OF THE HINDUS. J 



": purified by fire, approach us through the paths 

 " which are travelled by gods ; and pleafed with the 

 " food prefented at the facrarrient, may they ail: for 

 -" more, and preierve us from evil." lie fhotild 

 then offer a triple oblation of water with both 

 hands, reciting the following text, and faying, cc I b 

 "•' this tiui and water to my father, filth a one fprurig 

 u t from fuch a family." He muft offer fimilar obi; 

 ons to his paternal grandfather, great-grandfather ; 

 and another fet of iimilar oblations to hi., maternal 

 grandfather, and to the father and grandfather of that 

 anceftor ; a Iimilar oblation mult be prefented to 

 his mother, and fingle oblations to his paternal 

 grandmother and great-grandmother : three more ob- 

 lations are prefented, each to three perfons, paternal 

 uncle, brother, ion, grandfons, daughter's Ion, fon-in- 

 law, maternal uncles, lifter's fon, father's lifter's Ion, 

 mother's lifter, and other relations. The text alluded 

 to bears this meaning : " Waters be the food of 

 " our progenitors ; fatisfy my parents, ye who con- 

 " vey nourifhment, which is the drink of immortality, 

 <f the fluid of libations, the milky liquor, the con- 

 " fined and promifed food of the manes." 



The ceremony may be concluded with three vo- 

 luntary oblations ; the firft prefented like the oblati- 

 ons to deities, looking towards the eafr, and with the 

 facrilicial cord placed on his left fhouldcr. The 

 fecond like that, offered to progenitors, looking towards 

 the fouth, and with the firing palled over his right 

 moulder. The prayers which accompany thefe "of- 

 ferings are fubjoined : lit. 4i ' the gods, demons, 

 Ci benevolent genii, huge ierpents, heavenly quirifters 

 " fierce giants, blood thirfty lavages, unmelodious 

 cc guadians of the celellial treafure. iuccefsfui genii, fpi- 

 4 c rits called CuJJimancla, trees, and all animals,wh i ch move 

 cc inair or m water, which live on earth, and feed abroad, 

 " may all thefe quickly obtain contentment, through 

 " the water preiented by me." '2nd. " To fatisfy 



Z4 ."them 



