252 On the Funeral Ceremonies of the ancient Hindus. [No. 4, 



for a good region for the deceased. The one addressed to Yama 

 describes him as having two cerberi for warders at his gate. 

 " King Yama, place this spirit under the care of thy two four-eyed 

 dogs, which guard the roads and your mansion, and whom men 

 avoid : keep it in ease and free from disease."* The dogs are the 

 offspring of Sarama ; long-snouted, self-satisfied, and exceedingly 

 powerful ; they are the messengers of Yama and roam about in 

 search of men. The last three prayers I shall give entire. "1. 

 Some purify the Soma juice, others worship with clarified butter, 

 others again follow true knowledge (madhu vidyd) in quest of 

 felicity ; may this spirit attain the same (reward). 2. May the award 

 of those who fight in the battle-field, and of heroes who sacrifice 

 their lives, and of virtuous men who grant a thousand gifts, await 

 this spirit. 3. May the award of those who in penance pass a 

 blameless life, and of those who are gone to heaven by their pen- 

 ance, and of those who have performed most rigorous austerities 

 await this spirit."f 



After this, leaving the funeral pyre to smoulder, the chief mour- 

 ner excavates three trenches to the north of the pyre, and fining 

 them with pebbles and sand, fills them with water brought in an 

 odd number of jars. The people who followed the procession are 

 then requested to purify themselves by bathing in them ; which 

 being done, a yoke is put up with three palasa branches stuck in 

 the ground and tied at the top with a piece of weak string, and 

 they are made to pass under it. The chief mourner passes last, 

 and then, plucking out the yoke, offers a prayer to the sun. There- 

 upon, the party proceed to the nearest stream, and without 

 looking at each other, purify themselves by bathing and a prayer 



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