﻿OF THE HINDUS, <kc. 259 



mothers, make us here partakers of your most au- 

 spicious essence *." 



Putting his hand into the second vessel, the 

 priest meditates the gdyatri, and the four prayers 

 aho\-e quoted, adding some others, and concluding 

 this second consecration of water hy once more 

 meditating the gdj/atri. 



Then taking a lump of sugar and a copper ves- 

 sel in his left hand, hiting the sugar and spitting it 

 out again, the priest sips water ; afterwards putting 

 his hand into the third vessel, lie meditates the gdj/' 

 atr'i and the four prayers above cited, interposing 

 this, "May Indra and Vahun'a [the regents of 

 the sky and of the ocean] accept our oblations, and 

 grant us happiness; may Ixdua and the cherishing 

 sun grant us happiness in the distribution of food; 

 may Ixdra and the moon grant us the happiness of 

 attaining the road to celestial bhss, and the associa-, 

 tion of good auspices." The priest adds, 1. "May 

 we suthciently attain your essence with which you 

 satisfy the universe — Waters ! grant it to us." 

 ^. " May heaven be our comfort ; may the sky, 

 earth, water, salutary herbs, trees, the assembled 

 gods, the creator, and the universe, be our comfort; 

 may that comfort obviate difficulties, and become to 

 us the means of attaining our v/ishes. " 3. " Make 

 mc perfect in [my own peison, and in the persons of 

 all who 2lx€\ connected with me ; njav all beings view 

 me with the [benevolent] eye of the sun : I 

 view all beino-s with the solar eye; let us view each 

 other with the [benevolent] solar eye. " 4. " ]Make 



S l: me 



* The translation of several among these prayers is a little varied 

 from a form.er version of them, to conform with the different exposi- 

 tions given in different places by the commentators I have consulted. 

 For the same purpose 1 shall here subjoin another version of the gdj- 

 atri. "Earth! Sky! Heaven! Let us meditate on [these and on] 

 the most excellent light and power of that generous, sportive, and re- 

 splendent Sun : [praying that] it may guide oiir inteliect&i" A para- 

 phrafe of this very important text may be fjund in the preface to the 

 transUtion of Menu, p. xviii. 



