THE USE OP AMULETS IN THE PREVENTION OP DISEASE. 227 



bel or promegranate. The ink maybe black, but is usually red and consists of candan 

 (sandal), rakta candan (red sandal), kes'ar (saffron), blood (especially that of a white 

 pigeon), musk, turmeric, vermilion, lac-dye, gorocana (cow's bile) or asta gandha, a com- 

 pound of eight ingredients (sandal, saffron, turmeric, gaolocan — a preparation of cow's 

 urine — red sandal, aloes, camphor and musk). The mantra is sometimes combined with 

 mathematical figures, such as a circle in a circle, a square in a square or circle, 

 or a triangle in a triangle, the mantra being written in the central space. A 

 specimen of such a charm is given below. In this case the syllable om, which 

 represents the Hindu trinity, is written in the centre of two triangles, about 

 which a circle is described, and the remaining spaces each contain one letter 



of the patient's name. This mantra, combined with a tuki root, in a case of 

 astadhatu l is a sovereign protection against witchcraft. In fever cases the figure of a 

 demon is drawn and the word Maha Nrsirhha is written across the body. The Bhurja 

 Pair a is then folded seven times before insertation into its case of asiad/idtu. The follow 

 ing are specimens of mantras actually used : — 



(i) snr: t| ^Tfcremr sm: n 

 Used to give courage. 



(ii) TO: # T\W 5T ^TT^T II 



Durga's mant:a, used against fever. 



(iii) to: gf is? ri ?7zn% n ^gl^ urn^rr ^^it QtK faf^HS? n' 



Hanuman's mantra (or Bajaranga), for the fulfilment of a desire. 



(iv) 3TT OTST 3TT TT?T JPT WTJT *H»Irjm I 

 *n% 5TT JUT WT7t?T ^TTT X\3M JTTT^T II 



Durga's mantra, for the cure of sores on young children. 



The Kavac are known by many names, which have reference either to the deity 

 whose power is invoked, or to the object with which they are worn. Thus the Ram 

 Kavac, which must be regularly worshipped with flowers and sandal-water, is worn in a 

 gold case, usually by females, for protection against evil spirits, who cannot face the name 

 of Ram ; Raksa Kavac is worn for the same purpose, but the name here applies to the ob- 

 ject with which it is worn ; Bamsa Kavac is worn in a gold case, with the object of 



1 Attadhatu is a combination of the eight metals — gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead, zinc, and mercury — which is supposed 

 to possess peculiar curative power. Combinations of three or five metals are also used for amulet cases. 



