1870.] On the Funeral Ceremonies of the ancient Hindis. 259 



Colebrooke's version, apparently taken down from hearsay, has — 



^tt srrfK *if*nreTs w*<tK ^m^ ^f«hT ^f^^ri f^w^* 



Professor Wilson's reading, quoted from the tenth Mandala of 

 the Rig Veda, differs materially from these ; it runs thus : 



Dr. Max Midler accepts this reading, correcting only stiratndro- 

 haiitu into suratnd a ro/mntu. Our text, as quoted on page 256 and 

 founded upon six manuscripts and the concurrent testimony of the 

 Sutrakaras, differs in one important particular. It replaces the 

 last word of the first line, mrivis' antu, usually translated " let them 

 enter," by sammris'antu, " let them smear." It changes also suratud 

 u well ornamented," into sus'evd " well served" or " worthy of 

 every attention." 



With such differences in the text, it is not to be wondered at 

 that the English renderings which have been, from time to time, 

 published, should be markedly different. Colebrooke was the 

 first to take the stanza in hand, and he translated it into — u Om. 

 Let these women, not to be widowed, good wives, adorned with 

 collyrium, holding clarified butter, consign themselves to the fire. 

 Immortal, not childless, nor husbandless, well adorned with gems, 

 let them pass into fire, whose original is water."* Ward, Mac- 

 naughten, Ramamohana Raya and others have adopted this reading, 

 and given translations more or less different from each other. 

 But as the reading itself has not yet been traced to any authentic 

 MS. of the Vedas, it may be dismissed without further notice. 



Wilson's translation runs thus : " May these women, who are 

 not widows, who have good husbands, who are mothers, enter 

 with unguents and clarified butter : without tears, without sorrow, 

 let them first go up into the dwelling."! Max Midler's rendering 

 is nearly the same. He writes — 



" Es trcten eiu die Frau'n, inifc Ool unci Butter, 

 Nicht Witwen sie, ucin, stolz auf edle Maimer. 

 Die Mutter gehn zuorst hinauf zur Stiitte, 

 In schunem Sclinmck uud olme Leid uud Thranen.."| 



* As. Researches, IV, p. 213. f Journal R. As. Soc. XVI, p. 202. 



X Zuitsckriit, Baud, IX, p. XXV. 



