72 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XVI, 
Present Practice—Sun Worship. 
17. The devotions of the pious Hindu are, to a consider- 
able extent, imbued with a sort of astronomical cult, which in- 
cludes.! 
a 
as the followin 
“ May Brahmi, Vishnu, Siva, the Sun, the Moon, 
oe Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Rahu and Ketu 
make the morning auspicious for 
(6) The ‘eniialinn of the Gayatri and meditation thereon. 
(c) The offering to the Sun of libations of water, accom- 
cs by the recitation of the Gayatri and other mantras, 
* Salutation to Vivasvat, salutation to the lumin- 
ous one possessing the energy of Vishnu. Salu- 
tation to the creator of the world, to Savitri, the 
catebewy: of fruitful deeds.” ® 
** Come, O Surya, of a thousand rays, the store- 
‘ies of all the energy of the world. Have 
mercy on me the sacrificer. Accept this offering, 
O maker of day.” 
(d) Worshipping the Sun and reciting, e.g. RV i, 115— 
** The Wonderful host of rays ‘has risen, the eye of 
Mitra, Varuna and Agni, Sirya, the soul of all 
that moves or is immovable, has filled the 
eaven, the earth and the air 
“The Sun follows the divine and brilliant Ushas 
as @ man a woman—at which season pious men 
rform ancient te eres worshipping the 
auspicious for the s ake of r 
** The auspicious swift horses ‘of ‘the Sun, well-limb- 
ed, road-traversing, who deserve to be plea ased. 
with praise, reverenced by us, have ascended to 
ibe summit of pes sky, and quickly move round 
arth and heav 
. Sus is the divinity, such is the majesty of Sur- 
The recitation, on awakening, of some such mantra 
ng: 
has unyoked his horses from their chariot, then 
night veils everything in darkness. 
“ Sarya in sight of Mitra and Varuna displays his 
form in the middle of the heavens ; and his rays 
1 The ritual rg not appear to be rigidly fixed but some such pra 
tice is dallowsd. ii orthodox rahe oe See 8. C. VIDYARNAVA Baily 
a ctice ee the Hindus. See also R. E. ENtuoven The Folk-lore of Guja- 
rat p. 
2 Compare the opening verses of Aryabhata’s Ganita, e 
3 Meine Purana iii, 11. Note also that the Sun is Facaiit in. the 
person 0 
