﻿OF THE HINDUS, &C. 249 



his right shoulder, he takes up a brush of cus'a grass, 

 and presents water together with tila and with blos- 

 soms, naming the deceased and the family from 

 which he sprung, and saying, " may this water for 

 ablutions be acceptable to thee." Then saying, 

 *'may this be right," he pronounces a vow or solemn 

 declaration. *' This day I will offer on a bundle of 

 cm a grass (or, if such be the custom, ** on fire") 

 a s'rdMha for a single person, with unboiled food, 

 together with clarified butter and with water, pre- 

 paratory to the gathering of the bones of such a one 

 deceased." The priests answering *' do so," he says 

 ^'namo! namahT while the priests meditate the 

 gayatr'i^ and thrice repeat, " Salutation to the Gods, 

 to the manes of ancestors, and to mighty saints; 

 to Swdhd [goddess of fire] ; to Sxvadlid [the food of 

 the manes] : salutation unto them for ever and 

 ever." 



He then presents a cushion made of cus'a grass, 

 naming the deceased, and saying, " may this be ac- 

 ceptable unto thee ;" and afterwards diftributes meal 

 of sesamuni, while the priests recite, '• May the de- 

 mons and fierce giants that sit on this consecrated 

 spot, be dispersed ; and the blood-thirsty savages 

 that inhabit the earth, may they go to any other place 

 to which their inclinations may lead them." 



Pjlacing an oval vessel with its narrowest end 

 towards the south, he takes up two blades of grass ; 

 and breaking oft' a span's length, throws them into 

 the vessel ; and, after sprinkling them with water, 

 makes a libation, while the priests say, " May 

 divine waters be auspicious to us for accumulation, 

 for grain, and for refreshing draughts ; may they 

 listen to us, and grant that we may be associated 

 with good auspices." lie then throws in tila, 

 while the priests say, " Thou art tila, sacred to 

 Soma ; framed by the divinity, thou dost produce 

 celestial bliss [for him that makes oblations] ; mixed 



with 



