﻿OF THE HINDUS, &c. 23?f 



approve this rite ; approve the performer of it, that 

 he may share its reward May the celestial^ lumi- 

 nary, which purities the intellectual soul, purify our 

 minds. May the lord of speech make our prayers 

 acceptable." 



Holding cits' a grass in both hands, he then re- 

 cites an expiatory prayer, which will he inserted ia 

 another place ; and tlirowing away the grass, he thus 

 finishes the hallov/ing of the sacrificial implements: 

 a ceremony which necessarily precedes all other re- 

 lio-ious rites. 



He next makes oblations to fire with sucii cere- 

 monies, and in such form as are ad:,plcd to the reli- 

 gious rite which is intended to be subsequently per- 

 formed. The sacrifice, with the three mysterious 

 words, usually precedes and follows the particular 

 sacriiice which is suitQd to the occasion ; being most 

 generally practised, it will be the most proper spe- 

 cimen of the form in which oblations are made. 



Having silently burnt a log of wood smeared 

 with clarified butter, the priest makes three obla- 

 tions, by pouring each time a ladle full of butter on 

 the fire, saying, " Earth ! be this oblation eliica- 

 cious:" " Sky f be this ohlation efficacious:" 

 *' Heaven ! be this oblation efficacious." On some 

 occasions he makes a fourth offering in a similar 

 iTQode, saying ''Earth! Sky! Heaven! be this ob- 

 lation efficacious." If it be requisite to offer a mix- 

 ture of rice, milk, curds and butler, tliis is now done, 

 andj:he oblations, accompanied with the names of 

 the three worlds, are repeated. 



As another instance of oblations to fire, the sacri- 

 fice to the nine planets may deserve notice. This 

 consists of nine oblations of clarified butter, with the 

 following prayers : 



1. "The divine sun approaches with his golden 

 *' car, returning alternatel}' with tbe shades of nigiht, 

 " lousing- mortal and immortal beings, and surveying 



* ' worlds : 



