﻿500 ON THE RELIGIOUS CEIIEMOXIES 



The oblations and prayers directed by the Yajtir- 

 *ccda, previous to this period of the solemnity, are 

 very different from tliose wliich have been here in^ 

 serted from tiie Sainaveda ; and some of the ceremo- 

 nies, which will be suhsecpiently noticed, are antici- 

 pated by the priests, who follow the Ycijash. 



Tv/ELVE oblations are made with as many prayers, 

 1. May thi.>^ oblation be efficacious, and happily con- 

 veyed to tliat being, M'ho is lire in the form of a ce- 

 lestial quirister, who is accompanied by truth, and 

 whose abode is truth ; may h.e cherish our holy know- 

 ledge and our valour. 2. Efficacious be this obla- 

 tion to those deliglitful plants, which are the nymphs 

 of that being, who is lire in the form of a celestial 

 quirister, who is accompanied by truth., and whose 

 abode is truth. 3. and 4. The foregoing prayers are 

 thus varied, " to that being who is the sun, in the 

 form of a celestial quirister, and v.'ho consists wholly 

 of the Sdmatcda. Those enlivening rays, which are 

 the nymphs of that sun. 5. and 6. That being, who 

 is the moon, in the form of a celestial' quirister, and 

 who is a ra}*of the s.un, and named Sashman a. Those 

 astcrisms, which are the nymphs of the moon, and 

 are called Bhecuri*. 7- and 8. Th.at being, who is 

 air, constantly nioyiLig, and travelling every where. 

 Those waters, which are the nymphs of air, and are 

 termed invigorating. .9. and iO. Th.at being, who 

 is the solemn sacrifice in the form of a celestial, qui- 

 rister, who cherishes all beings, and whose pace is 

 elegant. Those sacrificial fees, which are thenj^mphs 

 of the solemn sacrifice, and are named thanksgiv- 

 ings. 11. ar-d 12. That being, who is mind in the 

 form of a celestial quirister, who is the supreme ruler 

 Qf creatures, and v/ho is the fabricator of the universe. 



Those 



* This term is not expounded by the commentator. Bha signifies an 

 asterism ; but the meaning of tlie compound term is not obvious. 

 Sushmajia bears some Hfrinity to Shtisumna mentioned in a iormer 

 essa)' ; but neither of these names is explained in the commentaries 

 which I liavo coniiilted. 



