﻿OF THE hn>rDUS, &C, £S5 



^Itli liis face towards tlie east, names the eartli in- 

 audibly. 



If any profane word have been spoken during tlie 

 preceding" ceremony, atonement must now be made 

 by pronouncing this text: "Thrice did Vjshn'u 

 step, and at tlirce strides traversed tlie universe : 

 liappily was his foot placed on the dusty [earth'].''' 

 The meaning is, since the earth lias been puriiied by 

 the contact of Vishn'u's foot, may she (the eaithso 

 purified) atone for any profane Avord spoken during 

 this ceremony. 



If it be intended to make oblations of rice mixed 

 with milk, curds and butter, this too is the propei 

 time for mixing them ; and the priest afterwards 

 proceeds to name the earth in the following prayer, 

 which he pronounces Avith downcast look, resting 

 both hands on the ground : " We adore this earth ; 

 " this auspicious and most excellent earth : Do 

 ** thou, O lire ! resist [our] enemies. Thou dost 

 " take [on thee] the power [euid ojjice^ of other 

 "■ [deities].'' 



With blades of cusa grass held in his right 

 hand, lie must next strew leaves of the same grass on 

 three sides of the fire, arranging them regularly, so 

 that the tip of one row shall cover tiie roots of the 

 other. He begins with the eastern side, and at three 

 times strews grass there, to cover the whole space from 

 north to south ; and in like manner distributes grass 

 on the southern and western sides, lie then blesses 

 the ten regions of space; and rising a little, puts 

 some wood * on the lire with a ladle full of clarified 

 butter, while he meditates in silence on Brahma' the 

 lord of creatures. 



The 



* The fuel used at sacrifices must be wood of the racemiferous iig- 

 trce, the leafy Butea, or the Catechu Mimosa. It should seem, how. 

 ever, that the prickly Adenanthcra, or even the Mnngo, may be used. 

 The wood is cut into small logs, a span long, and not thicker than a 

 man's fist. 



