1876.] 



at Delhi three thousand years ago. 



395 



gods who are the defenders of religion protect thy speech ; may they protect 

 thy vital airs ; may they protect thy eyes ; may they protect thy ears." 

 The mantra for the Adhvaryu when pouring the water from his bucket, says, 

 " Yajamana, I bathe thee with the glory of the moon ; may you be king 

 of kings among kings ; may you prosper in every way ; may you overcome 

 all your enemies. O ye well worshipped Devas, may you free so and so (here 

 the name of the king) the son of so and so (here the names of his father and 

 mother) from all his enemies, and enable him to discharge the highest duties 

 of the Kshatriya, of the eldest, of the owner of the best vehicles, and of his 

 own greatness. Through your blessings he has become the king of such a 

 nation (name). Know ye of that nation, that he has this day become your 

 king. Of us, Brahmanas, Soma is the king." Tor the Brahma the mantra 

 is similar to the last, substituting only " the glory of Agni," for that of 

 the moon, and omitting the names. The Yaisya appealed to the glory of 

 God, and the Kshatriya the light of the sun. 



The baptism over, the Emperor descended from his seat, cast off his wet 

 clothes, put on his regal dress including hogskin shoes, and then took three 

 steps forward, symbolically to represent the subjugation of the three regions, 

 repeating for each act a separate mantra. The three steps were the counter- 

 parts of those by which Vishnu spanned the earth, the upper regions and 

 heaven, or those of the sun at sunrise, midday and sunset. The Adhvaryu 

 in the meantime offered an oblation to the fire, and the Agnidhra, collecting 

 a portion of the water that had run over the Emperor's person, poured a 

 portion of it on the fire in the name of Budra. 



A chariot was next brought into the sacrificial hall, and to it three 

 horses were yoked, and two charioteers were made to take their places 

 on its two sides. The White Yajush recommends four horses. The Em- 

 peror, having taken his seat, ordered the charioteers to proceed, and they 

 whipped the horses, and drove them on until the vehicle was brought in 

 front of a herd of cattle, when the Emperor touched the foremost cow 

 with the top of his bow, the operation being emblematic of a successful 

 cattle-lifting raid. The vehicle was then turned and brought back to its 

 place near the altar, when the Adhvaryu offered four oblations to the fire, 

 in the names of Agni, Soma, Maruts and Indra, and the Emperor, while 

 descending from his chariot, recited a mantra., saying, " Him who is the 

 pure soul, (Hansa), Him, who is the pervader of the ether, Him, who 

 presides as the Hota at the altar, Him who is the long -travelled guest, 

 Him, who, born of water, reigns in every human form, Him who enlivens 

 all animals, Him who controls the seasons, Him who sustains the mountains, 

 Him, the all-pervading and the mighty one, I adore." Having descended 

 from the car, he touched the two Satamdnas which had been previously 

 attached to the two wheels of the vehicle. 



