1870.] Tie Vdstu Ydga. 201 



left bearing a ghata on her loins and a Tenia with grains on her 

 head. Thus prepared, he enters his new house. The water-pot men- 

 tioned above, is carried by a Brahman, who leads the procession. 



The Abliyudayiha Srdddha and the pujd of the sixteen Mdtrilcds 

 with the ganddliipas is performed at a separate place. 



In the new house, the owner, having made the dchamana, com- 

 mences the Vdstu Ydga. 



It is begun with formally making a resolution (Sanlcalpa) to 

 complete the rite, and for this purpose the Raddhati says : — ' Let 

 him sit on an Asana (carpet) or a mat of kusa grass with his face 

 towards the east, and let him pronounce " om tat sat" " om, to-day 

 in the month of (here mention the lunar month), in the (here men- 

 tion the bright or the dark fortnight,) on (here mention the 

 number tithi or lunar day), I, of (here mention the family) family 

 or gotra (here mention the name) with a view to avoid the defects 

 and evils of this human habitation, perform the Vdsta Ydga." 

 The Sankalpa hymn is then to be repeated. Let him next worship 

 Vishnu and the nine planets, and let him next let drop the Vasu- 

 dhdrds, of melted butter, against a wall so as to run in a given 

 number of lines. The Ayuslimya hymn is next repeated.' 



The appointment of priests fVarana) : — 'The Brahmans, previ- 

 ously selected for the performance of the sacrifices and ceremonies, 

 have to be seated on carpets with their faces towards the north. 

 The Yajamdna is to propitiate them with sandal paste. Let him 

 then pronounce " Om. I am blessed. Om. On the occasion of this 

 Vastu Yaga (enjoined by holy writ) do you, the respected three, 

 pronounce ' Om Svasti' om, blessed be the act." 



The three priests respond " Om Svasti." 



The Yajamdna: " Om, on the occasion of this Vdstu Ydga cere- 

 mony, do you three pronounce om riddhim (om prosperity). 



The priests respond " om, may you prosper." 



Let rice be scattered around by the Brahmans present with the 

 mantras which commence with " Om, Svasti no Indra viddhasrava, 

 Svasti no Pusha visvaveda, Svasti, &c." " Om, may Indra, propagator 

 of ceremonies, bless us; may Pusha, &c." Then let the hymn " Om 

 Suryah somo yamali kdlah, &c. " In the presence of the sun, the 

 moon, death, time, twilight, bhutas (spirits), day, night, wind, 



