OF THE HINDUS. 355 



of his hand with water, and prefenting it to bis nofe, 

 inhale the fluid by one noltril, and, retaining it for 

 a while, exhale it through the other, and throw 

 away the water towards the north-eaft quarter. This 

 is considered * as an internal ablution, which waflies 

 away tins. He concludes by lipping water with the 

 following prayer, " Water ! thou do ft penetrate all 

 iC beings ; thou doft reach the deep recedes of the 

 " mountains ; thou art the mouth of the univerfe ; 

 Ci thou art sacrifice: thou art the myftick word va/ia; 

 " thou art iight, tafte, and the immortal fluid. " 



After theft ceremonies, he proceeds to worfliip the 

 fun, Handing on one foot, and rciring the other againft 

 his ankle or heel, looking towards the eair, and 

 holding his hands open before hirn in a hollow form. 

 In this pofture he pronounces to himielf the following 

 prayers: lit, tc The rays of light announce the 

 " fplendid fiery fun, beautifully riling to illumine 

 (i the univerfe." 2nd, " He rifes, wonderful, the 

 " eye of the fun, of water, and of fire, collective power 

 " of gods ; he fills heaven,, earth, and iky, with his 

 ci luminous net ; he is the foul of all which is fixed 

 '•' or locomotive." 3d, " That eye, fupremely bene- 

 " ficial, rites pure from the eaft ; may we Ice Lun 

 Ci a hundred years ; may we live a hundred years ; 

 a may we hear a hundred years." 4th, " May we. 

 " preferved by the divine power, contemplating 

 u heaven above the region of darknefs, approach the 

 " deity, molt fplendid of luminaries." The follow- 

 ing prayer may be alio fubjoined, u Thou art felf- 

 u exiftent. thou art the mo ft excellent ray ; thou 

 iC eiveft effulgence : grant it unto me." This is ex- 

 plained as an allufion to the feven rays of the fun ; 

 four of which are iuppofed to point towards the 

 four quarters, one upwards, one downwards, and 

 the feventh, which is centrical, is the moil excel- 

 lent of all; and is here addrefled, in a prayer, which 

 is explained as iignifying, ttf May the fupreme ruler; 

 who generates all things, whole luminous ray is felf- 



ex- 



