"V 





890 Rajendralala Mitra — An Imperial Assemblage [No. 3, 



The story in connexion with this rite says ; " once on a time Indra, having 

 destroyed Yritra and other Asuras, failed to find out the Asura Namuchi. 

 At last he seized him, and the two wrestled together ; Indra was overpower- 

 ed, and on the point of being killed ; when the Asura told him, ' Let us enter 

 into an agreement for peace, and I shall let you alone ; promise only that you 

 will not attempt to kill me with a dry or a fluid substance, nor during day 

 nor at night.' (The agreement was accordingly ratified, but Indra was not 

 satisfied.) He collected some foam, which was neither dry nor moist, and 

 at dawn, when the sun had not risen, which was neither day nor night in 

 this region, struck the head of the Asura with that foam. The Asura 

 complained that he (Indra) was a murderer of his friend. From the head 

 (of the Asura) was produced the herb Apamarga. Performing a homa with 

 that herb, he (Indra) destroyed the Rakshasas."* 



For the day following six rites were enjoined, including offerings to 

 some of the minor deities who protect infants from their conception to the 

 time when they learn to speak. The articles offered call for no remark. 

 The fee in four cases was one or more cows of particular colour or quality, 

 gold in one, and a horse in the last. 



The rites aforesaid were all performed in the king's own sacrificial 

 hall, where the necessary altars were prepared for the purpose. But after 

 the last-named rite, some offerings had to be made on successive days in the 

 houses of his subjects, and they were collectively called Baterindm Havi or 

 " the rite of the wealthy." The first offering was made to Vrishaspati in the 

 house of the High Priest Brahma ; the second to Indra, in the house of a 

 Kshatriya ; the third to Aditya, in the house of the anointed Queen • the 

 fourth to Nirriti, in that of the queen who is not a favourite ; the fifth to 

 Agni, in that of the Commander-in-Chief ; the sixth to Varuna, in that of 

 the charioteer ; the seventh to the Maruts, in that of a public prostitute ; 

 the eighth to Savita, in that of the chamberlain or warder of the gymna- 

 sium ; the ninth to the Asvins, in that of the treasurer ; the tenth to 

 Pushan, in that of the ryot who shares the produce with the king ; the 

 eleventh to I^udra, in that of a gambler. Each of these offerings had its 

 appropriate fee. On the completion of these, two other rites, respectively 

 called Dikshaniya and Devasuva, had to be performed in the king's own 

 sacrificial hall. They occupied one day, and completed the preliminary rites 

 necessary for the most important act of the sacrifice— the Imperial bathing 

 or Abhishekha. 



The account of the AbMslielca given in the White Yajur Brahmana is 

 nearly as full as that which occurs in the Black Yajur, but the Brahmana 

 of the latter which elaborates it is, at every step, interrupted by innumerable 

 little stories of no interest. 



* Taittirya Sanhita, Vol. II. p. 95. 



