<3g4 ON THE TRIAL 



by the balance; where four hundred, by hot oil; where 

 three hundred, by rice; where an hundred and fifty, by 

 the Coflia; and where one hundred, by the dharmarch, 

 or images of filver and iron. 



The mode of conducting the ordeal by red-hot balls, 

 or heads of fp ears, is thus particularly defcribed in the 

 Commentary on Ydgyawelcya. 



At daybreak the place where the ceremony is to be 

 performed, is cleared and waflied in the cuftomary form ; 

 and at fun -rife the Pandits, having paid their adoration 

 to Ganefa, the God of Wifdom, draw nine circles on 

 the ground with cow-dung, at intervals of fixteen 

 lingers; each circle containing fixteen fingers of each, 

 but the ninth either fmaller or larger than the reft. 

 Then they worfhip the deities in the mode prefcribed 

 by the Sajlra, prefent oblations to the fire, and, having 

 a fecond time worfhipped the Gods, read the appointed 

 mentrcfs. The perfon to be tried then performs an 

 ablution, puts on moift clothes, and, turning his face to 

 the eaii, (lands in the firjt ring, with both his hands 

 fixed in his girdle. After this the prefiding magiftrate 

 and Pandits order him to rub fome rice in the hufk be- 

 tween his hands, which they carefully infpect; and, if 

 the fear of a former wound, a mole, or other mark, ap- 

 pear on either of them, they ftain it with a dye, that, 

 after trial, it may he diftinguifhed from any new mark. 

 They next order him to hold both his hands open and 

 clofe together; and, having put into them feven leaves 

 of the trembling tree, or pippal, feven of the farm, or 

 jend, feven blades of darbha grafs, a little barley moift- 

 ened with curds, and a few flowers, they fatten the leaves 

 on his hand with feven threads of raw cotton. The 

 Pandits then read the Jlo'cas which are appointed for the 



occafion ; 



