﻿252 ON THE RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES 



and the hoi}' sages, immolated as a viciim on sacred 

 grass ; and thus performed a solemn act of religion. 

 10. Into how many portions did they divide this 

 being, whom they immolated? what did his mouth 

 become? what are his arms, his thighs^ and his 

 feet now called ? II. His mouth became a priest; 

 his arm was made a soldier ; his thigh was trans- 

 formed into a husbandman ; from his feet sprung 

 the servile man. I'i. The moon was produced from 

 his mind; the sun sprung from his eye; air and 

 breath proceeded from his ear ; and fire rose from 

 his mouth. 13. The subtile element was produced 

 from his navel ; the sky from his head ; the earth 

 from his feet ; and space from his ear : thus did he 

 frame worlds. 14. In that solemn sacrifice, which 

 the Gods performed with him as a viftim, spring 

 was tlie butter, summer the fuel, and sultry weather 

 the oblation. 15. Seven were the moats [surround- 

 ing the altar] ; thrice seven were the logs of holy 

 fuel ; at that sacrifice, which the Gods performed, 

 immolating this being as the victim. 16. By that 

 sacrifice the Gods worshipped this victim : such were 

 primeval duties ; and thus did they attain heaven, 

 where former Gods and mighty demigods abide *. 



Next spreading cu.s'a grass near the fragments of 

 the repast, and taking some unboiled rice with tila 

 and clarified butter, he must distribute it on the 

 grass, while the priests recite for him these prayers : 

 *' May those in my family, who have been burnt by 

 fjre, or who are alive and yet un burnt, be satisfied 

 with this food presented on the ground ; and pro- 

 ceed contented towards the supreme path [of eternal 

 bliss]. May those, who have no fa'ther nor mother, 

 nor kinsman, nor food, nor supply of nourishment, 



be 



* I think it unnecessary to quote from the commentary the expla- 

 nation of this curious passage of the Feda as It is there given, because 

 it does not really elucidate the sense ; the allegory is, for the most 

 part, sufficiently obvious. Other prayers may be also recited on the 

 same occasion : it would be tedious to insert them all in this place. 



