKINS— MAGIC OBSERVANCES IN HINDU EPIC. 37 



handful of water, 12. 153. 113 (SI.v.l.); though one may also be 

 revived by divine fiat, or by a magical plant, 10.16.16.. 



Water-magic is inherent in a good many observances of the epic. 

 Water dries up before a sinner, as in the case of the wicked priest 

 who ran away and tried to escape through water, 3.i36.9f. Water 

 is a divine witness of wrong, 1.74.30. It is probably for this reason, 

 as being also the most easily available witness of wrong, that in 

 making a promise, an oath, or a curse (another form of promise), 

 the one who promises or curses touches water. In the same way 

 he may touch earth, as another divine witness. In the gift of a 

 bride, not only " fire and hand-taking " but water are necessary, 

 7.55.15. So, in accepting a gift, one touches water, and hence " hav- 

 ing wet hands " means having accepted a gift or bribe, 12.83.7, 

 ardrapani; cf. kliniiapdni, " one who has had his hand wetted," i. e. 

 been bribed, 12.139.30. An example of touching water in uttering a 

 curse is furnished by 3.10.32, vary iipasprsya. In the same way when 

 the young knight's armor is bound upon him, the veteran instructor 

 " touches water and murmurs a Mantra," 7.94.39. Almost every 

 solemn act, such as committing suicide, 3. 251. 19; or installing a 

 commander of an army, 8.10.45, in the abhiseka, 48; or using a 

 fire (divine) weapon, 7.201. 15, is thus introduced by touching water. 

 For example, in 7.79.1-3, when Krsna and Arjuna go to bed, they 

 both touch water, and whenever they speak or think of Siva, from 

 whom they hope to get a favor, they touch water, ib. 80.17 and 22; 

 and a little further, ib. 81.12, on touching the snake which is the 

 apparent form of the Pasupata (magic) weapon of Siva, water 

 is touched. On the death of a relative or on touching the corpse 

 one must bathe at once ; hence in 8.94.30, " when Karna was killed 

 in battle the sun which had touched his bleeding body sank swiftly 

 as if to take a bath (of purification) in the western ocean." Spe- 

 cially prepared, medicated, water is given to kings, but this is 

 perhaps regarded as really medicinal, kasciya and sadJihasa (jala), 

 7.82.10, as in 12.332.32. 



Water is however magical on occasions. In 3.289.9f., it is 

 related that a Guhyaka came from the White Mountain at the 

 command of Kubera, bringing with him " water by means of which 



