160 A notice of the Caun'alca Srnriti. [No. 3, 



and lower) a pair of earrings, a turban and a finger-ring, procure 

 a virtuous priest of the Vaishnava faith, who has studied the Vedas 

 to their end, 



3. A layer of Kuca grass* (to place the Ajyasthali upon) and fuel 

 of Palaca wood, and pressingly invite his Bandhu (cognates) and his 

 Sapinda relations (gentiles). 



4. Having (next) honoured his relations by (placing) food (before 

 them) and especially the Brahmans, he should perform the ceremonies 

 beginning with the kindling of the sacred fire, and ending with the 

 purification of the liquid butter. f 



5. He (then) should go to the person who is going to give away 

 (the boy) and order (the Acarya) to ask him, saying : " Give the 

 child." 



6. The person who gives (the child to be adopted, then says) : I 

 have authority to give (him the boy, and recites) the five (verses J 

 beginning with :) " Who by the sacrifice." 



7. (The adopter) should (then) receive the (boy) (drawing him 

 into his legs) with his hands (reciting) the Mantra : " In the creation 

 of Savitri, &c." and mutter the verse : " From the several limbs, &c." 

 and touch with his nose the child's head.§ 



8. He (then) should adorn the child which (now) resembles a son 

 of the receiver's body, with the dresses and other (ornaments men- 

 tioned before). 



9. Afterwards (lie should) go to his (own) house accompanied by 

 the (boy) with dancing, songs, and sounds of music and blessings, 



not take the accusative of the thing given and of the person. The latter 

 it to stand in the dative, genitive, or locative, Besides, as I am informed, 

 it is not the custom to give such presents to the Acharya at the beginning of 

 the ceremony. The above translation is confirmed by the corresponding pas- 

 sage of Baudhayana. I take the literal meaning of dattva here to be " tyuyam 

 kritva." 



* Borradaile : " a bunch of sixty-four stems entirely of Kuca grass." I am 

 informed, that so much Kuca grass is usually taken as can be held by joining 

 the tip of the fore-finger to the tip of the thumb. 



f A blade of Kuca grass (paritram) is placed lengthwise into the Ajyasthali, 

 and moved first horizontally and then upwards in order to take away insects, 

 &c. that may have fallen into the ghee. This operation is repeated three 

 times. (Oral information.) 



X Rig- "Veda. ix. 62, 1 — 5. 



§ Aghra is usually wrongly translated by ' kissing.' Regarding the correct 

 meaning of the term and the origin of the custom, see my notice in Benfey's 

 Orient und Occident. 



