2 28 The Honey- Makers 



tected by the gods, live a hundred autumns in this world, 

 N. N. ! " — and gives him a name. 



Although the " Sutras " compiled by different authors 

 differ somewhat in detail, the use of honey at the birth of 

 the child is almost always a part of the command, as wit- 

 ness the following from another of the " Sutras " : — 



"When a son has been born, the father should, before 

 other people touch him, give him to eat from gold, butter 

 and honey with which he has ground gold-dust, with the 

 verse, — 



" ' I administer to thee the wisdom of honey, of ghee,^ 

 raised by Savitri the bountiful, long-living, protected by the 

 gods, live a hundred autumns in this world ! ' " 



When a child is six months old the ceremony for feeding 

 the first solid food is performed. Various substances, 

 selected according to the future needs of the child, as, for 

 instance, flesh of partridge, if the child is desirous of acquir- 

 ing holy lustre, are mixed with milk, curds, honey and 

 clarified butter and given to the child. 



"Such food, mixed with curds, honey and ghee, he 

 should give to the child to eat with the verse, — 



" ' Lord of food, give us food painless and strong ; 

 bring forth the giver ; bestow power on us, on men and 

 animals.' " 



At the ceremony of the tonsure of the child's head it is 

 to be observed that — 



" He pours cold water into warm with the verse, — 

 " ' Mix yourselves, ye holy ones, with your waves, ye 

 honied ones, mixing milk with honey, ye lovely ones, for 

 the obtaining of wealth.' " 



The young man desiring to establish a family builds for 

 himself a house, and when the post holes are dug he con- 

 1 Clarified butter. 



