﻿OF THE HINDUS, &C. 299 



The rice *, which had been put into a basket, is 

 then taken up, and tlie stone is placed before the 

 l)ride, who treads upon it with tlie point of her right 

 foot, while the bridegroom recites this prayer, " As- 

 cend this stone, be firm like this stone : distress my 

 foe, and be not subservient to my enemies :" tiie 

 bridegroom then pours a ladleful of clarified butter 

 on her hands, another person gives her the rice, and 

 two other ladlefuls of butter are poured over it; she 

 then separates her hands, and lets fall the rice on the 

 fire, while the following text is recited ; '* this wo- 

 man, casting the rice into the fire, says, may my lord 

 be long lived, may we live a hundred years, and may 

 all my kinsmen prosper ; be this oblation efficacious." 

 Afterwards the bridegroom walks round the fire, pre- 

 ceded by the bride, and reciting this text ; " the girl 

 goes from her parents to her husband's abode, hav- 

 ing strictly observed abstinence [for three days from 

 factitious salt, xc.J Damsel! by means of thee we 

 repress foes, like a stream of water." The bride again 

 treads on the stone, and makes another oblation of 

 rice, while the subjoined prayer is recited: "The 

 damsel lias worshipped the generous sun, and the re- 

 gent of fire; may he and the generous sun liberate 

 her and me from this [family ;J \)e this oblation ef- 

 ficacious." They atterv.'ards walk round the fire as 

 before. Four or five other oblations are made with 

 the same ceremonies and prayers, vaiying only the 

 title of the sun, who is here called Pushan, but was 

 entitled Aryaman in the preceding prayer; the 

 bridegroom then pours rice out of the basket into 

 the fire, after pouring one or two ladlefuls of butter 

 on the edge of the basket ; with this offering he 

 simply says, " ]\Iay this oblation to fire be effica- 

 cious. " 



The 



* From this use of raw rice at the nuptial ceremony, arises the 

 custom of presenting rice, tinged with turmerick, by way of invita- 

 tion to guests whose company is requested at a wedding. 



