85 OP THE ORIGIW OF 



of Hindu feasts and holidays. The Vtshiu ctJiermot- 

 tara^ cited in the Madana ralna, does indeed direct, 

 that, on this day (11th Bhddra in the bright fort- 

 night), ajar of water, with certain other specified ar- 

 ticies, be given to a priest; and the Bhawishya re- 

 quires, tiiat Jana'bdana, or Vishn'u, be wor- 

 shipped with appropriate prayers : biit'the ceremony, 

 to which Mr. Paterson alludes, must be a different 

 one ; and, if I am rightly informed, a festival, which 

 bears the designation mentioned by him (Jalaydtrd)^ 

 is celebrated at the temple of Jaganna't'ha, and 

 perhaps at some other places. 



P. 77. At most festivals, no less than at that of 

 Durga', a jar of water is placed, and consecrated by 

 prayers, invoking the presence of the deity or deities 

 tvho are on that occasion worshipped : adding also 

 invocations to Gangd and the other holy rivers. 

 When the celebration of the festival is completed, 

 the holy water, contauied in the jar, is employed by 

 the priests to sprinkle or to bathe the person, who 

 commands and defrays the celebration. 



\2ix\o\\syantraSy or mystical figures and marks, 

 are appropriated to the several Deities, and to the 

 different titles of each Deity. Such figures are usually 

 delineated on the spot, where a consecrated jar is to 

 be placed. These yantrns^ which are suppo-ed by 

 superstitious Hindus to jDOSsess occult powers, arc 

 taught m great detail by the Tantras or A'gama 

 Sdstra : but seem to be unknown to the Vedas and 

 Vurdnas. ' 



y 



P. 78. The H6lica is said, in some Fur ana, to 

 have been instituted by the king Ambarisha (the 

 great grandson o( Bhacirat'ha), according to in- 

 structions from Na'p.kd a, for the purpose of coun- 

 teracting a female dcnion Hf^med D^'hun'o'iia', wljose 



