﻿OF THE HINDUS, &C. ^^-^ 



After smearing- the place with cow-dnng, a square 

 altar of^and is raised on it, one or two fingers high, 

 and a span nearly in each direction. (It must be 

 triangular at the obsequies of one recently defunct.) 

 'i'he person who performs the ceremony, first washes^ 

 his hands and feet, sips water, and puts a ring of 

 ciisa grass on tlie ring imger of each hand. lie sits 

 down on a cushion oi\-usa grass, or of other mate- 

 rials, placed upon a blade of such grass. He lights 

 a lamp, reciting a prayer, v/hich will l>e cited on 

 y.nother occasion. He" places the implements and 

 materials in regular order, and sprinkles water on 

 himself and all around, meditating on Vishx'u sur- 

 named the lotos-eyed, and revolving in his mind 

 the couplet " whether pure or defiled, &c." He now 

 shifts the sacerdotal thread to his right shoulder, 

 and solemnly declares his intention of performing a 

 a'raddlia, and the motive of it. He thrice medi- 

 tates the gdyatri, and pronounces the salutation to 

 superior beings, " salutation to the Gods, to the 

 manes of ancestors, &c. " 



After this preparation, he proceeds to invite 

 and to welcome the assembled Gods and the manes. 

 First he places two little cushions of cus'a grass on 

 one side of the altar for the Vis'wtdevas, and six in 

 front of it for the Fitns. Each cushion- should 

 consist of three blades of grass folded up. After 

 strewing cus'a grass on those cushions, he asks, 

 "shall I invoke the assembled Gods?" being told 

 " do so," he thus invokes them : " assembled Gods! 

 hear my invocation ; come and sit down on this holy 

 grass." After scattering barley on the same spot, 

 he meditates this prayer, " assembled Gods i iisteiv 

 to my invocation, ye, who reside in the sky ; and 

 ye who abide near us, [on earth,] or [far off] in 

 heaven : ye, whose tongues are fire ; and ye, who 

 defend the funeral sacrifice, sit on this grass, and 

 be cheerful." Pie tlien invites the manes qI" ances- 

 tors vvith similar invocations ; '' O fire! zealously 



